Tha Crossroads

(Photo by Painting512 - Flickr)

I'm wrestling with myself all the time

Growing up I knew I wanted to work in visual arts or a media related industry. At 16 I knew I wanted to pursue photography. But recently in a scared (soon to be jobless) turn of events I sadly started to question this. In this economy, do I have much of a choice? What with lay-offs, (free) "interns" taking (real paying) jobs, budget slashing, and the daunting fact that this market wont be cured anytime soon. I'm weighing my thoughts and I've narrowed it down to 2 options:

1) Play it safe. If you currently have a job, stay where you are. Sure, things might be really bad but it can only get a little worse before they stop slashing your paycheck. Sure, you're making less now than when you started 2.5 years ago with the company, but who knows, maybe in 5 years, they will give you that 1% raise you were promised all those years ago. At least you weathered the storm with shoes still on your feet. kudos you.

or

2) Be a rebel. Live like you got no tomorrow and go after what you really want (whatever that is). Yes, you're going to be broke and you're going to get cut down more often than not, but you're doing what everyone wishes they could be doing, LIVING. It will be terrible when you are in the thick of the shit storm, but you will learn to be resilient and emerge as a more interesting person. You will know how to consume less energy, eat better on less, and maybe even a how to play a game of gin rummy (while drinking bathtub gin!)

Life is all about the yin and the yang; the good and the bad. (and yeah, I kinda recently started watching LOST, whatever) But regardless of magic islands, good and bad does exist.

For instance, when I was 18 I dropped out of community college and was living out of my car. At night while I was falling asleep in the back seat of my '95 dodge neon, I closed my eyes and pictured myself working at a newspaper, being a photographer, and sharing stories and historic moments through images with thousands of people daily. That was my dream.

Almost 3 years later, with an Associated Press award, a New York State Newspapers Publishers award and a more polished portfolio; I'm ready for my next challenge. New York...?

Lets do this thing