IT IS NOT YOUR TIME... YET

Rivers of Re:Quest Model Management

Can you believe I am writing yet ANOTHER blog? I know, I know. But I do have one thing to say. Do NOT get used to it. It is a paranormal activity that should be passing very soon, but enjoy the ride now while you can. Now on to the blog.

A lot of us want to be famous. A lot of us want to be rich. A lot of us want to be recognized for our talents, looks and gifts and a lot of us want it NOW. I remember when I first picked up my camera and realized this is what I wanted to do, I was ready to grace the covers of Vogue and wanted to see my images on billboards that littered the Champs-Elysees avenue in Paris, France. I would look at my images and imagine to myself, “yes, these images are JUST as good as Ritts, Weber and Meisel!” (God was I a lofty one!)  But as I matured in my craft and artistry, I looked back on those images, and they compared to Bruce Weber like a child’s coloring book rendition compared to a Picasso.

But I digress. Right now with more than 5 years in the professional game, I am JUST starting to make some noise. I am JUST starting to see the fruits of my labor and I am JUST starting to make a name for myself. It took five years. FIVE LONG YEARS and even though I have influential art buyers looking at my work and making major decisions based on the images I place before them, I am STILL a ways off from shooting Kate Moss for the cover of Vogue or Jon Kortajarena for a billboard for Tom Ford and you know why? It has nothing to do with talent, skill set or know how. It just isn’t my time yet, hence the title of this blog.

Show business is a tricky industry (yes, fashion photography falls under show business). The race is paced differently for each and every individual. Just because you’re a vocalist that sounds like Mariah Carey with the looks of Eva Mendez and the talent of Missy Elliott doesn’t mean that you should pop on the scene the moment you laid a vocal track. It doesn’t work that way.

The same holds true for models. Just because you’ve done one test shoot, got signed to an agency, you think you’re ready for the big times. It doesn’t happen like that. If it did, everyone would be a supermodel and there would be nothing “special” about you and since you didn’t put any sweat equity into your career, you won’t appreciate the rewards.

The reason for this blog was recently I had a couple of conversations with a couple of models. Model A at the moment appears to be on a meteoric rise. His face is getting known, he is getting snatched up by agencies from coast to coast. He is making a little bit of noise, HOWEVER, he isn’t a superstar yet. He hasn’t done any major work, and he hasn’t walked his first fashion show. Could he be an international star? Maybe. Only time will tell. He hasn’t paid his “karmic” dues yet, and the only thing he suffers from now is the agony when he gets dropped from a job. Sometimes I am glad he gets dropped. It humbles him a little bit and it tells him something. It is not his time yet.

But Model B has a completely different story. Beautiful man, uprooted his life and made his way to a metropolitan city from a small town in the South. He thought he was going to step off the plane, walk into a modeling agency and then step onto the billboard with the ranks of Tyson Beckford. Never mind that he was new face in a new city. Never mind that he didn’t have a secure place to live or a steady income. Never mind that his book needed to be worked on and built so he can compete with the likes of Model A or better. He just thought that he was going to come take the world by storm and why hasn’t it happened? I can tell you why. It is not his time yet.

I wrote a blog called “It Takes A Success Team to Build A Successful Model” (http://dallasjlogan.blogspot.com/2010/09/it-takes-successful-team-to-build.html). The reason for the blog was, by the time you’ve seen these models (or actors, or singers, or writers, or photographers or, etc. etc. etc.) reach the level of fame that they have achieved, there is a lot of behind the scenes negotiations that are taking place. You don’t just take a photograph and appear on a billboard. There are castings, meetings, focus groups, lawyers negotiations, agents negotiations, manager negotiations, photographer selections, the list is endless. There are late night phone calls, clandestine meetings, sometime even arguments and strong discussions of persuasions, because every model is not for every body. Just because I took a beautiful photograph of you doesn’t mean that the powers that be are going to think you are beautiful, too (please read “Who the Fuck are You?”  http://dallasjlogan.blogspot.com/2010/03/who-fuck-are-you.html).

Patience, faith and loyalty are a far more paramount equity in this business than a beautiful face, abs and a great smile. It takes time to rise up the industry ladder. It takes times to develop those relationships in order to make the good things happen. And while you are sitting there wondering why it appears that Model A is getting all the play, and you’re not, I can answer it in one simple sentence. It is not your time… yet.

