Louis Pang - Blazing a Trail

LOUIS PANG BLAZING A TRAIL - Published in August 2007

Name drop wedding photographer Louis Pang to those in the know in Sabah. Their immediate response will be to beam and wax lyrical on the brilliance of his work as well as to state how personable and pleasant he is.
Mention his name out of Sabah, say in Kuala Lumpur, Singapore or Hong Kong for example and chances are you will probably receive a very similar reaction.

Louis Pang has a photography portfolio that could easily rival those of professional wedding photographers worldwide. An unobtrusive man with a fantastic eye for amazing photography, Louis was dubbed "The Passionate Newcomer" by a leading publication in Malaysia.
Louis is as relaxed as he is artistic. A Tawau-born local, he has recently relocated to Kota Kinabalu with his wife and are looking forward to a new life here in between wedding photograph jaunts around Asia.

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Where are you originally from and how old were you when you developed a passion for photography?

I was born in Kota Kinabalu but grew up in Tawau. I picked up photography out of a job requirement. In 2001, I was working as a journalist for a local newspaper and I had to take some pictures too. So I bought a very old fully manual camera, Nikon FM2, and a banged up 35-70mm f/3.5-5.6. The idea of capturing light and shadow on film fascinated me. There was no LCD screen on this RM800 camera, just a huge viewfinder that told me my exposure and focusing plane. Aperture and shutter speed were operated manually.

In my first year at work, I won first and second place in a district level photojournalism contest. I knew then that I had a special gift. Photojournalism has always appealed to me. I would scour the internet for works of photojournalists around the world.

Did you take any photography courses to hone your skill? What made you lean more towards wedding photography?

I didn’t take any formal training on photography. I just learned on the job and by spending time viewing works of other photographers on the Internet. I read a lot on photography and I practiced what I learned on the job. More and more, I was approached to shoot weddings and commercial projects. In 2004, I left the editorial desk to start my own business with a ton of optimism but zero business experience. Very quickly I had learned that being a good photographer is not enough, I need to be a good businessman as well because I am in the photography business.

There was a time when I thought of giving up photography. I was shooting too many things, editorials for magazines and newspapers, commercial work and weddings. I don’t want to spend 20 years in photography being a jack-of-all-trades. I want to leave my mark and blaze a trail. When I reviewed my work, I saw that I was drawn towards photographing people and it was in weddings that I found my best work. So I decided to focus on wedding solely.

I signed up for business classes with the Malaysian Institute of Management (MIM) and read a load of books on sales, marketing, branding. The biggest help was to be taken under the wings of a mentor, a successful and respected businessman who is not a photographer. I've learned that love is the winning formula. Instead of focusing on getting the signature on the dotted line, I focus on solving problems for my clients and meeting their needs. People know it when you are just trying to get your hands into their wallet. Love people genuinely and success will follow.

In March 2007, I spent 11 days attending the Wedding & Portrait Photographer International (WPPI) 2007 in Las Vegas, which was the largest tradeshow and education program for wedding and portrait photographers. It was an eye-opener to learn from the best of the world. I took a two-day class with Joe Buissink, Hollywood’s most sought after wedding photographer, whose clients include Jennifer Lopez, Christina Aguerila, Hilary Swank, Kelsey Grammer, Christina Applegate, Steven Spielberg and Annie Leibovitz.

I can only describe the next two days with Joe as a life-changing experience. Yes, I learned a lot of how-tos, but it is the why-tos that changed me. “Think outside the box”, “take some risks” and “break some rules” is difficult for a Malaysian who is raised to conform and obey. Yet venturing into the unfamiliar and breaking away from the conventional can yield so much creative dividends.

Tell us more about your awards and accolades, and of course how it felt to receive them.

In July, I won 1st place in the WPPI 2007 8x10 print competition. It is the world’s largest and most prestigious wedding photography competition that attracts thousands of submissions from around the world. When I was informed via email that I won the Photojournalism, Wedding Details category, I could not believe it. I read, reread and reread the email before screaming at my wife, “Honey, we’ve won!” We were in tears and utterly speechless. We mumbled a short prayer of thanksgiving. It took us a while to take it in that we had won an international award for our work.

The win was sweetened when we discovered that we were the first Malaysians to have won anything at all with WPPI, let alone a first place finish. Looking back all the hard work, toil, pain, bruises, sweat and tears…it is worth it. As Steve Jobs said, “You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards.”


Trickiest or most difficult session you've had? Any funny anecdotes to share?

I don’t think there had ever been an easy wedding to shoot because every wedding is different and every other weekend I am shooting somewhere, often away from Sabah. Asian weddings are tough because it can start at 6am and end at 11pm. Working 12 to 15 hours for a wedding is quite common…that’s carrying over 10kg of camera, lenses and peripherals in 95% humidity and 35 degrees Celsius. I have a water bottle strap to my camera belt system, and I drink constantly to keep myself hydrated. Despite such trying working condition, I must maintain high level of concentration.

In November I will be shooting three weddings in three countries in one week: Hong Kong, India and Malaysia. I will be photographing in venues and with couples I had never worked with before. I need to think on my feet. There is huge pressure for me to deliver and fortunately, I thrive under pressure.

