Rebecca A. Foster

My NYC photos video. Here are the links, they'll open the video directly: PC/Mac, click here:  Video link iPhone, click here: iPhone link . iPad, click here: iPad link . Android phone, click here: Android link . Mobile versions are about 60 MB, so might take a few minutes to load. Hope you like it.

Fabric ceiling in my study/library: Closet w/ vanity: Mural in Spanish Harlem (I think, not sure where it officially begins): George Washington Bridge: Boston:  Boston Public Library:  St. Patrick's Day in Boston:

I first became interested in Buddhism when I visited Thailand several years ago. Two of my favorite quotations from Buddha: "What we think, we become." "We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make our world." Our minds are powerful; I'm trying to be more conscious of where I direct my thoughts and energy. I have found it is easy with practice to let go of material things, but it is tempting to me to hold on to thoughts of anger and resentment; they satisfy the ego very well. My ego struggles with letting go of these things, but slowly, slowly, I am seeing the wisdom of it. It's not my job to mete out punishment for wrongdoings. When I let go, I can move forward, and as for the other person? What will be, will be. It's actually a relief it has nothing to with me and is not my responsibility. I don't "lose" when I let go. This is what I'm working on making my ego truly believe. I do be...

I've been sorting through old pictures from my travels; lots of pictures of bridges and buildings. You know those job/skill aptitude tests you can take? I always got my highest score in 'spatial relations', which I've thought is a pretty lame thing to have high skill in-- so I can figure out where things should go in space, big deal! Although it does probably explain my love of bridges, because bridges are inherently rather spatial, no? I found shots a friend had sent me of NYC bridges and other scenic shots; I won't post them here because they're not mine to post, but they still bring me so much joy. Maybe I'm austistic, y'all, and bridges are my thing? From looking at old pictures, I've noticed my perspective on what constitutes 'clean and nice and inviting' has drastically changed. For example, I took this photo in Manhattan because at the time I thought, "Wow, look at all that garbage on the street! And now I think, "Wow, ...

Breaking news: in three weeks, I'm being taken to 'China's Hawaii', an island located off the south coast of China called Hainan. Here's a picture: I know, I was surprised too! It's a gift, and I'm extremely grateful for it. And excited! We stay for a week, and I return a few days before I leave for America. I won't know what to do with all that sunshine, but I'll be nice and rested for my trip back to the U.S. Okay, a few more tidbits about my weekend trip: We visited a place with one of those swing-y bridges: I love bridges , but they also make me dizzy; when I was 15, I was hiking with my dad and fainted off the side of a foot bridge into a river. The little girls wanted to cross the bridge, so I sucked it up, grabbed their hands, and away we went. A large sign at the entrance says not to swing the bridge, but why get on a swingy bridge if you're not going to swing it? So of course, quite a few boys got on and started monkeying away. The littl...

Last night I took a boat ride up the Yangtze River. Here is a picture I took while passing underneath one of the many bridges that connect the districts (boroughs) of Chongqing.

Chongqing (pronounced 'chongching'), China: home to 32 million people (around 10 million in the city proper). The city straddles the Yangtze River, with several bridges connecting the two sides. I live in a thriving neighborhood of skyscrapers, restaurants and shops, only a few stops from the city center by metro. I look forward to exploring my new city and taking pictures along the way. And I love bridges! (These pics are not mine, they are from the city tourism site.)

Washington Heights in northern Manhattan-- I stayed with my cousin when he lived there, on 181st St. On a blog I read, someone said "COME TO WASHINGTON HEIGHTS. It's the happiest place on earth. Seriously, it's like Sesame Street, but all the muppets have weed.*" And that cracked me up, pretty much my new favorite description for WH: Sesame Street on drugs. It's a bit crazy up there, but I love it. Last time I was there, I walked from Amsterdam Ave to the George Washington Bridge (not a long walk) on 181st. I took some pictures of the GW bridge from the Washington Heights side and when I go back to NYC later this month, I was going to take pictures from the bridge itself of the Manhattan view (there's a pedestrian walkway). But then I read it's illegal to take pictures from the bridge. Homeland Security violation. Crushed. *thanks to this person for giving me permission to quote her.

1. The EMT-B class I started this week. Still a bit concerned about the time commitment (3 hour class, 3x a week) and the type of learning, which is far different than what I did for my degrees, but so far I'm really enjoying it. It ends in April and if I pass the class, I can take the licensing test to be an EMT-B in May. 2. This website featuring bridge pictures from around the world. Some stunning shots. I love bridges, love their expanse and views and the simultaneous thrill of thinking you've beaten Mother Nature at the game while hoping at that moment She doesn't decide to take it all back. Airplane crash or bridge collapse? Two of my favorite worries. But I digress. Some of these photos are spectacular. Makes me itch to takes pictures of a great bridge myself. 3. You know that moment just before a man kisses you, when he puts his hands lightly on your face, maybe holding your chin in his fingers, maybe both hands gently framing your face, maybe a soft stroke of ...

I walked across the Brooklyn Bridge in order to take pictures. You can get who-knows-how-many pics of the BB on the internet, but this was my eye, my camera, my attempt to get a shot. (My fave setup was putting the camera flat on it's back, and using my purse makeup mirror to watch the digital screen to make sure I was centering properly. It worked pretty well and I felt like I was being clever.) I walked across at night, the weather was just chilly enough to need a jacket, and it was an invigorating experience of noise, lights and that little shaking and residual vibration of the bridge when the bigger trucks would pass by. And while my eyes searched out the Manhattan skyline it struck me: this is a really beautiful view, a really beautiful walk, and I'd like to share it with someone who also appreciates this, and the fact they appreciate it makes me like them that much more. So, Universe, I'm just putting this out there: if at all possible, someday before I die, I'd l...