Oh, speaking of photography. Are you really thinking about becoming a part-time photographer?

Wow, I am pretty speechless after reading about the lack of merit your country has. That’s awful and totally unfair (but then again, who’s mostly fair now a days anyways). I can somewhat understand helping them raise from poverty.. but for them to still have special privileges is wrong. Does the gov’t not see the unfairness in this or do they simply don’t care? It especially infuriates me when people give out scholarships to those who don’t necessarily deserve it, especially when it’s based on race. Kids who strive to make good grades and do well in school should be rewarded. I’m very big on that. And so when those kids are struggling to pay for college when others get in free.. it’s just not right. *shakes head*

Wow, beautifully said, Teddy. (about the gangs and us all working as one organism) You nailed it. I totally 100% agree with you. I have spent so many days pondering that same very question, why do people do what they do. If only every one thought the way you did, what a wonderful world it would be, eh? One can only dream!

“also wonder what they have in their mind – what’s so fascinating about mundane, insignificant and minute stuff we see everyday? They obviously see things in a different light – that innocence that everyone likes and wants.” Oh most definitely! My grandmother has the box left over from her water heater and so she cute a door and small windows out of it. Alana spent hours playing inside that thing! Laughing and smiling the entire time. It was her own little fortress. I can’t lie, I even got in there and played with her a bit. hehe I do admire the innocence & excitement of a child! It’s so fresh and new. Everything is wonderful through their eyes. I am a very playful person so I don’t believe I lost all my innocence from a child, thankfully. hehe

Yep, I’m the same way. I’m much more comfortable behind the lens. I don’t mind candid shots of myself, but it’s when I have to pose and what not.. I just don’t like it! haha Although, I do get a little sad when going through all my photos and seeing barely any of me. I’m a very sentimental person so it hurts not having many visual memories of me. Thank goodness Chris is decent with my camera! I’m much more comfortable when he’s behind the lens shooting photos of me. Plus, there is no one else I can trust with my Nikon! lol

Oooh, snorkeling. So much fun! My aunt, my sister and I went to Cancun one summer. It was such a busy and crowded beach (the less the people, the better to me!) but I still enjoyed my self. We took a ride in a submarine (so very cool! I saw so many cool fish.. sting rays and giant turtles!). We also went parasailing.. that was one of the coolest things I have ever done. Then we road on water jets to this small beautiful island where we went snorkeling! Okay now.. I am pretty terrified of fish. I don’t like the feel of them and sometimes even gag when looking at them, lol. It’s pretty bad. But I did it anyways! It was so much fun, the coral and everything was just so beautiful. The only thing I regret is when the tour guides threw fish feed in my direction.. I about freaked when a huge school of fish swarmed me. Very scary, lol. BUT, I would probably do it all over again. I am such the adventurous and explorer type, I wish I had more opportunities! I’m thinking about asking the family if they would like to go camping this summer.. I would so love that!

To put it simply (and without further inflaming the situation), ethnic Malays, known as the bumiputras are entitled to more privileges, regardless of whether is it social, economical and political or is it in school and work, than other ethnic groups in Malaysia. The government implemented an economic plan decades ago to help the bumiputras to rise from poverty, but the plan stay intact till today, giving them what critics of the plan say as an unfair advantage to the particular ethnic group that benefits from the plan. Various issues further deepen the scar and make the situation even worse – like how top scorers of other ethnic groups in Malaysia aren’t guaranteed of a government scholarship because there’s a 60% weightage based on race. Meritocracy is therefore somewhat dead in Malaysia, where scholarships are issued not based on your results but based on one’s ethnic group. There are many more issues, but I think I shouldn’t be bickering too much here…

Gangs are something that I couldn’t wrap my head around. If those energy-filled youungsters crave a sense of belonging and purpose, they can always join beneficial groups without harming others. I don’t understand why would people commit crime, take drugs, pick up the cancer stick (aka cigarettes), take part in beatings, bullyings and even murder. It’s just absurd to me – don’t they realize that in billions of miles out of this earth, we’re the only intelligent life around? They lack this ‘cosmic connection’ – the ‘aha!’ moment an astronaunt feels when he arrives in space and looks back on earth, the small, pale blue dot slicing through the darkness of the galaxy at great speed. We humans depends on each other a lot – the socities nowadays function like a giant organism, each of us being individual cells of the organism contributing to the growht, expansion and maturation of humanity. Now is this something too hard for them to understand?

