Hehe no lah. Her name is Evon T. And she is amazing.
She should come along with her own theme song and
she smiles... ting! *shiny teeth* AHAHAHA.
Today was my first shoot of 2009
and we revisited the old abandoned apartment
in Cyberjaya.. much has grown there. Not the building, mind you.
Limkokwing should open its facilities until late at night
and make the facilities available even to students on
holiday. Photo Studio is not cheap, man. I mean the equipment.
How the hell are we suppose to practice?
Even if while school's in, we're like rats having to scrape for that precious
time in the studio.
So my first shoot, as Evon likes to repeat,
is actually an adventure. Getting there,
I had to CARRY her across the ravine.
Lol. Talk about being a mule.
Hehe. Kidding only la Evon.
Posting the photos in the next post. Wait and see. :)
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
For the sake of a name
Movie review
Title: The Namesake
Director: Mira Nair
Producer: Mira Nair
Writers: Jhumpa Lahiri
Sooni Taraporevala
Cast: Tabu
Irrfan Khan
Kal Penn
Zuleikha Robinson
Jacinda Barrett
Sahira Nair
Ruma Guha Thakurta
Cinematographer: Frederick Elmes
Title: The Namesake
Director: Mira Nair
Producer: Mira Nair
Writers: Jhumpa Lahiri
Sooni Taraporevala
Cast: Tabu
Irrfan Khan
Kal Penn
Zuleikha Robinson
Jacinda Barrett
Sahira Nair
Ruma Guha Thakurta
Cinematographer: Frederick Elmes
Do you guys remember the indian guy from the movie, Harold & Kumar, Van Wilder or Epic Movie? If you do, then you'd remember Kal Penn as a comedic actor with a cult reputation. His name is synonomous with silly, no brainer comedy movies.
In this movie, prepare to see Kal Penn in another light. In this movie, he takes on the role of Gogol Ganguli. Now, now. I know the name is weird and funny in a sense. Yet that's the whole movie is about. It's about Gogol and the story that revolves around his weird, eccentric name.
Plot
The Namesake is the story of American born Gogol Ganguli, son of first generation immigrants Ashoke and Ashima Ganguli. Kal Penn delves into the role of that said Gogol, who is named as he is because of several misunderstanding of the American system. It is also due to an emotional reason that Ashoke gave the name Gogol to his son.
Although he is Indian by heritage, Gogol is born in America as does his sister, Sonia. The both of them were raised in America and as a result, by their high school graduation, they are used to the free lifestyle of modern America. This education and way of life condradicts their heritage and traditions as Indians. Thus, comes a point in the story where Gogol is torn between choosing his American birthright and Indian heritage. That is the whole point of this story actually. The other parts such as Cultural assimiliation in America, Morale conflict and family bond is an icing to an enormous issue that most of the youth today face.
The plot, the full plot can be read through wikipedia, rotten tomatoes and metacritic. I've tried to write the whole story down but it'd take a few pages. I've not gotten to writing summaries as well as I write aimlessly.
Review
I love Bollywood. I really do. I just wish that they would drop the whole every-movie-must-be-a-musical thing going on over there. It's annoying. At one point the story would be in Goa, India and suddenly there's a song sequence for a few minutes and suddenly the hero/heroine are magically transported to the snowy hills of Switzerland? WTF.
Let's try not to get into another rambling, ranting moment shall we?
The Namesake really delves into the subject of cultural separation in the next generation really well. These days kids are torn between following their cultural heritage and leading a modern, care free and liberal lifestyle.
The problem with this is, especially in an Asian conservative community, The elder expects the new members of society to follow tradition, respecting it and following it strictly while the latter generation, having being exposed to a new, alternative lifestyle, practiced by western countries are tempted by the idea of living a free, uncaring and liberal life not restricted by cultural taboos.
To me, neither choice is right nor wrong. As a human being, you have to use your god given brain to just think about things from every available perspective, then decide for yourselves. Don't decide things just by believing blindly whatever everybody else says. What I mean here is, you can question whatever people are teaching you, be it involving religion or tradition, but question it rationally, just out of curiosity instead of being skeptic about it. Being skeptic means to be bias against an idea.
