Be GREAT Today!

Alright here is the setup, these are both old and the songs have matured into the retirement home, but these are actually a couple of videos i have watch consistently with much affection for quite a while. Above are a couple of astronomical music producers, but that is not necessarily the point. It's the ZEAL, the FERVOR, and the PASSION. One of the things that i have learned, and it correlates for the blog, it doesn't matter what your profession is if you approach it with the respect and passion it deserves you will excel.

-As I bring you deeper into my brain- I've shared with some of my closer confidants my affinity for Kanye's work ethic and habit. Regardless of feelings towards him, good, bad, or indifferent he really goes to work with a concentrated focus and an astonishing energy reserve. He initiated the release of his first album, because he was working so hard and the public couldn't help but take notice, Rocafella hadn't even planned on putting him out yet, this is after he scratched and clawed to get signed. That's what it takes to be great! It doesn't matter what you do, we have all seen professionals across the board who may not be exceptionally gifted in their field but their determination and passion boost them ahead of the competition. When i sit down (i usually don't stand and write) and write I have two goals: 1. To inform the audience in an efficient manner, 2. To become the greatest writer alive. I've talked about this before but people learn differently so I was compelled to use yet another example post. Look at my man Pharrell, compare his body language with the girl he is essentially writing the song for. Actually if you hear the finished song [Natasha Ramos "Midnight Hour"] she doesn't do it justice, she doesn't exude the passion. Its even obvious in the studio session here, Pharrell's whole body is captivated by the song, his legs are tapping, head swaying, arms waving, and mouth talking. In contrast she has a little head nod but thats really it. The passion you pour into your work is evident whether you realize it or not. You could be selling paint at Sherwin-Williams and give customers the most remarkable shopping experience in the world or you could just do it as a job and achieve average results. The point is give yourself whole-heartedly to whatever your passion is and I GUARANTEE that you will excel.

This was just placed on my heart to share with the readership. Whatever you do, go be the best "x" in the world. Don't' be afraid to be GREAT!

How Much Out the Door?

The money pool is looking a bit turbid; but we all want to go swimming , right? I was reading a quick synopsis on AOL (I stole this picture from them too) about potential taxes that could be instituted to generate revenue for government bodies. The list was relatively peculiar and certainly questionable. Before we reach full disclosure here, I'll mention the considerations vary by state and generally only apply to a specific location.

One category was dubbed the "sin" taxes, which apply to items such as cigarettes and alcohol, raising the price of America's favorite past times--smoke breaks and happy hour. New York (who else) is looking at an 18% tax on non-diet soda. The governor of WI. is talking an additional 75 cent on each pack of cigarettes, luckily smoking isn't my vice. In the "non-sin" taxes category we have MA. saddling the folks with a 19 cent gas tax just to make it feel like old times again. Additionally those who like to panic at the disco, keep their love locked down, or die hard are looking at a tax for all entertainment downloaded (movies, music, games). More than a dozen states have already embraced this tax and they speculate that more are on the way. There are many more but i will spare you the trepidation until they become a reality.

Are the citizens not buying enough of the taxed items that have always been sufficient? There is an outside chance that i may need to reform my logic, so banish me back to my place if so, however as I understand it most states were previously operating at a deficit with no chance of reaching a surplus anyhow therefore i do not understand what is so different now. Is it because all of the money that was used to run cities and states was borrowed and now the borrowing tree has withered away? The taxes that i mentioned are not necessity items and i thank them for logic on that, but the concept of one more economic punch to the gut for man-kind just rubs me tummy the wrong way. So don't panic quite yet, I just wanted you to know, and "knowing is half the battle"-GI JOE.