Photo-litics

Whither The End Of CNY Celebrations?

2012-01-30T22:04:00.000+08:00

Year after year, moons after moons, the festivities of the annual Chinese or Lunar New Year are celebrated with laughter (could it be due to the large doses of alcoholic beverages?) and merriment the world over. Traditionally served by the Chinese culture, the festivities are celebrated by all, irrespective whether they are Buddhists or Christians, as it is fundamentally a cultural celebration. That's the greatness of being a Chinese, culture being one of the most important aspects.

During these festivities, family and friends join in to add to the laughter and merriment. Friends and acquitances vary in degree of bonding to oneself. Friends being those you can depend upon to provide a listening ear (not only to borrow money) when you're down. Friends being those who don't feel obliged to accompany you during your moments of sorrow or instances of happiness. Acquitances being those who give a myriad of excuses when you need their company the most. Acquitances being those who work great together but once out of the work environment, go far away to their own respective corners of the world to hibernate before the next work day arrives after a brief sojourn of a thousand jumping sheeps on the bed.

Family members are those connected by blood relations. A relation that cannot be spliced by choice. A relation that sticks together with you until the time you leave the earth for the heavens (if it exists). A relation that you cannot erase from the family tree. As they say, blood is thicker than water. Well, what do you expect? There's plenty of plasma and other components that makes the fluid of life what it is.

Lunar New Year celebrations begin with the receipt of red packets from your parents, relatives and friends when you're young and single. In the later stages of life when you're married, you're required to depart with cash to the younger ones who have not yet settled down. However, once you start having kids, you may 'recover' some of your dearly departed cash. That's how the world order works or at least how we make it out to be.

The crunch of life begins when you've arrived at mid-age. At this period of time, relatives may be 'going off' in a hurried manner as some may have reached their 60s or somewhere later than that. For some, relatives and friends could be departing to the netherworld earlier than expected. It is during the period of festivities that their presence could be sorely missed. At this point, we're rendered to moments of melancholy under the influence of the bright full moon.

In these moments of melancholy, we're driven back to the times when we were younger and everyone was very much alive. When we used to receive red packets after a handshake, wishing each other 'Happy New Year'. This 'period' of happiness often brings us back to the time when we were 15 years old or younger. When neither care or worry affected us, as we light up fireworks and firecrackers for once in a year.

There will come a time when we're truly bereft of the living aged ones who have accompanied us on our life journey. When that time comes, we will depend on the younger ones to humour and entertain us, as we march through this procession of Life. Having said that, cherish your moments of celebration for the new year as anything can happen before the next lunar new year arrives...

Winning Or Losing - Is It Important?

2011-09-28T23:38:00.000+08:00

Giving in, making way for others...these are some of life's dilemmas. Should we give in all the time and follow the middle path, according to the teachings of one religion? Will giving in, make us a better person? How will others perceive us? Is it important how others perceive you? Does that question rank highly in your mind daily, as you struggle to make a living?

What does giving in entail? It means not being opiniated and happy to follow others' suggestions or orders. It means not questioning the rationale behind the request or proposal. It means just doing as told or suggested. It means not having the will to seek answers to the questions that you keep in your heart, afraid to let your doubts be known to the people around you.

Will making way for others make one a benevolent person? Easing others' concerns, will create the impression that you're big hearted, willing to not take credit for your efforts in a project. They say action speaks louder than words. Therefore, you choose the path of benevolence. Is it the right choice? You think that letting others have their way is something that religion has taught you. But will you be at peace with yourself?

As a people's representative in the form of Members of Parliaments, benovelence is a required virtue. The people elected you into position with hopes that their concerns are highlighted in the parliament, to be enacted into laws as the need may be. Or to amend existing laws to reflect the current needs. Difficult as it may be, going against the unequal number of opposing sides, laws may or may not be debated after the first hearing, depending on which side is disadvantaged.

Have the opposing sides given way for the good of the majority? Do they make way for proposals that are beneficial to the people? It has yet to be seen, however. The Speaker being the event controller, he may decide to support the government of the day, to the detriment of the opposing side who may be highlighted the genuine needs of the society at large.

It can be deduced that politics and work life are no different. You'r basically practising politics in your daily work life. If you're good at politics in the workplace, you're suited to represent the people. Conversely, if you're good at politics in the people's arena, you can survive well in the workplace. You see, politics is something that we can't avoid in our daily lives. We put on masks as the need may be. At the end of the day, we take off this mask and bask in the comfort of our family at home.

Giving in or making way for others, is a way of life. Having said that, it is not wrong to be opiniated either. Proposals can be improved or torn apart for betterment. Ultimately, it is about working or existing harmoniously with each other. It's not a battle between right or wrong. It's about convincing others that there's more to Life than the continuous debate between right or wrong. It's about deciding to be happy living. It's about synergy in life.

Human Relations - Wither Without?

2011-02-23T13:04:00.000+08:00

Scrawny faces, ugly looks, sour expression, blank looks, etc. These are some but the types of facial expressions that humans can summon with the tweak of a group of muscles. Facial expressions speaks greatly about the emotions that human beings face at any particular point in time. Such is the beauty of the creation of the human body, amongst other great tools that we have.

When you're in an train, do you offer a blank look at the person who's tightly squeezed into the space in front of you? Do you look up at the ceiling instead of the pretty lady's cleavage? Do you look away from the good looking guy who may be hoping that you'll give him a glance? Or do you look down on the floor, admiring the myriad of shoe patterns and styles that adorn the feet of the train's passengers as they rush to work or on the way home to a nice home cooked dinner?

Will you offer a 'Hi!' when your eyes meet the eyes of the person opposite you? Or even a hint of a smile? Are you afraid that the person may think that you're interested in him/her? In fact, yes you are interested but for the sake of striking a conversation only. For how do relationships begin without any action contributing to the start? Even a smirk goes a long way to spark an interest in mutual desire to know each other better.

Human relations are an important part of a person's life. We don't live exactly in a static world devoid of human contact. Whether face-to-face or via social networking sites in the cyberworld, human interaction makes life meaningful. Humans are sociable creatures who need the company of other human beings for comfort. To share happiness, sorrow and a host of other activities that will elude a person who lives in solitary.

In the workplace or in any other kind of interaction with human beings, it is important that we understand how the social humans work. We depend on colleagues in one way or another. Nobody exists in unity in an organisation. Tolerance is a vital social value as not everyone may share the same opinion as you. Neither do they have to agree with what you want to say or do. Too much of pride will cause your own downfall. Humbleness will put you close to people's hearts and this will certainly oil your path to a greater future.

In politics, one can be a maverick and mow down everyone in one's path. However, what does it achieve? It will only lead to your alienation from the rest of the party people and supporters. No matter how opinionated one may be, it pays to stop and listen to other's views on certain subjects, if not all. Politics is a gathering of a group of people with a common belief and it's better to organise a large group for any change to happen in a meaningful way. To do so, humans must be able to present their views in a palatable manner.

It is only through many discussions and understanding one another, that society will be able to accept each other for we're born with every little difference that makes ourselves unique. The world would certainly be a boring environment if everyone's the same replication of a divided gene. Robots we shall be, devoid of any expression or actions. These mechanical creatures only perform as programmed. Do we want to be like a robot?

Human relations are an inevitable component of Life. Accept it that others are not you. Likewise, your personality doesn't constitute others' outlook towards Life. Be nice to people, and there's a higher chance that people will be nice to you in return. We're on the same journey of Life and it's better that we walk along a path of Happiness. Life is not a choiceless world. Make the right choice and may you enjoy living a satisfying life.

Change Is Difficult But Inevitable

2010-10-20T00:07:00.001+08:00

Year in, year out, day in, day out, we have to slog or drag our poor soul through this drama called 'Life'. Like it or not, we have to force ourselves out of bed and face the day, with the bravery befitting a soldier defending his nation. On the other hand, we could be more optimistic and begin the day with the desire to change the world and therefore, excited to get out of bed because there's so much ahead of us to accomplish? Which one of this scenario would you desire?

There's no doubt that you have to get out of the comfortable bed sooner or later. But what are you going to do for the rest of the day? Is dragging yourself through the day a good choice? Or are you going to decide on buying a fake M.C and call it a day and mope for the rest of the day in bed at home?

As you mope in bed, the flowers would've bloomed and getting ready to soak in the sun's rays to generate the day's food supply so that it can last the day, before it calls it a day when the sun sets. Won't it be a better choice to rise and shine, and actually anticipating excitedly to step into the office, eager to tackle the challenges which the workplace is bound to give you? Won't this lead to a more meaningful life, a fuller one, that you will live to regret when you're lying on bed counting down the last minutes and seconds to your life? Will you lie on the bed, reflecting on the regrets that wouldn't have been had you taken on 'Life' with gutso and anticipation? Will you leave this world with a heavy sigh?

No doubt the daily grind of travelling to the workplace is a challenge in itself. What with the need to send the kids to school (public transportation is an uncertainty in itself but let's keep it for another topic), face the traffic congestion amidst an exploding full bladder and eventually finding a carpark when you arrive at the workplace? I'm sure many of us can empathise with those who are facing this similar or near similar scenario for 5 or 6 days a week. Faced with the prospect of going through this daily cycle repeatedly for at least 30 years will definitely kill the desire to live for any ordinary person. But it's rather a no choice thing, right? Everyone goes through it and what makes you different from the rest of them?

