shooting with a half-broken second-hand digicam doesn't mean i have to make do with mediocre pics… the power of photoshop and photomatix is demonstrated below… well of course this is a far cry from the real deal by pros… the first transformation is a regular highlight and shadows tweaking… but the second involves hdr and tone mapping… hence the exaggerated striking colours… which is what hdr is all about… it ain't too bad i hope :)

hdr pictures are so breathtakingly beautiful and vivid… they never cease to 'wow' me… so much so… i can't wait to get a dslr and shoot some of my own… trey ratcliff has an amazing collection of photos… a number of them taken in kl and around malaysia… they're absolutely amazing…

speaking of pics… i hardly took any over the past week… but i did meet a whole lot of friends though… most of the time we had our hands full with poker cards… well anyway… somewhere here in the middle of the post is one of me driving my bro's car around… :)

the weather has not been co-operative with people like us who are looking forward to do some jogging in the evenings… in preparation for the mountain ascent of course… let's hope for clearer skies in the weeks to come…

the fireworks went on continuously for a couple of hours… and i had a clear view of them from my window… they mark the ninth day of chinese new year… which is also back-to-school time… and for most of us… it'll most probably be the last time we'll actually be going back to school…

with all the family, friends and food during the festivities… it has indeed been an eventful week… meeting up with long-time-no-see buddies… blackjackin' from house to house day and night… havin' drinks from coffee bean to oldtown… eatin' from hollywood to one tree hill… it was lots of fun meetin' everyone again…

presentation due first thing in the morn… i should get some sleep now… 

our very own homegrown rapper point blanc has a couple of new catchy singles… including ipohmali… which i'm sure all ipohians can relate to and be proud of… it is a cool anthem which also features jaclyn victor on vocals… it's been all over the airwaves on hitz of late… and since i've got a new fm tuner at home… i've been listenin' to the radio more than i do usually…

a week has passed since i came back…  and there hasn't been anything exceptional to relate about… besides the usual meet-ups and hang-outs from time to time… and since my baby niece is stayin' with us… i get to bully play with her daily…

tomorrow marks the end of the lunar year… and before i adjourn to the mamak now… happy chinese new year everyone… :)

there was a time when we walked down this road
with the people who helped lighten our load
little did we know that one day they'd be
as cold as winter towards you and me

you cherished it much and it's such a shame
to watch it fall apart, who is to blame?
the past has long gone, there's no turning back
let things be as we continue our trek

i hope we'll never end like us and them
a rose in full bloom broken at the stem
time will pass us by and we'll be apart
but forever you'll be close to my heart

face research has an interesting website that has kept me busy for the past few hours… transforming photos of my housemates… and myself too… and the results are pretty impressive… not to mention… funny at times… do check it out… it's fun… besides transforming a photo into one of a different race, gender or age… there is also the option to generate an average face which extracts and combines the features from multiple source faces… indeed it is hilarious to see a few friends' features all rolled into one… :P

stuck inside my head
words that you once said
sinister replays
haunt me night and day
trying to release
away from all these
thoughts that impair me
struggle to be free

our past revelries
now turned reveries
distant memories
everything changes
suddenly strangers
a lesson to learn
it's priceless to earn
is the door open?

inexpressible sentiment
befuddled judgement
complications arise
gradually demise
never to return
impulsive delusion
intense affection
sweet satisfaction

treasure adrift
downcast vision
sorrowfully yearn
passionate revival
wandering thoughts
unwavering ambition
paradise lost
uncertain direction