Notice: All forms on this website are temporarily down for maintenance. You will not be able to complete a form to request information or a resource. We apologize for any inconvenience and will reactivate the forms as soon as possible.

Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

Changes-blog.jpg

On Tuesday Adam posted a blog entry titled “57 Channels (and Nothin’ On)” That’s, of course, a reference to the Bruce Springsteen song. So I thought I’d just keep the tuneful inspiration alive by giving a nod to classic David Bowie today. He sings, “Just gonna have to be a different man.” And today Plugged In is “just gonna have to be a different site.” But, also as Bowie informs us, “I watch the ripples change their size/But never leave the stream.” And that’s a good way to look at what you’ll be looking at on the spruced-up pluggedin.com.

Never mind that this blog page still looks the same way it’s always looked (that’ll change too as soon as our developers get two spare minutes to rub together), when you link over to the main areas of our site, you’ll see some pretty exciting changes as we continue to cover the ever-changing culture that surrounds us.

The first thing you’ll see is our revamped rotator, now filled with BIG colorful pictures devoted to movies and videos. As you stare, entranced, into its mesmerizing depths, you’ll quickly get an overview of what’s hot and new in theaters and on store shelves. We’ll insert our Movie Nights movies there too, to give you ideas about some classics to consider for your family.

The most recent of our other reviews—those for music, television and games—can be accessed directly below the rotator, or slider as it’s sometimes called. They’re higher up on your screen now, and we’re hoping their increased presence will get them onto your radar a bit more often. (Of course you can always go to our review area pages which are dedicated to all things movies, videos, music, TV and games to find exactly what you want when the latest-greatest isn’t what you want.) Keep going down the page and you find access to both our Official Plugged In Podcast and this blog. Also our Family Room (a great resource for parents trying to navigate their family through their entertainment options) and Focus on the Family’s dedicated Family Safety area. And for parents who’ve been clamoring for Plugged In to feature book reviews, we’re now directing you to our sister publication, Thriving Family, so you have easy access to their critiques of fiction books.

Back up at the top of the page, this time on the right-hand side, we’ve dedicated some space to you talking back to us—telling us and other readers why you come here in the first place. We’re also using this area to remind everyone that we’re a) still a free publication and b) we survive on the generous donations of our readers. So if you feel so inclined, you’re more than welcome to click the “donate now” button to express your appreciation and support. Really. We won’t mind a bit if you do. Oh, and if you want your name and quote on our home page, just send us an email or post to our Facebook page, telling us what you like about us!

That’s the exciting stuff. This is less so, but just as much part of life: We were sorry to say goodbye to both our popular poll and our Up Front stories—articles that took a more in-depth look at entertainment, culture and the place of both within Christianity. But fear not, poll junkies! We’ve taken to asking tons of questions on our Facebook page for you to chime in on, and the conversation there has been getting pretty exciting. (And hopefully, our developers willing, the poll will make a grand return down the road a bit.) As for our deeper thoughts, formerly formulated for those Up Front stories, they will now appear right here on our blog. So just think of that as a retitling.

See? Ripples in the river that never leave the banks. We are permanently dedicated to giving you the information you want and need about entertainment. We’re determined to provide you with the same level of service we always have: the same quality reviews, the same grounded advice, the same eternal (biblical) truth in an ever-wavering world.

The other thing that never changes around here is our gratitude to you. We wouldn’t be here if you didn’t keep visiting our site every day or week or month. You’re the why of what we do.

And now I’ve got to go do some more.