A Haven for Vee

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Rolling Blog-Outs

When reading the book O*ne T*housand G*ifts, I thought a lot about the problem that I'm going to discuss today. The author suggests that any time we are disgruntled or unsettled it's because we are ungrateful and ungratitude is the source of all sin. Funny how the issue of blogs not updating becomes the perfect object lesson for my condition.

Yes, I have been sinning a lot. I am extremely annoyed by blogging these days because the systems seem to be failing. As a result, I find that I am ungrateful for the very host who allows me to play here in Blogdom. I hear about the troubles all over Blogdom — pictures are not uploading, comments are lost, pictures are lost, formatting doesn't hold, and the worst of all, in my book — a new post languishes for 12 hours. Now if my car wouldn't start for 12 hours, it'd be hauled off so fast. And another grumble is that there is no one to contact. No one. Crickets. We depend upon each other for information because it is impossible to get through to someone who can help.

Do you all visit *Known Blogger Issues*? At least that way, you can know what is not working and for how long it hasn't been working, and if there's any hope at all.

Please feel free to vent in comments. Let me know what's bugging you the most. Sometimes a blogger is so frustrated that I attempt to settle her down with a "There...there, it's just your turn. We all have them here in Blogdom. It'll right itself eventually."

Lately, I've decided that that is entirely too patronizing so I am preparing a survey that will sit high in my sidebar and I hope that everyone who blogs and visits here will feel free to fill it out. I'm eager to know your concerns, too.

Edited to Add: 10:25 am

Apparently, I have another growing entry expanding to gather in as much info as possible.


I Googled "Blogger in draft" and immediately my Dashboard popped up with a handy little box to click. I did. I don't know how it'll work not having tried it (or am I trying it now?) Using Blogger in draft is what Karen suggests will work better. Please read comments for further tips and suggestions.

ETA: Working in Blogger in Draft also provides a handy page for reporting any issues. I think that is very cool. See?



Just as a point of amusement, this is how it went putting together the poll on my sidebar. (Puleese fill it out. Pretty Please? Sugar on top?)


This is the story of my blogging life in a nutshell. ☺

35 comments:

  1. I can honestly say that I haven't been having any problems (thank goodness). I can only remember 1 or 2 times that I've had issues. But I feel for you it's hard sometimes to put a lot of effort into somethings and then not see the results. Speaking of results I took the survey.

    The mattress story made me smile - we got ours right before my hysterectomy and Mr OP had to build be a stool so that I could get into bed (thank goodness those days are gone).

    Enjoy your day!
    Leann

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  2. Good Morning Vee. I'm not so sure that the author's claim fits every situation. We are flesh and things get in the way, but it's certainly something to ask oneself at the time. I don't think thankfulness will solve ALL problems, though it may take our minds off of them for a bit.
    I have not had too many problems with blogger since I quit trying to use cute backgrounds. I've had problems centering header pics; gave that up and you know how I like to use my nice sheep photos. I'm down to a meat and potatoes background. When it didn't work I was disgruntles and unsettled and I had a hard time being thankful. :D
    I'm just kiddin with ya. It's like everything else; it's designed to break and drive us crazy!

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  3. I love you! I sincerely thought I was the only one on the planet having these problems. However, inwardly, I knew others were also. That just didn't make me feel better. My posts wouldn't update for hours and hours and days for two months. It drove me crazy! I finally found somebody named DarkVadar or something like that. I found his email and bless his heart - he wrote back and told me to send him the link I wrote to blogger as he wasn't allowed to help on his personal email. He planted two extra steps to do on my new page post and now it works better . . . but not continually. I know I'm stupid for letting these things get to me the way they did. I finally had to just take a rest for a week or so and stop posting yet chastising myself greatly for letting it get to me that badly. If I had somebody here that knew more about computering than I do, it would help. But I don't. I think one of the problems is that Blogger has gotten so big so fast they probably can't keep up.

    But that still doesn't make me feel better. It still doesn't work the way it did when I first started blogging.

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  4. Bless your heart! I had to laugh (at myself, of course) because I have been grumbling for the past 3 days on our vacation. My poor body hurts and silly me concentrates on that instead of the blessing of being able to travel. It's ungratitude - you hit the nail on the head.

    I answered your survey questions, but I'm afraid that I biased the results. I don't have problems with Blogger - anymore! I was having considerable problems with the editor, with it scrambling my posts (while drafting them) and giving me fits with formatting my photos, etc. But I threw in the towel last summer and have been using Live Writer (free download from Microsoft) ever since. It has been heaven! If I ever switch to a Mac, I'll gladly buy a program that will interface with blogger (there are such things, BTW) so that I have one less frustration in my life, LOL. Blogging is meant to be FUN! If there are obstacles thrown in our way in achieving that goal, then we naturally get frustrated.

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  5. I haven't had any problems with blogger lately...knock on wood...