In the story, it's really interesting to see how when as a small child, Gogol held fast to his name when his parents wanted to change it, loving it simply because it was given his father, although it was out of the blue.
Then, when he grows up and upon graduation from high school, Gogol wishes to change his name, seeing it as uncool and unattractive to the ladies. This contrast can be best blamed on the influence of the environment and culture he has been surrounded with as he was growing up. If he had grown up in India instead of America, maybe he wouldn't have tried so hard to change his name.
With globalization and the advent of information technology, culture is rapidly losing its borders and like it or not, the western (American, English and European) cultures are rapidly being the biggest influence on our generation. There has been numerous benefits coming out of this yet not everything is pleasing to the eyes. Good and Bad, Light and Darkness, Yin and Yang. Without one, there is no other.
This movie isn't meant to be enjoyable, instead its meant to take the audience through the life of a modern young Asian trying to fit in a Western dominated world. What i've discussed here on this review is actually just a discussion of the topics and isues the movie has brought up.
The Namesake is a worthy adaptation of the novel, although I have never read Jhumpa Lahiri's original work. I believe in any adaptations, the original work adapted from will be a much better source.
This is a long post, but I don't really care now. I'll just write what I want to.
In this movie, prepare to see Kal Penn in another light. In this movie, he takes on the role of Gogol Ganguli. Now, now. I know the name is weird and funny in a sense. Yet that's the whole movie is about. It's about Gogol and the story that revolves around his weird, eccentric name.
Plot
The Namesake is the story of American born Gogol Ganguli, son of first generation immigrants Ashoke and Ashima Ganguli. Kal Penn delves into the role of that said Gogol, who is named as he is because of several misunderstanding of the American system. It is also due to an emotional reason that Ashoke gave the name Gogol to his son.
Although he is Indian by heritage, Gogol is born in America as does his sister, Sonia. The both of them were raised in America and as a result, by their high school graduation, they are used to the free lifestyle of modern America. This education and way of life condradicts their heritage and traditions as Indians. Thus, comes a point in the story where Gogol is torn between choosing his American birthright and Indian heritage. That is the whole point of this story actually. The other parts such as Cultural assimiliation in America, Morale conflict and family bond is an icing to an enormous issue that most of the youth today face.
The plot, the full plot can be read through wikipedia, rotten tomatoes and metacritic. I've tried to write the whole story down but it'd take a few pages. I've not gotten to writing summaries as well as I write aimlessly.
Review
I love Bollywood. I really do. I just wish that they would drop the whole every-movie-must-be-a-musical thing going on over there. It's annoying. At one point the story would be in Goa, India and suddenly there's a song sequence for a few minutes and suddenly the hero/heroine are magically transported to the snowy hills of Switzerland? WTF.
Let's try not to get into another rambling, ranting moment shall we?
The Namesake really delves into the subject of cultural separation in the next generation really well. These days kids are torn between following their cultural heritage and leading a modern, care free and liberal lifestyle.
The problem with this is, especially in an Asian conservative community, The elder expects the new members of society to follow tradition, respecting it and following it strictly while the latter generation, having being exposed to a new, alternative lifestyle, practiced by western countries are tempted by the idea of living a free, uncaring and liberal life not restricted by cultural taboos.
To me, neither choice is right nor wrong. As a human being, you have to use your god given brain to just think about things from every available perspective, then decide for yourselves. Don't decide things just by believing blindly whatever everybody else says. What I mean here is, you can question whatever people are teaching you, be it involving religion or tradition, but question it rationally, just out of curiosity instead of being skeptic about it. Being skeptic means to be bias against an idea.
In the story, it's really interesting to see how when as a small child, Gogol held fast to his name when his parents wanted to change it, loving it simply because it was given his father, although it was out of the blue.
Then, when he grows up and upon graduation from high school, Gogol wishes to change his name, seeing it as uncool and unattractive to the ladies. This contrast can be best blamed on the influence of the environment and culture he has been surrounded with as he was growing up. If he had grown up in India instead of America, maybe he wouldn't have tried so hard to change his name.
With globalization and the advent of information technology, culture is rapidly losing its borders and like it or not, the western (American, English and European) cultures are rapidly being the biggest influence on our generation. There has been numerous benefits coming out of this yet not everything is pleasing to the eyes. Good and Bad, Light and Darkness, Yin and Yang. Without one, there is no other.
