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An open letter to anyone who knows anyone who’s about to end a relationship

December 7, 2009

Regarding that “settling” article from The Atlantic, begrudgingly

December 7, 2009

2-year Blog Birthday and 20-Nothings the book

December 7, 2009


Two years ago this blog was started as part creative outlet, part keep-friends-in-touch method, part (and really mostly) me appeasing Pierson who insisted I have a blog.

Two years later this blog is a list of things I barely knew were options. It has been my introduction to professional writing and my segue to transitioning that writing from blogger.com to TV, film, and theater. It has gotten me be back in touch with people I never thought I’d be in touch with again. It has introduced me to perfect strangers that are now close friends. It has prompted more and more open conversations with close friends and family than I thought possible. And one time on a car ride to Boston, it prompted a really awkward conversation with my parents…
  • Mom: You have a blog? That’s great! When did you start it?
  • Me: Awhile ago actually…
  • Dad: How long of awhile…?
  • Me: Oh, you know, like around a year and a half…give or take…
  • One of my sisters: Niiiice one…
Some of the blessings this blog has brought are based on luck, timing, and marketing smarts, but the rest is that all-powerful principle of tenacity. Three or more days a week – rain or shine or hangover or vacation or mean blogger comment or personal stuff, good or bad. I love it. It inspires me. It changes me. And so I just keep going.
If after two years and some unexpected successes I can offer anyone any advice – about writing or really anything – it’s to find something that brings you joy and do that thing for two years straight. Maybe it’s something you create. Maybe it’s something you attend. Maybe it’s someone you attend to or someone you help create something. But my advice would be – commit to something you love, and it will change your life. I can’t say when or how, but I can say with absolute certainty that it will.
And so to mark this 2-year blog birthday, I am thrilled to release 20-Nothings the book! A self-published collection of old posts and new on the topics I’ve come to cover most:
  • Transitions: from point college to point life
  • Relationships: getting into, out of, and over them
  • Wisdom?: if it ends up being right, it will have been wise…
You can preview a copy at Blurb.com using this link or the link below and order as many as you’d like for yourself, your friends, and your family – just in time for the holidays. Consider it the perfect gift for any 20-something on your list – in age…or just in spirit…
Thank you – as always – for reading. Here’s to 4 more years of 20-Nothings and, thanks to my recent purchase of 30-Nothings.com – beyond!

By Jessie Rosen

12 comments

  1. I love this:

    If after two years and some unexpected successes I can offer anyone any advice – about writing or really anything – it’s to find something that brings you joy and do that thing for two years straight. Maybe it’s something you create. Maybe it’s something you attend. Maybe it’s someone you attend to or someone you help create something. But my advice would be – commit to something you love, and it will change your life. I can’t say when or how, but I can say with absolute certainty that it will.

    I think this is so true. Even after one year pouring my heart into my blog, it has changed my life.

    Love love.

  2. 1) Flighty, flakey blog posts do not a book make.

    2) Really, why do you think people will pay for posts they can read for free?

    3) Please don’t give advice to anyone about being any age.

    4) Let’s hope by the time you near 30 that you have grown up enough not to write bad imitations of Seinfeld-esque ponderances.

  3. @Bob W.,

    Why are you following a blog that you don’t even enjoy reading? Just to leave negative comments? Perhaps you should take your own advice and not give any either, especially if it’s not constructive. Based on this blog’s following and subsequent book sales online, I can tell you that yes, people will pay money to own a collection of writings, be it blog posts, short stories, or the like. Indeed, your list reads like the bitter ramblings of someone who has not been as successful. As this is a public forum, comments should of course always be welcome, but it seems ridiculous to use this space to vent your own frustrations.

    Good luck to you.

  4. @Faye

    My name is clearly not Jessie Rosen and I agree with everything anonymous said. And I can tell you that Jessie doesn’t hide behind pseudonyms. I would never disuade anonymous postings in general, but in this case, perhaps a little more clarity as to who “Faye”/”Bob” is would add some credibility to your opinion. As of now, all I can see from your comments is an attempt to belittle this writer– and a poor attempt at that– for no reason other than your own enjoyment.

    Say something constructive, please. “LMAO”? Do you have the boobs to write your real name before that kind of a comment?

  5. @Faye,

    Apologies, I just wanted to clarify that I posted as ‘Anonymous.’ (I didn’t realize that there were several identity options at the time) You may now direct all of your immature comments at me. Thanks so much.

  6. You mean Bob AKA Faye, maybe? Your equally detestable split personalities could benefit from getting a life, by the way.

    There’s something incredibly pathetic about people who devotedly follow a young writer for the lone purpose of trying to hurt them, and not even professionally…Bob/Faye’s attacks are always personal.

    Though joke’s on he/she/IT, since they’re clearly just a jealous, small and, mostly likely, lonely disgruntled coworker, former classmate or ex. Or just a sad, bitter, failed writer who can’t understand why—“Oh, why? WHY? Why would the universe support someone positive and not my cryptic, snarky, miserable black-hole of a self?”–anything pleasant might befall someone besides them.

    I think Bob/Faye should become the new unofficial douche-slang here. “I saw this bitchy tranny at the bar the other night and they were SUCH a Bob/Faye…”

    Keep writing, JR.

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