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