So, ratings of American Idol have slipped. Surprised? No, not really. I stopped watching. Who hasn't? Of course, in Hollywood that brings up the question of whether to replace Mariah Carey with Jennifer Lopez to boost ratings. Would it work? If you ask me, of course it would. I'd turn in again just for a chance to watch J. Lo, but I'm not really interested in Mariah anymore. I mean, it's J. Lo. There's just something about her. She has that "IT" factor. Hell, if you're going after the male demographic, why not just bring in Jessica Alba.
Sometimes I wonder why I bother to care about celebrities, but I do. Just the other day I found myself having the ultimate Disney girl conversation. After their days as Disney girls years ago, who still looks better, Britney Spears or Christina Aguilera? I argued Britney, but once Christina begins singing I realize she obviously won the talent battle.
But you can't have the Disney girl conversation without bringing the Disney boys into the mix. After all these years, who looks better, Justin Timberlake or Ryan Gosling? I see JT on the TV all the time. He's chillin' with Ellen, kickin' it with Jimmy Fallon and even hanging out with Jay Z and Barrack Obama. Plus, he has Jessica Beil on his arm. Last picture I saw of Gosling he was pumping gas with a horrible looking beard. With a beard like Gosling's, maybe he'd have a shot with Ke$ha, but that's about it. JT obviously has the upper hand there.
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Just keep on keepin' on...:) Failure is NOT an option!!!
As my thirties slowly come to an end and I approach that ominous mid-life 40th birthday, one of the concepts I battle with daily is whether my life is a success or a failure. Sure, I've had a few miss steps along the way, but I think I continue to grow and learn with each year, which is really all you can ask for, right?
One of the things I love to observe is the energy given off and received at various events. I think that's why I love photographing sports so much. The youth involved in high school athletics always have such a joyful exuberance about life. To watch them compete and capture that excitement in pictures always brings me joy. Those memories are such a small part of life, but a part I feel honored to share with them.
I recently was invited to meet a new addition to this world. And I must say the energy a newborn gives off is like nothing else I've experienced. The love two parents exhibit is palpable. To just sit in it for a few hours is an experience in itself. It's something I'll never forget. The love a new mother has for her creation is above all else. And to see it, and talk about it, helps me realize the importance of the miracle of life my parents gave to me. Thanks MOM & DAD!
This year, like many before it, has been a trying time financially for me. To sit on the verge of a business breakthrough for so many years, yet never quite figure out how to take things to the next level is trying at times. Many of my friends make twice as much money as me and that realization is always tough for me to handle. If life is judged on the bottom line, then, obviously, I'm not winning. But winning and surviving are two separate things. I survive. I do it by continually working hard and relying on my work ethic to get by in life.
Giving up on something is tough. I've thought long and hard about giving up on my business ventures, but something always stops me. I think I'm stubborn. I think I'm scared. And I think I'm afraid to give up because, if I do, that admits failure. And nobody wants to be a failure. So I struggle through.
I recently had a conversation with my dad about money and the possibility of starting over at my age to give myself a better financial future. My dad had two careers and always did well financially, but I think my path is obviously different from his and that's sometimes hard for him to understand. My path has been chosen and it's not the easy one. My path involves long hours, struggle and sacrifice. It's what I've chosen and what makes me who I am. I was raised to skimp, save and get by, so it's what I know. It's in the genes my mother lovingly passed down to me. That Dutch blood runs deep through my veins and it's what will get me through this week, this year and many more to follow. They say you gotta just keep on keepin' on. So the next time you wonder how Brian's doing. Just know he's busy keepin' on. Because failure is not an option.
One of the things I love to observe is the energy given off and received at various events. I think that's why I love photographing sports so much. The youth involved in high school athletics always have such a joyful exuberance about life. To watch them compete and capture that excitement in pictures always brings me joy. Those memories are such a small part of life, but a part I feel honored to share with them.
I recently was invited to meet a new addition to this world. And I must say the energy a newborn gives off is like nothing else I've experienced. The love two parents exhibit is palpable. To just sit in it for a few hours is an experience in itself. It's something I'll never forget. The love a new mother has for her creation is above all else. And to see it, and talk about it, helps me realize the importance of the miracle of life my parents gave to me. Thanks MOM & DAD!
