I’m not dead yet, unlike Ferrari

So I was actually planning to make this post quite a while back, but other matters contrived to get in my way, namely the matter of my Bionix course, which was supposed to have lasted another 2 - 3 weeks. Instead, it is now, as you say, cut short thanks to my meticulous planning, which (for obvious reasons) I shall not go into detail here.

Suffice to say, I’m out of the course, and the past 2 weeks back at my former depot have been, well, normal, I guess. What else is there to say?

I already posted a few of my initial grabs on Flickr, if you’ve actually kept up with this. I’m personally disappointed with most of the things I did during the race, especially with regard to my preparation (my battery actually died out on the second night, what the fuck) and my lack of enthusiasm with regard to thinking up new techniques (especially after a couple of hours) but overall I think I managed to get a pretty decent collection of photos to demonstrate my prowness at panning.
Read the rest of this entry »

Parting Shots

Are all I have to offer for this particular update. It’s sad: tragic, perhaps, but life goes on.

I’ve been drafted for a Bionix driving course for quite some time now, and tomorrow marks its beginning. What I didn’t know was that this course would also include the Operator Maintenance course, adding an additional 2 unwanted weeks of staying in my army premises. Totalling 4 horrific weeks of learning how to work the various parts and wheels of the Bionix Armoured Fighting Vehicle.

I wouldn’t be so pissed off if I wasn’t already driving the fucking thing almost every day that I’m in camp and hard at work. Seriously, I could probably drive the thing without a ground guide and have zero problems whatsoever. It sure as hell is easier to handle than the Bronco.

But ho! I shall not spend my last free night musing over such unhappy prospects. Instead, I shall feast over sushi, sashimi and tempura udon (which I already have), play Team Fortress 2 until my eyes pop out from mario_kart (I’m currently trying to stop the retinal bleed) and now, work on updating this section of the interweb with my recent endeavours, amateurish though they might be.
Read the rest of this entry »

Inexcusable indulgences

Are what most of us partake in on a daily basis. Whether it be buying ourselves a $940 Prada handbag that could probably fit a PSP on a good day, or a custom-fitted pair of Adidas trainers that we then throw into the closet for safekeeping, or a brand new Sigma lens and a hotshoe extension cable, such indulgences make us feel whole again.

That is, for as long as we actively enjoy our newfound luxury. Then we get thirsty/hungry, head on over to the nearest cafe, take out our wallets and oh shit - we realize, all too late, that our choices come with hefty price tags.

But what the hell, we’re all going to die in the end anyway, and we might as well die happy, right?

Enter the M-Audio Axiom 49. The MIDI keyboard to end all MIDI keyboards.
Read the rest of this entry »

Kicks, punches and fireworks

These three things have more in common than most people could possibly hope to ever imagine.

That’s not saying much, of course, considering most peoples’ imagination could be compared to that of a black hole. Thank goodness that there are some of us left who do not suffer this disability, this disease that seems to be spreading around the artistic community these days, showing itself to be most prevalent within the Singapore army.

Yes, that was a terribly random statement. That does not make it any less false.

Anyway, I’ve neglected to update as of recent times, owing to the fact that I’ve been working on a couple of projects, some of which are still currently undergoing (I’m quite the busy man here, ain’t I?), some of which have been ongoing since the beginning of time and probably won’t be finished even when the end rolls around and one project which is finally nearing completion.
Read the rest of this entry »

Marathons

Are things that most people usually take as a sign of achievement, that show the true perseverance of the human spirit. It speaks volumes of a person’s character and determination when he or she completes such a feat, bettered only, perhaps, by running faster.

To me, it speaks of the ability to run/jog/walk a long distance. Just that, nothing more. For what else does it signify, really? It’s a fucking marathon, not a judge imperious, watching over your every step and making a assertion of your traits.

Whatever the perceptions (mine or others), the 21 kilometre Army Half-Marathon event took place earlier today, the gruelling run being started at around 6.30 a.m., which, in Army Time™ means that I had to report at the fall-in area at 5.30 a.m..
Read the rest of this entry »

New gear

Can mean many things in the context of someone such as I. It can mean a new game, a new program, a new book, a new camera and so on. In this case, it means new camera gear, in the form of a SC-28 hotshoe extension cable for my Nikon D50 dSLR.

I understand completely if you have no idea what I’m babbling about at this point. Suffice to say, it’s a neat little piece of equipment that will allow me to connect my flashgun to my camera remotely via a wired link, enabling me to fire the flashgun from completely independent angles and distances.

Oh yes, D70/80/200/whatever users, don’t think I can’t hear your sniggers. So I neither have wireless flash operation with my D50 nor high-speed flash sync controls, sure. I’ll take my single command dial control any day of the week over dual command dial bullshit.
Read the rest of this entry »