I’m excited because this weekend, the annual bloggers’ event #JoziMeetup is happening.
This is my third year going and I always learn a lot from the more seasoned bloggers. It’s also a place to catch up with people you haven’t seen in ages but you read their blogs on a regularly basis.
Anyway, this is a life update of what’s been going on behind the scenes of Mel’s Postbox.
JOB HUNTING
By now you probably know I’ve been retrenched and I’m busy job hunting. Those of you who have not read about my experiences, here are the posts:
Finding A Job Is A Job
My Friend Died And I Got Retrenched
Life Lessons Learned In April
I thought I would be in a job by last Thursday but it’s like a joke was pulled on me. I was asked if I was interested in a job opportunity, I said yes, was told you can start training last Thursday. I asked questions about the contract and then I got silence. The last word I got was “I must still speak to the new HR about you.”
Of course, I was sad about not hearing anything from that person again, but I reminded myself I asked God “let Your will be done.”
I have to be open about this because in several months time I will look back and see “that time passed and everything is fine now”.
MARKETING A MEMOIR
Lynn D Nel, my cousin wrote her memoir and published it end of April. It’s called “The Right Daughter Speaks. Healing after abuse.” As a writer, I’m so happy that Lynn self-published her book. I’m now helping her to market the book. Lynn told me several months ago that this book took so much emotion out of her. But, she added, she learned to write when there were good and bad emotions experienced. Read more about her journey here.
One of the things I want to do is to have a blog book tour. I’m still looking into who could read and review her book.
The book is heavy (as in sad) because she talks about being emotionally abused as a child and adolescent.
MEETUPS
I’ve been volunteering for the NPO called GirlCode. You can read more about that in these posts:
The Ins And Outs Of My Journey As A Volunteer
Learning To Code Is Easy-Peasy
Lessons I’ve learned while meeting up with business besties at events like GirlCode’s is that one should value your time; you should be protective of your time.
Have you heard of the saying “your network is your net-worth? Well, I find that blogging and volunteering are expanding my network.
Related post: The power of relationships for your business
COLLABORATION
My words for 2018 include networking and collaboration. I’ve been doing the networking part, but now I have to look at the collaboration part.
The last collaboration I did was in February when I worked with several bloggers who contributed to my blog. Here are the posts:
“I Owed It To Myself And My Kids To Lose The Weight”
How To Pay Off Your Car In Two Years
I like hearing others’ stories and that’s why I ask different people to do guest posts on my blog (like the above) or I’ll send out a message on Twitter to hear if people want to share their stories.
We’ll see how things will go in May…
Lastly, please check out the online magazine Swirlmagza.com.
It’s a new online magazine that is aimed at women who are of Coloured heritage. If you check out their Instagram account, you’ll see 50 shades of brown women. For me, it’s refreshing. This month’s edition is found here. The one story I liked in there is Venean Bosch talking about the effect it had on her family when her husband became an entrepreneur. Another cool story is a profile on South African female comedian, Mel Jones.
How was your last few weeks of April? Let me know in the comments below, and tell me if you have any questions for me.
Love #meetups as you learn so much from other bloggers, PRs and it allows you to network. Need to get that book Sorry not Sorry – it is on my list of books to read. Also hope you find something on the job front – keeping fingers crossed that something will come your way soon.
All the best in finding a job soon.You soynd like you have been really busy tho x
Thank you Verushka and Mrs Miller. I appreciate it.