Wacom multi-touch tablet

Shortly after I bought the Bamboo Fun tablet, I told a friend that it would be nice if the tablet had a touch pad just like what you find on a laptop computer. A little bird must have heard me and told Wacom about it. What do you know, just 2 days ago Wacom announced their new multi-touch technology. The second generation Bamboo Fun tablet now works both as a touch pad and as a pen input device, all for about the same price as what I paid earlier. With it also comes the Corel Painter 4, as well as the latest release of Photoshop Elements (Elements 7 for Windows).

That's it, this is a must-have device for one of these people:
1. those who need a pen input device for Photoshop, like me.
2. those who want a better input device than a mouse, like me.
3. those literally in pain from using a mouse (repetitive stress syndrome), like me.

Go out and get one. I recommend the Bamboo Fun range. Choose the smallest pad. It is cheaper, takes up less space on your table, and you can move your cursor faster across the screen. Only a graphics artist has any need for anything larger than the smallest tablet.

First pay day

We had dinner with some friends last night. On one of the conversation topics, one of our friends talked about how he felt when he got his first pay working as a pharmacist. He said he was paid in cash on that day. He felt so elated that he went straight to a restaurant and ordered a meal all by himself. I can imagine the feeling; finally you have arrived at the real world of working adults. You feel a great sense of worth because you are being recompensed for professional services rendered.

I believe that that point in a person's life is the apex of the feeling of being rich. You'll never feel richer than when you get your first pay. Very soon after that you will be mired in utility bills that you have raked up yourself, car installment, house mortgage payment, insurance, tax, repair and maintenance, traffic offenses, and buying things you don't really need but want. And social entertainment... you can't be a loner. Then you get married and have children... more expenses... No matter how much more you earn thereafter, you'll never again get that same feeling of being superbly.

Digital painting

When I was in college I bought an easel and tried my hand at oil painting. I actually did a complete canvas and eventually gave it to a friend when I left America. It was a delight to see the image progressing from an empty canvas into a completed work. In the same way, when you develop pictures in the darkroom, it is exciting to see the image slowly appearing before your eyes.

Corel Painter actually lets you draw or paint digitally, as well as automatically transforming the picture for you. This is where the fun begins. The picture shown here is half painted by Corel Painter and half by me using digital brushes and ink on a computer screen. Now that I have tried real digital painting and real oil painting, I must say the Corel Painter software does quite an amazing job of emulating the real thing! You can choose the brush type, different media, as well as applying wet or dry paint, etc, etc. (Photoshop has Brushes too, but I haven't tried that yet)

Selling a house in Australia: the paperwork

Again, this is taken from last weekend's Domain, published by The Age newspaper. There are three documents involved:

1. Sale authority.
This is a legally binding contract that outlines the sale of your house through the appointed agent. Take note: 1) there is no set industry-standard for the agent's commission; 2) the seller is liable for advertising expenses even if a sale doesn't happen; 3) it is illegal for the agent to underquote the seller's reserve price.

2. Vendor's statement (or Section 32).
Typically prepared by a conveyancer or solicitor, it must be complete and signed by the seller. Take note: prospective buyer must receive a complete and signed vendor's statement or else the contract of sale would be void.

3. Contract of sale.
Verbal offer is not binding. A contract of sale identifies the buyer, seller, particulars of the property, settlement date, deposit amount, sale value, and which chattels to go with the house. Note that: 1) buyers can request a sale to be subject to finance approval, sale of their own property, or building inspection; 2) buyers have a cooling off period of three business days (can back out subject to a small penalty), unless the property is bought within three business days of a scheduled auction or if they took legal advice before signing the contract. Auctions can have no cooling off period and no attached conditions.

Cost of selling a house in Australia

I am just reproducing here the information I gleaned from last weekend's Domain, published by The Age newspaper. The cost of selling a house is not something to be taken lightly. Take as an example a house that is worth $400k and eventually sells for $440k. Here's a typical breakdown:

1. Real estate agent's commission: 2.5% of $440k = $11k
2. Variable commission: 5% for amount over $400k = $2k
(note: that's a whopping 7.5% in total for the $40k "extra")
3. Advertising cost: 1.5% (for signboard, online listing, print ads, etc) = $6.6k
4. Building inspection (if required) = $1k (say)
5. Legal costs (vendor statement, auction contract, etc) = $1k (at least)
6. Exit fee from bank for outstanding mortgage = $1k (say)

Total = $22.6k, which works out to 5.1% of $440k. In addition, if you buy another house to replace this, expect to pay about 5% in stamp duty. That makes a grand total of roughly 10%, excluding moving costs and the cost of hiring temporary props to make the house look more attractive to the buyer.

The bottomline: everything above is negotiable; but not after you have signed any papers. So negotiate first!! Don't be fooled into thinking that the rates are non-negotiable.

Corel Painter with Wacom tablet

I shot this image in the Rhododendron Gardens last year. Using Corel Painter, I have instantly converted this into an impressionist painting!

It was quite by accident that I came across this software, which comes bundled with the Wacom tablet I bought primarily as a mouse replacement for my computer. After much research I was ready to part with AUD$139 for a Bamboo Wacom tablet as advertised. Instead I got the better Bamboo Fun tablet instead, and it comes bundled with Corel Painter. So here I am, an overnight digital painter!

The Rich Young Man

Matthew 19 (my comments in italics)

¹⁶Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?" (He presumes that eternal life is obtained by doing good things)

¹⁷"Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. (Jesus did not answer his question directly. Instead he tells him that it is not what we do, but what we are that is important. Are we good? Only God is, because ultimately we all fall short of God's standard) If you want to enter life, obey the commandments."

¹⁸"Which ones?" the man inquired.

Jesus replied, " 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, ¹⁹honor your father and mother, and 'love your neighbor as yourself."

²⁰"All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?"(He still thinks he can earn his way to heaven by doing good)

²¹Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."(1. Jesus implies that the young man could do even better by getting rid of his possessions; 2. Jesus did not tell him that if he got rid of his possessions he will qualify for heaven. He only said that he can exchange earthly treasure for heavenly treasure; 3. Not just giving away his wealth, but next to follow Christ. That is what the young man must do if he wants to go beyond what he has been doing)

²²When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. (Obviously Jesus knew his heart well. The young man has done all the praiseworthy things, but in his heart he still holds on dearly to his earthly treasure.)

²³Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. ²⁴Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

²⁵When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?"

²⁶Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (Jesus says it is impossible for man to save himself)

(Note that in verse 17 Jesus says that to gain eternal life one must obey the commandments. Yet in verse 26, he says it is impossible for man to save himself from eternal damnation. I believe that ultimately salvation cannot be filtered down to a set of rules that will clearly spell out who is in and who is out. The only clear answer is "follow me (Christ)". We are like wanderers in the dark and Christ leads the way because he knows how to get there).