shoe box diary

Last night we sat down, music playing and fueled with freshly baked cookies, to dig through two shoe boxes full of photos. It may not sound like a huge job, but searching 100's and 100's of old photos - spanning the decade before we went digital - is quite an undertaking. We were looking for one shot in particular which, of course, we never found, but we did manage to stumble upon another life ... or 12.

What made it a big job wasn't just the number of pictures, but rather the flood of remembering, reminiscing and head-shaking styles of hair, clothing, shoes, and cars. There were the usual shots of trips, scenery, projects, parties, milestones and friends. Photos of his life and mine, separate and then together, thrown into a box to become a part of  'us'. It felt a little weird, and I caught myself judging our lives based on the pictures. What did our pictures say about us?

What struck me was how many people and places have come and gone (maybe not completely, but certainly not as prominent) from our lives. Not unusual for the ages that these pictures span, certainly, but photos have a way of putting you right back to those moments captured. These places and people were everything - so important, the definition of who we were. It's amazing how quickly things fade and change as one moves on with life ... a positive thing mostly, and also a little sad.

And how many shots of scenery does one need?! Or shots that really don't say anything at all, that may be nice but don't tell a story? Note to self: these aren't the photos that you'll cherish. So take them, sure, but maybe take about 70% less of them! On the flip-side, it was fantastic to see old haunts, friends and family that we've lost touch with, or who are no longer with us, shots that capture and remind us of something life-changing - an impressive achievement for something only 5"x7" and made of paper.

It also occurred to me that I look at my digital pictures much more often then printed ones. I spend time going back over old computer files and my flickr photo stream with much more regularity then the twice per decade dive into the shoe boxes. But some of the shoe box shots are just too good  (read: embarrassing) not to share. With that, I think  I'll do a little montage every now and then so they find their place among our other photos, with their digital brothers and sisters.

It's only fair that I start with with me, and a small nod to my 20's (mostly). I've never been a fan of being in front of the camera, and disorganized in keeping printed photos at all. Fortunately I have friends that do a much better job of both, should I want to see some awkward shots of myself. Or not.

So here's the most strangely random grouping of shots of myself. You'll see me ripe with spiral-permed hair, doc martens, plaid and the like. Click the photo below to make it bigger, if you dare!