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. Noel says…
    09/29/2008

    Thank you for posting that even if your day is not going great to keep going. My Monday has been horrible so far; a bad grade on an exam and a ticket all before 9am! I just keep telling myself its got to get better! Thanks again.

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  2. Diana says…
    09/29/2008

    Ali! I LOVE this idea, when I spoke to my hubby about it, he says it sounds like a lot of work! Well, yeah but it will be awesome to help me remember and appreciate the things I do and have. I have to tell you people were looking at me strange when my good buddy was taking pictures of me after our workout in class. Life right?! Thanks for the inspiration! :)

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  3. Nicky H says…
    09/29/2008

    I've decided to join you! Woo hoo!! I have already taken 40 or so photos and it's only 9:36am!
    I have a question. I plan on making 12x12 pages- probably one for each day. I know you know about Stacy Julian's Library albums- which album would you put it in- All About Us or Things We Do?
    This is going to be a blast!!

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  4. Heather says…
    09/29/2008

    Yikes. I'm brave enough to include the link to my sad little blog. Anywho.....Ali; any way to make the pics of your pages any bigger? I'm a real nosy parker and I want to see your ephemera and journalling close up. :D

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  5. Michelle says…
    09/29/2008

    I recently used the Anthologie album for just a few months of regular family photos and have TONS of pages protectors left over (I bought too many, I think the variety overwhelmed me)....but I also have your Designer Digitals "Story of Today Overlays"---THEN I saw your DD "Story of Today Layered Templates"--LOVE THOSE!!! don't got 'em yet....hmmmm....Am I spoiling the beans to ask if you are going to use those? I'm sure you'll let us know but the curiousity is killing me! *grin* I'm feeling more paper than digi right now so I started making some 4x4 journaling cards w/the days on them.
    Friends---write down the economic crisis / bailout news! =)
    Also liking writing down the songs I am listening to in the car (or for others at home / at work)....
    I started today. My favortie photo today is me taking a pic in the kid/rear-view mirror of my car as I am taking my 2 and the boy we carpool with to school. Then I had to get the token shot of me in the rearview and felt a bit relieved I had at least one of me (my biggest challenge).
    My other favorite was sidewalk chalk all over our driveway leftover from a full day of outside play yesterday. It made me realize that photos capture NOW and ALSO capture history already made, as in my artful driveway, now sitting all alone with just yesterday's traces of activity.
    I'm long-winded, sorry. ;-)...just loving this. Just wanted to do it for a long time (since Life Artist, I guess!) and to have a "community" to do it with is fun.

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  6. Ali says…
    09/29/2008

    Heather - when I post the album I do this time I will make it bigger for sure. I will also be posting my writing/journaling for today this evening so you can see how I am jotting things down.

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  7. Ali says…
    09/29/2008

    Nicky - I would probably lean towards All About Us...but it just depends on the content you end up with :).

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  8. Aimee Confer says…
    09/29/2008

    Yay Ali! Thanks for inspiring me to get going again! I haven't scrapbooked all summer. We moved in June and then I got pregnant so I have been super slow in getting going! Now I can really start up again. Thanks!

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  9. merry says…
    09/29/2008

    I started something similar to this the year I turned 40. Basically I begin the month before my birthday and take at least one picture a day that captures what's going on at that time in my life. I generally do an 8x8 album with each page chronically one day. While I try to do pages daily sometimes life is 'overwhelming' and I end up sitting down over the weekend and doing the week. This is my third year of doing this (I will wrap pictures this week and hope to finish the album over the weekend.) It's fun looking back to see what was going on at that moment in my life.

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  10. Robin says…
    09/29/2008

    Okay, I am in. I began taking pictures this morning of just ordinary things going on around here and then the camera battery died. :) It is charged back up and I am back on track. We have a lot going on this week so this will help us keep track of it all.
    Ali, do you plan on scrapping at the end of the week or through the week as you go? I like the idea of keeping a document open. I will do that too.
    Thanks for doing this, I think it is a great idea.
    ~Robin

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  11. Secret Agent Mama says…
    09/29/2008

    Can this be done online as opposed to actual pages with printed pictures? I was thinking of using collages to document the day, along with the writing.

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  12. Ali says…
    09/29/2008

    Robin - I am gathering ideas this week as I document but not doing actual creative work/putting anything together until next week. I personally like to focus on one part at a time (but it can be done any way you want - I think a lot of it depends on time).
    Secret Agent Mama - this could totally be done online! On your blog, digitally, on Flickr, etc. This is YOUR project - you can make it in whatever way works for you :).

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  13. violetkey says…
    09/29/2008

    What a great project! I've started this morning. I might do a digi-book but i might be brave and print out pics for a mini-book.