The worst experience I had was to be down with food poisoning the night before a wedding. I was soaked in cold sweat, down with fever and my stomach was in knots. Luckily I had my wife with me for that out-of-town shoot. She got me some activated charcoal and anti-diarrhea pills. I battled on to complete the shoot and presented a slideshow during the wedding banquet. The clients were really please with the pictures. Phew!

What are your plans for the immediate and not so immediate future? A book of photography perhaps?

I would like to position myself as an international wedding photographer, specifically in Asia Pacific. We live in very exciting times with China and India awakening as new economic giants. Then we are surrounded by affluent neighbouring countries like Hong Kong and Singapore. These are lucrative markets to tap into.

Sabah has great potentials to be a major city for destination weddings. We have beautiful beaches, scenery, fantastic five-star facilities and services at very affordable prices. While Bali, Phuket and Samui are still the better known places for destination weddings, I believe Sabah can compete with these places if we can market ourselves well and provide superior services. Sabah has her unique charm. Sabahans must cherish that and believe in ourselves.

Also, I would like to spend more time shooting portraits. Some of us think of portraits as sitting in a room with outdated furniture, tacky backdrops and lots of lighting strobes firing at us when the photographer says, “Smile.” I see portraits as documenting the unique bond between people. The challenge is to bring out that intangible bond and capture it on a picture. This does not have to happen inside a studio. It can be done on a beach, in a park and even in the comfort of their own home—wherever they are most at ease. A photography session should be fun and enjoyable, not a chore to be endured. I want my work to give people a good and healthy sense of who they are. I also want my pictures to give them great memories. Without a good picture, we are only left with memories. Unfortunately, we cannot print memories.

What brand/make of camera do you use?

I use Nikon D2X, D200 and a variety of Nikon lenses & strobes.

Any advice for up-and-comers or budding amateur photographers?

Camera manufacturers want to convince young photographers that the secret to better photography rests in the next new camera model with higher pixel count and frame rate. It is a lie that most photographers want to believe in as well.

I would suggest that we spend time in good photography websites, books and magazines. Also dedicate energy into honing our arts and skills. The rules of the capturing light and shadow is the same whether you are using an old manual film camera or the latest state-of-the-art RM30,000 digital camera.

Who took the photographs for your own wedding?

My buddy Peter. My wife Jasmine and I could not afford the service of a professional photographer. Peter was kind enough to do it as a gift for us.
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Clearly someone who lets his work speak for itself, I have yet to find a photograph that I've not found visually stunning. Fans can visit Louis's online portfolio at www.louispang.com or for more a more personalised feel head over to his blog at www.louispang.com/blog

The Paragons Of Food

The Paragons Of Food - Published July 2007


If you are one who considers themselves somewhat computer-phobic and shies away from the Internet, chances are that you may not know what a blog is. A blog, or weblog, is an online journal of sorts. A much more user friendly and personalised website if you prefer.
Blogs can be about anything and everything imaginable and therein lies the beauty of it all. You can find blogs about art, music, education, architecture, humour, politics, and even just general day to day goings on of people you've never met in your life.
The blogosphere is a mammoth phenomenon that is changing the lives of millions of people on a daily basis.
Technorati, an online search engine for blogs, has stated that it tracks approximately 71 million blogs worldwide as of May 2007.


Another term that can still be considered relatively new to the ever expanding lexicon of slang-gone-proper is the term "foodie". A foodie is usually a self-proclaimed lover of all things food related. An eating enthusiast, someone who understands the hows and whys of cuisine. A fan who is figuratively and literally hungry for good meals and new dining experiences. It should go without saying that there are a huge number of excellent food blogs currently online right now.


I will happily admit to being an addict when it comes to viewing food blogs online. There have been times when I've spent up to 9 hours trawling through sites filled with great recipes, local or international restaurant recommendations, places to avoid like the plague, and of course some great cuisine shots. A good, smooth flow of writing is usually key but an added bonus is also some of the best online photography I've seen in a long time. Great pictures of meals that look absolutely divine? It doesn't get better than that.


Food is something that brings about strong emotions. Passion and cuisine tend to go hand in hand very often. Just ask the next chef you meet and they'll confirm it. Eating satisfies the most basic sensation of being hungry and needing sustenance. But eating is also a source of much pleasure. Think of the best meal you've ever had in your life. Chances are you'll be smiling as you recall as much as you can. The smells, sights, sounds, texture and presentation. Or in my case, how the flavours blended together perfectly into a steaming hot bowl of bliss.




I contacted three of my favourite foodie bloggers to ask them about the hows and whys. Clearly a case of a novice trying to learn from the masters.


A DAILY OBSESSION
I'd only just found out about this Sabahan foodie blogger two months ago, but Terri is so warm and friendly that I feel like I've known her for years. A mother of three, Terri blogs about recipes, dining outings, food recommendations and restaurant reviews. 'A Daily Obsession' offers a very honest and refreshing take on the eating scene and touches on anything even remotely food related. And to say that the lady is handy with a camera would be a serious understatement.

States Terri, "Three years ago I found out my daughter had a blog, so what better way to check out on what she was up to over in Melbourne.  It got so bad I started checking her friends' blogs too but when Yi found out, she deleted all her links. Anyway, as you know, I'm a full-time mom and it gets pretty boring.  There's only so many ladies' teas you can attend.