Think about it.

CONTROLLING YOUR BRAND

Tiana Young for Emerald Essence Makeup

There is a lot of malice in the world today. Most of it is intentional. People hating on you for whatever reason. Spreading lies, gossip and ill-will. Unfortunately you cannot control all the bad publicity that may come your way, when a person hates on you it let’s you know one thing. You MUST be doing something right. So guess what? Continue doing it.

But there is that second type of malice that comes under the radar that if you don’t pay attention you just might miss it and sometimes that malice may even come innocently enough from yourself, and that is the reason for this blog.

Today’s world is built on a phrase known as “branding”. And for the neophytes, a lot of people misconstrue branding as just the “image” of themselves. As long as a good photo is floating around out there about them, then you would seem to guess that that is the only thing you need to worry about, right?

WRONG!

In my previous blog “Stop It!” (http://dallasjlogan.blogspot.com/2011/08/stop-it.html) I discussed the importance of not being a Photo Whore and producing the best possible images with the best possible photographers. If you go through my blogs you will see a history of me discussing doing the best possible image of you that can possibly be done. But in this blog I am going to discuss the “whys”.

True Stories

Story One: A friend of mine came to my studio for a fun shoot. We were just killing time and she got in front of my lens and we took harmless photographs. She was playing in a tee-shirt, big smiles, great images. She posted them somewhere on the internet (this was 4 years ago). Fast forward, she applied for a job in Finance. They ran an internet search on her and these images came up. Needless to say she didn’t get the job. Why? They felt that “she was not a good person to suit the representation of their company.”

Story Two: A model is applying for a television show. She got in contact with all the photographers that she worked with because the network wanted to use her images. During the time of shooting her, I was featured on a retouching blog which showcased her image. This time she did an Internet Search which brought that blog to light. She begged me to have it removed. Fortunately there was enough time and we got the blog changed. She did make it to the television show, but things could’ve went a completely different way if I didn’t have that blog pulled. We will never know.

Story Three: A male model was trying make some extra money before he decided that he wanted to become an actual legit model. He was featured in some underground pornographic videos. It didn’t take long for them to surface. The major modeling agency he was signed to had to drop him immediately. A major company is not going to have you represent them and you are tied to activities that can sully the name.

All three instances above ALL have to do with branding. The public’s perception of who you are. It didn’t matter that the girl in the first story was doing something on her own time, in a time of her life that she wasn’t thinking of even joining a finance company, but her “brand” was viewed in a negative light. The second story the girl simply had poor skin at the time of the shoot, the third was a simple case of “you do what you have to do to eat.” I get it. I don’t hold judgment, however, the major populace does.  Even with me, there are times I have to step away from projects, because they may be viewed in a negative light (no pun intended). 

Branding covers everything that is publicly known about you and it only takes a single indiscretion about you that can put you in an unfavorable light. So when you are being cavalier with the attitude of "I don't care" realize that it may come back one day. You must be aware of yourself and your image and how you are portrayed at all times. In the world of instant information, anyone can do a simple search on the internet and find anything they want about you, without your control, or your knowledge.  So when information/photos/stories/interviews/blogs are released about you, you should know at all times what is going on if you have control over it. There is an old saying “you are only as good as your last __________________” [I will allow you to fill in the blanks].

So when I come along and tell you about shooting with bad photographers there is a reason why. If I tell you not to associate yourself with a project, there is a reason why. If I tell you not to release something about you, there is a reason why.

There is also a reason why Google exists. Use it and use it often.

STOP IT!

Marisa of Fenton Moon

Hey Blog followers. It’s been a while since I’ve posted and I have to apologize for that (yeah, I know. You don’t want to hear it). For real, though. It’s hard for me to just right a random blog.  My blogs have to be inspired (or I should say triggered from something that I occurred in my life) and it affects me so much that I am compelled to write about it.

This blog may come across conceited and that is sooooooo not the case, but lately (well honestly it’s been a while). I’ve been noticing a really poor trend. Photo whores.

