WordPress
Some very dedicated and smart software developers have created WordPress, a blog publishing tool. This software is at least as good and in many cases better than the commercial solutions out there. Written using PHP and architected to allow for customizations as needed, there really is no limit to what can be done with WordPress. Other content creators have noticed this extensibility and there are libraries of plug-ins, themes, and how-to articles. A simple search in your favorite search engine will direct you to the most popular of these libraries.
This blog runs using WordPress. I highly recommend it. Before going too far down any solution involving WordPress, read some of the document to understand the difference between pages and posts. Also decide on a basic layout and search for a template the meets most of your goals. You may be inclined to update the template once you start using it so you'll want to pick the right one from the start or you'll end up repeating your changes.
Good luck and let me know of any blogs you start!
Indeed, many people do swear by WP. It is easy to setup, easy to build content out, and easy to maintain. With different kinds of themes, the end result is a customized blog that took you a fraction of the time to build, even if it was in HTML. It is great for beginners, but to really have a functioning website that'll REALLY impress visitors, you'll still have to delve into PHP, CSS, Flash, etc.
I also blog with WordPress and find it to be a very flexible tool. One note to beginners: WordPress.com is a free service that enables a lot of flexibility to blog, import widgets, etc. WordPress.org is a bit more complicated, requiring finding someone to host your site and purchasing your own domain. This provides a lot more fleixibility to create a full-fledged website rather than just a blog. Applications can also be used on this site. I would recommend starting with the basic blog setup. That may be all that you need. If the need to expand comes along, you can always switch to the .org format.
Lew Sauder, Author, Consulting 101: 101 Tips For Success in Consulting