Iphone Withdrawals

Okay, it’s been a week that I have sent my iphone to the optus insurance claims department. They said it would take 10 working days to get a damage report from the technicians. I am afraid that I will be without a phone when I go to singapore. It’s kinda true when you’ve started using a smart phone, the regular phone is just… well…(insert inane word here).
On the bright side, I am getting more use of my Ipod Nano which isn’t a bad thing as I have quite a music collection transferred to it…

Water flows to the New Year

Water flows to the New Year

Originally uploaded by Juju | Sydney

Okay, it’s been ages since I last blogged. What can I say? I am busy.

So a quick update of what 2009 was to me.

1. Got out of a bad relationship.
2. Got my AU PR.
3. Went to USA.
4. Went to Canada.
5. Learning to Drive
6. Got into a new relationship.

It’s been a shaky start to the new year but I must say that the year in all, has been mostly good and positive. Wishing everyone a very Happy New Year.

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Sean K and Me

Originally uploaded by Juju | Sydney

After flying for a couple of hours on the 21st of July, I landed in the beautiful city of Vancouver in Canada. Yay another another place I’ve never been. Got my luggage and was processed fairly quickly. I grabbed my luggage and proceeded out to the gates eagerly looking for my flickr friend SeannyK. But alas he was nowhere to be found. I guess he might have been at work or something. So I proceeded to the hotel because I forgot to add Sean’s number into the iphone. Once I got to the hotel, and managed to get a wireless connection, which is apparently only from the lobby, I managed to get a hold of Sean and he mis-timed my arrival and was on the way to pick me up. He very kindly put up his phone number for the facebook world to see while trying to get in touch with me. I quickly erased it [Hoping it doesn’t show up on any toilet walls asking for a good time], and we met for the first time!

Sean was just like himself as I pictured in his pictures. I was amazed with his very eloquent Canadian accent, although I cannot tell the difference between the American and Canadian accent, he was also fluent in Mandarin and Cantonese. I wish I could do that! Sean was out of work then, and even though I felt bad that he was out of work, I was relieved that someone who is local has the time to hang out and show me around the beautiful city that is Vancouver.

I kept walking to the wrong side of the car as the cars had their steering wheel on the left side of the car (unlike the ones in Australia and Singapore.) and they drove on the other side of the road. I am glad I don’t know how to drive as I am sure I’ll be really confused with the road rules and would probably drive on the wrong side of the road sooner or later.

We covered a lot of ground, like English Bay, Cypress Mountains, Granville Island and Markets and Whytecliffe Park in West Vancouver which were real highlights to me.

At English Bay, we managed to catch the mid-week fireworks for the Celebration of Light festival. It was a spectacular fireworks show set to the music of the Wizard of Oz. It was so spectacular that we even forgot about the wafting smell of a joint and some really annoying punters.

Cypress Mountains – I was amazed by the flowing fog which came over the mountains and we had a lovely view of the city.

Granville Island Markets – A fantastic and huge market full of fresh produce and colours galore! It was amazing. Food and beautiful arts and crafts abound. Really lovely. Sean and I spent a lot of time shooting there. There were also beautiful floating houses, on the wharf, each one at least 3 storeys high and very well decorated.

Whytecliffe Park – Sean and I (see pictures above)  decided to walk out on the pebbly (read not to small boulders) beach up to the little hill which went out to the ocean. Probably not the brightest ideas in the world as I believe the tide was coming in and I almost twisted my ankle on the rocks.. twice… Anyway we braved it and climbed up to the top. Yay! Beautiful views all around.

On the last day, we went out to have a couple of drinks at the pubs on Davie Street. Sean had the affections of a guy but Sean palmed him off due to his obnoxiousness. Good on you, Sean.

Sean had been a real fun host to hang around with. I thank him sincerely for his warm friendship and his time.

So I went back to the hotel, to catch some much needed sleep as I had to get up at 5 am. When I got to the airport, I was greeted by the most awful customs officer which gave me a hard time.

He was asking the basic questions but being 6 am and my first time in north america, I forgot a few things. The conversation as I recalled is as follows:

Customs Officer: What is your business in the US?

Jules: Vacation.

Customs Officer: Is this the first time you’re visting the US?

Jules: yes.

Customs Officer: Can you show me your ticket back to Australia.

Jules: I left it back in San Jose.

