Thinking back to unwrapping Christmas gifts with Nick this year makes me laugh all over again. You see, this year, I didn’t really want anything. I was horrible about giving my husband hints on what to get me, but, about three weeks ago, he told me he had a few gifts in mind and smiled mischievously. “You’re going to LOVE ‘em, I know you will!”
Fast forward to opening our gifts Christmas Eve and, as I pulled off the paper on an art print he’d bought me, I looked up to this face of, “Well, don’t you LOVE it?” I smiled hesitantly and said, “Oh, this is sweet…where did you find it?” And then he looked at me and said, “But you put it on your Pinterest account!”
Oh friends…do you know how much of a jerk I felt in that moment? Ladies, here’s a lesson for you: If you pin things, you may get them! So, you know, maybe don’t become a Pinterest nut to the extreme, one who FORGETS THE STUFF SHE’S PINNED.
The next present? A sweater I remembered pinning, so I was giddy with glee. My last gift? A navy blue, fur-trimmed pea coat. I looked at him and said, “Oh gosh…don’t tell me….Did I pin this too?” And then I started laughing. You see, when you “repin” something on Pinterest—something someone originally posts with an “I WANT” comment—why WOULDN’T your husband think that YOU were the one asking for said coat?
I took 10 minutes to fully explain to my husband the way the female brain interacts with Pinterest. Then I apologized for how little sense that interaction makes (He was all, ‘Wait, you ‘repin’ stuff? I…I don’t get it.‘). Between the great Pinterest debacle and the LL Bean boots I bought him having their shoelaces sewn INSIDE THE BOOT, we looked at one another over a pile of wrapping paper and joked about how’d we really nailed it this Christmas, hadn’t we?
Be that as it may, I love everything Nick got me, even if I didn’t remember loving it in the first place! As we took a Christmas Eve walk (me bundled up in my cozy new coat), I told Nick I wanted to take my self-portrait as a way to remember that night. ‘Cause even with the goof-ups, the real present in all of it was hearing him laugh at my side.
Well, here we are, guys — a wrap on my 2011 self-portrait series. What an amazing year it’s been, filled with a few lows but so many incredible highs.
From left to right, top to bottom: 01.11 #67 … check and mark / 02.11 On Handling Grief / 03.11 Navigating NYC On My Own / 04. 11 Can’t this room please finish itself? / 05.11 I Got Back on the Bike / 06.11 Saying ‘Om’ Again / 07.11 A Room with a View / 08.11 My Couch Tour of California / 09.11 Getting My Geek On / 10.11 Hallelujah, It Still Fits! / 11.11 A New Way of Seeing Things / 12.11 A Very Pinterest Christmas
Last year, I was blown away by the number of photographer friends of mine who decided to start their own 2011 self-portrait series after being inspired by my 2010 self-portrait series. If you want to join again or, if you’re thinking of starting a series of your own for the first time in 2011, let me know in the comments with a link to your first post! While you might feel narcissistic for putting yourself in front of the camera, it’s SUCH a great way to reflect back on your year and relive months that all too often, pass us by far too quickly. I wouldn’t trade these 24 photos and the precious words I’ve written over the past 2 years for anything! Can’t wait to see what’s to come in 2012!!
See more of Gail’s work at www.gailwernerphoto.com. Become a fan of Gail’s work on Facebook. Follow Gail on Twitter.
by Gail Werner
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