- Never Stop Dreaming -
I attended my first grand Japanese company R&R to close the 2010 fiscal year on 25th Nov. It was indeed an eye opener with over 500 guests from various units gathering for the feast. Since I was a noobie, I really didn't know what to expect but I was indeed looking forward to it.
The time and place had been pre-decided but all staffs had to start the day early in the morning, attending the Company's annual meeting where P&L, visions, goals, sales, etc. were laid out to plan the next stage of actions for 2011. To many others, mostly like 70% of the meeting were irrelevant but for me, though irrelevant, I was there collecting vital info as in free feed.
But it was really not the meeting that mattered...fast forward...and we are back to the Grand R&R.
Most came clad in their finest, or self-presumed finest, pieces of garment to either flatter themselves, deceive others or God knows what ever for. One came in a cheaply made trashy Darth Vadar costume only to reveal a less than normal looking huge tub of walking gluttony. Once again I found myself indulging in the observation of the various fashion parade since there was nothing else better to do than wait for the buffet on both side of the hall to start. Then a very nice colleague drop me an extremely vital piece of advice...
When the signal for the feast flashed, I witnessed the most awesome albeit gruesome army of zombies rushing for the food. Like a scene outta the latest Jovovich Resident Evil Movie, the prettiest, smartest, ugliest, youngest, oldest, fattest, slimest, etc zombies raced across the massive football sized hall for the tiny pieces of pathetic low quality fare in hordes and more hordes and more hordes. I wished I had brought my camera but then again there was the risk of losing it in the hordes of sewer filth. Never in my life had I been able to witness how scary and disgusting zombies were when they all came so well dressed initially. It was indeed a sick sight that I would never be able to forget for the rest of my living existence. I have come to respect the fact that I will never be able to look at the same people that showed the power of gluttony straight in my face.
Then in a blinking of an eye, everything was once again calm but the sad remaining humans were left with nothing but empty trays of gravy. It was these people that showed me hope since the remaining survivors were gracious to share whatever was remaining though meager and among them, the CEO of the company.
I respect the man in every way I can both in a good way and in a bad way. Good because he had established a global brand where his elders had left behind, which was nothing more than a local store initially. Bad because he had failed to recognize how rotten the inner core was. Talents were hired and then robbed of their skills and then fired...much like Electronic Arts way of swallowing up various developers and then exterminating them and then releasing shitty crap.
As for me...we shall see...
Meanwhile, while I get over all these nightmares, I am once again back to gaming on my lovely white PSP while waiting for the new snowboarding season to start.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Friday, November 26, 2010
The Awakening of The Sleeping Monster
- Never Stop Dreaming -
In my many short lived years of existence, not that I had many long ones, seldom have I seen a grown man, a family man, a father, a mentor and a skilled professional sank so low in spirits. So here is my version of the story...
He used to be a mechanic tuning, testing and repairing the famed Mazda RX-7 and that was years years years back. Somehow with no professional training, he found himself carving a very different niche as a wedding photographer. From the full manual film days, to digital film cameras to the modern day Digital SLR...he has indeed came a long way. He dedicated a full 10 years of his youth, often neglecting his family who happens to live quite some distance away, to pave way for a new level of wedding photography for the current company. He set the limits and raised the bars, brought the company to a whole new level. 10 years of blood and sweat and the numerous times he ate into his own character and compromised on his well being all for the company.
Then one fine day, not too long ago, the newly appointed Boss with not much experience, all words and no action decided to replace this fine professional because he was too good. Though the actual reasons were vague, it seems that this 10 years of effort for the company vanished in just that split second the Boss made the final decision.
Now he walks into the company each day lifeless and empty like a fresh zombie outta Left 4 Dead...
That is what everyone wants or rather, deceptively conceived to believe because something huge is brewing underground. Something so huge it will probably change history in the future...
And I am more than glad to be able to pen this awesome story... ;)
Paths are walked by people but those who made it will always be remembered.
In my many short lived years of existence, not that I had many long ones, seldom have I seen a grown man, a family man, a father, a mentor and a skilled professional sank so low in spirits. So here is my version of the story...
He used to be a mechanic tuning, testing and repairing the famed Mazda RX-7 and that was years years years back. Somehow with no professional training, he found himself carving a very different niche as a wedding photographer. From the full manual film days, to digital film cameras to the modern day Digital SLR...he has indeed came a long way. He dedicated a full 10 years of his youth, often neglecting his family who happens to live quite some distance away, to pave way for a new level of wedding photography for the current company. He set the limits and raised the bars, brought the company to a whole new level. 10 years of blood and sweat and the numerous times he ate into his own character and compromised on his well being all for the company.
Then one fine day, not too long ago, the newly appointed Boss with not much experience, all words and no action decided to replace this fine professional because he was too good. Though the actual reasons were vague, it seems that this 10 years of effort for the company vanished in just that split second the Boss made the final decision.
Now he walks into the company each day lifeless and empty like a fresh zombie outta Left 4 Dead...
That is what everyone wants or rather, deceptively conceived to believe because something huge is brewing underground. Something so huge it will probably change history in the future...
And I am more than glad to be able to pen this awesome story... ;)
Paths are walked by people but those who made it will always be remembered.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Embrace the cold winter with warmth
- Never Stop Dreaming -
This year, I will possibly have the best winter and Christmas which would be only in my wildest dreams until that very day when I decided to walk on thin ice sheet. I am a modern day adventurer, an explorer and risks are just some appetizers that add flavor to my daily meals. If I hadn't set out this journey decades back, if I didn't have the courage to gamble everything I had, if I didn't take the leap of faith, I really wouldn't be here today. And so on this day, I will give myself a little pat on my shoulder and say to myself in the mirror, "Well done lad, you've indeed come a long brave journey littered with uncertainties. But this is only the beginning to a whole new chapter so go forth and seek your destiny..."