This movie isn't meant to be enjoyable, instead its meant to take the audience through the life of a modern young Asian trying to fit in a Western dominated world. What i've discussed here on this review is actually just a discussion of the topics and isues the movie has brought up.
The Namesake is a worthy adaptation of the novel, although I have never read Jhumpa Lahiri's original work. I believe in any adaptations, the original work adapted from will be a much better source.
This is a long post, but I don't really care now. I'll just write what I want to.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Discovery, finally.
I finally know the name of the disease that plagues me and my social life. It goes by the name of "Psoriasis". Literally translated; To itchIt is a skin disorder which causes red patches with scaly white skin to appear on inflamed parts of the body skin. It looks like a normal scab that occurs if you happen to get yourself wounded/cut. The only difference is that the scab is dark colored while the other condition, the scaly skin is white.
I can assure you only this. This condition is not because of some fungus or bacteria and it is not infectious. No one knows (even the geniuses in the medical world) for certain what causes Psoriasis. Gene
tic hereditary seems to be the method of passing it around. That means if your family has it, there is a chance that you might get it too. Psoriasis actually doesn't cause your skin to deteriorate or become infected with fungus or bacteria. What it actually does is cause your skin (there's an opinion that its the immune system's fault) to excessively grow and reproduce. A normal person, if the skin is cut, would take approximately 20 days to regrow that patch of skin.
An infected person? 4 days. Plus, even after that skin is regrown, another patch is growing underneath the patched skin, causing inflammation and scaling of the skin. Just imagine a pancake, and someone adding a new layer beneath it over and over again. That should be a simple enough image to imagine.
Psoriasis can affect a wide range of area of the body. Even the scalp. I used to believe that i have severe dandruff. I can thank a lot of people for helping me hold that impression. Nevertheless, after visiting a certain skin specialist today I've discovered that
my scalp, too is infected by psoriasis and it has been unfairly mistaken as dandruff. There is not known cure for this condition but there are treatments to lower the effects. Psychological studies have shown that this condition actually affects the patients' confidence and all. I aspire not to allow that to happen
Visit your nearest dermatologist. Don't let this get you down.
IT IS NOT CONTAGIOUS. DO NOT TREAT ME LIKE I HAVE LEPROSY.
I'm writing this to let people become aware of this condition. Tell me of your experience
more resources; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psoriasis
I'm writing this to let people become aware of this condition. Tell me of your experience
Mama
Maimun bt. Mat Tahar - 15th December 2008
As written a few days after in facebook;
"Bondaku Pn. Maimun bt. Mat Tahar telah pulang ke sisi Allah s.w.t yang Maha Pengampun dan Maha Pengasih pada 15hb. Disember 2008 pada pukul 12.30 pagi di Kuantan, Pahang.
Bondaku itu meninggal disebabkan oleh kesulitan yang dialaminya akibat penyakit Darah Tinggi yang dihidapnya sejak sekian lama.
Alhamdulillah, Bonda tidak banyak terseksa sebelum menghembuskan nafasnya yang terakhir. Dia juga telah diberikan rahmat dan rezeki untuk meraikan Hari Raya Haji dengan kesuluruhan keluarga dan sahabat handai.
Dia telah selamat dikebumikan di kampung halamannya di Kampung Padang Jambu, Dungun, Terengganu pada 15hb. Disember 2008 selepas waktu Asar.
Saya sebagai anaknya memohon kepada rakan taulan dan sesiapa sahaja yang berpeluang mengenalinya supaya mensedekahkan bacaan surah Yassin, Al-Fatihah dan apa sahaja doa kepada Arwah bondaku itu.
Al Fatihah dan terima kasih,
Raja Mokhzairi bin Raja Fauzi dan sekeluarga "
In a blink of an eye, just like that, she's gone. One moment, I was happily cleaning up my kitchen in the middle of midnight (don't ask). The next thing I knew, a part of my heart was ripped out and was torn into my pieces. Allah s.w.t has deemed it was time for my beloved mother to part this world, fortunately in peace.
