Scarcity or Abundance?

Photographer: Jaques Slade

"Pawn Shop"

Chess Board

S: 1/10

A: 1.8

FL: 35mm

ISO: 400

I really dig the above photograph for a few reasons...

a) I love chess

b) I love photography and

c) because Jaques shares his camera settings

Now, chess and photography are things that I'm super interested in, in part because I have, by no stretch of the imagination, perfected my skills just yet.  I'm still learning and that's cool with me. 

Regarding the camera settings...it's just dope to me because instead of hoarding how Jaques Slade got to that point so that no one else could match it, he decided to share.  I'm sure it's partially to remember his own growth but to also give his knowledge away.  That's a large part of the reason Dies and I decided to start this site because the information we were trying to get we couldn't find ANYWHERE.... Well at least not in one place.  We're talking scouring the world wide web, magazines and picking at bits and pieces from random conversations.  We wanted to know..."How do you sustain a winning life?"  "How do you get to actualizing your dreams?"  I mean, you read the articles and see the shows on how someone got there after they've already done it but what about the PROCESS?  That's the key.  Think: Life/Happiness/Success is not a destination, it's a journey.  So, we want to share our process and that of other grinders we come into contact with along the way.  We wanted to build a home for grinders and dreamers.  A place where..."everyone knows your name" lol...ok, maybe not Cheers but, a place where other people like us from anywhere could tap into and see themselves..right. now.  Because life is about right now.  What I'm doing right now to be more.  So, I share what I've learned in hopes that it helps and that I'll get the next piece of my puzzle through this self discovery.  Already, I've "met" so many people who are incredibly fresh (what up 365ers?!) and I never would've had the opportunity if I'd subscribed to the scarcity mentality.

Scarcity (think: greed, hoarding, being withdrawn, etc) begets more of itself.  What I know for sure is that scarcity is:

a) something learned and

b) something that will not allow me to become my very best self.

I truly believe in abundance.  I know that my thoughts are my own, just as my vision is, as well.  I have something incredible to share on so many different levels and when I continue to open myself up to experiencing life abundantly that's precisely what I'll get in return.  It's pretty a-ma-zing and it's quite simple.  The difficulty resides in remembering to remember it when people who love me tell me to "be wary of...."  I must be wise, learn from my mistakes, of course, but I don't have to guard myself from anyone.  I'm here to help you and you are here to help me.  So, thank you so much in advance!  Preeesh!  hahahaha

100.

Bright

I'm Inspired By: 365ers

Photographer: Tony Price

Gotta love technology.  Thursday, the homie, Yohance, tweets, "ART, 365 days of it. http://www.365ers.com/"  The name alone is the hook.  I go to the site and check it out.  It is, in a word, "fresh."

Their motto:

"Every year, we all make resolutions of some sort and end up breaking them at some point. So instead of making a resolution, we all decided to document our growth over the year through photos, video, audio clips, or simple words. This is our story ART...ONCE A DAY...EVERYDAY"

The 365ers are a collection of 10 artists and you get an opportunity to see a myriad of visions and thoughts.  For instance...

"This week has taught me that excuses will just lead me to a non-life where I don't really do anything or truly live."

-Sui Solitaire reflecting on her lack of shooting this week because of rain

Woooow!  That's real.  When I honestly sit down and look at myself, being a "non-liver" = certain death.  Everyday I have to make a succession of decisions that keep me on the "liver" path or else life just just ends up being something that happens to me.

What's so dope about this site is that like us, they've decided to chronicle their individual growth along their ascension.  It made me take a sec to think about what I do everyday.  What I do and "don't have time for."  The mind tells the body what to do, right?  Can't I create something EVERYDAY?  When I initially thought about it, I found trouble in that sometimes I feel like I have to "tap" into my creativity, kinda like turning on and off a light switch, because of work stuff.  I am soooo tired after these 18-20 hour days (remeber 3:30a? lol).  But that just sounds like an excuse to me because we make time for what we want don't we?  Granted, often times it feels like there aren't enough hours in a day but I have to make it work...somehow..someway.  How else will I "be the change [I] wish to see"?  Then, it occurred to me...the fact that my "work" consists of creative problem solving ("so, we need to come up with a plan to recapture the elephant in case it escapes." real talk but, more on that another time. lol).  My creativity is a large part of me, I don't have to outsource it.  As long as I'm diligent, I'm golden...I will make it happen.

100.

Bright
aka
Liver

p.s.  thanks Tony for letting me use your piece :)