"That "mflavah" reign just won't let up...
I see you aimin' at my pedestal, I bettah let ya know..." -- Rhianna
Hey guys! Yes, I just changed the lyrics to Rhianna song. No, I have no shame. Chances are I'll do it again, and chances are that I'll probably quote this song again. Its one of my personal favorites. Again, NO SHAME.
So, someone asked me the question the other day, "Why do people call you mflave?". I thought about keeping it a mystery. Because it seems that I have accidentally branded myself with this nickname. Its not a bad thing. Mflave/mlavah began as early as 2004 by some friends in an effort to make me laugh. Since it has spurred cartoon images, a character in a web comic, and all of my user handles since that time have included "mflave" (or its derivative "mflavah") to some extent. I like it. It embodies so much of who I am and who I've been. Its goofy, its relatively clever, its fun, its original, and its become so synonymous with who I am as a person that I have had people on more than one occasion actually believe that its my middle name, and no they weren't kidding.
I've never really been a fan of my name until recently; Martha, is often associated with knitting grandmas on porches, and the last name Helt (while I was glad to change it from my biological last name for familial reasons and am very proud to have it), really doesn't inspire a lot gravitas. In an effort to explain what I mean by that: Its not the kind of name that has a lot of oomph when yelling it from a press box during a 9-9 drum corps rehearsal in august in 102 heat. ;) My original last name was Gray, which has much more potential to oomph, more grabby consonants, it even causes my initials to spell MEG, which is also awesome. Where as MEH... well it spells meh. Which is, decidedly, the opposite of me.
I have sort of grown into my first name, and I think thats in part because of the accidental branding I did with the inclusion of my nickname. Its been used so frequently and in conjunction with me and my person that it actually sounds weird not to have it attached to my name. Most people don't even know what my middle name is (its Elizabeth, by the way which I happen to be a fan of ;) ). Martha Elizabeth has a really eloquent old world ring to it. I really love it. And its rare that anyone actually calls me Martha, so I get a little shocked and smiley when it happens.
So, why so many thoughts on a name? Well, I've been spending some time on social media and trying to keep everything linked and easy to search. And with many people sending friend requests to me because of my images, many of whom I do not know... it'd be nice to set up a system where I'm searchable, and findable and connectable (is that a word? coining it!), but not only and always through my personal (oversharing) facebook account. And we (meaning my generation) were at the birth of facebook and all thing interconnected, so when I made my facebook, my instagram, snapchat, periscope, my google+ etc; basically when I created my online identity, it became so closely tied to my nickname. And I liked that. I still do.
My problem has since become, as I start to make the slow (like pouring molasses in winter slow, and I'm still not sure where its all going to lead in the end. But thats the fun part, right?) transition into portrait photography, I've had some very strong aversions to using "mflave" on ANY paper work or correspondence. Why? because it doesn't feel timeless. It feels very contemporary and vogue, but in the kind of way that will eventually become stale and antiquated. Like a youthful mistake. Its the kind of thing thats kitchy and fun but also something I think someone wiser than I would feel was an immature choice to put on anything I'd give to someone for business.
But, here's the catch 22, and truly the side I've been leaning towards: its that... this has remained part of my life for almost 12 years now. And I, Martha Mflave Helt, am the only Martha Mflave Helt that exists. Its how I'm greeted, its how I've made a name for myself in both social and musical circles. The families that I've been around and created around me all identify that as part of who I am. And if we're being honest, I've seen people succeed with much "sillier" names that have no substance or back story or grit (as old Billy Shakespeare, whats in a name? A rose by any other name would smell as sweet! amirite?). At least in this case, I know that it means something. I know how engraved into my life this name has become, and how its become a name that people also can identify with. And not to toot my own horn (there's a pun coming, be aware), in drum corps its become a name of legend (get it? horn? drum corps? yes? punny?). People may not know who Martha Helt is, but they damn sure know who mflave is. I am that mflave.
What is Mflave? Mflave is fun. And silly. and goofy, and sometimes a little impulsive. Mflave is whimsical and hopeful and a little spontaneous. Mflave is passionate about all things around the word "love"; love of family, love of self, love music or art or people, or passion. Mflave is dedicated. and caring towards the people in her life. Mflave will take risks, and stumble. but has never and will never stop getting back up. Mflave is energetic. Mflave is unapologetically authentic. Mflave is fierce. Mflave is me.
And so, thusly, I bring to you (in no official capacity... but is now facebook official): Mflave Photography
Its a work in process (and a work AND process!! word play is fun!) as is every thing in life. But, this is definitely the birth of something new. I'll be adding more fun, familiar, flirty, intimate, important, special and beautiful parts of life in there as the days go on. And on. And on and on and on and on...
So come and enjoy the journey with me!
