CNY : More Visiting and Posing

Started the 3rd day of the Lunar New Year visiting houses of relatives and friends.

Naturally, after devouring other people’s cookies and sweet delicacies, we sit down and pose for the camera on a tripod.

They want to join in the fun too! I mean, c’mon, who doesn’t like having their picture taken? The ones who denies it are liars.

In the meantime, some of us inane humans feel the utter need of posing in the middle of the road, under the scorching sun. Anything for that perfect shot, isn’t it?

And yet, still find it irresistible to face away from the camera even when we’re cramped pack in the elevator.

Decided to have McDonald’s for lunch, since we were on our feet already, before proceeded to visit more houses!

Changing.

I'm going for something new. After having mom and dad suggest it and actually pestering me to do it. Of course, they say that parent's aren't the best people to go for fashion advice but I'm taking a chance.

I'm letting my hair grow.

Yes, to change.

Just feel like getting something new. Oh, who knows what it's going to turn out looking like. It's been 3 years since I actually hair that could be shaped and styled up. I'm sure I'd have to forgo things like falling asleep anywhere without a bother of the hair or waking up and looking messy or going out with a t-shirt and jeans and still look kept together. Back to the old days, I suppose. Crap, there's still that hair-growing period which will definitely make me look ridiculous that I have to go through.

Nonetheless, I'm still giving it a try. After all, I can always shave it away and go back having military hair.

In contrast, to think about it, other people (KennySia?) are shaving their hair away for a good cause while I'm doing the opposite. Hmph.

CNY : More Tripod Fun.

Started off the 2nd day of Chinese New Year at apoh's with plenty of eating, drinking and gambling.

It didn't take long before we started posing again for my camera standing on a miserable tripod while waiting for the lion dance troupe to come by the house.

Yes, we're really full of ourselves, verging on narcissistic and we really love having our pictures taken.

After a long wait, it finally came and the children were excited as hell to see it. No surprise, as it only comes once a year. Talk about anticipation.

Managed to get a group shot of everyone there then, this year - thanks to the tripod after all. Not a perfect shot, but at least it's something, given the rush of the moment.

Carried on the day with our annual visit of relatives living in hills and mountaintops, where electricity is a far cry from home. Then again, it's a once a year affair, reason enough to bear it.

We came, we saw, we conquered camwhored like crazy and trashed the place up before leaving, savagely emptying stacks of boxed drinks and packets and cans of tidbits. Oh, and collected angpaus as well!

And like every year, the one advantage of visiting these folks in the suburbs is that we get to put a hell load of explosives without getting into trouble (the sound is subdued and absorbed by the forest and the trees the house is surrounded by). Only thing this year, a young and innocent banana tree was the casualty.

I Wish...

that sometimes, if not, most of the time, people would judge others less. I wish I did too. I wish that we might just take more time from our own selfish lives to get to know more about the person next to you or even the person whom we already judged. If only, we could stop the strong assumptions of a person's personality or character...

Wouldn't we gain an extra friend?

Of course, I'm speaking here with the self-realization and the guilt that I've done the same to others over the time and nonetheless, been treated the same way too. If only we could put an end to this. Wouldn't the world be a better place to live in?

Funny thing is, why do people like me still succumb to other people's judgment when we are fully aware that there is not judgment in this world that matters except that of God's? I can't find an explanation.

People should judge less. Better yet, not judge at all. I should stop too. Then again, it's human nature and it requires more than will and reasons to put this away.

I shall try day by day.

CNY Tripod Fun.

Started the new year with attending the mass on CNY Eve which lasted till the year transitioned.

Woke up the next day on the 1st day unusually early to start the annual routine of visiting and collecting angpaus.

Put on obligatory new clothes to "usher" in the new world. Just like the rest of the Chinese population.

Started camwhoring as soon as things started getting bored.

Stumbled upon a reflective glass pane and got a shot.

Proceeded to other houses for visiting, or rather "pai nien". Had loads of food and collected a number of angpaus in the process.

The addition of a 2 year old cousin, Amelia, who seems to have a penchant for posing as well, not to mention intruding in most of our photos are evident in the shots. Also seems to have taken a liking to the tripod, constantly working it like a camera and wanting to "snap". Future protege of mine, perhaps?