I had always wanted to write, but my father thought journalism wasn't professional enough so I ended up with an applied science (majoring in Plants and Botany) degree from Canada, which isn't any better if you asked me. I worked in a bank instead, had a great career as a loans and finance manager.  But the financial crisis came and the boys weren't doing well in school so I quit.

I started blogging the night that I ate a lousy meal at a new cafe in town.  My son Ming is a whiz with the computer, and helped me. In February and March I only managed 2 posts because he was busy and I depended on him to upload photographs. 
Then on Easter Day, I sat down and posted a blog all by myself.  Felt so clever, I sat up most nights till 2 or 3 am. But really, I married the Best man in the world. He'd complain a little, but I know deep inside he's relieved I've found an outlet. He's so supportive he allowed me to take time off for two weeks when my son Wey was having his exams (a no-no travel time) to go Hong Kong and China."


Why do I blog?

 1. I love cooking as all my friends will tell you.  And eating. They used to say I have worms (who doesn't is my standard reply) because I'd eat a whole cow and not put on weight.  And I'm not the type who'd keep their recipes secret. You'd be surprised how many people do that.  In fact, sometimes I feel ashamed when I practically forced people to write my recipes down, even on toilet paper.

2. Blogging has improved me. Before February, I could only use the e-mail.  Now I can take some decent photos and upload them too. 

3. I get to record recipes and travels for posterity.

4.  I get to make new friends, like you.

5.  My kids and their friends think I'm cool. I say, rise up, old ladies (no, not you - you're a baby), and blog. So many of my friends couldn't even log onto the computer before, but now they do as they actually print out my recipes.

6.  I am opinionated and I get to say what I want, rate the good and bad eateries and so on.

7.  The only other food blogger I know is Jo The Drooler.  That sneaky girl claimed to follow my blog daily and I've been telling her to blog, and she never told me she started one in May until I found out in June. I've been plonking her on the head ever since.  Don't worry, we've been best friends since primary school.

8.  It's fun, really. The whole family has a common hobby, and even my husband who doesn't blog helps with taking the pictures or trouble-shooting the computer glitches.  It keeps us together.


Say hello to Terri at www.hungerhunger.blogspot.com

RASA MALAYSIA
Bee is a Penangite who has been working and living in California for the past 12 years. A  gastro-force to be reckoned with, Rasa Malaysia was nominated for Best Food Blog in the Bloggers Choice Awards and her camera and cooking skills could easily rival those of professionals.


About Bee
I am from Penang. When I was little, I would always play masak-masak in the front-yard of the house. I would steal ingredients from the kitchen while everyone was taking an afternoon nap.  It was always so much fun, but of course, the "dishes" I cooked were basically not edible. Masak-masak was my favorite childhood game.  I learn all my cooking from my late mother-in-law (who was a Nyonya), my mother, and my aunt, and by playing masak-masak.

Earliest happy food memory :

When my mother, late grandmother, or my aunt let me helped them out with their cooking - cutting the vegetables, helping with the stir-fries, or Nyonya kuih.  I was happy because I was able to participate in the cooking process.


What motivated you to start a food blog :

I wanted to raise awareness of Malaysian food outside of Malaysia.  I have lived in the United States for over 12 years but not many people know about this exciting cuisine, nor have they heard about Malaysia. Also, I wanted to document all my favorite family recipes.


Current food idols and/or sources of inspiration :

Patricia Yeo, a Malaysian chef based in New York City.  I recently saw her on Iron Chef America and she was just amazing.  I would be very interested to see her publish a Malaysian cookbook or open a Malaysian restaurant.  http://www.patriciayeo.com/


Most difficult recipe you've ever tried :

Nyonya perut ikan.  It's my absolute favorite. I finally learned how to make it from my aunt during my last trip home to Malaysia in February 2007. 


Books for aspiring foodies to check out :

I wish to publish my own cookbook one day, hopefully.  But for now, I would recommend "Famous Street Food of Penang: A Guide & Cook Book" published by The Star. It features all my favorite hawker foods in Penang, complete with recipes and mouth-watering photographs.  It's not hard to cook Malaysian dishes at home, but it's not easy to prepare Penang hawker food. 

Downsides to having a food blog :
The obligation to maintain it. Sometimes it's hard especially when work and fun get in the way, plus I am quite lazy by nature (laughs out loud).


Best things about having a food blog :
My readers.  I love interacting with my readers. Some of them I have become friends with and it's wonderful. Their comments and emails always cheer me up.  They keep me going and motivate me to be better.  Eating better is just an extra perk!

Head over to Bee's blog at www.rasamalaysia.com







EATING ASIA

Robyn and Dave are the dual powerhouses behind Eating Asia, a blog which has been featured both in the local and international media. This husband-and-wife team travel anywhere and everywhere in search of great local food. They currently contribute regularly to KLue magazine and are based in Kuala Lumpur. Robyn writes, Dave photographs and together they introduce their readers to some very unusual and authentic food jaunts all around Asia and beyond.



