1. I was laid off from my job in product management and marketing for a software company in July 2009. As I started looking for “real jobs,” specifically in the marketing space, I noticed that every one was asking for a writing portfolio. Knowing that a dry technical document like product requirements or a PowerPoint written in corporate speak didn’t showcase my best abilities, I thought I’d start a blog. Because, well, why not.
And in September 2009, I officially launched allthingsfadra.blogspot.com. I put no thought into the name or the design or even what I would write about. I babbled for about six months on there before I discovered three things:
1. When I wasn’t writing for someone else, I actually enjoyed writing. Who knew?
2. There’s this whole community of bloggers. Yes. I was pretty late to this discovery.
3. If I wanted to continue with my new found passion, I better get on over to WordPress.org. Which is exactly what I did.
2. The one adjective used to consistently describe me throughout my entire life is weird. Seriously. You can post it on my Facebook wall and all the elementary through high school students I went to school with will agree. For a while, I wore it like a badge of honor. I was different! I was special! I was unique! And then I struggled like most people because I just wanted to fit in.
When I finally discovered blogging and starting sharing some of my “weirdness” (ranging from personal stories from my childhood to my quirky take on a garden variety of topics), I found that I was actually living amidst an entire population of misfits and never even knew it. Telling stories helps me connect with people who make me feel normal (and yes, sometimes special) and it allows me to let the weird people out there know they’re not alone.
3. Have you ever heard of a workhorse? Or workaholic? I am whatever the opposite of that is. If given the opportunity, I would spend an entire day laying on the couch with my iPhone playing mindless games. But since I’ve got money to earn, a family to feed, a dog to walk, and a house to take care of, I do get up. I bounce around my entire day from running errands to doing household chores to making dinner to just being a mom. And in all those in between times, I’m in front of my computer typing away.
The hardest part about this kind of life, which is actually a bit of a dream life for me, is that it requires a bit of self-discipline. And as I mentioned, my natural predisposition is sitting on the couch with my iPhone, so you see the problem. And it can be a bit of an emotional day for me. I may start with the greatest ideas in the morning, run out of steam by lunch, and be ready to give up on all of the internet by dinner. Every day, I have to find motivation – which I look for everywhere.
4. If I had a million dollars…I’d place it in a secure mutual fund and watch my money grow steadily.
OH, WHO AM I KIDDING?
Let’s get the charity aspect out of the way first. Of course, I’d give some of it away. My heart belongs to animals so I’d divvy up a good chunk to major animal charities like The Humane Society of the United States and to smaller ones like Tails of Hope (where I got my dog Roscoe).
And then, I’d do a little spending. I’d hire someone to come in and do all the things in my house that my husband insists we do ourselves – laying hardwood floors, building a deck, tiling a backsplash (all of this and I’ve never even considered doing a DIY blog).
Finally, I’d do a ton of traveling all over the world. I’d go to quaint, out-of-the-way spots and also luxury resorts on the Mediterranean. And then when I got back, I’d make sure I saved some money to hire a maid. And personal masseuse.
5. When I was in middle school, I had head lice. I felt so unclean and dirty and was extremely embarrassed. So embarrassed that I didn’t even tell my husband until after we were married. Now, it’s so commonplace. You can buy the shampoo at the grocery store and it seems I get a sample at every blog conference I go to! But I’m confessing because I’ve found that no matter what secret you’ve been guarding, you can always find someone who can relate and frankly, I find that very freeing.
6. I’m a horrible singer but love karaoke. I prefer white wine over red. I’m a connoisseur of macaroni & cheese. If I could marry any celebrity, it would probably be Steve Martin. I think Stephen King is a brilliant writer. And I love the color purple (the actual color, not the movie).
When I was growing up, I wanted to be an actress or an astronaut. Instead, I have a blog and make silly little videos on my YouTube channel.
I’m a late bloomer in life but it’s made me appreciate the journey a little more.
Find Fadra on Twitter @allthingsfadra and read her stories on her blog, All Things Fadra. Thanks, Fadra! Find all the Storytellers here.