manado portfolio 2...

XXX cerastoma with imperial commensal shrimp









flatworm imitating alien??? haha....


my 1st frogfish pic...


"watcha look at??? ai pa ah.."



i tink tis is a dwarf lionfish...


Spider crab???


flounder...alot o these flounders around..tis 1 is rather big..there were smaller 1s around...


"i borrowed e wig from octopus...hehe.."



below are the blur blur pics...

alot o these colorful urchins...


tis creature i tink it's called a scooter blenny (aka scooter dragonet), there's a similar 1 at e aquarium beside e koi pond in suntec..but tis 1 is white in color, while e usu scooter blenny is brown brown wif white patches.. tis scooter blenny can swim quite fast, move ard by using e little "fins" like walking like tt...HN also found a similar 1 in bunaken, but it was pinkish in color..


on a wat look like very dead, v boring coral, we saw a great assortment of creatures: e clown frogfish (2nd frogfish pic above), 1 shrimp, 1 crab (mayb 2, cos e other 1 2 small dunno is it a crab or not), 1 mini weedy filefish (barely 5cm long), & 1 ultra mini lionfish (barely 2cm long)..but my shooting skills cannot make it la..all blur blur...

e weedy filefish & e mini lionfish..


the weedy filefish close-up...


the ultra mini-lionfish close-up...


the blur blur shrimp on e left, e crab (i tink) on e rite, & at e bottom rite hand corner i tink another crab there..or mayb it's juz dirt la...haha..

Manado - my mini octopus portfolio.. hehe...

it's been abt 2 wks since our manado trip...HN took so many pics (over 1500 pics)... i took over 150 pics on juz 2 o e 15 dives..

no time 2 really edit all e pics & upload them...so i've decided 2 put up a few pics tt i've taken at a time on my blog instead.. HN's pics slowly den i do..juz looking at e no o pics he took i oredi half-heartened 2 choose..hahah...

"peekaboooo????"


"i hope u cant c me...;p"


"my new hairstyle..."


"it's me again..wif a pipe tis time..i'm such a good model aint i.."


"i m a can..i m a can...u cannot c me..u cannot c me..."


"i look like a spider dun i..."


e 1st 4 pics r e same octopus, 5th & 6th r 2 other octopuses..

x'mas '07

juz in case we 4get again e nx x'mas...4 those items in bold & italics, pls let me know e specific item...i really cannot rememb wat items r or i dunno how 2 call them...email me or leave in e comments..;p


x'mas '07
i gave a book "For 1 more day" by Mitch Albom to Wilfred

Wilfred gave a wetsuit to Swing

Swing gave e star thing to Nee

Nee gave handcuff keychain to HN

HN gace a book "The little prince" to Zhen

Zhen gave NZ mud mask to TCC

TCC gave couples t-shirts to me

Juan gave L'occitane thing to Chris

Chris gave faceshop thing to Juan

x'mas 06

i rememb wat i got 4 x'mas '06...e puncher & nail deco fr chris...heheh...sorry ah chris i 4got abt it..hahha

dragonboat...tkd....

dunno y suddenly miss my dragonboating days...& my tkd lessons...feels like a really long time ago...

touching my flabby flabby arms...haizzz....


e 1 factor which pulls me bk fr gg 4 DB & tkd is o cos V...which is a rather stupid reason actually...

She does the same kind o recreation as me...& i seriously dun like it...She's in tkd, she dives, & she 1s 2 join e DB also... _ _

u must b tinking, gd mah, den i can jio her join...but i seriously dun like her tt much...& i dun 1 2 've so much things in common wif her!!!

1st...cos she is rather boastful (i feel..)...

TKD...she's, i tink, in e same belt as wat i've last obtained, blue belt or blue tip.. den she kp telling pple tt she got double promotion la, how difficult e trg is la, den she also try 2 kick here kick there la.. _ _ but e thing is, she cant even kick higher den my waist lvl... den she say she in working pants, can stretch.. _ _

