|- jxiong -| > purpose behind ur existence

vegan

2007-04-25T13:43:00.000+08:00

Watch more videos at PETA.org::vegan

some reasons for choosing a vegan diet.. ;p

break

2007-04-07T23:55:00.000+08:00

::break
ha, took such a long break from blogging. more photos to come. ;p

ignorance

2007-02-05T23:50:00.001+08:00

::ignorance
more shots of the same child and his grandma.. they seem so happy to see us! (well the kid seemed a bit more shocked by the sudden attention.. ha.. ;p)

their happiness and contentment in their lives cannot be matched by ours. we, who have been exposed to the many desires that appeals to our senses.

is it their ignorance of the fact that there could be a better life out there, thats y they are happy? or is it our ignorance of the fact that the longings for those desires will never bring about ultimate happiness, that's y we think we are happier than them?

glance

2007-02-02T22:36:00.000+08:00

::glance
on the way up to Leper's village and caught this sweet moment between a grandma and her grandson..

hawker

2007-02-01T23:29:00.000+08:00

::hawker
took a few shots of the hawkers at the street where we went looking for 'brunch'. caught this bustling scene with the crimson lighting shining through the shade creating a nice warm glow.

the age of ignorance

2007-01-29T23:02:00.000+08:00

::the age of ignorance
it's the 2nd day of our trip and we were waiting for our bus to arrive to fetch us to Leprosy village (would be elaborated a few days later when we actually embark). so we went out to grab a heavy breakfast that was to be our lunch as well.

sam decided to have his boots polised by the ubiquitous shoe polishers waiting in line for customers, all for just 1 yuan, which is S$0.20! ha, and Sun ne'r here is the son of the shoe polisher helping sam, and i think he is 6, if i remember correctly.

kids are just so wonderful, their wide eyed wonder and perpetual interest in everything never fails to make my day. he was shy at first, then after taking a shot of him and showing it to him, he warmed up and became my young model of the day! ;p

---

ignorance is bliss. or is it? what happens after reality sets back in?

many of my friends are quite surprised by my sudden interest in religions and in particular Buddhism.

i have not been an inquisitive teenager, never really got down to thinking hard about wat life means. one could attribute that to a side effect of our rigid, structured education system, but ultimately, it is myself who have gone ignorant to the questions that i have had when i was a child. simple questions like, 'where do we come from? who am i?'

simple as it seems, i discovered only recently that these questions have confounded philosophers, scientists and many other intellectuals for eons, with no definite answer in view. only recently i started thinking about these questions and realised how easy it is for us to forget them. the practicality of life and the need to feed mouths makes these questions useless and pointless. which i believe is so.

which makes me ponder next on the purpose behind our existence. i have shared this quite a while back, and Buddhism is tackling this straight on. Happiness is the meaning of life, Buddha Shyakamuni answered. this happiness is not ego-centric, but born out of compassion to others, spreading warmth and thus recieving them in turn. the suffering that prevents happiness can also be eliminated by removing the desires that causes them. and the way to remove these desires is by contemplating on impermanence, and how these attachments to worldly concerns are pointless. and after recognising these, we can enjoy things for wat they are and not have ideals attached to them, binding us down.

i am being disrepectful by summarising the concepts of Buddhism up so shortly, but the point is, i am deeply moved by these simple truths and the way the Buddha encourages a contemplative life.

all in all, i believe living a life of ignorance can only bring about a short term relief. it is not solving the ultimate question which hides in our hearts. only by addressing it fully in the face will we have any hope of answering it.

vegetarian diet

2007-01-28T22:56:00.000+08:00

::vegetarian diet
was shopping around at 'Luo Si Wan', a wholesale market at Kunming, Yunnan, for project stuff and saw this cute doggy.. ha, how could i resist? so i stooped down in the middle of the streets and snapped happily away, creating quite a commotion.. i think it is these details that makes this trip so unforgettable..

