tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27941540885577307482024-02-20T23:08:31.787-08:00Samantha SteinerSamantha.N.Steinerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10582787758266207133noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794154088557730748.post-81688542326451936672014-01-25T07:54:00.002-08:002014-01-25T07:54:33.325-08:00Symbolism and Kristin CalabreseI had a meeting with Stephen Westfall and he told me to look into Symbolistic Painters and Symbolism in General. I think over the past year I've transitioned from doing Realistic paintings to Naturalistic Paintings with Symbolic Undertones. Im a very spiritual person and it definitely effects my work and I like there to be invisible meanings beneath the visible in my paintings.<br />
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Kristin Calabrese's work I think definitely has meaning behind the subjects she is portraying and I think her and I are very similar painters. I included pieces of her work in this post.<br />
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<br />Samantha.N.Steinerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10582787758266207133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794154088557730748.post-18449715786800067862013-12-01T20:44:00.001-08:002013-12-01T20:44:07.932-08:00<div style="text-align: center;">
A Really Great Article I Think Everyone Should Read</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">Why You Should Stop Trying To Be Happy</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">Oct. 10, 2013, 2:47 PM 3,785 5</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">If you have to try to be cool, you will never be cool. If you have to</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">try to be happy, then you will never be happy.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">Maybe the problem these days is people are just trying too hard.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">Happiness, like other emotions, is not something you obtain, but</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">rather something you inhabit. When you’re raging pissed and throwing a</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">socket wrench at the neighbor’s kids, you are not self-conscious about</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">your state of anger. You are not thinking to yourself, “Am I finally</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">angry? Am I doing this right?” No, you’re out for blood. You inhabit</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">and live the anger. You are the anger. And then it’s gone.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">Just as a confident man doesn’t wonder if he’s confident, a happy man</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">does not wonder if he’s happy. He simply is.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">What this implies is that happiness is not achieved in itself, but</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">rather it is the side-effect of a particular set of ongoing life</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">experiences. This gets mixed up a lot, especially since happiness is</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">marketed so much these days as a goal in and of itself. Buy X and be</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">happy. Learn Y and be happy. But you can’t buy happiness and you can’t</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">achieve happiness. It just is. And it is once you get other parts of</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">your life in order.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">Happiness is not the same as pleasure</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">When most people seek happiness, they are actually seeking pleasure:</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">good food, more sex, more time for TV and movies, a new car, parties</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">with friends, full body massages, losing 10 pounds, becoming more</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">popular, and so on.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">But while pleasure is great, it’s not the same as happiness. Pleasure</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">is correlated with happiness, but does not cause it. Ask any drug</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">addict how their pursuit if pleasure turned out. Ask an adulterer who</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">shattered her family and lost her children whether pleasure ultimately</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">made her happy. Ask a man who almost ate himself to death how happy</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">pursuing pleasure made him feel.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">Pleasure is a false god. Research shows that people who focus their</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">energy on materialistic and superficial pleasures end up more anxious,</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">more emotionally unstable and less happy in the long-run. Pleasure is</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">the most superficial form of life satisfaction and therefore the</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">easiest. Pleasure is what’s marketed to us. It’s what we fixate on.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">It’s what we use to numb and distract ourselves. But pleasure, while</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">necessary, isn’t sufficient. There’s something more.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">Happiness does not require lowering one’s expectations</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">A popular narrative lately is that people are becoming unhappier</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">because we’re all narcissistic and grew up being told that we’re</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">special unique snowflakes who are going to change the world and we</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">have Facebook constantly telling us how amazing everyone else’s lives</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">are, but not our own, so we feel all like crap and wonder where it all</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">went wrong. Oh, and all of this happens by the of age 23.