Photo whores? What’s that you asked? Well a photo whore is a model (or “model”) that likes to amass lots of photographs of themselves for no apparent reason. They are constantly shooting and “building their book” when there is no need to do so. They stalk photographers in hopes to get shot so they can get bragging rights, or if nothing else “hot” photographs (please see previous blog: “Don’t Shoot With Me” http://dallasjlogan.blogspot.com/2011/04/dont-shoot-with-me.html) I never really understood the mind of the photo whore, but I guess it’s no different than the GWC (Guy With Camera) trying to get as many “models” in front of their camera for no apparent reason (except I guess to get them naked - that's ANOTHER blog for another time).

Well there are two types of Photo Whores. Those that amass quality photos from quality photographers. They want to build their book with the best possible images that they can. They are constantly testing upward and constantly looking for better photographs and constantly trying to keep their look “fresh” in the public’s eye and then there is the “model” that just doesn’t give a damn. And guess what “model”? This blog is just for you.

When you are running around and jumping in front of every Tom, Dick and Harry’s camera without the understanding of how it is going to benefit you, you produce poor photographs. Because of the poor photographs, you develop a reputation which tells professional photographers to steer clear of you, because you are not considered serious. It also lets quality photographers know that you have no idea what you are doing and you don’t know quality, so why should we waste our time with you.

I am constantly approached by “models” wanting to shoot with me, and I look at their track record of photography. When I see their photographic line up and it is full of poor photographs, bad retouching, awful, unattractive angles, inexperienced lighting, etc., I then ask “why do you want to shoot with me.” The usual retort is “because you will give me quality images (aka “hotness.”) I always wonder to myself: “then why did you shoot with all these bad photographers?” At this point I honestly do not wish to shoot with you, because you wouldn’t know “hotness” if it landed on you in a RangeRover SUV.

True Story:

There was a beautiful female model that I shot for a hair campaign. I always wanted to work with her. She was new to New York and I was one of the first photographers to work with her (this time I am bragging). We produced beautiful photographs and she proudly displayed me in her book.

Whenever she want to castings, my photo was usually the opening image shortly followed by a series of photos that could not compete. She never got called back. Why? “Her photos are inconsistent. She looked great in one set of photos, but the rest turned out to be garbage” This is the words from the Casting Director’s own lips. “We can see that she is beautiful, but we cannot tell if she can PHOTOGRAPH beautifully, because she was only photographed well one time. The rest of her book is garbage.” So in essence, my photos of her, though good, was killing her career, because the other images could not compete. This is not a bragging right situation. This is a wake up situation. CHOOSE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHERS WISELY.

Good photographers like to be in the company of good photographers. It tells us that you value our work, and the work of our peers and that you wish to produce the best possible photos for your portfolio. Like I said in the previous blog: If our photos are not doing their jobs, then we as the photographer are not doing OUR job.

Again, “models,” this is YOUR career. If you don’t want to take it seriously and want to shoot with inept photographers keep doing so. I guess working at Hollister is all you'll ever want to do.

Think about it.

WHEN SHOOTING IS NOT SEXY

I am FINALLY going to write a blog geared strictly to photographers. It’s not about how to deal with models. It is not about the perils we go through in a photoshoot. It is not about discussing anything about bootcamp (finally a blog without bootcamp). I am discussing some serious issues that photographers face with regards to this business known as photography.

Photography can be a very sexy and exciting occupation. You are surrounded by beautiful people, exotic locations and ending up with magnificent billboards, magazine covers and big ad campaigns. It is there for the taking. But something a lot of photographers fail to realize, those jobs are really hard to come by and secondly, you don’t get them overnight.

So what does one do when they are sitting there waiting for GQ to contact them? You have to build a consistent form of revenue if you wish to stay alive in this business and now it is time to discuss the unsexy business aspects of this business, hence the title of this blog.

To a lot of people photography is just photography. If you own a camera, you can shoot a wedding. If you own a camera you can shoot an event. If you own a camera you can shoot a magazine spread, and we (photographers at least) know that this is soooooooo not the case.

I’ve been the conssumate professional in this arena for about 10 years now, and it is JUST now that I am finally turning a profit and making sustainable income. Could I have done it faster? Quite possibly, but then I didn’t have anyone schooling me along the way in the business aspect and a lot of work came through hit and miss.

