My Struggle with Yoga

Wanting to improve my flexibility and posture, I decided to take up yoga a couple of months ago.

Before joining the class, I was concerned that the pretzel-like poses in yoga would be too tough for me. Fortunately, I managed to set aside my fear. Now, having practiced for a couple of months, I am happy with my progress. I have also realized that (almost) everyone can do yoga.

As you probably already know, there are dozens of, perhaps more than a hundred, poses in yoga. (Poses are known as asana in Sanskrit.) On top of these, there are ‘variations’ to the classic poses. If one finds the classic poses too tough, he/she can always try the variations.

More importantly, we should practice at our own pace. Do not try to match the other students in your class. And guys, don’t try to impress the girls by performing Headstand or Crow before you’re ready!

Tree

This popular pose is often seen in photos…

Triangle

This pose is quite challenging. My lower hand still cannot reach the floor yet.

Child

This pose is often practiced for relaxation. Unlike other forms of exercise, relaxation is integral to yoga.

Corpse

Surely everybody can do this. No?

Source of images

我的中文作品

我是華校生。但從大學開始，就比較多講英語和用英文書寫。我愛看英文書，上英文網站。我的部落格，也是以英文為主。我也鼓勵其他人加強他們的英文能力。一些『熱愛母語』的大馬華人，就罵我是香蕉人。

沒錯，我的中文從大學時代就開始走下坡。但『爛船還有三分釘』，我的功力始終是『有返咁上下』。過去幾個月，我寫了幾篇稿，寄去中文報社。一些被淘汰，其他的被刊登了。以下是其中三篇：

《傳統茶室須變革》 – 刊於星洲日報，2011年1月26日

《一個馬拉西亞，一種聲音》 – 刊於東方日報，2011年2月16 日

《股神也有頭痛時》– 刊於東方日報，2011年2月25 日

第一篇《傳統茶室須變革》基本上是翻譯自我的英文貼子Kopitiam - a question of Cost & Price，只是更加詳盡。谷歌翻譯（Google Translate）成了我的最佳伴侶。

說老實話，若非我『熱愛英語』，也未必能寫出這些稿。因為我參考的質料，就是以英文書和英文網頁為主。別怪我喲…

High Tech Gathering

On Feb 13, 2011, my extended family celebrated my grandma’s birthday cum Chinese New Year gathering. We had a meal in a Chinese restaurant.

A cousin of mine had just purchased a Samsung Galaxy Tab. She was busy snapping pictures with her over-sized camera during the lunch. (pic)

The wife of my other cousin took pictures of every dish and uploaded them to Facebook. We had to wait for her to finish before lifting our chopsticks.

The Chinese restaurant was equipped with karaoke system. Still another cousin, in an attempt to select a song, pressed her finger on the TV screen. Unfortunately, the TV screen was not touch-sensitive like her phone.

Such was a modern day, high tech gathering…

Selling Books Online

As a shutterbug, I bought dozens of books on photography over the last few years. My book shelves exploded, so I decided to sell some of them online.

1st attempt – Internet forum

My first attempt to sell online was accomplished through a photography forum. I asked potential buyers to make payment to my bank account. I then mailed the books to them. I managed to sell a couple of books. However, some people preferred to do COD (cash on delivery). That is, they wanted to meet me, see the books, then make payment. I didn’t entertain their request. My experience told me that many people would be late for appointment. Not to mention the expenses on gasoline and parking.

2nd attempt – Facebook

Having sold several books on Internet forum, I turned my sight to Facebook. I posted information of the books on the social networking site. To reach wider audience, I asked my friends to post the link on their respective page. Unfortunately, my second attempt was a complete failure. No even a single person enquired.

I have no experience with eBay. Perhaps it’s time to give it a try. Can someone please share your story?

By the way, Poslaju is quite expensive. Are there cheaper alternatives?

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This is one of the book I managed to let go. With the picture of a hot girl on the cover, it was snapped up in no time...

