Eat The Darkness

In desperate need of a long weekend away for some fun and relaxation, Jessica and I decided a few weeks ago to plan a short trip to Key West. It’s close enough for us to drive, not too expensive and fun. Perfect. As we were laying in bed discussing our getaway, we jokingly said we should just get married while we’re down there. We have been discussing the how, when and where ever since our engagement, but it kind of got put on the back burner for a while. So what started out as a half-serious conversation about getting married in the Keys changed course to a serious discussion about making it a reality in just a few weeks. Could we find someone to marry us, get rings, a license, a place to stay, time off, a dress for her, a beach wedding outfit and some new flip-flops for me ( I think it’s state law that I have to wear something like a linen shirt and pants) and more in such little time? The answer is yes.

So in five days, we will be married on a small section of beach at sunset, surrounded by the friends and family that are able to make the trip down. We drive down Thursday morning, get married Friday evening, play Saturday and Sunday and drive back home Monday morning. No honeymoon right away.

I never thought I would ever get married. Well, I guess I should say I never thought I would find a woman that would stick around long enough and love me enough to want to spend their life with me. Lucky for me, and I am truly lucky, I found Jessica. I remember clearly the first day we met in person two and a half years ago. We actually met over the internet, I know, crazy, but it worked out just fine for us. I suggested we just meet for coffee so each of us would have a safe out in case we decided it wasn’t quite right or weird (you never know with the whole online dating thing). She still gives me shit about Starbucks being our first date. But it wasn’t really our first date, it was our first meet, face-to-face. The first date came next. Anyway, it all worked out. 

Jessica

It’s hard for me to put into words how important Jessica is to me, or how much I love and adore her, or how she makes me feel inside, or how she’s made me a better person. She is simply a beautiful person inside and out and my love for her is immeasurable. I am so looking forward to marrying this beautiful, beautiful woman. On May 29th, a little after 7 p.m., I will be the luckiest man on Earth.

Photograph Copyright © 2009 Matthew Ratajczak. All Rights Reserved.

Can you guess what this is?

Photograph Copyright © 2009 Matthew Ratajczak. All Rights Reserved

I’ve been photographing the brush fires in Indiantown, Fla., for the last few days. Came across 67-year-old George James and his crazy dreads. I’ve never seen anyone wrap them around the forehead like this. Makes me feel itchy. Sitting in the shade under an Australian pine tree, George recalled watching the fires come just feet from his modest home on Lincoln Street Sunday evening, Mother’s Day, the day of his 67th birthday, keeping him from his birthday party across town. Thankfully, his home, and his dreads, both survived the flames. Jah bless.

A group of us took our good friend Alex Boerner out this past Saturday for a day of off-shore fishing, tons of beer and not so healthy food to celebrate his upcoming sentence, I mean marriage, to Deborah Silver. The weather was perfect, the seas were smooth and the beer was cold. Couldn’t ask for a better day. There’s something about drinking a cold beer and eating fried chicken at 8 a.m. 15 miles off-shore with a group of great guys.

Alex reeling in his dolphin fish, a.k.a. Mahi-mahi

That's me, reeling in my dolphin.

Landing my dolphin into the boat with help from the captain.

Me and my fish.

During a lull in the fishing, Some of us decided to jump overboard for a quick swim to cool off and refresh ourselves. It felt great until someone on the boat told us to get back in, that there was a shark. Of course Alex thought they were just playing around. But they weren’t. We all climbed back in and saw the 10 to 12-foot hammer head circling the boat. Pretty exciting. The photos below are not great, but show our friend looking for its next meal. Or maybe he was just curious about all the noise. I think he wanted to eat us. It makes for a better story. 

Hammerhead looking for lunch.

Hammerhead shark near the surface.

After getting beat up by the salt and the sun and who knows how many cans of Coors Light and Heineken, we made it back to dry land, cleaned the six dolphin we caught, grilled some of it over at Steven Martine’s crib and ate probably the freshest, tastiest fish I’ve ever had, all washed down with cold Newcastles. Deliciousioso!!

Congratulations Alex! Sorry we never made it out to see those dancing girls. Another time my friend.