So, today is not just my 26th birthday. It is also my blog’s first birthday. That’s right. One year ago, the night I turned 25, I wrote my first blog post since my Myspace years. The goal was to find something to occupy my time once I finished graduate school, but also to work toward the long-term, vague goal of maybe, possibly, becoming a writer one day. Oddly, I only really read fiction and only really write non-fiction; so I had a David Sedaris/Jenny Lawson style in mind. Over the past year, I’ve changed my blog title numerous times. There was The Babbling Bibliophile, but I was one of an apparent 80. In December, I moved to wordpress and became Atypical Aryan Librarian. Though I was referring to myself as a white chick of German origins, this name had some pretty negative connotations to it. It was eventually clear that the really cool assonance and rhyme didn’t quite combat the implied racism, particularly since Gail was no longer my only follower, as she was September through early December. Blogger sucks, by the way.
No, no! You misunderstand! Wait!
For awhile, I was Atypical Southern Librarian, which totally ruined the rhyme scheme and was quite the mouthful, but I had to choose something besides Librarian of the Lynch Mob. I briefly wished I had the self-control or any desire to be a vegetarian, just because it would also rhyme, but that’s not even atypical of librarians. It’s an exceptionally liberal profession and vegetarians and vegans are quite common. Finally, I became Belle of the Library and even bought the domain name, developed a theme, and applied pseudonyms to every single blog entry I had written. That was a pain in the ass, by the way.
I realized that my blog wasn’t just a place to to receive feedback or “Big Girl Grades” as Gail calls it, but a space to stress and vent sarcastically and receive support and laughs. I wrote about my heartbreak after failing my graduate portfolio, my bad dates, the stress of finishing my degree, the continual recovery from my divorce, and my struggle with whopping mommy issues. I ranted about that funny sexist ad, quoted a hundred conversations with Gail, and shared my exhalation over passing my portfolio, graduating, and getting a Librarian position. It’s been a terrific year for me and for my blog. I’ve developed a unique writing style and received validation that I am, indeed, fucking hilarious as I get to discuss whatever the hell I want. In the last month, I was even Freshly Pressed and developed a goal I thought was out of reach. It didn’t matter, though, because I love goals. I wanted to get 500 followers by my birthday.
… and I did… just hours ago. So, in the next year, my personal goals are to get a full time Librarian position, actually have a healthy romantic relationship, and get Freshly Pressed again, ultimately increasing my readership by 1,000. I know, I know. It seems out of reach. I’m sure, however, that if I just keep trying, I will eventually date someone who is not a bag of dicks.
… and oh yeah. Remember that series I was writing? The final installment of The Week of 1004 Dates has not been forgotten. I will be posting it next.
Belle of the Library 
Well done and congratulations.
Just curious, but is Aryan used in a different context in your region. You know more biblical or something like that. Odd all the same how a word has changed over time. Nowadays it’s drug dealing people trafficking biker gang more that the Nazi’s that arrives in my mind.
Anywoos, good luck on the future year and happy 26th birthday. It’s all downhill from now 😀 .
It’s not really used in a different context frequently. I was just going off some technical definition I found online, not realizing that there even WAS that Nazi biker gang relation. My intent was the blonde-haired, blue-eyed reference. Someone else had actually used the phrase “Aryan Librarian” in the same context. The title was brief. Haha.
I’m a bit defeated trying to figure out how you went through a university without picking up on the references to the holocaust. Especially reading an Arts subject. And how did your high school sanitise WWII. #bewildered
Yeah, I understand what a Nazi is, thanks. I was going for the physical description. You should be nicer to people. Your negativity in comments gets tiresome. Particularly since the entire point of my mentioning it was that I was mocking myself for having missed that.
Congratulations. Before I came to wordpress a few weeks ago, I had posted over 400 posts over four years time on a social media site for creative types. I would still be posting there had the owners of the company that lent out the site not decided to sell. The capitalists that took over stated all future content would belong to them. So there I was without a home. And now wordpress is my new place to hang my upon. And I am thoroughly enjoying. The reason I say this is to encourage you to keep on keeping on. One of the several great things about blogging is that it is one of the few places a writer can get immediate feedback from an audience. Another is that you get to write about what you darn well please and they don’t come and put you in a straight jacket. That is pretty nifty. So just keep writing. I love your blog and am looking forward to your new adventures.
Thank you so much! I had originally created a blog on blogger, but after months, I was still getting hardly any views. I’ve really enjoyed WordPress.
Happy Birthday and congrats on 500 likes! Can’t wait to hear the next instalment of your dates 🙂
Haha. I’ve already written a portion of the entry. I did not forget! And thank you!
Happy ‘Belle-ated’ Birthday 😉 – and congrats!
Haha. Clever and thank you!
Lol! No probs!! Keep blogging, you’re good!
Happy birthday, and congratulations!! It’s good to see good things happening to cool people. May year 26 be awesome for you. Mine has been great so far.
Thank you! It’s gone pretty well so far, lol. It’s so cool to connect to people of all ages through blogging.
Congratulations!!! And Happy (belated) Birthday!!!!
And I agree, Blogger definitely sucks!!
Haha, thank you! I did have a good birthday!
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