Some random pictures

Ga... I wrote a long heartfelt blog and uploaded some pictures and my dwang computer hang on me before i can save it. Bwah....

My father is a fanatic for photography and he had been urging me to do the same. I managed to resist for a while, mainly because i know it's a hobby that will take up alot of time and effort, to say the least. And i really don't want to part from my books, animes and computer games. (yah, i am a geek.) But he managed to batter down my wall of resistance. So, my last weekend consists of me trudging around MacRitchie Reservoir, Botanic Gardens and Bird Park, twice a day. Great exercise, though i gain alot of calluses on my feet for that. Guess what? I decided i really enjoy the expeditions. It is a challenge to take better pictures with the multiple functions of the camera, what's more, I love immersing myself in nature and the bonding with my parents.

Botanic gardens

Wahahaha! My father very willingly allow me to use him as a model to improve my portrait pictures and i think he explicitly say he will kill me if i use his pictures in my blog, but he should be glad that i didn't post the ones he acted as a monkey. Hehehe... This picture is actually pretty lousy, it's dark and the contrast not very vivid. Yah, i got lots to improve on. -_- The reason why he is dressed like that is because he needs to protect his eyes. (or he have to OP again.)Photography pretty much strains the eyes. So hence the sunglasses and hat.

I think there is a conversion problem, it looks better if you click on it, then the bee will look clearer. My father says it's overexposed, but i like the colours contrast of the flower, bee and background.

Looks much more clearer if you click on it. The background sucks, but i love the intricate details of the dragonfly. Too bad i couldn't manage to take it flying.

My favourite, though it's alittle blurred. and a stupid leaf is covering the flower. It's a sunbird. And it can be found where these yellow flowers grow.

Bird Park

A lory bathing. These really colourful birds are housed in a huge impressive aviary. The bird was wiggling and splashing around in the water really happily when it bathed. Very very cute, i was smiling when i took the pictures.

Lories fighting over bathing space. >_<

I was trying to feed an ostrich a blade of leaf, dunno why my father never take the ostrich in this picture. I got other pictures, but it's pretty blur and yellow. We were half dead from the heat when he took this one for me so in the five or six pictures he took, only this one is presentable. The camera is so heavy that i slouch the whole time.

MacRitchie Reservoir

I went to MacRitchie myself because it's really relaxing and quiet. It was pretty late when i reached there so most of the pictures are quite dark. My camera (being the cheap model) isn't good for taking pictures in the dark. The higher the aperture the better it can take pictures at night, and of course, such cameras are really expensive. (*Dryly*)

I took this picture at the boardwalk. I like to stare at the huge expanse of water and trees on the other end and imagine myself in Amazon. Hahahaha... okok, i know i'm insane. It's an uneventful picture, but i like the ripples in the water and the dark moody atmosphere. I went to the reservoir after a rain hoping to capture the mist that sometimes hang above the water after a downpour, but it was absent that day. Gaaa...

After the sky darken ominously, i walked to the flower shops beside it and bought some cut flowers. Far east flora have an extensive range, but i balked at the prices. The lilies from overseas eg Taiwan and China can cost up to $20 odd dollars! (Ole sua gu me) So i chose the really fragranted "special offer" (*read-going to die in 2 days, so not worth it*) lilies at $5. and some pots of lavender and rosemary. I decided to buy pots of herbs as oppose to growing them because i read from somewhere that cuttings grow stronger than growing them by seeds. After weaning them in my home for a bit, i'll repot them to bigger pots so that they can flower and grow bigger. Then i'll dry it and give to my friends as potpourri. Heee...

My lilies and sucks i've forgotten to switch on the anti-shake.
















and my herbs. 0_0
Oh yah, behind are some of the myriad pictures of my family.

My mother's bdae

Some random pictures. I wanted to crack my head on the car window just now because my mother made me wait for her for in her car for 2 to 3 hours 'cause she need to settle some personal stuff. Ga... Lucky i had some magazines to read or i would have seriously gone insane. After paying my school fees, we went to 3 to 4 places to get the food for her birthday. We went to Chinatown hawker centre to buy their famous char siew sao rou and my absolute favourite fried gyoza! Then she went to Holland to get the set dinner for 2 person from crystal jade. We were just about to return home when she suddenly remembered she need to buy noodles for prosperity. So we turned back to a coffee shop near home to get fried noodles. I had to really admire my mom for not blowing her top on me for how much i complain in the car. I absolutely hate hate hate waiting. and i had spent half the day waiting for her in the hot, stuffy and small car. It reminds me how much i love her for erm... tolerating me sometimes. Happy 63 birthday Mame!!! (Quite fun and happy because my bro and dad were in an exceptionally hilarious mood, though Yunjin was black face when she came back, but she perked up after my father made some stomach clenching jokes. )

After that i have this sudden hankering to watch horror movies, and it happened that my father had borrowed DVD like "The American Haunting" and "Night Watch". The former was quite sucky, although the ending was a slight revelation it doesn't have the certain impact that makes it really scary. The latter was seriously stylish and cool. (Although i hate the way the camera keeps on zooming in to things for no discernible meaning. )I love the ending because it was freaking unexpected. (or maybe i was just stupid. Hee...) Score a big one for the Russians!

