June 17th 1987

 

My sister and my twin self were scooped out of my mothers freshly sliced open uterus in a hopsital room in lovely Fresno, CA. I was removed first and my slightly smaller sister 2 minutes later at 7:46am. We joined a brood including 3 other sisters and 2 loving parents.

 

June 2nd 1989

 

My twin sister and my self join our Mother and her daughter in the coastal town of Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA. My father moves to Sacramento to pursue a career in office furniture. He would soon join us in Carmel in 1990.

 

December 1992

 

A German fellow named Sven moves into a spare bedroom in our new home. In the states we call it an au pair or something. He takes care of my sister and I for 12 years. He eventually starts a very successful internet startup out of our spare bedroom and moves onto bigger and better things. Go Sven!

 

July 1995

 

My daring young self decides it would be fun to drive a real car. I climb inside our friend Sven's recently purchased used white station-wagon with peeling wood veneer. I proceed to release the emergency brake in my imaginary thrill ride. When the car begins rolling backward down the steep driveway I leap from the open door. The poor station-wagon died that day at the hands of a very formidable stone retaining wall. It would remain an anonymous accident only long enough for my parents to find my soccerball in the passenger seat. I was busted though they were happier I wasn't hurt.

 

November 1996

 

My very lovely oldest sister gives birth to the all too awesome Aryanna. Unfortunately my sister is not married to her boyfriend, but my family didn't care, a cute ass baby is a cute ass baby.

 

March 1997

 

A contest is held at my elementary school to design a poster about fire safety. My design takes first place in a K-8th competition and is published and given to all students. The design was basically a giant cutaway of a house  with numerous fire hazards pointed out. All rendered beautifully in Crayola!

 

February 1999

 

During my first year of Jr High a student and general aquaintance of mine commits suicide after dissapearing for 3 days. He's found hangin from a tree less then a few yards from the highway near my school. His mother read us his suicide note and I will remember those words and that day forever.

 

September 10th 2001

 

My first day of high school. I left my friends and decided to attend a private day/boarding prep school in Pebble Beach. I only knew a few kids from when I was very young but I made friends. The school was smaller then most with only 500 students but it afforded a very diverse education in arts and science.

 

November 2001

 

I get drunk for the first time in my back yard of a six pack of Corona. I remember my two friends and I went behind my guest house and drank the beers and then threw the bottles into the forest behind my house. A few weeks later I would smoke marijuana with those same friends on my roof.

 

June 17th 2003

 

I hit the open road! I get my drivers license on my 16th birthday. I dont miss any points on the written portion and only 3 points on the driving test because I didn't signal early enough. My twin sister was not allowed to get her license on our birthday. She had been caught for shoplifting a toering from Macys the month before. My parents made her wait an extra month.

 

May 20th 2005

 

On his way to a house party I was attending my friend Stephan died in a car accident. He was alone. He was driving too fast and lost control of his SUV. The car hit a tree and he died instantly. I spent that night with his mother and sister in their home and there are no words that can give justice to the pain we felt.

 

May 26th 2005

 

I graduate from high school. A bittersweet time after losing a friend.

 

July 2005

 

I leave the U.S. of A for Europe. I backpack through various countries for a few months before attending school at the American University of Paris.

It was an incredible experience and I can't wait to go back!

 

January 2006

 

I move to Los Angeles and begin school at Whittier College. I Spend the semester bouncing between my dorm and the couch at my friends apartment. The next semester I would start my foundation year at Otis College of Art and Design!

 

September 2008

 

I quit my job at a vegan smoothie bar after being offered a job by one of our "regulars" to work at his art gallery. At the time I knew nothing about the contemporary art world and honestly I still don't, but it's an incredible job I still work today and I'm eternally greatful for the opportunity!

 

March 20th 2009

 

My mother Alison dies. She became very ill and went into the hospital the day I got home for spring break. She died 5 days later. We still don't know why she was sick and we never will. But I will always love and miss her. She's responsible for every artistic bone in my body and I owe all my talent to her. And I will honor that talent for the rest of my life.

 

 

Historical Context:

 

June 17th 1987 : Me and my twin were born. Its the circle of life, one death becomes two lives!

