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Art by: Rafael Alvarez I've pretty much realized by this point that very few bloggers out there have anything of substance to say. With most of us out there being females, and more than %75 percent of us talking about topics like fashion, makeup, hair, and "lifestyle" which amounts to little more than recipes, $60 throw pillows, and fruit infusion water bottles. What I'm getting at here is that watching "fluff" bloggers take the spotlight is really disheartening when you're trying to actually say something. I try to be completely honest in my posts. Giving people ways to tackle problems in their lives no matter how big or small. Self confidence, reaching goals, and doing what you love. But because I'm not teaching the perfect contour, where to by the latest shag rug, or even worse, passing off the latest overpriced product...my reader count remains embarrassingly low. It's more than frustrating actually. It makes me want to punch every ...

I like really love starting projects. Can you tell? But this project is a big one, one that will take most likely the entire year of 2017 to reach it's full potential. I'll need friends, partners, and possibly a kick-starter... The best part about this project is that I get to empower other creatives while also empowering myself. One of the things I see across my social media, and one of the things I've noticed I face myself, is that creatives need other creatives to get most projects off the ground. Whether it be a critique or a partner, creatives are constantly searching for the "other half" of a great idea. Writers need Illustrators. Musicians need Videographers. Photographers need Graphic Designers. The list goes on and on. In it's early stages (like right now) Maker Mashup exits solely as a Facebook group and its parent page . Bringing creatives together in a more chaotic place than I'd refer, but everything has to start somewhere. B...

"I try not to expect things from people because that's how they let me down." New Year, new mindset. At least that's what's going around right? Give it another week and most of the people who are all talk around the start of the new year will fall back into routine. It's sad, but they're annoying and it's true. I on the other hand am not slowing down. Being happy and doing something worth remembering come 2018 is high on my list. With these goals in mind I've been trying to pay close attention to how other happy people are so d*mn happy. One word; EXPECTATIONS. As in lower, of course. Having no expectations at all can cause more harm than good. But I've learned that a good balance of expectations as they relate to reality, can have a better outcome. Try to rethink the equation as reality over expectation instead of the other way around. Meeting new people, for example. The reality is that they don't know you and that they cou...

I want to take a minute to explain why people my age are not in my inspiration pool. First, it has nothing to do with them and everything to do with me. This year is a year of learning how to properly express emotions. As odd as it sounds, there are quite a few I'm not very good at. Happiness for others, especially for people my age for example, comes out in the form of the big green monster. I'm talking about jealousy. I suffer with it pretty greatly and confronting it here where everyone will now know is a little scary. But what's a step forward in the dark. Right? The whole "everyone has their path" theory infuriates me although I know it to be true. Our backgrounds and personalities lead us all to different jobs, homes, cars, friends, and talents. Alas though, my clear understanding of the theory doesn't mean I'm able to quell "it"  from coming out. Now the monster's level of ferocity varies from person to person. From family...