Dawn of a New Day
Wow! Thank you so much for all of your comments! They really mean a lot to me especially since I had a significant amount of ups and downs last week. But today is a new day. And I'm trying to remind myself that. I think things are looking on the up and up. We all have shit that goes down, good days and bad. My coworker has gotten the short end of the stick when it comes to meeting quality men. And I have witnessed her pain and frustration. Last night, she saw and supported me through random bad shit. Just when I felt like I was at my lowest, life struck me another blow and I nearly lost my phone in cab. But unlike last summer, I got my phone back. My coworker found it in the cab and smartly emailed me right away. And I smartly checked my email right away. So all was not lost.
In fact, my mini tribulations pale in comparison to real issues. I found out some news about someone - a medical issue that they will absolutely get through. But it made me think about my own life and problems. The phrase, "at least you've still got your health" comes to mind. Life is hard enough as it is without crazy, unexpected illnesses. But then it seems like people who have gone through more unexpected pain are stronger, with a happier outlook on life. Hmm.
okay, on that note, I need to figure out my photography assignment. My thoughts are that I'm leading towards street photography because I feel that unplanned photos are more authentic portraits than sit downs (or at least that's what I'm drawn to). Now.. how to find subjects and photograph them in 15 degree weather!?
Happy Friday!
So today has been the slowest day ever after a tumultuous week. Yes, still waiting. I think the waiting is giving me an ulcer. My "Save Ugly Betty" group was not the big hit I had hoped for. So you can imagine my pleasant surprise when I saw this! Oh happy day! My mother has been telling me about a friend from her high school who has a blog, Out & About in New York City that she reads religiously and absolutely adores. Daryl's photos are in the moment, and give a picture as to what's going on in NYC - and her surroundings. She seems to have a super large following (slightly jealous) and I especially admire the snow flakes floating through her pictures. Coolness. So there you go. The world of blogging and Facebook crossing generations. And coincidentally, I now live exactly 10 blocks from my mom's high school, The High School of Art and Design.
And in other news.. comment sentiment concludes that that woman was doing the walk of shame, is possibly not wearing anything underneath her trench coat, and reminds us of yet another reason why we all love New York City. Nothing like creating an entire story around a picture of a stranger.
Seriously!!??
In other news, I realize the freezing temperatures this weekend may make me reconsider my upcoming photography project. I'm drawn to street photography but not in 20 degree weather. Hmm.
What's In A Name?
Perhaps this is the reason why Apple's stock is down since yesterday and way down from about 3 weeks ago.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFNQE_TzQNI&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1&w=425&h=344]
Seth Godin's "Linchpin"
Just came across an interview with Seth Godin in CoolHunting.com here about his new book, Linchpin. Looks like I'll probably pick up the book. I don't think what his thoughts about creativity being the salvation to the working man is totally revolutionary. "Thought leaders" have been saying for some time that in order to get ahead in the age of technology, outsourcing, etc. one must think creativity and break free from following the crowds. Even my alma matar tag line is "Creative Thought Matters," jumping off of that very idea.
"A linchpin makes a difference, changes people, does something that needed to be done that no one else knew needed to be done. So Pablo Picasso was a linchpin, Bob Dylan is a linchpin, and Jonathan Ive at Apple is a linchpin. Donna Sturgess, the woman who invented Aquafresh toothpaste, is a linchpin—they’re in most successful organizations."
But what Seth touches on, and I think is a new thought, is the idea that when you create these unique ideas, you're essentially giving people a "gift." Which goes back to the questions of my portraiture class and the whole idea of creating art in the first place. Is a successful artist one whose art is no longer simply an expression of themselves, but who inspires and enlightens others? Can we do a side by side comparison of a "good" photographic portrait vs. "bad" and see that the good one offers insight, gives us a gift?
You encourage people to "start giving gifts that change people," which seems like a huge shift in thinking, almost bordering on spiritual.
Well, let's start by breaking this into little bits. What’s a gift? If I see a Chuck Close painting in a museum, I didn’t pay for that painting, I just get the benefit of seeing it. If I see a Karl Lagerfeld outfit walking down the street, it didn’t cost me anything to see it. If someone takes the time to use a beautiful Bodoni typeface kerned properly, it doesn’t necessarily communicate the words more clearly, but there was a gift element associated with it. We need to start with this idea that there isn’t just a transaction every time—I do something, I get money, we move on. What gifts do is they create a connection, because they’re not even. Someone gave me something, I couldn’t give them anything in return. We're not even-steven.
Naturally, just some thoughts to ponder.
Ponderings
Wow. I feel like I've been doing the right things these past two days to keep myself sane. I'm patting myself on the back. Last night at work, I had a near nervous breakdown because something I've been waiting for for a very long time, still hasn't happened. I don't need to spell out what it is. It's 2010. Isn't it obvious. In the process of meeting with someone on this subject, I missed my one and only, all time favorite spin class. I walked part of the way home and to quell imminent tears, ate a Buttercake Cupcake in a classic. Now here's the best part; instead of going home, I went to a spin class at the 59th street Crunch with Cherie. She worked me nearly as hard as Carl and was good - motivating me to have a great workout and find inner strength, whereas Carl sort of motivates (just as effectively) using fear. But her techno music was a little too loud. Nevertheless, mission accomplished. Self-coped.
