a hunger for beauty

Someone left these beautiful flowers at the Veteran’s...

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 17:50:28 -0500

Someone left these beautiful flowers at the Veteran’s Memorial in Washington D.C.

Can’t get enough of this song/instrumental piece

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 00:22:46 -0400

Can’t get enough of this song/instrumental piece

This is probably my favorite picture that I have taken so far...

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 07:32:39 -0400

This is probably my favorite picture that I have taken so far this year. I couldn’t believe how peaceful it was in Kosi Bay.

Photo

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 23:29:00 -0400

Crab in Mozambique

Shrimp in Durban

Chicken in Capetown

Why is that we try to salvage what we have, only after we realize we are about to lose that special...

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 23:21:00 -0400

Why is that we try to salvage what we have, only after we realize we are about to lose that special something? Is it enough to realize the mistake and ask for reconciliation? Or is it easier to simply let go and let live?

This is one of the three versions of Flavour’s song...

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 23:12:00 -0400

This is one of the three versions of Flavour’s song ‘Nwa Baby (Ashawo)’. I think my housemates are getting annoyed because I have had this song on repeat for the last couple of weeks (yes, weeks). I like to think of it as my little wake up alarm early in the morning and some Nigerian flavor in my morning cup. I haven’t figured out if I like it because of the colors in the video or if it is because the beat makes me question why I am not on the dance floor in a club. (Or maybe there was some subconscious bias because the video was shot in South Africa…regardless, this is some good music!)

Random wall art I came across while walking around on the Lower...

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 16:16:00 -0400

Random wall art I came across while walking around on the Lower East Side. There is so much going on even though the artwork is not too complex. I think it should be titled Ecstasy Meets Despair and Passion…the little heart at the bottom says it all.

Sometimes there is the feeling of enveloping ourselves within ourselves and hiding in our secret, often forgotten places. That sounds a little depressing, but I think there is little room for a butterfly and sunshine interpretation of the work.

I decided I wanted to take pictures of different rocks on walls,...

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 16:07:00 -0400

I decided I wanted to take pictures of different rocks on walls, sidewalks and pathways to see if I can get a nice collage out of it. Doesn’t the last one look like a marble cake?…simply delicious :)

You may take a path and realize that you are the only one going...

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 16:02:00 -0400

You may take a path and realize that you are the only one going on that journey. You’ll soon discover that those paths that are rarely taken, are the ones that lead to great adventures. I took this picture on the drive up to Montréal. I couldn’t believe there were no cars behind us.

The outside of Basilique Notre-Dame de Montréal

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 15:54:00 -0400

The outside of Basilique Notre-Dame de Montréal

I can’t get enough of flowers! These looked like they were...

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 15:46:00 -0400

I can’t get enough of flowers! These looked like they were picked straight out of some surreal fantasy world…but it was only Canada :)

By the seaport

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 15:43:00 -0400

By the seaport

Basilique Notre-Dame de Montréal I had a chance to visit Canada...

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 15:34:00 -0400

Basilique Notre-Dame de Montréal

I had a chance to visit Canada with my family, and we went to visit this church…the view from the inside was breathtaking. I don’t think the photo that I took of it does it any justice.

I had the great opportunity to present an interactive workshop...

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 00:37:00 -0400

I had the great opportunity to present an interactive workshop at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum with the rest of the Peer Leaders from Day One. During this workshop the Peer Leaders presented several impromptu scenarios that highlighted the different types of dating abuse (physical, mental/emotional, financial, technological, verbal) to a group of high school students.

The students we worked with were very bright and well informed about various issues that are mistaken as appropriate behaviors within abusive relationships. For example, some young couples (and even those who are in adult relationships) are under the false impression that overt jealousy is a sign of love.

Yes, jealousy is a common trait and we are all able to become jealous, but checking your partner’s cellphone messages and Facebook inbox is way out of line. I think that most people stay within relationships that they know they should not be in, because they have issues relating to a lack of self-esteem. Maybe they have the belief that if they leave that relationship, then they will not find another partner. Obviously, this is not true. I believe that if someone was attracted to you before, then someone else will also be attracted to you. Hence, a person has multiple chances to pursue a loving relationship.