Add to this, the concern for where the country is heading politically. The landscape has changed since 2008, with more people getting vocal with their opinions in social networking sites and blogs. Within the ever borderless world, conversations take place within seconds around the world. Nothing can escape the notice of netizens who spend their life behind the computer screen, scouting for things of interest to entertain themselves. Mainstream media is being rejected on a larger scale due to the mistrust, that the MSM is a voice of the current goverment. They need to renew their publishing license, right? Go take a walk or jog and exercise your worries away.

Putting the worries of maintaining a job and the country's political direction together, is definitely going to give you sleepless nights. With so much uncertainties, what does the future hold for us? Are we secure in our current jobs? Will inflation and the jobless scenario aflict us in the next two years? 'Life' is just like water flowing in a river - it keeps on flowing past boulders and any obstruction that gets in its way. Water has been known to carve through mountains, creating beauties of nature that we appreciate once a while.

When you're faced with an obstacle, do you take a step back and refrain from advancing further in 'Life'? Do you fear the unknown? Or would you get to know the unknown and together with like minded people, strive to move past the source of obstruction? Maybe alone, you won't be able to do it, but together, no obstacle is ever so big that it cannot be surpassed. Can we make it happen? The decision is in our hands.

Or are you just going to pause and stare at the unknown, like the gecko on the right? Of course, it's the easiest 'solution' when faced with a problem. In Buddhism, there's nothing wrong or right. But you have answer your own karma. It goes around until you realise what you should've changed. Will the current government satisfy your desire for a competent, accountable and transparent management of the country? With hundreds of thousands of citizens leaving the country yearly for better prospects in a foreign land, doesn't it speak volumes about the government? Coupled with the abuse of the justice system to oppress the opposition movement, do you have any minute hope at all for justice to be meted our in a fair and just manner?

Are we going to be like leaves fallen to the ground, after our life has been squeezed out of us under an oppressive leadership. Are we going to just shrivel up for people to run over us? Or are you going to take part actively in a movement that's changing the country for sure. For better or for worse, if we don't give it a try, we will not know the result. What have we got to lose anyway? We have already lost much, to politicians who incite racial unrest with impunity, knowing that the law will 'protect' them from being ever penalised from their crime while opposition members are arrested at the slightest provocation? Are we going to let ourselves be trampled further by oppresive leaders?

I say we arm ourselves with knowledge (not from the MSM) and make the decision for change. It's no point lounging in the comforts of the home and complaining. Do something about it. Together we can. Change is imminent and we must make sure it happens. If change had taken place earlier, we would not be in the dire economic situation we are in now. After this change, may our lives sail smoother. We head towards the mountains and make sure we're able to go over it.

Peaceful Gatherings - Is It Possible?

2010-08-02T00:45:00.000+08:00

It was a cool, dark night on 1st August, 2010 with a slight drizzle. Some would say that it's probably 'hujan rahmat' as the Almighty symphatizes with his creations who are gathering to commemorate the anniversary of the anti-ISA protest. Anticipation of a show of force by the men in blue is imminent as the time passes by close to the 30th minute after 2000 hrs. All possible entry points into AmpCorp Mall have been blocked and manned by the police.

The protestors gathered and walked across the carpark to the open field. The national anthem 'Negaraku' was sung loud and clear for everyone to hear. Is it a crime to gather in an open field to sing 'Negaraku' together. The men in blue don't think so and they're allowed to continue up to the end of the 2nd repeat of the national anthem. It's great to see Malaysians sing in unity. This is what the leaders of our beloved country have espoused - unity.

As it was drizzling, the protestors marched into the shopping mall to seek shelter from the tears in the sky as possible arrest becomes imminent as time passes by, closer to 2030 hrs. Under the shade of the mall, candles are lighted up after 'Negaraku' is sung for the 3rd time. Shouts of 'Hidup Rakyat' and 'Mansuhkan ISA' is heard as the protestors made the call from the bottom of their heart as they yearn and demand for change.

The FRU stations themselves at the front of the main lobby, standing by in case the police riots. The protestors are a reasonable lot and are just gathering peacefully to highlights the ills of the country. It is feared that the police will riot, seeing peace in process. They wait for their instructions. Those manning the flea market are grumbling that the police's actions are hindering their business.

The protestors were observed walking in front of the FRU, inquiring with them on the reason why they were deployed in great numbers to 'monitor' a peaceful gathering? No, they are just following orders. Two FRU trucks were parked beside the open field, ready to imprison unlucky protestors who were caught. It's just a small truck, so not many will arrested tonight. Don't worry, the men in blue are nice people and won't arrest more than they have to. Only the popular ones will be detained for 'further questioning' in the prison cell while the others will most probably be counselled not to participate in this 'illegal' gatherings in future.

At the blow of the whistle, all hell breaks loose and everyone runs helter skelter. The men in blue rushes into the middle podium of the shopping mall. A protestor was manhandled and dragged to the awaiting truck. Photographs rushed to capture the violent scene as they wondered what could have warranted such a reaction from the men in blue? Nobody were instigating them. Most probably they received instruction 'from above' and had to 'menjalankan tugas' as dutiful public servants who have failed to apprehend the real criminals in the form of snatch thiefs, robbers, serial killers, etc. But arresting peaceful citizens seems to be their forte these days, although they're their paymasters.

The shoppers and onlookers were warned to stay away. Businesses were disrupted not by the peaceful protestors but the men in blue as tables and chairs were pushed aside in their haste to arrest the citizens. It was total chaos for about 5 minutes. Most probably the rest were spared because there was no more room for them in the little trucks. These scenes are likely to be the norm as the citizens demand for the repeal of an archaic law that oppresses the commoners who want change. Peaceful gatherings are not impossible, as long as the men in blue don't interrupt the peace process and citizens awaken to their rights in the democratic fight for justice.

A Team Who Plays Together, Works Together

2010-06-06T22:40:00.001+08:00

Arguments, debates, debacles, etc. These words all point to the same thing - that there's some unhappiness on one party and the other demands an explanation or at least a justification on the action that caused the unpleasant situation. While there's intellectual value in debates, arguments and debacles almost always end up as a waste of time and resources for both the accusing and aggrieved parties. Should we instead spend more time on beneficial activities or continue to argue till the end of time? Would you gain satisfaction from maligning others? Have you considered the fact that others may do the same to you? Unproven assumptions and accusations will drive a company to disaster if not nipped in the bud, don't you agree?

In any company, whether there's only 3 employees or 3,000 employees, there will exist cliques amongst the employees working there. And why not? One should only choose to work with those who they are more comfortable working with. And why not? Why waste resources convincing the other party of need to work together objectively? Why waste time to convince the other party that there's a vital need to work as a team? Don't they already know that we have to work together for the good of the company?

Who will stand to benefit should there be teamwork amongst the employees? No, it's not the clients nor the bystanders to the arguing circus. Yes, it's the employees themselves who stand to gain if there's a concerted effort directed towards solving a work-related problem instead of wasting saliva on personal-related problems. Yes, the top management may even observe and recognise this visible teamwork effort by handing out the bonus the employees so much desire or even feel obliged to organise events that may further enhance the good relations amongst employees.

Now, a Family Day is not an obligation of the company to organise. It is an expensive event to organise - accommodation, food, activities and logistics. Especially so if the employees are great in number, adding the fact that most would have families coming along. However, Family Day is an event where the employees and their families get an opportunity to know each other better and may even further cement the good relations amongst the employees. Wives and children will get to play together and it is an excellent opportunity to mingle around, besides the Annual Dinner which normally consists of the employee and his/her spouse only. I mean, why not? What do we stand to lose for attending this meaningful event? Nothing much, I guess.

The programs and logistics takes months to prepare. Rooms need to be booked well in advance, taking into consideration that other companies/organisations may have the same idea in organising Family Day. The room access cards need to be collected and counter checked to ensure that they open the room they're supposed to open. Employees need to be allocated rooms according to their family size or if they're single, studio rooms which will reduce the chance of inter-mixing which is against the grain of most religions.

The most important thing to remember in Family Day events is that you have to be pro-active. You need to volunteer yourselves to participate in the games. You need to be more extrovert than normal. You need to introduce yourselves so that others may at least know your existence and have you participate in the games planned. Don't wait for the organising committee members to call/plead you to participate. If you're an introvert, well, this is an excellent opportunity for change. Don't worry, they won't bite, I'm sure. The main objective is to mingle around with the crowd, no matter who they are, whatever level of management they are.

However, the best activity in my opinion, would be the photography part of the whole event. In telematches, there's ample opportunity to capture scenes of activities, comedic action of the games participants, facial expressions as they struggle to complete the games, and kids are the best subjects for photography because they are most cute as they are guided by their parents in completing the games. Humans are great subjects for photography.

Of course, the satisfaction from taking photographs would be to know that others enjoy or at least agree with your shots. Comparing the photos with fellow photographers would be an excellent opportunity for learning - learning is a never ending process in whichever part of your life you're in. Any camera will do - it's the composition of the image that matters. Having an expensive camera doesn't always guarantee a good photograph.

In summary, if there's ever a Family Day being organised, it's best to stamp your participation in this great activity for nurturing and enhancing employee relationships. Unless you have other more important personal matters to attend to, of course. And that's most probably because after work, most of us would normally head home to our families and have individual family activities.A team that plays together will work together in a more harmonious working environment, I'm sure. Well, at least that's what I believe in. All the angst would be set aside during the Family Day and who knows, it may change your working relationships for the better. When there's a harmonious working environment, all he unnecessary knots would be released. Carpe diem!

Happy Parents Day - Why Not?

