whoalse by Allen - Journey of Life 人生旅程

Thank You, Grand-aunt

2011-08-15T22:14:00.001+10:00

Your kind words, your familiar voice and your warm smiles are something that I'll never forget since as a little kid. I shall add those perfect white sets teeth too...Never have I gotten the chance to thank you personally after busily growing up while your visits became rarer.

Thanks for touching my life, literally, and I'm sure I'm not the only one.

RIP, Kor Poh

Hobart High

2011-03-22T14:26:00.002+11:00

This is what I've been given towards the end of the reception in Hobart last Saturday! Was it a standing ovation of some sorts? For me, hell, yeah...It was like my Oscar night! It felt and still feels so good!

It's such doses of "HIGH" that spurs me on, giving my utmost best. Thanks, guys...!

These are some of the shots taken.

Congrats to Angeline & Andrew. It's such a sweet, fun and beautiful wedding!

Friendships, My Soul

2011-03-08T15:08:00.006+11:00

Writing allows my sanity to be kept in check but I've been slacking. In the last few weeks and months, I've gone through some events and experience, both good and not-so-good.

One thing for sure that stays constant in my universe is friendships, specifically the genuine friendships. Being the only kid, I've been brought up with friends around me and some of these friends are like my brothers and sisters who are closer to me than some blood relations, no disrespect to them. These friends have extended their supports in various forms and offerred blunt but honest advices/opinions during times when I require them.

During my competitive swimming days, we had our ups & downs. Although these brothers- and sisters-in-arms can be a pain in the neck for being rascals, we genuinely supported one another through thick & thin, joy & frustrations, achievements & disappointments. Til this very day, some of these swimming friends are still the closest, truest and warmest friends. We might have grown up and living apart but that bondage that binds us will never break. You can take the swimmer away from us but you can never take away the swimmer in us.

Of course, there are some classmates, schoolmates, coursemates and colleagues that made great impacts then and now. These are genuine friends who I grew up or shared my days with and that they have no ill intentions whatsoever. We could be frank yet there would be no negative consequences to the friendships.

Unlike those childhood and true friends, there are such "friends", especially from the corportate world that are backstabbers and fakes who try to take advantage of the good souls without showing even the slightest true appreciation for our contributions and supports. I question the fact why such "people" not only exist but survive longer than some of those good souls who were taken away from me.

What I've been through over the last few months have made me realised that I should appreciate more of such great and true friends. I abhor the feeling of being taken for granted of my friendship but somehow I always fall into that deep end, offerring my warmest and truest!

Friendships are the heart and soul in my universe. I live and breathe them. They are the one very thing that I cherish, love, respect and fight for. I will always extend my truest frienship to touch their hearts. I would not be me if these qualities were to be taken from me. To take away that foundation that I long for, or the threat of doing so, is to ~~take away~~ suck out my soul and would certainly sadden me. Call this simplicity.

To all my genuine friends, my brothers and sisters, my heartfelt appreciation and love for your kinships. You know who you are. This is for you.

To quote from the Bad Boys movies, "We Ride Together. We Die Together." Friends Forever!

CNY Festivities & Goodies

2011-02-17T12:27:00.000+11:00

I've skipped a few CNY and having this opportunity with family and friends in my hometown this year was awesome. There were gatherings to attend, food to relish and drinks to down. Memories to reminisc, for sure. Photos speak a thousand words and here they are.

It is the best CNY I have had in many years. Miss home, friends & those laughters!

Keong Hee Huat Chye to all

2011-02-03T11:46:00.001+11:00

Chinese New Year is one of the biggest celebration for, urm, Chinese descendents. It's like Christmas to the Westerners but it's celebrated over 15 days, 16 if to include the eve. It's all about relishing food.

The eve of CNY is a pivotal tradition whereby preferrably all family members are gathered together for a reunion dinner. In the olden days where my grandparents were still around, a big cook up with plenty of big pots of dishes were prepared. In the last few years, our family members are gathered in a hotel for reunion dinner. The homecooked and atmosphere are sorely missed but at least my family is still very much tightly woven.

Hope the Rabbit year brings joys and successes to all and sundry.

Keong Hee Huat Chye (Hokkien dialect for Gong Xi Fa Chai)!!

Back and Finally A New Post

2010-12-16T17:43:00.004+11:00

After a 5-month hiatus, I've finally squeezed myself out of a little bit of juice to update it with some photos taken over the past few months. With Twitter, I've been lazy, and very good at it! ^_^

Speaking of which, I have yet to even look at the photos taken in the recent trip to Shandong, China (of which Qingdao is part of). Not that I have taken a lot of images but I have been bogged down with some issues including those involving my apartment's wall that was damaged from burst pipe from the unit above back in July 2009.

Anyway, here are some wedding shots taken during my "absence".
And here's the latest one done in late Nov.

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

2010-07-07T19:30:00.005+10:00

Why so serious?
And...here...we...go.
You need an ace in the hole.
Why do we fall? So we can pick ourselves up again.
Night is at its darkest just before dawn. I promise you, dawn is coming.
I like this job - I love it.
You either die a hero or live long enough to be a villain.
You can't rely on anyone these days, you gotta do everything yourself, don't we?

The quotes sound familiar? Well, they are from The Dark Knight and have been going through my mind the entire day and the past few days. Who said movies are bad for you? Some of them are motivating while the others are just trying to get me going.

What makes a great manager?

Someone who pulls his/her own weight for the team and contributes constructively.
Someone who motivates instead of demoralises.
Someone who stands up for his/her team instead of pinning others' faults (including his) on one person or two.
Someone who says what he/she meant rather than twisting the words as he/she pleases.
Someone who under-promises and over-delivers with the consultation of the team.

I think I can be that great manager, but I know who can't be even just being good.

Those are the things that have led to me not living my resolutions for 2010.

To change the world, we must first change ourselves - Gandhi

Simplicity version 2: Simplify to Amplify

2010-07-01T23:30:00.000+10:00

I've been playing with my camera in full manual mode with an old manual AI 35mm f/1.4 lens. It's great to come back to the basics once in a while and it's so very fulfilling. About 20 years ago during CNY, I remember being handed a film SLR to play with for the very first time. "Turn this til the view is clear then click this button". I got it back then.

Simplify to Amplify is another inspiration that I just thought of. It's not like it's a whole new series but more of a sub-series to Simplicity is Beauty.

What triggered this idea was me reminiscing the moments I had with my late friend. There were plenty of banters between us in topics like auto v manual, pc v mac, nikon v leica and the likes. I miss those stuffs and it's only been a few weeks. Foek On is definitely the inspiration for this.

Now off to bed and hopefully this won't keep me awake...

Simplicity Continues

2010-06-26T20:03:00.000+10:00

As noted in my previous Simplicity post, I've neglected this ongoing personal project of mine for reasons like fatigueness and frustrations. In many ways, capturing these images energises me as well as relaxes my mind.

Today, I decided to just venture out around my humble abode with this intended purpose. So, here they are.

Sometimes, there are clarity and calmness within messiness.

Wedding of Emily & Mark

2010-06-18T22:44:00.003+10:00

It's been a while since my last post. I was meant to put up more photos from my NZ trip in late March as well as some weddings done in April. So, here are some of shots of the wonderful couple in early April. It's such a pleasure covering their wedding in a vineyard.

Til next post....Cherios

May You Rest In Peace

2010-05-15T23:15:00.005+10:00

I was today informed of the demise of a close family friend whom I am very fond of. It came as a surprise for me.

We met over 10 years ago in the swimming club's gym. I was asked not to acknowledge him as "Uncle" but "Brother" or just Foek On though he's of my parents' generation (his dad and my maternal grandpa were good ol' pals). Over the years, I've grown closer to him from being the spotter in the gym for him to being someone I confided with and seeked advices as well as opinions from. We also share the interest in photography.

There were some discussions about me futhering my studies in established universities for reasons of their well-known alumnis, advices on my timber floor after the flooding of my apartment and personal issues that I have gone through over the last few years.

I would certainly miss the stuffs we did together:

Bugging him in his office
Enjoying nasi kandar together
Having a cuppa
Visiting camera shop together or meeting in the shop
Sharing of images taken by both of us and the knowledge
Bantering of Windows v Mac; Lightroom vs Aperture; Nikon vs Leica; AF vs MF; Fully Auto vs Fully Manual systems

One of the flashbacks is the very last chat we had of which he asked me about flash and backlighting on his D700 few months ago. I can't believe it that he's gone.

Certainly, the next trip and every subsequent trip back would be very different without Brother Onn. Your jokes, sarcasms and laughters would be sorely missed.

He was talking about doing a trip to Melbourne and Adelaide since 2 years ago. I guess we won't be able to make that trip down the Great Ocean Road to capture the images of Twelve Apostles, the intended trip that will never eventuate.

May You Rest In Peace, Uncle Foek On (uncle as my due respect for an elder).

Back Up

2010-05-04T23:08:00.002+10:00

It was some frustrating days in the last few days as I experienced some "hang" time with my PC. It would hang 15-20 mins into each boot up and there could only be forced shutdown.

Anyway, I am glad that it's back and running. I did lose some data but I did not lose those important ones, especially images of clients! It's a relief to have some backup as redundancies. It's time to consider a second PC that could double up as server...! Hmm....

Sneak Peek of My NZ South Island Trip

2010-04-02T00:03:00.002+11:00

Lake MethesonSunrise @ Bruce BaySunset @ Lake Wakatipu in QueenstownSnow-capped Mountain in QueenstownPathways to Mordor (of the Lord of the Ring trilogy) in GlenorchyEnter at Own Risk (between Te Anau & Queenstown)
The Remarkables - LOTR's Misty MountainSunrise @ Lake ManupuriSundown @ Lake Wakatipu in Queenstown Rainbow in Lake Manupuri

These are just some of the scenery and landscapes that New Zealand's south island offered. Although the weather was pretty bad due to the Nor-wester from the Tasman Sea that brings lot of rain to the west coast, I got the opportunities to experience the extreme condition.

Plenty more to come I am sure. That goes to NZ visits as well in the near future.

I Did It

2010-03-31T22:47:00.004+11:00

What was on my mind before the dive/jump? I just want to get it done...
Was I shaken prior to the jump while standing on the platform? Not a bit...
Will I do it again? Oh yeah...either a backward jump or the 134m 8.5sec free-fall...

The rush only came in after the plunge and during the drop...!

Well, another item in my bucket list can be crossed off now...Kawarau Bridge is now over but perhaps bring on The Nevis Highwire Bungy...!

