Shutter Warming

" Adik in a bag"

"Change of guards"

At last, the long awaited 450D is here ... Some quick pictures from the new toy...really like the 50mm f1.8 lens, quite versatile, DOF/bokeh really good, like pro taken shots je...All in all, good size, light, feature abound. The only limit is myself.

Going away for some serious shutter warming trip this weekend. Hope to post some good shots then.

Ramadhan Mubarak to all Muslims, Happy 51th Merdeka to all Malaysian,

Sik, sik batang pinang...

My little sister had her BF family over today for the 'merisik' ceremony. Traditionally, the malay tradition would call for 'merisik' (reconnaissance/scouting), which is to get to know the suitor prior to being engaged. This is also to set the date for the engagement. The engagement then would be followed by the wedding.

They have known each other during the course of their studies for a few years now, hence they're taking the next step in their relationship. Congratulations sis, hope that you could brush up on the culinary skills, jangan sampai fail bila mak mentua test plak nanti.

Oh,oh, aku keracunan.... DSLR

It goes to show the power of 'racun' from your so called friends, I've finally taken the plunge for a DSLR after so long. I can still remember my first experience with my dad's camera, a Yashica (couldn't remember the model though). After that we had numerous P&S models, (autofocus with fixed range) which was the rage then.

I bought my first ever camera, a Minolta Dynax 500si as per picture below from somewhere in Sg Wang Plaza. I was back in Malaysia in 1995 for a short break during my undergrad and was taken into the world of photography. So much so that when I went to the US for a short break then I bought another lens (cheaper across the pond), a Sigma UCII 70-210mm.

Image from here


Image from here

These two combo serve me well, lasting up to 2002 when the digital camera starts to kick in. This is due the simplicity of snapping and discarding pictures at your whim. Gone are the days when you could only see the image after the film has been developed and processed. Also lugging around a SLR setup was a bit cumbersome, especially with a small baby.

My first compact digicam was the Minolta Dimage xi.

Image from here

Years gone by, Minolta then became Konica-Minolta, then Sony then I was like...hmmm which camp to join now? Another P&S digicam was acquired, it was a Canon Ixus 55. Another compact digicam to keep the harmony with the other half as most of the time it is going to be in her handbag..

Image from here

Even then, my interest in DSLR hasn't waned, except that I felt that with the technology advancement, it is better for me to wait until something better comes along. I had my first feel of the DSLR by using my office's Nikon D70s, normally for equipment failure investigation. This has stirred my longing for a DSLR as the quality of images where heads above than even the best P&S models. Also there are limitations of the P&S especially in the overkill flash, which turns out a washed up photos. Even the mrs said when are we getting one?

Image from here

So after consultations (racun) with friends who has gone through the path of DSLR, I have decided that I will go and join the Canonians, up to a point of being called a traitor by the Nikonians...hehe.. I just look at it this way, I have the best of both worlds but I was swayed by the feel of the Canon more. Now I need to fork out some moolah for the accessories, no photoG worth his salt would put it in his dayly backpack can...racun lagi...

So what did I got? the Canon 450D/Kiss X2/Digital Rebel Xsi (why the aliases for certain markets I have no idea). It will be here by next week as I'm getting it from the Canon motherland itself, thanks to Nash...


Now kena tahan telinga from further keracunan... lenses, flashgun, tri/monopods, filters ... huhu...

Cuti-Cuti Malaysia - Penang Aug 2008

For the school holidays, we have decided that a trip up north to the pearl of the orient is called for. Most of the itinerary is filled with makan-makan agenda...hehe...

The trip up north starts on Monday morning and it was raining all the way. Managed a pitstop at Sg Perak, before continuing and diverting to Kuala Sepetang for the famous mee Udang Banjir Kuala Sepetang. The shop is located by the road side and indicated by this sign :

Besarnya udang.. ada dekat 9 ekor..

Kulit udang lepas makan... hehe

The menu there is quite simple- you can order any variation of the mee, eg- mee/kueyteow udang with gravy, or fried, also nasi udang. Two sizes are available, RM 6 for udang bela (about 15 medium prawns), or RM 10 for udang laut (with about 9-10 big prawns).

The first night in Penang, we went for the compulsory DVD hunting at Feringghi. I guess the ops are getting stricter now, we managed to get into 1 shop, browse for a few DVDs, paid for it and then walk out. After about 5 mins, it was nowhere to be seen along with the other stalls. Talk about being efficient.

Another *must stop* place tat we went is the roti canai daging in Lebuh Argyle. How does it fare?

Lip smacking good...

Also not forgetting a dose of Udang Merah...

Enough about the food, I think recounting it made me guilty of all those calories...

Other places that we went to was the Snake Temple and Butterfly Park. The last time I went to the Sanke Temple was when I was small, abt 8-9 yrs old. I remember that that the place was crawling with snakes, now the snakes are on the altar. Plus they have gone a bit commercial by photographing tourists with snakes for the upkeep of the temple.