2010-05-11T00:18:00.000+08:00

Babies are being born every second. With that, a couple becomes parents. Just imagine how many parents are created every second. And with the mortality rate that controls the population boom, we can be sure that new parents will be created and aged parents will end their contribution with their dignified passing. It's part of the cycle of LIFE. Just imagine what would happen if the mortality rate is low and the human population keeps on increasing? Overpopulation is not something pleasant as everyone would be rushing for food to ensure their survival and surely there would be a shortage of food then. Did you read that for earth to be given a chance to recover, 70% of humans must die?

For those of us who still have parents, we should be thankful and grateful for that gift. Sure, we didn't ask to be born. Therefore, our being born is more of a choiceless living? For those who are born with a silver spoon, they may say life has been great for them. However, for those who were born in the slumps, well, they may say has been great too...if they haven't had the opportunity to experience the other side of where they may be living in. Having said that, the rich will have their 'rich' problems while the poor will have their fair share of 'poor' problems. Well, the diversity of Life is what gets us moving as we begin to appreciate Life as it is and stop to smell the rose every now and then.

I'm grateful that my parents are still with me. Both are 66 and 64 years old respectively. Now that they're this old, I can really see how they've aged with time. From big, sturdy, able bodied adults who have taken care of me and nurtured me to being who I am currently, their faces are wrinkled and the melanin has contributed to the many spots on their skin as the UV rays work their way through and their weight has subsided a lot. Biology is wonderful, isn't it?

Once a while, when the the full moon blooms, I get a little melancholic. As I sit quietly contemplating LIFE, I also think about the family which I was fortunate to have been born into. To think that I used to be the little rascal who used to drive my parents up the wall with my pranks, and now grown up to have a kid and daughter who too, are driving me up the wall with their own unique pranks. That's the cycle of life, isn't it? Life, in its own humorous way. Discipline aside, it's wonderful to observe them as they grow up and the increase in their tenacity and energy is really great. Nerve wrecking it can be, but their growing up process is a fascinating real life drama to follow.

No, not only did I harass my parents, I remember my late grandfather chasing me up the tree as I climbed hurriedly to escape the cane. Stayed there for quite a while until he gave up. And to think of it, I spent a lot of my growing up years on the mango tree. Plucking the unripe mangoes and eating it on the spot. Thinking about it now sends shivers down my spine, as the sourness will cause my teeth to 'shake'. And not to mention, de-skinning the sugarcane with my bare teeth. And to top it all, I would climb onto the garage of the single storey bungalow without any assistance from the ladder. Walked on the sloping roof and climbing down eventually by the tree. That's how 'great' I was those days. Nowadays, just thinking of it makes my palm sweat!

On the other hand, I also helped my mum to make kuih bangkit, curry puffs and other cookies for Chinese New Year. I can still remember the dining table (which has since made way for a new marble top round table) messed up with white flour and the sound of knocking as we attempted to get the formed dough out of the mould, ready to be baked by the oven. The curry puffs made by my grandfather was great - I couldn't wait for it to cool down sufficiently to sink my teeth into it. The curry potato was heavenly, hot from the wok. And not forgetting the tons of kaya jam that I've eaten in my lifetime. You see, there's a jungle near my house (which has since made way for a housing estate in progress) where my grandfather collects matured coconuts. Once the coconut milk is squeezed out to make kaya, the husk and shell is used as fuel to fry the waste coconut whites to obtain coconut oil for cooking purposes. Talk about multipurpose product of nature.

My dad stayed at the back of the violin class in order to learn the violin - to teach me back at home. Can you imagine the dedication to music? He himself learned the organ at age 30 odd. Perhaps to make up for the lost opportunity when he was young and couldn't afford it. And when I was in Form 3, when most boys would have gotten a motorcycle to bring sweet young things around, my dad used the amount of money that could have purchased a bike, to buy me a violin? What the hell, I cursed. When the rest of my buddies are busy feeding their growth hormones, I was doomed at home with the violin? Is it fair? Well, at that time, no. But I'm grateful for that now, as I have musical knowledge and am able to play a few other musical instruments. At least, I have something different from my friends. Music is a tool to get people together as music is a form of 'international language', understood by all.

Not forgetting the driving lessons before I was legally able to take driving lessons. It wasn't as easy as it looked as I learnt to estimate the size of the car and manipulating the clutch and gears to get the car moving while steering it at the same time. Quite a momentous task at that young age. But I was proud - to be given the trust and opportunity to drive. If I can remember correctly, I was about 15 years of age then. I didn't have the opportunity of owning a motorcycle as mum had deemed it as a dangerous vehicle. I eventually purchased one of my own (Aprilia) when I worked in Singapore and zoomed home one day to show them ... that, hey! I have a motorcycle now. 140 km/h on the highway was fun then.

Oh, there were one too many occasions where I was caned for both being naughty and stubborn. But I believe now that capital punishment was to discipline and mould me into what I am now. I could've been with bad company if not for the constant reminders with the cane. Likewise, I'm now using it on my daughter because she can get out of hand sometimes. But sparingly.

Dad used to be the discipline tyrant and mum is who I went to for consolation. I think it's the same for everyone, in a 'normal' family. I've never heard of mums who would cane their sons. But occasionally, I would get a rap on the head by mum if I had been a tad too stubborn and caused her anguish. No permanent damage from this.

And not forgetting the stray dog which we had grown to like. It began with feeding it with plain white rice. Being hungry, the dog appreciated our kind gestures and decided that we would be the family to have him. Both parents objected because of the additional member in the family but over time, the dog which we called 'Doggie' convinced them that it's special. Did I say before that it could de-husk the coconut? And pull us on our bicycle? It's a big dog and it stayed with us for about 10 years before passing on to the nether world. Memories, memories. Regretted not having taken more photos of our Doggie. It's only when it left that I realised that there weren't enough photos of it but for the fortunate few.

I could go on and on about how I was being brought up and how my parents dealt with my growing years. If I get too lengthy, you would most probably wonder why I'm babbling too much this time on this blog. But really, there's more to write and I would be honoured to share my life's experience with you. I'll leave it to some other title to write about. In the meantime, Happy Parents Day and why not? Why succumb to commercialism? Every day should be parents' day and we should cherish them while they're still alive even though I would feel tongue tied to express my feelings but I guess, action shows. I never believed in visiting the grave and burning prayer material after their death. It's all hogwash and I won't know for sure whether they'd receive those objects that we burn for them. Again, Happy Parents Day.

Death - Is it Necessarily Negative?

2010-04-13T21:56:00.000+08:00

Death is a word that strikes fear into everyone's minds. Or at least generates spooky feelings in relevance to ghosts - spirits who roam after death. Death is a macabre word that most people would want to avoid uttering. Death conjures up images of sadness, despair and doom. Why can't it conjure images of happiness, hope and bloom instead? What is it that prevents us from thinking positively about death? Should death be such a good thought, that everyone would rush to be on the bandwagon? Why should anyone avoid death like the plague? Why go to great lengths to prevent people from uttering the death word? Is it such a bad thing to think of death once a while?

Why is death always a negative thing? Of course, death separates us from our loved ones. But isn't it something good for them, that they're able to leave this world of suffering and cross over to the next world? Should we instead be happy for them, for they're crossing over earlier than us? It's like saying goodbye when the bus leaves. But then, the bus in the real world, will return. In the ethereal world, spirits of the dead will return. Physically, no but spiritually, yes. Death is like a journey. It's up to us to ensure that it's a pleasurable one. Your imagination will ascertain what to expect ahead.

Should we be happy for those who manage to leave earlier than us? Why not? Nobody thinks of separation in good terms. It's always thought of in negative terms. When the time comes for them to leave, it's more often a 'no choice' thing. Unless they committed suicide thing, of course. But then, suicide is a choice, no? Put that aside. Back to 'no choice' death. When the Reaper comes calling, it's time to go. Sometimes, there's no time to say goodbye. Maybe it's best that way, sometimes?

So, if you have to go, you have to go. We should be happy for them but the burden is on us to let go. Humans are a sentimental lot in nature and will run through a quick re-collection of the past and present when a loved one is about to leave this mortal world. While the loved one fades into unconsciousness, the one who's leaving will also experience quick flashes of their own past and present. It's normally during the point of death, that humans go through this stage. It's like a video recorder being made to run on excessive speed till its end of the tape reel.

Before dying, most probably there'll be regrets. Regrets of not saying what you wanted to say when the person was still alive, which makes you think why you didn't want to say it at all? Regrets of not doing something that you've wanted to do all this while, but procastinated till the last moment and having realised that you're no longer in a position to perform the tasks? It's not a good feeling to have regrets on your deathbed. During that time, there's more turning back. The bus has arrived and the door is open, waiting for you to board. No, there's no chance of throwing the ticket away. A helpless feeling isn't exactly a good feeling.

On some occassions, when there's instant death, there's no opportunity for reminiscing the past or even having regrets. Bang! You're dead. That would probably be the best way to go? If it's an accident, having the thought of being maimed for life or even having an arm or leg amputated would most probably be an unbearable thought for some. So, for these people, a quick launch into the ethereal world is the best way. No time to even think of loved ones they'd be leaving behind or even to consider whether the world awaiting them will be a good one, like what they've dreamed about all this while. Or like what their religion has preached to them, heaven is awaiting if you've done good. And when you reach the Gates, the Gatekeeper apologises and informs regretfully that you're not allowed into Heaven...but leave this for another blog, ok?

