azuar's muse

Meeting

2011-10-26T02:16:00.001+08:00

We had our monthly meeting at Satu today. As usual it was a lengthy one as we discuss the administrative, operation, marketing, finance, HR and updates on project. I find it amusing that most of what I learn about business I pick up from magazine and books.

In the meeting we welcomed the latest addition to our team, a designer from peninsula Malaysia. He’s quite a chirpy fella.

After the meeting we had dinner, the usual place with ayam penyet by the Sarawak River. I suggested that Satu should do a not-for-profit work to make us excited about what we do again. We were discussing about children with learning disabilities.

I really like the Blogspot's new dynamic template

October

2011-10-03T00:06:00.000+08:00

It’s already October.

I am thinking about next year. This year is a mixed of sorrows and new learning experience.

My beloved grandfather left us this year. I am pretty close with him but the fact is no one lives forever. I hope I will recite the yaasin often.

I started going to the gym after years of having it in my new years resolutions. I hired a personal trainer to help me for three months. It is expensive (for me) but it is money well spent, as he’s quite good. It turns out working out is not so bad if you know what you’re doing and I also learned how to eat better.

Skinless chicken parmesan and tea without sugar in place of senseless nasi lemak and caramel machiato.

It is also the first year I am without a regular full time job. I am still teaching at the university part time but the rest of my finances come from the creative services business that I started last year.

I ended up being so busy I had to delay finishing my postgraduate studies this year. I am working to at least finished at the Graduate Diploma level this year and I’m doing my final unit, Online Writing at the moment.

This brings me to thinking about what I would do next year?

I told my personal trainer that at times after losing sleep time and missing meals, I sometime wish that I were back fulltime at a university. After 4 years teaching, I feel quite at home in classrooms. All this idea that leadership is something I excel in is too tiring. And I probably couldn’t afford his fees. His replies were “at least you’re not in a relationship’.

sunday: william morris, nat king cole, hellboy

2011-03-13T15:21:00.009+08:00

william morris, designed for a printed textile "wey" (1882-83)

i have an assignment on comparing practice lead research, research led practice and practice based research due on tuesday. i intend to start very soon. possibly after reading book 2 of the hellboy series, wake the devil with nat king cole the background.

i read hellboy's book 1 seed of destruction last wee. its paranormal detective genre juxtaposed with fictional/speculated world war 2 history is a dream to read. the narrative pensive, reminiscent of johnathan hawker's letters in bran stoker's dracula, unbecoming of the otherworldly characters in its pages.

batman pt 2

2010-12-18T10:56:00.075+08:00

The four batman graphic novels i mentioned in the last post had arrived in the mail and I've read two last nite.

The first was Catwoman When in Rome by Jeph Loeb (Writer) and Tim Sale (Artwork). The story follows Selina Kyle as she travels to Rome to find out whether she was the daughter of Carmine Falcome the mob head from the Long Halloween. She brought the nerdy Edward Nigma @ The Riddler with her thinking that he'd be good at solving riddles. In Rome she they are joined with Blondie, a pretty cool hitman.

While she was there, a mob boss was killed with a joker serum and they were suspects which complicates things. Selina is also haunted by nightmares about Batman. The story has plenty of layers and I felt it's even better than The Long Halloween and Hush.

As expected the artwork finds a lot of excuse to have Selina naked. Sale is a master of shadows.

The Black Blove by Grant Morisson (writer) is two stories split into one without a conclusion. The first part sees Batman and Robin gathered together with third rate batman inspired superheroes - like night and squire - in a house where they are tested in a battle between good and evil by an invisible hand.

The second story is more thrilling where the police had experimented with a new Batman in the event Batman gets killed, and test it against him with shocking results.

The artwork by Tony Daniel is just okay.

The first first part felt ridiculous.

The second part of the novel is good and made me curious about Dr Hugo Strange that is rumored to appear in Nolan's next Batman installment.

For this review I'd give Catwoman When in Rome 9.5 out of 10 and Batman Black Blove a 6.5 out 10.

batman

2010-12-16T05:13:00.011+08:00

December is Batman Fest at home.

I got myself two batman graphic novels, Hush by Jeph Loeb (writer) and Jim Lee (art) and The Long Halloween by also Loeb (writer) and Tim Sale (art). I am expecting four more to arrive for me to chow down during my month long end of the year leave. Hopefully by this week.

Loeb's structure for the two stories are pretty similar with Batman doing his whodunnit detective work. In The Long Halloween the focus is the crime family, the Falcone, while Hush is all super villain. All.

The story is not exceptional but is still solid.

I love this quote from Hush where Batman said about Superman:

He is the best at what he does - not what I do.

A big part of savoring graphic novel is the beautiful artwork. Lee is all for stunning, stunning, details that will make you fall for Catwoman while Sale is more shadows and contrast that works well with the night setting of Batman.

The artworks really lift the stories.

I'd give The Long Halloween 8 out of 10 and Hush 8.5 out of 10 because of Lee's illustrations.

new kicks

2010-11-12T00:35:00.006+08:00

planning to jog early in the morning tomorrow. got myself these nike lunarswift+ shoes solely - pun intended - for its slick florescence green detail on grey. it does have some functions to it like generous cushioning and is very light.

run Azuar, run!!

i also picked up some health supplements like betacarotene for my eyes. i need to sleep earlier and stop torturing them.

for context and culture today we went to the state legislative building using the penambang or river taxi. we had a tour of the place and i pointed out to the students after that being a lecturer people whom i just met always talk about their kids education to me.

"...because I was a former army i thought that my daughter would be as tough as me" noting that her daughter that quits taking nursing where she even fainted.

"girls are gentler" i replied.

education is a subject that is very close to their heart. parents work and save for years. i met parents who are paddy farmers and rubber tapper struggling to send their ten year old adopted son through primary school. yet they still find joy in picking him up from school everyday.

i'm back

2010-10-20T19:16:00.002+08:00

At the moment, Satu is handling two projects, designs for a carnival of over 100 exhibitors and editing sound and video for another client all needs to be completed within this week.

I can’t work under stress and I can’t bear seeing others work in that condition. So there’s plenty of messing around like throwing rugby football across the apartment and taking a break to the mamak stall.

Today, after HDC003 tutorial and I had a quick lunch at McD and had updates on the carnival and video.

I miss blogging. To put on hold whatever it is that I am working on and just reflect.

I imagine that I’d enjoy the thrill of managing the studio and classes but frankly, maybe its my twenty seven age, I am feeling a little tired. When it is time to write the weekly discussions for my coursework my mind feels like it had turned into jell-o. Another downside to this madness is dust that is collecting on my books.

My contract with the university ends in two months. I have been on a rebellious streak; it wouldn’t surprise me if they don’t offer me a new contract. I don’t mind really, looking at the team they have on campus now, I’d be leaving the students in capable hands.

shanghaied to shanghai

2010-08-11T01:47:00.015+08:00

updates. i am a sucker for it. often patronizing news sites like guardian and sun and tv channels like cnn, bbc and the likes.

so here are some updates on myself to date. post horror story at work, i had wanted to quit but instead opt for the next best thing since slice bread - a lengthy leave to get away from it all - to shanghai.

there in the city inhabited by 20 million, i would be lost in the crowd where verbal communication takes a back seat to expression and gestures and social media like facebook and twitter are not "it" enough to enter the country like communism and constructivist design.

not much to highlight apart from the two art museum that i went. one on ink painting, another, typical of rebellious indonesian art. i like contrast. the parks are beautiful, sculptures, lotus flowers, elders one leg folded playing cards, families looking/waiting for missing members, merry go rounds and bumper cars.

i also went to the "world expo" but as expected, it's not really my cup of chinese tea.

shamelessly and admittedly, I like just being under oh so cliche-ly "under the cloud of duvet" in the hotel room watching news.

organic plastic

2010-07-05T09:43:00.009+08:00

weekend in singapore, evening dinner with family, friends and students. quiet day at the library and preparing food at home. it's been very pleasant. it's nice to enjoy breakfast, think wheat bread vegi with cheese sandwiches and cereals with pecans and real honey for breakfast.

trying to kick the habit of making unnecessary spending using my credit card. it's only day seven of using my debit card so i can't speak so soon about the results.

the studio

2010-06-24T01:58:00.017+08:00

We had the monthly meeting for my studio. I did some graphs on my presentation using Keynote and I thought it was fun. It is almost like magic to see simple lines and bars clarify by visualizing information. I'm so easily pleased.

We started this practice of screening movies at the studio. So far we have watched, Religulous, Beautiful Losers and A Day in Europe. The TV room idea using the flat screen that we bought for a project was a masterstroke idea by Andy.

I also learned how to do silkscreen.

These learning processes that is happening at the studio are fun.

It’s like giving my LFSE004 Context and Culture class a new address.

Today I enjoyed this thought:

You're trying to intellectualize something, desperately, and you're wasting your time. That’s not the way of understanding, to make things into mini logic, never understand by that road. (Understand) by your own feelings about things - Leonara Carrington

coffee tumbler

2010-06-21T13:10:00.008+08:00

It’s been a habit of mine of late to look at tweets my Paulo Coelho just as I wake up. He would have these cringe worthy lines that often have universal truth in them. Don't we love positive message, first thing in the morning?

This morning he wrote, or rather tweet, Inspiration + Discipline = The Perfect Combination.

I have had quite an inspired weekend reading essays by the likes of Barbara Warde, Paul Rand, Jan Tischold, the design greats. They talked about good typography and having system in design.

I have a quiz session with HDC001 today. The questions are on Modernism, specifically on American Modernism, Scandinavian Model and Industrial revolution in Paris; all multiple choices apart from one. I am confident the students will ace them.

Almost out of coffee in my tumbler.

My iTunes playing Don't See the Sorrow by Au Revoir Simone.

Tuesday is for doing my assignments, for now I will enjoy Monday.

I am very disciplined with my rest.

the good birthday

2010-06-14T09:58:00.005+08:00

Here are my birthday highlights:

Students surprised me with cake in class. It was a delicious chocolate and cream cake and we watched Return of the Cat which was hilarious
Drinks with friends that got a bit too serious and distracted I think
Another round with students at Jambu which was nice
Dinner with family was special

time traveller

2010-06-09T08:21:00.005+08:00

work and assignments is - as always - at fault for my absence for the past 2 months.

as it is, in 2 days time, i will turn 27.

sure books are always appreciated as presents, but i want to add a watch to my wish list.

i am not expecting anything expensive, no, i just like the idea of time. for example, i like it when i take time to reflect.

immediately on my bedside now my to read lists looks like this:

1. karim raslan, ceritalah: malaysia in transition

2. helen armstrong, design theory

3. anthony capella, the various flavors of coffee

4. kimberly elam, grid systems

5. ellen lupton, thinking with type

6. bruce willen, lettering and type

i'm planning to write and give more lectures on design that should explain the choice of books.

long weekend

2010-04-05T03:28:00.007+08:00

it was a nice long weekend. a little bit productive, a little bit rested. it's nice to have things in moderation.

i've finished my assignment on discussing the use of hypothetical in character development and i'm now on to reading against the text of a book written in 19th century. i might do emma by jane austen and look at it from a feminist perspective.

i also got myself a new oven and find myself experimenting with making my own pizza dough. it's always about finding 'the' recipe. i have little experience in baking my own bread. the toppings were just a simple sauce, mushrooms and lots of mozzarella.

seeing as how well the weekend went with writing and cooking i think perhaps people should consider making a three day weekend the standard.

