a post that was due 2 weeks ago.

it's been exactly 5 months since my last blog post. Hmm.


So it's 2012 now. I donno.




You know i lost faith in this new year resolution thing, eh, whats the point anyways?




2011 was an interesting year.


Achieved a few of things that I never done in my life.


I'm honestly quite grateful for a lot of things, stuff like getting the job as a Photo Editor at The Chronicle, a wonderful summer in Chicago, great roommates, reunited friendships, new relationships and such.




Well still got two years of school to go.


Still single.


It funny how when I finally get the chance to sit down and type down thoughts I had, they just then fade away in my mind already.

awkward

so this is something I've been struggling with: talking with friend's friend/family at a situation where you cant talk much.

Let me use an example to explain the situation better:

So I walked with my friend Tayler to meet up with her mom and sister tonight(whom both came to chicago to visit her) at the nearby baskin robins. I just wanna say hi to Terry(Tayler's mom) and then take off, let them have rest of the time by themselves. It wasn't awkward for me to talk to Terry cause we met/talked before when she came to visit. She's a wonderful lady. Yeah, I did the required say hi ask how is everyone doing thing, a little small talk with Terry.  But here's the tricky situation, I don't know Tayler's sister, and Tayler never really mentioned her ever. I have nothing to use as a icebreaker. You all know I can be awkward talking with people I don't know, and somehow I just can't look at the strangers in the face when talking(I feel like I'm be staring, making the other person uncomfortable)

So just like that, me and Terry were talking, Tayler and her sister on the side listening to us.
It kinnda went on for a bit, you know, cause I know Terry. But it got to a point where I was thinking like"I really should end the conversation soon and let them have their family time". But Terry kept on asking questions and I kept answering them. I feel like I was monopolizing the attention(which I don't want to do) I don't want to be too blunt and come off as rude. HOW SHOULD I END THIS CONVERSATION THEN?! I HATE THE AWKWARDNESS.

UGH.

Thats pretty much represents what I feel in all those my friend introduces his/hers friend to me situation. I rather not talk....

But you all know: when I'm talking to a friend that I know, it can be non stop and crazy.

Indeed an issue

situation kilo-alpha-delta-charlie

( that kilo-alpha-delta-charlie was just some random crap I came up for the title)

The third year in a roll, I came to visit the Powell's in Texas.
Three years. It's almost an annual traditional now.
It felt like I just visited the place like a few weeks ago, but the reality shows that it has already been 12 months since the last time.

Even weird, seeing the kids grow up. I mean, April's sister Ashlie's kids. (thank gawd they still remember me)

To a certain degree, I feel like I'm part of the family.

As usual, gonna do what I'm going to do: photographer for the wedding. (don't get me wrong, I HATE WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY)


New topic:
Summer has been great. Hot and poor, but great. Riding my dear bike around the place in Chicago. Trying to burn that excess fat that I accumulated this past 2 years of post-hawaii life.(30 pounds man, 30 pounds)

School's been going pretty good the past two semesters @ Columbia College Chicago. Now holding a 3.1 GPA(not that amazing, but if you compare with what I had in Hawaii, then you see the significance of it)

Made a bunch of wonderful new friends(and not too surprisingly, all happen to be Christians, ONCE AGAIN)
Oh yeah, they're also extremely talent artists too. I mean, not those bored housewives that call themselves artists, but the REAL DEAL HARD CORE ONES. Looking forward to the new semester, I mean SERIOUSLY.

NEWS: dear friend from Iowa I met in hawaii name called erika dick is moving to Chicagoland, as in Aurora, IL. Suburb town of Chi-town. Still, you don't know how excited I am. (OH YEAH, I AM REALLY EXCITED)

hmm. Photography is going well as usual. You know the same old s**t.
Hopefully I get the job at the School newspaper as a Photo Editor(basically a photographer), instead of being unemployed like I did this past year(sucked hell) Getting the job also means giving up my weekday social life.

