Mirror Mirror On The Wall, Which Camera Should I Purchase??

Camera dilemna! So i've been thinking abt upgrading my camera, which is a 4yr old LUmix 'Dono which model', 'Dono what pixel' camera. Well it's abt time actually, cos as much as my old handy Lumix camera is still very usable & some great pictures came out of it (courtesy has to be given to the photographer as well! Hey, it takes good eye to capture good photos!), the specs r not as good as can be! I mean, photo quality can be very much improved with a much better camera specs - like higher ISO, more shutter speed choices, etc etc...

So, after seeing how much a new n improved version of LUmix camera can do (LX3), the thought of upgrading my camera arose & has been lingering in my mind.. So there comes the problem! I'm not camera expert. I can read reviews, but hey, it's really really tough to sieve through thousands of reviews & make a decision based on that! Some of the terms r way too technical to understand how they help or be a disadvantage to users!

But after much research & surfing, I sorta shortlisted 3 candidates... The chosen one COULD very well be from these 3, but who knows! Maybe a dark dark horse may emerge victorious!!

Hereby presenting the Top 3 (or could possibly drop out of the race..who knows)

Camdate No 1

Canon Powershot S90

Camdate No 2

Lumix GF1

Camdate No 3

Lumix LX3

Ok by No means does bigger picture implies preference. It's juz how it was saved. After searching, these are the 3 i sorta took a closer look.

Camdate 1 is Canon, which is a good brand, & i heard some good reviews abt it. It's Powershot but it is rather compact for a powershot. I hated those bulky powershot with damn small screen but this looks sleek & nice! N it has other colours, most notably RED!!! Quite a no of functions, & good specs also. Reasonable price for Canon so makes a good deal.

Camdate 2 is DSLR-ish. & it has a sleek body for DSLR!! Yes, u can attach lens to it but not too sure abt how versatile it is as a DSLR. Maybe need to find out more. Or if any of u have more information to provide, pls do!!! But this camera is bloody expensive! It's costs almost 1500sgd!! For such a small camera & sorta DSLR-ish, it's rather expensive. But reviews have been great & it comes in RED too!! Hey, i'm into the colour stuff, makes camera more interesting, rather than sticking to plain old BLACK. See, even font colour is just black & nth else! Functions wise, it's bter than Camdate 1, since it's DSLR-ish. Looks good on paper & certifications, but pricey.

Camdate 3 is a hybrid bet point & shoot & DSLR-ish. It's a useful camera for the progression in between. My fren was using this when we went to Aussie & it looks good! With quite a no of manual functions, good ISO settings & shutter speed & aperture. Wow i sound pro (but i'm not really pro). Reasonable price as well! I think comparable to Camdate 1 too! But it only comes in BLACK & SILVER, which are rather bland colours.. Ok I can't choose colour for the word SILVER cos there arent any! Damn, if only they come in pink or champagne or red... But overall this is a good camera for pro-wanables & good pricing...

So then what? Seems like i'm verring towards Camdate 3, but I really like Camdate 2 as well. If only it's not tt expensive. Camdate 1 is good for a point & shoot, then so, gota think hard what I really want right now!..

Voters? Advice? Lobangs? Cheap deals?? I accept all!!

What? Me No Speak Chinese...

I Shall Pretend To Be An English Speaking Chinese Whenever I Roam Shanghai Streets, especially Alone...

I Shall Stop Wearing My Moon-Shaped Earrings To Shanghai Especially!

Why? Cos i'm sick n tired of being 'harassed' on the streets in Shanghai by strange aunties & ladies... They super love stalking the streets for 'victims' to harrass.

