Pictures on the Wall
Jun 8th 2009
Nicole JordanMy Life As A Plebe
Goddess K-Ro’s lovely wedding photo in yesterday’s blog started me thinking about photos that I keep close at hand. Almost all the ones on my desk or shelves or walls are of my family (dh, horses, step-kids, mom), close friends, and beautiful scenery. Very few of me.
There’s one tiny head-shot of me in a collage, but it’s overshadowed by much larger pics of other stuff. There’s also one large photo of me in Atlanta magazine for an article about local romance writers. But a professional photographer and makeup artist did the shoot, with professional models behind me posing as my book’s hero and heroine. I was really proud of that one – until my neighbors saw it and laughed uproariously at my 90’s hairstyle.
In general, I don’t like looking at pics of me cause I never look as good as I want to. The other day my dh was looking for photos for a college frat reunion this summer and unearthed one of me in bathing suit fifteen years ago. From behind. Yikes! He found another of me lying in bed in my bathrobe, banging away at my computer keyboard when I first was learning to write. That one was a little cringe-worthy, too, and I would never want it 
exposed for the world to see.
I’d rather have pics of other people/things that make me smile and bring back fond memories. I do have a few personal non-photographs hanging on my walls, such as the New York Times best-seller lists when I hit for the first time and when I hit the highest time. But the ones I love most are of my dh and horses.
What pics do you keep around you and why? What’s your fave? Are there many of you that you let see the light of day?
48 Comments »
48 Responses to “Pictures on the Wall”
evlqn on 09 Jun 2009 at 12:37 am #
Nicole, I have not lost my Sunday go to meeting mind, of course I do not let many pictures of me see the light of day. One of the few is my graduation picture, it shows how very young and unlined I was. I was also a size 10 then, oh the days of yore.
I have over 1700 pictures on my computer and they rotate on my screen saver. But my favorites are older pictures taken before digital cameras and uploading programs. One is of my now 37 and 3/4’s year old son when he was around three. He is running down our walkway, blonde hair flying, huge smile on his face and carrying his shorts in his hand. Such a lovely blackmail shot. Another is of my baby boy (34 in March) blowing out his first candle.
Our mom’s graduation picture is a big favorite also, she was so very pretty and the guys knew it. Almost all of our pictures are of our family and loved ones. We have five generations on our walls. Along with the photographs we have paintings my sister has done over the years. Two of my special ones are the Dragon Queen she gave me for my birthday one year. And a watercolor of an adult gorilla grooming two baby gorillas. She called that one Dan and The Boys. Both of my sons want that one.
TinaLouiseF on 09 Jun 2009 at 12:39 am #
We had a hard time finding a picture of my mom for her obituary. She was usually the picture taker. If she was in the photo, it was at a distance. We finally found a picture of my parents that the newspaper was able to crop dad out of.
Since then, I’ve taken some photos to work. Currently they are: 1. Parents and their best friends. 2. Brother and his family. 3. Dad, his oldest sister, his oldest brother and cousin. 4. Mom’s best friend and I.
Archer on 09 Jun 2009 at 1:50 am #
On my desk at home I have travel pictures of me and my best friend. I also have a framed poster of Anthony Crickmay’s The Outsiders. The guy in it is really hot and its a really romantic picture.
http://www.postergiant.com/NYA100.jpg
There is also framed poster of David Welker’s Phish Rift
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/0f/RiftDaveWelker.jpg
Didn’t know it was an album cover when I bought it.
At work I have a picture of NYC and a funny picture my co-worker took of people cleaning windows while they are strapped to chairs hooked onto rope.
In my bedroom I have a framed poster of Sheila Wolk’s Chamelion (I love fairies)
http://imagecache.allposters.com/images/pic/APP/SO0804_24×36~Chameleon-Posters.jpg
In the bathroom I a picture of a baby sitting inside a toilet surrounded by toilet paper. The picture says “I found the toilet paper, but I seem to have lost my butt”
Archer on 09 Jun 2009 at 1:50 am #
Ooh yay the links posted… in case any of you are curious.
