A Dummy Question Re Blogs

[BarbTherese]

I am attempting to set up a Wordpress blog.  I am not only a blog dummy but a computer dummy generally as well.  As far as the theme or template is concerned, I think I am all set up ok.

 

 I just cannot find out how to publish a blog on Wordpress - is it published with the first actual entry or post after one sets it up.  If not, where on earth on Wordpress is the "Publish" icon?  I thought with blogs one can make a choice to publish on the net, or simply keep it private to oneself or members only, but cannot find where to make this selection.  Its driving me nuts.

 

I tried looking it up on the internet - but still no idea how to do it.

 

Thank you for any help at all.

[Spem in alium]

Hi :)

I have a couple of blogs with Wordpress so may be able to help.

 

When you're on the Signup page (i.e. the page that gets you to enter your blog name and address), you should see a drop-down menu headed "Privacy". If you want your blog to be public, private or blocked by search engines, select one of the options there.

 

To actually make the blog, you have to sign up with one of the deals underneath that. I just chose the Basic option - it's free and fairly good.

 

Hope this helps!

[Spem in alium]

Oh, and if you've already set up your blog and are having this problem, you can find the same settings in the "Reading" area of the "Settings" tab, which is included in the Dashboard. You can choose whether you want search engines to be able to find your blog, if you want it to be private, etc. :)

[BarbTherese]

Thank you very much, SIA :winner: - all done and published!  Your instructions were very easy to follow, very.

 I am very grateful, very!  I double checked and my blog can be found on Google - but would you just click on to it on the link below to my blog and ensure for me that it can be found, although no post written as yet.

 

My sons call me a "technological dyslexic".  For example, I could take pictures I thought with my mobile - but once taken, could not find them on my mobile.  Friends helped me and it was so obvious where to find them, it hurit!!!  (in "Folders")

 I still answer my mobile and disconnect the caller.  My son bought me a laptop and set me up with the internet and also a home phone - and when I answer the phone, I sometimes disconnect people.  He wanted to get me a new mobile so I can have the net on mobile, but I told him "No more gadgets! They drive me nutty!"

http://gaudiumbethany.wordpress.com/

 

 

Thank you again :winner:

 

 - Barb

[Spem in alium]

Thank you very much, SIA :winner: - all done and published!  Your instructions were very easy to follow, very.

 I am very grateful, very!  I double checked and my blog can be found on Google - but would you just click on to it on the link below to my blog and ensure for me that it can be found, although no post written as yet.

 

My sons call me a "technological dyslexic".  For example, I could take pictures I thought with my mobile - but once taken, could not find them on my mobile.  Friends helped me and it was so obvious where to find them, it hurit!!!  (in "Folders")

 I still answer my mobile and disconnect the caller.  My son bought me a laptop and set me up with the internet and also a home phone - and when I answer the phone, I sometimes disconnect people.  He wanted to get me a new mobile so I can have the net on mobile, but I told him "No more gadgets! They drive me nutty!"

http://gaudiumbethany.wordpress.com/

 

 

Thank you again :winner:

 

 - Barb

Barb, no worries! Glad it was all straightforward. I checked the link and it works fine - awesome layout, by the way :) I'm quite bad with technology myself (and I'm Gen Y, so people EXPECT me to be good :P ). Anytime! I'll stay tuned to your blog as it sounds interesting!

[BarbTherese]

Thank you again for the help.  Thank you for the comment re the layout on my blog too - I am happy with  it too.  Spent about 2 hours or so last night just trying to set it up.  Yeah, you just might be "bad with technology", but trust me, I am a complete and total technological dyslexic - my son is absolutely appalled that I can't even grasp what he tries to show me.  He gave me a laptop and showed me all the icons in my bottom toolbar and what they are for!  The only icons I use are Word, Excell and Internet Explorer for connecting to the net.  I do have Outlook - but it confuses me out of sight and so I still use my initial email addresses.  All in all I have eleven icons on my bottom toolbar!!!!  He wanted to update my mobile and I said "No more gadgets...... PLEASE !"  :stars:  I am 67 years of age and ye olde memory, always not good like my Dad, is now ridiculous.

