Category: Products

WordCamp US 2026: E-Commerce Idea Percolator

The Portly Politico4 Comments

Note: the following post contains affiliate links.  I receive a portion of any purchases made through these links, at no additional cost to you. Additionally, Automattic is (hopefully) compensating me for promoting WordCamp US 2026; you can get $20 off a general admission ticket with promo code AF26. —TPP

Thank you to everyone who left such sweet comments about Murphy. I am so thankful for the five years I had with the old girl, and hearing how she touched your lives brought me a great deal of joy (and some more tears). She was such a good, sweet, sassy girl, and I miss her so much. —TPP

Two weeks ago I wrote a post about WordCamp US 2026 (WCUS 2026), which is coming to Phoenix, Arizona Sunday, 16 through Wednesday, 19 August 2026 at the Phoenix Convention Center. It’s only $80 for a general admission ticket with promo code AF26. You can purchase tickets here.

I’ve been using WordPress.com as my main platform for blogging daily since 2019, but I’ve never been to one of these conferences. I took a look at the list of speakers and their topics for WordCamp US 2026, and it looks like the kind of thing that would be really useful not just for writers, but also business owners.

Right now, Dr. Wife and I have a number of little projects to get done around the house. One of the downsides of living in a rural area is that it can be difficult to find contractors. You have two options: search online, which has limited results at best (and, increasingly, I just ask AI, which I use as a glorified search engine); or ask people locally. Everybody “knows a guy”—or knows a guy who “knows a guy.”

The problem I run into is when I’m looking for some niche specialty. For example, right now we’re trying to get a garage door repaired. The door works, but it won’t close unless someone stands there and holds the button down until the door is completely closed. It’s one of those things that isn’t urgent, but it’s enough of a nuisance that I’d like to get it fixed. Well, searching for “garage door repair” pulls up all sorts of entities that may or may not exist, and may or may not be willing to come to us for service. They often barely have a website, or are just an unreliable floating in the ether.

[A quick aside: while writing this piece, one of the garage door repair dudes called me back; it turns out I just needed to adjust the sensors so that align better—and to dust the cobwebs off of them. There’s a reason I’m a teacher and not a skilled technician.]

It’s kind of crazy that it has to be said, but in 2026, you need a website; if you’re in business, you need an active, updated website. Even if you’re not conducting business, having a website is worthwhile (and WordPress.com makes it super easy to build one); it’s almost like a living résumé.

So what does all of this winging about websites have to do with WordCamp US 2026? Well, if I were looking to maintain a strong web presence using the easiest tools available (and WordPress.com currently has the easiest and most robust tools for public-facing entrepreneurial endeavors), I’d love to hear from people who are using and experimenting with WordPress.com every single day.

Indeed, of the many talks at WordCamp US 2026, there’s an entire talk about using WordPress.com as a operating system. It’s a concept that I can immediately visualize, but never thought of on my own (for which I am kicking myself now). If you’re a small business owner establishing an online presence with WordPress.com, to which many people already have some kind of account, being able to create an entire e-commerce ecosystem that functions a la an operating system is a pretty clever concept that, I imagine, removes many of the headaches of maintaining multiple logins, etc.

Maybe I’m reading too much into the promise or the purpose of the talk, but just the idea has my mind percolating. Imagine being awash in new ideas and conferencing and networking at WordCamp US 2026 for four days (and, again for only $80 with promo code AF26 here).

It’s also worth noting that, while you can use and learn WordPress.com just fine without flying to Phoenix, Arizona, the folks behind Automattic products and services (like WordPress.com,  Jetpack, and Akismet) will be there, it’s the perfect opportunity to learn how to use these services from the very people that program and maintain them.

Again, yours portly just uses the $8/month (when paid annually) “Premium” plan, which isn’t built for large-scale e-commerce, but if I were an entrepreneur with a more robust online business and/or a brick-and-mortar business, I’d likely use the WordPress.com “Business” plan ($25/month, when paid annually). Before I made such a leap, I’d do a good bit of research. Talking to folks at WordCamp US 2026 who make these products would be a fast-track to learning, I’d imagine.

