A lot of you don't use pictures as your icons. I've noticed this. It bothers me. Some people use art, some people use animals, some people use avatars or cartoon characters. Some people use dogs. Now you all know that I am a HUGE dog lover. But when did it get so bad that we had to use a dog picture to represent us? Do you remember that saying back in the 70's "She looks like a dog"? None of us ever wanted a boy to say that about us. And yet, some of us are using dog pics instead of pics of ourselves.
Now, I'll be the first to admit that whole "She looks like a dog" thing could be said about me somedays because I'm a stay at home mom and when I stay home and no one but my family has to see me, I will generally decide not to wash my hair or shave my legs and wear sweats. But, when I go out I will take the time to do something with myself. That something doesn't always work out and I have learned to live with that. Usually involves some big zit in the middle of my forehead, something like that. I am not what I call a pretty woman. I was an art major in school and so I have a tendency to look at people as if I were drawing them. I have been known to say to my husband or a friend - "look at her, isn't she gorgeous?" pointing at a pretty woman. Sometimes friends have thought this was a little weird. My husband knows I am doing an empirical analysis, not oogling.
But I digress . . . I had to put a picture of myself on facebook. Initially I chose the one that I use on this blog (the ABOUT ME picture). Then I decided that I was going to change it up every so often. The next one was this . . .
I thought that having someone go up the staircase and take the picture while I looked UP would hide the fact that I have about five chins. And while the picture does have a dog in it - I am not using a dog to represent me. Oh, I also wanted to show that I have gray hair. I earned every one of them. What I did not realize was just how many! This picture disturbed me in so many ways that I finally reverted to the earlier one.
I am fat. Overweight. Probably Obese. I think I am going to have to worry about high blood pressure and cholesterol really soon. But here's the thing - I have only myself to blame - and only myself to dig myself out of THAT hole.
Back to the pictures. I went for this one next . . .
The point is, they are all pictures of me in my not-so-perfectness. I want you all to know ME. I'm not judging you, but I'd like to get to know YOU (not the chihuahua) - even if it is just a tiny half inch by half inch picture of you. This is ME - and I'm not big on the pot calling the kettle black - so show me YOU.
OK, off my soapbox now - and hoping I haven't offended all of you! Best regards - Katherine
I use a photograph for my icon. I took the picture in my backyard and it says a little about me. I love nature and loved the picture. Unfortunately I haven't had my photograph taken in years because I am always the one behind the lens. But, you made me think about why? Why not have a pic of myself?
ReplyDeleteHMMMmmm..
For me, I like using my "frog" icon because it spreads a Thank You message to all who visit. Every now and then I will change it and sometimes I even use one of myself. I don't have too many of me now, but I have been known to use pics from when I was a kid, Lol!! Maybe I will go and change mine now for just a little while. :D
ReplyDeleteMy icon is me. I took it myself. I need a new one as the one could be a bit clearer. I like seeing what people look like. Some people don't like to show themselves-I think some for privacy issues.
ReplyDeleteWell, I guess I need to use a picture of myself. Right now, depending on the service or whatever, sometimes a wonderful folk art picture comes up, and sometimes I get a blank head. Which I thought was appropriate, because a lot of the time I feel invisible. Invisible is what you get at 55, I suspect. I had to take an accounting fraud class, and I once mentioned in a class discussion that since middle-aged overweight women were invisible anyway, we were the perfect fraud perps. Happens a lot--no one's looking at us.
ReplyDeleteHah--I get the folk art icon here. Let me go tinker with a picture.
ReplyDeleteI tried revamping it. I've had trouble updating the photo before, so let's see if it works.
ReplyDeleteI love that photo of you (the second one). You look great!
ReplyDeleteMy icon is me....dressed up for a western theme party.
I think your picture is great! I do need to change mine again! I'm always changing mine! I want people to know who DaisyGirl is, I love myself and I hope everyone will learn to love theirselves! It took me awhile to get to that point, but when a person is happy, it shows thru their pictures!
ReplyDeleteWahoo!
My avatar is "sort of" me, its a picture I painted that could loosely be described as a fantasy self-portrait; a stylized, younger, mediaeval version of me. She's kind of a logo for the business too.
ReplyDeleteHehehe! Your post made me laugh so much! I'm not sure that is the response you wanted though. Well, my pic is of me but I am hiding a bit. But I like the pic and I have shown myself several times on my blog - full frontal, warts and all. Anyway, I think you look lovely so well done. xx
ReplyDeleteI am technologically challenged so if anything shows up for me at all, it's pretty much an accident.... I might coerce a teenager into helping me.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, your photos are lovely.
ReplyDeleteFor me it is more of an issues that as of now I don't have any current pics of myself. I am always the one taking the picture. I may have to work on that and get a usable pic of myself! For now I use the blackberry bramble picture which is representative of my blog name.
ReplyDeleteYou shouldn't be hard on yourself--you are beautiful! I had to laugh at some of what you wrote, though, because I am sitting here in sweats (only because I know I am not going to be getting out of the car when I get the kids from school), my hair needs to be washed, I have a zit the size of Mt. Vesuvius on my face, and the length of my leg hair depends on the season. Let's just say that I had a dream that I was showing my adult niece how long my leg hair was. I know, scary. Anyhoo, moving on.
ReplyDeleteFor my blog avatar, I chose a close up of my stitched And All Was For An Appil, because I chose to write my blog primarily about stitching, and A&E are my favorite motifs to stitch. I have put up a pic or two of myself on my blog, and my Good Reads & FB profiles both have a photo of me. My yuku profile has a close up of my finished BOAF's L'Ete. Again--I'm only on the yuku stitching boards, so I figured the stitched L'Ete was appropriate. Personally, I hate having my photo taken. I am usually the person taking the pictures and get incredibly uncomfortable at the idea of my pic being taken. I am always fatter than I had realized, and I have very low self esteem. I wish it was different, but it is what it is. I've always had weight issues & have nobody to blame for that but myself. It's been exacerbated by living here, in a country where a US 14 is a plus size, and I haven't seen a 14 in awhile! I am okay with myself a lot of the time, but it takes one negative comment and I fold into myself and it takes me awhile to get over it. Long winded story there, but it's my reasoning behind why I won't be swapping my avatar pic any time soon!
Just think about this... What if you were born in PAW PAW wVa.sincerely Carol M
ReplyDeleteI just plain hate my pics. I`m overweight and getting saggy `round the edges. I use either my stitching icon, or most places a red haired Tinkerbell, because I AM Tinkerbell ...in spirit. *wink*
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