Last Saturday, I was presented with the message no blogger wants to see from WordPress:
“User does not exist”
What the…?
I could see and respond to comments on my page. I could see my stats in the app. I was invited to login at the bottom of my page, but each attempt failed because I did not exist. Had I become an unperson?
I contacted the Happiness Engineers. This was way beyond not being able to push out my #SoCS blog from the bar, although 6:04 am was fast approaching. What if everything was gone?
I asked to receive a Login link via email. WordPress sent me that link. I was able to access my Admin page, but then I received an email warning me that I had accessed my Admin page. The whole adventure seemed to take place in the Twilight Zone of WordPress.
This post is part of Linda G. Hill’s fun weekly series One-Liner Wednesday. It also qualifies as part of Just Jot January. If you have a one-liner, I’d encourage you to join in on the fun. You can follow this link to participate and to see the one-liners from the other participants…unless they don’t exist, or unless you don’t exist.
As Rod Serling might say: Submitted for your approval are a few images to support the fact that I do exist. Click on any photo to start a slide show and reveal the captions. Beneath that, the song the title might have you thinking about. If you grew up in the 70s. And for the record, Judy says: “Yes you can butter Croissants.”
No Facilities 
Applesauce! Dan, that’s freaky. I’m glad you exist. :D Loved the pics. Have a wonderful Wednesday.
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Thanks Teagan. I’ll take existence over the alternatives every day!
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Yikes. Before you even said it, Dan, I was thinking you might have slipped into the fifth dimension. Glad you managed to get the rare happy ending that eludes so many TZ characters!
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There are a couple episodes where people lose a bit or all of their identity. Of course, those started flowing to the front of my mind, Paul. And you’re right, I’m glad Serling wasn’t writing this episode!
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Yes, I was thinking of that song, Dan. I got introduced to music of The Who by a friend during high school and have loved the group ever since. Identities and passwords are an almost inevitable hassle when using a computer. I sometimes have to think hard about the answers to the security questions that come up when I use a different computer. Some of my friends have gotten the new iPhone with facial recognition and I worry that I would encounter your error message if I got such a phone and it decided it no longer liked my face. Imagine that, unfriended by your own phone.
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I would prefer to avoid facial recognition as long as I can, Mike. My phone tracks enough of my life, I don’t need Apple having a 3-5-10 year composite of my changing face.
I have been a fan of The Who, almost from their start.
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My comment does not exist. Yup, I had written a nice “something” for you and in one quick stroke of a fat finger and stupid laptop, it disappeared. So, I’m simply going to say that I’ glad you exist for everyone’s sake because what would the world be without doors and tools and bar conversations and walks with Maddie and edits from the Editor? Kind of boring, right?
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Maybe your comment went to “Undan” – I hope he’s having a good day. I do think life would be boring without me (my life, anyway).
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Undan…I like that. Or maybe it went to the alternate universe of WordPress hijinks.
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“Undan”…I like that. Now, every time I accidentally delete my comments, I’ll know where they went.
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I hope Undan’s blog isn’t more popular than mine :(
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If anyone can handle the Twilight Zone, it is you, Dan. I’m not wishing you more snow to clear, but I’m sorry Mt. Maddie melted. And, yes, if you are going to have a croissant, go all the way and use some butter. :-) Okay, so you don’t exist on WordPress, and I’m having some kind of freaky coding issue with every photo I upload. At first, it was a screenshot, then it was a photo someone else passed to me, and now it is any photo I load. I have lines and lines of some kind of gibberish (to me) that tags along. If I don’t go into “text” view and delete it all, it either shows up on the post as code or it shows up as ‘save, save, save, save, save’ on Facebook when it posts. I’ve talked to several nice Happy Engineers and at least now I can recognize it so I can delete it, but I’d sure like to know how to prevent it. More than anyone wanted to know I’m sure. :-) If you are getting that snow today, travel safely.
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We are getting snow, but not nearly as much as had been forecast. I actually had to return from a couple days in Burlington, MA. I left early, because I was worried about traffic on 128 (which others may not understand, but I’m guessing you do).
I haven’t had problems with photos. I’m glad, because that would drive me crazy. I never like having to fix the HTML in text mode. One fat-finger (as Mary mentioned) and you can do some damage. I’ve been having to repair our company’s website that way, since the theme we use went off the rails. We are in the process of rebuilding.
Mt. Maddie will get a little help today, and the croissants will have butter. Thanks!
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I can’t fix HTML code. LOL Could a blog have a virus asks the untechnical blogger?
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Not exactly, but a blog could be affected by a computer that is infected. A published blog could also be hacked and made to include bad stuff. Our company website was hacked once and the evildoer was able to insert links for his (or her) site selling imitation Ugg Boots.
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What the hell is going on with WP lately?! It seems to be one thing after another, and now they make you un-exist?!
How did they bring you back from the Twilight Zone? I don’t understand the email thing.
