14 March 2006

self portrait tuesday #24 (time)



in many ways, my days seem so ordinary. a string of mundane activities and chores, day after day after day. but after taking photos of myself (same time, each hour-- for one day), I am confronted with my own thanklessness. these days that I take for granted, not so ordinary. looking back at it, I see a world of goodness, so much that I overlook. not that everyday is like this-- what a DRASTICALLY different self portrait this would have been had I decided to shoot hourly this past saturday. days are up and down, this much is universal. and you don't really know when you're going to be up or when you're going to be down. it's a crap shoot. all the same, no excuse for my thanklessness. and now I must stop. before this turns into 'a very special episode of a day in the life of hula seventy'. I'm too old to be an after-school special. still, I'm thankful. here's the rundown:

10:38am: in the car on the way to a new park on ponce de leon avenue. not sure I want to start with the whole hourly photo shoot.

11:42am: park was space-age and fabulous but too cold. ezra's napping in his carseat and I'm hoping to do the same while we wait for ward at his work. instead, I make lists of things that need to be done. ready for lunch.

12:40pm: lunch at home. a mess of veggie wraps and tuna fish and PB&J. and red grapes. always with the red grapes.

1:30pm: ward's gone back to work and we're without a car. everybody outside! the sun is out.

2:38pm: gone to get the mail. starting to get tired of looking at my face and decide to play around with the macro lens effect.

3:50pm: ava has picked some little purple flowers for me. I love them.

4:58pm: the hour before ward gets home is always the hardest. everybody gets a little loopy, a little cranky. decide to play dress-up with the kids to counteract the usual gouchy/ornery/craziness. didn't really work but I do so love the glasses.

5:45pm: I'm no cook, that's for sure. but those kids of mine have got to eat. pasta and veggies is what I'm cooking up-- for about the billionth night in a row.

6:48pm: I try to get out as many nights as I can to walk. it clears my head and I often choreograph movement in my mind as I walk and listen to music. I write sentences in my head too. I really sort of hate this photo. but it was a gorgeous night and a fantastic walk. mission complete: head is cleared.

7:50pm:: ezra is FINALLY down and sleeping. ava gets the sillies. the girl is a night owl, just like her parents.

8:42pm: can't tell you how much I needed a shower. at the risk of divulging too much information about myself: I often put off taking showers. I don't know why because they always feel so good. by the way, this is the only shot I didn't take myself. had to twist ward's arm to take photos of me showering.

9:57pm: tired? yes. going to bed anytime soon? absolutely not. too much to do, too many projects I'm excited about. and of course the lovely computer always calls my name.

time is a funny, funny thing.

(more self portrait tuesday takers here and here)

26 comments:

  1. Yeah, the "twisting" went something like this:

    (From shower): "Ward, can you do me a favor?"

    (From living room): "Yeah?"

    "Can you take a picture of me in the sho--" ZOOM! (That's the sound of me running at supersonic speed into bathroom.)

    (Me in the bathroom with camera in hand): "Sure, how many shots, no flash, right? Is this a good shot? No? How about this one? And this one? Yeah, that's a good one...."

    This was very fun for me to watch you do this SPT yesterday. You really got into it. And the results look great. Wonderful job, sweetie.

    And if you ever need any more shots of you in the shower -- you know where you can find me.

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  2. You are so cute! I love the photos!

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  3. this is great, seriously......i mean 'hello!" how cute are you? i love this peek into a mommy's day. all the aspects of it. and i now after being home sick all day i am reminded how much i really could use a shower. :) (*and i will not tell you how long it's been since i had one, why don't we just say we are being european)

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  4. Whoa...stop it now. If you post another amazing blog entry, I'm going to cry. You're making all us other bloggers look 'ig-nant and triflin', girl.

    But seriously, glad to get a peek of your day, real-time!

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  5. so very cute. definitely one of my favorite spt's of all time.

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  6. everyone sez together: you so cute!

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  7. i love this! and i actually really like the shot while you were on your walk. we will have to visit that new park together sometime with the kids!

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  8. y o u
    a r e
    b e a u t i f u l.
    you deserve to be told that all of the time. beautiful, inside and out. love your writing.

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  9. Oh Andrea, my daze are much like yours. And I'd love to check that park out with you on a warmer day!

    I love the collage. Good job, and Ward's comment was cute!

    God Bless

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  10. HA Ward! I was just thinking what would happen if I asked Husband to take pictures of me in the shower. I'd end up with no pictures that could be posted. So, well done.

    Andrea, you are gorgeous and I love the series. Holy shit with the lips . . .

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  11. Love the whole series, but I especially love the 1:30 when you're getting everyone out into the sun because it looks like you're having such fun!

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  12. Fantastic as usual! The sunglasses just absolutely ROCK!

