Hello! 👋

Last month, I made a little bit of an error in judgment. Upon deciding that I wanted to take my efforts at “blogging” and turn it into something resembling more of a lifestyle “publication,” I came across the blogging/email newsletter/social media combination platform of Substack and immediately started setting up shop. Little did I know that just a few weeks later, I would come to discover that Substack has a bit of a Nazi problem. Yikes!

Needless to say, we've made a swift exit from Substack. Not only had I just launched Jiggy's Journal over there − which made transferring over only a handful of subscribers necessary − but problematic policies, misinformation, and bad takes from people who often didn't know what they were even posting about were largely the reasons why I also left most mainstream social media platforms at the tail-end of last year. There's something to be said for those who choose to remain. It's commendable to hold your ground and conduct your fight from within, but I'm not the kind of person who can handle all that. I'm more the type of person who would rather you come hang in my quiet little corner of the internet instead of shouting and making a bunch of noise in the void.

So that's what we're doing here now! Here, we can connect, share stories and information, and try to escape the hot mess of life for a little while. I've taken up residence on Ghost and carved out a little space on my existing jiggyflyjoe.com domain to make things easier to find. Things might be a bit of a work in progress, but isn't that always the way with me? Whether you already know me or this is the very first time our paths have crossed, welcome to Jiggy's Journal.

The rest of this introductory post is mainly a re-written version of my Substack introduction. Stop me if you think that you've heard this one before... 🎶

Who even are you? 🤔

Super great question! My name is Joseph, but I most commonly go by Joe among the people who know me. Even though I'm pushing closer to my fourth decade of life, I've come to find that I'm still constantly striving to learn and evolve. As a lifelong technology enthusiast, my latest pet project is that I'm teaching myself to code via freeCodeCamp, an excellent educational resource for everything programming. I recently earned my Responsive Web Design certificate and have since started chipping away at my JavaScript Algorithms and Data Structures certificate at the beginning of this year. I studied Software Development for a time in college, but eventually changed my major to Visual Communications after being discouraged by how many unrelated and difficult courses they wanted me to take. Since leaving school, I've opted for the self-taught and self-paced method and so far, it seems to be working out!

On the great World Wide Web, I'm behind the moniker jiggyflyjoe. You may be asking yourself why that is my “screen name,” but honestly, there isn't really an exciting story behind it. Upon creating my current email address, back when Gmail was still in its invite-only phase (yes kids, I'm that old), my sister suggested “jiggyflyjoe” because it sounded like it could be the name of a cool DJ-type dude. With no better ideas, I went with it and have stuck to using it for my username everywhere. If you see “jiggyflyjoe” anywhere on the great big internet, there's seriously like a 99.9% chance that it's me. I mean, who else would take that name?

Just so you're also in the know, I've got a little bit of a tip for you! I've heard my username mispronounced by probably hundreds of my fellow web denizens. So in the spirit of transparency, be aware that the title of this publication is not Jiggly's Journal.

Outside of attempting to immerse myself in programming, I'm also fond of video games, movies and TV shows, music, content creation and live streaming, playing around with graphic art, and the occasional physical crafting (I've made candles and knit scarves, ask me how!). If you'd like a little more information about me, feel free to read my “About” page.

Oh, and last but definitely not least, I'm a very proud cat dad. I love animals of all kinds and tend to advocate for their conservation and welfare, but I have three furry little feline companions of my own named Tigger, Rufus, and Cinnamon. And you better believe I've got plenty to say about them, so be prepared for a whole host of kitty shenanigans!

What to expect... 🔎

This isn't just a blog or an email newsletter. Jiggy's Journal aims to be a sort of combination between the two with some added features on top, like the cherry on a very awesome sundae. You'll be able to comment and chat with me and each other or even do a quiet lurk like one of my cats! How you connect with me and my content is completely up to you. But it is my space for like-minded friends and family to engage, learn, and laugh together.

That being said, I plan to be authentic with the writings that you'll find here. You'll find my casual and humorous takes on tech, coding, and gaming. You'll get personal reflections and deep dives that might sometimes get a little serious. I'll have my thoughts on the headlines and cultural commentary, which let's be honest, is very often a rollercoaster. And like I mentioned before, you can be guaranteed a few cat stories.

And look, I won't pretend that launching Jiggy's Journal in the middle of what can only mildly be described as global uncertainty isn't a little strange. To be perfectly honest with you, every single day feels a little like we're living through the apocalypse. It can't be denied anymore that the United States government is currently under siege. Even before that was the case, we've been dealing with unprecedented crisis after unprecedented crisis as a species since before I was even an adult. Simply existing on this planet right now is hard, no matter who you are. But maybe that's exactly why creating this kind of publication matters. If there has ever been a time to carve out a space for meaningful (and sometimes ridiculous) conversation, and a time for everyone to create and embrace a sense of community, I think that maybe it's now.

“One of us, one of us!” 🙌

As in all of my spaces online, I'm trying to build a community of people who “get it.” If that sounds like it just might be your cup of tea (or coffee! or whiskey!), then it is my sincere hope that you'll stick around. Drop a comment, share your thoughts and your stories, and share with all your friends who might also connect. Also, feel free to find me in all the other places. I'm pretty social for an introvert who cried during the second week of kindergarten because he thought nobody wanted to be his friend! 🥺

Welcome aboard. Let's see where this takes us!