Week In The Life : Monday Morning Thoughts

Makingbed


I forgot how much work (fun "work" of course) this project can be once you get going. The first day is always the most challenging - it gets easier as you get into a groove as the week goes along. I've taken a bunch of blurred shots this morning since it was still pretty dark when we started our day - needing to get out my tripod tomorrow morning or add on the external flash.


Received a great message from my friend Carrie this morning as we were talking about the project, "I think it's important to embrace this even amid life's imperfections...It's easy to say, 'Well, life isn't perfect right now, so my week isn't worth documenting.'  Not true."


BINGO.


Don't beat yourself up if you miss something. If you forget your camera. If your day isn't how you hoped it would be. If you don't write anything down. Hello life, right?


One of the things I am remembering that I love about this documentation process is the awareness of my surroundings that I begin to have again. For awhile, it has been hibernating. I am excited to welcome it back.


As for my writing so far, what is working for me is to have a Word document open on my computer to jot down thoughts/activities as they happen.


Dottedline


Just a note: I am answering questions in the comment section this week as we embark on this project together. Feel free to leave questions and suggestions.


Dottedline


A complete list of posts related to the week in the life project can be found here.

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87 thoughts

  1. Rinda says…
    09/29/2008

    So, on the way home from basketball yesterday, my son says, "I think that taking pictures while you're driving should be illegal . . . you know, like talking on your cell phone is. It seems a little dangerous." So, I handed him my camera and told him to take some pictures of the pumpkin farms we were passing.
    So, my question is: How important is it to have the pictures be ones that you yourself have taken, rather than someone else? Interested in your thoughts.
    Rinda

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  2. Jayne Hickey (The View From My Shoes) says…
    09/29/2008

    wondering if I'll be able to see this one through to the finish line. Think "I think I can I think I can!". This morning as I looked out the kitchen window I was greeted with almost a spotlight of sun highlighting the reds & oranges of fall's exciting colors on the top of the hill above our apple orchard! Grabbed that camera and my wellies and ran out the door to "capture the moment!" My kids were wondering who was going to butter their toast...
    Even was brave enough to capture the sink full of dishes! Life - it is never clean!
    My week will include surgery for my son on Thursday so that should be some pictures to remember (unfortunately we can add them to an already growing collection!)
    I love the motivation you continue light within us all Ali - thanks for taking the time to hold our hands and walk us through this.
    Can't wait to sneak a peak at your notes tonight!
    Off to snap snap snap and scribble scribble scribble!

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  3. melanie g. says…
    09/29/2008

    Ali, thanks too for the inspiration for this project. Started mine yesterday and spent last night/this morning sick with the flu! So, a slow start this morning. Oh, well. I had a thought of sending a couple of disposable cameras with my kids to school one day this week (with the teacher's approval) just to add a few pictures of their everyday school day.

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  4. Ali says…
    09/29/2008

    Love the idea of the cameras going to school with the teacher's approval - so cool!

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  5. Ali says…
    09/29/2008

    Rinda - I don't think it matters at all. It is all documentation :).

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  6. Emily J. says…
    09/29/2008

    I am going to jump on board with this...always wanted to do this...Maybe your week in the life challenge this week will enable those of us that are "always behind" the camera to get to the front of it...(atleast I am hoping too) Happy Monday!

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  7. alexandra says…
    09/29/2008

    Funny you should right about embracing life's imperfections - I was disappointed last night when I thought about the project since 3/4 of my family (including me) have colds and last night my son threw-up in his bed! How can a document a week of sickness and healing - well... I don't know but I'm going for it anyway. Not what I was hoping for but this is real and this is us this week!! In the end I think it might be kind of neat!!
    Thanks, Ali!!
    A.

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  8. Melannie says…
    09/29/2008

    Thank you so much for this inspiration. I have such a crazy life with two children, we have a family business(work with my parents!!!) and other family drama that someone told me that I should write a book about my life and how perfect is this....A week in the life of me. Thank you so much!!! My brother works for the business too but he is always on the computer or just sitting around so I got some shots of him and he keeps asking me why do you keep taking my picture?
    Thank you for the inspiration!!!!!

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  9. Jessi says…
    09/29/2008

    What if one member of the family is unwilling to get their picture taken...he is kinda important...my husband and the father of my three boys...he has but on the weight since we had the boys and is feeling very self-conscious!
    Any suggestions?

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  10. jukebox says…
    09/29/2008

    Wow! This couldn't have come at a more perfect time. This will be my first "project" since I am new to scrapbooking. This week I am weeding out all the STUFF in my house because we are moving. Even though I'm a 3/4 empty nester, my girls left all their junk here. I am taking pictures of all these things before tossing them. I have a fantastic photo of 17 games stacked up! And I can't wait for the Marcia and Greg Brady bobble head photo shoot. :o)

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  11. Margalyn H says…
    09/29/2008

    Ali,
    I started this project on Saturday so I'm on day three now... and I found that I only have one picture of myself! I found myself so focused on documenting my days that I'm not even getting myself in the pictures. Do you have an suggestions for me?
    Thanks so much, I'm having a lot of fun.
    --Margalyn

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  12. Ali says…
    09/29/2008

    Margalyn - you have to make yourself get into the photos. Use a timer on your camera if you have one - I have been doing this quite a bit today. Have someone in your family/friends/etc take some shots of you. You may simply have to ask :).

