Non-disclosure :P

There is a reason why I turn off my Facebook birthday notification. XD or maybe a few. Anyway, yeap, 10th dec is the date.

Basically, I came from old school of thoughts and believe in wishing someone a year older, the traditional way. Of course, by traditional, in a particular order, by physical presence, phone communication and last on my list, social media.

Besides, I want to observe and play a little experiment on my dear friends. I mean, those who cared would wish and those who doesn't, just doesn't, right? Not that there would be friendship level changes, like promotion or demotion, but I am just naturally curious :P

However, social media or particularly Facebook acts as a in-your-face notification and I really don't like that. Because it became a matter of convenience to send a greeting. Although, I did send wishes via Facebook on acquaintances and cordial friends. The friendlier ones, I would wish on a more personal basis like a message or something of that sort.

Ultimately, I guess it is the personal touch that I want to incorporate. I am quite sure this phrase fits well here : connected in a disconnected world.

Green-eyed monster, gone!

I am inclined to think that over the years, the green-eyed monster in me slowly dissipated. Perhaps due to circumstances and incidents. Perhaps due to lessons from observations. Of course, as like most things, there are pros and cons to the disappearance of jealousy. XD or envy.

So far, the best part of not having any green eye is being more calm and relax. To live life in my own pace and enjoy whatever I already have. I also appreciate my surroundings, my family, my friends and every single damn thing I own even more. Stripping things down to the core, or basically the essence, became second nature to me.

However, there is an effect of complacency and nonchalant attitude, because I became a 'could not be bothered with you' type of person. Hence, I sort of fell behind the others. Being incompetent, laid-back and super slow in things I do. It surely is a problem in this fast-paced and record-breaking world, where most people always strive to be on the top, the best and the most. I even have the 'my loss, not yours' mindset.

Maybe, I killed off this sense of jealousy when I realised that things in life are meant to be. Although men are masters of their own fate, with karma and so on, to force things through is ultimately detrimental to oneself. To put it in a simple analogy, every creation is made at the expense (destruction) of something. So, I rather not be jealous and outdo someone or something at the expense of myself or anyone close to me. Instead, I choose to be happy for the one who got it and to go with the flow. XD

Life made easier and happier, no? Now, be gone for eternity, green-eyed monster, and change to some other 'colour'. Maybe yellow for happiness and contentment? XD

Distant Worlds in MPO

So, over the weekend, I attended Distant Worlds : music from Final Fantasy in MPO, and oh my, really, I really got transported to another world! Yeah, physically I am in MPO/KLCC but, the experience that I felt was just amazing.

I am not going to list down the repertoire, because it is going to be repetitive. However, Arnie Roth was really awesome! He engaged the audience and is fairly humorous. I managed to enjoy the whole session immensely despite not playing any of the Final Fantasy games.  

Potential phobia

Ever read Girl Saurus, the manga? I don't think it has been adapted into anime. Or maybe it was, but I just didn't know. Anyway, I brought up Girl Saurus because I think I might be experiencing a mild case of gynophobia. Particularly towards certain types.

There are so many things which could have led to this but I believe my number one scary-type would be seemingly innocent female that hides so much more behind her smile. Her smile, or perhaps, cutesy side was such a perfect decoy from her sinister side. On the front, she looked like the type to do nothing even if a storm appeared while on the back, she may even be the one that brewed the storm! How much more dangerous or destructive can a person be? The thought itself hurts me so much. Distrust.

The other one that I fear is the type that can never be honest about what she feels. Sometimes, fear may be an inappropriate word for me to use, more likely, a great distaste! To hell with messing with peoples' minds! Just be straightforward and honest. I mean, to be truthful, will it cost you a lot? Potentially some pride, some ego but not financially right? Five years down the road, will it matter? Ok, maybe not so long even, let's say half a year.    

I might be a bit unfair here to say that these are the two types of females that I fear. Most probably, if I said, humans who carry these traits are who I fear, it would sound more accurate. But to be fair, I don't think I experience these from guys before. Unless guys are better at hiding/masking themselves while girls are easier to be found out.

Nevertheless,  it still hurts to know that they are people like this around. So, this is my potential phobias and I am not sure if there are any ways to get around it. Perhaps the simpler solution, stay away from these type of people. 

L-O-V-E

A four-letter word which can appear in all form, bring forth all feelings and ultimately, puzzle me greatly. I can never decipher Love in its true form. To be fair, I am talking about all sorts of Love which encompasses family love, friends love and couple love. Perhaps there are also other form of Love that I am unaware of, undiscovered yet, so to speak. Yet, do I need to know more than I already do, when the present already troubled me so?

Somehow or rather, Love's nearest comparison that I can get, is narcotics. They bring pleasure, sorrow, despair, longing, satisfaction, fulfilment, void and so many others things come together. I mean, how many times have we been hurt by people that we love, and only to return to their side or at least, allowed them to continue their existence in our life?

I know I did, and I tend to take it a step further, I would like to mend things but sometimes, when the other party is just so repulsive, of me I suppose, I guess I just got to learn to stop and give up. To stop yearning for further contact and just give up on....Love. I just wonder why is it so easy for some to cut of abruptly. Does the past really mean nothing?

Ops, back to Love, ultimately perhaps, this is a just coward's thoughts, fearing the unknown.

An illusive world

Just in case you were expecting some fantasy world with unicorns, wizards and what not, nope, illusive world is not that! XD I actually want to talk about a dream that I had recently. And the significance of the dream? It mixed all my worlds together, mashing up all sort of feelings and passions that I have.

What amazes myself the most is the way my dream flowed. From casually walking in KLCC, to the impromptu modelling event to train compartments filled with children and eventually, a ride with a group of people I least expect to come together! Though, what surprised me the most was who I sat with. It was such a random chain of events that until now, I felt like going through it once more.

Funny how the predominant colours in my dream was blue and purple though, which I usually felt pretty neutral about. The colours did enhance the dream-like quality of my dream though. XD

I know, my dream sounds quite mundane, too bad, I forgotten the even more interesting bits. XD

Suffocated

I have really no idea where this is heading. There is just too much connectivity around me, that I feel the need to disconnect, to break off and to hide. Or to just have some time alone. Where I can come back, refreshed, renewed and recharged. To face the world, to take things in a stride and to view things differently.

The modern technology, without a doubt, helps to connect people all over the world. I instantly got connected with secondary classmates, that I had not chatted with for awhile, because I utilised modern technology. But the same technology, also enabled me to be easily accessible by work colleagues, hence blurring the line between work and life.

And then, with social media boom recently, friends seemed to be..a small meagre word. It no longer carry as much value as it used to be. And in my humblest opinion, friends are actually family, without blood relation. So, seriously, can you treat everyone as family? Give them equal amount of attention, put in equal amount of effort, without priority? I don't know, I really don't know. Now, a friend is someone you met once or twice or thrice, add on Facebook or have the phone number, talk a little, touch the surface and voila, F-R-I-E-N-D!

Of course, maybe taking things a little too seriously. But that is because I am all for making friends that last a lifetime, to see them go through live, to get updated of their happenings every now and lastly, to attend their funeral. I have this wish and desire that among close friends that I made, I will be the last one to die. I hate it if friends shed tears, unless it is for happy occasions. 

Everytime I go through my MSN's list or Facebook friends, and then connections in Twitter, I have the urge to de-activate the acocunt, to turn back time and make it such that I never opened the account before. But what's done is done.

