i never had the pleasure of meeting
dave freeman, but he was a dear friend to
my dear friend
laura. she would often tell me of his house in venice which was an escape from the city (LA) and the oc (her house). it was a place to dream, talk and laugh. dave and laura worked together in new york years ago- pre-9/11. after this horrific event, both decided they needed a change. dave moved back to southern california to be closer to his family and laura moved to san francisco to start a new job with another pr firm.
while one friend was in the north and the other in the south, they stayed close friends and confidants in the real and pr world. laura ended up taking a job at
sambazon, where i met her, which is based in san clemente. finally the two were in the same vicinity again.
moving to a new region can be difficult sometimes. getting the lay of the land and understanding it's residents can take a bit coming from a different part of the country....or even a different part of the state! dave was good at "breaking down" southern california to laura. he showed her the gritty side of la...like venice drum circles. he explained the rare animal, oc housewives, and told her about the selection of mates she might encounter, the oc male. he had a way of making everything fun.
dave wrote a book,
100 things to do before you die, which shared his zest for life and getting out there and living like it's your last day on earth. 2 years ago today, dave had a freak accident at his house-he fell in his bathroom, hit his head and passed away. he was 47 years old. dave had a famous quote he'd say to his friends, "we're going to the future people! are you coming?!" he would also give his friends 10,000 heaven bank notes for good luck. laura gave me the one pictured after dave passed away. i carry it in my wallet. to me, it's a reminder to live a full life. tell those you love that you love them. breath in the fresh air and feel sun on your face. take that trip you've been thinking about and start that business you have in your head. live for today but plan for the future. thank you dave for reminding me.....
(a friend, dave and laura @ a venice drum circle)
a note dave left laura 12/00:
"Laura! Get Fast! Keep Moving. Don't Waste A Precious Moment. Dave."
