One year of web words at KVUE

Hey hi hello, remember when I used to write blog posts referencing my seemingly neverending unemployment and how distressed it made me like, at least 75% of the time? Well, I haven't made one of those in an entire year because, as of today, that's how long I've been employed as a Digital Content Producer at KVUE.

Hooray! A year of employment! And not just employment – a fulfilling job, where I'm encouraged to learn new skills and report on the things I love. Not too shabby.

In honor of this occasion, I decided to put together a round-up of some of my favorite things I've written in my first year.

Back in December, I set myself the bananas but catchy-on-social task of watching all of Netflix's original live-action Christmas movies in 24 hours. It was actually pretty challenging, but also fun and I kept catching myself being like, "I'm being paid? To do this?" This year, I'm not going for a Crash Course in Christmas Part II, but I will be reviewing each of Netflix's live-action offerings as they come out. That madness starts Friday, so get ready.

In February, I was delighted to learn that Bee Cave Bob exists.

In March, I was super lucky to get to cover SXSW – basically at my own discretion. I attended a Good Omens activation and event, went to a live Q&A with the director and cast of "The Beach Bum," saw "Nothing Stays the Same: The Story of the Saxon Pub" with a bunch of Saxon Pub enthusiasts and reviewed "Pink Wall" (good), "Little Monsters" (meh) and "Pet Semetary" (terrible).

During our May sweeps period, I got to help put together the Digital efforts for two important stories that took a lot of work from everyone involved. First, our KVUE Crime Files series on the 1991 Yogurt Shop Murders. And second, Kris Betts's piece on postpartum mood disorders. Working on both reminded me how crucial good, thoughtful journalism is.

In June, the Digital team started doing special reporting assignments that we've nicknamed "DigiPitches." It's basically an effort to get us away from our computers and into the field. So far, I've written about Amy's Ice Cream's Trick Olympics, retro-inspired summer fun, the play based on the life of former Texas governor Ann Richards and a walking tour that lets you retrace the steps of America's first serial killer. All extremely normal stuff.

And finally, in early October, I once again got paid to do something I normally pay to do and was part of the team covering ACL. It was all very exciting and cool, but most of all – I cannot stress this enough – it was my job to see and write about Guns 'N' Roses. I've literally dreamed about that since I was 14. For balance, I also spent a lot of time writing election explainers in October, which were objectively less fun but more important.

It's been a very eventful year. I've racked up dozens of bylines, been bestowed a few titles, spent a lot of hours on my computer and phones and learned a ton about Digital (and TV) journalism. It's still kind-of wild to me that I write at least one thing every day that goes on the Internet for literally anyone to see. It's what I went to school for, and at least in part, the only thing I've ever wanted to make a living doing.

That's pretty cool.