Now, to get disconnected in a congested world is not easy. It feels so suffocating and day by day, my urge to become a hermit haunts me. But one day, maybe just one day, when I want to take a hiatus from everything and hide in a cabin by the lake, I will just let another person safeguard all my information for me ;)

Bitten by the Love Bug and its brotherhood!

They say, 'The Icon is Back' but I say, 'My Love Bug Returned!'. Still blur on what I am talking about? *sheepish smile

I am referring to the reinvented, redesigned, remodelled Beetle! I have always loved the Beetle (having the audacity to name it the Love Bug henceforth :P), since I first saw it in Form 4, but the one I saw was the one with the really steep...butt. At that time, I think it looked really classy, fresh and exciting but when I saw the predecessor, I fell deeper in love. The original design came off as comedic, reliable and timeless and above all, appealing to me.

With the campaign aptly themed, 'The Icon is Back', the new Beetle design was unveiled to crowds of hundreds, or thousands perhaps, by Volkwagen Malaysia. Occupying two halls in KLCC, Hall 5 and Hall 6 respectively, and only for a period of two days (8-9th September), I believe it is planned to make the participants or attendees left leaving for more! >.<

PS. To all participants, I seriously recommend reaching earlier than your selected session so that you can really enjoy yourself in full. And I meant all three stages.

To start off, there was an exhibition of sorts along the walkway. Encompassing photos with the likes of P. Ramlee, Sudirman, Marilyn Monroe and really short write-ups of Love Bug, there is no shortage of vintage and more importanly, ICONS. But let's not forget the other side, where there are sufficient displays of Love Bug accessories . Truth to be told, I was glad I was allowed to go through the exhibition again, after returning my ticket, as I missed it the first time round >.<

And then The Show, was one of the most impressive things I ever seen! Beginning from old advertisements of Love Bug, definitely from 60s, if not 70s, to opinions about Love Bug from personalities (Patrick Teoh, Melinda Looi etc. etc.) and individuals who loved their Love Bug dearly. What came next was a dance performance meant to be illustrative of Love Bug, sadly, I didn't get it, perhaps due to my obstructed view. Nevertheless, I caught my breath the next moment, as Love Bug came out, in different colours! For this, I knew exactly what was happening. Love Bug was flaunting its sleek deeply-coloured metallic shell, effortlessly moving across the stage, displaying its smooth movements (really kudos to the  drivers and dancer!) and to keep us stupefied and entranced! Of course, the lightings added a lot more to the visual magic I experienced, and for that, I really took my hat off to the crew! My only dissatisfaction came from the really loooooouuuuuuuudd PA system. Personal opinion, the PA system was a real overload. >.<

After the spectacular session, we were 'ushered' to their display area, where other Volkswagen's cars were shown, and how I really envy the staff in-charge of keeping the cars clean. Forever armed with a trusty cloth, any fingerprint or fingermarks spotted will be wiped, with no exception! Respect their sharp eye! Not only that, they get to be around the cars all the time! *ahem, pardon that* Anyway, there was also a stage where at random moments, there will be some performances, like pretty models cat-walking and dances, but that's still like the side dish. The main part is, when the different VW models drove by, one by one, across the stage. And that was when I got love-struck by the Phaeton. I felt my jaw dropped and can imagine myself looking like an idiot! It was so elegant even Passat paled in comparison! And Passat, especially CC, is already so classy!

Ah, satisfaction be me after all that. No doubt I actually did more things, but to me, these are the highlights and I was glad I skipped my company trip for this. XD

PS. Perhaps some videos and pictures will be put up in one of the pages. So, do navigate around? XD
 

Paper Crane (尾聲)

Paper Crane or 尾聲, the latest musical in town (ok, not so 'latest' but still, the first show was on 27th July), is one musical that impressed me greatly! I mean usually, I am entertained by shows and performances but Paper Crane bought me to new heights. I experienced a real emotional roller-coaster ride during the whole performance!

Before going further, perhaps the story line needs to be known. Basically, Paper Crane chronicles the rise and fall of a Chinese Opera star, Ah Kit. In this chronicle, I saw how he started out as a stagehand, grabbing the opportunity to step onto the stage when chance presented itself, the changed person he became due to arrogance and fame, the love story between him and Fei Mui (trust me, she is one cute lass) and how he came crashing down.
Of course, you can get a better synopsis and show details at : http://theactorsstudio.com.my/papercrane/
Side note : All pictures in this post were taken by Kelab Shashin Fotografi KL

Fui Koh (the original lead opera star) and Ah Kit (main character of  Paper Crane)

Aside from the storyline, the next thing that captured my attention was the costumes. Being the huge-ass Japanese fan I am, upon knowing the costume designer is none other than Shingo Tokihiro, it will definitely be my loss if I did not appreciate the costumes. From the start of the musical, I realised the hakama structure of the pants that the dancers wore throughout the musical, the samurai armour form on the opera singer's costume with intricate details and colours and on some head gear, the kabuto influence. Also, if you are perceptive enough, it seems that some costumes does carry the Japanese 'feel' and was modified and weaved in nicely with Chinese garments of yesteryears. Needless to say, there were other forms and designs to identify but I am leaving that up to you. XD Perhaps you can share what else you saw or noticed?

Get to see more cast members but main focus here is, I want to illustrate some of the costume designs.

After feasting my eyes, its time to treat my auditory senses! Initially I thought the tracks were pre-recorded as the timing and loudness were really spot-on but when I further read the programme booklet ( RM10, reasonably priced, honestly!), turns out that the melody/music was played by 7 musicians. I was damn surprised and impressed because to me, the music and songs were near to perfect (or maybe my ears are easily satisfied) andddd I heard traditional chinese instruments like the guzheng. Turns out, none of them played any such instruments, instead only keyboards, guitar, bass and drums were used. Yeah, I was totally in awe.

In terms of the actors, storyline and the language used during the musical, I only have one word. Diversity. This play was performed in a well-balanced mixture of Cantonese and English, be it during conversations or singing. I did have some issues keeping up with the languages during the singing when the singers switched the language from Cantonese to English and vice versa, but on the other hand, I give my full respect to them. I mean, it is by no means, an easy feat yet it was performed flawlessly, effortlessly and naturally. Not to forget, they had to dance too! Talking about the dancing, I would say this casts is one of the most interesting I had ever seen! Reason being, the dancers came in all shapes and sizes, but one thing for sure, they certainly looked like they enjoyed themselves immensely! For the storyline (if you had read the above link), there was friendship, rivalry, love and all things 'life' involved. Personally, I went through a lifetime while watching the musical and was a real emotional see-saw. In one scene, I would be laughing my guts out, along with the light-hearted moment and the next, goosebumps and teary eyes! Oh, how the musical affects me!

Due to size changes, the picture looks a little distorted >.<
More importantly, can you see Fei Mui's cuteness? XD Also, the dude at the most left is Siu Ngau, who is a character which is worth paying attention to! XD

I still had not covered a few aspects in detailed but I suppose this will do. For now (hint! hint!). Again, if you want to catch Paper Crane, it will run from Wednesday to Sunday only ( do give them a break, Monday and Tuesday not too much to ask for, right?), up to 19th August 2012. Or, if you are nearer up north, you can catch them at PenangPAC, starting on 25th August. For further details and purchase of tickets, do head over to http://www.klpac.org/?p=7017 and http://www.ilassotickets.com/event/view/225 respectively.

Do enjoy the musical and have a great time! Hau wooi yau kei!! (PS. To be pronounced in Cantonese) 

Tra-la-la-la-la-la sessions!!

