Toast To the New Year

"New year - a new chapter, new verse, or the same old story? Ultimately we write it. The choice is ours." ~ Alex Morritt

Good morning; afternoon; and evening friends and fans! Namasté. 🧘🏽‍♀️ Wow, this year is already come and now we're entering a new year. I do want to keep my New Year's Resolutions [refer to Let's Make The New Year Magical blog] but keep it for the upcoming year and will continue to focus on my health and working on being happy, even if it means being single. Yet, I really need to be less critical of myself in a negative way and learn to love myself first so I can positively radiate light from the inside out, every angle possible. Go on dates, regardless of what my mother says and no, I haven't sat down in conversation with her asking her what her thoughts would be in regards of me having a genuine love life because I feel I deserve it. What is my mother going to do to me? What, is she going to call the police on me just because I feel that I deserve a love life? Don't expect me to bring any guy home because what the chances of my mother stealing my future boyfriend just because she doesn't want to get up off her lazy ass and find her own boyfriend and go on dates that are age appropriate? Not the point, I'd have to stop punishing the next guy just because of my son's father put me through and don't get me wrong, I was 26 years old when I got pregnant out of rape, and I was going to put my son up for adoption because I felt I wasn't ready for motherhood since I had other plans I wanted to accomplish before settling down, getting married with a slight possibility of motherhood (depending on where I was at in life at the time), baby daddy's excuse on why he wasn't around was because I wanted to put my son up for adoption! I do want to go on dates, finally be happy for as long as possible with the person I'm with because I deserve it.

"Celebrate endings - for they precede new beginnings." ~ Jonathan Lockwood Huie

I'm going to continue with my fitness journey for as long as possible. Once when I've paid down my three charge cards, which should be by the end of January and once when I've got my finances in order, I'm going to focus on saving up to get my root canal done and have a crown, so I join Planet Fitness in the upcoming months once when I've taken care of the dental work that needs to be done. I already have days I want to go (Tuesday afternoon after work; Wednesday; Thursday afternoon after work; and Friday) since there are Free Fitness Training, for those interested in a Day pass at Planet Fitness, check out the link provided, and I'll do what I can to include Mondays at home once when I fire up my laptop for a full body workout, but it's not guaranteed since my mother is retired since August of 2019. 😒 [She doesn't have much of an active social life since most of her friends had relocated to other states outside of New York City, her day consists of either going to the store to get what she needs in the morning or when she has a doctor's appointment but other than that, when she doesn't need anything from the store, she stays home and watches television all day. I have made suggestions to her in regards of programs currently available at the Queens Public Library and as well as making suggestions of her going to Alley Pond Park for walks when Mother Nature is good to us, the impression I've gotten from her is a lack of interest and motivation. Even if she does go for walks, maybe, just maybe she'll find herself a love interest or age-appropriate friends in her own age group. However, I don't know what her problem is, perhaps she believes she's too good to keep herself occupied but she allegedly claims she's "afraid" she'll "fall off the bus" and I call bullshit]. Once when I've paid off my three charge cards and have the funds for a root canal and crown, I'll go for a gym membership in Fresh Meadows since it's not far from where I currently live. I'm going to continue with yoga for my own mental health so I'm not feeling overwhelmed when there is no need to feel that way. I need to do better in regards of health and happiness. I have this mentality and the need to make others happy first before I even make myself happy. I have that survival mentality that I've had for so long that I don't know how to let go of that survival mentality. Again, I should incorporate other workouts such as VICTORIA'S SECRET FULL BODY WORKOUT | 20 MINUTES on the mat. I also want to add WEEK 1 - 2024 WINTER WORKOUT CHALLENGE and among other fitness challenges from this particular YouTube channel. When I get to 150 pounds (halfway point), I want to get a lotus tattoo on my left wrist with Just Breathe or Breathe tatted underneath of a lotus tattoo. There is a spiritual reason why I've chosen a lotus tattoo, but I don't feel it's appropriate for this blog, well, look at the world we currently live in, we live in a world of ugly and there's always that one beautiful soul that outshines that others don't have or lack that "shine" and resilience that some people have. That's my reason why I want to get a tattoo of a lotus. My goal is when I get to my goal weight of 125 pounds, my intention is to buy at least two or three outfits from Trash & Vaudeville and here's an article in regards of Trash & Vaudeville: Jimmy Webb, Trash and Vaudeville's Beloved Punk, Dies at 62. I intend on doing a better job in taking care of myself through dieting; exercise; and getting enough rest when needed so I can remain healthy and happy. If I don't take care of myself now, how can I take care of my fourteen-year-old son if I am not in the best of health? Furthermore, I do feel it's imperative to take care of yourself first before you take on additional responsibilities of caring for others (I don't give a fuck how old you are)!

"I hope that in this new year to come, you make mistakes. Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You're doing things you've never done before, and more importantly, you're doing something." ~ Neil Gaiman

To end this blog, I want to do more, little by little and I want to split my time between work; home; and motherhood so I can do age-appropriate things with people in my own age group. There are moments I feel overwhelmed, and I don't know how to communicate I feel in a vocal kind of way. Communication is something I need to work on so I can say how I feel and mean it. Yet, it's so much easier for me to write about it on paper than it is for me to speak about it on paper than it is for me to speak about what I'm feeling, and I'll keep those feelings to myself until I write in my regular handwritten journal. I don't expect people to understand but it's all good. There are things I truly want to focus on, such as focusing more on my health; love life or rather have a love interest but something along those lines as well as having an active social life with age-appropriate people; focus more on myself so I don't lose myself in the process; as well as focusing on saving for a place to call my own and even if this means working two or three jobs just to save up for a place to call my own. Even saving up for a school bus, renovate the school bus so I can travel and go cross country, I'm sure by the time I'm financially established enough to buy a school bus, it should roughly be around when my son graduates from high school. I'm not going to go too crazy in listing many articles and/or videos from YouTube land. Here you go to view at your own leisure: Skoolie Life What to Consider Before Living in A School Bus; Skoolie vs RV; I'll be Surprised If You're Not Impressed with This Charter Bus Conversion; and College Student's Bus Conversion Is Nicer than most Apartments. I feel living off grid can benefit me on many levels, especially in an economical way. Who knows how long I'll be living on a school bus; it could be short term (roughly up to four to five years) or long term (indefinitely). I like the idea of living on a school bus is the idea of not having to owe rent to landlord each month. There are other things I want to work on, one of them is time management. I still need to speak up but in more of a diplomatic way without having to explain myself at all whatsoever when it should be self-explanatory for those with common sense and logic.

Blessed be,

Jennifer

16 Reasons You Should be Talking About Fitness Challenge

"If we could give every individual the right amount of nourishment and exercise, not too little and not too much, we would have found the safest way to health." ~ Hipporates

Good morning; afternoon; and evening friends and fans! Namasté. 🧘🏽‍♀️ I've been working out for the last eleven months since I'm looking to lose weight and I'm at that point that I'm becoming discouraged since I feel like I haven't seen anything different. If need be, I'm looking to join Planet Fitness but my intentions are there as to why I want to work out, and I'd say the same for Tiger Schulmann's Martial Arts. I have my reasons why I want to take up martial arts, and I feel like I'm getting more for the buck so to speak. Another thing is if I were to take up martial arts but I'm not sure it's not all that necessary to do yoga as well and I figured it'll be the best health investment I can make one can make for themselves. For those who are on a budget and live in the New York City area, there is a Shape Up NYC, a lot of these programs are free to try, especially for the curious. This blog took me a while to write because I wanted to make sure I have what I wanted to say sound interesting and also make mention of what videos worked for me before feeling like I want to take it to the next step up, such as joining a Planet Fitness or a Tiger Schulmann's Martial Arts or Renzo Gracie Academy since I have a curiosity towards Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai. My main goal is to make sure my bank account is plentiful should something arise, such as unemployment or whatever the situation may come up. My goal is to go at my own pace, so I'm not so easily discouraged and purely frustrated. Of course, there'll be days where I'll become very discouraged and frustrated, disappointed but I'm determined to get my personal goal because I'm doing this for me, myself, and I since this feels natural. What I mean I want my fitness journey to feel as natural as possible is that this feeling should come from within and nothing else. I have my reasons on why I work out is because I am doing for me; I want to feel good about myself. I'm doing this for me, myself; and I; I want to stop the negative cycle of body image issues and passivity embrace my body so I can be a better version of myself before I become a better version to other people.

