Saturday, September 22, 2007

擒蛇记



不知道是我新闻运好,还是我“黑”。连 off day 也会给我碰到这种新闻...

I was on my way home after breakfast and I had just sent Xiaomin to work. This happened at the fish pond near my place. The 2m python actually attempted to enter a student care centre nearby! The police and pest control were alerted but the snake escaped into the pond. It took 10 men and 5 hours before the slippery fellow was caught. The caretaker of the centre was bitten in the process too.

But I have to admit, it was pretty exciting to capture the whole episode although it had me waiting for 5 hours!

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Thursday, September 13, 2007

The day the Earth moved and I shot Fann Wong


Last night's swaying lasted for about two minutes and this morning's lasted for about a minute as multiple earthquakes and aftershocks hit Indonesia. It has got to be one of the most frequent and most felt in recent times as the quakes occured nearer to our small island. Singaporeans are already so concerned about sloshing fish tanks and clanking utensil... I can only imagine how people in Sumatra feel as the earth literally moved under their feet.

Today's job also brought me a 'earth-moving' chance for an exclusive interview (and photoshoot) with Fann Wong. She's quite nice in person although I think that's because she has gotten used to tactfully handle the media. As for the shoot, it was quite fulfilling for me as Fann Wong is soooo... photogenic. But the age is starting to show...

As the s(w)aying goes... "Time and Tide (think tsunami) waits for no man."

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Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Cousin



Chatted for a while after an event I covered this afternoon. Good to hear that he's doing well!

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Sunday, September 09, 2007

"Vegetable Stew" (not Chicken Soup) for the Soul


There are a couple of things that often moved me, like excellent cuisines (I was actually moved by how delicious pork cutlet could be when I visited Japan a couple of years ago), captivating films and inspiring music. So on occasions when I come across a combination of them, I just simply become a completely mess...

Ratatouille (Rat-a-too-ee, a French vegetable stew) awed me with it's jaw-dropping graphics (reminded me of just how breathtaking Paris was...) and a even more beautiful script and storyline. I dare say that the animated film has reached a kind of depth that previous Pixar productions have never reached before. Although I find that the pace and relevance of some parts of the film could improve, I can't blame Disney-Pixar since it has to appeal commercially to 'children of all ages'. Nevertheless, Ratatouille has done an extremely good job in touching me on a personal and emotional level.

What does it mean to live your dream? How do you know that your dream is a possibility? When do you know if your dream has come true? In a way, I could relate to how Remy felt when it comes to cooking to the way I feel about photography. I could feel the passion, the excitement and the ecstasy when he's engrossed in his art; his relentless pursue for perfection and finesse, his frustration when something is missing but can't put a finger to, and of course... the satisfaction when his art is accomplished and appreciated. Back when I was still in the service, there were occasions when we were asked what our "Defining Moment" was; what that single moment was that changed our perspectives, our ideals, our lives... For Remy, as I interpreted in the film, would be the moment when Anton Ego took his first bite on the Ratatouille he prepared. It was a culmination of everything that Remy hope for, stood for and lived for.

What dreams do you have? What do you stand for? What do you live for?

What is your 'Ratatouille'?

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Wednesday, September 05, 2007

11.7



I could actually hear the heart beat!

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