Like I had said a million times before, I have found very capable people along the way but many succumbed to sloth, one of the 7 deadly sins which left me conquering this journey alone till the very end. In the very end, my perseverence paid off and now I will enjoy my first warm fruits of my hard labour for my 4th winter. No more cold piercing me, no more restless nights and no more dead silence...I have found warmth, feeling the tenderness in the days ahead. The missing pieces are found and I am standing on a solid infrastructure looking up and looking good, like I had always been. Dreaming was only the first simple step while realizing my dream was another easy second step...holding on and not yielding, embracing the elements, healing wounds and living a life of lies till the very end requires immerse patience, mental strength and lots of energy. I didn't give up against all odds and now I will be rewarded.
Christmas, hopefully a white white one like the one I had always dreamt about seems within my grasp this year and receiving those lovely "Love Bentos" was actually more heart warming in reality than in the TV dramas or dreams. A good way to conclude this wonderful year with so much more to look forward to.
This year, I will possibly have the best winter and Christmas which would be only in my wildest dreams until that very day when I decided to walk on thin ice sheet. I am a modern day adventurer, an explorer and risks are just some appetizers that add flavor to my daily meals. If I hadn't set out this journey decades back, if I didn't have the courage to gamble everything I had, if I didn't take the leap of faith, I really wouldn't be here today. And so on this day, I will give myself a little pat on my shoulder and say to myself in the mirror, "Well done lad, you've indeed come a long brave journey littered with uncertainties. But this is only the beginning to a whole new chapter so go forth and seek your destiny..."
Like I had said a million times before, I have found very capable people along the way but many succumbed to sloth, one of the 7 deadly sins which left me conquering this journey alone till the very end. In the very end, my perseverence paid off and now I will enjoy my first warm fruits of my hard labour for my 4th winter. No more cold piercing me, no more restless nights and no more dead silence...I have found warmth, feeling the tenderness in the days ahead. The missing pieces are found and I am standing on a solid infrastructure looking up and looking good, like I had always been. Dreaming was only the first simple step while realizing my dream was another easy second step...holding on and not yielding, embracing the elements, healing wounds and living a life of lies till the very end requires immerse patience, mental strength and lots of energy. I didn't give up against all odds and now I will be rewarded.
Christmas, hopefully a white white one like the one I had always dreamt about seems within my grasp this year and receiving those lovely "Love Bentos" was actually more heart warming in reality than in the TV dramas or dreams. A good way to conclude this wonderful year with so much more to look forward to.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Recognition
- Never Stop Dreaming -
Haven't been on skype for ages...haven't been in contact with my family as well. I used to come home eager to go on skype almost every night for a very specific reason which had ceased quite a while ago when a huge shift, paramount to a platonic plate shift occured. Instead, I strengthened myself in every way possible to prepare for the end to come because my unique instinct had never failed me. True and never far from reality, the end did came as I had expected but still I felt nostalgic each time I closed my eyes and envision the past.
Yes I have been really really busy because October happen to be the most hectic month. Late and unexpected changes had brought me thru quite an emotional turmoil, rollercoaster ride both work and off work. But in the bleak of all these unfortunate nightmares, I found my light of hope and I am seriously living the good life now.
On my off days, I travel to some of the most exotic part of Japan because I, for once, wait...or rather twice, have been accepted into the local society. This not only pave way for much more beautiful journeys ahead, it simply seals the promise which I had made since the time of the origin. I had dedicated all these time, energy and effort with only one sole purpose and now I am not very far from it...I can feel it running thru my veins, being absorbed into my soul.
Now for the main CHEESE!
Japan is known to be the fashion capital of Asia and though there are many interesting fashionistas around, sadly being here long enuff, I came to realize that I only appreaciated a small percentage of the entire fashion scene. The rest are just simply, SHIT. Then comes the rural part of Japan where fashion are like kids's uniforms. Lots of color variation but still the same stale style that every Japanese guy would try to pull off. Nothing productive, nothing creative but just dust being shoved around. Somehow the female fashion scene seems to attract me so much more because the various combination are simply infinite. And along all these prologue, a very special someone who have been recognised by all around me to be a one very top ranked fashionista seems to take a liking into my fashion sense. Now I am not marketing myself in anyway but hey, a top ranked figure gave me recognition...that's not something that would come by everyday. All these coming from a Japanese who had me flouting my wings of pride against all other Japanese.
I had always believed that we wear clothes and not the other way around and though I am not really a huge fan of suits, I have to wear it time and again to fit the situation or against my will. But you see a suit is very much like a exterior armor and every one who wears a suit somehow in one way or another will look decent. When you see them in the usual non-suit fashion, this is where the difference will be clearly set. My skater, semi-formal and military-fetish style had become an inspiration to this particular someone. And so I am not only proud but deeply honored to introduced genuine mil-spec, cheap (or uber expensive) military stuffs to give those usual branded stuffs a run for their money. Well, my other motive is the gratification of a military chic fashion...
Given the current strength of the soaring Japanese Yen, I can only see myself doing more online shopping thru ebay, google, etc for stuffs that will last 10 years or more (MIL SPEC stuffs).
