Day 639

happy 80th Anniversary to Soka Gakkai!!! SOKA GAKKAI BANZAI!!!!!

11.18 shud b a significant day. i drop by to join Wendy to homevisit Natsuki. and i did a very struggling decision making. i had sleepless nights whether to do it or not. i asked gohonzon to give me answers. after the support from Wendy & Natsuki, I finally had the courage to do it! my heart is still painful when i forked out the cash but i should not regret. many things is awaiting for me to do!!!!

bcoz i have to work, i couldn't attend Seiko san's YWD Graduation Party .... SAD!!!

but i wish her all the best in WD. thanks for being with us, supporting & encouraging us endlessly all these while. you are sensei's best disciple! its my pleasure being able to know and do kosenrufu with you.

Day 627 - 628

Day 628

its November World Peace Chanting & also 11.18 celebration. the Victorious March Band performed 3 songs - Kurenai no Uta, Kofu ni Hashire (Run for KosenRufu) & Forever Sensei. we watched the September Youth Training Course video where Sensei didn't attend. he emphasized on passing the baton of kosen rufu to the youth. We had youth dance, junior group short drama & an amazing experience by Michelle. The weather was great today and i think its d biggest crowd ever for this year. we had the group photo outside as usual.

After the meeting I helped Michelle to take some photos of her to be sent for audition. she wants to apply for extra for d filming of Horbit. its going to be a huge production for New Zealand after Lord of the Ring.

Then, meet up with Wendy, Erica & Amy for a quick lunch before heading home. ESSAY!!!! its driving me crazy. i hate academic credits. yucks ..... marketing essays and reports. spending whole day thinking and writing, still cannot complete. Angie! work harder! anyway .... i applied for a day off today to complete my assignment. i determined to finish up 1 week prior dateline so that my lecturer could read through and correct it for me.

Day 627

went for girls band practice at 10.30am for next week's Chapter level 11.18 Celebration. rush to final rehersal for brass band. then, went to Parnell to hav hi-tea with Seiko san & Mel (NZ newly appointed YWD Chief). such a great effort to fly down from Wellington every weekend to do home visit and catch up with YWDs in Auckland. we had a short session of photoshoot at the Rose Garden nearly before heading home. photos can be viewed on my facebook soon.

that's Mel

Day 625

just finished my environmental portrait shoot with model, Cyan. thx Cyan for your great help. its really awesome. many assignments Q-ing up till the last day of the semester. must work hard!!!!

Day 606

Finally I had a day off! I've been busy with heaps of assignment, work, shooting at NZ Fashion Week and 1 wedding shoot. OMG! wat a life! Im Loving It!

handed in my 1st Diploma assignment on 17 Sept. then i had school break for 2 weeks. school break? sounds relax eh? NOP! the 1st week was occupied by my Fashion Week shoot.

SUPER TIRED FASHION WEEK! it was very fun though, learned alot from the shoot .... i mean ALOT! On Friday, we were informed about a competition to win a chance to shoot the biggest event in the fashion world ... NZ FASHION WEEK! but the dateline was just 2 hours away. quickly fill up d form, write my 200 words essay & sent some photos from Wella shots coz I didn't bring my portfolio to school. last year I didn't win although I prayed hard for it. But I tried again and YEAH!!!! im 1 of 20 student photographers throughout NZ selected by proffesional judges for this year. it was such a great feeling to stand on the photographers pit alongside with pros like Michael Ng(NZ), Brad Hick(Aus), Getty Images photog. I learned heaps from Brad especially. He's like my mentor for the week, coaching me from time to time.
Krista White - latest American Next Top Model winner


2nd week of my schook break was just working, working, working.

shot an Indian Wedding on Saturday(9th Oct). Attended Youth Meeting on the next day. I related my experience to the crowd.

new assignments coming! just finished my Still Life. next week is going to food then fashion then architecture.

Day 573-571

Day 573 - Tonight I'll b shooting NZ Wella Vision Hairstylist Award. im 1 of the 7 students chosen to join this photography competition. the winner will get their photos published in a wellknown fashion magazine.
went to school.then rush back home to take my gears. went to Tifanny's hse to clear my memory cards as tonight we will be shooting in RAW. had a quick lunch and off we go to the Auckland Museum. finished shooting by 10.30pm. i am so so so tired! im so lazy to even cook instant noodle. just have some potato chips while choosing my photos. the deadline to submit the images is tomorrow noon. Exclusive photos just for my readers :)
Wella Boss & panel judges


