Day 1: Joyfulness [Be Gentle Be Love]

Take a photo of your eyes or someone else's eyes smiling.  Get real close, try to capture the essence of the smile without capturing the mouth at all. 

I had a really hard time with this one. First of all, its amazing how many people don't want pictures of themselves taken because they perceive themselves as ugly or they thought it was a waste of time. I told them I was doing a photography e-course, and I got a couple of people to let me. It was kind of fun going out of my comfort zone. A couple said I could take a picture but I couldn't put it on the internet. But one friend at work let me.

She's got super gorgeous eyes so that helps. I asked her to "smize" a la Tyra Banks--I learned it off of Ru Paul's drag race. The second picture was easier: Take a photo of either yourself or someone else's mouth smiling.

I took this picture first thing in the morning. Corbin is three months old and she has just really started to smile. She is an extremely SMILeY baby. It is awesome. The third prompt was to take a photo of something that makes you smile. Well I already did that right? :) I ended up taking my camera to the park with the kids and taking some pics of them. Then I went to the church rally that my older kids were at--I was sort of a night watchmen last night until 3 a.m. It was fun! I took a picture of a sconce that is on the walkway up to my church. I never see it at night.

Its a Unitarian Universalist chalice. 

• How did this exercise make you feel?

I was really nervous. I haven't taken pictures in a really long time and I felt like I would screw it up. In fact, when my husband looked at the pictures, he asked me what all the blurry pictures were for. I was practicing how to use the camera again... low light, zoom, flash, how all the stuff on the camera I have works.

• What are some of the events that transpired because of your constant smiling?

I felt funny sitting at my computer smiling, but I think overall I was a happier more productive person.

• What made you smile today?

I went outside my comfort zone again with inviting people over to my house, so that made me smile. My kids, of course. Especially the oldest, who is always so closed off to me. Since I was volunteering at the rally, I got to see him in a different light than I usually see him. He was the leader of a group and he was super confident. I wanted to go over and hug him right then but I was pretty sure he'd be embarrassed. Of course I wanted to kick him (or ask him a lot of embarrassing questions) later when during the night rounds I found him huddled up with a girl in the corner. But I resisted. :)

• When was the last time you made someone smile?

Yesterday talking to people I felt I got a couple of people to smile that wouldn't normally do it in that context.

• What was the last thing that made you smile?

Baby. She is SO smiley

• Do you smile often when you are alone?

I might laugh at something I saw but I don't really.

• When was the last time you felt the need to paint on a smile?

Everyday at work. Customer service is really hard sometimes.

• What is guaranteed to put a smile on your face?

My kids.