In a seperate post, I will introduce possibly with vid of the 85501.
And to seal it all, it was snowing this morning...winter is, well, almost here...so enjoy your wet, dirty heat while I freeze myself in this white wonderland!
Haven't been on skype for ages...haven't been in contact with my family as well. I used to come home eager to go on skype almost every night for a very specific reason which had ceased quite a while ago when a huge shift, paramount to a platonic plate shift occured. Instead, I strengthened myself in every way possible to prepare for the end to come because my unique instinct had never failed me. True and never far from reality, the end did came as I had expected but still I felt nostalgic each time I closed my eyes and envision the past.
Yes I have been really really busy because October happen to be the most hectic month. Late and unexpected changes had brought me thru quite an emotional turmoil, rollercoaster ride both work and off work. But in the bleak of all these unfortunate nightmares, I found my light of hope and I am seriously living the good life now.
On my off days, I travel to some of the most exotic part of Japan because I, for once, wait...or rather twice, have been accepted into the local society. This not only pave way for much more beautiful journeys ahead, it simply seals the promise which I had made since the time of the origin. I had dedicated all these time, energy and effort with only one sole purpose and now I am not very far from it...I can feel it running thru my veins, being absorbed into my soul.
Now for the main CHEESE!
Japan is known to be the fashion capital of Asia and though there are many interesting fashionistas around, sadly being here long enuff, I came to realize that I only appreaciated a small percentage of the entire fashion scene. The rest are just simply, SHIT. Then comes the rural part of Japan where fashion are like kids's uniforms. Lots of color variation but still the same stale style that every Japanese guy would try to pull off. Nothing productive, nothing creative but just dust being shoved around. Somehow the female fashion scene seems to attract me so much more because the various combination are simply infinite. And along all these prologue, a very special someone who have been recognised by all around me to be a one very top ranked fashionista seems to take a liking into my fashion sense. Now I am not marketing myself in anyway but hey, a top ranked figure gave me recognition...that's not something that would come by everyday. All these coming from a Japanese who had me flouting my wings of pride against all other Japanese.
I had always believed that we wear clothes and not the other way around and though I am not really a huge fan of suits, I have to wear it time and again to fit the situation or against my will. But you see a suit is very much like a exterior armor and every one who wears a suit somehow in one way or another will look decent. When you see them in the usual non-suit fashion, this is where the difference will be clearly set. My skater, semi-formal and military-fetish style had become an inspiration to this particular someone. And so I am not only proud but deeply honored to introduced genuine mil-spec, cheap (or uber expensive) military stuffs to give those usual branded stuffs a run for their money. Well, my other motive is the gratification of a military chic fashion...
Given the current strength of the soaring Japanese Yen, I can only see myself doing more online shopping thru ebay, google, etc for stuffs that will last 10 years or more (MIL SPEC stuffs).
In a seperate post, I will introduce possibly with vid of the 85501.
And to seal it all, it was snowing this morning...winter is, well, almost here...so enjoy your wet, dirty heat while I freeze myself in this white wonderland!
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Slow controlled breathing in decreasing temperatures
- Never Stop Dreaming -
Though the soft rays of the morning sun greet me every morning thru the fluffy clouds or thick morning fog, I am still very reluctant to let any of the summer heat stage a come back. Instead I choose to pray hard that this constant cooling temperature will stay for a will and decline steadily in time to come for the winter. And late last night I tried to regulate my breathing by inhaling deep controlled breaths thru my nose and exhaling them slowly thru my mouth which I found to be a really good exercise to ease the mind and soul, inducing a deep state of sub consciousness that will eventually lead to a good night of rest.
The reason why I was subjecting myself to this therapeutic experience was simple, I am getting really really worn out by making conclusions from viewing blissful pictures which offer nothing but complete silence that leaves my imagination running wild. Then there is the possibility of me getting blame for jumping to conclusions where there weren't even any clues, hints or information given to me. In the midst of all the confusion, I really find it hard to comprehend how I am liable when all I got was cold silent photos only to have my conclusions judged. I may be a perfectionist with dreams and lots of vibrant energy but then there are times when I have say, "This is it!" like Michael. Saying A and doing B makes absolutely no sense to me but combining everything with utter silence just pretty much sums up this annoying guessing game where my answers will always turn out to be wrong. Pfft, all that smiling, fun seems all so genuine but only an idiot would believe that it was all just a staged show. If there are answers to be told, I will listen but I seek no more answers because I could never ever see unless told what to see. Silence and ignorance will lead to many different endings so unless you wished for a specific ending, SPEAK UP! but oh well, I believe what I see and not what I hear so really, don't try so hard.
Now that I have decided to close this past colorful chapter despite leaving all the missing clues unsolved, I can safely say that the new chapter will have so much more to look forward to than tiring myself out crashing into a dead lead one after another. Harsh it may seem but necessary is deem. I just cannot see myself going on trying to believe what I think are just a whole bunch of lies beautifully if not artistically crafted into the pictures. Of course I am not jumping mad and lashing out destructive mayhem but my conclusion is that I am more than happy to see, more than glad to believe and more than everything to respect, to cherish and to congratulate, for it will be something that I could never have done, someone who I could never have been and a dream that could never come true. Quite possibly one of the most beautiful and unique journey that I could never forget because of the rich characters, giggles, warmth and distance ever shared.
Really, thks for all the memories, tears, joy, sarcasm, and so much so much more that made me the very character I am today.
