June 17, 2007

Self-Portrait Challenge- Surrounding: Chaos

The mood at my house is (take your pick of the following adjectives) crazy, tense, chaotic, disorganized, maddening, disgusting, or the way it always seems to be when I move! It is amazing that we arrived in Malaysia with a few suitcases and fourteen boxes of books and knick knacks; but now we have procured a twenty foot container and shit seems to be falling out of ever nook and cranny of our jam packed house?

In addition to getting everything ready for the movers next week, I have been responsible for the following activities: selling our washer and dryer, refrigerator, car and other pieces of random furniture that didn't make the cut to be shipped. There was a lot of it.

You may be wondering how I have the time to post this in the middle of this chaos, and the answer is that I am doing it wearily. We are staying at a friend's condo while out house gets through its poltergeist. Let's just say that at one point today, I was dipping truffles at my Father's Day brunch at the Westin, only to be lugging a BBQ up and down a flight of stairs, vacuuming a car, taking apart shelving and touching up paint on the walls of my house, later. It's been a crazy day. Did I mention that it started with my wife and daughter waking me up with my Father's Dy present, an 80GB iPod!

I am not sure how or why, I am writing this right now, but it feels good to stay grounded in my routine of SPC posts before the shit really hits the fan next week and the movers take my life away. Before that however my family and I will spend four days here. That should get me ready for the final push!

What the hell does all this rambling have to do with my portrait this week, well let me show you. I am getting into a really bad habit of not being able to pick just one shot. This week I have chosen a series again. The first is me obviously distressed that I have to spend the first few days of my summer vacation painting my house. Notice the dreary despondency in my lethargic body posture.

But then I decided to have a little fun and play Superman on the stool. I love the way the lighting turned out on this shot. I took little break from the painting and starting playing. I took several shots with different light settings and poses. This was one of my favorites.


The lesson I learned is that no matter house stressed one gets, no matter how weighed down one feels by their possessions, and no matter how overwhelming it all becomes, a little play will clear things up. After my photo shoot, I regrouped had a Zen moment, went across the street and hired some guy to finish the painting so I could get to other things. We are nearly ready to move. Oh! Did I mention that our cat Simon is so freaked out that he is randomly peeing everywhere? Well he is and it sucks!

Oh and for those of you wondering what happened to the beard I had been growing for nearly two months, the answer is, never get your haircut by someone who does not speak the same language as you. There apparently is not a universal sign for just a little trim. Why am I still writing? This post is just as hectic as my life right now. Goodnight! I am off to crash in bed.

17 comments:

  1. despite the initial posture, there is an amazing energy emanating from this post! and a wit that never fails :)
    ...and a Freudian slip ("no matter *house* stressed one gets") that made me giggle considering the context.
    your holiday location looks like bliss. good through the mayhem. And whatever you do DON'T FORGET TO PACK YOUR BLOG!!!
    Vx

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  2. I love the child-like pleasure of playing airplane on the stool! What a task...

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  3. Anonymous4:00 PM

    I cannot pick a favorite...the photo's are wonderful. I like the play aspect in the last two :)

    Good luck with the moving!!

    silvia

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  4. Anonymous7:53 PM

    These photos are terrific. I love the first one - your expression captures everything that happens when you have a big move taking place and the black and white sets the tone perfectly.
    The stool shots are brilliant, especially the floating lotus genie.

    Good luck with your move.

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  5. Anonymous10:06 PM

    the first is my favorite, as well. i DO so hate to move...and the black and white, weary posture says it all.
    your portraits are always my favorite, and i immensely enjoyed your post about teaching. no doubt your students will all be richly rewarded for having been under your wing. keep up the good work, within and without.
    good luck with the move....

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  6. Anonymous10:28 PM

    i love all the photos!! :]
    very inspiring.
    wow...very hectic huh. ><
    but, i know ull be able to handle it :)
    good luck, take care!


    KuanYu

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  7. i feel for you...moving, painting...i've been there so many times.

    these are great shots.

    did you ever see the film The Fountain? that last one reminds me of the end of the film.

    well done, man.

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  8. Well at least you found time to post! We are in exactly the same boat as you guys right now - how the hell did we accumulate this much stuff??? Why am I spending my holidays taking down blinds and cleaning? All the best for the move and love the first photo when you are tired and covered in paint - depicts how we are feeling at the moment.

    Safe travels and love to M and K x x x

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  9. Muahahaaaaaaa - I'm sorry.. it's not funny about the haircut.. but really - it is.

    Might I say your post does NOT make me look forward to our impending move? Um.. no.

    And I'm really bad about serial pictures too. However, yours are great, whereas mine are in sequence just because the whole damned thing just sucked.

    Good luck with the move. Bless us all when the men in the trucks take our lives by the bal...

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  10. Anonymous11:04 AM

    I HATE moving! Having just moved 7 weeks ago I know what I'm talking about here. I'm feeling your pain big time.

    Love the second photo - SUPERMAN! It's one of the truly great things about your personality that comes out in your photos - your ability to be silly and just feel the moment.

    Good one!

    LC

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  11. Malaysia is a big move.

    We need more superheroes.

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  12. Oy... Moving is the pits. I have moved many a time... It always sucks. In fact, that first photo of you will be me towards the end of the year when we get ready to sell this house.

    I love the second photo, it is very fun, and the lighting rocks.

    ~Georgia

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  13. These are all great pictures!
    I like the flying on the stool, looks fun..but the meditation one looks like you are levitating, so it's really fun too....

    Good luck with the rest of the painting.

    Amelia

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  14. They're all great, but Superman is my favorite. I don't envy you with moving -- not just a simple move down the street either -- but to a different country! Wow. That must be a logistical nightmare!

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  15. Haha the pictures are great - your optimism is written all over them :)
    Good luck and have fun!

    Sai.

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  16. Anonymous12:45 PM

    I love the pictures! :) And although it took me a while to find your blog, by just reading the first paragraph I could tell this was yours.

    Hope youre not having too much 'fun' moving. :) Good luck.

    I'll be back to read more of your blog!

    - Iris

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