My New PC

In the era of iPhone and iPad, writing about PC seems to be anti-climax. PCs are not sexy; they are commodities; they don’t capture our imagination… Nonetheless, most of us still need a PC. So, bear with me…

I bought a new Dell laptop recently. This is my third laptop. My first one set me back some RM7,000; the second one cost about RM3,700. The new Dell notebook costs slightly less than RM2,200, inclusive of genuine Microsoft Office.

As you are probably aware, PCs have become cheaper over the years. At the same time, we also have more ‘objects of desire’. We want iPhone, iPad, digital camera, 42” 3D LED TV, hi-fi set… I see people – the same groups of people – discussing these gadgets all the time, and can’t help but wonder, “Are Malaysians so rich!??”

Back to my new Dell… I initially set aside RM3,000 for a new PC. I could have bought a better laptop, but ultimately decided against it. The reason: our world will come to an end in 2012!

Just kidding lah… The reason is that USB 3.0 will become main stream in 2012. I didn’t want to buy a more expensive PC, which would become obsolete in 18 months anyway. I can now spend the money saved on other gadgets.

P/S

The new Dell has a chrome back cover, which looks great. Unfortunately, any stains are easily discernable. This computer even has a multi-touch touchpad. My main gripe is Windows 7, which isn’t as easy to use as XP.

Just Graduated

After years of struggle, I finally completed my MBA study...

It’s more than Specs

Which smart phone should you buy?

Blogger Tekkaus recommends Nokia E72. He compares the specifications of Nokia E72 and iPhone side-by-side, and concludes that the former is a better phone. But before I drill deeper into this issue, let me digress a bit…

A couple of years ago, I was searching for a backpack for my DSLR camera. I narrowed my choice to two – Tamrac Adventure 7 and Crumpler Sinking Barge. Tamrac was more practical, with lots of pockets to store accessories, but Crumpler was more stylish.

Tamrac – practical but boring

Crumpler – colorful and youthful

There is another issue with Tamrac: If I were to take out the camera, I must first lay down the bag on the floor. Imagine if I were shooting at a muddy place… With Crumpler, I could access the camera while the bag is still on my shoulder.

In the end, I got a Crumpler…

When you are buying a car, what factors do you consider? Price, dimensions, engine capacity, fuel economy… and of course physical design. You want a cool-looking car, don’t you?

Now back to the question of smart phone choice. Specifications-wise, iPhone may not be the best. But it is elegant. And many iPhone users have reported that the phone is intuitive and easy to use. (Disclaimer: I don’t own an iPhone.) These qualities are not easily quantifiable, but they are the factors potential buyers would consider.

Specs are not everything…

FIFA World Cup Post

Hopping on the World Cup bandwagon:

Inside a mamak store:

Not exactly a huge fan, but I have been following the matches of World Cup so that I have some topic to talk/write about. As I haven’t subscribed to Astro, I decided to watch the matches in mamak stores.

Since the tournament started, I went to mamak stores many times. There, I ate food which was very oily and spicy. I had also inhaled much cigarette smoke. I think World Cup is bad for my health…

= = =

Considered this:

China is a sports giant. It is very strong in such events as table tennis, badminton, diving, swimming, weight-lifting and volleyball. The Middle Kingdom topped the Medal Table in Beijing Olympic 2008.

Football is hugely popular in China. The country has the single largest audience in the world. Why do you think FIFA wants to play some of the World Cup matches at 1.30pm South African time, or 7.30pm Beijing time?

But the Dragon is absent in South Africa. In fact, China has only qualified to World Cup finals once, back in 2002, when it lost all matches in group stage without scoring a goal.

Can someone please explain why the Middle Kingdom has persistently underachieved in football?

Kota Kinabalu, and my Return Flight

This is a road in Kota Kinabalu. It’s called Jalan Dua Puluh 3.

But why is it written as Jalan Dua Puluh 3, and not Jalan Dua Puluh Tiga or Jalan 23? (For the uninitiated, Dua Puluh means twenty three in Malay.)