Diving...even b4 she started diving, she oredi kp complaining tt she went cos her friend forced her 2 go...den she say she not gd in swimming blar blar blar...den e 1st thing she told me when she came bk fr her open water is that she 1s 2 go diving in bali & she planning 2 go where & where 2 dive...& she 1 2 buy mask la, wetsuit la, BC la, fin la, regulator la... _ _

den recently she went 4 her 1st leisure dive...& she saw MANTA RAY!!!!!!!! wah lau...i dive so long also never seen b4 loh...***JEALOUS*** anyway, she went 2 1 o those more advance sites la...dunno is e dive operator no gd, juz 1 2 cheat her $$$ by getting her 2 go 4 more expensive sites or she keay qiah 1 2 go...den she complain 2 me tt e DM give her not enough weights, den she cant go down, & kp floating..den she said she 1 2 buy camera...her bouyancy not exactly v gd loh... den she asked me how many dives i've clocked...when i said 60+ she said she also 1 2 as many as me...den she went on 2 calculate how many dive trips she plan 2 go 2 "catch up" wif me..._ _

Dragonboat... she said she 1 2 row..& asked me 2 bring her along 2 my team..._ _ i wld rather not loh...den she had sme other friends who were also rowing, which i was so glad...but e thing is even b4 she had even started rowing, she oredi act act like she v into e DB clture... _ _

a review....

ever since e msn got blocked & e proxy sites also cant access msn, i've sort o stopped blogging 2...been 2 busy trying 2 find a proxy site which i can access msn...& i really cross my fingers tt it'll continue 2 work...;p

2007...

2008...

31 dec 2007, it really felt like any other nites...but it's supposed 2 b new year's eve...didnt go anywhere 2 count down...juz watched e live telecast o e fireworks at esplanade...

1 jan 2008, b4 i slpt i made an effort 2 tink abt all tt had passed in 2007..& i cldnt help but cried...it wasnt e best yr tt i had..i lost sme friends...& i've lost my faith & trust in a lot o things... i've felt disappointment...i've felt despair...& i miss a lot o pple...

but as i'm wrting this, i tink abt e pple i've met...e pple i still 've...& i know they'll always b in my heart...& i did a lot o diving in 2007...=) went bk 2 aur, went tioman, kapas, lang, bintan & o cos manado!!!

2007 wasnt all bad...but i sure hope 2008 wld b beta...

sis island 2nd time..

tis time rd sis island a bit disappointing...initially so many pple in e end last min tis cannot tt cannot...haizz

anyways, 1ed 2 go little sis island tis rd but e boat uncle say dun 've toilet/shower on little sis..so we went 2 big sis instead loh...in e end we found out 've...=(

anyway, e tide time changed..when we arrive, ard 2+ or 3pm...e tide bec low quite fast...ard 430pm i tink was low tide...we found e same blue flatworm...3 o them...e same mini 1s...den also 2 beige colored 1s which no1 took pic o...o cos we went 2 find tt super pregnant lookin shrimp..& we did find it...den we went bk 2 e pavilion/tents 2 've dinner (tis time not bad, got duck & chicken wings & mash potato, thks 2 wilfred & swing..) tide started 2 come bk..so by nite time oredi high tide cant go reefwalk..& every1 seem quite tired...

so early nite 4 every1..

e nx day had a walk ard e island but didnt c much new creatures....quite disappointed reefwalk...mayb nx trip wld b beta...

anyway, tis tiem rd e sunset & sunrise were beautiful..=)

advance OP - tioman pics

these pics long overdued..no time 2 find out wat these nudibranchs call...

tis trip not bad...alot o big big stuff..we stayed at e same resort as e 1st time tt i went 2 tioman..

i'm especially delighted 2 've spotted e pink nudibranch & e super giant octopus myself..heheh (head big big..) hahaha..cos even e DM also never c...ever when i pointed e thing out 2 pple, they also cant c e octopus..only when e octopus started 2 move den they saw..haha...

try 2 spot where e octopus is in pic 3... try 2 c if u can c e stonefish...was so fat & bloated...& tt rose look-alike thing, it's actually 2 chelidurna...they r i'm guessing mating...tonnes & tonnes o them all over in tioman...c until no1 interested in it anymore...ahha...;p

bao to queen???

i've been complaining a lot abt my job 2 friends...haizzz...2 busy also complain..2 free also complain...

i dunno if i shld juz enjoy e freedom here..but it juz goes agst my conscience leh...

or mayb it's cos i feel tt i'm v left out / ostracise in e off...

it's both i tink...

& i hate it tt i put in so much effort in my work, while they r playing boardgames/gg gym/ or simply juz eating snakes blatantly in office...e least they cld do is really juz go inside e room & play quietly la..dun disturb me when i'm busy msn-ing/researching...

really i dunno wat 2 do...shld i juz bao to them??? i dun tink so la...

haizzz....so bo liao 2 've 2 tink abt such issues...

when it's time 2 go...

i always try 2 tink tt e person who passed away will b gg 2 a beta place...they've finished their work on earth...& they've gone 2 rest...gone 2 a beta place...

it's never easy 2 face death...i hate it...but inevitably we have 2 face it...

wif it we always face remorse...remorse at y we haven spent more time wif them...

i still cant handle death well..no matter how many times i've faced e issue...

it takes time 2 get over pain...alot o time...but u'll never 4get...

