To Blogger, or To Wordpress?

I'm pretty sure that a few months ago, I decided to merge my Wordpress blog into this one, but ended up forgetting to actually post any of the imported content. Now that I've flooded the blog with old stuff, and updated my format, it's time to get down to business.

I missed Blogger.

Working with Wordpress day in and day out, I still can't get the appeal. It's not difficult to use, but it's difficult to look at my dashboard and see basic things without needing to go hunt down a plug-in for it. When I find myself looking back at this blog, and my old ones from ages ago, it's easy to see that I've had X amount of views and clicks this month, along with all sorts of other data and pretty graphs. I still can't figure that out with WP. 

Now that I have a Windows Phone, though, I've pretty much accepted that I won't be able to do things like I used to. No blogging on the go, no real social on the go, which is fine. But for the sake of having a place to post again, as well as having a good clean blog to work with when I DO get around to it, I'm starting this up again anyways.

Let's hope I can develop a habit of posting regularly, and stick to it.

What's the goal of freelancing?

The goal of any form of work is to gain experience, make new connections, and get paid. But what if you finally had everything you wanted as a freelancer: full-time work (or as much as you need) at the rate you want, savings and retirement accounts, and no fear regarding tax season. Your bills are paid, you are successful, what more could you need?

Some employers and contractors think that the goal for everyone is a full time, staff position with benefits.

Even if you are gainfully self-employed with the benefits that come along with it, a chance at that salary + health insurance job is pretty much gold.

Imagine two jobs, both with the same gross salary and benefits, except one is as a self employed contractor and the other is as a remote-working employee. Apart from being able to collect unemployment as a laid off employee, I can't really see the difference.

What is the goal of freelancing, then, if it isn't to get a 'real' job?

The Chatty Introvert

LinkedIn just sent me the article "Best Career Mistake: Drawing a Blank With a Powerful Executive." I started reading it, then cut myself off. I've done this. I've made this mistake. I've blanked when approached by execs, and when blindsided by hiring managers.

I talk a lot. I hate talking, I hate talking on the phone, and I really don't like people. But I trick myself into being social during those 'blanks' by gabbing like a crazy person about any and everything. I hold onto the actual important things, and end up blurting them out at the end of a call, or sneaking them into an odd email. It must be a nervous habit.

I make all of the mistakes. But I think there's a reason. Why did I blow that interview? Because another, better opportunity was right around the corner.

The Fearful Freelancer

Some people can make the switch to freelance life seamlessly. They know their audience, their business, and what they can provide and go with it. They roll with the punches, and learn when they could normally just give up.

For years it seemed that my transition was also seamless. I started taking on oDesk contracts while in college, kept a few when I had a day job, and got more whenever the job market hit. In every lapse in employment, I've always been able to turn to oDesk.

But even after all this time as a writer on oDesk, a writer who actually does more social media and research than anything, I still find myself crippled with fear when asked to write an article.

What if the client doesn't like it? What if I spent too long researching? What if it sounds like I'm as dumb as I feel when writing about your sound equipment?

I most struggle with the fear that I'm not good enough. I get daily invitations from people needing articles, bloggers, ghostwriters... But apart from the fact that I hate '20 Unique Excellent, SEO-optimized articles in 1 Hour!), I hate when hourly jobs ask me to write an article.

I'm just not good at it. I almost feel like subcontracting everything I get to someone who actually enjoys writing for businesses.

Sunday Before Tax Day

My mind is a bit of a mess. I have a headache from the number of worries and hopes running through me right now. But I know that I'm happy.

Today is my little bro in law's birthday party day, and I haven't gotten his gift yet. Tomorrow is tax day, and I can't actually afford the bill from Michigan. I'm sitting in Barnes & Noble, one of my favorite book chains, surrounded by books I can't afford to buy.

My eyes hurt, but it's so beautiful outside after a week of wet and cold weather.

I actually have work to do this week, oDesk jobs that I just started, which is great. I really need to get creative though, and start managing my own social media like I manage other peoples' accounts!

Why Does Cabela's Want My Phone Number?

A few years ago, I started getting a ridiculous amount of spam phone calls. Automatic machines offering cruises, credit card companies trying to offer the Har-JAW-LAAAAAAAHS a new lower-interest VISA, and several calls from foreigners that I couldn't understand (and that I hung up on). I was getting several phone calls to my cell phone everyday, all day. First thing in the morning, before my alarm went off, while in class, and just before bed.

Not only that, I started getting catalogs and credit card offers through the mail.

