Write

"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." Dr. Seuss

There has been no posting from me for more than a month, it got me thinking, people constantly with ideas and writing to express themselves must love to share and express their thoughts. They might even have the desire to change the world, in a big or small way. Or they have such exciting life it'd be a waste not to share.

So I ask myself, why do I write? Do I like to be read (by people I never met)? How much I have to like it to be enough to stick to writing and be discipline about the writing schedule? What do I do when I run out of ideas or there is no exciting event to share? 

There was a saying I find it quite true. If someone is making up stories or hypothesis, people will tell them: you could be a good writer with such great imagination! And bingo! It is the process of delivering story that allows the brain to work, in a logical or imaginative way, and that it fun! You could tell story whatever way you like, develop all the characters you like. 

Writing is the best way of recording knowledge, stories, experience and thoughts that come and go. It's an important tool whether you are a professional writer or just write for hobby. You could even shape your future with writing, imagining what is your perfect future and put it on paper, like signing a contract with yourself. Could be as simple as a bucket list. Of course a good writer require skills, and it could be learned! 

For me, I like playing with words, selecting the most suitable words together to create something beautiful, soothing, and resonance with the world. I believe all writer would hope their reader enjoy reading their writing, even it's just the recipe for some authentic dessert. Thank you for all the blogger who write, share and inform their knowledge and love.  

*Above picture is sourced from the web. 

Self-worth

A while ago a friend recorded a radio program about self-worth, deserving for his coaching practice and requesting my feedback. I took my time to process and finally replied him after more than a month. 

Self-deserving or self-worth is a huge topic. The intricacy of it involve how a person define oneself, identity, self-esteem, cultural sense, responsible for self, care for others, values, principles and the list goes on with layers of what made up 'The Self'. 

I recently went to one of the writers' festival event, saw Amy Tan and Linda Jaivin. The two were amazing writers and brilliant together. I love their passion about their work, it's so powerful and direct. They talked about culture and identity searching of their own experience. I think, identity contribute a big part to a person's view of who they are and what they deserve. Answer the questions of who do you think you are and who do you want to be.

What is deserving to you? Spiritually? What do you think you really deserve? 

Grandma's health is deteriorating quickly recently, she is questioning god, why she has to suffer so much before she goes? She never did bad things in her life...

Of course she deserve better and should not suffer from illness, but who is there to say?

There are so many layers of us, from our experience, the activities we performed, the decision we made that shaped the present self. At present time, I see it this way, knowing what I deserve is one thing, understanding the system and work through it is another, we have to find the balance between the two. Sometimes, one needs to earn and then own what they deserve.That involves working diligently, responsible for self, care for others, contribute and gain. It is a flow, an exchange and it never stop there, it's not static. 

When someone is presented an award and celebrated by others, I think that's the highest sense of deserving. It's a shared experience and bring happiness. 

This is a topic so broad and interesting that people could spend a life time having conversation about it; or it could just be as simple as how you see it. 

Photography

Even I love photography and find photographs inspiring but I never really pay too much attention on the production side before. I just assumed a good (and expensive) camera would do all the jobs.

Only recently, I have my new experience with a mid range DSLR camera and suddenly realised how challenging it could be. Especially to shoot every photo on the manual setting. Constantly adjusting the setting for a different scenery. To be honest, for a moment I missed my four third Sony 5N, it is so much easier and user friend. (chuckles) "Manual is too much effort" grumble quietly. It demands high volume of patience and time.

“You don't make a photograph just with a camera. You bring to the act of photography all the pictures you have seen, the books you have read, the music you have heard, the people you have loved.” 
― Ansel Adams

Learning a new skills from midway is always interesting. There are old and new perceptions trying to find their place in our brain and sometimes we have to unravel the conflicts. However, most importantly is to have a fun learning experience. Like having good learning buddy, good buddies could inspire you to create better works. Discussions and exchanging ideas are fun and important, it is much better than just learning alone by reading. Group learning also enable one to socialise with others, open up, exploring other options, even making mistakes is fun. I reckon it increases a person interested in the activity. Learning buddies is beneficial.

I will continue to learn with my buddies and know very well that a good photograph is not just how good the camera is, a big part of it is say a lot about the craftsman. I think that is the attracting part of all artform. The product represent the person.

Colour of Autumn

“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.” Albert Camus 

Autumn is a word defines by photographs, videos and other forms of media for most people living in the tropical countries in the South East Asia. Many artistes portrayed it as a season of colourful scenery with a hint of sadness as a lead up to winter. In real life the season is not as dramatic, in fact it is quite a pleasant weather to live.

