Spotted: by Lake Merritt in Oakland, CA
Occupation: Artist
Where are you from?
I lived in the Bay Area for a while, but I have been living in LA for the past 11 years. I guess I'm also from Alaska—that's where I was born. I'm totally representing with the shirt too!
You were born in Alaska!? What brought you to the great state of California?
My dad decided to quit being an attorney and study theology and philosophy instead, so he brought me and my mom with him. It was pretty cool.
Were you into the move? How old were you when you moved out here?
I was six and I was pretty horrified by leaving all my friends, but I heard there were palm trees in California and that seemed exciting.
Are you still excited when you see palm trees?
I mostly think about how I read in the paper one time that it costs about $80,000 to buy a palm tree now.
So, you're still living in LA, but you're on vacation?
Yeah, we're just on a trip up here. Staying with some friends and doing whatever.
Do you have a lot of friends here, even though you have been away for so long?
When I got up here I realized that there are a lot of people that I still know!
I really love the color of your hair. That's why I stopped you. Do you do it yourself?
Yeah, it was pretty impulsive. My friends and I were coming up here for Pride and we were like, "let's put some color in our lives!"
Where did you get your hotpants?
Oh, in Santee Alley in LA. It's where you can get a lot of really cheap clothes.
What about your rings? They're awesome!
This one (silver hand) is one my mom's boyfriend made in the 70's and this other one (pearl Buddha) is one my mom found in Utah. [found?] Yeah, like on the ground.
What was your favorite part about Pride?
It was cool to be out on the street with a million other people! I went to something called "weird party" and there was a really good band called Limp Wrist. There was a mosh pit situation, but everybody was really nice and considerate. In the middle of the mosh pit people were rowdily hugging each other.
When was the last time you said "I love you" and meant it?
Probably like, a week ago. I said it quite a few times right before I left, when I was hanging out with my housemates who I'm really close to, some old friends and a person that I'm seeing—just getting really sentimental.
What is the best advice you have ever received?
I felt very lost as a teenager and my mom was like, "Yeah, it doesn't really get easier." I mean, it sounds harsh right now, but it was comforting at the time. It's like you just get older and you're doing a lot more stuff, it's not like you'll reach this point, and then you'll have a turn around and everything will work out.
When was the last time that you cried?
This morning, when I woke up and looked out the window. I had an intense dream and I woke up thinking "that is not my life." I cry a lot though.
Is there anything that you have been really thinking about?
I have been feeling really surprised at the changes in the landscape in the Bay Area. I haven't seen a bunch of these places for 15 or 20 years. But actually the more profound things to me are the things that haven't changed. [Like What?] Well, like Children's Fairyland, right there! I used to go there as a child. I am just sort of realizing that my little chunk of perspective is really, really small.