It took a while for me to put the pieces together and answer the question, "What did I do?"

I know I had opened a Maurices store card, but that's it. Nothing out of the ordinary, no browsing on website and entering into travel sweepstakes. No signing up for any special offers... So I googled something along the lines of "Suddenly getting a lot of telemarketers calling my cell phone." I quickly found the only plausible reason--I had given out my phone number at Maurices, and most likely every store in my area.

Gamestop for sure, JC Penney, Shopko and all of the grocery stores around. Whenever I'd got to Marquette, nearly everyone asked, and I gave it. In the UP, it's common for cashiers to hear your number and ask where you're from. And if you're local, or they recognize the first three numbers, they'll ask you about your area. The entire UP is area code 906, the cities of Houghton/Hancock are 487, 482, 483... If you're from Chassell, 523. If you have Verizon, 281. So it's habit for everyone to just give their number. Chances are, the cashier will say "I have a cousin from Calumet!" and a conversation will spur from there.

But my research showed that when you give your zip code, email address, or phone number to a store for "demographics" or "newsletters," it's really going into a pool of information that merchants can take advantage of. That zip code you just gave them with your name is like handing them your entire address and life history in a portfolio, with instructions on how to exploit your information. Yes, please call my phone at all hours. I'd love to get junk mail from your friends.


(See the article, "Should you tell stores your zip code?" via NBCNews.com)

So I stopped giving out information. A semi-polite "no, thank you" and I'd be on my way.

This past weekend, I went to Cabela's in Tulalip, WA with my husband to spend some of his birthday money. I'd gone there several times in the past few months to get a few gifts, and my "no, thank you" worked just fine. It's just for demographics, they say. I'd rather not, I say.

But on Saturday, my husband had found nearly $100 worth of feathers and hooks and fly line that he had to have, even after doing the same thing only a few days prior. (Too much money spent at Cabela's!). The girl rang up the total, and asked for my phone number, and I said "Oh, no" while trying to swipe my card. She stopped me from sliding my card and said that she had to have the number.

I told her that it's just for demographics, and I'd rather not give out that information. She told me that it's just a phone number, and that she couldn't let me buy anything without it. I started to explain that a phone number attached to a name and credit card is like handing over my identity, and she interrupted me to say again that I wouldn't not be able to buy anything unless I gave her the info. She then started pushing buttons on the intercom, trying to get a manger to come over. I told her that I'd come to this store many times without any problems, have a Cabela's card, have spent a ridiculous amount of money there... And she spoke over me to instruct me that those cashiers must have been new hires and it's required. By this time, she looked to be shaking with annoyance and wouldn't even make eye contact. She kept repeating, "Just give me the number!"

My husband is not one to stand up for things. He doesn't like petty arguments and is really forgiving.

I'm not like that.

He didn't want to cause a scene and gave this woman MY PHONE NUMBER so that we could escape. She had just turned to face me, looking about ready to beat me in the face if I didn't give her the number and he caved. Of course then, I couldn't believe he'd do that after my persistence, and wanted to SHAKE HIM (among other things).

Minutes later, I called the store and got in touch with Customer Service. I told them what happened, that this woman (by name) refused to let me spend money without my phone number. She wouldn't let me slide my card. She wouldn't let me leave the store. Of course they apologized, told me I was right, asked for her name, etc.

But I've never felt so humiliated, so mistreated, and so shocked while shopping before. I spent my Saturday to enjoy Ladies Day Out at Cabela's, entered sweepstakes and won a few things, only to get talked down to by a cashier who would rather rip my hair out than let me leave the store without my personal information.

I need to come up with a fake identity.

Best Jobs In America

Best Jobs In America. This is what they should hand out to incoming freshmen!

If you could do it all over again, which would you be?

[caption id="attachment_293" align="alignnone" width="600"] Best Jobs In America[/caption]

Don't Quit Your Day Job

It's nearing December and I know now that satisfaction in my career probably won't come to me any time soon. Part of it is not knowing what I want out of life and my future, the other part is fear that once I find it, I won't be able to achieve it.

For over a year I was pleased with my freelancing efforts. I got to stay at home, I got to sleep in and make my own schedule. I got to move cross-country without worrying about finding a job when I got there. Everything I created while working was mine, every success was mine. I was stressed out,  focused on my clients constantly, but when I provided good work, I got instant feedback and support. The possibilities in freelance work are endless when you're good at what you do, be it writing, design, or even tech support.