Oh and love life? no progress. Not surprising at all. Will try to work on that.

thats for tonight


TO BE CONTINUED...

oh yeah

I forgot to tell you guys that, I finally got my own domain:

ting-shen.com


In the following weeks I'll be getting the official website set up and running soon. For now, I'm just gonna use my tumblr as a temporary site.

a short biography

Bio:

 Ting Shen is a freelance photographer based in Chicago. Born in 1989 to a small family of five in Taiwan, he came to the United States during an early age with his family, this experience established his strong emotional attachment to the American culture. In the mean time growing up in a Taiwanese family with traditional Chinese values gave him a parallel culture understanding and a unique perspective. With influence from American contemporary painter Edward Hopper and photographer Robert Frank, he is fascinated with the beauty of the rural parts of North America, the scene of remnants from the great westward expansion, and the true sprit of the American Dream. Beside his job with the campus newspaper’s photojournalistic work, his personal work focuses on documenting the human interaction with the surrounding natural environments, as well as portraits of the individual personalities. He is currently enrolled at Columbia College Chicago, majoring BFA in Photography.

Had to cut it short around 150 words for a mag submission. How do you guys think?

actually

hmm

I never had any high expectations on a girl or something(yes there are girls I like and the ones I don't)

I wish I can just accidentally fall in love with a girl

and everything will be so smooth and sweet

even there are bumps

but thats the whole thing about being in love

thats not the case as of today for me

never been in a relationship in my life yet

tried, got close, but mostly end up me leaving the girl for events that happen in life(aka go to college here in the states, switch schools, family moving and stuff)

oh well.

we'll see how stuff goes.

like my mom said: "what is meant to be yours in life, will be yours. vice versa"

new year resolutions?

I don’t think this resolution thing that people make after new years really makes sense at all. If you wanna improve, you can do it anytime.

But oh well, since you asked, I’ll answer.

-Hang out less at the Womb (Yup, that’s name of one of my friends apartment).

-Try to make more friends outside of the group(basically all Christians [I’m not]) I have now, branch out.

-Learn to cook better.

-Read more books

-Improve time usage efficiency

-Sleep on a more regular schedule

-Work out more

I think that will be good enough. Let’s see how it goes

long time no see?

I donno. I got lazy I guess.

Now the new years is almost here, I'm pretty sure one of my goals/wishes will not be done when the new year comes.

Hmm. What can I do?
Hoping the best that it will come true this coming new year.

I donno why.
I'm somehow always the sad, the moody one during these holidays

Looking back the past year, sure, I did accomplished quite much. But the thing I'm searching for, it's still missing.

It's still somewhere in the dark I suppose.


I do not know.



We'll see.

same story all over again.

Before I start talking about the main topic today,

lets open up with a small "something else".

So the funny thing these days, when I go into shower, in the middle of everything of cleaning yourself, I tend to get confused with whether I body-washed myself or not. It always happens at the moment when my brain start thinking about a deep thought or other crap while in the shower, my body goes into auto pilot, then when I realize I was lost in my thoughts, I always wonder: did I use my Old-Spice body wash yet? 

Just incase I didn't wash my body before getting out the shower, I always wash it again in those situation.

Yeah.

Kinnda funny.

Not really.

Back to the main topic.

Yeah, story of my life moment again.

Had a crush on a girl.

Finally decided to start/starting to do something with it.

Then the next day, I realize that some other friend in the group just started dating with the girl I have the crush on.

It's either this, or I end up having to leave the place, move and stuff.

And you know I'm not the alpha male type of asshole, I don't compete with friends for girls, and I don't try to be the third wheel.

So...

as you see, this girl I had a crush on for three months, a good friend, now I gotta forget about the feelings and move on. Which I guess will take like least a while.

But the funny thing is, after waking up from a nap, before I was feeling like s**t for a while, most of the negative feelings just gone like "poof!" gone.

And somehow the day ended pretty well hanging out with friends.

Is it cause I'm getting used to this?