Customs Officer : That’s a problem. (types something on computer) I thought you said it was your first time in the states, but you have been to the states before.. as you landed in SF? And why do you say San Jose? I thought you were going to SF?

Jules: Oh! I forgot, yes I did land in SF. So it would be my second time in the states. Is there a problem?

Customs Officer : (condescendingly) You have a problem. I don’t have a problem. Do you have a problem?

Jules: Urm, nope.

Customs Officer: Please take your things to the small room over there and wait to be called.

Jules: okay…..

I wait nervously (hoping that they can’t arrest me for not having a return ticket with me back to Oz.. which funnily I had a digital copy on my iphone which I conveniently forgot) for a few minutes and was called over by another customs officer who asked me two questions and let me go through.

Yeesh, the customs officer was such an arsehole. He thinks he’s saving the world but in fact, he’s just sitting behind a desk, seeing all the happy vacationers going on holiday and he can only sit and be a dick. Sad, though.

So anyway I waited another couple of hours as the flight was delayed back to San Francisco because of the fog. So a two hour trip became a four hour one. I was so glad to touch down and see Jonathan again and leave that one horrible memory to the past and enjoy the rest of my holiday.

San Francisco – Part 1

Union Square

Originally uploaded by Juju | Sydney

Well I was supposed to write when I was on vacation but I was having way too much fun so, I didn’t. So now I will try to regurgitate my memories of my wonderful vacation to North America.

The flight to San Francisco was the longest one I have taken. 13 hours. It felt really long because I could not sleep at all. I was nervous and excited about meeting new friends and going to places I have never been before. I resisted the urge to take the natural sleeping tablets but in hindsight, I should’ve. Next time…

So finally, I landed in San Francisco, California. Going through customs was interesting, as they were taking everyone’s picture and fingerprints. A sad aftermath after 9/11 but necessary. I keep wondering how bored the customs officer must be when he has to keep asking the same inane questions, “What is your business in the United States?”, and “what do you do for work?”. I guess it’s hard to maintain your enthusiasm when you’re sitting in a box with tons of people coming in for holidays all happy and excited.

When I finally got through customs, and walked out the arrival gates, there was Jonathan! We have been speaking for months and it was so fantastic to meet him in person. He said he’d been checking the monitors of incoming passengers to see where I was. I thought, what a great idea to have that in Sydney. But it’s also kind of like parents looking at an ultrasound of the baby they are going to have. Kind of kills the surprise but then, one has the choice of not looking at the monitors.

So Jonathan and I hit it off straightaway, as it was feared on both our parts that our online connection may not translate to real life. Jonathan had the fun task of playing tour guide and keeping me awake when I hadn’t slept in almost 24 hours. The first day, we walked around Union Square, saw bits of downtown San Francisco. We had lunch at a place called Stacks and I had this beautiful eggs dish topped with crab meat. Yum! After that we walked around and took some photos. As hard as it was for me to concentrate on taking photos when I was so dead tired, I managed to see and appreciate the beautiful architecture in San Francisco. I particulary liked the fire escapes that adorn the outside of many a building in SF. And thus, took many photos of them.

After walking for quite a bit, and Jonathan keeping me awake. We went to the hotel only to find the room wasn’t ready at 3 pm like they said it would, so they upgraded me to a better suite. And it was much appreciated. After a long flight and not sleeping, the room, at last, was like heaven to me.

After checking into the room, we went to Castro and had dinner. I had a buffalo wing sandwich , which to be honest, I thought could have been better. I thought I would have been able to keep awake but after dinner, my last bit of energy was giving out, so we took the street car back to the hotel to retire for the night. Next morning, I would be flying off to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada!

The Journey Begins

Well after waiting for three months for this, it’s finally here. My first vacation that isn’t revolved around family or partners.   I have three weeks off and I am going to places that I have never been.  Exciting, I know.  But I have also never travelled that far before. There are a few things left to pack and to buy.  But I am relieved to be leaving the cold of winter and head to the warmth of summer up in the northern hemisphere of the planet.  I will be updating the flickr web site and the blog.  I will update you guys when I am there.  No, except for a few people, you guys have to wait to see where I’ll end up.

Thanks from me.

from me.

Originally uploaded by Juju | Sydney

Well, the reason I am wriiting this blog entry is to thank everyone of my flickr contacts and other web surfers to manage to stumble upon my flickr web site bringing it to a combined number of views of 100,000! So thank you again.

