Simple but impactful

Sometimes, it's the simplest rule that makes all the difference.

Jerusalem-based Senior Photo Editor Sharon Perry showcasing some of the best Reuters images from The HolyLand with side notes on the photographic angle used by each photographer. It has served as useful refresher for me!

Watch following video for voice-added presentation!


(via Reuters Blog)

Go Team Hoyt!

There are so many times a day I put myself small, stopping at where I could have made a difference, big or small, to people. However, I'll never know what is the outcome of my action if I never do it. So, do it, experience it, and do it again. That will be my cycle of action from now on.

If you think you "can't", watch this and ask yourself the question again.



Jo supports Team Hoyt

Headshot

(via)

Argentinian photographer, Catalina Bartolome, shot a couple of interesting photos portraying women who all cover their faces with unusual household items. It's idea like this that keeps photography lively and interesting! And don't get the message wrong - women are so much more than these!!

With the rest of Catalina’s work, here.

Photography Between the Sheets

(via - Photography Between the Sheets: Love Hotel Series by Grace Kim. Visit this link for more pictures. )

New York native photographer Grace Kim caught glimpses of aftermath of visiting pay-by-the-hour hotels in Seoul. It questions what's left after the absence of love for a couple. Well, at least this is what I get out of it. It's the emptiness that gives me an eerie feeling.

And Grace's take on this project is:

“Love hotels in South Korea are commonly known to be where lovers go to carry on secret affairs. I was given access to photograph the rooms of a love hotel in Seoul after couples had checked out and before the rooms had been cleaned. Korean culture has many rules and formalities that have always felt very restrictive to me, so I was intrigued by the idea of being where I shouldn’t be and observing things I shouldn’t be observing — remnants of love affairs that were presumably forbidden as well. Absence of color, like the absence of identity, extracts the bed from their original context and realism, leaving space for personal projections and imagination.”

Excerpt from Flavorwire: Works from the “Love Hotel” series — including three 40″ x 60″ prints – will be on display at Melanie Flood Projects through October 7. Under the Glass Bell, A Dream is photographer Grace Kim’s first solo exhibition. The gallery is open by appointment only; email for more information or attend the opening on Wednesday, September 9, from 7-10 pm.

If you're in New York, there you go:

186 Washington Avenue Brooklyn, New York 11205

Reuters Editor’s choice - Best photos

I found this in my daily Google Reads. Powerful pictures? Of course I've seen even more powerful epics in image form. But second picture on Winton’s children struck me the most.

( Source: Reuters Original Post )

The melted metal from a vehicle that burned during the Station Fire is pictured in the Tujunga area of Los Angeles, California September 1, 2009. The so-called Station Fire has charred 127,000 acres (51,000 hectares), an area nearly the size of Chicago, destroyed at least 62 homes, and is still capable of terrible destruction, fire commander Mike Dietrich said. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

A girl, re-enacting a scene from 70 years ago, stands in front of the Winton train before its departure from Prague to London September 1, 2009. The historical train departed from Prague on Tuesday to re-trace the original route from Prague to London with several survivors and descendants of 669 so-called “Winton’s children” on board. The “Winton’s children” were rescued by Sir Nicholas Winton in 1939 from being sent to their deaths in Nazi concentration camps. REUTERS/Petr Josek

A woman mourns inside the Beslan school gymnasium September 1, 2009. One thousand children and parents were taken hostage by Chechen separatists on the first day of the new school year on September 1, 2004. After three days of siege, Russian forces stormed the school and some of the rebels blew themselves up. A total of 333 hostages — more than half of them children — were killed in the chaos and hundreds were wounded. REUTERS/Stringer

Military and forensic experts inspect the body of a man who was killed outside a nightclub in the border city of Ciudad Juarez August 31, 2009. A man was handcuffed to a fence and shot several times by drug hitmen outside a nightclub, according to local media. The assailants also left a warning message, known as “narco mensaje”, at the site of the shooting. REUTERS/Alejandro Bringas

Dechinaphobia

You just can't imagine how much I fear and hate China at the same time for very good reasons that you have no right to judge. Unfortunately, I will be surrounded by these faces soon later and thinking of it seriously gives me creeps.

