The Road Less Traveled: This is a Personal One.

On this day four years ago, I joined the highly sought after “College-bound High School Graduates Club.”

As I walked into the auditorium at Fordham Prep I felt a sense of accomplishment, even though I hadn’t graduated just yet. I sat impatiently through the ceremony because I just couldn’t wait to get out of there. Everything that happened before my name was called was a blur. However, I vividly remember how my AP Mr. Yip announced my name and I walked across the stage, receiving hugs as I went along. Once all students were recognized, we were declared graduates and moved our tassels to the left. This was it! I was overcome with emotions but most of all, I was proud. Proud of myself for being an immigrant who overcame countless obstacles, proud of myself for being accepted to the illustrious Howard University and actually enrolling in classes for the fall semester following my graduation, ultimately just proud to be done.

Immediately following the ceremony, we all filtered out of the auditorium and went on to find our families for endless photo ops. This is when it hit me, I thought to myself “high school is over, I’m going on to college, I have to make new friends & in four years I’ll be celebrating being a graduate all over again.”

Four years later & guess what? I haven’t been labeled a college graduate.

I went on to Howard University when I graduated and spent one year making unforgettable memories and some lifelong friendships. However, I could not continue with my Howard dream. The environment that I was immersed in was not where I wanted to be. I will never discredit the education I would have received from Howard but I just couldn’t stay. I ended up applying to the City College of New York & transferred there for the fall.

I got to City College and found myself struggling to get settled and back into my normal routine. I never did. I beat myself up everyday because I wasn’t getting the grades I know I was capable of. The whole time I was at City, I was extremely unhappy and my grades definitely reflected that. I made great friends and for that I am extremely grateful but I wasn’t on the path that I had planned for. It hurt, so I made a decision that would deter me even further. I decided to transfer again, but before the transfer I took a semester off.

I had so many negative responses when I decided to disclose that information to others. It surprised me what some of what I thought to be my closest friends had to say. I heard everything from “you’re never gonna finish school” to “you sure you want to do that? you’re just running from your problems.” It’s almost as if no one was understanding my dilemma. That pissed me off even more. I knew I shouldn’t have been comparing myself to the other people from my graduating class but I did it anyways. I just couldn’t understand why everyone else was succeeding and the concept of success kept eluding me. I just felt so inadequate, like I wasn’t where I needed to be.

My semester off turned into me just working and preparing my mind for new beginnings at Florida Atlantic University. Not only did I transfer schools, I basically started a new life in a new state. At first, I was excited then the excitement quickly dwindled when I realized that I wouldn’t be graduating when I was “supposed to.” I enrolled for the fall semester in 2017 and prayed for the best.

Honestly fam, I felt like my world was tumbling down. I still couldn’t focus. I spent the better half of my fall semester trying to acclimate myself to the FAU way of doing things. I STRUGGLED with my classes and the more I struggled, the more I began to think that all the naysayers were right; maybe I wouldn’t finish. At any rate, I finished fall and enrolled for the spring. I did a little better but things got shaky when I visited my advisor and he said the five words that broke me. He said to me, “you won’t graduate on time.” I immediately got into a temper and called my mom, she told me to go back to the advisor and ask what I could do in order to get back on track. I did & he basically told me I had to sacrifice my summer. I agreed to do it because I wanted to prove to myself & others that I can finish.

So, here I am. Four years after high school graduation taking summer classes so I can graduate before my fifth year anniversary. I always dreamed that I’d graduate within four years and it definitely broke me when I went to the Howard commencement to see the friends I started with, graduate without me. I sat there saying, “I should have been here with them, maybe I should have just stayed at Howard.” It sucked.

I haven’t been the same since my time at City College because that’s where I struggled & cried the most. I remembered calling my mom and telling her that I don’t think I can finish. She reassured me that it was just for a time & that I should continue to hold my head up and do my best. I spoke to multiple family members & friends who tried to make sure I keep going and for that I am extremely grateful.

I’ve learned that, although we all may start out on the same path there are many twists, turns and diversions for some of us but in the end we all finish. With a ton of help, I am now coming to the realization that it isn’t a race to the end. I just have to take my time and eventually my dreams will come to fruition.

I won’t lie to you guys though, I still beat myself up about it but you know what…

Life’s a trip, I need to just hang on for the ride.

Emmenez-moi à la Tour Eiffel!

Bonjour ma famille! 

Petes here, and this time I’m back with something extra special for you. You might already be able to tell where we’re heading today but let’s just take it one step at a time. If you follow me on Instagram, you’re already ten steps ahead. If not, then 1. you need to follow me @PersonallyPetes and 2. get ready, it’s gonna be an amazing ride. 

Recently, I had the opportunity of visiting the BEAUTIFUL city of Paris, France. First of all, let me say that I was completely awestruck from the time I walked off that Boeing 777 into Charles de Gaulle airport to the bus ride to our hotel in Montparnasse. It was just so surreal to me because just 8-10 hours before, I was in Miami running through the airport just to make it to my gate on time. Nevertheless, I had arrived and the city was mine for the taking. I had my camera in hand, ready to capture the stunning architecture and Parisian atmosphere. 

In case you’re wondering, I didn’t go alone. I took this trip with my aunty Maria, her now fiancé Uncle Andrew (spoiler alert), my cousin Laura and my aunty Rachael. We arrived in Montparnasse, went to our respective rooms, dropped our bags and took off on an adventure to explore. 

Our first stop on this adventure was a tour of la Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris (Cathedral of Notre Dame) but before the tour, we met our amazing tour guide Christina at a quaint little concept store called Set in Paris and met the most adorable french bulldog named Louie. If you ever are in Paris, you should visit and get a cup of coffee or just say hi to Louie and his parents and tell them I sent you. It was the cutest little shop I had ever seen and the people who work there have such an inviting aura that it makes it impossible to not shop. Once we got over how cute Louie was, Christina walked us over to get started on our adventure. We walked with our group across La Seine and Christina told us the amazing historical stories behind the architecture of the cathedral. The more she talked, the more I fell in love with the city. It was cold but the passion she spoke with allowed me to feel warmth and satisfaction. 

