skrapnel

My heart is glowing today. I’m so grateful for what I have. I’m thankful to be alive.

It’s been a year since I was laid off. In that year, I’ve moved to a new city to launch a company. I don’t have much money. I don’t have a lot of material things. But I do have a great team and I’m surrounded by people I love. The future looks so bright.

One of the things about Berlin that I loved was the sense of camaraderie and community that everyone had. Everyone was a struggling something-or-other, and everyone was living their dream. In San Francisco, it kinda felt like everyone was looking out for themselves, like some race to the top. Don’t get me wrong, I loved my colleagues at SHIFT and met tons of amazing people–but on the whole, everyone was really too busy to pursue the things they loved.

Austin reminds me of a level-headed Berlin. In Berlin, the frenzy of the city could get a little crazy. Austin, on the other hand, always feels nice and even keeled–even at its craziest. Whether in tech, music, art or even marketing, this city is full of so many creative people who gather in very active and vibrant communities. You don’t feel alone, and that’s makes a huge difference.

Kinda rambling, but the point is: I’m in a city I love, surrounded by people I love, doing what I love.

SO, um, Geocities is closing tonight.  Here’s the bio I wrote for my Geocities site in Feb of 2000. Can you tell I was 1) young and 2) had ADD? It’s funny, I still sorta have the same writing style on the blogs. 10 years ago, I never thought I’d be writing daily!

Not sure if any of the links still work. Click at your own risk.

Bio

My name is Apollo Twelvethirteen….well, not really.  The internet is all about chosen identities, so I chose this one.

Apollo comes from the Sun God.  He’s awesome! He is the god of music, truth, and healing.  He is all about balance in one’s life and he has the body I want.  Plus, if you noticed on the opening page, I have a sun tattoo on my chest.  I got it when I was 18, and it was my first tattoo.  I have a moon with three stars on my torso, in order to balance out the sun.  That was tattered on me when I was 19.  I considered many different styles for it, but I ultimately modeled the design after the simple moon on the Conan O’Brien show. I love nature and there is something mysterious about the sun and the moon.  Night and day,  This may sound weird, but it’s something that I think describes me a little.  Last summer, I was at the library, and I stumbled on to this book about tattoos and piercings.  I quickly turned to a listing of common tattoos and their meanings.  It so happens that the sun represents masculinity and the moon represents feminity.  I always knew that, but hadn’t thought about it like.  I would say that I’m a balance of those aspects.  I have a sensitive side, but I’m still tough (or something).  Anyway: Both the sun and moon are simple outlines.  The stars are in color..the three being blue, green, and purple.  I like the simple aspet of the outlines.  My third, and final, (for now) tattoo is on my back, shoulder blade area.  It’s an equilateral triangle with the Eye of Osiris in the center.  It looks similar to the eye of the Illuminati, but it’s not.  Osiris is the Egyptian god of enlightenment.  Thus, when combined with the equilateral triangle, we have the following theory: a balance of mind, body and spirit equals enlightenment.  One of my good friends and I designed and got these tattoos when I was…20?  My friend, Skip, also has the eye of osiris, although it’s not stylized like ours are.  I don’t know if that balance causes enlightenment, but it does keep me healthy.  If you haven’t noticed, I love duality, and threes.  Like De La Soul says “3 is the magic number”.  Good things come in two’s and threes….(Skip, you know what I’m talkin ’bout, playa! )

Twelvethirteen is from my birthday.  I was born on December 13th, XXXX [REDACTED] in Dallas, Texas.  I went to school, played sports, partied, did my photgraphy and art, and graduated High School in 1995 in the top 5%.  I’m not a super dork.  I partied all throughout High School.  Now, when I say party, I don’t mean your average house party.  Well, it is a house party, house being the music played (also my favorite), but what is referred to commercially as a “rave”.  I started partying when I was 15, and I still party 8 years later.  The rave culture raised me.  Many people would like to toss it off as a place where people take illegal drugs and stuff, but it really is more than that.  Partying taught me about unity, respect, love and spirituality.  People of all walks of life getting together and just dancing it all off.  It’s not an open act of rebellion, like the hippie movement.  It’s just us doing our thing.  Nothing more, nothing less.  Our thing happens to be something that our culture has lacked for so long: the idea that music connects and heals.  House music is pure happiness.  Dancing is like meditation in motion.  Well, all the idealism aside, it’s also a great place to hangout with your friends, and it’s not as trashy as clubs.

I go to the University of Texas at Austin.  I’m a fifth year senior.  I major in Anthropology and Spanish.  I love both of them so much.  Yes, anthropologists dig up bones and talk about evolution, but I don’t do that aspect of anthropology.  I study evolution, in a way, but evolution of the mind and society.  In technical words: social or cultural anthropology.  I love social theory.  My big three theorists are: Michel Foucault, Pierre Bourdieu, and Raymond Williams.  Look them up at the library.  They can be really complex, but it’s stuff that you probably are already aware of, so hang in there!!  Look for a whole page devoted to Social theory, soon! (WOW!!)  The other love of my life is Spanish.  This language is so beautiful.  Well, I love language in general. Learning a new language is like opening a gateway to a whole new world! I have learned Japanese, Italian, and a little French.  My native language is English, but, living in Texas, Spanish is my second.  My daily babysitter spoke spanish all the time when I was a kid, and so did the other children.  I love Spanish! Mexico is such a place rich with culture! Imagine: thousand year old pyramids in the heart of one of the most urban cities in the world! Boggles the mind…well, at least in America!  My  number one writer is Gabriel Garcia Marquez.  One Hundred Years of Solitude is the best book ever.  I love Spanish American Literature (especially modern lit!).  I’m also getting into Spanish Literature.

