The fighting blogger is more than stirring things up.
It’s responding to problems, not making problems.
When the problem is technology, the fight is on.
What is the current technology problem? DNS propagation.
DNS = Domain Name System.
The Domain Name System (known as DNS) is a system used to convert a name (like www.google.com
) into an IP address (like 192.168.2.1
).
These addresses are used by computers to communicate with each other on the internet.
Most people find remembering names much easier than numbers, so DNS makes this process easy.
So that’s the easy part?
My fight started with upgrading storage since I use so many images.
To do that I upgraded my service on BlueHost.
After that boomerpdx went into hibernation.
Me: Hello, my name is David Gillaspie. I own and operate boomerpdx.com and my site is down.
The first call was helpful. My agent scoured the world known to them and discovered my upgraded service included this:
WWWW.BOOMERPDX.COM.
No server in existence will recognize the extra W in the World Wide Web. Was it fixed? Did I have my website back?
No.
But I still had hope while my agent said DNS propagation would take time.
Days passed and the second call showed more interesting developments:
My domain name was pointed to the wrong server.
I waited online while my new agent sorted things out. Did it solve the mystery of the disappearing blog?
Three days later I called to see how things were going since I had blogging time to fill.
Everything was good on their end, I just needed to be patient.
To help out they gave me whatsmydns.net.
I saw a map showing twenty-seven servers around the world.
After I entered my address I learned that boomerpdx is live on ten of them.
One in North America, one in Russia, six in Asia, two in Australia.
How can I be a short-changed fighting blogger?
DNS Propagation In Real Time
Propagation may be fast, it may be slow.
It could take 48-72 hours.
Here’s the problem: I’m a daily writer, a sit down and get it done kind of writer.
My aim is 1000 words a day, give or take.
With that extra time waiting I did other things.
One of them was joining a Writer’s Digest memoir class for feedback from agents.
I’ve ignored my cancer memoir long enough.
I sent my work in, 2500 words of opening, and got very useful notes in return.
In between writing sessions I checked on the blog.
No blog. Still propagating.
Today it clicked. I saw my long lost website, clicked a title and got a 404 error message.
So I googled 404 and discovered it was on my end.
Restart, empty cache, and I’m back.
After checking my DNS propagation I’m left wondering why I’m not listed on any of the other servers around the world, like Europe.
Will I need another upgrade to crack that ceiling? I hope not.
Will I have to call bluehost again? Probably.
In the meantime, here’s a section of memoir.