I know, I know. I’m late. 

Oh well. 

Took me awhile to shake off the travel doldrums. Colorado was beautiful, but it sure knocked the wind out of me. That’s what happens whenever I travel. Maybe I need to start eating more vegetables or something? Or start running again. Something to get my energy level back up after I do major travels like that.

Anyways. I’m back. Almost back at full capacity. Here are 5 things going on with me:

1  WHEN IN DENVER - So yeah, I spent some time up in the mountains last last weekend. Shot a wedding. Visited with friends. Trekked Red Rocks. Drove by a very full Bronco stadium (and laughed on the inside because we beat them on the Superbowl and last week’s game - bwahahaha!).

Anyways. Colorado was an unexpected trip of sorts. But I’m glad I went. The open night sky was gorgeous! Seriously, I wish I took some time just resting under those stars. It was kind of nice being away from city life and just have some time overlooking nature at its best. 

2  FALL IS HERE - Hey you guys, it’s officially fall. Which happens to be my favorite time of year! 

I’d normally get really excited about the leaves changing color and sweater weather - but we don’t get that here in LA. Bah.

I’m so tempted to jump on a plane and go experience real autumn in like NYC or back home in Seattle. I’ll pass for now … because, you know, travel doldrums. Maybe in a month or so.

Besides that - only one more week until Pumpkin Chocolate Chip cookies!!

3  WHICH ALSO MEANS, FALL TV IS HERE - Somehow I didn’t even realize that fall TV came back. It snuck up on me! 

I think Netflix has really changed the way we watch television. The normal calendar for it has really shifted in the last few years. Especially now that there’s mid-season shows, summer shows, catching up on a full season of Brooklyn NIne Nine on Hulu, binging on two seasons of Orange is the New Black as a whole on Netflix … yeah, and then all these news shows just popped up out of the blue and I’m just not ready to get fully invested in them.

But I did happen to go to a Fall TV Panel Review recently with some of the best critics in the industry. They raved about a few shows and dumped on a couple others.

The one they could not stop talking about was Jane The Virgin. Apparently it’s supposed to be really good! 

I already watched Gotham (hello Ben McKenzie), Selfie (hilarious and look! Jon Cho!), and A to Z (talk about meet cute). We’ll see if those are worth sticking around for.

I’m going to hard pass on Red Band Society. I was bored yo.

4  HEYO. MY NERD WAX CAME IN - And it’s keeping my glasses up like promised!

Woot! Proud to be one of the first owners of this little chapstick-like tube thingie that’ll keep my specs in place on hot days or whenever I make gyoza.

You should buy some too!

5  SHIFTING INTO A HIGHER GEAR - I’ve recently decided to up my game when it comes to my photography. There’s been a lot of work work work, but not a lot of brand awareness. 

I’m almost happy with my portfolio (still and always will be a work in progress). I think it’s ready to be shopped around a bit. 

I’m signed on again with Rebecca of I Heart Reps. We planning on some legit marketing efforts here. And then I’ll most likely pair up with Agency Access to gain some traction on the ad agency front. 

It really took some guts to decide to do this now, but I think the timing is right. And I’m sure God is going to bless it. 

So yeah. Prayers. I’m excited - wish me luck!

Hi friends. 

I kind of took a hiatus with the 5TT posts there. I did write some … or start to. But it kind of just got emotionally heavy and I couldn’t finish. I should probably still share. Because in this world of Social Media/Image Management - it’s easy to filter what you want the world to see you as and not necessarily when things are tough. 

For me, I usually try to wear my heart on my sleeve, but when it’s my friends that are hurting or going through a tough time I just feel for them. I grieve with them. And that’s why I took a breather. 

There were still some things that happened, but in light of the bigger picture they didn’t seem to matter as much.

A recap of what would have been in my posts:

• My excitement that football is back and the sadness I have that I don’t have cable
• An equal amount of excitement that fall television is back as well, including the sneak peek of The Mindy Project’s season 2 episode which also features James Franco
  
• Which would have segued into the Franco Roast which was high-larious (nothing like watching those guys burn each other over and over)
  
• The fact that the 2 episodes that I worked on as a Production Designer are finally being edited. Hopefully one day we’ll be able to see it!
  
• There is a possibility that I may go on a trip to Uganda in December - things are still in the works but I’ll fill you in later.
  

And well here’s what I wrote two weeks ago that I left on the docket. And now I share with you because their story is still beautiful and I know that the Lord is still with them through all of this.  

REJOICING & GRIEVING WITH FRIENDS - Some dear, dear friends of mine experienced quite the emotional roller coaster ride within these last couple weeks. 

So unexpectedly, they went into early labor and gave birth to a stillborn baby boy. I didn’t get a chance to meet him but I hear that he is beautiful and precious and perfect in so many ways. 