I am now a Jumper! When's your turn?

whoalse.com is Down

2010-03-23T20:06:00.002+11:00

www.whoalse.com is currently down and has been down since Monday. I am also currently away.

It should be back online in a couple of hours. What happened is I've just switched Domain Registrar and it took longer than I anticipated for the transfer to get through.

Anyway, it should be alright soon. My apologies.

Gone Fishin' in NZ South Island

2010-03-20T09:34:00.002+11:00

I've been wanting to visit NZ since my day in Perth and it's about to become a reality in a few more hours. This trip was suppose to be with a few friends. I was telling myself regardless of my friends would make it I would still head there myself. Honestly, I believe this will not be my only trip to NZ.

Arthurs Pass looks good (esp the Highway), Franz Josef Glacier, Fiordland that includes Milford Sound, Mt Cook and the plentiful lakes are places I am sure would amaze me.

Anyway, I'll be off for roughly 10 days...

In & Around Saigon

2010-03-11T07:45:00.002+11:00

What actually struck me in Saigon were the Cu Chi Tunnels and its surrounding spots. I am sure there are plenty of photos around the web showing how narrow the tunnels are and those have been widened to enable tourists experience the "tunneling". All I could say is claustrophobia did creep in though it was only a short 5-min venture.

I had the experience of firing a gun now. Mind you, it's AK-47! It was such an awesome feeling of pulling the trigger.

What I love about this city is the buildings, more so of the old structure.

Vung Tao offers a weekend getaway for the locals and Jesus Hill is one of the attractions. The view from atop towards the township does look like Sao Paolo. Don't you think so?

Not too far away from Jesus Hill, there stood the Goddess of Mercy.

Here are some other pics in and around Saigon.
More on www.whoalse.com.

Life in Saigon

2010-03-10T22:23:00.002+11:00

A long outstanding post that I have been procrastinating for some time. Helping out for friend's wedding did tire me out for weeks. Well, I thought I better get to this before the commencement of my next adventure in about 10 days.

I had the opportunity the visit Saigon or Ho Chi Minh City late last year with my folks. Like all travels, it's certainly an eye-opener. Specifically, life is so simple there. Yet, there exists thess specks of joy and smiles everywhere and almost everyone I walked passed.

We were told that Saigon itself has a population of 10million while Hanoi has half of that. Obviously, the night scene where we saw crowded streets with motorcycles nudging and weaving their way through the heavy traffic with plenty of horns blaring. There are just constantly blaring of horns even with our driver. Overtaking - horn, Turning - horn, Switching lanes - horn, Being overtaken - horn, etc...

A friend suggested that we should try the "Coconut Ice Cream" not too far away from the place we stayed. It supposedly tastes awesome. We did, twice...!

More photos to come but I actually didn't take too many, especially right after the wedding of a friend.

Calendar is up

2010-03-04T23:13:00.003+11:00

I have added Calendar to my website www.whoalse.com to show my availability. However, it still requires some updates and changes.

It looks like the one below. Pretty nifty huh...

Keong Hee Huat Chye & Happy V-day

2010-02-13T18:50:00.004+11:00

Gong Xi Fa Chai to all my dearest family and friends

Wish I could be home....

Pics taken with CrappiPhone since I forgotten my camera (can't believe it myself)! Yun Yang Temple is such a beautiful place where we were invited by the nun to have vegetarian lunch (anything for free lunches ^_^).

Hopeful or Hopeless

2010-01-28T22:16:00.004+11:00

I had some interesting discussions on "Stay and Fight or Give Up and Leave" with some relatives and friends in the past few weeks.

I'll leave the points brought up by the following people (old posts though):
Khoo Kay Peng's How Many 5 Years Do You Have in a Life Time
Zewt's Migration: Running Away or Towards Something

Feel free to leave your opinions...

Smile

2010-01-25T07:50:00.002+11:00

It's such a simple song by Uncle Kracker. I'm a sucker for simplicity...

Da Grip

2010-01-10T12:14:00.002+11:00

I've always used some parts of my anatomy (other than hands) to support my camera but to know someone like Joe McNally who does the same thing is awesome. Of course, I can now learn to refine my techniques to incorporate Joe's.

So, here it is...

01.01.2010 - I Shall

2010-01-01T10:53:00.000+11:00

It's a brand new year...What does that mean? Hmmm...I will be meeting another aunty for lunch along with the usual suspects...That's beside the point.

I shall continue to garner knowledge but more importantly I shall love and give more...
I shall be more patient not that I haven't been all these while but I need to be more...
I shall smile more even if it's a pretentious one...
I shall eat well, sleep well and play well to be well...
Happy I shall be in 2010 & beyond...

Happy New Year to you and all at home
Here's my attempt of a Smiley with light...well, can't you make out the smile? at least let you imagination be wild a lil'...
Have a good one ahead...

Seeing is Believing, Believing is Seeing

2009-12-31T15:18:00.002+11:00

I've always love to travel since young. Competitive swimming has given me the opportunities to travel places where not many would consider them as resorts and holidays while meeting new friends. I miss those carefree days whereby the routines were just eat, sleep, study and swim with nothing else to worry about. I would give 100% in training sessions just so I could qualify for some outstation competitions in order to travel as these were the only holidays I could have as a kid. There was no such thing as vacation where no swimming competitions involved.

Even then, I still got to learn so much from so "little". These exposures have made me more independent at a younger age and be more responsible for myself as well as others. Back then, staying in luxurious motels (not hotels) was a rare occasion. Dormitories with filthy restrooms, cockroaches, mosquitoes and bed-bugs were norms. I could recall once in Kota Kinabalu that I felt something crawling near my bed while trying to sleep in a humid night without a fan and only realised that it's a cockroach upon jumping off the upper bunk!

The interesting part would be the stories of one seeing "something" or felt something "weird". It didn't matter who he/she was as it could cause the sensations to both us as swimmers and the officials! I was fortunate not to have those experience by being more respectful of the surroundings....! Whew....

The urge to travel still exist in me but it's not easily fulfilled with limited leaves available as well as resources [think mortgages...!]! The urge has been further amplified since our first actual family holiday in Beijing back in 2004.

Having said that, I was and still am very excited when I received an Xmas gift (which is very rare) that has once again flamed the fire in me for more travel adventures. I'll certainly list out plenty of places I want to visit. A masterplan will be in the works soon but bring on the Kiwi land and Land of the Rising Sun, hopefully soon and with fellow adventure-seekers, esp the person who gave me the gift...

I stumbled upon this book collection while staying over at my aunt's place in Singapore and out came my camera. How befitting it is to have the photo of the gift taken alongside The World Book collection that belongs to my uncle.

Thank you so very much for the book that meant so much to me. So much with so little...

Glutton Nite Out Relishing Korean BBQ

2009-12-31T05:52:00.001+11:00

While I am awake at 5am on the very last day of 2009, I had to write about this incident happened few days ago in Sg as it's such a funny experience of which will certainly go down memory lane.

A cousin, AH, is looking at getting a new laptop and I tagged along since we'd be having dinner later with his bro, AY before heading for a night shoot. We headed to Sim Lim Square and I was advised to avoid stores at ground level be it computers or camera gear!

Anyway, it was decided that we would head to Bugis since it's just a short walk from SLS. Korean buffet dinner was the choice the brothers decided. That's one good decision. However, the subsequent decision and action (rather inaction by the other 2 persons) led to the hilarious incident!

We were left with an order form to choose our dishes. Guys being guys, we left the ordering with AH to hasten the ordering process with a single decision-maker. I recalled AH asked me, "Do you eat everything?" and it didn't hit me (and AY) until much later!! I wouldn't say this led to us being regret for what AH did or what AY and I didn't do but what a surprise we had.

The dishes kept coming and coming, filling up our table that's meant for 4 seaters comfortably. This was even after we started emptying the existing dishes! AY started to feel full from looking at the plates on the table. The look on our faces would have been "the moment", but alas, we were all shocked at the amount of food we had to have and would have to relish!

Obviously, AY and I were curious what else would there be. So, we asked and the response we got hit us so hard we were in a fit of laughter, realising the impact of the question AH posted earlier. AH literally ticked every meat in the order form, minus mutton! All sorts of pork, beef, chicken and prawns with various flavours!

AY indeed went out for fresh air a few times but he was the first to "quit" the adventure. Glory probably belongs to me that dinner that lasted almost 90mins of continuous eating, thanks to AH!

It was certainly a memorable glutton nite with these 2 brothers of mine, one of whom will never be ordering food again (no prize for right answer) and if he did we'll make sure it's not everything in the menu again! Nevertheless, it was a great dinner - "sum"-tious yet delirious!

The brethren
p/s: The walk for the night shoot was indeed helpful. The next morning, I was woken up early to clear my bowel while AY was feeling full still!

Memorable Trip Home

2009-12-30T16:24:00.005+11:00

My trip back home was certainly very tiring but worth every single moment of it - from chatting with my beloved swim coach, assisting in friend's wedding, Saigon trip with my folks to catching up with cousins and meeting up with friends over Xmas period. I hardly had sufficient sleep without even acclimatised to the time difference. As such, fatigues actually hit me towards my last 2 days in Penang.

Seeing the faces and the expressions for the surprises is priceless. These are certainly etched into my memory.

Having said that, I didn't really take many photos other than friend's wedding celebrations. I guess I just wanted a break and soaked in.

Unlike other trips back, I didn't have a more affirmative schedule for my next return due to some uncertainties.

Here is a shot while staying over in Singapore and was brought there by cousins who are photography enthusiasts:

Got loads to process from friend's wedding to Saigon's trip (not many though)......

Simplicity - Take 2

2009-12-13T08:08:00.000+11:00

After perusing through my collection of simplicity images, I realised that I have been not very actively. Most of the pics are at least 1 year old with the exception of a handful taken recently with an after-thought.

I shall revive this once again, firstly to energise myself and challenge my creativity. Simple composition exudes elegance yet exhibits serenity. It's an art form in one way or another.

The very first stint will be in Saigon (HCMC). I have decided that the gear will be the bare minimum - 1 body, 1 lens and 3 flash acessories (maybe just 2). The gear will be D3, 50mm, SU800 and 2 flashes (max). One lens to snap them all....

In the meantime, here is the link to the Simplicity is Beauty.

I hope I can contain my fervour til then...

