I'll miss you, Vancouver.

That was fast.

Well, that's life. Just when you wish time would stay stagnate, it goes whipping by like thunderous waterfall. Can't always get what you want, and even more, expect the unexpected. That's just the "thrills" of life. I guess that's what makes life interesting and worth living. Being able to predict everything and be in complete control of your own life can become quite monotonous. Having "curveballs" thrown at you and stepping onto puddles as you exit your parked car are just part of life. I think what I'm trying to say is, I'm glad that unexpected things do happen. Even though some of them maybe more than I bargained for, the few unexpected surprises that bring a smile to my face makes it all worthwhile.

Leaving Vancouver this time has left a big hole in me. I remember the last time I left for Hong Kong, I was excited and ready to leave everything behind. I've always been the sentimental type; I hate throwing away things even if I haven't used it in years. I guess it's that side of me that's kicking in this time around. There are things I want to hold onto in Vancouver, and even though I know I won't be in Hong Kong forever, I can't help but miss it. Not so much the place itself, but the people there that make it a home.

This is definitely the first "touchy feely" post that I've wrote. It's just something that I needed to get off my chest. I have a bad habit of bottling up my feelings. I don't like bothering or involving people with my own issues; I feel like everyone has enough problems of their own. I know my way of thinking isn't healthy, but it's what I've grown accustomed to. I guess this blog did come in handy. It's kind of therapeutic to type out your feelings and let it run free.

Anyhow, enough of that. Back in Vancouver, there definitely was no shortage of photography in my life. Went to several scenic hotspots with Lawrence and Uncle Sam; I forgot how much fun it was to shoot with a group of people so close to you. I finally took my first steps into portraiture photography; stepping out of my comfort circle and interacting with human subjects. I realized how much there is to learn, and how small I really am in the world of photography. It's not discouraging though. To realize my inadequacies, I know that I'm constantly improving and learning. It's important to stay humble and accept criticism as hard or as nice as they come.

The last two weeks in Vancouver was so much fun. Plenty of moving trips and packing to be done. Okay, that's not fun, but going out for pictures and hanging out was. I wasn't even expecting to do any pumpkin carving this year; I was planning to end my streak this year. Luckily, Chris brought it up and Sandra gave us a place to make a mess in. I'm such a kid, but I love carving pumpkins. Thanks guys, for making my last week or two so fun-filled. I haven't laughed so much in a long time.

Okay, i'll end it here for now. Thanks to those that made it through this extremely self-centered post.