Though the soft rays of the morning sun greet me every morning thru the fluffy clouds or thick morning fog, I am still very reluctant to let any of the summer heat stage a come back. Instead I choose to pray hard that this constant cooling temperature will stay for a will and decline steadily in time to come for the winter. And late last night I tried to regulate my breathing by inhaling deep controlled breaths thru my nose and exhaling them slowly thru my mouth which I found to be a really good exercise to ease the mind and soul, inducing a deep state of sub consciousness that will eventually lead to a good night of rest.
The reason why I was subjecting myself to this therapeutic experience was simple, I am getting really really worn out by making conclusions from viewing blissful pictures which offer nothing but complete silence that leaves my imagination running wild. Then there is the possibility of me getting blame for jumping to conclusions where there weren't even any clues, hints or information given to me. In the midst of all the confusion, I really find it hard to comprehend how I am liable when all I got was cold silent photos only to have my conclusions judged. I may be a perfectionist with dreams and lots of vibrant energy but then there are times when I have say, "This is it!" like Michael. Saying A and doing B makes absolutely no sense to me but combining everything with utter silence just pretty much sums up this annoying guessing game where my answers will always turn out to be wrong. Pfft, all that smiling, fun seems all so genuine but only an idiot would believe that it was all just a staged show. If there are answers to be told, I will listen but I seek no more answers because I could never ever see unless told what to see. Silence and ignorance will lead to many different endings so unless you wished for a specific ending, SPEAK UP! but oh well, I believe what I see and not what I hear so really, don't try so hard.
Now that I have decided to close this past colorful chapter despite leaving all the missing clues unsolved, I can safely say that the new chapter will have so much more to look forward to than tiring myself out crashing into a dead lead one after another. Harsh it may seem but necessary is deem. I just cannot see myself going on trying to believe what I think are just a whole bunch of lies beautifully if not artistically crafted into the pictures. Of course I am not jumping mad and lashing out destructive mayhem but my conclusion is that I am more than happy to see, more than glad to believe and more than everything to respect, to cherish and to congratulate, for it will be something that I could never have done, someone who I could never have been and a dream that could never come true. Quite possibly one of the most beautiful and unique journey that I could never forget because of the rich characters, giggles, warmth and distance ever shared.
Really, thks for all the memories, tears, joy, sarcasm, and so much so much more that made me the very character I am today.
Monday, October 11, 2010
The Binary Day is the 1st day of a new chapter
- Never Stop Dreaming -
Kicked started the day with an amazing all foggy morning cruising in sub temperate temperatures hovering below 20 degrees. Had every reason to go thru this long but maybe eventful day. Here in Japan, this auspicious date so happened to clash with the "大安(Tai An)", which was very auspicious to the Japanese as well. And so I had already anticipated a hard day at work with hopes of meeting nice couples.
Being randomly assigned according to the schedule by not so nice bastards, I, along with many other underpaid, unfortunate staffs had no idea what kind of client we would get till the actual day minutes before the magic happens. Fate and lots of luck was of paramount importance here to turn an otherwise shitty day to a magical carpet ride!
I had 4 shoots which I nailed 2 because the couples were over the top, as for the other 2, it was the usual no-brainer-just-do-according-to-what-you-have-been-trained-for routine. Of the 2 good ones, one was a Dragon Quest Theme and the other was just damn bloody enjoyable because the couples enjoyed my foreign ancestry.
Work aside, this day also marks a new chapter that was sealed in a promise made days back and I had every nano bits to begin this journey. The cold winters will be a part of history from this day on...
And here is one I sneaked off work :)
Kicked started the day with an amazing all foggy morning cruising in sub temperate temperatures hovering below 20 degrees. Had every reason to go thru this long but maybe eventful day. Here in Japan, this auspicious date so happened to clash with the "大安(Tai An)", which was very auspicious to the Japanese as well. And so I had already anticipated a hard day at work with hopes of meeting nice couples.
Being randomly assigned according to the schedule by not so nice bastards, I, along with many other underpaid, unfortunate staffs had no idea what kind of client we would get till the actual day minutes before the magic happens. Fate and lots of luck was of paramount importance here to turn an otherwise shitty day to a magical carpet ride!
I had 4 shoots which I nailed 2 because the couples were over the top, as for the other 2, it was the usual no-brainer-just-do-according-to-what-you-have-been-trained-for routine. Of the 2 good ones, one was a Dragon Quest Theme and the other was just damn bloody enjoyable because the couples enjoyed my foreign ancestry.
Work aside, this day also marks a new chapter that was sealed in a promise made days back and I had every nano bits to begin this journey. The cold winters will be a part of history from this day on...
And here is one I sneaked off work :)
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Dedicated to my colleague Tae
- Never Stop Dreaming -
Here is a short vid I made for my colleague Tae with stills from Fuji Neopan Acros 400 and some other digital processed ones. Congrats...
I am currently offering freelance Pre Wedding Photoshoots in Japan as well :)
Here is a short vid I made for my colleague Tae with stills from Fuji Neopan Acros 400 and some other digital processed ones. Congrats...
I am currently offering freelance Pre Wedding Photoshoots in Japan as well :)
Friday, October 8, 2010
Of low resistence
- Never Stop Dreaming -
Submitted to fatigue and fell ill a couple of days back when I shivered in cold thru the night and went to work the next day. Pale like a walking day corpse, I was urged to take half a day off when I puked out the morning's semi-digested fluids before hitting the Doc's room. Navigated safely home using my Jedi Powers, loaded up with Doc's prescriptions and slept for an uninterupted 24 odd hours before waking up. With my head spinning hard like a record, I went into a psychedelic state of trance and went back to sleep before arriving at yesterday's morning.