-Weight Loss Journey-

"Exercise to stimulate, not to annihilate. The world wasn't formed in a day, and neither were we. Set small goals and build upon them." ~ Lee Haney

As most of you already know, I've been focused on getting in shape and for the first time in over five plus years my weight has gone from 201.4 pounds down to 196.6 pounds since January of this year! I'm currently taking Jardiance for my diabetes and when I'm at my goal weight of 125 pounds, I no longer plan on taking Jardiance since there are side effects involved. However, let's see where life takes me in the upcoming months. As much walking I have done this past year, I'm surprised and a bit disappointed I haven't lost more! I don't eat a whole lot of sweets or carbs; I eat enough carbs, but I don't overdo it and I just eat a small portion of carbs. Very rare I crave sweets, but when I do consume sweets, I eat sweets in a mindful way. Talk of dieting should be for a separate blog and this is more of a fitness bog than anything. I've found several fitness videos that made me feel sore for several days which is what I'm looking for as a result, and I enjoy feeling sore when working out. I'm doing this for me, no one else and I want to feel good. Reasons why I work out is because of sleep (I have mild sleep apnea), I want to improve my self-esteem; reduce risk of surgery (if need be), I hope to increase my metabolic rate; increase my metabolic rate, increase my range of motion, increase functional strength; I'm looking to improve balance and coordination, I've taken notice that exercise helps with my depression, I want to control my weight and since I'm in my early 40's, it's a challenge to drop my pregnancy weight and keep it off, another goal is to reduce aches and pains, lose hidden body fat; I want to improve my energy level and for longer; I'm also looking to strengthen my back and core muscles so I'm not preventing any discomfort of back pain; I want to change my body shape; I want to feel good about myself in my own skin, a.k.a. feeling confident in my own skin; Boost my flexibility through yoga/stretching; and I want to live as long as I can because I want to accomplish more in life. I still have places in the world I so want to visit but let's start with Japan first! If you wish to keep track of your fitness journey, here is a Six-Month Body Measurement Tracking Chart you can print out for your own records! I recently purchased Booty Bands for Working Out, Fabric Resistance Bands for Working Out Women Thigh Bands for Workout Bands Resistance for Women Resistance Bands for Leg Bands for Working Out Woman Glute Bands for Women from Amazon and I love it! I have another resistance band but for upper body fitness routine. My main weight loss goal is to get my weight down to 125 pounds and will go at my own pace, I'm in no rush to lose a lot of weight but only to gain that weight back on! All that effort, for what? I'm doing this for me. Main areas I'd love to focus on are abs (oh my gosh, have you seen Janet Jackson's abs when she did the All for You tour, and Angela Bassett's arms, here's an article from Entertainment Weekly, An ode to Angela Bassett's arms - and the power they possess. As most of you may be unaware, respectfully speaking, I'm a fan of Janet Jackson (and would love. love, love to see Janet Jackson on her next tour) whether or not she's been blacklisted from whatever an event may be since that whole Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show featuring Justin Timberlake. I'm sorry, I've lost all respect for Justin Timberlake more so now than nine years ago. Justin Timberlake [as I feel] should be the one to be blacklisted from music and movies, not Janet Jackson. Not the case, I need to focus on myself, health wise for the most part.

-Information-

"There is a moment when you get older when your metabolism slows down and you don't feel like working out anymore, so you don't want to keep yourself fit anymore, but that's your decision. Why should you be judged for it?" ~ Janet Jackson

If you wish to learn more about yoga and here are five pieces of information you can view at your own leisure. Three of them are YouTube videos in regard to yoga with an article of yoga and the other are articles of yoga. I wish you the best of luck on your fitness journey and be sure to set realistic fitness goals for yourself. Go at your own pace and that's the best way to go about. For those who are on the fence in regards on whether to begin your yoga experience and here are some videos I've watched for you to view or read at your own leisure! From the times I've done yoga [at home], it's very relaxing and I enjoy doing yoga. Here is: What Happens to Your Brain and Body When You Do Yoga Regularly. I want to also include these videos and articles for you to check out at your own time. Yoga and its connection to mental health | Nikolai Blinow | TedxSalveReginaU; The Health Benefits of Yoga - How Yoga Helps You Stay Healthy | Sadhguru; 8 Lesser-Known Benefits of Yoga; 20 Wall Pilates Benefits: You'll Wish You Knew About These Sooner! and Wall Pilates is the new low-impact exercise everyone's trying - but is it worth your time? At the end of the day, your own research is entirely up to you and I'm not going to force anyone to do yoga. Yet, it is very relaxing at the end of the day, and I have my own reasons why I'd want to do more yoga in the evening before bed! It's good to have Ignite by SPRI Resistance Cord and Tone It Up Exercise Sliders N' Sculpt Discs for Toning, Set of 2, Teal. Here are two additional workouts to go with the Resistance band and sliders discs: 12 min RESISTANCE BAND ARM WORKOUT | Upper Body | All Standing and CORE STRENGTH AND BALANCE SLIDER SCULPT WORKOUT. There are additional videos to go with these items on YouTube to view at your own leisure!

-Videos I've Tried Out in 2023-

"Number one, like yourself. Number two, you have to eat healthy. And number three, you've got to squeeze your buns. That's my formula." ~ Richard Simmons

Last but not least! Here are some of these YouTube channels I follow during my free time while my mother is out running her errands: fitbymik; getfitbyivana; MADFit; Mary Braun; and Mr. London. I do what I can while I have the apartment to myself while my mom is running her errands and it's not much time, so I squeeze what I can into a half hour to forty-five minutes, often an hour if I'm fortunate enough without taking breaks!

1. 5 min WARM UP ROUTINE Before Your Workout | Low Impact | Wrist Friendly
2. 25 min STANDING DUMBBELL WORKOUT | Full Body | Lower and Upper Body Routine | No Repeats
3. 5 min COOL DOWN STRETCH ROUTINE | After Workout | Muscle Recovery
4. 10 min TRICEPS WORKOUT with Dumbbells | No Pushups
   
5. 10 min STANDING ARM WORKOUT | With Dumbbells | Biceps, Triceps and Shoulders | Zero Pushups
6. 12 min STANDING ARM WORKOUT | With Dumbbells | No Pushups 
7. 15 min STANDING ARM WORKOUT | With Dumbbells | Upper Body
8. 15 min STANDING ARMS AND ABS WORKOUT | With Dumbbells | Upper Body | No Repeats
9. 20 min STANDING ARM WORKOUT | With Dumbbells | No Pushups
10. STANDING TONED ARMS & BACK In Just 10 Mins/Days ~ Lose Back + Arm Fat Faster (Weights vs. No Weights) 
11. 10 Min ABS + SMALL WAIST | All Standing - No Jumping, No Repeat, Warm Up + Cool Down, At Home
    
12. 10 Minute Flat Abs Workout for Insane Results!
    
