Category: My Life

Three Point Zero

So today, I turn 30 years old.

I have a hard time dealing with “not being 20 something” (yes, I know I need to change the footer), so much so that I consume a not exactly miniscule amount of youth water in an attempt to stave off the inevitable passage of time.

In short I probably shouldn’t complain about my entry into my fourth decade of existence. I achieved a lot. From the usual lot of growing up, getting a career and a savings plan that isn’t dreadful to the more interesting of going to Oktoberfest, travelling the world, to becoming a professional wrestler, and also writing a fricking book, I suppose I can look back on my 20s as being generally lovely.

So here’s to my thirties. May you be as kind and generous to me as the 20s were.

Also if anybody fancies getting Hulk Hogan or a celebrity that I actually know to retweet this blog, that’d be super. Thanks!

Speaking at MWUG on 15th January 2014

So as announced on my Goals of 2013 post, one of the goals – start speaking – was a semi pass/fail, largely due to the fact that whilst I didn’t speak in 2013, I did book to speak in 2014.

This Wednesday, I’m speaking at Manchester WordPress Users Group on Wednesday evening at 6:30pm ish on an introduction to SEO with WordPress. The talk will cover some of the lesser known features of WordPress SEO, on how to improve your site in the eyes of search engines, and a very brief introduction on how to build SEO Friendly themes.

It won’t be the most polished talks, as it’s my first one, but I’ve been practicing and learning, if you want to attend it’s free to do so, and in MadLab in Manchester’s Northern Quarter (opposite Common). You can read more the agenda for the meetup here or subscribe to the Meetup here.

Hope to see you there!

Goals For 2014

Happy New Year Everybody! It’s a new calendar year, and whilst I don’t like having resolutions, per se, I do like setting goals. Goals that hopefully I will achieve in the upcoming year. It was quite nice looking back on my goals for 2013 – in the fact I did better than I thought I did! Anyway, here are my goals for 2014:-

Start a Pension

This goal for me was left over from 2013. Yeah I’m not exactly thrilled I didn’t achieve it, so it’s my #1 goal for 2014! I’m nearly 30, and kind of really should be thinking about responsible stuff – as much as I love doing what I do, I’d quite like the option to retire at some point, lord knows I cannot rely on a state pension. So time to start being a little bit more responsible and get a pension.

Get More Premium Plugins/Themes Out There

WP Email Capture has served me well, incredibly well, but I feel like I should be diversifying my income a little bit. Sales from WP Email Capture account for nearly 50% of my income from my personal ventures, and also residual income from WP Email Capture accounts for nearly 80%. Whilst I am happy for this, I feel I should diversify a little more.

So I’ve decided over the Christmas break to put development of new features on hold for WP Email Capture. I am happy with how it is doing, and I don’t think working much more on it on features will improve it more. Of course I’m going to continue keeping everything bug fixed and working, but the work to do some of the features I wish to implement, along with maintaining them, I cannot see a benefit.

This of course is up for review, and will probably still add to it, but for now I’m going to increase the number of products I sell, rather than focus on one or two.

Get My Name More Out There in the Community

The biggest change professionally for me was that I’m pretty much no longer an SEO anymore, but instead a full time developer. It is a good move for me and I’m glad I made it, but I don’t know that many people in the WordPress Community, certainly on a chatty way similar to how I am with the SEO community. As such, I’m keen to get out there a little more in the WordPress Community, and connect with a few more people. As such, I’m looking to attend a few more WordCamps and WordPress meetups, along with maybe posting a few guest blogs elsewhere, just to get my name out a bit.

Own A Property (or have enough for a deposit)

Okay, this is the big one for me.

As alluded to earlier, I turn 30 earlier on this year, and I’ve recently been thinking about getting a house. Turns out that it isn’t that far out of my reach. I’d love my own place and to get on the property ladder.

I’ve a little money saved up, but feel with a year or so saving I could probably easily save enough for a deposit on the house, maybe even buying a house. But yes, this is my next big goal. Hopefully it’ll be 2014, definitely in 2015!

I hope everybody has a great new year! What are your goals?

Goals of 2013 – What Was Achieved?

So at the beginning of the year, I made some goals for 2013, on where I see myself in 12 months. It’s safe to assume that a rather large book shaped 2 month time suck saw me not achieve all my goals, but even so, I am still relatively happy with my progress. Here is my goal update for 2013.

