.

temp post

2008-05-27T09:41:00.008+08:00

R.I.P

2008-05-18T16:52:00.005+08:00

Okay, this blog's going to be closed... really!

Am migrating to a new blog actually but am doing some prep work.

Learning up PHP, HTML and how to skin my own wordpress theme from scratch. It's just a side project to give me reason to actually learn them since I need it for a job next month. S

So bye bye blog. Will update you in regards to the new blog =D

Potong Stim

2008-05-13T05:46:00.003+08:00

I was all elated at the prospect of buying a new graphics card. The GT9600 512mb costs about RM539 and is literally 500 times better then my current graphics card. I have the processor to boot, but the graphics card is just creating such a bottle neck.

But sadly, I found out that it needs at least 450 watts of power which would definately set me back for another 160 ringgit. So it's now a whopping RM 700 which could get me a psp, a new lens or pay for my 7 days in cambodia. Not good.

So oh well, no graphics card upgrade :(

Cam-bodia

2008-05-12T11:36:00.004+08:00

So there's a pending trip to cambodia. Flight tickets paid by a kind friend.

Nevertheless, he plans to dump me after 3 days and I could stay there alone till whenever I want.

Adventure! Just as I was thinking of a self discovery getaway, this trip to cambodia would be most congruous.

Yet, things that are holding me back are:

1) money, it's about RM 700 but I was actually saving that portion for something else
2) safety, I want to go about freely with my DSLR. It's called CAM-bodia anyway, HAHA... btzz
3) aloneness, I'm already whining about how I've got no partner in crime

Question to self, should I go?

Cruditiy

2008-05-08T18:25:00.002+08:00

Today's a good day. Beautiful weather, shopping spree and coffee bean. I sound like a girl.

Oh yeh, and passed 2 papers out of 4. Hope the last 2 would have cup sizes below F. Okay, bad joke. I do agree that perv jokes are politically bad. You know, it objectifies (wow, I didn't know there's such a word) women. Yet, I think the bulk of why I do it is that to somehow disintegrate the I'm holier then thou pretense.

Or just see the horror in the eyes of saints when I say such words as boob. *gasp*

I think it's really funny, such elaborations of explicitness , and it works so well in groups. Why? Cause we are collectively sexual beings. We are definitely shy about the whole issue reproduction hence maybe we unconsciously laugh out the uneasiness in advents of such discussions or encounter.

Of course, there's a fine line between crudeness and just implicated wrongness. The latter is just pure fun. Pure, get the irony? Nvm.

2008-05-08T13:14:00.002+08:00

One is frustrated, no, it's more of a state of vex. I hate how when smaller things take precedence, the big picture is lost.

Here we are bickering about petty things when others are dealing with issues that matters the most. The great commission? It's a great omission now.

Shouldn't we be empowered? But here we are weekly seeking for forgiveness and waiting for that perfect plan to only start doing something. When are we going to take our places as servants of the most high king. Oh wait, when we get our theology and when we are the purest, devoid of all sin. Well, that will come when we die a few hundred times over, make that a few thousand.

Damn it, can't you people MOVE

The number 6

2008-05-05T21:42:00.002+08:00

I've got it all planned. 6 great months of holidays. Then today I realized it maybe harder then I thought.

First, I'll actually need to go exercise to avoid being unhealthy and weighty after the 6 months are done

Second, I need to be careful to not get into the rut of lazing around. There's actually a lot of stuff to do, like going Cambodia! (tentative plan) or learning stuff and self discovery. Worse case scenario would be waking up everyday, eating, sleeping and playing ps2. Like that must as well find a job.

Third, there's this crazy heat wave going on now. Seriously, when it's hot, my brains cease to function and all I want to do is stay at one spot and not move. Oh, a whine and whimper of how hot the weather is.

Fourth, then there's the tinge, okay fine, a big blatant feeling of loneliness. It's just that everyone's busy now. They have their school and work and whatever else. Any bummers out there? It feels like going for a vacation with no one to spend it with.

Friction

2008-05-03T01:30:00.004+08:00

I'm a tad tired...

Tired of circumstances to be right, of things to be sorted out, stabilized. Cause here I am ready but there's always the need to fall back, to slow down... to stay stagnant. It's... boring and very much frustrating.

And of how simple things are made so complicated. It's like spending so much energy on preparing for a holiday, on packing and on making sure is right. By the time you do go for the holiday, you'd end up just sleeping in the hotel, exhausted from all the planning.

I find that rather unbalanced.

Old.. so not

2008-05-01T01:09:00.002+08:00

I don't feel 24... I still remember the day I was 13. I was walking pass this classroom which were making hell lot of noise. I vouch to never become such immature creatures.

Look at me now. I think I'm still 13 but with a louder mouth, a u know brain and maturity ain't that present too.

I observe some guys at my age, they are steady, mature or actually, rather just too uptight. Then again, being too loose ain't good too.

Anyhow, I don't think maturity is my forte; still lots of issues to work out. Stability ain't my cup of tea too, I still don't know what I want. But one thing I've grown (besides my tummy and moobies *grace call man boobs moobies*), I've grown to cherish my friends.

I was just having a quiet emo walk back at night on my birthday from the LRT back to home and was just thinking of all the people I know and that I could share laughters and smiles with. And it warms my heart to know that I know them and they know me.

Birthday was a mixture of sadness, happiness and German. Sad cause, SOME PPL nvr wish me, like my *BURP* best guy friend. Sad cause, the one person I really wanted to spend time with was busy with work. Another person is a few thousand miles away. But my 'German' company was absolutely hot, so no complains there.

Then there are the presents... next post for that... =D

=D

2008-04-27T02:01:00.004+08:00

Don't be fooled, The girl on the left's really adorable and cute, her sakai face is just faking it..

Us in total awe of her sakai boobs. You know, I never expect to be good friends with Yin cause the first time I met her, she found out that I told Grace that her boobs were nice hence I presumed she presumed that I was a perv. Till I found out, she's equally yellow.

Them in total aww of my... princess fiona

I like this pic, everyone looks so good here.. =)

Well...emm, hahahaha

So what's better then a hot chic?

Getting prezzies from a hot chic! =D

Shall gloat more when it arrives... *heart melts*

Anyhow, today was a good day. 2nd last paper done, Ivan getting his new model kit, coffee bean and a new wedding booking =D Speaking of that, I really need to work on the wedding website.

Grand What?

2008-04-25T21:59:00.004+08:00

I have this female mag I bought for portrait. You know, to study the lighting and posing, purely photographic endeavors! Really! Why don't you believe me. =(

Anyhow, just found out my friend's friend's bf got her a grand piano. Let me exuberantly reemphasize my last statement:

A RM20k GRAND PIANO!!

If shes his wife, I'd understand since I know someone who bought his wife a BMW Z3 which is like rm 150k or so. But, your girlfriend who has that slightest possibility of ever leaving you crushing your heart and lugging away that big grand piano ? ? ?

Sigh, the folly of man.... Girls

Birthdays

2008-04-25T10:33:00.002+08:00

A birthday shout out to IK!!

This saturday yo!!

He's one guy really respect, earning big bucks, smart, intelligent and kind hearted. All guys! I mean, girls, grab him while stocks last! Happy Prebirthday man =)

Personal Birthday Wishes:

1) A new studio umbrella
2) Pocket Wizards
3) Camera Bag
4) Gundam Models
5) Bikini Models
6) New battery for camera
7) PSP
8) NDS
9) ABC
10) YOU in ribbons... XD
11) A hotel room for one day for a photoshoot.. lols, no it's definitely not connected to number 10, don't think nonsense
12) MEGUMI, JUSTIN SHES MINEEEEE

You know, after writing this list, I realized there's not many things I'd want. Hmm, I thought I had hundreds swimming in my mind.

Print Screen

2008-04-24T00:43:00.003+08:00

I've been photographing lately, not with the shutter button but instead, the print screen button.

Yes, taking lots and lots of pics of my desktop for technical manuals for Toyata and Alliance Bank =D Hope to get more jobs in this manual writing thingy. THANK YOU ADRIAN FOR THE JOBS!

With that, it's financing new clothes for the camera. A much needed automatic flash and a 85mm f/1.8 lens. Just got this lens that costs rm600 for only rm200 which is such a good deal.

Hence with the new equipment I hope to:

1) venture into corporate portraits.
2) product shots

Oh ya, I asked someone, The Question

Her answer as most girls torturingly says, 'give me sometime to think about it'

*crosses finger*

Actually, it was accidentally through the phone, need to take her out and ask her properly I guess. For now, I need to read up for my last 2 final final papers.

Perfect Evil Plan 1

2008-04-23T00:29:00.004+08:00

Perfect because you can definately get away with it:

1) Wait for heavy downpour of rain, snow or meteor shower
2) Pickup phone and call up Mcdonalds
3) Order a cup of coke
4) Ask it to be delivered to your home
5) Laugh, evilly

Hearts

2008-04-22T02:17:00.002+08:00

Dear Blog,

I see you've eaten the webby spider. Bad blog!

