Sad and Beautiful World

Call me Reverend

So I jumped right into Year Two in the 365 Days Group. I just couldn’t stay away…I love it far too much.

In other news, I married my friends Catherine and Julian this past Saturday! I think I mentioned that you could all call me Reverend Sarah now, right? So yeah…the ceremony and reception were held in the oldest Italian restaurant in South Philly where about 30 guests milled around and then we gorged ourselves on delicious food.

I was really nervous the day of the event! Nervous about being up in front of everyone and nervous about what I was saying and how it would go over. It went perfectly…though I wish I had been more confident and able to not bury my nose in the paper quite as much. But Julian and Catherine both started tearing up when I read my bit and looked at each other. I seemed to hit the mark. Later Cecily told me everyone was crying—the good kind of crying—so it was a success! Heh. Most importantly, the newlyweds said it was perfect, and that’s what matters most.

Here’s what I said (before the whole vow exchange):

I am so honored to be marrying Catherine and Julian today. I know a little something about finding love (and about finding it with an Englishman, but that’s another story); about finding it when you think it might never happen; when you think all bets are off. And while love is a wonderful thing no matter when it happens, there is something to be said when it comes to you after you’ve cashed in all your chips.
It tastes that much sweeter; it feels that much more fulfilling. It is the fairy-tale ending when you thought the movie was over. And so we treasure it all the more. 
Julian and Catherine have found this with one another, and I wish for them to hold onto that feeling of “winning it all” as they begin their new life together. Life will happen, with all of its ups and downs. Cat and Jules, if you always remember and treasure this moment today, this winning the lottery feeling, you will get through anything and everything life has to offer; together.

That night a lot of us went back to their house (that is in a cemetery!) to hang out some more. Julian’s family is wonderful…Catherine could not have asked for a more amazing woman to be her mother-in-law. We all fell in love with her.

I love weddings. ☺

365 Days, Completed!

I did it!! I completed a full year of taking a self-portrait every single day!

Here is what I wrote on Flickr:

I had so many ideas for my 365th shot, none of which are shown here. LOL. I kept coming up with new ones over the past two or three days. Some were going to be too hard to pull off; some were going to be visually unappealing—nothing was clicking.

Then I had the idea for this pillow fight late this morning. It felt right to end with something that, I think, encompasses so well what this project has meant and what I’ve tried to portray: Fun, sexy, confident, silly, complex, and learning more about Photoshop every day. ☺

A little over a year ago I started occasionally posting photos on Flickr. I had bought myself a new camera and was trying to rekindle an old love for photography. The photos were mostly as a companion to my blog because I enjoyed so much seeing other bloggers’ post their photos. In August of 2006, someone invited me to join this new group 365 Days. I’m not even sure why I joined, and I know that I didn’t expect to last very long!

Almost immediately, however, something began to happen. I started getting comments on my photos for one thing—something that hadn’t happened much before. It was a pretty small number of people in the group back then, so it was easy to follow along and really feel like I was in a community. I started paying attention to what others were doing with their photography and with their self-expression. And I started to learn; to experiment; to push my own boundaries.

It might be hard to believe for some of you, but it was a huge deal for me to post ‘sexy’ photos of myself early on. I had never seen myself in that way and definitely didn’t have that kind of self-confidence. No one was more amazed than me when I became so comfortable so quickly! The effects of the supportive atmosphere still found in this group even with over 4,000 members helped boost my confidence by leaps and bounds. It started having effects in my day-to-day life, not just with my husband intimately, but in general the way in which I carried myself was impacted.

From this new confidence came a desire to learn more, to push myself more with my images. My contact list grew as I made new friends and looked at more images…to see what was possible. I felt comfortable in my own skin and with my body and was able to use myself as a model in new ways.

I cannot thank Mav enough for starting this group, or Chris for inviting me even though he hardly posts pictures anymore. To those that started in those first few weeks of the group, you pushed me forward. There are far too many people to even list here, but so many of you have enriched my life through your words and images, through your support and humor, by just being there to say ‘hey, this rocks!’

I don’t know what I am going to do tomorrow. Maybe I will post a 366th shot, maybe I won’t. I am going to wait and see. I think I’d like a little break, but I still have so many ideas for self-portraits that I know I’ll keep creating them no matter what (even if they aren’t every day). I kind of like the idea of coming up with more complex ideas and having more than one day to realize them. So I will still be here, posting photos and commenting on yours; cheering you on as you finish your own 365s and begging you not to quit when you think you must.

The rewards have been immeasurable. Thank you all so very much.