Google Photos surprised me

I just started using Google Photos and to my surprise I found that it has on its own accord created a panoramic picture out of two shots which I have taken.

I am not sure if this is considered as artificial intelligence, but it does seem to be. Isn't it magnificent?

pearlie 

My 7 Dream Jobs

 

I am too old to have a dream job, let alone seven, but I have them nonetheless. But when I define what I mean by a "dream job", you'll see why I have them. 

My take on a dream is that it is a dream and will always remain a dream, illusive and not attainable, a wishful thinking. But I am a dreamer to begin with, and that is fine with me to have dreams I will never attain. I love the mysterious feel in having them. 

How I come to have these dream jobs is because I have phases of fascination where I do put in quite a lot of resources into them. And having spent so much time and energy in them, I do wish I have become them. 

My seven dream jobs, in no particular order, are:

1. Writer

Anyone who knows me knows my love for books and reading. I collect them, I read them, some again and again, both fiction and non-fiction. I am fascinated with the authors' ideas and knowledge in their area of writing. I am usually amazed at how they express themselves, how plots would turn unexpectedly, and how they can hold the readers. I wish I could write like them. 

2. Theologian

I started having a love for the study of Christian theology about 15 years ago and invested a lot of time and resources into studying the various themes and subjects to get a good grasp of my belief. I did think of specializing in an area and move from there. 

3. Photographer

I got fascinated with photography about 10 years ago and invested quite a lot of money into getting a set of gears. I was also setting my eyes on really expensive lenses. I spent time studying the technicalities of photography but found following my gut more satisfying. I stopped going further when my camera went kaput. Now looking at the amazing photographs by professionals, it makes me wish I was one. 

4. Psychologist

I became fascinated with personality theories 15 years ago and since then I have reading and practicing it like a hobby with people who care to listen me. Psychology was the subject I thought of taking when I was planning for college but it was not something I could get into back then. I wish I had. 

5. Vocalist

I don't care if you have heard this repeated time and again on TV, but I love to sing, right when I was a kid. I started taking lessons maybe about 20 years ago, involved myself in a choral group 10 years ago, and took more serious lessons a few years ago. I suppose I can call myself a vocalist but only an amateur and choralist. But it is a dream to be a professional soprano, which will never happen. 

6. Philosopher

I got interested in philosophy many years ago when I was doing theology but I got more interested in it when I took an online business philosophy course recently. I wished I took it up when I was in college. 

7. Linguist

My fascination with language got a little more serious recently. I felt blessed to know several languages and found it so interesting that when I listen to other languages, there are similarities that tie us together. What more, the English language is used differently in different countries and cultures that when I say something to someone from another country, sometimes I have to think if they will understand what I am saying. 

There, what I wish I could be, which I know I will never be. Maybe when I retire, I may make something out of these 7 things which I have picked up. 

But wow, now that I look back, I certainly had a great time of learning in my last 15 to 20 years. 

pearlie 

At a Chinese village for lunch

I do not like my photo to be taken but my colleagues and I were checking out the Chinese New Year decorations at the mall where we work and Berjaya Times Square has really outdone itself this year, and so why not, I thought. 

Its decoration theme is a Chinese village with shops and stalls and carts and produce stands. Visitors are allowed to immerse themselves into the scenes for their photos to be taken. 

This is my favourite shot. What would you suggest as a caption?

 

pearlie

Happy people

It has been ages since I have been actively taking photographs and when my cousin brother Raymond requested that I take photos for him during his birthday celebration last week, I was apprehensive. I had to warn him that I am quite rusty at it.

But they didn't turn out too badly.

Here's Ray celebrating his 50th birthday.
He does not look a day older than 30!

He held a dinner for family and friends.
Four tables of 10-course Chinese dinner.

Happy Birthday Ray!!!

My pretty cousins

More pretty cousins

Here are my aunts and a rare shot of me
(being the photographer, I am happily out of sight)

And here are my some of favourite portraits shots. I love to take portraits. I love to capture each and every unique feature of an individual.

pearlie

The Gallery, Chiang Mai

This was a photo I took with my iPhone 4 that turned out better than I had expected. I initially took a photo of only the building, which I found uninteresting. It was then that I thought having a motorcycle whizzing pass in the photo would give it some movement. It wasn't hard, there were many of them anyway, motorcycles.

Wish I fished out my DSLR though...

pearlie

Nature Walk

It has been awhile since I went for a photo shoot. Here are some which I have taken during the last trek I did with some friends in FRIM (Forest Research Institute Malaysia), a forest reserve near the city.