13. 10 min BRA BULGE & BACK FAT WORKOUT | Chest, Back & Arms
14. 5 min GROW YOUR BOOTY WORKOUT // No Squats No Equipment
    
15. 10 MIN LEG/BOOTY/THIGH WORKOUT (No Equipment Killer Legs)
16. 30 MIN PILATES FOR WEIGHT LOSS | best calories burn,
17. 20 MIN ABS & BOOTY - on the floor, no squats/lunges, you will feel it in your abs if done properly!
    

Back Fat Blaster!!! // Upper Body Workout with Weights
BACK & BRA BULGE 5 Min. Workout | Lose Back Fat in 2 WEEKS!! (No Equipment / Upper Body Burn).

Best of luck to those achieving your own personal fitness goals! 😘

-Lower Body Workout-

"The clock is ticking. Are you becoming the person you want to be?" ~ Greg Plitt

This is for those who want to focus on lower body as well if you wish to check some of these videos out to further your fitness goals.

1. 10 MIN TONED INNER THIGH WORKOUT - effectively target the inner part of your legs (dumbbell only) This is my go-to inner thigh exercise routine!
   
2. 10 min | 10 Days | 10 Exercises to GROW BUBBLE BUTT - Intense Booty Challenge
3. 10 Min Slim Inner + Outer Thighs | All Standing Workout, No Jumping, No Repeat, No Equipment 
4. 20 min LOWER BODY WORKOUT | With Dumbbells (And without) | Low Impact | Legs and Booty
5. BOOTY & LEG BUILDING KETTLEBELL WORKOUT
6. IF YOU HAVE CELLULITE... (WATCH THIS!)

-Upper Body Workout-

"Setting goals is the first step into turning the invisible into the visible." ~ Tony Robbins

More for your goals! Whatever your personal goals are, continue your hard work and you will see results. Keep in mind, weight loss will not happen overnight but with time and be patient because you will see results. Even if you may not see your desired results right away, I'm sure others will take notice of your weight loss. I'm proud of you for making it this far with your fitness goals and keep pushing forward. Make realistic goals for yourselves.

1. LADIES, STOP DOING ABS !? [DO THIS FIRST]
2. FUPA SHRED In 30 Days | New Year Workout Challenge! (2023)
3. 2 in 1 FLAT STOMACH AND ROUND BOOTY Workout | (30 Min)
4. 7 DAY CHALLENGE - 10 MIN WORKOUT TO LOSE BELLY FAT | AB WORKOUT TO LOSE INCHES!
5. 10 MIN LOVE HANDLES AND LOWER BELLY FAT WORKOUT Standing Only | No Equipment!
6. 10 min STANDING ABS WORKOUT | One Dumbbell | Low Impact | Beginner Friendly 
7. 10 min RESISTANCE BAND ARM WORKOUT | Tone Your Upper Body

 -Full Body Workout-

"Don't wait until you've reached your goal to be proud of yourself. Be proud of every step you take toward reaching the goal." ~ Unknown

I'm going to end it here before I end up adding more videos for you to do. If you're looking for a workout challenge, check out fitbymlk since she has some decent workout challenges and feel free to check them out at your own leisure! Keep at it and challenge yourselves because it will pay off in the end, keep pushing yourself. Be mindful on your diet as well.

1. WEEK 1 - WINTER WORKOUT CHALLENGE
2. WEEK 2 - WINTER WORKOUT CHALLENGE
3. WEEK 3 - WINTER WORKOUT CHALLENGE
4. WEEK 4 - WINTER WORKOUT CHALLENGE
5. WEEK 5 - WINTER WORKOUT CHALLENGE
6. WEEK 6 - WINTER WORKOUT CHALLENGE
7. WEEK 7 - WINTER WORKOUT CHALLENGE
8. WEEK 8 - WINTER WORKOUT CHALLENGE

Extremely Powerful Fat Burn Frequency || 295.8 Hz || Weight Loss Binaural Beats, Burn Fat Cells.

If you are looking to revitalize your routine, here are 16 reasons why committing to a fitness challenge is a total game-changer:

1. It Shatters Plateaus: Breaking out of your regular routine shocks your body and forces it to adapt, helping you bust through frustrating weight loss or strength plateaus.
2. Built-In Accountability: It is much easier to skip a workout when you only know about it. Challenges keep you on the hook.
3. Strong Community Support: When you join a challenge, you get to connect with like-minded individuals who share tips, struggles, and celebrations.
4. Clear Structure: Say goodbye to guesswork. A challenge tells you exactly what to do, how long to do it, and when to rest.
5. The Power of Friendly Competition: Tapping into your natural competitive edge - especially through leaderboards or group milestones - motivates you to dig a little deeper.
6. Long-Term Habit Formation: Research suggests that it takes a few weeks to form new behaviors; challenges give you the perfect runway to build habits that stick.
7. Boosts Mental Health: Regular physical activity reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression while giving your mood a massive natural lift.
8. Increases Energy Levels: Combatting midday fatigue is easier when you commit to daily movement.
9. Enhanced Self-Confidence: Pushing past doubts and hitting your weekly goals builds a resilient, "can-do" mindset.
10. Speeds Up Results: Challenges often combine nutrition and intense, target training to help you see visible results faster.
11. Forces You Out of Your Comfort Zone: You will be exposed to new exercises and classes you might never have tried otherwise.
12. Teaches Goal Setting: Challenges train you to set reasonable, attainable milestones rather than overwhelming yourself.
13. Better Sleep Quality: Expending physical energy during the day helps you fall asleep faster and achieve deeper, more restorative rest.
14. Develops a Structured Routine: It creates an organized framework that seamlessly fits exercises into your busy daily life.
15. Taps Into the "Finish Line" Effect: There is a definite start and an end point, making tough training block feel incredibly manageable.
16. Builds Physical Capability: You'll be amazed at how much stronger and more capable you feel in your everyday life.

Ready to get moving? Find a program that matches your current fitness level and discover how a little challenge can completely transform your routine. If you're exploring new workouts, you can use fitness tracking tools like Strava to start your own community challenge or log your daily goals!

 

 Blessed be,

Jennifer

Fulfilling Family Expectations

"A boy needs a father to show him how to be in the world. He needs to be given swagger, taught how to read a map so that he can recognize the roads that lead to life and the paths that lead to death, how to know what love requires, and where to find steel in the heart when life makes demands on us that are greater than we think we can endure." ~ Ian Morgan Cron

Good morning; afternoon; and evening friends and fans! Namasté. 🧘🏾‍♀️ It doesn't make the morning news when a dad remembers to pack the extra juice box, or when he spends his entire lunch break reviewing math homework. But it is in these quiet, unprompted moments that a father's love truly speaks life into a child. It is the reassuring smiles, the early morning drop-offs, and the desire to build a strong foundation without being asked. To the fathers who step into the gap, show up when they are tired, and parent with intention - you are the silent architects of your children's happiness.

"There's really no point in having children if you're not going to be home enough to father them." ~ Anthony Edwards

I never wanted my child to experience the heavy ache of a missing father figure. Growing up with that same trauma, I knew the battle of trying to heal from an absence that was never my fault. But here we are. It isn't fair. It isn't right that I am forced to play both roles while he is out there living his best life, treating his own flesh and blood like a revolving door.

For the fathers who choose to leave: Do not get mad when your child grows up and wants nothing to do with you. You cannot reap the rewards of fatherhood when you only show up for the highlight reel. If you are not ready to be a parent, do yourselves a favor - practice celibacy, get a vasectomy, or wear protection. A child is a lifelong commitment, and they did not ask to be born into your neglect.

Children aren't accessories you can pick up and put down whenever it's convenient. It's infuriating to watch a father treat his kids like a revolving door - bursting into their lives for a weekend, then disappearing into the wind for months while the mother plays both roles 23/7. But here is the truth nobody wants to say out loud: don't get mad if your own child eventually wants nothing to do with you. You cannot build a relationship on empty promises and part-time presence, and you can't force a child to respect someone who hasn't earned it.

