[tentblogger-vimeo 24843813]
[This is part of the Problogger Home Office Series.]
For those that have been following me from the beginning I’ve spent the last year living with my wife and 2 kids in a basement. This wasn’t the original plan but as life continued on we found ourselves a bit stuck as my wife got pregnant (and then gave birth) and we just hadn’t had any luck finding the right home. In fact, my wife has been looking for nearly 3 years for our next landing spot!
During the past year I left my full time role at a large non-profit and started working for my two startups as well as trying my hand at being a professional blogger. Wow, what an amazing ride so far! I mean, who could possibly thought that I’d start the next part of my professional journey in a basement?
I should have named my blog “BasementBlogger” instead of TentBlogger! Perhaps I would have gathered more followers that way; regardless it was a some humble beginnings to my start as a problogger and hopefully it has more adequately (and realistically) described the lifestyle for someone trying to “make it” in this arena than the other myths that you might have read about!
But this afternoon I gave up, forever perhaps, the chance to be BasementBlogger when I closed on a house in downtown Atlanta (Little Five Points)! My wife and I are pretty stoked about the next steps and I’m personally excited to create an effective and productive work environment for my software development and blogging!
No, it wasn't like this...
I want to thank all of you here for your support, especially those that have been walking with me for some time – it’s been an incredible journey and I feel like it’s only getting started!
Who knows what the future holds for you and your blog – you might be blogging part-time making a few pennies today and this time next year you might be some place entirely different! The possibilities are endless and pretty much limitless.
I thank God for blogs, blogging, and WordPress! As I have mentioned before I had no idea that they would take me to where I am today. And as I mentioned in my video I want to keep this first year close to my heart – I never want to forget that I was, at least for a time, both TentBlogger and BasementBlogger!
Have a great rest of the week everyone and I can’t wait to show you the new digs!
[This is part of the Problogger Home Office Series.]
Congratulations! My wife and I bought our first house about a year ago and its been great!
sweet! this isn’t our first house… and i’m not necessarily excited to be back as a home owner… but it’s the right next step for us…!
Nice! Exciting stuff for you guys. Congrats!
thanks kevin!
Yayyy!! This is great news, John!!
pretty excited! we need to head out your way too…
Amazing news John, Congratulations on the new home!
thanks carson!
Awesome dude! I was so waiting for you to get out of the basement and into a “real house.” lol Seriously, though, I’m happy for you guys and, although I haven’t been around as much the last month, I’m privileged to have spent these beginning months on this journey with you. It has been exciting and has had a huge impact upon my life and work. Thanks for being the Tentblogger that you are! Keep on blogging, bro!!
sure thing randy! thanks for your support!
Super stoked for you man! U can hear it in your voice how much this move is for you. Excited!
That is awesome man! I always think it is exciting to move to new digs, but I hate the moving part.
ugh……. yeah. moving….
Congrats John, you all definitely earned this.
thanks tyler. i’m definitely paying for it….!
Congrats!
thanks pablo!
Congratulations John! It is always exciting to be moving to a new home, but must be doubly so when moving out of a basement! You guys will be in heaven with your new space.
the basement was fun… for a time.
Congrats, man!
thanks jeremy!
Super congrats John! Seriously! I am so excited for you and your family to be getting your own place! Allyson and I have 500 more days exactly until our wedding which we are very excited about! (http://brenna.co) We are already starting to figure out buying a house of our own too! I am very excited about that possibility and also cannot wait to deck out a personal office of my own. It is much needed. Right now I guess you could call me “Apartment Kitchen Table Blogger” haha.
haha! love the title.
love the countdown clock on the right!
Thanks! I really put the countdown clock there for me
When I tell people roughly how many days away we are they are impressed… (I cheat)
haha!
ooh, give us a tour of your new place!
i will… for sure!
Super for you! Make sure you “pack” us as the whole transition goes on!
dude, of course! you guys are there!
Congrats to the Saddingtons
I am sure Chris is happy to have his internet connection back
YOU KNOW THAT’S TRUE! Note to self, next time I find myself in this situation, insist the basement dwellers BYOI.
Bring Your Own Internet.
i should have…
haha. you never got to see it, did you?
So glad you did a video post! The excitement in your voice doesn’t translate as well over twitter.
Seriously excited for you & your family!!! Has it really been that long since @dewde put you up in his basement? Wow.
I second the tour of the new place and maybe some blog posts on how to blog while you’re moving.
Congratulations again!!!!!!!
yeah. it was a year a week ago… unbelievable…!
haha. how to blog while moving? the answer…… LUCK!
