Mamee, Menjana Impian: I'm on TV!

Wait, working with Mawi? Gosh, it’s the most absolute unexpected outcome. (I actually prefer NOT to!). Working with passionate contestants who are chasing their dream to win 50gran for furthering their studies? Now that’s a reality show! I had the privilege to work with most top and high profile creative people from the advertising and media industry such as Ted Adnan, Riz Ainuddin, Josh Lim, among the Mamee ambassador such as the crazy-funny Felix, the attention-seeker Mawi, and the sporting yet sweet and adorable Amylea.



To find out more, don’t forget to watch me in action, helping the contestant to design a poster for their assignment. It was fun helping them, directing shot for the celebrities. I personally enjoy working with Amylea, she’s super-cool and supportive.

For Muslim friends who's having their breakfast ‘buka puasa’ around 7.10-20pm (depending on location), don’t forget to change to channel 9, 7.30p.m, next Wednesday, 4th of October!

By the way, just to confirm that DMP 'Recreate & Realign' had been successfully pick as 'Official Selection of Webcuts 2006, Germany'. This 12th of October, our works will be showcase in Cineplex in Berlin, Germany!

Apa Ada Dengan Ramadan?
Updated: 30th September 2006


HDR: Teluk Kemang, Port Dickson, by Muid Latif

I took KTM to Seremban today and went for a ‘shooting spree’ at Teluk Kemang, Port Dickson beach side. I know that my mission is to take as many shots as possible and learn to know more about how to control exposure, aperture and shutter speed with the DSLR camera I had recently purchased. I know that by doing more practice, I can increase my photography skillets. Gosh, just discovered the HDR technique is pretty amazing. Anyway, it’s always been so nice to come back to Port Dickson. A lot of stuff and places had changed in Port Dickson; surprisingly a lot of places become dull and unreceptive, such as the town and Marina Bay, as it turn out into a total mess. Only the good thing in Port Dickson is that they had improve their road system, however, I am sure that Port Dickson is not a convincing place to promote ‘Malaysia Tourism’ as the local state really need to push their people and create more awareness.


Potrait Shot: Mr. Valentine (Thanks for the great time and your courtesy to model for me :P)

Anyway, I went back to Kuala Lumpur around 10:45 pm. Here’s an interesting observation. Ramadan is supposed to be a good month, a holy month where people should be moderate, do more good things in life, and stop wasting time with redundant entertainment right? I don’t know what’s going on with the Malay community in Bandar Tasik Selatan. It seems that time, after all the pakcik and makcik finish their tarawikh, this ‘Melayu-tak-ada-adat’ and the one ‘tak-tau malu’ would gather at the famous place called Gossip Bandar Tasik Selatan LRT Restaurant (just next to the ERL/KTM/Star Tasik Selatan Station) and start ‘melalak’ (Karaoke) until midnight. I just couldn’t figure out where they put their pride as Muslim. I mean, I know that I’m not a religious person, but come on lah, please have some respect for Ramadan. Takkan bulan puasa pun nak memekak dengan ber’karaoke. See, this is what exactly happens when there is no control over broadcasting industry (entertainment). They encourage more Malaysian to be uninspiring idols. It's all about fame. Banyak sangat generasi sekarang termasuk those old folks yang tak sedar diri tergolek-golek, terjoget-joget, menyanyi melalak di bulan Ramadan. Puji je suara macam Mawi atau Broery Marantika, terus lupa akhirat, dibanjiri dengan pujian duniawi. Why most of the typical bumi's allllwaayss like to waste time? Why not they spend their time wisely by sitting at home with their family, teach children how to read, how to write, how to draw, let them understand deeper about Malay language or English language ka, literature, teach them about Science or Geography ka..? Why can’t we be more educated rather than being to entertainment-minded. I’m sure by 2010, semua generasi baru akan jadi penyanyi, entertainer, rather than contributing themselves to help Malaysia grow in the corporate world, ICT industry and what not. To the Malays out there who think entertainment is more important in their lives more than any other thing in the world, please think about what will happen in the future if you don’t encourage the young ones to learn to be more productive, more educated and more patriotic. It's time to wake up. Jangan tenggelam dengan hiburan sangat. It's not wrong to have some entertainment, but keep your head up to the sky.

