A reminder..

It has been a difficult week or so. Lots of feelings - some good. some not so good. and lots of random moments.

Was feeling a bit blue yesterday. My sister was leaving town for good and I have a feeling she's not coming back. She was the one who got me down here and we had never lived in the same city after growing up until Key West. 

In the beginning, I was living with her and my cousin and they showed me the ropes. Now they are both gone and I'm still here. Felt like the end of an era.

As I was contemplating that and wondering what was next, I prepared to cross White Street and up to my daily pre-work stop to get a cafe con leche. I spotted a photographer set up right outside Sandy's.

Huh, Sandy's is doing a commercial? Cool.

Nope.

I rode up and parked next to him in my usual spot to grab coffee when he said excitedly "Wow, this is great! I was going to flag you down but you just came right over!"

He then told me his name and that he was photographing locals for a book he plans to do about Key West. He lived in Manhattan and Helsinki. Oh and partially down here too. "Would you mind if I take your picture?"

"Um, sure." I said with a grin telling him I am not the best picture taker. 

Its not totally that, its I just don't feel too comfortable in front of the camera. Or always like to be seen but I've been working on that. So what a random opportunity to work on it 15 minutes before work when I'm feeling a little lost and emotional.

We get started, he gives me direction. 

Turn your head right. Chin down. Relax your mouth. I'm trying to focus on something behind him to calm myself but the only thing I can see are swirling cars and people. Including a guy drinking coffee, sitting on a scooter watching me and chiming in on what I should be doing too. 

He was also following the photographers instructions for me even though he was standing behind him.

Posed pics have never been my forte. In between instruction I have my usual nervous fits of laugher, jumping around to help loosen me up and I follow it up with breathing heavy to relax into it more.

"Do you do yoga? That sounds like yoga breathing." the photog asks.

"Why yes. Right down the street actually." I responded happily thinking of my class earlier this morning.

Snap. Snap. Snap. "Ok, I think I've got it."

We start to chatting and swap business cards. I give him one of mine as he tells me to friend him on facebook. He's setting up places all over town and I give him some suggestions on where to get some gritty photos. Don's Place would be a goldmine and I give him directions. He liked that.

Fill out and sign a release form. I check the time and yell "Oh crap! I gotta get my coffee and go to work"

As I get ready to go he mentions that Key West is such a special place. He could never do something like this in Helsinki. The reason he's doing this project is to show what kind of community exists down here. Its something rare to be found in the world these days.

I couldn't agree more. And one cafe con leche later, it was just the reminder I needed.

Thanks Key West and Curt Richter...