My daughter's school celebrated Racial Harmony Day yesterday. The school encouraged them to wear traditional costumes for the day and she had wanted a traditional Chinese costume.

But I suggested costumes of other races. After all it's Racial Harmony so what better way to demonstrate that than to actually wear the clothes of a different race? Rachel was keen on the idea so I left work early on Monday and brought her to Little India at Serangoon Road. We went to a few shops and finally decided on this saree. It was fun learning the proper way of wearing the saree. I even got her the bangles and the little decorative things for the forehead to complete the look!

It's been a while since I last went on a photo shoot. My last trip was October last year for the Canon photomarathon. So my 21 month old EOS20D was very under-utilised. The shutter count was probably less than 5K, unlike the 60D I owned before the 20D.

Somehow I didn't quite like the 20D. Guess I was sort of disappointed when I realised it couldn't manage a decent IR photo. Now that I have a bit of spare time and I want to start shooting again, I decided to get the EOS 5D. The full-frame CMOS and 12.8 million effective pixel specs were more than enough reasons to convince me to upgrade. My first set of photos were infrareds, taken from my roof terrace. The results were a lot better than 20D's but it still require long shutter, about 10 to 15secs. Handheld IR photography is totally impossible.

I tried to sell my 20D at some of the photography forums. But prices offered were way too low. Really doesn't make sense to sell it at all. So I decided to modify it into a IR-dedicated DSLR instead. Read that someone modify his camera DIY here. In theory it's quite simple. Just take apart the camera and remove that IR-filter that's blocking the IR to reduce photo noise. I've checked online and found 2 companies in USA and 1 in Australia that do modifications. I might do it myself. Still waiting for the Australian's quote before deciding.

Can't wait till weekend. Look out world! We photographers are a dangerous lot. We'll frame you, shoot you and then hang you up! heehee

Well. How else should I decsribe myself since I'm officially middle-age when I received my ElderShield insurance letter today?

Now I need to decide whether to stay with the automatic insurance scheme or to opt out. This is one of those Silence-means-Consent letters that I really dislike. (How about me sending you a letter telling you that I want your money and if I don't receive any disagreement from you in writing, I'll go ahead and empty your bank account?)

Premium is about $191 per year, to be deducted automatically from my CPF account starting from age 40 till 65. (now you know my age...*sniff*) I'm supposed to get a payout of $300 per month subject to a maximum of 60 months when I become "disabled". And by "disabled", it means I'm unable to perform at least 3 of the activities of daily living even with the aid of special equipment and always to require physical assistance of another person throughout the entire activity.

Hmm.. let's see... definition of Activities of Daily Living (ADL.. I hate acroymns!) .. washing, dressing, feeding, toileting, mobility and transferring. Whoa. At least 3 of these? Have to be almost an invalid before I could get the money!

Total premium I'll be paying is S$4750 over the 25 years. Maximum amount I can get is $18,000. But I'll only receive the payout only if I become invalid. There's no surrender value. And I won't get my $4750 back should I stay healthy. In other words, it'll only benefit me if I become "disable" and then miraculously "recover" 5 years later because I won't get a single cent after that.

$300 is too small a sum considering the fact that I'll be seriously dependent on others. With the high costs of living and medical here, I doubt the additional $300 is going to have much impact. And 60 month is too short a period too. So if I become "disabled" when I'm 65, I'll only receive money till I'm 70. But the average life-span is 75 years. Not to mention that woman's life-span is about 4 years longer than man!

Nah. I'll opt out. Perhaps I'll get myself one more insurance policy for my retirement. Now that I'm 40, old-age seemed so much closer. Where did all the time go?

Scary.

After 2 weeks at the new house I finally figured out what's wrong with it... It's too damn quiet!!

Back at our old place in Pasir Ris Town, there were hundreds of families all living within shouting proximity of one another. There is always a constant drum of background noises made by people going about their daily lives.. sounds of kids playing, Hi-Fi & TVs, babies crying, aunties or maids chatting at the corridors, workers drilling at roadsides, mahjong sessions, occasional karaoke sessions.. Not to mention funerals rites or Malay weddings at the void decks complete with "live" bands...

With all that cacophony, you would think I couldn't wait to get away. But... strange as it may seem, I miss all that noise! I even miss my inquisitive neighbours! (My enounters with one particular neighbour guy six years ago were so weird that I had wanted to move away then, just to be rid of him.) Here, I barely get to see my neighbours. I don't even know who is staying next to us!

I miss all the hustle and bustle of heartland. Well, I guess I shouldn't be complaining... we have plenty of privacy and quietness... except after a rainfall, then the air will come alive with nature's orchestra... a combined cricket-bullfrog symphony...