Sunday, March 30, 2008

'They weren't mashy at all'

I know my family would want me to carry on living, doing the stuff I like and not feel depressed or frozen with fear and worries.

So there I was on a Friday morning 7.30am bright and early for a breakfast talk at Raffles City, Brave New World bout how the Internet is changing the media advertising landscape. Funny thing is I met another blogger there, although I wasn't sure at that time so I didn't wanna sound like some kinda nut asking if she was blogger too. Anyway, I came back, looked it up and I'm pretty sure it's her. Sure was nice meeting you, Rena.

Well, I guess part of trying not to worry and think bout it is to do the things that I would normally do, if you know what I mean. So here's a food shot that I thought was worth highlighting. Taken at the Japanese food court at the basement at Liang Court. there really were a lot of mushrooms in there and no, they weren't mashy at all.


Sunday, March 23, 2008

I might be taking some time off from blogging.

My elderly uncle is very sick. I must be strong and calm. My family is strong and I must be too. But it's hard for me. I worry a lot. Worrying is not helping anyone at all. I need to focus my thoughts into something more positive. I'm like in a depression now. Its quite sudden to see him like that. He used to be so active and he loves and cares for me so much. My worrying has almost crippled me, frozen me with fear. Can'e eat or sleep. It's a horrible feeling.

My family is strong. They have excepted that he is old, everyone grows old and these things happen. It's part of life.

I know no one wants to see like that especially my uncle. My family seeing me like this is adding onto their problems. I know I must be strong, I'm an adult now. I know I need to break out of it. But knowing and acting it out are two very different things. I am trying so hard but when I think about it, I suddenly feel so sad and frozen.

He'll be like this for sometime, months or even years. I can't afford to be in depression for that long. I'll be putting my family through a nightmare. I need to snap out of it. They say it's because I had a comfortable life, no hardships growing up. That's why I can't handle this. Maybe they are right. It doesn't matter, I need to be strong now, for myself and my family. Continue doing the things I always do. But it's so hard. I must be strong.

Saturday, March 15, 2008

'It's Corks! Get it?'

Looks like it's pretty quiet out there. Been taking more shots with a couple of new figures I got. Believe it or not I had that little mini-bottle of whiskey with me for years. Hey Imp, if you are reading this, this one's for you!

As you can see, I still need to work on the lighting. I stopped using the flash like I used to do and tried to do with a white background instead. I will be building some props that I hope will enhance the pix. Now I think this is a slightly better shot than the one above.

A few more shots with some new props. Knew I kept them for a reason, from my very first post! Anyway, I'm still experimenting with the lighting and all. I might have found a solution here aka my next little pet project I like to call Project: Lantern. As for this set of pix, obviously it's Corks! Get it? Corks...


Tired it again with the flash. Not a good idea but it does give that 'caught-in-the-act' effect which I ought was rather funny.

Oh yah, a little something bout the wine. Aleatico, one of my favourite red wines. It comes in a slightly smaller 500ml bottle. Far as I know, I can only find it at our duty free airport bout S$60+ a bottle. Anyone knows where else I can find it?


Wednesday, March 12, 2008

'Hmmmm hot cider'

Heh, as you can see, I is be having a little more free time these days to blog. Now in addition to my Macbook, I also got me a printer/scanner at the IT show last November. Here’re some prints of my short stay in New York years ago. Didn’t take many shots as I was using my dad’s big old SLR camera. My memory’s real fuzzy bout some details bout my time in the Big Apple. I think I stayed somewhere around 79th Street and Amsterdam Ave. in Manhattan. Can’t be sure cos I lost the address.

My favourite NY photo of them all is this little deli across the street. Every morning I would make a dash across to grab breakfast back to my room. Have it while watching the morning talk shows, then bout 10am plus, after rush hour, I would take the subway out to see the rest of the city. I think it was a Greek deli as in it served Mediterranean food during lunch. First time I had Mediterranean food, I liked it. Can’t find anything like that since then.


