And then I forget to post the updates. ^^; Okay well actually, I got really sick with the flu and couldn't be arsed to do much of anything. But I'm mostly better now, just a lingering cough and headache, so that is good. I hope those of you who are also battling seasonal illness get better soon. :D

Earlier this month (wow, I can't believe we're halfway through it already) I posted another new set, When. This was a semi-impromptu self shoot that was inspired by some awesome sex I had that morning; I talk about my thoughts behind the shoot here.

When, 21 images, just for members :)

I'm frustrated lately because I realize there's still a lot I need to do with this site... should have done, really. I lack drive though. I'm terrible at motivating myself. I get to a point where something is... satisfactory, usable, able to fulfill its intended function, and then I leave it be until I'm bored with it's lack of functionality and I begin anew. Yet most of the time, these aspects that are functioning could be tweaked and refined to the point of not just functioning, but... oh I don't know, what's a step above "functioning"? :P I really need to get my act together and I know it. I'm too easily distracted by my own world. I bet you can guess what sort of resolutions I'll be making for the coming new year...

Oh Winter, how you taunt me with your long hours of darkness. *sigh*

Labels: blah, members, new, photos

Now that I've had some time to wrap my brain around this site after that outage, I feel like I'm starting to get back into the swing of things. Okay well, for some reason the blogging process continues to feel really foreign to me, but I'll push through, in the name of some much needed updates...

First up on the ballot (Haha it's a pun! Wait, you don't get it yet...) is the new set of pics, which I shot in the middle of the day on November 4th when I was really tired of hearing about the election. (Now: haha wasn't that a great pun?!) I uploaded a few to Flickr under the title "Today is Not a Special Day", but now that feels too long and sarcastic so a simple "Election Day" it is.

A short, odd set for Members: Election Day, 17 images

Relevant short story: I actually managed to first upload that set without watermarking it and didn't realize it until a week later. The reason? One of my fave guys and someone I've known for years, I'll just call him Oz, is a huge fan of bush and really wanted to see more pictures like this one (NSFW, like it matters to you?) and... since his birthday was coming up, I was happy to post the rest of the set with--yes--more bush. So Oz, I know I'm saying this late but Happy Birthday man! ;D

Now, as I mentioned in my last Update, I recently bought a new domain name for myself. And it's been functioning for, oh, about a week now, and running smoothly at that (though I continue to tweak and poke at it, which is inevitable) so I am excited to finally announce it here! GO NOW: www.MerrickMonroe.com!!! Oooh shiny green! ^_^ Here is a feature/benefit list:

• a login link to Members Only in the top right corner gets you to smutty pictures fast!
• links to chat and networks right at the front, for all your socializing convenience!
• hand-coded from the ground up, so it looks good in any browser!
• most modules are straight-up HTML so the page loads quickly!
• this also means it looks pretty good on an iPhone!
• most* of the images and content are boobie+ free, so you can browse the page at work in leisure! (*no guarantees though...)
  
• with links to pretty much everything I do online, it's the fastest way to get your Merrick fix!

Weee feature/benefits! I'm sure my economics teacher never expected me to utilize his instruction quite like this... ^_~ I have some other website upgrades and shifts planned for the coming season, so keep your eyes peeled...

And I do believe that's it! Goooo, explore the good newnessss.

Labels: admin, members, new, photos, website

I just uploaded a set of pictures taken just two days after the recent motorcycle accident... you'll find it right at the top of the Members Only gallery! It's a pretty simple set, given that every picture is of my backside since that's where the bruises are. So if you like girl butts, bruises, or me (and you're here so I know you do! ^_^) then DO check out these new pics!

Now available to Members Only: Fresh Bruises, 23 images

And if you think that bruise is colourful, just wait until you see the followup set, Fishnets 'n' Bruises. This "minor discolouration" has nothing on that wicked hematoma!

Yes, I like bruises. I am weird like that.

Labels: bruises, butts, gallery, photos

Yesterday I concluded a little project I had started in early July, just a whim really, and it got put on hold for a month while life went all crazy on me (again). But yes, the exciting conclusion to "Blogging the Editing Process" has finally arrived! Exciting indeed.

Members, here are some quick-links to the individual posts:
- Part 1: Shooting, Uploading, and Importing
- Part 2: Sorting and Selecting
- Part 3: Editing in Lightroom
- Part 4: PhotoShop
- Part 5: Prepping for Web & Uploading
- Finale!

As the post titles might betray, I tried to cover each step, start to finish, of what it takes me to get a new set online(okay, sometimes I just thoroughly "gloss over" a particular part). It's a little... nerdy, I guess you'd say, considering that much of it is just technical jibber-jabber, and not so much with the sexy "ooh I touch myself and take a picture" talk. Meh.

I did learn a bit about my own practices during this project. One, and the most obvious "no duh" lesson is that I am easily distracted. I mean, not just distracted, but when my brain changes courses it's like I never look back and am content to just let the story trail off into the wind. But I'm working on that, on the whole "finishing what you start" thing. I mean hey, I finished this right?! :D Well, anyway, I also learned that I am indecisive and do a lot of backtracking while I edit. Probably because I have no idea what I'm doing back here. But yaknow, it's a learning experience. And those are cool.

