jamie ann

This past weekend when I hosted the Chicago preBlogHer meet up, there was lots of talk about how we all got started with blogging. I don’t know if I’ve ever really talked about it much here so I figured I’d write about it. Plus, it’s very interesting to hear other people’s stories on how blogging came to be for them.

I started writing on Livejournal in 2002, way back before I even knew what a blog was. In the next couple of years, I found Dooce because someone mentioned she posted photos of her dog with spaghetti noodles around his nose and I thought it was the most hilarious thing. (Hey Heather, bring back the spaghetti and Chuck photos!)

Then that lead to other blogs, like Amalah, Joy Unexpected and Miss Zoot (who are still some of my favorites today). This was years before I knew there were 20somethings who blogged. I kept up with those blogs but stuck to Livejournal because blogs were where they big girls played and I just didn’t feel on that level just yet. I didn’t have anything important to say so I’d stick to my daily posts about my day and bands I seen in my locked LJ.

In fall of 2007, I created a blog that lived for a few short months then deleted it. I think it was once I discovered Brandy’s blog that I decided I was ready to have a grown up blog because I found someone (and a whole network) I could relate to and finally said goodbye to good old LJ. I jumped right into NaBloPoMo and into 20SB, where I was one of the first 100ish members (now there are over 6,000 of us!).

And the rest was history.

How did you get started blogging?

I’ve come home from Las Vegas to no job. And well this leaves me in quite the predicament because I’m broke. No, not because I blew all my money gambling because none of us really did any gambling. Shock! You don’t have to gamble to have fun in Vegas! I wasn’t really working many hours as it was and hey, I was a part-time nanny so it’s not like I was rolling around in a bed full of cash while sipping champagne.

I’m sure I’ll pick up the occasional hours babysitting here and there but for the most part, I won’t have steady income coming in. This leaves me 1) poor and 2) bored.

Now for possible solutions.

For the POOR part of this unfortunate equation, I obviously have been and will continue  applying to jobs. The thing I feel that is holding me back from getting hired a lot of places is my lack of degree. The only way I can go back to school is if I have a job to help me pay for it since I won’t be having help from my parents. So yeah, even though bursting at the seams with ideas, have hands on experience and most importantly, am eager to learn, a lot of people won’t take that chance on me. I’m not letting that deter me though from jobs I think I’m qualified for in other ways. I’m confident in my skills.

Or instead of a 9-5, I can try my hand at freelancing. I think this is the route I’ll be following in the meantime.

(I do know for sure, I’m tired of the big game talking and promise making people do about stuff that always falls through or dropping off the radar after getting you involved with things. I’m so not interested.)

As for the BORED part, there are a few things I’ll be doing to combat this.

• Hit that library and take advantage of the free stuff! I’m a book nerd and I love to read. I haven’t had the time to lately so it’s time to change that.
• Write more to keep my skills sharp.
• Make 20 Something Bloggers the best community out there because hey, did you know? I’m your new favorite Community Admin keeping your forums clean and being generally awesome!
• Exercise. Keep up the long walks with Edie. Shred it up. And let my personal trainer in a box kick my ass.
• Get a hobby. I have something in mind but that is a post in itself so stay tuned.

So those are my plans to help battle the unemployment beast. Any other ideas?

And if you know of any sweet jobs that could use a blogger extraordinaire, Etsy loving, mac and cheese making, puppy cuddling, social media person of awesome, let me know.

I’d even consider moving because, dude, Chicago winters suck.