    But, I have seen a lot of blog posts about pictures not posting, etc.
    Hugs,
    Penny

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  6. I'm just blogging away and hoping that it all comes out right. I did lose a comment to another blog this morning and have to go back and redo it later if it didn't appear. Those are the things that bother me most since I don't want friends to think I don't care. I do...truly.

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  7. I understand your frustration with trying to find answers to blogger problems.

    Just this week I've started having problems with the pictures loading on my blog.

    I've never been successful at centering my header, and finally gave up after so much frustration.

    Are you sleeping well on your new mattress?

    Hugs,

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  8. Well, for once, I have nothing to complain about, lol. I was having some problems last year, but all seems to have been resolved. I bookmarked this site and will visit it. Like you I have read of others having problems.
    Enjoy your day.
    Sue

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  9. Hi Vee,

    Whenever I have a problem with blogger, I always just find a workaround. I do have problems with leaving comments when they have the drop down menus.

    I put so many photos on each post, that sometimes I have had a problem loading new ones.

    Vee, I looked at your list of things with blogger. What template are you using? Have you upgraded to the new design? I know that when I upgraded to the new design templates I had less problems.

    If you try to center or bold anything, it can create problems.

    Another thing is I sign on to Blogger Draft and this makes all the difference in the world with editing posts.

    I have not had as many problems since I sign in with Blogger Draft and since I changed my template. I also upload my photos from flickr in the large medium format. I paste in the code instead of uploading most photos. The photo will not disappear unless you delete it from flickr.

    If you have not signed in using blogger draft, when you do, make sure you click the box at the top which says you always want to begin with blogger draft.

    I hope that this helps.

    Karen

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  10. Mmmmmmmm, let me get this straight... You are saying that it's about time we [bloggers] stood up for our rights? It's about time we not be afraid to vent about our blogging issues/problems? You even are providing a survey, with which to do so.

    Yes! Dang-it! Even if Blogger is free, they must be making $$$$, or they'd have disappeared a long time ago! So, even though we use their "free" service, we are somehow helping them make $$$. So we have a right to get our problems heard about!

    Right? Do I have this straight?

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  11. Here comes the kicker... ,-)

    Everything I said in my last comment is so. Even though, you quoted a book as saying that "when we are disgruntled, it is because we are ungrateful, and ungratitude is the source of all sin.

    HOORAY! I just knew the day would come, when Vee promotes sinning!!!! -giggggles- I love it! I love it!!!

    All that "turning the other cheek." and smiling through, and being nice, even if it feels like it'll *kill* us, to be nice... And understanding everyone. Always understanding everyone else and being sweet. No matter how mad-en-ing they are being, or it is being.

    I knew you'd come to your senses some day! And see that to keep stuff bottled up inside and to keep swallowing it, takes a tole on a body. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Cheers!!!!!!!!! 3 cheers!!!! 300 cheers!!!

    Hugs, hugs, hugs, hugs, hugs...

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  12. Dolores, we did sleep better last night than the night before, thank you for asking.

    Karen, yes, I have updated to the new background and the new editor. Just this morning, I canned the fussy background from another background site. It was nice, but I doubt that anyone except me would notice since this plain background is the same color. Blogger in draft...I'll have to check to see what you mean by that one. I used to use Live Writer, but it didn't work well for me. I'm just using the new editor as far as I know. Will check.

    Aunt Amelia, as well you should duck, run, and hide! Gheesh... ;>

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  13. -giggles- But! You are still talking to me!!!!!!!

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  14. I have had some problems with placing the photos where I want them and when I place them somehow they will disappear and I have to start all over.

    Sometimes when I get my picture in place and start my text I'll find the Link button is highlighted and I haven't touched it! Or if I want to change the color of my text, I'll find the whole word has been blocked out and it takes me forever to get it the way I want it.

    Oh, one more gripe...I've tried to change my background a couple of times to one of those free ones and it won't work. So I gave up on that for now. Good post, Vee!

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  15. "Blogger in draft" "Live Writer" ?????????????????????????????

    All I do is compose my posts, and save them, 'till I want to publish them.

    What is that called????

    Does anyone else, just do what I do???

    What are all these fancy ways of/for composing entries, please?

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  16. Dear Vee, you always speak for us. At least for me. I have had some troubles but I usually find out I caused the problem. I am like Auntie Amelia, I just do it and hope for the best. I don't have trouble with pictures but just lost my favorite blog list and am trying to put it together again. I will take your survey though. Blessings
    QMM

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  17. Re: Blogger In Draft

    Thank you, for the added pic, showing 'Blogger In Draft' line.

    But why can't one just do blogging, as I do it? I click on "New Post," and compose my entry there. Partially... And return to it, when I want to. It's always sitting there, when I click on "Edit Posts" on my Dashboard.

    It says "Edit" in front of it, until I am done with it, and Publish it.

    From then on, it says both "Edit" and "View" in front of it. I can simply View it. Or I can click on "Edit" and add something or subtract something, from the entry/post.

    And I don't think there is any special name for this process. Is there?