 

 Today someone tried to ring me twice on my mobile, both times I cut them off.  My disposition is that if their telephone numbers shows up 'UNKNOWN", I can't ring them back and thus it is THEIR fault not mine!  Often when someone rings my home phone, I am still cutting them off. 

 

Anyway, I am hoping you might be able to help me with this:  When I click on the link on a Phatmass Post, my blog comes up fine.  Just to test things a little further, I tried googling it just now (just got home) and google said that it could not be found.  I will double check later when I have time but I am sure that I ok'd that search engines locate the blog.  I'll let you know if things are ok after I've had time to go to the blog and find out re search engines............but I have to find it first, chances are I clicked for search engines to find the blog ok, and then forgot to Save.  I'll get back to you in a few hours.

 

________________________

Blog: http://gaudiumbethany.wordpress.com

Going into hospital on Monday 13th May 2013 for surgery.  Will update on my blog - when I get to it and hopefully later tonight.

[Spem in alium]

Anytime :) Haha, there are just so many programs to learn about - sometimes too many.

I know what you mean! I sometimes accidentally cut people off too due to the way my phone is designed. If I don't know who they were, I usually think, "if it's urgent, they'll call me back!".

I tried opening the blog from Phatmass and it worked fine for me too, but when I used Google it didn't open. Same with Yahoo search. I think you probably do have the privacy settings customised to restrict search engines (that's the only reason I can think of as to why it wouldn't be showing up there). Hope it gets sorted. :)

 

P.S. Bit of a random comment, but it's good to connect with you! I've seen you around and noticed that you're an Aussie (I'm a Sydney girl myself!). There seems to be a growing number of Australians here - maybe we should organise our own meet up! ;)

 

[BarbTherese]

Howdy fellow Aussie - and its a great idea, wonderful, if Aussie Phatmassers could get together sometime!!!

 

I am having all sorts of problems with the blog.  Write my ABOUT and thought it was published.  Checked - nothing.  So wrote a post as an introduction as it were to me (or an ABOUT) and thought I had published it as a first page.  Checked - nothing.  What a headache!  I just cant give Phatmass or Wordpress any more time (Phatmass gives me heaps of problems).  Apologies for this!  I checked and yes, I have allowed search engines to find the blog.  Made sure and again pressed save.  Wordpress said all had been SAVED.  Checked on google, they still said they couldn't find me.  Apologies!

 

I have to go! Apologies.  Gosh today I am full of apologies - just a little more than the usual. :beg:

 

 

Ah well, Lord, all these problems and headaches all at once with other things keeps my mind focused on other things and other challenges.

Sorry, very sorry, once more to those who might have accessed my blog.

 

 

 

Barb

[EmilyAnn]

Wordpress can be super fiddly at first, but once you get used to it it's the best blogging tool there is (in my opinion). 

When you're writing or editing a post, on the sidebar by the "publish" box, what does it say under "visibility"? Also maybe check under "reading" in the settings what the front page is displaying, in case it's selected to give a static page rather than your posts. 

[Spem in alium]

Howdy fellow Aussie - and its a great idea, wonderful, if Aussie Phatmassers could get together sometime!!!

 

I am having all sorts of problems with the blog.  Write my ABOUT and thought it was published.  Checked - nothing.  So wrote a post as an introduction as it were to me (or an ABOUT) and thought I had published it as a first page.  Checked - nothing.  What a headache!  I just cant give Phatmass or Wordpress any more time (Phatmass gives me heaps of problems).  Apologies for this!  I checked and yes, I have allowed search engines to find the blog.  Made sure and again pressed save.  Wordpress said all had been SAVED.  Checked on google, they still said they couldn't find me.  Apologies!