So, think of it. There's only 2 things certain in life - death and taxes. Why not relish death? I'm also reminding myself that death of loved ones is inevitable. As you age, you biologically slow down to a standstill (freeze). I've gone through 5 passings, I guess. Fortunately, nothing happened to my immediate family members...yet. I know I will have to face it one day. So fearful am I of this thought that I always think it's best for me to 'go' first. Then I won't have to shed tears for them. It's a painful event, I can imagine. I can also empathise with those who have lost their loved ones.

So, is death a negative thing? We should look at it positively. It will help us to overcome the doom and gloom. Thinking that the dead would be on their way to a better future, will enable us to overcome our grief faster than moaning over the death. The emotional suffering would be short. After the burial, we look at the gravestone and think of the legacy that was left behind and hope that the dearly departed would continue to think of us and drop hints of their visit every once a while. The Chinese will wait for the Hell Gates to open in the 7th Month whilst other cultures would have their own unique way to deal with the dead. Therefore, death is a good thing and we should be envious of those who have managed to leave early. For those who've left, please wait for us to come, ok?

The New Year - Is Everything Ok?

2010-01-10T01:38:00.001+08:00

Another year has gone. 2009 is no more. 365 days of last year is the past now. Time and tide waits for no man (and ladies). Once it's gone, it's gone and turning back the clock's arms won't bring back last year. Not even reversing the date of the clock. But you can choose to fool yourself, if you want to. The past is the past and accept the new year as it comes. You can't hide in one corner and pretend that the new year hasn't arrived.

What has changed for this year? Well, at least you're one year older already. Whether aging has created a more mature 'you', only you can determine. New Year Resolutions will remain as mere statements unless you physically take action on it. It could be only one resolution but if it just remains as a thought, then you could perhaps make it your resolution to complete last year's unresolved resolutions. For those who have one too many resolutions, you can pacify yourself by completing as many resolutions as possible.

I'm past making resolutions because I know I won't be able to accomplish it . Making resolutions only made me feel good. However, it doesn't feel good if I don't accomplish it. So, for this year's resolutions - there won't be any. Keep life simple. I hope I'm not alone in this. I hope there's many, many others out there who are like me. Keep taking photographs, enjoy the great food out there and enjoy life. Oops, that's sounds like 3 resolutions already.

With 4 churches having had molotov cocktails thrown at them and damaged as a result of the fire, one wonders what 2010 brings us. It's not a good start to the year but political anarchists have managed to bring uncalm to the country. No, they're not religious anarchists but rather, political anarchists who are bent on taking over the Selangor state by whatever despicable means. This event is like food - if you don't like it, just spit it out.

And that's what the rakyat is doing. Throw the bad away. They are not going to be sucked into this political game. The rakyat is now more politically aware, compared to the situation 30 years ago, where almost everyone had to depend on what the mainstream media churns out due to no other source of information. During those days, the rakyat can be fooled by propaganda because they had no way to verify the information. The internet has saved us. This is the Information Age. With many of us on Facebook and other social networking sites and blogs, we are helping ourselves by disseminating the right information around. Of course, cybertroopers will try their best to confuse us with their selfish propaganda but we're not easily fooled or taken in by their 'stories'. They are just serving their political masters. Leave them alone. We totally understand that they're just doing their job, albeit being paid using the rakyat's money.

The power of the internet knows no bounds. 'Stories' propagated by the MSM are almost always countered with the right information on the internet, with scanned copies of the original documents to boot. With just one click and the information is transmitted to interested parties. Many times faster than the slow mail, which sometimes don't arrive at all. With many of the netizens who are bent on spreading truth and those who can only live on truth, we're pretty sure that we won't fall for the lies found in the MSM. But it's ok. Leave the MSM alone. They too, are serving their political masters. In the nearest future, we can expect to see the printed media dwindling in readership as more rakyat are joining the wireless broadband bandwagon, where information is at the tip of their fingers.

So, the year didn't begin on such a bad note after all. Well, it seemed bad in the beginning. But the solidarity shown by our brothers out there, have shown that political maturity has risen to a level that we continue to support ourselves and remind ourselves to be rational and not to be taken in by the anarchist's actions. The support level in the cyberworld and amongst the netizens is so great because we have also at the same time, managed to filter out those cybertroopers from amongst us. For one, their grasp of the English language speaks loudly of the government's stance on going against the teaching of Maths and Science in English. But let's leave English for another blog. Their answers in public discussions show's how weak their English is and it's a wonder if anyone understands them at all. But for RM3,500 monthly allowance and given a pc to boot, it's the dream job of graduates who haven't found jobs in the real world due to their uncompetitiveness. Their salary is paid by our taxes.

The way we handle the challenges posed by a dying regime will encourage others to join our team. The team for change, that is. The rakyat will be able to compare the way our leaders handle the situation. On one side, we have instigators and anarchists who abuse the MSM to spread religious and racist remarks. On the other, we have people who pacify and explain to the masses that anarchists are at work and not to be taken in by their negative actions. As a result, we have a peaceful country and citizens who are rational in their thinking. For those churches who were torched, collect money from the faithful for the repairs. I'm sure there are many who will contribute to rebuild the houses of worship.

We will continue to be rational because we have positive leaders who are rational. We will listen to them and continue to do so, as they lead us to change. Many of us strongly feel that change is imminent and it's possible in the near future. That'll be our hope for 2010. We will let the anarchists do what they think they can do, and we will just sit back and enjoy the entertainment provided by these clowns. We choose peace. We will continue to demand for peace and equality and will not let ourselves be hijacked by the actions of a few. Life should be smooth sailing and we should take every effort to ensure it stays that way. Happy New Year.

It's Time For Change

2009-12-24T00:00:00.000+08:00

Corruption. Wastage. Selective persecution by the 'authorities'. Collapsed buildings just recently completed. Cronyism. Nepotism. Murder of a foreign national. Expensive submarine purchase. Ships that were never delivered although additional money has been pumped in. Theft of jet engines, truck and tyres. Illegal takeover of an opposition held state. Court appointed MB put in place. Lighting candles, wearing black and peaceful gatherings are banned. Mansion owners who were not investigated and penalised although reports have been lodged with the anti-corruption agency. And so on and so forth.

We read about all these excesses and persecution daily both in the papers and internet. There's always a bad news almost daily. The news are what sells the papers. However, the papers have been instructed to publish more negative news on the opposition, in order to gain support and funding by their political masters. However, the traditional source of news have declined popularity as the government's voice, as the young and old indulge themselves in 'more accurate' news via blogs and internet news sites. The rakyat's distrust in the traditional media have reached the peak. Every little bit of news on the internet is now accepted as the gospel truth, contrary to what's published in the government controlled media. Facebook and Twitter groups are trying their best to spread the truth and to open the rakyat's eyes to the gross abuses by the dying regime and their conniving partners in crime.

Only those living in the rural areas and the old who don't have access to the internet, are still relying on the traditional media and are prone to being manipulated by what they read and watch on television. The fear propagated by these media is what make the rural folks retain their support for the dying regime. Traditional 'rights' are being snatched from them, these folks are being told. If you vote for the opposition, you will have less rights as a native of the country, they will say. If you want to 'sell' away your traditional rights, go vote the opposition in, and so the propaganda goes on. Do these people know what 'rights' they have and what they do not? Do they ever read the Federal Constitution which guarantees fairness and equality in treatment for all citizens?

Do they not want their fellow citizens to live harmoniously with them and share the same rights as a fellow countryman? Exactly what kind of rights do they expect to retain? The rights to the land they live on or the national reserves which continue to be plundered for a few ringgit? The rights to their special allocated places in tertiary institutions? The rights for 15% discount when purchasing houses even though they're not exactly poor when buying RM200,000 houses? The rights to worship in the houses of worship of only one particular faith, even though they could possibly be the minority in the housing estate? The rights of the privileged few who are guaranteed passes in the tertiary institutions so that they may 'progress' in life but payment of study loans notwithstanding? There are plenty of study loan defaulters out there who have good paying jobs but are reluctant to settle their debts due to an inefficient collection system. Even Datuks and Datins are amongst those who default on their study loans without nary an action taken against them in an effort to recover the debt.

As we mature politically as citizens of this beautiful country, we should allow mediocrity rule our thoughts. We have been cheated for 52 years by the regime who's main concern is to enrich themselves through dubious schemes and projects at the expense of the taxpayers. What have taxpayers benefited from the schemes and projects, but to witness the collapse of the structures that were only completed just recently? Where's the accountability of the authorities entrusted to ensure our money is well spent? Why are the excesses allowed to happen? Isn't there any monitoring body to guard the nation's wealth, making sure that the money is well spent? As far as the rakyat can see, projects are only awarded to cronies and family members of an elite few. Is this the only reason why politicians become politicians? The power to award projects, corrupts absolutely when there's no open tender to select suitable companies among the many. Even though transparency has been touted by the Prime Minister, the rakyat can see that it's merely hot air without a desire to really ensure transparency in the award of contracts, amongst others.

Do we accept mediocrity in the management of this country? Do we want to see our nation's resources get plundered for the wealth of an elite few? In the East, the virgin jungle has been raped for years, for the elite few to accumulate sinful wealth at the expense of the rakyat. Electricity and water supply has been wanting in the rural areas. Areas where villages are only accessible by boat or helicopter. Isn't it a wonder that after 52 years of plunder, the poor aborigines or the real natives of the country, continue to live in abject poverty? Children have to walk at least 3 hours across mountainous ranges just to attend school whilst others have to suffer the risk of 2 hours travel by boat. Why aren't the basic necessities provided after all these years?

