Before generative AI is slowing deskilling away my writing skills, I need to write this blog with my own words with any editing from GenAI tool. I know how to but, I don't see the point because I can't monetize this content and it brings out a philosophical question of if I am using the tool to write it, who is the real author (Ship of Theseus paradox)?
OK, it is not about philosophical discussion here for this post, but it is about what had happened in 2025 that I think I would like to leave it here for reflection (yes, as I am writing them, I am enhancing the memory). There were good, bad, beautiful, ugly and whatever, sometimes it is best to leave the events as it was but then again, if I am recounting them here, they are of course, in my own interpretation so ya, let's go!
Photography
I believe this would be the main chunk of what I was passionate to share about since I am able to pick up more gears since year 2023, made some new friends to share this passion together from various perspective of this craft. Yes, freelance job was lesser this year but I am glad that I manage to secure 1 returning customer who is a friend I met during my years in counseling (colleges). It was not an easy genre to shoot (street dance) but I accept the challenge and I hope I can be given chance to photograph such events for her in years to come. OK, I know people don't like to read in paragraph nowadays so I would go with point forms for those topic related incidents as follows:
- Unpaid job! Yes, sometimes, dealing with those old hands of Chinese clan/association needs due diligence and careful contracting. The secretary promised the payment after he booked a event photography session (annual Chinese New Year dinner) and I delivered my photos. Yes, I deserved my outcome because I didn't follow industrial practice (once booking confirmed, 50% payment and the rest after photo delivery). This helped me to understand why the industry is having certain arrangement or workflow. Lesson learned.
- Won a mini portrait contest, in one of the Sony Alpha sales drive by N4 camera store. Don't think I am good, probably just lucky and the number of contestant was small. In proper portraiture, I still need to learn artificial and natural lightning, model prompting, color theory etc. Thank God, another tool added for my creativity production (Godox TL30 lightsaber).
- The focus of year 2025 was about portraiture, which pushed me to signed up for more workshops, got my hand on Sony 85mm f1.4 G Master II (king of portraiture), read more books about portrait photography and bought an online introductory course. With this much of purchased, I wonder how it could justify itself. It seems far from being able to provide full fledge studio portraits (though I bought an Amaran 150C and an Amaran 300C), but slow and steady, I think it would somehow serve for future needs if I continue to improve my skills.
- Thank you for the trust of a photography brother in Christ who allowed and commissioned me to shoot their post graduation trip in Penang. The theme was high school or "JK" style couples and I had limited couples photography experience but I did my best. It was kind of my way to approach pre-wedding photography (which he agreed, too) and this was my mindset when I was preparing for this job. Under his guidance (ya, my bro does wedding photography in Sabah, call him if you have any imaging need in Sabah?) and editing, the end result ended up as the most liked post for my Instagram account! Thank you, bro!
- New genre experienced, birding! Did it with Sony and Canon's workshop because the equipment is way beyond what I can afford (anything beyond 200mm is never cheap). Yes, now I know birding is not as easy as it seems because it requires a lot of learning about the birds before I can go out for photos. Besides that, it is time demanding because photographing birds is akin to hunting them, just not physically harming them. It is really, a hobby for retiree who has time and money...
- One of the reason I only managed to return to photography, is because I don't have the financial capabilities to effort this craft and there was no one who dared to lend me any equipment. Now, as I am getting more lens or photography equipments, there are some younger friends whom I dare and continue to support their creativity though equipment sharing. No risk you say? Of course there is, but the possibility of someone who is unable to create rescinds the risk of spoil. They are familiar with the camera system that I use (Sony) so as an avid imaging creators, I am confident that they could handle my gears safely. Up to this point of writing, my gears are safe.
- If my photography friends were not coming for my gears, I share my photobooks or photography reference books for those who are into reading. Not all books on this list belong to me but I guess it would be helpful for those who are looking for reference somewhere on Penang island. Yes, I am old-schooled, I still read to learn though there are more effective methods in photography learning.
- Yes, I am a Sony camera system user but I joined several workshops from different brands to learn the difference between models, design languages and getting to know more photography friends. Started to develop my preferences on certain brands and what to avoid, I am aware that such workshops are developing 'foot in the door' effect in marketing but I guess paying anything below RM 50 to get some food and beverages, make some new friends, learning some new technologies still paid off, no?
- Should I get the Sony a7V? I am thinking of using it as my new main camera for freelance job and the pre-capture function may be helpful should I continue to shoot street dancing or fast and dynamics genre for coming years. Anyhow, I am on my retailer's waiting list already, just the money is not deposited to her account...
Christianity
- First experience in choir camp but boy, it was the first and probably the last time I'd join a choir champ because I needed to sing for 3 days over 8 hours everyday! Well, it was an intensive technical training and I think I suffered because I don't enough musical theories and technical knowhow on how to sing properly (though I sing since young). However, it helped to remind me that it is all about glorifying God, but less about my own suffering.
