Air Supply Asia Tour 2008

Air Supply is coming to Singapore and this time I decided to bring my parents to the concert! Its the first concert for us ever and I hope it will be smashing.

One of my favourite bands (up there with the Eagles and Red Hot Chilli Peppers), I have fond memories of long Aussie road trips with their songs providing lots of good accompaniment.

Hopefully I will be allowed to bring my camera gear in to sneak some shots of the Australian duo.

Flocking Birds

It was raining heavily and I stopped by one of the buildings near my office to take shelter.

I was looking up at the sky and admiring the waters pouring down when a flash of lightning lit the skies, followed by a loud crack of thunder.

The moment the lightning struck, a flock of birds rose from a tree and took off together in the same direction. It was almost instinctive that every member of the flock knew where to go even when there is no clear leader.

I wonder if this applies to human society. For one, it certainly applies to the workplace - there's simply no place for stragglers; strength lies in unity.

Hmmm.

Football or footbrawl?

Yesterday's kickabout almost ended in a brawl, which was a first at our clubhouse pitch. There was a loose ball and Mana-dona left his foot out for Rosicky to trip upon when the latter was about to break loose on goal. Picking himself up, our young friend uttered the four letter word and Mana took offence in that and threatened to punch him. Zizou and Lampard stepped in to diffuse the situation before it got worse. We never did enjoy the rest of the game after that.

I felt a little guilty because I was supposed to cover Rosicky on the flank but by some stroke of distraction, I was wandering somewhere on the pitch while Mana covered for me. Had I been there and gone in to nip the loose ball in the bud, the unfortunate incident would not have happened.

It makes me think though. Why do people get into a rage while doing something they like? Is it passion? Is it frustration for not being able to get the better of your opponent? How many times do we see soccer players in a brawl on the pitch? Or is it a man-ego thing - that the alpha male must not let another dominate him?

Combative as I am on the pitch, I am actually very subdued when it comes to matters like that. Once this guy threatened to take my head off after I got him in the shin. I just hung my head, wiped my sweat and walked away while he hurled abuses at me. Not wanting any trouble, definitely not spoiling for a fight. I got whacked once though, while trying to diffuse an angry situation. The over-zealous opponent threw a wild arm at my team-mate but got me instead. Sometimes peacekeepers do get shot while trying to restore peace and security. They are the true innocent ones.

I do, however, have a perfect solution to retaliate at angry opponents on the pitch. Not by screaming back at him or hurling arms or legs. Simply... hang your head, shrug and walk away...

... and with your next shot, aim for his eyes so he will go around looking like a panda for the next week.

Brilliant. Evil. But it works.

My New Camera System

It is time to clear the old and enter the new.

Having disposed of my Canon 350D to Wee Ling a couple of weeks ago (but yet she wasn't tempted by my offer of accompanying lenses), into my world today arrived my new camera system!

Basically, I now have:

(1) Canon EOS 40D (a step-up from the 350D)
(2) Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM
(3) Canon EF 70-200mm f/4.0 IS USM L (My first red-ring L lens!)
(4) Canon SpeedLite 580EX II

Thanks to Cousin William for helping me smuggle to purchase and bring in the setup despite close customs scrutiny. In all, the package saved me $500~$600 compared to if I had bought them in Singapore at cut-throat prices. And thanks to Sam as well (for being so patient despite me bugging him persistently with all sorts of equipment questions).

I do hope I will not let my camera down by taking crap pictures. Watch this space for more shoots!

Blind Dates

It is weird that the first thing I blog about (rustily, of course), is not about my favourite soccer players, my new camera (next post, I promise) or gripes about my work (of which I have plenty) but that of the two blind dates that I was forced went to lately, albeit reluctantly.

I am not exactly the type of guy who can snap his fingers and come up with 10,000 sweet nothings to charm a girl off her feet. I am an everyday journeyman who is used to silence. Your daily chee-hong pretender, I am not. While others may find it uncomfortable to be in the presence of one-who-does-not-speak, I feel perfectly at ease. I truly believe that empty vessels make the most noise and I am not eager to prove that I am one.

That was why the two blind dates turned out to be rather bland, as both subjects were not talkative girls. Single and attractive they may be, but chemistry is not something you can resolve by talking because you can say things to me and I will merely nod my head if I don't find a compelling reason to reply.

I don't fall in love easily but lately I have been swept off my feet. Thanks to level-headed advice and newly-found stubborn principles, I manage to find my feet firmly on the ground again. I now have a better idea what kind of a girl I am attracted to but heck, why can't they be not attached for once?

That said, I am still waiting for the Chosen One who will open the floodgates of noise and nonsense in me. Who shall be the terrorist of my heart? Until that day comes, I will continue to plod on... silently of course.

The Return of The Self-exiled

After a short hiatus following my self-imposed exodus from blogging, I am pleased to be back!

This new blog is likely to be of the same style as my last (which has since been inactive and contents deleted), where I document my thoughts and muses and share my photographic memories, jokes and weird stuff I come across in my web journeys.

I really am glad to be back, really I am.