Life as of Late: March Edition

 "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 things in life such as photography. I will mention this, I genuinely miss going on photography walks and yeah, I'll have people saying that I need to take care of my son, Stephan who is on the mild autism spectrum but is functional and verbal (thankfully). I'm sure there'll be people who will say that I need to prioritize my son and I feel sooner or later he will be doing for himself. Meaning, he'll have to go out and earn an income; I'm sure he'll want to go out with his peers or even go on dates, simple things as the things I've just mentioned without my presence being known. Essentially become independent in his own birth right and that's what I want for my son but not to sound negative or anything, I'm not always going to be around, but I'll be around spiritually to guide or teach when needed and protect. Let's not get this twisted, where did I say anything about something so negative regarding something natural and sacred. I feel that death should be feared by many since have zero control over what happens to us at the end of our lives!

"If you don't love yourself, nobody will. Not only that, you won't be good at loving anyone else. Loving starts with the self." ~ Wayne Dyer

I'm hoping to say this once and I'm fully aware that there are guys out there who would want love to be with me, I'm only going to assume one thing that most heterosexual "men" want to get me in bed with them and yeah, sex is normal if you weren't sexually abused by your own stepfather or have any guy approaching you just for having a vagina or getting raped and getting pregnant by the father of your child! With everything that I've experienced in my life, I can live the rest of my life without sex but there'll be natural moments that I need to release that sexual tension as needed when that desire feels natural to me, and I'm not looking to pick a random person off the streets to have sex with. However, I don't have anyone in mind since I have my personal reasons. I'm in no rush for a relationship and I do want to take my time because I don't want to feel like I'm "trying too hard" to enter a relationship and end up unhappy and miserable. I'm taking my time because I want to, I'm doing this for me, and I want to take care of myself first before I consider going on dates, etc. without coming off as selfish. Life is too short to live life with the wrong people, but you live, and you learn, right? I'll let everyone know now, I know I'm not ready to settle down just yet but let's revisit this conversation in about ten years or so, and I want to have my own adventures to put my curiosity at ease or rather quiet down my curiosity of the world. It'll be a bunch of 35mm film to last for about three weeks or so. At this point, I want to view these trips as self-care retreats and think of it this way, it'll feel like a spiritual retreat for the mind, body and soul. Away from people, the hustle and bustle of life here in New York City, it'll be good for the mind and I'm sure life would be a bit more enjoyable for me to be around people. There are moments that I want to enjoy time alone and there are moments I don't mind being around people. There's that balance if you know how to evenly balance each one out and I feel there are people for some reason have an issue with solitude in their own life, it may not make sense to me at the very moment. Maybe it's reason unknown to me as to why people are afraid to be in solitude (especially for both psychological and spiritual reasons) and I may not fully understand their reasons just as much as I enjoy being single! I fully enjoy spending time in solitude and as well as being around people. I enjoy spending time alone because being around people for any long periods of time is and can be draining to me, no questions asked.

Blessed be,

Jennifer

Single Mom Chronicles

"[Motherhood] really forces you to address the issues that you claim to believe in and if you can't stand up to those principles when you're raising a child, forget it." ~ Diane Keaton

Good morning; afternoon; and evening friends and fans! Namasté. 🧘🏽‍♀️ I wish you a day of relaxation, pampering, blissful joy and happiness today, tomorrow, and every day after. You deserve it for being an amazing mother every single day! Happy Mother's Day. As a single mom, it's been an okay journey, although, I do feel that my ship has sailed away when I had gotten pregnant to do better for myself and have a decent career as a photographer full-time. I personally feel that once when you become a mom, you lose your identity and your career suffers as a direct result of motherhood standing in the way when you have bigger fish to fry! I've always held down part-time jobs since graduating high school in 2001 and especially when I would check off full-time whenever I would apply for employment. Perhaps I was looking in all of the wrong places! There have been moments I regret not getting my tubes tied before I even knew my son's father existed or I would have encouraged him to get a vasectomy done while I would have done the whole tubal ligation done to prevent an unplanned pregnancy. Ladies, if you aren't yet moms but one day plan on being a mom, if you lack health insurance, please apply for health insurance and find yourself a very good gynecologist to have the birth control conversation with to protect yourself! It's best to be safe than sorry. If you're in a predicament of not receiving child support but it depends on which borough of New York City you're in. Since I live in Queens, there's the Queens County Family Court.

Important Contacts:

• Main Clerk's Office: (718) 298-2000
• Queens Family Court Email: queensfamilycourt@nycourts.gov
• NYS Child Support Helpline: 1 (888) 208-4485 (available 24/7 for automated info)

Helpful Legal and Support Resources:

• Family Legal Care: Offers free legal information and advice regarding court procedures. Call (212) 343-1122 on Monday - Friday (9:00 AM - 1:00 PM and 2:00PM - 5PM).
• Volunteer Attorney Program (VAP): Provides free online/phone legal consultations for unrepresented litigants. Schedule by calling (347) 401-9460 (Tuesday - Thursday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM).

Be mindful the days and times may change depending on the time frame you're reading this. You can check online or you can call the number provided or send an email and if you're unsure on what to say, go to Google, type in something like: "Email inquiry regarding child support written agreement without case example" or you could word it as "Email inquiry regarding child support written agreement and visitation without case example". Here are three forms you can view at your own leisure! New York State Child Support Direct Deposit Enrollment Form, Stipulation for Child Support, and General Form 17 Petition-Custody, Visitation. I hope these help!

"I'm a childless woman, yet I felt no maternal urges whatsoever. The prospect of years of broken nights and nappy changes holds no appeal for me." ~ Kiki Dee