Men of Movember 2009

2009-12-10T22:05:00.000+11:00

Although I am not possible to grow a moustache, I involved myself in another way for charity, Movember. Movember is held annually in the month of, well, November whereby moustache is grown and maintained for the entire month. The purpose of this is to raise the awareness of men's health, specifically prostate cancer and depression.

When I was asked to photograph some of these men for the purpose of using them in 2010 calendar for their company, I gladly jumped onboard. The best part of it was one copy of the calendars with the participants autographs was sold at $400 through auction during the company's Xmas dinner. In total, $1400 were raised through the 2010 calendar sales alone which were selling like hot cakes!

Anyway, here is the group shot.

November Portraits

2009-12-10T20:28:00.000+11:00

Some of the images taken for a family portrait and an engagement session with couple who will be getting married in April.

Thanks to the Talwar family for having me to photograph your awesome family.

Amy & Dave, finally after some wicked weather in the last couple of weeks we managed to get the session done.

Counting Down

2009-12-08T22:46:00.000+11:00

The countdown has began and I'm actually not referring to the festive seasons. I can't hardly wait for next week to arrive as I will be back in my hometown. After some difficult months, the prospect of seeing my folks, relatives and close ones certainly replenishes the positiveness in me.

I can't wait for my family's Vietnam trip to come in about 10 days and I'm sure there will be quality time spent in fooling around with my folks, hopefully. I guess it's about time for me to make the effort in getting to know more about them, especially dad due to some personal reasons.

Before the Viet trip, I get the honour of covering a friend's wedding in our good ol Penang. It will be spread over 3 days and I hope to withstand the humidity!

How can I forget the company close friends after being away for some time. It doesn't really matter where we meet or where to eat. What I cherish most is the time we get to be together. Having said that, I'd prefer somewhere relaxing with not much of loud music for us to actually catch up rather than headbanging.

I hope to bring the very best out of this trip. Perhaps, I shall quote this from someone "Sleep is for the dead".

Boosting & Soothing

2009-11-12T09:23:00.000+11:00

Seeing the delightful expression of my client upon delivering the final results of my images is priceless. This satisfaction actually soothes the disappointments that I have experienced (and still going through) for the past few months.

Anyway, here are some of the images of their 6 months' old bub that amaze them.
It's certainly a boost to my AIM - Aspiration, Inspiration & Motivation.

Pay It Forward

2009-10-25T11:18:00.004+11:00

Sometimes the simplest idea can make the biggest difference
Three imperfect people. One Perfect Idea

This movie, starring the young Haley Joel Osment, is intriguing yet inspiring when I first watched it back in 2000. It is about doing a good deed for three persons who in turn each do good deeds for three other people. So, 3 becomes 9 which in turn grow to 27. If only Bernard Madoff could do his pyramid scheme, there would have been exponential expansions which will certainly have positive impacts to the world.

One of the rules is the person who received the deed cannot pay it back but pay it forward. Hence, the title of the movie based on the novel by Catherine Ryan Hyde.

Well, I have personally received an unforgetable deed from a very closed friend that really made a difference over 3 years ago.

I am paying it forward now. When all else fail, those who stand by and with you are your true friends (this may include family members).

GTI Engine Rebuild

2009-10-03T12:03:00.003+10:00

Well, I have the opportunity to see how the engine is assembled given that one of the guys is having it rebuilt. I am there as a documentor of the event. Today is the last mile after stripping the whole engine bay apart, cleaning, degreasing, scraping, grinding, lubricating and the likes...

The pics are of Day 2 and the guys are willing to share and explain which is awesome.

Today is the last mile...Hope to see more of this......It's very educating.

Bare engine bayEngine block minus the pistonsOil pumpDSG - a whopping gearbox nearer to 200kgEngine head - cleaned
Assembling piston parts togetherComparison between old and new pistonsBottom of engine block where oil pump is locatedInserting the piston into the blockEngine block is up but without the turbo as yet

New Inspiration Work In Progress

2009-10-01T07:33:00.003+10:00

I have been wanting to find my own style / niche of photography and I think I may have gotten that glimpse of inspiration. Certainly, I will try them out whenever I have the chance which is aplenty.

What is it? You'll need to be patient as lots of work need to be put through and thereafter fine-tuning. There will be some DIYs too to modify some add-ons etc.

Think light....

A snapshot of it

Winter Wedding Images

2009-10-01T07:19:00.002+10:00

Winter is always the quiet season, obviously due to the chilly temperature. It does have its character (Melbourne doesn't snow)...Love it still...

Hope things will pick up soon...

Then There Were Twelve

2009-09-26T15:17:00.006+10:00

Update: Parks Victoria has confirmed that the crumbled was not of The Twelve Apostles but of the Three Sisters. Whew...but then limestone formations won't last forever!

The news today brought me back to my previous post of The Twelve Apostles almost 2 years ago during the 50th Anniversary of The Great Ocean Road. Another limestone formation crumbled into the sea.

Perhaps it's another good excuse to have a drive down GOR once again but this is in my new ride. *wink*

Pics of My Golf GTI Pirelli

2009-09-25T07:37:00.004+10:00

I have been putting this off for some time now and there have been a few requests...So, here they are:
It's been raining/drizzling every now and then for the past few weeks which can be frustrating since it could be just a day after I washed my ride! Oh well, Melbourne needs the rain anyway. So, it's for the greater good ;)

I did have a few shots of other VW Golfs too. The last of the Golf R32 AWD with 3.2L V6 naturally aspirated (NA) engine after the announcement of the 6th generation AWD Golf R with the 2.0L Turbo which is lighter but more powerful.
I think the only colour missing is the Sunflower Yellow of which only available on the GTI Pirelli variant.

Of course, I'll post some wedding shots in my next post. I have since covered 4 weddings over winter and early spring - two in June, one in July and one last week.

Cheerios...

An Awesome Experience with The Grand Illusionist

2009-09-04T23:10:00.003+10:00

I attended the performance by the great David Copperfield about 3 weeks back, 15th August 2009. I've always been fascinated by what he has done in the past. When it was mentioned by a friend that David will be touring Australia, I decided that I would not want to miss this opportunity to see him perform live.

Oh yeah, Webster the duck made some appearances too....! He walked through concrete steel, reminiscence of the same feat through The Great Wall, "puppetted" a maroon-coloured tie of an audience, wound himself shorter, made a piece of "magic" paper levitates/skips then turned it into a rose for a lady, made a group of audience disappeared on stage and reappeared at least 30m away in the crowd and had audiences gave random some numbers similar to his grandpa's 2 license plates.

It was truly an experience forever etched in me. His feats, though may be illusions, are certainly a form of inspirations and motivations.

Oh yeah, David Copperfield has put on plenty of weight and no longer his skinny self in the 80s and 90s! I thought he was a double!

Another tick off from my bucket list.....!

Living My Dream Sensibly

2009-08-19T20:16:00.008+10:00

Some say he eats bullet to fly while others say he chomps silvery matters for ferocity that piss him off. All I know is that he's the Silver Bullet.......!

Well, I will be living one of my dreams in 2 sleeps and in line with my AIM (Aspiration, Inspiration & Motivation). All these while I have been driving "boring" cars. By that, I didn't mean they are not good but just normal. However, the FIATs that I drove (drive whenever available when back in Pg) are interesting that they are rear-wheel and that has actually made me preferred rear-wheel-drive cars. Other cars I have driven are '79 Civic, Kelisa, small Chev, '85 Civic Shuttle and '06 Yaris YRS Sedan. While I'm having these cars, my friends have the lowered Civic, Type R, Skyline, 180SX, Silvias, AE86, Supra, WRX, EVO, Merc, BMW, Minis, Golf GTI and the likes.

If you're still wondering the car that ticks the item on my bucket list, think practical but fast; small but big; and gentle yet ferocious! Read on and I'll get to that.....

There have been a few options that I was looking at. BMW 120d was one for the same reason that my FIAT gave me. It's has 50:50 weight distribution, 7.6sec for naught to 100 and it's BMW. However, there is a premium to it with disadvantages like tight rear legroom and small boot capacity. Further to that, the 120d doesn't have the "cult/iconic" status like its elder siblings 135i, 335i, M3 and M5. Having said that, I almost ended getting it (thanks to a friend who was waiting for his M3 delivery)! Another friend also put me into perspective.

Then, there was the WRX. Subaru does make some wonderful cars. The all-wheel-drive (AWD) that gives symmetry, thus, safety. On the other hand, there have been saying that should one go to the AWD path there won't be a turn back. Another analogy would be "Once tasted black, won't go back"! Ultimately, Subaru is still a Japanese car which may not be as refined and luxurious.

So, what are my requirements? From the above description, you would have probably listed out the following:
- Cult status with a heritage of being a thoroughbred
- Practical but tamely fast when call upon
- Small but big in terms of boot space and legroom at the rear
- Luxury but affordable without paying through my nose

Lexus IS250 may just fill the spot but it's still a Jap.

Audi A3? Hmmm....compact, stylish and decently fast but not a cult/icon.

Golf GTI? It's close, very close.......! But it's not there yet.....!

How about Golf GTI Pirelli Limited Edition of which this is the 2nd time having a Pirelli edition with the 1st edition done in 1983, totaling 10,500 units worldwide! So, what are the differences between the P edition and the regular GTI?

1) Full leather with yellow stitching, P Zero tyre designs on the seats and electric lumbar support with seat warmer
2) Titanium-varnished 18" alloy wheels with the spokes representing Pirelli's P and P-zero tyres 225 60 ZR18!
3) Darkened rear lights
4) 4 disc brakes

The more interesting part:
5) 169kW translating into 229bhp and 300nm torque (147kW, 200bhp, 280nm)
6) Naught to 100 in blistering 6.6sec with the packaged P Zero tyres (6.9s), top speed 245kmph (233kmph) with the 6-speed DSG transmission which is automatic manual without clutch pedal!
7) Combined consumption of 8.1/100km (8.0/100km)
8) Bumpers with similar body colour while the regular GTI has black coloured bumpers

For your information, I didn't get the yellow though it is the colour available only to the Pirelli version. I don't want to look like a taxi, in this case a fast taxi!

With the specs, I'm very sure it smokes most cars on the road. I don't have to live with the agony of being "bullied" on the road like those friends during uni. [Frestyler, Calpo/Froggy, Johnny were some of them!]

Mom & dad, don't you worry about me going nuts without being sensible. Check out the image below. What's power without control? Or in Pirelli's version, Power Is Nothing Without Control.
Did I mention practicality? It's a 5-door with 330l boot space. It certainly can fit my parents' luggage and my dad can concentrate on the driving in unfamiliar circumstances without worrying about clutch pedal! Perhaps, the latter is an excuse!

