My Steemit Introduction... many layers of me...

[desertrat]

Image by Ryan Smith from Smith-Gauthier Productions

Hello. I’m Crystal, aka DesertRat. Pleased to meet you.

So...here’s my intro.

I’m a documentary photographer, writer, lapidary artist & comms expert. That’s a mouthful, eh?

I guess, in a sense, I’m a renaissance woman-- although I find the term a little grandiose, even if it’s applicable. I have many interest, passions and endeavors.

Photo by me, while on assignment in Indonesia.

One morning, I wake up and want to only work with healing crystals making jewelry to help people embrace a little more consciousness and divine energy as they travel through our chaotic world.

The next morning, I wake up and want to think of nothing but cryptocurrency, cybersecurity and how shitty my personal opsec is that day.

A few days later, I’ll spend 3 hours on the yoga mat and a few hours contemplating the commons, living off grid and my role in the Voluntary Simplicity movement-- or lack there of, depending on the day.

Image created by me, while working on a documentary project in Nepal.

And, to make a living, I help small businesses tell an authentic story online, I’m the director of communications for a tech firm specializing in NEO Smart Economy, distributed ledger technology and smart contracts. (We just rolled out $MCT and are building HashPuppies right now). I also sell healing crystals and handcrafted jewelry on my etsy store, http://www.etsy.com/shop/NomadicCrystals.

In my former “work life” I produced television commercials for shitty (and not so shitty) corporations-- like Pizza Hut and Whole Foods (pre-Bezos). I love producing, but the corporate work almost broke me. I also used those funds to travel to distant lands and document life in displaced populations and chaotic countries-- that all walk a paradox of chaos and beauty. It's how I kept my sanity.

Also taken by me while working in Nepal. I was invited to document a Maoist cadre in rural Nepal and pulled aside female soldiers and did a mini-series of these beautiful young soldiers.

Hence my body of documentary work called Beauty in Chaos. It’s an ongoing exploration of the tension between beautiful slices of humanity found in chaotic places of conflict and violence. While I haven’t touched the project in a few years, you will see some of the work here on my Steemit.

Photograph by yours truly while returning to the West Bank from Ramallah. I was working on a documentary project that summer in the West Bank.

I’m also a perpetual nomad. About 10 years ago, I started a travel blog and discovered a way to generate income using this crazy thing called the internet. So, I did. This year, I’m on track to completely cut the cord and go full digital nomad. And I couldn’t be more excited.

So, that’s the short version of me. There’s a long version-- that could fill a novel-- and will someday. My professional photography can be seen at http://www.crystalstreetphotography.com (sorry, I need to learn markup-- I'm an html gal)

An entire adult life devoted to embracing unconventional and rebellious living tends to spawn an archive of stories.

I’m not exactly sure what I’ll write about here-- probably a little bit of everything. So please follow me and let’s take this little journey together.

Comments

[cavalo]

#25Upvoted

[ydavgonzalez]

Saludos, gracias por unirte a Steemit.

[desertrat]

Thanks!! ;)

[yogajill]

Well hello @desertrat! Very nice to meet you here in Steemitland! Looking forward to seeing your journey unfold!! Let's enjoy this ride! You sound like a very cool cat. I am glad to have crossed your path!

[desertrat]

Lovely to meet you as well, @yogajill !! And thanks for the kind words! I just peaked at your blog and it looks lovely. I'm following along so I can share the journey! Have a lovely day!!!

[yogajill]

You're welcome 😊Looking forward to our Steem journey!

[cheneats]

Hi, desertrat! Wish you a very exciting experience here on this platform :) Life is good!

By the way, there are several groups you as a newcomer can join. They will stay with you for your journey, helping and mentoring along the way.

@greetersguild invite link https://discord.gg/AkzNSKx @newbieresteemday invite link https://discord.gg/2ZcAxsU

[desertrat]

Thanks for the lovely welcome!! I'll be checking those links out now! Thanks so much!!!

[tinymischiefs]

Hi Crystal, welcome to Steemit!
Amazing photographs, I'm definitely following you for more :)

[desertrat]

Thanks so much, TinyMischiefs (great handle)! Lovely to hear from a fellow artist! I checked out your artwork as well!! Lovely work! ;)

[tinymischiefs]

Thank you very much :)!

[nellita66]

Bienvenido a la gran familia Steemit, tienes la oportunidad de crecer, recibiendo clases de Negocios, Liderazgo, arte, poesía y comunicación, por eso te invito a participar en esta importante escuela.
Únete aquí

Welcome to the great Steemit family, you have the opportunity to grow, receiving business classes, Leadership, art, poetry and communication, so I invite you to participate in this important school.
Join here
https://discord.gg/hrjxG4G https://discord.gg/hrjxG4G

Enlace: https://steemit.com/@nellita66

https://discord.gg/Kkbkewk

[desertrat]

Thanks so much for the kind welcome and links. I'll check them out!

