#2: Adding copyright information to your pictures

I've always thought I could only add copyright information to my pictures during post-processing. I've used Picasa & Lightroom for this purpose before. Now, thanks to the Canon EOS Digital Rebel T1i/500D Companion by Ben Long I can now use Canon EOS Utility software that came with my 500D to store a custom copyright message in my pictures. This is useful for me to prove ownership of my images, especially the ones I share via my flickr, jpgmag & twitter.

I plugged James (that's what I call my 500D) into the laptop, using the USB cable, and powered on. The EOS utility window will launch. I suggest you go through these steps too:

From that first screen, click Camera Settings/Remote Shooting, & you'll see the window in picture #2.

Click on the tool button (it's about halfway down the window) - I've circled it in red.

In the Set-up Menu section, click on the Copyright notice entry.

Enter your information and click OK. I also configured the Owner's Name field, since I was there.

Mr Long advised that pressing the Menu button on the camera, navigating to the 3rd tool menu, choosing Clear Settings & pressing the Display button can confirm that we've set the copyright info correctly. I did that, and I saw my name displayed on the LCD screen.

After closing the application and unplugging James, I took a photo to check if the updated data would show in the info screen. I wasn't disappointed.

So hey - I learned something new today. Put in this info one time, and this way works for me fine. If this can be beneficial to other 500D owners, that's cool too.

Enjoy photography!

What a customer experience!

I posted earlier a situation where a shop assistant recommended a couple to visit another store, assuming that they couldn't afford the men's clothing that the posh store carried. There is no polite way to suggest this, no matter how gentle the tone of voice is. To a customer, the idea of being told that you cannot afford what's in store is insulting enough.

I wonder - is this the experience that this posh boutique wants every visitor to have?

Not only the sales person failed to provide a pleasant experience to the couple, who actually can afford the merchandise, he failed to convert those visitors to customers. Let's not even begin to picture the number of people who will hear about that experience, all right?

A posh boutique may wants to present a picture that it's high-class or the choice of the more discerning ones. The trick is how to build the behavior that is positively regarded by everyone - from the no-limit-credit card-toting folk to the hoi-polloi. Why does creating the right habit matter? It matters because people are at the core of any business. No matter what's the business model or environment, we still need to serve customers who are, mostly (duh!), people.
Too bad that particular posh boutique in one of the tallest building of this part of the world did not grasp the importance of creating a great experience at every customer and potential customer contact.

I'll leave you with this snippet here. I'm not sure how many of you would remember this scene from 1990's Pretty Woman that starred Richard Gere & Julia Roberts -

Shop assistant: Hello, can I help you?
Vivian: I was in here yesterday. You wouldn't wait on me.
Shop assistant: Oh.
Vivian: You people work on commission, right?
Shop assistant: Yeah.
Vivian: (Holding up her shopping bags for the shop assistant to see) Big mistake. Big. Huge. I have to go shopping now.

She turns away and walks out of the shop, leaving shop assistants standing, mouths open.

One of the best scenes ever written, in my opinion.

Is my money not good in your store?

A couple walks into a posh, high-end boutique in a shopping center in the city, intending to purchase a men’s suit. A floor sales staff member approaches them.

Sales: May I help you?
He: Yes. We’re looking for a suit.
She: We’re fine with off the rack, probably with one or two small altering here and there, maybe you can show us some choices…

Sales staff looks at them from head to toe, noting their VERY casual attire.

Sales: Well- sir, madam, I don’t think we have something in our store here that fits your budget.

Couple looks surprised.

He: Excuse me?
Sales: You see sir, madam, our more modestly priced range start from 10,000 RM per suit. Our luxury range can easily be more than 5 figures, costing in the material and tailoring.

Couple looks at each other, eyes wide, and mouths slightly agape.

She: Are you suggesting we can’t afford your suits?
He: Do you think we would walk into a place looking to buy something we cannot afford?
Sales: I’m suggesting you try out the boutique 2 doors away from here. Their prices would suit your budgets more, I think. They’re much cheaper than ours.
He: Well, I never…I want to speak to your manager.
Sales: I’m sorry sir, he’s not in at the moment.
She: Let’s go, dear. I don’t want to buy from this place anyway. What nerve!

Couple walks out. Salesman turns back from the main entrance and disappears into store.

What would you do if something like this had happened to you?

Image source: allaboutweybridge.co.uk http://twurl.nl/7mepo4

#1 Seeing the picture that I want to see

Click on the picture for a bigger view.

Sometimes, I want to see more in a black & white image. This photo gave me an opportunity to use Canon Digital Photo Professional (DPP) application to help me see the picture that I want within the photograph that I have.

The journey for this picture was from the top; full colour, uncropped. I wanted to focus on the decaying structure, so I cropped tighter, taking the garbage bag out. I then turned the picture monochrome, pushed up the sliders for sharpness and shadow up to the middle of their respective bars, and arrived at the darker image in the middle. Somehow this doesn't capture fully what I had felt when I saw this house/shed. I had been curious about who had lived in it before, what it was used for. What I had in mind was this thought: everything has its history. Things are not in black and white all the time. That prompted me to move the saturation and sharpness sliders all the way down and up, respectively. Then I tweaked the individual sliders in Red, Green & Blue until I saw a hint of greyish green & red. I wanted to show how the building is pushed way back, as if it has retreated into its fate of decaying quietly, even as the greenery around it continues to live and grow.

