Life's a pitch

Downward spiral

2007-04-15T18:32:00.000+08:00

Ever felt like losing control over your life and finding yourself on a downward spiral resulting from certain choices you made?

I'm right in the middle of one right now. Something which I took for granted. Something that has grown to become something very important without me realizing it. And it's already too late but I just can't get out of it.

Like a familiar song which keeps playing in my head, every single day reminds me of it. I tried to put aside the pain but it's the only thing that is real.

I deserve it.

What have I become?

You could have it all...

Hanging by a thread

2007-04-11T01:23:00.000+08:00

"The spider’s most attenuated thread
Is cord, is cable, to man’s tender tie
On earthly bliss; it breaks at every breeze."

Things had been rough lately.

It's been one mishap after another. First the car accident... then came the tyre; punctured beyond repair. Fever came in to join the fun and diarrhea said why not?

Was also plagued with anxiety attacks...

Hundreds of menial thoughts racing through my head. My pulse was going all over the place. It felt as though I was going insane. As though I was lifted up by this invisible hand and dropped into the middle of the desert. All alone.

The last couple of weeks left my nerves totally shot. I'm just not sure what to do with myself anymore. I'm totally lost. With no direction.

I've done one too many things that I am not proud of and they are coming back to haunt me; all at once.

If only I could turn back time.

If only I realized it earlier.

... I'm sorry.

Keeping a tradition of excellence.

2007-02-28T00:39:00.000+08:00

For quite some time now, the CNY week has been reduced to being an excuse to drink copious amounts of alcohol. So no prizes for guessing what we did this year.

Good thing we have Don to spice things up a tad bit.

We ran out of whiskey this year(regrettably)... so we resorted to wine. Bottles of the stuff. I enjoy a glass of good wine just like any other good bloke but it was too much of a good thing. As predicted, after a couple of bottles, Don's friendlier side emerged. The bad thing is I can't recall if he actually succeeded in planting that kiss.

Halfway through the night disaster struck. We just finished our last bottle of wine. Good thing for us we discovered this ancient bottle of brandy stashed in one of the cabinets. It was so old that the cork actually disintegrated when we tried to pry it open. The stuff smelled alright (either that or we were drunk) so the drinking continued.

Everyone was happy.

But I reckon Don was the happiest of them all. He got his fill of drinks. A goodnight's sleep. And a tan while he was at it! How?

By sleeping on my lawn till 1.30pm the next day of course.

Oh. And another highlight of the day was when my dad exclaimed "You guys just drank the stuff used for making fruitcakes."

What's going to happen next year Don?

To do a Houdini...

2007-02-27T23:39:00.000+08:00

In 2 months I will be officially gone from my workplace. I've finally tendered my resignation.

After all these months of trying to drop the bomb at the best time possible (I won't want to screw up the work flow would I?) ... I finally realized that there just isn't the perfect time.

It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I had been running these bizarre situations inside my head, playing out all possible encounters... almost hoping that things would get out of hand and we'll start screaming profanities at each other and maybe break a table or two.

But unfortunately I walked out of the room in one piece.

In fact it was actually kind of pleasant. At least it was for me.

Now I can sleep better at night.

-_-

2007-01-16T12:16:00.000+08:00

It takes a couple seconds to say hello, but forever to say goodbye.

Geek 101

2006-12-27T16:09:00.000+08:00

Alright, so this latest post took a month to write up. It must be good! Or so you think.

Would love to say that I've been travelling all over Europe the last couple of weeks, discovering beautiful Prague or dancing my night away at Ibiza, Spain.

But...

The fact is, I've just got one excuse.

Allow me to introduce you to the xbox 360. -_-

Lame? Maybe. But it sure is FUN.

So Christmas just came and went. As usual. Had a blast at Skybar in kl. Too bad it was so humid that I felt like strangling the waiters every time one walks past. Apart from that, it was all good. Took some pictures. Will post some up later.

So it's the end of 2006. A brand new year ahead... Bigger dreams and all that...etc..etc.

I'll start mine by quitting my job. How's that for ambition? Just need to get the hell out of here. SOON!

Big Cheese...

2006-11-20T11:51:00.000+08:00

Had an audition for the Yeo's corporate song last week. As expected, more than half of them were forced to sign up. So we ended up with a truly motley bunch - the karaoke kings, mat rocks... right down to the tone-deaf variety.

We had them all.

In one room.

So we got the ball rolling. This guy came in, had a look at the lyrics and exclaimed "Ha? In English ar?" -_- Mind you... it IS for a corporate song. Did he expect to sing in hokkien? Now that's scary.

The next lady who came in was the highlight of the day. Not because of her singing though. Actually it was quite the opposite. I was standing right behind her *listening intently* and I just couldn't help myself. I burst out laughing. It was unprofessional and very mean... But at that moment I just couldn't help myself.

After that unfortunate stint, I spent the rest of the audition trying to keep myself from cracking up. And I tell you, it wasn't easy since we still had to sit through the 60-year old 'Michael Jackson impersonator' session and other very colourful characters.

At the end of the day ... we picked 8 out of the 18 who came in. Well, someone has got to sing the song right?

Tomorrow is the actual recording day and video shoot. Now that's another story to tell.

When the happiest moment in your life turns into a...

2006-11-07T12:13:00.000+08:00

...NIGHTMARE.

I thought I have seen it all. Weddings turned into karaoke competitions... Glorious nights reduced to a public circus show. I have even witnessed a humanitarian service video inserted into the couple's powerpoint presentation. I kid you not.

"Until death do us part"?

I don't think so.

Not when you have to put up with this horror of horrors during your wedding reception. Apparently the groom's mother got so excited that she didn't even bother to get her daughter-in-law's measurements.

