It’s that time of year when the Dancing on the Valentine benefit begins taking over my (and Joriel’s, and Jenny’s) life. This afternoon the three of us put our heads together to finish the press release, notify the Croc about the confirmed bands, and update the site with the link to purchase tickets as well as all the aforementioned info. That evening, Joriel continued to perform website labors while I began the social media blitz with all things Duran Duran.

It’s a lot of fun, really, and we get to help kick Leukemia’s ass, meet beautiful people, hear amazing bands do spectacular covers – and when I keep all that in mind, the use of time feels perfectly justified. Jenny’s offered to pay me in the past, but really, if I charged what I’m worth for the time I spend, all proceeds would go to me rather than to fund the sort of cancer research that saved Jenny’s life. Good enough.

I *have* promised myself that I’m going to simplify this year’s photo booth/project/video in such a way that it doesn’t take me 10+ MONTHS to finish the post-work. And I definitely want to rent a ringflash to make it all extra-glam. Stay tuned…

Hello, 2012. Photographed some of you with friends, and have found you nothing but pleasant so far. Said goodbye to 2011 last night with some others, and I love how everything fell into place on either side of midnight.

I’ve always loved the first day of the year – it feels fresh and ripe, full of light and giddy potential. It doesn’t matter that every day won’t feel as good as today – rather, that each day is acknowledged for what it offers, and what I give in return.

I’ve been looking forward to this particular year for spiritually nerdy reasons for quite some time. It’s our last great collective “apocalypse” (at least, until we come up with a new one). I don’t believe that the Sixth World will satisfy those dreaming of some great cosmic comeuppance for us all, however. Whatever changes are to come will be by our own hands, or of Nature’s ebb and flow, or just the blind whimsy of Fate. But still – it is fun to imagine that the collective desire for a something to happen might lead to Something Happening.

Anyway. There’s enough here at ground level to keep me occupied until then. Planning on blogging, scanning, photographing, laughing, loving and exploring this year as best I can manage with the help of my lovely partner in time and our mischievous imp. We took a walk this afternoon on 15th Ave, stopping in at Remedy, Victrola, Rainbow… even the well-trodden paths of our neighborhood felt new again on this sunny Winter’s day.

I love my life – in this place, with these people, in this city. It has not always been easy, but it has always been True. Thank you for the person you are in it, and for who you allow me to be in your own.

These two! It’s always a joy to be around fellow kooks who have joined forces. One of the many persons in my extended family – Preston’s place is the dungeon of choice for gaming, while Cienna’s lovely home is something else entirely. She often appears mid-game, a (sometimes weary) muse passing through, wishing us well in our noble quests.

Fremont Coffee Company