Affinity Lo Pro Bike Frame & Kevin Bacon?

The best bike pics are when they're locked-up, and I came across a pretty rad one chained up on Dunsmuir and Burrard while testing out a new camera. I was just about to take a picture until car traffic cluttered up the background. I hate when that happens but I patiently waited for traffic to clear. Just when I was about to get my shot the owner hastily returned back to his bike while picking up a call for his next pick-up or drop-off. This could either be good or bad. Will he pose for me or not? Obviously he did...

Lululemon's The Lab: Voyeuristic Future

If you've walked down W.Broadway at Cambie, you probably noticed this unusual "factory" in this very expensive retail space: The Lab by Lululemon. If you look at the first image, you would assume this was a factory in Asia...or at least a factory in a factory part of town. Instead, I'm shooting through a retail window in a higher end retail space. West Broadway and Cambie is not cheap real estate. You can tell by the neon lighting on the sidewalk to know this isn't the factory district of Vancouver. 

Check out the link to see what its all about, but I thought it was a pretty unusual use of high end retail; but a very cool concept of sharing factory and retail space to sell custom clothing. It reminds me of what restaurants are doing with their open kitchen design, but with clothing!! 

P.S. I had to wait around a while before there was no one walking across my picture. There's a bus stop right in front, and often people are lined up almost right to the window...

Upcoming Camera Review: FUJIFILM X-E1

Ok the secret is out...well it wasn't much of a secret I guess.  The kind folks over at Fujifilm Canada has graciously loaned me the all new Fujifilm X-E1 with the standard kit lens for review.  I have 3 pages of notes so far, and I'll put together either a short preview or a full review in the next week or two.

What I can say about my testing process is that it will be more like Luminous Landscape and not like DPReview.  I don't care about pixel-peeping or a run down on every single feature and how fast or long things take in milliseconds. As a camera nerd I don't mind knowing those things, but I want real world tests, not what it can do in a lab or a very controlled environment.  Don't you find that you skip to the end of a DPReview 20 page camera test to the "conclusion" section anyway, since that's what counts the most: the opinion of the tester?

NEW FEATURE FOR 2013: CAMERA REVIEWS

I rarely post without an image, but I thought I would just give all my followers a heads up about an upcoming feature of my blog: camera reviews! For those of you who've noticed, in every post I've always labelled which camera/lens I've used.  Why? Oh, I don't know, I guess I'm kind of a camera equipment nerd and I want to know what I shot with, and hope some other nerd cares too. I collect old cameras (Minox spy, Polaroid Land, Minolta XD-11's, Argus, Ricoh GR1) and I enjoy shooting with all types and formats. On my honeymoon, I brought 2 SLR bodies, 4 lenses and a point and shoot. On another trip, to Japan, I dragged my Polaroid Land camera with a few boxes of 667 and 669 film, and still had 2 SLR bodies, 3 lenses, point and shoot, and a medium format camera (Fuji GA645)!! My wife is very understanding...

Dream Job= Shift.Urban Cargo Delivery

A few posts back I spoke with Aaron at Whole Foods who was wearing a Charlie Noble Global Delivery hoodie. I thought it was a real company deliverying food on bikes, but it wasn't...although the hoodie was cool. Yesterday I was walking through Gastown and look what was driving past me: Urban Cargo Delivery. What do they do? They deliver Bites on Bikes!!

Old Building Infested by Moss-Like Posters

Have you noticed the moment a building is abandoned or ready for demolition, advertising posters immediately appear? In nature, moss, fungus, mold signifies of an abandoned or neglected building or structure.  In the city however, advertisers appear to move quicker and is a better indicator of a building not in use (you can see the moss slowly trying to catch up by working its way along the bottom and along the trim...) These old buildings are used as frames for  these glitzy new posters, breathing new life and function to these soon-to-be discarded structures. It is this juxtaposition that captures my attention...

289 Abbott Street or Alley in Vancouver?

As I walked through Gastown in Vancouver, I blinked and almost missed 289 Abbott Street. I assumed the difference between a street and an alley is that on a street, you could get two cars to pass, but you can't with an alley (I know there's more to it than that, but you know what I'm saying...).  On this street, you can barely get two people to pass without walking sideways, and on top of that, they line it with plants in huge buckets. Is that to reduce unwanted traffic?!  If I was the business at the end of this street, I would use huge 6' vertical letters running all the way up the wall so customers could find me. If this is the street, I'm afraid to go around back and look at its alley!!

