Do All The Things!
or at least the ones you enjoy...
My goal, as I started this “be a creator” adventure was to have multiple outlets for my creativity, and quite frankly, multiple revenue streams that ideally come from those outlets. At least some of them. But I didn’t want to get burned out or overwhelmed, so at first I focused on making videos, and little else. This… was a bit silly. Making videos and nothing else is the very thing that caused me to get burned out in the past, so I’m not sure why I thought it was an ideal way to start. Habit, perhaps. I talk about it quite a bit in this blog post, in case you’re worried about me having too many irons in the fire.
ANYWAY, intrepid reader, what this means for you (and me, I suppose) is that you should see many more flavors of Shawn out in the world. Some you might like, some you might not. It should be a win-win for both of us, because I can do a variety of things that interest me, and you can pick and choose what to consume, and in some cases how to consume it. Which is an awkward segue to…
I Totally Make Up The Blogcast
Except apparently other people made up the concept, and even coined the phrase. I did this same thing back in like 2010, but I didn’t call it a blogcast. So I guess I lost my chance for all the fame and fortune that comes with that fame-less and fortune-less idea.
Sorry, I got distracted. What is a “blogcast” you ask? Well, along with rekindling my blog, I’ve also started reading the blog entries, and posting the audio version of them in a podcast. It’s not really a podcast, because it’s just me reading my blog — but you can listen to it like a podcast. And honestly, that’s the way my Mom reads my blog now. And maybe Mom really does know best.
The other advantage to me reading blog posts and posting the audio is that it gets me behind the microphone more often. If I ever plan to create an audio version of that book I haven’t started writing yet, I should be used to reading. And know know what? Reading on mic is a whole different beast than talking on mic. I can talk into a microphone all day, but give me a teleprompter, and I tend to sound like, well, someone reading from a teleprompter. So this is double bonus content with +1 enchantment for future performances. (I don’t really know how DnD works, you’ll just have to pretend that was a clever metaphor)
Upcoming MEvents
Ok, I probably did actually coin that word, and I already regret it. But I have a few speaking engagements lined up, one of which is coming soon enough that I have mild panic over preparation. It will be the first time I’ve spoken in years, the first time I’ve spoken virtually, and it will be the first time this group has invited an English speaker.
It will be streamed live on May 19th, 2022. The 8PM start is Dominican Republic time, so 7PM EDT. The event will be on their YouTube channel, and will be available on demand after that. The other scheduled event is in July, but I don’t have all the details yet. (It will be for MUG, and about SSH magicks)
My Big Round World
Can you believe my comic has been around for more than a year?!? Honestly it still seems surreal to me. Partially because my artistic skills (or more specifically the lack thereof) have been a running joke for years. In fact, the whole thing started as a joke. Here’s the very first “Blue” I ever drew:
And now, 350-ish comics later, I’m considering putting together a book. It blows my mind on a regular basis. Also, I have no idea how to make a book of my comics, so you don’t need to worry about my pushing book sales any time soon.
The Missing Links
I’ll end this issue with some links you might find interesting.
Reality 2.0 Podcast - I’m an occasional guest host on this privacy-focused podcast, and it’s run by some of my favorite people. We recently talked about Twitter/Mastodon after Elon Musk purchased Twitter, causing uncertainty about the future of the platform. (His purchase caused uncertainty, not us talking about it. We’re not that influential.)
One of my videos was featured in a Hackaday column. It was pretty flattering to see my work out in the wild.
Calyx Institute - I just renewed my Calyx membership, and figured perhaps not everyone knows about them. Again focused on privacy, the Calyx Institute offers unlimited mobile hotspots (via Sprint/T-Mobile) for paying members. The data really does seem to be unlimited, and I’ve never had a problem with my Franklin T-9 hotspot. (I’m actually using it right now while writing this newsletter.)
My Free Linux Essentials Course - I might have linked to this before, but I just posted another video explaining the various Linux certifications available, and it sparked renewed interest in my course.
I’ll end with a link to my “everything” page, which contains links to all the things I do and places I haunt on the Internet. If you ever feel like there’s just not enough shawnp0wers in your life, perhaps talk to a a therapist. Or, you know, check out my other online worlds.
Until next time, remember to Learn Everything, Do What You Love, and most importantly, Be Kind.