Changes made:-
1) Taken away the fake looking duck.
2) The kingfisher flies away
3) Attempt LAB color space
4) Reinstall Adobe PhotoShop CS2 (Smth wrong with my color profiles)

Let me know how u like this as compared with the previous version.

Last week was TLI2 (Toastmasters' Leadership Institute), but I'll find some other time to write about that for the next few days, but now let me share with you some things I've learnt from DTM Dr Dunstan Chan, who is a Member of the National Association of Parliamentarians, USA.

A procedure is drawn to solve conflicts in the management of NGO. The rules origin from a book written years ago buy a person called Henry M. Roberts on the book called Robert's Rules which is now already run it's 11th edition print.

Before I walked into the seminar, I was expecting a serious talk on such a serious topic. But throughout the meeting, we learn how to facilitate a meeting, promote harmony, and to how to carry a motion, a debate and casting a vote. Dunstan also highlighted a few of the wrong concepts in our society, and courageously joke about important people with higher ranks and how westerners are highly respected in our country.

During the speech, we also learnt that TMs are trained not to ruai berandau which means being long winded in our current society, but it is an oral tradition of the Ibans which is important in the long houses where no other entertainments are available.

One difference I found conpared with another organization I usually go for meetings is that TM meetings doesn't need to use music to welcome/thank a guest speaker. The crowd's applause and the speaker's command of language is already music to the ears for me. I can't say I understand all the words he uses ( Germane, Rescind and "previous question") which are jargons as far as I'm concerned.

The only regret for me is that the session is a bit too short, concised and insufficient. To get the concept it's good enough, but to really understand the 1700 page thick book, it'll need at least a semester of college study. I'll try to get my hands on a copy of the book after I've finished the notes I've printed on Red Hat Linux 9. A lot more materials to read, and I'm no longer young so need to absorb as much as I can before my brain starts failing.

Reading up is a good meal for the brain. People stops reading/learning once they get their degree, or PhD. But to me, education non-academic will be much more benificial to us. I've been thinking of getting a MBA, but Irene opposed me from it, as she believes that I'll be learning more practical information by practice while learning, things like Linux, and Photography. Maybe taking up Business Mgmt one step at a time...only time will tell.

Thank you Dunstan for the great seminar, and thank you the organizers to allow me to join in such an informative event.

Labels: Toastmasters

Click on image to enlarge

Get to know this place from pictures shown in RojakStudio. But the time it strikes us to visit was when I went to a camera shop to buy a light stand. The image taken was rather marvellous. Without the money to hire professional models, nor am I keen enough to wait for the sun to be at the right spot, here's a DI (Digitally-manipulated Image).

I've been there twice, once with Irene, and the other time with Lincoln and Shiau Fei. We loved the freshly made nutmeg juice and also the cookies they baked. Too bad they closed before sunset, cause I believed the view from up there will be spectacular.

Let me know if you managed to find out what is wrong, or what I played with. Answers will be revealed later. Too tired to blog now. Good night world.

Labels: Photography

My effort pays off when I received a call from Canon Marketing Malaysia (Penang) that I won the 3rd price in the Photography Contest held in E&O Hotel back in September 2006.

It's the first time I won anything on a photography competition. I did have my pictures published on magazines, but never won anything till now. It's a Canon Selphy CP710 compact printer which worths RM450 in the market. Not planning to keep it, so if anyone interested can leave me a message. I plan to sell for around RM350~RM400.

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So, here's on smth else.

Met up with Ming Zheng last weekend in Pacific. It's a coincidence that we were there shopping. Got the pillows from her and also a cute box of sweets that she got for me and Irene from Singapore. I believed it's her 1st time down there, muz be smth new to her.

Thanks for the present mui. Still "she bu de" open and eat such a cute lil package.

Labels: Friends, Photography

Using "Markers" instead of "Guns", using "pallets" instead of "bullets". That is how paintball has being commercialized to become a game from marking cows and trees back in those days when farmers are too preoccupied to have fun.

My collegues organized a Paintball game just so that everyone has a feeling of how this "new" game is like. All of us are new to the game, but the Marshall is quite friendly and explains the rules to us in a very pleasant and humorous way. One game takes only about 5 minutes before members from either side is killed. But it is very very tiring if no constant exercise or training.