Went to work and did "light duties" aka SAF style and pulled thru the day alive...and in the night, rekindled with her. Had a simple dinner because she too was barely alive after moving from Tokyo to Hokkaido and then back here. With ample rest and my immunity level recharged to a stable 70%, I should be ready for the hectic weeks to come with much more to look forward to.
Submitted to fatigue and fell ill a couple of days back when I shivered in cold thru the night and went to work the next day. Pale like a walking day corpse, I was urged to take half a day off when I puked out the morning's semi-digested fluids before hitting the Doc's room. Navigated safely home using my Jedi Powers, loaded up with Doc's prescriptions and slept for an uninterupted 24 odd hours before waking up. With my head spinning hard like a record, I went into a psychedelic state of trance and went back to sleep before arriving at yesterday's morning.
Went to work and did "light duties" aka SAF style and pulled thru the day alive...and in the night, rekindled with her. Had a simple dinner because she too was barely alive after moving from Tokyo to Hokkaido and then back here. With ample rest and my immunity level recharged to a stable 70%, I should be ready for the hectic weeks to come with much more to look forward to.
The dawn of a new era
- Never Stop Dreaming -
Being away for sometime, I found that I do owe my blog some sort of apology for neglecting the timely update of new and relevant information. However if I may add, my 24 hours a day are not very well spaced out or utilized and in the end, I simply cave in to my infinite non-exhaustive list of reasons for not doing so. Work may have been really busy but I am simply in for the money only so not much to update as well unless the daily routine boring shits that I dished out tickles your interests. My passion, the raging creative juice when I first got started, somehow had died along the way when I am forced to conform to their sub standard levels knowing very well that my talent will never be recognised.
Work aside, I spent most of my free time sleeping, watching ridiculous episodes of South Park, the occasional catch up(s) on MSN with some of my best friends or just crashing wedding parties. All in all on most off days, I am just too wear out with fatigue to do anything else that requires me to move away from my bed. Amidst all these super facial routines, something huge and definitely much more serious than skin deep is brewing, hot from the oven! Indeed even I myself am very reluctant to spill anything about it which explains why no one heard anything...let's just say that I am giving myself a shot to end those cold, lonely winter nights and all is looking good at the moment.
Sipping on a hot cuppa of freshly brewed coffee on a chilly autumn morning, I recalled how it all started...with that infamous scene of her staring at the rain while I stole glimpses of her thru the reflection on the window glass.
That is it for now while I leave your hungry hearts for the devil to fester and grow.
10.4 had confirmation of the hunter being hunted.
Being away for sometime, I found that I do owe my blog some sort of apology for neglecting the timely update of new and relevant information. However if I may add, my 24 hours a day are not very well spaced out or utilized and in the end, I simply cave in to my infinite non-exhaustive list of reasons for not doing so. Work may have been really busy but I am simply in for the money only so not much to update as well unless the daily routine boring shits that I dished out tickles your interests. My passion, the raging creative juice when I first got started, somehow had died along the way when I am forced to conform to their sub standard levels knowing very well that my talent will never be recognised.
Work aside, I spent most of my free time sleeping, watching ridiculous episodes of South Park, the occasional catch up(s) on MSN with some of my best friends or just crashing wedding parties. All in all on most off days, I am just too wear out with fatigue to do anything else that requires me to move away from my bed. Amidst all these super facial routines, something huge and definitely much more serious than skin deep is brewing, hot from the oven! Indeed even I myself am very reluctant to spill anything about it which explains why no one heard anything...let's just say that I am giving myself a shot to end those cold, lonely winter nights and all is looking good at the moment.
Sipping on a hot cuppa of freshly brewed coffee on a chilly autumn morning, I recalled how it all started...with that infamous scene of her staring at the rain while I stole glimpses of her thru the reflection on the window glass.
That is it for now while I leave your hungry hearts for the devil to fester and grow.
10.4 had confirmation of the hunter being hunted.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Lucky strikes, no I am not referring to tobacco!
- Never Stop Dreaming -
After auditioning my Westone UM3X which I bought while I was in SG for about 3 weeks, I found the sound coming outta the right IEM to be very slightly soft as compared to the left IEM, probably about 2 ~ 5% while listening to various music in a completely quiet room in the middle of the night when I can hear myself breathing. Though it was only very slight, or maybe it might have been my right ear having problems but nonetheless, it was just that little bit of discerning that got me send an email to Westone requesting their professional advise. They offered a full exchange of the product completely free of charge but since I had bought this amazing and very expensive high end IEM in SG, and had since returned to Japan. Wasn't an issue with the amazing guys at Westone who referred my case to the Japanese since and had a brand new factory sealed set sent to my doorstep after I dropped them my USED ones! Amazing service I would say...no hassle not much questions asked...
Then I went online to buy a pair of tactical pants after doing some critical research before I settled on the 5.11 Taclite Pro Pant in coyote. They had a free TDU belt promotion sometime back for a limited period of time and I thought that was like way ages ago. Ordered the pant and was hesitant about buying a TDU belt and thank GOD I didn't order the belt because the 5.11 Taclite Pro Pant came with the belt...nice! Many raving reviews can be found in Youtube and on the net itself so go get a cheap affordable pair while stock last. The TDU belt is built like a tank with non metallic materials so you can pass thru airport securities without removing your belt. Thick and insanely tough but yet soft and flexible except the tip which is hardened to allow smooth access thru the heavy duty bomb proof plastic buckle and belt loops. It is also strong enuff to hold up all your tactical gear like pouches, cuffs and gun holsters.
