Beyond the Viewfinder

Another year of aging.

2011-12-15T00:38:00.002+08:00

The anniversary of the day of birth is a day to be celebrated. When we are children, birthdays are an exciting occasion marking another year of aging. For an adult, the anticipation and excitement of an upcoming birthday often diminishes. It is true a birthday marks another year passed, another year older. Instead of focusing on the negative aspects of aging we should be celebrating another year lived, another year experienced.

If we can look at a birthday as the mark of another year lived, we can celebrate our life as a birthday is truly meant to do. It is another year we have been able to breathe, watch a sunset, laugh at jokes, eat ice cream, hug our love ones, love our family, and smile at ourselves in the mirror. It is worth repeating; it is another year lived and that alone is a reason to appreciate our birthday.

Your birthday is about you, not anyone else, just you. How do you appreciate yourself and your birthday when you are not accustomed to it?

It may take a couple of birthdays to get the hang of it but when you learn to appreciate yourself and your existence, you will be able to appreciate your birthday fully.

I did enjoy mine. Thanks to the special people for making my existence a well worth one.

Disturbing Thoughts

2011-08-26T16:31:00.000+08:00

Me and you all get them. Thoughts I'd rather not have. How do I cope with them? Do I let them ramble through my mind? Can I suppress them? Or can I make them go away?

Writing could be a good way to get rid of bad thoughts. Though I can write down what am I thinking. Though I can write down why I do not want to think these thoughts. Though I can cross out the disturbing parts of the bad thoughts. Though I can write down what I would rather be thinking about BUT my self-esteem and emotion levels are just too weak to bare the pain to express all these thoughts.

"To clear our minds of bad thoughts, we just need to get our minds on something else." It is so much easier said than done. I am being the prisoner in my own head.

Starting Again

2011-07-27T15:10:00.005+08:00

I remembered everything, everything I loved. I gave it away. It was my mistake and it is hurting me. I known where we have been.

All the things I did and all that you forgave.

How did we get so far?

Can I let you in again? Can I make it right it this time? Can you take another chance? Can I learn to love again?

All this time I can make it right. With one more try, how could I hurt you again?

Can we start again?

Greater responsibility

2011-07-25T12:31:00.006+08:00

Responsibility does not come natural to most of us. We are not born with this trait. It is something we learn from a very young age. Unfortunately, as we grow older the word responsibility brings fear to us all. It is looked upon as one of the most frightening coming of age experiences we face.

Somewhere during this growing up we are doing, we get lost and the word responsible has gotten pushed to, 'that dreadful, not want to tackle list." Forgetting when we lived life when being responsible was not something that was thought about, it was just done, it was all we knew how to do, it came naturally.

Learning to be responsible and accepting responsibility are important lessons in this life. In our personal and our professional lives, it is wonderful for others to be able to depend and rely on us. Learning responsibility should not be a frightening experience. It should come as natural as love. As we teach our children to love themselves, we teach them responsibility. As we teach our children the importance of always doing their best, at all cost, and to love life in all forms, ourselves, and our surroundings, we teach responsibility.

Life is heavy for us, because we create its gravity. Burdens are always more about our own attitude about them, rather than the actual weight of the load. Everyone can only feel his or her own burdens, and nearly everyone thinks that their own burdens are heavy to have to carry. Our burdens are relative to the amount of energy that we can muster to cope with them.

When you are negative, your burdens seem to multiply, and increase in their weight. Positive people carry their burden with a certain lightness of knowing that it is sustenance on their trip. It is like carrying water and food for the journey of life, and so we learn the most, from our heaviest burdens.

The heavier the burden, the more love that we must give out to carry it with. The only energy is love, and when we love fully, we never feel the weight of any loads or burdens, as all is then being carried not for us, but for God in serving the greater good of his perfect oneness manifesting itself in us, as us.

The truth is I have made many mistakes in my life. None that changed the path I have taken, but from each mistake, I have learned a lesson. Learning and accepting responsibility is ongoing. I appreciate learning the importance of responsibility as a child and hope to pass this on to my children so they will grow into productive and responsible adults.

Though life is such a beautiful commodity, with great life comes a much greater responsibility.

p/s: meet Aki, the newest member to the family.

Knowing when to move on

2011-06-21T11:06:00.001+08:00

There comes a point in many relationships where the path has ended. Meaning, the relationship is unfortunately going backwards or standing at a complete halt. It's better to remove yourself from relationships that have grown into this pattern but it's not easy moving on out of the relationship.

Of course there are signs when a relationship is going no where such as: failure to commit, cheating, verbal or physical abuse or lacking love. I often wonder how a relationship can evolve into either one of these examples and quiet frankly it's simple. Many relationships become a comfortable relationship or a terrible relationship. Comfortable meaning almost dull and boring. This doesn't mean the relationship is doomed although most tend to want to be in a rather upbeat busy relationship. Often this could lead to cheating or other relationship problems. When you find yourself in any relationship, it's good to make sure the two of you are on the same page in life. Having goals and values to share is important to have in any relationship before moving forward in life together.

Sharing goals and values are one of the most important aspects to any good relationship because it prevents future issues. Taking the time to make sure the two of you want the same things in life is always the better way to go before getting yourself involved in a relationship.

In almost all relationships there comes a time when you may feel the relationship is going no where. Most of the times this could be true although every once in a while we may be analyzing the situation far too much. Analyzing is a great way to determine what your relationship means to you and also how to repair issues in your relationship. Though there is a fine line between analyzing and searching for issues or problems.

The best rule of thumb I have found to go by, is when a relationship comes to a halt look deep inside yourself to analyze yourself. Perhaps you may be looking in to far as to what the inner issues may be although abuse is never a good thing. A relationship is over when you no longer feel the relationship evolving further for the two of you. Whether the hold up is with commitment or lack of love, moving on to open your heart for the right person is always better for you and your ex-partner.

Her memory will enshrined in our hearts. 8th May 2011

2011-05-18T18:53:00.005+08:00

God called her from among us to a home of eternal rest on Mother's Day.

I'll think of you every step of the way and everything that you did.

God took her home, it was his will, but in our hearts she liveth still.

Every blessing you poured out, I'll turn back to remember.

She is resting peacefully with Jesus in that beautiful home above.

Goodbye to a wonderful mother and grandmother. She lived a long and wonderful life, and was loved by all who knew her. She will be dearly missed, but will live on in our hearts for generations.

Bittersweet memories that is all I'm taking with me. We will miss you.

Sleep on now, and take your rest.
Matthew 26:45

Love or Money

2011-03-29T08:17:00.001+08:00

Another eternally debated question.

Personal feel, this is a question where either extreme of the answer is liable to be wrong. Without money, both will starve to death. Without love, the relationship is doomed to a failure. The answer, rather lies in one's opinion in one of the infinite shade of grey between either extreme, and totally depend on one priority.

On one hand, the man is usually the traditional breadwinner in an Asian Family. On the other, I firmly believe that every man wants his partner to see him for more than his wallet. Just like women who wants a man that can see past their breasts.

The bigger the wallet, or the breast, the harder it is to see past those trappings to the person behind.

That's why a man doesn't like it when the woman always talks about money. It demeans the man. Ladies, would you really like your guy to come up to you and say, hun, I love you, but you gotta get bigger breast. Right?

We all want a good life. Question is, how high is that on your list of priorities?

Question for the ladies, Love or money?
Question for the gents, Love or breast?

Maybe men and women aren't that different after all..

Love hurts whether it's right or wrong

2011-03-25T02:18:00.000+08:00

I am happy for the both of you. It is easier to be angry, to rant, and to jump and walk away. Anger is a much simpler solution. But I can't. It doesn't feel right, even to me. The conviction, the openness, I would have given anything and everything for it to be for me.

I envy those with a special someone. I read somewhere that the only time when you have no more trouble in your life, is when you die. Well, guess what, same thing with relationships. And I'll trade every quarrel, every fight, every irritation and rant to have that special someone in my life. So those of you who do, appreciate him or her. If your significant other doesn't appreciate you, send them my way.

Humour is my shield. It's just easier on everyone, and the devil-may-care sometimes funny extroverted clown is a familiar role. Because really, how many people care enough to listen, and understand?

As for opening my heart, well... heh. I don't think I can love anyone else quite as much. Or saw so much of myself in someone. I don't think I will, for a long, long time to come.

It's time to go back to being alone again. Oh I'll be fine. I'll feel sorry for myself and be lonely on my own time rather than burden those around me with it. Permit me one night to grief. One night to let it all hang loose and be sad and sorry for myself. One night where I wrap my loneliness around me and cry my heart out.

I wish you both the best from the bottom of my heart. Really and truly. I know everything will work out for the both of you. Now wish me back, as empty as it would sound to me right now, that maybe there really is someone out there for me and that I'll find her before long.

What is love, that makes it the simplest, and the most complicated emotion in the world to understand?

What is love, that makes someone go through hell and high water, and be willing to try again?

What is love, that brings two people together and keeps them together even though logic dictates otherwise?

What is love, that make strangers friends, and friends become lovers, while others falter?

What is love, that makes a person try, and keep trying, even though his efforts are doomed from the start?

What is love, that makes one dream more significant than all the others, and we burn our lives chasing it and count it well spent?

What is love, that makes us find beauty in ordinary things, and the holding of two hands the most intimate of human contact?

What is love, that pushes two people to dedicate their lives into a commitment to each other?

What is love, that makes it the root of the most painful and most pleasurable feelings in the human vocabulary and experience?

What is love, that makes all the analysis of a relationship, all the articles and research written on it, redundant?

All I know now, after 27 years, is that I have no answers. All I know, is that it is exceedingly rare, heart-stoppingly beautiful and precious. All I know, is that love has no reason, and that as long as it exists, no matter how torn and battered it might be, give it every single opportunity to thrive and grow. And if it is already dead, then nothing one can do can bring it back to life.

For those of you who have a special someone, I envy you. The only time in life when you have no problems is when you're dead. Such is love. The day you have no more troubles from love, is the day that love is dead.

I would take all the issues, baggage, fights, quarrels, pain, anger and tribulation, for that one chance to love and be loved. And if you have it or a chance at it, treasure it. Guard it with your life. Don't let pride, anger, history, self doubt, jealousy, or the mundaneness of everyday life kill it. At the same time, if it is not there, let go. But after you have tried every, single thing.

A New Year, A New Beginning

2011-01-01T01:43:00.000+08:00

Note : this post is written with reference to photos that I've taken during the entire year 2010.

The New Year approaches and it's time to reflect upon the past and plan for the future. For many of us, it's like a breath of spring-time air, filled with hopes and promises. We plan to succeed where we've failed and do the right instead of the wrong. We set goals and do our best to achieve them. The old year will soon be gone with its problems and trials. The new year stretches before us and we anticipate it. It's like being granted another chance to live.

It is that time of year again when people all over the world are taking a moment to reflect on choices of the past and looking to some kind of future, a whole new year. Maybe New Year’s Resolutions are a good thing because people seem to be thinking in a forward mode and are looking for some kind of future. At this time of year it is exciting to look with anticipation towards the New Year.

So we look at our successes and want to make them continue.

And we look at our failures or things we are still working on makes us either want to leave them behind or work harder to achieve them.

It is also a good time to reflect on our lives to see if we are truly happy and where we want to be in life.

The rest of the year we seem so busy with the details of living life that we forget to take stock in ourselves. Start by giving yourself a pat on the back for your successes.

As we face another New Year, I feel it should be a time for reflection and a time for resolution. Do I keep today's performance the same as yesterdays or sharpen it and make it better?

Are the same mistakes being made this year that were made last year, or have I learned something from my experiences?

Will I ignore my families or fight to keep them united? Will I become careless regarding my friendships or work hard to retain them for an opportunity to draw closer to those I love?

Will I discover negative emotions which must be tossed into the trash can? Do wrong thoughts abound which must be banned, at once?

Do tempers flare within a moment, leaving devastation in its wake? Does my behavior hurt those around me? Does uncaring attitudes offend friends and family members? Do I hold onto emotional ties which cripple people’s hearts?

