in the dark

counting today, its been, like, 2 weeks and a half without electricity. Well, not exactly 2 weeks. there were blackouts varying 3 to 4 days in length. Then, interrupted by the electricity turning back on for, also, varying lengths of time - from 5 minutes to 30 minutes. From 1 to 3 hours but never close to 24 hours. Its like they are toying with your feelings. this is breaking my heart.

from what i heard, there's a major problem with the island's generator causing all three of them unable to run. Auxiliary generators included. The cause: some say due to someone cutting corners, someone took a cut on the fuels, they were second-hand generators, the generators somehow blew their compressors. Damn, i heard a lot of rumors. as of right now, i am depending on the electricity provided by the school's independent power generators, which are available at a particular period of time. So, we are seizing those opportune times to charge the devices we city-dwellers so depend on.

What's worse: Me and my housemate were so busy we TOTALLY forgot about our fridge. We were eating by the jetty (beautiful view. for REAL. there are colourful fishies swimming below as we have our meals. Will post something on that.) every evening. When we got back we were so tired and it was really dark. We noticed it last sunday afternoon, when we returned from our sleepover at the office. to our despair, we left the meat we got from a "korban" for a week in the fridge. Allah is Merciful as He is Gracious! I've handled rotten chicken meat but this defecation hits the oscillation. the meat was practically rotten its falling off as i carried it. Like its melting. I am a trained professional when it comes to handling rotting wastes - at home the duty was trash, handling dead animals, cleaning where the animal died, burying dead animals, disposing of maggot, fungus ridden things, to name some - but this hits my gag reflex. I gagged. I even tried my usual technique - inhale deeply and accept the odour into my system - which failed. threw it away, the dogs took it away, problem solved.

but cleaning the fridge is another challenge. We had to clear everything as there were maggots in every shelf and every compartment. It was literally an infestation. and infestation you can't do away with a flamethrower. So, we got our hands dirty started cleaning. We were so methodical and structured in our cleaning efforts. i had maggot bits in my finger nails and some even landed near my mouth. but the day was won and now we only had find a way to get rid of the lingering odour.

night time is another challenge. usually we would hang out at the school trying to get some paperwork done. when we were tired or it is raining or the night is just too dark and scary to navigate, we would just sit in the dark being bored. occasionally filled it with gossip, jokes and whatnot. for dinner we had, if we did not feel like hitting the jetty, we would resort to dry foods. Instant noodles, canned food, crackers and junk food. The usual stuff, just like back in varsity. heh, memories. couldn't have the good stuff cuz the fridge is useless without electric juice.

today, my housemate had to leave the island for a meeting. tonight, i realized something worse than eating by yourself (well, i'm quite used to eating by myself. but just trying to get the point across). It is eating instant noodles by yourself in the dark, at a distance from civilization. Somehow, the dark acutely increases your perception. I can hear all sorts of noises. the sound of geckos tangling with each other. dogs howling from the edge of the village (seriously, dogs here can really do the horror movie howls, fo' shizz!). Water dripping from the tap. the wind. something walking on the roof (oh snap! for real). and most of time, absolute silence. your mind can't help but hoping and wanting to hear, or to see, something. anything. it makes the untrained mind desperate for stimulus. Despite of it being so, I have my DSi to keep me company (if i get to charge the thing).

I have to admit: being a guy who used to live with all the modern amenities, the absence of electricity can leave you dazed, baffled and confused. We are just so used to live with electricity and all gadgets that depend on it. the engineers that came into the island didn't really solve the problem. as long as they were in here, electricity was okay. as soon as they leave, power's gone. Don't you smell something suspicious?  So far, I'm adjusting. the darkness and silence leaves with so much time for introspection: about my personal life so far. about other people. about my actions. about love and relationships. about my personal economy. and stuff like that. Apart from that, i don't see the power supply returning to normal anytime this month.


on another note, in a recent broadband spike (due to declining numbers of users online), i got to test out the multiplayer side of Battlefield 3. IT. IS. AWESOME. its far from the usual run and gun affair of other shooters. teamwork is key. you can really contribute to your team's victory even if you are not fastest gunner of them all. even if you have bad reflexes and aiming skills, you can still provide covering fire from a fixed position - suppressing the enemy while your mates get into position and you don't have to hit the enemy! now thats authentic combat tactics. getting kills doesn't matter. you and your mates will work to achieve the objectives. in fact, chasing after kills can be the reason that brings your team to defeat.

