From Facebook:
Li Frad Le Fay
Today I received something really AMAZIIIIING!!!! Joe Bielawa Thank you so much really!!!!! I going to buy a frame for it a really nice one hahaha finally got it =D and it’s AMAZIIIIIIIING!!!!! SO MUCH LOOOVE!!!! =D Kristine Weitz Love you too =D haha
Last June, after I photographed Kristine W. in Minneapolis, I asked Facebook friend and Kristine W. fan, Li Frad Le Fay which of the photographs I had taken did he like the best. He picked a few, but came back to this:
When I sent the disc of the images from the concert off to Kristine, I included an enlargement of Li Frad’s favorite. Knowing that he was fan of Lady Gaga as well as Kristine, I asked if she would please sign it “For Li Frad. Even though you are a little monster, I still love you” then she added “Love, Kristine W.”
It took a while for me to get the image back, as Kristine is on the road so much, but I knew, in time the signed image would be returned and sure enough, in a couple of months it was back on my doorstep.
For whatever reason, it took a while for Li Frad to give me his address, which I can understand…although I may creep, I do not stalk, but how was he to know
After some time, Li Frad gave me his address and since he resides in a foreign country, the address looked, well foreign. Or completely strange to me. I wasn’t really sure if it was an actual address.
I sent it out a week or so ago. This morning I was thinking that I should send Li Frad a message to see if he might have received it. When I logged onto Facebook today, I saw the post that is above.
What is cool for me is, as I run in various circles exercising my passion and enjoying some wonderful moments of connectedness photographing these musical celebrities, I get to pass some of that along to someone 10 months and 2000 miles away. For me, that is the gift.
And the beauty of snail mail is it adds to the excitement to see that package on the doorstep labeled “Photos: DO NOT BEND!!” And I know it well, as I send images around the country, always wondering when/if that return envelope will be used, and most oblige me.
And I am guessing when Jake Shimabukuro returned home to Hawaii this week, he saw that large envelope in his mail labeled: “Photos: DO NOT BEND!”
Addendum: 6/3/2012.
Li Frad Li Fray poses with his picture of Kristine W.
Li Frad Li Fray poses with his autographed image of Kristine W.
It makes me shutter... 