PS. Cool clock, top left...but too bad it's not working!!

Charlie Noble Delivery at Whole Foods?

While grocery shopping, this employee walked past me wearing his black Whole Foods apron and matching Charlie Noble Global Delivery hoodie on. I asked him when did Whole Foods start a bike delivery service and who's this Charlie Noble dude?  

Try Looking Up and Shoot Buildings!!

Walking downtown, I love shooting up at buildings. I love manipulating my view point by pointing my camera straight up while walking from one corner of the intersection to the next, trying to create the best angle. Shooting upwards is great because you rarely have any obstructions: people, cars, trees, wires, etc. You also get to play with perspective, easily changing the entire image by just tilting your camera this way or that...shooting horizontally, it's alot harder to do this!!

Hong Kong Bike Riders Ride Head-On!!

These previously posted pictures from Hong Kong highlight the fact that many ride against traffic instead of with the traffic. I was told it's because they believe it's safer for them, since they can see the cars coming at them, so they can avoid an accident. If they went with the traffic, they feel that they can't see cars creeping up from behind... hmmm, what do you think? Safer or more dangerous?

Birks at Granville and Hastings in Vancouver

As I get off my bus and connect to my train, I always walk past this beautiful old building at the corner of Hastings and Granville in Vancouver.  I like this building specifically because it's on a corner, and I love the size...it's a baby building! So cute! With its majestic pillars and tall windows, you would think this building would encompass the entire block!

Kitsilano Public Notice Board Gone Wild!!

 
In theory, the design of this public notice board is very functional: it's 4 sided, and each side is double-sided. However, since it's outdoor and public, I assume nobody monitors or needs permission to post. You can see the results. Madness!! You can't really read or find anything in this chaos. In some spots, it looks like the bottom posting has 6 others postings overlapping and/or on top of it!! Standing in front of it, I was overwhelmed...nothing stood out... it's amusing to look at, and makes for a great photograph, but if I had something to post, I wouldn't post it here!!

Imaginary BMW Ad for Older 5 Series

As I was walking downtown last week, I saw a lonely BMW sitting in an empty parking lot between two buildings. It looked like a magazine or a billboard ad to me. I ran across the street and accidentally took a low rez shot at high iso (I was shooting some low light images previously and forgot to change the settings back).  I hate when I do that.

A Busker, the Blues, Boots and Pantera!

My wife had some shopping to do on Granville Island, so I decided to come along for the ride. We took a quick break at a small coffee shop and sat in front of this blues playing busker. Stomping on his guitar case with his big, black boots helped with the visual and audio effects of his guitar playing. What didn't match quite as much was his Pantera t-shirt!! I thought he made it work for himself though. I asked him after why he had a Pantera t-shirt on, and he said "because they're the greatest!" There you go. Never judge a musician on their musical taste. To each their own... Rock on Blues Man!!

Josh T and Mode on the Street

My buddy Josh and I thought we'd start a blog together a year ago. After much planning and discussion and debate, we launched a blog called Mode on the Street. As soon as we started the blog, I realized that we both had very strong visions for the blog and that a collaboration wouldn't work as smoothly as our good friendship. 

Beat Street Records and Poetry

As I walked past Beat Street Records in Vancouver, I noticed a quote, or a short poem, or something: All that was, will always have been, somehow never again. I wasn't sure what it meant, but it messed up my mind for a moment, just like when you watch Inception for the first time, trying to figure out the layers of the dreams. What was, might be, but won't? Where am I in this thought? After researching, I found out who the artist was behind this poem. His name is Raymond Boisjoly, and he's a visual and text based artist. If art is suppose to make us linger, to inspire, to imagine, or even to confuse, I guess Mr.Boisjoly has succeeded. I saw it, I thought about it, I researched it, and now I'm sharing it!

I decided to include a blurry bike rider just to add a dimension of movement and time.... all that is, will always be, but only for a moment, and then he's gone!!

