It's not often that failure is reported. Well, I failed big time. I re-created a website to which the masses responded but to which the owner did not like. In this case, it did not matter that the content was easier to update. That files were easily added or removed. What mattered was that the theme did not seem sufficiently akin to the old theme nor was it possible to properly understand the requests of the site owner.
There is something to be learned here. This site is really the 'baby' of the site owner. What I've gone and done is cut its hair, cleaned it up, and thrown on some clothes that the site owner would never have bought. True, the baby is now wearing a suit out of the 2000s... BUT, our site owner wanted more class and style of the previous century.
As a mom, if someone were to take my little K-man and say, give him an earring... I would be appallled. In that same way, my site owner felt that the site was no longer his... and he was no longer in control.
So it's really important to choose your battles, to understand your customer, and to address what your customer wants. It is also important to establish a timeline and to have frequent discussion of what is available and what they want. Unfortunately in this case, I made the site without enough input and he didn't know what I was both capable of and incapable of. It was a learning experience for both. If this means cutting away at all the things that would 'improve' said website.. so be it. Its their perogative. Its a sad day technologically but its a happy day when your site owner is happy with the product and you can go home knowing you met his needs.
As I said, I failed. But at least next time, I will be more understanding. In this case, the look and feel of the site mattered way more than the content, bells and whistles. It also teaches me which projects I should take.. and which projects need to be rejected. I can't make everyone happy. Especially in this case!