The Hoi Polloi

Animation school lesson 1 & 2

2006-05-15T03:29:00.000+08:00

Some drawing exercises from John K's blog =)

A tribute to Ayie Ibrahim of Inspidea

2006-05-14T22:11:00.000+08:00

When I was in Inspidea, I did a lot of storyboarding. Ayie, a senior animator and animation director there at that time, had a lot of comments about my drawings and ideas. Some of his comments were, "Your poses are all wrong", "You might want to double-check your proportions, they're improper", "These shots are incorrect!", "The framing is all wrong, you've crossed the line", "Redo it. There's no continuity with the last shot".

Sadly, most of his comments fell on deaf ears of mine just because the boss liked most of my storyboards. I've always thought nothing was wrong about my drawings and that it'll look mighty good on screen. We were all very busy too, and I just couldn't pay much attention to the things Ayie told me. But he was mighty diplomatic and tolerant about it, seeing as all the works were coming from an unexperienced animator like myself. However, as time went by I could see it in his eyes he's almost done telling me things.

Ayie then decided with my boss Andrew to give the entire studio a free-for-all weekly drawing class to boost up overall quality. Ayie was responsible for teaching us for I'd say he's the most experienced artist among us. He commented on my drawing style too then, saying "Your strokes are all too rough" over and over again. He told me that if I wanted to be an animator, I must learn the 'animator's stroke'. At that time, I didnt know what the heck he was talking about, and I made the mistake of not making an effort to understand him and I let things pass.

Then one day, I discovered the blog of a cartoonist/animator whom I admired.

From there, lessons poured in. I realised that I've been really missing out on many things. Animator or not, quality is still not within my grasp. I also realised what Ayie meant all these while when he commented on my drawings in the office. But by then it was too late. In March 2006 he left Inspidea, just when my contract was over. With this new insight, I aspire to train everyday and get better.

So, aspiring cartoonist/animators/artists like myself, I just wanna share this little bit of advice with you which I picked up some time ago, i forgot where, that I've lived by for the past few years:

"When an artist stops learning on account that he feels he already knows everything, it's the death of him."

Ayie, dude if you're reading this, thanks alot for everything that you've given me during my time there in Inspidea! (^_^)V

Peace, bro. I do hope I see you again!

-Julius

Long Post - 2 Decades of Julius

2006-05-14T20:00:00.000+08:00

Sigh...another year gone, another phase starting. All in all, 2005-2006 was a very good year for me. In fact, the best year ever. Better than all the other remaining years of my life combined.

Why?

Cos this year taught me that I'm not so much the loser I thought I was. Cos this year I learned valuable new virtues to guide me through the journey of life. Cos this year I learned a hell of a lot of new things career-wise. Cos this year I discovered my true calling in life.

Also,

Cos God has been with me a lot this year.

All my life it's always been about arts. Since the age of 3 I've never stopped churning out drawings. I'd draw on every empty piece of bleached, flattened wood-pulp I'd find. Then, ever since the age of 7 my ambition has always been an 'artist' when asked by my parents, teachers or other family members. That brought on a lot of raised eyebrows and skepticism, I must say. I can remember the day a primary school teacher of mine interrogated me for a long time after asking me what I wanted to become when I grew up. She was rather irritated when I stood my ground about becoming an artist. To her, to become an 'artist' was like saying 'I wanna be a criminal'. Man. Talk about professional indoctrination.

Yeaaaaaahhh, click on the image for a larger fuck you teacher.

Then sometime in the mid of primary school I started exploring comics. Hee hee. What a life that was! Not that I started drawing comics only in primary, but believe it or not I started comics since I was 6 or so! I was inspired by all the local comic magazines I bought, along with some European comics my brothers had at that time. It was a local comic strip then called 'Croc Roo' that got me thinking, "man, I wanna do that!" and got me started. I just HAD to draw! I copied alot then.

Here's a sample of an early comic of mine. =) Wish I still had my EARLIER ones, which were cooler and funnier but they all have since been turned to crap and could not be found.

My old school buddies - if you're seein this, remember all this shit? Hahahahahaha.

Then came my 'controversial' secondary school, where things were not any happier but I still churned out some pretty good shit. This was the time I was influenced by much American and Japanese stuff. They both fought a neverending war within me. Here are some of my work then:

More Japanese influence. This was during campus:

After all that comicking and drawing, I decided that it simply wasn't enough. I wanted to do more. I wanted to play god (heh-heh...) and give life to my creations (gweeeee!).

Animation came into my life in two very contrasting stages: the first stage is in the form of tedious, boring and fermented university assignments and classes where I've gotta do all that 3D stuff. At first I thought I liked it and wanted it, but then I was wrong. I couldn't do 3D. I designed characters which were all not fit for 3D animation by a mere learner. Check out this shit:

Yeah animate THAT crap, for chrissakes! Maybe a veteran animator can, but it was just too much for me. I didn't know what I should go for when designing characters for 3D. And best of all, they (tutors & lecturers) never tell us shit. There's just too much technical for me to stomach. Everything was sticking and smearing all over in the wonderful world of 3D! Not the way I wanted, hell no.

However, as time goes on...

I ditched my Film and Animation course for a year and found work in a 2D animation company called Inspidea Animation Studios. Andrew Ooi, my boss was kind enough to take me in as a production designer despite me still having classes in future and having not a scrap of qualification except my portfolio. It is here that I re-discover animation in the form of 2D. It is here that's where I found real education: the correct way of drawing, disciplines, principles to follow, etc. Lotsa cool and talented people here enlighten me in things I never knew before.

Since then my interest in traditional/2D digital animation had taken off gracefully like a swan. And what's more, I've started studying and doing research on the topic a lot lately! I installed bitcomet in my PC! I started downloading cartoons! I joined in with my pals in office for discussions over what's the best cartoon show in TV history! They taught me where to get stuffs and who's who. I swooned over the works of Chuck Jones, Friz Frieleng, Tex Avery, John R. Dilworth, Genndy Tartakovsky, Joe Murray and John Kricfalusi. And also others like Charlie Adler and Carlos Alazraqui.

With that much inspiration, who's to say this is the start of a new and wondeful career for me, eh?

Can't stop praying, can't stop thanking God - Julius

'Tis done.

2006-05-10T00:02:00.000+08:00

Finally...

FA: AND 'TIS DONE!

Internet down

2006-03-24T21:43:00.000+08:00

Streamyx. Hmph. If they never kena tiao even just once they'll never keep up their adequate service. Internet was down 5 days past. Just got it back today. Phew...

Compromise!

2006-03-18T04:31:00.000+08:00

Oh man. Yesterday I experienced THE most compromising situation of my entire freaking life.

I had to check that suspicious e-mail. I had to take a look. Arrrghh I had to EVERYTHING!

I just got back from the Adobe Production Studio Suite launch seminar at J.W. Marriott, and took a nap. Mundanely enough I woke up again around 3:30 a.m. to start work on my project. But before that i did the customary checking of my e-mails and other messages. And everyone had just gone in to sleep. So i did just that.

Among the new mails i got was one from my pal (won't say who), which subject is, 'dun work so hard, try to relax', and it was an .avi file. Thinking it was a funny advert or joke, i saved it and opened it up to view.

Hell.

