365 Slices of Life

My first photo of 2010: My #2 son sleeps on the couch on January 1.

Does this photo look familiar? It seemed like almost every month I snapped a pic of my younger son sleeping for my 2010 Photo of the Day project, which mercifully ended on . . . duh! . . . December 31.

Look how much #2 changed from January to December when this photo was taken!

I launched my 365 photos task with an explanatory post on January 6. I wondered if I could keep up with the challenge of taking a photo every single day and, eventually in my case, posting it to my blog.

My #1 son on his 18th birthday (in February) with a present: iTunes cards

This was where things got a little tricky. Almost all the 365 blogs I’ve seen have been of the stand-alone variety. That’s so much easier than posting a photo every day and blogging Monday through Friday every week, which has been my self-imposed schedule for the last two years.

My older son returns home from college for December’s winter break.

Of course, it should be easy-peasy for an avid photographer like me to snap a pic every day, right? Well, maybe it is for the well-organized, better-motivated photogs. For me, my first thought most days was, “I wonder what today’s POTD will be.” Followed by . . . “Don’t forget to take a photo!”

The college kid saves my POTD project.

And yet I did forget on October 6. Fortunately, my older son had taken a pic with his iPhone 4 of an “A” he had gotten on a test, and he texted it to me. Yes, I guiltily cheated and used it so I wouldn’t have an open spot for that month. But that did mar my perfect record.

I loved shooting photos of dragonflies for POTDs.

Even though I’m glad to be done with the POTDs (January 1 felt so freeing!), because I really don’t like to have to shoot, it was a great experience. I looked at every POTD as a slice of my life, and it’s been fun looking back to see what photos were meaningful to me every day of last year (and those included people, plants, and pests). I want to make a POTD photobook, so my family can easily reminisce in the future.

A proud dad says goodbye to his firstborn son, who we moved in to UTSA.

It was especially fun seeing how much my sons—my favorite though often-reluctant photo models—changed during 2010. Last year my older son turned 18 in February, graduated high school in June, and went off to college in late August.

My #2 son skies during the triple jump.

Meanwhile, my younger son did track in the spring, turned 15 in June, competed in the Amateur Disc Golf World Championships in July, and ran cross-country in the fall.

It’s been a whirlwind year, and I’m glad I documented every day of it.

The final photo!

Especially when I look back at the final photo of the day, which is of our family—my favorite slices of my life!

Finally: Just One More Month to Go!

My #2 son contemplates a YouTube video on the iMac. (November 13)

Okay, I’ll admit it . . . after I finished uploading my November 30th photo of the day and writing about it, I actually created a new dance. A cute, little number I like to call “Eleven Months Down, Only One Measly More to Go!”

Maybe “Burlesque” had a bad influence on me!

Superman darts across a darkening sky. (November 9)

Now that I have a mere 31 more photos of the day to snap and blog about, I realize how fast this year has flown by. Can someone invent a machine to slow down December? I have a feeling that before long it’ll be New Year’s day, and my first thought will be:

“Wow, no photo of the day to shoot!”

Wonder what my dance will look like on that day?!?

Worth Shouting About

Mom (left) and her twin sister Goldie with a dolphin on a 2004 cruise.

Happy 81st birthday to my wonderful, vibrant Mom and her twin sister Goldie! As I type, it’s a bone-chilling 24 degrees in the Chicago area. So what will my mother be doing today? Delivering meals on wheels. Is there a more-giving person than my mom, who also volunteers as an English as a second language teacher? I doubt it! Miss you, Mom!

Oh, dreidel, dreidel, dreidel!

A very joyous Chanukah to all who celebrate. It was sad for me to set out one lonely menorah for my younger son to start lighting tonight. We will miss our collegian, but we’re hoping to FaceTime with him so he can be part of our ceremony.

Good thing sunset is well before “Survivor” starts!

Only Two Months to Go!

A rare family photo now that my #1 son is at college. (October 30)

As always, my morning question to myself of “I wonder what the photo of the day will be” was answered every single day in October . . . except for one. On October 7.