Let's have an honest conversation about the double standard in co-parenting. While one parent is up at 2 AM with a sick kid, packing lunches, and missing work to handle endless appointments, the other is out "living their best life" acting like an unencumbered bachelor. It is not fair, and it is not right. If you want the tile of 'Dad,' you have to show up when it's exhausting, not just when it's fun. And when the child grows up and recognizes who actually did the heavy lifting, the absent parent has no one to blame but themselves.

Some fathers act like victims when their children refuse to answer their calls or spend time with them. They claim they are being 'alienated.' But kids are incredibly smart; they figure out who is actually there for them and who is not. If a father only drops in for photo-ops and birthday texts, he shouldn't be surprised when his child has nothing to do with him. You cannot abandon a child emotionally for years and then demand a relationship just because it makes you look good.

We've all seen it: the father who pops in for a birthday, buys a gift, and then completely vanishes for another year. To them, children are just a revolving door they can walk in and out when it's convenient. But to a child, every abandoned promise builds a scar.

I made a vow to my little one that I would never allow them to internalize a deadbeat's shortcomings. It is physically and emotionally exhausting to play both roles as a mother, but the alternative - allowing a man to come and go and destroy your child's self-worth - is not an option. Just like Will Smith learned to build his own greatness without his father, we are building our own unbroken family. (Fresh Prince of Bel-Air - Will's Father leaves.)

On days when the anger creeps in, I remember that we cannot force a man to be a father. And we certainly cannot get mad when our children get older, see the truth, and refuse to entertain the bare minimum.

"A man who doesn't spend time with his family can never be a real man." ~ Mario Puzo, The Godfather

Even though you've moved on. It was so easy for you to start over with someone new. I won't have that chance for a while. See single mothers who have their children 24/7 don't have the chance to go out and meet new people. Single mothers who work hard to support their children and give them everything they can in life, don't have time to go on dates. Single mothers aren't a hot commodity these days. So while you lay in bed with another woman, holding her close. I lay in bed with our son and read him stories. I bathe him every night, put on his pajamas, brush his teeth, and talk about our day. When he asks about you, I tell him you love him. Even though your actions say different. Even though, you can only manage to spend a mere day or two a month with him. I could put up with you making me feel like I didn't matter to you. But the day I knew that you would make him feel that way too, is the day I had to let you go. That was the day I knew you'd never change. You'd never be the selfless, loving father I thought you could be so I had to let you go because I knew you weren't good for me, and we could never be a family.

One day I'll get the chance to move on. I know Yahuah has a plan for my life, and I trust Him. One day, I'll get married and have a real family with a man who recognizes my strength and loves me in a way you never could. It'll take time to let go of all the hurt and pain.

I have asked for nothing from you.

I have never asked for money, I have never asked for food, I have never asked for clothing.

I cannot speak for absent mothers as I have no experience in this, I'm sure there are many out there.

It must be pretty wonderful for you to have the choice of whether to step up and be a dad on any given day. Personally, I don't get that same luxury.

What I do have the luxury of is watching a beautiful little boy grow smarter, bigger and stronger every single day. I get to hear his happy babbling in the morning, laugh as he laughs, and watch him fall into blissful sleep.

At first, I felt bitter that my life had changed so irretrievably while you still get to go out and party all the time. Now I see that my life has changed for the better while yours just reverted back to teenage years.

I have to be a mother 100% of the time, whether I'm sick, exhausted or whatever else. I don't get to say, "Sorry, not today." (Not that I'd ever want to.)

Raising our son alone makes me feel like a superhero. Like I'm invincible, and I could take on the whole world and still succeed. I'm doing something I previously thought would be impossible. I'm happily owning my single mom 'situation', and it's amazing.

While I don't have anyone to share the highs and lows of parenting with day in day out, I also don't have to share cuddles with my little boy. Does that sound selfish? Probably, but I'm so glad I have him all to myself.

It's terrifying and daunting that this is all on me, that I have the sole day to day responsibility of bringing up a child. It's just as well I have the love of not just two but two million parents to show him. I'll make sure he always knows that.

Not having that solidarity of a big, unshakeable rock beside me is definitely a struggle some days. But you were never going to be that rock anyway. I am my own rock.

You missed out on a great kid. You will miss out on birthdays, graduations, first dates, and watching our kid turn into the amazing adult they are destined to become, with or without you.

I won't teach him to hate you, but I'll let him make his own assumptions about you. Chances are, he won't feel so fondly about you once he realise how truly disgusting your actions have been.

I hope you don't consider yourself a real man, because real men don't walk out on their children. You walked out on the most important responsibility of your life, without any regrets.

I don't see it as anything I did wrong. You were simply a coward who didn't have the courage to stick out the tough times. Yes, things were hard in the beginning, but things are much better now, and I only feel sorry for you because you're missing out.

Our child will grow up learning how to be a great parent, all because you taught them everything they shouldn't do. You set a perfect example for all the things he will never grow up to be.

I've stopped agonizing over you, because you don't deserve these tears. Crying over you is like letting you win, and I've decided that you will no longer have control over my life.

I hope for your future family's sake, you don't do the same thing to them that you did to us. While you don't deserve the happiness that a family can bring you, no one else deserves the pain you've left us with.

If I could have one wish for my son, it would be to have a good father. A father who shows up and a father who puts his child before his addictions, before his friends, before his own selfish needs.

Blessed be,

Jennifer

 

In the Name of Yahuah!

Good morning; afternoon; and evening friends and fans! Namasté. 🧘🏽‍♀️ This is my sixth spiritual blog and I hope it'll be my final blog on spirituality. Other five were written about brujeria and this one is something different. I feel that I had to find the proper words so I wouldn't mess up my words and went to revisit a blog titled: What Everyone Ought To Know About Spiritual Experience and carried over six videos over to this blog. As of now, I have found fifteen videos and haven't found a whole lot of reading material for those who are interested in wanting to find out if there are any reading material in regards of Yahuah. I'm not going to go crazy and there are videos I have not added to this blog. For the time being I'll begin with these selected videos I've chosen and if there's any videos you're curious about, feel free to check them out at your own leisure without any distraction. Keep in mind, these YouTube channels aren't going to last forever and meaning, any video I've posted in the past, several of them had been taken down because of the algorithm keeps taking down videos or channels. Take these three channels for example but you're now able to find them on BitChute and/or Rumble: JonExArmy; Richie from Boston; and Truth Unvield777. I'll begin with the history of the seven videos and again, I want to make sure I got my words sounding the way I want them to sound. Yes, I realize I'm being very meticulous, specifically with this blog and who knows if there will be a follow-up to this one, something I haven't personally decided yet. However, if I do end up witting a follow-up, it'll most likely be a final spiritual blog to end this serious of spiritual and who knows if there will be a follow-up and this series of spirituality. All in all, for this paragraph, I know I'm doing a horrible job with discussing the real name of the Father and a lot of the things we've ever been taught, whether if you're regularly attended church but for some reason, something changed over the years, and I began being turned off because I've had people encouraging me to attend Bible study, things of that nature. When it comes down to things like that, I've felt like they're forcing their faith/religion down my throat which turned me off. I've also felt like there was something a bit unnatural when it came down to religion, for example, I feel religion is manmade because I feel [respectfully] religion was made to instill fear in the minds of people of heaven and hell but do they truly exist? I also feel "religion" is made to divide people. I feel that those who attend church regularly are purely judgemental and with the money people "donate/contribute" each week when that basket is passed around, where does that money go? If you're saying you're a "good Christian", shouldn't the church be helping eliminating homelessness and as well as providing resources for mental health, etc. instead of taking money so the priests can ride around in very expensive vehicles and live in mansions while people are struggling to provide their own families with rent and groceries? I have zero interest in going to church because I personally find Christians to be very judgemental and selfish. My question regarding the Bible is whoever wrote the Bible, how did they know what truly happened? I personally feel the Bible is hearsay but that's my humble opinion and point of view pertaining the Bible, respectfully speaking. Before I go onto the rest of this blog, there are three videos for you to watch at your own leisure. There's POWER in the Name of Yahuah/Yahusha!! Part 1; There's POWER In the Name of Yahuah/Yahusha!! Part 2; 100% UNDENIABLE PROOF Of Our Creator YAH! and IDENTITY OF YAHUSHA WILL BLOW YOUR MIND. Things Lucifer doesn't want you to know, and I hope you continue reading this before clicking off this blog.

