Tell Me About Yourself…

Reading these beautiful comments reminds me why I’ve loved this blog for so long. And I’ve spent every January 31st wanting to say, that’s my birthday too! And the only reason it matters is that I’m in such good company. Grand company. Thank you for all you do, and all the years I wanted to say it. Here’s to many more! Come visit us in the Skagit Valley sometime :))

Hello. Today is the first time i’ve come across your blog and I love it! I recently graduated college with a bachelors degree in business management. I’ve been applying to multiple jobs and while doing that, I thought about how successful and empowering some blogs could be because i’ve always been interested in them. I’ve always been super interested in the traveling blogs where the writer/photographer tells their story of some beautiful place they visited with amazing pictures. I always thought about what it would be like if I was a successful blog writer, but I don’t think i have the skills for it. So, I was wondering how does one actually become an (interesting) blog writer?

Hello,

I feel like I always read your blog, it is funny. I am French but I have been living in the US for 5 years now. Proud green-card holder and maybe a future citizen, we’ll see. I am a French teacher in a middle school in Southern Maryland. My son Noah will be 6 in July and my husband flies helicopters for the State Police. I know, so cool! He is also French and we worry that Noah who is born in Montreal will feel lonely. We decided not to have other kids for many reasons, the main one being that we are far away from family and also for an economical reason (maternity leave is what 8 weeks max here? / travelling abroad is expensive…). Anyway, that is the only worry I have. We live here but we don’t have a big fancy house (we are renovating ours), our cars are paid off and they are not new. I feel all my American friends are struggling with money but luckily because we still live the French way, we don’t.
I love all or your posts and I enjoyed reading about making friends after 30. I am 31 and I moved 5 times in 4 different places (Canada, Ivory Coast, Ghana and in the USA – Florida and Maryland) and I was always very social. It is easy for me to make friends and I feel blessed. I met so many incredible people and I like to hang out with people who are older. My girlfriends are usually 10-15 years older than me. I feel protected by them, spoiled maybe?
Thank you for making your blog a space where women can have a conversation.

I’ve been reading for several years after my sister sent me multiple posts. I am the youngest of three girls; they’re my best friends. They make me grow and validate me. Three is a tricky number and over the years we’ve become better at mastering how to balance out our friendships and sister FOMO. I am nearly 26 and live in Lake Tahoe, California. I work as a wellness counselor at a local high school. After many youth suicides our school district created my position to support students. I talk to teens about breakups, friendships, coming out of the closet, etc. Living in a small town I often struggle to remain worldly and current. I love Cup of Jo for its ability to keep me connected. Xoxo

I’ve been reading the blog on and off for years. Since before you had your first son I think. Or maybe just after. I like that in your blog you’re a few years ahead of me in terms of job, kids, age, etc. It feels like I’m peeking into a short-term window to my future. I’m 39, Australian and live in Singapore. I moved here from Sydney eight years ago as a carefree newlywed. We were only coming for two years for an adventure, but we fell in love with living abroad, and even moved to Shanghai, China for three years (where we had our first baby), and then back to Singapore. And now it looks like we’re here for good. Or at least until our three kids finish school (I had two more babies in Singapore. And to be honest, I still can’t quite believe I’m a mother of three?!!). But it’s wonderful and I love that my life is a big adventure.

I live in a condo on the 18th floor with sea views and not enough space, I’m a working mother (I work as chief subeditor for a content marketing company) and I’m a total TV addict. I binge watch everything from Catastrophe to Planet Earth to The Bachelor. I think Sam Heughan from Outlander should be the next James Bond and that Andy Cohen, Ricky Gervais and Michelle Obama would be my dream dinner party guests. And every year I make it my personal mission to watch every Oscar-nominated film (sometimes I go to the cinema three and four times a week in January and February to make this happen, but it’s an important goal and it’s my thing).

In general, I worry about my kids, specifically that I raise them to be kind, smart people that are not spoiled brats. I also worry about my Dad and that he’s lost his way and misses my late mum dearly, even though he’s re-married and seemingly happy. I worry that we can’t afford the holidays I’ve booked for this year and put on the credit card (but that I know will be spectacular and worth every penny). And I worry that life is really starting to pick up speed. Years are racing past and my body is getting older. I should exercise more and eat better but I’m so bloody busy with kids, work, husband, sisters, friends, Instagram, wine, TV, groceries, etc.

