In this lifetime what ultimately dictates your level of success is your willingness to persist till it exists. You see, the growth and development of any dream is only limited by the time that you're willing to invest in it, as well as the tears you're willing to shed to get there. It's a lengthy process setback by naysayers and antagonists but nothing in this lifetime is impossible so long as  you want it, so just remember that the only thing holding you back from what you really want is you.  Keep a good attitude and a great circle of friends and failure will never be an option.

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Fuck emoticons. This is better representation.  

OK…so I don't claim to be a great "photographer" nor do I consider myself a purist in the discipline of the art. Rather…I'm a good photoshopper that "takes pictures." It sounds simple and basic but I'll be the first to admit that my photos look good because of one of two simple things and that's 1) I have good composition and 2) I know how to use Photoshop. There's really no rocket science behind making good photos look great, but what gets me is when all these so called "photographers" start talking all this shit about "photoshopped" pictures knowing damn well that they "bump" the contrast and adjust the "curves" here and there. Then again….some of these fuckers don't technically do the work because they've got graphic designers doing it for them. 

It's amazing how many "photographers" walk around like their shit don't stink but if you were to ever see their pictures prior to post production work you'd swear that you could take better pictures with your $200 point and shoot joint from Sony. But seriously here folks, the reason some "photographers" talk shit about Photoshop is simply because they're afraid that the craft they know so little about is about to infiltrated by novice beginners with heavy Photoshop experience and cheaper rates. So many of these big headed photographers are getting put to shame by amateurs and they're getting mad because their checks are getting swooped on by guys that are willing to do work for cheaper. But ask yourself this….why in the hell would anyone pay you full pop to shoot something that someone else could easily mimic? Besides…if you're so called "craft" were that good and unique then how come it's so easily replicated?

I guess you could say that the evolutionary spirit of change is coming to bite all these lames in the ass and if you're one of the guys reading this post getting all fired up then don't get mad….get educated. Life  – just like business – is all about constant evolution and if you're work isn't getting any better and you're not offering anything unique then you're as good as dead. So rather than bitch and complain….why not step your game up and raise the bar. 

Now I know that there's still some purists left in the game but as far as I'm concerned the only person that I've ever seen pull off great photos without the need for post-production work has been Greg B. Again, this micro-babble is just my opinion and regardless if you like what I have to say or not it's really just the truth so get with the times. 

WIPE YOUR ASS.
Current mood: blessed

Serious talk here folks. Take the act of shaking off bad friends just as serious as you do the art of wiping your ass. Now stop laughing because I'm dead serious. Bad friends are like the left over residue from a half-broken, log of shit, and everybody already knows that when this happens you need to put in some overtime to get you free and clear of the funk.

Far too many people let bad friends hang out and kick it simply because they're afraid  - or too lazy – to take action because they don't wanna be mean, but let me ask you this, "What happens when you don't wipe  your ass right?" 

C'mon now…you already know the answer to that. You can only get away with that bullshit for only a few minutes before you walk away and the friction between your ass cheeks starts cremating the crap that's stuck in between it. Then before you know it, you'll be sending off smoke signals to the Indians over in Pachanga.

I'm serious. Skid marks and sunshine dots (a.k.a. piss stains) are something that you leave behind in grade school and the same should be said when it comes to shaking off bad friends. They're both an art that's gradually mastered but unfortunately some people just don't get it.

So I'm sure you got the point by now, but just remember that it's the first week of the New Year so make sure you handle your business….and for crying out loud, take your paper work serious.

I know I do.

OK…so again, someone at work called me an asshole. In specific they said that, "I'm an asshole with no compassion."

Well to that I'd have to say that I'm not an asshole, but just brutally honest.  Seriously here folks, I'm probably the coolest motherfucker you'll ever meet but don't promise me a rose garden when you don't even have the dirt to start it. I don't sugar coat shit and I tell people like it is. Sure there's times here and there that I just let shit pass me by, but that's simply because I just don't care about that person, that project or just the situation as a whole. But if you're one of my friends or working on a project that I'm heading then please believe that I'll break it down to you.

Regardless if it's friendship or business (or even a relationship), I tell it like it is because it's the best possible way to communicate and improve a situation. I'm a firm believer that a friend should always compliment  – and never complicate – your life and if one does then you need to get rid of that fucker. The same holds true for business, if an employee can't grasp your vision or gradually improve toward the common goal then it's time to let them go and this is exactly what happened.

So am I an asshole? NO. I'm just honest.

I’ve always said that you don’t know someone till shit hits the fan and I honestly believe that. Way too many people out there hand out friendships like 7-11 does matches and it makes me sick – and sad at the same time.

I’m a firm believer that real friendships are based on more than just partying and having a good time. Friendships are based on loyalty, honor and mutual respect. It’s not to say that you can’t meet a good friend right off the bat but in most cases they’re either pieces of shit or people not worth the excess piss that sits on your toilet lid.

Also…realize that there’s a huge difference between an “acquaintance” and a “friend.” If you’ve met someone for a month and they’ve been cool, does that qualify them as a “friend” or as an “acquaintance”?

If you consider them a “friend” then you might want to reevaluate your “friendship” criteria because they’re quite obviously not that stringent.

But on to another point. It’s sad to say that someone that I looked out for – and trusted – tried to turn me out for something I didn’t even do…but it’s OK. I’m not even mad that the incident happened. If anything, I’m glad it did because it gave me a chance to tell my side of the story while also clearing my name.

I always told this person to have a stronger network of friends and after this nonsense went down I’m sure that they now realize that my people are solid and true to it. Real friends will tell you the truth and have your back no matter what and that’s exactly what happened.  The reason that you ended up in this predicament is because of all the nonsense advice you took from your “friends” and in the end it made you look like as ass and I feel bad for you – and your friends

Sadly enough your friends may have offered you the right advice. But that advice was based off of stories that didn't contain the entire truth.

In life, love, business, or friendship, you should always be someone's choice and never someone's option. Options get used and left for dead, but choice's are nurtured, cherished and developed for growth. I know that shit came out of left field, but I was just thinking about all those people that throw their self worth out the window by surrounding themselves with a bunch of lame brain, spineless mofos that do nothing but leech of 'em. That's real talk though. You can't be everyone's friend, and at the end of the day you have to limit your liabilities and cut the fat.  

So I've got a boatload of shit due and not enough qualified hands to get me there but I'm not sweatin' it…at least not yet. The age old adage of , "Where there's a will, there's a way," is perfect to say right about now, but I'm   also a firm believer that you have to stay positive and keep focused. Too many drama queens blow shit out of proportion and spend most of their days feeling sorry for themselves, but in the process, they lose track of what they're suppose to do, and in the end, they end up falling back and subsequently failing miserably. I'm cool on that. So get on your grind, stop complaining and start living life. It could be a lot worse….right?