Kwok Syndrome
Woke up at a good 3pm today. With too many things to do. On the way, we drove past this big house.... that looked pretty eRieeEEee....here's a pic of it I had this really nice picture of the moon reflection over the water. And was thinking of a name, when Shar was msging me over the MSN thingy. "moon river" haha.. coz it was at the friggin singapore river anyway. Think i'll go shoot somemore night stuff the next week. Hopefully some money rolls in so that i can go take a short holiday.. by myself... Anyone wanna come?
Firstly, i was confirmed a Job to shoot the Tsunami victims. Which meant i had to go down to the card printers place to pick up some samples. Will be doing that tommorrow.
Secondly, I had to answer this Joshua's phone call about a job in September, which meant that i have to start preparing a quotation for him.
Thirdly, these people from the promotional ceremony last night wants their pics. which meant that i have to make low-res for them and email them out of good will without charge.
Forthly, I have to go down to the Kodak people and do some samples to let AOMC have a look before printing the 300+ pcs for them.
Fifthly, I have to find the time to go down to my shop, pick up the lights, and return to Peter Lau at his place.
Lastly, I'm meeting Val and Cheena for dinner, discussing a possible business thingy.
Okay... and i'm pretty proud that i managed to complete all that today. Am going down to nick's place to grab the camera, head down to AOMC with the samples and then to Ubi to check out the card samples. Then to Kodak for the printing. All that tommorrow!
I went out with 2 of my old friends from CHBTC last week as blogged earlier on, met them again on sunday. I mean really man, I missed talking to them. And we had a good time laughing and talking. Here are some of the pics 
..
Anyway, this is the picture that really doesn't look like the typical postcard picture of a reflection of the moon on the river
Photo Editing
I spent today taking pictures of people shaking hands with people. Basically today's the army promotion ceremony for officers and warrent officers. This was held at OCS main auditorium. OCS was the place that i resided in for 10 months of my life, training to be an officer. And to be back there, i must say there's a certain sense of nostalgia. Here is a pic of the place..
Anywayz, today was a day of screw-ups and miscomms before that. My equipment was with Johan, who borrowed the stuff for a shoot that he did over the weekend. I initially asked him to charge my batts for my flash ( coz i knew there aint anymore juice left in it) . HE, thinking that i was referring to "If you use my flash, make sure you charge the batts before passing it back". So obviously it wasn't charged when i took it back. That is a small prob as i can get my AAs at the gift shop in the camp. Nice Nicky went to borrow a camera for me ( as i initially asked to borrow his 350D as a back up cam) - the 20D's lens is pretty screwed up, so i wasn't ready to risk taking pics with the crappy lens that may get jammed as and when. . And since the 350D was lent to Diana to UK, Nicky went to borrow a 1DS for me. And so i thought "good then, I'll use the 1DS with my 50mm and the flash. The 20D will be my back up camera!" - or so i thought, and off i went to Orchard to meet Nicky to get the cams. On the way to his office, ... in the cab, Nick was explaining to me how to use the cam. There wasn't any juice left in the battery. Confidently he whips out 2 batts from the bag.. .. .. except that the batts are for a different camera. Horror started then. Not only that, I needed 2 tripod - mine was good, and Johan forgot to fix the tripod base plate when he lent it to me.
I'm now left with a battery-less camera, a camera with a cranky lens, a weak battery-ed flash and one usable tripod.
I'm glad i survived it though. Don't ask me how. But thankfully I did. Phew!
On are more thoughtful note, I was just thinking about how everyone loves to judge the people around them except themselves. Guess we as humans love to find the tiny fault with someone else and condemn them for the rest of their lives. Maybe it's self-protection, in fear that someone might chance upon a secret that they have and may be used against them. Maybe by using a scapgoat to amplify their issues, they cover their own. I have probably been guity of being like that before, but then again, what right do we have to judge people around us? And this definately i've been guity of - From someone's outlook, some other's speech, even those who walk too slow on the overhead bridge - I have often uttered a curse under my breath. Well, he who judges, are being judged anyway. Just a thought.
Morning post
Oh, I'm just being bored at 6am. Wanted to sleep at 4, but didn't. And decided to make a montage of some of the Surreal Gig that i did couple of weeks back.
Yawns. I'd better be heading to sleep. I'm actually gonna be at SAFTI Military Institute later on to shoot a promotion ceremony. Yes yes, it's low paying, but what can i say? Our Defence Budget spent it all on the fancy sandles that they give to all new recruits now~ yes i'm sore that i didn't get a pair.
I'm gonna be shooting for the up and coming Baybeats 2005. Do come down and check it out if you're free~! Or better still, make time to come down~!!!
My long time pri-sec school friend, Esmond Wee's 'al-most-famous' local label band thingy, Vertical Rush will be playing. Do support our local bands~! Come on nicky and the heatwave gang... have you forgotten ..Counter Culture? heh heh.
Good news, Surreal has requested to use my pics on their up and coming EP. Hope they call me in fer their album (wishful thinking). Gee.. the sudden directions that i turn my craft into. Band photography IS pretty fun really. Of coz the pay... aint.... there lar.
The Mighty Bayonet
I was just having a conversation with my brother over MSN. and was debating about war tactics. On whether you, as a platoon commander with 7 men flee a battle knowing that there are a hundred enemy riflemen coming up against you. And on whether you will booby trap your dead comrades in a bid to kill more enemy soldiers. And lastly, fighting to the very last breath, will you charge at the enemy with your 7 men with bayonets.