This year, like many before it, has been a trying time financially for me. To sit on the verge of a business breakthrough for so many years, yet never quite figure out how to take things to the next level is trying at times. Many of my friends make twice as much money as me and that realization is always tough for me to handle. If life is judged on the bottom line, then, obviously, I'm not winning. But winning and surviving are two separate things. I survive. I do it by continually working hard and relying on my work ethic to get by in life.
Giving up on something is tough. I've thought long and hard about giving up on my business ventures, but something always stops me. I think I'm stubborn. I think I'm scared. And I think I'm afraid to give up because, if I do, that admits failure. And nobody wants to be a failure. So I struggle through.
I recently had a conversation with my dad about money and the possibility of starting over at my age to give myself a better financial future. My dad had two careers and always did well financially, but I think my path is obviously different from his and that's sometimes hard for him to understand. My path has been chosen and it's not the easy one. My path involves long hours, struggle and sacrifice. It's what I've chosen and what makes me who I am. I was raised to skimp, save and get by, so it's what I know. It's in the genes my mother lovingly passed down to me. That Dutch blood runs deep through my veins and it's what will get me through this week, this year and many more to follow. They say you gotta just keep on keepin' on. So the next time you wonder how Brian's doing. Just know he's busy keepin' on. Because failure is not an option.
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
I think there comes a time in your life when it's okay to give up on a dream. For me, I think that time is near.
When I was little, I always wanted to own my own business. I wanted a baseball card shop where I could sell cards and make a living. I don't think I ever imagined how it would all work out or even thought about it as "making a living". I didn't think about having multiple mortgages or the cost of leasing a good space that would get me customers. Or the cost of advertising. Or having to pay Comcast every month. Or having to pay insurance on my place. Or electricity. Or parking. In fact, come to think of it, I didn't think about much. I just wanted a card shop.
At that age, I'd been to card shops and I thought they were cool. There was one I would ride my bike for miles and eventually walk my bike up the 164th Street hill just to check out what they had to offer. Back then it was an adventure, a pilgrimage of sorts. Once you got there, you'd have all the latest players out in display cases. They were all carefully displayed in hard plastic cases. They had the latest rookie cards and those hard-to-find limited edition cards. It was fun to see the rare and mint condition stuff I could never afford. Thinking back on it now, I'm pretty sure I mostly just went to look. Every now and then I'd scrape together enough dough to buy a pack. I can remember opening those packs, hoping to get some rare rookie I could sell back to the shop owner for a profit, but I never had much luck. I usually just left with a handful of commons and a stick of gum. I'm sure those "rare" cards were no more than $5 to $10, but I never had that much money. I wasn't from Mill Creek. I lived on the other side of the gate...:) (inside joke).
After I left the newspaper business in 2005, I did start my own business. I'd actually been successfully eBaying since I graduated college in 1999. At first it was just buying a few shirts and flipping them for profit. Then, the process expanded. Those few shirts turned into stacks of shirts that I'd move out of a small office in my parent's Marysville rambler. By the time I moved back to Bellingham in 2004, I had a downtown apartment filled with stacks of clothes. I'm sure it was a major fire hazard, but nobody ever complained and I had a great time and made a lot of money doing it. I mean, "a lot" is a relative term. My rent was cheap, my expenses were minimal and I wasn't worried about living the good life. I remember going to the Hostess shop around the corner, loading up on three loafs of bread for $1 and sitting there in my apartment that summer eating peanut butter & jelly sandwiches and drinking ice cold Coca Cola. I was living the good life of a successful eBayer and life didn't get much better than that.
To be continued...
Blog ideas ( if you have something you want me to write about, let me know and I'll add it)
Success vs. Failure
Selling the business
Addicted to eBay
Models
Facebook unfriending me!!!
When I was little, I always wanted to own my own business. I wanted a baseball card shop where I could sell cards and make a living. I don't think I ever imagined how it would all work out or even thought about it as "making a living". I didn't think about having multiple mortgages or the cost of leasing a good space that would get me customers. Or the cost of advertising. Or having to pay Comcast every month. Or having to pay insurance on my place. Or electricity. Or parking. In fact, come to think of it, I didn't think about much. I just wanted a card shop.
