lets make each day count..

Another end of the month
lctx.

The magic runs out at midnight

The title of the email that was sent to me by Mills College to persuade me to apply. HAHAHAHAH. All these college emails are hilarious.

But I do feel quite awful about it. Must be tough for these colleges without the name and the reputation. I wish success was based on a genuine meritocratic system rather than on preconceptions and worldy prejudice. Yet I am a hypocrite as I say this, otherwise I would’ve applied to Mills College.

Hmm… it’s weird to think how much of what our lives and our societies revolve around are epitomised by self-generated judgment and hierarchy.
Saddening really.
lctx.

People of the world

Don't be put off by what they say, 
lctx.

Self-Perpetuated Misery

It’s sad, the title is depressing, the thought of it is heartbreaking.

But no matter how bad things are, the world isn’t going to be any kinder to alleviate that pressure of your heart.

You got to get things sorted;

You’re unhappy for a reason, then solve it or drop it.

You’re the director of your own melancholic chapter in life, you have the authority and ability to say:

CUT

Change the mood, the cast, the setting.

Just as you please, so long as you’re willing to do so.

It’s your own creation, your own will and your choice.

Want to be happy? Make it happen.

Thats what I'm trying to do
lctx.

We should all know that...........

Hopefully optimistic,
lctx.

Alison

I found this incredibly moving..

When my daughter Alison was born, in the tradition of a new parent, I began to photograph her, initially in a separate and private body of work. However, in the process of documenting Alison's growth, I developed a passionate interest in human relationships and capturing intimate moments in the lives of family and friends.

This affected my photography in a profound way. Rather than the isolated subjects of my earlier work, I became interested in the strength of relationships, oftentimes using personal environments to amplify those conditions.

My photographs of Alison, because of the nature of our relationship, are very much a father-daughter collaboration-Alison permitting me access to private moments of our life, which might, under different circumstances, be off-limits to a parent. The camera, early in her life, became part of our relationship, necessitating in me an acceptance, a quietness. We've never had long photographic sessions, but rather moments alone or with friends.

The significance of these pictures emerges in retrospect. I realize as I look at them, that I created a visual life story of Alison, capturing moments in her metamorphosis from infant to woman-her relationships with friends, her rebellion, and underlying it all, her relationship with me, a constant throughout her life. I wanted to photograph her in all her extremes, and to be part of these times in her life without judging or censoring. Only in this way would I have a true portrait of Alison.

by Jack Radcliffe  

(source: behance.net)

 I find myself more and more drawn into the arts - and the beauty of how we all see things from different perspectives.
lctx.

"When I was kid, I thought my bellybutton was a self-destruct button. I never touched it.."

I love kid-moments when you fondly recall what you thought the world was like with close friends and family.
lctx.

I'm not shy.

Photography

Some gems I found particularly beautiful










Loving the beauty,
lctx.

PTL

Praise the Lord.

got through to the final interview :)

-------------------------------------
On a side note, I recorded a conversation I had with a friend the other day:

J: 'I miss my camera. I really do. She's like my psuedo best friend.'

Me: '... what? AGAIN?!?!??? Your bonding with electronic devices...'

J: 'Exactly... like temporary dipole-dipoles.'

- pg 156, 'Memoirs of J's nth camera'

Laughing at the extemporaneousness of the situation, it's kinda freaky to note that 16 months ago, we had no idea what Hydrogen bonding, Van de Waal's forces, nor dipole-dipole bonding was. Even though we're from different schools, its amazing how 'education' and 'knowledge of chemistry' can create a special bond between us. 

I love such DMCs :) it brings a warm fuzzy glow to my heart to know that stuff we learn in school is so pervasive into our daily lives.

π bonding away... :)
lctx.

The Google Search

So I meant to check out pictures from the Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers' Contest 2011 since I didn't get a chance to visit today... What I found was was this:

is a fair estimate of how much attention our fashion week gets. 


Well, Google Search Engine, you twat, you were seriously missing out.


Especially Casey Ng's 'The Perfect Irony', Cheng Yee Wah Eva's 'Fragments of the Sky' and the gorgeous (gorgeous!) photos and videos taken by Wing Shya which I eventually found on the official webpage.


Other noteworthy designs include:

Tang Sze Man - My Raining Day

 Tse Kwai Ki Grace - Morphology

And the "Now and Then YDC by Wing Shya" - an exhibition of his Young Designer Contest photos and videos showing at D-mop, 8 Kingston Street, Fashion Walk, Causeway Bay from the 4th to the 24th January.

Mocks or no mocks, I'm going to check this out :)

lctx.

Bang! chukkachukkachukka...

I know I haven't posted in ages, but these two weeks since school began has literally flew by. Two weeks ago, I was still laughing with my cousins in sunny Malaysia over a certain case about long legs, ice-skating and fake facebook accounts. Now, it seems that I have to get hard at work - and hence, these posts might become fewer as the months stretch into May - and these two weeks of school/ procrastination/ denial-period-that-the-holidays-have-ended time have to end with a bang! followed by the silent sound of hard work and brain cells churning chukkachukkachukka...


