Notebook Number Four

Photo

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 23:41:58 -0400

On Pruning.

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 23:35:00 -0400

I’ve always been an infamous plant neglector, murder even. The worst part? I’d keep buying them, only to fail again.

But then my friend Mel assured me that, given the right plant, I could learn to take care of plants.

It might have been three years ago now, we had brunch at Mile End and walked down to GRDN after to plant shop. I was scared. I had messed up before. But Mel, with full and blind faith, recommended an air plant and a jade.

Since then, not only have they survived but they’ve grown. That’s the fun part. But pruning the browned wilted leaves after some neglect is not. But when I’m house sitting and away or just too tired, it happens. It’s okay, it’s understandable, but it’s sucky. So sucks.

On Saturday I was watering my plants, and my air plant was looking wild. It was, well, airy, too airy, dry, almost crusty and there was no way dunking it in a bath for hours was going to help it.

So I had to pull leaves off. Then I had to pull more off. There were so many that were just so sad, and dead, and unsalvageable. Good for nothing, too far gone leaves.

I realize this isn’t a new analogy about life. I know I’m not breaking any ground here. It just became so apparent why the analogy is as perfect as it is as I was actually pruning.

I’m not gonna throw my plants away because they start to look sad, I’m gonna prune them. One step forward, two steps back. Sometimes, you gotta take the hit. You’re not just gonna keep lying there. You have to get back up, even if you’re gonna fail miserably again. It’s okay. That’s life.

Given the right plant.

Good for nothing, too far gone leaves.

One step forward, two steps back.

You gotta take the hit.

It’s okay. That’s life.

Photo

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 22:36:38 -0400

"‘You have wonderful memories,’ people said later, as if memories were solace. Memories..."

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 22:13:22 -0400

“‘You have wonderful memories,’ people said later, as if memories were solace. Memories are not. Memories are by definition of times past, things gone. Memories are the Westlake uniforms in the closet, the faded and cracked photographs, the invitations to the weddings of the people who are no longer married, the mass cards from the funerals of the people whose faces you no longer remember. Memories are what you no longer want to remember.”

- Joan Didion, Blue Nights

Photo

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 21:57:29 -0400

Photo

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 21:57:14 -0400

vogueweekend: “Disco Tech”, Wylie Hays photographed by David...

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 21:56:44 -0400

vogueweekend:

“Disco Tech”, Wylie Hays photographed by David Schulze in Surface

Toast.

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 21:56:25 -0400

Toast.

Prospect Park around 7 pm

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 21:52:31 -0400

When I first got there, there was only one fisherman. I sat down at the edge of a bench. I had my headphones in but wasn’t playing anything, just forgot to take them out.

Then two people sat down on the far bench, closest to the water. They were in bar tending school it seemed and were testing each other with flash cards. Drink flash cards. Talking about rocks glasses.

Then an older couple came. I was already reading Blue Nights at this point. When I looked up all of the benches were occupied. There was a vacant spot next to me and next to a lady and then there was a rock. The couple sat separately. She had high top chucks on and sat on the rock, not on the vacant spot next to the lady. And the man who had a grey pony tail sat next to me. I was in between them.

I guess they must’ve thought I was rude. But I was there first. I could’ve moved but I instead kept my headphones in with no music and continued to read my book.

“He’s not gonna catch anything.”
“We should go to the Bronx Zoo.”
“We missed the butterflies already but we should go before it gets too hot.”
“What movies you got at your house.”
“I don’t know. I got some.”
“I thought you said you had good ones.”
“I got plenty. What’s it to you, you’re gonna fall asleep anyhow.”
“Don’t sit on that rock, you’re gonna get your pants dirty.”
“It wasn’t like this last summer.”

Then the person on the other side of the man left and she got up from the rock and sat next to him. Then they started talking to the bar tending kids. Then the fisherman asked if they were in bar tending school.

Then I got up and left.

I had my headphones in the whole time.

That one time we went to Sizzler. We are so blessed. Happy...

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 10:29:46 -0400

That one time we went to Sizzler.

We are so blessed.

Happy Father’s Day Papa Kim.

Transparent butterfly sock, Bally loafer riding today.

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 00:22:51 -0400

Transparent butterfly sock, Bally loafer riding today.

I was moonlighting as Tony Harmer’s photo assistant...

Sat, 15 Jun 2013 12:44:00 -0400

I was moonlighting as Tony Harmer’s photo assistant yesterday.

And then this happened.

Most accurate photo of me to date.

wetheurban: DESIGN: Poetic Cosmos of the Breath by Tomás...

Sat, 15 Jun 2013 10:21:34 -0400

wetheurban:

DESIGN: Poetic Cosmos of the Breath by Tomás Saraceno

The dream of Argentinian artist, Tomás Saraceno of recreating the distant skies is recurrent in his spectacular installations.

Read More

Photo

Sat, 15 Jun 2013 10:21:02 -0400

peternyc: Mike D of The Beastie Boys Cobble Hill town house

Sat, 15 Jun 2013 10:20:14 -0400

peternyc:

Mike D of The Beastie Boys Cobble Hill town house

Photo

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 18:38:11 -0400

Change or Perspective or something along those lines.

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 18:36:00 -0400

I used to be a night owl. I did my best work any time between 11 pm and 1 am. And that whole waking up part? Forget it, I was the worst. You wouldn’t hear from me anytime before 10 am. At the earliest.

Then I started babysitting children to make some money. So I had to be up at 7 am to make it to the kid’s house by 7:15 am.

Then there was that week I house sat and dog sat to make more money. So I had to be up at 6 am to walk the dog to leave by 6:30 am to bike six miles to make it to the kid’s house by 7:15 am.

Now on Saturdays, 8 am is sleeping in. And if you text me at 10:59 pm and I have to respond and when we get off, my iPhone says anything past 11:00 pm, I’m pissed.

I’m good with that. All of it.

It’s just funny how inconceivable any and all of this used to be. And it’s funny how things can change if they have to. If they must. And sometimes they have to. Sometimes, they must.

nprradiopictures: “When I shoot, I have an out of body...

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 13:57:52 -0400

nprradiopictures:

“When I shoot, I have an out of body experience,” Amelia [Coffaro, a freelance photographer who was diagnosed with breast cancer at 28] says. “I don’t feel afraid to know what the doctors are going to say.” By using Instagram, she feels that she has a more immediate and direct connection with others, allowing them to see her experiences in real time.”

Amelia’s friend and fellow photographer Elizabeth Griffin has also been documenting Amelia’s journey. Elizabeth’s photos combined with Amelia’s Instagram shots allow the viewer to not only see the struggle of a cancer patient from the outside, but also to feel and witness the struggle through the eyes of the patient herself.

The project, which they call “Project Amelia,” is meant to challenge assumptions about cancer — and to put a frame around the struggles faced by women with breast cancer.

Capturing Life With Cancer At 28

Photo Credit: Elizabeth Griffin and Amelia Coffaro

vintagexlife: Mickey Mouse Sweatshirt

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 13:56:00 -0400

vintagexlife:

Mickey Mouse Sweatshirt

gotemcoach: GOPMJW: JORDAN’S FINAL TWO PLAYS AS A CHICAGO...

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 13:41:46 -0400

gotemcoach:

GOPMJW: JORDAN’S FINAL TWO PLAYS AS A CHICAGO BULL

These are Michael Jordan’s final two plays as a Chicago Bull, in Game 6 versus the Utah Jazz in the 1998 NBA Finals, as diagrammed by 13-time NBA Champion, Phil Jackson.

You probably just remember this.

For more on Phil Jackson, and the insane drawings in his head, read here and here.

#GotEm