Ah, first new photo in awhile! This image has been in my head for a few days now, and so I finally decided to bring it to life. This is gonna be straight stream of consciousness so I apologize for the lack of poise, but I wanted to share some candid thoughts on longterm projects, primarily for me to look back on later.
As you know, I’ve been working on Paper Birds (documentary) and Seventeen Times Around The Sun (STATS) for the past few years now. It’s been both frustrating and fulfilling. But the one byproduct I never anticipated was how much it would help me in respect to recovery: As it turns out, baby steps do in fact get you somewhere—it’s just hard to see up close.
There is another side to that coin, though. As I’m nearing the end (kind of) with both projects—but especially with STATS—I’ve started to wonder, “What if I invested all this time and energy just for the end product to not reflect that?” Now objectively speaking, that would actually be kind of funny; but PERSONALLY…yeah, I’d be a bit bummed. But to end on a positive note, the other beautiful thing about these longterm projects is that they’re so much more than the end result, you know? The idea is the seed, and the creation stretches out like a tree. No matter what heights you reach, dozens of tiny branches form opening up new paths, connecting you with new people, bestowing you with new lessons. I’m turning 24 next month and I still feel like I’m learning how to be alive, but I can say that my life—at least at this moment—feels imbued with a lot of meaning and fulfillment, and I’m so grateful for that.
Anyway….first half of Paper Birds is now up as well as the first three chapters of STATS! Check them out below 🙂
Seventeen Times Around The sun
Seventeen Times Around the Sun is a portrait of adolescence blending emotional depth with moments of humor and hope. Told in a diary-like style, it explores complex themes like complex and generational trauma, family dynamics and identity with a lightness that keeps readers engaged. Inspired by classics like The Catcher in the Rye, this novel offers an authentic and relatable take on teenage life, free from the clichés of hyper-sexualized or overly simplified portrayals.
Drawing from my personal experiences with depression and trauma, Alex’s journey is an honest exploration of resilience and self-discovery. Check out the first three chapters!
Paper Birds
Paper Birds is a short documentary I’ve been directing over the past few years, exploring the experience of living with fragmented, somatic memories and delayed-onset PTSD. Through personal stories, interviews, and symbolic visuals, it sheds light on how trauma affects memory—and shows that healing is possible even without clear answers. Watch a draft of the first half here.
