The project involved replacing a rather static ‘old school’ site for Big Picture Triathlon Coaching. Initial discussion took place and then a concept was agreed upon. The concept was then turned into a theme and the theme was populated. I also did training on the site so that Big Picture now have the ability to control the site completely.

It’s another WordPress powered site but the blog side of it is really restricted to some training advice at the moment. Thanks must go to the lovely michelledancer for some wonderful WordPress coding work – things have been really busy so I’ve actually had to outsource some work! If all outsourcing goes as well as this project then I hope I get the chance to do it lots more!

And this brings me on to another self employed web worker lesson – it’s ok to say you don’t have time! I have a lot in the air at the moment with some exciting projects on the go and a lot more on the horizon. So when it got to the crunch I realised I just didn’t have time to do all that I had said I would. Obviously it means that profit margins etc aren’t as great but to be honest as long as I pay the bills I don’t really mind about that.

Things have been pretty busy here at Hoyland Web Services over the last few weeks which is great news and I’m looking forward to announcing, among other things, an author’s blog, a couple of slice and dice jobs, an update to a local company and a potentially big project that I shall call “Jam Sandwich“.

But today has been frustrating because today I have spent a lot of time looking at the message “Error establishing database connection.”  Now, before you all run away from me screaming “He wants my business and he can’t even INSTALL WordPress” I must tell you I know how to install WordPress.  It’s pretty simple.  I reckon anyone could do it.  However, something just will not work.  I don’t know if it’s the hosting company (not Godsweb!) that is the problem or what but no matter what details I put into the wp-config file I can not get communication with the database going.  It’s made harder today by the fact that the work I’m doing is for a client who is talking to the hosting company.  The hosting company seem to be giving the client the run around and I can’t do anything about it.  So herein lies Self Employed Web Worker Lesson 2 (I’ve learnt far more than that but I haven’t blogged it!)

“It’s not always as simple as the instruction book suggests”

I’m off to establish a connection.  I’ll let you know about the projects I mentioned soon.  Oh yeah – before I go – WordPress 2.8.5 has been out for a few days now – if you run WordPress just click the Upgrade Now link in your dashboard.  It’s only a hardening update – getting ready for 2.9!

I have spent the last three days of this week unable to finish any proper work as I am using a PC that was built shortly after The Great Fire finished rampaging its way through the streets of London.  It takes me half an hour to turn the thing on, another half an hour to run my internet browser of choice and then another half an hour to look at my emails – don’t get me started on how long it actually takes me to reply to an email!

All this is because my main PC (and, in fact, my only usable PC) stopped working on Wednesday morning.  I don’t know.  The guy I gave it to to fix doesn’t know why and we probably never will.  But at least he’s able to fix it.

So – Self Employed Web Worker Lesson 1: Own more than one usable computer.  I know most of you will know it already but there you go.  My pearl of wisdom for the day.

Normal service will be resumed shortly.