The Death of the Storyteller

I almost choked on my breakfast when I read the news on Yasmin Ahmad's death in Sunday's newspapers. Everyone thought she would recover from her coma and continue making great, unique Malaysian movies and commercials like she always did.

But that wasn't to be.

I'm not a huge fan of her movies but her Petronas commercials are the best. I always look forward to what's in store for the next advertisement when it comes to Hari Raya, Chinese New Year, Deepavali etc. So far, she's the only Malaysian director who could beautifully capture the essence of Malaysia's multiculturalism and put it into one simple advertisement.

And, for that I truly respect her.

Yasmin, may Allah bless your soul. While, we here continue to enjoy the legacy and art works that you have left behind for us.

Read my mother's little story she had with Yasmin Ahmad here.

Here's one of my favourite Raya commercials made by the woman herself. Petronas advertisements will never be the same without her now.

Looking back 3 years ago

I have a stalker. It's Syamir! Well, he doesn't exactly stalk me but he has been reading my blog posts dated 3 years ago and he seems to remember a lot of things about me that I, sometimes have forgotten.

So I took a time out yesterday to read my old posts (from 2006) to remember back the 'old' and the younger me. At times, the memories are so distant that you did not think they ever happened. That's why it's a good thing to keep a blog so 20 years down the road, you can still know what you did on the Saturday of 20th July 2007.

As I compare my latest writings to the writings in 2006, I notice how different they are. I used to talk about anything and everything there were, from the most significant stuffs (like winning competitions) to the little details (like how Chee Fai refused to comment on my blog) and at the end of every post, I would normally insert a 'moral of the story' line: fight against racism, appreciate your friends yadda yadda.

Now, I'm pretty discreet and reserve on the things I write about. I try to be as subtle as possible when talking about others on here as I know how feelings can be hurt easily when you're putting the person in a bad light.

Here are my Top 6 posts written by me when I was 14. Read them if you have the time (click on each title). It's pretty geeky and hilarious. Well, at least to me.

1. Frog Incident
Safwan put a frog in my shoes while I was praying in the surau. A real frog!

2. Awful Art
I was never good in art and this was a proof of my suckiness.

3. Shoelace at the Escalator
My shoelace got stucked at the Atria escalator and 2 guards had to help me pull the thing off in front of a whole lot of DJians who were having lunch at KFC. Heh.

4. Exam Results
I felt so smart looking at my Form 2 results now but they were never good enough for me back then. Kiasu me. Now, I'm more than happy to even get a B for Add Maths.

5. 4Ever and Ever
Back in 2 Belian, Jia Yi and I co-wrote a song (with the lyrics, rhythm and all!). The lyrics couldn't get any cornier than this.

6. English Oral Story
The boys in 2 Belian made a girl cry by saying something pretty 'sexual' and it showed how dirty minded they were even at 14.

Missing things

I'm perplexed. As to how you can lose your things at one time and find them again the next time.

I lost my Physics notebook and frantically searched for it everywhere. I almost lost hope when it appeared again a week later, at a place where I had looked for multiple times.

I couldn't find my thumbdrive which I needed badly to transfer some important files. Searched high and low for it but.....nothing. The next time around, it miraculously appeared on my desk although it wasn't there earlier on.

We all know that niggling feeling of mounted disbelief and rising panic that can swamp us when we've lost things and just can't find them. And we begin to think we have really lost them.

But when you have missing things that keep appearing again afterwards, you'll know that things don't go missing and get lost, they are just misplaced.

Check behind the sofa, sometimes that's where they are.

Me and Michael Jackson on Astro

Something interesting happened today. I was interviewed by Astro Awani for their Gala TV programme at my house. My mum, too.

And guess what was the interview on? Michael Jackson! Mhhm yea. Astro Awani is doing a special coverage on Michael Jackson for the next 2 weeks so we were both interviewed on MJ's influence on the entertainment industry and on us, personally.

Well, I was never a huge fan of Michael Jackson but I've been exposed to his songs since I was 5 years old. I related my kindergarten story to the reporter where we used to sing 'Heal the World' at our annual concert. And how I was constantly mesmerized with his incredible dance moves especially the sensational 'moonwalk'.

And so, when the news of his death came, I was surprised (like most of us were) but I was hoping that his death would be a kind of closure to his turbulent, troubled life.

Let us not remember him as Wacko Jacko, the plastic-surgery maniac but let us remember him as the legendary icon who not only entertained us with his beautiful music but inspired us in so many different ways.

Oh, and don't forget to tune in to Astro Awani (channel 501) this Sunday (or maybe next Sunday) at 6.30 pm for the interview =D

Your words won't hit me like swords anymore

I once dreamed of the day where people's opinions and talks won't matter to me. And I once dreamed of the day where I would stop trying so hard to please and impress other people just so I could prove myself.

I think that day has finally arrived.

A good friend told me what this other friend said about me. It wasn't pleasant and it struck a cord with me at the same time. But I see where he's coming from. For someone who thinks too highly of himself, it is of no surprise that he always see the fault and flaws of others but never his own.

I could have gone mad and ballistic with his unkind comments but I decided it won't be worth it. I'm done trying to please everyone, him included. I've learned that pleasing one person is never enough, you gotta do the same to everyone else.

So say what you want to say but your words will no longer hit me like swords.

Because the day where I turn my back to your ruthless, callous remarks and thoughts is finally here.

Chases

I'm tired of chasing after everything. And I can't help but wonder where is this all leading to?

Look up at the sky. Look at the animated faces on your left and right. Look ahead at the road far away. The answer is still not there, is it?

Because the answer lies in the search of it.

At least that's how I see it.

So I'm striving and struggling, hoping one day I would find the answer to all of my chases.