To say I knew what I was doing is far from it

I left home 2/28/1993 and started my ATL life on 3/1/1993 - I was 23. Now I am 49.

I knew 5 people, had no job or a place to stay except for the first night and I had a non-paying internship at Nexus Art Center, which is now, The Atlanta Contemporary... 

I had no clue what I was doing when I got here. I got to ATL on 2/28/1993 after driving all day and crashed at a place on 17th street. I slept on a sofa. Then I got up and found a place to stay for about a month on Park Place. Then, I found another place on 14th Street where I stayed for a year. It was a room for rent, around the corner from an English pub, down the street from a diner, and running distance to Piedmont Park.

There: I drank my cappuccinos and ate a ton of cous-cous. I witnessed a lot of things: music festivals, gay pride parades, peachtree road races, freaknick and car accidents - saw snow on April 1 - I met Elton John at Macy's - didn't know at the time, ate and drank a lot of beer and pizza. Met Jenny Williams, stayed buds with Randall, and Jake whom I still talk to. 

On Thanksgiving that year, I ate Tombstone Pizza and ironed my clothes for the holiday weekend at Macy's. 

Painted, showed my work at galleries all over, painted for food, worked for food...

So what have I done and what do I have to show for it?

Nothing.

Am I rich?

No but I am in spirit.

Did I crash and burn?

Sure...

I have been single, engaged, married and now widowed.

From 93-96 I moved 8 times. I lived in the hood, the burbs, by the church, the bar, and across the street from a drive thru liquor shop which made a perfect circle from my apartment door to the drive through window back across the street to my apartment door. There was a parking lot queen, a cat, name Quiche Lorraine who sat on all of our hoods.

First rule of being poor was don't let your phone get cut off. Second rule, don't let the electricity get cut off in the summer (AC), and third, don't let the gas get cut off in the winter (heat).

Why is the first rule what it is?

So people 'think' you're home and everything's ok.

Folks, this is BEFORE CELL PHONES.

So let's see here: JOBS:

Coffee House

Bar

Restaurant

Art Gallery

Art Model

1 hour photo store

Macy's

Music writer for Monthly mag

Started my first PR company: Misery's Over

Photographer

Music Manager's assistant (drivin n cryin)

AND that's all within three years!

1996 I landed my longtime position at Mark Pucci's office. There I sat for 18 years - answering the phone faster than Thelma Lou.

1998 got married. During this time, I ran the office, Steed's band stuff, a record label, an art gallery and a household.

NOW it's 2019 and I've lost a husband, a father in law, lost two cats, got three tattoos and I started my own PR firm. For some reason, I have to stop and think how long it's been and what was before and after... that's how crowded it's been with events.

Am I the same person? sorta. Do I know more than I did that day? Yes, at least two more things.

Do I miss that old Jill? Yes and no... I ran scared a lot, I didn't show it, but I did. Didn't know what was gonna happen from the morning to the evening.

So, I can't say I knew what I was doing that day... really I can't. I just knew I had to go.

Happy Atlan-ta-versary to me!

JK

This is a pic of my little brother, myself and my dear Grandmother who came to see me in 1995. This is outside my Vedado Way apartment.