Pictures are taken with Pentax DA 50-200. Their favorite song comes from their favorite movie. Actually, that is my favorite movie and favorite song in 'With a few good friends.'


Title: CARLY SIMON - With A Few Good Friends
(feat. Sally Taylor) lyrics

Artist: CARLY SIMON

(Carly Simon) With a few good friends And a stick or two A house is built at a corner called Pooh With a friend and a stick Or three or four A house is built where it wasn't before With a window here And there a door And a nail and peg For the coat of Eeyore With a few good friends And a stick or two A house is built at a corner called Pooh

With a friend and a stick Or three or four A house is built where it wasn't before Dress it down Or dress it up Invite Tigger for tea And Owl for supper With a few good friends And a stick or two A house is built at a corner called Pooh With a friend and a stick Or three or four A house is built where it wasn't before With a few good friends... [Repeat and fade]

Photo composed with Mosaic Maker

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Photo taken by Pentax DA 50-200

I should have washed my kids' favorite fisher-price toy in their bath time. Before I returned my Pentax FA 50 f/1.4, I took a series of photo for this toy hanging in my shower door. My kids are still enjoying it like the first day they had it. And I continue to experiment with Picasa highlight to give the toy images a blown out background such as this third picture post processed in Picasa by raising highlight to completely wash out the back-lit background.

Links:

• BlogCatalog discussion
• Last week on 'E'
• Picasa Highlight
  
  

Photograph ABC on 8/29/2007:

• Fisher Price Toy | Four Letters 'F' | Foliage |
  15 from Mrs Nesbitts | Football | Flag |
  Flying Dogs | Friendship | Ferris Wheel |
  Fortress | Football | Falcon |
  Fish Market | Finger Spelling | Fish Pose |
  Fireplace | Family | Four Wheel Drive |
  Fence | Fristers | Fierce Firefighter |
  Fiat & Fried Egg | Fables |
  
  

I am yet to tell about my worst photographic session as a amateur enthusiastic with new Pentax gear. I am way over my head in learning a difficult lesson that there is seldom a second chance in photography. It was about three weeks ago with National Night Out event in my neighborhood in which I volunteered to be the main photographer. Everyone of my neighbors is very supportive of each other and they all cheer me up for my love of photography. I was tireless that night preparing 2 main dishes after work for pot-luck dinner in front of a beautiful antique house and I shot 40+ pictures on a band playing jazz music and the gathering of 50+ people and with firefighter engine visit from the city of Fremont.

I skipped dinner in the event for the wonderful sunset shots with my Pentax K100D and Pentax DA 50-200. In every shot with my Pentax, I could see the success and hear the lovely shutter snap echoed in my K100D. The light was perfect on the front porch of a 180 years antique house with a wonderful jazz band and torch lights lid up in front of the cheerful and lovely audience. And the party includes all neighbors from my kid aged at 3 to graceful neighbor over 80+ years old. The scenes were more than perfect for photographic sessions that an amateur like me could have ever asked for.

I trust my camera completely as I have always had. It was not until intermission that I had to change to my kit's lens for faster speed into the darker evening. My FA 50 f/1.4 had not arrived that time, I was devastated to find out that I HAD NO MEMORY CARD in the camera. How could this happen! I did not get a 'no disk error' at all in all those 40+ shots. I was naive and stupid enough not to have a backup camera or any playback of the wonderful shots made in the better and brighter half of the event. I was devastated and I told my neighbor right after the event. My face was dark and red and many negative thoughts ran through my mind and I felt for ages in that minute of discovery. My neighbors sure cheered me up with 'no worry' and I had not told anyone except my friends in dpreview forum for the first time with this blog post. My first hardest learned lesson in photography -- always check photo with playback and never ever carry a camera without a memory card.

I did not take any pictures with my Pentax in the rest of the event. I was plainly devastated for my mistakes and I kept myself in solitude and despair. After taking some food from the pot luck, I gathered myself for the last minutes' photo opportunity time using my Fuji F30 to photograph the band in the dark trying to salvage the memory for the wonderful evening of music, food, fun, friendship, and good neighbors.

