my Corner Man

UP WE GO

This week, I have the opportunity to participate in a photo shoot…I was in this medium-size studio in Kepong, of course; it was a non-glamorous event…there were no models, actors/actresses, singers, boybands, DJs, celebrities or whatsoever. It was a photo shoot purely for children furnitures that will be feature in our next month Professional Kids Catalogue. To meet the tight budget, the company's Marketing Department even eliminate the participation of children models in the photo shoot. There were 3 themes – Mickey Mouse, Winnie The Pooh & Disney Princess. It was supposed to be a very simple & quick process (or so I thought) because it involves objects and not people but the whole photo shoot takes up half a day. My logical understanding was – just arrange the furniture nicely, snap the picture and off I can go back home. But no…the photographer and his 2 crew members have to arrange the settings, make sure they are in the right position & adjust the backdrop, put in the suitable props, make sure the lighting is at the right angle to create the right & soft shadow tone, look into the tiny details etc. I was with Kelly (the A & P Manager) and Zoe (the Art Director from our company’s appointed agency) and they are so fussy & particular in making sure that there are no flaws in every angle. Just one simple shoot of the Mickey Mouse set also requires several snaps because somehow they complained that the lighting tone is too bright, the carpet is not in the right position, the arrangement of the books in a book shelve is not nice, the pillow is not fluffy enough, the quilt is not curvy enough, more windows needs to be added, the overall style & emotions failed to be projected out, the angle was just not accurate etc. So, changes after changes have to be made again and again until the pictures turn up right and perfect. It has been a one good experience for me.

So then it struck me…its really not easy being an actor. That is why they are so highly paid. I finally understand why. It’s so time consuming waiting for their turn. First, they have to memorize the screenplay, they have to practice their facial expressions, their tone of voice and their body language…and in some certain movie genre, the actors may also need to acquire certain specific skills…like playing the violin, learn how to sing & dance, ride a horse, ballet, martial arts, military training etc. Then the actor have to put on the make-up, wait for his turn on the set…then get into his character…once his scene is finish, he have to step out from his character and wait for his next turn in another scene. And this goes on and on until the movie is fully completed. Really, it’s hard work. Plus, filming inside the studio is already hot & humid, outdoor shooting will be even more worst. No wonder Hollywood artiste demand so much more like a diva compare to their Asian counterparts.

Don’t wait for the storm to pass, but learn to dance in the rain

I watched the movie The Green Hornet – it's sporadically entertaining, but The Green Hornet never approaches the surreal heights…it just fell flat. A bit shapeless as a story but relies on a few big set pieces & explosives to connect the dots. The only redemption is Kato. Kato is cool and the rest of the characters was only so-so. It was a very typical super hero movie; the only difference is that this sidekick can actually upstage the hero. Seth Rogen; the Green Hornet doesn't make much of an action hero, but he plays his lack of superpowers to the maximum fun. Where as Kato is a genius when it comes to the technical stuff, he is multitalented in putting things together, he makes great coffee, he's a good artist and he is certainly charming. But Kato will always be the second man. Kato was played by Jay Chou. Was Jay Chou the right choice to play Kato? I think it’s a definitely yes. The look, the size…he fits into the character nicely. Do I admire him as an actor? Not really. Do I adore his deadpan humor? Nah. What about his intelligent, dry wit? Nope.

I am a fan of Jay Chou’s music only. His music and not the actual person. Once or twice, I’ve tried to be a hardcore fan. I tried to watch a few of his earlier movies. I tried to delve into the strange world of fan sites. But I couldn’t do it. Fan sites are so wrong, on so many different levels. I was never a real fan. But hey, Kato is cool. I'm Kato's fan :)

Life Sdn Bhd

What Flavor Is Your Personality? (by Alan Hirsch) – borrowed this book from Troy…hmm…how shall I put it…I find the results are pretty subjective because the findings are not scientifically…proven. It’s a research where it gathers a group of people and just randomly generalize them…on how each particular ice cream, pastries, spices etc provide important clues about personality types and can even predict behavior. I find the outcome very much debatable. However I do agree how certain foods can trigger our body psyches and the role that the food plays in different religions and cultures.