Every year at the start of the New Year, I take a moment to reflect on the past. Each year I ask myself a few questions. Do I have any regrets? Would I change anything? And how can I make things different for the New Year? My answers have always been the same. There are no regrets, there is nothing I would change, and the next year will be no different.

Until it was when a black hole decided to appear and suck everything in. Yes, a failed relationship, a long one. It will be something that would very much affect my future paths. This New Year will make me reflect on relationships. I will go forth in understanding whether future relationships are helping or hindering my goals. Some people just simply drag me down. I may not need to abandon those relationships, but just to be cautious about how they affect me.

So do I have any regrets now? There are many regrets starting with not being true to myself and others. Would I change anything? Change is hard and changing the past is impossible but I can learn from it and not make excuses for it. Making things different takes honesty, perseverance and strength.

Looking at relationships also helps me to consider the lifes I have touched in the last year. If I have touched someone in a negative way, maybe I can change that in the coming year. If I have touched someone in a positive way, I may have the opportunity to build on that. I will also reflect on who has touched my life this last year. If that someone has touched me in a positive way, I may consider spending more time with that person. Adversely, if someone has touched me negatively, sorry to say you meant nothing to me.

The New Year is also a time for cleaning, a time for reflection. I have many past mistakes to reflect on and determine not to repeat them again. Several compartments of my heart needs to be pulled apart to examine the contents, looking for things that are useless lurking in corners and cling to only those that are good.

While it is difficult to look at my failures and short-comings, it is important to always be striving to improve myself. I do not expect myself to perform miracles. People will see the evidence in my actions and in my words, as a result, constantly on a continual basis will I be examining myself, trying to "live in the moment" and gain a better sense of myself. I know life is a gift and much too short to waste, it's imperative to attain the skill of self-motivation. There are instances where I won't have the support of family or friends. Life is a series of experiences from which I am continually learning from.

With 2010 coming to an end, a new year of possibilities are approaching. I leave behind bad experiences and heartache moments to add to my collection book of memories. A world of wonder awaits me with open arms and it is time to reflect back on lessons learned and knowledge gained.

With a new year, a fresh start follows. I will put effort into my resolutions this time around.

There's no quick fix for anything so I will make a point to set realistic goals. Hard work does pay off in the end and I will gain so much insight throughout my journey.

I will need to forget about "what ifs" and "I can't" and take them out of my vocabulary and to put a positive spin to every single thing I do.

Keep in mind, it's easy to lose faith, give up and forget about what is really important to you.

But time and time again, I tell myself to stop, focus and listen to what surrounds me. Always be proud of who you are and remind yourself that many others aren't as fortunate. There will come a time in which you'll be made aware of how special life is.

I do not have the ability to change my past but I do for my future and live life in the present, but I will live it so that my future is all that I dream of. The New Year is a time of remembrance and a time of hope, a time of forgiveness and a time of change. The New Year is my chance to revive and grow.

As I sit here and reflect on my past year I can't help but to dream about the year ahead of me.

Thank You

2010-12-13T10:47:00.006+08:00

Appreciation, the only word that I can think of that sums up all of how I felt to the people who celebrated my birthday. Despite the "black hole" that happened, I wasn't expecting anything this year, just some quiet moments with my family who were up here during the weekends. But, some friends decided to pull something together. I may not know these friends for as long as 10 years or even close enough to call them buddies but for them to spend 5 hours on my special day meant a lot. It doesn't matter how fancy or grand it was, it doesn't matter if it was held on stool top tables, it doesn't matter travelling a long way to some place out of town just for seafood, it was their laughter, joy, company and thought that what matters to me most (despite getting shot down with a few drinks). Simple thoughts like this goes a long way for me, therefore I'm grateful for it.

And not forgetting, yea I did get an unexpected birthday gift.

Yes, a gym ball and I'm sure it will serve me well.

I shall stop with all the juicy mushy talk and get straight to what I wanted to say, Thank You to everyone, your thoughts and wishes are deeply appreciated !

Cheers!

The Pencil & Eraser

2010-11-19T18:41:00.002+08:00

Pencil: I'm sorry

Eraser: For what? You didn't do anything wrong.

Pencil: I'm sorry because you get hurt because of me. Whenever I made a mistake, you're always there to erase it. But as you make my mistakes vanish, you lose a part of yourself. You get smaller and smaller each time.

Eraser: That's true. But I don't really mind. You see, I was made to do this. I was made to help you whenever you do something wrong. Even though one day, I know I'll be gone and you'll replace me with a new one, I'm actually happy with my job. So please, stop worrying. I hate seeing you sad.

Parents are like the eraser whereas their children are the pencil. They're always there for their children, cleaning up their mistakes. Sometimes along the way, they get hurt, and become smaller / older, and eventually pass on. Though their children will eventually find someone new (spouse), but parents are still happy with what they do for their children, and will always hate seeing their precious ones worrying, or sad.

All my life, I've been the pencil. And it pains me to see the eraser that is my parents getting smaller and smaller each day. For I know that one day, all that I'm left with would be eraser shavings and memories of what I used to have.

Missed opportunities

2010-11-11T13:20:00.001+08:00

Let's ask ourselves this question...

Is this a failed attempt? Or is this perhaps one that is not meant to happen right now for one reason or another? Or is it not meant to happen at all?

These opportunities can be in reference to many different things in life. It may be the opportunity to start a new career, get married, have a child, make amends with someone, buying a home or even taking a photo of something that you don't to see everyday.

Sometimes there are windows open for us to see something, and we "think" it is an opportunity to have, say, or do whatever it is. And yet, when attempted, we don't get the results that we are looking for and it appears that it was a missed opportunity. When in fact it may just simply mean that it is not meant to happen right now, or you need to travel a new path in order to make the achievements that you are looking for. Traveling a new path can also include learning experiences. Sometimes we need a learning experience in order to have the wisdom, strength, and will to achieve something as well. Taking everything into consideration, these opportunities are not out of your reach. And with careful evaluation, learning through your experience, diligent action, and a positive attitude, it can be done. There are some things that we perceive to be an opportunity, sometimes attempted, and appeared to have failed. Many of these are simply not meant for us, period.

Some things are considered a missed opportunity that was driven by greed. This life of ours is a journey, and should be treated as such. We are not here to score one, if you will. Sometimes we get caught up in trying to keep score with someone else, including keeping score with ourselves. When living life with this concept in mind, there is never enough, and there will always seem to be a mountain of missed opportunities in this case! When in fact that is not why we are here, certainly we have a much deeper purpose in life.

Determine if something is a missed opportunity or if it is not meant for you. If not accept it and move on with life. If it is meant for you, then choose the path that will lead you in the right direction to make it happen. Over all, missed opportunities are simply that. And regardless of what we appear to have missed out on, there will always be more wonderful things in life to experience. Move forward in life in a positive direction, and the rewards will come. When they do, embrace every moment, and you will find in time that you have no missed opportunities...that you are living life to it's fullest, in the way it is suppose to be.

What A Shame

2010-10-27T19:25:00.005+08:00

Two packs of cigarettes a day and the strongest whiskey,
That's the recipe to put him down on his hands and knees.
I watched it all up close, I saw a side of him he never showed.
Full of sympathy for a world that wouldn't let him be.
That's the man he was, have you heard enough?

What a shame, what a shame,
To judge a life that you can't change.
The choir sings, the church bells ring. So, won't you give this man his wings?
What a shame to have to beg you to see we're not all the same.
What a shame..

There's a hard life for every silver spoon, there's a touch of grey for every shade of blue.
That's the way that I see life.
If there was nothing wrong then there'd be nothing right.
And for this working man they say could barely stand, there's gotta be a better place to land.
Some kind of remedy for a world that wouldn't let him be.

God forgive the hands that laid you down.
They never knew how much a broken heart can break the sound and change the season.
Now the leaves are falling faster, happily ever after.
You gave me hope through your endeavors and now you will live forever.

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Storming the quiet streets

2010-10-04T21:38:00.002+08:00

It was a gloomy Saturday morning, when 3 dudes decided to storm the streets of Pudu shooting everything in its way. Yes, it was the normal weekly shutter therapy again. Lately, I have been filled up with tonnes of mixed and unwanted emotions which I shall try to keep it to my own and not to flood any of my posts here no more.

Back to shutter therapy, though it was a gloomy day, it did not stop us from shooting. No sun, more clouds = more people on the streets. But my goal of that day was to frame everything and anything around not only people. Oh, and check other previous posts for the rest of the photos.

A true photo enthusiast will go places no one will just to get the perfect shot.

A cheap yet usable "No Parking" barrier.

Best way to keep your helmet safe, hang it above you.

What a way to start a day - reading newspaper

Thinking where to go, uncle?

Work, work and work. No shortcut for good life.

Rusty gears. Not Rustie gears, my gears are still fine.

Tools. Yeah, the tools are immaterial, the resulting piece is what's most important. Sound familiar, look up the top of my blog.

This guy was friendly enough to show off some "skills" pouring chilli?? Yea yea

This was what he was cooking. La la, my favorite. I shall return there and try it.

Old man with a big rear end..err I meant old car with a big exhaust pipe

Keep on stacking

Wheel-less and abandoned

Old man with a umbrella stick as a walking cane. Nice

Cleaning chicken legs.

Obviously the dump hole isn't big enough to fit everything

Something I wish I could do on a gloomy Saturday morning.

Wow, apparently it doesn't look that high. The techniques of photography

3 legged

The owner decided to go bare foot

I've gotta admit, these guys are pro. I watched him peel few onions in like seconds

Another safe way to secure your helmet, hang it by the rubbish bin. People are unlikely to steal rubbish. Do they?

Skinning of the fats.

The moment of truth, live or die

Ham Jin Peng

More skillful hands

Nasi lemak for sale

Easily satisfied

Chinese herbs

Trashing the trash bins.

This char kueh teow uncle was so happy that I took his cooking, saying that it will appear in the papers. Sorry la uncle, only appear in blog.

To conclude the weekend street shooting, I had the courtesy to test the new Olympus E5.

Of course, not forgetting the little fella, the Sony NEX

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What really makes the difference in photography?

2010-10-04T15:09:00.004+08:00

What really makes the difference in photography? The photographer or the gears? It is how one sees the world. That really sounds simplistic but that is the key.

In order to capture the magnificent, one must see it as magnificent. It does not matter whether the subject is a snow-capped mountain or a heap of rubbish, a photographer sees something uniquely magnificent in the subject.

The subject may be magnificently beautiful or magnificently ugly; but it has a meaning that the photographer tries capture beyond the mere recording of objects and place.

The best photographer sees the subject as a picture in the mind long before the camera is focused to capture that subject. To a photographer looking at a subject is looking at the possibility of capturing that subject. The mind's eye will frame, edit, and freeze the subject before the camera is raised.

Photography is painting, drawing, or composing with a different medium or instrument. Looking at a photograph is looking at the photographer.

Great photographs trigger an emotional response in the viewer. Recently however, advances in digital technology have made the field seem much more complicated.

Advanced software applications and the rise of HDR photography have taken the focus away from the moment when the photograph was taken. Photographs can now be endlessly manipulated using computers.

The single most important element of producing good photographs is to exercise your photographer’s eye regularly. Some photographers just seem to have the ability to capture the moment and it doesn't matter if this is done with a throwaway instamatic camera or a 40,000 ringgit digital miracle. Their ability stems from an instinctive understanding of the rules of composition (and how to break them in a positive way) and an understanding of how light works. Anyone can produce a good photograph simply by chance if they take enough shots.

Good photographers not only produce good photographs, they consistently produce good photographs and do it in conditions that others struggle with. They do this by constantly practicing and by learning from their mistakes.

You have to let yourself be guided by your 'inner senses' instead of following mere rules. It is when you are just about to take the shot that you feel as if your hands are guided by some inner feeling and you just KNOW that the picture you are about to take is going to be nothing but spectacular. A lot of people rely these days on digital photography so that they can throw away their bad shots if they have to. People often ask me the following: How do you know that your picture is going to turn out great before you hit the shutter button? All I tell them is: I just know before I take the shot.

Now you might ask: But aren't there enough rules you can follow that will make you a better photographer? And indeed, there are so many useful rules to learn and follow, e.g. the rule of thirds, i.e. dividing your picture in thirds, the rule of using focal points to position your subject and etc.

