New Year's Eve 2012 My Year In Photographs

"Tell him I was too fucking busy... or vice versa."

~Dorothy Parker

My word of the year for 2012 is ADVENTURE. I did a lot of new things this year, and it felt really good to just live my life. I like being 50. As my 50 year old self, I met some goals. I scared myself. I scared some others. I stood up to some bullies, and I allowed myself to have some fun. My thinking was centered around the possibility that the Mayan prophesy could be right. What if the world would end on 2012? Would I want to go into the next plane of existence a coward? Did I want to never face a fear, or follow a dream? If it was all going to be over in a matter of month, why not go out happy, and at peace with myself? So I did just that. I went out and made myself happy. I tried not to be selfish about it, because what fun is being happy, if those around you aren't happy also?As in every year, I thank the heavens above for Alan. He likes to go along with me on my adventures, and it really wouldn't be the same without him by my side.

 Here is all my best from the adventure that was 2012.

Enjoy!














































































2012 is going to be a tough year to beat, but I am looking forward to the challenge.

Stay Tuned!

If I didn't care for fun and such
I'd probably amount to much
But I shall stay the way I am
Because I do not give a damn.

~Dorothy Parker

~Me :) HAPPY NEW YEAR!

"Raygun Gothic Rocketship"
Rocket Art Landing On SF Waterfront (San Francisco Examiner)

The Visual

"Let it go over a cliff, die completely, and then come back to life... after that you cannot be deceived."

~Zen Proverb

A couple days ago I wrote a slightly humorous post about the hazards of making fun of an otherwise serious situation. In that particular case it was a matter of getting the song, Disco Duck, hopelessly stuck in my head, as I changed some of the words to fit the current showdown over the fiscal goings on in Washington D.C. . At that time I was poking fun of the situation because in truth there is very little I can do to help the negotiations. I did my part last November, but it doesn't seem like it was any help, at least not to any real degree.

A lot of damage is poised to take place, if no settlement is reached.

Most of which could have been avoided.

Mumphf.

There is nothing I can do. I am one person. But apparently my one vote and those who also joined me on election day together don't make that much of a difference.

Voting, it seems, really doesn't matter all that much anymore.

If it ever did.

The other day, with the post about the music in my head, I was poking fun at the thing that worries me. Don't get me wrong, Alan and I will be fine, but it's families, once again, that will be working harder and harder, and seeing less for it. It will be hard on those who remain on unemployment through no fault of their own, and then comes those who depend on Social Security and Medicare who will face even more uncertainty about what their quality of life will be.

It's hard to understand.

And yet, I think all the ones doing the negotiating have long since forgotten, or never knew in the first place, what it feels like to struggle to keep food on the table, or lights on, or clothe a child, or help an elderly loved one stay safe, warm, and in good health.

When I think about America falling off the "fiscal cliff" I don't laugh. I see a steep cliff, with a fence that isn't really strong, but working as a last barrier all the same. And I am thankful for that small fence, because what lies below are jagged rocks, deep cold water, and unless you know how to tread water, you know that when you hit that cold water, all that's left is your own eventual drowning.

When Washington thinks of the fiscal cliff, I think they see piles and piles of money, and falling off that cliff doesn't mean they will drown, it means they won't be able to keep climbing that green hill of endless money. They will be able to clothe their children, feed their families and take care of their elderly. Greed is good. Right?


~Me

Round Robin Challenge: Goodbye To 2012

“Life is not made up of minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, or years, but of moments. You must experience each one before you can appreciate it.”

~Sarah Breathnach

RRC: Goodbye To 2012

2012! What a year! Personally speaking, I had more happiness, and adventure and triumph than in any year that I can remember, but it was not without it's sorrows and frustrations as well. Mostly, I appreciated the year and I am happy to be healthy, and happy. I am especially grateful for Alan and my fur babies. We are a family and there is a lot of love in our little cottage!

Now, onto those moments, that made a year!

"Forever is composed of nows."
~Emily Dickinson

Moments Filled With Faces In Unusual Places




 



Moments Filled With Light



Moments Filled With New York Moments And Seeing Stars

Hey, isn't that the naughty Times Square Elmo? Yep! That's him!

 


Woody Allen (Making inadvertent eye contact with me)  :)






Cate Blanchette


And Sally Hawkins


Moments Filled With Autumn Color

 

 





Moments Filled With Saying Goodbye And Hello

Saying goodbye to one of our favorite restaurants. A place Alan and I frequented our whole lives. 
Goodbye Bancheros...




I found out my friend Steven passed away...
I will miss you always my friend.
   (Photo by Steven)
 

And it came time to say goodbye to my car Lilith...



But I said hello to my new car Carl...



Moments Spent In The Garden With Alan. Roses And Tomatoes Were The Thing...

Hot Cocoa Roses



Mr. Stripey Heirloom Tomatoes



Black Krim Heirloom Tomatoes




Moments Of Lovely Serendipity

Finding The Famous Parrots Of San Francisco...

 



And A Double Rainbow Over The Ferry Building And The Oakland/San Francisco Bay Bridge



Enjoying and appreciating the beauty of the California coastline.



And finally the biggest moment of all, taking an aerial tour of the San Francisco Bay in a single engine Cessna. I always said I would never do it. Not in a single engine plane at least, but I enjoyed it so much. No fear. Just an amazing view of the city I love. Happiness beyond measure.




"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year."

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

 All of the photos in this series were taken in the second half of 2012. I did almost no photography during the first half of the year due to illness. It's wonderful to be back taking photos every day again!

That was my 2012 in pictures. If you would like to share your own photo essay of 2012 I know Karen would be happy to have you join in. Click the link at the top of this post to be redirected to the official blog for the Round Robin Challenges. You can find all the information you need to know about the challenge, and the list of other current Round Robin participants. Go see what everyone else photographed this year! 

~Me :)