In just about two weeks (depending on when you read this 🤓) the WordCamp that I (David) have been helping to organize for a few years—I actually forget if I helped in 2017 🤷‍♂️—is happening. That is it’s WordCamp Denver 2020 time. Because of that whole bother about COVID, we’re going to be virtual, which does mean that if your area has good time-zone overlap with the US, you can likely attend all or parts of it live. And we’d love to have you!

It being the year of COVID (to say nothing of America’s very recent confrontation with our persistent problems with racial injustice) means that WordCamp Europe—now very online and starting tomorrow—had slipped my memory and attention.

A quick little uplifting story I missed a few weeks ago: as the COVID-19 lockdowns were setting in worldwide, more and more people were doing web searches for “wordpress.” Or so reports Alex Denning, the original creator of WPShout, and a reliable man in my book.

Another catchy little diddy bankrolled by my friend Zach Katz over at GravityView:

I feel like I’ve heard this “block pattern” idea in a few different places for a while. But I’ve always taken extra interest in WordPress technology once Justin Tadlock writes about it. So I think I’ll want to install Gutenberg 7.7 somewhere soon to see the next level of Gutenberg. Because Justin got me a little hyped about them too, just as he is:

WordPress 5.4, “Adderley,” launched yesterday, March 31, 2020. It’s a very Gutenberg-focused release, with two new default blocks—Buttons and Social Icons—plus a lot of other improvements to the block editor.

From the insular dream-world of COVID-19 Quarantines sweeping into new countries everyday, this feels a little strange to be talking about WordCamp US. The idea that at some point in the future I’ll eventually go to a place where hundred of people intentionally huddle together, shake hands, etc. But it used to happen once upon a time. And I’m guessing that it will again.

WooCommerce 4.0 has shipped. I love WooCommerce, and I can’t think of another free software package in WordPress that has been the backbone of so many actually-profitable online small businesses.

We love WP&UP, the UK-based charity whose mission is “Supporting and promoting positive mental health within the WordPress community.” We spoke with trustee/founder Dan Maby at WordCamp US 2018, and were beyond impressed not only with his mission but with how he proposes to go about fulfilling it—read about his four health hubs for details.

The first WordCamp Asia, scheduled in Bangkok from February 21 through February 23, has been canceled due to COVID-19 fears.