Week #36

Tags

photography, silliness

Giant rental lense and official Photo Team “badge”

jb: This week was different from any other week in my life. Ever. I was happily chosen to be part of the photography team for my son’s school play. (Which is a huge production, in a real theater with sets and sounds systems and lights and everything. Not your usual school-play-in-the-cafeteria scenario.) In the past week, I spent 17 hours photographing 7 shows, performed by 3 different casts, shot almost 6,000 pictures and spent 6 hours (and counting) backing up and editing those pictures. Any way you look at it, that’s a lot of numbers for one week.

In the end, my body was tired from running up and down (and sometimes climbing over and even standing on) rows of seats for hours with an (awesomely!) huge rental lens for my camera. My brain and eyes were tired from squinting into my viewfinder and sorting through thousands of pictures on my computer long into the night, trying to decide which 100 were the best to use for the posters and programs.

But the thing that can’t be quantified is how deliriously happy my soul was the entire time. I never felt tired (okay, except maybe when I was still editing at 4am, knowing that I had to be up in 3 hours) because I was so thrilled to be behind a camera again, trying to find the best way to capture scenes, actors and sets. To attempt to make the camera record what I see in my mind so I can share it with everyone.

This week, I (re-) learned that when you’re soul is happy, your body and brain will go along for the ride, because it’s worth it.

j: Because if one plastic pink flamingo is good, fifteen are way better!

Week #9

Tags

babies, beach, silliness

jb: This adorable little guy was my “neighbor” on the beach one day. He’s about one and demonstrated mastery of three words – “hi!”, “bye!” and “doggy” – none of which (thankfully, in the latter case) he used with me. Instead, he repeatedly marched over to my blanket where I was reading, knitted his brows together seriously, pursed his lips into the sternest face someone with cheeks like a puffer-fish can muster, looked me straight in the eye, pointed one chubby finger very decisively at the ocean and just GLARED at me. No amount of “hi!” or smiling or any of the things I normally do to win kids over worked with him. (It was both intimidating and adorable, much like a hissing kitten.) He stood steadfast and determined. He didn’t say a word, but his message was clear: “Look – it’s the ocean, the world’s biggest puddle and your favorite place on earth! Stop reading and go play in it before it’s time for you to go home and you realize how much you miss the ocean. And yes, that hat DOES make you look ridiculous. And for heaven’s sake, reapply sunscreen before you get wrinkles.”

When he was sure I’d finally received his message, he toddled off on his chunky Michelin-man legs, back to the world of his beach blanket and sand-digging, satisfied that his day’s work was done. Clearly, he was wise beyond his years.

j: Okay, so of all the GORGEOUS pictures I took while on vacation in Humboldt and Mendocino, I chose this one to share. It’s because I’ll never post it anywhere else, and that seems a shame (though I’m not sure why). Here’s the thing. I walked by this car, parked at the curb. I read the Sharpie nonsense philosophy words, passed on, then went back and took the picture. I imagine this car got hit because someone was following too close, trying to read all the ways she could spell “realize.” At the moment of impact she was thinking, “Huh. That’s so…” and she didn’t get a chance to finish her thought. Interesting? Stupid? A waste of Sharpie ink? We’ll never know, but the duct tape adds a nice touch, don’t you think?

Week #8

Tags

birthdays, love, silliness

jb: Grandma always says “whatever you do on your birthday, you’ll do all year”. So, today I…

• Was loved by my family (who made this delicious, chocolate, homemade Mickey Mouse birthday cake for me!)
• Missed my Grandmother, even more than I do every day since she passed away just before my birthday last year.
• Didn’t do any housework or chores, just to be safe.
• Hugged, kissed, read to and played with my little boy – a lot!
• Took pictures – just for fun!
• Ate my favorite pizza for dinner (guilt-free!)
• Made time to work out.
• Was grateful for my family and friends — especially for the sister I chose, the one who is my sister in every way, except DNA.

j: I saw this little building when we arrived in Arcata, CA, for a week-long stay. It made me laugh. It’s just the nondescript building you see, and the “Yes, We’re Open” sign, but there’s nothing saying what they do. Is it a business, or maybe a statement of personal philosophy, as in, “Yes, we’re open-minded, stop in and tell us what you think. About anything. We’ll listen. We’ll make you feel safe and loved. We’re open, damn it… and we have cookies.”

I should have knocked.