A Muse Photographer

A blog closes as another blog opens

2011-09-22T02:06:00.000+08:00

Dear friends and blog followers (if any),

I have decided to close this blog....the answer is obvious: I have not updated it since 8 May 2010...that is more than a year. Why? Well like many people, the increasing responsibilities for other things in life that took priorities over blog writing...sad to say, blog writing has lose its novelty over me....there are many things that I need to do, and there are many that I want to do. Many of my thoughts are here, and many are still inside my brain, not being expressed....but I am becoming increasingly private as I grow older. I guess it is part and parcel of the growing old process. Nevertheless, I want to thank you all for your support, your viewership, your comments, your messages, your thoughts about my blog. I will keep this blog as my own, but it will no longer be visible to the public after some time, for I am starting a new one under the same name with slightly different punctuations: aMusephotographer at WordPress. Its purpose is more commercial in nature: to synergise my new career as a photographer, to promote my services to all potential clients out there, and to document my commercial works. I will still pen my thoughts and post photos, although this time, it will be more for my work than personal stuffs...but then again, since I am doing my personal interest as work, it will still be largely me, though a more commercial me. That reminds me that I started my blog here with a purposeful verse:

Finally started my own photo blog
May this carry on and on and on
Snowballing inspirations and thoughts
Creating an avalanche that will blast your minds
With passions and musings
;)

Have I suceeded? I don't have the answer now. But by being a photographer who needs to take photos to live and survive now, I hope my photos, be it those from the past and those in the future, will still blast your minds, one way or another. And I hope I will continue to live while surviving on taking pictures.....

Thank you, take care, good luck, all the best, and see you again :)

P/S: Click on my website banner to visit my new website. Yeah, the URL remains the same ;)

Love the Moon

2010-05-08T01:30:00.000+08:00

I love looking at the moon

There is something about the moon that always capture my eyes and my heart

And I have many wonderful moments and memories

Thanks to the moon

I love looking at the moon with you

:) :)

Things work in mysterious ways...meh?

2010-04-10T02:40:00.000+08:00

Sometimes, things just happen to fall in the right places at the right time....it seems so right and so mysterious...but then again after much analysing and retropecting, it might just be the things which we have make ourselves do in the past that come back to haunt us in all the rightful ways...we will ultimately eat the fruits that we had planted :)

....on a sidenote, I have change my blog's template. Still not exactly what I want...will be doing more tweaking very soon :)

Stay tuned.... ;)

Hahaha!

2010-03-25T22:38:00.004+08:00

From the title, you know that I am OK! :)

Pardon me for the lack of updates....many things have happened (most are good and some are not-so-good)....that leaves me with little time for rest and no time to update my blog....I guess not many of you are reading it anyway due to my lack of updates...my bad....sorry sorry *sorry dance*... :P

Things are looking good and some changes (some BIG changes) are on the way.... Life has been quite good to me, although can be even better...but I am not complaining about it ;)

Hence I have to continue working and focusing on the priorities of my life, in my life....I will not abandon this blog, but I will be updating it on a ad-hoc basis for now....and may you continue to be my ad-hoc reader.... ;)

Who knows, I may have a bit more time to (hopefully) WOW you with my photos and words soon..... ;) So....

Stay tuned (once in a while) :)

View from my window

2009-11-30T00:47:00.007+08:00

The eyes see what the beholder wants to see,
no matter how discreet and fleeting....

Taken during the sudden downpour on Friday....

An almost obscure patch about 300 meters away during dusk....

The Pale Blue Dot

2009-11-13T14:19:00.010+08:00

"Pale Blue Dot" photograph of the Earth taken
by the Voyager 1 spacecraft on July 6, 1990

"Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar," every "supreme leader," every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there – on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.

The Earth is a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena. Think of the rivers of blood spilled by all those generals and emperors so that, in glory and triumph, they could become the momentary masters of a fraction of a dot. Think of the endless cruelties visited by the inhabitants of one corner of this pixel on the scarcely distinguishable inhabitants of some other corner, how frequent their misunderstandings, how eager they are to kill one another, how fervent their hatreds.

Our posturings, our imagined self-importance, the delusion that we have some privileged position in the Universe, are challenged by this point of pale light. Our planet is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark. In our obscurity, in all this vastness, there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves.

The Earth is the only world known so far to harbor life. There is nowhere else, at least in the near future, to which our species could migrate. Visit, yes. Settle, not yet. Like it or not, for the moment the Earth is where we make our stand.

It has been said that astronomy is a humbling and character-building experience. There is perhaps no better demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of our tiny world. To me, it underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly with one another, and to preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we've ever known."

- Carl Sagan (1934-1996) in a commencement address in May 11, 1996

We all are equally guilty

2009-10-04T14:27:00.002+08:00

http://www.ted.com/talks/yann_arthus_bertrand_captures_fragile_earth_in_wide_angle.html

To Do List

2009-09-08T00:48:00.002+08:00

1. Sleep early
2. Do more
3. Work fast
4. Think faster
5. Rest more
:P

Bye Michael

2009-07-09T01:10:00.003+08:00

I usually don't forget things,
But I will try to remember the good things about you more,
For I think they leave a much greater impact and impression :)

2 New Galleries!

2009-07-08T23:22:00.002+08:00

Have finally added the 2 long-delayed galleries in my website, under Personal Gallery :)

Check them out! ;)

Finally, my very own website! :D

2009-06-21T16:46:00.004+08:00

I have thinking about it for years....and finally with the help (and threats) of many, especially my one and only, it has finally materialized.....

Presenting my very own (humble) website to you all :)

p/s: free feel to contact me if you need photography services! ;)

Thank you for your support! :)

Beautiful Sky

2009-06-13T12:15:00.003+08:00

Click for larger view

Taken on 12 Jun 2009
At Raffles Place
7.12pm

Beautiful Evening at Boat Quay

2009-06-06T21:17:00.002+08:00

Boat Quay
5 Jun 2009
~7.30pm

click photo for a larger view

Colour my mind

2009-06-04T00:19:00.005+08:00

Colour my mind psychedelia, before it turns dull grey....

Alishan's Daybreak

2009-05-11T02:27:00.004+08:00

Info of Alishan

TGFBF! :)

2009-04-12T01:20:00.000+08:00

Thank God For Beautiful Friday! :)

Wishing for a Good Friday Weekend! :)

2009-04-10T00:47:00.004+08:00

Wishing for a beautiful blue sky, cooling breeze,
Lots of fun, joy and lovely moments :)
Have a GOOD Friday weekend everyone! :)

Heartfelt....

2009-04-07T19:38:00.000+08:00

It was during my bus journey to work when I first saw this advertisement, just 3 min before I alighted at my next bus stop (and I am glad the journey lasted long enough for me to see the whole ad). I should be going home now after a long day of tedious work, but I was too eager to watch it again, and to share it with you all. I never promote ads from Gov, but this one is too heartfelt to be ignored. Hope you can feel it too :)

Emotional independence

2009-03-29T00:04:00.003+08:00

“At the beginning of our life and again when we get old, we need the help and affection of others. Unfortunately, between these two periods of our life, when we are strong and able to look after ourselves, we don’t appreciate the value of affection and compassion. As our own life begins and ends with the need for affection, wouldn’t it be better if we gave compassion and love to others while we are strong and capable?”

The above words were said by the present Dalai Lama. Really, it is very curious to see that we are proud of our emotional independence. Evidently, it is not quite like that: we continue needing others our entire life, but it is a “shame” to show that, so we prefer to cry in hiding. And when someone asks us for help, that person is considered weak and incapable of controlling his feelings.

