Family Artists

Most people, when they think of my 18-year-old, probably focus on his soccer career, three times all-city and the main center back on his club team. Or, his writing skill, with a city-wide poetry award, and essays that can bring tears to the readers' eyes.

But his main fixations, I would say, are music and art. His love of tattoo art (he has three tattoos now, at least one of which he designed himself), and music "of all genres" -- as he says -- is palpable and well beyond the ordinary passions I usually see in kids his age.

The above piece is something he's proud of. He produces things like this while doodling in school. I think it helps him somehow concentrate (he has a learning condition that is still being checked and rechecked and verified.)

One person who saw it offered to buy it on the spot but he wouldn't part with it.

Although I've known he draws for a while, this is the first piece he has shared with me in a long time. I'll have to ask him what, if any, meaning it imparts for him.

***

As I returned from a meeting this morning with a 23-year-old Harvard dropout who is co-founder of a hot startup, I noticed my car had a flat tire. A nail.

Later, after it was repaired, I drove my youngest to a photo studio where she framed several of her drawings and paintings. So today's theme was "family art."

Still later, soccer came back into the flow as I drove her and a teammate out to the Polo Fields for practice. Their spring season starts this weekend.

***

Rain clouds are forming from the west. That means my 16-year-old will be happy tonight. I may be in a melancholy mood (too many hours dealing with airlines that make it impossible to redeem your "miles" and too many hours working on the damn Fafsa.)

Too many hours on bureaucratic BS and not enough thinking about music, art, writing and sports. At least baseball season has started!

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