Christmas Eve 2006

At last, the year is coming to a close soon. This year's Christmas seemed to be better celebrated than the last. In HCM also, this Christmas was quite unusual. Maybe it's because this year's seemed to be better organised while also, more people were prepared to stay out later on the Eve of Christmas. The entire street was lighted up and closed to traffic. We just had to leave our bikes at the hotel near Benh Thanh Market and then walk all the way to Du Bach Church. Actually, it was quite easy. All we had to do was to follow the throng and walked down the main street. Reminds me of the exodus from Egypt. Along the way, people would stop momentarily to poke fun at one another, take a couple of snapshots or throw "sprinkles" (not sure what you would call them but they were little tiny pieces of coloured papers. Selling like hotcakes along the streets). Hanh was so brave that she actually "ambushed" a senior police officer on duty! He had just taken off his helmet and Hanh just walked up from behind him and his bike, dropped a handful over his head and disappeared in the crowd. I am not sure how the general reaction was like but boy, was he mad! He turned around to see who did it. His younger colleagues laughed and he calmed down. According to Yen, he was telling the rest that he was afraid of the itch during the rest of his shift.

Along the way, people (even perfect strangers) would "sabo" one another. There was this poor couple on this bike. The bf tried to ride through the crowd and he pressed his horn. BIG mistake. It was like shaking the hornets' nest. Suddenly, everyone just downloaded the whole load of sprinkles from their hands onto them! Worse yet, as we walked abit further down the path, we found out where they got these sprinkles from. Yea, they recycled! So we realised it wasn't just papers that they were throwing at one another!

Foreigners were not spared. Only those who sat inside the resturants and cafes were lucky. Saw an American lady turned around, grabbed some from the floor and threw back at somebody else. Everyone was laughing. Anyway, life went on. The merriment went on till pretty late into the night. We saw the old and the young along the streets; beggars and peddlars, and friends and strangers. People greeted one another, "Merry Christmas". For us, it's been a while since we last met. Tai finally found his beloved Princess who lives in Dalat. Tai has a double-degree (in Business Management and Accountancy). His girl will be embarking on medicine soon too. Tai's brother is also a doctor but for some reason, he did not make it into medicine. I feel very happy for them because I think the future in VN belongs to them. People with aspirations and healthy zest for life and they found each other.

Caught a few shots of Tai trying to carry Ngoc, who is like a younger sister to him, down the street. Unfortunately, because I wasn't prepared for the impromptu takes, most of the pictures were blurred. (Bad elements for photography actually:- close range, dimly-lit street, and SPORTS mode. Or the D50 wasn't well-designed for quick settings like the Canon?) Tried rear-synch but my panning was bad. Anyway ... will memorise the buttons later.

People touched by an angel

Went Funan again just now llss and scout for desktop pc. My sis did not make it apparently and so went around on my own. Met these 2 nice guys who were doing partime at one of the shops/displays for a well-known brands. What saddened me a little was how the conversation started - "sir, buying something for your children?" Waliao, I look so old meh???? Cannot buy for myself ah? Anyway, I was good and asked them what I needed to know about that pc on display. Then (can't rem how it started) I showed them what I had been offered just minutes before by another guy upstairs and his friend came over and volunteered to help me build my list for "the same price but 3.5 times BETTER" its config! Come on, for $1500, I think I will be willing to rob a bank to get it if he could give me the list! Anyway, he did!! I GOT THE PRESCRIPTION!! His (their) prices were based on their current market researches in Sim Lim Sq, ok? We exchange some notes and contact nos. Very nice guys!

Came home and smsed them to thank them again for the advices and THE LIST. Thankfully, they were very honest and helpful. They also decided to accompany me get the parts this weekend!! God sent me angels.. do you believe? Sometimes, I believe there are people who were "touched" by an angel. Anyway, will have a wonderful night's sleep tonight. Yes, I am happy. Do you believe in angels?

(The inside view of a modern X-ray room)







This is one of the rooms in which we operate day in and day out. Very spacious and nice to work in . Can accomodate a trolley and additional staff to scramble around.

Came back from Malacca yesterday. It was a long journey but the money was well worth it. It was organised like the bootcamps I had attended with the BCYF-ians. Only that we did not have the guitar and the sunsets....

(A panoramic view from the WaterCity Resort's balcony.)

How I wish I wished I were young again. I promise I will cherish every moment with those friends again. Wonder how they are doing now.

Anyway, life must move on.

Malacca and thereafter

We are going to have a retreat up in Malaca soon.
Which shall I bring? Sony or Nikon? Don't think there will be much to take tho... or whether there will be time to do so.

A Prayer

"Ease the pounding of my heart by the quieting of my mind. Steady my hurried pace with a vision of the eternal reach of time. Give me, amidst the confusion of my day, the calmness of the everlasting hills.
Break the tension of my nerves and muscles with the soothing music of the singing streams that live in my memory. Help me to know the magical restorative power of sleep. Teach me the art of taking minute vacations ... of slowing down to look at a flower, to chat with a friend, to pat a dog, to read a few lines from a good book.

