I have held a personal website for about 15 years (not always the same one). This is a personal domain, meaning I do not actively offer subdomain hosting, but if a friend would ask to be hosted I wouldn’t turn them away, as long as they followed the rules and guidelines of my host.
For the past 10 years, I had been hosted by IceGlow, but due to funding reasons, she had to stop hosting and recommended hostees switch to DewLance, which is where I am now hosted.
Since I didn’t have a physical backup, some content (fanfics, blog posts, and weight loss journey chart) are gone, and I have to recreate everything fresh.
November 2024 DewLance had a server downage (I could log into the cpanel, but not FTP or access email or the website), and didn’t reply to my support tickets for over 2 weeks, so I wound up switching to NameCheap. I got a price deal, but the package is coming up to renew and since it’s not on sale anymore, the price is 3x what it was last year. I went shopping for a new host.
October 2025 Enter this past week. I was able to back up 99% of my site (helps that my old hosting hasn’t expired yet) — all I had to redo is add the photos (each at a time) to about half of the walkthroughs). As of the time posting, the website is back up how it was. The new host is Asura Hosting (I even didn’t take the cheapest package, though their website says packages don’t have a price hike)
While at IceGlow, I had 3 domains: Helpless Laughter, Before Sunset (both no longer exist, so I didn’t link them) and now Always Forever. Before I founIceGlow I had some others. though anymore, I don’t remember all of their names. Read on if you’re curious to their meanings.
Before IceGlow
Profecy Girl – As a fan of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, I had to name a website after one of Buffy more important episodes (finale of season 1)
Smile Time – Just like I’ve always loved Buffy, I’ve also always been a big Angel fan, so when I switched names, I chose Smile Time after the season 5 episode of that name
With IceGlow
Helpless Laughter – this is the domain I switched to IceGlow with. As an 80s baby I grew up watching the original Thundercats. I enjoyed the 2011 remake series, but the original is always superior in my heart. One of the last episodes was titled Helpless Laughter, and it’s one of my favorite episodes.
Before Sunset – This one could have many connections, but for me, it’s named the same as an episode of The Vampire Diaries (another show I purely adore).
And finally….. Always Forever – When Before Sunset’s renewal got a little pricy (over $10 for just the name), I switched names. The Vampire Diaries was still running and I still wanted my website name to reflect it, but The Originals just started it’s spinopff, so I used a family phrase from the Mikaelsons, meaning whether they’re close or separated, they’re still family Always & Forever (a sentiment I love)