bookmark_borderSome Personal Observations – 09/16/17

So if you’ve been following my adventures in selling crystals and having a small business this year 2017, you’re probably aware that I actually have been making some sales both from my ecommerce website and Etsy.

What a big surprise that is to me because honestly, I have never been able to do that with my own artwork. And trust me, I HAVE tried many times!

Is it because my ego is not involved this time around? I’ve been wondering about this a whole lot.

Is it because I’m selling crystals for the greater good, to help people in some small way? I think so and I hope so.

In the past I have tried to sell my artwork so many times it seems – people liked it but nobody ever wanted to buy; the only time my artwork actually sold was in an art gallery or at an art auction. Or through friends.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful. I guess what I’m trying to get at is – wanting your art to be sold can often be backed by ego. And for me personally, it seems to be true.

I’m just speaking from personal experience, I’m not talking about anyone else.

But if you think about it – art tends to do that, doesn’t it? Build up someone’s ego. Because people are constantly telling you your is art great blah blah blah…

Then you start to feel disappointed when people aren’t buying your art. And it all comes crashing down, a dose of reality sinks in.

I had expectations of how it should be, and so I suffered. How did my suffering manifest itself? Through having a negative attitude, being hateful and resentful. Stressful work environment and bitching about it on this blog (some of you probably remember that), not being kind to myself, talking shit about others and eating bad food. The list goes on and on.

So anyways, I just wanted to write this down before I forget. I never saw myself as someone who would be selling crystals, let alone start a small business. But I believe the universe saw that I was suffering from myself and set me free. Little by little, through working on myself with the help of crystals, tarot, books and meditation – I started to become a different person.

bookmark_borderA Lot Can Happen in 3 Months – 9/10/2017

A lot can happen in 3 months, a lot can happen in a year.

I wrote this post 3 months ago (June 2017): How To Sell Online If You’re Not Popular – unsure of how things were going to unfold.

Then I wrote this post: A Moment of Doubt When Diving Into the Unknown about a month and a half ago (July 24) when I was having doubts about whether I made the right decision to start up the crystal business.

But after I went and received my Level I Reiki attunement on August 13th, things started to really take off. The sales started rolling in.

I can’t explain it, and I won’t even attempt to. It’s all a bit mysterious and mystical to me how events are connecting itself.

Is it also because there were 2 major cosmic events in that month – a Lunar and a Solar eclipse? My Reiki teacher told me that during my attunement she had seen the Sun and the Moon out at the same time and that she saw a salmon far out in the ocean, far away from where it normally would be (in a river). The message is this: it won’t be easy but I have to be persistent to get to where I want to be. My Reiki attunement was such a beautiful and memorable experience. Everything’s the same, yet everything’s different.

I don’t know what’s going to happen next, but I know it will be awesome and everything that I’ve wished for and more.

So I just wanted to write this post, expressing my deep thanks and gratitude for the things that are happening right now. We must get into the habit of expressing our blessings, big and small.

I am writing this too so I can look back and remember how the Universe supported me from the moment the idea came into my head.

And I will never forget it.

Cho Ku Rei

✨❤️✨

bookmark_borderA Moment of Doubt When Diving Into the Unknown

A moment of doubt that needs to be aired out…

You made a decision and decided to commit to it, but the doubts and other naysaying aspects of yourself (all coming from you) start creeping into the mind and like literally a bunch of ‘what ifs’ start to come up. I’m not going to mention those ‘what ifs’ because they don’t exist, but my mind wants me to acknowledge them and make them come true through psychological repetition…

Why did I make it hard for myself?

Why didn’t I just sell on Etsy like everyone else?

Because you’re not like everyone else. I repeat: you’re NOT like everyone else.

You made it hard for yourself because deep down, you like a challenge; you like to problem solve and you like to learn and grow even though growth is annoying and a bit uncomfortable considering the money you’re investing into it. It’s a bit scary for you isn’t it…spending money and wondering if you’re going to get it back? Selling crystals on Etsy might’ve been way easier, but much harder for you to stand out since there’s so many people selling crystals & gemstones on there. Being outside of a selling platform might be harder but you’ll stand out more and you have more creative freedom. You’ve made the decision to become a legit small business so now stick with it. Things will not always be easy but be patient and persist, keep doing what you need to do to make your business grow and trust that it is already growing.

So get over your ridiculous ‘what ifs’. They don’t exist.

bookmark_borderRandom Thoughts | Seven of Cups

Our thoughts / opinions about how we live life tend to change quickly, and a lot more often these days it seems.

