Hosting My Own Website
The Spoils of Experience
Both to learn how to create a website and to comply with a shoestring budget I had decided to create my own website from scratch. I picked up a course on Udemy by Daniel Walter Scott, on one of the many sales, to learn how to use Adobe Dreamweaver. I slowly worked my way through building the framework of a Portfolio website. Afterwards, I expanded the website with what knowledge I had gained with CSS and HTML. Then I incorporated some scripts I found and repurposed for the web, to further customize the look and feel. Though my pipeline didn’t start with building the site’s design first, I was happy to fiddle with the framework and edit the design right in Dreamweaver, with what I had in mind. I added and removed items, I played with JQuery & JavaScript, massaged the CSS and reworked the HTML to create something I was really pleased with. The process took me countless hours of finding solutions, tackling design problems and managing development coding issues.
Finally, once it was done, I wanted to see it display on the 3 Ws, the World Wide Web. At first, I looked at Firebase as a hosting option, by recommendation of an App Developer. Countless hours spent trying to figure out the platform and attempting to solve PHP related issues, I gave up. After all, Firebase doesn’t run PHP, so I wasn’t able to get my contact form to work. These are the things you learn only from experience or if you’re lucky to be guided along the way. I ended up hosting the website on a free hosting service called 000webhost, which was perfect for displaying my website and getting feedback from friends and family. In this case, PHP was supported, so I could finally test my contact form properly, and ask others to help test it. But the amazing thing is, I got to see my site live and functioning. Still, there was more problem solving to be done. Luckily, there are many helpful people and resources online to solve pretty much any problem, so long as you utilize search engines well you’ll be able to find them.
After speaking with a Developer friend of mine about what to do next, I was left with a lot more work that needed to be done, before I could call the website a success. After all, the website needs to be stable, run smoothly, fast and be easy to find. The first thing was to get the website a proper domain and hosting platform. I decided on using a local web host named AfriHost and subscribed to a cheap shared hosting Linux Server with CPanel access for maintaining the website. Though there are some limitations with a shared server, I have been able to host my website successfully and make all the necessary implementations and optimizations. This doesn’t mean my website is discoverable online via search engines, only that you can find it by directly typing my URL into a browser.
To get my website to appear on Google, Bing and other Search Engines there were a few more steps to take. Firstly, I had to generate a Sitemap and index it with the appropriate Search Engine. To generate the Sitemap I used Screaming Frog SEO Spider to scan my site and export an XML sitemap. Then I submitted my sitemap to Google and Bing via their Webmaster tools. This allows a Search Engine to index your site properly, but it takes a while for their bots to crawl your website before it makes its way into relevant search results. On its own, it didn’t help my website to rank higher on search results. After all, I want my website to appear on the first page for searches, not page 20-something.
The next step was to optimize my website so that a search engine would be willing to display it further up. I found a good place to start was Google’s PageSpeed Insights, as it scans your website and gives constructive feedback related to what is needed to speed up your website. It also gives your website a Mobile and Desktop score, relating to the quality of optimization present in your website. There were a fair bit of changes I had to implement to get a higher rating. My developer friend also recommended GTmetrix for the same purpose, which I fully utilized as a guide for optimizing my website alongside a lot of Google searching and troubleshooting.
So the optimization began, and already at the start, I ran into issues related to my shared server and its limitations. Luckily, with the help and advice, I was able to find solutions to bypass the limitations to some extent. Cloudflare being one amazing tool that I would definitely recommend, as it was able to solve various optimization related issues. It granted my site security, speed, minified code, caching capabilities, a live backup and access to various servers around the world. Though I am utilizing the free version there are various bonuses when subscribing to its paid content. The rest was up to me, to solve and find solutions, with the help of many online resources and helpful people. Part of this was scaling images in a batch process in Photoshop and further optimizing the images with online tools such as the Kraken Image Optimizer and TinyPNG. Another was editing my website code to run smoother and avoid content that would block rendering. I also included LazyLoad to render above the fold content efficiently and switched some of my icons and vector images to SVG for crisp scalable content.
