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Startup Institute Hosts Career Confessional in Boston

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Career confessional booth

One day last week, I exited South Station and started walking across Dewey Square to go to my office. Someone came up to me and asked if I was interested in trying out Startup Institute‘s Career Confessional.

The person speaking to me said that since it was such a nice day, they decided to take their office outside, so they could talk to people and see what they were looking for in their careers. I was curious and figured it seemed like a fun blog post at the very least. So I went in.

Allan Telio at Career Confessional

I met VP and Boston Program Director Allan Telio. He said that what they do is help people find work in the local tech sector. I told him that I was on my way to my attorney day job, but that I’m also a freelance writer and blogger.

Telio said that he speaks with many attorneys who want to leave the legal field and try something new. We’ve probably all seen people who describe themselves as “recovering lawyers” who are now doing something different.

Although I don’t particularly like the term, because lawyering isn’t a sickness. I believe that lawyers have a pretty interesting set of skills that can be used in many ways.

It seems that Telio recognizes that and said that lawyers are natural content creators and often turn to writing. Preaching to the choir! It seems to me that a career is something that spans a lifetime. A career grows and changes as we do. It’s not just one job. It’s more vast than that.

Since I started blogging, I’ve been constantly in pursuit of ways to combine my naturally curious nature and love of research and writing. In different parts of my work life over the years, I’ve found ways to do it. But I’m looking for the next level. Which I am learning is a lifelong lesson and process.

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10 Years Blogging

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ten year blogging anniversary tree

Ten years ago today I started blogging! Yay!

As I’ve mentioned many times before, blogging changed my life and really opened it up. Because of blogging, I’ve met so many people that I would have probably never encountered otherwise.

Blogging especially moved me in big way towards my major goal of writing more. I was already writing freelance when I started, but feel more solid in it now. I’ve had so many writing opportunities. And look forward to even more!

Also, this lovely picture of a tree is one of many that I took recently on Instagram. Hope you’ll check out my feed sometime! By the way, today is Arbor Day. So go do some fun tree related stuff!

Back to the blog. In keeping with my blogging anniversary tradition, I pick a word for the year. The words below are the ones I picked over the past seven years.

Over this past year, it’s become increasingly clear to me that the only way to get what I want and need is to ask for it. Simple. Yet, sometimes quite hard.

Sometimes the ask seems impossible. How could this possibly work? But I’ve found that often just putting the request out there in the universe, may tilt things toward my favor.

When you really want something, the world conspires to make a dream come true.
~Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

When I muster up the courage to ask, I often receive what I want. Sometimes the answer is a resounding Yes! Of course! Not a problem! Why didn’t you ask sooner?

So this year, the word is ASK. I am going to practice it well, but also keep in mind that sometimes others cannot ask. If I see a need and can help, then I will give without the ask.

By the way, if you’re looking for a freelance writer, just let me know and maybe we can work together. I would love to hear from you!

Tax Day: Tax Tips for Bloggers

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*This post is not tax or legal advice. See full disclosure below.*

1040 Tax form

It’s Tax Day! At least for those of you not in Maine or Massachusetts. We have until April 19th to file our returns, because of Patriots’ Day today.

Back in 2012 and 2014, I wrote some posts with tax tips for bloggers. Since the subject of blogging income interests me and many readers as well, I thought I’d revisit the topic. There’s always a new crop of bloggers out there!

Generally, if you earn money blogging, that is considered income. You may have accidentally become an entrepreneur by turning your passion project into a job. Or maybe from the beginning, you wanted to earn money by blogging.

The way you think about your blogging work is key, especially when it comes to the IRS. Once you have the intent to make a profit and you treat your blogging like a business, then you may be considered self-employed.

While you may not be earning full-time money that you can live on, it doesn’t matter. You may be considered self-employed even with a part-time business. The threshold for earnings is surprisingly low according to the IRS.

You have to file an income tax return if your net earnings from self-employment were $400 or more. If your net earnings from self-employment were less than $400, you still have to file an income tax return if you meet any other filing requirement …

There are benefits to treating your blogging as work that you are doing for profit versus a hobby. Below is an IRS rule to remember.

In general, taxpayers may deduct ordinary and necessary expenses for conducting a trade or business or for the production of income. Trade or business activities and activities engaged in for the production of income are activities engaged in for profit.

