Brandon Stanton's Blog, page 475

Epic acts of kindness, HONY book edition:BrandonMy best...

Epic acts of kindness, HONY book edition:

Brandon

My best friend waited for three hours at your book signing to get me a copy of your book. I saw her post that she was there and commented on how jealous I was. How surprised was I to come home from another exhausting 15 hour day to find a package waiting for me. This was inside…

-Angela Chow

Sacramento, California

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AMAZON: http://amzn.to/10sbtW5

BARNES AND NOBLE: http://bit.ly/16SycBf

INDIEBOUND: http://bit.ly/191EZLF

"This exercise involves breathing in the heart, expanding the...

"This exercise involves breathing in the heart, expanding the breath into the stomach, and imagining and feeling warmth and positivity in all directions."

“So how many of those steps did you manage to accomplish before I walked up?”

“Oh, I was there.”

"Here, if you work, you get money. In my country, you...

"Here, if you work, you get money. In my country, you work— no money."

Today in microfashion…

Today in microfashion…

"English is a very precise language. I like to use it when...

"English is a very precise language. I like to use it when I’m describing technical things. But when I’m talking about my feelings, I find it easier to use Spanish."
"Why is Spanish best for describing feelings?"
"Latin people have a lot of feelings. So they have a lot of words to describe them."

I was photographing in Penn Station late last night when I heard...

I was photographing in Penn Station late last night when I heard screaming and loud music. A huge crowd of people came around the corner. Everyone was dressed in costumes and bright colors. One dude was dressed as a rabbit. Another had a giant, flashing, neon sword. Everyone was laughing, dancing, and singing, as very loud dance music blared from a portable sound system.

“This is a new type of dance party!” someone shouted into a microphone, “Join us!” The participants fanned out through the station, encouraging onlookers to join them. “Don’t just stand there!” said the man with the microphone, “This works better if everyone is dancing!”

I approached two participants along the edge of the crowd.

“What is this?” I asked.

“We’re not exactly sure,” they answered. “We joined two hours ago, and still haven’t quite figured it out.” After a few more minutes of dancing in Penn Station, the dance party moved on, heading for another location…

"I like to play it cool."“How do you do...

"I like to play it cool."

“How do you do that?”

“Do as little as possible. Just hang back and assess the situation. Cause once you commit, you’re out there.”

I struck up a conversation with him, and he casually mentioned...

I struck up a conversation with him, and he casually mentioned that he was having trouble adjusting to Columbia, due to his “previous situation.” So I asked him to elaborate.

"I was born in Egypt," he said. "I worked on a farm until 3rd grade with no education. I came to the US for one year, started 4th grade, but was pulled out because my father couldn’t find work and returned to Egypt for a year. The first time I went to an actual school was middle school, but the whole school was in one classroom, and I was working as a delivery boy to help the family. It was illegal for me to be working that young, but I did. When I finally got into high school, my house burned down. We moved into a Red Cross Shelter, and the only way we could live there is if we all worked as volunteers. I got through high school by watching every single video on Khan Academy, and teaching myself everything that I had missed during the last nine years. Eventually I got into Queens College. I went there for two years and I just now transferred to Columbia on a scholarship provided by the New York Housing Association for people who live in the projects. It’s intimidating, because everyone else who goes to Columbia went to the best schools, and have had the best education their entire lives."

"I’m struggling with some existential...

"I’m struggling with some existential questions."

“Like what?”

“Why am I here? Why am I doing this job? Why am I carrying these boxes? I don’t think these boxes are going to get me where I need to be.”

"I’m going to be an inventor. I already have some good...

"I’m going to be an inventor. I already have some good ideas."
"Oh yeah? What are they?"
"I had an idea for an electronic cigarette with a whatchamacallit in it that makes mist so you feel like you’re smoking but you really aren’t. And also a toothbrush where you put the toothpaste in the bottom and it comes out the top when you’re brushing."
"Those are some solid ideas. Anything else?"
"A fart gun."