‘Every athlete in training submits to strict discipline, in order to be crowned with a wreath that will not last; but we do it for one that will last forever. That is why I run straight for the finish line; that is why I am like a boxer who does not waste his punches.’

1 Corinthians 25

Visually breathtaking that sucks you into the world of Pandora, with outstanding cinematography and the most believable CG characters I had ever seen on screen. Sharing the similar story to Disney’s Alantis,  I felt like I was in the world of Jumanji + King Kong + Jurassic park and a computer game fantasy world. With birds looking like Kelantan waus, Na’vi’s culture and belief taken from indigenous African tribes and their belief in animism, with a touch of Marvel comic personalities in the human characters, and the spirit tree looking like cherry blossom trees of Japan. I love every detail in the very subtle facial expressions and tension made, compliments the heart and soul of the story. The story was predictable, but it was well told.

Excellent to Weta Digital and Industry Light and Magic!

I have to watch this in 3D
The art book – a must buy!
The making – a must see!

Definite the movie of the year!

(Artist : John Paul Thorton)

I was clicking around DA when I came across this amazing impressionist painting. I was gawking at it for a long while but couldn’t tell why I like it so much.

John Paul Thorton is an traditional artist who paints paintings of missing children. In my opinion, his paintings has a sort of surreal feel, as though the souls of the children whom were missing were not really lost, but their souls were captured in painting. It’s like some hazy midst of a dream that you feel you had seen somewhere in your sub-conscious mind. A ghostly feel both haunting and beautiful at the same time.

Awarded Deviousness in the DA community:
`johnpaulthornton is a traditional artist who despite being part of our community for a relatively short period of time, has made a massive impact on people’s lives. His gallery is an emotional journey, filled with portraits of missing children . Many of these hauntingly beautiful paintings have been exhibited across the United States in an effort to raise awareness and hopefully reunite families. You may have read about John Paul’s work in the incredible story of a missing girl who was returned 18 yrs later to her parents which received international media attention. `johnpaulthornton always takes time to participate positively, providing excellent critique and inspirational journals, all of which go hand in hand at securing the Deviousness Award for October 2009. Congratulations John Paul!
-awarded October 2009

His DA account and website link:
DA Account
Official Website

I felt like someone fast forward the timeline. I thought it was just yesterday I was in foundation. within 12 more days it would be my majoring year. Close to graduating, close to a new chapter of life, close to another big decision to decide on the path to take later on. Time really flies.

It’s funny how our mind shifts from our likes an dislikes. Things that we’re once an apple to our eye become something that we’re tired to look at, our taste starts developing into a far more diverse and open into how art is to be. Today, I was a bit fed up of looking at the SAME piece of work done by the SAME you-know-who artist, and has ALWAYS never failed be hung every year, and 80% of his work are always nailed there. Of course in foundation we were in awe staring at all these technical excellence of workmanship, wishing that we could paint or draw like that but later on it becomes such an eye soar to the lack of uniqueness or creativity.

Or is it because I got tired of everyone’s work looking like everybody else.
Or maybe because the past years I’ve never fail to check out the Petronas Gallery everytime i’m in KL.
Or maybe, I started falling in love with contemporary arts and started appreciating and understanding works of the old artist.

Anyways, whatever it is, hopefully I’ll find a flavour and direction that would suit me. I realize just 3 weeks ago that it was really ok being just me. It was ok behaving or thinking far too old for my age. It’s ok feeling that I had skip 2 years of my teenage life. Maybe because after meeting the Sime Darby scholars, many of them, behave far beyond their years, saying that they felt they’d jumped from 13 to 22.

Initially before I step into majoring I was wondering whether would the DG line suit me. I’m not a video game person(still not) and not so crazy about robots and machinery stuff. But somehow I just kinda enjoy most of the stuff learn as each sem passed by. I never said it was easy, but it isn’t that hard either. And to imagine how you were clogged with so many of those rumours of how no life DG is, a lot of times it’s actually a lie. But I hope whatever i do in future would have significance in it, not just designing some crazy creature just because it looks cool, or painting something that looks awesome but has not much meaning to it.

I’m still having a hard time deciding on what I want to specialize in, thanks to my secret dreams of becoming a National Geographic photographer or dreams of going to Art Center college of design in Pasedena. And an undecided decision of an animation degree in Savannah College of Art and Design. For my first job I would like to become an animator, then get more into the storytelling direction. But I get a feeling they’ll put me into modelling, which I’m ok with but preferred to do it as a hobby. Many of the things I want to do I want to treat it like a hobby, like little mini projects to tag along the way. Can’t help but feel a sort of constrain, like chains lock unto your feet, if everyone was to think prior to graduating is to get a job and work your way up. How utterly restrictive and sad that is. Please don’t go about telling people not to op for a degree with that ‘all you need is skill’ philosophy. If you’re referring to your technical skills and a bit a art sense toss into it you can only do so much and go to a certain point.

