Tweet

Thomas Frank

25 Oct, 8 tweets, 5 min read

(A thread)

So I decided to update my personal site recently, which required learning some new tools and getting up to speed on the state of WordPress.

thomasjfrank.com

Here's how I built it (and made it fast) without writing any code.

@elemntor

First, I used the @elemntor site building plugin, along with their free "Hello" theme which is completely blank. This let me design it nearly as freely as I would in a design app like @figmadesign.

elementor.com

I went for Elementor Pro to get more features and the theme builder which makes it easier to create a design system.

However, base Elementor is free and some of the Pro widgets I'm using have alternatives in the free version of Essential Add-ons: essential-addons.com/elementor/

@AstraWP

...and for keeping pages consistent (and reducing effort), there's a free plugin to duplicate pages: wordpress.org/plugins/duplic…

Elementor also makes it easy to copy-and-paste rows and elements. I made heavy use of that.

(Note: Without Pro, @AstraWP might be better than Hello)

@wp_rocket

As for speed - well, I was pleasantly surprised with what I was able to get (and I'm still not done tweaking).

A few things I did to get it loading fast:

- Hosted on WP Engine since I'm optimizing this for higher traffic
- Added @wp_rocket for lots of caching and minification

@Cloudflare

- Used @Cloudflare for CDN and image optimization (and security, and full SSL) with several custom page rules
- Added @_perfmatters plugin to disable unneeded scripts on a page-by-page basis
- Uploaded compressed versions of images, further compressed by @tinypng

To save myself time, I went with some premium plugins - but I believe a lot of this can be pieced together with free ones if need be. WP Super Cache can handle caching for free, and I used to disable scripts page-by-page with PHP queries in my theme files.

Let me know if this was interesting, and perhaps I'll do a video on it (it's a bit out of my channel's wheelhouse, but maybe there's interest?)

I'm also building a system for my upcoming course (thomasjfrank.com/notioncourse), so I'll do another thread when that's done.

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More from @TomFrankly

Thomas Frank

@TomFrankly

21 Sep

@NotionHQ

Useful @NotionHQ discovery:

If you have a linked database with filter criteria, dragging a page into it applies that filter criteria.

Here I'm dragging from another linked DB that targets the same original DB. However, this is possible with pages from other DBs too.

This, along with the improvements they've made to how inline DBs are displayed on mobile devices, means my Evernote-styled note-taking system might be able to use a single master database now.

I'm thinking through that now; updates soon.

Example 2: Another linked database for a sub-category is hidden in a toggle. Dragging a note there will apply both the category and sub-category, and will ensure the note shows in BOTH linked DB's (category-based and sub-category-based)

Read 4 tweets

Thomas Frank

@TomFrankly

7 Jul

@NotionHQ

Question for my fellow @NotionHQ nerds:

Is there a way to use the creation of a template instance to create another template instance inside it?

This interior template block links to another page, which is in a central Knowledge Base...

...so creating an instance makes a copy of that page inside this project. Linking to the external page in the template block allows the page to be updated from the Knowledge Base - hence, all new generated instances will be up-to-date as well.

However, creating the checklist instance inside this template removes that benefit; when a new project template instance is created from it, the interior copy of the Checklist will be potentially out-of-date. It's no longer pulling from the Knowledge Base.

Read 5 tweets

Thomas Frank

@TomFrankly

18 Feb

I’d say a full 60% of the emails I get in my business account are now unsolicited guest post pitches - far more than in the past.

At this rate, I calculate that by 2030, 99% of the world’s population will be employed as guest bloggers.

I will be long gone by then, crushed by an avalanche of envelopes as more and more desperate bloggers try to cut through the noise by sending their pitches in the mail.

2035: The world government decides that something must be done. Famine has stricken the world as farmers everywhere trade the practice of growing actual food for pitching 5 Secret Tips for Growing Heirloom Tomatoes to long-abandoned contact forms.

Read 7 tweets

Thomas Frank

@TomFrankly

10 Feb

Thread for audio gear nerds:

I find myself quite surprised tonight!

So I have an AKG C214, which is a condenser mic, along with a Shure SM7B, which is dynamic. These mics cost about the same (~$400).

My question: Could I use my C214 for voice-overs?

People always say large diaphragm condenser mics are way too echo-y in untreated rooms, so I've always just used the SM7B for VO.

However, I've been recording vocals and guitar with the C214, and I like how it sounds for those things better. Could I use it for everything?

I decided to hook the C214 up to my desk setup and pit it against the SM7B. I've uploaded some tests so you can compare for yourself: soundcloud.com/tomfrankly/set…

To my ears, the C214 has no echo problems at all - and it also sounds clearer!

Read 9 tweets

Thomas Frank

@TomFrankly

28 Jan

I haven't posted much singing content yet because I don't feel that I'm *quite* yet to the point where it'd be enjoyable to listen to (and I usually sing to copyrighted stuff), but HOLY CRAP: the difference just 16 months of lessons and daily practice has made is huge.

I used to believe that singing was one of those talents that you're either born with or not (and I also believed that I was not). Taking lessons has convinced me otherwise - like most other things, it's a learn-able skill that nearly anyone can make a ton of progress in.

There are certainly people who have more natural talent and may reach a higher peak in their abilities, but we can all make big improvements. I can feel my throat doing things now that it was physically incapable of doing when I started. My range is also much wider (D2-A#5)

Read 4 tweets

Thomas Frank

@TomFrankly

6 Dec 19

Today I will learn how to PROPERLY do a cinematic lighting setup.

Take 1:

Take 2 - actually putting thought into background lighting:

Take 3: Added a fourth hue light to balance out the left side, moved some props, back-lit some props, added wall art, and added a reflector to fill in the right side of my face a bit better.

Color grading is the exact same from Take 2 to Take 3.

Read 6 tweets

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