So, this is the 2 days where I am unemployed.  After an incredibly wonderful run with b5media, it is time to make a change. 

I began writing what is now eBeautyDaily in July of 2005, at AboutWeblogs.com.  An incredible group of women that welcomed me, a new blogger, with open arms.  In November of 2005, About Weblogs merged with b5media.  I adored the concept, and of course I adored Darren Rowse, so being behind b5media 110% was a no brainer.  At the time, I was not working, as I had not since I married and moved to TX.  I was at home helping my husband recover from his near fatal battle with MRSA.  His recovery took about 9 months, and he wasn’t working and finally told me I needed to go to work. 

So, I did not go down to Dillard’s and get a job at the makeup counter – I decided to do web sites.  Apparently I didn’t think I really “needed” to make money.  LOL  But I had started a community for MRSA sufferers, as there was NOTHING online at the time.  I then decided I was going to write a book about nails, having spent the nearly 20 years prior as a nail tech and a salon owner.  This led me eventually to AboutWeblogs, where I joined as a beauty blogger – one of the first.

A few months after I joined b5media, Jeremy needed some assistance.  I was so digging this blogging thing – I knew it was going to be HUGE from the minute I discovered it. So I jumped at the chance to be his $10/hr lackey. ;)  I loved it.  Ate it, drank it and slept it from day one.  Shortly thereafter, my gracious and dear friend Hsien gave up being the editor of the “Women’s Channel” – and we split that channel up and I became the editor of the superfantastic Beauty & Style Channel (and the Arts & Crafts, Home & Dining, and Lifestyles  Channels).  I guess I have been the CE over almost all of the channels at one point or another. ;) 

After our round of funding came in mid-2006, I got a “real job” – Project Manager.   That soon changed to Content Manager, as I really wasn’t a PM.  I was having a blast.  Lots of socializing, lots of “nose to the grindstone” – the thrill (and related mental exhaustion!) of a startup.  Love love love. 

In the spring of this year, I was approached to take over the Director of Content role.  We have gone through several directors – its a tough, tough job – attempted by some of the most brilliant people I have met.  I declined it, as I am much more about having a great time than trying to make as much money as I can make (hubby is obviously working again at this point…lol) but somehow I wiggled into the Associate Director role.  Tough stuff.  But, I love the people and I love the company, so I’ll do what needs to be done.  Im not sure what I could do beyond eat, drink and sleep b5media, but I did it.  I still loved it, although this has been an incredibly tough year.  I have lost several people who I considered dear friends.  I will always have some sadness over that, but it comes with the job, I guess.  Flashback to the end of The Devil Wears Prada.

So amongst all of this work work working – I still got to play beauty blogger.  Beauty is my first love.  I’ve had so many neat opportunities come my way because of beauty blogging.  I’ve been to Fashion Week, got to be a Glam Editor for the Day in NYC, had the opportunity (did not take it) to fly with the Victoria’s Secret models cross country on Virgin Airlines.  I have been quoted in the New York Times, Allure, Women’s Wear Daily and Texas Monthly magazines.  I have been to many amazing parties and had the opportunity to meet some truly amazing people, all while being privy to amazing new product launches, and a foot into the door of the industry I adore.  All these geeky bloggers I am around all the time - they think that tech blogging is all that’s out there and all that matters.  ;)  They have no idea how the beauty industry has adopted beauty blogging.  It is incredible, has grown into a massive genre of blogging, and is something that I am so proud to have been and early adopter of.  And then I went to L.A. in the spring, to the Total Beauty Blog Summit, where my dear friend Teri and I spoke on SEO.  Beauty and geekery all rolled into one.  LOVE!

So this summit took place in the offices of Intelligent Beauty.  While I don’t think that IB was wowed by my wonderful public speaking (it is my biggest phobia), they certainly did take an interest.  The amazing co-CEO’s Adam Goldenberg and Don Ressler, paid me quite a bit of attention and spoke to me a lot while I was there.  Knowing their history, silly me thought they were interested in b5media, but a few months down the line, I was contacted and asked to help them learn how to reach bloggers.  At first I thought I could do a little consulting on the side (although I didn’t know where I would find the time – not much time between eating drinking and sleeping b5media), but it soon became apparent that they were having none of that. ;)  So after realizing that this was THE PERFECT BLEND of beauty and geekery, and having a couple of good friends slap me in the face (thanks girls – you know who you are), I had no choice but to realize that my dream job was sitting in front of me, and I would be a fool to walk past it.  So, starting on Monday, I will begin a new adventure as Community Director of Blush, which is a subsidiary of Intelligent Beauty.  Go sign up for our newsletters - it is the bare bones beta start of something that is going to be great - this I guarantee you.  If you are a beauty junkie like me, anyway.

To my beloved (and I really, really mean that) Channel Editors – many of you have become friends who I will always hold very, very dear to my heart.  I have told you all that this change is going to be good – and I feel deep down in my heart it was the right thing to do, both for me, and for b5media.  Hang in there. Thank you all for everything, again.   I love you all so much, wish you the very, very best, and will always be behind you 110%. 

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox,

CJ

***Update***
As of Sept. 12, I have pulled out of b5media completely. If you’re looking for my beauty rants and raves (hopefully mostly raves), please keep in touch with me at Christina Loves…

So here are our new family members.  They are wild hogs – about 1.5 pounds each at the moment.  No names yet. :)  They were rescued from the middle of the pasture, just before buzzards were going to swoop down and get em.  So, they are house pigs now.  Wish us luck!