Death, is only the beginning, said Imhotep in The Mummy (1999) and I saw those words when I first looked at this structure in Taiping, early this year.

Continue experimenting - you never know what you'll see until you look. The final picture is available here on my flickr stream.

Take care.

Get personal, just don't take it personally.

IMG_0820, originally uploaded by faz k.

I shot this self-portrait 9 days after I got my EOS 500D, James.

Looking at this photo, I found it funny how the only time I can look directly into the camera lens is when a part of my face is covered. This brings me to an apprehension that impacts my choice of photograpy subjects. I tell myself that I prefer inanimate objects instead of humans. One day, my subconscious mind asked back, "what is it about humans that make you avoid them as subjects?"

I allowed my mind to answer, and the revelation surprised me with its honesty. It was a deep-seated feeling that I never belonged anywhere, with anyone. As a child, I looked different from my cousins, and I believed it when my mother implied that I lack grace; very much like a bull in a china shop. I had been a chit-chatty little girl, until I was admonished with "little childen should be seen & not heard". I hid in closets & cupboards, scribbling in my note book conducting conversations in my head where everyone around me would pay rapt attention to what I said. In my teens, my mother reminded me many times that the appropriate time for me to join a conversation would be when I have my own family.

I realise now how this has impacted me as an adult. I was slow to suggest or give opinions for fear of being rejected, not included, and ridiculed. I agreed with the majority even though personally I know there was a better solution. I also shied away from portraiture photography because I convinced myself that I'd just be intruding the potential subjects. I had masked my fear of connecting with a warped sense of reality that I preffered buildings to people.

I realise that now, and have been moving forward since 2 years ago, post NLP certification, when I achieved breakthrough. And now, I'm ready to be more aware of the beauty of moving forward and explore. More specifically, to explore the interesting world of portraiture photography. My beloved buildings can wait :-)

Picture taken 9 June '09, EOS 500D 18-55mm kit lens, f/5.6, 1/4sec, ISO1600, focal length 49mm.

Trampled, maybe. Hurt, absolutely. Moving on, most definitely.

fallen hero, originally uploaded by faz k.

I knocked on your heart's door
Asking you to let me in
You opened it only to spit in my face and stick a knife in my chest -
To make sure I never come back.
Later, you look out and see me as I struggle to my feet -
And you call out to me, "How are you?"

Cruelty, thy name is the human male.


Picture details: shot at the National Monument using my point&shoot Canon PowerShot SX100IS. f/4.0, 1/200sec, focal length: 6.7 mm, ISO 100.

Finally the sun sets on the perfect picture

_MG_3860, originally uploaded by faz k.

From Paulo Coelho's Warrior of Light
******
Things as they are.

Of course things don’t always happen they way we wish they would. There are moments in which we feel we are seeking something that is not meant for us, knocking on doors that don’t open, waiting for miracles that don’t manifest themselves.

Fortunately that is the way things are – if everything went the way we wanted, soon we would no longer have anything to write about, nothing to guide our daily thoughts. This script serves our dreams as nourishment, but to our battles as energy. And as it always happens with the warriors that spend all their energy in the Good Fight, there are moments in which it is best to relax and believe that the Universe is still working for us secretly, even if we cannot comprehend it.

And so, let us allow the Soul of the World to fulfill its mission, and if we can’t help, the best way to collaborate is to pay attention to the simple things in life; the sunset, the people in the street, the reading of a book.

However, in many cases, time continues passing and nothing exceptional happens. But the true warrior of light believes. Just like children believe.

Because they believe in miracles, the miracles begin to happen.

Because they are certain that their thoughts can change their lives, their lives begin to change.

Because they are certain they will find love, this love appears.

Sometimes they are disappointed. Sometimes they feel hurt.

Then they hear the comments, “you are so naïve!”

But the warrior knows it is worth the price. To each defeat, there are two conquests in his favor.

In an interesting and diminutive book called “The Breviary of Medieval Knights,” there are some passages that have to be remembered in these moments of waiting:

“The Path’s spiritual energy uses justice and patience to prepare your spirit.”

“This is the Knight’s Path. An easy and hard path at the same time, as it urges us to let aside useless things and relative friendships. That is why, at the beginning, we hesitate so much to follow it.”

“This is a Knight’s first teaching: you will erase everything you wrote up to now on your life’s notebook: turmoil, insecurities, lies. And in place of all that, you will write the word courage. Beginning the journey with this word and going on with faith in God, you will arrive where you need to arrive.”

Even so, sometimes we keep on waiting – with patience, resignation, courage – and still, things around us don’t move. But since this is the path we chose, it seems impossible that life’s blessings are not working in our favor. It provokes, therefore, a deep reflection about what we call “results:” our destiny is manifesting itself in a way we are not able to fully comprehend . Jorge Luís Borges wrote a masterly short story about this issue.

