How ya been dudes & dudettes? I know I've left you hanging since January (omg longest blog break evarrrr), but only for fantastic, magical, and fabulous, fabulous reasons.
This past April/May was a very transformative time for me: I got a new job, complete with title and pay upgrade (woop woop!), left some dusty b*tches in the dirt where they belong, hit up my five-year class reunion (a former dean asked me if I was famous after hearing about my blog taking off... lol. More on that below), moved into my very own, no roommate apartment in the city that birthed me... and much, much more. The changes have been magnificent and wonderfully overwhelming.
Throughout all of this change & excitement, one of the things keeping me going was all the people that told me it wasn't possible--a former college classmate had the balls to tell me to my face that because he doesn't read blogs, what is the point of creating and maintaining one and who reads blogs, anyway.*
The ones who questioned what I was doing and why, especially with a degree in Literatures & Cultures in English (with a focus on Expository Writing, heyyy).
The ones who did everything in their limited power to try & discourage me from this success.
Hi haters!
My own father didn't even see it for me; as a techie himself, he didn't see the point in concentrating in English at an Ivy League school when, according to him, "You could study that anywhere and for much cheaper." Perhaps. But is IT something other than languages and codes and communication? Because last time I checked, it wasn't. Going to a school like Brown helped me see that, and an infinite number of other valuable things. Having graduated and proving even--no, especially--my Daddy wrong helped him see that, too.
Anyways, for those naysayers I have only a phrase and a song.
Phrase: "Getcha hustle up hoe, look like you doing bad."
Song:
To the lovers & friends, the supporters who saw it for me & this blog, the ones all over the world who buy & rock my Lego heart pins, the ones who helped prep and guide me along the way, I have a song, too:
I may not have as much time to update the blog as I'd like these days, but the payoff and recognition continues to astound me. Recently, the butcher at the grocery store recognized me. He called out from behind the counter, saying I looked familiar and asking if I had a blog. When I confirmed I do have a blog but haven't updated in a while--no name-giving, cuz I'm not tryna be stalked in these skreets--he yelled out "Lisa Bee!"
Though I have this very public blog--whose page hits are in the six figures now, after months of no updates... thank you, readers and curious haters!--in real life I'm an immensely private person and it kinda concerned me that some random at the grocery store identified me. Especially since I never hit up the meat counter, I buy my meat pre-packaged and -processed like a healthy person
My own family members check this site regularly looking for some insight into my personal life--I can't really blame them: hey, I'm an interesting person (so I hear). But what a strange dichotomy that I feel more comfortable sharing with complete strangers than my own fam, especially via the internetz. It is what it is I guess, but know that if you want the actual realness, face-to-face and not stalker-to-personal blog is it, baby. This blog offers but a small and carefully curated glimpse into the awesomeness & complexity that is the Real Lisa. Bet that.
In addition to the off-the-street recognition, every time a former professor of mine** travels around the world--France, the Netherlands, LA, NYC--I always, always get another heart pin order from some mystical, faraway place on the globe. This, too, in addition to the naysayers, lets me know I'm doing something right. It motivates me to keep going.
The response has been and continues to be overwhelming. I wish I could promise you a set date on which to expect my next post, but between being a bawse and stepping my money game all THE way up, it's tough to say. There's many exciting new developments on the horizon, and so very much to learn and share with you guys & gals.
It's going to be one hell of an experience and I want to take all of you along for the ride.
Be patient, my dears. I'm coming back for you.
* This from a guy who also works in IT. Cute, right? But just like "dude"--notice that's in quotation marks--had the cajones to tell me that to my face, I have bigger & heavier balls that drag when I walk. Slain people--"The pen is mightier than the sword"--& small ideas can't rise from the dead. Nice try, though. [back to paragraph]
** The one whose "Electronic Media" course--in which we had to basically build our own website through which to tell a creative non-fiction story by the end of the semester...yes, it was an English class--sparked my interest in doing all this web stuff as a career. [back to paragraph]
