We were talking about many changes going on in my life (work, friends, finances, etc) and she mentioned a very important outlook on her life that I wanted to relay to anyone who may stumble upon this blog.  

She was driving and read a bumper sticker that read “If you kept only the things you cared about today tomorrow, what would you be left with?”  

I think it would just be me!  I think about how everything will affect me. Unfortunately I think about how everything relays to me.  Work, finances, friends, exercise, etc.  No, not all the time but it is a driving force in my life. That makes me sad.  

Last night my friends and I were watching the movie “Hitch”  The movie doesn’t matter but the cinematography and emotions played out in it do.  What do we as viewers look for in respectable, real and likable characters in movies?  Humility, compassion, love and selflessness.  We flock to them in the movies and we flock to them in life.  If someone made a movie about me, and could read my mind or thoughts during the movie, I would slowly be a nobody and dislikes throughout the movie and possibly the antagonist to the hero in the movie because I would be the selfish character.

I have been contemplating what has been most important in my life, similar to my mom, and my movie character needs to change.  I need to change.  It will take pain (the best plots have the hero go through pain) but they are always liked the most.  Now I know I just said that other’s opinions shouldn’t matter and they don’t in the grand scheme of God’s plan but other’s relationship with you that,based on trust and loyalty and honor, does matter to God.  Those are not synonymous with other’s liking you but they are good symptoms of it.  

So what is truly important to you? 

I need a creative outlet.  NOW!  Someone please magically add 6 hours in my day for the sleep I need until I can leave this school system I have slowly learned to see as a dinosaur and not a top notch school system in the world (That is for another blog post entirely)

I am still at the office browsing for any ounce of creativity I can handle until the cerebellum no longer functions properly and came across this video from the design team behind the Old Spice Commercials.  They aren’t fun and witty but I guess they leave that for the money maker commercials they produce.  It just makes me think a creative is just that, a creative.  They don’t think conventionally, nor do they act on the 9-5 schedule.

They are comfortable being “normal” because they know who they are as creatives and as men.  This may be a slight stretch but I compare their mild manner video to a more dramatic entertainment medium from Hollywood’s Gladiator.  Maximus tells Commodus who he is with ease because he is that confident in his manhood.  Maximus knows who he is and so do these two creative icons.  They are men with a purpose. Simple as that. Why am I speaking of this stretch in comparison?

Recently, contemplative moments have lead to “What is normal?” in my quest of becoming a full time creative.   This questions is a religious question of both the secular and christian world.

Normal should be you.  You make normal for you.  No one can tell you you are not normal.  Only you can say you are normal because normal is personal and an individual perception.  If someone else is trying to tell you that you are different and not normal then they have a jaded view of the world only seen in the eyes of their comfort.  They are comparing your life to their normal state of being.  Normal can’t be judgmental.  It has to be internal.  Normal is how God made you.  Whether you pick your nose while driving, keep your phone by your bed for that amazing idea at 1 am, organize your closet by color, or secretly love someone you can’t tell because you are too afraid……. that is your normal.  If you deviate from that they only you and God can truly tell you something is not normal.  But even then your normal may be changing.

Where am I going with this?  Not too sure because I have been working all day.  Leave a reply on my thoughts.  Tell me if I am normal?  Or abnormal?

I have put these images off far too long due to opening up the newest senior portrait studio in NC. We are so excited to offer the most amazing senior portrait experience you will find. We are not your parent’s photography studio….AMEN!

My Rockstar’s are absolutely amazing. Simply put: they make a lot of money off of me because they spread the word about everything we do to friends, family, peers and anyone in between.

Rockstars are Ryan David’s eyes and ears to everyone who even mentions “portraits or pictures.” They have been trained to strick obedience with a threat of sharks with laser beams ready to attack them if they don’t talk to anyone interested in senior portraits. They will pounce like water lions.

Rockstars are like….. white on rice…..black on night…..red to a neck….. dirt to a stach….. po to a dunk….. ying to a yang and ….. por to a trait when it comes to senior portraits.

If you know these amazing, shark-trained ladies make sure you ask them about the sharks and we can make your portrait experience one you will never forget.

** Due to unforeseen circumstances, we are still looking for a few more Rockstars at the following schools: Terry Sanford, Gray’s Creek, Overhills, Pinecrest & Massey Hill. If you like making money, want to earn a Macbook pro for college and become a true rockstar them log onto the senior portraits page on the right side of this blog and fill out the Rockstar Questionnaire.

Mary Allison will have all the inside scoop on discounts, drawings, giveaways and days Ryan David will be at VCA sporting events.  If you don’t know her get to know her.  She is your avenue into the most amazing senior portrait experience!  And she earns a lot of money for every referral and has a chance to earn a Macbook Pro for college by the time she graduates to go talk to her!  No seriously, go now!  Facebook.  Phone.  Knock on her door.  Use can and string.  Send a paper airplane.  Send the Sasquatch in your basement.

Colorado Student Banned from Yearbook Over Racy Photo http://abcn.ws/xWIXxG (via @ABC)

I personally don’t think the photo is racy to merit a complete ban from the yearbook, just fashionable and overly sexy for a yearbook image.  Would I allow it for her picture on the alphabetical page… NO!  Paid for ad in the back.  Don’t know yet. I’m torn

Opinions?