There is an unwritten rule saying that “the world is for the strong”, that “only the fittest survive.” If it were like that, human beings would never have existed, because they are part of a species that needs to be protected for a long period of time (specialists say that we are only capable of surviving on our own after nine years of age, whereas a giraffe takes only six to eight months, and a bee is already independent in less than five minutes).

We are in this world, I, for my part, continue – and will always continue – depending on others. I depend on my wife, my friends and my publishers. I depend even on my enemies, who help me to be always trained in the use of the sword.

Clearly, there are moments when this fire blows in another direction, but I always ask myself: where are the others? Have I isolated myself too much? Like any healthy person, I also need solitude and moments of reflection.

But I cannot get addicted to that.

Emotional independence leads to absolutely nowhere – except to a would-be fortress, whose only and useless objective is to impress others.

Emotional dependence, in its turn, is like a bonfire that we light.

In the beginning, relationships are difficult. In the same way that fire is necessary to put up with the disagreeable smoke – which makes breathing hard, and causes tears to pour down one’s face. However, once the fire is alight, the smoke disappears and the flames light up everything around us – spreading warmth, calm, and possibly making an ember pop out to burn us, but that is what makes a relationship interesting, isn’t that true?

I began this column quoting a Nobel Peace Prize winner about the importance of human relationships. I am ending with Professor Albert Schweitzer, physician and missionary, who received the same Nobel prize in 1952.

"All of us know a disease in Central Africa called sleeping sickness. What we need to know is that there is a similar disease that attacks the soul – and which is very dangerous, because it catches us without being noticed. When you notice the slightest sign of indifference and lack of enthusiasm for your similar, be on the alert!”

"The only way to take precautions against this disease is to understand that the soul suffers, and suffers a lot, when we make it live superficially. The soul likes things that are beautiful and profound”.

-Paulo Coelho

Warrior of the Light Online

In search of the perfect leader

2009-03-09T16:16:00.006+08:00

In search of the perfect leader

by Paulo Coelho

A reader sends me a questionnaire in which he presents the profile of three world leaders who lived in the same period of history, and asks if it is possible to choose the best one using the following data:

Candidate A was associated with witchdoctors and often consulted astrologists. He had two mistresses. His wife was a Lesbian. He smoked a lot. He drank eight to ten martinis a day.

Candidate B never managed to hold down a job because of his arrogance. He slept the whole morning. He used opium at school, and was always considered a bad student. He drank a glass of brandy every morning.

Candidate C was decorated a hero. A vegetarian, he did not smoke. His discipline was exemplary. He occasionally drank a beer. He stayed with the same woman during his moments of glory and defeat.

And what was the answer?

A] Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

B] Winston Churchill.

C] Adolf Hitler.

So what then is leadership? The encyclopedia defines it as an individual’s capacity to motivate others to seek the same objective. The bookstores are full of texts on this theme, and the leaders are normally portrayed in brilliant colors, with enviable qualities and supreme ideals. The leader is to society as the “master” is to spirituality. This, however, is not absolutely true (in either case).

Our big problem, especially in a world that is growing more and more fundamentalist, is not allowing people in prominent positions to commit human mistakes. We are always in search of the perfect ruler. We are always looking for a pastor to guide and help us find our way. The truth is that the great revolutions and the progress made by humanity were brought about by people just like us – the only difference being that they had the courage to make a key decision at a crucial moment.

A long time ago, in my unconscious, I changed the word “leader” for the expression “warrior of light”. What is a warrior of light?

Warriors of light keep the spark in their eyes.

They are in the world, are part of other people’s lives, and began their journey without a rucksack and sandals. They are often cowards. They don’t always act right.

Warriors of light suffer over useless things, have some petty attitudes, and at times feel they are incapable of growing. They frequently believe they are unworthy of any blessing or miracle.

Warriors of light are not always sure what they are doing here. Often they stay up all night thinking that their lives have no meaning.

Every warrior of light has felt the fear of joining in battle. Every warrior of light has once lost faith in the future.

Every warrior of light has once trodden a path that was not his. Every warrior of light has once felt that he was not a warrior of light. Every warrior of light has once failed in his spiritual obligations.

That is what makes him a warrior of light; because he has been through all this and has not lost the hope of becoming better than he was.

That is why they are warriors of light. Because they make mistakes. Because they wonder. Because they look for a reason – and they will certainly find one.

From: Warrior of the Light Online by Paulo Coelho

The Greatest Depression

2009-03-08T01:58:00.005+08:00

More info on the man with the predictions: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_Celente

Obesessed with the Moon

2009-02-10T00:35:00.000+08:00

Taken after the midnight of the Lantern Festival (元宵节）
A night of love and reunion, I am grateful that I have both :)

The Power of Zoom>>

2009-01-17T01:09:00.005+08:00

Taken with Canon EOS 40D with EFS 55-250mm IS without tripod
from my window after midnight :)

The joy of zooming in, and the photos from the results of
zooming in, is amazing :)

The Transition......

2008-12-31T00:56:00.004+08:00

While transiting the passage of Time via a marker we call the Year
Appreciate the Space that surrounds and fills you with all that Matters

Crawling back to Healthy Self....

2008-12-11T00:30:00.006+08:00

Been sick for days....1 week 1 day to be exact.....

Finally crawling back to health, it's been a tough one....

Must really take care of my health, by being more daring and outgoing!!

JIAYOU AHHHH!!!!!!!

Many thanks to all who sent your kind regards :)

Deepest thanks to the two who take great care of me when I am weak - my parents :)

Of course there is also one lady to thank....... ;)

Thank You!!!!

Coming soon....

2008-11-26T01:15:00.003+08:00

So many things to do, so many wishes to fulfill....so little time....

Hence the absence of updates in my blog :P

But I will update it soon! When I allocated a time for it.....

It should be soon, hence patience is very appreciated :P

Thank you! :)

Concerts

2008-11-13T00:45:00.005+08:00

I never used to attend concerts because I used to think it is a waste of money....

....till I realized concerts are some of the best places of enjoyment especially when you are enjoying it with your love ones

It reminds me that nothing is a waste of time and money if you are enjoying it with those who are worth it.

The concerts alone may not worth the amount of money spent, but the moments of immersing yourself to the whole atmosphere with your love ones makes every single cent worth it....

....and Lee Hom ROCKS!! :P

Darwin

2008-11-04T02:04:00.004+08:00

It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.

The highest possible stage in moral culture is when we recognize that we ought to control our thoughts.

If the misery of the poor be caused not by the laws of nature, but by our institutions, great is our sin.

- Charles Darwin

3 Lessons

2008-10-17T02:01:00.004+08:00

"We learn from history that we learn nothing from history."
- George Bernard Shaw

"People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."
- Bonnie Jean Wasmund

"The world* does not care for what you lack, it is interested only in what you have to offer."
- Lee Kum Tatt

* - Personally, I think the world here really means humankind

Old School Style~!

2008-10-15T00:31:00.005+08:00

The older we get,
The more we prefer things to stay the way they are....
Same goes for taste of movies, lifestyles, and music....
Yeah, music baby....that is why oldies are always the best!
Old School Style!
;)

Lonely?

2008-10-03T01:49:00.003+08:00

Ever felt that you were the loneliest person in the world?
That nobody understands you...and you are that nobody?
Well then...You are not alone
And hence,
You have never been lonely at all
For all is the same
Some times, some ways

Nobody never exists because there were never no body

Melancholy

2008-09-19T00:50:00.005+08:00

Sadness came to me, and decided to stay
I can't shake it off, and decided to feed it
The more I feed, the bigger it becomes
So big it becomes, it can't move but to stay
Thus I am left with
2 options:

Continue feeding it till it crushes me;

Stop feeding it till it is slim enough to move on

Which one will you choose?

