I was interested by Kev Quirks Blog Questions Challenge, so heres my answers.

To recap, the questions are:

1. Why did you start blogging in the first place ?
2. What platform are you using to manage your blog and why did you choose it ?
3. Have you blogged on other platforms before ?
4. How do you write your posts? For example, in a local editing tool, or in a panel/dashboard that's part of your blog ?
5. When do you feel most inspired to write ?
6. Do you publish immediately after writing, or do you let it simmer a bit as a draft ?
7. What's your favourite post on your blog ?
8. Any future plans for your blog ? Maybe a redesign, a move to another platform, or adding a new feature ?

Why did you start blogging in the first place ?¶

I had a web site from 1999 but this was essentially a set of static HTML pages.

I'm an Oracle DBA/developer and there was an active Oracle blogging community who first piqued my interest in back in 2005. I am a serial experimenter and curious about new technologies so initially I chose Blogger and subsequently switched to Wordpress.

What platform are you using to manage your blog and why did you choose it ?¶

This blog currently uses Emacs, Hugo, GitHub and Netlify as I wanted to use as many moving parts as possible. This stack is also essentially a 'free' solution.

Have you blogged on other platforms before ?¶

Err, yes. I've used many blogging platforms (Blogger, Wordpress, Joomla, Drupal, Tumblr, Posterous, Serendipity, Jekyll, Pelican, Octopress, Habari, Nikola, Eleventy, write.as, Hugo).

How do you write your posts ?¶

Now I write in Emacs and orgmode. This was a recent, conscious decision as I wanted to standardise on orgmode markup. Trying to remember the subtle differences between Markdown and orgmode formats was irritating.

When do you feel most inspired to write ?¶

Unfortunately not very often.

Years ago, I tended to be prompted to post by other bloggers but, with the advent of the immediacy of social media, sadly the blogging community and the number of feeds in my RSS client has shrunk considerably.

Plus I'm lazy. Incredibly lazy.

Do you publish immediately or have Draft posts ?¶

Normally, I publish immediately. I really don't like content sitting in 'Drafts' which is akin to a dripping water tap, taunting me, nagging me.

However, I am slightly pedantic about presentation and typos, in particular, so will always preview the post locally in Hugo before publishing.

What's your favourite post on your blog ?¶

Easy. Two. Both involve hamsters.

• a narrow escape
• dead body under the floorboards

Any future plans for your blog ?¶

Possibly. I'm quite happy with my existing setup but sometimes I think self hosting using WriteFreely would be easier and offer better integration with the Fediverse.

a brief history of blogging

I have maintained a blog, on and off, for a long time (since 2005). During that time I have used a wide variety of blogging platforms (Blogger, WordPress, Typepad, Drupal, Tumblr, Django, Posterous, Jekyll, Ghost, Nikola, Hugo)

My blog was a personal blog. Looking back, some posts were essentially micro-blogging (trite one-liners), link blogging (interesting, amusing BBC news stories), endless analysis of Manchester United together with some longer form articles.

Hardly any of my content was technical despite the fact I was an IT consultant. With hindsight, there were a few reasons for this:

• I worked all day staring at a screen working on technical issues. I also travelled a lot in the UK and Europe so when I finally arrived home, my immediate thought wasn't always 'I really need get my laptop out and blog about that database performance issue'.

• 'Imposter syndrome' - whatever topic I thought of, someone, somewhere at some time would have already blogged about the same topic (normally Tim Hall) - better and more intelligently than I ever could. So who would ever read my post and, moreover, what was the point ?

• 'Laziness' - I am inherently lazy. I freely admit it. It's not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, I think most developers should be lazy (think scripting, think VM's). A technical post takes time because, to have any value, it has to be accurate. Also, it probably needs to include screenshots. Taking a series of screenshots and posting images to a blog is a very time consuming and tiresome exercise. It will also pose a significant issue for the imminent migration to the next blogging platform. A technical post requires much more time and effort than posting about Manchester United's latest victory or the film I saw at the weekend.

• Work. To be honest, this was a minor issue but often I had a nagging doubt that if I had some useful technical knowledge to share, then perhaps I should share this with my colleagues who worked on similar technical issues rather than chasing page views on the Internet. There was also the issue of anonymity; obviously I could mask my identity, my employer's name and the customer name but was this ethical ? Did it breach the corporate social media policy' ?

