To err is human, but to really foul things up, you need a computer. ~ Paul Ehrlich
This is going to be short. And sad, in a first-world-problems kind of way. Per my usual routine, I worked on today’s post off and on for three or four days, and two days before it was scheduled to fire, it was very nearly ready. I just needed to finish one section, give it a final once-over, and release. But when I returned from my volunteer gig and opened my Mac, my website formatting was totally wacko, with no menu at the top and formatting that only Picasso could appreciate.
I’d had issues last week as well, and after multiple calls to my website hosting service, I had reached a goal I never aspired to–speaking with no fewer than eight customer service reps over a period of eight days. Worse, most of the calls proved unproductive and seemed more focused on selling me additional services than on resolving the issues plaguing my site. Each call required ID verification, a repeat of the site name, my email address, and the requisite intro with a bot.
Pity Party, Much?
Well, yes. A little. To get the site rolling, the 5th(?) rep asked me to use one of the plug-ins to restore the site to its previous state. That worked to a certain degree. After execution, it looked just like it did on June 30. This means I lost the July 2nd post, as well as the as-yet unpublished piece scheduled for today.
Yes, that’s better than everything being lost, but in the moment, I can’t say I felt grateful. Still don’t. I was physically tired when I discovered the state of my website, and now I am mentally tired as well. Most of my late afternoon was spent on the phone, attempting to fix a problem I knew so little about that conversation with the reps was draining.
But There Are Always Lessons
Here are a few opportunities for improvement I’ve uncovered. Most of them involve preventive actions:
- Backup plan. Should have had one.
- Acting on good intentions. For months I’ve been planning to copy content over to an editable/printable document. What was I waiting for?
- Expectations. Managing them is the key to happiness. Why would I think that nothing would ever break? If I’d anticipated a disappointment like this one, my headache might have been milder.
- Preparation. Not just in the form of a backup, but learning more about how to show the site some love before it screamed for attention.
- Impact. None. Nobody cares. Obviously, I do, but who besides my mother would notice if I skipped a week? Or a month?
One more thing. Recent challenges have highlighted the fact that my knowledge is confined largely to a few specialized topics that most people find of limited interest. Unfortunately, my ignorance has not stopped me from establishing unnecessary deadlines related to tasks outside my areas of expertise. I’m force-feeding myself stress, and it isn’t the kind that serves simply as motivation.
Perhaps I’m not the only one who does that.
Absolutely fab picture! 😂
So sorry for your tech woes!!! Been there! 🤦♀️
a) Thank you! b) Normally I’d want to emulate you, but not this time.
I feel your pain, Gayle. I recently got a renewal notice from GoDaddy for my web site for a 3 year extension. I didn’t feel up to coughing up nearly $900, so I thought I would just capture screen shots of each web page of my web site and figure out a cheaper way of making a web site when I had time to do the research. That was when I found out GoDaddy had removed access to my web site! Dang, if only I had thought about capturing its contents long ago. I was able to restore my website, but only after I paid a one year “ransom” fee. Ugh, so now I have less than a year to make sure I don’t get in that predicament again. All the best to you, my author friend, and keep on writing!
I know you understand. If the site would just go down and stay down, I’d give up. Alas, it is not to be; it’s been on-again, off-again for more than a week. Hope springs eternal, but not consistently. 🙄 I definitely will continue writing, but eventually–just before the next renewal–I’ll let the site go. BH doesn’t provide pro-rata refunds, so it will be a few months before I’m back to the basics.