A Shameless Appeal For Blog Set-up Advice

I am looking to receive and share tips on setting up attractive, functional blogs.
"Nate," you say, "why not just get tips and input from Dashboard?"

"Because Dashboard cannot personally critique my blog, nor is it as acutely aware of this blog's many maladies as are my friends," says I.

So, if anyone want to share their blogging acumen with me and the legion readers of The Ricochet, it would be greatly appreciated.