Sorry, it's my fault for not feeding you. You know, other things are eating up my heart. I wish they would stop devouring me. I wish I could give it to someone and let her keep it safe. Alas, I dunno who could guard it well.

Give it to you? Nah, I've seen whether spider went. I don't want my heart to follow suit.

Well, there's a girl where my heart wants to sit side to side with hers. When ever we did, it felt the happiest and somehow, life seemed the ever more so beautiful. We could have really long heart to heart talks and I miss doing that.

What you mean I'm such a lame-o with that last line? At least I don't eat spiders.. bah

But, shes far away in a distant land and I know one day I could only look from afar as her heart sits with another. Hmm, maybe you could eat that heart instead for me? Deal dear blog?

Then there's another... well I don't know what I want. Dear blog, help me to choose? Fine, you can ponder over it whilst chewing on more spiders. *gives blog some spiders*

Sorry

2008-04-18T18:24:00.002+08:00

Dear Blog,

I know I've neglected you so much. There's so many things I would like to tell you. Stuff like pretty girls, gay guys and other off tangent topics but alas, the exams are coming hence no time for you la.

But not to fear, I know how ugly you've become with all my poking around. So I promise you dear blog that I would give you a face lift, character lift and pandan leaf when the ordeal with this final final exams are done.

So please keep the cobweb making spider company whilst I venture into the depths of darkness called my study table.

With much love,

Raymond

O R A N G E

2008-04-13T06:02:00.005+08:00

So most of the morning of the past day was spent looking at an orange getting splat. It was quite a challenging shot. Imagine Jen Ling having to sacrifice about 6 or more oranges to just get that right amount of splattering.

Then there's the factor of the sun and clouds; the balance of both in the frame. Then there's the problem of the lower part of the orange not getting enough light hence we needed to compensate it using a wireless flash with a shoot through umbrella.

The Final Lap

2008-04-11T08:11:00.000+08:00

LAST DAY OF UNI!! (Hopefully) I can’t wait to graduate cause frankly, Uni life wasn’t that great. I love the subjects that I studied, but hated the exams cause it was stressful.

Yet, one should be thankful actually tremendously grateful that a chance was given to study anyhow. Actually, I never imagined going up to university level even more so an engineering degree cause I never deemed myself as someone book smart.

Just ask my highschool and form 6 teachers, they’d say I’d be better off selling chicken rice. I was nearly prepared to do that - sell chicken rice - in preparation for my failure upon the form 6 exams.

I didn’t fail though, I partially failed; got a big donkey for my ‘pengajian am’ paper which rendered me void of entering any local university.

The other subjects were all cool, like different shades of cool, C-, C+ and just C.ool.

I can’t believe it’s already the last day of Uni. Just some hurdles left like today’s demo of the robotic arm, the presentation of it in a month’s time and of course, the final exams.

On a side note, maybe I’m searching too hard and at the wrong places too and for the wrong things too. Off tangent as they say. Yet I know that there’s one thing that could realign the trajectory but it’s hard to adopt such a change. It’s a hunger, hungry for something more then just living.

DONE!

2008-04-10T03:19:00.003+08:00

Just completed my first website! click

Anyhow, am.. so so so sleepy now but am happy cause I got to talk with someone whom I really wanted to know more months back.

Going out for a product shoot for an advert company later at 7... I'm going to suffer for sleeping so late.

btzz btzz

Fast Backwards

2008-04-05T00:49:00.004+08:00

Was reading about this guitar book on the arrangement of notes and how the present day guitar tuning's the best and fastest way to play.

With that, usually improvement involves evolving forward not backwards but olden day typewriters was given a pimped down improvement. You see, one big problem of 'em old keyboards were it's keys getting jammed all the time thanks to speed demon typists.

So to avoid stuck keys, they rearranged the default alphabet layout to slow typing down to an unjamming rate. Bizarre.

Broken Bricks

2008-04-04T12:26:00.000+08:00

The folly of setting up defenses because your single act turned my emo shield into rubbles of vulnerability. Yet all I want is to take the bricks made of distance to just hide away_from_you. But each wall built, it crumbles at the slightest touch from your presence.

Go.Away. =(

Umbrella ella.. eh?

2008-04-02T18:36:00.003+08:00

Was having fun testing out the studio umbrellas I got from Ebay. They are dirt chip, USD 6 for TWO umbrellas. I prefer photographs with some shadows in it cause it really helps define shapes.

Yet, it would be more fun if I had actual people to shoot. Anyone wants a pimped up IC photograph? ;p

Such is my interest on interests. If there's something new to learn, something new to try out, then, it's interesting. When I reach a limit of improving I get bored, don't you feel the same way with your hobbies?

I guess it applies to relationships too. When there's still unexpectancies and surprises, things are still spicy, no?

Why to Me the Best Plan is no Plan

2008-04-02T02:12:00.002+08:00

Have you ever been in such a situation: There’s this place that you really really want to go, but, after drawing up a super duper perfect plan, you seem to never reach the destination at all.

I’ve seen this occurring so much in my life, in other people’s life, in church and every organization that needs things to happen; it never does.

Why? Because simply we never did move forward. Planning is usually just a mask to hide the inertia of moving forward. You feel that you’ve accomplished something because of all the busyness around planning.

Yet, what I’ve found to be more effective is a similar slogan to ‘just do it’- ‘just pull the trigger’. I love the latter because it depicts of aiming and letting the bullets fly.

That’s where it’s remarkable; during the duration of the bullet’s travel to the intended mark, you don’t have control, you just let the bullet do its job.

It then becomes a hit or miss situation. With that, you have feedback and then you adjust for variables, aim and shoot again.

It somehow just works. Maybe because you have no expectations, if it fails so be it, if it works, you have an added bonus. I personally find the biggest obstacle in change is the fear of failure.

Also, it brings focus away from yourself, of your general personal perception. Sometimes we just go, “hey, I suck hence everything I do sucks” whilst most of the time it’s just the problem with the gun.

But I think ultimately, it’s a breaking down the resistance to change. It’s understood that we are beings of habit. So logically, to be able to habitually do something, we need to introduce it to our habit system.

But the crux is that, we are resistant to change hence we can’t inject that habit. I need to pull the trigger more, do you?

3X3

2008-04-01T23:10:00.003+08:00

Some of my favorite human beings, wait, or are they more like rabbits? *hop hop* Just woken up from post dinner nap, unfortunately it was not a healthy carrot, but a big bowl of pork and rice.

I think I'm more girl then guy sometimes. Example: The constant need for contact. All I want is just a simple sms, a miss call or anything that reminds me that you're thinking of me. Selfish? Maybe.

Then again, once a person starts doing that to us, we get used to it and take it for granted hence mind games have to be played. Humans... rabbits are better off then us in this area for sure. ;p

Assets Management

2008-04-01T19:03:00.004+08:00

I think there's this unconscious desire to have proper assets management. Even my camera has a cup size. Observe:

At a certain farewell party.

her: so ray, what's the name of your camera's model

me: emm, its *her name*

her: no reallyyyyy, what's the name of the camera?

me: 40D *it was sincerely just a pure innocent remark*

at that moment, everyone who had a substantial corruption burst into laughter. =.=

I think I will buy a Ferrari f40 next... :D

STOMP STOMP

2008-04-01T01:57:00.003+08:00

The video above frustrates me the most. Why? Look and listen at those chords! I've been irked by all this gospel music because you hear it but yet could never find out what it is.

It's sneaky; the chord will come up to you, tell you it's name... but then, you have no idea why, how, what and when that chord works! Arghz..

Today, I had the small revelation that they are tritone substitution. So, with much eagerness, I searched the web and digged up my old jazz books but still, I could not understand how to use them.

I've reached a plateau in my playing, why? Because I'm bored of what I hear myself playing.

MUST.PHAT.UP.PLAYING! before one dies... Listen how a simple song like marry had a little lamb is phatted up... click

Happy Meals?

2008-03-31T16:31:00.002+08:00

Finally, the final year project has been passed up.

Showed my supervisor the robot and he was really really happy with the results except for the fact that I never go see him at all during the duration of the final year project for consultation.

I don't know why, but I've been making choices with a death wish lately for so many things. It's like having someone ask you... would you want:

1) a happy meal

2) a live grenade

My mind would just switch off and immediately blurt out... LIVE GRENADE LIVE GRENADE!

BTCH

2008-03-29T01:43:00.001+08:00

My uni has one of the worst customer service I’ve EVER experienced. Ivan can vouch for the following experience:

Like today, I went to the office and enquired whether the supervisor was in so I could pass it up directly to her.