ok i will cover on that in a later post. probably will do a Battlefield 3 VS Call of Duty MW3 discussion. So, yeah. I hope you are all having the time of your lives. Here's to presevering in the name of moral obligation. Night.

the vet and the n00b (a MW3 trailer)

the expression on the noob's face is totally priceless. i think the trailer has managed to catch some of the multiplayer essence of COD:MW. how newbies tend to wantonly fire the grenade launcher for easy kills and how most forget to aim down the sights (ADS) for accurate and efficient kills.

Despite the awesome trailer, I still remain skeptical towards MW3. will wailt for the reviews and youtube gameplay footages. the usual retailer have notified of limited copies of the games prior to release but i'm not gonna let that influence my purchase decisions. There's also TES:Skyrim coming this november.

2011: the year of unaccomplishments

just browsed through facebook. rummaging the old photos, by me and from friends. I miss the old times. everything was great (well, everythings kinda great now). youth is a wonderful thing. i miss the life. i miss the old friends. and i miss the joy of being able to accomplish something.

this year, i have adopted several bad work ethics. a lot did not get done. some things did not go well as expected. I am going to lose some important things. I am going to lose my postgraduate status. I might lose the trust of several people. i might as well stop whining about work now. gotta keep a positive, right?

you have to admit. at this age, you could feel the pressure to be tying the knot. the other workmates have been bugging the still-single ones about getting married. One may goes as far as  trying to be a matchmaker. I have nothing against, and its great, but I hate to be forced into anything. but yes, i am currently interested in someone - is it mutual? now that is something i cant answer. i wouldn't make a bold step anytime within this year or the next. I don't know if i can handle the outcome - good and bad.

I'm taking too much unnecessary precautions. I avoid being nice to the opposite gender. I usually limit eye contact when talking to them. i try to keep conversations as brief as possible while trying to be polite. Heck, even when I'm in the mood of flirting I'm calculating the risks of actually getting serious its-crazy-i-know. I don't actually lead a tragic love life. I'm pretty tragic at relationships. I would bomb it out crazy nowhere. sometimes, i would bomb a relationship even before it has begun. i'm suicide-bombing my own love life. I wish i could have it normal like other people do. Introduce ourselves. Go out. Get to know other and stuff like that.



oh, yeah. I've just downloaded Bastion on Steam. Its huge fun. The colour palette in this game is very lush and dazzling, in an arty kinda way. get an XBox360 controller for Windows. its goes pretty well with a lot of games these days.

p/s: I've also picked up a Warhammer 40k's Assault on Black Reach miniature set. the paint set was rather expensive. Will be doing some assembling and miniature painting with the sister this coming holiday. I would probably let my little brother paint the Orks. Im watching and downloading some lessons on miniature painting techniques. Check out awesome paint vids by Les Burley on youtube and his site on http://www.awesomepaintjob.com/. His brush control is totally wicked.

she has a well-rounded personality

the world as i see it.



i have just listened to his latest single this week. its a pretty good song. the lyrics are pretty well thought out and i love how the lyrics have more than one layer of interpretation. One, describing how the world is loveable. Two, using the same words to comparing the loveable wonders of the world to describe a loveable loved one.

Songs like this are the reason why I really love performances by Jason. Its an escape from the American Idol and Akademi Fantasia norms (or trend) in singing and music in general - over-the-top, overly vain and critical emphasis on one's vocal power with on-stage choreography; rather than the enjoying the song the way it is written. Jason's music reminded how live music can be much more enjoyable through his organic performances. There's no need for blinding blazing lights with every color in the spectrum. No need for glittering snazzy clothes, changed in between every two songs. No need for group of dancers, who dance moves sometimes have no coherence with the song performed.

