let your beauty unfold.

lucky, it happened so fast. i had plans to figure out what was going on with my allergies so that i could finally have you back all to myself and wake up to your ass on my forehead a hundred times a night, and come home to discover you've somehow tucked yourself into my (our) bed, and hear those little bells on your collar jingle when i couldn't see you in the dark so i'd (always successfully) pry out out with food. but life has its own plans that we know nothing about, and it's just crazy how we always think we have no time left when there's such a long road ahead of us, and all of the time in the world when it's nearing the end. it happened so fast. life was such a rollercoaster when you came into my life. i remember thinking, "i have no business spontaneously adopting a senior cat right now," but the next thing i knew, you were hiding under my bed for three days. i think you were brought to me for a reason, at that exact time. i was freshly grieving, confused. i moved three times in eight months. you were so obediently there for all of it. i don't know why you were destined to spend your last four years of life living through that circus, but i hope it somehow brought you as much joy as it brought others. you made people cat lovers. even some animal lovers. or just lovers. you were my first pet. you taught me so much about selflessness and unconditional compassion. i hope you felt that until those last breaths you spent in my arms while i told you everything would feel better soon, and the vet whispered you were gone. i'll never forget that feeling. rest well, lucky. i love you forever. . my deepest thank you's to @dsavs_ for bringing lucky to me and being there until the very end, to my brother for loving and caring for him like he deserved when i couldn't, and @davidsmom1120 for giving him a warm home and family when i couldn't. he was, indeed, very lucky. 🍀 . . #petgrief #rainbowbridge #luckythefatblackcat #blackcat #blackcatsofinstagram #adoptdontshop #adoptseniorpets #adoptseniorcats (at Veterinary Medical Center of Long Island (VMCLI))

it still blows my mind that just around a year ago, I was literally PRAYING for just one chance to see this band live. and now, tomorrow, I'll be seeing them for the third time, and it feels normal and natural and blows my mind all at once. I know I've said this all over and over again already, and I know it's probably such a ridiculous and extra statement to some, but I guess I feel more bad for you than embarrassed for myself if you don't get it. something happens to your relationship with music when you can see it right there in front of you, and hear it with your entire body, and experience it in harmony with a group of strangers and friends who are feeling that same shift with you... something about the timing of this reincarnation was so oddly, mysteriously, perfectly, divinely timed... I'm looking forward to my emotional release with these guys tomorrow night. also, we still have a lot of time to make up for. . . . . . . . . . #envyonthecoast #eotc #musicworship #musicphotography #longislandmusic (at Revolution Bar & Music Hall)

so honored I got to support a self-employed woman on this international woman's day. thank you for making me feel like a beautiful badass, @littlemermeggg! and massive props to @gooddyeyoung for the greatest quality, compassionately sourced, woman-loving dye brand there is. 🔥🚺🔥 . . . . . . . #pinkhair #orangehair #gooddyeyoung #internationalwomensday

savasana // the final resting place . . . my sweet little yoginis, thank you for sharing your practice with me this morning. ☀️💫💛 @kimberxg @kllymchsky @caya.newyork . . . . . . #yoga #yogateacher #yogateaching #cayanewyork #savasana #yogastudio #yogaeverydamnday #adobelightroom #afterlight #yogaphotography #legsupthewall (at Caya)

moving on up through this venture through the wheels of life at 10am TODAY at @caya.newyork. come hang and open up that sacral power and creativity energy! 🌀💛 📷: @marianewman . . . . #longislandyoga #yogateacher #sacralchakra #secondchakra #chakrayoga #chakrahealing #chakrasana #cayanewyork #yogaeverydamnday #asana #yogaphotography

