Solitude & Random snaps

This morning I got up and decided to make an attempt at experiencing solitude. My good friend Ron sent me this exercise where you sit upright, erect, eyes open, looking straight in front of you for one full hour. Most people have never done such a thing. I never had. Obviously a form of meditation but most people never, ever sit in a quiet place, in one position, without interruption or distraction for a solid hour. So, I did it. I squirmed like an impatient little kid for the first 20 minutes and then finally fell into a peaceful groove. Before I knew it my alarm went off and my hour was up. A very interesting exercise. I suggest you try it. It's harder than you think.

Running dogs in Central ParkUnder the 1 train, Bronx
Harley, bar, Bronx
Fancy toilet behind fancy apartment, upper west side.

The Teva tan is in full swing. I've only had on "regular" shoes once this summer. I wore them to a portrait job of coat-&-tie execs. I promised myself I was going to be in shorts this year but can't seem to deviate from my uniform of painter pants and a blue H&M t-shirt. I need to get these legs tanned in one day at Coney before summer's end.

Walking up Hudson Street I took a little detour through the garden behind St. Lukes while on my way to the thrift store. Walking along the path I had a flashback to my first years of photography shooting flowers and bugs with my trusty Nikon. I had a 50mm macro with me and took a few snaps of these tiny, delicate flowers. It was a sort of Zen moment. I may start shooting nature again as a form of meditation. I found it very calming.

Up in the Bronx I saw this guy sitting outside a bodega eating something he had just taken out of the trash. I asked him if I could take his portrait and he smiled and sort of mumbled "yeah... yeah...." As I raised my camera he closed his eyes. I shot a few frames and then asked him to open his eyes. He didn't respond. Then I noticed that he had cotton stuffed in both ears. I finally yelled, "open your eyes" and he did... but his face turned sour and almost demonic, even annoyed. After I finished I loudly asked him if I could buy him a drink. He smiled and said, "Corona." I gave him $2.

Been a long time..

Back after 16 days of silence. Seems the home computer was so infected that neither of the "experts" at Spyware nor McAfee could do anything to remedy the problem. Both tried (for about $100) and were forced to admit defeat and refund the money. My wonderful roommate took the computer to the tech nerds at work and got the whole thing squared away for the cost of a few cupcakes and a genuine, heartfelt thank you. Back to work faster than ever and all cleaned up. I'm so appreciative.

Back to the blog that no one reads:

Below Canal street, time for evening prayers.
In the Chelsea art gallery district time for a nap on a hot summer evening.
Found this a bit odd... A "homey" in the hood (vicinity of Harlem) reading a book on Feng Shui. I'm trying to get a mental picture of him in his apartment. A little rock garden and some bamboo in a glass container. Incense burning, sitting barefoot Indian style on his oriental carpet while a new age cd quietly plays in the background. Nope....not working.. mental image is fuzzy...not getting a clear signal.. does not compute...
Frustrated artist with too much time on his hands... The urban version of one of those Indian "dream catchers".
I have no idea what this store/restaurant may have sold. The possible jokes are just too stupid and obvious..... "Obama riding a llama to Chashama with yo mama...." I can't believe I just wrote that... I'm delirious..it's 2:15am.