And that is when disaster struck.

I know this is the night when the bride is supposed to be the centre of attention. But this sure takes it to a whole new level. You will certainly light up the whole venue. Like a bulb.

Oh. And here is something to go with your gown.

Well, if all fails you can double it as a raincoat. Mums are such imaginative beings.

And mums being mums, there is not only one.

But TWO.

Now, doesn't that make you feel extra special. It's your night. You're supposed to feel like a princess. Not Puff the Magic Dragon. But hey... kids might mistaken the sleeves for balloons. At least you get to make SOMEONE happy that night.

And after the wedding, you could tear it up into little pieces. And use them as strawberry flavoured condoms. Perfect.

See...

Sometimes, mums DON'T know best.

An anthem for all things natural.

2006-10-31T11:11:00.000+08:00

*yawns* Just got back from a Yeo's briefing. Pretty darn early start today.

And guess what.

I have to write the lyrics for a Yeo's corporate song/jingle/anthem. Can you imagine the words. It's going to be sooooo corny. I almost burst out laughing in the meeting. And to make matters even worse, he wants the staff to actually sing the song.

10 of them staff.

1 studio.

Endless hours of pain.

Maybe I should write my own version of revolting rhymes.

Oh. And on top of that, they are going to shoot a video of the staff singing in the studio. Maybe we should send a demo to MTV.

Kill me now.

A few more from Sentul West

2006-10-27T14:26:00.000+08:00

The concrete walkway..

A tree right in the middle of the path -_- Guess they didn't want to uproot the old tree. I liked it though.

The back of the KLPAC. The picture turned out very blurred out. The security guards were blowing their whistles at me from afar while I was taking this shot. Guess I was not supposed to trample the astro turf.

A little piece of magic in the heart of KL.

2006-10-26T12:04:00.000+08:00

If the weather wasn't so humid, you would feel as though you've just entered foreign land. Everything feels so perfectly arty in there. Sprawling gardens, wire mesh couches, abandoned colonial buildings, the BRILLIANT KLPAC ...

Did I mention that I love this building??

One of the many metal 'cube' shelters?

Your gateway to nature

Concrete stools -_-

Didn't have time to combine all the pictures last night. Was busy watching 'Sepet' on the telly heh. WIll post them up as soon as I get them combined into HDRs.

The wonder dog

2006-10-24T19:16:00.000+08:00

It was tough trying to get Colby to stay in place -_- For this picture, I used one jpeg instead of the usual HDR which requires at least 3 jpegs in different exposures. Popped it into Photoshop, duplicated the files and changed the levels of all 3 before combining them.

(faked HDR)

(Jpeg)

Camera shy

2006-10-24T18:52:00.000+08:00

This was the first HDR image that I tried combining a week ago. It's Carey with her nose buried into "Eragon". I can't find the original jpegs which I used to combine to get this picture... You will just have to trust me that this pic looks better.

A stab at HDR

2006-10-24T17:31:00.000+08:00

Here are some amateur attempts on creating HDR images. I don't have a tripod so they didn't really turn out the way I expected them to. Lots of ghosting in the pictures.

(HDR) The unofficial "Salted Fish Street" in Kuantan where you get to purchase all sorts of stinky preserved fish, cuttlefish etc. I snapped this while Kee Hin went to get his fishy goodies.

The normal exposure jpeg

(HDR) Colby, the morning after the drinking session. I've never seen him sit still before this. He's probably still stoned out.

jpeg

(HDR) The garden pond at home.

The normal exposure jpeg

(HDR) One of the many plants in the garden. I think this HDR turned out the best. The colour and details are much richer. Can't help the blurring though. Need a tripod.

The normal exposure jpeg

Home sweet home...

2006-10-24T15:50:00.000+08:00

Spent my weekend back in Kuantan. Just stayed at home and did NOTHING but laze around all day. Just the way I wanted to spend my weekend. Well it's always nice to flip through the old photo albums at home (trust me, my mum has amassed quite a few). The only time I went out was to drive my parents for dinner.

Darn. I don't go back as often as I should -_-

I did take some pictures though! (to Don and Kee Hin's dismay) The 2 unsuspecting victims came over expecting nothing more than a private drinking session. By the end of the night, they were nearly blind from the camera flashes. Good thing they had enough drinks.

So here we are, my mum's pride and joy. She spends long hours in the garden each day. Ok maybe this night shot doesn't do it justice -_-

Btw, this isn't some weird Kuantan drinking ritual. It's just Kee Hin saying goodbye to anymore private drinking sessions. (He's getting married in 2 weeks)

As a warning, Don was sneering at the camera. Try harder next time.

While Kee Hin is smirking in his own corner. Probably sending a dirty sms to his wife.

New toy.

2006-10-11T18:45:00.000+08:00

Got this baby yesterday!

And I absolutely love it. Haven't really had the chance to play around with it yet. But look out for some pictures soon!

I've been reading a lot about HDR images and I'm gonna take a stab at it. Been downloading all the softwares and plug-ins... Now to just figure out how it works -_-

And can someone please get rid of the haze already!

Snap!

2006-10-05T19:32:00.000+08:00

So...

I know I talked about it. And I still don't have it yet. Yea I am talking about the lack of a camera.

I've been reading reviews, comparisons and what not... But I'm still lost. So which camera do you think is best. I like the sleek design of the new Sony digicam but I heard good things about the new Panasonic Lumix. And I tried to get into Canon, Olympus, Nikon.... ok you get my drift.

I have no fucking idea.

I don't require a major SLR camera.. or even a DSLR. But I would like something which allows me some kind of flexibility. At least I could play around with it instead of just taking snapshots.

Any suggestions?