Reason Being

2010-03-22T02:09:00.008+08:00

I found an old test print from a studio photography shoot that I did in college days. We developed it ourselves in the dark room with the chemicals and all. I miss those days.

I drew and read a lot. That was all that kept me happy. My favorite dish was this simple egg with cheese sandwich that made me happy as can be.

When I started working it was nice as well, waking up early, the smell of curry in the morning from the Indian stall near my apartment, catching the train, busses and plenty of walking and from it plenty of time to think about things.

Looking back, each point in life seems so spectacularly special and today appear so ordinary. The past has a reason, and the reason being to let us know where we had been and heading.

Teaching at a ‘serious’ university just doesn’t give me that spark that I need. The same goes for this business design venture that I am embarking, financial gains takes precedence to the thrill of creativity.

I know I still have my ideals intact. As much as I am uncertain of other things, I am certain of that.

risotto bianco

2010-02-19T10:34:00.006+08:00

made risotto bianco for lunch. added beef bacon because i ran out of mushroom. i'm not sure if this pass as a 20 minutes meal. it felt a lot longer with the stirring and ladling. still it's incredible what onions, celery, stock, parmesan and butter do to short grained rice.

nice dish but i can't have this often less i plan to be obese. eat responsibly readers.

truly madly deeply

2010-02-18T20:37:00.013+08:00

i remembered listening to this song truly madly deeply by savage garden in high school - back in the 90s - and thought that it was a beautiful video and had liked the song.

found this version of it, by lads in a pub wearing their hearts on their sleeves singing

I'll be your dream, I'll be your wish
I'll be your fantasy
I'll be your hope, I'll be your love
Be everything that you need
I'll love you more with every breath
Truly, madly, deeply do

I will be strong, I will be faithful
'Cause I'm counting on
A new beginnin'
A reason for livin'
A deeper meanin', yea

And I want to stand with you on a mountain
I want to bathe with you in the sea
I want to lay like this forever
Until the sky falls down on me

confessing to their other half. football. their true feelings. madness.

caesar salad

2010-02-16T20:33:00.014+08:00

made chicken caesar salad for dinner.

i like the fact that, with the chicken, beef bacon and croutons it's easy to forget that there's actually lettuce in it. i used anchovies fillets instead of worcestershire sauce for piercing salt taste of the dressing and yogurt instead of eggs for the creamy texture.

a fact i didn't know about caesar salad is that it has its origin from tijuana, mexico.

there's few things that is therapeutic as cooking for me.

*****

had just finished reading what your teacher didn't tell you by farish noor.

it was engrossing as the author tease out lectures on keris as malay symbol, how old journals and arts reveals our liberal sexual past, progressive history of pas led by dr burhanuddin helmy and finally how hang tuah is powerful because he can denounce power.

GPS and New Year

2010-02-15T00:07:00.009+08:00

Happy Chinese New Years to my friends and all everyone who celebrate it.

During the daytime today, christine, franka and I visited friends houses for the New Years and had quite a fun time getting lost using the GPS function on the phone. I think part of what makes visiting so much fun is the whole missing a junction and eventually finding the destination.

That actually sounds philosophical.

The apps has been fantastic. The calendar and notes function actually feels more at home on the iphone than on my macbook.

*****

I have started cooking again the past few days and tonite I’ve made spaghetti with pesto sauce with mushrooms – or the only things that’s left in the kitchen.

I will need to do some groceries shopping soon.

Will retreat to reading now.

fantastic mr jr

2010-02-07T02:23:00.007+08:00

found myself into some kind of movie watching patterns again. my i-cal is filled with appointments and task, but i am finding time for more important things in life like movies.

the first of two movies that i i find myself watching was fantastic. fantastic mr fox to be exact. it's a fun lightly humored, stop motion/3d animation feature. i feel it is much like kung fu panda with jack black as you can really get the comic style of the actor contributing their voice to the title character, in this instance, george clooney.

the second movie is an adaptation of sir arthor conan doyle's famous detective novel, sherlock holmes. the movie has really strong star appeal with robert downey jr and jude law with downey jr such a wonderful method actor. the style of how sherlock's deduction is presented is also a treat.

umbrella academy

2010-02-04T21:41:00.010+08:00

just finished reading umbrella academy written by gerrard way - yes, of my chemical romance (yick!) - and art by gabriel ba .

i know its kind of expected to feel like this, but i think it's the best comic i've read, ever. it has delightful characters, the silly stuff, fantastic artwork and also depth with family issues all wrapped in a nicely paced story.

the characters takes me back to when i was younger where imagination seems to make them up out of clouds.

i'm putting books aside for now in place of comics.

the force unleashed

2010-02-01T02:52:00.022+08:00

keeping with the comic theme, i've read star wars: the force unleashed.

it begins withdarth vader sending his apprentice starkiller out for a series of task like fighting a jedi master and forming an alliance with the rebellion to wrest power from the emperor. the main plot is the politics in the dark side with betrayals. even though this equates into fluctuation in the story it still have the inevitable feel about how the story would end.

the narrative come off a bit too strong in introducing a character or situation rather than let the story come together on its own. also, starkiller's character wasn't develop enough that i would want to root for him to win like i had with maul in resurrection.

a minor detail that might be contentious but i'll say it anyway, why name the character starkiller? the name seems awkward for the romantic part of the story involving pilot, captain juno and seems to have irony in it with starkiller in a duel with darth vader.

the artwork is endearing, i love the sketchy lines and the strong contrast with shading. the out of this world details from lush moons to urban stars is really something for the imagination.

got a bicycle deck of cards. definitely of a different grade from the now worn out kampung cards that we used to play with. it shuffles smoothly and the color's way brighter. they also make clay chips. oh-sweet-temptation.

resurrection

2010-01-29T23:22:00.005+08:00

nice to be alone for a change. feels like i have a slight fever what with the changing weather and all.

as it is, i am in my room, resting and just finished reading star wars resurrection. it was quite a comic seeing two of the villainest villain in the series darth vader and darth maul go one on one with one another. the story is simple: vader was tricked to go to this moon, he sense there were a lot of darkness in the mood, then appear dark side heretics and darth maul resurrected having been killed by obi wan before this.

the heretics wants maul to replace darth vader to serve the emperor because they say he isn't pure and was a jedi. then the two darths takes on each other.

i won't say too much but the trash talking is excellent and the fight scene with the volcanic background is out of this galaxy. and of course maul trademark double light sabers!

it's nice to be lost in something.

errands

2010-01-15T15:02:00.003+08:00

at the office. the internet at home had been down a few days now.

it's been raining for weeks now. i really should take advantage of it to read but i had a few things that needed to clear up this month. i will devote my weekend.

among the errands that i did this month was signing up for a postpaid mobile phone account. it's to help me track how much i actually spend on phone and the rates are also cheaper as well than using postpaid. its a series of things i did to control my budget for 2010.

and then comes examples of how i would blow it, as i just ordered an iphone 3gs.

weekend trip

2010-01-04T23:30:00.020+08:00

back from a weekend new years trip.

got myself a grey single breasted suit, plus other work clothes. i like the suit, light and nice fit although i will need to alter the arm length a bit.

i did get some books as well. three books. what your teacher didn't tell you by farish noor, the quran translated by m.a.s abdel haleem and graphic design theory: readings from the field edited by helen armstrong.

*****

whilst on the trip, without distractions like my laptop, i lie on my hotel bed and finished off gigolo by amanda anstill. it is a fun book but neither poignant nor surprising to win any literary prize.

a novel that centers around the profession of a gigolo, it regrettably didn't take a look at cutting through the stereotypes. the drama that it tries to conjure, where one moment the protagonist jets across the atlantic to see a client and the next him, as a jazz musician who is in love with the regular girl working at a cafe, is also at its best, predictable. having said that, amanda still nonetheless manage to hold me -the reader - with the fast paced prose of the novel.

*****

i watched a couple of movies whilst i was away. 500 days of summer, sabrina (1950s) and breakfast at tiffany's. in that order. i actually had something in my eyes, at the end of 500 days of summer. coincidental or fate :)

back to the new year. the end of a year and the promise of the next. i haven't actually thought of a resolution this time. i guess,

1. read and make more time for it
2. don't get bogged down by work, they're expandable ;)
3. cook more, they always cool me down

if it's not too late. happy new year!

gender role

2009-12-28T23:49:00.028+08:00

did some grocery shopping today. i got myself some salmon fillet that i seared and rest on top of fettucine in quatro fromage inspired sauce - a 3/4 cheeses take on the classic. the results on the plate was a neatly seasoned fillet cooked just enough that it melts in the mouth.

the pasta was nice, simple and understated, the balance between the two really surprised me.

after dinner, i watched the first couple of episodes of mad men. a series set in a fictional advertising agency in the 60s. my first respond watching it is one of amazement. i am not a tv series person, the last one i followed was sex and the city, and mad men certainly had its own distinct drama and style going for it.

they had tried to make it as authentic with the smoking, drinking, racism and depiction of the gender role in a male dominated environment.

"advertising is a very small world as it is, if you malign a reputation of a women on her first day, you make it even smaller.

keep it up, and even if u do get my job, you will not run this place. you'll die in the corner office, a mid level executive, with little bit of hair whom women will go home without a pity. you wanna know why? cos' no one will like you".

i love don draper.

*****

stretching, breathing and meditating

2009-12-28T01:32:00.006+08:00

i did yoga today.

its like another tick on the list of things i didn't plan to do but end up doing for this year that includes hash run, paintball, signing up for gym and even long distance cycling.

i am very home-ish with reading, and cooking being my 'thing' so it's nice to do all more athletic thing for a change. i feel like i'm a lot more balanced.

the yoga class was fun, and would definitely do it again. stretching breathing and meditating on a mat thats like a very tiny little island.

books, social work and altering suit

2009-12-23T03:40:00.016+08:00

It’s been a full couple of days of meetings, dinners and reading.

I am currently reading How Language Works by David Crystal – a gift from C and The Amateur Marriage by Anne Tyler – RM10 from my favorite small independent bookshop that's closing its doors.

I still haven’t finished Gigolo by Amanda Anstill.

I've been cooking and when I'm in the mood to cook, somehow, I'm also in the mood to read.

