Waiting to Exhale

Today was a day of entirely too much structure. We filed into a conference room at 8 am and did not leave until 4:30 pm. I felt so much like that I was in a classroom that I nearly raised my hand and asked the grand poohba at the end of the table for a hall pass so that I could go to the bathroom.

When I first went into the room, I could not help but notice the skyline of midtown and the trees of Central Park 47 stories below. I thought to myself..."at least we have a view." But, for me, a view is a view for about 4 to 5 hours and then it becomes a curse. After that amount of time, the view becomes like cake behind the bakery counter when you are a kid and you have no change to spare. The city was glistening in the combination of silver light and rain. The streets were vibrant and glistening and alive. The cabs were splashing water on pedestrians. And I dreamed of running downstairs to catch it all on the digital card. "Just one measly fifteen minute break!," I thought, and my dreams will in part come true.

But dreams are dreams and meetings are meetings so I chewed the end of my pen. Finally at his desired hour, the grand poohba decreed the meeting to end. His minions which lined the right side of the table nodded their heads in agreement and muttered "good call., good call". I grabbed my bags and got into a car and headed for JFK to catch my planned flight. Soon we crossed the 59th Street Bridge with its tightly constructed bands of steel. The bridge has always reminded me of a rib cage, so I took advantage of its supportive strength and I exhaled with all of my might all of the tension of my week. This bridge moment also provided me my one bliportunity of the day. While travelling at a decent rate across the bridge, I stuck the camera out of the window with my head still inside the car and hoped for the best. After a few clicks and a bewildered driver, this was the chosen one of the lot. The focal point was not where I wanted but I still loved the visiual effects of the bridge.

I am home now just before midnight and life is grand again.

I was floored to have received the staff pick this week but I am honored and thankful. While I try to set up my camera correctly and identify interesting light, so much of photography is being in the right place at the right time. I have been highly fortunate in that respect.

Thank you for the unending support and kindness you give to me. Travelling as much as I do may seem exciting but, after thirty years of it, it is actually a grueling affair. Having blipchums travelling with me for the last six months has made my days away from home far less lonely. Thank you.