I Wanderlust-ed

Wanderlust,  a Spiritual Marathon and celebration of mindful living.  Or is it just a bunch of people taking pictures in spandex? Apparently, in my social media algorithm, Yoga is in.

What I am saying is Facebook got me.  I don’t know just what I googled or what I read on a daily basis but apparently is interpreted me a Basic Bitch.  OK, now that I think about it yes I do. I’m pretty sure it’s my constant searching for the best natural way to calm an anxious mind, or just how many times I say “yoga” in a day – which as we all know is probably more then I do it.  Whatever it was I could see that I fell into this millennial category of suckers to pay to exercise outside.  The tickets promised World-class speakers and teachers to guide us to a day of challenge which they did actually provide. A 5K run in Golden Gate Park, Yoga class, meditation and self- reflection.  I clearly needed this because I started this event on a bed of lies,

Buying the ticket was easier than the actual making the effort of just showing up, of course. My only training was carbing, probably for many weeks up until the night before the race.  However, I didn’t any trouble telling people that I was training for a marathon. Man, does that feel good! Better then exercising, I’d say! They didn’t have to know that it was only a 5K or that I walked A LOT of it? No…

What I didn’t know was that I was paying for was a good ol’ reflection of our society today as well. I couldn’t help but notice the desire to capture the moment, instead of being in it even though it was marketed to people that have tattoos of “Be Present”. We filled out surveys in a rush and entered old emails, again and again in lines to get the next free product that we really didn’t need.  All tables promising the next big thing that will make you happier and healthier.  A lot of “Brunch So Hard” shirts coupled with Insta posts of #enlightenment.

There is something about being around a lot of people within the idea that we can strive for our own betterment, together. BUT because its hard, we have to be incentivized to do so. This is why Wanderlust was born.

I realized very quickly that I was one of them because I too was there for the free shit and promise of those thumbs up. I was glad that I got brought my camera along to capture these people all having the same intention To be better… and I can’t hate on that.

Food Trucks!

Photographing food is something that I am recently been trying to get in to and I have found it more challenging then I thought. Almost as hard as good event photography which is my biggest fear. The two types of photography that I fear the most and then combined, equals having to make people look good while eating.  Which is why I was nervous and excited to get to shoot for some events for SacToMoFo what puts on food truck events in Sacramento.  I jumped at the chance to photograph, eat all the things and face my fear of event photography.

I realized as I went to these food trucks events that this was a great way are and get to choose from lots of different edible traditions.  The smells and happy faces surrounded by colorful food trucks have become new hangouts in urban areas.  I think it’s a great way to refurbish our unused public spots and create more opportunities for small business to feed our communities. Each one doing some version of their comfort food inspired by all over and gathering to be reminded of what exactly is important; Friends, food, and frolicking in the sun.

The photos didn’t come out bad too ; )

Hope you enjoy,

Hands of Peru

With ticket in hand and camera around my neck, I headed to Peru realizing that I had bit off a little more than I could chew. My vision was to create the opportunity for myself that I had always dreamt of, to immerse myself in a culture that is different than my own and capture my surroundings. What I forgot was that’s hard to do that when you don’t speak the language  I promised my self that I was going to really learn Spanish before I left.  I got the CDs and the apps that seemed to remain on tomorrows To Do list. I took it in middle school but still can only ask for the bathroom, and if this was in deed, the library. Since I didn’t learn the language I had to rely on my expressions and hand gestures to what got me through in times of difficult communication.

As a bodyworker and an artist, I work with my hands and I’ve found it has an effect on how I communicate with the world. But throughout this trip, I have grown even a greater appreciation for our capability to communicate with our extremities. So over this trip, I began to capture just how much we accomplish with our meat hooks, if you will.  Without knowing it I was gathering a series that highlighted the hard work and the craftsmanship of all things Peru.

What I found was that Peru is a vibrate culture that is still sticking to many traditions as the modern world takes over. I enjoyed learning out to make and dye alpaca wool but also drinking Piscos in the city. And even in times where we could not speak to one another, they still showed me which fruit to pick trees, gave me directions when I was lost on my bike, and taught me to enjoy all the foods that I could get my hands on. (see what I do there; ) My last reminder from the Peruvians, was that picking out your own produce from locally grown farms is not just the fad, Its a way of life that should stick around.

