Sonic Vibes - Christmas Eve

I was asked to do DJ Kidd aka HypeEmBeats a favor last night and take pictures for him in BarSonic - Zouk.

So I did, and since I was there with my camera I might as well take pictures of the funky fashionista's that frequent the joint.

Berry Nice

I opened the paper bag and peered in. I saw the box. Not too big. Not too small. Classy, all black, with silver words looking back at me. There the words were.

BlackBerry.

I smiled with satisfaction and carefully pulled the box out. Rubbing my hands together, I opened it and very quickly but gently unloaded all the contents onto my bed. Placing each accessory neatly one after another in an organized row. Now all that stood between me and my upgrade was the egg carton that held it in place. I lifted it off swiftly and there she was. The upgrade I've been anticipating for weeks.

I picked it up with one hand, still holding old faithful in the other. The expression of disappointment fell over my face. Why was it so light? I mimicked a small weighing motion, old faithful in one hand, the upgrade in the other. It felt nothing like a Berry.

Ahhh. Maybe after the battery goes in, it'll feel more real. I hurriedly unwrapped the battery and popped it in. The difference was little if there was any at all.

I put it in to charge and finally after waiting 12 hours, I start fiddling with it.

The whole interface blows my mind. The functions are more or less the same, with the exception of the fact that the track-ball was much more fun compared to the track-pad, and yet there's just something different about this new experience.

I'm sold...

Yes, I know this phone isn't very new, but forgive me. I'm not very up to date when it comes to the latest gadgets and what not. It really is a new experience for me.

5am Monday Morning

and I'm bored out of my mind wishing I could go to sleep.

My sleeping pattern's been put off by an incredible party schedule lately and I think maybe its time to relax and tune down.

November and December have always been the months in which I relax and chill, and also party hard. It has always been this way, cept this year. This year it started off with endless sleepless nights at McDonalds studying for my finals, which I have come out of rather disappointed. It then progressed to a friend getting married, which left me with little, if no time, to recover from the after effects of my exams. Also, because my friend got married, all the guys who now live in Australia made a trip home and that means partying hard Malaysian style.

Tomorrows the start of a new week and I plan to get my body's rhythm back in tune.

I cannot imagine the amount of times I've said this to myself, but once again, I'm off the alcohol. Hopefully this time I'll at least be able to hold on to abstinence until the semester starts. Although, my real goal is to hold off until July. I can already see you there thinking to yourself, "YEAH RIGHT!!!"

haha, I'm trying.

Ran out of books to read too. Anybody know any good ones?

Ford Models: Supermodel of the World Malaysia 2009

So I was invited for an event tonight for the Malaysian Ford Models: Supermodel of the World, that was at Zouk KL.

It was an awesome party with plenty of pretty girls and, uhm, well-to-do men?

If I'm not wrong it was sponsored by Parkson. I'm really not sure but it had the words Parkson everywhere. So i'm assuming it was MAINLY sponsored by Parkson.

I would have pictures. Cept I was there to attend and party. Not to work.

Good food. Free-drinks. I don't what went on besides that. HAHHAHAA

Yes so uhm, good luck to the contestants, and, uhm, CHEERS.

Btw. You guys should watch the mini-sodes HERE.

If not for the beautiful girls, then at least for the comedy.

My favourite's when Amber Chia opens her mouth to speak. It was hilarious.

Name Dropping

No. Not name dropping in the usual sense of dropping the name of a famous person you know just so people think a certain way about you. Name dropping in a way that makes you appear informed about whatever topic it is at that moment.

I was talking to a guy recently, and his wive had just asked me to help them do their annual family portrait. To be fair, I have no idea what this guy does for a living, nor do I know how much he knows about photography. Although, something he said sparked a question, or rather a statement, inside my head that had been ringing for the past week.

He asked me if I knew a certain photographer, a famous international photographer, and if I've seen his work. I bluntly said "Nope, dunno who that is" and he looked at me as if I didn't know how to work a camera.

I have no idea about other industries and who their big wigs are, but I know for sure that one thing about photography (As far as I know, cos I really don't know all that much) is that there are a million photographers out there. Good ones, Average ones, and yes, the occasional Bad ones.

As an aspiring photographer, I have never found it necessary to know who's who in the industry. I have always just happen to chance upon someones work and admired it. That is the extent of my knowledge of people who take pictures for a living.