How Does A Relationship Becomes A Reality?

Why?
I’m a very anti-affection person. I am so because I hate what the past did to me, how I loose my control over my love life and affection towards a person. Most of the time, I have to give, and give, and give. I tolerate and had been very patience. I don’t desperate to get married if I know in Klang Valley, all the 60% of Malay man having an affair with other woman, or vice versa. Marriage is to show off my pride and success of who I am, but neglecting what I want rather have to follow the customs and what people out there want for me. But I can’t go against because I want a son or a daughter. I can’t just simply get a woman and make ‘em balloon for 9 months and go. That’s not the way, I have a religion. I can’t imagine the pain on how a woman went through to give birth. ‘Bukan senang’. But, men still have privilege to get another wife right? So how far fair to a woman? Go figure.

One of the factor I try to avoid relationship is because it’s distracting, it’s emotionally distracting. It’s even tense when most of modern woman these days are too demanding and materialistic. During my last breakup, the last dialogue was ‘Muid, who are you to be with me, you just drive a kancil, even I drive a bigger car than you’. So, I swallow really hard to face the fact of how typical it can be. So where goes the affection and sincerity in us? Mutual respect dah takde because we choose not to. Because we felt glamorous to marry a king rather than a slave.

Anyway, this is not a part for me to say that the women out there all like that dan bukan alasan kenapa tak nak ber'relationship', only that the one I met semua a bit superficial, the more beautiful you are, the more attitude you get from them, seriously, yang opposite pulak, always have negative thinking, asyik blame 'emselves, shallow la.. tak de yin and yang. *sigh. I had a long discussion with one of my girl friend regarding this topic. I respect her views but somehow in relationship there have to be a space where you need to be 'selective' of your partner or lover, cause you never know who you going to sleep with (means, orangnya pembersih ke, tidur berdengkur ke, makan pinggan tak basuh, burb or gas-maniac ke).

Fantasy?
Sometimes, I dream and woke up, I'm still in a fantasy. Just another fantasy... do most of the people we love choose security (financial), material, hi-culture (where you have the privillage to travel, eat at expensive restaurants, etc). Would you choose relationship over a person who have the big bags or a middle-class person, who wants to enjoy life as happy as he or she can be?


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I have found the one..
Me: Sorry I'm late. Don't wait for me.
'B': No, I've been waiting you for all my life.

Poetry: What is natural affection?

I haven't been doing poetry for very long time. I thought I want to share with you my 'freestyle' poem that I wrote an hour ago. If you watch the movie 'Little Black Book' starring Brittiny Murphy or Anything Else, by Jason Briggs, I believe the story of mine goes something like that. So here goes:

There I watch those starry stars in the sky,
With hope of heaven to shine upon me,
To shine my love and my soul,
Why must I need love?

Long ago I’m afraid to love, I once loved,
I was born to give but never to take,
Like a butterfly trapped in a golden cage,
Set to be free, by someone who wants me to be free

All night I look upon the hill of sorrow,
Looking at the ray of light becomes dim and emotionally blurry,
If I do somehow found the love I had longed for,
Why the one I love have to keep on holding back?

Is there such natural affection in us?
Will love ever be harmful to my broken heart?
Why it’s a shame to admit the defeat of security in us?
What are you waiting and searching for?
Why does someone so close have to be so vulnerable?

What I want is to care and give my enduring love,
I want to build a moment to worship our understanding,
But somehow forever drift from this reality,
Because we weren’t bound to make it happen.

Though one day I will recreate and realign my love,
But until then, I understand I will never satisfy anyone,
Because all the things I thought there’s possibility,
Will be a space of time that I need to wait, and wait, and wait.

If I love you, I will love you dearly with all the love I have,
What do I do to keep you coming back to me?
What do I do to wait but let my heart in pain and grief?
I then only know that to waste your time and dreams.

