He was standing on the corner of Powell and O&#39;Farrell with the biggest cardboard sign I&#39;ve seen yet. I chuckled when I read it and we made eye contact and started talking. I told him about the $2 Portrait project and he was happy to have his picture taken and tell his story. Ryan is 28 years old and from Green Bay, Wisconsin. He&#39;s been in San Francisco for a year and came out with some fellow band members to try and make it in the punk rock scene. He plays drums and ukelele. After a short while, his friends got homesick and returned home, but Ryan decided to stick it out and try to hook up with another band. He said he&#39;s played on and off with a few musicians but &quot;it just hasn&#39;t clicked with any of them.&quot; I suggested he might set-up &amp; play on the street since I&#39;ve met several professionals who play in clubs and on the street.<br><br>I asked Ryan about family and he said he talks to his mother every single day. &quot;She can&#39;t be happy that you&#39;re out here like this&quot;, I said. &quot;I have not been living at home since I was 17, so she&#39;s used to me not being around.&quot; Before coming out to San Francisco, Ryan used to race BMX bikes on some semi-professional circuit and traveled all over the country. He said it is tough out on the street; there is a lot of &quot;competition&quot;. He laughed though when describing the marketing technique of a competitor…a sign that said &quot;I won&#39;t lie. I need money for crack.&quot; &quot;Are you f&#39;..in kidding me - who would give that guy money?&quot; Ryan said he was headed down to LA for a few weeks with a friend to see if he could pick up a music stint there.<br><br>We talked a little longer, I gave him $2, wished him luck and told him I want an autographed CD when he hits it big. He laughed and said thanks.<br><br>Taken 7/21/11<br>Posted 7/28/11