This is… a start?

Hi there! Whether you’re following along in real time or finding this post later, I wanted to say thank you for taking the time to read my thoughts. I hope this post gives you a sense of what this blog is about and what you can expect going forward.

I’ll be honest: building a website, starting a blog, being so public, all of it is incredibly strange for me.

• As of now, I don’t know who my audience is. I’m most comfortable communicating when I can gauge how others are reacting. When I’m face to face with others, I tend to adjust my speaking style based on how engaged the person or people I’m talking to are. To me, what matters less is how I express myself and more whether the message resonates, so I’m willing to adjust my approach as needed to ensure the point gets across. That’s what makes writing difficult for me. When I’m writing for people I know, I can adapt my voice from the face-to-face conversations we’ve had. But when I don’t know my audience, I find it hard to commit to a voice not knowing if the message will land, and that brings a lot of discomfort.

• I also don’t know what exactly I plan to share in this space. In a world that’s increasingly online, maintaining an online presence feels more important than ever. It’s not just about visibility, but about having a space where my identity and thoughts can be consistently expressed and evolve over time. For whatever reason though, I feel most online platforms tend to shape or encourage a certain kind of persona, which doesn’t always align with how I naturally communicate. Starting a website with a blog feels like a wonderful blank slate, but it also means figuring out what is interesting to share and, subsequently, how to express myself authentically in a space that feels both personal and public. 

• Lastly, being so public feels daunting. I grew up in the social media and internet era, where the boundaries between public and private life increasingly blurred. As I got older, I retreated, using social media more to “lurk” (i.e., stay connected with what others share) than to actively put myself out there. I think a part of me feared that sharing too much would waste people’s time or add noise to their day. But really, I’m starting to recognize it’s not about visibility for the sake of it; it’s about sharing things that are meaningful and contribute to the conversation in a way that feels authentic.

So for those keeping track at home, I don’t know exactly for whom I’m writing, what about, nor why really. Objectively, it sounds like a recipe for disaster.

But I think that’s why I wanted to write this post. As it currently stands, this post serves as a stream of conscience that will guide the early direction of this blog.

For now, the goal is simple: I want to share more about myself, my thoughts, and my skills. Because this blog will likely be more professional in nature, much of the content will be geared towards potential employers, collaborators, and clients. But I also hope that some of my personal reflections or random musings spark a conversation with friends, family, or anyone else the next time we catch up.

One last note: with AI changing the way we communicate, I also want to make sure this blog captures my voice and thoughts. I am a huge proponent for using AI in editing, but I’m also mindful of being authentic. So I’d like to assure that these posts will be written by me, with AI only being used to refine, not replace, my voice.