Aiman in front of the Temple...this is a boys only trip, the girls are squeamish about slithering snakes

Snakes on the altar .. pit viper

After the snake temple, we went to the Butterfly Farm. The last time we were here was when Aiman was abt 2 1/2 yeras old, and he was squeamish abt butterflies then. Adi did fare a little bit better, infact the squeamish was non-existent up to a point that she'll smack all the butterflies flying near her...

Lunchtime for Butterflies...
Mana ada takut...


Posing Sakan

We also had the opportunity to test the ATV at Tg Bungah, it was quite easy that even Aiman could drive it (under direct supervision).

Aiman on the ATV

We also felt that adik is ready for her first pool experience...

Ready to hit the pool baby...

Waterbabies

On the whole, the break was what the doctor ordered. truly enjoyed myself in the company of loved ones. Now wondering, when could we do it again?

Numb3rs

There had been three fatalities in my division for this year, not at once but about two months apart. Every time it happen, people would be on a witch hunt to pinpoint it to anyone who is directly responsible for the incident. Or if the 'blame' would be taken by this department or the other, up to a point various versions of 'truth' are available. But one thing that was left most of us who's doing up the year end reports of the accidents in shock up to the extent of being freaked-out was the fact that all the three deceased has one thing in common :

They all share the same birthdate (same day and month, different years)
~ twilight zone theme playing ~

condolences to the families
~ be safe in whatever that you do~

Reversal of Roles

The boy had just finished his Formative Examinations, and he decided to give the parents a taste of the exam, his style. So what would you get when a 7 year old boy sets the question and the parents answering it.? You would get this .....

The comment was like, even a kid could do better ... hehehehe ... jangan marah dear ...

080808

It was supposed to be an auspicious date for the Chinese, especially with the start of the Olympics, numerous weddings and any other activities that could be bring prosperity and wealth. My mum decided that the day would also be auspicious to do a 'bercukur' kenduri for all her three new grandchild, Aqeef, Adriana & Shafiq. The majlis was scheduled after Isya' last Friday night, whilst everyone else were watching the Olympics opening ceremony. Initially I thought that it would be like the normal kenduri, only to be told that there would be in excess of 100 guests for the night.

First generation cousins - Wawa, Aiman & Adam

Calm before the storm

Souvenirs for guests

Azhar & Family with Adriana

Desserts

Orang Belakang

Arrival of guests

Makan- makan

The guests starts to arrived at around Isya' and were treated to dinner first before the ceremony. This is a little less elaborate affair than what we had in Pekan the other day. When they started to bring out the babies, I was holding Adi & the camera and since no one knows how to operate a SLR, I had to give Adi to Abang Atan whilst I be the cameraperson.

Atuk cutting the hair of his 3 grandchildren


Tak dapat rambut anak, rambut bapak pun boleh ...


My Aunts with Shafiq

The whole thing ended around 1030 pm, whilst the cleaning up goes on until 2 am. All in all, it was a 'meriah' ceremony, with the gathering of relations and keeping up with developments within the clan,

Then and Now

When I think about when I was growing up, about what I'll be and how I turn up, I can't help myself to hum to the tune of Que Sera, Sera

Que Sera, Sera,
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours, to see
Que Sera, Sera What will be, will be.

but nowadays what I'm hearing from kids are this, from PCD ..

When I grow up
I wanna be famous
I wanna be a star,
I wanna be in movies

When I grow up
I wanna see the world
Drive nice cars
I wanna have groupies

When I grow up
Be on tv
People know me
Be on magazines

When I grow up
Fresh and clean
Number one chick when I step out on the scene

This is where the thinking gap between generations exists. I used to wonder then, why did my dad think differently than me, now I would be wondering whether my sense of thought would make sense for the future generation? Or would i be labeled as 'elders' thinking as per what I felt then? Only time will tell. Now I'm trying to get rid of the PCD song from my head..

Half Truths

Part of my current job duty is to come out with incident / failure reports and mitigation actions on how to avoid the same thing occurring in the future. hence part of the training that I was given is to write a comprehensive report from the word go, leaving no stone unturned. This is the task that I take personally at heart,not only because I would love to do forensic engineering but also to have my thoughts committed and implemented which would affect the operation of my division.

Since the change of management in my department, we all could sense that the focus of the department is more "customer & management" friendly. As of now, every report or complaints received is valid and have to be validated by an official report. Hence I turned into one of those reports churners, which after it has been prepared, reviewed and endorsed I would have no idea of the implementation of the actions as they were whisked away to where the reports were supposed to end.

Along the process, 'improvements' were made to the formats and flow of things to suit the request of the customers up to the point that there's going to be 2 type of reports, a quick prelim and a full report.

But when the management wants to know the finding the reports are watered down in order to preserve the 'relationship' with certain parties up to a point that the presentation is only portraying the half truths, even then certain points silenced, especially all those major 'explosive' points that would get the management knicker in a knot. So why the hard work of trying to unearth the truth only to have it watered down? Have nobody in the organisation have the guts to stand up and tell the truth. There was but where are they now? Transferred out for sticking to their principles.

What's the next step? The truth is out there, only which part are we willing to listen to?