Oh and for breakfast today, I had avocado on toast while trying to braid my four year old’s hair and straighten my 3 year old’s tutu. And then I forgot that my 6-month-old baby has started solids (how am I back here again?!!), but I’d left the feeding spoon for the apple puree in the kitchen and I couldn’t be bothered to get up. So I shoved some of my avocado toast into his mouth and told my husband I was experimenting with baby-led weaning. As if he would know what that is?!!

I’ve been reading CoJ since before Toby, but it’s hard to pinpoint exactly when since I’ve read everything back to the beginning. I live in Worcester, MA and I’m a nutrition educator at a non-profit farm. I don’t really watch TV, but sometimes I’ll watch Parts Unknown or Chef’s Table. I’m much more into reading, and I recently LOVED First Bite by Bee Wilson which was a fascinating look at how we learn to eat. I’m worried about tangible things I can do to better connect with my community and making my life and friends more diverse. I’m worried about picking one thing to become an expert on so I can build a career (I’m interested in everything!). For breakfast this morning I had huevos rancheros (a la Smitten Kitchen) with black beans, avocado, cabbage claw, and hot sauce.

I love how you have taken the content of a typical magazine but greatly enhanced it by building a community. A short article about great wedding songs is ok, but once where tons of readers chime in with their own songs is infinitely better. My favorite posts are about relationships, psychology, books, house tours, parenting (esp Motherhood around the world!), and first person essays. Thank you for keeping up such an awesome blog!

Hi, Joanna!
This is is a special post (and I think the other readers agree :)) I first visited Cup of Jo in early fall of 2008, during my freshman year at the University of Michigan. It was an odd and lonely time for me, and I remember always feeling such a sense of calm and belonging reading your posts that I couldn’t find elsewhere. (It gave me hope too that you were also a Michigan girl and had made it in NYC! I eventually moved to Brooklyn in 2014 and felt like you had been my own guide & mentor all along.) I’m not one for style or even blogs, but your voice has brought me back week after week for these past eight years and counting. There aren’t many places (internet or real world) where raw, honest conversations can happen, but the special home you’ve cultivated here is one of the few places I–and no doubt many others–consider an oasis. Thank you for being a voice of comfort and strength (especially these past couple of months!) and for opening up your life and heart to strangers like me. What you’ve created is so special and loved.

xoxo
Carrie

P.S. I’ll never forget emailing you asking for recommendations before visiting NYC for the first time as an adult, and you responded! Haha. I was totally star struck and grateful. Pretty sure I spent most of that trip wondering if I’d be lucky enough to run into you on the streets :)

Oh, man, how long have I been reading CoJ? It feels like forever…maybe 2009? I know it was before Joanna’s wedding(!!) Anyway, I live in Brooklyn in the next neighborhood over (Gowanus) with my husband and 3-year old son. I’m expecting my second son in March/April so of course I live for any post about Toby & Anton – their relationship is so cool and sweet and I hope to use some tips I’ve picked up here with my own little ones. Anyway, I’m nearly through my Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and I work with a range of patients with issues ranging from Psychosis to PTSD to Depression and Anxiety as well, so relationship posts and culture are always interesting to me. But lately I’ve been obsessed with the outfit posts, as well as beauty tips bc this mama-student-working woman just doesn’t have time to figure it out myself! xo

Hello! Just caught this post and thought it’d be fun to chime in. I’m a 28 year old married New Yorker residing on the Upper West Side. I can’t remember quite when or how I discovered your blog but I know it was during your days of dating Alex. I remember during the summer of 2009, I had a particularly boring internship and got all of the other interns into your blog! I would venture to guess they’re all still reading today! I used to read religiously (i.e. was checking your blog multiple times a day!) but at some point I realized I had an unhealthy obsession with blog-reading in general and made myself cut back to checking a couple of times a week. I still read almost every post! Even the baby ones that don’t have anything to do with me yet! I LOVE your conversational writing style and also love the addition of the posts by others on your team. I don’t think I’ll stop reading anytime soon – thanks for countless hours of enjoyment & positivity!

Loved reading all the comments and just discovered this post due to the holiday one. I’m a midwife living in north east Scotland with my 2 boys 6 and 3 and my hubby. I started reading cup of jo about 3 years ago, I think your boys reminded me of your 2 and the stages we all go through with them. Also the anxiety and nail biting part (haha) and its interesting to see lots of people are going through similar things. Thanks for the laughs and honest content.