On that note, I'll try to get some shut eyes after some days with the twitching of my fingers imagining the paddle shifts, the lurching of my shoulder from the car's pulling power and the humming of the acceleration with gear shifting as well as the combination of the three together!

Damages of My Apartment

2009-08-06T20:40:00.003+10:00

I've been feeling frustrated and disappointed with the damages to my apartment. There have been 3 inspections with another test done today. The moisture reading of the kitchen walls is still high at some spots while the pressure test on the water pipe of my shower seems alright with no leak.

Apparently, the moist on my bedroom's wall is a result from the leaks from the base of the shower. It has 2 holes! What an incompetence to whoever done this!

Anyway, the ceiling and the walls cannot be painted still until it's drier, that is below 18%. There are spots over >70%! The cold weather doesn't help drying it. The next reading will be 10-12 weeks away!

Pure & Innocent

2009-08-03T20:58:00.000+10:00

These are pics of friends' newborn who was bornt in early July. I love little kids as they are at their most innocent state, not to mention honest.

MJ Tribute in Melbourne's Fed Square

2009-07-10T08:18:00.005+10:00

Attending the King's concert is one of the items in my bucket list. I was so hoping that the "This Is It" tour would travel Down Under of which was actually in his plan sometime next year. Unfortunately, it will never eventuate with his passing on 25 June 2009 (morning of Aus 26 June 2009).

As a consolation, I decided to head to the last minute planned gathering for the Memorial & Tribute to Michael Jackson in Federation Square on 8 July 2009 with a frosty sub-5C at 3am with another friend.

Perhaps, they will finally leave you alone but you are not alone. Thank you for your music that have contributed to many in various forms.

Let us all forget the controversies of Jacko, rather, let the legacy of Michael Jackson lives on eternally.

Home Damaged

2009-07-05T17:55:00.002+10:00

I have just moved in to my new place barely 3 months. The unit above had a burst pipe and resulted water being leaked into my unit on Thurs. The ceiling in the kitchen and bedroom have bubbles that formed a line popping up.

Some of the major damages so far are:
Matress
Silk Quilt which I couldn't find a 100% pure silk
Printer (under testing by electrician)
Window Panels/Frames
Walls - Paint bubbly
Ceiling - Paint bubbly
Timber Floor - some edges bubbly

I don't wish to be too specific here to avoid any issues later on, especially should legalities come into play.

It's frustrating but the unit once repaired would be newer. Before that, there will be much to do.

Michael Jackson

2009-06-29T22:08:00.004+10:00

Less than a month from his comeback, the King of Pop shockingly died of cardiac arrest on Thursday 25 June 2009 (Friday morning, Australian time). When I woke up to the "breaking news" on the TV, I thought it must have been another rumour cooked up by the tabloids. However, that sad news was confirmed before 8am AEST. His albums are all sold out by the time I got off work and were looking for them in a few stores.

I shed some tears from reading the news, articles and those tributes shown on TV. The memories of us performing his song "Heal the World" in a dinner after a competition, doing the Moonwalk (or attempting it back then), watching some of his music videos on a bus and singing some of his hits out of tune seems not too long ago! It's just that I was so looking forward to his comeback performance, new songs and the rumoured new dance move.

Invinsible was MJ's latest and least popular album that came out in 2001 with roughly about 10mil prior to his passing. I bought it when it first came out in 2001. By selling only 10mil copies, it's by far better than most artists' level but poor comparing to his standard.

The more popular he became, the more the public demand from him and the more privacy he lost. Michael Jackson is for sure very talented but also tormented in more ways than one.

I wish all the controversies died with Jacko but his legacy as the one and only King of Pop lives on forever.

Batsi & Peter

2009-06-07T21:41:00.002+10:00

This is certainly one of the most interesting weddings that I have attended. I was intrigue by the cultures of both the Russian and Zimbabwean. There were 2 sets of traditional costumes by the newly-wed.

Truly a cultural night.......

Preview of Today's Winter Wedding

2009-06-07T03:00:00.004+10:00

Here are some teasers for the wedding done today........I was trying out a wide-angle lens and let some creative juices in me run wild! It was a relaxing wedding

House-warming Pics

2009-06-05T07:44:00.005+10:00

There were indeed plenty of leftovers. The food were of abundance and delicious but I was too pre-occupied. Thanks to all who made it, especially to the 2 youngest little girls, daughters of Mag & Eric.

I think I'm missing the interior shots of it after having the furniture arranged in my preferred locations. Rug was removed from the living during the night to avoid stains. I will certainly get to it this weekend after having some crazily hectic days/weeks.

Shots from a wedding and a corporate event in May too have been completed and I will definitely post them up here too.

While I'm at it, these are a couple of shots from my block.

Fish Leong

2009-05-30T18:11:00.003+10:00

Some songs from Fish Leong 梁靜茹. I think both are simple yet meaningful.....! LOL

Ring Shots

2009-05-13T06:59:00.002+10:00

I have been slacking from posting in the last few weeks. The same goes for editing photos taken since mid-April. Moving is actually a pain since I had to pack, tidy, move, clean, arrange and unpack!

So, here it is a post on some recent ring shots. More posts to come in the next few weeks.

Love Story meets Viva La Visa by Jon Schmidt

2009-05-11T07:40:00.002+10:00

This arrangement is beautifully mashed and I love it.

whoALSE Has Relocated

2009-04-29T07:59:00.003+10:00

Yep....whoALSE has moved and that is the reason why there were some very quiet periods. What I meant is the physical relocation rather than digital.

I am still waiting for my broadband Internet connection to be ported over to the new place and it seems like end of this week. However, a friend passed me the wireless 3G modem/dongle to keep me occupied, not that I'm idling since I have plenty to do after the relocation.

Finally, I have a place to call my own and I can do whatever I wish to it with no restrictions. Excitement is the term to describe what I am feeling now. New place, new fittings/appliances unlike the old place I rented whereby most, if not all, are pretty worn out!

These are just a little preview of how it is looking. Of course, I have a bit of tidying up to do prior to any more photos being taken.

Penang Hokkien Dialect

2009-04-26T09:21:00.002+10:00

A friend found this information and I thought I should re-post them here. It pertains to the origin of Hokkien dialect. It's for the benefit of all of us "Tng Lang". So here they are:

It is an Ancient Imperial Language of China – 2,000 Years Ago How Did it Sound Like? (Mind you, it's no way similar to Mandarin) Has this Ancient Language Survived? Who Speaks it Today? You'll be Surprised. You have heard it. You, your parents, or grandparents may still be speaking this ancient, archaic language! Yes, it's HOKKIEN (Fujian/Minnan Hua) Hokkien is:

1. The surviving language of the Tang Dynasty (618-907AD), China 's Golden Age of Culture. Note: The Hokkien we hear today may have "evolved" from its original form 2,000 years ago, but it still retains the main elements of the Tang Dynasty Language.

2. Hokkiens are the surviving descendants of the Tang Dynasty -- When the Tang Dynasty collapsed, the people of the Tang Dynasty fled South and sought refuge in the Hokkien ( Fujian ) province. Hence, Hokkien called themselves Tng-lang (Tang Ren or People of the Tang Dynasty) instead of Hua Lang (Hua Ren).

3. Hokkien has 8 tones instead of Mandarin's 4. Linguists claim that ancient languages tend to have more complex tones.

4. Hokkien retains the ancient Chinese pronunciation of "K-sounding" endings (for instance, Hak Seng (student), Tua Ok (university), Thak Chek (read a book/study) -- the "k" sounding ending is not found in Mandarin.

5. The collection of the famous "Three Hundred Tang Dynasty Poems" sound better when recited in Hokkien/Teochew if compared to Mandarin.

6. Consider this for a moment: Today, the Hokkien Nam Yim ochestral performance still has its roots in ancient Tang dynasty music. Here's the proof: The formation of today Nam Yim ensemble is typically seen in ancient Tang dynasty paintings of musicians.

More Astonishingly: Although not genetically-related, Hokkiens, Koreans and Japanese share many similar words (which are different from Mandarin). That's because Hokkien was the official language of the powerful Tang Dynasty whose influence and language spread to Japan and Korea (just like Latin – where many words were borrowed by the English, French, Italian, etc).

	Hokkien	Korean	Japanese
News	Sin Boon	Sin Mun	Shinbun
Govt	Cheng Hu	Chong Bu
Room	Pang	Pang
Car	Chhia	Ch'a
Door	Mui/M'ng	Mun
Ticket	Ph'io	P'yo
Eternal/Forever	Eng Wan	Yong Won
Book	Chaek	Ch'ae
Flag	Ki	Ki	Ki
River	Kang	Gang/Kang
Insurance	Poh Hiam	Poh Ham
Caution	Sio Sim	Cho Sim
Demon	Moh Kui	Ma Gui
Attend/Join/Mix	Cham	Ch'am Sok
Simple	Kan Tan	Gan Dan
New world	Sin Seh Kai	Shin Sae Gae
Nation/Country	Kok Ka	Kuk Kka
Elder bro	Hya	Hyaeng
Prepare	Choon Pi	Jun Bi
Time	Si Kan	Si Kan
Emotion	Kam Tong	Kam Jong	Kanjoo
Thanks/Gratitude	Kam Sia	Kam Sa	Kansha
Marriage	Keat Hoon	Kyol Hon	Kekkon
Exercise	Oon Tong	Un Dong	Undoo
University	Tua Ok	Tae Hak	Diagaku
Safety	Aun Chuan	An Jon	An Zen
Satisfaction	Mua Chiok	Man Jok	Manzoku
Lover	Ai Lang	Ae In	Aijin
Successful	Seng Kong	Song Kong	Seikoo
Suicide	Chhiu Sat	Cha Sal	Jisatsu
Grapes	Pu Do	P'o D'o	Budoo
Improve/Progress	Chin Por	Chin Bo	Shinpo

To all 49 Million Hokkien Speakers:

Be Proud of Your Ancient Hokkien Heritage & Language! Speak it Loud and Clear. Teach Your Future Generation this Imperial Language, Less it Fades Away. Be Proud Children of the Tang Emperors.

To all Mandarin-speaking friends out there - do not look down on your other Chinese friends who do not speak Mandarin – whom you guys fondly refer to as "Bananas". In fact, they are speaking a language which is much more ancient & linguistically complicated than Mandarin.