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I can’t give everything you want except to share to fulfilling joy I have, what I can gain from my life will be as easy as a normal human can be, without having to counterfeit my affection. I'm afraid because I see dark path along the way, my heart tell me to stay, but my mind giving the possibility to accept the true nature in relationship. I got nothing to chase. And I know I got nothing more to give in terms of materialsm and the defination of hi-lifestyle. Again, I'm being obnoxious, paradoid and naive, because I don't want to be hurt over and over again, but then, I will always think of you and that I will love you forevermore, very dear as always. I'm sorry, I can't accept ambigious affection, I don't want to wait, I want dreams to come true. So I guess I will continue to spoil myself and be untamed, because I want to loose my faith in affection. I felt so down, and I got nothing.

I never felt so alive loving this way before, but my love is in your hands. I will make it worth if you want me to. I change myself if you want me too, but please don't tear my heart, not again. I beg u. I want you to know that I love you so much. Looking at your eyes gives me the butterflies, i never felt like this since my last break off, but I'm afraid to fail you.


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if you want me want to dance, how can I do it if it's water that I'm standing on...

Official Selection of Webcuts 2006 Germany

Yesterday, I got an email from Eckhard M. Jäger of the Webcuts2006 and informed us that our Digital Malaya Project's (DMP) submission of the video 'Rebirth & Realign' had been selected as 'Official Selection for Webcuts 2006' for Berlin Internet Film Festival. I immediately called up Perez and later he came to my house to send a higher resolution of the file to be sent to them. I am deeply excited to be a part of world's most revolution country for creative movement (Bauhaus). To be selected and shortlisted is enough for us for this prestigous recognition! Syukur Alhamdulillah.

p/s: Me and Perez was sitting down the living room and while watching Channel 9, we found out an ackward impression when we see Channel 9 TV intro, the animation looks soooooo familiar.

Visit Webcuts to check out entries from different year.

Light Room, Anyone?

I just got myself a Canon 350D slr camera (finally!). It was probably one of the difficult decision for me to choose which is suitable. I barely get myself Nikon D50, but a lot of friends recommended Canon (Yeah, I know the lens are expensive, but it's worth the shot). I know my favorite photographer, Emiliano suggested me to go for analog SRL however, I can't affort to go for higher maintenance. Well, I got a very good bargain with free 90-300mm (which everyone knows) and for a starter, it's cool. Plus, never bought such an expensive camera after my first camera I bought, which is SHARP viewcam and Sony. I just took few of my shot (as usual, vain) and I tried Adobe Lightroom, a very cool software which is similar to Apple Aperture or the well-known Picassa. What makes me buy the camera? Due to the influence of watching America's Next Top Model (watching Daniell Levitt on set is ammmmaaayyzing), Isma Yusoof (Who had been frequently 'poisoned'me with his work), and my close friends of flickr and csforum.



I've been introduced to Lightroom when I went to the Photoshop WorldAsia 2006 not long ago in KL Hilton together with my buddy, Vernon Fernandez, Koii, Fauzi (Madfozi) and Hanif Hashim. I just manage to download and try it out today and I'm telling you, this software is cool, although it's still under beta. I'm not sure how much the retail price when they release the official software, but if it's cheaper than Aperture (RM1,399), then I would go for Adobe.

Two Days Ago

It was a very calm, yet slow morning. I barely remember the last time I heard birds chirping outside my window, and hardly remember inhaling such a refreshing air. I was awake by a call from of my colleague while ‘Wonderful’ by India Arie playing on my computer. To tell you the truth, I woke up very late for the past few weeks, due to my insomnia and 3-4 hours of sleep, plus, usually my maid would give a wakeup call but now not anymore. I had my first ever six and a half hours of sleep yesterday. I never felt so good. Every morning, I would have to make my own bread and a cup of hot tea. Today is different than any other day. Since our maid ran off, most of us in the family had to do things the normal way; we cook our own food, make our own breakfast and prepare our own clothes. My grandma, Opah, was with us since yesterday. You know, having her around is different than having our Matuk (grandma on my mum’s side). Every morning, I would be able to see and hear her prayers and reciting the Quran. It’s nice and motivating. I had a chance to talk with her this morning for a very long. I never chat with her cause I would greet her and then left the house off to work.

