8.26.

13 This will be my farewell address to the general body of the Harris County Young Democrats since I have reached the official retirement age @ 41 where im no long er serving in full capacity under the bylaws of the HCYD and TYD. Back in November 2002, I came on board after a dismal campaign season where Gove rnor Rick Perry was elected to a full term inclusive of a Texas Democratic club which was at a nadir where few members were present. The new leadership elected in 2003 with Rick Brennan (and later succeeded by his now-wife Kate (nee Rybka) resulted in change where the membership grew from its then-20 members per month to over 50+ and I was one of a few who provided the out-take footage as a then-m ember of the Houston Independent Media Center until falling out with their brass resulting in establishing Montrose Patriot Photography & Promotions in February 2005 where I was on the verge of becoming a peon and a disgrace. I continued as a HCYD member until 2007 where I was transitioning over into an industry at the same time that Rick and Kate (nee Rybka) stepped down as President and Presiden t Emeritus. My late mom's passing in 2006 resulted in yours truly resurrecting a photography career where some within the HCYD consider yours truly as a shadow of a former failed campaign worker from the Tony Sanchez for TX Governor Campaig n and 2003 candidate for the Houston City Council At-Large Pos. 1 who finally wa lked out of a closeted shadow or a latecomer whose opportunities faded out. I al so came 2 know the late Cassie Goodin briefly but her sudden death in late 2006 resulted in a premonition which I came 2 terms with in September 2008 with a dea r muse usually seen in a FB cover pic. The leadership of the HCYD since 2007 might have transformed from resurrecting t he club to a downward spiral where it was imminent that the writing was on the w all in response 2 my photography career and several members that I know of disap prove of my photography as if I was involved in a business deemed immoral which is not true - im in it 4 the $$$. Some of the membership who disapprove of my ph otography or refused 2 be photographed (one of the YDs who did this back in 2008 disparaged yours truly 2 the point that I ceased attending the HCYD meetings af ter May 2008 after my photography influence (the late Rev. T. Mitchell Jones) wa s killed by a DWI after the Art Car Parade ended). Although I have not been 2 a HCYD meeting since the 2010 campaign season, I have ended up travelling the state these days - usually stopovers in ATX or DFW as h omage 2 my late friend Jeff Towns (who traveled the state with or without an art car which now includes a tribute art car now operational since 4.5.13) but the HCYD was one of my affiliations which became one of my first photography clients . Rick and Kate (along with numerous YD members who came and went) would not kno w of someone they once knew who ended up photographing the upscale gigs one of w hich was the 2012 Hooters Pageant where yours truly walked away with the Photogr apher Plaque. If the YDs came to know about my connection with Swimsuit USA, Hoo ters Pageant, Bikinis Sports Bar and Grille, or my ATX muses esp. my dear friend Kelly Grace, there would be mixed feelings esp. with Rick and Kate (I hope they did not toss one of my art sculptures in a recycle bin as if they turned their backs). It has been a long 10 yrs - although currently in absentia with the current HCYD membership, im not abandoning the YDs with the 41+ club (Shondra, Eddie C et.al .) of those who were forced into mandatory retirement. My photography services w ill continue - whether or not my artwork is considered as art or exploitation... Rev. Montrose Patriot