Hua Hin, Thailand

Hua Hin, company trip, October 23 - 25.

Sunrise...after an hour of waiting and setting up, the long awaited sunrise came and gone within five minutes. This is the only shot I could snapped. By the time I moved my tripod/camera to another location, the dark blue sky with streaks of orange was gone.



Nighttime - view from the resort balcony

Too bad the pool was closed - it would be pretty romantic to swim under the moonlight - even when swimming alone.



The architecture of this resort is really beautiful especially the shadows created by bright sunlight.



Fireworks - our last night so let's have some fun. I don't think fireworks is illegal in Thailand, is it?

Seeking Courage and Thunder Road

I often wonder what it would be like to be able to say things that are on my mind without having to care about other people's feelings. I am often in awe of those people who are able to articulate their thoughts in a well spoken words.

I, however, have come to a conclusion that I lack these qualities: I can't put my thoughts into comprehensible sentences nor am I able to speak my mind freely. As a result, I've ended up agonizing over my incompetence, replaying the same scenes in my mind over and over again.

Once again today I had an opportunity to point out problems, but, instead of blurting them out, I chose the roundabout route, which, in the end came out to nothing. Not only that, but as a result of my indecision, I didn't help anybody.

You can hide 'neath your covers/And study your pain/
Make crosses from your lovers/Throw roses in the rain/Waste your summer praying in vain/For a savior to rise from these streets -- Thunder Road

A Tribute to Old Dogs

Rarely do I cry while reading a newspaper articles or books, but this one just left me sobbing - Gene Weingarten's article about old dogs. The link is here:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/26/AR2008092602860.html

"It's no big deal to love a dog; they make it so easy for you. They find you brilliant, even if you are a witling. You fascinate them, even if you are as dull as a butter knife. They are fond of you, even if you are a genocidal maniac. Hitler loved his dogs, and they loved him." - Gene Weingarten

How true those words are. I grew up with a mixed Lab named Lucky. We picked him up from a pound when he was only six weeks old. I was ten years old. In a way, he and I both grew up together - through my adolescents, his transformation from a puppy to a healthy dog, my graduations and, finally, his entering old age.

Throughout most of his life, Lucky never listened to me. He often ignored me whenever I called, never sit when I told him to, would often slept in my bed, taking up most of the space and in the morning, I would find him chewing on my wallet - having eaten all of my money. In short, he was a dog from hell.

But, as Lucky became older, he became more subdued and, in a sense, more vulnerable. Coincidentally, it was my transition from college to finding my first job. As I waited at home for prospect employer to call while others went to work, I was basically responsible for taking care of Lucky - helping him walk, feeding him, giving him a bath, massaging his arthritic legs and comforting him whenever lightning struck. In turn, he became the first one who I turned to for comfort, complaints, and solace.

Lucky became my best friend.

Seven years later, whenever people asked me, what makes me happiest? Without hesitation, I would say the best moment in my life is sitting on a front porch in the evening with Lucky and my two best friends in early autumn weather. We watched the cars go by, runners jogging and other people walking their dogs. It's always the simplest thing that brings joy to our lives.

I have often said, unashamedly, that I only have three friends in my life: two are humans and one is a dog. That still hasn't changed.

The Villain in My Life

"Surround yourself with only people who are going to lift you higher"

That's not what I've been doing. Lately, I found myself stuck with people who drag me lower and lower until I hit the depth of despair. People come in different shape, size and personality. I'm not naive: I don't expect to meet angels and saints all the time. However, I also didn't expect to meet so many devils.

Villain #1: YOU MAKE MY LIFE A LIVING HELL! (And this is really unfortunate considering that when I'm dead, I might not make it to heaven.) So, because of YOU I will never know what 7th heaven feels like.

It's amazing really - people don't do their jobs properly and the problems begin to snowball - oftentimes right at me. I'm sitting at my desk, minding my own business and KABOOM - the bazooka falls on my head. Of course, the people who started the snowball are nowhere to be found.

I should have signed up for a janitor position since I've been cleaning other people's shit all the time. (no offense to janitors)

Villain #2: Oh, I don't know who is worse: you or #1? Those who has power, but don't use them properly or those who have power, but abuse them absolutely. You remind me of Mr. Arafat: 'He never missed an opportunity to miss an opportunity'.

So, there you have it. The two villains of my life. In my own narcissistic world, you two would be...thump thump thump...(I'm banging my fist on the table). You get the message.

The Joker Steals the Show

Batman da da dah da da... Batman da da dah da da... The opening tune to the TV series Batman should be common to everyone who has lived in the U.S. in the past 20 years.

Out of all the superheroes, I like Batman the most. Why? Well, he IS human just like us. Superman is a Kryptonian, Spiderman is, well, an arachnia while the Hulk is...green. Second, Batman is the penultimate philanthropist.

Out of all the villains, I like Joker the best. Joker has always struck me as evil, chaotic, yet silly person. I mean, remember Jack Nicholson's rendition of the Joker? Who would be scare of that? Ok, until this new version of Batman: The Dark Knight.

The Joker (Heath Ledger) is freakingly freaky. Okay, there's the smiling face except it's a scar and not a red paint (like earlier versions). And then there's the tongue that keeps sticking out like a lizard every time he talks. Creepy...yet sadistically humorous.

Every time he is on screen you feel like covering your face with your hands like you always do in a horror movie. The laugh, the hair, the face and the tongue...and you realize, despite his name, the Joker is hardly the funniest person in the world.

At the end of the movie (and it's a long movie), the scene where the Joker is hanging upside down, laughing away with skyscrapers as backshot...is artistically creepy and beautiful. It shows the difference between our hero and the villain. Batman, his mission accomplished, is grim while the Joker, captured, is having the time of his life.

And as soon as you are out of the movie, you just want to go back in again. Hell, if only HE could scare the living shit out of you again.

On Loneliness

"When you close your doors, and make darkness within, remember never to say that you are alone, for you are not alone; nay, God is within, and your genius is within. And what need have they of light to see what you are doing?"

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Missing my friends very much...

Dreadful Sunday

** This post has nothing to do with Van Gogh -- except for the author's mental state that remotely resembles the great painter **

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It's been one of those days when making a decision on an easy topic is as taxing as solving algorithm problem. So, it's only obvious when facing with a difficult problem, trying to decide the best course to take is just mind goggling.

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On the other hand, I can absolutely say that I hate hospitals, doctors, medications -- anything that has to do with the medical system.

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I should be listening to the voices inside me, that soft whisper coming from the heart. Yeah, I should listen to that. The more I listen to it, the clearer its message will be. It will ultimately lead me towards the right direction.

The smartest thing my doctor has ever said to me.

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Saturday's evening: caught a movie called 'The Counterfeiter', which won the Oscar for best foreign film. The story is about a group of Jewish printers/artists who were forced to make counterfeit money (Pound & Dollar) in a concentration camp. Operation Bernhard it was called - after inspector Bernhard Kruger. The goal at the beginning was to flood the British market with counterfeit money causing inflation, but since the forged money was so perfect, the Nazi decided they would use the money themselves.

I like the movie overall although the movie drags on in the middle especially at the failure to replicate the dollar. This is where the movie tries to explore the ideal of one person against the lives of fellow mates. Is it the right thing to do?

Best phrase from the movie has to be when a young Jewish artist gave a picture to Sally and said 'The Academy didn't like my style of paintings. But, who cares? I like it and it is my painting'.

Well said, mate.