I've had seven videos on one of my blogs, What Everyone Ought To Know About Spiritual Experience and YouTube's algorithm had removed that particular person or persons YouTube account, the video that I had on there was titled: A History of the True Hebrews (Documentary Re-uploaded). I hadn't heard of Yahuah until the summer of 2018 and have been a follower ever since! There are things I am still learning about Yahuah and what He has to offer. Yes sir, Yahuah have a lot to offer us if we repent now before the end of times approaches and as I'm at Alley Pond Park writing this since it's a lovely day to be outdoors, not too much humidity but comfortable. I love weather like this and I'm not a fan of being indoors all day (I don't know how most people can stay indoors unless necessary). Without further ado, this first video of what the bible says, What is the real name of the Creator?... YAHUAH; here is a reaction video, The True Name of the Creator; and check out YAHUAH'S BIBLICAL HEBREWS REVELED: Contrary to the Whitewash! If you think about it, when you go out into the community, you'll never witness white people create other races but you'll see black people with a pigmentation [called Vitiligo] of creating albino children and take note of it for when you go out. There is absolutely no way scientifically/medically possible that whites, Asians or Spanish people can genetically give birth to someone of African American descent, dude, just think about it for a moment and I'm waiting! ⏳

1. BELIEVE IN YAHUSHA, MY SALVATION | The Word of YaHUaH Throughout Scriptures | Set-Apart Meditation;
2. Who Are the Black Israelites?
3. (The True Hebrew Israelites) Scattered Among the Nations: Part 1
4. (The True Hebrew Israelites) Scattered Among the Nations: Part 2
5. (The True Hebrew Israelites) Scattered Among the Nations: Part 3
6. YAHUAH REMOVED HIS NAME

In this paragraph, I hope you've noticed what I've done all throughout this blog and please keep in mind that any or all of these videos won't remain on YouTube forever because of YouTube's algorithm keeps removing certain videos since they won't want the truth out there. However, on the other hand I understand if there's some type of conspiracy going on or misinformation and I'm that kind of person who believes in hearing both sides of the argument. I don't believe in taking sides at all cost but will draw up my own conclusion. Nonetheless, I've never been a huge fan of taking sides and never cared for taking either side because I'd rather remain neutral. Back to Yahuah, He is real and since I believe Yahuah is a black dude with cotton hair as I've drawn up my own conclusions for as I am my own person. In regards of previous blogs I have several times have made mention of 'Powers of the Psalms' by Anna Riva, I've never given it much thought in regards of certain things such as revenge and etc. I hope everyone found this blog educational and with great amount of information. Here are several videos for you to watch at your own leisure and something to look out for when the time comes. Witchcraft Breaker Deliverance Prayers | Pray in the Name of Yahuah - Yahusha; The Devils FINAL Plan For The Last Days Is Unfolding Before Our Eyes; Satan's Trap for Christians? The Shocking Truth About Powers of the Psalms by Anna Riva; St. Faustina Kowalska - Signs Be Revealed on The Sky Right Before the Coming of Justice! and 3 Days of Darkness - Do Not Go Out These Days! You can take this entire blog with a grain of salt or believe deeply in the power of Yahuah. I'm not forcing this blog down your throat whatsoever and I'm doing what I can to educate anyone and everyone who falls upon this blog!

I want people to have this knowledge that I'm not in any way trying to shove Yahuah down people's throats and I'm doing my best to spread the word, as well as educate people who stumbled upon this blog out of curiosity or whatever reason that brings them to this particular blog or any spiritual blog I've written previously. I've also included these two copies of books that was brought to my attention and you're able to find these two books on Amazon! You can order: BYNV: Volume One; and BYNV: Volume 2 to add for your own reading literature to read on your own leisure time. I still yet have to order these books, when it's in my budget, I'll be sure to order these books on Amazon.

Blessed be,

Jennifer

Single Mom Generation

"There's no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be good one." ~ Jill Churchill

Good morning; afternoon; and evening friends and fans! Namasté. 🧘🏽‍♀️ Happy Mother's Day out there, whether if you're happily married or a single mom and much respect to the mom's out there by choice. What I mean by this is A Single Mother by Choice is someone who is consciously decides to start a family on their own without a romantic partner and I respect their choice while this decision may not be for everyone. I may not know everyone's personal situation, and I know my situation is different because I wasn't planning on being a mom at the age of 26. Long story short, my son's father didn't take no for an answer because he wanted a reason why I've said no while on top of me undoing my belt and pants. I have zero desire to be a mom, whether a single mom or a married woman with shared responsibilities with her husband where I'd have to constantly striving to be both a mother and father, filling every emotional gap so my child never feels less than. It is a lonely journey being a single parent because there is no one to bounce ideas off of at 2a.m. when the baby is sick, or to debate schooling and discipline choices with. You shoulder 100% of the guilt and the pressure. When it comes to income and doing everything alone, it's no easy task whatsoever! You are the sole provider. Without the child's father paying child support or sharing expenses, budgeting becomes an intensely precise and often stressful task. It's not for the faint of heart being a single mom and especially if you have a child with mild autism being raised solo without a father figure around. As we speak, my son's father isn't active in my son's life and he acts as a revolving door. Meaning, he shows up whenever he feels fit to come around, and it's not right that I have to do this on my own. Perhaps, it was my mistake of not encouraging him to get a vasectomy, and if I had health insurance with a gynecologist, I would have this conversation with a gynecologist regarding waiting to get a tubal ligation done Of course, the gynecologist would say that I'm "too young" to get a tubal ligation done before age 26 and don't get me wrong, I like children but from afar. Not everyone wants children for personal reasons and not everyone deserves to even have children! I feel we wouldn't have placed ourselves in this very unfortunate predicament. I'm not implying that motherhood isn't a blessing and motherhood isn't for everyone!

"When you're in the thick of raising your kids by yourself, you tend to keep a running list of everything you think you're doing wrong. I recommend taking a lot of family pictures as evidence to the contrary." ~ Connie Schultz

If you don't have your child's father on child support when he should also be helping out by pulling his weight as well because as a single mom, we didn't get ourselves pregnant and it would be medically impossible for a woman to get herself pregnant. It takes two to procreate life, not just none but two and that child never received that memo that he or she wasn't asked to be born into this world (let's not get it twisted). If you want to avoid all this unnecessary drama with the back-and-forth nonsense, do yourselves [as "men"] a fucking favor, do the mother of your unborn child and that unborn child a favor, get a vasectomy or learn to wear protection, simple as that! What is so complicated about getting fa vasectomy or wearing protection? A lot of you guys enjoy complaining about wearing condoms and two things will happen, be prepared to go to Family Court or worry about STDs. Don't shoot the messenger for spreading the truth when we all are fully aware of the consequences of STD's and/or unwanted pregnancy but proceed with caution. I will say this to the deadbeat "dads" who shouldn't even have children whatsoever! Every time you pop back into our lives for a week, you give them a glimpse of what a dad looks like. And every time you vanish, you break their heart all over again. I would rather raise them as a single mother than watch you treat their emotions like a revolving door. If you want to be here, prove it. Be consistent. Show up when it's boring, hard, and uncelebrated.

