July 1 marks four years of this blog. Four. Four years.
It shares a birthday with Pamela Anderson, Princess Diana, and Deborah Harry, lead singer of Blondie. So that’s it — hot blondes and my blog.
Had I known how hot and blond spiritually fulfilling this blog would be, I would have started it much sooner. It has brought be joy, catharsis, new friends, business opportunities, and now it’s brought me a new job…
Back in March I wrote a post about being at a crossroads. My day job was getting heavy, my freelance work was picking up, my time for blogging was limited. I had this pipe dream of making it as a full-time blogger, but everyone I know living that dream had some other source of household income. Also, I’m not really sure blogs are going to be around in five years, ten years, so yeah. It would not be smart of me to put all my eggs in that basket. Likewise, it would also not be smart to remain in a day job that I enjoyed, but would never allow for upward mobility.
So I quit my job.
I hussled up all the freelance clients I could take, just to a point where I would be confident in leaving. It had been coming to a head for a while, but last week I stuck a fork in it. To my utter amazement, not only were my bosses okay with my departure, they are keeping me on as a part-time independent contractor (!!!!) In other words, I get to have my cake and eat it too. Which is crazy. I feel so fortunate to work with people that would ever allow this sort of thing to happen. What is this? Who are these people? How did I get here? Am I stupid to leave something this good?
To give you some background, when I was 19 and needed to quit my hostess job at a restaurant, I waited until the end of the shift to give the manager a week’s notice, and then he threw a pot at my head. A pot. At my head. Thank God it was empty, but yeah, that sort of set the precedent for my expectations from my employers. In this more recent scenario, I feared the worst but emerged with the best. I could not ask for a better set-up to start the next chapter. Part of me wants to pinch myself, the other part is like WHOA. CALM DOWN. THE HARD PART HASN’T EVEN BEGUN.
So, did I quit my job to be a full-time blogger?
No. I quit my job to be a freelance graphic designer — something I have been doing as a side job since I was 19, right about the time that guy threw the pot at my head. It’s what I went to art school for, it’s what I do best, and it’s always been a part of my “real job” but I never wanted to risk it as a full time career because the money comes in batches, feast or famine, and my own personal history makes me value stability over anything else. But anyway. In the back of my mind I thought a freelance design career would be a great ‘Someday’ job when I became a married stay at home mom…but that ship isn’t sailing anytime soon, and I’ll be damned if I put my dreams on the back-burner because I don’t have a spouse to lean on. I have two feet to stand on, two hands to work with; why on Earth would I wait around just to depend on someone else? Can I not do this? Can’t I do this? I can do this? I can do this. I’m doing this. I’m doing it. I’m doing it!
That said, there have been a couple of significant changes in the year that have made this shift to self-employment possible;
1. The Affordable Healthcare Act, aka Obamacare. Is it perfect? No. Is it going to allow me to purchase reasonable health insurance for under $500 a month? Yes. That’s not something I could say in 2008, the last time I was faced with this problem (and went without, which, trust me, is a terrifying way to live). I have engaged in enough political arguments on the interwebs this week, so I’m not starting one here, but I will tell you, if you are one of the thousands of Americans who wants to quit their job but think you can’t because of the insurance factor…it’s worth looking into. That’s all I’ll say. Do your homework and look into it.
2. You. You guys! If you read this site on a regular basis (on the site, not in your email or blog reader) you probably notice a couple of ads running along the edges. Those ads have slowly built a baseline of income every month, along with the sort of audience numbers that allow me sponsor opportunities, and monthly contributor slots with Michael’s and ILoveToCreate.com. Is it enough to pay all the bills? No. Is it enough to reassure me that I can count on a minimal amount of revenue each month? Yes. Does that stability give me the confidence to go out and take some risks on other ventures? Absolutely. Does it make me want to create more content? You bet it does.
And while It would be lovely to say that being my own boss will allow me tons of time to do stuff I want to do like blog, travel, chill out with cats and stuff…I suspect this first year is going to be rough. Real rough. I need to aim to take on a new client every week just to cover my butt. The statistics surrounding start-up businesses are scary. Four out of ten new businesses fail in the first year. Around 80% fail in the first five years. Let be honest; the odds are not in my favor, I don’t have a safety net, the cost of living is going up, and I will never again be as young as I am today. If this is going to work, NOW is the time to sink or swim.
So I am going to swim my ass off.
