It’s Christmas day. I feel alright, more or less, sitting in my apartment in the Tenderloin, San Francisco. My partner, parents and most of my friends are in the Midwest so I’m out here alone, but that’s okay. I think Christmas for me is mostly a non-issue, unavoidable but at the same time not really resonating no matter how much I used to enjoy the … Continue reading It’s Christmas…
Over twenty years ago I had a singular experience. I was in the Pacific Northwest driving on the 520 Bridge spanning Lake Washington between Seattle and Bellevue. The morning sun was coming up. The floating bridge rocked gently on the water. I pushed the accelerator down, smoking a cigarette as I drove towards my apartment on the Seattle side of the lake. My car windows … Continue reading Stripped
Too many politicians remind me of dry alcoholics. They may want to change, and their poison of choice may have been removed, yet they still hold onto old ways. One new member of the House of Representatives filled out his communications staff and not his legislative. Helping Americans comes a distant second to building their own brand through exclusive interviews and speeches and being firm … Continue reading You Can’t Heal – 7
“There’s a garden on the bay side of Telegraph Hill called the Filbert Steps, and it runs down from the heights of Coit Tower to Levi Plaza right across from San Francisco Bay. They used to make Levis in San Francisco. They used to make a lot of things here. They used to plan for large, public gardens like the Steps, a once beautiful scene … Continue reading You Can’t Heal – 6
The inauguration is the day after tomorrow. 20,000 National Guard soldiers in DC. Articles today talked about screening being done to ensure none of these men or women have violence on their minds and are committed to peaceful transition of power. Covid19 continues to rage across the country and the world while some would still argue about the efficacy and liberty of wearing masks. Everyone … Continue reading You Can’t Heal – 5
I watched the attack of the Capitol, same as you did. I felt a range of emotions, same as most people: anger, fear, sadness. I also felt an understanding, not for the actions taken but for where they came from. For eight weeks, many of the people there had been told by their social media feeds, their news networks, maybe their friends and families, some … Continue reading You Can’t Heal – 4
I had a conversation yesterday with my partner in the little house we bought in the Midwest where we discussed concepts of home, and how though this little house was my home, my other was in San Francisco. We’ve had this discussion before, but there was a lot more weight behind it this time. We’ve lived cross country from each other in the past, and … Continue reading You Can’t Heal – 2
A few months ago I began shooting a photography series called “You Can’t Heal,” a title that includes direct reference to substance use and addiction. The full line is “You can’t heal in the environment where you got sick,” and that environment could be many things, a social group, work, family, a relationship, a city. It can also refer to any sort of addiction or … Continue reading You Can’t Heal – 1
Drake Toulouse: Photography and Words 