Something Good Can Work

Its that time of the year again where we change our biological traffic rhythms to suit the patterns of our fasting Muslim friends. Its the one month of each year I enjoy barreling down the close to deserted high ways at insane speeds (About as fast my heart allows. I've a weak heart), dashing across lanes like my grandfather built these roads (He didn't. I'm Chinese). Its the one month I make it home in time for dinner with the family with spare time to laugh my ass off in front of the tele and then attempt a weak eight push ups before I give up and splash myself like a whale in the shower before I head to bed.

Alas. The month is coming to an end and that means Hari Raya is nigh! That also means my deadlines for work are about to punch me in the face and then in the shins when my partners and I finally realize that our next collection for the next season will be late (I still pray in the quiet of the night that it wont be). But all my worries become distant memories when I think of all the rendang I'll be stuffing my fat face with.

So to ALL my Muslim friends and readers, Selamat Berpuasa, Selamat Buka Puasa and here's an early Selamat Hari Raya (Don't forget I like rendang and I'm damn sure YOUR house will have some come Raya!)

(Oh just in case anyone finds this picture offensive, the tattoo ACTUALLY says "Something Good Can Work")

A Freedom Unfathomed

Alone in the dark.

Blind but enlightened.

The contrast stark.

From what is hidden.

Deaf to all.

Cymbals ring out.

A high to call.

A musical cult.

Inner freedom.

Unleashed within me.

As short as a thump.

Too fast to see.

Away its gone.

On my knees I fall.

Just another one.

The night I call.

From the Heart

I spend a lot of my nights sitting in front of my computer, music blaring in my ears, just reading photographers.

I noticed unlike a lot of people, I don't go to photography websites to look at photos, I go to read. I'm also really bad at reading boring technical stuff, like where to place lights and camera settings. I go to read about the experiences of the photographers, to feel what they felt, to learn their emotions, to understand their soul, to know them as people, as individuals in their own right.

Photography, to me, is more than just being able to set up and read lights, its more than being able to tweak settings accordingly, its more than just skill. Its emotion. Its music in your heart. Its that nudge you get that makes you want to smile, laugh, cry. Its capturing and freezing an emotion to mummify it to last throughout the ages.

Photography is from the heart.

SKATE or DIE

A photo taken from our lookbook shoot yesterday for Pestle & Mortar's next collection. Mart's an awesome skater who knows his way around a ramp. 

Singapore 2012

Yeah hopping the border once again to that little Island with an economy stronger than a mule's back was a thrill. Still never as good as going to Bangkok but then again I got to leave the vices of my heavily scheduled life for awhile.

I went down for an old friends wedding and ended up staying 5 days on the island, without making a single trip to the beach. Most of my time there was spent battling a horrid flu and trying to drown it in alcohol.

I shit you not Singapore, like Malaysia, is so hot I actually got sick from spending my first day walking around the city. Scorching! Although, the nights are really nice and breezy seeing as to how its actually an island.

A highlight of the trip. Haji Lane is the coolest little alley with the coolest little boutiques and some pretty rad ass cafes. 

I have NEVER in my life had to get in line to get on the escalator. 

Hugh getting acquainted with the colors of Haji Lane. 

I swear this was the best part of my trip to Singapore. Yeah, going into Universal Studios feeling like I've been transported to a different country. I traveled to travel.

You should see the shit the people working there are required to wear. This dude reminded me of Aladdin's monkey. 

Far, far away. I'm not kidding. The walk made me break sweat. 

They even had this very authentic diner with these bomb ass rides parked out front.

Mmmmmhhhmmm. That right there's an Impala holmes! Ride slow, ride low ese!

Our lovely host, Becky. Amanda's cousin who put us up in her house. She's totally mad fun.

Charlie was very kind to pose for a picture even though he had a whole line of people waiting to take pictures with him. These dudes were totally in character and couldn't be thrown off by anything.

Man I loved this movie as a kid. The special effects on this shit was off the hook with explosions and gun-fire and even fools falling off into the water when they got shot!  

You know whats the worst part of Singapore? That feeling you get when you feel like you're being watched. Because they are.

This drunken semaphore

It's like we just can't help ourselves,

'Cause we don't know how to back down,

We were called out to the streets,

We were called in to the towns...

Called Out in the Dark

So this is my third draft considering I sat here with the intention of writing something brilliant. Unfortunately I've been writing for work so much the past few days I actually don't feel like writing anymore. Yeah, thats saying a lot!

I, for once, have nothing to say.

So i'm just gonna leave you with a picture of the beautiful sunset at Tanah Lot, Bali that I took on my recent trip there.