experimenting with photoshop

took the above photo two and a half years ago in florence, italy. was sorting out photos from the trip, shortlisting the minority that would eventually feature in the photobook (i've been tasked by mummy to work on), and would definitely have scrapped this photo in its original form.

inspired by the myriad of tumblr-like inspirational / nostalgic / vintage photos out there, i attempted a shot at adjusting the curves and exposure of this photo in photoshop, and was rather pleased with the effect! if only i were good enough at photography as a profession, i could really see myself beautifying photos for a living. ordinary photos could be made to tell stories, and even soothe someone's feelings!

On Reminiscing

As I tossed and turned in bed last night trying to get to sleep,  I had a very strange feeling. I imagined myself back as a jc student, preparing to sleep to wake up to a new day at school. It seemed so plausible, and in that moment it's almost possible to forget the fact that so many years have passed. I could picture myself waking up, washing up,  putting my school uniform on and getting ready for school. It made me ponder about how the length of experiences in life are all a matter of how our mind perceives them. If I suffered amnesia,  I could easily believe I was still indeed a 17 year-old student.

Many inspirational self-help articles often teach us not to dwell on the past or live in the future,  but I feel that reminiscing the past is important. I realized it's something I did a lot in the past but hardly think of anymore. I've become too preoccupied with troubles of the present,  and a little numb to the passing of time. Is that what people feel after they've been working for a few years? Grasping onto nostalgia may make one feel a little empty about the time gone by, but it also reminds ourselves about how much things have changed our how some people may have left our lives. And from these changes,  the lessons we have learnt. Reminiscing also reminds me to be thankful for all the good memories that I have been so privileged to have experienced. 

I read this meaningful article,  and really liked and agreed with this quote -

"In the end, loving your life is about trusting your intuition, taking chances, losing and finding happiness, cherishing the memories, and learning through experience. It’s a long-term journey. You have to stop worrying, wondering, and doubting every step of the way. Laugh at the confusion, live consciously in the moment, and enjoy your life as it unfolds. You might not end up exactly where you intended to go, but you will eventually arrive precisely where you need to be."

our 25th birthday

So 2013 has come and gone. It's now the 6th day of 2014 and apart from a less than motivating start to yet another career year, my personal life has been pretty fulfilling! In a bid to start the new year on the right foot (pun intended), I went for a 4km jog with zk at west coast park right on the morning of new year's day. The usual me would NEVER yank myself out of bed, away from the precious sleep-till-you-wake-up sleep that is only possible 2 meagre days a week and on the 11 generous days of public holidays singapore has given its workforce. But I was feeling really down from work. I didn't like the disgruntled state I was in; I wanted to get back to being the positive person I was, who would not get affected (for too long) by things out of my control. This time I could not help but brood for far too long. I don't think it's healthy because I imagine literally a weight taking a toll on my heart which is already working so hard every second of the day. That's really how I view stress - as physically harmful as smoking or drinking. I wanted to do something to break myself out from that state of self-pity, frustration and helplessness. What better way to do so than to engage in a healthy activity that would make me proud of myself (and make zk happy too)?

And so I digressed.

The point of this entry was actually to capture precious memories of our 25th birthday. I just wanted to thank and remember the sweet people and their thoughtful gestures in trying to make me/us feel that wee bit more special :)

Much as I didn't exactly expect much form of celebrations this year apart from dinners with both immediate families and whatsapp greetings from the closer friends who'd remember, I was really touched when a few precious groups of friends actually made the effort to 'celebrate' my birthday in person. I guess these people know me well enough in that I don't want or need any gifts or a large expensive cake. These were all really ordinary gatherings but which ended with a simple slice of cake with a candle, carrying the warmth of the people who made me feel all touched and fuzzy inside.

To the people below, thank you....Thanks to those friends who remembered and sent birthday wishes across as well!