Photos « Sketchism

Last night I saw the film The Wrestler, the portrait of a lonely professional wrestler reaching his last days as a performer. It must be a very sobering feeling to reach those final days. I suppose I’ve seen my share of final days, but somehow I’ve always maintained the perspective of starting something new, eager about what’s to come next. I’ve always walked ahead, not really caring to look back, but lately I’ve wrestled with some thoughts of my own.

Today I began walking after a heavy meal at Chipotle. Living in a suburb where everything is slightly spread out, walking is somewhat of an unexpected form of transportation. But on this Sunday afternoon I decided to leave the car parked in that strip mall lot as I began walking west. I let the evening provide its own soundtrack: cars zooming by, leaves swaying in the cool breeze, the murmurs of strangers and the laughter (not to mention the whining) of children.

I began thinking about my life as an amateur traveler. Something inside me yearns to see the world, one city at a time. I thought back at my experience a year ago in the city of Chicago. I went alone with nothing but my messenger bag, one bag of luggage, and a few gadgets to help me document the following days. Day after day I just walked, in awe of the high rises and skyscrapers that surrounded me. The city grabbed my heart and caressed it with wonder and curiosity. There were silent moments in those winter days as I strolled down each sidewalk, watching my breath form temporary clouds of mist that disappeared with each step. I’d walk and look around, soaking in the moments, hearing the subways screech above, only stopping to take another photo or to rest at one of the millions of Starbucks in every corner. Those were wonderful days, short as they were.

And so here I was today, entering a shopping mall and I continued walking, watching the families stroll, bags in hand. The young men were sitting on benches, taking a break from their own purchases. I’d glance at the venders in their kiosks thinking to myself how dreadful it must be to sit there watching so many people walk back and forth, most of them avoiding eye contact so as not to hear another sales pitch.

I did a bit of reflecting, realizing that I’m a free man. Here I am, single, graduated, debt-free, a heart full of ambition, a head full of wonder, working a job that I love, creating artwork that I’m proud of, ready to take on the world by the horns. But now what?

Where will I go? What will I learn? What kind of man do I want to be? These are heavy thoughts I’ve been exploring in the recent months. Although I’m in no particular rush to answer the above questions, walking around today helped me realize their importance. I look forward to continuing these walks to help me eventually get to those answers, one step at a time.

A few other things on my mind:

Piano lessons begin this Thursday night. I can’t wait!

I just purchased the Vagabonding book, for that extra push of encouragement in my need to travel the world.

Question: What are my commitments to my family? I’ve been the odd one out for so long, it feels like a good time to continue that role as I head out into the world.

Question: Where am I spending my time and money? Where do I want to spend it?

Request: Anybody want to open their home to me? If I could find a place to stay for a weekend I’ll fly out to your city and hang out. I can promise good conversations, artsy photos, and I’ll treat you to a dessert or two. Oh, and I’m very clean. Let me know via the comments or shoot me an email – david [at] sketchism.com

And so with that, I welcome you back to your regularly schedule program of images. Here’s a slideshow of my Saturday full of dim sum, mall breakdancers, and the amazing artwork by Dani girl, aka Knee.