And of course, camwhored like crazy. Only thing this year was that I decided to bring the tripod along - hence, the full length shots and orchestrated poses.

After a long and tiring day, it still boils down to family unity and I got the entire family shamelessly posing for my camera at the side of the road, regardless.

Happy Chinese New Year.

I guess I'm not too late. =)

Busy, Busy, Busy

The past two weeks have been insane (and the weeks to come even). Never a moment for me to stop and breathe. School hasn't been entirely helpful with the sudden explosion of homework and assignments. As of this moment, going to school is like attending a daily crash course on Economics, General Studies and English Literature. The teachers seem to be trying their utmost best to shove the entire syllabus down our already swollen throats in the time frame of these few weeks. Just take for instance, in previous years, I used to be able to fill my first few months of school with multiple novels and storybooks as there isn't anything much going on in school. Now, the only thing I'm cramming down my brain is Chapter 32 of Jane Eyre. Yes, it's just been two weeks and she's a;ready finishing the book - the book which none of us in class had spent the holiday reading in which we find ourselves struggling now to keep abreast with the teacher's speed.

Coupled with that, I've just started tuition class on my General Studies as well. Above that, I still need to find the time to juggle between my school work, tuition class, house chores and club duties. It's a total whack at the rate I'm going now and I won't be the first to say that a trainwreck is bound to happen. Most of my time are distributed unequally for school work, after school activities, house chores and tuition. If I'm not spending my time, juicing my brain to do a proper analysis for one of Thomas Hardy's poem, I'm probably spending time drawing up organization charts for the club or arranging the details for the next meeting or even worse, compiling pictures for the school administration as I'm one of the many photographers for the school. Did I mention, I'm spending a lot of time on that because my computer's running a tad bit thin on space? It's like a spring cleaning going on in my hard drives.

Speaking of which, Chinese New Year is just slightly more than a week away which means I have myself knee-deep in the new year preparations. This year mom has taken the liberty to recruit me without prior notification to help out in almost all of her baking. Not that I'm complaining or anything. It's just awfully hectic to be coming home from school at 6pm (after a long drive) and still get your hands dirty in flour in making Chinese New Year delicacies. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy these frivolities at this time of the year, since it only comes once in a year. Even tomorrow, a Saturday, mom has told me to accompany her to the market at an ungodly hour in the morning to do some marketing (think spices, poultry, crustaceans and the likes) for the Reunion Dinner. Oddly though, I have been looking forward to this even in the beginning of the week, seeing that the visit to the market is a mandatory yearly practice - you know, to get in with the entire new year mood with the folks in town.

I'm also lacking on sleep. Yes, I used to limit my weeknights bedtime to 12a.m. the most all these years to at least preserve a little sense of awareness in class the following day. But currently, I find it hard to keep to this rule, especially with the amount of work I've been receiving. Right now, my bedtime's usually 1.30a.m. if I get lucky or if my eyelids suffer a spasm from staring too long at the monitor. So much for trying to correct my biological clock with a proper school time. The most sleep I get on normal days are about 5 hours or less before I have to wake up and prepare for school, zombie-like, no doubt. Even with this, I still have a tonne of assignments still waiting to be given attention too. All my work completed are usually sufficient enough to get me by the classes the following day without upsetting the teacher.

Sigh.

Talk about leading a hectic life.

Perfect Distractions.

One would assume, after all these years of going through the same routine, I might just get accustomed to it and most likely feel numb about the whole process and just get on with it. But no, I feel oddly compelled to become my whiny self and complain over tiniest detail as I reluctantly pack my survival kit of books, paper and pen to embrace yet another school term. Then again, I can't help but wonder and be curious as to what this new (and final) year at school might bring to the table. New (and better) teachers, I hope. New school management? New furniture perhaps? I did notice the new paint job the school got as I was passing the school the other day.

Anyway, this year, God must have heard my pleas and for once, after so many years, he has shown mercy on me, for I've found a couple of perfect distractions to ease my emotional distraught and help me settle in school. One of which happens to be a DVD compilation of games which I happen to borrow from somebody from church on New Year's Day itself. Talk about godsend. Thank heavens for the DVD, I'm currently hooked on games like Ancient Quest of Saqarrah, Turbo Pizza, Diner Dash and Chicken Invaders, just to give you a peek. God knows I have a mental capacity of a 10 year old child which explains the childish preference when it comes to games. What with the regular crash and burn of the computer, I hardly keep these games on my computer let alone, get addicted to them. So I take it as some sort of a distraction from going back to impending doom reality.

