I do a lot of work for other people. And I enjoy it. But it's the personal projects that truly satisfy.

This web site is an example. If I didn't have The Nimble Photographer, I wouldn't keep up with my journal entries. Seeing it there daily as a tab in my web browser reminds me that I need to write something with an opinion - not news, not an article, but words from the heart.

Posting to Instagram is also a personal project. Seeing its icon on my iPhone Home screen reminds me how much I love photography. Instagram is my visual journal, a place where I can share something interesting that I saw that day.

If I hadn't established these platforms for sharing, then I know that the days, weeks, and even months would go by without me creating something that wasn't an obligation.

I have friends who do the same thing. They set up a project and tell themselves that they are going to finish it by the end of the month. And in order to do so, they often have to set aside a few tasks that would otherwise occupy their time.

There will always be tasks, but not always time.

My personal opinion is that life should be more than a checklist of duties. I value my family, friendships, pets, and personal projects.

I don't know what was on my work ToDo list earlier this month. But I do remember writing From the Bad... and publishing a photo on Instagram of a man reading a newspaper in a Chinatown alley painted green. I'm smiling right now thinking about them both.

These are the endeavors that keep me going. Because at the end of the day, I'm more than a job.

And this is from a guy who is very lucky at work.

-Derrick