I've watching or rather hearing other women talk about their tubal ligation experiences so I'd know what to expect when I finally get my tubes tied! Here is a video titled: Tubal Ligation Surgery Process. Children aren't for everyone and not everyone wants children or have that maternal desire for whatever reason(s) they may have is a personal choice. I have my personal reasons why I've never wanted children and wanted to be child free. However, I don't heavily expect people to fully understand my personal reasons, and I have seven main reasons but I've why a long time ago in my regular personal journals about maybe twenty years ago (give or take). Here are some of my reasons that I'd rather defy society and their lame expectations: 1) No biological desire because not everyone wants or deserves to become parents. 2) Lifestyle and Freedom because raising children requires a strict routine and I find parenthood to be way too restrictive for my own personal liking (yet I don't expect you all to understand or comprehend). 3) Financial Constraints: due to the high cost of raising a child in this economy. Have you seen how much diapers cost nowadays? Man, I don't miss all those diaper changes and all that jazz! 4) Mental and Physical Health: I value my sleep schedule of when I'd want to go to bed and not worry about when I'd be woken up out a dead slumber just because the child couldn't sleep or had a nightmare or whatever the fuck and disrespecting my beauty sleep. I know it sounds selfish, but what difference does it matter? 5) Trauma and Family History: I'm or was not looking to pass down the generational trauma or repeat harmful parenting patterns. For example, there were moments when my mother would tell me this story on how if I were born a boy, she would have named me Stephen Anthony like I wasn't good enough for her just because I happen to be born the wrong gender but never once told my sister, Gwen, this story. I've always felt my mother was being extremely selfish. I didn't want my own children to experience bodily harm such as sexual abuse by someone they know because I was sexually abused by my stepfather when I was about nine years of age. I was raped at age 26 by my son's father in 2009 and I also suffer from irregular menstrual cycles to make matters worse. There were moments when my stepfather would make me feel like it was my fault for my biological father's absence in my own life but never said anything negative about it in front of my sister. 6) Career and Creative Ambitions: I wanted to go back to college, earn my associate's degree from LaGuardia Community College [CUNY] before deciding on what other college of choice to attend and earn my bachelor's degree. I also wanted to make sure I've found success in my career before I felt ready to settle down. Everyone is different and I hope you don't think I'm speaking negatively which I'm not. I feel that when you become a mom, your whole life is basically over, and you lose your identity of who you are as an individual. But when your children move out and you have to reclaim your own identity. 7) Dislike of Parenting Lifestyle: I'm not a fan of the reality of raising children, such as diaper changes, handling tantrums, etc. I may have unintentionally left out the concept of being a single parent raising a child on your own if the other parent is a deadbeat/absentee/sperm donor by unfortunate design or by choice. It's understandable if the other parent who has tragically by violence (whether by mistaken identity or wrong place at the wrong time) or naturally transitioned to the spiritual realm. May it from violence or an illness.

"The absence of doll babies in my toy chest didn't seriously influence my later decision not to become a mother; rather, I disdained Hasbro's Baby Alive wetting doll because I was already the kind of girl who would grow up to be childless by choice." ~ Lionel Shriver

Some people may not be fans of the concepts of tubal ligation for personal or spiritual/"religious" reasons while other find it necessary and liberating to have their tubes tied. I truly don't expect people to understand why I feel the need to trade places with women who suffer from infertility so they can live the life I take for granted when it comes to motherhood and I don't expect people to understand why I feel the way I do about wanting to trade places with women who suffer from infertility issues or unable to carry full-term. It makes me feel bad. Life is wicked because you have people who don't feel the maternal desire to be parents and they end up having children. Yet, while there are people who struggle with fertility are spending so much of their money on fertility help and still struggle to conceive a child. It's wild to me how life is so weird on how opposite everything in life can be, for example, people who want to be parents, but they suffer from infertility while there are those who are able to have children are shitty parents or they make great parents depending on the individual and it makes me feel bad. Like I mentioned before, I like children but from afar!

This is from my perspective as a single mom!

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

College Dreams

"A high school diploma will no longer be sufficient. But that post secondary education does not have to be a four-year university or a four-year college. It can be a career technical education, vocational education, community college." ~ Raja Krishnamoorthi

Good morning; afternoon; and evening friends and fans! Namaste. With the mandates, having to be fully vaccinated in order to attend your child's school event (such as graduations, PTA meetings); hold down a weekly/bi-weekly income in the New York City area or even attend any CUNY and I also believe all SUNY colleges, you'd have to be fully inoculated in order to attend college. I pray that this does not effect those who are attending online courses and if this is my only available option at the moment, I'm open to the experience, although I prefer going in person. I do miss the experience of being around people in my own age group. Nonetheless, I don't mind being around people of all ages but not for a long period of time. At the end of the day, as long as I get to have a career that I truly enjoy and something that is fulfilling because I'm used to being pushed to the slide like I don't exist, like I'm shit, nobody, someone without talent. Furthermore, I realize I have so much to offer in this life and not many people can see that, maybe they do see it but they choose to keep me in a cage locked up keeping me from flourishing talent wise or they simply turn a blind eye as to what I can do. Maybe I'm doing this to myself, who knows and I don't believe in blaming people because I would rather raise above it and go on with my life. I don't feel the need to get into other people's business, I don't expect people being all nosey in mine and I'll be fine as long as I stay in my own lane. Meaning, what I do during my spare time is none of your damn concern, however, I do appreciate your concern (just know that I am perfectly capable of keeping myself out of trouble) and whatever you do during your spare time is none of my concern. I need to make my own decisions in life, whether if you agree with it or not and at the end of the day, I can only be me. As much as I would love to go back to go back to school, at the time of this blog, I unfortunately cannot go back to college because I'm not inoculated and for the time being, college will have to be on the back burner until further notice. I hope the mandates in all schools will be lifted so I can go on to earning an Associate's Degree from LaGuardia Community College so I can transfer to another school such as Fashion Institute of Technology; The New School | Parsons School of Design; International Center of Photography; or even New York Film Academy for a Bachelor's of Fine Arts in Photography. I've read articles on fellow photographers who are in the photography industry who have not finished college and they've made a steady career as a photographer from the time they've decided that college wasn't for them. I'm contemplating whether if I should also major in business once when I have my Bachelor's of Fine Arts and I am shying away from business because of calculus [and all things relating to arithmetic]. I'm leaning more towards Fashion Institute of Technology for photography.

On the other hand, I'll shy away from business as a major because I only have a fourth grade math level and it sucks when all things mathematics are my kryptonite. I'm not all that confident with my math and no matter how many times or showing me different ways of solving a math problem that is so simple for someone else to solve but a challenge for me to understand on so many levels. Whenever I look at a math problem in algebra, I'm instantly confused and it's hopeless to explain to me and anything to do with reading and writing I would consider my super powers. It's not easy having a learning disability and a speech impediment but it doesn't mean that I'm incompetent or any less human than the next person who does not have a developmental disability. I know what I know and no one can take away my knowledge and personal experiences because that makes me who I am today! I figured with having a college degree in business will help me become successful but I doubt I need a degree in business and it will be very interesting to have my own photography business here in New York City. If I play my cards right, I hope to expand my business and every three to four years sounds good to me to slowly expand since I don't need for my business to collapse like a deck of cards.