 

I have to go! Apologies.  Gosh today I am full of apologies - just a little more than the usual. :beg:

 

 

Ah well, Lord, all these problems and headaches all at once with other things keeps my mind focused on other things and other challenges.

Sorry, very sorry, once more to those who might have accessed my blog.

 

 

 

Barb

No problem, Barb :) I'm not that great with it and not that techy (still getting stuck sometimes after almost a year of blogging). No need to apologise :) I hope you can get it worked out. Aussie meetup should definitely happen sometime. I'm not sure how many Aussies are actually here - last count was at six, including the both of us.

 

Wordpress can be super fiddly at first, but once you get used to it it's the best blogging tool there is (in my opinion). 

When you're writing or editing a post, on the sidebar by the "publish" box, what does it say under "visibility"? Also maybe check under "reading" in the settings what the front page is displaying, in case it's selected to give a static page rather than your posts. 

 

I agree, it is a great tool - even if I can't get the hang of it! :)

[BarbTherese]

Heck 1.46am here.  I still can't access the blog through Google Search Engine.  Have sent off query to Google.  It just might be from something I read somewhere, I think but unsure that it was on WordPress that with Google a new blog can take 4 - 6 weeks for Google to do what they do in order for their search engine to bring it up. 

Anyway, I think I know how to do the basics like write an ABOUT (short bio or whatever) and also to POST AN ENTRY into the blog.  But oh boy it is more than a little past my bedtime and after this post, I am heading there.  But the blog can be accessed through my PHatmass signature with the link, no problems.  From now on, most of my entries re health situation will be on the blog................I hope! :)  I plan to cover other subjects as well as my family in particular are interested.

I did have a blog years ago on an Aussie blog provider and I had no problems at all finding my way around it.  It was time consuming and I think I deleted it, can't recall.  Wordpress is certainly complex especially for a technological dyslexic.

I'll try to remember to put the blog link under any posts I post into Phatmass. TRY TO REMEMBER THAT IS, TRY BEING OPERATIVE.  The signature on Phatmass is so pale and the link connection to the blog is not clear at all - but again it is probably operator error.

 

Six Aussies getting together sounds pretty good to me if we can!  I'm a suburb near the Central Business District of Adelaide, about a 10min drive by car.  I can put up 6 at a squeeze, but two beds are double!  one a single mattress only on floor - and one single bedroom.  Comfortably, I could put up 4. Other than accommodation, we all pay our own expenses. :)  Large, very large, Coles Supermarket about a 5 min walk from me - lots of specialty shops.  Great Italian restauranct, small - but excellent service and food.  House wine is superb  - prices amazingly cheap rather than reasonable - probably an 8 minute walk from me.  Garlic prawns and Garlic bread is are an absolute  knockout and delight to the pallette!!! Going in for surgery on 13 May 2013 Monday at the very latest, could be before.  Probably 2 - 3 month recovery period before I am fully mobile again.  Heaps of time to plan if any interested.

 

Thanks heaps again for all the help I have received.

 

Be in Peace and in Joy wherever you are in our world...............cacha next time............God bless...........Barb

 

______________________

My blog: http://gaudiumbethany.wordpress.com/

 

[BarbTherese]

Oh buses in all directions about and bus stops 5min walk from me both to and from CBD including tight into heart CBD and our main shopping area in Rundle Mall.  One can catch a bus to absolutely anywhere in Adelaide once in the CBD.  We have a circle line bus going right around Adelaide including to our Obahn bus station - bus stop 5min walk from me.  The government housing authority have really put me in a lovely quite large unit in a very central position and close to my brothers.  I dont have a vehicle however - dont need one living here.

[BarbTherese]

Wow, sent message to Google last night as I could not understand why my blog could not be found by Google. Did a test this morning and up it came on Google! Deo Gratius and thank you too to Google.

 

Today and tonight I am hoping to right my ABOUT or short bio sort of thing. Also my first post and what I wrote into ABOUT. I will be deleting most anything on the blog that I have written to date as they were reallyjust test exercises as I found working my way round Wordpress oppressively challenging, most frustrating. But I beat it finally and got into control of what I think at this point I need to have control of - but it seems on Wordpress one cannot browse and upload onto the blog pics from one's own computer.