Abby, my sister went out to send my sister, Afiqah to school. So, I have to wait for her especially when Opah is around. I don’t want my grandma to be left alone in the house. It always bothers me. In our conversation, she told me how happy and proud she is when she saw me in the newspaper. I felt very sincere flattered and touched. The smile on her face is so genuine, and she kept on saying ‘alhamdullilah’ (thankful). She mentioned to me about my responsibility when my dad is not around. I mean those things and stuff that I need to take care off when my father away, which I never bother. I used to remember hearing family fight over land issues and stuff, and I just don’t want to bother because I don’t want to jeopardize my relationship I have with my other brother and sisters. You know, normally the seniors or ‘orang-orang perak’ do have a lot of land and assets with them. Again, I don’t want to drag myself into this but I just realized that I do need to concern; I do need to care, because it’s the history and the appreciation need to be look at. My late grandpa had been working hard to get the land he now owns and pass it on to generation to generation. In the family, my dad gets the more of other family members, because my grandma loves my dad very, very much. Her love is very sincere and my dad is very, very protective with his mom. I know what it feels like to totally love someone. I know now that I love my dad and my mom, and I would promise myself to take care of them when they grow old. I want to work as hard as I can so I can manage a better life for them and make them happy.



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finally, i got my canon slr! more photography coming your way.

What A Week!

This week has been the most challenging week ever. I recently met a friend who had been helping me to figure out some of my problems and me therefore getting much closer to sanity and 'the light'.


This is my enhanced illustration which I suppose to do for Petrosains revamp website (This illustration was claimed by my art director, Mr. Simplicity as one of the not-so good illustration, but from public point of view, they like this cute boy. You’re so wide of the mark!)

I've been seeing a lot of people boasting what they have in their lives, unfortunately, it's getting nowhere if we kept on showing our ego because we are afraid of competition and felt defensive. I felt, even though I use to travel, stay for years in other people's country and exposed to new cultures, there is two places I never get a chance to visit, which is my heart and my think-tank. Extraordinary that I know, heart would be the best place to visit, because it allows us to be human, and to appreciate God's doing.

How a person practice bad ethics in life?

Relating to my previous post on my 'downfall of a friendship', I just realized that after my close friend cut-off my relationship with them, I try to look back at the past of how I spend time with them. Most of them would never accept new talents and will definitely disclaim someone as graffiti because to them, they felt they are the greatest, boasting with great ideas. The capability of what they have now, as suit to their portfolio, they will always try to make sure neither any artist and designers should have titled themselves as Graffiti artist, because we need to have a diploma or degree in arts in order to do that. I remember back when I was with them in Museum of Art, Singapore, they 'dis' off or had their negative remark on a collective called 'Wondermilk' and disclaim that 'Wondermilk' work is never to be claimed as Street Art. Well, in my heart, I would say 'Wow, since you are the greatest graffiti artist in Malaysia, you can tell who is or who is not a graffiti artist? That’s impressive!’ Act time we had conversation in our regular Saturday gathering (Well, not anymore), they would be 'bitching' about other graffiti artist and other designers (take for example, Stephen Lau) because they can't accept the fact that some people out there are better then they are. They might be an opportunist, or perhaps copycat some famous artist work such as Phunk Studio or whatsoever but what about you yourself? Who do you define originality at first place? Come on, those people also need to find their own bread and butter. They actually hate a lot of people and always carry such a bad aura in them. Let say that actually they are afraid of competition and trying hard to be as the number one up there without having the heart to encourage more youngsters and emerging talents to be better by trading their experience because they are not willing to share and educate others in first place. If you said I’m not willing to share my experience and my ideas, I disagree. There are few tutorials I did online, there’s talk we (Perez & Yadd of DMP Collective) presented in art collages (POLYTEC-MARA, The One Academy, etc), my .psd files are ready to be download for reference. You name it. I’m not giving my self-confident about my capability to show I’m better of then them, but the fact I want public to know, Out There, in this Malaysia Art & Design scene / community, there are people who can’t accept other talents, disrespect and WILL STOP other creative talents and people around them from doing what they believe it is art and what can be made as a part of their life.