At the moment, as much as I want to go back to school but can't due to the [vaccine] mandate and it's going to be a bit of a challenge because I'm a photography major at LaGuardia Community College. Therefore I don't have access to the darkroom at school if I were to take online courses, on top of the tuition and cost of text books; film; chemicals needed to develop my film or make prints; cost of special Ilford paper used in the darkroom; and transportation costs, it's not going to leave me with much to go to Bushwick Community Darkroom. If I'm not mistaken, it's $25 per hour and I'd have to contact them for the correct information but don't quote me on that exact price just yet until I get the correct info from them. It would make my life so much easier if I created my own darkroom at home, it would be a headache to set up, however, it'll be worth it but again a headache of having to properly dispose of the chemicals used when developing your own film or making prints. It's going to be one expensive bill on my end! 😬

Blessed be,

Jennifer

Portrait Sessions in NYC: Our Top Film Photography Packages

 "To me, photography is an art of observation. It's about finding something interesting in an ordinary place... I've found it has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them" ~ Elliott Erwitt

Good morning; afternoon; and evening friends and fans! Namaste. New York City 35mm photography packages range from $400 for basic portraits to over $1,500 for luxury, full-day weddings. Including 35mm film generally adds an analog surcharge to digital rates to cover film rolls, developing, and high-resolution scanning costs.

NYC 35mm & Specialty Photography Pricing

Basic / Headshot & Portraiture

• Price: $400 - $800
• Details: 30 to 60-minute session, 1-2 rolls of 35mm film, digital scans, and 10-25 edited images.

Lifestyle, Editorial & Fashion

• Price: $700 - $2,000+
• Details: 1 to 3-hour sessions, multiple looks, high-fashion styling, and extensive post-production editing.

Wedding & Elopement

• Price: $3,500 - $15,000+
• Film-Forward Packages: 8 - 10 hours of coverage, 35mm documentary coverage (2-3 rolls), an engagement session, and an online gallery.

Maternity & Newborn

• Price: $550 - $1,500+
• Details: 60 - 90-minute in-home or studio lifestyle session, combined 35mm and digital camera shots, plus print credits.

Music & Creative

• Price: $700 - $1,500+
• Details: For artists, DJs, and musicians. Ideal for album covers, press releases, and music video behind-the-scenes.

Boudoir

• Price: $800 - $1,200+
• Details: 2 to 3-hour session, hair and makeup, wardrobe changes, and a custom-tailored shoot.

+Prints are available for an additional fee if needed. Image Retouching available for $25.00/per image

+All Prices Effective 07/05/2021 and subject to change without notice.

Blessed be,

Jennifer

Bucket List Blueprint

"A birthday is just another day where you go to work and people give you love. Age is just a state of mind, and you are as old as you think you are. You have to count your blessings and be happy." ~ Abhishek Bachchan

Good morning; afternoon; and evening friends and fans! Namaste. I know I've posted a blog some time ago titled: 'The Art of Buying Gifts" in 2015 and I have two wish-lists created from two different photography stores here in New York City. These two wish-lists can either be viewed as a birthday gift or as a "Christmas" gift. All I have to say is please no body sprays or body lotions because my mother generally complains that the body sprays/lotions smell like "Roach spray" and I do appreciate the gesture though. Although my mother have a long history of exaggerating the truth and I do often question everything my mother mentions. Other than anything photography related, a gift card from Barnes & Noble; Namaste Bookshop; Enchantments NYC; Original Botanica; Starbucks; Hollister; Old Navy; and Victoria's Secret. I've been meaning to head to Nike Store at the SkyView Shopping Center in Flushing (here in Queens by the 7 train) and whenever I go to Target in the SkyView Shopping Center, there are times I'd see a line just to get into the Nike Store. For now, I'd have to set some money on the side for sneakers and I know footwear and clothes from the Nike Store are on the pricey side. It's great if you have small feet because from what I hear, kids sneakers a generally cheaper than those with larger feet and I wish I have smaller feet, sucks when you have children (if you're a size 9 in women's shoe size or larger, post pregnancy wise)... (It would be different if I have smaller feet then it'll be much easier to find sneakers for myself but I do know someone who is slightly taller than me, he have small feet, he's the brother of my ex friend, seems like everyone in that family have small feet. 😭) If in the event that the limit to spend money either for birthday or Secret Santa of spending of $25 - $50 bucks, it's the thought that counts. Side Note: I like Starbucks; every once in a while I get the vodka flavored shots from the liquor store either on my way to the bus stop after my shift or down the block from where I currently live, they're usually under $3 bucks for the Cîroc (they normally run roughly about $2 something each but close to $3 bucks per bottle), otherwise, depending which flavor you get while other shots are generally $1 per bottle. I like the shots because they're economical in price and it also depends on how active you are with drinking alcohol. I personally drink on social occasions such as parties mostly but not everyday like that since I don't need to be out of commission with a nasty hangover and especially since I'm a single mom! I don't need my son to see me in that state and think it's "normal" when it's not. Anything can happen if I were under the influence of controlled substance such as alcohol, etc. I also enjoy reading books and spiritual stuff.

-My Wish lists-

"Self-care is the non-negotiable. That's the thing that you have to do. And beauty is the thing that can be the benefit of the self-care. Beauty is not the point. Beauty is just a cute side-effect from self-care." ~ Jonathan Van Ness

I often pamper myself but not very often, I go for a nice gel manicure and pedicure once every three months. A gift card for a gel pedicure and manicure is fine, Barnes & Noble Bookstore; Starbucks; Adorama Wish-list; B&H Wishlist; Michael's Arts & Crafts. Whenever I go into Michael's Arts & Crafts Store, I could never find any Clear 7 Mesh Plastic Canvas on their store shelves but I'm assuming it's mostly an online item or any books with patterns for plastic canvas and yet it's frustrating because I want to check out the patterns to see if it's something I can picture myself making as reference down the road. I have several books with patterns and I haven't been very active with making any projects since my grandmother passed away in 1998. I've lost my inspiration for making any projects since my grandmother's death and I have to get back on my game of working on some projects but I haven't had the inspiration or even the motivation in doing so. Only books I have are Four Seasons in Plastic Canvas Book Six; Looney Tunes in Plastic Canvas Book Seven; Magnet Bouquet in Plastic Canvas [Delicate Beauty Collection Book 5]; Our Best Bazaar Projects in Plastic Canvas; and I have one more book but can't seem to find the book at the moment. I'm the kind of person who likes to have several projects ready as holiday gifts and that's who I am because handmade projects you can't find in stores or unless if you shop on Etsy. Handmade items to me are amazing. For example, before I start crying, around the time my grandmother was in the hospital in November of 1998, I was working on a tissue box cover as a Christmas gift and I wasn't even finished working on it at the time of my grandmother's death. November and December are the two months I'm least looking forward to since I never got to celebrate my Sweet Sixteen. I know it's not my fault, not that I know of and not let me dwell on it too much. Anything photography related I'll be happy with since I look forward in going on my photography walks to help me clear my mind and blow off some steam. Just a day or two for me, myself, and I [and no one else]. At some point I should add more to my wish-lists for both Adorama and B&H. Another awesome idea is being able to travel to Japan; China; Dubai; Tibet; Thailand; Costa Rica; Spain; the Philippines; India; and Portugal for my birthday each year. A girls' trip to these countries would mean the world to me and especially if you're single and able to go so we can check out cute guys. 😉 Something different and a change of scenery for us, for at least two weeks at most (depending on how much personal time we have from each our jobs) but one week will be fine by me. I've never traveled outside of New York City for my birthday and that would be my birthday wish. I would love to visit different countries for my birthday each year while I'm still young and in good health. As the saying goes, tomorrow is never promised! ✈ It would be awesome to have a Happy Birthday by Stevie Wonder being played for my birthday. 😉