****

Had dinner with Bill, Kate and their delightful kids and got in this conversation about social work with Kate. She shared how she taught English to refugees and currently doing her masters in social work.

It makes me think how an academic can actually do things that helps people. With academic freedom and the flexi hours.

I like what Barack says here, "It's as a consequence of working with this organization and this community that I found my calling. There was something more than making money and getting a fancy degree. The measure of my life would be public service."

*****

I want to send my suit to be altered tomorrow. I got it off the rack and the lengths need to be adjusted.

Incoherence of Incoherence

2009-12-16T23:26:00.012+08:00

In my room, having strawberry tea by Harrods and strawberry cream sandwich from M&S. i dunno how they're in my house. The tea taste like Arabian Hookah.

*****

This morning, I watched Goya's Ghost starring Natalie Portman, Javier Bardem and Stellan Skarsgard. The movie centers around the imprisonment of Ines, a daughter of a rich merchant through the infamous Question of the Spanish Inquisition.

The painter Francisco Goya, character is of a person who has access to individual who have role on Ines' fate. At the same time Napoleon army is sweeping across Europe along with his ideology.

I always love period pieces.

*****

I went for a hash run today with C. it was my first time and we had been planning for some time now. it was fun. we got a bit lost because the trail was missing but we manage to find our way out of the forest/orchard trail of white paper and fruits.

I am not really an outdoor adventure kind of person but it was nice.

*****

I have been having trouble sleeping lately. I think its the coffee so I didn't drink any today. I'm yawning so its a good sign.

In a box and out

2009-12-14T02:42:00.005+08:00

I had an interesting day yesterday at a discourse on developing the state between academics and policy makers. It was attended by the chief minister, state planning unit director and professors and academics from the state teaching in universities in the country who they flew in for the discourse.

There were plenty of insights in what the academics that does not practice in the state are thinking as well as the insights in how policy making.

****

For some bureaucratic reason I won’t be getting the seed grant. I am not amused about this. Sure I can look on the positive side not getting the things that you want - humility, desire and all that - but more important here is how I respond.

*****

I’ve been contemplating it and finally I’ve taken a bite at, Romi’s Food in Box hotdog stand in Green Heights Mall. It was nice catching up with him and the shop looks very nice. I wonder if getting married was the thing that made him more enterprising.

I’m not really a hotdog guy. I prefer meat to have meat’s texture and flavor.

It's interesting how when I look around most of my friends are entrepreneurs.

Nice dinner

2009-12-08T04:12:00.031+08:00

After quite a productive day at work, I spent some time at the gym again before going to the mall across the street, to do some grocery shopping.

I got home I made myself a hearty spaghetti carbonara. Yumm, and its nice to be in cooking mood again.

*****

As I was reading about finances over the weekend and I was inspired to get a book on personal finance that has local insight so I picked up Millionaire in Me by Azizi Ali at MPH.

It's a quick read, as it is with non fiction and I've finished it in a day. It reads more like a motivational book and a good one at it, even though it wasn't the local insight on finances that I had initially thought it is.

The scene is set well when the book talks about the advantage of being an employee over running your own business, like consistent income, benefits and training. After all that build up, however, the steps weren't a miracle formula which you can see here namely,

1. Make more than you spend and save
2. Be a good employee through being enthusiastic, adding value to yourself, being a team player, etc
3. Have a side income like freelancing as a writer, lecturing (part time lecturing might be conflict of interest for me), musician and the likes
4. Invest in things like unit trust, property and more
5. Track your cashlow

The case studies in the book are straight from western books and quite general citing Bill Gates, John Rockefller and Henry Ford a number of times. He tries to relate his life story like becoming a pilot or lending RM300 to a housemate seem isolated and forced to be relevant.

The book isn't bad if you're looking to reinforce existing belief like saving and, investing. The man on the street style it was written also makes the book very readable - it is a bestseller after all.

Having said that, if you’re like me expecting specific local financial insight, perhaps with numbers and statistics, then you're left with question to answer.

Indeed you only reap what you sow, but what are the best way to sow?

2km run and lots of food

2009-12-04T01:22:00.007+08:00

Where do I start?

After work yesterday, I went and did some running at the campus’ gym. I’ve signed up for it this month. I’ve been employed here close to two years and this was the first time I’ve stepped in the gym.

It was quite nice, I just did the hamster running thing, and ran for about 2 km in half an hour. It is really convenient and they also have Wednesday and Friday for staff.

After that I went to Starbucks and reclaim the calories I burned having oh so predictable combo of caramel macchiato and chocolate cinnamon roll.

I met my old students there, who were doing their assignments and it certainly takes me back to the days when I was teaching them.

“Let’s have laksa supper!” and we did just like when I was teaching them.

*****

Today had Lok Lok dinner with C, Maggie, Lee, Patricia and another Christine. It was really nice, chili stuffed with fish, century quail eggs, prawns, mussels on sticks and all dipped in a special chili sauce.

I could really get used to this.

*****

An passage from the book I'm reading,

Tempted as I am to call back , I know that I'm not the person to untie her messy emotional hang-ups, so I head to one of my favorite New York florists, where I picked out a pretty bunch of daffodils, after remembering her telling me she prefers simple flowers to the expensive bouquets she usually receives. Once again quoting from Withnail and I on the card I write, 'Even a stopped clock tells the right time twice a day'.

I know she'll understand what I mean. As with Withnail and I, there are always moment of perfection, even in the most unlikely pairings. They just can't last forever.

Teen Movie

2009-12-01T01:53:00.001+08:00

I watched New Moon. It wasn’t planned but C’s students asked her and I tagged along. It was at this cinema across the street, which I had not been to. It’s a wonder that there’s a mall right across the street with Starbucks, a bookstore, now a cinema and I hardly go there.

I don’t normally watch teen flick though thinking about how we share the same audience, maybe I should watch more of it.

As it is the sequel to the first movie Twilight, the movie didn’t need to spend too much time establishing the characters. New Moon basically is a love triangle story between Bella with Edward, a vampire and Jake, a werewolf – and the guys takes of their shirts a lot.

In a discussion on teen novels for one of the modules for my postgraduate studies, I had concluded that authors apply the imaginative instinct of a child and introduces adult theme.

I can almost sense the backlash of mature movie goers who will complain about the movie but I think we should have a sense of perspective that it is a teen movie and unless you are born in 1990s or young at heart, its akin to people who like steaks ending up in a vegetarian restaurant.

In a more postmodern way of interpreting the movies, perhaps the cheesiness of lines, the taking off shirts and the situation where Bella ends up with not one but two monster, gives a comic twist to the movie.

*****

After the movie, for dinner, the students had chicken rice and C and I shared midin cook in thai style and beansprout in soy sauce.

Annual dinners

2009-11-29T00:08:00.062+08:00

In a fortnight I've attended two annual dinners, first at the Hilton for an industry partner event and today the university’s dinner at the Pullman - the new hotel in town.

It's refreshing, the interiors of Pullman's contemporary look felt with clean lines, open spaces and bold use of colors and shapes in its furnishing in contrast to the Hilton's more posh look.

The theme for the night was something on colors but I didn't know there was such theme and came in a two button black suit and black tie. Helmut and Justo came in a formal black Baju Melayu and August came in with a country singer black cowboy hat and shirt.

The buffet spread was ok better than having course meal for me for practical reasons like moving around to talk with everyone.

Enjoyed my colleagues performance from the songs to the Slum Dog Millionaire, Jai Ho dance.

We played, spaghetti tower, where we had to build the tallest tower using spaghettis and tape. Some of the tables had civil engineers with doctorate degrees and had some cool tower design but we had the tallest standing tower in the end.

I think the game was Lee’s idea and it was a fun game.

Chris and I went out in between for espresso and latte at the bar.

As we won gift vouchers early on in the draws, it was up for everyone else to get drawn for the bigger prizes. Kak Dayang who share the table with us won a Blackberry and Fila won a fan.

I'm back in my room now. I want to stay in tonight and go to bed earlier.

a gig, raya and el starbucko

2009-11-27T15:33:00.041+08:00

Last night I went to watch friends from, Guru and Polar perform at a small, intimate venue along the Hilton hill area. It was nice; a cushy couch just off the stage, good music and friends.

After what I imagined looks like athletes warming up, Guru got on stage with their energetic styled performance combined with technical skills from a proper music training background. The band played a mix of their own songs and very loose covers of P Ramlee’s Bunyi Gitar and Meet Uncle Hussain’s Lagu Untukku.

I'm never too keen with bands playing cover songs but I need to learn to manage expectations.

Kaos Pad for illustration purposes

It was then Polar's turn, turning up with an array of lead guitar and bass effects along with Ahim's touchpad for midi, samples and effects would impress music lovers and tech geeks alike. The machines somehow fuse well with Saif soaring high pitched voice resulting in a blend of intense and atmospheric songs.

I miss going to good local gigs. Since I used to organize gigs, I am a bit particular about details like humming and balancing, but again its the expectations question. It was a good gig.

The city has so much to offer with its creative and prolific local music scene with few old bands are still around too.

It’s raya and as tradition, this morning, I was with the family at my grandpa’s house reciting the tahlil. There were lots of food like soy sauce beef, curry, sambal goreng, rendang, kelupis, ketupat, lemang, cheesecake.

After raya breakfast, it was off to El Starbucko with my cousins Amal, Amy and Chris for drinks.

This too shall pass

2009-11-19T01:23:00.099+08:00

After several nights of staying at home, I finally finished reading Collector of the Worlds by Illiya Troyanov.

A fictional biography narrated through the account of others - complete with agenda and personality - the story takes us along 19th century British traveler, Sir Richard Burton’s journeys.

The story began in India with Burton as a young officer with the British army, as told by by his illiterate Indian servant who is paying a lahiya (a professional letter writer) to write a letter of recommendation of him. Here Burton learns to be like the natives and also the relationship he has with his mistress.

Then it was on to his pilgrimage to Mecca in disguise as a Persian dervish doctor, told through the Ottoman officials discussing among themselves and interrogating others on the motives of Burton’s journey.

In East Africa on a journey to find the source of the Nile we were treated with how the usually by his own Burton go through a character clash with trigger happy fellow traveller John Henning Speke.

Although the journey takes the reader to dramatic setting and characters, it is Burton that most capture the imagination. His thirst for knowledge, need to record his experience and courage is inspiring.

It made me think how much courage is relative with learning, life and love.

"Fear has never saved anyone from death"

The scars and his temper in the story although not developed does enough to act as nuance to present Burton as enigmatic, difficult but nonetheless as humanly flawed just like any one of us.

