Anastasia's Project 365

heavily the low sky

2009-02-21T19:39:00.000-08:00

off-kilter and blurry but I like my composition okay.

Dead, not sleeping

2009-02-17T18:07:00.000-08:00

For the record, I'm not posting photos I've taken each day. I'd like to get back into that but I've been having trouble with the new camera. I'll get there.

sleep

2009-02-14T18:43:00.000-08:00

Papers

2009-02-13T19:36:00.000-08:00

Here I am.

2009-02-12T12:59:00.000-08:00

Well, I've been out of it. We were moving and then I drove over my camera and I was without. Until Christmas, that is, at which point we got a camera for christmas and I decided to start again. It took me a while to find all my camera stuff, the usb attachment, and figure out how to use the camera.

My goal for the year is slightly different from last year. I don't love it here. Sometimes I hate it here. So my goal is to try to see this place for what it is by looking through the camera.

I started with my campus, because I don't love my job. Here are some of my photos.

If I were picking just one, I might have chosen this one. This is a prayer room. It is open to all but is primarily intended as a prayer space for muslim students.

Then I got momentarily obsessed with this tree. This isn't nearly all the shots I took. I'm still not convinced I've got a good angle on it. It's a great tree, nevertheless.

Last but not least, on my way out of class.

I'll go to a picture a day format beginning tomorrow.

I swear I know this woman from somewhere.

2008-06-16T07:19:00.001-07:00

Or maybe I just really like her face.

Pictures of PRA

2008-06-16T06:37:00.001-07:00

My house II

2008-05-16T05:34:00.000-07:00

It was really useful, I discovered, to photograph the living room just to get a feel for how it looks. I feel oddly uncomfortable posting pictures of my living space or, at least, leaving pictures of my living space up indefinitely. So I'll probably pull these down. Meanwhile, more house! Featuring several features the realtor just hates!

So here's my kitchen. It's a good size. You can catch a glimpse of the country detailing over the sink. That's going to go.

*poof*

The children are raiding the fridge.

*poof*

This room is also quite large. We have a huge eating area. We have a small table there but also our futon. A proper dining room table would fit easily.

*poof*

Alright, so here you can see the paneling and the green futon cover I don't think works very well. Also, more country detailing on the bookshelf. The detail goes, the green goes, the decoration on the wall goes. The paneling stays.

*poof*

Oh, and just for fun, my retro square flushmounted light fixture. I have six of these. Originally there were eight or nine of them. Previous owners replaced a few of them. Looks like we're going to replace at least three of them. Maybe four.

My house

2008-05-15T13:14:00.000-07:00

So if you read the other blog you know we're prepping our house for sale--one of many reasons I've punked out on my 365 project. Boo me.

Today, I took some pictures of the living room. But first, let me introduce you to my house.

Say hi, House.

The House has loads of curb appeal, if you're asking me. It's one of my favorite things about it.

The front room is really quite large. I've been working on clearing out the clutter. Our realtor continues to hate the yellow walls, which we really like, although I freely admit the room needs a fresh coat of paint. The question is...yellow? Or celery? Or beige?

*poof* i feel oddly uncomfortable leaving this up.

*poof* and this.

The most frequent comment from visitors is how peaceful and secluded the house feels. And it does, in part because we are across from a vacant lot, which is a flood plain that connects to a large marshy area designated as a nature preserve. And so, we live in the midst of a major metropolitan area and yet, outside my front door, one sees the following:

It's lovely.

a pretty painful and very imposing before: 100/366

2008-04-09T20:04:00.000-07:00

Composition after Bright Star: 99/366

2008-04-08T20:01:00.000-07:00

Dereliction: 98/366

2008-04-07T15:26:00.000-07:00

I had a really hard time choosing from among the photos I took today. In the end, I picked this, which I took from the window of my car.

A day of rest: 97/366

2008-04-06T15:25:00.000-07:00

If I had a clever title: 96/366

2008-04-05T13:29:00.000-07:00

watching: 95/366

2008-04-04T17:37:00.000-07:00

Nine years today: 93/366

2008-04-03T19:28:00.000-07:00

This is my 84th picture: 92/366

2008-04-02T19:24:00.000-07:00

Skip a bit, brother

2008-04-02T19:22:00.000-07:00

In past absences, I've been taking photos and not getting around to posting them. Recently, though, I've not been taking any photos at all. And you know, I really notice a difference. I'm just not looking at things like I was. I'm walking around with my head down, not noticing anything at all.

I also notice I get that way when I'm stressed or frustrated. Or maybe it contributes. I don't know. Anyway. Today, all of this dawned on me and I decided to make a new commitment to looking around, to taking and posting a photo each day. I'm not going to bother to catch up this time because, like I said, I haven't been taking very many pictures so I don't have that much to show you.