My point is, in life, you cannot change people, but you can help other people to change. You can't expect people to change according to your like and your superficial demands. You can't expect a person who is fat to be as thin to your view, because it takes to be in that person's shoe before you can assume and make judgment on people. In your heart, you must understand their determination to try at their very best so you can push and motivate them to become better, not to drift them away, not have them around and let that person be your personal scapegoat and temper tantrum.

Tips menghalang kecurian seperti yang diberi oleh Polis DiRaja Malaysia.

I check on my email today and I found a very interesting email which my friend forward it to me. Well, unfortunately it's in Bahasa Melayu.

1. Jangan biarkan anak-anak tidur di ruang tamu seorang diri (Mereka mungkin menggunakan anak sebagai tebusan).
2. Kunci atau sorokkan semua pisau-pisau yang terdapat di dapur sebelum tidur (Kesemua kes kecurian di dapati pisau hilang dan menurut polis mereka akan mencari pisau dahulu sebelum mencuri bertujuan untuk melindungi diri mereka).
3. Sekiranya terdengar/terlihat paip air di luar rumah terbuka pada tengah malam (pukul 12 ke atas), jangan keluar rumah untuk menutup paip tersebut kerana ini adalah taktik terbaru mereka di mana mereka telah menunggu diluar pintu rumah untuk masuk (Kes terbaru berlaku di Dungun dan PJ).
4. Beritahu anak-anak sekiranya hendak ke tandas (jika tandas jauh) di waktu tengah malam, kejutkan ibubapa untuk bersama mereka.
5. Jangan simpan barang-barang kemas di dalam almari baju (Cara lama...).
6. Bawa alarm kereta bersama semasa tidur, in case terjaga tengah malam, cuba on and offkan balik untuk menakutkan pencuri (Menandakan kita sentiasa alert).
7. Tekan button merah alarm kereta anda jika anda suspect pencuri sudah masuk ke dalam rumah.
8. Sekiranya terlihat orang-orang yang agak aneh dan asing di kawasan rumah anda, sila dapatkan plet no motor/kereta mereka (Selalunya naik motor dan mereka ni biasanya berdua, setiap kali kita lalu depan mereka, mereka akan menundukkan kepala).
9. Pesan kepada jiran, sekiranya ada sesiapa yang datang ke rumah kita dan mengaku saudara kita bertujuan untuk mengambil barang-barang, jangan benarkan, beri nombor telefor pejabat anda kepada jiran supaya mereka boleh double check dengan kita.
10. Semasa tidur, pastikan handphone anda berada di sisi atau pastikan juga Cordless Phone anda berada di sisi anda ataupun sambungkan satu extension dalam kamar tidur anda. Ini memudahkan anda membuat panggilan kecemasan sekiranya anda terasa kehadiran pencuri di dalam rumah anda.
11. Adakan senarai nombor telefon kecemasan seperti polis, bomba , 991 atau sebagainya. Pastikan nombor-nombor ini disimpan dalam handphone anda.
12. Kalau boleh, hafalkan nombor tersebut. Ini memudahkan anda membuat panggilan telefon.
13. Kalau berkemampuan, pasangkan alat pengesan kecurian di rumah atau automatik alarm.
14. Lampu porch & lampu belakang rumah sepatutnya terpasang secara automatik bila malam, baik semasa kita ada di rumah atau pergi vacation.
15. Kalau cuti lama, pesan jiran kutip surat-surat dlm mail box. Mail box yg penuh membantu pencuri menghidu ketiadaan tuan rumah.
16. Kalau kawasan anda kerap berlaku kecurian, buat permohonan rasmi dari Balai Polis berdekatan supaya ada anggota polis buat rondaan yang kerap di kawasan anda.
17. Kereta Proton adalah paling mudah dicuri. Kalau kereta anda brand new, sekurang-kurangnya anda perlu lock gear & stering sebelum tidur (Sebenarnya masih boleh dicuri, tetapi akan berjaya melambatkan pencuri).
18. Kalau ada anak-anak perempuan, sebaik-baiknya pintu biliknya dikunci dari dalam (Sebab ada pencuri yg mengambil kesempatan seksual) dan anda perlu ada kunci pendua in case berlaku = kebakaran.
19. Sekurang-kurangnya simpan kayu hoki atau baseball di bawah katil anda buat mempertahankan diri dari pencuri yang ganas.
20. Jangan letak kunci bawah pasu bunga/mail box/alang pintu/tepi tingkap bila keluar (Pencuri dah lama tau taktik ni...). Lebih selamat beri pada jiran yang kita kenal rapat.
21. Kalau sewa rumah baru, pastikan anda tukar padlock baru, mana tau bekas-bekas penyewa lama simpan kunci pendua.
22. Kurangkan pendedahan dan pergaulan anda dengan pakerja asing.
    