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">Sorry, but no. Give people a bit more credit than that.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">For instance, a friend of mine recently started a high-risk business</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">venture. He dried up most of his savings trying to make it work and</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">failed. Today, he’s happier than ever for his experience. It taught</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">him many lessons about what he wanted and didn’t want in life and it</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">eventually led him to his current job, which he loves. He’s able to</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">look back and be proud that he went for it because otherwise he would</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">have always wondered “what if?” and that would have made him unhappier</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">than any failure would have.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">The failure to meet our own expectations is not antithetical to</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">happiness, and I’d actually argue that the ability to fail and still</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">appreciate the experience is actually a fundamental building block for</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">happiness.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">If you thought you were going to make $100,000 and drive a Porsche</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">immediately out of college, then your standards of success were skewed</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">and superficial, you confused your pleasure for happiness, and the</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">painful smack of reality hitting you in the face will be one of the</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">best lessons life ever gives you.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">The “lower expectations” argument falls victim to the same old</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">mindset: that happiness is derived from without. The joy of life is</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">not having a $100,000 salary. It’s working to reach a $100,000 salary,</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">and then working for a $200,000 salary, and so on.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">So, I say raise your expectations. Elongate your process. Lay on your</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">death bed with a to do list a mile long and smile at the infinite</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">opportunity granted to you. Create ridiculous standards for yourself</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">and then savor the inevitable failure. Learn from it. Live it. Let the</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">ground crack and rocks crumble around you because that’s how something</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">amazing grows, through the cracks.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">Happiness is not the same as positivity</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">Chances are you know someone who always appears to be insanely happy</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">regardless of circumstances or situation. Chances are this is actually</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">one of the most dysfunctional people you know. Denying negative</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">emotion leads to deeper and more prolonged negative emotions and</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">emotional dysfunction.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">It’s a simple reality: shit happens. Things go wrong. People upset us.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">Mistakes are made and negative emotions arise. And that’s fine.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">Negative emotions are necessary and healthy for maintaining a stable</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">baseline happiness in one’s life.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">The trick with negative emotions is to 1) express them in a socially</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">acceptable and healthy manner and 2) express them in a way which</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">aligns with your values.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">Simple example: A value of mine is to pursue non-violence; therefore</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">when I get mad at somebody, I express that anger, but I also make a</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">point to not punch them in the face. Radical idea, I know. (But I</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">absolutely will throw a socket wrench at the neighbor’s kids, though.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">Try me.)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">There’s a lot of people out there who subscribe to “always be</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">positive” ideology. These people should be avoided just as much as</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">someone who thinks the world is an endless pile of shit. If your</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">standard of happiness is that you’re always happy, no matter what,</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">then you’ve been watching way too much Leave It To Beaver and need a</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">reality check (but don’t worry, I promise not to punch you in the</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">face).</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">I think part of the allure of obsessive positivity is the way which</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">we’re marketed to. I think part of it is being subjected to happy,</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">smiley people on television constantly. I think part of it are some</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">people in the self help industry that want you to feel like there’s</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">something wrong with you all the time.