Keep in mind that Mandarin is just:
1. A Northern Chinese dialect (heavily influenced by non Han Chinese) that was elevated to the status of National Language by Sun Yat Sen for the sake of China 's national unity.

2. Mandarin was never spoken by your proud, imperial Tang Dynasty ancestors. It was probably spoken by the Northern (Non-Han) Jurchen, Mongols and Manchu minority. Start speaking the language of your ancestors today.

It's certainly illuminated me and I hope it does for you. I'm proud of it!

Wisdom Lost

2009-04-21T07:58:00.003+10:00

Well, I had lost my wisdom on Friday afternoon! The wisdom I'm referring to is my wisdom tooth that had been bugging me for many years. It was the phobia of having the extraction surgery after the experience of removing 2 sets of pre-molars (milk and permanent) over 16 weeks in my early teens. That is one tooth every fortnight with the permanent set barely protruded out from the gum!

The dentist advised me to take the medication 2 hours after the surgery. That last hour is the most agonising of which I was in pain and feeling chilly though I had a jumper on as well as the heater switched on while the temperature outside was hovering aroun 18C sunny!

A good old friend actually picked me up after the surgery and bought/cooked me porridge and soup! Thank you......

I am recovering but it's a whole lot better now.

Friendships

2009-04-10T09:22:00.003+10:00

The Mansion in Werribee Park There were some cute moments before this snap (think crab's movements) Geelong HostsUncle, The Legend, with his Apprentice (depending on which topic, could be a reverse)Wii Fit Hula Hoop moments (I beat them all with 314)!I'm not bad at Yoga too!

In the last few weeks, I have had some friends visiting Melbourne with a couple staying over my humble place. It's tiring but certainly fun to be able to catchup.

We visited The Mansion in Werribee, Torquay and had a BBQ over at a friend's house in Geelong. There were some memorable moments like the group pic above in The Mansion, the "Tua Ki" heat-stroke indicent in Torquay, the group pic where we dipped our feet into the cooling seawater in Torquay (friends' cameras which we are still waiting for the pics), the Hokkien song by Chicken Wing, sharing of medical knowledge by the Doc and Uncle's awesome stories.

There were some Wii Fit sessions too and I didn't know Wii Fit actually means one has to be quite fit to accomplish some of the exercises. Hula Hoop sessions, some Yoga poses and muscle toning are notable ones where we still need a lot more practices (just to note, I need not as much as the Doc....LOL).

We grew up with one another as well as going through some ups and downs together. I guess that one tiny little strand of string has bonded us together for life. Friendships are forever but it's still up to us to at least make an effort to cherish them. That effort was definitely apparent here.

Happy Easter

Slideshow of Images

2009-04-08T19:52:00.002+10:00

I have just added a slideshow of some wedding images as a test. It looks great and smooth.

EDITED
I have updated it with some new scripts.

The Grand Illusionist

2009-03-30T18:19:00.002+11:00

After being informed by a friend over the weekend that David will be in Melbourne for one show only, I couldn't resist myself and have confirmed that I will be attending it come 15 August 2009. Hopefully, the show "An Intimate Evening of Grand Illusion" won't be cancelled. The David I'm referring to is the one and only David Copperfield.

I was amazed watching his feats on TV. Making Statue of Liberty disappear and re-appear, walking through the Great Wall of China, standing in the vortex of fire (Tornado of Fire) and his levitation, just to name, are some of the unforgettable experience. I'm certain that seeing him live on stage will be another "out of body" experience!

Excited I am though it's more than 4 months away!

Sarah & Josh

2009-03-28T14:22:00.002+11:00

I have been missing in action for a long while. 2 of my school friends from my primary school days visited Melbourne and bunked over my place while another swim friend of mine too drops by. We had a blast visiting some places. More to come later.

So, here are some of the photos taken on the International Women's Day, 8 March 2009. A lovely couple as well as great groomsmen, bridesmaids, parents and friends! It was too sunny on the day itself which led to harsh lighting most of the time.

There are at least half way to go in completing their wedding photos.

Upcoming Blockbusters

2009-03-10T21:10:00.000+11:00

I was watching the trailers of Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen and it hit me that I need to list out the movies I want to watch this year.

Shinjuku Incident - 2 April
Fast and Furious - 16 April
X-Men Origins: Wolverine - 30 April
Star Trek 11 - 7 May
Angels and Demons - 14 May
Terminator Salvation - 4 June
Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen - 25 June
Public Enemies - 2 July
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince - 16 July
Pelham 123 - 23 July
The Soloist - 3 September
The Informant - 22 October
The Wolfman - 5 November
2012 - 12 November

The list only consists of the Hollywood movies (maybe Shinjuky Incident is the exception). Looks like it's a long list and April - June will be a busy time!

A + I + M = Es

2009-02-24T23:18:00.002+11:00

For the past few months, I was in a situation where I reach a crossroad and not knowing which direction to drive towards. Instead, I was circling the roundabout, making U-turns and getting no where. Indecisiveness and worry exist. The global financial crisis doesn't help in this uncertain period. As depicted in the image above, the light always shines through the darkness.

Fortunately, some discussions with some friends have helped to make the situation a little better. Topics like drives, dreams, goals, fervour, fear and happiness were casually brought up. These have led me to come out with the acronym AIM. Having an aim helps one to be driven, and focused. This may result in feeling accomplished and dreams fulfilled.

Aspiration - a strong desire to achieve the dreams and goals
Inspiration -the ability to stimulate one's creativity
Motivation - the ability to stimulate one's interest, enthusiasm and zeal

The eventual outcome may be in various forms like Excitement, Elation, Enlightenment and even Encouragement for one to pursue further.

I've gotten my AIM. Have you?

Portraits - Mag, Eric, Alissa & Abbey

2009-02-24T07:43:00.004+11:00

This family shoot was long overdue. Mag and I agreed on the date and location 4 days prior to the session. I have taken plenty images of Alissa in the past but haven't had many opportunities with Abbey whom we share the same birthday.

We had a good weather and lighting was most of the time soft on Sunday morning. Alissa sure did enjoy playing in the Children's Garden section of the Royal Botanical Garden.

I truly enjoy doing this, seeing the happy smiley faces and the resulting images. The above are some of my favourites which are aplenty.......!

All shot with ambient light.

Blog Revamped

2009-02-21T16:48:00.001+11:00

Rays of Light

Surprise at the header and banner? They look familiar?

I spent the morning revamping my blog which has been long overdue. This is to give it a more consistent look with my whoALSE website. Initially, the plan was to move and incorporate the blog into my website but decided against it since I have had so many posts with this blog. There are some minor changes too on my website but most of them are behind-the-scene coding.

Perhaps the image above signifies a new dawn of the beginning. Maybe it shows the sun always rises. Or it could just be the sign of triumph of good over evil.

This year, I may have a few new beginnings. Hopefully, they will all end on a high note. There goes wishing......!

Bonds

2009-02-18T21:27:00.002+11:00

By that, I am not referring to the Bonds clothing line!

The past few days/weeks, I have been meeting up with some friends - schooling days, swimming days, former colleagues. It's certainly great to catch up. This echoes what I have said in the past - truest friendships are forever.

Penang - No 22 on NY Times

2009-02-16T21:47:00.002+11:00

Temple - Kek Lok SiCannons - Fort CornwalisSunrise overlooking the PortAn Old Post Box Along Upper Penang Road that is still being usedTown Hall

Penang is one of the 44 places to visit in 2009, as listed on New York Times. Being a Penangite, I am proud of it to be listed among the Top 44, let alone being placed at no 22! I had the opportunity to capture some shots in a part of the heritage city, a place that I have taken for granted.

These are some of the photos taken. How I wish to have more time.
Click here for more pics.

CNY Photos Part 2 - Friends (Happy Valentine's Day)

2009-02-14T20:06:00.000+11:00

I have been getting some emails referring to Valentine's Day being too commercialised. It's all about expensive gifts, flowers and meals. The true meaning of this very day, I guess, has been lost in translation in this modern.

Where are those days where homemade gifts and home-cooked meals? I'm sure they are some out there who still preferred these which actually comes from within.

I thought it's befitting for me to pay tribute to my friends today. Valentine's Day is also about friendships.

Happy Valentine's Day to all my beloved friends

Here are some pics of friends taken during my recent CNY trip back to Penang:

Friends from Primary School in Kek Lok Si Swimmers (rather Ex-swimmers) @ Lee Chek'sFriends from Secondary SchoolFellow PwC'ians

CNY Photos Part 1 - Family

2009-02-12T22:28:00.002+11:00

Continuing from my CNY post, I thought I'd post some photos after processing them.

Certainly, I would never miss the chance take plenty of pics during my trip back for CNY with my family and friends. These are moments that I will cherish for as long as I live and having them captured would allow us to travel back in time.

So, here are some of my family members that I managed to "stop the time":

Pics of my friends to come in the next post.

CNY in Sg

2009-02-08T15:50:00.000+11:00

As usual, I made a stopover in Singapore on my way back from Penang. There is no direct flight to and fro from Penang and it's certainly better (safer) to stop by Changi rather than KLIA which is known to have luggages ransacked. It's more convenient to travel around in Singapore too with effective and reliable public transportations.

I met up with a couple of my uni friends and spend the only night in Singapore chatting with my aunt til around 2am. Sunday's lunch was over at aunt's neighbour's apartment where I relished so much of the food. Some dishes I miss so much since the departure of my grandma are assam fish and the prawns in thick curry (similar to grandma's style).

In fact, mom and I (as well as cousins on different ocassion) spoke just few days ago during my Pg trip about grandma's dishes like stir fried french beans (or kui tao), friend egg with onions (tua chang jian nui), soya pork (tao eu bak), mor qua char, jiu hu char (more like bang quang), tao chiao hu (fish), steamed eggs with pork (thim nui), her fried rice with thick soya sauce and tu tor th'ng (soup). These are my favourites of which my grandma did manage to cook for me some of them in July 2001 during my semester break. She passed on 3 months thereafter. It was nostalgic just to talk about it among us, the cousins. There were enthusiasm as well as sadness in us who had helped grandma in some ways during her cooking.

Anyway aunties, uncle, cousins and I had dinner in a restaurant in the airport before sending me off in T3. Looking back the 9-day trip, I did have a very good trip though I did miss Pai Thnee Kong on the 8th night of CNY and will miss the very last night of CNY, Chap Goh Meh this coming Monday!