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  13. Margalyn H says…
    09/29/2008

    Thanks, I'll work on it!

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  14. rachel carlson says…
    09/29/2008

    it's been good so far...have just returned from a leaf peeping mini road trip from the mountains with great photos, thoughts, etc...thanks again ali, this is great!

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  15. Crystal says…
    09/29/2008

    ALI!!!I FORGOT MY CAMERA! WHAT DO I DO!!!?????? DO I JUST DO WORDS TODAY? OH, THAT'S SO BORING! MY CELL TAKES SUCH BAD PICS! i'M SAD!

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  16. Ali says…
    09/29/2008

    No worries Crystal - you can begin tomorrow or just do words today + supplement with "general" photos later on.

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  17. gardenymph says…
    09/29/2008

    Okay, I think I need to slow down. I have 227 pictures so far and it's only 4pm. I guess I'm a bit trigger happy today. I'm hoping that I won't deliberate over all the pics tonight. I don't want to make things harder for myself. :~) Hopefully I will slow down and be more thoughtful in what I choose to capture for the rest of the week.
    This project is really helping me to be in the moment. So many days rush by in a blur, but today I have been hyper aware of every activity that I am doing with my kids. This day too will be quickly swallowed up in waters of my life, but I have found a way to stop time for a while, and to make sure that this day, this week, will be remembered.
    Thank you, Ali.

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  18. Megan Taylor says…
    09/29/2008

    Can i say how much i appreciate you sharing this wonderful opportunity? Scrapbooking can be so expensive, and I love that you made this little class availible to poor little students like me. I'm just very grateful.
    Here's my little blog:
    hurrayitsmegan.blogspot.com
    I started on Friday, so I have a good amount of pictures. Trying to process as I go... and journal as well. Can't believe how much I'm learning about my camera and my self as a photographer. It's perfect.

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  19. alexandra says…
    09/29/2008

    sorry about the typo - 'right' instead of 'write' ??!!
    - must be the Extra Strength Dristan!!
    A.

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  20. Wendy Davis says…
    09/29/2008

    Took over 100 photos yesterday. Went to bed with my camera by my bed and so glad I did. Woke up this morning to the most beautiful sunrise. The clouds were all pink so I grabbed the camera and got the shot, I hope. Either way, it's great. Driving to the gym this morning I noticed that I was really noticing so much more of the world around me. Even took some pictures driving -- and we're not even supposed to use hand held cell phones here in California...lol!
    Ali, I'd really like to do my album all digi when it comes time to putting it together. Any chance you'll be doing or recommending templates we might be able to use? Just a thought.
    Thanks.

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  21. treeclimber says…
    09/29/2008

    Hi Ali,
    Thank you for motivating me to do this. I am having a lot of fun with it so far.
    I was thinking about the finished format... I don't have any of the sleeves with six 4x6 slots but I do have plenty of the 8-1/2x11 baseball card sleeves. Using those with the 8-1/2x11 sheet protectors should be perfect to include all the 'little' clips from the day and the journaling and larger items.
    Just thought I share in case anyone else is stuck on the format too.
    Thanks, Deb :-)

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  22. Ali says…
    09/29/2008

    Hey Deb - that is what I am going to do :). More about that tomorrow or Wednesday.
    And Wendy, I do have some digital recommendations to come as well.

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  23. noell Hyman says…
    09/29/2008

    Thank you for answering questions in the comments, Ali. Reading all these ideas and questions and your answers really opened my mind up to the picture-possibilities.
    My initial thought was to only take a few pictures through the day. I thought I had my photos done for the first half of the day until I read these posts. Suddenly I realized how much there was for me to capture that just hadn't occurred to me before. Here is what I've photographed since reading the comments...
    *Playing with my son
    *The amusement park we built from his Gears
    *The vegan choco. chip cookies I baked last night--broke my own rule and ate one first thing this am.
    *The three different types of dried beans I soaked today for this week's meals
    *The sink and counters loaded up with with dirty dishes and the full dishwasher--a regular thing now that I make almost all of our food from scratch
    *The black bottom of my pot b/c I forget that mung beans cook in less time than other beans--oops
    *My sick 5 yr old asleep in my bed for a nap--an old daily occurrence that was long gone but is back for the day
    *My dog sleeping in his usual spot on the top of the sofa, like a cat
    *My Tagalog language books with a filipino movie--brushing up on my Tagalog today (a filipino language)
    *Me holding my little guy in front of the mirror as we prepare to pick up the other two from school--another flashback to old times
    *My oldest two entering the car from school
    About 6 hours left of my day...

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  24. Linda Beeson says…
    09/29/2008

    One month I did the "photo a day" kind of challenge and it was funny one day when I realized how many drive-thrus I go through!!! It was fun to document even that.

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  25. Jeni Barbas says…
    09/29/2008

    I am so thankful that you have inspired me to play along this week. I just took the most amazing, precious photo of my 18 month old while he nursed. We are weaning and I've been trying to think about how I would capture a picture of him during these last sweet days of nursing when he only ever nurses in the dark-first thing in the morning. Today, he wanted to nurse in the afternoon ....so we did and because I'm doing this project I had my camera right beside me. Thank you Thank you!!!

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