Part of that work is going to be this blog. I’m not leaving my job until the end of next month, which gives me a couple of months to get my ducks in a row. Part of me says I should turn this into a nice and vanilla craft blog and just make a new spangled doo-dah everyday, and pray I can roll up some new audience and sponsors. The other part of me says there are already hundreds of blogs like that, and really good ones too, and you guys don’t really need one more. Interestingly, my stats tell me every time I put up a new craft tutorial, my numbers double, but every time I post a long and rambly writing piece (not unlike this one), my stats quadruple. That right there defies every “expert” opinion on blogging habits I have ever read, but facts are facts, and I’m not going to fight it. I’m going to start publishing my writing more, even if that means I get occasionally ranty and y’all have to put me in my place. I’m also not going to stop making things with my hands or decorating my apartment or finding weird stuff on the internet, that’ll be here too, just perhaps, more often and maybe a little less filtered. I’m going to keep doing what I’m doing, but I’m also going to pump up the jam.
Anyway. That’s still a few weeks off. Right now I have to close up my job and switch this here website over to WordPress (the dinosaur days at Blogger are over!). You probably won’t see any changes for a while, and when you do they’ll be subtle, but I want to let you know they are happening because that’s the sort of relationship we have. I’m going to start letting you know what is going on with my end, even if that means it occasionally gets ugly. I hope you will do the same. You would be surprised how closely I pay attention to what you have to say in comments, emails, and social media, even if I don’t always get to say much in return. I am listening more than you will ever know.
So, My Sweetums, that is the state of the union. And by union I mean my blog, but whatever, you get it. This is probably the part where I’m supposed to say something about a giveaway or a survey (and maybe there will be down the road), but really I just wanted to say thank you. Thank you for being here. Thank you for following. Thank you for lending me your thoughts. Thank you for putting up with my weirdness and my typos and rambles and my never ending quest for flamingos and Benedict Cumberbatch. There are elevtyseven different other places to spend your time on the internet and I am so grateful you chose to spend a minute on this patch of sparkly strangeness called Aunt Peaches. At this moment, I can tell you without a whiff of exaggeration, I do not know what I where I would be without you.
Happy Birthday to us.
Love,
~Peaches
Congratulations, Lady! Here is to the next chapter!
-Yasmin
Thanks, Lady! I’ll see you soon 🙂
Peaches, you are just so awesome. Seriously. I wish I was a business owner so I could hire you to graphic design overhaul everything from logo to envelopes to …… well, I know nothing about graphic design really so I don’t know what else to list here. What I do know is that you are a unique and beloved voice on the internets and I am SO happy and excited for you. You are going to rock this.
Linda, you are too nice. Thank you for your support and for sticking around all the time — it means more to me than you know. 🙂
Aunt Peaches, I am so very happy for you at this time. I have been following you for ages and I know you have wanted this for such a long time. You deserve it!
I’m curious about something you said though, about appreciating people who did not read in emails or on blog readers? Why is that? We love you too!
Jenn in Boston
I love you too, Jenn!
You’ll have to pardon me, I didn’t mean that read as a point of exclusion. All y’all are part of the party! However, if I can be really candid here, the fact is that if someone is reading the content outside the site (like in your email or blog reader) I do not earn anything off that. My share per reader is a fraction of a cent, but it ads up.
To spell it out…Reading content outside the site = no pageviews, and no pageviews = no ad impressions, and no ad impressions = no money. Technically, sponors will ask bloggers for subscribers, but it isn’t a big point of attraction.
So, I can’t tell you what to do, but if you want to support your favorite bloggers, take a sec to read content directly on their site. They will appreciate it!
🙂
So if I see your latest post on Face book and click on it, that doesn’t count? I want all those 1/4 cents to add up! Also, I went to the real site and didn’t see any ads. Are there any up now?
Are you reading on a mobile device? Most mobile browsers will trim off ads unless the blogger gets aggressive with integrating them (and people get annoyed). If you read a link via the facebook app on a mobile device, it will open the content inside the app (like a blog reader). The ads are always here, but they won’t appear on narrow monitors (people get annoyed). People already get annoyed at having to “click to read more” to finish a post…I don’t think they get that “click” makes a big difference to the blogger. I don’t want to discourage anyone from reading blogs…this is just one of those unspoken understandings. Readers want free content, Bloggers want measurable audience numbers. It’s sorta crass to break it down like that, but…yeah. That’s how it works. If you want to support bloggers, read their content directly on their site.
AP, you are the shit. An inspiration all around. Keep it up, girl. So glad you’re stickin’ with us!!!
