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In which I try to get back in the swing of blogging

Everyone is doing their celebratory year-end-lists, and it did occur to me to stop and put together a little somethin' somethin' as well. So why didn't I? Because who the hell cares what CDs I listened to most this year (Gorillaz, Madonna, Black Eyed Peas, Coldplay, Charlotte Martin, Wax Tailor, Lamb, and Radiohead are my final answers). See? You don't even care.

Just when I had dismissed the idea of compiling a year-end anything I saw this. It's supposed to be a simple idea really: pick your best photo from 2005. Steve did it (that photo is fucking adorable). As of this post 644 other people have done it too.

None of those people are me. Ugh.

The thing is, I like a lot of my photographs but none of them really stand out for me. Some were fun, some were difficult, some were stupidly lucky, some were technically challenging, and some captured moments I don't ever want to forget. But were there any standouts? Wellllll... this is where it's obvious I'm a libra.

On the one hand (anyone who uses the phrase "on the one hand" is so obviously a libra, gemini, or aquarius it's ridiculous... but most probably a libra), I'm pleased with what I've accomplished technically this year. My work as a whole? Yes, it pleases me.

On the other hand, shit man. Nothing jumps out. Nothing lights my fire. Nothing puts the ga-dunka-dunk in my trunk. And I'm thinking to myself, how can all my photographs be so bland? I want some va-voom!

God, am I still talking? Yes people, it's this kind of shit that keeps me awake at night. Maybe one day I'll work my way up to that whole world peace issue. Blah blah blah, I finally just made myself pick a top 3 because I was tired of hearing myself think. Without further ado I give you (literally) my favorite photographs from 2005 (totally and completely picked at random in less than 30 seconds).

• "So much confusion" - one of the things I love most about talking to people about my photography is ruining all the backstory they had built up in their minds. It's just like popping 1,000 bubbles on a strip of bubble wrap simultaneously. POP! This photograph was taken in my living room studio. Basically it was a stupid chair with a sheet draped over it and tacked to the walls to cover up the carpet technically challenging piece with the only small lamp I own shoved behind the stool because I'm too much of a cheap-ass to go buy proper ghetto lighting equipment at Target lighting carefully choreographed to compliment the mood frustration with poor lighting and also the fact that I hadn't shaved my legs in more days than a proper woman admits to and the staging some old dress I pulled out of my closet at the last minute. Such perfection.
• "A dramatic Minneapolis sunset" - I took this from my living room window at some point this summer and am totally in love with the simplicity of the photo. The contrast gets me off too.
• "Don't jump" - I got this model as a birthday gift from Steve. He's suicidal (my model, not Steve) and again I think it's the simplicity that I love about this photo. There's something about the "emotions" of the city going on in the background that I love as well. Adds to his desperation (the model, again, not Steve).
• "A Prairie Ho Companion" - This one is my honorable mention because it was so much freagin' fun to do it was ridiculous. I don't feel like it's allowed to be a best picture because it was just this stupid thing I did one night after a glass of wine. Today's fun fact: you totally can't tell but I'm wearing this shade of lipstick called "Stripper Red". It's hot.

That's all I got this year. Next year we'll recap the year's most celebrated moments in Shuffleboard. Oooooooh!