Photo of the year

If I chose one photo which I feel sums up 2008 the best from my point of view, it would have to be this one. It was taken early in the the first half of the Euro 2008 match in Basel on 11 June between Switzerland and Turkey barely minutes before the one of the heaviest thunder storms I've experienced in recent times.

From a personal point of view, 2008 has been one of the most eventful years of my life. I started the year working as freelancer, my knee was operated on early in January, I worked in Zurich for four months, I subsequently decided to abort the freelance adventure in order to work in a proper "day job" again, I contracted deep-vein thrombosis in my lower left leg (this problem is still being treated), plus my social life took off to an extent I'd never even dreamed about only months previously.

I like the above photo because of its foreboding and - excuse the pun - electric atmosphere. I remember watching the match in question on television in my living room in Weil and noticing the big, black cloud that was looming from the north prior to kick-off. With the storm cell arriving from that direction, the rain hit us bit earlier. In fact, it was probably already pelting down outside in Weil when that photo was taken.

Looking back now, it brings back memories both specifically of the summer of 2008 and of the year as a whole, and the changes in both my professional and personal life. In other words, 2008 was a very turbulent year, and I don't necessarily mean that in a negative sense. Looking ahead to 2009, I would say I'm a lot happier than I was at the same time 12 months ago. Not that I was terribly unhappy back then, but just that things just seem clearer now. And I feel more fulfilled. Having said that, goodness knows what lies in store in 2009.