How am I gonna leave you when you send me pictures of flamingo cars and awesome shit? Like anything else was an option…
Awesome. Happy birthday! I love it here.
I love YOU here.
Yayyyy Youuu!!
N; Yayyy USSSS!
PS: Ann was here this weekend and we talked about you. Imma come out to Colorado and we are all going to tear a new buttcrack down the Rocky mountains thrifting our hearts out. That’s the plan. I’d ask you if you are in but you’ve already been counted.
Happy blog birthday to you, friend! Hau’oli lā hānau!
I don’t know what that means but it sounds better than burping, so I’ll take it as a compliment. Aloha to you and sweet fur baby Juno! 🙂
It’s exciting to see you make this leap. Congrats! let us know how we can help!
Thanks, Michelle! Just keep coming back and giving me feedback — that’s all I need 🙂
Hooray! I’m so pleased for you! I just migrated to WordPress myself and am attempting to figure out all the bells and whistles. Can’t wait to see what direction everything takes you in!
Did you hire a web developer to handle the transfer? I am very familiar with setting up and operating wordpress, but the transfer from Blogger scares me a great deal. I’m looking to hire someone who handles these transfers regularly — if you have any input or recommendations, let me know. I’m all ears!
Well, actually I’d been on GoDaddy (evil, I know…but I had a billion things going on and was being slow making the transfer). I had originally STARTED by moving things to Blogger…but the compatibility between those two was nightmarish. GoDaddy then told me they were shutting down Quickblog in a week and it got slightly more pressing… TO WordPress neither was particularly difficult. It was just a matter of finding where to Export my posts and then Importing them to WordPress. I wound up having to go back and do a little finagling because I was importing from 2 places and so I had some duplicated posts, but that was probably the most painful part of it. I expected it to be way more difficult, but it really wasn’t. I DID go on Fiverr later because I couldn’t figure out how to forward the traffic that was still going to the old site…and so I hired somebody to do that, but the actual move was pretty easy!
Those people on Fiverr are the best. Rely on them all the time!
I am very happy for you. I feel like you are my friend even though we have never met, nor are we likely too. Can you think of a new word for bloggers and their readers? Followers sounds so creepy. Anyway, I feel confident you will do well. You are smart, funny and creative – a great combination for this new venture.
Thanks, Andrea. I feel the same way. I feel like I follow you guys too! We need a new word for our relationship.
What a great intro to the next phase. Woo00oots to your bosses for not cutting the cord. (They are too smart to want to lose you, obviously.) Wishing you epic, Peaches. EPIC.
EPIC, huh?! lol. Michelle, you are the best 🙂
Congratulations and best of luck! I’m along for the ride–Us flamingo lovin’ Cumberbitches have to stick together!
Kim in Gravenhurst (PS Today is also Canada’s 147th Birthday—Yeah, Us!!!)
Oh my gosh, how’d I forget?! Happy Birthday, CANANDA!!
Congrats on making the leap! I’m glad you decided to stick around ;D
Me too!
Wow! Congratulations, kid. You’re going to be great (some more).
Thanks, John!
Go Peaches! Go Peaches! Go Peaches! You are awe-inspiring! The best!….Good luck and fingers crossed super hard!
Don’t cross them too hard — they might stick!
Congrats!! And happy birthday/anniversary/blogiversary!!
Thanks, Emily!
I am so happy for you! Your bosses knew they had a good thing (you)!!!!!! Best of good fortune to you! I love to read your writings…. maybe that is a big part of your calling, for sure! Blogging has an extra wonderful thing about it that keeps your happiness levels up. I hear you on that. Well, I hope you have a wonderful holiday coming up, and I will look forward to hearing and seeing how your future unfolds!!!
xoxo-Julie
Thanks, Julie 🙂
Happy birthday, congrats, good luck, etc! I believe those stats because I’m not a crafty person but enjoy your writing enough to actually click through to each post. Never let go!
Gracias, Gracias.
Wow, that is amazing! As a 20-something who is having a hard time figuring out what to do with her life, this post totally inspired me. So thanks!
That’s very sweet of you to say, Caroline. Just remember that everyone interesting over 30 will tell you they hated their 20’s. It’s a fact. Things get better. Hang in there!
Did you know that you are Twins with Vintage Revivals (I love your guts, Mandi)? Her blog is 4 years old today also. Are you sure you aren’t older than 4? It feels like I have known you forever.
Same day, huh? That’s unusual.
