A Random Smattering

The first signs of Spring have begun to bloom and my mood is already elevating to a much more relaxed state. Given that I am graduating so soon I am a baffled that I am able to relax for even a few minutes of the day, but hey, I am not complaining! My family (hopefully) understands why I am a nut-ball even more-so now than usual. I will share some of the pictures I've been snapping from my Samsung Vibrant... love... and my new favorite combination : Take pictures with the "vignette" application and edit them with "little photo". Snazzy names... snazzy pics.

A lamp surrounded by COLOR in city hall park. My first though when I saw that there was some alien blossoms popping up around me... HOLY F*&^ BALLS!

This is a tree right outside my work that I get to look at now with envy instead of pity. What a difference a month makes. "Oh poor flowerless tree getting snowed on while I'm inside warm-ish watching your sadness" has since morphed into a jealous fit, "F'in tree... flowers suckling from the teats of its awesomeness basking in the warmth spilling from the sun and kissing this tree while I watch, feet away, inside a glass hell..."

This is a beautiful flower I passed in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn while walking in the rain with my friend Lauren. We were both cursing the rain but mostly the fact that the temperature dropped to 39. I mean, seriously... can you say mother nature is a tease? Gorgeous weather with random days of gloom. I guess it's kind of like life... you need death to appreciate the own mediocrity of your own life. It's the little things.

Honestly, I am impressed that my phone can take pictures of this quality. Makes me wonder why I spent so much on my new one... wait a minute... not really.

Have I already shared this? I don't care actually because it is a badass picture. I took this while walking around with one of my besties, Helen, before she left for Europe for two months! Forget that freaking piece of shit tree... I am jealous of Helen!

This is a shot I got while walking around with Irina at the Seaport. I would love to tell you that I am a master at post-processing and I'm some genius with photography (at which point you smile politely and nod hysterically in approval so I don't cut you) however, this application on my phone captured these colors better than I could have imagined.

Other notable architecture includes:

The Beekman Tower, or whatever they are calling it this week, which was a parking lot when I first came to Pace. Nothing iconicity juxtaposes a symbolic and metaphysical experience like getting a degree like a building being built and completed at the exact same time!

And the Empire State Building...

What? This old thing?

The next picture was taken outside of Roberta's in Brooklyn where my, I'm going to say cousin for lack of a more accurate description, works.

It was a beautiful day and I though the contrasting colors looked pretty swell.

A little DD to make everyone jealous. Just making sure you're paying attention...

And what's this?

Hipster/ Model Christian?

Lookout!

And just because I can and this post is already a random smattering of photos... a deliciously scrumdidliumptious wine I had the other day. $10 at Trader Joe's, yeah I swear. Tribunal... worth every penny!

The next make a little more sense grouped together as they all include an aspect of photography. The first is none other than me adding "creamer" to my cup o' Joe at a place I love in Brooklyn Heights.

The following is one of my favorite pictures that I have ever taken. I have no clue why and I wish that I could articulate it but I just love that it is a picture of what I love doing most from my vantage point... well I guess that pretty much sums it up doesn't it?

(I didn't even take the picture you see on the screen)

This was something I found on a subway platform while waiting for the train. Everyone probably though I was crazy trying to take this picture on all fours but I had to capture this moment. There were three smoked cigarettes and three 24oz beer cans all lined up artistically. Probably by either an artist or a serial killer...

Heidi's shoe! God, those purple shoes rock my socks...

Posing with her film camera.

Next was an awesome picture of my hanging half my body out of a cab to get. I just though this perspective was perfect and even though the cab driver was half nervous-laughing half grabbing my belt loops to pull my back in, I think he secretly knew it would work out.

I am always happy to share my views of the world around me.

With this change of season comes a change in my life. I am graduating from College and moving forward and in-so-doing am grappling with the unwanted changes that are occurring at the same time.

I have come terms with some difficulties in life that some friends, family, and lovers will not be in my life forever. I guess I could have learned that from my biological father's absence in my life or the myriad friends that have gone from my life almost as quickly as they came.

I have more recently learned this from a few friends that without warning or provocation have decided they want to move forward with their own lives...

or from my Aunt's decision to not speak to me because of a misunderstanding.

