I did something today that I haven't done since 1997.

In December of 1997, I decided to get one of those wallets with the chains. I thought I was hardcore. Fuck, I was so hardcore, the measly chain that came with the wallet wasn't big enough, I needed a bigger one.

I was fucking hardcore.

In the spring of 1999, I started sticking stickers on it. It started with a "I'm a Toys R Us Kid!" sticker, and snowballed from there. I can remember just about all the stickers I ever put on it. If you strip it away, you go through the last seven years of my life. There's a "In-N-Out Burger" sticker from my trip to LA last spring. An "X" I stole from the back of a cab back in 2001. A "The Hippos" and "The Matrix" stickers from the VASA office. A "Onslaught" sticker from the Roscetti's dorm room. A faded photo booth sticker of Me, Armando, Kieran, Joe and Ibanez from the night we went to go see "10 Things I hate About You". A "Blockbuster Video Be Kind Rewind" sticker from my previously viewed copy of "Chasing Amy".



This is the new one. It's surprisingly easier to sit on.

So now that my wallet's gone, that means that the thing that's been with me everyday for the longest time is now this:



And everyday, I look to it for guidance and wisdom.

-Steve!