Monthly Archives: August 2006

Bridge Before Chorus

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I forgot to pimp Broken Bridges. Go watch it because it has one of the most real emotional scenes. Almost made me cry. Almost. My friend wished she didn’t wear mascara.

Colin Kirton’s fatherly anger and disappointment reverberates through the hall in the last scene of the first half. So real, so intense and visceral, Ming (played by Douglas Lim) need not fake tears. Now this really hit me, unlike a Samuel Beckett play. This wasn’t a play where you’d need to look beyond the symbolism. This was it, in your face. (Though the fact that it was in spoken dialogue instead of song probably helped.)

Major props to the costume designer for dressing the chicks in colorful 60’s one-piece dresses. Makes my imagination go wild as to what is underneath. 🙂 (Though you know what they say – Ipoh Mali Kencing Tada Bunyi.)

Also check out Davina, who takes hardly any effort to act (she already has experience playing a Goofy-like nerd and a hot waitress!)

While the plot jumps abruptly (where’d the hot sister go? Is she reappearing as one of the musical ensemble?) it’s still easy to follow. Besides, the show would be longer if they explained everything. 😛

It bummed me out because of the story – Ming was leaving Ipoh for the greener grass of Kuala Lumpur. Being from KL myself, I’d be selfish and beg them not-from-KL people to stay. Don’t leave us! I’d miss your house parties and cooking and singing and rubbing your head for enlightenment. There’d be better modelling gigs in KL… right? There’d be rockier gigs in KL… right?

At the same time, some people want to leave this country. The reason why I stay is because I want to make a difference here… and there, they don’t need my help as much. If you leave, things won’t get any better. For those rockers unable to rock freely, go forth and teach your students how to jam on the blues! Inspire them, for these kids will be rocking out in the year 2010.

Fake-O

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The winner of the last quiz, “Guess What’s Wrong With My Teeth“, is Ms. Mamoyo! She has a most interesting blog, (with content leading to such ridiculous expressions like I am making) and has posted interesting videos of herself on Youtube. She also provides interesting conversation of interesting insight. Very interesting lady indeed.

Yes, the image is smaller to avoid the trauma of my expression here.

And now for the next quiz; guess what I thought of the moment I saw this:

We, Ass Men

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In a cab ride to an LRT station: (Cab driver’s speech in italics and language was made more grammatically correct)

So where are you going?
I’m going to meet a friend at Kelana Jaya, and then we’ll take a cab to a friend’s birthday party.
Oooh. Guy’s birthday party or girl’s birthday party?
A girl’s birthday party.
OOOH, good. Don’t waste your time going for a guy’s birthday party. At least you go to a girl’s birthday party, maybe you get a chance to sleep with her. Guy? Guy, what for?
Er, maybe he invited girls?
Yeah, but it’s still better to be friends with girls. When you have no money, you can borrow money from them. Girls can pity you. Girls will lend you money!

As much as you may disagree, I know damn well that some girls prove his last statement right.

Wow, your pocket so big. What is that?
It’s a digital camera.
Oooh. If I had one, I tell you, I will take pictures of pretty girls. Especially those with big boobs. I tell you, driving around all day, I see many girls with big boobs! It’s quite fun to talk to them also.
Ooo.
But I tell you… boobs are nice to take pictures of, but if you wanna grab, better to grab the butt. More satisfying.
Eh? Why is that?
I tell you ah, sometimes they look big only. Pushup, dressing, all bluff you wan. When I touch ah, I disappointed lah. It only looks big, but not… fulfilling.
Maybe that’s because we guys have a butt, and so we know what a butt feels like, and so we won’t be disappointed?
Hmmm, yes, definitely.
Yeah, there was this Italian-Malay chick whose butt I grabbed, and it was much more satisfying than I thought for its size. So fulfilling. So full. (I don’t know why I blurted that bit… and to this day, I refer to her as the “chick-whose-butt-I-grabbed”. And no, I never blogged about her.)
Wah. Good for you young man!
Maybe because we don’t have boobs, we see boobs, we don’t know what to expect. We stare at them all day, then we end up expecting more? But if a girl likes girls, she surely won’t be disappointed.
Yeah. Boobs are nice to look at. Butt is for grabbing.