Background information 
Robyn : I grew up in Michigan (US midwest) and have lived on the US east coast but Dave and I spent the majority of our Stateside married lives in the San Francisco Bay area. I consider myself more of a northern Californian than a Michigander - I identify with the relatively laid-back lifestyle and the approach to food in the US northwest. That said, we've lived in Asia - Hong Kong, Shanghai, Bangkok, and Saigon, before KL -  with a couple of breaks in the States, for more than 11 years now. So Asia - South East Asia - really feels like home. And, of course, we love the food here!

I grew up in a very food-focused household (this is not a given, in the United States). My mom is a fabulous cook. I grew up eating oddities like veal scaloppini and enchiladas and avocados and artichokes and lamb. This might not seem strange to you, but this was in Michigan back in the early 70s. Most of my friends had never seen these foods before, let along eaten them. 'An avocado? What's that? Ewwwww!' In fact I think Dave had never eaten lamb (or met a girl who made her own curry and chutney) until he met me (he's from Michigan too). But my mom grew up in Arizona and southern California, so she cooked what she knew and loved from her youth. And though she had a solid grip on the classics - pot roast, pork chops, spaghetti and meatballs, that sort of thing - she was also a very adventurous and curious cook for her time and I think I inherited that spirit of adventure and curiosity, not to mention a love of cooking, from her.

Dave : I grew up in the US Midwest, which in culinary terms is 'meat and potato' country. Fortunately, we lived close to a large university so there was some diversity in terms of food.


Earliest happy food memory :
R : Earliest? When I was about 8 my dad got a raise, and from then on we had steak once a week. I loved Steak Fridays.

But my most vivid happy food memory is mapo dofu. After university, in 1984, I went to Chengdu, Sichuan province in China, to teach English and study Chinese. The first time I had mapo dofu I just couldn't believe it - the incredible spiciness and the numbing sensation from the Sichuan peppercorn. It was like nothing I'd ever tasted in my life. Certainly like nothing I'd ever tasted in Michigan! It was astounding. And wonderful. I fell in love with Sichuan food and to this day I love it most of all the regional Chinese cuisines. I'm very picky about my Sichuan food too - it has to taste like it did back then in Chengdu, or I don't like it.


D : One of my happiest food memories was one of the first dates with my
now wife, Robyn. I picked her up after an exam and we headed to what was
then my favorite Chinese restaurant. They served dumplings with vinegar
and chili oil, hot and sour soup and a few other 'non-traditional'
Chinese items (again this was the Midwest so this sort of thing at the
time was really 'out there'). As opposed to other dates that I had had
where the woman picks at the food, Robyn dove in and held her own. A few
weeks later, she invited me over to her house and made chicken curry and
chutney. Until that point I was under the impression that chutney came
from a jar and that people couldn't make this stuff. I got to thinking
that maybe I would keep this all to myself so that no one would get in
on the action.


What motivated you to start a food blog :
R : I wanted to develop my skills as a writer and try out different 'voices'. Practice makes perfect, but I knew I wouldn't sit down in front of my computer on a regular basis and bang out essays just for my own self to read. Having an 'audience' (of, like, 5 people back then!) forced me both to produce on a regular basis and to pay attention to the final product. Frankly I'm embarassed by some early posts but I resist the urge to delete them.


D : We could either start a blog or burn money in the back yard. Since I
would naturally be compelled to photograph the money being burnt, we choose the blog.


Current food idols and/or sources of inspiration :
R : I've been inspired for years and years by an American food magazine called Saveur. Their approach to food is real and true - food all over the world as it's really eaten and prepared and, most important to me, as it really looks when it's served. Food in its context, food and culture and how culinary traditions and cultures are evolving. Food both highbrow and lowbrow. Street food and upscale restaurant food. Wine and root beer. Most of the writing is very soulful, passionate, and down-to-earth and it's something I aspire to.

Dave and I both have also been inspired, for years and years, by two American photographer/writers, Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid. They've done a series of incredible books on different regional Asian cuisines, such as Hot Sour Salty Sweet (the Mekong region) and Mangoes and Curry Leaves (the Indian subcontinent), that combine first-person food/travel essays, moving photographs, and recipes. Their location photos are stunning (the styled photographs in their books are done by another photographer), and they're both truly talented writers who come across as the sort of people you'd like to travel and eat with, or just hang out and have a beer with. You'd *definately* want to have them cook for you! And, as someone who has grappled with recipe writing (I HATE it!), I have to say I really admire their ability to reproduce dishes from their travels and write good recipes. I haven't made a single recipe from one of their books that hasn't been totally delicious.

Lately, as a result to several trips we've made to the Philippines this year, I'm really inspired by Filipino food writers like the late Doreen Fernandez and Micky Fenix, who writes a column for the Philippine Daily Inquirer (available online). They're chroniclers of Philippine culinary culture and I can spend hours reading that sort of thing.


D : I like the work of Jeffery Alford and Naomi Duguid. We've been looking at and eating from their books for years. The photography in particular really appeals to me. I am also really enjoying the latest incarnation of Saveur magazine. Of course, as with most things, I just
look at the pictures.



Books for aspiring foodies to check out :
R : Depends on what kind of foodie you are. Two sort of 'surprising' books are 'Memories of Philippine Kitchens' by Amy Besa and Romy Dorotan, because Philippine food is generally (wrongfully) maligned and the recipes in this book will get your mouth watering; and 'The South American Table' by Maria Baez Kijac, because South American food is not generally known and this book's recipes sound delicious enough to get anyone into the kitchen. (I bought both books in KL, by the way).