He describes the birth of a tiger that spends great part of its life in the African wildness but ends up being captured and taken to a zoo in Italy. From then on, the animal thinks his life has lost sense and there is nothing left to do but wait for the day he dies.

One fine day, poet Dante Alighieri passes by this zoo, looks at the tiger, and the animal inspires a verse – in the midst of thousands of verses – of “The Divine Comedy.”

“The entire battle for survival that tiger went through was only so that it could be at the zoo on that morning and inspire an immortal verse,” says Borges.

Just like this tiger, we all have a reason – a very important reason – to be here, at this moment, this morning.

So relax. And pay attention.

Serenity - or holding on to the ledge with one's fingertips as calmly as possible

Face From Angkor, originally uploaded by vincenzooli.

It's been a tough week, surprisingly.

I had been struggling with a new aspect of my work that involves marketing activities. I thought it would come natural to me, honestly I did. Did I overestimate my own capabilities? I'm not sure. One thing I AM sure is how much I love content design & development. I don't need to struggle to get the big picture before I work on a paragraph. I just know when to skim and where to scan for the right level of insight needed to be spot on. I'd see pictures in my head like multiple pop-up windows. But get me to make a phone call to confirm an appointment, the palms of my hands break into cold sweat. Oh dear.

Am I too complacent and just want to stay in my area of content development - writing articles, designing methodologies & approaches, reviewing processes etc - until I can't see myself doing anything else? I don't think so. I want to stretch myself more in that area. Developing structure and content in other medium, presenting ideas in different ways. Put me in a solitary cubicle with no one around me and I'd be happy. I'd be serene, even.

Then I saw this photo, and vincenzooli kindly gave me his permission to blog it when I wrote to him. I love his travel pictures. This one in particular, helped me to relax.

And today I wrote to my boss. First, an update. Last, a confession that I'm at loss to handle this marketing stuff. Not sure what she'll say to me - she'd probably sit me down & discuss this. She'd probably share with me her point of view. That'd be fine. I've been so comfortably expressing myself in writing the last two weeks I'm not sure if I can think and talk at the same time, though.

Wish me luck. In the meantime, enjoy vincenzooli's Face From Angkor.

When does getting up close become getting too close?

Do these come from a real peacock?, originally uploaded by faz k.

It took me a while to digest the 'get too close to the trees and you can't see the forest' saying. While acknowledging the idea in that saying, I am aware that I do need to get close to something to see it clearer. Like in photography, for instance - Robert Capa said, 'if your photos are not good enough, you're not close enough' - or something close to that.

I think we just need to recognize the point where getting up close equals getting too close. Because, even in making pictures, we need to fill the frame. However, if we keep on zooming in, there's a point where we can't see anything but a blur. That's when we zoom out a little, and then we'd see the picture that we need to make. Or the action we need to take in order to get the best result.

Photography. Very much like creating solutions for issues in other aspects of life too, no?

Picture taken with my Canon PowerShot SX100 IS, 1/8 sec, f/3.5, focal length 14.4mm, ISO 80.

Sweet dreams are made of these

_MG_3779, originally uploaded by Faz K PSPJ.

The sampan was made by hand and transported from Pulau Duyung, Terengganu, the announcer said.

Putrajaya was bursting with colors during Floria 2009. I took this shot on late Saturday afternoon. It was still very hot and bright, even though the long shadows showed me that it was close to sunset. I was at the foot of the Millenium Monument and turned around towards the lake. The whispering leaves of the trees welcomed me. I immediately sat down on the lush green grass and felt calmer, cooler. I wanted to capture the dreamy feeling I had, so I decided to use the tree branches to frame the small boat. It took me 12-13 frames to make sure that I got the boat where I wanted it to be. And now, I can look at this photo and transport myself back to that moment on a late Saturday afternoon where I was in my own little world, right there in the shade of the trees by the Putrajaya lake.

Photo details: taken with the EOS 500D on AV mode, 1/500sec, f/4.5, 25mm focal length, ISO 100, +2 EV

Even I think things have gone too far, Pt 1

IMG_3745, originally uploaded by Faz K projects.

Dalam satu video baru-baru ini, seorang menteri:
- mempertahankan kemungkinan ada ikhtiar penapisan internet
- memaklumkan beliau hanya akan menjawab soalan tentang Merdeka 52 tahun sahaja
- menegaskan tidak akan ada tolak-ansur dalam memastikan pornografi kanak-kanak sifar

Dalam video ini, seorang menteri menjegilkan matanya sambil menggunakan nada suara yang sinis, menegur seorang wartawan yang menggunakan bahasa Inggeris dalam soalannya. Kesima aku. Sungguh tak sangka seorang menteri yang aku pernah hormati waktu kanak-kanak mengendalikan sidang akhbarnya sebegitu rupa. Sombongnya dia. "where were you educated? can't speak bahasa at all", "chakap oreang putey"... berjayakah pendekatan begini menimbulkan rasa hormat terhadapnya dan maklumat yang disampaikan? Hampas yang amat menghampakan. Kalau dia nak wartawan tu rasa segan, mungkin teguran secara lembut dapat menyampaikan maksud yang tersirat dengan lebih baik, kesan yang lebih mendalam. Contohnya: "Bukankah kita dalam sidang akhbar promosi Merdeka 52? Marilah kita gunakan bahasa kebangsaan hari ini.." Tak payah jegil-jegil mata, ya tidak?

