After ensuring my blog would get a proper design, I started thinking about how to get the blog itself made. Looking for software and spending time testing it really isn't my strong point, but working with static pages didn't really sound like a good idea either.

I had been cocky enough to ask for a custom made design, so I played around with the idea of writing some custom software myself. Luckily, people stepped in before I actually hurt myself. Although I never got around to trying out any of the existing software, in the end I'm glad to have chosen for a custom solution, despite all the effort it took us to get the blog on rails. At least I have full control about anything at all times now.

When the design was being made I mentioned my idea of making a blog to several people. One of them being Jonas Drieghe, at that time an intern at the company I work for (and currently my colleague). He was quick in offering his services and having had prior experience with his work, I happily jumped on the boat. Again things seemed to evolve exactly as I had hoped and I felt like I was living in a fairy wonderland.

The progress was hampered a bit by personal issues (basically life creeping up on you and leaving you behind with no time at all), at which point Filip van Tendeloo, another colleague of mine, took over the technical side. From there on, the blog progressed to its current state at an agreeable pace, mostly delayed by new ideas and little nit bits from my side. I'm known to get lost in tiny details from time to time. In the end, I guess it did benefit the result, though it was good to stop at its current stage. Content is more important now, other features can always be added at a later time.

I'm really impressed with the final result, as the generated code is as clean as the templates I delivered (a 100% match really). The blog handles really well, most basic blog features are present and changes can be made quickly. Most importantly, I got the "profiles feature" (personal - work - onderhond), which was the core element of my blog idea when I started work on it.

In the end, I got a custom design and custom blog software. For free. Which is nuts. But the blog is live and the facts don't lie. So I humbly salute the people who handled the technical aspect of this blog for me. This blog could never have been made the way it is without your help and devotion to my ideas.

Again, thanks a billion.