The conversation with the office clerk was as such:

me: hi, I’m looking for so and so, is he in?

btch: what are you looking for him for?

me: to hand up my final year thesis

btch: so everyone who wants to hand up the thesis is going to look for him lah? just put in his pigeon hole lah

me: wouldn’t it be better if I just hand it to him straight. Could you at least just see whether he’s in?

btch: *still not even looking once at me throughout the whole conversation* aiyah, wait ah…

*goes to the supervisor’s cubicle and somehow chatted with him for few minutes*

Finally the supervisor comes over. The vexing thing was, she was waiting there to tell me, “see I told you so, should’ve just put at the pigeon hole”

But in the end, there were some problems with my thesis after he looked at it. And if I just dumped it in the pigeon hole, I’d be dead.

Who in their right mind would just dump their thesis in a pigeon hole instead of passing up directly to their supervisor?

All I wanted was to check whether the supervisor was around. she could’ve just ask me to go check for myself which was just a few seconds of walking distance.

She’s really bird brained.

Frail

2008-03-27T07:13:00.001+08:00

To wake up everyday not having something to look forward too. Instead, it’s a yearning of something I don’t even know what it is. I look forward to someday having finally to have something to look forward to.

It’s like a fleeting ghost at the corner of your eye. Once you try to center such a specter, it disappears and comes back to haunt you again.

More like some dog trying to catch its tail, running around in circles, so close but never enough.

It’s a hunger. Hunger for happiness. No, for something even more, for Joy, to have the soul feel full for once. Yet, the soul is like a black hole, hungry, no, GREEDY for anything that could have the possible vicinity of feeding it.

Such is a longing, for something more, something so much more in life.

Topsy Turvy

2008-03-26T00:18:00.002+08:00

Since I can’t go on hiatus till I wish Tsuen happy birthday, I shall continue blogging…

Self: OMG, you look dham prettttyyyyyyyyyyy todayyyyyy, can I like stare at you foreverrrrrrr

What I say to her: Oh, you look nice today

Self: YEYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY, we’re going out!!!!!!! I can’t wait to seeee youuuuuuuuu!!!!! *heart jumps everytime you hear a car passing by your house thinking it’s hers*

WISTH: Ah, alrights, what time you’d be here? See ya thens…

Self: I MISS YOU LORRRRR, even though it’s just 12 hours since I saw you… I want to see you like everydayyyyyy

WISTH: *tahans not to make contact in fear of her getting bored of you*

I hate mindgames, worst are mindgames played by yourself with yourself… :S

p/s Tsuen, I suddenly don’t feel like doing a hiatus, so, no need to wish you lah for now… :D

p/s/s I'm still feeling crappy, I think it's the midlife crisis thingy... But I think it's a mindset too, I need to snap out of it and slap my self silly to start living again...

Scorched Soul

2008-03-24T21:05:00.004+08:00

I'm going to be on a hiatus for now till this semester ends. Not sure why, but am feeling like a machine, void of a soul. Maybe it's the amount of work before me which makes me want to scurry into some black hole and be lost in it.

But thank you for being like sweet water to my dried soul...

Lalalala

2008-03-19T04:37:00.003+08:00

Was bored fixing the robot, so here's some pics of the messy work bench...

Servo Motor used to move the robot arms
My lens cap dominates the multimeter!
Twisted tales of the Robot kind
It's the infrared emitter used in the object detection system
The breadboard used for testing

Shit...

2008-03-18T16:55:00.002+08:00

The robot was becoming a pain, pain to my wallet actually since i blew one IC and two motors. Why? Because I didn't check the power supply regulator pins properly.

So to put it in general public terms (non engineering terms), I was supposed to feed the robot some good high class food through one wire and it's supposed to shit out at another wire. But, I placed the wires wrongly.

Soon after, when it went erratic, with the servo motors jerking around *literally kies* and finally died. Both of them which costs rm 60 each... :S

Scrapped the first robot body and had built a new one segregating the main modules each on their own platform.

Learnt a lot of things through the mistake but it was a tad too costly.

Fed it its required high class food and now its a happy puppy.

Btzzzz

2008-03-17T02:24:00.002+08:00

I feel like a mad scientist.

Coop up in my room trying to build something. But one thing that's constantly repeated would be:

"please please please work"

whenever I plug in the power supply. Most of the times it did, but there are a few times it didn't at it made my heart sink a bit.

Nevertheless, when it didn't work then it did, the joy of it working is doubled. So to celebrate today's robot making progress, Cambell chicken soup at a brainless movie called Shooter for personal pamper time at 2 in the morning... *bliss*

i want to see her so so so so much

No Frills

2008-03-14T16:24:00.003+08:00

One of my favorite pic picks from CBC camp 2008. :)

Been loving the new camera because it just takes care most of the technical stuff whilst I could just focus on the important thing; taking the picture.

My previous cam had bad focusing issues. It would either turn out blur or slow which was very frustrating. With the new cam, I just aim and capture; no frills.

One was so desperate for the camera in camp that I took a 4 hours trip to and fro from seremban back to PJ. Didn't bring it at first cause I had no memory card but found out my other friends had. Anyhow, My mom was really sweet as she helped packed all my gear and met me up at the KL sentral station.

A goodnews came yesterday, that the terrible thesis was to be postponed for another 16 days! I felt like my life was given back to me.

*gives a big sigh of relief*

Prisoner of the Thesis Kind

2008-03-12T15:54:00.003+08:00

Sorry guys for the lack of updates.

Some things that happened lately is:

1) Cbc camp

2) SPENDING THE WHOLE DAY IN THE ROOM DOING THESIS

Erghz. Number 2 is the most killer. Actually, I enjoy doing the hands on fixing up the robot thingy, but writing the thesis is really draggy and boring. I can't wait for friday to just finally pass up the thesis, get back to building up the robot and finally return to normality.

Robot update 2

2008-03-06T01:58:00.004+08:00

Hardware and software simulations are done. Now to implement it physically. Those 3 round things are the motors that make up the robot's arm. Not included in the schemetic are the infrared range sensor and infrared detector circuit. Design is non plagarized whatsoever. =p

The sequence of the robot would be:

1) Detect the presence of a box
2) Detect the height of the box
3) Output the height measured to the LCD
4) Robot fingers close hence grab box
5) Swing robot arm to a certain degrees horizontally according to height A, B, C or D
6) Release grab on box hence drop box
7) Return robot arm back to initial position
8) Wait for next box presence

Everything ran smoothly on simulation, tomorrow have to test it out in real life.

If there's still time (which I hardly doubt so), further stuff that could be added on is

-Interface to a computer and use a GUI to adjust height parameters
-Transmit height readings wirelessly through infrared to another robotic arm

But what I'd really want to do is to add a led box which has 16 leds arranged in a box. With that, make a smiley face when it detects a box. If it doesn't, then well, sad face lor.

What I look forward to the most, is actually naming it when it's finally complete. =D

Childhood Dreams

2008-03-05T02:18:00.002+08:00

Okie, the 5 days plan to finish the final year project kinda failed. HAHA

But things are going smooth with the programming and implementation. Got all the hardware to built it except a couple of things like some height sensor that has to be ordered all the way form UK. @.@ with that, I envy those who stay in US cause they have access to so many robotics specialty shops whereby here, I had to visit 10 shops to get one particular component. Erghz.

Nevertheless, this project has got me excited again about robotics. There's so many stuff I want to try out and with the advent of technology, it's so easy to play around with robotics at your own home.

I'm using this program called Protheus VSM whereby you have like 4000 over electronic parts which you can connect virtually in the computer. Then what's cool is that you can load up your program for the microchip and let the whole thing run.

So right before you, you can flip switches, see motors turn, view LCDs displayed and many more other stuff to manipulate.

At least I've somewhat achieved the dream of building a robot. I remembered when I was 7 years old I drew this robot on paper and wished so much to be able to build it.

Hence the irony sometimes, of how we spend so many of our adult years trying to fulfill dreams we had as children.

School Blues

2008-03-01T23:43:00.000+08:00

Small equipment update, currently got the canon 40D, 50mm f1.8 and a battery grip.

Now need a flash unit plus one wide angle zoom plus memory cards. So much more to spend, erghz. But hopefully after my degree, can go full fledge and concentrate more on the wedding business.

Currently, no mood wei to shoot weddings. What sucks is that I had a wedding to shoot last week but couldn’t cause got midterm test. :S nevermind, most probably the pictures all would turn out a little depressing since it mimics the photographer who’s feeling a bit blue thanks to the school. =*(

It Finally Rained

2008-02-26T02:12:00.000+08:00

At long last, it rained again. Despite the intervallic roaring thunder, the constant drizzle of droplets hitting the roof always brings about a soothing song to me. Not to mention the elimination of the dreaded heat that has been bestowed upon us.

Hence, there’s less one inner frustration to fuss.

Nevertheless, I hate how circumstances could come in between relationships. There’s so much waiting involved considering she started working since. What’s worst is that by the time she returns, I really want to just let her rest.

But, really, all I want is to be in the midst of her. Never mind not having the attention, for now, even her presence is enough.