However, there is no substitute for using and developing your own intuition in photography. As with all arts, photography is all about seeing the beauty. You cannot confine beauty to any set of rules. Beauty can never be adequately described by words or rules as it is far beyond words and rules. Beauty has to be SEEN and FELT. Without intuition your photograph might be perfect according to the rules but might just lack that special element to set it apart from the millions of good photos out there. Many people have great intuition but stop making use of it at some point in time.

So, you might ask now: Do we need then need all those rules since we already have the intuition to guide us? Certainly do we need them. As strong as your intuition may be, you still need rules to guide and tame it. As powerful as your intuition is, it needs to be controlled. Like a beast that you don't want to let run wild, intuition without training will be useless and result in random successes. However, if you lock this 'beast' into a tight cage by limiting yourself by rules, this strong beast will start to grow weak and less powerful and will do less and less work for you until it eventually dies. The answer is simple: Know the rules, but let YOUR intuition guide you. In the same way you cannot use your talent and intuition without knowing a few rules. However, rules are NEVER a substitute for using your intuition. Following rules is so simple, even a robot can do it.

So try this: Walk through this world with an open eye and let the beauty of it capture you. It could be the beauty in people, animals, great landscapes or even small things. Let it have its impression on you. It will shape you and you will discover your intuition for photography. The next time you want to take a photograph, try not to think about what is the right way to take it. Rather ask yourself next time: What captures my senses here? Sometimes you have to break rules.

The human intuition is such a powerful instrument in arts. It gives a piece of art this certain, unique touch to set itself apart from the mass. It is the photographer's vision of the subject and the viewer's interpretation of that vision that makes a great photograph.

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The Photographer, Photographs and Photography

2010-10-04T12:09:00.002+08:00

Society is disillusioned with the assumption that pictures are perfect; that is, that what is captured on camera is as objective and truthful as anything can be.

The camera, so to say, is simply a portable extension of our eyes that captures images we may otherwise never see, and freezes them into eternity for our scrutiny.

A photograph speaks a thousand words, but how many of them are truthful? Photography narrows our perception of the world.

A photograph, while depicting visuals that may otherwise never be seen except by those who witness them, only shows the world on a superficial level, thus making the cast of our glance all the more narrow. As the audience, we are at the mercy of the artist.

Photography leaves much to the imagination. To the ignorant viewer, a photograph is but a scene. It is up to the mind of the individual to discern what events are partaking, what emotions are being felt, what words are being said, and what is happening behind what may well be a propagandistic facade. The limit of photographic knowledge of the world is that while it can goad conscience, it can, finally, never be ethical or political knowledge.

A photograph is often a representation of what one wants you to see. A photo can only delve so deeply. It is knowledge, but knowledge at bargain prices. What you see is what you get.

Photography makes us feel that the world is more available than it really is. Not everything is at it seems. One's understanding of the world is not furthered by the presentation of photographic evidence, rather than photographic evidence is furthered by one's understanding.

Photographs do not show us reality, but leave reality to our interpretation. While photographs fill our mental blanks, we learn what things look like and not necessarily what they mean.

If photographs provide any true knowledge, it is that of a visual stimulus, a superficial comprehension that barely scratches the surfaces. What would photographs be without captions? Merely anonymous pictures of anonymous things, anonymous places, and anonymous people.

Photography as art stems from the creative vision of the photographer.

If the photographer intends to capture a moment in time to document a birthday party or an event, that photographer will probably create a wonderful photo album to remember that day, but he/she probably won't consider their photography art or even care if anyone else does. The same holds true for photojournalists and commercial photographers. Their photography is a means to an end.

However, the photographer of fine art considers the camera in the same manner as a painter considers his brush. Essentially the fine art photographer creates art by painting with his camera.

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Life is a Struggle

2010-10-04T11:08:00.002+08:00

They all say life is a party. What they don't tell you is that life will only be a party after a lot of struggle. From the moment we are born, the human life is filled with lots of struggles that must be overcome as we mature. We must learn to walk & talk, & believe me, these are struggles.

We struggle to learn how to ride a bike. We must then struggle our way through school in a quest to get good grades that will lead to a luxurious & enjoyable life.

Do the struggles end there? Don't bet on it! We must then work our socks off in a bid to earn the money that will improve our quality of life. That's not the end of it.

We must struggle ourselves through a couple of relationships before we find the right one. We must struggle to overcome the inevitable differences that occur in marriage(tying the knot).

We must struggle to ensure that we raise our kids in a socially acceptable manner. We must struggle with the notion of letting our teenage daughters go out on dates. We must struggle with the idea of letting our sons join the military. We must struggle with the pain of having to lose loved ones. We must struggle with the pain of ended friendships or relationships.

We struggle with the pain that accompanies most illnesses. We struggle to deal with the uncertainty that comes with losing a job or one's home. We struggle to remain morally upright in a society that has gone.

We struggle to hold on to our faith when others tell us that very faith is baseless. We struggle to make decisions that may be difficult to make, but must be made altogether.

We struggle to live up to the expectations of our families, friends & those closest to us. Certain times, we must struggle to obtain our rights and achieve our freedoms. We struggle to overcome various fears to which we are enslaved.

We struggle to learn foreign languages that we'll never really use! We struggle to maintain peace around us when there are so many in search of war.

Clearly, life is a struggle, but it is one that is definitely worth living out! without struggle, we would take too much for granted.

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A friend named Sugar

2010-09-20T10:42:00.001+08:00

Ain't she sweet..

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Living in Denial

2010-09-17T11:48:00.001+08:00

Denial to a certain degree exists in our daily lives. We not only use it to get us over the rough spots in life but we use it to smooth the edges a little just to make life a little easier. Who hasn't failed in a relationship and looked in the mirror and said "There is more time to try" when in the back of your mind you know you have to move on. These are the little white lies that get us through everyday life.

But what about major denial, denial that rocks you to the central core of your existence, denial that takes away your self esteem, denial so strong you let it rot your brain away rather than deal with it. This highly toxic form of denial eats away at us when we believe there is no way to escape. Believing that we may have to live the rest of our lives in denial of something can poison our soul and remove the will to live.

The world tells you that you are done, your body reinforces the fact but your mind doesn't agree, but it has to be, it is the only logical solution, but still your mind has trouble accepting it, but it has to be so. What is left? Denial. Only denial can dismiss this issue and send you off on a quest to prove you are who they say you have to be instead of who you want to be. Days turn to weeks, weeks to years but all the while the denial is consuming you from the inside out, poisoning your whole existence. Do you deal with the denial and save yourself knowing it will come at the expense of all around you or do you continue to live in denial and kill yourself a little at a time?

Then one day you face the denial, you accept that part of you that you buried and hoped you would never have to deal with, you love yourself now but the world says you are wrong. But for once in your life you are happy with who you are, you are safe from yourself for the first time in your life, so where is the denial now? Now it is the world, which is in phobic denial, a denial that hurts people everyday.

Yes, I am living in denial.

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Life on 2 wheels

2010-09-15T18:27:00.004+08:00

Driving a motorcycle is the fastest way to get through traffic and has the highest risk of an accident because of the narrow shape of the bike, stability and speed, these make reaction times even lower in the event of an accident. Spotting a motorcycle through a high stream of traffic can be difficult.

Motorcyclists are outnumbered 10 to 1 on the road and more vulnerable to an accident. If you are in an accident in a car or truck, the vehicle takes the majority of the damage where a motorcycle doesn't have anything to protect you and leaves the rider with the huge risk of serious damage or the possible fatality. The majority of road accidents are from impatience, road rage or arrogance, avoiding these will stop you being the person that causes stupid accidents.

So next time if one of you decides to buy a motorcycle, please consider if you want to be the one that kills or be killed.

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Malaysia Day

2010-09-15T17:41:00.001+08:00

Malaysia Day is held on September 16 every year to commemorate the establishment of the Malaysian federation on the same date in 1963. It marked the joining together of Malaya, North Borneo, Sarawak, and Singapore to form Malaysia.

Beginning year 2010, September 16 is a federal public holiday.

So, what is Malaysia Day to you?

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Days of Darkness

2010-09-14T21:32:00.001+08:00

The roads spread out before them,
Some ending shortly,
Others going too far to tell,
They travel these roads alone,
Never knowing the love or friendship of a companion,
Their roads have mainly been dead-ends.
Some being short, allowing them to go back quickly.
Others they have walked for years,
finally finding there is nothing,
but darkness and pain at the ends.

Years later they finally emerge from the darkness,
heading back toward the main road,
less a part of themselves,
having lost it in the darkness.
The roads of life have many twists and turns,
just be careful to choose wisely, or eventually,
The darkness will swallow you entirely.

Day by day light lives,
Night by night darkness settles,
Year by year life goes on,
Life by life these people are forgotten.

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Is it Enough?

2010-09-14T11:13:00.001+08:00

What is "enough?" The word can be defined as having a sufficient or adequate amount of something which is necessary. Although this is an extremely vague definition, the imprecision is due to the wide range of personal definitions of what is necessary in life, and what is a sufficient amount of whatever that unknown thing may be.

For me, enough is having faith in myself. I am my own best friend. When other people let me down, as people often do, I fall back on the person who knows me best for comfort, advice, and support: me.

The satisfaction of having enough comes from not focusing on the definition of the word, not wondering what I could have more of, or less of, but being content with how much I do have, even within myself, and recognizing that the strength I have to persevere.

If I have enough to go on, I have more than enough.

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Foot/Feet Composition

2010-09-13T21:13:00.003+08:00

Here, I present to you with photos of foot/feet compositions !

Feet not if focus because it was not compose for it but there's still feet in the photo.

Same as the above. Feet feet..

Okay, I swear beyond my viewfinder that I do not have foot fetish! I am just trying some new compositions.

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Holding On

2010-09-13T18:54:00.001+08:00

Finding your one true love is something to cherish so hold on tight.

Because once someone pulls the brakes, there is no turning back.

So if you've found love, you hold on and you hold on tight.

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Satisfaction

2010-09-13T16:57:00.001+08:00

Satisfaction comes from appreciating the simple things in life and from our learning experiences. These experiences are the sum of who we are. Our values come from the things life has taught us. If we are not in awe of the world we live in, if the seasons do not impress us, if we fail to appreciate the beauty of the sights and sounds around us, then we have learned nothing.

Satisfaction is in keeping things simple in order to enjoy life as it is. It is about embracing family and friendships. It is not about designer clothes, overpriced and oversized homes, and automobiles that cost a fortune. Unlike family and friends who are always there for you, clothes go out of style, homes become too costly to maintain, and cars break down.

Being satisfied doesn't mean depriving ourselves of all luxuries. It means knowing where to draw the line between "I need" and "I want". We can't always get what we want. That is a good thing! When we don't keep things simple, we end up spending too much time, too much energy and too much money on things that do not bring satisfaction, serenity and happiness into our lives.

It is important to recognize our individual capabilities and acknowledge our limitations as they pertain to success and failure. There may be satisfaction in having a master's degree in some field of expertise. But, not having a master's degree does not make one a failure. Having expertise in some area will definitely bring success and a great deal of satisfaction with or without the degree. Thus, the satisfaction of being a success is relevant to having enough. The degree is just frosting.

If we are healthy, that in itself should bring satisfaction. If we have overcome a life threatening illness, that is more than enough to bring us satisfaction. Having enough of anything depends on one's point of view. However, the expression "quality not quantity" is truly what determines satisfaction for each individual.

The satisfaction of having enough is determined by whether or not material things are taking up all our time simply to maintain them. If so, we have too much. Too much of anything is never satisfying. Satisfaction of having enough is being able to simplifying everything in our life, because having "time" is what gives us the most satisfaction.

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Life's Ups & Downs

2010-09-13T14:33:00.001+08:00

I have to say that the ups & downs of life are with us always. And yes we do have to learn to deal with the ups and downs. "We always have to get up" one more time than we fall.
For some people life seems to go smother. Or maybe I should say that the people seem to sail right through life. I guess these people must have gone through the same kind of problems that the people who have walked through a land full of mines everyday.

