An Extended Break

~ beetleypete

I admit I am sick and tired of it all, and worn down. WordPress is all over the place with the Block Editor, and now Twitter has jumped on the bandwagon, and banned me until I can provide a mobile number. I cannot do that, as my phone is broken, and nobody wants to accept responsibility for that. I am literally overwhelmed with Tech, and that is not a place where I want to be.

So for now, I will still follow and comment on everyone’s posts.

But as for the rest of it, I am quite literally fed up to my back teeth with unnecessary Tech fiddling, and obeying nonsenical rules. Life is too short at my age to bother about constant re-learning, so other than keeping up with my valued blogging friends, I will be taking a very long break from blogging, and everything else.

It may turn into a permanent break, just so you know.

My best wishes to you all as always, Pete.

122 thoughts on “An Extended Break”

  2. I get that way sometimes too… Maybe I’ll post buts here and there but nothing really real.. I’m sort of there right now.. just because my life is changing so drastically and not everyone (lurky-lurkertons) can know specifics yet . I am going to begin to share more though ☺️ finally

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    1. I was just a bit overwhelmed after 8 years, and spending 5-6 hours a day blogging. I have calmed down a bit, but still not posting so much.
      (What are lurky-lurkertons? Is that what I think it is?)
      Best wishes, Pete.

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          1. Yes, I have people watching for bits if things to call my mom about just to upset her deliberately over nothing.. then nosey people who wish me no good tidings . .. and my job also watching.. Like in a bizarre fishbowl on crack!!
            So many people waiting for anything they can use…

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  3. “Tech! What is it good for? Absolutely nothing…say it again…”

    Keep yer pecker up me old mucker! Take a few weeks off and then gently press the ON button. Who knows?

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  4. I feel like you do, Pete. I’m just tired of technology, and all the added layers of security that keep mounting. Why is all this necessary in the first place? I hope things get sorted out. I really do. If you disappear it will leave a hole in my heart, and I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels that way. By the way, how is Julie feeling?

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    1. Julie recovered well, and went back to work by Friday. However, I caught whatever she had, and have been feeling awful for the last three days! 🙂
      I will stiil be around, Jennie. I won’t be posting much for a while though.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  5. I am going to miss your voice in my daily life Pete. You are so beloved by so many of us on WP. I’m terribly sorry for your frustration with the technology, I’m struggling too, I suppose it’s my age and lack of experience. I hope the break restores your well being and I pray you return to writing and exchanging with with us. My warmest regards, Cheryl

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  7. I wish you will recover quickly, just as it was with Julie.

    And please don’t despair, there will be better times again. Hopefully you don’t lose interest in blogging from time to time.

    I sincerely wish you all the best and health soon.

    Kind regards, Irene

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  9. You know I sympathise, Pete. I don’t even know what I am using but I’ll keep doing it as long as it works. I did try to find an alternative but there’s only facebook and I don’t want to go on that. As for twitter, they keep asking me to change my password which makes me stop using it for a week until I wonder if I am missing anything and go back. I think we have too much time on our hands. We managed without computers didn’t we? We could do it again.
    The only thing I really appreciated yesterday was the TV programme I missed as it was on too late. I watched it on line. That was useful. I seem to fall asleep at nine thirty every night!

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    1. I often watch TV on ‘catch up’ through a NOW TV box. It has its benefits of course, but I am currently just feeling overwhelmed by tech. Instead of helping me, it seems I am serving it.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  11. I get it, Pete. It is like we are in the back of a car some maniac is driving and the accelerator is stuck to the floor. It just gets to be too much sometimes. Takes the pause you need, but don’t let them win the war. Take this time to write some short stories and then post once a week. I know you are a big Twitter user – it is a forum I can never get the hang of, but I know for you this has been a gut punch. What will it take to get your phone issue resolved?