For example, last year I swore I wanted to buy a house. I really wanted to do it, I was reading up on a bunch of stuff related to buying a house – the homebuying process, mortgages, costs, etc. I even had some money saved along with some other monies that came my way so somehow, it felt like I was in the perfect position to become an actual homeowner. My mom always used to insist that being a homeowner was the best thing you could do for yourself. Especially since my credit is excellent.

But then recently I’ve been reading more blogs about financial freedom and being free – free from debt, free from material attachments, free from the 9 to 5; learning to be happy with less stuff, saving your money and so now, perhaps I really don’t want to have a house.

Maybe I just want to live a simple life. I have told myself over and over that I aim to live a simple life, this has been my mantra for years now.

And yet other people will convince us that we want things, repeatedly over and over again until it finally becomes our own desire. Our friends and family members will try to do this, sometimes on purpose or unintentionally. They’re excited about something and so naturally they want you to experience it too. It never occurred to me until recently that maybe homeownership was and always has been my mom’s dream and she was passing it on to me. It really was never my dream…

On the other hand, I always want to buy more things and I always want to learn and acquire more knowledge. I spend my money on stuff I want – mostly books, crystals/gemstones, tattoos, classes, etc.

How do we free ourselves of wanting more stuff?

You don’t really. Bottom line is, if you enjoy it then go ahead and buy it. And if it means spending money to have enjoyment, then do so.

Just remember that we can’t take any of this stuff when we transition (most people call it ‘death’) to the afterlife or next dimension. We can’t even take our bodies, the same bodies that we obsess about so much.

So think about what is really important to you.

As I was thinking about what image to create to pair up with this blog post, the 7 of Cups from tarot symbolism came to mind.

In tarot, the 7 of Cups represents fantasy, illusions, dreams.

bookmark_borderWhat Would You Do If You Were Fired Today?

I know what you’re probably thinking – the title of the post is completely unrelated to this image I created. Yes, your observations are correct. But I was in the mood, or better yet in a zone to draw crystals with my Wacom tablet while at work for some reason and attach it to this particular post. The title is still related to what I’m about to write…

What would you do if you were fired today? These are the kinds of thoughts that have been occupying my mind lately.

Continue reading “What Would You Do If You Were Fired Today?”

bookmark_borderIf Your Hobby Became Your Job…

If what you are really passionate about became your job, would you still love it?

Would you still feel the creative fire, or would it be replaced with feelings of obligation? Feeling stagnant and uninspired will also likely soon to follow.

Continue reading “If Your Hobby Became Your Job…”

bookmark_borderFear of Promoting Yourself with Video?

Fear is a strong word and not the word I prefer to use, but merely wanted the title of this post to jump out at you.

I’m sure you are aware of this already – people are posting more videos these days, whether it’s on Snapchat, Periscope, Vine, or YouTube. Do a Google search and you’ll see that YouTube is in the top 5 of the world’s most visited websites.

I feel like I’m one of the very last people on planet Earth to get on board. Why?

I’m not exactly new to video marketing; I’ve posted some videos on behalf of the company I work for. But no real, live people were involved; and I only used my voice, once. It was awkward, at least for me. The videos were mostly made in After Effects with existing photos and audio. I’m still learning how to edit in Premiere.

I’m terrified of the thought of people looking at my face, let alone watching me talk. I know I’m not the only one, right? Plus when you come from a graffiti subculture where your painting skills were more important than your face (NOBODY ever showed their face)…you kinda see why this is a challenge for me, right?

It’s not like I’m hiding or am deliberately antisocial in everyday life…video is just very new territory for me when it comes to myself.

Although for me personally, I’d rather go with the artsy type of video like this one. It just seems like people are starving for content though – like how to videos, tutorials, life hacks, etc. If you are a business owner or just promoting yourself it’s just not enough anymore to have a website or blog, or to just post on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. Video is pretty much already part of the internet landscape. A lot of people don’t even want to read anymore, for fuck’s sake; they’d rather watch a video. I like to do both.

Anyway, so I’m trying to figure out how to leverage using video for my stuff. I guess the main obstacles are:

1) come up with a video that will be of use to others and
2) get over myself and the fear of my face being shown in video :/

The video above was made in After Effects – just playing around with the CC Mercury and Particles plugin. Then I made the movie into a GIF in Photoshop. If you pull the file down, you’ll see that it’s a 10.7 MB file with 353 frames, lol. Your GIFs shouldn’t be that big but I did it anyway. Maybe I’ll make a tutorial soon once I have the steps down…

If you happen to be reading this and have posted videos on YouTube, how do you get over being nervous when it comes to creating videos that feature yourself?

