2008 From End-to-End in Two Pictures

First Light of the New Year - 2008; Sunrise El Capitan State Beach 1Jan08

The Year 2008 was like most years in many ways: some good weather and some natural disasters, politicians being politicians, the Santa Barbara mountains, ocean and islands remained startlingly beautiful, friends continue to be wonderful and supportive, birds and plants continue to amaze and inspire me, and the love of a good (great!) woman is a wonderful thing.

However, 2008 also saw changes from the 'norm': The BIG change is the ChangeMasterObama himself, bringing me a true sense of hope after feeling like an alien in my own country for nearly eight years. 2008 also had an extra day - something that Leaps out at us only every four years.

The Summer Olympics were also different from a normal year, following in each Leap Year - with Michael Phelps making us all feel like underachievers, as well as being too short and too fat.

Continuing my search for our 'next adventure', I traveled to Bozeman, Montana, Decorah, Iowa and TWO visits to Singapore.... which is becoming very appealing! Many friends and all family remain sequestered on the East Coast, while we continue to find new friends on the Left Coast. Birding became a focus; I was able to devote enough time to it, and I got to know Adam, a very good new friend in birding, sports, and life.

I paid $4.69/gal regular (ALWAYS seeking the lowest price!) in early July and now find myself paying $1.77/gal. Now I'm NOT complaining, but what's up with THAT price range? Didn't you find it odd that eight years ago Dick Cheney convened a secret/private meeting with oil ambassadors to consider his administration's new 'energy policy'... and during the Bush/Cheney years the price of oil topped $150/barrel - only to be 'done in' by their complete lack of financial regulations which put our economy in places where the sun don't shine, dragging the price of their oil with it...

So, what will 2009 bring? Who the heck knows??? Who could have predicted anything or much of anything about this year? At least I am able to ring in the New Year with my Sweet Darlin' Baby Doll who is at least as healthy as I am, and know that we will be GREAT, no matter where our adventures take us.

Oh, the year in only two pictures? That was much easier than sorting through the nearly 30,000 images I took this year and finding the best. Hopefully, they will show themselves here on my 'blog' in the coming weeks and months. And the "First Light" photo at the top won a FIRST PLACE Award in the Carpinteria Valley Arts Council's art gallery's (855 at the Arts Center) show titled 'Atmosphere, Wind and Shadows' and juried by Thomas Van Stein! Thomas OBVIOUSLY knows quality when he sees it!!!

While the year 2008 ended photographically within a fog bank at El Cap StBch, I remain hopeful that I will have sunny days and sharp shadows for 2009.

Happy New Year.

Mike

Last Light of the Year 2008; Sunset El Capitan State Beach 31Jan08