For my Photo Critic

A quick postscript to tonight's blog.


To expound on the Skid Row campus concept, it is fair to say that one's perspective on Skid Row changes over time. That perspective is a function of one's self perception. To what degree that plays a part I dare to say it plays a vital part.

Someone that I respect a great deal made the statement that Skid Row is a sad campus.
Indeed, it can be. However a campus is many things and many different things to different people.

Let's look at Skid Row like someone would view Hollywood. There are rules in Hollywood but few, if any, are codified. You learn as you go. Many people come to Hollywood to pursue fame and bright lights. There are a few success stories.
There are also a few stories where people did not make it in the "industry" but they came out ok. There are also tragic stories where the independent study curriculum of one person may have led to a tragic end.

Skid Row is very much the same way. You are in a jungle of resources. How you access them determines your success in using them. Certain resources are only accessed by human resources. In Hollywood, you have scam artists who take the money of those who come here and tell them they need to invest in portfolios to be an "extra". You have the casting couch. All of these "fake" human resources are out there and people who run into them never get a chance to access those who can help them.

In Skid Row the fake human resources are the drug dealers. The pimps. The spot of "rookie" a mile away and prey on them like a fox in the hen house. And yes a sad story develops. Hollywood and Skid Row are the same. There are Sad stories and there are happy endings. It is all a function on how you navigate self and the matrix of variables that are in life.

Yes, some schools are sad. However, the better you appreciate the lessons, the better you can appreciate the benefits of those lessons and bring joy to life instead of sadness.

You, my photo critic, have been a great human resource and one that I am grateful that has found my blog. You have helped me access myself and hopefully enabled me to help others access themselves. You are the co creator of a happy ending.

Good night dear woman....