Tag Archives: New York City

I spent a year living in the city, from July 2010 to July 2011

#nyc12: Making the Switch to WordPress

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Yesterday morning, I gave the last of three CMA NYC sessions I led this week:

Considering making the switch to WordPress? Join Daniel Bachhuber, code wrangler for Automattic’s WordPress.com VIP, to learn how to make open source work for your publication. We’ll discuss whether WordPress is the right fit for you, how to assess other options, and what steps you need to take if you’d like to make the switch.

Most of the people attending had been to at least one of my other sessions, so it was a quicker review of the slides and then more of a general Q&A session. A lot of the questions revolved around the different types of hosting, where you should go for support, etc.

#nyc12: Hacking WordPress in the Newsroom

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This morning, I gave the second of three CMA NYC sessions I’m leading this week:

You publish with WordPress, are comfortable with editing theme templates and making basic CSS changes, and you’re ready to take your site to the next level. Join Daniel Bachhuber, code wranger for Automattic’s WordPress.com VIP, to learn what you need to know. We’ll discuss topics like version control, performance and optimization, debugging, and other development best practices. This session will be geared towards the tech-savvy with a practical knowledge of WordPress.

It ended up being a little less ambitious. We started out with (the importance of) setting up a local environment, reviewed what makes a plugin, and introduced a few project ideas. Between a dozen and two dozen students attended; for almost all, the information was completely new.

The most important note on this subject: there are lots of jobs available.

Also, come hit us up with WordPress questions at our Happiness Bar!

Session notes are below the slides.

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#nyc12: I Want to Learn WordPress

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This morning, I gave the first of three CMA NYC sessions I’m leading this week:

So, you’ve heard of WordPress before, possibly used it for your personal portfolio, and want to learn everything there is to know about it. Well, everything we can cover in a hour at least :) Join Daniel Bachhuber, code wrangler for Automattic’s WordPress.com VIP, as we cover the WordPress interface, key concepts like themes, plugins, PHP and MySQL, and how to choose a good web host and design for your site. This session will be geared towards those with limited familiarity who want to learn more.

It was a quick introduction to the WordPress project, key terminology you’d hear, and then a tour through the WordPress admin. The room was packed with maybe 30-40 people which was sweet. Tomorrow is “Hacking WordPress in the Newsroom” and Tuesday is “Making the Switch to WordPress.”

How to Live in New York City

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Move here when you’re 18 or 22, maybe even 24. Come from somewhere else-the north, south, west, Xanadu- and come to realize that everyone living in New York is a transplant. Even the ones who grew up on the Upper East Side end up moving into a place downtown, which, as you’ll soon discover, is like moving to a different city.

Discover the cruel and bizarre world of New York City real estate. End up spending an obscene amount of money on something called a broker’s fee, first and last month’s rent and a security deposit. Cry a little bit in the leasing office but remind yourself that you’re so happy to be here.

Picture hearing a man playing the saxophone outside your bedroom window. End up hearing a lot of sirens instead. Figure it’s okay because it’s New York and you’re still so happy to be here.

[...]

Certain moments of living in the city will always stick out to you. Buying plums from a fruit vendor on 34th street and eating three of them on a long walk, the day you spent in bed with your best friend watching Tyra Banks, the amazing rooftop party you attended on a sweltering hot day in July. These memories might seem insignificant but they were all moments when you looked around the city and felt like you were a part of it all.

When you leave the city, you probably won’t come back. Eventually your life in New York will seem so far away and sometimes you’ll even wonder if it really happened. Don’t worry. It did.

Ryan O’Connell — How to Live in New York City (via Michelle)

This week’s highlights

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This past week on the East Coast was tremendous fun, and it was all due to the great people I had the fortune to spend time with. Some highlights:

  • Ken’s wonderful hospitality, and knowledge of the best place on the Oregon Coast to get smoked oysters. I can’t wait until winter break.
  • Coworking with Jeremy, Jason, and Serdar in the WaPo newsroom. I wish them the best of luck solving campaign finance this year.
  • Tuesday Night Drinking Club with Greg, Will, Aaron and everyone else.
  • Finally getting pizza at Roberta’s with Cody, Kate, Albert and Amy. Kate’s grilled pizza is more deserving of two stars from the New York Times.
  • Codeworking with Evan at Chartbeat. Automatticians are a rare breed of awesome.
  • A couple of long runs along the East River, almost as cool as the Westside Highway.
  • The most competitive game of Catan I’ve played yet, with Albert, David, and Ashwin. I learned the defining point of the game is who’s the best trader. Watch out for David’s poker face.
  • Hacking on OkCandidate with Albert at Times Open. Props to him for sticking it out; I look forward to hearing how it finished up.

Now, an overnight flight to Madrid where Michelle awaits. See you on the other side.