supabunneh!

This is going to be a quick one.

I think I have made a point about countless times about how cool us bunnies are. If it's not convincing enough, please check out rutabegabunny and this local lass called supernab. ('nab' is short for 'arnab' which is 'rabbit' in Bahasa which actually I think is her name instead of her intention to claim herself a rabbit. Anyway.)

Now excuse while we go enjoy our well-deserved weekends. Get well soon, Zaki!

Imaginary city

I’m a dreamer. Being highly critical of my own self I am always continuously checking out the works of other dreamers as if to set some standards of my own for my dreams. I am always intrigued by the idea of writers and their imaginary worlds; like Plato & The Republic, Italo Calvino & Invisible Cities, J.R.R Tolkien & the Middle Earth, C.S. Lewis & the alternate universe of Narnia, Terry Pratchett & Discworld, Dr. Seuss & Whoville in the speck of dust, Philip Pullman & the parallel worlds and not forgetting J.K Rowling and the wizarding world surrounding the Hogwarts school. I find in a way their literary utopia serves as some sort of escapism or a projection of how their ideal world should be like.

In my imaginary city the apartments are small, but very cozy, homely and well decorated. They are situated very closely to each other divided by a pavement lined of red bricks, much to Maya’s delight. The clothesline would hang parallel above the pavement, so every day pedestrians will have to walk under our fresh-scented laundry. My friends and I live close to each other so we can have tea every evening, gossip about things & take pictures all day long.

Since this is my imaginary city, I have the bragging rights to claim myself as a renowned design writer working from home up at my stylish balcony waving to people on the streets. Azry will own a family diner at the end of the block, doing what he does best: calculating budgets. 

The risk of air pollution will be minimal since most of the places are accessible by walking distance or cycling (I like to keep my dreams small & manageable). In fact, people don’t drive at all. There’s also a lovely tulip farm at the end of the city, which is surprising because the city smells of lavender the whole time.

Every month there will be a parade to celebrate the residents’ birthdays, and the birthday boys and girls of the month will participate in the parade as they march proudly stomping their feet on the red brick pavement. Balloons fill the city day and night. It is made mandatory that every Monday people will have to wear the red nose as a way to battle Monday blues. The city will have its own anthem, of which people don’t have to stand straight once it plays. They have to dance their muscles out, young and old. Actually, there is no right or wrong way to do anything once it plays.

My imaginary city will not be named after me, that’d be too self-centered since I’d like to include everybody in. It would probably be called something random like Socksville or Fafifofum or something like that. Something catchy so people will never forget.

(This post is inspired by my favorite exploration task in Keri Smith’s How to be An Explorer #35: Invisible Cities. Photos from occhichiusi and Trapac.)

I do the web scouring so you don't have to

A friend of mine questioned the other day how I find such time to read, filter some linkages and post it up here. Rumor has it that I am often quite free at the office, that friend speculates. That is not quite the reason, and because the accusation was quite heavy in my defense however busy I might be I often find time to slip in some hours, if not even minutes, to work on something I love. Which is this, the very site you are reading, and the realm where creative ideas reign.

Let's do a bit of reverse engineering here: today I'd like to post this well-written article called An Inconvenient Truth for Copywriters, in which I found through Joel Lim's blog who is a young copywriter from Malaysia who made it to Associate Creative Directorhood and then won the Astro scholarship to pursue his Masters in Australia in whose link I found through 95% blog (in which I used to go to a number of brilliant advertising short courses to) residing in my trusty Google reader!

Really, some of them are either pure coincidence or somehow destined to find its way here to inspire me (and you!).

Fun in the window display

Maya and I actually had a talk about this the other day after I told her about Maxwell from Apartment Therapy who blogged in a window display. We thought it’d be fun to leave both of us all locked up in the revolving window display in front of IKEA for a few hours. Stock us up on colored papers, old magazines, glue gun, scissors, markers & ribbons and who knows what sort of stuffs we could create based on the mischiefs we had caused earlier!

Then we heard about Tom & Shaun. 

Looks like loads of fun, isn't it?

