New Year

This will be my last post of 2012! I know, this is not too surprising seeing as the year is about to come to a close.

This year included:
-travels in my typical nomadic path in the USA
-one 10 day magical journey in Europe where I was introduced to Belgium, Paris, Budapest and Amsterdam
-a move to Oakland which has since then been reversed (I am once again a Texas resident)
-Rossland! a week at camp for grownups who haven't grown up and like to run around naked or with cameras (or both)
-working in the UK and traveling in Europe as a part work trip/part vacation trip. Some of this trip was much too fast but gave me a taste of Scotland, Ireland (Dublin), England (London), Paris, Belgium, Germany (Dusseldorf, Berlin), Austria (Vienna) and Italy (Venice, Bolgona, Trieste)
-a month in Australia to visit many of my favorite Aussies and finally add Adelaide to the cities I have seen
-the experience of staying in one city for an entire month and feeling "home"
-two speeding tickets
-a return to being a pescetarian (vegetarian who eats fish)(which no longer applies - I now eat all things except red meat)
-realizing that I would like to live in NYC (but I still do not think I could keep up with the lifestyle there)
-I don't even want to talk about how much coffee, beer and chocolate has been consumed
-working with hundreds of photographers
-great moments of happiness

This past year has been wonderful. I cannot even begin to guess what 2013 will bring.

I wish you all a fun New Year's Eve, and a New Year full of great happiness.

Shot

Old Mine Floor

Scott Nichol

Rossland, Canada - August 2012

Yesterday I got shot.

This is a statement which considering the recent events in the media might immediately evoke thoughts of guns and horror. And to models and photographers we just shrug our shoulders and go, "well of course you modeled yesterday." But neither apply in this case, as yesterday was my appointment at the Adult Immunization Clinic in San Francisco where I received my yellow fever vaccine in my left arm. Yes, that kind of shot.

I now have a whole handbook with information on the many diseases in third world South American countries and in some of the more luscious rainforest regions of the continent. I'm working on my typhoid vaccine (taken orally) and will be returning to the clinic in a few weeks to pick up prescriptions for malaria, altitude sickness and other ailments which I will potentially be facing with my exposure to less than sanitary conditions  and new environments. January will be my month to prepare and I am realizing that planning to be gone 8 - 9 months and living on the road with only my backpacks will require an abundance of preparation.

Christmas

I am home. Or rather, I am about as home as I can get right now. My brother is out of town and I have the full run of his apartment in San Francisco for a few days, and am quite delighted. Today is my day to overcome the jetlag from my long journey back from Australia, and will include probably an overabundance of time spent online, but with the sun out and Golden Gate park nearby, I have a long walk on my agenda. Back in high school I experimented with running, was part of the cross country team. Throughout university I threw my shoes on my feet and occasionally kicked my legs back and forth at a faster than walking speed. As of late my life has been devoid of any such endeavors, and I am still in need of proper shoes, but I have thoughts to ramp up the aerobic activity in my life. I also have a few phone calls to make, but as I am not only tired, but fighting off a cold (or rather, babying my cold with warm fuzzies of life like baths, blankets and beverages). 

Self-portrait

Atlanta, GA - Fall 2012

No, I have not forgotten. Usually the fault of my spinning around and possibly appearing to neglect things is an overactive mind rather than one which sits too still and forgets. But I always do get around to everything I intend to. And right now I want to wish you all a wonderful holiday time. Today is Christmas eve day in the USA and in Australia, Christmas has already come. Merry Christmas everyone. If you celebrate, or even if you just use the time to relax or see friends. I hope you have a great holiday season.

I had been telling people how excited I was to spend Christmas all on my own, and apparently that is a less than normal predicament to be thrilled about. But I have been saying this with full sincerity. I missed Hanukah entirely this year - I received two emails wishing me well which brought a smile to my face, but somehow that holiday lacked true presence in my world this year. So this year I will embrace Christmas in my own way. Holidays are about happiness anyway, and best spent doing what you enjoy. Usually I feel they are about family and friends, too, but with my traveling lifestyle I am continually surrounded by friends and am currently enjoying the beginnings of my holiday solo style.  Christmas day on my own, with maybe some Chinese take-out Jewish style and a few movies, will do me well. 

And to the rest of you - celebrate however you feel fit. :) And enjoy! Merry Christmas.

26 shoots, 24 days, 4 cities

About 26 shoots, 24 days, and 4 cities later, my Aussie trip is coming to a close. Tomorrow will be my version of Groundog Day, and is a day I am absolutely not looking forward to. I will experience Sunday two times, with three airplane flights and four airports to endure, but in the end I will find myself back in San Francisco with some down time and a home all to myself.

I had a fabulous time while in Australia. My schedule may have started out a bit slow for my own taste (I am happiest while busy) but as the days tumbled on, I saw black pen scribbled all over my planner, my legs walking back and forth to buses and trams, and my skirt flying on and off my body.

Zoo

Photographed by JE Cordova

Irving, Texas - November 2012

My afternoon shoot cancelled yesterday, so I went to the zoo instead. I have heard great things about the Sydney Zoo, so finally getting to go was a real joy. I also had an impromptu Marilyn Monroe moment when a breeze came by, and fortunately for me none of children or parents scurrying around seemed to have noticed me and my lack of knickers.

Lattes

Australia used to be where I ran away from to escape the beginnings of the cold season in the US and avoid a couple of weeks of holiday buzz, but on this trip the same things I sought to free myself of are strong around me. I am glad to see my friends out here - after three previous trips in the past couple of years I have a small network of people I truly relish seeing in this country and these people are what brought me out here this year. The ticket price was higher than ever and surprising my family for Thanksgiving pushed my trip one week later than I would have liked, but to see these friends I jumped and made the trip out to Australia a fourth time. Unfortunately this year the timing seems wrong, which is part of the business with modeling trips, and a large portion of the photographers I usually enjoy shooting with have schedule conflicts preventing collaborations on this trip. The shoots I have had thus far have been good ones though and I will continue to find joy in my trip even if I may spend more time drinking lattes than posing nude and creating art.

 Photographed by Jon Mann

Brooklyn, NYC - Fall 2012

I am currently seeking some models to photograph while out here, but one difficulty of being on the road is that I have to rely on others to have a shooting location available, as I am less familiar with decent outdoors locations and do not have my own home to bring models to for shoots.