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">Or maybe it’s just that we’re lazy, and like anything else we want the</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">result without actually having to do the hard work for it.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">Which brings me to what actually drives happiness….</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">Happiness is the process of becoming your ideal self</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">Completing a marathon makes us happier than eating a chocolate cake.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">Raising a child makes us happier than beating a video game. Starting a</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">small business with friends and struggling to make money makes us</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">happier than buying a new computer.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">And the funny thing is that all three of the activities above are</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">exceedingly unpleasant and require setting high expectations and</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">potentially failing to always meet them. Yet, they are some of the</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">most meaningful moments and activities of our lives. They involve</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">pain, struggle, even anger and despair, yet once we’ve done them we</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">look back and get misty-eyed about them.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">Why?</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">Because it’s these sort of activities which allow us to become our</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">ideal selves. It’s the perpetual pursuit of fulfilling our ideal</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">selves which grants us happiness, regardless of superficial pleasures</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">or pain, regardless of positive or negative emotions. This is why some</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">people are happy in war and others are sad at weddings. It’s why some</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">are excited to work and others hate parties. The traits they’re</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">inhabiting don’t align with their ideal selves.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">It’s not the end results which define our ideal selves. It’s not</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">finishing the marathon that makes us happy, it’s achieving a difficult</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">long-term goal that does. It’s not having an awesome kid to show off</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">that makes us happy, but knowing that you gave yourself up to the</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">growth of another human being that is special. It’s not the prestige</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">and money from the new business that makes you happy, it’s process of</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">overcoming all odds with people you care about.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">And this is the reason that trying to be happy inevitably will make</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">you unhappy. Because to try to be happy implies that you are not</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">already inhabiting your ideal self, you are not aligned with the</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">qualities of who you wish to be. After all, if you were acting out</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">your ideal self, then you wouldn’t feel the need to try to be happy.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">Cue statements about “finding happiness within,” and “knowing that</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">you’re enough.” It’s not that happiness itself is in you, it’s that</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">happiness occurs when you decide to pursue what’s in you.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">And this is why happiness is so fleeting. Anyone who has set out major</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">life goals for themselves, only to achieve them and realize that they</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">feel the same relative amounts of happiness/unhappiness, knows that</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">happiness always feels like it’s around the corner just waiting for</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">you to show up. No matter where you are in life, there will always be</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">that one more thing you need to do to be extra-especially happy.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">And that’s because our ideal self is always around that corner, our</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">ideal self is always three steps ahead of us. We dream of being a</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">musician and when we’re a musician we dream of writing a film score</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">and when write a film score, we dream of writing a screenplay. And</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">what matters isn’t that we achieve each of these plateaus of success,</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">but that we’re consistently moving towards them, day after day, month</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">after month, year after year. The plateaus will come and go, and we’ll</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">continue following our ideal self down the path of our lives.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">And with that, with regards to being happy, it seems the best advice</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">is also the simplest: Imagine who you want to be and then step towards</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">it. Dream big and then do something. Anything. The simple act of</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">moving at all will change how you feel about the entire process and</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">serve to inspire you further.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">Let go of the imagined result; it’s not necessary. The fantasy and the</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">dream are merely tools to get you off your ass. It doesn’t matter if</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">they come true or not. Live, man. Just live. Stop trying to be happy</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;">and just be.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin;" /></span>Samantha.N.Steinerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10582787758266207133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794154088557730748.post-7359071772732474132013-11-25T11:05:00.004-08:002013-11-25T11:05:50.200-08:00<div style="text-align: center;">