Designing by writing

No longer a practising designer, I was lucky enough to be in the industry as a multitasker despite the fact that it was nearly impossible – sometimes they got me to do graphics design, sometimes they dragged me to craft some copy as well so in a way I had a somewhat splendid view on how to explain what I designed in a written and more convincing form (when actually a few friends said I was better bullshitting than doing I could have written that 27-page design brief of the new Pepsi logo). Whereas there were many designer friends of mine often slumped in their seats, ears plugged to their MP3s and could very well memorize Illustrator shortcuts by heart but when it comes to the time of presentation, they fidgeted like a kid in a very urgent need to go the bathroom, “I designed it like this because, urm, I like the color.” 

With that situation in mind, I’m glad Josh Kamler shared my sentiment. (Diagram from We-think)

Things we didn't know

Every week I look forward to Jon Howard's installment of 10 things we didn't know before the __th week of ____ borrowed from BBC's Magazine Monitor. I don't know about you, but I'm a sucker for random facts, something I could play trivia with my nephews & nieces later. It's so amazing what we would have discovered: that elephants kiss, Hitler had bad table manners, Barack Obama's speechwriter is only 27 years old, mosquitoes mate in about 10 seconds and so much more.

If you do have the time, I suggest you should start reading Jon's blog or BBC's Magazine Monitor, whichever you find the most convenient to you. If you have a penchant for random facts like I do, that is. (Photo from mongrel mind)

Time for weekend cute video!

City of Stories: post

We just got back from the City of Stories workshop, and the result? Fun fun fun! I felt like at that very moment I should have a bionic ability of speedy writing because my ideas flowed like the leaked pipe down over at our old flats! Maya was depressed at first because she thought she could not write, but upon being assigned with the topic "The person you hate the most" she finally routed her hatred through her writing (we share mutual disgust for the same person) and got a standing ovation from the class!

The next few posts will be the short stories I wrote during the assignments, see if you can see which authors influenced me the most (OK I can't resist, they are Nick Hornby, Dave Eggers, Jonathan Safran Foer & Haruki Murakami) or have a feeling of what kind of experience influenced my writing the most. Stay tuned.

(Update: The stories go here, in their very own special place in case I get the kicks to write again. We'll see.)

City of stories

Today saw Maya, Aida and I getting excited to join the City of Stories creative writing workshop (Aida even bought me a brand new notebook and later in the day Maya got me another one). It is organized by British Council & MPH conducted by Sarah Butler taking place at MPH 1Utama. We shall report back, if we feel like it, that is. (Photo credit goes to the rightful owner via thecoolhunter)

Alex who loves vinyl & wombats

It's funny when they load me an unbelievably kerfuffilion (after sometime I'm sure you've learnt a couple of made-up words after reading my blog) stack of work on my desk, I'm having more crazy itchy urge to post fun things people do in my blog. My creative outlet, or so I say. So here's another amazing Alex (yesterday it was Alex Ostrowski) who loves vinyl and wombats and photographs people who hug things & looking deadpan meeting Mike Wazowski. (via One Floor Up)

Makes me miss Polaroid.

The unredeemed pledge

Alex Ostrowski, who was responsible for the ingenious The Happiest Book & the Look Up business cards, writes:

My artist friends Jen and Jess run a project called 'The Unredeemed Pledge', in which they invite artists or other creative types to stay in their house to be creative for one weekend. The rules state that the creative must live in the cupboard under their stairs! I turned it into a spaceship using tin foil and made some drawings and a song about the future. To hear the song visit the Kiss and Make Up section of Kotki Dwa.

Spotless mind

Surely you've heard about the pills that miraculously erase bad memories & its direct reference to the movie with that whimsical, mouthful title starring Jim Carrey & Kate Winslet whatchamacallit, and to the book where it's nothing wrong with the idea of using biotechnology to get rid of mental pain if it's technically feasible? No? OK, here it is again. 

Pretty soon I might purchase some and forget all about you.

An ode to conceptualization

There is nothing like your first love, or the moment a great idea comes to you. (From the article 100 ways to Kill a Concept: Why Most Ideas Get Shot Down by Michael Iva. Photo credit goes to the rightful owner via ffffound)

Pencil poised,

gazing into space,

listening to my thoughts;

waiting to hear

what they have to say.