Upgrading my pizzeria!

Apart from that, I've also recently downloaded a couple of new albums which not only redefines my taste in music and shapes even more of my personality, they are also great tracks to get hooked on before embarking on a new journey - which in my case happens to be school. They're also big on providing relief, relaxation and a singing outlet - songs lyrically rich with good rhythm and beat to go with with an added tinge of pop and also mediocre vocals. Yeah, Mat Kearney and Augustana are definitely my bounce back tunes this season. I just can't put my finger on it but something about their music makes going back to school the very least, bearable. And the reason that I'm surprised is because both their albums weren't easy to find on the internet. So to be able to place my hands on them this time around, it must be God's work.



Also, another distraction which I've just re-discovered is gossip websites. Celebrity gossip websites which were, by no means, influenced by Gossip Girl. Yes, I've stopped following celebrity gossip sites or paparazzi sites about a few years ago, because I realize I'll never be able to catch up with the frequent updates and stuff, which I can still recall. However, about a few days ago, since I found out about the death of John Travolta's son, I've been hooked again on JustJared. I mean, how could I not? I didn't know there were so much things I've been missing. And JustJared isn't any blogger paparazzi wannabe, the site's the real deal with all the hi-res pictures and legitimate info. Step aside Channel E! and magazines, I'm back online. Speak about being shallow, and getting caught up with a fantasy world - I guess I still fit the bill.

At least now I know when I get home from a tiring day at school, I have something mindless to do on the computer to help me unwind and chill - whether it's shooting chicken (and avoiding eggs) or listening to music or reading juicy gossip about the cast of 90210 - I know I've got it.

In the meantime, I guess I'll be spending my free time in school catching up on Jane Eyre and the likes which I've successfully neglected over the holidays.

Little India Visit.

The other day, out of the blue, sam yi, who was out in Penang for the holidays dropped by my place for a brief visit with the entire bunch of young ones, before asking me to bring them around town to do some shopping. One of the places on their list was the Little India in town. So when they were doing their shopping, I used my camera and fooled around with the bunch of hyperactive kids under the hot sun.

The only shot to prove that we were actually in Little India.

The rest of the shots were taken in the walkways of random buildings around the area.

2009 : Change

Happy New Year 2009!

Another year has come and gone again, and look at the state of my blog - a blast it was last year with all the posts (or lack thereof). Never mind that. 2008 was a year with quite a number of significant milestones for me. Yes, there were ups and downs and I did have my fair share of trials and tribulations the past year. Then again, what's there to complain when I'm still here with all my loved ones, still going strong and who else would I thank if not God. I can honestly say 2008 was a good year for me and so I hope it was the same for you.

As today marks of the first day of the year, I'm beginning to wonder what 2009 might bring to the table. Hopefully, an equal share of good and bad. All I can recall is how I kept telling to myself yesterday as I countdown to the new year, was change. Lord knows that I of all people am in dire need of a change - taking risks, trying new things, lifestyle, attitude, behavior, and personality are what I have in mind. Change, a good way to herald in the new year isn't it?

If you're sharp, you might have even noticed by now the change I've done to the blog, all in good faith and hopes of jump-starting my half dead initiative in blogging writing. Unfortunately, yes, this is as far as I can go when it comes to these blog-skin-designing-with-HTML-coding which leaves me looking pretty redundant and foolish - but what the heck, it looks good enough. It's also all in my disguise for an image overhaul with the blog and my physical self.

Also, in the sake of my aforementioned change, I'm keeping this short and simple (hopefully as to all my future posts). I realized how unnecessarily lengthy and boringly draggy I was in my previous style of writing. How far away I drifted from attempting to be a little more descriptive to becoming boring and uninteresting. Oh, this is just one of the many self discoveries I made along the year 2008 as well. I guess all that time spent not blogging didn't go to waste after all.

Which reminds me, I'm desperately in need of some decent sleep to correct my damaged-beyond-repair biological clock.