Friday, September 18, 2009

Phamily Photo

Next week, (nearly) my entire family is going to meet up in North Carolina for an Outer Banks family reunion. We haven't all gotten together like this since our trips to Sanibel Island back in the 80's, so this is special.

However, can I tell you what is NOT special about this trip?

My cousin sent out an email this morning. She has arranged for a photographer to come and shot a family portrait of her, her husband and their little girl. She has also decided that she wants to do a huge entire-family portrait.

That's not the bad part. Family pictures are great, and the last one we had is from 1987. The bad part is that we have a dress code.

"I'd really like for everyone to pack khaki shorts or pants, and a white oxford or polo shirt".

And just like that: our cool, laid back, sarcastic, easy-going family has become that family.

I know I know I know...I'm weird. I just think the whole "matching family thing" is geeky. I find portraits like that irritating to no end. My apologies for offending the millions of Americans who love that stuff. It's just one of those things.

Also...good luck convincing our 21 year old cousin, Merry, to go along with this. Merry is either Goth or Emo, I'm not sure which (kids these days, you know...I just can't keep up with the trends). She dresses up for "ComicCon" and writes bad poetry and wears smudgy black eyeliner and frumpy, unattractive Goodwill finds. (I try to wear as much pink as possible around her, I think it makes her uncomfortable). If Merry plays along with this, it will all be worth it just to have it documented in black and white (or khaki and white, as it may be).

(I obviously get my disdain for the matchy-matchy-family-thing from my father, since he just responded to all asking if we should also pack our Bibles and beanies...you go, Dad!)



PS: If it makes it on to Awkward Family Photos I will totally post the link. Shame, what shame?

PPS: I'm not whining, really. I've just got a maaajor case of eye-roll going on, and I need to get it out of my system.

1 comment:

  1. I would be rolling my eyes too. The matching thing is pretty lame. Couldn't it just be something like dress-casual? What happens if you don't adhere to the dress code? Are you banished from the photo? Maybe she could PhotoShop you into khakis and a white polo.

    Here's to enduring a few moments of grueling photo posing for the sake of a great family reunion. I hope you have fun anyway.

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