Twenty Twelve

© Danielle Scruggs

Merry New Year. I've been reflecting a lot on the past year and what I want this year to be like. I don't want to put pressure on myself by setting a lot of resolutions that I will probably break by January 8th. However, I really feel that I had somewhat of a breakthrough in 2011, artistically and professionally speaking. And I definitely want to keep that momentum going and create a better balance between my day job and working my own personal projects. And I want to push myself and my work, to keep digging deeper.

I also realize I need to be a lot easier on myself, which will probably be my most daunting task for 2012 and beyond. Somehow, along the way in my 20-some odd years on this earth, I conflated being gentle on myself with being complacent. And those aren't the same things at all. Taking a compliment doesn't mean I won't keep pushing myself and grow. Doing kind things for myself is okay, even if my to-do list isn't finished or I made some mistakes at work. I've also come to realize that making mistakes isn't the end of the world. My dad says if you aren't making mistakes, you're probably not really doing anything.

Anyway. I'm very much looking forward to 2012. It's going to be an electric year, I have a feeling.

Of interest:

+Specter Magazine published an essay of mine on The Roots' latest album and That Infamous Forbes Article

+Mambu Badu is accepting entries till Jan. 5th. (THIS Thursday!)

+I updated my portfolio; check it.

+Kameelah Rasheed's stills of BEND, a short film by up and coming auteur Terence Nance.

+Allison McDaniel's latest photos. I love her portraiture; holler at her if you need headshots.

+All film everything. I think I'm going to order a bunch of film and carry around my Pentax K1000 everywhere for a while like I did in high school (and most of college).