After my contract with Blue Volcano ended, and work for Firestarter slowed down to trickles and bursts of random tasks, I knew I needed something regular. If only to please my money-conscious husband. So for the first time in a long time, I entered the mass of job seekers. This time, in Portland. I went to career fairs and was bombarded with sales positions, I went on Craigslist and was stricken with  automotive service writing positions, and was so annoyed that I got a LinkedIn JobSeeker membership to contact employers directly. It took a week and I ended up at Bonfire. After a month of great work and praise, I was on the jobseeking hunt again.

Only this time it wasn't a hunt. More like an angry, wandering prowl through websites and doubtful possibilities. I didn't want to go through job loss again. I didn't want to fail again. I didn't want to put myself into that position again, in a small agency where my job could be dissolved without cause. I didn't want to take a contract that could be over tomorrow because the employer ran out of money.

There's a job that I've wanted for months. Technical Writer at my husband's company. They're paid fairly, it's stable, and there are so many employees that there's room to grow.

It's been clear to me that no matter what I do, how many people I contact, how many times I contact the recruiter, they're not hiring any more writers. They're looking for engineers. Another slap in the face with my degree.

So where am I now? Really hating myself for taking a job that I really didn't want in the first place for a paycheck. A meager, sliced up one at that with all the taxes and insurance payments that I didn't have to worry about before. I'm not using my brain at all, I feel pretty stupid and it's been barely a month since I started doing data entry in a cube. I feel even more stupid knowing that I'm the laughingstock of the office because I took this job with my stellar resume.

I'm kind of hurt, and lost at the moment. Trying to figure out what I want out of my career, so I can go after it, and leave this grey box of click...ctrl+C...click...ctrl+V.

Freelancers: You're Not Invincible

As a freelancer, it's easy to think that you can do anything. This is especially true when you've never failed on a project, have met all of your deadlines, and have been blessed with great clients.

Up until yesterday, I was pretty confident that if it had to do with writing, or social media, I was on it. I've done alright on oDesk and have taken on some big contracts for companies all over the country. But I had a contract practically handed to me in a Skype interview, and it just didn't feel right to accept it.

When you get an assignment for something that you aren't exactly qualified for, you have two choices. One, you can take it on and research like a crazy person to prepare for it. Or two, you can admit that you can't do it and move on.

I was so confident that I could take this contract as a Research Analyst that I pitched the guy everything I had. I matched the description perfectly, and I made a stellar impression. Then he explained the job, and the scope of it... just astounded me. I've done social media work before, managed entire accounts on my own, but I specialize in content and communities. So when he asked for projection plans and budgets, I was quick to point out that I'd not had the opportunity to control that side of an account before. He was so confident that I could make it happen that he said not to over-think it, and to get him a plan by the next day. I would be writing all the posts for the blog and social media, as well as managing the advertising and publicizing of the product. I'd track everything, propose costs and execute... Everything.

Now, I know people who do this kind of thing on a regular basis. One of my previous employers (Blue Volcano Media) can take an account already knowing the time frames and costs to get X amount of followers by X date. It's not rocket science once you've done it a few times, but I haven't! I've worked for a company like this where the goal of the account is to get followers and make sales, not to increase engagement and interaction with the brand. I wrote it about it in my blog post Social Media Marketing as a Science. Sadly, my part in that company was as a Community Manager, not as a strategist or scientist.

I signed out of the interview with the potential employer raving about my talents, and how much he trusted that I could get this done. It was fee-based, or fixed-priced, though, so I had to come up with how much to charge. I actually don't have the slightest idea of what to charge most of the time, so I asked for a ballpark price from a friend. That's when it really sunk in: I can't do it.

I'm not afraid of failure and I'm not afraid of turning down an account, but it was so hard letting this guy down. He was excited, but I had to tell him that I didn't have the experience needed for his project and would have to withdraw my application. He then switched tactics, asking for me to only do the research and writing aspect of it. Once I get the courage to turn something down, I'm pretty blocked off from it, so I had to do it again and explain that research and writing is so tied to the marketing side of things that it'd be best to hire someone who can do it all, or be prepared to have a team on it.

Not only was it best for me to turn this job down, even being as jobless as I am, it was better for the employer and his vision.

Hootsuite Analytics Tutorial

One of my first tasks as a Social Media Specialist was to create a tutorial for Hootsuite Analytics. I'd only just started using HootSuite for monitoring social media, let alone for tracking statistics, so who was I to create a presentation to be shown to clients?