To those who are curious, my mom had a hypertension and high blood pressure. She probably died because of a sudden stroke attack. I thank god only for the fact that He took her without making her suffer too much. On December 15th, around 12.30 a.m, after fulfilling her Isya' prayers, and while trying to sleep, she suddenly had difficulty to breathe. She coughed blood, became very weak and fell into bed. Within 10 minutes, she was gone.
I will admit at this point I probably had something to do with those two conditions that she had. Now, she was a school teacher, a PK Hem at that and had lots problems with a lot of troublesome students.... but what hurts a mother more than a son who keeps disagreeing with what she says and argues a lot?
I know deep inside she just wants a son who's religious, soleh and listens to her every word. Maybe it's the condition I was raised, the people I mingle with, the times I'm living in. I just can't agree to her ideals. This is what hurts her the most, i think. She was not raised in the luxury that i have now. She barely scraped to get through her life. This I knew from a letter she tried to write after we fought in '05. I had briefly run away from home after the fight and she wrote this letter for me. I didn't get a chance to read it until last 1st of Jan. My father gave it to me.
I understood her intentions and ideals, probably what she stood for because of her life. However, lifestyle in the new millenia is different and this son of hers is on for the ride. That ride is what ran her over. Until this very day, I still can't agree with her even though I regret so much for voicing it out vocally and hurting her..
I'm expected to change after this fateful event. The life of an artist, is contrary to life of a devout Muslim. In fact, to produce an art, a painting or a photograph of a person is contrary to the teachings of conservative Islam. The life that I chose, this I know, crosses the path that she wanted to me.
I'm torn between this, Ma. Tell me what to do. Islam is God's way but what i really want is to explore the world of art, photography and explore life itself. I hate this choice that i have to make. For now, it seems, I'll change in the most fundamental ways. I'll learn to be a decent human being, I'll learn to be more appreciative for what i have, I'll pray 5 times a day and I'll do charity. Yet please understand, Ma, that I want to do this slowly and not all of a sudden. Let me find the sincerity to actually do it fullheartedly.
Mom, wherever you are, I love you the way you are though we find ourselves in conflicting ways. I love you for trying to protect me even if it meant treating me like a kid. I love your misgivings as much as I love your good side. I miss you, ma. I know you're with Him and I'm sure you're within His good graces. I'll try to be the son you always wanted, even though it's too late for you to see it. You know what I'm regretting now? Not coming back as often as I can to see you and Dad. Even now I'm in fear. I'm scared Ayah will leave me next. The other thing I regret is... do you know what I say when people ask me why don't I have a girlfriend? It's actually just a joke but i half expected it to be true... I said "I'll let me Mama pick a bride for me".
See you Mama on the other side. I love you.
Al-Fatihah
"Bondaku Pn. Maimun bt. Mat Tahar telah pulang ke sisi Allah s.w.t yang Maha Pengampun dan Maha Pengasih pada 15hb. Disember 2008 pada pukul 12.30 pagi di Kuantan, Pahang.
Bondaku itu meninggal disebabkan oleh kesulitan yang dialaminya akibat penyakit Darah Tinggi yang dihidapnya sejak sekian lama.
Alhamdulillah, Bonda tidak banyak terseksa sebelum menghembuskan nafasnya yang terakhir. Dia juga telah diberikan rahmat dan rezeki untuk meraikan Hari Raya Haji dengan kesuluruhan keluarga dan sahabat handai.
Dia telah selamat dikebumikan di kampung halamannya di Kampung Padang Jambu, Dungun, Terengganu pada 15hb. Disember 2008 selepas waktu Asar.
Saya sebagai anaknya memohon kepada rakan taulan dan sesiapa sahaja yang berpeluang mengenalinya supaya mensedekahkan bacaan surah Yassin, Al-Fatihah dan apa sahaja doa kepada Arwah bondaku itu.
Al Fatihah dan terima kasih,
Raja Mokhzairi bin Raja Fauzi dan sekeluarga "
In a blink of an eye, just like that, she's gone. One moment, I was happily cleaning up my kitchen in the middle of midnight (don't ask). The next thing I knew, a part of my heart was ripped out and was torn into my pieces. Allah s.w.t has deemed it was time for my beloved mother to part this world, fortunately in peace.
