Vasty Stephany-Artist/etc.

ELDRITCH: JOSHUA TREE

2011-07-16T19:50:00.000-07:00

Unintentionally sexy and implicit photo of Adam and I. I don't know what my finger is trying to do.

When I was younger, I thought everything was about being spontaneous and adventurous. That life would always be great if I kept those two qualities strong. I always thought that it was silly when people ask, "do you like to travel?" It seemed like such a redundant question. Why wouldn't people like to see the world if its possible? Obviously, most people can't afford to go bouncing from place to place because of financial deficiencies or entanglements. But, sometimes, there are people that have so much money to spare and still don't like to see the world. Meaning, instead of being an explorer and curiouser, they just spoiled themselves in luxury. If they get on a place to India, they don't do as Indians do, they do as Americans do on different soil. Additionally, there are people that have money but don't do luxury, but still don't like to travel. Maybe they'll go to Hawaii or Barbados to relax on the beach, but won't trek through the Himalayas or cross the Sahara. They'll just buy cool new toys, or use their money in other ways. There are just many combinations of why people wouldn't or couldn't be able to travel. After traveling a lot myself, especially this year, I can say that I have found the answer to why being adventurous and spontaneous can be quite exhausting.

Most of my trips last year with Adam were infinitely spontaneous. No planning at all. The Grand Canyon, San Francisco, Sequoia, Joshua Tree, etc. all of those trips came out of left field. The Grand Canyon, Adam was being spontaneous and decided to drive us six hours to Arizona having just gotten out of work at 10 PM and driving a girl that couldn't even help him drive because she didn't (and doesn't) have a license. Additionally to that, we slept in the car during Arizona winter. Unpleasant, but satisfying and VERY exciting. San Francisco happened for the second time (the first was when we decided to buy tickets to Smashing Pumpkins show in SF right after our wedding) after the Fourth of July when my brothers girlfriend was swiftly persuaded by Adam to take off to San Francisco at midnight. I didn't fight it, but again, girl with no license, and three other people...everyone was exhausted and we slept during the day, missing a lot of sightseeing. I fought my sleepiness and just took off anyway. Again, exciting but so exhausting; I slept for a day after that. Sequoia, yeah, I almost got eaten by a bear and stung by a mass of ants...VERY VERY exciting and adventurous!

Now, Joshua Tree was exactly a year ago today. Everywhere I mentioned above, I have always wanted to explore with my parents; the excess of National Geographic, Animal Planet, Discovery Channel, and PBS specials that I watched with my dad makes everything related to the natural environment both sacred and exclusive to him. But, he couldn't go most times because he had to work, and as I said... they were all VERY spontaneous and adventurous. So, naturally, I felt like a traitor. But, nonetheless, I was exhausted because AGAIN Adam decides to take off at the most inopportune hours, knowing we both are sleep deprived (damn annoying insomniacs). You don't want to be the first to admit that being adventurous and spontaneous is starting to feel like Saving Private Ryan. Therefore, Adam and I pulled through that entire trip. The entire day we saw all of Joshua Tree by force. We did it; we looked excited and happy, as well as starved because none of us thought about bringing food with us (we're YOUNG and adventurous, meaning also very daft). After that, the idea was to sleep in the car (we're adventurous but not rich, plus it was a roomy car), drive to the Salton Sea and watch the sunrise. Before we headed that direction, we were going to take a nap in the Wal-Mart parking lot. After I violated my F-Wal-Mart rule because I was hungry, we both caved. We just admitted it to ourselves that we were exhausted and we wanted our comfortable bed. We were distraught, we even said we missed our annoying Mako and the cats. Finally, we drove back home and right as we were 10 feet away from the house, we get a flat as caused by shards on the street. Ah, balls!

Honestly, it may mean I've been beat up too much or I give up too easily, but after everything I've been through these past four years, I would not mind island hopping and sitting at the beach for an entire week NOT exploring anything; getting massages and drinking Mai Tai cocktails. I just need some recovery time. I don't know how The Longest Way Home dude does it. I really admire him.

MORE PHOTOS (CLICK HERE!)

ON THE WAY: LAX

2011-07-12T22:24:00.000-07:00

I was gonna tell you a story, but something does not compute in my brain. I feel like I'm going to say more than I want to. I'll be back with the story to this picture when my mind is clear.

But, the best thing about this collage is the picture in the middle. I remember getting to my apartment, when I finally got my charger, and looking at this picture... and feeling like I ate cement. It's uncomfortably sad... Adam's face is the best. He's doing that all too familiar manly-hold-back-your-emotions look, even though Adam is not one to be emotionally stunted. My mom has that proud sentimentality that you get at graduations and weddings, Lily looks like she's constipated but depressed in that Goth-y way, and those people behind them totally ruin the moment. I wish someone had taken a photo of my face on the plane, first after realizing I left my laptop charger at home and second after the plane took off and I was crying, as well as being laughed at by the British couple across the aisle. A-holes.

SCOUTING: SPAIN COLLAGES

2011-07-08T21:33:00.000-07:00

I'm working on my books, many, many books. But, since my life sucks so ridiculously bad, I can't really get myself out of bed sometimes. I try, but I end up taking pictures of people's face and editing them on a phone program all day. This European trip was supposed to be incredibly satisfying... but I just ended up plaguing everyone's day with my big depressed face.

