FYI: A few days ago, I received my “Happy Anniversary – you registered on WordPress 11 years ago” notification. It may be my last.
Let me explain.
Surrounded by my notes, I just now sat down, opened my computer and logged onto my WP account to begin this newest Weekend Notes post. What I originally hand in mind to write involved copying a paragraph from a previous post, so I hit the “All Posts” button on my dashboard. Instead of the usual listing of previously published posts, I was presented with a chaotic array of vertical post titles and empty space. An ominous sign that more such chaos lurked elsewhere throughout my website/blog.
That’s when I knew the script changed.
Please consider this my ‘message in a bottle’ that hopefully gets out there for all to view. Given the above intro – this bottle may or may not reach anyone.
Dear blogger buds, followers, friends, and readers of all sorts,
Most of you know the ups & downs, joys & travails of using WordPress. Many of you know I personally have experienced a huge increase in the downs & travails of it beginning March 2024.This newest set of freaky developments are not quite the final push for me to chuck this platform.
However.
In order for this website/blog to continue I know I am in for multiple rounds of trying to decipher, redo, fix, wait for/give up on tech support answers, etc. I know I’m in for a huge dive back into the technical aspects in going forward with this platform. This all takes an enormous amount of time & effort to enable this website/blog to simply go on doing what it is meant to do.
Will I be successful?
Why should I be? I’m no computer programmer or WordPress technician expert. Nevertheless, I have learned numerous tricks, HTML bits, plugin compatibilities, go arounds and more of the technical side of WP functionality/maintenance than I ever thought possible.
Don’t get me wrong, I love learning and a challenge. But given the fact that WordPress solicits itself as a user friendly, no technical knowledge needed platform with abundant tech support, I feel I’ve gone way over and beyond the call of duty.
And now, more than ever, as I am entering into a long awaited focused ‘Purple Patch’, with my 2024 projects & goals, I resent this intrusion into my valuable time. After all, this website/blog serves my (he)art, not the other way around.
So, just in case the blog goes silent again, know I am trying my best to maintain my website/blog presence. You can always email me and/or use the contact form to get in touch, if you like. 🙂
peace
LAURA
Memo to self: Regardless of the project focus – It’s All About The Music
How frustrating! I use WordPress too and mostly muddle along but when complications come up I find primal screams help. My teen tech experts grew up and moved out, but they’re still helpful when I get stuck.
I just found this in my spam folder – sorry for the delay in responding. I hear those primal screams of yours, Laura!
Fingers crossed for you!
Thank you! All the best to you in your creative endeavors.
Eleven years is quite an achievement. I hope your purple patch continues, despite the gremlins.
Thanks, Andy. Right now, the WP gremlins are stuffed into a locked closet! And… I’m happy to say… there are no other gremlins lurking about related to anything purple! 🙂
Oh Laura!! Like you, computers and technology aren’t my strength, yet I can figure most things out. I have had success with the WP Happiness Engineers. Aren’t they helping you? Sometimes they’re not available on live chat, but I hang in there till someone can help. Life is busy and blogging should be a pleasure, so I do hope you can sort out your WP troubles. I love your self-quote, ‘It’s all about the music’. Best to you, Laura. I love your posts!
Thanks for the encouragement, Jennie!
My pleasure, Laura!
I like reading your blog posts, Laura, so I hope things do work out for you. Having said that, playing in the sandbox with music and fabric sounds so much more rewarding for your soul than blogging. I admit, since my Mom’s passing, I have been on social media very little, and I like it. I have no issues with WordPress, but if I did, that would push me to stop blogging altogether, in spite of the wonderful internet connections that I have made. It would be different, if I were marketing something, but I am not. My version of blogging should be fun, and if it isn’t anymore, then I intend to stop. Life really is short, so I want to make sure that I am not adding anymore stress to myself than the process of living already does.
Love that zentangle sunflower in your post!
Oh, Laura, there is much truth to what you have written. I wish for you a special grace and peace during this your tender time of loss.
This resonates for me because my own blog is ready for another redesign/overhaul/theme replacement (I’m not sure which fits, so I’m using all of them!). Lately coming up with something new and fresh for posts has been a challenge. I’m more comfortable going silent than with putting just anything out there. I hope you continue for a bit longer, Laura!
I hope you do, too, Marty! Perhaps the silent mode is a common blogger characteristic after the 10 year mark? I know I’ve felt less pressured to put something ‘out there’ and more inclined to wait…And most followers ‘get it’ and just go with the flow. Ya know? The blog serves us, not the other way around – that’s my mindset at least!
All that to say – I eagerly await your next post!
