Here's the rub, I've been painting nails for over 10 years, Women & Men. I am not a beautician, nor have never claimed to be. My retouchers abhor it. Truth is, for better or worse, the camera captures everything in my photographs. Five o'clock shadow at 2pm, cracked hands from sun tanning, flyaway hair, subtle stubble everywhere, that broken nose scar from when you were checked on the ice, that time the curling iron got to hot and burnt your hair...last week.

A friend of mine recently posted on Facebook a picture of the West Village on a Saturday night. It was a long, narrow look down Christopher Street. What would in any other year be a bustling, raging party was a completely deserted, dreary wasteland, looking like something out of “I Am Legend” without the dog. There was nary a drag queen or topless NYU student in sight. As I robotically scrolled through the comments waiting for my laundry to finish drying, I had to rub my eyes and reread them since the majority looked something like this (and no, I’m not kidding)

We tend to be addicted to phones and technology. During the lockdown, when you cannot socialize in an ordinary way, the news, social media, and your phone become your means of communication with the outside world. I see much danger and risk in that. Smartphones are meant to be addictive, and that can become what you are holding on to mentally. When you are able to cut those, then you are left with yourself. Finding comfort in that was the most challenging part for me. I do believe that is one way to see a change within yourself. Marco said, "You cannot control the outside, but you can control the inside." Often, we try to control all aspects of our lives, yet we forget to look inward and see what is inside us. Sometimes I would cry during meditation, and it is overwhelming, but I force myself to sit down in silence. Then I start to feel the sadness shift to something different. I found peace within myself.