I am a foodie, I love food, I like the whole dining process and I enjoy eating very much…to me, food feeds & nourishes the soul as much as it fuels the body…and I think the best food is my mom’s home-cook food because they are cooked from the heart :) I don’t cook, I only make mess in the kitchen and I am probably the worst cook ever around. But I do envy people who love entertaining and throwing parties and experimenting with food and recipes. Their cooking and also baking skills are so enviable. Wish that I have some of it.

Personally, I prefer fresh, healthy, low-fat, low-sugar foods…like the Japanese food that strives for harmony with nature and the cooking styles which emphasize the freshest of ingredients as well as spontaneity and sincerity. But I also can’t live without the dim sum, pizzas, hamburgers, chocolate and KFC :)

Pale Blue Dot

Gwyneth Paltrow can sing. She actually can sing! The first time I hear her sing…was back in 2000 where she did a duet with Huey Lewis and the song was titled “Cruisin”. At that time, to me…she sound bad…really awful…her voice was flat all the way…but after 11 years…when I hear her rendition of Cee Lo Green “Forget You” on Glee…wow…she sounds impressive. She’s good and now I have the song & her voice stuck playing in my head non-stop. Perhaps her hubby Chris Martin (of Coldplay) has given her some vocal classes. After 11 years…there’s something about Gwyneth.

I see you driving 'round town
With the girl i love and i'm like,
Forget You
Oo, oo, ooo
I guess the change in my pocket
Wasn't enough i'm like,
Forget You
And forget her too!
I said, if i was richer, i'd still be with ya
Ha, now ain't that some shit? (ain't that some shit?)
And although there's pain in my chest
I still wish you the best with a...
Forget You
Oo, oo, ooo

Yeah i'm sorry, i can't afford a ferrari,
But that don't mean i can't get you there.
I guess he's an xbox and i'm more atari,
But the way you play your game ain't fair.

I pity the fool that falls in love with you
(oh shit she's a gold digger)
Well
Ooooooh
I've got some news for you
Yeah go run and tell your little boyfriend

Now i know, that i had to borrow,
Beg and steal and lie and cheat.
Trying to keep ya, trying to please ya.
'Cause being in love with you ass ain't cheap.

I pity the fool that falls in love with you
(oh shit she's a gold digger)
Well
Ooooooh
I've got some news for you
Yeah go run and tell your little boyfriend

Now baby, baby, baby, why d'you wanna wanna hurt me so bad?
(so bad, so bad, so bad)
I tried to tell my mamma but she told me
"this is one for your dad"
(your dad, your dad, your dad)
Uh! Whhhy? Uh! Whhhy? Uh!
Whhhy lady? Oh! I love you oh!
I still love you. Oooh!

loyarburuk

Yesterday was my off-day…instead of spending my time resting at home, I was in IKEA with one of the suppliers and my Putrajaya Store Director…the mission is to study IKEA’s pallet operation, merchandise implantation, assets, impulse purchase items, new assortments, seasonality promotions, the pricing, this season’s new colours etc. I like IKEA, I like all of the product designs, fabrics, textures, the details, colours, the ideas and it’s a great place to shop because it’s spacious, not cramped. Very homey-environment. Plus, the service is quick because they have a huge team of staff always running around.

Sigh. A lot of work needs to be done after this…since I also have very limited exposures in this portfolio. Well, since I don't know much, I must ask for help. Cannot be shy because time is not waiting for me. The next step, I will be spending a lot of time on brainstorming ideas and coming up with plans.

So, after the whole store visit is done…I went shopping. I was motivated to buy the things that I have listed down in my To-Buy-List. Well, a little wardrobe update will lead to a personality upgrade right? :) However, it isn't always easy to find what you want in the stores. Sometimes the items are just too overpriced, and when it is reasonably priced, I can't find them in the right color, or the right size for me and at times, I just can't find that special something. So I went home empty handed :(

Pink Thursday

Actually…I have already bought 3 new working tops last month…I haven’t even wore them yet…but at the moment, I’m still looking for little updates to my wardrobe (both formal & casual) that doesn’t cost the earth :)

A story of life ruled by the elements

I didn’t care what anyone else thought or said, I just know that I needed to go home, roll over and have a good night sleep. It’s always like this isn’t it…whenever you stay back late to finish up your work, not even a word of praise was given to you…but when you go back early…then they start to question you whether you have finished your work or not & then decide to give you more additional work because they think that you are so free now. Ta ma de.

