Life. Blogging. WordPress.
Simple, right? I started blogging back on April 15, 2003 and using WordPress on May 13, 2005. I’ve been doing this blogging thing for a while now.
It wasn’t until recently that I decided to narrow my site’s topic or theme down to something that would help me expand my audience. I thought to myself, So, Justin. What are you good at? Nothing really. I enjoy using WordPress and I’ve been using it for a while. Maybe I have a little expertise.
- Life:
My life can get a little crazy sometimes. Heck, I’m living in South Korea right now. That’s crazy. - Blogging:
I’ll sometimes write posts about the art of blogging. This may be more about “how to” write well because I have an English degree, and I suppose I should know a little something about writing. Just a little. - WordPress:
I develop all kinds of neat WordPress things around the site. I’ll give you tips and tutorials on how to best use this great system.
About Me:
I graduated from Auburn University after five years of grueling hard work, insane partying, and sheer laziness with a degree in English in May of 2007. Before that, I finished high school in 2002 from a little town, oops, I mean community, or slab of pavement a few miles long, called Highland Home, Ala.
I’m currently teaching English at Avalon English in Seoul, South Korea. Weird, huh? This small-town boy from the woods in Alabama managing to see enough clearing in the trees to simply go for it out of curiosity? Life has this funny way of putting people in situations they never thought they’d be in. Sometimes, I just have to sit back and reflect on where life decided to place me. I feel like just a passenger at times.
This website has been a kind of home for me since 2003. It started out as Dark Autumn (a site name I may reflect further on at some other point). Its focus has been all over the place. Fan fiction, web design, literature, art. But mostly, it has been about my life.
I assume it will always be about my life because that’s what’s really worth reading about, isn’t it? I don’t know how many more reincarnations will happen in the future of the site, but I do know that I probably won’t stop blogging for a long time. I hope to never stop.
Part of the thing I like about blogging is that sometimes I have to truly open up to the world. Honestly, I’ve never blogged about my deepest feelings. Those I have to put in a journal somewhere dark and hidden from the world. But sometimes, I let a few of those feelings out, forever allowing the world access to them. Sometimes, that’s my best writing. And truly “writing” means truly opening up. Let the world see who you are.
Recently, I’ve been reading a lot more Stephen King. I like his attitude when writing. He’s like, “Here’s what I have to say. Screw you if you don’t like it.” I can feel that attitude come out in his writing. He’s the kind of writer that makes other writers feel ashamed for not showing a bit of their soul, their inner demons, once in a while.
So, if you haven’t guessed by now, you should know that I want to be a writer. Not just some almost-been, one-book-selling writer. I want to be more than a great writer. I want to be remembered like Shakespeare is remembered. Like Stephen King will be remembered.
One of my favorite quotes, and one I’m trying to get through to my sister who I think can have a great career as a singer, is by Ayn Rand:
“Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark, in the hopeless swamp of the approximate, the not-quite, the not-yet, the not-at-all.”
I love this quote because it reminds me that I’m still young enough to see my dreams clearly, but not old enough to simply be content with life. This is not saying that old people cannot realize dreams, just that I’ve seen too many people “settle down” and forget about them so early in life. I suppose it’s a curse of growing up in small-town Alabama.
I always wanted to escape that place—Highland Home. But there’s something about it that feels so right. It’s home. Whether I decided to “settle” there later in life is of no consequence. I still plan to keep my flame burning feverishly. That’s the good thing about being a writer—you can write anywhere you are geographically. However, I think there’s something about Highland Home that’s calling me as a writer. Somehow, I feel that I must return there to remember the novel that I haven’t finished. Remember why I started it. Remember why the story is so important. Remember why I wanted to escape. Why so many don’t. Why my being itself is essentially shaped by that place. Remember.
That’s enough about me for now. Go enjoy the rest of the site. I’m sure there’s something around here that will catch your interest. Feel free to check out the Justin page too. It will one day be merged with this page.
This site runs on:
- Wordpress
- Notepad
- My Heart & Soul
Justin, I have been hearing about your wordpress themes and today coincidently read your name couple of times. There was some confusion in whether it’s Tadlock or Adlock in one of the posts I was reading, so I came here to confirm that and just went through your “About” page. It’s one of the most beautiful “about” page I read ever. Just could not hold myself back but leaving a comment for you.
Thanks for your kind words. It looks like you’re the first to comment since my other comments are now gone.
hi there Justin. I’m a proud user of your ‘Options’ theme. it’s so awesome I just can’t live without it.
I wanted to contact you via email but I can’t seem to find any link for that purpose.
Just a few days back I ave been having issues with adding of custom fields. It works earlier but it doesn’t now. Some error message came out every time I tried adding a video link to youtube.
