About Jean

I begged to sit in this Ferrari. What you can't see is the garbage bag I'm wearing in case of accidents. Never thought to ask the owner if he was more worried about me or the bird.

In the first few years of this blog, I remained anonymous. Keep in mind I’m a former Midwestern Lutheran. We do not blast our biographies. We stand in the corner hoping that if we don’t breathe no one will notice us.

I also wasn’t sure how I felt being plastered up on the internet. It’s as if you’ve arrived at my front door wearing a glitter gown and I’m in my sweats scrubbing bird poo off the floor.

But since you’ve asked: I’m Jean Hanson, living in Colorado with my husband and companion cockatoo.

I spent most of my professional life as a writer, mainly in advertising.

Yes, just like Mad Men minus the booze and pointy bras.

Like many writers who actually make a living, I dreamed of being a serious literary writer (aka had desire to be destitute) . So I got an MFA in fiction from the famous Iowa Writers Workshop, taught writing and literature at colleges and universities, worked at a nonprofit, published stories and won prizes, and then needed socks or something and realized I’d better go back to ad biz because I was no good at darning (all teachers are overworked poverty-stricken saints…you know that, I hope).

I still kept up a parallel literary career and have published dozens of essays and short stories in journals which are prestigious in the literary world–which means they don’t pay you and no one outside of academia has ever heard of them.

Now I’m retired and working on a novel. And doing many other things I love: crafty things, music things, volunteering things, parroty things.

(If at this moment you’re feeling a bit of envy, know this: I left freelancing due to developing a debilitating neurologic disease. I’m doing better, but I take limitations seriously, I take opportunities to heart, and I urge you to habithack while you can because you don’t know what tomorrow might bring.)

I started this website because I no longer wanted any of us–including me–to be held back from things we love because we don’t have energy (thus the SOS feed) or organizational chops (thus Nest). And the Create feed? That’s my way of helping you harness your talent and have more fun.

Nothing makes me happier than facilitating creativity. I hope you join me on this journey.

If you have questions, suggestions for this site, or just want to say hi, contact me.

2 Responses to “About Jean”

  1. catlpalm October 11, 2012 at 2:17 am

    I hate you have a neurological disease but I am so pleased I am getting advice from someone I can relate too. I also have several neurological disorders and do not like that my retirement years have become my disability years. So many sites are out there to provide advice but I didn’t know how to keep up when I function at best maybe 2-3 days a week. I have spent the last 3 years going backwards. Now I have the added blessing of taking care of my 21 year old daughter who had to leave college due to her own neurological illnesses that I sadly passed on. She and I are learning together.

  2. HabitHacker December 21, 2012 at 6:56 pm

    Dear catlpalm, I’m so so sorry to hear that you have neurological disorders. My advice is not to push yourself too hard. I truly understand what it’s like not to be able to function every day of the week. I’m sure it’s tough to know your daughter also has to suffer, but I hope the two of you offer one another lots of support. Cherish your time together and don’t stress about the unimportant stuff. Jean.

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