There is some truth to his boobs-are-to-look-at, butt-to-grab observation – I just realized that I rarely take spy pictures of butts. A butt is easier to grab in public (I’m referring to consenting people, of course.)

No wonder some girls wish for a bigger ass.

P.S. Dide the (then) juvenile ass-grabber can attest to my butt being montel. Refer to my Friendster testimonials wayyy back. Yes, despite me looking like I have no ass I assure you she enjoyed grabbing it.

Flood In The Heart

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I was in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, 7pm, 25th August 2006, during the legendary transformation of Masjid Jamek into Tasik Jamek. Seen are rescue vehicles rushing to the scene.


Enter the floods.


Despite all that, some people braved the waters.


I even had time for panning shots; 1/6th of a second, F5.6, ISO200.


This one rolls at 1/20th of a second, F2.8, ISO200.


I took the Masjid Jamek underpass to the PUTRA LRT side. For some reason it reminds me of the teh tarik river.


How deep is your love?


“Oh nooo my car! Damn insurance doesn’t cover natural disasters!”


It was 10pm, and the waters were still raging in Titiwangsa.

Sunrise After Sunset

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And now, for pictures from the second week of Sunrise Mont Kiara Jazz & Rhythm Fest, 4th August 2006 and 5th August 2006.


Clockwise from top-left: Sunset on the way to Sunrise; refreshments are blown your way; William Quah the emcee is a star; question the toll.


Clockwise from top-left: Interesting halo cast by light; interesting shadow; Davina‘s hair looks so pretty in the light; spot the hot chicks.


Opening act that Friday – belly dancers.

After that was the first act, Cosmic Funk Express, but I already blogged about them here:

An Ode To Cosmic Funk Express, Part 1
An Ode To Cosmic Funk Express, Part 2


Jupiter@7 was up next.


The vocalist’s posture reminded me of Freddie Mercury somewhat.


…except that they didn’t play anything by Queen, but a few adult-oriented-radio covers. Where’s the Jazz? (Which is incidentally the name of a Queen album.)


Harping.


Backing up on bass.


Clockwise from top-left: Organic organ; percussions; guest percussionist Justin Lim (for all you rabid fans out there); gee-tar!


After the show, the tables were lined up like an obstacle course. Grab the most flags while avoiding paintballs!


Saturday’s show started with Shelley Leong & Jazz Odyssey.


Come away with me.


Watch her play praise-worshipping angel…


…and fiery pop jazz diva.


Alda forgot the chords to this song.


Spot the difference! Teehee.


Stephanie is always hidden behind the drumset.


Nisha Tham on keyboard…


…with Shelley on percussion…


…and later versus Az Samad.


Az is always happy.


Ooo ooo ooo ooo! I remember the notes now!


Az: Kecoh lah mamat ni, blocking the view of chicks.


Speaking of which, Vignes shoots with his legs open, and Davina shows us that she’s enjoying herself.


Next up was John Thomas & Phunk Mob, with Wan of Alcentric shredding to jazz instead of metal.


Check out his MIDI keyboard skills. His left hand controls the tremolo and wah effects; he even played two-handed like Zack of Cosmic Funk Express does. Oh waitaminute, Zack should get one of these instead.


Julian has sax.


And oh boy does he look like he’s enjoying it.


There was also Noryn Aziz, hot chick…


…scatting along to the exact scattered bebop melodies the band was playing.


Oh, and of course, John Thomas, for the ladies.


Who’s your daddy? Jose Thomas, of course. 2004’s Jazz Fest saw him with Mia Palencia in a vocal showdown.

I’ve been ingrained to like funk-jazz, the exact style Phunk Mob plays, ever since the days of Sesame Street. Remember the animation of a pinball going through a pinball machine? I loved it. I loved the music. I loved the animation. I loved the complexity.