Sure, we can learn a great deal now with AI and other resources, but I find that a conference helps me think about things I’d never consider searching for on my own. I get the impression that WordPress.com, while accessible to users, also holds depths of functionality that I’ve only begun to uncover. Seeing how other folks who have plumbed those depths would be a real education.

And for $80 (with promo code AF26), WordCamp US 2026 is the best deal in education.

To attend, get your tickets here.

Now, back to my to-do list—and hunting for contractors.

The Portly Politico is me, Tyler James Cook. I’ve been blogging on WordPress since 2018, and daily since 2019. I love to write about politics, culture, and music, and frequently feature my original music. Check out my musical creations here on the blog or on Bandcamp. —TPP

Bloggers, Unite: WordCamp US 2026

The Portly Politico4 Comments

Note: the following post contains affiliate links.  I receive a portion of any purchases made through these links, at no additional cost to you. Additionally, Automattic is (hopefully) compensating me for promoting WordCamp US 2026; you can get $20 off a general admission ticket with promo code AF26. —TPP

Last month I wrote four posts about WordPress.com and its various features. I’ve been using WordPress.com as my main platform for blogging and shameless self-promotion since 2018, and daily since 2019, so I’ve had eight years of experience working within its ecosystem.

A major part of that ecosystem is the community of writers and readers who share their stories and perspectives on their own WordPress.com sites (or at least in the comments section). It’s been pretty cool to develop links to great writers like Erin over at Existential Ergonomics; Audre Myers at Words on the Word; and Dave at Nebraska Energy Observer (not to mention frequent commenter and contributor Ponty, to whom I owe a deep debt of gratitude for his dedication to yours portly’s scribblings). It’s a sincere joy to exchange ideas with these and other writers, and to create our own little “blogosphere-within-the-blogosphere,” as it were.

An idea that gets floated from time to time is the blogger get-together. “Wouldn’t it be cool if we all met someday?” Surely it would, but the realities of travel, age, family commitments, and the fact that we’re all relative strangers (even if it feels like we’re not on the Internet) makes that dream more elusive than Audre’s beloved Bigfoot.

But what if there was a way to hang out with your favorite bloggers—and meet a lot of other writers, developers, designers, online retailers, and so on—in a safe setting under the auspices of WordPress.com/Automattic?

Well—you probably saw this coming—good news: WordCamp US 2026 (WCUS 2026) is coming to Phoenix, Arizona, for four days of networking, learning, and connecting. The event runs from Sunday, 16 through Wednesday, 19 August 2026 at the Phoenix Convention Center, and it’s only $100!

Actually, it’s only $80 for a general admission ticket with promo code AF26. You can purchase tickets here.

The folks behind Automattic products and services like WordPress.com,  Jetpack, and Akismet (I love Akismet; I would be buried beneath an avalanche of juicy spam if it weren’t for that service) will be there, so I imagine it would be a good opportunity to give in-person feedback (and/or to complain bitterly to the Happiness Engineers—pick your poison) to the people who make this ecosystem possible. Indeed, Sunday, 16 August 2026 is “Contributor Day,” which specifically is about collaborating “with fellow WordPress enthusiasts” to “help build the future of the platform” per the conference’s website.

I’ve never attended a WordPress.com event, but WordCamp US 2026 is the kind of event I’d like to attend if possible (and if airfare from the nearest airport to Phoenix is reasonable). The fact that it’s so affordable (again, just $80 with promo code AF26) makes it tantalizing. I’ve been blogging long enough that getting out to Arizona for a few days to learn more about it from the pros (and the people that make real money doing it) could be a worthwhile investment.

If nothing else, I could maybe write a sequel to my highly unsuccessful collection of travel essays, Arizonan Sojourn, South Carolinian Dreams: And Other Adventures.