---

i have always contemplated the omniverous diet of humans. it is true that in some parts of the world, meat is vital to provide the necessary fats and hide to withstand the harsh winters. however, in many others, meat is a luxury item, relished for its ability to satiate our taste buds and fulfill our craving for juicy, rich aromas..

however, there seems to be a strange preference of certain meats over others. for example of pork over frog meat, veal over dog meat, chicken meat over chicks' meat.. in our 'civilised' world, animals we can relate to, those cuddly ones, or those we abhore, like those slimy ones, are not to be eaten. of course this doesn't apply to everyone as we all know how some tribes in Africa relish fried caterpillars and how our Thai friends queue up for some juicy fried tarantulas. The point is we eat animals because we are desensitised, we don't feel for them anymore. and we don't eat those we feel for, be it those we like or those we don't.

then this question come to my mind. who gave us to power to decide whether we should have fish or beef for dinner tonight. or more aptly, who gave us the power to decide which one to be killed for consumption. is it because we are more intelligent, and thus have the ability to capture, breed and kill?

it is true that when we eat meat, we did not specifically order for them to be killed; unless of cos you are in a seafood restaurant and pointed to a fat sea bass to be steamed. nonetheless, the meat was from another sentient being. we do not know for sure how long their memory is, or whether they even feel emotion or not. but for sure, from they way they struggle, we know they can feel pain.

i am an omnivore too, and i do eat meat. to convince one to turn to a vegetarian diet requires considerable effort, for both parties. i am not a vegetarian myself, and i don't think i will be one in the near future. however, i have decided to cut down my consumption of meat and eat them only when my family is or i am sharing with my friends. to do otherwise would be imposing a strain on others. things do not change overnight, but i do hope that one day, the number of chickens, pigs, cows and fishes killed would drop. but even for now, whenever we eat meat, we can silently thank the animal for nourishing our body, for sacrificing their lives to satisfy us.

i believe if we use a compassionate heart that reaches out to not just other humans but animals and other sentient beings as well, we can improve the society and spread the idea of peace. it is actually quite simple, when we look at meat, we can picture the animal and naturally, our ability to empathise would flow and we can literally feel their pain.

thanks for reading through this whole chunk if you have. ;p i would like to end off with a quote from Albert Einstein:

"Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances of survival of life on earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet."

i was equally surprised to hear that from him too.. and don't you think the doggy above is cute?

companions

2007-01-28T00:16:00.000+08:00

::companions
the trip wouldn't have been the same without like-minded friends to share the moments with! ;p

embarkation

2007-01-27T00:26:00.000+08:00

::embarkation
'you have all embarked on a journey. a journey of discovery.'

our dear leader of our trip, Bernard told us in one of the many meetings we had way before we started our journey. never did we know how amazing this journey would mean to each and everyone of us. it is a journey that would stay in my heart for the years to come. to learn more of our Yunnan trip, click here.

it has been quite a while after we had returned. i prepared fervently for my test that was to come in a week's time, and following that, i was down with chicken pox. all the while, i had contemplated blogging on the days i had at yunnan, but each time the massive scale of it made me drag on until now.

i have finally uploaded all the photos i had taken here. and upon browsing through them, i suddenly had this urge to share all that i had gone through

i would update my blog everyday, hopefully you can feel the joy i had during my days there. it was a wonderful experience. i firmly believe that with a heart to spread compassion, anyone can feel your warmth and warm up to you.

however, we have to be careful not to be attached to the fact that we are a compassionate person. doing so will make us believe we are above them, and that they undeniably need help from us. the fact is, there are so many things we can learn from them too. instead i think we should care for others because it is something natural to do. we are all humans and what separates us from animals is our ability to empathise with others. with this ability, we can see people for who they are, not judging them but to understand their feelings and emotions. when we can see this, we would naturally want to know more about them and care for them.

do check back! i would update a photo a day, hopefully! ;p

timing

2006-12-01T10:22:00.000+08:00

::timing
noticed this spot where the sun beam showered onto the badminton court, so i waited until qt finally stepped there.. i quickly composed and snapped, think it came out pretty well here.. ha.. ;p

sunbathed

2006-12-01T01:07:00.001+08:00

::sunbathed
a shot taken at the interyear games our faculty organised some time back.. glad i decided to go down to be the photographer..