Do you think this has something to do with the new Wordpress? I recently upgraded to 2.5 version.
Thanks buddy.
Thanks for the wonderful themes that you created.
Kay
I don’t answer theme support questions by email. If you have questions about any theme, you can ask them on the forums.
Okay.
Cheers!
Hi Justin,
I ran across your page about a month ago and left you a comment, but it looks like it’s been deleted–not sure if you ever responded or not. Anyway, it looks like my husband and I are going to be moving to South Korea in June to teach for Avalon also! We are really excited about it. I was wondering what campus you were at and other info. like that. We’re supposed to get our contract on Monday–is there anything specific to teaching at Avalon that we should try to make sure is in our contract? Just wondering, from someone who has already been there and done it! Feel free to respond to me by email–that’s probably easier than me checking back on your page.
Thanks!!
Leslie
you did dosh-dosh? nice, i like the simplicity and the focus to content
Leslie
Sorry, I meant to get back to you on that post. My site went down, and I’m still replacing some of the old stuff that got lost. Maybe we can meet up sometime out here. I’ll send you an email when things slow down a bit.
Dian
I didn’t do the design; a friend of his did. I just cleaned up a lot of stuff that was problematic and made it more WordPress friendly. I think, overall, it was a success.
Lol.. some how I found your site. I used to live in Korea for a year or two. Miss it greatly now… I am joulous!
Justin,
I guess i could say I was blogging back in the late 90’s on a stock market thread called ragingbull. We just called it posting back then. Anyway, I can’t thank you enough for getting me excited and inspired to get back in the “game” of writing/blogging with Wordpress. I’m currently a double major at CSUN, majoring in Journalism and History. The newspaper industry looks as if it may become antiquated rather shortly with its drop in readership and subscribers due to avante-garde writing tools such as Wordpress. Kinda glad I’m on board 21’st century technology, and not stuck in the Guttenberg daze..Keep up the great work it’s awesome.
Sincerely,
Kevin@get420.com
You have a deep soul, and even in a medium as cold and solitary as blogging, it comes across loud and clear. Love the “writer quotes” throughout the blog, they speak volumes about you and who you are.
Am a big fan!
Hi Justin,
class of 88.. yes I’m old LOL)
I found your website while looking through blog templates. I LOVE the options theme btw..
So you’re from Auburn U huh? I worked there in the photography department 2 years ago on both the AU and the AUM campuses. Small world! (Also an auburn grad
I’ve not had much of a chance to read your blog, but now that I’ve found it I have it book marked and will be back often!
Hi Justin,
I appreciate the optimism in your writing. I am also an English major and I started blogging this year. I have so many things to talk about I haven’t been able to build a blog that anyone would look at (unless they have multiple personalities). It’s nice to see a fellow English-type find focus!
Keep up the good work, and don’t stop writing.
–Robyn
Justin – long time.
Just read the “About” and love the Rand quote (saved it, thank you) – words I can use well these days. But then got hung up at the end, the reasons you feel so strongly about your small town.
I, too, am a “small town hick replaced to city” and feel the draw. Writer as well, working on a (hopefully) great piece now, actually, and wanted to remind you that sometimes that “draw” is to use what you have, from your small town life, in a great story. You also said something about true writing comes from honesty and I think if you poured your honest memories, ties, to that town into a story, you’d See. Maybe you have.
Just thought to say so is all.
Hope all is well with you.
V
Thankyou Mr. Justin for sharing your thoughs and about your life. I am really impressed by your writings and found a lot to learn in. Keep Rocking….
Hi Justin,
I Like your prhase: Life, Blogging and WordPress. Can I use it on my blog?, Good with a slight variation: Life, Chess, Blogging and WordPress
Very good Web
Hey Justin,
Just wanted to say that I found your site through the themes you developed. I must say, I really love them. I am thinking about making the switch to your visionary theme.
I have a question for you though: The roll over cat links and the most popular post tabs, how are those SEO wise? I mean will the search engines index the links in my blog roll if they aren’t displayed by default?
Thank you,
Daniel
Hi Justin,
I like the name Justin, by the way! I’ve been blogging since May 30th of this year. Encouraged by a couple of civil engineers I worked with. I was also laid off May 30th. Corporate merger. I’ve always been told that I’m a good writer. I was thinking yesterday, as I was reading a book sent to me called the Miracle of Intentions.. I guess I haven’t become a writer because I really don’t want to be one. I came across you, when I went looking for a blogger template with tabs. My blog looks so home-made and I really don’t want it to. I’m not a techie, and if my brain could go that-a-way, it would be awesome to become well versed and well known like you seem to be. It’s laborious, but so so much fun!
