I'd been taking pictures on my dad's camera for hours outside when I finally decided to call it quits and load them onto my computer. I searched for the USB cord, loaded them, resized them, rotated them, everything I could to do what I thought was improving my new masterpieces.
Thirty minutes later, they were posted online where people could comment what they thought, offer their advice and what not. I must have refreshed the page every two minutes to see if anyone had anything at all to say about my art; sure enough some people did. "There are too blurry", "these are too out of focus", "these are too enter whatever you wish here". I, of course, was new to this form of criticism, though it was meant to be helpful I just found it to be hurtful.
I was quick to blame my dad's 3 year-old-now-out-dated digital camera by saying "well I did the best I could but, my camera is a piece of crap..." I got a few comments back with others saying that they could relate and couldn't wait to get such and such a camera or lens or flash. The only comment someone made to me that actually helped me become better and not just fuel my excuses was "It doesn't matter what camera you have it's the person behind it."
Since that day I have looked at a lot of things that way, even though the comment was only directed at my photography skills. To me it means that you may be thrown into a tough situation but it's up to you to make it better. There are a lot of things in life that aren't easy or pretty but it's totally up to me to improve that and do what I can with it. People surround themselves with expensive belongings that may help but in the long run it's solely up to the person who's buying every un-needed item to fix whatever is going on.
Of course now I'm also able to take someone saying something about my work because I know it's helping me and that you can't blame anything other than yourself in many events.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Friday, October 19, 2007
Topic Three.
Things I Would Like To Achieve.
1. Be successful.
2. Impact someone's life.
3. Stay true to myself.
4. Have a family.
5. Be truly happy.
Being successful is important to me because it doesn't have to mean being wealthy or famous. To me it would be accomplishing my goals, specifically right now that goal is to become a professional photographer. If I achieve that goal in my mind I will have been successful, although that's not to say I won't set other goals for myself. I think that the common idea of being "successful" is being wealthy or famous. It's a shame that that's what the term as come to because that's is not everyone's idea of success. Sure people like Brad Pitt and the Olsen twins are successful with what they do which happened to get them both popularity and money but to other people things like opening a tiny hair salon or becoming a head chef or to fall in love is success.
To have impact on someone else's live no matter how big...or small it may be. I think that changing someone's life, for the better, is the greatest thing that could happen to a person. Things happen all the time that change the way that people see things in life. From books, to movies, to loved ones, or even pets all have an effect on someone. For me to be able to alter someone's view on something and make them a better person, and to be aware of it would make me extremely happy. People in the world are usually out to change or do something for themselves and that has had a lot of impact on me because I'm not like that and I love to do things for others. Although I have my own goals and dreams, I don't believe, unlike so many others, that I'm being held back by doing a deed for another person along the way.
Staying true to who I am is extremely important for me. Not to say that changing is a bad thing, because it isn't always but just to be aware of myself and knowing that if there's something I don't like I have the power to change it. I know I can't completely change another person, no one can, but I firmly believe that there's always something you can do for yourself, to help yourself out. Letting someone else change you into something you don't want to be is wrong to me. I'm secure with a lot of things about myself, I know what I like and what I don't, who I like and who I don't, and who I want to "grow up" to be. I also know that I have things to improve on that I wouldn't have been aware of had an outsider not pointed them out to me. It's not as if help isn't welcome but if something doesn't feel right to me then I'm not going to go along with it and just pretend it's "me".
Having a family is what narcissistic people do, having little clones of themselves run around. Then label me a narcissis. I would love to have a family one day. I don't think there's anything else in the world like it. To have your own kids, is probably one of the most rewarding feelings out there. I think it's an important part of growing up too. Just because you're technically an "adult" doen't mean that you're done learning and experiencing new events. Having a family teaches responsibility, trust, and so many other things. A lot of people in the world have families, a lot don't, a lot have had one but not appreciated it and lost it. Obviously it's not for everyone and not all 6 billion people on earth would agree with me but I think if a person decides to have a family then they should treasure it like nothing else because not everyone is as lucky.
I honestly don't even know if this is possible, but I'm certainly going to try. Happiness to me isn't material in the least; I don't require the best brand clothing, newest piece of technology, or the tastiest, most expensive food. In life all it would take to make me "happy", probably the happiest I could be, as of this point in my life or within the next few years, is getting myself an apartment, it could be one room for all I care, and sharing it with person I love. I would also need my camera, because I love that too. I think simplicity is what makes people happiest and a lot of people can't, or just don't, see that. Sure I'd love to have top of the list things but I don't need them to be happy.
