Exhibition Announcement: Obsessions – Vintage Prints 1993 – 1998

exhibition announcement for tony ward photography show. Obsessions vintage prints 1993-1998

PRESS RELEASE: 

We invite you to join us for an exploration of human vulnerability and the timeless beauty of the unadorned form. “OBSESSIONS” is an ode to the human spirit, a celebration of the profound authenticity that lies with us.

For more information about this exhibit, link here: https://www.prismartsphiladelphia.com

Kitchie Ohh: Well, That’s Embarrassing

Pinup model Kitchie Ohh photographed in a bathtub wearing red lingerie
Photo: Victor Devilbliss, Copyright 2023

Text by Kitchie Ohh, Copyright 2023

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Well, Thats Embarrassing

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Several years ago, I was spending some quality time with one of my sisters, I have three, but this one’s my favorite. No, it’s not a secret. Our day brought us to the local home improvement store, specifically the outdoor landscaping section. The carts at this store are not the typical shopping cart; they’re open sided, low, and often hard to steer. As we usually do while out shopping, my sister and I wandered away from one another as things caught our respective eyes. Also, as we often do when this happens, we continue talking to one another and suddenly burst out with something like “oooh, come look at this!” to summon the other back. And that’s exactly what happened this day. But remember that shopping cart? As I turned to head back in her direction,I walked directly into the shopping cart whose low profile was completely out of my line of vision. The abrupt stop, and pain, in my lower shin caused a literal knee-jerk reaction and a little hop step away. Wouldn’t you know it? That hard to maneuver thing had turned at the bump from my first step and was slowly rolling in a bit of an arc toward me. I noticed a split second too late. My foot coming down from that upward knee-jerk, landed directly on the bed of the cart and my brain said “nope,” followed by another quick knee-jerk, except this time, having the cart under my foot, I was launched backward. I twirled and flailed like the most uncoordinated ballerina in the world until I finally lost the fight against gravity. Somehow I managed to twist in mid-air to prevent a face first meeting with the ground. But wait! I did not hit the hard concrete floor. No, sir. The universe, apparently, needed more drama. When I finally stopped the panic, I began to laugh hysterically, splayed out in an extra large potted plant, ass in the dirt. 

Why share that story? Well, despite my laughing about it, there was a part of me that was so incredibly embarrassed not only to have tripped over something so large that I failed to see, but to have then stumbled and ungracefully crushed a tropical plant with my rear end in public! But hey we all do stupid stuff. We’re human. Sometimes, like this case, it’s completely accidental. We don’t intentionally screw up, but we still find ourselves dealing with the consequence, physically and emotionally. 

Falling spectacularly in Home Depot didn’t do any irreparable damage. My bruises healed. I can still peruse every aisle including the garden center without panic. This, of course, was an extreme physical example. But it still raises a question: why do we let other embarrassments that we experience alter us? Worse yet, why do we let the CHANCE of embarrassment do so?

Embarrassment is an emotional reaction. Self-consciousness, shame, awkwardness, they can all be really big feelings – and scary, which is why we avoid them. Can we, though? Should we?  A resounding no to both of those questions.

As long as there are people and we worry, at all, what any of them think there’s a chance for embarrassment; it’s unavoidable. That’s the main factor in embarrassment: people. What they see or hear and wondering how they’ll react can be terrifying. Still, we often do try to avoid this unavoidable thing. We are extra careful, don’t speak up or speak out, don’t draw attention, water ourselves down for fear of being too spicy for someone else’s palate. And when a situation arises anyway, we beat ourselves up for it. Extra if our plans to avoid it in the first place failed. If you’ve read the first few posts I’ve written here, you know I’m speaking from experience. Years of constant bullying left me with a coping mechanism of avoidance and to-the-core embarrassment about everything about myself. I know I’m not alone. And I hope I’m not alone in having (mostly) overcome it. 

