origins

How did I get this way? I am tracing my steps. Part One:

Madonna - First time I saw her was on American Bandstand, way back when. Before then, I thought she was black. I was totally infatuated and captivated by this girl. Dick Clark asked her what was next, she answered, To rule the world. I was sold.

Coldplay - Anthony Collins and I were sharing music that summer. I burnt him copies of Radiohead, and he burnt me a copy of Parachutes by this band called Coldplay. Anthony and I were both reading Vonnegut at the same time, by coincidence.

Haruki Murakami - Read in EW in 2007 that one of Ryan Gosling's favorite books was Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World by Haruki Murakami. That started my journey down the rabbit hole. See, celebrity endorsement works!

Current Job - I was about to graduate from college without a job lined up. I was working part time, and one of the ladies there told me there was a job opening at this place I'd never heard of. I went in for interview, and Mr. Chinn, thank goodness, only talked to me about family and stuff and didn't grill me on my skill or knowledge.

Life in the Sunset - It was 97. We were desperate for a place to live. They had an open house on Saturday. Seller's market. House was open for a couple of hours and then bids would be accepted the following Tuesday. Place was packed; we filed in and filed out. It was a little more than we thought we could afford, but it was a nice street, and a gem compared to the dumps we were seeing. We threw caution to the wind and placed a bid. First winning bid eventually fell through and we lucked out. Been here since, and other than my fear of having to ride through earthquakes in a three-story building, I am glad this is my home.

John Virtue "London No. 709" postcard - Acquired at the gift shop at the National Gallery in London in 2005. It was my favorite discovery exploring the museum that day. I'd never heard of John Virtue before. I bought four postcards in all. This one is on my bulletin board hanging above my desk.