Guess what I did last weekend? I had another photoshoot with my ‘official’ photographer who is a dear friend of mine. My last post was about CNY and decided for some form of continuity, thus I did a very Oriental photoshoot with a rags-to-riches storyboard. I got a bit tired of the sun and was very glad when BK agreed for an indoor shoot this time round.
I’m very pleased with the results. Not only I had a lot of fun and tried to give as much of creative and ‘technical’ input as I can. (I’m never a shy one when it comes to giving ideas and opinions!)
The computer at work has kicked me out of facebook! The Ministry has discovered that friendster, fb, etc is not conducive towards ‘learning’ and thus has blocked the website. I’m cracking my head trying to think of ways to access fb now. Not only that, I cannot even upload fotos onto my blogger. Talk about double whammy!
Looking out for a place to upload my fotos and can’t wait to tell my ‘melodramatic’ story straight out from some TVB serial drama or something like this. So watch out for this story set in Malaya, circa 1920s entitled 1925 : A Tale from Nanyang
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Friday, January 9, 2009
Indulging in all things Sino
I know that I am going into a weird phase when I began craving for Chinese food. I am normally not a very Oriental person, preferring spaghetti, lasagne, fish & chips and scones to rice and noodles. however, after my recent jaunts to Yunnan, Singapore, Penang and Ipoh, I realized that I love Chinese food. Look at how good this Peking, oops I mean, Yunnan roasted duck looked. Juicy, crispy, sweet and yummy.
Not only that, the Chinese traditional costumes really suit our shape and size, thus a decision to do something Oriental for my next project. However, it will not be sth like this lar :
The latest CNY decorations are also quite OTT. Being bathed in hues of red everywhere we go..I think we see red all the time isn't it? Since Epiphany is long gone, the Christmas decor have been replaced with more Chinese-y theme and it's kinda nostalgic and 'patriotic' in a way
Of course I love red as long as it's not red from my patient's blood (my job is to stop that from happening ma)...but seriously, how much of redness can one person take? I guess we should all be optimistic and prepare to entertain parents and our relatives eh?
Anyway, look out for my new project for Chinese New Year coming up soon in cyberspace. I hope it will turn out well....
Not only that, the Chinese traditional costumes really suit our shape and size, thus a decision to do something Oriental for my next project. However, it will not be sth like this lar :
The latest CNY decorations are also quite OTT. Being bathed in hues of red everywhere we go..I think we see red all the time isn't it? Since Epiphany is long gone, the Christmas decor have been replaced with more Chinese-y theme and it's kinda nostalgic and 'patriotic' in a way
Of course I love red as long as it's not red from my patient's blood (my job is to stop that from happening ma)...but seriously, how much of redness can one person take? I guess we should all be optimistic and prepare to entertain parents and our relatives eh?
Anyway, look out for my new project for Chinese New Year coming up soon in cyberspace. I hope it will turn out well....
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Transportation woes..
The season is upon us again. After a short break during the Christmas week, people are again at it..wedding cards arrived in droves as I tried to sort out how to attend some while politely declining others. It’s not easy when I have friends marrying all over the place..some in Ipoh, Bidor, Segamat, KK, KL, etc.
Not having a car makes it easier for me to decide. I simply couldn’t go to most of them due to transportation miseries. In fact, I find it hard even to go to the bank in town, what more for social events!
Of course I want to have my car back. Unfortunately, it takes time for the insurance agent to clear the mountains of paperwork and the process is killing me softly. I pray to dear God that I will have a car by Chinese New Year so lets see how it goes. I don’t want to drive a replacement car for now as I don’t know the condition of the car given by the workshop and I prefer driving my own car, thank you very much.
At least I managed to visit another town last weekend as my sister was backpacking down from Penang and I was the designated tour guide for half a day and night, introducing Ipoh’s sight, attractions and good food with gusto.
The caves and parks in this limestone city are always pleasing and evergreen. The rainy season created havoc to our plans but the cloak of gentle mist on the hills created an other-worldly effect. With an experienced flautist playing some old-time Chinese tunes, we felt as if sucked into a Chinese martial-arts, period drama. We strolled along the banks of a quiet stream surrounding a limestone hill in very cool weather while busy snapping pictures of whatever that caught our fancy. We even wandered into an aloe vera farm near the park and chit-chatted with the farmer running the show.
I guess my sister and her friends enjoyed their brief visit to Ipoh and D.C. They spent more time exploring D.C than Ipoh due to the better weather here. I was a tad surprised but seriously, Perak is too big a state to truly have every attractions thrown into a town. D.C has its own charms and peculiarities, I guess. I think God wanted my sister to truly enjoy DC as the town was cloaked by a mysterious, charming mist each morning and thus not so hot for people wandering about.
