Hello! This is the review of week 4, of The 365 More People Pictures Project.
I caught myself questioning the decision to do another entire year-long project of taking a picture of a person, every single day. Again, I found myself full of self-doubt and fear that I'm not going to be able to do it, and wondering how in the world I managed to do it the first time around. Looking ahead 365 days is entirely too much to comprehend right now, so I got through the week just focusing on one thing - I just need to take a picture of a person, today. That's all. Today.
Day 21 - Julie
This is Julie. We met at the Island Cafe. (Yes, we went back for a let's-pretend-we're-on-vacation dinner.)
Julie was with a big group of jovial friends from Minnesota. I approached the group and asked if I could take a picture of one of them for my project. Julie's friends all nominated her to be the subject because she's a photographer.
The happiest thing happening in Julie's life right now is the birth of her third grandchild.
I asked Julie if she's been on the receiving end of an act of kindness and she gestured to one of her friends and said that he just bought dinner for their group.
"To leave a legacy of love & friendship & kindness," Julie said, is her personal legacy.
Julie said that being a Mom is one thing about herself which she considers to be a success.
Day 22 - Guy
This is Guy. He had just come off the lake when we met. He had been fishing from his Kayak. Guy answered, "summertime," when I asked the happiest thing happening in his life right now.
I asked Guy if he's been on the receiving end of an act of kindness and he explained that he had recently lost his backpack when it fell from his kayak, and miraculously, someone was kind enough to turn it in and return it to him!
"Life is a journey, live on," Guy replied, when I asked if he had a personal mission statement.
I asked Guy something about himself which he would consider to be a success and he replied, "I've traveled the world and had a good time." Guy then listed off several countries to which he's been, and he's been to 48 states. He has yet to visit North Dakota and Alaska. Guy and I became Instagram friends and the day after I had taken his picture, I noticed he was flying off to his next journey.
Day 23 - Bob
This is Bob. We met at Mt. Tabor. Bob agreed to let me take his picture, but then I could tell he wasn't thrilled about it. It was his niceness which won out over his reservations of having his picture taken.
"People are healthy in my family, " Bob said, is the happiest thing happening in his life right now.
I asked Bob if he's been on the receiving end of an act of kindness and he said that a merchant did some extra repairs for him and didn't charge him for the work.
I asked Bob his life's purpose and he answered, "to help, and enjoy, my family and the people I encounter." True to his purpose, Bob helped me with the project, even though he may have been a little camera-shy. Thank you, Bob!
"Being involved with an enjoyable family," Bob answered, when I asked something about himself which he would consider to be a success.
Day 24 - Johnny McMahon
This is Johnny. We met at Mt. Tabor.
"Skating with my bass player, Lindsey," Johnny answered, when I asked the happiest thing happening in his life right now. Mt. Tabor Park is closed to cars on Wednesdays so the park is filled with downhill longboard skaters. Johnny is almost 53 and he was about to go skate with all of the "kids," he joked. He was laughing at himself for putting on so much safety gear and wondering what the kids would think about his knee pads, elbow pads and helmet. He pretty much padded everything that could be padded. I told him they weren't going to laugh at him, they'd think he was cool for being an old man and still skating! (And, he's smart!) He pointed out the board his friend and former bandmate, Lindsey, had given to him, which he had fitted with a custom foot brake. Johnny was in a band with Lindsey in the 80's, called Avant Garde. Johnny joked that the new brake was either going to be helpful or it could cause him to crash and he'd be propelled off his board and I may be the last person to have seen him alive. I was nervous after he told me that and I was so tempted to stay to make sure he was safe!
I asked Johnny if he's been on the receiving end of an act of kindness and he explained that his friends on his radio show set up a website for him to raise money for a new set of choppers. He's just a few donors away from meeting his goal to be able to get a brand new set of pearly-whites. Check out Operation Iron Choppers
"I'm going to Heaven and I'm going to take as many of you bastards as possible," Johnny said, is his personal mission statement. Johnny is such a character. Yes, Johnny is just the way you imagined him to be from having just read that comment. He's fun, loud, gruff-voiced and full of personality!
I asked Johnny something about himself which he would consider to be a success and he answered, "The Iron Show." Johnny has an online radio program with a reach of over 250,000 listeners! Here's a link to Johnny's Iron Show.
Wishing you luck, happiness and success, Johnny!
Day 25 - Joonie
This is Joonie. He was nice enough interrupt his run at Mt. Tabor in order to pause long enough for a picture.
The happiest thing happening in Joonie's life right now is that he's getting to enjoy the weather, play tennis, and run.
I asked Joonie if he's been on the recipient of an act of kindness and he couldn't think of a specific example but confirmed he's often on the receiving end of kindness and said, "people are good to me."
"Keep it simple, be happy," Joonie answered, when I asked if he could think of a personal mission statement.
I asked Joonie something about himself which he considers to be a success and he replied that he has, "self-supporting employment."
Day 26 - Morgan
This is Morgan. We met at the Park and Ride bus station.
"Living here," Morgan answered, is the happiest thing happening in his life. Morgan just moved here from Florida a few months ago.
I asked Morgan if he's been on the receiving end of an act of kindness and he explained that his new roommate here in Portland allowed him to stay rent-free for 3 months while Morgan settled in and found work. Morgan is now working and will repay the back-rent, but this is a pretty amazing act of kindness from a complete stranger. Morgan's roommate wasn't a friend, she was just a random person he had met online!
"To be a better person than I was in Florida," Morgan answered, is his personal mission statement. Morgan's move to Portland is a fresh start and I'm wishing him lots of success!
I asked Morgan something about himself which he considers to be a success and he shared that he's had a story published. I asked Morgan if he wanted to share a link to the story with us here, but he was bashful and modest and said it was just a little small-town Florida publication. He's optimistic the move to Portland will help him further his writing successes.
Day 27 - Jeff
This is Jeff. He was hanging out in the park along the Columbia River.
I asked Jeff about the happiest thing happening in his life right now and he answered, "I'm happy every day with the free gift of life that God gave me!"
I asked Jeff if he had been on the receiving end of an act of kindness and he said that his parents had just come to visit him here.
When I asked Jeff if he had a personal mission statement, he said he has a personal motto, "aim high!" He has high expectations of himself with his school and family.
I asked Jeff something about himself which he considers to be a success and he answered that he's still working on it. He wants to finish school, no matter how long it takes, and he wants to be successful in the future. He has great ambition, but I was also want to hear from people something positive for the present, so I persisted. Jeff then answered, "I'm raising two kids."
Wishing Jeff lots of success and happiness here!
Here's the summary of the personal mission statements and life's purpose of the subjects from this week:
- To leave a legacy of love & friendship & kindness.
- Life is a journey, live on.
- To help, and enjoy, my family and the people I encounter.
- I'm going to Heaven and I'm going to take as many of you bastards as possible.
- Keep it simple, be happy.
- To be a better person than I was in Florida.
- Aim high.
Yes, I've been having a little fun with the InstaQuote app. Here's a picture from my little journey to Wahkeena Falls + Multnomah Falls yesterday, and Guy's reminder to us that to journey, is to live. Even if our journey is only as far as our own back yard, opening our eyes and our hearts to the beauty around us is truly living.
Thank you to each and every subject in this project and to you, for following along.
Have a great week and enjoy the journey!