I meant it as karaoke sessions despite the Christmas-sounding title. And not really alot, just two days in a row. XD First round was waaaaaaaaaay after working hours with colleagues on a Friday evening. Second round was more of an impromptu plan with secondary classmates out of sheer boredom. XD

First round, it was in Wow! Karaoke, located at the 6th floor of Sg. Wang. Now, I am not very experienced in karaoke sessions since I am not usually very partcipative. But during this session, which was meant to be a colleague's farewell and held after work, I think everyone was pretty much tired, so I sort of get to hog the microphone every once in a while. I kinda irked by the disconnection between the microphone and the speakers, or suddenly the speakers would blast out drilling sounds, as if we put the microphone beside a construction site. Food too, another aspect which requires a lot of attention. The foodstuffs must be pretty tasty and delicious, since it seems to be wiped out clean quite quickly. Though, the price and package is really commendable since it is a buffet dinner and the singing session is for 5 hours long.

Second round, is MusicZone which is strategically in Sri Petaling, among a lot of food shops and eateries. Hm.. I am not really sure how other karaoke establishments work, but this has got to be one of the strictest and most organised. Which in my personal opinion, is a good move by the management. Cause for each misdemeanour, a RM 20 fine will be imposed. So, really do becareful about bringing foods and drinks in. Accidentally. Compared to Wow! Karaoke, the rooms are really small, of course, ignoring the fact that we booked a room for 4 while we actually had six people, it is actually pretty cosy since everyone get to sit together. But same microphone issue as above, only that this is more of the fact that it seems that the microphone doesn't work at times. Nevertheless, good times are good times and this is 3 hours long. XD

Well, two days in a row for karaoke sessions are really overkill but definitely fun. But for both days, I noticed a follow-up syndrome which occurs in the car. There is always someone who would be singing along the radio after that, and this syndrome technically lasts for a good 10-15 minutes. Or when the kick arrives.

In short, enjoy the karaoke session and keep on singing, keep, keep on singing, singing till your guts come out! XD

The art of speaking Indian

I am not insulting Indians with my title! It is actually a compliment since speaking Indian is a damn hard feat (in my opinion). Also, I was introduced to this term by Serious Comedy Studio, in its 10th production, Indian Laywers. So sue them, not me. XD

Story is, Indian Lawyers had their first show on 19th July and I was damn lucky I managed to catch their last show in KLPAC, which was Sunday 8.30pm (there were showtimes on same day at 12pm and 4pm too!). The better part was, my secondary classmates joined me this time! So, at least I get to exposed them to performing arts.

Wait, that's my story. Back to Indian Lawyers, it attempts to potray whether are Indian Lawyers saints or serpents. But for me, what I went through is more like a crash course on how to become a lawyer and how words are twisted in the courtroom. Another one was, a lawyer's question may sound potentially idiotic but it might be actually be a trap.

The main source of laughters, giggles and chuckles are actually the way acronyms are creatively changed in terms of what they stand for, ie (M)alaysia (I)ndian (C)riminals, the way the characters interacted and some wordplays. There was this part where the accused completely change his image for the court proceedings, from a gangster-ish,you-want-to-get-bashed-up-by-looking-at-me image to one holy clean-cut decent chap, as if a complete law-abiding nerdy citizen.

There are so many other things that I could say about the play but my last words are none other than :
GO WATCH THEIR NEXT STAGING IN PENANGPAC or SINGAPORE!
Details available at :  http://www.klpac.org/?p=7063

PS. Might learn to speak Indian one day. :P

Something and nothing.

I wonder what is this deep confusion or lack of strength that is currently residing in me. It neither did me good nor worse, but it definitely feels.. stagnant. Could it be a sleep-induced physiological threat that affected my psychological self? Or the pure fact that ignorance is no longer what I am capable of, instead a mask of apathy and indifference is in progress?

The auditing world lacks the thrill and fun that I yearn for, yet it possesses knowledge that I desperately needs. Of course, ultimately, it is how I make use of such knowledge to be a person with better means that brings out the worth of 'sufferings' I am going through. I do not know why but there is a growing distaste in things I m doing now. Or perhaps it is not my place yet to say such things as I had not been seeing the whole bigger picture yet.

To be honest, seniors had been great, workload had been bearable, but my lack of efficiency is proving to be a huge obstacle in my progress. Nevertheless, in the face of adversity, the ability to forge ahead is what makes a human human.

I may be burnout by turn of events as well, due to my lack of time management and greed. I always try to bite more than I could chew, to wear a hat bigger that what I can fit and even carry much more food than my plate can hold. But since it is not the first time it happened to me, guess I bought it upon myself.


I should just be a hermit.

Kuantan, is in Pahang!!

XD a highly retarded title but a title nonetheless. So, Kuantan, what is so special about it that it warrants a post by itself? Basically, it is actually the first time that I have an opportunity to go outstation. For work purpose, but I still managed to enjoy myself.  :P

But nah, I am not going to talk about what I did and what I didn't, instead this is more of a post about the speciality and things I find interesting during this trip of mine. And it starts now!

Kuantan is actually at the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia and the areas of Kuantan I been to, are either quite far from town centre or meant to remove your thoughts from city life. Near the beach too. XD Unfortunately, the beach is quite a shade of grey... so, I doubt that it really enables people to enjoy, or maybe the particular stretch we are at is just... dirty.

One of the really great meals I had at Kuantan was a seafood meal in a restaurant named Pak Su. The signboard is bright yellow with some Chinese characters on it. Apparently, it is famous for its stuffed crabs (yong hai in cantonese). At RM7.00 apiece, I guess it is do worth a try. Taste-wise, it taste much better when the chili sauce provided is applied on it, just don't put too much. Note : They used real crab meat, so no worries there. XD

The next item I was super impressed with is not in Kuantan, instead it is in Bentong, which is another town in Pahang. I am talking about the hand-made ice-cream that has such smoothness, creaminess and balance sense of sweetness from Kow Po Ice-cream. The logo looks like Mickey Mouse holding cones of ice-cream and it is perfectly apt. The flavour that I tried was Pandan flavour and it was really full of the Pandan fragrance. A shop that it pretty easy to spot if you just keep straight but keep a look out on your right if you are coming from the exit of the highway.

Yup, not really much, and maybe lacking, yet I enjoyed myself tremendously. Maybe it is also because throughout the trip, I saw quite a lot of trees and nature, which I am quite fond of. Just not very adapted to it. >.< cause I haven't morphed into a mountain goat yet? XD

A safety reminder though. To those who drove down to Kuantan or intend to drive within there, please be very wary of speeding cars. Kuantan drivers tend to drive very fast but they are still quite decent drivers. In terms of ethics and mannerism and all those.  

Kuantan, most probably I will go again. If need be.

L-I-F-E

*wakes up in the morning, checks phone, goes to twitter, reads disheartening tweets

The tweets concern about Malaysia's music scene, a lot. It is actually the demise of Alda Evan Tan, a person I never met, never knew nor spoke to, but for sure, he inspired massive of people to stay true to their dreams, especially when it comes to music.
I personally never had the chance to had an interaction with him but from people who knew him, I realised I actually learnt so much already.

The biggest thing I know of him is how he inspired a lot of newbies in the music scene to forge ahead! In the Prayer for Alda Evan Tan fund-raising event on 13.5.2012, I watched the performances in The Bee, Publika and there were countless times, just too many to keep tab, of moments where the performers will share what they learnt and advices from him, especially about persevering and believing what you are doing. I would be really ignorant if I didn't learn this despite the repeats.

