David Condon Finds

Why Buy Me a Coffee Works – and How You Can Support This Blog Running a small business is a major juggling act, there's a good reason why self employed people have bags under their eyes and a caffeinated nervous energy look to them on a semi-permanent basis. There’s the work you do, the admin you planned for — and the admin that snuck up on you. Then there’s the website you maintain, the content you write, the ads you try to make sense of — all while figuring out how to keep the lights on, the wheels turning, and the bills paid. And all of this on a narrow budget of both time and money in a life that ain't getting any longer. Even when things go well, small businesses rarely have the luxury of a cushion. That’s where Buy Me a Coffee comes in — a simple, no-fuss way to support what I do here on this blog and behind the scenes in my business. And you can do it too!

Why I Keep Rewatching Sons of Anarchy — Even When It Drives Me Mad I’ve just finished rewatching Mayans MC, and as usual, that led me straight back to Sons of Anarchy for what’s probably my fifth full rewatch. There’s something about this show that keeps pulling me back in, even though I have a love/hate relationship with some of the content, especially the parts that try (and fail) to involve Ireland. So here's a breakdown of what I love, what makes me cringe, and why I’ll probably watch it all over again within the next year.

Why I'm Going to Spend Less on Google Ads — Thanks to AI Overviews You’ve probably seen the advice flying around: “Increase your ad spend to stay competitive on Google.” With AI Overviews taking over the top of search results and organic clicks becoming harder to earn, many large businesses, small business owners and bloggers are pouring more money into Google Ads just to stay visible. I'm doing the opposite.

I’ve been using a basic cookie notice on my website for years and, to be honest, I never really paid much attention to it. But recently, there’s been a big push from Google for website owners like me to upgrade to a proper Cookie Management Platform (CMP) — the more advanced (and paid) kind that meets stricter compliance requirements for things like Google Ads and GDPR. So I did it. I installed Cookiebot, and now I have a full breakdown of how people interact with that little pop-up. And here’s what I found: a lot of people — at least a third — choose to reject all cookies.

Always on the Lookout for Great Products on Amazon in 2025! Discover 50+ Great Amazon Products for 2025 – Personally Tested & Recommended If you're always hunting for clever and useful Amazon finds, you're in the right place. I’ve put together a growing list of top-rated products on Amazon in 2025 that I’ve either personally used, plan to buy, or had “enthusiastically suggested” by family members (yes, really 😅). Unlike many generic roundups, this is a curated guide of standout items that have genuinely improved my day-to-day life—at home, in the workshop, and everywhere in between. From must-have tools and gadgets to fun gift ideas for her (and him), there’s something here for just about everyone. This List Got Too Big! This post originally featured all 50+ products in one long scroll — but it got too big and slow to manage, especially for mobile visitors. It was also living on my main website, which probably wasn’t helping the woodcraft focus I’m aiming for there — so I’...

Why I wrote this Post When the first symptoms of Peripheral Neuropathy hit, those strange pin-pricks in my feet and legs, followed by tingling and numbness in random parts of my body—it completely blindsided me. I was worried, confused and desperate for answers. If you're feeling the same way right now, you're not alone. That’s exactly why I wrote this post: to share what I’ve learned, what I wish I’d known sooner, and to offer a bit of calm in what can feel like a very chaotic moment. Because those first weird sensations? They were just the beginning...

There was a time when courier services were a lifesaver for small businesses. Fast, trackable, offering one rate regardless of box size or weight and a welcome alternative to the long queues at the post office. But in recent years, many of us have started to ask the same question: what happened? If you're a small business owner in Ireland, you’ve probably had your fair share of headaches with couriers and you know exactly what I'm talking about. Missed collections, phantom “attempted deliveries,” and the endless loop of automated or non-existent customer service... it's frustrating, time-consuming, and damaging to customer trust. So why is this happening? And is it time we re-evaluate how we send and receive goods in 2025?

There’s an old saying in retail and hospitality that “the customer is always right.” It’s become something of an expected golden rule in business but I don’t believe it’s always fair. Especially not for small businesses or frontline employees who are often left to deal with entitled or unreasonable demands. As someone who runs a hands-on, customer-facing business, I’ve dealt with all kinds of people over the years. The vast majority of them are kind, reasonable, and a genuine pleasure to deal with. They ask questions, respect the time and effort that goes into the work, and treat me the way they’d like to be treated themselves. I value those people immensely — they’re the reason I keep doing what I do.  Before you read on: If you’re interested, I’ve written another post that goes deeper into what self-employment is really like — feel free to check it out after this.

What TV and Film Get Right (and Horribly Right) About Human Nature I was watching  The Last Ship  again recently — not for the first time — and something struck me all over again. It’s not the virus or the bombs or the zombies that make these post-apocalyptic worlds so terrifying. It’s the people. But is that really how people would be — or is Hollywood just colouring us all with the same brush? A brush that generates a lot of money.

Hoping for a Miracle Let’s be honest — if you live with any kind of chronic pain, inflammation, or restless nights, you’ll try just about anything that might help. Tablets, snake oils, electronic devices, praying to your fairy godmother — anything to bring relief from what ails you. I’ve always been a bit sceptical of “miracle cures,” especially when they’re splashed all over social media ads promising to heal you overnight.  Before I go on: I have a series of posts on Peripheral Neuropathy if you'd like to read how I found relief after reading this post.