There’s a sign on my wall next to my family photos and the old SLR I found for $5 at a garage sale: “Weird is a side effect of awesome.”If I’m being honest, I’ve always been a little weird. I have a favorite punctuation mark. I don’t know the first names of all the Kardashians, but I will go into full-on geek mode over the latest camera tech or the newest MacBook. I prefer Kindle over Netflix. I’ve known what I wanted to do since the fifth grade when I proudly held up a cardboard display on the career of a freelance writer.Yes, it’s safe to say that I’ve always been weird. But, I’ve only recently learned to rebrand that weird as awesome.As a freelance writer, I’ve written for publications like Insider, Digital Trends, Rangefinder, and Creative Live. I specialize in writing about photography and consumer technology like computers, keyboards, or the latest smart home hub. But I’ve also written about parenting, social media, and business.My first “real” job was working at a local newspaper so small that all the writers were also photographers. The camera has helped get me out from behind the keyboard ever since. At Hillary K. Photography, I photograph portraits and weddings in a style that combines photojournalism and traditional posing.While my first editor was convinced I couldn’t be a writer without drinking coffee, brewed beans didn’t become the base of my food pyramid until somewhere around the third baby. I’m a married mom of three, fueled by caffeine, Disney music, and the endorphins supplied by kickboxing videos and walking the dog. When I need to de-stress, I unplug outdoors — to a playground, a hiking trail, a wildlife refuge, or a lake. Or, I escape inside a book.If you want to geek out on the latest tech with me, or you’re still wondering what—exactly—my favorite punctuation mark is, send me an email or find me on Facebook or Instagram.