There’s an app/service called Brid.gy on both ActivityPub (Mastodon/Fediverse) and on the AT-Protocol. What it does is nothing less than awesome. It creates accounts both ways so people on both protocols, if opted-in properly, can follow and chat with each other.

One thing I wanted was to limit the amount of excess accounts that I have. I wanted my posts from my Mastodon account @phillycodehound to “natively” show up on my @s3th.me Bluesky account. I figured that out via my pro-paid account on Zapier.

The only issue I have is going backwards from Bluesky to Indieweb.social. Right now I’m using ap.brid.gy for that so it’s still a separate “account” to follow.

But, when I figure out how to have my skeets show up natively as toots I’ll let you know.

That last sentence gave me a chuckle.

Why Did You Start Blogging In The First Place?

The Blog Question Challenge encourages bloggers to reflect on their experiences and share their insights.

Good question. I’ve been blogging since the early days. But not really on a regular basis until the later part of the early 00’s. I like the community that is around blogging and writing on the Web. This extends to microblogging (Mastodon, Micro.Blog, etc.), where I’m quite active. This is how I know Simon.

What Platform Are You Using The Manage Your Blog, And Why Do You Use It?

I mostly use WordPress for my blog(s). Though I do have a newsletter over at Ghost, and a micro blog at Micro.blog.

I use WordPress mostly because I know the interface and it works well for me. Ghost is great for my MarketingJunto.com newsletter, because it has that functionality baked in.

Have You Blogged On Other Platforms Before?

Of course, I started on Blogger back in the day. Man, that was an interesting system to work with. I also have dabbled with Medium too.

How Do You Write Your Posts?

I mostly write the directly into the CMS. But from time to time, with bigger think pieces I’ll use Word or, more often, Google Docs for the first draft.

When Do You Feel Most Inspired To Write?

Being ADHD there is no telling when I get inspired. I do have my Marketing Junto newsletter go out every Wednesday, so that causes me to write a monologue for that weekly as well as find interesting links.

Do You Normally Publish Immediately After Writing, Or Do You Let It Simmer?

I should let them simmer more, but often I just post them. And then find edits later on.

What’s Your Favorite Post On Your Blog?

I don’t have one, per se. But it’s any that get good engagement.

Any Future Plans For the Blog?

I just want to keep writing and enjoy myself. I have so many places to write. So expect to see me writing everywhere!

Who Will Participate Next?

I choose and tag Eric Karkovak, who is a prolific writer and good buddy of mine from the WordPress community. I did ask him first, and of course he’s totally game. Let’s gooooo!

Honestly this has me fuming. Because WordPress is so much more than just Matt. It has a huge community of supporters and developers that won’t let this happen.

What could happen, and should happen, is that WordPress gets forked and that version taken over by the community-at-large.

Matt could shut down WordPress.org and everything and the community would find a way to keep the core software running.

To me, this crowing from Matt is a play for sympathy for something HE started and is now probably feeling he’s gotten in too deep.

The growing consensus, from what I see online, is that Matt has lost the PR battle and is now on the defensive. I’m not sure what he can do to reverse course. But honestly he won’t, he’ll just keep digging himself into a hole.

Am I overly concerned that the WordPress software that powers 40%+ of the Websites on the web going away totally? No.

I am worried about what my clients and future clients think about using the software.

Matt is hurting much more than just himself here.

It’s unforgivable.

2024 was a weird year. That’s even an understatement.

At the beginning business was extremely slow. It rather sucked.

Most of the business I had this year pushed off to the 2nd quarter or later. Thank goodness for ongoing maintenance and hosting business.

Once the year picked up, it wasn’t as fruitful and I had hoped.

But I did discover a new vertical to explore — podcast coaching.

Podcast Mastery was born out this weird and rather sucky year. Unlike when I started Goldstein Media 17 years ago. The interest in podcast coaching is hot right now. To be honest podcasts in general are in their second or third renaissance.

Enter Podcast Coaching Arena

What I found is that business people are realizing that having a brand-related show or sponsoring a relevant podcast makes sense for brand recognition and even some return on investment, though the latter takes time.

So, hung up my podcast coaching shingle.

I decided that the complete suite of podcasting wasn’t where I wanted to focus. I do my own production work for my Entrepreneur’s Enigma podcast and Digital Marketing Dive, but I’m better suited to help people get started with their shows and how to keep them going for the long haul, than doing the whole production process.

What I work on with my current clients is how to structure the podcast, set expectations, and streamline the overall process to ensure success. This alone is quite a bit of coaching and fully in my area of expertise.

I’ve been podcasting for 15 years, it’s hard to believe, and in that time I’ve learned so many things to do correctly from doing them the wrong way.

So, with a few clients already signed up and more coming onboard this year, I’m really excited for where that’s going.

Mentoring Startups

I’m worked though my 4th (or was it 5th) cohort as a mentor for the Founder Institute’s Keystone chapter. I really enjoy helping emerging startups with their digital marketing.