Deepavali!

2006-10-27T23:54:00.000+08:00

::Deepavali!
a collage of photos taken at Rubini's house.. she kindly invited us to celebrate Deepavali with her family! ;p

maf

2006-10-09T00:52:00.000+08:00

::maf
sorry for updatin so sporadically.. have had been so busy.. pics taken at hwachong maf (mid-autumn festival) celebration and a maf gathering at winny's place.. ;p

bbqq

2006-10-02T00:05:00.000+08:00

::bbqq
our mwh bbq last fri! had a great time, thanks to chonghan for organisin eh! ;p

on the edge

2006-09-17T23:18:00.000+08:00

::on the edge
balancing precipitously, requiring much concentration.. when can i get over?

droplets sparkle

2006-09-16T23:47:00.000+08:00

::droplets sparkle
rain comes and leaves behind its jewel babies, sparkling under the cool morning sun.. how long can they last? perhaps duration doesn't matter cos, at least, they existed before..

back/white

2006-09-09T00:18:00.000+08:00

::back/white
but most of the times, it is grey..

journey

2006-09-06T20:38:00.000+08:00

::journey
sometimes you find the journey long and empty. even when there is a furor of activity around you. find the light, i should.

afterthoughts

2006-09-03T00:29:00.001+08:00

::afterthoughts
there will be a NVAC (NUSSU Volunteer Action Committee) Exposition at the Central Forum for 8 days starting from next Tuesday onwards.. do go and support!

and yea, i am now officially a Year One after going through the Buffet Night.. We had to put up a performance and i think our class did a great job.. kudos to all who have put in so much effort to draw up the script, dragged us to rehearse and also to all the actors who sacrificed a bit of reputation! hah.. ;p

oh, i watched the youtube video of our ragdance performance and the music alone brought back quite a lot of memories.. quite amazing eh.. at first i was a bit numb and went about the orientation and rag building as somethin i had to do, with not much emotional connection to it.. but the video of our performance evoked an influx of emotions, and now i see clearly the point of all those ragging we had during our orientation week.. although the traditions passed down seemed stupid and embarrassing, they have a deeper purpose to it and i am glad i am where i am.. ;p

steps

2006-08-28T20:58:00.000+08:00

::steps
moving along with the flow, taking it a step at a time.. sometimes i am just so conflicting.. but you know, some decisions are hard to make..

prior

2006-08-26T21:21:00.000+08:00

::prior
i really need to organise my life.. transportation time is biting on my nerves, how much more time am i goin to waste away??

9999

2006-08-25T22:57:00.000+08:00

::9999
ha, this is my number 19999 shot on my d70s!! i really do shoot quite a lot.. but recently school have been so busy i have no chance to go out and shoot ler.. haizz.. think tomoroz i will take the chance to shoot a bit when i go send my friend off early in the morning at changi airport..

as the overseas school term is abt to start, my friends studyin abroad are flying off one by one, off to pursue their dreams..

my dreams? i have decided to put them on hold.. perhaps i will touch them again, but again, perhaps not..

35

2006-08-24T21:42:00.000+08:00

::35
a number with no particular significance to me.. just found the deep yellow of the door interesting, a particularly unique characteristic of the houses of arab street.. hm, next time i am there, i would ask ard for the purpose of the brightly colored doors and walls..

sometimes i do things on impulse, making mistakes along the way.. but with every mistake i make, the more i grow.. its ok to make mistake i guess, just make sure you dun make the same mistake twice..

convergence

2006-08-23T21:31:00.000+08:00

::convergence
a lot of things on my mind. too little time.. i need to learn how to time manage better..

melancholic

2006-08-20T00:24:00.000+08:00

::melancholic
caught this cat in a melancholic expression when shootin at arab street quite some time back..

distorted reflection

2006-07-29T01:28:00.000+08:00

::distorted reflection
distorted reality, distorted thoughts, distorted reflections.. i live in a distorted world.. haha..

remnants

2006-07-27T01:02:00.000+08:00

::remnants
of the past.. footsteps tat click with each ticking second, left under the sun, left to dry up with the left-overs of those unwanted..

centaur

2006-07-25T22:21:00.000+08:00

::centaur
green is the color, centaur is our name, fabled horses that rules we are..

