Here are some photos that at least partially represent this past year for me. It has been a very good year in many ways, but certainly not without its challenges. I hope that 2013 is a much more prosperous year, but I look forward to quality time with friends and loved ones if nothing else. I wish you all the best in 2013.
Meet Noi:
The best thing to happen in my life during 2012 is meeting Noi. Noi is an amazing woman who keeps my thoughts positive every time we chat or see each other. My trip to Thailand this year to visit Noi was by far the best vacation ever.
Thoughtful Monkeys:
One of the most intriguing images I have of Thailand has to do with monkeys. Before this trip, my only experience with monkeys was at the zoo where either the monkeys or the humans (or both) are behind bars. However, in Thailand, the monkeys are like deer in the U.S. They aren't the kind of animals you really want to have by your side all of the time, but they do provide for some interesting images.
Cowtown
In Thailand, you get the true sense of open range. I was sitting on the patio of our beachfront resort cottage and these three cows sauntered past in a very casual fashion, as if they owned the place. Maybe they do...maybe it's the cows who are really in control...haha. Anyway, I don't mean to wax philosophical. I just thought it was quite interesting.
Fishing Boats:
I was fascinated with the little fishing boats sitting on the beach. They never moved the whole time we were there, but they definitely added to the character of the beach front. I kept thinking I would see the old man in the sea coming out of one of the cabins and hauling one of them out to the ocean for a day's worth of fishing.
Photo Challenge:
I have decided to challenge myself to take as many photos in a variety of genres as possible for the remainder of 2012 and throughout 2013. I want to hone my photography skills, yes, but mostly I want to use this as an opportunity to document what is happening in the various facets of my life over the next year as I work on the final push toward finishing up coursework for my PhD and then on to writing the dissertation...and hopefully looking for greener pastures to move on to. The following pictures are part of that process.
Old Trucks and Barns: Cliche? Well, maybe. However, there is a reason they are cliche; they are just cool. This old truck was pretty photogenic, so I took it's picture as I had the chance.
Bringing the Unnoticed to the forefront:
The day was very cold, but that led to shots like this where the hole in the wall met the water falling from the roof and freezing almost instantly.
The Sea of Rocks: Whoever owns this shop spent a lot of time plastering rocks to his wall so that those of us with cameras could come by and take notice. What a cool place.
Above: The life sciences building at UI is an amazing building, at least on the outside. I love the view of this building from across the administration lawn.
Below: The UI Library:
I enjoy the architecture of college libraries, especially the stairwell of the UI library. Add snow and ice on the trees, and it just gets that much cooler.
Snowmen Are Cool:
Since I was a little kid, I loved making and looking at snowmen. Whoever made this one, took great care to accessorize to the hilt. Love it!
