Here's To Us

Here's To Us
From the Musical : Little Me

Here's to us, my darling, my dear,
Here's to us tonight.
Not for what might happen next year,
For it might not be nearly as bright.
But here's to us, for better or worse,
And for thanks to a merciful star,
Skies of blue, and muddling through,
And for me and for you as we are.
And here's to us for nothing at all
If there's nothing at all we can praise,
Just that we're together and here
For the rest of our beautiful days.
Here's to us forever and always.

Here's to us, my darling, my dear,
Here's to us tonight.
Not for what might happen next year,
For it might not be nearly as bright.
But here's to us, for all that we have,
And the road that we've travelled so far,
Skies of blue, and muddling through,
And for me and for you as we are.
And here's to us for nothing at all
If there's nothing at all we can praise,
Just for spring, and wanting to sing,
And for feeling like flinging bouquets.
Here's to us forever and always.

I first heard this song sung by Judy Garland. It has always struck a chord with me because the lyrics ring true in many ways. Especially, around the new year, for obvious reasons. We can look forward to the year before us, but there is no way for us to know what is coming. We don't know what life holds for us in the future. And so, we should just celebrate what we can, even if it's little things, because we've been lucky enough to live them, and learn from them.

The past is subjective, the future unknown, and so...... a toast to the present. The one thing we know and truly control.

New Years Resolutions

Now's the time of year where everyone decides to make resolutions about what they want to accomplish or change during the year. I've never really been a fan of resolutions. They were always that kind of thing that you set, and promptly forgot before the end of January. I had long given up on making resolutions years ago.

However, this year has been a little different for me. But instead of doing the cliche resolutions that everyone wishes to accomplish, I've decided to change the tone. Instead of saying I hope to do "this" or "that", instead I'm setting goals. They aren't things I wish I did but out of habit don't. They're just things I would like to accomplish that I feel will help me move on in life. They would take me to the next step and beyond.

I know it sounds like I'm talking about goals that are the same. I guess the real difference is that I plan to actually try to fulfill the goals, where I failed to attempt to keep my resolutions. It's a frame of mind kind of thing.

There's nothing wrong with setting goals for yourself, it's really a healthy thing. I think that people get caught up in how cliche it is to make goals on New Years. I know that's how I've been for awhile, but the reality of it, is that New Years is just a good marker to gauge time with.

This project for instance, is one of the goals I set for myself for the year. It's very easy for me to plan and start things, but when it comes to finishing them, I tend to fall short. This was a challenge for myself, to help me keep motivated, and to help me workout my creativity again.

With the topics I'm hoping to discuss at some point in this project, I'm sure my goal can be achieved, so why not go for it? And why not go for it now? I used January 1st as the starting point, only because it was the most convenient and closest time that I saw coming.

There are a few other goals I've set for this year, but those are for another place. I guess, in the end, today's entry is more of an excuse as to why I have "resolutions" when, I don't necessarily feel the need to make them. For me, goals and resolutions are too different things, because for me each word foreshadows how much effort you will put in achieving it. So for me, it's New Years Goals.

A Picture is Worth 1000 Words

I've always had a certain amount of fascination with photographs. Not so much a fascination with the photo itself, as much as the story behind it. Why was the picture taken? What made the person decide that THIS was the picture they wanted to take? When viewing a picture, I may not think about these questions consciously, but it's definitely what makes me pause at certain photographic treasures I find.

Pictures can be a way of expression, a way of keeping memories, or even just a way to treasure something dear to you. I didn't take many pictures growing up. I didn't have my picture taken a lot growing up. And as I have grown older, I've come to realize how much I wish that wasn't the case.

About a year ago I bought my first "nice" camera. But I realized that I haven't had much use of it outside of large gatherings with friends or family. Which is why I started this project for myself. I wanted to use my camera more, and I want to be able to share the pictures I'm taking in a more creative way than any facebook album or photo box ever could.

I don't think I really view pictures or photographs in the same sense that most other people do, and I've never been able to put into words how I view them. So, because I lack this skill, I want to share some quotes from the movie "One Hour Photo" which starred Robin Williams. Up to date, they are the closest I've found my thoughts in word form.

"Family photos depict smiling faces... births, weddings, holidays... Children's birthday parties. People take pictures of the happy moments in their lives. Someone looking through our photo album would conclude that we had led a joyous, leisurely existence... free of tragedy. No one ever takes a photograph of something they want to forget."

"I'm sure my customers never think about it... but these snapshots are their little stands against the flow of time. The shutter is clicked...the flash goes off... and they've stopped time... if just for the blink of an eye. And if these pictures have anything important to say to future generations, it's this... "I was here. I existed. I was young. I was happy...and someone cared enough about me in this world to take my picture.'"

"Most people don't take snapshots of the little things... the used Band-Aid...the guy at the gas station... the wasp on the Jell-O... but these are the things that make up the true picture of our lives. People don't take pictures of these things."


It's my hope that over this year, I'll be able to share photos and stories. Things I've learned, or continue to explore. Things I've found interesting or thought provoking. Hopefully, others will join in this with me, and share they're own stories as well.

With all this said, let the year begin!