Friday, April 25, 2008

void nucleation, growth, link up = cui...




Dear TomHa,
sigh... ever since this blog was set up, eons ago, it had always seen a surge in posts from its pretty lazy owner during all examination periods. So, it is pretty funny and lamentable that the owner is not feeling all too fired up to post anything on this website anymore, even though it is indeed the examination period already.

Why, as you might ask, my dear TomHa.. Truth is, I cannot really tell. Perhaps it is because I am pretty tired from the semester and cannot wait for it to end... perhaps it is because I know that I will be entering the force soon and I had better not involve myself in too much of my nonsensical blabberings... perhaps.. perhaps...

Oh wellzz... graduation is near, provided everything is passed, MIR6 is going Mera, wish them the best, I am going to be a working adult in less than 2 weeks' time. Wish me luck!!

Cheers!

Saturday, April 19, 2008

Nonsensical nonsense





Dear TomHa,
Well, I took some photos of school the other day. Check them out on my Flickr. Here's the link But come to think of it, there isn't much uploaded as well...

haha.. oh well.. just like to update the readers who are still reading this... I will be going back to RSAF on 6th May 2008. WOOHOOOO!!!

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Rebel's Kiss






Dear TomHa,
Last Friday, Joe pang-sehed me, my MIR 5 gang could not accompany me for climbing, and then, feeling a little let-down by what I had wanted to do for the night, I went to Cathay Photo in Marina Square, square-ed up with my favourite uncle over there and bought my Canon 400D or Rebel Xti or simply called Kiss-X. I wonder why there are so many names for it though... lol

The experience was really exciting. Never had I been more excited in taking photos. I meant I was always excited with taking photos on my old EOS 66 35mm film format, but being able to view the pics immediately just ups the ante by many notches. Although I still kinda hate the color, but it is something that I can bear with. Cheers to the digital revolution!

Now that the hassle of going to a color lab to develop my photos are gone, I am pretty sure that my production rate is going to go up for sure. For one, do check out my flickr for more up to date photos that I had taken. Here's the link

On another note, I received 2 "fugly" comments in a span of 2 days with pics I took with my 400D.... hmmmm....

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Haha.. Pretty cool app eh?

Get it from HERE

His Airness




Dear TomHa,
Thought this commercial was really clever. To those who had grown up watching Jordan's classic moments, what this commercial is trying to tell will not be a stranger to you. Especially like the part at 0.40 which imitates Jordan's last great moment at Utah, winning the last championship before he retires...

Enjoy.

Monday, April 07, 2008

Better Than Me




Dear TomHa,
Thought this new commercial from Nike featuring LeBron James is way cool. The way the video transits through his different life stages... Super cool.

Wonder how these commercial guys thought up of such ideas... not to mention the technicalities of making it!

Enjoy it.

Sunday, March 16, 2008


Exhilarating




Dear TomHa,
Last 2 weeks had been nothing but exciting. So many things happened that I just cannot recount them 1 by 1. Well, here goes nothing.

1. I worked as an assistant to Stephen Chow, also dubbed by Nikon as one of Asia's finest photographers. Here's the link.

Well, although I still think that he is a self-absorbed guy who is overly proud of his own achievements, working with him really showed me aspects of commercial photography that I had only managed to imagine myself.

For one, what a commercial photographer really needs is how to communicate with his subjects. Afterall, you would not be working with models who are more than willing to smile to you. Also, photography is really a business. If you are confident enough of calling yourself a photographer, you would have had the necessary technical knowledge to take the shots. Commercial photography is not really about getting the SHOT. But more of satisfying the customers.

2. Aikido Shinjukai Seminar
What more can I say? With 10 Shihans (as advertised.. not really true) showing the inner workings of aikido, revealing the zen that we, as aikidokas, should aspire for, it was inspirational at least.

Well, at least that was how I feel.
Cheers!

Sunday, February 24, 2008

Champions





Dear TomHa,
Yesterday was a rather funny day.

I went to school with only 2 things in mind, 1. to take photos of the ongoing canoe polo IFG and 2. to try out some canoe polo since I know some people in it.

But what was truly unexpected was the call from Guowei to ask me to play as one of their team mates need to leave early. So, there I was, with no skills other than knowing how to row and steer the boat in the water. Was totally useless out there and my rowing skills, after a 3 year hiatus, proved as crappy as crap. But I did have 2 assists to the account since my team mates were rather good sharp shooters. What was really funny also was the fact that despite my inability to do anything in the water, I was marked rather closely by the opposition! I meant, all I did is to find holes in the defense and row into it, that being the only thing I knew and then two boats came crashing into me, marking me like I know what I am doing. Haha. Pretty funny.

Well, thanks to Guowei and Zhemin, especially, I have an IFG canoe polo gold medal to my account for my NUS memories.

Cheers!

Monday, February 18, 2008

Depressed



mattproject1.jpg
Originally uploaded by Derek Thatcher.




