about
hey, I’m jen.
I’m an outgoing introvert and intermittent foulmouth, a dirt-lover, gamer, Gandalf-stan, thrift store enthusiast, nonsense repudiator, kindness evangelist, and former biology academic turned web-nerd. I was a university biology and zoology lecturer for ten years before diving into the tech industry. I miss all of it except teaching about the Krebs Cycle. That sucked.
Now, I work for Automattic, helping democratize the web with WordPress, the software that powers over 40% sites online. I’m on the Jetpack support team, and I used to write photography articles for WordPress.com’s now-retired The Daily Post.
I met my husband via an online fan forum I ran in the early 2000’s for the MMORPG Everquest. Every day, he surprises me, delights me, enlightens me, challenges me, and makes me laugh. We’re raising three bright, mischievous, kick-ass, feminist kids who are often more mature than we are.
We also have three ill-mannered — but sweet — rescue mutts. I’d have a whole pack of them if I could, but there’s only so much room on the bed.
In my free time, I write, and putter around in my garden.
I love scary movies and romance novels, both of which I put my eyeballs on for the first time when I was way too young. But the heart wants what it wants, and my pre-teen heart wanted carnage and lusty pining. I still think Ripley and Hicks should have kissed.
I really like to eat, but I’m an awful cook. Hot Cheetos and Hot Tamales are the best of all snack foods, sour cream is the superior french fry condiment, and I will eat any and all cheese, without hesitation, even if it’s stinky.
I am wild about the smell of used bookstores, and I feel most alive when I’m near large bodies of water. I love wine of all kinds, and Ethiopian single-origin coffee.
I also love: campfires, boardgames, World of Warcraft, my 85mm f/1.8G camera lens, public radio, the smell of dog paws, Hefeweizen, Ben Solo, slipper socks, hiking, and traveling with my family.
Thanks for snooping. Say hi below. If you want. No pressure.