Which one have you been choosing?

~.~

Being Alive

2008-09-09T02:39:00.002+08:00

"To be alive is the biggest fear humans have. Death is not the biggest fear we have; our biggest fear is taking the risk to be alive - the risk to be alive and express what we really are. Just being ourself is the biggest fear of humans. We have learned to live our life trying to satisfy other people's demands. We have learned to live by other people's point of view because of the fear of not being accepted and of not being good enough for someone else."

-The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz

Still Thinking

2008-08-22T00:30:00.003+08:00

While it seems that I am riding on a horse
Looking for a better place
I might just be standing still
The eyes are open
But they are not looking
.......
It is about time the statue turns alive
And start moving the way it is meant to be
Alive!

Together....

2008-08-18T03:31:00.003+08:00

Every footstep we take together on our path,
Every footprint we give each other in our hearts
Together
Every step by foot
Every beat by heart
Forever
:)

Clear Sky

2008-08-14T23:35:00.001+08:00

The sky will be blue and clear.... no matter how dark the clouds were.........

Bad mood......

2008-08-14T00:36:00.004+08:00

slight headache....frowned eyebrows....unclear mind.....heavy heart :(

Bad night tonight :(

100......

2008-08-13T00:32:00.002+08:00

100 days........wishing for another 100 years.....

Take Off

2008-06-16T01:29:00.003+08:00

....this may be good, but it can be better....
....and I am willing to try....

- Dr Lee Kum Tatt (2008)

The Alchemist

2008-05-24T00:27:00.003+08:00

Sometimes, some things seems too good to be true...

....but they are ;)

....and many times, good things must be shared ;)

Enjoy the good things in life instead of suspecting or fearing them :)

1 year since......

2008-05-05T00:13:00.000+08:00

.....we enjoyed the showers of golden rays.......

....launching ourselves to the skies......

......shooting rockets.......
.....doing construction work....
.....doing the Yensaabye......

.....to chase flies away from yummy food........

.....teaching ABC and nursery rhymes.....

.....conduct sports carnival for children.....

.....playing in water......
......looking at big open skies with big open hearts.......
......saw the most beautiful dawn.........

......sqiggly octopus.....

......baci......
..... :)Happy One Year Anni! :)

....Of Laos

2008-05-04T02:40:00.005+08:00

The Skies....

Skies of Laos

...the Children...

Innocence of Laos

....and all of Us

Highlights from Project Mettaheart 3 in Lao

:)

Cowboys and Cowgirls :)

2008-04-28T00:50:00.003+08:00

I have many people to thank :)
From the reason why I started dancing,
to the reasons why I perform the dance,
and the reasons why I will keep on dancing,
till there is no need for reasons anymore
Spins, Leads, Copas, Enchuflas
Just enjoy the moments while we dance
HeeeeHaaaa!!!! :D

Some things will never be the same again

2008-04-20T21:45:00.005+08:00

Feelings, hearts and memories,
They all take efforts to maintain,
And with the right conditions, they thrive,
Without all these, they will die, no matter how strong they can be....
Everything needs something to feed on in order to live on,
Without any nourishment, they will die a natural death
This is the Law of Nature

Mad about Bohemian Rhapsody

2008-04-01T01:07:00.006+08:00

The Original:

The LEGO Version:

The Lyrics:

Is this the real life?
Is this just fantasy?
Caught in a landslide
No escape from reality
Open your eyes
Look up to the skies and see
I'm just a poor boy (poor boy), I need no sympathy
Because I'm easy come, easy go
little high, little low
Anyway the wind blows, doesn't really matter to me, to me

Mama, just killed a man
Put a gun against his head
Pulled my trigger, now he's dead
Mama, life had just begun
But now I've gone and thrown it all away
Mama, ooo
Didn't mean to make you cry
If I'm not back again this time tomorrow
Carry on, carry on, as if nothing really matters

It's too late, my time has come
Sends shivers down my spine
Body's aching all the time
Goodbye everybody - I've got to go
Gotta leave you all behind and face the truth
Mama, ooo - (anyway the wind blows)
I don't want to die
I sometimes wish I'd never been born at all

I see a little silhouetto of a man
Scaramouche, scaramouche, will you do the fandango?
Thunderbolts and lightning - very very frightening me
Galileo, Galileo,
Galileo, Galileo,
Galileo Figaro - magnifico

I'm just a poor boy nobody loves me
He's just a poor boy from a poor family
Spare him his life from this monstrosity
Easy come easy go - will you let me go
Bismillah! No - we will not let you go - let him go
Bismillah! We will not let you go - let him go
Bismillah! We will not let you go - let me go
Will not let you go - let me go (never)
Never let you go - let me go
Never let me go - ooo
No, no, no, no, no, no, no -
Oh mama mia, mama mia, mama mia let me go
Beelzebub has the devil put aside for me
for me
for me
for me

So you think you can stone me and spit in my eye?
So you think you can love me and leave me to die?
Oh baby - can't do this to me baby
Just gotta get out - just gotta get right outta here

Ooh yeah, ooh yeah
Nothing really matters
Anyone can see
Nothing really matters - nothing really matters to me

Anyway the wind blows...

There is even a Wiki Page dedicated to it!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bohemian_rhapsody

Starting from now......

2008-03-30T22:42:00.003+08:00

I realized that I have less and less time to blog, and sometimes the things on my mind are too private to be blogged (I am overall, still a rather private person :P)

So why not just show you all some of my photos, one or few at a time, accompanied by some of my fave songs......

Here may lie some clues to my conscious and sub-conscious ;)

Sometimes, I felt that I should have studied Psychology in my Uni days :P

Beautiful Day

2008-03-12T23:52:00.008+08:00

Pictures speak thousands of words...... :)

Have a great trip Guan! :)

See you and Jinyi in Aug :)

Happy Chinese New Year

2008-02-10T00:37:00.000+08:00

We will always be in our teens from time to time :)

I am glad we can still be together like this,
and continue to be like this for many many years :)

Some places and people will always have a sense of familiarity
and warmth, no matter how seldom we met :)

I hope we can have more breakfasts like this, longer and fuller too :)

Some extremely funny bones can only be tickled
by friends whom you know for 20++ years :)

~To be continued....on and on and on :)

Heroes??

2008-01-29T23:14:00.000+08:00

Saw the recent deaths of two famous men in newspapers and internet, one was Heath Ledger and another was Suharto. Both were considered men of legend in their own fields, both were adored and admired by many millions, both were controversial.

Heath Ledger, a young man who was on his way to become one of the top man in Hollywood, a man adored by many millions, many idolized him, some ranked him a hero....died alone in his apartment, apparently of prescription drug overdose...drugs which helped him sleep at night, drugs to overcome his depression. His death reopened a can of ugly worms, again, with reports and interviews unveiling stories of loneliness, desolation, drugs, sex, violence and things only seen in (sick) movies...behind the scenes of glamor and beauty...

Suharto, the ex-president of Indonesia, deemed a national hero by millions of Indonesians and others worldwide, was given a state funeral, and many leaders spoke fondly of him amid some controversies, including the worst violation of human rights....it was speculated that hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, of leftist, mainly Chinese, were killed under his iron rule. All Chinese festivals were banned, and all Chinese were forced to take on Indonesian names. None of these atrocities were mentioned in textbooks to hide them from the minds of people. Many still deem him a hero for the good things he had done, but what about the vast corruptions and atrocities committed under his rule?