Christos Anesti: 83/366

2008-03-23T17:11:00.000-07:00

The New Fire: 82/366

2008-03-22T17:09:00.000-07:00

Kindling the new fire at the easter vigil.

Miscarriage: 81/366

2008-03-21T19:20:00.000-07:00

Bonus pic! It was an unbelievably beautiful day today.

Back to black...

2008-03-21T05:40:00.000-07:00

I'm going to do my best to take a picture today that I post today. Goal for the day.

Canopy: 80/36

2008-03-20T05:40:00.000-07:00

Kizzy, Guest Photographer: 79/366

2008-03-19T05:37:00.000-07:00

She's been playing with my camera recently. I like the texture here.

Dude, what is wrong with me?

2008-03-18T11:53:00.000-07:00

Got behind again. And right now, I can't post because my camera is on vacation. Which is to say PH took it with him out of town. So I'll have to catch up when he gets back. Maybe I'll even let him be guest photographer and share a couple of his shots.

Actually, maybe I'll get up through Sunday with photos I took.

[Okay....these photos are from since I started this project but not from the last few days, because the photos I took recently are on the camera, which was wandered out of state temporarily. I'll catch up with photos from PH when he gets back and then be back to normal posting!]

PH, Guest Photographer: 78/366

2008-03-18T05:35:00.000-07:00

PH, Guest Photographer: 77/366

2008-03-17T05:29:00.000-07:00

I'm only messing with the dates so I don't get confused.

Don't let it fool you: 76/366

2008-03-16T12:05:00.000-07:00

Yes, that is a feeding tube. She has a brain tumor. But she's all full of life.

Uncle: 75/366

2008-03-15T12:00:00.000-07:00

On my regular blog, I've mentioned our friend, who is a bachelor of 84 years and a one time WWII POW with a machine gun shell still lodged in his leg. He calls it his lame foot. Our children both adore him. Kizzy calls him Uncle.

The bass section: 74/366

2008-03-14T11:55:00.000-07:00

I don't even know: 73/366

2008-03-13T18:59:00.000-07:00

It's blurry and askew and I have such an odd look on my face. And yet, of all the self-portraits I did today, I like this one.

Relaxed: 72/366

2008-03-12T18:47:00.000-07:00

she moves a lot: 71/366

2008-03-11T18:44:00.000-07:00

Floorscape: 70/366

2008-03-10T18:43:00.000-07:00

Forgot I took this...

Nearly there: 69/366

2008-03-09T19:39:00.000-07:00

today is the day we veil the crosses. This is my children's altar.

the sheer joy of making art : 68/366

2008-03-09T19:31:00.000-07:00

Today, one of my Sunday school kids got completely absorbed in the beauty of her paint palette. She wanted to paint a rainbow. The other children dove right into their paints. While they were happily applying paint to paper, she was quietly pulling her paint from individual dollops into this lovely rainbow swirl. I made a rainbow, she said! She was very pleased. I took a photo.

Cutting my losses 67/366

2008-03-09T19:30:00.000-07:00

She's eating the table: 66/366

2008-03-06T17:33:00.001-08:00

Bonus pic! Remember the tree that just kind of fell over, from the other day? Well, it's still there and now it has something to say:

The sky was so blue today: 64 and 65/366

2008-03-05T18:28:00.000-08:00

Pony Collage: 63/366

2008-03-03T16:16:00.001-08:00

Kizzy's ponies. They had good names.

The Boys:

Caroline

Diana Ross

David Bowie

The Girls:

Emma

Emma (yes, another one)

Frostela

Moon Child

you watch your feet for cracks in the pavement: 62/366

2008-03-02T19:13:00.000-08:00

Didn't take this one today. It's left over from Friday. But I really like it.

blinding color: 61/366

2008-03-01T19:10:00.000-08:00

from joy the holy branches start: 60/366

2008-02-29T16:37:00.001-08:00

Catchup complete!!!

2008-02-29T05:24:00.000-08:00

I'm back to a photo a day!

I'm glad I took a minute to do that because I'd taken a lot of pictures--not every day but most days--and just didn't have the energy to sort them out, pick one, title it, post it. mehhh. And once you get behind. Sigh.

But that's done. I'm caught up and I feel much better and I'm going to toss my camera in my bag and take a picture TODAY that I can post TODAY. WOOOHOOO.

I'm really way too excited about this.

storm runoff greenspace: 59/366

2008-02-29T05:20:00.001-08:00

if I could only figure out what that means: 58/366

2008-02-29T05:18:00.001-08:00

I'm good at being uncomfortable: 57/366

2008-02-29T05:16:00.001-08:00

Because nothing says sacred space like gray paint and unfinished concrete: 53, 54, 55, and 56/366

2008-02-29T05:10:00.000-08:00

my connection is wicked slow

2008-02-28T20:38:00.000-08:00

I'll finish tomorrow.

