New Moon

I haven’t taken proper outfit photos in a long time. It felt so fun to play dress up and snap these. I have been so immersed in my YouTube world, photo has taken a backseat. Even my Street Style Strolls have been few and far between. I had physical therapy today, my second session at a new place. I really like my PT girl and she gave me a show recommendation today about a bunch of gay pirates??! I am gearing up for grad school which will begin in just over a month. I’ve been trying to coordinate a time to meet with my advisor in-person to sort through any of my enrollment and financial aid questions. I’m hoping I can meet with her today. The kids I babysit for are in the process of applying to private schools for next year so this week has been a bit different than most. Also, Liv and I have been receiving a lot of mystery packages this week and then they reappear wrapped under the ‘tree.’ Liv wrapped my giant monstera plant in Christmas lights yesterday. I thought I bought some silver wrapping paper but this morning I discovered it is clear while trying to wrap the most recent package arrival. I’ve got to remember to grab a new roll on my way home.

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Faz muito tempo que não tiro fotos de roupas adequadas. Foi tão divertido brincar de vestir e tirar isso. Estive tão imerso no meu mundo do YouTube que as fotos ficaram em segundo plano. Até meus passeios de estilo de rua têm sido poucos e raros. Fiz fisioterapia hoje, minha segunda sessão em um local novo. Eu gosto muito da minha PT e ela me deu uma recomendação de programa hoje sobre um bando de piratas gays??! Estou me preparando para a pós-graduação, que começará em pouco mais de um mês. Tenho tentado marcar um horário para me encontrar pessoalmente com meu orientador para resolver qualquer uma das minhas dúvidas sobre inscrição e ajuda financeira. Espero poder me encontrar com ela hoje. As crianças de quem sou babá estão em processo de inscrição em escolas particulares para o próximo ano, então esta semana foi um pouco diferente da maioria. Além disso, Liv e eu temos recebido muitos pacotes misteriosos esta semana e então eles reaparecem embrulhados debaixo da ‘árvore’. Liv embrulhou minha planta monstera gigante com luzes de Natal ontem. Pensei ter comprado papel de embrulho prateado, mas esta manhã descobri que está claro ao tentar embrulhar o pacote mais recente que chegou. Preciso me lembrar de pegar um pãozinho novo no caminho para casa.

xoxo

Mariamma

Fall 2021 Mood Board

Hello my loves. I have been very MIA on here, admittedly. I have been busy and have some fun things in the works. I knew that creating videos would add a new component to my creative cycles, and as predicted, it has taken some of the place of my photo adventures. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and I am hoping to not be working and instead to be bringing my camera along to capture the friends, food and festivities. I am scheduled to work but submitted a request for the day off. Fingers crossed that it gets granted! I will be going home to California for a bit next month as well and am looking forward to creating both photo and video content there. It will be so nice to have a whole week off! I get to see some of my favorite people and wander around in nature. A much needed reprieve from my stimulating city life. I think back to my Part 2 Puerto Vallarta vlog where I talk about how that vacation was just icing on the cake rather than a much-needed getaway. It seems cute now, from the future that has been so crazy busy. Puerto Vallarta Mariamma was right at the tipping point when work really started to ramp up. This time of year is always interesting. It feels like we’re wrapping the year up, pondering the events and changes we’ve experienced since the last round of holidays. I hope it’s been a good year for you and I hope you can take some time to reflect and be grateful for all the blessings, whether they be big or small. Much love to you and yours.

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Olá meus amores. Tenho estado muito desaparecido aqui, admito. Tenho estado ocupado e tenho algumas coisas divertidas em andamento. Eu sabia que a criação de vídeos acrescentaria um novo componente aos meus ciclos criativos e, como previsto, ocupou um pouco do lugar das minhas aventuras fotográficas. Amanhã é Dia de Ação de Graças e espero não trabalhar e, em vez disso, levar minha câmera para capturar os amigos, a comida e as festividades. Estou escalado para trabalhar, mas enviei um pedido de folga. Dedos cruzados para que seja concedido! Eu estarei indo para casa na Califórnia por um pouco no próximo mês também e estou ansioso para criar conteúdo de foto e vídeo lá. Vai ser tão bom ter uma semana inteira de folga! Posso ver algumas das minhas pessoas favoritas e passear pela natureza. Um alívio muito necessário da minha estimulante vida na cidade. Lembro-me de meu vlog da Parte 2 de Puerto Vallarta, onde falo sobre como aquelas férias foram apenas a cereja do bolo, em vez de uma escapadela muito necessária. Parece fofo agora, do futuro que tem estado tão ocupado. Puerto Vallarta Mariamma estava bem no ponto crítico quando o trabalho realmente começou a aumentar. Esta época do ano é sempre interessante. Parece que estamos encerrando o ano, refletindo sobre os eventos e mudanças que vivenciamos desde o último feriado. Espero que tenha sido um bom ano para você e espero que você possa reservar algum tempo para refletir e ser grato por todas as bênçãos, sejam elas grandes ou pequenas. Muito amor para você e sua família.

