A friend sent me a link to PremiumWP.com recently.  After reading the article, there was simply no way I could not enter this contest.  In my opinion, SoloStream makes the easiest to use Wordpress Themes on the planet.  Additionally, your purchases are backed by support like you have never seen before.

According to Google’s search results, there are 3,200,000,000 hits for the keyword “blog”.  That is amazing.  Talking to friends, even my nine year old niece has a blog on the web.  WOW.  That is big. Of all of the blogging platforms out there, Wordpress is THE ONE that nearly every professional blogger uses.  Wonder why?  Has to be ease of use.  There is one drawback to running a blog…..if you are CSS or HTML illiterate, then you will have a hard time making your blog aesthetically ‘pretty’.  There are several routes that you can go:  included theme, free theme, commissioned design or paid theme.  I run several blogs on the net.  I exclusively use Wordpress because it allows me to concentrate on the writing rather than under the hood.  Unfortunately for me, I am CSS illiterate and only have a 4th grade education for HTML.

I have used nearly every free theme that you can find on the internet.  There is only a couple of problems when using either the included themes or free themes:  EVERYBODY is using the same theme.  When I say everybody, I mean everybody.  On top of that, if you are CSS/HTML illiterate, then you are still stuck with what you have.  Who wants to spend countless hours reading online just to fix a column alignment problem?  I have done it and it was no fun.  The included themes and free themes are fine to get you going, but in order for your site to be successful (’sticky’), you only have a couple of options:  commission a theme to be made just for your site or buy a pre-made theme.

Commissioned themes are EXPENSIVE.  Very Expensive.  I have looked at this route and simply can not stomach shelling out over a grand for a blog theme.  I did find one service that would only charge $600; however, looking at their gallery, all of their designs looked exactly the same.  Unless you just won the lottery, commissioning is not an option.  So, that leaves us with pre-made themes that you purchase.

I have literally tried every purchased theme known to man.  In fact, I could have had a theme commissioned for the amounts that I have paid.  Each time, the theme looked FABULOUS.  Then I uploaded it to my server and found out that the theme required the same CSS/HTML knowledge in order to make it look good.  What a waste of money!  Then I stumbled upon a Google ad for a company called SoloStream.  Owned by Micheal Pollock, this company has simply been the bright shining light on the hill for me.  I originally purchased the theme that you see in action on this site (WP Magazine Theme).  Straight out of the box, this theme virtually did not have to be touched to look great!  It has been the paterna familias for my site.  Then I launched a blog for the front end of my Sports Site.  I once again tried several different themes only to go back to Solostream’s site.  This is when I found the last Wordpress theme that I will ever purchase.  Why will it be the last?  I will never need another theme because the WP-Vybe theme is the answer to my prayers.

WP_Vybe, in short, is awesome.  This theme has so many options available that I fully expected it to cost somewhere in the neighborhood of a thousand dollars.  Yes, it is all of that and more.  This theme has all of the basic SEO attributes that many of the other paid theme designers ‘forgot’ to include.  The endgame for any blogger is Search Engine Positioning and WP-Vybe delivers.  But what if you want to change ‘this’ or ‘that’ to your theme?  It is very easy to do.  Michael has implemented a “WP-Vybe Theme Settings” page under the design tab.  But, I don’t CSS or HTML…..you do not have to know them at all.  Can you point a mouse, scroll a screen and click the word ’save’?  Then you can make WP-Vybe look like a custom site in less than 5 minutes.  Yes, 5 MINUTES.  There are 13 directly alterable sections in the settings tab:

Look at everything that you can alter on this theme!  Sweet!  Inside of the 13 selections are literally hundreds of additional options.  For example, inside the Basic Site Settings tab, you can change the over all theme color to one of TEN different preoloaded colors.  Try that one with any other paid theme!  If it can be changed, you can change it under the hood with WP-Vybe.  Turn it on, turn it off, turn it upside down!  Want to include ads on your site?  There is a tab for that.  You can add a 468×60 or 728×90 leader board in SECONDS.  Want more ads?  Simply throw in a widget and you are good to go.  You can easily set up your Feedburner feed under setting #4.  Don’t use Feedburner?  Then there is a box to copy and paste your alternate code!  Michael left NOTHING out of this theme.  On top of everything, at the top of the page, is the featured articles section.  WOW!  Adding featured articles is simple and adding photos to your posts is even easier.  I could bore you with the rest of the features of this fabulous theme; however, get over to WP-Vybe and check it out for yourself.  Only you can convince yourself that this theme is the best thing since sliced bread.  Trust me, I am a difficult person to convince and I am completely and utterly sold on this theme.

On top of the beauty of this theme, you also receive OUTSTANDING support from Michael Pollock.  I did have a couple of (rather stupid) questions for Michael and each one was thoroughly and swiftly answered.  Purchase his theme and send him an email and he will even add you to the customer gallery (free SEO, free hits).  This will be the easiest purchase that you have ever made.

If I run a blog using WP Magazine theme, why am I so willing to sing the praises of another theme?  SImple, it is personal selection.  I fell in love with WP Magazine and still love it; however, once I began using the WP-Vybe theme on another blog that I own, I was totally hooked.  I could throw in two hundred screen shots with this article and not convince you.  If you are on the fence as to what paid theme to buy, get the hell off of the fence because you will not find another theme out there that has this capability for this price.  Go check it out, you will never regret it!

Our first meeting with “Lawyer #2″ is Saturday at 10am (#1 was over a year ago).  Still have to get the paperwork filled out, but that isn’t that difficult.  There are still times when I look at things and go “ya know, we can still get out of this hole”, but it is too deep.  With our credit ratings not even coming to a decent number when added together, we have admitted defeat.  I mean, what is the point?  We pay everything in full and have crappy credit ratings OR declare on everything and have crappy ratings?  Don’t know about you, but I am voting for option #2.

It’s also hilarious that we have both received raises at work within the past couple of months.  While we are making more money than ever, it still isn’t enough.  So, as before, what is the point?  Tennessee leads the nation in bankruptcies filed……and is one of the few states that does not have a State Income Tax.  Go figure lol.  Oh well, wish us luck and stay away from the Trudeau book.

Same song and dance…..we have been scrambling since my wife last got salmonella poisoning while eating salmon at a TGI Fridays. Losing that one entire paycheck hurt. We had actually gotten back to the point where we could almost breathe……then her truck broke down. LOL, figures. We had it towed to a repair shop, they worked on it and we paid $390……..two days later, the SAME EXACT problem crept back up…..had it towed back to the idiots to fix it this time, of course they discover a new problem…..$403 in order for us to drive it home……