It's a nice read, the different narrators require the reader to hold on tight to keep to story in tact but it is well paced, expressive, with a casual use of the local terms makes it ever so engrossing.

sappy songs and road side stall

2009-11-12T21:19:00.048+08:00

i love november as it rains.

the fact that i now need glasses - and accepted it - is like telling myself that i actually haven't been seeing things as clear as i thought.

kiera wearing glasses for illustration purposes only

i have been too engrossed with "plans" that i have not - cue cringes - for instance let myself drift listening to sappy songs or be at a road side stalls with friends - and yes, on a class night.

i used to tell myself the right answer is always simple.

superlative city

2009-10-13T16:15:00.040+08:00

i was in bangkok the last 5 days for their design festival 2009. it's my first trip to the city and if i had stayed any longer i would have exhausted my superlatives.

it's almost needless to say that the city has unbelievable food - especially their street food. papaya with dried shrimp salad, mushroom and onion salad, seafood tomyum, seafood with glass noodles, fritters in the morning, sticky rice- i should stop here before i have to wipe my desk.

went to the well thought of siam museum that was meant to be a pilot for a series of national thai discovery museums. the museum have visitors understand about thailand rich history and culture, through learn by playing watching short films and interacting with the exhibition created by story inc. new zealand and partner designlab and pico.

another venue place that made quite an impression on me was, tcdc - short for thailand creative and design center. it has over 25,000 design books and a material library. i spent half a day -feeling quite at home - reading on sagmeister.

the trip along the chao phraya river was nice, that led to the inevitable "you can't visit bangkok without going to the temple!" conclusion.

the last morning i had a nice monday stroll at the beautiful lumpini park with its huge lake, wide pathways, public sculptures and a panaromic view of the city.

khobkunkrub

not quite investiture

2009-10-01T02:24:00.013+08:00

I finished – finally – reading Into the Heart of Borneo by Redmon O’Hanlon. It is a slow read, as the fluidity is disrupted by informative textbook narration on Darwin’s evolution theory or the likes just as the action builds up.

Having said that, the characters the two English scientists and the three local natives make for a very funny read.

I attended my second graduation ceremony yesterday since taking this teaching job. It hasn’t got the same thrill as the first time but I think wearing costumes, having processions, graduation music and the speeches, and reading a program book that has people with ridiculously long suffix to their names is fun for a change.

polysyllabic spree

2009-09-11T16:06:00.013+08:00

thanks for coming although i haven't posted anything for a while.

what have i been up to?

we'll i've finished the first part of my graduate studies that is the post graduate certificate of arts in writing. i didn't so as well as i did the previous semester. but i did so well last semester and no rest so maybe it's fatigue. the comments has been positive like how it is enjoyable to read on how i address the topic, i'm encouraging towards others although late with my contributions. i love the tutorial group discussion.

it's a nice feeling finishing something after losing my weekends writing at the public library.

books? i finished reading polysyllabic spree by nick hornby a book in such a good condition from a used books section of a small neighborhood bookshop. even the shopkeeper thought it was new at first.

it is really enjoyable especially as i miss the weekly discussion on literature with my tutorial group.

it's hornby at his best, funny and silly and also honest and almost clever which makes him so accessible. for a collection of book reviews there's continuity from the start that holds them together as a book like a piece to be read together with regards to his battle with the 40 odd robe wearing "spree" and his relation with his son, sister, brother-in-law and friends that pops up irregularly.

i wanted to follow polysyllabic spree format with bought and books read monthly for this blog but that would mean not a lot of updates in between and books is what holds this blog together. maybe it could work if i have other things going on for me but i don't seem to do much of other things apart from teaching.

at the moment, i am reading into the heart of borneo by redmond o'hanlon. i bought it because it is set in sarawak and i haven't read any fiction that is based on my hometown. it is well research as far to the page that i've read and it's interesting to learn about the behavior of the birds species, local history and it's funny too.

A moment's indulgence

2009-08-14T15:45:00.007+08:00

It’s the first week of class for me. I had four classes and I think with a thought that I’m not the most organized person, which I hope to make up for with passion, it went quite well. Nice perhaps.

Still I have some assignments to do for my postgrad and I should really do it soon. Thank God i’ve done the major assignments but the smaller weekly ones matter as well.

I am almost done with Lonely Hearts Club by Raul Nunez. It’s a quick surreal read, slightly on the amusing side. A story of a man that looks like Sinatra, whose wife left him for a black man and ends up joining a club where lonely people sent out letters to one another.

I had that moment, where my soul feels like its peacefully sleeping, while I was out alone reading at midnight at McDonalds.

A Moment’s Indulgence by Tagore

I ask for a moment’s indulgence to sit by thy side. The works
that I have in hand I will finish afterwards.

Away from the sight of thy face my heart knows no rest nor respite,
and my work becomes an endless toil in a shoreless sea of toil.

Today the summer has come at my window with its sighs and murmurs; and
the bees are plying their minstrelsy at the court of the flowering grove.

Now it is time to sit quite, face to face with thee, and to sing
dedication of life in this silent and overflowing leisure.

first 365 days

2009-06-26T15:09:00.039+08:00

It’s exactly a year now since I started this job teaching at the Uni. It feels significant like "first 365 days".

I've grown up a bit over that period of year. No, I'm not walking on stilts, rather I'm starting to see that I'm more consistent with responsibilities like with things that I have to do and paying the bills. In some way I think I enjoy it.

I also got the results for last study period's units for my postgraduate. I got 77 and 78 each for Real Life Writing and Journalism. It's not 100% but I think it's fair.

I'm currently reading Six Suspect by Vikas Swarup - a birthday present. He's also the author of the book that inspired Slumdog Millionaires, Q&A. A thriller comedy with a wide cultural reference to India.

nice weekend

2009-06-07T16:18:00.030+08:00

It was a nice weekend. Woken up in the morning by my cat who would bite, lick, paw and meow me up. Doesn't have to do much being a light sleeper that I am. He either wants to play or is hungry - likely both.

Funny cat. A bit of a show off, like climbing to the top of the bookshelves. While my brother and I was playing winning eleven on the playstation he just sat quietly and watch the game for full 20 minutes, no doubt analyzing our tactics.

The weather's beautiful, the sun's out with wind, so I decided to go to the beach on two straight afternoons over the weekend.

There was a wedding at the beach and they were playing love songs on the speakers. I think it’s awfully sweet but the petals on sand carved as a heart really is way over the top when you already having a beach wedding.

“The world has enough for man’s need, but not for man’s greed”, Mahatma Ghandi.

Facts & Figures

2009-05-28T12:46:00.022+08:00

I've finally finished all my postgrad assignments this semester. yay!! Happy today and I'm just gonna enjoy the the long weekend and all. Here's some facts and figures

13,600
words minimum written in a span of 12 weeks

20
hours per week expected time of writing them

12
hours of teaching that I have per week

7,373
number of visitors to the 100 Best Posters exhibition at the Sarawak Museum between 22 April - 24 May

list

2009-05-08T11:25:00.017+08:00

things since last entry:

1. handed in my original piece on nick hornby and working on my feature piece for journalism.

2. started using keynote for my lectures. gave lectures on typography and grid for design studies

3. watch amelie for culture and context class. took a close look at renoir's painting and playful ones by michael sowa.

4. screened the animation show compiled by mike judge and don hertzfeldt at the lecture theatre. it's a compilation of animation shorts. there was one with a balloon beating up a kid senseless, then tying its string on his arm (and later leg) floats him up to the sky and drops him repeatedly. hilarious.

4. watched luc besson's angel-a on star movies starring jamel debbouze and rie rassmussion. the thought of a romantic fantasy between a lowlife and an angel just warms my halo :)

exhibition and screening

2009-04-25T11:14:00.005+08:00

it's been a really full on week.

we had the 100 best posters exhibition launch at the sarawak museum on wednesday. all is brilliant. i'm v happy about that.

concurrently we also had german film screenings at swinburne. enjoyed life of the others and one day in europe but missed the last movie screened, mostly martha as we left early for a small get together at james brooke bistro.

dr gruber the ambassador and andreas left early for their flight. adrian, malcolm, hey and ipoi didn't make it. christine, dr volker and franka was there.

its been absolutely fantastic. i hope the students will enjoy the exhibition and enjoyed the films

as i am writing this blog, i am back with my assignments.

KL design.. hic.. week

2009-04-03T12:50:00.022+08:00

I was in KL with christine from the weekend on to tuesday for the KL design week 2009. i had a really nice time back in KL, walking and walking.

it was amazing to meet all these designers share the context and process of their work. thoroughly enjoyed listening to stefan sagmaister talk about things he learned in life (actually bought his book on the subject), nille svenson, kuntzel + deygas, kobayashi, tokyoplastic, artless, more and it was just brilliant.

schedule was quite tight but it was really nice to meet up with leanne, norman, zariq and dr volker. went to really nice places as well, social, palate palette. hic. and alexis hic.. hic.

got a few of books from kinokuniya. had just finished this touching graphic novel, three shadows by cyril pedrosa about how far a parent from an idyllic countryside would go to save their child's life.

now i am back at university and had went through my 2 classes and plan to catch up over my postgrads over the weekend. i feel refreshed.

100 Best Poster Exhibition and German Film Screening

2009-03-03T14:38:00.030+08:00

Current projects.

100 Best Poster Exhibition
22 Apr 2009 – 25 May 2009
Sarawak Museum
Admission FREE

100 Best Posters exhibition which celebrates winning designs from the 100 Best Posters competition - the most important of its kind in German speaking countries - will be exhibited at the Sarawak Museum starting April 22nd to May 25, 2009.

In conjunction with the German Days in Kuching, the exhibition demonstrates a plethora of techniques used by poster designers including photographs, illustrations, collage and typographic forms. Don't miss it or should I say nicht verpasen!

Supported by German Embassy Kuala Lumpur, Goethe Institut Malaysia and Sarawak Museum.

revealing, appalling, appreciated

2009-02-23T10:32:00.008+08:00

Had just finished reading Reza Aslan’s No God But God, which I received through mail from Amazon.com. The book certainly opens my eyes on the evolution of Islam through interpretation and adaptation.