There is another road in the city – a larger one – called Jalan Dua Puluh. Not sure if the two roads were related in one way or another. However, I didn’t see Jalan Dua Puluh 1 or Jalan Dua Puluh 2.

Maybe someone familiar with the city could explain to us the origin of the road…

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When I flew back from Kota Kinabalu to Kuala Lumpur on May 23, 2010, AirAsia’s computer system was down for several hours. Check-in process was done manually, and I waited one hour before I was served. The counter could not issue computer-generated boarding pass. Instead, I was given a hand-written boarding pass, as shown in the picture.

As you might expect, the flight was delayed. The plane left the terminal at 7.20pm, being 50 minutes late.

The plane finally took off. I was hungry, and wanted to have my dinner. Since AirAsia was a budget airline, meal was not complimentary, but had to be bought separately. Disappointingly, the cabin crew announced that the plane was running out of food. All they had were cup noodle and chocolate bars, and drinks. Not interested in the ‘snacks’, I decided to starve until I reach destination. But the stewardess was still trying to persuade me to spend my hard-earn money. “Aren’t you hungry?” she asked. WTF.

The flight was definitely not a pleasant one, but I had no complaint. At least I reached home safely…

From Telephoto to Wide-Angle

A couple of years ago, I bought my first DSLR. (It’s still my only one.) In the next two years, I added two lenses – EF 50mm and EF 85mm.

On my camera, 50mm and 85mm fall into the range of short telephoto, or long lens. One advantage of telephoto lenses is that they can ‘blur the background’ more easily. This can be useful when we shoot portraiture in a not-so-great setting.

Here is one picture shot at 85mm. By blurring the background, I make the viewers focus on the model rather than the pool or trees behind her…

85mm

Until third quarter of 2009, I photograph models using these two lenses exclusively. However, I eventually found my pictures to be rather boring. Hence, I decided to give wide-angle shots a try.

I bought a new lens in September 2009 – EF 17-40L. The following month, I took part in another model shooting event with my new gear. Here are two pictures taken then:

23mm

40mm

Models not withstanding, I prefer the picture shot at 23mm, as it covers more of the building in the background.

I started out as a telephoto lens lover. But over the years, I have learned to appreciate wide-angle lens. Of course, there are occasions when normal or telephoto lens is preferred. But with right settings, wide-angle shots can often bring out the best.

Two more examples:

40mm

17mm

Can’t Stop Buying

Amateur photographer Mei Teng made two major ‘investments’ recently – a tripod and an external flash unit. She wrote in her blog: No more buying of stuff.

I giggled when I read her statement. I told myself the same thing when I bought a Canon flash (580EX II) last year, but now I am feeling itchy again. Here are a few gears in my wish list:

Canon EF 35mm F2

35mm prime lens

A 35mm prime lens will be great for indoor portrait – without the need to fire the flash. While my existing lens can take decent indoor pictures with flash on, sometimes I just wish to turn off the flash to create certain effects.

I am eying a Canon EF 35mm F2, if I can get a used unit at reduced price.

Wide-angle lens

Wide-angle lens exaggerates perspective, and is best for shooting landscape and architecture. Canon’s EF-S 10-22mm is one of the best options for crop camera, but it is also quite pricey. More likely I will consider third-party lenses, such as those from Tokina.

But there is another possibility. Get a Canon 5D mark II camera, and my standard zoom lens will suddenly become wide-angle! There is no need to buy a separate lens for wide-angle shots. (OK, I know your heads are spinning now, baffled by all those photographic jargons.)

Carbon fiber tripod

Light weight tripod

Tripod is essential for taking night photos. I plan to get a light weight tripod before I go to Hong Kong. The one I am using now is too heavy for travel.

Fortunately, my next travel destination is likely to be Java. I am in no hurry to get a new tripod.

Pocket Camera

I hardly bring my DSLR and lenses when I leave home. They are too heavy. A pocket camera would be useful for day-to-day snapshot.

OK, so many things in my mind. But ‘wants’ are not ‘needs’. I must control my desire…

Travel – Alternative Destinations

In one of my posts, I mentioned that I was considering Irian Jaya as my backpacking destination.

