Pictured above is a beautiful island. The photographer took this image before a wildfire destroyed much of Maui and all of Lahaina. For days now, I have thought of the people struggling to rebuild their lives. For many, everything before is gone. Everything after needs construction from the ground up.
During the summer of 2020, wildfires did similar damage to an area in Oregon. Many residents lost everything, and those people are still living in motels and apartments while attempting to re-establish their homes. Their before and after seem so similar to our neighbors in the Pacific.
Thinking about these and other disasters in the news from day to day brought to mind the past year as I left my website idle. My post two weeks ago explains my lengthy absence.
Today I want to share with you how difficult my return is. The difficulty has nothing to do with my health or my writing. It all relates to the before and after of my circumstances.
When I closed down my site on August 11, 2022, I had been a WordPress user since 2011. Quick math results in 12 years of blogging. During that time, I don’t recall any big changes in the operation of maintaining my site. At least, nothing I couldn’t learn quickly.
Now, I come back from an entire year of being away. Everything seems about blocks! And these aren’t the cute wooden A-B-C blocks I had as a child.
I remember using a plug-in called Elementor. If I’m correct, it worked something like what I read about the new block methods we have now. Some days my head buzzes, thinking about all I have to learn.
The other day I thought perhaps I should update the appearance of my site. Everything seems so new and shiny when I look at themes. It seems each before theme isn’t a block-based theme. So, will they throw those themes out the window in the future? Does anyone know?
The new and shiny after themes are mostly, if not all, block-based. Oh my, where do I start with these? Is anybody else using one of the block-based themes?
Not as devastating as the wildfires in Maui this fire season, and in Oregon during the 2020 fire season, these WordPress issues are only a part of my before and after. On August 11, 2022, I left here with my site neat and tidy. Upon my return, everything feels topsy-turvy.
I’m hopeful my outlook improves as I engage in watching/listening/reading tutorials about “blocks” and how to work with them. I much prefer wooden blocks to play with, but if it’s blocks to contain words, images, and more, I suppose I can adapt!
How about you? Are these changes easily learned? Do you have any suggestions for this great-grandma? I’ll take whatever you want to share in the comments below.
Happy block building,
There are times when I’ve thought about dumping WordPress for a different, more user-friendly platform. I started blogging here in late 2007, but not in earnest until early 2013. Still, that’s a long time, and I’ve invested a lot of time into WP. I do not like nor do I use the block editor. This is what I do. It’s convoluted but I’m getting used to it 😉
1. I start a new post with just a title and maybe a line or two.
2. I save and close the post.
3. I go to the list of all my posts.
4. I “hover” my cursor over the title of my draft which brings up various options.
5. I select “Classic Editor” and commence editing/writing.
Like I said, it’s convoluted, but I really don’t like the block editor. I’ve tried to use it, but, as someone noted, it’s not intuitive. Life is short and there are few things I’m willing to waste my time on 😉
I hope this helps, Sherrey!
Marie, I feel like an adult delinquent! I somehow didn’t respond to your comment as soon as I read it. You are always gracious in your sharing of tips and tricks, and this one I truly appreciate. It sounds like the way I do things sometimes. I’m going to try it out and see how it goes. Thanks so much!
We have been watching in anguish the devastation forest fires are creating back in British Columbia too. Our daughter-in-love’s parents home is the only one left standing on their street. So many homes lost and so many families impacted. This year, lives have been lost fighting the fires too. It’s all horrific.
Regarding the technical side of blogging, I use the classic WordPress editor, Sherrey. I recently installed Elementor on my site having used it on another website where I work as Webmaster and have found it a wonderful design tool. For everyday posts, I keep it simple and just use the classic editor though. Best wishes as you navigate all this. I’m so glad to have you back in blogland. 🙂
The fires are so horrific these days. We’ve been the recipients of smoke coming out of BC and heading south. Supposedly, it will be clear tomorrow. Sorry to hear of your daughter-in-love’s parents’ circumstances. It must feel like waking from a nightmare of strange dimensions. Losing our firefighters is devastating, too.
i still use the classic WordPress editor, Linda. It is my comfort zone. Just yesterday I installed Elementor. I remember it as being quite a handy tool when I used it previously. I’m enjoying being back with my blogger buddies. I’ve missed you.
You are the first blogger to write on the theme of the devastation in Hawaii. Because a similar situation played out in your home state (and beyond) you can relate. And because I’m empathetic by nature, I am touched by the suffering. That’s why I pray + send financial support to reputable organizations that minister to these people.
About WordPress themes, I rely on my Web guy to shore up my blog. I’d rather pay Stockton to do a blog tune up than tear out my hair trying to fix things that go awry. He has mentioned to me that updating plugins can cause havoc “if you’re not careful,” whatever that means. I believe I’m still using the classic editor.
Keep up the good work, Sherrey! 😀
Marian, I noticed your post today and was surprised that I hadn’t replied to your comment. I distinctly remember how much your first paragraph touched my heart. We, along with you and others, are praying for the people of Maui.
I also appreciate your remarks about WordPress themes. Where does Stockton live, and is that person willing to work at the other end of the country?
You have my sympathy! It was a big change, even being there when it happened. I have mostly adjusted to the blocks, using only “classic” and “image.” I still wonder why they are necessary and what all those other blocks could be for. Most of my blog posts are one classic block for text and one image block. If I want to include more than one image in a post, I have to plan ahead: one classic text block up to where I want the second image to go, then a new text block with the image embedded. It seems like a lot of work just to add a picture, but it doesn’t come up often for me.
I also had to update my theme a few years ago when the old one was no longer supported. It was much easier than I expected and made my site mobile-friendly, a big plus. It required major changes to my menu, but I think I have everything sorted out now. Good luck!
Thanks, Karen, for letting me know what a big change was experienced. And thanks for passing along some sympathy. I also appreciated your example of the theme in earlier days that stopped receiving support.
Hi, Sherrey, I have to confess that I still haven’t mastered the block editor and I click on the option to revert to the classic editor whenever I prepare a post. I’ve heard from so many people that the block editor is easy once you learn it–but it is by no means intuitive! I’m sure I could learn it without too much angst, and I probably will eventually (kicking and screaming all the way), but the prospect just makes me tired, and fills me with fear that I will inflict irreversible damage on my site. One day, I will wake up with the energy for it (especially since other pages of my website really need updating), but for now, I cling to the classic editor and hope they will not do away with that option. Sorry I’m not much help. If you find a tutorial that is clear and simple, I’d love to hear about it. The one or two I’ve tried have assumed knowledge I don’t possess. Good luck!
Hi Donna, and thanks for taking the time to comment. I knew we were kindred spirits and now you’ve confirmed it with your words, “I still haven’t mastered the block editor.” I’m in love with the option of switching back to classic editor. I’ll share any good tutorials I find on the topic. Funny how those composing such tutorials take for granted the rest of us understand what they have been using for decades!
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