thelongbrake dot com

Charis

Joshua Longbrake — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 23:54:08 +0000

Travel Advice

Joshua Longbrake — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 23:10:30 +0000

At some point I want to delicately write about what life was like last year. It’s difficult to sculpt words around the beautiful & the tragic, and when I feel rushed to do so, or if the words feel forced or contrived, I stop writing. I need to pay attention to those emotions.

But for right now, I need a vacation.

I’m looking at trips to either Thailand or Iceland in August. At the risk of sounding pretentious, they are the places I’ve wanted to go for a long time and now seems like the perfect and necessary time to do it.

If you’ve had experiences in either country (or have other suggestions) then I’d love some advice. I’m open to resorts or hostels, hotels or villas. It sounds so life-giving to go read, write, and take photographs for a week. So, I’m going.

I want to book the trip in the next week. Advice would be greatly appreciated.

Birthday on Film

Joshua Longbrake — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 04:31:36 +0000

Yesterday I turned 26. I shot a roll of film throughout the day to document it.

Josué took that one.

Charlie

Many, many thanks to all of you who celebrated with me. Such a wonderful way to start a new year.

Joshua Longbrake — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 23:58:06 +0000

Kids these days.

Joshua Longbrake — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 06:39:00 +0000

Google Maps turned me into a criminal.

Seattle

Joshua Longbrake — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 02:16:11 +0000

Joshua Longbrake — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 19:12:55 +0000

self-portrait

Every detail seems to say something of where I am or who I am, and that kind of exposure is frightening.

And yet, I expose, be it little by little.

(I love night light through window blinds.)

Joshua Longbrake — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 02:29:30 +0000

Huong & Jeff

Joshua Longbrake — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 21:36:11 +0000

Seattle, WA
Just north of Olympic Sculpture Park

Joshua Longbrake — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 20:22:43 +0000

I hold you, cautious to prop up your head, adjusting you to release trapped air bubbles. You are contained, supported- completely dependent. But not for long. You grow and I must release. Now you crawl, you can distance yourself from me at will. I must pursue without smothering. Now you walk, you seem to think you can fly. I’m tired tonight; you are wild with play. Must I bathe you, dress you, tuck you in? Hurry up and fly. When I said, “Say ahhhh,” I didn’t realize that would be the last time I would get to brush your teeth.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Phil Nellis is a father of 3 boys: Sylas, Judah, and Ezra. He is a graduate of Mars Hill Graduate School and lives in Seattle.

100 Words are shorts that I’ve asked my friends to write on various subjects. They are intended to be small windows into how they view the world and experience reality. The only instructions they are given are a.) choose a subject on which to write and b.) the short must be exactly 100 words. How they interpret the subject and the form in which the 100 words are produced is up to them.