• Separation - I did occasionally conquer these various self-imposed mental barriers and post a vaguely technical post about Siebel CRM or Oracle. However, while the minuscule element of my readership who were interested might have commented 'At last, a technical post !', I imagined the wider audience (the other six readers) scratching their heads saying 'Well, where's the joke here ? What did he have for breakfast ? Screw that, I'm unsubscribing'.

Hashnode

Clearly, I could have overcome all of these issues by maintaining two separate blogs; a personal blog and a technical blog but, like I said, I'm lazy.

I have a love hate relationship with Twitter. I really dislike the adverts and inserted content and for me, it represents a very dangerous distraction and potential time-sink.

However, a lot of the wonderful APEX community use this platform so I was forced to sign up for the 17th time purely to follow the APEX folks who post valuable content (tagged #orclapex) and freely share their knowledge and expertise.

One of my favourite APEX bloggers, Jon Dixon, indirectly drew my attention to Hashnode.

My private email message to Jon (reproduced here without permission) sums up my initial thoughts on Hashnode

Thanks for inadvertently pointing me at hashnode. I was completely unaware of this platform but I like it as it's Markdown, hooks into GitHub and has a community.

This was useful as I always wanted a technical blog that was separate from my inane stream of consciousness that I post elsewhere.

However, a technical post does take a good deal of time (checking, testing, screenshots, iterating) but ultimately is satisfying I think.

I decided to dip my toe in the water with a post I originally posted on an internal Confluence Wiki.

This was an interesting exercise in itself. My original article was rather rushed and missed out crucial steps (grants on a package).

As I was forced to revisit the original post and review each step from scratch in a clean, vanilla environment, guess what, things didn't work as I described.

Another benefit was that Jon posted a comment saying 'Thanks' which was appreciated and also privately emailed me with a couple of suggestions for minor improvements.

That, to me, is the whole point of a development blog - to hopefully share useful technical knowledge with others but also to have a peer review and learn something new yourself.

This blog uses Hugo and was previously hosted on Amazon S3 storage. The traffic and hence the costs were minimal (zero).

After recently having to completely re-install Arch Linux after an idiotic mistake, I realised that Hugo was out of date, my Hugo theme was out of date and I'd forgotten precisely how the deployment to S3 actually worked.

I was toying with taking my ball home in a mindless fit of pique, migrating 1,000 posts to Eleventy and I also looked at the Publii static site CMS with interest.

However, that would have been foolish as I already had a Hugo blog that worked fine. The problem was I never actually used it. It's frictionless blogging but you have to actually produce content occasionally. The friction (for me at least) is typing the words in - not building, previewing and publishing the site.

So, in the great blog unification process, I resurrected all my historical blog posts, my very limited content on write.as and deposited the lot into Hugo.

I changed the theme to PaperMod as it was a modern, clean, minimal, single column theme reminiscent of write.as.

The migration was pretty straightforward as all the existing posts were already in Markdown format and the YAML front matter just needed tweaking.

As I had used Hugo and Netlify for a friend's conventional Web site, I took the opportunity to switch the blog from S3 to Netlify which gives me SSL support and is generally a 'one click' operation to push the content to GitHub and then publish on Netlify.

I anxiously coaxed my wife out of the door to her work trying not to raise her suspicions. My stomach was fluttering as I had an important early morning meeting.

To fully prepare, first, I chose my mask. I had two options; a flesh coloured creation that resembled a one bosom bra or a more sinister black model. I tried the pale pink mask but as it, err, masked my nose, mouth and chin, it made me resemble a burns victim who had endured time consuming and expensive reconstructive surgery which had either failed or was still ongoing.

The black one was much better; when I looked in the mirror I saw Kendo Nagasaki. I felt strong. I felt powerful.

The door-bell chimed. I opened it and was greeted by a middle aged, balding man wearing a pale blue mask and surgical gloves carrying a toolbox.

'Good morning. it's John isn't it ? I know I shouldn't really but would you like a cup of tea from a sterilised mug ?'

'No - thanks. I'd rather just get straight down to business'.

Ah now that what's I was hoping for; firm, dominant and to the point.

'Do most people watch or just leave you to it ?'

'Not bothered. You can watch as long as you're eight feet away ?'

John got down on all fours and got on the job straightaway. There was a lot of puffing and panting.

'Christ - this is a tight fit. Dunno how the last fella managed to fit it in this small gap'.

