A Designer's Perspective: A Life Less Conventional

Last week' s presentation by Chris Guillebeau was one of the most inspiring and affirming experiences of my adult life. The idea of living an unconventional lifestyle has always appealed to me and for as long as I can remember, I've always felt the desire to do something different with my life. One of my favorite quotes of all time is one that I read on a banner hanging in a bar in Fells Point. It read, "I would rather die of thirst, than drink from the cup of mediocrity." That quote sums up everything that Chris was talking about and is something that I try to live my life by.

Chris opened his presentation by asking the group, "How do we live a remarkable life in a conventional world?" A simple enough question, but one that is harder to answer than I would have thought. A small part of me is satisfied with going to a 9-5 job, working in field that has something to do to with my education and collecting a paycheck every two weeks--typical of most people I know--but the rest of me knows that that will never be enough. I can't say that I feel like I'm destined for greatness or any such nonsense like that, but I do want to make my own way in the world. To pursue a career path that is a little less ordinary has been a goal of mine for years, but Chris really got me thinking when he asked, "What do you really want out of the life and what can you offer the world that no one else can?"

The biggest thing I want out of life is to do something that I love everyday. I've said for a long time now that if can do something in comics everyday of my life (whether that's reading a comics, writing a scene, lettering a page, etc.), I would die a happy man, and that if could make a living doing it, I would die a VERY happy man. Now, obviously there are more things that I want out of life, but the rest is a little more mundane. I truly believe that you can't love what you do until you are doing what you love.

As far as what I can offer the world that no one else can; it's my unique perspective. Each one of us sees that world through different eyes and has a individual vision of the life we want. I know that I bring something special to the table and that quality will set me apart from the crowd and this is what propels me to full embrace a life of non-conformity!