When I say organic, I don't mean its "natural". You can be natural but not be organic. To me, natural is when you can pull a song off or made it enjoyable to listen with little effort. By organic I mean that the performance is natural and it does not feel highly choreographed. Its full of simplicity, like how Jason has a beerstein of tea on stage with him onstage. Its all so relaxed, warm and comfortable. just like singing around a campfire. I like to be reminded how simple can be enjoyed from time to time.

magic the gathering

Hay everybody! watsup? Been away for quite some time now. yeah, there's much to talk about but, as always, I'm putting them away for later. Being a working a man, I am able to afford to pick up new hobbies (hobbies that cost money. a significant amount). One of them is Magic the Gathering.

I've picked up Magic: The Gathering as a pastime recently. Its one of those trading card games except its not any of those trading cards in the market. MtG is the oldest trading card game there is (or at least the one that i can think of.

It was founded by Richard Garfield (deceased) back in the 90s. Back when I was in my studies, I used to see Magic the Gathering at a friend's place. Didn't quite get it on how it was played and such. Back then it was quite an expensive hobby as it is today.

Backstory: So, how did I come to pick MtG up? I frequent this tumblr a lot: pocketfulofgeek. Long story short, I saw several card showcased in many of the author's post and I was rather intrigued. Intrigued by the admirable artwork in the cards and intrigued by its play mechanics. Thus, I began my google quest looking to procure myself some MtG. Stumbled on a local game shop in the Peninsular: CCEGames and found out they take delivery orders. And that was that. Want to find out more about MtG? head on to: wizards.com\magic.

For its price point, its quite discouraging to get into. It is. My personal justification is that Magic is an economy. These paper cards, like them baseball cards, will fetch a fine present in the future. Even in the near future. The most expensive card I heard to date is the Black Lotus (1995), going for USD 1000(!) a piece. Collectors paid USD 15k for that! Even present day cards like Jace is worth RM 200 a piece. But all this is just secondary, I'm in it for the fun and I find them kinda cool. Just be sure to sleeve the cards before I play them.

From my starting experience the best way to start getting into Magic is by purchasing a Fat Pack:

 

My favourite expansion so far cuz they're full of Horror themed cards. Like the Hellraiser-like Elesh Norn

I find fat packs to be the best value deal Magic has to offer. It suits starters and old-timers alike. Each will usually cost you RM 100 (ouch! but wait, it isn't that bad). What you get: 9 booster packs, 80 land card, a life counter (its a 20-sided die. A TWENTY. SIDED. DIE. How awesome is that?!! eeeeeee), a booklet/catalog thingy, 2 deck boxes and a box with box art. A booster contains fifteen random cards and to make sure buyers don't feel ripped off each pack will contain 1 mythic/rare card, 3 uncommon and other commons.

Individually each booster will cost you RM 12. For RM 100, you'll get 135 + 80 cards. I find the fat packs come in packaging and extras of exceptional quality. I really admire the quality materials used  in their products.

On a side note, MtG also offers intro packs and event decks. Intro packs are themed decks offered to introduce new play mechanics and style that comes with each expansion, i.e. poison, illusion, aggro. Event decks are themed decks that are constructed ready for competitive play from the get go and usually come in 2 flavors with every expansion. If you'd like to skip the hassle for arranging cards and play, for the sake of playing, with your style of choice, go with intro decks. If you'd like to start out with an edge, go with event decks. Of course, you can customize your set with your existing cards.

 

As of right now, I find it difficult to find people who are interested in playing a game of Magic. I can't find people who are existing players. Others think its too complicated and immediately turned off. Some has just moved on from these kinds of things. So, I'm only playing Magic with my sister. And recently, I found a shop in Karamunsing Capitol called Just Wargames. They specialize in Warhammer 40k (which i am also interested in getting into) but they also sell MtG on the side. And host Friday Night Magic every week.


p/s: yes, i know being a Magic (or Warhammer 40k) player doesn't make you a lady magnet. I'm sick and tired of being expected that everything I do has to be related with winning the hearts of the ladies. I don't have to. Yes, I'm single. I'm a loser. Yes, I'm hopeless with the ladies. But, please, I just want to indulge in my "geeky" interests. BTW, one of my favorite cards from the New Phyrexia block is this:

(images are property of Wizards of the Coast)

the HUMBLE INDIE BUNDLE pack!!!

here's an opportunity: to buy 5 of the hippest indie games at dirt cheap prices and, wait for it, contribute to charity. Humble Bundle has recently collaborated with several indie gaming's renowned developers and got together for the 3rd Humble Bundle (means there were 2 bundles i did not know of). Games included in the bundle: VVVVVV (catchy 8-bit soundtrack), Crayon Physics Deluxe (doodle to win FTW), Cogs (great puzzles FTW), Hammerfight and And Yet It Moves.