Picture taken with Pentax DA 50-200

As the deer panteth for the water So my soul longeth after thee You alone are my heart's desire And I long to worship thee You alone are my strength, my shield To you alone may my spirit yield You alone are my heart's desire And I long to worship thee

--
Lyrics from As The Deer

I always find comfort in this song and it has become my favorite Christian song. I don't have a deer picture to go with this song but I look for a picture of dryness to hopefully depict the thirst in us longing after Him. The yellow flower picture is taken with Takumar Asahi 28-80 Macro.

Related Posts:

• You Are My Hiding Place
• The Living God
• Not Easy To Be Me
• Everyday
• My Favorite Place
  

Thanks to my very tiring wife, my Ben is recovering from his asthma attack after doctor visit. He does not like the new medicine prednisolone given by the doctor and it takes two adults arms' strength to give him his dosage of medicine. He is usually very mellow kid but when it comes to this new medicine, he is a true fighter spitting out anything that comes his way.

I don't recall a negative post or any post without picture and this is the first one. Ben has gone to ER again with Carmen for his asthma problem. His breathing rate is very high this morning. All the weekly trips to swimming pool and frequent outdoor activities have not got him strong enough to rid his asthma. I can only pray for him and bow down my head with misery and a post in my blog.

Poster is created with Movie Poster and Pentax FA 50 f/1.4.

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All pictures are taken with Pentax K100D and Pentax FA 50 f/1.4. I went through a great number of trial and errors for the final selection. And it is the last minute decision to use 'Elephant Decoration' in my other blog as I find it quite interesting and original to use a magazine cover for a change.

With each new letter coming in the Photograph ABC every Wednesday, I find it both exciting and a daunting task for the week as I truly want to give it my best shot for the letter. I certainly want a new look, hopefully some surprise and suspense for my readers. And it comes the scary part after this post, where is my 'F' picture with four letters.

Links:

• BlogCatalog discussion
• Last week on 'D'
  
  

Photograph ABC on 8/22/2007:

• Eagle Pose | Elephant Decoration |
  Equal Exhibition | Elsie & Ella | Earth Dog |
  E Dogs | Engine | Euphorbia Corollata |
  Eiffel Tower | Elephant | Escalator |
  Excitement | Esplanade | Engine |
  Egg | Education | Equipment | Elephant |
  Exploring | Eyes & Ears | Eiffel Tower |
  
  
  
  

Pictures are taken with Pentax K100D and Pentax DA 50-200.

I am extremely honored to receive this "Writer Review Inspiration Award" from WalkFarWoman, one of my inspiring friends in blogger world in her post for "Something for the Weekend!" And that really cheers me up over the weekend with more pleasant thoughts about my blogs, life, time with my family and time in soul searching for a purpose.

———————– xXx———————–

Here are my choices of Inspirational Blogger Award to pass down to my blogger friends:

• To Be Announced
• To Be Announced
• To Be Announced
• To Be Announced
• To Be Announced

———————– xXx———————–

Picture is taken with Fuji F30 and pp in Picasa

I want to follow up on the AdSense $100 Movement with a new train trying to get participation from others in blogging on notable blogs of their friends so that a link train can be included for backlinks in the promotion of new blogs that are working hard to make it to the $100 mark or the subsequent $100 marks. Here are my blogs of notice that I have reviewed:

• Apathetic Lemming of the North
  I especially like this blog for its good writing and diverse topics covered by my good friend Norski whom I have met in BlogCatalog. It covers many diverse topics that bloggers like myself can read up on to gain insightful knowledge into the unique world of blogging.
  
  
• Moolanomy
  This is a finance blog that I truly admire with my BlogCatalog friend Pinyo. I admire at the content as well as the layout of this blog. Navigation is at ease and the blog posts are concise and provide insightful discussions on personal finance topics. Always a great read for me when I visit this blog
  
  
• EBestAgent
  I have been wanting to find the third blog for this AdSense $100 movement. EBestAgent is one of the most interesting blogs that I have visited. It always has a post that I can share a laugh and there is a lot of interesting bits that I can gather in visiting the site. You won't be disappointed in visiting http://www.ebestagent.com.
  

• Blog Cabin I really like this movie review site. It is presented nicely and I trust the ratings in this blog. A lot of detailed information along with good and honest writing.
  
