28.2.11

The Plan

Hitam Manis, continued.

"Dear, I'm setting up a date for Birthmark and Hitam Manis. We're planning to go for a movie. You and him just pretend to be shopping there and bump into us. Will confirm again the place, date, and time."



Diam-Diam forwarded the text to me.

Pretend? Why pretend? Can't they just tell Hitam Manis it's a "set up"? Or something along the line of, "Dear. I know a friend of Diam-Diam. He's her boss. He may have some job contacts for you. And I think you two will get along well."

There. Straight to the point. No lies.










But on second thought... it sounds fun!

26.2.11

The coupé apartments

"People started moving in already..."



I was in
Since Primary Two's car at the traffic lights. We looked on to a relatively new apartments just by the overhead bridge on top of a mall. It was dark, with only few prominent lights from the living rooms, scattered randomly over the 20-, 30-floor building.



"What are those? Studio apartments?"

Spontaneously, he said,

"They've 2-door, 3-door... eh!?"

"HAHAhAhAhA! Coupé! Must be expensive!"

"... 2-door
, 3-do... (short pause)... What is wrong with me!? Two-room! Three-room! Studios!..."



If those exist, I'll be looking for a 5-door Volvo /
Hummer house. Looking at the break-in cases now, something tough would be nice.

19.2.11

20 odd years


1 high profile Creative Director




1 fun & receptive Client




1 brilliantly done Print Ad




A story of Love
"I like it!"





A story of Hope
"Love the idea!"




A story of Hate
"It's clever, but... Hm... maybe not now... Say... in 10 years?"




In the Malaysian ad scene now
20 Odd Years





The print ad was done more than 10 years ago
"Published 1998"




The drama climax around an award-winning creative director, a flamboyant client, and a print ad from The States. Set in the current Malaysian ad scene with the backdated mindset of clients. This is a story of a young creative who embark into the journey of discovering a whole new meaning of advertising.

Till I get some funding, this is a made-up.
Sadly, it's a true story.



We are that far behind.



All images used in this post are taken from gettyimages® for illustration purposes only.
gettyimages® hold the full rights to these images. Image #105198858; 76946134; 105495301; 79255067; 200527300-002; 200527300-005.

15.2.11

Driving in Malaysia #51

The signal lights.

In this part of the country, the signal / indicator lights is a form of invitation to the car behind the lane you are switching onto, to speed up. It also serves as an optional deco.

Please use with care.




A survival tips for the expats / foreigners / tourists who is planning to drive in Malaysia.

12.2.11

Dream cycle

I can't ride a bicycle.

Okay. One minute break for laughing.






























Hello, people. How are you? Fantastic. Let's move on.

I was around 8 or 9 when I first touched a bicycle. I always "blame" my parents for getting it when I'm "too old" to learn. It's just an excuse of mine lah. I'm just scared. The bike was for Bro. The younger siblings always get the best - a lovely fact. He was only 3, 4 years old. Easier to pick it up.

He did. I remained... me.

The bros laugh at it all the time. They had enough of it at one time, and decided to teach me a lesson or two on bicycle riding not long after we ended high school. At the blooming age of eighteen! They even suggested to fit the support wheels during the lesson. I, of course, violently
refused.

Do you need another break?










No? Great.

And off I go
to a padang nearby with Since Primary Two and Pilot 4+2. The padang was rather secluded. Good choice! We were there for over 3 hours. And the furthest I went without falling only to my right was 20 meters. The bushes (let's twist it a little) love me too. Few times they came straight to me!

Mission failed, jokes continued.

Cycling, sadly, only happens in my dreams.
It has become a yearly event. It'll just intrude my slumber, without having a slight thought of it. But I tell you, it was so real! The cycling. The balancing. The gripping. The steady breeze brushing against my face. Into the gaps in between my limbs. It was a kind of freedom I can't describe in words. I wake up pissed knowing it was just a dream.

"How you gonna carry your girls lah?"


I've been asked similar question many times before. Well... I'm all go for an opposite roleplay. The girls carry me! Isn't it cute? And sweet?

I have to admit, I do envy people who knows to ride.

Simply put, I have no fate with 2-wheels.




A lot of things are harder to pick up as you aged.