At that age, I'd been to card shops and I thought they were cool. There was one I would ride my bike for miles and eventually walk my bike up the 164th Street hill just to check out what they had to offer. Back then it was an adventure, a pilgrimage of sorts. Once you got there, you'd have all the latest players out in display cases. They were all carefully displayed in hard plastic cases. They had the latest rookie cards and those hard-to-find limited edition cards. It was fun to see the rare and mint condition stuff I could never afford. Thinking back on it now, I'm pretty sure I mostly just went to look. Every now and then I'd scrape together enough dough to buy a pack. I can remember opening those packs, hoping to get some rare rookie I could sell back to the shop owner for a profit, but I never had much luck. I usually just left with a handful of commons and a stick of gum. I'm sure those "rare" cards were no more than $5 to $10, but I never had that much money. I wasn't from Mill Creek. I lived on the other side of the gate...:) (inside joke).
After I left the newspaper business in 2005, I did start my own business. I'd actually been successfully eBaying since I graduated college in 1999. At first it was just buying a few shirts and flipping them for profit. Then, the process expanded. Those few shirts turned into stacks of shirts that I'd move out of a small office in my parent's Marysville rambler. By the time I moved back to Bellingham in 2004, I had a downtown apartment filled with stacks of clothes. I'm sure it was a major fire hazard, but nobody ever complained and I had a great time and made a lot of money doing it. I mean, "a lot" is a relative term. My rent was cheap, my expenses were minimal and I wasn't worried about living the good life. I remember going to the Hostess shop around the corner, loading up on three loafs of bread for $1 and sitting there in my apartment that summer eating peanut butter & jelly sandwiches and drinking ice cold Coca Cola. I was living the good life of a successful eBayer and life didn't get much better than that.
To be continued...
Blog ideas ( if you have something you want me to write about, let me know and I'll add it)
Success vs. Failure
Selling the business
Addicted to eBay
Models
Facebook unfriending me!!!
Sunday, October 21, 2012
The evolution of friendship...lessons learned...:)
The friendships you create throughout life are an interesting thing.
I can remember when I first made friends. I lived in a small cul-de-sac and there was my best buddy next door, my friend across the street and the cute Asian girl who lived next to him. Then there was the slow kid who lived down the block who would knock on my door and ask, "Can Brriiaan come out and plaaaay?" And the older kid who lived on the corner that nobody liked because he had a big mean dog. That was pretty much my world.
My buddy next door didn't want anything more than to play. We played for hours and got along like brothers. When it came to toys, what was his was mine and vice versa. But we usually didn't play with toys. We did boy things. We built forts, explored the woods and searched in nature for weird bugs so we could "do experiments" by putting them in mason jars with holes in top to see how long they'd survive. He never wanted anything more than to be my buddy.
Now my friend across the street had a different agenda entirely. I was allowed to come over and play with him and his toys, but if he wanted his toy back, I had to give it back right that minute or he would kick me out of his house. It was like he paid the bills and mortgage on the entire one-story evil empire. He was very possessive and I learned early on that I didn't like it when people were like that; and he who has the most toys doesn't win in my book. They just sit alone in their evil empire with a stack of toys and nobody to play with.
It seems you learn lessons very early on about how to create and maintain friendships. Some people are blessed with that ability and others aren't. When it comes to friendship, I think I fall somewhere in between my buddy next door and the friend across the street. I'm not great at making friends, but I try to treat them with respect, listen to what they have to say and not interject with my opinion until I've thought about what I want to say.
In high school, my friends were typically nice guys. Although I wasn't religious, I was friends with the church-going type who placed their moral integrity above all else. I respected their commitment to God and, although I wasn't next to them in the pews on Sunday, I'm sure the lessons they learned rubbed off on me by association. Of course, there was my one God-fearing friend who stole money out of my wallet when I wasn't watching, but I guess the Devil made him do it. After all, we're all entitled to a fail now and then. I'm sure he needed the $100 more than I did anyway.
In college I had great friends. I came north to study at Western when I was 20 years old and was quickly introduced to ice beer. Can't say that was my crowning achievement, but it was a lot of fun and something I think all 20-year-olds should experience with their buddies.
A few of my best friends in college were also gay men. Maybe it was my naivety or boyish charm, but I attracted a lot of them. Eventually I became best friends with a gay man. It was different, but fun. Thinking back on it now, he wasn't that different from my childhood buddy. We cruised around the city, went clubbing together a lot and I learned to match my shoes to my belt. Only difference was he was checking out the cute boy at the bank and I was looking at the girl.
