I do not call myself a photographer, however, I have decided to do the 365 photo a day project. I have a good camera and I take decent to amazing shots, if I do say so myself. Last week I did a photo-shoot of my nieces in their dance costumes, they came out fantastic! Everyone that she showed them to thought they were professional, not so. They were done in my mother’s kitchen with a backwards floral blanket as a backdrop. I did some “I am One” pictures of my daughter, also came out great. I am a graphic designer so in my college years I took a ton of photography classes, I wish now I had paid more attention. I love taking pictures. I think I am more of a lucky shot person than a natural, although my shots are getting so much better.

I know two people who have added the “photographer” after their names, it drives me crazy, here are the reasons why:

1. They did not go to school, nor take one class in photography. Now I do not think that going to school and taking classes makes you a photographer at all. Some people are just born to do it and they don’t need any training but of course people want that piece of paper.

2. They don’t have it.

3. They do not own a Digital SLR. Once again, a SLR camera is not a necessity for photography but they do take better pictures and are more professional. You can great point and shoot cameras now, that do equal the quality of a SLR, but I definitely think that SLR’s are the bomb-jiggity.

4. All the photos are of various objects zoomed in on. Yes those make great shots, don’t get me wrong, but I do think that some photos do not need to be zoomed in on.

5. There is no four but I felt that four was too little. Fivewill be the fact that they are sisters and call each other sissy and are over 20 years old. I am truly sorry if I offended any of you would be photographers out there, there is a difference between being a photographer and doing it for a hobby, they are hobbyist who like photography.

One of the many pics I took this past weekend of my friend’s daughter.

I am drawn to Prof. Edwardo Alvarado, he plays keyboards and dancing dolls, you know the ones that wiggle when music is on. He has to be at least 70 years old and he’s there most mornings welcoming the commuters with his music. I like him best. His passion for his music can be seen, felt and heard, he’s retired and every morning he still goes to Penn Station or one of the other MUNY locations sets up his keyboard and “bandmates” and jams on his keyboard.

This morning there was an Elvis impersonator. Only in NYC, or Vegas, but it’s expected in Vegas, here not so much. It was a great way to start the morning. He was dressed in the classic white rhinestone outfit only his was more of a baby blue, maybe this was his way of letting us know he is not the real elvis, whatever it is man, I was all shook up.

If you get a chance go to MUNY to see a list of all the Music Under NY performers, they have an amazing, real talent and should definitely be recognized for it.

Last night I went to a free seminar, I didn’t so much go as I was dragged but that is neither here nor there. I went to a seminar entitled “Are you Spiritual but not happy?” The whole premise of her is that she channels these beings) and these beings basically give you permission to be happy. I consider myself a pretty happy person, yes I have my down days, but who doesn’t? When thing get bad I always know it could be worse, so I suck it up and do something about it, I am a mover and shaker not a sitter arounder.

So I walk into the darkened room, the only lights are white icicle lights hung haphazardly from the ceiling (which btw looked beautiful and I am thinking of bringing it into my own decor). They cast a soft glow on the few faces that have also showed up. I sit in a seat in the back, observing her and the people around me, there is a teacher in front of me, who just seems so fragile, one wrong move and she is going to break, a man next to me blowing his nose and another woman writing profusely in a little pink notebook. The room is scented with Rose oil and another oil that I can not identify, but it sort of gives me a headache.

The woman (channeler) starts talking, all heads turn to her, she’s speaking about her depression and how her parents suppressed her, a few late comers mosey in, and then it starts, the reason I came here for, my first channeling!

***Disclaimer***I don’t actually want to channel, it kind of scares me, but I do want to see you channel, I mean if it’s true, how cool is that!

I love the unknown, I love the idea of psychics and tarot readers and communicating with love ones that have passed, I read everything I can about it, go to seminars, so I think I am able to deal with the people that I meet, I take everything in stride I listen to what they have to say, some I walk away from wondering what just happened, others I am enraptured and wonder how they do know the things they do.****Disclaimer****

She takes a deep breath smiles and says let’s start. She asks if she can spritz us with Rose oil, a few others and I are not okay with that, so she just sprays herself and sits in a chair. She closes her eyes and starts breathing deeply, I am entranced! This is the most amazing thing ever! I am going to see a real life person channel!

Her head starts moving in small slow circles, then it sort of stops, eyes still closed she turns to face the audience, “Hello beautiful people” she says in a voice that is perhaps an octave lower than her normal voice and a British accent….what?

I must have gotten this all wrong. She starts speaking as not one person, but a collection of people, when asked a question she says “We do not understand” she speaks about being happy and it’s okay to be happy. A woman, a latecomer says that her family didn’t want her to pursue dancing when she was a child, she never felt complete, the beings say “Dance” she breaks down.

