Celebrating yet another UNIBUDS graduation… Photos from Tze Shen’s graduation. Taken a while ago, finally uploaded.

Tze Shen's Graduation at UNIBUDS stall.

More photos here…

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chenghiang/sets/72157622387042765/

Introducing the 30th UNIBUDS EXCO

29th and 30th UNIBUDS EXCO

Link to more photos from UNIBUDS 30th AGM

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chenghiang/sets/72157622339845547/

Added 2 new Otocinclus to my aquarium, one of them is nearly dead within 1 hour.  I am sure it will be dead by the time I finished this blog post.

The sense of helplessness, as I watch one of the newly introduced Otos turned belly up. Even though I am trained to resuscitate  newborn babies, facing a oto who decided to turned belly up,  I am helpless.  Can’t do CPR, can’t give adrenaline… can’t do anything. Instead of just watching it floating up-side-down, with occasional twitch, I have decided to retreat to my blog.

I have got no answer to more than a few things happening lately in life. Some situation, I could only faced it helplessly. After putting in the effort,  the outcome is far from encouraging, I am not sure what else I could do. Probably nothing, but definitely have to keep my dignity and integrity.

This world is imperfect, there is suffering.

*did some research. Otocinclus seems to be all collected in the wild.  So no more otos for me. Wild fish should stay wild.  Maybe I should just be  keeping  a few tank breed guppies.

Is this the end?

There were signs all over, that this is probably not for me. Some said that I ignored the signs. Maybe I am just insensitive, or maybe I was just too focus, too target  orientated that I miss those signs.  Often the doubts that arise were quickly suppressed by  any positive signs that I could find. Reassuring myself, all is on trek, and I hang in there.

If you loose sleep over something, it is probably not for you.

It felt like The End,  at least it is the end for now. Giving myself sometime… need a rest, there is still a long way to travel.

PS You ask me to go by my gut feelings, and I did.

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5/10/2009

PS. I have pulled out from the paeds cardiology interview. It is the end… at least for now.

Finally my first ever photo exhibition is up and running! This is exciting milestone for an armature photographer. Comments so far from colleagues in Sydney Children Hospital (SCH) have been great.

Turning the long corridor in the hospital into an arts space.

Hangging the photos. Photo credit, Renny Toh

Link to the official website of this exhibition at Collections Australia Network  (Australia’s cultural heritage collection online).

http://www.collectionsaustralia.net.au/exhibitions_item/1307

Click the above link for more details on this exhibition.

Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo, one of the photos on show

For preview of the photos on exhibition, please visit my Flickr site. These are low resolution photos.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chenghiang/sets/72157622334929836/

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This is the unedited version of the Artist Statement accompanying this exhibition.

Swapping the Stethoscope for a 400mm Lens

Dr Cheng Hiang LEE MB BCh BAO, DipPaed (UNSW)

Cheng Hiang is my name, but I am better known as LEE among my colleagues and patients. I was born in Malaysia. After graduating from Belfast Medical School, I underwent further clinical training for a few years in the UK. Currently, I am a Registrar in Paediatrics, based in Sydney Children Hospital.

My instinctive love for peace and serenity has rather spontaneously drawn me closer to the vastly unscathed exquisiteness of the Australian nature. I am particularly enchanted by the attractiveness and wide variety of the Australian birds. Whilst each creature has its uniqueness, birds are distinct not just for their beauty but their entertaining behaviours and delightful songs. Bird watching thus provides an effective avenue to unwind especially for those living in a stressful urban environment.

While watching these fascinating creatures, there have been moments which were really exciting and thrilling. Capturing those moments in photos not only facilitates recollection of the happy times, but enables sharing of such joyful experiences with friends and family members.

Avian photography could be a challenging endeavour. Birds are highly mobile; they often fly off instantaneously if being disturbed. Over the past few years, I have learnt that, birds are like children – if approached quietly in a non-confrontational manner, you are likely to be able to get close enough for a good snap-shot.

