Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Photo Ops


A friend of mine remarked the other day, “I must get around to renewing my driver’s license. It’s just, ya know, I’m waiting for a good day to have my picture taken.”

We split a gut laughing. I started the laughing fit. She was actually semi-serious but we both know those good days just ain’t happening as often as we’d like. She joined in because she’s a damned good sport.


“Well, yes, Officer, I know my license has expired. I just can’t seem to find a good picture day. And I do check. Every morning. A ticket? Ah, come on, Officer, please…gimme me a break. I’m doing my best! It’s that damn mirror!”


On a more serious note (and while on the subject of pictures) I just had my passport photo done.

I’m not going anywhere. Ever.

24 comments:

megan said...

As if.....you're beautiful

Beth said...

megan:
Spoken like a totally biased sister.
As if...anyone but a customs official is ever going to see it...maybe...

oreneta said...

I got my last drivers license photo done after I had been in the Bahamas for 7 months. Tanned, relaxed. No problem I thought.

Alas no, I look like a cave-dwelling bit of trailer park trash who has been soundly and routinely beaten with a large bat for the last ten years or so.

LOVELY.

Anonymous said...

I'm almost ashamed to admit this... I got passport photos done and they were so bad, I went to another photo store and got them done again.

Anonymous said...

Too funny. And you ARE beautiful, dammit. Just don't stick your belly out when they take your picture, ok? ;)

I remember the unbelievable stress I experienced every time I had to get my school photos done. I dunno how it was for other folks, but 95% of the time, my school photos sucked big time. Then one year, I had, as they say, a 'good photo day'. I knew I looked good, felt it. And could not wait for the photos to come. And with absolute assurance and glee, I opened up my package to see, yes a lovely smiling face with perfect hair, and what was that? – a FLY, a FREAKING FLY on my cheek. The bugger had flown by the lense just as the photographer had taken the shot. The chances of this happening are so small, and yet, it happened to me, the one time I had a great photo. Everyone in class was in hysterics. On the smaller photos it looked like a black beauty mark on my cheek, but on the big photo, you could see the wings, the legs, the whole fly shabang.

I hate getting my photo taken for anything, especially passport shots. My last one didn't look that bad, though. And whenever I get photos taken, I'm always on the lookout for nefarious flies.

Beth said...

oreneta:
I look absolutely grim in my photo. (And that's being kind...)
I suspect I'll be interrogated at every border - I look ready to do something criminal.

bec:
Don't be ashamed. I thought of that too. But I also considered the fact another one might be even worse. My ego couldn't take it.

trish:
A fly on my face would have been a welcome distraction.
(Yuck - public school photos. Nickname - Chubby Cheeks.)

Beth said...

patricia:
Oops. I responded to your comment referring to you as Trish. I know you are not a Trish - but you could have been...

Anonymous said...

That's funny, Beth. Because actually, my family and Guy and his family all call me Trish. In fact, sometimes when you respond to the blogger Trish on your blog, I at first think you are directing your comment to me. I really like the name Trish, but I like Patricia, too. I respond to either name. But I won't respond to Chubby Cheeks!

Angel said...

why are you going anywhere...ever? I say a trip to sunny, beautiful Ohio is in your future! ;)

Beth said...

patricia/trish:
Chubby Cheeks was my nickname!
I would never refer to you as that!

beth:
Ohio? Maybe....
I actually have no plans right now re: traveling - passport was due for renewal, son # 2 is taking his in for renewal and will take mine - saves me a trip and a line-up!

Anonymous said...

Oh I know that, Beth. I was just being silly. I had my own charming nickname, anyway, 'Fatty Patty'.

My mom's nickname all through her school days was 'Chippy' because of her chubby chipmunk cheeks. She actually will still get called that every now and then if she ever encounters her old Jamaican chums from years past. I have a hard time picturing a 72 year-old woman being called 'Chippy'.

Beth said...

patricia:
I'm thinking...a story about Fatty Patty???

Angela said...

*Heavy sigh* I feel you on this one. For whatever reason, this last birthday hit me hard -- the realization that I'll never be anything of what I was physically at 25 again. Never mind that the woman on the "Age of Love" show was a COMPLETE hottie at 48. Vanity. Yes, I know why it's one of the seven deadly sins.

Kelly said...

We can renew ours on-line in Texas, which means we are all walking around with pictures over 10 years old.

Charlotta-love said...

Passport pictures...ahhh... I noticed after I had paid and received my prints that one of my earrings had fallen out before the picture. Hmm...nice.

AND...the passport office has spelled my last name incorrectly TWICE now. So although I applied May 10th, I still have no passport.

Travis Erwin said...

Drivers license, passport, and work Id's are supposed to be horrible. I look like a convict on my work badge.

Beth said...

angela:
Whatever these women do to be "Hotties" at that age is beyond me - I don't possess the money, energy or stamina to endure whatever it is they do. (And that includes vigorous daily exercise...)

muyutopia:
Well, that sounds good to me.
But a little surprising. I thought the U.S. would be more strict with their passport requirements these days.

charlotta-love:
I hope you weren't planning to go somewhere any time soon!
The one earring thing? Tell everyone it was a look you were going for.

Beth said...

travis:
Well, if these photos are supposed to look horrible then I passed with flying colours!

Shari said...

What is it about pictures? They speak volumes...the proverbal thousand words.

Lately all the pictures of me are bad. I don't look like THAT. I never see myself in the pictures the way I see myself in the mirror-if that makes semse. I guess that makes it sound like I am too superficial and worry about the way I look.

BTW, I have a friend who's name is Trish and her mom's name is Patricia. They used to go by Big Trish, Little Trish. Of course, she ended up taller than her mom.

Beth said...

shari:
I've concluded that looking in the mirror enables me to put on my best face (sometimes...). When getting my picture taken, I don't get the time or opportunity to do that! The result - of course that's not me! Or so I pray...

Unknown said...

That's really funny ... and it sounds like something I'd do.

Princess Pointful said...

As I don't have a car, I was really slow on getting my license renewed most recently.
However, still looking younger than I am, I still get id'ed on occasion. In which case I need to pull out my passport... in which I was not allowed to smile. I look furious.

Beth said...

princess pointful:
Furious beats looking like mine - which resembles a mug shot!

Beth said...

dorky dad:
Which one? Have an ugly photo taken, put off having the ugly photo taken or never travel so no one ever sees the ugly photo?
(so many choices from this post...)