But I digress. For those of you with a professional development budget, the $80 ticket price (again, with promo code AF26) is insane for four days of conferencing. If you use any Automattic services for your employer, this conference would be great to attend—your employer only shells out eighty bucks for the conference itself, and you get to go to Phoenix, Arizona for four days and rub elbows with your fellow nerds. Other than the location being in Phoenix in August (imagine the sweat by late afternoon, although I’m assured that the convention center is “fully air-conditioned”), it’d be an easy sell to your boss.

If you had an opportunity to attend WordCamp US 2026, what would you most like to learn? Should yours portly take the plunge, book the flight, and cover this conference in absorbing detail for the blog? Leave a comment and let me know!

Oh, and keep writing!

The Portly Politico is me, Tyler James Cook. I’ve been blogging on WordPress since 2018, and daily since 2019. I love to write about politics, culture, and music, and frequently feature my original music. Check out my musical creations here on the blog or on Bandcamp. —TPP

Printing: The Brother DCP-L2640DW Laser Printer

The Portly Politico20 Comments

Yours portly doesn’t have any new music or covers this week, although I have arranged a delightful rendition of the theme from Agatha Christie’s Poirot and hope to record that soon (thanks to Ponty for that recommendation). Here’s the theme song itself, which is a killer sax solo:

The one thing that has forestalled my practicing and recording of my arrangement of the piece is my printer. I purchased an Epson printer some years ago because I’ve had good experience with other Epson products (we use their projectors frequently at school). The printer was, as most printers are, always a bit finicky, but it worked well enough for my needs, and it’s typically rare for me to need to print anything at home.

Then one fateful day I made the mistake of updating the firmware. Suddenly, the perfectly serviceable third-party ink cartridges I used weren’t good enough for my printer, which demanded only the finest (and overpriced) Epson ink. That took me down a rabbit hole of cheapskatery in an attempt to locate an earlier version of the firmware online.

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Support My Right-Wing Culture

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Yesterday I encouraged readers to “Support Right-Wing Culture“; the thesis of my argument was that there are conservatives who create amazing art, but who languish in obscurity.  Meanwhile, we’ll complain that don’t have any cultural products compared to the Left while also paying for a DailyWire+ subscription so Ben Shapiro can buy another ivory kippah. (but, by all means, have a DW+ subscription, just also be willing to spend five or ten bucks a month on smaller creators).

Ben Shapiro doesn’t need your money or your emotional support (although his plummeting viewership may suggest otherwise).  His wife (like mine) is a doctor, after all.  Quite frankly, he doesn’t deserve it, either:  it’s pretty clear he hates the very people he purports to support.  However, conservatives are willing to give him $9 a month, but will balk at the idea of spending $9 a month to support a small creator, for whom that $9 could be extremely impactful.

But I digress.  Plenty of other people can (and have, and should) poke fun at Ben Shapiro.  My point here is to discuss ways we can build each other up—and build a lasting cultural legacy.

To that end, I highlighted a few creators yesterday (note that a lot of the links to come are Amazon Affiliate links; I receive a portion of the purchases made through these links, at no additional cost to you):

There are several other creators I failed to mention yesterday; to wit:

And that’s just a start!  There are people who are really trying to create new, original, cool stuff.

I’d like to think I am one of them.  All of the folks mentioned above are far more talented and driven than yours portly, but I’d like to think I have created some unique culture in my doughy life.  So, here are some of the ways you can support my contributions to right-wing culture:

  • Buy my stuff in the Based Book Sale short stories sale, starting tomorrow, Wednesday, 18 March 2026 (they’ll be $0.99 each from 18-25 March 2026)
  • Buy my music on Bandcamp using promo code moving to take 90% off your purchase
  • Download my instrumental piece “π” for free (just type in “$0” when “purchasing” and put in your e-mail address)
  • Check out my YouTube channel (and like, subscribe, and comment—all of which are free ways to support the channel)
  • Buy my books (and write a review—it takes only a few minutes and helps a lot)
  • Subscribe to/follow me on Substack (for free or with a paid subscription)
  • Subscribe to my SubscribeStar page (for as little as $1 a month, which is probably too cheap)
  • Share blog posts (including this one) to your friends, family, etc.
  • Stream my music (on Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube Music, and more)

Almost all of those items can be replicated for the other creators mentioned herein.  None of them take very long.  Many of them are free!

