So I’m giving up my house of 4 years in Austin, thus being forced to go though my belongings and whittle away unnecessary items. As it turns out, I’ve gone through a lot of sketchbooks over the past 5 years, most filled with pretty awful drawings. Part of me wants to burn them, part of me wants to keep them around for nostalgia’s sake, and a teeny-tiny part wants to keep them in hopes they become worth something someday. It seems like a pretty big burden to haul them around your entire life. What to do?

So I ask my artist friends: What have you done with your old sketchbooks? Please post!

This is a valet ticket stub, the kind you grab when you park your car. For years I’ve handed these to customers in exchange for cash. I’ve driven thousands of cars for hundreds of miles, all within the same 3 block radius. I’ve been thanked, ignored, and pitied – ’tis the life of a valet.

I had other options for employment, yet I took this job for the freedom it afforded. Flexible hours and ample down time made it the perfect job for a growing person in search of himself and his art. I’ve made many ‘a buck, read many ‘a book, and done plenty of drawing at that beat up valet stand. And recently I found these old ticket stubs with drawings of cars on the back.

Looking at these distorted, rubbery vehicles, I cringe at their amateurish quality. Yet they also fill my heart with nostalgia and thankfulness. This job provided exactly what I needed exactly when I needed it. Which isn’t to say it was difficult to quit!! I couldn’t wait to get outta there!!! It has served its purpose, but now it’s time to move on to bigger and better things!