(This picture has nothing to do with Sunday. BUT I thought it sort of encompassed how much fun we had together. This picture was snapped from the computer on the morning of my birthday, when W surprised me with a video chat with our Dutch friend, SB. It kept cutting us off and we kept having ridiculous faces prepared for when it would cut back in.)
After our lovely, hand-holding, perfect-paper finding adventure, W and I met a good friend for a cool beer at the Deschutes Brewery on 11th and Davis. We were meeting her family for the first time. It's similar to meeting your significant other's family for the first time---you wanna look good, be funny, smart, cool...etc. I think all of the above was accomplished. The three beautiful women were all wearing my jewelry. It was a nice surprise (and also kind of funny). Many laughs were exchanged, and fun was had by all. Immediately on to another adventure. I'd never viewed Portland from a downtown rooftop...MAN, I've been missing OUT!!!:
(okay okay...this is NOT Portland, but...A bit like this, sans the palm tree and light and waaaay better with a more picturesque background---but you get the idea. This picture from Corbis.)
The moment we stepped onto the rooftop outside of the large open studio where Blitzen Trapper's new music video would play for the first time, I knew I had really done myself a disservice by forgetting my camera. Portland's beauty provoked feelings the way a new, pure love does on a third or fourth date---giddy, secretly sweaty, short breath (constantly reminding yourself to take deep ones) perfection. In more ways than completely exposed outside living rooms, my perspective was completely shifted. That night, Portland could do no wrong.
(second set, Blitzen Trapper video. I helped make those masks too!)
That set the tone for the evening. What followed, far exceeded my expectations. I forgot just how many friends/acquaintances helps make up the enviable talent pool of folks from which to work with in this town. Soon the studio was filled with some of my most favorite people in Portland. We were all gathered around in a ridiculously hip studio for the release of a music video that most of the people in the room had put their rough working hands on.
(some of the crew after the first day of shooting.)
While it took me a moment to get over---not bringing my camera---I ended up embracing the fact that I only had one lens to look through that night. It created a sort of urgency in me, to make the evening as good as it wanted to be. It happened that way. The amount of meaningful conversations had, were right up there with the silly ones. I left feeling full of inspiration and joy. In fact, the WHOLE weekend was a beautiful one, full of newness, friendship, hope, talent, and love. ...hope yours were lovely too!
(maaaan, that sounds cheesy, BUT IT'S TRUE, PEOPLE! believe me!)
***Song of the Moment: Black River Killer, by Blitzen Trapper***