There’s only one thing more exciting than an amazing new WordPress theme available for your site and that’s even more amazing new WordPress themes. With that in mind, I’m excited to announce that today we have three new Premium Themes ready for you! Each one features custom support direct from the theme providers themselves and, [...]

Say hello to our newest theme, Choco. If I had to sum this theme up in just one word, it’d be stylish. With dark colors and stitched borders Choco will give your site a classy, contemporary feel. It is well-suited for any site but works especially well for journal-style blogs: the traditional two-column layout with [...]

One of my favorite shows is How It’s Made. I love seeing how things I use every day are actually created. In that spirit, here at Automattic we’ve thought about sharing more about how we work and think. For starters, here’s a recap on a few things. Where are we? Everywhere. People are surprised to [...]

I am rather pleased to announce the birth of a new Automattic theme designed and developed by the Theme Team. It goes by the name of Duster and is quite an interesting theme — if I may say so myself. Apart from the custom possibilities you’re already acquainted with in most of our themes — [...]

Which comment would you rather receive? “Great post! Check out my blog at someblog.wordpress.com.” or “Well said! I know exactly what you mean about X, and I’m glad that I’m not the only one who thinks so. I would even say that A, B, C! Your candor is greatly appreciated.” The second one, of course. [...]

We’ve made some big user experience improvements to how the traffic building feature called Publicize works.  This feature allows you to connect your WordPress.com blog to your account on social networking services like Twitter and Facebook, broadcasting your posts to your friends automatically for you. In the past it took a few steps to figure [...]

You love themes, I love themes, we all love themes. With millions of sites running on the state-of-the-art WordPress software and over a half-billion people visiting the Automattic network every month, there is a now a need more than ever for unique themes. Themes that make your site, your content, and your voice stand out [...]

For those of you who want to take your blog to the next level in 2011 (perhaps you’ve stepped up to the Post a Day or Post a Week challenge), we’ve got your back. From now on, we’ll be offering tips on blogging best practices to help you produce high-quality content, boost your readership, and [...]

I love winter and I bet you do too but if you’re like me you probably don’t like the cold very much. You might be wishing you could take a trip to a beach somewhere right about now. Well, if you can’t make it to the beach yourself how about taking your blog there? Today’s [...]

Learn WordPress.com is a step-by-step tutorial that includes lessons on how to start a blog, customize your site, and connect with other bloggers in the WordPress.com community. It’s a great resource for anyone who: Wants to create a blog but isn’t quite sure where to start Needs help choosing a blog topic Wants to better [...]

I use to dislike the saying “everything happens for a reason” and am still not so fond of it, but its true.  People come in and out of our lives and we have no control over their choices, how, when, where nor why.  For me, I am still learning that everyday is a new day and to take on [...]

I’ve decided that while teaching here in the desert and with a little extra time I could squeeze in an Environmental Education Honors Course that would help me further myself once I am finished with Peace Corps.  The NGO that I am working for now, may be able to pay the cost for the course [...]

  Running has become something that I look forward to every other day. I never really ran before coming to Namibia and at first I started running because I wanted to attain the goal of completing a 1/2 marathon. I also started running because I wanted to “get in shape”. Running has become something I [...]

These are a few projects I have worked on both for the centre and personally.  Below is an attempt for a quick fix with our kitchen wall at the centre.  On the right is where the learners monitor their cooking energy.  This includes: cooking time, what equipment used to cook with (solar cooker, solar oven [...]

Here in Namibia and in the world in general, it is important to learn how to live in a sustainable way. We are the only animals that take and take and take from our natural resources, which is not a sustainable lifestyle. We can not continue to take away from these resources especially those that [...]

While having a conversation as to where we may need transport the porcupines that continue to rummage and destroy our compost, I learned of a new and insisting place that I am bound to tackle in these next two years. One of the many peaks in the distance lays Devils Peak. Just like many of [...]

After a quick overnight trip, 150km north of my site to the Naukluft Mountains, my adventure began only when I had to find my way back! I asked around if anyone was going South and had a few people thinking about it and said they would let me know in the morning. Morning came and [...]

I must admit today was one of the my better days yet. The music that I plugged myself into whenever I felt a bit of doubt, was my savior. At one point I may have called it avoidance, but today it was a merely a coping mechanism. These past few days I have bombarded myself [...]

I have now been in Namibia for a two and a half months and am finally at my site. There are things I miss in Okhandja like: Singing every morning with my language instructors tea time between language sessions Barking guard dogs at every house I walked by Herero women Curious children Daily greetings exchanged [...]

After packing and repacking my bags at least three times I’m satisfied with what I will bring on my back to Africa.  Here is a list of some items I packed:  Rechargeable batteries  Headlamp  Ultra light weights quilt (homemade)  Sleeping bag liner  Hammock  Mosquito net specifically for hammock  A fixed handled knife  Two water bottles  Frisbee  Clothes…time will only tell if I brought too much.  Sandals, Sneakers, [...]

Today I picked up my sandals! After wanting to give up looking for sandals and almost settling on Chacos; with a little help I finally stumbled upon the sandals I wanted.   When researching how to buy the sandals, I found that they were handmade locally!  I wrote an email of interest and within the week I was 5 minutes from [...]

In order stay busy and focused I’ve been working on some small projects for Namibia.  Soft cover journals to get me started… Skirts I bought at the Goodwill that needed altering.  Mom I’m glad you can not see the detail on these, they are NOT up to your standards. The  first bag I ever made.  Oh yea!   Here is a peek at the inside of [...]

Once you have received your invitation to serve the paper work really begins.   Upon received and accepting my invitation Peace Corps as for an aspiration statement, here is what mine entails: Expectation My expectations while serving in the peace corps are vast.  I expect to be challenged daily, by cultural differences and a new way of life. I expect [...]

Usually people want to know how long the process is for one to join the Peace Corps…Here is what my timeline has been for the past couple years. September 2007: Applied May 2008 :  Interviewed in Seattle (FYI they will ask you anything they want!  There are no boundaries in this interview.  Be aware and ready). May 2008 : [...]

I am finally starting my first blog prior to my trip to Africa!  Testing 1, 2, 3…..