Three Reasons to be Thankful that you are an Artist!

I was just reading an article I got in my e-mail this morning,and it made me realize and reminded me, how fortunate I truly am to be an artist. Being a creative person isn't always easy. We tend to be needy, moody, live on a crazy schedule, usually spent a lot of time in solitary, we want instant gratification, make a living doing what we love. We usually can't deal with a 9-5. It sucks the energy out of us, it's exhausting, leaving little if no room for creative time. We deal with our inner demons, criticism, usually don't have too many people around us that understand and support us, well, the list goes on and on. It's easy to focus on all the negative things but let's NOT forget all the beauty of being an artist.

1. You've got a creative outlett!
You are alive and able to express yourself in the form of art, whatever it is you do, it's a gift, a talent that most people wish they had. Embrace it. The more you use it, the stronger it will get. Life isn't always easy and what better way to cope with difficulties in life than pouring it all into your art. How many amazing songs have been written because of a broken heart as well as someone being madly in love or just happy and high on life? It's your way of helping you get through life, it puts perspective into your life. Once the pen is moving, things start to reveal itself, you plant a seed and watch it grow. Make room for your creativity and it will welcome you into a world of endless possibilities!

2. You do something you Love and are Passionate about
So many people live their lives not even knowing what they are truly passionate about. They spent half their life working for someone else than die leaving nothing behind. Everybody has a purpose on this earth. Fear is the main reason most people don't follow their dreams. Your Passion and Love are the fuel for making your dreams come true. It soon becomes not only an obsession, an addiction, it's infectious, it sets you on fire, it's something you can't live without, it makes you act and come from a place that sees no boundaries, knows no limits. It's what makes you thrive. It gives you strength and power, moves mountains. The beautiful thing is, your passion, your gift is the one thing no-one can ever take from you. The trick is to stay focused on your goal, enjoy the journey and take the little set backs on the way as inspiration, a challenge. We grow and learn only by doing, we find out who we truly are. Embrace it. It's a never ending journey. Life is all about growth and decay. You are either growing or dying. It's what keeps us alive inside!

3. You contribution to this world
Your art, your talent can make a huge difference in someone elses life. You might help someone get through a rough time, change someones life, you might inspire someone to follow their dream. Ever heard a song that says it all? It's exactly how you feel right at that moment? Imagine it's your song. How gratifying is that? We all want and deserve recognition, fame and fortune, and there's nothing wrong with wanting these things. Success means different things to different people. I believe the more successful you are, the more can you contribute. Be it a money, time or sharing your knowledge. We are here to live to our fullest and leave a legacy behind, to make the world a better place. Although not all of your work will be seen or heard, they are all stepping stones, part of you and your progress. Your journey to happiness and fulfillment.
As much as it can be frustrating at times, an ongoing uphill battle, no one cares more about YOU and your Business than YOU. You are in the drivers seat! When you really think about it, what a powerful position to be in, what an amazing gift to share!

I'm extremely grateful to be able to express myself through my music, performance and art. I know, you feel the same way! Be grateful and NEVER look back. Leave no reason to regret the things you could've, should've done! Risk a little. Live in the NOW! Follow your inner voice, let it guide you. And NEVER stop doing what you love. If it makes YOU happy, you're on the right path! Enjoy the ride!

xoxo JVB

The Adventures of an Illegal Alien part2

There are a lot of strange people in NY. We met quite a few of those.

Sarah and I were strolling through Times Square when we caught the attention of a man in a space suit and his camera. He wanted to know if we'd be interested in being on his show. What show? It's about New York and people who come here to make it, models, musicians and actors. Of course we are!
How cool? We are new here; let's get our face on TV. So we went with him and his friend to his studio somewhere uptown. Yes, we just jumped in the car with them. Again, I felt like I was in a movie. His studio was all set up, the lights went on, and we started dancing and singing, doing our thing; joking; introducing ourselves to the camera telling him about us. We had a blast.
It was sweet and short. I have no clue what the show was called. It was some local TV show. For someone new to all this, it seemed like a big deal.
He referred us to a guy who was looking for models and set us up with a photo shoot.
We went to the photo shoot; things were cool in the beginning. It was more of an apartment set-up than a photo studio. He had a pet, a monkey; I've never seen a real monkey other than in a zoo. It was a bit strange. The guys seemed a little weird but cool.
We didn't feel a 100% comfortable but we both decided that if things don't turn out to our liking we will leave. After all, we have a choice.
We took a few shots posing for the camera. It was harmless. He really liked it, we took a break and he offered us a drink which we declined. He didn't like the fact that we didn't want to drink but accepted it. Yes, we are pretty adventurous, pretty trusting, maybe even naive but we are not completely stupid. He had a drink, then asked us to shed some clothes, be more provocative; do something a bit more exciting.
While I could understand his excitement, two hot German girls getting it on while he's got his lens on us (keep dreaming buddy); I didn't like the idea. I don't mind posing sexy, in a bikini, even topless or nude if it's tastefully done on a pro level, in a pro studio. I love my body. I have no problems showing it off. But something about that whole place started to smell fishy; I didn't like the vibe or the direction this was taking. (I should've trusted my intuition from the start)
After telling him we are not into it he stopped taking pictures and started drinking, playing with his monkey, no, not what you think. His pet monkey. It became very creepy and red flags went off in my head. What the hell are we doing here? Why are we here? We told him, we had to go, grabbed our stuff and left.
Wow, that was uncomfortable.
Fortunately, nothing happened to us. Obviously, we never spoke to that guy again, nor did we see any of the footage.
I consider myself very lucky. Not once did it cross our mind that someone could actually harm or hurt us.
I would not advise any girl to do the same thing; however; I believe that as long as you don't focus on the bad stuff; the bad people out there, you won't attract them and as soon as you get into a situation where you sense a feel of danger; you act immediately and remove yourself from the situation.

Looking back, that was pretty stupid yet hilarious at the same time. Can you tell we were adventurous?