Spotlight on SheSpeaks Blogger - Amy Oztan of Selfish Mom
Amy Oztan, founder of
SelfishMom.com, is a freelance writer and podcaster. Her work has been syndicated to dozens of online and print newspapers, and she has appeared on countless TV shows and websites commenting on everything from weight loss to parenting topics. Amy co-founded a popular podcast covering blogging and technology topics at BloggingAngels.com, and is now a regular guest on the Parenting Bytes podcast for CBS. In her free time Amy loves to play piano, sing, and bake wonderfully delicious things.
Amy lives in Brooklyn with her husband, two children, and cat. She is available for public speaking and private cheese-eating.
She also recently participated in our Duracell campaign and we can't wait to work with her again.
We caught up with her to find out more about her life, and here is what we found out, in her own words.
I live in….Brooklyn in a big spooky house that has never and will never all be clean at the same time.
I started blogging in... 2008. We’d just bought our house, which needed a complete renovation, and I started chronicling the renovation on a real estate website.
My niche is…Um...niche? The only unifying thread is that I talk about myself a lot! But if I had to narrow it down, it would be baking. And tech. Tech and baking, there you go. What a weird niche.
I write when…..I feel like it. I’ve tried putting myself on a schedule and it just didn’t work. I end up screaming at my editorial calendar, “YOU’RE NOT THE BOSS OF ME!!!!”
How has blogging changed my life: Blogging has given me a career that I love in a field I didn’t know was a field until I made it one for myself.
A brand I have loved working with: Kidde. I’m going into my second year as a Kidde ambassador and I love that my creativity gets to intersect with a life-saving product and a paycheck.
How I see the future of blogging/social media: I think that companies and readers will get even more comfortable with the concept of sponsored posts, which will help the writers who work hard to stick around.
Where I work: Usually at my dining room table. Occasionally on my couch or in bed. Pretty much never in my office.
I am connected….When I want to be. I don’t really understand the people who complain about always being reachable, how they feel a responsibility to be available and to respond. YOU are in control of just how connected you are.
When I’m stressed, I…..Take a nap. If I’m stressed it’s usually because I’m tired.
My favorite gadget is….My new Nokia 928 Windows Phone. I find it tragically sad that they never really caught on, because Windows Phones are awesome. And I miss Zune. Yeah, I said it.
My favorite travel destination is….Anywhere where I’ll be pampered. Or Disney World.
My favorite clothing brand is…Um...I usually shop for my clothes at Target. I probably need to up my fashion game.
I do all my shopping….Online whenever possible. My UPS guy has me on speed dial.
My favorite TV shows: Friends, West Wing, The Daily Show, The Colbert Report (sniff), and The Rachel Maddow Show.
My favorite movie: OMG. ONE? How can someone choose one? I mean, are we talking the movie I can’t stop watching if I see it while flipping channels? Because that would be something like Independence Day or Deep Blue Sea. Are we talking all-around best? That would probably be something more emotionally draining, like Schindler’s List or Braveheart. Or are talking something popocorny, like When Harry Met Sally or The Fugitive? Too many possibilities. Forget I named anything.
Coffee or tea: Diet Dr Pepper.
I love….To be alone, but knowing that I’ll be with people again. It’s not like I want to live on a deserted island or anything, I just need a good amount of alone time in order to stay sane.
I dream about….Things too strange to put in writing. Some of my dreams should be studied by professionals.
Where you can find my writing: SelfishMom.com, and you can hear me podcasting about parenting in the digital age on Parenting Bytes (search for it in iTunes).
What else I do: Bake yummy things, sing, play piano, run long races without much training, hassle my kids, mock my husband (hey, he mocks back!), speak my mind, ignore the naysayers, complain, and occasionally write something a little bit brilliant.