Cash Money

Day 371 (January 6, 2014) – Brooklyn, NY

I’m sick. It’s snowing. It’s cold. And this sucks. That’s about it. Oh, and check cashing places suck! How about some banks in the Stuy?

Layered Self

Day 353 (December 19, 2014) – New York, NY

Here is another selfie. But really it’s my attempt at capturing three images. 1. my reflection 2. the reflection of the passengers in the train car with me and 3. people in the train that is running next to mine. How did I do?

Ghost Rider

Day 345 (December 11, 2014) – New York, NY

If you blink, you’ll miss it. The ghost the ride moving subway cars. They’re there in plane site, but most of us are too busy looking at our iphones or staring into nothingness with heavy eyes after a long day at work. Not me. I’m always looking for the lost souls that haunt our trains….and today….I found one…

Jazz 57

Day 344 (December 10, 2014) – New York, NY

He plays for loose change and crumpled dollar bills. He plays simply for the love of melodies and the echoing sound of the horn.  Maybe he he’ll be a star one day and these long days hustling tunes will be a distant memory. And 57th street will just be a stop on his way to Lincoln Center.

SPIRALS

Day 339 (December 5, 2014) – New York, NY

I love the new Fulton Street subway station! And it’s not just because I’m a transit geek and planning nerd. It’s ultra fly! Super modern design…on some ol’ futuristic George Jetson type ish’! I missed three trains already exploring the station. I suspect that this will be new favorite place to shoot…..hmmm now If I can only find a dancer….I have some ideas!!!!

Redemption Song

Day 338 (December 4, 2014) – New York, NY

Is anyone listening to his words….his powerful words…his words of hope. I need them this morning. I’m still upset after another failure of the justice system. I need these words. He is singing for me. He is singing for hope. He is singing for Eric Garner and the the countless black lives taken away. This is my soundtrack as I get ready for another day…with a slight chip on my shoulder and an uneasiness in my step. But I know when I get there….I’ll just put on the mask. The mask that lets me live each day in this place. The mask that hides my tears and pain. I’ll stay strong, stoic and unmoved….but on the inside… damn…on the inside I’m lost….I’m scared…I’m angry…I’m uncertain…..

Wonderland

Day 336 (December 2, 2014) – New York, NY

Grand Central Station during Christmas season is like a wonderland. There are twice as many people / tourist wandering around…taking photos…marveling at the stars on the ceiling….and going to the Apple store. It’s both fast paced and frozen. But there is just something in the air. I don’t know what it is…but Grand Central is always a special place during the holidays.

Pray

Day 335 (December 1, 2014) – New York, NY

I wonder if he is praying for me. If he is praying for all of us on this crowded train. Maybe the words he reads to himself are meant for me too. Maybe they’ll provide me with the hope that I need to get through another day. Maybe these are words we all need. I wonder if he is praying for all of us.

Next Stop Where?

Day 334 (November 30, 2014) – Brooklyn, NY

I’m still chasing a dream. I’m still trying to become a homeowner. I can’t compete in this current market. I don’t have the cash in hand, so…it’s time to move further into Brooklyn. This use be train stop when I first moved to BK. I lived about a 10 minute walk from the Manhattan Bridge….right near DUMBO and a stones throw from Fort Greene. I loved my neighborhood. I got in when the market was still struggling and there was a lot of units on the market. That was then…and this is now. This is my second move in less than three years. My rent has been raised between 15-19% each year….which for the record is ridiculous…..so what do I do…. I move. And with each move…I move further into Brooklyn…further away from convenient trains and services. I’m moving to Do or Die Bedstuy now. It’s different than I remember. It’s changing. I’m not sure how long I’ll be able to live here either. I live in one of the new buildings that is gentrifying the neighborhood. I’m a part of the problem too.

Dance Dance Dance

Day 312 (November 9, 2014) – New York, NY

I respect the hustle. Kids riding the trains giving commuters a little entertainment and the chance to smile on quiet noisy trains. They break up the monotony of subway life. We lift our eyes from our phones and catch a glimpse of street acrobats with the flexibility of a contortionist.  They do tricks with their hats and slide from pole to pole keeping a rhythm held by music booming from a tiny “boom box” and the clapping of their crew members.  They are hustlers trying to make an honest buck. They are jobless kids in a city where there are no jobs for them.  It’s hard. I remember growing up having a paper route and then working in telemarketing, construction and at a gym.  Today, the paperboy in my neighborhood is a man that looks about 45 (give or take a few years), drives an old rusty car and tosses papers out the window with the skill of a marksman hitting doorsteps like a target.  Those other jobs that teens are suppose to have…fast food and retail…they’re still there, but a lot of them are filled by adults also trying to survive in this economy. Not sure when things will get better….because it’s never been that good for black boys and men.  I guess I’m still hopeful. And today I’m just going to respect the hustle of these kids.

I reach in my pocket for a few dollars and decide to toss in a $10. They made me smile after a long day and I appreciate that.