Field Test

On my way back from work, I decided to take couple pictures. Here's what I saw in 10 minutes:











These are all straight from camera (no post-editing, since the camera already edited 'em for me). I love my PEN.

Renee Byer - A mother's journey

This picture is a from a project called "a mother's journey," by Renee Byer.  It won the Pulitzer Prize in 2007, covering a single mom and her son, Derek, during the last stages of his fatal cancer.

If you would like to know more, click on a short video here.

...

This video is tragic yet beautiful - not in aesthetic aspects but because the photograph reveals love in its purest form

New Year's Resolution

I was so busy that I forgot to make new year's resolutions, so I shall make them now.  Instead of making 10 and completing 3 (for a good year), I'll make 3 resolutions and try to accomplish them all.  Here they are:

1.  Be Healthy:  (Both watching what I eat and exercising)

2.  Read 2 books a week:  I only read 20 books last year, so I need to catch up.  Kindle should help a lot since I don't need to spend as much money on books.

In addition to reading 2 books a week, half of these books shall be in English.  If you didn't know already, I read much faster in Korean, so I often procrastinate and 'cheat' by reading 10 short Korean books in December.

3.  Learn another language.  I really want to learn Japanese, but Spanish is the language I ought to be learning.  May be I'll study both.  No, study what you need Fred, Spanish.  No, study what you like, Japanese.  ahhhh.

4.  Expand my vocab.  I have a notebook where I write down words I don't know.  I shall write on and review this daily.

okay that's four, but oh well.

New Camera

I should be ashamed of myself for only posting once a month these days, and for posting only pictures instead of writing, though I think people would much rather see my photographs rather than read what I have to say.

Anyways, I bought a new $600 camera called Olympus PEN.  I've wanted this camera for years, and I finally have it now.  Here are some test pictures (They are really just test pictures.  I was learning how to operate the camera and its limitations. 









Olympus PEN is slightly bigger than a regular point & shoot camera, but it takes DSLR quality pictures, as you can see.  One of my favorite functions of the camera is the in-camera filter, where they automatically edit the photo.  For instance, the above picture has been photoshopped a little bit, but here's how it looked when I took the picture (no edit):



So the picture doesn't really need the extra touch.  This function will save me a whole lot of time since I can concentrate more on taking pictures and not editing them. 

Another function you may have noticed is the 4:3 aspect ratio.  The pictures I posted here have more square feel to it than my normal pics.  I still prefer the 16:9, but it's nice to have options. 

I also took shots of my baby nephew, but I refused to post his pictures on a public webpage. 

Unpublished pictures... (pictures that missed the cut.  why am I posting it then?  I dunno, 'cause I'm sorta drunk)











__________________________________________________________

unpublished writing:  (I really shouldn't be posting this...)

For the first time in about four months, I finally have free time.  I have worked full time, and translated my first book.  It's a real book... not that there are fake books.  It was a bittersweet experience but regardless of my emotions, I hope no one reads it because it's not very good; at least my insecurities think so.  But anyways, now that both school and translating is officially over, I can spend time doing things I like, such as blogging about random topics and taking pictures.

I will first start off by blasting annoying facebook comments.  I have so much to say about facebook, but it irks me to see people "hack" into their friend's accounts and write comments such as "I am gay," or "I like cock."  Simply put, these people are dimwitted posers without an ounce of creativity.

I have always said that you shouldn't make fun of people for things they cannot change.  But honestly, I laugh at racist jokes in private (why is Stevie Wonder always smiling?  'cause he doesn't know that he's black.  har har).  I know it's wrong, but sometimes, I laugh regardless.

Now back to the "I'm gay" comments on facebook.  I'll humor you, and say that I laughed at it the first time (though I didn't).  Heck, let's even say that I laughed the second and third time as well.  But the exact same comment the fifth, the sixth the seventh time?  These people have no shame.  Anonymously making derogatory remarks aren't enough, so they beat a dead horse by copy the exact same immature comment over and over again.  They might as well write, "I'm a douchebag who's too unoriginal and slow-witted to write my own jokes."

So the next time you're feeling abrasive, try not to make fun of socially vulnerable people.  And if you can't resist the temptation, at least be original or at least innovative and tailor your jokes.  For instance, after "hacking" into huburt's account, I'd write something like, "I wish they made choco-pies with marshmallows on the outside because I'm sick of biting my fingers."

... what am I saying?

There are lots of dumb people in the world.  Intelligent people are vastly outnumbered by mediocre people.  That is the nature of the bell curve. 

Sorry for sounding so cynical and highfalutin.  A dumb person ruined by day today.  That person actually ruins my day quite often, but oh well. I pity you dumb person, for being so dumb and ugly.  I don't think you actually ever think.  Instead, you quack - involuntarily, like a duck.

On a side note, (I'm only telling this to bloggers, so you should feel special) I think I will likely be going home this january.  It's a good thing I suppose. 

Seoul

As promised:















































































































































































































It was nice taking pictures again.