An old favorite - for fans of Italian food - is Lynn Rosetto Kasper's 'The Italian Country Table'. My bugaboo is how Italian food is often misrepresented in restaurants in Asia. Her recipes for simple trattoria-style dishes are foolproof and authentic. I've used my copy so much that it is is oil and sauce-stained and the binding is on its last legs.


D : I'll leave this one to Robyn. I'm sure you've already figured out that she is the brains of the operation.

Downsides to having a food blog :
R :It's the ultimate procrastination tool!! 'Real' writing jobs, housework, exercise, cleaning off my desk and filing, walking the dogs, general errands, shopping for and cooking food, and even eating ... they've all, at one time or another, been put off because I've told myself that "I should post today." I really need to get a grip on that.


D : The down side is that rarely go to the same place more than twice. Oh
yeah,and some Mondays I'm not sure if I'll be able to fit in the car seat...


Best things about having a food blog :
R:Too many things to list!

Professionally, it's given me 'clips', when I otherwise had none, to show editors when I'm pitching an idea for an article, and that's led to (somewhat) paying writing jobs. Personally, having the blog has led Dave and I to know Malaysia in a way that we never would have if we hadn't been compelled to get out there and get 'material' for the blog. And to travel in SE Asia in a way that we never did before. No more beach vacations for us! When we travel it's all about hunting down food and anything related to food, always exhausting but really exhilerating.

I've also met lots of great people through the blog. And I just really enjoy posting, both the process of putting together a post and the feeling of accomplishment I have after it's up.


D : One of the best things about the blog is getting emails (usually from Malaysians) living half way around the world and missing food from their homelands.
You can almost hear the chewing at the other end of the line.


Read all about Robyn and Dave's experiences at www.eatingasia.typepad.com

I had always assumed that having a blog devoted entirely to food takes some serious love. I am happy to note that these fine individuals proved me right. And now I'm hungry.

Lifelists Of An Almost 30 Year Old

 Lifelists Of An Almost 30 Year Old - Published July 2007

There is something captivating about the idea of putting a Life List together.

This notion came to me as I was watching the telly last week. A prominent talk show host was plugging the pros of starting ones own Life List. It really struck a chord as I too had thought long and hard of experiences and targets I hoped to attain. Some in the near future, some were distant and there were one or to that I had decided, with a grin, to leave entirely up to chance.

What is a Life List, you wonder? It's actually quite a fun and somewhat inspiring activity to partake in. All you have to do is make a list of things you would like to accomplish in your life. Goals that you'd like to see achieved. You may set yourself a realistic time frame if you so wish, or you could leave it up in the air and see where fate takes you. There are other terms you may be familiar with, such as "101 Things To Do Before You Die" which incidentally is a book by Richard Horne. That sounds a little too cryptic for me. I much prefer the optimistic tones of "Life List".

Now the key word to remember here is "realistic". Be as realistic as you can, and honest with yourself too. Tiger Woods is extremely capable of winning more U.S. Masters. Sadly you and I are probably not and there is a high likelihood that we will never be, no matter how many hours are spent at the driving range practising for that sweet swing.
However if you are indeed a superb golfer and have a serious shot at it, I'm certainly not going to stop you from trying. I will wish you the best of luck and make a tiny plea for an autograph.

Lets say you're thinking of trekking around Annapurna sometime in the next two years. It's a totally feasible and realistic goal. But plan for it, make sure you're ready and take all the necessary precautions. Prepare carefully as you would any other activity that required some level of endurance or physical exertion.
It's also probably best to steer clear of activities like the hugging of Great White sharks for example. Just a precaution and I doubt that sharks are fans of cuddles anyway. No tickles either methinks.
This is a Life List after all, not a compilation of things guaranteed to secure you a stay at the local hospital.

On the other hand, experts say that there is nothing wrong in aiming high. However if we were to plan poorly and not complete certain goals, it could be enough to put some individuals off the whole idea of striving for betterment altogether.

That really is the gist of a Life List.  To recognise what may be missing in our lives and that we want to do something positive about it.
People may scoff at the notion, and we may even try to tell ourselves that we're not really being goal-oriented. Some may suggest that would hint at an overt level of rear end-retentiveness and no one ever wants to admit to that sort of personality disorder.
But I for one am happy to participate and take a stab at putting together my own Life List. I've given myself my own time guideline and have kept it as flexible as I could, but this is one that reflects accurately on myself.

