Marija Jovicic

Tennis has been a constant in my life for as long as I can remember. I spent 5 years competing in college at a Division I level, traveling from Thursdays through Sundays, and learning how to stay focused in school when everything else is chaos. Brain and body were not happy, but they did not quit, yet. Luckily, that persistence ended up sticking with me in everything else I do.

These days, most of my energy goes into building software. It’s demanding in a different way than sports, but there’s a similar satisfaction in solving problems under pressure and keeping everything running when it matters. Lately I’ve been working on the Google UX Design certificate, because while I can make an application run, I’d also like people to actually enjoy using it — and maybe even understand it without a manual.

When I need a break from logic, I turn to painting. I’m still figuring out my “style”. I went through a Marlon Brando-from-The-Godfather phase, then detoured into abstract art, and now I’m deep in a textured art obsession. The hero section of this site actually came from something I threw together in a painting program — I didn’t expect to like it, but here we are. A few more of my actual real painting pieces are below if you’re curious.

This year I also ran the San Francisco Marathon. The course is basically one long uphill negotiation with yourself. Somewhere around the Golden Gate Bridge I started questioning my life choices, but finishing that race felt like one of the best decisions I’ve made.