Hottest Day in Melb

2009-02-07T21:08:00.002+11:00

The mercury topped 46.4C at around 3pm today. Previous highest was 45.6C in 1939 known as Black Friday. Strong hot winds were blowing and there were just sands and dusts flying. It was literally like a sauna. My shampoo was warm when I showered 30mins ago after returning from meeting a uni friend.

The sky had a reddish tone. It was at around 5.40pm when it started to drizzle. My light blue t-shirt and glasses had splashes of rain drops that were brownish in colour.

I met up with a uni friend of mine whom we last met during my audit work in in Subang before the F1 weekend of 2004. It's really a good catch up after almost 5 years. She's here for a work. Also, I was informed of a good news that she will be getting married in May. Congrats.....!!!

CNY with Family and Close Friends in Penang

2009-02-03T23:50:00.000+11:00

My short trip back to Pg passed by in a blink and now I'm back working. Although the trip was short, I have attained more in that one week than my other short trip back. Staying up til way past midnight not having to worry about getting up early was a norm. However, I did not get more opportunities for my favourite hawker food this time around since most were closed due to CNY.

To me, CNY is about getting together and catching up with family and close friends. These I managed to accomplish albeit a handful of friends whom I just was not able to fit into my schedule. It started off on the eve of CNY when we had our usual reunion dinner with family members in E&O Hotel. In the past, my late grandma used to cook in large portions of various dishes. I missed her dishes. Thereafter, I was picked up by my primary schoolmate (whose wife was my classmate) to join other primary school's classmates to their annual Kek Lok Si Temple visit. It's my first time though this bunch has been doing it since secondary school (of which I did not study there). Certainly, it was a great opportunity to catch up with them.

On the first day of CNY after having buffet lunch, I joined my uncles, aunties and cousins visiting our relatives whom I rarely meet in the last few years. This took almost the entire day and I was too tired to head out again at night or scour for food. Instead stayed home and had the pastries before knocking off.

Again after missing out the past 2 years' visit, a handful of us dropped by our swim coach's place to "pai ni". As usual, aunty cooked her noodles for us and many just couldn't resist the sambal too! Though some did mention that they will visit Lee Chek, they did not turn up. It was just the usual bunch of us with a few surprises. Was I disappointed? No, I wasn't since it was a planned gathering but more of visiting Lee Chek whom many respect. We adjourned to Uncle Sunny's place while Lee Chek might have gone to the racecourse (perhaps much later). Getting the chance to meet Uncle Sunny, Aunty Renee, Adrian and Andrew after so many years was great. It was followed by dropping by the Chans' who were my neighbours and used to be driven to the pool by aunty. I regard them more like my brother and sisters. As for dinner, it's bbq over at another swimmer's house who informed us in the morning. She got back from Hong Kong and was recently married too.

3rd day (Wed) commenced with an informal gathering of SMHK Year 1997. It was a smaller turnout compared to previous years according to some. It's certainly better than no one at all. There were 2 other friends who brought along their SLR. They suggested to have a shoot in the city on Friday morning which I couln't commit until later on. After the lunch and subsequent coffee, I headed off to shop for a netbook for mom but shops were closed. It was such a coincident that I bumped into another 2 friends, one of whom was too a swimmer (sure I won't forget you, Ah Mah since now I have a few pics of you....LOL). Next, it was a late dinner with a few friends whom we used to work together. I was about to skip dinner but somehow this other friend too hadn't had her dinner. So, off we went to Vintage Bulgarian for dinner and some beer while at it. I continued my DVD til late night after the outing. In between, mom and I chatted a fair bit too til around 4am. In fact, Monday night was the only night I slept early at 11pm. The remaining nights were earliest 1am with the latest being 4.30pm!

Thurs was spent with mom shopping for a netbook within the budget but it was either too far away (in case technical assistance/replacement was required in my absence) or no stock available for the model I was looking at. So, it was an empty attempt but getting the chance to spend more time with my mom tops it all. Later, I dropped by my cousin's place. My nieces, Emily and Valerie (whom I didn't meet before) have certainly grown up. Of course, pics of them were taken. I left to have dinner with another school friend who couldn't make it to the gathering on Wed due to work commitments.

On my last day in Penang, I got up early to join my 2 friends in the city for a casual shoot. Knowing the fact that they have SLR, I shared some ideas with them on better using the cameras. It was nice to be able to do so. After Hokkien Mee for breakfast, I left to pick my mom up to visit a temple as well as lunch (herbal chicken soup and Jawa mee). Thereafter, we stopped by my favourite shop to purchase "tambun pneah" but I was disappointed that none was available!!! :( Packing was inevitable and after gotten it almost done. I managed to catch up with my uncle who lives in Toronto for a short while. I left for my aunt's ballet academy to do an informal shoot of her students upon her request. I wasn't able to do it in my prior trips. It was an experience.

I planned way before my trip to watch this movie, Red Cliff Part 2. It was great that this friend agreed to accompany me though she hasn't watched the first part. She picked me up after her rushed dinner over at her aunt's. We were late for the show for some reasons (you know who you are and what happened! LOL). I should have driven her new car while she wasn't able to catch me doing it but too bad I didn't. What a wasted opportunity! Certainly, we both enjoyed the movie which was based on historical accounts. I am glad I got to watch this movie on the very last night in Penang.

It was a memorable trip, tiring but worthwhile stay in Penang. My gratitudes go to those who made the very effort to spend time with me. Truest friendships are forever and I'll definitely cherish them.

Gong Xi Fa Chai

It's still Chinese New Year of which is celebrated for 15 days. I missed once again the "Pai Thnee Kong" night on the 8th night and will miss again the Chap Goh Meh.

Keong Hee Huat Chye

2009-01-23T17:12:00.004+11:00

In a few hours, I'll be flying back to my hometown for Chinese New Year. I've missed two previous family reunion dinners and I must not missed this year's for personal reasons. It will be a different CNY this time around.

It has been brought up by others that the meaning of CNY and family reunion dinners have become less important for the younger generations. Some would not be able to make it back due to studies, financial constraints and work whereby CNY is not recognised as a public holiday in some countries.

I grew up playing plenty fireworks before they were officially banned and have some wonderful memories of them. Almost every year back then as a kid, we the cousins will have a "war" with neighbours which lit up the sky. However, there was one incident where one of the fireworks which I lit came back at me, hitting one of my eyes!

I do miss my grandma's dishes prepared for the reunion dinners. The past 7 reunion dinners and this year's are held in a hotel restaurant that caters CNY dishes that are so different from my grandma's. Speaking of which, I can still taste some of those dishes now.

Anyway, I can't wait for this short trip back where I'll be catching up with my wonderful family, beloved coach and some close friends.

Wishing everyone a prosperous Ox year ahead.

KEONG HEE HUAT CHYE

Counting Down Once More

2009-01-04T21:31:00.003+11:00

After Christmas and New Year, it's only 3 weeks away from Chinese New Year of which I'll be heading back home for a week. My last CNY home was in 2006. Certainly, the CNY atmosphere here in Melbourne (or even in Perth) differs from what I have experienced. However, the atmosphere back home is not what it used to be. Anyway, CNY this year coincides with Australia Day which means it's a public holiday (long weekend).

On another matter, I have been to my first ever plasma donation on 2 Jan 2009. The main difference between whole blood donation and plasma donation is it involves filtering the whole blood for plasma only. The whole blood goes through a machine that separates the blood and pumps it back to the body. This may cycle through 3-4 times to obtain about 600ml of plasma and may take up to an hour in total while subsequent donation can be done with a fortnight interval. Plasma can be frozen up to 12 months but more often they are used up way before the 12 month period expired.

Let the count down begin......

Happy New Year

2009-01-01T01:50:00.001+11:00

Goodbye 2008; Welcome 2009. This is the very 1st post for 2009 albeit very short!

Have a great and healthy 2009!

A Meaningful Song

2008-12-31T08:12:00.002+11:00

A very much meaningful song from Andy Lau, especially at this juncture. I thought I shall post it here as well as for my own benefit. It's titled 如果有一天(If there's a day - direct translation).

2008 Coming to an End

2008-12-30T22:16:00.002+11:00

It seems like 2008 passes by in a blink. I could still remember my previous trip to visit the Twelve Apostles, the New Year's firework display in the city, my 2 trips back to Penang, Xi'an trip with family, Canberra trip, Bali tour, Perth weekend trip, friends' wedding in Nov, another GOR trip and 2008 Christmas that just passed! Of course, there were things that happened in between.

For now, I still have no concrete plan New Year's Eve celebration. It might just be another quiet night in like Christmas 2008.

A new year perhaps will bring hope, especially the gloomy economy outlook all of us will be facing. As the sun sets, the moon waxes.

Happy New Year to all

Happy Christmas

2008-12-25T09:59:00.003+11:00

Christmas in Australia never snows. So, fat chance if one hopes for a pic of snows during this season Down Under!

It's my second Christmas in Melbourne. And nope, I didn't visit the annual Ivonhoe's Xmas lightings this year. It's more like I had tonsil and hence fever 2 days ago. As a result, I just yearn for more rest. Shopping? Neither, besides chocolates for some friends and colleagues.

I have gotten lots of chocolates and bakings from colleagues but have been abstaining from them by hiding them in my fridge (excuses) and out of my plain sight! The one thing I look forward to is shopping in JB HiFi after being given a giftcard as a present by Dom and Ben. I doubt there is anything I lust for.

Here are some pics from my company's Christmas Party in Port Melbourne Yacht Club:
Lunch and dinner over at friends' house today. Yay.....some home-cooked food!

Happy Holidays, peep.....

Chris & Fred - 22 Nov 2008

2008-12-19T16:27:00.004+11:00

Time passes so quickly. I was requested to cover their wedding event some time early this year (could be late last year). Having no such experience back then, I was hesitant, though honoured, since it's an important occasion. Chris mentioned that she's more comfortable with me than a stranger. After several months of being guided by a fellow photographer friend, I accepted the challenge (partly also of their persistence =P).

As mentioned in the earlier post for the wedding pics of my beloved friends, below are some of the shots taken. The weather was too cold and windy that led us to cancel the location shoots which had been planned for some time. However, we did brave the chilly weather to have some done before calling it quit.
We have agreed to do the location shoots in 2009.

Congrats again to my wonderful friends, Chris & Fred! And thank you for giving me the honour of documenting your wedding day.

Fatigue

2008-12-04T22:57:00.003+11:00

It's been some tiring weeks for me in Nov and the effect certainly sank in today. I wasn't not able to stay awake for long period of time. Falling asleep on the couch and in front of TV was a norm.

I'll definitely catch up with those badly-needed rest as well as the photos taken.