Within The Next 5 Years I Want To :

- Have a basic knowledge of at least one Chinese dialect

- Get my palm read

- Settle down with the object of my affection

- Take one totally and utterly hedonistic holiday at a beautiful locale

- Hate less but also apologise less

- Invest in a professional camera to indulge my inner 'Annie Leibovitz'

- Make frequent trips up to Mesilau because it's cold up there and it makes me happy

- Write a book

- Hug those I love as often as I can

- Be proud of my ethics and senses of right and wrong

- Meet up with old friends who used to be like family to me

- Visit a desert just to see what that sand feels like running through my fingers

- Find a way to properly thank my mentors for everything they have done for me

- Read something so profound that it will change my life and leave me emotional for days

- Nuzzle constantly

- Regularly invite good friends over for home cooked meals

- Fall out of love with Ralph Fiennes's character Count Almásy in The English Patient

- Smile more

- Quote a Pablo Neruda poem entirely from memory

- Do something thoughtful for a random stranger

- Get over my addiction to Facebook.com

- Adopt a pet

- Be less selfish by contributing my time and energy towards charity work

Something else that struck me was the realisation that I will be 30 years old in a few months time. A new decade, a turning point of sorts for me.
I can safely say that I thoroughly enjoyed my 20s and did everything that I was supposed to do and a lot more that I probably wasn't, but those are clearly stories for another day. Being in your 20s gives you the excuse of trial-and-error. That you're still feeling your way along into serious adulthood. A rite of passage which can be a little scary, constantly confusing, but is a fun ride nevertheless.

So as I prepare to say goodbye to the follies and frolics of my youth proper, I am reminded of this book in particular : "30 Things Everyone Should Know How To Do Before Turning 30" by Siobhan Adcock.

I was fortunate enough to study under Siobhan while taking part in a humour writers' workshop several months ago. A hilarious woman with amazing amounts of encouragement for other writers, she once stated that I would be someone she could see herself having a great time at a bar with over several drinks, just based on the nature of the work that I had submitted to her online.
I remember being pleased as I was paid, in my mind, the biggest compliment I had ever received. Needless to say I had a fantastic time interacting with someone who's feedback on my work sent me into stitches regularly.

 The following Siobhan's witty response when asked about what motivated her to pick such an unusual topic for a book.

"Basically, I am list-obsessed, and also bossy. So I decided to write something that would allow me to combine my two great loves, writing lists and bossing people around," she states.

"The longer story is that when I was about to turn 30, I realized there were a lot of things that I just had no idea how to do, that I thought I would surely have picked up by that time, from some source or other.

But as life turns out, you're not guaranteed to have a genteel old lady aunt who'll teach you to write gracious thank-you notes, or the garage-monkey best guy friend who'll show you how to change a tire if you should ever find yourself stranded by the roadside with a flat.

You don't pick that kind of stuff up by osmosis, either, unfortunately. Maybe this is the kind
of thing that's motivating your own life list?

So what I did was make a list of stuff I always wished I'd learned how to do. A lot of them turned out to be basic practical life skills (keep a plant alive, hold a baby), and then there were a couple that just seemed like lost arts--stuff everybody USED to know how to do by age 30 that nobody seems to really teach you anymore, like how to sew on a button or get out common stains.

 Then I narrowed the list down to 30 (you know, for symmetry's sake), and got started asking around, doing research, and interviewing people about how-tos. For example, I interviewed a bartender I knew about the best way to send a drink to somebody's table. I asked a pregnant friend how someone who wanted to help her out of a car might best go about doing that...without grabbing anything inappropriately or seeming like a condescending jerk.

As I get closer to 40, maybe I'll think about a sequel, but damn. 40 seems a lot harder than 30. How to negotiate a mortgage? How to plan your retirement? Not the kind of thing that lends itself to pithy five-page instructions."

On to the list of activities in the book "30 Things Everyone Should Know How To Do Before Turning 30". I've decided to take a stab at it myself and I will add my own comments in just to see how my skills measure up.

Basically, every 29-almost-heading-to-30 year old should know how to :

1. wrap a present
- Yes

2. start a successful fire in a fireplace, at a campsite, and in a barbecue
- Yes to only the barbecue. Hopeless at the other two

3. finish a piece of furniture
- Never even thought of starting a piece

4. get a raise
- No. Begging never works.

5. order wine at a restaurant without getting stiffed
- Yes, I usually stick to regions or winemakers that I am familiar with, that way I'm more aware of what the usual restaurant prices are and would know if I'm getting ripped off.

6. parallel park in three breathtakingly beautiful movements
- Oh yes

7. dance a “slow dance” without looking like an idiot
- I have two left feet but as clumsy as I am, yes I can pull of a slow dance

8. use a full place setting properly, including chopsticks and Asian soup spoons
- Of course

9. clean your place in under 45 minutes, when friends, relatives, or prospective lovers are coming by unexpectedly, and soon
- Apart from sometimes not doing the dishes straightaway, I usually keep a tidy home, so yes

10. hold your liquor
- I'm capable of holding a decent amount without falling over. Yes to that.

11. cure a hangover
- There is nothing a nice bacon and egg fry up can't fix. An ice cold Coke works wonders too. If all else fails, it's painkillers to the rescue.

12. do the Heimlich Maneuver
- I know it in theory. Have never attempted it on a human being or animal.

13. use a compass
- Nope. Shocking.

14. change a flat
- Ah, again, only in theory. I do know how to use my mobile phone to call up guy friends for help.

15. jump start a car
- Yes, helped a friend out just the other day actually.

16. open a champagne bottle
- Look, none of this chopping the neck off with a sword or anything. I know how to open a bottle of champagne without taking anyone's eye out by placing a napkin over the cork while twisting the bottle. So a very boring yes.

17. send a drink to someone’s table
- Yes.

18. cook one “signature meal”
- I've got a couple of good recipes up my sleeve

19. whistle with your fingers
- Absolutely not. Been trying for years and always ended up with spittle everywhere

20. take good pictures
- I can take decent pictures.

