the only constant is change

It was hard to drum up excitement for this year's church camp in the earlier weeks. The additional work and organization seemed more of an untimely road block in my own schedule of events. With many elements of the anniversary musical still finding ground, I really didn't look forward to spending practically a full week away.

The mound of clothes lies flippantly in jagged streaks beside the half-filled backpack that I just rescued from its musty storage. I remind myself to bring the phone and camera chargers. Extra plastic bags? As I survey the mess I just created, I keep running the camp program through my mind to see if I've failed to take some detail into consideration.

Ok. Stop. Take a deep breath. Exhale slowly.

In the light of my imminent departure in the morning, the old sense of adventure has begun to stir. After all, I like visiting new places, soaking up a new culture and atmosphere. It usually makes me appreciate home a tad more and helps me see the good (and sometimes the ugly) in my practical day to day sojourn.

A golden positive light drastically alters one's paradigm. Surely this is an opportune time to recharge, rebuild and return to the grind with greater fervor and with motivation ablaze?

Hey, I'm trying to aim high.

So it's back to packing. I pray for a good week ahead. For everyone.

This is fascinating; mere mathematical probability, or snazzy hocus pocus?

*maniacal cackle*

ps. you want the volume on for this.

Yay! I took the quiz and scored as my fav x-men! Incidently, Iceman was also my nickname when I was younger...

You Are Iceman

You tried to live a normal life, but it just wasn't possible A bit of a slacker, you rather tell jokes than cultivate your powers Powers: turning self and others into ice, making ice weapons, becoming nearly invisible

I first watched this years ago on a japanese veriety show and remember being wowed by the creative use of angle direction (if there's such a term).

as a skit, this ranks as the needle-point tip of the best in the heap!

Two weeks ago, I had the opportunity to hear the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Singers perform at the Esplanade.

This emsemble from the Philippines has garnared a formidable international reputation from the most prestigious choral competitions in its short 11 year history. Witnessing their ease of music making that night truly opened my eyes and ears to a whole new level of choral excellence. This choir truly deserves every single one of their sparkling accolades.

From the start, the group of about 25 singers dazzled with their sense of balance, tonal purity, incredible dynamic range and sheer power. Almost everyone in the group was a soloist in their own right, and yet, their overall sound was cohesive and silky smooth. I was moved to tears, not once, but twice throughout the evening.

The second half of the concert saw them tackle a lighter and unconducted program of Broadway and contemporary music with exuberant choreography. Not once did their love for music and performance sag as they belted out song after song, pouring their liquid voices into the concert hall and thrilling everyone with gigantic finales repeatedly. No audience could have resisted their undeniable passion as evidenced by the way we gladly matched their stirring vocals with thunderous applause and multiple standing ovations of our own.

When the choir performed their last song of the evening, I am certain that it left an indelible imprint in the hearts and minds of those listening, as it did mine. Here is a group showing us the way to the lofty heights of choral music via dedication, discipline and passion. Will their one-night only stop in Singapore prove to be more than mere entertainment in value?

I certainly hope so.

All good things must come to an end. Likewise, pain and suffering from viewing icky bird pics will also cease after this final post on my bird park adventure.

I hope you have enjoyed this series of pics. One thing I've learnt from the last shoot is that I need greater magnification even with my 100-300mm lens. I'm now looking at purchasing a set of extension tubes which will allow me to focus even closer to my subjects. Hopefully that will spur me to practice more and help me develop as a photographer.

I have uploaded some never-seen-before-bird-footage on my flikr account, so click on the flash badge on your right if you wish to view them.

Birds with blase natures are easy to capture on film. This cool and collected little budgie is part of the official team that poses for photographs with visitors for a fee.

This majestic bird with its decorative tuft and sweeping feathers in classic grey makes a grand, if imposing, addition to the park.

Who could resist snapping a pic of these 'pretty maids all in a row'? This was the last pic I took before leaving; a cute conclusion to a morning well spent.

I love water fowl. Ever since I watched early episodes of Pokemon which featured a clueless, clumsy and cowardly Pokemon called 'Psyduck', I started to like ducks.

Psyduck was a silly yellow duck with a perpetually vacant expression (much like me) and usually had no idea what was happening (again like me). On occasion, Psyduck could also unexpectedly manifest powerful psychic powers but it always reverted to its bimbotic state immediately after (that is SO completely like me).

This little duck perched itself on a branch jutting out of the pond and posed for me. Somehow, ducks have very sweet and docile expressions even when they have yellow eyeliner on.

Isn't this cute? This duck is napping on the dock. On one foot. It's harder than it looks; try it if you don't believe me. So respect the duckies!

I'm not sure what this is, but it looked like a swan to me; only it had a white body, while from the neck up it was a downy black. It looked a little disconcerting because somehow 'experimental surgery' leaps to my mind. Maybe there's a black-body-white-necked swan somewhere that I didn't see?

Being so close to nature is always an experience. Seeing the huge variety of birds that we have at the bird park, I'm in awe of how they have been trasported from their natural habitats the world over to congregate here. I'm happy for the opportunity to admire them in person without having to travel, but am also saddened somewhat to be reminded their existance is not truly free in the way they deserve to live.

Some of the tamer species of birds are released into walk-in aviaries where they can be observed in their element by the appreciative crowds. But how can an artificial home compare to open skies and unspoilt forests?

A huge enclosure was devoted to the strikingly colorful lories which were tame enough to land on visiters and feed from their hands. Here, two lories preen each other on a nearby branch.

Here is a close up of a lori who was perched very close to me on a railing. Its brilliant plumage is truly breathtaking.

This photogenic macaw is part of the welcoming team at the park's entrance. It can't match up to the little lory in vividness of colors, but makes up for it with a charming and patient personality.

I was very thankful for the perfect juggling act between fine and rainy weather at the bird park. When the train emerged at Redhill it was simply pouring buckets. My heart sank; then I remembered to say a prayer and wondered if I should make alternative plans should the bad weather persist. By the time I reached Boon Lay though, there wasn't a grey cloud as far as the eye could see!

And I was blessed with clear skies till I left the park. When I made it back to the Jurong bus terminal for lunch, the rain clouds finally rolled in and it was miserably wet again. I felt quite sorry for the busloads of tourists who arrived as I was leaving.

Anyway, who loves flamingos?

Flamingoes have become iconic of all things kooky and offbeat in popular culture. With their slender frame in pink hues and characterstic one-legged pose, it's not hard to see why.

While all the rest are preening or napping, one curious flamingo stands alone admist the crowd and stares down this photographer. I guess even they get bored at times.

This bunch of raveneous flamingoes were busy feasting, I think, because from where I was it looked like they were rubbing their beaks into the mud. Anyone knows what a flamingo's diet is like?

It's Vesak Day and instead of serenading my block with snores till noon like my real self normally would, the intrepid photographer in me lugged my lazy body out of bed at dawn (no mean feat) and all the way to the other end of the island to the Bird Park.

You should be proud of me.

For 3hrs after the park opened at 9am I snapped till my arms were sore and ran out of space in my memory card. But I was pleased with my haul. Instead of cramming 200 pics down your throat at one go, I shall be considerately presenting selected pics over the next few days so that none of you will develop a debilitating phobia of beautiful birds.

This crested pigeon is as large as a small dog. And it behaves almost like one, too; coming nearly close enough to pet.

Small songsters like these next two are horribly hard to capture because of their jittery natures and twitchy habits.

They are small, but if one decided to sing on your shoulder you'd probably go deaf. They obviously have perfect control over diaphragmatic support!