Selfie

On November 19, 2013 the Oxford Dictionary selected Selfie as their international word of the year. What does that mean? Does it simply mean a word that has so infiltrated our vocabulary and everyday usage that we embrace it as the new word for the year?

It took selfie eleven years to go from being used on an online forum in Australia to a mainstream phenom. Of course during that span of time the widespread use of smartphone cameras and social media took giant steps. A certain segment of the population detail their every move on Instagram or Facebook. And of course you want your photo in front of every place you visit, or with every friend, or while immersed in what you are immersed in at that particular moment.

I do own an ITouch and do take photos, but not selfies. Today, another snowy day—presented the perfect time for me to take some selfies. A day to join the march toward embracing this international word of the year—albeit a bit late.

After posing in front of the snow laden deck, the completely covered steps, my refrigerator and an African basket, I will leave selfies to those double jointed long-armed people who manage not to look completely self-conscious while smiling and taking their own photo.

I expect that there is someone somewhere who is taking a photo of themselves every five minutes. I know there is—The 365 feminist selfie project— for "women and girls" to take one selfie a day for a year.

Perhaps I need to be less self-conscious about— wrinkles.