dear universe

before i left for my trip, i meditated on what i wanted to get out of it, and carry with me afterwards. and so, i'll start my travel writing with what i came up with:

today, i fully declare and embrace that i am a free spirit. today and forevermore. may no person, place, or country border ever contain me. please lift me and take me to see the world. lead me on my journey to becoming more human. guide my paintbrushes to influence others, to show them something they've never seen before. remind me of my responsibilities as a privileged person to help humankind. teach me what it really means to have compassion. give me the courage to try everything. and ultimately, show me the way to the truest and fullest expression of myself.

2012: put this in your pipe and smoke it

with a new year right around the corner, it's time to start thinking about new years resolutions and things to do differently in 2012. i've had a few in mind for myself:

1. drinking more water
2. dressing up more often - substituting the usual sambas and hoodie for some of the nice clothes i already have in my closet
3. spending less money on dumb shit and spending more on great experiences

pretty simple i guess. but then i saw this: 30 Things to Stop Doing to Yourself. and i decided to get a bit loftier with my changes. the truth is, whether you've got it totally together, or you're an absolute mess, you can learn a thing or two, or thirty, from this list. sometimes we're the only ones stopping ourselves from having everything we want.

much love.

can i borrow someone's baby?

evolution: the antlers

when i was in Washington last year, i saw a pretty horrific thing happen to a deer on a highway, and decided to make a piece in memory. i've taken several photos while working on it so i share the evolution of the layers too.

r.i.p.

ze end.

Arcade Fire: Outside Lands 2011

i just got home from seeing Arcade Fire at Outside Lands and i cannot stop thinking about how amazing they were! honestly, it was one of the best shows i've ever seen and as i'm sitting here reliving, i am wishing everyone could have seen it with me. they were spot on - really incredible performance. i've recreated their entire set for ya in this little grooveshark widget. enjoy!!

identity in stuff

people's things can tell you so much about them. at least that's the premise behind my friend Thea Goldberg's most recent photography venture. a nice reminder that sometimes a portrait doesn't have to be of a face.

my boots, the ol' sh*t kickers

2 of my favorite shirts

yep, reppin' cuba and colombia on my fav jacket

my spraypaint collection

 

my grandfather left me his paintbrushes when he died. he's the whole reason i started painting.

me, in our san francisco backyard

imbibe: introducing the pickle back...

when i went to visit my best friend and roommate in NY a few weeks ago, we went out for late night grub and a couple of drinks. i had heard about pickle backs -  a shot of jameson, chased by a shot of pickle juice - just a few hours before and lo-and-behold, there it was on the menu of this bbq place. we ordered 2 rounds and BAM. 

for those of you who like pickles and dislike the burn of a jameson shot in the esophagus region, this is the answer to all your problems. the spicy, salty, sour juice trumps any alcohol burn, leaving you feeling bold enough to have a few dozen more... and then someone will say "hey let's do kareoke!" and there you go. beware...