The next huge piece is actually about the life. Hence, the title. His presence and encouragement was so impactful that people loved him dearly. Family and friends wanted to keep him alive. Reasons could be endless or, just plain simple. I will never know. Just that, I realised how much more life is actually magical, wondrous and hopeful. Yet, I can't help but feel cynical about the fragility of life. Is fragility(read:death) the price to pay for the miracle moments in life? Where one blow on the candle, completely  closes the insightful book of a person? I also couldn't help but ponder, over and over again, why does people lost sight of what is actually important in life? Are we so blinded by information, immuned by death stories or even, hardened by civilisation?

Just two thoughts. Nothing more. And to think that the unfortunate demise had to happen on my exam day. Life is really....something, ain't she?

Antiques in the house!

The binoculars and the harmonica. Odd combination but these are a few of the antiques I recently discovered in my house! Believe it or not, these two items were passed down(ok, more like my parents claimed ownership) from my maternal great-grandfather, after he passed away in...1960-s.

Binoculars!!

The binoculars, have some serious discolouration going on and the lenses had gone dusty. All the same, it is still usable.  XD One story I really have to share though *cues horror music:
Once upon a time, many, many years ago, in the middle of the night, shrieks were heard in the neighbourhood. It subsequently became louder and more frantic, with more voices coming in. With vigour, families woke up and stood by their windows, watching an argument unfold. I was at a tender age of 8 and couldn't see well, but I am quick-witted. Thus, what I did was I grabbed the binoculars from the cupboard and started watching, zooming in and out at my fancy. Alas, in the midst of my intense observation, my elder brother snatched the binoculars from my kiddy hands and used it for himself. I then gave up watching and proceeded to bed.

Yup, that was the most vivid memory I had of the binoculars. I was quite sure that moment also sparked my interest in observing humans, although I might not have known it yet then.

The harmonica

And about the harmonica, I don't really recall much but it was such a gem! Even after so many years, there is still a gleam on the body. Besides that, it still has a perfect sound to it. But that's my opinion. Harmonica professionals might know better. Blew a little on it and immediately feel in love with the sound. Again. 

Now, I am actually looking for people who wouldn't mind restoring the binoculars(more like cleaning the lenses) and the harmonica(this needs a full-blown check-up). Still lurking at Lowyat forum to search for restorers. Do recommend if you know one!

Now, go dig out antiques in your house and share it to the world!

First half-yearly review of 2012!!!!

Just a general wrap-up because I might be too lazy when December comes. Most probably.
If you are expecting a month-by-month post, sorry to disappoint but this is a roller-coaster post(ok, merry-go-round might be the milder version)

So, to start off, I guess the biggest occasion that happened to me was the fact that I started work in an audit firm, which I used to evangelise and advocate. A lot. Unfortunately, turns out I was lured in by an imaginary big fat carrot which was never meant for me, but others. That's when I started bitching about the firm like hell. To be honest, people there are great and very sharing in knowledge, but the systems, operations and top-bottom culture is one of the worst I have seen.

But, after I took a one-month break to focus on one of my papers, I realised, hey, I might have sold my soul to the devil, but eventually, I will still break free. I depended on the devil to gain my qualification and an ounce of gratitude still needs to be there. With that thought, I recharged myself and my thoughts. I started opening my base in other areas.

Among others, I started frequenting KLPAC more often and began to write reviews of shows and plays that I attended, since I really want to spread the word about Performing Arts in Malaysia. No doubt it is growing but there is just so much more that can be done, so much more void to be filled and so much more support out there, untapped.

Ah, these are the major things that really affected me during the first-half of 2012. Just have a feeling that second-half of 2012 is definitely better!!

3Cs for 1B

Creativity, Conceptualizing and Consistency for a Blog.

Yup, that's what the Cs and the B stand for. Just in case you are looking for the guys/girls criteria thingy, maybe next time :P (Honestly, there is and its damn true too, but really, next time. More Cs and Bs involved though).

Blog is obviously this one that you are reading. And I am looking at a major overhaul in terms of contents and layout. Still, figuring out but at least, I am still on the way!! I want this overhaul to be a final one, and even if in the future, I have the heart to change, I wouldn't want to. Sounds confusing, aite? Basically, I am only going to do this overhaul now and its a once and for all thing.

First C : Creativity.
Hm.. Since this place is my own personal space, I guess I can turn it into anything or anywhere I want? I have been blogwalking quite a lot these few days and seriously, there is just so much that can be done! Mostly are quite consistent with their blogging content though. Like a travel blogger will make it sounds all place like, a fashion blogger will make their blog sounds like a closet. You get my drift so far? So, since I basically deal with anything from thoughts to events coverage to reviews of stuff that caught my fancy, and also a deep fascination on my part, I think a bar-like idea suits me perfectly well.

Second C : Conceptualizing.
So, since I decided on what I wanted, time to turn the creativity into a concept. Since I definitely want to remain my thoughts here, so a bar, where I am THE BARTENDER, makes sense? So, how else do I make it more bar-like? A CLOSET/CUPBOARD of liqueurs, aperitifs and COCKTAILS for the daring and MOCKTAILS for the mild? What about the 'accidental' CUSTOMERS who stumbled here? I just hope it didn't turn out to bar-like until I seem to be promoting alcohol and liquors only. Though, I am quite deeply interested in drinks and stuffs.

Third C : Consistency
Yup, yup. You read right, consistency is key for me. So, no matter what happens, I will stick to my Bar concept! animangacraze's bar. How cool. Only if true bar culture exist in Malaysia. Wait, got sidetracked. Basically, yeah, everything will be a bar-related name, idea or theme. The only bit of inconsistency, maybe my posts which will definitely still be my thoughts, opinions and all else that interest me at that moment.

And that concludes my whole idea. Now, time for execution of the plan *groans and makes myself a drink*.
Will start when I am sober.

Project. Should I?

Project here actually means commitment. Not like a super huge activity that needs to be done, if I misled you. :P Thing is, I have a trouble of sticking to one thing. Sometimes, in the heat of the moment, I will be very enthusiastic about one issue, then when I cooled down, I will slack. In serious cases, I might even totally leave it aside.

So, was just thinking, should I start a project and stick with it? Well, the one I had been coming across often is Project 365, which to me, is a good move. But I can barely stick to 10, let's not talk about 365. Yet. XD

Maybe I should start with a monthly thing first? Hm.. like recording each of Tchaikovsky short pieces during the corresponding month? Compose one poem every month, incorporating each Western zodiac? Ponder on a significant issue at the end of each month? Do a book review and alternate between fiction and non-fiction?

XD suddenly there are so many ideas. I really have to lol at myself. Though, seems like first thing first is to come out with a list of Projects that I was to start on. XD would be great to see how things turn out at the end.


Note to self : Get the list done by end of June!

I was only joking...

[Before each line, add 'I was only joking...']


To lighten any heavy atmosphere,
Caused by sullen news.


To turn your frowns into smiles,
Which will go for miles!


To brighten up a day,
Removing all possible ail.


To hear infectious laughter,
By playing court jester!


Maybe to hide my fear.
Being the fool I am?



So, did anyone get where the reference came from? Honestly though, hope this one made your day into a good one!

Ps. Answer located in one of the tags.

SPARC Series 8 with The Kampung Boy

Or Lat, as he is more fondly known by us. Dato' Lat for those more respectful ones. Yup, he is the speaker for the SPARC talk that happened on 29th May 2012. One of Malaysia's pioneer cartoonist, his works are well-known and well-received over the world.

