Living My Life Like It’s Awesomely Golden! It’s My Blog’s 8th Birthday!
Eight years ago today, I decided that I had outgrown my little blog on Xanga, where I was talmbout college life, friendships, heartbreak and whatnots. I was 3 months out of college and I wanted a fresh start so I went to Blogger.com and created a site. I called it “Luvvie’s Random Rants.” I didn’t have a goal with it. I just wanted to write about whatever I felt like it because when I didn’t write, I’d feel all unfocused because words would be tapdancing through my head.
So I just started writing my opinions on pop culture and TV. It was fun for me and only like 20 people read it at first. They were all my friends. Sometimes, I’d post the foolish convos we had on gchat on my blog because they were amusing to us (my friends have been the class clowns since high school. We ALWAYS laugh til we cry. Always).
Eventually, more than just my close friends were reading and I slowly built a reader base who commented, suggested topics and enabled my foolishment. Still, I wasn’t taking it to serious. I was writing once a week (if that), not monetizing AT ALL and really looking at my site as just a hobby.
Long story short, I bought the URL AwesomelyLuvvie.com in 2009, changed the name of the site and that year, I won the Black Weblog Awards popular vote for Best Humor Blog. In 2010, I moved it from Blogger to WordPress and the month after that, my site traffic doubled.
And then magical things started happening. A lot more people than I even knew were checking out my words. When I got laid off my full time job as a marketing coordinator for a nonprofit that year, it was the leap of faith I needed and I’ve worked for myself since. I’ve said this so many times before but this blog has opened so many doors for me that I can’t even count them.
Thank you to the amazing Veronica Marché for this dope illustration of me. LOVE LOVE LOVE.
This site has allowed me to create a community of people from all over the world who are even funnier than me and super smart to boot. On the internets, where trolls prosper and comments sections are usually the Den of Iniquity, it’s rare to find a space where the readers are an equal draw as the actual blogger. YALL have helped me do this and I truly cherish you. Thank you for lifting my up when I start to doubt that what I do matters, and thank you for returning the laughs I give. Seriously. These comments? I LIVE.
On my GOLDEN blog birthday, I look back on where I started, I acknowledge (and appreciate) where I am right now and I look forward to where I’ll be in another 8 years. No matter what, AwesomelyLuvvie.com has laid some golden bricks for me to use to build the future I want for myself.
I’m humbled by it all and humility isn’t about downplaying your abilities or discounting how dope you are. For me, it’s about knowing that in addition to my hard work, certain things out of my own control drive my upwards. I call it God’s grace. And because of it, I am always thankful.
Tonight is my Awesomely Golden party in Chicago and I AM GEEKED! I will be celebrating this special milestone with 150 supporters, readers and digital influencers from 6-10pm at CityPoint Loft.
Tickets: http://awesomelygolden.splashthat.com
The party is sold out so for late folks, sorry!
With all that being said, DO YALL LIKE THE NEW PLACE? WE GOT US A NEW ALPHET (aka REDESIGN), LUVVNATION! It’s been 4 whole years since I’ve given the site a new look so I’m psyched for this. There’s a bunch of kinks I still need to work out (especially on my home page) but I wanted to just go ahead with the fresh look. Will work out the rest this weekend. BUT YAYYY!
IT’S MY BLOG BIRTHDAY, YALL!!! 8 x 8 x 8.
P.S. I might be having a New York edition of the Awesomely Golden party later this year. We shall see.
It is time to write that book. Come into The Book Academy and learn how to go from IDEA to INK.
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20 Comments
CONGRATS BOO!!!!! Wish I could go so please do a NY edition. Your blog fills with endless hours of foolery and Big laughs, you legit have the best comments in these internet street. I see you doing so many big things in the future and I love the redesigned website
Congratulations! Have a fantastic time tonight! You deserve ALL the celebrating. (great redesign too)
Congrats darling! So proud of you!
Luvvie you should update your avatar or page header with the illustration Veronica did, looks more like you now (Not like I know you or anything, just saying from pics). My 2 cents.. aiight back to lurkdom
Congrats Luvvie. Your success is well deserved. You keep me rolling with your funny, and its great to see your hard work pay off.
Congratulations! I feel like I’ve been apart of this for 8 years! LOL! I only was introduced to your blog last year. I’ve read maybe 85-95% of all your blogs. I will get your red velvet cheesecake mini cupcakes to you soon! 🙂 From Twitter crumblecookie80
Congratulations again!
Luvvie,
Congrations on ‘the Golden Year’, and many more to you. Just discovered your blog late last year (where have I been?!) and when I tell you it is the best ever, you can take that t to the bank. You are my blog she-ro. Continued blessings & favor to you for another 8, 18, heck 80 years of prosperity! Will have to join you for one of these anniversary celebrations on year.
Congrats again!
Dionne M. Simmons (Queen D)
Happy Golden Birthday, AwesomelyLuvvie!! It is so refreshing to find a place to kiki and cackle with like-minded folks out here in these interwebs. LuvYa and keep up the amazing work!
Congrats on all your success and living your dreams!
Congratulations Luvvie!!! I love Chicago and wished I could’ve made the trip to your fabulous party! I’m there in spirit!!!
Congratulations.
Congrats to you my dear! You deserve all the good things the universe has to offer. I thank my daughter often for tuning me into to you chile, you have changed our entire vernaculary and we lives for it. Continued success to you, we so wish we were there to celebrate your 8 to the 3rd power. Keep slayin’ us dead XO
Your ride or die non biological mama
Congratulations Luvvie!
I don’t know the appropriate gift to give you for your eighth anniversary. So… Accept this brand new… PACK OF TOOTHPICKS THAT I PILFERRED FROM RED LOBSTER!!!
YAY!!!
I wish that I could’ve joined you at your fancy, Midwestern shin-dig, but I couldn’t.
I’m broke, busted and can’t be trusted right now.
Plus, my flat cakes is residing in New York City with Our Lord and Savior using my uterus as a stress ball.
#MidolitMethuselah
Congrats, Missb Lady-and by all means, bring the party to nyc! I would love to meet you and LuvvNation.
Congrats…you make me cry with laughter on a regular.
Congratulations!! We appreciate all of your hard work in building the Luvvnation community.
Congratulations and keep up the outstanding work!
Congrats on your golden! Just read your journey and inspired! Great work and Congrats! #I’mANewLuvnationFan!
Congratulations Luvvie! I have only been reading your blog for a couple of years, but I have enjoyed every bit of it. You are witty, warm and willing to share your knowledge which has really come in handy to me since I am not as technically adept as I would like to be.
I wish you many more years of success and great shoes. I am excited to see what this year brings you.
Congratulations Luvvie!!!Go go go girl…
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