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  13. ooo... lovely photos! cute cute!

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  14. This is a great series. You are always so pretty and creative when you show yourself. It makes me want to come play in your neck of the woods, without even knowing what your area is like!
    I also like knowing that others live in a city and have 1 car. We are a 1 car family as well ~ makes things tricky sometimes but most of the time, it works out just fine!!

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  15. PS. Do I see a globe collection in the background of the grape photo?? Be still my heart. I love globes, esp. black ones and now must start collecting again.

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  16. That was a great SPT entry. Loved the intro about thanklessness -- really hit home -- as did habit of putting off showers. I didn't believe for a moment that Ward would need his arm twisted. :-)

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  17. I have to say, I think my favorite thing is coming here and reading Ward's comments. You two are SO SUPER CUTE. Things that went through my head reading this post/examining your pictures: You've got great lips (Is that sooo weird for me to say? Nah. They're GORGEOUS.) You always manage to capture a mix of beautiful hilarity and seriousness. The picture of you with the glasses was frighteningly Nicole Richie. And I'm with you on the pasta & veggies nine million nights in a row. Loved this SPT. You always rock them though!

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  18. i'm a bad shower-er also. i'm clean mind you but i don't particularly shower everyday. it takes away from my day! :) sooo bad, but it's nice to know i ain't the only one!

    i missed yesterday self portrait tuesday, i'm having difficulty getting inspired. so instead i shop at target even though i said i would stop but it's a good thing because thei easter stuff is all Naughty Naughty Pets! eeeeee!

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  19. very lovely!

    you and your family are dolls!!

    very inspired, thanks : )

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  20. i'll say it again: you are too too cute! and those lips!

    so... i think i have those sunglasses.... or at least something very similar... surprised? of course not!
    xo

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  21. I was tempted to your site by your photo on Self Portrait Tuesday and have spent the day browsing your archives, enjoying your writing. Consider your feed subscribed to!

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  22. All I'm sayin' is - two weeks to greatness. There will be hugs. (GREAT SPT....)

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  23. Don't you age? I mean, I have and that's not fair. I've known you for, um, like 22 years and I swear, you look THE SAME as in high school!!!!!

    You're beautiful...fun entry.

    Love, love, love.

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  24. wow, I am so blown away by all the comments. thank you all so much, thank you. it was sort of a tough weekend and your words got my head spinning. me happy.

    ward, for this comment, I love you. for so many reasons, I love you.

    meridith, girl. you are the cute one. and thanks for making me feel better about my stanky shower-less self.

    justin, you are so funny. I miss you.

    lulu, yes, lets's hit up that park on ponce. it's weird but in a good way.

    anonymous, thank you. I'm tempted to print this up, cut out your words and tack them up where I can see them everyday. and I'm dying to know who you are.

    katiek, yes... let's hit up that park together... we need to get together!

    madness, yeah, thanks about the lips. and now I dare you to ask husband to photograph you in the shower. just to see what his reaction is. just for funsies.

    debR, I think 1:30 was one of my favorites too. getting out in the sun, always so good. so glad you enjoyed it.

    acumamakiki, too bad there's so much distance between us. the avas could play together! as for the one car deal, yeah, that's a decision that we stand behind (for so many reasons)... definitely hard. and isn't it funny how few of us one-car families there are? always good to find someone else who shares in the one-car situation. and yes! that IS a globe collection you see in the background. i have so many globes that my family likes to tease me about it.

    amy, glad to know I'm not alone with the shower thing. heehee.

    christina, you made ward smile with your comment... and of course, you made me smile too. as always.

    jek, yeah-- I think the whole shower thing for me is the stopping and getting undressed and getting in, the whole work involved. lotions must be applied (I have super-dry skin) and then there's the whole issue of The Hair. I think perhaps I might just be lazy.

    lisa, did you get your sunglasses at h&m? that's where I got these... and for some reason, ezra loves THESE sunglasses... not the play ones, the crazy dress-up ones, but my nice new h&m ones! go figure. by the way, it would not surprise me if we owned the same pair of sunglasses, ha. :)

    doow, wow! thank you. weird, because I was just checking out your blog the other day... LOVED that clip on the five positions of ballet. loved it! you have a fabulous blog.

    glam jo, you got that right, sister. hugs all around! I can't wait. let the countdown begin!

    nathalie, thank you! and give the spt a try... and let me know if you do... would love to see it!

    beth, girl-- can't you see the lines around my eyes? oh, they're there, all right. lighting is everything, ha. but wow, thank you. coming from someone as bee-yoo-tiful as yourself... can't wait to see you! xo

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  25. I just love all your photos! Even the ones you aren't fond of...are great! Reading your blog is such a joy!

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  26. awesome spt! let me be the gazillioneth one to say how cute you are!

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