Cough!

2006-09-29T12:37:00.000+08:00

Called in sick today. Woke up feeling like I've been hit by a train.

Was feeling much better after heading to the gym and was considering the notion of heading to work. But the devil had his ways.

Not like I tried thaaaat hard -_-

I think everyone's level of tolerance is hanging by a thread. Had been a crazy CRAZY week. It's neverending hey? You see new people coming in and going out on the very same day.

The new senior accounts manager? Already has her resignation letter ready.

And a new designer coming in on Monday. She's Malay. It's fasting month. Haha it's gonna be interesting.

And I had to play art director yesterday morning since the real one collapsed on the couch and was impossible to wake him up. Everywhere I turn, there was a slumped figure on some chair..floor or desk.

Haha. Let's hope next week will be better.

Voices from the past

2006-09-27T22:39:00.000+08:00

It's all in a haze right now.

Is it 5... no 6 years already since I came back from Melbourne?

The decision to come back is one of the things that I regret doing.

And can someone tell me why is it that 7 out of 10 scenarios involve an ex-flame one way or another. And I just had to be a numbnut and be one of them. How predictable.

Those 3 short years in Melbourne conjures some of the best memories:-

The day after I arrived, I went and coloured my hair flaming red(The folly of youth). And for some strange reason I got stopped by several Vietnamese blokes asking me if I was interested in purchasing their "special goods". I probably looked like your usual ah beng on the streets -_-

And those times which I got caught cruising on the trams without a ticket. Well you could only use the excuse of being new to the country just that many times. Needless to say those were embarassing episodes.

Or when I lugged around my guitar and amplifier to a friend's house and jammed there every week until he almost got evicted out of his room.

The Melbourne years also marked the clubbing heydays. Ok perhaps this is one chapter I am glad to be over and done with.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Above all I miss my stint as the semi-bartender at L'in Contro, a quaint cafe smack in the middle of the city. The amount of free coffee and cocktails I gave out to friends and girls were abnoxious. And being behind the bar, I could drink whatever it is to my fancy and taste whatever cakes available. Guess that is why we fight over who gets to be making coffee behind that enormous coffee machine.

And what would that cafe be without us bunch of half drunk uni-students running the place. Yep. The manager was hardly there. So we virtually turned the cafe into our little playground. Our toxic oasis.

Another thing which I miss... is the apartment I lived in during my final year. It was a little urban loft tucked in a small lane within the sprawling city. It had this huge balcony. Watching people of all walks of life going about their daily business became a personal hobby. And there was this neat little cafe downstairs - it's just a great feeling to wake up to people chatting away happily from afar.. the smell of fresh coffee and focaccias wafting up from below.

Just perfect.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I could go on and on...

Those were truly the days. The thought of going back to Melbourne has never left my mind.

But dropping everything and going back now is just too irresponsible.

At least I have the memories.

Perhaps someday...

Double Trouble

2006-09-26T04:36:00.000+08:00

Trouble.

It sure picks the best of times to pay you a visit. One minute ago you are happily cruising along this exceptionally perfect Monday, until

*GLORK!!! PATWANG-FWEEE!!!! GAZOWNT-GAZIKKAA!!! BLAM!!* (heh a little Don Martin tribute- Mad magazine's maddest artist) ...

and it hits you unawares.

And everything just starts snowballing out of proportions.

I know I should be used to it by now. You know, just shrug it off and do whatever you need to do right?

Easier said than done. Whomever coined that 'customers are always right' should be shot!

Now you know why I haven't been able to post much.

Too busy nurturing the clients' ever-growing gonads.

**Pic taken from http://www.geocities.com/donmartinweb/

Stayin alive..

2006-09-18T18:08:00.000+08:00

Haven't had the time to post anything lately.

We have started the shoot for the Panasonic commercial.. so everyone has been busy. Might post a few pictures of the location shoot. I have to start bugging people for the pictures.

Lots of changes lately.

There are 4 more designers and 1 FA artist. And a senior account manager.

Still one writer. Damn.

Managed to take some time off to lay back and have a couple of drinks at Bangkok Jazz on Saturday. And Mia's performance was pretty cool. Too bad we were mostly watching people's backs more than the performers.

Oh.. And I had to give up my desk. Long gone are the privacy walls. So now everyone is watching me bitch about work while I post in this blog.

Back to work!

Buzzzzzzzz zzzzz zzzzz

2006-09-08T10:14:00.000+08:00

Tada!
Ok. Time to head to work.

Evolution

2006-09-07T01:24:00.000+08:00

So here I am again.

Twiddling my thumbs and gazing into the eyes of the designers and art director. Seriously if my eyes get any smaller I would be blind.

Ever played internet games? Or maybe you are one of the contenders for KL's fastest SMS user. If that is the case you are probably familiar with the art of leet speak, the next evolution of the english language.

Here's an excerpt of me giving leet speak a spin.

"OMGWTFBBQHAX still here. I am so pwnzored. SUXX0RZ!!!. SIF I am such a NOOOoob. My boss is a total HAXX. Lawlz. This pc is FTL. I need some more coffee. That would roxxoR! LOLipops! And there is a mosquitoe in the room. omg stfu. It keeps on buzzing in my ear. Stop itz. Plz k thx. Pew Pew Pew Rawwwr."

Heh ok. So I got a little bored and overdid it a little. Sue me.

Plzkthx. Fuk.

All night long.

2006-09-06T21:22:00.000+08:00

Looks like I'm gonna be stuck in the office till the weeeee hours tonight.

Oooh Yea. Allow me to introduce you THE Achilles' heel.

The plague which sweeps across the office, consuming everything and everyone in its wake.

The bane of all writers.

Proofucking-reading.

