I entered into my Jordan year under a cloud of what I will describe as ‘light dread.’
It was nothing terribly serious or frightening. I’m still very young, and I’m fully aware that I have my entire life to be and accomplish whatever I want, but at the start of this project, the newness of being a recent college graduate was beginning to wear off, and I found myself harboring the fear of getting stuck, growing complacent, and never being able to achieve my more abstract and creative dreams.
I chose a broad, safe major in college, and as a result, I found a steady (albeit, unexciting) job. That isn’t to say that I don’t like what I do for work—quite the contrary; I love the company I work for, I have an immense amount of respect for my boss, and I am incredibly fond of my co-workers. The issue is a matter of genre, so to speak. The industry I chose is inherently monotonous, thus I spend my entire day staring at names and numbers on a computer screen, answering emails, responding to silly questions, working through my mundane daily tasks, and then I go home. That’s not particularly fulfilling in terms of creativity.
I first started considering pursuing something in the realm on content creation when a friend of mine sent me a TikTok of a woman explaining the Pinterest creator rewards program. It works pretty much like any other creator fund for social media platforms: you qualify based on follower count, quality of posts, and volume of interaction. If you produce sufficient content, then the platform will compensate you for bringing more eyes to the screen. It seemed simple enough, and anyone who knows me personally is well aware that I am a self-proclaimed ~Pinterest Bitch~. It seemed fun. Who wouldn’t want to be paid for fiddling around with a product they already love? That was the first step toward using the right side of my brain on a more regular basis, and if I made a little cash in the process, it would be a nice bonus.
I got to thinking about the logistics of pursuing that oh-so-desirous Pinterest Creator goal. First and foremost, I needed content, and I wondered what it was that people actually pinned behind the pretty pictures and aesthetic inspiration. The answer to that question, at least if you’re on the side of Pinterest that I am, is blog posts. Whether it’s recipes, DIY craft instructions, fanfiction, or product reviews, it all falls under the universal term of “blog.” Thus the idea of ‘Spelled Like David’ was born. So if you end up finding any semblance of value in my prattle, you can thank Pinterest.
For context, this wasn’t a purely pragmatic course of action. I’ve always liked writing. I was a kissass and a try-hard in English class, and I can’t even count how many papers I’ve revised throughout my lifetime, but aside from that, there’s something cathartic about laying your soul bare on paper (or a laptop). I’ll go to my grave saying that there is no better vehicle for knowledge and emotion for me than written words; so, instead of starting a Youtube channel or finally answering those Instagram boutique bots in my DMs, I chose to write.
And here we are, writing my first real post.
I have high hopes for this. Even if it never gains real notice and no more than two sorry souls click on the URL that leads here, I’ll still have enjoyed entertaining the possibility that someone somewhere may potentially find enjoyment in something I put into the world. I realize it’s a bit selfish to put it like this, but this blog is, at its core, meant for me and my creative release. I think that makes it as authentic and unassuming as it can be. I’ve laid out my intent, and I have no one’s fancy to satisfy but my own. I have no expectations for success or traction in the public eye, but if it does happen, I’ll have done it by the merit of my unfiltered word vomit, and that’s a beautiful thing.
I hope this post clarified what I’m doing here—of course, it’s kinda funny that it all boils down to Pinterest, but it’s healthy to laugh at yourself and do a little jog in the direction of your less practical dream.
I appreciate you for making it to the end, and I think I’ll come up with a hotter take next time, so I hope you’ll stick around for another post.
Best,
Becca