Summer Dreams

I dream of summer.

Campfire. Sparklers. Sand. Surf. Sunsets.

(source)

(source unknown)

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(source unknown)

I would very much like to credit the owners of these images so if you know where they came from, give me a heads up :)

DSLR Camera Simulator

I thought, I'd share this awesome SLR Camera Simulator I found online!

You can play around with it, adjusting the light setting, ISO and etc. An awesome way to practice. I'm sure Mr. Wonderful would be visiting this website often. Heh.

Timberland Earthkeepers

(Image from Timberland)

The  things that I'm really passionate about are my blog, movies, music, exploring, social work and the environment.

Have you heard of the Timberland Earthkeepers?

An Earthkeeper is,

 "someone who is concerned about environmental issues and willing to take action to protect our Earth"

I cringe at times to see how we live in such a consumerist age. Where materialism rules my generation.

I am guilty of these crimes too but I try my best to not fall into these traps. It doesn't help that I live in a country that encourages consumerism. To live a lifestyle that is earth friendly, isn't practical here.

But sometimes its the little things that makes a difference.

Things like,

• Recyling
• Buying from thrift stores for a new outfit
• Supporting local and small businesses that are earth friendly
• Turning your house into an energy efficient home.

Deforestation

It's such an ugly word. One that turned the lush and green Horqin pasture in Mongolia into a desert.

One way to not encourage such a brutal action is to buy products made from farmed trees. 

Find out where your item has been made, how its made and the social and environmental impact it makes.

 Be an informed consumer.

Timberland is an organization that takes the environment seriously. They are conscious of the environmental impacts their products have. Being environmentally friendly is part of their core values as an organization.

As I said, I try my best to live an earth friendly lifestyle but for me, I feel that I could do more. So when Nuffnang organized this contest to be a Timberland Earthkeeper, I knew I can't let this opportunity pass.

Together with Greenet, Timberland has sent their Earthkeepers to the Horqin for greening activities since April 2010, in hope that the Horqin Desert will once again be a lush and green pasture.

A million trees has been planted and Timberland Earthkeepers plan to plant two million more.

If you are like me and want to be part of something bigger,

Be a Timberland Earthkeeper and support desert greening in Horqin.

Graduation Photos

Its almost a week since my graduation and I finally put up some of the photos.

That evening was a little bit magical, a little bit joyous and a little bit sad.

We were in the last session of the day and when we left the convention centre, the sun was about to set. There was lots of fun and laughter, lots of photo taking and definitely lots of reminiscing.

And after that a quiet dinner with my parents and sister to celebrate. I feel kinda guilty that my younger brothers didn't join us.

Blog Discussions: What's your blog to you?

Hey everyone! I thought about starting a series here about blogging. I don't claim to be an expert blogger, I know very little about SEO and I barely use Google Analytics. But what I do know is, I love to blog.

I thought that the most appropriate first discussion would be, "What's your blog to you?"

Let me get the ball rolling.

When did I start blogging?

I started blogging in 2004 when I was just in secondary school. It was my teacher who actually introduced me to blogging. Looking back at my posts from the first blog, I cringe at all the things I wrote but I did start it as a way to vent out my frustration as an angsty teenager. 

Waking Up Famous, started in 2009 after I closed my first blog. Its more of a continuation from my first but I did not want what I wrote then as a teenager to be out in public cos I did write things I regret and might hurt people if they saw it now. I still keep the archives cos its 4 years of my life.

Why Do I Blog?

I blog because I love to. Waking Up Famous is a little less personal as my previous blog but still very much me. I don't air out my problems to world anymore. Instead its more of a feel good blog where I post things I love and things that inspires me.

So now its your turn to discuss what's your blog to you! Apart from the questions above, here are a few more.

• How did you start blogging?
• Do you blog for money?
• What makes you want to blog?

Next Week: What's your blogging style?

Ombre Hair

(Image Jordan Carmignani)

(source unknown)

(Via ohlaveetjulouse)

I love Ombre Hair.

When couples fight.

Although friends assume Mr. Wonderful and I are the sweetest (not to mention the weirdest) couple and that we're also the couple that looks blissfully happy together that nothing ever goes wrong, that we're the one and we're the perfect couple.... (okay I exaggerate at this point but you get what I mean).

 I must admit, its not all perfect in our little couple-dom.

But, the reason why we're still perfectly happy together is because we talk out our issues.

Initially when we got together, I assumed he can read my mind and know what I think. Trust me ladies, your men cannot read minds, if they can't even get the not-so-subtle hint of you blogging about you dream designer shoes, what makes you think they can read minds?

So, I assumed that he would know immediately what I didn't like or when I was unhappy. (He's much better at it now as compared to then) And often times, I walk off in a huff.

I also have the habit of sometimes keeping things to myself when I'm upset,

Mr. Wonderful: Baby what's wrong?

Me: Nothing.

Well anyway just recently we had quite a fight while out one day, I was kind of heartbroken at the things he said and it made me cry. He looked pretty panicked at that point. Then I explained to him that what he said was kind of shocking, that I couldn't believe he said that and why I thought what he said was wrong

(okay I know you're probably screaming in frustration and asking what the heck were we fighting about but its a rather private thing and I hope you understande)

Anyway Mr. Wonderful did realize he was wrong (aren't they always). Whenever we fight, he always feel guilty and when he feels guilty he gives me present. 

He doesn't have to but as sweet the gesture is, I'd rather he understand what's wrong and not do it again. (Umm, if you're reading this Mr. Wonderful, I don't mean it! You can still give me presents if you feel guilty for upsetting me!)

That fight made me think of how far Mr. Wonderful and I have come. 

Being a blissful couple doesn't mean we avoid issues. There may be tears, there may be frustration, there may be heart break but as long as both parties are willing to come to the middle, talk it out, even agree to to disagree, you'll come out stronger and closer as a couple.

Mr. Wonderful, I love you.