I had always been yapping to my dad that I wanted to do group projects in future to showcase in festivals and needed funding to go on about it. We were discussing equity value in names and right now I’m really having a headbanging session finding royalty and copyrighted free music, asking some of my friends about anyone they know who can compose good music. I think dad knows I have a problem just accepting a job and saying ‘that’s all life is to it’.

But yes, I am tired of hearing all those advice of how people would backstab you in the workforce. All those stories about their bosses and colleagues and competition and problems. It’s like saying that you don’t trust God to plan your future. Didn’t he not state he has great plans for us? I think no matter how we want to go about with our own plans fate would eventually take us to do things that we never imagine we’ll end up doing. The little significance you observe in exchanging private smiles with the creator when you check out his random cloud design embeds us with something that can be felt, but can’t be explain in words.

Some old work done during my 2nd year 2nd Sem.

WATCH YEA?

It ain’t perfect but, I kinda like it not perfect.

Life in God’s Service.

So then, my friends, because of God’s great mercy to us I appeal to you: Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to his service and pleasing to him. This is the true worship that you should offer. Do not conform yourselves to the standards of this world, but let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind. Then you will be able to know the will of God — what is good and pleasing and is perfect.

If someone has done you wrong, do not repay him with a wrong. Try to do what everyone considers to be good. Do everything possible on your part to live in peace with everybody. Never take revenge, my friends, but instead let God’s anger do it. For the scripture says, ” I will take revenge, I will pay back, says the Lord.” Instead, as the scripture says: ” If your enemies are hungry, feed them; If they are thirsty, give them a drink; for by doing this you will make them burn with shame.” Do not let evil defeat you; instead, conquer evil with good.

For the last 3 days, I’ve been suffering from conjunctivitis since after coming back from Genting. It’s a red eye bacterial infection that is highly contagious. I got it from shaking on of guy’s hands there. The disease spread to all 3 of my sisters and my maid. So I have officially turn 3/4 of my family into draculas. Muahahaha…

So how do I look like? Like One of those zombies from left 4 dead.

This isn’t the case where you rub your eyes and your eyes turns red because it’s irritated. It’s a case where our eyes look like someone stick pins into our eyes and got blood oozing out of it. Plus, you wake up at the morning having thick crust on your eyelids and you can’t barely open your eyes. It’s feels itchy, and swollen and heavy.

I guess the worst part is not being able to use the phone, having to wash your towels, bedsheets, keyboards, handphones frequently and not being able to meet up with people.

But I did watch 4 movies yesterday because my eyes got irritated after spending too long modelling.

And I would like to say, there’s so many good shows and lousy one that I had missed this entire year. I gave up fumbling through the DVD rack because there’s nothing good to watch. Hopefully I can clear up the list before the term break ends.

Watch:
1. The Proposal
2. Confessions of a Shopaholic
3. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
4. Wanted (Don’t Watch)
5. Pixar’s Up – a really charming story being told
6. Forgetting Sarah Marshall (lagi Don’t watch)
7. Eagle Eye
8. Valkyrie
9. Star Trek
10. His just not into you (Don’t watch)
11. GI Joe
12. So you think you can dance Season 6
13, Desperate housewives season 6

Uncleared list(how sad case am I?):
1. 2012
2. The Princess and the Frog
3. Avatar
3. New Moon
4. Cloudy with a chance of Meatballs
5. Ice Age 3
6. Storm Warriors
7. Forest Gump
8. A Christmas Carol
9. Sherlock Homes

weeee….

Phew! I’m exhausted after going through 4 full day programs organized by Sime Darby. It was held at Genting View Resort, which wasn’t cold at all. It was only upon my arrival that I realized I was attending ‘SIME DARBY BUSINESS SCHOOL TRAINING’ . But was my 4 days, sitting down from 9am to 10pm worth it? It was really alright, to be honest. Even if I had already learn most of the stuff they taught through books or seminars before, I’m still glad that I have met people out of the field of arts, and, an additional 12 add ons to my facebook contacts so I can shove my portfolio in front of these potential millionaires whom are hopefully, willing to invest on me.

But yes, I taught I would be in a situation whereby I’ll be sitting with straight As top scholars smarty pants and I would be the odd one out. But no, many of them have excellent communicative skills and I did enjoy myself there. I didn’t realize that scholars need to fight their way through various rounds resisting elimination just to make sure Sime Darby would give them funding, even if it involves bondage for 5-7 years.

But in this current economy situation, who would not want their futures secured with a job even if the bondage price to pay is long term?

Imagine me, a bursary holder that need not go through these interviews. Lucky or what?

