First Day in a Big City

The most independently exciting period of my life was when I first move to Toronto for school.
I was no longer bound to household rules and I could go where I wanted and when I wanted. It was a time to create an identity, a time to find what I was really interested in and I couldn’t be happier. I went to a high school where everyone knew who I was, but none really got to know me. Now I was in Toronto, I could walk and see a new face and never see that person again. So much commotion everywhere in a city that rarely slept and I loved it. Back then, I walked everywhere. Listening to my CD Player or sony walkman playing music from bands like Millencolin, Face to Face, SNFU and MXPX and just walk around with this bounce in my step.

I can still recall the city smell and how different it was from back in fresh air Timmins, Ontario. A world was out there and I was at a school where books and numbers weren't the number 1 concentration. Finding your talent and learning how to use it to express yourself was the foundation of my education. And I had 4 years of it ahead of me!
I knew I had a talent for something but I had to fine-tune it and practice. That’s the part I loved, practicing. Back then I wasn’t inundated with the media channels we’re all hooked on today. I only had a radio, my guitar and a drawing board. I’d spend half my time listening to late-night radio (sometimes even calling in with my two cents) while drawing or the rest of the time, putting a CD in my ghetto and trying to play along with it. Music and Art were my world, and as long as I had a pencil in my hand or a guitar laying around I was happy and I could keep busy.
Recently I found a website called Gigposters.com. I found some old posters from these bands that I listened to back in college and remember from seeing some of these posters got me right back into that excited feeling I had. Here are some posters from that site that made me want to draw for a living. At that point I really didn’t know how I could make a living doing it, but I knew I just wanted to draw.







Anyways, sorry for being all nostalgic and shit. I just sometimes wish I could go back to when I was naïve and start it all over again and do it with the people that are important to me now.

In other news, I just got engaged! Haha Exciting times!!

What a start to the year

Wow, what a crazy January. Almost got kicked out of the Bell Centre, put in a 60 hour work week and had an interview with IAMTHETREND.com.
No dull moments in this guy's life. I guess when it comes down to it, I wouldn't have it any other way.
Remember when you were a kid and you thought :"God I wish I was sick so I didn't have to be here today" well I used to have that feeling all the time. Not anymore. I hate being sick and I love having things to do, people to see and bills to pay. It keeps me going and it keeps things interesting. Granted, I am a stickler for Groundhog Days but really I just like being busy. You feel needed when you're busy.
For instance, last weekend, 12 of us guys went to Montreal, I was the only one that spoke french. If I wasn't there, a small battle would have gone down because of one dork who accidentally threw up a little on the lad in front of him. My translation skills kept us from getting into a fight with 40 other guys who were also there for a friend's party.
Upon my return home I knew I had a hefty schedule ahead of me. I put in 60 hours of work in order to finish a tight deadline project that needed to be done...and by me and only me. Felt great at first but when you're alone at 5 am in the office and you haven't gone home yet, you wish you had someone that can do exactly what you do next to you so that you can split the workload. Regardless, the week is over, the project is done and the Client and superiors are all happy, which makes everything worth it. Mid week I had the chance to get interviewed by a cool website called I Am the Trend. Cool new site that focuses on art, fashion and music. I was really proud of myself when I got to see that up there. You start to feel proud that you told your parents back in the day :"I want to be an artist" and they give you that "you better know what you're talking about" look.
My folks were very proud to see it up there, as well as friends and other family members.
Read up on it if you feel like here
http://iamthetrend.com/2010/01/25/we-chat-with-artist-paul-ainsworth/
I just feel like something even more exciting is going to happen.
Who knows, I'm just enjoying the ride.
Sorry I don't have any visuals. Maybe it's because I'm not allowed to post any pics from that night. haha

So that's my New Year's monthly check up and things are going well. Thanks for listening... all three of you.

Jump on over and have a look. Pretty much sums up my whole background in creativity.