Through These Lenses

"The only place I want to get lost in is a book."

2012-02-11T09:46:00.000-08:00

Had a simple outing with the wife to Mid Valley. After lunch, we went to almost all the sportswear store there is in MidValley and Gardens to look for a particular jersey for a particular someone, only to be disappointed. Since he was tired from football training and there wasn't much to do anyway, we decided to just chill in Borders. Yes, for most of it, that's where we were. We just sat by the fiction section and talked. And I personally think that was sufficient, just some spousal bonding time c: Plus, he had a lot of fun poking my fats (I kid you not), and we discovered we have almost the same feet size. LOL..

Oh, and I spent my first RM50 book voucher on two Jodi Picoult books! :) The purchase was subsequently followed by me carelessly leaving my planner on the counter, along with the RM150 worth of vouchers in it -_-

Because the Red Devils beat Liverpool 2-1 that very night :)

Because he just can't be seen in a bookstore.

Intricate

2012-02-09T09:26:00.001-08:00

The greenery around my home is like a haven for cobwebs.

Exhibit A.

Random flower shot!

So yes, decided to have a go at cobweb shots yet again. Not the best, but I think it's a significant improvement from the first time, no? c:

A.B.I

2012-02-06T19:17:00.000-08:00

Headed over to Mont Kiara (probably for the last time in a long time) for John's farewell. All in all, it was a good day. Spent time with the boyfriend (bubble tea and fried carrot cake!!), watched the guys play futsal, and then shishaaaa. Everyone seemed to be in some sort of pain though: Brent had a busted toe, Mason had bruises and wounds from falling, and Brian was T-rexing the whole day because his muscles ached.
In retrospect, I probably shouldn't have wondered off with Brian. The event after all was supposed to be all about John. *feeling bad*

Anyway.

I hope Australia treats you well, John! I admit we don't talk very much but when we do, lets just say it's awesome beyond imagination :) Will definitely miss you!! Shisha when you get back, okay? :D Which is in 10 months time...

Brian should be happy I don't carry a handbag.

John's ink.

Because boys will always be boys.

Boom boom boom

2012-01-24T09:42:00.000-08:00

Still not taking as many pictures as I would like.

Anyway, some firework shots :)

Year of the Dragon

2012-01-22T10:33:00.000-08:00

Happy Chinese New Year to all readers of melographs!

Kaleidoscope 2011

2012-01-17T03:29:00.000-08:00

Super delayed, but I realized I haven't posted them anywhere else online. So why not?

Beautiful weather at Tanjung Malim

2012-01-08T07:48:00.000-08:00

Firstly, happy new year to all my readers!! ☺

Dad decided that we should have dinner at Tanjung Malim today, and I have to say that it was a good call. Also, Tg Malim is only a 20 minutes drive for us, so why not?
A simple dinner, with good food and amazing weather. Just perfection. Well, almost.

My only complain about today stems from my very own carelessness.
You see, I own a Nikon D5000, a Nikon D80 and a Canon IXUS. And being the dumbass that I am, I wasn't bothered to bring even one proper camera out today.
Alas, I had to make do with my Nokia phone camera :c

Being at 2 places at once.

Really, my phone does no justice capturing today's amazing weather :c

Silly Melly, remember to bring your camera out next time!!

Deck The Halls

2011-12-27T21:09:00.000-08:00

It has been ages since I've met up with Cherise, but I can safely say that nothing has changed between us :D Went to her place to help decorate her Christmas tree (my first ever time too!!). We originally planned for a sleepover, but something came up. Ah well, I'll take what I can get :)

We dropped by Curve to grab some Christmas tree ornaments. Took us a while to decide on which ones look best (it's not like we were spoiled with choices seeing how close it was to Christmas), but I think it's safe to say we did a pretty fine job picking them out C:

Before we headed back, we were approached by this woman who introduced herself as a rep from from TV3. She asked if they could record us saying a season greetings message, and we complied C: It only took us a little while, but it was pretty fun nonetheless. It's not often I voluntarily put myself in front of the camera, so yay for new experiences :)
The clip was apparently aired on the 26th this month, but Cherise and I missed it :( Oh well.

Anyway.

We headed back, spent who-knows-how-long decorating the tree, and just caught up with the bestie :)

So apparently, this is Cherise's very aggressive rabbit's doing.

Isn't that the cutest ornament??

And can I just say that the Tan's are one of the nicest families I've met! :')

And how much Marise has grown! She's 11 and she's almost as tall as Cherise and myself :o

BV

2011-12-17T10:07:00.000-08:00

Headed over to Sam's on the 7th to catch up with the bestie (and leech off his internet imeanwhut).

We shared a cab with another passenger to BV, and she commented on our American accent. She's Asian American and was wondering if we were local. I know having an accent is no mentionable feat but I'm just going to revel in this for a little ☺

Anyway. That day was the first ever time I stepped foot into Bangsar Village and I have to say that I fell in love with decor of the restaurants and bistros! So creative and lovely! :)

We had tea at Marmalade. Their chicken pie was rather bland but the mash potato made up for every ounce of the main dish's blandness. I think I'd go back there just for their mash!

