Friday Q&A

Questionable Superstition

Greetings, crickets and trolls. Welcome to a very special Friday the 13th edition of the Q&A. Hopefully you didn't drop any mirrors on any black cats, that would be 7 years of bad luck for every one of the cat's 9 lives. In this week's post, I'll be taking a look at luck, and how it figures into the outcome of every Photoshop contest.

Q: Is luck more important than skill?

A: Skill and luck both work to determine every Photoshop contest's outcome. But which is more important? With the right amount of training you can increase your skill, but nothing can give you better luck. Carry around as many dismembered rabbit appendages you wish, but they won't stop your score from tanking eventually. It's the great equalizer, because no matter how good you are, if you run into a voter that wants to see the so-called "crap and cliches" I always see veteran PSers complain about, you won't win that vote unless you provide it to them.

Q: How can I increase my Photoshop luck?

A: Some will advise you to work on your Photoshop karma. But I'm here to tell you, karma is a load of new-age horseshit and we don't have to pay it any mind now that My Name is Earl got cancelled. So feel free to punt old ladies down the stairs and intentionally direct blind people into traffic. There's really no proven way to increase one's luck, so if you have to ask that question, you're probably pretty well fucked already.

Q: So all bad luck is permanent?

A: If there's one thing I know, it's that sweet lady luck is a hideous bitch. One that builds you up constantly, only to break you down in the end. The big win that brought you joy one week may well give way to a streak of crap that seems like it will never end. You have to show persistence, and have faith that the skills you've amassed, the talent you have stored away, and the Voodoo curses you placed on your enemies will be enough to put you ahead of the competition.

That's all for this time, gentle reader. Thanks again for stopping by. If you have bad luck, I hope it improves. If you have good luck, try to walk under some ladders to even things up. We all need to be on an even keel.

Stay tuned for more adventitious equalization from the Doctor!