Just an update, I have just recovered (mostly) from a horrendous cold, which basically knocked me out for two days. The first two days, I was achy, feverish and basically NOT HAPPY! And it being winter here in Sydney, did not make it easier. I was amazed on how much I could sleep. Wake up, eat, sleep, repeat…. Also on the second day, the night time cold pills did not seem to take effect and my mind kept repeating Sarah McLachlan songs.
Winter is cool, except when you’re sick. Furthermore, transiting via trains (a veritable petri dish of airborne viruses) and well, going out drinking all night on saturday, did not help. At least I feel better now, so for that I am thankful.

Pride

This last weekend past, was the 40th anniversary of the stonewall riots. Now I have never even heard of the stonewall riots then, probably because I haven’t been born as yet, but the brave gay men and women who decided to fight for equal rights for gay people deserve our thanks.  Being born in Singapore, where anal and oral intercourse is only legal for hetrosexuals (funnily enough) but not for homosexuals? I mean if it’s done between two consenting adults .. if it’s okay for hetrosexuals? Why not homosexuals? It’s amazing how much bigotry and hatred there is … and they don’t see it… They are protecting the family unit.  I am so glad I migrated to Australia, sure it’s not perfect but at least I won’t be breaking the law.

My sibling and inner demons

My sister has gone through quite a bit this past week. Basically she’s been spreading her self very thinly at work, (Working 12 hour days for weeks) and ended up in hospital.  It made me think of what life is about, and how we take things for granted.  Could work be so important that it risks our physical and mental health? What possible rewards will we get if we work ourselves to the point of exhaustion?  What are we trying to prove?

I realised that it was partly due to our upbringing. Mom was tough on us. And she basically didn’t give us affection if we didn’t do well in school.  My mother is human, and it’s been forgiven.  Even though she’s passed on over 20 years ago, those memories affect me… I strive to believe that no one is perfect, least of all me.  And I need to also believe that people imperfect and you love them regardless.  And those negative thoughts that I allow myself to think, well, they do me no justice.. and therefore , I will try to be kind to myself… and everyone.

Possession

Yami no Matsuei – Sarah McLachlan – Possession

Okay, a bit more of a melancholy post. But it’s okay, it’s not going to be forever.

I stumbled on this song recently, and I find that it resonated with my thoughts recently. It’s an interesting song, written from the perspective of an obsessed person. And even though I am NOT obsessed with any particular person, I relate to the verses more than the chorus… Not the first song ever written on obsession… “Every Breath You Take” is a classic example. Lots of people think it’s a love song.. well it is… an extreme one….

The video although not the original Sarah Mclachlan version, seems to suit the song and lyrics…

Flickr Relations

Sunset

Originally uploaded by Juju | Sydney

Flickr has been a real part of my social networking life in the last three years. I cannot remember who introduced me to this photo sharing web site, I think it may be an acquaintance I met way back in singapore, Brian (who now lives in San Francisco) who had put photos up. And I have always had an interest in photography so I thought (probably in 2006 of which I bought my then new ixus ultra compact point and shoot camera), that it would be a good idea to open an account and share photos. I look back at the photos I have taken then and now, and the development of the so-called style Nis Jensen always seem to mention in his very kind comments. Flickr has allowed me to release the creative side of me, since I can’t sing very well.. or draw… but the one thing I haven’t been prepared for was the number of contacts I have made on this photo sharing web site. I have met a boyfriend (even though it has ended), met many new friends and people who actually like my work. Even people (desirable and not so desirable) who are more “interested” in getting to know me. I even received a very flattering letter from a new contact asking for my kind time to review his photographs!?!? I am pretty flattered and a bit shocked at this because photography (in my mind) is about seeing the world through someone else’s perspective. Sure there is technique and all that but all in all, a photograph needs to speak to the viewer. And that is pretty subjective I think. What I may find visually appealing, someone might think is pretty ordinary. So anyway, photography, like cooking, is a matter of taste. And everyone has different tastes and people’s taste evolve. And change is the only constant.

Why am I writing this? Well sometimes in life, one needs to be reminded of the good things in our lives. And lately I am feeling that I need to be reminded. Even though these few weeks I feel like I am working through a lot of things, I hope to see the light at the end of the tunnel soon.