Vancouver's Crow Highway Mural Revisited

A few months back I took some pictures of the Crow Highway Mural but I was unable to get a good clear shot due to cars parked right in front of it. This time, when I saw the lot empty, I jumped out of my bus excitedly to get a worthy image. Although the parking lot was empty, the gate was closed , so I took two images: one from the sidewalk and one through the fence straight on. It's a beautiful old building, and the history behind the mural and the building is quite interesting too (follow this link). Too bad it's so far back from the street view, and too bad there's a parking lot right in front of it...

Where's Waldo...and the ATM?

As I walked through the poorest neighbourhood in Canada, I ran into many ATMs in the oddest places. Some were easy to miss, but none more than this one. The posters surrounding the ATM caught my eye at first, and only as I walked closer to investigate did I notice the ATM buried in the middle. Like any business, isn't the point of an ATM to be as visible as possible?

Number 5 is Alive and Speaking Street Talk

I was walking along the border of Chinatown, DTES and Gastown, and noticed this funny homage to Short Circuit's Number 5 robot. "Sup fu?". Funny. I think this is an entrance into a night club.  I wonder if they play "Who's Johnny?" or "Come and Follow Me" for the closing number?

Pekin Chop Suey House in Chinatown

I was walking through Vancouver's Chinatown district and I noticed a faded sign on the side of a building. It reads: Pekin Chop Suey House. It sounds very 1950's American-Chinese, and so it should, as this was the old location of a Chinese restaurant many years ago. The lower half was rebuilt and the core was redone with concrete, leaving the top outer shell original. You can see in the distance the entrance-way into Chinatown from the West side on W.Pender, and the far left corner is just a part of the world's thinnest building.  The sun was just going down behind the downtown buildings, and so the lighting was just right for a westward picture.......

Random Nice Guys Pose and Smile in Osaka

I wasn't even trying to take pictures of these guys, but they happened to walk into my frame, and they decided to smile and pose for me. Nice smile. Nice pose. Thanks guys! Osaka people are very easy going and friendly. 

Just a small side point, but I notice most men in Japan carry around man-bags. Here, unless you're a student or business person, most men walk around with nothing but an iPhone and a pair of sunglasses. The subject of another blog entry.....

 

Soccer Mom's of Japan Transport on Bikes

This is a very common sight where ever children are congregated: a fleet of Japanese momma-bikes (aka "Mamachari"). In N.America, it's minivans and SUV's, but in the busy and densely populated cities of Japan, you would get nowhere in such huge vehicles, especially since many places in city have no parking lots. I'll post more pics of these mom's and their bikes in action, but it's not an uncommon sight to see a mom carrying two kids (one up front, one in the back) and groceries and plowing down the sidewalk avoiding pedestrians and vending machines in Tokyo.  I've also noticed, kids don't cry in Japan, at least the ones on the mamachari's. Maybe they're more worried about falling out, or crashing into one of their pre-school mates!! Ride on momma-riders!! Ride on Mamachari's!

Dashboard Reflection Portrait

I'm going to be honest here, this image wasn't planned out. I noticed a cool car dashboard and wanted to take a picture of it, but I couldn't find the right angle to get rid of the relfection (I know, but I didn't have my polarizing filter with me). Then I noticed that I was getting pretty cool reflections of people as they passed by. I caught this guy looking at me wondering what's so interesting about the car, not knowing that I was actually interested in his reflection!! The far right reflection of half a face is my sister, also wondering what on earth her crazy brother is doing......

Another Distracted Bike Rider in Osaka

Like my previous post concerning the stylish bike texting guy, I notice many distracted bike riders in Japan. I'm surprised there aren't more accidents. This guy is riding on a busy 4-lane road, texting, listening to music with headphones, no helmet (very common in Japan) and only a few fingers on the grips; and he still has time to stare at me taking his picture! How dare he!! Ha ha. I got a good expression though...smile!! 

Ride on Osaka!!

Coca-Cola Bicycle in Japan

In Japan, I saw lots of oddly branded bicycles, mostly American brands such as Hummer, or this Coca-Cola bike. Obviously Coke didn't build or design this bike. However, since Japanese love American companies, by putting these types of brands on whatever item, sales increase. I've seen really weird cross-market branding in Japan, but this has got to be the oddest. Are you paying attention Pepsi? Maybe you have to kick it up a notch. Perhaps a Honda 'Diet Pepsi' 1000??