To those who are curious, my mom had a hypertension and high blood pressure. She probably died because of a sudden stroke attack. I thank god only for the fact that He took her without making her suffer too much. On December 15th, around 12.30 a.m, after fulfilling her Isya' prayers, and while trying to sleep, she suddenly had difficulty to breathe. She coughed blood, became very weak and fell into bed. Within 10 minutes, she was gone.
I will admit at this point I probably had something to do with those two conditions that she had. Now, she was a school teacher, a PK Hem at that and had lots problems with a lot of troublesome students.... but what hurts a mother more than a son who keeps disagreeing with what she says and argues a lot?
I know deep inside she just wants a son who's religious, soleh and listens to her every word. Maybe it's the condition I was raised, the people I mingle with, the times I'm living in. I just can't agree to her ideals. This is what hurts her the most, i think. She was not raised in the luxury that i have now. She barely scraped to get through her life. This I knew from a letter she tried to write after we fought in '05. I had briefly run away from home after the fight and she wrote this letter for me. I didn't get a chance to read it until last 1st of Jan. My father gave it to me.
I understood her intentions and ideals, probably what she stood for because of her life. However, lifestyle in the new millenia is different and this son of hers is on for the ride. That ride is what ran her over. Until this very day, I still can't agree with her even though I regret so much for voicing it out vocally and hurting her..
I'm expected to change after this fateful event. The life of an artist, is contrary to life of a devout Muslim. In fact, to produce an art, a painting or a photograph of a person is contrary to the teachings of conservative Islam. The life that I chose, this I know, crosses the path that she wanted to me.
I'm torn between this, Ma. Tell me what to do. Islam is God's way but what i really want is to explore the world of art, photography and explore life itself. I hate this choice that i have to make. For now, it seems, I'll change in the most fundamental ways. I'll learn to be a decent human being, I'll learn to be more appreciative for what i have, I'll pray 5 times a day and I'll do charity. Yet please understand, Ma, that I want to do this slowly and not all of a sudden. Let me find the sincerity to actually do it fullheartedly.
Mom, wherever you are, I love you the way you are though we find ourselves in conflicting ways. I love you for trying to protect me even if it meant treating me like a kid. I love your misgivings as much as I love your good side. I miss you, ma. I know you're with Him and I'm sure you're within His good graces. I'll try to be the son you always wanted, even though it's too late for you to see it. You know what I'm regretting now? Not coming back as often as I can to see you and Dad. Even now I'm in fear. I'm scared Ayah will leave me next. The other thing I regret is... do you know what I say when people ask me why don't I have a girlfriend? It's actually just a joke but i half expected it to be true... I said "I'll let me Mama pick a bride for me".
See you Mama on the other side. I love you.
Al-Fatihah
A chapter is closed. So opens a new one.
"Pejam celik, pejam celik, dah........" -RosWith a blink of an eye, another chapter is closed in our lives. Goodbye 2008. Welcome 2009.
Another year has passed us by. How was 2008? How did we spend yet another 365 days of our lives? We may celebrate the coming of a new year, but do we really fathom the significance of a NEW YEAR?
After stumbling through 12 months of good times and mistakes, be it big or small, we have the chance on a new leaf. A fresh record. By remembering the past, we should look forward on not repeating the mistakes that we did on the previous year and cherishing the good ol' memories that we had. That's what we actually should be celebrating. Memories of 2008.
Now, personally, i've had a pretty more than average year. I've;
- realized my real passion; Photography
- went and met my major class; DDP04 (Udin, Hafiz, Eijat, Paan, Sepol, Ain, Nur, Farah, Fatin, Zaza and Bibo)
- met and mingled with some new interesting people; (T, Raj, Pak Khal, Kak Elyna, En. Azli, Harmini, Stephanie, Diva, Anton, Joshua, Aswyn, Trina, Trudy, Hamzah, Tara, Shikin, Nareez, Nadia, Aoki, Nik, Deanna, Esam, Raessa, Sakinah, Alif and a lot moreeeeeeee people.)
- did my first group art show.
- participated in my first street bazaar (hint; Capszooed)
- did my first commisioned work
- participated in my first professional ad production (Secret Garden)
- more memories than i can ever want..
Yet a tragedy happened on the 15th of December 2008 that will mark 2008 as one of the saddest years of my life................................
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