and i took the concept over to this blog in the little side-bar off to the right.
i intended to change the polaroid every single day,
but if you're keen and aware,
it hasn't ended up being an everyday thing.
for the past few weeks and maybe even months,
it has seemed harder for me to see the ordinary as delightful.
yes, its my thing,
yes, its been my thing for 3+ years,
but that doesn't make it easy.
i'm reading a book by kathleen norris called acedia and me, and she says that the difficult thing about days is that they must be repeated. that got me good. it hit me hard. eating, cleaning, showering, sleeping........ happens over and over and over again. and sometimes it gets kind of boring. lets be honest. yes, sometimes it gets kind of boring.
the book goes on to say that we need to learn to see again.
we need to reclaim our life through ordinary acts:
washing your hair
washing the dishes
going outside,
and enjoying the breeze on your neck.
its honestly when i'm doing things like this that i find those glory moments that i love to photograph. its when i'm slowing down that i'm able to see. and lately its been hard, and i just wanted to let you know that its not all fun and easy. you know?
these two happened a few mornings ago when i was showing someone the difference between lenses. i saw them today and so here you go:
5 comments so far
mostly to do with my car.
an accident, totaled my car but walked away completely fine,
left my sister's car door open a quarter inch which drained the battery,
and it took 3 AAA guys to fix the problem,
leaving me stranded at the house all day yesterday,
and then today i had rosanna drive me to the DMV because i realized my license was expired,
only to notice that the expiration date was december 2010, not december 2009.
ugh.
i still got a new picture and changed my address to the pink house address.
it cost $22.
i thought i might as well make my trip worth it,
and plus, i dressed up FOR that picture.
makeup and everything.
anyway.
these pictures make me happy happy happy.
this is why i am posting them.
i basically blog-stalked jasmine, emailing her an intense note that declared my obsession with her work. she emailed back and said that we should hang out, so we did! easy as that. i felt like i was going on a blind date. butterflies and everything.
she is an absolute delight.
we went to old town orange and explored.
i never get bored of that place.
and are these handles cool or what? how the heck would you choose??
who's into pyrex? me.
deep breath,
shan
7 comments so far
I'm sorry to hear this month, so far, has been challenging. Who knows how or why these times suddenly appear. I pray the rest of this month feels like a holiday for you! Wunderful posting per the norm.
(12.08.09 @ 07:48 PM)shan... so sorry about all of that. I loved this post though -- so real, so "life is sometimes crazy but move on and enjoy it" I like that.
And I LOVE ALL OF THOSE PYREX> and you.
So sorry all those things happened, but it looks like you had quite the adventure in Orange to make up for it! BTW how much did you just make me laugh when you said you dressed up and put on make up for your DMV photo! Thanks for being you!!
(12.09.09 @ 03:50 PM)You delight me. How much fun did I have? Lots. Again, sometime, please… when our worlds will allow for collision.
(12.12.09 @ 08:08 PM)Dear shan,
I have been following for some time but not commented. So glad you walked away unhurt. Perhaps you should take a defensive driving class? I seem to remember a post about another accident not that long ago. Take care
i love that place and i love these photos. i think it would be so fun to do a little shoot in a vintage shop.
(12.16.09 @ 12:22 PM)AND I totally want to stare at the pyrex picture in the post below ALL DAY LONG.
(12.16.09 @ 12:23 PM)
i think you would love her work.
shes a deep soul.
i am going on a retreat for the weekend,
pretty jazzed!
- shan
4 comments so far
YES!!!!!! new friend. tell her i say hi and that we were drooling over her site in Palm Springs.
(12.06.09 @ 11:54 PM)great seeing you on Thurs!!!! I'll see you again at Christmas. Why is your top picture missing from this site? I miss it...
(12.08.09 @ 06:05 AM)
thanksgiving with my family was different this year:
each one of us 5 kids cooked a part of the meal.
it felt very gourmet.
we all even went grocery shopping together.
7 people all throwing things in the basket for their recipe.
talk about good, and lets talk about THIS!
2 comments so far
wait. i want to know more. what did everyone make?
(12.03.09 @ 02:51 PM)heather=jello surprise, jason=apple cider marinated carrots, carson=gourmet potatoes, dad=butter??, me=pies, ryan=brussel sprouts!, mom=turkey and stuffing. SO GOOD.
