i wish god were alive to see this

New Order Of The Ages

Hello and welcome to the thousandth, and final post of this blog. The time has come to start over. I will continue posting in a NEW INTERNET ZONE. Explanation below, and really, really THANK YOU to all who read this and for all the support and non support I have recieved. Thank you for all of it!

Aaron Rose interviews me about the blog ending/beginning -

Aaron - Why did you first decide to start a Teenage Teardrops blog?

Cali - I can’t clearly recall any one reason. I had been toying with some blog type things and it seemed somehow to be a good idea. At the time I was going through a lot of inner turmoil. I started the blog and therapy at the same time, and have been doing both ever since. It felt like a good way to sort of consolidate my thoughts and my days, and to make sense out of them.

Aaron - In the beginning, did you originally have a concept for what it would be or have you just figured it out as you went along?

Cali - Definitely just figured it out as I went along. Still figuring it out as I go along.

Aaron - Why does it say "I Wish God Were Alive To See This" on the top?

Cali - I thought it was a fitting title. Like, I never thought I would want to do something that is at times so candid and have it available for public consumption. Also, it should be noted that that is a quote from Homer Simpson. Not joking.

Aaron - Every time I travel, especially in Europe, people not only know about
your blog, but almost religiously read your posts. It has become like a
window onto the Los Angeles scene for them. Was this part of you original
intention?

Cali - No way! When I hear that I tend to not really believe it. It is very flattering to me that anyone reads it at all, let alone folks from far away lands. I originally thought that maybe my close friends would read it.

Aaron - Every post has an obscure literary title. Where do you get them from? Do you ever write them yourself?

Cali - All most all of the titles are stolen from songs I am listening to or books I am reading. Occaisionaly I will have one that I came up with on my own. It’s funny with the song ones because I read it as it’s sung, but at some point I realized people would be just reading them as words. When I try that they don’t always sound as good.

Aaron - Do you think you've become a better photographer since you started? If yes, can you give an example?

Cali - I don’t know about giving you an example, but just by practicing I think I’ve gotten better. Take pictures every day for three years, get better. Makes sense, right? Also I think I’ve become less self conscious about taking pictures, and probably a little bit braver. Bravery in photography is where it’s at and that’s my goal. There was a woman in a hamburger stand on Halloween applying corpse paint to her 12 year old son and I felt too nervous to ask to take the pic, or to just take it, and I have been kicking myself ever since.

Aaron - How have you seen the Los Angeles that you document change since you first started making posts?

Cali - Well, sure. Everything in my life has changed certainly. It always does. One thing I’m sure of is it’s been changing for the better, personally. It HAS been a thrilling few years in LA also, heavy activity and tons of output on the part of nearly everyone I know. A very inspired time. There has been a lot of hype about LA in certain circles as well, but that is starting to die down I think. That’s the ebb and flow nature of things though, and I for one am excited for the inevitable LA backlash. That’s going to be fun! And really, it will be the same city, with the same people, doing the same wonderful things. Life and the creative flow will go on here whether it’s lauded or not. I have been and continue to be in love with Los Angeles.

Aaron - Do you have any favorite posts?

Cali - My favorite posts are always the most recent ones. I don’t really like looking back. I’m looking at tomorrow and what is possible in the future given what the present looks like.

Aaron - Why do you post so many photos of your girlfriend?

Cali - Well, the simple answer is because I am in love with her. I find that feeling to be very inspiring. I feel like I could just take pictures of her all day and make the whole blog a Jenna tribute, but she would probably kill me for that. But I am proud of her and her life and the life that we have made and are making, so I can’t see not taking pictures of it. Haha anyway it’s my blog and I will do what I want with it.

Aaron - Why are you moving? What does the future hold?

Cali - I decided to move, and to start over, about seven months ago. My life looks so different today than it did at the blogs inception, and I have had a new start in so many ways. It just seems logical to stop this blog here, at the thousandth post, and start a new one. As the time grew closer I found myself getting nervous about it, but that’s kind of the point. I am comfortable with this one and I want to feel challenged a little bit by starting fresh. I am someone who up until this point didn’t really do the same thing for very long, so I can’t believe I’ve been doing this for such a long time, and actually enjoying it all along. It has been an incredible way for me to learn. And I can’t really tell you what the future holds. I will continue to try and tell a story. That’s it. Storytelling.

Careful Don't Miss Me, Going Out Easy

John Fante

Richard Pryor

Nathaniel West

Raymond Chandler

Aldous Huxley

Michaelangelo Antonioni

Norman Mailer

Graham Greene. This is just a sampling of some of the portraits that Kevin Christy did for his show 'Year Of Subtraction' at Hope. Amazing show, amazing night.

Bryan so psyched he nearly blasted his son through the ceiling.

If you missed the opening you can come see the show all month.

Floyd Albee and family, early birdies.

A stunning face.

Jenna's parents, Mike and Debbie, also early birds.

The night was clear and crisp.

The opposite to the cloudy muginess that Rene exudes.

Spunt talking me into a future SXSW thing.

Speaking of cloudy.

Throng

The Artist In Glasses.

Aaron and Tim menace me.

And Hitler slips on a peel.

And this is great, Pete Weiss returned from India and Japan healthy and happy!

Bobby prefers the safety of his directors chair.

Welcome home Pete, and thank you to everyone who came out and made this a success.

Tomorrow is my thousadnth post. There will be a suprise.

I Want You To Do Everything Instead

Getting ready for the Kevin Christy show at Hope.

It's tonight! I am blown away by what he's done.

I'm crazy about these portraits. But that's all you will see for now. Tiny sneaky peek. Come tonight and see for real!

