It's a new year... and even though I don't believe in resolutions, recent changes in my life compel me to talk about the evolution of Fermenting Solutions. The big change that I'm referring to is the fact that I'm working for Threddies full time and no longer have a traditional day job. If you care at all about the details of that change, you can read all about it here .

Needless to say, Fermenting Solutions in 2019 is going to include way more Threddies. If you're interested in bootstrapping a startup or iteratively growing a multi channel ecommerce business, you're going to want to stay tuned this year. I am pumped for the opportunities for great content that this is going to provide! A particularly vexing problem that I'm working on right now involves automating some of the manual things I need to do daily with our email marketing software. Stay tuned for a solution!

Even though I still maintain a handful of Android apps, it's not going to be a major focus of mine this year. I no longer focus on Android day to day and I'm instead transitioning most of those solutions to being PWAs and Assistant apps. Some of this work might have Android overlap, but you'll be hearing way more about Google Cloud Platform and Cloud Functions . This is the go forward technology stack that we're using to enhance Threddies and ultimately bring additional ecommerce solutions to market.

I've joined a few committees dedicated to connecting Montgomery and Bucks counties with trails. Expect solutions around grant writing, dealing with small government and private landowners and all the wonderful issues that come along with crossing local jurisdictions. I have ulterior motives of some day being able to safely ride my bike between home and work without enduring the dangers of Cowpath and Cat Hill roads, but this will ultimately benefit the health and wellbeing of many people.

I've completely rebooted my productivity routine since there were so many constraints put on it artificially due to the demands of having a traditional 9 to 5 job. I could write volumes about this already, but I'll dribble tips out over time ;) Let's just say that if you ever find yourself in a similar situation, don't hesitate to rethink everything that you've come to rely on. I wish I didn't wait even the few weeks that I did to reevaluate everything. There's also something to be said about abandoning dedicated 'workout' time in favor of making it a core part of everything that you do. I started this early last year, but it's so much easier when you have complete control of your surroundings and schedule.

One way that I incorporate 'workouts' into everything I do involves a never ending list of outdoor projects which you'll hear much more about. I've begun building a walking trail 'labyrinth' on my property to make up for the track that I used to walk at my day job. In addition to getting my steps in, I use this as a way to incorporate a daily mindful walking practice to keep those cortisol levels low.

I recently purchased a FluidStance and it has taken my standing desk game to a whole new level. I always found myself leaning and practicing poor posture while standing and that would sometimes result in a stiff hamstring or achilles tendon. I've noticed that even spending part of the day on the FluidStance seems to alleviate that problem and makes it much less likely that I'll adopt a leaning position. Definitely a purchase that has made a difference in my life.

That's it for this issue. but first, I almost forgot about the beer (not really, but the link wasn't resolving; no fear... there will be just as much beer content from issue to issue as before 😏). Ersatz Good from my friends at Hidden River Brewing Company... it's a GREAT replacement!

Jason

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