Bestie looking good in my glasses B)

Marmalade's menu

Around The Humble Abode

2011-12-16T12:35:00.000-08:00

I have to admit this is a rather dull post. But at least I'm updating, riiiiiight? :3

Below are pictures taken around my house on two separate days (both of which were spurred by my soul-consuming boredom). You will notice that most pictures (six out of the total of nine) are depth of field shots. The reason for this is simply because, well, it's a simple method to make simple things look pretty :D But damn, I really need to get myself a prime, if not macro, lens.

Ah, my cobweb photo. Getting a good cobweb shot (like this one by Lanee) has still yet to be crossed off my to-do list. The only thing I like about mine is the accidental heart-shaped leaf, and that was of no doing of mine.
I can blame my 18-135mm or the lack of good sun-lighting. But alas, the saying goes that the bad carpenter blames his tools. So I shall not blame these factors, but instead, work myself to improve as a photographer! ☺

~~Or I could always decide that I could do without taking a cobweb shot.~~

2011-12-12T13:20:00.000-08:00

If by any chance there are still any readers of this site (though I highly doubt it), I hope you guys have not decide to come to the conclusion that I've abandoned this blog.

I've still got pictures to be uploaded, just not the proper internet to upload it with.
So pretty please bare with me? :)

An Expensive Hobby

2011-11-19T15:43:00.001-08:00

So my mum found two of her old film cameras, an Olympus AZ-330 and a Nikon FM2. I've never thought about getting into film photography (an expensive hobby which I'm too cheap for), but after cleaning the cameras (which is apparently something Brian enjoys watching me do), the photographer in me is dying to at least try them out.

I intend on sending the cameras for repair and getting film after, but I don't see this being a long term investment. Like I said, I'm too much of a kedekut.
It's not the purchase of the film that discourages me, but the actual usage of it. I'd always be too careful about how the film is used, and would be hesitant to "waste" it on candid shots. And I know that is stupid of me because candids are almost always the golden moment. But I just can't help it. And I know this for a fact because my mum's old Fujifilm Instax 200 is not fulfilling its purpose as a camera, thanks to its cautious owner.

Haihh. What to do? :(

No seriously, that is not a rhetorical question. I'm open to suggestions on what I should do with the Nikon and Olympus.

The US of A

2011-11-19T14:34:00.000-08:00

Good airplane food from Thai Airlines :D

Hollywood Walk of Fame

Turkey sandwich! I miss :(


Schmitt Music Mural*

Downtown Minneapolis

Minnesota State Fair

To me, the States is made up mainly of two things: Mouthwatering food (served in HUGE portions) and the friendliest of people! :) But of course I'm just saying that because I didn't get the chance to see the arts :(
As much as I would hate to go through American airports again (LAX was ridonkulous), I need to go to New York at least once ~~a year~~ before I die. Broadway musicals!

*I spotted the mural while in the van going to Target downtown for the first time. We sped past the building and I hadn't acted quick enough to take my camera and snap some pictures. I asked my family if they saw the mural as well, but it turns out they were paying attention elsewhere. I was pretty bummed as I thought I had missed the opportunity to get some shots of the mural. Thank the Gods (Percy Jackson reference), we went to downtown Target again, and the mural was only within walking distance! \(^-^)/ What a sight.
A little background about the mural: Schmitt Music Company (also known as Schmitt's) got it's start in 1890 when Paul A. Schmitt moved to Minneapolis from New York City. He founded Schmitt Music Company in 1926. This building became an unofficial landmark when Robert P. Schmitt (the son of Robert A.) decided to beautify one of the large exposed exterior brick walls.

The pictures above were taken in LA and Minnesota (Hi Marshall!)

Bali

2011-11-18T12:56:00.000-08:00

Garuda Wisnu Kencana

Ulundanu Water Temple

Some pictures I took during my Bali trip in early August this year.

My only complain about this trip was that we were following a tour group that took us only to places which stood for Bali's steeped culture and tradition. That would have been fine, but how many temples can you go to in 4 day? I mean, we visited temples and religious sites a few times each day during our stay there but didn't get our fair share of Bali's vibrant nightlife! And every night when we returned to the hotel I'd be too exhausted to go have a look myself :(
We didn't even get to go to the beaches! :(

Sigh.

Nevertheless, I can't complain much. Bali is such a gorgeous place, especially its architecture! Every corner you turn you'd find yourself staring in amazement at the wonderfully designed buildings, old and new.

Definitely a place I wouldn't mind going to again. I just know better now and if I do go back, it'll probably be with a group of buddies :)

Revisiting Past Works.

2011-11-16T13:44:00.000-08:00

Hi guys! Lanee gave me the great idea of setting up a photoblog, and it's a wonder why I haven't done this years ago!

I've always loved taking pictures. But lately I found myself uninspired and as much as I hate to admit it, my passion for taking pictures has dwindled over time. Don't get me wrong - my love for photography did not falter. It's just that I'm not picking up my camera as often as I did, and it's about time that changed.

So yes, with this photoblog, I hope to rekindle that spark within me that made me the curious shutterbug I once was.

Anyway.

Here are some of my past work which I can safely call decent :)
(If you follow me on flickr, it's nothing that you haven't seen. But I take pride in my work and I like to bring them up whenever I can :B)

Bokeh

KL Lights; Taken at Ampang Lookout Point


Taken during YJC outing 2009

I'm perfectly aware that there's still a lot more I can and should improve on, and I'm willing to learn!
For now, do enjoy! :)

Here's to hoping that I'll never abandon this blog (not soon, at least)! :D