R: Weaknesses

2008-02-20T19:33:00.000+08:00

You know how monsters in RPG games have weaknesses like fire or ice or such elemental mumbo jumbo? Yellow Monsters have weaknesses too. One is BB and, heat.

I’ve been seeking refuge nowadays in shopping complexes, coffee parlous and anywhere that has any resemblance to a functioning air corn.

In conditions of oven baking heat, I’m reduced literally to a monster; grumpy, agitated and brainless. Not to mention being immobilized. All I could do is just sit and sulk at why is it so hot. Bah.

Anyhow, today someone was so thoughtful. As I was studying in moonpennies, met a friend and she was such a sweetie to purchase rations with the apt knowledge that studying makes one hungry. Thanks Yin =D

Tomorrow’s aircon excursion? Ikea. =S

R: Madness Scientist

2008-02-18T23:11:00.000+08:00

Alright, I have like 2 weeks to finish a final year project that we were given 9 months to finish. LOLS.

Anyhow, it’s like some height sorting robot conveyor belt thingy. So plans are using an infrared sensor as height detectors and using some form of servo motor to do the appropriate actions.

Day 1-flow chart, basic body of program, simulate
Day 2-built prototype using push buttons and leds
Day 3-revamp program for infrared input and PWM motor output
Day 4-built prototype replacing Day 2 items with Day 3 items
Day 5-finalization

HAHAHAHA, it’s crazzyyyyy… whee whee whee. But, it’s doable, I think, I hope.

Btzz btzz btzz…..

Today was interesting, confusing and nice at the same time. La la la la.

Btzz btzz btzz

*fuse breaks down*

R: That's How The Cookie Crumbles

2008-02-17T08:23:00.001+08:00

There’s just a great desire to press some self destruct button. No, not suicidal in a physical level more on a circumstantial level. It feels as if the once ‘I kinda got my life figured out’ stance is now slowly crumbling down.

No, it’s more like ‘ye old age stupidity of trying to contain sand in your hands. But yet I keep trying, keep trying to keep them in my grasp. Nevertheless, it’s slipping by the day when finally like today it feels like there’s nothing more left.

Wait, it’s more like having someone slit your stomach and having your innards spewed out. As you try to gather them back, they keep slipping out again. Frustrated, tired and exasperated, you just sit down and in utter surrender of the dire consequences. It’s even slightly amusing as you scour the ‘destruction’ before you.

In the end, what’s even more saddening is the perpetual questioning of the point of even trying in the first place.

R: Madness

2008-02-16T13:59:00.001+08:00

After hours of reading in the forums, I’ve finally decided on getting the 17-55 f/2.8 IS USM. It’s like RM3.5k which if u add a few hundred ringgit, it’s worth as much as my camera body. Madness? Definitely. But my self (though rather biased) argument is that it’s a long term investment cause I’d eventually get one sooner or later and hey, it’s for work purposes so to speak.

As such, never marry a guy who’s into cameras. Sure you’re beautiful to him, but the advent of a lens or new camera gadget could deem you at a lower level then of the camera gear. Sad right?

R: Criterias

2008-02-15T02:26:00.003+08:00

People should always get married early. Why? Because the felicity of having found the perfect partner gets muddled by the growth of qualities to be met. I thought it was the cup size or the soulmate criteria or intelligence or artistry or cup size. But, each found, potentiality was ironically increasingly lost.

So one has come to such a conclusion. That trueth does the soul meets another meant for each other is as such when the right one screws the hell out of each other’s criteria. When the prior ‘what you’re looking for’ that spans on a list unrolled a thousand miles would be replaced by the singular compartmentalization of the very letters that are shaped by your very mouth to enunciate the calling of that special person; a thousand miles reduced to just a few centimeters of pen and paper real estate, yet is worth the universe to you

To all with burned criterias, A Very Happy Valentines.

R: Aging

2008-02-14T00:32:00.000+08:00

I’m in a state of flux, where everything is in indefinites. No, I don’t want things to be compartmentalized, solidified or even defined. Part of the fun is to see how a story unfolds but sometimes you wish you could peek at the few chapters ahead.

But there are some things you can’t leave to chance for example studies which I wish I could ditch pronto to just concentrate on being a photographer/musicteacher/rockstar. Give me 5 years and I’d show you that dreams are not meant to be just in the clouds but instead be the very solid ground you stand on.

On a side note, I find music matures along with you as such is the beauty of a tune. It grows in two ways. One being musically as in your sensitiveness to the nuances of music itself. You may suddenly notice a certain rhythm, rhyme, chord structure, beat and other elements that you’d not notice few years priors.

Then the other would be its meaning, it could be the best song you’ve ever heard or The Song between someone you loved. But few years past, if the relationship disintegrates, it could be the most hurtful thing to your ears since it flushes down every single memory down that hole in your heart she or he made.

R: Going Against

2008-02-09T23:25:00.000+08:00

Sometimes, we try to make things so perfect. That ever minute detail must be coupled with minute rhythmic precision deployment. Can’t we be allowed to improvise, to not follow time signatures of destiny but instead, crush the predetermined music sheet of life, throw it away and allow fluctuations of error.

Neverminds the consequences, at least, at least, it’s of truth, of the external embodiment of the internal latitudes of emotions. But as such, there’s no such thing, the forces of reality pushes me with much glee into compartmentalization of utter surrenderence to it.

Hence the peripheral question arises? Why go against the conducting flicks of the maestro of destiny called reality? Why make him angry by intervolving and interchanging beats of 1 and 3 with 2 and 4.

Why even try?

Well, one has tried, yet the constant bellowing of reality makes me want to leave the whole orchestra of life itself cause there can be found no satisfaction in both the congruence nor intervallic.

R: Sabah Shots

2008-02-05T22:42:00.001+08:00

Here are some prewedding on location shoots in sabah :) On a sidenote, have sold every bit of my old camera off. I've now grown to realize the power of niche forums, in just 2 days, everything was sold. Better then ebay anytime.

I feel somewhat naked without a camera, no buttons to press. *presses bears buttons*

Anyhow, ordered the canon 40D today and should be arriving tomorrow morning! Can't wait! :D Now to get a new flash and a zoom lens. Just got the 50mm f1.8 today too, am going to miss shooting at f1.4 :(

Oh yeh, whilst walking to the LRT station, i saw two elderly couples holding hands and just chatting with each as if the only thing mattered in the world were them being together and having each other. What's their secret for sustaining such their relationship till the crashing waves of time?

R: Career Update + Geek Out Session

2008-02-01T18:29:00.000+08:00

Am most probably going to slowdown from wedding photography for a few months. After my dear friend Crystal’s wedding this saturday, it will be the mark of the 10th wedding I’d shot.

It has been a great big 10 personally. Learnt and experienced so so so much. I will never give the experience of shooting those 10 weddings in exchange for anything. They were some of the best hours of my life. This is something that I could really wake up everyday and do.

Yet, I realized I’ve reached a limit in terms of the on day wedding photos I shoot. Reasons? I have to say camera gear.

The Pentax k100d is a great great camera. But the autofocus speed and accuracy is terrible. With canon or Nikon, the AF just snaps unto the subject, with pentax, it takes awhile and worst still, its not accurate. I was so so so hopping to the extent it feels like you were hoping that your GF weren’t cheating on you kind of thing, that they would fix the AF in the new k20d but no, they didn’t =.=

So am planning to save up to RM20k to upgrade the system. Gears I’d be getting with rough estimated pricing is:

1) canon 40d - 3.8k
2) 580ex II flash - 1.5k
3) 18-55 f2.8 IS - 3.6k
4) 50-200 f2.8 is - 6k
5) 85mm f1.8 - 1.4k
6) battery grip - 0.6k
7) others -0.5k

Actually I can skip number four for now and limit myself to non Church weddings. So actually, I just need about RM10k to continue my work in a next level kind. Hmm, just got that realization now. Heh. Okay scrap RM20k idea.

Anyhow, whilst waiting for the RM10K mark, am going to start learning about strobing and off camera flash system. Meaning you trigger your flash wirelessly. So to do so, a few stuff coming in are:

1) 2 light stands
2) umbrella adapters
3) umbrella reflectors
4) V2s wireless receiver
5) vivitar 283HV manual flash

Got 1) and 2), 3) would be getting next week and 4)/5) should be arriving from hong kong in 2 weeks time.

R: Photoshop

2008-01-30T18:30:00.000+08:00

Just a small update considering there's so many photos I've gtg through to. Anyhow, always thought how jessica claire makes her photos pop in terms of color and detail. Somewhat learnt her style of post processing and here's the results of before and after. Oh yah, she's Leanne, the beautiful bride of the sabah wedding one was talking about.

R: Truly Malaysian

2008-01-24T01:24:00.000+08:00

What would be a truly Malaysian innovation? MILO!

As I was berbancuhkan my cup of iced milo, the thought came to me that this is one product that is truly Malaysia.

