Carpe Diem

Seize the day! That's what I'm determined to do! As expected, I woke up to a beautiful day just like the 1st of January last year! I'm ready to take a tonne of photos of everywhere then hit the gym as planned!

So just to keep you updated, I did go for a walk to the peak and you know what? I loved it! It was dead quiet and all I could hear was the squeaking of the trees and bushes. I walked in pitch black (yay to my LED light ring!) and it was spooooooky!! Woah!! It kept me alive! Not to mention it was freeeezing cold up there with the wind blowing at you at unearthly temperatures! I loved every bit of it! I filmed my whole journey down so this time next year I can see what I was doing a year ago and what I was thinking. Brrrrr!! My hands are still cold but last night they were frozen stiff... literally! I got to Lugard Road and there's a choice between the longer (more scenic) and shorter route. I decided since I was there, I might as well go the longer way! OMFG! The view!!! Breath-taking!! Every few steps I took I had to pause and just soak in Hong Kong's night view! I've been there during the day but at night! Woah! Halfway through, some dogs started barking, I got so freaked out because I was worried they were stray dogs and may come find me... because one time I went jogging late at night from my home to Wanchai and on my way there were some dogs that started chasing me (I was running, not a good move in front of dogs) so I had to play it safe and keep it down. After a while the barking stopped and I kept going and dropping my jaw every now and then at the view.

I was so inspired and pumped last night you won't believe it! I got to the peak and then walked down Old Peak Road and eventually met up with a friend for a bit in Lan Kwai Fong.... got me some snacks and finally headed home. Lovely.

I'm a happy man, I really, really am. I was talking to my friend last night and I was just psyched about what was ahead for me this year. I'm ready to face all the downs that I'm going to be thrown into because I know I have the ability to climb back up, it's just a matter of time, focus and determination!

I woke up today to a nice clean room and a set routine of what I need to do in the mornings. Started it off with my breathing exercises and brushed my teeth. Guess what, today's also a Day10 entry!! Wooohoo! Way to start the new year! So anyways, lovely, lovely Day 10 entry.

I can finally calm down with my entries now although I've started getting used to waking up and typing my moods and thoughts after a good night's rest. I've got a lot ahead of me today (as usual) but for a change, I'm not worried or overwhelmed. I know everything I want to do takes time, but that's one thing, for once, I have on my side. After working so hard in the last few weeks sorting myself and my life out, I've got things set up for myself :) Now is the time to execute. So let me just say, as a Day 10 entry, the wisdom I have to share with everyone is that you can learn, plan, prepare for the rest of your life, but it comes time to finally execute and that's what counts. Just like a performance, no one cares how long you've practiced but if you screw up in your performance, you're just as good as the other guy who screwed up because he didn't practice at all. Let loose and have faith in yourself. Tension does nothing but come in the way. This has affected my photography. I used to be so technical with my photos, trying to figure out how I'd get that perfect picture technically, but now I just let loose and play, I take snap shots without thinking twice, and just play around. I move my lamps randomly till I find a perfect spot and then snap away! Even today, when I go out later on to take photos, I'm not going to sit and try to focus on the rule of thirds, or determine what my shutter speed and aperture should be, I'm just going to snap, and snap randomly, at different settings with no care as to what I want. The key is for me to let loose because I know I can get a good picture, I know the potential is there, it's just a matter of me not stopping myself by over-thinking and -worrying in a technical aspect.

So carpe diem everyone! I've got the day ahead of me and so do you! Face the future head on and say it with me!! "Bring it!!!!!!!"

Update at 11:05pm:
The day is still being seized :) I've currently been at my lovely computer burning through some outstanding projects I have so that all my clients who go back to work tomorrow in the morning can have their stuff ready for them to tackle through first thing in the morning. Speaking of my computer, for all of you curious as to what my set up is like, here you are. Enjoy! Back to work for me now!


Update at 11:57pm:
I had to update this post before the day ends because I wanted to add one final item that I thought was worthy of a Day 10 entry. I'm reading Photography Foundations for Art and Design, Third Edition: A Practical Guide to Creative Photography and I came across something very cool, I had one of those moments where I just stopped and absorbed what it said. I wanted to share it with everyone here so here yo go:
Page 9, The Process of Self-Expression
Why do we take photographs? Do we take them for other people to admire our skill? Do we take them as a record, document or as a trophy? Do we create them to advertise to our friends that we are having a beautiful, successful, enviable life, or do we create them for ourselves, a process of expressing how we feel to be alive in our world.

I create images because the act of looking helps me to slow down and actually look at the life I am living. It gets me 'out of my head' and into the world -- it helps me to connect and appreciate what is around me, and this act helps me to express myself. Art is about expressing yourself. It doesn't really matter if no one 'gets it' so long as it was a meaningful exercise to you. Buddhist monks make 'Mandala' paintings by pouring sand slowly and carefully to create intricate designs. They work on the art for days and then tip it into the sea when they are finished. The art is often about the process rather than the outcome. When someone appreciates your art it is indeed rewarding. Someone else understands us -- someone else 'gets it' too.

Wow, that really made me think. I mean, it's really encouraging if you think like that because it makes you loosen up even more and create freely because you're doing so at your own will rather than to impress someone else. It kind of goes against all art schools where your projects are graded, but this, in my opinion, is the path to success in terms of creativity. It made me think "Doesn't this just mean that if you do a crap job, you can say it's not created for others but for yourself?" Well the thing is, you can fool the world, but you can't fool yourself. Deep down inside, you'll know if you're happy with what you created. I mean, I can tell you, the photos I took of my drum set before were awesome in my eyes. When I showed it to my photographer friend, he was less than impressed. Oddly, I didn't feel upset because first of all I never said I was a kick-ass photographer, and the point is, I remember how I felt when I first saw the photograph so no matter what, I appreciated the image a lot and that's all that matters. As the book I quoted says, if someone else 'gets it', that's an extra bonus of a reward, but otherwise, if I get it, I got what I wanted. Good night :)