To me, they were just human beings, like you and me, not to be judged, not to be idolized. I feel sad for the millions of people who idolized them and wished to be like them.

Humans are judgmental, and these two men who became heroes will forever be judged by millions of people in many years to come, until another so-call-hero decided that these knowledge should be wiped away from the minds of the millions in order to control them, and during the process of wiping out were the millions of living people who possess them.

There is a saying: Admiration is the furthest thing from understanding

How true, how cruel, and how foolish can people get.....

Saddening, and I have to come to terms with this sad truth..... :(

I will never idolize anyone :)

Live on Charles :)

A New Collection from past old works

2008-01-27T20:14:00.000+08:00

by charles_sng

Managed to collate some of my more abstract works into a new album in my Webshots account....Enjoy! :)

Traces of Thoughts

2008-01-22T21:59:00.000+08:00

There are many times I contemplate on the life that I am having now, the past that I had experienced and the future that I will be embarking, but I seldom blog about them and I am not sure if I should be doing so.

It is weird that all the thoughts that I have are so difficult to be put into words, and it was somehow as if the thought processes have to pass through a distortion filter that distort the meaning of what I am really thinking about. The deeper the thoughts recess in my mind, the thicker the distortion filter is. I guess this is one of the reasons why I am so easily misunderstood, especially when I am trying to say what I really mean. The words are so easily misinterpreted and misunderstandings occur.

There is another: e.g. I was full of thoughts on what I wanna write in this entry, but after turning on the PC and sitting here getting ready to type them out, them eluded me. It was like I am having a big party of people of all types and fancy clothings and just when I had seated with something to announce, they were all gone, leaving only a big empty room with nothing but traces that a party once happened here.

I dunno if this is a sign of middle age, dementia, or a common sign happening to everyone. But this notion of the mind playing tricks on me beyond my control is sometimes irritating and depressing (actually depressing is too strong a word to be used here but I dunno what word to use, it just left the party as well).

I guess thoughts, like opportunities, need to be grabbed when they come, so that they are unable to make it to the exit. I guess this year is going to be an exhausting year for me, much more than last year. I am seeing the many opportunities coming my way. Just imagine that you are an entomologist trying to catch some rare species of butterflies, and you see on your way a swarm of them in various colors and patterns coming your way, in fact, they are chasing after you. Will you be ready for them or will you be running away from them?

I don't think I should be running away anymore.....

Fillers

2008-01-22T13:20:00.000+08:00

I have finally fallen sick, the first time in 2008 :(
Taken one day mc, and wondering what will be in store for me tomorrow at work, but anyway...
Used the time to settle the things which I have not, and one of which is the promise I had made to myself:

(Starting from June)
To have the same number of blogs
as the number of months
in 2007

So here they are, the fillers of the empty gaps that should have been there but left unfilled till now....

And they are no less important than the ones which I had filled first....

I guess I have many things to learn about prioritization :P

On a card at my workplace

2008-01-02T15:33:00.000+08:00

Life is like a masterpiece full of surprises
Let's embrace the beauty by seeing beyond the obvious
Appreciating the many facets of a beautiful mind
Celebrating the New Year with our hopes and dreams

Looking Back, Look Ahead

2007-12-31T23:59:00.000+08:00

goodbye 2007.......

Looking back, so much has happened, so much to learn, so much to unlearn, so much to remember, so much to forget, the highs, the lows, the heavens, the hells, and in betweens, angels and demons, light and darkness, flying and falling, hope and despair, preparations and desperations, truths and lies, and in betweens, black, white, and grey, and more greys, the many phases of the moon, the sun that brightens the day but blinded us from the stars, the darkness of the night that enables the stars to shine into our our eyes, the multi-colored skies, rain and shine, sparklers and smokes, childish old man and mature babies, never too old, but not young anymore, so much to hate, so much to love, so much to choose, so little choices, so attached, so detached, gaining through losing, losing while gaining, in the process of everything, nothing is gain, nothing is lost, nothing is everything, everything is nothing, process is just process, result is just result, evolutions and revolutions, I am still myself, I am me.
I am who I am :)

HELLO 2008!!!!!!!!

Celebrations

2007-12-31T23:58:00.000+08:00

Celebrations, celebrations, the dates mean nothing if there is no meaning to it
The meaning comes from you yourself, and the people who celebrated with you
Today we celebrate the loss of another year, and the coming of the next
May the coming year fill up our calendars with more dates to remember
And with them, more meanings in our lives

Bonus feature: First Best Picture of the Day in the First Night of 2008 :)

Three Wishes

2007-12-30T04:00:00.000+08:00

To never be tainted by the soil, but be nourished by it

To continue growing, and influence others to grow

To continue changing for the better, but never losing my true essential self

Starry Sparks of Tiny Suns

2007-12-29T23:58:00.000+08:00

Starry Sky
Smoky Sparklers
Sappy Songs
....

Heartwarming Hot Pot

2007-12-24T02:00:00.000+08:00

Slight drizzle, wrong directions, long way, smelly doggie, small doggie, fake doggie, familiar faces :), merry christmas, new friend, polariods and SLR, no more crazy shakes, poorly wrapped presents, waiting and waiting, HOT POT, cosy dinner, adding and adding, too much food, late queen, gift opening, two red underwears, nice sincere gifts, Shanghai JAZZ 2, sparkling fruit juices, toasting and cheering, good quality chocolates, TABOO, woof woof, laughing and laughing, thanks for the great place and dinner!, 2 gifts and a red brolly, cards from the heart, no more mrt, The Alchemist, bus ride, almost life journey 3, farewells, good bus driver, another farewell, thank you and merry christmas, a nice walk home, beautiful moon, goodnight and sweet dreams :)

Christmas Gift Exchange

2007-12-22T11:52:00.000+08:00

Another fun filled crappy evening with ROvers with our seems-to-becoming-an-annual-event Christmas gift exchange played in the form of secret Santa format.

Gifts ranged from the serious and usable to the suggestive and out-of-the-blue :P

I got a Thousand Paths to Wisdom book and a nice bookmark from my secret Santa who qualifies to be the REAL Santa :P

Thanks Tze Beng :)

Old Friends

2007-12-20T23:03:00.000+08:00

Christmas is a period marked with gatherings :)

I only hope we can all meet together more often. Although it is usually the same old friends that I will have meaningful conversations with while there are some who are limited to the usual 'how have you been' type of dialogues and never breaking beyond that....

But still, it is always good to gather and enjoy a nice meal together, such are simple joys :)

Finally, one more album after 2 months

2007-12-20T00:10:00.000+08:00

I must admit: I am a slow worker. Not that my brain is slow, but when many processes are happening at the same time, things will just slow down. But no matter how slow, things will be done eventually and properly with sincerity....provided the other party is patient enough to wait for that long :P

So, my friend Jeffrey have to wait for 2 months before receiving his wedding albums! But I am glad that he is very happy with what he saw :)

Here are some to share with you all :)

Jeff and Debbie’s Wedding

2 days in Paradise

2007-12-16T23:13:00.000+08:00

RO Camp 2007

There were moments I felt like I was back in Laos..... :)

New Moon

2007-12-15T01:30:00.000+08:00

New moon, crescent moon, smiley moon, taken on 13th Dec 2007 from home :)

It became a huge, beautiful, golden crescent on 14th Dec 2007 :)

End of one celebration, many more to come?