21. fold a fitted sheet
- Yes

22. remove common stains
- I know how to pre-soak, so I guess that counts doesn't it?

23. sew a button
- Nope. I cannot sew to save my life

24. carve turkey, lasagna, and birthday cake
- No to the turkey, yes to lasagna and birthday cake.

25. hold a baby
- I'm extremely careful with handling babies but I do know how to carry them properly. Yes.

26. change a diaper
- No. I'm usually a healthy distance away at that point.

27. keep a plant alive for more than a year
- No. I am famous for killing anything even remotely green in my apartment

28. make dogs and cats love you
- This is what I excel in. Yes.

29. help someone (an older or ill person, a woman you’re trying to impress, your mother) out of a car
- Yes, when I brought a friend to the hospital not too long ago.

30. write superior thank you notes
- I can scrawl out a decent thank you. I think there is room for improvement in this department.

After taking both these lists into account and realizing just how appropriately they fit into my life right now, it is in my humble opinion that sometimes we should stop trying to understand why we need to do what we've always wanted to. No justification should be necessary.

Veer away from explaining what you need to make you feel complete. It's your list, it's your life.As long as you're a responsible adult with a healthy set of goals, my only imput would be for you to just go for it. And I wish you the best of luck. 

Serpentine By Virtue

Serpentine By Virtue - Published July 2007

 
A few days ago I shook myself up from a dream. All the lights in my room were hastily flicked on as I poked around my bed to make sure nothing was hiding under there. I checked the time. It was 4:28am exactly.  Feeling too jittery to go back to sleep, I made myself a coffee, sat at my computer and turned to the massive bastion of knowledge we call the Internet, trying to look for answers. Apart from ensuring that I was wide awake, this dream had some details that were too interesting to ignore.

I dreamt that I was in a big house I didn't recognise. I was walking around trying to find my bearings and came across 3 snakes at separate intervals. One after the other.
Not just any typical run-of-the-mill slitherers either. All 3 snakes were golden coloured king cobras.

The first snake appeared, reared up, flattened it's signature hood and towered above me. I distinctly remember a strong and immediate feeling of despair and helplessness as I watched the snake rise up over me, almost as if I knew I couldn't escape and had better just deal with what was inevitably coming my way. I gave in, accepted what I thought was my fate, closed my eyes and offered my arm up in almost sacrificial obedience.

At the time of the bite, I expected it to hurt as I had predicted fangs were going to pierce the skin. But there was no pain or blood. More like a nudge or a tap to be honest. It seemed to be over with so quickly as the snake slithered off casually and nonchalantly.
I knew that the bite wasn't a proper one and that I wasn't supposed to die. I stood there watching the snake leave and felt utterly stumped and confused. Those feelings were quickly replaced with ones of relief at the realisation that I wasn't hurt.
The exact sequence of events took place with the other two snakes shortly after. I experienced the same set of emotions as well.

That dream has stuck with me more than any other I can think of. Such a strong chord it jarred me for days. Why snakes? Why three? Were the cobras symbolic of something significant in my life? A warning perhaps. Obstacles that I had to face. Treachery from a trusted loved one. Or would that be too superficial an analysis?
Now that I look back on it, perhaps the snakes weren't meant to scare but instead were trying to guide, teach or remind. A message from my inner psyche. A perplexing paradox nevertheless.

Freud states that dreams signify the correlation between ones conscious and unconscious mind. That dreams often try to tell us something through our subconscious that we, during waking hours, may not be aware of. And Merriam-Webster defines the word subconscious as "existing in the mind but not immediately available to consciousness".

How much stock do people put in their dreams? I am aware that dreams can reflect a lot of what happens in our lives on a day to day basis. Nightmares are an interesting variety. They carry with them insecurities, worries, frustrations, unhappiness and a whole heap of other negative possibilities. An unpleasant reminder of problems that we may have yet to acknowledge or are avoiding finding a solution to.

It naturally goes without saying that dreams have had an interesting effect on people for thousands of years. Dreams have even been responsible for changing the face of history. We have all heard countless stories of precognitive dreams. A form of clairvoyance. Premonitions, if you like.

Alexander The Great had many precognitive dreams prior to the outcome of a battle or siege, usually ensuring success and victory. It was such dreams that led him to build Alexandria after his conquering of Egypt, a city that was considered to hold the most amazing library in the ancient world, rivaled by none at that time.

Another famous premonition was a warning given to Julius Caesar by a soothsayer to "beware the Ides of March" before his assassination at the hands of Brutus. Caesar's wife Calpurnia had dreamt of his death the night prior and had begged him not to meet with the Senate. He was murdered that very day.

Abraham Lincoln dreamt of his own death. In his dream he had heard weeping in the East Wing of the White House. He happened upon a soldier and asked why this was. The soldier replied that people were mourning a dead president who had been shot.
Lincoln was assassinated a few short days later. His body was indeed placed in the East Wing for mourners to pay their last respects.

