It’s the end of the year and as is customary I must analyze 2012 to death and pontificate on what I think will transpire in 2013. Well I’ll do that When Pigs Fly!
I suppose there is some merit in looking back over the past year, if for no other reason than to appreciate what a wonderful and sad year it has been. There have been deaths in the family, elderly relocated from their homes, family members experiencing the ups and downs of personal relationships. There has also been tremendous family bonding that can only happen during adversity. Whether it’s coming together to grieve a sister’s death or just sitting with a grown child in the emergency room. It could also be those precious times when I get to have one on one time with my grandkids. Or maybe it’s those times when I have to sit down with my in-laws and “fix” their computer. None of these things come at a convenient time. That’s life. To be totally isolated and alone would eliminate these interruptions to my orderly life, but it’s these interruptions that bring “life” to my life. To quote a cliche, it adds “spice to my life”. While onions can make us cry when we chop them up for dinner, in the end they bring flavour to an otherwise bland dish thus enriching it.
The coming year will be sprinkled with the usual milestones. Some good and some not so welcome. The only thing I can control is how I react to them. In my younger days I use to be very self centered and resented any deviations from my plan. Whether that plan was sleeping in, getting some project finished or another career milestone notched. Slowly I matured and realized the world did not revolve around my needs and wants. All the effort I expended trying to control everyone and everything around me exhausted me and made everyone around me unhappy, as well as myself. Unfortunately I was too “head down ass up” to realize what was going on. It took a major life changing event to finally open my eyes. I wish I had been receptive to all the hints and advice I had received from well meaning friends and family.
I am looking forward to the birth of a new grandchild in the new year as well as opening my eyes to see my sweetie each morning. Beyond that all I wish is to be able to live my life as God wants me to.
Photographically I want to re-acquaint myself with my film cameras. For the past several years I have shot 95% digital. While I feel I have created some outstanding photographic images, I long for the smell of the darkroom. I also find the stress associated with the constant struggle backing up files to be a creative roadblock. Short of a major fire I don’t have to worry about the negatives I made 40 plus years ago. They are still there as are the negatives my grandfather made with an original Kodak film Brownie.
I will continue to use my Nikon D700 for commercial work, but my goal is to create at least 80% of my personal work using film in 2013.
Well I guess I did do some pontificating after all. Indeed pigs do fly, as proven in the image above.
To each and every one of you, I wish you the very best for 2013. I find happiness through bringing happiness to others. Maybe it will work for you too.