Life's ups and downs are part of the process I like to call resonance. For many of us the aim is to always be up and to try and avoid the down. But we live in a dualistic reality so we will always have to be content with the downs because without them we would not be able to identify the ups.

It is often said that the measure of your joy can be determined by the measure of pain you had. The two are inseparable. You cannot want only the one and negate the other. We are trying to prevent the inevitable from happening. It would be better for us to realize that the downs are going to happen and then to be psychologically prepared to deal with it when it does. Now how is the best way to deal with it?

Embrace reality and all that is. Appreciate the darkness for its ability to make the light stand out. Appreciate the sinners for without them the saints become obsolete. You can compare it to the goodness in the wheat of whole-wheat bread. Appreciate the crunchy parts because they make you stronger and they also make the soft parts so much more enjoyable.

Open yourself to life and you will find it an adventure to be enjoyed with many wonderful surprises along the way. When you stumble and fall? Well just remember, "This too shall pass." and once the dust clears get your chin up and put the smile back on because in the end we are going to have wonderful stories to tell.

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Living in the now

2010-09-13T12:37:00.002+08:00

Living in the now is being happy and satisfied with your life. Of course we have days of ups and downs, sorrow and joy, being dissatisfied with ourselves and being quite pleased with ourselves. We can have days filled with anger and confusion, passion and lust. We can have many, many different kinds of days.

Being satisfied with your life doesn't mean there's no room for improvement. It simply means you are comfortable with where you're headed and the means in which you are navigating your life.

When we're satisfied with ourselves we are naturally happy. We are able to take the good with the bad. We're able to cope with life's struggles.

You're probably wondering how the heck can I be so sure. What about those of us who suffer from depression, disabilities, catastrophes? We're living in the now.

I beg to differ. You're not "living" if you're not coping with your "struggles". You're being side tracked from what living your life is all about. When you can overcome your downfalls and pick up where you've left off, you're in the now.

You're in the now when you're living with what's around you and accepting the changes life brings.

When you can relate to the young and the old, the odd and the not so odd, the ugly and the beautiful, the loud and the soft. When you can function in the middle of it all, you know that you are living in the now.

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Contemplating the purpose of life.

2010-09-13T11:38:00.003+08:00

Many people do not spend every day contemplating their life. They just go through their entire life without giving it much thought. So, why do some people spend more time thinking about the meaning of their life, while others are satisfied with just living as things are?

If we look at the question closely, we could determine that the more someone contemplates his or her life, the more they are seeking to get out of it, or seeking to change it. If we are engaging with our life, then there is little need to contemplate it. However, when we do, we're asking ourselves the question "is this the best I can be?"

Certainly this question can be over-asked, but not asking it at all can lead to an unexamined life. Not all aspects of our lives should be contemplated and open to examination. However some level of philosophical debate with ourselves is always healthy. Otherwise, if we continue on this road, without ever looking back at our footsteps, or looking forward towards our destination, how can we really know ourselves?

Perhaps it is in the moments when we stop and contemplate the meaning of our life that the greatest revelations become apparent to us. In these revelations we are then able to change our path for the better. However, if we follow a single way of living, we will never know what it is like to experience an entirely new perspective and an entirely new part of ourselves.

If we can see life from a different perspective in contemplation and we begin to realise the full potential that we have. We're then able to make more informed choices and have a greater understanding of what our present situation means for us. Those that completely reject contemplating their life are robbing themselves of self-actualisation and the ability to focus on a multidimensional view of who they are.

I think ultimately we should encourage both ourselves and others to look at life once in a while and to see what meaning it has for us. If we can do this from time to time, then life will be filled with greater depth and meaning. With a greater depth of meaning we are then able to live a more satisfied life.

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Concern vs Phobia

2010-09-01T12:07:00.006+08:00

I had a very heart-breaking conversation with J at the end of yesterday. It all happened because she did not answer her phone or even reply back for the entire day.
"In my context which is concern" why didn't she answered her phone or even have the courtesy to even reply though busy. "In her context, it is phobia". Because she thinks I would be bugging her like when we were couples. She still has that feeling that she must report or convey everything to me. I know what status are we at now and where that line is and in the first place that wasn’t my intention. It is only a concern. I can write all I want here but it is never gonna change for her. Her reason being it is because I used to do it. I mean, she could have just replied that she was busy and I would have let her off but she didn’t have the thoughts of doing so because she knew I would keep on questioning her. I have already kept things short and simple since we split up, trying not to take up so much of her time but for some reason I don’t know if she felt it but I can’t blame her if she doesn’t. Her point was simple, why should she drop everything that she is doing and answer my call in urgency when we are only now friends, nothing more? It is because she does that to all her friends when we were together. So, now it comes to priority line ups and karma is getting me back.

Sometimes I wish I could just pry open my heart and brain for her to actually see what is inside so she would stop guessing or relate everything back to past experience. This whole anti me-you feeling started last 2 days when I accidentally threw my tantrum at her while asking for her help. And after yesterday's conversation, I felt that very strong anger and hatred within her. She keeps on strongly emphasizing hard on drawing a clear line and asking me to let go and move on. The reason? So that she can move on too without worrying about me getting into selfish acts. I could strongly feel that something good has already happened for her that’s why she wants to move on. I could be wrong.

Why am I being so emotional? Should I be cold hearted and just forget about everything that is over? I wish I can have a "selective amnesia". If she can and already moving on, why not me? Probably I am the one on the losing end that is why it is hard for me to let go. But can I do it? Put yourself in my shoes, that when you feel something is not worth giving up, you will know how I feel. Maybe it’s because I have no one else in my life other than my family that is that close to me everyday for the past 10 years.

My social door has been closed for a very long time since I first met her. I think it’s time to unlock it again and put myself back to where I belong.

It’s like being in prison and now coming back into society where a whole new adjustment is needed to being able to social again. I will need to get used to it. I will work my way up and looking forward for open arms that will welcome me.

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Life goes by too fast

2010-08-16T13:30:00.000+08:00

Ever wonder how you got "here"? Where did the last ten years of your life go? Does it all seem like a blur to you? One minute you're learning how to tie your shoe, the next minute you're on your way to prom, and then boom! You're getting married, you have a few children, you're living in a large big home...it's just like that 80's song, isn't it?

Sometimes we are so focused on large, big goals such as having a family, owning a business, investing for more money, that we do forget to stop and smell the roses. How many times do you walk past your walkway into your house, ignoring nature that surrounds you? How many times do you fail to notice the cute little bird's nest in your tree, or the beautiful mango tree down the block that you've had for years?

We forget to take notice probably the majority of the time. We live in a society that is fast. Impatience is a quality we thrive on. When you live too fast, you pass by many things and you take it all for granted. For example, we all jump on the highway because we would like to get to point B quicker, not realizing taking the longer, more scenic route will be more relaxing, and will only take an extra ten to fifteen minutes of our time. We live on such a fast track, that when we actually do stop for a minute (or two), we are sometimes dumbfounded..."How did I get here" runs through your mind.

Every day is special. It could be the happiest day of your life, or your last. Knowing that, why not make your days count? We always rush to make others happy, may it be your boss, your mother or your spouse. But what about making yourself happy? Take the time to meet someone new and start a new friendship.

Take the time to adopt an animal that desperately needs your love and help.

Take the time to pamper yourself. You will not only feel physically better, but mentally better as well.

Take the time to tell people close to you, that you love them.

Take the time out for you, because we have one life to live and you don't want to miss out on it. After all, "life goes by too fast."

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The rain got to me too...

2010-08-16T10:46:00.013+08:00

The sky is grey.

The road is wet.

The rain falls and makes everything a shade darker.

I pack my bags and ready myself.

It's a long journey ahead,

I'm think I'm going home.

But the thing is, I don't know where that is anymore.

Looks like the rain got to me too...

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Memories Forgotten...

2010-08-09T19:54:00.003+08:00

Sometimes I wonder if you still think of me.

Sometimes I close my eyes and imagine how it would be like if things turned out differently. What if I had done things differently? What if I had chosen otherwise? How would things be like today? Whatever it would have been, I know it would have been anything but this.

Not that I’m putting my whole life on hold thinking about all these things. As Robert Frost said "Go on we must, and go on we shall." I’m moving on, I’m getting on with my life. I can sum up everything I've learned about life.

It’s just that I find myself waking up in the middle of the night as I write this, tossing and turning, unable to sleep, and despite trying the hardest not to, but I still think of you. I look out my window, up to the sky in the quiet of the night, feeling pretty sure that you are fast asleep. Do you ever think of me, like how I am of you now? A silly question really. It’s not like I’m ever going to get an answer. And I’m not sure I even want to hear one anyway.

And yet I continue to wonder. A bigger question comes to me.

If I've really moved on, why the hell am I still thinking about you? Isn’t it supposed to be that once you put someone behind you, you think about them once a year or five years down the line or something? Why? Why am I still thinking of you? And if I do, is there anything wrong with that? Does moving along mean having to erase the memory of the person from your mind?

Life seemed so painful; all the beautiful memories turn into spikes that stab at the heart when brought to mind. Happy are those who forget, for ignorance is bliss. And bloody hell, I was thinking about you after it all.

Do you ever wish that you don’t remember any of it? Is it now a stupid mistake you just want to forget? Or have you already?

I picked up the card you made and read the words you said, and the little smiley you seemed to use so often. I laugh at myself. Geez, I didn’t realize I’ve been keeping it all these while. I’m not quite sure what to do with all of these things. I’m not sure what do with the memory of you that is now embedded in these items and in my head. I didn’t give you many things, but I do wonder what you’ve done with them. Did you throw it away? Did you bury it in the farthest corners of your home? And what of the memories? Have you buried whose? Have they been overwritten? Forgotten?

It doesn't matter. These are just things I ask myself at moments like these in the dead of the night when I’m feeling weak, wistful and just plain stupid. They don’t need answering, they don't even need reading, they just need saying.

As far as you go, this is what I promised you, and this is what I will be in your life.

"Non-existent."

“Blessed are the forgetful; for they get the better even of their blunders” - Friedrich Nietzsche

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My phone has been quiet lately..

2010-08-09T15:04:00.003+08:00

For a person that others call friendly and sociable, my phone sure is so damn quiet.

It can go days on end without a single call from anyone other than my immediate family and "loved ones". I'm starting to suspect I have no life.

Long time ago, I made a choice that when it came to friends, there are only so many people that can make up your life. You can't be friends with everybody plus not everyone is actually worth getting to know. "Friends are the biggest suckers in your life" someone said to me. While I don't believe that entirely, there is some truth to it. So I thought "Hey, a few genuine and deep friendships is enough." I did not and still do not want a broad but shallow circle of friends.

What's the point of knowing many people and having many people know you? Only to discover that many of them hardly know anything about you? We are all complex beings and you can spend years of your life getting to know someone and still find new things about them. So I devoted myself to selecting a few choice friends, people whom I could relate to, people I could talk, debate, reason, argue, console, consult and joke with but mostly people whom I think were also genuine towards me. And I can tell you, genuine-ness in friendships are hard to find. I shied away from the popularity game of adding as many people as possible on Facebook or attending parties with 2 dozen people you couldn't care less about vice versa.

In fact, I did this so well, I suddenly find my phone deafeningly quiet. Damn, I REALLY HAVE NO LIFE. So why am I complaining about my phone being quiet? Alone times like this gives me time to sit down, reflect, contemplate and blog, crystallizing all the vague and fuzzy thoughts in my head. Putting them slowly in words, then sentences, then paragraphs and reading them back helps me clear my head (and realize what a buffoon I can be when reading older post).

A bit of alone time helps with that.

And still, I stare at my silent phone wondering why no one seems to be thinking of me. Why no one has given me a call asking how am I or if I'd like to go out for a drink. Shit, that sounded so needy and whimpy. I guess the truth is this regardless of whether we try having a few deep friendships or a broad but shallow group, we all want to feel that we matter to someone other than ourselves. I'd be happy if I earned more money, I'd be happy if I drove a bigger car or bought that latest DSLR I've been drooling after, but only while the euphoria lasted, then there would be emptiness again.

But I would be truly happy deep down into the deepest pits of my heart, if I received a simple call / text from someone with a simple "Hello, how are you? "Been thinking of you." "Haven't seen you in a while, Lets do lunch?" That to me, is priceless...