What makes this sale so special? For starters, YOU GET TO DECIDE HOW MUCH YOU WANT TO PAY FOR THE FIVE GAMES. Seriously I could not believe it myself, at first. $10. $1. you can even opt to pay for just 50 cents (and it can go even lower than that, you shameless cheapskate). Non-promotion price for all five may range from $40 - $50. Even better you have the privilege to determine how much of your payment goes to the developer, how much goes to the charity funds (Child's Play , Electronic Frontier Foundation) and how much you'd like to tip Humble Bundle. Now that's power to the buyer.

To sweeten the deal, the 5 games you're getting will be DRM-free (that's Digital Rights Management for you). Meaning? Once you buy it, the games are yours. No internet connection required, no time limit for downloads, install them anywhere and as many times as you like, make copies, make backups and even redeem them from your existing STEAM and DESURA accounts. the amount freedom you're getting is as good as owning a pirated copy (but better, IMO. You're eligible for online support from the devs). You'll not only feel good for not stealing the labour of love from generous indie devs  - you'll also feel good about yourself for contributing to charity.

As the time of typing this post, there's about 13 days left before the bundle ends.

p/s: a revelation. statistics shown in the site shows that Windows users are a bunch of cheap ass gamers. The average purchase price for Linux users: $11.00. Mac users: $6.33. Windows users: $3.83. Well, it is for charity after all.

via the escapist

photos. i got them photos

any title i can think of for this post would end up sounding pretentious and would detract a bit from the overall theme. I'd like to say: i had quite a sublime weekend. Sitting on the platform having lunch while watching the schools of colourful fishies swimming below. took some photo while fiddling around with my housemate's D7000. Above is a picture taken from a beach on the island. the fence in the left contains an isolated grave. its quite romantic to have been buried on the beach. However, the lighting makes it extra creepy. its like we were going to notice some ghostly image after a while looking at it.

Took the chance to test them Cold Steel folders, Left: Rajah III, mini kukri in your pocket. Right: Recon 1 tanto, extremely durable and highly recommended. Yeah, I knot the lanyard myself. DIY. Or DIM, to be exact.

I think the view in this photo is awesome. Is it me, the photographer, who is awesome? Or is it just the camera? (sad horn)

In the night, I had the opportunity to witness a spider successfully stalking and preying on a mole cricket. It feels like I'm doing some NatGeo footage.

 I think this the time when it finally noticed me prying on its privacy. Shame on me. then, it slowly moved backwards to make away with its prize.

with stuff like this, it makes one wonder why so many people want out of this island. I don't plan on settling down here in this island. well, i figured if I'm going to be stuck here for a while I might as well enjoy it.

FYI, photos are raw. Peace out.

relationships

hey peeps. been away for some time. been busy i can tell ya that.

i suck at a lot of things. one of them is relationships. i'm not gonna talk about how i suck at keeping a relationship. i totally suck at starting one.

there's, like, a pattern: i hit on a girl and i'm all charming-like. We start out ok, getting to know each other and stuff. Then, as the momentum builds up, i started acting weird. she freaks out. i freak out. it goes downhill from there. its all jumbled up in a mixed-feelings du jour. it seems as if i couldn't stay likeable long enough to make it through the early phases.

just last week i flirted with a girl during some outstation. the way she responded was not promising but still very positive. yet, somehow i felt really guilty that i did. guilt\? how did that happened? isnt it supposed to be small amounts joy with a bit of giddyness and glee? this is somehow fucked up and it obvious that i have issues.

maybe it means i'm still not ready to be romantically involved. or maybe i should jump on the opportunity whenever it arises? i don't know this is all so confusing gosh.

i guess at this age its pretty common to have people tell you to get marry and stuff. Even my boss tell me that I should get married. but its all just social pressure and should give them the same answer as always: "When the time comes". (surprisingly, it kinda works across various situations. like "when are you going to do [activitiy A]?")

on an unrelated note, i sifted through my unpublished posts draft and i saw a post titled "akmal farahatul wahida". the contents were empty. i sure don't remember writing that one and i can't remember knowing anyone who goes by that name either. i guess i'll just delete that. or maybe just check what its all about later.

kirsten dunst turns you japanese

I was like:

muh buh wha~?

