My Photo Shoot for the American Bar Association Journal!
A couple of weeks ago, I received a call from a journalist who was doing a story for the American Bar Association Journal. He stated that he saw my video a couple of years ago from a posting on youtube that I had done called 'White Cops Don't Want White Guest in Englewood'.
Of coarse I was flattered.
He had texted me one morning to ask if I had time to talk. I thought, as long as it didn't interrupt my 2 p.m. wake up... sure.
We spoke for about an hour or so. I really can't say how long because the time seemed to go by quickly. After the conversation, I thought that perhaps he may be interested in my perspective to a small degree based on events that were happening in New York. A recent event was a guy had received a $40,000 fine and faced eviction because he rented his apartment for 3 nights on Airbnb.
I really don't know what the reporters angle was for my view since I don't live in New York. However, it was fun, I'm snowed in and its the American Bar Association dog gonnit! lol
After the interview, about a week later, I receive another call for a photo shoot for the article! (WHAT ARTICLE?) The photographer asked if Wednesday would be ok. It was presently Monday. I said, 'That's normally ok but Thursday would be better'.
I'm no spring chicken! I had to buy a wig, clean up a bit, buy a wig, find my contact lenses...and did I say 'buy a wig!'
I had the guests staying up in the 'Castle Room' move to the available bed on the main floor. I spruced the place up a bit and bought a wig!
Wednesday came and I made a big mistake.
In pre-celebration mode, the guests and I were feeling a bit festivias. Canada asked me if I wanted something to drink. I specifically told him no...and then said, 'well ok...just a SMALL $3 vodka and orange juice!"
When he returns, he has the $5 pint and orange juice plus the big bottle of RUM!!!
NOOOOOOOO!!!!
Convincing myself I can do this without drinking any of the rum, we get into a slight debate, while drinking, about issues that drinking people should not talk about. I didn't think that the conversation went badly (from what I remember). It was just a discussion.
My mistake was that when I finished my vodka, I looked at his remaining bits of rum...for which I took a small cup or two.
Now I am proud to say that Sybil didn't come out or anything because the barracades that I placed in front of my room door was unmoved when I woke up.
The problem?
I laid in that bed, Thursday morning, day of the photo shoot, with the worst headache in the world!I tried to lift my head up but it was not happening! I still had to get the bedding out of the washer to the dryer, get dressed, do my wig and see what other damage control from the other guests had occurred the night before (in the main level). Thank goodness, there was nothing to much there to do on the main floor.
10 a.m. - No movement. My body was dead to the world!
11 am. - Still no movement! Lifted my head maybe a half inch!
12 noon - Now I'm thinking, I have to at least make my way to the basement to put that sheet in the dryer. But no can do. My head moved at least an inch more off that pillow.
1:30 a.m. - FINALLY, I have some traction! I can open at least one eye. The sheets were a lost cause. I only had time to focus on putting some clothes on, shaving my beard and figuring out how will I do this head!
2 p.m. - After working my wig a bit and testing it by going to the main level to see what my male guest's initial reaction was going to be.... I got nothing!
I thought...DANG!!! This is bad! So back into the bathroom I go.
I flip it, twirled it, hung it low...then walked out for more reaction.
Nothing!!!
I'm thinking I'm in trouble.
But then by accident, I put the back of my (wig) hair in a ponytail in the back with a scrunchie because now the hair is starting to get on my nerves. In the midst of my frustration, I looked in the mirror and thought, 'YEAH! This is it!!"
I walked out to the guys (Canada and Brazil) and they were like, 'WOW!" Thats when I was done. I said, 'now I just want to go to bed!"
Shortly after, the knock on the door.
Now I thought when the photographer called and said that he wanted to schedule a picture, then it would be just one guy with one camera.
Not even!http://www.abajournal.com/magazine/article/website_raises_legal_questions_about_homeowners_and_tenants
There were two (2) guys with all of this equipment! They were super friendly too. They looked thru the house for where they wanted to set up and decided on the kitchen and the upstairs Castle stripe room. They pulled out these two 'lights' with four cameras and had me do quite a bit of poses by the sink. Then we head up to the attic for several poses under the skylight but using a deflector. Serious and smiling poses...some looking out into the skylight and some playful. I tried not to laugh but I can't lie, it was super cool and so weird feeling at the same time.
One of the photographers never heard of Airbnb. They both had tears in their eyes when I told them stories of my beginnings with guests and adventures of running an Airbnb.
But I won't lie. I was running on fumes, adrenaline and sleep deprivation. A high for me. During the photo shoot, I didn't feel one bit tired when they arrived. But when they left, I felt an urgent need to crash.
After that day, I made Canada promise me that he won't offer to buy any liquor for a month because I'm just getting to old for this!
Can't wait to see the article and the photos. Stay tune!
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