Today, I had to experience disappointment once again- stretching my patience to the near limits. But, my spirits remained high in anticipation of my latest portrait photography class. I'm taking The Portrait: Fact and Fiction at ICP with Ben Gest. The class, so far, is completely inspiring and intellectually stimulating. It is exactly what I was looking for that I believe will take my portraiture to the next level. It involves reading, writing and honing in on my vision as a photographer - going beyond lighting techniques and composition. It reminds me of the sort of 300 level studio art courses I took as an undergrad, except with more direction, in an intimate setting, with a high level of discussion. I've already started seeing patterns in my own work - that I'm drawn to street photography, of women who are introspective, pretty, and colorful. But what makes them pretty? Why do I think I'm capturing a moment that reflects who they are? Do my street photos actually convey what emotions I'm feeling? All of these thought provoking issues are already floating through my mind. Can I take successful, contrived, studio portraits of my friends? Or is my vision about spotting certain people in a crowd and photographing what I deem the decisive moment? Do I use portraits of other people as a means to express myself? And if so, am I brave enough to define what I'm trying to express? While I outwardly appear to be an extrovert and extremely open and honest, I think I hide my true emotions. I feel that a big part of being an artist is laying those gut emotions and private experiences on the table. Am I brave enough to do that? I was discussing this with my sister and how I admired her for being so honest in her poetry and spoken word. Her response was that she can be really honest, but only a select few actually read her writing, whereas photographs are more immediate.
Thoughts?
Yes Folks, There Is A God
The Shake Shack is coming to the Upper East Side.
HERE.
On a weirder note.. I was emailing my boyfriend various thoughts, among them, my desire to hit up the Shack for lunch. While I was typing, he sent me a link to this article. Hmm.
Do You Want to go to Yale?
Yale's admission's video - inspired by Glee. What are your thoughts? I couldn't watch the whole thing. It started giving me a headache but maybe I'm just hungry. Hmm. I miss college.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGn3-RW8Ajk&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1&w=425&h=344]
The Bad, the Ugly and the Good
Sunday I had quite the adventure. After having an overpriced coffee and brioche with my boyfriend at Le Pain Quitidien, I jogged through the rain and made the long journey to my parent's house in Schmersey. After five years of waiting, my friend and I finally visited his grandmother's storage facility. Ten years ago, she got evicted from her Washington Heights apartment when people learned she didn't live there full time. The place was essentially storage - books and clothes accumulated by his grandfather, a pack rat. We were both convinced that we'd find interesting objects and that there was a great story somewhere in the mess.
Two hours later, we arrived to the storage facility. We opened the garage-like door to reveal boxes stacked 10 high and about 6 deep, about 20 black garbage backs thrown on the floor and old suitcases miscellaneously parked on the floor. We ripped open the boxes with our keys. Books. More books. Books. More books. All from the Strand, still with their $1 price tags on. Occasionally we found potential: a box of old Life Magazines and a box full of old letters. But for the most part, it was overwhelming and slightly disappointing. Furthering our doubt in finding anything of value, my friend's grandmother was convinced the movers had already taken the valuables while they cleaned her apartment.
After an hour of searching we finally gave up and headed into the city to see Avatar. We found a parking spot 8 blocks away from the Kip's Bay theater and proceeded to half jog through the miserable rain, laughing through the slightly painful run. About two blocks away from the theater, while walking, a guy coming towards me grabs my umbrella and twists a side, breaking the a metal piece and consequently, breaking my umbrella. The Ugly. I'm more bothered that someone decided to break my umbrella purely out of evil than the fact that my umbrella is actually broken. Who does that?!
We met up with my bf and finally headed into Avatar. The Good. The movie was amazing. The movie industry has entered the world of 3D. The film was not only entertaining and had a broad appeal, but it's message about the environment was clear and moving; we need to respect all living creatures and their habitats because in the end, we're all interconnected. We finished off the night at a nearby diner, eating chicken fingers while watching the Golden Globes. A perfect ending to a crazy, rainy Sunday.
Brrrr
Just had a miniature nervous breakdown. There was crying involved. Mid-shampoo, the hot water in my apartment ran out and stopped working. I'm glad I moved from one ghetto apartment to the next. I managed to avoid hypothermia while I boiled pots of water but did achieve a minor injury during its transportation. I'll try and avoid taking the "why me" approach because as I speak, there's probably the crazy, homeless man, sleeping just outside the church across the street from my apartment. It certainly can't be karma because just yesterday, I donated money to two random causes. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to continue getting ready for work and convince myself that this has no bearing on the rest of my day. Tear.
Happy New Year! 2010
Wow! I guess I should add "Blog More" to one of my New Year's Resolutions. I've been focusing my time writing my novel. Yes, I said it. But I'm taking another photography class at ICP starting at the end of the month so you'll be entertained by plenty of my photos. It's a portraiture class so maybe I can even get some of my regular readers to pose for me. ehh.. Ehh.. In the mean time - Central Park at night.
And More Lady Gaga
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_b2C20qN4Ps&hl=en_US&fs=1&&w=425&h=344]
Lady Gaga "Hollywood" live @ The Bitter End 1/20/06
Fascination
I'm totally fascinated by Lady Gaga. Aren't you?
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrO4YZeyl0I&hl=en_US&fs=1&&w=560&h=340]