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    1. I have no idea what will happen about the phone, which I am still paying the contract on. I need to drive into Norwich to argue my case at the shop, but I have unfortunately now got Julie’s flu symptoms, and have been in bed almost all day.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  12. I’m also sorry to hear this, Pete. But I’m not surprised. It does get frustrating and tiresome, and we have plenty of other things getting on our nerves at the time. I’m also sorry to hear about the flu, although it’s good to know Julie is better. We’ll be around, and you know you can get in touch via e-mail as well, so I’m hopeful we won’t lose touch. Take care.

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  16. It looks like I might have to start posting again, just to get a comment from you 🙂
    I hope you make it back Pete, but in the meantime enjoy your break. Maybe the camera will become your new friend, or you will take up origami. Perhaps you will manage to get through that pile of DVDs and books. Every cloud… 🙂

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  21. Oh, Pete…I have cut down my posts and no longer post daily as I feel the same…however I did press this for one of Sally’s posts and I hate to say this but although a different format it didn’t take me long to work it out and was quite painless…I will however still be using classic editor for as long as I can…Enjoy your break although it is enforced by circumstances and come back refreshed…I miss your stories …be well both of you and Ollie and stay safe :)x

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    1. I’m not even having to use the BE, Carol. I am just fed up with the constant niggles, hiccups, glitches, and pointless updates. I need to step away for now, but will be around on the blogs I follow, and on email.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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    1. I’m not even using it yet, Alex. Just fed up with all of it, to be honest. They cannot just leave us be, and have to keep ‘controlling’ with pointless tech that ordinary bloggers, Twitter users, and phone users just don’t need.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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      1. Tell me about it. If you see my latest post you’ll see what I mean. It’s a simple post and yet I couldn’t post it the way I wanted. I’ve ended up with double spaces between lines of text. We’re far from the minority on this.

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  24. Maybe a break will de-stress you, Pete. I just finished replying to posts I thought I had replied to.
    Sometimes I wonder if WordPress isn’t just throwing wrenches to see if they can force self-hosted sites onto their service.

    I get fed up with sites begging me to use 2-factor authentication. They want a phone number, or they want to send an email with a code, before you can proceed. I don’t have time for that sometimes. They are protecting us to death!

    Lord help you, if they decide suddenly that they want you to reauthenticate. It usually has been so long auto logging in, that you don’t remember the darn password, and have to jump through hoops to reset it. Sometimes, I think they just nix the current password, to force people to reset to a new one. I always get “We’re sorry, but that password was used in the last six months. Try again”. Or “you used that password during the last crusades, please try another”.

    Or my favorite, “Your password or username is incorrect, please try again”. Well, which damn one IS IT! Password, or Username. Throw me a bone here.

    Take a rest, Pete. Never give up, never surrender!

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    1. Not so much surrendering, Ron, as just being tired of being controlled at every turn. Where did all the fun go? Marketing, merchandising, advertising. It has become all about that, at every turn.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  25. Twitter is stupid. So is Instagram. And Facebook. If I lived in your neighborhood, I’d walk over to your house and show you how to use the Block editor.
    Take a break. You need it.
    Don’t you dare stop communicating with me! I’d be ever so bleak. x

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    1. I don’t even have to use the block editor yet, but all the tech changes from blogging to phones have accumulated to make me feel some kind of rage inside. I will still be around, and will never lose touch with your blog posts, or you.
      Best wishes, Pete. x

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  26. As with everybody else on here, I hope your break from blogging is only temporary whether it be a long break or a short one, but by all means, you deserve a break especially at a time when you (like everybody else) is on edge. Anyway, keep up the great work as always 🙂

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  27. I suspect that the rain, the long struggle over whether or not Julie has covid, the insanity or your cell phone, Twitter cutting you off and WordPress “improving” things has sent you over the edge. I look forward to you getting back to yourself. I use the same theme you do and have learned, thanks to Ron in the trailer park, that it is easier than I realized. Hang in there.

