I'm sitting on a brand new million dollar tour bus traveling 14 hours from Bakersfield, CA to Portland Oregon. A dark sea of nothing . . . or The United States is passing by outside my window. The past couple of days have been completely unreal. We hop cities so often it makes the days confusing and unimportant. Faces are becoming more familiar, the loud screaming at EVERY venue has become like a tiny ringing, and the masses no longer hold any secrets.
Specifics could get overwhelming. I could write about so much. I could tell you about the crazy cab rides in Bakersfield on our day off. or the entire "Show Day" in Stockton the day before that. I could talk about the psychology of different crowds of strangers every single night, or the friendships that are slowly evolving in a church camp like fashion. I could tell you priceless details of moments that happened in Las Vegas (but i can't do that), or the crazy parties that go down in the bus and hotels. But like I said, the specifics would get overwhelming...and I'd probably get sued by somebody so I'll keep the details to a minimum.
Right now I have this feeling I'm calling Creative Freedom. Financial burden does not consume me anymore. In fact, money doesn't exist...which is exactly where I want to be. My conscience is clear, my career is building, my relationships are stable and I have as much time as I want to do whatever I want creatively. Whatever photographic challenge I take is a challenge I give myself. Which is a challenge in itself, to challenge myself, but it's great. Knowing whatever I do, whatever I create is because I did it. No one told me to, no one asked me to, no one's making me - it's all me. And that . . . that freedom, that complete control over my own life and work is so surreal. It's a chance to not be lazy, a chance to not blow it, and a chance to create something really really good. Something powerful, something people will love, and something new.
So now is a real good time. A happy time in my life. I'm surrounded by cool people, I'm traveling the United States in rockstar fashion, and I'm on a creative streak.
For now though, I'm gonna catch some shut eye before a day off in Portland. Good times, good times.
Peace,
-marc
This was outside a Starbucks in Seattle, WA. Man I love this town. And while I despise the government I'm still proud as well as also humbled to be an American because these flags mean something different to every single person that lives here. And that's cool to me.