My brother doesn’t show me his photos, but I found it his handphone haha. I wouldn’t say that I stole a peek at his phone, but he allowed me to use it so I just… conveniently browsed through the photo gallery. Haha!

My mom’s friend’s son is one cute little monster – sometimes he’s devilish and sometimes he’s so sweet he’ll give you diabeters. He got big, rolling eyes and doesn’t cry, so he’s actually quite easy to take care of… it’s just that the cheekiness part of him that sometimes leaves you speechless, heheh! I also wonder what they have in their mind – what’s so fascinating about mundane, insignificant and minute stuff we see everyday? They obviously see things in a different light – that innocence that everyone likes and wants. It’s sad that when we grow up, tha tinnocence gets eroded day by day until it’s just a tiny little sparkle left in your heart. Sometimes I still play pranks on my brother, I admit!

Same here – I enjoy being the one behind the lenses. For most of the events I cover in university, I rarely have of photo of myself but I am not bothered by it at all. I would rather take photos of others instead of having one taken of myself… for some weird reason that others cannot comprehend, heh. It’s nice that you have a friend in California offering a discount on a photo session, that’s very nice of her! Maybe when you get to know them better in the future, you’ll feel more at ease with them around. Good luck!

So far we haven’t got any plans on the island except for going snorkeling, but I guess we can spend a lot of time at the beach, eating, sleeping and taking photos.

Thank you, and have an awesome trip!

I’m glad that you love the story too!

Check out Gh’s latest blog post » kaoshiung to taipei, taiwan, nov 2009

I appreciate your honesty about your country. I do think it’s important to know both the good and bad of other places, especially if one is thinking about visiting there! That’s terrible that there is a racial division there. Why is that?

Oh yes. The city I moved away from was terrible and it’s only getting worse as the days progress. You’re right. It’s mostly gang related. It’s terrible and I can’t wrap my mind around it. Why? Why do people insist on living in such a manner. There doesn’t seem like a purpose for one to hurt others so much, especially over stupid things. Seriously, there has been news broadcasts about kids shooting other kids for childish reasons. It’s ridiculous. =(

Lol @ your brother, too funny you saw his pictures. My sister is proud of her cam-whoring. She’s always showing me her latest photos. Almost all of them are of her face and she’s making a weird expression. lol, odd teenagers! But you’re right, I’m sure she’ll enjoy photoshooting with me. Maybe I outta set that up soon since her school year is ending soon.

Oh my goodness! Your mom’s friend’s son seems like such a hand full! Haha, very clever he is. Even though he blackmails, he still seems like such fun. :) It’s cute how they insist on something and if they don’t get it, they get all fussy. Like them with their favorite book! Alana would shove it at me until I took it, lol. I do wonder what goes through their minds too. =) Could you imagine!? Little children do fascinate me. Alana is at the age where she is talking but still mumbling a lot. Speaking a language I have yet to learn! She talks to you as if she understands what she is saying, it’s so funny. I wish I could get in their brain, if only for a day! =P

Aww! I’m flattered that you check out my website so often, that’s so cool! I don’t know why since I rarely update it! I have plans to write more though. =) And soon. I think once I complete my new layout it will motivate me to write more.

I could not imagine myself posing for a stranger either. I don’t care if they’re a professional! It would seem so awkward for me. I am not the type of girl that enjoys posing, I’d rather be behind the lens, hehe. Chris and I have a friend in California whom we met online a few years ago. He has this wonderful and beautiful wife who is also a photographer. She said she would give us a discount on a photo session. I do plan on doing it some time! But it would be so awkward for me. She is so cute and friendly, I think I may get use to it over time though. I guess it just depends on who is photographing you and if you can trust them!

