Jeffrey Tamayo
A small space filled with love.
Photography
Shot on Sony A7vi | Sigma 24-70 Art i | Sony 135mm G Master | Sony 35mm G Master | Sony 50mm FE
Photos posted on Instagram Tuesday & Thursday
People
Places & Things
Poetry
Weekly posts - Monday
A Ticking ClockSometimes I wish I’d bought a clock with a seconds hand that clicked instead of the gliding one.
Each second - tick, tick, tick - reminding us that time doesn’t stop for anyone.Sometimes I wish I’d bought the solar powered clock instead of batteries. When the batteries die, I don’t even realize it because the seconds hand doesn’t click.Some time ago, I looked up at the clock and realized I couldn’t see some of the numbers. Each number is carved out on a black, circular foam. There are certain angles you can’t even tell the time.Some time goes by and I found myself staring at that clock. The white seconds hand continued to dance around the minute and hour hands.Sometimes there’s a semblance of age the clock shows. The seconds hand starts to lag behind the time on my watch. The battery is slowly dying. A tear warms my cheek.Sometimes I think about why I bought a clock to hang on the wall in the first place. I convinced myself a necessity. It begs a reminder.Sometimes I wish I bought a ticking clock. At least then I’d have something that’d talk.05/11/2026——-Just A DogSit. Down. Paw. No, paw. Paw!
Stubborn dog. Listen to me!
Listen to what I have to say.
Don't walk away from me!
Tug, tug, tug
This leash allows me to unleash
my frustration. Do you understand?
Of course you don't.
You're just a dog.This walk was supposed to be peaceful.
Stop looking at me that way.
It's not my fault you're not listening.
If you just listen, I wouldn't have to yell or tug your leash or...
try to control you.
But, what do you know?
You're just a dog.You don't know what I feel.
You don't understand what I say.
But, you still look at me the way you do
with your bubbly, innocent eyes.
There's no judgment nor anger
or a faint of mistrust. You wait for me to return home when I leave you alone. You look forward to it.Maybe it's not you that feels the weight or even power this leash has over you. Maybe it is I accepting I've never had control, and you are the one who is actually free.05/04/2026
Standing StrongThe stool creaks as I fidget around.
My right leg violently bouncing on the weakened foothold. The wood desperately held onto the leg of the stool with multiple nails poorly hammered in.
A single nailhead sticks out ready to attach itself to a pant leg and drop the next soul. I hope I do not forget when I stand and become its victim.The bubbles atop my beer slowly have slowly popped for over an hour
as the bartender cleans the inside of a glass.
He stares at my beer hopeful I take another sip.
His eyes look desperate almost as if his creation has gone to shit. I've insulted him without a single word.
I understand.The words I type or write or speak -
disregarded as nonsense and not of poetry. Who am I to call this art? Who am I to disrespect this man who crafted such an elegant pour? Who am I to judge this wooden stool that has felt such abuse from people like me?
Just another nail and it'll hold.
Just another beer and I will drown my sorrow.
Just another poem and I can get the fuck out of this shit hole
only to be back
tomorrow.03/05/2025
Writing
Weekly posts - Wednesday
Empathy
Boy, does the world need more empathy right now. There’s this constant pessimism that I just can’t help but feel anything other than exhausted all the time. Interestingly enough, I’m not one to believe in fate, but there are obvious coincidences. I recently attended a webinar that spoke about how thoughts impact feelings, feelings impact behavior, and behavior impacts results. Pessimism does really affect my feelings and overall mood. I become grumpy and it makes me not want to do anything. The most simplistic way of saying it is, “what’s the point?”The interesting thing about that question is it diverts from the initial result we’re looking for - empathy. We become so unempathetic with others that we eventually become unempathetic with the person we stare at in the mirror. We start to fester in our own misery and think that the world is against us. We become sadistic and are hopeful that things will get better. We start to cope in the way we cope best. The thing about hope is it’s not a strategy. Hope prompts us to wait around until someone hands us a different result. No one will be handing us a solution when the actual problem is internal. It is an existential crisis and we don’t even realize it because we’re so caught up in our pessimism. At one point, we decided that we did not deserve pockets of happiness and joy. We chose to feed on the pessimism instead of being empathetic with ourselves and others.So, how do we learn to empathize? Is that even possible? I personally believe empathy is a skill you can learn. Let’s break down the earlier lesson a bit more.Thoughts > Feelings > Behavior > ResultEmpathy would fall under the “behavior” step. However, most focus on the result first. If the result isn’t what was expected, then the reaction comes from the feeling of disappointment or even anger which leads to the behavior. If we start with the thought first, it allows us to pause and consider what may