 

I'd write a post or an ABOUT and click on PUBLISH. But there would be nothing on the blog and what I had written just disappeared somewhere out into cyberspace and lost to me out there. Last night reading up a sort of dummies introduction to Wordpress, I found that this PUBLISH icon is for another funtion completely and not connected in anyway with publishing onto the blog.

 

The blog, as I now anticipate it, will be about a few subjects, my current health journey(surgery Mon 13th May 2013 with probably 2 - 3 months recovery period before I am fully on my feet) Faith and spirituality, Catholicism in general, my journey over near on 30 years under private vows and an uphill and down dale type of journey - as life is. It is the dance of life with The Lord of The Dance. I will be writing about my journey with mental illness since it onset some 39 years ago. In short, I will be writing about my life generally and in a very honest and open hearted manner. The innocent will be in no way identified and I will lapse into 'writer's priviledge' to also disguise circumstances if necessary to protect the innocent.   Hence my writings could be called 'factual fiction" - as it is a mixture of both with some people and their circumstances, situation, attitudes veiled by fiction that is basically fact.   The guilty I have found in my 67 year journey in life to date and also through self knowledge are very skilled in protecting themselves. Other subjects may occur as I write the blog over the coming days, weeks, months perhaps even years. My family and sons are very interested to read about my life as I feel possibly some very close religious and priest friends.

 

I wont be taking my laptop into hospital with me, so around 13th May, I will very strangely disappear and lapse into silence for once or twice in my life - no kidding. But once home and feeling like beginning to put my life together once more, I SHALL RETURN :)

 

If anyone knows how to locate the browse and upload feature on Wordpress and upload one's own pics off one's computer onto Wordpress, I would be very grateful.  But again, I am an absolute computer dummy, so you would need to use very simple language and an A to B to C etc. type step process. 

 

Thanks heaps to those who have contributed to this thread and some with valuable info re Wordpress.

 

Into this post I am posting a link to something I wrote while studying creative writing at an Adult Campus here in South Australia that drew consdirable comment on campus and very positive comment.  My brother read it yesterday and he was for many years a senior school teacher and finally a school principal.  He is now retired and a fully qualified reality therapist, currently working in a senior school as a counsellor part time and also independantly on his own with private clients. He said to me re "Brenton",  "It's the best I've ever read".  What is important to me about "Brenton" is the attitudes I have picked up or others have experienced and related to me by sufferers of mental illness and hence the message of "Brenton".  Important to get across too is attitudes in the general community and other communities of which I am a member as well as to try to get across what mental illness sufferers can endure and very often do and sometimes on a daily basis and in society generally.

 

When an artist creates, the result is not always the attitudes etc. of the artist expressed, rather a tool and task of an artist at times is to discern attitudes in society and their own environment and reflect them in the creative body back to the reader.  Some of the creative work might also include the artist's own concepts, values etc. etc.  I like to call my writings "factual fiction" for reasons already stated above. After writing "Brenton" and there is an explanation and very short biography and pic of me included (requested by the Aust Catholic Bishops Conference - ACBC),  I was contacted by the ACBC to contribute something to their newsletter related to mental illness and disability generally along with pic and short bio.  I submitted "Brenton" etc.  The newsletter was published on the internet https://www.google.com.au/#safe=off&output=search&sclient=psy-ab&q=barbara+m+garnaut+-+brenton&oq=barbara+m+garnaut+-+brenton&gs_l=hp.3..35i39.2321.7107.1.8755.27.27.0.0.0.0.321.7531.2-21j6.27.0...0.0...1c.1.11.hp.qxRjeB5oVb4&psj=1&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&bvm=bv.45645796,d.dGI&fp=fad852ead57cdcd9&biw=911&bih=353

"Brenton" is a pdf document and the first site on this link.  On the ACBC newsletter site itself and published  back in 2006 I think it was, it seems that all links no longer open, but "Brenton" is published, as a separate pdf document - and I think other articles contributed to the newletter would be published also as pdf documents on the web.  A very quick check tells me that this is correct.