It’s like our national comfort food. Feeling down or sad? Just drink milo in your favorite variations.

Then, I think our mamaks have earned millions of dollars from selling Milo ais.

Yet, the definite sign of total product plunder is how every single chocolate milk is stereotyped and labeled generically as Milo.

Heh.

Am flying off tomorrow to Sabah for a photoshoot. The other photographer’s using a Nikon D3 that costs like RM15k. Mine’s like only RM2k =.=

It has become as such; that you’re the last person I’d want to see before I leave and also the first I’m most eager to see again.

K20d Release, TOMORROW!

2008-01-23T10:20:00.000+08:00

So here's an excerpt from a forum about the coming new k20d:

I really don't know where to start. This is a camera that is almost too quiet, if there is such a thing. Smooth and buttery response. The images shot at the mid iso settings are as clean as 100-160 on the K10D. The colour is magnificent. The noise levels at the top iso end of this camera are about the same as 640 to 1000 on the K10D. As I will not get in to specifics until the embargo has been lifted, I will say this. As an ex-Canon user and sponsored by them, I had an opportunity to use all of their products. This camera is as good or better than the Canon products. The noise shown in the upper iso area looks more like fine film grain than digital noise.

I am using a pre-production version and being firmware 0.39 there will be some upgrades. I have already sent my impressions to Pentax.

This is the best camera on the market today in the mid to upper mid price range. It will compete with the top of the line Nikon and Canon and will do so with no excuses. It won't be fair to compare this camera to the Canon 40D & Nikon D90 as this camera is out of their league and swims comfortably in the waters of the Canon 1D mk lll and Nikon D300...

None the less, if you have any questions feel free to ask. Oh and by the way. Better get a huge 4 Gig SD card as this baby produces files that are almost 50 percent larger than the K10D

Ben

Am so so so excited!!

R: Geeking Out a lil

2008-01-21T13:59:00.001+08:00

Okay, warning, geeky post ahead.

Am excited for the few camera gears that are coming up for Pentax.

-new dslr bodies for Pentax. I really really hope that it fixes the rather relatively slow autofocus of the Pentax k10/k100d’s. And if the k20d has vari angle LCD with autofocus during live view and fixed AF, I would be definitely getting it. 24th January shall be the date it will be announced.

-new tamron 50-200 f/2.8 and 17-50 f/2.8 for pentax mount. Am really really interested in the 17-50 f/2.8!

I have a strong feeling that Pentax is going to be a big contender in the DSLR market this year if the new camera bodies are really well designed.

On a side note, I wish my mood swings weren’t so frisky. There are those who are somehow constantly on a high note; feeling rather happy or just plain benign. Whilst for me, it’s either extremenesses of feeling really good or rather blue.

It’s irritating cause there you are wanting to do a lot of things but suddenly your mood decides to just sulk in difference. Sigh.

R: Mini Update

2008-01-20T21:10:00.000+08:00

Just had a wedding shoot yesterday for Gary & Joyce. It was really fun for so many reasons. The family members were a really warm bunch and it twas nice to meet up again with the first couple I took wedding photos for; Pauline & KJ. When I found out Pauline reads this blog, I was so shy. Why? She teaches English... so...

Gary & Joyce have dated for 9 years. It really shows how much chemistry they have for each other to have gone this far. Remind me to ask them what's their secret.

Anyhow, presenting to you the bride & groom:

Okay, maybe not, here's the real Bride:

Joyce has the sweetest smile and really beautiful gentle eyes. It makes taking wedding photos easier when the brides are pretty. Heh. Anyhow... is that a tummy I see on me? O M G.

One of my favourite shots that night. I wanted to take the risk of trying to shoot them backlit by the stage lights and without flash. Risk because it's easier to just use flash and shoot from the front where you have the stage lights to support you. And there was the videographer who was whizing around infront that if captured may spoil the whole mood of it!

Can't wait to finish editing Gary & Joyce's set. Am going to design a jewel box cover this round and hopefully for the succeding wedding couples in the future.

R: Of Ideas

2008-01-18T14:40:00.001+08:00

Can’t wait for a friend to come back. She’s a photographer and photographer’s can be the best models to work with because they understand your zaniness and would do silly stuff where other models would just go, eyer.

Am thinking of doing this armed series with guns and knifes. To introduce more flow into the photos and to play with more wireless flash.

You know, one of the best ways to get inspirations for composing your pictures is by watching movies. Just take any movie and pause it at any frame and each looks like a great photo by itself.

Anyhow, am going to take photos for a bridal shower today. Usually it compromises of all girls right? HOHO. Ahem.

Thought to self- I’d wish I have two cameras at one time. To be able to switch between two kinds of lenses immediately without going through the need of fumbling around changing lenses.

R: Road Rage

2008-01-18T07:35:00.000+08:00

For all it’s worth, things may have already changed. Where a single road has diverged. Yet for now, maybe the illusion of the closeness is thanks to how such diverged roads are parallel. We could look at each other side to side, speak and even reach out our hands to hold each other.

But, there’s this unnerving vibe of the speeding car of time and how sooner or later, the roads shall move in opposite directions, parallel no more.

So why do I still anticipate and even commemorate.

Nevertheless, I want my own journey now, my own destination yet why I fear we may collide though different paths.

R: Inspiration

2008-01-17T21:00:00.000+08:00

The Japs are an inspiring bunch. Just look at their animes which could make mundane things into preposterous pinches of pleasures. Am watching Nodame Cantabile now; an anime about all things classical music.

Yet, it has a tone unalike the usual seriousness in classical music but instead a charismatic concerto in sillyness. Nevertheless, watching episode after episode makes you just want to play the piano or any other instrument.

Ah, if only they have like some wedding photographer anime.

I Wont Pay You rm50 blek!

2008-01-17T02:07:00.000+08:00

How my friends make life a tad more interesting to live:
Monsta says:
eh eh, how would u want to die?

Grace (mizzgrace): sigh says:
*grace walks in to ray's funeral, ray's wife crying*
grace: hey....take it ez ok? how did it happen?
mrs yong: *sobs* that bastard *sobs* he fucked *sobbbsssss sobbbss* a bitch *huwaaaa*
grace: omg...i knew he was horny but.how could he do it??!!
mrs yong: *huwaaa* yeaa *sobs* he reached *sobsssss* orgasm and *sobssss sobsss sobss* he got an *sobs* heart attack!! *huwaaaaa*
*whole hall looks @us*

Grace: sigh says:
HAHAHHAHA

Grace: sigh says:
die peacefully

Monsta says:
.................

R: Resting in Restlessness

2008-01-15T23:46:00.000+08:00

There’s a need everyday to just do something. To achieve something, no matter how small. May it be a completing a new level in a game, taking experimental photographs, building gundams, ANYTHING.

I realized, when I’m in a state of idleness, I get really really restless.

Maybe, the busyness brings about certain calm. You forget what lies ahead or before, but just the moment of being engulfed in whatever that driving you to turn that small dream of yours into reality; tangible reality.

R: Cardilicious

2008-01-14T21:38:00.000+08:00

Finally, the name card has been printed. Actually, I wasted RM40 on a pile of sucky printed cards.

Sure, RM40 for 100 pieces but it came out looking bleurgh and like some kahuna’s ass. Not pretty.

Hence, taking cue from Tsuennie *I owe u big time for being the inspirator*, I used one of the smoke shots as a backdrop to a new card design.

Squeezed as much cards as I could into an A4 print and headed down to a print shop in Amcorp. RM4 for an A4 printed copy on professional photograph paper; it was a definite steal.

And, I love the outcome of it! It has a nice matte surface and the thickness is just about right. And it's really cool if I say so myself. HEHE

Wanted to go the extra mile and get it textured but shall leave it for the other set. It be fun, using different photos as backdrop, can make like some raymond’s calling card collection series. =.=

Anyhow, overall its RM 4 for 10 cards so 100 cards, RM 40? 100 times better then that cacat cacat cacat card printing shop.

R: Funky Smokey

2008-01-12T20:16:00.000+08:00

Okay, so here's the smoke I've been wanting to shoot. The smoke is backlit by a flash unit triggered wirelessly at about 1/4 power. Image mirrored and colors are overlayed in photoshop. I love the middle one the most. The 2nd one looks like a guy's privates. =.= Hope you like this series.

Hi Specs!

2008-01-12T03:16:00.000+08:00

Okay, for all you specs wearers out there who wants really great but cheap specs, here’s a great Great Discovery: www.ZenniOptical.com. This optics specialist is offering great deals on well made prescription glasses for all types the types of your vision needs. The great price offered is because of the none middle man between you and the seller. Do check it out for your specs needs.

R: January

2008-01-12T02:02:00.001+08:00

January’s going to be quite an exciting month. Am looking forward to:

1) a wedding shoot next week

2) a wedding shoot in sabah!

3) a possible consignment from Female mag

4) shooting smoke *shall do it tmw actually, now to buy those scented sticks*

5) a new dslr’s that’s probably going to be announced by the end of this month!

