All I Really Need to Know about Blogging…

I learned this week.

As recently as yesterday, I was considering replacing my blog with scrolls sent out by couriers on horseback: a little more expensive, but hardly any plugin or hosting problems.

Thanks to Cyndi for this link: Medieval Helpdesk with English Subtitles

These are the things I have learned this week:

 — 1 —

I have learned that there are good and helpful people out there. Mitch popped out of a WP Help group on Facebook and offered answers to my gazillion questions, took a look at the insides of my blog and assessed what cleanup was needed…and worked through a whole bunch of settings and errors from my previous battles with CPU overload, above and beyond the help he signed on for. If you’re looking for an awesome Tech Guy to help you with your blog, meet Mitch Popilchak.

— 2 —

My blog is working smoothly this minute…but in 5 minutes I could return to the Pit of Despair, hooked up to that crazy contraption that will suck one hour of my life away.  The last 3 weeks have been eventful enough, that when my blog returned to normal for 15 straight minutes…it seemed miraculous.

I have learned not to take a working blog for granted. I’m now in the habit of saying a little prayer when I hit the link to my blog, fearing the dreaded blue screen that looks like this:

I have learned that a widget from another site can suddenly go awry and require an imaginary authentication code from every visitor until I delete the widget.

I have learned that pictures should be saved in good resolution, but small! The target for all pics combined on a page is 100KB!

I have learned that sometimes updates are good and sometimes they’re bad. I’m still not sure how to identify the difference until it’s too late.

I have learned that when all else fails, my host provider can hit a button and restore my blog to settings from 4 days ago.

I have learned that there are things like WP-Cron, Throttle Policy, CPU overload…and very important “apply” buttons that should not be overlooked.

I have learned that there are good plugins and bad plugins…and it’s important to find out which is which before you install them.

I have learned that if your tech guy chats with you through facebook, you can cut and paste that whole ongoing conversation of questions and answers, descriptions and instructions into a word document…and refer to it later even when your brain is CPU overloaded.

I have learned that as much as I love the Permalink Finder plugin and I’m impressed with the 188643 pages it has redirected for me, I’m pretty scared of its’ work and don’t have a clue how to slow that down.

— 3 —

I have learned that my blog needs a patron saint. Soon-to-be St. John Paul II all but instant-messaged me…reminding me that when he told me ‘to keep doing what I am doing’ 12 years ago…it applied to blogging as well! Pretty darn appropriate that I asked him for his help and he answered me…

on April 2, the 9th anniversary of his death.

I also learned that April 2nd is now John Paul II day in Canada. It’s true! You can read about it here.

Soon-to-be St John Paul II is now the official patron saint of Equipping Catholic Families.

— 4 —

I have learned that I really like having a blog. I really like sharing the crafts that I do… and I like having a voice on the internet.

Although I’m not all that opinionated and I don’t dig deep into theology, I haven’t found another blog like mine.

I think I’m going to keep doing what I’m doing.

I’m also finally back to work on my new Cathletics Craft Kit.

Watch for it! It will be released soon!

— 5 —

I have learned that although it’s kind of difficult for me to declutter my blog, removing widgets has been a little freeing. I already feel a little lighter…and a little detached…and I will venture beyond the footers (into the sidebars >gasp<) as the button purge continues.

I know…to many people, this footer is still pretty crowded…baby steps!

— 6 —

I have learned that although my blog has been a WordPress blog for a year now and I have learned a lot about plugins and widgets…some new plugins like this Catablog Gallery one are just not as intuitive as they could be for me to work with. I want my Catholic Printables Page to look like this…

and it just doesn’t.

I have learned that blogging is an ongoing learning process.

— 7 —

I have learned that I don’t need to know all the answers…but it helps to know where to find them.

Thanks, Mitch.

…and thanks to my new Patron Saint of Equipping Catholic Families!

St John Paul II, pray for us!

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