  
• Where is that money I normally don't like reading any blogs that has a 'money' title on it. I will be very suspicious of those blogs. But my friend Gerri has done an excellent job doing all the hardwork in providing valuable information for his audience.
  
  
• Daisy the Curly Cat If you are a cat and animal lover, you have got to visit Daisy' blog. It is a nice find for me to see all the wonderful pictures of a curly cat. Extremely cute and refreshing.

Now Hin wonders what blogs of notice worthy of recommendation to others from his following 5 friends:

• AdSenseTracker
• KDarrell
• RossHetherington
  
• Aizaz World
• To Be Announced
  

Instructions : ***Start Copy***

Proposition: Have a blog post to blog about other blogs that you recommend. You can choose one or more blogs in your post.

Tag Mode: Tag 5 of your blogger friends and include them in the train when they submit for this AdSense $100 Movement Train

Link Train: Add your anchor and post link for the AdSense $100 Movement posts below.

Blogroll for paticipants: (to be updated for new comers)

• Hin's Photo Blog
  
• Hin's Tech Blog
• Next participant
  

Instructions : ***End Copy**

And please inform the owner of your train when you have a post so that update can be done timely to include everyone on the train.

We had very simple celebration with sweet Ben. He is the joy in my life. He is more than thrilling with the small birthday cake and the simple Pappa Murphy bake-at-home pizza. A lot of laugh is shared with his older brother in both the pizza and the cake. And he offers his signature kiss with his Mom.



All pictures are taken with Pentax K100D and Pentax FA 50 f/1.4 without use of flash. White Balance is using Tungsten preset WB. And all shots are post processed in Picasa to bring out the color with 'I am feeling lucky/Auto Color/Auto Contrast.'

Pictures are taken with Pentax K100D and Pentax FA 50 f/1.4

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I have always wanted to take pictures of St. Joseph, Mission church that I always pass by on my way home through highway 680 in Fremont. It is right in the junction between Mission and Washington Blvd. It has a beautiful door and hence I pick this Door for the Wednesday Photograph on 'D.' As my good friend WalksFarWoman puts it beautifully in her comment

"Doors are wonderful when you think of who enters them

and how they feel when they leave them. Great idea. "

1. IMGP1446, 2. IMGP1457, 3. IMGP1444, 4. IMGP1452

Links:

• BlogCatalog discussion
• Last week on 'C'
  
  

Photograph ABC on 8/15/2007:

• Downward Dog | Dracular's Doorway |
  Dahlia | Door | Drummer | Darts
  Dandelion | Department Store | Dump Truck
  Derelict | Dilemma | Debris |
  Dinghy | Deers | Salty Dogs |
  Salty Dogs Extra | Driving
  
  

Picture link to Hiking with Pentax DA 50-200

In the 'Millionaire For A Day!' post, I daydream about what I would be doing if I were given a million. I will blog not for money but to donate for good causes and I need to do some soul searching what the Almighty wants me to do on this earth. I am lost in most of my life in searching my purposes. I am a negative person by nature and part of the reason for this blog is to caputre all positive things that I have encountered in a picture, a poem, a bible verse, song's lyrics and some writing that I truly enjoy.

Instead of constantly questioning Him for my purpose on this earth, I intend to use this blog with positive thoughts to answer Him His purposes for me. I use the blog in sharing with others about life captured digitally with my special memory in a picture, a poem, a bible verse, an video clip, a song and perhaps some writing to praise life in Him.

All pictures are taken with Pentax K100D and Pentax FA 50 f/1.4 in San Francisco Golden Gate Park.

----
1 Corinthians 13:4
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
1 Corinthians 13:3-5 (in Context) 1 Corinthians 13 (Whole Chapter)

Title: Norah Jones - Come Away With Me lyrisArtist: Norah Jones

Come away with me in the night Come away with me And I will write you a song Come away with me on a bus Come away where they can't tempt us With their lies I want to walk with you On a cloudy day In fields where the yellow grass grows knee-high

So won't you try to come Come away with me and we'll kiss On a mountaintop Come away with me And I'll never stop loving you And I want to wake up with the rain Falling on a tin roof While I'm safe there in your arms So all I ask is for you To come away with me in the night Come away with me

Pictures were taken with Fuji F30. I am participating for the 'C' letter theme for Photography ABC on Wednesday and I chose California Blue Skies for the 'C' theme this Wednesday.

