a drunk mind speaks the sober heart.

it has been a long 12 months. when you have a lot of free time, you tend to demand answers for all of the things you assume to be wrong with your life. at the beginning of this year, no one let me down more than myself and it was a difficult climb back from that realization. 

then there was a shift in the air and i landed a new gig. it allowed me to take my casual interest in movies/pop culture and turn it into a full on love affair. i saw 52 movies this year (some for work and others for pleasure). i've spent a bit of time in some of the nicest boutique hotels in LA talking to people about the cinema. i've sat directly in front of some of my favorite actors. i've mustered the courage to ask them questions. i've become comfortable conducting one-on-one interviews in isolated hotel rooms. i've written about these experiences to promote films. i've learned to work the press line at movie premieres and be aggressive to get what i need. all of this, has helped me feel useful and less weak. 

with each passing year, i prioritize and appreciate all of the small things and the details that shape them. each inside joke, triumphant night out, thoughtful conversation, shared meal or late night heart-on-your-sleeve-go-about, i've found something meaningful. i want to carry that feeling into the new year and share it with those whom i love and admire. 

for my family and handful of confidants, i've tried my damnedest to make you proud and to show you that my heart is built upon our interactions and your importance in my everyday. love you fuckers.

thank you universe for cutting me the occasional break. 2013, let's get it on.

my favorite things the past 12 months: looper, rust & bone, silver linings playbook, safety not guaranteed, the acting of emily blunt & rosemarie dewitt, working the avengers premiere (scarjo + RDJ = AHH!), murakami sushi, jessie ware's "wildest moments", FYF 2012, carchella + hotella, solange's "losing you", discovering RHYE, the joy of otter pops/the tallest of giraffes, miguel's sophomore record, goldroom/ghost loft original tracks, chad valley, telling my brother to GFY, women's cousins day, smiling at joseph gordon levitt, birthday drinks with the bosser, surprise visits from papa V, g&b coffee/sqirl and catching up on jessica chastain's filmography. 

cheers for the tears and fears,

-t

what comes after this? a momentary bliss.

i apologize for the lack of programming this week. i've been trying to figure out my new daily schedule and jump into my new job. i'll catch up this weekend and by next week, will hopefully figure out how to devote a good amount of time to this sweet blog o' mine. 

love always,

-t

the dog days are over.

i began this blog because i was on a journey void of definitive paths or plans. it was supposed to chronicle my adventures with funemployment and aid in keeping the writing crayon sharp. but if you looked closely at the tone, it actually read more as a form of cathartic release. as everything outside of arms reach kept revolving, i continued to move in directions that were clouded with uncertainty but always did my best to have something special to offer to those around me.

604 posts and 28 drafts later, this blog can finally announce a distinct path. i have accepted a full-time position at gofobo. after surviving off of patience, inside jokes and tiny victories for an extended period of time, i am ridiculously excited and anxious to carve out a new routine and redefine personal successes.

but before i embark on new territory, i'd like to take a minute to recognize two things particularly close to the heart. freelancing has been an incredible piece of my life and none of it could have been possible without my former 8055. i cherish our work and collaborations with the highest reverence and feel grateful for your presence in all aspects of my life. and nothing can support that statement more than the fact that my dear blog was named after an inside joke we stumbled upon and i ceased to let you forget.

i also want to turn the spotlight towards my extended family: the xlarge store in los feliz. go spend some serious cash there because the owner, his beautiful family and island of misfit friends are some of the most genuine folks i've ever had the pleasure to spend time with. 20 years later, it's a neighborhood landmark with a legendary history packed in a two-story space and a dog named marlow guarding the door.

and of course, for everyone who offered a rotating amount of encouragement or condescension over the last two years, i love you more than coffee. and if you really knew me, there's no better or higher compliment. 

ps: this is not an april fools joke. i really did get a job. happy faces!

-t

make the most out of tonight and worry about it all tomorrow.

365 days is a lot of time to fuck up, succeed, exhilarate, dream, over eat and obsess. this year i allowed myself a certain amount of professional foolishness and adventure in exchange for a different sense of freedom against routine. i absorbed a variety of responsibilities that weren't always mine to hold, prioritized the unconventional and battled some monsters under the guise of growing up. my personal rejuvenation ultimately manifested in my friends and family who cared enough to call me crazy, but loved me regardless.

i always over-sentimentalize my actions and my farewell to 2011 is of course no different. for all of the memories that elicited joy and tears, cheers to the new year!

some of my favorite stuff this year - beginners, drive, the "we found love" video, FYF fest, james blake's "a case of you", any collabs between drake and rihanna, n-bombs in paris, parks and recreation, coffee (coffee) club (club), all things zooey and gosling, the relationship between liz lemon and jack donaghy, blake griffin's abs, the cuban sandwich @ paseo in seattle, redbox + booze nights, hiking griffith park, thai patio dates with my brother, handsome coffee roasters and the folks in the pictures below.

