My name is Alison. This is where I'm currently in the process of posting 365 self-portraits -- one for every single day of the year. Wish me luck.
The rules...
[one] Take and try to post one picture every single day, starting on 01.01.10.
[two] I must be in every single one, 365 total.
[three] I have to take each one myself without any help.
On day...
235, I will begin my college career.
187/365.
This is Nat and his cat, Bwed. Soren and I hung out at his apartment tonight while he forced us to suffer through episodes of King of the Hill and various other sick versions of torture. Really, though, I love this boy and I couldn’t be happier to call him my friend. Despite his insane quirks, I’ve loved getting to know him this summer, and I’m looking forward to many more nights just like this one in the future.
186/365.
I’m home, and I’ve showered the layers of grime from my skin. Even if it feels foreign, being wrapped up amongst a set of clean sheets with real walls holding me in does feel nice. I miss the trees and being curled up in a mess of blankets with Soren, but at least I know I’ll be back in another 300 days, give or take a few. I just hope this vague sense of hollowness fills in with normalcy before too long.
193/365.
The combination of Sufjan Stevens’ music and the sight of this skyline gave me chills when we finally made it to Chicago this afternoon. I’ve been looking forward to this trip for weeks, and I’m so glad we’re finally here. My dad doesn’t like to waste time, so the moment we dropped our stuff off at our friends’ house in Logan Square, we took the El into the loop to see Caribou in Millennium Park. Dancing in a mob of hipsters was a pretty fantastic way to start off the trip, especially with the city touring directly above us. Even though I’ve only been here for a few hours, I think I may be falling in love, but maybe that’s just the exhaustion talking.
189/365.
Today was quiet; I slept in and unpacked all day and waited for Soren to get off of work. We watched the Departed together at my dad’s house and walked around the neighborhood with Kaelan. Nothing special, but exactly what I needed.
191/365.
I felt a bit better today, but unfortunately not good enough to leave on time for Chicago. Instead, my dad and I drove into Bethesda and he bought me a late birthday gift — a new lens for my camera! It’s a Canon wide-angle, and I’m absolutely in love with it. Although I got to use it for this picture, I seriously can’t wait to put it to better use when we finally leave for our road trip tomorrow. Let’s just hope I feel up to it.
194/365.
Today was fantastic. We walked all around this neighborhood called Wicker Park shopping and eating and everything else good in the world. I’ve never been so in love with a place before, but that could be the shopper’s high talking. I’ve got new cowboy boots, body sugar scrubs that smell like heaven, and a stack of new clothing I adore. We ended the day perfectly in a tiny pie shop called Hoosier Mama’s with a couple from Iowa. I would be okay with staying here forever, really.
192/365.
Finally, we’re en route. I didn’t get to use my lens much today, but at least you can see it in this mirror shot. Anyway, today my dad and I made it to our halfway mark — Dayton, Ohio. My aunt and cousins live here, so we got to go bowling with them and stop to rest for the night. Being this close to Cincinnati is a lot more difficult than I was expecting it to be. Every sign I see makes my heart ache, and I’m feeling this deep sense of regret that I wasn’t prepared for. Honestly, I am happier knowing that I’m going to stay closer to home and the people I love, but that doesn’t mean I don’t miss the future I gave away. Everyone keeps telling me that there’s always next year, and that is true, but I’m starting to wonder when I’ll ever really get to step foot in Cincy again. I guess I’ve no choice but to just wait and see what feels right when the time comes.
184/365.
Saturdays at Blue Heron are always tiring, but never boring. I don’t think either of us can believe how well we’re getting along, and how far we are from tired of one another. Between the good food, people, music, and scenery, this weekend has lived up to our expectations through and through. I just wish we could have more than one day left before we have to leave for the real world.
190/365.
Late last night I came down with something pretty awful and unidentifiable. My dad and I are supposed to leave for Chicago tomorrow morning, but my throat hurts so badly that I can’t even leave the couch. Unfortunately, this meant a day full of watching TV and falling in and out of a feverish sleep — I didn’t get anything done that I’d planned on, like updating my 365 blog and tying up my loose ends with UC. I suppose I did get a decent amount of rest, but I really just want to get better and get back on schedule. Besides, being sick in the summer is every kid’s worst nightmare, and I’m no exception.
