Whilst this project has not been as well received as my previous Lego based effort, I feel it has been better for me, not necessarily as a photographer, but as a person. I have been able to use the blog to express myself and even took some photo's along the year.
With it being New Years eve its time to reflect on the year that was 2013, and look ahead to 2014. Its been a strange old year, no stranger than any other to be fair, but still its been a strange one. Plenty of highlights and plenty of low lights, so lets pick out a few.
Lets start with a low light, this year as a family we lost a very close and dear friend, and whilst we hadn't been in touch as we really ought to have the grief was still very real. We were quite lucky in the fact that we were all together as a family when we found out and were able to comfort each other and share our memories. So before the clock turns midnight I would like to raise a glass (probably the only one I will raise this evening) to Wyn Treeby. The world lost a true shining light, but Heaven is a better place now that you and Jim are reunited at last.
That was very much the lowest point of the year. Everything else has been pretty trivial in comparison, so lets not dwell on things that in the grand scheme of things are inconsequential in comparison.
Highlights for me have been continuing to see my awesome (if troublesome) daughter grow, and learn and generally consistently be the bane of my life. Sometimes she is so like me that I find it very frustrating as I don't want her to make the same mistakes I have in life, but I guess the more I push her away from those, the more she will gravitate towards them.
I have rediscovered my love (and hatred) of the game of golf, joining a course for the first time ever, and whilst I have not reached the goals I set at the start of the summer I have had a lot of fun. Particularly 6 and a half hours to get around Slaley with Lee Oakley and Darren Storey, including at one point allowing a threesome of senior members to play, and a special highlight for me was playing at Turnberry with my father. Even though it was the baby of the 2 courses available the quality of the course and the views were simply breathtaking. It helped that I played well and scored reasonably well too.
I also got to take Christine and Erin to their first big football match, well I say big, it was Scottish Third Division, but it was at Hampden and it was Rangers.
Whilst it is quite materialistic, the installation of our new kitchen has been an exciting and nerve racking journey this year too. Now its in we couldn't be happier with it.
Erin has completed more gradings at Dance, taken part in a summer show, and MPA's main show, completed an NUFC football training course, moved up a stage in swimming, got her 50m badge, finished the year getting less than 10 spellings incorrect all year in tests and continues to astound us with her general ability to turn her hand to anything.
The biggest hurdle to completing this challenge has been the change of shifts at work, meaning that I work 12 hour days, so finding time to take an interesting picture (which I haven't always managed) has been a real pain. I hope that I haven't bored you all too much.
Its been a good year for Paul Lynch Photography, getting to see some of my good friends get married, and being able to capture their days for them in a way that they loved has been a real pleasure. I've had a good variety of brides and grooms, and have been lucky enough that all of them have been a pleasure to work with. I wish you all the very best for 2014.
So onto the final picture of the year.
As I have said, its very difficult to balance everything and to find time for everything and everyone, but there is nothing more important than family or friends......
Not even phone calls, or Simpsons tapped out updates.
So here s to 2014, make of it what you will, I'm sure it will be just as strange as 2013!
Thats it from me, I've done 2, I will never ever attempt a 365 again, so i hope you have enjoyed it.
Paul
