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So, we're gonna talk about Aerys Sports, huh?
(yes, I realize it is 1 in the morning and everyone's quieted down about it but I had shit to do earlier lol)
now, if you don't remember, I was the second or third? NHL editor for Aerys Sports -- Runs on Duncan started there
now, if you don't remember, I was the second or third? NHL editor for Aerys Sports -- Runs on Duncan started there
I was arguably one the most "compensated" of the writers on the site, as in I got free shit every once in a while, but I also made zero dollars
(Which is why I tell everyone that writing for exposure is bullshit, btw -- don't ever do this and be like me)
(Which is why I tell everyone that writing for exposure is bullshit, btw -- don't ever do this and be like me)
I left in May? (or March? one of the M months) of 2013 because of a few reasons
1) I needed a paying job, and I had seen the writing on the wall for this fucking site for months
2) I needed a mental health break from how toxic it had become
1) I needed a paying job, and I had seen the writing on the wall for this fucking site for months
2) I needed a mental health break from how toxic it had become
And that second reason was mostly on Julie
I mean, not gonna lie to y'all -- I was toxic af, too, and looking back on some of my behavior while I was at Aerys makes me go "what the fuck, my good bitch?" Like, wow, blanket apology about that shit
I mean, not gonna lie to y'all -- I was toxic af, too, and looking back on some of my behavior while I was at Aerys makes me go "what the fuck, my good bitch?" Like, wow, blanket apology about that shit
(And if you have receipts about me -- like, yeah, I own up to that shit, no problem, fuck that. none of this "oh, I'm sorry if you felt bad" -- no, sorry, full stop, don't have to forgive me for shit)
But, like... I had a vision for my little corner of the site that was different from Julie's, which always made me feel weird about it
Like, she wanted a content farm. Let's be real about it. That's what Aerys Sports was. Just constant content churn.
Like, she wanted a content farm. Let's be real about it. That's what Aerys Sports was. Just constant content churn.
I was more like "I have no idea how to be a manager. I have all these young people writing under me. Let's have this be, like, hey, this is your first site, feel free to write what you want, let's get it!" and I would take on a lot of the negativity
Which, haha, isn't great for your mental health in the long run! Learn from my mistakes!
I realize now that I should've been more upfront with what was going on because, when I left, the NHL team got the full brunt of Julie, and they all peaced out together
I realize now that I should've been more upfront with what was going on because, when I left, the NHL team got the full brunt of Julie, and they all peaced out together
like, hey, good for me that you all bonded together so well that y'all did that, but uhhhhhhh that should've never happened in the first fucking place
and I'm also sorry for that
and I'm also sorry for that
I don't know -- this is all over the place, not unlike my feelings about Aerys Sports and Julie and how everything went down
it was a shitshow, and it didn't have to be, and it probably wouldn't have been if someone else was in charge
it was a shitshow, and it didn't have to be, and it probably wouldn't have been if someone else was in charge
not me, tho -- it would've been even more of a mess lmao
@jenmacramos is legit with what she's saying, basically is what I'm trying to say
anyway, if you have any questions about it, let me know?
@jenmacramos is legit with what she's saying, basically is what I'm trying to say
anyway, if you have any questions about it, let me know?
and, hey, full disclosure -- Julie did message me last night, asking if I every felt mistreated at Aerys, and I told her yeah, I did feel mistreated
I'm grateful for Aerys because being NHL editor almost directly led to my next paying job...
I'm grateful for Aerys because being NHL editor almost directly led to my next paying job...
But at the end, right before I left (which was actually April 2013 -- I just checked)? I felt used, yeah
I WAS being used for a long time before that, but that's when I realized "oh, this is never going to make me money, and I feel like a shit goblin! I need to leave"
I WAS being used for a long time before that, but that's when I realized "oh, this is never going to make me money, and I feel like a shit goblin! I need to leave"
"if you weren't getting paid, why didn't you just leave?" because, uh, a LOT of sites weren't paying back then, if I recall correctly
This was 2011-2013, mind you -- Twitter just start getting big, and blogs were still in their heyday, but they were mostly a labor of love
This was 2011-2013, mind you -- Twitter just start getting big, and blogs were still in their heyday, but they were mostly a labor of love
lots of people just out there, writing for free
the thing that was supposed to make Aerys Sports different is that, once advertisers came in, we'd get paid -- so it was like the carrot dangled in front of us donkeys for two years, you know?
the thing that was supposed to make Aerys Sports different is that, once advertisers came in, we'd get paid -- so it was like the carrot dangled in front of us donkeys for two years, you know?
Julie says she lost thousands of dollars on Aerys Sports
honestly, I believe that, because that site never brought in any sort of money
but why were we led to believe that it was going to happen "someday," and then the whole thing collapses two and a half years in? I don't know
honestly, I believe that, because that site never brought in any sort of money
but why were we led to believe that it was going to happen "someday," and then the whole thing collapses two and a half years in? I don't know
I really believed in the site and I really believed that all our hard work would be, like, an investment, I guess
I was naive. I'm not so naive anymore. So I guess this experience was good for something?
I was naive. I'm not so naive anymore. So I guess this experience was good for something?