I love music, reading, dancing, art…well, I love Life!  I love all my friends and family.  I do have my moments, of sadness, but they roll away. You can read about my likes on their own pages!! Yes, soon!!

I just turned 23.  23 will be a great year.

After graduation: Well…not sure yet.  I do want to go to graduate school, but I NEEED a break.  Plus, I’m not really sure in what.  Anthropologists can really do a lot ranging from marketing to teaching.  I want to incorporate my Spanish into my job.  Art will always be in my life.  I also write.  I have won contests for my photgraphy.  Some stuff has even been published.  I do sketches, acrylics, collages, everything.  I write poetry and short stories.  I think I’m a good writer.  Since this is MY webpage, look for a showcase of my works, SOON!  I want to move to…hmmm…New York, Italy, or Spain.  Two of my good friends, as well as a wonderful cousin, aunt, and uncle all live in NYC.  I can’t wait…Bright lights, big city.  New york, new york, big city of dreams.  My grandparents moved OUT of NYC many years ago.  When I told them I wanted to move there, they asked”Why?” My reply was: “I want to go back to my roots!”  Honestly, I think New York is probably the center of the world.  I know that pretty nationalistic, but it’s what I feel.  My aunt would laugh and say “It’s really not all that”.  Well, she wouldn’t use THOSE words, but that would be my translation.

That brings me to my family.  I had a mom and dad…for a few months.  Then something happened, and my mom was alone with me.  She is a lawyer.  She then married my step-dad when I was..4ish.  She also had my little brother shortly there after.  It was hard growing up.  We didn’t like each other that much.  Now, however, he is my best-friend.  I love my brother more than anyone.  He is a lot like me, but with a twist.  He likes math.  Well, “like” is the wrong word. He LOVES math.  He probably knows almost everything about me, which I think is hard for anyone to say.  It scares me sometimes, since who wants someone to know EVERYTHING about you (Mikey, notice I said “almost”).  But it’s also awesome, since I know he’s always there for me, and I will be there for him.  He also sleeps A LOT. But he is a growing boy. 19 is pretty tough.  He goes to my school, the University of Texas @ Austin.  I know this is going to sound so Texan, but: It’s  the best and biggest school. SIZE DOES MATTER!! We have great academics and sports (Hook ‘em Horns!).

My Grandparents are 2 of the most important people in my life.  I love them so much.  They have given me guidance throughout my life.  They are truly wonderful people with beautiful souls.  My grandfather is a strong figure.  He has helped me understand control and respect.  He has given me all kinds of advice on jobs, money, sports, you name it!  My grandmother has helped me understand spirituality, beauty, love, and acceptance.  Plus, they are very beautiful and healthy, and I’m glad I’ve got great genes!! I hope I look that good when I’m older!!

My aunts (and all their husbands, my uncles) have been very supportive of me.  They all have their own personalities that have added so much to my life.  I love seeing them the 2 or 3 times a year we all get together.  They’re all witty and fun.  There is no other family I’d rather be in!  Mimi, John, Sally, Christos, Judy, and Bob you guys rock!! (Sally, these aren’t in any particular order!)

And finally, the three points of light that are seriously THE raddest kids in the world, my cousins: Eleni, Ben and Natty.  Eleni is the beautiful, delicate, sophisticated New York Flower who can still survive tough broken bones. She’s gonna be a great athlete and, of course, a very smart woman soon! Well, not THAT soon, but she is VERY lady-like!  Ben is the rugged, pensive, creative, action-packed space robot that lives in DC AND he speaks Spanish.  Natty is the loving barbie doll angelic brittney spears who also plays soccer in Galveston.  I keep their pics on my fridge.

Well, what else? Oh, I have my own apartment (woo hoo)!  It’s full of toys (like KID’S toys, nothing else…this is the internet so I KNOW there is at least one perv thinking I meant something else)!  I have a TV.  My stereo is the center piece of my life.  The floors are hard wood, and I dance all the time.  It’s ALWAYS a mess, but I do clean it (then mysterious elves mess it up).  Someone once told me that they act like they are surprised it is messy when they come over (like every other day) and I say “I’m sorry my apartment is so messy.”

My friends rock! I’d list all of them, but there’d be fighting that would seriously cause the next world war.  They know who they are.  They know I love them.  They know I’m difficult (Mr. Bowlofsnax, Skippence).  It’s hard being a superstar (Jacinda).  Seriously, hopefully they all understand <wink, wink, nudge, nudge> that I may not call, but I’m thinking about them.  I’m lazy.  Dialing the phone can be so hard(Pablo, Matt, Max,Paige, Marin)!  E-mail can sometimes be too much.(Adam, Angie, Dana, Ms. Jamie B).  Shouts out to the EMO crew (keepin it real for the year 2000!)  the whole 21st St crew, all my boys that have been down since day one, 626 soul, Hazy Daze, and anyone who has touched me with their presence.  And thank you Mr. Derrick Carter for spinnin the grooves that make it easier to keep smilin!

If you want to know anything else, just ask me!  I’m always full of stories about my life (as if you couldn’t tell!)