Aku belajar dalam negeri. Dari St Teresa's Kindergarten Kuala Terengganu sampailah ke Universiti Utara Malaysia Sintok. Aku selesa berbahasa Inggeris - mak ayah aku dah biasa berbahasa Inggeris, Kebangsaan, loghat Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Batak (bapak aku lah) dan semua itu dengan harapan anak-anak mereka mampu bercakap untuk minta tolong kalau sesat di tempat orang - tak semua orang tahu loghat Terengganu, mak aku ajar masa aku belum akil baligh dulu.

Mujur mak ayah aku ajar kami sebaik mungkin. Kalau tak, aku mungkin jadi macam beberapa lepasan Universiti tempatan di lokasi sedikit luar Lembah Kelang yang bukan berasaskan pertanian yang duduk letaknya dekat-dekat rumah bapak saudara aku tak jauh dari hutan simpan Bangi. Aku pernah temuduga budak-budak lepasan U ini masa aku 'berkecimpung' (bergelumang sebenarnya) dalam dunia HR beberapa tahun lepas. Aku semak semua jawapan. Secara bertulis dalam borang yang bukan dalam bahasa kebangsaan tu - tak menjawab soalan. Secara lisan? Malang. Koyak rabak ayat dan perenggan masing-masing. Daripada geram aku rasa macam nak tempeleng depa, aku terus jadi tak sampai hati. Waktu aku tengok muka graduan-graduan tu, aku seakan boleh dengar dalam batu jemala tu bunyi enjin - dengar bahasa inggeris perempuan ni cakap-terjemah dalam bahasa kebangsaan-terjemah balik dalam bahasa inggeris-buka mulut-jawab. Sakit, aku rasa, duduk dalam bilik temuduga dengan aku. Aku tengok muka depa berkerut-kerut pun aku rasa sakit.

Mungkin aku ni emosi sangat. Mungkin aku patut ucap tahniah kepada menteri ni. Nak sangat semua orang fasih berbahasa kebangsaan. Nah, ambik. Berkoyan-koyan lepasan universiti tempatan sekarang tidak berbahasa Inggeris. Tidak mampu? Tidak diajar? Tidak pandai? Lebih mendaulatkan bahasa kebangsaan? Tepuk dada tanya selera.

Mendidih jugak darah aku, membuak-buak, waktu tengok video ini. Kemudian aku terkenang cikgu-cikgi yang berhempas-pulas ajar aku dari masa aku 4 tahun ikat rambut tocang dua sampai lah dewasa andartu sekarang ni. Kalau tak sebab depa bertungkus lumus pastikan aku faham semua bahasa yang depa ajar aku, tak boleh lah aku 'menjawab' masa konsultan mat saleh perli sahabat sekerja aku yang sama-sama baru macam aku masa aku mula-mula kerja dulu sambil sahabat aku tu terkebil-kebil macam ayam berak kapur. Tak bolehlah aku jawab balik mangkuk yang kutuk aku dalam bahasa jerman dalam keretapi masa aku assignment kat Munich dulu. Tak bolehlah aku tangkis ejekan staf hotel masa aku kerja kat Beijing beberapa tahun dulu.

Memang bahasa kebangsaan sangat penting. Sebahagian dari jiwa kita. Kita rakyat Malaysia; aku pun meluat beruk kalau ada cerita orang-orang yang tak pandai berbahasa kebangsaan tambah lagi kalau orang tu macam aku, ada cop 'rubber stamp' dalam paspot antarabangsa sejak kerja saja, bukan sejak masa belajar. Pokoknya, SEMUA BAHASA penting. Sudah tentu termasuk bahasa isyarat dan Braille, terutama kepada pihak yang memerlukannya.

Pada aku, keupayaan untuk berkomunikasi dengan lancar lebih penting. Dalam apa bahasa yang perlu sekalipun. Mendaulatkan bahasa kebangsaan tidak sepatutnya bermakna bahasa lain diperkecilkan. Tidak sama sekali. Itu bodoh sombong namanya.

Mungkin kita semua perlu jadi bodoh sombong. Eh tak, aku rasa tak. Aku tak mau. Mak ayah dan cikgu-cikgi aku tak ajar aku macam tu.

p.s.

BTW - aku tengok dalam kamus kesima = dumbfounded. Aku kira lebih kurang macam 'gobsmacked' lah tu. OK lah ya?

Even I think things have gone too far, Pt 2

_MG_3803, originally uploaded by faz k.

The question behind the question is, what am I going to do about it?

Vijay wrote on Eddie's wall that ultimately, what's sad is that we can go on ranting & nothing may change. I can't quite argue with that statement, because I feel the rakyat have been hurt & disappointed and I'm not sure if they can handle the frustration much longer without resorting to some sort of emotional detachment or even worse, apathy. What's the impact of that then? We'd all probably stop trying our hardest and best, and just walk around, existing rather than living, waiting for the next thoughtless decrees that are outcomes of improper planning; to be retracted later by someone of the higher power. The good cop bad cop ploy and the tail wagging the dog do come to mind.