The last 4 days was nothing but mind mapping, creative thinking and presentation skills. Yes, I did went through this before. In some cases, more in depth. To my surprise I was actually enjoying presentation time. Both individual and group. It’s nice for once to be in a group of scholars whom are studying business, accounting, finance, engineering and can deliver strong presentations without much help. Not much difficultly acting, for sure. And it is nice to know that many has not much of a problem leading a group. Imagine how happy I am to not take charge of a group. muahaha. XD.

So maybe studying hard for SPM was worth it. Although it’s still pretty useless in my field. There’s 3 more weeks left. And I’m still running to meet ends meet. Wonder whether I would truly have much time to have fun this holiday.

Finally, you slowpoke!
Guess I’m the last one to air my demoreel.
what has youtube done to the colours!!

…………………………………………………….
The internet is so slow these few days and my com is now officially lagging. I resorted into spending most of my nights reading. How sad.

This week turns out to be quite an interesting week for me. I realize within a week I had strike up conversations with more or less 20 people on a variety of topics.

But what was the most absurd thing that happened to me today is that I played waitress. Like er-yea – I never took a job as a waitress before, neither have I took a job anywhere else other than being a chiropractic assistant/administrator. Blame it on my laziness or lack of greed to earn some decent pocket money, but I much rather stay home and find something to read or learn. Besides, I hate jobs that doesn’t require so much of brain work.

Anyways, my uncle had invested to some Italian restaurant and he was in a desperado to find staff to fill in. So he gave me a call to give a hand. I didn’t know the menu at all, neither did I know the place. Just go there and break a leg.

He wasn’t my favourite uncle, nor was he close to me in anyway. Undoubtedly, I was still pissed at him for not taking responsibility over his dog. His dog died due to a tick infection. Every Sunday after church, Adeline and I would have to pull out 100 fat ticks for it’s body and give him a bath. He bought the dog impulsively and had not take much responsibility or care for it.(long story)

I let him do most of the yapping in the car. Hiding much of my emotions was just the case of looking out the window and go ‘ uh-huh’.

The conversation:
Uncle: So you’re form 5 already?
Rachel: I’m already in college.
Uncle : I see, U know, starting a business ain’t that easy. You need to get business partners and investments and have to deal with taxes….yadayadayada….not that you’ll understand or need to know.
Rachel : I already know.
Uncle : Don’t worry la, your job very easy to do. You look so scared.
Rachel : I’m not scared.

I wouldn’t say I was fair to give him a perception of the way he is. But it has been a long time that I had never thought he acted as a role model to me. In that case, he treated me like a kid, which is quite a large difference in comparison to my father, who treated me like a mature adult, most of the time.

But playing waitress was all pretty easy-peasy. There were hardly any customers, for they say because they are targeting more to the European crowd (Or maybe the food just taste bad). I spend more time washing dishes, cleaning up tables, organizing the manager’s messy table, asking dozens of question like where so you keep your plates, where’s this where’s that and serving drinks. The manager, Sherley is a pretty nice lady, but i could never guess what’s so great about the food they serve. Roasted and grilled pork taste like pork to me. Spagetti cabonara tasted like salty cabonara, dessert tasted like terlalu rich cheese + strawberries. And yet my uncle was crapping to me all the way in the car about the food tasting like things you had never tasted before.

But I like though was a cross culture and different languages that I’ve heard to day. Sherley spoke to me in broken English + Chinese. I talked to the Indian Staff in Malay. Sherley yapped and argued with her husband in Italian. She is Chinese and she can pretty much speak Mandarin, Cantonese, Hokkien, Malay, English, Italian, and Spanish. But half broken. Italian was her best.

I found my own fun striking up conversations with 2 ah moh kids – robbie and lucas.

Rachel: So your name is Lucas? Not the George Lucas?
Lucas : No, but I know him. His the guy who did Star Wars. Star Wars is one of my favourite movies!
Rachel : No way! I like em too. I got all the DVDs – 1-6.
Lucas: Yea, I watch em too. I watch Clones Wars too!
Rachel: wow! have you watch all of Season 1 and Season 2?
Lucas : Yea, I watch all of them.
Rachel : You know, 2 years from now, I might be in Singapore working on the clone wars series.
Lucas : Really?
The 2 kids were pretty adorable.

Sherley’s husband, the chef would not even give a decent smile. I thought it was because he hardly spoke English (or maybe he just hates me). But Sherley said he was just shy around women, just like the Indian dude. I understand the Indian dude cause he probably came from a background where they hardly interaction with women weren’t a norm, and arranged marriages is still an ‘in’ thing. But oddly Italian, it’s weird.

My uncle cheated me. He said he’ll pay 50 bucks for my help tonight and he only payed 40. I’ll make sure people sign contracts next time!

Enough yapping.
I don’t wanna become a waitress. I wanna become an animator.