“Vagablog” revival (plus Post Update)

If you read the update for my last blog post, then you know I’m very frustrated with the direction WordPress seems to be going. The day after posting the update, I started searching for alternative blogging platforms.

One of my former colleagues suggested “Google Sites.” I watched a few related YouTube videos and Google Sites seems like it might be a good platform for blogging. That being said, “Sites” will take some time to set up the way I want so I have decided to revive “Vagablog,” my old blog on “Google Blogger.”

Looks like not much has changed since the last time I used Blogger. In some ways that’s a good thing, especially in light of my extreme frustration with “new and improved” WordPress.

So, while I’m setting up Google Sites and doing some testing to see whether it’s a good fit for my needs, I plan to resume posting on Blogger again.

Related Resource: “Vagablog” (name will change soon).

Post Update: The name “Vagablog” was changed to “Walter Sanford’s Blog” effective 02 September 2023. I published new blog posts on 05 and 26 September 2023:

• Tracking polar orbiting weather satellites
• Receiving radio signals from polar orbiting weather satellites

Copyright © 2023 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.

walter sanford’s supplemental photoblog (plus Post Update)

I have maxed out the Media memory for “walter sanford’s photoblog” under my current plan with WordPress. The next tier offered by WordPress is prohibitively expensive, so it seems like I have no option other than to create a new “free” blog and extend what I created already in my current blog.

The new blog is just a placeholder for now. Watch for updates as the new blog develops, and remember to bookmark the site. walter sanford’s supplemental photoblog

Post Update

Congratulations, WordPress — you have successfully created the worst user interface for blogging in the history of blogging!

Here are just a few of many questions I have about the new and “improved” interface.

1. Where is the administrator’s panel?
2. Do I have the option to choose a free template?
3. Is there an option to change from the counterintuitive Block Editor to the Classic Editor? (It’s worth noting the Classic Editor looks and behaves like a word processor — an interface people already know and understand how to use. In contrast, I have NO IDEA what commonly used application looks and feels like the Block Editor.)
4. How do I add and manage media, such as photographs?

Can you tell I’m EXTREMELY FRUSTRATED with WordPress at the moment? I am! I have ideas for new blog posts but can’t figure out how to create them without reading a bunch of help files or watching “how to” videos. Kinda sucks the fun right out of blogging!

How did you lose your way WordPress? Simpler is almost always better than unnecessarily complicated, but you’ve chosen the latter. Why? Please come back. I want the old WordPress experience — it was FAR BETTER!

Copyright © 2023 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.

COVID (plus Post Update)

COVID. It’s still a thing. Yep, that’s the voice of experience talking. More later after I’m feeling better.

Post Update

COVID really flattened me for the first few days after its onset! I was feeling better by approximately Day 5. I’m slowly regaining my stamina, but I feel exhausted after relatively little exertion. Anyway, I promised “more later” and that’s the latest update.

Did you notice … ?

Did you notice I missed a blog post last Friday, 11 March 2022? I did. I was working on the jumping spider blog post but it wasn’t ready to publish and I didn’t have a back-up plan.

Regrettably I find myself in the same position this week. I’m working on a few ideas for new blog posts but am still gathering information, shooting photos and/or video(s), etc. and don’t have anything to share that’s ready for prime time.

This week I decided to give the regular readers of my blog a heads-up about what’s going on. If I finish one of the works in progress then I’ll publish it off-schedule as soon as possible. Thanks for your understanding!

Happy Holidays!

I’m on a weeklong break for winter vacation (Christmas and New Year’s Day). I’ll be back on Tuesday, 04 January 2022 with a new post. See you next year!

Best Photos of 2021

The following gallery shows my “Best Photos of 2021.” 10 photos are presented in chronological order beginning in January 2021 and ending in December 2021.

01 January 2021

Buzz Lightyear: “To 2021 and beyond!”

Original blog post: To 2021 and beyond!

13 APR 2021 | Prince William County, VA | Selys’s Sundragon (male)

13 APR 2021 | Prince William County, VA

13 APR 2021 | Prince William County, VA | Uhler’s Sundragon (female)

05 JUN 2021 | Fairfax County, VA | Unicorn Clubtail (male)

17 JUN 2021 | PNC. Wm. County | Yellow-sided Skimmer (female)

17 JUN 2021 | PNC. Wm. County |  Bar-winged Skimmer (mature male)

09 September 2021

It’s challenging to get all of the parts aligned for an image like this. In this case it’s close but not perfect. It would have been helpful to compose the shot with my camera tethered to a computer that features a larger screen than the one on the back of my camera.

All of that being said, the slight imperfections don’t diminish the visual impact of this image: Comet Darner (Anax longipes) exuviae are much larger than Common Green Darner (Anax junius) exuviae!

Relative size of exuviae from Anax junius versus Anax longipes.

Original blog post: Anax junius versus Anax longipes

04 October 2021

This is the only photo I’ve added to my Odonart© Portfolio recently. I love this beautiful specimen!

Comet Darner (Anax longipes) | exuvia (lateral)

Original blog post: Comet Darner exuvia: photo sketch pad

14 December 2021

Annotating images adds value, and I think it’s an under appreciated art form.

Comet Darner (Anax longipes) | exuvia (lateral)

Original blog post: Determining final instar the Cham way

Copyright © 2021 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.

Happy Thanksgiving!

During the traditional time of year when we give thanks for our many blessings, I would like to thank everyone who follows/reads my blog.

I’m on a weeklong break for the holiday, but I’ll be back next Tuesday with a new post. In the meantime, “Happy Thanksgiving!”

Christmas 2020

Merry Christmas!

Regular programming will resume on Monday, 28 December 2020.

Sanford M.I.A.

Regular readers of my blog might be worried that I fell into a tethered shooting black hole. I did. Fortunately I was able to use the tether to pull myself to safety. Whew, that was a close one!

But seriously folks, I’ve been busy checking and double-checking settings so I’m not guilty of spreading misinformation. Promise to publish a rare weekend post filled with lots of tethered shooting tips and tricks that will make the wait worthwhile.

Christmas 2019

Merry Christmas!

Regular programming will resume on Friday, 27 December 2019.