Sundry

I woke up at 11 something today. That is really nothing to be proud of and sucks... i am really becoming a pig now, sleeping so much. (What to do? It's my holiday and i am making up for all the lost nights i spent slogging over exams and projects! and best, no need to help dad to work for now.) I was awoken by my handphone actually but i refused to pick it up because i don't want to wake up, dammit. So it rang on and on. When it stopped, i heard my house phone rang. I slammed my head on the wall beside my bed. That's why i hate having my handphone in my room when i sleep. No peace. When i picked up the phone, my father was yelling frantically about hiding underneath the tables and wearing pillows on our head. I was still abit drowsy and dozed off while my father went on ranting. When he pause for breath, i intercepted to complain that i had been sleeping and he woke me up. Needless to say, he was irritated. "I was so worried for you guys and you tell me i woke you up?! Next time i don't care about you!" Oops. I felt really touched. Then he said, "What if the ceiling fall off and the floor collapse? You know how old and dilapidated our home is!" (*cue shoulder stumped*) By then, the fact that Singapore had actually experienced an earthquake had began to sink in my thick skull. But i really didn't feel any tremors...Or maybe it happened when i was happily in my dreamland? I really don't know, but i was kinda worried for some of my friends and decided to msg them to find out if they are safe and sound. Thank goodness most of them only faced small tremors or nothing at all. But Joycelene (Whatever it is spelt) replied back --- "At first i thought you were crazy and then Penny said got quake too." What do you mean by that Jocelene?! Your first reaction to my concerned message was that i am insane? Do my words always lack credibility?! Do you think i got so much free time in the world to message you? Grrr... This call for retaliation.

Bwhahaha! Warned you Joselene. Anyway, we took this picture at Kino when i went back to return my uniform, So sad, like i really left for good when i turned over my shoebox and uniform. The funny people in the picture are Yaty, me, Francine and yah... my evil doppelganger. My ultimate nemesis Kenny took this picture and as you can see he didn't wait for us to get ready before snapping. I think he is piqued because he is reduced to a camera man and couldn't take a picture with us. Hehehe... Really miss those people in Kino. Sigh...

I met Lucy(aka Tweety) and Yu han (aka Giant) at about 3pm and we spent a happy and relaxing afternoon at Giant's place. But it was freaking hot. When i alighted from the bus and walked to her home i think i sweat out every droplet of water from my body. We ate the pasar Malam food beside Giant's home and by God it taste so so so nice!! I never see siew mais so big before. It's like 3 times the size of the ordinary one and 3 times as juicy! I want to go back there and eat it again! We talked alot, mostly about the earthquake, ghost stories, niagara fall, falling to our deaths from the 21th floor of Giant's condo and some unmentionable things. Then we went to Sakura at Bukit Panjang to eat our favourite fried wanton, tom yam soup, kang kong and hot plate chicken. I love the food and the company. As we eat, we went on happily yakking away, talking about our animal nicknames that we were given in JC. (And we realised that most of it were christianed by Ernest Ng Po Hau. *administered flying kick to Horse*)

When we realised that we were the last in the restaurant, we hastily packed up and found a empty bench to continue our talk. We started talking about relationships. I really think that tweety's relationship is so incredibly sweet. When you really love someone, you accept all their flaws unconditionally, physically and emotionally, so as i say time and time again, while most girls gush over and drool after good looking guys with six packs and chiselled faces, most of the time they are just looking for a caring, intelligent, humorous boyfriend, looks be damned. Seriously. (Guys, however, are the total opposite. *assume stoic look*) We all also agreed that love is weird, and that people just don't act how they feel sometimes because they are shy, embarrassed and possess low esteem, and that really complicated matters. Ah well, all these things really boggle my thick brains and if i think more of these stuffs, i need to go for one of my noctural walks again. >_<>

P.s: this long enough for you Bean?!!

Nocturnal walks

Here i am, back safe and sound in my haven. Just about 45 minutes ago, i went for a night walk around my neighbourhood. It was actually quite a sudden decision to go for the walk, but i had eaten quite a large portion of chicken pie and was getting the ole guilty-i-ate too-much feeling. I unlocked the gate with much apprehension. It was like, one am in the morning and i know the neighbourhood will be really quiet and dangerous. If my parents know what i planned to do they would go ape shit. (Really couldn't blame them, if i got kids i would have done the same.) I haven't went for such walks for months and as i started walking i felt really uncomfortable, warily looking at every dark corners and constantly looking behind me. It sorta work in my favour that my surroundings are disconcerningly quiet. Because i know that anyone following me would be heard even if they tried sneaking as softly as they could behind me. (Ok, i know i sound a little paranoid but i got causes to.) It's weird that as you grow older you get more easily scared. I say, ignorance is really bliss. When i had my nocturnal walks months back i was fearless. But now i just feel like anything can happen.