-t

leave that nine to five upon the shelf and just enjoy yourself.

today my little blog turns one. this time last year, everything changed and i wanted to have something that remained mine. and 302 posts later, these are all of my words and my experiences. 

this has been the craziest year of my life. filled with all ends of the spectrum, i survived and learned more about my life than i could have ever imagined. i've always been obsessed with becoming a better person and what that means not just to myself but to others. whether i've actually accomplished that still remains to be seen, but i know that i've certainly grown, changed and have kept the experiences of substance close to my heart. 

everything about the last year was about moving forward, balance and the art of letting go. the witnessing of my grandmother's unexpected passing in february is a haunting feeling that remains an issue that i'm still trying to sort through and accept. it's a solitary emotion that i'm sure will eventually heal, but has definitely made the past few months some of the most difficult. 

freelancing has also taught me a lot about self-motivation, execution and the importance of communication between a company of two. thank you gorillajedi for an entire catalogue of amazing memories that will always outlast the confines of a normal work day. 

most importantly, i'm looking forward to what's next with the people that mean the most.

-t

refresh the page, restart the memory.

the month of february wasn't too kind. so in an attempt to reconnect with the world and break free of apathetic tendencies, i'm returning to regularly scheduled blogging.

but before i turn the page on the last 36 days, i will sum up my feelings with the new single from beat wizkid, shlohmo. "places" feels like everything and anything in between, with a sharp angle towards somehow finding your way back home.

shlohmo - "places"

-t

your head will collapse when there's nothing in it.

old goal, newly rejuvenated.

-t

rule number seventeen.

2010 has definitely been the year of the unpredictable. filled with sacrifice, adventure, apologies, gratitude and imagination, this year put me in situations i'll always remember and others i'll never shake off the feeling of regret. with only a few hours left, i felt the need to look back fondly and to thank my lucky stars for not totally abandoning me.

my favorite record of the year was lcd soundsystem's this is happening (kanye you only lost out by one point), my favorite movie was split between black swan and the social network, my favorite songs featured either guest verses from drake or nicki minaj, i rediscovered how enjoyable it was to come home to a roommate (or house guest), i learned to appreciate walking around LA and it's various modes of public transportation, i drank more coffee in the past 12 months than i probably had in 12 years combined and after rent and bills were paid, the most important thing in my life remained hundreds of inside jokes and the people i shared them with. my favorite concert was sxsw day 2, my favorite location is "pizza joint corner", i customized almost every present i made, mad men's "the suitcase" was the best hour of television all year and when i care about someone, loyalty and going that extra mile are essential ways to show it.

with each year comes change and this year's challenges has left me even more obsessed with the notion of trying to become a better person. don't let me let you down 2011.

love always,

t

here, there and everywhere.

today officially marks the first day of fall.

it has been quite the summer. one of the most transitional and important summers ive had to deal with in my 26 years. summer for me officially began on june 18th. but it wasn't because of the change in weather. it all started 2 weeks before that, when i was having lunch in the middle of a forrest, getting bombarded by bad news.

suddenly there were too many emotions, questions and emptiness. as a result, for the first time in a long time i made a decision strictly for myself. i decided to leave my job. i didn't have a plan and i was tired of thinking. i really needed a break and i needed time.

in 3 years of working, i had only taken one real vacation. it was time to explore, heal and move on. this summer ive spent more money than i made, i experienced the unknown - for better or worse, i said goodbye, i drank too much, i lost 3 pounds, i opened my home to guests, i made gifts, ive been sicker than ive ever been, i made lots of ramen, i was an emotional wreck, i popped bottles of champagne, i climbed 2 stories apartment complexes and i began freelancing with one of my favorite people, for a company i believe in and love like it is my own.

and despite the side eye glances, depressing bank statements and the occasional unfriendly encounter along the way - this summer was about me. and i really needed it.

thank you to those who understood and for those that didn't, i forgive you.

fall im ready for you, let's go.

-t

listen to the girl, as she takes on half the world.

after 3 years of defining work roles, carving out daily schedules and finding comfort in routine, i decided it was time to unplug. taking with me a mountain of experience and a handful of good friends, im currently off the beaten path and am enjoying a certain lack of responsibility.

in lemans terms, im between jobs right now (#funemployed) and while trying to figure out where im going to make my next home, this blog will chronicle the next few months of my life. an indefinite summer indeed! so welcome to my temporary (work) space.

...and for those wondering about the name of this fine blog. it stems from an inside joke that originated in Austin, that cements my theory that deep down, i really am a genius (despite my awesome struggles in math and science).

so put it on a napkin and find it!
t