[esteems]

Welcome To SteemitBlockchain World, Welcome to The eSteem Family. @desertrat. Welcome To

Esteem / Steemit is The Best Application based on Blockchain in The World. Before you go any further, read The Rules and other Instructions About Steemit and How to use Steemit.

• About Steemit, Steemit Rules, & Instructions Here:
  About Steemit
  Welcome To Steemit
  Steemit FAQ : https://steem.io/ : https://steemit.com/welcome : https://steemit.com/faq.html

• Steemit Tag Here :
  Tag's : https://steemit.com/tags

• Vote For Witness Here :
  Witness : https://steemit.com/~witnesses

• Steemit Shops Here :
  Shops : https://thesteemitshop.com

---

Hope you have a great day here and I'll always waiting your new Article everytime. #Greetings, Esteems.

[desertrat]

Thanks so much for the kind welcome and fabulous links! I'll def be checking them all out! Thank you!!!

[esteems]

You welcome @desertrat. my pleasure to can help everyone. thank you so much for good response. i hope you success on the future

[rainbowrachel]

Welcome to steemit @desertrat. I can relate to you in that I'm always waking up with new inspirations and ideas, and I can't seem to stick to just one. But luckily we have the ability to pursue most of our passions and follow our curiosity. Life is good! Following you too and looking forward to seeing more!

[desertrat]

Thanks for the lovely welcome, @rainbowrachel And yes, having the ability to pursue so many passions is truly one of the loveliest gifts in this life. And the modern tech that helps support our curiosity isn't a bad thing either! ;) Looking forward to your posts and getting to know the steemit community! Have a lovely rest of the weekend!

[neyor]

Welcome to steemit. I believe you will learn alot from here like i am doing as a newbie from my mentors .We are going to take this ride together.

[desertrat]

Thanks so much, neyor! Enjoy your time here on Steemit as well! ;)

[yungchief]

Welcome to Steemit. I implore you to explore the platform and enjoy your time.

Join the SteemJet Community and grow. SteemJet community teaches about the Global adoption of Steem.

Join us on discord: https://discord.gg/gGf9V24

[desertrat]

Thanks so much! I'll check out the discord and see what SteemJet is all about. Thanks so much!

[yungchief]

Alright. Will be waiting for you at SteemJet

[newbieresteemday]

Excellent post! Thank you for sharing with us your story. I'm happy to upvote and resteem your introduction post and welcome to steemit:) by @cheneats

Congratulations you have been upvoted and resteemed as part of #newbieresteemday's top 10 posts for the day! ...

We invite you to use our tag to connect with more of our members. To learn more: Come Join Us!!! (Newbie Resteem Initiative)

[desertrat]

Thanks so much for posting these links! I'm heading over there now to learn more. And thanks for the upvote! Greatly appreciated!

[phillyc]

Dune novels by Frank Herbert. In these stories the character Paul Atriedes was also known as desert rat (Muad Dib), he is a pretty cool character with psychic abilitiesThis is a great introduction! May I ask what inspired your name @desertrat? It reminds me of the epic sci-fi

[desertrat]

Thanks! It's not a Dune reference, (hate to admit it, I still haven't read Dune yet) but I spend a fair amount of time out in the desert and they have a term for peeps like me who wander and play in the desert-- Desert Rat. My 93 year old uncle called me that one year while I was visiting and it stuck. I'm also a beach bum, so part of the year, I have to be in the salt water world and the other half-- desert rat. ;) Thanks for stopping by and asking! ;)

[mjay2018]

Welcome to Steemit @desertrat

[jrdeomampo]

Awesome intro! Salute to you renaissance woman! Welcome to this loving community of steemians! Looking forward to read your post.

[desertrat]

thanks so much!! I'm loving this community so much already! Excited to finally join in the fun! ;) Have a lovely day!

[travelsa]

Chat soon Steemit Buddies!!!!
Hiya! Welcome on Steemit!! I find it an amazing platform for all sorts of reasons... I am also very new here and just uploaded my intro video. What I have already learned is that it helps to follow and upvote and the Steemit community will return the favor by throwing some cents your way with and upvote and following you. You will see some amazing posts and videos here. Stuff to laugh at, stuff to cry at, things that educate.. The list goes on and on. So here's my invite, please upvote and follow me and I will return the favor from sunny South Africa! :-) You can watch my intro video here https://steemit.com/introduceyourself/@travelsa/r9ji45gn

[desertrat]

hello and thanks, travelsa for the link! I'll def check it out! Thanks again and have a lovely day! Excited to have crossed paths and I'll be reading along!