Ayse
Archer on 09 Jun 2009 at 1:51 am #
haha the Your comment is awaiting moderation appeared after my 2nd comment.. oh well
LisaK on 09 Jun 2009 at 2:16 am #
I think I’m a little strange in this but I’m not the type who has pictures on her desk or in her wallet. That doesn’t mean I don’t love my family and friends and I love looking at old photos from time to time (great fun!) but I don’t have to have them around all the time. It doesn’t give me anything, if you know what I mean. I’d rather have all those I love and things to remember in my head and my heart.
I’m really surprised that sometimes I look kinda beautiful in photos but in general you could say I’m the one with the most embarrassing laughable gestures and facial expressions. It always makes other people laugh to look at pics of me. But I laugh most of all!
Is it just me or do you too feel like the “magic” of photos is somehow gradually fading into the background? Most people have digicams and their pics are on the computer. I do, too. It’s practical, but somehow it’s not as beautiful as flipping through an old photo album.
Susan M on 09 Jun 2009 at 5:24 am #
I am a scrapbooker so I constantly have pictures around me. And I take pictures of everything. I mostly keep pictures of family and the dog in frames. But I scrapbook everything!
Cail on 09 Jun 2009 at 6:17 am #
I have a few pictures around that have me in it. One is a picture of the DH and me in a waterfall in Puerto Rico that I took with my auto timer since we were alone early in the morning (after having camped on the mtn the night before. quite fun). Another is of me and my mom in Iceland. Really cool scenery.
Most of the other pictures are of buildings or Yankee stadium (or the players) from a long time ago. I also have cool old B&Ws of my grandma back in the 50’s.
I have a watercolor i did of me and the dh a while ago that is my picture on the forum. that’s on my romance novel bookcase.
LoriHandeland on 09 Jun 2009 at 6:22 am #
My mom bought me one of those digital photo frames 2 years ago Christmas. It’s still in the box. I’m SO bad at stuff like that. I love pics but I never remember to take them. My dad was a professional photographer and ALWAYS had his camera. Now that he’s gone, no one’s stepped up and taken over.
In my office I have two pics on the file cabinet where I can see them. Me and DH at a Packer party in our Green and Gold and one of my sons and my niece and nephew when we were at Paul Bunyan’s last summer. It’s a really cool restaurant in Minoqua that we’ve taken them all to since they were little.
There’s one pic of me–the cover of RT when Blue Moon came out.
I do have a bunch of framed photos in the bay window of our kitchen. My favorite is one of DH and I at the RITA ceremony in Reno. (We were sitting next to K-Ro. Hey K-Ro, remember? It was a GOOD night.)We don’t have too many of us together. One or the other of us is usually holding the camera.
Kathy/Cookiedough on 09 Jun 2009 at 6:31 am #
I have photos scattered throughout my apt. My great nephew Hunter and “my girlies”- the 4 girls I use to nanny.
I also have on the wall over my desk, a copy of my grandparents wedding photo taken in the late 1800s. the stiff formal kind you had to sit so long for.
Over that I have a pairing of my parents in the 40s. Dad in his Special Services uniform and Mom in her nurse’s cap, dress and cape, graduating from nursing school.
I keep one fav pic of me with my high school BFF taken on my 19th birthday in a photo booth.
We are squished together but it brings back such good memories.
I laminated it and put a magnet on the back.
Pesky on 09 Jun 2009 at 7:07 am #
I take the family pictures for a reason…I don’t want to be seen in them. It works so well that when the family was putting together a photo album for my aunt and uncle’s 50th they didn’t find any of me past High School age.
I keep pictures of my Mom and Dad (a wedding shot where she’s sitting on the floor with her dress in a perfect circle and dad is sitting on it in his white and black tux). My nephew’s current pictures with their baby pictures tucked in the corner of the frame (they’e 6′4″ and 6′7′ now so it’s hard to think of them as babies). A photo of my sister and bil and a picture of my brother sitting in quincy market with my nephew joking around (I love the fact they are both smiling and laughing in it, my brother does the stoic man look whenever he sees the camera come out.) I also have a picture of my current cat, right after she got a haircut because long haired cats shouldn’t sneak out and go play in the burr bushes (she’s looking really disgusted with the whole thing, it makes me laugh). I also have two pictures on my desk of my friend’s three year old in the salon chair after giving herself a haircut, she’s totally unrepentant.
dbrown3400 on 09 Jun 2009 at 7:17 am #
There are quite a few photos in my small apartment. Some are silly, such as the 8 x 10 Alan Jackson pics I get every year w/ my fan club membership and an autographed Michael Crawford as Phantom of the Opera. But personal favorites are ones I had taken at Bouchercon 2004 with Dennis Lehane and Michael Connelly. They were really nice to talk to and answered all my questions about their writing. The most meaningful are ones of my daughters and granddaughter who are the lights of my life. But I get to see them everyday and watch them change so I probably should take more frequent photos.