Soul searching,

that is soul soothing.

A special process

of self examination

and introspection.

thinking of thoughts

thought about already,

or waiting to be thought.

As I think about these thoughts,

I am the thoughts

I am thinking.

the more I think,

the more I find.

the more I uncover,

the more there is to discover.

Reviewing this world within,

to help reveal the world outside.

My mind is a question mark,

so as to find the correct answer.

My mind examines and defines the problem,

so as to discover the solution.

Sooner or later...

a vision

unencumbered by sight,

suddenly appears.

My mind expands,

only to converge.

Finally focused,

idea found.

The abstract made real.

The random organized.

Putting my finger on something

that cannot normally be touched.

Quickly capture the thought

before it disappears

as fast as it materialized.

Paper remembers,

I forget.

Do you know this feeling,

that magical moment

when fantasy meets reality?

When what could be, becomes what is..

When the crystallization of a concept occurs.

Making the invisible, seen.

Making the unknowing, known.

Making the unworkable, workable.

the externalization of thought.

thinking things into existence.

Creating a tangible from the abstract.

Conceptualization,

when an idea is first conceived.

Lost

lost in a moment from dennis wheatley on Vimeo.

(Photo from f letter & video via twittering wardomatic) To quote one of the commenters on the Vimeo video, "It reminds me of the time when I felt good without knowing why."

Every day is Valentine's day for us

Azry and I are not up to anything cheesy for Valentine's day, but while we were dating we wrote letters to each other and posted them through mail, the traditional way - papers & envelopes & stamps. We made a pact that we were going to read them to each other on our wedding night, but I guess over the years (we dated for 6 years!) we forgot all about it.

When great minds sulk, they write grandiose love letters as well, like Franz Kafka wrote to his fiancee Felice Bauer (via twittering fridaysdust) although he can't quite escape his somewhat restricting self. My favorite lines would be: "My health is only just good enough for myself alone, not good enough for marriage, let alone fatherhood. Yet when I read your letter, I feel I could overlook even what cannot possibly be overlooked." and "For instance, I answer one of your letters, then lie in bed in apparent calm, but my heart beats through my entire body and is conscious only of you. I belong to you; there is really no other way of expressing it, and that is not strong enough."

Old-fashioned letters are something like Polaroid too, I think - the gratification is way beyond than we can imagine. The magic is in running your hands over the hand written ink knowing you can't hit Ctrl+Z, the musky scent of the papers & the excitement over licking the stamp before putting it onto the envelope, if you do lick the stamp that is (I stopped licking stamps after a mass forwarded email on larvae breeding on the stamps but that's another story). Something digital can't possibly replace. (Photo from danske)

Great performers

These series of photos shot by Paolo Pellegrin of Kate Winslet, Brad Pitt, Robert Downey Jr, Sean Penn etc. are just so breathtaking I'm at loss for words. (via for me for you)

Another stop motion + typography goodness

Stop Motion: Montreal in a nutshell from Sylvain Dumais on Vimeo.

Maya & Zana's time of the day

Maya's & my favorite time of the day is 6 pm onwards when everybody leaves the office because that's when we get the chance to hog the office space & supplies to ourselves. Whilst loud music is inevitable, we find the opportunity totally invigorating and truly the time for a number of magical discoveries.

Like the time we discovered the boobs I drew for her were too closely set together for a pair of natural bosom.

Or like the time we found out the paper shredder can actually shred two sizes of papers at once we jumped & shrieked in glee!

And also not to forget the time when we took turns to photocopy our hands, and pretty much other body parts possible and then drew characters of people at work into each finger.

Suffice to say I am going to miss Maya a lot some day.

I'd like to explain about my split second decision of buying Monocle and rarely read them

I have a confession to make: I have never been largely interested in politics, business much less international affairs, but I have purchased quite an amount of Monocle & The Economist magazines over the years. I may not have the perfect taste in graphic design, but I picked up books in Borders if they have interesting covers. And putting aside the questionable quality of the content, I have never bought any local entertainment magazines which look like a bunch of messy patchwork done by a 5-year-old. For that, I'm happy to conclude & admit that in a way I am somehow in favor of buying a book or magazine based on its cover first before the content. This site seems like a harem to me.

