Edi Mubarak!

Somebal wishes you Selamat Hari Raya, maaf Zahir & Batin.
Edi Mubarak

VOTE for me~

I have just entered a competition and I hope that you dear readers & viewer will be able to help me. I am asking you to freely vote for me. No pushing, just a humble request to vote for my photo and share this link with your friend.

Thank you, much appreciated

I Know It's Summer When... Brickfish

Project Ramadhan - Day 04

Looked-up today at the sky and saw this flying overhead.

Ramadhan project

Ok this has been two days in waiting to be posted & been pretty hectic esp. when I have been absent from Brunei for the past 5 years and having done my fasting international, still getting accustomed once again to the so called 'Bruneian way';

Ramadhan is here again, and so since this is a new formed photoblog, I though of having a little project inspired by DustinDaiz - Project 365 (HomePage & Flickr), who happen to also inspire Lizadragon(Flickr) in her version of DustinDiaz's Project 365.

As I am not good as either of them (yet!) I decided to have a mini version of their 365 days project of my own - 30 day Ramadhan project. Its just 1 photo taken per day (posted up)during the 30 days of fasting, subject could be on anything to do with ramadhan or not. Just a fyi, this is nothing like Dustin "Strobits master" Diaz's work with all his equipment and such; its just me, my A200 and my flip-flops (hopefully by next month a strobist of my own).

And so begins this little project with 3 photos to make up for the missing days.

Day 1


Day 2


Day 3

Miri City @ night

[click on image for larger view]

Location: Bintang Mega Mall Multi-level parking lot

Brunei Rugby League Finals

As mentioned in the previous post, this is now a photo-blog, starting of is selected photos from the recent rugby games on the 15th Aug 09' at Jerudong International School (commonly known as JIS).

Two games were played, between Blacks (unison of Bandar blacks, yatties & UBD Sharks) vs. A.B.D.B. for 2nd runner up position & finals between the K.B Phytons vs. Knights.As follows photos from the K.B. Phytons vs. Knights

Outcome
Blacks vs. A.B.D.B. - won Blacks
K.B. Phytons vs. Knights - won K.B. Phytons

The new rugby pitch @ J.I.S.
The Warriors [K.B Phytons]
lead by Coach Zak


During the game
Spectacular tackles
both sides

National Champions!
2 years in a row

Congratulation K.B Phytons

Closure of blog....

Due to the fact that I have hardly updated my blog in ages, I have decided to shut-it-down.

But in its place, will be a photo-blog.... so technically there is not much difference, just that majority of the content will be photos w/ little wordings or no wordings at all. Since I have a pro account with flickr (and used most often) selected photos there will be posted here as well. What ever post I have in this blog will remain including all its links and photos for who ever wants to read. Naturally there will be a face lift of the overall photo-blog, so I apologies for any inconvenience. With that, "SomeBal - Squiggle of life..." has come to an end and will be henceforth be known as

"Somebal - Still clicks"

With respect.
SomeBal

MIJF 2009 - DAY 1

It’s that time where high school students are in the middle of their school year, University students are finishing their mid-term exams and cram to hand in their assignments. On the other hand there is the lighter and festive side of May, the arrival of Gawai festival and when Miri became a city or May fest! It is now 4 years since Miri became a City and in conjunction to that the Sarawak Tourism Board (hence forth know as STB) holds an annual musical event… Miri International Jazz Festival. MIJF is Miri’s reply to Kuchings’ similar prestige’s event - Rainforest Musical Festival that happen in the month of June.

Since the beginning till the present of MIJF, I have been an active volunteer member as a Schelpper (Jewish word for helper).

This year round MIJF’s musical line up for the lack of better words …AWESOME! We had bands from all corners of the world. Japan, Canada, Africa, Australia, Unite Kingdom, France and not forgetting your own talents from the hosting country, Malaysia.

Day 1

Opening act was by the local band ‘Double Take’.

Vocalist Mia Palencia was like one of the female blues singers from down south in North America (without the southern thick accent)- powerful, clear, and entrancing.

With her stage partner Roger Wang - guitarist, jazz plucking wizardry to an almost mind-numbing complexity yet melodic tune, these two complement each other so well and I admit that they are among the best acoustic duets that I have heard thus far. Unfortunately I was not able to stay long back stage, Schelpper duties. None the less the over powering vocals from her poured out from the pavilion and on to ParkCity Everly Hotels’ ground, boosted by the extra speakers on the hotel grounds, I dance in tune to their beat while carry on with my Schelpper duties especially their final song a jazz adaptation of Michael Jackson’s – man in the mirror, which got me and my colleagues singing along.