Then Bobby and I trucked over to 1520 to see Tim Barber's TV Books show.

He did an amazing job. The room is pure class all the way.

It's up all month, so you have no excuse for missing it if you live in LA.

Oh, hi Kevin.

Another thing about Tim , he is an incredibly tidy and thoughtful houseguest. Give him a round of applause.

Mike made a zine of the portraits he shot at Hope last month and he will have them for sale at the show tonight. I have previewed it, and you are going to want one. Were you at the TV Books show at Hope? Well then you are probably in it.

Looking into each others souls. Finding peace.

Peace been found.

Boy Crazy

Slight Nostalgia

Bryan Ray

Good job Tim.

Then we went over to Ooga Booga and hung around with these dudes.

Put a boot through it.

Then I went home and watched that new movie The Strangers and I got scared. I mean really scared!

Everything Popular Is Wrong

Tonight I will be here...

And I will be here.

When My Baby Comes Home

Kramer and I are busy prepping the gallery for Saturday's Kevin Christy opening.

Jesse stopped by. She was painted red and wearing a white robe. I don't know why.

This is what it looks like when Bobby cries out for his Mother to come home. We both cry out!

The Boy Gets A Greenie

Bobby Gets A Greenie Treat After A Day At The Groomer from cali dewitt on Vimeo.

And then Bobby get to have a nice munch.

Bobby Eats The Treat from cali dewitt on Vimeo.

I Put Up With All The Scenes And This Is One That's Going To Be Played My Way

Shit hot white heat rager weekend. First, Friday go to Space 1520 for Tim Barber's TV Books show.

And then Saturday night. Hope Gallery is proud to bring you -

Saturday December, 13. 7 - 10pm
Hope Gallery and Stop Smiling Magazine Presents:
'Year of Subtraction'
Artworks by Kevin Christy

Hope Gallery
1547 Echo Park Ave.
Los Angeles, CA
90026

Also, there is a Raymond Pettibon opening, a Mike Mills opening, some great thing at Ooga Booga and an Ed Templeton slideshow at Family. All this weekend! Wowee, huh?

Specific Scenes And Characters

Laundry night.

Tim Barber is in town. We washed our clothes and played video games.

And got burritos from the truck.

Over at Space 1520, things are happening. Let's see if this makes any sense - We took the Hope show at 1520 down and Tim is installing his show there now which opens on Friday. We also took Tim's show at Hope down to make room for our Kevin Christy opening on Saturday. Confusing? I will post flyers for both tomorrow.

Tim's show is MASSIVE.

But there will be no peeking. Not until Friday, when one and all can peek freely.

Luke and Sarah were there, on the hunt for winter coats.

And Anthony has a new name.

What's up with these posters?

Come early and Friday and find out.

As Long As I Know She's Mine

There was this big grand opening party at Space 1520. But this post isn't about that really, it's about how drunk Anthony got. This is stage one. I don't think he is drunk at all at this point.

I'm proud of this show. If you missed it, well, you missed it. It's coming down right now.

Caramel Bobby slept through most of the night in my arms.

Charming.

Uh oh. A couple of beers in.

His new shoes.

Colt 45 out of a Monster cup.

A breath of sanity from Wendy Yao.

Starting to lose it, at this point he is calling to me, offering up funny poses.

Ok, he insisted on holding Bob. This lasted mere seconds because I could see that Anthony was moments away from getting his face bitten.

Oh good, two more. Also of note, he is missing his jacket. Wendy commented that she liked it and he took it off and insisted that she keep it.

Party's over!

I drove him (two blocks) to his car where he settled in for a nice sobering sleep. Well done young man!

I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free

Thanks to an email I got this morning from my friend Mary , I was reminded about what really matters. Milk is an excellent movie and the timing for it's release couldn't be more perfect, and my calling it just 'ok' wasn't really thought through. Thank you, Mary Manning, for reminding me what it's all about today, and reminding me what I am and why.

I Pound A Solid Rock

I saw Milk and it was just ok.

Let The Right One In

Morse (Let the right one in) from SHADOW2008 on Vimeo.

I saw my favorite movie of the year.

Wandering Stranger

Back in Los Angeles, No Age played a little show at Pehrspace.

The boozehounds return.

On this night, everyone smoked.

There was some real way out shit going on inside.

Claire / Blooper dance troupe.

Next up - The New No Age.

The New No Age tore the roof off.

A lot of cool shoes.

Oh look out, here comes the old No Age.

Welcome home boys.

And Anthony, nice fireman jacket.

I think Dean and Randy are already gone. To Miami. Get a tan!

And if you're anywhere near Sheffiled in the UK, you best head down to this show pronto as the doors opened 15 minutes ago!

Important For Folks In Philadelphia And The Surrounding Area

If you live close enough to attend, it would be foolish not to.

Caramel Bobby Got A Shirt

Bobby Got A Shirt from cali dewitt on Vimeo.

It Don't Come Knocking Everyday

Let Me Know You're Mine

Thanksgiving.

We did feast.

Dan Monick was one half of the host, and a very good half he was.

Camille ate ALL the gravy.

My Beloved Girlfriend left for two weeks of Mika Miko tour in Europe this morning. Bring her gifts of ginger ale and taxidermy if you are in one of the cities they're playing in.

And DSS is on his way to Miami for a Sads/No Age/Panda Bear show. I was going to go and changed my mind last minute. I want to be at home now!

Camille is still here, probably getting a pedicure.

At least with Caramel Bobby at home I won't be totally rudderless.

Caitlin and Dan = One Great Host. Thanks for such a good meal and time!

Later in the night we went to Northridge to visit the boys, who were too pooped to party.