Finally this blog is back to free hosting. I didn’t expect the migration to happen this fast but around Tuesday last week I got the email from WordPress.com that they have already transferred the domain mapping to marcuscanblog.wordpress.com. Then today I was able to finalize the migration after changing the nameservers on Godaddy. So welcome to the new look and feel of our website. I’m excited to start writing without the worry of having to renew something that would need my credit card.
Tag: Wordpress
WordPress Stressed
I have resolved the issue on the slow loading of the visual editor on the admin page but it was neither due to adding the script define( ‘CONCATENATE_SCRIPTS’, false ) on wp-config.php nor updating the wp-includes/js/tinymce/wp-tinymce.js.gz. I have disabled also the plugins except for Akismet but this did not do the trick either. I switched the theme from Element of SEO to the default Twenty Eleven and somehow it fixed the issue although it still does not perform than it used to plus the fact that I don’t like how the site now looks like. I am hoping that Google will soon lead me to the right solution. The site currently loads better on Firefox but I would love to see it working on Chrome soon.
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Mood: 4/10 Honks! (Buried a blind cat.)
Ugly is Sexy
I am back to using ugly permalinks. Last time I switched to a permalink setting that made my links look a lot better. For example, under the pretty permalink setting my first post this year would appear as https://marcuscanblog.com/when-how-are-you-is-good-enough/ instead of https://marcuscanblog.com/?p=1604 on the browser’s address bar. But while it makes the link appear neat it has its own drawback–it disables the archives widget which means that anyone trying to find an old posts (assuming there are people who want to) using the dropdown menu would be staring at a blank page. WordPress.org I know has a solution for this but for now ugly is sexy.
GoDaddy: How to Solve 500 Internal Server Error
Let’s face it: Murphy’s Law is always waiting to rear its ugly head. In more blunt terms, shit happens. And in blogging, the sight of a 500 Internal Server Error is one those dreaded errors capable of inducing cold sweat. Take it from me because just this weekend, I came face to face with this depressing error once again, this time is for another reason but stupid rookie mistake nonetheless – I accidentally deleted the host database.
Was I able to recover from it? Yes and no. Yes, I was able to get my page back online. No, I lost all my blog posts.
So what did I do to resolve the problem?
1. Accepted fate. Two days after trying my luck by installing, de-installing, and re-installing WordPress 3.4.2 using Filezilla, I accepted the fact that this isn’t the solution. Time wasted but sanity recovered.
2. Gathered composure. After accepting the fact that I just wiped out years of blog posts, I gathered my composure and sought online help. While my search led me to a WordPress.Org help forum where the answers weren’t direct, it gave me a hint on what to check.
3. Created new database. From the emotional part comes the technical aspect of recovering from a 500 Internal Server Error. Based on experience, wherein I encountered compatibility issues between GoDaddy’s Domain and Hosting settings, I created another database with MySQL version 5. This one took only around 10 minutes to do.
4. Modified the file wp-config.php. Assuming that your GoDaddy FTP File Manager is set up properly, this step is surprisingly easy. From the newly created database, I took note of three (3) items: (1) DB Name (this is the usually the same as DB User), (2) DB Password, and (3) DB Host, and then placed these on the wp-config.php file. Here are the lines that need to be changed (underlined):
// ** MySQL settings – You can get this info from your web host ** //
/** The name of the database for WordPress */
define(‘DB_NAME’, ‘IAmACarelessBlogger‘);
/** MySQL database username */
define(‘DB_USER’, ‘IAmACarelessBlogger‘);
/** MySQL database password */
define(‘DB_PASSWORD’, ‘IWillbeMoreCarefulNextTime‘);
/** MySQL hostname */
define(‘DB_HOST’, ‘ClickOnThePencilIconAndThisOneCanBeFoundBesideHostName‘);
5. Moved on. As expected, I opened my site and was welcomed by an entirely new page, fresh page, all blog posts gone. But there is no point in crying over spilt milk, or in this case a wiped out blog; so yes, moving on and starting all over again is the last step in this process.
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I am now trying to decide if I should continue catering nuffnand adds. About a month ago I checked and I have got some payment for having it on my blog – about 6 pesos. Yes, just 6 pesos.
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Mood: 2/10 Honks! (I heard my wife will be going to SM. Note to self: avoid the cashier near the men’s section.)
Another Fresh Start for MarcusCanBlog.Com
October 1, Philippine time. If you have been an avid fan (indulge me) of this blog and returned to discover that something is amiss, well, you are right. That is because over the weekend, with me taking a day off earlier than usual because some of my colleagues suggested that I grab the extra time off slot, whatever their reasons are, which I gladly accepted anyway, I tried to install an Instagram plug-in so that I can integrate wifey’s photos but unfortunately I got careless and clicked on the wrong file — and of all files, the main database — on my GoDaddy.com hosting page. And to make the story short, that wiped out ALL my blog posts.
Thankfully, all is not really lost. Two months ago I got another plug-in called Feedfabrik that made me save all my blogs, at least until July 2012, into one e-book consisting of around 1,200 pages. I can also recover some from my old wordpress.com but these contain a lot of grammar error than my recent posts so it might take some time before I review and completely edit these posts and proudly showcase them on marcuscanblog.com.
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Lesson learned: back up, back up, back up….the right database.
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Mood: 2/10 Honks! (Happy Blogger!)
Treasure Hunting After Four
Having started reporting to work (back) on a regular shift this week, I started to appreciate once again the perks of going home after a 7-4 work day. I’ve spent almost half of my employment life in my current job enjoying this time scheme. Not until I moved to the 12-hour shift just more than a year ago, being assigned from night shift to day shift and vice versa every other two weeks.
Now I’m free (to be more free in three months) again and this gives me lots of time to kill. I’m back to doing things such as watching our local news that has become more like a slap fest as suspects are un-rightfully shamed in front of the media (one sane PNP leader has ordered to stop this practice), motorcycle accident count off (one news I’d like my wife to miss), and lately an inventory of Chinese milk products that seem to get more every news update. Being home every 4 PM makes me feel like a normal parent (soon, soon). Yesterday, I was able to do my wife’s long standing wish of placing Christmas lights around our live pine tree right in front of our home.
Of course, since I now have the freedom to choose what I’d like to do by afternoon, I now have the time to give more focus on blogging. I’ve been doing this for more than two years already although in 2008 I’ve done it more frequently. Next year, I may run out of ideas as I’d like to spend more time at home before I go out and join the thousands of job hunters but then again a baby at home may just bring more light bulb moments. Hopefully.
One of the fascinating things with blogging other than being able to expand my network is discovering lots of things that seem unthinkable to ordinary to other people outside the blogging world. Anyone heard of treasure hunting thru the web log? Well, at least for me this is a new one. The last time I joined a treasure hunting contest was way back in Boracay with my wife — it’s more of an Amazing Race-like game but still a treasure hunting activity in context.
Frankly speaking, I don’t fully understand yet what is at stake here but I’m joining it nevertheless. Who knows, I might find a new treasure in this contest after all. Wish me luck.
WPP Treasure Hunting Contest Sponsors:
Postscript: I wasn’t supposed to be qualified to join this contest as one of the rules require a WPP member to have at least 100 post and despite my best effort to meet it, I was only able to have 49 on the deadline. Now after giving up and just contended to check out the forums, I was so happy when I read that they’re extending it and changing the post requirement to only 50 (my last reply counted as another 1 post. Hahaha.)
Marcus Can Blog 