Oh well.. everyone's got to pay their dues right.

Hopefully Astro has something good showing while I wait for the designers to finish up. Maybe I should entertain them while I wait. Perhaps prancing around the room half naked might induce them into putting the photoshop/illustrator into high gear.

Lol. Anyways..

Breakfast anyone?

Faces

2006-09-06T12:34:00.000+08:00

These print ads are cool huh?

Saddam Hussein - Threat or Pretext

Osama bin Laden - Dead or Alive

Castro - Tirany* or Freedom

* Did they like overlook the typo error? Tyranny? o_O

Sabotage?

2006-09-04T15:18:00.000+08:00

First of all .. I am not religious. And I'm not dissing any particular religion.

But a certain event just tickled my curiosity and I'm just wondering if this is a common act. So what do we have here...

Ok. Recently a friend's mum has taken up interest to learn more about christianity. Particularly Prostestant. So she enrolled herself into a Christian crash course. So weeks go by.. classes went on as usual. . until they had to perform this "ritual". Ok fine.. I coined it as a ritual because it seems that way to me.

So the main issue was the old chinese altar at home.

They needed to get rid of it.

No. Not just by packing it away or sending it over to someone else. It needed to be destroyed. And it had to be done by the hands of the church members. Ok. I don't know about you .. but I find that a wee bit weird. Apparently that altar is housing the devil. Isn't that putting down another religion?

Is it just me or is it plain over the top freaky.

When a hunter becomes the prey

2006-09-04T14:30:00.000+08:00

Who can forget the larger-than-life persona, the clumsy looking bloke who otherwise makes handling crocodiles look like a walk in the park.

Yep. The crocodile hunter, Steve Irwin from the land down under is no more.

After all his crazy antics with the giant reptiles, who would have expected him to die from a stingray barb.

Such is life...

Laundry.

2006-09-01T12:40:00.000+08:00

Maybe it's time to stop being a hermit and go out more often. Those days in Melbourne when clubbing was almost like a full-time commitment are long gone though.

I'm done with standing by the bar and trying to fit in. Whenever I attempt to step into a club, somehow it never fails to make me realize how much older I am now.

But I should definitely go to more jazz bars and witness more live acts.

That is if work allows it. Darn it.. why aren't the live acts slotted for Saturdays instead of freaking Thursdays.

Btw, I'm talking about Laundry at the Curve. Last night was good. The show was rocking. Yea Isaac Entry and friends performed a pretty sweet set. The music reminds me of Jack Johnson.. with a generous serving of blues and funk into the mix.

Gooood times!

ps. Yea I know. I should get a digital camera and start whoring some pictures.

One more :D

2006-08-30T17:57:00.000+08:00

Come on.. everyone loves the Wizard of Oz right?

The vivid characters, the ruby slippers, marvellous locations, the Wicked Witch of the West.. Oh and those midgets... the Munchkins!!

Oh.. and for fans of the wicked witch, here's a book which gives a new light to this green skinned femme fatale.

Which in turn inspired this broadway musical..

More films!

2006-08-30T17:22:00.000+08:00

Shrugs. I just couldn't stop thinking about films that I've watched. So here are a few more just from the top of my head. I should write a short sypnosis to each of them .. but I just really can't be fucked right now. But these are all good .. if you are into independent films.

Mail Order Wife

Broken Flowers

American Splendor

Unconventional humour

2006-08-30T14:38:00.001+08:00

Yea I know this is a 2003 film. But hey not many of my friends know about it. And since his new movie "Nacho Libre" is showing now, I thought I would shamelessly promote his previous flick. It's a cool film if you like "unique" humour. Yea it lacks a plot.. but so what.. it is full to the brim with "indie" goodness. The slacker mood, the retro setting, the loony cast and the best of all - the ultimate dance moves at the end of the movie!

So what are you waiting for? For all the degenerates out there, go get this film.

Other films which I've enjoyed recently :-

Tsotsi

Shooting Dogs

On A Clear Day

C.R.A.Z.Y

The Road to Guantanamo

From Borneo Ink with love

2006-08-27T01:18:00.000+08:00

Got the tattoo done today. Finally decided not to get the sanskrit phrase inked. Was flipping through the traditional Borneo/Iban tribals... and I just loved it.

The tattoo was bigger than expected.. and I only did 2 designs.. was supposed to have 3. (But I was being cautious) Might get the last one done next month.

Cheers Eddie!

Will try to get a picture taken and post it.

High time to get a digital camera..

Local Scene

2006-08-25T12:57:00.000+08:00

Just added 2 new links on the sidebar. Check them out. Most of you would be familiar with Laundry Bar.. It's a good thing that they are bringing in good music and supporting the local music scene as well.

And Junkonline as well. Giving more exposure to the local scene - which is where the music is at!

To be honest.. wish I was more active in the local music scene even if it's just supporting it bythe sidelines. I remember I was an avid supporter when the scene was in its infancy stage which witnessed initial performances by OAG and bands like Carburetor Dung paving the way for future local bands.

I guess it's not too late to start.

Dream on

2006-08-24T16:10:00.000+08:00

Wow. I am actually pretty free at work today. Doh! I should run out and get myself a lottery ticket.

Then maybe I would be the one calling the shots! The mighty voice which rejects all the work! Now that's an idea right there. For the good of all creatives we should have a "PYITS" (Put Yourself In Their Shoes) day. It's sort of like a special day where clients and creatives exchange roles for the day. Boy! I know what I would do if that ever happens.

Glorious payback time! Feel my wrath! Squirm under your large conference tables! *manic laughter*

Anyways. Too bad I don't gamble.

Bleh. So much for that random outburst.

One more day till I get my new tattoo !