I pray.


By http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattlinden/438051924/

Koop Island Blues

I love this video very much. It captures the emotions just right. Can you feel it? Quoting the info from Youtube profile. So, you read it yourself.

Koop is Oscar Simonsson & Magnus Zingmark.

When listening to Koops music it's somehow easy to believe that it's played by a small orchestra, but in fact the music is based on samples. Thousands of small clips from records puzzled together into new songs. All the drums, strings, horn sections and choires are actually sampled! This is a very time consuming way to make music (it's one of the reasons it takes such long time to make a koop album), but it's the only way to create the surreal Koop sound. One thing though, that for sure aren't sampled, is the vocals. Many singers has blessed the Koop albums with their talent, and on Koop Islands the singers are : Ane Brun, Yukimi Nagano, Hilde Louise Asbjornsen, Earl Zinger and Mikael Sundin. Koop Island Blues is sung by Ane Brun and it's taken from the album "Koop Islands".

The video was shot in Paris by J.F. Julian (director) and is starring french actor Mia Jacob.

Lyrics:
Hello my love
It's getting cold on this island
I'm sad alone
I'm so sad on my own
The truth is
We were much too young
Now I'm looking for you
Or anyone like you

We said goodbye
With a smile on our faces
Now you're alone
You're so sad on your own
The truth is
We run out of time
Now youre looking for me
Or anyone like me

Na na na na

Hello my love
It's getting cold on this island
I'm sad alone
I'm so sad on my own
The truth is
We were much too young
Now I'm looking for you
Or anyone like you

25" h

Kimiko Yoshida

Photographer Kimiko Yoshida transforms herself into the brides of the world in an ongoing series of self-portraits taken over the last seven years.

View more from her site http://www.kimiko.fr.

The Sakura Bride, 2006

The Cyber Bride, 2003

The Green Tea Bride, 2006

The Mao Bride, 2006

The Pokemon Bride, 2002

The Tamates Bride, Vanuatu, 2003

The Afghani Bride with a Bukhara Cap, 2005

The Shinto Bride, 2002

Marilyn Minter

Marilyn Minter, one true artist that creates visual projection through motion capturing photography or motion pictures itself.

Read The Year in Pictures for more. This will say enough about her.

45 Lessons

By Poe Taetum

I'm stubborn and rigid. I believe in only the ultimate correctness in everything I do. All actions can be analyzed and concluded in a one-liner hypothesis. I try so hard to see beyond what naked eye perceives and seek truth in all philosophical ideas. And throughout the years, what I understood and tried to apply in my life seem to have been summarized in the lessons here by an old lady. The lessons resonate with what I believe in. Learn from the old man, they say.

Everything doesn't have to be that complicated. I agree.

45 Lessons in Life

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words ''In five years, will this matter?".
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time, time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come.
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

Carnet secret

Carnet secret, originally uploaded by aurelie guillerey.

tres jolie.

Life and life itself

I need to write about this. I need to remember this.

You will first lose something then only will you cherish it. This theory is most applicable to our precious life as well. On day to day basis, we have pushed the limits of not doing the safest bet for ourselves. We just don't. Human beings can be such a pain in a way that we tend to be ignorant of what's the best for ourselves, and go out of the way to push certain limits.

As I try to recall what happened this afternoon, the ambiguity that surfaced in my memory seemed to have wiped out what I tried so hard to remember.

It was the most inappropriate moment to read a text message.

Her hands were on the steering wheels when a mobile phone beeped along with a new message coming in. She knew for sure where the text came from and thus, shifting her focus to the phone while driving. I don't think this girl was that good at spelling "dangerous" at that time. That was when she noticed that she would miss a turn in the next 10 seconds if she did not switch to the left lane immediately. What's so ignorant about the driver was, she did not consider the factor that it was raining and the water has created the pool of grip-less slide right in front. There was also a cab right behind her car within close distance.