I rejoice with them because baby Jonathan Alexander was a blessing. And I grieve because he was swept away so quickly.

But I absolutely love what a friend had said about baby Jonathan: 

“Never had I felt such overwhelming joylike that holding a baby. {Spencer has younger brothers that he’s been able to hold at birth.} Never. I looked down (I apologize for being blunt here) at his tiny body, double cleft pallet, thinking about his stomach and his lifelessness… and you guys I swear to you when I say this; he was the most perfect baby I had ever seen. He was perfection. And I couldn’t get that out of my head, because that just doesn’t make any logical sense. I couldn’t get it out my head. I looked at him and all his physical imperfections, but he was the image of perfection to me. That’s when it hit me; that is how Jesus sees us. We are spiritually lifeless, double cleft palleted, stillborns and yet through Christ we are redeemed and perfect. It was such a gift to see his physical flaws but to only register the purest and most perfect love looking at him. It was amazing guys. Your son was so beautiful.”

Read the whole birth story HERE.

I visited them recently and didn’t know what else to do besides just pray and listen and love them. And cry. I did a lot of crying. But when there’s heartache, you share in that. And that’s what life has been like lately.

Still moving. But when it stops, sometimes it gets heavy.

And sometimes you have to let that feeling flesh out and cry.

It’s OK. Because no matter what - God is still good.

That’s what I’m holding on to here.

Sorry about my absence. I did some traveling, then was wiped out from shooting a wedding, and then had to deal with the Los Angeles heatwave. It was a crazy week that left me with no energy. 

But I’m back. After that mini hiatus. And I’ve brought you a lovely acoustic session by Young The Giant. It’s quite lovely.

Enjoy!

Hello.

Sorry this post is coming at you late. I really had a hard time this week coming up with five things to share with you. Anyways, I’m at the airport right now and I have about 45 minutes to whip something up. 

Let’s see if it’ll happen!  Here you go, five things:

1  FREE STUFF - You guys, I’m not lying when I say I’ve been rockin the free stuff lately. It’s one of the perks of living in Los Angeles! Just a couple weeks ago I talked about the free movie screening for Let’s Be Cops for Lamorne’s birthday.

Well, I got to do a couple more free things this past week:

This Is Where I Leave You- courtesy of Gilt City Los Angeles

Not only did we get to watch this movie 10 days before it’s released, but it came with free dinner! Hooray for the Grilled Cheese Truck. Plus, the movie was really good. There were some tears, lots of laughter, great moments in there. And it’s jam-packed with amazing actors. All their performances were amazing.

Other bonus points: The music is rad, Ben Schwartz is hilarious, and Connie Britton has the prettiest hair in the world. 

Mulaney & Friends - courtesy of Fox Studios 

I also got to go to a small private comedy show at The Largo where John Mulaney and some of his castmates each did a set. It was quite hilarious!

Mulaney had some new material. Zack and Seaton (pictured below) were both hilarious. And I saw Nasim Pedrad and stood right in front of her for like two seconds. It was one of those crazy celebrity spotting moments where you’re like “woah - you were on SNL.”

2  COFFEE CONVERSATIONS - This past week has been quite the week for random coffee meetups. I’ve been doing this thing lately where I’m literally just asking to buy people a cup of coffee so we can talk shop.

I recently met up with a very busy Art Producer and picked her brain on the business side of things. How it all works, what’s the best plan of action for someone like me, what advice can she give, etc etc. And she was like, “dude just keep shooting, keep reaching out, keep taking on jobs.” 

Same advice that I’m always given. Which is golden. Sharpening your craft takes a long time of just doing.

And then I met up with another photographer. He’s kind of all over the place, taking everything from student portraits to Bar Mitzvahs to photographing for the Emmy’s. Yeah, he’s pretty legit. Especially since he’s been doing it for over 20 years. So it was awesome to talk to him for over an hour. Plus now I might be revamping his website and overall online presence. So learn more and get a new gig. It’s a win/win.

3  THE DAILY EDIT / HOW THEY DID THE WALKING DEAD COVERS - So I love a few things … I love The Walking Dead. photography, magazine cover art, and I love love love creative process.  And well, this article actually covered all this this week. 

Check it out!

4  ONE OF MY PHOTOS WAS RECENTLY FEATURED IN A SKINTIMATE COMMERCIAL - So my photo was the one at the 0:05 second mark. It’s really no big deal, but then again it kind of is. So I had to share it with you!

5  NYC, WE’LL NEVER FORGET - It’s a little bittersweet being at the airport today. To imagine what went down 13 years ago. And what it did to our country.

It reminds me to pay respects to those fallen, both the attacked and the heroes who tried to save them.  And to honor our troops every day for their service. And to pray for what continues to go on in our world today. 

You guys, this song is my JAM. Just had to share. 

BOOM. Enjoy.