It does happen but I guess not as often as I'd hope for.

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Creativity

2010-08-07T20:50:00.001+08:00

Many people, when asked if they are creative, laugh and say 'Oh I can't draw, paint etc.' or 'I'm terrible at anything arty, I always have been'. But I believe everyone has creativity within them which can be demonstrated in a number of ways and which can enrich that person's life. Tapping into your own personal creative reserve can lead to a surge of activity and an empowering discovery of how your ideas and thoughts can be expressed.

Creativity is something we all have within us. It is part of human nature, and it clearly has some evolutionary advantage which is why we all have to ability to be creative. You will never lose your creativity, it is always within you, and even if you feel like you are not a creative person, just take a minute to really think about how you can express your creative side.

The most important thing about creativity is to never give up when it gets difficult, new skills can take time to learn, but the creative rewards far outweigh the struggle. The great thing about creative hobbies is that they are usually the most enjoyable.

Creative?
It does not matter what your creative outlet is, maybe you have always wanted to draw, write, flower arrange, make pots, dance, photograph or cook.

So now, allow yourself to express these dreams and reap the benefits and energy from what is often an ignored part of yourself and life.

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Dreadful

2010-08-04T13:36:00.010+08:00

It was dreadful, to think that the little time of rest you have to yourself, the little time to do your own things, have been stripped away from you, and you get NOTHING in return, but to selflessly give and give and give and give to the company. Will people even see what you have contributed? No, in their eyes, it is your obligation, it is your own effort which would perish, with no gratification or worth reinstated, whatsoever in the end.

Such is, the sadness of working life in a giant city.

Sometimes I do wonder how did I end up here.

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Coffee With Me?

2010-08-02T19:55:00.005+08:00

Ever thought of a cup of coffee?
We can sit at a corner, just you and me.
You can tell me where you’re from.
And I can tell you where I’ve been.
We’ll talk about love and life.
And you can tell me why you need 6 different shoes.
I’ll listen to you, ask you to speak about your life.
And you’ll wonder why talking to me seems so easy.
We’ll chat and laugh for hours till we become silent
And I’ll ask if you find the silence awkward.
You’ll say there’s something nice about me.
I’ll shake my head and tell you the truth - I’m actually nervous
I act weirdly when I have caffeine or am around pretty women.
You’ll say I ordered decaf and I’ll say – You got me there.
You’ll look at the time and say we really should go.
You’ll try to pay but I’ll insist that I do.
I’ll tell you a lie – you can pay the next time.
You’ll say OK, and I’ll secretly leap for joy.
Because it means you’d want to see me again.
I’ll walk with you all the way to your car.
You’ll say you had a really nice time.
And I’ll say the pleasure really was all mine.
You’ll drive off and I’ll wave goodbye.
I’ll skip to a beat as you turn out of sight.
I’ll slowly recall all the things we said.
Having coffee really does things to your head.

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A walk in Brickfields

2010-08-02T12:41:00.006+08:00

Brickfields is a small to medium-sized town and residential neighborhood located just outside central Kuala Lumpur.

It is known as Kuala Lumpur's Little India due to the high percentage of Indian residents and businesses.

A Saturday morning walk with simplyRobin as we stormed and ventured the streets of Brickfields, which was something new to us and would likely to add it to our list of "streets to attack".

The same eye opening environment that you can find in any backalley

A view of one of the backalley in Brickfields

No, it's not an abandoned car

Yes, this is an abandoned car

Uncle with tri-cycle.

Mind me, his look was like this before I even shot him. Is this what you call the "WTF" look?

Getting directions on the phone when you can't see?

To me, being able to walk (not drive) around in Brickfields and experience the lifestyle there is something different.

Yes, to you the streets may look the same, be it Pudu, Chow Kit, Petaling Street but when you actually pay attention to the details, every street is different and every street has its own story.

The vast growing sky scrapers with old buildings on its foreground

Finally, someone to actually model for the camera. Just a smile needed.

Future footballer?

Hardcore tattoo-ed uncle. He has amazing tattoos I must admit

A smile a day, keeps folks happy all day

A helping hand. What more can you ask for.

It was an exciting walk indeed, apart from the fact that I didn't know the streets well but still manage to catch a glimpse of the activities going on there.

A death with no questions?
It is things like this that you don't see everyday.

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Differences

2010-07-28T12:28:00.002+08:00

In writing this entry, I found myself reflecting on the word, differences.It is a pretty simple word, everyone knows what it means, but do we really think about, or reflect upon the word?

Without differences the world would be a pretty dull place. Imagine if you will, everyone looking the same, acting the same, never expressing a unique thought or idea. There would be no need for words such as debate, or choice. Everyone would live in the same kind of house, buy the same kind of car, eat the same kind of food. Differences is what makes the world go round.

Differences are what keep us interesting and interested. Changing our haircolor, our cars, and our lifestyles once in a while can revive a stagnant existence.

Finding out that people can be different in many ways, should not detract from the basic fact that people are very similar too. Every parent wants the best for their children, everyone needs to have food and water to survive, and everyone deserves respect. Fathers want to support their families, mothers want to take care of their families, regardless of their race, religion, or other differences. Everyone has feelings, emotions, and their own thoughts and feelings. In reality, everyone is different, and everyone is the same.

Even joss sticks comes in different sizes

Life should be viewed as a gift, a short period of time that we have on Earth. We should revel in life's differences, embrace variety as the spice of life, but never forget that although we may be different in many ways, we are all very much alike.

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How Far is It?

2010-07-27T16:36:00.006+08:00

How far is it to actually consider that it is far?
To what extend is the meaning far in your context?
When do you feel far?
Do you really feel far when you said it is far?

Honestly, I have lost every answers to these questions.

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Letting Go

2010-07-27T15:45:00.003+08:00

I am at a deep well of loss,
peering over the circular brick wall,
that holds something you can't stop staring at;
listening to the echo that the water droplets make as they let go.

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Reflections

2010-07-26T16:15:00.001+08:00

There are millions of words and thousands of quotes but it only takes one to describe the following pictures below and there is not a need for me to further flood this entry. I'd strongly believe my shots have the brought out what I want to share.

Take the time to sit back and reflect.

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Unprepared Model shooting weekend

2010-07-26T14:04:00.002+08:00

Yes, it was an unexpected weekend. My photowalk somehow brought me to Berjaya Times Square. Consider myself lucky or unexpected, there was a model show going on. I have no idea what event it was but it was something to do with handbags I guess. What else, since I was there, might as well fire a few shots.

This is what I have.

And guess who else was at the event? Of course the host herself, Belinda C

Yea, that's about it. My first time shooting models on a runway. Totally not prepare and no flash gun but I have my 40-150mm with me. That is priceless.. Well, I am not into modelling photography so spare me the comments. But I guess this kid has some passion though...

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Best time to walk

2010-07-26T12:19:00.002+08:00

Shooters on the go
The 'best time' is rather opinion-based, and though there are probably statistical benefits to certain times of the day over others, I'd imagine most of them even out to about the same in the end.

Walking shoes!
Much like beauty, time for walking may very well lie in the eye of the beholder.

Different times of day pose different challenges to each walker, from the heat of midday to the lack of visibility by walking in the evening, there exists no perfect time for walking.

Busy unpacking

Smiling traders hoping for better business

Some are not that lucky

6 eyes + a camera-mobile phone ensures no details missed

Breakfast?
However, as one who walks regularly every weekend, I have generally found the morning to be a personal favorite. Less mechanical stuffs and more humans.

Ground shot somewhere along Pudu Raya

A morning walk serves many advantages. It is frequently cool in the morning, making it far more convenient to walk.

Newspaper seller

Breaking ice

Back lane "Yong tau foo"
People are more fresh in starting the day, hence more actions rather than later in the day where everyone is dead tired and hibernating away from the sun.

So, is there a best time to walk? Possibly.

But the answer's going to change with each person you ask.

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Too short

2010-07-21T11:33:00.002+08:00

Life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets,
So love the people who treat you right,
Forget about the ones who don't,
And believe that everything happens for a reason.

If you get a chance, take it..
If it changes your life, let it.

Nobody said life would be easy,
They just promised it would be worth living.

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On the edge

2010-07-20T18:29:00.004+08:00

I'm hanging on the edge and not sure of what to do.
Your back is always to me with an arrow pierced through.

What once was a pure heart, that was so much in love with you,
and as I hang on the edge,
I wonder if it's true.

After years together, our love has reached its end.
Not only have I lost my love one,
but also my best friend.

As I stand here, on the edge and looking out across the sky,
that is fading and seems to end.

But in the mist and shades of grey,
I am still here, hanging on the edge.

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Taking that walk

2010-07-20T11:09:00.002+08:00

Walking can help all sorts of inspiration. It depends on what type of inspiration you're looking and if walking is required for this inspiration.

Inspiration for all sorts of subjects can be found by walking.

I walk when I can, when I need to find inspiration, it beats being couped up in a house or a room. Being couped up for awhile can definitely drive people insane.

If you live in the city, take a good walk around the city. In a sense, taking a good look around at the different places and different people might fuel your inspiration if it's a goal of a large-scale magnitude.

Walking hand in hand

Chitty chitty chit chat
If you like taking pictures, take a good walk. Bring a camera with you. Take pictures of the different places, locations, people and so forth.

Old uncle crossing the road

Take pictures of everyday life. A picture says a thousand words. But a whole bunch of pictures can say much more than just one thousand words.

Taking pictures while walking is a good source of exploration and inspiration.

Regardless of what inspiration you're looking for, the best way is by walking.

There are so many things you can see by walking whereas aren't present by driving around.

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Abandoned

2010-07-19T17:17:00.004+08:00

We humans are explorers by nature. The quest for discovery, both old and new, is part of what separates us from rest of the animal kingdom.

If you find beauty in urban decay, in the crumbling and abandoned places of interest, you’ll want to view on.

When any man-made structures are deserted and void of people, it leaves behind an unsettling energy.

But it’s that very energy that has made these creepy places a sort of dark-side passport stamp for young photo-enthusiast, a hobby out of photographing derelict and discarded buildings.

Some people find abandoned places creepy, others find them beautiful.

The now abandoned homes houses only concrete, metal, graffiti and the curiosity of "urban photo-enthusiast".

It's fascinating where you can still find a cup that it's not shattered and still in 1 piece in places like this

Or a well and still usable handbag on display.

Remember, don't break your way in. Don’t take anything, except photos. And don’t leave anything except footprints.

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Kampung Baru

2010-07-19T11:25:00.002+08:00

While KL has grown fairly well by leaps and bounds since Independence in 1957 and it's one of Asia’s most livable and developed cities, it faces stiff competition in achieving its own goals to continue rising as a major city with balanced, sustainable development for both physical and cultural attraction and to achieve recognition as a world-class city.

Today educated people all over the world have realised that local heritage and culture are very important aspects of human and urban development.

Cities around the world are criticised for becoming the same-looking concrete jungles with energy-guzzling and densely packed high-rises, apart from just a few landmarks that differentiate some cities.

In city after city in Asia, old established local neighbourhoods are being demolished to make way for so-called development that in the end displaces local people while making the city an even more crowded and hot canyons of ugly concrete boxes.

Kampung Baru is the oldest Malay residential area in Kuala Lumpur. About ten minutes away from Chow Kit Market, it was founded in 1899 and there are still authentic traditional Malay wooden houses there.

It is there, yet most KL-ites seem not to care. Care about what is happening to Kampung Baru or what will become of the village or whether it will exist at all one day in future.

Kampung Baru, as KL city centre’s last remaining low-density and historic neighbourhood with several gems of traditional timber architecture, also needs to be looked at for its local lifestyle, heritage or historic conservation and tourism sharing.

Today Kampung Baru remains a unique enclave of still generally low rise structures with a strong Malay flavour of vibrant yet unhurried life.

Much controversy continues on its future direction, with those arguing for and trying to profit from wholesale redevelopment at odds with those who desire a more careful and sensitive intervention only where necessary, and enhancing its local tourism appeal.