It's a super weird day in Chicago that I can tell you.

a piece of bread.

Yeah.
We left the puppet house early, Tayler stood behind to finish up some final shootings of the show.
Took the L(CTA nickname) blue line with Blue back to the Loop.
Yeah.
Helped her to carry the bass guitar.
Walking in the Wicker Park neighborhood.

The train cabin was abnormally noisy today.
Got off the train on Jackson street.
Walked her home.
Went up stairs to "the Womb" for a bit.
Tried a piece of Theresa's homemade bread that took her 7hours to make.
Talked about the photo shoot I'm planning on doing.
Exchanged a few ideas.
I kept on eating the bread, and yes it was yummy even without the butter.(Which I failed to locate)

It was late and I had to go.
So there I went.
But before heading to the Buckingham, a 7-Eleven was necessary.
A big Gulp filled with Dr. Pepper. Along with the piece of bread in my hand that I'm still enjoying.
$1.79 the total it was.

On the way back.
Accidentally dropped my bread on the sidewalk.
Oh well, five sec rule. I don;t even care. Just blow the dust off.
Dropped the piece of bread once again in front of the Buckingham, like I said, I didn't care at all.
So just like that, I picked it up and kept on enjoying it as I was waiting for the elevator.

Got back to my lovely unit on the 20th floor.
First thing comes first: gotta go dump.
Sure it was good getting rid of all that crap afterwards.
(I made sure I didn't bring that piece of homemade bread with me into the bathroom, and I remembered to wash my hands afterwards too)
Then I got back to the business of enjoying that piece of bread along with Dr. Pepper.
What a great piece of bread.

you

you're walking on the street.

the wind breezes.

you kept on walking, walking pass couples holding hands.

they hold on tightly, with a smile and a kiss

you kept on walking still.

trying to forget you're walking alone.

you think about the great friends you got

just trying to forget you're alone still

you're alone standing there, felt like you're always the one missing out

they're not touching your heart

you think, "it's all hormones fault", but you still can't do anything

then the word "love" starts questioning

you look back into your memory

all the great friends you got, but never loved one.

you start wondering if this is fate, a hollowed soul alone

debating should you ask his almighty, but second thought that this ain't worth his time

you go to bed, thinking tomorrow's gonna be a day with new hopes

but eventually, realizing you're still alone walking on the street,

you're  watching the couples still, and feeling the breeze

wishing a day, you might be the one

staying productive

one way of staying positive in life, is doing the things you love.(YEAH, DUH)


Yes I do like to take photos, but taking photos for homework is something else.


Once reason why I was able keep myself sane while in the dead boring California, was I kept going to places, taking photos and scanning film.


I'm missing that part a lot these days.


Yes I'm taking a lot photos for photo class assignments, but now I'm not able to really work on the photos cause I don;t have a film scanner at hand, and color darkroom printing is a BITCH.


Hmm, hopefully I get to scan my film next semester with the digital photo class.


Now I just need somebody that has time on the weekends that would love to go explore with me and take me around the suburbs of Illinois.


Then life would be great.(Life is great enough, but I'm just saying it can be better)

maybe I should do a update here

yeah since I've been here for almost a month.

Okay where should I start?

Life is certainly good these days.
My roommates have been pretty much the greatest that they can be.(I'm somehow pretty lucky, throughout out my college life so far, I never had a bad roommate)

Yeah so school and classes.
4 classes, 12 credits(I wish I can get more)
Each of them meet like once per week, but it's like 4 hours every period.
The good thing about it, is that I get to have a pretty chill schedule. My weekend starts at Thursday 1230pm, how great is that?

Oh yes, one thing that sucks: my Photo class is on Monday afternoon. But film developing/school photo labs are not available on weekends..... so that means I have to finish all my projects on thursday afternoon,  and get the film developed/ photo printed in the darkroom on Friday to be able to turn in the homework on Monday. Weekend free time is pretty much useless for that class. ugh EF!@#$%^&*(

Anyways, yes, I finally got the iPhone4. People always assume I always had the iPhone since I'm such a big Apple fanboy(to be honest, I don't think I'm qualified to be called a fanboy). My old Nokia 6500Classic finally bailed on my after 3 years of loyal service. RIP.

