A lot of people have been asking me how I built this site. The short answer? Eleventy and a whole lot of 90s inspiration.

Why Eleventy?

I chose Eleventy for a few reasons:

1. Simple - It's just JavaScript. No complex build processes.
2. Fast - Static sites are lightning quick.
3. Flexible - Use any template language you want.
4. No JavaScript Required - The output is pure HTML and CSS.

Plus, it's perfect for personal sites like this one!

The Tech Stack

Here's what powers this retro wonderland:

{
  "generator": "Eleventy",
  "templates": "Nunjucks",
  "styling": "Pure CSS",
  "hosting": "Your choice!",
  "vibes": "Immaculate"
}

Project Structure

The basic structure looks like this:

retroweird/
├── src/
│   ├── _includes/
│   │   ├── layouts/
│   │   └── components/
│   ├── posts/
│   ├── pages/
│   ├── css/
│   └── js/
├── _data/
└── .eleventy.js

Key Features

1. Modular Components

Everything is broken down into reusable components:

• Header
• Footer
• Sidebar widgets
• Badge wall
• Guestbook
• Webring

This makes it easy to customize what shows up where.

2. Multiple Themes

I built four different themes:

• Default - Classic GeoCities vibes
• Vaporwave - A E S T H E T I C
• GeoCities - Maximum nostalgia
• MySpace - Early 2000s social media

You can switch between them by changing one line in the config!

3. Data-Driven Content

All the customizable stuff lives in JSON files:

• site.json - Site settings
• badges.json - 88x31 button collection
• blogroll.json - Cool links
• webring.json - Webring navigation
• guestbook.json - Visitor messages

4. IndieWeb Ready

The theme includes support for:

• Microformats2
• RSS feeds
• Webmentions (optional)
• rel="me" links

The CSS

The styling is pure CSS with CSS custom properties for easy theming:

:root {
  --font-pixel: 'Silkscreen', monospace;
  --font-display: 'Press Start 2P', monospace;
  --font-body: 'VT323', cursive;
}

Each theme overrides these variables to create totally different looks.

JavaScript Enhancements

The site works perfectly without JavaScript, but I added some fun extras:

• Cursor trail effects
• Random link button
• Visitor counter animation
• Easter eggs (try the Konami code!)

All of it respects prefers-reduced-motion for accessibility.

Getting Started

Want to build your own retro site? Here's how:

1. Install Eleventy

   npm install @11ty/eleventy

2. Clone the theme

   git clone https://github.com/yourusername/retroweird

3. Customize
   Edit _data/site.json with your info

4. Build

   npm run build

5. Deploy
   Upload to Neocities, Netlify, or anywhere!

Tips for Retro Design

1. Embrace maximalism - More is more!
2. Use web-safe fonts - Or fun Google Fonts
3. Don't be afraid of color - Neon everything!
4. Add personality - This is YOUR site
5. Have fun - That's the whole point!

Resources

• Eleventy Docs
• GifCities - Free retro GIFs
• 88x31 Buttons - Button collection
• Google Fonts - Retro fonts

Questions? Comments? Sign my guestbook or check out the GitHub repo!

Happy building! 🚀

I've been thinking a lot lately about what we lost when the web became "professional." Sure, modern websites are faster, more accessible, and easier to use. But something important was lost along the way: personality.

What Made the Old Web Special

1. Every Site Was Unique

Back in the day, you could tell who made a website just by looking at it. People weren't using the same templates, the same frameworks, the same design patterns. Every site was a reflection of its creator.

• Crazy color schemes? ✅
• Custom cursors? ✅
• Background music? ✅
• Animated GIFs everywhere? ✅✅✅

2. People Made Sites for Themselves

The old web wasn't about building an audience or making money (well, mostly). People made websites because they wanted to. They had something to say, something to share, or they just thought it would be fun.

There was no pressure to:

• Post consistently
• Optimize for SEO
• Build a personal brand
• Go viral
• Monetize everything

3. The Web Was Weird

And I mean that in the best way possible. The barriers to entry were low, but not so low that everyone was doing it. You had to be a little bit nerdy, a little bit creative, and willing to learn some HTML.

This created a beautiful ecosystem of weird, wonderful, niche websites made by passionate people.

What We Lost

When social media took over, we traded:

• Personal websites → Profile pages
• Blogging → Status updates
• Web rings → Algorithms
• Creativity → Templates
• Ownership → Renting space

Don't get me wrong—social media has its place. But we've given up a lot of creative freedom in exchange for convenience.

The Revival

The good news? There's a growing movement to bring back the old web:

Neocities has over 500,000 sites and counting.

The IndieWeb community is building tools for personal websites.

People are rediscovering the joy of having their own space online.

How You Can Join

1. Make a website - Seriously, just make one. It doesn't have to be perfect.
2. Make it weird - Don't follow trends. Make something that's uniquely you.
3. Have fun - This isn't a job. This is play.
4. Link to others - Build a web ring. Make a links page. Support other creators.

Resources to Get Started

• Neocities - Free hosting
• Eleventy - Easy static site generator (what this site uses!)
• Sadgrl.online - Tutorials and resources
• The Yesterweb - Community and inspiration

The web is still here. It's still weird. We just have to remember to make it that way.

What do you miss about the old web? Let me know in my guestbook!

Welcome to my brand new website! I'm so excited to finally have my own little corner of the internet where I can express myself without algorithms, corporate overlords, or design trends telling me what to do.

Why Go Retro?

You might be wondering, "Why make a website that looks like it's from 1999?" Great question! Here's why:

1. Personality Over Perfection - Modern websites are boring. Everything looks the same. Where's the creativity?
2. Fun Over Function - Sometimes you don't need to optimize for conversion rates. Sometimes you just need sparkly GIFs.
3. Expression Over Engagement - This isn't about going viral. It's about having fun and being myself.
4. Nostalgia - I miss the old web. Let's bring it back!

What's This Site About?

This site is going to be whatever I want it to be! Expect:

• Random blog posts about things I find interesting
• Cool links to other rad sites
• Experiments with web design
• Maybe some tutorials?
• Definitely more GIFs

The Technical Stuff

For the nerds out there, this site is built with:

• Eleventy - An amazing static site generator
• Nunjucks - For templating
• Pure CSS - No frameworks, just vibes
• Way too many GIFs - Because why not?

The theme is called Retroweird and it's inspired by GeoCities, MySpace, and all those wonderfully weird personal homepages from the 90s and early 2000s.

Join the Movement!

If you're tired of the modern web and want to make your own weird, wonderful site, check out:

• Neocities - Free web hosting for creative people
• IndieWeb - A community of personal websites
• The Yesterweb - Reclaiming the internet

Let's make the web weird again! 🌈✨

P.S. - Don't forget to sign my guestbook! Let me know what you think of the site!