Break
I have taken the first steps toward getting the stock template to be more to my liking. There is still much more to be done, but one needs to take a break in the midst of the process. Yup, both side columns have the same stuff in them with the only difference being their width.
What I've done:
1. Widened the template - it looked too squished even with only two columns.
2. Added a new column, the one on the left. Had to make quite a few adjustments here but the tutorial at Learning Movable Type got me started on the right foot.
3. Widened the banner to 100%.
Naturally, there are more adjustments to be done. It is far from finished. The right column falls below the content area if the screen is restored down. The padding needs to be reduced, and the columns narrowed. Perhaps the entire content area should again be widened. The outside borders are just filler material afterall.