Hello, fellow WordPressers. It has been quite a while since I have published anything here or anywhere. It is time I provide a detailed update on what’s been going on, the future of this site, and a few other things.
Personal Update
As you may or may not know, I’ve been having difficulty dealing with anxiety. So much so, that I’ve called 911 during an anxiety attack only to find out they can’t do anything about it. Then I end up having to pay $300 for a non-emergency emergency. Anyways, I visited my doctor in February and I’ve been taking medication since then and it has made a massive difference. I still have my moments but it’s nothing like it was earlier this year or in 2021.
I stepped away without notice from most of the things I was doing and went into recovery mode. Since February and taking my meds daily, I’ve been able to drive without anxiety, I’ve had fewer episodes where I have trouble breathing, and I’ve been able to go out a few times with friends without too many issues. I feel like I’ve made major progress toward getting back to 2019 me.
If you are dealing with anxiety, I encourage you to talk to your doctor and come up with a plan or potential medications that can improve your quality of life. Anxiety can at times be debilitating and it’s important to get a handle on it before it takes control of your life.
WP Mainline’s Future
I owe a huge apology to the following companies. InMotion Hosting, NitroPack, and WeGlot. These companies purchased advertising opportunities for the WP Mainline podcast and I became incommunicado. I will fulfill these obligations (The InMotion Hosting Boxcar design is finished, I just have to send it to you) unless you want a refund. If you want a refund, please contact me and I’ll take care of it.
Earlier this year, it occurred to me that it didn’t matter if I published once, twice, none, or one hundred times during the week as there was a good chance that I would generate zero dollars. After going three weeks in a row of generating no money, I asked myself, “What the hell am I doing”?
The landscape of WordPress news is flooded with practically everyone having a newsletter that tells you what’s going on in the world of WordPress. Sure, none of them have my voice and my style of coverage but that isn’t enough to make a living off of, at least independently.
I’ve made the decision to turn WP Mainline into my side hustle where it’s no longer a way for me to make a living, but a place to riff on WordPress stuff and publish a podcast. I have canceled everyone’s subscription to this site and it should expire at the appropriate time. Payments should not auto-renew and if they do, please get in touch with me so I can take care of it.
I thank everyone who has donated and purchased a boxcar banner design, subscription, or podcast advertising from the bottom of my heart. Those funds went towards paying bills, gas, and food.
Available for Immediate Hire
After being unemployed for three years and finally getting my anxiety under control, I am ready to rejoin the workforce. I am the founder of WPTavern which I sold and then wrote content for for a couple of years. I have been involved in the WordPress community since 2007. I’ve seen a lot, written about a lot, talked about a lot, and have established a number of relationships over the years.
I have an end-user mindset. I don’t have much experience in the realm of development. I feel like I could be an asset in the realm of customer support, product advocacy, updating documentation, quality assurance, connecting with people, and social media engagement. I’m someone who tells it like it is. I don’t like to bullshit people as it’s a waste of time. I’ve had three jobs in my life: the Grocery store, WPTavern, and Audrey.co.
I am looking to be part of a team as I am tired of working alone. I reside in Ohio which is in the Eastern timezone. The job I’m looking for has a salary of $40-50K per year, company-paid healthcare, and room for advancement. I am more than willing to put in the time to learn and be a valuable asset to the company. I would also like to contribute some of my paid time to giving back to the WordPress project through the Five for the Future program, notably the WordPress Training Team.
I know this is not the usual process for getting a job but I know quite a few people in the WordPress world who read this site, who are fans of mine, and I wanted to give this a try to see if it would work. If you have an employment opportunity that you think would be up my alley, please get in touch with me via the contact form or send me a direct message on Twitter.
Again, thank you to everyone who has contacted me to check in with my mental health status, how things are going, and for helping me get by on a daily basis. Things are going pretty well in life but the only thing missing is a reliable income. If I can get that taken care of, things will immediately get even better.