NOTE: This site is loaded with photographic images just beyond this introductory text. So don't let this initial text keep you from enjoying the rest of the site!
The PremiseAs of March 1, 2010, I am effectively homeless -- having moved out of my beautiful apartment of 10 years, I have set up a work environment and simultaneously taken up shelter in a sublet office within a "factory" setting off of California Highway 101 somewhere between San Francisco and San Jose. Office number 48C.
I was (and am?) a successful business executive, having been involved in several early stage and several start up companies, including several in Silicon Valley, many of which are household names.
But having been slammed by a particular health challenge for an intense 3-4 years has put me into a material financial deficit position -- and all of the wonderful trimmings that come with that. Every financial wolf imaginable is at the door. Their nastiness has shocked even me. I get no less than 15 calls a day from them collectively, including Saturdays and Sundays. And letters. And liens. And even the IRS and the California tax folks... in some cases not because I owe them money, but because I didn't file any tax returns, and they have incomplete records that suggest I owe them money. All in all, a nightmare.
I have sold both cars, almost every stick of furniture I have owned (other than what can fit into 48C, and most anything else that can be sold.
I am borrowing back one of my cars. A close friend has lent me more money than I care to disclose. It's material.
And yet, I am building a business. A virtual start up operation that has the very real potential of becoming significant in value, in the mid to high tens of millions of dollars, if not substantially more than that. And that is what I spend 18+ hours a day doing.
Last year, trusted friends and family invested money in this venture. We have no more of it at this time. The site is so very close to being launched, but has been hung up due to difficulties in finding this one final skill set willing to work for stock options.
There is much hope in more money being raised in the coming weeks, some of it from unlikely sources.
In the mean time, I work on a Plan B and a Plan C as well. And I've figured out how to make a bit of pocket change. It's rather interesting. But if I disclose it, I'm more likely to identify myself.
On occasion, once every 7-10 days, I either check into a low end chain hotel, burning some left over frequent sleeper miles to have a hot shower and some extended sleep, or a close friend takes me in for a night or two for the same purpose.
The people at 48 have become suspicious of my circumstances, but they are also tolerant at this early point in time. It is mid May 2010 as I write this introduction.
On a seemingly unrelated note, I am a serious amateur photographer. My work is still posted on several web sites. But I am no longer in posession of my high end gear. All I have now is my iPhone. And if you've used the iPhone's cameral function, (sorry Steve), you'll know that the lens sucks.
I wanted to photographically document my journey through these very challenging times. Stuck with an iPhone, I had to find a way to make that work for me. And I finally did. I found a way to normalize all of the images. I found it in a free version of an iPhone app called Camera Fun. I use the "sketch" option. And I call the images "whispers" because of their ghost like qualities.
I'm keeping a personal journal of my days through this journey. It will one day coincide with these images. For now, you have the premise. And you will have a litany of images that you will have at least some context for.
If you follow me on this journey, thank you. I welcome your invisible company. And if you are up for it from time to time, I welcome a touch of dialogue.
TML