I’m currently working with four startups in varying degrees as an advisor, and I’m finding what I can contribute to be really helpful and rewarding.

Homelife

Last year was another year in the life of being a father to an amazingly smart (often too smart) son and an extremely lucky husband to the most amazing woman in the world.

All I’m going to say about parenting is that it’s hard and add pre-teen moodiness and puberty to the mix, is a real trip.

The kiddo turned 12 in November. Looking back I can’t believe how old he’s getting and did I mention how smart he is? He’s already surpassed my knowledge of math a long time ago and he’s coding Roblox experiences and types faster than I do. He’s getting all A’s in school. I’m proud of him.

Looking Forward… 2025

Man, this year’s going to be interesting. I’m hoping that what’s going on with WordPress and it’s co-founder Matt Mullenweg simmers down and the community takes over the project from the “BDFL”, who hasn’t been acting very benevolent and WordPress, which powers more than 40% of the websites on the interwebs continues to grow and evolve, with LESS DRAMA.

I’m cautiously hopefully that something good will happen, but hopefully not going as far as a phoenix rising from the ashes. God, that’d be horrible.

I’m really hoping the podcast coaching practice picks up and grows as it looks like it’s trending.

Hey, it’s day two of 2025. Let’s buckle up and get going!

It’s been a great holiday season so far here.

Christmas Eve-Eve to Christmas Eve my wife, son, and I went on our annual trip to Hershey, PA to go to the Hershey Lodge for some swimming and some chocolate goodness.

Now we’re in the in-between week. It’s still Hanukkah, but the kiddo got all his gifts from us on the first night. XMas day and Hannukah night one, we put together his new Ikea desk for his gaming rig. He’s getting used to it and loves all the space.

The kid made out like a bandit this year, he’s gotten, so far, two 24″ monitors, a new desk, and lots of Robux. There’s still more stuff to come when we get together with my in-laws on the last night, which is on New Years Day 2025!

Any how, I hope everyone is having a good holiday and in-between week.

First off, it just sounds yuck.

Secondly, when you want to pick someone’s brain it usually means you want FREE advice.

To me pay people for their time, especially if you’re picking their brain on something they do for a living.

What do you think?

In the article the reporter, David H. Freedman, doesn’t paint a sunshine and rainbows picture of the whole fiasco between Matt (et. al) and WP Engine.

Matt, in his right, responded calling the piece a “Hit Piece.”

I don’t blame Matt for not liking being called out on his actions, but what does he honestly expect? Honestly, he put a, formerly mandatory, checkbox that made people swear allegiance to pineapple on pizza to log in to WordPress.com. It’s now optional.

I’d love to hear all of your thoughts.

Seriously, how old are we? Instead of having people swear they have nothing to with WP Engine they now have to proclaim their love for pineapple on pizza before being let into WordPress.org. WTAF! Come on!

In other news State of the Word happened in Japan this AM. It was 4am eastern so I didn’t attend. But Matt Medeiros has a good write up here.

It’s been all over the news and my tech podcasts as well.

Now they’re over Doylestown, PA. Granted we’re not too far from New Jersey, about 30 minute drive on US 202 North. What’s interesting is that we have an airport and these drones seem to like airports and military installations. Curious much?

I didn’t get video of them last night, but the sound of the jets (yes, JETS!) were quite loud. It was around 9pm or 10pm and I thought it was a local car dealer CEO’s private jet at the airport. This morning my wife was looking at the local Facebook group for our community and people got video of a cluster of drones and they were behaving the same way the have been in the media reports.

These buggers have jets and probably are fixed wing not the rotor-copter ones that you get at Best Buy. But I can’t confirm because I didn’t see them.

I’ll go outside next time for a look.

This is getting creepy.

NEW: Pentagon says there’s no evidence drones reportedly seen over New Jersey are coming from a foreign entity. “There’s no so-called mothership launching drones towards the United States,” spokeswoman says.— BNO News (@bnonews.com) December 11, 2024 at 2:32 PM

Update 12/12/24 8pm ET

The drones are back in force tonight.

And… well Matt Mullenweg rage quit the Post Status, a WordPress enthusiast Slack group in a major huff.

Now I get being upset. The judge didn’t rule in your favor. But maybe that’s because your actions aren’t as altruistic as you want people to think. Maybe acting so brashly and publicly isn’t the best course of action. And I get it, trying to stay quiet isn’t easy.

But throwing your hands up and taking your toys and going home, is a bit childish.

Matt continues to forget that even though he owns the trademark, domains, and is head of a three-person foundation, that WordPress is so much more than just him. It’s a huge community of passionate and very opinionated people.

WordPress powers around 40% of the websites online. That’s a HUGE burden and stressor for any one person to take on. It’s also huge if Matt goes nuclear and blows up the whole project, which I (hope) he’s not going to do.

Let’s wait and see how things turn out as the dust settles. But my God Matt act your age, man.