曲终人散

2006-07-25T00:41:00.000+08:00

::曲终人散
天色暗了，人也散了，耳根里却残留着。

flickering

2006-07-20T23:13:00.000+08:00

::flickering
awaiting the last breath; just hoping i wouldn't be the last

heart

2006-07-19T23:49:00.000+08:00

::heart
bleeding red..

condrats

2006-07-18T23:33:00.000+08:00

::condrats
drats.. shd have taken more care to avoid the shadow casted by my lens hood..

warm

2006-07-17T22:49:00.000+08:00

::warm
love the warm, cozy feel in this shot..

a vow

2006-07-17T00:28:00.000+08:00

::a vow
not supposed to be heard, but felt..

laced

2006-07-15T23:35:00.000+08:00

::laced
glitter glitter..

accessorize

2006-07-15T00:50:00.000+08:00

::accessorize
glitter glitter..

read somethin interesting from National Geographic Field Guide: "An image doesn't start with a camera, it ends there." so often, people fail to see how much effort has been put into the process of image making.

another quote, this time from Galen Rowell, one of my favorite photographer: "Photography succeeds not when the original vision is created photographically, but when the photograph is able to evoke or re-create a similar vision in the mind of each viewer." i just hope that through my constant practice and self-critique, i will slowly work towards tat goal, and one day, allow my works to convince others that photography is more then juz the squeezing of the shutter.

right now, most of my favorite images have been captured from 'lucky' instances when the photo opportunity presents itself to me, without need of much patience or scouting of locations. with a note of humility from Galen Rowell in his book "Moutain Light", he confessed that most of his images are, too, a result of a convergence of technical proficiency, personal vision and light together with luck. but he further explains that this luck is different from the type tat strikes u jackpot in a casino. this luck presents itself to people who have acquired knowledge of their fields before they ventured out to become "lucky". Luck is with them because they have made themselves open and receptive to it and their style allows it to be part of their plan.

for me, i can take respite in the fact that the great Galen Rowell has incorporated and recognised luck as part of his photographic philosophy. however, i am still very much ashamed of myself as a photographer, because still, most of the photographic opportunities i had was based on pure luck, i have had not made the effort to go out and chased the light i want.. on one hand, i might not have the courage to let go of everything to make a mark; on the other hand, i guess tats the difference between a professional and an amateur, who has other committments..

so when i have the time and ability, i will come to grasp the meaning behind my photography and one day, come to terms with calling myself a real photographer.

back

2006-07-13T23:38:00.000+08:00

::back
love the soft lighting i got here...

hairdo

2006-07-12T19:02:00.000+08:00

::hairdo
love the soft warm lighting i got in this shot..

getting ready

2006-07-11T21:56:00.000+08:00

::getting ready
getting a final rest b4 the start..

ice cold water

2006-07-10T19:16:00.000+08:00

::ice cold water
so refreshing..

they

2006-07-09T15:39:00.000+08:00

::they
they come so easily..

white

2006-06-28T01:43:00.000+08:00

::white
i simply love the color white, so pure and clean..

sing again

2006-06-23T03:14:00.000+08:00

::sing again
sing again to ur heart's content, but of cos, u got to match harmoniously with the music ler.. ha, i am slowly improving ler! (or so i think..) yea!

sing

2006-06-22T01:14:00.000+08:00

::sing
sing to ur heart's content!!

slope

2006-06-21T01:51:00.000+08:00

::slope
and wheee~, they went down the slope

heart

2006-06-13T22:31:00.000+08:00

::heart
look wat i found at snowcity! hah.. with a little touch-up from my dexterous fingers of course..

