Greetings!

You have found NickCentric.com - a place where I can just be me. "Who's that?" you ask? Well, I am none other than Nick J. Steglich - artist, animator, photographer, musician, friend, brother, son, potentially father, skateboarder, snowboarder, rock climber, bowler, sign-maker, reader, writer, cook, organizer, leader, snow-sculptor and list-maker. Clearly.

This site was created a few years ago following a suggestion from my friend, Pearl. She had enjoyed my artwork that I had posted online, which depicted me (in miniaturized form) being weird and playing with small objects. I called this series "My Bonsai Life", and it stands as one of my most favorite graphical series of all time. But spawning from that were various other manipulated photos and the like - all featuring me. This was not because of any particular ego, but rather because I thoroughly enjoy making fun of myself, and getting to play with Photoshop in the meantime. Plus, I know the angles that I need for the shots I want, so it's just easier anyways. Pearl thought that it would be funny to emcompass these images into one category - the NickCentric Collection. And thus it was born.

My original goal was to become the most searchable "Nick" on the planet. This is not an easy task, given the number of other popular "Nick"s that are out there, not least of all, Nick.com (Nickelodeon). So, it has stayed kind of stagnant until now. I generally focus on updating my more professional sites, NickSteglich.com and NicksKnax.com, as well as FocusPower.com. This site has gone largely unusued.

But something happened the other day (8/8/13) that got me thinking... a good friend of mine, Jon, passed away. He was only 37, though wheelchair bound due to a tragic accident in his youth. His health had been fading for sometime, but no one saw this coming. In the wake of his death, hundreds of people have come out of the woodwork to offer condolences and praise his name. He was loved by so many...

I had written my thoughts down, just as a means to get them out, as my Facebook status - sharing in the common sentiment that day. But folks who saw it really connected with it, and in turn praised me for writing it. In earnest, it was nothing but the pure truth. Seems I struck a chord though. Being such a shock to everyone, his death also resonated in another way: why do we always wait until someone is gone to tell them how much they mean to us? This sentiment was shared by several people. And it got me thinking... I had been doing that on this very site since it's inception. However, I never really told many people about the site to begin with, and at that, it was really just reserved for some extra special people in my life... little stories about who they were, who that are to me, and why they are so important in my life.

I thought, though, that I might try and turn this site into a collection of not just the things that I make, but also the things and people who make ME. I wouldn't be the same person were it not for the influences of my friends, my family, people I meet, teachers I've had, and folks I've lost - like Jon. Like Jesse. Like Charlotte. These are people who I wish I had told more that I love them and let them know why. And so I aim to do that now. Hopefully people can come and find out what I think of them. Read how I perceive their frienship and learn about the impact they have had in my life... and maybe, just maybe, that will save me from ever having to feel this kind of loss and failure of being a friend again. And maybe still, if they have the interwebs in Heaven... Jonny boy can look it up and know it too.

Regardless... I am not going to use full names here. I understand and respect privacy rights... though some indication will be necessary. I figure a first name and a photo might work. But if you stumble across this site, find yourself on it, and don't want to be... please feel free to email me and let me know, and I will remove it post-haste. I don't want to anger anyone... just let them know how much they mean to me.

And so, with that, I leave you to enjoy the new NickCentric.com website. I will be updating as time permits, so please don't get upset if you don't see you up there just yet. Trust me... I will try to get everyone I can remember on here.

Thank you, and may you find happiness everywhere you roam.