Most Epic Superbowl Commercial Ever

Have a nice weekend!

It's getting ridiculous.

I'm sorry, this is probably starting to get obnoxious. But this is all really happening to me and you can't even make this stuff up.

So I got a wedding inquiry this morning from a former headshot client...

I waited until after I returned home from my adventures in karma creation to shoot her an email. (You have to make them wait a tiny bit, since you need to seem kind of busy and important, but then you also need to respond in a timely manner, because brides like when you're communicative and on top of things. Especially when they're in the beginning stages of planning.)

I usually wait around 6 hours for an intro response email.

And I get wedding inquiries all the time. This one...it's pretty short notice for a June wedding...and I googled the venue and it didn't look all that nice so I had low expectations of actually booking her at my new rate, so I basically shot her my standard response email expecting her to respond and tell me I was too expensive, they're on a budget, blah blah blah...

Instead she put me on hold. 

I MAY HAVE SCORED TWO WEDDINGS AT MY NEW RATE IN TWO DAYS!

WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO ME !?!??!?!

I'm quite honestly a little scared to go outside because I might die in some horrible freak accident.

Things are seeming just a little too great right now.

It was kind of like this the day I broke my ankle.

This much good fortune terrifies me.

KarmaBuying

So I SO badly want to book this Lacoste job.

But before I drafted my response to the dude, I felt like I needed to go out there and get myself some good karma.

And what's the easiest way to get good karma? Buy it!

Over the past several years I've been very fortunate to be able to constantly expand my business and book some really amazing gigs. And I've consistently found that you get back what you put out there.

If you go out there and do nice things for people. Nice things end up happening to you.

It's happened over and over and over again.

When I was in the middle of planning my 30th birthday, I decided to get a Party Bus for everyone. Within hours of booking it...I booked a wedding.

When I bought a bunch of Spice Girls tickets for my friends, I booked one or two headshot shoots which basically covered the cost AND THEN (no AND THEN!) when we got to the arena we got upgraded to the front row!
  
I mean, these aren't even TRULY good deeds I've been doing. I'm just making already-happy people happier. It's not like I'm donating money to Africa or helping the homeless. I'm doing ridiculous frivolous things like buying unfathomably expensive concert tickets or $400 in taco costumes for already well-off friends. It's totally selfish and self-serving, and most of things usually benefit me in one way or another...but it feels great just the same.

I guess if I were a truly good and giving person and just wanted to do good things for the sake of doing them,  I'd donate money to places and do it anonymously and never tell anyone.  I certainly wouldn't blog or facebook about it...

But alas, I have my flaws...

...........................................................................

So ANYWAY...

Karma-buying.

I went downstairs to my neighborhood coffeeshop Flowers Cafe and saw Tricia, the amazing waitress who appears to spend every waking moment there working.

I doubt it's an awesome job, especially dealing with Lower East Side/Chinatown crazies on a daily basis. But she always has smile on her face and is always more than happy to make me my iced coffee with milk and three Splendas.

I was actually kind of nervous doing what I was planning to do. Not sure why. My heart started racing. I tipped her $100 for iced coffee (and a hug).

She took it well though. She kept saying, "Are you serious??!? Are you SERIOUS?!??!"

It was nice to make someone's day. It made mine too.

Then I went to the Apple Store to pick up a MacBook for someone else very special. (You'll find out who in a month or two.)



Oh and get this...as I was paying for the MacBook, the AppleGirl paused and was like..."wait...are you a student?" 

And I was like, "haha not for a while now....." (but then realizing I was wearing my backpack which happens to have my old Brown ID in it) "but wait!!!... I have my old student ID.... can I use it?"

She quickly looked left and right and mumbled, "...sure I don't care..."

I mean...this thing was JACKED UP...there is NO WAY anyone would believe it was still valid. Plus it says "issued 8/21/00."

But she accepted it and it saved me almost $200!!!!

See?

It comes back! Almost instantly!

Get out there and Pay It Forward!

(And please send some positive thoughts my way because I would love to book that Lacoste job.)

HOLY SH*T!!!!!

Biggest quote request I've ever gotten.



I normally charge $250/head for a corporate gig like this.

They're a big company with a lot of money (I assume).

Think I can charge full-rate?

I mean...I'm happy to go down to $200/head... or even $100/head... but that's a difference of making either $32,500 or $13,000!!!

