Ibrahim Hussein 1936-2009

Port Klang / 28 April 2007

Ibrahim Hussein passed away this morning of a heart attack. He was 72.

Reports available here and here. To see his work, do go here.

Walking in heavy boots today.

Listening to: Here Comes The Sun by Nina Simone

Phi Phi Island, Thailand / February 2009

Just almost two weekends ago I was soaking up the sun in Krabi. I still have sand from Railay Beach in my bag. It's been a while since I've been out in the open sea so the short break - in the midst of March deadlines nonetheless - was very good. The photo you see up there isn't edited, btw.

Much to my delight, I found this in our Klassifieds section:



Tush massage. What a classic.

Listening to: -

The Annexe Gallery @ Central Market / December 2008

What happens when a furniture manufacturer ventures on to make shoes? You'd get these:

Kartell makes pretty cool chairs and lamps. It was only a matter of time they put their brains to making shoes. Although the Glue Cinderella line looks like Melissa shoes, they come in more colours and and and and they have this:


The shoes will only be available after it makes the runway somewhere some time this January... at the cost of 90Euros a pair. Heh.

Listening to: Sigur Ros

Waffles / December 2008

This is in response to Sab's list:

Things to do:

1. *Elaine & Philip's Chinese New Year open house - 12PM, 26 Jan
2. Work - from Wednesday to a day after forever
3. Complete articles - til 5 Feb
4. Fool around the office - til 30 Jan
5. Get Fahmi from KL Sentral - 8PM, 30 Jan
6. Barbecue at Fahmi's - 8.30PM, 30 Jan
7. **Big boss' CNY open house - 12.30PM, 31 Jan
8. Fahmi's 28th birthday - 00.00AM, 4 Feb
9. ***Leave for Krabi - 12PM, 6 Feb

My list, as you can see, doesn't match up to her list of wonderful things she's going to do in Sydney over summer break... I thought I'd try anyway. Hehe.

*ang pao available
**ang pao in your dreams
***IF I finish all my work

Listening to: -

Obviously not a polaroid of a pedophile /London / January 2009

Have you seen Hard Candy? Released in 2005, the sleeper hit features Ellen Page (Juno), Patrick Wilson (he plays Night Owl II in Watchmen) and a cameo appearance by Grey Anatomy's snappy, bitchy doc, Sandra Oh. It tells the story of a 32-year old photographer Jeff whom Hayley, a smart and matured 14-year old girl who he met online, suspects to be a pedophile. They meet at a diner and go back to his house. This is where their meeting turns into an unexpected series of events.

I'm not that great at reviewing things but let me say this... that 104 mins of runtime filled with spectacular acting. The two actors, Page and Wilson, were practically the only two people with lines in the movie. I'm not a big fan of psychological drama but the intensity througout the movie kept my mind boggling. It was quite a remarkable movie despite so many disturbing bits (in one particular bit, I believe men will fill it the most HA HA). I also love the camera angles and the choice of strong/subdued colors that were used to intensify emotions. Apart from that, it's the sort of movie that leaves everything at the end open to discussion. Why did Hayley do what she did? What happened to them at the end of the movie? Should I have felt sorry for Jeff?

Go watch and tell me about it.

Happy Chinese New Year, hoy!

Listening to: -

Operasi Oktober / Galeri Petronas / November 2008

Strangely, I've been invited to two baby showers next week and because of that I had to go buy gifts last night. I've never gone baby-present-hunting in my life (with the exception of buying stuff for my nephew and niece) so I was in for quite a 'treat' at these baby stores. Now, if you must know, there are six to seven of these stores at the Curve, ranging from cheapo looking stuff to some expensive fancy shit. Now, if you don't already know, baby infant things can't get anymore plain than the desert: predominantly white things like receiving blanket (I bought some without knowing what it's for), rompers (baby suits), bedding, socks, etc. Of course there are bottles, bath tubs and... I don't know... other baby stuff.

Anyway, being the person who knows nothing about baby showers, gift, pregnancy and all that jazz, I gawked at these things at the shop. Every now and then you could hear, "what? Mahalnya!" from one corner of the shop. To make matters even worse, Nadine finds me in one of the shops and says, "WTF!"

Baby shopping has got to be one of those things they teach you in school. While I don't subscribe to assigning a specific color to a specific gender, we should be taught what to look out for when out buying baby stuff and how to avoid daylight robbery. I can't imagine anything more embarassing than turning up at a baby shower event with breast pads (or breast milk pouches) for the pregnant friend. Or coughing up $ for some plastic tupperware that shouldn't cost more than RM50. Everyone should have this basic knowledge. Seriously.

So when I cut out breast pads, maternity bra and breast pump from my list (some people are not built the same way - what you think is funny can just be offensive to them and I don't want to be in that position at a baby shower filled with happy, shinny wives and moms), I settled for things that are practical: a drying rack for bottles and a set of receiving blankets (aka swadling blankets - what you wrap babies with). For both items, I paid RM130. Sigh.

I'm not sighing at people having babies. I just don't understand why it's expensive.

So please... if you're planning on getting pregnant anytime soon and want me at the baby shower, please let me know in your first trimester so that I can save some $ to buy you that fancy twin electronic breast pump from Mothercare.

Listening to: Maxwell

Musical instrument series / SiCKL / December 2008

You?

What a fucking joke.

Listening to: -