Posts

Shutter Therapy: My Minolta Returns

-
Image
"Film forces you to be deliberate. There's no spray and pray - just patience and presence." ~ Nina Patel, film photographer Good morning; afternoon; and evening friends and fans! Namasté. 🧘🏽‍♀️ Before I attended this career fair at HRA Business Link in Lower Manhattan today and I decided to dust off my Minolta X-370 since I hadn't used my camera in a long time. Last time I used my Minolta X-370 was in 2021, the shutter had stopped working on me while I was on my photography walk in 2021, and I was more  concerned about the cost to repair the shutter since I'm on a budget. If you're a film photographer with a full-time position, it helps being able to fund your film photography hobby or career. Part-time employment is alright but not the best but not the worse and it would sure as hell help having a full-time job after you're caught up with your expenses (bills), splurge on film. I was very  giddy when the camera began working again and I gathered my cam...
Post a Comment
Read more

When He Doesn't Show Up: Realizing Your Worth After Being Flaked On

-
Image
"Never allow someone to be your priority while allowing yourself to be their option." ~ Mark Twain Good morning; afternoon; and evening friends and fans! Namasté. 🧘🏽‍♀️ Not for nothing without putting my business out there, I recently met this guy, Wilfred on May 06, 2026, near Citi Field and we exchanged numbers. We were  supposed to meet on May 17, 2026 at Starbucks in Union Square and I was the only one who showed up. I should have responded much differently by saying: "It was nice knowing you! Thanks for the ghosting experience - at least I know not to hold my breath next time. Best of luck out there!" or  my other response would have been: "Thanks for standing me up! 🚩 Just a heads up, if the shoe was on the other foot and I did this to you, my phone would be blowing up with angry texts right now. 🙄" or the third response would have been: "Thanks for standing me up today. If you're an adult, you need to communicate plan changes earlier in...
Post a Comment
Read more

Unfiltered Motherhood: The Solo Journey

-
Image
"A mother's love is everything. It is what brings a child into this world. It is what molds their entire being. When a mother sees her child in danger, she is literally capable of anything. Mothers have lifted cars off of their children and destroyed entire dynasties. A mother's love is the strongest energy known to man." ~ Jamie McGuire Good morning; afternoon; and evening friends and fans! Namasté. 🧘🏽‍♀️ Happy Mother's Day to all moms out there. Since today is Mother's Day and since our experiences are different. I don't want people to have this impression and say that I'm "complaining" about something that is supposed to be beautiful and only if my experiences were different. I don't have any pregnancy pictures or a sonogram from my pregnancy. Believe me, I've attempted to ask for a sonogram but was told there wasn't any and I'm not certain if it is because I wanted to put my son up for adoption sixteen years ago. I don...
Post a Comment
Location: Queens, NY, USA
Read more

Recharging and Refocusing: What's Coming Next

-
Image
"You are going to go through life either by design or by default." ~ Rick Warren Good morning; afternoon; and evening friends and fans! Namasté. 🧘🏽‍♀️ Life isn't always picture-perfect, and that's perfectly okay. Lately, I've been reflecting on the art of juggling. Working two jobs - a full-time gig with the Parks Department and a part-time retail role - is undeniably exhausting. But also incredibly rewarding to put in an honest day's work. My ultimate career goal is to secure a permanent, full-time position right here within the Parks Department. Navigating the NYC cost of living while raising my son isn't easy, and I know I have to keep grinding to keep a roof over our heads. However, I firmly believe that in order to take care of those I love, I have to pour back into myself. One of the things I genuinely miss most is being behind the camera. There is magic to shooting 35mm. Whether I'm loading up a roll of Ilford, Kodak Portra, or CineStill film,...
Post a Comment
Read more

Beyond the Camera: What I've Been Up To

-
Image
"Sometimes the best thing to do is to take a step back and get a little bit of a different perspective and re-evaluate things." ~ Unknown Good morning; afternoon; and evening friends and fans! Namasté. 🧘🏽‍♀️ It's been a while since I've written a blog about photography and things have been all over the place in recent months, specifically since November 2025, working two jobs but it's a conversation for another time and place. I had or still have my project on hold on wanting to self-publish a book on Blurb Books. I've originally began this as a class project for the spring semester of 2013, although I had already passed the class and it will mean the world to me if I complete this photography project. The first book will be in black and white, and the second book will be in color, but both will have the same concept of them being street photography. There may  be a third book, but it'll mostly be a family themed book but let's see what happens with ...
Post a Comment
Location: New York, NY, USA
Read more

Life as of Late: March Edition

-
Image
 "Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life." ~ Steve Jobs Good morning; afternoon; and evening friends and fans! Namasté. 🧘🏽‍♀️ I'm not sure if this counts as for anything or if it makes sense, life has been a roller coaster ride as of late and I am making the best of this experience without putting my business out there completely, However, this involves my mother, Shiu and for the past year, she's been mismanaging her own health and I suppose the ancestors and the universe had other  plans for her but by  all means, I suppose this is a blessing in disguise. I had plans of doing spiritual work on sending her out to Las Vegas, Nevada and have her spend whatever time she has with my sister, Gwen. With everything going on in my personal life, everything including all relationships/love life, as well as friendships and just know that I'm taking care of things before I focus/shift my attention, time and energy to enjoy the simplest ...
Post a Comment
Location: New York, NY, USA
Read more

The End of the Monthly Pass: Are Commuters Winning or Losing with OMNY?

-
Image
"After 32 years, it's time to say goodbye to the MetroCard and go all in the fare payment system of the future." ~ Janno Leber, MTA Chair and CEO. He also added, "Goodbye, MetroCard. You served us well, but it's time to retire you to the Transit Museum to spend many happy days with your old friend, Mr. Token." Good morning; afternoon; and evening friends and fans! Namasté. 🧘🏽‍♀️ Today is a sad day at MTA and the Metro Cards are retiring after thirty-one years after replacing the iconic brass subway tokens in 2003. I am not  a fan of the ONMY  (One Metro New York) cards, and I'll mention reasons why  shortly! I favor the Metro Cards for several reasons, 1) Budget Tracking: Pay-per-ride cards physically display your exact remaining balance, taking the guesswork out of how much money is left. 2) Unlimited Ride Passes: They offer 7-day and 30-day unlimited options, which are highly cost-effective for frequent daily commuters. I love the freedom I get whe...
Post a Comment
Read more