 

 

______________________

My Blog: www.gaudiumbethany.wordpress.com/

 

 

[Spem in alium]

Hi Barb, I'm so glad you managed to get it sorted. Your blog sounds awesome, I'm interested in seeing what you end up writing! A meet-up definitely sounds fun. I've never been to Adelaide (or even to SA). Sounds like you're in a nice area. I will pray for you over the next few months :)

Re. the browse and upload part of WordPress: when you're creating a new post, you'll see a button saying "Add Media". If you hit that, it should come up with a window titled "Insert Media" and which gives you the options to "Drop files anywhere to upload" or to "Select files". If you choose to "Select files", your picture files should open for you to browse and upload.

Thanks for sharing your story. It was a beautiful and insightful read. As someone who loves creative writing, I really enjoyed it! :)

 

[BarbTherese]

Hi Barb, I'm so glad you managed to get it sorted. Your blog sounds amesome, I'm interested in seeing what you end up writing! A meet-up definitely sounds fun. I've never been to Adelaide (or even to SA). Sounds like you're in a nice area. I will pray for you over the next few months :)

Re. the browse and upload part of WordPress: when you're creating a new post, you'll see a button saying "Add Media". If you hit that, it should come up with a window titled "Insert Media" and which gives you the options to "Drop files anywhere to upload" or to "Select files". If you choose to "Select files", your picture files should open for you to browse and upload.

Thanks for sharing your story. It was a beautiful and insightful read. As someone who loves creative writing, I really enjoyed it! :)

 

 

Howdy SIA! I found my original ABOUT that I thought had shot thru into cyberspace on a blog I had originally set up but then decided, I did not like the template appearance.  Problem is, now through Google Search and also on "My Blogs" on Wordpress (I keep thinking Wastepress and have to search around in my memory to find the right title!!! :)), there are two blogs both titled "Dedicated Catholic Life"!!! and both come up on Google and appear in MY BLOGS on Wordpress.  Need to pick your brain again - how do I delete that original blog that is no longer in use?

 

The good thing about falling over that second blog I don't want to use is that sitting on it was the original ABOUT I had written and I was able to edit it somewhat and post into the blog that I do want to use and it is posted ok into www.gaudiumbethany.wordpress.com/

 

Thank you very much for how to upload from my computer and post into the blog.  Having instructed me, it now seems so glaringly obvious to me - and yet I must have spent much time last night searching for the facility without being able to find it and came to the conclusion that perhaps Wordpress does not have such.   I even accessed MEDIA on the dashboard a couple of times last night.

 

Thanks to your really easy to follow instructions, I think I might be starting to get somewhere and somewhat in control of things, rather than total frustration having control of me.

 

Thanks heaps and heaps and heaps! Once I have a couple of posts in and now thankfully ABOUT, I will pass on the link to my family and close friends.  One of my sons is a photographer for a large Aussie newspaper and lives and works in another state.  I told him last nigh on the phone I was setting up a blog.  SILENCE............and then "OK! Mum" and I know I am only getting away with it because of my abdomen situation at this time i.e. dont upset Mum at this time - just indulge her is my son's attitude - man oh man, this journey is going to make saints of my Catholic delinquent sons because of outstanding virtues displayed of compassionate indulgence to the totally difficult person in their lives

:brutebeast:

 

 

