We are Love

We are what we make. We are what we do. Our days are ours to turn inside out.
All photos and text are mine ©2009 unless otherwise noted.
If it makes you wanna holler, and throw up both your hands. jcramstad@gmail.com

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Black and White
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Photoholic
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I am Blessed
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The Past is Prologue

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2008 Photo Love.
2009 Photo Love

And it ended highly punctuated.

I left my computer on the plane yesterday morning. Yes, you heard me right. I left it. The stewardess wouldn’t let me hold onto it, and stowed it for me right before take off, away from my other bags. I fell asleep, woke up in NY, stood up, grabbed my bags, and walked off the plane. I realized it in baggage claim. The lost and found people called up. It was nowhere to be found. Someone had taken it. It was gone. What? Yes. Gone.

My heart was somehow and simultaneously in my throat and my stomach. It was a moment to cry. Inconsolably so, but I had no tears. All of my 2009 photos were on that machine. About 10% of them were backed up. I had a hard drive connected to my computer the previous day, but only had time to lift a few folders off to make room for a new import. This couldn’t be happening.

I didn’t want to leave the airport, but there was nothing I could do. Someone must have seen the lonely lappy and decided that their home was better than mine. It wasn’t a hard thing to steal. All nestled in its little case with a shoulder strap. I walked through the airport looking for someone with a black laptop bag, or playing with a black mac book for that matter. No one. Nothing. Unbelievable. How does this even happen? I was off the the plane for no more than 6 minutes. I was devastated.

I headed home, and then to work. Anxious, empty, and attempting to reconcile losing a year’s worth of work. After working myself up to a point in which I could see my life without these photos, I was in a better place, but I hadn’t given up hope. Someone would do the right thing, or somehow I would get this thing back. I was on the phone with United, trying to get someone to help me. Maybe they could send an email out to the passengers offering a reward. I would have gladly paid good money to get it back. I needed a new computer anyway. No dice. It was looking like I was actually going to have to pay for one of my boneheaded moves. Serves me right I suppose.

I was on the phone with Vija. She worked for United. Maybe she could offer up some sort of advice, and if not, an ever gracious and loving outlook. We were in the middle of discussing how to contact passengers when I got a text.

“I have your computer so don’t stress.”

I called the (323) number immediately. “REALLY?”

“Hi, Cole. Yes. Really.”

He was an attendant on the flight. His name was Domenic. He went on to explain that he found it, and knowing how the airline is, didn’t turn it in, as things like this rarely make it back to the rightful owner.

I was blown away. I’m still blown away. I called him an angel. I told him I loved him. I damn near offered up my first born I was so ecstatic. He let me know my computer was in good hands, and told me he’d call me in an hour to meet up and get it back to me.

In writing to you from my lap right now, I can say for sure that the world can be a just place. The world can be a right place. And yesterday it offered up proof that there are good people walking on it.

Utter heartbreak to pure joy in mere hours. Hell of a way to end the year. Glad it all ended up the way it did. I suppose it’s a matter of energy, and there was a lot of it going at my situation.

In honor of 2009 and Domenic, some of my favorites of the year.