I got 2 shots on my legs - one on my knee which causes it to bleed, while the other pallet hit in between my legs 5 inches from my precious (lucky). The pain isn't that severe, but yet from hear say the mark will last for weeks to come. I deserved the injury as I only wear a thin piece of shorts for the game while the other seniors wear a full army suit to thick jackets. Despite getting hit, I killed 1 face shot, and another person on the vest. I think I killed a total of 3 people, but can't remember how I kill the other guy.

The excitement is intense. Will surely join again if they are organizing. The company charged us RM500 for 2000 pallets. For a normal amateur game, that will last for 8~10 rounds for a 5 on 5 game, a rough estimation of 2 hours. Since we collected extra money, we spent it on dim sum after the game. Seniors are shocked everytime they have meals with me outside. I will start to get wild in the dining table until some kind gentleman offered to drive me down to Ipoh's Tanjung Rambutan Mental Hospital. Tired, injured, excitement and experience...there's a lot I learnt from the game today.

Last Note: I don't understand why there are guys who'll chicken out once they got hit once. Is the pain so bad or issit worrying that your parents might be laughing at you? For all I know, Paintball is classified as a safer game than golf.

Labels: Friends, Work

Last picture taken before sending my D70s to Nikon Service Center. The internet connection is still very slow. Malaysians are really lack behind in technology. Wake up Malaysia!

Labels: Myself

Happy New Year everyone. Do hope all my readers did spend your New Year's eve happily. As for me, it's a 5 hour drive down south to Melaka. Thanks to Irene, I get to read "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" while she's cruising along the North-South Expressway. Right after reaching, we had our Yong Tau Foo at the regular shop we used to dine at. But seems like this conventional business has changed hands, and the meals tastes different.

After lunch, we burn some time in Pahlawan Square, which surprisingly looks very high class for the suburbs. I was down in signus again, and yet i can't find any Sirus in the "high tech" shopping mall. Irene get to meet her x-classmate for a while before we move on to visit the shops. The only thing we bought are the local delicacies from "san shu kong".

After that we walked to Jonker for dinner in a place called Harpers Restaurent. We went into a corner shop overlooking the Melacca Straits.(Address: 2, Jalan Hang Jebat) The nicest tables are booked up, but they are kind enough to give us the table (as long as we leave before 8.30pm). No problem though, as we have other plans for the evening.

On the other table, this group of english are laughing away while enjoying beer. The start talking about us when I bring out my camera and happily snapping away. One of them came over and asked me how much the camera costs, and how nice pictures it can take. After exchanging some greetings, we went back to our seats. Irene reminds me that those people might be the top managements coming to launch the Giant Supermarket tomorrow in Melacca. Then only did i notice all of them are in their Giant uniforms and regret some of the courtesy a gentleman should have. If not for that, he would have consider me to help him grow his money. Aih` fate...opportunities...

Jonker is still the same place we know, just that they sell more varieties now. Found some "Voodoo Dolls" just like those I bought from Ray, but their handywork ain't as good as those I bought, the price is also much cheaper. We try not to add any "expenses" into our balance sheet by window shopping. It started raining when we were on our way back to the car, met Choo Chee Wee having dinner at one of the stalls, have a small chat with him but ran off after he shows no sign of interest in continuing the conversation.

Our countdown is in Xuan Cafe with Josh and Joleen. The singers are still that good, never regret visiting that place instead of crowding ourselves in Pure Bar or whatever bar for that matter of fact. The same jokes still works for these people, 6 months apart never make any difference to our friendships. Received greetings from YeeJen as well as a senior from work. Dad greeted us from Harpin through SMS, they never forget me eventhough I'm never able to make it there with them.

Slept over at my previous house, but these young people really need a lesson on hygenie and cleanliness, the grass grows for at least a meter, while the floors has never been swept since I moved out. Their toilet stains has been dark and ugly while some never tidy their bed. Thanks to Soon Yet for giving us the room for the night, had a great rest after an exhausting day. Happy New Year everyone.

Labels: Friends, Myself