I used to have a house that had a blog...

Naturally I asked Bob if he'd build a site for the house. Just like I always asked him any time I had a computer-related question (something that always made him feel happy annoyed beyond belief.) He's the computer consultant. He's built them before. And he agreed, actually. But it turned out he was too busy, of course, looking for a job. There was no way I could build a website for the house. For starters, I didn't know HTML and I was also busy looking for a job. How could I learn HTML and find a job all at the same time? Impossible. Bob had to be the one. We couldn't afford to pay anyone. He knew how to do it and this site would save our house. This I was convinced.

"Build it yourself," he finally told me after enough nagging.
"But I don't know how," I countered with a 'duh' tone.
"Figure it out. I don't know what to tell you. But I can't do it."
"Fine," I huffed. Then pouted. Then had an idea. A blog. I can create a blog for the house.

I chose Blogger just because it was there. I didn't really put much thought into it. I just wanted to get something going. I had the idea to create the blog from the perspective of the house. The name of the blog was the address of the house-- "2471 Silver Ridge" I did that because I wanted to make it easy to find and I didn't know much about SEO (Search Engine Optimization.) I actually didn't even know what SEO was when I started the house blog. I titled the first post I AM HOME.

I realized that if my grand plan of turning my house into a movie and/or television star failed, the blog could always serve as a marketing tool for the sale of the house. And that's what it became. Two weeks after I started the blog, we put the house on the market.

And the blog got some notice from another big blog - "Curbed LA." Here's what they wrote:

SILVER LAKE: First buildings and toilets blogged, and now houses are, too. "I am a 1958 Mid-Century Modern home in the hills of Silver Lake- a wonderful community in Los Angeles, CA. I am starting this blog to share my views with all of you... and to allow you to take a virtual tour. My current owners purchased me almost two years ago and have renovated my kitchen, living room and yard. I'm quite happy with the results." The owners are putting the house on the MLS tomorrow, so check there if you want a talking house. No word yet on price.

And here's what the house had to say about it:

It looks like my 15 minutes of fame have begun! Curbed LA blogged about me and my blog today! Someone even responded and gave me a gold star. I think they might have been being sarcastic, but then I'm a house and don't know much about sarcasm. But I do know what Dr. Horrible would say: "Wow, sarcasm. That's original."

Still a gold star is a gold star.

I have no idea if the blog or any of the attention it got made a difference. The house never became a star. And it took 11 months to sell. But it was something. At a time when I felt like I had no control over anything. It was something. It was also fun and it introduced me to the world of blogging. I began Love in the Time of Foreclosure when speaking through our house wasn't enough.

And I didn't connect the two blogs because of LITTOF's transparency. We thought it would make it harder to sell the house. We also thought it might be a little scary letting everyone know exactly where we lived.

As for the grand plan to attract location scouts... well, we did end up getting in touch with a few. It wasn't so much for the blog, though as for us stopping at any film shoot we encountered in our neighborhood and asking to speak with the location manager. We had a couple of people come out to the house to take pictures and see it in person. But nothing came of it. If only. We would think. If only.... so many things. This was yet another if only that we had to let go.

I was thinking about it... if I had never started that blog, I may never have started this blog. And this blog has helped me grow in so many ways. As a both a writer and an adult. It has connected us to so many people going through the same thing. And it has given us an outlet to share and talk openly about an incredibly challenging life experience. I'm grateful for everything I've learned and grateful that there is someone out there reading. I'm grateful for you. And what you share with me. It's really beyond words right now. I will say this. Without a doubt, "Love in the Time of Foreclosure" has made me a better person.

The house may not have become a star and we were unable to save our home, but somehow I became a blogger.

And it was all thanks to Bob for saying, "Build it yourself."

An upside: I no longer run to Bob immediately with my computer-related questions. I try first to figure it out on my own. A development that has Bob filled with relief.

Here are some of my favorite posts from "2471 Silver Ridge" - the blog that began it all:

-Selling myself
-Oh how my garden grows
-Color Inspiration in a Bag of Beans (Intelligentsia saw this post & sent me 2 bags of coffee beans! Heaven.)
-My Halloween costume

Have you ever had an experience like this where you used to rely on someone else for something and found freedom and new worlds of opportunity by taking it on yourself? I'd love to hear about!