Sunlit Swoop

A poem I wrote in 2017:

Peering into me like a clear river pool, 

I shift and blur along the surface, 

But remain crisp and bright along the stony bottom

Feelings glide along me, 

Touching my skin, skipping along my surface

Sliding past, intangible for now 

Eventually they’ll be sucked inward with a sigh 

And join the rest beneath my dancing current

Sorted internally by the seemingly random sway

There they go

Happiness 

Bliss

Utter confusion

And most commonly: 

A medley, 

A rainbow that mixes into brown 

And paints my pin-straight hair

This factory is hard at work,

Gears churning, 

Mind working, 

Heart sitting and watching in amusement 

The casual boss that doesn’t know why I ever fret 

My connection to the stars, pulsating within me 

A constant and catchy beat 

My heart knows the crinkle in my nose, 

The deep sigh

She knows my confusion before I’m confused 

So,

She shines a light that trickles and shimmers into my bloodstream

Iridescent hope and security, 

Tangible but illusive

She knows the river bend, the sunlit sky

She knows the eagle’s swoop

<3

Mariamma

Just a Thursday

Thursday thoughts: I went through quite an identity shift this summer. People who are getting to know me now - as opposed to a year and a half ago when I moved down to LA - see me in ways I have never been seen before. I think being humbled by life events during my first year in Southern California has made me so much stronger, more decisive, more communicative, more happy! Having this new part of me at the forefront makes navigating through each day an adventure. I pleasantly surprise myself constantly. I am very aware of myself. This is such a relief after having jobs and relationships that encouraged or required a certain numbing of my soul. I feel alive. I feel like me. I feel like I can take a breath and there's no rush to exhale. I can just exist as I am. Isn't it silly that we don't always feel like that? I knew I'd get here, and I am so glad I was right.

Love

Mariamma

Le Pastel

velvet shift dress - lulus.com | faux fur jacket - urban outfitters

Hello hello little stranger. I am currently lounging in bed. Today is my Sunday night so to speak and it's been a very lovely 'weekend.' I've been conspiring with a few friends to go on a little getaway. One of my college roommates that I lived with in the dorms is getting her Ph.D. in Santa Barbara and we may have a little reunion next month, plus my friend Lauren in San Diego has a birthday coming up so I may head down there as well. I've had quite a strong travel bug lately and I need an adventure! I finally invested in a 50mm 1.4 lens and I'm obsessed. I just need a smaller case so I can bring my camera everywhere without having to worry too much. I also reinvested in Lightroom and Photoshop and have been having so much fun teaching myself new - more professional - ways of editing. It's a whole new world! 

Hope you're happy. 

xx 

Mariamma

Gypsy Summer

Jacket - Zara | Swimsuit - Myra Swim | Choker - Lulus

Yup, a little sneak preview of the new place! I have been without internet this week (it's getting installed on Friday!) so I've been exploring the local coffee shop scene and renting movies to watch while I unpack. Today the maintenance guy fixed my closet bar so I can finally hang up my dresses. I now have two whole closets and I honestly don't know how I fit all these clothes in just one. I have SO many clothes and shoes. Not complaining but damn is it a bitch to move it all and reorganize! I've been traveling around all summer and living out of a suitcase so it's been like Xmas discovering all the things I've missed wearing and looking at. My place feels amazing. I think I am appreciative of what I have in a bigger and deeper way than ever before. Crazy how the universe just finds a way to teach you exactly what you need to understand.

Good omen update: when I was driving the Uhaul to my place for the first time, a monarch butterfly flew up the hood and then up the windshield. My family's Native culture believes that monarchs are a powerful sign of good luck, and I'd say so. I'm used to feeling lucky but these last few months put that in check a little bit. I think it's made me grateful for the good things rather than just expecting them. I didn't realize how entitled that expectation is/was until now. I'm glad for the lesson(s).

Gratefully yours, 

Mariamma

Zavala Wedding

What an awesome weekend! I got to go home to Northern California for my dear friends' wedding. It was an absolutely magical evening. Weddings are always happy and fun, but this one was especially beautiful. Oh how I love love! I was so happy to see all my friends and spend the night dancing away under the oaks and the ridge. And of course, there were lots of funny occurrences that made reminiscing this morning at brunch quite fun. That being said, I need to go to sleep because I didn't do much relaxing this weekend and I've got to get up early mañana.

Congratulations Shaylyn & Zane! 

xo

Mariamma