Tioman trip video...

Nudi in action...

dedication 2 J...

was randomly looking at my old blog posts when i came 2 a post on a song lyrics tt i posted almost 3 yrs ago...

read e lyrics & i juz 1ed 2 dedicate e song 2 J...

no matter how e ending might b...at least u've felt love urself...=)

http://try2bbionic.blogspot.com/2004/12/dreamzfmshould-i-stay.html

new job...

i'm at my new job...

sth i learn here is really juz 2 shut up & act blur...

actually we observe more when we shut up...

tis unit tt i work in start ard a yr ago..there r 2 bosses, 1 proj coordinator/logistics person, 2 psychologists...they started tis new prog under which i m employed approx 2.5 mths ago. there r 6 o us in e office. recently they juz employed 2 more. but e office is v small, can acc only e 6 o us..so e rest r in another office in another block..

so far tis is e analysis i've o e 5 pple tt i work wif..

1st o cos is V...

she is 1 loud mouth..so can observe a lot o things...1 thing i can conclude is tt she is 1 person who has low self-esteem..she nds 2 verbally let eveyr1 know abt her accomplishments...& she does so in a rather loud voice most o e time...

1 o e most funny episodes:

Scenario: conference rm waiting 2 give presentation 2 big pple..V seated in e middle o me & colic D.
V 2 D: aiyo y u so kan cheong...no nd 2 rehearse la..

D ignores her. i wasnt doin much stuff juz waiting 4 big pple 2 arrive
V 2 me abt sth which i dun rememb...

V 2 me: i'm lecturing 2nite..
me 2 V: oh..where u lecturing?
V 2 me: i'm teaching research methods at XXX..
me 2 V: wah...

Scene 2: time for presentation
V---mouth dry, face flushed, hands trembling badly during presentation....

In my mind: i tot V said she lecture in XXX? y e nervousness when she presented???


there r many many funny episodes o her...which juz makes me wonder if she knows tt silence is golden...she is also extremely self-centered...v inconsiderate alot o times...& she is over-enthu in trying 2 b sporty...her 2 buddies at lunch fasting now, so she also skip lunch, go gym wif them instead..in e end, she had fainting spells & had 2 go 2 e doc...ahhaha...



2nd colic, X..

she is e youngest in e grp...5 yrs my jnr..i'm 1 o e oldest in my grp..

she is 1 person who must chap ji ka (CJK) everytime...e only time she dun cjk is when colic AL is talking...

her cubicle is way inside e off & she can appear in .05s when there r >1 person talking.. regardless o e topic tt is being discussed...

she is 1 immature person who nds 2 show tt she is mature enough & knows a lot o things...over-zealous most o e time...


3rd colic, D..

v typical girls' sch girl...can b extremely loud...but i guess cos she has counselling bkgrd, so i tink she tone down a bit...


4th colic, AL..

pregnant colic who is abt 2 deliver soon...EDD nx wk...

she is originally fr C...but married a M, now is Spore citizen...smetimes she can get a little irritating..cos dunno y she cannot get e thigns pple r talking abt..dunno is it cos beign pregnant really makes pple a little slower... i tink V dun like her much...cos V always never seem 2 've much conversation wif her...


5th colic, L...

he's a daddy, got married when he was juz 23.. he is sme1 who can bland wif every1...mr nice guy...but who dunno how 2 say no...

he is 1 determined guy...but who also knows how 2 eat snake...



all o them not bad pple la...juz tt i'm writing abt e more interesting & funny things which smetimes i get irritated abt...

save the world..haha..

tis is a lot o fun...but at e same time, really lets u know e limitations of govt..

http://www.stopdisastersgame.org/

different strategies 4 e diff disasters..

seem like a long long time since i last blogged..

after e aur trip..lang was nx...was quite apprehensive cos there wasnt v gd review abt it..

personally, i tink it's juz a v unexplored place...

imagine us juz reef walking @ nite & we found 10 or so o octopuses...& junvenile scorpionfish...& e leaf slug..2 o them...& these 2 tiny tiny nembrotha lookalike...