I try to tell upcoming photographers that you do not make a lot of money testing for modeling agencies. The market is flooded with photographers that are probably a lot better than you that will shoot beautiful models for free, so it would behoove a modeling agency to go with the photographer that is free than to actually pay you to shoot their models. Models don’t have a lot of money, so if you are lucky, you MIGHT make $300.00 on a test shoot. If it is a female, you will have to pay someone for hair and makeup. You may have to pay someone for styling, so in the end, you end up LOSING money shooting for an agency. How does one counter that? Shoot 4-5 models in a single day. Discuss a flat rate with the crew and everyone will walk away with something for their books and a little something in their pockets. If you can book 4-5 models in a single shot you stand to make $1,200.00 – $1,500.00 for the day. Which is why a lot of photographers will shoot males. A lot less overhead and a lot more money in their pocket. If you are lucky enough to book this three times in a single week, that can make anywhere from $3,600.00 – $4,500.00 for the week. Not bad for a week's worth of work. But when you get down to the nitty-gritty of this, that turns out to be 20 – 25 models you will shoot in a single week. That is A LOT of work. So in the end you will EARN that $4,500.00. When you do test shoots, it is not about the bells and whistles. It is about getting the models in there and getting them out. New York photographer Rick Day (http://www.rickdaynyc.com/) does a complete 3-5 look shoot in a matter of 45 minutes to an hour. You can’t devote a 4-5 hour session to a test shoot. It turns out not to be cost effective.

So how do you make an agency send you 4-5 models at a single time? Who says it has to all come from a single agency? If you pull a single model from 5 agencies, you got five models. You develop a formula and shoot them all the same way (or in a similar style), so you're not playing with lights and trying to get all artsy (save that when you shoot YOUR work). Right now it is about a business, and this is why you see some photographers work and it appears to be the same thing over and over again. They don’t have the time to sit up there and changing lighting set ups, building sets and doing crazy styling. Look at the work of New York photographer Shameer Khan (http://shameerkhan.blogspot.com/), he has all the major agencies practically eating out the palm of his hand with very little overhead (if any). When you are testing for an agency, all they need are clear concise images of their models so they can be booked for paying gigs. That is the job of a testing photographer.

Not all money will come from agencies and you have to develop an income that will sustain you over the course of a year. I shoot corporate headshots for many of the law firms in New York City. Is it glamourous? Hell no, but guess what? A single headshot from any given photographer can run from $150.00 – $300.00 depending on the deals you work out. If you are lucky they will keep you on “staff” and when they get new hires (which usually happens after the summer), you will be called in to shoot their headshots. So at $300.00 a pop a session of 10 lawyers that is $3,000.00 just for headshots. Nothing changes, they sit, you click, you’re done. Something to think about.

I do work for various clothing manufacturers for their websites. They will contact me to shoot clothing for their websites. INCREDIBLY unglamourous. But for a quick $3,500.00, you go in, you shoot clothing on mannequins, you are out. My last shoot was shooting Christmas sweaters. They had a complete staff. All I had to was shoot front, side and rear of each sweater. It was boring as hell, but it got the job done. So you see where this is going.

There are multitudes of ways of making money as a photographer where in some instances a model isn’t even part of the equation:

Food
Architecture
Actors
Theatre
Furniture
Forensic
Crime
Art
Street
Dental
Product
Wedding
Event
Court
Pet
Children
School portrait
Insurance
Sports
Photojournalism
Landscape
Still life
Abstract
Marine
Paparrazzi.

Art galleries need to have their artwork photograph for catalogue and insurance purposes. Insurance companies need work photograph for insurance purposes. Schools need to have their students photographs taken. College campuses need photographs taken for their brochures. Law firms need exhibit photographs for court cases. Real estate companies need photographs for their listings. The list is endless and there is NOTHING sexy about it. The only thing that is holding you back is that you are sitting by the phone waiting for that phone call from Vogue.

Think about it.

JUST HOW BAD DO YOU REALLY WANT IT?

Model:  Sandley Jonathas
This blog was originally going to be titled: “Sabotage Yourself, Not Me!” and as I thought about it, I realized that it may seem like a regurgitation of my previous blog (Self Sabotage - What Models Do Best http://dallasjlogan.blogspot.com/2010/07/self-sabotage-what-models-do-best.html), and in some ways it is, but now it’s coming from a different point of view.

I don’t like to do a lot of testing of models. Firstly, it doesn’t make me any true money, most often it usually isn’t anything I am going to use in my book and lastly, when doing test, as a photographer you don’t have complete control over the shoot.

