The feeling of Photography

What does it feel like, taking photos? The only way I can tell you this is by using Golf* as an analogy.

The start is always like this. You heard people mentioning it, and they're talking in jargons. Then you read about it and its still full of jargons. One day, you saw it on TV and you start to take interest. So, you decide to learn more about it.

Taking the first step is the hardest part. Which equipment to buy? Which club is better? What about accessories? Do you need those specialist load-bearing straps? Would fluorescent ball help you locate your ball faster or is it too amateurish? Or is it safer just to buy a "ready to go" package since you're new at this? Going to the Sports shop is a bit intimidating if you're going there by yourself. And even if your friend did come along, it still boils down to personal taste. Granted you have used his equipment before but when it comes to choosing your own, you call the shots. So, you'd be reading up a lot of stuff, going from shop to shop, asking questions until you are satisfied. (Which only later, when you go out with a group, you have the crappiest equipment or embarassed at choosing the wrong brand)

The second step is when you start out with your own equipment. So, when you have the time, you'd start practising at the driving range. You'd observe other players and try to follow their styles. Then, you'd do home and read more about how to use your equipment. At this stage, you'd feel that it is not necessary to take lessons since it looked so easy. Then, you're back on the driving range again, but this time, testing your own theories and also seeing which moves are better without suffering any physical pain.

After weeks of practising, you are more confident about your abilities and by now, would have found some friends for a game.

So, off you go, the few of you, to the game. There, you share your theories, help each other out and so on. But sometimes, this is never the case. You might realise one or two in the group are not so open, or maybe others have progressed further than you that you feel so stupid and slow.

So, you try and try and try. The first few shots were wonderful. But the more you try, you realised that you have gone from bad to worse (when you compared yourself with others). So, you try more and practised more. Every single second you have, you'd think about Golf. Even when you're in the toilet. And you still suck at it. So, you decided to get a better equipment in the hopes that it will improve your game. You think you are the best out there because of your ultra expensive equipment and you only talk to others whom you think are at the same par as you. Every shot to you now, must be perfect and with that kind of stress to excel, you feel so hopeless. Then, when you saw others play, each with their own style, you try to copy them, only to end up being indecisive and no style of your own.

But all is not lost if you give up your Ego and start all over again. You have to eat humble pie, maybe even take lessons, and look at things from another angle. After all, just look at the big picture: Its just a game/hobby/exercise, etc.

And one day, your frame of mind just stepped up to another level and you start to be more discipline, you recognise your abilities and then the results shows. And then, you start to notice why people take up this game. Some made it as their livelyhood, some as a form of exercise, some as their hobby, some for socialising, some for friendship, some for status or bragging rights and so on.

Anyway, I have progressed from being a Professional Point and Shoot to A Moron with a DSLR.

*[Well, I am not sure if its true or not since I do not know much about Golf either. Ha ha ha]

The Supernut!

My Wife got these for me because it was garlic flavoured
But when I took a look at it, I could not stop laughing

Taking the day off (Day One)

OK, today is the first day of my two-day leave. Its not that I liked to take leave at the moment because of so much work to do. Moreover, I am still fighting for a space in the house for my own work area where I can do my electronics and stuff.

Anyway, with everyone else off to Singapore, I was left to drive my Wife and kids to school. And before the day is over, I am knackered. Here's the breakdown of this morning's activity:

0600 Wife woke me up
0630 Wife woke me up
0645 Kristine's crying woke me up
0657 Wife woke me up
0701 Went for a quick shower
0708 Packed everyone into the car
0711 Leave the house
0721 Dropped wife off
0740 Returned to house
0801 Drove Kristine and Kaelynn to school
0817 Dropped Kristine off to school
0818 Realised Kristine did not have her shoes
0820 Luckily, there was a pair of slippers in the car
0910 Bathed Kaelynn and answered some (unimportant) calls. Ha ha
0932 Gave Kristine her school shoes and her plush toy
0935 School gate was locked and teachers busy
0936 Let Kaelynn explore the school and took photos
1115 Went back home. Tired to steal neighbour's Wifi. No suck luck
1146 Went to bank to deposit my paycheque as the office clerk says its OK
1215 Picked Kristine up from school
1231 Arrived home
1319 Everyone ate lunch
1322 Dinner table became a mess
1356 Bathed Kristine
1420 Kristine fell asleep
1421 Kaelynn ate Kristine's lisptick candy.........

And now, in an hour's time, I have to pick up the Wife. With one girl already sleeping, its going to be a problem for me: If I wake her up, Kristine would be grumpy and cry. If I leave her alone in the house, she might wake up grumpy and still cry.

Haiya........

So, want to know what they (or rather, we) had for lunch? For the girls, it was porridge with some carrots pre-cooked by wife. All I have to do then, is to steam the fish and mix into it. Well, it tasted horrible and so, I added half a packet of instant noodle seasoning and pieces of yesterday's Ayamas chicken into it plus a dash of soy sauce. As for me, it was the remaining half of the packet of seasoning mixed into the instant noodles and yesterday's rice plus eggtarts bak gua. It was so nice, the girls switched my noodles for their mashe......er, porridge.

As for the wife, she will have the leftover porridge and Ayamas for lunch. Ha ha ha ha

Update
Its 2246 by now, and after much scolding and chaos, things are finally settling down. Tomorrow, after I pick up the Wife, I would need to do a few errands of my own or else I would go nuts. And I hope there is some money left in the bank.

Kaelynn followed Kristine into her class. I forgot to bring shoes for Kristine

[Clockwise from top left]
1. Kaelynn running in the school's courtyard
2. Kaelynn running on the verandah
3. Kaelynn behind the old gate which used to be the front main gate
4. Kaelynn trying to turn on the tap

[Clockwise from top left]
1. Kaelynn hated the small slide
2. She prefers the taller one
3. Sne nearly got stuck as tunneling was new to her
4. Yeah, I was afraid she might fall off too

[Zig zag from top left to right]
1. Kristine and some of her friends, I think
2. Kristine took Kaelynn into the class again
3. Kaelynn exploring the class with Kristine and friends
4. Kaelynn exploring an empty class
5. Playing with some toys.........
6. The aftermath of our lunch. Kristine eating on all fours with Kaelynn following suit