I mean there are tons of bloody good photographers out there who really know their stuff and produce really inspiring work, but I don't see how having heard of a certain photographer makes you any better a photographer. This is unless of course, you have a certain niche, or style, that appeals to you and you spend your time analyzing work by a certain pro to help with your work.

To help better myself, this is where I go:

FashionPhotographyBlog - by Melissa Rodwell

To admire work, this is where I go:

TheHundreds - by Bobby Kim

TheSartorialist - by Scott Schuman

Douche Bag

I spent the most awkward 15 minutes of my life the other day trying to explain to my mom what a douche bag is. We obviously don't have it here Malaysia then.

I'm not explaining it to you so go look it up on the internet.

The mindless partying has taken a toll on my health. My throat feels like sandpaper. Food taste like cardboard. I get intensive chest pains eating too much after a night of partying.

The worst part? The best cure for it all is as simple as a mug of beer.

So cheers.

Sleep is for the weak

I am tired.

No, correction.

I am exhausted.

I spent Tuesday to Friday of last week finishing up the rest of my Final Exams. Sped off to Bahau on Saturday with my friends for a buddy's wedding. Took pictures of the whole two day ceremony for him. Came home Sunday evening. And have been working on the 900 over pictures I have taken. Still have a slide show to do with my brother who was the videographer. The wedding dinner is this Friday. And I'm working that too.

I want to rest. I need to rest.

I hate weddings.

Come next week, I will party on and party hard. Come next week I will sleep till my hearts content, come next week I'll do whatever I fucking please and nobody can take that away from me!

Homeless in McDonalds

+

So I've now spent a lot of time in McD's SS14. We stayed there like homeless people studying all night, it being 24 hours and all.

Besides us, there are 3 resident hobos in McD's SS14. YES, it doubles as a homeless shelter in the night. Kudos to Maccers for allowing homeless people to live in their restaurant.

The resident of the highest floor is a fat man whom we have dubbed smelly cat due to the fact that he frequently takes of his socks and hangs it on one of the chairs, thus allowing the whole third floor to smell like sour, unclean socks that have not been washed for 6 months. He dons a yellow shirt that says Hou How Fook Restaurant on the back. If you know where this restaurant is please tell me. We believe he's an out-of-towner.

The second floor is occupied by two different homeless people. The loudest and weirdest one being a chubby Indian lady who dresses like she just came back from a jog. She switches table every time someone sits close by and pretends to talk on the phone. She has a real phone. We caught a bit of her conversation that involved calling someone, Vishnu, to come kick us out of her club. We were referred to as the dirty devils that sleep in McDonald's. Yeah. I swear. Then she babbled on and on about something to do with how we needed special passes. Like VIP's i'm assuming. Her name is now Vishnu.

The third guy is just really sad. Unlike the previous two. He I pity every time I see him. Reclusive and quiet, he sits in a corner in the smoking section, at the same table and same chair each night, sleeping with his arms folded and his body hunched over, hanging his head inches away from the table. He has 2 cups of coke or coffee, I couldn't really tell, before he goes to sleep, as he sits in the air-conditioned area before moving out into the smoking area.

Pictures courtesy of the internet :)

Metallica Edition Converse

I am now a proud owner of a pair of Metallica edition Converse shoes.

James Hetfield is definitely the man.

Good Morning Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR, 28/11/09 - 6.30am.

I have just spent 3 quarters of my day watching movies and That 70's Show.

Its so early right now, I don't know if I should go to sleep, or if I should just stay up and ride the day out.

Movies make me happy.

wtf wtf

7.30am

KUALA LUMPUR, 26/11/09 - Its 7.30am right now and I have just spent my last 5 hours watching That 70's Show.

I have just had a huge realization that my brain functions when the sun goes down. No I'm not special.

Because of the fact that I have spent months on end sleeping late and only doing things I need to do in the most ungodly hours of the day, my brain has adapted to a specific timing to fully function. This would also explain why I hate the sound of people talking to me when the sun is up.

I have decided to stay up all night so that hopefully by tmrw my body's clock would be reset.

I really do think I need to lead a healthier life.

Maybe I'll stop drinking and smoking some day.

HAHAHAHHA who am I kidding....

Thinking with 2 Heads

You only need 3 things in life to make a man happy.

This is it...

Journalism 101

KUALA LUMPUR, 24/11/09 - I woke up this morning after 4 hours of sleep ready to face the trials that lay ahead of me. I had spent the night reading disorganized and redundant notes on journalism as a subject.

