Homage to Philip Larkin

This be the verse

They fuck you up, your mom and dad
They may not mean to, but they do.
They fill you with the faults they had
And add some extra, just for you.

But they were fucked up in their turn
By fools in old-stylen hats and coats,
Who half the time were soppy-stern
And half at one another's throats.

Man hands on misery to man
It deepens like a coastal shelf.
Get out as early as you can
And don't have any kids yourself.

-Philip Larkin

This be my verse

"They fuck you up, your mum & dad."
Some say that’s too harsh, but it’s true.
They nag and moan more than a tad,
And don’t allow you to be you.

Like, what is life if not for pleasure??
Instead, they’ve chores and school demands
That stifle joy by any measure.
--Because "they love me", fun is banned.

"For my future" its marks I need.
But school is such a waste of time.
The shit in all the books I read
Is out of touch, not worth a dime.

Pluperfect tense of chemistry…
Quadratic roots of Iliad…
They say they want the best for me?!?
They fuck you up, your mum and dad.

-Edward Bagares

Escape to Madagascar

Laos

Greenery

Sunset on the Mekong

Tropical Plant Canopy

Eaten away but still lookin' pretty.

Laos seemed to me to be a serene and deeply spiritual place with customs and traditions quite foreign from my own. From a locally printed guidebook, I found this excerpt on death rituals and funerals thought-provoking:
Funerals in Laos are not the sad, somber affair they tend to be at home. They are in fact, quite the opposite. Instead of mourning with heads bowed and voices low, the Lao send their friends and family off with a celebration that could be mistaken for any other typical celebratory occasion: attendees at the gathering eat, drink and dance.
This is not due to indifference, but a deeply held Buddhist belief that Nirvana awaits all those who have lived a devout existence with kindness as their guiding principle.
The place where the people sit in vigil is called "Heaun di" which means "happy house"! People gather for 7 days to participate in the "ngan" or festivities. Monks chant their prayers enticing the dead to depart the house and run to paradise; there is no need to stay and haunt the house, go to your destiny.

Surviving Job Fair Season

Haven't had a chance to attend the camera club recently as we've been job-hunting. Attended the Bangkok job fair in January and the Boston on in February. Forced to do some sight-seeing while there.

Vibey Khao San Road, Bangkok

The Grand Palace

Bangkok Traffic

Boston through frosted windows.

Caught some sights in my sleep-deprived, 12-hour layover in Munich.

Dec.7, 2009 Submissions - Brazil, South Africa, Canada, Colombia, Egypt

THE HUNT

OLD CAIRO

ANOTHER CENTURY

DESPITE THE POVERTY

SOAKING AWAY THE WEEK

SMITTEN

CELEBRATING SOUTH AFRICA

PRIMORDIAL

Nov.9, 2009 Submissions - U.S.A.

WINTER IN A SUNLESS CANYON

Gold Award

Critique: A bit dark on the right but the sign gets some light in there. The center could have been saturated with colour a little more but that's my personal preference. Overall, pleasing pattern image.

MERCHANTS ROAD, KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE
Gold Award

Critique: Initial impression was that it was a little too busy but the coloured areas pull it in. Graininess suits the image. Little bit of a quibble on the base but overall nice image.

Nov. 2, 2009 Submissions - Namibia

ETOSHA NATIONAL PARK

Gold Award

Critique: Initial impression is that it’s a bit overexposed but it seems to work here to convey the heat of the plains, picked up by the drooping heads of the zebras. Also, nice bands of different pastel colours.

SPRINGBOK TEAM
Gold Award

Critique: Panoramic format works well with this image. The front ground is out of focus but the key areas are sharp (the faces and horns of the animals).