I was one of the largest culprits up until recently. I know that I am not the only one here…probably I am part of the bigger majority who has made such a mistake all the time. We all know that we have to spend quality time with our loved ones. We say it often. But we also often make the mistake of doing the opposite. While we would never ever miss a deadline at work, or walk out of a meeting or not deliver anything less than exceptional quality at work…but we always allow ourselves to let our parents, our friends to wait. We disappoint them. We forget birthdays. We break promises. We always give excuses. We always ‘fong fei kei’ ("release airplane") on our loved ones. Our loved ones end up being the only people in our lives that we constantly say sorry to. And I’m guilty of not "being there” many times. So I’ve made it a point nowadays to be totally engaged with conversations and really listen to what people have to say.

Cupid At Work

The Opposition Party in this country would conduct spot checks in the Pakatan Rakyat States to curb immoral or sinful activities on Valentine’s Day which is tomorrow. Isn’t that a bit too extreme? Yeah...I should not be so surprised after all. I still don’t understand…how by buying flowers, cards, chocolates or other presents is not appropriate for Muslims, from the perspective of Islam. Please educate and enlighten me.

I find it very unfortunate that certain people take something as light-hearted as Valentine’s Day too seriously; as if there were no other current and more important issues to solve. I strongly believe that most people today celebrate the event just for fun, enjoying the commercial aspect of the day and spending quality time with their girlfriends/boyfriends, husbands/wives & family members to express their love. Honestly, if people are so interested in these immoral activities, it would have been done already and there’s no need to wait until Valentine’s Day to have illegal sex right? Deploying teams to conduct spot checks, distributing brochures and preaching to couples will only instill fear in them and drive them further into seclusion and secrecy. Valentine’s Day is cultural not religious or immoral. So sad to see my country like this. Celebrating Valentine’s Day should not be politicize at all.

Like flexing an old familiar muscle

Attended Maynaga & Arul’s wedding dinner last night at the Klang Executive Club, in Bukit Raja. Amid some disorganization here and there, the event went on smoothly. Well, the dinner was very late, it was suppose to start at 7pm, but it actually took place at 9pm. There were no proper seating numbers, so it was free seating and everyone was just grabbing any tables that were available. Thanks to my Baby Sis’s advice, I was not seriously over-dressed because it’s the KEC after all and they are not the Hiltons. The dinner…was buffet style…so there was a very very long queue, squished between 200+ people and cringing at the poor event coordination. I didn’t even get to go for my second helping...yeah I missed out on the food! The Chinese in me was devastated! :)

Luckily 2 familiar faces (J & Ki) were there to keep me company; or not I would have been bored to death. On FaceBook, everyone said that they will be attending the dinner but in the end, they didn’t turn up. I have to be there because Maynaga is one of my closest friends since primary school and we grow up in the same neighborhood. The gathering was not about exchanging name cards, networking or clinching business deals. We were just there to look back and compare notes, remember our friends and teachers, and have a good laugh over our childhood pranks & catching up on our current activities. It will be a motley crew if the whole gang did showed up. It feels good…getting refreshed in the company of old friends with animated conversations.
Looking back…back in high school, I think I just didn’t fit in anywhere quite well…I mix with everyone but I didn’t have a core group of friends and I was quite happy being a bit of a loner. I was not in the popular girls group or was in the smart girls group. I just go along with everyone. I think my only “regret” was that I didn’t actively get involved with the rest of the high school community. I didn’t join as many clubs, or productions, or committees or anything as I wanted to.

And the bride; beautiful and the bubblyness in her have never subside. She was glowing with happiness all night long. Seeing her, hugging her and catching up with her…everything was worth it. The hunger in her eyes still reflects someone who's raring to go. Nonetheless, it was a small, cozy affair. The kind I like. Just with families and closest buddies. I’ve always believed that a wedding is for the families and friends. To celebrate a new life together with them. But it’s not the wedding that matters. It’s the marriage. Unfortunately, I know so many couples who don’t put in as much effort with their marriage, as they did with their wedding.