I watch this, I observe, I should’ve brought a notebook to jot down for my next novel, this is amazing, not the channeler, for some reason, I think she’s a fake, but these people’s stories, it truly breaks my heart. They paid $45 to be told that they can be happy.

Are there truly people out there that think that they don’t deserve to be happy? That somebody’s happiness comes above themselves? Other than my children, who of course I always strive to make them happy, because when they are happy and laughing, I am happy and laughing, how can you not laugh or smile at the sweet innocence of kids, sometimes it amazes me the things that make them happy? My daughter loves water bottles, when she sees one she breaks out into a huge four toothed smile, when was the last time I was so happy about something as little as a water bottle? I do things because it makes me happy. I went to this seminar because learning new things, and studying the unknown, makes me happy. I write because it makes me happy, I go out in the rain because it makes me happy.

Everyone deserves to be happy, I think that was what was behind her speech and I truly hope that those people got something from her seminar, although I didn’t believe she was channeling, I did believe what she was saying. So today take a break, go outside look around you, smell the grass, the trees, the flowers, bask in the warmth of the sun, there is nothing you can’t do and be happy about that.

My daughter is still enrolled in the Battle of the Babies at Elvis Duran, I will know on the 18th of May where she stands, hopefully she at least makes it to the top three, she is adorable if I do say so myself

Let’s move on to work. I work for a huge retail company, huge! It’s an awesome job, great people, good hours (finally) and sample sales. I do not know how I survived before sample sales, but I do not want to discuss the awesomeness of sample sales, even though they are. I want to tell you about the women’s bathroom here.

Now we are supposed to be the neater sex, but we know, from every public restroom that we have been forced to use, that this is not the case, we have the hoverers who hover to avoid sitting on a dirty seat, but in turn dirty the seat by peeing all over it, so this seat then becomes unusable unless you have to go so bad that you hover, and the cycle continues. We have the non-flushers, maybe you don’t want to touch the handle, but please, use your foot! We have the people who use the paper towels, and then just throw them on the floor. We have the ones that leave used feminine products floating in the toilet.

Our bathrooms aren’t that bad, they are definitely not what you would expect of my company, but it is what it is, what drives me the craziest about them is that there aren’t little garbage’s in each stall, clearly these bathrooms were designed by a man. When it is that time of the month, you have carefully wrap your used products up in toilet paper, then go to the other side of the bathroom to throw them out in the only garbage in there. So when you go to throw out your paper towel after drying your hands, don’t be surprised to see the bright orange wrapper of a sanitary napkin.

If I were the president, I would put little garbages in all the woman’s stalls.

Vote me!

I also entered my daughter into the Elvis Duran Battle of The Babies Contest, let’s see how that goes. Throughout the day, whenever possible I am going to scour the internet for contest, that seem legit, to enter.

I always hear of contests, some I enter, but do people really wind these things? I know my magazines that I subscribe to have tons of contests as well, I will be entering them. I am going to do it for a year straight and then tally my prizes. I will write down every contest I enter and then I can see if people really do win these things. Yay!

On a side note, it’s raining again, yesterday was the first sunny day in about a week, and now it’s back to gloomy. Luckily my office is right out of Penn Station, so when I forget my umbrella, oops, I can just kind of make a dash for it, although I read somewhere, that whether you walk or run in the rain, it doesn’t matter, the wetness that you achieve will be the same, so slow down and enjoy the nice bath that Mother Nature felt you needed.

Back to work.

1. We do not want to hear about your sister’s sick dog at 7am in the morning, please if you must be on your cell phone, try to keep it at a 2 level instead of a blaring 10. Also if you are speaking in another language, the same volume rules apply.

2. If you see a pregnant woman, give up your seat. Men that could be your daughter, wife or sister, would you want them to have to stand for 40 minutes while carrying your future? These women deserve the seat, all you business men can stand. Women same rules apply, but men should give up the seats first.

3. If you bring your kids on an on-peak train, please do not let them run back and forth through the train screaming. Half the people look forward to a relaxing ride into work in the mornings.

4. If you are a person of bigger sizes, please, please do not squeeze into a two seater with a person who is also of bigger sizes, it’s not comfortable for anybody.

5. Oh, if you are listening to an MP3 player, do not make it so loud that I can hear it sitting an aisle over, I can only imagine what that is doing to your eardrums, this benefits us both.

6. Schools: Please do not take a peak train into the city and take up three cars! It’s rush hour, it’s early morning, we want to get to work, and we want to be able to sit comfortably, not standing and listening to giggling teenage girls.

7. If you see something, say something.

These might seem harsh, but I promise you, they will make the commute more enjoyable for all involved.

Also when you are on a peak train, you didn’t know was a peak train and the conductor says “Hey this is a peak train” do not argue with the guy. They will call the cops and hold up the train, in this case that pleases no one.