Can’t believe I missed this post originally! I am 25 and have been reading your blog daily for 2 years. I am a writer for advertising and your blog reminds me of what the best writing does — connects, inspires, and teaches (with humor and a heavy helping of honesty).
Right now, I am scared for the world and my place in it. Should I spend my days comfortably at a job I like or should I push myself to do something better for the world? I teach group fitness and do improv outside of work. I wish I could find a way to unify my dreams. Thanks for making me believe they are possible.

It’s so cool to read about your followers … such an interesting assortment of people, jobs, cities, etc.

I started reading CoJ about 4 yrs. ago when I was living in Cambodia – your Friday posts are my favorite. Now, I live in the SF Bay Area – I tutor and take classes to become an Educational Therapist.

A while ago you posted about “Watching” (NYT). I checked it out and found a show called Rectify on Sundance. It’s a stunning show and Aden Young is lovely! Before that, I binged on the Good Wife until P.J.C. (Post Josh Charles)

Oh yeah… you also turned me on to podcasts. Thanks!

I’ve been reading your beautiful blog for years. I love to read about strong women, getting different point of views and a bigger horizon. When I read the blog, I sometimes feel like going in to a coffee shop, with women from all over the world on one table, talking together about life and giving advice.
I’m 27 and Austrian. I got married in September to my big love. I studied in the beautiful city of Vienna, work in communications, have four younger sisters, great parents and family. In the moment we are talking about to build a house. We are also talking about family and children. It’s pretty exciting to plan for the family we will be in some years hopefully. In the evenings we sketch house plans, dream about our future and watch netflix. Currently I’m we are whatching Velvet (a series about a fashion designer in Spain during the 1950s).
I love your blog for being a place of comfort in times of sadness and also a place to open your mind. Thank you and your team for all of that.

Yep, also found this from your holidays post!
I started reading CoJ this year, I can’t remember how I found you but it was around the time of the UK book release of When Breath becomes Air (which was without a doubt one of my books of the year.) Something about reading CoJ just made me feel better!! So I bookmarked you and now read every week. I particularly LOVE the ‘Have a Great Weekend’ posts!
I currently don’t have a job and don’t live anywhere! My partner (who looks strangely similar to Alex) and I sold up and left London in October to make our way across Russia to Asia using just trains and ferries. So at the moment we’re in Japan, which means for breakfast this morning I had the usual rice! We weren’t happy where we were and needed a big change, so we saved up and left, before other commitments stopped us from doing so. It was so hard to leave, but totally the right thing to do! I’m currently worried about my lack of friends – constantly moving from place to place isn’t conducive to meeting people, and Skype makes home-friendships much harder. I’m hoping the classic South-East Asia backpacker areas will be easier, because friendships are the most important thing!
Hoping that you all had a fantastic Christmas, and that 2017 brings friendship your way. Looking forward to more posts!

I also found this post from the holiday break post and so glad I did! What a wonderful community of diverse and amazing women!

I started reading COJ way back in the late aughts when blogs were booming! It was surreal to read about Joanna’s life ticking off big life changes just months before mine did! I especially felt connected to this blog when getting ready for my wedding, which was just a few months after Joanna’s. While I didn’t become a mother as quickly after my honeymoon as Joanna did, I felt much more prepared from poring through the posts about motherhood before my first child arrived. I’m now a couple months away from my second and I’ve been hitting all of the 1-to-2 and sibling rivalry posts HARD.

I have two Master’s degrees, one in counseling psychology and another in genetic counseling and I don’t use either one often, now that I’m a SAHM that works full time from home for an online tech company. I still struggle with maintaining a sense of self while pouring so much into motherhood and walking away from (2) careers that I found really stimulating and fulfilling.

I adore my child and partner, it’s just tough to balance it all, you know? I curse the generation that told women we can “have it all” because I truly think that’s impossible and just makes you feel small and incapable when you can’t do it all.

Favorite things right now are Herbivore Coconut Bath Soak, Deciem skin care, dark chocolate with sea salt, roasted beets, and any extra sleep I can cheat out of the day. Things that are heavy on my mind is mainly just the new administration coming our way on January 2oth and bringing a baby into the world that no longer has the Obamas running it *sniffle.*

Thank you so much for the community, support, and care you’ve put into this little corner of the internet. When so much seems really ugly and harsh, I know I can check in here to lift my wary spirit.