stride rite through every step

Today is my last day of my long holiday break; and tomorrow I will have to get back to work :( I am both excited and sad at the same time. 2010 was a great year…despite many obstacles; I didn’t worry as much as I did in 2009. And I heard that worrying is the one thing that can kills your soul. Cos its negativity is being repeated over and all over again. So I’ve been trying really hard not to worry. But right now, I can't help myself but to worry...I have a new director on board, I will be under Celtic’s charge, handling a bigger portfolio…it’s really silly...I know...to worried about all these...because the problems haven’t even surface yet…but still…I guess it’s because I am worried that I cannot do my job well…I cannot handle the future problems...yet I am very energized because with these new changes, there will be new & bigger challenges. I take note that I have age in some way :) and my fighting spirit and motivation have been fluctuating lately; they are not as constant as they used to be. It’s already a sign that I need to move on…to another platform…to broaden my knowledge, to upgrade my skills, to meet new people, to try something new. Last time I was worried, now I am still worried…this happens when you are in your own comfort zone for far too long…last time I only talk, talk, talk, put my thoughts in this blog…but I have never walk my talk…I dare not take the first step...but now, I am more open to the idea. Work to me denoted independence, adventure, glamour and of course money. No matter how long it takes to get there, I want to end up there. What other people think of me is none of mine business. I only know that each time I face my fear, I will gain strength, courage, and confidence in the doing.

"Life is like a box of crayons. Most people are the 8-color boxes, but what you’re really looking for are the 64-color boxes with the sharpeners on the back. I fancy myself to be a 64-color box, though I’ve got a few missing. It’s ok though, because I’ve got some more vibrant colors like periwinkle at my disposal. I have a bit of a problem though in that I can only meet the 8-color boxes. Does anyone else have that problem? I mean there are so many different colors of life, of feeling, of articulation…so when I meet someone who’s an 8-color type…I’m like, “hey girl, magenta!” and she’s like, “oh, you mean purple!” and she goes off on her purple thing, and I’m like, “no – I want magenta"! – UnKnown

the stool pigeon

Sweet sweet sweet revenge – Liverpool beat Chelsea 1 - 0 :)

Roman Abramovich should have invested in a couple of yachts and private jets instead of Fernando Torres. The Russian billionaire must have expected Torres to start the repayment process with a suitable display of his talents upon his debut against his former club Liverpool. Instead, Torres produced arguably the worst display of any big-money debutant in the past decade, and for now at least, made that huge price tag seem like more evidence of soccer’s fiscal madness rather than a shrewd investment for the future. Liverpool left Stamford Bridge having secured a priceless 1-0 victory, and its supporters could not disguise their glee :)

messy little raindrops

Found this picture – reminds me of last year; in June 2010…where I took part in a Car Treasure Hunt Race from KL to Melaka. It was an 8 hour journey; organized by the company. I was in the same group with Snow Petrol, Celtic and Singrid. The four of us were given a map and a list of questions. We were supposed to follow the directions based on the map, stop at selected pit stops, read & understand the questions carefully and figure out the answers from our location. There was no physical challenges like the ones in The Amazing Race. But it was a very tiring process because we have to get down from the car and get back to the car so many times and running about searching for the answers. And the weather wasn't very kind to us as well. It was scorching hot in the morning and in the mid-afternoon, then the rain starts to follow till the evening. We didn’t win the race of course…we even skipped several pit stops :) We were so exhausted, we even stop by at a nice Chinese restaurant to have our lunch. It didn’t matter that we didn’t win, but most importantly we have fun. We stayed at a very nice apartment hotel, we explore the historical city the next day, we jalan-jalan cari makan...we just had our own little adventures there.

I am so going to miss Snow Petrol very much. Snow Petrol reminds me so much of the The Director (during my time at M13) who always buys us meals because food brings everyone together. Because Snow Petrol is so cash rich, we always have good meals. There is always lunches at ‘Famous Thai’, 'Taiwan Taiwan’, 'Esquire Kitchen’, 'Old Town Kopitiam’, 'TGIF', 'Italiannies', 'Rakuzen', dinners at ‘Ole Ole Bali’, 'La Bodega’, some fancy vegetarian restaurant whose name I forgot etc. Yeah, I am so going to miss the food and the company :)

squirrel seeks chipmunk

:( It's confirmed…Fernando Torres is no longer a Liverpool player, but officially a Chelsea player at Stamford Bridge. Meanwhile, Liverpool have acquired the services of Luis Suarez; the Uruguay player who make a name for himself in the last year World Cup and Andy Caroll; the notorious bad boy from Newcastle. The Kop is unrivalled now :)

in Add Minus

Happy Chinese New Year :)