CARPE DIEM
I am having a deeper appreciation for living in the moment! Enjoying the now. I used to plan, hash out, mentally sketch out what I want to do in the future. Forgetting that these moment we have today now, are just as fleeting. There is nothing wrong with planning for the future. Most experts will tell you thats the way to go. True true, but in doing all that, do not forget to live in the moment. The enjoy the little things.
Now and then, I have to catch myself because I'm always caught up in the hustle and bustle of my daily life. We plan on things we shall do in the future because we are so busy. Busy doing nothing. Your father or mother called but you are in the middle of something, like checking out your snapchat or the hilarious host on #snap254, I will call him/her on Friday. How about all the start days we have put on Monday. Monday is the holy grail for procrastinators. I will start working out on Monday, I will quit on Monday. Poor Monday, all these great proposals and schemes placed on it, but what if Monday never comes?
I always go back to Spring of 2012. I remember that day vividly as if it was yesterday! It was just another ordinary day, the kind of day that would have passed unmarked on the calendar. I had called my mum in Kenya for a quick chit chat. Right when I was about to hang up the phone, she mentioned that my father had just walked into the living room, they were about to have dinner. At the back of my mind, I knew my old man would dish out questions on life and how am doing and yaddah yaddah. I could always call back another day. I was somehow in a rush plus I was on my lunch break. Something told me to have mother put him on. Well, my old man must have been ready for this call because we chatted for a minute. He was in such good spirits. I decided to go with this good vibe and answer his questions. We played catch up, and I enjoyed every minute of it. I hung up the phone with a smile on my face! My old man could crack some great jokes while dishing out life advice.
He got a stroke on Friday.
By Monday, he'd passed away. Life!
I took upon myself to STOP. Stop waiting for the perfect moment, stop waiting for Friday, stop waiting to make that phone call, stop waiting for Monday, stop waiting for summer or another season. Stop waiting to pay your traffic ticket for tomorrow, you might get pulled over and, well..... Stop letting people tell you what to do. Stop being afraid. Stop worrying about the future. Just stop and start living. Now. Today, in this present moment. Appreciate it and be grateful. I always shudder at the thought of never having that final conversation with my father.
The trouble is that you think you have time, wise words from Buddha. There is never going to be enough time and you will never be ready. You have just today, now. This moment. Might as well embrace it wholeheartedly.
Which brings me to these stunning pictures. I mentioned in ZONES that I will be doing shoots that are out of my comfort zone and play around with ideas. Be more creative. All it took was a lesso and some good lighting. The lesso was to be used as a background for one of my outfit looks. Then Gianna asked me if I was ok wrapping it around me and using it for the shoot. Well then! I carpe the shit out of this diem and made it work. I am very very proud of them. I have taken many pictures for this dear blog of mine. These ones speak volumes .They are what I envisioned when I started #ANNECONVENTIONAL and that almost made me tear up a little bit.
So Carpe the shit out of this diem and take chances. Live!
So Carpe the shit out of this diem and take chances. Live!
Thanks for stopping by... :)
THE PRINTED JUMPSUIT
It's really hot! sweltering even! So hot you could fry and egg. The subway is beyond! Extra hydration is important in these extreme scenarios. After discovering I had left my water bottle at home, I made a quick dash to TJ Maxx so I could grab one.
I promised myself not to look at anything else. As I was walking along the aisles, trying to find the water bottles, I heard someone call my name. It was soft, subtle. I glanced around me, long, colorful, flowy maxi dresses were huddled next to each other. All sorts of sizes wooing me with their strappy and non- strappy looks, each clamoring for my attention.
Unperturbed, I walked on by focused on my mission to score a water bottle and cary on with my day. Ain't no body gat time for maxi and friends. After a few steps, my name, again! I looked up and there it was. Initially, I thought it was another maxi dress, with a gorgeous bodice. The bodice with tiny little straps is what captured my attention. After giving it a once over, I nearly placed it back on the rack because I have never found a jumpsuit that tickled my fancy. Until now!
