Sunday, March 30, 2008

Looking >>>> Forward >>

Equation of a Great Record
There are just so many things that I'm desperately waiting or hoping to happen over the course of a month. At the top of my list of course is none other than the release of Mariah Carey's E=MC2. It will be out on April 15, and boy I'm totally hyped out about it! Just reading the exclusive reviews gets me even more excited:

"Overall, it’s an accomplished effort and we reckon it will follow in the footsteps of her last album by becoming a massive worldwide hit,"
-- E=MC2 Review |
Mariah Buzz

"Though E=MC2 feels extremely safe, there’s enough variation to signify some artistic growth... It’s only now that Mariah has worked up the courage to really spread her wings,"
-- Exclusive! Mariah Carey E=MC2 Preview |
VH1.com

Bangkok: Here I am, Once again
I'm going to Bangkok again. That's second on my list. If you think I'll be getting wet and ugly, partying with water there, you're absolutely wrong. I'm going to give Songkran a miss for the time being. Had it twice, and I feel the second time wasn't really that exciting anymore - plus, I lost one of the most expensive phones in the market there. Can't see how much fun I could brought back from the last trip.

Anyways, this time around, my journey will include watching Siam Niramit, one of the most grandiose plays taking the audience to a tour through Thai culture and history. Reading through the website reminds me of "The King & I" play I watched at Istana Budaya last year. Apart from that, of course, I'll be taking my retail therapy and shopping crazily for CDs, movies (Seasons Change, Ghost Station, Love of Siam), handcrafts, my camphor's running out of stock, and... facial and perhaps a daily dose of massage would be fantastic. Not so hadap for the club-scene really, but fancy to explore new bars.

Clown for the Managers
Next week, all managing consultants across offices from Asia Pacific will be here in Malaysia. I was tasked to provide them with some entertainment, putting together a sketch which involves everyone in the office. While we've got the idea to spoof one of the most popular talk shows on earth, but haven't really shared it with the rest of the team. The biggest challenge is to get that particular person to carry the most important role, but I'm not exactly sure if he would say yes to it. Asking a straight man to drag? And it feels like a lot of pressure doing this kind of thing because it involves other people's time and we don't know what would the managing consultants feel after watching it. Would they be insulted? Surprised? Would they enjoy it? Well, we'll see...

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Tell me what you want, what you really really want!

Finally, the long traumatic wait came to an end. I finally got my official Spice Girls merchandise! It's a Spice Boy T-shirt! Uh-huh, slam yer body down and zig-a-zig uh.

Bought it from the online store at the girls' (or mothers) The Return of the Spice Girls tour like 2 months ago. I waited for 2 weeks, it didn't arrive, I started to get a bit worried. So I sent an email to the online shop operator, but there was no reply until 3 days later saying, "Your order has been posted last week and you should be receiving it soon." No greeting, no tracking number, no expected date of arrival, nothing. Another month passed, not a word from them. So I decided to throw BF and slapped them with this:

"It has been nearly a month now and I still haven't received the product I've ordered. Can somebody tell me what exactly happened to my package? How long does it need to take to arrive an unpopular country like Malaysia? How difficult for the package to be shipped? Is there any shipment tracking number I can refer to? Or was it being returned from the custom coz a Spice Girls t-shirt is not allowed in my country? And lastly, all I care about is the exact date when I can expect the order to arrive. I trust that the company is using a reliable courier service that can provide you with all these details. I'm beginning to wonder if this is all scam from the start... Pls explain."

No news until I send another short but not quite sweet note, "What's happening to my order???????????" Then I got a respond giving me (ohh, finally) the tracking number and indication of the date they had it posted. When I checked with Pos Malaysia, the shipment was already being returned back to Germany, where it all started, due to incomplete address. I was like, oh my fugod do I have to go through all of that again? Der dumme Deutsche actually put the house number, at the back of the Street. For example, instead of "No: 3, Jalan Jerman Bodoh", it became "Jalan Jerman Bodoh 3".

Another email weagain giving them my address, follow it and not mess with any of the alphabets or numbers. With all that, I finally got it. It looks cheap. Like one of those 'She's A Bitch' with an arrow pointing left 100 Thai Baht T-shirt from Chatuchak market, but I Absolutely love it!

I wouldn't have bought it if it's not just for the nostalgia, coz I love Spice Girls that I swear I will fly to the nearest most affordable country to watch the reunion concert (given that Beyonce was warned to cover-up in Malaysia hence her concert was canceled, I think Mel B and Geri would never ever going to be here unless they have their breasts removed). Too bad, they've made enough money to cover their milk powder and gotten tonnes of luxury bras and panties for life.

I am truly disappointed with the fact that the whole tour sounded like a half-past job, no commitment to their fans kind of thing. Whatever it is, we can't change anything, but in my humblest opinion, their solo careers flop to disaster. No matter how much I love them as a group, I'm not necessarily crazy over their solos. Come on, Victoria never had a 'career' in singing and yet looks like someone's wife people call a disease patient, Mel B lost her recording contract, and the No: 1 spot on Dancing with the Stars despite doing quite well, Geri was alright only with her one-gay-hit-wonders, Emma's Downtown probably gives Petula Clark heart-attack and more wrinkles, and last but not least... Mel C... she and her endless "focusing on my solo career" is all fantasy.

