But sometimes her wires are crossed
Dear Chicago,
You’ll never guess.
You know the girl you said I’d meet someday?
Well, I’ve got something to confess.
She picked me up on Friday.
Asked me if she reminded me of you.
I just laughed and lit a cigarette,
Said “that’s impossible to do.”
– Ryan Adams
1. Okay, I know, brace yourselves: I AM GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE WEATHER. I hate to be so cliche, but OH MY GOSH THIS WEATHER! It’s been in the 70s and sunny the past two days. I wore flip flops this evening. The Princess and I went out for ice cream cones after her doctor’s appointment this afternoon. It’s March! I so love this.
2. Took The Princess to the allergist today to rule out food allergies. I think at this point, it looks like she’s not allergic to anything to the point where anaphylactic shock is a possibility… but it’s definitely looking like she has some food intolerances. Now to get that figured out.
3. Patches was waiting in the sandbox when Pumpkin arrived to school on Tuesday. WHEW. He wasn’t even that smelly or soggy. Double whew.
4. Musically I’m late to the Lana Del Ray game. Loving “Diet Mountain Dew”.
5. Tomorrow, I’ll be photographing my niece for her newborn portraits. How excited am I? SO. EXCITED.
6. Flip flops in March means “Uh, whoa. Look at those feet. Might be time for a pedicure, hmmkay?” Seriously. I’ve been rocking the same teal polish for months. By “rocking” I mean it’s peeling and I think only three toenails have polish on them still. Man, I am so fancy.
7. I filled out my NCAA March Madness Brackets as I do every year. The ESPN app is going nutso with the push notifications – but so far, only one of my picks has lost, so booyah. Not bad for someone who doesn’t watch basketball.
8. I dropped a crock pot lid on my head last Friday. Some of you (Hi Kat) are just shaking your head, laughing and saying, “Oh Sarah, only you…” Well, yeah. I guess. It bled profusely (as head wounds are wont to do) and even though it wasn’t deep, it was kind of wide. I ended up getting my forehead glued together by Urgent Care and already, it is almost barely visible. I am such a klutz.
9. I’m VERY sick of election year already. Really, truly, terribly sick of it. And it’s only March.
10. I bought orange swirl roses this weekend. Have you ever seen something so funky? I had no idea roses could be so contemporary and fun and sassy. THESE are sassy roses.
Right now is the time where, in post-conference glossy-eyed endorphin high, people start writing posts recapping the fun they had. They tell you about what they learned, who they met, all the fun. There are pictures – such fun pictures – of laughter and friendship and just complete and total JOY (bliss… if you will).
And I’m at the point where I see these posts and pictures and feel a little jealous.
Don’t get me wrong – I made the best decision I could at the time (by the way? Baby? Still floating around happily in amniotic fluid), but my mom said today, “I wish the doctors hadn’t told your sister she was dilated or effaced – and you wouldn’t have come home early and missed your fun.”
If, coulda, shoulda, woulda.
Nothing to be done about it now (Except plan for NEXT YEAR – and the interim gathering with friends I’ll need to have well before then, because frankly, once a year isn’t enough).
But better to have had twenty-four hours than none at all, and I’m glad that I had the time I did have. There was an amazing line up of sessions – particularly the photography related sessions – that I was very bummed to have missed. There were amazing sponsors that I have heard raves about (personally, I wanted to hang out with The Lorax – though was thrilled to get a copy of The Lorax in my swag bag — it’s my sister’s favorite children’s book and IF MY NIECE EVER COMES OUT SURELY SOMEONE WILL READ IT TO HER).
Without being there, I know it was an amazing conference that was beautifully done and was super fun for all – because it always is.
I’m just sad I wasn’t there.
And I am tempted to PhotoShop my self into pictures.
I had twenty four hours in Nashville with some of my favorite people. Had I stayed the duration of the conference, it still might not have been enough time. But even just one day made my heart so tremendously happy. So I guess that will have to do… til next year.
I was recently reading a forum of photographers – professional photographers, if you will. The forum itself is generally helpful – need advice on lenses, venues, printers? Fabulous. Need to refer a client to other qualified photographers because you’re unavailable? It’s a great resource for that. However, last week, a question came up in that forum and frankly, I’ve been annoyed ever since.
In that forum, someone asked: Wouldn’t it be nice if you had to be licensed or take a test or something before you could call yourself a photographer?
Several others immediately jumped on the bandwagon, slamming “fauxtographers” and agreeing – YES, you should be licensed. Those unlicensed hacks, essentially, were stealing their business.
Or so the professionals feel.
And, well… it left me feeling…icky.