It does feel like we have known each other forever…and now we really do! So good to see you last weekend 🙂
I read Mandi’s post last night and was just thinking what a contrast between the two. Both of you are DIY talent and very humorous but you approach your audience in a very different way.
Happy Blog Birthday, Aunt Peaches! And congratulations on taking steps to make your life happier.
I’ve gone freelance myself this year – actually, it’s official since yesterday (YAY ME), so I guess you’re just as thrilled and delighted and scared as me. The funny thing is that I never wanted to freelance (I am a writer), because I crave security above all, and freelancing is not exactly the epitome of stability. And yet … this year in January I simply woke up one morning and found myself thinking “Screw it. I’ve had enough of this. I’m doing my own thing now.”. And I did.
So far, I’ve had nothing but encouragement and support from everyone I told about it, and for some reason people I haven’t heard from in years come crawling out of the woodwork and ask me to do some work for them. It’s not going to be easy, but I feel optimistic and happy. This was the right thing to do, maybe not forever, but definitely for now.
I wish you all the best, success and happiness! And I will make sure to read all your posts directly on your site – I have them in my Feedly, but actually, now that I think of it, I always come here anyway as Feedly only shows me an excerpt from your feed. 🙂
CONGRATS, ALEXANDRA! YAY YOU!!!
I am experiencing some of that some enthusiasm…people coming around to see about hiring for a project. It’s really great, and I”m hopeful it’ll trickle down further after I finish my portfolio site, etc. Weird though, I have run into some folks who have been not so enthused. Have you? I can tell they don’t mean to be discouraging, but I can tell they don’t think this will work out. A lot of “are you sure you are ready right now?” and “wouldn’t it make more sense to wait for another opportunity?”…which ticks me off. Not in a huge way, but just enough to make me want to work harder. Rawr!
Cheers to YOUR success and happiness! We can do this! 🙂
My mom did the same thing to me when I started my own business. Lucky for me My dad encouraged me when she wasn’t looking. It was confusing and sometimes hurtful but in the end I had to ignore her because her comment came out of fear and not knowing. She hasn’t been in the workforce for 30 years and I can’t blame her for not trusting the unfamiliar. Even after I went out on my own she was really hurt when I asked her to quit giving me unsolicited business advice. You will probably have to do the same at some point so just remember they mean well. And later when you start doing great and being successful, some people are going to be petty and start punching holes in your success. Ignore them! You will be great!
Peaches, strangely, I didn’t even have a single one of those comments! I was fully expecting them, and I wouldn’t have blamed anybody, because, just between you and me and your gazillion readers, I myself would have been all “Are you really sure this is a good idea?”. But, stunningly, no one said anything like that.
Possibly this was because I started my big announcement pretty much like this: “I know I never wanted to freelance but DAMN IT I AM FRESH OUT OF FUCKS TO GIVE AND I AM DOING THIS NOW.”
I am 40 years old and this is the first time I ever felt like this.
It’s glorious.
Yay!! *happy dance with arm waving*. That is all, carry on…
Thanks, Shayne 🙂
Congratulations & Happy Birthday! I agree- it DOES feel like I’ve been reading you for longer. It’s funny how I never noticed the ads until you mentioned them. I think my eyes pass right over them, because I’m too busy looking for new pics of your crafty design! BTW, how about instead of “followers” we can call each other “Mutual Fabulousers”? Then we could have the fun of calling each other MFs! Or maybe a contest for a new term, & the prize could be something you created! OOOO!!!
That’s good — the ads aren’t meant to be obtrusive. I’m glad they aren’t as noticeable 🙂
My hero! I am so freaking excited for you! And INSANELY jealous!
I want to be just like you when I grow up….and I’m 60.
You are sweet to say so, but we ALL still have a lot of growing up to do. Thanks for always coming by, Kathy!
Congratulations!! That is some fantastic news; I can’t wait to see what is yet to come.
No, thank YOU, Amy. I always enjoy reading your comments and feedback. It’s awesome that you take the time. Thanks for that 🙂
A big scary step but you have the right attitude to succeed. I always believe in doing what you love if you can rather then be working for the sake of working. Congratulations and all the best.
Happy Birthday to the blog! Congratulations on going after your dream job!
I love being self-employed. I’ve been so for 20+ years…OMG! The stats were the same then as now but I just figured those didn’t apply to me…lol. That being said, I don’t have a lot of time to read blogs and I read yours through my email, but I will now change that. I haven’t been a regular reader because of the time factor but when I do, it’s usually your long wordy posts, which I love! Funny how I always seem to pick your most profound posts…lol. Anyway, just remember…those stats don’t apply to you! 🙂 Go rock your world!