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  14. Nicky Anderson says…
    09/29/2008

    Moving along and what a different perspective this gives you. Loving that part. I am still trying to figure out photoshop elements (still very very new) as I ordered some of your overlays and am excited about putting this together as I go along. Any suggestions to help with the photoshop elements - I have been trying to get to Jessica's tutoritals - any words of wisdown would help. Very excited about this.
    Nicky

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  15. Nicky Anderson says…
    09/29/2008

    And PS - thank you Ali for your added inspiration!!

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  16. Kristin says…
    09/29/2008

    I have just downloaded my photos of the day - i took 111 photos.
    Crazy, i am going to have a lot of photos at the end of it all!
    Ali, do you have any must take photos to suggest? One photo from when you have done it before that you are so glad that you took, but wouldnt of thought to take it beforehand?
    Today i took a photo of my hand holding my daughters walking to her playgroup, never would of thought of taking that one before today, yet it means so much.

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  17. Lauren says…
    09/29/2008

    OKay, here was my first entry today:
    A Week In the Life, a class led by Ali Edwards
    Monday, September 29, 2008
    12:09pm – reading Ali’s blog as I eat lunch at work. Decide to “go for it” even though I know this weekend will not be normal, as I will be on a scrapbook retreat, but heck! Now, or never, right? (photo taken). Lunch is a homemade chef salad and iced tea (unsweet) with one homemade oatmeal cookie. Here’s to hoping the tea will make my caffeine headache go away (I haven’t had a soda today…)
    And the first pic: http://www.flickr.com/photos/18572605@N02/2898827767/
    Thanks for the encouragement! I had decided yesterday to NOT do this and I am happy that I have changed my mind today! :)

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  18. KariLynn says…
    09/29/2008

    I am doing pretty good so far taking photos. Even took my camera along on a walk with a friend this am and got a photo of me and one of her. I dragged out my little tripod to take the photos of me folding laundry, putting away dishes, making the bed, etc. Hopefully I can keep this up all week. Thanks for the inspiration Ali, this is a really worthwhile project.

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  19. Becky W. in VA says…
    09/29/2008

    Thank you for the reminder! Always good to hear the pick me ups!

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  20. Katie says…
    09/29/2008

    I am so excited to have a direction.
    Seems like the little 'daily's" start to take over and you forget to live in the moment.
    Thanks for the inspiration.

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  21. Ali says…
    09/29/2008

    Kristin - I don't really have any must-take photos. I think I tend to really love the most basic ones that showcase real everyday life - like laundry or lunch, etc. When the album comes together I love to see those in combination with the faces of my family.

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  22. Laura says…
    09/29/2008

    Hi Ali, I took your class at CKU Chicago in 2006 and I'm excited to play along with you again. Off to check out the Flickr group.

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  23. falwyn says…
    09/29/2008

    I want to do this too. But my beloved dslr is in the shop and my friend (with twins, in another city) has my old digital camera. I have actually ordered a back up point and shoot for myself, but it won't be here till tomorrow.
    I thought about waiting to start, but didn't want to. So get this - I'm going to use my Polaroid camera (luckily I got some film for my birthday) to take some pictures today, and maybe a few throughout the week to keep things consistent. I guess this means that I (an all digital girl lately) will have to do some real paper scrapping for this project... but that should be fun too.
    Anyway, so I'm excited, and just wanted to share - the idea of polaroids (I have some of me when I was a baby) tickles me.

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  24. Sara M says…
    09/29/2008

    I took your class at CKU in Chicago. It was awesome and so neat to look back and see how even the everyday stuff has changed.
    I used this "week in the life" project to document things people normally don't take pictures of. I would just tell people, "I need to take your picture because I HAVE to have it for this class I am taking."
    I captured great things. I took a whole bunch of pictures at my grandma's. She makes breakfast every Saturday for any of her kids or grandkids that can make it. I am 34 yrs old and she has been doing this for as long as I can remember. However, this was the first time anyone actually took pictures of her!!!
    Also, I don't want to sound bossy but we all need to make sure we are IN OUR PICTURES!! A wonderful friend of mine died today at the age of 32. She lost her battle with cancer. She leaves behind 5 boys, the youngest only 4. She was in a lot of pictures but just think how meaningful a album like this would have been to her boys, years from now.
    So thanks, Ali, for spreading this idea. Life is too precious not to document it.
    Sara M

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  25. Melissa says…
    09/29/2008

    Amazing how many seemingly mundane things we pass through in a day.
    Ali, I think that your quote by Mary Jean Iron is perfect for this album and I will probably include it to remind my children (one day, when they are interested) that life is made up of a series of normal days.
    Blessings.

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