Here I am–the self-avowed never-ever-will-I-do-a-long-distance-relationship-again person–mentally preparing myself for my boyfriend of not-quite-a-year and now housemate to leave for Japan for 11 months.

I didn’t plan on falling in love with someone planning to leave the country within a year of us meeting, and he definitely didn’t plan on falling into a serious relationship knowing that he was leaving for Japan, but these things can’t be helped, can they?

Knowing that we were going to have to find ways to make the next 11 months more bearable, I proposed a project that would both keep us connected and reinvigorate our creativity. My boyfriend, Michael Riser, is a wonderful writer and poet, but just like I have fallen out of the photography habit, so has he fallen out of the writing habit. I thought it would be fun to partner up for what I’m calling the Photography/Poetry Project, or P³ for short (or something even better if I think of it).

How the project will work is that I’ll take a photograph, and then Michael will write a poem inspired by my picture. Then he’ll write a poem, and I’ll take a photo in return. He’s so excited that I think he’ll be ready to post his first poem in the next day or two!

I’m excited for a project to keep me connected to him while he’s away that will also keep me busy as I stay behind. I can’t wait to read his first poem!

Ever done a partner project like this before? Have a better suggestion for the name? Want to propose a theme for one of my photographs? Comment below!