3573: Unrelated Thing

[jen_aside]

Some unconnected thoughts:

1. I figured out the formula for a mid-life* crisis = life-long dream unfulfilled + finances to finally afford it + optional "time's a-wastin'!" biological clock ticking down. That is, you might dream of owning a fancy sports car as a kid [*cough*Mustang*cough] and be regularly disappointed when your parents justly fail to buy it for you... then at thirty-five, you finally realize, OH SNAP I CAN BUY THIS SHIT NOW, and, why the hell not?
   *which I still [incorrectly] hyphenate for emphasis
   
   Of course, especially people who have always had responsibility in mind and/or those who still can't afford said dreams will apply their own filter to the experience ["The grass is always greener"], hence the negative connotation associated with it [the "crisis" part]. I don't necessarily think it's a bad thing to buy toys that make you happy, but I understand how it can be perceived as a crisis when it turns someone into a spendthrift irresponsible man-child [as tends to be--the concept of "woman-child" is usually overridden by the stereotype of women being self-absorbed spendthrift shopaholics their whole lives as it is].
   
   Though, personally, if I fail to acquire my dream X, at this point it's more likely that I'm intentionally avoiding it in order to avoid shattering the dream with harsh reality =/ so no ponies for me... T_T [and my brother breathes a sigh of relief, apparently] Also, it's always good to have a dream, isn't it? =)
   
   
2. The skill sets that inspirational figures come away with are fascinating on an anthropological level [or depressing, depending on POV], especially when they contradict preconceived notions. I use Tracy Butler and Sarah Ellerton as examples when I think about these kinds of things because they're more or less my contemporaries [to my vague annoyance] with in-my-mind approximately comparable skill levels, and I'm more familiar with their MOs than with others'.
   
   Tracy, to my understanding, drew from life since childhood and used that as a huge stepping stone to get where she is above the rest of us who learned to draw from Disney and Sonic the Hedgehog =p I recall hearing something to the effect of "It takes 10,000 hours to master any given thing"--which is a general estimate of the amount of work it takes to do well at X on average--but starting in childhood advances that time because time is relativistically slower in childhood, advancing that "10,000 hours" figure.
   
   On top of that, she was offered her job as Art Director at Simutronics straight out of high school based on her website, so she has the ability to continue honing her craft at work, giving her that much of an advantage over those of us who merely work in Accounting at a gourmet food importer 9_9
   
   COUNTER to that idea of "working at a job utilizing one's target skill set = greater quality output", however, is Sarah, who produces a high-quality FULL-COLOUR page the equivalent of once a day... and works as a systems analyst at her job =| Her advantage? Focus... she has it. [If she also drew from life vs. from other artwork as a child, I can't remember offhand, but most likely.]
   
   Non-artistically [in the "drawing pictures" sense], some other moonlighters are interesting to hear about, as well: a molecular biologist, a full-time radiologist, a chef, a law graduate, etc., which helps to offset that feeling of displeasure at not being privileged [or savvy] enough to get a job focusing on one's primary interest. [I contest it's somewhat stabilizing, too, and has personally gotten me more material than if I just drew all the time.]
   
   
3. Happy birthday, Harry Potter! [30, canonically] Ah, how fiction tends to make us feel unaccomplished... =) though JK is good inspiration for those who have a hard time believing that failing to hit it big early in life equals failure!

And if you were wondering, on weekends especially, "I have a headache, I'll have a lie down for a bit" turns into five-hour nap with increasing regularity =/ to the waste of otherwise shared electric lighting because otherwise my eyes hurt using the computer but oh well.

I have a pic, but I'm also hangry =( so you'll get it after I get car, most likely.