Another thing that I noticed during our workshop is that several people hold the belief that people who were abused in the past, are more likely to abuse someone else in the future, because they are prone to perpetuate the cycle of abuse. During one of my first trainings on intimate partner abuse/intimate partner violence, I learned that abuse is a choice. Those who inflict pain on someone else CHOOSE to do so.

When you are mad at someone, you can either choose to lose your cool and flip out on someone, or you can take a breath and decide to take a walk and return to calmly discuss the issues later. Obviously it is easier to get lost in the moment and start screaming until your throat hurt, but in the end the violent reaction only leads to you saying things you wish you could take back.

Someone who was abused in the past can CHOOSE not to abuse someone else, because they know how it feels like to be on the other side. The cycle of abuse can be broken if we check our own actions and reform how we handle stressful situations within our personal lives and our love lives.

I began taking pictures of buildings that grab my attention. I...

Sun, 14 Aug 2011 23:58:00 -0400

I began taking pictures of buildings that grab my attention. I saw this mosque somewhere in Brooklyn. I’ve always had a great admiration for architecture. Anything can be art, and I truly believe that people feel better and happier when they are in buildings/places/spaces that look beautiful. When I was younger I wanted to be an interior designer/decorator. Somewhere along the way I discovered other interests that deterred me from that goal. However, it never hurts to admire buildings I pass by and daydream about how I could possible transform the interior.

With so much going on around me, that solitary bird that took...

Sun, 14 Aug 2011 23:48:00 -0400

With so much going on around me, that solitary bird that took flight at the moment made everything stand still. My long day at the office suddenly seemed short.

“Baby, when I think about it you’re just like heaven...

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 11:49:21 -0400

“Baby, when I think about it you’re just like heaven to me”. Love, love, love this song. The first time I heard one of Bilal’s song, I could not stop listening to him. His voice and the beats to his songs just put your mind and heart at ease. I used to listen to this song whenever I was dealing with a lot of stress, or I just needed a quick way to elevate my mood. I cannot forget how good music used to be (and still is…only nowadays it seems you have to search harder to find it).

Beauty is remembering those yesteryears, when minute details...

Sat, 06 Aug 2011 01:10:00 -0400

Beauty is remembering those yesteryears, when minute details from flowers caught your attention. Nature is beauty.

I saw this army truck while hanging out with my sister. With the...

Sat, 06 Aug 2011 00:57:53 -0400

I saw this army truck while hanging out with my sister. With the number of police officers who are strategically placed in certain neighborhoods throughout the city, it seems as though some people are losing their right to privacy. Sometimes I see men and women walking around wearing their army gear. This is not the childhood I once knew.

Sometimes I feel as though I’m carrying the world on my...

Tue, 02 Aug 2011 10:08:00 -0400

Sometimes I feel as though I’m carrying the world on my shoulders, and it is weighing me down. As I get older I realize how different responsibilities seem to pile up on top of each other out of nowhere. When do children transform into adults who have to take charge and go out and conquer their fears? Everything around me is changing, from the infrastructure to those who currently form my circle(s) of friends.

I guess part of growing up and embracing adulthood (because trust me, you cannot run from it forever) is realizing that nothing is forever permanent, and nothing is completely within your control. My boyfriend is trying to help me learn how to relax and live within the moment (because I tend to be a workaholic who gets swept up in many tasks and worries too much about the future).

So far he has been a good teacher and I’m working on being a good student…it’s the effort that counts, right? I guess the weight on my shoulders comes from the fact that I expect too much from myself at times. With ongoing pressure from the outside world (whether it is through the entertainment media, family members or friends), we often fall into a trap because we set unrealistic expectations for ourselves.

For example, we know that we can only handle a certain amount of workload; however, we are desperate to get that bonus and impress our boss. This then causes us to tackle too much work at our jobs, and by the end of the day we are stressed and overwhelmed. When do we step away from that desk and computer screen and realize that enough is enough?

It is important to welcome and embrace adulthood (because playing in the sandbox does not last forever), but it is even more important to understand that adults are not invincible. The only difference between a child who falls and scraps his/her knee and an adult who falls and scraps his/her knee is that once that adult falls, he/she has to get up and keep it moving. Mommy will not be there to kiss the boo-boos anymore.