I so wish that they’d solve the AF problem. You see, the camera is great, but it focuses too slowly compared to other cameras. Bad for weddings.

Anyhow, it was nice to hear another wedding photographer saying that he was actually really surprised how the photos from a pentax camera turned out. And, after the Muar trip I fell in love with my camera even more since I got to try a Nikon d80/d50, Sony a700 and canon 350d.

After trying them all out, my first love is still… loved.

Ain’t relationships the same? We keep thinking of what’s over the hill but once we went over and scour the land, we realized that the person we thought weren’t enough for us was actually the best. But, sometimes, such realizations comes a tad too late. Boo hoo for us who are fickle *points to self*

Hired Cars

2008-01-12T01:08:00.001+08:00

For years and years and years, I’ve not have my own car. Why? Well because one it’s expensive for me now and to maintain it would cost another big atomic bomb. Then there’s the issue of petrol and such. Actually, maintainence ain’t such a big issue compared to the monthly installments I’ve to pay.

There are so many people who are bogged down my monthly installments for their cars and such which definitely disturb their monthly cashflow. Nevertheless, there are many times that I wish I had a car. Especially on rainy days whereby had to walk to the LRT or such.

Yet, there’s an alternative to buying cars. Yes, now you can like houses, rent these cars for a certain period of time. This would be perfect for people like me who don’t always need the car 24/7.

With a contract hire, you don’t need to worry about monthly installments and even insurance since the ownership of the car is not totally yours. But how could you start looking for hired cars?

Well, online there’s a many sites that offers you a slew of hire cars that you can browse and pick. The process is really simple since you could easily compare the cars, pricing and other details easily on the website.

Surgery Assistance

2008-01-11T08:40:00.001+08:00

With the advent of HD television, lots of celebrities are now are in high gear for loosing weight and such since unwanted fat is shown clearly and in fine detail over such HD technology. Hence one way for effective wait lost is a tampa weight loss surgery called Lap Band that’s a kind of reversible surgery. It’s great that its reversible since any mistakes or such could be remedied hence lessening the danger of surgery itself.

R: Doink

2008-01-10T19:49:00.001+08:00

Room updates: okay, the color scheme thing is flushed away. Shall leave it to my dear interior architecture friend to it. For now, err, shall continue packing ze room.

--------------

Ray: I just want to sleep, let’s skip school today.

Conscience: No, what is this, first week already skip classes so much, must go!

Ray: Fine

Ray with Conscience travels for 45 minutes to KL and spends RM 3 on taxi to Uni.

Arrives greeted by a deserted Uni. Feels that something is wrong, calls Ivan.

Ray: Eh, today, DK4 right?

Ivan: AH? What DK4, holiday lah today!

Ray: WAT???? @##%@$

Ray the proceeds to kill Conscience.

r: Room updates of sorts

2008-01-10T03:17:00.001+08:00

Okay, the room’s looking a tad better. I could finally see my floor a little and not needing to do funky moves to get from the door to my bed. Going to repaint the room from the ghastly failed yellow tint to a more agreeable color.

Learnt that designers usually do this 60/30/10 ratio for colors. So am choosing 60 white 30 black and 10 dark brown. 30 black goes to my gadgets plus table which most are all black anyway. The dark brown because the built in furniture’s in that color.

White? Well, to facilitate indoor studio shooting. Am going to set up one corner of the room for photoshooting and such.

Then, am going to print out some of my shots, frame them up and somehow get them on the walls.

There’s this really nice big table from ikea and this sofa bed I’m eyeing for. But, shall postpone it till the end of the month to see how earnings are.

I would love to somehow shift up the piano downstairs to upstairs into my room. That’s another far off idea.

Anyhow, today was the 2nd day going to ikea alone. It kinda leaves you a tad bit lonely. I scrolled down my phonebook to a single soul to go out with me but I couldn’t. I have a handful of friends that are really close but you can’t really bug them always.

Nevertheless, that’s the nice thing of being in a relationship, somehow/most of the time, there’s always him or her that’s your partner in crime. Yet, I’d rather not be in a relationship now, too much is at stake but the loneliness can sometimes be deafening.

R: Room to the Broom 2

2008-01-08T20:06:00.000+08:00

How do you turn over your room that looks like some war torn battlefield? You just nuke it. That’s what I wish to do, take everything out that’s precious to me and just nuke everything else in the room in hope that as the atomic dust clears, all that’s left is a whitewashed sterile room. Wait, there’s the atomic DUST to take care eh?

Anyhow, am going to embark again to pack my room. So battleplan would be:

1) Get everything possible out of the room.

*embarks*

R: Muar Postupdate

2008-01-07T01:02:00.000+08:00

Am back from Muar! And it was so so so so much fun! Why? Because:

1) It's my first outstation wedding shoot
2) The whole family of the bride and groom were really nice to us, especially the 'heng tais'. I felt like part of the gang instantly
3) Met one's photographer sidekick. Name twas Clive and he was a fun chap
4) Got to stay in a hotel and enjoy 2 things that I don't have at home; hot showers, a clean room/toilet and air conditioning. Okay, that's 3
5) The whole wedding was really happening. It was just pure fun shooting the wedding day
6) I believe the photos this round are a big notch up. Lots of shots I'd love to share with you
7) It was a nice getaway from the computer, the jams, the noise, the polution. But, let me stay for a week and I'd scream boredom. Time there moves perpetually slow

I didn't really take many shots of Muar, wanted to save up memory space for the wedding. Speaking of memory cards, I'm so so so so so so glad that I'd bought that backup thingy. At first I was contemplating whether rm 500 was worth just for a backup system but alas, it was worth everying single penny!

As I was unloading the photos, there was this card with 350 photos all wiped out. I think while someone was looking at my photos, they accidently deleted all the photos by pressing the wrong button.

I was in dire shock. Luckly, senses came in and I rmbred I backed up the cards anyhow. And thank God, it was all there in the backup hardisk! I'm now contemplating of getting another backup system albeit a cheaper solution just as a secondary backup. Anyhow, all of the photos I took that weren't wedding related.

The err, Smashpop gang? The girl on the right is really cute in person!

This is ze Muar River, which was right behind the hotel.

Clive gazing the horizon for a photo opportunity.

Some.. er boat dock thingy

The things that photographers do get the shot they want...

Networking Tools

2008-01-03T17:49:00.001+08:00

Networking is such a broad area in terms of technological supplication. The available tools for you to design, set up and manage networks are as rich and deep as the sea. Amongst one of the most used tool of network engineers are telnet operations through Telnet Server. With it, remote access is available for all manners of network discretion.

R: Fragments

2008-01-03T17:45:00.000+08:00

Do you feel as if our lifestyle hinge on the fragmented. It’s like it’s hard to ever focus on doing just one thing and one thing only. We need to be constantly be fed with alternatives, options and just something else to do then the one thing we are doing now.

I find that in myself. Whilst watching an anime, I’d divert to checking mail, to chatting, to many other frivolous endeavors; frivolous relative to watching or more accurately, completing that anime.

Such is our lifestyle; trying to fit 3 suitcase worth of events into a single one and hope to just sit on it, praying that it won’t catapult our behinds to oblivion.

Chili Love

2008-01-03T01:03:00.000+08:00

How can anyone not love chili! To have the fiery aftertaste lingering in your mouth definitely reminds you that you’re alive. So if you’re a chili fan and wish to try out cooking chili dishes, here’s a great site for chili recipes that all about chili and more chilies! Do check it out.

R: Happy Day

2008-01-03T01:02:00.000+08:00

Would be traveling down to Muar for a photoshoot this weekend. Have hopes of it being fun since a few friends I know are going to be there as well. Great that this time one won’t be shooting alone but with another pro wedding photographer.

Highlights for the day includes

1) Getting a 22inch monitor! Hooking it up to the PS2 was bliss and it was a real bargain; RM800 for such a big visual realestate.

2) Finding out that the battery charger that I left at my client’s place is still there and not being used as an element in a game of catch

3) A phone call

Am going to Borders tomorrow to get coffee and absorb as much inspirations from the wedding photography books there in prep for the shoot this weekend. Really really want to just bring the wedding shots to a new level.

Smokescreen

2008-01-03T00:35:00.000+08:00

Have you ever tried kissing a smoker? My friend did and it was the worst kissing experience that she ever had. Soon, it really became a problem, not so much of the boyfriend smoking but of her needing to put up with all the bad breath from the cigs.

One way of combating such bad breaths is to consume breath gums that help take away the smell of post smoking endeavors. Smokescreen, as aptly as it is named, SmokeScreen Gum Freshens Smokers Breath hence you’d need not fear of having bad breath and leaving the bad aftertaste to everyone who around you, whether you do kiss them or not.

R: Spring.. (err, whats the season now?) Cleaning

2008-01-02T13:09:00.000+08:00

Okay, the moping around during new years is personally sickening.

