Photographer Life

A little bit after I graduated, I flew back to Thailand for a great job offer at one of the best newspapers in the country. I hope to be able to not only write, but also photograph so I had spent a lot of time hanging with photographers. A few months after, realizing photography and photographers' status among Thai media aren't very well respected. Some pathetic colleagues call our devoted newspaper photographers as second class citizen in the newsroom. Aside from under-paid career photographers face today, sadly, among Thai media itself doesn't value training and the importance role of their own photographers. I can say that, I have been there, trying to photograph for my own writings. You wish among all of those who disrespect photographers should not be those who work in the industry, but sadly, that is how it is. Talking to various media photographers from different publications makes me realize one thing: as far as photojournalism goes--we are far behind others. Attitude is very important, and we definitely cannot disrespect our own people. Without photos, I'm not so sure if newspaper business will survive. I will blog more about this subject later to give you an inside of why I can grow faster and better educate myself in the US.

The photo above is taken by Craig Wilson, FPC Courier Newspapers, which has won second place the Best of Photojournalism 2006 Team Sports Action.

Successful Fast Food Business--McDonald's VS Arby's

Near my home on the Indy NW side, McDonald's and Arby's are neighbors..located side by side. Here is what I have seen:
OBSERVE 1: This is obvious. For three good dollars--Mc lovers get their cheeseburger, fries, and a soda. You will need at least 6 dollars to get a combo menu at Arby's.
OBSERVE 2: Twenty cars lining up along Mc drive through. Eat-in customers not included. Look at Mc's neighbor. Two wait on their drive through. One wait inside.
OBSERVE 3: Mc has already served all of those twenty drive throughers. Their neighbor still working on the second.
OBSERVE 4: Arby's menu is more fancy, much healtier, and obviously better freshly prepare. Mc only cares about serving fast. If you comes in during a non-rush hours..say..3pm. It is hard to miss that your food has been prepared since lunch time.
OBSERVE 5: According to OB 2,3, Mc employees seem to be trained better as far as fast food business concern.
OBSERVE 6: Mc offers sauces in the cup. This is so easy to dip. Arby's has their fancy sauces in a salad dressing package aside from cupped Arby's sauce. This is so awkward.
OBSERVE 7: Arby's usually sends their discounted coupons to residents around their neighborhood. However prices still higher than Mc who never sends anything to anyone.

Why bad things happen to good people? (like me?)

Complain No. 1: Internet was down this late morning, I drove to the BMV License Branch near home, hoping to give that ATM machine-look-alike a try to renew my car registration. Once getting there, I only found the branch has been closed down.

Complain No. 2: So I drove all the way up north (far away,) getting loss (driving back and forth within 5 miles radius for about 45 minutes), finally once getting to BMV, some old lady told me that the self-service machine was broken.

Complain No. 3: Then, I looked over inside the BMV building, noticing tons of people in there (this is going to take me like an hour, in which my previous plan was supposed to stop by the branch near by home, use that self-service station, go back home = 15 minutes total. Now it had turned to be this big tedious shit...sorry.)

Complain No. 4: Too late to turn around now. Already got loss, wasted some gas, burned some calories, I would have to live with it, so upon walking in, this BMV lady kept bitching about me not waiting behind the line. No..I wasn't waiting. I was wondering in there.

Complain No. 5: For some odd reasons, this BMV does not use number system to call customers. I was the one to take all the fall in there. Like expected, I ended up having to pronouce my name to some curious people. This is so stupid.

Complain No. 6: Driving so much today (hot MD suggests to avoid driving due to ear sensitivity.) Coming home, feel like hell.

THE ONLY GOOD THING OF THE DAY: Able to finish 24 forth season. Agent Bauer is awesome!! We can use someone like this in the world--if possible.

P. Manning Mania

Recently, I've been exposed to too much media coverage as well as tons of his TV ads. Now I have officially become one of his fans, Peyton Manning. Not a typical football fan, I have been watching the Colts game, well, not really in good faith. I have my own reasons of watching football and yes, Manning is one of them. Call me shalllow. I don't care. May be I should go buy that blue jersey. I've come a long way since the first day of trying to understand the game--today I'm proud to say that I know what is going on in the field (well..still trying to learn here and there of rediculously different rules of college and NFL. Still struggle, but hey, I've gotta stick to my purposes. No you don't wanna know what.)

Ear Surgery--Continuous series from old blog home

Today has marked the 11st since my ear surgery has taken place. I have been blogging about this horrifying experience since using old blog through MSNSpace (http://indypondering.spaces.live.com/), so for more details, please visit my old site. This surgery is called Stapedectomy (http://www.earsurgery.org/surgoto.html), and it is a hell of our latest medical technology I have to applaude. I've been diagnosed of this symptom about a year and a half, which causes hearing loss on both ears. I have inherited this interesting diagnosis from my maternal side of family, and yes, this hearing loss will usually develop during your early adult. Mine has shown up when I was about 27 years old. The only reason I continue writing about this is because I find it useful for those who might have it, and that there are only three options you can choose from in order to fix it. 1) Get hearing aid and wear 2) Live with it (since it is not a fetal symptom or anything that requires medical attention if you feel that you can live with 30% hearing if not worse.) 3) Get Stapedectomy surgery like one I've got. Those who experience hearing loss will not know their option and how to treat without taking your first step and next, which include visit your local audiologist to obtain a hearing evaluation, consult the hearing test with both audiologist and ENT, obtain blood test, and obtain CT scan of your head/neck. Basically ENT should be the first to talk to and that he or she will walk you through the process. I have come across this accidentially. I must say that I got lucky to find out because I have had this difficulty hearing in the past two year and thought it only happened since I have had sinus issues my entire life. I discuss my concern with ENT, and finally he felt that there was something wrong with me that had nothing to do with sinus, so he sent me to get hearing test, blood drawn as well as CT scan. After the result, it shown that I have this Stapedectomy going on. I took me a few month to make up my mind for the surgery since medications are not an option to cure this. This operation has been pretty successful so far, and you have got to be surprised by the outcome of it. See, I did not know much about how we hear and all that kind of stuff until it happens to me. Once you have a hearing loss, it is horrible. Since my right ear has been fixed, I will have to wait for another year before doing the left one. Value your hearing before you lose it and hey! get your hearing tested once a year.

What Da Hxxx?

Really, I do not understand. Why in the world do some people love posting with army and tanks during coup time? As far as I know, coup has occured due to political matters, and I'm very gladful it's been peaceful so far--it shows this coup has entered the situation in good faith. The only one thing that makes some senses to me is: snapping pictures of coup, tanks, soldiers etc to capture the event. But to put smiley faces, encouraging your kids and (see pictures) with the coup? Gosh...I just cannot get over it. I'm aware a lot of people love having their pictures taken, but hey! look at these pictures, they are acting like army's national meet n' greet day. I'm sorry this so so pathetic. I just do not get it, understand it, or....what kind of word should I put here? (sorry kids (see little school kids photo,) you have nothing to do with this stuff. I understand your teacher has made you guys to.)

See, I'm not an expert on the subject, but I am very embarassed. Look at those army, they even agree to do so. I do not need anybody to agree with me here, but take a look at these photos--thousands words have been described.

(Photo Courtersy of AP)