snowcity

2006-06-12T23:57:00.000+08:00

::snowcity
i am the snowcity sales miracle! hah.. no lah, just lucky i got a group of altrustic and generous crowd.. ;p

pui

2006-06-08T01:30:00.000+08:00

::pui
puipui passed away on 05June06.. just the previous night, i cradled it in my hands, warming it up after we washed it.. quivering and weak, it stared blankly at me, eyes half closed as if enjoying the warmth from my hands..

stare2

2006-06-05T23:38:00.000+08:00

::stare2
the same parrot from the zoo.. evidently i have no shots to share so had to dig even deeper to find some decent ones to post.. ;p

justified

2006-06-05T00:52:00.000+08:00

::justified
i like to act for myself to see, to satisfy and justify myself..

headless

2006-06-04T01:48:00.000+08:00

::headless
my thoughts are mine, my actions are mine, my feelings are mine.. like a headless ghost, the last breathe drawn, i let go of whatever is mine, and with them, i lost all capability to love, perhaps forever? i doubt so though, i think i am strong, but how strong? strong enough to put on a facade, definitely.

i just hope tats the truth.. but a part of me hope it is not. tat is wat i am clinging onto. but should i? i am just like the headless ghost, incapable of thought, anymore.

memories

2006-06-02T00:20:00.000+08:00

::memories
wat lingers on are memories tat shd not be around, anymore.. wat am i clinging on to?

21

2006-05-27T22:52:00.000+08:00

::21
celebrated junyang's 21st bday~!

droplet

2006-05-26T22:29:00.000+08:00

::droplet
the last drop of hope provides for a reason to continue breathing..

w

2006-05-25T21:09:00.000+08:00

::w
i have come to a decision.. if you can call tat one..

supporting

2006-05-25T01:24:00.000+08:00

::supporting
i feel like the supporting actor in a show, mired in a web of uncertainty..

green

2006-05-24T01:30:00.000+08:00

::green
i am so green too.. right now, i am the morning dew on the leaves, left with only a few more moments to bask in the sun.. how long more can i last? i do hope rain comes and prolong my life..

yellow

2006-05-23T01:30:00.000+08:00

::yellow
i am so yellow..

wheeeee~

2006-05-21T23:50:00.000+08:00

::wheeeee~
i love my job..

boat and cloud

2006-05-20T23:24:00.000+08:00

::boat and cloud
the boat and the cloud are enjoying each other's company, but the wind blows and they started drifting apart..

everyday

2006-05-20T00:34:00.000+08:00

::everyday
like a child who first sets his eyes on snow, everyday..

lofty dreams

2006-05-18T23:19:00.000+08:00

::lofty dreams
and wisps, they fly into the skies.. i want to wake up from them..

blues

2006-05-17T23:05:00.000+08:00

::blues
its always blue in the morning.. i wonder when dawn will arrive..

hope

2006-05-17T00:57:00.000+08:00

::hope
the first ray penetrates the land hugging clouds, tryin to warm our hearts. another day begins..

smother

2006-05-15T22:02:00.000+08:00

::smother
smothered by the waves..

hiatus

2006-05-11T01:10:00.000+08:00

::hiatus
i will be goin overseas again for the coming weekend! hha.. check back on Monday!

filial

2006-05-10T00:25:00.000+08:00

::filial
tender loving care

playful

2006-05-09T00:43:00.000+08:00

::playful
i would love, too, to indulge in playful ignorance..

affection

2006-05-07T23:06:00.000+08:00

::affection
is there such a thing as unconditional love?

