Sunday, January 2, 2011

I'm a sucker

Why the Hell Not Collection

I sat with my 365 ending.  I wallowed in it.  I cheered for it.  I cried too many times at the video.  I watched my baby turn into a boy (even a tiny one).  I watched Cooper walk off to Kindergarten.  I watched those painful two weeks flash by with some catchy music.  I saw the happy moments & I watched our growth.  I celebrated the end of the year.  And I vowed to not do another 365.

But then I started saying, "Not right away at least." 

On 1/1, I watched person after person take the same journey.  I felt excited for them.  I understand the caution & the worry.  But above everything else, I know the joy & satisfaction a completed or even half-completed project will bring.  Above are some of my favorite Flickr people & they are about to walk the long road of 365.  And all of sudden, I want to come along.

Why the hell not?

I'm tagging along for a couple reasons.  One, I'm lazy.  Without kids, I'd be on the couch flipping between the Food Network & some horrible reality show.  Before kids, I had been known to buy more underwear instead of doing laundry.  I had also been know to turn them inside out, but I think that was in middle school when I didn't really understand hygiene.  The 365 gave me a reason to keep pursuing photography.  And I'm afraid that I still might need a reason to get off my ass & shoot something.  Two, peer pressure gets me.  If all these women are jumping off a bridge, so will I.  One of them will break my fall.  Three, I loved our year.  I loved watching it flash before me.  I loved watching & appreciating every single day.  Call me cocky, but I thought it was gorgeous.  I won't scrapbook.  I won't dust of the video camera.  I never filled out baby books.  But I will work really hard to capture every exciting & boring moment of our lives.  Go on & circle back to reason number one... Because if I don't have a project, I won't do that.

Starting on 1.11.11, I'll start 365 Part 2.  Same goal, capture our lives as authentically as possible.  But this time, if something begs to be black & white, it will be.  And if I miss a day, I will without guilt.  I'm going to use this week to figure out if I want to tack on some goals.  I figured by the time 1.11.11 gets here, I'll be refreshed & ready to go.  I need a little Internet break anyways.  So I'll go & get ready.  I eat right again.  Sleep.  Maybe even shave my legs.  But I want to play the 365 game again.  If you ladies don't mind a straggler, I'm coming.

-Erika

5 comments:

  1. Erika
    I almost just choked on my hotdog and died about the panties inside out comment. My husband had to come and pat me on the back. Obviously I"m not starting a resolution to eat healthier hence my hotdog comment:)
    I'm so glad you are coming back to do this--you are very nearly single handedly responsible for me doing this--it was that damn video with the catchy music. I am alredy starting to think of what songs I want:)
    Thank you and thank you for including my shot.

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  2. last post was by me--lizzard_nyc

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  3. i just watched the video and and and i am so in. i have wanted to try the 365 and now with all that this year might bring, a maybe move, my boys turning 4 which seems so much older than 3, etc etc. well, i am in. now just tell me which flickr 365 groups to join so i can be in with you. amiee :)

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  4. yippeeee! i'm already missing you on flickr. i'm taking a bit of an internet break too. except for flickr. i figure i've had a long enough break from there.

    your video was the shove i needed. i'm fairly sure you're the one who sucked me into it last year, too.

    thank you.

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  5. So excited to take this on, esp. with you to inspire me!

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