The special ones are of my dad. There is one of him as a young man and another with Dad, me and my brother when I was about four and Robert was one. They are constant reminders of how much I miss him.
Ronlyn on 09 Jun 2009 at 7:17 am #
Well, there are several wedding photos around still (we’ve been married 7 years…not sure when I’ll retire some of them) and TONS of pics of the kids. Our boys, our neices & nephews, friend’s kids. Lots of kids. A couple photos of me and a friend in HI. And my fridge is snapshot central.
At work I’ve got a digital photo frame that scrolls through photos (mostly of family) as well as a framed pic of my cat & a couple still photos of the kids. Lots of kid’s photos now that I think about it. LOL.
Trish on 09 Jun 2009 at 7:40 am #
The walls of my house are covered with pictures of family. I love the group pics we take and keep all of them up since I love to see the differences in us all over the years.
I also have paintings done by my mother-in-law. She started taking lessons shortly before she passed away and we found quite a few of her paintings that we didn’t know about. They aren’t the greatest but that doesn’t matter. Just having such a personal part of her around the family is what matters.
I’ve also covered the walls in my daughter’s room with her “art” from school. We have pre-school thru 1st grade so far. I love sitting on her bed and looking at her walls. She loves her art to be “displayed” and proudly points out new pieces to anyone who comes into the house.
Julia London on 09 Jun 2009 at 8:09 am #
Pictures of me or family or even lovers have been covered up with pictures of the cutest toddler ever. He is everywhere!
Nicole Jordan on 09 Jun 2009 at 8:17 am #
>>>Nicole, I have not lost my Sunday go to meeting mind, of course I do not let many pictures of me see the light of day.
LOL, Evlqn. That’s cool that you have so many photo on your computer. My dh as a digital photo frame that holds several hundred pics, so he uses that in his office. And he bought his mom one last Xmas and she says it’s the best gift she’s ever had.
Nicole Jordan on 09 Jun 2009 at 8:19 am #
You guys are making me smile and tear up at your lovely memories.
But LisaK, I’m kinda like you. My dh takes all the photos so if not for him, I probably wouldn’t have many. But I have a lot of great pics in my mind.
Nicole Jordan on 09 Jun 2009 at 8:27 am #
>>>I also have a picture of my current cat, right after she got a haircut because long haired cats shouldn’t sneak out and go play in the burr bushes (she’s looking really disgusted with the whole thing, it makes me laugh). I also have two pictures on my desk of my friend’s three year old in the salon chair after giving herself a haircut, she’s totally unrepentant.
Those are too funny, Pesky.
And there are so many y’all have mentioned that I would love to see! Yankee Stadium and PRico and Iceland.
Donna, Michael C is one of my fave authors. Trish, that’s so cool about your mom’s artwork.
>>>And my fridge is snapshot central.
Ronlyn, I have friends who do that…. You can’t see their fridge for all the photos! How do you like your digital frame?
SheridanLA on 09 Jun 2009 at 8:32 am #
I have photos all over the place… I have one area with the family pictures. There is one of my mom holding me as a baby when we moved to Telluride, CO. There is another one of my very proper and wonderful grandmother as her alter ego – a clown (literally, Shrine Circus) then another of my other grandparents when they were young – a beautiful pair.
Then we have my travel wall with photos and artwork of my trips. It is a complete hodgepodge and I love it. I try to buy some little painting or drawing from everywhere I go… the rest go on the trip website I make when I come home to share with friends.
then there is the art wall – which is art done by myself or my mother.
My walls look way eclectic, but it all makes me smile or get that warm and fuzzy feeling.
elsiehogarth on 09 Jun 2009 at 8:35 am #
The pictures that surround me, in my offce, are of my family: Aunts, Uncles, cousins, godkids, nieces and nephews. Each picture has a nice and happy memory so whenever I look up at them they just make me smile. On my bookshelf, I have my Batman memorabilia and a picture of me, with the Dark Knight, at Mme.Tussaud’s Wax Museum. Even in wax the Dark Knight is hot.
