Encourage Creativity

My senior thesis instructor told my class we should treat our art (photography) as a job. That we should dedicate a set number of hours, even days aside each week to our art and regard it just like the job that paid our rent. If you don't put in the hours, how do you expect to improve, get recognized and finally paid for it. Today, I came across this great stopmotion video 2 guys put together about 1 street in their home town Toronto on photographer Chase Jarvis's blog, which simplifies this perfectly. If you have an idea, no matter how simple, get out there and do it. Creativity is like any skill or tool, it takes time & energy & lots of practice to make it work well. Instead of making the same new years resolution as last year, to put more hours in at the gym, why not put more hours into creativity. I assure you the results will be more rewarding.

Achieving The Impossible

How appropriate that the first Ted Talk I watch of the new year should be an explorer, a creative thinker, a pioneer of what is possible. The new year is a time when most of us make decisions to start a fresh or to firmly commit to something we have always wanted to achieve, but never seem to have the time to. Bold statements are made with friends as witnesses to help us with that first step towards a new. May be it's because Bertrand Piccard comes from a long line of inventors that he makes the impossible seem so attainable. The impossible always being denied its existence and merely not yet conceived. His enthusiasm and creative thinking are contagious as he makes his case for non-dependency on fossil fuel a call to the masses. Pointing to the past for examples of overcoming the unthinkable, then turning to the world for support and a call to arms. The amazing feets we have and continue to achieve have occurred because someone thought outside the box and took a chance. Had an idea, then slaved away until sleep was not an option, then eureka! We think nothing of video chatting with someone on the other side of the world, or the information a scientist can pull from a single hair strand and some with the available funds have already booked their flight into outer space. So may be non-dependency on fossil fuels is just another adventure out there, waiting for someone to stubble upon and share with the world. This year don't join a gym you'll never use. Look at yourself and see what is necessary, what excess you can jettison from your life and help others achieve the impossible.

Say "Cheese"

It's that time of year when the family gets together and puts on a happy smile for the camera to capture. Below are just a few examples of how we sometimes project some thing other than happiness and good cheer. Starting with Awkward Family Photos, staying with the festive theme Sketchy Santa, followed up by 2 absolute gems from WTF, which I simply couldn't resist. Happy Holidays!