Happy birthday to your blog! Congratulations on going after your dream, you are brilliant, you can do this! 🙂
Go girl!
CONGRATS!!! on making the move/jump. Great news on the almost-past job and your future plans. I’m proud of you — GO GIRL!
Okay, no one has asked, but I have to. In the birthday photo, you look a bit, um, taken aback. And I can’t figure out what the cake is supposed to be — something like a cartoon character?, or just red icing with strawberries on top?
Lynn in southern NJ
♥ i am so happy for you peaches. i am looking forward to seeing how everything plays out… thank you for sharing.
Congratulations! And all of the best wishes for this new venture!
I do love your crafty posts…but what keeps me coming back are the posts about your life, your family, and your travels. Those are the ones that touch my heart. Please continue those. I need your posts about peach prom dresses and apple cakes.
This is so awesome and I am incredibly happy for you!
And happy blog birthday!
Aw, I’m very proud of you (and way impressed) that you are making such a big leap. Ya gotta follow your bliss, and it sounds like this is the time to hit that road for the trip. And for the record, I read your blog on an actual computer (sidebar ads and all)….AT WORK, even…because it’s the perfect always-make-me-smile break from the chaos of the office. Because that’s what bedazzled flamingos are for, right?
You GO Girl!! Best of luck to you. We will be following along cheering you on!
Yay You!! I love reading your blog, always puts a smile on my face, thank you for being you. Happy Birthday!!
(sorry if this is a duplicate post – I seem to have deleted what I wrote previously!)Yes, yay for you!! I am so excited for you and honored to be among your loyal “followers” or whatever the new term will be. Like Karen above, I especially like your long, wordy posts and am not surprised that they bring you the highest numbers. I have sent your “open letter to Neil Diamond” and “67 pounds of paper” to several friends and family members. They make me laugh and cry. Thanks for being a bright spot in my day, and best of luck on this new chapter!!
Pump it up!!!
You go gurll!! Super excited for you!
Congratulations for taking the big step! Please explain the ad revenue a bit. Is it for unique hits or can I stop by your site say twice in one day and you get credit for both? Am totally willing to add you to my morning and evening web crawl.
I’m so excited for you! I love your blog because of you– the way you are YOU– I love your “ranty” posts, that’s why I keep coming back, because I know that, no matter what, you are true to YOU and what You want to post that day and it’s just so refreshing to have someone be themselves online and not sugarcoat everything
“glittercoat” yes, sugarcoat no!
This is my first time visiting your blog. I am grateful for you having shared your recent experiences. I have been out of the work force now (& through MUCH), about 6 years. It feels like a life-time. It’s the scariest position I have ever been in my life, right now. I must proceed with a fool proof plan for future…. Anyway, I am at a crossroads in my life, found your blog through a simple comment you made on KelliMurray’sGold Leaf paper mâché bowls. And voila! I am at ease just knowing there are others on the fence about blogging careers, writing, etc…so a HUGE thank you for sharing honestly. Also, I am a new reader now sign me up! 😀 Happy 4TH from Canada 🙂
Peaches,
I’ve been away from the site for a couple weeks & catching up. So happy to see things are starting to fall into line for you. And thanks for not giving up the blog at this point…I love it! You have restored the artist in me and this blog makes me happy!
J
Man! SO much happens when I leave the country for a week.
Congrats and I admire you so much.
(I left Blogger a few months ago when the spam comments were taking up too much of my time–enjoy your new platform!)
Hi Peaches!
I’ve started reading your blog yestarday and whoa!!! (found it through CAKIES) You can definately say you have a new follower (from Madrid, Spain)!! I spent two hours going through it and loved it! the dyi and this kind of posts too. Congratulations on your decision, i’m sure you’re going to be fine. (I’m considering doing the same too myself in a long term) Best of lucks! I’ll be here on the other side reading what the future holds for you! Laura
I am SOOO happy for you! you are going to be amazing in your new venture, i just know it. I’m so glad to be around and see where this next chapter takes you, you’re a Seriously Amazing Lady 🙂
Oh Aunt Peaches, I am so excited about your new adventure. You are doing what so many want to do but don’t have the guts to do it. It looks great on you and everything good will continue to shine on you.
Your biggest fan in Mississauga,
Naomi