have gone wrong. This leads us to the feeling of uncertainty. The behavior thereafter is the willingness to understand. Understanding is one of the core components of empathy. Yes, results are important, but how we make someone feel is much more important. The lasting impact we have on others cannot be replaced. That’s why first impressions are uberly prioritized. There’s a level of influence we have on others to want to speak with us or even be around us.That influence is also true about ourselves. There are many self-help books and mental health has been pushed to the forefront of conversations in recent years. Each describes how we don’t even understand ourselves. Some are still living in trauma, in fear, in denial, and in doubt. Others don’t even want to think about said traumas or admit they need help. The other component of empathy stemming from this influence is love, and self-love is the most important of them all. We don’t like the person we see in the mirror because of the external influence we expose ourselves to. We’re too fat, or we have too many blemishes. We aren’t “cool enough,” or rich enough to fit in with a certain group. We are our own worst critic and we don’t allow any empathy and love for ourselves. As cliche as it is, how do we expect to care for others if we can’t even care for ourselves? Using that much energy will continue to drain us until we are stuck in a world of pessimism.So, the next time you feel pessimistic, take a step back and try to understand why. Say it out loud, and you’ll realize that hearing it may sound silly or blown out of proportion. Be kind to yourself, and you’ll find that empathy may not be as difficult as it feels.04/29/2026
Anxiety
I recently toyed with the idea of attending a SLAM Poetry event. The topic for the event was "I Got It From My Mama." I was unable to attend due to work and the inability to make it to the event on time. However, I imaged myself selected to read my poem, and immediately felt anxious even though I knew I was unable to make it. Attending social events have become uncomfortable and I've convinced myself over the years that I have stage freight. The funny thing is people categorize me as an extrovert.A while back, I was clinically diagnosed with General Anxiety Disorder. It got so bad that I decided to see a therapist. I really did enjoy my experience and it helped with my anxiety. There were two things I learned from my sessions. For one, it turns out that I'm really good at shutting off my emotions. I am able to suppress negative things, but I suppress things for so long that there is an eventual tipping point where there's more than enough baggage to experience. The second is it turns out I already had a good system for myself to work through those tipping points. I just needed the confirmation from my therapist to confidently use these systems. I didn't realize how effective they were until he pointed them out.If you're struggling with your own thoughts, I would encourage you to try therapy. Before my sessions, I didn't think it would work. I guess you can say, I wasn't a believer in the work. But, I have definitely changed my tone about the positive effects it has on your mental health. Although I find it beneficial, it is something I would push on people. You have the right to choose whether or not you need it. But, if you want to start with a system, this is what I follow when I'm having a tough time.1. Take a step back (place and/or people). Remove yourself from any stressors (i.e. leave the room you're feeling the most anxiety, excuse yourself from others, etc.).
2. Breathe. Take a moment to take some deep breaths.
3. Move. If you're frustrated, cry, yell, shake your body, go for a run, workout, stretch. Just move. If this is not possible in your setting, touch your thumb to each finger with each hand. Mix it up - skip a finger or start on opposing fingers (pointer on one hand and pinky on the other). It's to stimulate your brain and focus on something else for a moment. Exercise encourages endorphins.
4. Write. Write anything and everything. Numbers, a joke, words, phrases, what you said, what others said. Anything. Write it down. Word vomit on the page. It can be something. It can be nothing (gibberish).
5. Understand. Ask yourself why you feel this way. When did it start? Recollect to review and assess the source of the anxiety.
6. Relinquish. Don't hold it in. It's okay to feel what you do, but don't fester on the anxiety for too long. This may take a few hours, a few days, or even a few weeks to get over this hump. But, with taking a step back, controlling your breathing, moving your body, and understanding why you feel the way you do, you will be able to manage your feelings and take control of your anxiety.I hope this helps, and just know that it's okay to ask for help, too. It doesn't have to be a therapist. Be clear to whoever you ask that you are struggling. The only person judging you the most is yourself. Put your ego and pride aside for just a moment. You are human. You deserve to feel. You deserve support. You are worth someone's time if you ask for it clearly and directly - "I need help" is a good start. Be kind to yourself.P.S. I'll be sharing the poem I wrote for the event at a later time. Stay tuned.05/06/2026