Links:

• BlogCatalog discussion
• Last week on 'B'
  
  

Photograph ABC on 8/8/2007:

California Sky | Cotton Candy | Red Canna Lily | Cow! Clouds Candy Canal Boat | Cathedral Clock Candle Cemetery | Clydesdales

You are my hiding place,

You always fill my heart with songs of deliverance.
Whenever I am afraid,
I will trust in You. I will trust in You.
Let the weak say I am strong
in the strength of my Lord (x3)
I will trust in You!

---

Psalm 32:7

You are my hiding place;
you will protect me from trouble
and surround me
with songs of deliverance.

Express yourself completely, then becomes quiet.
Open yourself to heaven and earth,
and be like the forces of natures.

When the wind blows, there is only the wind;
when it rains, there is only rain;
when the clouds pass, the sun promises to shine.

If you open yourself to insight,
you are at one with insight
and you can use it completely.
Open yourself to heaven and earth,
then trust your natural responses;
and everything will fall into place

by Lao Tzu

Come July 31, 2007, it was my defining moment seeing a balance over 2 digits. Yeah!!! I finally made it to $100 and I look forward to the celebration with my older boy whom I have a cute Man 2 Man about AdSense conversation. He sort of challenged me in asking when I would make it to $2000. With some renewed energy and insights learned from mistakes, I am charged to meet that seemingly impossible goal. $2000 it is!!! Thanks to my son for the challenge and the manly chat.

My last $40 was made from mid June to July and that was the time when I joined up MyBlogLog and BlogCatalog for community support as well as social networking. And I am here to start an AdSense $100 Movement in which I am picking friends from network who are yet to make that $100 paycheck from Google AdSense. When it comes to AdSense payment, I almost want to use the F word but it is nowhere near enough in calming the frustration that I have with the program. Unlike everyone who brags about their success, I can brag about the misery and frustration in making that $100 mark that AdSense imposes on publishers to reach for the 1st payment.

In order to help all of my friends in BlogCatalog to make that mark, we can all chip in to help with backlinks, I start picking three friends to blog about their blogs and let's pass on that movement from all people who made the $100 mark to all those slaving for that 1st $100 mark. I am waiting for participation in this BlogCatalog Discussion for 1st the poster in 'over $100 mark' group to begin my 2nd post of AdSense $100 Movement. In my 2nd post to the movement, I will pick one poster to the movement and 2 bloggers slaving for the $100 mark. Blog links to be announced:

• Apathetic Lemming of the North
  I especially like this blog for its good writing and diverse topics covered by my good friend Norski whom I have met in BlogCatalog. It covers many diverse topics that bloggers like myself can read up on to gain insightful knowledge into the unique world of blogging.
  
  
• Moolanomy
  This is a finance blog that I truly admire with my BlogCatalog friend Pinyo. I admire at the content as well as the layout of this blog. Navigation is at ease and the blog posts are concise and provide insightful discussions on personal finance topics. Always a great read for me when I visit this blog
  
  
  
• EBestAgent
  I have been wanting to find the third blog for this AdSense $100 movement. EBestAgent is one of the most interesting blogs that I have visited. It always has a post that I can share a laugh and there is a lot of interesting bits that I can gather in visiting the site. You won't be disappointed in visiting http://www.ebestagent.com.
  

And for all those people that I pick, you are not required to link back but I urge you to pass on the links to two of your fellow bloggers who are yet to make that $100 mark and one other blogger who have posted for this AdSense $100 Movement.

Participating Blog List (to be updated for new comers):

Hin's Tech Blog
Hin's Photo Blog
MySimpleOnlineBusiness
Apathetic Lemming of the North
Blog Carnivals

Picture taken with Pentax K100D and FA 50 f/1.4

I am very excited to participate on a BlogCatalog discussion of photographers linking together with a picture themed on letter 'B' on this week. I chose my Bose Mosaic picture for the event.

Links:

• BlogCatalog Discussion

Photograph ABC on 8/1/2007:

Basque Busy Bee Bussing Buckaroo Blanke
Blechnum Brasiliense Beachcomming
Bullet Hole Bee Cuz Baby Bose