Tre Miller Rodriguez's Blog, page 80

Lookshelf

My mission for this summer: reduce my four East and West Coast storage units to one.

Began the purge process last week in California, whittling 12 boxes of nostalgia, college records, love letters and sympathy cards down to one medium-size shipping box.

In anticipation of receiving that box in New York, I start cleaning out our living-room cabinets: an area that’s served as a “shit-I-don’t-want-to-deal-with” zone for five years.

I rediscover Alberto’s incredible portfolio of Cuba images and nude ex-girlfriends. His ad industry awards. And his not-so-great abstract paintings on wood. 

I find the last book he gave me—nine days before the heart attack—which went missing that same Spring of 2009.

Encounter the book I was reading the afternoon before he died—and will not likely ever finish.

And stumble upon one inscribed in Spanish by his first wife—“everything is a story to tell”—which actually makes me smile because hey, I did tell his story.

Items I haven’t missed are tossed; things I specifically hoped to find aren’t.

Four cabinets in, I’ve pulled out enough books to populate the shelf above the living-room closet—a space I can’t believe we never thought to utilize.

Five trips to the rubbish room and two hours on a ladder later, the cabinets are no longer a symbol of my obstructed grief.

And the new bookshelf arranged by color spectrum?

A thing he would be effing proud of.

A thing I am super effing proud of.

Memorial Monday with Tony Papa, my Brother from Another Mother ...

Memorial Monday with Tony Papa, my Brother from Another Mother (at Herb Katz Dog Park)

Memorial Monday with Tony Papa, my Brother from Another Mother...

Memorial Monday with Tony Papa, my Brother from Another Mother (at Herb Katz Dog Park)

Cleaning out my storage unit in California & just found my...

Cleaning out my storage unit in California & just found my “Phil box” with correspondence, school IDs & photos. Twenty years later, I remain my brother’s keeper.

Exploring the Heart-Shaped Options (at Universal Studios)

Exploring the Heart-Shaped Options (at Universal Studios)

Stepped into my grandparents’ world this week &...

Stepped into my grandparents’ world this week & evidently, an Edward Hopper painting. (Exeter, Calif.)

Stepped into my grandparents’ world this week & evidently,...

Stepped into my grandparents’ world this week & evidently, an Edward Hopper painting. (Exeter, Calif.)

Arting, Crafting & Beering with Mom (California Desert)...

Arting, Crafting & Beering with Mom (California Desert) #OurLivingWreathsKickMarthaStewartsInTheKneecaps

Arting, Crafting & Beering with Mom (California Desert)

Arting, Crafting & Beering with Mom (California Desert) 

I don’t remember how I did life before you, Tumblr, but I sure...

I don’t remember how I did life before you, Tumblr, but I sure can’t imagine it without you now. Thanks for all the playdates, confessions and science lessons. And the critter videos. Especially the critter videos. Also the sexy black-and-white GIFS. And a post on any given Wednesday by apricotica, graceinplace, marseeah or YOU.

This cupcake is baked from the giggles, tears and possibilities of a  four-year relationship with the Internet. And I can seriously picture us getting a dog or major appliance together.