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  18. Aunt Amelia, it is a given that on posts such as these, you will read comments for it is in comments you will find your answers. You may certainly do whatever you would like to do, but a commenter suggested that working with Blogger in Draft is more stable.

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  19. Blogger troubles .... they seem to happen when I am in a bad mood. I just stop, scream and slam my laptop shut. Walking away often makes it all better when I go back.
    Blogger is just like one of my stubborn children. When they test & try me I walk away to reclaim my sanity.

    I would like to meet the person who said computers would make our life easier. I would wash his mouth out with soap for telling tales because it was a gollywhopper!

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  20. I've not yet had any problems with Blogger - note the "yet." I compose my posts like A.Amelia, and upload my photos from My Pictures on my computer.
    But I'm definitely going to look into the Known Blogger Issues blog, and into Blogger in Draft. It's always fun to learn new stuff.
    I hope your blogging issues are easily and quickly resolved.

    Does all sin stem from ingratitude? I wonder. I have the book but haven't begun reading it yet.

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  21. Blogger in draft? I will check it out? Blogger does have it's issues, but I have never known if it's me or them. I suspect it is them more than I thought. I also blog (on another topic) on Wordpress. It has some great features, but isn't as user friendly as Blogger. So, I keep enduring the little things as best I can (and disappear for a time when things go wrong).

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  22. I must say I don't really have problems. Once in a great while pictures don't seem to upload, but I just wait a bit and then it works fine. Now that I've said that, I hope I don't have trouble. : )
    One Thousand Gifts was one of the books I got from the library yesterday. I'm looking forward to reading it.

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  23. Fortunately I haven't had a lot of problems (knocking on wood here:), but the one that seems to be happening more frequently is getting the photos to upload. I had that happening yesterday and was about to give up. I checked into "known issues and help" and couldn't find any satisfactory answers. So I did what I always do when I'm frustrated with the computer ~ turned it off and walked away for awhile. When I returned with a better disposition and tried again ~ it worked.
    Blogger in draft is new to me. So far I have done it like Aunt Amelia does.
    Off to complete the survey.

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  24. Your blogging life is quite amusing, I can not say I have the same problem, I have enjoyed blogging so far.

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  25. Vee,
    I haven't been having issues....probably because I haven't been posting much.
    The only issue I have right now, is that I think the mouse button on my laptop is.....kinda broken.

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  26. I must be a little late to the party, or just ignorant to the problems? Mine seems to work ok?

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  27. For a while blogger kept uploading my pictures sideways. I had to go to a photo program and rotate them all the way around again before they would work. I haven't had to do that for a while and I'm not sure why.
    Hugs,
    Cathie

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  28. I hate when I get half way thru a piece and it suddenly disappears. I have called Windows7 many unflattering names along with Blogger. Since I've taken my newspaper column up again it can really get annoying! Even Notepad can be a mortal enemy!!! I loved your A Little About Me and believe it or not, especially about the Turkey Vulture!!! Those wonderful birds do so much to clean up our environment and my son has finally gotten me out of the habit of calling them buzzards! He tells me that they are vultures not European buzzards, lol~will call you soon, feel the need to chat
    hugs
    Sandi

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  29. I must confess to no problems. However, I am a new blogger, just a couple of months old. I haven't played with all the options to figure out what does work and what doesn't. I had problems trying to get my text to the right of a picture. Just changed it to center both and moved on. Maybe I should wait and learn rather than explore the unknown and screw up everything, lol. I'm sure there is resolution to some issues with this forum.

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  30. "Working around my issues" as one commenter put it, is one way I have handled things, but it is much more time consuming. The extra time it takes o fuss with a post discourages me from starting a new one...because I know it will be a fuss. Mostly photo's. Several mentioned using Draft. I had in the past, but went back to the normal one thinking that would solve my problems. Now... maybe... I am thinking I should go back to Draft. Loading and fussing with the photo's has really put me off posting. To be completely honest here as I am thinking this through, I hate I Photo which is what I am using with my new Mac computer. The lack of a decent filing system drives me crazy too. Oophsy am I ungrateful :)

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  31. Okay, just the fact that you had this many comments means a lot of people are being affected. I have had trouble loading videos, and thought it was my warp speed satellite! I also noticed that some nights pictures don't load as fast, or disappear from my "page" as I am loading them, so I don't know if they are on there or not.
    I will gladly fill out the survey!

    It was suggested to me by a friend that I leave Blogger and go to another host.... and I have thought about it.... but gosh, this is where I feel at home.

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  32. I tried blogger in draft when it first came out but found my usual better.

    Have not had problems for some time but in the past the frustrating one was not being able to move pictures around. I make sure I do not need to now by placing the curser where I want it and posting in the order I want them.

    My problems recently have been with Facebook.

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  33. I have minor problems with blogger off and on. My biggest gripe is that you can't really talk to a person. Just write a comment. Sometimes it is hard to write what the problem is....I do wish they could get blogger to be more stable...
    thanks for your comments...glad you came to visit!

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