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    1. Thanks very much. I will still be around on the blogs, and answering comments. I am having a break from writing and posting for a while, to evaluate if I want to carry on.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  29. Like the gambler, you have to know when to fold ’em and walk away.
    Just how much frustration is tolerable and is it worth the effort?
    Not all battles are. (Over the past few months I’ve been close to the same – even though the new editor hasn’t spotted me yet – I just wanted to write, not think or struggle with the tool. Just visit with friends…It’s a disappearing concept)
    Besides there’s nothing wrong with being behind the scenes – free to pop in and out and wander where you will. Joy in that.
    Go. dance in the moonlight on the beach away from bytes, cut and pastes and “why the heck don’t you recognize my password?” Back into life at hand. ( and always walk the dog.)

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    1. Thanks, PM. I still haven’t had to use the block editor, but it is symptomatic of how all the tech companies and social media are throwing the less techy of us under the bus. Maybe my time has come, I don’t know. But I need the absence to work out if it has.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  32. A sad day Pete. I think this year has been hard on us all and you have had your fair share of difficulties recently. Take all the time out you need, but I hope that one day we will have you back with your interesting opinions on life and your excellent stories.

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    1. Thanks, Jude. I think everyone has their breaking point, and today is mine.
      I will still be around to comment on your posts, but I refuse to keep struggling with Tech changes that I feel are pointless.
      Best wishes, Pete. x

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      1. The OH has become grumpy and fed up and feeling very fatigued all the time. We just have to hope things get better. I have spent 2 weeks trying to get through to our surgery to book a flu jab offered, engaged every time, until yesterday, only to be told they have no more appointments available, but to call back at the end of the week! Why don’t they just send an appointment with the option to cancel it! So frustrating, and now I can’t be bothered.

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      1. I do a daily jigsaw puzzle on my iPad and they have even changed the format on that too! I’ve been taking techie lessons, determined not to be left too behind, and after watching that programme on the TV last night about scamming old people, partly because they did not understand the technology, it reinforced my determination. I’m sure a brief rest will see you back soon. I can detect a real writer in there. 🙂

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  35. Well a man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do. Glad you’ll still be commenting and so won’t lose touch with us all and hopefully things will calm down and you can return to posting again. I wouldn’t worry about twitter, it’s a cess pool mostly.

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      1. Hopefully it will pass Pete, you’ve had a lot on your mind of late, especially with techy stuff, the Kitchen stuff, and Ollie stuff, not to mention the weather stuff! Take some time out and come back slowly when you can.

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  42. 😢 oh dear Pete. Why do they have to fuck everyone’s life up so much. But I do understand. It us si wearing. I hope you do come back in the end. A break might revive you a bit, you have had a lot on your plate lately. Lots if love to you and Julie xx

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  43. Pete, I understand your frustration – the constant “upgrading” that forces us to change how we interact on social media, the sudden need to “log in” on a site you’ve been using for so long…the ads, the spam, the threatened bans, the trolls, the warnings the nonstop offers…all of it gets a bit tiring, when all we want to do is interact with our online friends around the world – to make that world a smaller, more hospitable place…for that reason alone, I hope to hear from you again soon!

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      1. I’m really going to miss your posts Pete😢 I’m not lying here when I say that your posts were a really big reason for turning into WordPress each day. So it really won’t be the same without you. I hope that with some rest, you will reconsider and come back again. I know I’m not the only one of your followers that can say that you truly have been a real inspiration. So…take that rest, and well as I said, if there is anything I can help you with in any way, feel free to let me know. 😊

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        1. I appreciate all that, Michel. But I am not a Tech person, and no longer want to be struggling and humiliated by stuff that a 10 year-old can deal with. If they don’t want me, then fair enough. I will still be around every day, and contactable on email.
          Best wishes, Pete.

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          1. I understand Pete, really I do. As you know I’m not the tech wizard myself either, and am truly at times having trouble figuring stuff out myself. So yeah…that frustration part is annoying to say the least😔 All I can say is..I respect your decision, but well…can’t help but feel a little sad at the constant updating tech stuff that has caused one of my favorite bloggers to back away😢 😢

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