If you are paying to eat at a restaurant, so you blog about your meal and you are earning advertising revenue on your blog, you might be able to deduct the cost of your meal as an ordinary and necessary expense for conducting the business of your blog.

These are just a few things to think about when you earn money from blogging. Below are links to some recent articles that go into more detail. You may find them interesting and helpful as well.

If you already filed for 2015, this post may come to late, but you can always start planning for next year!

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Tax Tips for Bloggers [Intuit Turbo Tax]

Travel Blogger Denied Tax Writeoff For European Backpacking Trip [Forbes]

Tax Time: What Bloggers Need to Know [Katy Widrick]

Business Expenses for Bloggers (What can I deduct?) [Brilliant Business Moms]

Taxes for Food Bloggers: Deductions. [Fervent Foodie]

The Blogger’s Guide to Tax Deductions [Kimi Who?]

Tax Filing Tips for Freelance Bloggers in the US, UK and Canada [Be a Freelance Blogger]

Home Office Tax Deductions for Small Business Owners [NerdWallet]

Favorite tax deductions of personal finance bloggers [PolicyGenius]

Blogging and Taxes – What You Need to Know [Making Sense of Cents]

Tax Tips for Freelancers in 2016 [Artisan Blog]

Blog Tip Thursday: Tax Tips for Bloggers, Part 1 [Healthy Living Blogs]

Blog Top Thursday: Tax Tips for Bloggers, Part 2 [Healthy Living Blogs]

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Disclaimer: While I am a Massachusetts licensed attorney, I’m not in private practice and not seeking clients. This post is not meant as legal or tax advice. Every individual has unique circumstances and questions. While I love comments on this blog and emails, no tax or legal questions will be answered here or via email. Please consult an attorney or accountant licensed in your jurisdiction for specific questions. The information contained in this post is for general informational purposes only and geared toward bloggers in the United States.

Photo: Image courtesy of Arvind Balaraman / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Flashback Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cake with Chocolate Ganache

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chocolate zucchini cakeI like a nice surprise. Especially, when it involves food. Even better when it’s dessert. And a chocolate dessert at that.

Now I wish that I could say that this actual cake was presented to me as a surprise and I got to eat it. Not quite. But I did get the next best thing. A surprise tweet!

Five years ago on the old blog, I gave away a festival bundt cake after having won a set of three Nordic Ware Bundt pans from Courtney. I didn’t need to keep all three. Edi was the lucky winner.

I hadn’t thought much about the pan since. Out of the blue this week, Edi showed me a picture of the Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cake with Chocolate Ganache that she baked! Thanks to a comment below by Candelaria, Edi is sharing how she made it, so we can all try.

I’ve made the cake twice and it turned out great both times. I’ve never put nuts in it. The first time had no frosting. I’ve made no other alterations to the recipe.

I used Ghiradelli chocolate chips. I could not find out how many ounces were in the bag, but it’s the typical size bag. I used those leftover after measuring out what I needed to make the ganache frosting.

I only made half the recipe.  I used half and half and a little butter, a little vanilla extract. Enjoy!

So nice to see that the pan has found a happy home and is being used! Now I have been reminded that I haven’t used the pan that I kept!

By the end of this year, this must be remedied! There hasn’t been much baking here and I think it’s time to create some new recipes. Stay tuned!

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Photo Credit: Edi

TRUE: Word of the Year

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Blogging flowersFor my 9th year of blogging, I’ve picked the word TRUE.

After blogging for three years, I decided to pick a new word each year on April 29th. Below are words from previous blogging anniversaries.

So much of what I believed to be true about my life at one time isn’t any longer. In learning how to newly interact with someone, I’ve realized that sometimes what is true doesn’t really matter. Sometimes you just have to go with the flow to get along.

Embracing the new normal isn’t easy, but it’s what I’m working on. Sometimes it can bring unexpected bits of joy.

Searching for what is true and being true to ourselves is a life long journey. The word feels right.

The tree in the picture above is in full bloom right now. This picture from two weeks ago is the same tree. It had just the beginning of buds and was a shadow. Which is true?

When I was 9, I was so excited because I thought that turning 10 meant I would be a teenager. I was very disappointed to learn the truth.

Having blogged for nine years is nothing like that actually. But it’s a funny memory from that time in my life and I have been thinking a great deal about the past and what lies ahead.