It's time for change and the tide of change is riding high on the waves of public support. It's time to reject the mediocrity that has been forced upon us for thus long. We can do our part in this 'change' by first ensuring that we're registered voters. Go to the post office or the Rocket Cafe to register yourselves over a cup of coffee. It is our right as a citizen of this country, to vote. Do not allow yourselves to be a fence sitter. Every vote counts and we should ensure that the tsunami of March 2008 have greater force in the coming general elections. I'm betting on it being held in April/May next year. By the way, it takes 4 months from the time you apply, to becoming a full fledged voter in the system. Don't waste any more time. Don't waste the precious opportunity to take part in this change. Federal control is essential to access the already dwindling funds due to mismanagement of the country. We need to save what's left. Vote and ensure that your vote counts in making this country a better place, where Competency, Accountability and Transparency rules. Please vote for change! Thank you.

Life's Direction - Who's Responsibility?

2009-12-09T22:03:00.006+08:00

Right or left? Stop or go ahead? Beat the red lights or follow the traffic rules? Overtake or be overtaken? Slow down or speed up? Employ the brakes when going downhill or make use of low gears to slowly traverse down to lowland? Questions after questions arise as we trudge on the daily grind of what we call LIFE.

While there are rules that have been created to guide us in making the above decisions, it is ultimately up to ourselves to decide for ourselves as only we are responsible for ourselves. Right or left? Well, it depends on where we're heading. If we had turned right when it should've been left, it's not really a big problem as we can still slow down and make the appropriate correction to head towards the correct direction by making a U-turn.

Precious time will be lost, especially if we're attending an interview or meeting a client for discussions. That's without question. However, rather than continue to head towards the wronged direction, it's wiser to make the U-turn and then try to make up on lost time. It is futile to continue to head in the wrong direction in the hope that it will somehow lead to the correct path. And only you, the one behind the driver's wheel can make that decision to correct yourself. There's no one to honk at you to tell you that you took the wrong path, for only you know the true path towards where you're heading.

To overtake or be overtaken? What are the stakes here? If you encounter a slow vehicle ahead, you can make the decision to activate the indicator lights and proceed to overtake the vehicle, provided that there's no oncoming traffic to hinder your safe cutting in front of the slow vehicle. It's your choice to overtake. Likewise, it is also your choice to let yourself be overtaken. If you're already driving at the maximum legal speed limit, allow other impatient drivers to overtake you. Again, activate the indicator lights and move to the left. There's no harm in allowing this. Do not let ego or pride prevent you from making a wise decision to be overtaken.

In LIFE, it is sometimes wiser to let yourself be overtaken rather than competing with the other party in a meaningless competition that will surely end in tragedy should both cars meet with an accident. In LIFE, we should ask ourselves what's the hurry to get to the destination. Whether slow or fast, we're going to reach it anyway, right? Provided that there's nothing to end that path abruptly. But we wouldn't know, won't we? If we decide to overtake, make sure that there's no obstacle ahead. Always ensure that no one is injured or hurt if we decide to overtake. Likewise, it is our responsibility to allow those who overtake, a safe passage too. Slow down instead of speeding up and allow that driver to cut in safely in front of you. It is the wisest and more appropriate thing to do since we're sharing a common road.

When we're heading down a hill, do you have a bad habit of relying too much on the brakes to slow down your vehicle before taking the corner? Do you realise that if the hydraulic fluid overheats due to constant use of the brakes, the brakes may fail to work as the fluid boils? Can you then, slow down the vehicle still? At this time, it is better to stop the vehicle and let the fluid cool down a little before proceeding with the journey. Well, only you can decide whether to use the brakes constantly or employ the low gears in tackling the tricky downhill situation.

If you're too negative in your view of life and its challenges or in your workplace, you're actually applying brakes to your progress in both your LIFE and employment career. Think of it - what advantage do you get when you're obstinately negative? There's more disadvantages than advantages to this poor outlook in LIFE. On the contrary, if you employ the gears to slow down the vehicle, it is akin to making the appropriate decision to either slow down or step back momentarily to view the problem on a macro level and then tackling the problem in the appropriate manner. This way, you won't be 'overheated' with your problem but instead, you would be in a better position to overcome the challenges faced. Having a positive outlook in LIFE is essential to ensuring that you're capable to face the onslaughts of living through this challenging LIFE.

All being said, you have to make many, many decisions in LIFE. People around you can either give you the appropriate nudge to get you back on the right path if you decide to stray, or they can also lead you astray at the same time. The choice of making the right decision lies with you and only you alone. So, make sure that you equip yourself with the knowledge on what's right or wrong and continue to built on your own values as you progress. Do not trust others too easily, but don't distrust others extremely at the same time. We were given this gift of Thought, so make full use of it and may it steer you in the right direction. Carpe diem!

Working With Idiots Can Kill You

2009-11-30T20:53:00.010+08:00

Work, work, work. Who doesn't work at all? Everyone needs to work in some way or other to earn a living. Some may hawk their wares in night markets, some may hawk their fare in hawker centres or food courts, some may apply their designing ability in constructing beautiful homes or offices, some may apply their engineering knowledge in producing computer microchips, etc. The choice of occupations are myriad and only the natural creative ability of humans limits what can be done or made in this world of many opportunities.

Working with people can suffer you with idiots who continue to irritate you with their silly actions. However, working for yourself can also subject you to idiots for you will always have to depend on someone else to carry out some part of your job. Both ways, idiots will continue to ruin your working life if you choose to let the chapter continue to run its course. Would you prefer to do something about it or choose to turn a blind eye towards it? To suffer or to ignore, that's the question.

One can choose to take action by aggressively pursuing these idiots to their wits end. One can choose to live with the idiot's actions. But the issue here will be - which path will lead to a more comfortable life for yourself. Forget about the other party - it's your own life and health which is more important. In this dog-eat-dog world, survival in the corporate world is more important than anything else. Who will love yourself if not yourself?

Let's picture this scenario - continue to let yourself be affected by the actions of this idiot. One day, two day, three days, and by the fourth day you decide to live with the antics of this idiot. No matter what, you tell yourself that you can tolerate the idiocy in spite of the effects it has on your mental health and consequently, it will take a toll on your body as your blood pressure and stress levels increases every time the idiot carries out his antics. A recent study showed that working with idiots can kill you. I believe it's true. Heart attack kills, if stroke doesn't.

Or...you can take action to tell off the person and make your stand on how working colleagues should treat each other and then after that, consider that person 'invicible' in your daily life. Will you experience a better work life after this? Definitely. For you have taken control of your life and will not let anyone take away the joy of living from you. Clowning around is the way should be lived. Life shouldn't be too serious. In the end, you'd still die whether you choose to ignore or tolerate the idiots. But isn't it better to be die a happy person? Being selfish for yourself doesn't sound too good morally, but if you don't love yourself, who will?

The work environment should be filled with happiness and satisfaction. Happiness because you know that you're among friends and the good relationships go a long way towards ensuring that you'd have a satisfactory career because everyone is basically helping and supporting each other to ensure success in every work opportunity. Is this heaven or hell? Who will determine it? It's really yourself to decide whether the work environment is heaven or hell for yourself. What you do goes a long way to ensure a heavenly work environment. Who would want to go to work, dreading the moment each morning? Would you rather wake up in the morning, anxious to go to work and meet friends? Or would you rather wake up with hesitation, dreading the chore of going to work to earn a living to pay off the house or car?

I'd say take a decision to be happy and consider these idiots to be invicible and that nothing they do can destroy your beautiful day. Let the idiots suffer by themselves when no one longer pays any attention to them, while we go round our daily tasks with exuberance and anticipation. By treating the idiots as invicible, you've already taken a decision to be happy with life. Life's too short for you to let these idiots ruin your day. It's always better to have more friends, so concentrate on having more friends and more friends, for it's a joy to be working among friends. Idiots always are in the minority. Once they see that they no longer command any attention for their idiocy, they'd relent and hide in one corner and slowly, they'd fade way into nothingness for they no longer see any future working in an environment hostile to them. I choose to be happy and so can you. Enjoy yourself in the circle of life because if you spread cheer, you'll get cheer in return. Cheers!

Thailand - The Land Which Buddhism Reigns Mighty

2009-11-02T22:24:00.013+08:00

When someone mentions Thailand, what images or impressions might the word conjure? A few words immediately comes to mind e.g massage, wats (temples), tuk-tuk vehicles, polite manners, tomyum, good food, etc. These few words are so synonymous with the country that if a visitor fails to grasp these few impressions, it would've been a futile visit to the country of smile and politeness.

I was there for three (3) days last week on a business trip to explore the running of a few ports. Staying along Rama IV, opposite Lumphini Park, is not really a nice spot. It was located smack in the middle of chronic traffic congestion. However, a call for taxi was immediately served within minutes. How efficient they are. It's just a call away even though traffic was snarling.

I never cease to be amazed at the cleanliness level of the whole of Bangkok and its immediate surrounding areas. Even though some of the buildings may be old, it's only covered with moss which grew over time in damp areas. However, there's nary a plastic or pieces of unwanted paper lying strewn on the road and passageways. Perhaps being a majority Buddhist country helped to nurture this discipline of cleanliness. Even it's public toilets are spotless. I'm sure many of those who've visited the country's capital can attest to this.

