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Lani

Hello everybody. I have a big announcement. I’m letting go of my other blog, Tell-Thai Heart and integrating here at Life, the Universe and Lani.

Four years ago, I started blogging at blogger.com and then a year ago, I switched over to my own domain name and my own hosting. I was hesitant to pay for what I had previously enjoyed for free but I decided to help out a budding website designer and try something new.

For better or worst, my TTH site has been fraught with highs and lows, ups and downs, which means, I’ve learned a lot. But a few issues have made me decide to go back to a free service, this time through WordPress, since I have this site already here.

So what were the issues? My feedburner feed was incorrectly entered so I lost previous subscribers. My new site had a blue green haze that didn’t display my new pictures clearly. I tried to live with it, asked for help, received no answer, so I switched themes. My web hosting company also experienced some sort of server attack blocking administrative access to my site for days. Now I’m experiencing 500 Internal Server Errors on a regular basis which I have tried to solve for months.

But the final “hang nail on the coffin,” or the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back, was when my old website designer deleted my Google analytics account, causing me to lose all of my data for Tell-Thai Heart. Accidental or not, I can’t retrieve my old information, once it’s lost – it’s lost forever.

Since I’ve been having problems, this additional issue just solidified what I had been entertaining already – move the site over to WordPress. (Trust me, I’ve been researching other options, too.) Originally I was going to create its own website but I think integrating it with my writing site will be better. I like the theme, my header is amusing, and it will be one less blog to maintain.

It’s a big change, I realize. You don’t blog for 4 years without having links everywhere, but I want control of my blog again. Plus, I’m excited to turn these obstacles into something really great.

Thanks for reading, thanks for your support and please be patient as I undergo the big task of tweaking out the site and fixing broken links. And of course, I’d love to hear from you, suggestions, similar issues and such. Much love, lc

motorbike-mattress — Oh boy, here we go again…

11 responses to “Tell-Thai Heart is moving here!”

Mike

07/08

Lani
I like many started on Blogger. Not bad for a free service, but it has its limitations. I also tried to run too many blogs. Now having been established at WordPress.org for a few years and having reduced my blogs too 4(2 just maintain themselves) there is no way I would head back to free hosting, even with WP.com its too limiting.

The freedom offered with the plug-ins that are available for self hosted blogs is huge and I just couldn’t give that up.
Hosting with a decent company(I use Blue Host) is not cheap but I cover my costs with advertising that is not too intrusive.

I think you are right to move the stuff that’s not working which I fancy is just part of your evolution as a blogger, we all go through from time to time.

At the end of the day content is still king, whatever platform you use and you produce some good stuff so I am sure you will find things work out fine in the end.

Good luck!

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1. Lani
  
  08/08
  
  Thanks Mike. I appreciate you sharing your story and experience.
  
  The plugins and theme options are indeed nice but my hosting company seemed to think my plugins were slowing me down and thus producing the errors I was having.
  
  I tried removing them and doing the good research and it seems my hosting could be the problem as internal server errors have to do with – the servers.
  
  But at the end of the day, the problems just kept stacking up and I don’t make money from my blogs. My friend said it best, after I get these technical problems squared away, I can get back to concentrating on my writing.
  
  Or as you put it, this is part of my “evolution as a blogger” 🙂
  
  PS I had no idea you had so many blogs!!!!!!
  
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  1. Mike
    
    08/08
    
    Lani
    You certainly can have issues with plug-in conflicts but it sounds like the hosting as you say. At the end of the day you need to be comfortable and concentrate on your writing.
    Yes I do run a few sites but as I said in my OP two of them just take care of their selves. I haven’t added content for a couple of years but they both attract high paying PPC adverts from Adsense still. Just found the right niche-pure luck 😉
    
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  2. Lani
    
    10/08
    
    Lucky you. Thanks again for stopping by 🙂
    
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The Otter

09/08

Yo! I’m actually glad you’re moving, since now I can see everything in one awesome place. Plus, I’m sure it will help your stress levels to operate on one platform. I tried to do multiple blogs and it was just too overwhelming. I think you’re better at it than I ever was, but I’m hoping this will turn out to be a good thing. Seems like it will.

So cheers and best of luck! 🙂

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1. Lani
  
  10/08
  
  Yeah. Thanks. Especially since I’ve been working more. This will definitely help streamline my life.
  
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Ashley

14/08

Ah! I’m so excited that we’re on the same site now! I’ll be able to read and comment so much more easily now! Hehe. Looking forward to having you here Lani.

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1. Lani
  
  15/08
  
  Thanks Ashley 🙂 The WP platform certainly makes it easier and that is one of the reasons why I like it!
  
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paulgarrigan

16/08

HI Lani, I think you have made the right choice. You may lose out initially with links and stuff but I really do believe that ‘quality is king’ online and you offer that in buckets.

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1. Lani
  
  16/08
  
  Awww. Thanks Paul. That’s real sweet. I’ve enjoyed our blogging relationship – for how long now? A year? At least. I connect with your alternative viewpoints and appreciate your insights. Cheers.
  
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  1. paulgarrigan
    
    16/08
    
    Thanks Lani – yup, my viewpoints can be way out there for sure 🙂
    
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I’m Lani

Welcome to Life, the Universe, and Lani. I’ve been blogging about my experiences living abroad since 2009.

At this point, this site serves as an archive as I’m mostly active at No Girl is an Island 👉https://lanivcox.substack.com/ 🏝️where I have been both newslettering and continuing to craft personal essays on finding freedom in the fringes.

Thanks for stopping by, have a look around, and hope to see you over at No Girl is an Island.