So, she stepped on the brake to slow down the car before she intended to slowly put on a signal and shift to the left. However, the weather and road condition seemed to ignore her intentions, lifted her car slightly above the ground and spinned her all around.

For one moment, she wasn't so sure anymore, if it's the world that spinned or the car that did. Then, the moment of confusion triggered her assumption that everything would happen just like in the movies when the car flipped and the driver got smashed against the windshield without airbag. What might come along with the package, could also be a bloody face, with permanent scar on the face, and she would ran away from the public and live alone forever.

When the car was pushed in such strong momentum, the wheel ran over the curb before it bumped over the other side of the road where traffic flowed in opposite direction. She couldn't believe it was happening so, she waited to hear a big "thud" or "bang" or other cars honking. Perhaps, the car would flip upside down. Fortunately, none of those happened other than the few thuds when the car bumped and slided over the big curb. She frantically observed her surrounding and noticed that there are no cars around at that time. That was definitely very lucky of her.

Once she has cooled down, a car started to put on a right-turn signal and turn into the lane where the car was landed. Without further ado, she slowly drove her car forward to the far right corner where she stared ahead in such absurd numbness and sat for 10 long minutes not knowing what to do.

Nothing's wrong. The car was fine. She was fine. The whole radio was bumped in such force that has unloaded itself from the dashboard frame. Then, her mind wandered off to think about her awesome evening plan ahead.As her thoughts and excitement picked up, she ignited the car engine and slowly drove ahead to continue her journey.

What's wrong with me?
Where is my fear?
Why isn't there any emotions but mere surge of adrenaline?
Is this "the" wake up call for me to re-evaluate the value of life?
Will I remember this forever or never?

This is my second time cheating death, by having such horrible accident in a scale that have taken other people's lives but not my own. Will I get lucky again for the 3rd time? I will not let this happen.

I would remember this as a good lesson learned. But what I wasn't sure is, how long will I store this in my memory. Will I be able to change my lifestlye/personality/mentality/habit drastically to avoid this again?

Trauma doesn't stay more than 2 days. Something is wrong with me. I can't feel. Can you?

The problem with consumers is...

We're just a bit lunatic sometimes. Have we lost faith in both humanity and the higher power that some might even turn to food to seek shelter and solace?

As Battlestar Galactica characters chant, "So say we all..." Then your "Cheesus" will bless you.

Extract from here:

It's partly a matter of luck, but it also takes a good eye for spotting the random edible miracle. You should also remember that context is everything: You might find a Shiva or an Apollo, but they're not going to be that newsworthy in the U.S., so stick with tried-and-true icons like Jesus or the Virgin Mary. A Cthulhu-shaped snack might net you some cult fame but probably not a lot of money.

Read Related on SeriousEat
In Videos: And Finally Tonight, Jesus in a Bucket of Spumoni

Open Door

Front door, originally uploaded by Craft & Creativity.

Knock knock? Anybody home?
Knock knock who?
Knock knock, it's just me.

Then, you open the door and let someone in.

Doubt

Doubt can be a bond as powerful and sustaining as certainty.
--- Doubt (Movie)

Because of this line, all the doubt that's been fluffing in mind has cleared away. If life is not a mess, what fun is left to it? Let me click play, and keep on watching.

Till then,

J

It's just 27 May and I have no words of wisdom for you

Life's a mess, and we have long known this but are just reluctant to accept the fact. Perhaps, when the childishness was lost that long long time ago, and when responsibility is what keep you going in your life, when the decision that seems appropriate is not what you wish, when all the happen is not what you imagine. It all starts when when you start learning the meaning of life.