I'm not sure how people figure out if their life has value. For everyone it's different I think. Each person has a different of idea of what would make their life most valuable. I'm sure going through these entries a lot of people's will be similar but no one's will be exactly alike, unless of course someone just copy and pasted. I think that living life to the best you're able should give life value. Everyone also will make this desicion at different times. For someone it may be when they finally graduate from Yale, or finally getting your band on a huge label, or having kids. There isn't, and can't, be a set time where you sit down and decide "oh, my life is valuable now, now I don't have to try anymore." The purpose of life is to live it. I don't know anyother way to put it. The purpose of life is to not waste it.
1. Be successful.
2. Impact someone's life.
3. Stay true to myself.
4. Have a family.
5. Be truly happy.
Being successful is important to me because it doesn't have to mean being wealthy or famous. To me it would be accomplishing my goals, specifically right now that goal is to become a professional photographer. If I achieve that goal in my mind I will have been successful, although that's not to say I won't set other goals for myself. I think that the common idea of being "successful" is being wealthy or famous. It's a shame that that's what the term as come to because that's is not everyone's idea of success. Sure people like Brad Pitt and the Olsen twins are successful with what they do which happened to get them both popularity and money but to other people things like opening a tiny hair salon or becoming a head chef or to fall in love is success.
To have impact on someone else's live no matter how big...or small it may be. I think that changing someone's life, for the better, is the greatest thing that could happen to a person. Things happen all the time that change the way that people see things in life. From books, to movies, to loved ones, or even pets all have an effect on someone. For me to be able to alter someone's view on something and make them a better person, and to be aware of it would make me extremely happy. People in the world are usually out to change or do something for themselves and that has had a lot of impact on me because I'm not like that and I love to do things for others. Although I have my own goals and dreams, I don't believe, unlike so many others, that I'm being held back by doing a deed for another person along the way.
Staying true to who I am is extremely important for me. Not to say that changing is a bad thing, because it isn't always but just to be aware of myself and knowing that if there's something I don't like I have the power to change it. I know I can't completely change another person, no one can, but I firmly believe that there's always something you can do for yourself, to help yourself out. Letting someone else change you into something you don't want to be is wrong to me. I'm secure with a lot of things about myself, I know what I like and what I don't, who I like and who I don't, and who I want to "grow up" to be. I also know that I have things to improve on that I wouldn't have been aware of had an outsider not pointed them out to me. It's not as if help isn't welcome but if something doesn't feel right to me then I'm not going to go along with it and just pretend it's "me".
Having a family is what narcissistic people do, having little clones of themselves run around. Then label me a narcissis. I would love to have a family one day. I don't think there's anything else in the world like it. To have your own kids, is probably one of the most rewarding feelings out there. I think it's an important part of growing up too. Just because you're technically an "adult" doen't mean that you're done learning and experiencing new events. Having a family teaches responsibility, trust, and so many other things. A lot of people in the world have families, a lot don't, a lot have had one but not appreciated it and lost it. Obviously it's not for everyone and not all 6 billion people on earth would agree with me but I think if a person decides to have a family then they should treasure it like nothing else because not everyone is as lucky.
I honestly don't even know if this is possible, but I'm certainly going to try. Happiness to me isn't material in the least; I don't require the best brand clothing, newest piece of technology, or the tastiest, most expensive food. In life all it would take to make me "happy", probably the happiest I could be, as of this point in my life or within the next few years, is getting myself an apartment, it could be one room for all I care, and sharing it with person I love. I would also need my camera, because I love that too. I think simplicity is what makes people happiest and a lot of people can't, or just don't, see that. Sure I'd love to have top of the list things but I don't need them to be happy.
I'm not sure how people figure out if their life has value. For everyone it's different I think. Each person has a different of idea of what would make their life most valuable. I'm sure going through these entries a lot of people's will be similar but no one's will be exactly alike, unless of course someone just copy and pasted. I think that living life to the best you're able should give life value. Everyone also will make this desicion at different times. For someone it may be when they finally graduate from Yale, or finally getting your band on a huge label, or having kids. There isn't, and can't, be a set time where you sit down and decide "oh, my life is valuable now, now I don't have to try anymore." The purpose of life is to live it. I don't know anyother way to put it. The purpose of life is to not waste it.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Topic 2.
