Sweet Talks with Jenny Ingram from Jenny on the Spot
It's Blissdom 2012. I'm alone. It's my first big conference and I just don't want to spend the entire weekend mumbling to myself. At a photography walk, I go out on a limb and introduce myself to a very smily blonde who everyone already seemed to know and like. Lucky for me, that blonde was Jenny Ingram from Jenny on the Spot. Jenny was her wonderful self from the beginning and never acted too cool for me (which technically she was). Meeting her was the perfect start of a great conference and seeing her bust. a. move. at girl's night out was the perfect finish! Her blog is just as funny and wonderful as Jenny herself and I have watched this video of her instructions on how to receive a compliment more than is reasonable. Enjoy Jenny on the Spot! P.S. You can also follow her on Twitter or Facebook.
{q} What do you list as your job title on your tax return? If the form offered more space, what would you really say?
{a} I *think* my title says writer. Or Narcissist. What I REALLY say? I stumble a lot, "I'm {a}.. a-uh... I... I have a blog. I'm a blogger. A writer. I write. And video. I just... Computer... Online. Yeah."
{q} Coffee or coconut water?
{a} COFFEE
{q} In one sentence, what’s a day in your life look like?
{a} Right now, I feel like the character Pig Pen on Charlie Brown is a good visual representation of what a day in my life looks like right now ;)
{q} What are you favorite children’s books?
{a} Goodnight Moon and Tickle Monster... or anything by Sandra Boyneton (But Not the Hippopotamus is a RIOT!)
{q} Who is your favorite fictional mother?
{a} Claire on Modern Family
{q}What do appreciate most in a mommy blogger?
{a} I appreciate the ones who are willing to not only be broken and honest in front of others, and the ability to laugh about it all.
{q}What are your fave blogs to read and why?
{a} My favorites are blogs with good photography... ones with humor... especially ones that wrap their stories around photos.
{q} What’s the one thing you’ve learned that you wish you knew before running Jenny on the Spot?
{a} I wish I knew/know how to run a business. I started in 2004 when it was writing for writing's sake. I had no idea it'd turn into more and I am not terribly business savvy.
{q} What’s the best and the most challenging aspects of your job as an entrepreneur, blogger, and mom?
{a} Managing it all. I can either have a clean and fairly well-managed home... or I can do a good job keeping up on work projects and the admin behind it all... or I can be a kind-of good home manager and mom and add in exercise, or a kind-of good business owner and add in exercise... but what about friends? Or what about dating my husband? Or what about just doing nothing? What about just being? Honestly, I would really just love to be able to sit and stare at a wall. I miss "just being".
{q} If you had more hours in a day what would you do with them?
{a} Paint my walls. Make my house more homey. Maybe use a glue gun on something and call it a craft! I miss crafting.
{q} We LOVE your vlogs! How did you get into vlogging? And what are your best tips?
{a} Heehee... I discovered my laptop had a camera and I was like a moth to light!
Tips: Good lighting... natural light is best. If not natural, a lot of indirect light.
Sound... be aware of ambient sound... the dishwasher... footsteps or kids jumping off the bed in the room above you. If you can't control it, work those distractions into your content. BUT remember there is nothing quite so distracting as having to talk over loud growl of a generator or airplane overhead.
Don't be boring... Don't. With video, you need to take it up a notch. Be a bit more expressive than you'd be in real life. Since you can't be there to actually put your hand on the viewer's shoulder, make a some effort to connect through the lens.
More on not being boring... A 10 minute, even 5 minute video of you/me/anyone talking to the camera is BORING. Exceptions apply, but not many. Break it up with quick cuts in editing, and generally keep it under 4 minutes. Under 3 is even BETTER. I am terrible about keeping mine under 3. Do as I say, not as I do! If you do not have a way to edit, make sure you spice it up with energy and/or passion for your content... and make sure you have good key points to share in a funny or dynamic way. I lean a lot on editing to help my videos SPARKLE. I am nothing without editing ;)
{q} What’s your favorite hidden gem in your area?
{a} I love our local tapas bar. Great food. Great drinks... and a chocolate torte drizzled with caramel and sprinkled with fancy salt - *I die*.
{q} What’s you secret online resource for finding great deals?
{a} I am ashamed, I am not a deal seeker! *gasp* I have recent;y started browsing Groupon, but haven't purchased anything yet. I do troll eBay... I probably deal-seek the most there.
{q} You HAVE to join the cast of Real Housewives. Which cast are you joining?
{a}Hahhahaha! I don't have cable or DirectTV, or... just a bad antenn{a}.. so I am shamefully naive of the casts I have to choose from. So, in an effort to fit in, I will say I would join the cast of misfit housewives... the ones who ignores and/or forgets to put the end-of-school year stuff away in June, so in September, we find really awful lunch boxes. Maybe even maggots. I would be an outcast housewife.
{q}Rapid fire fill-in-the-blank:
{a} Never have I ever jumped out of a plane.
My kids taught me how to really understand what it means to lose one's mind.
I regret not traveling in my early 20's.
My favorite ice cream is Ben & Jerry's Chubby Hubby.
My underwear is on.
Three words that best describe me are chaotic, warm, sparkly.
Blogging has taught me I can't do everything. CANNOT.
3 Comments
Reader Comments (3)
Oh Sarah... thank you so much... your intro is humbling and also, CAN I USE THAT FOR A TESTIMONIAL???! I kid. A little. I love this idea, and I am tickled you would give time for me here in our very sweet online home :) xoxox
Of course you can use whatever you want - as long as it comes with dance lessons ;) thanks for participating
:) xoxox