HOT! HOT! HOT!

This week the weather in Singapore is extremely hot. Sometimes the outdoor temperature could be as high as 34 degrees.

But the sky is extremely clear with this sort of hot weather. For photography, this is the best time to take shots outdoor. It is because the color temperature would be very pleasing. With this in mind, I took the camera out this morning and went to the eastern part of the island, to take photographs.

Changi Beach is always a place that attracts me. I went there today, and got quite a number of shots there. The photographs below were the results of today's work.

Another suicide case

Last night, when I finished attending my ACE Personal Coaching Course, I roamed along Beach Road to join one of my friends David for a drink. Unfortunately, the drinking joint was shut down and swifted to another location. I decided to cancel the session and decided to go home.

As I walked along Beach Road to catch a cab home, suddenly I heard loud screaming at one of the high rise flats. I followed the noise and located the source of it. Right in front of my eyes I saw a lady was hanging outside the ten (?) storey railing and struggling, she screams her heart out in Mandarin: 'Jiu Ming Ah!' (Help me!). I was shocked by this scene. I ran towards the flat, and saw few men were at the ground floor parking lots, looking up at the lady, they were are calmed and do nothing about her. I was fuming mad at these people, someone life was hanging in the air, and they could just stand there to watch! As I walked nearer to the scene, I realised something was very strange, no one bothered about what was happening then; the only joker got excited was me!

I started to look around. Then I noticed there were floodlights at the base of the flat as well as the at the corridor of the level where the lady was. 

I suddenly understood that I was fooled by the scene, some one was doing filming there. Luckily I did not call the police with instinct. Otherwise, I would have a hard time to explain to the police!

Haha!

Unpredictable life

Life is so unpredictable. I found this clip on YouTube, it shocked me to see that a turtle could be so fierce and snap a bird's life in seconds.

Looking back at the human environment, we also have the same scenario. The time frame could be a little longer; but the results are the same. Worst of all, it could be so painful that you could not even make a sound before your last breath.

I am not talking about road fatal accident, but people with sudden death due to cardiac arrest or social discrimination. Especially for the latter, who dies painfully and slowly under the beautiful backdrop of a modern cosmopolitan city.

Sad.






extracted from:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98ako31Qwss

如此暮色

夕色如緞一般摊了开來
晚風不在
斜陽里
一樹枯枝獨撑
幾許年華
再也無法挽回的歲月
紧随黄葉飄落
罷了，罷了
歸鸦袱着大笑而去
斯人拖長孤影
默守冷夜
相望

On 16th March to 18th March 2009, I attended the ER Emergency Service Standard First Aid Course. It was a three full day course. At first, I thought it was only a refreshing course; only when I completed the course, I realized that even First Aid also has made changes in their procedures and emphasis. Therefore, anyone who thinks one that learn a skill, and used it forever without any updating would be horribly wrong. Knowledge is evolving every now and then. Nothing could be permanent.

Our tutor Mr. Thomas Lam is a experienced and cheerful person. He made the lesson so cheerful that none of us fell asleep in his class, instead, we laughed until our jaws almost dropped. (Haha, if really so, then can practise the jaw injury bandaging method with the real person!)

Mr. Thomas is the person at the extreme left of this photo.

The lost me during lunch break, in front of the ER office.

Mr. Francis was doing his examination, he was asked to perform the right way of head injury bandaging.

Sometimes, just make some small changes in life, then you could be much more happier. It is the same in photography. The following shots were with the same subject, but just walked a few steps away, the scenery could be totally different.

IT Show 2009

Every year, I would not miss the IT Show, as I am a person full of curiosity, and would like to experience new gadget if I could afford it. This year is not different. I get my son Kelvin to go along with me, in case I missed some new items. Unfortunately, the Show was somehow disappointed me. Not much new items were introduced. As a consumer, the biggest buy could be those Flash Cards, they were very cheap indeed.

At first, I thought that the first day falls on a working day, it should not be so crowded. But to my surprise, at 1 pm, the place was packed with people. Some ladies behind me even complaint that they could not breath!

We went out of the place one and half hour later, this was the first time, I did not buy any item for the IT Show!

Sales persons were actively pushing their sales

The place was packed with people!

Sometimes too many things in front of you would make you confused and lost.

忠言逆耳

朋友搞了一項活動，在网絡上召來一些評論，见他七手八脚的在解釋，深深感到主办人的辛劳。另一方面，也感受到他身为当家的，却又因制度的約束，令他無法自由發揮；大有人在江湖，身不由已的感觉。

其实，办任何事項，肯定无法令人人皆大欢喜。只要自已尽力而为，不负良知。就算午夜梦迴，也不会心悸而起。

对于給评论或批评的人，只要言之有物，无访受之，来日再做改善。須知这些人是爱之深而恨之切，才会出言而诤。其言必善。惟忠言常逆耳，听者若掩耳不闻，则一大失也。更甚者，若还打足官腔，言之无物，则大悲矣。

可幸吾友还非此类，善大莫焉。

吾等一芥草民，能做的或许便是奉上这么一两句谏言，闻者不受，且讓来日，看看后果如何，是成是敗，亦非吾等之罪也。

仅以陳伟联这首小人物的心声，共勉之。

My Digital Art Form

Some psychologist said photography could help to reduce mental stress. At this moment, where bad news are constantly announced through the media, it will be good for us to find a way to release our stress. Otherwise..........

