Once upon a time, I had no problem doing CSS or HTML in Windows Notepad. As basic and irritating as that was, it was how I learned to do it so many years earlier, and so old habits die hard. The problem with traditional web hosting these days, though, is that I just don't have the time to code an entire website, deploy it onto a server, handle all the administrative, maintenance, and technical aspects, and still engage with visitors.

In recent years, I have been deploying sites onto web builder platforms as they allow me to focus on content creation, although if I wanted, I could still introduce custom code to enhance those sites if I chose to through something like code injection. This is a feature that I specifically look for these days, whether it is a blog or a web builder, because I like having options. However, not every project or website needs this ability; sometimes simplicity is best.

These days, I utilize multiple websites, each with very specific core topics deployed on different hosts and platforms. The logic is that if one goes down for any reason, the others will continue onward. In the past, I had a personal website deployed onto a well-known web builder platform that shall remain nameless to protect the guilty, who terminated me over political speech even though it did not violate their TOS at the time.

That personal website existed on said platform from 2011 to 2017. It had almost seven years of content, hundreds of blog entries, many GB's of photos and videos, and thousands of static pages. One click of a button, and it was all gone. Sure, I had content backups, but that's not the point. It made me realize that my content isn't guaranteed to last forever in the new internet landscape, where feelings matter more than facts and self-expression.

So from 2017 until 2023, I didn't have a web presence anywhere. In late 2023, I decided to utilize the free speech platform known as Gab, except instead of using it as a "social media platform," I used it for short-form blogging. From the very beginning, I didn't fit in there at all; everyone was constantly throwing pity-me parties and blaming everyone else for their problems. Very negative atmosphere overall, for a "Christian social platform," if I'm being completely honest.

After my hiatus from having a website these past years, I decided 2024 was my year to get back into it. So here I am. I'm blogging on Silvrback because it's easier for me to put my thoughts on the page; whether they are interpreted correctly is a whole other matter, but I try my hardest. As far as having a personal blog goes, Silvrback is perfect for my needs, and it's stood the test of time so far, which is a plus.

I do miss coding my own website, though, from scratch to finish. There's something truly profound about having a website that you, yourself, created without anyone's help. On the other hand, though, I do not miss the constant syntax errors or debugging. One thing is clear to me, though: whether I build it myself or simply use a platform someone else created, I have definitely missed blogging and creating content in general, and I'm just getting started finding my groove again.