February 27, 2011
I had all these grandiose ideas about how I was going to edit enough photos to do a session blog post when we got home from our trip tonight, but the truth is that it’s almost 4am and I’m beat! So instead I figured that I’d post a list of reasons why I love Seba. Traveling with him always brings out the extra warm fuzzies in me. I’ve been thinking about writing something like this since our anniversary and meant to post something more eloquent back then, but didn’t have the time. So here it is — half witted ramblings of a madwoman written on a red-eye.
1. He always, always lets me sit by the window. I can’t remember a flight in which he hasn’t, even if I insist that he takes it because I know he likes to look too.
2. We had less than 1,000 pesos left and he went to the vending machine to get himself something to eat. He came back with a cup of hot chocolate for me, that cost him 800 pesos and nothing for himself. He does things like that a lot.
3. At night when I was cold and asked if he would be the one to get up and close the window he didn’t say anything. And I said, “Thank you.” When he replied, “But I didn’t even say I’d do it,” I knew he still would because that’s the kind of guy he is and he doesn’t mind doing those little things that really, are so small, but add up to mean so much.
4. Instead of being annoyed by my debilitating habit of not being able to go for too long without eating, he plans for it. Some husbands might be annoyed by the fact that their grown up wife of 27 years of age is completely capable of sitting on a curb and crying hysterically because she’s hungry. Instead, when we travel and I get hungry, he tries to remember to pack snacks and if he doesn’t have any, he jokes, “Don’t go Cookie Monster on me baby,” and distracts me long enough to get me to somewhere eat before I have a full on meltdown.
5. Sometimes when we’re in a particularly large airport, walking from one end to the next, I don’t even ask. Seba just looks and me and offers to carry my camera bag because he knows it’s heavy and it hurts my shoulders — even though he’s already carrying his own camera bag, which is usually already even heavier than mine because he’s offered to bring all the big stuff in his.
6. I occasionally do really silly things like say at very inconvenient times, “But I can’t meet the ________ (insert name of hostel owner, bartender, dentist, emergency room doctor, bus driver or any other person who absolutely does not and never will care what I look like) with no makeup on!” when we’re on our way somewhere and then try to find a good reflection to use to put my makeup on. Instead of laughing at me, he’ll try to help me put on my mascara (which doesn’t end well, but does end hilariously).
7. When people ask when we are going to have kids, he often deflects the question or answers diplomatically himself, because he knows that I get really annoyed (Why should anyone ask when we are going to have kids? What if I don’t want them at all? And why is the question automatically directed at me and not him– because I’m the woman?). Now this one, I’m not sure if he does to make me feel better or if he does it for himself — to insure that I don’t go off on a political tirade to complete strangers.
8. Even if he’s sleeping on a plane, if there’s turbulence enough to stir his consciousness a little bit , he offers me his hand to hold because he knows I want it. And then he doesn’t complain when I squeeze it like a steel trap.
9. Even though the man never spends money on himself, if I want something he says, “If you can fit it in the budget and you really want it, I think you should get it,” and he’s not just saying that. He really does not resent my purchases, even if he thinks they’re silly.
10. It is so hard for Seba to trust people and so it makes me feel like I’ve won the biggest jackpot of the most ginormous lottery in the entire world that he trusts me and tells me all his secrets and lets me help him make all his decisions. Which, I suppose, is probably why he married me.
February 24, 2011
Meet Jennette Fulda — web guru, author of a successful weight loss book, and now soon to be successful author of a headache book.
Jennette’s new book is called Chocolate and Vicodin and I liked her first book so much that I willingly agreed to be a part of her current blog tour.
Before we go any further, please read this little synopsis of the new book. I think it sounds hilarious and can’t wait to read it!
Jennette Fulda went to bed on February 17, 2008, with a headache, and more than three years later, it still hasn’t gone away. Yes, she’s tried everything: intravenous drugs, chiropractic adjustments, acupuncture, subliminal messaging, marijuana (for medical purposes only), heavy drinking (which just made it hurt more), and lots and lots of chocolate. A pint of ice cream makes her feel better, but her insurance doesn’t cover mint chocolate chip.
In this painfully honest, smart, and funny memoir, the popular PastaQueen.com blogger who chronicled her nearly two hundred pound weight loss in Half-Assed shares her incredible journey to find relief from a chronic headache. As she visits countless doctors, indulges all manner of unsolicited advice from the Internet, and investigates every possible cause, from a brain tumor to a dead twin living in her brain, Jennette considers what it means to suffer, how to live with pain, and why the best treatment might be the simplest: laughter.
We photographed a session of Jennette and out of that popped an author photo! So my interview with her is more about the photography related aspects of how we got to that author photo point at our photo session.
