Right Where I'm Supposed to Be

There just isn't anything better is there? It's hitting strong these days... And everything is how it should be and each moment I'm right there to enjoy it, to take it in, to feel it. Yesterday, when Seth and I went to Central Park, we wondered our way in, me still amazed that I actually live in New York, that I can actually go to Central Park when I feel.

We paused for a rest on one of the large rocks that shoot up out of the ground in the park. Seth laid out. I stayed sitting up, watching people pass, feeling how alive the park was. We were both taking in the saxophone player (the guy that's always near the tunnel by the ice skating rink... if you've been to that area before you've probably seen him before, or better yet, heard him before). The weather was perfect and I knew that I was exactly where I was supposed to be. In that moment, I was not to be doing anything else, but sitting next to my love, living, breathing.

My life is about to get very busy, very overwhelming. But I think I'm ready for it. I have some ideas of how to make things better... and I'm ready to try them out. I'm ready to see if I can make a change, for myself and for others. I thought I'd lost this hopeful feeling... I know I lost touch with it last year, during all the horrible moments (that I've somehow forgotten with two months of relaxation). I guess we'll see what happens then, but for now, I'm enjoying the prospect and the preparation of something good to come.

P.S. Who doesn't spend a beautiful Sunday afternoon in Central Park and NOT feel like they are right where they are supposed to be!?! Maybe that's why I love NYC so much... There are so many places that I go to, and instantly, I'm hit with that feeling... And I know this City is my place, at least for now :)

Bridge Shirt

I should have just bought the shirt from the man on the bridge. He designed it himself... It's perfect & printed on an American Apparel V-Neck. Where would I find a better one? He told me he's there often, but I've been back twice and haven't found him yet. Maybe one of these days, and just in case, I'll carry $20 cash each time I walk the bridge in hopes of finding him selling his art in the form of tees.

Penguins of Central Park

Spent some time this afternoon at the Central Park Zoo. The penguins were adorable... Standing on the rocks with their arms hanging out at their sides, swimming through the water...

Dear Saturday,

Colorado in Film

I realized that I never shared all my photos from Colorado. It's been two months since we were there, but maybe I'll still share a few more. I do still have some good ones to share... I guess I took so many and just got tired of processing them. And I guess life goes on without a pause and other things came up. But here are a few photos from a roll of film I developed this week. I like them... the blue skies are amazingly blue in them.

Park Play

A park in our neighborhood... always filled with playing children.

Developing Photos

Got film developed last night. You should head over and check out some of the photos I shared at be a photograph.

Summer Ending

Spent the afternoon napping. I kind of only have 2 days left of freedom... or maybe more like 1 and a half, since I'll be heading in for a while tomorrow morning. Tomorrow afternoon I hope to get some work done, but we'll see. (I have to wait around the apartment for a package to be delivered for Seth's computer.) Friday, I'm heading out to take photos again. I took some for a project (as I think I mentioned earlier this week) but sadly, the roll of film came back blank (I kind of had a break down about it...) So, as Seth assured me it would be fine, I'm going to just re-shoot photos and hope these will turn out and get sent off before the deadline. :(

Lately Seth and I are obsessed with the show Six Feet Under. We are in season 3 and watch at least 2 episodes a night. I love T.V. on DVD. I never want to watch shows that are actually on T.V... I hate commercials, I hate waiting for the next episode, I hate when seasons are over and waiting months (and almost forgetting everything about the show) for the next season to start. Plus, when it's on DVD it feels like a really long movie. Until it ends...

P.S. Has anyone taken a peek at the new daily photo I'm doing? I tried it before... I'm trying again. This time I have a separate place to store the photos, which might help me be a little more accountable. I'm also okay with the fact that I might not get a photo every day (I Know I won't get a photo everyday... Here in about a week and a half I'm going to be overwhelmed and working too much to push myself too hard on this project... I'll try though.)

Guggenheim

It's interesting how I had somehow never seen the Guggenheim Museum until this summer... Especially since it is across the street from Central Park and fairly close to the Met. I'd seen photos and new the museum itself was a unique piece of art.

I'm happy I went this summer while the Frank Lloyd Wright collection was on exhibit. I cannot believe how amazing his work is. The museum is celebrating its 50 year anniversary this year.

I also enjoyed one of the exhibits on the top floor. Students around the city were taught art in their schools, sponsored through the Guggenheim. Many pieces of art from elementary aged students were on display. How awesome is that!? Wish my students could create through these opportunities. And speaking of youth and the Guggenheim, wish I were 8-12 years old so I could audition for this opportunity taking place at the Guggenheim for next winter.