Peaceful the town of Bangkok was during my visit. Even though the politics wasn't favourable to Thaksin, the people of Thailand were not violently protesting the rule of Abhisit. The days of early protest were over and I can still hear praises of Thaksin even as he continues to live in self-exile. From the support from the poor and the football fans when he acquired Manchester United, the great man continues to live on as a legend, the white elephant of ordinary Thais. The mere mention of the word Thaksin brings smile to the people as they recall his efforts to help the poor rise above their poverty.

The streets opposite Siam Paragon were a hive of business activity. From street peddlars hawking food, to street performers busking for a bit of change, to transport providers aka tuk-tuk waiting by the roadside, to people buying lotteries in the hope of striking and subsequently obtaining a richer future...they mind their own business as each goes about their daily activities, in the hustle and bustle of city life. I should be ashamed at the lack of creativeness of the Malaysians in doing business. In between buildings, the streets were converted into little restaurants with both eastern and western fare on offer. Proper chairs and tables which are normally found in restaurants found their way into these cramped 'lorongs'. If one doesn't look at both ends of the alley, one would have imagined oneself to be in a comfortable but cramped restaurant. You have to see it to believe it.

The cost transport is phenomenal compared to what we pay here in Malaysia. Fuel price ranges from Bt21.79 to Bt41.30 which is equivalent to about RM2.18 to RM4.13. Even as we complain of paying a high price for fuel at RM1.80 for RON95 and RM2.05 for RON97, we should consider the suffering of the Thais as they battle the high cost of transport in their country, even though they don't produce fuel and therefore, suffer the high cost of purchasing the carbon energy to run their mechanised vehicles. But they're not the complaining type. They'll simply find a way to reduce their fuel consumption. Tuk-tuk drivers often switch off their engines at intersections as they await the change in traffic lights. Complaining and grumbling is not their cup of tea.

Being devout Buddhists, they'd rather live with it and consider it as one of the challenges in life and one must accept it and get on with life. It's part of the cycle of karma where one keeps on improving in the many lives that each has. I hope to be able to emulate them in this simple philosophy of life and I wish that everyone would do the same and accept that no matter how one well one succeeds in life or how rich one can earn to be, life will still end but how it ends will depend on how we handle this journey called LIFE...

Is It Natural?

2009-10-19T23:36:00.005+08:00

Is it always wonderful to ogle at pretty little things? Or pretty young things, if you prefer. Is it a guy's problem or was this feeling towards the opposite sex created so that we can procreate? Don't ladies also ogle at men? Especially those who have Bollywood looks? Should we feel guilty about it? Or should we just live with this feeling, towards each other?

I was at this photo shoot event organised by Nikon, held at MidValley Megamall last Saturday. There were plenty of photographers, both amateurs and 'professionals'. They can both be differentiated by the equipment that they carried. D40 was the choice for beginners whilst D90 and D700 and super long lens were choice of the 'professionals'. Really, some of their lenses were so long that I thought they brought canons to this show. And of course, there were those with the all too familiar white and black bands on the lenses, characteristic of Canon lenses. But this show was for Nikon to show its best. But we don't mind 'outsiders' into our event. After all, Nikon has informed in its rules and regulations, that photos taken with any brand of camera will do.

Should photographers ogle at the ladies too? Who knows what goes on in the minds of those who peek through the tiny viewfinder of the camera? As we busy ourselves with clicking the 'right' shots amongst the zillions of shots, should we also take time off to ogle at the ladies through the viewfinder? Perhaps some of us were really concentrating on the shoot, whilst some may have some other ideas. There were those who were obviously oggling, for the stood near the stage without a camera of any kind. Why should they block the view if they're not participating in the contest? Aren't they a selfish lot?

For every model who strutted their stuff on stage, there could've been easily a thousand shots taken each round, as each camera was capable of at least 7 fps. For those without a mean looking external flash unit, they could 'hop on' to the flashes that were emitted by others. And if they were lucky, they can have the correctly exposed shot at another's expense. But that's life. Not everyone could afford a mean looking flash, so they had to make do with what they have. It's not that there's a lacking of flash units. There were plenty to go around, as some of the participants took it as a platform to show off their equipment.

Back to the subject of oggling. I suppose we could do both at the same time. Oggling while striving to get a good shot. It is by oggling that we make use of our internal instincts to decide the best shot when the model struts and twists her pencil thin body on stage. As we ogle, we can also choose and select which part to ogle and perhaps get another best shot? Some would take full bodies shots whilst some would take upper bodies. Not because we chose to, but out of necessity as the place in front and sides of the stage is filled with budding photographers who are trying their luck to get a break in the photography world.

No, there's nothing wrong with oggling. I don't think so anyway. Oggling is what we were created and designed for. We get to choose what we want and shoot what we think deserves to be shot. After all, the ladies were hired to strut their stuff and be oggled at. It's part of their job. They should understand that their nature of job requires them to be oggled at. They would feel flattered that they are being oggled, for the attention that they're getting. Definitely there will be more contests for us and definitely I'll be there if I can make it. Thank you, Nikon, for organising the event. For us to ogle and also to practise our photography theory and skills.

Leading A Peaceful Life

2009-10-05T22:35:00.004+08:00

Sounds simple, right? I mean, how difficult can it be to lead a peaceful life? Is peace as elusive as some make it out to be? Was 'peace' created as a marketing tool for those offering courses to teach us how to find 'peace' wherever we are, whatever state of mental health we're in?

Could a peaceful life be 'found'? Or is it up to ourselves to find peace with ourselves, in whatever environment we're in? Do we expect others to create a peaceful life or do we make an effort to make our lives a better one? Are we the captains of our lives? Or do we always want others to show the way and take the easy way out than putting in some effort to find peace?

Could we just turn a blind eye to our surroundings in our endeavour to find peace? If we see a fight at the carpark, most probably caused by someone sneeking into a parking spot or someone accidentally causing a dent in another's car, do we have the moral guts to step in and interfere in the argument, so that the aggrieved parties are able to shake hands at the end of it? Are we afraid of the negative consequences so much so that we choose to look the other way and achieve a 'peaceful' life?

If we see a crippled beggar at the local pasar malam, should we feel pity for him/her and place a few dollars into the collecting tin? Or do we consider him/her part of a syndicate and walk away, knowing that the syndicate will 'take care' of them, if we choose not to donate some money? Will we feel better by placing a few coins into the tin? Is the money used to placate our feelings of guilt or do we donate sincerely, in the hope that the few coins or dollars collected will go a long way to provide a better life for the beggar? Should we look at disdain at those who only place a few coins into the container? If a rich person only donates RM1.00, are we going to look at him/her cynically, knowing that he/she could've afforded a lot more RM1.00 for the crippled beggar? Can peace be bought?

Life is full of complex considerations. One man's meat may be another's poison. If a person goes forth to spread happiness and cheer to the world, one might think that the person has ulterior motives. Maybe the person is selling happiness and cheer. Is Santa Claus real? Is there such generous people in this world? Yes, there are. But few, they are. However, it is sufficient that these few exist, to spread as much happiness and cheer to the world as possibly can. Is such person sane? Will we be afraid of such happy and cheerful person? Is he psychotic?

Is it easier to be happy or sad? It has been said that less facial muscles are used to laugh than to frown. So should we laugh all the time? No, but smile more often. Those who laugh more are more healthier, both spiritually and physically. Laughter is infectious. Find every reason to laugh. It's easy. I was attending a funeral wake near my house. While the chanting session was in process, I noticed that a neighbour had in his arms a mat and pillow. Isn't that hilarious? I mean, the prayer was in session and the neighbour could've decided that enough is enough, and that he's moving out to find some peace and quiet, knowing that prayer chantings would last at least three days? Almost everyone else who attended this funeral wake was cheerful and none were too sad. Isn't it good for the deceased, knowing that her passing didn't bring sadness to those closest to her? Looking more than 85 years old, she would have wished for happiness for those close to her and she'd moved on peacefully.

Leading a peaceful life is not too difficult. Choose to spread happiness and cheer and peace will come to you. Do to others the way you want others to do to you. We'e heard this advice umpteen times and should put it into practise than just let it remain in theory. Go to a quiet place to contemplate on Life and seek peace in life. It's easier than you think and you'd be better for it. I'm going to choose to be happy and spread cheer to everyone I know. How about you? May you lead a peaceful life...

The Sawah Padi

2009-09-17T22:43:00.004+08:00

What can a padi field be associated with? Padi, of course. Besides that, there's the mud that helps to contain water so that the padi can obtain nourishment from its roots. Then, there's the rustling of the padi stalks as the breeze coazes it to gently sway left and right like dancing to the rhythm of music. The beating of the padi stalk against the wooden drums as the farmers attempt to separate the rice from the stalks. Rump! Rump! Rump! The farmers seem to be lost in their own pace as each other compete to complete their tasks before the sun sets, with the sun's rays beating on their well worn bodies.

Ladies in straw hats bent down as they plant the padi using the traditional 'kuku kambing' to ease each stalk into the mud in a systematic manner and in neat rows. This has since been replaced with the mechanisation of the padi planting process, with the machines being towed by tractors as the machine steadily and quickly inserts the padi into the soil. Productivity increases as the farmers are now able to cover a much larger area since the padi planting process has been speeded up significantly.

The padi will be left to mature over the next 6 months or so. With plenty of water around, fishes begin their life in the padi field as thousands of eggs hatch over time. Catching fish is sport in the padi field with the 'keli' variety outsurviving the other fishes as the fields dry up over time as the padi matures. Catch a few and place them in our little aquarium as we watch them with excitement over our catch. It won't survive long in this environment because it's habitat is in the muddy padi field.