I said nothing. There was no answer to that.

'Bloody hell, if you had another 2 inches on your red hot pipe, that'd help'.

Slightly rude and I was supposed to be the dominatrix here. After all, I am Kendo Nagasaki clad in the black mask.

More puffing and panting.

'Ere, can you pass me that vaseline ? I may as well lubricate this joint while I'd down here'.

'Here you go. I thought you looked like a doctor in the blue face mask but I didn't think you'd have time to treat my arthritic knee'.

'I must say - your waste outlet is pretty good considering but your cold water pipe has a kink in it'.

Was I paying £60 call-out and £30 per hour to be insulted like this ?

More puffing and expletives

'Ere - pass us a tea towel, will you ? There's something dripping out the end of your pipe'.

'Ooh - sorry about that. Here you go'.

'Nah - it's OK. I've had a lot worse spilled on me in my line of work. Sort of an occupational hazard'.

'Oh - I see'.

There was a strange vibration. Initially, I assumed the batteries in John's sex toy, that he'd surreptitiously taken out of his toolbox, needed replacing.

'Ere - pass me that wrench, will you ? Your front extendable leg needs adjusting slightly'.

Weird as I don't actually have a prosthetic limb. Anywhere.

'Right - that's done. Now, have you got a small load you'd like to give me ?'

Another insult about the size of my manhood. I don't understand it. This chap had excellent reviews on the Web site.

'Do you want me to flush your U-bend while I'm down 'ere ?'

Hmm - colonic irrigation was never mentioned at any point. Would this be extra ?

There's a stilted silence while we stare at each other, waiting for my small load to finish.

We looked at each other in an embarrassed silence. I place £60 on the table which John silently picked up. He grabbed his toolbox and went to leave.

'OK. Thanks for coming so promptly, John'.

'No problem. If you or the missus ever need anything doing again, just give us a ring'.

Although she didn't know it yet, the wife had a new washing machine.

Mum, mum. Please calm...

You dont understand. I just want to be able to see the grandchildren. I just want to hug them, to hold them, to cuddle them.

'Yes, Mum. I realise that but this won't...'

'Is it too much to ask to sit out on the patio, drawing and colouring with them ? Is it too much to want to spoil them with toys and treats ? Like any proud Grandma ?'

'Yes, Mum. I know it's a difficult time but...'

'That's all we're asking. It's tearing us up inside. We're cooped up here and they are down there - poor little things. They need to see their Nana and Grandad. They need to know they are loved'.

'Yes, Mum but with the lockdown slowly being lifted...'

'Why can I invite a cleaner into my house (not that I have a cleaner, no-one cleans as well as me) or meet Rita in the park (not that I'd want to mind, she hasn't called me once since this all started) and yet I can't see the two people in the world who mean the most to me. It just isn't fair'.

'Yes, Mum but in the next few weeks...'

'I had bought some them lovely Easter eggs, I'd bought presents for little Alice's birthday and baked a cake. We left them untouched in the vain hope but Dad finally gave in and ate the mini-eggs one afternoon. This pain is unbearable'.

'Yes, Mum but please remember, as soon as this is over...'

'And then there's your Dad, he's a broken man. This is really dragging him down. He never talks. He just sits around all day staring into space like a zombie. All he wants to do is take little Harry fishing. He wants to be a grandfather again. Just for one day. Your Dad did National Service and this is the thanks he gets from this Government. He just wants to take him fishing. He's got maggots in the fridge ready. They were next to the mini-eggs. He loves his fishing...'

'Yes, Mum but there are other grandparents in...'

'Don't talk to me about other grandparents. I saw a car pull up at Rita's house last Wednesday at 11:17 and two little kiddies happily ran up to her door. Who were they then - her landscape gardeners, her cleaners ?'

'Yes, Mum but remember...'

'Stop telling me 'Yes, Mum' and just get in your car and drive up here here right now with my lovely grandchildren !'

'But, Mum. Please remember that David hasn't even got a girlfriend and Emma is quite happy with her partner and her job at the moment.'

'What ? What did you say ?'

'Mum, you haven't got any grandchildren'.

last week and just sat down and had a little cry.

Me: Theres nothing wrong with that. Ive think weve all had wobbly moments. I certainly know I have.'

Wife: 'Have you ?'

