Showing posts with label apartment. Show all posts
One of my goals after Costa Rica was to find ways to bring myself back to the pura vida state of mind, to not squander all of the clarity and peace that came out of my adventure.
While it was warm out, I tried to spend time by Lake Michigan or lying on the beach. The surf didn't exactly crash there and I could always hear the obnoxious conversations of people sitting practically on top of me. For all of the months leading up to my re-employment, I took long meandering walks. Those were beneficial for my head space, but ended rather abruptly when I stepped back into office life.
I eat mango and pineapple. I wear the leather cuff bracelet that I bought from a Tico artisan. I keep a rock and sea shell from Playa Sámara on my desk.
The other idea that I concocted was keeping the things that inspired me in Costa Rica visually alive in my life here. I spent days sifting through my photos, trying to choose a cohesive group of those with the strongest impact on my state of mind. The idea was to enlarge them and create wall art above my bed. Many months and even more distractions later, I finally got around to it.
Even as I type this, I keeping glancing over and scenes from my trip flash through my mind. I can't help but smile a little. Of course, my second thought is that I need to go back and take my photos all over again, now that I have a quality camera. But regardless of more pixels or better aperature control, these photos will always be meaningful to me in a deeper way.
picture in picture \12.01\
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Labels:
apartment,
art,
costa rica,
photos
While it was warm out, I tried to spend time by Lake Michigan or lying on the beach. The surf didn't exactly crash there and I could always hear the obnoxious conversations of people sitting practically on top of me. For all of the months leading up to my re-employment, I took long meandering walks. Those were beneficial for my head space, but ended rather abruptly when I stepped back into office life.
I eat mango and pineapple. I wear the leather cuff bracelet that I bought from a Tico artisan. I keep a rock and sea shell from Playa Sámara on my desk.
I eat mango and pineapple. I wear the leather cuff bracelet that I bought from a Tico artisan. I keep a rock and sea shell from Playa Sámara on my desk.
The other idea that I concocted was keeping the things that inspired me in Costa Rica visually alive in my life here. I spent days sifting through my photos, trying to choose a cohesive group of those with the strongest impact on my state of mind. The idea was to enlarge them and create wall art above my bed. Many months and even more distractions later, I finally got around to it.
Even as I type this, I keeping glancing over and scenes from my trip flash through my mind. I can't help but smile a little. Of course, my second thought is that I need to go back and take my photos all over again, now that I have a quality camera. But regardless of more pixels or better aperature control, these photos will always be meaningful to me in a deeper way.
Usually taking the 'early riser' flight minimizes the risk of late flights and plane issues. The planes are patiently sitting and waiting for you to board them. The flight crew can only be late if they happened to oversleep. All of the diagnostics, fueling and stocking tasks should be long done.
Of course, I hadn't previously considered that the gate-checked luggage could get stuck in an elevator shaft, thus delaying our flight for 40 minutes while we waited for a mechanic. At least it worked out well for one lucky individual, the guy who was technically twenty minutes late for the flight.
So after a 3:30am wake up, I managed to spend a full work day at the NYC office; my focus was close to nil by 6:00pm. I checked into my corporate apartment, which feels so much better than a hotel room. Although it's a studio, I'm pretty sure it's larger than my own studio in Chicago. And the view of Midtown Manhattan from my 20th floor windows is a little different than the alleys I look out at from home.
In a city with such an array of choices, you would think that I set out to find myself some sights and flavors that I can't get at home. Here's a let down for you. I grabbed a box of Whole Foods' version of shells and cheese, a couple of cookies, and made my way back to the apartment to wear pajamas and watch Big Ten/ACC basketball.
I'll try to be more interesting tomorrow. Tonight I'm just out of fuel.
home away from home \11.27\
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Labels:
apartment,
furniture,
nyc
Of course, I hadn't previously considered that the gate-checked luggage could get stuck in an elevator shaft, thus delaying our flight for 40 minutes while we waited for a mechanic. At least it worked out well for one lucky individual, the guy who was technically twenty minutes late for the flight.
So after a 3:30am wake up, I managed to spend a full work day at the NYC office; my focus was close to nil by 6:00pm. I checked into my corporate apartment, which feels so much better than a hotel room. Although it's a studio, I'm pretty sure it's larger than my own studio in Chicago. And the view of Midtown Manhattan from my 20th floor windows is a little different than the alleys I look out at from home.In a city with such an array of choices, you would think that I set out to find myself some sights and flavors that I can't get at home. Here's a let down for you. I grabbed a box of Whole Foods' version of shells and cheese, a couple of cookies, and made my way back to the apartment to wear pajamas and watch Big Ten/ACC basketball.
I'll try to be more interesting tomorrow. Tonight I'm just out of fuel.
I bought myself a little present today. It just couldn't wait any longer. When faced with the option of turning left, entering the expressway, and heading back to Chicago or continuing straight, directly toward the camera shop...my instincts took over.
I already felt good about buying my camera from this shop. It's a locally-owned joint, so I was supporting the lesser known cousin to Black Friday and Cyber Monday - Shop Local Saturday. Sales tax in Michigan is only 6% (by local, I meant my home state). The guy who showed me the cameras yesterday talked to me like a knowledgeable and intelligent being, despite knowing I'm a novice. Then to top it all off, today we bonded over a desire to own hectares (a.k.a. property) in Costa Rica.
And so I have become the proud parent of a very feature-rich piece of electronic equipment. Part of me wishes that I could already have it mastered by tomorrow, so that fabulous photos are only a snap away. The other part of me relishes the learning curve, something to throw myself into. I've probably never been so eager to read an owner's manual; generally I don't even crack the cover open.
So today I bring you two shots: one of my new baby (yes, by the way, I did go Canon in the end) and the second being a casual test shot on auto mode from the lens of that new baby. If that's what images look like in auto mode with low light, you cannot imagine my excitement for what else is on the horizon.
everyone loves new toys \11.24\
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Labels:
apartment,
blanket,
camera
I bought myself a little present today. It just couldn't wait any longer. When faced with the option of turning left, entering the expressway, and heading back to Chicago or continuing straight, directly toward the camera shop...my instincts took over.I already felt good about buying my camera from this shop. It's a locally-owned joint, so I was supporting the lesser known cousin to Black Friday and Cyber Monday - Shop Local Saturday. Sales tax in Michigan is only 6% (by local, I meant my home state). The guy who showed me the cameras yesterday talked to me like a knowledgeable and intelligent being, despite knowing I'm a novice. Then to top it all off, today we bonded over a desire to own hectares (a.k.a. property) in Costa Rica.And so I have become the proud parent of a very feature-rich piece of electronic equipment. Part of me wishes that I could already have it mastered by tomorrow, so that fabulous photos are only a snap away. The other part of me relishes the learning curve, something to throw myself into. I've probably never been so eager to read an owner's manual; generally I don't even crack the cover open.
So today I bring you two shots: one of my new baby (yes, by the way, I did go Canon in the end) and the second being a casual test shot on auto mode from the lens of that new baby. If that's what images look like in auto mode with low light, you cannot imagine my excitement for what else is on the horizon.
In all honesty, the lack of vitamin D in my life (i.e. sunlight) is severely inhibiting motivation to go out in search of photographic inspiration. So this shot of my IKEA bedside light, perched on my adopted yet adored ladder bookshelf, comes to you out of sheer laziness. I suppose today's inspiration is the soft glow that helps me read myself to sleep every night.
bedside laziness \03.04\
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Labels:
apartment,
everyday