9/20/09

NOT MY SCHOOL MEMORIES, but they could be


There isn't a specific time period of vernacular photography that I love more than others. I'm less interested in photos from the 1970s on and I've grown tired of the posed cabinet shots of the 19th century. But if I find something in either of those eras that speaks to me I'll still feverishly grab it.

What I'm most fond of are photos that I can relate to with some emotion. They might make me laugh with them, snicker at them, or even identify with them. This little girl Dot is one I relate to, even though she's at least 10 years older than me. The handwriting says it was taken in 1952, but that hairstyle, headband, Peter Pan collar on the blouse could just as easily be from a school picture from when I was 12. She'd now be close to 70. I know nothing about her, but I can see myself in this photo and I'm sure there are a lot of others who will feel the same.

Love Dot_School Memories_tatteredandlost
Click on image to see it larger.

The photograph doesn't look old to me. She looks the age I often still imagine myself to be, 12. There's something comforting about 12, or at least what 12 used to be. Just on the cusp of all hell breaking loose, still unaware of how much the world would throw at us. Still feeling safe. I doubt 12 year olds today get a chance to feel safe. They're bombarded with too much before they ever reach 12. 12 is the new 30. Or maybe as in this case, 12 is the new 70. I don't even know what that means, so don't spend any time at all analyzing it.

And my postings will still be sporadic because of my lack of net access. By now it's just worn me down. And I do really hate Blogger's redesign of many of the blogging tools for their birthday. I HATE the preview which is now useless. I hate the "edit HTML" because I don't see anything with HTML. All I see is Courier. I hate Courier. I used to have to use Courier when I was designing computer language books. And I especially hate that blogger will no longer allow me to add a line of space before my first line of text. I specifically always put a line space between the main head and first line of text. It's the designer in me. Now when I hit the return key blogger decides that's a mistake and they delete it. Oh geez, now I'm whining like a 12 year old. Best just go do my homework.

6 comments:

  1. Love that you complain about the design elements that drive me crazy. I've been trying to justify text and it never comes out the same. Very annoying.

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  2. Oh I wouldn't even try to justify text with this. I'd end up hitting my head with a broom or anything else I found handy. I'd just be happy if they'd let me go back to putting in line returns when I want to. And if they'd make the preview ummmm...actually a preview. I keep hunting for a button to let me go back to the way it was. I just wanted my little blog world to be left alone by people who think they're helping me. They're not. I have editors and authors that do that every day. This was MY world.

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  3. Oh I agree. But you can go back. Go to Settings then down to post editore and choose old editor. Save and you're done. Voila, no charge.

    Now if you can help me figure out how to make the new editor change to the font and size that I actually want we will be even.

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  4. Yee haw it worked! Oh I am a happy little designer camper again. Thank you Lori. I will now stop muttering about line breaks and such.

    As to your problem...haven't a clue. I've always found choosing type size to be iffy. I want it bigger than I have it, but not too big. I want it just right. Just right isn't in the pull down menu. These are the sort of things that drive a professional designer to twitch and run through the house screaming like a chicken hunting for chocolate. Sorry, that's the best I can do. Eat a piece of chocolate and call me in the morning.

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  5. This school pic could actually be me, too, headband and all!

    My problem with blogger right now is that my followers widget has disappeared!

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  6. Willow, I still have my old headbands stuck in a box just in case the one I use each day when I wash my face wears out. I believe they will last for the rest of my life. Glad I never invested in a headband company. Once you buy a few you never need to buy another. Headbands. The new unique antique.

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