Trying to Modify this Template & Other Rants!!

In the immortal words of Vyvyan from The Young Ones -- "Bored, bored, bored" -- I want to change this template some!

I need some feedback please. I would like to change the overall design of this template some -- now, I know how to make changes because I often add or modify things along the right navigation.

When I make changes to this template, it will show up in Preview mode but NOT if I save it and take it live -- it just ends up with a all white background. YES, I have saved it as both Republish Entire Blog and Republish Index Only -- either way, the background image will not take. YES, I've also tried using a different background image.

A screen capture of the Preview is here on the left -- so why won't it save?! Suggestions - Ideas -- Comments?!

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Opening of the Olympics were very nice -- as good as Peter Gabriel & Pavarotti were, I must confess that I would have LOVED to have been in the stadium when Michael Schumacher's Ferrari Formula 1 did the controlled spin out -- My God the sound of that engine is pure audible orgasmic bliss.

The NASCAR fiends are clueless as to what true racing is all about.

I think it was fantastic that the U.S. & Italian athletes were so enthusiastic about everything -- they were having such a good time.

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Tonite I had such a surprise - the Charlie Rose show on PBS is usually as riveting as watching paint dry in my opinion. But tonite -- oh bliss -- he had Karl Lagerfeld on there. For those of you that read this blog often, you know I have a warped fixation with Lagerfeld.

I've read dozens of interviews with KL but haven't seen a true extended interview with him. My God he's fantastic! And do keep in mind that I have the attention span of a gnat -- I'm not ADD - it's just that most people cease to intrigue me for extended periods of time. Extended being more than 5 minutes on average.

So there I am absolutely riveted for an entire hour! He's got the best accent -- a German speaking English with a French accent. He's vivacious yet modest and the consummate voyeur to the world. He must have discussed 20 different topics just naturally seguing from one to another. I particularly loved his tale about putting on a few pounds and got a bit portly - decided one day he wanted a 28 inch waist to pull off the type of clothes he wanted to wear and his vanity won out over his taste buds.

Charlie was given him a bit of a good humoured hard time over his black gloves -- KL said it was because the world was a dirty place. Charlie said it was for fashion. Truthfully, I agree with KL and I must confess that I would love to wear gloves more often.

Aside from some black 3" slender heeled pointed boots, there is nothing fashion related I am more passionate about than gloves. My beloved, whom I shall dub The Illustrious One since he doesn't like his name being used in this forum, is well acquainted with my rants over proper gloves.

When did America get such a hard on for Isotoner gloves? Could they be any more ghastly? Everyone should understand how to size themselves for a proper glove -- it is as follows:

• Decide upon a length. My preference is "4 button" length as a minimum. 2 button length leaves a gap between the end of the glove and your sleeve if you raise your arm for anything -- I don't care for gaps.
• Size -- Gloves do NOT come in S, M or L. They have proper sizes and you can determine yours by getting out a measuring tape and measuring around the widest part of your hand which is where your knuckles are. I wear a size 7 which translates to 7" around my hand.
• Then you get to lining -- silk or cashmere -- nylon is not a lining for a glove because it is not a natural material and as such does not allow the skin nor the glove to breath. Personally, I prefer silk.
• Then you get to the leather -- I prefer a snug fitted thin leather such as lambskin..

So if you ever want to purchase me gloves you can't go wrong with a nice 4-button length black leather size 7 with silk lining.