What am I talking about? NoNo, not declaration of love or such. These people are promoters for some facial salons n stuff. They love to roam the streets and stalk pple, especially those alone, and lure them to their salons on the pretense that there is free sample. Sometimes, I don't even know what they're talking about! Anyway, they'll juz stop me in my tracks & start blabbering about their salon, facial products, come come we have free samples for u, no obligation just take the free sample, very fast only a few minutes, give u free experience of our facial service with no obligations. Then Poof! My 15mins gone just trying to talk my way outa their incessant blabbering! Sometimes, they use force! Just pull u along for the so-called free treatment! I went for it once, & halfway through, i just told them "Sorry not interested, don't feel like doing anything. I really don't have the time & I wouldn't come back again". But then again almost 30-45 mins gone! Precious time i could have spent shopping for more useful things or watching animation or video clips!

Next time, I shall pretend I know not a single word of Chinese. "Sorry, I don't speak Chinese" & walk away! Hahahaha

Ok, next to my Moon shaped earrings. Seriously, I can't even remember where I bought it from. I suspect they're from BKK, cos I only buy earrings from BKK (ok only a few here in Singapore) but 99% from BKK. Anyway, this pair of earrings is YES very special (I very much admit it). I have never seen another wear it yet... So i can say i have a unique pair for now.. & It always attracts attention. Espeically in Shanghai, where those 'stalkers' roamed the streets.

They'll go "Wow, ur earrings are very unique!" or "Ur earrings are very pretty, where did u buy it from" or "I love your earrings!" Then u spend anther 15mins juz trying to PR PR abit & work ur way outa the conversation. & Mind u, there are all girls, ladies who ask the qns! I mean i don't expect guys to do so, else it'll be really creepy.

So to get myself outa 'trouble' & less wastage of time, maybe i shld stop wearing them, especially to Shanghai. But then again, they are my favourite pair of earrings! & easy to match with any outfit! I shall have to start from next month. Of cos i'm more easy target when i'm out alone, so that doesnt mean i'm NEVER going to wear them ever ....

Confessions of A Tennis Fan

I have always been fascinated by Tennis. Ever since the secondary school chinese textbook on the historic win by Michael Chang at the French Open. Cool!

So it started with supporting Michael Chang, then noticing big hitter Pete Sampras, Agassi, Pat Rafter etc. But it was only rather superficial, reading abt the tennis matches, seeing how Michael Chang fared (unfortch, those were the days when his days as tennis player were fading...). Then came along Marat Safin, the handsome Russian with the biggest temper! But his stars never did shine too brightly.. Then came players like Andy Roddick, Hewitt, uninteresting & not worth my time.. But the women's tennis became fun & exciting, with Hinggis, Jennifer n of cos Williams.

Luckily for us tennis fans, along came the matured & renewed Roger Federer! Esp after he ditched the pony tail. My fire for tennis re-ignited! But I nvr did came close to learning & hitting tennis balls!

Finally, after years of nvr doing anything to pursue my fav sport, I decided to take the plunge & start doing something! No more conversations like this: A - "U know alot abt tennis, do u play?", Me: "No, I only watch & analyse".

Took abt 5-6 lessons so far, & i think i play ok. Just need more experience on timing... Hence, the investment.

My 1st step to taking tennis seriously! Got myself a pro-tennis racket - Wilson somemore! Sponsor of Roger's racket. Not BLX cos it's abit heavy, but wilson nonetheless. & tennis shoes! Addidas not nike...

Wilson Hyper 2.0.

The frame is red! Looks really cool

Shoes! White with blue, from Addidas

Now is the time to get more serious! Aim to play at least once a week, when I'm not travelling...

Believe It Or Not

Does dream mirror reality or reality mirrors dream? Which is true and which is false?

I’ve had 2 rather horrifying and unimaginable experiences during my week long stay in Hangzhou hotel. Was it my imagination or was I just too damn tired?

I remember vividly that I dreamt of the same occurrence, but I also seriously remember it happening in reality. Once could be dismissed only so slightly as ‘maybe I was dreaming, maybe I was just tired and imagining’, but the 2nd time, that is just purely eerie.

The weird thing? It happened way towards the end of my week long stay, and with 1 so-called relatively peaceful night in between the 2 occurrences…

Now, back in Shanghai hotel, Oh Man! I had a fantastic sleep on the fantastic bed with no interruptions!!