Clients?

Fuck'em.

Fuck'em all.

Pink Floyd goodness.

2006-08-22T13:06:00.000+08:00

Wish You Were Here (Waters, Gilmour)

So, so you think you can tell
Heaven from Hell,
Blue skys from pain.
Can you tell a green field
From a cold steel rail?
A smile from a veil?
Do you think you can tell?

And did they get you to trade
Your heros for ghosts?
Hot ashes for trees?
Hot air for a cool breeze?
Cold comfort for change?
And did you exchange
A walk on part in the war
For a lead role in a cage?

How I wish, how I wish you were here.
We're just two lost souls
Swimming in a fish bowl,
Year after year,
Running over the same old ground.
What have we found?
The same old fears.
Wish you were here.

Aloha!

2006-08-21T17:47:00.000+08:00

So it's Independence Day soon.

And I just received an email from a friend with the attachment of a pretty interesting Hawaiian tune "Mamula Moon"..

The melody is exactly like the national anthem.

I wonder what's the story behind this.

Is it screwed up if I can't remember the full lyrics of the national anthem? Man I suck.

This is what happens when I get bored.

2006-08-21T17:22:00.000+08:00

The ultimate word.

A word which can be used for any occasion you can think of. Whether if you use it to accentuate your emotions or to hide away your secrets.

Some individuals prefer to keep the word sacred, only unleashing it when they need it most. While others enrich their language with the word or maybe two in every sentence.

Use it when you are totally happy.

Say it out loud when you are exceptionally frustrated.

Describe your favourite food...

Or defy your most hated enemy!

In pleasure...

Or in pain.

Yep.

The one word to rule them all,

One word to find them,

One word to bring them all and bind them.

"FUCK"

Man I'm so fucking bored.

Wordy...

2006-08-21T16:59:00.000+08:00

Ok. You do realize that by posting videos and pictures usually mean one thing.

I don't have anything relatively interesting to write about. Yep. I have no fucking idea what to write.

For the past week, all I have been doing is generating names for the new Panasonic air conditioner commercial. It's like banging your head against the wall. Maybe worse.

After about...

17 emails ...

4 sleepless nights..

A total of more than 180 names...

And I've got nothing to show for it. Zilch! They all got rejected! It's still swirling in limbo. Which probably mean I have to dive right in and work on it yet again. Bleh just another day at work.

I probably just made reading the thesaurus a full-time occupation.

2006-08-21T14:10:00.000+08:00

Stu Hamm

2006-08-21T14:01:00.000+08:00

Canon in D guitar

Awesome!

Phew..

2006-08-18T12:57:00.000+08:00

It's been a crazy week. I'm glad it's over.

And what's in for this weekend?

I am finally getting my third tattoo! YEP! I'm totally psyched!! Been wanting to have another one done since.. as long as I can remember! I've been looking through the internet, checking out new designs and finally it's down to 2 options.

A celtic design or a Sanskrit phrase. .

I've downloaded a Sanskrit dictionary and found the phrase I liked. The only problem is .. I am going to have it 'redesigned'. So I'm not sure if the actual meaning of the phrase would be altered. That would be kinda fucked up. Imagine walking around having "stupid" imprinted on your forearm.

The phrase that I've chosen supposedly means "Free from all past sins"...

Sofa spud.

2006-08-14T12:07:00.000+08:00

Ho Hum.. Typical Sunday. Half the day was already gone before I was fully awake. And the other half?

DVDs! Lots of them.

What can I say? I enjoy my boring life.

But the main highlight (or more accurately the lowpoint) was catching this new Malaysian reality show .. "I want to be a model".

How many rip-off reality shows can Malaysian viewers indulge themselves in?

I have to salute the participants though. What they lack in looks (or brains..it is about looking for the next model after all) they compensate it with balls.

Balls made of steel!

You should have seen the poses! It was great.. funniest shit I've seen so far. And the hairstyles.. really made them stand out. Even on planet Mars. And the responses from the participants! They should all be writing scripts for the next Stephen Chow movie.

The judges were equally as fascinating. They came across as veterans in the industry. Purely top of the crop! They sure gave out some good pointers. NOT!

In fact everything was so good.

From the two hosts feeding you the mock cheers to the presentation of the whole show. Everything is perfect. Just one thing I don't understand. Why did they fumble with the main title of the show?

It should be called,

"I want to be a clown"

Dazed!

2006-08-11T12:38:00.000+08:00

Zzzzzz....

Working till 7am proof-reading 8-point copy and trying to get the Japanese from Panasonic drunk the following day does this to you.

I'm a stuttering zombie. On a good note.. my CD made a 1k wager. The cause? We had to get the guy drunk. Flat out drunk.

I'd say the mission was a success. . after about 6 bottles of wine, a couple of beers and a reinforcement of scotch whiskey. But unfortunately he escaped while he still had control over his legs.

Oh well, at least we got to go home early.

Blogger 007

2006-08-09T14:34:00.000+08:00

There was this article couple of days ago, about the government warning bloggers to stop spreading political "propaganda" in their blogs. There's a nationwide investigation and teams are specially set up to sweep through forums/blogs to apprehend the suspected individuals.

Blogging espionage!

And here I am ranting about how busy it is at work and how bored I am. . How's that for being trivial!

Overloaded!

2006-08-09T14:18:00.000+08:00

Have been overloaded with work and it looks like it's gonna stay that way for a long while.

Good news is we won the Panasonic regional pitch. It was one ridiculously long pitch which lasted for 2 whole months!

Yes you heard me.

2 months of countless changes. And now that we have won (FINALLY!!).. it's another couple of months of pre-production.

I'm still deciding if it's good news or bad.

Too much to handle?

