Site 2.0 Updates
& Reflections

I can't believe I've been hosting and maintaining my site for one whole year. (Well, now it'd be almost two years but don't worry about that lol). Back in 2022, I had no idea where to start or what I wanted this website to be. HTML, CSS and Javascript were so daunting to me at the time, I felt like I wouldn't be able to remember all the convoluted steps. So, I used a template to start out, with the policy of “making something is better than making nothing”. On one hand, it helps me put out updates quicker without sweating over the details. On the other, it doesn't exempt me from having to look everything over and make sure it's not unfinsihed unfinished. Since then, I've taken my time, gathered a catalog of other websites I find inspiration from, and I've learned a lot more than what I knew months ago. But hey, you can say that about anything! though.

There are moments where I'm so busy living my life that I don't take the time to really process or appreciate what had happened during that year—time just slips away from me.
Ever since the pandemic, it's been one big blur, and it's been hard to get myself back on track with my life. Trying to find a balance between the things I need to do vs the things I want to do. For a while, there was this pressure from my parents that I either needed to get a job or go back to college. It didn't help that they were also looking at house plans so they could eventually move closer to my grandparents and other family, which would've been a thirty minute drive but still, it's too far for me. So, between trying to find a job and figuring out how to get my own place to stay, I was pretty overwhelmed and didn't even know where to start with either of them.

Luckily I had help with job searching and my mom was able to find a small store that was hiring, within walking distance no less. I put in my application, had my interview, and was hired almost instantaneously! There was a learning curve when I first started, getting used to the tasks I was supposed to get done, getting used to my work flow and schedule, along with the varying intake of customers I would ring up; especially during the holiday rush. Working during that time while also dealing with un-medicated anxiety is something I wouldn't wish upon my worst enemy. I'm so grateful to have a tough but caring manager and to be a part of a team that supports me whenever I make a mistake. They helped me hold myself accountable, and I'm really proud of how far I've come.

Life...erm...finds a way

However, because of those big changes that were happening in my life, the job zapped my energy at the end of the day and I couldn't muster up the motivation to draw something—anything, or at least nothing digital. Lately, I've been working out a healthy medium trying to make small things in my sketchbook. I'm trying to make a page on my site to show what I worked on, because I had finished a sketchbook a few months ago. Usually it either takes a while for me to finish, or I start a new one and too much time has passed for me to finish the previous book, so I'm happy I actually commited to this one! My art has been the main reason for me starting this website; so I can have a place to share my best work without worrying about who will see it or if it'll be seen at all, or having the reception of my art be based on how often/when I post. It still takes a lot of energy for me to share my art and in turn put myself out there. I'm still working on being confident and self-assured enough to say "This is who I am, world. Look at me go!"

So for the times I haven't been drawing or posting art, I've been focused on my website. Over the past months, I feel like it's become just as much a part of me and my creative journey as my art itself. Being able to problem solve, look at other people's work and figure out how they were able to implement a certain function and seeing if I can add something similar to my own. Reminds me of a Tumblr post someone wrote talking about how "Art is science and science is art.", and how they're both linked through curiosity and the passion/want to learn. Just like every piece of art carries a bit of the artist's soul, I see the same vibe in other people's websites; and in our current world where it feels like individuality and creativity is fading, I find that super inspiring!

Obviously I want to continue to add to my work and grow along with it. So to celebrate my progress, here's where I debut Lapislabel.net 2.0! Not only have I given my layout a fresh coat of paint but there are also some new pages that I either have already added or want to work on in the future. Hopefully before the year is over!
One of the new features is this blog, it'll mainly just contain my thoughts, what I'm watching or playing, and sometimes detailed site updates like this. This won't be the place for web updates, that's what the changelog's for. And even then, I'm thinking of finding some other way to host it that doesn't involve a very, very long file. We'll see.

But, I thought what would be more fitting for my first entry then to talk about what inspired me to change the layout and other additions.

Computer Nostalgia

My first family computer was technically Windows 98 and I still think back on it with a smile. Then came Windows XP which for some reason scared the shit out of me when I was a kid. The sounds were just so loud and unexpected. I used to bolt out of the room every time I shut the laptop down to avoid that jingle—felt like a bomb was about to drop! Luckily, after the sounds became a household meme years later, I got desensitized to them and have a newfound appreciation for the software.

I don't even remember when exactly this was, but eventually we got another computer with Windows Vista. My God it was beyoutiful. Shapes and colors the likes of which I've never seen. I wanted to mess with it so badly; I loved the colors, the glassiness(?) of the windows, and the sounds were way more comforting to kid-me. When my mom first turned it on, the startup sound felt like pure magic. So many fond memories trying to use my computer time wisely while on it, and even more once Windows 7 rolled around and I had even more computer time in middle school. Every time I came across one in a classroom, I had so much fun finding new themes on the Windows site and downloading whichever one I thought looked nice at the time. The custom sounds made it even more enjoyable, like the Angry Birds theme? Please tell me people remember this.

Seeing Windows Vista/7 making a resurgence again makes me so happy, and the fact there's a whole aesthetic based around it blows my mind. If you know, you know. ;)
So really thinking about my past experiences with the internet and computers, I wanted this 2.0 update to be a sort of love letter to that era. As soon as I saw that somebody made a CSS framework based on the UI from back then, I knew I had to jump on it.
Everything was falling into place, but the old background felt too busy and didn't mesh well with the windows. Luckily I was able to find a .zip file with every Windows wallpaper known to man and picked one that fitted with the vibes I was going for. I think the black background and blue jellyfish add a nice bit of contrast!

The sidebar has a completely different look as well! Remember how in Windows Vista you could add gadgets to your desktop on the side, like a clock, calendar or a picture puzzle? I wanted to emulate a similar feeling by keeping the moon phase widget where it was as well as adding, well, a clock and a calender. Adds that extra layer of homeyness to it!

This is a minor thing, but I also took away the Leaky Homepage; it was becoming too much of a hassle for me personally to click the water a bunch just so I can access a page of mine.
I do still want to find a use for it tho. Wink wink nudge nudge.

New Pages and Possibilities

You'll notice that there's a section that doesn't really have anything in it lol BUT I'M GOING TO GET TO IT. eventually. I've seen people make pages dedicated to their collections, whether it be merch or books or plushies, and I wanted to make my own contribution! There's already a huge pile of plushies in my room and I cannot for the life of me get myself to stop buying them. One of the many blessings and curses to having a paying job lol. I also want to show off my art books, comics and ooh maybe my crystals??? Maybe I can make a section in my Kirby shrine that shows the merch I own! Since I started, my collection has really grown!

God, I can't let myself get too carried away with all the things I want to make eventually. Because then it's going to get me stuck and I'll be making nothing. I really hate when that happens. So, I'm going to try and focus on doing what's most important right now! One line of code, one drawing, one blog post at a time—because all of these small efforts will eventually add up!

Thank you for reading to this point, and thank you for supporting me whether it's leaving a comment/message or just checking the website every once in a while to see what I've added. Sometimes I have trouble coming up with the words for what to respond with, or I just plain forget to do so. Regardless, they make these small efforts of mine worthwhile!