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# Life after Automattic: week 10 & 11
- URL: https://broddin.be/life-after-automattic-week-10-11/
- Published: 2024-12-23T13:30:35.000Z
- Updated: 2026-07-19T19:03:36.000Z
- Description: Missed last week's update since I've been busy polishing my projects. Added PostHog analytics and dark mode to Lijsje, made light-up tiaras for the neighborhood parade, and caught an amazing Vampire Weekend show. Taking it slow for the holidays!
- Author: Tim Broddin
- Tags: freedom-log, #Migrated-1784487752640, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-07-19 19:02

*Last October, I took what's called an "alignment offer" - a severance package offered when an employee and company's values no longer align. With six months of runway, I decided to take a sabbatical to work on personal projects and explore what's next. If you're curious about the journey, check out parts* [*1*](https://broddin.be/content/files/2026/07/freedom-week-1-2.html)*,* [*2*](https://broddin.be/content/files/2026/07/freedom-week-2-2.html)*,* [*3*](https://broddin.be/content/files/2026/07/freedom-week-3-2.html)*,* [*4*](https://broddin.be/content/files/2026/07/life-after-automattic-week-4-2.html)*,* [*5*](https://broddin.be/content/files/2026/07/life-after-automattic-week-5-2.html)*,* [*6*](https://broddin.be/content/files/2026/07/life-after-automattic-week-6-2-2.html)*,* [*7*](https://broddin.be/content/files/2026/07/life-after-automattic-week-7-2.html)*,* [*8*](https://broddin.be/content/files/2026/07/life-after-automattic-week-8-2.html)*, and* [*9*](https://broddin.be/content/files/2026/07/life-after-automattic-week-9-2.html)*.*

Dang, I didn't write an update last week. The reason is twofold: writing these updates takes a lot of time, and the things I worked on these past two weeks aren't that exciting to share. Don't get me wrong; I did a lot of work on side projects, but it's been mostly adding polish.

## Lijsje

I added PostHog to Lijsje. [PostHog](https://posthog.com/?ref=broddin.be) is a really cool open-source analytics tool, that allows for advanced analytics, funnels, session recording, A/B testing, and even surveys. A consequence of adding PostHog was that I had to add a cookie banner to the site. I hate cookie banners, so I'll be evaluating if the extra insights are worth the hassle.

I also added dark mode and made a carousel showcasing the site's features on the homepage.

Traffic and conversion have been good these past few weeks, but with the holidays now only days away, it's steeply declining. I guess everybody has made their list and bought their presents 😄

![](https://broddinblog.on-forge.com/storage/100/cleanshot-2024-12-23-at-132905-at-2x.png)

## Light parade

Last week, the neighborhood held its yearly light parade. I repeatedly asked the kids if they wanted me to make them something over the past couple of weeks or if they wanted to take the lanterns I made [two years ago](https://broddin.be/content/files/2026/07/the-light-parade.html) for the third time.

The answer was no every single time. Of course, one day before the event, they changed their minds. They wanted light-emitting tiaras.

I find it very hard to say no, so I spent a whole day 3D-printing tiaras, attaching LED strips, soldering wires, and designing an enclosure for the microcontroller and battery. It was a race against the clock, but in the end, it all worked out.

## Misc

- After the not-so-great launch of [Endgame](https://endgame.now/?ref=broddin.be), I decided to wind down development on it for a while.
- I did start building another app using [Expo](https://expo.dev/?ref=broddin.be). I can't tell much about it yet.
- My father-in-law and I rented a big machine to scrub the concrete floor last week. I totally underestimated the amount of time it takes to scrub a floor. It took a full day and was super exhausting, but the result was awesome.

- I caught Vampire Weekend in Amsterdam. What a show. It was terrific, and there was so much joy. They started out as a three-piece until the backdrop fell, and there turned out to be a full band hiding behind it. After a lengthy normal set, they continued to play audience-sourced cover versions.

The next two weeks will be very slow, since there are a lot of holidays, the kids are at home and I should probably relax a bit. See you next year I guess!