 

Blessed be,

Jennifer

'New York City: Five Borough Tour' Part II

“There is one thing the photograph must contain, the humanity of the moment. This kind of photography is realism. But realism is not enough - there has to be vision, and the two together can make a good photograph.” ~ Robert Frank

Good morning; afternoon; and evening friends and fans! Namasté. 🧘🏽‍♀️ As many of you already know, I'm still working on my 'New York City: Five Borough Tour' book and I still haven't come up with a subtitle for my book which will be on Blurb Books. I hope to self publish several books on street photography, as well as music and fashion. Don't get me wrong, I have an idea on what I want to do as I can eventually turn my ideas into reality and these are places I want to go within New York City. Since my camera is currently out of commission at the moment but feel free to refer to Photo Plus Expo 2018 blog and since it costs money to have my camera serviced but I'm itching to go on my photography walks again whenever time permits. Once when I find a place that would fix up my Minolta X-370 and it's going to be a challenge because I'm not sure how many places still repair Minolta cameras. I'd have to research more into the backstory of Minolta and nowadays people are proud camera parents of Canon, Nikon or Sony cameras. Sony cameras takes decent pictures but I heard they aren't the best. I hope to complete my project within the next three years and I hope it'll be worth it but to say the least, I hope to get back to school with what I have so far. Don't get me wrong, I have ideas on which films to use for each borough. For example: Staten Island Ilford Delta 400 Professional Black and White Film; Brooklyn I plan on using Ilford FP4 35mm Plus Black and White Negative Film (50 pack); Queens, I plan to use Ilford HP5 Plus Black and White Negative Film; Manhattan: Ilford XP2 Super Black and White Film; and the Bronx: Kodak Professioal Tri-X Black and White Negative Film. Who knows I may throw in a random Ilford Delta 100 Professional Black and White Negative Film for any five of the boroughs. I have ideas of how I want to set up my book and I do want to have enough pictures for roughly two books, perhaps if I'm lucky, three books at most. Once when I've completed my project, I'll do a final blog based on my 'New York City: Five Borough Tour' book and I still have to come up with a catchy subtitle [that stands out from the rest] for my book that will get people curious to purchase the book!

• Staten Island: Ilford Delta 400 Professional Black and White Negative Film (35mm Roll Film, 36 Exposures)
  
• Brooklyn: Ilford FP4 Plus Black and White Film, ISO 125, 35mm, 35 Exposures, Propack 50
  
• Queens: Ilford HP5 Plus Black and White Negative Film (35mm film Roll Film, 36 Exposures, 50 Pack)
  
• Manhattan: Ilford XP2 Super Black and White Negative Film (35mm Roll FIlm, 36 Exposures, 50 Pack)
  
• The Bronx: Kodak Professional Tri-X 400 Black and White Negative Roll Film (35mm Roll Film, 36 Exposures)
  

As an update to my project I've started during my spring semester at LaGuardia Community College for Intro to Photography in 2013. I'm still working on my project and yes, I've already passed the class but want to complete my book. It's mainly street photography themed for the moment and have three other book ideas in mind, one of which will include a second street photography book but in color. There's a professor I had during my first semester at LaGuardia Community College that I continue to follow on her WordPress account and have been downloading her syllabus and have been saving them onto my flash drive each semester, yes, I realize I've already passed Intro to Photography but figured I'd keep up with the class for the most part to keep my sanity. Yet, I hope to complete my project and due to unfortunate circumstances, I've postponed my project due to shutter issues with my trusty sidekick, Minolta X-370. It's making me a bit frustrated because I don't have the available funds to have my camera serviced and nor do I have the funds to upgrade to a digital camera. However, if I had a choice of digital cameras, I'm leaning towards Nikon and in the beginning, I was leaning towards Canon since at the time I wasn't a fan of Ashton Kutcher because I thought he was obnoxious (to say the least, I'm still not a fan of his). Since I haven't seen many commercials featuring Ashton Kutcher being spokesperson for Nikon much these days but you can find these Nikon commercials on YouTube from various YouTube channels. I've found a link in regards of a debate on choosing a camera: Canon or Nikon and I will post 'The Great Debate: Canon Vs. Nikon' but however, I'm an avid [35mm] film user and have found another link for Expert Photography titled: 'The Complete Guide to Film Photography: 94 tips' but will continue on with my research both internet and going to B&H asking questions in regards to the cameras and testing them out.

I'm very excited about my book because I feel like I can learn about on how I can improve my photography skills and I also want to share my gift with the world, especially those who have doubted my talents!!! However, I'm aware that I may not "look" like much until people either see me in action and as well seeing my work. I pray that my photography will receive some positive recognition for my talents and I am so used to people speaking negatively about me or to me. For example: my stepfather's bible hugging sister, Mary Ellen had told me that I'd never make it very far as a photographer, and the same goes for my former ACCESS - VR counselor and a random Asian woman. I've had three different people telling me that I'd never make it as a photographer. Truth be told, I don't know why I've even listened to them. Don't get me wrong, I have the talent and two things that work against me are: Lack of employment opportunity and not having a college degree but specifically a Bachelor's Degree. I'll eventually have both under my belt so to speak and the talent is a piece of cake for me.

