It's Just a Ride

I recently heard, “Just a Ride,” by Jem for the first time in at least a decade and it brought me back to my high school and early college days. Although I’m grateful for streaming services like Spotify, there is something to reminisce about T.V. shows like The O.C. bringing new music from small bands to the mainstream. I remember buying the Smallville soundtrack and playing, “Lonely Day,” by Phantom Planet over and over again. I also might have performed a contemporary dance to, “Everything,” by Lighthouse at church youth group…And now I’m a raging lesbian. How things change!

Now let’s thread the needle with these photographs and these words…I took a ride on Amtrak to Berkeley the day after Thanksgiving to get a tattoo at O Tattoo in Oakland. I think I’ve made this a tradition, as I also got a tattoo the day after Thanksgiving last year in New York.

I love taking the train. I got up early to catch the train at 6:55am, and while I did not enjoy the early morning, the sunrise on the train more than made up for the early alarm.

I stopped at Way Station for coffee and breakfast, then made my way to the studio, where I had my appointment with Sago Dripp. Her work is so beautiful and I had a great experience with her. The self-portrait I attempted perfectly cut off the actual tattoo, but Sago created a beautiful pansy piece for my right upper arm. And I made it back to Sac by 5pm to see my siblings and work at the brewery!

girls girls girls

I spent a weekend recently in San Francisco to attend West Coast Craft (WCC) and see Raveena and Tinashe in concert at the Warfield. I had never attended WCC. I brought home many stickers, prints, a zine, and new perfume, all from women and non-binary artists.

Raveena was a dream - everything I wanted in her show. It felt etherial and tender. And while I only knew one or two songs from Tinashe before the show, I’m now finding my playlists stacked with her music.

Struggle

It’s difficult to put into words my thoughts, feelings, fear, and grief with the outcome of the 2024 presidential election. It’s surely put a greater challenge in my life right now. I’m thankful for community to be in grief with, to have people around me that understand my fears and pains because they have the same ones themselves. I am hopeful that heaviness will one day turn into energy for action and activism. For now, I need to allow myself to lay low, to hermit and care for myself, to check in with community when I can and show them support as well.

Film has always been an outlet for me - for the highs and lows and everything in between. Here are a few scans from a roll I’ve been shooting for the past month or so…

Experimental Film at the Museum

September 18th, 2024 at the Crocker Art Museum. Harman Phoenix 200 iso, shot on my Canon AT.

A Mix of Recent Captures

A collection of moments from the antiques faire, photographing my (newish) apartment, experimenting with self-portraits on my Rolleiflex, and an evening downtown.