Making a List, Checking it Twice
Thursday, December 13, 2007 at 12:00PM OK, please tell me I am not the only one that is two shakes from a breakdown. It seems like the older I get, the more manic I get around this time of year. When you are an unorganized person like myself, this whole Christmas countdown is a nightmare. I keep making list after list after list, as if that will somehow help me get all this shit done faster, as if by writing it down and checking it twice will cause a Christmas miracle.
And yet somehow I managed to get the Christmas cards ordered. Not signed and sent out, mind you - just ordered. Still, I am in shock that I actually did that much, unlike last year where I spaced too long and missed the boat entirely. Because monumental tasks like these take time, with multiple steps involved. Multiple steps for one accomplishment is an unorganized person’s greatest nightmare. When sending out photo Christmas cards, the first step is to actually take the photo.
Stop right there.
You might be thinking this is the easy part. You are sooooo wrong. Try taking a decent photo of the Tasmanian devil on a sugar high. It is nearly impossible. On Thanksgiving I took roughly 75 shots of her in the adorable outfit I bought. None came out. In every shot, she is making a strange face, looking down, blurry, etc.
I gave up on the Thanksgiving shot. And the weeks ticked by. Suddenly, I am down to one weekend to get it done (because something like this, with multiple steps, takes me an entire weekend) lest the cards would not arrive in time to send them out.
With the help of my step daughters doing a show stopping rendition of Jingle Bells to enthrall her and keep her still, we managed to get a few shots (out of another 75 frames) that just might work for a card.
Please let me remind you that getting the photo was just the first step. Now I have to go online and put together the card, figure out all the cropping, red-eye and credit card, shipping address, blah blah crap. After much trial and error, I finally ordered the cards. Here is the final rendition:
Please note that the special outfit I bought for her is completely unseen. Why? Because the only photo out of 75 where she was smiling and in focus, she was also kicking her leg in the air. So I had to crop out the bottom of her shoe, which took up roughly 80% of photo. Plus I am a perfectionist to boot. Can’t have the wall showing, must be centered, has to be a tad sharper… I edited that photo at least 15 times. So much for the outfit.
But here’s the best part. I was so hell bent on getting a decent photo of her for the past three weeks, that I had complete tunnel vision. Due to the holidays and Thanksgiving, we haven’t seen my youngest step daughter for over a month. So, even though I had all three kids together and available this past weekend, it completely didn’t register. While all four of us were singing and dancing and clicking and positioning to get a good picture of Piper, we could have gotten a picture of all the kids together for the card.
So my husband says, “No worries. We will have them all again this weekend. We’ll just do it over.”
Shoot me now.
Reader Comments (7)
Really - shoot me too! That is a cute picture - good luck getting another one this weekend! I'm pretty stressed as well - you are no alone. Take it easy - Kellan
You are not the only one and that photo is worth it all; she's precious. :)
Julie
Using My Words
How did the word "just" get into his statement?! Men.
you know, it's funny. i keep forgetting it's almost christmas. i buy little. i don't do much. perhaps i'm an asshole, but you know, i'm not stressed either.
I thought the song went....fa la la la, la la la la la, not ha ha ha ha ha, ha ha ha ha. time to make the executive woman of the house decision, you know, "i've done this task, any changes, you do it";)) this from a woman who walked out of lord & taylors bagless tonight because it was full of crazy people. hmmm... maybe i'll try 7am tomorrow, tra la la la la, la la la la..........
Sounds like you need to delegate! Let your husband do the photo shoot this weekend while you relax with a cup of tea and a magazine.
I have been having heart-pounding anxiety for weeks...
I feel ya, sister.
The good news: The red and green menace is almost over and done with.
P