liberty news

Understanding Exposure

2008-07-19T18:56:00.004+08:00

"Understanding Exposure: How to Shoot Great Photographs with a Film or Digital Camera" is one of the best books on photography I have ever read! It gives a guideline to make creative correct exposure. After reading the book, I turned my digital SLR to manual exposure mode. I brought it from Amazon.com.

Nikon Capture NX and Adobe Photoshop

2008-07-19T18:42:00.008+08:00

I use Nikon DSLR camera and I highly recommend the Nikon Capture NX software. I usually use Nikon Capture NX to:

1. Batch convert photos from RAW to JPEG

2. Change the white balance of photos easily

Original photo

WB changed to Standard Fluorescent Warm White

3. Edit the color using control point

Original photo

Changed saturation of a color control point in water to 50%

Recently, I took a course on introduction of Photoshop. It's quite interesting and I have learnt some basic retouching techniques and Photoshop concepts like layer, mask and channel.

Sophia Got Otitis Media

2007-12-08T11:33:00.000+08:00

Sophia got fever since 30 Nov. She got high body temperature, up to 39 degree Celsius, on and off. Janus had to take care of her and closely monitored her body temperature for several nights. Sophia didn't attend school for the past week when she was sick.

She consulted a doctor nearby but still got high body temperature after taking medicine for several days. Janus decided change to consult a specialist on Paediatrics. The doctor identified the root cause - otitis media (middle ear infection). After taking medicine for 1 day, Sophia no longer got high temperature.

Sophia attends Pre-Nursery Class

2007-11-29T23:44:00.000+08:00

Sophia started to attend pre-nursery class right after 2 year old. To our surprise, she cried only in the first few days. In fact, she likes going school and is happy to get in the school bus.

We had interviewed a few kindergartens and joined their playgroup. There are some differences between these kindergartens. Parents have to choose based on own requirements such as distance from home, quality of teachers, curriculum, teaching approach, fee level, facilities and medium of instruction.

Have a look at the profile of kindergartens (http://chsc.edb.hkedcity.net/kindergarten/), it's interesting to find the salary range of teaching staffs of some private kindergartens is lower than that of non-profit-making kindergartens. Of course, the qualification of teaching staff in some 'famous' private kindergarten seems better than normal.

Some kindergartens are better managed. You can feel the teachers are enthusiastic, the principal can point out the school characteristics.

I ordered an interesting label product "名字織嘜" to label her school uniform. The labels come with heat seal at the back. To fix the label to clothes, simply iron the label on cloth.

Happy birthday to Sophia

2007-11-11T22:51:00.000+08:00

Today is Sophia's 2 year birthday. I brought a birthday cake for Sophia and celebrate with family. Sophia received many gifts from mother, grandma, aunt & uncle.

Sophia is a lovely girl when she is not naughty. But, it's terrible when she cried. She is very sticky to mommy.

She loved to go to playground. Her favorite activities are slide, swingset and merry-go-round. She also liked cooking game at home.

She will start to attend school coming Tuesday. Hope she enjoy school life!

Visit Hong Kong Disneyland

2007-10-17T01:44:00.000+08:00

I took a leave during these busy days and visited Hong Kong Disneyland with my family. The weather was very nice. The sun was warm and wind was breezing.

Sophia liked the "Dumbo the Flying Elephant", "Cinderella Carousel" and "The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh". She played these several times.

The experience was better than expected, considering the bad news and comments about the park.

Janus Gave Birth A Baby Boy

2007-09-04T23:38:00.000+08:00

Janus was admitted to hospital on her birthday. She gave birth a baby boy on morning of 3 September 2007. The process was quite fast and she took less than an hour in the ward. When the baby was born, Janus was so happy that she burst into tears.

Nursery Parents' Day

2007-09-01T22:20:00.000+08:00

Sophia will attend pre-nursery class on 1st of December 2007 after she became two.

Today, we went to parents' day for introduction to the school and meeting with class teachers. We collected the textbooks and accessories for Sophia.

Sophia will meet her classmate on coming Tuesday and Wednesday.

Happy birthday to Walter

2007-04-08T23:51:00.000+08:00

Tonight, we have a dinner together to celebrate Walter's birthday. We dined at a 2-Openrice star restaurant 富匯海鮮酒家. Thanks for Henry's arrangement! However, Walter might like to celebrate at a 2-Michelin star restaurant next year instead :-P

Finally, Walter paid the bill for the dinner. This was because he had recently changed to a challenging job with salary raise. Congratulation Walter!

Update about Sophia

2007-04-01T22:04:00.000+08:00

Sophia just promoted from level 3 to 4 in Gymboree class. Teacher comments she is active and cheerful.

Yes, Sophia is very active phyiscally. She loved bouncing and she walked very well when she was one year old.

She is cheerful, not shy and like to play with other people in the life and people sat beside in MTR train. She smile often and make people happy!

Ocean Park

2007-03-19T23:00:00.000+08:00

Today is my birthday. I take a leave and visit Ocean Park with my family. Ocean Park offers free admission to birthday person. We liked Kid's World more as there was less people. Sophia liked the show in Amazing Birds Theatre. The Ocean Theatre was so full that there were no seat left. It is not a good experience walking in the crowded Atoll Reef.

Macau Trip

2007-03-19T22:33:00.000+08:00

We visited Macau on 17-18 Mar 2007. This is the second time Sophia visited her great grandma. Great grandma is happy meeting the little child. Sophia was very naughty, always requested hugging of her mother during the trip. Her mother was very tired.

