Did I write this?

You will be out with friends
when the news of her existence
will be accidentally spilled all over
your bar stool. Respond calmly
as if it was only a change in weather,
a punch line you saw coming.
After your fourth shot of cheap liquor,
leave the image of him kissing another woman
in the toilet.

In the morning, her name will be
in every headline: car crash, robbery, flood.
When he calls you, ignore the hundreds of ropes
untangling themselves in your stomach.
You are the best friend again. He invites
you over for dinner and you say yes
too easily. Remind yourself this isn’t special,
it’s only dinner, everyone has to eat.
When he greets you at the door, do not think
for one second you are the reason
he wore cologne tonight.

In his kitchen, he will hand-feed you
a piece of red pepper. His laugh
will be low and warm and it will make you
feel like candlelight. Do not think this is special.
Do not count on your fingers the number
of freckles you could kiss too easily.
Try to think of pilot lights and olive oil,
not everything you have ever loved about him,
or it will suddenly feel boiling and possible
and so close. You will find her bobby pins
laying innocently on his bathroom sink.
Her bobby pins. They look like the wiry legs
of spiders, splinters of her undressing
in his bed. Do not say anything.
Think of stealing them, wearing them
home in your hair. When he hugs you goodbye,
let him kiss you on the forehead.
Settle for target practice.

At home, you will picture her across town
pressing her fingers into his back
like wet cement. You will wonder
if she looks like you, if you are two bedrooms
in the same house. Did he fall for her features
like rearranged furniture? When he kisses her,
does she taste like wet paint?

You will want to call him.
You will go as far as holding the phone
in your hand, imagine telling him
unimaginable things like you are always
ticking inside of me and I dream of you
more often than I don’t.
My body is a dead language
and you pronounce
each word perfectly.

Do not call him.
Fall asleep to the hum of the VCR.
She must make him happy.
She must be
She must be his favorite place in Minneapolis.
You are a souvenir shop, where he goes
to remember how much people miss him
when he is gone.

- Sierra DeMulder, “Unrequited Love Poem”

Sierra DeMulder is all too much of everything wrapped up in words.  She is amazing.  Her poetry does not follow the typical rules, but that is every reason I love it even more.  There are times that I feel she has had the same experiences, in a different setting, with most often the same results.  The one above is too familiar and it hurts to just read that someone, lots of someone's, have experienced it this type of scenario as well.  Comforting and painful with the same lump in a throat. 

XPonential Festival Part 1--Friday

Just a quick look at some of the sets I shot on Friday.  What a great night, a good start to the weekend.  Pictures are limited...more to come when they are released.

JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound

Dawes

Ozomatli

The Hold Steady

Like a Boss Chapter 1

Okay so the other day I was called "boss" for the first time, and I have to say it is weird.  It feels strange, and I am not sure if I will ever get used to it.   I sorta cringe when people say it, but I guess I should be more welcoming to it, well, because it is real.  Super real.  Grey hairs soon kinda real.

But whatever. 

I had this talk with one of my closest friends a couple of months ago and we were discussing starting a "young professional" blog.  I am not sure, if I fall into this category anymore, considering I am eight years at my job and am now I guess, in charge and not looking to advance anytime soon.  So I have decided that since there is going to be a lot to talk about in the next years or so I will talk about my experience as a professional in general, like a boss, or whateves.

So.
Chapter One
Before becoming a "boss" I noticed as a supervisor that a lot of people talk to themselves.  Now its not just that curse at your computer cause it's acting dumb kinda talking to themselves.  Like for real talking to themselves.  A whisper like sound, thoughts coming out of their head instead of staying in there where they belong.

Now, like a boss, I am concerned.  But I figured it out.  I know why.  It's not because these people are crazy.  It is because they are guilty.  Guilty of doing something they are not supposed to be doing, or lack of doing anything at all.  Mostly the latter.  When I walk by someone and they are doing nothing, it is easy for them to begin talking to themselves to make it seem like they are super occupied and engulfed in a task.  I have been testing this out.  And I even thought back to when my previous boss was around...and guess what, I used to do it to.  It is quite a smart idea if you think about it, and most people, I think, are doing it subconsciously now.  Without thought, it's like a natural reaction to a boss walking by.

Problem is.  I am really fucking smart (ahahhaa).  Like super duper smart, and I know all the tricks of the trade.  I studied sociology, psychology, and social work for way too long and I have the ability to analyze your every word.  Sometimes I feel like Sookie fucking Stackhouse.  I can read into your body language more than you ever know. 

I am pretty sure this might not be something that is good for me.  Or for my well being.  Everytime I walk by someone and they are talking to themselves, I am tempted to ask them, "hey can you ask the person you are speaking with to let you know you need to "do some work" rather than look like a crazed person.