& tonnes o other things there...

even snorkelling also got black tip shark...loads o things really...juz tt e DM is quite new(he has only been diving there 4 barely 3 wks...)

diving was ok...saw tis big big kingfish...my heart stopped 4 3s when i saw them actually..

continue another time..gg lunch =)

ttm club revived...

i tot u said tt we shldnt ttm so much??? reading ur blogs...e 1 tot i have is tt u r ttming...

i dunno if i'm really tt fortunate...at least i tink i m la... or rather there can b many things tt i can choose 2 complain abt...but everytime i complain e words tt u said were tt we shld learn 2 take it or else change it...if tt is e advise u can give 2 others...y not use it 4 urself?

learning 2 b contented is not easy...but learning 2 appreciate things can start fr anywhere...if u r not happy...accept it or else change it...or juz complain abt it...things will resolve sooner or ltr...

ttm club members...things will turn out well...jia u...

Juvenile scorpionfish...

big bro...

i kpt tinking last wk if he cld 've avoided tt accident if certain things changed...

den i saw nee's blog on gg bk in time & changing things...i wldnt b who i m rite now if things had changed...

things happen 4 a reason...& smehow we've juz got 2 learn & appreciate wat we've now...

i wld miss him...a big bro...thk u...

i'm feeling much beta now...i tink i pretty much sorted out my thoughts & feelings...

i still feel sad tt he's gone...but like every1 says he's probably in a beta place rite now...

may u rest in peace...

he passsed away.. so sudden.. i dun even know how i felt when i rec e sms.. he's sme1 not unfamiliar.. but neither sme1 i'm v close wif... but i knew abt his family.. i rememb e words o encouragement.. i remembered him as a big bro 2 me.. i didnt attend his wake...partly cos i dunno any1 else...i only know him.. & also cos i know i wld not b able 2 hold bk tears... his funeral is 2day...

i had e urge 2 sms him...2 juz make sure tt all these were not dreams or juz sme mistakes...

he was part o my life during my 1st yr o work...

when he was not making any contacts i tot he was not doin his job & i had plans 2 change agent...den i found out tt he was actually down wif sme life-threatening illness during e time he went "missing"...

tis time...i haven even had e chance 2 tell him tt i've started on a new job...i rec news o his death on my 1st day o work...

tell me how i shld feel...

up close....

e chelidonura....



>



e spotted hyselodoris, wif e zoom-in below...



obsolete chromodoris, wif a zoom-in shot...

features of magnificent..

tis is e magnificent chromodoris..notice e 1 below has retracted its gills..and e thing trailing is called the foot...

more common nudis..

these r e more common nudibranchs...however they r v diff...each 1 has their own unique color & pattern...

i tink tis is a variscose phyllidia...



these 3 are pustulose phyllidiella...





tis 1 look like e above..but also look like liz's phyllidiella...or mayb it's a baby pustulose phyllidiella..

jancy jancy

hey jan...

thks 4 e compliments 4 e pics...but my hm com cd reader sth wrong...alot o my pics in cds cant b read...when i get laptop fr hao nian den i'll try 2 send pics 2 u..;p

Nudis of AUR....

The most exciting pair of nudibranchs we saw...initially i tot it was such a big & long nudibranch!! haha..den HN pointed out tt it was actually 2...hahaha.. i read e bk, it says tt it's actually foreplay 4 nudibranchs..tailgating, b4 mating..=) tis pair o nudibranchs are called Tryon's Risbecia...



This is the magnificent chromodoris...quite a big fellow we've here...



this fellow here is also sth new...it's a lined nembrotha...



tis is much-desired flabellina...it's really v small..& perched rite on top a a rock/reef...



tis miniature thing, around 1.5-2cm long is a spotted hypselodoris..2 small, e macro feature in e camera cant take it so close-up...



obsolete chromodoris...i tink it's a baby..small little thing hiding under e reefs..



these 2 creatures r e most amazing things...they look really weird!! they r not actually nudibranchs...they r part o e family o optisbranch...they r sme sort o chelidonura...they're not featured in e nudibranch ID book tt HN has....

aur...

Back to Aur again..a different feeling...e place has bec more run-down...but still it was a haven for those wanting 2 escape from reality...

E sea was barren...a real pity...

but as always... E worst day diving is better den e best day working....

quite a reward in tis trip cos saw a lot o nudibranch...& there were 2 pairs 2gether..usu only singles...;p

& e camera-woman 4 e day was ME...haha...a lot o e pics were quite blur actually..haha...but e flabellina was a great shot...haha..lucky only la...haha...