Reunions!

I don't know if this is a secret that no one ever told me about.... but apparently spring time means visitors!

Back in 2009 when I had made the decision to move here, I contacted an old Cheer Ltd. friend, Aisha to let her know that I was moving to NYC as she had been living in the area her entire life. She would more or less be the only person I knew in the area when I moved here. Well as time went on and life happened, we never were able to coordinate getting together when I got here. It wasn't until a year and a half after having lived here that we finally got together! Aisha recently became engaged to a really great guy, Matt, and I could not have been more flattered or honored when they asked me to shoot their engagement photos!

I would really love to share a few with you, but I'm in the process of editing them right now and A&M haven't even had a chance to see them yet... so I need to reserve the first view for their eyes :)

Since A&M's engagement session would be not only the first one that I've shot in a while, but the first one I've shot in NYC... so I needed some reenforcement, I needed to find an assistant!
Unfortunately, all of my photo buddies in NYC were busy that weekend. But very luckily another friend from way back when lives only a couple of states away and is just starting to get into photography.

Mallory and I met in Jr. high and have stayed in touch ever since. She just recently started taking a photography class and I've seen her grow a lot as a budding photographer. I was so happy when I contacted her asking if she would come up from D.C. to assist me on this shoot and she said "yes"!
Just days before Mallory came into down, I had breakfast with another high school friend who lives here, Anna. If you are a loyal follower, you might remember me talking about Anna and Marcos from when I first got to NYC. They were nice enough to let Emily and I stay with them for the first week while we found jobs, our apartment, and our way around the city. Anna, Mallory, and I all went to high school together so Anna and I agreed that when Mallory got into town we'd all have to get together again.
It was so fun catching up with them and listening to all the things we have done and gone through the last 10+ years when we were all together last.... marriages, moves, buying homes, and babies on the way!

Isn't Anna the most adorable preggers you've ever seen!? I cannot wait until May when Anna, Marcos and I will be doing a maternity shoot!

In about 2.5 weeks, my good friend Amber will be coming to visit for a few days. Amber and I met while coaching CHS cheerleading in Portland.

We're going to have a blast shooting her trash the dress and hopefully get in some stunting as well :)

In the middle of April, my mom will be coming to visit me in NYC for the very first time ever!

I'll be running my first 1/2 marathon and I'm so excited that she's going to be there cheering me on at the finish line!

At the end of April, my Major BFF, Amber (different Amber) will be coming to stay with me for a whole week!!!! I haven't seen her since 2008!!!!

I can't wait to have her here and do all the silly, girly touristy stuff with her!

As staying in NYC forever was never really my plan, I encourage all of you to come visit me soon... Spring, winter, fall or summer! I don't know exactly how long I'll be here, or have a plan of leaving, I just know it will happen someday. I'd love to see you before that day comes!

2011 in Review

I wanted to do something a little different than last year. I feel like the majority of you are all friends with me on facebook, so I didn't want to bore you with loads of pictures you've already seen (though, please forgive if there is a repeat or two). Instead, I want to give out one last thank you from 2011 for all the great things I've been blessed to have added to my life this past year....

New Roommates

The most amazing cheerleading team, ever.

1 year anniversary of living in NYC

Fabulous new friends for life

Even more fabulous new life long friends.

The strength and will power to maintain a healthier body

A new found love for running

I'm not sure I'm all that fond of the term "resolutions"; because I feel like, if you don't accomplish them, it sounds like a much bigger disappointment or let down.

So instead Im going to share my goals with you for the future that I will start in 2012:

- eat pasta once a week

- eat fish once a week

- exercise (weights) at least 3 times/week and no more than 5 times/week 

- run at least 3 times/week

- stretch 4 times/week 

- eat 3 banana's/week
- write 1 hand written letter/week

I realize that they are all health/food related, but I'm at a point in my life right now where that is my main focus. I have even decided to put my photography on the back burner a little bit. I'm feeling very burnt out with it, and just don't have the same passion I had for it at one time. I'm hoping a break, and some time to gather some funds to buy updated equipment will help give me back that fire I once had for it.