On Saturday, I joined a reccy trip to Putrajaya to prepare for our PSPJ outing the next day. It was late afternoon when I snapped this photo.

First, I felt sheer delight in hearing the children's joyful laugh and seeing the colors around me. Suddenly, I was gripped by fear. Fear of being mediocre, unconsciously teaching the children around me that it's ok to just follow directions without knowledge of the destination and of the purpose being served. That the best thing to do is to never ask questions, never discuss things that could be considered as taboo. They might as well get lobotomized immediately after their birth - special package price, 2-in-1 circumcision AND lobotomy, no?

NO. NO WAY.

If things move this way our children will inherit a world full of mediocrity. And we'd be guilty of that because we allowed fools with consistent verbal diarrhea to invade our thoughts with senseless statements and directives.

That's when Vijay's comment re-surfaced. And I realised that nothing can change if I don't be the change that I want to see. I looked at this photo again and then I heard it - my wake-up call from indifference and hopelessness. I will strive to be good and do right. To add meaning to my life and the people that I impact. To have faith in my own abilities and continue learning to improve my strengths. So what if there are people in powerful positions, even ministers, who continue to blunder their way around. They can make all the stupid remarks they want. I have faith that at some point, way back perhaps, their intentions were good. I have faith that my friends and loved ones are smart people who will not follow blindly. So those people can carry on. So si Luncai terjun dengan labu-labunya. Biarkan, biarkan, bloody biarkan.

Maybe I will still rant once in a while, but I will definitely continue to fight the good fight.

Because change begins with me.

Kepercayaan. Faith.

_MG_3829, originally uploaded by faz k.

Millenium monument, during Floria 2009, August.

The obelisk-like monument has carvings on its body to depict the Rukunegara, or National Principles, which is based on 5 guiding principles.

In full, it's read:
MAKA KAMI, rakyat Malaysia, berikrar akan menumpukan seluruh tenaga dan usaha kami untuk mencapai cita-cita tersebut berdasarkan atas prinsip-prinsip yang berikut :

KEPERCAYAAN KEPADA TUHAN
KESETIAAN KEPADA RAJA DAN NEGARA
KELUHURAN PERLEMBAGAAN
KEDAULATAN UNDANG-UNDANG
KESOPANAN DAN KESUSILAAN

The literal translation from Wikipedia follows:

NOW THEREFORE WE, the people of Malaysia, pledge to concentrate the whole of our energy and efforts to achieve these ambitions based on the following principles:

BELIEF IN GOD
LOYALTY TO KING AND COUNTRY
THE SUPREMACY OF THE CONSTITUTION
THE RULE OF LAW
COURTESY AND MORALITY

I think the main key here is KEPERCAYAN. Faith. People of power can say whatever they want, sometimes they don't make sense to me. But they will never take away my faith in God and my faith in me.

A design thinker's personality profile. Do you have one?

I was reading Tim Brown's Blog when I came across the article he had written for HBR. In the article, titled 'Design Thinking', are his views on what constitute design thinking. In it, he wrote that many outside professional design have the natural aptitude for design thinking - black turtlenecks not being a requirement.

What caught my interest as I skimmed through the article was Brown's idea of the design thinker's personality profile. He lists down empathy, integrative thinking, optimism, experimentalism and collaboration as characteristics to look for in design thinkers. Design thinkers, based on this list, are people who can see the situation from multiple points of stakeholder views: from the client's, the developer's, the end users', the supplier's - and this helps to design a solution that is more desirable and relevant. Design thinkers also believe that no matter how challenging the situation is, there is a set of solutions that is better than the current alternatives. They also keep on experimenting, in order to continuously improve the proposed solutions. Finally, they go beyond working alongside multiple disciplines; they themselves have experience in more than one.

You can read the article here.

Ya, sure he's describing the IDEO designers, who come from all walks of life and represents the perspectives of sociology, psychology, physics, and more. What I like about this list is that it's true - one does not need to be formally-trained in design school to have a design approach in one's thinking. The design approach helps in many aspects of getting work done.

I'm beginning to feel weary, though. I feel that I am one of the few ones that keep on asking questions, experimenting, pushing for awareness of multiple perspectives, exploring possibilities and eliminating unusable options, that I'm just tired. I'm not saying I'm so bloody great at it. What I'm saying is that if more of us learn to think this way, collaboration would be fun and brainstorming would actually yield cool ideas. I think my unconscious mind is listening to my words and is programming my body to react thus. I've been fighting a severe ear infection and horrendous headaches for 3 weeks now - a possibility that my body is experiencing some sort of dis-ease. I'm frustrated and angry and I need to suppress those feelings because it doesn't do anyone any good if I lose it and just shout "just think, people - think!" and bring the team's morale up. I don't care anymore. I don't even care if the work gets done or not. I just don't care.

There. Finally I've admitted that to myself. What do I do next?

Been busy, yes. Been a little bit ill too.

