Adieu 2022

Tosin’s Images & Anecdotes (TIAA) is my self-assigned photography challenge of 2022. The immediate objective is to select one image from my inventory (a cityscape, landscape, portrait, oddity, etc.) each week and write something about it. This “something” could be the story behind the photo, a triggered memory in relation to the photo, or simply a reaction or reflection based on the subject matter featured. The long-term objective is to encourage myself to add more content to “La Vue Atypique”, which celebrates its first decade in publication this year.

What can I say about the photograph above?

For the final photo of my self-assigned challenge, I thought I would just have some fun with Ananda (my Sony A99) in front of the mirror in the bathroom. Somehow, I’ve managed to really pull off the “peanut M&M” / egghead look for almost 20 years. (Still, it was fun to imagine what I would have looked liked if I still had active follicles)!

I remember very clearly when I decided to challenge myself with writing one article per week for this blog. It was definitely within the last two weeks of December a year ago. I didn’t know whether I could commit to it, but here we are on the final day of 2022 with 52 entries for La Vue Atypique, each submitted on a weekly frequency. At present, I’m still trying to figure out what the new personal photo project will be for 2023. I like the one article per week commitment, but it would also be fun to see if I could increase the frequency.

Some (random) final thoughts for the year:

For most of my life, I worry so much that I can never be in a completely relaxed state, even when I’m at rest. I don’t really practice the implementation of New Year’s resolutions anymore because I’m always trying to improve myself and my character every day. Still, for next year, I would like to start figuring out how to stop worrying so much all the time, mostly over factors that I will never be able to control.

Despite what media outlets report, whether for good, ill, or for “clickbait” ratings, I’m still extremely and cautiously optimistic that there are good people doing their damnedest to improve the human condition for others while strategically reducing our impact on our planet. I just have to try a lot harder to seek this information while doing what I can to be a better citizen of the world.

I still stand, and will always stand, with Ukraine. I will never be able to fully reconcile the fear and woe I felt on the morning of February 24th. Yet, the photograph that I was able to capture that day so perfectly contradicted my emotional state. I still don’t quite know what to make of the coincidence.

There’s a saying that states “Forgive and forget.” I realize that it’s very difficult for me to forget, but I owe it to my peace of mind and mental outlook to improve on my capacity to truly forgive. I’m not sure forgiveness translates into reprieve, but it is true that I completely own how I decide to respond to unpleasant situations and incorrigible people. I do not want to spend the latter half of my life seething in concealed bitterness and cynicism. It’s a crippling weight and an unhealthy burden on the soul. I’d much rather reserve this energy for creating photographs, listening to music, riding my bike, watching different anime series, or traveling.