Besides, isn’t it a fact that in everyday life we quickly size up objects of all sorts based on very quick perceptions of them as mentioned by Malcolm Gladwell in Blink?

I LEGO N.Y.

Sometimes I look at a wonderful photographer's work & I wonder how long it takes for the idea to be made into an ad. Photos are from the brilliant imagination of Christoph Niemann, which has been making its round around the blogosphere for quite sometime. (via the ever brilliant Joanna's blog)

I am practically weeping inside

(Taking the words out of this article by Chip Kidd of Robert Downey Jr because both Downey Jr & Helvetica moleskine are AWESOME with capital A & everything else is with capital letters too & also because I am screaming for joy I lost for the exact words to describe my feeling, anxiety & longing) Fascinating, maddening, enfant-terrible, righteously kicking butt, truly beatific, what a poignant moment in the history of notebooking and I am currently gambolling of utter joy! 

I hope you read that in one breath because that was exactly how I spoke just now. (via twittering fridaysdust)

(Update: It's available here now!)

Space: above & beyond

This month, after much persuasion Azry finally accepted the fact that due to our lifestyle, we are more of an apartment/ condominium/ small space kind of person.

Before this, we used to live in a humble flat that I loved so much because I was staying there for a year before we got married. We moved out of there to a two-storey terrace house which Azry claimed, "would be better if guests come over because there's so much space." But then we were not the ones who accept guests much often, except for my in-laws and our best friends, Leila & Zaki and I'm positively sure they wouldn't mind what kind of house or how much space we would have as long as we are in each other's company, right babe?

We recently concluded that the extra space we have now was just too much to bear for our 6 am to 9 pm routine, and we didn't have the discipline to clean up & decorate every nook & cranny of the house every weekends because we were so knackered we want to sleep all day. (I'm sure Azah would come up & say, "Simply put Zana, just say you're lazy." Also partly due to the fact that ever since I was small and grew up watching American sitcoms with their wonderful set apartments in Caroline in the City, Friends or Mad About You I always dreamed of one day having my own apartment. And yes, for those who have been snooping around my Twitter, I blame it on Apartment Therapy overdose as well.

So back to small space we agree sometime this year, preferably one to call our very own. (Photo from lolita blog)

Back in those days

When I was in university, I had the impression that I was this girl in class everybody liked to hate. After class, while everybody was quickly packing to go home in order to catch Yo Soy Betty La Fea series (the Spanish version for Ugly Betty which aired a few years before the American version did in Malaysia), I'd be the last one to raise a hand to ask a question & the lecturer would make us stay and the whole class would groan. Nevertheless, I had a feeling they loved me too, as I was always handy with web linkages (just like I am now) - I always had the links for the Flash tutorials they were looking around, or the best sources for royalty-free audio, and I had opinions for everything. Everything.

Today I was scouring around the Net and I came across a few sites that I used to love so much.

Adobe Site of the Day archive was one of it before Adobe bought Macromedia, and despite how powerful Adobe products were I always thought I had a better relationship with Macromedia products. Another site would be Netdiver magazine - full of gorgeous, mouth-watering websites. I would stay up and went through the archives one by one and diligently studied the interfaces, the navigation & how any of the contents were used to engage users.

There was one of the projects where we were challenged to use any of the programming languages to create interaction - so I decided to have a try at Processing. I had no idea how painlessly simple it would be, and how fun it was too. Combined with a few modified codes I took off Flashkit, I came up with an installation which implemented color codes recognition to move a series of stop motion animations, in which I derived from a few hours off videos taken in the middle of the city. Even writing about it gives me a splitting headache now, so you could have imagined all the hard work put into it while working on the project.

In a way I often thought that I was more of a theoretical person than practical (a friend said I was better off bullshitting than doing), so more or less I often spent most of the time doing the research for the project and worried less about the outcome & the execution until I figured out that what I wanted to achieve was almost near suicide. But thankfully I managed everything all & graduated just fine. So, yeah.