I arrive in college half an hour before the paper, only to realize how unprepared I was at the sight of all 4 of my fellow classmates studying in the Library.

I sneak out for a smoke and keep telling myself "It's gonna be fine". Journalism is after all a subject about writing capabilities and I don't doubt for a second that I can write properly, if not effectively.

The time had come for me to sit and face the music and I did. I was whizzing through Multiple Choice Questions. Then I hit a brick wall. I had come to the short answer questions and the 2 essay questions that later became my down fall.

I sat and pondered the questions to no avail and decided to hand up an empty sheet of paper. I'm not the kind of person to kid myself and pretend I know shit by sitting there and thinking "If I think harder it will come". Its simple really, if you don't know it, you don't know it.

That decision was not a decision to give up, but a decision to be honest to myself and have the courage to say, I really don't know this crap.

What really happened? I was extremely angry at myself for not having studied hard enough for this paper.

Then it dawned on me. Really, what is Journalism? Is the question "What does DAD stand for and elaborate on it." really what makes a journalist good?

If you've noticed, we now live in a culture of examinations. If you fail a test, you're stupid. If you sit the whole week out at your desk studying and memorizing redundant crap, score an A on your paper, you're supposedly smart. Really? Is this the kind of society you'd want to grow up in. A society whereby you are judged based on paper qualifications.

Higher education has become so important to so many people that everybody seems, now, to be missing the whole point of a higher education.

Education has become a business.

What happened to the days when people learned through doing. Yes, the process maybe more tedious and time consuming, but which is better, the well seasoned blacksmith who has learned all tricks of the trade over 5 years of being a blacksmith, or the blacksmith who spent 5 years of his life in college reading books on being a blacksmith?

Which would you rather be?

Bold as Love

So I'm sitting here contemplating whether or not I should start studying for my Finals, which happens to start tmrw.

I cannot, again, stress how stupid academic examinations are.

But then again I've talked about it way too much.

My back's getting better. Still hurts everyday, but it isn't as bad as it used to be. Guess the physiotherapy is helping. Although I'd love a massage right now.

I'm still looking for people who would model for me for free. Cos I'm like a Jew like that.

Any of you girls interested? Drop me a line...

Anti-Histamine

So yesterday I had a photoshoot. In which I was in the picture.

I had a bit of a sinus problem when I got there so someone decided to give me flu medication which sorta works the same way.

Turns out I had an allergic reaction to the medication. I was starting to choke, and my eyes were getting really swollen so I made my way to the clinic nearby.

This is the first time a doctor has ever told me to pull my pants down.

He gave me a shot on my ass....not cool.

The choking feeling subsided instantly, but my eyes are now still swollen for some reason.

This sucks.

Movies, Assignments, and INK

So to sum up my rather boring week.

I watched a number of movies. Which I do every week.

I finished some assignments and handed em up. I now have ONE very pesky one left.

I hung out with Hajok, like really hang out, for the first time. Met some really cool friends of his, and some really cool friends of his friends. Sarawakian people are really funny man.

Palak Buto!!!

Oh and the highlight of this week.

I got a new tatt. In fact I've made appointments in January to finish up my half-sleeve.

Finally....

A REAL blog post

Its been awhile since I've posted something on my blog that really is somewhat personal and not some rubbish I post just so I don't get people yelling Update!!! at me.

I was just reading Su Ann's blog, and I finally took the time to really read out a whole post (honestly your post damn kau long wei) and it made me realize how I've always thought of blogging about so much shit and yet it always slips my mind when I get on the keyboard.

But today, I shall, for she has reminded me of why I started a blog in the first place.

I believe that I am an asshole. If you don't think so, you really don't know me THAT well.

I believe I was brought up just fine. My parents did right by me and I strive to do right by them.

My brother and I were always given the freedom of choice and the leeway to do as we please in the confines of a certain ethical code of conduct that we were brought up with.

My brother being the older one, with more responsibilities, lives his life pretty much by the book. He went to a private school, then went to college, and then to University, got a degree, came home and got a job. I'd say he's normal.

I was the ever carefree, young rebel without a cause. I went to public school, got beaten, beat people up, skipped classes and hung out in snooker centers and cyber cafes. Stayed out late drinking in the park with friends on school nights. Smoked in the school toilets.