11.2.11

When the clock strikes eight

At times when I'm crafting my works, Diam-Diam will slide her chair beside me. Looking at the stuffs that I'm doing. Occasionally, asked how it goes. The progress and all lah. The longer she's there, the more excited she'll become.

Excitements include, but not least to things like, suggesting colours for the design, directing the placement of copy and images. Re-suggest new colours to replace the previous said ones. Re-directing new copy and image placements to replace the... yup...
previous said ones. Oh, she grabbed my mouse once and did the changes when I don't listen to her...

One night when I'm about to finish up, she rushed me to print them out. I went to the printer and waited. Brought it back over to my desk. And looked through before showing them to Shades. But, I showed it to her first...



"Mmm (nodding, short pause)... Keep it up!"

"(Stare at her, short pause)... Since when you're an art director ar? Specifically my art director?"

"hAhAhAhAhAha... No lah... Same team mah!"



It happened a few times already.

I'm not insulted, really. In fact, it's kinda cute.

Imagine. I've been staring and crafting the same ads / designs for days around the clock. How alert is my brain? I'm mentally exhausted. I'm in need of a bed. Been stuffing nicks non stop. Even coffees are tasteless. I can't even think straight anymore. An extra eye really help.

Ever since, it has become an inside joke of us.

Our "after 8 pm art direction".

7.2.11

Schedule of the day

Tagged in at 10.30.






























Knocked off at 6.30.



There's nothing in between. No, I'm serious! Okay... that was a lie.

After submitting my timesheets for the past weeks and cleared my mails, for the next 25,321.891784321432465 seconds I was on Facebook. Then my personal mails. Then random surfing. Back to Facebook. Personal mails. Random surfings #53. Facebookpersonalmailsrandomsurfings#561Facebookpersonalmailsrandomsurfings#90Facebookpersonalmailsrandomsurfings#461Facebookpersonalmailsrandomsurfings#73Facebookpersonalmailsrandomsurfings#2...

Lunch!

Facebookpersonalmailsrandomsurfings#890Facebookpersonalmailsrandomsurfings#21Facebookpersonalmailsrandomsurfings#21Facebookpersonalmailsrandomsurfings#75Facebookpersonalmailsrandomsurfings#78workFacebookpersonalmailsrandomsurfings#61Facebookpersonalmailsrandomsurfings#4Facebookpersonalmailsrandomsurfings#3workFacebookpersonalmailsrandomsurfings#45Facebookpersonalmailsrandomsurfings#59...

Knock off! Nope... false alarm.

Facebookpersonalmailsrandomsurfings#61Facebookpersonalmailsrandomsurfings#51Facebookpersonalmailsrandomsurfings#456workFacebookpersonalmailsrandomsurfings#19Facebookpersonalmailsrandomsurfings#375workFacebookpersonalmailsrandomsurfings#753...



Even the clients are still on holiday mode.

At least I can see the sun when I left for home earlier.
FN3PETJKVVZ3

6.2.11

Hitam Manis

I was one of the photographer. She was one of the volunteer.

We were at a sports carnival for orphans. Of all the ladies that were there helping out, there's something in her that caught my eyes.

A week later in the office, while Diam-Diam was browsing all the photos uploaded by Cherry-ty (the organizer), I pun kepoh a bit lah. And asked who's that girl. Turn out, they were all schoolmates. But, wasn't close to her.



"Eh, who's that girl?"

"Schoolmate loh..."

"Bring her out lah!"

"Why?... You like ar?"

"Er... (long pause) she's sweet, though. Hitam manis."

"Hehehehe... I'm not close to her. But Cherry-ty is closer to her. So...?"

"So what?"

"You like?"

"... (Long, long pause) Like I've said... she's sweet..."

"Hmm... maybe I can ask Cherry-ty geh. Meet up for a drink or something."

"Yeah. I wouldn't mind getting to know a new friend..."

"Yeah lah! Give up on Zoky lah! Drag for so long and nothing happen! (Look at me from head to toe) I think Hitam Manis suits you better."



What!? What's the relevance? And what a way to conclude that!

This was back then. Fast forward to now, I was set up in a date with her. Not a one-to-one kinda date, but... yeah, maybe later.