My theory is, how can you license art? Creativity? Perspective? Style? And when I said as much, someone immediately responded that there were technical ins and outs that people should know, artistic style aside.
This argument stems from a saturation in the photography industry – and I’m sure it’s happening elsewhere in creative fields as the tools you need to create become more accessible. NaNoWriMo probably has a lot more people declaring themselves as writers. PhotoShop and other products have people dabbling and calling themselves graphic designers. And DSLRs at every price point mean that everyone’s a photographer.
And sure, that means for those people trying to make a living behind the camera, there’s a lot more competition. Require licensing, limit the field, increase your odds.
That makes sense… right?
But… but… but…
Ew.
It just seems to me that when a person is hiring a photographer – they’re either shopping by price, in which case you may never win them over because they aren’t willing to pay what you are worth (or what you’ve said you’re worth, and far be it from me to be the judge of that) or they are shopping by style and they will hire you because they LOVE what you do.
The people who want to hire lesser priced photographers, WILL. And it won’t matter the skill level of the other photographer. And it doesn’t take into account your skill level (And frankly, I’ve seen a wide range of skill level among photographers at all price levels – and that’s just the way it is – there are people GIVING THEIR WORK away, my GOODNESS they are so talented, and there are those who tack an exorbitant price tag on their work and I think… wow, that’s a lot of money – are there people who will pay that?).
The problem with me saying all of this is that yes, I love photography. Yes, I am a photographer. And yes, that leaves me open for criticism from people as to where I might fall on that range of price versus skill.
To which I say this –
As with any other photographer: You can only deal with you. It’s up to ME to be the best I can be – to do my best work, to give my clients images that they are happy with and they will treasure. And you know what – some of you can do it better. I can’t control that – I can only do the best work I can.
Which is why I think licensing is stupid.
You want to make taking photos without a license a punishable offense? I’m not sure what good that would do. If you’re looking to shrink the pool of competitors, the best way to do it is by stepping up your game — and I’m speaking as much to myself as anyone else.
I still believe what I do behind the camera is an art. And I still believe that a person can know everything there is to know about every technical aspect of a camera and of taking photographs – and produce images that leave a viewer feeling absolutely nothing – because it’s not all about knowledge, but about feeling and art and perspective. And you can’t teach that. And you certainly can’t license it.
You be you. Let the others worry about themselves.
A week ago tonight, I had a belly full of New York pizza and feet tired from a day spent walking – exploring Central Park, walking miles to and around the park. Exhausted from our full day and an early morning flight, my mom and I were probably hanging out in our hotel room at this time, winding down and preparing to start all over again on Saturday morning.
I have said before how much I love big cities – and NYC is no different. The love I have for New York is similar to the love I have for Chicago is similar to the love I have for San Francisco. All three cities are vibrant and radiate with a lovely chaos. The architecture, the landscape, the motion. But New York is different than Chicago which is different than San Francisco. And those three are probably in many ways similar to other cities across the country, and just as different.
(You with me so far: Things are alike but different)
I could have spent another four, eight, twelve, whatever days in New York and still not finished exploring all I wanted to see. We wandered through the Village, eating brunch in some random restaurant (waffles! yummy!). We found the Washington Square arch, and I took a picture of the Waverly Place sign for my daughter.
I love like a fountain
And it left me with nothing
Just the memories of walking through Washington Square
-Counting Crows
I took far more pictures of the Flatiron Building than seemed reasonable, but the shape and the unexpectedness of it, looming so high above just somehow pleased me and I couldn’t stop with the pictures.
Battery Park looking over the Statue of Liberty as the sunset, the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building lit up like Christmas out my hotel room at night, the crowded heat of a subway station on a Saturday afternoon as trains were cancelled, rerouted and who knows what (probably old hat for the residents of NYC – but all new to the touristy folks trying to get back to Manhattan from Queens when all the trains we were “supposed to” take were cancelled).
For all my fear of flying, I am a surprisingly relaxed traveler. I don’t necessarily always need to know where I’m going. Subway switcheroo? No problem. We’ll get there eventually. My mom, she looked so upset with the uncertainty – but that never hit me that day. Maybe because I just figured, Worst case scenario, we get a cab. No big deal. WE CAN DO THIS. And you know what? We did. Sure, it took a little longer than we’d anticipated but… where else did we have to go? We’d get there when we got there.
The noise – the sirens, the rush of crowds? All of that. I love all. of. that.
And I was sad to leave.