*throws emo broom away*

I need to clean up my act. Clean up my room. Clear my mind. Clear my room.

There’s like this external and internal messy vibe that I’m feeling. I think, it’s the translational and transitional this post new year is ushering in.

To revamp the mindset, to resuscitate realty, to recoil negativity.

To have… fun. Yes, that’s it. To have blatant oversaturated fun, something that’s not been happening lately. Life’s, muted even in the midst of all the fireworks.

As such, hope comes in the form of a close friend coming back this February. May she mess up my life again in a good way. =)

R: Merry New Year!

2008-01-01T20:15:00.000+08:00

New Year Resolutions?

1) Exercise Everyday

2) Eat Healthily

3) Shoot More Weddings

4) Don’t Skip Class

5) Be Better at ze Guitar

6) Invest More

7) Spend Less

Errr… I don’t know what else one would want to accomplish. New years eve was simple, too simple. Anyhow, new years itself was spent bowling in the morning, sleeping in the afternoon, reading in the evening and soon dota at night.

R: Cikgu Ray

2007-12-28T10:48:00.000+08:00

The dream professions are:

1) wedding photographer

I think that’s kinda on the way to succession. No qualms about that.

2) teacher

I like teaching actually. There’s a satisfaction seeing students finally understand. That expression of sudden realization of the things taught. The next best thing would be a music teacher!

Teaching music is another profession that gives you a big return for your time invested. Imagine for 2 hours max you earn RM120 at least.

So, am thinking of going for guitar lessons soons to polish up on my skills up to a point i can teach. Most probably it would take a year and an investment of RM1500. Better then spending on a 22 inch lcd monitor me thinks.

Prep Examination

2007-12-28T03:03:00.000+08:00

Whenever there’s an exam that is to be taken, one thing I wish for was this: to have some mock exam before the real thing. Isn’t it great if you could somehow emulate how the real exam would be, question for question. Okay, maybe such replication is farfetched, but to have a taste of the type of questions that are coming out and to be able to try it out is a great commodity.

But such mock exams has to be accurate in the sense that it mimics the syllabus of the exams that you’re about to take. With that, you could easily benchmark yourself on whether you’ve had enough preparation or not.

For example, real estate exams. Real estate exams are a queer set because the syllabus from state to state is different depending on the governing law of each respective state. Hence the Appraisal Exam has to properly mimic the particular state whereby the exam would be taken at.

There are actually exam preps that assure you that you pass the first time through by using their exam prep software. So why not give yourself a higher chance of passing exams by putting in a bit of effort in trying out prep exams?

R: Face Value

2007-12-28T00:04:00.000+08:00

We were talking about me being on mother's milk for too long a time:

Yin @ http://vainstuff.blogspot.com says:
HAHAHA u were enjoying every single drop

Yin @ http://vainstuff.blogspot.com says:
no wonder ur face look like pear lah
Yin @ http://vainstuff.blogspot.com says:
u sucked too much
Yin @ http://vainstuff.blogspot.com says:
ur jaw narrow, ur cheek bones are high
Yin @ http://vainstuff.blogspot.com says:
LOL
Yin @ http://vainstuff.blogspot.com says:
now it all makes sense mr yong tau foo
Yin @ http://vainstuff.blogspot.com says:
then ur eyes sepet bcoz u too syoik sampai mata tutup tak boleh buka

Thanks to my friend (who's a girl I mind you) I've finally understood why I look the way I am.

*swt*

R: Bored

2007-12-27T17:35:00.001+08:00

I’m bored of the routine, of the conditions, of the realities. There’s a dire need to escape, to be lost for awhile, to be surprised, to be moved, to experience_somethingnew.

To rediscover

But then what can I do?

Maybe a vacation. Hopefully Johor and Sabah next month would break the commodities of repetition.

I’ve been scouting around for wedding photographers. And there’s this one who has shot weddings in Venice, Beijing, Paris and a whole lot more places. His pictures are amazing and the price too. Starting from Rm2800! Woots! :D

Tomorrow, print business card and to see someone I miss very much.

Easy Funds

2007-12-27T12:01:00.000+08:00

Starting a business requires some form of startup fund. Usually, that’s the hard part, finding someone who would be willing to lend you such a fund. Yet, if you search thoroughly, you could easily find some companies that borrows Small Business Line of Credit. Such Small Business Line of Credit is funded quickly and the process of getting it is easy.

Donate Your Boat

2007-12-27T11:56:00.000+08:00

There are many charity and donation events that one has seen, but nothing like this before. Here’s a rather interesting one whereby you donate boat and with that, the boat would be resold for a good price and the earnings be given to charity.

These charity earnings are then used to help distribute various children’s animation dvd for free. Moreover, the team has just completed their antidrug use video which you can order for free too. The video depicts of famous surfing legends on their rise to glamour and fall from it because of drug abuse.

So why not donate my boat to help out in such a charity project.

G. Pigs

2007-12-26T20:59:00.000+08:00

I actually pity the first few weddings that one is shooting cause they are usually testbeds for camera skills.

My progressive test plans were:

1) Try out Wedding photography -done
2) Shoot more people who are smiling -done
3) Improve lighting shots -done
4) Add drama -not yet
5) Composition -not yet
6) Framing -not yet
7) Collaborate everything together -not yet

So the latest wedding was on trying to improve the lighting in shots.

On a side note to self... must really really really pack room.

R: A Doggie's Life

2007-12-24T19:36:00.000+08:00

Just watched I Am Legend. A rather silly movie title, personal thought.

Anyhow, awws, the human race is almost extinct, the guy's alone and such. Sure, it's a melodramatic depicting a possible human destiny, to all become infected with rabies.

Yet, what moved me to tears was not all of the above, but the scene with the dog. Yes, that scene that's so so so so so sad. I could take all sorts of emotional bombardment but none from the dog suffering kind.

Another dog suffering scene that still sticks prominently in my head is one from the Fly 2 or was it 3? Kesihan!

Shooting a wedding tomorrow on Christmas day. On one side, it's income on another it's sacrificing a chance to spend the day with persons/person that's dear to you. Well, at least this time my really good friend is tagging along as second photographer which is such a luxury to me to have a friend alongside me.

Merry Christmas everyone =)

R: It's all in the name... card.

2007-12-23T02:27:00.000+08:00

Oh, here's a semi final draft of one's business card. Would most probably put the line 'wedding photographer' under my name or such. Am excited more on choosing the paper on which the card would be printed. Dunno why.

R: Today

2007-12-23T02:14:00.000+08:00

Ah, am absolutely affirmatively exhausted but, euphorically happy. I don’t want today to end just yet hence shall enslave the awakening of one’s body through a nice comforting cup of coffee.

Bought what I wanted and some. It was nice having another Gundam enthusiast joining the crusade to find the best pricced Gundam kits. We scurried from one toy shop to another then back after exhaustively completed our price comparisons.

Then off we went for dinner with another group of friends and then, a few happy hours in the cybercafé. Yet, as we were going back, another friend tried to run away with my box of Gundam =(

Ah, twas a good day.

R: Fears

2007-12-22T14:18:00.001+08:00

Today's going to be pamper self day. Am going to take 20 percent of this month's earning and.. splurgeeeeeee... get anything i want with no guilt.

I think I've blogged about this but just in case; my biggest fear at night is windows. There's this natural tendency to imagine that whilst looking out through a window at midnight, a certain pair of eyes would look back at me from the outside.

......

Don't you think it will be freaky? Like if you're on the 2nd floor, then suddenly, you see someone right outside your window staring back at you.

......

Okay, don't kill me from freaking you out! HAHA

Video Pools

2007-12-20T03:31:00.001+08:00

There’s so many great videos out on the net. Yet, I don’t really have the time to look for that needle in the haystack of a youtube or such kind. So I really a lot on video channels that pool in great videos in one spot. Mohamad Zein's Channel is no slump with lots of interesting videos to boot.

R: Room for Thoughts

2007-12-20T03:25:00.000+08:00

So here I am, 3 AM in the morning thinking of you. *die die die*

On an equally morbid note, my.room.is.in.a.mess.

Infront of me there are 3 empty coffee cups, cd upon cds, playstation 2 and three speakers. Behind of me is my used to be study table, but not it’s full of parts of a Gundam I’m fixing plus 2 speakers. To my right is the dressing table with university textbook but with that odd Julia Child cook book and an empty whisky bottle plus 1 speaker. To my left is the wonderful bed plus a box of unfixed Gundams plus 1 speaker.

To my back left is my medals, unfixed Gundam that has been collecting dust for few months and a few more boxes of Gundams. My electric guitar with rusted strings is there too plus a keyboard underneath my bed. Towards my back right is my clothes closet, magazines on computer games, photography, electronics and more Gundams. On top of those magazines are a few completed/lazy to complete Gundams.

Let's not evaluate the floor shall we, it may be too much of a horror for your liking.

