That's our Favorite Houseguest In The World, Erik M. chatting with Ted after another nice evening of food and conversation.  He's been staying with us since Saturday night, and it's been loads of fun.

I had a really long day, and quite frankly, I'm falling asleep.................

Dear Jack,

It's your birthday! 4 whole years on this earth, and to think I've known you for every single one of those years...

I love when you make fierce faces for my camera, and I also love when I capture that glimpse of pure golden light shining in your eyes and in your smile. You have a very special place in my heart, and I just love you to pieces.

Love,

Sarah-Ji

P.S. Tell your mama I love her and happy anniversary-of-the-day-of-giving-birth-to-Jack.

...gonna get married! That's right. My friends Dave and Alicia tied the knot at the Chicago Cultural Center on Saturday. I had the pleasure and honor of following them and Dave's awesome parents around to various Chicago locales shooting photos, and I had a blast. Dave has been a friend of the family for over 7 years now, and to see him so happy just melted my heart. I am not prone to tears, but I'd be lying if I denied wiping my eyes during their 1st dance.

Congrats to you two...you are a beautiful couple! xoxo

This was at the Glenwood Ave Arts Festival last weekend, right outside the Morse Ave Red Line stop. It seemed like every where I looked, people were talking on cell phones, texting, surfing, etc. I know I do that all the time too. Makes me think the smarter phones get, the more tethered we become to them. It's like we're addicted to connection even when it's virtual and not face-to-face. And that statement is not necessarily a judgement; mere observation.  Something I think about as I consider how much of it I want to implement in my own life.

...with water bottle! Just a reminder for all the motorists out there. Many of my family and friends' primary mode of transportation is by bicycle, so please don't door them as you're getting out of your vehicle.

This is my friend Jhonathan's bottle. We got together for coffee and talked about gear (we're both Nikonians) and a bunch of other topics mainly related to social justice/activism. The weather could NOT have been more perfect. Good, engaging and challenging conversation over some chai/coffee out in the open air with a refreshing breeze is one of my favorite ways to rejuvenate. I highly recommend it.

During the Glenwood Arts Festival this weekend, the lovely folks over at Mess Hall (with help from Radio Populares) reclaimed the air waves for the people and broadcast live on the radio via homemade equipment.

I enjoyed an hour of tunes live via the internet a couple nights ago when I was up late working on a project.  I hope they keep this up on a regular basis.  My friend Justin said it was a lot of fun. Maybe I'll get to make my dream of DJ'ing on the radio a reality someday. You know how I feel about making mix CDs...

I sent off three pieces of mail to the state of New York today, and I'm feeling just a tad sad that I didn't get to make a tirp out there this summer as I'd hoped.  It's not a place that I feel I can live in long-term, but it sure is a sweet place to visit. 

I'm missing my faraway friends lately...

These are the Ten Points of Mess Hall, an experimental cultural space in my neighborhood. I remember the first time I read this a couple years ago and how I felt stunned at how perfectly it articulated my personal beliefs about my creative endeavors and life in general.

I believe in abundance. I believe in sharing. I believe in radical generosity. I believe in dismantling fear and hierarchy. I believe all these things, and more...I believe the driving force behind all these other beliefs is Love. And Hope. And Joy. And Struggle.

This is why I take photographs.  I know that I have a gift, and I say this without arrogance but with a sense of responsibility.  I can deny that gift under the guise of humility, and in doing so squander something precious and powerful. Or I can take ownership of it, be accountable to it, give it away as freely and as unconditionally as it was given to me.  It is a choice that I have to make again and again.

Milwaukee, has it really been 8 years since I last spent time with you?  How is it that I crammed 4 visits into 3 months that year, and never went back until now? What was I thinking? Well, now I know.  I'll be back. That's a promise.