As I was gathering the photos for this third annual Year of Light in photographs (you can read about some terrific chili metaphors from 2012's Year of Light here and the "You only live once"-themed 2013 post here), I thought about how, with each colored second of the year, we realize the vast but swift and kaleidoscopic nature of time, but we also forget to be grateful for and loving toward the chromaticity of each and every personality in the world. And, at this time of year, I also remember that one can't have colored seconds without light and you can't have light without darkness. But even in the darkness, we know the color is there. And, alas! The canvas is wiped clean each day, amIright!
Cheers to remembering, thanking God for, and sharing the not-always-perfect, technicolor moments and people in your life. Here are some colorful moments of mine from 2014. I hope you had a bright, if not more psychedelic, year!
JANUARY
Who: Handsomer Jaws
Where: Sokol Underground
Notable color: the vibrant magenta of solid, wickedly
well-written music and friendship (The writers being that of
Handsomer Jaws (music) and God (life), if you know what I mean)
Photo courtesy of Jessica
Who: Jessica
Where: Mavericks hockey game
Notable color(s): earthy greens and browns that define
a down-to-earth, kindred spirited, giggly friendship, where both
parties love standing up and cheering for the most awesome of sports
FEBRUARY
Who: The love of my parents
Where: My place of work
Notable color: The black typography of happy,
encouraging, brilliant all caps, for when one
finally gets her Master's degree in the mail
Photo courtesy of Leah
Who: Old friends and new
Where: Winter Park, CO
Notable color: The powdery white of the masterful combination
of the majestic mountain and purely good times
MARCH
Who: Chad, a friend from college
Where: Facebook timeline
Notable color: A deep red that can signify
much love for a friend in need of prayers
Who: Me, hanging with myself
Where: Indigo Bridge Books
Notable color: The cream-colored graininess of homemade paper
made to house words of wisdom and hung for all to read
and read again
APRIL
Who: The creators and designers at ustwo, who dreamed up
Monument Valley, one of the best-designed interactive stories with
which I've ever interacted (It's funny that an app can be so
relatable and educational. Who would have thought?)
Where: My iPhone 4
Notable color: The child-like purple that surrounds a
journey to self-discovery, artful storytelling, and freedom.
Check it out.
Who: Easter eggs of 2014
Where: At my parent's home - always my home, too
Notable color: The bright yellow that reminds me of how little
I was when my Mom and I first started this Easter tradition.
Also, the brightness of hope and salvation all year long
MAY, part une
Who: Jenny
Where: Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
Notable color(s): The classic blacks and whites momentizing
(I made that word up just now) two classy girls,
whose friendship has, thank the Lord, emerged in the
last few years to reveal two minds that can so often read each
other, it's amazeballs
Who: Stephanie, running in the Lincoln Marathon
Where: Lincoln marathon tracker, my computer
Notable color: The electric green of achievement after
completing 26 miles! I'm still amazed by all my friends that were able to
complete the half and full marathon. Way to go - you know who you are!
MAY, part deux
Who: A bottle of mango and orange juice from Pret A Manger
Where: Downtown Chicago
Notable color: The fuzzy-filtered, glowy orange of
being welcomed back to a beloved city to see my favorite band with friends,
revisit my favorite pieces in the Art Institute, and hug dearly missed grad school friends;
a reminder of how one can become a little more chill when
they welcome an open mind and open heart in the big city and elsewhere
Who: The Y Guy
Where: Cooper YMCA, Lincoln, NE
Notable color: The bright red of my cheeks that match these
shoes when I wear the accompanying mascot (sweat) suit to prance around
and get kicked and punched by 6-year-olds
(in a very hilarious, non-painful way)
JUNE
Who: Grandpa
Where: Perkins Pavilion, Hastings, NE
Notable color: The hopeful taupe of rehabilitation and
a sense of humor after enduring a series of seizures and the
coming days of transitioning into a nursing home
Who: Harry Styles figurine
Where: My freezer
Notable color: The chocolate brown of Harry's swoon-worthy, plastic locks
of flowing hair just before he gave me the cold shoulder after this
photo, because someone hid him in my freezer, and I didn't find him for weeks.
