Johnny & Hamburg

The other night i got a chance to video chat with a buddy of mine who's been in Chicago for a while now. Johnny, a copywriter, and i went to school together in Miami and then abroad in Hamburg, DE. This fucker's still one of the funniest dudes i know.

We had a great time in Germany, of course. I was then 21yrs old, living in another country for the first time, and bunking with a seasoned drinker from Buffalo, NY. uh-oh.

Here are some highlights of what i still deem my 'Coming Of Age' period.
We lived in a studio apartment, our landlord hated us (she even accused us of throwing beer bottles off of our balcony), and we had NO wifi.

I forgot what bet i lost but i got the inflatable for 3mos.
...all we ate was chicken breast (butter fried), potatoes, and bier. Oh, and sometimes pasta. Constipation was rampant.
Some weekends i ventured off with a buddy's camera.
This is still one of my favorite photos:
This is Mia, the 'other' fellow American from Miami Ad School. We held Hamburg's very first Bus Olympics.
Im always missing Hamburg.....and i NEVER made it to Berlin (next year, next year). The experience was invaluable to my design education and my drinking stamina.

win/win.

- jelsen

Last Week's Interestings // 28

- jelsen

Brooklyn Stand Up!

Oh, Brooklyn Brooklyn. I love you so.

When we got back to our neighborhood we found ourselves in a borough-wide block party. We bumped into tons of buddies..."Congratulations, man!"....."Yes We Did!"....."Holy Shit!!"....
We then tumbled over to Mike & Maya's for more group hugs and Bama-Brownies.
Check out these amazing pics below. Photographer Stanley Lumax did a primo job capturing the moments of the night in Fort Greene.
Make sure to peep more of his work from the night H E R E. Also, his solid portfolio @ StoneFacePhotography.

BK All Day,
- jelsen

Election Night, revisited.

Tuesday night we were in Midtown for the election night party. Young Professionals United For Change hosted - word!


The entire city was rejoicing. I've never seen anything like it - Times Square was a happy mayhem.
Brooklyn...here we come!

- jelsen

QUOTABLES // 06

"....the problem with that idea is....its based entirely on the whimsical impulses of a fool..."

- Kareem

Nelson Kicks & Pushes

Representing Fort Greene/Brooklyn heavily is my buddy Nelson. Here's a clip of him and his crew. This kid started skating about a year and a half ago.

jeez.

He finally put my 'scratched' deck to proper use....lord knows i didnt.


noice,
- jelsen

"Paint The White House Black"

George Clinton circa 1993.

Thanks Kareem for humming this for the past two days.

- jelsen

The moment

After OBAMA was announced the winner, we stopped jumping up and down screaming our lungs and throats sore...and watched while the President-elect took center stage.


("Where were you when Obama was elected President?"Our answer will be presented to you soon.)

Letter To My Unborn Child

Last night, Barack Hussein Obama was elected the very first black president of the United States. When i think about this new fact, this goose-bumping reality, i am both overwhelmed with pride as well as perspective.

See, you will be born into a world that has 'always had this man in school textbooks' just as, for example, my generation has 'always had Martin Luther King Jr' in ours. This is an amazing fact....and that's what's amazing: THIS IS A FACT. For every single generation before you and i its been an idea, a concept, a goal....and you will, by default, know it as a historical fact.

Do you understand how beautiful this is?!

Last night your mother and i stood in front of a massive screen that broadcast the transition of this idea into reality - and i could only think of you.

Our ancestors are thinking of you.

They've ardently built our legacy, against uncermountable opposition, step by step so that you'll have a chance to add even more height to our path upward. I cannot wait to tell you all about this night; i cant wait to answer all your questions about what it all felt like 'back in the day', how euphoric it was for us to dance in the drumming and screaming of New York City's streets.

My future's always been larger than life because of how hard my parents, your grandparents, perservered through all sorts of obstacles i have the privilege to only read about. Now, yours is going to be even larger than mine.

Last night the American people said goodbye to some things and hello to much more. You will be evidence of this.

We're already so proud of you.

I love you. We love you.
- Your Father