Wait ! I can hear the bells.....

Hoof ! Did that just happen ? Goodness me, blog blitzing at its extreme......yay ! That was fun Lauren.

Although I've exceeded my 100 entries, I felt obligated to post a final entry - truncating rather abruptly the time I wish I had to truly dedicate myself to all the wonderful ideas that were thrown at me throughout the course of the semester in this class.

I know that I do not only speak for myself in saying that this class has truly inspired and changed my way of thought, and more importantly approach towards the pursuit of a career and a fulfillment of my endeavors as an artist and individual wanting to be of impact on society.

The message that Professor Baldwin sells throughout the semester is consistent and reflects clearly his work and success: "the DO it mentality". Say it with me now folks: "We're not in Can'tada."

However cooky Professor Baldwin may be with his unique terms of of both endearement and metaphor - alright, gang, dudes and dudettes; just load it up and fire - he is a Professor who is passionate and admirably grounded in communicating to his students a practical, useful message: to Do.

As an artist, I know that within me there burns with ferocity just that same message - to do, to create, to collaborate. Denying that ferocity would be an unforgivable travesty, one that cannot be lived with.

It is a difficult world in which we live, not to say difficult, challenging times of economic depression. We are constantly reminded of those necessities and practicalities of life so driving us through our everyday drudgeries. Yes, one must pay the bills and put food on the table but as an artist I know that doing only and singularly that would be a committing of that same aforementioned travesty that is so contrary to the fiber of my being.

How to strike a balance? Is there even one to strike?

I have certainly found in these past weeks that my fiber is one so composed of that creative will that to do otherwise is of grave deviance. How then to be practical? How then to pay my bills?

It is a lesson that I know and have grown up with that must pose as the temporary and sufficient answer to this most tenuous of questions. Work Hard.

Similar to Professor Baldwin's decree of not being in "Can'tada", hard work is what I know and love to do. But can I work hard doing what I love - being creative; being that musician, that writer, that innovative collaborator that I know myself to be.

And there you are. The answer within the question.

I am undeniably myself and within that state of being I can be but nothing else.

Be kind with me now as I meant no contrived or schmaltzy conclusion, rather one simply of my thoughts - true, honest and bared wholesomely for your evaluation. And thus, I conclude more firm and ardent in my resolve to pursue that feeding of my fires; knowing, believing, trusting that with hard work, with a determined mind, with an unfailing, unswerving resolve that to be an artist is to be successful, that neither compromise nor balance need to be offered in barter as a means to pay the qualms of bills and human necessities.

So what's next? Well, pour myself a glass of cheap red wine and wish the night away of course....that is, right after I study for my Economics final.