It is revealing and occasionally appalling but overall an appreciated historical account.

great expectation

2009-02-16T13:59:00.018+08:00

read mister pip by lloyd jones over the weekend. fantastic read. set in a village in the island of bougainville, which is split in a murderous civil war between the redskin soldiers with their helicopters and rebel rambos drunk on jungle juice.

through the eyes of young matilda, in a makeshift school, the only white man left on the island, mr watts, introduce dicken's great expectation as an escape for the children taking them away from the horror happening on their island.

she also goes through a moral dilemma with her mom who though is well meaning look at things at a narrow more traditional fire and brimstone morality.

the simplicity which the author tells this story makes it all more heartbreaking.

utterly ignore details

2009-02-09T10:02:00.038+08:00

read white castle by nobel literature prize winner, orhan pamuk. set in seventeen century ottoman empire about a venetian captive sold as a slave and bought by a hoja that looks like him. narrated by the unnamed venetian. its a story of a person asking who he is.

if i may criticize this literature, i had a hope of a reward after staying in the course with the story but it simply never materialized. the protagonists are failed and ridiculed.

on a lighter note, the characters and setting felt like a parody. take the young sultan as an example being a slave to readings by ~~umno~~ astrologers and a target for manipulation. hoja having learned western knowledge is fixated with "us" as oppose to "them", ranting and calling others fools.

to summarize, it is a difficult read and can be irrational. not for the casual reader.

minor surgery

2009-02-03T13:41:00.006+08:00

i had minor surgery on my right leg the other day at a medical specialist centre. i get to choose the specialist who turn out to be very pleasant person *gasp* for someone slicing your leg. i was anesthetized the whole process took about one and a half hour.

i am fine now. they did testing and all. standard stuff. blood pressure, oxygen intake and the likes.

i had a lovely low calorie french toast for breakfast this morning and took my antibiotics and painkiller.

good, damn good

2009-01-28T14:57:00.012+08:00

finished two books over the weekend.

the first novel, wedding officer by anthony capella, is brilliant. it's a tale about an italian cook and a brit soldier with WW2 naples as its backdrop. it has a lot of stereotypes like italian and their food, brits with their uptightness which drives the story. it left me feeling warm inside like i've just swallowed a blanket.

the publisher included a preview of the author's upcoming - now released - novel, the various flavours of coffee. i'll check the local bookshop, otherwise i'll get it online. i like the feeling of getting things through mail.

the second book is white tiger by aravind adiga. the story is made of an email to the premier of china exposing two india, the darkness and the light through the story of his life. it is a good book, damn good.

literature and sex

2008-12-15T09:35:00.024+08:00

i spend last nite finished reading the 69 things to do with a dead princess. it's a provocative read and i read it helps to suspend need of having an actual plot and just go with the flow.

it's all very manic from the sex scenes, what seemed a crystal meth induced ramblings on obscure literature to travels through scottish highlands.

they do stop sometimes and have coffee at amusing cafes like the one that doesn't make espressos but has cappuccinos.

it's annoyingly brilliant.

politics and prophethood

2008-12-10T13:54:00.028+08:00

I have just finished reading Muhammad by Karen Armstrong. It is my second biography of the prophet after Martin Lings'.

The book is very readable while the author illustrate a historical (sans reverential) account of what Muhammad's was up against in seventh century Arabia. It was suffice in telling the story of the prophet's effort to evolve a different outlook and bring peace to a war torn Arabia.

I appreciate reading the author’s accounts of the more sensational side of the prophet's life like the incident with the satanic verses, marriage with Aisha, polygamy, relationship with other monotheist religion and women’s rights.

Sympathetic or the truth, we are on this world together, we should not only tolerate but appreciate one another. for that to happen we have to understand each other more.

weekend traveler

2008-12-01T13:45:00.029+08:00

traveled to singapore for the weekend.

it was nice eventhough i missed the university's annual dinner.

visited galleries, spent a sunday at their brilliant national library. what kind of traveler spend a day in a library?

the national art gallery were exhibiting a fun, interactive exhibition titled "japan media arts festival" featuring anime, manga, toys and video games.

the national museum's "robert wilson: voom portraits" was also fun. literally moving portraits of dita von teese, johnny depp, robert downy jr and brad pitt.

i didn't shop much though i did buy a slip on canvas shoe and stationaries from the japanese "no brand" muji. i also got some gifts from the sunday flea market at haji lane. and also 69 things to do with a dead princess from kinokuniya at orchard road.

brilliant trip.

the package

2008-02-13T00:25:00.001+08:00

had a pleasant little surprise arrived through the courier service today. my bachelors degree had arrived. gave me an important sense of closure with that part of my studies. and makes me feel like doing my masters degree.

....

...

tadaaa!!

marquez

2008-02-10T01:02:00.003+08:00

the weather, raining heavilly, with a cozy temperature. helped me to finish gabriel garcia marquez's love in the time of cholera. all in all, i'd say it is one of the finest book i've ever read. a story on different facets of love one florentino ariza's fixation. written lyrically with plenty wit.

i look forward to reading more of marquez's books.

sleeping and reading interrupted

2008-01-04T12:27:00.000+08:00

attended tun rahman's birthday at hilton kuching. the tyt (governor) of sarawak tun salihuddin was there, chief minister pehin sri taib, lots of tuns and tan sris. 10 course meal which ended with apple crumble, fauziah latif singing fly me to the moon, moon river and kuda hitam.

i was seated with the ex mayor who i actually asked "so, what do you do?", lawyer, an architect, their wives and a girl who apparently thought she knew me but turns out we just met. it was more innocent i look awfully familiar in the best of sense than anything.

stayed over at the hotel after the function with a suite overlooking the river with it's penambang (river taxis) and the colourful century old main bazaar. it was nice but it seems unnecessary as i'm in my own town.

it's friday and happily did my prayers at masjid jamek. i think it's my spiritual home in kuching.

it's been raining all day and seems the perfect set up for my reading. it's just that my sleep has been interrupted lately.

1 movie, 1 book, 1 week

2007-12-25T16:44:00.002+08:00

there are some books where the title is just irresistable. recently i found such a book. it was delectably titled, how to lose your friends and alienate people writen by toby young. what's makes it more curious is it's an autobiography of somewhat.

watched a very long engagement my jeunet (yes, again). a very engaging light movie set after the war, about mathilde (tautou) who went on a journey to find out her fiance, manache (ulliel) fate after learning he was one of five soldiers who was court martialed and set pushed out to no-man's land between the french and the german.

there was this delightful line that says, "without 'if' life is not worth living".

did spring cleaning on my room today. threw away stuff i don't need which somehow found their way under my bed, in boxes and paperbags. most of which i forgot i had kept (three identical toys from cereal box?)

afternoon with a novella

2007-12-19T13:53:00.000+08:00

spent my afternoon, with fresh monsoon air, sitting at the pedestarian alley in central market. at that moment and now it feels like the most relaxing place in the whole of kl.

there, with people walking across me in both directions. a busker plays acoustic guitar and harmonica while singing evergreen songs like two steps behind and raindrop of jupiter, while his assistant claps tambourine to his wrist. i sat with a book in hand.

as it is i've finished reading the life of hunger by amelie nothomb. very enjoyable partialy autobiographical (apparently all books are) fiction of her growing up days as daughter of a diplomat, moving from a country to the next, dealing with her "superhunger" for sugar, alchohol, love and hunger itself told with the most dramatic of prose. and yes, i'm recommending it.

currently reading, love at the time of cholera by gabriel garcia marquez.

ode to jean pierre jeaunet

2007-12-18T13:08:00.000+08:00

watched two jean pierre jeunet movies.

i think everyone are fimiliar with amelie played by the it girl (i have a pop culture complex and seeking help) audrey totou. the story of a girl who lives in her own world - which girl i know isn't?

the story and music is feel good, like having strawberry pastry, but the cinematography details like the selective, and saturated color and, almost constant and irregular camera movement that makes the movie so beautiful.

in jeunet's earlier movie, the 1991 dark comedy, delicatessan, the setting is a post apocalyptic society,where meat are scarce and cannibalism isn't that unsavoury. central to the story is an ex-clown, played by dominique pinion (he plays the jealous boyfriend at the cafe in amelie) who is unaware that his new employer/landlord have plans to feed him to the building bizzare tenants.

everything about the movie is engagingly fun to the point of bursting, with plenty of layers for a comedy.

theatre and feet banana

2007-12-10T20:18:00.000+08:00

woke up to, build me up buttercup by the foundations. very sweet song.

had plan my sunday to hit the theatre and watch, highly promoted, zahim albakri's, tarap man. left the house early, and as a result of the chilly and windy weather lately, the sidewalks were beautifully covered with dead falling leaves. perfect for walks (as well as snakes and toads).

when i reach the theatre to get the tickets early before breakfast it still hasn't open yet. so i head, for breakfast first, surfing for reviews which were contradicting themselves. the "credible" media (professional critics?) were placing it on a pedestal whilst theatre goers who are bothered to write (the money?) diced it to pieces.

had to find out myself (masochist?).

after breakfast, still waiting for the theatre to open, i sat along the central market walkway, with people passing by, (illegal according to the city council) stalls with wheels, and a chinese uncle sitting next to me.

"is it tomato?"

the seller nods smiling cheekily to curious little girls asking him of the fruits he's selling.

"uncle, do you know what the fruit's called?" i asked the uncle sitting next to me.

"i've been sitting here wondering myself. why don't you ask the seller?"

i got up.

"hey there, the uncle and i were wondering, what's the fruits called?"

shaking his head in disbelief and smiling he answered "it's pisang kaki (feet banana)"

the uncle laughs. but i still had a sneaky feeling that it's not the name.

10 minutes to show, i got up again, this time for the play.

the hall was a quarter filled when i got there. there were a well known comedian, a fresh faced model that caught my attention and some ladies with big hair whom i presume are patrons. the director and producer were walking back and forth, grinning, laughing (the loud questionable throw head back type) and shaking hands with everyone apart from me.

then the slide close the door and the show begins. 15 minutes intermission. and the show ends with a generous full 1 minute applause. thankfully no one were guilty of a standing ovation.

the play overall was pleasant to watch thanks considerably with the acting by seasoned actors, anne james and vernon. however, all the other actors were a let down with pedestarian like performance and did not do enough to support the form of the play.

as for the script, it had to be applauded in taking on the thriller genre in a scene where drama, comedy and political play are the flavour of the day. still, the play attempt to weave more fimiliar elements to be identifiable to the local theatre goers.

the execution however was filled with cliche anectdotes for taste and lack the edge-of-the-seat quality expected from a thriller. the underlying message not unfimiliar with how the theatre scene potrays itself (genuine or otherwise) is less than subtle and distracting, and as another cliche anecdote puts it, is like rubbing salt to an open wound.

currently reading.

less is more

2007-12-04T12:30:00.000+08:00

got myself, olivia ong, girl meet bossanova 1 & 2 album. basically a bossa remake of songs like love fool, the girl from ipanema, l-o-v-e and fly me to the moon in a breezy mellow style.

also picked up wh auden's another time. he is responsible for one of my favorite poem.

she was my north, my south, my east and west,
my working week and my sunday restmy noon,
my midnight, my talk, my song,
i thought that love would last forever; i was wrong

playing about with fonts. i've gone through the helvetica neau phase, futura, and now into american typewriter family ^^

give a damn! dammit!!

2007-11-27T20:11:00.000+08:00

done reading scott bedburry's branding manual, a new brand world. it works as a good reminder of how brand works and how it should be done citing a lot on his experience with nike and starbucks. i like the whole, give a damn! dammit!! outlook of the book.

picked up, memories of my melancholy of whores by nobel prize winning author, gabriel garcia marquez. it's a story of a man on the eve of his ninetieth birthday is inspired to make love with with an adolescent virgin. what kind of creep buy this kind of book?

my office desk neighbour, collegue and friend from iceland (my desk is in sweden) told me something that made my day.

