Like a couple million other Americans, I missed much of the tech revolution because I was busy with other things. When I was 22, I did move to Seattle near the beginning of the all-out information technology assault on the American economy and American culture, but my contribution was limited to writing content for the online catalog of the outdoor gear manufacturer where I worked. As time went on, I slipped further and further behind the digital pack, first as a reporter for the Omaha newsweekly The Reader, then in a hands-on role in the animal care industry. The whole time I clung to the life preserver that floated behind the digital boat, but that’s where my involvement ended.
Then along came my exposure to WordPress, which happened to coincide with my interest in creative writing. WordPress was so easy to use that I was able to focus on the meat-and-potatoes of the personal blog which is personal experience. At the tender age of 36, I had at least a couple of lifetimes’ worth of it, too. I’m in a couple Facebook groups and while it may be a stretch to say that other members hang on my every word, I will say that WordPress is so user-friendly that I’ve tried many different types of writing from poetry to fiction to personal observations and have been met with much applause. After writing for publication for The Reader for a few years, it’s fair to say that writing for publication, even unpaid publication, carried the same magic and satisfaction that editing my high school literary magazine did 20 years ago. And I find that the more I learn about WordPress, the more I want to learn even more about WordPress and all the purposes it’s fulfilling for so many people. Being a Happiness Engineer would be like learning to ride a bike for the first time. I’d want to discover everywhere that it can take me.
So when I discovered that Flywheel was hiring for a Happiness Engineer, I had an “aha!” moment. A big, bright light bulb filled the room (well, actually, a big chunk of snow fell off the roof in front of me, but same difference). I thought that putting my pretty extensive customer service skills and working knowledge of WordPress to work in said position would be a fantastic way to reenter the atmosphere of the digital planet we now live on (okay, okay, I’ll stop with the “digital” metaphors).
What I lack in experience I make up for in eagerness and willingness to learn. So, Flywheel brass, you should hire me. Seriously. I’m fairly intelligent, I’m affable, and did I mention my eagerness to learn? I did? Well, it’s true. Shortly after I started in the animal care field, I decided I wanted to do it more than 40 hours per week, so I started In Your Place pet-sitting, the name of the business of which I am the sole employee, as well as owner, proprietor and chief executive. I have been doing IYP jobs for 9 years now and I absolutely love it. Some jobs, I stay in a client’s house while they are on vacation, and sometimes, I stop by my customer’s house and walk their dog in the afternoon one day per week. I even thought about starting a WordPress site for the business, if not for other obligations like my pesky day job. The way I figure it, becoming a Happiness Engineer is the perfect way to learn about the WordPress experience from the inside out and Flywheel would be an excellent place to do it because I would be learning the ropes in an environment of driven, passionate people that definitely know that they are doing.
Oh, and I play piano. Badly. So I’d fit right into the Happiness team.
My Zen Brain 