Day 572 - THIS IS IT! its Ikeda-Hall Peace Garden 10th Anniversary Celebration Day. raining raining raining. woke up at 5.30am to chant with Seiko san & Wendy. it is still raining. chanted 1 hour then get dressed. 8am DIY breakfast. by 9am we head to the hotel to do daimoku & gongyo before heading to the garden. it was still raining. 11am we drove to the Garden.rain has stopped but no sunshine. then rain heavilly again. no choice but to follow Plan B. we're moving the whole ceremony to the cafeteria. we went and set up there. instruments all ready. no rain again. committee decided to move back to the Garden. gosh ... we packed up everything again. yyeeaahhh ..... dream came true .... we're gonna perform the Garden. THEN, even heavy rain poured. the ceremony continued no matter how. changed my identity so many times. was warming up with the band then take photos of the Maori leaders give blessings, Ikeda Sensei's message. my gears are all wet. then, they announced that we will have to shift back to the Cafeteria because of the heavy rain. what? pack again? the situation is so crazy. then when we were about to pack up, suddenly the MC announced that they would like to hear the brass band play 1st. YES!!!! we did it!!!! so, changed my identity back to band member. we played 'Morigasaki Beach'. it wasn't our best version but im so touched at that moment. imagining Sensei was around at that moment watching us play in the rain, at this historic moment for SGI NZ and SGI. then, changed to a photographer again. while i was chasing the VIPs taking photos, i heard them continued playing. i was so touched. this is the spirit of Soka brass band. encouraging & giving warmth to people no matter where we are. then, i managed to rush back to play the last song(Blue Ridge Saga) with them. VICTORY!!!! received compliments from Sasaki san (SGI Oceania Chief) and ex mayor Mr Graham Hall. Sasaki san really looked like Sensei. the spirit is also the same. then, we packed again and move to Cafeteria to join the last part of the celebration. when we were about to leave the Garden, we realised that the sakura has fully blossomed. so beautiful! when the ceremony ended .... you know what? sunshine!!! YES, sun came out and it was so warm! our prayers are answered. so mystic! although it was too late, but it was as if the sun came out to congratulate & celebrate our success. we were so so so happy! then, by 4pm we depart from Rotorua. home sweet home. actually im very hungry coz i only had coffee for lunch. when i reached home, my whole body just couldn't function anymore. im out of battery. plan to take a 1 hour nap and wake up to do laundry but slept to the next morning.


Day 571 - all gathered at kaikan at 9.30am. D&G before briefing. had lunch half way to Rotorua. went straight to the Ikeda-Hall Peace Garden at 1.30pm. check out the venue & do sound check. the cherry has not blossom yet. it was so cold. our fingers were all numb. quickly went to hostel and check in. rest for awhile and we head to another hotel to do D&G before going for dinner together with committee & members. after dinner went back to hotel to help create a presentation for tomorrow. reached my hostel by 10pm, help iron some of band members uniform before sleeping. weather forecast says that it is going to rain heavily the whole day. we need daimoku for sunshine, warm & full cherry blossom.

Day 542 - 550

Day 550 (21.8.10) fine day
went practice from 1-4pm. went random shooting with Nigel. came across Korean Navy warcraft. its huge!!!! will upload photos soon. went foodtown to buy ingredients for dinner. cooked fettucini with Nigel & Wendy. watched Farmbarn & Bubbleboy on TV.


Day 549 rainy
Friday!!!! i longed for Fridays! bz bz day. went to school to help Tiffany with her shoot. then rushed to work at 1pm. aunty Heng was not feeling well, i volunteered to wash the dishes. finished at 2am. damn tired.


Day 548 rainy
Thank you Jie Huey for being my model. i appreciate that. had some cool photos from the session. lots of photoshop to be done. so, 3 more shots left for my assignment. worked from 4 - 12am.


Day 547 rainy
study ... work 12pm-11pm


Day 546 rainy
study ... work 1pm-11pm


Day 545 rainy
shot my Coke bottle today from 10.30am till 2.30pm ... work 3pm-11.30pm


Day 544 rainy
went practice. worked from 5-11pm


Day 543 cloudy
went practice. went to YWD mtg at Ponsonby. we were discussing about Ikeda Kayokai guidelines. had dinner with Wendy, watched 'How To Train Your Dragon'.


Day 542 cloudy
study ... work 1pm-1am

Day 538-541

Day 541 cloudy

8.30 - 11.30 ~ school

12.00 - 3.00 ~ work

3.30 - 6.30 ~ school

7.00 - 11.30 ~ work

crazy day right?

Day 540 (11.8.10) fine day

3.50am wake up

5.00am wait for airport transfer bus

5.50am check in

6.30am board the plane

7.10am fly to Wellington

8.10am reach Wellington. took a bus to High Commission of Malaysia (HCM). someone knocked the bus from behind,gotta wait for the police to come and transfer us to another bus. was late for my appointment, had to call HCM to reschedule.

11.15am reach HCM

11.45am went to City. visited SGI centre. went for lunch. before i had my lunch, i was on a mission. boss asked me to mark around a few Malaysian restaurant, act as a photojournalist and have my meal there. so, i had laksa at 1 shop and had a roti canai at another. it was funny that i went in just to order a teh tarik. but they don't serve so i ordered a plain roti. and i was snapping and snapping. they might have though i was a photojournalist checking on them. i overheard them talking about me, asking the waiter to ask me whether the roti is nice. the waiter came and offer me some curry to go with my roti. i said im fine and asked for sugar instead. then the boss came out to check on me.wahahahah ...... i didn't finish the roti. when i went to pay,

Me:Sorry i didn't finish the roti coz i just had laksa at another place.

Waitress: that's ok.

Me: So, u didn't make the roti yourself eh?

Waitress: eerrr.... mmm ... Nop, we took it from someone.

Me: Hhhmmm ... its frozen ones.

Waitress: nonono .... its not.

Me: thats ok. dun worry about it. its a nice place. thank you.

(i told boss the story, he had a good laugh and said i was so mean) LOL ......

2.50pm went back to HCM to collect my documents. SETTLED! yeah! its just a piece of paper with few lines of writings. why do they need 3-4 months to issue if you post ur application? Malaysia Boleh!

3.00pm went back to city. did some chanting at kaikan. roam around city.

5.00pm board airport transfer

6.50pm fly back to Auckland

7.50pm reach AKL

8.30pm reach home. said hi to AK. ooppss .... it was so busy. all the muslims were there to eat. tomorrow they will start fasting. i was asked to work. oh nooo ... im so tired already but i couldn't say no. i requested to have a shower first.

9.30-12am work

DROPPED DEAD TIRED!!!

Day 539 fine

school ..... worked from 1 - 11pm. slept at 1am. tommorow have to wake up at 4am.

Day 538 fine

school .... work from 1 - 11pm