(12.03.09 @ 03:36 PM)
which is good because for the past month i have been accidentally saying i was 23 when i wasn't.
i share a birthday with the thanksgiving weekend,
and i also share a birthday with my favorite author, madeleine l'engle.
i feel honored to be born on the same day as her,
it gives me this connection with her that i love.
i spent my birthday quietly, which is my favorite way.
i have realized that i'm not a big party person....
i prefer quiet small get-togethers.
incredible food
nice lighting
subtle music
well designed invitations...
and my sweet friends.
blythe was sweet and brought her record player so we could listen to my rosie thomas record. so great.
ahh! friends!! i love my friends.
people brought desserts. i love, sugar.
new wallet that makes me feel like a real woman. i love taking it out of my purse. and, the inside is a print!
this is my neighbor david who works at JPL, aka: nasa. since i love space, i now drink from this mug every morning. DAVID.
birthday party #2 was on my real birthday with my family and my roommate roxana. we had cupcakes that came packaged in cups from native foods. hilarious. they're vegan. i, am not vegan, but i love these things. my brothers thought they tasted like cornbread.
When I am constantly running there is no time for being. When there is no time for being there is no time for listening. I will never understand the silent dying of the green apple tree if I do not slow down and listen to what the Spirit is telling me. GLIMPSES OF GRACE, 117
3 comments so far
every year my mom dresses up as an old woman on halloween,
and pretends she's senile,
and pretends that its Christmas.
its pretty hilarious.
during high school it embarrassed me to the point that i'd be sure to leave the house for the entire night.... so i haven't gotten photos of her until this year. her eighth year doing this thing. she is now famous in our neighborhood and kids travel far to see her. people come back year after year. other moms tell her they wish they could be like her. um hello....! you CAN be like her! just save up candy canes for years and hand them out to kids who you call 'Christmas Carolers". easy.
14 comments so far
That's incredible.
(11.03.09 @ 01:03 AM)this is brilliant. Yes. :D
(11.03.09 @ 09:24 AM)That is too funny! Now I know where you get your creativity! Thanks for sharing!
(11.03.09 @ 10:27 AM)Shannon! I'd love to meet you, you're so very talented. I have big hair, hope to see you sunday. I'd like to talk about your gift and hopefully your services.
N.I.Q
SL. wow! that was SCARY when that pic came up!! And, funny!
I thought I clicked on the wrong blog.
BTW, where's your dad in all this?? Or, does he jump ship too at this time?!
ha, haaaa! love this idea! GREAT photos, Shannon...you captured the attitude too!! hehehehehe!
Linn Mihaylo
Thanks for putting these pictures here! even tho she's my daughter, I've not been in Calif. at the right time to see what she looks like for "Christmas"!
(11.05.09 @ 07:37 PM)Thanks for putting these pictures here! even tho she's my daughter, I've not been in Calif. at the right time to see what she looks like for "Christmas"!
(11.05.09 @ 07:38 PM)
our weekend essentially revolved around food, which was ideal.
lunch on the first day was at the ace hotel, which had an amazing menu (and by that i mean the design), super unique food options, and cute decor which included this elephant.
(fyi: sometimes i am shocked when i see myself in photos.................... weird!)
and ruthi mapped out the martha stewart architecture tour for us to visit on our way home. we love martha.
shannon
5 comments so far
Love.
Hope your nerds rope isn't stale and nasty like the last one...
(11.02.09 @ 01:12 PM)1. You are shocked because your photos are rarely of you!
2. I totally read that article in Martha Stewart and LOVED IT.
3. Glad you could have a short getaway!
4. Love you lots!
(11.02.09 @ 02:13 PM)you are so fun. i love it that you're designing and eating a nerds rope. glad you had a fun trip!
(11.02.09 @ 02:46 PM)how fun! :)
(11.02.09 @ 04:49 PM)
1) i like you because i like you
2) you don't have to wash your hair everyday
3) hidden in the daily rhythm the wild parrots awake us, the little guy gives craze directions, & the Christmas tree twinkles back
(12.17.09 @ 02:15 PM)ro is smart, listen to ro :)
(12.17.09 @ 03:59 PM)Oh, you gals have one of our parrot trees?! Quiet aren't they. Someone over has to get a shot of them birds!
(12.17.09 @ 11:15 PM)Good reminder, Shannon! Somedays I want to throw myself out the window when going through my early morning brief makeup routine. I must remind myself to enjoy the small things, and maybe buy some nice new face lotion for myself to make it a better process :)
(12.18.09 @ 10:54 AM)I've been needing to remember this too lately. I was just having tea with a friend here and she was saying how its not enough that I DID the laundry.. I still have to do it again. Its not enough that I took a shower... I still need another one later. etc. I love you.
(12.19.09 @ 04:13 AM)