In addition to my day job as CEO of Bear Ice Company, I am also a professional live music photographer.
After a hectic day of slinging frosty goodness, I can sometimes be found in the photo pit of a local club or arena here in Southern California shooting some of the biggest and baddest bands on the planet today. Live music inspires me. Photography inspires me. Being able to mix the two and capture special moments for fans and bands makes all the craziness associated with it worth the price of admission. I am truly blessed to be doing these things for a living.
A few months ago, I had the great fortune of photographing a band called Blue October. My partner Mark had always told me their performances were amazing, so I decided to pull the trigger and catch one of their live shows when they rolled through my area. As advertised, their performance was truly special. However, the most amazing part of the night was a connection that we made with a local fan – a.k.a. “The Prom Queen”. She was front and center for the whole show and rewarded by the band with a special “on-stage” serenade and dance prior to end of the set. By all accounts she was a Blue October super fan (and an even better person as we learned a few days later). Our “Prom Queen’s” story is definitely one I won’t soon forget.
So why share this story anyway?
Well, in a world that is unbelievably hectic, we sometimes take for granted the little things in life that matter the most – a melting ice cube, a warm sunset, or incredible live music. Instead, we get hung up on all the things that actually matter very little at the end of the day – my boss is a jerk, the train is late, or someone took my parking spot. Regardless of your role or responsibility in life, it’s important to take time every single day to give thanks for the blessings one actually has. Tell someone you love them. Take your dog out for a walk and enjoy the fresh air. Smile. If you make the little things even bigger things in your life, you’ll be much closer to the happiness you deserve and you’ll begin to live life as it was intended.