I bet watching this video would turn you Japanese. Then, I'd be all like:

nuh duh nanii~?*


*copyright of Yahtzee, in his opinion on Yakuza 4. it is hilarious. seriously.

vague trap

when someone say to you:

"I can be/do anything you want me to"

what they're also saying:

"I can be/do everything you don't want me to"

y'know. I'm just saying.

the effects of light sleep deprivation on writing quality and performance

on retrospect, it is found that my blog posts posted off of prime time contains a number of typos and language mistakes. these posts have varying posting times ranging from 1 am to 4 am. The variety of mistakes include missing letters, grammatically ambiguous as well grammatically retarded sentences, and inappropriate usage of certain vocabulary items.

it is concluded that writing/typing during light sleep deprivation can also affect the quality and performance of writing as well as motor skills. 12 am to 5 am aren't exactly the most ideal time to be working on some paperwork.

......who am i kidding? I used to do my assignments back in varsity off the regular awake hours. that's somewhere between 11 pm to 5 am. Sometimes, its a straight ride from 11 pm to 6 am. and got acceptably good scores for them, too. Man, those were the days. Now that I am having a hard time trying to get past 1 am, suddenly i feel so old.

kinect dance central

Dance Central. Looks pretty darn fancy. It is played using Xbox 360's Kinect hardware. You could say that this is a dancing game with an actually dancing, rather than flailing your arm and legs about try to catch up with the floating arrows on-screen. The pretty next gen visuals aren't there just for shows, but they're truly a part of the play. remember the psychedelic colours, hip dancers and flashing lights in previous music games? those are examples of graphics as novelty. when you're dancing you're focused on the moving arrows rather than the background graphics. the on-screen dancers aren't actually dancing to your moves and, sometimes, their dance aren't appropriate to the music at all.
 People may say the Kinect is nothing but a gimmick, which it may really be, however this has just introduces new ways certain games are supposed to be played. Instead of tapping on moving arrows, you might just dance for real (or close).

p/s: the dude thats playing this game is kinda annoying and creepy. wait until the games goes into freestyle, you'll see what i mean.

what are the chances?

from here

I bet this happens a lot.

Y'know, the lingering stares. Stalling tactics.

Hoping for something more. Your brain processing ten things at once, in panic.

An unspoken argument with your conscience.

Only to abruptly decide to awkwardly end the conversation.

"Seize the Moment" is not as easy as it sounds.

I totally envy guys who could totally go up to a girl and do their thing.

Kuroshio Sea

Kuroshio Sea - 2nd Largest Aquarium Tank in the World - Watch more Funny Videos

i have a fear for deep water because they're dark and because having my feet flailing freely underwater make me so insecure. this vid makes me want to drop everything and dive into the blue water. I just want to lie down in the bottom and watch the fishes swimming above. Sweet serenity. the music takes this video to great effect.

info: the "kuroshio sea" is the 2nd largest aquarium in the world. the music playing in the background is  Please Dont Go by Barcelona.

 You MUST view this video in HD if you have the resources.

 

Step 1

Each one of these deserve their own respective posts but I'll keep everything micro for the time being. Gotta get some things off my chest.

1. Red vs Blue Episode 1: "why are we here?" why exactly? Me? One, as Khalifa' on this world. Two, my hard work landed me here. So He could grant me a chance for me to build character and stuff. Three, so I could figure out what I really want.

2. Been minimizing eye contact with the opposite gender lately. Didn't want to instigate much attraction. Have so much on my plate right now. Plus, I'm not planning on settling down at the moment. It would be inconvenient. At least, I think so.Either that or I'm just not in the mood to be socializing with other people. Faking interest and enthusiasm can be very taxing.

3. Still having trouble accepting change and the fact I have to change. Life's good but its happening quite fast. Deadlines, they don't wait for you to be ready.You have to be ready for it.

4. Doing my postgrad, but my progress is so disappointing that I begin to feel undeserving of the opportunity. Nevertheless, its times like these that test the strength of character and resolve and stuff. And I can see where I stand, in comparison a lot of other stuff. Y'know, sometimes, you have to compare stuff with lots of other stuff.

