Surprise In Film

This blog post will have no pictures, and you will find out why later.

Many surprise birthday parties have been thrown for friends; often, out of unsuspecting dinner invites a few days before the actual date, to avoid suspicion.

And so, I knew damn well that the days before my birthday were those I should be most aware of, so I don’t sound as hysterical or dumbfounded as any of these friends. (But I certainly avoided “Throw me a surprise birthday party will you guys? As many celebrations as my age?“)

Probably the only person I know who didn’t get majorly surprised (or had a hunch) was stim-girl. Boohoo.

Anyway.

I sat at my office workstation, cursing the slow Internet connection, when the lights tripped and a cake came out. I turned back and sung along, “Happy birthday…” thinking it was Aaron or Rizal’s birthday or something.

Oh, right. Me!

There it was, a… smaller-sized cheesecake. (Thank my diabetic tendencies that it’s tiny; finishing cakes is hardly in fashion.)

I got 6 rolls of ISO 400 film as a present from colleagues. Thanks dudes!

Now, what was sublime and ethereal about these 6 rolls was that it was not a want. It was almost a need. I was going to buy two 3-packs of ISO 400 film anyway, for Rock The World 7.

They could’ve given me that to find out that I’d already gotten film. But no! Such perfect, perfect timing! God bless them, and God blessed my wallet!

Very practical, too! (I don’t know what to do with functionless memorabilia. Damn pink elephants.)

Jenifur, if you masterminded such a gift suggestion, I salute you. You’ve had a track record of choosing the most matching gifts for friends. Go start a service and charge people, yo.

After work, I got off at KL Sentral. Walking past a camera shop, I figured I might as well develop the two rolls of film I had, and get them to burn it to CD.

When it was time to collect, I saw two strands of blank film hanging from their machine. “Uh sorry sir, your film didn’t advance.” When I loaded the film, I put it over the notches and under the uh… advancer, but I didn’t make sure that the film was stuck firmly in. Sure, the film advance lever would crank and make a sound, and the film counter would increase, but the film didn’t move.

There goes my Moonshine-in-film shots. 🙁 (Of course, there’s always Moonshine-in-infrared, Moonshine-in-slow-shutter-flash…)

I got them to show me how to load the film and lock it in place. When advanced properly, the film rewind lever would turn together with each crank. Oh, and I got the Olympus OM-2000 back, and the shutter-clicking-after-advancing-film bug was fixed. However, a new one came – even when the film advance lever was in the lock position, I could still press the shutter and take a picture! (So now I don’t advance the film until I intend to take a picture.)

Well, at least I learnt it then, rather than after 6 blank rolls at Rock The World 7. 😀

9 thoughts on “Surprise In Film

  1. jed Post author

    Going through paragraph 3, sentence 2 (in bracket), there’s a sudden realization. I think I know, but I may be wrong. haha.

    Reply
  2. Albert Ng Post author

    Ian: Yeah I will, when I do the Moonshine blog entry. They were excellent! Usually whenever someone handles my Q1 they end up with handshake or out-of-focus pictures. Rachel’s shots were spot on and composed well! They’re not macro though. 😀

    Thanks everybody else, though my birthday is only on the 19th. 😛

    Reply
  3. Ian Post author

    Well, if i remembered, my buddy, Rachel snapped a few macro shots using your modified digicam towards the end of that night.

    Perhaps you could upload those up instead?

    Reply
  4. smashpOp Post author

    it was not jen’s idea.

    to tell u the truth… shaz thought of it.

    i suggested velvia. and the rest agreed n paid.

    but of course.. there werent any velvias in the xfresh paper bag

    happy birthday again, my friend + colleague + camera buddy + soon to be(in 17 hours) my sony alpha gang

    Reply
  5. Albert Ng Post author

    Well then, he has made a wise idea.

    It was also a great accident that he couldn’t find Velvia, because I had to underexpose most shots.

    And shhh about the 17 hour thing! 😛

    Reply

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