PHOTOGRAPHY & CINEMATOGRAPHY
It’s never too early to start to start prepping for your big day, especially when it comes to beauty. And while there are a few treatments you can do at-home like teeth whitening and hair masks, there are just some things that should be left to the pros.
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I get asked this question a lot...about the "Diamond" so here's the run down.
Did it hurt?
Yep! ...On a scale of 1-10...I'd give it a 10. Your sternum (or breastbone) is the long, flat bone down the center of your torso that connects to your ribcage and protects your vital organs. The dermal piercing involves implanting surgical steel into your skin. It hurts because the procedure takes longer then most piercings, the location and the thickness of skin in the sternum.
How does it stay in there?
Surgical steel implanted into the skin to hold the diamond. The piercing itself is a commitment, it does not come out and the piercing itself needs to be removed by a professional piercer.
Who did it?
Josean Ortiz is the piercer. He's also the amazing man behind my triple helix.... This image was for Josean's portfolio.
Why did you chose that spot?
Three years ago I was diagnosed as a severe asthmatic and hospitalized quite a bit. After close to 32 + chest X-rays, MRI's and CT Scans I wanted to give the radiologist something to talk about...Kidding. It's a constant reminder to live life to the fullest, to be grateful for each day...and every. single. breath.
When I was 5 my grandmother, mother and I went to Epcot. A trip I hardly remember other then a string of photographs that take me back to a particular memory. But anytime someone says "Michael Jackson" I cower in fear and remember with vivid authority... THE Captain EO at Epcot.
"Captain EO" stared Michael Jackson and action on the screen extended into the audience, including asteroids, lasers, laser impacts, smoke effects, and starfields that filled the theater. These effects resulted in the seventeen-minute film running in Disney parks between 1986-1996. Perfectly "age appropriate" for a 5 year old in the early 90's. Nahhhtttt.
Upon exiting the film, with my mother and grandmother. I was questioned about the experience and what I thought? I looked up at my grandmother and stated the following 6 words that I would later regret for the rest of my life.
"I want to marry Michael Jackson"
Now this is when Michael Jackson was still black, had a normal nose, and didn't have child molestation allegations stacked up against him. For a 5 year old. He seemed like a pretty good catch.
My determining he would be suitable husband was based on the these key characteristics. (Handsome guy saves "the universe" wearing a white patent leather suit by singing and dancing. Not only does all "magical-ness" happen. Michael does all this while maintaining a perfectly slick jerry curl)
So my response was nothing short out of the ordinary given the time frame.
Now what happened next might come as a shock to some readers. Brace yourself.
My "nonnie" looked down at me without hesitation...lifted her hand and slapped me across the face...It was the slap that was literally heard throughout the world...the magical world of Epcot.
"Don't talk like that" she scowled.
My mother was "outraged"
(Because what's disney in the early 90's without a child screaming and sobbing in the middle of epcot?)
My mother was livid... Not because I was sobbing from the child abuse. No....not because she slapped me in the middle of the happiest place on earth..Not because her fanny pack was on to tight cutting of circulation to her lower extremities...
Because my grandmother was admittedly a "racist." The entire vacation was left with my mother and grandmother fighting over the "race" of my future husband.
This starting the great debacle between my mother and grandmother of "racism." From that point forward. My grandmother lived in fear that I would one day "marry a black man." and my mother lived in fear that I would live in a world where "racism" still existed.
Now since Michael jackson lived a pretty quiet life in the mid 90's up until his death. You can imagine how many times this story was NOT brought up during key pivotal moments of my life... Wait no...just kidding.
You see, every time Michael jackson was on the news, had a new hot single or married the creepy king of pops daughter. My grandmother would bring up his discretions and how she was doing my mother "a favor" thus...This would then spin of into a series of arguments, slammed doors and swear words and the ongoing dysfunctional of my family. And my sheer and utter remorse for ever having opened by stupid 5 year old mouth.
Now 20 years later. My mother is turning into her mother. Only instead of living with fear of me marrying a black man....She lives with daily fear that I won't get married.
To anyone....
At this point....I'm 28 and she's grandchild-less. She's desperate. She continues to tell me despite everything, despite her mother, that race doesn't bother her.
That I should just find "anyone" to marry me.
... "even if it is a woman"
Disclaimer: we do not in anyway promote or condone child abuse. Don't call DSS.
My mother and I haven't been to the movies in years. So when she wanted to see the judge I happily obliged. Any chance to see Robert Downey Jr right?
So, when we finally make arrangements and coordinate schedules my mom was REALLY disappointed after it was no longer playing in our local theater. This having discovered after she was looking at the showtimes in the Newspaper....yes...the newspaper from the week before.
So we decide to see Gone Girl instead. Not a problem. Fine, upon finding out seats during coming attractions. Two other woman make their way into the theater. The entire movie has literally 4 people, because everyone spends a gorgeous Saturday afternoon...in New England....inside a dark depressing movie). Now given murphy's law I'll let you take a crack and where these woman sit? Next to us. Guess who "whispered" to me about the audacity of these woman the entire movie. My mother...because sitting next to a stranger in the movies is much on the same wavelength as "urinal code" in my mothers mind.
So when a few days later I found that the "judge" was playing in a nearby cinema. I thought it be the perfect opportunity...to totally redeem myself.
Without further opportunity, let me tell you about the matinee for the "judge"
After a recent shoot I decided I would meet my mother at the nearby cinema. It involved me traveling across the highway to the movie theater. Not realizing that this movie theater had recently gone through renovations I was "happily" informed that two tickets remained for seats. (Not next to each other) after debating with myself for a brief period I decided my mother would not enjoy sitting next to a stranger given our last movie "experience"
Thus leaving with me with the debacle of "how badly does my mother want to see this movie?"
While I pondered this dilemma the two middle aged women behind me in line....now at the second ticket counter... had no problem with the seating arrangements (Because they really wanted to see the movie) and purchased the last remaining two tickets.
When my mother arrived she was very disappointed having "traveled" so far. Melrose to Woburn which is precisely give or take 15 minutes. My mother made her disappointment apparent by explaining to me not once... but three times, they she had my father print out direction to this movie theater.
(She thought it be best) that we wait in line....again....Despite me telling her the movie was sold out. Because everyone knows if you wait in line a second time the "movie elf" feels bad for you and makes more seats reappear.
Upon the "discovery" that the "movie elf" did not magically "construct more seats" she became more aggressive and suggested I return home for dinner with the family. Since she "defrosted meat" which would make seeing a later showing of the judge "impossible"
Nevertheless, I thought dinner would soften the blow of our disappointment.
I arrived in Melrose some 15 minutes later. (An appropriate travel time from Woburn-Melrose) I then waited 1.5 hour for my mother to return home. After having gotten lost "traveling" from Woburn cinema to Melrose despite having said "printed directions"
Dinner was lovely....
But if you ask me the meat was overcooked.
