Let's start at the beginning...
Oh where should I start? When I had the first thought of getting into the photography business, it was when I was in Texas. I had always had a passion for pictures. I love capturing memories to look back on. In February of 2012 we found out we would be moving to Hawaii for 3 years. I will be honest, I was not happy at first. It was SO far away from our families, I was being told horror stories about locals, the prices, and how I would get island fever. Over time I actually got excited and looked forward to start photographing what I thought would be a memorable 3 year Hawaiian "vacation".
I was wrong.
When we arrived on Oahu in July 2012, I was about 10 weeks pregnant with our 3rd, and last, baby. This was the second time we had moved while I was pregnant, and this time around I actually had morning sickness, accompanied by insane migraines that would last entire weekends. I had pains I didn;t have with my other 2 pregnancies. In short, I had a rough and uncomfortable pregnancy.
I put my plans to start a photography business on hold due to my pregnancy issues and I planned to start up once she was born. Since I was sick a lot of my pregnancy I did not get out much and make many friends. The one person I did kind of talk to her who was also a mil spouse was actually starting up her photog business, so along with putting MINE off due to pregnancy and just not knowing exactly where to even start, I was putting it off not wanting to step on my new "friend's" toes.
June 2013 I was admitted to Tripler AMC for an entire week for gall stone problems. Being alone for a lot of that week with very very few visitors who took time to come see me, got me thinking: after I got out I was going to get to work! That opportunity did not actually become a reality until August 2013. I bought my first DSLR(finally) and threw myself into the photography world thinking I would get some sort of guidance from my "friend".....NOPE.
I was on my own. Everything I have accomplished or learned was with little or no help. I did not deserve to be treated how I was treated. I realize through out your life you will always encounter people you will clash with, people who will belittle you, talk badly about you, and make you feel like you are worthless, and sometimes it NEVER stops. I am still dealing with this bully today, and it's funny, but all of this nonsense drama was caused because someone else decided they are so completely bored with their life, that they go around making things up to start crap between people. Yep, that is how it started. For TWO years, I have been dealing with bullying. I have dealt with my name being thrown under a bus because someone doesn't like me.
I leave this island in 3 months, but for the last 6 months I have basically been keeping more to myself than usual. I haven't even been taking on too many photo shoots. I had been in a rut, honestly. I did not trust anyone. Things actually started to look up just a few weeks ago. Emotionally and physicall I was feeling so much better! I was working out every day, I was no longer in that "rut" I felt I was in, and there was no drama to be seen!
Then I went on vacation. Why would vacation be a problem you ask? Oh because someone sent the former "friend" a hate letter with glitter. Guess who is getting accussed of sending said letter? Yep, ME. WHILE I was on vacation with my family. She blew it up into a anti bully campaign, which hey, it sends a great message, but slightly hypocritical coming from a bully themselves. This person then says she called this company pretending to be ME(last I checked I am sure there is something very wrong with impersonating someone else to get information) and then flat out lies and says that company confirmed it was me. I have an email from that company, (since I wanted proof to show I DID NOT do anything) she got the letter from telling me that they do not even keep names on file, so there ya go, she is caught in her lies.
Now, I am just trying to get through these last few months in "paradise" and actually enjoy it! The friends I have now, are great and I will miss them. I am a good person, I know this...maybe an emotional person, but I am a GOOD person. I am in NO way perfect, I have my faults just as everyone does. I would do almost anything for my friends, I have a hard time saying no, but I love giving to others, so it hurts when I hear people who have something against me say differently. All I want to do is do my photography and live my life without having a bully try to make it miserable. We only have one life, and from here on out, I stand strong and fight for what I want and believe.