A Couple Window Shopping while Bike Doubling in Osaka

As mentioned on previous posts, bike doubling is very common in Japan, although technically illegal. Many don't own cars, and so bikes and public transit is the most efficient and cost effective form of transportation for couples and families. This couple seems to be enjoying themselves as they cruise down a side street full of boutique shops and restaurants. In fact, the girl was eyeing all the clothing stores as they cruised by each one. Window shopping without getting sore feet! Good idea! Ride on Osaka!!

Stylish Guy Bike Texting in Osaka

Another archived picture......

Not only was this a narrow street, but it was a busy side street with pedestrians, commercial vehicles and many other cyclists. Besides the texting, notice his hand grip? He's using 3 fingers to push up against his grip!! What the heck? So other than not paying attention, if he had to make an emergency maneuver, what can he do other than fly over his handlebars face first? 

I easily saw him approaching so I was able to frame him into my image, although he had no idea what was going on. Photographically, I like the way the wind blew his jacket open, and I like his cool purple cargo pants and white Birkenstocks. In fact, even his bike was pretty cool, including his blue bike lock. A very stylish yet dangerous guy! Ride on Osaka....but pay attention man!!

1970's Japanese Robot Great Mazinger Portrait Through Glass Window

I know the most famous Japanese anime/manga robots are Gundam and Robotech, but my all time favorite is Great Mazinger! I always thought it was cool how the airplane shuttle flew into the head of the robot to activate it, and how the V-chest shield becomes a throwing weapon!! As a 70's Japanese kid, we all had a die-cast Great Mazinger toy. The first thing we lose is the eject-able fists of course, and eventually we lose the removable V-chest..... I wonder where my Mazinger is? I wonder what a Mazinger is? Who cares. It was a great robot toy!!

I shot through a shop window from the street, and I successfully hid myself from the image. I like the randomness of the light reflection bouncing back into the image. I wonder if there's a name for that effect? Can you help me with this Naki? Colour isolation to make the V-chest stand out!!

Jinglish Sign at Guitar Shop in Osaka

I guess you can sort of figure out what they're trying to say. The reflection of the street behind me sort of works within the black of the sign, while I was able to hide myself in the red of the guitar.....making so cool image of the camera-main......

Cute Girl Riding Bike in Osaka

I love taking pictures of people on bikes. I enjoy seeing how people dress while riding, as well as the fact that I love bikes in general. The bike becomes the biggest accessory a person can have on, or be on.  The only problem is it's hard getting a good shot while in motion. I missed the whole top of her head, and just barely got her eyes as she whipped passed me. 


Only after I took the picture did I notice that she had flyers inside her basket, and probably old ones too. Was she that lazy to take them out? Was it her own personal public mobile recycle basket? Not too many public garbage cans in Japan, even though the streets are pretty clean. Sorry. Random thought......

What originally caught my eye was her black stockings with shorts and her checkered top. Only after, I noticed her green hoodie and pink bike matched nicely. Her whole outfit is actually well balanced, with her cream scarf and her brown shoulder bag thrown behind. Ride on cute fashionable girl! Ride on Osaka!!

Cool Couple Walking in Osaka

Archived photo....

There's nothing odd about seeing a cool couple walking down a small side street in the entertainment district of Umeda in Osaka. In fact, it's a normal sight. However, like my post from yesterday I took this while out for my early morning jog at 6am!!  By the looks of it, they've finished an all nighter (notice the guy holding what looks like a beer can?) and are on their way home. You can't see it in the picture, but they just didn't have a "just woke up" walk as they approached me. It was more like a late night "ready for bed" walk. I stood there for a while and pretended I was shooting buildings above their heads so they wouldn't wonder why I was taking their picture as they came closer......

Early Morning Bike Ride in Osaka

 

 Another archived photo......

I went for an early morning jog near my brother's apartment in the Umeda district of Osaka. I also like taking pictures either late at night or early in the morning. Not many people on the streets except for commercial vehicles. It was an odd sight to see a 'salary man' on a bicycle so early in the morning (6am). My guess is that he isn't on his way to work from home, but leaving a bar he was at all night and going straight to work!! I like the solitude of shooting on the streets so early in the morning, but it was great getting this guy on his bike so early too!! Ride on Salary Man! Ride on Osaka!!

Lonely Bike in Harajuku at Night

Another archived picture......