I have ideas on what I want to do with my project and figured I'd get a head start on this project then at least I can begin scanning my negatives for each borough. There are places of interest that I want to go to and I know Citi Field and Forest Hills Stadium are two of those places here in Queens to visit. There are several places in Brooklyn of interest that I want to go to: Downtown Brooklyn near the Brooklyn Bridge area; Dumbo; along the G line; Coney Island/Luna Park; New York Transit Museum; and all those awesome places. I'm not familiar with the Bronx other than Yankee Stadium (Let's go Yankees!) and Bronx Zoo or Staten Island. I'm more in favor of going to the Bronx over Staten Island any day, any time or unless if there's a family gathering such as a wedding, or a birthday celebration, whatever went for that day. Only place I can think of are the Staten Island Ferry and the Staten Island Mall but other than that I'm drawing up a blank. A third place is the Alice Austen House also in Staten Island. Since I have friends who reside in the Bronx and Staten Island, hopefully we can all meet up at some point and I could use some time to hang out with some friends, whether it's out to lunch or dinner. If need be, there's always Google search and do as much research as possible for different locations for my project and I realize this is a bit time consuming but I don't mind the research... I hope to find some possible leads on where to go in the Bronx and Staten Island.

I have selected three different reading materials to read at your own leisure and a fourth link for my upcoming project I've originally started as a class assignment! It'll eventually be somewhere in the Blurb Books portion of the site.

• Blurb Books 
• A Street Photographer's Guide to New York City for further reading materials.
• Top 35 Spots to Photograph New York City: Voted by the Locals!
• An 8-Hour Photo Walk Around New York City.
  

Blessed be,

Jennifer

Photography Sale!

"When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence." ~ Ansel Adams

In NYC, 35mm film photography packages typically range from $400 to $800+ for full-day events. Analog shoots require precise pricing due to film stock, developing, and scanning costs. Below is a categorized breakdown of current market rates and package structures.

Hourly & Basic Lifestyle Packages

• General Portraits, Maternity, & Newborn: $450.-$800/session. Typically includes 1 to 2 rolls of 35mm film (color or B&W), digital scans, and an online gallery.
• Editorial & Lifestyle: $500 - $1,000/hour. Geared toward brand lookbooks, musicians, and artistic projects.
• Graduations & Birthday Parties: $300-$500/hour. Often utilizes a blend of digital coverage with one or two rolls of film for a nostalgic, vintage aesthetic.

Weddings & Elopements

Wedding collections are higher-ticket items, heavily driven by the photographer's experience and film usage.

• Intimate Wedding/Elopements (2-6 hours): $1,500-$4,000. Ideal for City Hall or small Central Park ceremonies.
• Full Day Coverage (8-10 hours): $5,000 - $10,000+.

Specialized Sessions

Music & Boudoir: $800 - $1,500/session These shoots often involve higher artistic direction, location scouting, and styled edits.

Flash Sale, Seasonal Specials & Add-Ons

• Film Add-Ons: Ranges from$150 - $250+ per extra roll, covering the cost of film stock (e.g., Kodak Portra 400), processing, and high-resolution scanning.
• Off-Peak Specials: Some NYC photographers offer reduced Monday - Thursday hourly rates for basic lifestyle shoots (around $350/hr.).

Thank you for your consideration.

Warm blessings,

Jennifer

(*Links are provided.*)

Valentine’s Day - Photography Promotion!!!

"The secret to a happy marriage is if you can be at peace with someone within four walls, if you are content because the one you love is near to you, either upstairs or downstairs, or in the same room, and you feel that warmth that you don't find very often, then that is what love is all about." ~ Bruce Forsyth

Happy New Year's everyone! Good morning: afternoon; and evening friends and fans! Namaste. There's a Valentine's Day Photography promotion sale going on from now until February 10, 2016. In New York City, 35mm film photography packages range from $350 for a mini portrait session to $10,000+ for comprehensive, all-day wedding coverage. Because analog photography requires physical film stock, developing, and scanning, film costs are either built into hourly rates or added as a flat per-roll fee.

📸 Hourly & Mini Sessions (Graduations, Proms, Birthdays)

Specialized 35mm film packages - especially for weddings, fashion, and portraiture - are typically customized or quoted as a hybrid package (digital +film).

Breakdown by Photography Style

• Basic & Portrait: $350 - $600 per hour. Includes 1-2 rolls of 35mm film, digital high-resolution scans, and an online gallery.
• Lifestyle, Editorial, Maternal & Newborn: $600 - $1,500. Often billed as half-day or in-home session, including film development costs and styling consultations.
• Graduations & Proms: $250 to $400 per hour. Typically billed hourly to cover the venue, guest candids, and key moments.
• Boudoir: $795 - $1,500+. Premium packages often feature hair, makeup, wardrobe styling, and multiple film rolls.
• Wedding: $3,500 - $10,000+. This usually includes hybrid coverage (shooting both 35mm film and digital simultaneously).

* Travel for distance beyond a package's allotted range is charged $25 per hour of round trip based in New York 11364. This includes engagement sessions as well as wedding shoots. Availability for destination weddings may be affected by weddings booked on dates the day before or the day after your wedding day, so it is important to book them early. Packages include New York State Sales Tax.

Warm blessings,

Jennifer

The Strange Reality of Religion

"There is no need for temples, no need for complicated philosophies. My brain and my heart are my temples; my philosophy is kindness." ~ Dalai Lama.

Religion is an interesting topic but forbidden in conversation along with politics and I figured I would put the topic of religion out there. I would imagine receiving loads of negative but snide comments from people, particularly from the Christian community about this topic. I will post this blog, leave it as is and get back to my Daily Yoga! I'm hoping people would understand my curiosity and frustration on religion. For now, I plan on setting up a list of books to read once when I'm finished reading 'Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix' by J.K. Rowling along with the last two books of Harry Potter ('Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince' and as well as 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows') and my next book after the Harry Potter series I had in mind is 'God is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything' and 'The Portable Atheist' both by Christopher Hitchens. There will be plenty of books on (anti) Christianity and as well as Atheism along with anything Agnosticism. Don't get me wrong, I will eventually read the Bible to gain some sort of understanding what and research what Scientology is exactly and what they do in their place of worship. Hopefully I would gain some understanding and knowledge of what other religions, such as Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, and Islam. With all this talk about the Islamic "extremists" in the media is preposterous because I personally believe that not all Muslims are terrorists and the media would plant negative ideas in peoples minds into believing that anyone who happens to be a Muslim is a terrorist. I would not want anyone who disrespects a Muslim by calling them "Towel Heads" or "Dot Heads" and what exactly have they ever do to you? Stop being a bully, sit down and shut your mouth! No one is forcing you to be friends with them, mind your mouth and mind your manners! (*Somewhere out there is a tree, tirelessly producing oxygen to you can breathe, I think you owe it an apology. I've heard smarter things from a schizophrenic with Tourette's.*) Anyway, the saris that the Indian women wear are very pretty and I admire their choice of clothing. I plan on  learning to put the Hijab on and it looks interesting but cool to keep my hair covered. I respect the Islamic religion and as I would most religions but I'll leave it as is.

