shooting grass

Last week i had the chance to be in touch with nature again, after so long...I couldn't even recall when was the last time I ever took a closer look at any wild plant...

When I spotted this grass, I was so excited. Brought back the childhood memories in me. We were staying at this palm oil plantation estate, surrounded by what seemed like an endless plantation of palm trees and the vast undeveloped nature surrounding. We didn't have fancy video or pc games then. We played with natural resources we could lay our hands on. We would pluck wild mushrooms, catch little fish in the streams, cycle along the bumpy country roads... those were the days!

And this was the grass we would play shooting game with. You trim away the leaves, and leave the small ball like thing on the stem, then you hold the stem end and make a twist around the furry ball with one hand, and the other hand holding the untwisted stem (closer to the ball), aim at a human target, pull it like a trigger and watch the ball shooting out...it's fun and safe I tell ya. I taught my toddler nephew and he simply loved watching me do it, even most of the time I was shooting at him! :D

leaking

quiet sanctuary

Every now and then, I have the urge to be far away from the noise and hectic routine, and find a quiet place where i can truly relax..forget about the role responsibilities, forget about people's judgement or perception...i just want to be alone, and honest to myself. Couldn't agree more to the verse from the song Hard to Say I'm Sorry..

everybody needs a little time away

i've heard her say

from each other

even lovers need a holiday

far away from each other

self-defence

a barbed-wire fence used to keep trespassers out

li'l cowboy

ethan, my nephew;

he's one of my favourite photography subject

in a state of confusion

a night shot of street lights from a moving car

Sometimes I wonder, if confussion is caused by not thinking straight enough, or by having thought too much. Our mind is such a funny, complicated thing I don't think I'll ever understand fully..not even my own thoughts. I always get lost in my own sea of thoughts. Just like now, I have something on my mind but I couldn't put 'em down in words..and the harder I tried, the further they seem to be drifting away..I decided to give up, and admit that I'm confused now. Just like when you're having a panic attack, it's better to stop fighting it and just let it come, knowing that it won't last forever.

Urghh!!!! i better stop..getting more and more incoherent....

perception

I used to dislike orchids. Orchid was one of the flowers I hated most among with Rose.

I think Roses are overrated. Beauty is in the eye of beholder, but I think when people look at roses, their judgement is blinded by it's symbolism for romance and love. And romance and love are meant to be beautiful.

As for orchids, I simply thought it is ugly. I still think some are, the typical orchids if you know what I mean. Those with weird, skimpy little petals that look like aliens, yuckk!!

Until I came across this particular species called the Phalaenopsis - aka the Butterfly Orchird. They are simply gorgeous!

silhouette

surfers strolling along waikiki beach

the view from Lulu's

(I need a break. I need to recharge. I need a mental/emotional detox. I need some peace of mind..I need a vacation)

battered old jeep

abandoned or still in use?

a real proud you must have been

all sparkling and brand new

a true warrior you must have been

to have seen the sunshines and the storms

a sturdy friend you must have been

to have gone through all the thicks and thins

but now

you're just a useless piece of metal

abandoned and all forgotten

are you waiting for your time to come

or

are you hoping he would take a look at you again

and recount all the glorious past you two had shared

a fan of

I am a big FAN of.....

• Fictions by Nicholas Sparks, James Patterson, John Grisham, Stephen King...etc.

A Walk to Remember, The Note Book, When the Wind Blows, Maximum Ride, The King of Torts, Pet Cemetery, Kira-Kira, My Best Friend's Girl, Angels and Demons...

• Movies, especially horror flickers, thrillers, all Adam Sandler's pictures...

Dark Water, The Eye, Click, Dreamer, I am Sam, The Pianist, Crash....

• Musicals (both movie and theatre)

Evita, Sound of Music, Chicago, Moulin Rouge, The Graduate, Mamamia*, Fame*, Sunset Boulevard*, West Side Story*..etc* (* - yet to watch)

• Spicy Food & Lamb/Mutton

Jalapeno, chili padi, spicy buffelo wings, curry mutton, tomyam, asam laksa, aglio olio, lamb cutlet, lamb kebab, mutton soup...

• Air Borne Activities except long distance flight

sky diving, parachuting, parapanting, paragliding, wind surfing, hot air ballooning, flying-if i have wings (all mentioned yet but dying to try)

• Travelling

been to

Europe: London, Brighton, Bath, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Scotland, Paris, Beaujolais, French Riviera, Florence, Rome, Venice, Vetican City, Austrian Tyrol, Hopfgarten, Vaduz-Liechtenstein, Pissa, Verona, Munich, Heidelberg, Swiss Alps-Jungfrau, Rhine Valley, Amsterdam, Ibiza, Barcelona

U.S: Ames-Iowa, Chicago, San Jose, San Fransisco, L.A, Las Vegas, Napa Valley, Valejo, Monterey, Lake Tahoe, Oahu-Hawaii

South East Asia: Phuket, Burnei, Sarawak,

must go

NZ-north island, Christchruch, Australia-Sydney, Melbourne, Tasmania, Japan-Hokkaido, Tokyo, Kyoto, Kobe, Tibet, Alaska, China-Jiu Zai Gou, Greece, Aegean Sea, Egypt, Maldives, South Africa, Mexico.....etc etc

San Fransisco

Some of the old shots taken while I was in San Fransisco in 2003 - 2004. It seems I'm in the mood of B&W recently.

Mental note to self: find some good resources on B&W photography and processing skills

distance apart

in the glare of sunshine

flying high

hot and cold

hot + cold = warm

troubled

what's troubling you, my dear?

was it the morning glory I insisted tucking onto your ear?

yes, yes, i know your are a boy

just thought it'd make an interesting pic

sorry if that borthered you

green blossom

anyone knows what this flower-like plant is called?

no, it's not an artichoke