This is the highlight of FRIM. They are the Dryobalanops Aromatica trees, locally known as Pokok Kapur. They have a nice-smelling exudate known as camphor, one of the main component of making ointment. The phenomenon you see at the tree canopies is called "Crown Shyness". The reason for its name is because the leaf tips of the trees shy away from each other, hence forming the neatly lined gap.


I took this at the waterfall.


I had to stay very still so that this dragonfly won't fly away. In fact, it stayed there for quite a long time.


On the way down from the waterfall, this monkey was just by the side of the walkway. A couple of young adults were feeding it some biscuits. I had not packed my camera and took the closest shots I could with my 90mm. I was a bit worried because monkeys can choose to attack, especially if you've ran out of treats. Thankfully, it didn't.


I also took some pictures of some very interesting people - I will post them here next round!

pearlie
Photos (c) 2010 Pearlie Ng

Life as a Photographer

I started on photography back in 2008, and where I am now as far as the graph is concerned is "Dammit, I suck".

pearlie

Graph sourced from Lenscratch

Some very interesting people

I have not touched my camera for such a long time I feel quite out of touch as far as photography is concerned. I got my camera out today wanting to go to the bird park for some shots but sadly, it rained.

But what I did not realise was this whole bunch of photos which I took some months back, which much to my delight turned out quite OK -- the thing is, my photography skills and outcome has been pretty dismal lately to say the least. But to me, these shots are interesting only because of the subjects.

She is I think one of the most pretty woman I have ever seen around.


He looks quite worried. I pray and hope all is okay by now.


Ah ... getting the perfect shot. I know the feeling.


Negotiation in progress ... what do you think they are negotiating on? Stocks? Bonds?


Done deal ... please get it delivered first thing tomorrow morning.


pearlie
Photos (c) 2010 Pearlie Ng

Another year for Thee

It is a very quiet Chinese New Year this year. I miss the Chinese New Years when I was still a kid - lots of angpaus, hoards of food and cookies, reunion dinners with my late grandma, my family and all my uncles and aunties, and fireworks!!! It is different now - I have to give out the angpaus, I am gaining weight and yet I don't think I ate that much, reunion dinners with my in laws since I am now married which is still nice, and no fireworks.

Anyway, I attended the Chinese New Year service in my family church on Sunday and was touched by this hymn which we sang:

Another Year is Dawning

Words by Frances R. Havergal

Music by Samuel S. Wesley

Another year is dawning, dear Father, let it be
In working or in waiting, another year with Thee.
Another year of progress, another year of praise,
Another year of proving Thy presence all the days.

Another year of mercies, of faithfulness and grace,
Another year of gladness in the shining of Thy face;
Another year of leaning upon Thy loving breast;
Another year of trusting, of quiet, happy rest.

Another year of service, of witness for Thy love,
Another year of training for holier work above.
Another year is dawning, dear Father, let it be
On earth, or else in Heaven, another year for Thee.

Amen ... another year for Thee it will be.

pearlie

Photo (c) 2010 Pearlie Ng

Happy New Year everyone!

pearlie
Photos (c) 2009 Pearlie Ng

Busy, busy, busy

It was a very, very busy day today.

1. Preaching

Folio 46r from the Syriac Bible of Paris (Bibliothèque Nationale, MS syr. 341), Job

First, I was to preach today. I told my good friend I am a "ganti" preacher, or replacement preacher. All the three times I preached over the last few years have been to replace someone in the last minute. Not that I mind. I am only glad I am able to fill in for them.

I did ask the question recently - How do you know what to preach? I ended up preaching on Job 1. Don't ask me why - somehow I felt God tugging me there and so I did. I preached it the expository way, though someone commented that I gave them a bible study. Well ...

2. Opening Ceremony
Then we attended a friend and his wife's opening ceremony of their music school.









3. Pre-Christmas Party
In the evening, Calvin and I went to a pre-Christmas party with some kids from a home. The kids really had fun.

Would you like to have more ice cream?




The cutest of the lot - the youngest, a 5-year old.






Isn't she pretty?


Want some too?


You see ...




Joy ...


4. Birthday
And it is my brother's birthday today. Happy Birthday, Jason! With the day too occupied and him not pre-arranging it with us until this afternoon, we all decided to take a rain check. Looking forward to the belated celebration with him.

pearlie
Photos (c) 2009 Pearlie Ng

Our night out

There is a PC Fair in KLCC and so we decided to drop in for a visit. We kinda regretted it because the crowd was too much for us.

But I managed to get these shots of the Petronas Twin Towers. Too bad I did not have my Canon 40D with me, but as this person once said, the best camera is the camera you have with you!





It is always warm and humid here but it is still nice to sit and enjoy the open air with great scenery and sounds.


With the crowd, we are glad we are getting out of there!


pearlie
Photos (c) 2009 Pearlie Ng