Recharge recharge recharge

This space is due for an update... but in the meantime, I'll just tell you what happened at the finale of the Malaysian International Fireworks Competition.

Well, I got there at 9:45PM. I thought I would be late, since the show on the opening night started at 9:30. Anyway, a kind soul with hot wheels offered to drive to Putrajaya while I navigated. We left Amcorp Mall at 9:10PM and thanks to the wonders of modern toll highways and Malaysian speed limits, we were at the foot of Putrajaya Convention Centre in half an hour. If you're wondering which way we went, it was the NPE and KL-Putrajaya Highway combo. One way toll = RM1.60 + RM2.50.

We got to the Putrajaya Convention Centre through the back route at the southern end of Putrajaya. People were still milling around, which was a good sign that the fireworks wasn't about to start just yet.

We had to park a distance away from the vantage point at the lakeside. As I walked there, I switched on the camera... and the battery meter started blinking. In other words, dead battery. It couldn't even display the menu on the LCD screen. OK, I have another battery. So I switched the batteries... and whaddaya know, the other battery was gone too. Arrrggghhhh! I had forgotten to recharge the battery after running it dry during the World Vision 30 Hour Famine event last weekend.

I went around asking the other photographers nearby if they had an extra battery to lend me. There were only three other photographers in the vicinity. One guy was using Canon, so, too bad. Another guy offered me his spare battery, but it was for a different model (I think a D70) so it couldn't fit my D80. Another girl didn't have an extra battery. I was stuck with a camera, tripod, remote control and two dead batteries.

So I just stood there and watched the fireworks, for the first time without having to tinker with a camera. Then I realized that my mobile phone could take video! And so I recorded the last 11 minutes of the pyrotechnics on video. It's very low resolution, but better than nothing.

The fireworks were really good. Me thinks it was better than last year's finale. The profusion of colours and lovely patterns filled the night sky. It was a dazzling display of artistic chemistry and creative explosions. The musical accompaniment was heart-moving, or perhaps that was because I was standing just a few feet from the booming, oversized speakers.

In the end, I had zero photos to show, but I went home with videos! 10.9MB worth of low res video.

Moral of the story: Always recharge your batteries immediately after they run flat. But even if your camera batteries are dead, life goes on.

The real moral of the story: There are other more important things in life. So, this Merdeka, let's pray for justice and righteousness to prevail in the land. Pray for God-fearing leaders who will do right. May our nation be recharged with life and passion. Right now, too many people are jaded by the political machiavellianisms, perversion of justice and suppression of truth. It's time to change (repent). God bless Malaysia. :)

Pictures of the MIFC 2008 opening night here.