I havent been able to paint because I've been in and out of the hospital because for some reason I keep having seizures. I have however been looking at a lot of artists so I just compiled a few paintings I like and will put them in this post I suppose.</div>
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ALISON ELIZABETH TAYLOR</div>
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I saw her show in Chelsea two or three weeks ago.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyshmYT3MA-BHJjH-dWEb-cC0yOiZezr3gj90f8ONiJ9vsWRCUiTm5u46MpNABpa_ZC9B8ch9hCnEw1Bt5aQyhrlRv2gPP4UHK1ZTG-tZPpnPSuE1iDof-_JZQckIU7WSiS9XrBsiTfWw/s1600/TAYLOR_Kelso_2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyshmYT3MA-BHJjH-dWEb-cC0yOiZezr3gj90f8ONiJ9vsWRCUiTm5u46MpNABpa_ZC9B8ch9hCnEw1Bt5aQyhrlRv2gPP4UHK1ZTG-tZPpnPSuE1iDof-_JZQckIU7WSiS9XrBsiTfWw/s320/TAYLOR_Kelso_2013.jpg" width="297" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://8b8c0f4118-custmedia.vresp.com/192ffe11f0/TAYLOR_Silver%20Fox_2013_JCG6702_large%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://8b8c0f4118-custmedia.vresp.com/192ffe11f0/TAYLOR_Silver%20Fox_2013_JCG6702_large%202.jpg" width="307" /></a></div>
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Just a few throw backs of Charline Von Heyl's Stuff because I still cant find anything as amazing</div>
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<a href="http://danielmarcusdotnet.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/screen-shot-2013-08-04-at-11-30-42-am.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://danielmarcusdotnet.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/screen-shot-2013-08-04-at-11-30-42-am.png" width="313" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://danielmarcusdotnet.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/installation-shot_jm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://danielmarcusdotnet.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/installation-shot_jm.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Samantha.N.Steinerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10582787758266207133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794154088557730748.post-5039286762246085332013-11-04T21:24:00.000-08:002013-11-04T21:24:00.981-08:00New Painting<div style="text-align: center;">
Have been working on it for over three weeks, and finished it today in three minutes. Really brings up the question of time and if it relates to "good art" or not. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFcCVRhQwB1LP4zaGfbtf_gjGUdBrZnlNLtFSbM2Vo_SDyP5nt8UseyIBBV4SE5aWbWIBeWDCiEUvkDxd6Sh7f-RMngaF8PiBbaxk729nKPDWul0xAWq-eKSbdxenFYYFsUUqR-PmWssc/s1600/photo-4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFcCVRhQwB1LP4zaGfbtf_gjGUdBrZnlNLtFSbM2Vo_SDyP5nt8UseyIBBV4SE5aWbWIBeWDCiEUvkDxd6Sh7f-RMngaF8PiBbaxk729nKPDWul0xAWq-eKSbdxenFYYFsUUqR-PmWssc/s320/photo-4.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Samantha.N.Steinerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10582787758266207133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794154088557730748.post-80244395184987147782013-10-27T18:13:00.001-07:002013-10-27T18:13:46.188-07:00Link to my Pinterest<div style="text-align: center;">
I have like 5 million different pages, I wish I got graded on a blog before thesis, because when it becomes an assignment I just don't want to do it anymore.</div>
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Here's a link to my pinterest, it consists of pictures that i love to paint, and contains my obsession with patterning and texture. </div>
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<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/samanthansteine/stuff-i-lub/">http://www.pinterest.com/samanthansteine/stuff-i-lub/</a></div>
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<a href="http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/e4/33/a7/e433a7d314fbc64bd85346f26e489835.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/e4/33/a7/e433a7d314fbc64bd85346f26e489835.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Mihoko Ogaki</div>
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Samantha.N.Steinerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10582787758266207133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794154088557730748.post-73132450993270945142013-10-26T21:37:00.001-07:002013-10-26T21:37:42.820-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuHk4T1D5A-S5AEG79TBqKiGVsFMRg1GOlz5MVasZizFODet70tAMxodaO-BIlNArdviXofNa1V-1HQqmtvZsbP-RYfHVxcZxLCK1YXVMB2ObA9bbscPIjSNZZyLObFGDB2ouqsOEaFg0/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuHk4T1D5A-S5AEG79TBqKiGVsFMRg1GOlz5MVasZizFODet70tAMxodaO-BIlNArdviXofNa1V-1HQqmtvZsbP-RYfHVxcZxLCK1YXVMB2ObA9bbscPIjSNZZyLObFGDB2ouqsOEaFg0/s320/photo.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Not about that painting life</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO9w0jOGy5FLz_U7LA3i0N80EUQPwzh6gm0ftrowljzcTaxIOagC544ZzntlhrAsCb0FnBDAhRy5EfLci8owirbWAcEoFptno-p-C0KRxkImDaUXPnO5gSWdClI1xmNnpdN7xPZvAO8rU/s1600/photo-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO9w0jOGy5FLz_U7LA3i0N80EUQPwzh6gm0ftrowljzcTaxIOagC544ZzntlhrAsCb0FnBDAhRy5EfLci8owirbWAcEoFptno-p-C0KRxkImDaUXPnO5gSWdClI1xmNnpdN7xPZvAO8rU/s320/photo-1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Because over 60 hours spent and it still looks like shit</div>
Samantha.N.Steinerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10582787758266207133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794154088557730748.post-20075554293270126892013-10-22T06:10:00.002-07:002013-10-22T06:10:39.075-07:00Video Art<div style="text-align: center;">
I love making videos, so I decided to take a media class this semester, the first is a project I did by myself, and the seconds kind-of a joke project me and a few other people created.</div>
