2008 didn’t really go exactly as planned. It could have been better; it can always be better. But in the grand scheme of things, it was still fairly productive. I hadn’t planned to dedicate at least a month to kidney stones, which set me back quite a bit…both in time and in money. I had hoped to pay off all of my debt. I wanted to travel to more places…a big trip at least every other month. I wanted to attend at least one istockalypse and meet some of my closest istock friends who I haven’t met yet and are scattered around the globe. I wanted to become more organized. I wanted to set up some kind of photo studio again somewhere. Maybe have a full exhibit of my work someplace.
The last couple months of 2008 really sucked. I couldn’t wait for the new year to show its face. Granted we’re only 5 days into the new year, but it’s off to a good start. I’ve been making small steps to achieve some the things that I wanted to do last year and creating additional goals for this year.
Anyway, here’s a list of some of the most memorable things that have happened for me in 2008. Most link to related photos that were posted on my blog.
- Big roadtrip/photography expedition around central and southern California for 2 weeks
- Finally went to the Salton Sea and Salvation Mountain and met Leonard Knight
- Drove to Maine for a week
- Visited Chicago for the first time and saw an amazing Dorothea Lange exhibit
- Met up with some istockphoto friends in DC
- Went to FDR skatepark for the first time ever and also did a photo shoot there
- Went to Chinese New Year celebrations in Philadelphia’s Chinatown for the first time…and didn’t bring ear plugs
- Met Losang Samten and watched his creation of The Wheel of Life sand mandala
- Went to my first Zoe Strauss exhibit under 95 and now own two signed Zoe Strauss prints and an autographed copy of America
- Explored the Reading Viaduct for the first time
- Photographed my first pro sports event and met Don King at the IBF Cruiserweight Boxing Championship in Newark, NJ
- Had surgery for two kidney stones (the 4th and 5th ones I’ve had so far)
- Took a woodcut class and rediscovered my love for printmaking
- Started doing watercolor painting
- I took a drawing class, which was short-lived due to down time from kidney stones. I still can’t draw.
- Did more portraits using natural light than studio light than ever before
- One of my models was on America’s Toughest Jobs
- Showed a few of my photographs in an exhibit (for only one night!) for the first time in 8 years
- Still photography for American Hops visit to Heartland Brewery in NYC
- Started working on the Philadelphia Grid Project
- Attended my first Flyers game and my first Phillies game
- The Phillies won the World Series and I walked in the parade and photographed the fun chaos
- First time I’ve taken part in a road rally (and it was in Maryland)
- Lost a best friend to a car accident
- Lost a colleague to cancer
- Memorable concerts of the year: Neil Halstead, Liam Finn, Calexico, The Swell Season (Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova), Bruce Springsteen at Obama Rally, and Jonathan Richman
- My parents celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary
- My cousin got married
- Places of interest that were finally visited: Hawk Mountain, Centralia
- Saw the Philadelphia Orchestra for the first time…on my birthday
Andrea, you have the most interesting life of anyone I know! I hope you will continue with the woodcut printing, you are such a natural. And I hope 2009 is even better than 2008, and doesn’t have ANY bad stuff for you.
Fabulous. I love that you’ve been “all over the place” staying busy and creative. I should finish my 08 recap before next year comes around. haha.