From the Gallery

Every so often I get it in my head that I'm going to weed through some of my old photographs and maybe even get rid of a few. But here's the problem. When I come across an obscure photo, it either reminds me of something which makes it difficult for me to get rid of it. Or, I can't remember why I took the photo in the first place, so I figure I'd better hang on to it in case I remember, because maybe then it will mean something to me.

Here are a few examples..

This picture was taken back in August of 2015, on a visit to see Rachael in New York City. On our visit, one of the things we did was to go a nighttime walk - which is when this photo was taken.
What you're looking at is a shadow, likely mine, covering a portion of a crosswalk.
I have nice memories of that visit and nice memories of the nighttime walk - though I have no memories at all of this particular crosswalk.
Was this photo an accident?
Did I think this was somehow interesting?
Better hang onto it, just in case.

This photo was also taken back in 2015. It was taken on November 25th. Because of the date, I first thought it must have something to do with Thanksgiving, but I looked it up and it was actually taken on the day before Thanksgiving. Not that it makes a difference - I still have no idea why I took it.
It's clearly taken on my dining room table. Off to the left is a plant (obviously,) off to the right is my finger, covering part of the lens, like usual. In the center is what appears to be a cookie in a wrapper.
What is the significance of this?
I have no idea - but maybe it will come back to me at a later date.
Another one I better keep.

This photo is from early 2016 and is one of several I took of Helaina's computer. The occasion was that she was going to get the computer repaired by somebody whose name she got from somebody at work. This alleged "repairman" was even going to go so far as to pick up it at our house - at night.
Since it is my nature to wonder how any given circumstance will either screw me or one of my loved ones, I took these photos for the inevitable court case.
Turns out, the "repairman" did indeed fix it (and return it.) So, apparently, I was wrong.
But if I had been right, then taking these photos would have been a smart move.
None of this, of course, explains why I still keep these photos.

This photo was clearly taken on Thanksgiving (I looked it up, just to be sure.) Obviously, this is a turkey crammed into my tiny oven. Why did I take this one?
Again, I have no idea.
I'm pretty sure it wasn't for sentimental reasons.
The only potential reason that I can come up with is that maybe it would come in handy someday - like when I get really, really old and my kids refuse to invite me to their Thanksgiving dinner.
At least I'll have this photo so I can say, "Remember when I did this for you!!??"... (right before I go and defrost my frozen TV dinner.)
Makes sense. Another keeper.

This one was taken later that same November. Jake was going to be going on a trip to San Fransisco so he was having me take care of his guinea pigs until he got back at Christmas. Not long after he left, the pigs were running low on food so I went to the grocery store. The store had this brand of pet food but I wasn't sure if this was the kind of food "they liked." To double check, I took the photo and sent it to Jake.
Turns out, it was the stuff they liked. They ate it and everything worked out fine.
Knowing all of this, I still keep the photo

***

When I look at things like this, I think about the people that are left behind when a loved one passes away.
I think about how, when going through the departed's stuff, those left behind struggle to understand what some of the things meant.
Why were these things kept?
Surely, they must have meaning.
Surely, they must be important...

I have a ton of this kind of stuff. It kind of makes me feel bad for my kids, for when they have to figure it all out.

Not bad enough to get rid of it, but still...