*enter crazy fan mode
GYAHHHH!!! I was so damn happy that I managed to see Dato' Lat in person!! I mean, I grew up reading his comics and when I think about it, it is also his stories that made me appreciate the simplicity of life. How his comics managed to keep me company for hours still puzzles me!

Anyway, this SPARC session was more like a session where a grandfather was passing down knowledge to the next generation. Maybe because Dato' Lat is just so humble and real. His experiences, while may not be something very out of the world, the truth in it is just there. For example, he shared about how he became interested in drawing and eventually became a cartoonist. His driving force was actually his parents because in their own little way, they actually encouraged him to draw more.

But life lessons were the more interesting part for me. He shared about meeting the late Tan Sri P. Ramlee (I forgotten his full title because to me, just P. Ramlee he will be. The fanciful titles do not do him justice at all) just the year before P. Ramlee passed away and within one story he shared, I learnt two things, be who you are and appreciate people when they were still alive. And this is only one of the many stories he shared!
*crazy fan mode shut down

The last bit but definitely the most looked forward to that happened during SPARC was the giveaway of an Ipad! And not just any Ipad, but THE new Ipad! Of course, it is completed with engraving of logos of relevant parties but still! New Ipad! How sweet could that be!

Just a side note though, another Ipad will be given away if you join the competition currently being held by Students Engagement Centre. Details can be found on their Facebook page. And if it is not on that page, the next one to go to will be EYE Project. Yeah, one of these two. XD

Basically, this session was really a meaningful one as I get to see a childhood idol, learnt life lessons from him and even managed to interact with him! Dato' Lat is really a great person!

PS. I managed to get an autograph from Dato' Lat but it got kidnapped by someone. T.T meaning my drawing is now being held hostage...

Mizz Nina album launch at Zouk KL!

TAKEOVER! Yeah, that's the name of Mizz Nina's album that was newly launched. And believe me, the album really do have the power to takeover you. At least, the songs I heard from her so far really did have that effect on me.

Just a little intro for those who does not know Mizz Nina, she is a Malaysian artist and she is definitely not the one-hit wonder type. I believe she will be around for quite some time because she is made of real substance. For me, that's all that matters. Of course, if you really want to know her more, you can head here.

Back to the album launch, it was actually last minute decision, but damn glad I actually managed to made it for the launch. It was actually first time for me to attend an album launch and I really loved it! Mainly because :

1) I get to participate in a meet-and-greet session only allowed to a few people.
2) Really goooooood cupcakes by Wondermilk
3) Performance by Mizz Nina (she can really sing and dance live!!) and some really awesome dancers!
4) A poster signed by Mizz Nina!

Yeah, that was me being a little lazy but videos of her performances and some of Zouk KL decor will be up soon!

Catan Kulit by Nyoba Kan

Catan Kulit, the first Butoh dance performance (presented by Nyoba Kan) I attended, took my breathe away! Literally. I mean, I have long heard of Butoh and had always been tempted to watch and experience it but external and internal factors tend to make me missed out on all the great performances. So, finally get to attend one and it is an experience I will definitely not forget in the years to come.

Just a quick one, Butoh is a dance form, which originated from Japan. It uses a lot of grotesque movements and white make-up with really slow, hyper-controlled motion. Exits tend to be done by disappearing into the darkness as well. Ok, I might have gotten the information from Wikipedia, but from what I experienced throughout the performance, I am inclined to believe it is true.

So, I would describe as much as I can but the best thing to do is still to attend and experience the performance yourself. FINAL show is at 8.30pm on Saturday(26.5.2012) with tickets at RM38 for public and RM28 for students, disabled, senior citizens and TAS card holder. Also, there is a buy 10 get 1 free promotion going on, so going in big groups is a really added bonus here. Don't forget that there will be some merchandise on sale and remember to get them. The items are quite a bargain as the postcards, t-shirts and CDs of past performances are quite cheap compared to outside.

Since you are still reading here, my gratitude to you. Now, my first surprise from the performance came when the audiences were directed to the field outside KLPAC building. Audiences were then treated to a prologue of sorts and when the first sound (guessing it came from a 'singing bowl') came on, my attention was solely on the performers on the field. Each movement they made, however, small or awkward just made me more and more curious. I was eager to see what is their next step. Will they fall? Will they bend over? Will they just drop? Or will they stay stagnant? At the point that I was at the height of my curiousity, Mr. Lee Swee Keong(artistic director and choreographer) stepped into the 'scene' and announced that audiences should now proceed to Pentas 2. Or in another words, the better show is left in the stage. XD

When I entered Pentas 2, the only thing I saw was a huge white platform. So, up the stairs I went to find an empty seat as the first few rows were fully occupied and as I settled at my seat, I also saw a black platform, located at the corner, holding a LOT of musical instruments. The instruments are more of the traditional kind. One that I can recall strongly is a string instrument, a shamisen if I am not mistaken. Locally-made and carries a slightly deeper sound than the usual ones. Of course, there are others, ie. a flute(looks like made of wood to me), a guzheng-like instrument, the singing bowl and another one, which produces a 'tinkling' sound (can't quite recall the name).

Before the performance began, Mr. Lee Swee Keong made a bit of introduction about Catan Kulit and he was kind enough to make it in two languages (Mandarin and English) as there were quite a number of non-Mandarin speakers (ie. me) in the audience. One thing that really struck me though, was when he said, do not try to understand or derive any meaning as we are all here to appreciate the beauty of the dance.

With that notion, the performance started and throughout the time I was experiencing the Butoh art-form, I was constantly left in suspense. The whole thing was so eerie AND beautiful that I just can't help being mesmerised. At some moments, I actually felt that my blood ran cold and a chill up my spine. The movements were so awkward but very enchanting. Every jerk, twitch and spasm just adds up to the whole performance and made it more dramatic. Sometimes, the interaction between the dancers, although choreographed, managed to create an air of unpredictability. Those were the moments I held my breathe and felt the air stood still. So, maybe other audiences felt that too. Besides movement, words were involved through singing or really short dialogue, mainly by Agung Gunawan (this person is really amazing!!).

I think that the tension or suspense were also created due to the music played and the lighting effect. The combination of the music, lighting and dances in the stage was just so complimenting of each other! The music, was purely by one person, by managing so many instruments(the one mentioned above). The lighting, on the other hand, was definitely unseen before by me. I mean, fluid movements in the light itself? Definitely something new to me

In one word, SUGOI! Yeah, I was very deeply impressed by the performance and I guess I am now a fan of Butoh.   

Artificially Intelligent Improvholics Anonymous in KLPAC

Aiiiyyyyaaaahhhh!!!!  If you missed this Improv Comedy Show showing now at KLPAC, you just wasted one of, possibly, the best moment in your life(ok, this is just a personal opinion, but the show is just so damn good!). AI:IA or Improv Jom? is made possible by Playground Productions . So, at every moment of the show, just remember them while enjoying the show. LAH!

For once, I have no storyline to spoil nor lessons to share or even, insights to provide. Instead, what can be offered is BUCKETS and BUCKETS of LAUGHTER!!! Because AI:IA is just that. The whole team works on an improvisation basis... about everything! Heck, even for each sub-session, the Improvisers are not even pre-determined! You know the most surprising thing? Although they work on an improvisation basis, they still look organise and all. I honestly wonder how they prepared for the show.

Moving on, can you feel the sheer simplicity of the set? A table for the 'host' of the particular mini-session, benches for Improvisers to sit on and a keyboard for the keyboardist(oh yeah, even the back ground music is based on improvisation). Nothing else. I mean, I have gotten use to plays having versatile sets but such a simple, simple set? First time for me, seriously.

