Tucson has been a blast!! I stayed with my cousin Jim Gregg, an absolutely awesome guy. A photographer for the Daily Star and budding photojournalist, Jim is finding a way to survive by doing the thing he is really passionate about- capturing the genuine stories behind the people in his community. Juggling teaching at University of Arizona, his assignments from work, and his personal photojournalism stories, Jim thoroughly impressed me with his commitment to creating meaningful work. I attended his class about "Ethics in Multi-Media", which explores the arising issues of what is acceptable in multi-media productions and his ability to express his ideas clearly made him an great teacher. He hooked me up with some of the best mexican food in Tucson and provided a great local perspective on the community. We shared our music tastes and he showed me the video from his exhibition boxing fight he fought in last fall- he's a beastly fighter, too. I shadowed him on a assignment about an original retro apartment building that was being historically recognized. Instead of simply snapping a photo or two of the architecture, he contacted residents and got a feel for the environment of the community in order to incorporate that into the photograph. He strongly identified with my desire to follow my heart and recognition of the constant struggle of surviving by doing what you love. Jim, thanks for putting me up for a few nights, I had a fantastic time!
This evening, I explored 4th street and met some of the extremely cautious shop owners. First, I stopped in at candle shop- the most extensive one I've ever seen. I met the clerk, Barbara, and told her of my travels. Her two kids are also 18, but sadly and partially disappointed, she said she didn't know where they were. I told her about my mom's love of candle and learned some helpful pointers to make the candles burn properly (Mom- I'll be sure to pass them on to you, maybe you won't have to do so much candle surgery...). Meeting Barbara reminded me of how thankful I am that I have great parents. I don't think I give them enough credit. I am thankful that they didn't let their personal issues get in the way of our relationship. I am thankful for all the love and compassion they shared with me, I know I'll never know how much energy and work it took/takes to provide the type of support and love they offer/ed. Walking on 4th, I met several homeless guys around my age who didn't seem to be drawing many positive reactions from the passer-byes. After talking with them, I found that they were just a little too far removed from reality to interact with others- including me. I am thankful that my parents provided me with a solid education and provided enough guidance for my development. I know I can't appreciate what you have done for me enough- Thank you, parents. As I left the shop, I bought a candle to take with me...
As I walked back to the train station, I stopped to listen to a musician on the street. Catfish Keith was playing with a few of his friends- ukulele and kazoo. Because of the bad reputation of the homeless guys around town who bum around with backpacks like mine, he wouldn't let me play his instrument. He let me tell him some chords though and soon I was accompanying him on vocals- to the best of my ability. Thanks Catfish Keith, I had a great time jamming with you!
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