I love Prezi. I can do anything on Prezi. I can create a presentation and think through the process with Prezi. When I'm given a task to make a PowerPoint, I run to Prezi to conceptualize it, plan it out, and get everything I want into it. There is nothing like being free of slides and just spreading out in an online space.

So I came up with this tutorial. Looking through it now, it's very simplified and dated, and almost comes off as a Social Media for Dummies lesson plan. It's very step by step and perfect for a business owner just venturing into Insights and scheduling tools like HootSuite, RavenTools, and Time.ly.

Layers By Scentsy

Layers By Scentsy[/caption]

Ever have someone walk past you who smelled so good that it seemed to emanate from their pores? Clothes, hair, car... Just a breath of fresh air from all angles. I've actually trailed people before, just trying to place their cologne or perfume to find at a Macy's.

In the past, every time that I'd come across one of these heavily fragrant people I'd light a bunch of candles and spritz body spray and soak in body wash. I'm a scent person, I can trace any scent, can remember things by smell from before I was in kindergarten. But I could never quite get that amazing, head-turning fragrance.

Layers by Scentsy answers that call with scent solutions to compliment your home Scensy system. Take a bath with bath tablets, moisturize with Shower Cream and Body Lotion, grace your pulse points with Solid Perfume, scent your clothes with Washer Whiffs... If you want to smell deliciously good everywhere you go, Scentsy Layers has you covered!

What Kind of Writer Am I?

When you go to school for Engineering, you come out an Engineer. If you follow a track to become a Medical Transcriptionist, you pick up a job as one. With a Nursing certification, you're automatically a nurse.

But when you have a degree in Communications, Writing, or English, there's a good chance that even your professors don't know what you'll be doing post-grad. Where you take your education is purely up to you... Which can be incredibly liberating, or beyond annoying.

I went through university angry at myself for going into Technical Communication. No one could answer the simple question, "What job am I trying to get?" with a simple answer. It was always, "You can be anything you want!" I learned how to take the initiative with my schedule and take the classes that interested me, that I could communicate and justify to others, and would get me to analyze content in a critical way. Discussion, preparation, evaluation, and presentation.

There was no hand to hold, no support system of advisors and coaches to get me through my classes, but the expectance of resourcefulness to handle my assignments. Technical report writing, usability writing, web design... Our entire major was holed up in the computer lab past midnight, nearly every night, researching and learning. We were creative in how we finished our work, relating each project to our own lives in some way. I've taken this creativity into my job search.

As a Technical Writer, my resume could be filled with clips in documentation, instruction writing, and manual writing. Instead, I've found myself accepting positions in multimedia. My first contract position was doing research and writing web copy for a software company, my second was researching and editing for Travelocity, and my third was writing 30+ page profiles of clients for Reputation.com. I could go down the list, but it's all the same: writing, just not strictly technical writing.

I'm pretty great with social media, do excellent work, and absorb myself in growing communities. But I want to be great with manual writing, documentation, etc. I've shaped myself into a creative writer, but it's time again for scientific writing.

How Pinterest Can Help Your Job Search

Get a job with Pinterest boards

Since the hype has died down and the exclusivity has passed, how are people using Pinterest? It's not all about crafts, home design, and fun dinner ideas!

I recently came across an article from Mashable, 5 Ways to Use Pinterest for Your Job Search, full of tips on how you can turn your resume into a set of boards. Did you know that there are thousands of print resumes just sitting on Pinterest? It sounds easy to just pin an image to your boards, tag it #design #resume, and hope for the best. But let's stop thinking so linearly, and put our Pinterest caps on!

Getting your resume out there is the first step, but the purpose of Pinterest is to share your ideas, your life, your experiences. Is a personal resume worth sharing? Not really, but pics from that internship at Intel are, or your trip to Mexico after graduation, or your first real job. Are you a graphic designer? Then your work should be in pinned, tagged, and linked back to your resume and related pinboard.

Stay active by following career-related boards, liking and re-pinning work similar to yours, and sharing pins by other job seekers. But, as with any platform, any movement at all (even just setting up your own boards) should get you enough visibility to gain a few followers of your own right off.

What have you been doing with your resume? Linking it on to your Twitter, LinkedIn, job applications and other profiles, right? Well, do the same thing with your "Resume" Pinboard!

What's different about a resume on Pinterest is that it's alive, active, broken up into shareable content. It's no longer a static document, but an ongoing trail of experiences and growths.