I have since forgiven him for his coolness.
JULY
Who: Collin and Lisa
Where: Outside of Gothenburg, NE
Notable color: The cranberry purple-red of our fun-colored 20s,
and the color of the porta-potties that symbolizes the laughter and shenanigans
of this night. In other news, JASON AND ERIN ARE MARRIED!
Who: The L7 Weenies
Where: Union College 49ers Fields
Notable color: The peachy-rose hues of the sunset on a balmy summer night,
after playing softball with friends. For more on the one game we won, read here.
AUGUST
Who: My name in a published book
Where: The University of Nebraska Press
Notable color: The orange cover of The Wheeling Year by Ted Kooser,
one of the authors we work with and one who I greatly admire. It was a little surreal
and very exciting to typeset one of his books full of innovative and lovely
home-grown poetry. I have also made some wonderful friends at this place of work.
Who: Dirt track racecar drivers
Where: Junction Motor Speedway, McCool Junction, NE
Notable color: The green-brown of the flying dirt coming off the dirt track,
a place where I got to witness the gear-head culture and jokey,
hard-working, good-natured banter that surrounds the racetrack.
A hobby my Dad has been in love with since I was 5
SEPTEMBER
Who: Nebraska sky
Where: Lincoln, NE
Notable color(s): tipsy pastel pinks, oranges, and blue on a cool night just as
the summer is folding into fall; the first time I look up at the Lincoln
skyline and realize how much the city has surprised me this year
Who: My brother's miniatures
Where: My brother's house
Notable color(s): The classic, kind primary colors of my
brother's steady painter's hand and unfailing work ethic
OCTOBER, part une
Who: Collin, Timothy, and Ali
Where: Blue Sushi Saki Grill, Lincoln, NE
Notable color: The burnt orange-red of the net that caught all of our sushi;
walrus friends + sushi nights = boatloads of fun
Who: My Mom
Where: Helgoth's Pumpkin Patch, St. Libori, NE
Notable color: The golden corn yellow of the warmth and fun that
is our Mother-daughterness. This day involved sliding together
down the giant slide, hitting our bums hard the ground below,
and laughing just as hard like little girls who are best friends.
OCTOBER, part deux
Who: Adam
Where: The Railyard, Lincoln, NE
Notable color: Kansas City Royals blue. Even though they lost,
sports will always be integral to the human race. Also, friendship lives on.
Who: Renni and another Adam
Where: Carol Joy Holling Camp on Halloween
Notable color: The forever purple aura that surrounds my
friend and former co-worker, Renni. Brony is awesome, too.
NOVEMBER
Who: Sisters, sisters. Never were there such devoted sisters
Where: Weller Auditorium, Concordia University
Notable color(s): There are so many colors that define the brightness
and beauty of these sisters. Also, my best friend is beaming there on the left,
and she is the closest thing to a sister that I have.
Who: My apartment
Where: Lincoln, NE
Notable color(s): The crisp reds, oranges, and yellows hugging the
outside of the place I've lived for over a year now. I've grown quite attached
to it and its character, while many similarly warm
events have taken place inside.
DECEMBER, part une
Who: College galpals
Where: St. John Lutheran Church, Seward, NE
Notable color(s): The many colors of friendship (Remember that Disney Channel Original Movie?!)
and laughter that has surrounded our times together.
Who: Scooby-Doo cupcake
Where: My place
Notable color: Scooby-Doo brown, a reminder of the polite little boy who gave me a
cupcake for helping him during his birthday party at the Y climbing wall.
He loves Scooby, and so do I. There is hope for the future yet.
DECEMBER, part deux
Who: Friends
Where: My apartment during a Super Chill Christmas Party
Notable color(s): The funny brown tints of irony, because this party
was extremely fun, but everyone in this photo looks extremely bored.
Who: My Goddaughter, Ashlynn
Where: My parents' house, Christmas day
Notable color(s): The complimentary reds and greens of giggles and of
Christmastime family love and togetherness, despite a few curve balls this year.
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"Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow ;
though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool ."
- Isaiah 1:18
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU AND YOURS!