Here's a funny tale - and I am FULL FULL FULL of them.  To protect my sons from the implications of a mother with a serious mental illness and as children they had really copped that implication in its most negative sense and in a Catholic Boy's College of high repute (staffed then by priests and brothers, but it was fellow students who gave them a really hard time and because their mother "was crazy, mad, nut case" etc.) and they were stigmatized because of me in other places too in society generally  - hence at that time and often completely off the planet, I decided (in a normal period outside an episode) to change by surname via deed poll and I planned on a completely fictitious name.  I then dropped completely out of general sight by shifting residence.  Mum and Dad were most upset and demanded I use my maiden name, which I did.  Nowadays with my health mentally really settled down and presents no problems and has done so over quite a few years now and it began to do so ten years ago suddenly and totally unexpectedly nor diagnosed to do so, I decided I would like to go back to my married name (ex hubby said it was ok with him) because my real identity is very much wrapped up in my married surname.  My son (has my married surname of course), is a journalistic photographer and has an excellent relationship in every way with all emergency services, which is very important to his work.  Now a psychiatric person with a history such as mine is quite familiar to especially the constabulary and ambulance people.  Here's how our conversation went - gist of -

 

Me: "I have decided to go back to my married name, is that ok with you?"

Him "Sure Mum, sounds great, good onya, get to it....................mmmm............ now then, I think I will change my surname to um er, perhaps ..........ummm......er...oh dear.......oh dear................I'll let you know after you go back to our surname............once I feel safe again. How do I go about this deed poll thing?" (My son's are highly intelligent with great senses of humour and often very dry humour)

 

I laughed and I laughed and reasurred him I had now decided to stay with my maiden name.  "Phewww Mum!" says he "you really had me worried there for a bit"  And I sure bet that I did.  He has an excellent reputation as a good journalistic photographer and in photography circles generally.  It just could potentially, I sudenly realized as he spoke, crash to the ground if I was known generally to be his mother.  I am stable now and for along time, but my lousy reputation (stigma) persists in The Church to those who knew me when ill, and in society generally also for those who knew me in the past. The attitudes towards those who suffer mental illness in society even in The Church (my experience, and hence of necessity is quite limited experience) is appalling often based on false stereotyping and false information - and this severe stigma can affect the family of the person suffering MI as well.

 

It is very wrong that the situation re mental illness should be as it is and while attitudes have improved very often it is just to be politcally correct as it were - but in practise severe stigma still exists out there (and in The Church too) and those who labour with the quite horrific daily suffering often of a quite active mental illness have a tremendous and often daily burden of stigma actively and overtly applied to add to their already tremendous daily sufferings.  For those sufferers who manage (Grace) to find some sort of stability, this terrible stigma follows them by those who knew them when quite ill - not always but rare are the cases where it does not.  No forgiveness (and not needed in actuality) for those who suffer mental illness.  Again, my limited experience both my own and fellow sufferers I know and I know many of them - some commit suicide and cause is written off to their illness only and this is not not always of necessity the case.

 

Here is an excellent address by Cardinal Barragan, President of some Committee or other in the curia connected to people with all disabilities including mental illness.  It was given in Adelaide back in about 2006 I think - the Cardinal was in Adelaide for World Day of The Sick.  The address is rather long and can get very technical, more for doctors and senior mental health workers etc.  But if you scroll down to "What can be done about it" (sub heading) it covers the theological and spiritual.  The Cardinal titled his address "The Mentally Ill - A Faithful Image of God" http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=6824

It made an impact at the time due I think to the challenging and confronting title - but not all that much time passed and things went back to the way they were.  Our Head of Psychiatry in Adelaide was murdered by a colleague of hers years ago.  In his eulogy in the Cathedral, her brother commented that the mentally ill are the most marginalized, abandoned and stigmatized community in our general community.

 

 

Thank you very much again not only for your excellent help with Wordsfree, but for your encouragement (Introduction to The Divine Office "every day keep encouraging one another".

 

Oh boy, what a long post - and I just meant to ask you one question and also to thank you for your assistance and encouragement.  I should be writing all this into the blog, but once I start to write it just flows out of me and typing is the only thing that can keep up with my thoughts.  Fast accurate typist from my career days as a private secretary way back in the pre dark ages.

 

Stay safe, be happy..............God bless..............Barb, Sth Aussieland.