Los Angeles SIgnage

It's been four weeks since I had my medical clearance in Washington, DC and given permission to return back to Mozambique with my family, almost three months since I was abruptly uprooted and medevaced to South Africa which seems like ages ago. My life was thrown into a bit of stress and turmoil with photography not exactly being my top priority. Since I've been without a nanny to help out, it's been hard, particularly in Washington, DC, with my two little boys. I've managed to sneak off here and there to explore with my G10 (the only camera I've had all summer), but it's terribly difficult.

We've been in Los Angeles for the past two weeks and are preparing to return to Mozambique in under 40 hours. I've had a hard time sleeping thinking about the work that I need to do when I return on my final project and the exhibit for that project which is tentatively scheduled for the end of October. With that I must raise some funds which I've already had some meetings about before I left Africa. I also have to complete my work-based study internship which I have had horrible luck with. There are many fences to mend.

All in all, I am working out some things in my head after this experience with my health. It sort of shook up my priorities and has left me a bit confused. One thing I've dwelled upon heavily is the death of a very good friend of mine, David Green, an attorney-ex-reporter, who shockingly died while I was in Washington, DC. He was a year younger than me and died of a heart attack leaving behind a wife and little girl.

At his funeral, I was his only newspaper friend there, and I have thought much about the eulogy given by his rabbi who spoke mostly about Dave's short stories and writing. He was much accomplished as a reporter, one of the funniest people I've ever known, was a good father, and had fulfilled his parents' wish to finish law school and get on with a corporate firm. He had a lot going for him but in the end, it was his craft and art that was most celebrated.

I've been cruising (that's what we do in the crazy car culture of LA) tracking down and photographing old art deco and some generally tacky signs designed to attract drivers to businesses. When I return to the U.S., it's something that I'd like to do more of as suburban developers rip more of them down.