Dilemma: did I just fail my PaD project?

[liudong]

I am facing a big dilemma. I just finished three months of PaD, and failed to get a shot for yesterday. Recently I've been very busy at work, so yesterday I came home exhausted. I tried to take a nap at 9pm before taking the PaD shot. However when I woke up, it was already 2am. I felt so terrible. I didn't have anything in my camera, so I just made up a PS work for April 1st. http://www.pbase.com/liudong/image/41525559

This is my dilemma: My original rule is to take a PaD before midnight every day for a year. I'd really love to see the completion of my project, but I don't know if I would still have the same sense of fulfillment by the end of the year if I give myself a break for yesterday.

What should I do? Should I be esay on myself and keep shooting for another nine months? Should I void my current project and start a new one? Please help me out. I don't want to feel guilty at the year end because my project is not COMPLETE. Thanks.

-Don

[distorted]

Don,

The PAD is what it is to each of us, with some guidelines that should 'try to be followed'.

At the start you set your own strict rules. I just tryed to follow the guidelines.

I started mine Nov-04 I've got conciderable gaps in my work since Jan-05 on the 20th I had heart attack and then several related procedural complications, which got me hospitalized over and over for days on end.

I've forgiven myself for missing these days because I find the PAD is, for me, more about learning from others and making friends with other photographers (fellow PAD'ers)

Plus it gives me a purpose to keep shooting... I feel better knowing I've accomplished 1 thing today at least. As I am now living a day at a time..

no insult to anyone but if you're so strict with yourself how do you feel about the others like me that post when they can? Do you forgive them?

even tho my health failed me, I'm pressing on...

and, I encourage you to press on...

my 2 cents

-Best Regards

[jachurch]

I do PAD to improve my photography and for the community spirit. Posting a picture every day is a huge goal to set and I have not managed that every single day (and I have huge admiration for those who have because now I know exactly how tough it is). I am into my second year and, for various reasons, I have missed several days and it's only April. Maybe if I carry on into a 3rd or 4th year I will get a year with no gaps; maybe I won't. But I will have fun trying

In your situation I would press on regardless, knowing that I had learned a little bit more about myself.

[dazedgonebye]

...but only because I'm a smart ass.
Rules are for breaking...even my own rules.

[jenga]

Carry on regardless! (isn't that a film?)

I figure that in the course of a year there's going to be days I can't post because I'm away, or without internet access (I had a week of it in March!) and I'm not going to let it bother me too much - it'll only be a problem if I let it and, as everyone else has said, it's YOUR PaD - set your own rules as you go along, and then you can't break them! The main thing is to enjoy it!

[brianogilvie]

When I was in sixth grade I had perfect attendance. My teacher said that I didn't have to take the final exam in Health class. That was the last time that perfect attendance meant anything to me.* I say, keep going. But to do penance, you have to post a picture for that day that you took earlier but lost out to another photo as photo of the day. I've done that four times now myself (in six months). Unless you're a professional photographer, you have other things to do in your work day, and your avocation should not become so strict that it is a source of anxiety rather than pleasure.

*There are times when it's good not to be absent, like committee meetings where if you are gone, you'll be chosen to do some annoying job. But that's not the same as perfect attendance. When I am teaching, I am at every class, but the show can't go on without me. In the rest of my life I cut myself some slack.

[twdarby]

I think the poll is pretty obvious. Get back to work and shoot photos and have fun!

[floradoragirl]

Why are you doing a PaD? Is it about the discipline of taking a shot before midnight every night or is it about the pictures you take? If the only reason you're doing it is to have taken a shot before midnight every night, then I guess you've failed. If on the other hand, it's to produce a body of work, improve your own skill and get to know your camera, then you haven't failed. I think everyone changes their ideas about PaD as they go along, because, as has been pointed out eloquently above, life changes and so do we.

I felt a huge sense of pride in my pad when I finished the year. I look back on that year with huge pride and far better memories of it because I have a visual anchor for most days. I missed a day. And I don't care! I still have that whole year - and I remember the missed day just as much because I had to substitute something else. So, while it was added later, I still have a shot for every day. I don't feel I failed at all and neither should you!

The main thing is the pictures. Keep taking them and keep ENJOYING them.

[liudong]

Thank you everybody for responding to my question. You helped me out of this delimma. I realized that the main thing here is to have fun and enjoy PaD, instead of having a burnout. I've decided to continue shooting, as long as I am still passionate about it. Say, after one year, if I still enjoy PaD, why stop? On the other hand, should I no longer feel like doing it, why add stress to an already difficult life? My original motivation was to challenge myself to do something almost impossible, besides learning photography. Now I've already proved myself after three months of doing it, I need to shift gears and try to pursue the true meaning of taking PaD, instead of just a new year resolution. Thank you very much. I've learned a little more about myself, and I've never enjoyed PaD as much as I do now.