Glad to hear you’re “back”. Did you learn anything on the ‘other’ side? 😉
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The email thing worked. The Happiness Engineers don’t understand why, because it’s tied to the identity that didn’t exist. If you can’t login, you can ask for a link via email. That link is sent to the email address associated with your account. It’s a live link! I clicked that and I was in my Admin screen. Happy and a little nervous.
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That is really weird. Glad they were able to get you back in relatively easily!
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I love that song! I wanted to use it on my answering machine! Now when I hear it I think of C.S.I.
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Oh, Pam…that would be perfect on an answering machine! There’s even a abusive part for the telemarketers ;-)
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I know you got some great doors for tomorrow too! Oh I have brushed the Twilight Zone of WordPress many times. Hubby gets so mad when I get frustrated and screech at the laptop. Lol. Until he does it himself and I say,”Is there something I can help YOU with?” lol i feel your pain. Glad you made it home safe and sound and that it warmed up enough to melt the snow. We are looking at a white landscape todayand an extra day off from work. 🙊🙈
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Thanks Cheryl. We’re back to white on the ground today, but warm rain looms in the forecast. Poor Mt. Maddie isn’t getting much of a start this year.
I do have doors for tomorrow. I hope Norm remembers me.
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How could he not? 😉
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Don’t the glitches amaze you?!! Posts I publish one day, show as being published weeks before, posts disappear altogether, posts don’t go to the Tags, comments of regulars suddenly go to Spam, etc. The WP crew certainly keep us on our toes!!
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Maybe it’s there way of keeping us honest. It certainly wasn’t how I wanted to start my Saturday – unexisting :(
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No, I don’t imagine you did.
[ps. I still have feelers out for the 478th and still looking myself.]
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Thanks!
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Wow! I’m so glad I’m just a follower and not a blogger! And that I am not involved in any of the social media sites. Of course, that’s only because I’m technologically challenged! Sounds like a nightmare.
By all means Dan, butter that croissant, by any means necessary.
Terrific shots of Maddie. Jeez Louise, did WP get to Mt. Maddie too and send it into the Twilight Zone? You sure it was the warmer temperatures?! —-Ginger—-
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Warm temps and two days of steady rain took away the snow, Ginger. What’s left of Mt. Maddie isn’t giving her much of a view. We did get some additional snow today, so I’ll try and build it back up.
All croissants will now be buttered.
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I also have the Doors song in my head: come on out to the other side…..or something like that. Weird, Dan. Or Undan. That cracked me up. So everything is fine now, or are you still among…..the missing?
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I appear to be back among the people in this dimension, Lois. Of course, this could be Undan and you could be Unlois…
And yes, “Break On Through (To The Other Side)” is a great Doors song. Now I listening to that.
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haha! I love that–our spirits are conversing. thanks for the song title–I could hear the words but the title eluded me.
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Great song
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A jolt of adrenaline to go with your coffee, and welcome to the wacky, wonderful world of wordpress. What a way to wake up.
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Thanks Brenda. I certainly wasn’t going back to sleep after seeing that.
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LOL No, I guess not.
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Considering the keto diet I’m on the butter is better than the croissant.
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Ha ha – however it goes, Frank, it’s better with butter.
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Don’t worry about the glitches. Everything works pretty well, considering it’s all ones and zeroes.
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Thanks. But after 40-some years of making the ones and zeroes line up in meaningful ways, I get worried when the ones representing me go missing.
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Don’t blame ya, son. Don’t blame ya.
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There is no one in this dimension who can have lobster stuffed shells and butter on their croissant. I think you are somewhere else. Enjoyed the post, Dan
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Thanks John. I didn’t have the buttered croissant with the lobster stuffed shells – although that would be good. Maybe there’s a dimension where butter is a health food,
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I knew you didn’t have them together. The same week still leads me to the conclusion you have other dimension tendencies.
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Ha! Maybe.
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Now I want a croissant! O_O
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I do to, Wendy! I always forget that I won’t have any of this food when the post is published.
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I expected, at the very least, to see 5.15 come up on one of your clock displays….
The pets look happy, probably because they don’t have a blog (do they?) Total bummer to not be recognised by your own blog… that sometimes happens to me when I’ve updated my browser and accidentally deleted the browser’s personal settings, or forgotten to also update the cookie permissions for the blog. Bet you’re glad you can get through to a Happiness Engineer and not have to depend on the forum… ;-)
Butter on croissants… absolutely!
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I was glad to get a response from the Happiness Guy, Val. 5-1-5 is a good time, as is 6:54, but these are my favs.
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Sometimes, WP makes no sense at all. :-) I’m glad the happiness engineers were able to help. :-)
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Yeah, I knew I had to be in there somewhere.
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Reblogged this on Ancien Hippie and commented:
Yes those “#SoCS blog from the bar” are uncomfortable
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Thanks you so much!
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I must admit your WP glitch to me beats all I’ve ever had. *sigh* What a horrible feeling to not be able to get into your own blog and told YOU don’t exist. Sorry but I’m giggling … Stop, Amy! It’s really NOT funny. There my alter ego just stepped in to give Undan support. Geeze! What next, WP? Honestly! 😬
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It was scary, but it’s over, it’s fixed so we might as well laugh about it.