Dear TomHa,
This photo got me really really depressed, photography-wise. Somehow, I have never thought of a concept like this.. To have a person doing a sequence, taking many shots and then photoshopping all of the sequence onto one single exposure. I know how to do it on photoshop... but it had never occurred to me that it can be used like that...

I guess the depressing factor is that other amazing concepts are somethings that I am unable to do, and yet, this one is so simple and yet so amazing... and so do-able... but i nv thought of it before... sigh sigh sigh...

Sigh... kena *pwned...

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Valentine





Dear TomHa,
Well, it is the day of dread yet again! A day when singles are reminded of how loser-ish they are to spend the day (and night) alone wallowing in self pity about their lack of companions as they go on the streets to find more couples cuddling madly in love together and get more depressed again. Yes, Valentine's day is here. Yucks...

In the previous years, there is always the trusty Lonely Hearts Club to go to. But this is the year of the rat, the year of the frog, the year of whatever that is slimy and not really cute to me, hence, brotherhood falls in the face of treats from the opposite sex, and, the weary single souls become so weary that they would rather go home and sleep away the time.

Alright I am jealous.

As girls who are single awaits their prince charming in shiny white armour, I, as a very normal guy is just waiting for my chance to meet my Snow White deeply asleep in some god forsaken jungle, and to enamor her with my true love's kiss. Awww...

Alright... luckily it is the 15th of February tomorrow, a new day and of course, a more normal day for us mortals who hasn't been arrowed by Mr Cupid...

Oh on another note... here's a pretty interesting article for mountain bikers wannabe, or rather more appropriately, road bikers who want to convert to the lost art of mountain biking... =P Click here

Monday, February 04, 2008

Super Bowl





Dear TomHa,
To illustrate further on how free I am, I watched Super Bowl in the morning.

Actually, I watched it every year. Why? Because even though I don't know anything about the 2 teams in action, American TV being American TV, will always be able to fill me in with lots of statistics that can fill me in instantaneously. Which is pretty interesting. Like how Tom Brady is like on the greats with all the stats presented in an instant.

Of course, not to mention that I would love to see another episode of Janet Jackson reveal-ed kind of entertainment again!

Congratulations to the New York Giants for winning this one. Kudos to their never say die attitude!

Cheers!

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

300



Bouldering at Dairy Farm
Originally uploaded by Minas Morgul.




Dear TomHa,
Whoever that said that year 4 students doing FYP are very busy should be shot... I am as free as a bird!

Haha.. Check out this series of photos where I attempt to convert very rainforesty photos to those with a 300 color tone. Woohoo! as learnt from Photoshop user tv podcast of course... haha...

Monday, January 21, 2008


King K-Wee




Dear TomHa,
Check out this site for some cool apps! For now, let me indulge in my new found fame...

Sunday, January 20, 2008

Stuck in a moment you can't get out of.....




Dear TomHa,
There is a photography volunteer program in the states that attempts to take some sorrow and grief out of parents who had sadly, lost their child at birth. These photographers served as a medium to help them take down lasting images of their child and their parents could at least some form of memory to keep with them. The pictures and stories can make you cry... Here's the link

Saturday, January 19, 2008

Gone in 60 seconds...




Caught this from Dave Cross' blog and thought this was extremely well done. Catch Steve Jobs 90minute keynote presentation in 60secondshere!!

Sigh... another weekend with nothing much to do.. think i'll go little Guilin to crimp around...

Had my life evolved into something that cannot survive without tutitions???

Thursday, January 17, 2008

You Do Not Know What You'd Lost Until It's Gone...




Dear TomHa,
Yesterday, Junjie told me that Mrs Nair had passed on, as Bernice had picked up the news from the Orbituary section in the papers. Well, yesterday was her burial date as I found out today and I guess it was a case of too little, too late.

Mrs Nair Chor Eng was my form teacher during my Sec. 2 days. I would not say that she was very close to us and vice versa as somehow, during those puberty, hormone-filled days of teenage years, under the influence of my peers who somehow did not like her way of teaching for reasons I still could not fathom, I just remained as I was, another student in a rather boisterous class who joined in the jeering and putting down of her in those free canteen times. Very hypocrite, yes I know, but oh well..

In fact, my memories of her were just a simple "She was my form and Geography teacher" kind of thing. In fact, I couldn't even remember that she taught us English! What a terrible human being I am...

However, despite the hazy memories of her, still, I must thank Mrs Nair for instilling in me a deeper interest in Geography than what her predecessor, my Sec. 1 geography teacher whom I can't even remember her name, did. Somehow, I enjoyed Geography under her, perhaps because I managed to get better grades in this subject than what other teachers might have given.

This renewed interest in Geography is perhaps the catalyst to me taking up Geography in my Upper sec years and then in my A-levels, and finally, perhaps, my interest in mountaineering and the great outdoors, which, I enjoyed greatly, really. I had been a 3-minute fervor kind of person all my life, but surprisingly, this interest in Geography, of the clouds above and the unfathomable tectonic movements below the crusts stucked with me ever since.