The Cathedral is definitely a hotspot to visit while you’re in Paris. The line to get in might be long but the wait is beyond worth it. Looking at the outside doesn’t compare to the beauty of the stain glass windows when the sunlight hits them just right, or the ambiance of the dimly lit room and the candles that are lit all over for various symbolic and religious reasons. As a Roman Catholic, visiting this cathedral allowed me to learn things about the Catholic faith in Paris as well as the historical triumphs that occurred in order for this the cathedral to remain standing until present day. I would tell you all the stories she told us but there just simply isn’t enough time because we have to get to the more exciting parts that I alluded to previously. Christina led us with confidence and did such an amazing job of giving us an unforgettable experience. If you are in Paris make sure to take a tour of the Cathedral and take in all that it has to offer. 

All aboard! The next stop on our adventure was taking the RER (one of Paris’ subway systems) to cruise La Seine and see some of the most famous landmarks in Paris’ history. We boarded one of the boats at Bateaux Parisien‘s dock and set off to sail La Seine by night. Once on board we sat in a booth that donned telephone receivers that you could use to listen to the various stories of each landmark that we passed. It was like playing a game of I Spy. We saw the Eiffel Tower in all its night time splendor, the Statue of Liberty replica and the sought after Musée du Louvre all of which we visited on the following day. It was truly a sight to see. It reminded me of the times when I cruised the Hudson River in New York City to see Lady Liberty and enjoy the sights along the way. The feeling of being on the water, especially at night gave me peace and a feeling of serenity. I felt at home and in my element. I had managed to travel 4568 miles to a place that I’d only seen on television and feel as if I belonged. I must admit, it was a feeling that I hadn’t felt since I traveled to Denmark in 2013. I truthfully enjoyed every last minute of it and I’m sure my family did as well. 

Fast forward to day two. Now this is where you want to pay close attention. My family and I were up and ready to explore by 10AM the following morning. It felt like we didn’t even sleep but our sheer excitement and adrenaline kept us moving. We hopped in our Uber and drove across town to see all that we saw the night before, this time in the day time and then some. We were supposed to climb the Eiffel Tower but didn’t get a chance to. I’ve heard nothing but good things about that experience, so I suggest you put that on your list of things to do when visiting Paris. Even though we missed that tour, we didn’t let that stop us from checking things off our list. We moseyed on over to le Musée du Louvre and got ready to traverse the 700 meters of intricacy and see Leonardo da Vinci’s own Mona Lisa. There were so many people there, I knew it was something worth visiting. I was not however, prepared for the amount of walking we’d be doing. I wore the wrong shoes but that’s neither here nor there. I enjoyed every last moment, even the swollen feet at the end of the night. We walked for hours, looking for Venus de Milo, Mona Lisa, the Sphinx and admiring even the tiniest details of the architecture of the whole museum. By the time we got out, it was evening and we set out on one of our final adventures. It was to drive down the Champs-Elysées and see the infamous Arc de Triomphe. Man oh man, let me tell you how breathtaking the view was. To top off the view, our driver whose name escapes me at the moment; played Les Champs-Elysees for us and set the tone. I felt like we were in a movie scene and this was our moment to shine. Once we drew closer to the Arc, we hopped out of the Uber, said “Merci Beaucoup” and ran to the middle of the street to get some of the cutest pictures. 

 

This was not the end of our night though. We ate authentic French macarons and quiche lorraine at Pierre Herme and although it was cold, we sat outside and had the whole French cafe experience. After our scrumptious pickup, we looped back around to the Eiffel Tower for the grand finale of our Parisian adventure. My uncle had been planning something extra special and this was one of the reasons for our trip unbeknownst to my aunty Maria. We made our way to the Eiffel Tower, this time we went on the grounds and took silly pictures underneath the tower. It was freezing cold but we had to get some shots under the tower to add to the plethora of pictures we had of it from far away. Now, here’s where it gets spicy. My uncle and I started plotting and scheming to see where our ideal location would be to unveil the surprise. It took some  time for us to decide that it’d be better to exit the grounds and walk across La Seine to see the old iron lady all lit up from a distance for the last time. We trekked to a spot where the Eiffel Tower would be right in the middle of any photos we took and this my friends, is where my uncle proposed to my aunt. It took us a while to get the scene just right but once it was, this is where the magic happened. It was a joyous and unforgettable moment. At that moment, we all felt content. She smiled so brightly and said “seriously guys?!” She really had no idea that we had been putting together this little plan. I knew she was probably wondering why we were going back to the Eiffel Tower since we were there earlier in the day but we didn’t let that deter us. We were in Paris after all, who knows when we’d be able to see the Eiffel Tower again? We had to soak it all in. Since I was behind the lens for majority of this trip, we had to ask a nice man to take a group shot of all of us (a little discombobulated but we made it work). It was beyond extraordinary. A trip of a lifetime if I may so myself.

Now my PersonallyPetes fam, I know you’re probably wondering what I could have possibly done in three days in Paris. I felt that way too but, after visiting the sites and having such an unforgettable moment, three days felt like ten. I do however, plan to visit again in the near future when the weather is warmer so that I can roam the Parisian streets in search of unique opportunities for photography and just to sit outside and enjoy the view. I do have tons more pictures from this trip, I’ll attach some at the end (the discombobulated family pic too don’t worry) and you can check some out on my Instagram. I urge you all to add Paris to your list of destinations. It is well worth it. When you do decide to go, just remember…

Life’s a trip, just hang on for the ‘long plane’ ride.

p.s. if you want any tips on things to do or spots to visit while you’re there that I didn’t mention, just shoot me a message and I’ll be sure to fill you in on the details. Stay golden family!