- There is actually a Japanese church in Penang. Ok, it does not referring to building but if we read the word properly, a church can be just 2 or 3 persons gathered in the name of Jesus Christ (Matthew 18:20). One day, I was googling the term "Penang Japanese Church" after reading a publication about evangelism towards Japanese. The Google result somehow hit a positive result where it referred to a closed Facebook group which cover photo of the group showed a person I know from previous workplace. With that in mind, I told myself that if he is still in Penang and I meet him, I would ask him more about the church. True enough, somehow by the arrangement of God, I met him without prior appointment (because I didn't have his contact method since I left the company). From there, I was invited to attend some of the worship services and bible study session. I did invite him and family to attend my church, too since both of us are from Presbyterian church (same denomination). God answered my prayer in willing to learn and translate Christianity in Japanese.
- For the personal side of thing, I think nothing affects me more than the death of my father. He passed away on Oct 31, 2025, 0300 hours with ishcemic stroke complication (lungs with blood clots, overworked heart and almost gone brain). I am always having mix feeling about him even until today. I wrote a blog about this in previous post and I guess it helped to sort out my perception about him. Did I properly grief about his pass away? Probably no as life demands me to move on (especially there is a forceful change of role in workplace/full time job) while mother, who is constantly at his side, now has to rely on me on day to day communication, chores reallocation (not much since my dad used to just take care of home appliances repairs) and most challenging one, the difference of religious belief and values. As you may have known, I am the only Christian at home so mother will take over animistic worship ritual from father. A lot of time, my own folk mistakenly perceived their religious practice as Chinese tradition as forced me to adhere and follow (which is why I am pushed away from their belief system besides it is hardly matching my cognition). Dad was able to understand this during the last few years of his life and we were able to live harmoniously, but I think I need more patience over my mother who may not be able to live with such model. Nevertheless, we miss him, for sure. For those of you who dropped condolences, paid tribute or just sending comforting messages, thank you. you know who you are.
- Applied and got a job as intelligence analyst where minimal interaction with external party is required, after a year and a half, I was forced to switch to customer service role (again) even though I didn't sign up for that. Yes, it is written in any job contract that employer has the right to switch my role whenever they find it fit and necessary; yes, it is not my first time doing customer service role, but I guess the real dissatisfaction behind my grudge, is my comfort zone is challenged and shaken, which is not a good sign because as the employment environment nowadays are calling for candidates who can learn and adapt fast. Not to mention that, as I was searching for new job with my current skill sets and age (38), I was rejected since mid October 2025 (about 30+ application sent). Maybe I moved astray and complacent on my job, thinking that I found a secured job and I have the capacity to build my passion/side income (photography) while stopped at developing hard skills needed for analyst role which I intend to stay, but in SaaS in GenAI era, I am still working at a role which requires repetitive procedures (uploading documents) and this is not good, because my job can basically be replaced by any AI agents which I am seeing it is slowly formed by my Product Development coworkers. My current AI skill sets are still just in embedding GenAI tools into workflow but not other highly sought after AI skills such as AI agent development, training or vibe coding (AI assisted coding). Hey, I paid for Python coding course 2 years ago and it is time to start picking up the learning from there or practice more on coding with it.
- My blood donation routine hits a snag when I was about to go for the 48th donation in September 2025. For the past few years, I constantly rely on vitamin B+C supplement pills to help me push my hemoglobin count over the borderline (13.5 for male) so that I am allowed to donate. It failed this time and I seriously need to think about how should I adjust my diet, sleep or workout accordingly. I know it could be due to my diet of low meat count which caused me to take in less vitamin B12 or iron which is required for red blood cell creation, but I am still adjusting my diet to the point where I can adopt it for long. Any idea?
- I appeared as a guest in Wabikong's YouTube channel! OK, I was hit by their IG ads where they were looking for casting candidate who can imitate a Sabahan whose real identity is not. Basically, it is a reality show that depicts idea from Werewolf where the major VIP guest the production crew hired need to figure who was the fake Sabahans among the real ones. It was a Werewolf series by the YouTubers and I was interested to join as cast for that episode. It was quite a last minute arrangement because the shooting date and online audition were less than a week. I asked the producer why the last minute, of course, you could have expected, it is hard to get candidate who know Sabah's lifestyle inside out while real identity is not someone who is born from that state. Given that I have more than 10 years living experience between Sabah and Penang, I was picked as suitable candidate. It was quite excited for me because I managed to join and see the production crew worked behind the scene (I am following them on their social media). We had a lot of fun though towards the end, I was caught as fake Sabahan because I forget how to sing the state anthem (should have revise it the night before since I sang it during my days in Universiti Malaysia Sabah...). It was nice to know new friends (other casting guests) and get paid for such a short episode. I am glad that the audience had a positive impressions on my cast at the episode and left no negative comment (based on the comment) though there is no follow up after that episode besides being told that I was added in their talent pool if they need similar role in future. Go and have a look if you understand Chinese!
If you read from the first paragraph until here. I sincerely thank you for willing to know some parts about my life with patience.
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