Ten Years of Quotes, Thoughts and Photographs! THE BOOK IS HERE!
It’s finally here!
“City of Nouns: Quotes and Thoughts From the Nightside, 1996-2006.”
I’m SO excited! This is a 600-page record of my life for the past 10 years!
It’s SO awesome!
That’s Bradley holding Gregory the day he was born in 2000, and the big picture is Gregory at 1 month old.
Many pages look like this, with a picture and a few short essays with dates at the end. I designed the book using Adobe InDesign, and printed it through Lulu.com.
This is Gregory’s 6th birthday. Not to let the younger child have fewer pictures than the older one, Gregory’s birthday pictures continue for three pages!
This is probably my favorite page. I like the design with my shoes in the middle of the essay, and I love the story too. It’s about a time when we were at Plainsboro Pond and I was lost in watching the geese. Gregory came up to me and I was rude to him; he had interrupted my alone time. But he said he just wanted to watch the geese with me. He put my arm around his shoulder and snuggled and said something really sweet and I just felt so comfortable and warm in that moment. I’m so glad I wrote it all down. I know I would have forgotten all about that by now if I hadn’t written it down.
By the way, in case my brother, Bill, is reading this, I timed all this so that the one I sent to him would arrive on the 1-year anniversary of a very special day for us. (Thanks to UPS, I missed the actual anniversary by a day. Ugh.) So Bill — when you get yours, please turn to page 523 for the beginning of the story of our singing debut at Carnegie Hall! I love you, Bill, and I thank you SO much for encouraging me since I was a child to 1) love music and 2) get my stories into a book! Maybe one day I’ll edit down to the very best 200-or-so pages and send it to a publisher. Ahhh, someday. For now, I’m just THRILLED to be holding this book in my hands! YAY!
Here’s a good place to start for a few sample stories! Enjoy!
The compilation of a 10 year period and it’s special glimpse’s are things which will NOW be cherished throughout the rest of your life. To achieve this work is heroic and you should be proud to know- it’ll be forever a gift to your family (and of course YOU). Those moments, we so often lose in the face of daily circumstances are the ones which bring back the simple pleasures which make us who we are. Relish the moments, sit back and enjoy your accomplishment- it’s monumental.
Comment by Steve — March 22, 2007 @ 8:19 pm
Your book looks soooo impressive and what a lot of work! I know your family will enjoy it so much!
Comment by Jill Higgins — March 22, 2007 @ 10:18 pm
Well my beautiful copy of the book arrived, as you said, one day later than you wanted, but that doesn’t matter. What a great present!! As you said, it more than makes up for all the times you “meant” to send me a Christmas or birthday present and didn’t. Ha! It was worth the wait. I love it and can’t wait to get to page 523 after starting at page one. I told you that I can now clean out my in-box. I am truly a packrat, even on the computer! I saved most of them. Thanks so much for this wonderful gift. I am going to love reading about Bradley and Gregory all over again! We love reading your stories in our family and Michael loves that his cousins are now “famous”. Julie, your dedication and love for language are greatly valued in this family. We love you so much. Bill, Kay and Michael.
By the way, the gray hat I wore in NY belonged to Uncle Nick, God rest his soul. I was proud to wear it! It made me look just a little bit distinguished, don’t you think?
Comment by Brother Bill — March 22, 2007 @ 10:43 pm
Yes, Bill, you looked very distinguished in Uncle Nick’s hat. But I thought you looked especially stunning in your “last minute tux” at Carnegie!
You know that picture I had of you in your tux on my cell phone that would pop up whenever you called me?
It’s gone. The picture. Boo hoo. PEOPLE! Save those precious pictures! I should have printed it. Ugh, aren’t all pictures of guys in tuxes worth saving? (Yep, even if it’s your brother.)
Oh by the way, you’re on page 94. Ooh Ooh! Top of page 335: one of my faves!!!!
Comment by Jules — March 22, 2007 @ 10:58 pm
That is so cool that you took the time to make that!!! It must have been a huge project, and it turned out great!
Comment by kilax — March 22, 2007 @ 11:22 pm
Congratulations on the book, Julie. I’m sure it was a labor of love.
Comment by Margo — March 23, 2007 @ 9:31 am
Congratulations on such a wonderful project! Your family will love it!
Comment by Nataly Lemus — March 23, 2007 @ 3:59 pm
[…] and eventually, when my camera and notepad were around, he turned the other way. But then the book arrived. He spent hours looking at it, reading the stories and looking at the pictures. This is his […]
Pingback by Julie Walton Shaver Photography Blog » Shocking, Truly Shocking — March 24, 2007 @ 10:16 am
What a great project you accomplished. Congrats. I envy someone that is that dedicated to spend ten years putting together such a great keepsake of their lives.
Comment by terry — March 24, 2007 @ 12:30 pm
That is, if you don’t mind me breaking into a kiwi’ism, bloody choice.
really really really great idea!!
Comment by Brent — March 28, 2007 @ 9:20 pm
You have again moved me with your work. I know your stories and pictures capture the texture of your life with your family, but somehow I always find out something about myself and my relationship to Will from your voice, your journey. Thank you for your generous sharing, Julie and thanks also to Gregory and Bradley for letting me enjoy their lives too!
Comment by Maddie — March 29, 2007 @ 4:02 pm
We were thrilled to see “City of Nounsâ€? published–in all its glory! What a beautiful book, clearly filled with heart, soul and great love. Thank you for sharing some of your treasures with us. Your writing and photography are always a celebration of every day life–filling it with depth, meaning and a dose of God’s good humor. Congratulations, Julie! And congratulations to Bradley and Gregory, for providing such great material for your mom to write about! “Let her works praise her in the gates.â€? Proverbs 31:31
Hi Brian and Ruth — Julie here — what a nice comment! Thanks for taking the time to write! The choir will be singing your song again this Mother’s Day. Thank YOU for that wonderful Butterfly Song because we all love it!
Comment by Ruth & Brian — April 4, 2007 @ 5:20 pm