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<a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B4-KBTYDlaUNVnFLRTVGSW5BSGM/edit?usp=drive_web">https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B4-KBTYDlaUNVnFLRTVGSW5BSGM/edit?usp=drive_web</a></div>
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<a href="http://vimeo.com/76585376">http://vimeo.com/76585376</a></div>
Samantha.N.Steinerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10582787758266207133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794154088557730748.post-88641973605953521452013-10-22T06:06:00.001-07:002013-10-22T06:06:20.564-07:00Cool Thangs<div style="text-align: center;">
My Twin Sister and I performed in a piece at Gowandus open studios this weekend for Artist, Patricia Brace, where we sat for 12 hours split between Saturday and Sunday, back to back creating a mirrored image of each other.</div>
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I met with my mentor yesterday whose awesome, she paints on this really cool paper, and everything she does is very organized and almost ocd like, which i should start doing because nothing really goes into the prep of my paintings and they usually end up muddy because of this. Anyways heres an awesome window from her studio.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK_3A3oFevBi-BOElgtDoO0It49m6eB3enl3VRyjuNOS46VgdHicOeEfwzWzJ8QUGYOlFB6q06ZmjsiYdUU-IAU2R1KJ6jz9k1oxTIRsBDmpznhU2MY8OzcUw7hRYDcsb0ElnHlivO_Po/s1600/photo+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK_3A3oFevBi-BOElgtDoO0It49m6eB3enl3VRyjuNOS46VgdHicOeEfwzWzJ8QUGYOlFB6q06ZmjsiYdUU-IAU2R1KJ6jz9k1oxTIRsBDmpznhU2MY8OzcUw7hRYDcsb0ElnHlivO_Po/s320/photo+4.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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Samantha.N.Steinerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10582787758266207133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794154088557730748.post-72999825993651208542013-10-22T06:02:00.001-07:002013-10-22T06:02:04.814-07:00Some new paintings<div style="text-align: center;">
All Black Painting, Using no black , or white</div>
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Oil on Cardboard, 1 x 2 ft</div>
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Series of Tree Knots</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK1Eot1G_iMROnp-OBRtSZFdLp8Xmn-RMKbaTpSSgiPsHpe6UQ1mS_bzTZhPqFiPsTqQQvGHIpt22QLnVu8bWyU1FGQRfRA2yRZN7cLBn2G31ZrYyfFf9_SQ6LbEMvR0XJhHV1WB91gV4/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK1Eot1G_iMROnp-OBRtSZFdLp8Xmn-RMKbaTpSSgiPsHpe6UQ1mS_bzTZhPqFiPsTqQQvGHIpt22QLnVu8bWyU1FGQRfRA2yRZN7cLBn2G31ZrYyfFf9_SQ6LbEMvR0XJhHV1WB91gV4/s400/photo+2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />Samantha.N.Steinerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10582787758266207133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794154088557730748.post-877095160368295872013-10-03T14:32:00.002-07:002013-10-03T14:32:37.257-07:00My new art crushPipilotti Rist<br />
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Heres a link to her website<br />
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<a href="http://www.pipilottirist.net/">http://www.pipilottirist.net/</a><br />
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Im too tired to write about her currently, but i will later, maybe....Samantha.N.Steinerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10582787758266207133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794154088557730748.post-43995613136677748222013-09-25T10:46:00.000-07:002013-09-25T10:51:42.898-07:00Paintings from Last Year and Before thatPretty Shitty....but Im crossing my fingers for a break through this year!<br />
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<a href="http://instagram.com/p/Y-gq50RzMz/">Painting Breakthrough....</a></div>
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<a href="http://instagram.com/p/Yxz7HbRzDd/">Unfinished Pieces</a></div>
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<a href="http://instagram.com/p/WPTWfWRzKs/">meh.</a></div>
<br />Samantha.N.Steinerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10582787758266207133noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794154088557730748.post-29951204812382938712013-09-21T21:24:00.002-07:002013-09-21T21:32:24.367-07:00Tzuri GuetaI went to Israel over the summer for free on a program called birthright. It was a really life changing experience. Not only did I get to experience a new culture, I also was introduced to up and coming artists from Israel; Which was very unexpected and lucky. We visited a place called, Tzfat on our last day, and it basically is the Chelsea of Israel, except even more beautiful. Not only are all the streets cobblestone, but Tzfat is built on a mountain and the stairs are maizes made out of white marble with underground spas and galleries. Simply Amazing.<br />
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Tangent over.<br />
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My point is, I really fell in love with an artist named Tzuri Gueta, he really produced work that I have been trying to make my whole life. Im very into fashion and design, but I dont want my work to be commercial, I want it to be visually pleasing with some meaning behind it. Tzuri Gueta got kind of mainstream and started producing jewelry pieces rather than sculpture, but I really love his early work. He did a process in which he injected silicone into lace and the results are fantastic, and I love the idea that he has no knowing what the end result is going to be. He obviously has some control but its pretty undeterminable.<br />
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I posted some of his jewelry pieces because there isnt alot of his sculptures online. But I really want to keep researching him and have his art have an impact on my work. Especially the log piece.<br />
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This Bike I saw in person and loved to up close, Its a link to his website, and states that it is now being shown in the Tel Aviv museum of art.</div>
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<a href="http://www.tzurigueta.com/index.php/2010-2">Bicycle</a></div>
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I think his work is very kitschy, kind of in a bad way, but Im a sucker for kitschy art. I want my art to be kitschy in a good way :)</div>