A brief interlude, after Double take’s set, and a guest DJ from Aussi performed her disk jockey skills for the crowd with a mixture of electronic and house tunes which kept the party alive and grooving!

Bombay Baja Brass Band from the United Kingdom of Britain started their set from the hotel ground and made their way to the pavilion, like an Indian wedding announcing the arrival of the bride (or was it the grooms…pardon my ignorance, I am not well verse in Indian traditional weddings). Playing a number of jazz tunes with a twist…incorporating popular Indian melodies into the mix giving it a Bhangra and Punjabi jive. Earlier in the afternoon, the Bombay Baja Brass Band played with Chung Hua High School brass band.

Learning, teaching and playing along with them Bombay Baja Brass band tooting and drum in tune with the local band.

Next in queue on the play list is 'Step in Time' from the Kingdom of the rising sun - Japan, lead by the International renowned Shakuhachi (Japanese bamboo flute) player and innovator John Kaizan Neptune.

Those who had been to Japan or are interested in their culture and music will know who John Kaizan is, and among them was here in Miri, one of whom is a volunteer for MIJF as a gatekeeper – Janis . When she saw John at the first sound check on Thursday, she went all bubbly and bug-eye over the shakuhachi on stage, although she tried to keep cool and collected it was evident in her eyes,

I was really funny to see. She turn to me and begged ask me to take photos of the shakuhachi and of John.

Step in time consists of a nutty Indian drummer, a jazzed guitarist, a reserved looking yet expressive violinist, a cool-calm-collected funk-in bass player and a drummer that tore down the house with his solo segment! Unfortunately I could not get a got photo of the drummer --_--

Final for Day 1 but not the last for MIJF was Alamode!

From Sydney, Australian they are a band of merry misfits and putting them as the finalist for day 1 was awesome…props to the organizing committee.

If I was asked to describe ALAMODE in 5 words this would be it…Playful, entertaining, rich, soulful, and original.

The night ended on a high note.

to be continued

Change title...help?

while I was I Perth, I did earn myself some cash and saved up to purchase a digital camera…DSLR, which I have always wanted. And now since I have gotten me one of em’ I have been playing around taking snap-shots of places and people during my time in Australia. A new hobby to say the least, and now since I am back in Brunei I will continue this hobby and try earn from it too.


At the moment I am at a cross road...unsure how to name/title this blog...

Theme: like any normal blog will have comments and thought, but this time this blog will also be a photo-blog... all I could think of was "SomeBal’s Photo.blog.spot: A truly acquired taste"

Have any idea...leave a comment... and if it sounds nice, it well maybe be my next title!

Dead line: 23th May 2009. at 11.00pm, so do send in your opinions.

Been awhile!

It has been a long while since I have last posted anything up and I think it is about high time I did. Firstly, apologies to my dear readers that has been coming in once in a while to see if anything has been posted...I am truly appreciate your dedication from the bottom of my heart! With out further-a-due, from the last time I last posted and sort of story, comments or images, here are some of the accounts that I have done since then…in a nut shell.

Roughly around mid 2008 I ended my time in Curtin Miri, and continued my studies at Curtin’s mother branch in Perth, Western Australia. The process to transfer to Perth was such a hassle. Firstly my transfer papers were delayed on the account that it was printed with the wrong name, suddenly I became a Chinese man or girl by the name Xing Li Kang. That took another extra 3 weeks or more to change as it was delivered from Perth.

Then after that it was waiting for the C.O.D. or a letter of approval that stated that I have paid my tuition & admin fees. That too took its sweet time being processed and sent to me from Perth, but luckily at Curtin Miri, the International officer (shelvi) helped me push along for it, if not it would have taken much longer. Anyway, by the time I got the C.O.D. semester at Bentley campus was about to start and the orientation for the new international students has already begun and the following week would be the main orientation for all the new students, local and international alike. So now, at that time, the current task list all I have to do is get my student visa approved, buy my flight ticket to Perth. For the visa, like ever one else there is the medical check-up, and the online application to complete. And one would have to do all in order.

To cut the story short, by the time I got my visa and ticket I only had one day to pack for my final semester (6 months) stay in Perth and fly to Australia. It was already the final day of the main orientation and the next flight out was on Thursday, so basically I have missed the International students and new students orientations for semester 2, 2008… What a great way to start the semester…


TO BE CONTINUED....

[Photos will be added at a later date...currently looking for a site to host my images, for free...any suggestions?]