Blogger forums and such turn me off. They’re overly technical and I get lost trying to translate. I did follow instructions and converted by blog from the basic to a 3 column blog. That was cool! I’m scared to try and improve on it. AND.. I thought of just paying someone to do it for me but.. I get lost in space trying to find that illusive someone. I thought I’d done that a few days back – when I finally get an email from him saying he doesn’t work with blogger templates.. just Wordpress. So.
I don’t suppose I have a question, I just wanted to write to someone smart with perfect English and a seemingly good response rate to comments.
I think, however, I will integrate your beloved fav quote into my next post… It resonates with me..
“Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark, in the hopeless swamp of the approximate, the not-quite, the not-yet, the not-at-all.”
Awesome website! Awesome work, Justin!
From Across the miles,
Jackie in Dallas.
Hey, u must remember me as a fanboy of ur options theme. I never knew u were a writer. Congrats dude. Its an odd combination of skills u have there. I am a daytime finance manager and a weekend blogger. Weird huh!
Keep up the good work.
THINKJAYANT (TJ)
I’m interested in a lot of different things. I’m a bit of a Renaissance man when it comes to interests.
I really need to update this page at some point.
Hey Justin,
I noticed you’ve received quite a few comments about your themes. However, I want to compliment you on your writing. This about me section really hit home (or not), as I am living in China right now and share many of your thoughts. I particularly like your own line, which I found quotable, following that of Ayn Rand’s,
“I’m still young enough to see my dreams clearly, but not old enough to simply be content with life.”
That sentence is the sum of my current existence and I urge you to continue writing.
Thanks,
Mike
hi justin, your job is wonderfull and i want to meet you, i am a turkish man using your system and i want to help too much same clue
take care
I’m new to the blogging world and I want to write and use my blog to make some money. I have a couple blogs that are still coming together. They are mostly a lot of pictures. I’m using blogspot right now because it’s free and easy. How difficult is it to use WordPress and What are the advantages over googles service?
Justin, you have very beautiful blog, neat template, clean and soothening. I am just wondering if you ever thought of bringing up your own templates for new bloggers to use, I bet that would be good idea.
Apologize I posted just before I had look at few of them on the sidebar.
Nice themes dude I really like the style you use. Its real unique compared to the standard blog panel flow. Although I will say slightly strange getting used to having to make child themes but it does seem to be useful in a way.
Hey Justin, i m impressed…your thoughts are amazing..
Cheers…
Hi Justin, I am new to wordpress and have found some of your articles very helpful.
Thanks for all the great help
Bring back the visionary theme!! I noticed you discontinued it…how come? I really like the visionary theme and think that out of all your themes, visionary is the most unique of them all – which is why I installed it on my bloggy.
[...] via [...]
I’m looking for a WP templates created by you? Where could I find it?
Thanks man for the free templates
Hello, this a pretty nice website, i am looking for a good theme under wordpress and I see that yours is very fine . I like your way of writting about you, very good blog !
Kind regards,
Oliver
thanks for giving us these great WP themes
nice website and nice story….
Justin,
I tried to access your Newspaper demo. It said the database wasn’t there or some such.
1. I am very interested to see your theme demo.
2. Are there other good newspaper themes you would recommend, with a focus on being able to run as a homepage on WordPress MU?
Cheers, John
[...] Do Make a Difference!, and from his first year English teacher’s desk in Seoul, South Korea, Justin Tadlock gets acrostic in D is for dangerously diving [...]
that’s a great quote. and i needed to read that at this moment. thanks!
oh, and very, very clean templates!
/m
I am really liking the hybrid theme I see here and I may just give it a whirl!
hi justin,
i know we will see your names in future more than this.Keep blogging
I have to agree with the first commenter. This really was a great about me post. It also goes against the grain (as I normally see it) of short about me postings, that well, aren’t really about them at all really. Thanks for sharing and enjoy and stay safe while in S. Korea.
Justin,
I’ve been using your Options theme for my base code for a while now and love it. You are awesome at what you do. Thanks for sharing your work mate.
Thanks for your incredible work ! I’m french and I enjoy using your hybrid themes for trying to do a blog about “comptines” (short songs or “games” for babies). I’m reading now your posts about taxonomies and I’m looking for the best way to use it….
In my job, I’m using “PMB”, wich is made to bibliotheques to index books or else (music sheet in my case)
I was wondering what beautiful things you could add to this tool, ’cause your last work about doing database and show them is really near bibliothécaire’s problematic …
what do you know about thesaurus ?
Thanks again for all, nice to meet you on the web, wich is definitly a wonderful place…
Marion.
Does your page (which is packed full of information) only apply to wordpress.ORG peeps or us lowly wordpress.COM folk too?
hei justin, I was one of your fans, I hope a later time as you can, thanks is to give inspiration for me
thank’s very much justin…i like your site