Please and thank you, paranoid non working crazy train.

Ps.  I don't care that you are taking some down time, as long as your shit gets done in the end, no questions asked.  Imaginary friend or not.

Shit kids Say

Kali:

Spending time with Kali (Megs daughter) is by far one of my favorite things to do.  And Nolan too.  But he is not the topic here.  Anyways, Kali is like the smartest kid I know.  She always surprises me by the things she says.  This was our conversation the other night.

As the Libs are packing for their trip to Jamacia, the next morning....

Me: Kali, what am I going to do without you for a couple days?

Kali:  A couple?  You mean five nights?

Me: Yea whatever.  What am I supposed to do without you?

Kali:  I don't know Aunt Laura.  You should maybe find another kid.

Me:  Another kid?  Where am I supposed to find another kid?

Kali:  Well I don't know.  I have some friends you could maybe hang out with.

Me:  Oh yea?  Well what if they are not as awesome as you?

Kali:  Aunt Laura....nobody is perfect.  I'll get you their numbers.  I think my mom has some. 

Me:  Geez.  Okay fine.

Kali:  It's alright Aunt Laura it's only five nights.  My doctor told me to bring lots of snacks in case the food is terrible.  I'm pretty sure the food will be terrible, so we should probably have lots of snack. 

Did I mention she is four?  And the most awesome.  I will not be renting another four year old for five nights. 

Auria:

Jackies neice Auria can always be counted on for a good laugh.  She's pretty effing funny.  Last night we got to hang with Auria and of course this way my favorite of the night....

Jackie:  Auria, where does Uncle Nick and Aunt Dana live?
(correct answer: New York City)

Auria:  I dunno?

Jackie:  Come on Auria, you know where they live.  Where does Aunt Dana live?

Auria:  I dunnnnnooooo, Aston?

Hahahaha...little kids man.  They are awesome.  Apparently Aston is the New York City of Delaware County. 

selection

People ask me all the time what my favorite photograph is of mine, as in, one that I took.  This is such a tough question and I find it awkward to answer for a couple reasons.  1.  I would not show the picture if I did not think of it as one of my favorites.  I take 1000's of pictures at one time so those that I chose to show are always my favorites.  2.  On the other hand, I am super super critical of my own work making it difficult to chose one, or even a couple, of my all time favorites.  To me, my work could always be better, there is alwas something I could have chosen to have done differently.  This is endless to me.  It never stops.

But....I have come to have that one photograph that I can resort to when faced with answering this question.  There is a lot of meaning behind this photograph for me.  Very personal and deep thoughts went into this when it was shot and I will forever hold it in my heart. 

one two boom.

Its weird.  You know, people who annoy me.  It only takes one thing, one mini mini thing to set me off and boooooommmmm.  You are annoying as fuck.  For the rest of your life. 

I wish there was like some eraser board that I could use to erase their annoyingness.  Start all over again.

But there is not. So I guess I am fucked.

Toilet Seat Cover Bandits

I don't get it.  I just don't get it.  People that use those skimpy ass (no pun intended) toilet cover things and then leave them on the effin toilet for someone else to throw away.  Okay, so people that use these things are afraid of the germs that are on the toilet, I get that.  What I don't get is why they feel it is sanitary to leave them on the god damn toilet for the next person to have to see, let alone move.  It is gross.  And rude.  Overall contributing to the disgustingness of the bathroom as a whole. 

How about this, hover your stupid ass over the toilet and pee.  Easy enough.

Okay thanks.

RUBY SPARKS

I am not sure if I have ever written a review like post on a movie before but this one is well deserved. I am not sure if I can even do it justice...

This movie is fucking awesome. I loved each and every second of it.

When Justin sent me the trailer to check out I was instantly excited because Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, who did Little Miss Sunshine, which is by far one of my favorite movies, were behind the scenes. I had expectations that it would be good, but not this good.

There was so much to identify with, and so much to pick up on. I would have watched it again if I could, and then some more.

Afterwards, we were able to sit in on a Q&A session with the directors and actors Zoe Kazan and Paul Dano. Zoe Kazan, who is dating in real life Paul Dano, wrote the story herself. It was amazing to hear her story, how she came up with the idea, and how she was able to seperate her writing from her acting. Her acting, by the way, was so fucking good I cannot even explain. Loved her in happythankyoumoreplease and love her even more now.

Trust me, when it comes out (I think in August sometime) get out to see it. I hope you love it just as much as I did.

Check out the trailer....



And so on...

OH my geez, when can I find time to write.  My life is super crazy, with this new promotion an all.  I feel like I have been neglecting everything and everyone that is important to me....squeezing in every moment I can get.  I am not sure if I expected it to be this way, but I know that I will work to slow it down a bit. 

Ok and so on...