Competition: Friend or Foe?

What does competition mean to you?  Does it have to be a "bad" thing?  Does the end result justify the means when it comes to more than one person achieving at a certain level, task, or career path?  Much like love, and war, is all really fair in chasing down a goal?  Is it ok to throw ethics out the window in order to be on top?

I ask these things, because this notion of competing has been on my mind lately.  I'm learning that it clearly means something different to everyone, and I'm left wondering if many people really believe it's ok to completely forgo ethical practices all in the name of "success," and since we're on the topic, where exactly does that ethical line lie? 

Color Me Happy!

On the heels of this week's lows, came some pretty unexpected highs.  It's funny, they always say when a door closes, a window opens, and so it seemed with the discovery of a new-to-me blog that I can't believe I've lived this long without!  Pugly Pixel now neatly nestled into my sidebar is the brain child of a massively creative chick by the name of Katrina, and let me tell you she is a force, to be sure!  I accidentally stumbled upon her virtual presence by way of another fave brought to us by Victoria Smith, SF Girl By Bay - which, if you're not familiar, you must make yourself.  I've lurked on Victoria's blog for ages now, and always find it a wealth of information, and am hopelessly in love with the gratuitous display of design heavy eye candy.  Whenever I'm down, or find my creativity tapped out, I take a spin around her posts, because nothing kicks my imagination back into high gear like saturating my brain with interesting images, and she delivers, let me tell you.  In fact, don't let me tell you -- Go!  Click!  See for yourself, you won't be disappointed.

Promises, Promises

This week has been a bit of a rollercoaster for me juggling projects old, and new, making changes around the ol' blogstead with even more to come (ooooh, suspense!), replenishing inventory, and drawing from my inspiration-well to get me through the creativity slump.  It was during this virtual inspirational stroll - pail in hand ready to dip into the cool, fresh water of like minded creative chicks (and their blogs I lurk on) when I was met with, I won't say "bitter" disappointment, but more like utter disappointment in the virtual company I'd been keeping.

I'm not really a blog-aholic kind of gal, but I do have a small list of faves I like to check in on now and again.  In an age where you need to be S.C.U.B.A. certified to swim through the ever growing blog deluge for me it's important to narrow it down to a handful of specific blogs speaking to the very things that spark my imagination (lotsa eye candy, a must!), published by creative women whom I respect as people, writers, and as a source of inspiration not just in the neato colors they pick out for their next project or their super-duper blog backgrounds, but as businesswomen in "The Industry."