Time

I'm imagining some kind of exercise video of people in 80's suits waving business cards around while the leader shouts, "Network! Network!"

Sorry for all the SUPER SERIOUS ULTRA DEEP posts here, my handful of readers.  I've had a lot on my mind.

I'm trying to figure life things out.  Success has been moderate. I have a hard time ever coming to solid conclusions about anything.  However, there is one thing I know for certain:

Self-promotion is kind of awful.  As a person who wants to have an "arts" career, it's an unfortunate necessity.  You have to be known to a certain degree to get work.  But there's an interesting balance between doing self-promotion for work and doing it for pleasure and doing it just to be self-centered.  And since I'm beginning to truly understand the value of my time, it seemed like a thing worth considering.

I have always written this blog (and all my other dead blogs) purely for my own pleasure.  I never expected followers or anything to come of it.  Granted, for a while I lost some of the pleasure of blogging and it has become less natural for me lately. But my intentions have always been, I think, about as pure as intentions can really be.

Self promotion for work is another thing.  It's necessary, yes - but it also seems somewhat insincere.  I don't think people are fooled by 100% commercially motivated "sharing."  I don't want to do it anyways.  It sounds boring.

Totally self-centered social media stuff makes me tired.  There's a girl I'm friends with on Facebook who posts an ENDLESS stream of selfies.  I'm trying not to give into the temptation to un-friend her, but I admit I am hard pressed.

However, I think I know how I can self-promote - heck, how I can do work in general! - that isn't pointless drivel.

Things for a cause.  There are so many things that I care about, so many people I want to help - yet I am perpetually stumped as to how to do so. But about five minutes ago I thought, "DUH! Use the skills you're learning in school! Instead of just drawing pictures for practice, draw pictures of people you want the world to know more about!  Make posters for great causes! Send drawings to people who you think are doing great things for the world, to let them know you're thankful!"