FACT: You can have any lifestyle you want if you can bear the cost of what it takes to get there.
Read MoreLinklettes *12 - March 18, 2013
Image: Adam Katz Sinding/Le 21Éme
If You Only Read One Thing: James Altucher's list on How to become a better writer on Quora.
James is *outstanding* and it's not just because he's a fellow Cornell survivor. If you don't read his blog, The Altucher Confidential you should. He's razor sharp and extremely observant. He's also a successful capitalist who has been through the best and worst of the last decade. His writing is extremely honest and bold. I can't get enough. This is a slightly-twisted description of his method.
The list includes, "[Take a shit.]" What's not to love?
Husting & Insights
- THE CIRCUS OF FASHION: This is from Suzy Menkes in the New York Times last month if you haven't read it yet. It's an interesting perspective from the old media guard. It prompted a response on this blog (below).
- Do you think blogging has ruined fashion? Changed it, sure. But ruined? I am of the internet so I might be biased, but come on...
- HOW NOT TO MAKE MONEY: An honest and hilarious post from Karley Sciortino on Slutever about something my peers (i.e. Generation Y's degenerate creatives?) can probably relate to -- being a bunch of occasionally broke motherfuckers.
Style, Creative, & Personal
- LIVING WITH LESS. A LOT LESS: Great (short!) piece by successful serial entrepreneur Graham Hill in The New York Times about his gradual shift to minimalism. I honestly believe that minimalist practices will not only help save the environment, but will actually make most people happier. Not having to manage a bunch of stuff made a huge difference in my enjoyment of life. Try it. You'll like it.
- I also may or may not have an obscene crush on Mr. Hill. Whatever.
- WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU KNEW YOU COULD NOT FAIL? Felicia Sullivan is on the verge of a new life. Already an author and media executive, Felicia constantly inspires me to do good work. She's also one of the most genuinely open and supportive women I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. In this post she writes "I'm meant to buoy great women." I am so thankful for ambitious women who help boost the status of all women both directly and by example.
- Felicia is my role model and friend and I'm so excited to see her next chapter.
- Finally, this photoset by Thierry Cohen of Cities Without Light Pollution. Holy celestial vistas!!
In the last week of my life, almost everything has changed once again. I'm not even 30 but I'm a pro at walking through these moments now.
I guess that's why I write:
- FUCKING INTERNET CONTENT, MAN: This is a State of the Union on good content. Inspired by Suzy Menkes trashing bloggers in The New York Times like a bratty fashion bitch. Oops?
- HOW TO BE IN LOVE IN LA: It's nearly spring. I know some of you -- Hello, New York -- are feeling cold, wet, and cranky. Do you need a vacation into golden SoCal summer? I got you. This is a story about being in love with/on the West Coast told by ex East Coast expat. REMEMBER: Nothing lasts forever. Have a good fucking time anyway.
- THE FOUR EMOTIONS OF CHANGE: Speaking of the East, writer and HowAboutWe Dating columnist, Chris Backley wrote a post here about what it's like to move from Los Angeles to my hometown, New Haven, CT. (Also, people, he's single and super handsome. Just saying).
- NAKED in PUBLIC 10: Blind items are better without clothes. Find out for yourself. Catholicism, shower sex, and technical confusion included.
- ON (NO LONGER) BEING A ONE WOMAN SHOW: My life has literally burst open in the last week. But it's not an accident. To get to this point, I handled all sorts of odd jobs (everything from writing code to bar tending), including all the work associated with my web projects. I hustled my ass off for years. Keeping the faith was a full-time job. Now, I'm getting a little help around here with the site because...I am tired. Just kidding, I want to work on non-webby things.
Major writing career break thru today. Followed by my pants falling down in a CVS while buying a bag of celebratory mini-eggs. Over and out.
— Brookman (@jessicabrookman) March 14, 2013
Now some songs for the week:
Pickwick Music - Hacienda Motel
Sohn - Bloodflows
Generationals - Put a Light on
On (No Longer) Being a One-Woman Show
FACT: When your project ideas get big enough, you can't do everything alone. Make friends.
Here's a thing, I have a team of people who love and support me. Thank the universe, they also hold me accountable and forgive me when I act like the love child of Charles Bukowski and Joan Rivers (I wish):
You haven't blogged in four days, @jessicabrookman. I'm confused.
— Felicia C. Sullivan (@felsull) March 8, 2013
True. I haven't written this week. At least, not here. Sometimes, despite being a brutal insomniac, the days slip away from me.
Since I decided to focus on my creative projects this year, I've had to get brutally honest about how I spend my time. In addition to this blog, I do freelance social media & creative consulting. I'm also developing a series for which the research is...viscerally intense, let's say.
I've been a one-woman show for a while; and I prided myself on building web properties up single-handedly or in small teams. It was an education, for sure. Then there's, you know, all of the parts of life that don't end up on the blog.
Plus, a girl needs a little bit of free time to relax and indulge in some of California's finest agricultural products, if you get me.
So, what I'm saying is, I've been burning the candle at both ends. I am exhausted.
But I am still on a mission. And, LUCKILY ( !!! ) since my post about advertising and monetizing content as well as my personal mission statement "The First Draft of Anything is Shit," a few lovely people have crawled out of the digital woodwork to offer me advice and/or development assistance. I'm happy to be offloading some of the behind-the-scenes work here so I can take a nap shortly.
So what will be happening here?
- The content will still be written and edited by me (and guests).
- The content will (still) be independent of marketing objective.
- The site itself is getting a minor facelift and better organization.
In terms of content and mission, I'm most interested in researching and opening dialogues about human sexuality, love, and how these things transform our lives.
But once in a while creative block still hits. What's a girl to do? Ask her friends for topics:
Retweet if your ever had to put yourself in an adult timeout.
— Jessa Brookman (@jessicabrookman) March 8, 2013
Linklettes * 3
Part of the NOT*OTHERWISE 2013 PLAN is perform. And that means getting articles done as planned. Because I am a hustler and that is what hustlers do.
Look for a post later this evening on the new calendar. For now, enjoy LINKLETTES a weekly roundup of what is sexy.
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