the early days: an album

persian feast: an album

blessing #33: freedom

i am free to choose my own world view and speak my own mind; to share those thoughts and views in a public forum like this one; to live where and how i choose, and associate with whomever i please; to educate myself and seek out new experience; to change my mind; to pursue my dreams; to honor myself as an individual; to marry who my heart chooses; to have a big family, or no family at all; to move about my daily existence without fear or imminent danger; to wear what i want, work where i want, read what i want and listen to what i want; and, if the mood strikes me, to celebrate the 4th of july in an american flag bikini.

{photo credit: miss jenika kurtz}

blessing #32: nature

i am in constant awe of its colors, textures, lines, forms, smells, sounds, patterns, rhythms, glory and all around magic.

blessing #31: jenika

jenika has a lot of love to give. she gives of it freely, and generously. to know her is to know her boundless enthusiasm and unflagging support. our own connection blossomed from work acquaintances to weekend confidantes over the course of a year, fueled by a shared keenness for photography, 80’s music and dirty dancing quotes. i was drawn to her directness, and humor, and her dualistic nature; she has the sophistication of an urbanite, but the heart of a country girl. she’s opened her heart, her home and her family to me, and shared with me the people and places that make her soul sing. she reminds me of the importance of celebrating the positivity in our lives, and of paying that forward by celebrating others. i always feel lucky to be considered one of her peeps, and she one of mine.

blessing #30: eyes that see

the world is full of wonder and beauty. you don’t need eyes to know that, but i sure am glad i can bear witness.

blessing #29: family

as the only child of divorced parents, i didn’t grow up with a particularly strong sense of family. but i’ve always recognized the importance of it, and have definitely felt the joy of being a part of an extended family community. for me, the notion of family has come to signify not just those connected to me by blood, but, more importantly, those bonded to me through the heart. and that means the friends and loved ones i’ve gathered along the road of life just as much as the aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandfolk who have shared my world since birth. family are the people who know you best. they’ve seen where you’ve come from, and try to help you get to where you want to go. they celebrate your victories and mourn your losses. they break bread with you and collect memories with you. family shows up. they stand up. they look out. and, like good ol’ uncle k here, they always remind you to check your oil. i’ll definitely cheers to that.

blessing #28: jasmine

jasmine and i were circling within the same universe for awhile before our planets starting orbiting each other. but once we came into synch, it was like we’d always been there. we formed a quick bond built on broken hearts, shared vices and a love for jeff tweedy. jazz and i like to get into the meat of things, dig around in the treasure chest of awareness and see what nuggets of understanding we can uncover. this line of query would drive a lot of people mad, but for us, it has always been a strange source of sustenance. i love jazz for her high-brow intellect and her low-brow humor, her deep insight and informed mind, and for the wonderfully poetic paint brush that colors her world. we don’t get to talk nearly as often as we’d like, but i only have to think of her to know there’s another soul out there who understands who i am and where i’m coming from.

blessing #27: the house on 14th ave.

once upon a time in another life a boy broke my heart. i didn’t take it so well. i had just moved in to an old house full of new people (two girls, one boy, a dog and a cat, to be exact) who knew little more about me than my name before said relationship vaporized and i transformed into a raw, heaving mass of emotions living day-to-day in the upstairs bedroom. it took me half a year to come out the other end of that rabbit hole. but it would have been a much longer journey if it weren’t for that little house, and those i shared it with. like lindsey, who gifted me with small cups of coffee and long chats in the hallway. and zan, who revived me with her adventures and her own vibrant spirit. and jon, who shared music, and movies and his loveable fur ball, spud. and minnie, who was old, and wise, and taught me first-hand about the healing powers of animals. i eventually moved on from that house on the hill. but i’ve never forgotten what a blessing it was to find myself in that particular place at that particular time in my life.

blessing #26: megan

meg mccarter is a special kind of gal. my first official friend in los angeles, she welcomed me and tony into her circle, and into her family, rescuing us from a perpetual party of two and helping our new town begin to feel like our home town. i love her for her kindness, her integrity and her spirit. she inspires me to reach for my dreams, and reminds me that you can achieve anything you put your mind to. she’s got a heart of gold, and the sassiest of wits. and if i was ever in bind, i know she’d be the first one by my side. i’m not sure what i did to deserve her graciousness, but it is not a gift i will soon take for granted.