"Remind myself to be more vocal. To express more."
"Good! Agree! You should!"
Aunty K, being the motherly figure of her, telling me just that. And begins a warm lecture for me to open up. Am I that introvert a person!? Am I that not expressive!?
Tribal? Nah. Pilot 4+2 did a modernised tribal on his arm - angular as opposed to the organically shaped ones. That would be nice, if it's big.
I love Yakuza's. Only if it's sleeved. I don't want that huge of an art. Not just yet?
I like Iban's floral patches too. But I was told you need their permissions to do that. Or you'll be head-hunted. Thank you for that.
Bar codes are dated then. So I thought of QR code. But what should I link it to? My Facebook? My portfolio? Or my number? AR code is totally out of the question. Maintaining an AR engine is expensive. This kinda "code" tats will have the same fate as the bar codes later.
Here's an interesting video of a guy who did a QR code tat linked to a Youtube vid of an animation. "First Ever Animated Tattoo" is a misleading title.
The Pair did a couple-tat recently. One of the many that I can see on their body.
"When's your turn lah?"
"Want meh!?"
"A designer must have at least one lah..."
"... a pair of double quotes...?"
Some weeks later, we were having some beers after work. The suits brought two ladies from the mall management to join us. One of them had tats, which triggered the topic. Half a Macha has one on his left calf. Planning to get a new one, and asked if I want to join him. Despite being a little tipsy, the "double quotes" came into my mind again. A little more specific this time - at the front of my neck.
Why double quotes? Why neck? I didn't know, until recently.
Even the tat artist thought I was crazy for having my first one on the neck. Bro labelled me as "hardcore". The one-week anticipation is killing me. Even more when I'm lying on the recliner. Can't get any worst when Since Primary Two telling the tat artist to give me hell, while Fun Size standing outside the room giving me that smile.
With the needles buzzing closer and louder...
"Oh, fuck. Oh. My. Fuck..."
Huh? What? That's it!?
It's not that bad after all! There are some spots which are more annoying than pain. To a point it's irritating. I have to stop chatting to hold my breath in. And don't believe everything you read on the Internet. "Neck is one of the most painful spot to have a tattoo.". Konon.
What's in between? Nothing. Just the Adam's apple. Just a self reminder.
"Don't keep too much things inside. Express more, Birthmark."
The reason why I started this blog in the first place.
Different people have different pain tolerance, but you can quote me for the painless process.
They broke up not too long ago. It's non-refundable. Needed a replacement on the queen. Yeah, how you all wished. She later changed the rooms to twins.
"I have not pay the balance to the valuer, you say!?"
When the property valuer were asking for a payment, not once I have missed a call. The bank is rushing them for reports. They are doing a job. Which is fine with me. I paid, and sent a copy of the bank draft. And thank you for reminding me for a report done. I paid, and again, I sent a copy together with the earlier draft.
That was two weeks ago.
Not once I get a ring / text / email / snail mail / pigeon mail / Morse code / smoke signal if they got it. Not once on both payments. Not. Fucking. Once.
Since the figure was discussed over the phone, there is no black and white. I clearly stated in the mail to confirm the deposit and balance. Nada. Till the bank called today. I forwarded the bank drafts right after. And begin a series of complaints to the valuer. Kena fuck kau-kau lah this valuer girl.
She texted later at night for my postal address. Also sent the same message to my mail. Thank you. Thank you so fucking much for waking up.
I really appreciate any, I say, any kind of acknowledgements.
With much enthusiasms, I reached slightly over 12.
Unfortunately, I left my tags at home.
For over an hour I was at a kopitiam, armed with my Tissot Classic and boredom. Saw a red. Peeping through a sheer white dress. Cheek length. Somewhat perky. Almost an upskirt.
For the next eight or so hours, I was alternating between my desk and the studio artist's. Checking the visuals. At times, adjusting it on my own. Facebook. Facebook. And more Facebook. Somewhere in between, Since Primary Two tempted me with a Klang seafood suggestion. How I wished I could leave early.
Ended the day with a long awaited, overly priced bak kut teh - client's bill.
What you read recently are random slots in between. On a bigger picture, I don't even know where to start. The good? The bad? Maybe, the ugly?
Since Shades left, things are really different with Almost Blind. He is much more intense. Both good and bad, depending on how you see it. Every one of us will have his / her time with him. But thanks to all the ranting and shoulder-lending, we survived.
Soon after, he left too. Our new lady boss brought in a contract-based ECD / CD duo from her ex agency. Half a year for half a day. Half the pair, at times. I would say we are on a wobbling, captain-less ship. True to the heart, no one knows what is going to happened after six months. It's like a dating game.