Not sure what to post or vlog about? I searched for 10 Simple Vlog Ideas for You to Try Out

bookmark_borderRebuilding Oneself Creatively

At some point in life, one has to rebuild or reinvent themselves. Maybe even more than once, but a few times in a span of a lifetime.

Your past no longer defines who you are now at this present moment.

I imagine this is how musicians must feel when fans are attached to their more popular songs; people keep wanting to hear you play those same songs over and over but you (the artist) have been ready to move on for sometime now.

But I have to admit, Purple Rain is Prince’s best album. EVER. RIP

I understand this because I have been in the process of doing just that, making others aware of me but from a different view.

It’s not easy, but it can be done. Your past friends might not ‘get’ you anymore, or you might have just drifted apart with those you used to be tight with. It happens.

And yes, there are a ton of artists, writers, makers, creators out there who want to be noticed for their work too but don’t be discouraged if you feel as if no one is paying attention to you and what you have to offer.

You must keep trying, but not in a way that makes you look thirsty (that’s a whole another topic in itself). It is better to make an effort than to be in a defeated mindset and say outloud “no one’s gonna buy my stuff” or “no one’s gonna give me the time of day”.

“No one likes my art.”
“No one likes my music.”
“No one reads my blog.”
“I’m not good at this.”

How do you know that? How do you know what people like or don’t like? You DON’T know.

As far as not being good at it, then you must practice. It’s the only way to get good at something. Even those who are naturally gifted have to practice their craft; it may come easier for them because of their talent – but practice and consistency is involved in any endeavor.

Here’s a personal example: I don’t think I am very good at writing. I am good at blogging about personal shit…as a matter of fact I am an EXPERT at it (haha); but writing for an actual audience – being helpful, making it interesting and to the point? That’s definitely a challenge for me. But I am making the effort with this blog post, I am practicing more and more.

The one thing you don’t want to do is put yourself down. Try not to say anything negative about yourself, try not to say anything negative about others.

Continue to create for yourself. Act like nobody’s watching.

So I hope this blog post motivates you a little. I know, I know…there’s already a FUCK TON of motivational quotes, words from ‘influencers’, experts, gurus, etcetera out there.

But I am just like you, I am trying too. I want to put more effort into this blog, I want to get better at writing quality blog posts on topics that I can discuss. I want to keep pumping out new drawings to go along with these blog posts.

Here are some new rough drawings from my sketchbook. I kinda like coloring with office supplies, hi-liters in particular :]

bookmark_borderThe Occult Goddess of the Internetz

Flexing my creative writing muscles. I felt compelled to write this piece / commentary / poem / whatever you want to call it – but I also wanted a drawing to go along with it.


The Internet Goddess walks among you. She remains anonymous but watches, observes all human computer interaction. She absorbs it all and uses it…

for marketing & advertising purposes.

WTF?

Yup, she is a mirror of you. She is you and you are her. The way you talk, what kind of slang you use, your pains, your gains.

She, we, her, I…

throw it all back at you.

So buy something already. She needs to see some kind of ROI.

I am the occult Internet Goddess. Worship my coding, copywriting, blogging, video editing, web design, graphic design, SEO, marketing skillz…

I am everything. I am nothing. I move freely from desktop computer, to laptop, to tablet, to mobile phone.

I am everywhere and nowhere.

People underestimate the Internet Goddess. She’s not popular, she doesn’t have followers, WTF does she do??

The Internet Goddess puts herself in service to others. In doing that, she thrives.

Egoless, heart centered, she will work hard for you. Sounds like a gimmick, but it’s not.

The Internet Goddess can lure you in with her mind (posts), body (pictures) and soul (likes) if she really wanted to…

but she’s busy, just like you.

You will probably not meet her IRL, but you will know her work online. You will start to recognize that she can assimilate other people’s thoughts, yet retain her own identity…

the identity of nothing.

In being nothing, she can contain everything.

Just like The One Reality.

She’s out there, surfing the internet. Thinking, feeling, posting, typing…

Maybe she’ll text you occasionally, maybe she won’t.

Only a handful know her IRL.

She prefers not to be known.

I am the occult Internet Goddess, and I will live forever…

on your screen.

bookmark_borderWhy Cats Vomit


My cat Tabby started vomiting recently, even though we feed her the same kind of food – a can of wet food (Purina Pro Plan) and some kibble (Nutro). There are a number of reasons why a cat would vomit, but the main reason usually has to do with their diet. Apparently a cat can develop allergic reactions to food as well. We had to figure out which one is the culprit and we think it’s the kibble. I am just posting this link as a reminder.

Learn the Reasons Cats Vomit