I have been very quiet of late (as if I posted a lot before) due to a variety of things. Work has been busy, looking for a new job, but mostly getting acquainted with Etch, a new builder coming to the WordPress ecosystem.
Work life
Life at VA has been hectic and stressful since January, as uncertainty was the name of the game. With the recent announcements that a major RIF is not expected, things have calmed slightly. Despite what was said, the keyword was major. I believe RIF activities will commence soon, with realignment, reclassification (lowering pay), and other cuts. It won’t be 80,000 people as initially stated, but these activities are likely to add another 5-10,000 in addition to the 30,000 that have already departed.
A job hunt
With all the uncertainty, I started looking for a job outside of government. I have applied for two positions already and have been rejected twice without an interview. The last one I thought for sure was going to happen, but it didn’t work out. I was recently approached about a new opportunity, and I am still contemplating it, but it wouldn’t start until January at the earliest. As of now, it appears that my position at VA is secure, but only time will tell.
Etch
Lastly, Etch. Since the announcement last year that it was forthcoming, I have been closely monitoring its progress. What was supposed to be a barebones builder coming this September is turning out to be an amazing product. Kevin Geary and his development team are working hard to make this the builder that all professionals and agencies will want.
Etch gives you all the benefits of a visual builder, combined with all of the benefits of an IDE, with none of the downsides of either one.
It’s not “another page builder” trying to sit awkwardly on top of WordPress. It’s the missing piece that finally makes WordPress work the way it was always supposed to—powerful for developers, approachable for users, and accessible for everyone.
I have started working on a new Etch-based site, and will likely convert this site and others to Etch. I am still a fan of Bricks Builder, and even Avada, but Etch just meets me where I am at.
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