Many left. Those who are still clinging on, are still looking. Me, no exception. I got an offer at a hot shop through a headhunter which I turned down. These happened in a span of just two days. From the interview, to hiring. Yeah, they needed people that urgently.
The team that I used to know are left with Half a Macha and As Long As Her. Even Diam-Diam that I worked closely with since day one are leaving to pursue her own interest. In fact, Half a Macha almost left. We decided to cling on after some bro-talks. We have been through the small shops and mid sizes. If we're stepping out, we'll make sure to knock on large doors. I don't want to go through these all over again too.
We've got a dream brief from a new client. Briefs like these are so rare that many creatives might not get it in their lifetime. If we manage to pull it off, it will be a talk of the industry. If not, we got nothing to lose. Just take it as David and Goliath. We are David.
Got my appraisal recently. I've worked hard for the past two years. I expected for a big raise. I've even updated the management of the intentions and offers I got, before and after the appraisal. Fingers crossed for now.
Business are booming. New clients. More projects from existing ones. Replacements ada, but not enough to fill the lost and gap. Looks suffocating, but not once I have to work late or on the weekends.
Well that's a lie.
Worked once to midnight. Once up to 2am. And once at 7.30 in the morning for the past six months. Not a day on the weekend. Not bad for an agency what! New bosses, new ways of working. I love it now.
On a even brighter side, I bought my first property.
Fun Size's parents shifted there last year. And said I will love it. Had a visit on their Christmas party and I fell in love with that place. And so the scouting begins. With the value of money that we had now, many said it is hard to buy one. I couldn't agree more. My savings are almost dry up.
Not to forget the stacks and stacks of legal documents that I need to initial on. Fast forward to today, I've just signed the last piece of document.
Not rats, but ants. At least is was a problem for me. I hate ants. Not phobia, but they just send shivers down my spine even by just thinking of it.
I don't see a single one the first few months I'm here. Not until the ex-producer left some months back. I noticed them after she packed. It is said that ants make nest at the weirdest place.
I've seen them in Father's old jogging shoes. *Goosebumps*
In bags of old clothes. *Goosebumps, shivers, goosebumps, shivers*
In long, untouched corrugated boxes. *Goosevers, shibumps*
Found them in the computer's motherboard! *Bumpsgoose*
And here,
Shot this during the recce at Pullman, Putrajaya. They are a centimeter in length! *Brrrrr...*
Every now and then, I would see stray ones crawling lost in their track. On our desks. Monitors. Into our mugs - oh, come on! I've only gulped half. Under the stack of layout pads. Inside the keyboards. On our arms. Everywhere! *Goosebumps*
I've lost count how many I've killed along the way. It's those species that emit a kind of smell.
The ex-producer's place is in front to the left of my cube. The ants spread onto Diam-Diam's, More Than a Cycle's, and Aunty K's place at the back of us. Diam-Diam for numerous times blamed I brought them back to the office. She still does.
Now the whole office seems to be infested by them. Aunty K brought us some poison granules. It worked only for a while.
Is it me, or it's a curse for top creatives to work here? Is it a coincidence? Is there some sort of a paranormal calculations some where that made these people end up here? Suspicious, isn't it?
It's been ages since I got to wake up for non-leisure at 7-ish. Was supposed to leave by 8, but Little Pinay left her place late. Picked her up at the LRT when she reached and floored our way there. Was doing red lines at the MEX's straight. Slow White Poke can't take anything more. She was shivering at 180.
After some 50-odd km, we got there just in time for some breakie.
Had some sandwic... *fast forward* Change, is inevita... *fast forward* ... this will be the new framewor... *fast forward* ... ciggy break... *fast forward* ... any question about thes... *fast forward*"Don't take the Tandoori Chic... *fast forward* ... took some phot... *fast forward* ... engage these crowd... *fast forward* ... Enjoy your weekend!" said the Strat. Sheesh...
That's just to sum it up. Nothing too interesting to pen them down.
It rained earlier. Making the tarmac burn even more. After waves and waves of heat that hit us in the evening, we decided to have some beers before we call it a day. And since our lady boss belanja, so why not lah kan?Half a Macha gotta leave early, so he dragged me to his car for some puffs and small talk before he take off.
*Slow motion*
I was then tasked to drive another 2 more people home. *slow motion* Lady boss and my new ECD. Shit! *slow motion* All the way to 2 different spots at Bangsar. *slow motion* And dropped off Little Pinay at Jalan Ampang.
Did my 0 to 100 in *slow motion*.
It was a longer way back. When beers and herbs are involved.
