Japanese Keyword Hack Encounter

A mere 48 hours ago, all the words on this site appeared as Asian characters and all the images were of car tires. The good old blog had been hijacked by the Japanese Keyword Hack.

Now I don’t fully understand what the Japanese Keyword Hack is, but I know it’s real and real ugly.

Tuesday I received an email from Google Search Console that tipped me off something was awry. The great and powerful Google messaged me to announce a new owner had been added to my website.

New owner?

Being the sole owner and creator here, I clicked over to discover the carnage.

I couldn’t read my blog, nor could I log on to it. The Google wouldn’t allow me to kick out the new owner it had so unceremoniously allowed in. Panic ensued.

An initial call to the company I pay to host my site yielded only frustration.

“We provide the hosting, not the security,” said the chipper rep. “It’s like renting a house. You pay us rent, but that doesn’t keep someone from breaking in.”

Okay.

“You need our protection plan,” he said. “It’s only $99 a month.”

Right.

“Is this a business site? Is it monetized? What’s it used for?”

Gulp.

This conversation continued its downward spiral with me trying to explain to him that this site is just a personal blog and it’s been dormant for years and I’ve toyed with scrapping it altogether and can’t they simply restore it with a backup and why am I paying them again anyway.

He wouldn’t budge off his sales pitch. So I politely told him I’d have to think about it. I hung up, convinced my blog was unrecoverable.

At first, this was a relief. I’ve debated with myself about what to do with this blog for the longest while. Years, actually. To write or not to write? To write here or elsewhere or nowhere?

Now it appeared the decision had been made for me.

My blog was dead.

I would bury this child. Say goodbye. Make a keepsake book from the backup posts on my hard drive. But walk away from the WordPress. Move on. Dot. Org.

That was Tuesday. By Wednesday, the loss started to set in.

This is a small, relatively insignificant blog. There are no bells and whistles. Only words and pictures without filters. And links. Interesting links to relevant Bible verses and songs I’d play if I was the DJ. Because this is how we roll.

There is no flash and dash. No celebrity kapow! to break the internet.

It needs to be updated. It needs a new permalink structure. It needs a focus.

It’s in a sad state. But it’s mine.

These are my words. My work. My little corner of the world wide web. So on Thursday, I called my hosting company again.

You know how they say it’s all in who you know? It’s also all in who you get on the phone.

Thursday I was patched through to my hosting company’s contracted cybersecurity group. And it was a different story.

Yes, they’d seen the Japanese Keyword Hack before. Yes, they could fix it within a few hours. Yes, I needed more security, but no, it wouldn’t cost me anywhere near $99 per month.

I negotiated the 12-month contract down to six months of protection, and the cleanup began. By the end of the day, the blog was back.

Essentially, I’ve bought myself six months to figure out what to do with this tiny plot of online real estate. There are no guarantees, that’s for sure. I might not be here in six months. You might not be here.

And so very, very much has changed from when I last posted.

Is the internet safe? Is social media harmful? Is it wise for a regular person to keep a public web log? Does anyone do this anymore?

The Japanese Keyword Hack is afoot, and I’m sure it has friends. Its diabolical plan has been foiled here for now. Maybe it’s even done me a favor.

Don’t it always seem to go that you don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone? But sometimes you get a break. Best take it where it leads.

* * *

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
for His compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is Your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23 NIV

This old world is rough, it’s just getting rougher. Cover Me by The Boss.

When were you given a break? What did you do with it?

Posted on March 24, 2018April 5, 2018 by Aimee 6

Dodging Tornadoes

It’s not been the best of weeks.

My house smells like cardboard boxes from packing. Stuff isn’t where it should be. I wonder if it ever will be again.

My thoughtful, kind, generous neighbors threw me a party. They gave me gifts from Kansas. I will miss these ladies. Our neighborhood has been one of the biggest blessings of our short time here. It’s hard to say goodbye.

Our son’s school and teacher this year have been huge blessings, too. His class performed a Salute to America program this week. They sang patriotic songs and gave speeches as famous Americans. They ended the show with a fitting quote from Ronald Reagan:

“I know that for America there will always be a bright dawn ahead.”

Could you just absolutely weep?

The program was noble and right and good. It’s what American elementary school students should be doing. I will miss this school. It’s hard to watch my child say goodbye.

A family member in North Carolina was unexpectedly hospitalized for most of the week. It’s nauseating to know that although we’re so close to being there, we’re not there now when we could possibly help. It’s hard to feel helpless.

I worked on writing a challenging assignment this week. Wrote my little heart out, or at least it seemed to me like I did, and I’m not sure it matters. The question of what will Aimee do when she grows up remains outstanding, unanswered, and flapping in the wind.

Life feels out of control and unsettled. So I wave my white flag.

medium_2673925463 — surrender, image credit: portobeseno

Not my will, but Yours. Not by my power, but by Your Spirit. Help me to trust that in my weakness, You are strong. I give You my worries because You care for me. Wrap Your care around me and help me to stand.

But those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31 NIV

White Flag by Dido is one of my favorite songs. I know she says she won’t wave a white flag and I just wrote I will, but neither of us is giving up, so there you go.

Who helps you dodge life’s tornadoes?

photo credit: portobeseno via photopin cc

Posted on May 17, 2013May 17, 2013 by Aimee 9

The Fear of Summer: Romancing the Routine

Summer evokes a mild case of panic in me.

Oh, sure, there’s the good stuff. Long, sunny days. Outdoor swimming pools. Vacation plans. Quality time with the kiddo. But if I learned anything in all my years of schooling, it’s that summer is synonymous with the loss of routine.

I was one of those strange children who didn’t like weekends. More at home with the rhythm and clear expectations of the classroom, I skidded toward summer break on a downward spiral. And I know I’m not alone.

We Type As like our routines. Changes in THE PLAN are exciting, but they can be frightening at the same time.

Maybe you’re not Type A. But maybe you’re a parent. Maybe—I’m guessing here, you and your children thrive on some semblance of structure.

Come on, moms and dads. Back me up on this. Doesn’t the thought of filling all those unstructured hours of your child’s summer vacation strike a wee bit o’ fear in even the bravest of super parent hearts?

Ridiculous, I know. Yet the fear of summer lingers. It nabbed me yesterday morning in yoga class. I like my yoga instructors Grace and Boomer. I’m comfortable in this routine, this respite from the stress of relocation, motherhood, and what to cook for dinner. I don’t want to give it up.

But how will I continue to do yoga when my son’s out of school for the summer? What will I do with him during class? Turn him loose to run wild through the YMCA? Sit him in front of the Wii for an hour? What if he wanders out to the pool alone? What if (insert catastrophe)?

And how will I blog this summer? When will there be time? Who will read it? What about the other projects I want to pursue? What if I miss all the opportunities? What if I wake up in September and they’re ALL GONE? What if the world ends tomorrow? What if (insert catastrophe)?

The only way to roll with the changes is one step at a time. One season at a time. That’s why they usually don’t happen all at once. Thank You, Lord.

I’ll take a cue from yoga. Follow my breath. Put my shoulders back and down. Let myself feel grounded. Take a moment to be thankful for another day.

Then I’ll put on my sunscreen and forward march into summer.

The day is Yours, and Yours also the night;
You established the sun and moon.
It was You who set all the boundaries of the earth;
You made both summer and winter. Psalm 74:16-17 NIV

Dear Routine,
Though we’ve got to say good-bye for the summer, darling, I promise you this: I’ll send you all my love every day in a letter Sealed with a Kiss.

How do you roll with the changes in your routine?

Posted on May 15, 2012July 12, 2012 by Aimee 17

everyday epistle

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