If you arrived here looking for Geek Glam, you may be slightly confused at the current state of the website. Previously, this domain housed my photography business and I maintained a separate personal fashion blog at http://geekglam.net. After several months of serious deliberation and self-actualization, I made the jump last night and consolidated the two sites under my name.
Geek Glam has been an important part of my life for the past three years, and I’ve been more than hesitant to close that chapter. I did not make this decision lightly. Impulsive blog name changes were something I struggled with in the past. When I finally started Geek Glam– and consistently updated it– I thought I had broken the curse!
If you are a blogger, you know that our blogs are our babies. Choosing a name and brand for the space that we invest our time and hearts is crucial. My everchanging blogs have paralleled my personal struggle to discover/accept my identity. In retrospect, I see that they have been more aspirational than truly reflective.
I wanted to be a fashion blogger, until I realized that as much as I love the industry, I didn’t feel like I measured up to those that have been truly successful in that niche. It started to eat away at me, and I lost my motivation to blog. Then came Geek Glam. Geek Glam was my rebellious statement against stereotypical fashion blogs. I embraced my nerd side with pride. It was a joy and opened up a world of opportunities for me, as well as leading me to some of my closest friends.
But life happens. I work a full-time job and am trying to balance my photography on the side, while still carving out time to help other bloggers via consulting or through Dallas Blogger Collective. And on top of that–maintain some sort of personal life!
I’m not saying goodbye to the blog name of Geek Glam because I’m no longer geeky or like glamorous things– it’s because I know now that I never needed that name to define myself.
My photography business is growing steadily. I’m starting to help other bloggers by sharing what I’ve learned over the years. I have so many interests and things happening in my life that I want to be able to document on this blog, without worrying if it falls under a certain category.
The phrase “making name for yourself” has resonated with me over the past year. When I got married in February of 2014, I did not change my last name. I don’t think that this decision is all that shocking in our current day of age, and was pretty disturbed by the negative reaction I received from people in my life at the time. As ridiculous as this may sound, I’ve been working my butt off since we got home from the honeymoon to prove that I deserve to keep my last name. Taking advantage of every opportunity that came along. Hustling like a crazy person– oftentimes for free or at the expense of my personal life– and sacrificing to build my brand. To make a name for myself.
I believe I’ve done that. Not because of what I’ve accomplished through blogging, photography, or career, but because of my character and how I’ve lived my life as Stephanie Drenka. It’s taken a lot of time and reflection to realize and celebrate that. I let cruel people make me feel guilty for wanting to keep my name or like I had to earn something that has been mine along. As if it were selfish or narcissistic to simply be happy to be me.
Geek Glam has been an amazing part of my life. But the most important thing it did was connect me to friends who have helped support me and guide me along my journey to this conclusion. Which is really just another beginning. So goodbye and thank you, Geek Glam. You truly helped make me who I am today… Stephanie Drenka.