2nd Practice tonight, but Anticipates Bali

Tonight will be our second practice for the moon cake performance. Not to mention, I had first practice with Joanne Wong for Noriko's wedding earlier on Sunday and it was quite good. Hmm.. But well, mostly, I anticipated Bali trip on this Saturday. I already had the itenaries and really have no idea of most places being mentioned in the trip.

But it sounds interesting and get me some "wow" gestures when I started searching all the places on Wikipedia and Google. Then I got this idea of compiling interesting pictures as a guide list for me and my friends.

Here you go! Take a look at the simple visual-based list:

And I also did a simple research of what to buy (I love shopping!) and also what are the best things to do there:

Guess. I'm ready to go!! The environment in office is very silent today: If a fly or mosquito to pass by, I'm surely to be able to identify the sound, despite the background sound of my "mainframe" (workstation) in office.

This will be the 3rd times to have my birthday in overseas: once in UK while I was studying my MA, once in Taipei for company trip, and this time in Bali for a leisure holiday. I wish it could be the leisure-est and best-est.

First Practice with the Acoustics

First of all, I must thank Nelson and Emmanuel for inviting me to be part of the performance in coming Moon Cake Festival Celebration in The One Academy. Well, Nelson's efforts to arrange everything were really inviting and great. Salutes!

Well, besides being the vocalist for the performance, I really had no idea of the whole arrangement until two days ago. Finally, we (me and the rest of the people who are performing with me) met up on Tuesday night (22/08/08) at Emmannuel's studio and had our jamming session. They called it "jamming" but I refered it as .. well... "practice". hahaha. I was introduced to Bern and Venu, Nelson's friends, and they are in charged of the bass guitar and tabla, respectively. Emmanuel is on acoustic guitar for rhythm and Nelson on lead, if I'm not mistaken. Earlier, they had already pre-arranged the songs that I had recommended to sing.

They already knew how the chords goes especially for the Chinese song that I'm going to sing. But they had no idea of the melody until I started singing on that night. They were alright and pleased with my singing and of course, the melody of the song.

For the English song, well, they knew it quite well and we had fun doing it. They were professional enough to understand the mood, the melody and the overall touch that song could go for. So, basically, I had no problem with the song at all. I just hope I sing better. Maybe I shall stand.

Well, we were still in dilemma to decide one more song to perform. But on today's afternoon, I received a text from Nelson, and he suggested to me about this song by Peter Green. I have no bloody idea about Peter Green until now.

And at this moment now, after the steamboat buffet dinner I had with colleagues, I returned to my room, searching through You Tube for that song to get better idea about it. I'm still feeling full in my stomach because of many intakes of foods from the buffet. Burp! I know I couldn't really sleep yet with full stomach and that's why I keep searching for Peter Green and knowing what is it all about with that song and how special it is.

Wow.wow.wow. Peter Green seems to be a big shot for blues rock and when I first listened to the song, I just love it. It is catchy and nice. But it is totally out of my genres. I decide to take the dare. I will do that song. I replied to Nelson's and will give it a shot. I shall decide which version it is best for me, as the song had many interpretations by many artists who actually re-cover the song before.

To look out for the performance, it's on 12th August 2008. I'm excited over it. I shall record it down for my portfolio. Hahaha.

How to Make a Miniature Gown

Here is the process (Save and have a bigger view of picture):

Labbit's Illusion

Today seems to be finest Saturday of the month because it lead me to have great mood; and while I walked home, the weather was really nice and cooling; windy but no sunny; no sweaty for me and I got real prepared for one aim: complete my recent painting. I got home with a satisfied feeling and without really hesitated, I started what I had not completed.

I'm not coming from illustration background but whenever I hold a brush when I feel like painting or even scribble, I really feel the energy and the urge of me to deeply venture into my painting's world. Recently, I managed to sketch out a different style of mine where I wanted to get out of my style of using alot of warm colours and fierce textures with gradient.

Before the painting, I have decided to look for some inspirations through Flickr. I did a simple research and found some great paintings that worth me mentioning:

I love this painting above because of the approach of colours were used and the daring strokes that being applied.
I like this concept of the painting and it is funny in its idea. I loves the rabbit too.



This formation of the area and territories are interesting and the feeling of completeness is there.


