With a Coffee and Cake Beside Me...
Thursday, November 23, 2006

Don't you find the mornings' weather during the reading week especially good? I was walking to the PGP canteen a few moments ago and I looked up at the sky... whoa... it's so blue, so cloudless! Perfect weather for a beach-outing. Talking about the beach, I am looking forward to Prof Li's Lab Group chalet from the 8-10 Dec. I hope the weather at that chalet outing will be even better (it's kind of disappointing when it rained so heavily during the afternoons when the mornings were so sunny).

I have been looking at lighting techniques for jewelery photography and fashion photography during study breaks. Of course, I think of Tiffany when I think of "jewelery" and to a lesser extent "fashion". So I began to surf around to find out the price of a diamond engagement ring (yah, I know I don't have a girlfriend, but that doesn't stop me from looking up the prices and, maybe, saving up for them :P). So according to here (which is kind of outdated), the average ring price is USD2600 and the weight is 1-2 carat (Paris Hilton has a 24-carat one :S). USD4000 is about the MINIMUM to have to shop at a luxury jeweler (Cartier, Tiffany...) Ok, better start saving... For photographic equipment, I always buy the best on the market as long as I can afford. I will do the same for the rings, so that we don't regret.

posted byWilliam at 9:31 AM 0 comments  

D50's Minor Operation
Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Phew... I knew I shouldn't be doing this: I cleaned my Nikon D50's focusing screen a few minutes ago. Firstly, I should be studying (or sleeping), not doing something useless. Secondly, I shouldn't be touching or cleaning the focusing screen at all (this is a sure way of voiding the camera's warranty).

Anyway, I am super irritated by the specks of dust in the viewfinder and I knew those pesky dust bunnies were stuck on the unexposed side of the focusing screen. To take out the bunnies, I would have to remove the focusing screen for cleaning. So after doing some research on the Net, I found some instructions on taking the focusing screen out of the camera. And I did it with no injuries to the delicate interior camera parts! Super happy now...

If you're wondering why I don't want to send the camera for professional cleaning... I think Nikon Service Center (NSC) is over-charging for a technically simple but delicate job.

P.S. I also clean the camera's sensor personally. It's ridiculous that NSC charges $20-25 for sensor-cleaning when I bought all the cleaning supplies for that amount. The supplies would last me 100 jobs.

posted byWilliam at 2:08 AM 0 comments  

On the TV
Wednesday, November 15, 2006

I went on a LIVE broadcasting interview session on 早安你好! with Dr Lim and Pan Pan today. It was on my experience as a Nobel Museum tour-guide. My dad recorded the programme, and I shall take some screen shots over the weekends. Shall tell you more on Friday. Another eventful week: TV interview (over!), Trace Analysis test (over!), big presentation (tomorrow), proposal term-paper due (Friday)...

posted byWilliam at 8:05 PM 0 comments  

Last Lab-Demo-Day
Thursday, November 09, 2006

I just completed my last lab demo duty in the morning. The students really made my day by giving me high ratings in their feedback forms.

Quite a few of them said I had been patient. One said, "he could answer the weirdest questions thrown at him". Here's an interesting remark: "looks could be deceiving, he is very friendly and helpful..." Eh... do I look aloof? I was not the best report writer during those days and I don't want my students to make the same mistakes. I offered tips and critical feedbacks for the students' report and these had been greatly welcomed.

This semester has offered many opportunities for me to develop my teaching techniques. In the lab, I had the chance to conduct a post-mortem for one of the experiments. A few of them remarked I had been clear in my explanations. As a Nobel Museum tour guide, I always had to explain some esoteric science and introduce the Nobel Prize history in an entertaining manner to the lay people. I thought I have been doing a good job since I could see their face in amazement compared to a bored or the classic "what-are-you-talking-about?" look. Next week, my biggest challenge yet: to give a 45-min lecture to a class of MSc. and PhD. students on my ISM topic and I hope to dazzle them with style.

Retrospectively, I am glad I have chosen teaching as my career after my A Levels. I hope my passion will sustain in the face of future challenges.

P.S. I hope I will be employed as a CM1131 lab demo next semester.

posted byWilliam at 2:44 PM 0 comments  

Picture of the Day - Pigeons
Sunday, November 05, 2006

This picture was taken at Venice, Italy on St. Marco Square. Pigeon feeds were being sold to tourists for 1 Euro (I think). The flying greedy pigeons were quite scary, I was always wary of whether they might unload on me. Ok, somebird dropped her "bomb" and I was hit.

I took a shot which I had visualized: 1)the joy of a tourist feeding the birds and 2)the birds in motion. I like this picture - moody and dynamic.

posted byWilliam at 4:33 PM 0 comments  

Swedish Embassy Dinner

posted byWilliam at 4:33 PM 0 comments