Anyway, totally captured by this little doggie called Mongoo whom belongs to an avid birder. This lady trained her dog so well that he could actually take care of her when she is ill. The whole visit makes me want a pet, especially a well-behaved, friendly puppy. My problem now is that there are no one at home to take care of a puppy due to my long hours and frequent travelling. Oh, what a spot of bother indeed!
Not having a car makes it easier for me to decide. I simply couldn’t go to most of them due to transportation miseries. In fact, I find it hard even to go to the bank in town, what more for social events!
Of course I want to have my car back. Unfortunately, it takes time for the insurance agent to clear the mountains of paperwork and the process is killing me softly. I pray to dear God that I will have a car by Chinese New Year so lets see how it goes. I don’t want to drive a replacement car for now as I don’t know the condition of the car given by the workshop and I prefer driving my own car, thank you very much.
At least I managed to visit another town last weekend as my sister was backpacking down from Penang and I was the designated tour guide for half a day and night, introducing Ipoh’s sight, attractions and good food with gusto.
The caves and parks in this limestone city are always pleasing and evergreen. The rainy season created havoc to our plans but the cloak of gentle mist on the hills created an other-worldly effect. With an experienced flautist playing some old-time Chinese tunes, we felt as if sucked into a Chinese martial-arts, period drama. We strolled along the banks of a quiet stream surrounding a limestone hill in very cool weather while busy snapping pictures of whatever that caught our fancy. We even wandered into an aloe vera farm near the park and chit-chatted with the farmer running the show.
I guess my sister and her friends enjoyed their brief visit to Ipoh and D.C. They spent more time exploring D.C than Ipoh due to the better weather here. I was a tad surprised but seriously, Perak is too big a state to truly have every attractions thrown into a town. D.C has its own charms and peculiarities, I guess. I think God wanted my sister to truly enjoy DC as the town was cloaked by a mysterious, charming mist each morning and thus not so hot for people wandering about.
Anyway, totally captured by this little doggie called Mongoo whom belongs to an avid birder. This lady trained her dog so well that he could actually take care of her when she is ill. The whole visit makes me want a pet, especially a well-behaved, friendly puppy. My problem now is that there are no one at home to take care of a puppy due to my long hours and frequent travelling. Oh, what a spot of bother indeed!
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Mamma Mia!
3 months ago on a sleepy workday afternoon in D.C., a friend contacted me regarding tickets to a smash hit musical. I sat up immediately and my eyes lighted up when I saw the words : Mamma Mia.
During my last few trips to London in between 2005-2006, I dropped by West End many times as I am a die-hard musical fan. Growing up in an all-girls’ school with a strong heritage in staging quality musicals, it was ingrained into me that I must go see at least one or two of the West End shows. I knew ‘Mamma mia’ was on top of the list, so was ‘Wicked’, ‘Phantom of the Opera’, etc, etc. However,while I was in that great city, I only managed to catch ‘Les Miserables’ and ‘the Lion King’ due to the popularity of the top-rated shows- sold-out way on all the days I was in town.
It was no surprise that I quickly agreed to the plan and began planning my last week of 2008, hoping that it will be a wonderful big bang closure to an eventful year.
On the day my two close comrades-in-Christ tied the knot at the Dream Centre (that would be another story as soon as the pictures are out), Fenky, my little bro (who is not-so-little compared to mua) and I made our way in Ben’s car to Istana Budaya. I was wearing a very festive dress in my favourite colour (purple dress mah)
The moment ‘I have a dream’ started, the roller-coaster of emotions started. Most of us knew the lyrics of the songs as we hummed along with the cast. The sweet and simple storyline was touching and at times funny. When they sang ‘Money, money, money’ and ‘Mamma mia’, we were drawn to the 70s in full force..it was as if we were caught in a time warp.
Truthfully, after a while, the novelty grew a bit stale and the whole thing got a bit tedious. The musical seemed to be longer than ‘Fame’, ‘Saturday Night Fever’ or ‘Lion King’ as the songs seemed to go on and on and on. By the time they reach ‘Winner Takes it All’, I wished that they would hurry up and finish the show as it dragged to almost 11 pm. I guess the audience really lept to their feet in relief when we were all invited to dance together with the cast during the encore!
Of course I enjoyed the performance tremendously. I just wished that I didn’t have such a high expectation of the show. Or maybe I should be less of a cheapskate and buy a much better seat to get a better view. Or maybe I should be more patient and learn to appreciate the fact that we really got our money worth as there really make a big effort to sing most of Abba’s best hits. Well, thank you for the music anyway!