 

 

 

New Year, Same Petes?

Hey Personally Petes fam! 

First and foremost, Happy New Year! I know it’s been a while since we’ve caught up but this is my one year Blogaversary! Woohoo! So, you know I had to bring you all something fresh to commemorate this milestone. It was rough for me during the last couple of months in 2017 but I made it through it and here we are! For the new year, I made a few promises to myself (not resolutions) that I have to make sure I do not break.

 I know y’all must be sitting there like “ah shit, here we go. another girl about to tell us new year, new me.” Quite the contrary my friends. I’ve said it multiple times that this new year won’t change who I am as a person, just improve certain assets and get rid of previously unshakeable bad habits. It’s a new year, but the same Petes (just a little more oomph). Close to the end of 2017, I realized that I wasn’t where I wanted to be in life, I mean who is? Twenty-one is a weird age. It takes a lot of effort and continuous mistakes to really and truly find yourself. I’m on the road to doing so. I’ll share a couple of things that I know definitely helped me out and some of the things that caused me to have my epiphany if you will.

School was my biggest stress this past year. I had a rough time during my fall semester because as you all know, I’m afraid to fail and being that I started a new school, I was trying to do my best. Distractions got the best of me and I didn’t do as well as I wanted to. I felt it coming since the middle of the semester and towards the end, I kinda just gave up. I know I shouldn’t have but like I said, it takes a lot of mistakes to find yourself. When I got my final grades back, I wasn’t shocked at all but it showed me that I need to focus. That’s the plan for 2018. FOCUS and trust the process. This semester gave me a much-needed wake up call. 

“Friends” came next. Are they really friends though fam? I realized that over the years, I’ve allowed people to take advantage of my kindness and use it as a weakness. I saw that I was running myself ragged for people who would not do that for me. I saw that people were taking my ideas and running with them, people were asking me for ridiculous favors because they knew I wouldn’t say no, it was just a mess because I didn’t see the problem until it was too late. I kept on pushing things to the side and not saying anything about them because I thought I was just being a good friend. I urge you all not to do that. Make 2018 yours. Don’t allow anyone to step in and take advantage of you. No matter what, you come first. Take care of yourself first, everybody else comes after. It takes a toll on your sanity after a while.  Do not allow people to do that to you. Stand up for yourself and make your strengths known. DO NOT LET PEOPLE WALK ALL OVER YOU IN 2018!

Here’s the big one, my personal image. I’ve had countless people rudely remind me of the weight that I’ve gained over the years. Whether it was family, friends or strangers, it bothered me to my core. I know how much weight I’ve gained, I live with it everyday. It was like no matter where I turned, I had people telling me to lose weight throughout the entirety of 2017. It fueled some rage inside of me that I did not know I had. I was just so angry last year. Everything bothered me and I figured out the reason why. It’s because I let people get inside my head and push me to where I did not need to be. So I took it upon myself to make a few changes this year. Just wait on them, I’m not disclosing that information in this post. Check the next one (lol). 

So, now I’ll go on to tell you all some of the things I used to cope because I don’t want to rant today about negatives, it’s a new year. POSITIVE VIBES ONLY. 

1. I started my blog last year as an outlet for my thoughts and to share a few tips and tricks that I know people can benefit from but by the end of the year I was dissatisfied with where it was. So I decided to spruce it up a bit. I sat for hours thinking about what I could do to successfully brand myself and leave an unforgettable image in people’s heads as to what PersonallyPetes actually is and what I set out to do. I decided to have my logo created. I asked around on Facebook and one of my aunties suggested someone she knew and from there, my dreams skyrocketed. We worked together for a couple of days until he came up with the beauty that I have on my site now. (thank you Eric, you turned my dream into a reality). Now, I have my logo and I’m more than certain y’all won’t forget it.
2. I started a positive energy wall in my room. I stuck a couple of post its to my wall with a few gentle reminders to myself that I don’t have to prove myself to anyone. I just have to live my life knowing that I can be happy doing things for my own benefit.
3. In light of the positive energy wall, I made a vow to myself that no matter what happens in 2018, it is my year to work on me and my passions. No more putting them on the back burner.
4. I promised myself to post at least once a week (don’t crucify me if I don’t, a girl’s got work and school now).  
5. I started reflecting on the things that go right instead of dwelling on all that went wrong. 
6. I bought adult coloring books and enough gel pens to fill a shoe box and I started coloring. This was late in the year but I’ve realized that it keeps me zen. Try it. 
7. I am going to exercise (ya mofos happy now?) y’all can stop telling me about my weight gain now. It’ll keep me healthy and anger free. I plan on running every morning as long as it’s not raining because it rains a lot here in Florida. 
8. I started keeping things to myself (like what my logo would look like). I realized that not everyone needs to know my every move, especially when it comes to my blog and my photography. 
9. I smiled more and will continue to smile. Smiling makes you age gracefully. 
10. I remained humble and trusted God. 

Moral of the story here folks, make 2018 all about YOU. Find yourself and level up on the naysayers and also remember…

Life’s a trip, just hang on for the ride! 

 

 

 

“Big Things Soon Come”

 

What’s up y’all? It’s been a while, but I’m back and have something extra special for y’all! For those of you who don’t know him, I’ll be introducing you to an immensely talented young man who never ceases to amaze me and for those of you who do know him; you’ll enjoy this just the same.

WhoIsAriel is an artist who hails from Elmont, NY and continuously churns out hit after hit. I had the opportunity of meeting him when I transferred to the City College of New York in 2015. Since then he has worked on numerous projects, one of which I have played so many times that I know the lyrics by heart. I haven’t quite figured who he sounds like in regards to flow as yet but when you check him out, leave me a comment, let me know and maybe we can debate about it. He doesn’t just write, perform and produce his own music, he dabbles in photography and graphic design as well.