2006-08-04T12:45:00.000+08:00

In another instance...

I just remembered the comments made by some officer or minister regarding the Pussycat Dolls' recent performance in Malaysia. It goes something like..

"It's sad to see such performances being allowed into the country. We're Malaysians!"

What the fuck?

By the way, I'm not a fan of the group. I'm just in a ranting mood.

So is he saying that by watching girls in skimpy outfits prancing on stage would inevitably cause Malaysians to roam about the region on a pillaging and raping spree? Is he implying that Malaysians do not have the intellectual capacity to judge for themselves?

Has he even seen the local girls at various nightspots?

Or what about the classic Malaysian movies? Now those are cool. They were actually truly entertaining. And intelligent as well.

Sometimes I wonder if we are actually moving ahead or taking a step back in time. So much for 2020. Doesn't progress begin from the minds of the people?

Botched situation

2006-08-04T12:06:00.000+08:00

Not a good day.

Just got fined this morning for speeding. Don't you just hate it when you look at the smug faces of the police officers? Both parties knowing that this whole procedure is just a farce. From them asking for your license in that almighty tone to busily taking down details on what appears to be an empty piece of paper (which of course remains just that. EMPTY!)

"..........................."

And after that few seconds of expected silence, adding a touch of drama to the whole scene, comes the inevitable question..

"Mau saman atau settle?"

Next comes the haggling part of this whole fiasco. One thing to make sure if you see a road block up ahead... get your cache of bills stowed away and leave just the loose change in your wallet. And start warming up your facial muscles.. because you will soon have to pull an oscar winning performance.

So.. go ahead. Do your best Deniro or Nicholson improvisation and you can go on with your life. And he can start feeding off the next victim.

Of course this is just a meaningless rant. Which would you prefer? A hefty police summon. Or 5 minutes of having a nice casual chat with your friendly neighbourhood police officer and some loose change.

Lounge Lizard

2006-08-03T12:52:00.000+08:00

Recently I visited the pet store at Ikano. I was totally captivated by these wonderful bearded dragons. I've been wanting to have one of these ever since ...

... I 'fried' my green iguana.

I still remember that Saturday morning. I was swamped with work for two weeks and didn't have time to give Loki his much needed natural sunlight. So there I was .. thinking that this would be a good time to allow Loki to bask in the warm morning sun. I left him out there for an hour thinking that he would appreciate the extra dose of UV.

Instead I ended up with a very stiff lizard.

Worst part was .. I had to take it out of the cage. It was like picking up a piece of cold cardboard. It wasn't a good feeling.

So hopefully history wouldn't repeat itself if I decide to get one of these brilliant dragons.

Green Butter

2006-08-03T12:33:00.000+08:00

1 oz buds and frosty trim
1/2c real butter
1/2c water

Place all ingredients in crock pot, cook on low 3-4 hours. Stir mixture occasionally. This will stink up your house, so be prepared.

While crock pot is cooling down, line a strainer with several layers of cheesecloth. Place strainer in a large mixing bowl.

When crock pot is cool enough to handle, pour butter mixture through strainer. After all butter and water has run through strainer, carefully gather up ends of cheesecloth and gently twist to squeeze out any remaining butter.

Place mixing bowl in freezer until butter solidifies. This can take several hours, and some of the water may freeze as the mixture cools. Over the sink, turn the bowl over, and pour off any water/ice that may be left.

Enjoy in your favorite recipes.

A second go at life?

2006-07-31T15:40:00.000+08:00

Another weekend gone. And another new week to forge ahead.

It was a pretty quiet weekend. Just a mash of work and some dvds. At least the dvds were entertaining.

And for those who are jaded with reality try this http://secondlife.com/. Came across it while flipping through the papers.

Yes it's an online game. If you can even call it a game.

Yea it's totally pointless.

But here's your opportunity to be who or what you always wanted to be. A chance to do things that you can't in real life.

Yea it's lame. But this is the computer geek inside of me taking over. Try it out at your own risk.

Classic!

2006-07-27T17:39:00.000+08:00

Some of my favourite movie quotes...

"Toto, I've got a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore." The Wizard of Oz

"You talkin' to me?" Taxi Driver

"Say 'hello' to my little friend!" Scarface

"Toga! Toga!" National Lampoon's Animal House

"You're gonna need a bigger boat." Jaws

I'll end this with an excerpt from Pulp Fiction. Definitely a classic!

[after Butch saves Marsellus]
Butch: You okay?

Marsellus: Naw man. I'm pretty fuckin' far from okay.

Butch: What now?

Marsellus: What now? Let me tell you what now. I'ma call a coupla hard, pipe-hittin' niggers,who'll go to work on the homes here with a pair of pliers and a blow torch. You hear me talkin', hillbilly boy? I ain't through with you by a damn sight. I'ma get medieval on your ass.

Butch: I meant what now between me and you?

Marsellus: Oh, that what now. I tell you what now between me and you. There is no me and you. Not no more.

For better or worse...

2006-07-26T21:08:00.000+08:00

As usual... I'm getting sidetracked from the work. Here I am just chatting with this friend and out of nowhere came this random question...

"Did meeting her and her circle of friends affect my life in any way"

And with a "try-hard-to-be-carefree-attitude" I said nope... not at all. I am the same guy before albeit not as rampant but yea...

I'm still the same guy.

Or am I?

Would I be any different if I have not stayed back in Melbourne for an extra year and met this bunch of people. Would I be doing things differently .. thinking differently?

Do I even speak the same way I did.

Were certain episodes in your past designed to push the various mechanics which ultimately shapes who you are today.

You might not realize it.

But sometimes people just come into your life and pull certain strings and you come out a different person.. for better or worse.

