Ask HN: Personal Website/Blog Options

I am going to create a personal website that also has a blog, some photos, and eventually maybe add a private space for friends to see non-public posts, invite me to events etc. (essentially like a fb replacement just for me).

I am wondering about what thoughts you guys had on set-up. For example, Linode vs Digital Ocean vs AWS. Also Wordpress vs Joomla vs fully building myself.