“Swapping the Stethoscope for a 400mm Lens” is a collection of my photos of wild Australian birds. Most of the photos were taken locally around Sydney; some were taken while I was working in Canberra. The photos were taken on a Canon 350D, with a 100-400mm F4-5.6 L IS lens.

Sydney Children Hospital has provided me with excellent training and support, especially during the preparation for the FRACP exams. “Swapping the Stethoscope for a 400mm Lens” is a fund raiser to show my gratitude to Sydney Children Hospital, its staff, patients and their families. Thus, all the proceeds from the sales in this exhibition will be donated to the Sydney Children Hospital Foundation.

“Swapping the Stethoscope for a 400mm Lens” is an environmentally responsible project. No bird was harmed during photographing. Most framing materials were reclaimed from junk yards and then tenderly restored as photo frames for this exhibition. Even though some of the frames are not in a pristine condition, I hope the beauty of their imperfection will be appreciated.

You can never take the same photograph twice;

Neither can you have the same feeling by viewing the same photograph twice.*

May you enjoy this exhibition!

*A photograph may seem the same, but our mental state fluctuates every moment. Our appreciation and interpretation of the photos is very much influenced by our state of mind. Therefore it is unlikely that we would have the same feelings while looking at the same photo at different times. Inspired by the teaching of Impermanence.

Failure today… does it means failure tomorrow, failure forever?

due to the beauty of impermanence, there is potential for change.

Even failure is not forever…

Midnight, home after a long evening shift, as I opened the front door of the rented apartment, there was a sense of emptiness arising in me. That sense of something is missing.  I have been living overseas alone for the past 10 years. Thankfully always surrounded by good friends, but at times it is still a very lonely journey.

Elusive

The Simple Girl, who would walk the path of life with me, remains elusive.  I could only put in the effort to get to know you… the rest is beyond my control.

It comes, it stays, it goes… What is forever?

Bodhi Nite is over. It is yet another very enjoyable night.

I am still part of Archive team this year. Photo quality from the team has been outstanding. Really glad to have new blood in the team. Finally found someone who can photograph Bodhi Nite from a different perspective. My photos of Bodhi Nite from previous years are quite similar in style. The only thing different  is that, the percentage of good enough photos were higher this time round. Need to inject some creativity into next BN photos. Looking forward to BN2010, 30th Anniversary.

Really appreciated the award from UNIBUDS.  Thank you.

So lovely...

More photos here…

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chenghiang/sets/72157622081600491/

It comes, it stays, it goes… What is forever?

Diamond is Forever?

Some believe that “A diamond is forever”. If you believe in this, you have been brain washed by the jewelry industry.

http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/a-diamond-is-forever.html

I don’t believe in forever. Things change, circumstances change, we change, nothing stayed the same forever. In popular culture, lovers will pledge their love forever,  some even said forever is not enough. To my love ones, I can’t promise that I will love you forever; but I love you this very moment.

What is FOREVER? Do you believe in FOREVER? Come find out more in Bodhi Nite 2009, presented by Unibuds, UNSW Buddhist Society. You can get the tickets from KhaiYi (0430 533 879 ) or Ian (0430 063 421).  Get your ticket soon, unfortunately nearly every year we had to turn people away at the door, as there the auditorium is filled to the maximum capacity.

Click Image for the Full size version

What is Forever?

First, the good news. FRACP clinical exams is over, and I passed. That means, no more postgraduate medical exams, unless I choose to do so:) Thank you everyone for their well wishes and support while I was preparing for the exams.

With the exams out of the way, hopefully will get a bit more time for other leisure things in life. Few big events coming up soon… Bodhi Nite 2009 is here again, I will be helping up with the Archive Department.

Also planning my first photography exhibition, probably in September. The proceed will go to Sydney Children Hospital, this is a way of saying Thank You to the hospital that provided me with excellent training. I will put up more details once I have more information.

The new chapter… in my professional development… Should I follow my heart? or Nulla sine nervis gloria (No Gut no glory)?