Me: 'Yeah, it was a couple of weeks ago now. I heard yet another radio interview with a lady who'd lost her Mum, she couldn't visit her in hospital and now her Dad is left grieving on his own. Just very upsetting. I was in pieces for 10 minutes'.

Wife: 'Yes, those stories are so sad'

Me: 'Was it something similar that set Jane off ?'

Wife: 'Well no - she was wondering when she might next get to the theatre'.

10pm Thursday – congregate in the street to look at a Flour Moon. This is handy as flour is in short supply.

10am Friday – congregate in the street to watch a fly-past. Didn't see anything so returned inside.

11am Friday – given special dispensation not to congregate in the street to observe a two minute silence.

3pm Friday – congregate in the street for a toast. Have a chat with the neighbours (again).

9am – Saturday – wife drags me into town to take a variety of cryptic photos of local sights and place of interest in preparation for a quiz.

4pm – Saturday – Zoom family call

6.30pm Saturday – Wife online Pilates class

After detailed analysis by medical professionals, data scientists and epidemiologists, we are delighted to announce that blog traffic to Blog In Isolation finally looks 1to have peaked on Wednesday April 29 with 15 million unique visitors.

Yesterday's number, by comparison, was just 4 million. However, bear in mind this doesn't include people who with pre-existing health conditions who have experienced pain and discomfort using an RSS Reader.

Hopefully, if this promising trend is sustained, the blog can be re-opened up to Facebook and WhatsApp audiences on Sunday 10 May.

Instead of moaning about trivial marital disputes over cheque books, its time to celebrate some good news !

David celebrates a new arrival. As in a new baby not an Amazon delivery.

Richard celebrates a significant anniversary during these unprecedented times with freshly brewed coffee, craft beers and cake.

I have known David and Richard for many years, back from identi.ca days. They remain two of very few people (from social media circles) I have actually met in real-life. They are both just as entertaining, intelligent, amusing and interesting company as you would expect.

Plus, they both stand their rounds. Unlike me.

Luke wins 'Best Dad Of The Year' by single handedly constructing an AstroTurf pitch in his garden so his lad can perfect his footy skills during lock down.

Sully celebrates some fantastic news ! Coincidentally, May 12 will mark eight years since I received similar news ('Tumour excised. Slim margins').

Welcome to the 'Survivor's Lounge', Sully !

After six weeks of lockdown, I finally lost it and had a blazing row with the missus over a trivial issue.

'Have you got a cheque book handy ?'

'No.'

'What - you don't have a cheque book ?'

'I have a cheque book somewhere but I haven't used it in years so it isn't handy, no'

'Hmm OK. Well, I can't find mine and I need to write a cheque for the man from the allotment'.

'I'll have a look later'.

We eat dinner. Time passes.

'Any more thoughts about your cheque book ?'

'Any more thoughts ? Well, not really, no'.

'I really would like to post the cheque to Richard tonight'

'Why ? When is he next going to the allotment ?'

'Next Wednesday'

'So why does he need a cheque tonight ?

'Well I think it's just polite to give him the money upfront.'

'OK. OK. I'll go and look now.'

I go upstairs and fail to locate a legacy cheque book.

'Sorry, no. It's not where I thought it was'.

'Hmm - OK but Richard has asked for £26.76 via a cheque'

'OK - so where's your cheque book ? Have you looked in your in-tray ?'

'Yes - nothing in there'.

'Can't Richard receive a bank transfer ? We just need an account and sort code'.

'No - he was insistent on a cheque'.

'Christ - OK. This is like dripping water tap torture. Does he really need it now ?'

I go to my in-tray, rifle through assorted bills, papers, letters and finally uncover a cheque book clad in a black Midland bank plastic wallet.

'Here, here is a cheque. Hurrah ! We can finally placate Richard and the allotment committee. For Christ's sake'.

'Well there's no need to be so aggressive about it. I just asked for a cheque. What's wrong with you ?'

Wife writes a cheque. Thankfully she doesn't ask me for a pen. She then leaves the house to hand deliver the cheque for the princely sum of £26.76 to Richard from the allotment for goods and services unknown.

We then sit in an awkward silence for 3 hours watching four episodes of the Norwegian drama - 'Twin'.

The wife then gets her in-tray out as part of her ongoing, endless, unceasing de-cluttering, tidying and domestic goddess initiative (in a vain effort to replace social interaction and gossiping over coffee with her friends).

'Oh look. Here is a brand new cheque book I have never used. I never knew this was here'.