Haters gon' hate. Potato's gonna potate... but mflave is sure gonna mflave... :)
go forth and be awesome,
~flave
Hey guys! Yes, I just changed the lyrics to Rhianna song. No, I have no shame. Chances are I'll do it again, and chances are that I'll probably quote this song again. Its one of my personal favorites. Again, NO SHAME.
So, someone asked me the question the other day, "Why do people call you mflave?". I thought about keeping it a mystery. Because it seems that I have accidentally branded myself with this nickname. Its not a bad thing. Mflave/mlavah began as early as 2004 by some friends in an effort to make me laugh. Since it has spurred cartoon images, a character in a web comic, and all of my user handles since that time have included "mflave" (or its derivative "mflavah") to some extent. I like it. It embodies so much of who I am and who I've been. Its goofy, its relatively clever, its fun, its original, and its become so synonymous with who I am as a person that I have had people on more than one occasion actually believe that its my middle name, and no they weren't kidding.
I've never really been a fan of my name until recently; Martha, is often associated with knitting grandmas on porches, and the last name Helt (while I was glad to change it from my biological last name for familial reasons and am very proud to have it), really doesn't inspire a lot gravitas. In an effort to explain what I mean by that: Its not the kind of name that has a lot of oomph when yelling it from a press box during a 9-9 drum corps rehearsal in august in 102 heat. ;) My original last name was Gray, which has much more potential to oomph, more grabby consonants, it even causes my initials to spell MEG, which is also awesome. Where as MEH... well it spells meh. Which is, decidedly, the opposite of me.
I have sort of grown into my first name, and I think thats in part because of the accidental branding I did with the inclusion of my nickname. Its been used so frequently and in conjunction with me and my person that it actually sounds weird not to have it attached to my name. Most people don't even know what my middle name is (its Elizabeth, by the way which I happen to be a fan of ;) ). Martha Elizabeth has a really eloquent old world ring to it. I really love it. And its rare that anyone actually calls me Martha, so I get a little shocked and smiley when it happens.
So, why so many thoughts on a name? Well, I've been spending some time on social media and trying to keep everything linked and easy to search. And with many people sending friend requests to me because of my images, many of whom I do not know... it'd be nice to set up a system where I'm searchable, and findable and connectable (is that a word? coining it!), but not only and always through my personal (oversharing) facebook account. And we (meaning my generation) were at the birth of facebook and all thing interconnected, so when I made my facebook, my instagram, snapchat, periscope, my google+ etc; basically when I created my online identity, it became so closely tied to my nickname. And I liked that. I still do.
My problem has since become, as I start to make the slow (like pouring molasses in winter slow, and I'm still not sure where its all going to lead in the end. But thats the fun part, right?) transition into portrait photography, I've had some very strong aversions to using "mflave" on ANY paper work or correspondence. Why? because it doesn't feel timeless. It feels very contemporary and vogue, but in the kind of way that will eventually become stale and antiquated. Like a youthful mistake. Its the kind of thing thats kitchy and fun but also something I think someone wiser than I would feel was an immature choice to put on anything I'd give to someone for business.
But, here's the catch 22, and truly the side I've been leaning towards: its that... this has remained part of my life for almost 12 years now. And I, Martha Mflave Helt, am the only Martha Mflave Helt that exists. Its how I'm greeted, its how I've made a name for myself in both social and musical circles. The families that I've been around and created around me all identify that as part of who I am. And if we're being honest, I've seen people succeed with much "sillier" names that have no substance or back story or grit (as old Billy Shakespeare, whats in a name? A rose by any other name would smell as sweet! amirite?). At least in this case, I know that it means something. I know how engraved into my life this name has become, and how its become a name that people also can identify with. And not to toot my own horn (there's a pun coming, be aware), in drum corps its become a name of legend (get it? horn? drum corps? yes? punny?). People may not know who Martha Helt is, but they damn sure know who mflave is. I am that mflave.
What is Mflave? Mflave is fun. And silly. and goofy, and sometimes a little impulsive. Mflave is whimsical and hopeful and a little spontaneous. Mflave is passionate about all things around the word "love"; love of family, love of self, love music or art or people, or passion. Mflave is dedicated. and caring towards the people in her life. Mflave will take risks, and stumble. but has never and will never stop getting back up. Mflave is energetic. Mflave is unapologetically authentic. Mflave is fierce. Mflave is me.
And so, thusly, I bring to you (in no official capacity... but is now facebook official): Mflave Photography
Its a work in process (and a work AND process!! word play is fun!) as is every thing in life. But, this is definitely the birth of something new. I'll be adding more fun, familiar, flirty, intimate, important, special and beautiful parts of life in there as the days go on. And on. And on and on and on and on...
So come and enjoy the journey with me!
Haters gon' hate. Potato's gonna potate... but mflave is sure gonna mflave... :)
go forth and be awesome,
~flave
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