Friends, I realize I have neglected to give you an update in quite some time. Well, I’ll start about a week ago, and move forward from there.

Last weekend, I spent the sunny afternoon in my coffee shop of choice Arabica, working on some design. I also met a guy who’s a senior at Kent. We spent some moments in time chatting about Northeast Ohio, art, and sometimes the two together.

I spent last week making contacts with commercial photographers in the Cleveland area, and I also went in for my second interview at Caribou Coffee.

The first studio I met with was small, and refreshing. Refreshing in the sense that it reassured me that all professional photographers do not have long grey ponytails and wear excessive amounts of turquoise jewelry.
The second studio, wow, now this was a quality visit and unexpected… I entered the studio, at 8am, there were already like 3 shoots well underway- seriously. After explaining that no, I was not a rep from an Ad agency, and I didn’t walk in off the street, I got to show my portfolio. I showed it to three photographers, who were all impressed and said it was far above any student, or new graduate work. The photographer that was shooting (either for Maalox or Nascar), took a bit of time to review my work as well, he said “you remind me of me!” I met with the woman that schedules the photographers and their photoshoots, she said that she will be in contact with me! And then told me this studio was the largest commercial studio in Cleveland. I left walking on a cloud and so very happy that I didn’t know just how big they were before going in.

My second interview with caribou went well, there were some pretty serious questions, like ones I had to really think about. But then also questions like “what was your favorite job and who was your favorite boss and why?” Camp THC and S. Mosh Obviously. I was offered the job on the spot, and started last Thursday. To date, I have worked two days! It’s great, and can I just tell you haw thankful I am that I drink coffee and have a relatively good knowledge on the beverage. I go in this Wednesday and start on bar, freak out! JonSchaller, there was a lady that came in that was doing bookbinding right there at a table in front of me.

This past weekend, Jon the hippie came to visit me. After scoping out fun things to do in Cleveland on a Saturday night, I was starting to worry. Well somehow Jack Johnson came up, and Jon’s love for the Curious George soundtrack, yes, I was as shocked as you are. Well, I researched the show times and locations of the movie. There were two fairly big factors working against us, 1. Most of the show times were matinees, and rightfully so, given the majority of the perspective audience. And 2. The movie is on it’s way out of theatres, so there weren’t too many theatres playing it in general. (four within a 60 mile radius of Mentor). I found a theatre in Akron (hour away) that we could make it to. As we approached the door to the movie, Jon was like, ok let’s guess how many people are in here watching Curious George! He said 12 including us, I said less than 5. I won, we had a private showing of Curious George! It takes a real man to buy two tickets to Curious George and then freely admit that he liked it enough to buy the dvd.

We then came back to my favorite town in northeast Ohio, Willoughby for dinner at the Willoughby Brewing Co. It was a pretty fantastic meal, and an all around good visit.