Reading all these comments is so inspiring! I can’t believe how far-reaching your readership is. This is a place I always come to because it feels like sitting in a friend’s living room with a group of close pals talking over coffee (or wine and cheese). How amazing it is to have this feeling of closeness with people all over the world. I live in NYC (as a matter of fact, I once saw Alex coming out of a bodega in Carroll Gardens when I was on my way to Lucali, and I may have creeped him out a bit when I did a double-take!), so these comments just remind me that this world isn’t as big and scary as it seems. We all have a lot more in common then we think.

I just searched my email to see when I started reading Cup of Jo. I was bored at work and emailed my girlfriends to ask for blog recommendations, and my friend Sara gave me this one! That was five and a half years ago and I’ve been a regular reader ever since. This blog honestly has helped me get through crappy jobs, breakups, loss, and everything else life throws at you in your mid-twenties to early thirties. I am now 31, and even though I am not married with children, I really enjoy reading the motherhood and relationship posts!

I worry a lot about not meeting someone, getting married, and having children. I sometimes feel like the last single person on the planet (which of course I know is definitely NOT true), but I don’t always know what my identity is if I don’t have those things. I work in finance, have wonderful friends, and am close to my family. I like to read, exercise, go out to eat, and travel. I am very happy but sometimes feel like society still doesn’t know what to make of single women.

I had Siggi’s Vanilla Icelandic Skyr with apricot and pistachio granola for breakfast. I highly recommend this granola from Fresh Direct to all the NYC readers – it’s delicious!

Hello! I recently moved back to Chicago from LA, where I lived for 7 years. My husband and I were always at The Ace Hotel during the holidays around the same time you were but I was never lucky enough to run into you so I could thank you! I Have been following your beautiful blog for many years and it has comforted me through my struggle with infertility, miscarriage, carrying and birthing my first boy and then a second boy, going through post pardum depression/anxiety and the loss of a best friend to breast cancer. I have found laughter here, heart warming advice, and a great pair of vacation sandals. My heartfelt gratitude to you for this daily gift… I’m actually on my way out of the house for a baby break with my iPod shuffle full of podcasts! Cheers!

I also found this post through your holiday post. I have been reading since close to the beginning of your blog, and it is actually the only blog I read regularly. I love the real-ness.
I am a 35 year old woman who lives in Durham, NC. I am married and have a 2 y/o daughter and an 8 y/o stepson. I work as a psychologist in private practice. I enjoy working with couples of all varieties (many queer and trans folks), as well as individuals struggling with anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and relationship issues.
I am also working on a book about relationships, and recently joined a writing group which makes me happy!
I am also a yoga teacher, though haven’t taught as many classes since having a family and my own business. I still like to practice on my own and go to classes. I love reading. The last book I read was The Heart Goes Last by Margaret Atwood. Very captivating and unsettling.
I had a croissant and a coffee for breakfast, which I picked up on the way home from taking my daughter to pre-school.
Looking forward to reading many more wonderful articles from you!

Linking back and reading these comments made me want to join in on the fun! I’m a 26 year old breastfeeding counselor and single mama living just outside of Charleston, WV (small town, hometown!). I’ve been reading Cup of Jo for about 7-ish years (gosh, has it really been that long?!) and have really enjoyed the girl talk vibe on everything from deodorant to race conversations with little ones. It’s also been fun watching you, your family, and your team change and grow! Wishing you, your family, and the ladies at A Cup of Jo a very happy New Year! <3

Hey Joanna and Cup of Jo family,
I don’t even really remember when I started reading the blog, 7-8 years I think. And this is the only blog of all the ones I had started following at the time, that I’ve still followed.

I live in a big town Pune in India, a software engineer by profession. Married for nearly 3 years now. And lived on and off in the UK and Belgium due to my work. I like to call myself a reader, yet I don’t read as much I’d like to. Currently reading Eileen (it’s way too dark, but I can’t keep it down).
I feel like this blog is my window to all the wonderful women whom I wouldn’t get a chance to meet personally, but know from a far! And I’ve become really really homesick for NYC, because of reading about it here for so long, that’s totally weird considering I’ve never been. Here’s hoping!
Love Cup of Jo, never stop!

