Critics are Jerks (last install)

There are a group of fat, lazy, overly-opinionated, "still-living-at-home with mommy and daddy for friggin' free wanna be somethings, but are aggressively seeking a handout for their underemployed and under dressed selves" who take it upon themselves to find something that some other has done, and then wreck it with their careless, and carefree choice of words like a drunk behind the wheel of steamroller.
These "critics" are generally overemotional douches who frequently use generic words (sucks, terrible, luke-warm, garbage...) poor grammar and spelling in broad generalizations.  Here is an example:

• There muzic sux!

My response should be, "No, you suck!"
However, like mama always says, if you don't have anything nice to say...
The really fun thing to introduce to these losers is to have them actually attempt to accomplish the same thing and better it. 
Silence...
A very dear friend of mine harped continuously on how poor this movie was or that movie.  He also waxed on poetically about how poor some beers and wines were made.  This (pretentious gobblety-gook) got to to me.
"Star Wars sucked!  I must have seen it 20 times!"
Really?!  What sucked about it?
"Ummm.  Well, they only did it for the merchandising."
Really?!  Why don't you make one?
"What?"
A movie.  And I tell you what - when you can make a movie as loved by that many people, I will listen to your critiquing.

My friend, taking the challenge to heart, is at the top of his class in film production at the Savannah College of Art and Design.  He does not voice his opinion about how bad some movies are that Hollywood makes. 
Why?
He is too damn busy trying to make them himself.  Will he now grab my attention regarding what his form of expertise is?
Perhaps, but I hold to the idea that opinions are like bellybuttons - everyone's got one.
Another axiom to live by is "Those can - do!  Those who choose ignorance, become fat, lazy, overly-opinionated, "still-living-at-home with mommy and daddy for friggin' free wanna be somethings, but are aggressively seeking a handout for their underemployed and under dressed selves" who take it upon themselves to find something that some other has done, and then wreck it with their careless, and carefree choice of words like a drunk behind the wheel of steamroller douche-bags."
Remember this:  Just because you have the right to free speech doesn't mean you should exercise it everytime you fart.

So You Wanna be Rich and Famous...

This is in relation to a conversation I had with my agent.  She met me at a gig recently and we got to talking about the industry.
A little background. Without going into it sounding arrogant - I was and still am a professional performer - in music, theater, and film. 
What's a professional?  Someone who gets paid.  Period.
I can go on.  I won't.  The Lord has a means of making us all humble.  For teenagers and young adults who believe the apex of high art is twinkies and beefcakes playing fruity vampires and whatever else on the silver screen, this will be completely incomprehensible.
Here is the stark reality in numbers, and this is not meant to sway the young reader or the dreamer, because the world is full of them - including myself aspiring to be an author of not just any novel, but a classic as big as MobyDick, a motorcycle racer as fast as King Kenny Roberts, an actor of great renown of which there is not.
The reality is however, that while I may very have all of the traits of having these characteristics, the likelihood of ever becoming rich and famous is small.  And for you, perhaps even smaller and I have been wrong many time before.
By the numbers, using the very popular and often generous  80/20 rules:

• 80% of everyone would love to be rich and famous.
• 20% of those 80% doing something about it.
• 80% of those are involved in their craft and not making money.
• 80% of those who are not making money do not attend classes or seminars.
• 80% of those who do attend seminars in their crafts are socially awkward.
• 20% of those who are not believe they deserve to be rich and famous.
• 80% of those people, due largely to their egos never work in this town again.
• 20% of these people go back home to mama with their tails between their legs.
• 80% of the professionals keep doing it while working other jobs.
• 80% of those who do not are still living at home.
• 20% of these have accepted reality.
• 100% of the Universities that have advanced degrees in theater, film, literature, dance will never ever refund the tuition that the banks forked over to them on your behalf. 

Your stats are pretty crappy.  For that matter, so are mine. 
But the world is made of dreamers, and in order for those dreamers to live on, they must love what they do, and live humbly.  Be extraordinary.  Attend a class or two, and a seminar.  Do public and free stuff, because agents in all fields need to know that you are serious, knowing that you are "out there"

Critics are Jerks (part1)

Mom always used to say that if you are incapable of saying anything nice, don't say anything.
Somehow these words have fallen onto deaf ears, or perhaps mothers today are not repeating the wisdom of yore. 
But today, at least since the advent of "comments" pages and certainly into the often opinionated, self-centered, self-loving and loathing pages of Facebook, emotionally provoked, mentally small critics have scoured the good and hard-working nature of a proper criticism.
It used to be that experienced, caring and solicited individuals were the select to provide proper feedback on projects like the arts, politics, architecture.  They offered tactfully addressed advice and suggestion mostly to the betterment of the persons being instructed.
An example of this may be the following:

• Jimmy, you're doing better; however, try adding a triplet to that last measure and then finishing with an Am7.  I think you'll get it now.

This is an example of what most will call constructive criticism.  It is used to improve the abilities of others in their vocations and hobbies.  It is difficult, as it involves a train of thought and a degree of expertise.  The emotion that is used is that of a vested interest.
Those who give constructive criticism are generally very busy in their own works.  They either can "DO" or have "DONE" what it is they are assessing.  They are rare and oft underappreciated.

The group of "critics" that I am calling jerks are the cowardly and emotionally immature bloggers, who write without experience, and under the guise of a pseudonym that they wish could be their real name.

Click here to read on! And find out if you're constructive or otherwise!