Stories of Sandeept

Experiences of a common man!

Category: Site Update

Site Update #5: AMP removed

Site Update #5: AMP removed

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On July 20, 2025

In Site Update, Blogging

On July 6 update, we had informed you about the website’s AMP version on mobile. Because AMP and the current theme, Lovecraft, were in conflict, we experimented with new themes. The result, as you have already seen in the title, was that we had the AMP removed.

AMP’s Conflict with Lovecraft

As soon as we ran the AMP plugin, it showed a conflict with the theme. As it turns out, there are not many themes that support AMP. Using only the AMP-supported theme was not possible at the moment, so we opted to keep a separate AMP-supported theme for the phone.

Problems with the AMP version

The AMP version on mobile did not work as expected. While it enhanced the reading experience, pages looked dull and even didn’t show up correctly. We experimented with various themes like Twenty Fifteen, Twenty Twenty, and a few others, but some of them lacked the flexibility in changing colours and layout, and in the AMP version of some, elements overlapped.

AMP removed

Although the AMP sites had already been indexed on search engines, removing the plugin was one of the best options for now. Perhaps with a better knowledge of the theme (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and PHP) might have helped, but using the current theme is a viable option right now.

Site Update 4: AMP

Site Update #4: AMP version on mobile

By

On July 6, 2025

In Site Update

Why AMP?

One of the major issues with mobile version of Stories of Sandeept, as shown by Google PageSpeed Insights, is its low speed on loading. To address the issue, I installed the AMP plugin, which loads the site faster.

How does the AMP version look?

The AMP version is now the default view when you first open the website on your mobile browser.

Figure 1. AMP version on Mobile

You can opt out of the AMP view by clicking on the “Exit mobile version” at the end of the webpage.

Figure 2. Exit mobile (AMP) version

Exiting the mobile version takes you to the original view (the noAMP version).

Figure 3. The noAMP version on mobile

New Issue

The current theme, Lovecraft, does not seem to support AMP. That’s why Figure 1 has left-aligned images. I tried using new themes, but they didn’t support the categorised pages. I guess it’s because I had modified the functions.php file on my current theme. I think I should look into it. You can expect a new theme by next week, which will probably increase the website’s speed on mobile.

Site Update 3: Nepali post

Site Update #3: One-click Access to All Nepali Posts

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On June 8, 2025

In Site Update

1. A Dedicated Page for All Posts in Nepali

As announced previously, we’ve now launched a dedicated page for all Nepali posts.

You can access this page directly from the homepage by clicking the Nepali icon or the “Read Posts Published in Nepali” button (see the demo video below).

Click the Nepali icon or the “Read Posts Published in Nepali” button on the homepage to directly access the page dedicated to posts in Nepali

2. Post Navigation with Pagination

To improve navigation and reduce endless scrolling, we’ve implemented a clean pagination system. The first page displays the 10 most recent posts; clicking “Next” or any page number will load the next set (see the demo video below).

You can now navigate the posts using the post navigation feature

The layout has also been enhanced since last week:

  • Thumbnails have consistent size
  • Spacing between posts has been standardized

Note: If you notice irregular gaps, it’s likely due to ads failing to load during our ongoing AdSense experiments.

3. Ongoing Ad Experiments

We’re currently running an AdSense experiment that has been active for 17 days. This may result in visitors seeing different ad placements or content.

We appreciate your patience as the system tests variations. Once the experiment concludes, ad display should stabilize across devices.

A screenshot of Google AdSense experiment page
An ongoing experiment on AdSense

4. Smarter Schedule Widget

Our Weekly Schedule widget in the sidebar is now interactive. You can click on each listed day to directly access the respective post.

We’ve also updated our publishing calendar:

  • Site updates every Sunday
  • Opinion columns every Monday

This change is designed to help readers follow new content more predictably.

That wraps up this week’s update.
Thank you for being part of this journey. More improvements are on the way — until then, happy reading!

Site Update

Site Update#2: Page Tweaks and New Footer Widgets

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On June 2, 2025

In Site Update, Blogging

1. Page Tweaks

If you noticed (I hope you did), I made a few changes to how the pages dedicated to specific topics look.