In the meantime, both locals and tourists quietly ply Kampung Baru for its last available ambiance of Malaysian village life in central KL, for its home cuisine family restaurants and the last few remaining traditional wooden houses in the city’s shadows, literally those of the world’s tallest Twin Towers just across the river.

If preserved and maintained in a sensitive way, Kampung Baru’s heritage village ambience adds to Kuala Lumpur’s charm as a "Truly Asia" city of many cultures, old and new.

Some insights of Kampung Baru.

Some friendly folks who wouldn't mind a photo or 2.

Looking for recyclables or trash?

A saloon or barber shop. Authentic isn't it?

Shoes and clothes can be left outdoors just like that. You can imagine what will happen to it in other places.

Nothing like living life in the kampung.

Peaceful isn't it?

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Passing Time

2010-07-13T19:32:00.006+08:00

Time does not pass. Mankind passes through time, and as he passes he reflects on the marks, clues and tracks of those who passed before him. Reflections of mankind passing through time are just the reflections of time upon mankind.

If only we are able to pause time.

We often seek to find time, with the mistaken view that we can delay its progress long enough for us to accomplish some "important" act and yet we have never been able to find it. In other instances we speak of wasting time and/or losing time. Time can neither be wasted nor lost. What we waste or lose are opportunities to garner precious trinkets from the treasure house of time.

People are always in time, for one can never truly run out of time. Mankind is a prisoner of time.

On reflection, it is mankind that passes time; indeed no man can wait for time. Yesterday is simply that part of the passage way we have already traveled [and you can not get it back]; tomorrow is that point in time we are hoping to reach but can never attain.

Today is the only opportunity we have to make our mark or leave our footprint in the pathway of time!

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People around Us

2010-07-13T10:15:00.003+08:00

There is something unique, different in all of us, that make the people in our lives that extra special. When you look at the people in your life you know that you are blessed.

People in our lives, are very important to us in each and every way. We have people in our lives that are special to us in different ways, they share a special interest to us. We can love people in other ways, whether it be in friendship, be in love, be in caring.

A weekend stroll at KLCC park made me realize that there are more to it than what lies beyond the viewfinder.

Brotherhood or sisterhood? Whatever it is, it is family.

Best friends or couple? No matter which it is, companionship sums it all.

Eventually, either one will have to let go.

A little girl enjoying herself near the fountains.

Do not be grumpy.

Always remember to smile. That will put a smile on others too.

Shooting skill 1 : I just love shooting people who shoots other things.

Shooting skill 2.

Shooting skill 3 : My favourite. Professionalism even without a proper camera.

No matter what, we know that people in our lives come in for a reason.

There are some that are in our lives for a while, some that are for a brief time, some that touch our hearts. For the people in our lives reflect of on who we are, they make us feel special, make us feel good.

Oh yea, and there is nothing better than basking under the morning sun.

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The City

2010-07-12T11:28:00.004+08:00

Living in the city is like being placed inside a concrete maze. In order to get your "cheese" you are forced to negotiate a maze of concrete walls and barriers.

This maze is endless and difficult to navigate. Often you wind up going in circles just to find yourself right back where you were. So it is with living in the city. Urban life is just a maze of concrete buildings which often lead to nowhere.

Many people feel differently about the city life. In particular, living in the city can be fun and exciting because of the various opportunities that they provide. Most of the time, there is always something to do and somewhere to go in the city.

As far as a career and education is concerned, the city would be a great place to obtain career and education goals. More money is in the city.

You have a wide range of jobs,schools, and other opportunities. Living in the city only gets harder if you can't adjust. The cost of living is higher in the city than it would be in the outskirts.

A guard house of the Pudu jail
On the other hand, living in the city can also be dangerous. My reason for saying that is because life in the city is fast. A lot of violence occurs in the city.

There is no real freedom in the city. More often than not, people fall victim to the dark characters that wander the streets looking for innocent and gullible victims to feed upon.

A person who has a desire to live in the city, should know what it is they want and want to do. It is not hard to get adapted to living in the city.

City life can be great for some and not so great for others.

Living in the city is a great way to be successful and independent. It is not true that people in the outskirts can't be successful. Living in the city just increases your chances on being successful.

It only depends on how motivated you are.

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不能说的秘密 ( A Secret I Cannot Tell )

2010-07-07T13:42:00.002+08:00

冷咖啡离开了杯垫
As the cold coffee leaves the coaster

我忍住的情绪在很后面
I desperately tried to hold my emotions far behind

拼命想挽回的从前
Fighting hard to restore the past

在我脸上依旧清晰可见
On my face you can still see ever so clearly

最美的不是下雨天
that rainy day wasn’t the most beautiful

是曾与你躲过雨的屋檐
It’s the shelters that I once shared with you in the rain

回忆的画面
The pictures in my memory

在荡着秋千梦开始不甜
While on the swings dreams become less sweet

你说把爱渐渐放下会走更远
You told me that by gradually letting go I’d be able to go further

又何必去改变已错过的时间
and why bother changing the times that you’ve missed

你用你的指尖阻止我说再见
you used your fingertip to stop me from saying goodbye

想像你在身边在完全失去之前
imagining you being by my side before you completely disappear

你说把爱渐渐放下会走更远
You told me that by gradually letting go I’d be able to go further

或许命运的签只让我们遇见
Perhaps life’s destiny only allowed us to meet

只让我们相恋这一季的秋天
and Only allowed us to love this one season of fall

飘落後才发现这幸福的碎片
only after the pieces drifted down that I realized these are the pieces of happiness

要我怎麼捡
How do i pick them up

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A True Friend

2010-07-05T18:45:00.002+08:00

People, being human, love to be with other people, they need them, they want to belong and to be liked, to be part of a mutually giving group of friends. But just being in such a group does not necessarily mean that each and every other member can be called a true friend.

The answer as to what is the definition of a friend has many more component parts and requires a far deeper connection than just being part of the gang. You may share common interests, lifestyles and much more, but if it goes no further than that, is it a friendship or a friendly acquaintanceship you share?

Throughout life, we will all meet people that we immediately like, trust and share much in common with. There is an old wisdom that suggests the numbers of such people can be counted on the fingers of one hand.

Look at those people you know and call friends, and after asking yourself whether these elements are present in your relationship, decide just who your real friends are.

When life changes happen, the real friend will not abandon you, nor will you abandon them - you stay in touch no matter what. The loving bond between a good friend and you is not easily broken, despite circumstances or different viewpoints - It is strong.

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KLCC Revisit

2010-07-05T17:43:00.007+08:00

My weekend photowalk ended at KLCC where I decided to revisit again. The first time shooting these twin towers was when I first got my DSLR.

Taken about 7pm before the sky turns dark.

Looking back against the tower makes you wonder people can build magnificent things.

The structure just overwhelms anyone who sees it.

One of the peaks towering into the sky.

Of course, with the power of my 40-150mm. *Proud of it.

Taken at about 8pm before I left. Rain clouds hovering above the towers. Time to get home before it pours.

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People in our lives

2010-07-05T13:00:00.006+08:00

Whether we as individuals realize it or not, who we become as individuals is largely influenced by the people in our lives. People we have come into contact with, however brief or not, can certainly shape us as human beings.

Other people can have such a huge impact on us, creating us, shaping us and always changing us.

None of us want to think about the "bad" people we've come into contact with, or worse yet, have influenced our lives in some sort of way.

Yet, we have to take into consideration that even those bad things or bad people had to have shaped our lives in some sort of a way.

We as individuals may have learned from those bad experiences and made something good out of them.

We should all extend a grateful hand out to those who have shaped us. Both for the bad as well as the good. After all, it is us, as individuals who have to draw from both the bad and good to sort it out and learn from both.

It is us that can forgive the bad, learning from it and not mimicking it. We can grasp the good and use it as a foundation to build on. It is up to us to separate and sort out what we need in order to be better ourselves.

Be grateful to these people in our lives.

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To the streets again

2010-07-05T11:34:00.004+08:00

Yes, last weekend I was back on the streets again. A walk from Masjid Jamek passed Dang Wangi and right to KLCC was awesome. Despite the tired walking, the photos were not to be left out.

Working off on the back of a lorry.

Munching away with junk food in his hand and tones more in front of him..

Serious burger-man. Wonder if it's good ?

This lady has been waiting for a cab for almost 15 minutes. I was shooting across the street and till I crossed over, she was still waiting, flagging down almost 3 cabs passing by. That defines the point...hmm..you'll get the point.

Hmmm..very talented indeed.

The more ruling on graffiti, the more people treat it like a crime. Without said, we do have many talented artistic people. Why not setup a place or a street where these people can share their work of art therefore less scribbling on random places and in addition we can have a "art street" ?

Don't you just love these places?

Nothing particular in this photo, probably the composition.

Man with a heavy plastic bag. Poor him.

KL Tower or KLCC ? Take your pick. In my case, KLCC !

Why do they need so many "No parking" sign. Some people just don't understand or blind?

How do you get a cat to pose so nice for you? Answer - Shoot fast !!

I would say this is a different kind of photowalk experience compared to the ones I normally have. Walking from the streets right into the big city.

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St John's Institution

2010-06-30T16:36:00.003+08:00

Courtesy of a friend's invite, LKM, simplyRobin and I had the chance to photoshoot his ex-school, St John's Institution. Though it was not my school, but it does bring back certain memories of being a student. I would be darn grateful if I could do a shoot of my primary and secondary school back in Melaka.

The school yard. Pack with students even though it was a weekend.

One of the classrooms. Certainly gloomy on a weekend but filled with joy, frustration and definitely noise on weekdays.

The corridor.

Students back in school on the weekends. I could stand there for hours just watching them with their curriculum activities. How I wish I was back in school again and being free from all the stress and tension I have now.

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Kids and cellphones

2010-06-29T16:18:00.005+08:00

This new era has been filled with high-speed computers, game consoles, cell-phones and two-way messengers.

There are many arguments going around in getting cell phones for kids .If you ask kids themselves, the answer is going to be a definitive 'yes,' of course. But their reasoning can be a little shaky, including that:

1) Cell phones are cool.
Rustie's answer - Well, I can't deny its cool though. Sorry, can't answer this. I'm a techy myself :)

2) All of his/her friends already have cell phones.
Rustie's answer - If his/her friends wants good grades, will the your kid want it also? It's easy to manipulate kids. Haha

3) It will allow him/her to call when he/she is going to be late.
Rustie's answer - This is not a very very convincing point. Where the hell will your kid be until there is no public phone? or at a friend's place which even they don't have a phone? Sounds kinda ridiculous ain't it?

4) He/she can use it in an emergency.
Rustie's answer - Again, where will your kid be in the case of that emergency?
- Road accident? I'm sure there are people around.
- Secluded area? In the first place, what is your kid doing at secluded areas? Should you be even worried in the first place?
- Sudden attack at home or school? I'm sure the house or school has a phone.
- In the middle of the jungle? Come on, if you know the cell phones will have no reception, why bother.

If the above well-aged man can still use a public phone, that comes to the question - Do you think kids really 'need' a cell phone though? Feel free to agree or disagree.

The impact of cell phones on today's youth is astronomical. All the cool kids have a phone and know how to text faster than most can type on a full-size keyboard. Geez..

Long gone are the days of spending numerous hours of the day keeping yourself occupied with nature.

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Chains

2010-06-28T12:22:00.003+08:00

Chains do not hold a relationship together. It is threads, hundreds of tiny threads, which sew people together through the years.

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Together as one

2010-06-28T11:54:00.003+08:00

Need any further elaboration?

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Companionship

2010-06-28T11:46:00.004+08:00

It is rewarding to see an elderly couple together. Are they still lovers as well as companions and friends? I believe all three relationships differ to some degree. In a relationship, I believe you need to be everything to last for a lifetime.

There are different types of friendships and they do not always involve doing things together. Companions usually serve a purpose to one another. And a lover isn’t always a companion. With a companion, you have someone to do things with, to go places with.

We all need human connection, regardless of what role we play. But a companion is someone you are comfortable with and share a mutual admiration and interests. It is two people whom, I believe, have one of the best relationships you can ask for. And companionship can be between any two types of personalities or people.

I look around and I think a lot of elderly people are looking for companionship in their later years. The sexual attraction is usually not an issue. They want a companion to do things with. They want to fill that void of loneliness. I don’t think there is anything sadder than loneliness.

