“Don’t believe what your eyes are telling you. All they show is limitation. Look with your understanding. Find out what you already know and you will see the way to fly.”
― Richard Bach, Jonathan Livingston Seagull
Photo by Max G. courtesy of Flickr
I started Brand New Vegan in November of 2013.
I had been experimenting for some time with adding more plant-based foods into my diet, and wanted a place to share everything I was learning, along with my recipes.
I never dreamed that one day I’d be a writer, or a chef, or especially a professional blogger…
But I remember when my wife’s parents would come to visit, I would cook up something special for them, and every time… my dear Father-in-law would say,
“You missed your calling, you shoulda been a cook”
Haha….funny guy .
But I kept cooking, and writing, and dreaming….
If Only…..
I remember early on, when I had maybe 4 or 5 visitors a day…. I would play the “If Only” game while I was daydreaming…
If only I could get 100 visitors a day.
If only I could get just one person to comment.
If only I could get one of my recipes shared on those fancy Food Porn Sites
If only I could get more than .15 or .20 cents a day from my Google Ads…
If only….I could do this for a living and not ever have to work night shift again….
Crispy, Oven Baked, Fat Free French Fries | Brand New Vegan
Oven Baked French Fry Recipe Link
And then….in December of 2014 I published this simple recipe….and the rest as they say….is history.
I can still remember laying on the couch, and looking at my website-monitoring app on my phone, and thinking the silly thing must be broken… because there were a LOT of people on my website!
All at the same time! lol
And from there, those silly french fries went viral, not just once……. but many, many times and BNV was finally on its way.
It’s been a crazy, roller coaster ride ever since, and soon …I actually began to believe that my dream of being a full time blogger just might become a reality!
Turn The Page
So why am I going all reminiscent on you ? Why the trip back through memory lane?
Well first, let me fast forward my little story to just last week.
As my blog has grown over the years, it was becoming more and more apparent that I would soon be able to retire from my corporate job for good. After over 25+ years, mostly working night shifts, if things actually kept going like they had been, I was finally going to be able to retire and become a full time blogger!
SO in the meantime, I had been waiting.
Waiting for that right time, waiting for that next paycheck, waiting for some mystical sign from the Universe that it was finally my time to fly .
And then I got suspended.
There was an unfortunate incident at work, a mistake was made, and my work buddy lost his job over it. Because we were a team that night, I too had to get reprimanded. I was looking at a two day suspension, possibly without pay, and a 6 month probationary period when I came back to work.
I almost felt like one of the 3 wise men from the Christmas Story, looking up at the big, giant star overhead. If there ever was a sign from the Universe…..this was it!
So…..the day I have been waiting for all these years is finally here.
I just turned in my letter of resignation.
Which means…..
I AM NOW A FULL TIME BLOGGER!!!
And I just wanted to say, as I turn the page ending that last chapter of my life, and prepare for the next …
Thank you.
Thank you for believing in me.
Thank you for being there beside me, in my bad moments as well as my good.
Thank you for your trust, and most importantly…
Thank you for your love and support.
Thank you for everything…… because without you, all this would not be possible.
So here’s to the next chapter, and you know what?
I can’t wait to get started!
Here I am, on the road again
There I am, up on the stage
Here I go, playing star again
There I go, turn the page….– Bob Seger