Nothing grand here, hope someone would appreciate it.

Wu Wei Cai 吴韦才

Wu Wei Cai, a writer, a poet, a performer and a concerning social worker at times. He is humorous, knowledgeable, and talented. Recently he has organized a program at Whampoa CC entitled 'Wang Shi Yi Qi Hui Wei', attracted more than 200 senior citizens to attend. The scene was warmth and touching.

This is a clip taken at the scene.




This is one of the peoms from Wei Cai in late 1960s:

The Joy at Whampoa CC on Sunday Morning

Whampoa Community Centre organized an event entitled 'Wang Shi Yi Qi Hui Wei 往事一起回味', supposed to attract around 150 residents to attend. To the organizer's surprise, the turnout reached almost 300! The audience not only packed the mini theatre, it also jammed the walkway leading to the venue.

The main cause is the great attraction of Wu Wei Cai (吴韦才)! He is a writer, a poet, a performer, an art director and best of all, a well established speaker. His one and half hour session made the audience drown with laughter and joy, while in the mean time enjoyed all the Chinese oldies ranging from the 40s to 60s. Most of the audience were senior citizens, they really enjoyed the session and good old memories.

At this function, I really felt the original essence of a Community Centre. It is to connect people together, sharing laughter and love; sharing ideas and exchange experience. It should not be a place to make profit, or to show off its management excellence. Judging a Community Centre by it yearly profits does not serve it original purpose, it could only lead the premises further away from the people. Renting part of the premises to commercial entities will be heading the opposite way of the objective of building that CC. People who manages the CC may think otherwise these days, but people's mindset would not be the same.

So, would CC be another white elephant in the future? I think the bosses on top should give a thorough thought on this issue.

If have doubt, come to Whampoa CC on the next session of 'Wang Shi Yi Qi Hui Wei 往事一起回味'. And experience the warmth and touching feeling of the people there! The event is on a weekly basis, it starts from 9.30am to 12.00 noon on Sundays.

今夜正是元宵夜，正月十五夜。窗外一轮黄月，撲面而来。据报章说，今夜的月是近五十年来最大的一盤圓月。事因今夜的月距离地球最近，所以看来会比平時大。闲來无事，翻出辛弃疾的青玉案元夕诗共賞：

《青玉案 元夕》
（宋）辛弃疾
东风夜放花千树，更吹落，星如雨。 宝马雕车香满路，凤萧声动，壶光转，一夜鱼龙舞 。 蛾儿雪柳黄金缕，笑语盈盈暗香去。 众里寻他千百度，蓦然回首， 那人却在，火阑珊处。

An Old Working Table for a Goldsmith

一日，无意走过近觀音廟附近的购物廣場，驚见在三楼的一個角落，在一间不大上眼的店内，静静的摆着一張陳旧的金匠工作桌。仔细再详看，那影像差点将我活活擊倒。那可不是我小時候。日夜相对的老爸的那張工作桌嗎？那么熟悉的摆飾，那么亲切的工具。老爸就是利用这些器具，终日在桌前，敲敲打打的，将一個家独撑了半个世纪，将我们幾兄弟养大。

重見这些器具，恍如隔世。如今，老爸的敲擊声不再。留给我的，僅是一支小小的枰子。那是他常用来称量金飾用的。


那店中还摆着一張用人力拖拉金絲的工具。这一切实在令我震撼非常。只是世事无常，大多随风而逝。僅存斯人唏嘘于此。奈何奈何？

On day, as I walked along Waterloo Street toward Middle Road, accidentally I walked into a shopping centre. In that centre I found something that was related to my childhood and to my father. My Father who was a goldsmith by profession, had use his skills in goldsmith, brought up a family of four in 50 years. He was a good craftman, I still remembered one of his works was the commissioned work from the old Johor Sultan, that was in the early 60s.

As I saw this workstation of a goldsmith, it makes me recalled all my old memories that related to my father. I stood there for long time, and took several shots with my handphone to secure this scene. I regretted that I had not taken any photos while my father was working at his table.
I missed all the sounds, smell and glittering lights from his table.

A working table for a Goldsmith.

This is a tool to flatten a piece of gold bar, turns it into sheet form.

This is a tool to pull and produce gold thread with different sizes. All these tools are manual, need human force to perform the job.

The Flower Show 2009 at Sentosa

I went to Sentosa on the first day of Chinese New Year, wanted to witness the colorful Flower Show 2009. But in less than an hour, I was disappointed and decided to leave the place. The show was not as spectacular as last year. The flowers were mostly local breeds. Exhibitions venues were scattered at different places, where the aged were in difficulty to appreciate the floral. To add to the down side, the weather was not desirable for photography, as it was a cloudy and windy day. Hope next year the show could be improved.

Wan Feng (晚风）is a sentimental Chinese love song. Originally was sang by Sally Ye Qian Wen. She interpreted the song so well that once you heard it, you would fall in love with it.

I have been listened to it for many times. Every time I listen to it, it gives me different feelings and makes me recall lots of my long lost memories.

I posted it here and hope that you would appreciate it too.