There's a change in the weather, a change in the sea...

Back in August I posted this, knowing on the periphery of my mind that 27 had the possibility to be a year of intense change. Nothing was concrete yet, but the inklings of a major shift in the status quo had begun to pass through my day-to-day life. 

Three months later and everything has been aligned, cemented and now November (what's left of it) and December will be filled with preparations for a rather monumental journey.

Alright, stop being cryptic and get to the damn point, Kim.

On December 31, A and I will be moving to Lausanne Switzerland for work, return date unknown. Even as I am typing this, the words are not yet registering in my brain as being true. These kinds of adventures happen to other people, far more interesting and adventurous people than a homebody and bookworm such as myself. But even as I fail to comprehend the realness of it, there is the piece of paper on my desk defying my incredulous reaction to the situation. Girl, you are going. Better start packing those bags.

This process has been long and fraught with anxiety, disappointment and (ultimately) exhilaration. Even when the conversations began in earnest back in August, it was hard to accept the situation with any sort of finite possibility. I have always been a worst case scenario person, a closet optimist who spends a significant amount of time grappling with the very real possibility of defeat, while a tiny, hope-filled balloon tries to stay afloat in the face of my overbearing pessimism. With the signing of the papers, the tether of worry binding that balloon to the earth was cut free and has started tentatively floating upward, gathering speed and volume and beginning to grasp the infinite possibilities of the future.

A future filled with excitement. Exploration. The most tantalizing unknown experiences.

December 16th is the date I drive out of this beautiful city that I have called home for almost four years. Chicago, we have had such a relationship. I have grown up here and started the foundation of a life that I am so excited to call my own. There are so many nooks and crannies of this city that I will miss dearly. And please let's not talk about the people. Not just yet. The thought of leaving the wonderful people I have had the sheer joy to meet and laugh and play and cry and work with here is too much to handle right now.

Oh, the goodbyes will come. They have to. But not yet.

I can't believe this is happening.

A post-Thanksgiving treat for you...

This just in...

This information comes to us based on an informal survey of my closet. Pictured above: the black and white stripe category. Not pictured: blue and white stripes, red and white stripes, grey and white stripes, grey and BLACK stripes...you get the idea.

Question for discussion: do we think this is an indication of good taste or maybe a symptom of an underlying psychological condition? At present I am undecided.

Animals of high and low moral standing

I found these two hilarious posters at a quirky little online shop called Animalia that sells all manner of interesting animal themed odds and ends. I think they hit the nail pretty much on the head in the classification of high vs. low moral standing (with the possible exception of spiders...though they are creepy little jerks). Would you agree?

The many faces of a lighting class

During the summer, Anthony and I took a portrait lighting class at the Chicago Photography Center. Every Monday after work we'd hop on the train, down a lot of coffee, and attend a lesson. Then we would come back later in the week on our own and reproduce what we had learned using each other as subjects.

We quickly learned that there is a method to photographing the person you spend most of your time with and that method involves sarcasm and a lot of patience. Every independent session would go a little something like this:

Me: Okay, I think everything is plugg- oh wait. Crap! Hang on while I....okaySMILE!

A: Okay, look over my left shoulder...no, MY left....no...the other left...the opposite of what you are doing. Stop smiling!

Me: Okay, look like you are pontificating something. No, more pontification. Okay! Now hold that while I adjust (mumble mumble mumble while adjusting something) hey, you moved! Go back to how you were...no that's not it...no, smile a little more...now a little less...now a little...clickclicklclick!

Me: Look what I found! It's a hat! Will you put this on pleasepleaseplease?

A: No.

Me: What if I do this? (bats eyelashes)


A: You look like you have something in your eye. (thinking: that hat has probably been worn by fifty people. At least one of those people had lice).

Me: I promise this will look cool!

(bargaining continues for another ten minutes and after I have promised to do all sorts of household chores from now until eternity...)

A: (exhausted) okay. fine. give me the *^*&% hat.

Me: clicketyclicketyclickclickclick!

A: put the hat on

Me: (thinking: that hat has probably been worn by fifty people. At least one of those people had lice). grumblemumblegrumblemumble...okay fine.

Me: Pleeeease smile?!

A: I'm hot. I don't want to smile

Me: But you look so nice when you smile

A: NOOOOOOO (thinking: I have reached my maximum number of smiles today. It is freaking hot in this non air conditioned studio. My soul is sad. Also I am hungry.)

Me: (starvation and heat stroke have set in. I am no longer in my right mind) Look at this weird face I can make!

A: clickclickclickclickclick!


Me: Wait...did you seriously just take a picture of that? For real?

A: Duh.

Me: You need to delete that. LIKE RIGHT NOW.

A: Um, yeah. Not a chance. This is definitely going on the Monday assignment presentation.

Me: (inner velociraptor cries out in pain and sadness)

Me: Act like you're laughing

A: (defeated) ha. ha............. ha. *sigh*

All in all, we did learn a lot. I wanted to feel more comfortable around studio lighting and the homework sessions definitely helped. Now I'd like to get started with a few lights of my own so that I'm not in danger of forgetting what I learned.

It was a fun summer :)