Upon gathering information from the Web as well as from Lonely Planet, I understand that it will take three flights to get from Malaysia to Baliem Valley in Irian Jaya. Hassles aside, I think I will need quite a bit of extra money and time.

While I still haven’t given up on Irian Jaya, I am now considering two alternatives – both of them on the island of Java:

Borobudur

Mount Bromo

I may visit the two attractions in one single trip, but that will be a bit rush, as they are far apart. The itinerary I am considering is as follow:

Yogyakarta → Borobudur → Mt Bromo → Surabaya

If time doesn’t permit, I will visit just one of them.

Again, anyone who are familiar with Borobudur and/or Mount Bromo please give your advice. Thanks.

What are in your travel bags?

In my last trip to Thailand, I brought two bags – a big backpack and a smaller one. After checking into guesthouse, I left the big bag inside my room, and went out with the smaller bag.

What were in my small bag? Water bottle, travel guide books, and photo gears which included the DSLR plus lens and an external flash. Sometimes I also brought a jacket in it. In the next couple of days, I was weighed down by the things I carried…

Last year, my external flash, Canon 420EX started to act up. I purchase another flash – 580 EX II. The new flash is stronger, but also bigger and heavier. When I carried my gears to Jonker Street, Melaka, last January, my shoulders ached…

How should I reduce my load when I travel in future? Perhaps I can leave the 580EX II in hotel/guesthouse during the day, and instead rely on the camera’s built-in flash. Of course external flash is still preferred at night.

My bag, the Crumpler Sinking Barge, has think padding to protect the camera. Unfortunately, such padding adds to the weight, and the capacity of the bag is somewhat smaller than one might expect.

In the last few years, more and more people have owned DSLR. But seriously, if you are not concerned with image quality, and don’t bother to learn ISO, aperture, shutter speed, you probably should stick to pocket camera. It’s no fun walking around with gears weighing 1 kg.

So, what are in your travel bags?

My travel bag

Random Notes on Singapore

I went to Singapore on the first day of 2010. Last year, I flew to the island republic with Firefly. This time, I made a last-minute decision to travel. Hence, I had to drive.

There were two immigration buildings at the checkpoint – block 1 and 2. I drove through block 2. The immigration officer told me that the ‘road tax’ of my car had expired, and asked me to renew it at the office. I parked my car at the side and walked to the office, but found nobody working there. Thus I had to walk to the office in block 1. The officer in block 1, in turn, went to block 2 to check at my car! The whole process wasted 20 minutes. Singapore’s government is known for its efficiency, but I had experienced its inefficient side!

After leaving the checkpoint, I continued my journey along PIE – Pan Island Expressway. I observed rows of rain trees on both sides of the road, and even ‘on’ the divider. Rain trees shaped like an umbrella, and were very shady. In this tropical nation, they helped to lower the temperature.

By comparison, driving along the North-South Expressway in Malaysia on a sunny day can be uncomfortably hot...

My Boring Landscape Photos

In the last one year, I joined a number of ‘model photography’ class. I have posted many pictures of the beautiful models to my blog. Some of the female readers must be cursing me already. So I decided to try something else – landscape and cityscape.

I have, for example, photograph KLCC night view and a few deserted towns. I have also taken this picture in an oil palm plantation (the trees had been cut down)…

Somehow, my landscape / cityscape photos are never as exciting as my model photos. They are also no match to those taken by French/Canadian blogger Zhu. I think there are a few reasons which explain why my landscape and cityscape pictures are so dull.

First and foremost, I am inexperienced in this kind of photography. I am pretty busy and hardly travel to scenic places. By comparison, shooting pretty models can be done in half a day over the weekend.

Secondly, there aren’t many interesting places around here. Plus, there are no four seasons in this country, so I can’t photograph autumn foliage or winter snow. In essence, lack of interesting themes also explains why I seldom shoot landscape photos.