I also remembered I had hot cider at Starbucks in Greenwich Village. Hmmmm hot cider … something you unfortunately can’t ever find here too. Why can't we have HOT CIDER here?!?!? Meatballs and spaghetti where the meatballs are the size of tennis balls, now that’s another thing you won’t get here.


Springtime in the one and only Central Park!

Fashion shoooooot in Central Park!!!!

Monday, March 10, 2008

'Scouts on siesta'

Wondering if anyone out there reading this is using a Macbook and a PC to blog cos I am using both, and the Mac interface is kinda weird as in it’s hard to move my photos, can’t drag them down from the top where they first appear.

Anyway, last weekend was pretty neat. Was a lazy Sunday afternoon, took a bus to East Coast Road for lunch. Had the famous 328 Katong Laksa for lunch. Then took a slow stroll down the road. Food everywhere man. This was actually my first time walking down the road, usually it’s just a quick zoom by in a car or bus. Everyone here knows bout all the great food you can find along East Coast.







Now this was quite funny. Scouts on siesta. Saw these scouts getting ready for a siesta outside a little corner furniture store. I believe it’s Job Week this week as it’s the start of the school holidays too. Reason I say ‘siesta’ instead of taking a break, is cos while walking back from the other side of the road bout 20 minutes later, I saw all three guys knocked out, slumped in their seats, sprawled asleep.


This had me thinking ... so even if I fall on my ass a hundred times, you guys will keep those lessons coming till I can skate?


Saturday, March 08, 2008

'A slight buzz right now'

Feeling a slight buzz right now from downing a couple of bottles of beer after vacuuming and mopping the entire apartment by myself.

What was I gonna say? Oh yah, reading b's latest entry made me think bout my current statis. Right now in my current gig, job or whatever you call it, it's a little different from my last place, it's good and bad. What I'm doing now is essential as in it's a freakin' boring job but someone's got to do it thing. It's mundane but less stressful at times compared to my last place. So it's good cos I'm less stressed out now, got more time to do the things I really enjoy like reading, surfing, blogging, eating good food (hehe), all that kinda stuff. Bad is work has become mostly brain-dead kinda stuff. very little creativity. The folks in the other departments are the ones after the fame and fortune and they richly deserve it too. They are pretty good. I'm no longer there any more but I'm ok where I am now. I guess you can say I am contented in a way. It's like what I wrote 2 years ago bout myself and my life's soundtrack, John Lennon's Watching the Wheels. Just read/listen to the lyrics ... that's me. I am taking it easy now. The mortgage's all paid up, I don't have a car or any kids so that means no financial commitments of those kinds.

And speaking of hobbies and free time, been taking more shots of my ladies and booze series here and here. Tried something new with wine glasses and mirrors instead.

Alright, just in case anyone is wondering, I do take shots of other than just cheesecake figures too! They aren't great but I am working on them.

Tuesday, March 04, 2008

'The Highlander of Ravioli'

Well, after my last post bout missing out on a decent Japanese sushi meal. I finally made my way to Kuriya at Raffles City. Been there a few times, never or I should say have yet to sit at the bar, got a table. Dinner was good and pricey as usual but shomehow not as satisfying as I expected. Go figure...

Then it's off to nearby Canele Patisserie for dessert. Sweet mother of Gawd. It was my first time eating a vanilla meringue. Sweeeeeeeet. Best way to describe it I think, it's like cotton candy only rock solid. For like S$3.80 (or was it S$3.50?), it's worth it for that huge chunk. I brought and kept a third of it in a ziplock for the next day.

But the most memorable food experience las weekend was dinner at Brown Suger. So I ordered the Beef Tenderloin with Cheese Spinach Ravioli. Now when I read the menu I never expected that when it said Ravioli, it really meant Ravioli singular tense! Yup, there was only one piece of ravioli! It was like The Highlander of Ravioli ... "There can be only one!" ... fans of the 1986 Sean Connery and Chris Lampert movie will know what I'm referring to. Heh! Don't get me wrong now, everything we had was great. We ordered at least 4 different desserts, all simply divine. But damn, I just keep thinking bout that lone ravioli sitting on top of my piece of beef.