After it all, I bumped into Joyce The Fairy and friends at McDonalds, and this is the table she left behind. She insists that she did not drink.

What about the first week? Click here.

Pictures taken using my Canon Powershot A520 and my friend’s Panasonic DMC FZ20. All shots at ISO200, 1/60th of a second or faster, as bright an aperture as possible.

A Food Choice

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Many a time, people have made plans to eat at certain places, to my objection. It is indeed funny then, that irony would bless me.

Case 1: Steven’s Corner Banana Leaf Rice

I’ve never been a big fan of Banana Leaf Rice, but my colleagues were all excited and hyped up, craving BLR. So we got in a car and went there.

Nando’s Flaming Hot Peri-Peri I can take without breaking a sweat, but Indian spices torture my tongue.

The food was alright, but they didn’t enjoy it. A colleague asked, “Why did we want Banana Leaf Rice again?”

I was the only person who finished my leaf of rice.

Case 2: SS2 Murni

I’ve never been a fan of SS2 Murni, since it takes ages to:

  1. Call for a waiter (who will then signal to you that he/she will call someone to attend to you)
  2. Wait for the waiter to come and take your order
  3. Wait for your orders

Yeah yeah so you’ve got gigantic drinks in jars, but I’ve always settled for Teh O Ais (Iced Tea) or Sirap Ais (Iced Syrup).

Fate be it, then, that a big group of us were supposed to go to Hartamas Square, but couldn’t find parking, so plans were diverted to SS2 Murni. Slinky and I were first to arrive, and we found two tables across the road, near the drain. We ordered our drinks, then the others came later, and found two tables nearer, on the same side of the road as the shop, which was also brightly lit.

We adjourned to that table, and as I walked there I spotted the guy with my drink. I took it and sat down.

“Aiyooo, this place service very slow lah. Why did we come here?”
“Don’t worry, I know some people here.” (She then hails a waiter by his name, who then signals to her to wait.)

For the next 10 minutes, the rest of them looked at me jealously as I sipped loudly. I ordered another Sirap Ais when the waiter finally came.

The lights then went out nearby! So it would’ve been the same as where I sat. And yeah, they awaited thirstily.

Case 3: Italiannie’s The Curve

I’m not big on Italian food, or pasta, but the rest were craving the RM19.90 all-you-can-eat package. I ordered the RM11.90 minestrone soup instead, because:

  1. I’ve heard that their pasta is done in a different style, an acquired taste, drier and cheesier that would otherwise cause slight nausea
  2. I was broke, and I hoped that the soup would be in as big a serving as Fasta Pasta’s, so it would be both my food and drink
  3. I wasn’t hungry, so an all-you-can-eat would be a waste, especially since I don’t know my pastas

My minestrone soup came first, and everybody else’s pasta came at different times, much later. The cherubic, innocent-looking Erin got hers last, after a waitress reminded us that all-you-can-eat cannot be shared (and then apologized).

As for the minestrone? Fasta Pasta was better, bigger, and had croutons! Baked crusty crispy bits of bread, soaking to their death in glorious minestrone soup!

So what is the lesson, people?

Listen to me when I say, “Hey let’s not go there!” or I will get my order first (for once) and everyone else’s will came loads later. I told you so.

…I just hope this doesn’t mean that you all won’t invite me to food outings anymore, lest such cases happen again.

SMS Launch

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It was the Starbucks Music Series launch at Telawi’s Starbucks a 28th of a July 2006 ago, and jazz/R&B/soul duo Rhapsody played, featuring Alda on double bass. Have you ever seen a double bass in Starbucks? Well now I have.


Here’s a picture of Nicole, since cute-eared-Ywenna kept bugging me about it.


Modern rocker Broken Scar played next, followed by Lied.


Adlin Rosli, Lied vocalist, then jumps out in the middle of his angry-white-boy songs with an emo romantic song, Oceans Apart, and proceeds to sing to various members of audience and the sound engineer.