Let me repeat that again. As a photographer, you don’t have complete control over the shoot.

An agency would hit me up and they will tell me what they need for a model. I comply. If I am inspired by the model, sometimes I may push their limitations and boundaries, because you see, if this is a business you REALLY want to get into, just how bad do you really want it? Most often if I can get the model to come out of themselves and push them out of their comfort zone, the agency is ultimately pleased.

When you live in a fashion capital like New York, or Paris, or London, or Japan and you are a model from some rural part of the world, you have to realize that when you come to these places it is a different ballgame when it comes to modeling. Things you may have done in let’s say Memphis or Michigan or even Philadelphia may be considered “hot” in those locations won’t hold a candle to what is happening in the real world of modeling.

A lot of would be hopefuls make the trip to the Big Apple in hopes of becoming a star and quickly realize that the thing that may have made them “hot” in their hometown means nothing to us in the big cities. There isn’t too much we haven’t seen, done or experience, so when you bring your closed minded, hillbilly ways to us to try to mold you, you allow your upbrining and beliefs to hold you back.

Let me repeat that again. You allow your upbringing and beliefs to hold you back.

So you go into a photoshoot and the well known, well established photographer says get naked, you, the model panic and reluctantly get undress. The well known, well established photographer tries to photograph you, you come across stiff, scared, nervous (for whatever preconceived reasons you may have). If you are lucky, you produce some stellar images (again, IF you are lucky). They are beautiful, they are tasteful, they blow away anything you ever shot before, and guess what you do with them? Nothing. Because you are afraid of the backlash of friends, families and loved ones (please read: Who Are You Modeling For? http://dallasjlogan.blogspot.com/2010/09/who-are-you-modeling-for.html).

So we the photographer know our job and knows what it takes to get you where you need to go, but now we can’t. Why? Because YOU are afraid to go there. Well here is a dose of reality: the next model WILL go there. The next model WILL take the necessary steps to do what needs to be done. The next model could care less what their friends, families and loved one thinks. The next model WILL book the campaign but guess what you will get?

A bus ride back to Bubblefuck USA.

Think about it.

HOW’S THAT PHOTOGRAPHY THING COMING ALONG?

Naoumie Ekiko of Q Models

A beautiful aspiring model said to me last night “Well I am going to give this modeling thing a chance...” I had to stop him immediately. No matter what you do in life, in order to be successful, you have to give it 150% or nothing at all. It is just that simple. I don’t care if you are a model, a surgeon, or a Navy SEAL. No one can take your passion away from you and no one can make it more important than you. Remember that.

For those people who are not in the arts (be it dance, music, painting, etc.), they don’t truly understand what it is to have a driving artistic passion. They look at what we do as hobbies, or something to do to pass the time, or better yet… A phase.

It is usually met with the question of “How is that [FILL IN THE BLANK] thing coming along?” I have to give pause to such a question, because if you actually THINK about it, it really is an insult. Do you go to a doctor and say “how is that medical thing coming along?” Do you go to a lawyer and say “how is that lawyer thing coming along?” Do you go to a married person and say “how is that marriage thing coming along?” Of course not.  So why do you belittle what we do and reduce it to a “thing”? Is it the monetary aspect? If I made the salary of Bruce Weber or Steven Meisel and had billboards at the Crossroads of the World, would that make me more legit?

When I first embarked SERIOUSLY into photography, I got that question a lot and at first it didn’t bother me. I guess in their eyes, what I was doing was a hobby or side hustle. But as I proceeded to bust my ass with sleepless nights and endless hours of technical study. Learning to understand focal planes, memorizing mathematical equations that resulted in Fstops or understanding the science of light, I realized very quickly that this was not a “thing” that I was doing. It was a serious, unadulterated craft that I was partaking in and I won’t let anyone take that away from me.

I remember something that my mother said when I was a teenager. “Be the best that you can possibly be, and never be ashamed.” I walk with that quote in my heart and little did she know, she planted a seed of personal excellence in my heart. Anything I decided to do in my life I did it to its fullest. When I sang, I practiced a minimum of 4 hours a day. Due to that intense training, I received a full scholarship for college and traveled the world. When I decided to become a personal trainer (yes, believe it or not), I took it to the level of Master Trainer, when I decided to pick up the camera, I decided to be the best that I could possibly be (and I am still on that journey).

