Please laugh a lot.

I once read a book because someone suggested that I was not intelligent enough to follow its story. I once changed the way I dressed because someone told me I didn't fit in well enough. I once gave up a hobby because someone told me it wasn't a normal hobby. I once stopped following my own advice because someone suggested I offered faulty tips. I once realized that the several "someones" I mentioned above were, at a time, too good of friends to have wanted to change me so much. I stand proudly today as a self-directed individual. I hope the same for everyone. Be who you are and do so proudly. It struck me today, while pondering on some past times, that I used to allow people to abuse their powers with me. I used to allow them to make me feel stupid, and like an outcast. I'm glad these people no longer sway who I am, for they are no longer part of who I am, at all.

I think that some of life's greatest gifts are the moments in which an individual is forced to feel humble. While I will always be confident in my talents, today was a very important day for me. I walked into an audition with the highest of hopes. I put all of my concentration and effort into this audition, just as I would any endeavor. I was confident through the entire audition. While standing in my confidence (I don't mean cockiness) I looked around and saw 200 people with the same smile on their faces. While I was never the biggest fish in the sea, I always knew I had something to offer. In the land of show business, I have went from a medium sized fish in the sea, to a minnow in a puddle. This doesn't mean I don't believe I can accomplish some great things, it just means that I realize the work I have cut out for me. Today I swim as a minnow, but with hard work I will grow into, lets say, a STARfish (lame crack, yet again). I hope that everyone experiences a humbling moment soon.

To counteract the negative feelings of a challenge, I will choose today's word to be perseverance. Although challenging times will always lie ahead, we can persevere to wherever we want.

I realize that I have been falling behind in my photo adventures, and to be honest I have no good excuse. I regret letting the past few days go by without paying enough attention to let something take my breath away. I am making a promise to myself, starting now, to pay closer attention. I never want to become so settled in Los Angeles that I stop paying attention to its beauty.

This is not hard for me to say, but I feel like it should go unsaid. I miss my job at Radio Disney. When talking to my fellow performers today, I found my excitement level rise as I described what I did for a living. It was like I found the very passion that I that I lost. The lost passion that made walking away from the position so easy.

I think laughter is contagious. Please laugh a lot.

While in LA, I am meeting so many new people. While establishing new relationships, I have to figure out efficient and safe ways to communicate with people. I think that one of the greatest ways to keep in touch with someone is through e-mails. That is why I offer everyone I meet my e-mail address before my number, facebook, or myspace. Just as I like to receive e-mails from my new aquantances, I want to receive them from you. If anything I ever write about brings up a need for further conversation, or if you just want to chat, feel free to e-mail me. The e-mail address that I check most often is NickJames18@aol.com. Make sure to have a unique subject line, or I probably will look right past it. I have virus scanner too, so don't try to send me any!

Last night, Ian and a group of his (my) friends went to the OAR concert at Club Nokia. It is so nice socializing and having effortless fun with new people. I get excited to see what friendships there are to be had.

As I enter the evening hours of another chilly California night, I will find humility, promise, and laughter in my days to come.