Anyhow, just came across these amusing little anecdotes to fill up the impending vacuum of posts:


Last week, the lady sitting next to me in the barbershop looked depressed, so the barber told her, "cheer up! I knew a guy who owed $10 000 he couldn't pay. He drove his vehicle to the edge of a cliff, where he sat for over an hour. A group of concerned citizens heard about his problem and passed a hat around. Relieve, the man finally pulled back from the edge."
"Wow, thats incredible," said the client, "Who were these kind people?"
"The passengers on the bus"

I burst out laughing, as did my neighbour. Luckily she didn't see this as a radical new way to solve her problems whilst getting her hair permed :)



That awkard moment when your PE teacher is fatter than you.

“No, how about YOU run the mile in under 8 minutes.”

Dear Parents. Jasmine was in a relationship with a dirty homeless boy named Aladdin. Snow White lived alone with 7 men. Pinnochio was a liar. Robin Hood was a thief. Tarzan walked around without clothes on. A stranger kissed sleeping beauty and she married him. Cinderella lied and snuck out at night to attend a party. You can’t blame us. We were taught to rebel since a young age.


Twilight Logic:
Edward Cullen: I want to kill you
Bella: I trust you
Um,  Lets try this again,
Edward Cullen: I want to kill you

Normal person: 

Omgssh, this is almost too lame to type out, but:

Someone once said that when a black man becomes the president of the United States, pigs will fly. Sure enough, 100 days later, swine flu.

And a recent convo that happened~
“S: “I’m failing my classes!”
P: “You mean Asian fail?”
S: “No, even white families would make me go to my room.”

Okay, thats about it for today :)

Hopefully, the best is yet to come,
lctx.

lctx.

You probably don’t realize but, there’s always someone thinking about you right at this very second.

shades of grey

everything is not as black & white as I’d once thought..


Everyone states that just when they think they’ve got the world figured out it gets thrown right out of their hands. That’s only because the situation finally seems to be going well for them, then completely out of control. Truth is, we never truly manage to get a good grasp of the world. Everyone re-confirms to themselves that they have a piece of self identity in this society, but currently I think i’ve lost mine.

Perhaps I’m looking all too deep into this, maybe all I really need is a breath of fresh air and just wind down alone. Sometimes just because of one doubtful situation with a friend I forget about all those other great friends. You begin to question whether it’s worth getting yourself so upset. Instead just imagine the world as something you’ll never quite fully understand yet trying to make the most out of it. My attitude to life is changing yet again, I used to see things as white and black until one of my close friends made me realise there’s more to this.

Now I’ve come to realise that sometimes it’s better just to let things be. Stop taking things so seriously and just believe things will eventually come around. I think thats why I’ve been so upset in the past, caring about something that’s so infinitesimal. Maybe it’s time to set my soul free, stop giving myself so many rules and guidelines. Instead accept life as it’s supposed to be, after all you should be free to do anything.

Carpe diem,
lctx.

Little Hand of Hope

A picture began circulating in November. It should be “The Picture of 

the Year,”… or perhaps, “Picture of the Decade.” It won’t be. In fact, unless you obtained a copy of the U.S. paper which published it, you 

probably would never have seen it.

The picture is that of a 21-week-old unborn baby named Samuel Alexander Armas, who is being operated on by surgeon named Joseph Bruner. The baby was diagnosed with spina bifida and would not survive if removed from his mother’s womb.

Little Samuel’s mother, Julie Armas, is an obstetrics nurse in Atlanta. 

She knew of Dr. Bruner’s remarkable surgical procedure. Practicing at 

Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, he performs these 

special operations while the baby is still in the womb.

During the procedure, the doctor removes the uterus via C-section and makes a small incision to operate on the baby. As Dr. Bruner completed the surgery on Samuel, the little guy reached his tiny, but fully developed hand through the incision and firmly grasped the surgeon’s finger. Dr. Bruner was reported as saying that when his finger was grasped, it was the most emotional moment of his life, and that for an instant during the procedure he was just frozen, totally immobile.

The photograph captures this amazing event with perfect clarity. The editors titled the picture, “Hand of Hope.” The text explaining the picture begins, “The tiny hand of 21-week-old fetus Samuel Alexander Armas emerges from the mother’s uterus to grasp the finger of Dr. Joseph Bruner as if thanking the doctor for the gift of life.”

Little Samuel’s mother said they “wept for days” when they saw the picture. She said, “The photo reminds us pregnancy isn’t about disability or an illness, it’s about a little person” Samuel was born in perfect health, the operation 100 percent successful.

Wow.
lctx.