This painting reflects some of my strokes with curvy and ornament patterns to fill in all sorts of corners.

I loves this. The balancing of patterns and the textures around the pear - great. I just love it.

After all those paintings above as my references, made me inspired and came up with my own version of a painting. I would like to thanks them for giving me different touch of inspiration: DerStruwwelpeter for the Rabbit's painting, Roxo89, AndyZzZ, and the rest of the artists (Sorry for not knowing some of them).

My workspace is always the precious floor of the hall in my apartment. Hahaha! Well, usually, for weekend, when I'm in good mood for painting, the floor is my workspace where I rest myself on the floor, holding the canvas for painting, but also watch TV at the same time. Like just now, I was distracted by Olympic news. But, well professionally, I did managed my painting too.

Well, after an afternoon of hard work for finishing and crafting my painting to be the best ( I think!), here is my painting. Introducing..... Labbit's Illusion .

I think it is a new step ahead for me because I'm venturing into different colours usage and exploring different approach in patterns and texturing. In the same time, I also sees the significant strokes and styles of mine in the painting. I just love the outcome. It is a new benchmark.

I was excited over the outcome and asked my housemate to look at the painting and he commented of the paintings to be more pastel instead of my previous style. Winks ** I successfully did it in purpose. He also commented about the consistency of strokes so that's why we made comparison of my previous painting and this recent one. Yeah it does show my style, but it is different now. I will keep on exploring. (Cross my finger and never give up!)

(Having my favourite drink, Malta while finishing this line. Hint - new project coming up - more like Project Runway!!!)

P.S. I Love You

At this comfy night, although warm and sweaty, but I would rather think it is time to write something in my beloved blog. I'm currently reading this book, P.S I Love You, after realising how good it is in movie with great acting from Hillary Swank. It's easy reading anyway. Thanks to a student, who happened to borrow me the book.

Well, there's a point I realised that there's so much one can do when they are in love. Holly could be so much as she was in love with her husband (who died of cancer and) surprised her and lead her to be independent by herself in "P.S. I Love You". There's so much love involved here. Very touching indeed.

I'm in mood to understand how greatest love can be together even when they are separated. I observed faces and gestures of couplehood who are distance-doers: they tell me confidence, trust and worry-less. That show how great love can be trusted on. Of course I did sensed sadness in things when distance love is going to happen and when it needs to be .. well.. get used to.. sigh.. who's on earth created such a concept: I think metropolitan' attraction makes the decision and the concept of distance love.

For few times, I was on bus to Penang on Friday nights, and I came across about this pretty girl who is a frequent customer of this coach service to go back to the island. And very coincidentally, I saw her again on bus on freaking Sunday evening to go back to metropolitan KL for career and job life. I saw her kissing good bye to her beloved boyfriend, who left casually. I can imagine what's in heart of her boyfriend:" I have to wait for weeks to see her again". Maybe on her side, she must have this feeling, "I'm crossing the bridge again... I'm back to reality".

Living and loving are two dimensional. It is quite distinguished with one another. I doubts what's needed to keep us moving on and updated and what's on love that we could promised and what's on love that we entrusted to roll the stone further for more benchmark in love and life? Why people kept talking about love stories and telling love stories in movie, in book and in others? Why people do fall in love blindly, why people love to be loved in no matter how it could lead to troubles or in opposite, to happiness? Love sells. Love is essense of life. Love defines it all and worth it all in life.

Olympus for Father

Father been bugging me about digital camera that he long to own one. I really have no idea about the best gadget for him. His only requirement will be the LCD screen will be big for him to view photographs that he took. It is going to be his birthday in October. I have this idea of getting him the camera and even asked my brothers to share costs with me. Maybe it is merely RM499 but it meant some fortune to me, so I was wondering if I could share it with my brothers for a surprise gift to him.

Well, I was rather disappointed with some feedback I gathered and well, the final decision was more to share cost with Father himself, but I will pay more money. I then decided to buy Olympus rather than Canon, which is giving me a deal that is so basic. And I dislike the shape of it. I really like this new camera. It's Olympus FE-310. The functions are great for a cheap bargain like this. Although I can only afford an AA battery kind of camera, but it is good enough for this price. I hope father will like it.

Small gift, but well, at least I did my best to give him best he could.