A ‘Meet Me’

Resistance was futile when we met a decade or so ago as we just clicked. And to this day, she still uses that same passion, drive and fun that caused us to meet as a means to teach others to heal from life’s woes. However, truth be told, when I asked her, not long after I began these ‘Meet Me‘s’ in mid ’23, for an interview, she declined. But today she agreed. So, lets …

… Meet

Shiny Hippie

I first crossed paths with Shiny when she was doing a live on Twitter, X if you prefer. She was teaching yoga from the beaches of Southern California.

She’s fun, energetic, down to Earth and what you see is what you get. There are no pretenses to her. I believe that’s what drew us together and I’ll have her take on our friendship at the end.

Where are you originally from?

I grew up in a small, conservative town in Ohio. I was always the weird creative kid — dramatic, curious, a little too loud, a little too much. Later, I became a full-fledged theatre nerd who couldn’t wait to run away and live a bigger, freer life. I ran to the beat of my own drummer, acted, and twirled flag in the marching band.

What was your childhood like?

Young me already called herself an artist and director. I was an avid early reader, obsessed with making things magical even when things were not.

School was both easy and hard — I got good grades and loved words and stories, but I always felt out of place. I was the kind of kid who got picked for gifted programs but cried at recess. I didn’t know I was neurodivergent then — just that I felt everything intensely and was always trying to decode the rules.

Where did you attend college? Degrees?

I started out in the Honors Program at Syracuse University, majoring in Film and Communications — my dream combo. I loved it. But I didn’t have financial support, and like a lot of people, I had to make a hard pivot.

So, I returned to Ohio and graduated from Wright State University with a BS in Business. Not exactly the film school ending I imagined, but it taught me how to build things from scratch, which I’ve done again and again.

Family Life

I don’t have any close family in my life now. It’s been a winding road, full of love, loss, and a few do-over buttons I wish I could press. But I’m still here. Still writing the story.

My life has been a soap opera since birth. That’s one of the reasons I’m writing one now.

I’m in a whole different video game these days — one I didn’t choose and still haven’t figured out the rules to. Sometimes I joke that I’m just waiting for Ashton Kutcher to show up and tell me I’ve been punked. (Yes, that’s a vintage TV reference)

If a movie were made of your life, who would want to play Shiny?

If a movie were made of my life, I’d want a smart, weird, neurodivergent girl who hasn’t gotten her break yet to play me — someone who knows what it’s like to feel too much and not fit in and still keep showing up with sparkles on.

Favorite Music and Movies

As for music? Eclectic and emotional. As for TV? My world has always been part soap opera, part reality TV, part sci-fi with feelings. (Days of our Lives, Star Trek: TNG, Y&R, and Big Brother have all lived rent-free in my brain.)

Personal and Profession Achievements

I built a livestream community of over 15,000 followers from scratch — with no marketing budget, no analytics, and no fancy gear. Just heart, humor, and a whole lot of late nights. I’ve produced over 500 broadcasts, taught yoga and self-regulation techniques live, and created original content while caregiving and surviving the hardest years of my life.

I’ve also designed branding and marketing for clients in finance, wellness, coaching, and the arts. Before burnout forced me to pause, I was running a boutique creative studio helping people turn chaos into clarity and dreams into visuals that worked.

I’m rebuilding that now — slower, gentler, and with a lot more glitter.

What’s the best advice you’ve received?

“Don’t wait to feel ready. You’ll be waiting forever.”

I don’t always follow it, but when I do, magic happens.

What advice would you give to someone starting out on a new endeavor?

Your weirdness is your superpower.

The internet is loud. Show up with something true. Don’t copy the trend — become the example. Find support to lift your wings. And build systems that don’t break you.

What do you have in the works?

This chapter is my Shiny Reboot — a ground-up rebuild toward autonomy, stability, and creative sustainability. After a full-system crash (the kind you don’t bounce back from overnight), I’m using what I know — design, storytelling, emotional systems — to build something that lasts.

At the heart of it: a healing-centered, neurodivergent friendly, creative studio and a multimedia Dreamhouse universe. Think: rituals, journals, a weird little soap opera, a metaphor-based emotional regulation game, and a self-care app where glitter and grief both belong. (Hopefully, it’s just the start—eventually leading to real-life community spaces and sparkly little gatherings where story meets support.) While I build the longform story world, I’m also shifting into short-form content and UGC — using my skills in design, storytelling, and my vast photo/video library to generate income from home.

Remote work isn’t a preference—it’s a necessity. I’m disabled, I don’t drive (and I live in greater LA, which is basically its own level of the game), so I’m seeking collaborators, clients, and cosmic helpers to turn this one-woman rebuild into a sustainable creative life.

Right now, I’m manifesting a Mac! I’m bottle-necked by an underpowered laptop that can’t run Adobe Creative Cloud, editing tools, or app dev platforms. I’ve been trying to sell my antiques, apply for microgrants, and offer my creative work in small ways — but most systems assume you’re already stable. I’m not. But I’m determined. And I’m still building anyway.

If anyone out there would like to offer a hand in helping fund this transition — from survival to sustainable studio work — you can support me at Shiny Hippie Reboot. Every dollar helps me create stability by producing, editing, pitching, and launching the creative tools I’ve been developing for years — for myself and others.

About Me

Even Shiny gets asked the inevitable questions of why she follows and what she likes about my platform.

It’s the remembrance of our mutual positivity — the belief in better, even when things are messy. And the persistence! Especially when it comes to nudging me to choose Christmas ornaments or send photos, even when I’m resisting. You show up.

Your platform reminds me that words still matter, that kindness can be consistent, and that there’s always room for a little more story in this world.

Writer’s Note

Shiny’s been a bright star for me when life’s illusions have dimed my own. I’ve enjoyed all her live sessions and have gotten to know her personally. She’s authentic as they come and her kindness equally shines.

It’s as if we’re twin flames in a universe offering our own ray of light to others in need. I’m not asking you to donate because of our friendship, I’m asking you to donate because the world needs her. She’ll bring you, smiles and laughter, visions of love and peace and moments you’ll remember for life. So, if you can spare a few dollars or can donate a quality laptop that can help her out. please do.

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