But most importantly, have been working on my stuff for the KLue Urbanscapes 2009 @ KLPAC, under the KLickr group. Didn't go to the one last year, and this year's program looks smashing.

More updates coming up when I have them. In the meantime, check out the urbanscapes page at http://www.urbanscapes.com.my

See you there.

How to successfully organize a social networking event for ’single, busy professionals’

um…er…how to (un)successfully organize the above, rather. Here are 5 ways.

ONE

Announce and market the event to the correct target group i.e. single, busy, professionals, get their payment, and then do nothing to whet their interest after they pay. Don’t find out what they’d like to see in a social networking get-together. Don’t even think of calling them for a nice chat to find out if they’d be shy or hesitant to join any particular activity or ‘party games’ and get their ideas on what kind of fun activities they’d feel happy about. God forbid if you’re thinking of asking them about their experience with similar socials, especially if it’s getting them to tell you about their experience in one or two that they may have thought of as lovely, or executed nicely. What do these people know about social networking anyway? You’re the experts, aren’t you?

TWO

Once the people arrive at the event you organize, make sure you get their business cards and other contact information, point them to the bar to get their complimentary watered-down beer, and then LEAVE THEM TO MINGLE ABOUT BY THEMSELVES. Don’t introduce people to each other, don’t offer small facts that may be interesting e.g. “I’d like to introduce you to so-and-so, who’s also in the sports apparel industry,”. Don’t walk around among those sorry lot for ‘how-do-you-dos’; other people might think you’re one of them. Oh and for goodness’ sake don’t help them – especially the ones who really look like they’re painfully shy and just stands there by the corner, by himself or herself. Focus instead on sitting together with your fellow organizers, continue looking great and MAKE SURE you introduce your team as experts in organizing social networking events for single, busy professionals. They all know that they are losers anyway, these poor sods, that they’d even pay you GOOD money to meet other single, busy, professionals in a social setting.

THREE

If you have latecomers, especially people who arrive about one hour late than the planned time, because they were too busy to plan their work properly and leave the office earlier in order to meet your stipulated time, implement step TWO and be very pointed about them being late to YOUR event. MAKE SURE that you don’t have anyone on stand by at the front door or the restaurant entrance so that when these sorry sods arrive, they’d feel so embarrassed standing alone at the door, not sure where to go, that they’d learn their lesson and never be late again for YOUR SOCIAL NETWORKING event THAT THEY HAD PAID FOR EARLIER. The key here is to make them feel so unwelcome so that they’d remember to be on time next time.

FOUR

Halfway into the event, just as they begin to look rather comfortable (or less shy) with each other, intrrupt them to officially introduce yourself and your team, emphasizing again on your collective experience of running these shindigs. Then you hand out pencils and pieces of paper containing some senseless questions, incomplete sentences or empty boxes. Tell those sods that they need to go on a manic rush to get all answers or matches within a stipulated time (the shorter, the better. Try 45 seconds and cut it from there). Once this mad frenzy is finished, announce the ‘fastest’ and ’slowest’ networkers, applaud the one with the most completed answers and punish the slowest sod with some humilitating command. Get them to sing, say out a poem, gyrate their hips or something like that. The more embarrassing the task is, the better. It shows how much of an expert you are, because single, busy professionals are always the best group to embarrass, because they don’t have partners like the rest of us NORMAL people.

FIVE

Never ever ask for feedback. You never need to improve on perfection, do you? Besides, what would those busy, single, busy professionals know about meeting other people in a social setting anyway? YOU are the experts in this area, aren’t you?

Yeah. What Randy said.

Sometimes, borrowing other people's words help to explain more clearly what I mean. Today, I will borrow Dr Randy Pausch's words, from his book, The Last Lecture.

"The questions are always more important than the answers."

That's so true - because I believe the best answers are the ones that hits you between the eyes like a hockey puck although not as hazardous; stuff that you realise yourself. I tend to answer questions by asking questions, especially at work. I love to see the A-HA! moment when the realisation dawns on people's faces that they have found a great potential solution to their issue. The ownership is there, and after the eureka moment, there's a spring to their step as they go off to tackle their to-do-list monster.

There are also the people I work with who do not respond well to this approach. Then I will see their face redden a little while they furrow their eyebrows and roll their eyes. Stop being too pedantic, they tell me. Just give a straight answer, they say. When I can, I do. When I see a good opportunity to learn by teaching and exploring together, I'll go it my way.

"Fundamentals, fundamentals, fundamentals. You’ve got to get the fundamentals down because otherwise the fancy stuff isn’t going to work."

Many times I struggled with things because I didn't see the big picture. Didn't ask the question behind the question. Didn't have my own EUREKA! moment of the general idea before rushing off to plan activities and take actions. Remembering Randy's statement here calms me. I have renewed strength in my decisions that relate to this statement. Like not buying a DSLR within the next 60 days because I'm just having too much time learning the fundamentals on my Powershot SX100 point-and-shooter.

