inner geek | Laura Bruno Lilly

(Hard to believe, but I am coming up on the first anniversary of the launch of this website/blog the end of this month.)

This blogging gig has proven to awaken my inner geek, requiring her to be on-call 24/7. In that respect, I can be quite grumpy and reluctant as regards the technical aspects of blogging. So time consuming! However I am greatly appreciative for the huge learning curves thrown my way that need to be fielded because they require an active attitude of ‘lifelong learning.’

For instance, the issue of updates and backing up data and the website in general has been an on-going concern. This being a self-hosted WordPress site, most of what needs to be addressed on a regular basis is done by myself rather than WordPress. The choice to be self-hosted was a deliberate decision as it offers a greater freedom in use of customizing WP templates and purposes. Learn-as-you-go works for awhile, but after awhile, much of what is labeled, ‘maintenance’ is far from being routine.
Case in point: a few months ago I took the bull by the horns looking for new options for backups in order to address the compounding update issues that cannot continue to stay ‘on hold.’ I realized my original ‘UpdraftPlus’ plugin wasn’t pulling its weight, so I went on a Google research rampage in search of a more suitable solution. Several hours later, I found an-in-your-face-obvious-option I hadn’t noticed at first sight, right on the cPanel of my website host service. A simple button named -you guessed it- Backups.
While I now have a better back-up plan, the updates are still continuing to accumulate. The next step is for me to learn how to implement a ‘clone website.’ That way, I can do updates and see how they change the overall site while not interfering with the live site. The fun part of establishing a clone site is that it will enable me to do all sorts of experimental things while not interfering with the live site. That is indeed a geeky creative desire on my part, I know. We’ll see. Continue reading

Call me crazy, but I’m actually enjoying NaNo Prep this year. Having one NaNo win under my belt, I’m feeling kinda cocky, I know. But this year, in addition to doing some household planning and work schedule planning, I’ve done some exciting novel planning, as well as special events planning. What’s that? Special events planning? How does one squeeze in special events during NaNoWriMo where all spare moments are focused on the mammoth task of pounding out 1667 words per day for 30 days?

For one thing, Thanksgiving, the major special event of November, comes at the end of the month and I’ve already determined I’d be done with my 50,000 words by then. So that means I’m essentially doing NaNo based upon a 27 day month which tallies up to 1852 words per day. If I get in at least 2000 words a day, I get two days free and clear for a sick day and a special event.

Knowing all of this ahead of time helps me. And here’s where we get to something that’s been nagging at me since working on this website blog over the summer: I’ve let my inner geek out and she’s begun to take over my mindset!

Notice the emphasis on ‘doing the math’ in my NaNo Prep? Relegating a single day for illness or an unforeseen circumstance and another for a special event? I know better and yet, my inner geek insists that’s the way to NaNo Prep Peace. And, get this, for added security my inner geek got herself html text to put that sidebar widget you now see on my Blog Page.

This ‘live’ word count gizmo is directly connected to the NaNoWriMo site. Not only is it cool looking, but it is a type of motivator for me to show off my word count each time it is entered on the NaNo site. We Wrimos keep track of each other’s daily word counts, but out here in the infinite space of the internet on my website blog that has so many visitors (picture a wry grin on my face) well, it makes me vulnerable and more committed to producing impressive daily word counts!

Oh yes, and what exactly is that special event day going to be used for during the month of NaNo?

A horse show. Continue reading

Tag: inner geek (Page 3 of 3)

One Year Later: On the technical aspects of blogging

NaNo Prep (or getting it together before the Big Event)

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