My hope is that if nothing else, you will find this site entertaining and want to contribute to the conversation.
Here’s my story … the short version.
I spent most of my freshman year in college walking through the mall avoiding classes and mourning the death of great artists and musicians. Being a Gen-X’er, it was a very solemn time. I was attending college on a scholarship and it just so happens my mother was a professor there as well.
During my sophomore year, I was called into the dean’s office and was told that I wasn’t in the right place. I had to move on. Even though I passed every test and did every assignment, my attendance was abysmal.
I took a few months to regroup. Me, the straight A student, the one who never wanted to disappoint anyone, was kicked out of college.
I finally got myself together, applied to a state school and begged them to let me in. That isn’t an exaggeration. I took my mother with me to the dean’s office and pleaded my case. I told him that I would attend every class and take courses year round to prove that I could graduate. The universe conspired and they let me in. I did exactly what I said I would do. I took classes year round and graduated with a high GPA without losing any time. I even traveled abroad to study, had multiple internships and a work study to help pay for college.
My work study was in the athletics department. I sang the National Anthem at every home game and then washed all the dirty uniforms after the game. It was a weird experience. More on that later.
Then I got accepted into Up with People. This was a dream come true. I traveled for one year with 100s of international students. I saw the country from buses, planes, and lived with beautiful host families in many different states. I came home to begin my “adult life”. Not too long after, I was offered a job at Verizon doing sales. I sold yellow page ads. Then my world shattered a bit and I had to make a big change. I moved to center city and lived with a dear friend. I started bartending and soon after taught bartending courses at five different schools in the area. I was a really good teacher.
Then one day, I was bored and on MySpace. I noticed some record label from South Jersey was looking for singers to help do background vocals on tracks. Spoiler alert, I didn’t end up singing but I did up starting a company with the person I contacted on MySpace. We ran the company for years and tried many different business angels while we had it. I did a podcast, worked for a music magazine, ran a store, but never sang again.
One day, we realized that MySpace wasn’t going to be around forever and even though the artists had a MySpace page, it could one day be taken away. I started googling tutorials on how to make websites. I downloaded Gimp and then found WordPress.
My first sites were terrible but I kept at it. The music industry was changing and money was slim. I started looking for a job. I got hired at YIKES and then Web DevStudios and now Automattic. I worked my up through the trenches.
From music to tech, my life is very full. When I’m not talking with amazing colleagues and customers, I spend my time living a beautiful life. I recently bought a new home and I’m restoring it back to its former glory in the suburbs. It’s the dream.
Through writing, food, music, my pets, art, and spirituality, I will continue to keep screwing it up and fixing it.
