Megan the Nautie Mermate
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF A LADY SAILOR
In the past 5-7 days I've tried to blog a few times. As soon as I'm wrapping up my post...imagine text and images....the page just poof! reloads.
I've finally learned my lesson and am writing my posts in a word processor now until I get this sorted out.
In order to make myself feel better - since I feel like hitting my head against a wall - I'm posting a photo.
This is the bridge I walk over on my way into town.
If you ask my friends what one of my faults is they'll probably tell you that I'm impulsive - this might be true - I tend to leap first. Most times, things work out and, sometimes they don't. When they don't, they don't. What I've found though, is that when they don't work out I end up a little bit smarter than I was before.
I recently decided that I was going to switch my blogging platform from WordPress to Squarespace.
I'm vowing now to write about this process ad nauseum. Why? Because when it comes to the 'behind the scenes' part of blogging (i.e. the coding, the domain mapping, etc.) I'm totally clueless. When you read things on the internet like, 'I transferred my site from Wordpress to Squarespace! It was awesome!' what they aren't telling you is that it took hours. Or maybe they forgot to tell you the part about how they have been working in IT for the last 10 years.
“A computer lets you make more mistakes faster than any invention in human history - with the possible exceptions of handguns and tequila.”
To say my transition was less than smooth would be an understatement.
The point of this post? Well, it's an apology of sorts. I'm sorry that things were defunct if you stopped by. I'm sorry if your RSS feed isn't properly working. I'm sorry that you think I'm a traitor for leaving WordPress.
Hopefully, things will be fully back in business soon!
In the meantime, I hope you like the new look....because I mean really, what's not to like about simplicity?!
...but it's soon to be no more, okay? Now, if you're like me, Google Reader managed your blog readin' life and you're a little bit cranky. I get it. Change is hard. As with most things in life however; a little change is sometimes necessary.
Here are some Google Reader alternatives that aren't so bad!
The Old Reader. I like this one because it is very similar to the original Google Reader. This means that it's kind of a change but not really. This one gets 3.5 stars because it doesn't have an app.
Blog Lovin'. Bloggers like this one because it allows you to view the original post as it was intended to look. Sometimes my photos look a little different in Google Reader - especially if it's an album. When you make a site change a reader can instantly see it. Unfortunately, this one didn't work too well for me on the ship because it took along time for some posts to load. I seriously don't think that would be an issue for most. This one gets 4 stars (and most people would give it a 5 star rating).
Feedly. People love this one. I've never used it because it's blocked on the ship. Darnit Barracuda Filter! Why do you call this one a game?! (we're not allowed to play games...they get blocked...lame) I can't give this a rating but like I said, many love it.
News Blur. I signed up for News Blur while I was on the ship and it was the best alternative I could find at the time. That being said, I had to pay for a monthly subscription. I do like it's app and the app is available for android and apple - which is a plus, right?! 4 stars.
There you have it Nautie Friends, we all have options.
I wrote this blog post eons ago. Then I had technical difficulties...and then I didn't post it. The thing is, I thought I better post it because this is super duper important! When I reference 'yesterday' it was actually weeks ago....just to help clarify things around here.... Yesterday, I cried on the blog....about how I didn't have internet friends. You heard me, I cried on the blog because I didn't have internet friends!
Immediately afterwards....and I'm talking immediately afterwards....I start up a little twitter conversation with this chick named @calliesmariner. I had literally just written: Twitter kills me. Now, here I was having a mini conversation. Wow.
This chick has a blog geared torwards Merchant Marine families - and it's cool you should totally check it out.
We start throwing some tweets back and forth (yep, you guessed it...at this moment I'm feeling totally cool...).
*Please note: Between the paragraph above and the paragraph below I tried really, really, really hard to embed some tweets. Clearly, I did not succeed. I just don't know. My excuse is that I'm not at home and there is something wrong with the computer on the ship. The thing is, if you want to read the tweets you could just follow @calliesmariner and @nautiemermate on twitter....just sayin'...*
Anyways, I noticed from her blog that she's living somewhere in New England so of course I decide that I MUST e-mail one of my Besties and tell her that I have a new friend for her. Some of my girlfriends stared a group called The Seacoast Wives - they're Husbands ship out and they themselves are pretty salty. I'm not technically in the group....cause clearly I'm not a wive but, I knew this Chick needed to be invited to the get togethers.
During this whole exchange @Calliesmariner and my Bestie are at a Maine Maritime Academy Seacoast Alumni Event - and they freakin' meet eachother!!!!!!!
I mean, during this whole exchange as in while we're tweeting. Too freakin' weird right?!
You know how the world is supposedly connected by six degrees of separation? Well, clearly the maritime industry is a measly two degrees of separation.
There you have it. Amazing, right?!
Here's to new blog friends!
Nautie Friends, try the forum one more time! I think I got it set up so that anyone can make a topic or comment. Here's to hoping! I'm crossing my fingers!
In the meantime I'd like to say thank you to the lovely ladies who went through all the trouble to make a username. (Not to mention names or anything: Kiki, Historiauntie, AuntKay! You're Nautie Loyalty warms me more than you could ever know!)
I do have to say though, as soon as I thought I had it figured out I instantly started imagining a post I'd write....all about how I was like She-Ra and how I was a Princess of Power. I know right. Solves one techie problem and now she thinks she's a Princess of Power!
Ho-kay So. I have a temporary solution. Below the forum listings on the right hand side of the page you will now see a login feature. Unfortunately, this feature doesn't support anonymous postings. I really wanted to have an open forum but alas, big brother (or in this case Big Nautiemermate) is watching.
When you click register it will prompt you to create a username and enter an email address. You will then be emailed a password. I know, I know....ba humbug!
Once you are given a temporary password you can then edit your profile (by clicking on the top of the nautiemermate page) and select a password of your choosing.
For now, please disregard the options to login with Facebook, Twitter, Google, etc. This is my goal - that you can login with other forms of social media - this is no where near being ready to go yet.
Sorry for all the confusion, and sorry for the added steps!
Keep me posted - let me know how it goes!