You never know who these people may be... your best friend,

...an angry driver who was honking behind you all the way back home,

a lover perhaps?

Or even a complete stranger.

Who knows which part they played into shaping who you are today.

For me..

I'm hoping that some of the better qualities of my friends have rubbed off over the years..

Just a ....

2006-07-25T19:49:00.000+08:00

random post.

Just needed to get away from the corporate video script I'm working on... It's progressing at a snail's pace and every step is more painful than the last.

ANYWAYS...

I can't believe I have kept this blog up for almost a month now! I was pretty sure that it would last not more than 2 days!

Alright. That filled up today's "blog quota". Back to work.

Forbidden desires...

2006-07-24T14:15:00.000+08:00

No. I am not turning this into some sex journal.

But I have been contemplating whether if I should put this into the blog and finally decided why not. It's too "juicy" to just let it fade. Obviously I am not going to be giving out any names.

It's just one of those things that you read about and perhaps fantasize of doing but when actually faced with the question ...

"Would you be interested in having group sex?"...

Suffice to say I was surprised. I was left speechless for a bit, before a multitude of thoughts and images rushed into my mind. I was obviously curious.

Perhaps a little tempted.

Then came the questions.

Would I be willing to actually swap partners? It seemed a little demented to do so.

What would the aftermath be? Mixed feelings.. would things be different from then on.

Who the hell is she? Oh yea. I have not even met the person and vice versa.

She's older? 32-year old. A cousin-aunt of a friend.

So there ya go. The ultimate fantasy shot down with a series of unanswered questions. Did I go through with it?

No.

Tempted?

Definitely.

Banzai!!

2006-07-24T13:56:00.000+08:00

It was another long weekend.

Of work that is.

Been going through heaps of DVDs, looking for footages for a rip-o-matic. It doesn't help that we share different tastes. I'm looking for charming and quirky bits while others are all about the raw action.

What makes a certain scenario cool? Colourful scenarios which transport you back to a particular point in time which in turn brings a big smile to your face. Or big, sweaty blockheads covered in grease astride their equally oversized, "macho inducing" motorcycles.

Why write a blog?

2006-07-23T13:43:00.000+08:00

Yesterday, too lazy to go out after a very heavy seafood lunch, I sat at home online and manage to catch up with an old classmate of mine. A week before this, I got a notification from Friendster that she has started a blog. Curious on how she was doing and a little 'kepoh', I went to check out her blog.

In her blog was the usual stuff on her normal daily stuff, plus...an *interesting (wink, wink)* incident on her dating life. So, while catching up on the normal stuff (work, work and work), I casually mention that I've been reading her blog (so that she don't have to beat around the bush to get to her lovelife stuff). Her reaction was one that I have not expected.

She literally said "You've read it!!! No one was supposed to read it! I'm so embarrassed"......

I was speechless for a moment and then I asked....

"Why write a blog when you don't want anyone to read it?"

Then she go on explaining that she was bored and so she posted the incident on the blog. She didn't expect anyone would have gotten to read it. :S

Her reaction got me thinking...when I first started my blog, the purpose was not to all show-and-tell to the whole world. (Cos I was literally bitching bout my co-worker then :P).

Eventually, I told Kim bout my blog, who responded "You're bitching bout her, better not let anyone know you have this blog". And Kim, as I know, have several blogs, in which some she did not reveal to me or anyone in our group of friends.

So, is blog a form of privacy? Or a form of public show & tell?

Food for thought

2006-07-21T12:50:00.000+08:00

When the person sitting next to you is starting to annoy the fuck out of you.

Provided By MetroLyrics

Divine messenger

2006-07-20T21:50:00.000+08:00

It was two nights ago that I received this call for 'help'.

I may not be the best guy to get advice from but hey.. I'm willing to lend a compassionate ear. Besides, this topic is my expertise!

"How to get your partner to quit smoking".

You can't.

Not before and definitely not now.

You can get him to cut down on the smokes. That's doable. But go cold turkey? Stop killing yourself over it. Sure, you can bust his balls and get him to say "Yea ok I'll quit..." which really means "Yea I'll quit smoking in front of you...".

They just need to do it on his/her own accord.

It doesn't mean that they don't care enough.

Time will tell. If he/she is indeed serious about getting rid of the habit and with sufficient support from you.. who knows.

In the meantime stop killing yourself over it.

Man in a box

2006-07-20T12:06:00.000+08:00

Haha! These ambient ads are cool! Now can you just imagine what goes on in one of those "special" Japanese vending machines?

Another one bites the dust

2006-07-19T21:41:00.000+08:00

Is it just me or is this year THE season for couples to get hitched. At least it seems that way within my circle of friends.

Yep. They are dropping like flies.

Did they just get together one weekend and decide that "Yep. This is the year to tie the knot!" Four friends so far and still counting. I guess if you have found the right person you want to spend the rest of your life with, why wait. Which comes to my long struggle with the question "Is it better to love or to be loved". I'm going to stop myself before I start a verbal diarrhea regarding that taboo subject.

I am happy for those lucky ones that have found what, or in this case whom they want and would just like to give my warmest congratulations to the both of them.

Plastic

2006-07-18T18:07:00.000+08:00

These designer toys are just fucking awesome. Here's just a little peek at some of them. Go to myplasticheart under the links section to see more.

Dear monday

2006-07-17T15:36:00.000+08:00

Yea, you have heard it all before.

The dreaded Monday. Where everything so right the day before turns out to be the biggest nightmare come Monday morning. How appropriate then, that I started off my favourite day of the week by screaming out FUCK it's Monday.

Every Monday brings you back to the same old space, and the same people whom some you see more than your own family.