As I try to make new friends now, keep my current friendships strong and break ties with friends who are not making me a better person, I realize that the lessons I learned from my friendships growing up taught me some people are okay with sharing. Some people want to live in an evil empire filled with toys. Some people put their friendship with God above all else. Some people are tempted by the Devil. Some people like drinking ice beer. Hell, even some dudes like the cute guy at the bank. And it's all okay with me.
Learning to accept it all and still love the people who have enriched your life and taught you to be who you are without prejudice or judgement is a continuing struggle, but a struggle worth making and a journey with taking. Here's to making new friends and cherishing those you have. They make your lives what they are and without them, you're nothing.
I can remember when I first made friends. I lived in a small cul-de-sac and there was my best buddy next door, my friend across the street and the cute Asian girl who lived next to him. Then there was the slow kid who lived down the block who would knock on my door and ask, "Can Brriiaan come out and plaaaay?" And the older kid who lived on the corner that nobody liked because he had a big mean dog. That was pretty much my world.
My buddy next door didn't want anything more than to play. We played for hours and got along like brothers. When it came to toys, what was his was mine and vice versa. But we usually didn't play with toys. We did boy things. We built forts, explored the woods and searched in nature for weird bugs so we could "do experiments" by putting them in mason jars with holes in top to see how long they'd survive. He never wanted anything more than to be my buddy.
Now my friend across the street had a different agenda entirely. I was allowed to come over and play with him and his toys, but if he wanted his toy back, I had to give it back right that minute or he would kick me out of his house. It was like he paid the bills and mortgage on the entire one-story evil empire. He was very possessive and I learned early on that I didn't like it when people were like that; and he who has the most toys doesn't win in my book. They just sit alone in their evil empire with a stack of toys and nobody to play with.
It seems you learn lessons very early on about how to create and maintain friendships. Some people are blessed with that ability and others aren't. When it comes to friendship, I think I fall somewhere in between my buddy next door and the friend across the street. I'm not great at making friends, but I try to treat them with respect, listen to what they have to say and not interject with my opinion until I've thought about what I want to say.
In high school, my friends were typically nice guys. Although I wasn't religious, I was friends with the church-going type who placed their moral integrity above all else. I respected their commitment to God and, although I wasn't next to them in the pews on Sunday, I'm sure the lessons they learned rubbed off on me by association. Of course, there was my one God-fearing friend who stole money out of my wallet when I wasn't watching, but I guess the Devil made him do it. After all, we're all entitled to a fail now and then. I'm sure he needed the $100 more than I did anyway.
In college I had great friends. I came north to study at Western when I was 20 years old and was quickly introduced to ice beer. Can't say that was my crowning achievement, but it was a lot of fun and something I think all 20-year-olds should experience with their buddies.
A few of my best friends in college were also gay men. Maybe it was my naivety or boyish charm, but I attracted a lot of them. Eventually I became best friends with a gay man. It was different, but fun. Thinking back on it now, he wasn't that different from my childhood buddy. We cruised around the city, went clubbing together a lot and I learned to match my shoes to my belt. Only difference was he was checking out the cute boy at the bank and I was looking at the girl.
As I try to make new friends now, keep my current friendships strong and break ties with friends who are not making me a better person, I realize that the lessons I learned from my friendships growing up taught me some people are okay with sharing. Some people want to live in an evil empire filled with toys. Some people put their friendship with God above all else. Some people are tempted by the Devil. Some people like drinking ice beer. Hell, even some dudes like the cute guy at the bank. And it's all okay with me.
Learning to accept it all and still love the people who have enriched your life and taught you to be who you are without prejudice or judgement is a continuing struggle, but a struggle worth making and a journey with taking. Here's to making new friends and cherishing those you have. They make your lives what they are and without them, you're nothing.
Friday, October 19, 2012
Was I rude? Read the e-mails and decide for me.
So, I replied to a Craigslist ad for a ghost blogger and they called me rude. I didn't think I was being rude, but maybe you'all have a different opinion. Here's the conversation. What do you think? I might have gotten a little annoyed, but was I really rude?
Me:
I'd be interested in helping to write the (edited to protect) blog for $10 per post. I figure that's a fair price for an hour's work.
Me:
I'd be interested in helping to write the (edited to protect) blog for $10 per post. I figure that's a fair price for an hour's work.