Hanger in hand, I decided to ascertain that we were meant for each other in the dressing room. You should have seen my face when I looked at myself in the mirror. Woah! I walked out and did the Naomi campbell walk up and down the dressing room turning in all angles like a VICTORIA SECRET model. By now, the water bottle was a long forgotten subject as I made a beeline dash to the register with my first ever jumpsuit. With this jumpsuit, I could tackle any extreme weather. Thirst be damned.
Thanks for stopping by and have an amazing week!
JUMPSUIT: TJ MAXX
HEADWRAP: Street vendor
BANGLES: Maasai Market
BAG: Maasai Market
ZONES
I was looking up zones thanks to my buddy google and boy there are all kinds of zones. Plantation zones, war zones, erogenous zones, climate zones, time zones, Zoning. These zones seem to be endless. Google’s definition of zones stated that a zone is an area or stretch of land having a particular characteristic, purpose or use, or subject to particular restrictions. There was also an archaic definition that stated a zone was a belt, or girdle worn around a person’s body.
Sometimes, we use the term zone to state a particular mood we are in. I'm listening to some soothing reggae tunes while I jot this down. I find reggae relaxing, calming, soothing. At times it lives me quiet, breathless like a nun in adoration. It must be Beres Hammond's voice, or Jah Cure's crooning. Who knows? I nod to the music, if you could see me, you would say I’m in my zone.
Or when you are in the midst of a serious workout, sweat dripping profusely, supersets on supersets, nailing each rep, we could say you are in your zone.
Have you ever seen a drummer furiously banging on the drums, eyes closed, as if in a trance, taken in by the profound thumping and banging? Or a guitarist, fingers strumming the threads faster than a tweep with his 140 characters on the latest hashtag. They, too can be said to be in the zone.
I've been doing my normal street style shoots for outfit posts over a couple of years now. I am so comfortable with them. I’ve perfected angles and sides that would work for a particular shoot. It's a breeze. It's also monotonous. Then I met Gianna who has been taking my pictures lately and an artistic collaboration of some sorts bloomed. I was freaking uncomfortable with it at first. I'm not used to the camera being fully focused on my face. Taking in the slightly off symmetry of my nose, my wide doe eyes, round cheeks, full lips which seem somewhat perturbed because they are used to smiling on camera. Used to being on the streets, jolly, twirling, happy as you please, grinning like Ronaldo after winning the Euro cup. That was my zone. My archaic girdle!
Gianna suggested working on some editorial looks and I begrudgingly accepted. At first, I felt awkward and uncomfortable. Then the shoots from SELF happened. For a week, I held on to them. I was skeptical about sharing them with the world. After publishing that particular post, the response was overwhelmingly great and it became one of my well received posts since it resonated with you, my dear reader. I had stepped out of my comfort zone, a zone I knew like the back of my hands. Here I was, staring at the lens, focused like a soldier on a matching platoon.
Eyes right!
Here's what I have learnt about zones, comfort zones to be exact. They are like a warm blanket on a cold rainy day. They keep you insulated. Cuddled in, hunkered down, never going anywhere. There comes a time where you have to throw off the blanket and get moving. It will be cold stepping out, but who knows what’s out there waiting for you? A new opportunity, another amazing job, a great relationship. Immersing ourselves into the unknown, the uncomfortable and sometimes the awkward is how we are able to grow. My darling Q gave me a wall hanging that now hangs next to my bed. It reads “Great things never come from comfort zones.” And never will they!
At times, becoming uncomfortable in your comfort zone is what will get you moving. The realization of a stagnant phase, no flow of ideas, no momentum will have you wanting to break free. I believe that God stirs out of the comfortable in order to stretch us to use our faith.
