Life Lessons and WordPress Wisdom from Gremlins

With Christmas around the corner, one of the classic Christmas movies is still Gremlins (1984), a mid-eighties mix of comedy and horror, set with a very Christmas theme. With the film’s mix of Frank Capra and Speilbergisms, the setting is a riff of Bedford Falls from It’s a Wonderful Life, even if it does look like the back-lot of Universal Studios. The film is a classic mix of director Joe Dante’s best work and an amazing soundtrack by the late Jerry Goldsmith. Here are the top five life lessons from Gremlins that apply to WordPress:

1. Always read and follow instructions.

Always make sure you follow instructions. Failure to follow the rules in the case of Gremlins leads to GIzmo both getting covered in water and creating more cute nutters, then Billy accidentally feeding the Gremlins after midnight. The WordPress example: Failing to make sure you understand how a core WordPress function works, and then trying to use a plugin to replace something in WordPress core can result in adding more bloat to a client site. Stick to the rules.

2. Inventions sometimes work and sometimes fail.

The bathroom buddy might seem like a great idea on paper, but in practice the actual gadget is glitchy and only half thought-out. The WordPress example: If you are set on using a new plugin on a client site. Make sure that it is both supported, recently updated, and the reviews on WordPress.org reflect what you would expect to see for a solid plugin that you can rely on.

3. Never go drunk driving on a tractor.

This one goes without out saying, but never drink and drive. Be safe and responsible this holiday season.

4. Take care of your pets.

Billy really should have thought twice before adding water to Gizmo, causing many new gremlins (also checking that the power cable of your alarm clock does not help either, for all you Gremlins enthusiasts). The WordPress example: Make sure that the plugins being used on client sites are kept updated. outdated plugins are a security risk.

5. Stay cool like Billy Peltzer and deal with the problems you created.

Billy might have failed to follow the rules for Gizmo and created a small army of crazy Gremlins that almost destroyed a town, but he did see to it that all Gremlins except Gizmo were destroyed and the town returned to normal. The WordPress example: If you add specific new features to a client site, follow through to make sure they work correctly, and that you’ve tested those as much as possible before they go live.

Main WP wishes you a happy and fun holiday season. And remember, don’t get your computer wet, keep your monitor’s brightness down, and don’t eat after midnight. Unless it’s chocolate.