My current blog is: briankingsberry.blogspot.com
Take a look and let me know if you're interested.
BK
360-318-5921 - cell
Them:
Hi Brien,
Posts don't take an hour to write, plus receiving free swag (edited to protect) is a pricy bonus.
Anyways, I have received over 30 applicants and have already chosen the (edited) blogger. Thank you for your application- in the future, don't ask for more before you are even picked. It is considered rude and other people will not hire you.
Me:
okay, thanks. Didn't mean to seem rude. I just thought $6 seemed a little cheap for my time. I'll ask whatever I want when selling my services. I think $10 isn't unreasonable. It takes me about an hour to write my current blog, so I was adjusting accordingly. If i can't do a gig for at least minimum wage, it's probably not worth the time anyway. I'm sure you'll probably realize this when dealing with your ghost bloggers. You get what you pay for.
I'm glad you got the position filled.
I'm glad you got the position filled.
Them:
Brian-
Again, rudeness. I have worked in the business industry all my life and grew up in it. If there's one thing I know, it's payment- and able to tell if you are being rude. Writing an entry for 6$ is overpaid. I know many people who apply for ghostblogging positions that take quite a few hours and only be paid one dollar per post. I am not asking you to write a book, which is the cost you are asking for, and a book takes at the very minimum one month to complete. Lots of times it takes half a year to many years.
I have received an applicant who is professional, been doing this for a long time, and can mirror my style and is exactly what I asked for. So yes, I am getting what I am paying for- perfection and excellence. You could learn it yourself if you wish to fulfill this type of position in the future for any person. No rational person will hire you for 10$ per entry.
Me:
I'll agree to disagree. I just said that for my services it's not enough. Obviously you're not interested in my services, so it's not even a point worth typing about.
I'm sure you know what they say about opinions...Everyone's got one. If you want someone to read yours, maybe you should think twice about how you treat people as well.
I'm sure you know what they say about opinions...Everyone's got one. If you want someone to read yours, maybe you should think twice about how you treat people as well.
Them:
How I treat people?
Free (edited to protect) swag,
Easy and quick money,
Free coffee and/or hot chocolate,
work from home,
kindness,
generosity,
free (edited to protect swag.
Ever heard of "do your research"? A very common statement.
I am giving you advice from a professional who has been in this industry for seventeen years. You can choose to take it or leave it, but if you leave it, you should be aware of the consenquences.
Email me again and I will report you to craigslist and will spam you from my inbox.
Learn. You obviously need to learn a lot.
Me asking question of the day: What do you think readers? Would you read this person's blog? And is ghost blogging even acceptable? Shouldn't you do your own work? That's what I learned in school. Life has taught me that lesson the hard way a few times...:)
Saturday, October 13, 2012
What kind of "energy" do you have today?
Have you ever walked into a room and felt either negative or positive energy? As a photographer, I deal with that a lot. I believe that everyone has a spirit within them that gives off energy and people can feel that energy the moment they lay eyes on you. Sometimes even sooner.
I like to believe I'm more in touch with this energy than others. I sometimes think I can see and feel things in people that others can not. Don't get me wrong, I'm not crazy -- I don't think. It's not schizophrenia, but I just think I'm more in touch with the spirit world than the average guy. I may be delusional in that belief, but it's how I feel and I'm sticking with it.
I've found that there's no time you realize the power of this "spirit energy" more than when you point a big camera lens at someone. Some people instantly let their positive energy run wild and smile, dance, jump and act out like children without a care in the world. Some people stare at you like a deer in headlights, not really sure what to do. Yet others shoot you an icy jolt of negative energy that makes most photographers instantly turn their lens away. Sometimes I like to fight that urge and see what happens next. It's like a battle between curious and negative energies. Out of respect for the subject, I usually lose that battle and turn away, but sometimes their negativity subsides and they open up enough for me to snap a few decent shots.
There's no time I've realized the power of this spirit energy more than before a mixed martial arts fight. I've been photographing fighters for a couple years now and I can tell a lot by the energy a fighter gives off prior to entering the cage. Obviously, it's rare that a fighter would want their picture taken prior to a fight. I usually try to be respectful and sneak a few pictures here and there without disturbing them. After all, they're in preparation mode, so their energy is usually mixed and not very conducive to picture taking.