Let’s get into it!

For the two years that I’ve known Ariel, his witty sense of humor and fun personality makes listening to his music that much more enjoyable. He’s never without a smile on his face unless he’s working hard on something, be it school work or another project for the masses. He makes sure that his music is heard and received well by dedicating a painstaking amount of hours to his craft. Passionate is an understatement when it comes to describing how Ariel feels about his music and artistry. I asked him a few questions in order to let you all experience his amazing energy that I’ve come to vibe with over the years.

I started off the interview by asking the infamous question, “what were your expectations upon entering the industry?” He led with an answer that is not only truthful but I completely understand and relate to it when I think about my blogs and anything else I’ve set out to do.

“I didn’t have much expectations because honestly, I didn’t know what to expect. I just knew I wanted to make music.”

When you know, you just know. Especially when it comes to something that you’re passionate about. Commitment is the next big aspect when it comes to procuring art. I know that Ariel is beyond committed. He doesn’t sleep when it comes to the music.

“I don’t sleep, at least not when I should be.  When I’m locked in on a project I’m working around the clock really.”

If that isn’t dedication and commitment then I really don’t know what is. I fall asleep on homework much less writing and producing music. SB: I actually fall asleep quite often LOL. Anyways, this just goes to show that you have to spend time on what you love in order for it to be what you’re expecting and much more. Time is a critical factor in making anything worthwhile and Ariel knows that. He spends time making sure that everything is pieced together in just the right order. It works too, because I personally only listen to music if I like the way it’s composed. He provides satisfaction with his work. With the hiphop we’ve been subjected to these days, it’s refreshing to know that we have somebody like Ariel who doesn’t necessarily subject himself to the popular societal beliefs of what music should sound like. He treats it as an art, he makes it personal. I asked what makes him different and I was pleasantly surprised with the answer.

“What makes me different is I don’t try to be anyone else.  I make all my own beats, write my own lyrics and I have an open mind. I also like to connect with fans and supporters personally, I keep in contact with them so it’s not hard to reach me. Since I make music that’s real to them I feel it’s important for them to know I’m a real person too.”

Moral of the story, be yourself. Individuality goes a long way when it comes to music or art in general, it makes you stand out in the sea of millions of artists out there. It allows you to create a name for yourself, no one confuses you with the any other rapper/singer/songwriter etc. Ariel uses his music and his sound to generate positivity, both for himself and those around him. His music not only creates an artistic outlet for him, but he is able to “vibe” with his friends, create different sounds for his clients and relate to his fans.

Music is a full-time job and it can affect your life either positively or negatively because people tend to not understand the reasons behind why you do what you do. I asked Ariel his take on this.

“I was hesitant to make music at first because I didn’t want to be seen as just another rapper since it seemed everyone at that point was a “rapper”.  In my personal life I feel it made the bonds I have with people stronger but also some others weaker. People go different directions and you’re going to outgrow them but it’s not a loss if they’re not helping you gain or adding value to your life. Sometimes it’s not you who’s become distant but they just distanced themselves while you did your thing. But I feel the people I value also value me and the people around me respect what I do so there’s definitely a growing love and support.”

Who wouldn’t be hesitant in a world full of so many critics, it’s really just up to the artist to filter out the negativity and push forward in their craft. I’ve personally seen that with Ariel. Although he may take some constructive criticism and improve, he doesn’t focus on the naysayers. It’s good to prove people wrong and show them that you are more than capable of success even if isn’t as quick as they want it to be. It’s all about you and perfecting your craft. Ariel embodies this, he makes sure to stay focused and keep his eyes on the prize. It isn’t all about music for him though, he has his sights set on a greater purpose.

“I feel the music has given me a greater purpose. Now people are inspired by me, I have people who look up to me, so now I’ve become influential.  That influence is only going to expand to a larger scale and I just hope I can change people’s lives for the better.  Music is powerful and I learned that through firsthand experience because even at my lowest points in life I listened to music. It’s the music that would switch things around for me and have a positive impact. I want my music to do for people what hip hop has done for me.”

Ariel’s artistry shows that he is on a mission to leave a lasting impact on the people who experience it. Every song on The Golden Tape and his more recently released mixtape Zoose tell a different story. Although this is true, they all come together to paint a bigger picture and allow the listener to visualize what the message is. The songs tell the story of WhoIsAriel and how he puts his all into his music and all the inspirations he draws from to put together these timeless classics. You can tell that he takes his work seriously and takes time to think about the formulation of every beat drop, the premeditation of his lyrics and how each verse will make you feel as you listen. For me, I listen with intent and purpose whenever I hear one of my favorite tracks and think “ooh yes, this is a bop.” I actually have a few favorites but I’ll let you guys decide on your own. Remember I said in the beginning that I know some of them word for word, well I wasn’t joking. Whenever Ariel would perform at our school, I’d literally be on the side of the stage rapping like if I wrote it. That’s what good music does to you. It allows you to feel the emotion and lose yourself in it. As the late great Bob Marley would say “one good thing about music, when it hits you feel no pain.” I’d like to thank Ariel for allowing me to be exposed to a new sound and for me to be able to say I know a rapper. He makes me proud to know him and his artistry. His purpose is being fulfilled and I have no doubt in my mind that success is imminent. It takes time to master a craft and Ariel is well on his way to mastery. Hands down, I’d have to say he is one of my favorite artists outside of mainstream hip hop. Take a listen and I’m sure you’ll feel the same.

“The best advice I can give to young people is to stay true to yourself. You shouldn’t have to change who you are to satisfy someone else or become successful.  You got to understand what’s important to you, prioritize, set goals, and execute.  And always spread love and positivity because that’s the type of energy that’s going to push you forward.”

