I Quit Groovebook.

And not for the reason you might think. The photos were thin. The quality wasn't superb---again you get what you pay for. The book was only $4.00 a month---an incredible bargain. The pictures were just fine for my purposes. After all, everyone that knows me---knows that I'm all about the stories.

So why did I quit? I quit because a hundred pictures a month is just too much!! I started to realize that getting this many photos each month is exactly the opposite of what I teach and preach in my photo organization workshop. In my class---which hasn't officially been taught since the last of our scrapbook stores closed---I try to get people to realize what is realistic when it comes to their scrapbooking and picture taking. In this day and age of the digital---we take way too many photos. For most people, that might not be a problem. But for someone like me---a bit obsessive---must have everything completely organized---it's just too much.

Most people take hundreds of photos---and then never even have them made in to photos. I take my photos and have them printed. I'm very good at paring them down to just the best. But when Groovebook came along and promised a hundred photos a month for such a low cost, I couldn't resist. I never even really considered what I was actually signing up for.

At first, I was very excited. But, soon, all those photos became a burden. In my class, I talk about the numbers and doing the math when it comes to scrapbooking. You go on vacation and take 500 pictures---and believe me, that's a conservative number. We take multiples of the same shot---just because we can.

Now, let's do the math. Even if you put 10 photos on the page (I put a lot of pictures on the page)-----500 photos equals 50 pages---nearly 5 albums for one trip. Add to that the fact that most people are lucky to get one---at most two---albums done a year. It's a constant state of overload and confusion.

Not to mention what a mess we're leaving for our kids. When my mom died a few years ago, my siblings wanted me to go through her pictures---mostly because no one wanted to do it. She had already given each of us albums from our childhood photos. Maybe there were about 1000 photos left---all neatly in albums. When I went through them, I'd say there were about 80 photos that I/we were interested in. I realized right then---your kids are NOT interested in the trips you took without them. They don't care about the beautiful scenery or sunsets. They don't care about that nice couple you met on the cruise. They don't care how blue the ocean was---or even those great stage performers. If they didn't share the experience, it will mean nothing to them.

I really felt bad at the time---throwing away all of those pictures. Sort of like I was throwing mom's life away. But the bottom line is that those photos were just not important to us. I thank God that was before the digital age. I could have been wading through thousands of photos. That's what we're doing and leaving for our own kids. A burden. A BIG BURDEN!

So that's exactly why I decided to quit Groovebook. Ahhh, that feels good.

Girls---you're welcome!