In no way did I wake up one day completely unselfconscious, without a single care about what others thought of me, my interests, appearance, what I said, how I said it, the decisions I made, my life in general. No. I wake up every day and make choices. Control the things I can. Be forgiving when things go awry. Admit my lack of perfection. Accept that even if everything I am, do, and say are perfect, someone will feel differently. When I find myself holding back or shrinking myself down to avoid that self-conscious feeling of embarrassment, I ask myself why is this better? Why will not expressing an idea at the conference table be better than expressing it? It could solve a problem, even if someone else laughs. Why will watching everyone else dance to your favorite song be better than joining them? It brings you just as much joy as them. 

Most times, the temporary feelings of being uncomfortable or embarrassed, by far, outweigh whatever avoiding them might take when you get past them. Then having gone through them, we also learn something. Which is the reason, I feel, we shouldn’t plan our hours, days, whole lives around avoiding uncomfortable feelings. The best way is through, right? The lesson could be something about yourself that you didn’t realize before. It could be how to do something, correctly, that you had embarrassingly been doing wrong. It might be as simple as completely enjoying yourself in the moment. And, sometimes, it could be always remember to look out for shopping carts at Home Depot. 

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Pinup model Kitchie Ohh photographed in a bathtub wearing red lingerie
Kitchie Ohh. Photo: Victor Devilbliss, Copyright 2023

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kitchie Ohh is a full-time professional fundraiser who has worked with a number of health and human services nonprofits in the Philadelphia area over the last 20 years. She found her passion for modeling after a pinup-style photoshoot in 2013. Since then, she has worked with many talented photographers, stylists, hair and makeup artists in a variety of styles. She has been featured in- and on the covers of – multiple print and digital publications. Over the years, she has branched out from pinup studio modeling to serve as a figure model for live sketching, walked a runway, and was part of two campaigns for Philadelphia designer K. Vaughn.

In addition to her philanthropy-focused career, she has volunteered with art, historical, and community organizations, and even the events team of a local brewery for a while, pre-pandemic.

You’re just as likely to find her whipping up something deliciously plant-based in her kitchen or knitting a sweater as you are to find her on a photography set. Her motto is “be both.” The model and the homemaker, sultry and sweet, serious and silly. All the things, all at once.

To access additional articles by Miss Kitchie Ohh, link here: https://tonyward.com/kitchie-ohh-no-matter-whats-on-the-menu/

Kitchie Ohh: No Matter What’s on the Menu

Boudoir photo of model Miss Kitchie Ohh photographed in a sexy bedroom
Kitchie Ohh: Photo courtesy of Dynamite Dames Photography, Copyright 2023

Text by Kitchie Ohh, Copyright 2023

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No Matter What’s on the Menu

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When I was a kid, my dad was on dinner duty during the week, and I was a very picky eater. We had a running joke when I asked what he was making, there were usually multiple pots and pans in use on the stove. He would lift one lid and say, “this is eww.” He’d close that, lift another and say, “and this is yuck.”  I usually disliked at least one element of meals and would say so, often in those exact words, eww and yuck. Ugh, why couldn’t he just make stuff that I liked?  Thankfully, I’ve outgrown that. My tastes have changed, I try new things but still, I like what I like. I can do so without need for commenting on the parts I don’t, or that others do, now. To each their own, doesn’t bother me at all. 

Apparently, not everyone grew out of their ‘eww/yuck’ phase. Many grew deeper into it, digging so far in as to make remarks anytime they see someone consuming food they dislike, or declaring anyone who likes something prepared differently than the original way, or the way they prefer, wrong or that the recipe isn’t authentic, and the person can’t be truly enjoying it.  Pineapple doesn’t belong on pizza soapboxers, I’m looking directly at you. Seriously, though, can’t we just let people enjoy things? I don’t need you to compare my tofu to all kind of nastiness as I’m eating it, or tell me that I’m doing something scandalous by eating pickled ginger with my sushi roll, or heaven forbid, having peppers on my cheesesteak. I am fully aware that not everyone likes tofu, ginger is included as a palate cleanser, and a “Philly” cheesesteak doesn’t call for peppers, but I LIKE these things…and don’t recall asking for your input. The fact that all of these things are made, sold, and consumed widely show I am not alone, so there. 

The eww/yuck idea spills over from food preferences into all aspects of life, though. No matter who you are or what you do, someone is going to have something to say and it won’t always be kind. Or welcome. Or even directly to you. And there is little to nothing you can do to change that. 

We’ve covered food preference, and I went light on that, believe me, it could have been a longer rant. But let’s hit some other topics shall we? Let’s start with physical appearance. I am a brunette. I’ve gone lighter, nearly blonde for a while, then to the other end of the spectrum with a near-black brown. I’ve gone pink, purple, and for the longest stretch, red. it’s been extra long, quite short and every length in between, straight, wavy and curly. I’m currently letting it grow, trying to figure out what my actual hair color is and allowing the grey to come as it may. At nearly every point in my hair’s lifecycle, I was told I should do something else with it, wear it some way other than how I liked it at that moment, because another person would prefer MY hair their way. I was told I was too old to experiment with colors, that it wasn’t professional. All unsolicited and absolute nonsense. Because, for every ‘eww/yuck,’ there was a ‘your hair is fabulous.’

Continuing with the physical, I’m not a person who often shows a ton of skin. But sometimes, my choice of clothing reveals that I have a few tattoos. I recall one time at a gala fundraising event for my job, I chose a strapless dress, paired with a classic updo for my hair. I was having a lovely conversation with a guest in my line at the registration table, face to face. A question they asked required me to turn around to pick something up for them. This person who had been so lovely to my face, gasped and said aloud,“ugh, well THAT’S trashy, it ruins the whole look!” When MY upper back was shown to not be the pristine skin they would prefer. They took what I had handed them and walked away, glaring over their shoulder with the eww/yuck look. The person next in line apologized and asked me all about it saying they always wanted tattoos but were too scared to get one. 

How about more of a less permanent aesthetic example, hmm? I adore a vintage look. I spent a not insignificant amount of time in social circles, claiming to be inclusive, that did as well. I – or anyone really – could be impeccably dressed, made up, hair done, the whole shebang, for an event. For every compliment, there was an insult or backhanded comment dished out. Well that’s not TRUE vintage. That looks like a costume. You and a million other people got that look straight from Amazon. There would often be whole groups of people passing judgement on anyone who didn’t meet their ideal of what someone should look like to be at this event. But I still will say I met some amazing people, despite such eww/yuck reactions from a small (but loud) segment.

And now for something a bit more intangible: personality, life choices, etc. As a forty-something, heterosexual, single female, I am constantly asked rather inappropriate questions by, or hear comments and suggestions from, well-meaning individuals about improving my life. To be perfectly clear, the improvements are most often ways in which I can align myself better to the ideal woman’s role of wife and mother. A role I do not at all identify with. Let’s face it, if I haven’t drank that kool-aid by now, honey, it ain’t happening. So things like telling me how if I stopped doing this or started doing that I could get a man, and how much easier my life would be with him in the house to take care of me and fix things; saying I will regret not having children, and couldn’t possibly mean it when I say I have no intentions of getting married, and a thousand other variants of these things isn’t cute, appreciated, or necessary. I won’t change my mind about who I am and what I want because it doesn’t align with your opinion. No one should have to for anyone, or any reason. I can take care myself, and the home I purchased for myself, by myself. I am enough; it’s a shame you can’t see that.

For all of the times we laughed at the dinnertime eww/yucks, even the times I actually thought it of the things that were on the menu, I’m grateful the idea didn’t stick. I can experience something and decide ok, that’s not for me without the compulsion to tell others it shouldn’t be for them either simply because I don’t like it. All of this to say, I recognize and appreciate we are each different. From what we like to eat, to how we like to look, to who we spend our time with (or don’t) and how, to the choices we make for ourselves, big and small. No amount of eww/yuck attitude from anyone should deter us from being who we are and enjoying the hell out of the time we’ve got, no matter what’s on the menu.

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Portrait of glamour model Miss Kitchie Ohh
Kitchie Ohh. Photo courtesy of Dynamite Dames Photography, Copyright 2023

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kitchie Ohh is a full-time professional fundraiser who has worked with a number of health and human services nonprofits in the Philadelphia area over the last 20 years. She found her passion for modeling after a pinup-style photoshoot in 2013. Since then, she has worked with many talented photographers, stylists, hair and makeup artists in a variety of styles. She has been featured in- and on the covers of – multiple print and digital publications. Over the years, she has branched out from pinup studio modeling to serve as a figure model for live sketching, walked a runway, and was part of two campaigns for Philadelphia designer K. Vaughn.

In addition to her philanthropy-focused career, she has volunteered with art, historical, and community organizations, and even the events team of a local brewery for a while, pre-pandemic.

You’re just as likely to find her whipping up something deliciously plant-based in her kitchen or knitting a sweater as you are to find her on a photography set. Her motto is “be both.” The model and the homemaker, sultry and sweet, serious and silly. All the things, all at once.

To access additional articles by Miss Kitchie Ohh, link here: https://tonyward.com/kitchie-ohh-what-if/

Kitchie Ohh: What If

glamour shot of pinup model Miss Kitchie Ohh for Tony Ward Studio
Miss Kitchie Ohh. Photo: John Raphel Photography, Copyright 2023

Text by Kitchie Ohh, Copyright 2023

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What If

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I have this incredible knack, when planning – an event, personal or professional project, travel, what have you – to look for every possible scenario that might happen so I am never unprepared. Honestly, in all my years, I have sometimes even considered impossible ones just to be safe should they somehow occur. I’ve been told it’s a trauma response, a way to self-regulate should the situation trigger my anxiety. But I’ve also been told it’s a superpower, making me one of – possibly the only – level-headed person, able to react in a productive way when the shit hits the proverbial fan. Its a quality that has saved the day more than a few times, but I wouldn’t consider it my highest-ranking character trait.

This same need to see all outcomes before acting is also how I approach decision making for myself. Of course, I’m not referring to every choice I make; I don’t run through every menu option before making my lunch. However, given my inability to grocery shop without first planning out meals for the entire week, I can’t say with certainty that I wouldn’t have a daily lunchtime decision spiral. Anyway, where was I? Oh, yes. Decisions. Prior to making moderate- large-impact choices, I need to carefully weigh all the options. Years ago, I not only considered every choice’s impact on myself, but everyone else in my life, and I mean EVERY one. I was a stressed mess all the time, worrying how I might upset, hurt or inconvenience others. Thankfully, I’ve learned to limit that part now; considering myself and only those who might be immediately, and likely negatively, impacted by my decision. 

The primary questions I ask myself before moving forward with any of the weighed options are: 

“Can you live with the outcome of this decision?” and “Can you live with yourself after making this choice?” For example, I had a job offer late last year. It came with an enormous pay increase, a life-changing one. However, during the interview process, so many red flags were raised. It left me feeling…conflicted. Could I take the offer and use the cash? Absolutely. Could I live with compromising myself and my sanity in the process of earning it? Not a chance; money isn’t everything. I declined and went on to accept an offer that came with a slightly lower salary but significantly less – as in none at all! – moral compromise. That’s just one example. I’m are I could bore you to tears with loads more. I won’t. You’re welcome.

It’s quite common for people to look back at decisions they’ve made and wonder, “what if I did it differently?” It’s also not unusual to get stuck in that pattern of second guessing. I’m not immune to it. Despite laying out every possible option and choosing the best outcome that I could live with and retain my integrity and self-respect, I still catch myself wondering, “WTF have I done?” and entering into a period of questioning all of my life choices and whether they were the right ones. I have, however, developed a habit to get me out of that headspace. 

Much like my pre-decision process, my post-decision self-doubt spiral prevention process, whether immediate or years later, starts with asking myself a question. I reframe all my “what ifs” with “What if I didn’t?” It’s a slight variation, sure. But it puts a positive spin on it. I look at the choice I did make, and where it lead me. I focus on the good things my choice allowed, not the bad things I could have avoided. Because I don’t think that avoiding bad things is at all possible all of the time. Sometimes they’re inevitable and they add value in the form of lessons. 

Here are some chosen at random, in no particular order, examples.

I was extremely unsure of what I wanted to be when I “grew up.” After graduation, I opted out of college, favoring moving out of my parents’ home and entering the workforce at nineteen. It was fully my decision, weighed carefully. I was proud of myself but the what-ifs creeped in often back then. So what if I hadn’t done it? I would have missed out on so many experiences. Surely, I would have avoided some huge mistakes, but without having made them I wouldn’t be the person that’s writing this now. Who knows where I would have gone, what I would have done, who I would become. Yes, I am still proud of the decision.

Speaking of those early mistakes, during those first “on my own” years, I was head over heels in love with a very wrong for me guy. I often questioned, then, if that final straw that ended things was the right choice. I LOVED him  What If I stayed? What if I accepted that half-assed marriage proposal? Oh, but had I stayed, had we gotten married, the the things I would have missed out on are too many to even comprehend. His drug use and mental health issues were never mine to fix. But I know that by not making that painful at the time choice to walk away, I would have sacrificed all of me, and my happiness, in the attempt to save him. Solid choice, no regret. 

A few years back, I was invited to attend an event, a weekend away. It wasn’t my thing, but being supportive and wanting to spend time with the person who invited me, I agreed.  Aside from the complete 180 degree turn in their behavior toward me for the entire weekend, I had a great time. The following year, the event came around again. I had no intention of going, it was near guaranteed I’d have to face that person again after purposely avoiding them since returning home from the last one. Remembering how good a time I had despite them, and at the coaxing of friends, I chose to go. It was an expense I didn’t budget for and a guaranteed weekend of awkward run-ins. At many points on the way to, during, and immediately after this event, I asked myself what if I didn’t attend this one? I could have paid down my credit card bill, stayed in pjs all weekend and just relaxed. But I didn’t. I would have missed on deepening relationships with new friends, on the adventures we planned – and ultimately went on! All of the happiness, the living! that I did because of my attendance at that event wouldn’t have occurred if I took the option that kept me at home comfortably avoiding ONE person. A resounding “hell yes, I’m glad I went!” And gratitude beyond belief for everything I experienced as a result.

Again, I’m sure I could come up with many more anecdotes from my life to illustrate the point here. But I’ll leave it at three, and one final glimpse into the inner workings of my brain. 

Before actively engaging myself in this new method of not looking back and what-iffing myself to oblivion, I mentally listed out the choices I had and their potential outcomes. Constantly question and be stuck, never trusting myself and my choices. Always wonder what if and end up repeating old patterns, with the same people, trying to change the outcomes but never actually learning or growing. Be decisive and accept consequences – good or bad – and learn from both. Grow with each confident step toward the future, looking back only to reflect and remember how far I’ve come and how much further there is to go. Forward. 

When that short list was complete, I realized, I couldn’t live with the outcome or myself if I had opted to continue looking backward, second-guessing. 

I would hate to wonder, some day in the future, what my life might have been if I hand’t prevented myself from getting stuck in reverse. And so, I won’t.

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glamour shot of pinup model Miss Kitchie Ohh for Tony Ward Studio
Miss Kitchie Ohh.  Photo: John Raphel, Copyright 2023

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kitchie Ohh is a full-time professional fundraiser who has worked with a number of health and human services nonprofits in the Philadelphia area over the last 20 years. She found her passion for modeling after a pinup-style photoshoot in 2013. Since then, she has worked with many talented photographers, stylists, hair and makeup artists in a variety of styles. She has been featured in- and on the covers of – multiple print and digital publications. Over the years, she has branched out from pinup studio modeling to serve as a figure model for live sketching, walked a runway, and was part of two campaigns for Philadelphia designer K. Vaughn.

In addition to her philanthropy-focused career, she has volunteered with art, historical, and community organizations, and even the events team of a local brewery for a while, pre-pandemic.

You’re just as likely to find her whipping up something deliciously plant-based in her kitchen or knitting a sweater as you are to find her on a photography set. Her motto is “be both.” The model and the homemaker, sultry and sweet, serious and silly. All the things, all at once.

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To access additional articles by Kitchie Ohh, please click here: https://tonyward.com/kitchie-ohh-that-sounds-like-a-you-problem/

Kitchie Ohh: Universal Rules

Portrait of Kitchie Ohh pinup diva and writer for Tony Ward Studio
Portrait of Kitchie Ohh courtesy Tommy B Photo, Copyright 2023

Text by Kitchie Ohh, Copyright 2023

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Universal Rules

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I am not a religious person. However, I do believe in the golden rule,” and try to live by it. I also believe there is something other than us, connecting, guiding, looking out for us. Lets call it the Universe. I know Im not alone in this belief, and while comforting, I also know that people put their own spin on it. Nothing is perfect, no single person, no belief system, not even the universe. Stephen Hawking agreed, though he probably meant the literal universe of stars, planets, and all. It still tracks. He said, one of the basic rules of the universe is that nothing is perfect. Perfection simply doesnt exist.”

Now, someone who definitely meant universe in a way similar to my referencing it, is Deepak Chopra. I dont necessarily look to him as an authority on all things spiritual. Hell, I couldnt even say I agree with everything he has said and written. But, Im of the opinion that when something resonates with you, whatever it is, you hold onto it and whatever feeling it gives you. Honestly, I only mention him as a while back I found some of his quotes that more effectively expressed what I believe, and the things I have experienced over the course of my life, so far. Here we go.

The universe has no fixed agenda. Once you make a decision, it works around that decision. There is no right or wrong, only a series of possibilities that shift with each thought, feeling, and action you experience.“ Okay. So first the no right or wrongthing. I interpret that as being in reference to living your life, theres no right or wrong way for you to be you.  Unless of course you choose to live in a way that harms yourself or others. Our choices make all the difference. Things fall into place, or dont, as a result. I dont believe in fate or destiny. Theres clearly a path that will bring us to the destination; whatever goal it is that we set. The thing is we still must make choices every day to get there. Even refusing to choose is a choice. Small decisions, like what to wear today or whether its oatmeal or cornflakes for breakfast might not make a huge impact in the long run. But learning, dedicating time, money, and effort, absolutely will.  

This point played out in my career. Did some higher power choose the world of nonprofit fundraising for me? Would I have ended up here regardless of the choices I made? I hardly think so. I have other options, I explored many of them. They didnt fit for reasons ranging from logistics to financial, personal to professional. I chose to pursue this. I enjoy this (most days), and it makes sense. It has never felt like destiny. It is work. It is a choice, every day. This idea also prevails in my personal life. I make choices to make myself content, comfortable, and as happy as I can be. If I waited for the universe, or destiny, to show me what I was supposed to be doing, I dont think I would ever be satisfied with the now. How could I be? That belief leads to either always waiting for something bigger and better, or allowing myself to make excuses, not act to make change, because this is how its supposed to be. Nope, sorry, I wont stand for that. 

There are no extra pieces in the universe. Everyone is here because he or she has a place to fill, and every piece must fit itself into the big jigsaw puzzle.” I wholeheartedly feel that everyone you meet, even briefly, plays a part in who you are. I will say the jigsaw puzzle analogy maybe a smidge too rigid for me, though. The shapes in a puzzle fit together in a specific way, individual shapes cant change and still fit. But the idea that everyone is here, everyone fitsand no one is extra or unnecessary, is beautiful. More so, I think because of its duality. Everyone YOU meet impacts YOUR life somehow, while everyone who meets YOU is impacted as well. As someone who has in the past felt completely insignificant and utterly invisible, embracing this idea has made a huge difference in how I show up in all facets of my life. 

I am now often reminded of this concept. Any time I speak with several of my friends, I cant help but recall the circumstances under which we met. I agreed to go to an event with an individual I knew, more than a friend, not quite a significant other. The event was amazing, the person, however, not so much. Their behavior toward me shifted entirely once we arrived. I was left wondering what I had done. Literally, I was left, alone. Knowing very few people, myself, I decided not to dwell. I would make new friends, or at least, find some people to hang out with that werent complete jerks. Nearly six years later, and I still have great relationships with quite a few people I met that weekend, but hardly speak to the one who brought me there. I cannot be angry or hold a grudge against the person who I attended that event with. Their presence in my life was the catalyst for more meaningful relationships. That was how their piece fit into my puzzle, and Im grateful.

Wrapping up the quotes attributed to Chopra, we have this gem. Coincidences are not accidents but signals from the universe to guide us to our true destiny.” Weve already covered my opinion of destiny. But aside from that part, this idea that coincidences have a meaning is also something that rings true for me. That is not to say all coincidences must have an especially deep, profound meaning. They might just be a nudge to remember something from your past that makes you smile.

Or maybe, sometimes, they do serve a much larger purpose. In December, I was in a very bad place mentally, emotionally, and professionally. I was feeling completely overwhelmed daily. I slowly began changing things, one at a time, to improve my situation. One day, I was talking to my sister (as I do every day without fail) and was venting about a lot of things, but mostly not finding great job opportunities in my search. Toward the end of the conversation, I remarked that I had an incredibly vivid dream the previous night about our aunt who we lost to cancer, suddenly and unexpectedly. To which my sister replied, Oh my gosh, me too!!” I refreshed my job search; the new top result was a fundraising position with a cancer focused nonprofit. We agreed, Bettys appearance in our dreams was no coincidence. The universe was nudging me toward exploring this opportunity. Which I did…and got the job! 

Ill end this rant with one more belief I hold, that aligns very well with my idea of the Universe, and that is balance. As often as I look to the universe, I also look for balance. Things feeling heavy? Do something silly; lighten the mood! Throwing yourself into work? Take a break. You get the idea. Ill also share that, sometimes, I feel like balance seeks me. It occurs most often when Im feeling cocky. The universe is quick to knock me down a peg, and I always hear that message loud and clear. The need for balance for me, serves as a course correction; it gives the opportunity to recognize a trajectory toward negativity, realign and refocus. Its a good thing. 

One more note on universe and balance. Sometimes, maybe not terribly often, the universe needs to balance its own scale. Keep in mind everything else weve covered thus far: Nothing at all is perfect. Everyone has a purpose. There are no coincidences. 

Just prior to the full pandemic-shutdown three years ago, I met someone for a date. It seemed promising. It did not pan out, despite more than a few tries. Several weeks ago, I met someone else. Similar age. Similar appearance. Similar interests. Same name. My mind immediately threw up the red flag, warning me Didnt we do this already? Remember what happened?” I forced that thought back, telling myself that similar isnt identical. Even the universe isnt perfect. Perhaps, the similarities were to grab my attention. Perhaps, the first persons purpose was to embody things I appreciated and wanted but also to remind me not to let those things overshadow what was not wanted or aligned with who I am. Perhaps, this could be a good thing. Im still figuring that out. Our meeting was a choice; part of the bigger picture of both our lives. Not fate. Not destiny. Well decide what happens. Or doesnt. Maybe the Universe is saying “oops, that first one? My bad. Try this one.”

All of this is how I make sense of things, of my life, and my experiences. I appreciate and fully understand that despite all my overthinking and overanalyzing not everything will be clearly defined. And Im okay with it because, as per Neil DeGrasse Tyson, the universe is under no obligation to make sense to you.” Or me. Yet, it will never stop me from trying. 

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Portrait of Kitchie Ohh. Pin up model and writer for Tony Ward Studio
Portrait of Kitchie Ohh courtesy Tommy B Photo, Copyright 2023

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About the Author:

Kitchie Ohh is a full-time professional fundraiser who has worked with a number of health and human services nonprofits in the Philadelphia area over the last 20 years. She found her passion for modeling after a pinup-style photoshoot in 2013. Since then, she has worked with many talented photographers, stylists, hair and makeup artists in a variety of styles. She has been featured in- and on the covers of – multiple print and digital publications. Over the years, she has branched out from pinup studio modeling to serve as a figure model for live sketching, walked a runway, and was part of two campaigns for Philadelphia designer K. Vaughn.

In addition to her philanthropy-focused career, she has volunteered with art, historical, and community organizations, and even the events team of a local brewery for a while, pre-pandemic.

You’re just as likely to find her whipping up something deliciously plant-based in her kitchen or knitting a sweater as you are to find her on a photography set. Her motto is “be both.” The model and the homemaker, sultry and sweet, serious and silly. All the things, all at once.

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