It doesn’t take much.  I know money is tight and we’re probably staring down the start of the Third World War (or everything fine will be in another week—no need to panic), but everyone can afford five bucks a month to support a creator.  Sacrifice one meal out and you’ve saved enough buy a couple of books or Substack subscriptions.

We conservatives need to step up and actually support—financially, morally, and culturally—our own people.  The Left has built entire institutions to propagate their worldview, such as it is.

We don’t have to let them have a stranglehold on creating cool stuff.  There is more to life than grilling and Kid Rock concerts and Ben Shapiro’s nasally commentary.

So dig deep and do the bare minimum to support the creators in your life (and, if you see fit, me, even though I just lectured you).

God Bless!

—TPP

Flashback Friday^16: Brack Friday Bunduru: Workers Need a Break

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When I first wrote about workers needed Thanksgiving Day off, I was experiencing pretty severe burnout myself.  I do still believe that the Black Friday creeping into Thanksgiving is reprehensible, but I also realize my own stress was playing a role in my analysis.

Of course, this Black Friday I’m bunduru’d with Dr. Wife on the high seas, so I’m absolutely getting a break.  Indeed, I might be eating pizza covered in gravy and leftover turkey from last night’s onboard Thanksgiving feast (I assume we had one; I’m writing this post way beforehand).  While I’m enjoying the Thanksgiving Lover’s Pizza, though, millions are schlepping into retail stores at 4 AM to help grannies save pennies on toaster ovens.

Well, who doesn’t love a good deal?  But a better deal would be shuttering retailers all day on Thanksgiving so employees can rest up and spend time with family before being berated by penny-pinching Karens.

With that, here is 25 November 2022’s “Flashback Friday^4: Brack Friday Bunduru: Workers Need a Break“:

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TBT^4: Zelda Game & Watch

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On 2 May 2022 I purchased the legendary Zelda Game & Watch by Nintendo (that link is an Amazon Affiliate link, which means I receive a portion of any purchases made through that link, at no additional cost to you).  It’s a small, handheld device that has the first Zelda games, as well as the Gameboy’s classic Link’s Awakening.  It also functions as a clock, which is kind of cool, too.

I wrote a very long post about the unit back on 31 May 2022, lovingly detailing the wild nostalgia trip the unit sparked.  Honestly, 2022 seems like the distant past, and it was only three years ago!  Regardless, I still have the unit, and while I am clearing out a lot of my old technology, I don’t have any immediate plans to sell this bad boy.

If you’re a gamer and you appreciate the classic Zelda games, I highly recommend you grab the unit.  It’s currently $53.93 on Amazon (again, that’s an affiliate link), but it’s worth every penny.  Considering most video games now are at least $60 brand new, that’s a steal.

Or you can live vicariously through this massive reblog for free.

With that, here is 23 May 2024’s “TBT^2: Zelda Game & Watch“:

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May 2025 Bandcamp Friday!

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Pickup my newest release, Leftovers IV!  Get 80% off with promo code ham.  That’s 80% off ANYTHING and EVERYTHING on my Bandcamp page, including the album, full discography purchases, merch, etc.!

Want to play the sax?  Read my ultimate guide to getting started for under $350.

Wanna be utterly perplexed while laughing uproariously?  Grab a copy of my first book, The One-Minute Mysteries of Inspector Gerard: The Ultimate Flatfoot (that’s an Amazon Affiliate link, so I’ll receive a portion of any purchase made through that link, at no additional cost to you—plus I’ll get the book royalties).