I don't know or rather, I'm not completely familiar with Scientology and I don't know what Scientologists do when they're at the Scientology Center or Scientology Church or whatever they call their place of worship. But thank God for Google search and if it weren't for Google, I would go straight to the source. Anyway, I know there's a Scientology Center somewhere in the Times Square area but never had any kind of interest or the heart to visit a Scientology Center out of all the times I've been hanging out in Times Square for the last twelve years and I don't know what they do there but it sounds like it'll satisfy my curiosity once when I'm familiar with Scientology. Other than that, as far as I know, I personally haven't met anyone who is into the whole Scientology thing and I've read articles about Scientology on Huff Post, titled 'This Is One Of The Most Shocking Scientology Stories Not In 'Going Clear'" back in March. I found it to be interesting or maybe perhaps I don't understand what Scientology is, exactly and I don't want to sit here believing that Scientology is some sort of cult that no one seems to understand. Believe what you want but I'm open to different religious beliefs and I don't want to get caught up in any misunderstandings when it comes down different religions. Whatever that these people who are into the whole Scientology thing may have to say then I'll consider it, leave it as is but I refuse to convert non-Scientology members into being a Scientologists because it's not my job to convert non-Scientology believers into Scientologists, it's pretty much up to you. As the saying goes: "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink."

I've had several people encouraging me to attend Sunday service and I haven't had the heart or the interest of attending Sunday service. Or perhaps I'm not spiritually ready to consider the idea of having to read the Christian bible but I've read several books on the Wiccan arts in the past and I don't speak about my interest or curiosity of Wicca. Some of the books I've read in the past were 'Nocturnal Witchcraft' by Konstantinos, 'Va-Va-Voodoo: Find Love, Make Love & Keep Love' by Kathleen Charlotte (a book I had bought at Enchantments in the East Village) a year ago and I still have to read 'Practical Guide to Psychic Self-Defense' by Osborne Phillips and Melita Denning but for my own future reading, I plan to read 'The Inner Temple of Witchcraft' by Christopher Penczak and 'The Salem Witch Trials' by Marilynne K. Roach. I've even bought a necklace, Talismans for Ghost Hunters/Attracts Good Spirits from Enchantments about a year ago. As mentioned earlier, my next two books I plan on read are 'God is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything' and 'Portable Atheist' by Christopher Hitchens once when I've read and watched the remainder of Harry Potter series, I am curious enough to see what this author has to say. It's sad to hear that people say that God is supposedly "good" but look at the world around us, people dying from cancer, all this gun violence going on in schools since Columbine High School massacre (and Congress is just taking their sweet old time, not doing much to help out or prevent future gun violence, especially among the police, criminals or fellow students from using such force), more and more people being homeless here in New York (before you all jump down my throat, New York is the only place that I have ever known since I was about six weeks old), and people  making more of a big stink over the LGBT community and as well as Planned Parenthood but why not come together to end gun violence and let's find a cure for both cancer and AIDS/HIV? Look, if you can't stand seeing a gay couple who love each other (and minding their own business) and learn from it but if not, then I am sorry you're so damned miserable and lonely that you haven't found any acceptance in other people, especially in the LGBT community. Mind your manners and business. I realize it's "unnatural" but I can't help but feel happy for them. Anyway, when I'm ready, I'll consider in attending Sunday service in the future!

 

Blessed be,

Jennifer

The [LGBT] Center

"Gay rights is just a matter of time. Look at the polls. Worrying about gay marriage, let alone gay civil unions or gay employment rights, is a middle-age issue. Young people just can't see the problem. At worse, gays are going to win this one just by waiting until the opposition dies off." ~ Gail Collins.

Good morning; afternoon; and evening friends and fans! Namaste. I've been to The Center on several occasions and my experiences were positive. I have enjoyed my experiences at The Center and some of the programs/activities were awesome! However, I realize The Center is mainly for those in the LGBT community and people who are religious feel that homosexuality is a "sin". How do/would you define sin in your own words without referring to the Holy Bible or dictionary? If you can't simply answer that question in one sentence than you can't or have no right to judge those who are homosexual and if you keep telling people that "Only God can judge!" than you turn around in the most hypocritical way by judging other people when people in the LGBT community are not paying your rent or putting food in your refrigerator than mind your business! Let them live their lives and you live your own life, it's as simple as that.

In terms of my own sexuality, I'm going to plead the fifth on admitting/revealing my sexuality because I don't or never found it relevant to make any mention to anyone about my sexuality and it's no one's business but my own. If I really want to let people know than I'd say something to you which means I'm comfortable in telling you and if I choose NOT to say anything to you than don't force the issue. I've had guys hit on me mostly for all of the wrong reasons and it's exhausting but I generally reject a lot of these guys which is why I never have accepted a date. In most cases, I most likely am missing out on the dating scene and if I were to be asked out on a date by a woman, I may or may not accept the offer. I've been hit on once by a drunk white woman, and that experience was awkward because I am not or wasn't to being hit on by women. I haven't been hit on by women (drunk or sober) since that summer night of 2013. I'm used to being hit on by mostly guys and I haven't taken the bait (dating wise) because I'm assuming most of these guys wants to be with me for all of the wrong reasons.

Back to the topic, if you're someone who is in the LGBT community and feel like you have no place to go, I would say go to The Center to make new friends and have fun, or if you're in need of support or if you're looking for a LGBT - friendly environment than check out the Center! If you're looking for support groups/recurring meetings and events such as Bi Perspective, Bi Request, Gay & Lesbian Reading Group, Photography Club, South Asian Lesbian & Gay Association (SALGA) Support Group, or Zappalorti Society, just to name a few, feel free to check for their schedule and time of their events. If things had been different (meaning the events that went down since 2009 and if I had my own apartment to call my own) on my behalf than I would be able to check out the support groups I've just mentioned and there are two support groups in particular that stands out which is Emotional Wellness in Recovery and Women in Recovery. It's one of those support groups that are by appointment only and are open to those are registered Center Recovery clients. The Emotional Wellness in Recovery and other similar groups are closed groups but you'd have to contact them to become a client. I've been suffering/living with depression since 2009, if  not longer and it is not a pleasant feeling to deal with but I will leave it at that!