Really, nothing on Earth can be permanent. Animals and plants evolve and/or go extinct, same for humans. Even through evolution things, like animals aren't permanent because they aren't the same as they were.
People can live with this because it's just part of life, they must accept at some point in time that things can't be forever, infact nothing can. It is rather depressing to think that nothing will ever be the same as it once was but that doesn't mean it will be bad. The view on change is warped because just because something is different doesn't automatically make it bad. Just like coming to terms, or at least understanding, death, impermanence must be dealt with. People realize that dealing with everything constantly changing is better than refusing it or choosing to end their own lives, as morbid as it sounds.
Religion, the idea of heaven and hell, gives people the reassurence they need to get on with their lives. The idea of having something after they die. That idea hasn't changed, although their are several different ideas of what that afterlife is. Humans find extreme comfort in knowing that instead of rotting in the ground forever they will be rewarded and get to carry out a greater life elsewhere. Although it is common to believe that Enkidu was the one punished with death the real punishment was cast onto Gilgamesh for having to deal with the death of Enkidu. Enkidu was the one who was sent to the afterlife and got to carry on whereas Gilgamesh suffered for as long as he did because he couldn't come to terms with the idea of one day he was going to die.
People can live with this because it's just part of life, they must accept at some point in time that things can't be forever, infact nothing can. It is rather depressing to think that nothing will ever be the same as it once was but that doesn't mean it will be bad. The view on change is warped because just because something is different doesn't automatically make it bad. Just like coming to terms, or at least understanding, death, impermanence must be dealt with. People realize that dealing with everything constantly changing is better than refusing it or choosing to end their own lives, as morbid as it sounds.
Religion, the idea of heaven and hell, gives people the reassurence they need to get on with their lives. The idea of having something after they die. That idea hasn't changed, although their are several different ideas of what that afterlife is. Humans find extreme comfort in knowing that instead of rotting in the ground forever they will be rewarded and get to carry out a greater life elsewhere. Although it is common to believe that Enkidu was the one punished with death the real punishment was cast onto Gilgamesh for having to deal with the death of Enkidu. Enkidu was the one who was sent to the afterlife and got to carry on whereas Gilgamesh suffered for as long as he did because he couldn't come to terms with the idea of one day he was going to die.
Monday, September 17, 2007
A hero is someone, usually a male, that exceeds what a "regular" person can do. Most (super) heroes are known for their super powers like their strength, flying abilities, x-ray vision, and what have you. That at least is a child's view of what a hero can be, the prefix "super" is automatically added. Children do grow to realize that just because a man isn't wearing neon and unusually tight clothing doesn't he mean he can't be a hero.
Luke Skywalker, Indiana Jones, and Frodo Baggins are obviously known for being heroes. They have all set out on journeys searching to save, steal, or return a precious something or other. They're not heroes because they can fly around, although seeing a hovering hobbit could be entertaining, but because they succeeded in what they sought to do and didn't give up regardless anything else. A hero is determine, strong (mentally or physically), and above all they help people, although it's not usually from giant monsters (unless we're talking about Star Wars).
Males are viewed as heroes more than women because they look more like heroes. They have those toned muscles, are bigger, and are over all masculine. Men, for most of history, have been viewed as stronger due to only their appearance. This is a total misjudgment that society often makes because although men may not agree women usually have more brain power and are mentally stronger.
Luke Skywalker, Indiana Jones, and Frodo Baggins are obviously known for being heroes. They have all set out on journeys searching to save, steal, or return a precious something or other. They're not heroes because they can fly around, although seeing a hovering hobbit could be entertaining, but because they succeeded in what they sought to do and didn't give up regardless anything else. A hero is determine, strong (mentally or physically), and above all they help people, although it's not usually from giant monsters (unless we're talking about Star Wars).
Males are viewed as heroes more than women because they look more like heroes. They have those toned muscles, are bigger, and are over all masculine. Men, for most of history, have been viewed as stronger due to only their appearance. This is a total misjudgment that society often makes because although men may not agree women usually have more brain power and are mentally stronger.
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