It was a rough start but thank you, Scott.
Timeline of my blog site
Now that I have extensively revealed the genesis of my blog site (Turtle(s)Pace), there is one crucial part of it that needs mentioning. In The Birth Of This Blog I shared with you how a tiny Olive Ridley sea turtle that I now named Chai has ignited a spark inside me. I took our encounter as a sign that it is time for me to give serious thought to blogging. And in 3 Reasons Why I Blog I have tried to capture at least three principles that I hope would guide me in sharing my thoughts and reflections in my blog posts.
Special mention
In this post I want to make a very special mention of the person who has become so crucial in getting this Blog Site up and running. You see, without acting on them ideas are just that – ideas. And a dream would remain a dream without any actual effort to realize it.
His name is Scott Chow
When I came back from a trip to Mexico, I began to have a determined determination to set up a Blog Site so I could realize my dream to pursue one of my passions, which is writing. As I said, I have been carrying this itch for more than twenty years. During those years I have been telling myself many excuses why it was not yet the right time. But if I was honest to myself, I asked countless times, “How do I know it is the right time?” Just like any ideas or dreams, no matter how big or small, you never know when the right time is until you have convinced yourself that the right time is anytime you make it right. You never learn how to swim unless and until you make that decision to jump into the water.
Serious research on serious stuff
January 22, 2023, was the day I started my serious online research about blogging. This went on for more than a couple of weeks. I read so many tips and ideas from the pros. For example, I just found out that blogging is actually a very serious undertaking, especially nowadays. There are rules to follow; you have to be familiar with those to avoid getting into legal trouble. For one thing, I had to know more about Intellectual Property, specifically on Copyrights law which is a big part in blogging. Many bloggers learned this the hard way. I am grateful for those who came before me.
I found the pearl!
In those more than two weeks of online research, I stumbled upon a site that stood out. The title of the blog says it simply, “How To Blog In 2023“. Its domain is https://www.theblogstarter.com. Its step-by-step guide is so easy to follow. The video is so helpful, especially for beginners like me. But most importantly its author claims that, “If you get stuck or have questions at any point, simply send me a message and I will do my best to help you out.” When I read that line, I just smiled to myself. Yeah, right. I am always wary of taking those words seriously, especially on the internet. But what do I know?
The start of the journey together
On February 10, 2023, as recommended by How To Blog In 2023, I registered with Bluehost, a web hosting company. At the same time, at 10:29 AM, I shot the first salvo. I sent an email to Scott Chow, more of a challenge to his claim to do his best to help, than naively hoping I would hear anything back. The most I could expect was some bots answering back. Ping! Scott’s reply popped up. I could not believe what I was seeing. I cautiously opened the message. Yes, it was him. It was February 14, at 4:11 PM. Valentine’s Day! Who would send an email to strangers on a day like that? Is this guy living alone, with no one to spend that special day?
A flattery can go a long way
In my first email I introduced myself and shared some personal details (against my best judgment) about why I wanted to set up a blog site. I needed his expert advice and reminded him of his assurance to assist anybody needing his help. Scott’s reply was longer than my first email. He thanked me for reaching out to him, and that I “sound like an excellent fit for blogging to me”! How he determined that, I have no idea. I guess he was just being so nice, every one reaching out to him the first time was an excellent fit. Anyway, he gave me some important tips for a beginner. And he closed with more words of encouragement. “Let me know if you need any help getting started.” I couldn’t believe I was now in contact with a human being online and not a bot.
As a newly minted disciple I followed Scott’s advice. Determined determination. Since then, I began working on my posts diligently. My first post was privately published on February 22, 9:30 PM. This doesn’t mean I did not encounter different challenges along the way. And there were so many.
I surrender!
On February 21 at 7:46 AM I sent Scott my white flag. I was surrendering. I was encountering technical issues. And although the good people at Bluehost were patiently addressing the issues, it seemed like I was too old even for just the simple nitty-gritty things of tech. I vented on Scott my deepest frustration, that after my ten-day’s worth of hard work creating my first posts everything had now come to nought.
The rescue
At 3:52 PM on the same day (yes, Scott is obviously living in a different time zone), Scott replied. He said he was sorry for my predicament and assured me these kinds of challenges were normal, although my issues “are extremely unusual and should not happen with any level of frequency.” Then came the surprise, Scott prodded me on. He was more determined than I was to keep me going. I gave him the details of the issues at hand, for which he recommended some possible solutions. Later, I would email Scott that most of the issues were resolved, and I was now back in the game.
More encouragement
From February 10 up to this writing I have been in constant contact with Scott. And I am now convinced he is the real deal. Not only has he proven true to his generic words of promise on his blog, “If you get stuck or have questions at any point, simply send me a message and I will do my best to help you out.” But his personal reassurring words to me have been one of the reasons this blog site is now seeing the light of day. “Let me know if you need any help getting started.” He just won my trust and admiration.
One last significant detail
The mutual trust between Scott and me came at a very steep price. On that fateful day of February 21, as I was about to throw in the towel and forget everything about blogging and all the expenses I spent thus far, I made a desperate offer to Scott. For him to fix the technical issues I was willing to give him access to my WordPress account, giving him all the log in credentials! That was the best way for him to see in real time my nascent blog and make some diagnosis. Now, I just “met” the guy for eleven days. That was the moment when I took a very deep and long breath and closed my eyes and thought about the sign that reads, “Abandon All Hope Ye Who Enter Here.” Allowing a virtual stranger to have access to my account?
Thank you, Scott
And, yes, my gamble (and trust) paid off. Scott was and is a man of his words. The least I can do is to reciprocate his human kindness – even though virtually. Before I have decided to write this post expressing my gratitude, I sent him an email on March 11 to ask his permission to mention his name and his blog site. Unsurprisingly, he got back in no time, and closed his message with “that is no problem whatsoever.“
Scott, thank you for everything. You have become a huge part of this journey. And wherever this leads to, I must say that the ride, as bumpy as it gets sometimes, is and hopefully will be worth it.
Together with those who find my posts interesting and worth their time and attention, this is our Turtle Ride!