You heard the man, spread love and positivity fam and remember…

Life’s a trip, so hang on for the ride!

P.S. You can find WhoIsAriel on Instagram, Soundcloud, Facebook, Twitter, Spotify, Apple Music and his own personal website WhoIsAriel.

You can also listen to his new mixtape Zoose right here. Let us know what you think!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BXGe8mXDw5N/?taken-by=whoisariel_

 

1576 Miles

Wah gwaan family?

Petes here, and I’ll be sharing a few tips on how I survive long distance best friendship. As some of you may know, both of my best friends reside in the beautiful island of Jamaica. Now, the thought of keeping these friendships alive may be hard to fathom but we do it and we do it WELL.

Let me just give you all a little back story about both of my amazing best friends. For starters, their names are Deanna and Tianna. Coincidence much? I don’t think so.

Deanna and I became friends WAAY back in 2003 when we were in the first grade. The way we became friends is a story for the ages. Believe it or not, we were both in separate classes but somehow managed to create a bond that is indescribable. One day, my teacher didn’t come in (rare occurrence) and my class had to sit in with Deanna’s class. Now, for some reason we decided to point at each other and act like we had magical powers to freeze each other. Let me be the one to tell you that we BELIEVED it, no one could tell us differently. That’s what started our friendship. The next year we were put into the same class and the same happened for third grade as well. Fourth grade came and they tried to separate us, failed attempt. My best friend’s mom came and demanded that we were put into the same class (BIG win for us). We were an unstoppable duo to be very honest. From friendly competition to see who would get the higher average, to singing Footprints by TOK for every class party, to our birthday parties (one of which I embarassed myself so we could dance together), school trips, to hanging with the boys even though we were so ‘disgusted’ and I can’t forget when our fourth grade teacher Mrs. John-Keith would send us out to her car to get the books so we could correct our classmates’ work (they hated that). We bonded over our passion for academics at the time and our disgust with the boys in our grade. We never missed a beat.  Unfortunately, in the fourth grade I migrated to the United States but that did NOT stop our friendship from blossoming. I traveled back two years later to attend her graduation and when I left, we cried. Over the years, we kept in touch and did not skip a beat. She came to the US for my sweet sixteen and my high school graduation, I went to Jamaica for her birthday and college orientation. The continuous communication and visits helped us remain the same. Distance means nothing to us up until this day. Constant Whatsapp conversations, Snapchat chuckles and the occasional Facebook and Instagram interactions keep us going.

Now, Tianna is my rare gem. I say this because, the way we became friends was something STRAIGHT out of a movie. In 2014, I was accepted to the Howard University in Washington, D.C. (HU! You Know!). As a result, I joined the accepted students on Twitter who decided that we should all get to know each other before we get on campus. Lo and behold, Tianna was one of them. We talked every single day on Twitter until we got to Howard for move in day. I messaged her on Twitter and asked her where she was and she said, “I’m on the yard, meet me there!” Of course I went, and as I was walking across the yard looking around to see if I could find her, I saw a short girl with natural twists with the BRIGHTEST smile running towards me. We hugged and laughed as if we knew each other for the same amount of time that Deanna and I did. I knew this would be the beginning of an amazing friendship. From that day on the yard, we were basically inseparable. We went to Rep Your City together and ordered chinese food and had a long conversation in my room with our friend Kim, we had classes together (not our doing, Howard knew the deal), we went to lunch and dinner together, we slept in each others beds and the list goes on. I was her shoulder to cry on when she was homesick and she was my bright smile friend who never failed to cheer me up. We did go through some rough patches but that’s water under the bridge because she’d always come to me and say “Peta, yuh vex wid me?” and we would work it right out and go back to eating ramen on her bedroom floor or watching Golden Girls in my bed. We spent our year at Howard getting so close that it was virtually impossible to see one of us without the other. Our fun came to an end though when we both realized that Howard is not where we wanted to continue our education. She went back to Jamaica and I went home to New York. Our departure was one of the saddest days we had on campus, she left before I did and I made her promise that she wouldn’t cry, but what did she do? CRY. We spent hours on the phone during her layover for her trip back to Jamaica and a great deal more hours texting and sending each other Snapchats along the way. Three years later and we’re still doing it the exact same way. From the Whatsapp messages to when she upgraded to an iPhone and we moved over to iMessage (didn’t last long btw), the random phone calls and Facetimes. Let’s not forget how we fill each other’s phones with pictures. Just like Deanna and I, Tianna and I did not let distance get in the way of our amazing friendship.

My two friends are the definition of what best friends should be. We support each other in our low times and praise each other for our best times. We give each other meaningful advice and never forget what our friendships mean to us. My two friends are from the beginning and the end of my academic life. From Primary School to University. Who knew school would be the reason for me finding two sisters that God knew our parents couldn’t handle all at once?

Now, how do we do that you ask? I’ll tell you.

Tips to Survive Long Distance Best Friendship

1. Always keep your friendship in mind. Even if you can’t always call or text, just remember they exist at least. Remember that you have someone who will always be there for you no matter what.
2. Random acts of appreciation, be it an Instagram post, a Snapchat feature or giving physical gifts. Let your best friend know that they are appreciated.
3. Keep in contact. Send texts, call once in a while, if you have iPhones; utilize FaceTime, just do something to say “Hey, I’m alive. Are you alive too?”
4. Send pictures, pictures are VERY sentimental and can help you to feel like your friend is always there with you.
5. Try to visit each other. If at all possible, take trips together or visit each other in your home state/country.
6. Take pictures together once you’re together. This goes back to number 4. Pictures are very important, they help to create memories that you’ll share for a lifetime and also capture the joy and happiness that is radiating from your beautiful friendship.
7. LOVE and SUPPORT your bestfriend even through the distance. 
8. Do things that make each other laugh. Laughter is the best medicine and what’s better than kicking your feet up and sharing a hearty laugh with your bestfriend about something that happened ages ago?
9. Empower do not compete. It is not a competition to see who is better than the other. You’re your best friend’s biggest fan and vice versa. Just be there for them and cheer them on.
10. Be a listening ear. Although you may not live in the same place, always allow yourself to be the person who your bestfriend runs to first for advice. Listen to them carefully and be their solid foundation even when your foundation is rocky.
11. MAKE MEMORIES! Every chance you get, create memories. They last longer than anything else in your friendship. You can see it through my friendships. We have so many memories, we can open a museum.