2007-12-08T23:59:00.000+08:00

Finally, after all the months and effort and headaches.....
We pulled off something which was almost a mission impossible back then
Surely there were hiccups here and there
Surely there were big obstacles
Some logistical
Some personal
The road was long, and what greeted us along the way were pebbles, gravels, rocks, boulders, hills and even mountains
But the finale graced through, smoothly, and the impact was made
Thanks to all who made it happen
Thanks to all who walked with us
Thanks to all who walked with me
:)
Now we need to move on.....

Happy Birthday :)

2007-12-07T23:50:00.000+08:00

4 people
3 dear friends
2 locations
1 birthday cake.
Happy Birthday Bro! :)

Bye Bye Kim Seng

2007-11-30T02:15:00.000+08:00

Our last bowling session at Kim Seng.....
All the good old times,
Good old friends,
Good old fun
.....in loving memories
We will live on....
They live forever....
:)

Celebration! :)

2007-11-26T01:25:00.001+08:00

Tonight we had fun :)
Happy Birthday Mum :)

This word call Coincidence

2007-11-24T02:17:00.000+08:00

I am thinking, it is either I had gained a heighten sense, or I am merely making more sense out of my old senses......either way, it is for the better :)

Been seeing more and more connections between people, incidences, relationships, those little things in life and how they are connected, by something called Coincidence.

This evening, I was on my way to ACS International Graduation Night to be a stand-in photographer for Xiangrong, coz his own photographer will be late.

Passing by the tunnel, I saw a singing guitarist, took out a few coins, mostly what I had left but really not much, placed them into his box, and he smiled and offered a handshake, which I accepted and gladly smiled back :)

The graduation night reminds me of Hogwarts in Harry Potter, thanks to the settings, the graduation gowns, the youths and the Ang Moh lecturers :P. Had a good time snapping RAW pictures without any worries, thanks to the ample CF cards supplied to me and the thought that I can shoot as much as I like till the actual photographer arrives. The only annoying things were the graduates called me Uncle here! Uncle there! :S And there was this one parent who thinks he is some big shot and treats photographers like some lowly creatures......may he learn some lessons in life soon :)

And in case you are thinking, no, that man is not in the photo ;)

The actual photographer arrived after 7, but I stayed for a while longer, took a few more, before I bid farewell and thanks to Xiangrong.

Then I saw the beautiful moon, I think I am appreciating its beauty more and more with each passing years :)

Shortly after this were some hiccups, not that I have not experienced before though :P

After a few smses, I walked into that tunnel again.

The same voice, same guitar, different song.

I smiled, he smiled back, but this time we did not shake hands, coz I was walking fast, to catch my next meeting......

Then I realised the song he was singing:

"Everything's gonna be alright, coz everything's gonna be alright.............."

My first thought was to share this song with a dear friend, but I guess it is better not to, for now :)

Everything's gonna be alright, sooner or later :)

Meanwhile I have to attend my meeting, and focus on other things :)

AiyA! I should have take a photo of that guitarist!! :P

Keagan's First Passport Photo!

2007-11-23T00:58:00.000+08:00

Little Keagan will be going for his very first overseas trip to Malacca in Dec :)

And his Shu-Shu has the pleasure of taking his very first passport photo :)

The simple joys of family life :)

I won't be describing to you the fun we had, just this photo should suffice :)

But if you really wanna know.....

...... just go enjoy your own family life :P

Thanks for making my morning :)

2007-11-19T11:29:00.000+08:00

Having Monday blues today, most probably due to lack of sleep, and some other reasons.....

Then I received a call from my bro :)

His ex-Xinyao teacher had earlier recommended her son as a potential talent for his future film-making projects, and the son had sent him a few photos, taken by a professional photographer.

My bro was impressed with the photos. He will be meeting the son soon.

Last night, I finally passed him my latest namecard, which also includes Fionna's website. He checked it out this morning......

And he was pleasantly surprised :)

Turned out the photos taken by the pro-photographer is none other than me :P

No points awarded for guessing that :P

We had a good long hearty laugh at the coincidences of things happening around us. Even my colleague commented that this is the first time I had such a good laugh ever since I am working here :P

I am still feeling sleepy, still no mood to work despite the ever growing piles of work, but I am feeling happier after the call.

Thanks Bro! :)

When passing by an office cubicle....I saw this:

2007-11-14T18:26:00.000+08:00

人生应该像蜡烛一样

从顶烧到底

一直都是光明的

Music, Lyrics, Arrangements, and Vocals....

2007-11-13T18:26:00.000+08:00

Some songs have the ability to make you tear....

Two nice gentlemen :)

2007-11-12T00:12:00.000+08:00

The 35th Anniversary might be peppered with trials and tribulations, but there have been rewarding moments too....like knowing people whom you will not hesitate to become friends with.

I have got to know two nice gentlemen, thanks to my bro's recommendation, who had helped me greatly in making my impossible mission possible :)

A talented music lecturer, who burnt his weekends and family times to help compose, arrange and record our anniversary theme song. And continue his best to help despite all the problems and comments given that will make most artists fed up and call it quits.

A talented video editor, who works super fast and efficiently, helps to give creative ideas and delivers what you want almost instanteously. He greets everyone in the neighbourhood, shake hands with the rubbish collector (the Muslim way of greeting, and he is Christian), talks to cleaners and hawkers as if they are old friends, takes good care of a stray cat named White Socks.

They helped so much without asking for any rewards, and the things they do will cost lots if they were to charge.....

All I can say for now is Thank You, so so much :) Gooi and Xiangrong :)

Thank You :)

Starry Starry :)

2007-11-11T22:27:00.000+08:00

8th Nov, it ended with a starry starry night
:)

A curse? Or a test?

2007-11-06T00:29:00.000+08:00

A Sat night, after our after-dinner tea session at Global Sounds Cafe about to head back home....

Huafang commented on our 35th Anniversary concert team before we parted ways, he didn't really completed his sentence but this is roughly what I remembered him saying:

".....each of the team members has experienced certain life-changing events throughout the period when we were preparing for this concert....."

That's so true.....almost all of us had experienced certain life-altering losses, troubles, and struggles throughout the prep......there were a few happy ones, but most were not.......

Thinking back, the troubles started in the very beginning, before I even join the team, and there were permanent losses, and permanent gains too.....some of which might be a mystery for me forever......I am just grateful that so far all had survived their losses, and moved on......for better or for worse, guess only time will tell......

I guess the trials and tribulations won't just end here somehow.....perhaps, the worst, or the best, is yet to come......

I can only hope all these will not kill us, but make us stronger, and closer :)

Like what the ominous theme song for the concert, I walk my pace, depicts:

Walking in darkness, guided by a star, with courage, believe in me, in our pace, we will be there :)

I can only hope......

Setting Free

2007-11-04T18:33:00.000+08:00

There is an old saying: If you really love her, set her free, and if she comes back to you, it means both of you are meant to be together.

I had recently used that to advise a friend on relationship....

The irony is it is so easy and beautiful to say such things, but to really do it takes so much pain and courage....

It means putting so much at stake, and in today's world of fast food love where gratification takes priorities and temptations abound, the so-call falling in love doesn't seem much different from choosing handphone models.....

But I guess the old saying still stays, for life works in mysterious ways, and if setting free is the only way to find true love, then I am willing to put all at stakes, take the risks, the pains, and whatever negativities that come with it.......

If the love never comes back, then I guess it is really not meant for me, I can only admit:

That's Life......

To heal an ulcer

2007-10-25T23:09:00.000+08:00

I have finally found my source of pain last night.