If you know anyone in the arts (be it your child, loved one or friend), encourage their gifts. Never doubt their talents or ability. It can make the difference between a John Doe and a Michael Jordan.

If you’re a model, pose like Kate Moss and walk like Naomi Campbell. 
If you’re a singer, be sure to make God cry and the angels weep.
If you're an actor, deliver your lines like Lawrence Olivier and light up the screen like Elizabeth Taylor. 
If you're a dancer, glide like Gene Kelly and moonwalk like Michael Jackson. 
If you’re an artist, paint like DaVinci, and sculpt like Michaelangelo
If you’re a photographer, shoot like Avedon, and light like the sun.

But above all else. Never let ANYONE reduce your passion to a “thing.”

Think about it.

THANK YOU FOR MY BIRTHDAY

The Special Greeting That Went out on Facebook

Hey everyone.  It took me a moment to gather my thoughts when it came to writing this blog, so forgive me if you find it long or boring or long overdue. 

A wise person once said, “if you want to know someone, meet their friends.” It has been a mantra that I’ve stuck by my entire adult life.

I know a lot of people. When I say a lot, I mean hundreds (possibly thousands), however, I have very very few true friends. In my cultivation of friends and loved ones, I have been blessed by God to have amazing and wonderful people in my inner group and because of them, I feel complete. Because of my completion through these people, I never desired material things to bring me happiness. An iPad would be nice, don’t get me wrong, but a call from a friend to say “I love you” is far more valuable.

The reason for this blog is simple.  I want to thank the people in my life that made my 45th (ugh) birthday the most amazing one I have ever had. To give you a little background on me, I have never really REALLY been fond of my birthday. When my family moved to New York in 1980, my father passed away the day before my 14th birthday due to the over consumption of alcohol. It was a VERY devastating time for me. We were new to New York, I had little to no friends and no one to turn to. In a time where entering my teenage years, a male (especially one of color) needs a positive male role model in their life was suddenly gone and I was then had to grow up and become a man. My father was my best friend, confidant, rock and shoulder. When he was removed from my life, I was never the same (for years). He gave me my first life’s lesson: we all will die one day. And because of that lesson, I no longer fear death. It is beyond our control.

Therefore, my birthday was never a truly joyous occasion for me. In my twenties I had my first surprise birthday party and I met that with reluctance (much apologies to the people involved with that [Kare Alford and Daryl Goodwin]) and throughout the years, my friends have learned that when it was Dallas’ birthday, don’t make a big deal. It is just another Tuesday or Wednesday, or whatever day it may have fallen on in a particular year. Because they loved me, they honored it. And because of their love, I never thought the need or want for anything. I was complete.

I have always been the solid foundation in all my friends’ lives. If anything was ever needed, they know that they can always call on me, and if I couldn’t do whatever was needed, I made it a point to make sure I can find someone, somewhere to get it done. However, when the roles were reversed, I often shunned the offers. I always took the stance of I can do this myself.

One day a friend of mine wanted to do something for me, I turned him down, he replied with tears in his eyes (and I will never forget): “you are the only person I know that can make someone feel bad when they want to do something nice for you.” It hurt me to my heart, and from that point onward, I never did that again.

So now that you have an understanding of my sick and twisted pysche, let’s fast forward to my actual birthday, which fell on a Wednesday in the year of 2011. It was the first time that I actually told myself I was not going to work. So I moved away from the camera, the Wacom tablet and from the computer and just decided to enjoy the day. It was a gorgeous day for April in New York (which was the birthday gift from Mother Nature).

As I am relishing in my day off feeling naughty, I hear a song linger through the apartment I share with my best friend, Butch Johnson.

“Thank you for being a friend,
Traveled down the road and back again
your heart is true you're a pal and a confidant
And if you threw a party
Invited everyone you knew
You would see, the biggest gift would be from me
and the card attached would say,
Thank you for being a friend.” (For those of you who don't know, it's the theme song to "Golden Girls")


The Results of That Special Greeting

As Butch entered into my room, in his arm was a wicker basket overflowing with birthday cards from around the globe. My good friend and business partner, Michael Maddox (with his magical team of supermodel helpers) commandeered Facebook and made my birthday one that I will never forget.