This trip made me realize that I want my children to travel. When I was younger, my family never went on vacations – we just couldn’t afford it. That’s always the way it was and I never really realized I was missing out. Sure, my brother and I would fly to visit our grandparents in the summers but I started to learn the ropes of travel later, after college, during my first job when I would travel often for trade shows. My first trip for work was to Vegas and I arrived hours before my coworkers – I was so freaked out – because now, instead of meeting them all at the airport, I had to pick up the rental car on my own, drive in a strange city, and find the hotel somewhere on the Strip. I was a wreck.
It’s taken awhile to get a bit more at ease with travel. I don’t want it to take my kids that long. While our adventures may not be fully global (alas, that money tree JUST WON’T GROW), I want them to feel at ease traveling and not be intimidated by it.
I don’t want them to be upset by a rerouted subway schedule on a Saturday afternoon.
I was a tourist and I explored and then I put on my fancy dress, went to a wedding in what appeared to be an abandoned warehouse in Queens and I danced until I felt my feet were on fire and the next morning said goodbye to a beautiful city to come back home to Michigan.
But I think I’ll be back.
Every day, no matter what my day is like, I take at least one picture. Every day, since September 1, 2008 I have taken a picture (or more) each day, and designated one as my “picture of the day”. I have posted those pictures in various places over the years – namely Flickr and Facebook – for over one thousand days so far.
And I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon.
I just began my fourth year of a 365 Project. It’s exactly what it sounds like – a picture a day, every day. Can it be a cell phone shot? Sure. Some of my favorite ones are! Whether it was taken with a cell phone, a point and shoot, or my DSLR – every day I’ve made it a point to somehow mark my day with an image.
Some days, it’s an image I feel especially proud of.
Some days, it’s an image that tells me how I spent my day.
When I’m sick, my pictures aren’t very exciting.
And even the occasional, obligatory airplane wing-shot.
And at the end of the year, when I look back at the 365 days that just passed by, I remember the days with a clarity I might not have had this project not been a part of my life. Books I’m reading, food I’ve prepared, cups of coffee consumed (OH SO MANY CUPS OF COFFEE CONSUMED), new shoes, smiling faces of people I love, travel. Big moments, small moments – all of them, they’re there. And nothing has escaped me, and those moments are mine to hang on to.
I know it seems a daunting challenge – I know it seems like, “How will I remember? What if I forget? What if my pictures aren’t good? What if?”
Well, sure. If you’re not used to doing something – there’s always the chance that it’s going to take you a bit to make it a habit. If you keep a daily to-do list, put it on your list for awhile. It does become habit. Just wait. And of course – always make sure you have a camera with you – the best camera is the one you have with you. Even if it’s your cell phone.
Every day. One picture. Possibly forever.
1. Happy September first. Can you believe it? I know there are those people who looooove summer, but you know I’m not one of them and I’m very excited about autumn. And my birthday. And cooler weather.
2. Pumpkin is in love with the song “Who Says” by Selena Gomez. The other day, I found her standing on the toilet, looking at herself in the mirror while singing it. Consequently, that song got stuck in my head for most of the day today. That makes for a long day.
3. So, my hair that I was fretting over? No one at work even noticed. I noticed. It’s very…poofy. But no one else noticed – so either it’s fine or it always looked like crap.
4. New music I’m listening to this week – Young Love
by Ma Kearney (I received this for a review and I have only listened once through – so expect to hear more about this soon) and August & Everything After – Live At Town Hall by the Counting Crows. Kinda nice to hear all those August songs reworked and live, though, I’m only on the first listen of that one as well (what can I say? I’ve been busy).
5. I was late getting out for cardio last night – so late that it was dusk and then it was dark, and then with music blaring through my headphones and darkness in front of me… I walked right through a sprinkler. Man, that sucked. Fortunately my phone and iPod seemed to survive the impromptu sprinkling (whew!).
6. Yesterday was day 365 of my photography project. Three years, and I haven’t yet missed a day. I am pleased with how it turned out and I ended the year with a shot I’ve wanted to take for awhile – train tracks. Year Four begins today.
7. Book club this month has chosen Liane Moriarty’s What Alice Forgot. I tell you this in case you want to pick it up and read along with me. This is actually the second book we’ve read about an Alice who doesn’t remember so well.
8. Speaking of books – I am not reading so quickly these days. It’s taking me awhile to get through things and I think, well shoot, this having a job thing is going to get in the way with my reading.
9. This is taking me so long to write because I’m watching Project Runway right now.
10. Just a few more days until school starts – and while taking the girls to meet their teachers last night, I got to introduce The Princess to my old high school cheerleading coach (who might be older but is actually aging surprisingly well. Now I wonder how old she was when she was coaching!). And I didn’t have to remind her who I was, so I admit I feel slightly less old that I’m at least somewhat recognizable as some version of my 16 year old self. Somehow.