I hope your 2012 is off to a great start so far! Have you made any goals or resolutions?

Cheer New York

Well, I suppose it’s no secret at this point that I don’t blog as often as I wish I did.

I don’t know what I was thinking, but I thought it had only been about a month since my last post...

Sorry peps.

As promised, what follows is some wonderful news I’ve been dying to share with you all since August! But, as you will understand very shortly, I’ve been a busy girl!

November of last year, I had gotten together with an old Cheer Ltd. friend, Kelly, who had told me about this adult cheerleading team, Cheer New York. She didn’t know a lot about it, but she planted a seed in my brain. That night I went home and did as much online research about the team as I could. As soon as I landed on the home page of their website, I knew I wanted a piece of the action.

I contacted the coach that night about when the next tryouts were, because Kelly had mentioned that she thought they might be in January. A short time later, the coach got back to me saying that there were in fact mid-season tryouts in January, but that they were primarily to fill spots for fliers or power tumblers. If you know me at all, you know I’m neither. He suggested I come to their full tryout that would be held late summer. It wasn’t long before I was regularly creeping on their Facebook page and website to get any updates about the upcoming tryouts. I was not about to miss this opportunity.

As the end of summer approached, I was working hard on getting into shape (I had done enough investigating to know that their girls wore half tops...) and worked on my flexibility. Especially because the coach had mentioned that they’re fliers are traditionally under 5’5”.... I had a lot of work in front of me. Before I knew it, the tryouts were here. Thankfully, there was enough girls shorter than me that I was able to tryout as a base which relieved my biggest anxiety: trying out as a flier! The coaches, captains, and alumni continued to hound into us that we were really just here to have fun, and not take the tryout so seriously and just have fun. After dusting off a dance I hadn’t performed since 2005, I decided to do just that- go out there and have a good time. What was the worst that could happen? I’d tried out for tons of teams in the past, and I’m too old to be getting upset and nervous over a team that just wants to have fun.

My name was called first because they decided to run the tryouts alphabetically... ok, now I was nervous. My music came on “It’s showtime folks!” and off I went... having the most amazing audition I’ve ever experience in my entire life. I did exactly what I set out to do, kick some ass, and have fun while doing it. The applause and reaction I got when I finished left me feeling fantastic. Even though I messed up a little bit, I knew I gave it my best effort.

After watching 20+ other talented cheerleaders tryout after me, I started to become less confident. There was some really unique competition.

We left that night being told we would know the verdict by 11:00am the following morning.

me, Norman, Tony, Kaia, and Latoya after auditioning

I resisted the urge as long as I could, but by 10:00am I was signed into my Gmail and hitting the refresh button at least every 5 minutes. Finally, at 10:55am (yes, I looked it up so I could be sure ;) I got the news- I was part of the Newbie class of 2011-2012, I MADE THE TEAM!!

Newbie Night at Boxers Bar

August 11, 2011 will go down in history of one of the happiest days of my life!!

Since August, this team has been nothing but a great time. It is hands down the greatest, most fun team I’ve ever been on in my 13+ years of cheerleading.

Dannie, Wilson and Brian

Cheer New York is an all-volunteer non-profit adult cheerleading squad, made up of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Straight allies (LGBTS), has been serving the NY-NJ area since 2002 by inspiring hope and encouragement in audiences wherever we perform and raising money for people with challenging conditions and life-threatening illnesses through its “Cheer for Life” fund.

Being on this team is exactly what I needed. I have met so many amazing people who, I’m certain I’ll be friends forever with.

my cheer husbands, Dennnis and Dannie

This team builds me up when I’m feeling down.

my roommates Krishna, Jet and I at Sea Tea

This team gives me reason to stay motivated to stay in shape when all I want to do is eat ice cream and pizza.

This team is my family.

at the ING NYC Marathon

Thank you Cheer New York, for selecting me to be a member of this team. I am forever grateful.

I cannot wait for us to get back together in January for the second half of our season!

**If you would like to make a donation, you may do so by going to the Cheer New York website, cheerny.org and then clicking on the “donations” tab.