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I am a writer and a sElf-taught artist. I was told as a child that I had a great imagination and I heard countless adults tell me that I could be a writer “someday.” Unfortunately, I programmed my brain that “someday” would never be now. For years I tried to live up to the expectations of society and family of origin (FOO) by finding a real job and living a “normal” life -- well, as normal as a non-heterosexual, non-monagomous, non-religious, apolitical person could be.

With the invaluable support of my mate/life partner, I have slowly started to break out of those conventions and find ways to express my creative sElf. In the past year I've created collage, started my first altered book, organized an Art Exhibition for a regional conference, and wrote a novel as part of National Novel Writing Month. I said goodbye to over 20 years of writing in a series of bonfires designed to free me from the weight of the past. I even had my head shaved (three times!) to mark the birth of the artist and the death of the false mask I wore for so many years.

This year I’ll be planning the 2nd annual art exhibition, participating in round robin art, experimenting with new media and techniques, writing a script as part of Script Frenzy, and probably writing another novel in November. Oh, and I’ll be making plans to quit the last vestigages of conventional life and become an Artistic Nomad.

This space will celebrate and honor my creativity and chronicle my journey from rooted to nomad. Right now you’ll find collage, digital art, and photographs. As the Universe inspires, I’ll be adding more of my art, visual and written and sharing more of my history and philosophy.

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A lot of artists were addicts and ended up in drug rehab to get clean. There are lots of studies out there. The sad truth is all the recent celebrities entering drug rehab aren't likely to maintain their recovery. Long term drug rehab is the best solution for young adults.

There are a lot of tattoo books out there that might inspire you to try making your own body art. Just make sure you have proper tattoo needles and inks when you do!

If your're a fan of the theater and have trouble getting tickets to sold-out broadway shows, there are theatre ticket sites that can help. And you can always make art out of your ticket stub collection later on!

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All content, graphics, and page design are copyright by D’Marie Adame(unless otherwise noted) and may not be reproduced in any fashion without express, written consent. Any requests to reprint should be directed to dmarie at dmself dot com.

Companies like Gorilla Trades can help you understand the stock market. The Gorilla Trades website has lots of stock info.