The final living Dusky Seaside Sparrow dies, bringing with it the extinction of an entire species of bird. The birds were killed with the volatile pesticide DDT. The final 4 living speicmens were taken to Disney World in 1983 to live in a protected habitat. The last bird "orange band" went blind and died on June 17th, 1987.

 

 

June 2nd 1989 : I move to Carmel, Not sure how significant this is but It was a big event in history and it definitely changed my life (moving to Carmel)

Ayatollah Komeini Dies in Iran and the Tiananmen Square Massacre takes place the next day in Beijing.

 

December 1992 : Our German Au Pair moves in, I guess we were accepting a foreign culture into our lives, as was America with Gangster Rap.

The infamous rapper Dr. Dre releases the album entitle "The Chronic" Bringing gangster west coast rap to the masses. Considered to be the best produced rap album of all time. Also the Greek oil tanker Aegean Sea runs aground spilling 80,000 tons of "cargo".

 

July 1995 : I crashed a Sven's car this month, and Iraq is disarming itself? But Windows 95 helped launch Svens career in the Computer biz!

Iraq is embroiled in the disarmament crisis. They threaten to end all cooperation with UNSCOM and IAEA. Iraq admits to possesion of biological weapons. Also Windows 95 is launched.

 

November 1996 : We get Clinton for 4 more years and my niece is Born! Those were a good 4 years!

Mr. President Bill Clinton defeats the republican know as Bob Dole to win his re-election. Four more years!

 

March 1997 : I won an award for a poster design and Aliens fly over Phoenix! But theres no cloning allowed.

 

The freshly re-elected president places a nationwide ban on human cloning. A few days later the infamous "Phoenix Lights" are seen over Phoenix, AZ. And the Comet Hale-Bopp is closer then ever before!

 

February 1999 : A kid at my school kills himself but Pluto is closer to Earth then ever before!

Hugo Chavez becomes President of Venezuela. Pluto becomes second-to-last for a few days when It moves closer to the sun then Neptune. It won't get the opportunity again until 2231.

 

September 11th 2001 : I started High School the day before, so It was a very interesting way to begin my career as a student.

Terrorists attack the World Trade Center buildings 1,2, and 7. Also the Pentagon is partially destroyed and a small field in Shanksville, PA. 3,000 people die.

 

November 2001 : I got drunk for the first time and I'm sure the Pope would have sent me an e-mail with his disapproval.

Pope John Paul send the first papal e-mail from his office in Vatican City. The People's Republic of China is finally allowed into the WTO after 15 years of deliberation.

 

June 17th 2003 : I get my Drivers License! And people go nuts! Martha goes to jail, huge hail falls in Nebraska and a dude goes all Highlander in a Grocery Store.

Martha Stewart is indicted for insider trading and fraud. The largest hailstone ever lands in Aurora, Nebraska, and a crazy guy kills two people at an Alberstons in Irvine with a sword.

 

May 20th 2005: My friend loses his life in a car accident while Curious George survives another attempt on his.

A hand grenade is thrown at President George W. Bush in the country of Georgia. Stubbornly the grenade malfunctions and did not detonate.

And W. Mark Felt is confirmed to be the infamous "Deep Throat" of the Watergate scandal.

 

July 2005 :  I go back to Europe to go backpacking. And I chase Lance all over Grenoble and Brescia!

U.S. Athlete Lance Armstrong wins his 7th Tour de France. (And I was actually there!!!) 

 

January 2006: I return to the United States as the Stardust mission returns with stardust!

NASA's Stardust mission is the first to officially obtain and return the space dust from a Comet.

 

September 2008 : I start my job at an art gallery. And we knowingly get hit  by an meteor that luckily missed the first commercial spaceflight.

The SpaceX Falcon 1 becomes the first commercially developed space craft to reach orbit. Hailing a new frontier in space tourism. The meteoroid 2008 TC3 becomes the first previously discovered celestial body to impact Earth.

 

March 20th 2009 : My Mother passes away but life goes on and so does our search for life outside our solar system.

NASA's Keplar Mission is launched. The first space photometer sent to look for "extrasolar life" or life beyond our solar system.