Photo Essay, Photography
by William Ruben Helms

Photography: Summer in Quarantined New York Part 10

Photography: Summer in Quarantined New York Part 10

The other day, I had started to feel overwhelmingly anxious. My heart and my thoughts were racing uncontrollably and I couldn’t seem to calm myself. Because I have the comfort of a few days under my belt, I have to admit that a couple of things just hit me harder than I expected:

  • Chadwick Boseman’s tragic and unexpected death (at least to the public’s eyes). He was 43 and I turned 41 earlier back in March.
  • A dear friend and patron had a near fatal heart attack. Thankfully for her sake and that of her family’s, she’s recovering — and she’s grateful to be alive.

But as I was about to say, I had to go to the supermarket to get a few things — beer for me and some household odds and ends. Thankfully, the supermarket is a short three block walk form my apartment but I was feeling so uneasy and uncertain about it that I was about to turn back home. Somehow I managed to muscle through it and get all of the things I needed and wanted on my list without freaking out or fainting.

After putting my groceries away, I was in a desperate need for a walk although I didn’t know where exactly I was going to walk. I took my camera and my headphones with the hopes that I would see something that would capture my eye. And while I did catch some things that caught my eye, a good portion of my walk wasn’t even a walk; I wound up sitting on a park bench and listening to Slowdive‘s sublime 2017 self-titled album with my eyes closed and a gentle breeze washing over me. It was glorious and centering in a way that I hadn’t felt in some time.

There hasn’t been a Quarantine Playlist in some time, so check that out and then check out some photos below.

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I’ve been putting JOVM bumper stickers on random stuff around the neighborhood and around town — because shameless self promotion, right? So there’s this overpass bridge which crosses over the Long Island Expressway at 99th Street and Horace Harding Expressway. I placed a sticker on one end, which has managed to stay there about two months after I first put it on. But for some reason, the sticker I put on the other side of the overpass bridge has disappeared. If someone is taking them, I’d hope that they’re enjoying it or they put it on something even cooler. And if so, I’d love to see because — well, shameless self promotion. .
In any case, show the world how much you love your favorite little indie blog by buying a bumper sticker here: https://joyofviolentmovement.com/product/the-joy-of-violent-movement-sticker/
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Isn’t it fitting that this American flag is a bit tattered and dirty?
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Long Island Expressway as seen from the 99th Street overpass, looking West.
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New York’s unofficial mascot — the pigeon. Perhaps best known as the flying rat. Just out of the frame, a young boy and his mother were feeding the birds bread. Of course, I thought: “when will these little flying assholes shit over someone or something?”
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Amazingly,. despite how uncertain and bleak everything has been this year, the flowers around here have been as vibrant as ever. Sadly, they will die off as the weather gets cooler; but I might as well enjoy them for as long as I can, right?
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Foosball, Lefrak City, Corona, Queens, NYC.
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Sunset, Rego Park, Queens, NYC
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A slice of sky, parts 1 and 2.

For these photos and more, check out the Flickr set here: https://flic.kr/s/aHsmNYNS1b