And finally, my gears could be a limiting factor. Landscape photos are often best taken with ultra-wide angle lens, which I do not yet own. The picture of oil palm plantation shown above was shot at 17mm. I wish I had shot it at 15mm – that would qualify as ultra-wide. Alas, 2mm makes a lot of difference.

I can’t afford an ultra wide angle lens for at least another year, as I am saving money to replace my 5-year old laptop and to buy a GPS device. For now, I think I will go back to shoot models.

My Flickr Statistics

I uploaded some of my photos to Flickr. The Flickr ‘photostream’ shows the thumbnails of the pictures. Each picture has a counter, which is incremented when someone clicks on the thumbnail.

Here is a picture of a pretty model. I uploaded it to Flickr on Oct 19, 2009. As of Oct 22, this picture had 10 ‘views’ – meaning that its thumbnail had been clicked 10 times.

This is a picture of Malacca which I took during the last Mid-Autumn Festival. I uploaded it on Oct 9. As of Oct 22, it had been viewed just once.

Below is a picture of another model. It was uploaded on Oct 4. As of Oct 22, it got 28 views.

And here is a picture I took from inside a plane. It was uploaded way back on Aug 31. It got only 4 views as of Oct 22.

What can the statistics tell us? Perhaps we can conclude that visitors to my Flickr page are more interested in the pictures of pretty women. What say you?

Link: My Flickr page

滾水，涼水

日前我到一家飯檔用餐，服務員用粵語問我說：『飲乜嘢？』（喝甚麼？）我回答道：『滾水。』(白開水。) 數分鐘後，他拿了一杯涼水（涼茶）給我。

要開水給涼茶，這已經不是第一次。難道粵語中的『滾』和『涼』，是那麼難分清楚的嗎？

我也懷疑他們是不是故意給我涼茶，希望我將錯就錯：『唔相干啦，我就要呢杯涼水。』（不要緊啦，我就要這杯涼茶。）畢竟白開水一杯只賣四毛，涼茶一杯塊多錢，飯檔的人當然希望多賺些。

問題是，飯檔的涼茶『淡過阿婆尿』，喝得不過癮。我還是堅持他們換一杯『滾水』給我。

Street Shooting & DSLR Market

During Mid-Autumn Festival, Oct 3, 2009, I traveled to Melaka, the World Heritage Site. I returned to Petaling Jaya on the same day, and reached home at 11.50pm. The next day, I had to wake up at 6.00am, as I would join a model shooting event. It was a busy weekend…

The model shooting took place on the bustling streets of Kuala Lumpur. A total of seven photographers took part, and we had three beautiful models…

Jenny…

Mei Yan…

Pei Pei…

And here is the group shot taken at the end of the shooting. One of the photographers had already left…

credit: Cruiser176

We know that Canon and Nikon are the Big 2 of DSLR market. Somehow, among the seven photographers who joined the street shooting, two were Sony users. Sony acquired the DSLR division of Konica Minolta several years back. Despite relatively new to the market, it is doing pretty well.

Canon and Nikon definitely need a push from their competitors. Olympus has partnered Panasonic and they target niche market. I hope Pentax can keep up with the race.

Blood!

Even after doing it for many times, I still have a little bit of fear. But fear won’t stop me…

Blood donation!

Down the Memory Lane (2)

Part 1 is here. All photos were shot with film camera.

This is me at the Grand Canyon…

The picture was taken by Wilson, my co-worker who originated from Dalian, China.

Another picture of the Grand Canyon…

Most visitors to the Grand Canyon go to the south rim. Wilson and I decided to go to north rim instead. North rim was cooler in summer. The downside was, we couldn’t see the river.

We actually traveled to the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas. Here is a picture taken at the Sin City…

I took this picture when we were driving from California to Las Vegas. As you can see, the land is semi arid, with very thin vegetation. In fact, Las Vegas is in the middle of a desert…

When we were driving along the freeway, we saw a mini tornado measuring just a few feet tall. Vehicles stopped to wait for it crossing. No photo for the mini tornado, though…