Changing code, editing items and locations would have been a hassle without Dreamweaver’s Template which allowed me to update certain elements sitewide. I did, however, move my site over to PHP when most of the heavy lifting was done to be able to implement additional features and make the site more manageable when updating content. It also allowed me to inject the header and footer as separate PHP files into each page, making updates to the site from a text editor easier and streamlined.
A service I utilize on my website is Google Tag Manager, which allows me to add various Google-related services without much hassle, from a centralized location. The services that I did require to include in this way was Google Analytics for one, which I required to monitor how successful my website is doing and to get insights to where the traffic was coming from. Another service is Google AdWords, which helps with generating more leads to my website with Google-driven ads and targeted keywords.
There is still a lot I wish to do in order to optimize my website, boost its SEO quality and further improve its search engine index status. A lot has been done so far to make the website a success, so I want to continue next with building up my Social Media marketing and find ways to generate more leads to my website that will generate more business and hopefully great clients.
Most people have taken personality tests to see which of their characteristics are most pronounced. A test meant to help you better understand yourself, layout your strengths and weaknesses or a test that gives you a pop culture reference and marks your kinship to a celebrity or animal. Though they vary in purpose they address a need to associate with an archetype or several.
Everyone plays a role while leafing through their own story to find the next line, wishing to view their life from the outside. Piecing together characteristics, tonalities and depictions to create an image of themselves. Gathering together a persona out of bits and pieces. Who am I and what am I like?
Society has moved beyond the adornment of clothes and jewellery. Beyond associations with groups and philosophies. This yearning gauged by a not so superficial curiosity in personality tests is to know who you are and how to connect to oneself. In the curriculum brought to you by school and culture, you discover the intricacies of life and are given some building blocks to piece together a self. This is where you start the journey of the self-image and surround yourself with like-minded individuals.
In school, you learn about technologies people have used to shape societies. In culture, you learn about the expression within groups of individuals and the history that formed them. Both influence your personality and conception of life. So does your family, friends and experiences shape you. In school and through culture you find your hobbies, interests, love and career. You learn to like and dislike.
Personality’s makeup consists of these likes and dislikes, but it doesn’t end there. It is a bundle of experiences, genetics, emotions, bonds and ties that shape a complex individual in nature, pursuits, understanding and action. It is important to test yourself and your environment to better understand where you fit within them. In defining and shaping your personality, a core part of yourself, you should emphasize your own commitment to the individual experience and reflect on it.
The true test is life. Here you falter, are victorious, give up, persevere, lose and discover relationships. You play a very large role in the creation of your own life and in the direction it evolves in, as well as how your personality is moulded through the experience of it. A test on paper might be able to point out suggestions of what you are like, what job you are suited for or what kinds of people you attract. But it isn’t the test results that bring forth action or inaction, your choice in hobbies, work or the people you surround yourself with. The results may influence your choices, but it’s up to the individual to shape the meaning of them and more importantly their life and their own personality. Experience the wisdom of life, shape your personality and gain an understanding of yourself.
Put your personality to the test to see what reflects back and you’ll find the result is your authentic self.
A-typical is an epilepsy focused blog run from the Netherlands. Annelon’s inspiration to start a blog came from her experience with epilepsy which she has lived with her entire life. Her main goal is to share her experience with others and educate people with the knowledge she has collected.
The logo came together by introducing several symbols associated with epilepsy. The brain which is the central point in epilpsy is used as the base for the logo, of which the two hemispheres are split by the palms and the tip of the flame. The flame is used to signify hope in reference to a beacon of light. The hands which are fostering the flame represents the care an individual with epilepsy takes in keeping their wellbeing and hope alive. A whimsical font was used to inspire joy and happiness with its movement and fluidity. The letter ‘p’ in a-typical was carefuly centered under the emblem to capture the image of a brain or flower stem. The colour purple is also internationally used for representing epilepsy.