Ah, I can also shared what happened during TODAY's show though. First, an audience(Ming/Meng, I don't know how to spell his name XD) was pulled to the stage and shared what happened to him during the day. Guess what the team did? They re-enacted the guy's whole day. In three different versions. LOL-ensued.

This is the audience whose day got re-enacted. XD (No idea who you are, mate, but you are good sport)

Ok, that was just one of the many. The team was just so talented that besides Improv Acting, they also did Improv Musicals!! I am in awe of them! I mean, if I really counted how many sub-sessions there was, I would reach a figure of 11! Eleven! Sebelas! Within 2 hours, they packed in 11 sessions of guaranteed laughter! But one thing for sure, audiences input matter a lot to them XD Now you know what to do when you go watch them, right? ;)

And behold, the Improvisers which are made up of the following craziest people :

And the super-versatile keyboardist (he is damn impressive!):

Ok, my final words then : AI:IA will continue its run in KLPAC until 20th May, with shows on 8.30pm on everyday and additional 3pm shows on 19th and 20th May. And then, for this amount of enjoyment, RM35 for each ticket, unless you are a student or a disabled, which makes the ticket RM25. If you want to buy online, this option is possible too(just click on the online word).

Remember to just enjoy yourself and laugh your heart out!! I remember the effect was so great, I practically sped back home whereas on usual days, I only drive about...40km/h? Yup, its that gooooooooooood

Mayo Chiki - Meido and Hitsuji galore!!!

It has been so long I found an anime that I enjoy . Not solely because of the Hitsuji (butler) and Meido(maid) in the anime, but because of the whole storyline. Besides, there are so many elements in it that I can click so well with!

Just a little spoiler : Konoe Subaru, a modern-day butler, who serves Suzutsuki Kanade, is forced to cover up the fact she is female, because in the Suzutsuki household, only guys can be butlers. Unfortunately, Sakamachi Kinjirou found out about Subaru's secret and thus, let the journey begins where Jirou tries all his best to help Subaru out. (General storyline end here)

First of all, Subaru is cute!!! She is so cute that whenever I sees her, I just turn into a puddle of goo! But she is not the only cute one though, Mayo Chiki gladly included Kureha(Jirou's imouto) as the genki girl, Usami as the tsundere type and Narumi as the nekomimi!! The only girl I can't put my finger around is Suzutsuki Kanade, she is just so different from the others and the things she do.. its like, she takes things further than just 'the end justify the means', she made sure the 'means' turn out interesting too! XD

Secondly, I had always wanted to be a butler. Butler is like the epitome of efficiency and elegancy. Let me make myself clear, I wasn't influence by Kuroshitsuji, I was influenced by Bartended actually. And from Bartender, I wanted to choose a path where the scope is wider, I landed the Butler field. Unfortunately, not much market in Malaysia, so forced to take ICAEW instead. XD

Also, Lamb/Sheep is a heavy element in this anime. See the similarity with my profile pic? XD Well, actually, my main point is, there are quite some references to pop culture, I suppose. LIke the Lamb, its actually named Silent Lamb. Or, in some episodes, Mirai Suenaga made cameo appearances, if I recognised correctly during that split second. XD

I know I am far from making Mayo Chiki sounds interesting but trust me, when you will, that this is one anime worth watching. While it may not have generated rave reviews or super much publicity, this provides so much entertaining without being psychotic or mentally disturbing! XD

Clashes at a scale I never knew existed

12th May! What an unexpectedly busy day! Had so many things clashing together, that I think I finally learnt the meaning of prioritising! But I find that my day really just swooshed by me, which my impromptu attitude and ever-changing decisions!

In chronological order, this morning, I arrived at college fairly late, about 9.30am because of a progress test that starts at 1.30pm. At that exact same time I reached, Young Entrepreneurs Club from Monash University actually had an entrepreneurial talk(ICAEW was one of the sponsors) where they invited a few really good speakers to talk about their experience and share success secrets.

Then, about 1 or 2 mins after I settled down at the usual spot, I saw two Sunway-TES staff and greeted them, as I was on fairly good terms with them. Turns out, from 10am to 12pm, there is a talk about Certified Financial Analyst, which is a really good add-on to anyone who wants to verture further into the financial world.

But as I actually wanted to walk over to Pyramid first, to have a sneak peek at the GradMalaysia fair that happens today, I had to decline their kind gesture. So, off I went to Pyramid, and spent some time there, looking at the easels provided and enjoy the peace, while it still lasts.

Anyway, once I was done, I walked back to College and as I neared the Graduate Centre, apparently a workshop called Crime In Passion will commence at 11am. Since it would take only about an hour or so and I really want to find out my passion, I just signed up for the workshop. Immediately. And my, I was so totally blown away that I was even willing to skip progress test for the sake of learning so much more for the speaker, Kishz. His introduction, done by the emcee, was so long that I honestly forgotten more than half of it. But he really champion for passion! He even debunked so many 'passion myths' that we were fed since young.

Once I am done with the talk, which in reality, stretch to 1pm (Kishz really loves to talk, he holds the longest speaking emcee in Malaysia Book of Records XD), another ex-Sunway-TES staff told me she is in GradMalaysia fair, and with all eagerness, I rushed to meet her because I really miss her. She is one of the few reasons that I stayed in ICAEW despite really not having a single cell of interest in the field/industry initially.

After talking to her for a really short while, its inevitable that I am late for the progress test as the trip to and from Pyramid really took quite a while. So, I missed GradMalaysia and Monash talk, for the reason of a progress test that I was ill-prepared for. But oh well, its done and over with. XD

Following on was a yum cha session with a few people to while the time away as I was actually waiting for some friends of mine to  be done with their DOTA session and have dinner together.
So when the time came, after much jokes made about me, and silly-ness on my part, we parted ways at about 6.30pm. Initially wanted to have Brazillian buffet at Karnaval *somethingsomethingsomething located at Damansara Jaya but turns out, there were fully booked as many people were celebrating Early Mother's Day.

So, next best option (not really next best, but I wanted to watch Dark Shadows quite badly) is Tropicana City Mall. I actually wanted to treat them to good stuff because these guys, no matter how harsh their words are, how rude their tone might sound, or how agitated they looked, I know it came from our friendship and their concern. Yes, I appreciate you guys! XD
So, just a pic of them in a glow-in-the-dark showroom of My Puzzle House:

 

I know their faces are kinda dim, no worries, its intentional ;)

 

 

And my beloved Nike shoes with the orange shoelaces!

So, had dinner at Room 18, which is just plain nightmare or they have a devious plan to torture their customer. Basically, I don't think I would every go there anymore. I guess the most efficient service only appeared when I paid for the bill XD

After the dinner, we had some time to kill, so walked around Tropicana City Mall, randomly enter shops to kill time ie art pieces shop, sexual accessories(I have no idea what's the the actual name) shop and even other Toy R'us!! It is just so enjoyable! XD

Dark Shadows warrants a blog post on its own, so I guess this is where I stop. XD

Again, thank you guys!!! Let's enjoy ourselves again!!

My final 3 (plus 1)!!! For May

Finally! After days of deliberation, I finally decided what shows I am going to watch in May, either in KLPAC or in TAS! Despite being a little sad that I had to miss out on all the other great shows, I am quite sure the combo below will definitely blow my socks off!

