Blogging

If You Are Reading This Post…

123RF

Don’t you hate it when a post begins something like this?

I do, because if you’re not reading the post, then it doesn’t matter what comes next.

The fact is, in this case, you are looking at a new version of Patrick’s Place, hosted by a different company. There’s no if about it.

InMotionHosting is now handling web hosting chores for me, and I hope that they will be much more reliable than my previous host. &nbsp I’ll go into more details soon about why I made the switch and everything I can tell you about a string of screw-ups that temporarily knocked this site offline then destroyed the theme that I’d had customized to manage my content.

In the meantime, the blog will go on, including this weekend’s Saturday Six and Sunday Seven.

But I must ask the favor of your patience: &nbsp a mysterious error has suddenly wrecked the theme that I’ve been using on this site for quite some time now. &nbsp I love that theme: there is no theme I’ve found so far that I like more than that one. &nbsp But when I now run that theme, anyone who clicks on a headline from the front page to attempt to read any post, you get the thumbnail image, three scanlines’ worth of a title, and then the rest of the page is black: there’s no way to read the content.

This mysterious error not only came out of nowhere, it came, conveniently, right after my old host was able to resurrect everything that had been done for two-and-a-half-days.

I’ve tried everything I could think of, but then I’m not an IT guy.

So we’re stuck, at the moment, with this most basic version of a WordPress theme until I can either get a solution to this problem or adapt another theme that might work instead.

Did I mention that the designer who built the theme I like so much is currently on vacation and unavailable for consultation? &nbsp Nice timing, right?

You might drop by and notice a completely different look that makes finding everything you’re used to slightly more difficult than usual. &nbsp I apologize in advance. &nbsp There’s always a breaking-in period with a new theme. &nbsp There’s even a breaking-in period when one tries to troubleshoot a new theme that has gone awry.

If I’m in some kind of a test mode, please bear with me and I will get out of that test mode as quickly as I possibly can. &nbsp I’d actually prefer to “nickel and dime” changes and then switch back to this theme if necessary just so you can get to content easier if that is what it takes.

Because if you’re not happy, then there’s no reason any blogger has to blog.

It’ll get better. &nbsp It’ll get easier to navigate again. &nbsp And hopefully, it’ll get back to what you’re used to, with perhaps some improvements upon that!

Thanks, in advance, for your grace as I get this train back on track!

the authorPatrick
Patrick is a Christian with more than 30 years experience in professional writing, producing and marketing. His professional background also includes social media, reporting for broadcast television and the web, directing, videography and photography. He enjoys getting to know people over coffee and spending time with his dog.

8 Comments

  • Glad you’re back, glad you’ve switched, sorry for the glitches, but really…as long as you keep writing, I’ll read. Mostly in RSS, to be honest, but I’ll read. 😉

  • I’m just not smart enough – or aware of the dangers enough – to be worried about anything happening to my blog.
    For almost 6 years, I just show up, do a post, add pictures and assume everything is cool. So, is now when I need to knock on wood and/or cross my fingers? Yikes.

  • For months now I have wanted/toyed with the idea of trading up from Blogger. I need a good IT person to help out as I am pitiful. Sorry about your troubles.

    •  @alphawoman Are you planning on hosting the site yourself?  If not, you should check out WordPress.com (which is their hosting version of WordPress) carefully, because the more you want to be able to do with their themes, fees begin to be involved.
       
      The version of WordPress you host on your own (wordpress.org) has no fees.  You just have to pay for hosting.
       
      I will say that when I transferred this blog from Blogger to WordPress several years ago, I had no problem at all with that; that much they have down to a science now.

    •  @alphawoman Are you planning on hosting the site yourself?  If not, you should check out WordPress.com (which is their hosting version of WordPress) carefully, because the more you want to be able to do with their themes, fees begin to be involved.
       
      The version of WordPress you host on your own (wordpress.org) has no fees.  You just have to pay for hosting.
       
      I will say that when I transferred this blog from Blogger to WordPress several years ago, I had no problem at all with that; that much they have down to a science now.

Comments are closed.