I’m not exactly sure that website coding meets my definition of adventure; while it is something new, I didn’t start it for its sake, or for fun. Developing website coding skills came with a purpose (I do have a website after all). But having thought about it, and asked Katy and Toseland for their opinion, I decided to include it as an adventure.
The consensus was that:
- if they were interested in my efforts to develop new skills, others would be too, and
- if I were taking a karate class, I wouldn’t hesitate to include that as an adventure.
Maybe my reluctance stems from my coding being more of a random ad hoc thing than taking a class. Or because I see it as having a business function, which while useful, isn’t really about developing a worthwhile life.
I Apologise
Which is all a bit of a long winded apology/justification for having been quiet for a little while. And that my site has been up and down. My adventure in website coding has mainly involved destroying and then resurrecting the site. It’s been very frustrating because Code doesn’t come with undos or uninstalls. It either works, or your site is paralysed and falls over mid-stride. It doesn’t even twitch a bit before it dies; it’s just gone. Leaving you gasping for air.
I take back every nasty thing I ever said or thought about every IT person I have and will ever meet.
My Adventure
It’s not entirely my fault (though it mostly is). My web host has become unreliable, and my internet service provider isn’t helping either. It’s like the perfect storm.
There’s that moment of absolute panic when faced with the white screen of death, or Google says “ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED”, or “Internal Server Error”, or “too many redirects”. Your blood runs cold and then drains from your brain leaving you feeling as though you are going to pass out.
You have to figure out what you did before you can fix the problem because restoring your backup doesn’t always fix it, and can, in fact, make it worse!
Then you do fix it, and you’re a goal-scorer running around the house, arms in the air and flushed with victory. Leaping and shouting and confusing the dogs. (It’s an amazing feeling.)
And then your heart drops because your website crashed again, but this time, it’s your host at fault, and you can’t test the fix so you aren’t sure whether it is working or not after all.
But then hours later you can finally test it, and it is working correctly, and you’re running around the house celebrating again.
It’s making me feel unstable.
I Apologise Once More
Which is all a long-winded way of telling you that the disruptions will be continuing for another week or two.
I’m about to transfer to another web hosting service. One that is faster, and more reliably “up” when I need it to be.
In theory, it will all be smooth, and you won’t notice the difference.
But just in case.
And in the meantime, wax on… wax off…