Yay again for your aunt inviting you to stay with her on that lovely island! Sounds like such fun. What activities do you guys have planned?

Check out Latrina’s latest blog post » The five finally together.

first of all, i do think your post processed oil lamp is the best in this entry,

and frankly, i LOVE your photographs so well balanced with the story,

nice post you have here!

*congratulation for the longest post*

Check out Fawwaz’s latest blog post » I Requested.

Ah, I think I should be honest when I describe be country to others. Many people are only told of the ‘tropical exoticism’ of Malaysia, and are largely unaware of the social trends and situations in Malaysia. Of course, we still offer awesome views of the mountains and beaches, we have rainforests and coral reefs for you to visit, but just like any other developing country, there’s a certain degree of social and political malaise, and although subtle and more or less slips unaware under the eyes of a casual tourist, the racial divide still exists (between the so called bumiputras, and descendants of Chinese and Indian immigrants).

Sorry to hear about the move – the environment in the old city you once lived in doesn’t seem to be very desirable nowadays. It’s sad that cities and towns fall into the hands of criminals and organized gangs, when fear and crime takes over the originally peaceful and worry-free way of living. Your apartment sounds like a really wonderful place, let alone your neighbourhood! I noticed that you haven’t posted any photos around your area – care to share? Teehee.

I don’t know much photographers in real life, and I wish that I have a group of them to hang out with. Must be a lot of fun, teehee. I can understand the cam-whoring trend among teenagers – my brother did that secretly (no longer secret between us when I saw his handphone pictures haha). Your sister is a budding photographer and you should invite her out for trips – she’ll learn a lot from you, I believe.

I’m sorry to hear about his parents’ divorce, but yet glad that they’re still in good terms today. I’ve heard one too many divorce cases (or even breakups between yet-to-be-engaged couples), where they promise each other friendship (typical quote, “We’re still friends, right?” – wrong) but in the end, they ended up being enemies or at least, people who wouldn’t want anything to do with each other and never talk again.

Little toddlers are balls of energy, believe me! I tried casually babysitting for my mom’s friend’s son (casually in the sense that I wasn’t paid and I just had to look after him for one afternoon while my mom and his talk the whole day away)… and in the end, I ended up being more tired than ever. He’s one smart cookie too – only three and a half years of age and has cunning tricks up his sleeves. When I told him I was too tired to play cop and robber with him, he actually threatened me that he’s gonna tell MY mom that I didn’t want to play with him… that’s just, WOW.

Just like Alana, he got this fascination of a certain storybook and would tirelessly want me to read to him over and over again! Everytime I go to his house, I will have to read the exact same thing to him, and he isn’t getting bored of it at all. I wonder how their little brains see things, heh.

Same here! Every morning when I wake up I scramble from my bed to turn on my computer and check your blog and my mailbox. I just realized that your comment was in the moderation queue today morning (stupid WP), sorry about that.

It’s actually easier to get a good photo out of someone who you know, especially on a personal level because they’re at ease and completely relaxed when you snap away. I couldn’t imagine myself posing for a stranger cameraman… how awkward, haha!

For the toddler thing, you can also use candies to entice her (and distract her too), if your sister isn’t too particular about sweets Alana is getting. Make sure she brushes her teeth though, hah!

Wow, what a way to crumble my excitement of one day visiting Malaysia! haha That’s terrible that it’s that bad. Parts of the US is just the same though. I actually moved away from an area when I was a teen because the crime was getting out of hand. Drive-bys and shootings at school. Thievery, etc. It’s pretty bad. :| Sad thing is, most of the people in my old city is moving out and coming HERE (since we’re still pretty near by).. I think I’ll have to make another move with in the next few years at this rate.

I am pretty happy at where I’m am now. It’s a nice, well kept and beautiful apartment complex with a few ponds. Even ducks walking along the roads some times!