*updated photo with more edits

twist

2006-05-07T00:31:00.000+08:00

::twist
the story twists and turns..

passion

2006-05-06T01:19:00.000+08:00

::passion
it is our passion tat drives us..

ambiance

2006-05-05T00:18:00.000+08:00

::ambiance
i love the lighting effects.. subdued and soothin..

caffeine

2006-05-04T00:06:00.001+08:00

::caffeine
i cannot stand caffeine..

escape

2006-05-03T00:42:00.000+08:00

::escape
i would rather not think about it..

intense

2006-05-01T01:14:00.000+08:00

::intense
it was starting to get intense, but one needs to balance with the need to cool off..

crisscross

2006-04-30T00:39:00.000+08:00

::crisscross
the crisscrossing fascinates me..

feeding

2006-04-29T00:02:00.000+08:00

::feeding
all of us needs to feed..

leading lines

2006-04-27T23:32:00.000+08:00

::leading lines
lines that lead to the unknown

company

2006-04-26T23:18:00.000+08:00

::company
sometimes u wish for some company, sometimes u don't.

harmony

2006-04-24T22:35:00.000+08:00

::harmony
the so called harmony i witnessed moments b4 the snarl..

snarl

2006-04-23T22:44:00.000+08:00

::snarl
Jippie baring its teeth.. and i thought it was all harmony just moments before..

buckaroo

2006-04-22T23:00:00.000+08:00

::buckaroo
went to buckaroo for our ord dinner. the food was served in hefty portions and satiated our taste buds.. service was a bit lacking though as they keep missing our orders.. overall recommended eh!

Lalu

2006-04-22T00:37:00.000+08:00

::Lalu
the Singapore Zoo has created a free-ranging area for 24 orang utans to swing, climb and even play. here, Lalu climbed down to within a foot of me and shortly after, it climbed back up the vines and started having a play fight with another orang utan.

loving care

2006-04-20T22:08:00.000+08:00

::loving care
the bengal tigers at the Singapore Mandai zoo exhibiting some loving care.. the one being licked is called Jippie and the one licking Jippie is called Winnie.. ha, coincidently i have a friend called Winny.. ;p

desolate

2006-04-19T23:26:00.000+08:00

::desolate
it is empty

take off / landing

2006-04-18T21:37:00.000+08:00

::take off / landing
it would be difficult for him to take off, harder even to continue flying, if he witnessed his father crash

carefree days

2006-04-17T23:58:00.000+08:00

::carefree days
it would be interesting to live as a bird too..

playful days

2006-04-17T02:01:00.000+08:00

::playful days
i wish i can live like a child again..

stare

2006-04-16T00:19:00.000+08:00

::stare
i juz want to stare back, and see the future in that gaze.

blank

2006-04-15T01:11:00.000+08:00

::blank
my mind is blank today.

scream

2006-04-14T00:32:00.000+08:00

::scream
feels so good to scream.

waiting

2006-04-12T23:52:00.000+08:00

::waiting
the wait for its return can be dreadful..

lines

2006-04-11T21:01:00.000+08:00

::lines
the lines trace its way to my heart.. y am i so affected by it? has it become so important?

happy days

2006-04-10T23:15:00.000+08:00

::happy days
the fluttering of wings and the tangle of twigs merge to please my senses.. everything seemed so right..

drudgery

2006-04-10T00:46:00.000+08:00

::drudgery
the drudgery of life will be bearable if its purpose is clear and strong..

dreamland

2006-04-09T00:06:00.000+08:00

::dreamland
woke up and found myself still in a dream..

midday surprise

2006-04-04T21:10:00.000+08:00

::midday surprise
this frog found its way into my grandma's house and luckily my mom woke me up from my afternoon slumber.. i quickly grabbed my equipment, made a few shots and den went back to sleep.. ;p

balance

2006-04-04T00:34:00.000+08:00

::balance
quite fascinating to see how he manages to keep his balance while keeping track of all those who just boarded the bus and stuffing those notes between his fingers.. ;p

depth

2006-04-03T00:29:00.000+08:00

::depth
depth is a perception

details

2006-04-02T00:01:00.000+08:00

::details
years have gone by. the details in the peeling paint fades into obliviousness. leaving behind only a quiet nothingness. but all it wanted was a listening ear. and so it continues the wait.