On another note, interest rates are falling, share markets are dropping, petrol prices too are faltering. I'm sure consumer confidence are affected by these phenomenon. Thanks to US. Let's all bring back the good old GOLD.

Oh yea, Nikon announced D3X with RRP USD7,999. Even if it's at USD5,500, I wouldn't even think of getting it should I have the unlimited money for it. At 24.5mp and lower ISO capability, it's just doesn't fulfill my needs. Bigger file size means more memory space and computing power required. There have been some criticism that Nikon is pricing it too much with only the sensor being the differential part while other features remain unchanged from D3. We won't know until the production D3X is out. Then again, I still think if one can't afford D3X then it's not meant for you. There will be demands for it.

A Day To Reminisc

2008-11-26T18:30:00.003+11:00

22 Nov 2008 is definitely a day to remember for some of us. It is the wedding day of my beloved friends. Due to this event, some of us managed to catch up with some good old friends back from the Uni days in Perth. I was excited for not only the wedding but the chance to meet up.

There of course were some interesting incidents that happened on this very day. Closure of a part of the road leading to the Church, "missing" champagne from the hired stretched limo, the breakdown of the hired limo, the winter-like weather with strong winds, hails, etc were some of the "excitements".

I unquestionably agreed with what the Groom said in his speech. "I rather marry the right girl on a wrong day than to marry the wrong girl on the right day".

Certainly, however these incidents are being looked at, it was a day to remember.

Time passes by so very quickly. One of our friends left last night. Getting the chance to meet up for the first time after more than 5 years is certainly one of the highlights. However, sending the very friend off last night and not knowing when our next meet will be aches me. I didn't say any goodbyes though.

Friends come and go but the truest friendships are forever. So, no goodbyes from me but "I'll see you soon" to all my dearest friends.

Perth Weekend - Murdoch University

2008-11-20T21:06:00.008+11:00

Visiting a few friends in Perth over the past weekend certainly is fulfilling though too short and tiring. It's tough trying to keep everyone happy. For that reason, I kept my trip to myself and a handful of people to avoid disappointments.

Dropping by Murdoch Uni and its Student Village on the first day with my good ol' friend from college and uni days brought back memories from more than 9 years ago!

The courtyard and flats we lived in, the walkways and stairways we took, the halls and rooms we sat in. It was nostalgic. We even dropped by the usual place we got our lunches. However, the Asian Caravan was no longer there as it has been replaced by a proper hut/container that houses the kitchen! The aroma of Polo Chicken definitely brought us back in time. I took some shots of the food with my phone and sent to some usual suspects of the food! It was hilarous!

Here are some pics:

Flat 45 where some great memories!

Polo Chicken & Chilly Squid

More on the Perth trip later. Speaking of Murdoch Uni, a few of us managed to meet up in Melbourne for a good ol' friend's wedding! That will be the next post.......!

Beauty

2008-11-09T19:40:00.002+11:00

It's been said time and again that beauty lies in the eyes of beholder. I've been and will continue to be working on capturing these beauties that have most of us ignoring them due to the hustle and bustle of modern living chasing after material dreams. There are beauties in all simple things that soothe some of us.

Here are some that I'd love to share.

We should all be taking some time soaking in the little simple but beautiful things around us.

1st November Post

2008-11-08T17:16:00.004+11:00

I have been slacking off in blogging, processing and posting photo.

This month will be a hectic month for me. Work (not photography-related), visiting friends in Perth, a good ol' friend's wedding here in Melbourne and relatives' visit later in the month of which we will be heading to Great Ocean Road (GOR) for a weekend away will certainly keep me occupied. I am looking forward to my short trip to Perth, friend's wedding and GOR trip with my relatives.

My motivation for heading to office for work has been really badly affected even after the Bali trip. Anyway, I hope things will get better.

Here are some registry wedding photos taken in Oct before the Bali trip.

OH.......The news of RPK's release has been great! Now, that's a big blow to the government for invoking ISA on him! I can't hardly wait for more of RPK's writings and revalations!

Well, time to get ready for the buck's night of my friend! No cameras are allowed!

A Getaway from Chilly Melbourne

2008-10-25T10:16:00.013+11:00

I was in Bali almost 2 weeks ago for a short 4.5-day getaway from chilly Melbourne as well as involving in a wedding shoot. More on the tour of Bali which I joined my parents before the shoot in later post. It was an amazing experience overall.

Here are some photos from the location shoots of the newly-wed in Ubud, 2 hours drive away from Nusa Dua where our abodes are. [Images are not properly displayed though but click on it to have them opened in separate view - FIXED]

With the hot and humid weather in Bali and returning to chilly Melbourne, I am down with a cold at the moment! :( I can't wait to get to the photos taken in Bali but I still have a wedding I did before the Bali trip. Patience, peeps!

Excitements

2008-10-11T01:06:00.003+11:00

It's been some very exciting weeks. The fluctuating and subsequent meltdown of global financial markets have resulted in some sleepless nights, especially those nearing the retirement age. Australian dollar has dropped around 25% from the high of USD0.98 few months ago to USD0.67. Singapore has announced that recession has kicked in. Iceland has been officially the first casualty of the global financial turmoil. Will the world experience another big recession after this Black Friday?

Plenty of decisions have to be made and these decisions will chart our future. It's a risky business to venture and a choppy river to ford across.

On another note, I have been slacking a lot with processing photos as well as posting blogs. With another wedding coming up but this time in Bali, I am excited both for the opportunity to shoot a wedding as well as being my first visit there.

Below are some of the pics from a corporate event and a wedding which I'm still processing.

Misuse of Power

2008-09-23T19:33:00.003+10:00

Shithead Ah-bar signed and invoked the Section 8 of the Internal Security Act on RPK who champions transparency, accountability and professionalism in the responsibility of managing the country.

RPK was supposed to have a court hearing on his habeas corpus which is unlawful and contravened the Federal Consitution today but this Shithead invoked the ISA which was meant for communism and terrorism threat. He was expected to have the detention declared inappropriate and be set free by the court, leaving the government in disgrace for his arrest under ISA.

Is RPK a threat to national security? Or is he a threat to the bloody BN government and specifically UMNO-Putras! That shows how insecure the SHITHEADS are and willing to stoop lower than an ass' ARSEHOLE to prevent his freedom. His freedom is a further threat to the current government. That is a fact which has time and again been supported by their actions taken against a champion.

Now, what is the move that will be taken by the BN component parties like Gerakan and MCA? Since they are against the misuse of ISA. Are they willing to breakaway to disassociate themselves from the SHITHEADS?

Time will tell........

It is such a disgrace to have such discussions and news overseas. RPK is certainly no communist nor terrorist to have ISA invoked on him (and others).

One wrong move after the other. The government never learn from its mistake, let alone reform within itself.

It's TIME TO TURN THE TIDES now. It's now or never..........!

2nd Anniversary - Coach Chang Lian

2008-09-22T19:37:00.004+10:00

Time seems to pass so quickly since the sad news (belated) last year. Today is the 2nd Anniversary of the passing of my beloved coach, Mdm Chang Lian.

It's always been in my mind that I'd visit her again but I was not mentally prepared to do so. Having said that, I'm in the midst of planning for the trip next year.

There was an event that triggered this plan some time last month. I received something from a very close friend of mine. It is a very well-thought gift from her and it meant a lot to me. No one other than my parents and a few friends, especially from the swimming fraternity, would understand this. The moment I saw it, my eyes just welled up for it was supposed to be a place I was to visit during the Beijing Olympics as offered by my late coach but didn't eventualise.

I thought I'd write about this special delivery on this very day rather than in Aug when I received this very touching gift which resulted it being a triggering event.

Thank you very much for this invaluable gift and you know who you are.

Happy Malaysia Day 916

2008-09-16T22:16:00.003+10:00

It was 39 years ago, on this very day, Malaysia was bornt. Sabah, Sarawak, Singapore and Malaya were formed to become Malaysia. More than 30 years later, Singapore which broke away stands a lot higher in stature in terms of economy and development!

How a country that has no natural resources, none whatsoever, become so wealthy and very developed with better standard of living?

In a nutshell, a successful business reflects the leadership and foresightness of the management. I'm not so sure of the current government of my birth country. Frustrating and disappointing, it is after 39 years (or 51 years if 31 Aug 1957 the independence of Malaya)!

Anyway, Happy Malaysia Day!

p/s: There will be more photos coming up in the next few days!

Seditious & Racial Issues - WHY

2008-09-09T20:24:00.010+10:00

In the past 2 weeks, there have been lots of "discussions" on the racial remarks by this one stupid UMNO-putra, Ahmad Pissmail with other 13 Penang UMNO Division chiefs. Problem is he is unwilling to apologise and still asked the other parties to apologise instead. He is either too proud or having a much-lesser-than-bird's brain. I'm leaning towards the latter for his kampung attitude. First world facilities, Third world mentality just rings right.

WHY are we Malaysian Chinese (pun intended) who should be considered as EQUAL Malaysians are called squatters/lodgers (in this Pissmail's words - Pendatang)?

WHY our PM Bodohwi had the "tidak apa" attitude towards this remark by only stating he would advise this Pissmail not to do it again? Isn't he supposed to take disciplanary actions against this Pissmail who stirred up the racial topics?

WHY not taking him to court on Sedition Act like what the current government is doing to some of the bloggers (ie RPK etc)?

WHY the double standards being treated for this UMNO-Putra Pissmail?

WHY are the topics of Hang Tuah and Hang Jebat being removed from the Malaysian history books for the academic syllabus? Could anyone please explain this? It seems like both the legends are actually of Chinese descendent. That could the main reason why the topics vapourised from the books that were popular in my generation and those before mine.

WHAT difference is this racial topic compare to the Aparteid in South Africa decades ago?

After 51 years of independence, I am disgraced by this third world mentality in the borderless world. UMNO is still trying to play the racial cards in the Malaysian politics. I just learnt that Malaysia is the only country now that still has race-based parties, ie UMNO, MCA, MIC etc.

I do want to see some very stern actions being taken against this Pissmail shithead and his fellow supporters. Sedition Act should be the least and ISA with constant beatings should be the other extreme. I dare the PDRM to do this since RPK and other bloggers are being charged with acts that seem more beneficial to the minority few rather than in the interest of the majority public.

I doubt I am alone in this.......

oo0o

On a better note, here are some recent photos taken:

Peace out (may be piss off)........

