On statistics and...skydiving?

It's been so long since I last posted on here.  I'd even forgotten about the existence of this "blog" until I decided to update my Twitter bio.  This seems like a recurring theme for me, I lose interest quickly.  So much so, it'd be my most honest answer to the "What's your greatest weakness?" question.

New is always better and more exciting. 

I find it really challenging to keep myself motivated, unless I have a tangible and achievable goal to work towards.  I take up many things, i'm always exploring new ideas.  How many of these do I actually get to the bottom of?  Hardly any.

I've been trying to work through this.  To make sure I keep running, I sign up for events like Run Melbourne and Melbourne Marathon.  To make sure I keep reading, I order more and more books.  But lately, i've been struggling to keep myself motivated, especially at work. 

It's been less than a year since I started in my current position.  Fresh out of university, it's pretty much my first job, after a 7 month stint in hospitality.

Many would consider themselves lucky to be in my current position.  I have a job in a company that's still growing despite the miserable economic climate.  The pay's decent and the working environment is great - I couldn't ask for a better boss or coworkers.  I'm learning loads, my work is intellectually stimulating and my employers get the importance of a work-life balance.  Yet, I haven't exactly been the happiest. (I'll probably say otherwise if you ask me in real life)

I don't have a long term career goal in my current company, nor in this particular industry.  My short term goal is an exit opportunity to something bigger and newer (always better and more exciting, remember?).  That doesn't mean I do things half-heartedly - i'm actually quite good at what I do, if you take my boss' word for it.  I still dedicate myself fully to every engagement I'm a part of, and clients' problems still keep me awake at night.  I just don't feel like a real sense of satisfaction at the end and i'm the type of person who really needs this sense of achievement.

My heart is already set on something else.  Something I think i'll love and be really passionate about, but honestly, it's without really knowing what it actually involves.  It'll take me two to three years preparation to get there and there's about a 3% chance (based on no statistics whatsoever) of me getting where I want to be. 

Even if I do get there, it's more than likely that I will end up in a similar position and state of mind shortly after.
But if I don't try, I'll never know. 

So one day, in about two to three years, i'll put all my eggs in one basket and jump off a plane at 5000m without a spare parachute.

If that doesn't work out, there'll always be something newer and more interesting.

Because if you can't get rid of your weakness, it doesn't mean you can't turn it into an opportunity. 

Accordionist

One of the reasons why i tend to steer away from any kind of post-processing is that i'm never sure whether the colours look right. A lot (probably most) of my photos have human subjects. If i try and play around with editing software a bit too much, they might end up with a green tinge on the skin without me ever having a clue. So here's a monochrome post.

These photos date from September 2011, about a year ago and were taken at Central Place near Flinders Lane. You've probably seen him before.

Bangkok Street Photography

Malcolm Gladwell mentioned that decisions that you make in split seconds are usually the best, or something like that. It's been a while since i read "Blink". What I did do recently though, was to plan a very last minute spontaneous trip to Singapore and Bangkok. It was an incredible eight days. Although most of my time there was spent catching up with old friends and eating (lots and lots of eating), i did manage to take the camera out and snap a few photos. Bangkok is a great place for street photography, especially after dark when the city really comes alive.