15 things I've learned so far about life at 34.

1. Sometimes you must send a lot of love out to “many” people before you get one person to love you back
2. Always give people a chance. First impressions are so often misinterpreted and sometimes second impressions still aren’t enough. Some of the most magnificent people I’ve met may seem awful at first. Some of the worse people I’ve known charmed the hell of me when I first met them.
3. I’ve come close to dying so many times in life. I’ve survived two near fatal car wrecks, been electrocuted twice, OD’d twice, been hit by 4 cars on my bike and I once was jumped and beaten to death than found in a dumpster half dead (just for a pair a shoes, a cheap watch and a twenty dollar bill.) Still, I never feared death until I truly fell in love. Today I find myself concerned for my well being the first time just as much as hers, because I couldn’t bare the thought of being unable to look her in the eyes and touch her.
4. Its never the drug or addiction; it’s the demons inside that person that makes them unbearable. We will always have addictions, sometimes you can try to keep them at a low number or you can be like me and try to have as many as possible, but hit em all in moderation – be creative with it. If you’re an asshole you’re an asshole when you’re high and when you are sober. I think that’s where your common AA goes wrong. Teach people to get over their selves not dwell on what makes them want to get high and put all the blame somewhere else. Take responsibility for your own actions.
5. I’m a total douchebag when I drink too much. Only get drunk when you are in the safe company of other douchebags.
6. My 30s have been a time for accepting myself for all my many flaws. I am very sensitive, overly emotional, sometimes self-absorbed and a big drama queen. Learn to make fun of yourself so than you start taking yourself less serious and people around you will appreciate that. Learn to enjoy when people take the time to make fun of you or start viscous rumors. Thank people for taking the time to even think about you no matter how much bad energy they wasted spiting you. Remember everything can be turned into a big joke if you spin it the right way.
7. Give and trust and give and trust. People are gonna fuck you over forever, just know that eventually down the road when people get over themselves and pull their head out of their own asses they will thank you in the future and maybe buy you a beer sometime.
8. I love beer.
9. IPAs are my favorite and one of the best things I love about Chicago land is the delicious craft breweries, mmmmmm – Zombie Dust by Three Floyd’s sounds delicious right now. Three Floyd’s is an amazing brewery - way to go Munster Indiana!!!
10. Chicago has the worse weather in the universe. We are out of our fricking minds for living here. No wonder this city is full of a bunch of drunks, but it does take a lot of heart I have to give you that.
11. Art is about collaboration and patience. Don’t push creativity. Sometimes I quit a medium for years at a time only to pick it up again when the universe inspires me. Contribute to creation. Stop claiming to be an artist. You are nothing without an audience… your work can be all shit and you don’t even really exist without us.
12. I love Nebbia even though you haven ‘t seen it yet, maybe sometime when you leave the comfort of your favorite bar, club, social group and neighborhood perhaps you can some see it and appreciate what my collective has done with the space, but everyday it gets more beautiful and we grow stronger together. It’s built on love for creativity and collaboration; I wish the rest of the world could be.
13. Age is always relative. I’m sure many people learned some of these points 10 years before I did, but I have to say these points have came so relevant recently that I appreciate seeing them now in such great color, but I do not regret my past – not one bit. I’ve been around, down in the darkest holes imaginable and up on the highest clouds, but I’m getting over myself and I promise to be patient with you until you do the same.
14. Learn to enjoy the curves of life. Horrible, unimaginable things are ahead of us, but if we learn to keep our hearts open – you’ll see all the doors that open. The trail of life has endless obstacles and everything will happen just they way it was suppose to. The most tragic things in my life have opened doors to the greatest moments and achievements.