Those are all the tips I have for you for today. I’m more than certain that they work, just look at me and my two girls. We never miss a moment or skip a beat. Once you get into a routine with your bestfriend, distance becomes a mere figment of your imagination. It becomes so small that you don’t even realize that you’re living away from each other. Even if you can’t talk all the time, you know that the next time you speak or see each other, you’ll pick up right where you left off. That’s what true friendship is.

I’ll be seeing both of my bestfriends in a couple of days and excited is not even the word. I’ll be back to update you all about our time together! So just sit back, relax and remember…

Life’s a trip, just hang on for the ride (with friends).

P.S. I’ll post a few pictures of me and the girls below. Hope you enjoy!

 

 

 

An Open Letter

Dear _____,

I remember you told me that nothing feels the same anymore. You feel like there’s a constant fight to stay afloat in a deep sea. A sea that is filled with darkness and despair. A sea that once you start sinking, it overpowers your efforts to rise above once more. You see that others around you are floating and ascending so gracefully while you are fighting to even keep your head above the water. So what do you do? Fight or flight? FIGHT. Try to swim. Stay afloat. Maintain your breathing and whatever you do, don’t panic because once you rise above and exit the water, it will feel magical.

In life, there are many scenarios where you can feel like you’re drowning; almost like there is no hope. You feel like that sea of desperation and inconceivable thoughts of destruction and darkness will fill your body in no time. You begin to address that you’re afraid and the panic is slowly creeping in. You feel like no matter what you do, you will sink.. Let me just be the one to tell you that your buoyancy depends on the frequency of your breathing. Just keep breathing. Slow and steady breaths, there’s no rush. You just have to stay afloat. Your life depends on it. Your life. No one else’s. Just. Yours. Don’t panic my love. Please don’t panic. With panic comes the pain of the irreparable damage that will wash over your life as you begin your descent into the sea of darkness. Just keep on breathing.

Pay close attention my dear, for this is where it gets a little more complicated. 

You’ve expressed to me that the others are effortlessly floating and ascending while you fight and fight to keep floating. Why do you think that is? My love, they focused on themselves. They were focused on their own journey, their own ascension from the cold, dark water. Now, this isn’t saying that they didn’t glance in your direction to see how your journey was going but quite frankly their main focus was their own fight. You’re not like that, I know. You always want to make sure that everyone is doing well even though you’re fighting for your life. I know it is hard to stop thinking about everyone else but it’s crucial to your departure. So, this is what I want you to do. FOCUS. Focus on you. Think of all the bountiful blessings that filled your life before you landed in this dark water. Think of all the blessings that are to come once you finally rise and soar. Think about how luminescent and lucrative your future is. Condition your mind to believe that this is just for a moment and that it will not last forever. Repeat this to yourself as you fight: “This is not my final destination, this isn’t my destiny. This is just for a season, it won’t last always. I will make it through. I will rise and I am strong enough to survive.” 

That’s all I’m leaving you with today. I’ll write to you again soon. So remember, please remember…

Life’s a trip, just hang on for the ride.

Sincerely, 

PersonallyPetes ❤

 

 

 

 

 

 

Through my Lens

Hey guys!

I’m back, with spectacular news. Remember how last post I let you know how I felt and that I felt like I was losing my spark? Well, here’s my chance to make a change. I took a trip to NYC this weekend (exciting!) and my grandpa handed over his Canon and let me know that now it’s mine. That was my cue to revive one of my old hobbies and this time, I’ll make sure to follow through with it.

That same night, one of my friends and I went out and I decided to bring the camera to see if I still have that same creative eye and give my best friend an impromptu photoshoot. It turned out great. It showed me that I can continue to push past my discomforts and eventually get rid of my fear of failure. I shouldn’t be afraid to fail but in this world that we live in, people tend to highlight the bad instead of the good. I realize that more and more every day but I’ve decided to take back my life and spread positivity every chance I get. I’ll be going out and using my lens as a way to filter out the negative images that we’ve all gotten so used to seeing.

I’ll let you guys see the world the way I see it when I hold the camera up to my right eye and look through that lens to capture the beauty.  Whether it be the palm trees blowing in the South Florida breeze, the moonlight over the ocean, the sky as I fly from Florida to NY or the bustling streets of Manhattan, I’ll be getting it all. I just want to make sure that I stay true to something that makes me who I am and this is definitely a part of my ever developing personality.

So, take a ride with me on this wobbly bicycle called life and enjoy the scenes as I capture them and remember folks…

Life’s a trip, so hang on for the ride.

P.S. Enjoy a few of the pictures I took while in NY that will feature one of my friends, Toni. You can also find my pictures on Instagram @PersonallyPetes.

 

 

 

You are wasting your talent.

Allow me to reintroduce myself, my name is Petes.

It’s been months since I’ve written because quite frankly, I feel like I’ve lost my spark. It takes a great deal of confidence to admit that and I think this is the time for me to explain to my readers what exactly has been going on.

I initially started this blog in January, to prove to myself that my creative candle is still burning within me. Turns out, I’m not entirely sure that the flame is still flickering in the distance. I wanted this to be my outlet, my source of reassurance and I struggle daily to figure out whether or not I want to continue doing this. Life has taken me on a path that I’d never even think twice about taking but, that’s what growing up is about right? Figuring out what paths to take and what mistakes to learn from, right?