vday2k17 ~ i get him . #valentinesday #shmalentinesday @bencats

vday2k17 ~ he gets me . #loveatfirstslice @bencats

a community, a safe place, an open place, a creative place, an outlet, a movement. something that could not have come into creation at a more perfect time. . i am incredibly excited to share with you this project i've been asked to be a part of as an author, photographer, and creative leader - wisemindgentlesoul. . this is always the case, but now more than ever, it is crucial to surround yourself with like-minded people. people who think and feel and see things in ways that move you. people with the same vision, but a different voice. people who not only want to inspire you to hear theirs, but to empower you to use yours. or better yet - to FIND yours. . expression is limitless... . the most exciting part is that this movement is in its early stages, with so much room to grow and explore. if you have a message that is rooted in the heart of a wise mind and a gentle soul, we want to help you share it, so please reach out and let's talk. if you don't feel called to share, but you do feel called to listen, you still play just as great of a role in this community. please give us a follow to stay up to date on what's next. it will certainly be something... . @wisemindgentlesoul . a huge thank you to @brandonmichaelklein for manifesting this beautiful idea and to @alcarpedrummer for asking me to be a part of it. i'm looking forward to seeing where this mystery takes all of us. . link in bio! . . . . #wisemindgentlesoul #community #expression #contemplation #mindfullness #artcollaborative #mindmovement

on saturday night, I got to tell mike kinsella that if I were to be anywhere besides protesting at jfk that day, that this show was a good place to be. he said he felt the same. I felt like I was in the right place at the right time, then. there's a lot of darkness in these days, now. but there's a lot of light, too. on stages. . . in people. . . . . . . . . . #americanfootballband #mikekinsella #terminal5nyc #terminal5 #musicworship #silverlinings #iphone6s #adobelightroom #afterlight (at TERMINAL 5)

and i'll take any and all suggestions for ways to continue to give more and where to do so in these following months! maybe some of you will even want to take on this year of charity with me. :)

snow day with @kennymagnan 💉 . . . . #amityironstattoo #girlswithtattoos #vscocam #thightattoo #thighpiece (at Amity Irons Tattoo)

my man and some talented friends will be showing their work at the leaky tomorrow night, and I'll be documenting. come hang and support your local artists! 🍺⚓️ (at Theleakylifeboat Inn)

at this time last year, I was promising myself a lot of things. more sincerely than most years, I tried. it wasn't a bad year, but it was a hard one. the kind of hard where you know you're living and learning, but it doesn't make the burden weigh any lighter. I tried, still. sincerely, truly, relentlessly tried. and that's the most important part, I think. to keep going because another new year will come around whether you cross all of those resolutions of your list and pop your champagne or not. we can choose change at any single given point that we find ourselves ready for it, whether it's before, on, or after January 1st... . but for some reason, even considering the complete illusion that is time, this thing we're constantly being told to obediently race, there's something about a new year. there's something oddly empowering, be it cosmic or placebo, about starting the calendars all over again that makes the air feel more cleansed. it's humbling to look back and remember how much can happen in just. one. year. opportunity. a clean slate. pure. new. . I don't have a list of things I want to do more, do less, and accomplish in 2017. but I do have a goal to make myself proud of what I look back on in another year from now. I want to look back and know that I lived my unapologetically genuine life; the one that fear keeps me from living. I want to live passionately, fearlessly, and for me. . in celebration of this journey, I dusted off my camera lenses (literally dusted - thank you for the cleaning, @ronniescavetta) and fought the fear of imperfection and shot one of my favorite bands. and to continue this journey, I snuggled up with a blanket and a cup of hot tea, lit some candles, threw on a record in the company of my very own self, and looked at my pictures. in the simplest of ways, the skin that I was in then felt right. . may this be the year I lay off the excuses once and for all and believe in myself a little bit. . . #envyonthecoast #eotc #1stvows #musicphotography #timeisanillusion #journaling #welcometomidnight (at East Meadow, New York)

this year is suddenly brighter because this ray of light is home sweet home. welcome back to emo island, @amack624. 🐶 (at John F. Kennedy International Airport)