Start Speaking – Semi Pass/Fail

So my main goal of 2013 was to start speaking at conferences. I didn’t quite achieve it though I targeted speaking at WordCamps. This probably was a little bit of a mistake as at the beginning of the year I hadn’t actually been to a WordCamp. Nevertheless, I did sort a speaking gig, but it’s actually happening in January 2014. Not sure whether I call it a pass or a fail. I didn’t start speaking in 2013, but did sort my first speaking gig in 2013. Does that count?

Oh and I will mention where I’m speaking in the next few weeks.

Blog More – Pass

Yep definitely done more blogging. Heck I’ve done more writing than I ever have before.

Most of my non-book-writing has been on this here blog, but the odd post on You’re Supposed To Be At Home (though that has slowed down, I mean, just how many times can you talk about visiting Guiseley?) has been bolstered by my new blog – Wrestling Betting – which has been a sleeper hit for my site portfolios, so much so I’ve invested time in a redesign, and will push a competition live soon! Check it out.

Save More Cash – Pass (though could be better)

This was going so well, so well, until I hit Germany in October.

You see, I discovered myself a little bit whilst traveling. I discovered that I hated sleeping in dorms in hostels. Unfortunately in Cologne I nearly had a breakdown where – staying in a hostel dormitory, I encountered probably my least favourite person in 2013. A fairly obnoxious Norwegian bloke who punched and kicked me when snoring, but was quite happy keeping me up when getting to know the only girl in the dorm room. Sigh.

As a result, I quickly rebooked the remaining week and a bit of my holiday, at considerable expense, to avoid staying in hostels but in hotels instead. It was the right thing to do, as the rest of my trip was really good, but it cost me a fair bit. Not as bad as I thought it would be, but pretty bad that I had to dive into my “emergency” savings.

Nevertheless, I’ve more money stashed away than I had this time last year, which is a nice thought, but damn it could’ve been better.

Start a Pension – Dismal Failure

Yeah, this didn’t really happen. Bit gutted actually, as out of all my goals I thought this was the most achievable. Plus the father will probably have a go at me. So for me this is number 1 goal of 2014! Heck I’d like to get it done and dusted before I turn 30.

So these were my goals, what were yours? Did you achieve them?

The Two Best Things of 2013

So another year is over. It was the beginning of 2013 when I relaunched this blog, so I’ve been blogging on and off for a year. Of course, the next few posts are times for reflection on things – a post later this week is seeing how many of my goals for 2013 I have hit (take a guess?).

It’s has felt like a bit of a quiet, if uneventful year for me. I don’t know, but with loads happening in 2012, this year seemed a lot more settled. So much so that I really wanted to do “three things”, but couldn’t think of a third thing for the list – other that I’ve a few new dear friends in my life now, which is obviously number one!

So for me, these are my two highlights of 2013.

2. Writing of bbPress Complete

moments-of-2013-2

Seriously, if you told me at the beginning of 2013 I would be a published author by the end of the year, I wouldn’t believe it. But on Valentine’s Day I received an email asking me to pitch for a book (instantly becoming the best Valentine’s Day I’ve ever had), I started writing a book on the Histon away day, and finished writing it on the last day of the season against Gloucester City. Two months later, bbPress Complete was published.

I am quite chuffed that I wrote a book, even though it took my eye off a few projects, which are now going to be 2014 goals. Nevertheless I have a morbid fascination of something I’ve created still being here after I die. Now, with this book, I’d like to think there will be now.

1. My Wrestling Career

moments-of-2013-1

As surprising as it may sound, the number one highlight of this year is that – in my fifth year of being involved in professional wrestling in the UK – I can honestly say I’ve enjoyed this year more than all.

It has been superb. I have gone from being nervous before shows and finding any reason to miss shows to canceling semi-serious plans and going out of my way on a Sunday to make bookings. I’ve gone from feeling a bit player to a point whereby at the Christmas Party a few of the top guys in British wrestling told me they hope to work with me in 2014, which is incredibly humbling.

Amazingly, BWP have enough faith in me that I have helped with the training. Of course, not for anything athletic, but how to structure characters and helping with their confidence. It’s a huge change from the unconfident, stuttering embarrasment that first appeared on shows four and a half years ago.

I’m so happy working with the rookies, and incredibly happy with my progress in 2013. Hopefully this will only get better in 2014.

To all those who I’ve worked with, traveled with, supported me or even made a sign for me (yes! That happened this year), thank you. It’s been awesome.