Ronlyn on 09 Jun 2009 at 9:46 am #
I love my digital frame! DH bought it for me this past Christmas. It’s SO easy to use and I can update the photos by just grabbing a USB and loading it at home and bringing it to the office to switch out. He also got a frame for his g’ma & great aunt, so bought extra USB things so we can just load them up with photos and send that to them.
It works wonderfully and so many people have commented on it. So fun.
My fridge makes me laugh. I’ve got one where the freezer is on the bottom, so that’s covered in the kids ABC magnets & stuff. And the surface of the top (fridge part) is completely covered. I’ve got baby announcements, cute cartoons, snap shots that people send, a post card my cousin sent me from Hong Kong. It’s great fun.
Freshechelle on 09 Jun 2009 at 9:48 am #
i have pictures of trips to Scotland, Venice and Idaho around my apt. None with people in them. Love scenery pictures. I work with people, home is where I get a break from them.
Very few pictures of myself. The camera does not like me. Or it’s just brutally honest and I believe that ignorance is bliss.
nancyg on 09 Jun 2009 at 10:14 am #
Most of my pictures are of my husband and/or the girls. I’m definitely the picture taker!
My DH’s family has a great tradition (originally *my* idea before his sisters hijacked it!)… every year, we send pictures of the family. They get put into a calendar – every family has their own “month” plus a page for school pics, sports pics, etc. Every family gets a copy of the calendar which has everyone’s birthdays & anniversaries.
One year, there’s exactly ONE picture of me. My DH looked like a single dad!!
Mr G. “Inspector Gadget” also got this neat new do-hickey that allows us to take pictures off our computer network files & play them on the TV. Last night at oldest daughter’s graduation party, we hung out in the kitchen & scrolled through the 3,000+ photos that played with music from our iTunes library. (Don’t ask me how it works, lol) Really cool seeing pictures from when she was a toddler, the “braces” years, and now an 18-year old young adult!
nancyg on 09 Jun 2009 at 10:21 am #
Although I love pictures of DH & myself on vacation without the girls – been to Hawaii, London, Caribbean, etc., my favorite pictures are the everyday ones of the girls while they were growing up – playing in the backyard, jumping on the trampoline, riding their bikes. The birthday pictures over the cake, blowing out candles…
My favorite ones of me are from a trip in 2001 with my best friend. For Christmas, DH sent me AND my best friend to Paris and Monaco for 10 days. It was truly amazing!
1. realizing she & I were BEST friends…spending that much time together, 2 women sharing a room AND a bathroom!!
2. gadding about the cities I had studied in French classes for 5+ years
3. getting to go to the Monaco GP & seeing my favorite driver, Michael Schumacher, race & win!! walking the same streets Grace Kelly & Cary Grant were in “To Catch a Thief”
4. DH kissing the ground I walked on when I got back because he realized how much work it takes to keep the house going & raising 3 kids, lol.
SuzyQ on 09 Jun 2009 at 10:35 am #
I am always taking pictures so I have them all over the place. Most pictures are of my family and since I am always behind the camera, there are not too many of me. One of my favorites hanging by my desk is a shot of me and Scotty (from Star Trek). I have some digital frames that I love because I can change the photos per season. Since memory cards are so cheap, I have extras I keep for each season and just add new photos to the card. I also have a lot of framed pictures of landscape shots from vacations.
Janae on 09 Jun 2009 at 10:44 am #
I was surprised how many I had out with myself in them. There are currently 5 – one wedding picture, one with my grandma, one with my 6 siblings, and 2 “The Redhead” pictures, which are 13 years apart. Other pictures out include lots of pictures of my kids, a picture of my mil (so my kids know who she is since she died when my son was 10 months old), my 2 brothers together (they don’t even look related), and a picture of my gggrandparents and their descendants, excluding my ggrandparents because Gram was pregnant with her last child and only son and couldn’t travel to Iowa from WY.
Sabrina Jeffries on 09 Jun 2009 at 11:19 am #
I have my wedding picture in my living room. I was fairly thin then, so I like that pic. We both look so young and semi-fit.