Before I fail to mention the location of The Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual & Transgender Community Center, it's located in Manhattan and I'm not familiar with the driving directions. They're located at 208 West 13th Street, New York, New York 10011 (between 7th and 8th Avenues) and by public transportation, take the A, C, E, 1, 2, 3, F or the Path trains to 14th Street. The Center is an amazing place to be during your spare time and I haven't had any negative complaints from the times I've been or have visited The Center. At the end of the day, you're with someone who has come out of the closet, most people in the LGBT community have a lot of love but no one to share it with! I applaud those who are brave enough to come out of the closet and for those who disrespect those who are heterosexual, I wouldn't want to be around ignorance.

"Loads of my friends are lesbians, and it really annoys me that gay people aren't allowed to get married in most parts of America. I'd go on a march for gay rights any time." ~ Pink.

Warm blessings,

Jennifer

Valentine's Day

"'Happily Single' is recognizing that you don't need or want to be reduced from your life by a handsome prince because your life is pretty awesome, as is." ~ Mandy Hale

As I'm sitting behind the computer at the library on Valentine's Day and I don't have any plans for tonight (both unfortunately and fortunately). It'll be one of those Valentine's of where I end up just staying home watching some cheesy chick flick, downing a gallon of Edy's Slow Churned Cookie Dough ice cream and instead of Chinese take out, I'll have myself an order of the Philadelphia sushi rolls (along with other sushi rolls). No one invited me to hang out with anyone for Valentine's Day and it's just another Valentine's Day just being bored. I have six movies to watch while I'm downing a cake, if I had the money, I'd get some Philadelphia sushi rolls (Chinese food is just too predictable) and I'll just spend my Valentine's Day at home mostly while most couples are going out to dinner or doing whatever they're doing on Valentine's Day. The movies I've borrowed from the library are: George Lopez: Tall, Dark & Chicano; Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain; Ted; Ghostbusters; Ghostbusters 2; and Friends With Benefits. I'm not sure which movie to watch first and if things had turned out differently (For example: My unplanned pregnancy, if I was financially stable enough to survive on my own and having my own apartment, no questions asked, etc.) in my life then I would be okay. If I had my own apartment now, I doubt I would be able to fully enjoy the idea of being able to pick up and go whenever I please without the concern of having to hire a baby sitter if I had my own apartment (wishful thinking, huh?). That experience will be bittersweet of having my own apartment, it'll be bitter because I'll be all about just going off to work and being a mom but it'll be sweet because I wouldn't have anyone to answer to on where I'm going or who I'm hanging out with or what time I'll be home, etc.

My profound Valentine's Day was when I was either in the 7th or 8th grades when I was attending Louis Pasteur J.H.S. 67, I recall the class going to the S.O store (Student Organization) and sometime later, the class came back to class, several minutes later, someone from the S.O Store came to class with a balloon was from a secret admirer! To this day, I still have no idea who sent me the balloon! It's been 18 - 19 years since that day and I know had two guys who liked me, my friend, Tyrone (at the time he was my partner in crime), and another kid named Eric. Yet, all the other Valentine's Day after 18 - 19 years have been a blur and I've just been oblivious for the last 17+ (or so) years since that time (before or after). That day was the only best (but flattering) memory I ever have until now and I know for the last several Valentine's Days (last several years) I've been working on Valentine's Day (when I had a paycheck coming in). I need to get out more, whether if it's on a date or just a girls night out and having a girls night out (guilt free) is something I don't do very often.

I've been stalking Plenty Of Fish website in debate on whether or not if I should create an on-line dating profile and I've been checking out people's Plenty of Fish profiles, some of the profiles seem cool. I would rather meet my significant other in person outside of the cyber world and in some respect, the idea of "meeting someone" on-line sounds creepy but I'll keep an open mind when it comes to dating websites such as Plenty of Fish! I don't want to be cat fished and be made into a national joke like that football player, Manti Te'o. Anyway, I'm looking to just dating and I'm not looking for a committed relationship at the moment, perhaps in about five or ten years from now I may want to settle down but not right now. If I could chose between a Platonic diplomatic relationship or a Friends With Benefits "lifestyle", I would chose a Platonic/Diplomatic relationship over friends with benefits. I'm not going to lie, I'm skeptical on dating websites such as Plenty of Fish; Match; eHarmony; and among other on-line dating websites. I'll eventually decide whether or not if I seriously want to sign up for Plenty of Fish. For those with a Plenty of Fish profile, what was your personal experiences like (both positive and negative)?

Warm blessings,

Jennifer

The Art of Buying Gifts

Namaste. When buying a gift, may it be a birthday or a holiday gift, be mindful of what you buy but to be more specific: body sprays, body lotions and body wash because you never know if the person may have allergies towards the fragrances. I honestly don't mind any of those items but I want to lean more towards nose friendly items that aren't from Bath and Body Works Store or the section in Victoria's Secret that sells body sprays and such. However, I do shop at Victoria's Secret once in the blue to treat myself to a little something, something whenever I can but shopping at Victoria's Secret doesn't happen very often (I'll window shop mostly). I'll be happy with either money or a gift card, as far as gift cards are concerned, the main stores I really shop at are: B&H, occasionally I shop at Adorama, Kohl's, The Gap, Barnes and Noble Bookstore (mostly for journals or cookbooks), often times Macy's, Game Stop is cool but I'm not much of a gamer (just to give you the heads up) and Old Navy. Once in the blue, I'll go to the nail salon for a pedicure and/or manicure and if I'm able to, I'd go for an eyebrow threading when I can. I don't get to shop at Hot Topic very often considering I haven't seen any Tripp clothing being sold at Hot Topic and they're pretty expensive as well. I would love to shop at Trash and Vaudeville in the East Village as well as Enchantment Inc (also located in the East Village). Make-up wise, I normally buy some Cover Girl eye liner and mascara when I can but it's very rare that I buy eye make-up because of how expensive buying make-up can be. Or I buy whatever make-up is on sale but I will give Mac Cosmetics a try. I've been to Foto Care in the Flatiron section of Manhattan to buy some film, some of the film are a bit expensive than when I normally shop at B&H or Adorama for some of the same film! If you're not 100% sure of what to purchase for me, feel free to ask!
 
