Back to Mexico. I Miss You!

I was looking for a photograph that I took of Victoria from our trip to Mexico about 5 years ago. I love those pictures and she is so wonderful in front of the camera. And then I came upon these.

 "Joshua on His Couch", Yucatan Coast, Mexico, 2006. Juliana Beasley

I had brought my first dSR with me-- a Canon 3D. I had only shot with it maybe once before and I thought the trip down to the Yucatan Coast would be a great opportunity to pull it out of my Domke bag. After all, I knew I would have some time alone while Victoria went scuba diving. And it has just become impossible to go on any trip without wanting to stop the car and get out and take a photograph. My brain spins into creative mayhem once I get outside the urban jungle.

I was riding a bicycle along the dirt roads of a small fishing village not far from the Belize border. I passed a soccer field and saw a group of young teenagers training and suddenly, a fair skin kid with reddish hair caught my eye. He was completely out of place, as much as I was. He was lanky and taller than the rest of the Mexican kids and his skin was burnt. At first, I thought he might be a girl. I was intrigued.

I approached him and began to speak to him in the Spanish I had concocted from years of Italian lessons and French conversations. He responded in English.

"My name is Joshua," he told me.

I sat down next to him on the sidelines and he eagerly asked me many questions about the United States and specifically, New York City.

When I was getting ready to leave, he invited me to his house to meet his family the next day.

Here are some of the pictures I took. I had previously posted one of the images. More to come. I miss Mexico.

 "Portrait of Joshua's Mother as a Young Woman", Yucatan Coast, Mexico, 2006. Juliana Beasley

Off to the Party

I met the woman in pink and her friend on the day of her wedding. A couple of weeks later, I was back in the Rockaway's and this time,  with my cousin, Benj who was visiting me from Toronto. They told me they were off to a party.

It's funny I have so much to say and yet, I feel like I don't know where to begin. Oh, yes, I know where to start. I will say this... it's good to have family and friends. Especially, when you need them.
,
To Moishe:

Every day that is left and that we spend together, I have promised you something that will make you understand how much I love you.

"Off to The Party", Rockaways, NYC, Sumer 2011. Juliana Beasley

End of Season #2

 "Tristan #1", Rockaways, Queens, NYC, Summer 2012. Juliana Beasley

"Little Girl with Doll in Stroller", Rockaways, Queens, NYC. Summer, 2011. Juliana Beasley

End of the Season

"Skateboarders Under Elevated Subway Track", Rockaways, Queens, NYC, 8/11. Juliana Beasley

I photographed these two young skateboarders under the elevated tracks in the Rockaways one late afternoon. They weren't from the neighborhood and lived--I believe-- out in the Far Rockaways.

I owe them a photo. So, Chris and friend... just to let you know, I will be back out there in about a week and I will leave a photograph with your friend, Jose. Thanks for taking the time to pose for me. And I hope you did get flooded out and you are safe.

Juliana

Vite! Toute suite! A Quick Taste of Summer.

"Young Hotel Maids", Quebec, Canada. Summer 2011. Juliana Beasley.

Here are a couple of photos I took recently this summer. No, words... just photos. Each one deserves an explanation. For now, they stand alone without words and hopefully tell a story.

A couple of words.

I went to Quebec for a one week holiday last week.

I bought a new digital camera and am enjoying it.

The summer went too fast.

"Eviction Truck", Rockaways, NYC, Summer 2011. Juliana Beasley

"Young Woman in Front of Walmart", Quebec, Canada, Summer 2011. Juliana Beasley.

Year of the Purge

"Boy #1 at Storage with Back of Car Seat", Jersey City, NJ, 7/2011. Juliana Beasley. He was moving out with his older brother. Him and his brother had stored the back car seat in a storage room.

I would love to spend several hours working on an intricate blog post about how horrible my move out of storage was yesterday. Blow by Blow how the day unfolded. Unfortunately, as some bloggers know, time does not permit me. I will say one thing on this passage to freedom: getting lost on the Jersey Turnpike during rush hour will make even the most peaceful of devotees boil over into a fit of road rage.

This is the year of the purge. Now, instead of two storage spaces, I am a proud owner of one very organized storage space far out in Hudson County. Chances are I won't visit my storage space for another 10 years. However, all the stuff... photographs, books, clothes, kitchen ware and the boxes assigned as miscellaneous are no longer in some vague and esoteric holding space. All is now packed sky high in my parlor level apartment. As a friend said to me upon seeing the piles of banker boxes and Hefty Heavy Duty bags, "thank God you have a large apartment.

"Storage Spaces #1", Hudson County, NJ, 7/2011. Juliana Beasley

  

"Storage Belongings #1",,Jersey City, NJ, 7/2011. Juliana Beasley.  Bag of recyclable bottles, Rocking Horse, and filled garbage bag were some of the few random items stored for one owner. These were the belongings being removed from one storage space yesterday.

"Storage Space Elevators", Jersey City, NJ, 7/2011. Juliana Beasley

Now, comes the worst part or the selling, haggling and then finally disposing the remnants of whatever doesn't exchange hands from me as seller to buyer. The point is to get rid of it as quickly as possible. The point is to ignore subconscious infantile feelings of loss, pain and suffering that can come with the emotional attachment of material items or the disdain of an object that once held so much love and promise. Soldier onward! Ruthless I must be!

"Phil in U-Haul", Hudson County, NJ, 7/2011. Juliana Beasley

I am downsizing and downgrading. "More is less"is a cliche fits but fits here. All those Buddhist and self-help books on tackling procrastination, ADD, and organizational tactics for the right brained challenges that plague me have planted a seed of freedom and sunshine that I hope will greet me on the other side of the chaos.

Pictures of chaos to come soon. I was waiting for the morning light to take the photos.

"My Mom's Film Projector", Hudson County, NJ, 7/2011. Juliana Beasley. Keep! This stayed in storage.

"My Gum Ball Machine", Hudson County, NJ, 7/2011. Juliana Beasley. Keep! This stayed in storage.

Thanks to dear friends who lift heavy boxes, drive U-hauls, and are left brained and no how to pack a storage space for best access. Without you guys, I would be sitting in a pile of shit. Literally!

Sisters

"Lisa", Rockaways, NYC. Spring, 2011. Juliana Beasley.

I met Lisa and Sandra four or five years ago out in the Rockaways. They are sisters.

I took these photos one day at the church where their foster father Pastor Gary presides in the Rockaways. I wish I had more time to spend with them, but they were rushing off with their family to lunch after services. 

"Sandra",  Rockaways, NYC. Spring, 2011. Juliana Beasley.