The three that I will be watching are:

1) May 16 - Improv Jom with AIIA (from what I gather, this is a show where audiences actually control the flow of the program and is very, and I really mean very, impromptu)

2) May 25 - Nyobakan The Story of Liao Zhai Catan Kulit (storyline-wise, it will be the same as the usual, but I am guessing that this will be an enchanting and captivating one.  Don't believe me? Watch the video)

3) May 30 - The Chamber Wind Project (being a pianist myself and an avid fan of the flute, or woodwind instruments in general, I find that the repertoire presented by the groups masterfully balance classical and contemporary elements. Would surely regret if I didn't go. XD)

Before I forget, The Emperor is starting on 10th May while The Godmother starts on 11th May. While both titles may sound similar, they are anything but similar.  The Emperor is dark, mysterious and makes us question humanity. On the other hand, The Godmother is humourous, playful and light-hearted. (Either of this forms the 'plus 1' in the title, XD)

Captain America, Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, Black Widow and Hawkeye

Woah!! The Avengers!! Damn glad that I actually took up the offer to watch it! I would say I might be one of those rare ones who wasn't particularly looking forward to the movie, mostly because I didn't watch the whole franchise. I mean, I didn't watch the movies about their origins. So I thought I would be really blur about what happened, thus decided not to watch. But, as the audit firm I work(soon to be -ed) organised this movie night, and it is free, so why not? XD

Anyway, back to the topic, The Avengers was so damn awesome to me in a few aspects. Number one, so many eye candies (from both the female and the males!) Ok, from here onwards, do allow me to potray some perversion. Let's start. When Black Widow first appeared, she was in such a compromising position that I can't help but too think, how nice! Also, all the guys had damn good muscles and I really wonder, how long did they have to train to get those proportions. My personal favourite is Hawkeye's muscles, cause it is not too bulky nor too lean! Ok, perverse moment ended.

Time for honest opinion about characters and the movie as a whole. From the opening, I was trapped by the awesomeness of the graphic then when each of them came out, I was so much more caught into the movie. Loki's moment of appearance was a sight to behold by itself, the damages to the aircraft well-made and the city, was destroyed in such a way, I can't help but feel like I want to be part of it, depsite the possibility of dying right there and then.

Also, if I get to choose who I want to be, I would definitely want to be Hulk but with the appearance of Hawkeye. Reason being, Hulk doesn't get specific orders like the others. I would love to be in that position. XD Well, guess that's a wrap. XD

Digi Services, I approve!

This is a damn LOL and ROFL post. Basically, it was like this, my Digi number had a very weird problem the other day. Out of all the things that it can choose not to do, it only chooses not to send SMS out. Calls and incoming messages weren't a problem at all.

So, I called Digi Helpline, first one said it was message centre and sent me a SMS with the number but number failed, so I called again. Second person also said its message centre pasal so he gave me message centre number again. Didn't manage to work and hoping that third time is the charm, I called again. First thing I told was how I got the message centre number twice already. And he gave the solution I didn't think of at all! To just off and on the phone.

I tried it and it finally worked, so all the backlogged messages got sent out. Anyway, this was supposed to be my first Digi Helpline experience and I was really glad! I mean, all three of them was really helpful and efficient. They sounded really helpful too with no disrespectful or rude tone. I was kinda glad I made the calls instead of fiddling with my phone, which would definitely waste much more time than the time used to make the calls.

In short, give Digi Helpline a call whenever you face problems with your Digi number cause the people there really know their stuff.

PS. My official number is still a MAXIS though! XD

A Stud, A Babe and A Latte Boy (and A Pianist) in KLPAC

XD Added a small part of the title on my own accord. Hope KLPAC doesn't mind. XD

I was in KLPAC not-that-recently to watch A Stud, A Babe and A Latte Boy and wow, everyone was in character already the moment 'patrons' of the bar arrived. I also think that this is one of the shows that have the best people of their field(s) came together. First, we have Zoe Taylor as the song bird, Malik Taufiq for some really awesome comedic timing, Lex Lakshman Balakrishnan(Lex) for the wonderful dance moves and Ching Eng Shen, with his nimble fingers on the piano.

This musical comedy honestly transported me back to the Shanghai glamour in 1960s. Just without the supporting dancers, which in my opinion, not needed at all as Annie's (Zoe Taylor's character) voice was enough to carry the whole show.  Of course, it wasn't acapella singing as there is a pianist, Roland(Ching Eng Shen's character) to play the melodious accompaniment.
Of course, what is a bar without a bartender, Felix (personal opinion, the Stud of the title)(acted by Malik Taufiq) in this bar. He, in his own way, was the cause of the play. Felix made Annie who she is today, the glamorous voice of the bar. Where there is a Bartender, you have the Latte Boy, Taylor, played by Lex and mind you, Taylor just completes the whole show. Taylor made the ending such a funny one!

Ah, was too eager to jump into the musical that I forgotten to give some introduction. SPOILER ahead!
[Annie was describe as NICE only in her year book. Nothing less, nothing more, just a NICE. Doesn't help much that she is quite geeky, thus, much hurt and injured, it all changed when she entered university. Singing in a bar and having a romantic relationship are part of the changes. Now, just sit back, relax and enjoy the transformation and the things that happen!!]

The play started with Annie's singing, and I literally jumped in my seat then! Her vocal chords were just so powerful! Of course, Roland's playing was equally great to match her singing. Loud enough to be heard, soft enough to shift the attention to Annie's singing. Annie sang a multitude of songs which really showed how versatile she is. But she wasn't the only one singing through the whole show. Each and everyone on of the cast can sing! Quite well too! Felix interrupted once when Annie sang O Mio Babbino Caro and he really sang opera style, Taylor sang Belaian Jiwa to show his love and care, even Roland sang once in a while! Are they still not the best yet?

Of course, during times of conversation, especially the first time Lex appeared on stage and spoke to geeky Annie, interaction between Annie and Felix, those were the times that everyone can really laugh at. Also, catch their body language or facial expression(recommended to watch with a wide angle view so nothing misses the eye). Somehow, it was really funny to know they were acting but it felt so real, like things you would do among your friends in normal circumstances.

Enough talk of the show! Just go watch it yourself! XD This musical comedy will run until 29th April 2012. So for 28th April, show starts at 8.30pm while on 29th, its 3pm. Priced at RM43 for everyone and RM23 for students and disabled on normal seats. Or, if you really want the bar experience, get yourself and 3 other friends a table for RM250, complimentary bottle of wine provided. Also, you can get the programme booklet, which is shaped like a drink menu and contains songs being sung in the musical at a super low price of RM 2!!

Penangites! This play will come to PenangPAC in May, so, to momentarily entertain yourself, go watch Corporal PUNishment first! It is an equally interesting play! In a different way! XD

PS. Lack of photos this time as I didn't manage to get a decent shot. T.T photography skills EPIC FAIL!

SOS!!! Shows and Performances in May 2012 for KLPAC and TAS

Update : This got to be the best accidental troll post I ever made! Apologies to so many people who came here finding nothing!! >.< Honestly, wasn't aware that its empty except for the title. So, to compensate, this will be a picture- and words-laden post

Anyway, back to topic on hand, there are so many great shows and performances in May that until now, I still can't make up my mind. Moreover, there are two places to choose from, KLPAC and TAS. Give me a little help and suggest, onegaishimasu (please!!!)

MAY 2 – 6                   JALAN PINTAS FILM SCREENING (TAS)
                                     Imagine a film that premiered in Freedom Film Fest and was shot using only a Canon 5D. How much more basic could it get? Presented in Malay as well,
                                     it is bound to be interesting.