Today, yours truly, me, have no mood for everything but the mood to write an emo post. Thus, my complaints below:
1. Politics are for power hunger people. You're either one of them, or the victim of the game.
2. Life's a bigger mess than you think it is. So, deal with it.
3. The more you want to stop thinking about it, the more it will stay in your mind. So do something else.
4. Do not forget dinner and Thursday night is for friends. ( You didn't see this one coming, did you? :p )

Post #101

For this 101st post made after the blog was revamped, all I have is something sad to say. Change is constant. And this realistic rule applies to friendship, relationship, and non-human relationship matter. That sounds exactly like a non believer of everything. Well ... meet "me".

Writing at an impulsive moment can be rewarding to capture some hidden personality/traits that you never realize you would have.

Smug.

Sharing with you some nice pictures behind the scenes of 007 Quantum of Solace.

Direction

Photography was a license to go whenever I wanted and to do what I wanted to do.

---- Diane Arbus

Kids

I'm still not over this song.

The Destination List

If I get to stay in Europe, here's the places I would want to go. Typical destinations I would say.

1. Barcelona, Spain. Perhaps for the gothic culture.
2. Southern France. aix-en-Provence & cote d'azur! Marie, bring me to d'Alps!
3. Prague, Czech Republic. Hello, my bohemian friends.
4. Vienna, Australia. Eh, neighbour?
5. Hamburg, Germany. A visit to my stony friend to get more stonned!

Ok, London too, although I'm not quite keen with Brits. I would shop in H&M and not Oxford street.

Let's go Gaga

I wonder if Lady Gaga is the next fasion icon after Gwen Stefani.
No, Gwen is much better.

BW

James Craig takes beautiful black and white landscape photographs. He is clearly a master in the art of black and white photography, and knows how to use nature's textures to create his unique works of art.

(via)

Money money money

It's about time for me to look into my personal finances! So, I made a very serious attempt by reading all these articles. However to put thoughts into actions is always...challenging. Until then.

Here's something I read recently.

Spend Less by Keeping Large Bills in Your Wallet: You're less likely to spend your cash if it's in large denominations, reports the authors of a paper published in the Journal of Consumer Research.

Everything You Ever Really Needed to Know About Personal Finance On Just One Page: Included in this ebook are a number of great tricks and tips for both spending less and earning more.

Make a list of the 10 most expensive things you own vs. the 10 things that make you the most happy: "Consumerist capitalism is the least oppressive system of mass trait display ever developed."

My Personal Credit Crisis - a New York Times' economics reporter's tale of financial disaster: Edmund L. Andrews says he willingly "joined millions of otherwise-sane Americans in what we now know was a catastrophic binge on overpriced real estate and reckless mortgages."

The Sun

I read this from The Sartorialist's blog. And this confirms my theory that the sun in Australia that lil bit different from here !

A few of you commented that the light in Australia seems very different. You're right. Actually, it is not that different - but since they are going into Winter the sun is much lower in the sky as opposed to in the Summer when it is very high and has a harsh shadowing effect. That's why I could take a midday beach shot without all of the hard light reflecting off of the sand.

Julia/Julie

I was wondering what the hell is Julia/Julie thing since it was featured by a foodie blog. Then, when Meryl Streep's name appears, I decided to click on the link and I never regretted since.

The trailer for the upcoming Julie & Julia movie is out! Meryl Streep plays the venerable Julia Child and Amy Adams, the blogger Julie Powell who chronicled cooking through Julia's Mastering The Art of French Cooking through her Julie/Julia Project blog. The film is based on Julie Powell's book of the same name, as well as Julia Child's My Life in France.

( via SimpleRecipe )

And, yes, I'm keen to watch this. To see someone attempting to change her life though a single inspirational source that didn't seem to convince the people around her at all, that's the spirit I need to keep me going now !

Miss Dior Chérie

Have I posted this before? If I have not, here you go. If I have, here you go again.



Sofia Coppola's Miss Dior Chérie ad. Utterly beautiful and adorable :)

The must-have wedding shots!

Just to let you have a taste on what's on my mind lately. Yes, it's THE Must-have Wedding Photography Shot List! This will be my bible reference list although it's more suitable for western ceremony. Hopefully, no screw up on D-day.