The pant is constructed of rip-stop material consisting of 65% polyester and 35% cotton which is ideal for the hot summer. Man I really need to ditch my jeans in the washer soon...The 5.11 Taclite Pro Pant is relatively light and has enuff pockets to hold lots of stuff like a regular cargo pant. It's also compatible with tactical knee pad inserts and has loop holes at the bottom for draw strings. The pant comes factory treated with Teflon for some waterproof, stains and wind protection but only time will tell if they really work. Overall it's a super value-for-money tactical cargo pant that is both discreet and simple for all the rugged outdoors.
Next on my line up would be an upgrade of insoles from Superfeet for my desert boots.
After auditioning my Westone UM3X which I bought while I was in SG for about 3 weeks, I found the sound coming outta the right IEM to be very slightly soft as compared to the left IEM, probably about 2 ~ 5% while listening to various music in a completely quiet room in the middle of the night when I can hear myself breathing. Though it was only very slight, or maybe it might have been my right ear having problems but nonetheless, it was just that little bit of discerning that got me send an email to Westone requesting their professional advise. They offered a full exchange of the product completely free of charge but since I had bought this amazing and very expensive high end IEM in SG, and had since returned to Japan. Wasn't an issue with the amazing guys at Westone who referred my case to the Japanese since and had a brand new factory sealed set sent to my doorstep after I dropped them my USED ones! Amazing service I would say...no hassle not much questions asked...
Then I went online to buy a pair of tactical pants after doing some critical research before I settled on the 5.11 Taclite Pro Pant in coyote. They had a free TDU belt promotion sometime back for a limited period of time and I thought that was like way ages ago. Ordered the pant and was hesitant about buying a TDU belt and thank GOD I didn't order the belt because the 5.11 Taclite Pro Pant came with the belt...nice! Many raving reviews can be found in Youtube and on the net itself so go get a cheap affordable pair while stock last. The TDU belt is built like a tank with non metallic materials so you can pass thru airport securities without removing your belt. Thick and insanely tough but yet soft and flexible except the tip which is hardened to allow smooth access thru the heavy duty bomb proof plastic buckle and belt loops. It is also strong enuff to hold up all your tactical gear like pouches, cuffs and gun holsters.
The pant is constructed of rip-stop material consisting of 65% polyester and 35% cotton which is ideal for the hot summer. Man I really need to ditch my jeans in the washer soon...The 5.11 Taclite Pro Pant is relatively light and has enuff pockets to hold lots of stuff like a regular cargo pant. It's also compatible with tactical knee pad inserts and has loop holes at the bottom for draw strings. The pant comes factory treated with Teflon for some waterproof, stains and wind protection but only time will tell if they really work. Overall it's a super value-for-money tactical cargo pant that is both discreet and simple for all the rugged outdoors.
Next on my line up would be an upgrade of insoles from Superfeet for my desert boots.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
The RIG...is up finally
- Never Stop Dreaming -
Music has become an integral part of my life and has defined logical explanations for the emotional turmoils that I suffer from time to time. Simply, music colors my life in every way you could never have imagine. In the end, I can only conclude that I cannot live without music because without it, I am as good as a walking zombie left for dead.
Then comes Sound which cannot be defined by numbers or formulas. Sound is subjective to every individuals' ears which had me set out to discover the best sound since there can never be the perfect sound. I was looking for an affordable portable music rig since a home theatre system would run me into years of debt. Unfortunately I live no where near the nearest Giant Mega Electronic store like Yodobashi or Bic Camera so there was no where I could audition anything. Instead I spent sleepless nights reading online reviews from both professionals and amateurs to make my own judgement. Being relatively new to this expensive audiophile circle, I found myself struggling to understand the jargons involved.
After months of online research, I decided to pair my Ipod Touch 1st Gen to a headphone amplifier to drive a higher impedance In Ear Monitors (IEMs) which I was still scouting at that time. The Portable Rig would simply consist of my Ipod Touch (my primary player), a portable headphone amp, an IEM and a line out dock to feed the source from the Ipod straight into the amp. The reason is for the source to travel unfiltered and un-amp from the Ipod straight into the amp and then to the IEMs. Of course if gatbage is put into the amp, more audible garbage will be pushed outta the amp but I wasn't ready for large LOSSLESS CD quality WAV files. A decent 128 bit mp3 was more than enuff for me at the moment.
The Amp - Headamp Pico with DAC
I had narrowed my search down from about 5 and finally decided on the Headamp Pico (w/ DAC) for the amp. Though this was an already 2 year old amp since the first launch but still today, this tiny but mighty monster amp is making headlines all over for being the BEST DAC amp of it's class. The newer and wafer thin version dubbed PICO SLIM is also out but I still prefer the beefier older brother, the Original Pico. There was also a cheaper version of the Pico without the DAC but I wanted the DAC so that I can use it with the Macbook when I am at home.
The amp was really tiny when I opened it the package from Justin...I thought Justin had sent me a toy by mistake. Tested it out for a few days before I flew back to SG. The amp by itself was pretty good but when USB-ed to the Macbook, the Wolfson 24-bit chip DAC makes music outta Itunes sounded like pure nirvana. Now I knew what I had been missing out all these years...
