Thursday, January 13, 2011

More stories from our travelingblings, and why you don’t want to be a model.

So we were at the airport a lot these past few months. A LOT. It started to get a bit maddening. During one flight, I was hoping that the stewardess was watching as Micah tried to put two wrong ends of the seatbelt together. I didn’t notice until I heard him struggling next to me.

On a totally unrelated note, while we were in San Diego, I got to do some unexpected work of my own. Near the end of November my mother forwarded me an e-mail from the church talent casting people, looking for returned sister missionaries to model for new materials based on the updated standards (as in, WHY didn’t they just get rid of nylons and mid-calf length skirts a LONG TIME AGO!?) I thought it was a joke that my mom sent it to me. But from what basic qualifications they had, I decided to give it a shot, and sent in some photographs. Then they hired me. It worked out well because Micah had an interview at UCSD the previous day.

The trailer.

So while we were in beautiful San Diego I got to pretend to be a sister missionary again, except in TOTALLY different circumstances from what my mission was like. Sunny, clean streets with the ocean nearby, and my hair done better than I thought was allowed. We took shots of us walking with purses. Eating breakfast at a cafe. Speaking English. The only thing I felt familiar with was getting weird looks from people. But that was because we were doing a photo shoot, not proselytizing. The other weird thing was that they gave me a nametag saying “Sister Bennet” – after a few seconds I realized - I was Elizabeth Bennet.

Me and my “companion” after shooting.

Inside the trailer, with one of the staff.

Overall, I was glad to be paid to help Sister Missionaries find more options when it comes to their wardrobe, but working with people who want everything to look PERFECT is not really very fun. If I put my hair behind my ears, they told me I looked weird. My feet looked awkward under the table, fix that. My companion didn’t know how to hold a fork properly. Don’t smile too big. Don’t look over there. Look HAPPY! Look relaxed. Your HAIR is in your FACE!!

I think they figured it was a compliment enough that we got the job.

So I don’t know when or where these photos will appear, but it might either be on a pamphlet somewhere, or on the church’s website.

And just for being good and reading all that, you get more pictures!

Micah in front of the San Diego temple.

Micah in New York!!

My first slice of New York pizza!

Micah and his new friend at F.A.O. Schwartz.

Micah trying out the quidditch supplies.

Me and a lego Chewbacca.

Micah at the Met.

FUN TIMES!

3 comments:

Lily said...

So fun! When and where do the photos come out? I can't wait to see them!

Jess Hammond said...

Not sure how you sat in my living room for 2.5 hours the other day and managed not to tell me about this modeling experience....

Lili said...

A pregnant sister missionary! How scandalous! ;)