Dealing With Frustration

Lately, we’ve had a problem with the menus crashing on the site. We’ve tried all different fixes to no avail. Once we see the menus are down, we can reset them. So I guess it could be worse. But overall it’s a pretty major problem with the website that is still haunting us.

In addition to feeling frustrated, I’ve also felt fear that this might be the end of FiddleHed, thinking, “I’m just not cut out to run a business.” That thought is followed by, “it would be nice to just have a regular job where I do the work, get paid, have health insurance and a 401k. When done with the job, I could go home and forget about it until the next day.”

There’s also this feeling of being responsible to you, the student. Some of you are at a critical point, in which you are close to becoming established in your fiddle practice. When there’s a problem with the site, that becomes just another obstacle to you on your fiddle journey, along with work, family obligations, health issues, etc. And so I get the feeling that I’m letting you down.

Then, after reflecting on all this, I realized that a lot of my struggle is similar to what some of you are struggling with as you learn the fiddle. You hit upon obstacles that you just can’t seem to get around. And then negative emotions kick into gear. You feel like you’re letting yourself and others down. You worry that you may fail. You think that maybe some people are born to play the fiddle (or run businesses) while others (you) aren’t. And on and on.

And so a lot of the playing advice that I constantly offer I’m trying to apply to myself but in the context of running FiddleHed.

  • Work incrementally
  • Listen and learn
  • Be kind to yourself
  • And most importantly: Don’t give up!!!!

Ok, thanks much for your patience. With the site, but also with yourself.

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20 responses to “Dealing With Frustration”

  1. Thanks for sharing! Now get back to work and fix the site or you’re fired! I’ll just stand behind you and hover over while you fix it, over the entire weekend. And remember to fill out your TPS report. Thaaaaaanks. (Hoping that knocks those crazy thoughts about the easy corporate tech job out of you. I used to work in tech, had a boss that took credit for my work and literally called me 7 times at nights when I was home sick so I could come in and fix something he couldn’t do, but took credit for. Love the drawing!)

  2. @oldtimeshepherd @brendanrogers @roserock123yahoo-com @leesalew @owneee61 @pgross3956 @lewis @pintosixty @moonshadows

    Thank you all for the kind words ?

    Just so you know, I’m not seriously thinking of giving this up. I’m loving the work. I felt like sharing this doubtful thought because I think it’s the same process that plagues people whenever they embark on any challenging venture, be that learning the fiddle or starting a website.

    It’s good for teachers to also be students. And i find sharing our stories helps us relate to each other.

    I’m excited to make this site run better and to make new things for you ??

  4. I caught some of your videos on Youtube whilst I was doing the ironing at home while my wife was at the gym. (yeah, I know…) I have been trying to sign up for the course and as yet have been defeated by a combination of your site, my incompetence and lack of patience. However, The content and style and clarity of your teaching means that I will persist no matter what

  5. Hi Jason. I appreciate what you’re saying, and it’s one of the reasons I like you so much as a teacher. You use the strengths we all want to develop in our day to day lives, to the challenges we face with learning the violin. You bring acceptance and humor and encouragement to the lessons. If you love teaching us, please don’t stop. I can deal with the site going down. There is plenty of practice to do without the site for those occasions when it happens to go down when I was going to use it. Thank you for the fun, easy-going style you teach with! Ginny

  7. Jason,

    There is not a day that problems with the site keep me from playing. And it is the lesson that you teach that keeps me going; “when playing feels difficult, or parts of a tune don’t sound right; go back to something that is doable and sounds pretty.” I am on the sight most every day. Merry Christmas and keep on, if it pleases you! I hope so; you are a fine fiddle teacher.

  10. Jason I’m one of those updating you of problems on the site. I too had ? frustrated but usually could find a work around.

    Mainy this comment is to support you and Fiddlehed. Please hang in there. Your site is the best that I have found looking for several years of trying others. Please don’t give up. You might remember my conversation and some other comments or emails. Being old and retired and being alone I have found purpose in life, that being learning the fiddle.

    I have looked back to the other sites that I had either subscribed to or did a trial. As I see it yours is the best that is why I have been patient and pray you’ll straighten the problems to your satisfaction.

    I could go on and on praising you but you should have the idea.

    I would like to help in any way I can. Take heed of PintoSixty. He wants to help!

    Merry Christmas Jason!

    Peter

  11. Jason…Hang in there. We understand the site is giving you fits.

    In case any of these were overlooked, some things to consider with WordPress…
    1. Is your theme up to date?
    2. Have you contacted your theme developer for help?
    3. Are all your plugins up to date?
    4. Did you install any new plugins and/or features around the time these problems started? If you did, there could be a conflict.
    5. Are all your server settings the latest? (PHP, modules, SQL server, etc.) Contact your hosting company.

    Jim

    1. Thanks @moonshadows.
      1. It’s a customized theme. We did recently update the WordPress software.
      2. I have a developer helping.
      3. Will check on updating plugins.
      4. Yes. We removed one recently installed plugin called rtmedia (which allowed users to upload video and audio directly to the site).
      5. I don’t know. I’ll ask the developer.

      It’s a tricky problem because it is intermittent. Please let me know if you see the menus crash again so I can reset them but also let the developer know.

      Thanks much…

    1. Yes, WordPress. Thanks much for your reply.

      We are currently experimenting with removing some plugins to see if that remedies the problem.

      I don’t understand this: p.s. – Because your text is written in first person, the demands on you for updating the site are increased. I could explain further, if you’d like.

  13. Jason, I design websites. What the heck is the problem?? What software/app are you using to design your site? Or, have you coded the whole thing in something like Dreamweaver? I’d like to help, if you’d be open to a helping hand. Simply let me know by what means your site has been created and I can do some research. (I’m sure you and some friends have fully investigated this problem, but, as the maxim goes, “a fresh set of eyes, blah, blah, blah …”.

    p.s. – Because your text is written in first person, the demands on you for updating the site are increased. I could explain further, if you’d like.