"you're never stressed. you have the best attitude. you're nonchalant"

night and rain

2007-11-11T19:03:00.000+08:00

night out with students. after dinner with plenty of birthday songs and fortune chocolates, it was at the atrium along the asian heritage row. had a lovely time just chilling out and.. dancing? whatever it is i was passing off as dancing could be misinterprated as a lost language.

had just finished reading if there's a will by michael beaumont. the book is just my kind of story. oddball with all stacks seems to be against him with, spoiler alert, an epic happy ending.

tried out this quirky (minimalist burger anyone?) food place, palate palatte, with friends, somewhere hidden inside the alleys of jalan mesui. there should be a warning to vegetarian to look away because we murdered our dish. talk, played cards and lots of laugh about a fire breathing melanau.

raining today. alone, peppermint tea and cheese and jam sarnie.

things we can do with our finger

2007-11-03T20:16:00.000+08:00

in the mood for books. got myself scott bedbury's a new brand world, seth godin's all marketers are liars and clive shevlin's writing for business. putting on hold getting john humphreys lost for words which, flipping at the bookstore, i find irresistably humourous. too many books on queue at the moment.

instead of giving up my sunday for work, i went to catch a play at the annexe. edwin sumun's the breath of life staring karen tan and anne james. got smashing front row seat next to a girl call faith.

the play, is set on a conversation between frances, ex-wife, writer with madeleine, retired museum curator, former mistress of her former husband. martin, frances husband, lawyer, their main topic of conversation, had now left them both for a younger woman.

"brilliantly involving and sharp."

got myself some shirts and a scarf. the scarf to rest my tired ties.

zuchinni and capsicum

2007-10-25T10:41:00.000+08:00

lovely. did a bit of grocery shopping after work and made myself pasta with zuchinni and capsicum. of course i nicked it off the flight meal i had. delicious and light. added parmesan with it since i had them in the fridge.

unearthed some of my old gadgets when i tidied my room. a broken digital camera and an mp3 player i've lost the software. they were awesome gadgets.

deposited my coinbox collection to my bank account. about rm80 something but it actually felt like more.

holly: i'll tell you one thing, fred, darling... i'd marry you for your money in a minute. would you marry me for my money?
paul: in a minute.
holly: i guess it's pretty lucky neither of us is rich, huh?
paul: yeah.

breakfast at tiffany is the latest movie screening in my room. it's a terrific movie now that i've watched it when i'm not sleepy. plenty of those movie lines that i love so much delivered very well by both audrey hepburn and george peppard.

holly: but just look at the goodies she brought with her.
paul: he's all right, i suppose, if you like dark, handsome, rich-looking men with passionate natures and too many teeth.

life in cartoon motion

2007-10-16T01:12:00.000+08:00

listening to mika's album life in cartoon motion. reminds me when i first heard of coldplay. refreshing life anthem like music.

spent hours today at bing helping tasha with her marketing assignment -which i'm gonna use as part of my research- over coffee and panini and brownie. after making ourselves experts in chris anderson's long tail idea and finishing an essay, nora joined us. had the funniest time.

the long tail theory is pretty cool. it states that the sum of something obscure can be more than something mainstream all you need is to find a way to distribute among widely spread consumer.

my latest cousin with my brother

tash, bondi, me, nora, sheila and doreen

the same in different order ^^

hari raya

2007-10-12T02:20:00.000+08:00

at the airport. it's been a nice day. alhamdulillah. watching you've got mail first thing in the morning, packing while listening to moon river, reading matt beaumont's when there's a will in the train, and watching the airplanes take off at the airport viewing lounge.

if i hadn't been fox books and you hadn't been the shop around the corner... and you and i had, just you know, met... i would have asked for your phone number and i wouldn't have been able to wait 24 hours before calling and asking, "how about coffee, drinks, dinner, a movie, for as long as we both shall live?"

indeed, i am looking forward to being home. with family and friends celebrating hari raya.

so i want to wish you all a brilliant hari raya ^^

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

in kuching now. the flight was slightly delayed but it was a pleasant flight. had penne cooked with oregano and some boiled zuchini and capsicum. very good as far as in flight meals go. actually i have had good experience with in flight meals.

crackers over blue cheese

2007-10-08T11:57:00.000+08:00

had a nice evening yesterday, dvd, on the chair covered in blanket, tea, wheat crackers with blue cheese on the side table. bliss. the movie was baz luhrman's shakespeare's romeo and juliet.

that made up for my sunday. had to work at british council's organized uk education fair at kl convention centre. got a tag and a canvas bag for my appearance.

done reading harry ritchie's third party. the jokes, sex and drugs gets predictable. it has its moments i wouldn't recommend it. picked up a new book, matt beumont where there's a will. hope to get lots of laugh out of it.

crackers over blue cheese at the moment. they're absolutely delicious when tossed it with lettuce, cold cuts, celery, apples and grapes.

boy interrupted

2007-10-02T09:33:00.001+08:00

back to my happier self as i manage to get appropriate time of snooze the last nite. the equation goes,

azuar + interrupted sleep = bloodthirsty werewolf roaming around town with train

i actually snapped at two commuters yesterday for cutting queue and pushing.

with only one interruption because of the freezing cold air conditioning i manage to wake up 16 past 5 this morning, watch ellen degeneres show and a few morning friendly songs on mtv,

wake up call maroon 5
lovefools the cardigans
bittersweet symphony the verve

and i'm off to the university.

over the weekends i was out for a humble spree of shopping. got my hands on can i change your mind, the craft and art of persuasive writing by lindsay camp. i've been reading too much fictions of late.

then there's the clothes, a pair of classic sneakers, a low neckline cardigan and a skinny tie. all of which i'm shamelessly wearing today.

nadia asked me "why is it always about you?". =)

a good year

2007-09-20T11:26:00.000+08:00

had just watched a good year. with russel crowe and directed by ridley scott. it's been a while since i watched a digestable romantic movie. a grand story about a man who had lost his way and finding it again in the place he grew up.

"this place doesn't suit my lifestyle"
"no. your lifestyle doesn't suit this place"

for the second consecutive evenings i break my fast at the apartment. made salmon with swiss mushroom with herbs and spices i could get my hands on in the kitchen. if i had writen a cook book it would be something like, step 1, find out what is available and step 2, use imagination.

oh, and i'm reading, third party, by harry ritchie. a story of 2 men going through opposite mid life crises. one with a job, wife but routine and stale whilst the other had just got the sack, and left by the wife, but looking forward to growing marijuana. moderately entertaining so far.

psp, flip flops and kinokuniya

2007-09-08T10:02:00.000+08:00

at the office. it's saturday so basically it's just sitting about online. replying student's email and meeting few students for tutorial. im having tea and wearing t-shirt and flip flop so it's kinda give you an idea of what's the day like at the office.

i have bought the new psp. been playing it in the train, at the train station, (at my desk in the office) =) only have one game so far, fifa 07. will get one or two more when i have my salary. huhu.

reading game reviews on the other tabs. i wanna get fighting games ^^ dragon ball z shin budokai? or maybe naruto ultimate ninja heroes? i just increased my geek points exponentially.

finished reading david nicholls' the understudy and starter for ten. can't seem to put both of them down so i didn't introduce the latter when i got it. brilliant books david nicholls. comedy, the story itself and everything.

i love sunday

2007-08-19T16:46:00.000+08:00

i love sunday, even more since i started working. i thought of staying at home today, doing homely things wile waiting for tonite's epic match against chelsea. tasha then called me and asked me out and i remembered how she went to all the trouble of cooking for me when i was in kuching. anyway, here i am out, having the signature hot chocolate at starbucks waiting for her.

it has been an eventful week. i finished 3 books this week, all of which paulo coelho's. zahir, devil and miss prym and by the river piedra i sat down and wept. i grin at the irony at the title of the latter book with the curious incidents wherer two of my students cried in class.

approximately 10 more days till my first pay check.

as it is i am glad i manage to stay at home today, watch tv, read up the new book i got, the understudy by david nichols and cook up my own lunch, pasta with whatever is still good in the fridge.

with the book i also did a bit more shopping. nothing much. just got myself a couple of black crew neck t shirts. something for me to wear on saturdays at work. they weren't any nice v neck t-shirts my size. black is the corporate colour at the university i work and we wear them everyday.

the bourgeois

2007-08-07T21:04:00.000+08:00

i've started bringing along my own lunchbox to the office. the other day i cooked -kooked- at night and microwaved the food the fridgerated food and today i had woken up early and prepared my lunchbox early in the morning. another, that makes my work time more cheerful.

anyway as it is tuesday and i haven't got any class on tuesdays. informed my students, yes they're mine, that i'll be available for one-on-one tutoring. one thing i am pleasantly surprised is how enthusiastic they are. i've had at about a 10 or more students calling to see me today. made my day. yes my students made my day.

an interesting story today is when i went to the food court to borrow cutlery. one of my friend craig, a part time lecturer teaching film was having his breakfast there.

"hey what are you having? is that egg mixed with bake beans?"

"i'm working class. it's hash browns, eggs, sausages and bake beans mixed together. i'm not bourgeois where i would want to pick my food. so FUCK OFF!!"

the most amusing and articulate guy.

the apprentice

2007-07-29T18:07:00.002+08:00

i can't begin to write how tired i am. i am back in kl now. i've taken a job at a college. after 3 days of work i find the office environment exciting and everyone in the office (friends) to be the nicest lot. i just have to get use to getting up 6 am in the morning as office hours begins at 8.30 am.

it's a sunday and i do not have to go to the office but i'm preparing creative briefs for the students. as it is at time of writing, i'll be teaching semester 6 and 7 advertising theory classes, and be having my first class tomorrow. looking forward to meet the students.

i have a corner table cubicle straight on from the the faculty's staff room door. insyaAllah i'll have time personalize my space within next week. i already got my free stationaries from the nice people that give away stationaries.

had go to out today as i need more black clothes as we're required to wear them. i feel like walking about shops some more with an eye on suspenders. i got a beautiful black slip over vest from gap.

watched the re-run of one of my favorite actors, al pacino (pretty predictable favorite actor eh?) recieve his afi lifetime acheivement award. throughly and absolutely deserves it. a wonderful method actor. laser-like intensity. i wonder how he'd play a lecturer? i'm having mischievious ideas.

give me your hair so lustrous
your body so vigorous
yor eyes so michiveous
their black so rigorous

kitchen assistant

2007-07-19T03:06:00.000+08:00

"i felt like having pasta and thought i havent really spent time with you" tasha.

i think it's very sweet and tash is always entertaining. she had her apron on and i voluntarily became her assistant in the kitchen. had ready made pudding with the pasta.

speaking of which i had a wonderful time at rainforest music fest. especially the second day where i brought a mengkuang tikar share it with who ever is near to me and my tikar. feels like i could do it every day, legs stretch out, looking up the stars, canopy of trees and live performances.