My latest EP, Leftovers IV, released a couple of weeks ago.  It’s $5, but with promo code ham it’s only $1.  My full discography typically goes for $72.14, but with promo code ham it’s $14.23, or roughly $0.55 per release.  Twenty-six albums, constituting over eight hours of music, for $0.55 per release is ludicrous.

But it’s even better—if you purchase anything from Bandcamp today (Friday, 2 May 2025), Bandcamp does not take their 15% cut.  I get more money, and you get insane amounts of music for pennies on the dollar.  That’s the beauty of Bandcamp Friday!

As I detailed a few weeks ago, yours portly needs your financial support.  Purchasing my music is one way you can help—and enjoy some enigmatic tunes in the process!

Happy Friday!

—TPP

Short Sax Starter Pack Recommendation

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My students and I will head to the annual SCISA Music Festival tomorrow, and I’ve been trying lately to book more gigs playing the saxophone, and it’s gotten me thinking about the Slade alto saxophone I purchased last year (that link—and most of the others in this post—is an Amazon Affiliate link; I receive a portion of any purchases made through that and other links, at no additional cost to you).  It’s been a very good saxophone, and I’m prepared to recommend it to potential budget sax shoppers, with one major caveat.

This post is intended as a guide for parents looking to buy an affordable alto saxophone for their child, or for a later-in-life beginner who wants to get into the instrument without too much cost.  If you follow my advice, you should be able to kit yourself or your child out with a decent, budget load-out for under $350.

For those of you stumbling upon this post, I’ll briefly introduce myself:  I’ve been playing saxophone for nearly thirty years, and have been teaching music nearly full-time for fifteen years.  I also teach a ton of private music lessons, and have helped a number of families find affordable, quality instruments over the years.  I’m not a pro saxophonist, but I know a lot about them, and I love the instrument.

A quick note:  many school music programs will have a rental program set up with a local music shop.  These rental programs are not worth it.  You’ll end up spending way more money over time, even if you’re doing a rent-to-own situation.  If money is an issue, set aside $50 a month for six months, and you’ll be able to afford everything I’m recommending here.  Save another $25, and you’ll be able to afford the reeds I’m recommending (the Slade comes with reeds; more on that below).  If you child is starting band in the fall, start saving now, and you’ll be fine by September.

I detail the pros and cons of the sax and various accessories.  For my list of recommended items to purchase (the sax and accessories), scroll to the bottom of the post.

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TBT^4: Getting Medieval… with LEGO

The Portly Politico4 Comments

Yours portly is forty-years old, but still suffers from a crippling LEGO habit.  Perhaps my saving grace is that I am so busy, I don’t have much time to sit down and assemble these massive LEGO sets.  I have some awesome ones from Christmas that I still need to dig into and build.

My first really big set meant for “adults” was the one featured in this old piece.  It’s a pretty cool “medieval” blacksmith’s shop.  It was an absolute blast to build, and took me several hours across a couple of days.

Note that the posts below may contain Amazon Affiliate links; I honestly can’t remember.  If they are there, and you make a purchase through those links, I get a portion of the proceeds, at no additional cost to you.  Amazon requires me to write that, so I’m covering my butt to appease a corporate megalodon.

With that, here is 8 February 2024’s “TBT^2: Getting Medieval… with LEGO“:

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PRISM Out Today!

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My new album, PRISM, is out today, Friday, 7 February 2025. Use promo code “photon” to get 20% off this release, my biggest and longest to date!

PRISM follows the journey of a single photon through the spectrum of light, flashing from darkness through the dazzling light and color of the rainbow.

The entire album clocks in at fifty minutes, and features my longest composition to date, the title track, “PRISM.” It also comes packed with bonus material, including the following:

  • Full PDF scores of each piece!
  • Unique artwork!
  • Original, handwritten manuscript scores!
  • Original music videos for nine of the eleven tracks!

PRISM is a conceptual musical journey that encourages deep, meditative listening. It also makes for good background music if that’s more your speed.

PRISM is available on the following platforms:

Remember, use promo code “photon” for 20% off!

Happy Listening!