It was a 1-minute porn video clip of a masturbating teen girl. T'was the first time i received such a thing over my e-mail. I was caught off-guard. I was rendered powerless under a strong mind-numbing immobilising spell! Crap. I slobbered (eyes open wide with tongue out, okay) helplessly over my new prize. Like a dog in heat.

Then came the compromising part.

Just when i thought everyone was asleep, ten seconds into the damned thing my mom came out of her room into the hall where i worked. And I didn't notice shit. I must've looked like King Kong spying on Ann Darrow playing with herself. Gandalf watching Samwise and Frodo doin' it secretly. "Julius? Why aren't you sleep?" mom blurted out. Whoa. Okay. I jolted upright in supershock. Sweat was breaking out everywhere, hyperventilating. Too late to press the little small x at the right-hand corner of the window. I missed it completely anyway and maximised the damn media player instead.

There goes the dedicated, hardworking-boy image. Mom must be thinking i watched porn every night. Dammit. I am innocent I tell you. Innoceeeeeeennnt...!! [falling into a black, bottomless pit, all the while shaking a defiant fist at audience]

First time such a fuckup was happening. It was hard to sleep that night. Kept thinking unsavory thoughts. Being an amateur, I prayed so hard before finally falling asleep. God must've been crossing his arms and giving me that 'I told you so' smug smile, but listening anyway. Dunno how to deal with it the next morning. However it was all okay - my mom, she was understandibly SLIGHTLY nervous, and all apologetic-like to me. She never questioned me, and she kept on talking about how it was time to shoo out my leeching, working, 4k-a-month second bro and let me have a room of my own at last. Ach...and all the time i said nothing. Even though mom's tones imply 'no worries, everything's alright', I felt like a total idiot. Or more correctly, a total jerk.

Oh well, i'm just glad it ended sorta okay, praise God. I swear I'll never open video files like that again, or devise a better alarm system...

So kids, the lesson to learn from all this is, NEVER watch porn - even if you are *checking*, or *researching cinematography*, or just plain enjoying it.

And if you do, DON'T share it, especially if your friend to share with is an idiot.

Or a jerk. Same thing.

Chicken Little: A movie review.

2006-03-13T06:11:00.000+08:00

I watched Disney's newest feature around a week or two after it was premiered, 'Chicken Little' and my first impression of the film was, heeeeaahhh hmm.

Why write a review about it only NOW, for goodness sake?

One thing though - the film, which is Disney's first ever 3D animation, failed to wow me terribly. Thing was, many thought it was good. Then I thought ok, why not give it a second try. Maybe I'll change my mind and notice things i haven't noticed before. Alas, nope, second helpings of that movie didn't alter my perception of it either. In fact, second helpings further worsen my views of that movie. So did the third helping sometime after that. And so on.

I had enough. Cut this shit. I faced the fact. I don't like it. Just like some of the newer Disney cartoons lately. I watched Lilo and Stitch, I hated the concept and the unoriginal designs and ideas. I watched the Atlantises, I don't hate it, but i don't like it either. I watched Brother Bear, mweh so what. I watched Treasure Planet, I bolted after the first 30 minutes. And now Chicken Little. ( *_*' ) Pfeh.

Disney announced that it's not going to do any more traditional hand-drawn style animation, and it's all 3D from now on. All the years of watching Disney ever since Aladdin 2, it's all downhill from then on. 2D or 3D, it doesn't matter. I don't care what technique Disney uses. My ultimate conclusion is that Disney has all the technique and expertise it needs, only lacks the kick when it comes to churning up original stories. When Disney's run out of fairy tales and fables, that's it mate, you've had your lot. That's my personal discovery. When it comes to original tales and new stories, I'd choose Dreamworks second to Pixar anytime over Pisney. Uh sorry. Disney.

On to Chicken Little.

It's really impressive how many accomodated pop songs and music can they cram into the entire movie (e.g. Abby and Runt's Spice Girl duet, I am the Champion by Chicken Little, ending part Ain't No Mountain High Enough), apart from the original score. I think it's just degraded the overall movie's music quality and purely irritating. Those songs are whored to boost up the atmosphere when the scenes start to become tedious and boring. It's too dependent on these pop songs, just too too too much hoo-haa and utterly not necessary.

I won't comment much on the animal characters of CK, because it's minor and not a significant issue and it's, after all, characters. However, when it comes to designs that matters like the aliens and their ships and stuff - things that will hold a lasting impression on the viewer about the movie itself - one word: BANAL. Family aliens. ENGLISH-speaking with American accent aliens. Octopus-resembling robots. Aren't all of these elements(and many others i won't mention) somehow a little too terran(earth)-originated? Furthermore, the alien robots are a little easy to be put off just by the throw of a trash can lid, don't you think? After all that hullabaloo i found myself thinking: "What a freakin War of the Worlds ripoff!" And the fact that Abby Mallard said, "It's like War of the Worlds out there!" in the part where she came to fetch CK and his dad Buck Cluck out of the theatre was like assuming the audiences were ignorant and Abby's saying it like it was the discovery of the millenium. That had me rolling my eyes, seriously. Speaking of eye-rolling, we can definitely do without the excess smart-mouth remarks and lip. I definitely cannot stand some of the hackneyed and irksome ad-libs. Whoyoutalkingabout? Why Chicken Little, of course.

In another related case, Lilo and Stitch suffers from the same symptoms as CK. What's up with the hot-rod alien fighters? And the alien police cruisers for crying out loud?? And the humanoid weapons and characters? Are they running out of ideas?! I'd really expect something better of Disney. Looks like Sci-Fi is not really Disney's forte, i must say.

If I could re-make the Mortal Kombat game and put in CK characters in them instead of the usual MK characters, I'd do a big, bloody-looking red word that says 'BANALITY' instead of 'FATALITY' during the finishing move. And add more gore.

Sincerely, I apologise to the fans of Chicken Little. This review was written with as little prejudice as possible, i swear.

Sad to say, Disney has become like our National car maker PROTON. You know what to expect with every new product unleashed:
DISAPPOINTMENT.

Bleah. Trivia post.

2006-03-10T18:12:00.000+08:00

Hmmh...haven't posted anything in a while. Normally I don't post if I don't have a brainblast but, oh well, i feel like posting something anyways. Here's a trivia I found in friendster's bulletin.

1. My uncle once:
- ate shit via a straw through his nose and vomit white blood.

2. Never in my life have I:
- commited bestiality.

3. The one person who can drive me nuts:
- my dad

4. High School is/was:
- great because of my teachers, fucktup because of some of my friends.

5. When I'm nervous:
- I pretend to shoot a gun and make 'bang bang' noises in my head.

6. The last time I cried was:
- a decade ago.

7. If I were to get married RIGHT NOW my
bridesmaids/groomsmen would be:
- Heket, Mut, Anubis, Osiris, Sekhmet and Khonsu.

8. My hair:
- drops EVERYTIME i eat maggie mian.

9. When I was 5:
- I knew how to draw Han Solo's Millenium Falcon.

10. Last Christmas:
- was celebrated myself with a touch of jiwangness.

11. When I turn my head left, I see:
- my central processing unit (CPU)

12. When I turn my head right, I see:
- the dining table chair

13. When I look down I see:
- I can't see my dick cos of my belly.

14. The craziest recent event was:
- I slept 16 hours straight for no apparent reason.

15. By this time next year:
- I hope to get my wishes fulfilled.

16. I have a hard time understanding:
- women.

17. One time at a family gathering:
- my mom asked me to eat all the brocolli and pea on my plate, so i did. I ate my broccolli and pea'ed on my plate.