I was lucky enough to find a group of friends here in school right away. Reminds me of the old dead tree's. But this time everyone in the group are old friends already, I'm the newcomer. So yeah, still trying to fit in and know everyone. Especially the girls, they are the hardest to understand....

Oh yes, still working on the postcards. I'm pretty much running out new ways to say hi on the postcards these days.(To be exact, it's been like this 6 months already.) But I'll do my best to send out those postcards to you all asap.


And thanks for the help from Paul and Kelly, I was able to receive the info and get the freelance photographer position at the school newspaper, the Columbia Chronicle. Once a news paper photographer, always a newspaper photographer(?)  Haha.

Yes my hair is still growing, although it's increasingly getting in the way of normal day activities, but I have no plans of cutting it yet.

Thats all I could say for now. Heck it's only a month into the school year, wait till the winter comes and We'll see how would I bitch about it. LOL

Oh well, bed time anybody?

Chicago

It's been almost a week since I got here.
Things have been pretty good.

Really loving this place.

Weather has been getting better.

The City is amazingly beautiful.

Too much to talk about with too less time.

I'll fill you guys in later on.

Bed time for now.

Still chilling? heck yes

It's a sunday morning.
I woke up early(I have no clue how I did it).
Start watching my baseball, fell asleep in the process, until Robison Cano hit a grand slam.

And then came rain delay, oh well, it's already an official game. Okay I'm over baseball for the day.

Next.
Reading Collette Bodtcher's blog of how wonderful her marriage is. (LOL only cause she's in the honeymoon stage)(But I'm not saying it's going to get bad)(Of course I want her to be happily ever after with a good life)

Hmm going through some other friends blogs/tumblrs too, like erika and alyssa and etc.

Reading? hmm, yeah I should get on top of that. Still got 1/3 to go through before finishing The Yankee Years. Hmm. And the new book from Jon Krakauer: Where Men Win Glory.


Plans:

I leave thursday for Chicago.
Fact: I have not yet started packing yet at all.
Yeah.... I MIGHT start doing it tomorrow.

chicago

So as I'm warping up the three day trip to chicago, starting to think about the near future stuff.
For example:
How am I going to bring all my stuff with me to Chicago?
Where am I going to find that 15K that I'm missing for school cost?


Oh well I really want to graduate from columbia.

Tuition and living costs around 40K per year, better make the most of each penny.
I hope I can finish school in less then 3 years.

We'll see how it goes...

friday the thirteenth

didn't noticed it till this morning when I woke up in the hotel bed.

funny

Improvise scrap wood

 Today when the Directv guy came by to install our dish.

I thought, hmm I could make the left over scrap wood for good use.

Especially that we can't find any entertainment system shelf small enough to fit the hole in the wall.

Improvise then.

And this is what I end out making:

It end up better than I thought, everything fit perfectly.


And still I had some other scrap wood still.... I turn my attention to relieving some space for cramped little computer desk.

Instead of spending 40 bucks on a aluminum mount for the Mac Mini, I did this with free wood and probably less than $2 of screws and angle plates.

yeah it's not painted one some cuts, but oh well, I wasn't trying to perfect it, that will take me too much effort and I don't have the tools neither.


To be honest, it really felt like a fulfilling day, especially when you got nothing to do around the place.

Texas

HOT
HUMID
WITH LOVELY PEOPLE
MARRIED COUPLES
CRAZY WEDDING RECEPTIONS
LOTS OF PHOTOGRAPHS


I think I just summed it up pretty well.

All I want is a place in your dearest memories

Thats all I want from a friendship.




(but not just for the past. keeping the friendship on going is important too, so we can create more lovely memories)