There is however one major gripe about Headamp Products is that they are all MADE IN THE USA by 1 MAN, Justin so expect to wait for anything between 1 to 6 months after parting with you moo neh to the date the product arrives. Patience is the key here since Headamp Products are known to be of superior workmanship and quality.
The IEM - Westone UM3X (with removable cables)
I hadn't settled for any particular IEMs before I fly back toSG and was still using my Technics DJ cans for head-throbbing trance, house tunes and the occasional Audio Technica CK32 for pop and other slow tunes. I was leaning towards Westones and Ultimate Ears after going thru the same sleepless nights reading up on these IEMs. Though there were really too many choices to choose from, and going CUSTOMs were outta my budget, I knew I wanted an all rounder IEM to dish out decency for every genre. On the day before I flew back to SG, went down to Akiba's Yodobashi to audition the Westone 3, UM3X, Audio Technica(s) the UEs. Despite the fact that Japan pretty much have a reputation for quality service, the few blokes that served me at Akiba's Yodobashi weren't anywhere close to that rumored fame. Instead, I got the "You are fucking wasting my time" attitude...! Yeah I know these are expensive IEMs locked up in that clear jewel glass display but like I cared! I took my time and audition them, the Westone 3 and the UM3X for a good 5 minutes before handling back to the staffs with a much disgusted look. No way I would pay for such shits...
Though the Westone 3 was my first choice, I found the bass too strong and the treble too piercing for my taste after flowing some tunes thru my Ipod Touch + Pico combination. I did like the all black design and it really took me a while to figure out the red design on the IEM which looked like some sort of alien symbol. The UM3X had a better soundstage, clarity and sounded more neutral. This makes listening to different genres of music for long hours less fatigue and strenuous for my lovely ears. The Pico itself had a slightly punchy bass so I didn't need the extra bass from the Westone 3. The UM3X was offered in 2 versions, a regular package with non-detachable cables and standard Comply tips and a slightly more expensive version with removable cables and an assortment of tips. The hard carrying case for each version was different in size too but both versions had the half clear and half black design.
Next I tried the UE700 and the Audio Technica CKS90. The UE700 wasn't bad in my honest opinion but the clarity and sound stage that the UM3X exhibited had the competition won hands down. To sum it up, listening to the UM3X was literally like in the same studio room as the artist himself/herself. The CKS90 was just pure head banging bass which covered pretty much every other detail in the music. Imagine having 2 giant woofers reverberating low vibrations into your ear channels and nothing else...good for bassheads, house, dance but nothing else.
While in SG, I went down to Stereo in Causeway point to further re-affirm my decision to get UM3X by auditioning them and the Westone 3 for a good 5 to 10 minutes. So in the end it was the universal Westone UM3X for me which could be used for almost all genres of music. These IEMs came with the Comply foam tips which were a bit hard to get used initially but are great when you get the right fit.
The Cable - Cosmowave Ipod Dock Cable with Oyanide cable.
Before I left for SG, my Pico arrived and I needed something to feed the Ipod to the Pico so I checked out numerous Line Out Docks (LODs) and found that ALO Audio and Qables were the market leaders. But I couldn't justify the premium for these tiny cables until my ears tasted them. I got a relatively inexpensive LOD from a local Japanese company and I was good for the 3 hour bus ride to Tokyo and then the 7 hour flight back home.
While I was in SG, I went down to Jaben to test out the various other interconnectors that they had to offer but sadly, they didn't have any ultra low profile ones which I was looking for so it will be my Made in Japan one for now. Seriously, after auditioning the various LODs, there seems to be a very tiny discerning difference in sound quality, barely noticable unless you really put yourself into a state of trance and listen to music in an uninterupted, noise free room. Too bad Jaben didn't have any ALO or Qables for my to test...
The final combination of these audiophile parts left me pockets on fire but the sound that this rig produces...worth every yen and dollar in my opinion. 7 hours on the flight to and from Japan to SG, 3 hours bus ride home to and from me home to Tokyo left me with nothing but pure exhilarating music and not the slightest sign of my ears screaming for mercy. Amazing stuffs here...and someone in SG had the chance to audition my rig and the response was (in my own words), "WOW! this is some serious crazy shit!"
welcome to the world of quality portable theatre music in the palm of your hands...!
Clickable Credits -
Headamp Pico Head Fi Thread
Justin's Headamp Site
Westone Site
Ultimate Ears Site
Music has become an integral part of my life and has defined logical explanations for the emotional turmoils that I suffer from time to time. Simply, music colors my life in every way you could never have imagine. In the end, I can only conclude that I cannot live without music because without it, I am as good as a walking zombie left for dead.
Then comes Sound which cannot be defined by numbers or formulas. Sound is subjective to every individuals' ears which had me set out to discover the best sound since there can never be the perfect sound. I was looking for an affordable portable music rig since a home theatre system would run me into years of debt. Unfortunately I live no where near the nearest Giant Mega Electronic store like Yodobashi or Bic Camera so there was no where I could audition anything. Instead I spent sleepless nights reading online reviews from both professionals and amateurs to make my own judgement. Being relatively new to this expensive audiophile circle, I found myself struggling to understand the jargons involved.
After months of online research, I decided to pair my Ipod Touch 1st Gen to a headphone amplifier to drive a higher impedance In Ear Monitors (IEMs) which I was still scouting at that time. The Portable Rig would simply consist of my Ipod Touch (my primary player), a portable headphone amp, an IEM and a line out dock to feed the source from the Ipod straight into the amp. The reason is for the source to travel unfiltered and un-amp from the Ipod straight into the amp and then to the IEMs. Of course if gatbage is put into the amp, more audible garbage will be pushed outta the amp but I wasn't ready for large LOSSLESS CD quality WAV files. A decent 128 bit mp3 was more than enuff for me at the moment.