Interestingly we pulled out a document from the ever-reliable internet on a report on a bayonet charge in the Iraq war that saved the lives of british soldiers stranded in a spot, being pinned down by Iraqi soliders. Here's the article :
http://www.mirroe.co.uk/news/allnews/
tm_objectid=14954555&method=full&siteid=50143&headline=cold-steel-name_page.html
And more information on the mighty bayonet is found here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A847532
And Altogether now~~~ ON-GUARD!
Empty Chairs
Was speaking to one of my ex-'spiritual leader' on the phone. What was suppose to be a 5min call to thank her for being my msn psychologist, we spoke for over an hour on love, relationships, hate, forgiveness, self-reflection, time-factors, God and the whole deal on living life. I must say that it was totally different speaking to her - comparing how she used to help me out during my bible school days. The problems i faced then - I thought were life-changing and too difficult to handle seems almost microscopic comparing to what i'm facing now. And the problem with me is i often magnify my issues and complicate it further by not dealing with everything. I guess I slightly more clear headed now and may hopefully make better sound decisions - something I'm infamous for not doing.
I then went to the good old "Lido upstairs" for dinner with Johan just now. And had my dose of Long Johns- something i use to have almost once a week. Dinner was a simple affair, and we just updated about our lives. He just finished his bmt and just got his posting order. Good for him he's in a stay out unit. Looking back at my NS life, it was one hellova rollar coaster ride for me. Was one of uncertainty and unforeseen changes - right to the end. From finishing bmt to posting to be a clerk to pilot training to infantry officer training, to spraining my ankle 3 times - in fear of getting shipped out of course, to commissioning as an officer to becoming a staff officer in Mindef, to taking over several projects when we shifted to CMPB, and then lastly just before it was about to end, extended my NSF service to go to Taiwan for to help out the school. I was looking at everything i've done and it was indeed alot! And to me, contradictory to many others who say that it's a 'breeze' and it'll pass very soon, didn't for me. It still feels that it didn't. I think Alywin will agree with me the amount he has learnt when he was in his unit, just is so much - the people he's met and the many things he's went thru, - be put thru circumstances that he never thought he could make it but emerged different and willing to take up greater challenges.
After a chatty dinner at Lido, Johan and I decided to head down to meet Nicky at another good old place that we used to frequent - Brekos. Whilst having a beer with Johan waiting for Nicky to knock off from work and join us, i was just looking around and imagining how the scene looked like a year ago. ->
A few of us will be there looking for seats - about 8-12 seats for that matter. Alywin may be parking his car and walking over with charmaine, norman would probably be waiting outside, being the earliest to arrive. Gracia and Selywn would probably coming down together from either his place of hers. Myself and Diana will also be heading down either from town or home. And nicky will usually call and say he's on his way but would probably still be at home. Elissa will once in a while join us along with Theresa and maybe Evan. And as usual, Ivan and Adrian will be unfashionably late. And we would be probably have 3 tables and all seating around chatting and talking about everything, from school, to finding a job, to about work and the bosses. The guys may be bitching about the army and how long more to get out of it - about the ORD party that we so planned but never materialise. To how we can beat each other in War Craft, and someone will suggest to go lan immediately - much to the dismayed look on all the girls' faces. When asked how's things, Nicky will occasion turn to me and say the one name that he still does 'Alvina'. Sometimes, Selwyn and Gracia will have their little but cute bickerings that most of us will just....ignore. Myself will be looking at other girls much to the 'sighed' give up look on Diana's face. Theresa will usually be teasing Norman about some girl or another, and Norman will always be giving his usual stand of place. Ivan and Adrian will usually be talking about how cheap beer is over at the other side and how they'll be getting their place stocked up with booze and other stuff, often ending with how they'll strategise in warcraft against the horde. The girls will be talking about god knows what coz i usually don't bother. Slowly but surely, we'll end up whinding down and move on home.
Just then at brekos, after having that flash back, I looked around the place. The menus had changed. The staff at brekos had changed, I was seating at the outside area, near the road and was looking in. It was one table, and 4 chairs. Johan and I occupied one chair each and the one beside Johan had his book. the one beside me was empty reserved for Nicky. The mood was mellow and quiet. Nicky arrived and Alywin called Nicky on his phone. Hearing his voice was almost wierd - whilst seating there at brekos.
Everyone has their own jobs, and their own studies, and their own problems and their own things to do in their own respective places. The memories linger and sometimes it seems faded and unclear. But i'm glad we had those moments. Those times that we prob think will last forever and think of just as yet -another group outing- . It's already very amazing how we've still stuck with each other even tho we finished out course of studies at mcm. And i applaud that.
So the 3 of us were there with nothing much to talk about, just the usual updates. The converstations were like a tiny candles. It was ... simply put - nice.
All the best guys, and girls. hope my UK dudes are doing fine, the Aust couple getting by winter, and the rest will be taken care of by whatever they believe in.
friends
alywin
diana
charmaine
norman
ivan
sahila
mimosa
nicky
sharon
val
gracia
Jenn
sel
previously
something from awhile back
it's been awhile
the snow at grouse
2008
last post 2007
wtf
okie.... it's been a long while.. min min reminded...
paris
Cairo
mellowish
archives
June 2004
July 2004
August 2004
September 2004
October 2004
November 2004
December 2004
January 2005
February 2005
March 2005
April 2005
May 2005
June 2005
July 2005
August 2005
September 2005
October 2005
November 2005
December 2005
January 2006
February 2006
March 2006
April 2006
May 2006
June 2006
July 2006
August 2006
September 2006
October 2006
November 2006
December 2006
January 2007
February 2007
March 2007
April 2007
May 2007
June 2007
July 2007
August 2007
September 2007
November 2007
December 2007
January 2008
February 2008
April 2008
May 2008