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<br />Samantha.N.Steinerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10582787758266207133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794154088557730748.post-61110416973888153322013-09-11T22:19:00.001-07:002013-09-11T22:27:42.099-07:00And the other sources of Inspiration....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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F-Bac</div>
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The Brothers Quay Quay </div>
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Kai Althoff</div>
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This Guy</div>
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Rauschenberg<br />
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Odilon Redon</div>
Samantha.N.Steinerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10582787758266207133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794154088557730748.post-15194612399082867382013-09-11T21:54:00.002-07:002013-09-11T22:21:48.160-07:00My Main Source of Inspiration, My Main Man<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lu3VTngm1F0">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lu3VTngm1F0</a><br />
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Samantha.N.Steinerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10582787758266207133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794154088557730748.post-44976743443782777912013-09-11T21:39:00.002-07:002013-09-11T21:39:58.687-07:00Interview with a Stranger #StrangaDanga #NghiemQuachS: Whats your major?<br />
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N: Drawings my major.<br />
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S: What other studio classes have you taken other than Drawing?<br />
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N: I took painting before, I wanted to try and take each of the classes at once because I am into mixing mediums and experimenting with different materials.<br />
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S: So you collage?<br />
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N: Yeah I do collage. I've worked on Installations in a Drawing Class, I have taken Painting, I took silkscreen printmaking last semester, and this semester I am taking Lithography with Barb; I try and use those influences in my work.<br />
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S: Have any professors really helped you in furthering your work, and who are they?<br />
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N: I was in two of Julie's classes last semester and she's great. She makes sure we learn things on our own and are independent. I met with her, and she told me that she is going to treat all of us like grad students which I appreciate, because she really wants us to be ourselves and dig deeper without relying on her.<br />
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S: Did you have a studio last year?<br />
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N: No actually, I didn't realize juniors could have a studio because I transferred here from the main campus.<br />
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S: So, since you've done installation before, do you think that since you have a studio this year and your own space, do you think that you're going to want to combine installation work with your drawings?<br />
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N: I've definitely thought about it before, maybe have something coming off the wall so that I can really utilize the space.<br />
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S: What do you normally draw?<br />
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N: I deal with patterns, so I like doing a lot of tedious work, small parts coming together.<br />
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S: Like a machine?<br />
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N: Yea, exactly, I want everything to be able to work together cohesively.<br />
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S: So, I know you said you experiment with a lot of different mediums, but what do you generally use when you're drawing?<br />
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N: I like using a variation of materials, but mostly pen and charcoal. There is something about the black and white quality that I appreciate. I do like colors, but black and white is what I always tend to work with.<br />
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S: Does the lack of color have a certain meaning to you?<br />
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N: Not, so much as a meaning; but it is more truthful to me. I feel that colors take away from the piece because colors can represent mood to much. Like how red can represent love, it pushes the viewer to think a certain way. But I do love working with color when I can.<br />
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S: Since you didn't have a studio last year, where would you work from?<br />
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N: I worked at home in my own apartment. I also worked at school, and I basically had my own studio because no one was there when I would go.<br />
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S: Do you think the new environment, this year, will effect your work at all?<br />
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N: I think so, but in a positive way. I feel like it will motivate me more to do more projects since I will have my own space and less distractions.<br />
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S: What artists are you inspired by?<br />
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N: Classical Artists, Monet... Manet... Picasso...<br />
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S: So, you lean towards more abstract art?<br />
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N: Yeah, I actually didn't early in my career, but I found more appreciation for it; I think by learning more about it at Mason Gross I learned to like it. It was a big jump for me from being so precise and meticulous because thats more me, but I like breaking out more and working with abstractions. With those artists thats where my interests for colors come in because they're more expressive. Going back to what artists inspire me the most besides classical artists, are more contemporary artists mainly, [Allan Rookan] *spellcheck*, who work with pattern, and makes up symbols; which is really what I try and work for.<br />
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The End.<br />
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<br />Samantha.N.Steinerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10582787758266207133noreply@blogger.com0