MAY 4 – 6                   T4YP 5TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON HEARTS DESIRE (Indicine)
                                     The monotony of life, how many of us loved it, loathed it or even accepts it?
                                     But when order is disrupted, do you embrace or deny the chaos? Masterfully
                                     presented by Director Christopher Ling and the T4YP ensemble, its a play
                                     about homecoming.

MAY 4 – 6                   JUNIOR STRING ENSEMBLE (P2) 
                                     I would say that this is one of the best concert to bring children to, especially
                                     string instruments learner for a few reasons. For one, the children might be
                                     able to appreciate the performances better as the perfomers could be of the
                                     same age. Who knows? Maybe he or she will joing the KLPAC string
                                     ensemble under the baton of Dr. Takahisa Ota.

MAY 7 – 8, 14 - 15     WORLD’S BEST MOVIES (Indicine)

Enough said.

MAY 9 – 12                 VIRGIN NIA (Indicine)
                                     Bought to you by Serious Comedy Studio, its a play that has a lot of ironic
                                     themes and hypocrisy. When two Chinese (Virgin Nia and Dick, honestly, its
                                     their name) who proclaims to champion the Chinese culture and language but
                                     only does the western stuff, should they still proudly say that they champion
                                     the Chinese heritage?


MAY 10 – 12               PLATFORM – THE EMPEROR (P2)

 The Emperor is now a name for the kidnapper, who kidnapped a group of people and locked them in a room. What will happen to them as the night goes deeper, darker and further from humanity?

MAY 11 - 13                THE GODMOTHER (TAS)
                                     A woman made of steel, suffered an injury and needs to be hospitalised.
                                     Initially a quiet affair, turned to havoc when a nurse accidentally let the cat
                                     out of the bag. Being an action comedy, I just can't fathom how the story will
                                     go, with the injured lady and all the visitors and their hidden intentions.


MAY 16 - 20                IMPROV JOM WITH AIIA (P2)

 To be pronounced as Aiiiiiiiiiiiyaaaaaah, this is a one-heck of a performance as it is meant to be super crazy and hyper-interactive. Apparently, there are so many things packed into it but I am not going to spoil it for you. :P Also, the performers will actually carry out the show based on audiences response, so never expect the same progress when you attend again!

MAY 16 – 20               TEATER SENAPAS ((TAS TEATER RAKYAT)

My weakening command in Bahasa Melayu deterred me from understanding the word Senapas but what already caught my attention was the poster. I initially thought it was an arm full of muscles and scars. But upon further scrutiny, its a crying baby. For what purpose, I know now but one thing for sure, its going to be one play that strikes the heart.

 
MAY 25 - 26                NYOBAKAN THE STORY OF LIAO ZHAI CATAN KULIT
                                     Not sure if many of you remember the Chinese movie, Painted Skin which
                                     came out about one or two years ago? Yup, the original story was actually by
                                     a Qing dynasty writer who goes by the pen-name Liao Zhai (real name Pu
                                     Song-Ling). So, Catan Kulit will actually explore further into the masks that
                                     each and everyone wears and not just the skin that the evil being wears. An
                                     extra edge of this play is also because it will incorporate dances and
                                     movements. Body language at its best!

MAY 30 – 31               THE CHAMBER WIND PROJECT (hosted by Birdian Saxophone Quartet
                                     and klpac) (Pentas 2)

 This is one concert that I would reeaaallllllyyyyy love to attend. Solely due to two simple facts, I love woodwind instruments quite a lot and the repertoire for this concert is quite vast as the ensembles(3 here) will perform music from Baroque all the way to Contemporary! So, if you share the same interest, do attend!

Yeah, these are all that I am considering, actually there's more, but a little time-pressed here, so will put it in soon!!
So, be quick guys!! April is ending!! And remember to give suggestion on which one I should attend. really spoilt for choices!

It's the end of the world, now run SCREAMING!!!! In Blackbox @ MapKL

The silent frenzy, the simmering madness, the hidden lunacy!! That's all I can use to illustrate how I felt about this play! And bought to you by Electric Minds Project!

Enter the door and we shall proceed:

I was initially very lost at the beginning as the actors (ok, the script writer if you will) actually use lines or a method that follow-up from one voice to another. Besides that, I was sitting quite far from the stage (and also a little weak on hearing :P), so I sort of couldn't catch what was happening.

Though, that was only for the introduction. When it enters the 4 short plays, I began to understand more on what's happening. SPOILER ALERT : Post-apocalyptic situation! XD sorry, bad joke there. Serious SPOILER ALERT : The plays showed a myriad of events that can potentially happened when its the end of the world. What really caught my attention was the play about two men who believed in hope and survival while the other play managed to bought archangels down to Earth. Of course, the other two was interesting as well, except that it is a tad bit too much for me to handle. I cannot bring myself to talk about them. Its something that needs to be watched and experienced first hand.

The plays only constitute one part of the equation though. The other main part of the equation comes from the dancing. The dancing comes in 3 segments. I understand it as each represent different things. Generally, there was a certain disorganised feeling to them but I just can't help feeling that it was wonderfully choreographed.

One of the many faces of the set:

Credits to Alex Chua for the set design (the doors too!). The set is quite concise in my opinion. Perhaps mobile too! And the sets fit all 4 plays quite nicely. And in all honesty, the picture didn't do the set any justice. ><

Yup, that's as much disclosure that I'll make about the whole series. Do come to Publika's blackbox @ mapKL to catch them on Sunday 22nd April for the last show at 3.30pm. Tickets are priced reasonably (anyway, money doesn't matter when it's the end of the world, right?). Don't forget the informative programme booklet priced at RM10(definitely worth every single cent)

Life Sdn. Bhd. 8 : Human Trafficking @ TAS, Lot 10

Human trafficking, what a topic. Before attending Life Sdn. Bhd. session for the year, I was blissfully ignorant of such happenings. Of course I knew such terms, but the magnitude behind two simple words, it simply eludes me but after today, I am going to view each immigrant workers, beggars or even sexual workers differently.And that's just a small part of it, the bigger part would involve a whole long list that even this blog post can't fit.

Just a little intro(for those uninitiated), Life Sdn. Bhd. is not a play nor a musical. In my own personal opinion, it is a sharing session where individuals, regardless of how they are related to the topic at hand, were invited to share, to speak and to educate audiences about such happenings. For example, this year's topic is Human Trafficking and so, on the stage, we have NGO volunteers, from both the local and international scene, victim(s) of human trafficking and performing artists to further amplify the issue either by singing or dancing.

Before I proceed, Life Sdn. Bhd. 8 will be running from 12 April to 15 April, with shows nightly at 8.30pm except for 15 April, which will then be 3.30pm. Tickets are reasonably priced at RM35 for everyone except students, TAS card holder and less-abled, which will then be RM 25.

Here are the few heroes and heroines that presented for the day and their details are presented in the booklet,  available at minimum of RM 5 donation.

When I hear the stories that each individual shared, I was moved to tears, seriously. Even the last pic, the lady was on stage but she herself cried, and I believe she wasn't the only one. Some of the experiences were just so unbelievable that I literally frowned and cried but nevertheless, its the truth and nothing else. After the whole session, I couldn't stand, I was literally shivering in my seat. That was the effect the session had on me. It felt like I had a whole different world shoved into my face!

Please, just attend the session and know about the issue better. We may have read news about human trafficking but trust me, those are just the tip of the iceberg. Experiences and informations shared in this session are like the one that is hidden from field of view. We, in every small minuscule way, can makes lives just a bit better and more bearable for such victims, if anymore, in the future.