They should just get back together, stay the same, do more fun stuff, earn more money, and... hire Paula Abdul to choreograph their videos...???!!

Sunday, March 9, 2008

Time to Evolve

Out of loneliness and boredom, today' I've decided to change the layout of my blog. Big deal, it's an evolution.

Face it. Things are changing. People have changed. Judging by the results of the election, we are about to see more changes, which I believe something that people of the country is hoping to achieve. I'm not gonna dwell on that. To me, I don't really care. Even if the opposition wins, it's not like they're going to recognize our Angkasawan Negara marrying the man of his life tomorrow.

Anyways, while working on the new layout, it just got me thinking about how much life has changed . Of course, there are a list of things I'm proud of. However, recently I see a difference in the dynamic of my friendship. It's one thing that I feel tough to make myself comfortable with because it is one of the things I treasure most in my life. And it's affecting me.

Back then, we used to hang out together almost every night. There were so many things to talk about, or even if nobody's talking, it felt like the communication still exists. It's all different now, just because of a silly drama happened just before CNY. Everyone are so rigid in the way they say things, for fear of offending others. Everyone have to take into consideration other's feelings so much. Just a wrong choice of word would end up stepping on the sensitive side and someone's temper. It's becoming like work - if I say this, what would the client think? How would the client respond, and what would be my best answer?

Well, yes... even friends need to be careful with words, respect each other and be a little more understanding. As how we've been through. But as I keep doing it, for about barely 3 weeks now, I just feel things are not real anymore. It's fake that I couldn't tell you that I don't like hanging out with you seeing the father-just-died kind of look in your face! It's so fake that I have to apologize for what happened and take the responsibility of making you feel better. It's absolutely fake when I have to call you and pretend that everything is OK and we are moving on . It fucking fake when I have to accept it that you need more time to regain the cheer in you?!!?

Obviously, things have changed. I don't know if it's just me, but all I'm hoping to know is that if you are going to continue to behave like this. I can't take it, I don't care about the rest of them, but honestly, why should I call you a "best friend" anymore when you don't even care how difficult it is for me to put up with this nonsense?

Our relationship have certainly evolved - net friend -> friend -> clubbing kaki -> just friend -> buddy -> best friend -> BFF -> more than just BFF -> a pissed off BFF -> ??? Whether it will come back as a cycle, or progress into another form altogether... frankly, I am giving up hope. Unfortunately, not everything will come back to how it used to be. Exactly like my blog. The moment I save the new template, the old one is completely wiped out.

Perhaps, I've underestimated the fact that the reaction of one person - attitude, behavior, everything - could change the unity of a friendship. Which brings to the conclusion that I am not that person.


Saturday, March 8, 2008

Worst Top 12 in AI History

Top 12 Emerged.

To say that the results were surprising, I don't think so. And I really feel the quality of the contestants have gone down so much. They are inconsistent, giving America and fans around the world mediocre, if not ridiculously terrible performances. Carly Smithson (who was named "Lying Heifer" by VoteForTheWorst), Michael Johns, Kristy Lee Cook, Chikezie, David Cook, Syesha Mercado... oh dear, these people are bad from the very beginning. These are crap. Just feel that their only role in AI is to be eliminated. Man, how I wish the show would just pull a Donald Trump's stunt firing these jokers all at one go in the boardroom. Now that is what I call surprise.

The most disappointing contestant to me is Ramiele Malubay - I expected so much from her, but her performances so far were like my asshole trying to make the last dump. It feels good, but halfway through the last bit just get stuck, you just have to wash it off. Pity! And boy, she was fake I can't believe it - when Danny Noriega was eliminated, she took away the entire show and cried until the end. Come on, did somebody just died? Really fighting hard for airtime.

I think I can never accept the rocking nurse for what she is. When I imagine trying to sing the way she does, I feel like constipated. And her hairdo, especially the one she had 2 weeks ago, that is what I'm going to wear if my office ever throws a Halloween party.

One thing I find surprising this year is that the good ones are actually quite boring. David Archuleta is excellent, but too much of her mellow side would seriously put me to bed. Once a week, is a lot, can get overdose. Brooke White was exceptionally great in her last 2 performances, she surprised me. However, if she does the same acoustic thing again next week, she will be in the same list as the losers for not showing how much a versatile singer she is. And I'm still disgusted by Jason Castro's hair.

Now, the star of the week - David Hernandez - gay stripper, big deal??? She has this gorgeous body and look that every gay men wouldn't mind having on bed just for one night. But honestly, she was inconsistent as well, and I really think "It's All Coming Back to Me" wasn't an ideal song for her. Too much screaming. Now that the sissy sassy Noriega is gone, the gay votes should turn to Hernandez. Who knows, when she's famous we'll get to see a lot more skin than what's available on the Internet today.