Social Media Marketing as a Science

Social Media Science

Recently, I did some work with the social media experts in downtown Portland, Bonfire Social Media (or, Bonfire Marketing). I didn't know it at the time, but Bonfire has a bit of a name here in the PDX. It's BIG, according to one of my graphic designer friends.

As with any agency, mentioning their clients is a big no-no, so for this I'll just refer you to their site to find the types accounts they work with. But I can say, that I'd never worked on accounts of this size (and influence) before--a popular brand with high visibility, a television network, and a large community of fans faithful to a childhood show. During my short time with the agency, I got to experience a different side of SMM, community management, and even fandom.

As an avid absorber of current, highly-publicized things, I know what it's like to be a superfan. Boy bands, movies, books, reality television shows... If it's being blasted across all channels, chances are that I'm into it. So when I visit popular Facebook pages as one of a million "likes," I'm happy to go with the flow of whatever they say. A new episode of True Blood is coming out? I'm in the flurry of fans debating what's going to happen, looking for spoilers, and sharing content on my blogs.

With Bonfire, I got the chance to be the moderator on 3 pages like this. I managed the files, the stats, the responses, and was aware of what the followers were talking about. They got a branded sweatshirt off Etsy? The actors are using profanity and posting inappropriate pics? It was my job to find these things, alert the primary, and document it in Basecamp. I also know how difficult it is to wait for the next chapter of a story, or a follow-up album,  so it was a bit strange to be on the other end keeping fans excited about the new season, while not actually telling them anything new and deleting spoilers.

Another thing that was exciting (and darn scary) was posting on an account with a ton of fans just waiting for a new post. What if it wasn't proofed correctly? What if the text skews while submitting? What if I post the wrong image? Thankfully none of these things happened! With pages this popular, over 1000 people see the post before it even loads on your screen. Spam is already all over the new post, as well as answers, comments, and fan praise.

What I learned in my previous position as a Community Specialist with Blue Volcano Media, is that nothing is more important than relating to your audience, focusing on your followers, and interacting as often as possible. Thanking each individual follower, directing them to your website, or a blog post they might find interesting, or commenting one of their own posts. I grew an account from 191 followers to 1200 in just a few months by doing this--and paying attention to them. What was the goal? Interacting, sharing, conversing. This was the way to grow the community into loyal customers!

It was a different ball game with Bonfire because of the size of the accounts. So much time was spent monitoring, brainstorming, and tracking metrics, that interaction was limited. And with the influence of the accounts, there were only a few approved answers to use for replies, and every post was meticulously done. But what was really the kicker, was the stats.

They are experts, specialists, and while creativity and "fun" are emphasized, it really only comes down to one thing: numbers. Every week, every day, clicks, likes, money on ads spent, cost per fan, people talking about this, are noted in a spreadsheet somewhere to be used in the client updates. Charts and graphs, analyses and summaries, all updated constantly. Instead of focusing on getting new fans (those are inevitable), they are going for having a specific number of fans by X date. Instead of telling the client that they will manage and grow their customers through Facebook, they are out to achieve goals and prove their influence on the business.

For this kind of company, social media is a science (not an art), and it's worth it. One thing I took away from my time there was the passion that the boss had for proof in numbers. He is out to show every client that these techniques, these advertisements, and our social media efforts got them those sales, that influence, and that success. Every new development on Tech Crunch was so exciting because it was another way to promote social media and how it can make or break a company, or a marketing campaign. Also, I've never seen someone so pumped about Facebook ad re-targeting.

Every Social Media Manager should intern at an agency like this, just to see how it looks from the other side, where you aren't focused on raising awareness and growing communities, but on learning how strategy plays a part in statistics. In these types of companies, the audience is the client.

A little resume tip...

Focusing Your Social Media Content

It's easy to approach your Facebook and Twitter pages with the sole purpose of promoting your brand, products, and services. Why wouldn't you want to optimize your content with industry-specific posts? Because it isn't about you and your business, it's about your customers and their community as a whole!

One of my former accounts, a well-known virtual call center, gave me a very limited range of topics to promote on their Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google Plus pages. As a new Social Media Specialist, I had no problem with going with the flow and sticking to the requested keywords: the cloud, home-based call centers, and customer service. For Twitter, my audience was business executives, clients, and popular industry leaders like Flavio Martins (The Managr), Peter Cashmore (Mashable), and Inc. For Facebook, my audience was the group of extremely loyal customer service agents employed by the company.

