I’ve been making arrangements lately to leave this life o’ mine here. Temporarily. I don’t know for how long. Hopefully, I will be gone no longer than a month.

I’m spending the next few days wrapping up projects. Tending to this and that before I break for intermission.

A really happy moment I wanted to share with you: In the last few days, I did a pregnancy shoot for some good friends of mine. They’re such wonderful people. (I know they read this so I have to say that. No, they really are.) Anyway, it was great seeing them and I’m really happy with the results. When I look through photos that I’ve taken, the shots capturing important moments in their lives have been some of my favorites. A birthday, a wedding, and now a pregnancy. I’m glad I’ve been there for that. And I’m glad I’ve been able to give back a little to them for their friendship. Thanks guys. You’re awesome.

They’re actually the people that advised I get business cards made that read:

ipanemic.com photography
Birthdays, Bar Mitzvahs, & Porn!

Funny.

It would be fitting, although, you know… not in porn. Art, people. Art.

Seriously. (Except for bits and pieces, I suppose.)

Back to what I was saying (because I do tend to get off-topic), yesterday, working under the assumption that I will return to this beach, I rented a storage unit. A small place to keep what few belongings I have. And there I saw what I already knew: Miami’s homeless rent storage spaces. They rent small places to keep what few belongings they have.

About a year and a half ago, I met a fellow on the beach who told me that he lived like this. Every month he got a certain amount of money from sources unknown. Disability, let’s say. He spent some of it on storage and then ate inexpensive meals until the money ran out at which point he would do what so many of the homeless do in South Beach and rummage through the trash bins dotting this island. You know, the green bins all over Lincoln Road and Ocean Drive. And Washington Ave. He would tell me what good meals you could get on the beach. From the bins. He would sleep wherever he found refuge each night. Then, in the mornings, he would collect what he needed from his “home” and head to one of his familiar haunts to sit down and read whatever latest book he’s checked out from the public library. This is his life.

And it’s the life of many here. When I was describing the scene to my roommate last night, he only asked, “You’re not thinking of doing that, are you?”

I would be lying if I said that I haven’t considered it. Many, many times. Many. But no, I’m not. Instead, I’m heading elsewhere. Somewhere with a roof. I have that option. I’m fortunate that I do.

So I’m going there to focus. I haven’t been able to get stuff done here. Not as much lately as I’d like. I really need to concentrate a little more than normal. The problem with having multiple personality disorder is that you frequently need to regroup. And it’s not always easy pulling the whole team together.

Anyway, I’m going to be out for a bit. I’ll still be updating. Snapshots of life here, snapshots of life there. I’ve got such a ridiculous amount of photos and video of this place that, were I not announcing my time off, I could keep up a facade of actually living here for a while with you being none the wiser. But that would just be silly.

I should be leaving within the next few days.

Bonus

New song, PA1974. Downloadable mp3 here.

Or listen here:

PA1974

Update: The mp3 files are getting cut short in the player for some reason. About 14 seconds off the end, roughly. The downloaded version works okay. Weird. Need to solve that.