Are you a sucker for bargains like I am? I activated a Birthday Bundle on WP. I got a free theme and installation as well as some other plugin features. Today when I checked the theme my dashboard said that the Rare Theme was up and running. Of course, I wanted to see how beautiful it looked. When I clicked Visit Site, guess what – white screen! I shot off a quick my best short fuse email to MOJO get IMMEDIATE help.
After two minutes, I had not received a reply. Then I started checking out the Theme Options. There were many pages to customize, so I did that. When I checked my site again, guess what?
WHITE SCREEN
Two of my favorite bloggers had written me comments, and those were visible from my blank screen -don’t get scared, I don’t always rant, but they send smile emoticons and good advice or at least sympathy my way.
My eye doctor said my fuse is getting shorter. Yeah, right. He can look at my retina pictures and see that?
“Don’t play poker,” he warned.
This morning I told my husband what he said. Want to know what sympathetic thing hubby said? (Of course you do.)
“You do get irritated more easily than you used to.”
“WHAT?”
“You’re always on the computer, and you hate being interrupted.”
“WHAT?”
After slowing down to have coffee together this morning, then helping him pull out old poppies, I snuck into the office and turned on my computer to check my website before I tacked Audacity again to edit my first podcast.
Quick burn!
So I’m using my fuse to enlighten you to save you from taking naive theme changes.
A Few Words of Wisdom
- WordPress Themes are created by different developers and all work slightly differently.
- Install themes you can try out. I checked out how Rare looked, but I don’t think I previewed it with my site.
- You might want to consider working with a website designer, but if you do, make sure you know how to work in the back end of the website, and have complete access to it. (I’m not there yet, but that’s another fuse story!)
Marsha over and out. 🙂
Marsha Ingrao - Always Write 
All those troubles! Good grief, I would just quit blogging altogether! I am more convinced than ever just to stay with wp.com. Sorry! ❤
LikeLike
That’s good advice, I think. Since I’m writing Because of Blogging, I’ve ramped up my experimenting, and have I ever run into hornets’ nests. 🙂 I tend to step into those whatever I do, though! And my husband thinks I’m grumpy. The hornets think I’m sweet! 🙂
LikeLike
I’ve never changed my theme, Marsha and occasionally I think I should but I’m just a big scaredy cat! I liked your ‘white’ screen and thought it was quite daring, unusual and interesting! 😀
LikeLike
I changed my theme because I have gone to a self-hosted wordpress.org account. I thought I would try to look more professional. I did not end up looking more professional!!! 🙂
LikeLike
It looks great, Marsha because it’s got you in it 😉
LikeLike
Awwwwww. So when do I get to post an interview with my favorite Australian author???? xxx
LikeLike
Hello MVBFM 😀
Oh dear ! I can really understand your frustration. WordPress can be such a pain, can’t it ? I played about with my themes a few years ago when I had a few posts and one or two widgets on my side bar and even then I had problems. Once I found a paid for theme which I was happy with I have stuck with it and just tinker with it. Good luck my friend, I hope you find a theme that you are happy with.
Big hugs. Ralph xox ❤
LikeLike
Yes, I’m leaving it until I get some professional help. But speaking of WP issues – your comment landed in my spam folder. Go figure! I think all technology must have problems that go with it, but WP has the most users and most products designed for it. The problem is with all the products. Those that design them do not always support them. We have had so much problem with our SJVCSS site, which is a business/non-profit site, that we did hire more than one expert to clean it up. We tried another platform, and I had problems managing that as well. Eventually, my friend, who is a professional designer, suggested that we go back to WordPress because it would be easier for me to use. So we hired ANOTHER design company, and he is revising it totally, and will be there to support me when I have problems. He designed our CCSS (state site) and helped me with Wild Apricot, which is yet another platform. (Different issues!) I’ve used Blogger for years, without any issues, but without much communication either. So I’ll quit this rant, and thank you for your lovely comment. You notice that my header is a part of your picture of Manny. 🙂
LikeLike
Gaaaah! I hate it when things change and you can’t fix them. Jude told me that if you change your theme your old posts often won’t work any more, so I’m thinking of keeping my theme, which I quite like anyway, and just changing the header photo every now and then. I hope it has all sorted itself out for you now.
LikeLike
Smart move!
LikeLike
I got white screen a couple of weeks ago and couldn’t access dashboard at all. Error message about Fatal Error and not enough memory. Panic! No blogging for over a week then it seemed to fix itself and dashboard was once again accessible.
I’m looking forward to your future post about “getting in the back way” , but in meantime it’s reassuring yo read that this does happen to others .
Thank you for posting.
LikeLike
That must have been terrifying! That’s the kind of stuff that just pulls my chain and ignites my short fuse!
LikeLike
Fair warning, Marsha… A ‘white’ screen could have that effect on me, too… 😉
Pleased to see all is now well.
LikeLike
It works, but all the money I spent on the other theme is wasted. I’ll see if they refund it or fix it!
LikeLike
Scary!
LikeLike
It was! Have you ever had any scary experiences?
LikeLike
Yes, this is one reason I’ve haven’t changed my theme yet, although I’m planning to. The thought of all the work involved makes me cringe.
LikeLike
Some things went smoothly. I just don’t write about them. I should!
LikeLike