My wife is not a fan of this blog… which is funny, since she has never read a single word of it. I think she knows it is good for me. I know she understands that it means she doesn’t have to listen to all my weird ideas because I now have another place to vent them. She absolutely refuses to have any photos of her appear here, which has caused me to do some pretty funny things in Photoshop to get around that rule.
The thing is… (and this is a thing that I can totally see from her point of view too)… but I do share my whole life here… and the fact is, she is part of that life. I mean, I share stories and pictures here of many things that are as much or more about her than about me. I shared pictures of her surprise birthday party recently, and our romantic second honeymoon on Maui too. But I did it in that amusingly shameless and self-centered way that I have that makes it seem like it is all about me.
She often says that I am missing out on my real life because I always carry a camera, and she knows damn well that I am taking the pictures for all of you as much as I am for us. I return from a trip, and put all the pictures in one folder on the computer, but then I save all the ones that don’t have her or my younger daughter in them, and put them on the blog. I have even been known to crop them out or cover them over with something amusing. I don’t see this as a problem. I love looking at the pictures again, I love sorting them into various groups for posts, and then tying them together with amusing stories about where I took them and what I was doing.
The other thing… (hello, other thing)… is that doing this for you, taking all these pictures, doesn’t mean I am missing out on life. Quite the contrary, it makes me go out an experience life even more. I loves me some delicious irony! I am still off on my mysterious adventure, just so you know, and the other day, I was really sleepy and a little hung over. And I almost spent the whole day doing nothing but reading a book and writing a chapter in my new novel… and then I decided that no, I was going to go out, get in the car, and get some more photographs to share with you. And when I post those photos, with the funny little stories between them, I will relive that part of my life as I share it with you, a part of my life that I otherwise might have wasted.
I call that a win/win.
Pouring My Art Out 
You are quite the worthy read when just talking about yourself.
Awwwww… Shucks
Great post! I just told my wife she should provide 100% financial support for our family so I can pursue my various hobbies full time. No reply yet… she’s always had trouble talking while rolling on the floor laughing.
I didn’t say it would be easy…
Have you managed to articulate this to her, or does she know really? You must be happier in yourself when you get to do your creative thing…hello thing…
She gets it… she might even be a tiny bit jealous. And she has a point that I spend a lot of time for no monetary reward.
Just like a an author!
perhaps
There is no perhaps; if you’re being true to yourself as a writer and artist – and they can be separated and combined: you encompass both – then monetary gain is either irrelevant or lucky; bad luck is no barometer of talent, but the annoyance of a spouse can cause major ripples in your self belief…you may not become the best selling artist you want to be, but if you didn’t produce what you do, you’d not be the man you are.
nothing worse than the falling barometer of talent… followed by a storm of self doubt…
the falling trousers at school?
falling out of an airplane maybe
Rarely is that unplanned
but it does happen
You make some interesting points. I don’t think my spouse has read my blog either and I don’t have any pictures of her up there – just pictures. I was going to say art, but I realize I don’t have any pictures of you. So drawings and paintings and photos. Of art. But not Art.
That is just sad… everyone should have pictures of me… on their blogs… in their houses and wallets… tattooed on their bodies somewhere tasteful… ha!
I totally understand your wife. I don’t let myself post pictures of me on my blog either.
I totally picture you looking like the naked jumping jack guy… but the might just be because of your ‘X’ shape…
Right there with you, totally get it. The blog keeps it going, you are who you are with the people you love in the tangible world and you maintain an identity that is all about them separate from that. I tell my husband. If I die unexpectedly, read the blog, it’s all about you.
but do you think he will?
I don’t know, PMAO. If he does, I’m not sure he’ll understand. The expression and perception of love varies… .
uh… yeah… I have followed you for a while now… HA
My wife is the same way. She doesn’t understand anything about blogging. Pictures of our family have been kept to a minimum. However, some of my childhood pictures have been featured. When I think nobody noticed them, some of my siblings have commented.
I will need to stop by… when I have a real computer… after my adventure is complete…
Check out my blog! https://creativeprocess112.wordpress.com
An interesting tactic… but I’m not that easy… HA!
I’m with you, Art. My husband has never read my blog and isn’t much on going anywhere, so I go off on my own occasionally (or with one of my girls) and take photos. I’ve asked hubby to go with me, but he’s not interested, so I leave him be. At least one of us gets out.
Not everyone is a blogger…