Freshman year of college, I was so heartbroken I would take pictures of puddles because she loved the rain. I would walk out of the school library at night, press play on Drake and enter the Emo Sing Along Zone: “bum. Bum. Bum. …I CAN SEE IT IN YOUR EYES, YOURE ANGRY, REGRET GOT SHIT ON WHAT YOURE FEELING NOW, MAD, CAUSE HE AINT LIKE ME…”
Yikes. big yikes.
I drove to the bay area from San Diego this past week for Christmas (a chill 7 and a half hour drive) and listened to that Drake album while driving highway 5. For highly necessary context, I was singing along but frequently needed to take the songs up an octave because my voice is not as deep as Drake’s. Nothing says manly like suddenly switching up the octave. I guess nothing says manly like a sing-along in the car to Drake either…
In the song, Shot for Me by Drake, he calls out his ex girls and cockily reminds them how much he influenced them in the below lyrics:
“The way you walk, that’s me. The way you talk, that’s me. The way you got your hair up, did you forget that’s me…”
Shockingly, I never had this kind of influence on anybody I dated. Sure, I am a positive guy so maybe some of my optimism rubbed off? maybe. But influencing how she speaks?? I doubt any of my exes adopted my habit of rubbing their hands together real fast and shouting, Let’s Go baby!! when they get excited.
If Nicole and I ever broke up and I needed to Drake away my sorrows, I would create more accurate lyrics for my Shot For Me Remix:
The many cool pants I have, that’s you The way I love Criminal Minds, that’s you The fly as fuck Veja shoes that I wear everywhere, that’s you But the way I put a second r every time I say asparaGRUS, that’s me, definitely only meEee
My grandma frequently reminds me that I have a Grand Trine in my astrological chart. A Grand Trine means that I am a lucky person, and I certainly am. This past April, I was furloughed. But, on my first day of unemployment, I had an urge to write. Once I started writing, I could not stop. I felt such a connection to the process of writing that I knew I would be doing this for the rest of my life. That article ultimately (after months of re-writing) became Living the Dream (link).
7 years ago, I was a sad, heartbroken college freshman, addicted to Drake, who wondered why people thought college was so fun. However, 7 years ago was also my college orientation and the first time I met Nicole. Sure, it took a while- but it is mind blowing how much incredible stuff can come from our hardest moments.
I know 2020 was horrible. There were many painful days and months. But as cliché as this Phoenix Rising From The Ashes message is, I cannot ignore how important corona virus has been for my creative self. Would I have ever started writing?
I am excited for 2021 and am having such a good time living in San Diego. Making progress on my writing is exciting. I just had shoulder surgery on Tuesday but Nicole spoiled me with French toast this morning, so life is good. Very good.
I love you all very much. Cheers to peace and fun in the new year!! LFG baby!!!
