memoir

Showing 15 posts tagged memoir

Our first night in the new apartment. I love New York, but in the past two weeks, SF has felt more like home. There’s a sense of space here, should you choose, to step back and consider the value of ideas before jumping into the stream. Perhaps the honeymoon will end soon, but I’m excited at all the opportunities that a new city affords. High-res

Our first night in the new apartment.

I love New York, but in the past two weeks, SF has felt more like home. There’s a sense of space here, should you choose, to step back and consider the value of ideas before jumping into the stream. Perhaps the honeymoon will end soon, but I’m excited at all the opportunities that a new city affords.

Lame attempt at emo metaphor: I have been feeling anxious recently and I think that comes from not being in control of everything and not being able to see around all the corners in ahead — clarity would help; but sometimes when the fog rolls in, it’s time to just stand still for a minute and think about how awesomely beautiful the moment is.

Oh - and California sun? Pretty good for the brain.

I just came back from the Inaugural festivities invigorated. Some quick thoughts.

Mobile phones/cameras were everywhere.

I went with a friend who is probably the only person left alive that does not have a Facebook account. When I asked if he could send me some of his photos later, he replied “Yeah, I’ll send you a Dropbox link”. And on the bus to and from DC, the passengers in front of me were scrolling through… Flipboard. Very Thomas Friedman-esque (ugh), I know, but excited about companies that are making a dent outside of our tech bubble. Oh, “Great shot- see it on Instagram!” was used too many times.

Most important - I was taken aback at the energy and enthusiasm surrounding Barack Obama’s second inauguration, especially from the African-American community. Unfortunately, I’m not used to being around a lot of black people, and my exposure to the community has basically been guys I play ball with, a few friends from college, and random passerbys on the street. This weekend, I saw so many African-American faces: there were families and dads and moms and cute little kids and grandmas and elegant ladies in fur coats and mustachioed men dressed to the nines. Walking among the crowds, everyone was super polite — humor was a universal solution to the congestion and long lines — kind, warm and engaging. It felt like going to church with a few hundred thousand of your super cool aunts and uncles. It felt like being dropped into the middle of picnic that you kind of knew was going on but didn’t really ever participated in.

I think this was a side of African-American community that should be more visible in our culture, where history and families and pride and dialogue all mixed together in warm embrace.

I’m really glad I went. More photos to come!

Just fired up Snapchat

J:
Hey! Add me on Snapchat! snap chat.com/macaroony

A:
oh hell no

J:
Fuck all the designs lets just draw disappearing penises and tits on photos

A:
dammit have you been drinking again?

J:
[curls into fetal position]

Personal thoughts on 2012

2012 was a year of transition and introspection. I traveled a lot.

In the beginning of the year, my role at Tumblr was to build on our international growth. I got to meet Gina and had great adventures together in South America and Europe. It was a surreal chapter where I’d start days in boardrooms and end days laughing with new friends. I spent most days following the cultural scent and met some of the most creative young people on the planet.

I’ll keep these memories forever:

  • A birthday party in a Rio favela.
  • A rooftop party overlooking an Niemeyer classic.
  • The Chilean government’s war room.
  • An artist’s apartment of musty books and splotches of fresh paint.
  • The lights over Sugarloaf and Corcovado.
  • Beers, smiles, and samba under arches
  • A boat ride without the sun.
  • Running from tear gas with Chilean students.
  • Meeting Jimmy Wales in a London eating club.
  • A balcony. Smoking. Travelers talking as if old friends. Candles.

But while on the road I felt energized, I was deflated when I returned to the office. Why, I wondered. Tumblr is an awesome product! I had to admit that I loved tech, but I was burned out by the tech culture. I loved dialogue, but I was fatigued by the echo chamber. I wanted to be creative and love my work, but I found myself at odds with a lot of things.

So I left Tumblr around the middle of the year to… travel. This time to figure out what I wanted to do, what I loved to do and what I’d want to learn from life. So instead of meetings and presentations, I swapped my laptop for a backpack and camera. I spent time writing (with a pen!) and reading and probing the tension I had between my digital overconsumption and love of creating things to be consumed.

I made time for friends again. Got some inspiration in South America, the West Coast, and Canada, talking about anything but tech. Got my taco fix, too. Biked more. Discovered the outer boroughs of New York. Spent some time to let ideas and thoughts marinate.

I’m thankful I had the time to figure some things out. Most people don’t get the opportunity. Towards the end of the year I realized that I wanted to build something that I would like to use and that I would find useful. So in the early months of this year, I’ll try to do just that. And standing at the beginning of 2013, for the first time in a while, I’m excited.

I had the most wonderful dream last night where I broke into tears reading a poem that spoke so blisteringly true about humanity and kindness and the space between all of us, and I was quoting quoting murmuring the words… until I awoke.