Into 2009!

Wow...it's already a New Year, and 8 days in it. I've been really out of it. Here i am at 3:12 am, sitting in an office, looking at probably 8-9 monitors. Such is life. No work, no money.

So I'm sitting down here, (since I've got too much time on my hands) and thinking, how's 2009 gonna be? Also, how was 2008 for me? Any major achievements? Anything worth noting down?
Well, there were a lot of laughs, yet, there were also many tears.

2008 for me was ok. Not too bad, yet, it could also be better. Hey, can't expect everything to be perfect though right?

Highlights of 2008 :

1. Set foot for the very first time in Australia. 2 weeks in Melbourne. What an experience! The city! The Culture! The koalas!!! Ok I actually got bored after 1 week of being there. T_T
Luckily there were my two bros who went out of their way to keep me company. One during the earlier part of the day, and the other, the later part. Thanks guys.

2. Got together with someone really special to me. Let's not get into details. Just understand that I won't be "itching with a B" about being single anymore. Hopefully not ever!! :))

3. Got my very own Canon 40d, courtesy of Dad, Mum, and Lil Sis. My dream camera for my 28th B-day weih!!! woot!

4. Went up a notch in photography (though right now i'm being a wee bit lazy. more on that later)

5. Got a laptop. Now I'm mobile!!!!!! (actually most of the time at home. "Mengada" only)

6. PS3!!!! after drooling at it for almost 2 years...yes, i now have one in my room. Ooooh yeah.

Hmm....got summore leh, but I'm too stoned to blog about it.

Listing down all these things, I guess 2008 wasn't bad at all. I'd be happy even if I got a few of those.

Thanks 2008, you were good to me.

Now, 2009.......learn from 2008 and gimme good stuff ok?

:P

Kids...the most natural of models

Where do i go?, originally uploaded by Enzo Mokhtar.

I've been pretty active in photography in the last many months. Hence explains the silence from blogging. Okay, granted, me being lazy and also the absence of an internet connection DID contribute, and hanging out at starbux to blog all the time isn't doing wonders to my financials.

Anyway, back on the topic, which was.....uhm....oh yeah, being active in photography. I tried my hand in many different styles, genre in photography trying to find one that I could REALLY get into. Well, for one, I really enjoyed snapping pics of kids. There are endless posibilities on how you can compose the picture to create a story within that one single frame. And kids, well, they are so great to work with...when they don't switch on their "siren" of course. When they do, hey, it's a challenge.

This picture I took quite recently of an office colleague's daughter. She is one CUTE kid ok! Was supposed to be shooting mainly event related, but I most probably blasted a quarter of my day's shots on her. Cannot resist la. Cuteness.

I did up this pic to show how even as a child, we're always shot with choices, and even as a child, we still have make decisions. Only our choices are more instinct driven than logic based.

Hope I hit the message right with this pic. ;P

Got more leh. You wait ar..I post. :))

After nine months....

Wow...nine months. Can't believe it's been that long. Have been busy busy busy! I need to get used to blogging again, which sadly, is not easy to do.

Let's just say my days have been keeping me occupied. A new life, new targets, and new priorities. Things have started to get serious. Career, photography, social, family. It's on a whole new level. Seems like they can't be taken as lightly as before. Which is a good thing. I think it's time I got more responsible.

I've been reading up on my previous posts, and from it, I understand that I was experimenting with how to go about life. The perceptions to have, the patience to go through it with, and the willingness to accept, and not retaliate to what life gives you. I was proven right.

I'll update more when I can, it's gonna be a whole new story.

Feb 14...the arrival of my 4th baby

First and foremost, i'd like to wish a happy Valentines Day, and a happy Singles Awareness Day to those who celebrate..respectively.

