Well, pdx.sh is gone. The VM, DB and massive object storage are all deleted. I’m feeling a mixture of sadness and relief. I want to say that I’m hopeful that not being responsible for running that server is going to free up my creative energy for some exciting new project that I am announcing today but I don’t have anything to announce. I’m exhausted by both becoming a parent and by the general state of the world right now. What I need most is some time to rest and reflect while working my day job, then maybe some new ideas will come. If you want to do the social media thing, I can now be found as @highb@fosstodon.org.

How times have changed– they always do. Just about one year ago, Samantha and I were celebrating the first anniversary of Portlandish (pdx.sh), reflecting on the joy of building a small, vibrant community. We spoke of how fulfilling it was to offer a little corner of the internet free from ads, fostering conversations about science, art, activism, and, of course, cats.

Today, we announce that Portlandish will cease operations on March 6, 2025. This decision comes in response to the shifting political landscape in the United States, including potential changes to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which could make it increasingly difficult for small platforms like ours to operate safely and sustainably.

As of today, November 25th, 2023, Samantha and I are celebrating a full year of operating our Mastodon server, pdx.sh. In this time, we’ve grown to a community of 27 active users! This journey has been incredibly rewarding, as we’ve watched our local community flourish gradually, with minimal marketing or promotion. It’s fulfilling to offer this little corner of the internet—a space free from sponsored posts and advertisements—where people can freely engage. We hope our volunteer efforts inspire others to contribute their time and resources towards making a positive impact in their own unique ways.