TODAY IS MY BIRTHDAY .........

...... so ........ this is my first ever public self-portrait to celebrate 60 years on this planet.

Also bravely stupidly I decided to attach a couple of small black & whites from when I was about 3 and about 8.

In true 'Oscar' fashion I would like to thank my Mum (and late Dad) for bringing me into the world on the evening of the 6th April 1952, for looking after me and standing by me when things got a little tough in my teens for, without them, my life would not be what it is today.

My Mum has been my rock throughout my life and I consider myself very lucky to still have the most wonderful relationship with her.


As I look back on my life I find myself wondering.....
Did I remember to thank you for all that you have done for me?

For all of the times you were by my side
to help me celebrate my successes and accept my defeats?

Or for teaching me the value of hard work,
good judgement, courage, and honesty?

I wonder if I've ever thanked you for the simple things...
The laughter, smiles, the quiet and fun times we've shared?

If I have forgotten to express my gratitude for any of these things,
I am thanking you now....
and I am hoping that you've known all along, how very much you are loved and appreciated.


I'm sure I don't show her enough how much I love her so, Mum, please accept this very public tribute as my way of saying thank you for everything!
I love you.



To Himself - a MASSIVE thank you for my birthday gift of the 80 - 400 AF lens for my Nikon D90 - words fail me but I hope the photos won't!
Love to you always.



I am usually (nearly always) smiling but I just seemed a teensy bit manic/crazy-looking in all the smiley ones so after a lot of faffing about early this morning and discarding a million attempts - well, maybe not QUITE a million I went for the contemplative look instead!!!!

Thank you to everyone on here for making Blip a wonderful place, addictive as hell but a revelation when it comes to photographic skills and ideas.

The insights into your oh-so-different lives have been funny, compelling, heart-breaking and heart-warming all at the same time.


LIFE

"Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfil it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it."


Thank you very much to DWD for allowing me to use these words about 'Life' today.




NIKON D90 : f/4.5 : 1/80" : ISO 800