Jaime Waydo

My first blog post! Well, technically my second. I co-wrote a blog post on Medium in 2017. Nothing like a five year break to stoke the blogging fire.

So why a blog now? For about the last six years I’ve wanted to start writing. It has called to me in little moments:

I was interviewing for a job in 2018 when I was getting ready to leave my position at Waymo, Google’s self driving car program. The CEO of the company I was interviewing for asked me, “If you don’t come here, what would you do?” Actually a great question! “I want to write a book.” I blurted out. Huh? Where did that come from?

I was giving a speech at a graduation in 2018, and the night before I had to talk, nothing was feeling right. I went to see my executive coach, and I told her what I had just didn’t speak to me. I could see the worry in her eyes. A graduation! You need to be prepared! Perhaps that was me projecting more than what she actually thought? In any case as we discussed it, what I really wanted to do was to style it more like a “Dear Sugar” set of quick advice snippets. So, with about 9 hours until the graduation, I tore up my prepared speech and started anew. I felt fire in my heart and the words fell on to the paper. This. This is good.

And now. I find myself with a beautiful moment where I am not working full time. And the writing itch is striking again. I’ve had people who don’t even know me tell me my calling is to write or that my purpose on Earth is to write. They may be full of it — they did say that having never read a thing I’ve written. Who knows? So this, dear internet, is my start. My place to put out something I’ve written. Who will read it? I’m sure my mom will. (Hi Mom!). And if you found yourself here on my humble page – welcome. And thank you.

XO — J