It just kinda fell over, I guess: 52/366

2008-02-28T20:31:00.000-08:00

a better way: 51/366

2008-02-28T20:23:00.000-08:00

Hoopty Wall Art: 48, 49, and 50/366

2008-02-28T20:01:00.001-08:00

I have long had a deep desire to photograph this thing. I think of it as my local hoopty wall art thing. It is bolted to the wall and it sort of looks like the scurf of a circa 1977 rec room. Like bad couch cushions. Inexplicably bolted to the wall. I don't even know. I kind of have bad feelings about it. It also kind of makes me giggle.

It's in a place I don't really go anymore, so haven't had a chance until now.

I still only travel by foot and by foot it's a slow climb: 46 and 47/366

2008-02-28T19:44:00.000-08:00

Republicans for Voldemort: 45/366

2008-02-28T19:14:00.000-08:00

operation catch up!

2008-02-28T19:10:00.000-08:00

So this is totally unnecessary but I'm going to post pictures for days 45-59. Right now. Just a second. Here I go.

a modern church: 44/366

2008-02-13T10:35:00.002-08:00

Kizzy goes to a church preschool. Here's the nave. Very modern. I like it.

a shadow of my former self: 43/366

2008-02-12T18:30:00.000-08:00

spacefern: 42/366

2008-02-11T14:55:00.001-08:00

Yard scurf: 41/366

2008-02-10T19:11:00.002-08:00

From the church yard. Just file it under...heh?

I'm on the every other day plan?: 40/366

2008-02-10T19:11:00.001-08:00

how much do you want it: 39/366

2008-02-08T11:11:00.000-08:00

how to disappear completely: 38/366

2008-02-07T11:10:00.000-08:00

I don't know why I like this: 37/366

2008-02-06T19:48:00.001-08:00

now that is just plain weird: 36/366

2008-02-05T10:09:00.000-08:00

I found this thing in the yard. I have no idea where it came from and I have never seen it before in my life. Our dog doesn't have toys at all, so I can't even imagine...and it doesn't belong to the kids. I thought it was a dead rat or something until I turned it over.

That...is just plain weird.

Lost: 35/366

2008-02-04T10:54:00.000-08:00

Yesterday's picture inadvertently captured how I felt last night, I think, which has happened maybe once before--the picture from the night before I went on my interview. I realized today I was attracted to the image because of how I felt. What made me realize that is that in taking today's picture, I was conscious of being drawn to this bush because it looked like a tangle.

Now, in the past, I might have thought okay, let's find something tangled, which is not really an integrated creative expression. On the other hand, I've looked at completed images and said, yeah...that's how I feel, I should post that picture today, which is not integrated, either. What's different about this image--and I think means progress for me as a photographer--is that I was drawn to the bush first and then I became aware that the appeal had to do with the tangle. I was aware of that while I shot my pictures. Then I picked the one I liked best. The overall effect was creative and cathartic. In short, it felt artistic and expressive in a way I don't think I've ever quite experienced through visual media.

I didn't leave the house today so here's a tree from my backyard: 34/366

2008-02-03T19:50:00.001-08:00

I missed day 33--the dean called, I was all preoccupied--but here is today's picture:

My dad was an automechanic: 32/366

2008-02-01T20:53:00.000-08:00

I had a plush michelin man that came from....somewhere. I've always had good feelings about the michelin man. That's what came to mind when I saw this and snapped a quick photo of it.

some old guy likes my profile: 31/366

2008-01-31T08:05:00.000-08:00

So this one time...at a party...this old man came up to me....and he said he just loved my profile and could he take a picture. This wasn't a come on or anything. He was in his 80's and as soon as he took the photo, he ran off to show it to his wife.

This ranks as one of the strangest experiences of my life.

bearable lightness: 30/366

2008-01-30T15:04:00.001-08:00

She's afraid of a light in the dark: 29/366

2008-01-29T19:04:00.000-08:00

This is not a picture: 28/366

2008-01-28T18:45:00.001-08:00

I can't find my camera. meh.

Altar Rail: 27/366

2008-01-27T19:02:00.001-08:00

Reflection: 26/366

2008-01-26T13:49:00.001-08:00

The hopeful architecture of my future 24/366; I'm obsessed with shadows on the rug 25/366

2008-01-25T14:35:00.000-08:00

Another shot from the place I interviewed. This is fairly characteristic of campus architecture.

Sun up 22/366; and stairway to heaven: 23/366

2008-01-24T08:02:00.000-08:00

A pair of photos from my recent journey. Technically, the first one was taken early morning on the same day as the second but that's all I've got! The second photo is from the inside of the main administrative building at the place where I interviewed.