My #1 son saves my POTD streak. (October 6)

That was when I realized that I hadn’t taken even one single snap with my iPhone 4 the previous day. For the first time since my 365-days-of-photos challenge began on January 1st, I was photo-less.

But then I remembered that my older son had texted me an iPhone 4 shot of a grade he had gotten on a paper. I could use his picture! So I called in my photographer relief pitcher (ha ha!), and he saved the day. Close call!

As I type, I’m wondering what the November 1st photo of the day will be. Hope I snap the pic sooner than later!

Nine Months of POTDs Complete

The brothers reunite. (September 3)

At the start of September, I had pondered about the loss of my older son as a photo model now that he’s in college.

My skittish friend finally poses. (September 23)

He did manage to get in three Photos of the Day, though, ironically the same number as did dragonflies.

Partial cooperation by my #2 son (September 13)

However, his younger brother scored 12 POTDs, becoming my photo model of choice . . . no matter how reluctant. Four were from his high school cross-country meets, which were very convenient photo ops. But there are only three more meets this month, so that source will dry up quickly.

The Houston Texans won’t be calling soon. (September 19)

This photo of my #2 son just happens to be my favorite September POTD. I love the look of concentration on his face, and I’m especially happy that I captured the blurry ball as it starts its journey towards the goal post. Best of all? He wasn’t hiding his handsome face from me!

Moving On to Fall POTDs

The red-eyed dragonfly from behind (August 1)

From the first of three dragonfly photos . . .

A proud dad with his firstborn son (August 22)

to a handful of pix of my #1 son about to leave for college and finally being dropped off there . . .

My #2 son close up! (August 13)

to more pix of my #2 son, August has been a month of all kinds of photos of the day. As summer winds to a close, I’m left to wonder if I’ll be using fewer family shots for POTDs, especially since after Labor Day weekend, I won’t have my older son as a photo model for awhile.

Cody isn’t embarrassed by me. (August 30)

The thought of being the main subject for September’s POTDs probably strikes terror into my #2 son’s heart! Good thing I have Cody!!

Seven Months of POTDs Completed!

The Thinker (aka, my #2 son) at the Amateur Worlds Disc Golf Championships. (July 2)

After seven months of photos of the day under my ample belt, I can honestly say that every day when I wake up, one of my first thoughts is “I wonder what will be the pic that defines today.” Every now and then I have it chosen in advance. For example, today is my #1 son’s annual eye appointment with our optometrist friend Dr. Nina. Wouldn’t surprise me at all if that’s the POTD (yes, I’ll have my camera with me).

But most of the time the POTD is totally unexpected. That’s been the most fun part of taking a photo every day since January 1.

My #1 son smiles as his brother looks through baseball cards. (July 14)

Now that we’re into August, I wonder if I’m going to concentrate my POTDs on my #1 son. We’ll be dropping him off at college on August 21, which means I need to take advantage of his photo ops while I can.

Check back during the month to see!

Two thumbs up with tons of laughs

Steve Carell and Paul Rudd star in ”Dinner for Schmucks.”

The family chose to see “Dinner for Schmucks” at the $5 movie yesterday morning, and we roared with laughter . . . along with everyone else in the theatre. Not only was it amazingly funny, but it also delivered a poignant message about being yourself and how to treat people. Highly recommended!

A word to the wise, though . . . no way should it be rated PG-13. The Mom Motion Picture Association of America (of which I am the president and only member) gives it an R rating.

June POTD: A Little Bit of This, A Little Bit of That

The Mister’s family joins the boys after the graduation ceremony. (June 4)

June’s photos of the day had a little bit of everything, making it a fun month to look back on.

We started with my #2 son’s 15th birthday (complete with his favorite sport, disc golf). We continued with my #1 son’s high school graduation (has it really been almost a month?!?), ProGrad, and college orientation.

My #2 son seems eager to begin his journey. (June 7)

It was an unusual month, too, because #2 was a traveling man, playing disc golf for 13 days out of town. That meant #1 was pictured more often, not that he cared to be.

Sam tries to start my unstartable car. (June 18)

In between, there was the excitement of snagging new iPhones as well as dealing with infuriating car trouble.