The rest of the pics in my house are of family–son, hubby, parents, grandparents, nieces and nephews … I have a lot of family. *G*
Nicole Jordan on 09 Jun 2009 at 11:23 am #
I agree the Dark Knight is hot, Elsie, lol.
Nancyg, that Inspector Gadget sounds so cool!! And so does Paris and Manaco!
SuzyQ, that Scotty pic is so much fun. I have one of me in the Smithsonian in Captain Kirk’s command chair.
Nicole Jordan on 09 Jun 2009 at 11:25 am #
>>>The camera does not like me. Or it’s just brutally honest and I believe that ignorance is bliss.
LOL, Freshe! A lot of people feel that way.
Janae and Sabrina, that’s lovely that you have so many of family.
Nicole Jordan on 09 Jun 2009 at 11:48 am #
Oh, and Lori, I remember that RT cover. That was really fun!
Mari on 09 Jun 2009 at 12:51 pm #
My favorite picture is one of my BF when he was 4 and opening Christmas presents under the tree. He looked so innocent and happy, just full of unbridled joy. He has never lost his boyish enthusiasm.
Nicole Jordan on 09 Jun 2009 at 1:39 pm #
>>innocent and happy, just full of unbridled joy. He has never lost his boyish enthusiasm.
Awwww, that makes me smile just picturing it, Mari.
Karen Rose on 09 Jun 2009 at 2:33 pm #
Nicole, we have a wall of pictures, all shapes, sizes, most snapshots in cheap frames. DH mounted them all the wall, randomly and it looks so homey. Us as kids, our kids growing up, the people we love. Sometimes I sit at the kitchen table and look at the picture wall and look back. So nice.
Lots of pics of me, as DH chose them, including one I did on a whim at Glamour Shots. It was my cowboy leather phase, LOL. Black leather jacket, black leather cowboy hat. Ha! I was maybe 32, so I like that picture!
Jamie on 09 Jun 2009 at 3:15 pm #
I always have a picture of my grand nephew, Ryan, on hand. I call him my “grand” nephew instead of my “great” nephew because soon after he was born, I was getting him everything and my niece told me to not get so much. Being the proud Auntie that I am, I told someone this story and when I said, “my niece doesn’t want me to buy stuff for my great nephew.” She thought that I was talking about a brother and sister and not mother and son. I have five regular nephews and none of them are really great. LOL!!!
At my computer, I have a picture of my cat and one of my friends, Gaby and Susana with me at a party we went to a few years ago.
I am always taking pictures, but the pics of me hardly come out nice unless they are like from the chest up. I swear the camera doesn’t put on 10 pounds – it like puts on at least 25!
Nicole Jordan on 09 Jun 2009 at 3:24 pm #
Those sound lovely, Karen and Jamie!
K-Ro, I would love to see your glamour Cowgirl shot, lol.
Paula on 09 Jun 2009 at 3:36 pm #
I have photos every where. They are of my 2 boys at various ages, some wedding photos, some of my boys school photos. One of my favourites is of my Uncle with my younger brother taken outside at Buckingham Palace on the day he (my uncle) got his OBE (order of the British Empire) medal from the Queen. I also have photos of various Godchildren.
LAst September for my Mum’s 70th birthday we hyad some professional photos taken and I have them on a disc and keep meaning to get some printed to put about the place.
I also have a photo of my Dad up on the wall taken about 3 years before he died.
Rachel Gibson on 09 Jun 2009 at 4:09 pm #
Photos of me usually don’t ever see the of light day. I am extremely unphotogenic and usually look like the inbred cousin no one wants to talk about . . . but photos of my family are everywhere.
Rachelg
Kathy/Cookiedough on 09 Jun 2009 at 4:13 pm #
Rachel! inbred cousin! lol
I put up a very unflattering pic of me yesterday on facebook.
nancyg on 09 Jun 2009 at 4:21 pm #
Jamie:
“I swear the camera doesn’t put on 10 pounds – it like puts on at least 25!”
I’m totally with ya, sistah! Reminds me of the episode of Friends when they’re looking at Monica & Rachel’s prom video. Monica says, “The camera adds 10 lbs.” Chandler replies, “How many cameras were on you?” LOL – I feel that way every time I see myself in a photo. and why am I ALWAYS standing next to the skinniest person in the room/at the party??