I think the fact that fighters are flirting with death is what brings out an entirely new element to the spirit energy photographers deal with. No matter how you spin it, MMA is a dangerous sport. It's one of the only sports where you enter a cage and what happens in there could cause death to become a reality. If the grim reaper was a sports fan, I'm sure he'd be lurking at MMA events. That might sound gruesome, but that's exactly what makes MMA one of the most exciting sports out today. Fighters are putting their lives on the line. Sure they're well-trained and surrounded by trainers, referees and paramedics who know exactly what to do if something goes wrong, but that doesn't eliminate the possibility.
What I enjoy most from photographing MMA is watching how quickly a fighter's closed off "negative" energy can turn to euphoric "positive" energy after they've won the fight and had their hand raised in victory. The same fighter who shot me an icy glare of negative energy just moments before the fight is now wagging his tongue in my lens wanting to be a star. And, of course, I oblige and generously snap away.
So the next time you're at an event and you see a big lens pointed your way, think twice about the type of energy you're giving off. Why not make it easy on the photographer and send some positive energy their way. I'm sure they'll really appreciate it.
I like to believe I'm more in touch with this energy than others. I sometimes think I can see and feel things in people that others can not. Don't get me wrong, I'm not crazy -- I don't think. It's not schizophrenia, but I just think I'm more in touch with the spirit world than the average guy. I may be delusional in that belief, but it's how I feel and I'm sticking with it.
I've found that there's no time you realize the power of this "spirit energy" more than when you point a big camera lens at someone. Some people instantly let their positive energy run wild and smile, dance, jump and act out like children without a care in the world. Some people stare at you like a deer in headlights, not really sure what to do. Yet others shoot you an icy jolt of negative energy that makes most photographers instantly turn their lens away. Sometimes I like to fight that urge and see what happens next. It's like a battle between curious and negative energies. Out of respect for the subject, I usually lose that battle and turn away, but sometimes their negativity subsides and they open up enough for me to snap a few decent shots.
There's no time I've realized the power of this spirit energy more than before a mixed martial arts fight. I've been photographing fighters for a couple years now and I can tell a lot by the energy a fighter gives off prior to entering the cage. Obviously, it's rare that a fighter would want their picture taken prior to a fight. I usually try to be respectful and sneak a few pictures here and there without disturbing them. After all, they're in preparation mode, so their energy is usually mixed and not very conducive to picture taking.
I think the fact that fighters are flirting with death is what brings out an entirely new element to the spirit energy photographers deal with. No matter how you spin it, MMA is a dangerous sport. It's one of the only sports where you enter a cage and what happens in there could cause death to become a reality. If the grim reaper was a sports fan, I'm sure he'd be lurking at MMA events. That might sound gruesome, but that's exactly what makes MMA one of the most exciting sports out today. Fighters are putting their lives on the line. Sure they're well-trained and surrounded by trainers, referees and paramedics who know exactly what to do if something goes wrong, but that doesn't eliminate the possibility.
What I enjoy most from photographing MMA is watching how quickly a fighter's closed off "negative" energy can turn to euphoric "positive" energy after they've won the fight and had their hand raised in victory. The same fighter who shot me an icy glare of negative energy just moments before the fight is now wagging his tongue in my lens wanting to be a star. And, of course, I oblige and generously snap away.
So the next time you're at an event and you see a big lens pointed your way, think twice about the type of energy you're giving off. Why not make it easy on the photographer and send some positive energy their way. I'm sure they'll really appreciate it.
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Find your gift -- explore, compare & celebrate in striving toward the "higher standard"
After watching the 2012 summer Olympics, I can't help but look at some of these athletes and think, I could do that. I mean, give me six months of good training with the right diet, coaching and vitamins, and I could compete with those guys. Sure, right? Then reality hits and you realize those athletes are physically gifted. Personally, I think everyone has a gift or two they can share with the world throughout their lifetime. You just have to figure out what it is and don't be afraid to fail while trying new things.
As a kid, I grew up watching legendary Seattle Supersonics point guard Gary Payton drop dimes all over Key Arena. When I watched him on the court, he looked like a dwarf on TV in comparison to NBA's big men. To see The Glove driving to the hoop against Shaq, he looked like a kid, but in person he's 6' 4". In person these dwarfish-looking point guards are massive men. I still remember meeting Sonics shooting guard Ricky Pierce in the SeaTac airport. Pierce never looked like a big guy on TV, but in person he towered over the average man and packed more muscle than I ever imagined. Yes, those guys are gifted physically.