4. My life has been very very good to me, compared to other people. Its like I should be whipped with flaming lashes just for whining.

5. I'm being such hypocrite and a shallow prick. I like attractive women but I've made little effort to make myself physically attractive. I'm a sucker for a funny, intelligent and the no-nonsense female. This calls for exercise, facial products and (gasp!) lots of HAIR GEL. Why am I acting like I'm so desperate? Chill, maaan.

6. I'm a procrastinator because I'm the kind of guy who like to live on the edge. Girls are supposed to dig guys like me. I live my life on the edge. It supposed to make me look badass. I'm totally cool, bad and edgy. Why aren't there any chicks asking me out yet? 

thats all for now.

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piracy is okay. sometimes.

(if the fonts are too small, CTRL+MOUSE SCROLL for a better view).

I'm aware that a major disaster has hit Japan recently but I'm going to keep that for later. Right now I'm going to set things straight about a couple of posts I made some time ago. Back then, I was condemning the act of piracy and it turns out I'm a freaking hypocrite.

Its easy to forget your roots once you have it great. Yes, I am advocating  the purchase of original merchandise, ESPECIALLY towards intellectual property (in apparel terms, not many can actually tell a difference and you actually rebel against capitalism. Outsourced yet overpriced brands, like that). Intellectual property (like music, movies, literature and VIDEO GAMES) is somewhat serious. Maybe its because I aspire to be a writer one day. They are clearly a product of love, hardwork and passion.

I thoroughly understand the need for us to pirate these things. We can't afford it. We need it. Paying for legitimate copies is impractical. I have been through those times when buying pirated copies was the only option. Originals were nowhere to be found, and if there was, its way beyond what my pocket money. And it getting them was way easier. And i don't need an active internet connection to verify my copy was original, plus i was entitled to unlimited installs.

Furthermore, piracy gave me opportunities to experience games and movies which I otherwise wouldn't be able to simply because I could afford it. I helped me broaden my horizon by costing cheaper. Some materials are not available on local shores and never even considered to be distributed locally. So, how do we get one? Bootleg copies, exactly.

Being a student is another thing. Oh yes. the student status. You would often get special rates for a lot of things. The movies, public transportation, recreational parks, the zoo, the museum, books and etc etc. Us students are one of the most poverty-stricken pity piece of slobs in society. Students are always always on a budget. Except you're one of those kids with ridiculous rich parents or you already have your own business going on. Piracy can really be helpful for the young scholars during tough times. Legal copies of softwares for analytical and constructive purposes can be damn expensive and no student would be able to afford a personal copy. Take SPSS for example. That thing costs a real fortune to own one. Or maybe Microsoft Office. Or Autocad. Or Adobe editing software. Its hard to imagine how a student could get through if they had to get those legally.

but now, times have changed. the internet is now blazing fast. Don't have a credit card? No worries, you can pay through wire transfer. Local companies are now stepping into the scene. We now have localized copies which are way cheaper than imports. We are now getting copies of games from Singapore. Publishers now are getting the message: easy is better than cheap. DRM (Digital Rights Management, or copyright protection for all you laymen and laywomen. Let's get laid) are no longer a burden. getting legal copies are increasingly convenient.


But if its still beyond your means. Its okay to pirate. Here are some advice if your conscience is bothering you:

1. Pirate only if the product is not available in the the market and stores. I know some valuable gems aren't available in local stores. Like the Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. Such a shame.
2. Pirate if you are skeptical of the quality of product. Make sure you buy it if you intend to have it for long term use.
3. Pirate if you really can't afford them. Buy legal copies once you do. C'mon. If you can afford to buy a thousand ringgit system, you might as well afford having legal copies. Video game consoles (and gaming PCs) are luxury items anyways. Movies productions aren't getting cheaper by the year and so does video games. there are a lot of cheap indie games out there if you know where to find them. Or you could try saving money. Like, reserve RM 20 every week. After a month or two, that legal copy would seem affordable. Decide on a few you really really like and go for it.
4. If you have a fast internet connection, try download the content instead of buying pirated copies from the market. I know this is debatable. I know the pirates have children to feed and shady businesses to run. But think; are you paying for something that is not legally yours or are going get them for free? TGFF (thank god for freebies).
5. Again, if you can afford them and you love them, why not? There are people who complain about albums and movies being sucky but has never paid a cent to view them legally. C'mon. They need money to produce the good stuff. And for motivation.

