I'm Biggie: avid cook, speedy lunch packer, mom in San Francisco, & former expat fluent in Japanese. 
Welcome to the new site!
I’ve finally created my own website, and have moved the content of my old LiveJournal blog here. This move will help me present information in a more organized fashion, helping you all find what you’re looking for. Highlights include:
- Top Speed Tips page with an organized overview of my top speed bento tips (not just the ones in the LJ sidebar)
- Search box in the upper right hand corner
- Sub-categories that sort entries by container type, dietary type, post type and main ingredient
- Easier ways for non-LJ users to subscribe to my RSS feed and bookmark the site
- Expandable archives for an at-a-glance view of past posts
- Ability of all users to add their website info in the comments without needing to create an account on LJ or WordPress
- The shopping page with links to multiple stores with lunch packing gear and my opinionated shopping guide
This is a work in progress, though. I’m still working on:
- Comments formatting. One thing I like about the LiveJournal platform is the community-like feel of the threaded comments with avatars/icons. I’m experiencing temporary issues with font size on threaded comments and avatars on the new site, though, so I’ve reverted to non-threaded comments until this can be fixed. Stay tuned. I exported all comments on the old posts to the new site, but wasn’t able to get them to thread. This affects only old comments, not new.
- A speedy lunch prep FAQ, organized packing tips and additional resources
I’ll continue to keep my LiveJournal blog up for past entries, but you’ll want to update your links to point to the new site for my new blog entries and full resources. I’ll post regular summaries to the LJ blog with links back to lunchinabox.net, but LJ users can also keep up with my entries via your Friends Page by friending my syndicated feed here: ![[info]](http://stat.livejournal.com/img/syndicated.gif){kind=small}
lunch_in_a_box Other readers can subscribe to my feed by clicking the Subscribe button at the top of the middle column. I’m continuing to use the WordPress equivalent of an LJ-cut (”Read More”), though, so you may need to click through to read the entire entry.
What do you think? Is there something about the new site that’s a deal breaker for you? Do you wish there were something else, or is it too cluttered? I’d love to hear your thoughts, complaints and wishes as we start this transition!
Best,
Biggie
June 2nd, 2007 | Categories: admin | 
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June 3rd, 2007 at 2:21 am
This looks terrific!! Comments are better for those that don’t wish to start a livejournala-account (I have too many accounts and passwords already - I will soon begin to try tapping in a pin-code on the microwave
).
And the format with FAQ is also nice.
June 3rd, 2007 at 2:25 am
FAQ WILL be nice.
June 3rd, 2007 at 8:08 am
Biggie, this is fantastic. I could say loads more but wont, well done it looks brilliant. Amanda
June 3rd, 2007 at 11:16 am
i adored your blog and check religiously for packing tips! however, i am not a fan of the new colour scheme… something about the layout, despite its minimalist nature, is very distracting.
anyway, i will continue to read about your bentos! thanks for always being so thorough in your descriptions of bento packing and food preparation.
June 3rd, 2007 at 4:50 pm
Looks good.
For some reason, I think your pictures look better.
June 3rd, 2007 at 6:54 pm
I love your archives! I’ve been looking for something similar but can’t find one. Are you using a plug-in for it?
Also, will you be updating your ss_biggie LJ account or should I just grab your RSS feed?
June 3rd, 2007 at 8:59 pm
Thanks Jessica! Good point on the FAQ — in the end it’ll probably save me time. On the list it goes!
June 3rd, 2007 at 9:02 pm
Thanks Amanda! So many links to change now, though…
June 3rd, 2007 at 9:15 pm
Jasmine, thank you for your frankness — I appreciate the feedback. I was really focusing on content so I chose a theme that had all the functionality I was looking for, not the prettiest one. As I learn more about WordPress & HTML, I hope to customize the look more. If you can put your finger on it, I’d be curious about what you find distracting — it’ll help me with a fix.
June 3rd, 2007 at 9:17 pm
Michelle> Hmm, interesting take. Thanks for the feedback!
June 3rd, 2007 at 9:27 pm
Hey Kaoko!! Welcome! The expandable archive plug-in is SRG Clean Archives by Geek with a Laptop, and the drop-down archive box (bottom right corner) is the Drop-down Archive Widget by Alan Morgan. I’m pleased with them, especially the expandable one.
In the end you might want to grab my RSS feed as it’ll get you my updates faster. I’ll try to put a summary in my LJ blog for each entry (that’ll point here), but if I’m busy there could be a delay.
June 4th, 2007 at 1:54 am
hi
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!
for forming your own web site its great its easily to log on to you wonderful site.
i am your regular reader who is gets inspired with your lunch boxes .
you do a great job with your boxes and the photos they are so real and lively.
will read your blog regularly
June 4th, 2007 at 2:30 pm
very nice site! i’m one of your silent stalkers on lj, btw
June 5th, 2007 at 5:21 am
Love the categories, etc. but I’m really missing the fun and graphics of the old site. To be honest, this feels very generic…
June 5th, 2007 at 9:21 am
Hmm, if anyone knows how to alter a theme I would *really* appreciate the help in prettying up the place (I just don’t have the know-how yet). E-mail me at lunchinabox (AT) gmail (DOT) com if you’re a website wiz with a couple of extra hours to donate. THANK YOU!
June 6th, 2007 at 9:24 pm
Omedeto Biggie!
This is really cool, even more organized.
June 10th, 2007 at 2:40 am
Just FYI on LiveJournal - if the blog owner has anonymous commenting allowed, you don’t have to start an account at all.
Of course, that’s not really relevant here, but I thought you might like to know.
June 10th, 2007 at 2:47 am
Yes, I know that and I have made a few comments. What I meant is that since I blog myself I don’t like making semi-anynomous comments even if you identify yourself clearly in the “anonymous” comment. With this setting your comments are clearly identifiable and the id follows with you. Hence, and since I link to this site, any questions about whos who should evaporate if you use that function.
I could have started a livejournal ccount I guess, but I have too many accounts all over already.
June 10th, 2007 at 2:57 am
Ahhh, I see. I know the feeling - I’d forget half the places I’ve signed up on if it weren’t for e-mail account verifications.
June 10th, 2007 at 8:36 am
Jasmine, is this layout any better?
June 10th, 2007 at 8:37 am
Reese, what do you think of this new theme? Any better?
June 13th, 2007 at 5:48 pm
I just had an idea, although I have no idea if it’s something you’d want to bother with (or if others would also find it useful) - what about a set of lists for goshiki food items you use commonly?
Sometimes I’ll be staring into the fridge, just stuck for ideas for a food coloured ‘X’ and not realise what I can use without prompting.
(This is the nice thing about Forbidden Rice - not only does it taste good, it takes care of kuro very easily!)
It kinda goes parallel to your list of gap-filler foods.
June 14th, 2007 at 7:28 am
Good idea. A lot of my Japanese bento cookbooks have sections that list the dishes by color for just that reason. Very handy.