I came home from my trip, reflecting what I thought my adventure was about and what reality actually had in store for me,

Living on a Bus With a Boy

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There was an article in the SF Gate about tiny living spaces in the Bay Area, shining a light on the benefits and challenges of such a lifestyle. Since my boyfriend and I have converted and lived on a short school bus for just about a year in the bay area, we qualified to apart of the expose. I was excited to get a chance to share my perspective and possibly philosophical theories about the complications and compromise of living with someone in a small space that I had yet to vocalize.

The mindfulness, organic, sustainable living, #vanlife/skoolie #blessed life is big on the interwebs. You kind find Vlogs of those who have taken the leap to live the lives that they want. People who are ok with not living in the norms of society, and heading on wheels is the new hip fad. This idea that has been around in some form since… well forever.  found a new generation with a twist; recycled wood and plaid.  Basically, my stance is us humans can acclimate to anything and I wanted to see if I myself, could in fact step out of my comfort zone. Plus I’m broke and wanted to try to cheat the system. Could this spoiled brat learn what it means to live minimally? Well, the answer is yes and no, and after a year I thought I could shine light on the lessons I learned, which is why I was stoked to be in this article.

I rushed to click our link. I quickly realized that I didn’t feel well represented in what I think has been a fully dual effort in maintaining this lifestyle. I couldn’t decide for days if I was being a brat and letting my self-worth get the best of me. “I want to be noticed” my ego screamed.  My expectation was that both parties gave insights of the hardships of bus living, we share the hardships together, we should have share our story together. But this wasn’t the case when the said article popped up on my news feed.

I’ve never felt the patriarchy more when I was quoted with one thing by saying “we have a chemical toilet but it’s better for both parties if we use it for number one situations” which only leaves the reader to imagine where I take my morning dump. The real answer is at yoga, Safeway, Starbucks and my ever supporting friends who I jokingly call my “friendshits” After sending what I thought was a good insight into the reliability in to our lives, the only real thing they wanted from me was the nitty-gritty, down to it potty talk. It was almost as if No a women admitted to taking a dump?! Alert the press and print that shit instead: “This woman could be defecating in your neighborhood Starbucks!”

Then the internet had a chance to tell us when they thought. Oh Dear LORD! I have never experienced trolling. I was totally affected by the haters and the supports passing their judgments on one another’s comments. It was disheartening. “you’re never supposed to read the comments!” my boyfriend said. I hate it when he’s right.

This isn’t me striving to quite the haters or even change their minds, this is the only thing I can do to attempt to be heard in this loud world. I thought I’d add my real answer to this; add more photos and the article of our little life.

What is the hardest part is about living on the bus?

I think that life is hard, plain and simple. Isn’t supposed to be? The things that you struggle with are the things that make you stronger. Or so I have been told. I have just simply decided that I wanted to struggle in a way that made me grow in a completely different way, no better, no worse, just different.  That being said, I started living on the bus a year ago and it seems as if the difficulties are almost the same.  Yes, of course, my home could possibly get a parking ticket, the bus can break down (and has multiple times) or there it is a possibility that a fellow street dweller disturbing the peace. But as I see it everyone has some sort of those problems, they just manifest in different ways. I almost see it as my rent; dealing with breakdowns and my “neighbors” is my monthly bills if you will.  I think there are 2 things that I would say are the most difficult part about living on the bus is 1. The laws that make it hard for us to do so. Its hard to get insurance, you cant park in neighborhoods, and cops are always trying to find ways to give us tickets. & 2. Having to be aware of where public bathrooms are.

The maintenance and cleanliness of my bus is very much needed because god forbid I start actually start feeling like a homeless person. Oh, wait I am. When we let our chores go by the wayside, is when it starts to feel like a little more of a situation that I have to be in and not a lifestyle that I wanted. Which brings me to my second issue I deal with is when people ask where do you live. Sometimes you don’t want to go in to the ideals and struggles of bus living with complete strangers and or friends, but when you say you live on wheels there is almost also more questions.

As for living in such close quarters with my boyfriend has been a learning experience for sure. I had to learn about his morning bowel movement routine, just as he has had to learn about my menstrual cycle. Couples get in fights, but having to maintain such a close distance only makes us work though our issues that much faster. There is no telling him to sleep on the couch. Only making me learn once again that doing the hard thing usually wins in the end.

 

http://www.sfgate.com/realestate/article/Bay-Area-tiny-home-micro-apartment-living-in-bus-12390408.php