Judy F on 09 Jun 2009 at 4:28 pm #
I mostly have pictures of family here at home and at work. I do have some pictures when I had two cats up. I have some hot coverflats around the computer. Have to look at something good looking
Louisa Cornell on 09 Jun 2009 at 6:02 pm #
I have all of my signed coverflats framed and hanging in my writing studio as inspiration. I have three great autographed posters of Sherrilyn Kenyon’s books because I find the story of her writing journey so inspiring. I have photos of myself with the romance authors I have met too. I have a great one of myself with Julia London from when she ventured into the wilds of Alabama.
I have lots of great photos of my dogs that have gone on to the Rainbow Bridge and photos of my current dogs and cats too. I even have some great photos of the terrific reptiles I have owned in the past.
Over my fireplace are photos of my family back several generations and of course photos of my niece and two nephews. I even have some photos of my singing performance years. (ah to be a size 6 again!) I have a few carefully chosen photos of my husband and I, even one great photo of him, but that one is on my nightstand. The pictures of him are important but sometimes painful as I’d rather have him here.
My Mom had some great photos of my brothers and I from when we lived in England enlarged and framed for us for Christmas. The best is one of us kids with Dad on Easter Sunday before we went to church.
Madeline Hunter on 09 Jun 2009 at 6:15 pm #
I have pics of my sons, as children, in my office. I have family pics (my family and dh’s) in the family room. Esp the ones of those who are gone are given pride of place. No pics of me, tho. Good heavens no.
I would put pics of the hunks I use for inspiration on my writing wall, but I just know DH would tease me forever. I am trying to find a way to have a drop down cover so he never knows. I’ll bet someone clever here could invent something like that.
Like a bulletin board, that has quick dropping screen with other pics on it. Or maybe Lori’s digital frame would work for that. Load it with pics of vacations, then pics of hunks. click to hunks when writing, then back to lovely sunset when done. . . . . I know that I can have them on my ‘puter, and do, but it just isn’t the same.
Nicole Jordan on 09 Jun 2009 at 8:42 pm #
>>he (my uncle) got his OBE (order of the British Empire) medal from the Queen.
Wow, Paula, that is way cool!
Too funny, Rachel, although looking at your gorgeous press photos on your website makes it hard for me to believe you aren’t photogenic.
Nicole Jordan on 09 Jun 2009 at 8:46 pm #
>>>why am I ALWAYS standing next to the skinniest person in the room/at the party??
LOL, Nancy. I agree, those added pounds are such a pain.
>>>I have lots of great photos of my dogs that have gone on to the Rainbow Bridge
Louisa, that make me want to cry, but at least you have the wonderful reminders.
Nicole Jordan on 09 Jun 2009 at 8:49 pm #
Judy, it’s great to have some hot cover flats!
Madeline, that’s a very cool idea about the bboard with a dropdown cover. I’ll let you know if I ever see anything like that.
evlqn on 09 Jun 2009 at 9:51 pm #
Rachel, I never would have guessed you only have one branch on your family tree. Who’da thunk it?
evlqn on 09 Jun 2009 at 9:56 pm #
Each of our g-sons have their sports and school pictures on their walls. We took window frames from storm doors and mounted the pictures behind them. And all of their medals are hanging from the frame also.
kay on 10 Jun 2009 at 6:12 am #
I have photos and other things all over my work station. I have family photos on my wall, which I have mixed in a photo of Queen Elizabeth. I often have people ask me if we’re related…lot of fun. I have photographs of my parents when they were young on my desk and a photograph of my brother when he was a baby and he’s trying to get out of his play-pen. I have a giant poster of Fabio on my wall holding a book…I got it from the library…it’s pretty cool. The poster was from the “read” campaign that the ALA did.
It was really hard finding a photograph of my mother, because she always hid from the camera. So I have all of these photos of her arm coming out from behind a chair holding my brother up, or a photograph of her with some piece of clothing hiding her face or her back end as she runs from the camera. For her funeral, I found this lovely photograph of her when she was nineteen rowing a boat and she had this wonderful smile on her face. That’s the photo I have on my desk and that’s the photo my nieces wanted.