Then one day I realized I was in too much trouble and I couldn't get caught, I didn't want to get caught. So I weighed my options, and made my choice.

I transfered to a home-school center in a church.

I struggled and finally made it out, barely, with average SAT scores and moved on to college.

I'm 21 now, and I'm still failing subjects even after transferring to a different college, with a fresh new program and a fresh new start.

I'm not cut out for this studying bullshit.

You see, the way I see it, life cannot be learnt through books. Books are for entertainment and the dissemination of information. Books are not for learning. Textbooks are a waste of trees.

I have learned everything I know from doing. I have learned everything I know from putting my hands down and trying it until I get the hang of it. I have learned my most important lessons from being beaten up or failing miserably.

I think education is over-rated. I think in Malaysia education is a business.

Take HELP college for example. HELP college is under HELP corporation. The only thing I can think about when I think corporation is business, profits, luxury cars.

Taylors college. They don't care if you fail. In fact, its better for them. That means repeat customers.

Welcome to the world of money. Where no amount of books can ever teach you the fundamentals.

Journalism 101

Assassination of a High School President

I've always seen this movie at the shop but never really had the guts to pick it up. It always looked so much like a flop and I've had way too many movie let downs this week.

Finally after really looking at it, I saw Mischa Barton's name and Bruce Willis' too. So, I thought hey, how bad could it be if Bruce was in it right?

So I finally picked it up and decided I could use a movie that really made me think. Turns out my whole day of work just didn't have enough mental stimulation.

The movie is basically about a sophomore, Bobby Funke, who writes for the school paper. An aspiring journalist, he finally gets his big-break from the editor of the paper when he's assigned to write a story on the school Student Council President.

Mischa Barton happens to be the girl-friend of this President, and unsuspectingly the hottest girl in school.

The whole plot thickens when a whole batch of SAT's are stolen from the principals (Bruce Willis) office and so does Bobby's story. This is really where the story really begins.

An excellent movie about investigative journalism and the typical high school problems.

I really like it because it talks about business and careers from a young start. Which is something a lot of our High School students need.

I remember when I started college. I didn't know what I was doing and I didn't know what I wanted to do. I spent a whole year and a half in college finding out what it was I really wanted to do in life, then flunked out and moved on to another college to pursue it for reals.

Most of our High School students just flow through High School like it was a stream that just had to run. They are never exposed to active use of their minds to think and figure out what it was that made them tick (We all know how we just memorized shit in school). Then we go to college and keep doing the same thing.

We need to be given the training and instructions on how to start using our brains at an early stage. The only instruction manuals that exist out there are our teachers. Who come into class, sat down with their newspapers, and decided we shouldn't make too much noise or we might disrupt their concentration.

It took me a year and a half and thousands of tuition money spent in college to figure out what it was I was cut out for.

How long did it take you?

Ink Inc

So Lam started on his Tattoo the other day. Aint done yet so no finished product to show just yet.

Portfolio On9

I have recently started doing my own on9 portfolio.

Still under construction but awesome free hosting by carbonmade.

Check it out HERE

....and let me know whatcha think!!!

Whenever, Wherever

I've recently started on a project I've been mulling over for a very long time.

This is the first of my project.

Converse. Whenever, Wherever.

Chan Ra Khun

Cody Chin

My beloved nephew.

Just 1 Year

Kidd's photoshoot.

****************************************************

I woke up this morning and realized how fucked up it is to still be in college. Realizing how my cousin, 2 years younger than I am is already close to completing her degree in University.

I swear I shall not cut my hair until I finish my Diploma.

The Traveller

I want to travel again.

I want to move to different country.

I want to move, more specifically, to a different city.

Gotta admit it, I'm a city boy born and bred. I love the city. Especially ones with nice weather, proper planned blocks, easy to navigate, with proper public transportation.

Its so easy to see photo opportunities when you're in a foreign land.

DJ Kidd

DJ Kidd - He couldn't help himself. Fresh out of the gym.

************************************************************

I wish I knew what I was doing with my time these days. Everyday just passes by like a blurred image. I sit and wait and wish sometimes I knew what it was I was waiting for.

Besides occupying most of the time I have with work and the occasional days that I'm well enough to show up for classes, I now attend some very frequent physiotherapy sessions. I have minor scoliosis. My spine is not the way it should be. I get horrible and frequent pangs of pain in my lower back. My nerves are being pinched by the abnormal curvature of my spine. Which sends more bouts of pain through my right leg.