But just the physical gift isn't enough. You have to put in work. This year I remember listening to UFC's mixed martial arts fighter Tito Ortiz on a radio show saying something about how he's a fighter from the time he gets up to the time he goes to bed. When some guy comes up to him at a bar and thinks he can take him on, he said that guy is out of his mind because he doesn't live fighting the way Ortiz does. He probably works a 9-5, makes it to the gym three days a week and fights with his buddies on the weekends, but that doesn't mean he has what it takes to beat up an MMA fighter who trains professionally full time to kick ass.
But don't git me wrong, being gifted and putting in the work isn't only for athletes. Obviously, not everyone is athletically gifted. Some people are musically gifted. Take Maroon 5 front man Adam Levine for example. I recently watched him mentor a competitor on the show The Voice. When I heard the contestant struggle to sing the song and then Adam nailed it on the first try, it's obvious why he's the star. Some might say one's gift comes from having good genes. You know, if your mom an dad were great athletes, then you'll be a great athlete. If you mom and dad can sing, then you can sing. Sure, that helps, but it's not all genetics. A few years back there was another competition show that paired children of music stars against each other. Kenny Loggins son Crosby Loggins won the MTV show Rock The Cradle in 2008. When they came out and sang Kenny's hit "I'm Alright" together, it was obvious that young Crosby had gotten some of his dad's legendary talent, but he wasn't gifted vocally like Kenny. He couldn't carry the song and make it a hit the way Kenny did.
For me, it was like listening to J-Lo sing a duet with Marc Anthony. Sure, J-Lo had the chops needed to sing well enough to put together a hook for a great dance song, but put her on stage with Marc and there's no comparison about who received the vocal gift. Luckily, she has other gifts. That little pib squeak Marc Anthony can sure sing!
Some people are lucky enough to receive multiple gifts. Take Wonder Years star Danica McKeller (aka.Winnie Cooper). Anyone my age remembers Danica. Who didn't have a crush on the doe eyed Winnie Cooper back in the 90s? I thought Fred Savage was the luckiest kid in the world to have a shot at kissing Winnie. Since then, Winnie has grown up. She's not only still beautiful and physically gifted with the body to turn heads, she's also studied mathematics a graduated summa cum laude from UCLA in 1998. Since then she has written several books about math.
I think the problem most people have with finding their gift is that we all hold ourselves to a higher standard. In fact, the highest standard. If we jump in a pool and don't automatically swim like Olympian Michael Phelps, then we're no good and we're a failure. In my world, I'm constantly comparing myself to others. Some of my sports photos are pretty great and some people say I have a gift at capturing a moment, but I always look at them and know they're not quite as good as the guy who shoots for the Herald. Some of my portrait work has turned out pretty awesome, but it doesn't compare to the guys who are published in magazines.
I think we have to realize there are differing levels of success in any venture we explore. If you feel you have a gift, then you do. Use it for all it's worth and be confident that the results will continue improving the more you do it. When I do a portrait photo shoot these days, I tell the model that it's not just me creating the art. Together we create something and allowing that piece of art to be seen and judged by others is a challenge. It's not easy for the model and it's not easy for me either. But I'm not afraid to try. I'm not afraid to hold myself to that higher standard.
Yesterday I watched a 20 year old on the Today Show talk about some sort of computer program he's working with to create art and how when people try new things, they automatically hold themselves to this higher standard. We expect greatness right away. If I pick up a guitar and can't play like Carlos Santana, then I'm a failure. His suggestion was to fail quick and move on. Not sure I exactly agree with what he was saying, but it does have its merits. We shouldn't be afraid to try new things, search for our gifts and grow from each comparison we can make to greatness. Some gifts are obvious from the time you're born. Michael Phelps was destined to swim for Olympics golds, but even he will face the challenge of discovering his next great gift. Even he will face comparisons to the higher standard we face every day. Hopefully we all can accept that next challenge, improve on our gifts and celebrate in our comparisons to greatness.
