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LOVE

I love getting to hear how people met the love of their life. This is my grandparents’ story.

HOW THEY MET

PAINTINGS

Gerhard Richter said something like, “painting can communicate feelings we don’t have words for,” and I love getting to do that.

Plus, most people don’t care if your brother feels alone in a crowd but a stranger in Germany paid $500 to hang my depiction of it on his wall.

“I Was Standing in the Ocean Thinking, “Wow, This is Beautiful,” but I’m Unsatisfied”

“Fighting Instincts”

“Recalibrating”

“Four Years”

“Two Living Rooms”

“I Had a Dream My Therapist Shared His Office with a Mexican Restaurant”

“Broken Foundations”

“Save the Date”

“Trejo’s”

“Alone in a Crowd”

POEM

A feeling/experience I did have words for.

NEW CONVERSATIONS

I noticed you months ago
It took a few more months
For me to acknowledge that, though
But one day I finally did
So we exchanged all the pleasantries
And then found things in common
We kept it casual and polite
Until the other night
When I filled up my water bottle
Where you sharpened your pencil
And one of us served the tennis ball
And we played for over an hour
And I thought about it after
And I just really love conversations

I wait for you to think and speak
So I can say something I’ve said
To the last person I did this with
Hoping for a new reaction, I guess
A new solution to these problems
Lacing our generation with stress

As you tell me what you eat for breakfast
I realize you’re not what I expected
But you’re not what I didn’t expect
You’re surprisingly self-deprecating
So I politely play devil's advocate
Even though I'm just finding out who you are
And you’re doing the same to me, I think.

And then there’s a chance for a break
But you don’t take it, so
We just keep playing:
Back and forth
Back and forth
Back and forth
Back and forth

We once lived in the same place
At the same time
But never crossed paths until
We left that milestone behind
We had similar dreams
And now face the same reality
Because everything we thought we wanted
Is nothing like what it seemed it’d be
And I share my therapist's point of view
And you hesitate, then say you have a therapist too

And we’re back to talking about familiar places
Since that’s fun to do with new ears
And we show each other photos
Of our ten-years-ago hairs
Then exchange emails
Since we have more things we want to share

And honestly, I have no idea where this will go
If it even goes anywhere
But someone else I once played with
Said this is their favorite game
And all I can say is this is my perfect night
Since I feel exactly the same.