In another news, the image featured is from the ladies at FRONT design in Sweden which have developed a method to turn free hand sketches into real furnitures. Awesome. (via One Floor Up)

Happy birthday Azry!

Today is Azry's 27th birthday (he's just 2 weeks younger than I am) and I was tight on budget and was cracking my head on how to celebrate this special occasion of his. Since he's always asking how much I love him and I'd respond with silly replies like, "I love you more than my morning coffee." or "I love you more than Michael Scofield & Lincoln Burrows" (which are actually our cats' names), all the signs pointed me to this website so what I did was I printed out all the hearts (since I love him more than all of those mentioned & combined anyway), Maya the crafty sidekick helped me to cut them out and filled a cookie jar which I got from IKEA with them.

Happy 27th birthday, Azry, my dearest beloved, my life, the cream cheese to my bagel, the bane of my existence in a way sometimes (life aren't all about ponies & rainbows, says Leila)- I'm so glad after all these years we are still madly crazy retarded in love with each other!

And to the folks from the brilliant I love you more than website, I hope you don't mind that I spun off the idea borrowed from your website. Thanks guys!

Must be the meds

In an attempt to sleep last night in between my throat-ripping coughs and the waterworks in the nose, I managed to catch a little bit of sleep. You know the small miniscule action of dream that always happens right before you fall into deep sleep? Much like the incipit of your dream until you reach REM? Well, I had mine last night. A man was mowing the lawn and I screamed at him to stop before he cuts Daria's hair (yes I said that). Out of nowhere Daria appeared in the dream, she had her hair up flying in the wind, Medusa-like. Then I woke up.

Yeah, it must have been the meds. (Photo from littleDee)

What I learned from Horton Hears a Who

From Steven Pinker's 'The Stuff of Thought' page 25:

"The discovery of a world hidden in a nook & cranny of everyday life is an enduring device in children's fiction. The best known exapmle is Alice stumbling down the rabbit's hole to find a surreal underworld, and the formula continues to enchant in endless variations: the wardrobe passageway to Narnia, the wrinkle time, the subtle knife, Whoville in a speck of dust."

1. Skeptics are all around us. Like the Sour Kangaroo, who forbids every interaction with the world outside the jungle and denies Horton's claims on the existence of Whoville, purported, "If you can't see, hear or think about it, it doesn't exist!" and another one of my favourite, "Horton's tale leads the children to question the authority, which leads to defiance, which leads to anarchy!"

According to it's Wikipedia entry, many of Dr Seuss's books are thought to express his views on a myriad of social and political issues, and Horton Hears a Who! (1954), is about anti-isolationism and internationalism. There is some sort of Animal Farm going on over there, and I like it.

And in a non-sequitur, somewhere in Dave Trott's blog was mentioned, skeptics are those who say: "I won't believe you until prove it to me." while cynics say, "I won't believe you even if you prove it to me."

2. I'm intrigued by Horton's idea of a being much grander than us, and to them, we are perhaps only a tiny, microcosmic speck of dust. Just a think.

3. Horton is perhaps the most jovial & optimist character I've ever encountered, perhaps making it easy for him (and people like him) to be open to possibilities.

4. The council, much like certain (ahem) governments, are always trying to conceal the bitter truth, and those who are trying to expose it have to go a long way to prove it.

5. "A person is a person, no matter how small." Horton says that to prove to his jungle friends that there are some other life in the tiny speck of dust, but the saying also serves as a sociological metaphor that the stronger should look after the weak.

6. In the end, good will always triumph over evil.

7. Last but not least, judging from the relationship between Horton & the miniscule Mayor of Whoville, friendship knows no boundary (and size). Aww.

I am just being extra analytical am I? Must be the meds.

(Horton Hears a Who! images © 20th Century Fox Animation. All Rights Reserved.)

A few new (music) love

Haven't got much to say today, so I spent the last hour at Last.fm listening to skylarks Coeur de Pirate and She & Him. Lovely.