Here I was leaving the office this morning thinking that this day will go no where but to the bins. I mean, hear me out. Single guy on a day for couples (yes i kno it's the international day for love, and not necessarily only for partners, but screw that *bleep*), it's NOT something to look forward to. So yeah, day started out pretty crappy. I CANNOT believe how 1 country can have so many no brainers on the road! >_<

Ok, back to the topic at hand. On the way back, I tuned in to Hitz.fm and instead of celebrating Valentine's day, they were celebrating Singles Awareness Day!!! Oh hitz, i love you guys. You guys really made an attempt to make solos feel special. Gahahaha!!! Those guys really cheered me up. Thanks guys (even tho most prolly none of you hitzers are gonna read this post \= ) !! So i got home an hour later, chatted with mum a bit, and went straight to bed..about 10am. 1 hour into my very light sleep, a very welcoming call came on my cellphone. "Hi Mr.Enzo, this is Joe from FEDEX. I'm standing outside your house with a package for you." OMG...she's here..my baby's here...i've been waiting for days for her to arrive. I ordered her on the 8th, but with Hong Kong being on hols for CNY and stuff, it's gonna take a wee bit more time. The wait was painful, torturous...nite after nite of dreaming about her...finally, she arrived. My ever oh so wonderful LOMO FISHEYE 2 camera!!! 170 degree view of the world...in all it's LOMO-istic glory!! and it shoots 35mm film too...cheap!

So i went down and met Joe (thanks Joe. u the man) and he handed me the package. A white envelope with the tell tale shape of its content. I signed off, thanked Joe, and ran off into the house like child on Christmas morning, snickering all the way to my room. In the comfort and privacy of my darkened room (like it mattered..no one was home anyway) I ripped the envelope open to reveal a brown cardboard box. I knifed the tapes on the sides and opened the box to reveal my latest baby. There she was, in her packaging, staring at me with that one wonderful eye..oh she looks soooo beautiful. I picked her up into my arms and coddled her for a bit, then i realized, I just slept for an hour. Not good. So I put her back, and continued sleeping.

I woke up around 4 hrs later fully energized, and took her out to get film. Got a few rolls cheap, put one in her, and blasted away. Need to see the results when the roll is done. The only thing left to do, is to name her. Oh my baby.

Who says 14th Feb is a bad day for single people? ;P

I'd like to thank FEDEX for being fast and reliable as always. My package was handed to me in pristine condition, 1 day after it was delivered from Hong Kong.

I'd also like to thank http://www.lomographyasia.com/ for their fast response to attend to my enquiry, and also my order, and got it delivered to me quick. The delay is understandable, it is after all CNY, and hey, people need holidays. We're not robots mind you!

My thanks also goes out to all the lomographers who introduced me to this wonderful, rule-breaking world of lomography. It's always a refreshing break from conventional photography.

New Year Random!

Woah, that’s been a very very long break from blogging huh? We’re talking like what? 2-3 months? I’m not happy that I haven’t had the time to blog, but things do happen that prevent me from documenting my life online. So like..yea..sorry.It’s been crazy juggling double jobs. By day, a regular IT worker. By night, THE WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER!!! Da da da dahhhhhhh!!! Oh and I’m available on weekends too. -_-“

Anyway, less on that. This IS random. So I’m supposed to be uhm…RANDOM right?

Okay, random.

Today’s random thought is on principles. I’ve been thrown into many situations before, and even going through one now that makes me question on the worth of having, believing, and staying true to one’s principles. For me, it’s all about honor. Life is about having honor. Better to lose your life, than lose your honor. Call me an old-fashioned misplaced samurai, but I grew up believing in that and upholding it so ardently.

1. Never stab anyone in the back.
2. Never do harm to others what you would not do unto yourself.
3. Your fists were made to protect, never to harm. Never ever hit a woman.
4. If you want something, and someone’s occupying it, wait your turn.
5. Dirty tricks are the cowardly way to win a game.
6. The most honorable battles are done one on one.
7. Rise through the ranks 1 step at a time, so when you’re on top, you don’t forget the bottom.
8. Never date your brother’s ex-gf. Unless they let you. (bwahahaha…hilarious, I know..but it DOES happen ok!)
9. got summore lah..but lazy to type dy.