The viral picture of Katy Perry without makeup

http://zikkir.com/et/62030 for a brief rundown

I certainly do have my own opinions on this matter, but right now, I just wanna say, can someone leave these celebrities alone?

lctx.

How come I never get to see this kinda thing?!!

My cousin's pokemon plane to Tokyo

Pokemon head rest covers....

Another anime plane..

Waiting for grad trip; 9 days til my tv shows - okai, back to work

lctx.

"It's okay"

I have the tendency to always say this when someone apologizes to me. Even when it’s not okay, I still say it. Why? Because I don’t want to push the situation further and further. I don’t want to make it worse than it has to be. But you know what? It’s not okay. What you did, it’s not okay and I’m not gonna pretend that it is anymore. I know that sometimes it’s best to forgive and forget, but sometimes maybe it’s best to just forget.

Mraz musing.

Today, I discovered Jason Mraz's blogposts on facebook as recommended by a friend

His posts, or rather, notes, struck me as being amazingly easy to read, interesting and meaningful - meaning that it seems almost as he's sitting across the room unwittingly handing out insightful gems from his own life as he chatters away to a friend.

One example, Now Here's Resolutions really spoke out to me. Although I usually see new years resolutions as being something to do in the name of fun, his straightforward note is a great reminder to us all that we can (and should) continually improve aspects in our life. Someone once said that happiness is not getting all that you want, but wanting all that you have. Working with what we have can completely change our attitudes, how we face life everyday and how we feel about almost everything. The short read also touched upon a topic I really agree with - positive articulation. More about that on another day (its just so amazing that simple words and the way you convey something can make such a difference most everything!) Its all about viewpoint..

So anyways, here it is:

"I’m a fan of positive articulation. To me, this is a step beyond positive thinking. It’s putting your positive thoughts into action – into doing – into words.


Every New Year’s I resolve to do something new/different with my life. Something grand. Something transformative. Sometimes it’s to continue doing something I love, but often it’s a new invention of some kind. Last year, the main theme was activism and in 2010 I certainly got my feet wet, literally by tromping thru the Lake Volta Region in Ghana, learning about the work of Free The Slaves – AND parading thru New Orleans promoting a green future after learning about the oil spill disaster and cover-up in the Gulf.


This year, I resolve to turn New into Now. "New” often refers to a kind or quality about something, AND tends to refer to a someday, either past or future. Now, however, always means NOW. In this tradition, I get to celebrate early and say,
Happy Now Year.


“New” generally means that something is freshly made. Now means it IS made and this is IT. Take it or leave it. I make-up that by using Now instead of New, we can cut back on consumption. For instance, I need a new computer becomes, I need a now computer. A now computer already exists – therefore is likely pre-owned and still just as powerful. A new computer requires energy and money to manufacture it and the same to get it all the way to my studio. (I’m speaking from a real experience btw. My computer by today’s standards is OLD. So is my recording technology. But that doesn’t fool me. It’s working NOW. So I’m sticking to it!) 


In 2011, I resolve to repair, re-use, and keeping recycling.


Using the words, “I make up” instead of “I think” can totally lighten your load and cut-back on the number of communication breakdowns in your life. “I think” takes ownership and is assumptive. “I make-up” is much more playful and is a reminder how this NOW version of the life experience is all made-up anyway. 


In 2011, I resolve to not THINK. (haha.)


Remembering to Play is another thing. In 2010 I confused my inner child by referring to my gig as work, which is silly. You can't WORK music. 


In 2011, I resolve to PLAY music. 


Recently some friends went on a honeymoon/vacation. They called it their Playcation. Bravo. Say no more.  


So often we say, I HAVE to go to work. I HAVE to pick up some groceries. I HAVE to call so & so. Making a conscious shift and using the words “GET-TO” can change everything. We GET TO go to work. We GET TO pick up some groceries. We GET TO call so & so. I hear my dad say, I HAVE to go check on your grandmother, but I know how much he loves that he can do it. I encourage him to say, I GET TO go check on your grandmother. Pretty soon, we may not have that honor.


I have another friend who doesn’t use a to-do list, but rather, a TA-DA list – for once you complete all the tasks, it’s like magic. All is done. TA-DA!


In 2011, I resolve to be Magical.


What other forms of Positive Articulation and quirky word hybrids could you add to the ever-evolving language that becomes our life experience? 


In 2011, I resolve to be a great listener."

This one, on number 23 and a very special occasion, was the first one I read - cute little digestible read right??

Haha, I guess I've always been the type of person who likes to read things. And by this, I literally mean anything - except of course what I need to be reading for schoolwork and revision, dammit! - from cereal box print to any article/ magazine/ essay etcetc. I can get my hands on. Even doing homework is plagued by procrastination - like this - to search around on the internet to see what I might come across just in case it's useful/ something happened within the 0.37 seconds I checked last.

Anyways, new year, now beginning - officially deactivating my facebook now
lctx.

ps. That time I almost peed in my pants is cute too.