So here I am. Staring at the same dinosaur specimen that they call a working personal computer. It probably serves a better purpose as a side table.

Ideas that were painfully thought through on a Sunday night is now just another Monday's piece of thrash. I bet Mondays are the clients favourite day of the week. In fact, they probably dream about it, playing through every conceivable manic thought, relishing every moment they unleash their tantrums upon their unsuspecting agency.

Monday. Glorified Monday.

Blonde Redhead!

2006-07-14T14:53:00.000+08:00

Get your own Flash MP3 Player

A little Bob Dylan for you

2006-07-14T13:44:00.000+08:00

How many roads must a man walk down,
Before you call him a man?
How many seas must a white dove sail,
Before she sleeps in the sand?
How many times must cannonballs fly,
Before they're forever banned?

The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind

How many years can a mountain exist,
Before it's washed to the seas
How many years can some people exist,
Before they're allowed to be free?
How many times can a man turn his head,
Pretend that he just doesn't see?

The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind.

Yes and how many times must a man look up,
Before he can see the sky?
Yes and how many ears must one man have,
Before he can hear people cry?
Yes and how many deaths will it take till he knows
That too many people have died?
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind

If I wasn't ....

2006-07-12T18:43:00.000+08:00

in the advertising industry, what the hell would I be doing.

Honestly I have no idea. I have entertained that notion countless times and until today it's still swirling around in a huge mass of limbo. One thing for sure, I wouldn't find myself in sales.

Clients. Don't like them. And never will.

Will I be writing for the press perhaps? High-profile magazine?

Maybe write reviews for music? That would be something. At least I get free CDs. Hang on, what the hell am I talking about. I would probably be killing myself listening to countless post-grunge wannabes...

Immerse myself into the family business? Ok. Fuck that.

Gardener? No.

Chef? Not too long ago someone mentioned my instant noodles expertise or lack of it. No.

Insurance? Uh uh.

Part-time college lecturer? Definitely not.

Professional gamer? Yeah right.

As you can see this list can go on and on without a sound conclusion. It serves no real purpose but as a self mocking thought that I am stuck here at work, right this moment with a blank sheet of paper in front of me, trying to crack the 'big' idea ...

Anti-Radio Unit

2006-07-12T17:55:00.000+08:00

Get your own Flash MP3 Player

More from Cannes!

2006-07-12T15:12:00.000+08:00

Darian's a bore....

2006-07-12T15:07:00.000+08:00

Darian invited me here. So, I'm gonna make a comment on this blog.

"Darian you damn mou liew lah! Post pictures, images, pictures and images only. The idea of a blog is to post your views or thoughts on something ma...Write something la. Somemore copywriter wor..."

Pretty hot wheels.

2006-07-12T14:47:00.000+08:00

Some cool prints from Cannes

2006-07-12T13:23:00.000+08:00

WHich is your favourite van gogh?

2006-07-11T20:26:00.000+08:00

The works of a guy who only sold a single painting in his lifetime. Go figure.

Life's a pitch

2006-07-11T20:16:00.000+08:00

Life's a pitch

Smack! Right in your face.

2006-07-11T20:09:00.000+08:00

Somehow I find this ad really interesting. Some find it provocative and crossing the line into being tasteless...

Digital art anyone?

2006-07-11T19:30:00.000+08:00

Some of the digital art sites / illustrations I've been looking through to kill time..

http://www.jamesjean.com/

http://spacetrash.unicornmeat.net/

http://www5.ocn.ne.jp/%7etirarist/

http://www.dlanham.com/

http://www.agent44.com/

http://www.ashleywoodartist.com/

http://ml.hoogerbrugge.com/

http://www.rednosestudio.com/

...

2006-07-11T18:24:00.000+08:00

Bored Bored Bored

2006-07-11T18:06:00.000+08:00

Been sitting here at work doing everything apart from the WORK.

Currently work=tonnes vs Ideas=big fat zero

Good thing I have Yeah Yeah Yeahs with me.

Life's a pitch

Downward spiral

Hanging by a thread

"The spider’s most attenuated threadIs cord, is cable, to man’s tender tieOn earthly bliss; it breaks at every breeze."

Keeping a tradition of excellence.

To do a Houdini...

-_-

Geek 101

Big Cheese...

When the happiest moment in your life turns into a...

An anthem for all things natural.

A few more from Sentul West

A little piece of magic in the heart of KL.

The wonder dog

Camera shy

A stab at HDR

Home sweet home...

New toy.

Snap!

Cough!

Voices from the past

Double Trouble

Stayin alive..

Buzzzzzzzz zzzzz zzzzz

Evolution

All night long.

Faces

Sabotage?

When a hunter becomes the prey

Laundry.

One more :D

More films!

Unconventional humour

From Borneo Ink with love

Local Scene

Dream on

Pink Floyd goodness.

Aloha!

This is what happens when I get bored.

Wordy...

Phew..

Sofa spud.

Dazed!

Blogger 007

Overloaded!

Too much to handle?

Botched situation

Lounge Lizard

Green Butter

A second go at life?

Classic!

For better or worse...

Just a ....

Forbidden desires...

Banzai!!

Why write a blog?

Food for thought

Divine messenger

Man in a box

Another one bites the dust

Plastic

Dear monday

Blonde Redhead!

A little Bob Dylan for you

If I wasn't ....

Anti-Radio Unit

More from Cannes!

Darian's a bore....

Pretty hot wheels.

Some cool prints from Cannes

WHich is your favourite van gogh?

Life's a pitch

Smack! Right in your face.

Digital art anyone?

...

Bored Bored Bored

"The spider’s most attenuated thread
Is cord, is cable, to man’s tender tie
On earthly bliss; it breaks at every breeze."