Being bitten by leeches is also another aspect of fun in the padi field, as we traverse along the raised bunds that separates each padi plot in our endeavour to catch fish. The leech sticks to our legs, increases its grip on our skin as it attempts to suck my blood. A dash of salt would save the day, as it falls off onto the ground due to its adverse reaction to the salinity of the salt. Out comes my magnifying glass as I concentrate the sun's rays onto the leach, to see how much it can tolerate before burning up. Yes, that cruel I am and leeches are not the only objects that get burned under my magnifying glass.

As the padi matures, the whole padi field will be painted by golden yellow hues. The much stiffer stalks that has aged, will give out a soothing rustling sound as it sways in the wind. Images of kite flying now floods the memories as I recall my growing up years with the padi field in front of my house. No, I don't own the padi field. It's someone else's. After the rice has been collected and the dried stalks accumulated in heaps all over the dried padi field, I prepare my eagle shaped fabric kite ready to fly it. My brothers would take turns to run in a few attempts to launch the kite up into the sky. Then, the eagle kite will soar in the wind as it pretends to be a real eagle.

These are my memories of the padi field that has since been replaced with a housing development project. I am a kampung boy at heart and it pains me to see the padi fields slowly being replaced with houses. No doubt, we need more houses as the population grows but couldn't they be sited somewhere else? The padi field was on prime land, therefore it had to make way. In a year's time, I can only expect to see houses where the padi field used to be, in front of my house. I only have a few photographs to remind me of how it used to look like. Film being expensive to develop and print in those days, these few photographs are the only proof of the legacy of the space in front of my house. I will now retreat to dreamland... as I recall my adventures in the padi field as I was growing up.

The Setting Sun

2009-09-04T22:21:00.004+08:00

Humans have always been fascinated with sunrises and sunsets. What's the reason, I wonder? Is it because of the sun's rays as it casts its light onto Mother Earth? Is it because of the way shadows are formed when objects are blocking it's rays. Or is because of the warm hues of the sunlight that generates a kind of warmth that touches the humans' hearts as they view the sunrises and sunsets?

Or maybe sunrises and sunrises represent the beginning and the end of life? As the sun rises, it gives energy and food for all living things, humans and plants alike. In so doing, it gives life to all things living. As the sun shines brighter, we can witness the animals and insects get busy forraging for food for their daily sustenance. Bees getting their honey from the flowers' stigmas, ants heaving food 30 times their weight as they soldier on throughout the day, humans of every creed working hard to put food on their table, mother birds feeding their young with worms caught in the early morning, and other types of animals who regurgitate to feed their young. Life is so wonderful, isn't it?

As the day extends into the evening, the sun set represents the later stage in life. Where the young get older and the elder one expire into the netherworld. As the sun sets, it casts a warm glow on mankind before succumbing the world to nightfall. It is this warmth of light that continues to fascinate the world of humans and animals. Some may sit in their garden as they appreciate the view that the sunset provides. Animals will return to their nests as they prepare for the next day. As this warm glow continue to fade away into darkness, it represents the end of the day. Humans and animals alike would return to their respective homes and nests and seek some solace in the quiet of night.

For some, it is easy to seek solace in the quiet of night. However, for some, it could be a challenge. New mums and dads would have to take turns to feed the baby, crying out his/her longing for milk to satisfy the hunger pangs. And that is if the dad manages to wake up at all. I'm sure many of you out there can empathise with this scenario. We have gone through it before. On the other hand, some of us may be working the afternoon or starting the night shift. As the body clocks struggles to catch up with the different levels of melatonin in our body in order to synchronise the sleeping hours, the shift workers would suffer insomnia if the body clock cannot somehow adjust to the difference in light levels. And for them, sunsets would not have any meaning for them, but sunrise will.

That's life. There's the ups and there's the downs. Before the sun sets too often and we begin to take it for granted that there's always another day's sunset to catch, we'd better be sober and do our best to do all the things that we wish or hope to do or achieve, and get on achieving the dreams instead of lounging in front of the idiot box that is the bane of technology, and wasting our life away. Before the next sunset, here's another little article about life...

Independence From ... ?

2009-08-29T13:59:00.005+08:00

Everybody is wishing each other 'Happy Independence Day'. In two (2) days' time, we'd be celebrating the big day, in comemoration of the historical day. A historical day so important that it's a crime if Malaysians can't remember the day in which we were liberated from British rule in 1957. A crime punishable by the retraction of citizenship perhaps?

Historical aspect aside, Malaysians have encountered many issues that have been bothering the nation as we grow older. Race and religion being the most outstanding issues that continue to trouble us as we hope for a united nation in the country called 'Malaysia'. Why these two subjects continue to be raised every now and then? The reason being that our rights as Malaysians are ultimately associated to who we are. There's certain privileges that certain race enjoys while another race enjoys a stripped down version of the privileges. As we go towards becoming a developed nation, our 'race' should be 'Malaysian'.

Privileges aside, we have encountered race and religion bigotry. Certain groups would go at great lengths to raise issues that would raise the ire of the various race and religions. Take for example, the recent fracas surrounding the relocation of a temple to another residential area. Is there anything criminally wrong for a temple to be sited in a housing estate? Where is the tolerance that has been the constant rhetoric of political parties? If it's wrong to gather with the severed head of a sacred animal to protest the relocation, where are the cops when you need them? Is there a conspiracy between these two parties? Otherwise, why are the cops quick to be present only at People's Alliance's gatherings?

If the people are to be united, could we have housing developers construct places of worship for the three main religions of Malaysia? Could they exist side by side, as illustrated by historical places such as the famous street in Malacca where Buddhist & Hindu temples and a mosque are sited side by side? Could we return to that part in time where the people of various religions lived together harmoniously? Do we need politicians to create disharmony amongst the peace loving rakyat?

Race and religion aside, corruption continues to deny basic rights and justice to the people. It is so endemic that a day without corruption is like something amiss. Businesses need to be 'facilitated', licenses need to be 'facilitated', offence summonses need to be 'settled', etc. Is it possible for a country to be run with minimum corruption? I don't believe it's possible. Even if not requested for, 'gifts' are given as tokens of 'appreciation'. Should only gifts without monetary value be given? Are the government servants and public sector strictly following the various anti-corruption policies? Even the justice system belongs to those who can afford it. Yes, justice can be bought. Yes, that is also corruption.

As we celebrate Independence Day in a muted form this year due to the H1N1 scare, we should reflect on these few critical issues that have continued to strike feelings of disgust in the citizens of Malaysia, and strive towards a country that is free of corruption and racial/religious polemics.

The country should not accept foreigners as citizens just to ensure the political support of oneself. The country will suffer because of the migration of outsiders into this lovely country. There are many things that we should be independent of. When we are liberated one day, then we can truly appreciate the meaning of independence...

This Disease, That Disease...

2009-08-19T23:19:00.002+08:00

In today's day and age, it would seem that dieases are aplenty. This disease, that disease. It is very risky to be alive these days. As we struggle to stay alive, we are also exposed to disease every other day. Diseases are very much a part of our daily lives. We cannot avoid meeting DISEASE any day of our staying alive.

The current critical, high risk disease would be the virus A (H1N1). It could well be NH4 or ... No, it can't be. That's the chemical formula for ammonia. Ha! Almost everyone who have been following both the printed and broadcasted media would know what H1N1 is by now. It is otherwise known as swine flu as it originated from the swine.

If previously, we had bird flu, now swine flu is the 'in-thing'. If you haven't been struck by H1N1, you could well be on the way of contracting the deadly disease if you're not careful about your personal hygiene. Surgical masks and alcohol based hand sanitizers are the minimum measures that one can depend upon to avoid contracting the virus. And due to this, greedy business owners are hoarding the limited masks and hoping to strike it rich while their human brethern suffers or dies from the disease.

Diseases are a source of revenue. Why not? For all we know, the disease could have been cultured in the laboratories for the sole purpose of creating vaccines for the disease. Create the disease, create the cure. Get it? Unethical as it may seem, well, that's business. The creator of anti-virus programs are probably the same ones who created the computer viruses in the same place. Business is business. But the business could have been strategically planned in a better way. At least, get the vaccines out in bulk before letting the virus loose.

Why let the virus loose when you're not ready with the vaccine? As a result, the human race is getting sick by the thousands and most probably would be dying by the thousands too. It could be part of someone's grand idea of human population control, for all we know. The world is getting over populated. A scientist once said that for mother earth to recover from the damage caused by humans, 70% of the human race must die. Well, H1N1 could be among the many options avaible to achieve this effect. But does this necessarily make the scientist bad? Remember the atomic bomb? The physicist regretted ever creating the dreaded bomb that killed thousands of Japanese and the effects carried on for a few generations. The scientist is just doing his job to earn his bowl of rice. Good scientists 'created' botox for the benefit of the fairer sex. Good scientists create artificial intelligence to assist the disabled to lead a better life e.g Stephen Hawkins.

What can we ordinary humans do, as we struggle to carry on our lives despite the economic downturn? Well, there's many things we can do. Masks, sanitizers, self quarantine if we're sick, educating the others on how to defend themselves, controlling the price of masks so that the masses can continue to enjoy some degree of protection against the dreaded disease, etc are things that we can do. Continue to do so, as we battle yet another potential epidemic. Humans are known as survivors. Hopefuly, humans will not go down the way of dinosaurs who were exterminated by viruses and bacterias, whose size is a million times smaller than them. Isn't it strange that no matter how powerful humans think they are, it's the little things that can kill them?

