My Life Archives - Page 5 of 9

WordPress 10th Anniversary Celebrations in Manchester

So on Monday I attended the WordPress 10th Anniversary Celebrations Manchester, held in The Odder Bar. I believe it is the first time I have attended an event more than just the Manchester WordPress community as held at MWUG, as there were a lot of unfamiliar faces. Nevertheless, I roped in Shane to come along with me.

The night began with an interview with Mike Little, co-founder of WordPress, on how the software was formed and how it grew. It was an interesting talk, particularly in how WordPress could further grow (Mike stressed he had a keen eye in the development of WordPress accessibility), so it was good to hear how WordPress grew early on in its development. I could imagine that the interview he gave would be less codey than the one he will give at Sascon. Not sure many of the delegates will know what Gopher is. Still check it out if you are there, it will be fascinating!

After a large helping of food, the next event was a quiz. But not just any quiz, oh no, a WordPress quiz! I must admit I usually go to quizzes being quite a useful member, but beyond correcting a question (as I heard of the Ella Fitzgerald release, and it was in the 2.X development cycle), I was nigh on useless and my team carried me. There were some elements of controversy, namely the “write the minimum code used to power a WordPress hook”, but overall, our team, ‘hilariously’ titled “TurdPress”, won. Hooray! Thanks to Interconnect IT for the prize of The Auditor & Human Made for the free year of WP Remote.

After it was mingling time, and this was where I realised how big the WordPress community was. Everybody there was fascinating. Also in the team thrown together was a Magician & a Hypnotist: James Anthony, who did this amazing trick.

The time came to cut the cake (that used the proper WordPress logo), and we were given a parting gift of true Mancunian style: a WordPress Pint Glass.

All in all, I had an amazing night! Loved every minute and I do need to get myself to more WordPress events. To Matt Mullenweg, Mike Little & any other WordPress contributor, big or small: thank you.

Here is to the next 10 years!

WordPress & Me – 10 Year Anniversary Project Entry

One of my biggest passions is WordPress, and the development thereof. I love it, and every week I turn to my colleagues and say “wow, didn’t know WordPress could do THAT!”. I’ve been fortunate enough to turn this passion partly into a career, and partly into profitable side projects that I run. I’m also fortunate to be based in Manchester, home of MWUG, which is run by Mike Little, help write the damn thing.

MWUG will be celebrating the 10th Anniversary of WordPress with a party (with cake!) in Odder Bar, Manchester (you can RSVP here). I will aim to get there (I’m winging it back from a BWP show the night before in Prestatyn), so it’d be good to see fellow Manchester WordPressy folk.

But that isn’t the point of this post. I read with interest Dougal Campbell’s 10th Anniversary WordPress Blogging Project, where you are supposed to share what happened to you at core stages in WordPress’ development. This is my post contributing to the Blogging Project.

When WordPress was released in May 2003:-

I was 19 years old.
I was just finishing my first year of a Computer & Multimedia Systems course at The University of Liverpool.
I was a bit of a loner at the time, for the first 6 months of University I hated the halls, and I was plonked on a corridor full of some right pillocks. I did eventually move into a floor with nice people, many of which I still keep in touch with, but by the time I moved in they had already organised a house share, so I went into Second Year Halls.
I was also beginning my first full time summer job, working in the restaurant at The Welsh Mountain Zoo.

When I First Started Using WordPress in May 2006:-

I was 22 years old.
WordPress 2.0.2 was the current version (actually quite gutted by this, sure I’ve scribbled somewhere that I remember WordPress 1.5, but alas no).
I had just started working for Livetech in Colwyn Bay.
WordPress didn’t have pages for the home page, which frustrated me no end!
I was still living with Mum & Dad.
I had recently come out of hospital following a bout of Atrial Fibrillation, which screwed me up mentally more than anything else.
As it was brought on by a combination of stress, no sleep and a huge amount of alcohol consumption, I was off the booze.
And as such, I could still comfortably fit into a Medium. HA! No chance of that now!

Since I started using WordPress…

I have found a love for traveling, going abroad for the first time, and since then going to 17 countries.
I have changed jobs twice, and now rather happily working for 3 Door Digital.
As such I’ve left Colwyn Bay and moved to Manchester.
Colwyn Bay FC have been promoted twice.
I’ve started, stopped, started again, stopped again and now due to restart a wrestling managerial career.
I have released five plugins, and contributed to two more (though my contribution to WP Fart is minimal).
I have released two commercial plugins: WP Email Capture & Author+.
I have two super-secret (well not quite super-secret now!) projects that I cannot wait to get finished and out there later this year.
And – most surprisingly of all – I’ve become a dog lover!

So yes, a bit of an introspective, but felt it was necessarily, most of all though I’m proud to be a part of an amazing community. Between the WordPress & the SEO community, both have been great helps to me as a person and career wise.

Here’s to the next 10 years!

Buy My Stuff!

Don’t worry, this isn’t a post on me hawking WP Email Capture.

So yes, if you remember my goal for February is to declutter. It’s going well, a sober weekend saw me break the back of most of the work I needed to do, and have well and truly cleared my desk. I also went on an eBay splurge, and managed to clear a bunch of stuff and list it online. Hurrah!