Paul McCartney credits waking from a dream to writing the melody for The Beatles largest hit song "Yesterday" and famed fiction writer Stephen King came about with the plot for his best selling novel "Misery" while asleep on a plane

I usually have average or pleasant dreams, be it an extention of the day's activities or something I recognise as lucid dreaming and of which I am a bit of a fan. Lucid dreaming is where you are able to control the outcome of the events as they are occurring. You are fully aware that you are dreaming while you're actually in the dreamstate, in a manner of speaking. I have personally known people who were able to manipulate (for loss of a better word) their lucid dream state with just a bit of practise.
Wish you were out fishing on a serene lake or meeting up with old friends over coffee? If you're aware of how to indulge in lucid dreaming, you're wherever you want to be.

I had a casual chat with a friend about the possible connotations of cobras. He was perplexed and concerned about the negative overtones and implications of what it meant to dream about snakes. Again, the specific type of snake came into question.

After conducting a somewhat exhaustive search for snake appearances in dreams, it appears that the common consensus is that snakes can be both good or bad.
Snakes can symbolise life, death, transformation, rebirth and new beginnings.

The Dream Interpretation website clearly states that to be bitten by a cobra "carries a special warning to guard against accidents in the following few weeks". Duly noted.

It was then with great interest that I read the following paragraphs on the same website :

The Snake

1. An ancient symbol of transmutation. The dreamer will soon undergo a vast inner change that will be reflected in her outer life. If the dream is a positive and uplifting one, then good times are ahead. If the dream is a scary one, the times ahead may still be good ones, but the dreamer needs to be very careful of pitfalls along the way.

2. An even more ancient symbol for the Great Goddess. If the dreamer is a woman, then she will soon come into realisation of her power as a woman. If the dreamer is a man, especially if he is single, a very powerful and exciting woman will soon come into his life—though she may not be a potential love partner."

I had a look around at the Online Dream Dictionary and it states :"To see a cobra in your dream, represents creation, and creative energies. Some situation or relationship has you hypnotised."

I have to admit to feeling immense relief upon reading that. I suppose that, like so many of us, I have often unfairly associated snakes with evil serpents. A bad omen and an indication of difficult things to come.
I was then reminded of an interesting childhood incident at my family home. Our maid was going about her usual daily cleaning routine when she spied what she initially assumed was a plastic bag in a corner by our main door. Upon closer inspection she discovered that it was a shed snake's skin. She immediately alerted my mother and after their dual shrieks of fright had died down my mother poured some milk into a bowl and set about sprinkling it around the outer walls of our house.
I was fascinated and asked her why she did this. My mother replied that it was a way of thanking the snake for the honour of visiting our home without harming anyone and that the milk was a boon or food for it.
My mother also reminded me that for a snake to decide to shed it's skin anywhere, it would only head to a place that it wouldn't be harmed in. Somewhere it could be safe without fear of attack.
We came across another snake's skin in the exact same location approximately 8 months later. I can only assume that this was from the same snake and that it had decided to pay us one last visit. We never found any other skins after that.
It still amazes me that a snake could have made it's way into my home during daylight hours and no one spotted it's comings or goings. Someone once suggested that perhaps the snake lived in our home, possibly in our attic. I've never bought into that theory though.
It is unsurprising how many people dream about snakes in a negative light. It should not be forgotten that the snake is an animal highly revered in Asian culture and religion, most notably in Hinduism and Buddhism. In the Sanskrit language, the hooded King Cobra is known as Naga.
Nagas symbolise strength and fertility in India. The Hindu god Shiva is always depicted with a Naga draped around his neck. According to the timeless Indian epic Mahabharata, the Nagas were enemies of Garuda  - the King of Birds.

I have always had a particular fondness for the Buddhist story of Naga King Mucalinda who coiled himself around Siddhartha as the prince seeked enlightenment beneath a bodhi tree. Mucalinda, with his giant hood, hovered over Siddhartha and protected him from the rain and wind in a thunderstorm that lasted seven days.
This scene is depicted in shrines and statues at Buddhist temples and is viewed by many around the world as a strong symbol for compassion and kindness. Mucalinda is also associated as being the protector of Buddha.

Another interesting point to note is that dreaming about snakes suggests the awakening of Kundalini. Kundalini is a yogic, cosmic energy that emenates from the base of the spine. This life force is usually said to be coiled up dormant like a snake until it is stirred. Hence the term Kundalini Shakti which, loosely translated, means 'serpent power'. Once the Kundalini is awakened, this force moves along to other chakras and stimulates them, assisting immensely in spiritual, physical and the emotional healing of one's self through yoga and meditation.
While the unpleasant symbolic aspects of snakes may very well ring true for many others, I think I'd rather focus on the positive. That the snakes in my dream were a beautiful gold colour. That the bites did not hurt and I was clearly not meant for the grave just yet. And that maybe the visual images of the hooded King Cobras were meant to send me a message.
I'm happy to put it down to the possibility that my intuition and the cosmos are giving me a good, strong wake-up call to stop doubting my abilities. I am usually my own worst enemy when it comes to granting myself any decent measure of self-confidence, especially in the realm of creativity.

Interesting then, for me to come across this little snippet. In her book "Snake Symbolism", Gillian Holloway, PhD. writes on dreaming about snakes, "For whatever reason, these dreams seem involved with the psychic awareness of the transition from this life to the next...."

And not this it should have any bearing on anything, but according to the Chinese zodiac, I'm a snake as well.