September 22nd, 2010 | 4 comments | Skydiving

Dear Sydney: Unfiltered, formerly Sydney Owen on: New Media,

Happy Anniversary. ::hugs::

Two years feels like forever and a flash, all at the same time. In dating terms, two years is twice as long as any relationship I’ve ever been in, so we’ve got that going for us. In working years, two years is about average for how long I would stay at a restaurant before I picked up and moved to a new one. But I’ve kinda stuck with you, for the most part.

I started this thing up with you two years ago as a part of my senior project at USF to really dive head first into social media and PR and see how it all pans out. This was before Twitter was cool and mainstream (though I think some the readers out there will argue that Twitter isn’t cool, but whatever), before FourSquare, before I moved to Chicago, before I knew where my first chapter of graduated life would take me, before skydiving, before all of that. I was 22, a senior at USF, sitting in Writing for PR class, and reliving my days of writing on my Xanga and MySpace every day.

Oh, bloggity blog, you’ve seen a lot of shit. A lot of drafts that never got published. A lot of posts that were started but never finished. And a lot of change, my how you’ve seen a lot of change (cue hugs and kisses for Jamie of Shatterboxx Media, who helped me majorly with the redesign and launch of the new and improved Sydney: Unfiltered).

Where was I two years ago?

Two years ago, I hadn’t yet met Penelope Trunk, I hadn’t heard of Brazen Careerist, and I had just joined PRSSA. Two years ago I was dating someone long distance and was largely consumed by figuring out how to get an internship in NYC so I could be closer to him. Two years ago, I went through one of the rockiest, knock-down-drag-out breakups I’ve ever gone through. Two years ago I was promoted to bartender and started making more money that I had ever made, and spent all of it. Two years ago, almost, I remember the first #journchat and I remember asking friends to help me design headers for sydneyowen.wordpress.com – Sydney Owen on: New Media.

Two years ago, I made a commitment to myself to always pursue what made me happy, to be true to myself, and to bust my ass as hard as possible slash necessary to get to where I want to go. And I think I’ve done that. You’ve definitely helped me out with that, you cute little blog, you. You’ve opened a ton of doors and windows and knocked down walls and built other walls back up and have helped me conquer some of my greatest fears and challenges.

And, most importantly, a big fat bloggity thank you to the people who, for whatever reason, decided to subscribe (hi Mom!) or stumble over here every once in a blue moon. Mad love for you guys, seriously.

So, here are some selected posts over the past two years. Broken into categories, of course.

Career-ish. Or you know, more serious in nature.

• I’m Chicago-bound. (part one)
• Day One of My New Life (part one)
• How to be Brazen and Relocate
• Operation Intern: Complete
• Sense of Possibilities: Unfiltered
• Or anything from the Mentors category.

Posts that almost never got published, or at least were scary to push the button:

• Sydney: Unfiltered.
• Mindcrushes: Unfiltered.
• Falling: Unfiltered.
• Feeling: Unfiltered.
• Love Happens for a Reason (guest post on Ophelia’s Webb)
• Defining Yourself: Unfiltered.
• Love. Hospitals. And moments of clarity.

It’s been a fun ride, you silly little blog, you. Looking forward to the chapters to come.

Love and sparkles,
Me.