Coney Island Boardwalk

Cement Flower

Found in Soho, NYC.

Transit Museum

Last week I went to the New York Transit Museum for the first time. I am completely interested in the idea of the subway tunnels being built around the bustling city. Unfortunately, because I showed up at 3 p.m. and they close at 4 p.m., I didn't get to spend as much time as I would like reading all about it.

The lunch pails used by the workers building the tunnels.

What a miserable job it would have been constructing these tunnels... And in the heat! There were points where the temperatures were above 100. I am so grateful that the subway tunnels weren't calling me for help in their construction! It's amazing, though, that the subways were built under the city.

An old bench from when the subway tunnels originally opened.

There were photos of the subway tunnels when they were first opened. They look so beautiful, spotless, clean. It's weird to see them in this way considering the state of them now.

Vintage post cards of NYC. *Swoon

The old maps of the subway system seem so confusing. I definitely appreciate the version we have now... but I guess when I think about it... It can be confusing too!

The museum is in an old subway station. (Very cool!) And downstairs on the tracks are a variety of old subway cars. This one is from the 1960's (I think) and there were even ones from the early 1900's. So interesting to see. Loved that they still had the old advertisements from that time period.

Another old map.

This last photo was taken in honor of my younger brother. Thought of him. :) Of course, it's there because it's the Court St. stop...

I'll definitely be heading back to the Transit Museum, but I might wait until fall because it was rather hot since it's part of an old subway stop and only a small part of the museum had air conditioning.

$.25 per look

Seen in Union Square. Yes, I took a look. No, I didn't pay a quarter. No one was around to collect...

Heat of Coney Island

Spent the afternoon in Coney Island. Sweating in the heat. It's waaayyy hot and humid. We were happy to get onto the cool air conditioned subway and our chilled apartment for the rest of the afternoon. The clouds were amazing today, probably because of the hurricane that's making it's way up the East coast.

The ocean was closed to swimming today... So many kids ran and played in the sprinklers under the palm trees.

More photos to come as I process them. You can see another photo over here... (a new little site I'd worked on a while back for other reasons, but decided to make a photo a day project there last night when I was sitting at home looking for something to distract me.) I really like this photo. Snapped it at the last minute as we entered the subway station.

P.S. I've always been a lover of summer. But I'm starting to wonder if maybe I really don't love it as much as I used to. I am really looking forward to fall. Can't wait to comfortable wear jeans and light jackets... To breathe again and not sweat so much.

Day in Dumbo

Spent the afternoon last Wednesday in Dumbo (as I posted about here and here). Thought I'd get more photos up before I passed them over and never posted them. (Notice the black and white... Inspired by Georgia and my own recent cravings for more b&w.)

Construction on the new park areas they are building on the Brooklyn side of the East River. Cannot wait for these! Looks Amazing!

The sun shining on the city through the clouds...

A Peek

Check out what I found today at a stoop sale! CLICK HERE for a bigger photo!

To the Library

My sister-in-law and nephew introduced me to their library... and I think I'm in love! When I first moved to NYC, I was so thrilled at the idea of having access to a city full of books... But I soon figured out that the main branch of my library is a mess. The books are All over the place or gone... No one really seems that friendly or approachable when I need help... All of this was not worth schlepping books about a mile home after I did find some. Sooo, lately I've been reserving books online and having them put on hold at the library a couple blocks from me (a smaller library that doesn't seem to have a ton of books). And it's been working. I've been getting what I want (eventually) and with the close location, I've been avoiding late fees. But now, with the library they took me to, I might be able to get more! The place was clean and the librarians seemed nice and approachable. Books were organized nicely on shelves and they seemed to have quite a collection!

I would have missed the library if I didn't have someone taking me... There is construction going on right outside it.... Which provides great bars for climbing and balancing on.

The walls across from the library are Covered in graffiti. Love city art.

Union Square

Always something going on. Always something to see. Almost always musicians of some sort performing.

And lately, there have been chess boards and pieces ready for players.

When I return to work, I need to make a point to stop by a park (either Union Square or Washington Square Park) at least once a week... To just be able to take in the people, the scenes, the energy. I must make sure I have my camera with me too, so I can take more street photography... a form of photography that I am getting more daring with and loving more and more each time I head out into the city with my camera.