Brad Walsh

Rituals

My first coffee at work has to be half full with one yellow packet of Splenda and a spoonful of cream. Not skim milk or 2% or even whole milk. I liven that shit up with a spoonful of fat ass and let it go down guiltlessly. After that, for the rest of the day, I use 2%. My first coffee of the day, however, is at home as soon as I wake up. That’s a cup from the Senseo that my mother graciously bequeathed me upon my move to New York; I load in one of those pods and push the button, and thirty seconds later I have exactly one cup of coffee (by Archer Farms – the magnificent and surprisingly quality Target brand). Anytime there is coffee after work or on the weekend it is usually Starbucks, which is the worst coffee on the planet. But it is familiar, and I am nothing without my insufferable comforts.

My coffee gets me going, makes me awake enough to run out the door, get to the office, stay up to fulfill nighttime obligations, or just hurry along my inner “processes” in situations where I’m going to be wearing tight clothes and need to be as, um, light as possible.

When I drink alcohol at home it is often a home-frozen vodka and redbull. When I drink out it is Sparks with the orange top or a rum & diet. It would appear I’m unable to drink without involving caffeine. But when you do as much as I do (albeit a collection of ridiculously enjoyable “much”), you need artificial wake-ups.

For example, my weekend. Wednesday night I went to a Victoria’s Secret party, then a ReadyMade magazine thing, then HiFi. Thursday I was out all night taking pictures for Stolen Transmission. Friday I visited Trash, saw VIP at Annex, hung out at Loaded and then stayed up doing photos with Bronques until it was brightly Saturday morning. Saturday I went to an amazing and insane film premiere, Rated X, and MisShapes. Sunday I drove out of town to buy things and do laundry and fix my car, then came home late and worked on photos, and finally had half an hour to clean my bedroom. I am incredibly lucky to be doing all the things I’m doing with the amazing and impressive people that I am doing them with – anymore it seems that I’m getting paid to take pictures left and right, which is absolutely my dream – but it all definitely takes its toll on my daylight hours.

I was going somewhere with this, but then I refilled my coffee and now I’m in a morning daze. I guess what I’m saying is, I’m happy and busy and happy to be busy.

Listening to: The Monroes’ “What Do All the People Know” – it’s been on repeat all weekend. Dancing in the street with heads close, each holding one headphone; dancing in the cab; dancing in my room. Ian knew & loved the song as much as I did. Surprise. Ten point jump.

PS – Mike Nouveau’s butt in AA gold lamé tight pants is a religious experience.