ALMOST 2022

 ALMOST 2022. 

Three more days and we will be saying goodbye to 2021.  What a year it has been. 

My year has been NON-STOP.

After not working for thirteen months due to COVID-19. I returned to work in April. 

Just want to keep things real. 

WE ARE STILL IN LIVING WITH COVID. 

Cases are on the rise. 

Some places in the world they are seeing the HIGHEST CASES since the beginning of the PANDEMIC. We are seeing an increase in cases because there has been mixed messages since the very beginning. 

I am convinced that whoever is responsible for the past two years needs more people to die. I believe this was and is  INTENTIONAL. 

With the holidays more and more are turning up positive because of family gatherings and people wanting to get back to some sort of normalcy. People have let their guard down. THIS IS A GLOBAL PANDEMIC yet we are letting cities,states, counties, countries, businesses decide how they are going to handle all of this.  So many people are getting sick and dying unnecessarily. IT IS TRAGIC & PREVENTABLE.

I right now have three family members who are Covid positive and are now sick. 

As of today Worldwide cases are 281 Million that is almost if every single person in America were positive. CRAZY. 

Worldwide deaths is 5.41 Million. That is a lot of people. 

Here is America we are at 52.9 Million with almost 820 Thousand lives lost. In America today they are reporting 543 Thousand new cases.......They are saying by NYE will will be at 1 Million cases a day just here in AMERICA. WTF.

JUST TRYING TO KEEP IT REAL. We are nowhere near the end of this PANDEMIC. 

Through all of this and all the personal loss this year. As of today 12/28 I have personally known/lost 16 people. WOW. 

That being said. What I have taken from all the world's craziness and loss. I have chosen to just continue to live my life. LIFE IS PRECIOUS. TIME IS RUNNING OUT FOR ALL OF US. WE MUST LIVE LIFE NOW. THAT IS ALL WE HAVE. 

Take nothing for granted. If anything that I have learned from these CRAZY TIMES. 

Whatever you want to do. DO IT. DO NOT WAIT.  I am hoping and trusting that 2022 will be a better year. So I will continue to do what feeds my soul........That is PHOTOGRAPHY & TRAVEL. 

I need to do both of those things to keep MENTALLY WELL.  LOTS OF SELFCARE. WE MUST TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES AND EACH OTHER.  BE KIND, BE LOVING, BE PRESENT.

Last year I began the year in North Carolina with a friend who is now a former friend. LIFE HAPPENS. It is important to know when relationships become toxic. The older I get it is so much easier to recognize and walk away rather that stay in a bad situation that does not serve your greater good.  

From North Carolina I had to Charleston. I decided to hangout in Charleston for about six weeks. Beautiful city, but like all of the other cities I tried. Unfortunately last year it was difficult to get a feel for any city as a possible new location for me with no city being fully operational. BUMMER. 

I bounced all over the country in search of what was going to be my new homebase. Atlanta was on the shortlist for the simple reason I know a fair amount of friends from LA who are now based in Atlanta, plus if I decided to pursue my acting again there are opportunities in ATLANTA.  My contacts in Atlanta advised me to continue to travel and check back in a year.  That was a year ago this week. WOW.

From Atlanta I made my way north with a stop in York Pennsylvania before heading back to the hometown for what was shy of a month. Which is about my limit being back in the hometown. Always great catching up with everyone. But not where I belong...STILL TRYING TO FIGURE THAT ONE OUT. 

While back visiting I received a call to go back out to Utah to work. I decided to drive cross country YET AGAIN. There was still so much to see and do in Utah. What a gorgeous state. So I accepted a job in Kanab and worked and EXPLORED for six months until the beginning of October when I decided to drive cross country again. The nice thing about this trip was I would being traveling with my good friend Tomas on a cross country trip showing him this beautiful country heading all the way back to New York. 

I picked him up in Vegas where we hung out for a couple days and explored the Whole Strip and Downtown. Was so great having someone to roadtrip with. Everything was a first for Tomas. For me I have made the trip so many times but did manage to have a few firsts myself.

My goal was to catch the change of seasons all the way across the country. It was a SUCCESS.

Vegas, Zion, Moab, Frisco, Denver, Iowa, Chicago, Niagara Falls, Hometown, Vermont, Jersey Shore and NYC.  FANTASTIC TRIP. 

After Tomas left, I stayed for two days before UNPACKING & REPACKING to now head south. So I heading to Shenandoah to finish out the season with them. Got to spend what I believe is the best 5-6 weeks witnessing the change of season.  Beautiful time of year to be there. 

I am now getting ready  to close out 2021 and welcome 2022 back here on Useppa Island. Feels good to be back reconnect with former coworkers and friends and get reacquainted with the homeowners who are just some of the loveliest people that i have met on all of my travels.

I am grateful to have the opportunity to live here and work on a private island. LIFE IS GOOD.

I am hoping that life finds a NEW NORMAL and people can get back to LIVING. 

TIME DOES NOT STOP.  NEITHER CAN YOU. LIVE FULL OUT. 

MUCH LOVE,

WHERE IS JOE? 

STAY TUNED.

HAPPY NEW YEAR. 2022 WILL BE THE YEAR YOU CHOOSE IT TO BE. MAKE IT A GREAT ONE. PEACE & LOVE

LOOK FOR THE LIGHT. IT SHINES EVEN IN THE DARK. 

TRUST. 

TIL DEATH DO US PART

 TIL DEATH DO US PART.

November 13, 2021 was that day.

