Week's Links: Anniversaries and Oregon Trail

Yesterday James and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary! (If you subscribe to Sunday Sparkles, you'd know that already because I wrote about it yesterday. Want to subscribe?) 

It was a pretty low key anniversary weekend. We went to Cattleman's Steakhouse on Friday night. Even though Cattleman's is super well-known, I'd never been there before. We had to wait almost an hour for a table, but the atmosphere was pretty cool! James insisted we order lamb fries. They tasted ok, but I couldn't get over what I was eating. 

Saturday and Sunday were super laid back, lots of television watching, puppy playing, and just hanging out. And of course, writing this blog post! So in addition to our anniversary celebration, I've been gathering links to share. So let's get to it!

First I read up on being a part of the Oregon Trail generation. I'm just outside of that age range, but I still relate to it!

Then I read the 7 Networking Secrets that Everyone Should Learn, and I totally agree with them. 

This article from Jeni of Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream came out before their recall, but it is still totally relevant. 

The Apparently Kid apparently knows a lot about dinosaurs!

And I finished up the Likeness, leading me to realize that I really enjoy mystery books. Who knew? 

That's a wrap for this week. Happy Monday!

Previously on Mrs Robbins Sparkles...

Breakfast at Tiffanys (Okie Style)

What a week, right? I was at the Mazda dealership at 7 am this morning to drop my CX-5 off for a Mazda engineer to check out. I was at the dealership earlier this week because my CX-5 has been having issues shutting down, and they couldn't figure out what was wrong. So I guess they've called in the big guns and I'm stuck with a loaner for awhile. Which wouldn't be that big a deal, but I drive on a toll road daily, so not having my Pike Pass will be a pain. But at least my CX-5 is still under warranty!

But on to the topic at hand: New York City. I'm finally getting around to looking at some of the photos we took that weekend with my DSLR. I'm still a rather poor photographer - I try to shoot in manual, then get frustrated when it isn't looking right. I really need to take a formal class. The online classes I've tried haven't helped much...but here's what I got!

We visited the NYC Firefighter's Museum, because of course we had to. We actually went to the Key West Firefighter Museum on our honeymoon, so I knew I couldn't get out of this one! James enjoyed himself thoroughly.
 

We didn't have time for me to spend the hours I wanted in the New York Public Library, but I did at least get a picture with the lions!
 

Obviously I couldn't go to New York and not have breakfast at Tiffany's! (Another check on the 30 before Thirty list) I cheated a bit and had a bagel and Dr. Pepper instead of a Danish and coffee, but it totally counts, right? Also, I definitely had to wait for another girl to finish taking her picture in front of the store too. It's a popular place.

We also stopped by Rockefeller Center. We didn't skate, we just did the tourist thing. 

We didn't stop in the zoo, but I couldn't not take a picture of this sign. I have decidedly mixed feelings about the park. I think if it had been warmer I would've enjoyed it more, but it was windy and cold and green. There's all kinds of green in Oklahoma, I wanted New York!
 

We did take a few pictures in Central Park, though!

And James insisted I take his picture in front of the Home Alone Hotel, aka the Plaza. He looks so happy about it, doesn't he? Also, love the couple in the corner of the photo!

Of course we also spent quite a bit of time at the 9/11 Memorial Museum, but it deserves a post its own. It was so powerful. 

The stair climb also deserves its own post. Maybe I can get James to guest post? ;) 

Not the best lighting at 4 World Trade Center - it was still under construction but still impressive. 

It was such a whirlwind trip, and I can't wait to go back someday! James isn't so keen on the idea, but I'll convince him somehow. It would be worth it for the Shake Shack, though rumor has it I can get that in DC. 

When I Grow Up: Becoming a Freelance Copywriter

And we're back for another When I Grow Up Wednesday! This week I'm featuring Robyn Petrick, a freelance copywriter. We "met" via Twitter (she's @robynpetrik), and I was so glad to have her on the blog today! The work she does is similar to what I do in my side hustle as a freelance writer/editor, and I always love to hear from other writers :)

As a child, I wanted to be a ­______ when I grew up. Oh, that’s a long list! I went through stages of wanting to be a veterinarian, a lawyer, a marine biologist, a baker, a teacher, and a poet/author. 

How close (or far) is your current career from that dream? Out of all of those careers, being a poet or an author isn’t too far from copywriting at least! Which is pretty much why I choose to start a career in copywriting, so I can still work with words.

What is your official job title? Freelance Copywriter

Ok, now what does that really mean? I write content for other entrepreneurs, freelancers, and creatives whenever they need it. I specialize in website copy and social media updates, but I also write blog posts, and, well, anything written really. I’ve even written articles to go along with guitar lesson videos!

What is a typical day like? I just transitioned from my traditional corporate job to fully self-employed a few months ago, so being able to determine my typical day is my favorite part of writing for a living right now! I usually get up at 8 or 9am, workout or go for a run, and then start working around 10am. 

First I check email and social media for anything that needs a quick response, then I’ll spend a couple of hours on my own projects which usually means writing my blog posts, working my social media, and networking online. Since my boyfriend Chris is transitioning to self-employed as well (yay!), we’ll make lunch together around 1pm and watch a bit of Ellen. 

I save my afternoons for client work, so depending on the day I could be writing a new About page for a graphic designer or writing a set of tweets for a coffee shop owner. The projects I’m working on can be totally different, and that keeps writing fun for me! 

I try to save the evenings for relaxing with Chris or going out with friends, but since my business is pretty new, I admittedly end up working through many evenings as well. It’s all about the hustle these days! 

How did you end up in this career? I always dreamed of writing books of poetry or young adult novels for a living, but honestly, I had a really hard time getting past the idea that ‘no one can make enough money doing that’. Finally about a year and ago, it finally clicked that I could earn a living by writing as a freelancer instead. I started freelancing in my spare time, often staying up late and getting up early before work to finish writing projects for clients. I still remember the exact moment where I thought, “Hey, I can actually do this! This will work!” It’s quite an exhilarating feeling. 

What kind of education or training did you complete for this career? Having always loved writing, I have filled tons of notebooks over the years with poetry and short stories. Once I decided I wanted to move into freelancing copywriting, I began taking copywriting courses online and reading oodles of books and blogs about copywriting. Like many creative careers though, the best training comes from actually getting out there and writing. 

What advice would you give to someone who wants a similar career? Read, read, read, write, write, write! If you’d like to step into a writing career of any kind, the most important thing is to read and write as much as you can. 

Do you have any other career dreams? What do you want to be when you grow up? When I grow up, I would still love to be a published poet. I share some of my poetry on Instagram  and perhaps one day I’ll self publish a book of poetry.

Any last thoughts or encouragement for others trying to decide what they want to do “when they grow up”? Be you, be happy, and live what you love. Life is too short to not chase after your dreams. 

Thanks again for being part of When I Grow Up, Robyn! If you'd like to work with Robyn, you can find her at www.robynpetrik.com. 

Previously on MrsRobbinsSparkles...