Congratulations on your new home! (By the way, I’m writing about blogrolls tomorrow and am linking to your post about why you don’t like them since you inspired mine about why I do.)
sweet! let me know when it’s posted!
Hi John,
This is my first time commenting on your blog. I read your posts via my reader.
This is very inspirational and gives me hope that I can do it.
I love the Little 5 Points area.
Congratulations and much success in everything that you do.
Take care,
Evelyn
evelyn,
awesome! do you live in that area?
Dude, that’s great news! I hope Chris can dry his eyes
… from joy of us leaving…!
dang! to think.. you made it two full years without Chris ever knowing you lived in his basement!
…
pwned!
Hi John,
I am a new reader and very impressed with what you have achieved. Your desire to provide a better home for your family really rocks and i wish you all the best.
Regards,
Lye
lye,
thanks for stopping by! i’ve been really happy with the progression of my work… and it’s been very satisfying, for sure1
Congratulations! Hey look at it this way, to go along with the domain name, you could have been living in a tent for the last couple years. Even a basement is better than that!
……. my team still thinks i do.
Little5Blogger ftw!
..and let’s hear it for long-haired, basement-enabled friends!
…… seriously. at least there aren’t any dogs grabbing my crouch. *ahem*
Big ups John to you and your family! Keep grinding!
thanks dewitt! i loved grinding in world of warcraft (that’s what i think about when i hear that word).
~ John, you are an inspiration. Congrats to you and your young family, dude. Another phase of life begins. Cheers mate.
thanks brad! really appreciate it!
Awesome. Way to stick with it and be grateful.
thanks phill. i’m enjoying the ride… but it started somewhere, right?
Y’all need to redo this opening.
http://youtu.be/p9y4iXAso4I
For real.
*wipes away a tear*. #LOL
I like the name of that community. Maybe you can start a fifth point in your family there..who knows.
“I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 1:6
hahaahah.
we’re looking at adopting…
awesome. seriously, congrats!
thanks dustin!
Have fun moving
Congratulations !
ugh. moving…..
Congrats! A house is really awesome.
But friends with basements are the best!
they are…. seriously.
So happy for you guys! Congrats John!
thanks bro! can’t wait to get in!
Congrats John. That is a super story and a super transition. Good luck with your future ventures
Jane.
thanks jane! i’ll keep you guys posted on how it all goes down!
Congrats. I’m just getting started with blogging – haven’t put a lot of time into it really, but I would attribute a large part of my interest at all in you and your work here on Tent Blogger. Glad to have met you at Drive 10.
kim,
awesome! drive is an amazing conference, isn’t it? there’s much to do with blogs… i still think the best has yet to be discovered.
After my wedding we moved to Spain for work…. which, as it happens, didn’t work. So, we ended up spending A YEAR in my wife’s old BEDROOM in her PARENTS house. We saved every eurocent we could and then bought our own space after a year – I can sense your excitement!
thanks neil! we are definitely excited!
Its great to follow your success all the way. Best wishes.
thanks bro!
Congrats on the new house John! You’re obviously pretty pumped about it and so you should be… well done, it’s a great achievement, especially as a full time blogger!!
thanks rich! pretty neat stuff, for sure.
Great news bro. Hey and guess what? @moretom will be back from vacation in time to help you move!
Congrats man. Happy for you!
#ROFL
Congrats John! I’m excited for you. You are seriously an inspiration, dude.
thanks tony!
Congrats!
thanks daniel!
Great area to raise a family
close to parks and the ever important Sevananda
good move,
congradulations!!!
art
thanks art!
Congrats!!! Exciting news for sure.
benny,
thanks man!
Congrats John. Excited for you man!
thanks adam!
good news
for serious.
Congrats John! What a great next step!
ah, thanks meg!
Hi John, first time here, I came over from Benny’s site based on a recommendation from him. Really love your story, your positive feel and approach to blogging, and the fact that you’re making your living doing it. Keep it up many, I’m sure I’ll be back again, as I’ve now subscribed.
Cheers,
Marcus
marcus,
thanks man! i love what i do… and i’m having fun coaching others to do the same!
Congratulations John,
That’s great news for you and your family.
“Let’s keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps his word.” (Hebrews 10:23 MSG)
dale,
thanks man…! we’re loving the transition (although it’s tough).
Cheers to you John,
Congrats on your progression. Regarding the basement bit, it was certainly a starting point. It took me 5 years to transform what your pic reflects into this: http://youtu.be/lbbzt6wMG5w It was a tough journey, but my persistence paid off as has yours!
Cheers,
b