The end of a beautiful LOVE STORY. 75 PLUS YEARS.

The call came around 5 pm, when mom had to deliver the news that her sister and my aunt and godmother Teresa had passed.

Very difficult loss for the family.

Fortunately I was was back in the area for a short visit before heading to both Virginia and Florida for my next jobs.

I am so GRATEFUL that I was able to get a few visits in with Aunt Teresa and Uncle John. 

What turns out to have been my final visit was a great day spent with mom, uncle Ang at the house. 

It really was such a nice visit. A GOOD DAY.

Upon leaving and saying goodbye, in the back of my mind I was thinking that it was more than likely be my last time seeing them alive. SAD.

When I left I gave Aunt Teresa a hug and a kiss. I told her I loved her and would see her again soon. 

She said the same.  Unfortunately that would not be the case.

The day I left, she fell and within three weeks she would be gone. Very hard to be away and get that call. 

Mom and my sister Jennifer were by her side while she took her last breath. 

From being with my grandmother while she took her last breath I know what and honor it is to be allowed to be present for a loved ones transition. What a GIFT for both parties. 

A few days before transitioning Aunt Teresa kept saying she was seeing and talking to momma. Her and my mother's mother and my grandmother.

I said to my mother that it was my grandmother who was there letting my Aunt know that all would be ok and she could let go. My grandmother was there to reunite my Aunt with all of our family members who have gone before us.

Aunt Teresa has for the past six plus years been taking care of Uncle John who has been bedridden with lyme disease.

75 PLUS YEARS. IN SICKNESS AND IN HEALTH TIL DEATH DO US PART.

They survived the loss of two of their three sons. 

I believe the final act in their love story was for Uncle John to hold on long enough so Aunt Teresa would not have to suffer the loss of yet another loved one.

SAD YET BEAUTIFUL.

Honestly I am surprised Uncle John is still hanging on at 98 years old. 

The two of the m will be sorely missed. Uncle John I know that you are more than ready. I wish you a peaceful transition when the time comes.

Please give Aunt Teresa a big hug and a kiss from me. 

Aunt Teresa was my godmother. We are very similar in a lot of ways. We are both sensitive artists who care for others. Sometimes to deeply.

Mom got to be there and take care of her sister and was gifted quality time,precious moments that are often missed because life is so busy.

They gave each other a GIFT. This was a gift you can not put a price on. JUST PRICELESS. 

I know that you are reacquainted with the family. That brings me comfort. 

I also find comfort that we did not have to witness you failing to the point where you did not remember anyone. Thank you for that gift.

REST WELL. I LOVE YOU. WE ALL MISS YOU.

Teresa Zullo 11/13/21

Your sun has set for the final time. You will always shine in all the lives you have touched. 

ENDINGS & more GOODBYES.

 ENDINGS & more GOODBYES.

So 2021 is rapidly coming to a CLOSE. Oh boy what a year it has been.

GROWTH, LESSONS, ACCEPTANCE & SURRENDER.

After wrapping 2020 which was NO EASY TASK. with the appearance and devastation of navigating the World during a GLOBAL PANDEMIC.

The whole world was left with the uncertainty of what this was and how we would move forward & SURVIVE.

MANY DID NOT. What is so unfortunate about that was it was so UNNECESSARY & TOTALLY AVOIDABLE.

LIES & WRONG ACTION CAUSED MANY FAMILIES TO BE WITH THEIR LOVED ONES DURING THIS TIME. 

FOREVER GONE. Many got no closure. This pandemic has changed our lives FOREVER & how we move forward is a day to day learning process.

Mask & Vaccine mandates have and are being put in place. Companies are firing employees in record  numbers. 

Business are closing that have not been able to survive these CRAZY TIMES with MIXED MESSAGING.

Industries are being DEVASTATED.

New variants are are appearing regularly with new CHALLENGES.

Cases in some parts of the World are the HIGHEST they have been since the beginning of this WORLD ALTERING EVENT.

I was recently speaking to someone, who through our conversation referred to the pandemic as THE PLANDEMIC. First time I have heard it called that. I FEEL THE SAME.

I believe this was intentionally put into the world for POPULATION CONTROL.

The numbers currently as of this entry are 

268 MILLION CASES WORLD WIDE -5.28 MILLION DEATHS

49.5 MILLION CASES USA-792 THOUSAND DEATHS

That is A LOT OF BEAUTIFUL BEINGS NO LONGER HERE. IT IS SAD.

 I know many who have been diagnosed and battling and  a number who have not survived.

I think more than THE PLANDEMIC

 What the number one killer during this time is, FEAR & IGNORANCE. The level of STUPIDITY that exits in the World is MIND BOGGLING.

I hope as we move into the new year people WAKE UP. 

My wish for everyone is to become ENLIGHTENED.

This year has been a year of SO MUCH LOSS.  At the time of this writing for me personally 14. 

The past five weeks there have been 6 family,friends and co-workers who have passed.  Wishing you all beautiful new adventures. 

See you all on the other side.

Mark, Vesta, Mr, Lintinsky, Mr, Yager, Mr Shoemaker, & My Godmother Aunt Teresa

Sending my condolences to all of your loved ones....REST WELL.

I am a lover of trees.....They represent strength and growth which during these uncertain time there is definitely room to realize how STRONG WE ARE. Also in the dark of night which seems to be what these challenging time are there is ALWAYS LIGHT. It may be dim at times but it will again shine bright. WE MUST BELIEVE & TRUST.