By Ryan Brenizer

1. Prep Shots - Bride & Groom
2. The Dress - Hanging or Draped
3. The North Window Shot - Bride facing out northern most window
4. Bride walking down stairs
5. Bride looking out (window or door)
6. Maid of Honor & Brides Mom - Zipping Dress
7. Bride Applying Make Up
8. Groom Fixing Hair
9. Grooms Father & Best Man - Attaching Boutonnière to grooms lapel
10. Groom Checking the Time
11. Groom with Grooms Men & Fathers
12. Bride with Bridesmaids & Mothers
13. Bride with Mother & Father (also grandparents)
14. Groom with Mother & Father (also grandparents)
15. Bride Limo - Groom Limo
16. Bride & Groom - Exiting Limo (Bride being helped out)
17. Groom waiting at altar
18. Church Wide Shot (with & without guests)
19. Bride walking down aisle ( Side Profile & Front )
20. Father giving away bride
21. Groom over the shoulder shot of bride ( & Vis Versa)
22. Holding hands - Bride and Groom
23. Bride & Groom Kiss
24. Bride & Groom Leaving Church ( Receiving Line)
25. Bride & Groom - Inside Limo Shot
26. Reception/Banquet Hall Outside shot
27. Food Shots (Cocktail Hour, Drinks, etc.)
28. Shot of each table full of guests
29. Shots of Bride & Groom with & without family
30. Bride and Groom Portraits
31. Bride & Groom with Bridesmaids & Groomsmen
32. Bride and Groom Hand & Ring Portraits
33. First Dance
34. Bride & Father Dance
35. Groom & Mother Dance
36. Bouquet Toss
37. Guarder Belt Toss
38. Cake Cutting, Bride and Groom Feeding each other
39. Misc. Guests Dancing
40. Bride & Groom Eating
41. Best Man & Maid of Honor Toast/Speeches
42. Bride & Groom Toast/Speeches
43. Centerpieces & Flower/Decorations
44. Guestbook Signatures
45. Small Children Dancing with Bride & Groom
46. Bride & Groom’s Parents Dancing (Plus Grandparents)
47. Venetian Hour Photos (Coffee, Ice Cream, Etc)
48. Bride & Groom giving away wedding favors
49. Groom Giving Coat to Bride
50. Bride & Groom “Just Married” Vehicle - Driving Away

（Source: Digital Photography School)

The Rose

Some say love, it is a river that drowns the tender reed
Some say love, it is a razor that leaves your soul to bleed
Some say love it is a hunger an endless aching need
I say love it is a flower and you it's only seed

It's the heart afraid of breaking that never learns to dance
It's the dream afraid of waking that never takes the chance
It's the one who won't be taken who cannot seem to give
And the soul afraid of dying that never learns to live

When the night has been too lonely and the road has been too long
and you think that love is only for the lucky and the strong
Just remember in the winter far beneath the bitter snows
lies the seed that with the sun's love in the spring becomes the rose

Written by Amanda McBroom
Sample this song | Read about this song

This song was played over THE saucy poppy bubblegum tv show and it struck a note in my memory that chimes till now. I can't remember when was the last time I heard this song. Oh, it should be the one time when the Taiwanese tv series The Rose ( or something ) became so famous and this should be in the soundtrack then. Perhaps.

Another off-topic note, I have been seeking a platform to mitigate and pent out all my frustrations and thoughts and even concluded that blog is the worst solution ever ( as what I usually commented on others' emo posts). Well, writing something here that might shoot back at you is just @)(*#$(&%$(* as you do not know who is reading. So, think about it, this is just terrifying yet thrilling for me, which I love. Since I made so many plans for this blog and never stick to one, we'll see what fits into my should-not-be-busy-but-turns-out-busy-all-the-time schedule.

Lastly, huge congratulations to J.A. for finally confirming her wedding dates! :) This post is for you. Probably, this is the most personal post ever, for the past year or two. Here you go.

To all the non-believers, let's just stay put.

