We Can't Edit Life - So Don't Try

Here I am, starting my first ever blog. I am not sure what type of advice I can give, or what my experiences can do to help others, but I am certainly hoping to learn from anyone who reads this more about their lives, experiences, challenges and successes! I have been a post-production editor, swim instructor, American Sign Language teaching assistant and so many other jobs throughout my life that I can not begin to count them. I know what I have done, what I have seen and what I have learned. What I don't know, is, sorry to state the obvious, but what I have NOT done.

That is what I am here for :) Help me out, and hopefully you can learn a little from me too. 

So why this title? I was born into a family of very creative people. My mom is a writer and my dad works as a Producer. Even my little brother animates using stop motion and his own design sketches. Throughout my life I have created so many personalized products and works that to me, it is my safe place. I am in control of something and have the power to effect the outcome of the project. It is what I do not account for where wrenches start to get thrown in. 

When I was 14 years old I was editing a documentary on the life and philanthropy of Andrew Carnegie. I began the project looking at it in a black and white format, both literally and figuratively. I assumed that a man who donated millions of dollars at the end of his life was an honest and good man throughout his working life. What I did not expect was to learn about the turmoil and troubles that all of his workers faced in the steel industry as he earned his millions. In the end, he realized that the money he has accumulated should be rightfully returned to society through the creation of music halls, libraries and other public services. How could so much good come from something that was at one time, even inhumane? I jumped through so many of these questions in my young mind and to this day, sometimes have a hard time figuring it out. What I did feel that I had control of, was the way that I told the story. My partner and I worked together to create a script, insert factual information and gather all of the media that I would use to form the final film. 

Andrew Carnegie 

The night before the final print I decided to add in one last clip. The entire system that I was working on crashed and we lost nearly everything. It took our entire family teams to piece together the pictures, music and interviews that had taken us nearly a year to finalize. After an all-night session, about 30 cups of coffee consumed by the adults and a dozen candy bars for us, the film was back to where we had it 12 hours earlier. I thought that I had so much control, and in less than an instant, I lost everything. But in the scheme of things, what did I lose? Nothing. I can not edit and control everything in my life, as much as I may try to sometimes

Grandma and Grandpa loving life

I have my family, my friends, my loved ones and a passion to live. Working is second to living. Working is living, and living is often hard work. While that may not make sense, It is exactly the answer that I am going to start with in order to begin a new set of questions. 

My family at my Grandfather's 81st birthday, which happens to be the Fourth of July!!!!

Smile. Life is worth it