Remind me each day of the fable of the hare and the tortoise, that I may know that the race is not always to the swift ... that there is more to life than increasing its speed. Let me look upward into the branches of the towering trees, and know that they grow tall because they grow slowly and well.

Lord, inspire me to send my roots deep into the soil of life's enriching values, that I may be at peace. Amen."

(can't remember author, sorry!)

Yawar Inka's

"Yawa Inka's". Musicians from Peru.

Very nice music. Sounds very lively and upbeat.Many folks were there and glued. Some of the children danced too.
Maybe they could organise Salsa sessions there too and let it be free-for-all. Pple can just go there, and just dance and party. Make that place happening MAN!

BTW, that lady is not chinese. I like the guy in the middle. He could play a few instruments, other than sing.

Time really flies so fast and it's Saturday again. But I had really spent the day rather well. Spent quite a bit also, I guess. I had bought something on impulse. Like a radiographic positioning textbook by Delmar (1998 ed) and also a Panasonic mini-theatre system. It was such a steal. On special offer (from UP $499 to $329). And the guy was so nice he gave me a further discount to $299 and I paid $30 more for 3 yrs extended warranty, plus $20 for delivery. No GST. Maybe I will gain as long as I don't have the need for anything else like it again for the next 3 yrs.

There is a retreat for all of us this coming weekend. But inside, I feel uneasy because I still have much left to be completed before I have to leave my family for a few days. It also feels funny to be stranded in a resort with everybody else, while I am there still without a plan. What's my objective? I also dread long journeys in groups actually because I am quite the solo-traveller type. I would sit and read a book, or listen to music or sleep on the way - and risk being seen as "anti-social".

Personally, I also do not have any plans about my future but I just keep telling myself to get used to it for it's been like this for the past few years. Every yr I'd feel uncertain about where I would be the next year/rotation. Probably, after this retreat, I should be able to find out more about my future for the next 1 (or maybe 2) yrs more. Now the term "Permanence" is only relative.

But come to think of it, it isn't such a bad thing after all, because I do get to try out different places for lunch (and dinner too, probably). Also good for getting oneself a chance at ego-overhaul or the heart will get hardened. So, it is well with my soul.

There's this favourite song which we used to sing on fellowship days at BCYF:

"Where He leads, I will follow.
Where He sends me I am prepared to go.
For as long, as it's in His Will,
That's the safest place to be in, I know."

Yea, and also as long as there's still cheese on the plate, "Life is good!"

Tom Yum and Pineapple Rice

Had a rather interesting week this week, except for the complaints - verbal ones as well as written/emailed ones - that I have to entertain.

We had a 2-hr-long discussion yesterday at a rather new place that a friend brought all of us to. I will probably bring Yen and go there again if I have the chance! Tom Yum (seafood), Sambal Prawns, Pandan Leaf Chicken, and Pineapple Rice. Sedap!

Here's a story:
A rich man approached a Zen master one day. "Master, tell me please. How can I have contentment in my life?" Then the Zen master told him, "When tired, sleep. When hungry, eat. This is the way to contentment in life." Unhappy with the answer he got, the rich man retorted, "I do that everyday!"

Then the monk said, "Many people are not eating when they eat and many are not sleeping when they sleep."

The more I think about it, the more I feel I should have invested in a good lens and devoted more time in macros.

My first Macros @Sungei Buloh

Macros @ Sungei Buloh

I dedicate this post to my photography coach - PTTC.

Had been a good weekend at Sungei Buloh. There, I got a chance to try out the lenses that PT had lent to me. Insects, spiders, webs, leaves, flowers, crabs, mud-skippers... etc. I had learnt quite a lot from the trip. Actually, I had only done a few macros before. But now, it's different and I think I have convinced myself to get a pair of lens like this. It's also very different from just switching to "macro" mode whenever you want to shoot a little flower.

I feel that photo-taking can make one think more deeply about issues that one faces on and off. If only one will train to look at one thing and rethink from various perspectives or angles. It may take quite a bit of effort at first to train to become like the master craftsman, but I think it will give one more depth in the end. It's a waste having only sharp lenses but trigger-happy reflexes.

Anyway, it's been a great time with a buddy. Still had much more to learn about the art. While I was trying to focus and shoot a little grasshopper perched on a blade, he would be scouting for the next subject for me to try. Then before he lured the creature out from its hiding place, he would say, "Ok, ready? Now I want you to try this one ... "And so part of the morning went like this and I had a number of practices like this. In the end, realise I need more practices becos only 4 out of 10 were ok on the monitor.

Anyway, THANKS! Will make Yen our own 2007 calendar from some of the pictures.