When I was a senior in high school there were only 4 things I cared about; drawing, film, music, and partying. The last of the four got the best of me and I moved to San Diego to attend college. Two years later my dad called me out on that. He knew I wasn’t learning anything (except those life lessons, a.k.a. how to best remedy a hang over). My dad knew I was always into the arts, but I never gave a hard push into pursuing it seriously. On my last day of my sophmore year, my dad picked me up from SD, and on the long drive back to the valley talked about my situation. He was the one that suggested I get a real education in what I loved so much. I had heard about a school in Pasadena called Art Center College of Design. A friend of mine was on his way and said nothing but good things. After two hours of talking about this with my dad, when I actually got to my “home home”, my decision was made. I pulled out my pencils and started building my portfolio that day. Six months later I was accepted into Art Center, and never went back to UCSD.

As if that wasn’t enough, right around that time I got into my first serious band. It consumed my life and I struggled to find a balance between music and the visual arts. My dad had a hard time with my decision to pursue music so intensely, but in the end supported my decision. He himself loved to sing and found interest in my endeavors with music. Six years after I got into Art Center I found myself a new graduate and in the real world. What the fuck was I going to do with my education? I didn’t know quite yet, but I felt like I had received the foundation for the rest of my adult life.

Now I get to work with everything that was so important to me when I was a senior in HS on a day to day basis. I only get to do this because my dad had faith in me, and supported me along the way. It’s a bit early, but this post had to be written right now. Thanks dad! I guess in return I’ll have to write those letters for you till the day I die (who knew realtors had to write so much?)!