Back in 2002 I was accepted to college for photography, something that I was really passionate about. When it came time to start picking courses I had a complete meltdown and decided to differed my acceptance. I never ended up by going back to school for what I was originally accepted for, and spent the better part of the next three years working at a camera shop, playing shows with my own band, and occasionally going on tour. It wasn’t until sometime in late July of 2005 that my life began to change. I had a relationship end and I realized that I was truly unhappy with myself and I was doing. I didn’t like who I was, so I decided to make some big changes; to go back to school, and to quit touring (unless it was with my band). I did one last tour, a quick sixteen day one, came home and started to get my life in order. I picked a graphic design course, was granted late acceptance, and started to move on with my life.

It was about six years ago this week that I was a college student. It was six years ago that for three days in September, I drove an excruciating hour and a half round trip to and from school. It was six years ago that I droped out of college. I had an opportunity to go back on tour and not as a merch guy this time, so I jumped at the chance without any hesitation. Before I knew it I was in the admin office at my school handing back my student ID and trying to get my first semester’s tuition back (I ended up getting everything except for $100). I’ll never forget telling my parents that night what I had done, and the look of disappointment that they tried so hard to hide while they supported my decision.

I don’t think that I could have ever known how that one day would truly change my life, and I’m very thankful that my family has stood behind me and let me do what I wanted to do. I think about that every year around this time. Because I decided to start touring full time, I’ve visited over twenty countries across five continents. I’ve thrown-up on high end designer stores, been in sketchy situations, changed thousands of guitar strings, eaten terrible food, drank (what seems like) all the beer, forgotten more than I’d ever like to admit (see: drinking all the beer), visited thirteen MLB ballparks, and seen some of the most beautiful places I could ever imagine. Most importantly I’ve met some of the closest friends I have through my job.

I don’t know where I’d be had I stayed in school, and sometimes I let my mind wander to that thought. Would I be designing graphics for whatever graphic designers design for? Would I be successful? Would I be happy? Would I still be playing in bands? What I do know is that I’d probably be fucking lame as hell. I’ve changed and grown a lot over the last six years. Doing what I do has shaped me into the person that I am now, and I’d never give any of it up for all the tea in China.

There will undoubtedly come a day when I decide to try and have a normal life at home, to stop touring. That thought is in the back of my mind, and I’d be lying if I said that it didn’t scare the shit out of me. All I know how to do now is tour, and it’s defined a large part of who I am. I’ve always said that the day I wake up and dread doing my job is when I’m going home… but until then, I’ll happily complain about living out of a suitcase.