Time In, Time Out

meeboguest299231: goodness.. how do u find time 2 compose music, do photoshoots, work in **, blog n take care of family?

After this friend of mine posted this question on Meebo, I then realised how many tasks I have been undertaking all these while.

The answer is: time management. To help me manage my time is Google Calendar. Just like Gmail, this online calendar colour-codes all my various interests so that I make sure I have time for each activity. Google Calendar even comes with SMS notification which I use as a reminder note at appropriate times, e.g. "6pm Buy groceries". You can share your calendar to anyone with Google account, so people can know your schedule if you so choose to. My only wish is for Google to create an applet for the mobile phone like what they did for Gmail.

You really don't have to manage time to the minute. I always leave lots of room between tasks so that I have time to rest and idle. We all know about the "The Mayonnaise Jar and 2 Cups of Coffee" story. Here's the full article:

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls.

He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous "yes".

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

"Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, " I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.

The golf balls are the important things in life. Your God, your family, your children, your health, your friends, and your favorite passions: things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, and your car.

The sand is everything else: the small stuff.

"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.

Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean house and fix the disposal.

Take care of the golf balls first; the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."

I would rather spend time on my passion and my family than on shopping or clubbing or watching TV or monitoring stocks or gym. My life feels meaningful and complete with these activities.

Different people live different lives, but everyone only has 24 hours per day. Choose your priorities and forgo the rest. Live for your passion and your love, and you will find life happier and worth living for.

Google "Piano Spa"

It's been a long long time since I find out how my album has been doing. So I googled it and found some interesting stuffs:

1. A plastic surgeon in Japan used it in his clinic and he claimed Piano Spa is therapeutic. Link
2. My music manager was being interviewed and he gave lots of mention about me and the Piano Spa series. Link
3. A local blogger lists Piano Spa among other CDs as his music to play when he reads. Link
4. A beauty salon in Japan complimented for its "true-to-the-name" relaxing effects. Link
5. Another blogger's body "started to melt" when he heard Piano Spa 3 while shopping.
6. Singapore Polytechnic library has my album, so if you are are student there, you can borrow it.

If you find other interesting online articles, please share with us by leaving comments.

The Balance is Broken

Angie's mum can no longer take care of Mayenne, for now. Doctors diagnose her as angina, a chest pain that occurs because your heart muscle does not get enough blood.

Right now, we are looking for options to manage the situation. Infant care centre, foreign maid, local nanny. We are still weighing our options.

Suddenly, the new car becomes a valuable tool. For the past 2 days, we have been going to the hospital to visit her mum several times, and bringing Mayenne around to my parent's house for temporary babysit. Sometimes I wonder if it is all pre-destined, or perhaps is it our "punishment" for getting a vehicle and polluting the environment?

Mayenne is almost 5 months. She's looking more and more like me in my infancy. In other words, still not girly-looking yet!

Car Servicing: Episode 1000km

Wow, the car has covered 1000km on wheels in just about a month. So today I took half a day and sent the car for a free servicing.

I have prepared a list of complaints hoping that the service advisor (SA) can do something. Well, it turned out to be non-issues.

First, I mentioned that the engine vibrated around 2000rpm. He said it was a normal engine behaviour, something about the torque.

Then, I asked why the car door require so much effort to shut it. He explained that it was due to the cabin pressure and the excellent rubber seals around the car doors. He then demonstrated opening one of the car doors, and I tried closing again. Indeed, it was effortless.

Then I complained that there was some 'clok clok' sounds from somewhere, as if something lose. Unfortunately, that sound refused to appear. I guess if that sound is a result of something serious, it would recur again some time, some day.

So after a test ride, I got nothing out of the car. In other words, the car is functioning perfectly well. I waited for 2 hours before the servicing is completed. Basically, they checked everything inside out of the car, from the light indicators to engine to wheels. And they washed the car clean as well. That's my favourite part.

A Car Owner's Wishful Thinking

Being a first-time car owner, I finally appreciate all the fuss that my parents used to go through in the morning while at the car. I remember my parents carrying a bottle of water to wet the car and to wipe clean before leaving the car park, and I would sit in the car waiting impatiently for them to get over and done with.

Fast-forward 15 years later, I found myself almost having to do the same thing. Almost, because, I eventually did not.

Unless you park at a sheltered indoor lot, it is impossible to upkeep the car to its tip top condition without allocating time for it. For instance, every morning, you would have to wash the car to remove bird droppings, tree saps, tree flowers, pollen and leaves, condensation, rain watermarks.

So, despite sending the car for paint protection (PPS), you still need to wash the car with at least water. If you don't, no one will guarantee your car will remain shiny. And frankly, I was hoping I wouldn't have to spend more time than I could imagine. But in your heart, no matter how care less you want to spend on your car, how could you bear to ruin such an expensive piece of metal? I was thinking: what if I really don't care about the car, would the paint work be really irreversibly ruined by watermarks, bird droppings, tree saps?

So I guess there is no way to run from the fact. A car, like your house, needs to be maintained, no matter if it's black or white or any other colour.

Took me less than a month to realise that. Not bad.

Sweepstakes hard to Digest

You have to admit, they are darn persistent.

For decades, I have received this elaborate package with stickers and mock-up car keys that requires you to send back in complete order so that you have a chance to win the grand prize.

Well, I guess since they have done this for decades, it must have really worked for them.

Then again, no other organisations do this kind of elaborate act. Do they have copyright on this method?

I mean, they even mock up all the documents and certificates and the scratch-n-win enticement. Who are they trying to kid?

Why not just get straight to the point: sign up Reader's Digest for a chance to win the prize.

