It's been 26 years since anyone painted the walls and ceiling in our living room. It's a big room with high ceilings a row of six French doors to one side. We raised a kid, along with his rambunctious friends,in this house and the paint is beginning to show its age. Some peeling paint, many picture hook holes and little gaps running along the ceiling beams between the beams and the ceiling sheet rock.... and other tattered spots.
Two workers on tall ladders are prepping the ceiling and walls with caulk and mud. The floors are all covered with plastic. Most of the furniture has been moved out. B. takes all of this in stride. I am rattled by change and having people in my space; and the prospect of three full days. B. reminds me that I spent a long career doing as little organizational stuff, detail stuff and actual work stuff, as I possibly could. I protest that I worked hard. She counters that my hard work was more focused on shaking hands with executives and instructing assistants and other crew members about how to do the physical labor. I protest that I've carried my share of gear. She reminds me that, at least for the last five or ten years, that's been a voluntary undertaking and not exactly required. I give up and decide to take a Leica for a walk.
I'm saddling up with an "ancient" M 240 and a VM 50mm APO. I have no destination in mind. I have no project bubbling up. Just a walk. And now that I write this I'm beginning to plan a trip to Torchy's Tacos for a fun lunch. I am not good at management of anyone besides myself. And maybe the oversight of project management.
Being a photographer has been like being on an extended vacation with little spurts of actual work. Enjoyable. Especially when one considers all the more stressful jobs out there. Like painting my ceiling.
Hire pros. Do more walks. Today's strategy.
Today the living room. Tomorrow the back porch ceiling and a bathroom. Wednesday my office; the cleaning of which, in anticipation, has been like an archeological dig. Depressing...
2 comments:
Sometimes I kinda wish that B had a concurrent blog…
My place is in need of a similar refresh. I'm planning on doing it when the boy heads to uni. Till then I'm slowly covering the walls with art to distract the eye. I highly recommend it
Mark
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