Anticipation: 21/366

2008-01-21T16:14:00.000-08:00

I leave tomorrow afternoon for my first ever campus interview.

Hushed: 20/366

2008-01-20T11:18:00.000-08:00

City of Trees: 19/366

2008-01-19T07:41:00.000-08:00

All by myself I am a huge camelia: 18/366

2008-01-18T07:56:00.000-08:00

Just as I snapped this picture, I looked over and saw my three year old peeing in the bushes. Nice.

Double Happiness: 17/366

2008-01-17T22:28:00.000-08:00

Cheater alert!

Coffeeshop: 16/366

2008-01-16T15:52:00.000-08:00

Thumper: 15/366

2008-01-15T18:03:00.000-08:00

Fun with the children setting....

Winter Creek: 14/366

2008-01-14T09:51:00.000-08:00

Next door to the coffeeshop where I spent my morning working.

Vestments: 13/366

2008-01-13T11:53:00.000-08:00

I took a horde of pictures today and I'm not that excited about any of them. I settled on this, which is a photo from church: the vestments laid out and ready for the service this evening.

Picture People: 12/366

2008-01-12T16:08:00.000-08:00

I just have a crappy little digital camera and I've only ever used the "auto" setting. So I've been playing around with various other settings. They've got a special setting for "children" which handles both motion and bright lighting. Here is my kid, singing a ridiculous song in spanish.

As a bonus, I surreptitiously took a picture of this woman. I kind of find her fascinating. She seems very sad. And I have no idea why she was sitting there. Waiting for someone, I suppose. You can see her in the background of the picture of Kizzy.

OMG PONY: 11/366

2008-01-11T09:57:00.000-08:00

The Writing Hour: 10/366

2008-01-10T09:01:00.000-08:00

Department: 9/366

2008-01-09T17:07:00.000-08:00

In case anyone saw it, this replaces a picture of the quad from [Institution]. A nicer picture, I think but it made me nervous. This, on the other hand.....this doesn't look like very much but this is an extremely evocative picture for me. I'm kind of glad I took it. The door to the left in the foreground is the room where I had all of my seminars, made presentations to faculty, defended my work, felt attacked, been accused of attacking. I've cried in that room. I've seen other people cry in that room. Or close to it. It's a fraught room. And this hallway. This is it.

Garden steps: 8/366

2008-01-08T10:25:00.000-08:00

Global Warming: 7/366

2008-01-07T10:07:00.000-08:00

Enjoying the warm winter sunshine.

Angels, hallelujah: 6/366

2008-01-06T11:55:00.000-08:00

Hail Mary: 5/366

2008-01-05T10:09:00.000-08:00

The first of what I'm sure will be many, many pictures from church.

The story with the cell phone photos

2008-01-04T13:57:00.002-08:00

they will stop, I swear. I'm not going to be able to get it working at home. So my plan is to start uploading my photos when I'm on campus, which will start on the 8th. Until then, I'm kinda stuck with the cell. Gar.

Out the door: 4/366

2008-01-04T13:57:00.001-08:00

O baby, just you shut your mouth: 3/366

2008-01-03T08:11:00.001-08:00

Scene: Kizzy's bath (sometime this morning)

Kizzy: Mama! Let's play the little girl and her pet panda.

Me: Okay. What's the little girl's name?

Kizzy: Polly.

Me: and the panda?

Kizzy: China Girl!

The Rug: 2/366

2008-01-03T05:37:00.000-08:00

The non-cell version. I liked the shadow so I took a picture of it.

Workspace: 1/366

2008-01-01T15:52:00.000-08:00

Be advised I am aware that this photo officially sucks. It is a poor approximation of a nicer photo taken with my regular camera but which I cannot get onto my laptop. I did this with my cell for the purposes of getting off on the right foot with posting a photo each day.

I suppose I will edit this post and include the original whenever I get my USB problem solved.

This is not a photo

2008-01-01T12:51:00.000-08:00

I could probably be more annoyed but at the moment, I can't imagine what that would look like.

See, I have this camera? and I decided to do this project 365 thing? I cannot get the pictures off the bloody camera. No, I am not some kind of technological reject. For some reason, my laptop no longer recognizes USB devices. It doesn't seem to think I've got any drivers for them. It keeps telling me the problem is the device but this happens with every device under the sun.

I tried the desktop but you know that isn't working either. It isn't the same problem. I can connect but it doesn't seem to think there are any files on my camera. I'm not really sure what that's about and it's running linux so I'm going to have to wait for my husband.

why am I posting this? Oh, yeah. I'm annoyed.

A picture before midnight. Even if I have to take it on my damn cell phone and email it to myself.