舅父 reserved a table at 陶陶居海鮮火鍋酒家 on evening of 17 March. The food was good and included the following disks 金錢雞、南乳炸子雞、鮮蝦金錢蟹盒、花膠炆東菇、生抄骨、禾蟲蒸蛋、豬頸肉四季豆、東昇頭.

Pilot Capless Fountain Pen

2007-03-03T18:58:00.001+08:00

I have brought a Pilot Capless fountain pen today. I had lost two Pilot Capless before. The previous versions were made with plastic and cheaper. This pen write much better than my LAMY safari. The pen supports both cartridge and converter filling.

Project goes live

2007-02-03T23:19:00.000+08:00

I have been working for a Government project since January 2006. The project will go production on 5 February 2007 - just one more day to go!

It is the toughest project I have worked on - tight project schedule, limited resources. I have to work more than 10 hours per day, 7 days per week during the last few months. When I went back home at 11:00pm, my daughter was sleeping :-(

The good thing is that I knew some colleagues who work with me and help me. It made the hard time fun. I would like to sincerely thank for their help.

After the system stabilize, I would like to have more time with my family and more personal time.

Sophia's first year birthday

2006-11-12T17:20:00.000+08:00

Time flies so fast. Sophia is one year old now! She is a tiny baby 1 year before. Now, she learns to walk with support, like to go to park, eat a lot! We held a small party to celebrate. We want to join great grandma's birthday party as well. However, I need to work on Saturday :-(

New Photo Album @ Flickr

2006-09-07T23:20:00.000+08:00

I go a Flickr Pro Account for my photo album. Check out Sophia's new photos there!

Could you tell who is Sophia?

2006-08-19T17:20:00.000+08:00

Is she Sophia?

Or she?

Ying Ying & Sophia visited Great Grandma

2006-07-16T11:53:00.000+08:00

Ying Ying & Sophia visited great grandma in Macau. Great grandma was happy as this was the first time she met her 2 great grand daughters.

Ying Ying and Sophia played together.

Sophia, 舅公, 舅婆 and grandma in Macau Fisherman's Wharf.

Sophia Learns Roll Over

2006-04-08T23:00:00.000+08:00

Janus called me to inform Sophia learnt to roll over - this is a development milestone. Sophia can now support her chest and head weight on her forearms when lying prone, raise both legs off the mattress.

Turn Turn Turn

New Photo Album

2006-02-12T01:09:00.000+08:00

I have setup a new photo album in my friend Louis's web servers. I will put more photos of Sophia in the album.

http://oooops.net/~chris/photos/

Have a look of my photos in the album.

Thanks Louis for providing the hosting service.

2006 New Year Party

2006-01-02T18:01:00.000+08:00

We have a new year party at my home with 12 persons. We finished almost all the food - sushi, pizza and 燒味! Ma Sa is very happy as she received a present, a princess set, from Ah Tai and May.

Ken, Carrie and Sophia

Dressed-up Ma Sa in crown, ear ring and sceptre

Janus Gave Birth a Baby Girl !

2005-12-26T12:21:00.000+08:00

My wife, Janus, gave birth a baby girl on 11 November 2005 afternoon, one week earlier than the expected day. The baby may know her mother has been longing for her coming :-). Janus suffered 5-6 hours of pain for the delivery. Both Janus and the baby are fine in the hospital. Have a look at the first photo of the baby!

Baby's first photo.

Felix Cheong Back to US

2005-06-12T17:43:00.000+08:00

My cousin, Felix, just finished a short summer break and flew back to US today. His father, mother and us accompanied him to the Hong Kong International Airport. He is excited about the coming internship, which he will do research at the University of Stanford. Felix, Kanbate!

Felix and his father & mother

Walter Birthday Party

2005-05-01T23:00:00.000+08:00

We visited Maurice & Donna's home and then have dinner at a Chiu Chow restaurant to celebrate Walter's birthday.

Walter and his birthday cake

8 Waterloo

2005-04-03T17:04:00.000+08:00

We visited Ken & Carrie's new flat at 8 Waterloo. The flat is at the top floor (35/F) - overlook the Kowloon peninsula.

Overlook Langham Place

Waterloo Road side

Ma Sa at the club house

March Birthday Party

2005-03-20T23:30:00.000+08:00

We have a birthday party at Balalaika in Lan Kwai Fong. Marian, Maurice and I are born in March. The restaurant serves Russian cuisine. We have tried the Moscow style Borstch and visit the -20 ^oC "Siberian Vodka Room".

March birthday party

We should see things from another point of view, as Henry did

Visit Janus Grandfather's Home @ Longgang

2005-02-11T21:22:00.000+08:00

We visited Longgang the second and third day of the Year of the Rooster to say Kung Hei Fat Choy to Janus grandfather and grandmother. We did only a few things during these two days: eating, chatting, playing mahjong, matching TV and sleeping! Ma Sa was very happy as she met Bobby, a black puppy at grandfather's home.

Janus's grandfather prepared many dishes for the dinner

Playing mahjong in the frontyard

Ma Sa's involvement caused her grandmother "short hand" (小相公) in the first game

Aizu Ramen Shotaro

2005-02-05T01:39:00.000+08:00

Today, I have dinner at Aizu Ramen Shotaro（翔太郎）at Ramen Alley, Causeway Bay. I found the sesame ramen is exceptional good - rich soup, thick noodle and chashu. Yummy Yummy!

My wireless LAN @ home

2005-02-05T01:32:00.000+08:00

Finished setup my wireless LAN at home 1-2 weeks ago. It consists of a Linksys WRT54G wireless router and an IBM T42 notebook. I have brought the wireless router and notebook a few months ago, but didn't have time to install them until recently!