The business cards where inspired by the creative, energetic and vibrant individuals who live with epilepsy. The bubbles from the watercolour paint also represent the the unpredictability of the neurological disorder and the spectrum and variety that is associated with it.
From the Epilepsy Foundations:
- Epilepsy is the fourth most common neurological disorder and affects people of all ages.
- Epilepsy means the same thing as “seizure disorders.”
- Epilepsy is characterized by unpredictable seizures and can cause other health problems.
- Epilepsy is a spectrum condition with a wide range of seizure types and control varying from person-to-person.
- Public misunderstandings of epilepsy cause challenges that are often worse than the seizures.
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Listen to your soul and be that individual. Be true to yourself even when the crowd seems to be going in a different direction.
Created using Blender 3D.
Follow me on Instagram for new artworks.
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Part of a series using Blender to mix 3D, Design & Illustration.
Inspired by Middle East architecture and mythology.
Follow me on Instagram for new artworks.
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Part of a series using Blender to mix 3D, Design & Illustration.
Inspired by store front installations, floral arrangements, flowing gold and marble.
Follow me on Instagram for new artworks.
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Part of a series using Blender to mix 3D, Design & Illustration.
Inspired by store front installations, liquids, water, skulls & distortion.
Originally sized to my native display to work as a wallpaper at 1920x1080p. Feel free to download it for personal use.
Follow me on Instagram for new artworks.
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The book of Kohelet follows a teacher as depicted and examined by the author who embarks on the journey of self realisation and attempts to understand the meaning of the human experience. The book of Ecclesiastes (Kohelet) is presumed to be written by King Solomon or another descendent of David. The contents revolves around the apparent futility of life lived apart from God. The opening and closing paragraphs including the reference to this futility, originally refered to in Hebrew as Hevel. The word Hevel can be interpreted as vapor or smoke, which is used in reference to the aspect of fleeting experience and the enigma of life.
The Academy explores this book and examines the complexity of the given teachings in order to unravel and find meaning in its contents. They questions the purpose of the message of futility and expand on the philosophical guidance given by the author and teacher in order to find understanding within its seeming contradicting views.
The artwork juxtaposes the chaotic and ever changing storm which the traveler finds itself in and the order and eternal grace which a Creator conjures within the very nature of chaos. Symbolism is used throughout the image to strenghen the concept of life’s fleeting and enigmatic ways, such as through the water, clouds and sunlight. Further more a circular shape is present in the glass sphere and the background of the storm, which represents the circular and endless nature of life.
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The book of Jonah follows the story of prophet who tries to fight his destiny, which is to travel to a dark city and bring deliverance from sin, but in his attempt to escape it gets swallowed by a giant fish.
The Academy delves into the book of Jonah to discover the depth present in its language and concepts. They follow and investigate the journey of Jonah as well as his return, repentance and acceptance of his God given role.
The artwork juxtaposes the most iconic events in the book where Jonah is swallowed and expelled by the fish as he tries to escape his fate and his acceptance of his fate and carrying out of the role of a prophet.
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This course explores the thoughts of various modern day and traditional authors, including those with Jewish and other backgrounds. The ideas produced by these authors are brought together, reflected upon and discussed in light of Judaic teachings. The Academy examines the traditional wisdom in the Torah and measures modern day thoughts and opinions against its ancient teachings.
The artwork for the course presents a bookshelf opening up on a green vista, letting in light and life. This represents the great value and life inspiring contents within books. The colours are inspired by nature’s subtle but vibrant pallet. The artwork was rendered in 3D to support the image’s key features of light, texture and depth.
The Authors reveiwed include Brene Brown, Sheryl Sandberg, Jordan Peterson, Viktor Frankl, Pedram Shojai, Rolf Dobelli and reflect with Rav Kook, Rabbi Akiva, Rav Soloveitchik, Rabbi David Nossel, Rabbi Jonathan Sacks and Dr Erica Brown.
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