Random Solitary 'Tulans'(frustrations)...

Somebody kindly left a used tissue paper in one of the pockets of one of the pants which went into the washing machine this morning. The whole load was covered in fragments of chewed-up tissue paper. I spent a considerable amount of time shaking them loose from the clothes.

I only hope the culprit was me, and no one else. If not, someone will be scapegoated...

Do not bite the hand that feeds you

The above saying has probably been used more often than not. Especially to those freshies who are entering the work-force. It can however backfire. Confused? Allow me to illustrate...

There was once this company. Who hired plenty of talented young fresh individuals who would work for next to nuts. Sometimes for no nuts. The company of course like any other respectable company would exploit the freshies and take advantage of them. Eventually the freshies got tired and voiced out their opinion. Big mistake.

They had broken the traditional rule of biting the hand that feeds them. So they paid by being laid off.

So the company hired new peeps. And things worked out. They continued their shameless exploiting and the new peeps never complained for they were smarter (or maybe just less rebelious). Then one day they snapped. At the same time.

But now, the company was in need of people to do the dirty work for them, for it was the dirty work that actually made the money to keep the company alive. And this bunch of exploited peeps were doing a good job. And somehow now, the company is relying on the exploited peeps because they're good and the company can't find any other peeps to exploit.

So the exploited peeps left. And the company was in jeopardy (not the gameshow). And this example illustrates why sometimes, the hand that feeds could be the one you are biting unknowingly.

Disclaimer: This story was fictionally created in the satirical cynical and sometimes sadistic mind of someone who pretty much thinks like that all the time. Any close references that may resemble ANY such company are purely coincidental and you will suffer seven years of bad nose hair days if you even THINK that I'm writing about YOUR company. And this is NOT a spam chain e-mail so don't spread this around. Not too much anyways...

What if...

I was just recently brought to the attention that I could have had a heart attack and died from an overdose of coffee. Under certain circumstances, that isn't exactly such a bad idea.

The newspaper headlines would read:

'Young frustrated starving artist drinks himself to death'

Followed by:

'A 25 year old animator overworking at a local art-related company died last night after drinking too much coffee at a local designer coffee shop. Police have ruled out foul play'

It would definitely raise some eyebrows... especially from the WTF department.

Drunk on coffee

I am so drunk with coffee, my hands are shaking and I am actually sleepy. I am also hungry. This was thanks to an over-generous offer of free house-brew coffee at Starbucks.

It all started with a hangout session at Starbucks. Everybody had their coffee and tea, and we're just chilling around, playing some board games, when the nice waitress sauntered over and offered us some free samples of their local house-brew. Being a self-professed coffee addict, I took one. My two friends decided to take one each as well. It's free init?

One sip, and all three of us realised at once that it was a mistake. The brew was very very strong. Coupled with the fact that we already have caffein injected in our veins earlier, this was obviously overkill.

I had no problems downing my sample (being the self-professed coffee addit that I am), but I couldn't bear seeing those two other cups of really nice (but strong) coffee go to waste. So I did what I usually do to leftovers.

I drank all three cups.

I am now so drunk with coffee, my hands are shaking and I am actually sleepy. I think I shall prance all the way to the pantry and grab a midnight snack...

Paintball

Paintball - A game that is played by shooting balls of paint at people you hang out with, (i.e. friends).

Painball - A game where the people you hang out with (i.e. friends) shoot you with balls of paint.

Last Sunday, a bunch of acquaintances and this writer went to a Paintball park somewhere in the vicinity of Sg. Buloh (don't ask me where I don't know and I didn't drive and I can't remember the place coz it's so darn ulu I don't know where we were and it looks like the other side of Penang island where I've been only twice in my life).

We played for about 3 to 4 hours. We played numerous games, including (and mostly) capture the flag, followed by fortress. Fortress was the best, since it required both teams to infiltrate the others' base to capture the flag and bring it back to their own base. This of course required more strategy than the other games, tho there wasn't much on that fateful Sunday.

At the end of the day, a bunch of us, (about 50 of us I think) were tired, insect-bitten, sweaty, muddy, painted, but satisfied knowing that we did what we came here to do. Yes, most of them played Painball.

I played Paintball.

We are Artists...

Went down to Zouk KL last Wednesday to catch American band, We Are Scientists. Actually 'went down' doesn't apply here, since Zouk KL is literally a stone's throw away from my office.

Anyway, me and a bunch of colleagues headed down there after work to catch the band and get drunk (well, some of us anyways, the writer included). The place wasn't exactly jumping when we got there, but that doesn't matter anyway. Got in after the bouncer carded me. As usual. I must think of some way to appear more 'grown-up' without actually growing up.

The Deserters, a local indie band opened for We Are Scientists (which shall henceforth be known as W.A.S. just because I'm tired of typing their full name). The music was good, and if you want to catch some music other than whatever is playing on radio, do check them out whenever they have gigs.

Then W.A.S. came on and the crowd went wild. An hour or so later, they finished without an encore. And everyone went home. Some of us mildly drunk (this writer included). Having friends who don't drink, with extra 'free drink' coupons can sometimes get you in trouble.

The show was good, and I enjoyed the music thoroughly. So much so, I almost wanted to buy a copy of their album, but since it was only 37 mins long, and costs two arms and a leg, I'll settle for a bootleg copy which my friend has somehow conveniently acquired. If you wanna stop piracy, cut the prices of original goods, dammit!

I might settle for a copy of SnowPatrol tho... when it's on discount. And it's not. And it's the Malaysian MEGASALE Carnival. Bunch of bollocks I tell ya.

So then I got back home and took a shower and slept really well, thanks to the copious amount of beer. Because some of us have to work tomorrow (this writer unfortunately included). After all, we are (only) artists.

Drawing on a memory

It's been awhile since I last took out my dusty tablet to doddle something. So early this morning I decided, 'what the heck!' and drew the first thing that came to mind.



I think it's been too long since I've sketched. And no, it's not really based on a memory, just one of the visual idiosyncrasies that float across my mind every now and then.

On being single

In recent weeks, friends have been telling me to get a girlfriend. So this post is a tribute/explaination/reasoning to why I choose to remain in the state I am in. Grammatical errors are intended.

It all started with an unhappy job. Followed by an unhappy environment. Then, an unfulfilling lifestyle. And then, it hit me. My life sucks.

And ironically, I let it happen. For three whole years I let it happen. And one day, I woke up and realised that my life sucked this much, and wondered why, and how it happened, and what I could have done, should have done, to make it better.

And I realised, that I had let it happen because I did not take charge of my life. I chose to go with the flow, like a jellyfish, bobbing up and down in the sea, following the currents, and eventually getting eaten by a wandering turtle or being washed-up on the shore.

So I began to grow my fins, to start swimming in the right direction. More, I shall not elaborate as it will bore you to death reading about how I came to find my direction, tho I can assure you I didn't use a compass. As I swam, I began to see more and more familiar surroundings, places I've been to, things I've seen, experiences which I have forgotten. I began to find myself again.

Now, as I continue my journey, I decided I will not stop till I find what I am looking for. I will not allow for distractions or any sort to tie me down, to slow me down, to detrack me from my purpose, my goals.

And so I keep swimming upstream, and hope one day, when I arrive at my lake, I will find someone there. But for now, I'll just swim with the fishes, and float past the jellyfish, and wink to the turtles, and bask in the sun as I coast along my way past the corals in the deep blue sea.