You probably won't see me do any step-by-step series again, because damn it practically triples the workload of just editing the damn photos. I'm not kidding you; I probably would have had the set posted much earlier if I hadn't near-overwhelmed myself by writing up the process. Nonetheless, I do enjoy the "time lapse" images of a single picture as it goes through editing. That's pretty interesting (to me/for me to create), moreso than a simple "before and after" juxtaposition. So I'll probably do that again, maybe even for each set. And there I go being all ambitious again... For you non-members out there, here's an abbreviated version of the timelapse: It's 4200x800 pixels big and shows 7 steps, as opposed to the Members Only version that is 6600x800 and has 11 different versions. Pretty dorky stuff. ^_^



Members can see the entire set here: Wet 80's Nerd, 51 images

Labels: admin, photos, projects

Now that things are going smoothly post transitioning to a new host, I'm able to start uploading some new photos! This newest set, featuring a cat mask I made from record vinyl, is probably one of my favourite short sets yet: 17 pictures (nipples up, not even full body shots) of this mask I simply adore! I never intended to take enough photos to really make a "set", but I ended up with so many shots I thought were yummy I just had to share the kitty love. It was an awesome craft project too... even if it broke my big toe. :P I'm sure mask fetishists, catgirl lovers, and geeks in general will be fond of this set too. :)

Members Only: 17 pics of me in the Black Cat Mask!

Labels: catgirls, crafts, masks, photos, recordvinyl

I met up with PK again last night for our second shoot; long ago he had asked about shooting me in the catsuit and we finally got around to doing it. :) I like this picture because it makes me think of a cutscene from a video game or some dramatic spy movie. One last moment of solemn contemplation before rounding the corner and killing tons of biker Nazis...

Walking around in a full tactical belt/harness set is quite an interesting thing... really brings out the swagger in a girl. ;) Photo copyright Peter Kim 2008.

I won't be publishing any of this shoot in the Members Only area, but they'll be up in an extended portfolio section once I get around to (re)making it. In the meantime, you can always enjoy more of the catsuit and guns (plus a few more) in PK's "Merrick in Black" set on Flickr--and do check the rest of his stream, which is continuously updated with new pics of more hot chicks with guns!

Also, my catsuit is getting up there in lives lived... looks like it's on its seventh now, only a few lives (and wears) left. PK and I discussed doing one more shoot with it, fire next time(!!), and maybe one after that to capture completely destroying the suit. So, anyone interested in donating to the "Buy Merrick a Swank New Catsuit" Fund? :D

Labels: guns, photos, vinyl

I used a single 30' length of rope for this tie; I kind of like to think of it as a mermaid tail (especially with those thigh-length socks). It was comfortable as well as *ahem* quite functional!

Labels: event, gloromo, photos, preview

60' of self-tied rope, sweater porn style! This set is a little 70's-tastic, what with the sweater and the pile of pillows I'm tied up on. :) But sweaters+bondage=inevitable showing of boobs (not like I wouldn't anyway...). Part of GloRoMo 2007.

Labels: event, gloromo, photos, preview

30' tied by Makal. A two-column with my elbows behind my back, plus creative use of the belt loops on my jeans. ;) Part of GloRoMo 2007.

Labels: event, gloromo, photos, preview

I doubt anyone has noticed this, but several of the photosets that are in the Members Only section are missing pictures. How do I know? Well, because they're missing the pics I used for previews! I guess I did some bad file managing there, I'm not sure. But I thought I'd put it out there that a) I do realize Member galleries don't have some of the preview pics, and b) I plan to fix this... when I can? Hmm, yeah. Adding this to my "to do" list. Wait, I don't have one of those... "Creating to-do list" is now at the top of my mental checklist of things to do! Egads, this is getting old.

Labels: admin, photos

60' self-tied, with a chest harness and two-column on my ankles... plus a very frustratingly placed rope running front to back... ;) Part of GloRoMo 2007.

Labels: event, gloromo, photos, preview

Triple hit of photosets! But only two per section, since ya get so many with this one. ^_~

I became a big Dir en Grey fan when I saw their video for "Obscure" sometime in late 2006. Then when a friend and fellow Dir-fan told me they were coming to Portland... I was definitely going! I shot these sets the week before the show, thoroughly inspired by Dir's changing looks over the years.

[The Fashions of Dir en Grey]

The first look I established is from Dir's early years, and is what is called Elegant Gothic Lolita, or EGL for short. EGL combines the typical goth color and style with more fanciful, Victorian fashions, and adds the expected Japanese fondness for youthful and innocent appearances.

Next was Dir's most popular look, their Visual Kei style. While onstage VK can be a range of things from colourful clowns to the above EGL, Dir had a very dark, violent bent to their image. Think Marilyn Manson or Slipknot, but in Japan--and Japanese do everything better. ^_~

Last was the most recent style for Dir en Grey, what I call their "casual" period. With their increased popularity and the addition of touring in the U.S., the band adopted a much more low-key style of dress, which is easier for travel abroad and still damn sexy!

Labels: photos, preview

The camera monster strikes again, trapping me in a corner and taking naughty photos of me. LOL, okay, perhaps it wasn't a monster... I took the photos myself. This set actually has a lot of me and my bum, so I ended up feeling like it was a bit bum-centric. But I mean, I really like my bum; so does Makal, so do more than a few people I'm sure.

[No Outlet]

Labels: photos, preview

My desk is not fancy, quite old (got it in 4th or 5th grade), and covered in stuff (note the Jeanie mug to the left). But it is where I spend most of the day, so I thought it was deserving of a bit of light-hearted attention. Not that you're looking at the desk...

[Getting Cozy]

Labels: photos, preview

Gosh is it hard to choose a few images to use as samples for an entire photo set. I mean, I scroll through them, and think, "Oh, that one! Lookit my ass!" Then I keep scrolling, and come to another that makes me think, "Man, I am freakin' adorable! How can you not love me?!" This set is classic pinup and you know it, though it's hard to get more "pinup" than vintage lingerie.
[The Red Slip]

Labels: photos, preview