Asking yourself, "what’s the worst that can happen?" will help you get things in perspective. Most of the times, we are usually afraid of what PEOPLE will say, how THEY will perceive us. It is a scary thought. I have been there countless times. You are doing you! That’s all that matters. Furthermore, we are all out here muddling through things. The thought of failure is enough to put mind numbing fear in your whole being. Yes you may fail, it's a lesson learnt not a mistake. You learn, make changes and forge back on.
Do something uncomfortable today, step out of that box, take off that archaic belt of a comfort zone, that girdle that is weighing you down and pressing your innards. Start a blog you been meaning to start, make new friends, go head on with that new business, write or talk to people who inspire you, run a 5k, try a new recipe, write the book you want to read, and in doing that thing outside your zone, you discover new angles, new sides.
You create who you want to become. You are your only limit.
Thanks for stopping by.
PANTS: ROSHIE ANNE
LACE TOP: Express
KIONDO BAG: Maasai Market
HEAD WRAP: Street Vendor
HARLEM
HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!
I love a lot of things, but there are a few places or things that I am deeply in love with. Harlem is one such place. I am not ashamed to say it. I will proclaim it to the rooftops. I want to be around Harlem every moment of every second. It's like a teenage love affair. The more I see of it, the deeper I get wrapped up in this love.
I really can't define it. Every block you turn, something catches your eye. My favorite part is... Dammit everything. The food, the art, the culture, the brown stones, the people, the vibes. You get my drift!
There's a spot that my friends and I usually go to for the CULTURE! Or a whole lot of Afro - Caribbean music. There, I can dance Lingala to Koffi and Turbo Wine to Konshens. I can sway to Beres Hammond and lipala to Sauti Soul. Taurrus Riley can croon at how Royal I am while WizKid will have me yelling at the top of my lungs Ojuelegba. I will be hot, I will be sweaty, but I won't care because will be dancing the night away. Everyone on the dance floor, read underground floor, will be grinning like fools. Looking like idiots. Happy idiots. The underground vibe adds to the charm of the place. No one can really see the floor since it is always packed from wall to wall. I remember this one time swaying to some tunes while I waited for my buddy to grab our drinks, this gentleman who must have been in his 70's grabbed my hand and off I went. The Dj must have been cued in because the music changed and it was dancing with the stars, arms swaying, jiving, turning, twisting, shoulders shaking like a seismograph. He was the star and I a part of his galaxy. This spot is called Silvana's. A spot where you go to dance and enjoy yourself and at certain times, make new friends. It is also a restaurant but I am afraid I haven't stepped in there during the day. I might have to change that just to sample the food.
Talking about food, I have a few favorite places. Unione is one of them and Harlem Tavern is a place to stop by for a quick bite. Don't forget to stop by Red rooster and while you are at it check out Row house for a nice meal, then head to a hidden gem called Under bar in the same building. You just have to find the hidden door but once you do, prepare yourself to be wowed. Under bar is a chic, subterranean cocktail bar which will have you grooving all night...and if you need an after party.. Silvana's once again! Nothing tops an amazing night than great feel good music
My darling Harlem and I are still getting to know each other. It's a young relationship but I see a bright future. For this particular shoot, we went round a block and with every corner I turned. Location! Location! I had a hard time picking the faves because all the pictures were super.
I am rocking a summer shirt dress which is now becoming a staple. They are comfortable and chic, just accessorize and you are ready for a night out. T I am rocking one of my favorite African print bags which is a definitely must have. Let me know if you want one and I will get you sorted out :)
Langston Hughe's poet, author, social activist and leader of the Harlem renaissance once said,
" I have discovered in life there ways of getting almost anywhere, you want to go. If your really want to go."
If you are ever in NY. Take the train uptown and see why my heart beats for Harlem.Hope you had a fabulous long weekend! I know I did. Follow my snap stories @anconventional
Have an amazing week and thanks for stopping by.
Shirt Dress: HM
Printed Wedges: Shoedazzle.com
Bag: ROSHIE ANNE (inquire for details - anneconventional@gmail.com)