reading articles by phil tompkins on liverpool fc new signings. i have a preference for his writing. maybe because i share his positive outlook at things. even when at lost. i don't know too much about the other signings but i'm looking forward to see fernando torres up front. so excited that i feel like getting a liverpool shirt with his name on it.

ginger machiato

2007-06-05T21:55:00.000+08:00

what a day! i'm at tao now sipping ginger machiato. it has an art gallery upstairs i think. the place is canvased with art.

i went for printing at two seperate printer factories for freelance jobs. i also had a meeting with a journalist over a press release i'll be writing. it's exciting for me to apply what i learn for pr to action.

oh just wanna say i declined the teaching job. they were bitter about it but it just didn't meet my pay expectation. i think twas very unprofessional to be bitter.

anyway i wish them well. as i wish everyone well.

i really thought of having today as my rest day. frankly i haven't even had time to catch up with my reading and only manage to jog twice since i got my new trainers a fortnight ago. oh well. i love what i do.

went to pak nek in the afternoon. my mom, aunts and cousin amy and matiin was there. fun playing action figures with matiin. he brought spiderman with maybe 20 moving joints and venom that can't put his tongue back in his mouth. he still remember our handshake. he calls me his best friend that he hasn't met for a long time. he's 11.

this tao place is very nice. smaller but much much spacious than bing! the interiors seems much more calming as well especially as i can hear the feature waterfall from where i am surfing.

i think this is the most relaxed i've been since i've been back to kuching.

the pursuit of happyness

2007-05-25T21:29:00.000+08:00

i'm at bing! coffee company having earl grey tea. this place is truly an institution. they have the most delightful brownie and caramel machiato but i need to watch what i eat now. being in kuching this past 5 days had been dinner after dinner with family and friends.

watched the pursuit of happiness the other day in the middle of the night. reminds me when i was young and used to study in the middle of the nite. very touching movie which was recommended by my mom. flawless performance by will smith.

i went to aziz's music studio. quite a nice feeling seeing the signage, cards and all made by me. business is doing well at the moment. i followed him for an event at thai restaurant, mango tree, yesterday. shared my music collection to be played at the event.

his wife, sheila and him have a friendly pet rabbit name roxy. hand fed her long beans today. she eats a lot.

fridays at the park

2007-05-18T19:30:00.000+08:00

"where have you been? camping?"

i had worn a shirt with plenty of patches from friday prayers at the park.

"yea. boyscouts" i replied.

as i was about to write something on a notebook

"hey, you said you're camping. go hunt"

smiling cheekily and signalling with his head towards a tall, slim lady with her hair tied at the back and a thumdrive simliar to mine round her neck. i deduce that she might be an architect or interior designer from the drafting paper she had with her. friendly lot, the baristas.

i used my new platinum credit card for the first time. first it was ps i love you by cecilia ahern for my aunt.

"theyre my aunts" referering to the book.

"if it was yours i'd just think you have a soft spot" the bookstore assistant at kino. my, people are very friendly today.

in the afterooon, i went to my now favorite pizza place, izzi, for pasta. the neat and well lit setting was just nice for me to open my collection of sherlock holmes short stories facing jalan sultan ismail with elderly tourists and a gay couple - they could be friends.

the mushroom cream pasta werent that great but if you have a craving for pizza do have their quatro fromaggi - four cheese- pizza with additional mushroom and pepperoni. delicious.

i got two job related text and call today. one was about that lecturing job which i am kinda interested in at the moment. another a freelance job for an album cover design.

kick that coke habit

2007-05-02T05:44:00.000+08:00

"i'm not crazy about the shoe but you look good walking in it"

"you're just being nice"

"of course not, i have a reputation to keep"

had just finished reading nancy vonk and janet kestin's pick me: breaking and staying in advertising. it is a brilliant casually enlightening read.

anyway, picked the novel, was 9.99, now 6.99 by frederic beigbeder translated from french by adriana hunter. almost an impulse purchase as i read the summary and first few pages.

octave parengo, advertising genius, who's about to hit rock bottom. his girlfriend has left him, his coke habit is out of control and no matter what he does to get himself fired, he inveritably lands a promotion. it's only a matter of time before things get messy.

let there be light

2007-04-15T18:46:00.000+08:00

my room flourascent light when off last night so i had to replace them. it went off last nite just while i was reading. i can change the lights. when i went to the friendly indian convinient shop outside the apartment to get the two 4 feet bulbs the shopowner gave me all sorts of caution about not breaking it. which i appreciate.

"be careful y'know"

"check whether the pins are correct"

"if you dont fix it correctly it will fall and break"

as it is my room is lit again.

had recently finish reading emma by jane austen. it took me a little while to finish it but i highly recommend it if you have the patience to read over sentences to understand things like me or is very comfortable with victorian english. i wouldn't want to give away the ending so i'll just say the character in the book are very interesting.

got myself a new pr book, full frontal pr: building buzz about your business, your product and you by richard laermer. i hope it will be as good as the previous PR book i read, can we do that?! by peter shankman.

as the lights are back on so i plan to read a bit tonite.

listening to nat king cole, i love you for sentimental reasons.

life is a fairy tale

2007-04-03T22:12:00.000+08:00

i no longer love her that is certain, but how i loved her. - neruda

i feel inspired. from early morning yesterday all i did is editing video. exciting. i'm learning.

watched liverpool play last nite against psv with my housemate. it was a very professional performance. 3 well taken goals. i am sorry to see aurelio out injured. was pondering plenty of the players name starts with a, agger, alonso, aurelio, abeloa. i want a liverpool shirt.

this morning sipped my nescafe from a starbucks mug. not sure where my housemate got the mug. made cucur (fritters), pretty cool technique spooning the batter into the the wok using 2 spoons.

went out to klcc today and spent time at kino. flipping through potential books. i'm out of 'work' book at the moment.

had my haircut as well. it's the cheapest haircut for a very long time so i'm not gonna complain. i think it's acceptable by a thrift. im gonna ruffle it up anyway.

wanna curled up in the blanket and watch kate and leopold.

poetry in a cup

2007-04-01T13:14:00.000+08:00

haven't been too well. had asthma and a bit of a headache. but it's ok really. i always think you will have to be sick sometimes. there's a lesson to be learnt.

looking on the brightside of things, i was at home and caught liverpool play arsenal. it looks like it was a beautiful afternoon at anfield from and liverpool were playing majestically, moving the ball patiently just like how nick hornby would describe it in fever pitch, the team reflects the supporter. at the end of game it was 4-1 with tall peter getting a perfect hattrick - a header, left foot and right foot.

it's a sunday. so i woke up and conviniently threw my laundry in the washing machine, boil water and tidy up the room a little. while waiting for the clothes to wash themselves i flip open the notebook in the living room with the tv on and paid my bills online with my customary, beautiful morning nescafe. poetry in a cup.

the sartorialist and the breakfast blog are great cheer me up in this moment of not being to well.

the other day i was woken up by a phone call from from pyan. it was pleasant to hear he's doing well as his role as a lecturer and now programme coordinator as well at his college in kuching. he called to offer me a job to lecture once i finish my studies. it's not my plans yet to teach but certainly it's a great option to have.

feeling better. the room smells dizzyingly fresh. i have a bit of work to do, exhibition and freelance, they go hand in hand really. the right thing to do now is rest and make myself drink plenty of water.

wrap

2007-03-23T00:51:00.000+08:00

in my room. been a nice week. with fantastic weather. raining a lot. great weather to stay indoors with a warm cuppa of nescafe wrapped around my palms or having the thing spun around with myself being wrapped with blanket with a book. what can i say? alhamdulillah.

as i've been staying indoors, i also did 2/3 of my laundry. the laundry basket was beginning to overflow. also cleaned the air conditioning filters. home-cooked nasi aruk is really the quintessential comfort food for me. my only regret is that i don't have ikan masin to eat it with.

found another song which i like and couldn't find because i dont know where to start since i haven't got as much as the artiste or the title as a clue. i stumble upon it when im looking for a compilation album. the song is shiva's daughter by arling and cameron. lovely lounge-ish stuff.

the electricity people are doing maintanence and i already had 1 power interuption tonite. a thing that i notice when the power are off is how quiet everything is. i like it.

not exactly sure how long the battery's gonna last me. reminds me of the bit in perfume which incidently i left a few pages for tonite where it says that human yearns to be in isolation when they seek penance, divine inspirations and such.

perfume might not be my teacup but i've had nightmares because of it. the power's on again. i think i'll wrap it up.

perfume

2007-03-18T12:31:00.000+08:00

first thing i did this morning was pick up patrick suskind's perfume: a story of a murderer book which i borrowed. may not be the most well writen piece of literature i've read but certainly has the cool and dramatic factor going for it.

been up to my world music way again. here's how this morning's playlist look like:

1. gotan project - santa maria
2. ibrahim ferrer - composito confudido
3. coralie clement - samba couer mon qui bat
4. alancra - relfejo de luna
5. bab - mas que nada (melodic)

pick me up

2007-03-14T18:29:00.000+08:00

i have been up to here (gesture to neck) with work. felt down yesterday because i felt alone. haven't had time to rest or do things that i like, a few quotes from sir winston churchill picked me up.

success is moving from a failure to another without loss of enthusiasm.

and

i am an optimist, i don't see any point of being anything else

picked me up.

i'm happier today. at starbucks taipan now. i handed in 3 works today. 3 citibank prints and 3 petronas radio ads. and 3 tourism prints for an african country which i'm doing in a group.

rewarding myself right now at starbucks with iced caramel machiato and chocolate cinnamon rolls with zariq at taipan.

im hoping i can meet fizah later.

it's a nice day. raining now. been raining a few times today.

at home

2007-03-04T18:42:00.000+08:00

it's sunday. i'm lazying around at home in bed. it's raining outside. i had my warm mug of nescafe. haven't done much as that is the idea of lazying around apart from watching gordon ramsay cook and david and victoria beckham organizing their world cup party. just threw some clothes in the washing machine to tumble themselves in the sweet smelling goodness of dynamo and h20.

havent ate so i'll make myself nasi goreng soon. it's already the afternoon. watching gordon cooks make me miss cooking foreign dishes but the lambs, risotto a tad contradictary to my current state of being on a diet. he did said something really sweet about there's no better way to wake up the missus on a weekend than perfect scrambled eggs.

i am happy to hear that i'll be having a consumer behaviour class on monday morning instead of saturday as it has been. i really have work to do and i think i'll get at it soon. a good shower. sit back on my thinking chair and i think i'll be in the spirit to do work.

mantra for the day comes from churchill who said, i like for things to happen, and when things don't happen, i'll make them happen.

it's really pouring now. love it when it rains. i always have this believe since i was in primary school that if it rains it's gonna be a good day. of course on sunny day it's already a good day.

out of work related book which is the genre i prefer at the moment. i'll catch up with the other books.

spoons

2007-02-17T15:49:00.000+08:00

got my hands on a new advertising book. it's 22 irrefutable laws of advertising - and when to violate them credited to michael newman. so far have read 4 chapters of it and i have to say that it's a very pleasant book summarizing advertising ideas like simplicity, positioning, consistency and more; explained by great advertising/ marketing people like marcello serpa and al ries.

watched 2 movies. one is the cartoon spin-off from emperor's new groove, kronk's new groove. a lot of fun. the writing's like anything goes.

kronk: what am I gonna do? i know. i'll tunnel out of here with a spoon, escape through the sewers and live as a quiet but lonely shepherdess named maria. that'll work.