All along, I thought I am having an ulcer at the back of my throat. It is causing me great discomfort.

I feel great pain when talking, drinking, eating, swallowing, spitting, and even just moving my tougue.....

Then I realized it cannot be my throat, but my tougue instead, which is having the ulcer.

I checked through the mirror, and found the culprit near the base of my tougue......

To heal an ulcer fast, one must be able to endure great pain....very very great pain.....by putting salt directly on it.

Salt closes the ulcer, and promotes healing

The price to pay is GREAT pain, excruciating pain, pain that shoots through your neck and right into your heart, and makes you tear.........

I rubbed in the salt anyway and experienced them all.....except the tears :P

I guess my pain threshold has gone up to the next level :) Muahahahahaha!

I Walk My Pace

2007-10-23T10:44:00.000+08:00

Sometimes the road is long and distant
Each step just seems so hard to take
But I can see a glowing light beckoning ahead
It’s the seeds of love that you lay
On this path that I walk my pace

Sometimes the clouds cast lonely shadows
The sun just seems so far away
But then I see the gloomy skies beginning to fade
It’s the rainbow you’ve came to send
From the time that you took my hand

Do you know there is a wonderland
Where laughter seems no end?
If you stay with me, believe I can
Dry my tears, try again

Do you know that is my dream in sight
A guiding star shines bright
If you walk with me, believe I can
In my pace, I’ll be there

In our pace, we’ll be there

This lyrics is not written by me, although I did some minor editing, but credit belongs to someone I shall not disclosed. It is livelier, happier, and in my opinion, better than the original lyrics that goes with a song I was trying to produce. But sometimes, timing just don't work out, this lyrics came too late.....

But like what the lyrics here depicts, it will see the light one day, and with its own pace, it will reach where it deserves to be......

This is just a sneak preview of it ;)

Tao is the Way

2007-10-22T00:40:00.000+08:00

.....was chatting away in Yahoo chat when I found out by chance that typing (%) inside the program will give you the symbol of Tao.......

I have always be fascinated by this symbol, because it depicts so much wisdom with such simplicity.

The black and white are seemingly polar opposites, seemingly opposing each other, but yet they are complementing each other, and one cannot exist without another.

In the heart of the black is white, and vice versa. Each is capable of becoming the other.

Tao (道) means the Way (of Nature)

It is the explanation of nature. To be natural does not mean to be passive. While letting nature takes its course, remember that we are part of nature too, so we are part of the course and are involved in directing it, one way or another.

And I have merely touched the surface of this profound school of wisdom.......

More info of Tao here

Whatever you read, will only be readings, the Tao needs to be experienced, for Tao is Life itself....you are experiencing it everyday, but do you understand it?

If Tao can be explained, then it is not the true Tao that you understand anymore.....as the saying goes: 道可道，非常道...

If it cannot be fully explained, then how to truly understand it?

Refer to the symbol above ;)

Some things are beyond words ;)

I am invisible

2007-10-19T17:03:00.000+08:00

I am the invisible man
Not that I am all happy about it
But sometimes things work in mysterious ways

I am only invisible to you
And I am not too happy about it
But it helps to me to surprise you with many ways

I am invisible for you
And that makes me happy about it
For it helps me to help you without me in your way

Shall I stay invisible for you
And wait for the time till you are ready
Before I reveal myself to you, and walk together in our way

Time Warp at Warp Speed

2007-10-18T11:14:00.000+08:00

I realised that I am living in a time warp.

Things seem to be moving slow within the warp, but outside the warp, things are speeding pass at the speed of light.

E.g, I had already started my new job for 1 month + 1 day! It is not that the job is dreadful or bad. It is just that time just seems to zoooooooooooooom us by, and although aware of that, I still cannot help but feel that everything outside of my little warp is too fast.

I wonder if I can keep up.

Zoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooom.......

Take A Step Backward.....

2007-10-17T12:49:00.000+08:00

Vicious Cycle of Desires

2007-10-17T01:36:00.000+08:00

The more we get, the more we demand

The more we demand, the more unsatisfied we become

The more unsatisfied we become, the more we want to get

The vicious cycle goes on........

Happily Ever After :)

2007-10-16T00:51:00.000+08:00

Not so long ago in a place not so far away, there lives a dark knight by the name of Darth Tyan. Talented, high achieving, and very very busy, skilled in the dark arts of guitar playing, roller blading and song writing. His craft of choice is the Black Jazz, known to be the last of the best crafts to roam the not-so-far-away place.....

Like all fairy tales or space operas, every dark knight must eventually meet a fair lady. So is the same for Tyan. Not so long ago in Earth Years term, Princess Ling appeared, in a mission to help a race of almost forgotten people in the Resistance Organisation, aka RO. They met, and love blossomed during a mission to help the Forgotten build a camp where they can live and play for.... well....2 days....but those 2 days were enough to be remembered for life......

And like all dramas and operas, there were moments of joys and moments of not-so-joys. The highs and lows of relationships, tranquil seas and tormentous roller coasters....but after all, what really matters is, do they want to be together for the rest of their lives?

The answer is Yes of course!! And like all stories that portray how love triumphs and overcomes all obstacles, they celebrated their union in the Oriental Palace, blessed with well wishes from citizens all over the not-so-farway place.

Like all love stories, theirs will be uniquely theirs....happily ever after.... :)

~ The Beginning ~

Magic at the mart

2007-10-12T21:24:00.000+08:00

Feeling rather low when I walked my way to Tiong Bahru mart for my dinner, perhaps becoz it was Fri night but I was going to eat alone.....walked my way up the stairs to the hawker centre....but something wasn't the same, it was rather noisy, not of people talking, but someone was singing....

Felt like Ge Tai at first impression, but it was an English song....and nearer I walked towards the source, the more pleasant the noise......then I saw:

A guitarist performing live near a corner of the hawker centre. I thought nothing much about it at first, ordered my fried kway tiao and while waiting for my dinner, I listened......

Felt like I had travelled back into the 70s, the voice was growing into me, the guitar strumming complementing perfectly....this isn't just another usual street singing, or is it?

He was singing Collin Raye's Love Me:

I read a note my Grandma wrote back in 1923
Grandpa kept it in his coat, and he showed it once to me
He said, "Boy, you might not understand, but a long, long time ago,
Grandma's daddy didn't like me none, but I love your Grandma so.

We had this crazy plan to meet and run away together
Get married in the first town we came to and live forever
But nailed to the tree where we were supposed to meet instead
I found this letter, and this is what it said :

"If you get there before I do
Don't give up on me
I'll meet you when my chores are through
I don't know how long I'll be

But I'm not gonna let you down
Darling wait and see
And between now and then
Til I see you again

I'll be loving you
Love, Me."

I read those words just hours before my Grandma passed away
In the doorway of the church where me and Grandpa stopped to pray
I know I've never seen him cry in all my fifteen years
But as he said these words to her, his eyes fill up with tears

"If you get there before I do
Don't give up on me
I'll meet you when my chores are through
I don't know how long I'll be

But I'm not gonna let you down
Darling wait and see
And between now and then
Til I see you again

I'll be loving you
Love, Me."

Got my kway tiao and seated, he had a few audiences; a pair of couple standing in front of him, a man with a beer few seats ahead of me, people walking past briskly dropping a note or two, probably a few more I did not notice, and myself. I took a video clip from a distance. He received a few claps from some of them.

Tonight the mart was different. It was the songs. It was him. It was enjoyable and nostalgic.....although it will be even better if.....

I went up close while he sang Devoted to You by the Everly Brothers. His voice was so so good, it sometimes felt like there were a few voices inside, singing in perfect sync.

