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want to learn a new thing for $150? community college
need access to a ceramics studio or darkroom? community college
want to sound mysterious/intellectual and say things like “i’m back in school” as a grown adult? community college
don’t want 200k worth of liberal arts college debt? community college
want to be in a rag tag group of misfits of all ages and form an unlikely friendship and still have a group chat going after the semester ends? community college
looking for a socioeconomically diverse group of cohorts? community college
i’m about to start my third semester of photography classes and im so obsessed, its been the most wonderful experience
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Unironically, college prepared me for an excellent paying job after I graduated. I went to art school with a very entertaining and sometimes embarrassing student population, despite this, the community there welcomed me with open arms and made some life-long connections. I think it’s important to get out of your own personal bubble and experience worlds/communities very alien to your own and experience them as best as you can; see things that challenge/inform your worldviews and personal opinions. Glad there was no pickleball there during my time. 7/10
Jan 19, 2025
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The most fun I’ve ever had is getting to intellectualize and argue about books, movies, and paintings with the children of wealthy manhattanites as if it was a matter of life and death
Feb 5, 2024
Short answer: I loved college.
Long answer: I loved college. Why you ask? Because when I look back at that time from 18-23, I see it as a radically transformative time in my life.
I moved around A LOT as a kid, but grew up in what I use to call the closest thing to countryside in mid-00s Southern California. It was a small town with loads of ranches/ag land, and a very conservative bubble. When I chose a college, I wanted and needed to move to a big city and so I did just that. Nothing could prepare for how wide my eyes would be and how much my mind expanded.
I learned to say yes to everything (even when I probably shouldn’t have), I failed with relatively low consequences (though it always felt catastrophic at the time), I learned how to talk to a variety of folks (some I hated), and I felt like I finally had the ability to build a life by my own rules. I was rapidly exposed to many new experiences and perspectives, and had myself challenged over and over and over again. For that, I say my time in college was wildly transformative and essential to the person I am today. I loved it.
(Pictured: My last summer break ever, a 21-day roadtrip throughout the desert with my college roommate and best friend as we sought peace to finish writing our respective thesis’. We lived out of my tiny Kia Rio, cooked everything, slept only on “free” land, and made sure to take a shot of whiskey every morning and night to keep the bears away)
Jan 20, 2025
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apparel-ish?
I started an apparel brand called Blood is the new Black when I was 23 (in 2004, i’m 42 now) the brand acted as an arts collective, i’d select several artists every season to add to the brand and would curate their submitted works into collections. distro ranged from beams (jp) colette (fr) selfridges (uk) all the way to pac sun, urban outfitters, zumiez in the states. during the 9 years I had the brand I also published zines, produced artist directed films, curated gallery shows etc. it was part of the indie sleaze era and you’d see folks like tegan and sara, michael pitt, britney spears, allison mosshart wearing the brand.
somehow I pivoted to country music along the way and started a brand called midnight rider in 2013. i made licensed repop and vintage feeling tees for musicians and folks like willie nelson, townes van zandt, nudies rodeo tailors, john wayne, the judds, waylon jennings, zz top and so many others. I sold that brand last year!
now I do licensing and merchandise for waylon jennings (so if you see waylon merch or collabs i’m the one behind it). I also spend my free time taking photos and i’m currently working on a book about grand national owners.
id love to mentor folks who have or are starting their own businesses because i’ve learned a lot in the process both good and bad.
Feb 9, 2024
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Cocteau Twins in 1993 or 1994 (with Luna opening) - I was in the 8th grade and my sister who was 14 years older than me took me. We saw Mazzy Star/JaMC and Depeche Mode the next year.
Feb 16, 2024