What can I quote them and still get the job????

Eeeeeeek. Filled with anxiety and excitement.

What is my life this week!?!?!??!?!??!

Two weeks of pain and down-time have really been worth this payoff!!!!

Tonsils: Two weeks!!!

At the doctor finally for my post-tonsillectomy checkup. After two weeks of pain, sleep deprivation, minimal eating and minor-but-horrifying hemorrhagic episodes, I've lost 15 LBs. Quick, quick, what other surgeries can I have done on my mouth/throat?!?!?

Gabriel's response was the best.

P.S. He took the rainy picture below.

BOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't want to jump the gun... but what the heck.

Pretty sure I just booked my first 10K wedding!!!!!!!!

(I'm not sure I mentioned it on here, but I raised my rates this month. By A LOT.)

They said they're booking me and I sent over the contracts to be signed and for them to submit a deposit.

YAYYYYYYY

BEST DAY EVERRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Evan & Addison's City Hall Wedding

According to The Knot, I posted one of the "17 Prettiest Wedding Instagrams of 2013". Wooooo!!!

(In case you're too lazy to check out the link, this is the photo they chose. One of my favorites of all time also.)

So let's blog about this wedding since I don't think I did earlier this summer when it actually happened.

I met Evan and Addison through the group they founded, TGA - Tall Gay Agenda, a group of guys here in the city 6'2" and taller (although most people are 6'4" and taller), and it is one of the best things that has ever happened to me in my life.

Evan and Addison got married back in 2008, long before I ever knew them...except gay marriage wasn't legal then, so although they had a ceremony and everything in Texas, their marriage wasn't recognized in the eyes of the law.

So...this summer, when gay marriage became legal in New York (YAYYYY), they went to City Hall to make it official. And I went along because they are wonderful beautiful giants and this was going to be such a beautiful little event.

..........................................

It was a mid-August day. 100-something degrees and frickin humid. Hence their half-tuxes, which ended up being the cutest thing EVER.

At city hall they have a cute little photobooth-style backdrop set up for everyone to take photos.

SO CUTE.

Then you go fill out paperwork and take a number...

A couple of E&A's midget besties came along to serve as witnesses.

They brought cute little fans to keep cool...and to fan away tears.

After being assigned a number, we hung out and waited to be called before a Justice of the Peace (I think that's what the person is called who marries people, right?)

Took some selfies...

These boys are just too cute. It's really neat to see lots of brides and gays milling about. Everyone is very happy for everyone else and friendly and wishing each other well, a weird sight in New York!

This little woman looked bored out of her mind though.

GAHHH!!! So cute!

Evan and Addison are both 6'4" I believe and exactly the same size. So I think they are able to share clothes which is just the cutest/awesomest thing EVER.

It was allllmost time!!! Can you sense the excitement?

And then they called our number and we were assigned to a room.

One last little moment before the big moment...

And a moment with their bridesmaid.

And an obligatory awkward picture...

The couple before us came out cheering, the whole room applauded them on their way out.

And then it was our turn.

The whole ceremony thingy literally lasts like 3 minutes.

They exchange rings...

It happened so fast that I missed their first kiss. I'M SO SORRY E&A!!! I am the worst ever.

But...YAYYYYY!!!!

They left the room and everyone applauded back in the main waiting area. Everyone, that is, except the bitchy little gay couple that was to follow us and was totally jealous of how tall and cute we were...

SORRY ABOUT IT MIDGES!!!

It was SO touching to see almost EVERYONE in City Hall being so genuinely happy for Evan & Addison.

Can you imagine if this had happened 10 years ago? First of all it wouldn't have, and second of all just the sight of Evan & Addison holding hands and walking through the building I'm sure would have drawn looks of disgust and caused parents to shield their childrens' eyes.

I know as a child I had been conditioned to think two men together was a disgusting sight and I probably would have reacted as such.

Walking out with Evan & Addison made me a bit emotional, because our world really has changed, and you can see the proof every single day right there in City Hall.

LOVE the smiling family on the right side of the picture below. Seeing such genuine smiles on the mom, the dad, the daughter, AND the grandma - all complete strangers - fills me with pride and joy and hope and faith in humanity.

Congratulations boys!!!!

We took a couple quick pictures outside in the little park. It was 100 degrees and we were sweating bullets so we made it quick.

SO cute. The End!!!!