It has been quite a journey getting here: In July of 2011 I had $120 and I moved to Colorado after loss of one of my best friends, Gus McCravey. In our last conversation, he challenged me to do what I love without regret. So - I did the math, packed my things into the Honda Civic hatchback (aka Silver Bullet) and hit the road West with enough $$ for gas. I landed at a ranch in the mountains as a fishing guide - at that time was living in a trailer. Nate Hobrath moved out and we proceeded to move into a one room cabin with no running water (badass upgrade from the trailer). I slept on couch, after couch, after couch... my life was a mess and I was smelly. I totaled the Civic while sleeping at the wheel, but thankfully landed on a community farm in Lyons on January 1, 2012 with best friend Dan Lawrence Tholen. This is where I learned some of my best life lessons. I quit jobs that felt wrong, but did anything to make a dollar - I refused to give up. At some point, I was waking up at 4:30 AM everyday to go blow up air balloons - yes, air balloons (that too, was badass). I also worked on other farms amidst having to hitchhike or take a bus everywhere. I got my ass kicked every god-damned-day. I was tired, relatively unemployed, and most of all, I was hungry. And I dont mean didnt eat breakfast hungry, either. I mean to the point where you feel weak; where you are physically in pain because you have not ate adequately in days. I proceeded to move to Estes Park again and spent two years working at The Stanley Hotel. Situation considered, this was quite a blessing, and things started to look up. There, I gave over 1000+ hours of tours. I wrote a conceptual business plan that was awarded at the Governors Residence. I was a private concierge for the Governor and family on his Christmas Holiday. I helped start a film festival where I drank absinthe with Elijah Wood (now - THAT is badass), amongst many other cool things. I learned what it meant to entertain, but also found that Hotel Management was not my passion. I reached out to another good friend - Shaw Lathrop. I told him everything. I felt wrong again, and I wanted to move to Boulder. I proceeded to work with 9 startups over 12 weeks at Boomtown Accelerator. After three months of living in Boulder, and THREE YEARS in Colorado... after natural disasters, car wrecks, unemployment, ghosts (?), air balloons, hitch hitching.... after hunger, lack of happiness and downright PAIN... Today I started a new gig with Galvanize at their Boulder location. I cant say much besides, it just feels right. Cheers.
Posted on: Thu, 04 Dec 2014 08:05:50 +0000
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