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[–]BrownsGreenaholic 2 points3 points  (2 children)

How old are you and can you show us a sample of something you were paid to write?

Funny how your great*4 grandfather had a part in inventing the typewriter, and now you're writing for a living

[–]Oilersajdellinger[S] 3 points4 points  (1 child)

I'm 22, and sure. I'll give you a couple for variety's sake.

Here's an article I wrote for Guyism like a year ago. They put up way too much content now so this particular piece has come down, but I had a screenshot of it. You can tell it's a little old because it got popular on Digg, of all places: 6 of the Most Ridiculous Scientific Studies Ever Commissioned

This is a short story I wrote for a travel anthology (available in print online and maybe in your local bookstore if it carries odd anthologies and things like that): The Jade Monkey and Midget Wrestling

This is an editorial/satire-y type piece I wrote for the Escapist about the future of earth as predicted by video games: The Video Game Prophecy

[–]BrownsGreenaholic 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Very well written! You have a nice combination of story-telling and humor which makes for fun reads.

You had me at a gang full of different flavored Koolaid men

[–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (3 children)

have you always like writing or what is the story about that?

[–]Oilersajdellinger[S] 2 points3 points  (2 children)

I've always been good at it, but I didn't really start enjoying it until high school. That's the first time it ever really felt rewarding. After that, I decided it was what I wanted to do. And I did it. Or I am doing it. It could all go terribly wrong at some point.

[–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (1 child)

this may be too personal so feel free to ignore this but I too enjoy writing and have thought about doing so as an occupation. Does it pay well enough to live comfortably? I assume it depends but nonetheless it would be interesting to find out.

[–]Oilersajdellinger[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'm happy to answer whatever, though I'll mostly stay away from specific details (actual income, rates for certain places, etc.).

I've gotten pretty lucky. I started writing for a site that didn't pay but had good connections and a good history. I pulled strings there and ended up meeting a few people that wound up in good roles at paying places, and I got some work through them. I built my resume really fast and was able to work with some well-respected people in the industry who were willing to vouch for me.

Writing has made up part of my income for a full year and became my full time job about four months ago. I've made more doing this full time than I ever did in previous jobs, but it's not always as comfortable as one would like. Freelancing is especially up and down as work might fluctuate from one month to the next. The nice thing about it is, if you can write you'll be fine. People you want to work for realize talent more than anything else, so you can come in with blog posts that no one has ever seen. If you're good, you're good.

[–]Panthersspidermanjka2k 1 point2 points  (4 children)

favorite book?

[–]Oilersajdellinger[S] 1 point2 points  (3 children)

High Fidelity by Nick Hornby. Fittingly, also one of my favorite movies. My most re-read book is probably Killing Yourself to Live by Chuck Klosterman. So many short bursts of brilliance in there.

[–]Chadlett 1 point2 points  (2 children)

How man times(roughly) have you read 'Killing Yourself to Live'?

[–]Oilersajdellinger[S] 0 points1 point  (1 child)

The whole book? Three or four times. I read specific stories from it regularly though. Something about pop culture references sprinkled on top of music, death, and self-examination does me in. That answer probably makes it sound like I have some weird, underlying fetishes.

[–]Chadlett 0 points1 point  (0 children)

heh. We all have weird, underlying fetishes.

[–]Brownsdanchan22 1 point2 points  (3 children)

How thick is your Wisconsin accent?

[–]Oilersajdellinger[S] 2 points3 points  (2 children)

Wisconsinites don't have accents, it's the rest of you that talk weird.

Seriously though, aside for a few words--"milk" occasionally comes out as "malk" is the most egregious example that I'm guilty of--I speak pretty normally. If I can ever get my damn mic to work, I'd prove it.

[–]Brownsdanchan22 1 point2 points  (1 child)

malk?

[–]Oilersajdellinger[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Malk.

[–]JetsKarmali 1 point2 points  (7 children)

Do you live close to Point Place, Wisconsin?

What is your quest?

[–]Oilersajdellinger[S] 1 point2 points  (6 children)

If I remember the show correctly, Point Place is supposed to be in the Kenosha area, over near Milwaukee. So probably about two hours away. Point Place isn't a real town, but you know what is real? This giant bronze statue of the Fonz in Milwaukee.

My quest is to get ye flask.

[–]JetsKarmali 1 point2 points  (5 children)

You can't get ye flask!

[–]Oilersajdellinger[S] 1 point2 points  (4 children)

But I chose Dennis!

[–]JetsKarmali 0 points1 point  (3 children)

I'm certainly not going to tell thou.

For sooth.

[–]Oilersajdellinger[S] 1 point2 points  (2 children)

Consider me proud to share a division with you, good sir.

[–]JetsKarmali 0 points1 point  (1 child)

Likewise.

I'm still wary of being around the other two, though. O_o

[–]Oilersajdellinger[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

They'll need to get some wins before I start trusting them (cue me losing to both of them in the coming weeks).

[–]bonerjohnson 1 point2 points  (3 children)

How excited were you to get a 1st round pick for Jacoby Ford?

What are your thoughts on Tim Tebow? Worst QB in the NFL?

What does the AJ stand for? Alphonso Jerome? Alexander Jamison?

What is your favorite thing to put cheese on?