It’s been a long time since I’ve participated with Lotus’s Weekly Winners – mostly because life gets busy – and with summer I’ve had moments where I’ve felt uninspired – like I wasn’t always taking the kind of fun shots I like to take. Sigh. Anyway, here’s a small peek at my week.
Hi y'all.
1. Every Friday, I take my girls out for donuts on the way to school. It is a tradition we started over a year ago – it’s not our healthiest tradition, but, I find that I don’t even mind fueling their day with sugar one day a week. Sometimes in life we need those certainties, and once a week it’s FINE. BUT, tomorrow, Donut Day is even MORE official – tomorrow, June 3 is National Donut Day. Yes. So, you should virtually join us in celebrating by kick-starting your day tomorrow with a donut (The ONLY kind of donut I like is a glazed sour cream donut – in general, I find donuts to be kind of icky).
2. I’mma talk about the weather again. WHOOHOO for some spring weather today. It’s breezy – I’m wearing jeans and a long sleeve t and it is absolutely perfect. Y’all know, I’m not one for weather extremes. I give a big two thumbs DOWN to snow and to sweltering 90+ degree temps. When I can turn off the heat, the air conditioning and just open up a window and breathe in fresh air? Yeah, baby, that’s what I’m talkin’ about. Perfect. (Also, much much cheaper for the utility bill.)
3. Yesterday, I went to my neighbor’s house to chat – Pumpkin wanted to go say hi and frankly we needed to get out of the house. We stood in her driveway chatting for awhile before going into her garage. Her garage is amazing – filled with doodads, knicknacks and whoosywhatsits — she saves everything. I’m particularly in love with these jars.
4. Last night’s book club meeting resulted in me not really able to explain why I hadn’t enjoyed last month’t book (“The Postmistress” by Sarah Blake). I described it as tedious, but I think the story is one that could have been interesting… had it been told by a better writer. This month we’ll be reading Kathryn Stockett’s The Help, er, or…the other ladies will be. I read it not too long ago, and while I really enjoyed the book, it’s just too soon to re-read.
5. A week from today, Pumpkin will be done with school. A week from tomorrow, The Princess will be. The summer looms large and empty in front of us. What will we do? Admittedly, this is the first summer I haven’t had been totally tied to my computer (seeing as how I’m still unemployed and all), but, also, I am without that paycheck (minor details). I think of the adventures we could go on, and then remember, huh, yeah. Um. Maybe we should try to do things a little bit more frugal-like (there go my dreams of water parks everyday).
6. Speaking of summer – do you travel? Do you actually take a summer vacation? This is the first year in a long time that we’ll actually venture outward – going to California for the first time in FAR TOO LONG. I don’t really know how to vacation. I hate that about myself.
7. I am about to venture into the world of diabetic baking – my mom, a recently diagnosed diabetic, needs a birthday cake. I found a recipe for an angel food cake that subs Splenda for regular ol’ granulated sugar. Now, I don’t have a problem with food with Splenda in it – though I know some people do, but I’m a little iffy on baking with it. Have you tried it? What do I need to know? Is this cake going to be gross?
8. My favorite app these days is the free Nike Training Club app – I know I’ve mentioned it before. When you don’t have a gym membership and you’ve got kids in the house, it’s nice to be able to do a full body workout with just a few pieces of equipment. Yesterday, I did a strength workout that had me doing squats and dead lifts. Today? I am FEELING IT. Muscle fatigue is the best. Really. Yes, I mean it.
9. I hate lunch. I have long ago decided that lunch is stupid because the last thing I feel like doing in the middle of the day (or, okay…pretty much EVER) is cook yet ANOTHER meal. While I’m a fan of REAL FOOD and not eating overly processed stuff, I picked up some vegetarian black bean burger things the other day. I’m not sure why – I’m not a vegetarian, I don’t even really eat burgers, and frankly? When I have made black bean burgers, they are WAY better than this. But…these are okay. I haven’t looked at the ingredient list (because surely I can’t pronounce half of the things on the list), but… I don’t care. A girl needs lunch, apparently. And a girl who doesn’t like to cook sometimes has fake lunch.
10. Another week of not buying much new music. I did pick up a few songs from the soundtrack to the musical Wicked. Not sure why, and I haven’t listened to them yet.
This is the first time I’ve actually entered an I Heart Faces challenge, though I always mean to and then realize too late that I missed the deadline. Queen of missing the boat, that’s me. But this week’s challenge is flowers and I LOVE TAKING PICTURES OF FLOWERS.
Where You’ll Find Me