To the dad who only shows up when it's convenient: your child keeps track of every missed promise. When you drift in and out of their life like a revolving door, you aren't just hurting me - you are teaching them that their emotional foundation is optional.

Stepping up doesn't mean buying a pair of sneakers for their birthday; it means showing up for the parent-teacher conferences, being the emergency contact, and calling on the same days every week. It's time to stop letting your ego or the awkwardness of our co-parenting dynamic dictate your relationship with our child. They need a consistent, not a part-time visitor. Break the cycle.

Have an amazing Mother's Day, however you're spending your day! 😃

Best regards,

Jennifer

Marijuana News and Views

"Legalizing marijuana would make a lot of sense, I don't there's a single case of marijuana overdose on record and tens of millions of users. It's much less dangerous than alcohol, for example." ~ Noam Chomsky

Good morning; afternoon; and evening friends and fans! Namasté. 🧘🏾‍♀️ Happy 420 everyone! As you already know, today is 420 and it's something I support because it's not anything like cocaine or heroin. I had recently found out there's a convention pertaining to weed being hosted in Las Vegas, Nevada in November until December. MJBizCon from November 28 - December 1, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada and a pre -registration is required). It is my humble opinion that the billions of dollars being spent on the war against marijuana should be diverted to more useful projects like feeding the less fortunate in the society. The government is more focused on people in the black and brown communities carrying up to three ounces of cannabis and up to 24 grams of cannabis. All I have to say is, the police will look the other way if a Caucasian person walks by smoking weed while a black person doing the same thing! It's very hypocritical to allow Caucasian person to walk around with weed and not get arrested for the same offense! These arrests resulting from possession of marijuana in New York is quite huge compared to those in California and New Jersey states in America.

1. Cannabis Business Times.
2. Schumer Wishes Marijuana Advocates 'Happy 420' And Says He'll 'Work Like Hell' For Legalization
   
3. Top Wisconsin Lawmaker Says Republicans Are Privately Working On Medical Marijuana Bill
   
4. Congressman Says Letting Marijuana Business Claim Federal Tax Deductions With 280E Repeal Will Actually Generate More Revenue
   
5. How Cannabis Can Help the Elderly
6. 4 Cannabis-Infused Wines Worth Buying
   
7. The Best New CBD Skincare Products of 2021 (So Far)
   
8. 6 CBD Skin Care Brands That Actually Live Up to the Hype and if you're looking to go shopping in person, I've found a place for your CBD skincare fix at Sephora: CBD Skincare
   
9. 7 of the top CBD beauty products for 2023
   
10. Pros & Cons of CBD Cigarettes | #1 Recommended CBD Products for Smokers by ME
    

 

Grass Is Greener | Official Trailer [HD] | Netflix; [Snoop Dogg on Weed vs. Alcohol #Shorts]

Disjointed | Teaser: 420 Musical Singalong | Netflix 

Highland: Thailand's Marijuana Awakening.

.

1. How To Make Cannabis Infused Hennessy.
2. The Herbal Infuser
   

"I'm for legalizing marijuana. Why pick on those drugs? Valium is legal. You just go to a doctor and get it and overdose on it - what's the difference? Prozac, all that stuff, so why not marijuana? Who cares? It's something that grows out of the ground - why not? Go smoke a head of cabbage. I don't care what you smoke." ~ Howard Stern

1. The Controversial History of Marijuana Legalization
   
2. Ancient Cannabis Cult / History documentary
   
3. Marijuana: All Facts and Numbers
   
4. Why Fentanyl Is So Incredibly Dangerous
   
5. The Disturbing Reason Marijuana Was Made Illegal
6. Why outlawing cannabis was a HUGE mistake.
7. The History of Marijuana in the US According to Tommy Chong
   
8. Cannabis: Stigmatized Wonder Drug | ENDEVR Documentary
9. What Happens When You Quit Marijuana?
10. The Issues with Thailand's Legal Cannabis 
11. Is Marijuana Harmful to Health? Or Helpful? ER Doctor Explains Medical Marijuana & Cannabis
12. How Medical Marijuana Works, and Which Conditions It Treats | Doctor ER
13. Cannabis as a Natural Treatment for Autism 
14. Can medical cannabis help kids with autism?
15. The Cannabis Conspiracy & The Hempocrisy Is Real - Podcast #35 and there's a podcast on Spotify as well The Cannabis Conspiracy & The Hempocrisy Is Real - Podcast #35
    

420

Hempettes - Sweet CBD Cigarettes

Hempettes - Natural CBD Cigarettes

Hempettes - Menthol CBD Cigarettes

Hempettes - Pineapple Blaze CBD Cigarettes

Hempettes - Virginia Style CBD Cigarettes

Hemp Wraps 

Among the reasons that support the legalization of marijuana include: the medical basis that marijuana has some benefits and that the state could gain revenue from the trade of marijuana as opposed to the costs [...]. Is Marijuana Harmful to Health?

Many individuals tend to believe that the use of Marijuana is morally wrong as it alters the mental state of the user and leads to dangerous addiction and actions in the end.

It is my humble opinion that the billions of dollars being spent on the war against marijuana should be diverted to more useful projects like feeding the less fortunate in the society.

This is an important consideration data on the prevalence of Marijuana indicates that the US is still the world's largest single market for the drug.

Marijuana is the most commonly abused drug among the youths and adults in the United States and other countries in the world.

Cigarette smoking has also been reported to cause respiratory infections due to the damage caused in the cells that prevent entry of microorganisms into the respiratory system hence reducing the immunity of the system.

This means that the use of marijuana encourages the consumption of other drugs such as alcohol and cigarettes. Additionally, the use of marijuana is associated with increase in crime and consumption of other illicit drugs.

Some other reasons advanced by the documentary include the ability of the government to control the sale of such drugs to minors and also collection of tax revenue. The documentary espouses a number of reasons [...].

The author's concerns in the article are that the usage of marijuana is becoming prevalent among the American youth. It is evident that the author is against the publication and marketing of the medical marijuana [...].

The core issues mentioned in the article revolves around addiction and abuse of opioid agents as well as its relation to the use of heroin and marijuana.

The latter measure is not merely being advocated by the proponents of marijuana use since the legalization of marijuana has been supported by NAACP not because it fully backs the smoking of marijuana. Legal Marijuana in America: The New Green Rush (Full Episode) | Nat Geo Investigates

According to the new set of legislation, it was considered illegal to be found in possession of 25 grams of marijuana.

These arrests resulting from possession of marijuana in New York is quite huge compared to those in California and New Jersey states in America.

Blessed be,

Jennifer

Blood, Betrayal, and Blogs

 "Whoever gossips to you will gossip about you." ~ Phillip Sidney

Good morning; afternoon; and evening friends and fans! Namasté. 🧘🏽‍♀️It's been nearly three years since my email to Nargiss and Pamela (I'm certain their feelings are still injured to this day but boo-hoo). Unfortunately, my "mother" and Nargiss both have nothing better to do with themselves because here they go with their bullshit of talking shit about me since they both are bitter and miserable with themselves that they have to talk shit about me! If Nargiss wanted to know which high school my son, Stephan will be attending in the fall, she could have directly asked me since I am Stephan's mother! My mother is only that miserable grandmother with nothing of importance to give back to the universe (just saying). I may not follow the Christian "bible" or the Christian teachings, as the saying goes, "You reap what you sow," and be mindful of the Wiccan Law of Threefold Return. The Wiccan Law of Threefold Return (or Rule of Three) is an ethical principle stating that whatever energy, intention, or action you put into the universe - whether positive or negative - will return to you magnified three times over. At the end of the day, if they are going to talk shit about me behind my back and while they are there, feel free to kiss my ass while you're there while I go on living my own life whether if they are in it or not. Why should it be any of Nargiss' concern on what high school my son will be attending in the fall? Listen here, Nargiss, you're not paying my bills and why the fuck should it fucking matter to you on what school my son attends? I can't talk to you right now. My doctor said I should avoid things that make me nauseous. Being bitter won't make you prettier. Back to the topic! Since I've downloaded WhatsApp on my laptop and I was able to log into my mother's WhatsApp from her phone to my laptop without her knowledge. I was also able to screenshot my mother's and Nargiss' conversation over on WhatsApp. Just to break it down the confusion, Nargiss is grey (on the left) and my mother's response are green on the right. The screenshot is at the bottom of this blog. It's unfortunate that my mother is that miserable and bothered that she feels the need to talk shit about me!