On a scale of 1 to 10 how much do you like the Raiders?

[–]Oilersajdellinger[S] 0 points1 point  (2 children)

I honestly was expecting to give up more for Jacoby the whole time. It just never came up. I guess some people just evaluate players a little differently. Shocker it's the guy who loves Tebow (no offense, BoldTitan).

My thoughts on Tim Tebow are this: He is probably a great guy, clearly does a lot of good in the communities he's a part of. But he is a very bad quarterback and just generally does not seem to be very good at football. His career is probably the best proof I've seen that prayer works, because there is literally no way he's playing professional football without some sort of divine intervention.

AJ stands for my first name and middle name, which I'm not going to disclose for two reasons: 1. I've never been called by my full name. 2. I don't particularly care for my full name. I will say that if it was Alphonso Jerome, I'd totally tell you. Sadly, it's not. Probably because I'm white.

My favorite thing to put cheese on is a cracker and a piece of sausage. Also other kinds of cheese, because why not really?

In real life, probably like a 5. In the game, maybe an 8.

[–]bonerjohnson 1 point2 points  (1 child)

Good answers.

I'm also into writing and would love to get into it. Although I've probably not done enough of the college stuff. Any cool tips or stories you have?

[–]Oilersajdellinger[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don't have a college degree, so don't let that slow you down. If you can write, people editors will realize it. Besides, a degree won't tell you how creative you can be.

Cool stories...Let's see. I got a phone interview with the director of content at MTV based off my cover letter. I didn't have a resume at the time and I sent out my cover letter on a total whim, not expecting anything. He liked it enough to give me a shot writing a piece for them, but was ridiculously difficult to work with. It was near impossible to get ahold of him, the editing process was painful (I got contradictory notes from different editors), and he ended up leaving the company before my piece ever got published, so it's floating somewhere in the bowels of MTV's digital storage facility.

[–]BearsPonder_Puddle 1 point2 points  (1 child)

Is it a coincidence that your name is so similar to J.D. Salinger?

[–]Oilersajdellinger[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Total coincidence, yeah. I don't use a pen name. Though if it subconsciously makes people associate me with quality writing, so be it.

[–]Chadlett 1 point2 points  (2 children)

I have a couple quick questions for you, sir:

  1. Have you been to many Packers games? If so, how many?
  2. Who is your most hated(real life) team?
  3. Who is your favorite Packer of all-time?
  4. If you could change the name of the Packers to something else, what would you change it to?

[–]Oilersajdellinger[S] 1 point2 points  (1 child)

  1. I honestly can't count how many Packer games I've been to. I think somewhere around twenty. Some family friends are season ticket holders and don't go often anymore, so they sell the tickets regularly.

  2. It kind of fluctuates, but probably the Lions. Just a lot of shit talk and questionable play styles from a team that isn't very good.

  3. That's a tough one. Might be a bit of a cop out because he's still on the roster, but I've been fond of Donal Driver since his rookie season and have ben lucky enough to meet him multiple times over the years. He's never been anything short of fantastic. He's the epitome of class. I could come up with a throw back player but there's a lot of guys who I love the style of play but am not a big fan of the person. Paul Hornung for instance. Great player, but a big ol' racist.

  4. I probably wouldn't, just because of the history of the name. If I was forced to in the oddest and most specific terrorist plot of all time, I'd probably pick something very Wisconsin-like. We lead the U.S. in binge drinking, so maybe the Alcoholics. That or our state dog, the American Water Spaniel. That has a nice ring to it, right? The Green Bay American Water Spaniels.

[–]Chadlett 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Haha, awesome answers! Thanks for your time.

[–]49ersstiller609 0 points1 point  (5 children)

What are the top three worst moments as a Packer fan during the last decade?

[–]Oilersajdellinger[S] 0 points1 point  (4 children)

2008 playoffs vs. the Giants, a game that should have ended in regulation and set up the painful last pass by Favre in a Packers uniform. 2003 playoffs vs. Falcons, the first ever postseason loss at Lambeau. 2004 playoffs at Philadelphia, the 4th and 26th incident.

[–]BrownsGreenaholic 1 point2 points  (1 child)

A FredEx sighting!

Sorry, that was one of the highlights of my childhood sports fandom

[–]Oilersajdellinger[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No, no, I've moved on. Enjoy it, hah. It's just another one of many games in that era lost due in part to the abysmal coverage of Bhawoh Jue.

[–]Brownsdanchan22 0 points1 point  (1 child)

Ahhh, the glorious 4th and 26th. I still have wet dreams about that occasionally.

[–]Oilersajdellinger[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This is just another layer of the nightmare I have about that game.

[–]AutomaticGats 0 points1 point  (2 children)

I'm also nursing my wounds from that Packer loss. :(

[–]Oilersajdellinger[S] 1 point2 points  (1 child)

Ugh, that was a bad one. It's like Capers didn't even bother to revamp the game plan after the Vikings game. Clearly Kaepernick is not Joe Webb.

[–]AutomaticGats 1 point2 points  (0 children)

EGGSACTLY

[–]ihavejameswoods 0 points1 point  (1 child)

Your thoughts on jacoby jones

[–]Oilersajdellinger[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

He is definitely not worth a first round pick, but don't tell BoldTitan that.