Update: major thanks to WordPress for working to restore my domain name. Though how much this means is questionable: that gesture was enough to ensure Misadventures In Fiction stays with WordPress for the foreseeable future.

Tonight, I decided, was the night to renew my WordPress domain. I’d been putting it off because of holiday expenses and bills and so on, all of which are things I didn’t want to admit but are now moot points anyway. WordPress immediately reminded me upon logging in that misadventuresinfiction.com had expired as of two months ago, and that I should renew it.

“That’s the plan,” I said to my computer in the way I talk to my computer, except with less swearing about how shitty my WiFi is at any given time (Thanks, Comcast).

The domain name was already in my cart, ready to buy. I just had to enter my new debit card info, right? Right?! And then I sat back, relaxed, and got an error message that made no sense to me. “Enter your first name.”

You mean like the thing I had entered with my card information? I’m pretty sure that Philip is my first name, as it’s been something I’ve had for twenty-nine years now. I hit Enter again, only to be told my Credit Card info is incorrect. I checked the number I’d entered against my card, and it matched perfectly. 

Okay, I figured. Time for a Google search (after a series of tweets directed at the WordPress Twitter).

Suffice it to say, I am not pleased with the results I found. Since I waited until later than the expiration, missing the grace period, I would have to pony up an additional $80 to reclaim my previous, precious domain name.

WordPress…Dear WordPress. If I was too broke around the holidays to afford renewing my domain, how the actual fuck do you think I can afford an additional $80 to reclaim it now? Also: misadventuresinsidefiction is not an acceptable substitute. At all.

I realize this is all about business and earning a profit off of slow-moving, somewhat simpler-minded folks such as myself. It irks me. Now I’m stuck considering buying misaventures-in-fiction…or waiting to see if, once it’s available, I don’t miss the chance to buy back the domain name I had before.

Tsk tsk, WordPress. I’m not angry. I’m just disappointed. And angry, actually. Both angry and disappointed.