The first
Lowkey Letter. Thank you for being here.

I live, work, and play in Bend, Oregon, where I own and operate a cannabis company called Kine.

Outside of that, I spend a lot of my time creating—whether it's music, writing, or drawing. I have an Etsy shop where I sell my artwork, which is mostly geometric, hand-drawn pieces.

I've always been drawn to building things—whether it's a campfire, a business, a piece of art, or a story.

The Present: A Backpacking Adventure in Europe is the story of a ten-week solo trip I took across Europe in 1997, right after graduating college.

It was a different time—before smartphones and constant connectivity—so everything had to be figured out in real time. I made no plans. I got by with paper maps and a guidebook. If I needed directions, I asked someone. If I needed a place to stay, I walked from hostel to hostel until I found an open bed.

I made 37 stops, met travelers from all over the world, jumped out of a gondola in Interlaken, wandered the streets of Prague at night, and partied like a rock star in Amsterdam.

It's a story about adventure, uncertainty, and learning to trust yourself—and a reminder of what it means to truly be present.

Aside from the several thousand dollars I spent hiring an editor and formatter, the real cost was time.

Over five years and eight rewrites, I put in several thousand hours of work—and it was absolutely worth it.

It was a story I'd been carrying around for decades, and finally finishing it is one of the most rewarding things I've ever done.

It's been a learning experience. I went into it knowing that writing the book was only half the battle—the other half is getting people to find it.

What's worked best for me so far is keeping things organic. Instead of pushing the book, I've focused on sharing real stories and engaging with people. I had a few posts on Reddit take off, and by responding to every comment and being part of the conversation, they created real interest without feeling like promotion.

I'm still early in the process, but the biggest lesson so far is that consistency and authenticity go a long way.