Here are a list of changes I’ve done to the site (in reverse chronological order):
(30) Added Accordion block to sort cats/tags both by count and alphabetically, depending on what you want.
(29) Didn’t like how the Categories List ordered by alphabetical order only, wpcom AI support agent suggested using the “Terms Query” block instead which allows you to choose between displaying categories or tags as well as sorting behavior. boom baby! Wish there was an option to bullet point or not (like Terms/Category List blocks do by default. The Terms/Cat List block allows you to choose link color in block options, Terms query does not. Not really sure why Terms/Cat List blocks exist (AI helper says because they are more legacy blocks people like and it would break sites by not having it). More formatting options please for the powerful Terms Query block! (Like better vertical justification for the counts next to the terms.)
(28) Didn’t like how the Menu changed from list of names to hamburger icon (wanted it to stay consistent with style). Editor>Patterns>Header>Navigation>Display: Overlay visibility to “OFF” (versus “Mobile”)
(27) Changed primary site address to shishke.blog
(26) Added a subscribe block in the footer. (I think this is powered through Jetpack.) Not a huge fan of it always prepopulating the email if the user is logged into WPCOM, should be an option. Tested subscribing to site and emails.
(25) Keep having to navigate to the Jetpack Settings page to access certain options to change. wpadmin>left menu>Jetpack> can’t find anything. Have to go to Settings>Writing>rely on banner link to navigiate to Jetpack Settings: ...com/wp-admin/admin.php?page=jetpack#/writing
(24) Added [shishkeboss] new user so I can post from them. Pretty willy-nilly to create this.
(23) Saw the Jetpack “Post by email” feature and decided to try it out. Generated random email and sent test email. It works. Some interesting details about support for categories and tags (if you can remember them)
(22) Same thing with comments, I don’t know why it’s so difficult/hidden to disable all commenting features en masse. Had to follow a bunch of instructions in this Akismet post.
(21) Testing going to a blog post, Jetpack enabled Sharing and Like buttons which I don’t want. My theme didn’t include the social icons or like button on the Posts page, so weird that Jetpack auto-added it back in. I checked the Template for Single Pages and I couldn’t find those sections showing, had to track down where this was enabled. This setting is buried way deeper than it needs to be: wpadmin>left menu>Settings>Sharing>top right of Jetpack page, Settings button>Sharing tab>unclick both sliders.
(20) After a lot of fiddling around (Studio export, All-in-One migration tool, etc) I managed to 1) import the theme developed in Studio (export all site in Studio, find theme file, compress) on its own and then 2) export all content (via localhost wpadmin>left menu> Tools>Export) and imported that content into my site. Worked very smoothly (had to update header, site title, and universal navigation block (as expected). Studio’s AI assistant was very helpful to navigate the directions (accurate instructions, concise, and perfectly detailed)
(19) Purchased Personal plan on WPCOM as shell for new site to go live. Purchased a couple domains. Amazing side note (as of Feb 2026): Personal plan now allows plugins and uploading custom themes. Absolutely amazing. Exactly what I needed for a low overhead site: couple plugins, make it look like how I want.
. . . switching over to develop on wpcom to get site live . . .
(18) Changed name of Category “Uncategorized” to “announcements”; Edited default category using these instructions (should be a link or option to change this on the actual wp-admin>left-menu>Posts>Categories page); added a new default category “default”.
(17) Largely copied over design and created specific Template for Tags; messing around with format of category and tag naming in wp-admin>Left menu>Posts>Tags; Changed format on CATS/TAGS page from Tag cloud to Terms list (hidden in in-editor block menu) using Taxonomy: Tags. (I think it’s sorting alphabetically, I wish there was an option to sort by count (occurences).)
(16) Played around with new Template for Categories page; had to play around copying over design from custom Blog page using Query Loop and existing default Index page (which sets Query Loop to “default”) to get proper inherited category functionality. Works nicely now and has basic styling of rest of site.
(15) Added a category and tag; Added Tag and Categories blocks to display in post (initially in post, then later moved to post Template so it was on every post); New CATS/TAGS page which lists all categories and tags for sites with post count
(14) Made headline in blog post template on Blog Post page smaller; Made links open in new tab (so user can keep browsing list)
(13) Changed site icon from W. Had to insert block, upload file, save, then delete block.
(12) Create Blog Post page and edit query loop
(11) Created “Hello world” post as a first post
(10) Tried to duplicate, but ended up creating new templates for “Pages” and “Posts” with select-all from Front page template
(9) With raw blank slate, added different page elements. At different times clicked into top right to “save theme”
(8) Created a new template, when modal popped up, created a new “Front page” template
(7) Edited footer
(6) Editing Template in Site Editor including Navigation in header.
(5) Filled out screen with theme name: “20260204_xx_blankblocktheme_v1”
(4) wpadmin>left menu>Appearance>Create block theme
REF: An article about the Create Block Theme plugin getting started
(3) CHANGED and ACTIVATED “Twenty-Twenty Five” | Dependent on last step to get Create Block Theme plugin working.
(2) INSTALLED AND ACTIVATED “Create Block Theme” | AI said to get access to Template editor and also the visual theme editor (versus pure php code), I’d have to first switch to a block editor.
(1) CHANGED and INSTALLED AND ACTIVATED “Intentionally Blank” | This gave me the most basic template so stuff at least displayed.
(0) INSTALLED AND ACTIVATED “BlankSlate” | Something basic with no formatting, but still displayed stuff.
. . . downloaded wpcom Studio and messing around developing here for free . . .