Capture the [moment]um

I write because of the satisfaction I get from expressing my thoughts on pixels. All the photographs are taken by me unless otherwise stated.

I believe that life is but a collection of photographs, intricately woven. To take a slice of that life-ness is what this photo-blog is about.

- Jiawen

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Being sick in China, instead of cold medicine I consumed/swallowed/drank various bitter traditional Chinese medicines. One of which is Bai He. In Canada it is found dried but here it is pictured in its undehydrated form. Boo, it would help me get better faster if I sweat but I don’t!

Being sick in China, instead of cold medicine I consumed/swallowed/drank various bitter traditional Chinese medicines. One of which is Bai He. In Canada it is found dried but here it is pictured in its undehydrated form. Boo, it would help me get better faster if I sweat but I don’t!

If you cut these potato-shaped mushrooms in half, there is another mini mushroom inside. Interesting find and tasty too.

If you cut these potato-shaped mushrooms in half, there is another mini mushroom inside. Interesting find and tasty too.

Mystery foods of China. Sorry for being terribly undescriptive. Though I think mystery fruit 1 is called a Camu Camu mangosteen (Vina got it right).

Some mystery berry

Jul 7/11 

In the countryside. Waking up at 5am to beat the heat, my grandpa took me to the market for a traditional soft tofu and Chinese donut breakfast. At the market you can find all sorts of live farm animals and seafood. Pick the chicken that looks the most alive!

There was this Chinese game show whereby contestants in a water obstacle course competed to win an air conditioner, whoever could make it through without falling into the water. 

I ate this mystery berry that tastes like strawberry. I’ll try to describe it. It is red, sorta looks like a part of a sea urchin/villi in the tiny fibrous parts. You eat it without peeling it. Can anyone identify it? Edit: I posted the photos up.

Landing day

Jul 6/11   

At around 3pm I arrived in Shanghai hyper from not having slept on the flight. I took the no-sleeping advice from my mom so I will be able to sleep soundly tonight. 

At the airport I met my grandpa and aunt and we rode Shanghai’s newly built subway direct from the airport to my grandpa’s countryside home. Everyone sort of dashed and squished in racing to get a seat. There were no advertisements on the subway and although it is complex it is efficient and better than the TTC. One tap of the transit card gets you a ride on the subway, bus or taxi.

It was nice seeing my great-grandparents again. I teared up hugging them for the first time in over 6 years. My grandma welcomed me with delicious wontons for dinner. 

Hello tumblr, it’s been almost a whole year since I have posted on you. Tomorrow I’m flying off to Shanghai and I’m already drooling about dim sum, looking forward to taking long walks with my great-grandparents and of course buying pens! Checking on wikipedia, I found out well waddaya know tumblr isn’t blocked in the PRC so I’ll be blogging from over there. Alas, google docs is blocked…NOOOO! I’ve been taking preventative measures by encrypting, configuring remote computing and backing up my data incase the “golden shield” police want to get me. Well huzzah I’d have nothing on my computer!  The luggage tag pictured was written by my five-year-old sister. So cute, I didn’t even find out she did that until she gave it to me.

Hello tumblr, it’s been almost a whole year since I have posted on you. Tomorrow I’m flying off to Shanghai and I’m already drooling about dim sum, looking forward to taking long walks with my great-grandparents and of course buying pens! 

Checking on wikipedia, I found out well waddaya know tumblr isn’t blocked in the PRC so I’ll be blogging from over there. Alas, google docs is blocked…NOOOO! I’ve been taking preventative measures by encrypting, configuring remote computing and backing up my data incase the “golden shield” police want to get me. Well huzzah I’d have nothing on my computer! 

The luggage tag pictured was written by my five-year-old sister. So cute, I didn’t even find out she did that until she gave it to me.

…I got a letter today! (edit: at the time of this posting, last week) From my honey-bunches-of-oats friend Anika. Hooray. Send me letters anytime. …I will cherish them and feel all sentimental when I read them over and over again with your personality & handwriting all over it. Don’t be surprised if you get a letter from me.

…I got a letter today! (edit: at the time of this posting, last week) From my honey-bunches-of-oats friend Anika. Hooray. Send me letters anytime. …I will cherish them and feel all sentimental when I read them over and over again with your personality & handwriting all over it. Don’t be surprised if you get a letter from me.

This thing of dough rose for 24 hours & I baked it late at night. Soft on the inside, crisp on the outside. My family & I ate the bread before I got a chance to the take a pic of it. Maybe next time! I used the NY times recipe: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/dining/081mrex.html?_r=2

This thing of dough rose for 24 hours & I baked it late at night. Soft on the inside, crisp on the outside. My family & I ate the bread before I got a chance to the take a pic of it. Maybe next time!

I used the NY times recipe: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/dining/081mrex.html?_r=2

@ Parliament & Bloor street in SJT there is a little “hidden” garden. Tended by guerrilla gardeners. FYI for those who are unfamiliar with the term… Guerrilla gardening is gardening on another person’s land without permission. The land that is guerrilla gardened is usually abandoned or neglected by its legal owner and the guerrilla gardeners take it over (“squat”) to grow plants. Guerrilla gardeners believe in re-considering land ownership in order to reclaim land from perceived neglect or misuse and assign a new purpose to it. Source: Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guerrilla_gardening I have a couple seed bombs left over from our seed bomb workshop last year at Jarvis. I’d like to go and make use of them in the spring to spring some flowers in barren lots.

@ Parliament & Bloor street in SJT there is a little “hidden” garden. Tended by guerrilla gardeners. FYI for those who are unfamiliar with the term…

Guerrilla gardening is gardening on another person’s land without permission. The land that is guerrilla gardened is usually abandoned or neglected by its legal owner and the guerrilla gardeners take it over (“squat”) to grow plants. Guerrilla gardeners believe in re-considering land ownership in order to reclaim land from perceived neglect or misuse and assign a new purpose to it.

Source: Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guerrilla_gardening

I have a couple seed bombs left over from our seed bomb workshop last year at Jarvis. I’d like to go and make use of them in the spring to spring some flowers in barren lots.

Browsing in Staples yesterday I found the new Sharpie Liquid Pencil hanging out on the shelf waiting for me to take it home. I’ve obsessively wanted it after reading it on Akua’s blog. I didn’t have any expectations for this mashup of pen/pencil from reading reviews online.  It’s ok but not as good as I expected from Sharpie. Waiting for the improved version! Here’s a photo of the liquid pencil, packaging and review.

Browsing in Staples yesterday I found the new Sharpie Liquid Pencil hanging out on the shelf waiting for me to take it home. I’ve obsessively wanted it after reading it on Akua’s blog. I didn’t have any expectations for this mashup of pen/pencil from reading reviews online. 

It’s ok but not as good as I expected from Sharpie. Waiting for the improved version! Here’s a photo of the liquid pencil, packaging and review.

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