However, there are times when I confess I may have deliberated too much because of a skewed perception of what forms fundamentals. Sometimes I don't see the line between analysis paralysis and I then end up not doing the nike (read: just do it). I don't have many regrets, but there are at least 2 actions that I should have taken within the last 24 hours that would have put me on a different path than where I am right at this moment. But no. I mistakenly thought I was still in data-gathering mode that will end once I feel I have enough to grasp the fundamentals. I forgot that data-gathering mode is a continuous process in most cases. And now, I'll never know what could have been, and perhaps I never will.

"My colleague told me: "It took a long time, but I finally figured it out. When it comes to men who are romantically interested in you, it's really simple. Just ignore everything they say and only pay attention to what they do."

This one's funny. Funny weird and funny ha-ha. I just have one important thing to mention here. Based on what I've experienced, no matter how much their words appear to contradict their actions, they'll still find a way to tell you that they don't really mean what they did, it's what they say that matters. And no amount of crying will change that.

"When you're screwing up and nobody says anything to you anymore, that means they've given up on you."

Can you give up on someone permanently, though?

"Find the best in everybody. Wait long enough, and people will surprise and impress you. It might even take years, but people will show you their good side. Just keep waiting."

I thought I could do that. I didn't realise the cost of waiting. Maybe someone should write about that.

"The key question to keep asking is, Are you spending your time on the right things? Because time is all you have and you may find one day that you have less than you think."

I know I said I'd wait. I didn't know that it's so easy to get comfortable with the routine and some would never come round to realising that what they're looking for is right there, in front of them. My bags are packed and I am ready to take off on the next part of the journey. If you don't feel that it's worth your time to take the initiative and just touch the sky with me, then so be it.

So be it.

Saudade, Vol 2

Based on A. F. G. Bell's book 'In Portugal', 1912 , one might make a strong analogy with nostalgia as a feeling one has for a loved one who has died and saudade as a feeling one has for a loved one who has disappeared or is simply currently absent. Like someone you love who went out for a walk along the beach and never came back; you long for every approaching shadow to prelude his or her return, I suppose.

Here's the idea that sparked my exploration into the difference and/or integration of nostalgia and saudade:

"From the beginning he'd consumed liquor only to get drunk. That was half of the equation. The other was the haunting sense that something fundamental to his happiness, his wholeness, been taken from him. When sober, he couldn't name it." [He remembers a trip to Lisbon with his first wife who is a fashion designer.] "...her buyer there...had taken the Parkers out for a night of fados. Fate songs. ... He asked the buyer what the lyrics meant, and the man explained , 'Saudade, my friend...the presence of absence.' "

SOURCE: "Cry Dance" (Kirk Mitchell)

Several days ago, a friend left a comment on this image on my flickr stream that said 'this is a powerful image'. I was curious to what that means - powerful in what way? To me, this image strikes at my core. I still feel like I'm been punched in the center of my chest whenever I look at this photo. But, almost like a glutton for punishment, I return to it repeatedly. Rather like getting injured in kickboxing practice to feel the external aches that match the agony of the internal lacerations.

This image describes the presence of absence that is inside my heart; the moment just before a tear breaks away from my eyelashes and drops onto my cheek; my memories of conflicts caused by past decisions that were taken purely out of urgent necessity.

I'm beginning to realize that this image does not only represents anguish, it also represents hope and growth.

Growth? Like roots to the trees, providing a base and nourishing nutrients: I'm reminded that I am responsible to continue living and learning. My own snapshot of the priceless value of BEING the change that I want to see in the world.

Hope? Like looking forward to the brilliant blue sky that will take over once the rain clouds are gone: perhaps the same being that feels and even inflicts pain (no matter how unintentional) can also brighten up and create joy in their own little corner of the world.

It's about how much we all need to continue fighting the good fight. We all need to be who we are (even if we're described as not soft-spoken and demure), be aware of who we want to be (maybe NOT demure *LOL*) and balance the exploration of these two paths in order to get the best combination of traits that'll help us on the journey to be a good human being.

It's about soldiering on, no matter how tough things may seem, and how bleak the situation looks. It's a reminder to me, first and foremost. It's about aiming for something and going for it, while at the same time accepting the idea that if it's not yours, it could be because someone else needs it more, or you're destined for something else; having faith that every step takes you closer to where you want to (and need to) go.

To me, that's what this image is all about. What does it mean to you?

*the photo's on my flickr stream, http://flickr.com/photos/fazk

Mixed feelings about yoga? WHAT mixed feelings?

Mixed feelings on yoga

- by Lester Kong

PETALING JAYA: Not only Muslims have reservations on practising yoga, some Christian groups also have mixed feelings about it due to its ties to Hinduism. While some Christian groups say it was wrong to practise yoga as it belonged to a different religion, others say they saw nothing wrong as long as the participants do not deviate from their beliefs.The Malaysian Council of Churches general secretary, Rev Dr Herman Shastri, said different churches hold different opinions on the practice of yoga.

“In modern society, many young people are interested in health and well-being of mind and body.“Some churches said it belonged to a different religion so Christians should not do it,” he said, adding that many churches held spiritual retreats that were opened to non-believers, featuring meditation to alleviate stress and help people seek spiritual comfort.Another source said the issue was problematic as the council did not have a uniform stance on it.He said other church groups consider yoga to be a healthy exercise if done only for physical reasons.“But generally, for Christians, if they do not offer prayers to other Gods while practising yoga, I think it should be fine,” he said.