I love walking around Tokyo at night. During the day, there's always a sea of people, and it's hard to get pictures of objects in isolation. You usually have to stand around for a few minutes for crowds to clear before getting your shot. My favorite places to shoot at night in Tokyo is central Tokyo, Shinjuku, and Harajuku. My favorite subject? Vending machines and bikes!!

My Cards Are Moo Cards! Moo.com

Every time I hand out my business cards, people get excited. They like the unique size and shape, the thickness of the paper, and the variety of covers I have available. The MiniCards are from a company called Moo.com. From what I can remember, you can choose up to 100 different covers for your cards; your own images, or choose from their wide selection. In fact, all the images on my Minicards are from my blog. If you want to stand out and be different, get Moo Cards!!

(P.S. I'm not getting paid to promote Moo.com. I just love their products and want to share!)

5 String Bass Street Performer in Harajuku

 Another picture from the archives.....

I love walking around Tokyo on the week-end, especially near the known street performance areas such as Harajuku.  These guys were really slick, especially this long, blond-haired, 5-string bassist. I love his stance and I love his pants. He kept his head down and rocked out, except his crazy hair was being tossed around as he rhythmically bobbed his head to the beat of the drums. Between songs, the lead singer would run around and hand out flyers to their next gig; but the bassist used that time to silently practice his scales!! How dedicated and how Japanese of him. Rock on Tokyo! Rock on 5-String Bass-Man!!

Guerrilla Marketing on Bikes in Japan

Walking in the Umeda district of Osaka, I noticed a group of cyclists all dressed in uniform and obviously advertising something. It easily caught my attention, as it did everyone else, hence a successful guerrilla marketing concept: a bike parade!! It says "Children 110 Yen" (approx $1.45USD) so I assume it's some sort of entrance price for an amusement park or something like that? 


None of them looked happy riding their bikes though, but it was a bit of a warm day. Or perhaps it was the basket in the front? If I got paid to ride around in circles all day, I would be happy!! In fact, I'd be ringing my bell too!! Imagine each bell had a different tone, and they were playing a tune while riding around? Now that would have been cool! Ride on Osaka!!

Cute Girls Doubling on a Bicycle in Osaka

It's written all over their faces, no? The pure pleasure of doubling on a bicycle. The wind against your face, the rush of adrenaline as you avoid pedestrians and other cyclists as you try not to fall off the back!! I happened to see them approaching from far off so I discreetly took this picture just as they passed by.... not that they would notice little old me and my tiny Canon p&s camera!!

This is very common in Japan, as you can tell by this other doubling act caught by a National Geographic photographer.  In both images, the girls riding on the back are wearing heels, and neither are standing on some well structured, meant-for-doubling-stands or anything like that. What can I say? When it comes to two wheels and heels, Japanese girls have skills!! Thanks @cyncerest for the link!!

Doing the Splits in Hong Kong!

That's my wife on the far left walking with her uncle #4 in Hong Kong. The bay area of To Kwa Wan is a popular place for exercise, especially for early morning walks. I was trying to take a nice backwards portrait of my wife and her uncle and was waiting for this older gentleman to pass by, but he decided to stop.....and then stretch.....really stretch!! I thought to myself, if you're not going to leave my picture frame, I'm going to frame you into my picture!!

Refreshing Work at Budweiser

Another old picture. Taken in Hong Kong a few years back.....I know, it looks worse than it is. He was working really hard before I took this shot, and then when I finally decided to take the picture, he took his break.... but it does look a bit like he was sampling the product doesn't it? Leave him alone. He's worked hard. Doesn't he deserve a Bud?

Cool Guys Riding Folding Bikes

Another old, lost picture from previous blog entry........

I love Osaka because it's a bike city. My brother goes restaurant and bar hopping with his wife and friends on their bikes. It's a great way to get around town, and a fun way to burn off some of those extra calories! 

I took a picture of these guys because you just wouldn't see this in N.America (except maybe New York or San Fransisco). Cool guys, or at least trying to project a 'cool guy' image, riding folding bikes. I mean, those things are not cool, seriously. Efficient and compact, yes. But cool? What are those, 8" wheels? But look at the attitude... it's like they're on hogs or a nice cruiser......ha ha!! I like both of their shoes though......

Kimono and Dreadlocks?

I'm going to re-post some older pictures since some amazing shots were sort of lost in past postings, as I use to post up to 12 pictures in a single blog entry!!

