ThisVisionaryLife

It must have been foggy

Because our eyes only stretched

Just slightly past the panes

And the coolness of the grey

Kept us content under the blankets.

I wondered, then

If ever I would lose myself

The way that I did before.

Feeling so on course

So wonderfully aligned

"My determination

And my obscure passion for pastimes

Do not a good pair make"

I joke. We sit.

She smiles like she does

When I make mistakes

When I put on my begging face

When I laugh at myself.

She doesn't even know

The extent of my longing

Or the power of her arms.

I calculate everything

Everything is cut and measured

I'm feeding myself impossible realities

But, you know,

It's better than living in a lie.

She shakes her foot

Almost like she's kicking away the awkwardness

I smile at her

Like I do when she makes mistakes

Like I do when she laughs at herself.

It's so nice.

Being here.

So this new news is actually quite old, but new relevant to the amount of other stuff I've had to talk about lately. The TVL website has gotten a sexy little overhaul from yours truly, and I think it's a nice change. I've revamped the entire website to match my new-ish branding efforts, which included a complete color change, so the website now responds to that. Further, I took the layout and toned it WAY down. Super simple. I'm diggin on that these days.

Found a piece I had written as an actual cover letter once for a job at as a Video Game Design Intern. I think I'm just going to go ahead and use it from here on out. You know, just to keep it real and all.

My name is Crystal Russell and I am a [insert your favorite adjective here] designer from Denver, Colorado. Here are a few reasons you should love me [slash] be my friend [slash] ask me to help you with a design problem [slash] personal problem [slash] art project:

1. Generally stating, I'm just pretty rad.

I'm a chick with tattoos and a faux hawk. I'm super friendly, super easy-going, and the most dedicated person you'll ever meet. I'm a workaholic. I believe in honesty, humor, and that sharing is caring. I love late mornings, long lunches, loud trip-hop, and the occasional juggling performance. I really do. I work until the result is perfect, and when I realize that perfection cannot be reached, I try even harder. I've won several national design competitions, I was honored with the Sean Lockeyer Award for Design Excellence at Philadelphia University, and my writing has been published multiple times. I'm an interior designer, graphic designer, web designer, architectural designer, copywriter, and project manager. I started my own online artists' collaborative. No, seriously...check it out: http://www.Quirklust.com.
I'm working on my second Masters degree at the ripe old age of 24. My skill set is bigger than most peoples' Facebook friend list. While I tell you these things with confidence and sarcasm, I am far from arrogant. I am proud of my work and I love nothing more than joining a stellar hard-working team, but I never lose a sense of or appreciation for modesty or humility.

2. I am a huge Techie.

I spend, on average, fifteen hours per day on my computers (yes, I have two. One mac, one super-gaming/graphics capable PC named 'Goliath') and I am proud of it. I grew up hooked on video games and big books. I plan to age hunchbacked and toothless. Take me as I am. I have a pretty stellar list of software experience including, but not limited to, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Dreamweaver, Fireworks, Flash, AutoCAD, 3DsMax, Sketchup, Revit, Rhino (and Rhinoscript), Office, Excel, Powerpoint, Mac and PC platforms..and more. I once the nickname 'FlashMaster' in undergrad because I wore a lanyard with seven portable flash drives on it. I'm always making new things...from body copy to digital models. I have experience with LinkedIN, Facebook, Twitter, FastPitch!, WordPress, Tumblr, Blogger, and more. I own a book called "The Social Media Bible" and I have read it front to back. I love this line of work, and I believe that I'm pretty darn good at it.

3. I'm Really Fun to Work With.

If there is one thing that I am sure of, it's that I am a nice person with an awesome team attitude. I love working with other like-minded individuals, especially if we all respect one another. I have grown and benefited from every collaborative effort I have ever been a part of, and I am always up for more.

I love fellow designers...and other people in general. I'd love to talk to you, so don't hesitate to get in touch. My deets for contact are below. Also, if you would like read more about my experience, education and skill[z], you can read my much more formal resume by following the link below.