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Maybe the reason that I often “don’t exist” is that I travel back and forth between Blogspot and WordPress. These two do not have an agreeable relationship:) Or, who knows, it’s a weak internet connection because the guy at the service provider in the tiny town nearby is napping. I’ve gotten used to it (but I don’t get an email!) that I don’t exist and keep clicking via via, till I do, haha:)
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I remember blogspot but not fondly.
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that’s why I moved to wordpress …
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Me too.
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So you exist only when WP Happiness Engineers allow you to exist. Kind of like the Matrix movies. “Do not try and bend the spoon…. There is no spoon.”
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Ha ha – that’s good. Maybe those engineers are more than we think.
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Lousy computers….
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I’m not sure who/what to blame, John. If it happens again, I’ll try to gather more information before pressing the panic button.
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For the last few months, WordPress has been very wonky when accessed on my phone or tablet. I wasn’t sure who to blame – WP or Apple – but now I think it’s WP. I couldn’t quite tell what was happening in the shot of your phone when you hit Like, but when I hit Like it does a little flippy thing and then takes me to a log-in page. WTH? That never happened before. Now, I pretty much stick to my desktop.
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Sometimes when I press Like, the screen goes dark and flips or turns and I see a shadow of a different blog that I follow. If I clear Safari’s cache of remembered sites and login information, it works. I still can’t figure out who’s to blame, but it isn’t me.
It works more reliably on my desktop, but if I don’t use my phone for reading, I wouldn’t bd able to read half the blogs I follow.
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Weird. I can get into both of my sites – and as we all know, one of those bloggers really doesn’t exist. Nothing WP does ever makes sense.
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Ha – maybe that message was meant for your unperson. Thanks CM
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I’m having issues liking posts and being able to comment when using my Kindle and cell phone, but since switching to a new theme knock on wood things are working alright on my desktop computer.
I’m glad you didn’t lose everything and were able to get back into your site. I would have been in a panic.
I now want a croissant stuffed with lobster filling! Yum! I’m looking forward to lobster season and He-Man grilling up some tails and I’ll make a filling with the leftovers.
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I was in a panic, Deborah. It was such an awful feeling. I knew everything was there, because I could browse my posts, but I was worried that someone had hacked in and taken control (why anyone would want to, I have no idea).
When you fill those croissants, don’t forget the butter.
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:)
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Unperson! LOL I know I’m tired, but this had me in stitches! I’m totally giggling at The Twilight Zone type thoughts you surely had :D
Those steps look perilous! I hope you had your flats on! ;)
Also, Dude, hook me up with those stuffed shells! :P
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I don’t normally wear heels while traveling ;-) I was having some zonal thoughts. It was early, and my mind was wandering in all the wrong directions.
The shells were really good. At first, I wasn’t excited about the broccoli but that was a very nice contrast.
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I hate it when that happens! Glad you got it sorted out. :-)
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Thanks. These things usually get resolved, but it is stressful.
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true
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I’m not entirely sure if exist at 4:56 AM. WP does seem weird lately.
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Ha ha – maybe that’s it, maybe I tried to set things up too early. Thanks.
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Great post, albeit not a great experience. Did the Happiness Engineer get ya squared away?
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Thanks Jennie. They did get me reconnected, but they never figured out what went wrong.
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A little creepy!
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Great pics and now I can’t get the “Who” out of my head…but what the heck “who are you …who…who”
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Ha – sorry about that Kirt. I had to get the video because it was stuck in my head.
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It’s still singing in my head….:)
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Great music and horrible story!! Once a month since I stopped blogging in the library and started blogging on my phone (stolen purse, summer of 2016) I have been told by my phone that my WordPress is not in synch with my phone. I go to Verizon and they do a few things I don’t understand and then, Voila! My phone recognizes me! Time goes by, and once again I am heading into Verizon store. The girl who sold me my phone has actually rushed out of the shop once to get her lunch and another time hid in the bathroom. It makes me feel bad. The back up guy went to BG in the 90’s so is close to my own grown children’s age. He takes pity and fiddles around and somehow my password is accepted again. I have to go on the internet to be recognized on others’ blogs (?) while if on my own blog I do just fine on WordPress 29 of 31 days. Arggh!
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It’s scary when these services mess things up, and we are left without access or the ability to do simple things. We set aside time to read/comment/publish, and then we spend half of that time fixing problems.
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Yes, it is time-consuming, Dan. Big chunks of time which could be put to other use!
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My favorite Who song. WordPress has mysterious ways.
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I’m glad you like it. WO seems to have settled down. It knows me now.
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LOL…I wish it would get to know me.
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[…] What? You weren’t aware that I was investigating? Well, I have been, ever since the great “User does not exist” incident. If you’re wondering where this post is going, I should warn you, it’s technical, […]
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