So basically, it just summarizes to not do harm to others. Give in, for as much as you can, and keep a cool head. Be fair and righteous. It’s meant to be your identity.

The thing is, going through everyday life, and getting thrown into its commotions, you start to question if the principles that you live by have started to become your burden instead. There are many a time when I’ve been stabbed in the back, yet I’ve never done so to anyone. Funny thing is, the ones that did the stabbing are living a far easier life, yet…the one that got stabbed, not so easy life. Similarly, the one who knows nuts in the company, but a wizard at butt-kissing, would actually get promoted, when one that works ever so diligently, and is a master of the trade gets stuck in the lower levels, forever being the corporate dog. One who gets left behind by partners, due to third parties..having their lives messed about by people who just couldn’t care less about anyone but themselves. Yet, never once have they gone in between two people who are together.

What does this all mean? Principles are meant to make you a better person, an honorable one. Yet, it’s those without, which always win in the end. As they say, nice guys finish last.

I’m still trying to figure out the necessities of this belief, if I should keep it, or ditch it. Oh man, I’ve really gotta think things through. Crap..now I have a migraine. =\

The Man of the House Turns 57!!

Comes the day again for the man of the house to notch another mark on his wall of age. Yep, dad turns a year older, wiser (not that he isn't in the first place), better!

It's funny how he'll never admit he's 57 years OLD..he'd say he's 57 years YOUNG!~

It just comes a time in your life when during birthdays, you don't count upwards anymore..you count downwards. Heh, whatever keeps the old man happy, is good enough for me. Anything that floats your boat dad!

It's a simple ceremony, nothing fancy, just the family. Mum made some really good stuff to eat, and we had a family dinner. There was roast beef, some roast chicken, and a whole load of side dishes. Ooh yeah!

I got dad half a cake, yes...half a cake. Not cuz I'm a cheapskate or anything (honest!!), but mum says that if we got him the whole of his favorite cake, we'd take a month to finish everything. Can you imagine, a mouldy, mossy Chocolate Indulgence from Secret Recipe. Eww!

Everyone was hard at work to chip in for dinner. Sis was fully utilizing her skills as a international chef trainee to whip up some specialty baked potatoes. I didn't have any cuz i had to rush for work, but i heard it was really good. Dang..wanted to try some.

I took an oppurtunity away from the camera to get a shot of me and the birthday boy(man?) himself. Handsome man!! Dad lah..not me...though i must say i look a teeny weeny bit cuter. *snicker*

Hey, I wasn't the only one posing for the day okay! I snapped them pictures! I was photographer of the day! Anyway, it's the birthday boy and the master chef!

Mum even did some promotional work for Sunshine brand garlic bread. Wah....wonder if she got paid for it!

It all went great, dad's really happy. Don't worry dad, 57's not old. It's just...ermmm...ancient??

Waahahahaha!!!

Yeah, we still made him do the dishes. What? You think birthday boy no need to do work meh? Cheuh...

Random!!!!

It's another entry of "random"!!!

I've discovered today that life really has a sense of humour. Some people spend so long holding on to something they lost, and they can never get back. Not purposedly sometimes. Then they try so hard to let go. When they finally see a door to walk through, and run to go through it, BAM!! the doors shuts in their faces.

It's ridiculous sometimes when you really think about it. I mean, we try..and when we think we're about to win, we don't. We just get pushed back to where we started. Makes you wonder why we even try in the first place innit?

Hehe..I sat down and thought long and hard. Finally, it dawned on me that it's not the end prize that matters. It's what we become while trying to achieve it. THAT'S supposed to be the prize.

Funny..wish things were more straight forward instead of cryptic. Then again, if that was so, where's the challenge innit?

;P

LIFE!! you're not rid of me yet. And that trick you played on me today....it's HILARIOUS!!
thanks..haven't laughed so hard in ages.