Learning to Love You More

I was reading in Oprah about this cooperative creativity project called Learning to Love You More, that just ended this year. Over its seven-year duration, the creators would periodically make some quirky assignment that stimulated expression and originality, and people could send in their responses. I think it became some sort of cool community exhibit thing. Anyway, I thought it was a pretty neat idea. I like the idea of a collaborative online project, and I often wish I was more creative. I also tend to fancy indie quasi-questionable pursuits like this, especially if it's run by some cat by the name of Miranda July and she looks like this

Love it.

The point is, I'm going to try some of them out on my blog. It seems only fitting, especially since I recently decided that Nat the Fat Rat is actually really full of herself and annoying, so that's not happening anymore. Sorry to disappoint anyone who still may have been wondering about Smith's and Velveeta Cheese.

1. Write A Caption for a Misleading Picture

I'll do ya one better and give you two!

Christie's wedding, August 2007. I look at this picture and all I feel is stress. I don't think I need to remind most of you why, cause you were there, after all. The wedding itself was beautiful and peachy (although Christie probably still believes otherwise, unfortunately). But the events preceding were a different story. At this very moment in time, I had just emerged from the bridal prep room where Tiff was fecklessly trying to add last-minute sleeves to the bridal gown, I was even more fruitlessly attempting to fix Tiff's g's, we were an hour late, safety pins had provoked blood which had somehow made it onto the gown, children were tired and screaming, Ma was nagging, Tiff was crying, everyone was sweaty, I'm pretty sure we got robbed and someone probably died, etc. Anyway, I had just emerged from this fiery room of struggled to get something or other, when the waiting photographer figured he'd try to get his money's worth and snapped this picture. And somehow, it made the cut; I'm assuming because it has taken on a serene interpretation. Now how do you like that?



Xi'an, China, July 2008. This one is honestly so ironic to me, mostly because we look like a couple, no? And I look terribly happy to be in his arms, yes? Well, I wouldn't say I was terribly unhappy to be there, but it's definitely not what it looks like. I was the definition of ambivalent at this point, and for me he was a friend, absolutely nothing more. I remember our tour guide making not-so-subtle remarks about our status, including invitations to come back someday with our children. We laughed it off and felt slightly uncomfortable, but mostly I just knew that that was never going to happen. Life's funny sometimes.