I turned 21 in February (yay!). I honestly did not have very many expectations for my 21st year of being alive. Although this is true, I decided to embark on a new endeavor but because of the person that I am, I don’t even know if I will follow through with it. I called up my mom and told her, I’m gonna become a Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA), even took the course and everything. When it came down to it, I lost my motivation. I’m still losing my motivation. I’ve signed up to take my state boards examination and as the days go by, the spark dwindles just a little bit more.

I’ve grown to realize that when I start something and once I see that I can’t master it as quickly as I want to, I set it aside. I did that with playing the violin, teaching myself piano, Calculus, photography, writing poetry, playing softball in high school and the list goes on. I want to be the best at everything that I do and as soon as I see that I’m not the best anymore, I tend to quit. I say I’m going to try harder but I don’t. It’s just the person that I am. I like things to be perfect and we don’t live in a perfect world.

We live in a world where teenagers and young adults have shattered self-esteems and broken dreams. We live in a world where those young adults with the shattered self-esteems and broken dreams become broken adults who honestly don’t know where to start. We live in a world where all of this means nothing because to our parents and their friends, we’re just not trying hard enough. We live in a world where being the best, sometimes is not even good enough. I live in that world.

I recently had someone tell me that I’m “wasting my talent.” That statement hit me the hardest, because I used to be the one that people praised for every move that I made. I used to be the student that was at the top of their class, the one who never passed up an opportunity to be a part of something greater, the one who went above and beyond the call of duty and now, I don’t even try anymore. I don’t try anymore because I am so afraid of disappointing every single person who has continuously said “I’m proud of you, keep going.” When you get so used to being the best and all of a sudden, you’re not the best anymore, it gets scary.

I am so afraid of disappointment. I am so afraid to fail. So, that’s why I haven’t been writing. That’s why I gave up on violin, that’s why I put the camera down and stopped taking pictures, that’s why I dropped my Calculus class, that’s why I tell myself I need to go to the gym and never go, that’s why I’ve become the person who people tell “you’re wasting your talent,” that’s why I have become the young adult with the shattered self-esteem and the broken dreams. I used to push myself so hard and now I barely even take a step without thinking about the worst possible outcome. It’s been so hard for me to try. It’s all because I’m afraid to fail because once I fail, people start to talk about it and then I become that adult who used to be something great and I let it slip away.

I don’t want that to happen. So, I’m going to get back on my bicycle and keep pedaling even if that bicycle is wobbly and I’m going to have to remember…

Life’s a trip, just hang on for the ride.

Personally, Petes.

 

 

 

#FollowThePinkFro

First off fam, I know I’ve been missing in action for a while but here I am and I promise this post will introduce you to the amazing works and artistry of Flash. He’s an NYC artist whose works allow me and everyone else who has ever encountered him and his art to feel a sense of peace and satisfaction.

I had the opportunity of meeting Flash when I was in high school and to be very honest I didn’t quite understand his sense of style or the reason why he painted his pieces the way he did. It took time for me to truly understand Flash because his complexity and authenticity may be overbearing for some but after having countless encounters and conversations with him, I know that Flash is beyond amazing! Over the years I grew to love and appreciate Flash as an artist and best of all, as a person.

Since I know Flash and his artistry, I thought I’d share it with you guys. Flash is the physical embodiment of positivity, love and afrocentrism and it shows through his art. Since I moved away from NYC, I wasn’t able to have a face to face convo with flash about his art but I still felt the emotion and passion through the typed words.

I asked Flash the question, “can you explain the love you have for your art? because I know you love it” and the answer that I received let me know that there are still great people left in this world and that he doesn’t do what he does just for the recognition of others. He said to me “It’s more than just images it’s communication. I love to communicate through my art. I say it all there through colors and shapes. I love seeing people, puzzled, smiling, tearing, and feeling connected to the pieces I create. I love creating using different colors to evoke different emotion from what I express to reach the lookers. It’s spiritual war zone where I’m from, everyone have their role, this is how I fight.”  It’s more than just a picture on a canvas for Flash and I knew that even before he let me know. Throughout the years of seeing him grow and improve as an artist, I know that the fight is getting harder but he refuses to let up. His determination to win this war disguises itself in the plethora of colors, shapes and shades on every single piece that he creates whether big or small.

You never know what an artist uses as an inspiration for their artistry and it amazes me and I know that life carries people on different journeys that may influence their creations. So, I continued by asking, “what inspired you to create the #followthepinkfro movement?” because I feel like Flash’s artistry is more than just visually appealing shapes and figures painted on a canvas, wall or person. Flash is doing something that not many artists have done and it makes an impression on people on a deeper level. He disagreed with me about the word movement and said, “I wouldn’t call it a movement because it’s a story that anyone can relate to. I’m not sure what to call it in place of the word movement as of yet. But I wanted a character that I am able to express through and send my messages and message I receive. I wanted a character that was versatile enough to embodied a warrior spirit and the grace like no other with a hint of chic and sass. So I designed “Oshun Kemekolah” or “Kemekolah” to put it all in to shape and form. I started this as a way to document my art journey. Meeting people, seeing things, creating things, little travels, and inspirations all make the journey greater. I thought why not record it with images and events that resonate with others who are on similar journeys. If some one follows the pink fro all they gotta do is recognize the fro lol. And go “hey I know that girl” and let whatever emotion(s) come to you when you see her that day. Through “followthepinkfro” I like to share messages on life, love, Afrocentrism, spirituality, and nature.” I personally take interest in the African Orishas and the fact that Flash chose that name for his character is one of the reasons I was initially interested in his work. He opened up my curiosity and that’s why I will continuously follow the awesomeness that is his work. Oshun speaks to me on a different level just because of her similarity to that of the African goddesses Oshun/Osun and Yemaya. Oshun is the mother of the rivers while Yemaya rules over the seas. Yemaya was said to keep the slaves safe in the ships when they traveled across the oceans and is strong and devoted. Flash’s character Oshun comes to us as a …pirate from Mozambique who helps others ships on seas She has pink hair that is magical and able to stretch and form In to many things. All of the pink ever seen in my work is a product of her hair. She likes to love, spar, dance and she loves tea. She has friends that are animals and some she created through her hair. She is a free spirited character that is strong on ideals. She reminds me of Yemaya and Oshun/Osun in more ways than one and it amazes me that Flash allows me to open my eyes to my interests in the Orishas and want to know more. His character may open your eyes to other things that you feel interested in and you will want to relate to her in some way or another.

