Blogging

I was interested by Kev Quirk's "Blog Questions Challenge", so here's my answers. To recap, the questions are: Why did you start blogging in the first place ? What platform are you using to manage your blog and why did you choose it ? Have you blogged on other platforms before ? How do you write your posts? For example, in a local editing tool, or in a panel/dashboard that's part of your blog ? When do you feel most inspired to write ? Do you publish immediately after writing, or do you let it simmer a bit as a draft ? What's your favourite post on your blog ? Any future plans for your blog ? Maybe a redesign, a move to another platform, or adding a new feature ? Why did you start blogging in the first place ? I had a web site from 1999 but this was essentially a set of static HTML pages. ...

This blog uses Hugo and was previously hosted on Amazon S3 storage. The traffic and hence the costs were minimal (zero). After recently having to completely re-install Arch Linux after an idiotic mistake, I realised that Hugo was out of date, my Hugo theme was out of date and I’d forgotten precisely how the deployment to S3 actually worked. I was toying with taking my ball home in a mindless fit of pique, migrating 1,000 posts to Eleventy and I also looked at the Publii static site CMS with interest. ...

I anxiously coaxed my wife out of the door to her work trying not to raise her suspicions. My stomach was fluttering as I had an important early morning meeting. To fully prepare, first, I chose my mask. I had two options; a flesh coloured creation that resembled a one bosom bra or a more sinister black model. I tried the pale pink mask but as it, err, masked my nose, mouth and chin, it made me resemble a burns victim who had endured time consuming and expensive reconstructive surgery which had either failed or was still ongoing. ...

‘Mum, mum. Please calm…’ ‘You don’t understand. I just want to be able to see the grandchildren. I just want to hug them, to hold them, to cuddle them’. ‘Yes, Mum. I realise that but this won’t…’ ‘Is it too much to ask to sit out on the patio, drawing and colouring with them ? Is it too much to want to spoil them with toys and treats ? Like any proud Grandma ?’ ...

Wife: ‘Jane told me yesterday she just found it all quite overwhelming last week and just sat down and had a little cry’. Me: ‘There’s nothing wrong with that. I’ve think we’ve all had wobbly moments. I certainly know I have.’ Wife: ‘Have you ?’ Me: ‘Yeah, it was a couple of weeks ago now. I heard yet another radio interview with a lady who’d lost her Mum, she couldn’t visit her in hospital and now her Dad is left grieving on his own. Just very upsetting. I was in pieces for 10 minutes’. ...

10pm Thursday – congregate in the street to look at a ‘Flour Moon’. This is handy as flour is in short supply. 10am Friday – congregate in the street to watch a fly-past. Didn’t see anything so returned inside. 11am Friday – given special dispensation not to congregate in the street to observe a two minute silence. 3pm Friday – congregate in the street for a toast. Have a chat with the neighbours (again). ...

After detailed analysis by medical professionals, data scientists and epidemiologists, we are delighted to announce that blog traffic to ‘Blog In Isolation’ finally looks to have peaked on Wednesday April 29 with 15 million unique visitors. Yesterday’s number, by comparison, was just 4 million. However, bear in mind this doesn’t include people who with pre-existing health conditions who have experienced pain and discomfort using an RSS Reader. Hopefully, if this promising trend is sustained, the blog can be re-opened up to Facebook and WhatsApp audiences on Sunday 10 May. ...

Instead of moaning about trivial marital disputes over cheque books, it’s time to celebrate some good news ! David celebrates a new arrival. As in a new baby not an Amazon delivery. Richard celebrates a significant anniversary during these unprecedented times with freshly brewed coffee, craft beers and cake. I have known David and Richard for many years, back from identi.ca days. They remain two of very few people (from social media circles) I have actually met in real-life. They are both just as entertaining, intelligent, amusing and interesting company as you would expect. ...

After six weeks of lockdown, I finally lost it and had a blazing row with the missus over a trivial issue. ‘Have you got a cheque book handy ?’ ‘No.’ ‘What - you don’t have a cheque book ?’ ‘I have a cheque book somewhere but I haven’t used it in years so it isn’t handy, no’ ‘Hmm OK. Well, I can’t find mine and I need to write a cheque for the man from the allotment’. ...

I work in IT and am vaguely technical. I use Linux and vaguely know how to program in C, Python, PL/SQL and install, configure and tune a variety of databases. However, apart from the odd gratuitous post detailing my Linux desktop setup, I generally don’t post technical content and never have done. I am slightly conflicted and feel guilty about this as I feel that I have learned so much from other people’s blog posts and, increasingly, videos that I should really try to reciprocate and offer something back to the community. ...