Sorry the challenges with your blog continue! The butterfly and other image (like a tangle sort of drawing) are awesome 🙂
Leave it to a quilter and/or mathematician to recognize a zentangle when seen! 🙂
I love Zentangle art even if I had a fail when trying to learn how to do it 🙂
How frustrating! I haven’t had any problems with WP (knock on wood) but I switched to their ad-free paid platform a while ago, and I don’t do anything techy on it. I started writing on Substack a year ago too. Building subscriptions has been slow, but the platform itself is free and easy to use. You might give it a try. You can import all your followers. I haven’t done that yet, since the content there is nearly the same as on my WP blog. But I could if I decided to close WP and switch there permanently. Something to think about.
I’ll have to check it out – especially with regard to how it would work with my music stuff. Thanks, flower sister! The ability to import current followers is the extra enticement for sure.
😉
Hoping to continue reading your posts!!💕💕💕
You’re sweet to say, LA! (notice the rhyme?!)
😉
Oh Laura. I am frustrated on your behalf. I don’t like what you’ve had to go through! May God make up for the time the locusts have eaten (Joel 2:25).
I love that scripture – such an ‘action’ verse related to hope & possibilities. Thank you, L.Marie.
And happy blogoversary! I’m glad you’re not giving up on blogging. I met you here in the blogosphere!
FYI: I remember you encouraged me to continue blogging after my 3 yr blogoversary – geesh that was some time ago, eh?!
First, congratulations on 11 years of blogging. I do hope it’s not your last anniversary because I always get excited when I receive a notification that you have posted something.
Second, I have also noticed some blips and bumps on the WordPress platform. But nothing as serious as yours. My site is simple (what’s a plugin?!) to suit my lack of tech skills. I am missing the Drop Cap function, but so far my list of previous posts is still intact.
Last, but not least, that’s a lovely purple butterfly. Hope to see more purple projects in the future. 💜
Thanks, Mariss. There’s just something about the blogger community I’m not willing to give up yet – connections with people like yourself. Like I mentioned to Wendy (comment below) I’m focused on working and playing in my musical sandbox right now and will take what I can from WP and hope it continues without much effort in fixes on my part for awhile…
BTW: that purple butterfly caught my Manc Bud, Andy’s eye when it was first shown in a previous post – he’s the one who introduced me to the Brit term of ‘purple patch’ essentially meaning being ‘on a creative roll’. 🙂
Yes there certainly is something nurturing about the blogger community. I am relieved that you are not opting out.
Enjoy your “musical sandbox”. It sounds like a good place to be.
I still want to read your blogs.
And I, yours! We shall overcome WP obstacles, Jane!
Oh, I get what you are saying. I usually write on my phone on Jetpack not because I wanted to, but because I was forced to. I would rather sit at my desk and compose there. I am doing a series of my trip to see family?, though not sure it will get done. There is nothing that shows up on WordPress, why have the site? I just had a friend go off Facebook because of too many ads.I will make no decisions right now, as I am going on a retreat.
I wondered about the phone Jetpack offerings they are pushing – and your comment confirms my suspicions. I am relieved you have found your own way around WP issues because I enjoy your posts & photos.
Ugh. I’m so sorry you are having to slog through WP issues. It can be a real pain. I wish you much success, and hope to see ongoing posts!
Thanks for the pep-session, Wendy. I have actively chosen to just let it all be and use WP as is until it no longer functions at all!!! Or at least until I decide to set aside a month of dedicated work on the specific issues. Meanwhile – I am blissfully working and playing in my musical sandbox with some fabric mixed in for good measure (yes, pun intended!)
I feel your pain, Laura. I’m sure you’re not the only one who weighs whether the time investment is worth the reward. With my latest snafu, I was told someone would contact me within 24 hours to help me. Instead, I heard from no one for 4 days. I muddled through and figured out how to solve the problem on my own, but I felt somewhat resentful because I know someone, the self-named “happiness engineers” who knew what they were doing, could solve the problem in something like 30 seconds.
The skeptical part of me wonders if this is a ploy for Word Press to offer “immediate help” at a price. This fits in with nearly every other aspect of life. Life continues to get more complicated. I suspect that this is because of scammers and other unscrupulous individuals. I wonder how those more elderly with no technology background will make sense of it.
I’ll stay in touch, Laura, whether or not you’re here. I hope you continue to make music because I know how much pleasure you get from it.
HA- well you just came off of a frantic fix on your own WP problems – as for monetization of ‘immediate help’ unfortunately that’s not far from the realm of possibility – most free platforms/shareware do eventually decay and either die or evolve into pay-for service offerings. 🙁
I hear ya on all you mentioned – especially with regard to the elderly as this push towards technology ‘only’ as a lifestyle/form of communication isolates them even more. Ultimately it isolates us all. I guess that’s why us aging adults are a valuable asset to society – we know how to live without technology!!!!!! HA!
Now, where did I put my shopping list? 🤣