几米 《我的心中每天开出一朵花》

人不是鱼，怎会了解鱼的忧愁。

鱼不是鸟，怎会了解鸟的快乐。

鸟不是人，怎会了解人的荒唐。

人不是鸟，怎会了解鸟的自由。

鸟不是鱼，怎会了解鱼的深沉。

鱼不是人，怎会了解人的幼稚。

你不是我，怎会了解我。

I need to pick one.

1-2-3, which one to pick.

Adulthood

I feel tempted to write a post about it.
But no, cos I'm an adult.

( P/S: And only if I'm still writing in modblog. Bah... )

Lessons learnt
1. Life's a bitch.
2. Never assume full trust no matter how tempted you are.

FUCK!
(clique ici )

Horror-scope

Your life may be more complicated than you wish, yet there's no simple method to reducing your current stress. You have basic needs that require you to act in specific ways, yet your heart desires something very different from what you have. Don't let go of your wishes for a better future, even if you don't know how to get there. Holding firm to your desires now in the midst of change is a smart strategy that should ultimately pay off.

Hell yes.

Kermit Bale

You must not miss out this post - Kermit Bale. At first I thought it was someone being so creative to re-frame the pictures with Cristian Bale with Kermit the Sesame Street frog character. Then, as I read along - no fucking way, it's all random coincidence from google search.

Way to go, Bale. You're no better than a frog.

25 (not so) random things

A viral spread of tagging game in Facebook. Here's my take.

Rules: Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you. Dont take a lot of time with this--25 random things about you--be creative. do it do it! anddddd BEGIN.

(To do this, go to “notes” under tabs on your profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, type your 25 random things, tag 25 people (in the right hand corner of the app) then click publish.

1. It took me 15 minutes to find the button "Write Note" in Facebook cos I removed it from my app list. Then it didn't allow me to tag more than 10 people. When I finally found the correct place for me to tag 25 people, I already felt so inequipped as an IT-person.
2. I don't take carbonated drinks because of the tingling sensation it gave my tongue. But sometimes I make myself drink it for social reasons ( hell yes ) and that happens by my gulping it down my throat without tasting it.
3. The rain drops on the windshield, or glass, or any sort of transparent surface give me creeps. It's the polka-dot-animal-prints-looking pattern on the glass that gave me goose bumps but I find that being too ridiculous to tell anyone.
4. I have very short span of memory because I cannot remember what happened within the last 15 minutes but I can remember what happened beyond the 15 minutes very well in details. Weird.
5. My high school dream was to be a designer for graphics, theater sets, interior, product, industrial design or just anything cool. But I couldn't make up my mind so I am where I am now. Well, partly because someone looked into my palm during break time in school, and told me I'll do well in IT. (Now I find the reasoning of that decision really crazy.) Duncan, you know who! :p
6. I wonder I can even think of the remaining 19 facts but I'll try to write a short fact as long as possible cos it looks cool. Yes, this is cheating, I know.
7. I used to buy a lot books from the booker prize list. However those much recommended books end up in a dusty pile no matter how good the critics say. So, I've gained acceptance that I can't fake the literary genes in me. And, Neil Gaiman rocks.
8. I'm a serious person and I never tell a joke in my life. Seriously, because I can't store any jokes in my memory and also I don't find myself that much of a funny person. If you heard me telling one before, I'm sure I didn't think that was a joke at all.
9. At some point, I wild-dreamed that I could be a pop-culture critic because whatever unpopular things I once started liking, became so popular a few months later. Then it made me hate it so much in return.
10. My brain is good at imagining things, wild imaginations you can't imagine ! So, at times, I sit by in a corner and observe/imagine the life of others. It gets very funny sometimes.
11. I love travelling alone for the solitude during the journey and the fun of meeting strangers. And I find that difficult to explain to others. Also, cos of some personal experiences, I get very selective at who I will travel with, if I do travel with anyone.
12. New year resolution is not my thing.
13. I am a snail-mail person. With the widespread of email, I still hope to use snail mail but email sometimes since most people email for its speed and convenience. And me, for sake of others' convenience. So, please write to me.
14. The best time of my life, so far, is freshman year in university and I miss those people I met back then and have lost touch since.
15. I can never win a poker game, or card games, or ball games, or whatever games.
16. I used to make cards for my friends and I think the designs were good! :p Now I prefer receiving them, handmade/bought, over some fancy presents ( exception to cameras and flight tickets!! ). If you received one from me before, lucky you cos I'm less creative and diligent to make them now.
17. Favourite chocolate: not expensive Lindt ( I know it's good, I really know that ), but Ferero Roche and Kinder Bueno.
18. I can speak only 20 sentences ( okay maybe a little more) in French and I want to pick it up again soon. Writing it here so that I will do it!
19. I used to think I would die at 18 because I couldn't see what would happen past that. But, now I find that really ridiculous yet funny.
20. I use haircuts as a way to change my mood. So I have dyed my hair blue, purple, red, platinum blonde, blonde, pink and brown before. And of course, they were done in separate occasions.
21. I used to take obvious naps in class, all the time, from high school to university. And I really wondered why the teachers still gave me good scores, seriously. :S
22. I'm actually afraid of heights which was why I went sky diving, and also want to bungee jump before I'm 30. I know The reasoning doesn't sound convincing.
23. The length of my hair never reach further below my shoulder because the humid weather forces me to cut it whenever it reaches shoulder length.
24. I started blogging 6 years ago, ( anonymously for 4 years or so, and publicly then on). Now, I am less keen to do it because it becomes such a normal thing to do.
25. I don't like garlic and sashimi. I can't even start talking about anything related to them.