I dropped a note after the song. I clapped, along with the man with the beer. He smiled.

He said thank you.

I felt a connection. It was comfortable.

He was blind.

I walked away in brisk, I had a few things to rush after I got home. On the background, I heard

"一人一半，感情不散"
"Yi Ren Yi Ban, Gan Qing Bu San"

Perhaps I should have stayed longer....

But I did not turn back.

Music and Lyrics :)

2007-10-11T22:35:00.001+08:00

Wooowwwwwwwww!!!!............time just zooooooooooooooom us by.........!!!!!!

It's almost one month since I started working, and it's been more than 10 days since I last blogged! Life is getting busier with work, photography, and many others interesting stuffs :). But I had targeted to have 10 entries for this month! So it is time that I catch up! :P

(Re)introducing this very nice song I heard from the movie "Music and Lyrics". It is about finding back lost dreams and hopes, walking out from the past, waiting for love and finding it in the end :) .....I guess many of you will be able to relate to something in this song :)

So....enjoy!! ;)
______________________________________

[start of Way Back Into Love Demo Version]

Alex Fletcher: Way Back Into Love, take one.

Sophie Fisher: I-uh-I'm getting really nervous.

Alex Fletcher: You'll be fine, just use your normal, nice voice that I've heard... so much over the last three days.

Sophie Fisher: It's like, ugh, my throat's closing up. It's, like, anaphylactic.
[cough]

Alex Fletcher: It's fine, it's just a three-minute song.

Sophie Fisher: [singing Way Back to Love]

Alex Fletcher: Just a little bit louder, because this song is intended for humans, okay? Way Back Into Love, take two.

[Verse 1]
(Drew Barrymore)
I've been living with a shadow overhead,
I've been sleeping with a cloud above my bed,
I've been lonely for so long,
Trapped in the past,
I just can't seem to move on

(Hugh Grant)
I've been hiding all my hopes and dreams away,
Just in case I ever need them again someday,
I've been setting aside time,
To clear a little space in the corners of my mind

[Chorus]
(Both)
All I want to do is find a way back into love.
I can't make it through without a way back into love.
Oooooh.

[Verse 2]
(Drew Barrymore)
I've been watching but the stars refuse to shine,
I've been searching but i just don't see the signs,
I know that it's out there,
There's got to be something for my soul somewhere!

(Hugh Grant)
I've been looking for someone to shed some light,
Not somebody just to get me through the night,
I could use some direction,
And I'm open to your suggestions.

[Chorus]
(Both)
All I want to do is find a way back into love.
I can't make it through without a way back into love.
And if I open my heart again,
I guess I'm hoping you'll be there for me in the end!

[Middle-eight]
(Drew Barrymore)
There are moments when I don't know if it's real
Or if anybody feels the way I feel
I need inspiration
Not just another negotiation

[Chorus]
(Both)
All I want to do is find a way back into love,
I can't make it through without a way back into love,
And if I open my heart to you,
I'm hoping you'll show me what to do,
And if you help me to start again,
You know that I'll be there for you in the end!

Golden Moon

2007-09-30T23:19:00.000+08:00

The fullest and most golden moon is not during Mid Autumn Festival, but the day after that :)

It was a day after Mid-Autumn Festival, I was lucky to see the moon on my way back from work. It was big, round and radiate a warm golden light; so beautiful that I hurried back home to take my camera and then went outside again to take several photos of it. Alas, the higher the moon goes, the smaller it becomes....and my lenses are not ultra-zooms.....so the photos do not turn out that good....

I will definitely get better pictures when I get an ultra-zoom in future.....time to save up :)

Making My First Ten Mooncakes!

2007-09-22T02:41:00.000+08:00

Highlight for my work day week: Making mooncakes on Friday :)

It was a last minute thingy. My colleague signed up for a snowskin mooncake making session that afternoon but she was too busy with work to attend, and hence I took her place :)

All the ingredients were already prepared for us, so we only need to do the skin preparation, covering the filling with the skin, coating the skin with powdered suger and moulding the mooncakes :)

Sounds easy but there are several things to take note of or the mooncake will not turn out the way you want them to be. And I am quite satisfied with my final work, all 10 of them. I ate one of them immediately before packing them, and it is gooooood, hahah :)

Ten Sayings

2007-09-22T01:55:00.000+08:00

Went to Luminous Landscape and saw an article by Alain Briot entitled "Developing Your Vision". The article had quoted ten sayings which I found very meaningful, either in photography or in life itself, to share with you :)

Vision is the art of seeing what is invisible to others. - Jonathan Swift

It is a terrible thing to see and have no vision. - Helen Keller

New images surround us everywhere.
They are invisible only because of sterile routine convention and fear. - Lisette Model

The only thing an artist has to remember is to never lose faith in his vision.
- James Lee Burke

I don't photograph the world as it is.
I photograph the world as I would like it to be. - Monte Zucker

A photographer’s work is given shape and style by his personal vision.
It is not simply technique, but the way he looks at life and the world around him. - Pete Turner

To create one's world in any of the arts takes courage. - Georgia O'Keefe

If the vision is strong enough, and your goals are steady, and you believe, pretty soon you bring other people with you. - Mike Rounds

The true tragedy in life is not death but that which dies inside of us while we are still living. - Norman Cousins

Many ideas grow better when transplanted into another mind than in the one where they originated. - Emerson

Many thanks to Alain Briot for this valuable lesson. You can view his many sharings on photography by clicking on this line :)

First Day of Work!

2007-09-17T23:36:00.000+08:00

It's been a long time since I have to wake up before 730am to get myself ready for work. After my morning routine, I set off by foot and the walk to my workplace took me only 7min :). There was a slight hiccup on who was to oriented me at first but all was sorted out soon and I was given an one hr briefing on some of my benefits, my organization, my job roadmap, etc etc.

I was then given a rather spacious cubicle with high partitions and soon my laptop arrived and was set up in no time. I was also assigned a 'buddy' to further orient me in my new workplace, a nice lady who soon give me a stack of notes to read, shortly followed by another 2 thick files of more notes. She also gave me a treat as a welcome and we talk a bit about ourselves and family. I got to know that she was a very family-orientated lady, who actually requested to work from home for some days in the week to take care of her two kids and was granted the permission :).

After lunch was followed by more reading and occasional mail checking and some fights with the Zzz monster. I managed to keep myself awake thanks to the cappuccino during lunch and some walking around to explore my new place from time to time. The notes which I have to read are heavy stuffs which will make anyone's eyelids heavy, and I have to try really hard to get them imprinted into my brain. Still managed to capture some gists of it but it is a long way before I can memorize them fully......

No matter what, the road will be a long and sometimes tedious one, but in order to obtain my blue rose, I must feed myself with the bread to obtain the energy to keep walking and looking for it.....

I am ready for the second day :)

Like the Flowing Water

2007-09-14T01:27:00.000+08:00

From Aart Hilal's Blog :)

The warrior of the light sometimes behaves like water, flowing around the many obstacles he encounters.
At certain times, resistance means to be destroyed. At such times, he adapts to circumstances. He accepts, without complaint, that the rocks along the way forge his path down the mountains.
Such is the force of water: it can never be broken by a hammer, or wounded by a knife. The most powerful sword in the world is incapable of leaving a scar on its surface.
The water of a river adapts to the path which is possible, without forgetting its objective: the sea. Fragile at its spring, it gradually acquires the strength of the other rivers it encounters.
And, after a while, its power is absolute.