Yeah, something like this, in your face.

Well, More Like Sunset At That Time

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And now, for pictures from the first week of Sunrise Mont Kiara Jazz & Rhythm Fest, 28th July 2006 and 29th July 2006.


Dan Nizam is one fifth of…


…the Rachel Guerzo Quartet, which…


..features her father, Salvador Guerzo…


…and her uncle Louis Soliano.


Vincent Ong included makes five, so it should be a quintet, yes?


Ivan, Shaz and Jasiminne get up on stage with kids to win prizes!


Next up was Lewis Prasagam, hard-hitting drummer, with…


…Chris Wright, who got all the girls’ attention…


…and Wan Asfarezal on bass.


Bruno Leflanchec looks like Paul McCartney.


He also plays a mean flute.


Elvira Arul came on for guest vocals.


Into the void.


Keeran from the Malaysian Dhol Federation.


Jimmy the “Prince of Sax”…


…the photogenic…


…snake charmer.


Funky hair, yo.


And on to Saturday the 29th!


Steve Thornton…


…and his percussion unit.


Jamie Wilson on silent guitar.


Amir Yussof.

And now, for a technical rant. The lighting was bright enough, so don’t use flash! (This goes especially to those digital SLR users, who could afford ISO1600. One Nikon D70s user was afraid to go above ISO200. What the heck?) I’d underexpose by one or two steps (or else the motion blur will cause a white blurry mess). Never mind that the background was dark, as long as the details on white shirts can be seen. ‘sides it would be better to have a dark, broody sharp (due to fast shutter speed) contrasting image than a bright, colorful, but blurry image. Also, the colored lights are funky.

Most shots were in the 1/80th of a second range, ISO 200, F5.6 aperture (on those zoomed all the way).

My next Jazz Fest entry should include a musical rant then. 😀

House Your Wife

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I’m going to rave about yet another movie. Monster House!

Monster House is about two boys, DJ and Chowder who live opposite cranky old man Nebbercracker, who chases people off his lawn. One day, the old man is yelling at DJ when he gets a heart attack and dies. His house then awakens to scare them and eat children all in time for Halloween. Yeah, some scenes may seem incredulous and yet hilarious, if you can spot the parody. Horror? More like action.

Steven Spielberg is co-producing, hence the legal rights to use parodies of War Of The Worlds. Do watch out for the Eddie Murphy cop parody! They had some pretty clever sequences and turn of events. Since the kids were experiencing puberty, the writers had the freedom to insert subtle sexual jokes and things of a more adult nature.

Jenny: [waves flashlight at chandelier] Look! That must be its uvula! *
Chowder: Oh. So it’s a GIRL house.

* The uvula is that thing that hangs at the back of your throat, often confused with the tonsils. (Later, they teach kids how to induce vomiting! How wrong is that?) Check out more quotes from IMDB!

Graphics-wise, it was the most fluid 3D CGI movie I’d ever seen. No, it wasn’t cartoony-physics Incredibles, it was human in expression and movement. Only their hair was a solid plasticine wig, but it was good that they didn’t bother with animating the hair, as the rest of the animation made up for it.

It also had camera angles which were very unlike a regular 3D movie; quick movements, as if it was a human cameraman. I also loved the small depth of field to bits. It had soft focus in most scenes to give a dreamy, innocent childhood effect, but was all sharp in the monster. I’d have noticed the small depth of field in any other 3D movie, so I’d say this was the first I’d seen. I wonder how they’d do the out-of-focus bits in IMAX though.

My only gripe with this would be the name – Monster House sounded like a B-grade horror movie. (I don’t read the sypnosis first because it’s more fun that way.) Perhaps they could’ve picked a name like The Monster House Of Nebbercracker. Okay, maybe Nebbercracker’s name would have to change, too.

Meanwhile, I’m looking forward to Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby and its offbeat humor. Will Ferrell is again an over-exuberant brute, but that’s why we loved him in Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy.