feel + flourish: follow friday: @kimathomas

name // On the Internet, I'm @kimathomas. In real life, I'm Kim :)

age // I am still confused about how old I am, but I just used a calculator and apparently I'm 25.

location // As I type this, I'm in Seattle, but the past year I have been traveling and living out of a suitcase. I'll be heading elsewhere soon(ish).
occupation // Photographer

i had the pleasure of meeting kim through mutual friends quite recently when she was visiting from out of town just before she moved to NYC. our meeting was brief, and since then i have enjoyed stalking her via the internet. okay, not stalking, just following and stuff ;) not only is she a super talented photographer, but a charismatic, intelligent and all around beautiful woman! please don't leave seattle kim, because i want to be friends and i know all of you will want to be, too!

1 // what inspires you daily?

Oh gosh, it comes from many places, but the three things that inspire me the most are conversations with my friends, reading poetry or prose, and listening to really loud, but gentle, music. And walking. I can be a bit of a homebody, but I'm always so thankful whenever I go for walks because I come home with a clear mind and lots of inspiration.

2 // you just came back from a bit of time in NYC, what's your favorite part about that city?

I love New York so much! I spent 3 months living in New York because I wanted to be alone without being entirely alone. You can hang out by yourself all day but still be surrounded by people. My favourite thing about the city was that I was able to observe and people watch all day long. I suppose people watching is what inspires me, too!

3 // favorite way to enjoy your coffee?

Ha! Believe it or not, I never liked coffee until a few months ago when I decided I wanted to become a coffee snob and forced myself to drink it. I still have a long way to go, as I only can do lattes, and even then, that only lasted a few months and now I'm back to tea. I drink tea religiously!

4 // if you had to eat only 3 foods the rest of your life, what would they be?

Pizza, ice cream and mangos.

5 // where do you see yourself in 5 years, personally and professionally?

I've been working for the past 5-6 years as a freelance photographer, and while I absolutely love it, I am also incredibly passionate about women's rights. I dropped out of university to pursue photography, but I've been aching to go back and finish my degree in Women's Studies. From there, I'd love to do a masters and see how I can combine these two passions of mine (photography and women's rights) together. People tell me all the time to not finish my degree because it would mean giving up photography, but I think quite the opposite. I love learning and want to learn every day for the rest of my life. If I can learn and take photos, I'll be a happy camper. As far as where I see myself personally in 5 years? Being true to my heart.

6 // what's your favorite part about taking a photograph?

Taking a photo becomes almost meditative for me. I'm a daydreamer and so photography allows me to narrow my focus to just one thing and be in the moment. Not only am I clicking the shutter and capturing the moment, I'm clicking myself into the moment. I'm blocking all other thoughts and bringing myself present.

7 // if you could be any animal, what animal would you choose and why?

I'd be an elephant! I don't know why, but I've loved them since I was a kid. I got to ride one a few years ago which is one of my best memories! The elephants name was Lonlei (loan-lay), and the 60 year old man guiding the elephant sang to her while we rode on her through the jungle.

8 // you and Eric are adorable together and I would vote you two cutest couple (just sayin), what's your favorite thing about him?!

Ah, thank you! I'm blushing now. When I first met Eric, I didn't think he was my type, but over time as we got to know each other, I started to realize that he was exactly the person I needed in my life. I could write a novel about Eric and my favorite things about him, but to narrow it to just one: he is the most loving man I have ever met, and not to just me, but to all his friends and family. He cares deeply for those who are close to him and would go to the ends of the earth for us. Okay one more thing would be how much him and I laugh together and are the biggest dorks. I always wished that I could date someone that would make me laugh as hard as I did with my girlfriends, and then I met Eric and it came true.

9 // what have you been jammin' to lately?

Don't diss my country music! Guiding Light by Foy Vance made me cry last night it's so beautiful! (http://rd.io/x/QXtwbTddSFt7/) I'm also loving Sleeping At Last and while I may be bias, my boyfriend's band Prince of Spain (http://www.rdio.com/artist/Prince_of_Spain/album/His_Majesty/) is seriously the bees knees and I listen to it all the time.