  • Columns in Page Editor
    1.1 Columns in Page Editor Look Good
  • Columns in Page
    1.2 Columns in Pages Shift Positions
  • List in Editor
    1.3 List in Editor Looks Good
  • List in Page
    1.4 List in Page Works Better than Columns

Last week, I had organised the posts displayed on the pages into three columns, incorporating featured images and excerpts. While this layout appeared satisfactory in the Editor (Slideshow 1), it resulted in unexpected shifts when viewed on the live page (Slideshow 2).

Experimenting with the number of columns and the excerpt length, I discovered that the primary issue stemmed from the inconsistent dimensions of the featured images. While I considered removing the featured images to address this problem, it ultimately rendered the site rather unappealing. Therefore, I decided to retain the images for a more engaging visual experience.

After reviewing the layout options, I opted for the List view. I examined each layout in the Editor (Slideshow 3) and on the live page (Slideshow 4). Ultimately, I determined that the List view offers a more favourable presentation. While there may still be some discrepancies in spacing between posts and an increased need for vertical scrolling, this option significantly improves upon the column view.

2. New Widgets

New widgets have been integrated into the footer, now featuring four distinct sections that link to essential pages: Privacy Policy, Contact Us, Cookie Policy (EU), and the promotional page for Babal Host.

  • 2.1 Footer Widgets (Desktop view)
  • 2.2 Footer Widgets (Mobile View)
  • sidebar widget which promotes Babal Host
    2.3 New Sidebar Widget

The footer widgets appear as intended on the desktop version (Slideshow 2.1), but they display in a staggered manner on mobile devices (Slideshow 2.2). This layout seems less than ideal. I would appreciate your feedback on whether you find this arrangement unappealing. Additionally, I welcome any recommendations regarding the optimal placement of the footer widgets. Please note that the sidebar now features a new Babal Host widget (Slideshow 2.3).

3. Fewer Ads

In response to feedback regarding the excessive number of ads on our website, I have made adjustments to AdSense settings. This includes the exclusion of ads from the policy and contact pages as well as different sections of other pages. I hope reducing the number of advertisements will enhance your overall experience on the site.

4. Table of Contents

A few posts, including this one, now feature a table of contents. You’ll find it easier to jump to sections of your interest without going through all of the post, making it more navigable and interactive.

A laptop showing a brand new website

Site Update#1: A New Phase for Stories of Sandeept

By

On May 26, 2025

In Site Update, Blogging

Over the past few weeks, Stories of Sandeept has gone through a quiet transformation—and today, we’re excited to share those changes with you.

Whether you’ve been here for the poetry, the fiction, the Constitution Study series, or the occasional personal blog, we want your visit to be smoother, smarter, and more rewarding.

What’s New?

1. A Fresh Homepage

  • Image showing desktop view of a website
  • Image showing desktop view of a website

The homepage now welcomes you with clarity and purpose. From there, you can dive into:

  • Our latest blog posts
  • Curated fiction and poetry
  • The ongoing Constitution Study series
  • Links to explore content in both English and Nepali — Coming soon

It’s our small attempt to organize chaos—and honor curiosity.

2. Weekly Posting Schedule

We’ve now committed to a weekly publishing schedule. You can find the full schedule on the homepage, but here’s a quick look:

  • Monday: Site Updates & Opinion Pieces
  • Tuesday: How-Tos & Tutorials
  • Wednesday: Constitution Study
  • Thursday: Fiction or Poetry
  • Friday: Reviews (Books, Films, Music)

We hope this helps you follow the content you care about—and explore new things along the way.

3. Smarter Sidebars

We’ve added sidebars to highlight:

Your attention is precious. We want to make every click worthwhile.

4. Ads and Transparency

Yes, you may start noticing a few ads across the site. We’ve joined the Google AdSense program so that the site can be sustained and improved with time.

We’re still trying to figure out how AdSense works. Please Contact us immediately if you find:

  • Intrusive ads
  • Clickbaits
  • Ads with adult themes or betting

We will try to resolve the issue as soon as possible and improve your experience.

To remain transparent and respectful of your rights, we’ve published our updated:

These pages outline what we collect (very little), how we use it (safely), and your options (always in control).

We’re Just Getting Started

Stories of Sandeept has always been a passion project. Now, it’s also a learning project—a place to write, reflect, and slowly build something meaningful.

Thank you for reading, subscribing, and sharing.

– Sandeept

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