Good luck in battling this disease and hope to see you again in my next blog. Take Care.

Little Kitty Cat

2009-08-10T22:36:00.003+08:00

I used to have dogs as my friends in my house, when I was growing up. Our first dog was a stray who happened to pass by our house. It was a nice brown dog. After several rounds of food, as it was hungrily roaming around for food, it finally decided to make our house it's home. Home was under the ciku tree. The ciku tree provided shelter for it for about a month after which it 'graduated' into the house. Dad and mum consented to us keeping it upon seeing that we have grown quite attached to it.

The special thing about this brown dog was that it had the capability of de-husking the coconut. The coconut which was collected by our grandfather from the nearby jungle. We had fun watching it struggle as it attempted to de-husk it. If other dogs were contented to play with balls or sticks thrown at it, ours were happy with the coconut. It was still young then, and it's fangs were strong enough for the task.

During the era of the BMX, we had a bike of our own. The brown dog was happy to tow us along, providing kinetic power to propel the bike. Yes, it was that strong. There was no doubt about it. It was so eager to go out and about, that it was willing to drag us along. Of course, we didn't abuse it more than necessary. After a while, we lead it for its daily walk on foot. Other than de-husking coconuts, the brown dog also pulls our bike. Yes, it was that special. Now it lays buried in front of our house for the last 12 years. My, how time flies. But the brown dog will always remain in our memories forever, as we recall all the fun we had together.

Mating season was one busy time for the brown dog we called 'doggie'. It dug below the chain-linked fence to get out to find it's mate as the pheromones permeate the air. As it dug through, it's back was scratched badly by the fence. Nevertheless, it was adamant on going for a few days at time, to look for its mate. It would return after a few days, with its back bloodied and its body smelled as it went without a bath for such long periods of time. But it came back contented that it had achieved its purpose for that season.

The special thing about our house is that even though there's a dog, cats would never fail to drop by our house. They say that dogs would run after the cats. But no, in this 'house of peace', cats and dogs would stay together for meals. Yes, this house was special and till today, cats continue to come uninvited. It could be due to the aura of the house. Animals thrive in our house, amongst the many plants that we have in our bungalow garden. Ciku, cocoa, starfruit, sugarcane, nangka (jack fruit), 3 types of mango trees, guava, pomelo and custard apple. Yes, our house had those trees and also including a patch at the back where grandfather used to plant vegetables for our daily needs. Yes, we were quite self sufficient. But hey, let's not stray from "doggie's" story.

As time passed, a female dog decided to make our home it's choice of stay. And so, it stayed on and gave us two generations of off-springs. Yes, it was noisy as the puppies yelped through the night as they were kept in the cages. We had to dispose a few by 're-designating' their homes to the housing estate a few kilometres away. Thankfully, they did not find their way back. But if we went to look for them, they could still recognise us. They were 'adopted' by kind people there and we were grateful for that.

The last of the generation left us about 8 years ago. The house doesn't feel the same anymore, without the barking of the dogs. Yes, we miss those days where dogs and cats roam freely in our house. The house has been very quite quiet comparatively. However, cats still come to our house and this is the kitten which came from nowhere. We're happy to let it roam our house and feeding it became the normal routine. Things will never be the same again as we reflect on time past when we were younger and had our hands full 'bringing up' the dogs.

Perhaps we'll never keep dogs anymore in the near future, as the emotional burden is too great to bear. It's like family members who have 'passed away' as we grow older in age. Nothing lasts forever, and we have to accept there. So, appreciate what you already have and savour the moment, because all of it will be taken away from us one day. Till the next blog, I'd say 'hey doggie, you will always be remembered ... ' and may you continue to live happily in the afterlife and may we meet again one day.

The Adults Of Tomorrow

2009-08-03T22:20:00.003+08:00

Children - the beginning of innocence as they walk through the journey into being adults. Children - the innocent beings who are subjected to differing experiences as they grow up in different environments. Children - who may grow up one day to be our future leaders ... or criminals.

The innocent joy of them being captured on film - it reflects their innocence in life. They laugh without hesitation, devoid of pre-judgement of people around them. If they are happy, they are happy. If they are sad, they are sad. There's no two ways about it and that is the beauty of innocence.

In the colours of red and white, which are the colours of our national flag, they dress appropriately for the occassion. The event was a colouring contest held as an activity as we near the birth-date of our country's independence from the British. They may or may not know or understand the significance of the colours they are wearing. They are innocent.

However, what has happened in the last two days is unimaginable. Kids were were detained for taking part in the anti-ISA march on 1st August, 2009 (Saturday). They were there because their parents were there. Onlookers they were, as they were innocent victims of the law. It is imperative that they are released immediately and the learned court judge must quickly address the negative-ness that will prevail should he fail to ensure their release by tomorrow, for they are under-aged victims of the law. Do not subject them to adult law for they are children. There's no law to punish children for taking part in a street protest. Do not hold them any longer.

Children who have the intelligence to grow into proper thinking adults. They must not be stained by the activities inside the prison cell. They must not be amongst drug addicts and other kinds of criminals as they await their release. However, the action of the police have firmed up their belief - that they must go against the unnatural justice. In the streets, they witnessed for themselves the solidarity of the various races, as they march together in their call for the abolishment of the draconian ISA. They may or may not understand the significance or even the meaning of the Internal Security Act, let alone read the contents of this piece of legislation. But by seeing so many people voicing their discontent about this unfair law which is mainly used against the opposition members, the kids would have formed their thoughts and made up their mind on who is right and who is wrong.

They saw for themselves how the citizens of Malaysia were bombarded with tear gas and shot with chemical laced water cannon, as they were preparing to disperse after the organisers had announced that the street protests were over. The police moved in because they were prevented earlier, by the huge crowd. It's clearly an act of over agression on the part of the police because the crowd did nothing but just to gather to show support for a common cause. They did no harm to anyone and did not damage anything. The businesses were affected because the police had cordoned a major part of the city. They were never really in any danger of losing their business because the crowd is also their potential customers. No, they didn't lose any more money than they do any other day. The shutters were pulled down because the police were shooting chemical laced water at the citizens of Malaysia.

Throughout the internet, photos and updates were fast on the update. The internet, being the more reliable source of information as the people have grown cynical of the mainstream media as they are instructed to publish only positive news about the people who gave them the orders to do so. Children - they are the ones who are fast catching up on the cyberworld and they are absorbing the information fast. It is the children who will be the future voters and they will know who they will choose. Children - do not belittle them because they are little. They will grow into giants one day...

Defending The Country

2009-07-31T20:46:00.002+08:00

If a country cannot defend itself, does it indicate a failure of the country? If the country's soldiers are seen in sandals due to the country's limited defence budget, does it mean that it is able to defend itself against external forces? If a country has nuclear weapons, does it mean that it is very capable of defending itself?

Defend against what? Are external forces a bigger threat than those within the country itself? If a country has a lot of natural resources, does it mean that other countries would want to conquer it? If a country has no natural resources, does it mean that nobody will be interested in fighting for its land and people?

Despite the international publicity over the mass media which broadcasts reports of cross border threats, internal crimes are a bigger problem for a country. Theft, rape, robbery, political demonstrations, criminal breach of trust and get-rich-quick scams are some of the common types of crime committed daily. Internal crimes are those that affect the citizens of the country directly. If such crimes are not reduced to an acceptable level where citizens and members of the public feel safe to walk in the streets or their residential areas, does it mean that the authorities aren't doing enough on their part?

What do we, as the country's citizens and members of the public, need to do to make the country safe? Do we just leave it to the police and other uniformed bodies to secure the country against crime? Do we need to take part in making the streets safe? If you see a snatch theft in progress, will you step in to catch the thief and his accomplice? If you hesitate, will it make you less a citizen? If we get hurt in a public arrest, will it stop us from getting involved in future? Ultimately, we have to get involved in crime reduction actively as the country's uniformed forces and governmental agencies lack the manpower to secure the whole country against the crimes committed within.

Don't get involved because he/she is of the same race as you. Get involved because he/she is a fellow Malaysian. Colours and creed are hindrances to a united country. We must be able to see ourselves as Malaysians first and race second. Do not let politicians pollute our minds with their narrow interpretation of racial belonging to the country. We decide together as a proud Malaysian, defending our beloved motherland.

2nd Blog For 1st Day

2009-07-30T20:31:00.000+08:00

My first experience with a propeller driven airplane was on 24th July, 2009 (Friday). The plane was Firefly's flight to Kuala Terengganu in the afternoon. It was very noisy on my walk to the airplane, as a nearby plane was getting ready to take-off.

The newly renovated Subang terminal was a sight to behold. It was a refreshing change from the days of the old terminal. I regretted not taking shots of the old terminal during my rare visits there. Those were the days of film camera, when I didn't have the luxury of a digital camera as the technology hadn't existed then.

The plane was slightly more cramped than AirAsia's. The 45 minutes flight was without drama, as I was told that occasionally planes flying at lower altitude experiences air pockets where the airplane will plunge suddenly and cause the stomach to churne. During the short flight, pastry and drinks were served. The flight ended too fast because the plane landed shortly and kudos to the captain for the smooth landing. The view from above Subang was a refreshing change from my usual view from Sepang.

First Blog

2009-07-30T17:24:00.000+08:00

There's so many of my friends who have started their own blogs that I'm tempted to try it and see if it's as simple as it looks. So far, so good. The registration process was simple and followed up by inserting this text.