Located at the southern hemisphere, Australia has it's four season the other way round. Within this massive continent, each state has its own distinctive weather character. In New South Wales April marked the beginning of autumn in Australia. There are no drastic differences between seasons in New South Wales, despite a few degrees drop and less sunlight. The surrounding environment still looks quite the same, the only subtle change you might notice in the garden are the plants quietly harvesting in their right season.

People with experience of colourful autumn crave for the beauty and atmosphere, they will drive out miles to catch a glimpse of autumn. Apparently, there is this famous 'colourful' place call Mountain Wilson at the Blue Mountain region have the privilege for the colours. They grow in private gardens on acres of land. The owners are taking the opportunity to invite guests to their gardens with small token as an entry fees.  

It is a good place for a colourful weekend in autumn. 

Free flow

Today I am going to experiment with free flow writing. Due to the fact that English is not my first language, writing in English always made me feeling anxious. Worrying the limited range of words I have, the high potential of grammar mistakes and of course the readableness of the piece.

Most of the time I choose not to write, which doesn't really help at all. So I borrowed books about writing from the library and hoping to find the holy grail in producing good writing. This is how the free flow idea came about. It actually make sense that practice make perfect. Anyone wants to be good at anything should just have a structured timetable to practice. The important thing is to be able to take the tasks seriously. The right attitude pays off ~ big time!

The fun thing about writing in second language is occasionally new phrases pop up and sounded great and fun! And I didn't even realise I have that in my vocabulary bank. Language is an interesting communication tool. Someone said to me once, "learning a language is like learning a new life". There is so much in a language that are from the life and costume of that culture. Widely spoken languages such as English will have numerous lives vary from regions. To be able to be good at it, one have to learn, read, speak, write and repeat and repeat and just repeat that cycle.

Free flow ten minutes is up! It's not bad at all. You should try it.

“We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master.”
—Ernest Hemingway

戰役

在汲汲營營的生活中，我們可能過習慣了重複忙碌的日子，而忘了停下來聽聽自己心底的那個聲音，曾經充滿熱情，夢想，一顆單純美麗的心靈。也許你覺得我不實在，在作一些超齡的夢。不過，如果失去了那麼一股對生命的熱忱，我們要如何過得得意，自在？

因為要往更好的地方去，我移居到了另外一個城市生活。但過了一段日子我還是覺得沒有以前的日子那麼自在，慢慢的開心不起來。好像其實並沒有更好，因為現在的好是用以前的好換來的。有點被騙的感覺，其實都沒兩樣。但是我忽略一個重點，人生是一個沒有回頭的過程，過去的好已經追不回來，現在的才最重要。是以前的努力造就了今天的藍天白雲！沒差。

偶爾我們會在追求理想的過程中迷失了自己，別怕，就乘機歇歇腳，從新把方向擺正，再邁開肯定的腳步往前進。無論你現在處在一個怎樣的狀態，只要誠實的面對自己的心，一切都不是難題。

賽德克。巴萊是一本充滿熱情，敘述一個被時代拋棄了沒落少數民的故事。一場場熱血沸騰的民族戰鬥，為了很簡單和理所當然的理由而戰，而殺。我們不需要去到那麼地步，但至少為自己打出漂亮的一役！

"人一旦豪不保留的將意志專注在某一件他想得到的事物上，他的靈魂就會接通身體賜預力量，這份意志無關情操的高尚與否，只在于渴望的強度。"　賽德克。巴萊

如不如意

给有时会想不开的我们：

生活总是难免挫折不如意，前人早以 '人生不如意之事十之八九' 提示我们了，所以生活中的不如意其实是比如意平常的。要是想不通就别去想了，换一个方向，做做别的。可能是女生比男生爱胡思乱想的关系吧。只是想那么多后到头来还是虚无空洞，不如踏实一点，以行动取胜？

转移了专注力吧。把心放在进步，改善和享受生活中的漂亮风景，而不是一直回头望过去。
虽然不是天天阳光灿烂，但日子还是要过，地球不会为任何人而停止转动，树木不会因为你的沮丧而停止长高。日子怎样还是要过的，过得开心当然比较划算哦。

试试把开心的事和想法写下来，拍下来，以自己的方式记录下来，然后放在显眼的地方提醒自己。做这件事也会让你很开心哦！

所以自重，自量，自爱，自在的确很重要也让我们更有深度。

方下吧师主。求平安，求健康，求仁爱，求快乐。