Flash’s humility is what draws me to his work the most. He takes pride in his work but is not egoistic or self-centered, he makes it about the audience and what they feel when they come across his works. It shows through the intricacies, details and every single brush stroke. He puts his all into every piece and leaves a piece of Flash right there on the canvas. When I asked him what his favorite piece is, he let me know that he doesn’t have one. He said, my favorite piece to date ….I definitely am not able to answer that. I can say I love doing murals because it’s like a bigger battle to win. I love the challenge as a brush artist to take on the big space nothing against artists that use spray. they are a different kind of awesome. You just gotta love him.

“Is there any one person that you can say is your reason to create or is there a deeper reason?” One person???? No absolutely not. I met, sparred, cooked, play basketball, danced, sing, laugh, cry, grieved, missed, helped, been blessed by, been loved by, been cared for and etc, with so many amazing souls in my life alone. From on this journey to beyond to before the journey. Alive and passed. It’s those people that are the reason I create. I love to create internally but what keeps it fueled as my reason is all these souls. All of them make me wanna create. More and more. My nephew and his youth and growth makes me proud to create something he can see one day. I met so many souls that have passed. I grieve and allow my memory of them to be another wing on my back to aide my flight in this journey I take.

“What is your motivation to create the original pieces?” A lot. I’m a music collector so I enjoy good albums that inspire to create at times. Most of my motivation comes from the journey I’m taking to share my art. It’s a piece of me every time you see a piece. So the journey is always replenishing inspiration every time it’s needed. This showed me that the Flash that I know is an amazing artist not only because of him being a great person but because of life’s experiences and he channels those experiences and uses them to construct the pieces that all of us who know him, have come to love. His pieces stand for more than inspiration and allowing people to relate to them in my eyes, they are bits and pieces of Flash’s persona that will be frozen in history whether we know it now or not.

Flash loves animals, his favorites are wolves, birds, raccoons, and other bears and told me that “You may see them in a lot of the works I do. In my art I like to bridge a gap between the world I see and the world that exist. I have much more to show and much more to work on so more of what I see can be visible for others.” Flash is doing a wonderful job of what he set out to do. His efforts aren’t going unnoticed. So thank you Flash, for being the amazing artist and individual that I know you are. I want the world to experience your works and share them as they go along.

You know what I always say friends,

Life’s a trip, just hang on for the ride and remember to #FollowThePinkFro.

P.S. Flash says “Be the best you you can be. No matter what it is think of the best and do your best.”

 

 

 

 

Wynwood Walls

Hey Guys!

Yes, I know it’s been a while but I’ve been super busy traveling back and forth to finalize my life, lol. Well here I am, and I have some exciting things to share with you all.

Last night, I went out with one of my aunts to one of Miami’s most popular art exhibitions, Wynwood Walls. I’ve always heard so much about it and when my aunt asked me if I wanted to go, of course I said yes! This has been something that has been on my list of things to do in Florida since I heard about it. I was ridiculously excited to see what Miami’s artists had to offer. To my pleasant surprise, even the walk to the location was filled with amazing street art that I had to stop and snap pictures of.

There were so much more that I couldn’t capture but it was indeed a sight to see. I love interpreting art even though I may not always show it. I always sit back and think “what is the artist trying to tell us here?” I walked to Wynwood with an awestruck expression on my face because I couldn’t believe I was actually there.

We arrived and I instantly fell in love!

The entrance alone grabbed my attention and never once let it slip away. I walked through and I immediately saw a wall that had my FAVORITE animal painted onto it in a way that mimicked a cargo stamp. I of course took into consideration the artistic styling and coloration of the wall and connected it to Asian culture and heritage. I stood there for a while until I realized that there was so much more to see and that this particular wall was just a small pinch of the magic.

The next wall was one that my aunt told me was repainted. The image I saw was so breathtaking and full of details, I can only imagine what the original painting was like. I snapped a photo to preserve the moment and so that I could revisit the details and seek out the multiple elements that made it so great. Btw, can you spot the dog?

I could hardly wait to move throughout the exhibit and I took a photo with every step that I took (I’ll share some of them at the end of the post, I promise). It felt so great to experience something new and exciting in the city that I’ll now be calling my home. When I was living in New York, I never took advantage of some of the gems that my city had to offer so I am extremely grateful that my aunty Ava allowed me to see one of the gems of Miami.

As you guys can already tell, I love elephants and the next two walls that I saw stopped me dead in my tracks. One was of an elephant (of course) and the other of two animated characters who donned cute little outfits and I had to get in on the action lol. The elephant wall was so intricately designed and spewed creativity. I loved it! (What didn’t I love at this place though?)

I feel like I don’t even need to write anymore for you guys to understand what an amazing place this is. I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves. Don’t ever let an opportunity to experience new things pass you by. Grab hold of the reins and steer your life into whatever direction you want it to, by visiting new places and trying new things. Remember…

Life’s a trip, just hang on for the ride!

P.S.: If you’re ever in the Miami area, stop by Wynwood Walls. You won’t be disappointed.