Yes, that’s most of the stuff I’ve listed online. But not all. You see, for some reason eBay in their infinite wisdom have put limits as to what you can sell in a month. You see, I should’ve sold about 15 items, I’m only allowed to sell 10 a month.

Curses! When did this happen?

Anyway, as a few of you asked, the items I am selling are below. Bid high, bid often, bid aggressively. Thank you.

(PS. Want a feed like this? Download my eBay Feeds For WordPress Plugin!)

(PPS. Snowed under with a few projects, back early next week with proper non shilly post)

TNA Maximum Impact V – Manchester TV Tapings

Please Note: The Below does contain a number of spoilers from as yet aired TV Shows

The past weekend me, Si & Shane attended the TNA Maximum Impact V tour, held in the MCR Arena in Manchester. This was me and Si’s time attending TNA, and Shane’s third (though admittedly, this was the second year we have made a proper day of it.

This event had a number of firsts. Firstly it featured the first time ever in the UK a cage match (a first for me, as I’ve never seen a cage match before), but probably more importantly, it would be the first time the Manchester shows would be taped for TV. I’ve attended TV Tapings before with WWE, and they are…interesting to say the least. Sure you get all the big starts, but TV tapings generally mean that things are filmed a number of times, leaving the crowd getting restless. Also, as the UK is such a small part of the WWE “Universe”, rarely any advancement is made on storylines. Thankfully TNA realise how big it is over here, and we were treated to a number of large storyline developments.

As well as the big stars like Sting, Bully Ray, RVD, James Storm, Bobby Roode and Hulk Fricking Hogan being on tour, Manchester also got two of the three stars of TNA’s British Boot Camp. You had the winner – Rockstar Spud – who as somebody who has had a keen interest in the British scene I’ve never seen wrestle live. We also got an appearance from The Blossom Twins, who I’ve seen a few times for Futureshock Wrestling in Stockport, the last of which they wrestled one of my Facebook Friends.

So we’re like besties. Honest.

So, despite nearly getting thrown out of Nando’s in the Printworks for having the audacity to believe that CM Punk will beat The Rock at the Royal Rumble to some “It’s still real to me, dammit!” nobodies, it was a heck of a show. It is always a highlight of my year, as it feels that we’re actually leaving winter when it happens. Photos follow below, but be aware, there are spoilers from the TV Show!

Goals of 2013

So another year over, and – surprise surprise – I kept my New Years Resolution! Wasn’t too tricky to be honest, but the “Less Weight, More Dates” resolution was – as of the time of writing (which is before the Christmas Break) – kept. The latter especially I broke emphatically **smiles shyly**.

2012 was a big year for me (shy smile aside), I changed jobs moving from Manual Link Building to 3 Door Digital, released WP Email Capture Premium (finally) and grew in ways I never thought I would. I also ticked off a life goal (go to the Olympic Games), and went to two gigs (a lot for me!).

Onto 2013. A year of change methinks, where I think I’ll finally grow up. I am not setting resolutions, but rather goals for the year. Here are four that I’ve thought of that – if I haven’t achieved any of these by December 2013, I’ll be disappointed.

Start Speaking

This is a fairly big one for me. Recently, I’ve noticed I’ve become a bit of a go-to guy when it comes to WordPress. I’d love to do some sort of talk somewhere. I’ve a few ideas of talks I want to do, and also half-pitched to Alex an idea for Sascon (which may or may not happen). However, one thing I’m thinking of targeting is WordCamp this year, which is an unconference. I’m not too familiar with the concept of unconferences, but what I am lead to believe is that you simply put your name down on the list to speak, and they will fit you in somewhere.

I have an idea for a talk at WordCamp, so I will try and prepare something.

Blog More

This is where this site comes in. I think I could probably count on two hands how many blog posts I wrote in 2012. I used to be so proficient, blogging almost every day. Last year I dropped off the face of the earth, it is something I wish to correct in 2013.

The main blog will be this one, but will be open for guest posts on other places. Let me know if you want me to write something and what you would like me to write about.

Of course, I’ll also keep blogging occasionally on the 3 Door Digital Blog, Blogging Dojo, WP Email Capture and You’re Supposed To Be At Home.

Please remind me on the last one if I haven’t got the Hinckley United post up on the last one by the time you read this, then call me names in the comments.

Save More Cash

Away from the internet, I’d like to start saving a bit more. When I moved jobs my savings did take a wee bit of a hit, but I should be able to build them back up again, but it’s taking longer than I thought (damn Christmas! Damn Nexus 7!).

I was told by somebody to have one goal in your life that is seemingly “unachievable”, as they are often achieved. One of my seemingly unachievable life goals is to never ever have a mortgage. My plan is to save up a figure in my head in a instant access savings account, split that figure in half, and put half into something that is a bit higher interest that I can’t touch.

I do spend a ridiculous amount of money at times, so can easily cut down. Sandwiches for work and less fruit machines (yeah not sure why I play fruities, started in University, never really stopped) are two of the ways. Hell I’ve a nickname of being a mingebag, I may as well become one.

Start a Pension

Yes, this is more to appease the parents rather than me, but it did shock me that out of all 5 of my immediate family, I don’t have any retirement savings. I have talked about it, but I didn’t get around to setting up.

Yeah it’s dull, but I don’t want to be poor when I’m old.

And I don’t want to be old.

Anyway, those are my goals in 2013. Hopefully with them being in writing I’m more likely to keep them!