Wow, so do you get to tag along with other photographers often? I didn’t think about sharing lens and equipment, that could be fun! Especially since most of my photography friends have better equipment and such, hehe. I’m trying to talk my little sister into getting into photography. She’s the kind of teenager who enjoys taking photos of herself rather than other things, lol. She has a good eye though and good be pretty good if she gave it a try. I ask her to tag along with me sometime! That could be fun. It’s tough finding things to do with her since she usually outcasts herself.. so I think this may be a good thing to try.

Oh, I know. Chris’s family, despite the divorce between his parents, acted very well with each other. Chris’s parents, thankfully, had forgiven each other over the years and worked out a friendship of sorts. So it was actually pretty nice to see them talking and laughing together. It was quite the experience! I am so happy for Chris to have had that moment with his family, that’s so very important to any child!

Alana is just adorable & so much fun to play with. She is almost two so her energy level is outrageous! I try my hardest to keep up, hehe. I actually have been babysitting her since she was two weeks old up until February of this year when my sister moved. So Alana and I have a pretty strong bond and she behaves pretty well around me. Of course she can be a little monster at times! But.. it’s all fun. :) She absolutely loves books and her favorite book I keep at my house and so she has been begging me to read it to her. I think I have read it over 30 times since Monday, haha.

Oh! about the monetary compensation, lol. She use to pay be on a weekly basis but since she has been out of town for a couple of months and out of work.. she has come down these two weeks to work every day at her old job so I’m babysitting for free to help her out.

You bowed to me, hah! It is my pleasure. I do enjoy reading your blog, as a matter of fact, it’s one of the first things I do in the mornings after checking my e-mail. :P

Btw, Chris totally blushed when I told him that you said he looked like a professional model.. then he said “Oh, I know I am!” — psh, he’s not that bad. teehee I get so giddy and happy when I receive comments on my photography, it’s such a new artistic outlet for me so I’m really happy to know I am doing something right here. Thank you so much! I hope I get the time soon to go out and take more photos. It’s hard with a toddler traveling behind you. :P

Check out Latrina’s latest blog post » A little bit of everything.

Speaking of books, I read this photography magazine today and there’s this online tool that allows one to create a book for free – given that you print it within 15 days. I forgot the name though, couldn’t recall it at all except that it starts with a ‘B’. I shall check back the magazine again when I visit the bookstore this weekend.

Malaysia is a lot similar to the US when it comes to consumerism – we have all the common US outlets like Wendy’s, McDonalds, KFC, Subway, Dunkin’ Doughnuts, Tesco and etc, and the Western food culture here is fairly well established, so if you don’t like the local food after trying them, you can still dine like what you used to in the US :)

The main difference is that Malaysia is a developing country – the crime rate is high, there’s a glaring lack of civil and civic responsibility among the general population. Every house has like a dozen of locks on the door, plus a front gate and lawn that is well-boarded up, unlike in the US suburbs where the separation between the living room and public domain in just a wooden door and an unlocked fence, teehee. Drivers here are a lot ruder (my US friends got a rude shock when they travelled from Singapore to Malaysia), the bus drivers are vulgar and etc… but well, they are the blacksheeps. There are still nice people around, heheh.

I always loved company for photoshoot – you can exchange ideas that flow freely among your friends, and more importantly, if you’re using the same camera body, you can share equipments too, heh. Of course, I’d love the group to be less than 8 people because beyond that, people will eventually split up into smaller groups to visit the own locations they wish to go. I think 3~6 is an ideal size.

It’s nice to see his dad coming down. I don’t know that Chris has a step-dad as well… and I hope it wasn’t being something bad happened between his biological parents. Either way, it’s heartening that all his parents took the time and effort to see him graduate, awww!

I would love to baby Alana! After I saw her photo on your photoblog, I was instantly swooned over by her cuteness :) love her big eyes! I hope she isn’t a little monster too much to handle, heheh. It’s really sweet of you to babysit for your sister… does your sister give you any, urm *how should I say this* monetary compensation?

Thanks again, for your support, readership and comments *bow*

p/s: Love your photography work, Chris looks like some professional model heheh! Keep up the good work, Trina!