help me grasp this blog system, please

Okay. I'm totally grateful for the presence of this blog but continue struggling with several core functions since the site transitioned to this newer, multiple-optioned view. I generally still with classic but can at least visually browse for many older entries Can anyone help me better grasp the following? - I recall previously being able to sign into blogger directly from an upper corner link in the old http://madisonshooters.blogspot.com/. Must I now always first sing into my google.com account before I can even get to my blogger account. I'm feeling stupid, here. - In the new format (screen capture is attached of what I see using Safari), I'm finding that the "search" function yields next to no results regardless of my display view. Anyone else experiencing this. Just try to call up former post for things like "flashes of hope," "fuji" or "wetland." - Okay.... I'm finding a few search results using the flipcard and sidebar display but they primary show 2011 content. Did pre-2011 content perhaps not migrate or get archived? Nothing is displaying when searching "fuji" in classic view. - Oh, man... now I can even seem to preview this post as the option is grayed out!