a night in the life

last night was one of the more fascinating i've had in a long time. i had my camera with me and photographs captured many of the moments that took me by surprise and made me think.

the first interaction of the evening was with a wonderful young woman who was watering her flowers round 9 pm down near christopher street on the isle of manhattan. she was wearing a beautiful dress and watering her plants. hmm, i thought, i need to take a photo of her. thankfully i was with my trusty and very professional assistant, senorita shah ma (no relation to formal mughal emperor shah jahan), who remarked, "Ben, you got your camera with you." Ah yes yes, sometimes that is the reminder i need. I took some snaps and kept walking.

I reached my destination mintues later, a fiesta at the home of friend whose last name is partially shared with the home of the spiders of the world. The fiesta was catered by knives & fire. Chef in Control Ev Doggs, was in full effect and thoroughly blessing the masses with fine cuisine.

Coming home from the fete i came upon another remarkable image and moment in the world. On the corner of 14th and perhaps 8th avenue was a commerce bank, inside the atm area were three homeless fellas sleeping on the ground, sprawled out. As I was taking some photographs a young man approached, and stopped. He was trying to use the atm and i looked at him and he at me, "Wow," he said, "That's crazy."

"Yeah man," I remarked, "Times are tough." And it is true, when so much dough is used for warring and fussing and fighting, people suffer. It is more and more evident every day here in NYC that times are really tough and getting tougher for many. It's real and happening in front of our eyes...

Tomorrow I am heading down to West Virginia to spend a week or so walking in the woods with two of my dearest of friends. It should be filled with a lot of birds and leaves, wind and calm.

love and health to all...