Pirates. Actual Pirates may vary in attractiveness.

life's good, eh?

 

Life's good, eh?

(location: kg limbuak laut, pulau banggi)

Imagine working all your life, clawing your way to the top, putting in long hours, neglecting the family, stabbing people in the back and generally being thoughy a shit by everyone you come in contact with, just to have a highway bridge named after you.

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A way to remember me + Rescue (Never Let You Down)

I'm not really sure about the title but I'm sure its "a way to remember me". Superb performance by the man.
he made a lot of songs since the his last album was released. his songs will appeal to vocal power aficionados and casual listeners the same.

Try listening to his other songs from the same show here. (Don't worry they're perfectly legal downloads, courtesy of www.archive.org. you will need to have Winamp 5.6 to play them because they're in FLAC format - full lossless audio codec).

Or if converting awesome music between format is too much hassle for you, here another awesome song to help you justify the effort: Rescue (Never let you down). Jazzy with a hint of reggae. the [perfectly legal] mp3, here.

alternative: be a grown up on working days. revert to an overgrown teenager on weekends and holiday breaks.


getting married is a worse case scenario for the time being. but from the way things are going, I dont see that happening anytime soon. I'm good for another few years.

I am so whiny and immature.

It takes practice

when you're in love with something, its really hard to let go. even if letting go will do you so much good.

I love being young. I love being an undergrad (despite the whining during crunch seasons). I miss goofing off at times I shouldn't. But now I really really have to grow up. I work in a place full of grown ups. Everyone seems busy being a grown up. Juggling responsibilities. Making future plans. Thinking about ways of making more money. Marriage. Politics. World news. Cars. Sports. the economy.

back then it was so simple. but now, its like the whole world is on my shoulders. I held a share of public responsibilities. I had grades to improve (not mine), postgrad progress to report, financing, paperwork, documents to sort and stuff like that.

holding on means i wont be going anywhere. I need to go somewhere. it will a matter of time before this leads to regression.

Ultimatum: I must grow up. FAST.

Right now, I'm still a young and whiny little boy. I always thought this growing up thing is something that happens gradually over time. I would ease into it and wouldn't realize I did. Unfortunately, it happens right now. An active and conscious process.


I'm not ready but i will soon be. It takes practice, just like everything else. the sooner i get over this, the better (nooo!)

Regardless of the stupidity and vulgarity turns a lot of people off, that Stepbrothers movie made perfect sense.

made some minor adjustments to blog. page width has been modified to fully utilize the available space. in the previous width, i had to resize youtube videos so they can fit in without skooching over to the sidebars. HTML previous seemed like a diarrhoea of source codes, but thanks to this very helpful post, problem solved. there was so much real estate wasted back then.

fashionable gloves

pics from Mechanix

A pair of tactical gloves would be really fashionable. I'm thinking of getting those kevlar ones or those fireproof Nomex(tm) kind of deals. So they wouldn't be just for looks because you can totally rely on them to protect your fleshy hands. They would be totally great if I were to go for outdoor activities.

Skin tight jeans. I mean, why would anyone do that to themselves? Those things aren't even elastic or whatever. I understand the need for skin tight clothing but there must some other comfortable fabrics out there. Right? Right?

There are people close to me who keep bugging me to buy a pair new jeans: I just did, like, last November. So, I'm good for another year. Or two. Mom kept telling me to buy new clothes. Nice and fashionable ones. Not like the bland, plain ones I prefer. 

btw, i totally dig the desert-colored mechanix gloves.

life after varsity

 

strip taken from here

I think this comic probably describes best what i am feeling right now. the only difference is that my work demands a lot from me, so i decided to take my own sweet time. and not work like a dog.

maintenance underway

im gonna take some time to update the blog's layout. the size of pics are quite limited, even when set to large. when i tried manually modded its pixel count in the design html, image quality and sharpness was compromised despite being its actual pixel count.

i guess its time to iron out the blog's design for once.