Taking pictures has never been so painful. Sitting through a whole class has never been this hard. Functioning normally has never been so appreciated.

I pray physiotherapy works. Or I'll have to shoot myself.

The Phantom

Even though the sun is shining down on me and I should feel about as happy as can be
I just got here and I already want to leave
It's gonna be a lonely lonely lonely lonely day

Phantom Planet - Lonely Day

XpaX BlackBerry Party

So yea. XBerry Party...I think thats what it was called...

Gold Life

So I was asked to shoot some pictures for DJ GoldFish's boys...

MC Terry T, DJ Classick and DJ MicHoh

Sabrina was a very patient wardrobe artist and art director....

The boys having a few laughs with DJ Kidd in between...

War?!?

It has come to my attention that off late there have been some tensions between Malaysia and Indonesia.

The latest I've heard and read, is that Indonesian vigilantes have declared war on Malaysia. They wage this war based on a few reasons, starting with how Malaysia has claimed and stolen its cultural heritage. They also say something about the Ambalat Waters which I have no idea about. Then there's the issue of Malaysia insulting their national anthem and the most heard of stories of Indonesian immigrant workers being abused.

I have close to no knowledge pertaining to all the other reasons, but I do know one thing, the issue with Indonesian immigrant workers being abused really is quite stupid.

In relation to the abuse of the workers, I personally think its a two way thing between both Malaysians and Indonesians. I'm sure you've heard of many cases where Indonesian maids are abused by employers, and yet you have also heard stories of Indonesian maids performing deviant acts against their employers.

Lets start with the webcam video that was posted up on YOUTUBE (HERE) that showed how an Indonesian maid repeatedly kicked a small child. This was sometime in 2007 (Details in the sidebar of that youtube page).

Then there are the stories you've heard of Indonesian maids boiling soup with their unwashed underwear in em. Not to mention the countless disgusting stories of Indonesian maids and the food they prepare for their employers, with that special ingredient they always have. (This, I presume, has something to do with black magic)

Then there are the Indonesian maids who come here to work, just so they can run off with another immigrant they've met here, and live happily ever after, riding off into the sunset. Or at least they think. And then get abused and blame it on Malaysia.

All that aside, there are the unlucky ones who really do get abused by employers for as small a reason as not properly arranging the cushions on the couch. In fact, I'm sure we've all heard plenty of stories about Indonesian maids being abused. But hey, guess what? We actually have associations in Malaysia that deal with such problems.

The norm for an Indonesian maid is to be female. Heck, you wouldn't want an Indonesian male cleaning your house and cooking your food for you now do you.

There is an association that deals with infringement of womens rights. AWAM. The All Womens Action Society has dealt with countless cases of maids in general being abused. If there are Malaysians working to help better the lives of women in general, including Indonesian Maids, I don't see how it makes abuse a valid supporting reason for a war.

We are at the end of the day individuals trying to survive whether abroad or locally. What happens to people is based on an individual basis. It just so happens that the majority of maids in Malaysia are Indonesian.

Read about the outrageous news HERE.

My mother runs her own business and has 2 Indonesian ladies working for her. They have watched both me and my brother grow-up. They have cared for us like real family. They have been part of this family for as long as I have lived. They celebrate Chinese New year with us, and we celebrate Hari Raya/Eid Mubarak with them.

I refuse to believe that there really exist a problem between the people.

The problem is the individuals, not the people.

Missed out

Found an old picture I forgot to upload in my hard-drive.

Missed the biggest Hennessy part of the year while I was in Thailand. I'm Bangkok was better anyways.

Andy

Cousin Andrew's down for a couple a weeks. Tried some monochrome portraiture with him. Very willing model.

Willing Volunteers

Hey if you guys know anyone who's willing to model for me let me know ok.

I'm doing a small series of very simple black&white portraits, so if any of you guys out there know anyone willing, do let me know.

Or if you yourself are willing, just drop me a line here or email me at

ori3ntal_child@hotmail.com

Cheerz

(Will have a sample up of the kind of shots I'm taking soon)

Langkawi

Captured tons of pictures in Langkawi for Low's pre-wedding slideshow. Still in post-processing now so will not post anything from that up just yet.

But here's a little something I took when I had some free time.

"As the sun sets into the ocean from where I look, so does my heart from where I'm standing"

Sunny + Irene

Recent Pre-wedding shots that we did.