And insomuch a glimpse of the chaos in my room and, maybe my mind too.

Centralized Management Anywhere

2007-12-20T02:26:00.000+08:00

Alright, imagine you’re on the road and in the middle of no where. Luckly there’s a cybercafé of sorts that you stopped by to check on your important business email. Wouldn’t it be great to be able to do more then check your email?

How about being able to check your company’s stock, monitor the performances of the several business offices you have across the country. Basically, to have a central component whereby you can easily orchestrate your company’s business system.

Yet, usually to have such a control, you’d most probably need to lug around your laptop. Sure it’s small, but sometimes you don’t have the liberty to do so. So what you really need is a business management software that you can access remotely anywhere on any computer that is hooked up to the net.

The possibility is here with web based business management software. Because it is web based you need not carrying around important data that maybe stolen or be corrupted due to accidents. It’s convenient too since you don’t need to fiddle with installation packages and now, you could grant access to your managers by just giving them specific login details to the web based management software.

This would definitely help increase the efficiency of your company’s management.

R: No

2007-12-20T02:01:00.000+08:00

Such are the things I enjoy nowadays:

1) A good book and coffee

2) Sitting down at a park and just feeling the evening wind

3) Having a nice meal with good conversation in between

4) Fixing Gundams whilst having Mayer on play

5) *secret*

Anyhow, been learning the liberating power of the word ‘NO’. When dealing with clients, at first, I’m like saying yes to everything they want but of course, it chained me to unneeded work.

But lately, one has been practicing assertiveness and saying ‘NO’ to uncalled for whims and whines. I guess it’s human nature that if you don’t show a bit of assertiveness, they will push your limits.

In the end, the person who you were assertive to for the right reasons would end up respecting you instead. I think the biggest revelation to my own personality is that one can be too nice that it drains out all the energy in me.

Yet, after practicing certain tips I got on being a nice guy yet not a floor mat, it made amazing significance to my energy level and my interaction with people. I'm more relaxed and less stressed.

Cheap VOIP Calls

2007-12-19T21:23:00.000+08:00

At this age, my friends are all over the world. Most are not in their home country because of the pursue of education or a better life. Nevertheless, they are still important to me no matter where they are. I’ve tried keeping in touch through e-mails or instant messaging but yet, it lacks a human touch to it.

So the next best thing would be a phone conversation. There’s really no substitute of hearing the voice of someone close to you on the phone. To hear the auditory signals of happiness, sadness and such human emotions you could pickup from the tone of their voice.

Nevertheless, these outstation calls are usually expensive and tedious. I used to purchase calling cards whereby you need to key in a long list of numbers and not even including the number of the person you’re about to call.

I’m thankful that through advancement in digital telecommunications, I could now cheap international calling through VOIP technology. These VOIP data transfers are amazing because the clarity it offers for the price you pay is very agreeable indeed. Moreover it’s fuss free and gone are the days of keying those long list of numbers.

With a savings amounting to almost 90 percent of usual international call rates, you have now no boundaries in making overseas calls to your loved ones through this VOIP network. No more calling at weird time zones just to save few extra dollars. It’s convenient, cheap and congruous to all your international call needs.

R: Is it Time to Drown?

2007-12-18T21:31:00.001+08:00

I wish I had the money to go learn Jazz piano from David. 2 years and you could be playing in the local music scene. That be a fairy tale career; jazz pianist/teacher + wedding photographer.

I was reading books on entrepreneurs and one thing in common between the many successful entrepreneurs were:

1) They failed many many many times.

2) People at first think they are the stupidest people with the stupidest idea.

3) They were scared shitless.

So far I can relate partially to 1 and mostly to 3. 3 the most because throughout this journey, there were many times that it was scary and lonely.

Yet, 3 is really the fear of getting 1. It’s hard to be a successful failure. A successful failure is one that fails, learn from the mistakes, move on and just don’t do it again. In reality, it’s easy just to fail, feel crap about it/yourself/the universe and just quit.

But it’s sad sometimes, cause just right at the corner of the failure is success waiting for you if you had only hold on.

So, just keep swimming, and swimming… and swimming.

R:H & S

2007-12-17T16:17:00.001+08:00

Had a simple head and shoulders portrait shoot for Maria and her husband David for her album cover today. The photoshoot took place in her hair saloon. Then, I helped them fix the saloon’s streamyx also. I should charge streamyx for this… =.=

But the place had a nice orange *I think* backdrop, just nice for portraits.

Her husband is a music producer and has tutored the many prominent jazz pianists you see playing now in gigs. E.g. Mont Kiara Jazz Fest; most of the pianists were under him.

And he’s offering me lessons for a discounted price!

Everything and anything Jazz; Acid, Fusion, Bebop, GOSPEL! AHHH! But, it’s still pricey. RM70 for an hour. He charges RM100 usually.

These are times I wish I were a millionaire.

Maybe I’d just take a 3 month crash course.

R: Jiggle Jogs

2007-12-16T18:47:00.000+08:00

After yesterday’s stomach bout and toilet bowl kissing, it made me realize how unhealthy I am. Hence, one need to start choosing what I eat and go exercise more. In Japan, only about 40 percent of the population exercises. Malaysia, dunno.

Oh, what better way to start jogging then with a new pair of shoes from parents. Mind you, I don’t ever buy proper shoes. It’s usally cheap bata ones or below rm100 reeboks. Hence having a Nike for the first time is landmark placing.

But, u tend to question the quality of it. For the amount spend, you’d expect proper stitching and at least having the paint job on the shoe stick to it’s boundaries. But no, there are slight paint bleeds here and there. The stitching at some parts are a bit uneven. And it’s made in China. =.=

I think I’ve been building too much Gundams.

For now, jogging yo. *man boob jiggles*

R: Volatie Vomits

2007-12-15T23:29:00.001+08:00

Today was hell. Wait, today’s morning was hell. I woke up feeling nauseated, went to the toilet and puked like Niagara falls.

Then the taxi trip to Bankers Club was stomach churning hence once I arrived there, I did what I need to do; puke even more.

Things flashing in my head whilst both of my elbows were on the toilet seat was:

1) I want my mommy

2) What the heck am I doing here

3) What the heck am I being a wedding photographer

4) There are 12 more hours in front of me

5) shit shit shit shit shit

So in desperation, I called a friend to back me up. He could only help me out in the afternoon. Then, in further desperation, I nearly wanted to call this guy who charges more then half of what I was earning in fear of being sued.

Anyhow, when work started, I suddenly felt better and better and better. Mind you, I was starving cause everything one ate, it went out through the mouth. Erghz.

In the end, I still love the job. I think the shots this time are up a notch thanks also to the really nice aesthetics in Bankers Club.

It was a really emo wedding. I was weirdly trying to hold back from tearing few times. I’m just glad to be home, glad the photos turn out well, glad to just stop puking.

Reversi

2007-12-13T00:25:00.001+08:00

Surgery is a big thing to be involved in. You’d absolutely want to have a trained surgeon to conduct surgery on you. Moreover to ensure that everything goes well. Nevertheless, there are surgeries that are reversible like conroe lap band. It’s a kind of surgery to help you loose weight when other methods fail.

R: Busy Be

2007-12-12T23:06:00.000+08:00

My Fav Pic From That Day
Lack of updates = BUSY!

Been trying to get a picture done for a client. He wants to print it out on an 8R size for his wedding day itself this Saturday.

It’s not been easy but it has been a fun learning experience.

1) How to be calm no matter what. That to be emotionally and mentally stable is more important then skills itself.

2) How to set up a gallery online. There’s this really cool thing you can install called gallery2 that has tons of themes and plugins to customize the gallery itself.

3) The client may know what he or she wants but sometimes, you need to gauge whether their input is making sense at all.

People think that it’s as easy to point a camera and just snap. It’s not so. Trust must exist between you and your photo subject whether it be a model or wedding couples. I find these couple shoots before the weddings are excellent to get to know the couples more.

It’s going to be a busy 2 months and am thinking of taking a one month break to focus on studies after Crystal’s wedding in February.

Weddings in December
1) 15th, 25th

Weddings in January
2) 5th, 19th, 26th

Weddings in February
3) 2nd

Special Cards

2007-12-11T02:32:00.000+08:00

We all know how credit cards can be malicious in getting us in Loan debt. Used wisely, it’s one of the most convenient things on earth, to have such a cashless system. But then again, with the forefront of such flexibility, it’s only human nature to abuse such convenience.

You can take lots of practical steps to avoid being in Personal Loan debt. Yet, if you are already in credit card debt, there are many ways too to consolidate your debt. One way actually is to get a new credit card. These Credit Cards for Bad Credit are specially made to help credit card owners to regain good credit from their first one. But one has to be careful as the card is best used to help consolidate bad credit and not be used as a secondary card for purchases per se.

2007-12-09T14:42:00.001+08:00

Tons of emotions colliding with each other right now

and it’s leaving me a tad dizzy. @. @