This picture was taken at my youngest brother's wedding in Osaka a few years back.  Up to that point, between myself and my big brother (I have 3 brothers and a sister), we had taken all family wedding pictures. This was the first wedding we could enjoy without being completely stressed out.... but old habits die hard!! I still brought 3 cameras with me!!

This is Miho, my sister-in-law's cousin. She's a professional hip-hop dancer, but for the wedding, she decided to go ultra traditional with her kimono...or did she? Look at her dreadlock updo!!  I liked the contrast in styles, or perhaps it's more of a juxtaposition? The bright red colour of the kimono and the red in her hair-do actually worked really well; as well as the layering of the kimono and the similar layering of her dreadlocks. And perhaps because she's a dancer by profession, her personality and her composure allowed her to pull off this cool look.

Fast Food Faster: Express Self Ordering?

I walked into my new neighbourhood A&W and noticed they only had a single-cashier set-up and I thought that was odd for a fast food joint. Then I noticed the 'Self Order' kiosk. I didn't realize that minimum wage was too expense for these places to operate, thus replacing humans with robots!! Self check-out at grocery stores, self-pump at gas stations, and now self-ordering at fast food joints. What's next? 

My guess is that in the future movie theaters, airports, dry-cleaning, department stores and even restaurants (computerized self-seating and self ordering) will all be run by machines and computers. We can go all day without coming into contact with other humans in the future. Don't worry, we'll all have smart phones and tablet computers to keep us company instead. Doesn't that sound like fun?

How Do You Park Your Bike?

While waiting for my wife while she shopped, I thought I'd walk up and down Robson Street to see if there was anything interesting to shoot.  I noticed a locked up bike against a pole, but it was parked upside-down! What the? Just as I was about to take a picture of it, the owner appeared!  I asked him why he parked his bike that way? He said so his bike doesn't move around clumsily or fall over..... good idea!!  Who needs a kick-stand right? 

The only problem is scratching the leather seat and handlebar grips...... but hey, with a smile like that, does Kwan care about a few scuffs on his sweet fixie? Where's his bike from? Built by his buddy's over at Beats and Bikes. Music and bikes. Nice combo......

Cyclist's Mane Blowing in the Wind!

They say a lion's mane is an intimidation tool, used to show it's size and prowess over its competition. This rider's hair was unique among all others, as most cyclist remove as much hair as possible to reduce weight and wind-drag. 

However, Zackary Davis #27 finished 24th overall, the highest placed rider that I took pictures of that day. Perhaps he's on to something? Maybe the wind blowing through his hair makes him feel faster, thus motivating him to peddle harder? Perhaps it makes him feel lion-like as he chases down the riders in front of him? Whatever the reason, he looked pretty cool in a sea of shaved head riders....Ride On Zach-Attack!!

Bike Race Face: Part 2

 As mentioned on my earlier post, as I was shooting this race I became more aware and interested in the expressions of these riders versus the bikes themselves, even though I'm an avid bike rider. That's why I decided to crop the bikes out of the picture. In this shot, I liked the way the setting sun spotlighted Erik Mulder #67, but shadowed Baily McKnight, who actually placed 40 spots higher by the end of the race.  No posing here folks. These are real expressions. Ride On!!

Giro Di Burnaby 2012: Ride On!!

Bike races are great to watch. Unlike motorized races, cycling events make very little noise as they whip past, like a stealth animal hunting down a prey. All you can hear is the clicks of their gears changing, and the wind swooshing past their aerodynamic bodies. Even their crouched sitting position and their determined expressions reminds me of a predatory animal. Look at the beast-like tongue sticking out on Scott Zwizanski (rider #13)!!

Photographically, all the different colours and logos and stream-line clothing and equipment makes for a great picture. I noticed many photographers with big zoom lenses, but they weren't getting any successful shots.  I would recommend getting as close as possible and shoot with a prime (non-zooming) lens. I shot with my 35mm F1.4 and a cropped sensor Sony A700, and I just panned my images.  Many were asking me what I was doing panning so quickly, and how could I shoot with such a small lens, and why I wasn't using  a flash. I just smiled and showed them my pictures. I had a few conversations with other amateur photographers that evening.......

I could only stay for about 20 minutes so I didn't get too many pictures. Lots of fun though.... Ride On Burnaby!!