OK, fine, if they think not everyone has received this kind of publicity before, so to many, it may look genuine.

Then again, shouldn't Reader's Digest check their database against repeated recipients so that their ploy does not get over-used on one individual?

I probably have received this promotion for more than 20 times. In fact, I received 2 just for
these past 2 months! Aren't they getting desperate.

Rowan Atkinson Live... and Kicking Funny

I enjoyed this clip a lot, and I really mean a lot.

I probably have watched it more than 10 times. Each time, I look at how Rowan executes this skit. You have to agree: comedic acts are far more difficult than serious acting. Because, while you can seek reference in every day life for serious acting, you have to seek that formula that tickles the bones of the every day people.




This video shows how he executes the skit with a straight face. Watch it not for his acting but for the twisted skit and its unexpected ending.

Car Years

Funny, time seems to pass by slower when I own a car.

My car is just reach 3 weeks old today but it felt like a long time. I've went past 800km on the odometer, and soon I can go for my free 1000km servicing. The body has some irremovable battle scars thanks to bird droppings, and I wished I could send the car for another round of re-glossing at Tuff Kote to remove the stains (but costs $60).

Perhaps it's because I spend less time waiting for public transport. Or perhaps I spend more time stuck in traffic jams.

Having the car has advantages. I'll be kidding myself if I think otherwise.

During last Saturday's photoshoot, I did not drive the car because I proposed they take public transport so that I can capture some shots of them. So I took the cab from my house. And I had to wait 15 minutes to get one. When I got in the cab, I chatted with the driver and he said that cab drivers no longer start their shift early because there is no surcharge and most companies implement 5-day work week. So, I thought, getting a car now has been a right decision.

Then that same afternoon, I drove to the Sony Ericsson M600i buyer's house to sell him the phone.

Then on Monday, Angie told me her mum left some groceries at her house, so we drove there after work to pick it up.

Then yesterday, we drove the car after dinner to the MacLaren TechnoXT buyer to sell her the stroller.

Still, I strongly feel that driving to work is unnecessary, because the peak hour traffic and the ERP charges are simply unjustifiable. However, when I saw how bird droppings and fruit saps ruin the car body, I have to think again leaving my car at my car park for long term.

Montage of Love

I enjoy doing photo montages, because through montages and music, I can piece together a story that might not be possible with just a single static photo.

Video or motion picture does not have that problem because you see action and you hear the interaction.

I probably should delve into videography but I hate the idea that you need to edit the footage to make it presentable, whereas a photo can, by itself, be presentable.

When doing montages, I let the music inspire me, taking cues from the verses and choruses. The background songs are always selected by the clients, so I'll never know what I'll be getting. But as long as I (literally) move the images according to the song, I should always get it right, because after all the song is selected by the clients who obviously hold special meaning to them.

In this montage, I purposely timed the chorus to fall on the veiling rituals and later the groom kissing the bride. I also created the black-and-white images on the repeat verse after the first chorus to display some journalistic excitement. I almost often try to end the montage with some romantic images of the couple.

This is the draft first cut. After the couple reviewed it, they requested for changes for aesthetic reasons. But personally I prefer this version.

Busy October

No time to blog. Too many assignments to accomplish. Work at office is also piling up.

Just finished a music arrangement project - 13 songs. Last Sat just did a half day private outdoor shoot. Today did a half day wedding shoot, and spent the rest of the day producing the montage. During any available free time, I have to edit photos from another wedding a week back. And there is also some gadget reviews that I have yet to post (took some product photos also).

And there is Mayenne's photos that I have to edit so that I can post it up here. Here she is, holding her head up with ease lying on her tummy. More to come, once I clear my paid assignments.

Facebook Sells!

I've put a sale post on a mobile phone forum few weeks back to sell my M600i. No reply.

Then early this week, I decided to put on facebook Marketplace. Within an hour, I got 4 genuine offers. For the next few days, I got a handful more.

I'm sold on the facebook hype. Really. I even told my wife to blog on facebook instead of Blogspot since friends will get updates via the facebook profile effectively.

If you want to sell something that appeals to the young, do it on facebook.

This morning, I did a photoshoot with 6 girls. It's the one that got postponed a few weeks back due to the rain. This is the first time I am doing a group shoot project and it is really exciting. We went to their JC, with them all donned in JC uniform. Then went to Raffles Place to capture them in office attire. Then to the Esplanade with convocation gown, and finally to their favourite restaurant for some casual shoots. That practically covers their journey of youth.

Now I am literally toast from the sun. Just hope that my skin doesn't go into some severe reactions.

Every Road Leads to ... Traffic Jams

I wanted to find the fastest way to get back home from the CBD. But after analysing the street directory, it seems impossible to find that perfect route. I reckon there are 10,000 other motorists who thinks like me, and they would have tried and taken what they felt is the 'fastest' route. But when more motorists take that route, it no longer becomes the fastest.

In the end, the most direct way to get back home is, unfortunately, via the ERP-laden CTE.

Won't You Be My Friend - Facebook?

Facebook has become such a phenomenon, a choir actually sang to the tune of "Dream".

Testing Testing Testing (T3) F50fd

I am invited to be a guest blogger on the T3 Magazine Website. Last Monday I went to their office and borrowed the Fujifilm F50fd, which is of interest to me because I owned a F31fd.

So how does F50fd actually fare? I posted the review on the T3 Magazine site, so you can visit there to read about it.

But apparently, the editors snipped a large chunk of my review off the site. The reason? They want to put my review on their November issue of T3 instead! Coolness!

Happy Children's Day, Mayenne!