Steve Emig's Street Life- #SEstreetlife: a new personal blog

Look at things differently.  My perspective of a Jimi Hendrix mural in North Hollywood, CA.  2020.  #steveemigphotos, #SEstreetlife

Sometimes you can take life by the horns and force it where you want it to go for a while.  Sometimes life decides to kick your ass for a while, just to see what you're made of.  If you don't believe me, try to remember what you had planned on January 1st, 2020.  Your life's been a bit different the last couple of years, than you imagined, hasn't it.  For over 20 years now, life has been kicking my ass, with the help of a few douchebags here and there.  Things didn't go as I planned.  But then, things never go as we plan.  

I first became homeless, for an extended time, in late 1999, right after I started working as a taxi driver,  I got out of it a few months later.  But I've been in and out of homelessness, on and off the streets, at various levels. since then.  All together, I've lived about 15 years without an apartment.  I've lived in my taxi for 5 1/2 years, I've lived in a tent in the woods for 9-10 months, through intense Carolina thunderstorms, suffocating heat, and even snow and temperatures down to 12 degrees F.  I've slept outside in bushes, on loading docks, porches of abandoned buildings, at outdoor bus stations, and even an old slave cemetery.  

Homeless man with couch, Studio City, 2021.  #steveemigphotos, #SEstreetlife

Want some street cred?  I'll sell you a kilo.  I've got far more than I need.  I've dealt with all kinds of people, weather, animals, bugs, and a small rat snake that found its way into my tent.  Living on the streets, while Life itself pummeled me in one way and then another, molded me into someone different than I was 20, 30, or 40 years ago.  I survived a few things that should have killed me, nearly missing a head-on car crash at 55 mph, a horrific bout of cellulitis, and a suicide attempt 7 years ago, in North Carolina, where I took enough lithium to kill an elephant.  God, The Universe, or whatever you want to call it, gave me a bonus life.  I've focused on being much more creative since, and unapologetic about being creative.  Since then, I have sold over 100 original pieces of my Sharpie scribble style artwork.  I've written half of the 2,400 blog posts I've published in my life, since then, drawing in another 200,000 page views, across my blogs. 

As we began coming out of the Covid-19 period this spring, as we all struggle with inflation, and now head into a stock, crypto, and real estate collapse, and into a long recession, I pondered where to focus my creative efforts.  I've been writing about "the coming economic downturn" for 4 years now.  It's here.  

Two days ago, sitting at my sleeping spot, watching the first light of dawn, on Friday the 13th, I realized that life on the streets, in all its facets, has been the main theme of my life for over two decades.  At the same time, I saw this crazy period of economic crisis and massive change barreling down on all of us.  Then 2020 came along.  Then 2021.  Life has been pimp slapping damn near everyone for a couple of years.  But it's not over, there's a lot more change to come. 

Coyote in the early morning, about 60 feet away from where I was sleeping.  There are urban coyotes all over Southern California.  As a general rule, they leave people alone.  #steveemigphotos, #SEstreetlife.

I realized if was time to talk about what I've learned, dealing with the lessons of the streets, and coming into my own creative work.  We're all going to have to get more creative to survive, and thrive, in the next several years ahead.  So the idea for new personal blog popped into my head.  Steve Emig's Street Life, hashtag #SEstreetlife.  I'm leaving Steve Emig: The White Bear, with over 800 posts, and 135,000 page views, behind.  I'm starting fresh, with a new vibe, and more creative content.  #SEstreetlife is about building new lives in what I believe will be one of the most chaotic and crazy decades in history, The Tumultuous 2020's. 

In September of 2018, shortly after I landed randomly in Richmond, Virginia, I learned old BMX friend, and founder of FBM Bikes, Steve Crandall, lived there.  When we met up, he gave me some food, some coffee, and his old iPhone 5.  I've been snapping photos of things I see on the streets with that phone ever since.  These are a few of those photos.  Huge thanks to Steve for that phone.  It's been cool to document bits of the craziness of my life these last 3 1/2 years.  

You up for a crazy ride?  I hope so.  Follow the link over to Steve Emig's Street Life, and let's figure out how to make this world a cooler place.  Let's go create some shit.  

Rich kids with a little spray paint, a little creativity, and a hidden parking deck.  Is this real?  Or just some bullshit?  Time will tell.  #steveemigphotos, #SEstreetlife

I've given up on Steve Emig's Street Life blog, and back to using this blog as my personal blog.  But I have a new blog about side hustles, gig jobs, small businesses, and making a living in the recession.  Check it out:

Small Business Futurist