future endeavors

i made this decision many months ago, after losing my job - but i'll make it official now. these days, that means posting your statement in a blog.

i've grown more and more tiresome of using my skills as a gun-for-hire - shooting and editing is enjoyable when it's an exciting project, or something in which you believe. but, too many shoots that don't fall into either of those categories leads to an overall weariness of the whole profession. i'm still considering selling the camera and becoming an organic farmer in new zealand, as that sounds damn exciting. but, then i'd want to make a documentary about "organic farming in new zealand," so i guess that kills that idea.

so, losing the job has forced me to re-think how to keep doing what i dig, which is something that needed to happen. the stress level has increased 100-fold, looking for work and all that - but the clarity of what to do next is the result of my brain being tested to its limits. go back to school, get a master's degree. in an ideal world, that would mean that i could work doing something i enjoy - teaching - and that would allow me to ONLY work on projects that i enjoy in my spare time. lack of burn-out = starting and finishing projects you believe in, with little danger of those ideas getting stunted in the infant stage.

as of today, San Fran Art Institute has said, "come on up! we'd love to have you!" still waiting on other schools, also in San Fran, LA, Boston, and Montana (!). but SFAI is looking pretty rockin'. and making a change like this for a future that seems to make a lot more sense is pretty relieving. it took losing a job to realize it, but sometimes a kick in the ass gets the head in gear.