Gifts I wouldn't suggest are mainly body sprays, body lotions and/or body wash and an ugly sweater. There had been times where my mother and stepfather have complained that the spray smells when I've only sprayed a tiny bit on! My mom normally complains that the spray smells like "roach spray" and I don't know how she figures that the body spray smells like "roach spray" (go figure). I appreciate the thought of body sprays, body lotions and/or body wash, though but some of the fragrances aren't nose/allergy friendly to some people's noses and you never know if the person  you're buying the gift for may be allergic or have allergies towards the fragrances. Certain fragrances smell way better than others and my favorite fragrances on men are Calvin Klein - Eternal and Christian Dior - Addict. I'm not too big on buying people (men or women) body spray, body lotions and body wash products for people because I personally don't know if they're going to be, let's say, offended by that idea. In terms of body sprays and body lotions, it would be something that I would not suggest in buying for me and luckily I haven't had any allergies towards the body spray and/or body lotions. I would take the traditional route of either money or a gift certificate any day to play it safe and if I can, I would make a Christmas gift by hand and add a little something to it.  I would shop at Michael's to purchase some plastic canvas to make a project and I would rather have some Christmas/holiday items already made and wrapped, just to be prepared but I've been slacking off. Let's just hope I can be prepared for this year and I have yet to shop at Michael's in Manhasset when it comes summer so I can travel there by bus!

Just to give people more of a clear idea of where I actually do shop or what interests me, stores I generally shop at are: B&H or Adorama for my photography supplies (such as film, ink jet paper or the photographic paper specifically used for the dark room but I'm more of a regular customer at B&H than I am at Adorama), The Gap, Kohl's, Macy's, Barnes and Noble Bookstore for cookbooks and/or journals, Modell's, Skechers, Apple Store when I can, Victoria's Secret; Old Navy; Trash and Vaudeville; Best Buy; and I often shop at Enchantments Inc NYC in the East Village for items. I'm also a fan of Maoz Vegetarian which is a vegetarian spot in Manhattan and the two locations I've visited are Union Square (it's on Union Square East between 16th and 17th Street) and as well as the one in Times Square (on 7th Avenue, corner of 40th Street) but I haven't visited Maoz in the Greenwich Village area or the location in the Upper West Side. There are more Maoz restaurants in the Manhattan area. I haven't visited the Loving Hut on 7th Avenue in Manhattan yet but I Googled searched Loving Hut but they're unfortunately closed but there is a Loving Hut in the Brooklyn area! I'm also a huge fan of Starbucks and I'd normally order a Grande Caramel Frappuccino and a Seasonal Harvest Fruit Blend but if Cranberry Bliss Bars are in season, that's what I normally get but if not, I normally get the Strawberry Smoothie, Orange Mango Smoothie, Oprah Chai Tea, Roasted Tomato & Mozzarella Panini, a Greek Yogurt with Berries Parfait, Hearty Veggie & Brown Rice Salad Bowl or a Zesty Chicken & Black Bean Salad Bowl. It depends on what I would normally order but that's more of a general idea of what I would normally go for. A friendly suggestion from me is pay very close attention to what I'm into and the whole ugly sweater is something that I'll pass up on with little to no interest in the ugly sweater (no, no but thank you anyway). In terms of movies, my theater preference to go to would have to be mainly be Regal Cinema but specifically in Union Square and I honestly do not do AMC theaters because their membership (AMC Stubs) are expensive considering the fact that I am not a frequent movie goer. However, I go to Regal Cinema since I get to use my Regal Crown Club and it's free of charge to apply for. In case for those who don't know, I am a fan of vampires and Goth in realization that I don't dress in Goth attire 24/7 but it's my personal preference.

• Adorama
• B&H
• Barnes & Noble
• The Gap
• Model’s
• Skechers
• Apple Store
• Trash & Vaudeville
• Starbucks
• Regal Crown Club
• Michael’s

The most awesome birthday/holiday gift(s) would have to be my very own dark room but I know it won't happen because my stepfather's apartment doesn't have the space to even fit any of the equipment such as the Mechanical Darkroom Timer, Bestwell Minisight Focusing Aid, an Easel, an Enlarger, chemicals, developing trays (one set for 5x7, a second set for 8x10), Film Drying Cabinet and whatever else I may need. Another gift idea would be, I currently own a 35mm film camera and these films I normally use. I currently use: Ilford Delta 100, Ilford Delta 3200, Ilford HP5, Ilford XP2, and Fujifilm when out shooting. Those are my personal suggestions for now and film are greatly appreciated! Thank you very much. In terms of upgrading to a digital camera, it would be something that I would personally hold off on until I've gotten myself an Apple computer in order to download images/videos onto the computer than onto a CD format and in the meantime, I am perfectly content with my 35mm film camera! I'm also looking to purchase a Lowepro SlingShot 302 AW Camera Bag. However, to make your lives much easier and I have created a wish list via B&H for those who are not entirely sure on what to get me for my birthday or the holiday season. Anything photography and music related I will be happy with. I plan on [at some point] purchase myself an iPod from the Apple store on Fifth Avenue and purchase an iPod Touch, the 128gb because knowing myself I will fill up the 16gb with a bunch of music. I'm contemplating whether or not if I should purchase three iPod Touches (one will be a holiday iPod in red and the other two will be in Space Grey colours which will have a variety of music on the other two iPod Touches). Furthermore, I hope this list helps folks an idea of what to get and what not to purchase either as a birthday gift when my birthday arrives in November or during the holiday season! Another great birthday/holiday gift would have to be Bose since they're a decent set of items to purchase and I realize that I have some expensive taste in things but other headsets will do until I've found a decent paying job in order to purchase a Bose portable sound system and Bose headset. I wouldn't consider myself a Christian nor a Jew but I will celebrate either or both holidays (Christmas and Hanukkah). Lastly, I am not a practicing Christian/Catholic but I don't believe in either faith and tradition. Having my very own dark room would be the best birthday/holiday gift I can ask for! "I'm a photographer, period. I love photography, the immediacy of it. I like the craft, the idea of saying 'I'm a photographer.'" ~ David LaChappelle.

Yes, I realize that it's the thought that counts and you had me in mind when you bought your birthday/holiday gift for me at the time. Ugly sweaters and body sprays/body lotions are out of the question but will regift them to someone else but I will wear the ugly sweater once just to appease you but will regift the ugly sweater. I hope you take none to personal offense to it. As mentioned before, please keep the mentioned items above in mind when you're out shopping and yes, I appreciate your generous offer for those who choose to save and purchase a digital camera for future reference. Black is my favorite colour and avoid anything pink.

Warm blessings,

Jennifer