In any case, sadness and chronic depression makes you very lazy and tired. So, I can't even get myself to upload pictures, and since Picasa is so cool and efficient, I do collages now! This first one is of the Madrid airport. I had a connecting flight in London for two hours, but it was really gloomy and cloudy during landing. Therefore, I didn't get to see much of the city from the plane. The airport was bland too, and the vibe was very abrasive. But, Barajas airport in Madrid is extremely vibrant. It is orange and yellow with a high futuristic touch, cafe bars everywhere, and with everyone drunk, a really friendly vibe. The last two days in Europe, I actually slept for two days straight on the arrivals floor and had lovely conversations with an older man who talked to me about how much he hates the Spain economy, which is funny cause the week after I left there were protests in Madrid (20% unemployment rate, yikes!). It was very uncomfortable sleeping on those black, hard chairs. I tied one of my bags to my foot and slept on the other one. Yeah, very fun, counting that I was on my own just having had to pay for an overpriced, shady flight on EasyJet from Amsterdam to Madrid in order not to miss my flight and thus cutting out Belgium and France from my itinerary. That really bummed me out, but the most frustrating part is how incompetent the train workers in Amsterdam are. Yeah, I have a lot of stories of anger and frustration and pure creepiness. Eeeeek.

Now this one is from my walks in Salamanca. I lived there for three months, so I figure I really should know every detail of the city. I usually do not do black and white photography, because I'm usually a colorful person, but I'm not anymore. I'm not dark, I'm just really, really colorless...now. You can view the full extent of these images by clicking right HERE.

Also, I'm crazy obsessed with European doors. It's ridiculous how old everything is in that continent. Geeze, especially Italy... that place is going to fall in on itself. The doors have never been upgraded so they have a cool deteriorated look. I have more pictures of doors than of people, I'm really antisocial.

Salamanca is a golden city. It is golden...EVERYWHERE! My apartment building was golden, it's a cohesive look. But, the reason why I was obsessed with doors is because that's what makes the city look so different.

As far as people go, I met A LOT of people. Everyone being in the same program and living with three other people (technically five), it kind of forces you to be social. I met that collective amount traveling through the continent as I did in Salamanca. But, in the Salamanca community, there was much gratuitous drama...booo. The surprising thing is, a lot of these people are definitely staying in my life for good. Especially Maira, she is geographically close and an incredibly cool musician. <3

World photography can be so boring to peruse online. I know I get bored looking at other people's vacation photos. Maybe if its of their faces, and maybe if they're doing something stupid in them. Otherwise, it's like... blah! You want to be the one on the adventure, not the one looking in on it. So, I'm doing a book about my experience and the photos I took; and if anyone wants to see my photos they can look at the book preview or buy it.

PH: SCOUTING: BROKEN OPENINGS

2011-05-21T17:37:00.000-07:00

Couldn't keep the camera straight, or from blurring. Balls.

CLOSED DOORS

2011-04-10T16:39:00.000-07:00

2011-04-08T13:10:00.000-07:00

PH: SCOUTING: MADRID

2011-04-07T01:56:00.000-07:00

PH: SCOUTING: SALAMANCA

2011-04-05T11:34:00.000-07:00

2011-04-04T15:52:00.001-07:00

PH: SCOUTING: SEQUOIA

2010-12-13T17:51:00.000-08:00

PH: SCOUTING: PASADENA

2010-10-20T00:20:00.000-07:00

PH: SCOUTING: SAN FRANCISCO

2010-10-19T01:59:00.000-07:00

PH: FASHION TESTS: SUBURB FAERIE

2010-09-03T10:48:00.000-07:00

PH: SCOUTING: SANTA BARBARA, PEDALS

2010-08-30T17:17:00.000-07:00

PH: SCOUTING: MOUNT BALDY

2010-08-29T11:30:00.000-07:00

PH: SCOUTING: MOUNT WILSON

2010-08-28T14:17:00.000-07:00

PH: SCOUTING: SANTA MONICA

2010-08-26T14:50:00.000-07:00

PH: BUTO: DROPS

2010-08-15T20:38:00.000-07:00

PH: SCOUTING: SEQUOIA

2010-08-12T23:19:00.000-07:00

PH: SCOUTING: SANTA BARBARA

2010-08-12T00:41:00.000-07:00

PH: SCOUTING: POINT DUME

2010-08-10T01:00:00.000-07:00

PH: V-: YE 'OL

2010-08-09T07:21:00.000-07:00

PH: SCOUTING: CHANNEL ISLANDS

2010-08-09T00:59:00.000-07:00

PH: SCOUTING: LAGUNA BEACH

2010-08-07T16:38:00.000-07:00

PH: SCOUTING: JOSHUA TREE I

2010-08-07T04:43:00.000-07:00

SCOUTING: THE PLEASURE FAIR

2010-08-04T04:30:00.000-07:00

PH: SCOUTING: THE HILLS

2010-08-03T10:09:00.000-07:00

WEDDINGS: TIED UP: ANDREA AND TIM (practice)

2010-08-02T05:53:00.000-07:00

PH JOURNAL: MARCHING IN LOS ANGELES

2010-07-31T17:32:00.000-07:00

PH: FASHION TETS: ROTTEN GIRL

2010-07-29T19:17:00.000-07:00

PH: FASHION TESTS: FLASHY FARMER

2010-07-28T17:19:00.000-07:00

PH: NATURE: COMMON BLACK AND WHITE

2010-07-28T17:18:00.000-07:00

PH JOURNAL: BP STILLS

2010-07-27T22:58:00.000-07:00

PH: FASHION TESTS: FELLINI

2010-07-24T15:20:00.000-07:00