Engagement & Wedding in August

2008-08-16T23:46:00.003+10:00

I have been asked to cover a friend's engagement party and a colleague's registry wedding. To say the least, I'm actually honoured to be given these opportunities. I have been guided by a fellow photography enthusiast who is now doing photography professionally covering weddings, events and portraits. You know who you are. I have certainly grown in experience and knowledge of capturing light. Further to that, an encouraging comment coming from him personally few days ago is certainly an attainment after perusing thru my whoALSE Photographics site.

However, I would not just stop improving here. The day one feels s/he has achieved the best one could is the day stagnation creeps in. A well-known Kiwi photographer, Anthony McKee, quoted to me what his mentor taught him, "The study of light takes a lifetime". Surprisingly, this quote was changed from the original "The study of light takes a decade" that had been instilled in him 10 years before.

As such, I will strive harder to improve areas that require more attentions. Conversely, I think I'll rather be noted as an event's memory documentor and/or "time travel service provider" allowing one to go back in time by perusing at their captured images.

Now, here are some shots:

Paper, Compass, Fireworks......

2008-08-10T11:54:00.005+10:00

What an Opening Ceremony of the XXIX Olympiad to remember! Zhang Yi-mou certainly made a huge impression with the direction of the Opening Ceremony by having "Paper scroll" as the main title along with Compass, plenty of Fireworks, Chinese Opera (with puppets too) and colourful Traditional Costumes. Footprints were left on the Paper by those athletes who attended the march pass. That's certainly a nice yet meaningful gesture.

It has topped Athen and Sydney while London will definitely have a problem beating that performances that were full of histories, past achievements/inventions and cultures.

Michael Phelps has just blown away his World Record in 400m Individual Medley (IM) by almost 1.5secs. In Athens, he did 4.08. In Beijing, he swam 4.03. This is just remarkable. Now one down, 7 to go for him......

In 400m Free, Park of South Korea and Zhang of China came in first and second respectively ahead of Larsen of USA. Park burst through the group from the 3rd hundred and kept the amazing speed to the end. Certainly, it's worthwhile to mention that 2 Asians filled the top 2 positions in the event. It's a rare ocassion especially in physical sports.

What a start to the swimming events.........! How I wish the finals are in the evening

Penang Hokkien - A Dying Dialect?

2008-07-20T12:45:00.001+10:00

With Penang being listed as one of the UNESCO's Heritage City listing, there have been some discussion with issues pertaining to the uniqueness of Penang cultures, Penang Hokkien dialect being one of them. I have always gotten interesting feedback from friends, coursemates and colleagues that the dialect is very soothing and sweet to the ears from my conversations with fellow Penangites. These came from Singaporeans and Taiwaneses who speak Hokkien too albeit to a different tune! I found that I am able to understand their types of dialect while they struggle with our Penang Hokkien.

Having the opportunities to be in overseas, I realised that Penang Hokkien is definitely unique in its very own way. Some of the differences come from the mixing and melting of terms/objects/words with languages like Malay, English and Portugese. Perhaps the greatest influence is the Peranakan and Nyonya cultures, known as Straits Chinese.

Again, being overseas it is certainly tough finding opportunities to speak Hokkien. In fact, I have met some fellow Penangites while overseas not willing to converse the dialect. I for one prefer to converse Penang Hokkien in the presence of all Penangites and other Hokkien-speaking comrades. There are friends and relatives who are not keen in passing on this uniqueness to their children.

I have to admit that my knowledge of Penang Hokkien may not be as good as previous generations but I can say I'm much better compare to some of my peers as well as the younger generations.

One thing for sure is I can converse in Hokkien in the presence of other nationals with the confidence that they will not be able to understand "secrets", cursings and/or complains. Mandarin, English, Japanese, Spanish and Malay/Indonesian are some of the popular languages that mat sallehs could master but I can see those still looked cheery when we were cursing the shit out of them in Hokkien in their faces!

So, let us all keep Penang Hokkien dialect alive and kicking. I'm proud to be able to speak Penang Hokkien and understand its variants.

KNNMPKCCB......

LoL.....

On another note, here are some wedding pics taken in July............

Abductions by the Legal

2008-07-08T22:16:00.004+10:00

I have just finished watching Rendition and the special documentary Outlawed by Witness on the DVD. It certainly is a worthwhile movie to sit through since it reveals some unlawful abductions of suspected individuals and subsequent interrogations in prisons of faraway land by the biggest crooks of all, CIA. These so-call suspects are transported from one prison to another and tortured without being formally charged nor their family members being informed.

This program is known as the CIA's Rendition program. It has existed prior to the 9/11 but has intensified and misused ever since 9/11. Can you imagine that a country that fight so hard for human rights is actually violating these rights itself? Should we believe in the words/speeches of those powerful that said they the government will not resort to torturing and unlawfully abducting for interrogations?

This movie and the documentary do indeed gave me a few points to ponder, especially now with the "disappearance" of the PI who released a Statutory Declaration (SD) implicating a well-known person and issued a subsequent SD reversing the first within 24 hours.

I guess once a person tasted power he/she will resort to anything and everything to not only hold on to the power but hunger for more, leading to more misuses.

Gloomy and Chilly

2008-07-06T15:24:00.003+10:00

It's been a month since winter started. I never really like the chilly temperature and wind, esp those with single digit temperature. However, it has not been as cold as May and June last year. Having said that, I avoid heading out unless it's necessary just to prevent the incident from recurring. I had bronchial spasm in my first winter here in Melbourne.

Anyway, I again did a shoot with my friend last week and here are some of the pics taken.

On another note, Nikon has just announced another full frame (FX) DSLR and it's D700 of which it's with plenty of D3's features in a D300 body. Will I get it? I doubt so as I'm in need of 70-200 lens to complete my lens collection for event and wedding shoots. Perhaps, the existing 70-200 may get a minor update due to some complaints by the FX users. Time will tell.........

Amadeus: A Classical Play

2008-06-21T09:07:00.001+10:00

A few of us went for the stage play by Peter Shaffner. Amadeus is about the lives of composers Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Antonio Salieri. It's my second play with the first one being a silent play back in Perth.

Anyway, I saw a car rested on its top on my way back after stage play. It happened moments before I drove past. The driver and 2 passengers are not seriously hurts. We were told this red car swerve to avoid another on another direction which did not stop at red light. The worst thing is that this other car did not even bother to stop for causing this rolling.

For those interested, here is the shot of the number plate!Well, it happened just outside Melbourne Fire Brigade and ambulance came within minutes.

Delightful Meet Up

2008-06-14T10:58:00.003+10:00

Meeting up with a friend after 15 years is definitely a wonderful thing. I had the opportunity to catch up with Michael Koay who is my senior in swimming in Melbourne on Thursday night. He was here on a business trip. We went to Lygon for Italian and he mentioned the last trip to Lygon was like 8 years ago!

I'm certainly delighted for being able to catch up after such a long time.

Unfortunately, I didn't snap any pictures as it might just look inappropriate being 2 guys eating along Lygon St! =)

See from the Heart

2008-06-04T23:04:00.002+10:00

I was invited by a friend to attend a short talk by a well-known photographer, Rocco Ancora. Uniqueness is everywhere and all that is required is to see from the heart. Having said that, one has to always strive to better oneself and never let pride get to the head!

There will always be more fabulous images out there and not let one good shot be all and end all.

Terracotta Warriors and Other Relics Damaged by Quake

2008-05-30T08:06:00.001+10:00

The recent quake measuring 8 on Richter scale damaged some historical relics in the Sichuan and Shaanxi provinces. Some of these I have had the chance to visit in the last few years with the recent Terracotta Warriors being in April 2008 itself.

I am glad that I had gotten the first hand glimpses of the relics but am also sad that these ancient relics were damaged. These are the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Dujianyan irrigation system, Er-Wang Temple and relics in the Terracotta Warrior Museum. Indeed after the quake, plenty of restoration work will certainly take place.

2008-05-27T21:15:00.000+10:00

It's been really quiet here this month. There were so many photos to be processed and I still have like about 1,000 more to go - from weddings and portraits to landscapes and group meets.

The good news I have in these past few days is I will be having a few paid shoots since my photographer friend (aka mentor) has been booked for the said days. All I need is to take the shots and pass on the photos to him for processing. Of course, I need to mingle around to get the shots. There may also be a second photographer working together with me. As such, the fees are split 3 ways. It's all good for me since it's still a revenue, regardless of amount and closer to achieving one of many dreams. I just hope I can live it up to his standard and getting out of the comfort zones, both in the photographic sense and personal's.

I have always prefer simplicity in life but still living to its fullest (yet balanced). There are so much beauty in simplicity. They are all around us. If we could just slow down from the hustles and bustles of working life chasing the un-reachables, I'm sure we will be marvelled by the beauties of simplicity (at times in chaos).

Check this out! Ain't this a beauty too? LOL........NAH!!!!

Such is the beauty I'm seeing through my glasses. It's a personal journey that will go on as long as I am able. Even through these simple things in life, I have learnt and will continue to learn from them.

Life is all about learning - from work, hobby, people around me, travels and even movies. I've learnt a lot from my recent 2 trips back to Penang which included a trip to Xi'an. Certainly, I would keep these to myself. For sure, there will be more lessons to come.

Wedding Shots in April

2008-05-05T07:53:00.002+10:00

After returning from my holiday, I had another opportunity to assist (and learn) from a friend. As usual, the bunch is a real blast.

Here are some shots (a lot more of the reception to process):

WedComp08

2008-04-29T07:17:00.003+10:00

Fellow photographers, I'm just posting here to notify all about the competition of wedding photos. Come on, guys. Would be fun to be part of it and proceeds go the some good causes too!

Here is the link there.

Terracotta Warriors in Xi'an

2008-04-27T14:43:00.003+10:00

I have finally completed the photos of my trip a couple of hours ago. They are being uploaded to my website and at the same time being burnt to DVD since I'm running out of HDD spaces! I need to clear a lot of my photos from the laptop to my portable HDD as well as burning them to DVDs as I had a wedding shoot as an assistant the whole of yesterday (from 9 am til 12am).

Anyway, here are some of the shots taken during Xi'an. What really amazes me during the trip is none other than the Terracotta Warriors!

Chariots in Sanmenxia are over 600 years older than Terracotta

Sculptures of Buddhas in Longmen Grattoes

The trip to Xi'an is certainly breathtaking and will forever etched in me.

I was asked by mom about our next trip and was quite hesitant about visiting China again since it's kinda very similiar - tombs, temples, sculptures, long bus rides etc.

Time for other photos!