1. To give my readers some background, can you please explain to my audience how you sneakily tricked me into getting a good author photo for your book and how you did it? 
I heard you were coming to Nashville, which is just a hop, skip and a jump from where I used to live in Indianapolis. I wanted to meet you, but thought it would also be a good opportunity to get professional pictures taken for several reasons:
1) I was about to move to Chapel Hill, NC and wanted some nice pics to frame for my mom before I left her crying in the driveway.
2) I wanted more recent photos of myself to use on my web sites and as icons on Twitter, Facebook, etc.
3) I thought I might get a good author photo for my book, “Chocolate & Vicodin: My Quest for Relief from the Headache that Wouldn’t Go Away” ( http:/www.chocolateandvicodin.com/ ) which was coming out the next year.
I didn’t tell you I was looking for an author photo because I didn’t want you to freak out under the pressure. I once had to create a web site for work, and as soon as my boss said it was something we’d potentially submit for design awards I lost any ability to do a good job. The pressure to do something perfect paralyzed my ability to do anything good.
2. How did you feel in front of the camera? Was it really terrible? Were you worried that we were not going to get a shot that you would be able to use for your book photo?
I felt really comfortable in front of the camera. It was a big contrast to the last professional photo shoot I did for my first book, “Half-Assed: A Weight-Loss Memoir” ( http://www.halfassedbook.com ) which was done in a studio. The studio felt artificial and awkward, whereas running around downtown Nashville while chatting with you and Seba was fun. The only odd thing was that you would speak in English and Seba would respond in Spanish, so I felt like I was listening to one side of a telephone conversation.
I wasn’t worried about not getting an author photo. The book release was still almost a year away, so I figured I had time to get a good photo elsewhere if this didn’t work out. But you were great, so I didn’t have to go to the Sears portrait studio!
3. What sort of things were you hoping for in your author photos? Were you hoping that I’d make you look really skinny? Were you hoping that the photos made you like fun to talk to and inviting? Were you hoping you would look smart and author-like?
What I was looking for in an author photo is probably different from what a photographer looks for in a good photo. I’d guess you were interested in the lighting, finding a good pose, framing the shot well and other technical issues–not how fat I looked. I wanted something where I was smiling naturally (not all fake like) and looked pretty. I know my face better than almost anyone, so I was really picky. I think we all have internal ideas of how we look, which don’t always jive with how we actually look. I wanted something that made me look like how I think I look.
I also wanted an author photo that expressed my personality and the tone of the book. “Chocolate & Vicodin” is about chronic pain, but it’s actually pretty funny, so I wanted a photo that made me look happy with a good sense of humor. I also wanted to make sure my smile looked natural. When I smile for pictures, my eyes usually aren’t smiling with me because I’m faking it, which makes the photo look fake. You can tell I’m really smiling in the photo I chose.
4. When selected the final photo, was it your choice, or an editor’s choice? What was the criteria for choosing?
I picked the final photo. It popped out at me from the rest of the photos, which were also awesome, but this one seemed to be the most awesome of the bunch. I liked that it focused on my face and fit into a 4×3 ratio pretty well. Also, my head is resting in my hand hiding any double chin which makes me look thinner. Shallow, I know, but true!
5. What do you think this photo says about you? What do you want a reader to feel when they pick up the book and see your picture (other than, “I want to buy 10 bazillion copies, right now!”)?
I was a little concerned that the picture made me look way happier than someone in chronic pain should look. I contemplated using another photo in the same pose that had me smiling more enigmatically with a closed mouth, but I decided I liked the happier one better. I don’t know how much the author photo actually sways a buyer’s decision, but I don’t think it hurts to look good.
6. Is there anything else you want to say about the photo shoot or the process of choosing a photo for your author photo?
Hire Kyle Hepp! That is all
ˆˆˆI didn’t pay her to say that, I swear. My mom also read an advance copy of the book and had a few questions for Jennette.
1. At what point after the headache began did Jennette realize it would become material for her next book?
When the nurse came to my apartment to insert my IV and train me how to give myself intravenous medication over the next few days, I thought, “This is totally insane. I MUST blog about this.” I started a blog entry, but it got really, really long, which made me think I might have a book here instead. However, at that point the book didn’t have an end, or even a middle since that story comes at page 60. So, I kept writing about things as they happened and waited to figure out what the story arc of a book would be.
2. It seems like her life changing events like weight loss and a chronic headache were a catalyst for her to write books. If no other drastic life changing events take place what other topics are up her sleeve that she would like to write a book about? We don’t want to wait until menopause!
I have wondered the same thing and the answer is, “I don’t know.” Hopefully inspiration will hit me, I’ll write a bestseller, and retire someplace warm with lots of hot, shirtless men.
In the mean time, pick up your copy of Chocolate and Vicodin! It’s sure to be a good one!
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