18. You know I "like" you if:
- you'll know.

19. If I won an award, the first person I'd thank is:
- God, my family who have put up with all the fuckery (drop course, new PC, "fuck off and don't disturb me" and all that) and my MMU buddies.

20. My ideal breakfast is:
- not in my list of fav things anymore 'cos I'm putting on weight because of it.

21. If you visit my hometown:
- you'll find it's no different from the slum you and i live in.

22. Where do you plan to visit anytime soon:
Egypt/Australia.

23. Boys are:
- your best friends, or your worst enemies.
.
24. I'd stop my wedding if:
- i find that my wife-to-be actually used to have dick n balls.

25. The world could do without:
- currency, politics, racial dispute.

26. Most recent thing you've bought yourself :
- a book.

27.Most recent thing someone else bought you:
- awww hehehe a cute cup with my name written on it!

28. My favorite time of day is:
- the dawn of dusk

29. My favorite store is:
- gun shops, i wish malaysia had some

30. My favorite ring tone is:
- fuck them ring tones they ain't important. Oh yeah...another thing the World Could Do Without is ringtones.

31. And by the way:
- I'm about to start work i gotta finish this shit fast

32. The person who I last talked to told me to:
- stay at home and do work, no need to go MMU

33. Once, at a bar/club:
- I wonder why people go to clubs. They're boring and LAME.

34. Last night:
- my brain slowed down some and I didn't get much work done...
.
35. There's this girl who I:
- think is in trouble and needs help.

36. There is this guy who I:
- wanna punch him in the nuts for being such a stubborn fuck of a gangster

The day Jouleous got CHARR-ed.

2006-03-01T04:04:00.000+08:00

YAAAAAYYYYY what a pleasant surprise - today at 3:57 a.m. precisely I got an SMS from Auday, an Iraqi friend whom I got to know during my first few weeks working in Inspidea. He asked me how I was doing and how's my health and what not. Wow. I thought he had forgotten me. Looks like there are still SOME forces of good in this world. I replied that I was well and such, and currently resuming studies, and this and that. I typed quite alot. I also asked him how he was and why the sudden SMS, at such an ungodly hour.

He replied, "ooo I got promotional package for free SMS worth RM17 (or some such), I'm left with RM2 I'm just finishing it thats why i msg u bye."

........

Nyah mah foo lat. So he msg'ed me just to finish up his free SMS credits. Well, char kao me in the bawls.

All that feelings of goodness for nothing. All that finger exercise for nothing. Dew#*&*!@...

Bah. Useless.

Back to work

Good Old A21011

2006-02-25T00:48:00.000+08:00

Sigh. I had a really weird dream...

How did it ever come to this, I wonder. Ha-ha.

It started out innocently enough one fine evening when I was chatting on MSN with Li Wen, one of my best friends from MMU times. He was viewing my blog and I was viewing his blog, and most of the time we caught up with each other's life, we discussed about the good old times with the gang (Darry, Woonloong, Kester, Matthias, Alan, Li Wen and Julius - gang A21011). It has been so long since we got out to makan together, so long since we engaged in a heated multiplayer computer game battle, so long since we got together as a gang once more.

So as innocent as the conversation seemed, Li Wen cordially asked me this one little question which goes, "so, who among us do you think is gonna get married first?" Well, my answer was "the slackiest among us i suppose" Ha-ha. I was half-joking, half telling the truth, actually...but my answer to that question isn't important. When the conversation ended and we said goodbye, it wasn't the end of the story for me. That innocent little question stayed on my subconscious mind like a vice.

When I slept I had this really warped dream that could only come out of a really warped mind. It was about that question Li Wen asked about who's gonna marry first, and for what reason God knows, I dreamt about it but with a little twist.
I dream we were all seven of us sometime in the future, and we were all so ancient and haggard-looking. We were out for a drink or something, i guess. I can see their wrinkled-up faces oh so clearly dear God, it was them, my friends! I remembered Kester in the dream most clearly; he was this sweet old grampaw with a nice hat and maroon checkered shirt with kind eyes and a cane...a true western gentleman and a true image of goodness. And Li Wen, he was there too, and he asked, "So who among us do you think is gonna die first?" And we all laughed. Ehhh ngyeh! Ngyeh! Ngyeh! Yeh! Hyuk! Hyuk! Hyuk! *snort* Imagine...a group of these sweet old geriatrics talking about such things!

Ha-ha-ha. Well, tie me kangaroo down, sport. It was kinda sad. But also in a way kinda beautiful...and funny at the same time. The dream was so damn realistic, I darn near wanna puke. I could smell, feel, touch, see so clearly...goodness. Thank God, there wasn't any conclusion as to who among us is gonna crop it first, and I hope sincerely that it wasn't a pre-cog like thing I'm experiencing.

Just wanna share this with you guys. Have a laugh, cry over it, your choice. This is a quick sketch as close as i can imagine that i did after i woke up. (Click on the image below for a larger view.)

1. Matthias
2. Yan Li Wen
3. Alan (wearing something that looks like knucklevest and shadow pants - thanks to Li Wen for pointing that out today)
4. Jouleous
5. Darry
6. Kester
7. Lai Woon loong

Jouleous Good or Bad?

2006-02-24T02:21:00.000+08:00

Thanks to my pal Amelia who forwarded me this site, here's something interesting for you guys to do.

Below are links to the Johari and Nohari window, a sort of personality awareness mapping system. Help me be a better person by pointing out my bad points, plus, tell me what you appreciate about myself. You can even set up your own personality awareness mapping later on when you're done and I'll help you.

Good points. (I think you're the best. Here's why.)

Bad points. (I think you're a stinking sanamabiche. Eat shit.)

Be honest about it, friends, whack me hard and don't hold back!
("Whack me", ha-ha. Well, please don't. Girls don't 'whack' only guys do...and I'm not gay.)

Thank you very much!

Ugh...sick daze.

2006-02-22T02:00:00.000+08:00

Ugh...never knew flu could be this bad.

Thanks to my two little nephews.

The massive bio-organic battle fortress that is my body has been fighting the virus army for days already. Never in my young adult life have I had it this bad.

Oh well. FYP lurks. The going gets tough, the tough gets going anyways!

Don't be an asshole.

2006-02-20T00:35:00.000+08:00

I hate this. I really, really LOATHE this kind of bullshit.

I was out driving the other day when a malay woman in a fat ass Kia Carnival MPV commited this felony. When she saw me trying to take a turn, bitch rushed to overtake me.

What IS it with local motorists these days? What's the big freaking rush to cause everyone to drive like a freaking nut? Why can't everyone drive like it wasn't going to be the end of the world anymore?

Why is it so fucking PANTANG to see a set of signal lights being turned on?

People who do this kind of shit on the road, they argue, "Oooo...just cos you put de signal light doesn't mean you can take the turn ma." Another famous one is, "You cannot see me coming fast ah? I don't wish to slow down for you!" OH. So that gives you the right to hog the lane, right? That means I must slow down and wait for you to pass my vehicle from MILES away THEN only i can make my turn?