Two is always better than one. And as they say, “One is the loneliest number,” and I find that to be true.

For my shot of the week...

Treasure your friends and the people you love around you.

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Everyday Life

2010-06-28T11:26:00.004+08:00

It was an overly crowded place, is where the phrase "street people" came to be known to me.

In a small town,a city where everyone came to roamed.There were people from virtually every walk of life.

As people continued to fill the streets and as the over-crowding and tension built, people are busy with preparations and opening for business.

While some are busy working, others....

There are few of us luckily enough not to have to work for a living. ( or should I say lazy? )

But rather than hanging around waiting for things to drop from the sky, something as simple as sweeping or cleaning up the trash doesn't require high technical skills and knowledge.

A break from a hectic day of work. Why so serious? Let's put a smile on that face..

Or have a cup of tea.

What a city. Every day brings new curiosities and puzzlements.

Just walking around here is an experience in itself.

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Streets of Pudu

2010-06-28T11:00:00.005+08:00

Another weekend of street shooting with simplyRobin where we shot through the streets of Pudu. Yet again, I got to experience another community lifestyle.

Water droplets from a metal roof cladding.

Ripples in the air from the intense burning heat.

Droplets of water dripping on a chair.

The hook of death. Just kidding. They use it to hang pork or beef or whatever meat.

I just have a thing with dogs.

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Sometimes Looks can be Deceiving

2010-06-24T19:17:00.004+08:00

As saying goes by "You can't judge a book by its cover". But seriously, we can never really tell about a person from what you merely see on the outside. Looks can be deceiving. Sometimes people are judged by the way they look without thinking that finding a person with good heart is more important than finding a person with the right look.

Like everything in life, no one has it all. We all have our strengths and different weaknesses. We all are gifted, special and unique. It's up to us to appreciate what God has given to us. We don't need to be everything for everyone.

Besides there will ALWAYS be people who will take us for who we are and these are the PEOPLE who truly matter. As a rule of thumb says "TREAT EVERYONE AS HOW YOU WOULD WANT THEM TO TREAT YOU"

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Hope

2010-06-23T11:06:00.003+08:00

Hope begins in the dark, how stubborn hope is that if you just show up and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come. You wait, watch and work and you just don't give up.

Hope is the most exciting thing in life and if you honestly believe that it is out there, it will come. And even if it doesn't come straight away there is still that chance all through your life that it will.

Hope is faith holding out its hand in the dark.

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Work to live or live to work?

2010-06-21T13:01:00.002+08:00

People do not work hard to stay poor. They work hard with hopes to survive, and some, with hopes to achieve wealth.

Unfortunately, for the majority of the poor or lower class, they will never achieve wealth.

For the poor, opportunities are just as available. Unfortunately, the poor may not act, can not act or recognize these opportunities.

Choices made that make it harder for them to move up in class no matter how hard they work.

Most people that work, no matter what type of job it is, are proud of the fact that they work hard.

The reason, most usually a hope of some kind, that drives the will in every man to live.

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Out of Town

2010-06-21T12:30:00.004+08:00

We have been growing along side vast soaring high sky scrapers, railway tracks, highway fly-overs flying about each other, fast food joints spawning like mushrooms across towns and people with big bikes almost the size of a hawker stall.

How often do we get to see people hanging around public phones?

Then is when we come to realize that the place we are living in, is moving towards a visionable future. Have we ever wondered, while some places are moving foward, what about the rest?

A day of street photography brought me to places that would somewhow bring us back memories of our childhoods.

You can still find people selling foods like this.

Broken and abandoned.

Stripped to almost nothing.

New interior design?

The normal out-of-town dump site.

People may look at this as some junk but some others like me...it's art !

A little girl waiting for her mom.

Sometimes boredom drives someone to express themselves with weird expressions.

And my favorite of the day.

Nothing beats walking side by side with a close one.

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The Streets.

2010-06-21T11:41:00.004+08:00

First of all, I would like to thank a fellow friend of mine and who is also a photographer. He who brought me on a street photography has opened my eyes to what the streets are like. Be it from living lifestyles, people nor buildings, have you ever wondered what it is like living on the streets?

Of course, never start a day with an empty stomach. BUT..

Imagine having a meal, be it breakfast, lunch or dinner or celebrating a special occasion,

underneath a bridge on the cold dirt.

Just trying to find a single meal is what thousands of people, who live on the street, go through each day.

But we don’t need numbers to tell us that there are a lot of homeless people out there.

We see them on the streets while we’re driving, we see them when we’re walking downtown.

But do we really see them? If we really saw them, we’d be doing more for them. If we really saw how much pain and the struggle they go through, we wouldn’t be able to maintain our indifference.

Street life is difficult, and while there are people helping the homeless, many others simply look away and pretend that they don’t exist.

Some people don’t like giving money to the homeless because they’re afraid that they’ll spend that money on drugs and alcohol. While it is true that a number of homeless people struggle with addiction, which is a way to deal with the harshness of life on the streets, there are other things they need besides money. Every day is a fight for survival.

Street life is hard. So much harder than we can imagine unless we’re actually there. Survival is key. There are people who are helping, but there are just as many who don’t care about at all.

We take for granted so many things.. some of you who take the time to read this might think it’s stupid.. because is unimportant for you or something like this would never happen to you, or your family.

It just puts a pound to my heart even seeing folks still walking the streets.

Shouldn't they be at home enjoying before they "leave"?

But I’m so aware that life can just pick us up and throw us to many wanted or unwanted things.. and we won’t even notice.

Others will think it’s true, anything is possible and we are not whom to judge.

Tomorrow this person could be one of us..

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Why do we work hard?

2010-06-18T11:38:00.006+08:00

There remains this enormous and wicked sociocultural myth. It is this: Hard work is all there is. Work hard and the world respects you. Work hard and you can have anything you want. Work really extra super hard and do nothing else but work and ignore your family and spend 14 hours a day at the office and make 300 grand a year that you never have time to spend, you sublimate your soul to the corporate machine and enjoy a profound drinking problem and sporadic impotence and a nice mini-mansion you never spend any time in, and you with your shiny BMW M6 Coupé will get into heaven.

Why do we dedicate so many of our waking and sometimes sleeping hours to our job, often to the cognizant exclusion of friends, family, and other loved ones? Most of us said we felt we have put in too many hours for a good work - life balance but, if we knew that, why carry on doing it? Was it just the protestant work ethic?

The main reason seemed to be job satisfaction . There is no satisfaction in doing a job badly so rather than be unsatisfied we chose to over work. If something is worth doing, it’s worth doing right. Is it worth working till you break down?

And what will the best solution? Like I’d know! However, being more fully aware of the options and consequences and asking the right questions is a good place to start. So, if we are overworked, ask the question "Why am I doing this?" Reasons like "Because I have to" isn’t a valid answer.

Although I already sound like an agony aunt and this will make it more so, if you are in a relationship and work is an issue then try and talk the questions through together. Nothing beats going back home to the people you love at the end of the day.

Make a promise to sit down to dinner with your family and love ones each night. Not only does this force you to break your work-focus, but it also means sitting down to a relaxed meal with the people who love and need you.

So, why do we work hard? When will be the time that we actually need to pull the plug and cool down a little?

Or should we just call it quit?

I will leave that to you.

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It was never easy.

2010-06-07T11:14:00.008+08:00

We enter relationships as somebody and leave them as nobody. A heart can be broken, but it will keep beating just the same.

Relationships end, but they don’t end your life. But people do often spend more time finding out about failed relationships than finding successful ones.

When the end of the day comes, if you really love someone, learn to set them free. If it comes back it’s yours, if not it wasn’t meant to be. Some of us think holding on makes us strong but sometimes it is letting go.

Look at a bigger picture. The pain experienced during a breakup is as individual as the millions of people who go through it. Never regret it anyhow. If it’s good, it’s wonderful. If it’s bad, it’s experience. Sometimes the best memories are the ones you have to lose.

"I may not know how to love you, I only know how to not let you go. It’s never an easy time for either party when a relationship ends. I will always love you and you will always be someone special to me. Till then, it is by God's will and our fate should our paths cross each other again."

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1 Day in Singapore

2010-06-07T11:10:00.002+08:00

I was in Singapore for a 2 day event. Instead of bringing along the big boy for shooting...well, instead I can't deny that the Canon S90 actually does the job for handy travelling. The color aspect of a Canon still doesn't catch my eye but what the h*ll, it's better than nothing or not having a camera anyhow. All photos were taken with the Canon S90.

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Latest Member of the Rustie family

2010-06-07T11:00:00.002+08:00

The Zuiko 14-54mm MKI F2.8-3.5

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The Meaning of Marriage

2010-05-31T12:23:00.006+08:00

What is the meaning of marriage? Marriage is “The legal union of a man and woman as husband and wife.” In the modern world, however, this definition of marriage is simplistic at best. The meaning of marriage differs from one person to another, and from one time to another.

However, marriage is a vastly different thing. On the up side, marriage is today more of a gathering of equals, rather than the subjugation of one to the other. On the down side, marriage often becomes much more temporary than it has been in years past.

The meaning of marriage can be looked at from a legal perspective. Legally, marriage is a binding contract between the two parties that joins together their possessions, income, and lives. Marriage is recognized by the state, and the dissolving of the contract can only happen through the legal process of divorce.

Marriage is also an agreement between the man and woman. Husband and wife take certain vows, to love one another, to cherish one another, and to stay together through sickness and health, for better and for worse. In most cases, this agreement includes sexual faithfulness, and a promise that each person will do what they can to make the other one happy.

For some people, this agreement between man and woman takes the form of a covenant between not only the couple, but God as well. Thus, many marriages are performed within the rites of various churches and religious institutions.

As it always has, the meaning of marriage is changing as the times change. As society changes, the institution of marriage changes. These changes may or may not be a good thing; in the end, they are probably a little of both. The meaning of marriage, in the modern world, is in a bit of flux; when people do get married, they should make sure that they agree up front on what they mean by marriage.

Congratulations to both Jeffri and Leanne on their wonderful occasion.

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Why Live Simple?

2010-05-31T11:53:00.008+08:00

How are you living? Do you have more stuff than you need? Are you spending more money than you are supposed to?

It is funny how to one generation to the next the standards of living are getting higher and higher.

What our grandparents would consider luxury, we consider as a basic need. I believe that is why we have so much ungratefulness going around. Everybody feels deprived!

Most of what we consider needs are actually are just wants.

Living simple helps us to be sober. We need learn to control our desires and live only what we actually need. In doing so, we are able to enjoy life more.

The less time we spend pursuing stuffs, the more time we have to slow down and experience life. Living simple, simple means getting our priorities right. We give priority to what is really important, like friends, family and God and not stuffs. Stuffs are just means for us to love better and not as an ultimate goal itself.

To be caught up in this materialistic culture is to be caught up in a life of shallowness and emptiness. You can never fill your heart with stuffs, only love can fill it.

We also want to live simple so others may live. Living simple gives us an opportunity to give more to those who are in need. Our lives become bigger than we are. We are stewards of what we have and not owners. God created it and owns it. We have an obligation to share to others what we have after our needs are met.

Why live simple?

Because you really want to live.

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Be Thankful

2010-05-27T10:31:00.009+08:00

Not so long ago, I didn't know that I can express thanks for the blessings and good things in my life. I just took things for granted. Or worse, I was worried that if I was to acknowledge the blessings that I've received, somehow something "bad" would happen and take away those blessings.

Sharkfin Mee Sua Tow

Now, I'm quick to express thanks whenever a good thing comes into my life. Somehow, there's always something to be thankful about!

3 Taste Oyster

Be thankful for what you have and you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough. A thankful heart is not only the greatest virtue, but the parent of all other virtues.

Food hunt at Restaurant Teow Chew Meng @ SS 14

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The Ultimate Human

2010-05-24T11:40:00.005+08:00

From the bottom, every man knows well enough that he is a unique being, only once on this earth and by no extraordinary chance will such a marvelously picturesque piece of diversity in unity as he is, ever be put together a second time.

Every human has four endowments- self awareness, conscience, independent will and creative imagination. These give us the ultimate human freedom... The power to choose, to respond, to change. Nothing can stop a man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal and nothing on earth can help a man with the wrong mental attitude.

Attitude is the way you mentally look at the world around you. It is how you view your environment and your future. It is the focus you develop toward life itself. A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort.

There is little difference in people, but that little difference makes a big difference. The little difference is attitude. The big difference is whether it is positive or negative.

If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude and anywhere will be a paradise. It is up to you.

The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home.

The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude.

I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our attitudes.

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Weekend Food Hunt - Restaurant Kim Lian Kee - Petaling Street

2010-05-24T11:30:00.002+08:00

As usual, this weekend's food hunt brought me to Petaling Street. A restaurant called Kim Lian Kee famous for its Hokkien Mee. The shop is right at the corner just off Hong Leong bank.

Sweet and Sour Lala. Not as good as I have expected. Kinda tasteless as well.

Stir fried potato leaves or also known as "fan shu miu".

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Change your thoughts, and you change your world.

2010-05-21T13:13:00.006+08:00

Our life is what our thoughts make it. A man will find that as he alters his thoughts toward things and other people, things and other people will alter towards him.

Some thoughts always find us young, and keep us so. Such a thought is the love of the universal and eternal beauty.

Nevertheless, it is not too late to start building this day on a foundation of pleasant thoughts. Never fret at any imperfections that you fear may impede your progress. Always remind yourself, as often as necessary, that you are a creature of God and you have the power to achieve any dream by lifting up your thoughts. You can fly when you decide that you can. Never consider yourself defeated again. Let the vision in your heart be in your life's blueprint.

When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project, all your thoughts break their bonds. Your mind transcends limitations, your consciousness expands in every direction, and you find yourself in a new, great, and wonderful world. Dormant forces, faculties and talents become alive, and your discover yourself to be a greater person by far than you ever dreamed yourself to be.

Difficulties are opportunities to better things. They are stepping stones to greater experience. Perhaps someday you will be thankful for some temporary failure in a particular direction. When one door closes, another always opens.

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Haeun Khon Korean Food, AmCorp Mall

2010-05-18T12:42:00.003+08:00

Last weekend's delicacy tasting took me around a 360 degree turn when I had korean food for lunch. Never had I thought of trying korean food ever (always a japanese fan). But a visit to Haeun Khon Korean Food @ AmCorp Mall, made me took back my words. Here are some tasty mouth-watering photos to share.

Their Menu

Random shots.

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Soong Kee Porridge, KL

2010-05-18T12:33:00.003+08:00

A stop for dinner while having the whole day in KL. We had porridge at Soong Kee, located at the junction of Jalan Tun Siew Sin, KL. Too bad, we were a little late as they have sold off their fish porridge and left with chicken. My gf decided to have the beef ball noodles. Me not a really big fan of beef balls, but I do find it good.

This is what I had. The super ever tasty chicken porridge.

p/s : Please do not complain about the lighthing. I was sitting right under the street light and I've tried my best to restore the colors + lighting even though using the correct white balance.

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T.Bowl, Sungei Wang

2010-05-18T12:30:00.003+08:00

On a Saturday, after lunch and the bridal house thingy, I head down down to Sungei Wang and LowYat to get some stuffs. A quick quench for thirst brought me to a...how should I describe..a unique shop called T.Bowl. Yes, it spells Toilet Bowl. Their concepts are based on anything in a toilet. Bath tub bowls, toilet bowl seats even bowls made out of it. Ice creams twirling to look like sh*t. But of course, waiters and waitresses do not serve while dressed in bathing suits. Great concept.

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Food Hunt.

2010-05-18T12:25:00.004+08:00

Yes, I am back from my holiday trip and it is time to continue my food hunting here.
Food hunting doesn't mean it has to be about fancy foods. It can be something simple, something cheap and most importantly, taste good !

A simple bowl of curry mee. Cheap and taste good.

A plate of char kueh teow. Cheap and taste good also.

Imagine having a bowl or a plate of your favourite meal after a hard day of work or when you feel like bashing your head against the wall just because
piles of work are stacking up while your stomach is starving for a meal.
You have to admit, good food is easily satisfying and it definitely has its own way to get into you.

A simple lunch before heading to the bridal house.

The above was taken during lunch on a busy weekend.

No, I'm not getting married......yet. My gf's sister, yes she's the one getting married. She's is in town to try out some outfits.
Till then, so long my taste buds are alive and working, I shall continue venturing around looking for anything that taste's good.

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Food hunt - New Restaurant Ipoh Chicken Rice, PJ

2010-05-14T10:45:00.002+08:00

I was hungry while attending mass last night and I had my camera along with me. Thinking to myself, what is nice to have for dinner and also for a shutter therapy, I ended up at the New Restaurant Ipoh Chicken Rice in PJ. Their Hakka stewed pork was the bomb. I've always liked that since I was young, but too bad, dad seldom does it now.

Hakka Stewed Pork.

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Old Town Kopitiam, Aman Suria

2010-05-12T10:35:00.004+08:00

Was at Old Town Kopitiam, Aman Suria dinner with the street "sifu" of photography and someone that I follow for composition, Robin. We had a lot of detail talk and he made me understand a lot in composing a photo. Thanks to him, now I hope I can get better composition at a faster speed.

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Japan Day 5 cont'

2010-05-12T10:30:00.003+08:00

Up next, a visit to Venus Fort and Toyota Showcase. Venus Fort, a "theme park for ladies" located in Paletter Town, which has over 140 shops with the interior design that takes over a European City in the 18th century.

No, I did not step in that place. Shopping doesn't interest me. What interest me more, the Toyota Showcase. See all their latest models on display here and to understand their new technology showcased in the hybrid and racing cars.

This little cute car has the look of a MyVi but it is a Toyota Passo. Wondered who copied who? I'll leave that to you.

The Showroom.

Dinner. Japanese BBQ. Told ya it's my favourite.

The grill.

Warning, before you comment anything on food, let me state that all food shots were taken in raw uncooked form. No cooked shots were taken as I was busy eating.

Oh yes ! Kobe beef. The meat simply melts in your mouth. Why is the meat so tender and juicy? Here is why. The cows have massages, music to listen, air condition to sleep with and high grade food to eat. They even drink beer. Simple words, high class cows. What great life they have. So, you can assume for people who live the same lifestlye as that, you can bet their meat will be darn "juicy" too.

The eating frenzy begins.

What's all that was left after the frenzy. A charred grill.

With that dinner, I here conclude the end of my holiday trip to Japan. It was a pleasant holiday and definitely a good getaway from a hard days of work.

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Japan Day 5 - Harajuku

2010-05-11T10:30:00.003+08:00

Harajuku, is the center of Japan's most extreme teenage cultures and fashions styles, but also offers shopping for grown-ups and some historic sights.

Another particular street, Takeshita Dori, lined by many trendy shops, fashion boutiques, used clothes stores, crepe stands and fast food outlet geared towards the fashion and trend conscious teens.

People in Japan are so realistic that they fully utilise man power. They even work as a mannequin. Just joking, caught this guy on candid.

Stumbled upon a kebab shop along the road owned by a British dude.

Lunch break. Steamboat !

After lunch, it's more shopping. Left and right, every corner, every inch of this street, there are shops. You name it, brands from Burberry, Coach, Laura Ashley, Mont Blanc...bla bla bla
It's a heaven for people who shop till they drop. Oh ya, did I mentioned that I did visit a Nikon shop and tested all that they have?

Coming up in the next post, Toyota Showcase and my all time favourite type of Japanese dinner.

As all of you would have realise there were no breakfast shots taken. It was because I am still recovering from last night's hang over.

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Japan Day 4 con't

2010-05-10T12:00:00.003+08:00

We head into Shinjuku for dinner. Shinjuku is a town in Tokyo and also known for its red light district.

The main streets.

HDR over the main street.

Sunset over Shinjuku.

As we walk to the dinner place.

As we walked deeper in ~

Even deeper in ~ ~

Guess what? Ha Ha. No, I did not take a detour. This was sighted along the long. Apparently left and right were full of these shops.

After dinner, back at the Tokyo Dome hotel. Shot from above the hotel room.

I had to try their famous ramen.

After the ramen supper, what else can you do in a city like Tokyo? Of course, drinking at a local pub.

Yea, I admit I have a little hang over the next day but no biggy.

Next post day 5, the morning starts at Harajuku, Takeshita Dori then to Venus Fort and Toyota Showcase.

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Japan Day 4 - Karuizawa ~ Tokyo

2010-05-07T10:45:00.005+08:00

As usual, buffet breakfast with a mixture of western and japanese cuisines.

After breakfast, a morning walk outside the hotel.

Not sure if this is a chapel, right in the hotel compound.

Guess what I found at the hotel compound also? More Sakuras.

Today's stop is only about shop, shop and shop. Kyu-Karuizawa is always a popular ever-fashionable summer resort where a mass of clothes shops and gift shops lying along the street.

Along the street, we paid a visit to the Church street.

Lunch break. 2 different dishes. Pan fried pork with soy-sauce and the other with miso sauce.

Random shots.

Up next, Karuizawa Prince Shopping Plaza, which is an factory outlet mall. Sorry no pictures taken there as I was busy shopping. Next post, going into Harajuku, Tokyo.

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Japan - Kurobe Dam ( cont' )

2010-05-06T10:45:00.003+08:00

The Kurobe Dam, is Japan's largest dam located on the Kurobe River in Toyama Prefecture on the island of Honshū.

Next post, day 4 of my trip to Karuizawa and into Tokyo.

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Japan Day 3 - Tateyama ~ Kuroba Alphine Route

2010-05-05T10:53:00.003+08:00

The 3rd day on tour starts with breakfast at the hotel. Another buffet with a mixture of western and japanese cuisines. Of course, with so many Japanese meals most of the day, it's time for some western.

This is what you get when you are really hungry and craving for western. A mountain of food.

Clear streets in the town of Toyama early in the morning at 8am. Shots taken just outside the hotel.

This is what Japan looks like on the outskirts of town. Whenever you look left and right, this is what you'll see.

Finally, the destination, the 90 km Tateyama - Kurobe Alphine route. Begin the tour ( as high as 3000m ) by buses, trains, funicular and cable car.

Journey along the road up the alphine. Walls of ice built up by the roadside as we ride up the alphine.

The higher up the alphine we go, the higher the ice wall stacks up. This is how high the ice walls up above.

The view up above was just...*speecless*. Couldn't stop clicking away on my camera.

Click to view panorama.

This is no snow. This is ice.

What can you do with ice then?

Or this?

Break for lunch.

After lunch, a 1 km walk across the Kurobe Dam, coming up in the next post.

Oh, before that...a 500ml Coca - Cola. Something you don't often find in Malaysia.

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Japan - Gassho Village

2010-05-04T10:25:00.002+08:00

Gassho Village, listed in UNESCO World Heritage sites, is well known for clusters of steep rafter thatched roof houses. The architectural style is called Gassho, it looks like two palms folded together in prayer, an action referred to as "gassho" in Japanese. There are 59 houses and 53 attached building.

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Click to enlarge panorama view.

Stop for the end of the day, Toyama.

Whatelse can you get by end of the day? Of course a nice sunset.

A view of the streets at night in Toyama.

Next post for the 3rd day, the Alphine route.

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Japan Day 2 - Gero ~ Takayama ~ Gassho Village ~ Toyama

2010-05-03T11:22:00.002+08:00

Starting day 2 of the Japan trip with breakfast at the hotel. A mixture of western and japanese cuisines.

Tour started at Takayama, an old castle town and was named little Kyoto since early times. A visit to the morning markets of Old Street Town will bring back one's childhood memories. The San Machi-Suji, once flourished by unique merchant houses with lattice windows along the merchant street, canals running under the eaves still retain the atmosphere of the Edo houses.

Yeah~

Next up, Takayama Jinya, the place where goverment proceeding of Hida were held during the Edo period and the only presently existing district governing post and magistrate's office in Japan.

Click to enlarge image for panorama view.

Lunch time at Noguchi - Ya, the tofu food specialty store.

Shutter theraphy after lunch.

Coming up in the next post, the world heritage for December 1995. Shirakawa Gassho Village.

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