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Sunday, March 25, 2007

Where Have All the Entries Gone Long Time Passing?

Maybe you were trying to read my blog Tuesday night around...oh...let's say 11 p.m. and you were wondering why you were looking at a blank screen with only a blogging chicks icon and a technorati box. The reason for the lack of entries is because I accidentally deleted my blog. And then scrambled back through old screens to discover that the change was indeed permanent. And my blog was gone. All my entries were gone. The sidebar was gone. All the Operation Heads Up write-ups and emoblopedia links and the peer infertility counselor list. All gone.

This is the point where I tell you that I immediately started gasping, said that I was going to vomit and went into hysterics. And this is also the point where I tell you that after two hours or so of work, my brilliant and calm husband was able to reload most (if not all) of the blog. And this is also the point where I give you my public service announcement.

Fellow Bloggers, if you are making a change to your template (such as, perhaps, deleting a chunk of code) please use the preview blog function before you click on the button that saves changes to the template. Once you click save, you apparently cannot unsave. If I had used this button, I would have seen that I was about to accidentally delete my entire blog by erasing my template and I would have gone back in and corrected this situation. Please please please do not be cocky like me when you actually know nothing about computers.

Secondly, if you love your blog like I love my blog, you will go into your template, highlight all of the code by choosing "select all" and then copy it to a Word document. You will always resave this Word document any time you make changes to your template. This way, if you ever accidentally delete your template, you can reload the code easily.

Lastly, consider cutting-and-pasting all entries into a Word document as well. You can never be too careful if you have a trigger finger like mine.

Tuesday night, I was trying to keep emotions in check as well as control the urge to vomit. I kept telling myself that it was only a blog that was lost--not a person. It was simply a bunch of words. And about 3/4th of a year of work. But a blog nonetheless. And losing the words didn't mean that I lost the memories. I still knew everything I had thought these last 9 months (9 months!). But not having that record? Well, it made me want to vomit.

All is well that ends well. We got into bed around 1 a.m. with the blog mostly in place. And I've been checking links for the past few days. And slowly adding in new emoblopedia entries which for whatever reason take a longer time than I thought to do. So forgive me if it takes me a day or two to get up your entries. And keep sending links to your great posts. Because there is no such thing as modesty when it comes to the emoblopedia. All posts are great posts--from the simple two-line entry announcing another negative and the desire to crawl into bed to the three-part posts about a friendship that was almost lost and then rebuilt.

And I'm still commenting. And delurking. All week long. Even if it's a simple--hey, that was just a great post.

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

My word. How terrifying. How wonderful that you rescued it all.

The very idea of all those lost words gives me the shivers.

Welcome back!

Caro said...

eeek! I'm impressed you got it back.

Anonymous said...

Your husband is good. Really good.

Serenity said...

I often have a moment of panic when I go to edit my profile and see that "Delete Blog" Button. I'm terrified I might do the very same thing that you did.

Thank goodness for your husband. Serious kudos to him for getting it back.

Sunny said...

I WOULD DIE! Thanks for the advice and I think your husband ROCKS!!!

Anonymous said...

Phew! Glad you're still here!

Celeste said...

wow, that is REALLY SCARY. I'm so glad for you - and US! - that you got is back. Bless your wonderful husband.

queen said...

Oh my, I feel you. Yeah, my husband accidentally 'updated' my template when blogger left beta a month or so ago. My template is my face to the world! My face!

Luckily I had backed up my template in the manner you have suggested.

It has never been the same, though. I ended up changing it all anyways because I couldn't deal with the 'almost like before' aspect of it.

I wish blogger had a 'backup all entries' button. That dummy blog DD is talking about is a *great idea*.

Your DH rocks. Plus, way to be back online in seconds. Wow!

Stacie said...

One of my great fears come to life: losing the blog. Scary.r

M said...

Delurking...

Can't remember how I found you- but I bet your adrenaline rush was pretty major when you deleted your blog! Glad you got it back...

decemberbaby said...

If your blog truly had been deleted, *I* would have cried. And thrown up. This place means so much to me... we would have rebuilt, of course, but I'm so glad the crisis was averted instead!

GLouise said...

The horror!

You know, if you upgrade to the newest version of blogger, I think that it is supposed to save your html stuff even when you switch templates.

But yea- the old version can eat it all up, and it is nasty!

You can never be too careful though... the Word doc tip is a good one.

Glad that the crisis is averted! Still shuddering at the thought of all that bloggy goodness...gone.

Anonymous said...

Mel neglected to add that after saving her blog I also rescued a dozen kittens out of burning trees, helped a blind woman cross the street, donated my blood plasma to St. Jude's Hospital and cooked a three course dinner followed by a recitation of Homeric poetry in ancient Greek.

I know it sounds impossible.

I just call it, "Tuesday."

-j

Baby Blues said...

Omgosh that was close! I'm glad you got it back.
I'm keeping a file of my blog and you should too! Thanks for the tips.

battynurse said...

that is scary and I am super impressed that it is all back. what a guy your husband must be.

Samantha said...

It sounds like blogger needs to change their set-up to make this less likely to happen. Like a pop-up window that says, "Doing this will erase all entries. Are you sure?" I've never like seeing that "Delete blog" button either--it makes me nervous. I'm really glad you're husband solved the problem. We would all be crying otherwise.

S&C said...

OMG you freaked me out!!! I just ran out side to tell my DP we HAVE to print out our blog starting tomorrow! Glad you are back and up running now!

Anonymous said...

Yeah, I would pretty much have a panic attack, too. Glad it's all back together!

Anonymous said...

OMG! So glad you have gotten so much back! (Makes me think of my recent lost luggage fiasco. Still waiting for my wish to come true on that one...)

Esperanza said...

Wow - I am so sorry that happened. Glad that your husband was able to recoup.

beagle said...

I am just AMAZED that you got it all put back together again (with amazing husband).

You are the Queen!

Nicole said...

Awesome hints, thanks so much for sharing it with us.

LaLa said...

WOW!! That is scary. You are right..it is just a blog..but it is YOUR blog. Oh, found you over on Karianne's blog : )