Communication from Tanzania
"We're staying at the camp tonight and going to the project site on Tuesday. I just performed Billie Jean in front of thirty Rastafarians."
James seems to be doing well over there. He and his engineering nerds were apparently honoured guests at the opening of a cathedral and shook hands with the prime minister of Tanzania. I'm not sure if they've lied profusely about who they are and why they're there, or if Tanzania just doesn't get many visitors. He's running with his opportunity, though. I envy him.
Two months til Mexico! I'm far too travel-buggish at the moment - I'm half-seriously wondering if I can get a fourth trip in this year, and Jess and I have started planning next year's jaunt round America. New York, Las Vegas, LA, San Francisco in any order. Well, that's the idea. It may be a little too ambitious for our finances, especially if I keep blowing so much of my money on clothes.
I'm doing Rachel's pregnancy photos on Thursday, and I'm getting paid for it (not a huge amount, but it'll cover the dress I bought last week). I'm a little nervous about it, since I'm still not too experienced with photographing people who aren't me. Hopefully it'll be OK, if I shoot high-res RAW images and then edit the living crap out of them. If I can get rid of her stretch marks, she'll be happy. It's been quite surprising to me how many people have responded, when I mention the shoot, with sheer disgust: "Ew! Why would you want photos of that?!" Because... it's a special time in her life? Because she wants to document the life of her baby right from the early days? Even because she's interested in the changes to her body? I find it bizarre the way people have been reacting. It's like I've said, "I'm doing a photoshoot for my cousin. She, her partner and her kids are going to shit on the patio and smear it all over themselves, and she'd like a photo of it to put on the mantlepiece." In this day and age, do we really still think pregnancy is gross? Weird.
I have a decision to make. It's only a little one, but I think it'll tell me what sort of person I am now. And I'm not telling you what that decision is, because this a public entry and I'm a tease. Sorry.
I went on a two-day training course last week, and I learnt that I'm not supposed to use the word "sorry". Or "actually". Or "unfortunately". Or "but". I bloody hate customer service.