My 40th birthday is today! I was excited about it and looking forward to it, but because of the once-in-a-generation storm, and the fact that none of the New Orleans vegan places are open today, it turned into a series of woman-plans-and-the-universe-laughs life lessons.
But being in New Orleans (where it feels like you’re walking down the streets of some 18th century European town) made me think about how people used to have their portraits commissioned. Apparently getting an accurate likeness in paint is tricky! It took the art world a while to master the skill, and even then it was something only the wealthy could afford. Of course now all you need is a cell phone.
Apparently, because your portrait was supposed to show your steadfast moral character, people were usually serious in their portraits. (I wonder if serious portraits are also because it’s hard to hold any sort of expression for that many hours.) So since it’s freezing outside (and everything’s closed anyway), I decided to stay in and have a photoshoot. Here’s what I looked like on my 40th birthday!
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