Now I start July with a fresh slate of POTD possibilities . . . that hopefully won’t include more photos of AAA Texas guys!

Glad It’s a New Month for the Photos of the Day

A crawfish pleads for mercy.

Oh, my gosh! I’ve never been so happy to see the end of a month of photos of the day!! Every time I added new pix to the May Photos of the Day page, I visibly recoiled when that crawfish photo showed up . . . even though I know it’s there. It creeps me out so much!! I hate those beady, little eyes staring at me. Hey, pal, I’m not the one who wanted to eat you!!

But now I’m starting my June Photos of the Day page, and I’m hoping there won’t be anything ugly or strange that will make me blanch when I update it every few days. Farewell, crawfish photo! Hope I don’t have to look at you for a long time.

Happy 15th Birthday!

My #2 son anxiously waits for the school bus.

My #2 son turns 15 today! Happy birthday, baby boy!! It’s time to learn how to drive!

To celebrate, #2 got to ride the bus to school (his older brother is exempt from finals today and didn’t have to sign in at school until 9 a.m.), and, even worse, he took his pre-AP World Geography exam (and it was a bear to study for). The icing on the cake? He’ll need to study for his Spanish 2 final after school.

But, hopefully, he’ll get to play disc golf and go out to his favorite Chinese restaurant tonight. And, no, none of us will be eating crawfish!

One-Third Done With My Photos of the Day

The Mister watches our #2 son teeing off during a short round of disc golf.

I’ve now got four months of photos of the day under my considerable belt! I’m enjoying documenting our lives, even though I do fall behind in posting on the blog. Picking the POTD really makes me think about what I want to remember most about that particular day.

Like the above photo of the Mister watching our #2 son during a round of disc golf on April 11. I loved the pix I snapped of the wildflowers that day. But I thought a picture showcasing the close bond those two have would be a better remembrance of that time we spent together.

A rare smile from Dr. Judge (my #1 son).

If I had to choose, my favorite April photos would be ones of my sons. This pic from April 18 was taken from a bunch that I shot of my #1 son and our “third son” Chase videoing. I especially love pictures of #1 smiling. Makes his beautiful blue eyes twinkle!

My #2 son skies during the triple jump.

I also love, love, love this photo of my #2 son, as I captured him at the peak of his triple jump leap on April 12th at his district track meet. Action photos are my passion.

Those three photos featuring the guys I love easily are among my four favorite April POTDs. But my absolute top pic for the month?

The iPad is mine!

When my our long-awaited, much-anticipated 16GB wifi iPad arrived on April 3!

Photo of the Day Quandary

The March 26th photo of the day

Whew! I’ve completed my third month of taking and posting a photo of the day on my blog. I’d like to say it’s gotten to be an easy-peasy process, but you wouldn’t want me to lie, would you?

Usually it’s been fairly easy to select one photo among those I’ve taken that day. However, on March 26, I fell into a photo quandary—I had four pics I loved, but I could only choose one. I finally picked the one above of the Mister, because I love how he’s smiling. These were the other candidates for that POTD:

Extreme nose close-up!

Loved this extreme close-up of Shiner’s nose! That’s what happens when you forget to close down your aperture and instead keep it at f/2.8, blurring faces (I was using my Nikon 105mm lens).

Got to hand it to Tristin Lee!

Shiner’s “sibling,” Tristin Lee, has discovered her hand! I like how the focus is on her fist, with that sweet bokeh baby blur. And, of course, Tristin Lee is such a cutie!

Connor appreciates Grace’s attention.

After I took the first three photos at Tom Bass Park, I came home and sat out with my pals Grace and T-bird. It was too beautiful an evening to stay inside. As we were yakking, our neighbors Patti and David came by with their three pups. I snapped a photo (with my Nikon D300 and Nikon 17-55mm lens, by the way) of Grace with young Connor. I love the look on Connor’s face . . . he almost seems to be talking to Grace!

After giving it a lot of thought (where “a lot” = a minute), the Mister’s photo won out. He’s family, after all, and I don’t want him to be forgotten in the cornucopia of pix of our sons.

It’s nice to have a good selection of photos to choose from, though. Hope I have a few more POTD quandaries in April!