Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Taking a Shot

Yesterday, I went to pick up BioGirl from her new work place, and I went in to take a gander at her new office. On her desk, she has photos of her loved ones. "I wanted to bring in a photo of us, but the one photo of us in existence that I had got damaged in the move back to Seattle." I have been friends with her for a decade, people. And yet she used the phrase "the one photo of us in existence." But it's true. Photo taking is not really a part of my life. I always forget to take pictures, and so the only photos I have of myself or any of my loved ones are photos that others have taken and then given to me. Photography is a beautiful thing, but I just haven't done it even with the best of intentions. I often go on picture-taking-appropriate adventures (like vacations, or family events) with no camera at all. And if I do remember to bring my camera, it stays totally forgotten in my purse until I get home. I am just too busy LIVING. I can't be expected to LIVE and TAKE PHOTOS OF IT TOO. That's two things at once and my teeny weeny pea brain can't handle that. I am trying to get better about this. So here I am, pledging it solemnly on my blog. I will take photos of stuff. Then I will post the photos on this here blog. There. Now if I don't do it you can...well, I don't really know what you can do about it, except call me a poopy photo pledger and that will certainly get my goat so that is something. Now I have a camera phone that takes super low-quality crap photos, but they are photos nonetheless so it counts. Do not berate me on quality. I will work up to actually taking my camera out in public and using it, but I shall start with baby steps. This weekend, for instance, was BioGirl's birthday weekend. One of the things that went on for said birthday weekend was that Neighbor J and I took her out for high tea at a local grandmaw establishment. Because, you know, she is one step closer to granny status and so let us all celebrate that. The place we took her was straight up dowdy, people. It was like Laura Ashley and Queen Victoria simultaneously puked out the decor in that place. It was doilies and ruffles and patterns, oh my. And all the servers in there? They all call everyone "dear." As in, "are you all done with that plate, dear?" They are just dearing everyone like crazy with every word they say. It must be company policy or something, because what are the odds that every single person that works there has the same exact verbal tic?




If you must know those are teacups intertwined into the decorative ivy around the windows which is obviously a really wrong thing to do but they went ahead and did it anyway, dear.

That's all of the photos I have from that whole day. Remember, I said baby steps.

How about I just download the last five photos that I have? No matter how unrelated they are? Ready?

This first one? Is of BioGirl's front gate. When we were moving her in, I decided to take photos during her moving day. I started out at her front gate. Why would someone take such a photo? Of all things. The reason I took it is because she lives in the highest security building I think I have ever seen. There are a ridiculous amount of such gates and doors that you have to go through (all locked) in order to get to her apartment. And they all have different keys. Her key chain is like a janitor's at this point.

You shall not pass!

Ha. How geeky is it that I just quoted Gandalf? It's times like these that I adore myself in a most condescending manner.

Next photo.


When helping someone move, there will be tasks that are a Royal Pain in the Ass. Like putting a futon together. When such tasks arise, saying "I just want to get a photo of this momentous futon building moment to remember for all time!" gets you out of participating in the manual labor. A photography tip from me to you.

Next photo! The next two, actually, are related. Last week, I went to lunch at a restaurant where lots of things either had to be gigantic or tiny.



Teeny tiny salt and pepper and...

a gigantic tower of wine.

Listen. I never said that I took interesting photos. The day of that lunch? I walked all around downtown Seattle and saw many a thing. I was at the fancy library, I was in the shopping district, I was at Pike Place Market. And this is what I chose to document. What a weirdo.

Lastly, on that same day, there was a strange thing in front of the library here. I never really got the story as to why it was there. But I did get a photo of it.



I think he's pissed about his hairdo.

These five photos don't bode well for future photo posts, huh? I may have to rethink my photo pledge up there. Hmm.

I'm out, dear,
Librarian Girl



10 comments:

Anonymous said...

I enjoyed the pictures, in spite of or possibly because of their randomness.

So what do you wear to a grandmaw tea place? Do you have to wear Laura Ashley so that you fit in?

Megan said...

yeah! you jumped on the photo bandwagon! I always love looking at other people's pics...it's kinda a peek into their 'real' life. :)

Leslie said...

I like the last photo the best.

So glad you are kinda sorta jumping on the photo bandwagon. :)

Claire said...

I like the idea of the last 5 photos you took so much that I might have to steal it for our blog!

Did they serve you your cakes on silver cake stands? They do that at the Ritz apparently when you go for afternoon tea...but then it costs something bonkers like £75 each so on reflection, silver seems kind of mean :O)

Sauntering Soul said...

I am also happy you are going to start sharing photos of your life with us. Because your random photos kind of remind me of my own. I take photos of stuff and when I download them I say to myself "who on earth would ever want to see a photo of that particular thing?"

Katie Kiekhaefer said...

When I got my first digital camera, I totally thought I would be posting pictures on my blog, and obviously that isn't happening much. Still, good luck with the mission!

Jen said...

My dad has been an advanced amateur photographer almost my entire life. He was always behind the camera.

The very first family photo (with Mom, Dad, my siblings and me) we took was at my sister's college graduation. When I was 28. The second was at my wedding five months later. There have been none since.

We're clearly not picture takers, though three of us count photography as a hobby.

Anonymous said...

so is that scary thing in front of the library right by the children's department? didn't anyone think it may scare the children filing in for storytime and class visits? so mean!

Anonymous said...

Yay for pictures! I love the tower of wine.

Anonymous said...

I have a picture of the door at Purple. We sat at the bar upstairs and made several comments about the tiny food.