Malaysia Hindu Sangam president Datuk A. Vaithilingam said yoga had long been an accepted form of exercise in many countries regardless of religion and culture.“Yoga practitioners can just leave out the religion and do the exercise. It‘s entirely up to the individual,” he said, adding that there were no restrictions that yoga practitioners had to be Hindus.

The Malaysian Muslim Solidarity Movement also said there was nothing wrong with Muslims practising yoga as an exercise.“It is just an exercise for health and brings peace of mind. Nothing more than that. It has never been averse to the Islamic faith,” said its president Datuk Zulkifli Mohamad, adding that there were no objections on yoga by ulamas around the world.“This new fatwa is not healthy and yoga is a very subjective and debatable issue,” Zulkifli added.

Yoga is a form of exercise called Asana and was one of the most ancient physical and mental disciplines originating from India some 5,000 years ago. The Islamic Development Department had said on Wednesday that the National Fatwa Council is expected to make a ruling to ban Muslims from practising yoga.

Read the article from The Star Online http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/10/31/nation/2418579&sec=nation

***********

Well, I never.

The benefits of yoga and pilates are many. Just check out abc-of-yoga article here for a simple list. Physiological benefits include improvements in dexterity skills, sleep, muscle tone, balance and posture. I also feel good after a good yoga class. It can help to imrove one's mood, increase one's awareness of self and surroundings. When you're feeling at peace with yourself and the world, it's a bit tough to walk around with a scowl on your face and anger in your belly. Trust me.

So what do we have now? A potential ban for muslims to practice yoga? WTF. Are our guideline committees so free and have nothing major or more impactful to look into that they're resorting to touching everything?

I'm feeling rather rattled by this news, not so much of the announcement per se, but by the potential direction this vehicle is going. Am I looking at a picture of the tail wagging the dog here? What are they trying to distract us from?

In the meantime, it's still a free country, and I will still go to my yoga class. Maybe the council members should look into their own faith in the holistic view of THEIR own organized religion first instead of going around like headless turkeys, gobbling away. Is their own faith so flimsy that a simple yoga class will make them 'walk to the dark side'?

Hm.

How to go beyond 'Customer is always right'?

A friend of mine just quit her job. She was working in the consulting field like me also, and I know from mutual friends that she has been doing a good job at making her clients happy with all the deliverables she was responsible for. What I remember most from the last time we met were two things: one, the deepening furrow in the middle of her forehead that had not been there before. Two, her frustration with her clients’ demands. The poor thing would go on and on, ending every vignette with a resigned sigh, “what to do, the customer is always right,” in her soft, sing-song voice.

Naomi Karten, author of books on managing SLAs (service level agreements), managing expectations and closing communication gaps, mentioned a list that made sense to me in her article, What do Customers Want Anyway? on her website. When she asked participants to her seminars, they told her that when they are customers, they want:

1 to be taken seriously
2 competent, efficient service
3 anticipation of their needs
4 to be kept informed
5 explanations on their terms
6 follow-through
7 basic courtesies
8 honesty
9 to be informed of the options
10 feedback
11 not to be passed around
12 professional services
13 to be listened to (and heard)
14 empathy
15 dedicated attention
16 respect
17 knowledgeable help
18 friendliness

Read the full article at http://www.nkarten.com/mce.html#WHAT to find out more. I visit her website because after so many hours of Newsweek-, John Naisbitt-, Fortune-style of reporting, it’s a relief for me to read things in simple terms (remember list item #5?).

For many of us, we put on our own ‘I’m a customer now’ hat in order to feel for our customers and get in their shoes. My friend took it to the extreme! Wearing her ‘customer is always right’ cape, she let her clients’ issues and constraints limit her own thoughts and ideas. She contradicted herself; went against her own values. In the end, she got too overwhelmed and frustrated when things never moved the way they should have.

She asked me how I got through MY days. I told her that I quit the ‘customer is always right’ maxim a couple of years back. There are just times when all the thinking and feeling hats in the world will not help me get into the shoes of come of the characters I talk to. Honestly. No friggin’ way. When wearing that blasted hat didn’t work for me anymore, I decided to kill the frustration by looking at the situation from new eyes. I realised that whenever I decided to do the best I could with what I had, and do my best to go the extra mile when I could, a heavy load rolled off my shoulders. So I started going with that outlook more consciously. Things started to change. We started to understand each other better. I see my customers as more collaborative; they see ME as more collaborative. This view also influenced how I treat my colleagues and bosses, because they are all part of my work. The most important thing for me is, this point of view influences my behaviour in the way that I don’t have to tell my clients or my bosses that I have their best interests at heart. I don’t need to say it when I already behave it.

It worked for me – maybe it can work for some other people too. Try it – replace ‘the customer is always right’ with ‘I’ll do the best I can with what I have, and I’ll do my best to go the extra mile’. Think it now. Picture that in your mind now take note if your body feels any different. You’ve got to mean it though. Really mean it. And then, go back to the list of the 18 things customers say they want. If you’re more open and relaxed about those items, you’re off to a good start.

Good luck!