The Amp - Headamp Pico with DAC
I had narrowed my search down from about 5 and finally decided on the Headamp Pico (w/ DAC) for the amp. Though this was an already 2 year old amp since the first launch but still today, this tiny but mighty monster amp is making headlines all over for being the BEST DAC amp of it's class. The newer and wafer thin version dubbed PICO SLIM is also out but I still prefer the beefier older brother, the Original Pico. There was also a cheaper version of the Pico without the DAC but I wanted the DAC so that I can use it with the Macbook when I am at home.
The amp was really tiny when I opened it the package from Justin...I thought Justin had sent me a toy by mistake. Tested it out for a few days before I flew back to SG. The amp by itself was pretty good but when USB-ed to the Macbook, the Wolfson 24-bit chip DAC makes music outta Itunes sounded like pure nirvana. Now I knew what I had been missing out all these years...
There is however one major gripe about Headamp Products is that they are all MADE IN THE USA by 1 MAN, Justin so expect to wait for anything between 1 to 6 months after parting with you moo neh to the date the product arrives. Patience is the key here since Headamp Products are known to be of superior workmanship and quality.
The IEM - Westone UM3X (with removable cables)
I hadn't settled for any particular IEMs before I fly back toSG and was still using my Technics DJ cans for head-throbbing trance, house tunes and the occasional Audio Technica CK32 for pop and other slow tunes. I was leaning towards Westones and Ultimate Ears after going thru the same sleepless nights reading up on these IEMs. Though there were really too many choices to choose from, and going CUSTOMs were outta my budget, I knew I wanted an all rounder IEM to dish out decency for every genre. On the day before I flew back to SG, went down to Akiba's Yodobashi to audition the Westone 3, UM3X, Audio Technica(s) the UEs. Despite the fact that Japan pretty much have a reputation for quality service, the few blokes that served me at Akiba's Yodobashi weren't anywhere close to that rumored fame. Instead, I got the "You are fucking wasting my time" attitude...! Yeah I know these are expensive IEMs locked up in that clear jewel glass display but like I cared! I took my time and audition them, the Westone 3 and the UM3X for a good 5 minutes before handling back to the staffs with a much disgusted look. No way I would pay for such shits...
Though the Westone 3 was my first choice, I found the bass too strong and the treble too piercing for my taste after flowing some tunes thru my Ipod Touch + Pico combination. I did like the all black design and it really took me a while to figure out the red design on the IEM which looked like some sort of alien symbol. The UM3X had a better soundstage, clarity and sounded more neutral. This makes listening to different genres of music for long hours less fatigue and strenuous for my lovely ears. The Pico itself had a slightly punchy bass so I didn't need the extra bass from the Westone 3. The UM3X was offered in 2 versions, a regular package with non-detachable cables and standard Comply tips and a slightly more expensive version with removable cables and an assortment of tips. The hard carrying case for each version was different in size too but both versions had the half clear and half black design.
Next I tried the UE700 and the Audio Technica CKS90. The UE700 wasn't bad in my honest opinion but the clarity and sound stage that the UM3X exhibited had the competition won hands down. To sum it up, listening to the UM3X was literally like in the same studio room as the artist himself/herself. The CKS90 was just pure head banging bass which covered pretty much every other detail in the music. Imagine having 2 giant woofers reverberating low vibrations into your ear channels and nothing else...good for bassheads, house, dance but nothing else.
While in SG, I went down to Stereo in Causeway point to further re-affirm my decision to get UM3X by auditioning them and the Westone 3 for a good 5 to 10 minutes. So in the end it was the universal Westone UM3X for me which could be used for almost all genres of music. These IEMs came with the Comply foam tips which were a bit hard to get used initially but are great when you get the right fit.
The Cable - Cosmowave Ipod Dock Cable with Oyanide cable.
Before I left for SG, my Pico arrived and I needed something to feed the Ipod to the Pico so I checked out numerous Line Out Docks (LODs) and found that ALO Audio and Qables were the market leaders. But I couldn't justify the premium for these tiny cables until my ears tasted them. I got a relatively inexpensive LOD from a local Japanese company and I was good for the 3 hour bus ride to Tokyo and then the 7 hour flight back home.
While I was in SG, I went down to Jaben to test out the various other interconnectors that they had to offer but sadly, they didn't have any ultra low profile ones which I was looking for so it will be my Made in Japan one for now. Seriously, after auditioning the various LODs, there seems to be a very tiny discerning difference in sound quality, barely noticable unless you really put yourself into a state of trance and listen to music in an uninterupted, noise free room. Too bad Jaben didn't have any ALO or Qables for my to test...
The final combination of these audiophile parts left me pockets on fire but the sound that this rig produces...worth every yen and dollar in my opinion. 7 hours on the flight to and from Japan to SG, 3 hours bus ride home to and from me home to Tokyo left me with nothing but pure exhilarating music and not the slightest sign of my ears screaming for mercy. Amazing stuffs here...and someone in SG had the chance to audition my rig and the response was (in my own words), "WOW! this is some serious crazy shit!"
welcome to the world of quality portable theatre music in the palm of your hands...!
Clickable Credits -
Headamp Pico Head Fi Thread
Justin's Headamp Site
Westone Site
Ultimate Ears Site
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)