Saturday, December 30, 2006

Project 365 - My New Year's Resolution


This year, I witnessed the very best Vancouver sunset, EVER!

During an exceptionally rainy day, dark clouds hung over our city - but looking to the west you could see that the sky was clearing.

Now, any Vancouverite will tell you that no matter how crumby the weather may be during the day, towards late afternoon / early evening our city is often blessed with a brief glimpse of sun - just before it sets behind the mountains of Vancouver Island. For twenty minutes or so, we are often treated to a beautiful, yellow light - making our colourful west coast landscape literally 'pop' out against a dark grey backdrop of storm clouds.

I was certain that this was going to be a beautiful sunset.

I was also just as certain that Costco was going to close in 20 minutes and I absolutely had to be there - so I ran out the door as fast as I could and jumped into my wife's PT Cruiser.

Now, for the life of me, I can not remember why my trip to Costco was so urgent, but I do know that enroute - looking in my side mirror - I saw behind me the most brilliant, crimson sunset I have ever witnessed. It was so beautiful in fact, that drivers all along the route to Costco interrupted their afternoon rush hour and hurriedly pulled over to the side of the road.

Burly truck drivers, young mothers and their babies, college students, lovers, business suits, - in fact anyone and everyone who had a camera of any sort were all recording this once in a lifetime event. Even the shoppers and employees at the store had to rush out into the parking lot, all of them remarking that this was "the most beautiful Vancouver sunset they had ever, ever seen." Ever! Some people appeared to be crying - it was kind of like the next to final scenes of the movie Independence Day.

So I called my wife at home, and told her to grab the pugs and run out into the yard if she wanted to witness this remarkable event - and after several 'oohs' and 'aahs' she asked "So, did you take your camera?"

Nope! My new, Nikon Digital SLR camera, complete with Nikkor 18-70 mm zoom lense was exactly where I had left it - in my brand spanking new Lowepro camera bag - on a chair, at home.

What a horrible feeling. There I stood, cameraless - and surrounded by dozens of rush hour commuters and Costco shoppers - all happily snapping away with their mobile phone / digital cameras at what will surely go down in history as the most fantabulous Vancouver sunset to ever grace our skies.

Which brings me to my 2007 New Year's resolution.

I'm going to join in on Project 365 - and for each and every day of 2007 I will take my camera with me, wherever I may go.

My wife says she gives me one week - tops - before I break this resolution. Bah Humbug! So, to keep myself honest, for each of the 365 days of 2007 I will post a photo taken that same day, no matter how mundane. That way, every one of the seven readers of my photoblog will be my witness!

No doubt you will be seeing lots of photos of TexnMaggie, my backyard, my in-laws etc., and hopefully, a beautiful 2007 Vancouver sunset.

Happy New Year everyone!

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