365 Days — 2007 - Breakfast in America

My first complete 365 Days project. An endeavor to take a self-portrait every day for a year. The rules are simple. I must be visible in the picture, and I must take the picture. All I had to help me get into the photos was a 10-second timer. It’s surprising how fast you can get at moving into position!

June 1, 2007

Inspired (365: 145)

Inspired (365: 145). Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

On day 43, I wrote:

The guy I’m taking pictures of has lost his sense of fun, become boring, lost his passion and is just going through the motions. That’s what I’m seeing in my pictures. Now I’ve got to work out, do I want to change him and if so, how?”

There were never going to be any easy answers to that one. But I think at last I might have found some.

This was a last-minute session by monitor light, because, for the first time in 144 days I nearly forgot to take my picture, and I still haven’t been able to find a replacement bulb for my favourite lamp.
June 1, 2007

My home city (365: 146)

My home city (365: 146). Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

I was born in Portsmouth; we moved away when I was eighteen months old and returned when I was sixteen. Portsmouth is mainly built on an Island; surrounded by the Solent to the South, Langstone Harbour to the East, Portsmouth Harbour to the West, and Ports Creek, an almost dried up creek at low water to the North. Just to the North is Portsdown Hill (where I am) which overlooks the city. Looking Southwest, behind me can be seen most of the city.
June 2, 2007

The view from below (365: 147)

The view from below (365: 147). Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

I’ve done something to my back so I can’t sit down right now (well, I can, but if I do it takes me about 30 minutes to get back up again), so, doing press-ups naked off the edge of the decking over the camera was probably not a good idea. Come to think of it if the neigbours saw me…
June 4, 2007

My Love (365: 149)

My Love (365: 149). Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

I am addicted, I cannot get enough, I’m losing sleep, but I keep on coming back. It’s wonderful. Oh Flickr!
June 5, 2007

Targeted Maleshot (365:150)

Targeted Maleshot (365:150). Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

Hmmm, someone’s been giving away my age. I received a survey from ‘Age Concern’ the other week. Oh, how my family laughed.

Future Gary says, I didn’t have a clue what my body was brewing for me as I got older. Maybe I should have taken them up on the offer. Nowadays I take a couple of pills a day to deal with my BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia).
June 6, 2007

New Door (365: 151)

New Door (365: 151). Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

A new front door and windows were fitted today – I couldn’t miss the opportunity. Fantastic light.

Day 151 – Time for another nude. The 40 days since Day 110 have gone by quickly.
June 8, 2007

Out of inspiration and time (365: 153)

Out of inspiration and time (365: 153) — Temporary lull on the ideas front, I’d better start looking for mini challenges. I haven’t checked in weeks. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
June 9, 2007

Catching up on some paperwork (365: 154)

Catching up on some paperwork (365: 154). Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

Life caught up with me today. An afternoon nap turned into the best part of a three-hour sleep. June and an instant reminder of why I love having the sofa bed in the garden. Probably time to start sleeping out again too.
June 10, 2007

Sea Cabbage (365: 155)

Sea Cabbage (365: 155) — Eastney Beach. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

The title refers to the plant, not me. I just wanted to get that clear.

Signs of addiction: you go out for a walk with a mini tripod in your pocket.

Connections: Interesting New Scientist article on the ability of objects to help you make new connections, generate new thoughts, and revive old memories. The Sea Cabbage is such a simple plant with pretty white flowers. It evokes such strong memories for me.

This connection is private.

I also wrote at the time:

I get a special dispensation to leave the house on my own if I’m a good boy! 🙂 This is nowhere near as desolate as Dungeness, which is a shame. I was probably fifty feet from the prom and the same [distance] from twenty sunbathers further down the beach.

Note: I have since discovered that this plant is more often referred to as Sea Kale (Crambe maritima).
June 11, 2007

Dreaming (365: 156)

Dreaming (365: 156) — On my bed in the garden, winding down ready for sleep. Just daydreaming. Ten second exposure, lit by oil lamps. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
June 16, 2007

Denouement (365: 161)

Denouement (365: 161). Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

This morning I told Elaine I wanted a divorce.

After the shouting and the tears, I was finally on my own. I mopped up the drink spilled and splattered on the walls when the cup was thrown, and I sat; stunned. Stunned at the reaction, and stunned that I had actually done the thing I’d wanted to do for years, and never until now had the courage or resourcefulness to do.

It is strange when I feel the need to take a picture. This was one of those times.
June 20, 2007

Birthday Dinner (365: 165)

Birthday Dinner (365: 165). Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved

I searched high and low for an Indian restaurant, and in the end, I settled for what turned out to be a very nice and spicy Thai meal. Of course, within ten minutes the next morning, I found an Indian restaurant – it is a shame none of the locals I spoke to knew about it.

Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex.
June 22, 2007

Bed and breakfast (365: 167)

Bed and breakfast — The Plough Inn, Wangford, Southwold, Suffolk. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

Note

Future Gary says, display and computer technology, especially on the road, wasn’t quite as good back in 2007, and I obviously missed the fact that the original image I used (below) was blurred. I’ll resist the temptation to use AI to fix it and substitute the image above.

Bed and breakfast (365: 167) — The Plough Inn, Wangford, Southwold, Suffolk. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.