LANCHIAO.

I use my signal lights to indicate my move, it's not my problem if you choose not to respect it. I did the right thing, you didn't. You're so far away for me to safely cut in! Even if you must slow down and shift down a gear or two, so what - you'll die on that? My exit is fast approaching, what the hell do you want me to do, miss my turn? Drift and slide sideways into the turn InitialD-like and kill everyone else? And I cannot just slow down - just to let YOU, the KING, past - suddenly on the expressway at peak hours when every damn one is going at 80km/h at least, even on the slow lane.

Eat shit. You people who have this kind of mentality make me sick.

Don't be an asshole. Respect others' signal lights.

The Wolf's Valentine

2006-02-17T08:30:00.000+08:00

It was exceptionally...well...beautiful on Valentine's night. I mean, I dunno...as I was sitting here in front of my PC, it was not the usual dreary, grimy Julius'-parents-apartment atmosphere anymore. It was somehow different. The light was brighter, the colour was more vivid, the air was easier to breathe in. Just somehow different. Like God was on this one night looking down upon our apartment.

Some of my pals on MSN had the courtesy call to just wish me a nice happy Valentine's while I was slogging with tonnes of work. Yeah, it was real nice of 'em. I truly appreciate it, though I didn't know how many really have a covert meaning to it (ha-ha, so i wish), but mweh, that aside, it was a nice gesture.

I must say it became a kind of a night of reflection for me on Valentine's night. I don't really celebrate Valentine's and don't yet have a reason to do so but this courtesy call by my friends tremendously spiced things up for the night. The wolf didn't need coffee anymore. I mean, why did so many people wished me a happy Valentine's, for gosh's sakes? Especially from friends who're already coupled. It's not the same as Merry Christmas or happy Chinese New Year, or is it? Dang it's not like they don't know I'm still an eligible bachelor, a bujang lapok, a Knight Templar, why did they wish me? Ha-ha. Please, don't get me wrong. I don't consider it an insult to wish ME a happy valentine's, but like I said...I reflected heavily and are only writing down (with huge smiles on my face, not sarcastic smiles, and music to my ears) my thoughts for the night.

A pitiful flop as I am at such things as always, I do admit that during the course of my lifetime I DO permit myself the male human weakness of falling for several girls, but that was it. Fini. There was this one girl whom I truly liked during my last months in university before I dropped. We had chatted alot and everytime I saw her in the FA studio, my heart raced. She was the sweetest sweetheart I ever saw, and she has this smile and this twist of her head that can really turn me into soup. It took most of my courage and my faith to tell her my feelings for her at the end, which I'm glad I did. It was really rough at first, but the more I think about it, the more I felt I did the right thing. She wasn't scared out of her wits like I thought she would be. She didn't run away to the end of the world, depressed that an enigmatic wierdo has the hots for her. Instead she told me she was happy, and glad for me that I was brave to tell her my thoughts. However I was to be disppointed at the end. For 2 years she already had a boyfriend. Wow, sublime. I've just created a rhyme!
One of my housemates advised, that if I think she's happy with her current relationship, leave it be. I opted for it. we're still good friends till now.

Gee...I don't know, really. I have never held a girl in my arms before, or felt the warmth and softness of a female body against my own, or is it time I did? I don't know how it feels like to have a mate to share things with, or how I'll react to her. All my life I've lived a life of a surly warrior and an uncivilised barbarian.

So will I hurt her? Will I treat her like shit, whoever she may be? For that matter, how long will someone end up coupling with me STAY coupled with me? I'm not really worried about how she'll evetually treat me, because I was brought up with this unique fact that everyone's better than the scum that is myself, thanks to my family.

Sigh. For now, I live a ronin's life. Serving no one, masterless (or mistressless!). Hahahahahahahah! *Ahem*...

That was a long pose. Sorry I was a lil late; Happy Valentine's.

Calibrate schmalibrate!

2006-02-13T10:21:00.000+08:00

Feel the burn, baby? Feel the burn?

No, I'm talking not about workouts, I'm talking about the NEW SEMESTER OF SCHOOL!
Yessss loidies an' gentlemen, it's going to be a very very busy 4-5 months ahead starting - no points for guessing - TODAY! No, actually last week. No last month! Hmmm.

SEE?! That's what I mean! I'm always playing when I should be working! I've always flopped when I should've flapped! AAAHHHH! BEH TAHAN sometimes - so much more that I haven't done on my university Final Year Project! Not counting my part-time work and personal projects even. It's STAGGERING! I feel like exploding right now for you all to see! Not that I'm complaining, cos my mates too got their own FYP worries, but...it's just how I'm feeling right now! STAGGERING REALITY!! It's killing! The real life is killing!! ARRGHH! If I illustrate my current condition in a statistical format, it'll be this:

with me looking like this:

OK. Phew. I've got to take charge. There's got to be more discipline here. Good thing there's the statistical graph - I could use it to calibrate myself to maximum efficiency. OK. I need to get more work done. To do that, I need more motivation. But I can't get enough motivation without proper rest, can't I? Hence:

Nice. With some motivation I can definitely go on. A much needed rest for most of everything to increase a little. For a more efficient resting period, let's forget about work!

But wait, too much rest and I'll become a hopeless hedonist! WTF am I doing!! Damn, some of that sanity has got to go, i guess...to make way for some working overdrive. Not to mention the physical strength too...

There we go. I'm working steadily. However hmmm...not enough work speed. Damn I'm like an old slug moving inside jell-O! Gotta up that work speed a lil...

Looks OK still. Let's have more working overcharge!

Yeaaahh! Ride im cowboy!!

eh?

OH NO! MELTDOWN!! I gotta get myself back on! Shit! What to do! WHAT TAE DOOOOO!!!!

Damn, cut the power! Cut the DAMN poweerrr!!

...

EH? What th...nothing's working!

Need rest! Need rest!

Dammit, NOTHING'S WORKING!

oh well.

I recently read an online article whereby the author discussed whether if people are becoming more machine-like in the 21st century. I stagger to think of how true this is...

FIRST DAY OF CLASS!

2006-02-07T22:52:00.000+08:00

Ahhh...it's feels so good to be back, really! To meet old friends again, to get to know new ones, to see my generous lecturers and tutors again, to finally complete my course and make everyone proud! Everyone's so fun and full of life, Sze, Darry, Cheah Wearn, Peng Hong, Yip Seng and Su Meng, we couldn't stop laughing.

So. First day of class of (take two) Delta year, trimester 3.

HAPPY CHINIE NEW YEAR!

2006-01-29T08:03:00.000+08:00

Ahh...it's a merry merry Chinie New Year morning in the year of the Dog ( Go dogs! Dogs ROCK!) and the first thing i did in a merry Chinie New Year morning is to write a blog entry.

Yeahh.

'Novel' way to start the year.

Had a great reunion dinner last night. Just like all reunion dinners. Especially the food. And my nephews. Mom never fails to impress us with her cooking.