As i went on, i began to lose the jittery feeling and start to enjoy the walk. I decided that if anyone would to sneak up behind me i would hear it, and since there are so many houses around me i would juz scream like mad for help, god knows i am good at that. The air is cool and sweet (All carbon dioxide i know.) and any sweat dries off pretty quickly. It sounds weird, but, it feels quite magical and peaceful as i walk along the rows of houses, looking at the sky and the twinkling stars, smelling the fragrance of the frangipani trees that grow in abundance, feeling the slight breeze. It clears the mind.

A year and a half ago before i started work, i was really frustrated and upset with certain things. Walking at night made me feel alot better because it makes me think rationally about my problems and how i need to face them or to forget about it. In the whole, it make me realized that any problems are not as impossible as it seems. The walk was quite relaxing, i look at all the huge houses and wonder what they are doing inside. I peered through some gates to see the decors within, thinking how i would choose to decorate my own home. I have to say here that i am not a voyeur! It's just a sort of curiosity wondering how others live their live, whether they are happy or not. Things like that.

Now i am typing all this feelings down, reliving the experience i had less than an hour ago and i know that i will go out to walk again tomorrow, but only before midnight. >_<

Resolutions for CNY!

I must resolve to speak at a lower pitch. Had been watching the movie filmed by the Giant for the CNY BBQ and i flinched when i heard my voice. It sounds so shrill and whiny! I'm so traumatised! (*shoulder stumped*) No wonder everyone says my voice is so distinctive in Kino and school. Ga... Dammit. But i can't help that when i get excited and happy i automatically raise my voice... In any case, i got to lower my voice.(First resolution of the chinese new year)

I'm so freaking excitable!! I get nervous and jittery at any push. It is so embarrassing sometimes because i couldn't concentrate and starts blushing furiously. Oh man... why couldn't i be someone who is always so cool, mysterious(Lol! That will not be something that can ever be used to describe me. Ha!), and serene. I'm so easy to read! Dammit! I need to stay calm and collected... (Second resolution of the year)
I seriously need to work out. Ever since i stopped working at Kino the only exercise is the spring cleaning, housework to maintain the condition of my home (so proud of myself for that. Hee...) and the occasional photography jaunts with my dad at botanic gardens. (Yep, i'll stand around looking for birds to capture on film. I call that exercise.) Now that i withdrawn the membership from california fitness and wouldn't dare to jog in the night for fear of the molestors, exhibitionists and weirdos. (I seemed to have an affinity for them. And yah, i know it's weird to run in the night, but it's cooler, you sweat less.) I have to search for a nice, free, comfortable, convenient place to work out. Botanic Gardens? Darn... why is so freaking far... (Sigh... why is the resolutions list growing longer and longer...)

I'm killing my poor plants... My marigold seedlings are wilting... Lately i just couldn't bring myself to repot them... It seems to become a herculean task to endure... So sad for my plants... I couldn't see myself in the eye when i face the mirror. (No more torturing and killing my plants this new year.)
I want to see my friends more... I have been so lazy... so busy... so tired. (Yep, put that on the list)

Need to tidy up my room and the kitchen. Sux. The CNY spring cleaning has ensured that the living and dining area is, for once, in like 10 years, in its cleanest state! (Courtesy of me and dad. I personally work like hell to do that and i am freaking--FREAKING proud of myself!) But alas, that doesn't apply to my room and kitchen... But, i have my excuses. I share my room with sis. "Nuff said. (Anyone who shares a room with a younger sis will understand my pain. Sniff.)

I was out with Perlie, her BF Ian and Ana at Vivo city today and was adamantly trying not to vomit out blood. We happened to go RiverIsland first, and everything i selected comments like "too plain...", "why you always choose the same kind of clothes!?", "no more denim skirts!" "why the same colour again?!" I feel so demoralised. (*Flying kick the offendors*) But i can understand. I seemed to always wear the same variation of clothes. I will be more experimental. (*Pump fists*)
Ok, i need to be more organised and less lazy. I said that every year and haven't seemed to make much progress. This year... (*Pump fists harder*)

Finally, i will try to be a better person. Lately i have been increasingly disappointed in myself. I just keep on lowering my standards because i have been so lazy and undisciplined. Sigh... As we grow older, we just change our perspectives and ethos to conform to our environments. Sometimes i don't even know who i am anymore. (*Winced*)

That's it... I think. There is always more isn't it? Haha... Oh yes... i know i will be updating my blog more frequently this year. Sometimes i don't because it isn't easy writing something personal you know will be read by someone else. It seemed so self indulgent and narcissistic. (Well, aren't we all sometimes?) But i do enjoy writing. (*Shrug*) Hopefully i can post more pics the next post. Usually i leave my pictures in my multiply site because it takes aeons to load here. Ok... i need to sleep, i'm nearly camotose with tiredness.... >_<