[goes for the drawer]

kronk: we're out of spoons! i'm doomed.

as for french kiss it's always nice to watch meg ryan in her romantic comedy elements.

just changed my bed sheet and pillow case. they're lovely dark blue - i think. have a kind of gloss to them. it's great because i think my room is too white. love fresh bed sheets.

having nescafe gold and is in the mood for nasi aruk and ikan masin again.

all patched up

2007-02-14T00:10:00.000+08:00

i think i might have solved my pc issues and concerns by a less discreet way than going saber blazing into registry and saying en guard! i don't know what else i deleted but as of when i'm typing this the pc is running splendidly. let's pray and hope it stays that way.

got myself the wallace and gromit movie i got from video ezy. got it for a bargain really at $4.90. i think i'll go to sleep once i finish this short entry. i have been up the last couple of night profusely reading and wanting to finish the books that's left. emma is really getting in my nerve at how the book is paced. but i will stick to the policy that once i get a book i will finish it insyaAllah.

rearranged my room temporarily just to get a new feel as i am starting to feel jaded. yes blame game. actually its bored game.

k then will go to bed. feeling happier what with the room layout and possibly the pc issues and concerns solved. a lot of work and time is of an essence.

imagine pc a little confused but all patched up.

k then will got to sleep. i have class in the morning and i intend to be on time. might had few cups of coffee to many today. they have excellent iced latte at college.

issues and concerns

2007-02-12T20:37:00.000+08:00

just had my buka puasa at the gerai downstairs. it finally rains today. alhamdulillah. the table was filled so i shared my table with an elderly chinese man. very friendly and chatty. when i left the table he was telling the shop person that i was from kuching.

i have been up reading. it's an old book which i am guilty of not finishing yet. hey, whipple squeeze this. if it wasn't for other books, it's a difficult book to put down really what's with him describing everything in a manner both inspiring and candid. has to be my most enjoyable advertising read.

as it is i have issues and concerns to deal with my pc. i use issues and concerns in the term that al capone might use it against his non associates. in my case i'm not sure who the non associates are that is slowing my pc down.

so here i am, with my knowledge on pc encompassing only that of language and instincts trying to solve it by downloading spywares and firewalls that available for free. i am setting a valentine's day deadline or i'm getting a new computer.

i wish.

wrapped

2007-02-09T21:31:00.000+08:00

its lovely lovely friday. in my room. back earlier than i usually do today. like friday before had prayers in the park before walking from klcc to raja chulan for class. it was a nice class. i think at the core it is a very closely knit class. cozy.

i had a short meeting with my facilitation group after class on the research part.

"guys, if everyone does their bit, no one have to work hard".

jiman has plenty of experience working with me and the rest i think should be alrite.

playing old blue eyes songs.

took the bus back from klcc which i walk back to from chulan. i love taking the bus more than the train of late. continue my reading,mp3 player buds on my ears, not having to pay attention to the traffic and public transport seem the better choice all of the sudden.

i have been staying up reading of late. it's love really just lie about letting loose. yes that's my idea of a lovely night - book in hand on my bed wrapped in blanket.

thanks kayla for the champagne grapes!

cuban music, plaid shirt and chess

2007-02-07T00:46:00.000+08:00

i wore a smart white plaid shirt. i feel neater than my usual t-shirts which i always wear to class. plan to wear shirts to class more often.

played chess with zariq over coffee. a lot of fun. talk about making it a fixture on tuesday. should find more enthusiast. i'm not the best at it but it feeds my imagination what with knights, kings, pawns and all. if there was any second sport which i am decent at after football it's chess.

using my mp3 player again for commuting. uploaded a putumayo cuban album in it. absolutely loving it. just sets the party mood for the day.

it's taking me a bit of time finishing jane austen's emma. sherlock holmes mysteries will eventually, if i let it, over take. it doesnt help that a few books especially dealing with domestic stuff are known to frustrates me to finishing it. gustave flaubert madame bovary and goethe sorrows of young werther is two that pops up instantly. emma is not bland it's just isnt as exciting as solving mysteries or a revolution for me.

met meme, the artist, at kinokuniya. happy to tell him i did went to his exhibition at gallery maya a few months ago. he asks whether i still hangout with the fine arts studio gang. ah. love those days. but i think people move on all the time. hopefully to greater things.

i'm collecting more works on my email for design reflective class. it feels pleasantly odd when i receive emails from my classmates telling me things like i'm sorry for handing in late, here you go, and such. i don't think i'm the responsible for others type to be checking whether people had done their work.

delicious lamb stew

2007-02-03T23:23:00.000+08:00

had just made delicious lamb stew with is. he came over to my place and we watched layer cake while waiting for the stew to cook. laugh at how its turning into how floyd cooks with my clumsy spilling the sugar. i was hoping its more like jamie oliver or ben and curtis in surfing the menu.

it's a nice feeling when i hear the sound of the lamb cooking in chopped tomato, carrots, onions and celery before the broth was thrown in.

on friday before prayers at the park and class i made onion soup and had them with bread and coffee. i arrived for prayers just at the nick of time. alhamdulillah.

i had a fantastic gathering last nite at fifteen with puja, zariq, adi, saf, azura and fathi. its the gang again from foundation. always lovely for me to see everyone. and i am thankful that everyone is in such a good spirit even with everyone having their own very different commitment these days.

i bought a miniature football which i kick and juggle around the house. imagining there's a keeper just asking to be stretched hapless - commonly a low drive to the far post.

it's been a week where i've start staying up at nite over work. listening to muse's starlight.

the story of clothes

2007-01-30T00:03:00.000+08:00

i really want to go shopping. im running through fashion blogs. i have a few ideas. i love that these photos show that regular people do dress up better, at least in my opinions, than those seen in magazines. so they are giving me a little bit of hope.

i love people who dress well and i want to love myself more. i mean i love people who dress well in a sense they throw me off balance a little but in the most pleasant of ways.

mohawk? and the whole outfit?

i like the low v neck, folded sleeves. not the baggy pants

the discussion today went, well, ok. i did my research and giving my class a benefit of a significant doubt, they did their research as well albeit similiar between them. i think for my part i was direct as expected and at the same time allowed others articulate their ideas by being only partially intimidating and difficult.

i joke to the lecturer how the phrase 'it depends really on the situation' was very famous today when a student cant give an informed answer.

i think there are students with sincere interest.

im back at my apartment now, and i just ran through my first batch of journals which the class are to email to me. there's two so far out of possibly thirty.

apprentice

2007-01-29T23:11:00.000+08:00

keeping with the italian theme, i made risotto con funghi (with mushroom). it just sounds so authentic in italian. i think its good, and i'd definitely have it in my imaginary menu. with a recommended next to it.

spent the weekend mostly at home. watched tomb raider the first installment. i'd prefer movies with more story development. but i wanted to watch an action movie for a change. did a bit of reading. so what's new?

as it is i'm doing my assignments. had hand in my weekly analysis for design reflective. i'm doing swot analysis for the same class. i'm doing research on the facilitation topic we're going to participate tomorrow. one of the subject is mentoring and when i came across a site it says, famous mentor-mentee:

socrates and plato
plato and aristotle
aristotle and alexandre the great

and all of the suddenly

dr. dre and eminem?!

as we know obi wan and anakin didnt pan out as expected.

tomorrow im planning to fast. want to make a habit out of fasting if i could on monday and thursday.

ne me quitte pas

2007-01-26T23:20:00.000+08:00

woke up this morning drinking what pleasantly has become a fixture to me, last nite's now cold mug of tea. takes me 12 hours to finish it.

as it's friday, i went to klcc mosque, masjid asyakirin, for friday prayers. and as its been the previous week, i brought my own mat and prayed on the grass at the park. it's like a picnic really what's with the trees shading and the breeze.

maybe next time i'll pack a sandwich with me.

i love this song now. ne me quitte pas by jacques brel.

do not leave me
i will not cry any more
i will not speak any more
i will hide there
with you to look at
to dance and smile
and to listen to you
to sing and then to laugh
let become to me
shadow of your shadow
shadow of your hand
shadow of your dog
do not leave me
do not leave me
do not leave me
do not leave me.
(exerpt from ne quitte pas)

good day

2007-01-24T23:22:00.000+08:00

having my late dinner. spaghetti amatriciana with brushetta. its a relatively new spaghetti sauce for me. absolutely love it. the dried crushed paprika and rosemary really amalgate well with the chopped tomato and beef slices.

went to college today for copywriting and art direction class. was late as i often am and had briefing with fellow late arrivals. SURPRISINGLY ALL BOYS!!

"you will be sharing this class with mass comm students" informed the soft spoken lecturer.

"how are they?" i ask

"they're good"

david's smiling at the other corner

"david knows what i meant"

"cheeky"

my new favorite comic strip - over the hedge. i like the overly intelligent and silly like calvin and hobbes.

i am talking myself to fast today. i think its good for my whole quiet time that im doing. i plahn- as i like the 'h' in my casual talk/writing these days- to do my assignments, the laundry and watch alfie. watch this space.

overpriced rustic bread

2007-01-22T20:23:00.000+08:00

woke up early today what with the first day of college and all. my room is tidy thanks to spring cleaning i did on sunday. i cleared everything that i dont need from my room, aired my pillows, quilt and cushion in the sun, changed the covers and also cleared most of my laundry while i was at it. i have the this is more like it feeling right now.

this morning after morning showers, i made up my bed thinking it would be nice to come back to a neat room with the bed made. and it was delightful to just dissapear in my own world reading in the train again. it has to be one of my favorite reading spot. when i was staying in mayang it was that putra lrt trip from kelana jaya to klcc for kino. i miss that.

i'm surprised at how much i'm enjoying reading emma what with it feeling very domestic and everything. i suppose the occassional humour just make everything so much more, more.

when i got to college my sifu ken goh was distributing the timetable.

"hello mr. english is spoken here" he was wearing that tag on his shirt.

"hello mr. route. tk 66" i was wearing my patches shirt.

fun guy.

as it is i've been cooking. have an overpriced french rustic loaf in the fridge which i've made garlic bread with. made spaghetti carbonara - yes it'd be better with fetucinni - which i think was sensational.

i've bought myself the quintessential movie, alfie with jude law and sienna miller. havent even watched sky captain and the kingdom of tomorrow actually.