You may not know me
but....
I am the 4th child. That means I don’t talk a lot about myself very often to others. I come from a family that gaslights, and so I talk even less about what I’ve accomplished over the years. I just turned 49, and as I sit here from Jet Lag awake too early as my beautiful family sleeps on in California I reflect and type.
I am a father, husband, and artist. In that order.
I have walked with lions in Africa. I saved a family from a burning car. I chased down two shoplifters 3 miles as a security guard in Southcenter Washington. I met Kurt Cobain. I moved my entire family to Portugal for two years. I have been in a courtroom. I have knocked over a tree with my bare hands and petted a Zonkey.
I swam with great white sharks. I’ve drawn with Titans of industry. I have a wall at Jim Henson’s Creature shop. I’ve seen a dead body in the morgue. I hid from the police in a giant tire. I have been the smartest person in a room and the dumbest man in an auditorium. I did Improv comedy on stage in California. My wife almost died in childbirth. My mother past away on vacation right before I graduated art school.
I have ridden an elephant. I survived a car crash. I had a horrible high school sledding accident that caused me to lose years of memories from childhood. I have worked with every major animation company. I have been doing this creative life for over 20 years in film, TV, video games, board games, books, and comics. I yearn for a challenge. I have held down my child to get 12 staples in his head and I have held my wife as she passed out and spasmed from Breast cancer surgery .
I have ziplined through the rainforest and have lost 80 pounds. I have been to China. New Zealand. Africa, ZImbabwe. Batswana, South Africa. Portugal, Spain, France, Belgium, Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, Iceland, Ireland, England, Italy, and Germany. I have pooped where the pope poops and I have eaten Duck Confit in the middle of Carcassonne Castle with one of my favorite art friends.
I have had the pleasure to know artists, writers, musicians, and creators, young and old; from big names to small starts. I will never take it for granted how lucky I am for the wonderful people I get to be surrounded by.
But I also remember that I have worked hard for each one of these opportunities. I grind and try to be helpful when I can. I want to leave the world a better place than how I found it. Not through words like this, but by my actions that I hope will be noticed when I am not around one day.
I have put in what I am now getting out and I am grateful for it all. For fans, peers, friends, and opportunities to expand who I am and what life can bring.
Now I leave you for a bit of sleep. My jetlag demands these eyes to close again. At least for an hour or two.
Always say yes to opportunity over money if you can. Do the thing, if you are scared to fail at it. Keep perspective. Realize that their will always be problems you face. Life doesn’t get easier, but your back gets stronger.
Time is the only thing we don’t get back. Hug your family. Call your friends. Laugh out loud. Live life.
All my best,
Well. That was a powerful little read. Every emotion in a concise little snippet! Thanks for sharing, Brett
Thank you!