It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.

2018, the year that was. For some, a collection of beautiful memories to be cherished as we turn the page and begin anew. For others, a shining example of missteps not to be replicated in the coming year.

For me, a bit of both.

‘Tis the season of giving, of celebrating with friends and loved ones, of looking ahead to the new while being sure to cherish the memories of what has come before.

I tend to do this one of two ways, either through the written word, or more recently, through the lens of my (borrowed) camera.

It’s not that I choose to hide behind these mechanisms, per se; rather, I feel they provide me with a forum to best express my perspectives in a truly unique manner.

Today is the second birthday of my second betta, a momentous occasion if ever there was one. While the extraordinary Norton von Spudley isn’t quite the charmer his predecessor Buddy the Betta was, he has grown to be an endearing little fellow in his own right over these last 24 months, flitting and scooting to and fro as he vacuums the gravel for remnants from breakfast, flipping the tail to all who dare peer too closely into his cozy abode.

Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans . . . a sentiment expressed by many, immortalized by one, John Lennon.

It is a theory we all claim to recognize, and perhaps even intend to thwart by vowing to spend less time analyzing the nuances of life in favor of, well, actually living it.