After spending weeks trying various options for my weblog, I finally cry, “Uncle” already! My current web host lost about 2 weeks of my weblog posts. And before anyone asks, “Didn’t you back up your blog?” Obviously the answer is no because I assumed the company I was paying to do two things – (1) connect me to the Internet and (2) store my content – would also backup my database.

During my own very short IT career, backups were considered IT 101. You did it religiously because that was part of your job. Apparently, that is not the case with this company, or I have to admit, other web hosting companies that I have spent a good amount of time researching since this happened to me with the idea that I would go to one that was reliable, had good customer service, and wouldn’t charge me a ton of money.

I have learned that what I was looking for does not exist. Sure, they say things like they support wordpress and they backup your information and they have great 24/7 customer service, but when you actually join and try to use all these resources you find out that all of this isn’t exactly true. Their idea of supporting wordpress is that the software is on their system. They don’t actually help you use it unless you want to pay extra, and then their more advanced tech support people might (yes might as in might not) be able to help. The same goes with 24/7 help. If you don’t want to spend hours on the phone or get email replies that only a Martian can figure out, then yes, that is extra too. And backup? Well, they do it, but if you want to make sure they do it, yes, you guessed it – that’s an additional charge.

So hat in hand, head held low, I am back to my old web host stomping ground. I figure if I’m going to be treated like crap, I may as well let the company who originally screwed me and who I just paid for service this past April continue to treat me like crap rather than let a new company enjoy doing it.

On the up side, I am checking into getting a new template, which is way down the road in the works kind of thing, and yes, of course, I will regularly backup my own database since I can’t count on the people I’m paying to do it.

I really missed not coming by here and journaling my crafting life. Even though it was an awful experience, it’s good to be back!