Hello, Team Cup of Jo!
I’ve been reading since right before Toby was born and I try to check in at least once a week. I can honestly say that this is the only blog I frequent with any regularity!
I am 33, a mother of one sassy, incredible daughter (4), wife of 6 years to my high school sweetheart <3, and a teacher of preschoolers with autism. With such a stressful (but wonderfully rewarding) job and a busy, busy home life, A Cup of Jo is one thing I can call mine. I literally take care of other people from the time I wake up, to the time I finally get my little one to stay in bed. Finding time to read ACOJ is a challenge, but when I do, it makes me remember that I also exist as just ME – as an individual. I love that I can read about cute clothes, amazing products, and what book to read next, but then the next post I can find myself relating to a mother halfway around the world or empathizing with women struggling with (secondary) fertility.
Thank you for creating a space that I can delve into time and time again, even if it's during the 10 minutes I have to myself before I crash into bed.
Best wishes to you all and your beautiful families in 2017
xo Jackie

Hi Jo,

I hope you and your boys are enjoying your Christmas holiday! It’s summer here in Australia so am missing the cold weather of the UK where I lived for 3 years.
I’ve been reading your blog for 3 years and found it after looking for yummy places to eat in New York, whilst visiting my hubby who was on a work secondment. Loved Hampton Chutney co and Bare Burger and, of course, cupcakes!
Speaking of food, homemade museli with yoghurt and raspberries for breakfast, just eaten ?
I work in a school in the kindergarten with children aged 4 to 5, lots of fun and currently on school holidays.
I love travelling and am grateful to be able to do so.
I live with my Scottish husband, Michael. He is the kindest and loveliest person. We also have a spoilt but cute ratbag of a dog, Pippa ?
I try not to stress over things but little things do worry me at times. Am grateful for the privileged life we lead.

I love this post and that people are still commenting!!!! So fun to see the diverse group of readers and hear about their lives.

I am a 35-year old small town lawyer living in Bellingham WA. I have a two year old daughter and I haven’t quite figured out how to develop an exercise routine that works with being a full time working mom – that’s my new year goal.

I’m blessed with a husband who works from home and who can take on a great part of the parenting load while I’m building a practice. We love where we live and hope to make it our permanent home (as we have moved a lot the past 6 years). Bellingham is a crazy mix of college town and outdoors fanatics. With the bay, San Juan islands on one side and the mountains on the other side, there is a lot of beauty. Vancouver is only an hour away which gives me my fix of the city when I am missing NYC.

I began reading Cup of Jo in about 2012 when we moved to NYC. In 2014 I had my daughter and I found your posts about motherhood especially wonderful (especially because buying baby stuff when you live in NYC is so different from my other friends’ experiences and I needed advice about the bare minimum needs for a baby). Jo’s post about breastfeeding and depression helped me tremendously because I knew to wean my baby very very slowly. I still had some depression but it was a lot shorter time period I think because of your information in that post.

My fav part of the blog is Joanna’s openness and vulnerability-you write about feelings I have experienced and this makes me feel like I’m not alone. I love the updates about Toby and Anton and all of the funny things they say.

I hope everyone has a wonderful New Year!!!!

Hello, I, too, am a late commenter to this thanks to your HH post.
Currently on maternity leave with my second child (4 month darling girl), I have been reading you since waaaay before my beloved son (5) was born. In fact, I think I remember reading about you (Jo) being pregnant with Toby and wondering if it would ever happen to me…
I am also married to an utterly awesome and bearded Alex, so your posts often feel uncannily like we are your London twins.
Love your work; please never stop.

Dear Joanna
Wow. Such amazing comments. I’ve been reading Cup of Jo for about two (maybe three) years now & have enjoyed every post. I live in George (a coastal town in the Western Cape of South Africa – it is about 4,5hrs from Cape Town) with my husband & toddler boy, Oliver (now 3). I used to be a big city girl from Johannesburg , but moved down to the coast in April 2015.
I’m glad to see you have more readers from South Africa. 
Our TV is mostly occupied by our little guy, so when I have time I watch cooking shows & have also only recently gotten into the Good Wife (which I’m watching online).
My celeb crush is Bradley Cooper. I watched ‘Burnt’ again recently & just fell head over heels once more.
I worry about losing myself & my identity in this phase of my life; I find motherhood extremely hard.
NYC is on my travel bucket list & I’m hoping that I will someday meet you when I visit NYC.
Wishing you a wonderful 2017! xxx