I decided to throw a few photos on my facebook page because when I get bored of my profile picture I have nothing new to put up.

A bad thing happened on the way to uploading.  I realized that the “new” way of storing photos – on the computer – has not improved the photograph storing issue AT ALL.

Remember back in the day (ok, I’m not going too far back here, just to 1985 or so) when you would take your photos to Walgreen’s or wherever and you would get FREE double prints?  This was handy when you first had kids and wanted to send Grandma and Grandpa pictures, but eventually they begged “no more!” and you ended up with boxes of photos, complete with negatives and double prints?

Before moving down to SoCal I went through photos like I went through everything else: coldly, heartlessly, without mercy.  Double prints were easy to toss, some photos were just ridiculously awful and were just as easy.  The others have been pared down to two boxes and an antique travel chest.  I have dreams of “going through” them some more, but I will let my dear Mother clue you in on the likelihood of that – whenever I go to Illinois we plan to do that and end up playing Canasta instead.

What shocked me today was two realizations:

1) I have been storing photos on my computer for over 10 years!  They start around 2002.  The over ten years part I don’t like to think about.

2) They are no more organized than the piles of photos in boxes!  Somehow, just like the free double prints of years ago, I somehow have duplicate photos in different files and places.   I think part of this is having uploaded photos from cameras and not deleting them before uploading more from the same camera.  Who has time for this?  There is Canasta to be played (or in the case of Al, cribbage to be played).

3) Dammit.  Step away from the computer…