@Paulo Coelho

For One More Day

2007-09-13T11:13:00.000+08:00

Almost all human have a weakness:

They yearn for love that refuses to give,
But abuse the one that gives all
It is often till they lost the love they took for granted,
That they realized how much they have lost,
And how foolish they are,
To spend life chasing after the love which they cannot attain,
Instead of cherishing the time with the ones who love them

But humans will be humans
For they never know whether the love they are chasing after
Is really worth it,
Or not,
Till they fully attain it,
Or totally lost it

But no matter what choices we make
Always,
Always value those who love you,
Truly

Stand by them when they need support
Defend for them
Leave a shoulder for them
Appreciate them,
And express it to them

For you never know when they will leave you
At the most unexpected moment
And when that happens
You will beg
For One More Day
That you can spend your life with them
Again

72 Wedding Photos

2007-09-12T02:43:00.000+08:00

One man, one lady, one fateful day
Two rings, two hearts, one promise
Eyes to eyes, lips to lips,
Sealed with a kiss
A bond to hold two lives as one,
Nervous, yet hopeful
A day filled with blessings from love ones,
Joyous, yet tearful
A road converged, two hands together, walking as one
May them be blessed as one, and stay as one
For this is a sacred promise,
Sealed with a kiss

Weddings and ROMs Portfolio

Watched Il Mare Again, finally

2007-09-06T00:51:00.000+08:00

It was 2006, a bunch of us watched The Lake House, starring Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock, a remake of the Korean movie Il Mare. After watching, we talked about how this remake cannot compare with the original Il Mare, and I borrowed the VCD from my brother, intending to watch it again.....

Time flies, the VCD sit in my shelf for almost a year, and I haven't watch it yet. Last week my brother saw the VCD and asked me if I am still interested to watch, which I replied a sheepish 'Yes'. He placed the VCD in front of the shelf, telling me this is how he reminds himself to watch the movie he wants to without forgetting or procrastinating....

This evening, realizing I had 2 full hours before my buddy would come to fetch me for our weekly badminton session, I finally took the opportunity to watch it. The trailer shown before the movie was Miss Congeniality, starring Sandra Bullock. This was before she actually became the lead for The Lake House coincidentally.... Sometimes, life shows little signs, either perceived as coincidences, or omens, easy to miss, but hard to forget when realized.....

Anyway it was good to watch the movie again. Forgotten plots were remembered, and original confusions were, in a way, resolved. It is like reading a book or looking at a picture again and picking up more details inside, savoring and appreciating more than I realized I would. I shall not go into details of the movie. I can only tell you, go watch if you haven't, go watch again if you haven't too ;)

There are beauties in Singapore too

2007-09-04T00:32:00.000+08:00

Three new photos to present to you all. They were all taken at a place I go regularly. There might be many beautiful scenes at places which are so near you that you took them for granted and never pay much attention to them till.... So pay attention around you, for you might be surprised by what beauties you can find in them, like how I found mine ;)

Comments please, I love them a lot :)

Unblocking the Writer's Block

2007-08-30T00:35:00.000+08:00

When blinded by blinding day
It is best to look at gentle night
The lights are dim and gentle
From moon's glow and stars' twinkle
Revealing only a little
Leaving most to your imagination
You can see everything
Only a little of everything
Leaving the rest for guessing
To be revealed little by little
An illumination of a thousand ideas
Cannot match the dimly lit glow
Of a single good idea
;)

Writer's Block

2007-08-27T01:40:00.000+08:00

Everybody experienced it before.

It is like you have a thousand ideas of writing something,

but nothing comes out.

It is like looking through the window,

the light which is supposed to help you see the sky and scenery is so intense,

that everything becomes white-washed in blinding blank white.....

Nothing can be made out of, no detail can be seen,

just blinding blank white.

Well, at least I can see the window pane,

which is why I can write about my writer's block ;)

More on my 32nd Birthday Presents

2007-08-24T01:40:00.000+08:00

It was 2 years after I reached the 30th mark. Looking back, so much had happened, so much had been realized, had realized so much. There were happiness and hopes, and also disappointments and despairs.

Looking forward, so much yet to be realized, so much yet to happen, so many things yet to be done. There will be more happiness and hopes, and also more disappointments and despairs.

I have to admit that I am both eager and afraid.

Eager of moving forward, for the foreseen and hopes move me;
Afraid to move forward, for the unseen and worries drag me.

Then I came across this which helped me recalled the many teachings that had took a rest at the back of my head, a blog entry:

"Think of a car driving through the night. The headlights only go a hundred to two hundred feet forward, and you can make it all the way from one point to another point driving through the dark, because all you have to see is the next two hundred feet, and tht how life tends to unfold before us. If we just trust that the next two hundred feet will unfold after that, and the next two hundred fee will unfold after that, your life will keep on unfolding. And it wil eventually get you to the destination of whatever it is you truly want because you want it.
pai say...a lot of spelling errors, but i'm sure you know what i mean" (see the actual blog here)

I think I am slightly more assured for now. I just have to think of the next 200 feet which I can see, and think of the places which I want to go. As for anything further, I just have to keep driving forward to watch it unfolds before me :)

And I am also lucky to have a few dearest friends to further assure me to move forward in life with confidence

They are my most valuable presents :) Thanks dearest friends ;)

The Present is a present that matters the most at present ;)

And here are more of my presents (pun intended ;)

Don't get the wrong idea, this cake was chosen becoz it was the only one left which look exquisite and sweet enough for me! :P

AM AN ADDICT to dream, to chase dreams, to catch dreams, to realize dreams, to fulfill dreams, to keep dreams, to keep having sweet dreams, to make others dream.... ;)

Thanks to my dear friends for the presents!! :D

Got a little feature (again) :P

2007-08-22T17:46:00.000+08:00

A little joy to share with all of you :)

One of my albums got featured in Webshots again (The previous one was 'Stars Wars at St. Patrick's day). This time it is 'Innocence of Laos', and they even gave me a set of badges for me to show off, haha :P

Hope I can win some bigger competitions and maybe get something bigger than that in near future. More hard work ahead for this dream to be realized!! :)

Meanwhile, enjoy the slideshow of the featured album 'Innocence of Laos'. Thank you for viewing and thanks to all my buddies who made this album possible!! :)

Heee, sounds like a Thank You speech....:P

Innocence of Laos

A year older.....

2007-08-19T23:09:00.000+08:00

Yesterday was my 32nd birthday, and it was one of the best birthdays I had. I thought my best birthday was last year, but seems that it only gets better and better with each passing year. Why is it my best birthday?

Best buddies, yummy jap dinner, superb fireworks at close distance, more yummy jap dinner, crazy ktv, known surprises, real surprises, conspiracies, technical problem, yummy birthday cake, a precious gift, more crazy ktv, hitting those high notes, end with a bang, more encores, pig you happy birthday, home sweet home, thank you sms, sleep deprivation, breakfast, dragonboating, lotsa sms, lotsa wishes, lunch in my old place, an emergency problem solved, a surprise card, another surprise gift, card and cake, a heartwarming family dinner, ang baos with best wishes, yummy food, thinking of fireworks, home sweet home, more sms, more best wishes, belated birthday wishes, and a nice long sleep :)

And I know it will only get better next year, because the BEST IS YET TO COME!! :D

Warning: Classified Content :P

Warning: Content might makes you laugh and cry at same time ;)

Warning to Dreams: you can run but you can't hide :)

Warning: This might start a fashion trend, or a fashion disaster :P

Warning: Content makes you rich with warm feelings and, just richer ;)

Warning: Content makes you rich with dreams and, just richer too :D