I received cards from as far as France and Japan, well wishes from everyone and anyone on Facebook as well as birthday video greetings. The moment was so overwhelming that I had to take a moment and thank God for the people in my life and I actually took another moment to cry.

I am not a person who likes a lot of fanfare and I personally will never know HOW they pulled it off (now as I write this blog, I NOW know why I didn’t get any mail two weeks prior to my birthday). Cards came for almost two weeks after, which is why it took me so long to write this blog (I wanted to make sure I said thank you to EVERYONE).

I want to thank:

Michael Maddox (for everything!)
Ursula M. Alberto
Cristian Alexander
Vince Allen
Sanba-Naudin Babacar (all the way from France)
Zion Babb
Jayce Baron
Brian Baskins
Adi Batista
Charlotte Berry (thank you for a great lunch!)
Tonya Blowe
Mark Bower
Chris Bowie
John Brathwaite
Catherine Brown
Ella Brown
Jeff Brown
Jeremy Brown
Jordan Brown
Noah Brown
Donna Buch
Michael J. Butler
Kevin Calloway
Michael Calloway
Brendon Campbell
White Cedar (all the way from the west coast of Canada)
Kaila Charice
Kelleen Lim Chea
Pearl Chin (there is nothing like You and Haru!!!)
Iris Colburn
Stephen Cole
Lloyd Cook
DeAngelo Davis
Tina Davis
Rick Day
Cassie Dee
Sheree Devereaux
Destinee Dickerson
Melvin Diggs
Robert Dowdy
Isaisah Duckson
Lauren Dundee
Brown Family
Barbie Flores
Shae Fontaine
Terrel Fraser
FaceBook Friends
Philip Gadsden
Leo Gallo
Mother Gallo
Armond D. Goodin
“Hercules” Lamar Gordon
Rick Gore
Courtney Grant
Chris Gray (Kobe!!!!)
Cottrell Guidry (to my fellow James Baldwin fan, thank you!)
Amber Guzman
Joseph Hall
Nick Hamilton
Rich Hardt
Petra Hayek
Gretchen Hemmi (for the delicious hand delivered carrot cake)
Lendl Henderson
Justin Ceasar Hingleton (beautiful basket!)
JoAnne Hoffman
Remy Hou
Broderick Hunter (please, don't sing... just model)
Stephanie Morris Hunter
Cuffy Johnson
Butch Johnson (for suffering through it)
Tim Johnson
Willie Johnson III
Ebony Jointer (from Tokyo, Japan)
Sherian Jones
Steph Jones (loved the video!  You have a great voice!)
Claudia Jordan
Greg Konop
Russel Krus
Shelby Lackey
Jae Lamar
Nathanial Lamar
Seth London
Brandon Lucas
Manderson (of Austin Texas)
Maretini Manumalo
Goldin Martinez
Autumn McCauley
Dwight McMillian
Erica Mitte (and company)
Caroline Monteverdi
Michael Moore
Ne’Kandra Muhammed
Yusuf Myers (what a way to end the night MOJITOS!)
Eric Nagle
Megan Newberry
Morris Nuamah
Alva Page
Billy Payne
Spencer Phillips
Zenith Pimental
Esquire Quarterman
Ajaya Ram
Max Reed (the first card delivered!!!!)
Arlene Rewti
Brandon Rice
Tim Ricks
Dennis Robinson
Daniel Rogers
Mamadou Sall
Sergio Sanders
Kristine Scott
Justin Shaw
Ursula Sumler
Jimi Sweet
Dushawn Tapper
Brandon Thomas (A shout out to the most hilarious video!!!)
Nicole Thompson
Jaimes Timas
Retta Timmons (AKA NextLevel)
Cherise Trahan
Marcus Turner (I LOVE my cereal!!!!)
Carlene & Tyone (Thai)
Agu Ukaogo
Alexis Upton
Carla Walker
Andre Washington (God, if I could sing like you)
Elijah Wells (you better SING!)
Sharon White
Maria Whitjett
Ryan Wills
B.J. Williams
Ronald Williams
D’Angelo Wilson
Zack Yanni
Marlon Yates
Jennifer (of Medford Oregon)
Residents of 819 Hoffman Avenue

For anyone I could’ve possibly left out, please accept my apologies. It’s been a little overwhelming. Thank you for making my birthday a very special one.

Until next time…