Thank you Mrs Nair, and may you rest in peace

Saturday, January 12, 2008

Sir Edmund Hillary





My Honour...
Originally uploaded by Minas Morgul.



Dear TomHa,
Yesterday, a great man had passed on. He is Sir Edmund Hillary, who, together with Sherpa Tenzing Norgay made the first ascent on the summit of Mount Everest, Chomolungma, 8848m. A legend, an inspiration, a man who despite his achievements, remained a modest and 'ordinary' man.

His passing affected me somewhat. Perhaps it's because I had been rather actively involved in the activities of mountaineering. Perhaps it is because every boy needs a hero at some point of time. When we were young, when we learnt about the geographies of the Earth, Everest would always be pointed out together with this remarkable man by the teachers.

But how would the achievement of one man, who resides in a country 10hours' flight away from you, whose achievements went back to 55 years' ago affect me, who live in the 21st century?

I guess it is because everyone needs some inspiration. To conquer the summit of Everest, the tallest point on Earth, a place of unimaginable conditions, is a testament to the human endeavour, that we, humans, no matter how evil or little in this wide wide world, can still surmount a feat that is so unfathomable yet so pure and inspirational. Putting one feet in front of the other, bearing with the pain of the cold and altitude, overcoming the fear of the unknown realms. It is pure pain, but the gains were inspirational.

Everest and mountaineering might have evolved into a tourist activity for the rich and ultra fit, but no one in the right frame of mind should belittle the pioneering achievements of this remarkable man. He was an explorer. He was a pioneer, he did things that no one had imagined do-able.

May he rest in peace...

Thursday, January 10, 2008


Hehe...
Originally uploaded by Minas Morgul.

Thought this cheeky/naughty/mischievous girl looked cute.. haha..

Happy New Year!!!





Day 1 climbing site
Originally uploaded by Minas Morgul.



Dear TomHa,
I know I know... it's a little late, I know... but hey, there's still 355 more days to be even more happy! So, Happy 2008 to all readers of this pitifully ill maintained blog. Thank you guys and girls for all of your continual support. Really appreciate it.

So 2007 had passed. Would say that it felt like a really short year. For one, Mohan was tucked nicely in some god forsaken US place, out of range to disturb us, and then, he is back and disturbing us, with a newly grown stash of beard just under the lips, like some Dracula thing. Eeewww...

Lol...

This year, I do not suppose that I would commit myself to some lousy resolutions that I would never keep anyway. Neither would I do any reflections of the year that passed. I do not really mean all of them anyway. Hence, this blog would only detail some of my recollections of the past year and some projections into the future.

Well, 2007 was a year when I finally sat down and learn Japanese really seriously. For one, I had gotten to a level where I can actually eavesdrop and understand some Japanese conversations in Kinokuniya. To add to that, I even went to Japan with the Indian and Malay and spoke with those local Japanese! Woohoo! Asking for directions, asking about the weather, and to the best of my ability, order the most halal thing that the Japanese cuisines can offer! All these things just fill me with so much pride and satisfaction that are pretty different from climbing and reaching the goal. Of course, trekking in Hokkaido was fun. Cooking and trekking with nothing but a few pages of Lonely Planet's Hiking in Japan. Add to this, the typhon and the earthquake in Niigata that spoiled loads of our original plans. Way Cool! Arguably one of the best trips I had ever gone to.

Academically wise, there wasn't much improvement as I am still the slack like no one;s business student who do not really care what come out of my University education as the dust had pretty much settled on what I would be getting at the end of it. So, ya, nothing much to talk about. Except maybe that I noticed this girl in my robotics lecture last semester and she is really cute. Short straight hair and very demurely poised. But the damn thing is her boyfriend never seem to leave her alone, attending the robotics lecture even when he is a chem engin student. What dedicated love. I was left with no chance. But then again, so what if there was a chance??

As I walked around school, aimless and nothing much else to do except to go to my lab to watch more youtube and crunchyroll and all sorts of streaming nonsense, I started to think of many more excuse on why I am single. At the end of the day, I chose 2 which like suits me the best.

1. I am still a very selfish, self-centred guy who would not put my partner's interest on top of mine. So unless I can correct this character flaw of my, better don't cause any trouble.

2. No one wants me.

2. seemed like the better explanation, as some people might want to point out. lol

Then at the end of the year, I followed Kim Boon, together with Weisheng and Shuangru to Sichuan and did some ice climbing. The climb was very relax, but very enriching. I learnt loads of technical skills, which, I think improved my climbing skills a lot. My climbing improved, at least I think. No longer falling like no one's business.

Well, there are still loads of things to write about, but I am just plain lazy, so until next time, and
Happy 2008!


oh before i forget, do check out my flickr page for some of my china photos!