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later!

Printed! Hasil Kerja Terbaru di Plaza Sentral

Welcome Offline Visitors To My Blog!



Thanks to Fairuz from Berita Harian for the interview and featured my article and works at ruangan 'X-pres-c', page 14 of iKON, Berita Harian, today, 2nd of September 2006. Again, thanks Fairuz Zaidan! > Click here to read the Article.



As working for a highly resolution for a print is never easy. God knows how I overcome the challange I faced, first, the file size (yes.. almost 1-4GB per PSD image), then the compression, then the printing. Today one of my senior told me he went to KL Sentral and saw the design the we had work on and it turn out good. That is surely a relief. I can't wait to go to Plaza Sentral and see the designs myself. This will be my first work on digital design on canvas size for 80,600 mm x 4200 mm, 150 dpi for a print. Will post the pics this weekend. Me like! Anyway, my work and name mentioned in: TheStar Article (Kuali) and Singapore Art Museum.

Lost But Not Found

Before the merdeka eve, I lost my phone in the TGV Cinema in KLCC. I know so cause I was with my friend at the very last show as we are the last to go and only the cleaner is inside the cinema. I was so careless not to check, and when the next day, I ask abby's help to go to TGV and ask for it. It's not in the 'Lost & Found'. I guess it's pretty simple not to trust any workers in TGV especially the cleaners, because these days, they are not noble and honest. So if you ever lost a phone in a local cinema, there's no chance of getting back the phone. Bugger! Just when I thought I can peacefully buy myself the SLR camera I wanted. Sad sad.

Online Tutorial on Photoshop Text Blending (In Bahasa) at CandidSyndrome Forum!


Click on the image to enter the forum.

So How was your Merdeka?

Sometimes we can't figure what the heck is going on, as most Malaysian would probably love to tell people out there about local independence day without taking it into action. People decorate their cars with Jalur Gemilang, but when you see them on the road, they drive like a mad cow. It's a shame to celebrate this way. As for me, I got a bit passive-feeling whenever we celebrate this magnificent day. One of the reason is that, I don't need to go out because the fact that the place i'm staying (Military Camp), have their own fireworks to celebrate, then there's Mines Wonderland that frequently display fireworks (yes, you get bored). Most important, from this day on, I get to spend my time with my family, my parents, watch DVD together eating peanuts. I'm hearing people singing in this army camp now. It's a ritual function that the military used to have, for the sake of enjoying themselves, making more littering on the football field, noise pollution and no respect towards the neighbours. But what the heck, it's Merdeka!

If Merdeka means that Malaysia is free from British government, that's where we think we are wrong. We, Malaysian love to buy the Western culture because we worship the western too much. While other countries are sufficating, poverty and we only take things less and for granted. It's sad. You know, if Datuk K & Siti Nurhaliza, plus Mawi & Ina's controversial issue to be aired on TV during merdeka. Then it shows how Malaysians are dull, shallow and un-educated because we take most retarded issues to be acknowledge rather than to take other important issue more serious. So many things happen in our countries lately, even our national security won't be able to convince Malaysian that we are safe in their hand. In fact, Malaysians will be more afraid of the police rather than the criminals because they are more dangerous than the one out there killing. What a shame....

Well, now, for some reason, after watching the fireworks with my family outside the yard (oh, the Mines Wonderland 'updated' their fireworks with kite images... nice!), I'm planning to finish all my design left overs, so I won't be lazy going back to bed and start doing something good this time around, at least I won't be seeing rubbish on the streets of KL especially KLCC and Bukit Bintang. ;-)

Happy Merdeka.

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