Another Year I Claim

I just finished up up my 29th birthday about an hour ago. Most people don’t view 29 as a milestone like 21, 25, or 30. But to me it sort of marks one. At 29, I felt for the first time like I should finally feel like an adult. Well I don’t. Although I feel like should. Maybe one of these days I’ll grow up.

I never make plans to do anything on my birthday. I feel like people put too much on birthdays and pump them to up being a big special day, and then they always end up disappointing. Over the years I’ve figured out how to make it just another day and to not be disappointed if nothing spectacular happens. One thing in particular: I removed my birthday from my facebook page. This way I’m not constantly reminded by people that I barely know that it’s my birthday. Also I find it annoying when the news feed is full of “happy birthday” so I’m being considerate of everyone else … sort of. Each year, I just try to hang out with someone, even if they don’t know that it’s my birthday. Last year I just went to The Midway with my friend Michel for dinner and that was it. I was completely content and sastisfied with how the day turned out.

This year I got to hang out with my friend Bobby and his fiance Anna … and Bobby’s dad too. The three of them are moving to Los Angeles on Saturday, and I was really happy to be able to see them one last time before they Left. The movers were supposed to be at their house at 1:00 and done by 4:00 when I arrived. The movers were late. Three hours late. So hanging out with them consisted of Bobby and Anna stressing out and constantly saying “sorry about all this”. It was quite ok. I hadn’t seem them in a while and I was happy just being around them. Afterwards we all went to LaFonda. The reuben cubano. You have not lived until you’ve tried it.

Bobby has been sort of an unofficial mentor to me for the last year. We would frequently hang out, talk photography, and I would assist him on all of his personal projects. I’ve really learned a lot from him. He’s encouraged me a lot to push myself to meeting people and always pushing my craft. For some reason, I always put more worth into what he says than what other say. If I’m feeling discouraged about something, a friend can tell me something to try and encourage me and it might not work. But Bobby could tell me the same exact thing and I would listen and take it to heart … and then feel better.

Mad respect for you Bobby. I wish you, Anna, and Ralph all the best in L.A.

Bobby and I after shooting Markel for his craigslist project the day after we got our $13 tattoos.