The Beginning

So here it is folks, it's officially my first blog post here! I'm excited to get started but sometimes it seems more straightforward to network in real life than it does online...so many sites and profiles to set up and keep track of. But I guess it's really no different than remembering things about the people in your life. It's just a shift of paradigm, and I will admit that I can reach a lot more people (and a more diverse and widespread audience) online. Enough of that, though.

I thought I would take the time in this post to tell a little bit about myself. My name is Marielle, though that's my middle name. I'm 29 and I recently moved from my hometown of Denver, CO to Seattle, WA, and thus far it has been...hmmm...bittersweet. I haven't had the best of luck with making money here yet, but rather than blaming the town, I blame the economy. Unfortunately, when people are still losing their houses and jobs, I can honestly say that they're probably not out looking for fine-art photography or political blurbs! While I understand the need to cut back on expenses (after all, I am jobless!), I moved here to quit lining a boss's pocket with more profit and start pursuing my own interests. What gets me is, if I spend all this time promoting myself online without seeing returns, I'll have to get a regular job. And if I get a regular job, I probably won't have the time or energy to do all this virtual "footwork" to brand myself. What a Catch 22!

So what are my interests, you ask? Well, I'm a liberal activist at heart, and I try to get involved in green causes and anything that will change mass-media advertising practices. I also have a vested interest in ending emotional abuse as I spent 8 years being convinced I was so abnormal that only my ex could put up with loving me. Beyond my political views, I am also a Renaissance woman when it comes to art. I shoot photos around the Seattle area and post them for sale on http://marielledesign.ifp3.com, I write in my spare time and just applied to do political commentary and book reviews for Gather and Xomba respectively, I make pixelated grayscale replications of photographs I like, I design B&W tapestries, I dance enthusiastically, I make beaded jewelry (coming soon on eBay), oh, and I write poetry and am in the middle of writing a creative non-fiction novel about my experiences with the ex I mentioned above. I read avidly anything I can get my hands on, and I love punk rock. I'm a recent convert to the Mac universe, and I couldn't be happier with the switch. I'm trying to lose some weight (only because I want to be heathy, not for my image), but all of us with a few extra pounds know how that goes. I believe in freedom of speech, being yourself, and saying what you mean. I don't play games with other people's emotions, and because of that sometimes others would describe me as blunt, maybe even rudely so. But I'd rather be honest about what I think than make apologies for lying about my take on things later. I'm an only child, and I still debate with myself over whether or not to have any of my own. I'm currently single, and loving it.

I like to take friends with me when I go out with the camera, and soon you can check out some of the zany photos I take of them while we're out in the field on Facebook. Follow me on my brand new Twitter account or check out my Google Calendar to get an idea of where I am and what I'm up to on a day-to-day basis.

I think that's enough about me for now! Please feel free to leave any comments or suggestions on any of my sites, I look forward to hearing from you.

More soon...