I am still learning from these difficult losses but life goes on and seasons continue to change and minutes continue to pass.

All I can do is smile and nod in agreement to the world and keep my eyes open to the wisdom tangled in these situations and thank the Heavens for those incredibly special people in my life that I do have faith with be stuck with my crazy ass forever.

January and February phone photos -- my life

Where the bad people go in Southampton... circa 1780 something.

The most delicious day ever! I treated myself to a salmon sandwich and a ginger martini followed by flour-less chocolate cake and a irish coffee + Baileys :) So necessary sometimes.

I am not even sure how I managed to take a picture of myself with my touchscreen phone but what do you know? I did it! I woke up the next day after a pretty hefty amount of Tito's and said, "what skill I must possess!".... then I tripped and all was right in the world... balance.

I love this shot of Lexi... she is so photogenic it is unreal sometimes.

This totally captures the essence of that morning! And for a phone photo not too shabby. Nothin' like a cup o'joe and a pile of cigarettes to realize what your life has come to.

Waiting on the tracks to head back into the city on a ridiculously cold morning.

I took this when my amazing friend Natalie came to town with her mom and sister. She called me up, "We have Tattinger Champagne and chocolate dipped Godiva strawberries at the Waldorf-Astoria... want to co---- what's that? You're at the door?".

When I started school at Pace this was a parking lot across the street from the school/dorms and I had the pleasure of listening to the construction when it was under ten stories... look at it now!

This is a picture of the Woolworth building on my way to night class. I love how it looks so dark and mysterious. Spooooky.

It pains me to look at this because this Winter has sucked major balls. Just look at this and imagine seeing this for months on end. I miss you California!

Sums up the beauty of the snow... which is very rare.

I love this shot of this bike on my front porch which was completely invisible for a few months due to the piles of snow that dumped all over Brooklyn. Thank God it is almost over... (what's that weatherman? Snow tonight and tomorrow? But it's almost APRIL are you sure? ... you are... well F**K you too!)

More pictures coming very, very, soon!

Life is Beautiful

Key to happiness: Never take life too seriously

After feeling like a big pile of poop yesterday I was in much need to take a little walk and remember what is truly important. I consider myself to be a positive person. Of course not always, however lately I feel as though I am rational and slightly more enlightened and "aged" compared to who I was even just a few months ago.

I am beginning some incredible changes in my life and stepping stones that I'm sure will make notice outside of my myopic vision as a twenty year old.

Let me share with you some beautiful things I found yesterday to get over my emotional turbulence...

My backyard: Looking out my window the last few hours of the sunlit day completely overhauls whatever foul mood I may be in. Finding the time to look within and acknowledge this simple beauty has made a vast difference in my demeanor. To think, I will look back several years from now and say, "this was once my view".

The sunset: This has always been beautiful to me. Always elevates my spirits and centers me. No matter whether I am looking at the sunset off the coast of California or across this New York City harbor, I find that I am exactly where I belong.

Flowers: Never thought I'd be one to get a close-up shot of a flower... but I must admit they do cheer me up. Being able to pull myself away from the magnet that is forcing my from going from point A to point B and notice the beauty of flowers and their variances always brings a smile to my face. Maybe it is the uniqueness of each flower and how they are all beautiful in their own way makes me aspire to juxtapose that same idea with people.

Me: I make myself happy! I never thought of life this way but catching an unexpected glimpse of myself always makes me laugh. I never look how I think I should based on how I'm feeling. After being totally swept away in my little "get-over-yourself" walk I was surprised to still see the stress uncomfortably written all over my wrought face. So I decided to relax those muscles and snap a picture of myself. It is always nice to realize "you will laugh about this* later".

*this can be anything that sucks currently in your life

This picture just sums it up. One of my favorites and a clear presentation that my photography is improving. The sun, the colors, the background... it is just all so out-of-this-world gorgeous. To be at one moment angry and vile and be able to take the time to literally get down to the ground and glorify something that normally falls to your ankles... changes you... me.

I learned much from this walk. I have the ability to control what mood I am in, I can choose to see beauty in the world around me. Appreciate life and color and not feel as isolated and angry. I must say my entire outlook has changed quite completely over the past few months. I truly love life.

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