"Family isn't always blood. It's the people in your life who want you in theirs; the ones who accept you for who you are." ~ Maya Angelou

It's a fucking shame that my mother would talk shit about me to other people and I'm sure she would never speak negatively about my sister, Gwendolyn. All I have to say is: Stay bothered, stay bitter, stay jealous, stay miserable just because you see something in me that you lack within your own mind, body, and soul and that is your problem that you need to work on, not my problem. Just so you know, there's a thing called therapy to help you if you ever need to seek out a therapist in case you're too incompetent to figure that out on your own. If you want to remain miserable, bitter, bothered, and jealous, that's all on you bitches because I have bigger fish to try then to deal with your toxic bullshit and drama. There is always psychological assistance if you are that bothered by my existence since it seems like you are terribly bothered by my existence in life and I exist whether or not you like it or not! If you want me dead through spiritual practice, be my guest because I am spiritually protected and you don't need to know since it's none of your concern at this point. Do all the Santeria, Brujeria, Voodoo, and Hoodoo all you want because I will eventually find out. You have wasted your finances on wiping me out to have my death appear "natural" when it wasn't and if that is the case, I will find a way to come back from the dead. Reap what you sow! Although I'm sure there's no medical proof of spiritual practice involved in a person's death without sounding like I've lost my mind because I'm certain it happens whenever needed without having to risk time behind bars.

"Your own family will talk shit about you when you're in the process of breaking generational curses. This ain't for the weak." ~ Denzel Washington

Family ain't always fucking shit just because we share DNA and I now know that I cannot bring any of my friends' home since I don't need my mother stealing my friends who are old enough to be her children. When it's in the cards for me to finally move out and live on my own, my mother will spend the rest of her life alone, bitter, jealous, miserable, and bothered just because I will no longer be the topic of discussion to her and Nargiss. 🤣 It will be to the point she will be curious to know what I have been up to! Let's not get it twisted, I want no part of that drama, and I want to see myself flourish into the person I am meant to be in this life so I am not witnessing my mother's unfortunate karma and downfall in her own life because she did it to herself, again, let's not get it twisted. I have bigger fish to fry than to worry about someone like her. As the Wiccan Red is as the summarized by the famous eight-word phrase: "An ye harm none, do what ye will" (meaning "If it harms no one, do what you want."). I will eventually overcome this sooner or later!

Stay bothered! 😉

Blessed be,

Jennifer

Not a girly girl? Boudoir for the everyday woman

"A lady never shows her soul outside the boudoir." ~ Shonda Rimes, Year of Yes

Good morning; afternoon; and evening friends and fans! Namaste. 🧘🏾‍♀️ As I'm hanging out at Starbucks waiting for my laundry to finish at the laundromat around my way and I've been looking into boudoir photography. I've heard of boudoir in the past but never considered the concept of doing boudoir photography whatsoever and it may not be a bad idea because I'd rather keep my options open as a source of additional income. So far, I've found several articles online in regards of boudoir and what caught my attention when I was searching for articles to post on Twitter. I've come across The Growing Popularity and Creative Versatility of Boudoir Photography first and then I also came across How Boudoir Photos Are Redefining Sexy. Let's get into the technical bits and pieces of what Boudoir photography is and it started in the 1890's as lewd or obscene photos in France. However, this concept became more public in the 1920's, long story short, this type of photography was popularized by Albert Arthur Allen in the United States and you can read the History of Boudoir Photography at your own leisure. Being able to do a project on boudoir photography will be an interesting experience and I hope to turn this into a book that will eventually be on Blurb Books! I am very much looking forward to booking these photo shoots! Here are the top three videos for your viewing at your own leisure: Long History of Boudoir Photography; WHAT IS BOUDOIR PHOTOGRAPHY (AND HOW TO GET STARTED); and Intro to Boudoir Photography (for beginners!). It's going to be very interesting trying to list each video in order in the upcoming paragraphs without overloading our minds with all these videos and articles. I had originally found thirteen videos and two articles.

"The key to feeling absolutely alive in your own skin lies in your ability to transform or channel your hardships and dark shadows into sensual energy." ~ Lebo Grand

If you're like me, just starting out and for now, let YouTube be your best friend and guide! When you're not sure where to begin, feel free to begin with these videos on the whole boudoir experience, whether you're a photographer or a model and I hope these videos are helpful to many of you. Keep an open mind when it comes down to boudoir photography, whether a beginner or a seasoned boudoir photographer. Let's begin with How Much Is a Boudoir Photo Shoot | #AskaPhotographer with Mike Lloyd; How Much to Charge For Boudoir Photography | Mike Lloyd's Boudoir Guild; Earning +$90,000 in a Month as a Professional Boudoir Photographer; and 5 Tips for Variety on a Budget | Beginner? Boudoir photography without a studio, wardrobe, etc.?; How To Learn Boudoir Photography Fast (8 Tips); Boudoir Prep: 3 Tips To Help You Prepare For Your Session. I hope these will help you take off with your Boudoir Photography business and I wish you best of luck on your endeavors and success! I personally haven't been checking out other works of fellow boudoir photographers who have this type of [boudoir] photography and I'm open to this experience of boudoir photography. If you're not looking to "offend" anyone, specifically if you're a male and I'm going to suggest checking out this video: What NOT To Say at a Boudoir Photo Shoot and communication is key at photo shoots of almost any kind, not including live performances (meaning concerts). It's a learning curve when it comes to photography, especially boudoir photography and I have a lot to learn when it comes down to boudoir photography along with the history of boudoir photography. You don't have to be a Victoria's Secret model [skinny] to be boudoir model! If you're looking to avoid losing a potential client, watch this video: How To Eliminate Price Shopping Inquiries for Photographers and it's very interesting. If you've never modeled before, stay tuned for more information!

"Confidence is the ability to feel beautiful without needing someone to tell you." ~ Mandy Hale

As many of you already know, this blog was born with the idea/intention of photography in mind and I've written random things in the past as well. If you've never done anything to do with posing people, here are several videos for you to watch: How To Pose People Who Are NOT MODELS *Top 10 Pose Ideas From a Photographer*; Posing Tips for Women; TOP Boudoir POSES - Flow Posing on the Chair; and 30+ Male Boudoir Photography Ideas For A Seductive Photoshoot. As mentioned before, I'm looking to do a project that involves self-publishing books and all that jazz on Blurb Books in the near future, which will be very, very exciting indeed! It'll be an amazing experience and yet gratifying at the same time and it feels like Christmas when you get the film and contact sheets from B&H! If you're looking to book potential clients for a boudoir photo shoot, here is a video for your viewing: How To Advertise Boudoir Photography | Mike Lloyd's Boudoir Guild and best to do your research before going down the rabbit hole of boudoir photography. If you're not familiar with Photoshop, best to learn via YouTube until you're confident enough to begin booking photo shoots and here is your final video on editing titled: Editing Boudoir Photography in Lightroom & Photoshop #3. I hope this blog is helpful on your journey of photography but you don't want to go too deep down the rabbit hole of boudoir photography but just enough to have knowledge of and pass on the knowledge to the next person! Best of luck.