During my last few trips to London in between 2005-2006, I dropped by West End many times as I am a die-hard musical fan. Growing up in an all-girls’ school with a strong heritage in staging quality musicals, it was ingrained into me that I must go see at least one or two of the West End shows. I knew ‘Mamma mia’ was on top of the list, so was ‘Wicked’, ‘Phantom of the Opera’, etc, etc. However,while I was in that great city, I only managed to catch ‘Les Miserables’ and ‘the Lion King’ due to the popularity of the top-rated shows- sold-out way on all the days I was in town.
It was no surprise that I quickly agreed to the plan and began planning my last week of 2008, hoping that it will be a wonderful big bang closure to an eventful year.
On the day my two close comrades-in-Christ tied the knot at the Dream Centre (that would be another story as soon as the pictures are out), Fenky, my little bro (who is not-so-little compared to mua) and I made our way in Ben’s car to Istana Budaya. I was wearing a very festive dress in my favourite colour (purple dress mah)
Fenky and I were both very excited as we are familiar with Abba songs due to our parents’ influence. Actually, I know the songs because dancing queen was one of my school band regular repertoire and back in the 1990s, we played the song over and over and over again during our marches. Ah, those were the day..
The moment ‘I have a dream’ started, the roller-coaster of emotions started. Most of us knew the lyrics of the songs as we hummed along with the cast. The sweet and simple storyline was touching and at times funny. When they sang ‘Money, money, money’ and ‘Mamma mia’, we were drawn to the 70s in full force..it was as if we were caught in a time warp.
Truthfully, after a while, the novelty grew a bit stale and the whole thing got a bit tedious. The musical seemed to be longer than ‘Fame’, ‘Saturday Night Fever’ or ‘Lion King’ as the songs seemed to go on and on and on. By the time they reach ‘Winner Takes it All’, I wished that they would hurry up and finish the show as it dragged to almost 11 pm. I guess the audience really lept to their feet in relief when we were all invited to dance together with the cast during the encore!
Of course I enjoyed the performance tremendously. I just wished that I didn’t have such a high expectation of the show. Or maybe I should be less of a cheapskate and buy a much better seat to get a better view. Or maybe I should be more patient and learn to appreciate the fact that we really got our money worth as there really make a big effort to sing most of Abba’s best hits. Well, thank you for the music anyway!
Monday, January 5, 2009
Waking up in a misty wonderland
Sometimes, I really enjoy the rainy weather especially when I am not planning to go out. The pitter-patter of raindrops on the moist ground, the freshness of the morning air and the cool temperature really rejuvenates a person.
The past few days have been wonderful on D.C as the nightly rain is transforming it to an ethereal pseudo-highland. Of course, the mist will disappear by 9 to 10 am but the first few hours and last few hours of daylight seemed to be enveloped in a thick, cool fog.
I think it's a very unique beginning to 2009 but looking back at how wet and rainy 2008 was, I haf a feeling that this streak of good weather is about to end soon. In the meantime, i will try to capture the beauty on camera but unfortunately, I have been so busy seeing patients that I couldn't even indulge the shutterbug in me.
We are extremely short of staff lately and with the departure of our surgeon and head of department, the remaining surgeon and the rest of the medical officers are working like mad dogs. I think it's a good time for me to learn and really improve after the months of relative relaxation but we have a premonition that the worse has not arrive..the CT scan machine is about to start functioning after chinese new year. I guess its good news for the people of DC but the bearer of even more work for people like me. serve me right for being a hyperactive workaholic.
By the way, thanx for all the good wishes for the girl who has been given second chance in life. I will try to post some pictures soon in view of my recent adventures.
The past few days have been wonderful on D.C as the nightly rain is transforming it to an ethereal pseudo-highland. Of course, the mist will disappear by 9 to 10 am but the first few hours and last few hours of daylight seemed to be enveloped in a thick, cool fog.
I think it's a very unique beginning to 2009 but looking back at how wet and rainy 2008 was, I haf a feeling that this streak of good weather is about to end soon. In the meantime, i will try to capture the beauty on camera but unfortunately, I have been so busy seeing patients that I couldn't even indulge the shutterbug in me.
We are extremely short of staff lately and with the departure of our surgeon and head of department, the remaining surgeon and the rest of the medical officers are working like mad dogs. I think it's a good time for me to learn and really improve after the months of relative relaxation but we have a premonition that the worse has not arrive..the CT scan machine is about to start functioning after chinese new year. I guess its good news for the people of DC but the bearer of even more work for people like me. serve me right for being a hyperactive workaholic.
By the way, thanx for all the good wishes for the girl who has been given second chance in life. I will try to post some pictures soon in view of my recent adventures.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)