I never mentioned yet that I'm not working daytime anymore, have I? My 6(+1)-month contract with Inspidea had ended around January 7th, and FA's starting on the 6th of February. Though I'm not a production designer anymore, I still work part-time for my boss Andrew in Inspidea to further develop some new ideas. I'm glad to be working for him. I appreciate very much for the fact that he seems to value my ideas and inputs a lot. I suppose right now it's okay for me at this point to think of him as a friend and not a boss, though I musn't forget he still is! Great guy and a very dynamic-thinking individual. Guess I'll still be earning some pocket money to sustain myself yet for now...

Slept night for a change last night, what a development! Can't sleep much, though, cos of the sudden change in time.

Oh well, Happy Chinese New Year to all my friends out there!

Thanks for all the SMSes that you sent. You've all been great. So, eat imaginary 9mm bullet from a home-made polystyrene gun!

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!

'Jika saya ada 100 ringgit'

2006-01-27T06:41:00.000+08:00

Just a random thought. =) Can't help it, I must be crazy...

Do you remember your Bahasa Malaysia classes where you have to write karangan, or compositions? Remember this famous little karangan title which goes, 'jika saya mempunyai 100 ringgit' which means, 'what if i had 100 ringgit' during primary school where our teachers always have us write about (in 80 words or more)? I should think everyone who have studied in Sekolah Kebangsaans will have come across this title in some way or another, at least once.

Well, I had my fair share of 'jika saya ader 100 ringgit' and now that I think about it, I didnt do a very good job. I wasn't thinking too carefully at that time and wrote shit like ,'saya akan derma wang itu' or 'saya akan guna wang itu untuk membantu orang cacat', just like a naive kid would write. So I'm gonna do something about it right now: I'm gonna re-write this composition the way it SHOULD be written.

However, with today's high inflation and the fucktup state of our country's economy, i'm gonna modify the title just a lil bit. Here it goes.

Dalam 200 patah perkataan atau lebih, Tulis sebuah karangan bertajuk, 'Jika saya mempunyai 100000 ringgit'.

Pada zaman sekarang, boleh dikatakan amat bertuah bagi mana-mana insan yang memperolehi wang berjumlah 100000 ringgit di koceknya. Jika saya yang memegang wang berjumlah sebanyak itu, banyak sekali barang yang saya akan beli.

Pertama sekali, saya akan mengubahsuai kereta kepunyaan kakak ipar saya. Kereta tersebut akan dimuatkan dengan perisai-perisai besi pada badannya. Cermin-cermin akan ditukar dengan kaca bertahan lasak yang sukar dihancurkan walaupun ditembak dengan senapang gajah ataupun senapang dinosaur. Kemudian, enjin kereta tersebut akan tukardiganti dengan enjin lori berkuasa tinggi. Untuk menstabilkan badan kereta itu, saya akan membeli spoiler-spoiler serta side-skirt atau mana-mana modifikasi yang sesuai bagi menggantikan bahagian asas kereta itu yang kurang berguna. Dengan itu, bukan sahaja kereta itu lincah bagaikan lipas, malah kelihatan cantik berupa sebuah kereta 2 fast 2 Furious.

Disamping itu, saya akan pergi mencarik kedai menjual senjata api kat tempat tinggal saya. Senjata api yang dimaksudkan saya ini bukanlah senjata api yg biasa, tetapi senjata api besar-besar yang boleh di-muatkan pada kereta yang telah diubahsuai. Saya akan memuatkan dua pucuk gattling gun yang boleh dikawal pemandu di bahagian depan kereta itu, manakala bahagian belakang kereta itu akan diubahsuai pula untuk menjadi turret bermesingan yang menghala ke belakang ala kapal The Matrix untuk memusnahkan musuh yang serang hendap dari belakang. Saya akan membayar rakan saya dengan sejumlah daripada wang 100000 kepunyaan saya untuk mengawal turret tersebut. Wang itu juga akan saya gunakan untuk membeli bekalan peluru yang secukupnya bagi senjata-senjata yang banyak memakan peluru bagaikan unta haus yang meminum air.

Setelah siap semuanya, bolehlah saya bersama rakan-rakan saya keluar bergembira dengan kereta kebal baruku tersebut. Baki wang yang tertinggal boleh digunakan untuk belanja petrol.

MARKAH: PENUH

Bite me.

What happened to the oath

2006-01-27T00:13:00.000+08:00

Whew.

It's been an eternity since I've posted any new updates on this piece of web fuck...or web piece of fuck...or fucking piece of web...or whatever.

Well now what has happened that's so valuable to update with anyways.
It's not like I'll be back to read this shit...not in a million years.
Cos in a million years i'll be dead. Hell not even my bestest of pals will come to read this. But then I feel i just have to write...something...writing really gives me this somewhat purging effect, like the last of my diarrheoa being discharged with the malignant air coming out lastly in huge long-lasting blasts to end it all.

mwagh. Anyway.

As i woke up this morning at 4pm to start work for the day, I had but a brief refletion upon certain facts that I have come to accept in my life for some time past.
Certain forgotten facts that have haunted my soul like a cancerous tumor within my body, now back in full force.

*IDEA*s, something so abundant and ultra rich in my soul and bonce during my younger days, has become but a commodity so rare that it's become more valuable than gold.
I don't blame you however, for not seeing this matter as something very serious, seeing as you're probably not in this professional line of exciting work. You're probably a boring neurosurgeon or a lame computer salesman.
As mundane as this topic can be, I'm taboo about ideas and I hold it something dear and sacred. Now, with my flair for original ideas gone, it feels as if someone's pissed on my gravestone, if not shat on it.

Is this really necessarily true? But then, what can i do about it? Does it merely mean a rift between crowning moments? Or does this mean I have declined?
Is it just a technicality or is it some permanent ailment in my creative career? What have I done to observe all this? What have I not done to keep myself at peak-performance? What happened to the oath i have taken during my more ambitious days when i joined the creative order of professional artists? The oath similar to the Hippocratic Oath taken by physicians to observe medical ethics?

Then, as I lay there bruised and bleeding after asking myself all these, a voice - could be my own - telling me that I suffer from several things. What, I (my conscious self) asked? The horrible truth was, that two of my greatest sins are SLOTH and PRIDE.
10 minutes of defeaning silence later, I decided that I also suffer from an appalling lack of motivation.
Talk about insult to injury.

Funny thing is, I'm not deeply depressed or anything lately, as is mostly the case with some creative people i know.

To conclude, I often keep telling myself that time will heal, and that we are what we make of ourselves, but i realise that's a load of bulls' shit (coining the term 'bulls' shit' and not 'bullshit', so as not to be so offensive) and bollocks. Anyway, this is thekind of stuff you get from watching Disney cartoons.

Anyway, first plan is to de-stress by taking a hike, go jogging, run down some snatch thieves on their motorbikes (i really don't mind doing that) or beat the shit out of someone at 2am with my samurai sword. Pray this works.

Julius, signin out

KL drivers

2005-07-10T03:43:00.000+08:00

Now at some mornings i get real pissed off and end up a sour lemon in office. The reason? It's just that most Malaysian drivers, particularly KL drivers, are rotten, obnoxious and - pardon the expression - totally FUCKTUP. Technically I'm a Malaysian road user myself but I know I'm a careful driver and I feel I'm justified enough for the following comments I'm about to make. I've driven enough until now to recognize and classify several types of road users which I think are the worst:

1) BLINKER HATERS. This extremely hateful disorder is commonplace especially, I repeat: ESPECIALLY among drivers of expensive sedans and SUVS, who actually are able to forget that their vehicles HAVE signal lights among the other redundant features in their machines that they've paid a hefty price for. They conveniently ignore the critical usage of their vehicle's signal lights, make a sudden turn into your face, and in no time at all, earn themselves a vehement cursing. They expect you to know what's their every move on the road and what's worse, after the entire caper and almost hitting you, the person stares at you like it was you who are the dangerous one. I mean, what the fuck...come on, blinker haters. If you drive a so-called *better* vehicle than i do doesn't mean I have to respect your sorry ass.

2) KIASU/AFRAID-TO-LOSE. 'Kiasu' - that's a word, or rather, a phrase in the hokkien dialect meaning 'afraid to lose', often used as a noun. Now one should be most careful of this particular class of pitiful subhuman road users because they are as inconsiderate as they are stupid. These people will NOT - repeat - NOT acknowledge nor respect your wish to switch lanes or make a turn, even if you are using one of the only means of communication on the road to tell them so: your signal lights. There was this occasion which happened to me weeks ago, when I was driving along the highway and wished to take a left at a fork. It was quite congested so I ended up having my blinkers switched on for almost 4 minutes, moving very slowly. At the end I gave up and switched it off, but then there was a break in the traffic with a slow-moving Proton Waja about 100-150 meters behind me. I switched on my signal, waited a few seconds to communicate my intentions to the Waja driver and took the turn. However, something happened to that Waja in my rear-view mirror. Being a KIASU, the driver of that Waja abruptly and deliberately sped up right after he saw me trying to change lane. I can se he wasn't going to let me change lanes, like he can do anything at that distance. Motherfucker came right at my tail, tail-gating me and blasted his horn. Right there and then I gave him what he and every single kiasu fucker on the road deserved: a long, sweet, juicy fuckfinger right out my window. The Waja driver, a malay bastard with a bitch in tudung at his side lost face for awhile, but later tried to earn it back by speeding up to my side and return me another fuckfinger, which was as futile as the slut at his side was impotent. She was wearing this expression of hatred so intense and ugly that it rivaled even the ugliest elephant assholes. He was wearing a baseball cap and some sort of hip-hop shirt with sunglasses pushed back up his forehead, like some american badass (sheesh...stereotype). The couple looked mad and they stared at me. I just smiled, shook my head and wiggled my index finger to them. Here's to you, fuckers: don't be heroes if you can't. Well now, just goes to show how inconsiderate some road-users are. Not that I have anything against malays or I'm rascist or anything like that, but just a note through experience - most kiasu drivers on the road that I've encountered are malays. They give you dirty looks, including the women. Heck, ESPECIALLY the women! Their attitudes totally change when they're in the shell of their automobiles. They simply CANNOT lose on the road. I wished that Waja did hit me in the backside, so's i can get that aerokit for my car at his expense after I sue his ass.

3) HESITANT CRABS. Though not directly causing danger on the road, this particular species of road-users can really make an accident happen. Of course, it is always understood to not do anything rash on the road, and to take things easy, and I would also understand one's predicament if he or she is still new on the road, but this is not the case. Some people, though I don't know why, just LOVE to hesitate so much, even though enough space and opportunity has been given to them to make their move, be it to make a turn or to switch lanes. They do it very slowly, almost like they're not doing anything at all, all the time floating in between lanes, disrupting traffic. And when you think they're not gonna make a move after all and you try to overtake them, they make a sudden move, and hesitate halfway again, leaving you braking like hell. When someone hesitates, you hesitate as well, and everyone hesitates, and everyone doesn't know what the fuck's going on, and everything becomes unpredictable. It's all so inconsiderate. Confronting a hesitating driver on the road always tend to make me hesitate as well. I mean, come on...be considerate, learn to read the other drivers and be sure, be CONFIDENT when to make your move. Don't hesitate and fuck everything up.

I guess that's it about KL drivers from me. They are lots more species of shitty KL drivers, but to be fair that's all I can think of right now that REALLY pisses me off. If you find that you classify as any one of the classes above and do the shit they do, it's time to rework your driving mentality, don't you think. =)

WTF...

2005-07-07T13:39:00.000+08:00

I am writing this from my company's only PC with internet connection.

Nothing urgent, just enjoying the cheap thrills of doing shit in my office while my boss' not around.

Oo-rah.

Not orgasmic great, but just great!

2005-07-07T01:09:00.000+08:00

And here yet is another entry in this shitty blog of mine. Been having some pretty insignificant but interesting thoughts lately, and I've been wanting to update this blog with it for some time now, just never got round to it.

First on the menu - it's been one month since i started my job in Inspidea. Time for a progress report. (The past few entries are also about my job in Inspidea. *Phew*, how shitty.)

Well, as mentioned, it's been a month, and its all been great. Not orgasmic great, but just great! I've become chummier to the people there (at last). I'm very much inpressed with Raymond the Macross-head, who can paint and illustrate damn well. This guy's got a thing for robots and mechas and was born with a silver paintbrush in his mouth. And when i say he can paint and illustrate damn well, I mean he can paint and illustrate damn FUCKING GOOD, man! And he's a furry too, like I am (dont worry if you don't know what's a 'furry'. It means you aren't one and it ain't something bad). Every single one of the guys there in my office are damn talented in their own ways, not only Raymond, and we all sort of make up a complete party. They sorta made me in charge of 3D (thanks alot, MMU), and they seem to be having this thing for 3D and Maya. Too much 2D and Toon Boom in their systems I think.

Damn...and just when I'm starting to get to know them better, Edward and Auday's going away. Auday, or Oday in my previous entry, has already gone last week friday. His internship's over, and it's back to uni for him. I'm gonna miss that guy.

Oh well, as of yesterday monday we picked up two new shipmates, Julian from The One Academy (Wooooooo!) who knows Maya as well, and intern Nora, and she's a girl! The guys were all totally hormones since she came in. Those two seem okay, and anyways, hope to become best of friends with them. If you're reading this, welcome aboard, mates.

As for the outdoors part, I'm beginning to get used to the idea of driving to and fro every morning to work. Paying the toll and parking fees is beginning to get easier on me - no more (petty?) calculations as to how much it will amount to every month! Just me and my lovely grey Ozy every morning along the highway, just us two. Ozy's my best friend my car. I talk to 'im every day about my problems and ideas, and he listens and responds. Not like some damn fool humans.

Alright, you've probably had enough of Inspidea already. My next entry'll be different, unless there was something REALLY interesting in office to write about. Like a sex fest.

Damn fool humans.

My bones are fucking killing me

2005-06-10T01:38:00.000+08:00

Oooooooooo Lorena Mckennitt...Wiccan Dance...Ooooo shiok. Aaahhh, oohhh. Really takes the sting out of those asid laktik in my ol' muscles after a busy day at work.

Of course, I'm talking about the artist of the music that I am currently listening to. I don't have a woman by the name of Lorena etc, etc. Go download some of these fine songs if you're curious, it's L-O-R-E-N-A M-C-K-E-N-N-I-T-T. She's of the Celtic/Old English-cum-slow rock style, and she rocks.

Right, nothing very urgent really, I just feel that it's high time I updated this blog o' mine. Lots have been happening lately and I'll be really missing out on much if I don't start jotting down stuff now and then.

It's 1:48 a.m. , tomorrow's another working day, and I'm up finishing the last of my freelance work for Dicky Choo (the bozo what hired me, kes and el) despite a grueling day at the office, obstructing my wish to go to sleep. My bones are fucking killing me, my muscles feel as though they were all being gnawed at the same instant by infant twins of mighty Joe Young, and my head feels as though I had a tumor the size of a lemon in it. I'm writing this as it is, I kid you not and exaggeration is out of the question here.

How really nice it is to have some bint to go home to everyday after work to fuck. Sigh.

...okay that was a joke. Lose the seriousness.

Hmmm...how am I taking my job now that I've passed the first week of office work? I'd say, GREAT! Despite the fatigue and the exhaustion, I'm actually lovin it. I'm telling as it is, I kid you not. I never knew working life was quite an okay thing, and what a decent start to my career, I must say. Though as a production designer, I'm not quite doing conceptual designs yet in office, but instead I got assigned to other tasks like colouring and composing an animated series called 'Mose Humphrey'. Well, that's only one of my tasks for the week actually. I get to work with another of my colleague, Edward doing the same stuff as me. Edward's pretty cool, quiet and composed - sorta like Woon Loong. Except that Woon Loong's crazier and a bigger psychopath than Edward.
As for colouring and composing, my partner on that job's Oday. He's an Iranian fellow, quite skilled at what he does, and an IT expert, i must say. We all call him the terrorist, and all sorts of other things, but he's good sport and tells me lots of stories...including one when he was in MMU. He tells me all his lecturers in MMU are racist and bloody biased motherfuckers, and they don't hide their hatred toward foreigners like Oday himself. Darn...I like chatting with him, when we chat we're so cordial with each other. Kinda loosen me up abit. I must admit, though things are as okay now, I didn't quite start my job there very smoothly. Not that the guys there were mean to me on the first week, nope...it's just my usual self: the usual anti-social fuckup. Even Edward told me yesterday, "Don't be too rajin, when the boss comes back next week you're gonna get all that's coming to you man,". Andrew, my boss, is gone for the enitre week, you see.

Sigh. I certainly do hope things stay good as it is and get better as the weeks roll by. I don't really joke and fool around with my colleagues yet, but I'm trying hard as ever everyday to break the ice between us. These guys are as crazy as Jamal, Farid, Ridzuan and Firdaus during sekolah menengah! I can imagine the shits we'll be churning out of our traps when we DO eventually get around and start to loyar buruk!

I never mentioned the real extent of my gratitude or how hard I've asked for help from our Lord in any of my entry for everything that has happened to me, but in my heart I've always prayed and thought of Him.

A Rainbow In My Heart

2005-05-30T23:33:00.000+08:00

Well well well.

What a tiring and fantastic day in the merry merry month of may, I must say.

Wow, how it all rhymes.

Yup, tomorrow's the last day with Bjorn and Desjunior with painting house...well, my last day. New job as production designer in Inspidea's starting come this Wednesday, and leave the house-painting crew I must. Truthfully I'm real sad to leave this job. We actually have another week to go to finish the rest of the house. We sure had alotta fun painting that damn 3-storey monster. The entire past week being together with these two crazy sekolah rendah childhood friends of mine is really a massive bull session while working; catching up with each others lives and trash-talking each other silly and swapping dirty stories and out-do each other in telling jokes and discussing the latest trend in custom automobile mods and engines and...PHEW. The list goes on. I'm gonna miss that morning chee-cheong fahn and the nescafe ice. =( Oh, and the Maxilite too. (Love the smell. It's like glue. Ooooo gluuue) These two guys I can really work with.

I really don't know what to think about it; I'm gonna be starting my first job soon. What a prospect. I'm real thankful I got it at all. It's a gift from God the mighty Father even though it's only a 6-month contract. But then...argh what can I say? It's a great big fucking rainbow. On the one hand I'm happy that I'm gonna be earning my first paycheck. I'm happy I'm finally a working man, able to fulfill my parents' wish that I'm finally starting to take care of the family's finances. I'm happy I'm be taking over the ship's helm and become responsible for all its needs. And if all goes well, I'm happy I'm finally on my way to getting that new automobile I've always dreamt of, and to get that Satria I've been driving around for the past 4 years done up into my very own Custom Satria LUAV, or the Light Urban Attack Vehicle with the de-commissioned army .30-30 M-60 machine gun atop the bubble canopy roof (approved by the Malaysian government, of course). This is the beginning of the career I've always dreamed of.
But on the other hand I've gotta get through that FIRST ONE MONTH before I do earn my first paycheck. I've gotta begin all over again, in many aspects such as making new friends, securing contacts, gain trust, and to keep cool. I've gotta make a big change, as I'm not the dependent little child anymore. I've gotta learn to be less of a hypocrite. I've gotta learn to be more positive. I've gotta learn from all the people in my life to be more positive. This is all going to be so tough on me, I'm not sure I can keep up.

It feels as though I'm leaving my old, friendly, comfortable and familiar world just to step into a new, cold, fearful and predatory one just to make a much-needed living. It feels as though I'm leaving all my friends and the people I know. Damn, it feels so damn new.

Generally I'm happy. Heck man, I should be very happy. So what's the problem? What's all this uneasiness about in my heart? Like I said, it's a great big goddam rainbow (forgive me Father, for I have uttered profanity in Your name). I rejoice because it's a new phase in my life and something exciting to venture into, and yet I cry because right now I'm terribly uncertain of myself. Uncertain of what? Tha fuck am I uncertain of?! Gee, I really don't know. Months or years from now I know I'll surely laugh myself silly reading this crap 'cos by then I'll probably realise that all of it seems like a piece of cake, and all of this jabbering is nothing but overreacted talk and bullshit. But Julius of the future, don't you fucking forget that in account of the hardships that the NOW Julius have to endure, you've finally own that Satria LUAV. Don't you forget that, my friend.

Dammit. I'm gonna miss that early morning chee-cheong fahn like crazy. Sigh.

Hello, Mr. Julius II - Nervous As Heck

2005-05-23T23:46:00.000+08:00

Sigh...here I am writing another blog entry when I should be doing my FYP right now. Dammit...seems that this blog always interferes with my other more important work. Stupid blog, I shouldn't've started it. Oooouuuggh...must...write...blog entry...oooaaagh...must...ignore other...relevant...m-matters. Bleah.

Not that I've had any inpiration to write anything right now, mind you. I just that I feel I should be catching up on the months' events seeing as something quite big came up recently, and I haven't been dilligently updating myself now that I have a blog!

Well, it's a real hot night right now (get that out of your mind - I meant the TEMPERATURE 'hot' not SEXY 'hot'), and I shouldn't be complaining because I didn't want to switch on the air-conditioning in the hall as it's gonna be bedtime soon( I sleep in the hall in my own parent's apartment, right in front of my workspace. Cool, huh). Oh well, I guess I'm going to be switching it on a whole damn lot later on when I've got this place really set up for a 2D animation studio space. (I've just bought my full-sized lite-box and peg bar, and am going to be getting my drawing table very soon! Har har har!) I guess I'm gonna be venturing into traditional animation fo' real from this time on!

Then again, I don't even know if I'll be spending much time in my newly set-up studio in this house, seeing as I got this job from Inspidea.

Ooooohh yeah! That's right - Inspidea, the company what I went for an interview about 2 weeks ago. They called me up 3 days ago and told me I was hired as a production designer!

You probably think I'm the happiest person alive right now, but hell no, not really. In truth I'm nervous as heck. The only people who are happier than happy about all this are my parents, whom I, for my part, am happy that they are glad at last. They're so excited for me to start working on this coming 1st of June 2005. Oh well, I guess I owe it all partly to them and to many of my friends as well, in their own little ways. And especially to senorita Estella, a.k.a Su chee(for it was she who first alerted me of Inspidea's ad in the MMU Bulletin Boards and who forwards shiploads of company contacts in her Yahoo lists).

Only God knows how my first day'll turn out, and I'm going to pray hard to Him for more guidance along the way as I go on.

I can never thank God enough...(a tribute to my MMU buddies)

2005-05-17T22:12:00.000+08:00

As we all know, friends are important in life. Without friends, our lives'll be just as empty as the inside of a famished cow on the brink of death or just be as dry and meaningless as daging salai. Lo and behold, I've just given you a kindergarten lesson.

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From the placid but barmy Ng Su Chee to the eccentric and happy-go-lucky Alan, and the zany duo Anas and Stephanie to the seemingly repressed 'Chicken'Lau, they are a bunch of wackiest, craziest, greatest, 'slap-me-quick-I'm-drunk-est' and most damnable people in the world! I've always considered myself real lucky to have known this group of people (Darry, Woonloong, Kester, Matthias, Christine, Melissa Tjen, Evan and Alan) during hostel days. From there our friendship just took off to a roaring start, and we literally went through everything together up until now. It was also an incredible stroke of luck that some of us could get an apartment in Cyberia together later on.

And we did some real crazy things in that apartment, I must say!

Then comes Delta Trimester 1, the era of our internship. For a whole trimester we were out of Cyberia for the moment, or rather, I was. Here was a time I got to know some other friends better. Friends whom I just took for granted to be just mere acquaintances, friends who proved to be very valuable allies and well, great friends after all.

Thanks for a very enjoyable internship, Kicit, Sim Yee, Amnah and Darrel!

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And lo, our great reign in Cyberjaya came to an end with a great trip to Genting.

One thing I must say about these bunch of people that I've known, is that I've really learned many lessons from them. Getting together with them, be it to watch a movie, to have dinner, or even for a bull session really makes me feel one with them. Never have anyone accepted me as I was, never have anyone made an impact in my life such as them. I can never thank God enough for the group of friends He has given me.

Thanks you guys for making my university life a breeze. I apologize if I ever did or say anything to hurt you. I can never forget this particular phase in my life for as long as I live.

Hello, Mr. Julius.

2005-05-11T05:56:00.000+08:00

It's now exactly 5:58 a.m, 11th of May 2005 Malaysian time. I'm takin' a break from working on my freelance assignment. It's no use...I can't work on it no further. The more I try to butter it up, the shittier it looks. I hate it. Why bother when all I can do now is make it look worse. Fuck it. I'm gonna go do cooler things, like writing this blog entry and when I'm done, draw ass-kickin comics! Yeeaaah! Ain't I just a stinker.

ANYway, o joy, o happy day... I got a call yesterday from Inspidea Animation Studios for a job interview on Saturday, May 14!

I still remembered, it was this funny number I saw when my phone rang. I was rudely awoken from my beauty slumber on the still early morning of 12:20 in the afternoon (I sleep daytime now, boys n girls). Like a polar bear out of hibernation, I gathered enough intelligence in my bonce to realise that I've come back to the real world, and slightly more intelligence yet to expect this call to be important. So I made doubly sure not to screw up (like the last time in Cyber, when this silly bleeder called me for an interview when I was sleeping at 9 a.m, and was kinda pissed cos i was pretty blurred). I forced my poor aching peepers open, cleansed both of them of peeper poo, took several deep breaths, and answered my phone with as sweet a hello as I can, which actually sounded like the frozen engine of a 10-ton Krupp truck with a flat battery and dead spark plug being cranked on a winter solstice.
Then, like a wind-chime from heaven, my cold-started eardrum picked up a signal which my still-frozen brain took 10 seconds to decode as a female voice, saying, "Hello Mr. Julius, I'm calling from Inspidea regarding your job application." I could just imagine her imagine me smiling.

All things aside, our telephone conversation went quite well. She was a charming lady, despite me sounding quite blur still as we chatted on. The company even sent me my interview details as well as some custom-made, bona-fide, built-for-order directions to their company office! Okay, I'm just exaggerating...but it was quite a detailed explanation of how to get there...

After all that, I took a look at their company website. Quite something different, I must say. On the splash page you can see a frail old crone shaking on her walking stick, like she was gonna croak at any moment. Click 'enter' and she'll turn into an ass-kickin, frail old crone without her walking stick, soaring up into the air like uncle Bruce Lee ready to bash your teeth in.

On a personal level: I think I'm gonna like 'em. Heck, I'VE GOTTA LIKE 'EM, even if they turn out to be of the same puffed-up species as those in 3D department in MFX! I'm gonna think positive! Gonna be myself and only myself and not masquerade anymore!

All in all, I hope i get this job as a Productions Designer in Inspidea. Getting this job would pretty much clear up my employment blues with my parents, and might be on my way to earn my first paycheck. I could also finally settle on a balanced schedule between my Final Year Project and work, and see if I got any time left over for my other aspirations. =)

We were like fighter crafts...

2005-05-10T00:21:00.000+08:00

My university life is quite over before I knew it...my pals...my buddies...all gone...sob sob. For now. Quite a sad start for a blog that has a happy heading. Maybe I shouldn't listen to Hennie Bekker so much next time...

I'm not ashamed to admit that I really respect all my FA buddies that made it through the entire thing without a hitch. It really shows the hidden courage and determination in them. During those moments when I was still among them, I would say that those are the moments when we are the most human of humans, with a myriad of emotions I've never seen before.
We were like fighter crafts launched to win a distant battle, struggling hard to evade the ever-present flak and fire along the way. Unavoidably, some will be shot down, and some regretfully even before they reach the final fight.

I'm really glad to see that your works have paid off, my friends. You all have earned it. I mean it.

And I don't want to hear any of those 'But Julius my work is crap' shit. You finished, you finished. You guys deserved the honour of it.

As for me, I haven't really let go of MMU's arse yet, not really, I guess. Most of my friends should know, I have another year to go, or more precisely, another semester. I dropped my major subject you see, to be continued next year in favour of better results and hopefully a more attractive Final Year Project and portfolio. I often wondered at times after that fateful day when I clicked the mouse button to drop Film and Animation if that was a wise decision. Well, wise or not, now's the time to make up for it.

Well, now that I'm at home with a complete design 'studio' comprising of my entire parents' apartment, there's no time to fuck around. There's work to be done, jobs to apply, freelances to hunt for, paycheques to earn, ambitions to pursue. PHEW...it's going to be a very busy 8 months coming. Time to sleep...