Did I get the new theme done? “Hell No!” But I knew that was an unrealistic aim, especially given the nature of all things digital. “You just never know what brick wall you’re going to hit next!”
However, despite spending a huge amount of time attempting to resolve a small issue, I’ve learned a few things about Microsoft 365 Copilot and WordPress. Yup! By simply attempting to add a feed URL to the header of the My Design theme I’m working on I discovered two very important things, which are as follows:
- Sometimes it just doesn’t matter whether the URL for a particular WordPress feature is present in a theme or not, it’s there and functioning anyway. That’s definitely the case with WordPress feeds.
- The functions.php file in a WordPress theme is powerful, and, with Microsoft 365 Copilot’s help, can be written to handle many tasks. However, M365 Copilot may suggest changes that break features rather than add them and then blame you for the broken functionality. Translation? “Don’t waste too much time drinking the AI generated Cool-Aid!”
Did I fill every category with at least one post on my rebuild of this website (Brian Schnabel’s Head Space: Where Magic and Mind Digitally Interlace)? I’ve come damn close but haven’t quite gotten there yet. As it stands right now, I have two more to do.
At 11:00 AM yesterday, I knocked off working on the computer and did what I needed to do in preparation for heading out to Dominick’s. As anticipated, I got there at noontime and enjoyed lunch while interacting with staff. The sun was actually out by the time I left, making for a pleasant trip to and from the place.
By the time I got home though, I felt a bit wiped out so decided to put my feet up for a few. That’s when I noticed my racing pulse rate.
I knew in a flash what was wrong, part of it having to do with using the sauce that came with the garlic knots, which is something I don’t usually do. “What was I thinking!”
However, I suspect that the other contributing factor had to do with the 465 milligrams of St. John’s Wort I’ve been taking. While it has been helpful with my sleep cycles for a better part of the summer, the tablet form I’ve been using since the end of July doesn’t metabolize like a regular capsule would and has actually been increasingly less effective as the weeks have gone by, despite my best efforts to figure out when the best time to take this particular Nature’s Sunshine product would be.
I’ve always known that St. John’s Wort is a bit of a double-edged sword. I started using it because it’s well-known for helping with mild depression and mood swings. People often tout its benefits for anxiety and sleep issues, and supposedly even seasonal affective disorder.
For me, it did seem to smooth out some of the rough edges when my sleep was all over the place. But, as with most natural remedies, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows.
The side effects can creep up on you—headaches, stomach troubles, dizziness, and rapid heart rate. It is known to make people more sensitive to sunlight, too. Plus, it’s well known to interact with other medications.
I also suspect that the coffee I’ve been drinking in copious amounts is factoring in as well. So, knowing what I know and having observed what I’ve observed going on within myself, I can only conclude that St. John’s Wort is no longer my friend, I need to back off on the coffee, and stay away from the sauce next time I have garlic knots in any eating establishment.
So, despite everything written here, you might say my journey through tech hiccups, dietary experiments, and supplement side effects has given me a bit more clarity. Sometimes the best move for me is to simply step back, listen to what my body (and mind) are telling me, and calmly make adjustments accordingly. I’m keeping track of things with the health situation, which will be most useful when I see the doctor again.
Where the site is concerned, maybe the real magic is in figuring it out one step at a time. So what if I spend tuns of time on misbehaving code, or M365 Copilot refuses to take responsibility for its actions, or my heart races after lunch. Tomorrow’s another day, and I’ll carry these lessons forward, with a little more patience, a little less sauce, and maybe just six less cups of coffee.