As a kid, I grew up watching legendary Seattle Supersonics point guard Gary Payton drop dimes all over Key Arena. When I watched him on the court, he looked like a dwarf on TV in comparison to NBA's big men. To see The Glove driving to the hoop against Shaq, he looked like a kid, but in person he's 6' 4". In person these dwarfish-looking point guards are massive men. I still remember meeting Sonics shooting guard Ricky Pierce in the SeaTac airport. Pierce never looked like a big guy on TV, but in person he towered over the average man and packed more muscle than I ever imagined. Yes, those guys are gifted physically.
But just the physical gift isn't enough. You have to put in work. This year I remember listening to UFC's mixed martial arts fighter Tito Ortiz on a radio show saying something about how he's a fighter from the time he gets up to the time he goes to bed. When some guy comes up to him at a bar and thinks he can take him on, he said that guy is out of his mind because he doesn't live fighting the way Ortiz does. He probably works a 9-5, makes it to the gym three days a week and fights with his buddies on the weekends, but that doesn't mean he has what it takes to beat up an MMA fighter who trains professionally full time to kick ass.
But don't git me wrong, being gifted and putting in the work isn't only for athletes. Obviously, not everyone is athletically gifted. Some people are musically gifted. Take Maroon 5 front man Adam Levine for example. I recently watched him mentor a competitor on the show The Voice. When I heard the contestant struggle to sing the song and then Adam nailed it on the first try, it's obvious why he's the star. Some might say one's gift comes from having good genes. You know, if your mom an dad were great athletes, then you'll be a great athlete. If you mom and dad can sing, then you can sing. Sure, that helps, but it's not all genetics. A few years back there was another competition show that paired children of music stars against each other. Kenny Loggins son Crosby Loggins won the MTV show Rock The Cradle in 2008. When they came out and sang Kenny's hit "I'm Alright" together, it was obvious that young Crosby had gotten some of his dad's legendary talent, but he wasn't gifted vocally like Kenny. He couldn't carry the song and make it a hit the way Kenny did.
For me, it was like listening to J-Lo sing a duet with Marc Anthony. Sure, J-Lo had the chops needed to sing well enough to put together a hook for a great dance song, but put her on stage with Marc and there's no comparison about who received the vocal gift. Luckily, she has other gifts. That little pib squeak Marc Anthony can sure sing!
Some people are lucky enough to receive multiple gifts. Take Wonder Years star Danica McKeller (aka.Winnie Cooper). Anyone my age remembers Danica. Who didn't have a crush on the doe eyed Winnie Cooper back in the 90s? I thought Fred Savage was the luckiest kid in the world to have a shot at kissing Winnie. Since then, Winnie has grown up. She's not only still beautiful and physically gifted with the body to turn heads, she's also studied mathematics a graduated summa cum laude from UCLA in 1998. Since then she has written several books about math.
I think the problem most people have with finding their gift is that we all hold ourselves to a higher standard. In fact, the highest standard. If we jump in a pool and don't automatically swim like Olympian Michael Phelps, then we're no good and we're a failure. In my world, I'm constantly comparing myself to others. Some of my sports photos are pretty great and some people say I have a gift at capturing a moment, but I always look at them and know they're not quite as good as the guy who shoots for the Herald. Some of my portrait work has turned out pretty awesome, but it doesn't compare to the guys who are published in magazines.
I think we have to realize there are differing levels of success in any venture we explore. If you feel you have a gift, then you do. Use it for all it's worth and be confident that the results will continue improving the more you do it. When I do a portrait photo shoot these days, I tell the model that it's not just me creating the art. Together we create something and allowing that piece of art to be seen and judged by others is a challenge. It's not easy for the model and it's not easy for me either. But I'm not afraid to try. I'm not afraid to hold myself to that higher standard.
Yesterday I watched a 20 year old on the Today Show talk about some sort of computer program he's working with to create art and how when people try new things, they automatically hold themselves to this higher standard. We expect greatness right away. If I pick up a guitar and can't play like Carlos Santana, then I'm a failure. His suggestion was to fail quick and move on. Not sure I exactly agree with what he was saying, but it does have its merits. We shouldn't be afraid to try new things, search for our gifts and grow from each comparison we can make to greatness. Some gifts are obvious from the time you're born. Michael Phelps was destined to swim for Olympics golds, but even he will face the challenge of discovering his next great gift. Even he will face comparisons to the higher standard we face every day. Hopefully we all can accept that next challenge, improve on our gifts and celebrate in our comparisons to greatness.
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