Over to you, if you're keen to have your own list :)

Pick One

Prayer flags, Langtang, Nepal

It's the sour grape effect talking when others have done what you dare not attempt.
So, you'll go " wow, that's so amazing...I wish I could..." and that kind of crap.

Please start doing something for yourself today.

2009 Wishlist

1. PSP - I don't think I'm going to use this often
2. WiiFit - I prefer the outdoors but it's just cool to have this
3. Oven - For a good attempt to start baking/roasting/grilling and whatever it can do
4. New car - Finances do not seem hopeful but we'll see
5. Nikon D90 - I shall get this before May 09?
6. A change at work before July
7. Good bods - Hmm, work harder, babe!
8. A flight ticket to Europe - And make somebody pay for this.
9. Watch a striptease in Amsterdam - Muahaha! It's bit too wild but definitely will be fun to try out. It'll be even more fun to get a few guys to come along.
10. Hot Italian secret lover - Right -_-" Let's pray.

Untitled

Il y a longtemps depuis j'etais dans l'amour.
Je le manque. C'est vrai.

Wrap up

One hell of a good New Year for me.
:)

What Obama wants

A tableau of the new president's obsessions, illustrated by the talented Fosta, from London, aka Nick Foster. Click through for larger size



Through (Boing Boing)

Bounc'em up.

I know you will want this.

Very cute avatars from Russian Illustrator Ilya Kazakov.
Yes, I post cute things too.





Get them here.

Abandonalia

Abandonalia is a blog collecting some amazing photographs of abandoned sites. I'm not sure if the photographs are taken by the blog owner or it's a collection of random finds/posts.

Regardless, the textures and colors abound in these site full of stories seemed to be very captivating. Perhaps a certain post-processing of HDR is involved, but still the air of solitude remains.

You be the judge.

Flickr + Blog

Crayon Physics

It's 2009 and all the new year resolution crap is just not my thing. Since everything's quite settled down lately, I figure I should get back to the blog wagon.

As a start, I stumbled upon this very aesthetic PC game. Using the word " aesthetic " doesn't really justify what it is. But it definitely has something to do with art.

One night when I couldn't sleep I spent 10 minutes finishing the game demo and I felt better to go to bed, in a positive way. So it can some kind of alternative therapy too. Take my word for it. Or none at all.



Visit the site to download the demo before your purchase.

Notice

I can be bad.
Very bad.
So, have fear for me.
=)