I am somewhat of a freak about documenting my life. I have been writing in a daily journal since I was 13. I kept a chewed gum collection in high school- each piece saved in a wrapper with the date and event written on the outside. In college I took an aternative media class and learned that there were people doing what I do and calling it art.
Some of my projects are as simple as taking a photo per day- some as complex as defining a specific task to be completed at a specific time each day. I’ve found it to be a way to capture my life in the most genuine form. Most people document thier lives in some way- photographs on happy days and scrapbooks of birthday cards- but I am interested in capturing all of my life- not just the happy times. I want to preserve even the mundane, because that is what the bulk of my life is made of. Needless to say I have photos into the six figures, video footage that would run months, and piles and piles of books and papers. Most of it has not been compiled or archived in any way-eeek!
This really is just a long rambling way for me to introduce what I wanted to share today. I have been working on these monster piles in my house of projects that I have carried with me through several moves and have not completed. This process of clearing the house and finally doing (as opposed to just shuffling around) has unearthed some really fun memories- and I just wanted to share a tiny collection of some of my july 14ths from the past.
My small sampling of July 14th’s past:

07-14-94 My 15 year old self likes this quote, “The work I do today must be important, I’m wasting a day of my life for it”. Notice the totally awesome spelling of waisting.



July 14, 1995. My 16 year old self is in Germany shopping, eating at McDonald’s, and going to her first (and last) discoteque.

July 14, 1997. I’m newly graduated-from-high-school and I’ve just purchased my first pager. My bff’s and I get portraits taken at SEARS at the mall. We thought that we were cute? Really?! Holy smokes we need makeovers!

14 july 04. In 2004 I took a photo of myself as I left the house each day- noting the time and where I was headed. Here I am on my way to work at good old Red Robin.


14 July 2006. Ending a crazy 3 day, 3000 mile journey roundtrip from Spokane, WA to San Diego, CA and back to do paperwork for my new teaching gig. I took a photo of each time I refueled- these were by far the worst pictures of the set- the first is mile 2738 at 5:30 in the morning in Lima, MT where I paid $2.949 per gallon. The second is in Missoula, Mt at 8:14 in the morning where I spent $27.74 for my tank of gas at mile 2966. When I got home I finished up a painting, took a shower, and attended a friends wedding. It was a loooong day.

14 July 2007. In 2007 I took a self portrait everyday and I wrote myself a to-do post-it the night before. I was getting ready for my own wedding (the budget, skirts, and costco trip) and photographing a wedding. I think that I missed my ten year high school reunion on this day. Did I blog? no.


14 July 2009. I photographed my breakfast for my entire 30th year, noting the time and location of each morning meal. Looks like it was almost 1pm when I had this meal of rasberry jam covered toast! And, we went to see the latest Harry Potter at the midnight screening, where both Jack and Garth fell asleep before the end of the movie. I love that my journal entry has a to-do list for the next day and the things listed as still things that are on my to-do lists a year later: make bow ties, update website, clean house.
There are gazillions more journal entries and photos- I won’t make you yawn by listing every year. There’s also a mountain of video footage that I just don’t have the time to format right now, but it’ll get done in the future. I know, you’re really wishing that I had the July 14th footage of me brushing my teeth, or serving tables, or whining about stupid boys. All in good time my friends. =)
So what am I doing this year? I am photographing myself as I come home each day this year, noting the time and place I was coming from- it’s been interesting so far. When I did the leaving the house series in 2004-ish it was perfect because in that time I graduated from college, got my first apartment in a new city (with awesome teaching job), and then traveled to lots of cool places- all documented in a simple photo per day. This coming home series is equally awesome as this year will see my bringing home a new baby, packing up and moving to hawaii, and many more things that’ll surprise us all, I’m sure.
Other random projects that are out and about to see:
Laura in mirrors. Just what it sounds like.
I drew on my church program during church for an entire year.
twentyfour. A day in the life of me, from 12am to 12 pm, filmed a little bit each day, in chronological order. (squished here into a few minutes). I think this was 2000- you can see me glued to the tv on September 11th.
Can you tell that I get all fired up about this? I love it. Lots of archiving and compiling to come- I bet it’ll take years though.
Better get to it.
Happy July 14th everyone!!!
elle
Tags: life tracking