Blessed be,

Jennifer

The Photography Life

"It's about reacting to what you see, hopefully without preconception. You can find pictures anywhere. It's simply a matter of noticing things and organizing them. You just have to care about what's around you and have a concern with humanity and the human comedy." ~ Elliott Erwitt

Good morning; afternoon; and evening friends and fans! Namaste. It's been a year, three months and twenty-four hours since I've been on a photography walk. I miss going on photography walks because it's so very therapeutic and relaxing! Last time I've gone on a photography walk was in Long Island City here in Queens (October 2021) and a long story short, I got to see Blue Bloods being filmed not far from the Pepsi Cola sign. Several years ago, I had a dream I met Donnie Wahlberg but it was on a school bus. In this particular scene, Donnie Wahlberg was in a scene with Steve Schirripa (he played Bobby Baccalieri on The Sopranos). Michael Imperioli (he played Christopher Moltisanti on The Sopranos) was also from The Sopranos, and I believe he's had three episodes on Blue Bloods as Robert Lewis. Anyway, it was a pretty cool experience, and it was my second time seeing a scene being filmed. In 2009, I got to see Nicolas Cage film a scene with Alfred Molina in The Sorcerer's Apprentice and Nicolas Cage looks the same in person as he does on television and movies. At the time I seen The Sorcerer's Apprentice being filmed around Worth Street near the birth certificate office. My camera is currently out of commission and if I'm unable to have my trusty sidekick, Minolta X-370 repaired, then I may as well invest in another Minolta [35mm] camera so the 50mm and Minolta 70-210/4 MD zoom lens won't go to waste. I had purchased the Minolta 70-210/4 MD zoom lens at Adorama in 2014 for $49 bucks instead of $59 dollars and it's a pretty cool lens. I'm looking to find a prime lens for film photography. When I've finally paid off any [and all] debt, I'd have to take a trip to K&M Camera on Orchard Street and browse around for a bit and I'm that kind of shopper who will take my time who will take my time because I don't want to go home then realize I forgot something! Going on photography walks can be very therapeutic if gone alone and I'm not afraid to do things alone such as going on photography walks, however, I don't mind the company but would prefer to go alone to clear my mind. Again, I'm not afraid to go alone on photography walks and a great way for me to recharge my mind. Yet, I don't mind extending the invitation but on the other hand, I enjoy my own company a majority of the time. Expect random snapshots of you and I will ask you if you're cool with the idea of me adding you to my project, no one will know who you are if you make the cut. The invitation is only extended to those who are interested in going with me.

"If you photograph for a long time, you get to understand such things such as body language. I often do not look at people I photograph, especially afterwards. Also when I want a photo, I become somewhat fearless, and this helps a lot. There will always be someone who objects to being photographed, and when this happens you move on." ~ Martin Parr

I would love to get back into photography as soon as possible because other than photography; writing is my escape from this reality. Away from my own mother because of how she is and it's impossible for me to have an active social life. I feel like it's one of those: "If I can't have you around than no one can!" so, she tells me: "Who's going to watch your son?" or she'll say "You find a babysitter" when I recently told her that a colleague, Camille and I are planning to go to Atlantic City, New Jersey for several days. I told her I can save up from now until April when she asked me where I was going to get the money and it's a challenge being a single mom with a single income (no support system from anyone), no encouragement from my mother and no financial help from my son's father. I can't do much in a social setting such as having a girl's weekend at Atlantic City for several days. For sanity's sake, if I have to, I'll give my mother some bullshit excuses that I'm going to do live in home health attendant so I can spend several (three to four) days at the casinos. This is a blog for another time.

"If a day goes by without my doing something related to photography, it's as though I've neglected something essential to my existence, as though I had forgotten to wake up." ~ Robert Mapplethorpe

When time permits itself, I'll search for a Minolta camera so the 50mm and 70-210/4 MD zoom lens wouldn't go to waste. I know it's not the right timing to go shopping for a camera and for the moment I'd research which locations to check out. My main intention is to finally finish my project I began spring semester 2013 and I can't wait to finally finish my project. At least (in hopes) that this will give me the head start on where I'd want to go, and this is providing if the vaccine mandate is ever lifted. I've found this article from B&H, by all means, this article is from 2016 titled: Five Great Photography Location In New York City. Another article is 29 Best Photography Locations in NYC; 60+ Best Photography Locations in NYC: Tourist Classics & Hidden Spots. I'm open to checking out Calvary and Green Wood Cemeteries since I have this morbid fascination with cemeteries for the longest. I do want to hold down a photo shoot in a cemetery and hopefully in time I can stop by at Cypress Hills Cemetery in Brooklyn so I can visit my grandparents' graves. Speaking of my grandparents, there's something I need to do and light some tea light candles in order for spiritual work to manifest into reality. Maybe the universe is saying "Be patient, your time will come..." and hopefully with time I get to shop around for a Minolta camera so I can resume with photography walks. I'm very much looking forward in going on photography walks for therapeutic reasons and I honestly enjoy spending time alone. I've found a website for a group street photography workshop on Shoot New York City and for those residing outside of New York City and would like to come to New York City for a day or a week to go work on your photography, best to Google search where to go. My favorite place is Manhattan because there's so many places to check out if you're curious and adventurous enough to check out various different places, second is Queens than Brooklyn and the Bronx.

"There is a creative fraction of a second when you are taking a picture. Your eyes must see a composition or an expression that life itself offers you, and you must know with intuition when to click the camera. That is the moment the photographer is creative. Oop! The Moment! Once you miss it, it is gone forever." ~ Henri Cartier-Bresson

Hopefully by the time I've paid off any of my existing debt, I'll be able to buy a blender so I can make my green smoothies, as well as dropping off the film I've already used at B&H. I also want to focus on other photography projects as well and being able to self-publish on Blurb Books. I have several projects lined up and one of them is music themed book of where I go to several different music venues in the Lower East Side. As I always do, before I check out these places and before I invest my time and energy into going to these music venues, I check these bands on YouTube to see if they're worth my time [and amount of money spent on buying film]. I like the vibe at Rockwood Music Hall on Allen Street and there is another music venue of interest, Arlene's Grocery on Stanton Street. For this particular photography project, it'll be five different music with five different live performances, and it'll be similar but different than my first two projects. It'll be two projects each, meaning two street photography books and two live performances each, two books will be in black and white and two will be in color. Another place I haven't been to in a very long time is Madame Tussauds New York and I've been there once in 2003 (by the way, it was pretty fun).

"The golden rule is work fast. As for framing, composition, focus - this is no time to start asking yourself questions: you just have to trust your intuition and the sharpness of your reflexes." ~ Jacques-Henri Lartigue

With my project I've started during my spring semester of 2013 at LaGuardia Community College and it's going on ten years in March, something I'd want to finish my project. My current issue is that I need a scanner of interest is very expensive but will take several months to roughly set money on the side for and at the time of this blog, the Epson Perfection V850 Pro Scanner costs $1,299 before tax and before manufacturer warranty. If I were to get the Allstate protection plan for three years, it would be an extra $129.99 for three years and not sure about the protection plan. Since I don't have the appropriate space in my bedroom, it'll have to wait until I have a place of my own and for the time being, I can live without the scanner because it's not a national emergency. For now, I'd have to learn Photoshop and best way is to go on YouTube and learn! Until I feel confident enough to take it to the next level which would be booking for photo shoots [as well as looking for employment opportunities in the photography field] and at this point, I'm ready but then at the same time I'm not ready. For now, I'd have to go to Bushwick Community Darkroom to use their scanner and they've relocated from Troutman Street and their new home is on Melrose Street.

 

Blessed be,

Jennifer