Twitter, G+, and LinkedIn couldn't be changed at all, so #custserv, #cloud, and #callcenter were all used frequently. I found the right content, the right people to follow, and RTed the most popular articles as soon as they showed up in my feed. Nothing spectacular clicks-wise, but regular interaction wasn't surprising. I shared our own blog posts, job listings, and pages as well.

But for Facebook, this same tactic got little results. For a page with a lot of traffic, and a lot of "likes" on every post, it was strange to see that there was so little interaction. I had seen a few quotes posted in the past, about success and management, but only with a handful of likes. I experimented with posting times, but nothing stood out there either.

Who are customer service agents anyway? Who are these people? What are they interested in, and what are they sharing?

These agents were mostly women, stay at home moms with families. Most of them probably don't check Facebook for customer service tips, quotes, and news about the cloud! So I started approaching my posts differently. This was during the Pinterest craze, full of work at home moms and crafty ladies. I mixed my customer service posts up by switching those about cloud, with big, eye-catching photos. Interactive posts like, "Show us your workspace!" with a pic of a really chic home office, or "It's the last day of summer! In 5 words, tell us what you'll miss the most" with a bright image of a cherry popsicle and our own caption.

Both were VERY well received, with more likes, shares, and comments than ever before. But the real topper was the pin above, paired with a simple "You are the best agents in the business. Thank you for all that you do!" Comments flooded in, with praise for the company, expressions of gratitude, and job inquiries.

Through the rest of my contract, and with my other accounts, I took the initiative to focus on relatable content that would be enjoyed, and not just optimized industry news and topics.

Scentsy - Bring Back My Bar

Scentsy Bring Back My Bar

It's that time again! Scentsy's Bring Back My Bar is back with "The Sweet Scent of Democracy."

In case you don't know what Bring Back My Bar (BBMB) is, imagine that perfect, long-time favorite scent from years ago returned. Or, in the last catalog, you completely missed out on a fragrance and it was discontinued before you placed that final order. BBMB is when some of those favorites are voted back into production for one month only.

People are passionate about the BBMB, some buying 10s of a bar to stock up--it may never come back again!

Who can vote, and how? Anyone can vote on their favorite scents, all the way back to 2005, here. What am I voting on? Here's my list:

Orange Chiffon Cake, Pumpkin Pie, Oatmeal Pie, and COMFORT AND JOY!!!!!!!!

Check out the list and tell me your faves!

Visioning Exercise (first draft)

Today, I met with a long-time online friend for the first time. I didn't know that she was so closeby, and with my current job search, getting the chance to talk to her was amazing.

I didn't know that she was a graphic designer either, with the hookup here in Portland... She gave me a lot of tips, leads, and AMAZING advice. Something that resonated: Excellence isn't Perfection.

Another thing she asked me to do was a visioning exercise, to pinpoint what it is that I want (and not just a job). What is my ideal workday? Give specifics, like when I want to wake up and what kind of environment I'd like to work in.

One year from now, I'd like to be making $25/hr. I'd like to work close to home in the Hillsboro area in a large company. I want health insurance, vision and dental. I want company benefits, coworkers, teammates... I want to make enough to drive a Prius, eat out, and travel home for the holidays.

Thinking of my dream workday is difficult for me. At this point, I can't see past the work I've done and what I've enjoyed and disliked the most. Which of my talents do I want to grow on in a company? I've spent so long as a freelancer, taking any contract offered and building my skill set. Now's the time to buckle down and focus!

Missing Home

Homemade chocolate mousse with hand-whipped cream.

My husband and I recently relocated from the UP, Michigan to Portland, Oregon. We've seen so much already, and really love the area, but we don't know anyone and have been homesick. Hopefully we get set up here soon enough with a church, and meet a few locals soon!

Keep on dreaming

I roll with the punches, I keep people guessing, and I continue on my merry way. Why? No one else is going to do it for me.

I have this strong desire to leave this place, and have had it for a long, long time. I never realized it before, until I remembered what I always wanted [to be] when I grew up.

I never thought of a career as my goal, and never answered those annoying questions with "A doctor! A business lady!" What did I want to be when I grew up, at age 8? "Alone, secure, and far away from here." That was all I hoped for. I was content in working in a bookstore stocking shelves, or in a restaurant bussing tables, as long as I was away from Mama, Detroit, Michigan, and anyone who knew me.

What do I want now? To be away, able to pay my bills, but mainly just away from Michigan. Far, too.

Does that mean I want a new life? Does that mean I hate what I have?
Am I terrible for wanting something that isn't a moment away from the family and friends that I have so closeby, now?

I wonder about this most days.