Orange Moon

This cannot be healthy: a combination of Portishead and Jeff Buckley, demotivation and the stench of stale cigarettes. Seriously though, I am not jaded/depressed or anything like that. I'm just plain lazy. Ffffuck! 

On a healthier note, Mikey dear is coming over with bubbletea and a stack of work; hopefully, this will force me to confront my impeding doom that is the IS101 final and spur me into an action plan. Then we will study study study until morning light and all will be well again. 

Once again, Daddy came to my rescue re rent and instead of staying up all night worrying how to make rent, I can study with ease of mind and spend tomorrow in bed! I love Daddy!

I walked by the heritage building across my apartment today. In the light of day, it is less imposing and regale as I remembered it to be in the rain and storm 2 days ago. In the bright sunshine, all its imperfections shone and it lost its regality. In the light of day, everything that is perfect is made even more perfect and imperfections are forced into confessions. In the stormy dark, it looked strong and solid, testament to the years that it has stood there. In short, it has earned its position. In the sunshine, I saw through its cracks and was gobsmacked by the weariness of age. 

I doubt if I will ever look at that building in the same light again. I'll take a picture tomorrow. Mini trivia: this is the building that was Scully's (of X-Files) home in the series. It's still a pretty building nonetheless. I remember when I was first house-hunting in the neighbourhood and I called the posted number only to be told that I couldn't and wouldn't be able to afford to live in that building. At that time, I was so infatuated with the building that the insult didn't sting one bit (and that he was right - I couldn't afford it). Now I walk by it everyday and its charm has been lost on me.

Meh. 

Oh Vancouver

Photo credit: Ah Fay

How do I love thee/let me count the ways

1. You snow in spring time
2. You rain incessantly
3. You make people contemplate suicide 10 times in a day
4. You hail in the mid of day
5. Only in you do I find the sight of bums familiar
6. You close down half the mental hospitals in the city, forcing mental patients into the corner of desperation, pain and wasting
7. Your dream come true is the Winter fucking Olympics
8. Your refusal to acknowledge the poverty and depravity that exists in the heart of your very bosom
9. The murderous sprees you spawn
10. The Church of Scientology and it's free stress tests
11. Your banning of public smoking
12. Your advertising and observance of Earth Hour 

Oh Vancouver/ I shall but love thee better after death

Sarika

I dedicate this post to Sarika, who sits here cursing and swearing. She is my neighbour and weirdo who roars. She laughs recklessly, just like her hair. 

If I had to describe her hair in one word, that would be it: reckless. Sarika is quite graceful though a little gangly. 

Her strut is quite hot. And she likes Earl Grey Tea black. She mistakes happy sighs for size and says oh when she's startled and has to cry.

.

Malaysian Dreamgirls

The basic rundown is that Malaysian media, acting in true accordance to its phony, warped ideas of what the free press is, has a new reality show titled Malaysian Dreamgirls. It chronicles the lives of 12 girls who aspire to be successful models. Put simply, it is the Malaysian version of America's Next Top Model minus the professionalism. Also, it is only aired online so as to circumvent the censorship board therefore allowing the exposure of flesh by Muslims and non-Muslims alike.

Curiosity got the better of me and I have just wasted the better half of a Friday night (on St. Paddy's weekend no less) watching every posted episode. Now it was all fine and dandy - I even forgave the shoddy camera work and the perverseness that is Kenny Sia - until I got to Episode 4. The first competitive photoshoot that will result in one girl being voted out was lingerie themed. This pisses me off ROYALLY. It is vulgar, obscene, and downright disrespectful.

The proponents of "free, uncensored" press in Malaysia seem to equate free with nudity or partial nudity. It disgusts me that these women - all intelligent and beautiful in their own right - are made to parade in front of a camera with next to nothing on for the purpose of judgment. No consideration for intellect, virtue or graces. Now, one may argue that modelling requires none of these but if such is true, then why have short or unfit girls made the cut? It is highly hypocritical to speak of modelling as a successful, enhancing career if one is reduced to the status of an object.

I love the fashion world and I think modelling is extremely glamorous; a world I am just not tall enough to belong to. My objections are not with the notion of modelling, but herein lie with the producers of Malaysian Dreamgirls who propogate a warped idea of modelling through this reality show series. They seem to forget that Malaysians are essentially a conservative society; we value virtue and modesty. Requiring girls to pose in lingerie - an attempt to "fit in" with the rest of the modelling world - is a crude, vulgar expression of rebellion that is shameful and distasteful. Forcing the audienceship (an audienceship that determines the show's success no less) to swallow profanity at the expense of being branded "backward and kolot" is disrespectful and reflective of the immaturity of the media. It is for precisely such reasons that the media ought to be heavily regulated.

With great freedom, comes great responsibility. The ability to circumvent censorship by airing online does not release one of that responsibility; contrarily, it is in a free arena that one ought to display exemplary behaviour thereby marking one as great and truly deserving of freedom.

Once again, the Malaysian media has proven itself unfit. Beneath the facade of "progress", the true notion being propogated here is that sex sells. And the price is RM1 per sms.

Week #10

In the past 15 days or so that I have neglected my loyal readership (all of which, sadly with the exception of Suzi :((((, are responsible for keeping me away in the first place), I have been busy with school and a little socializing. We had a mini initiating rite at the apartment where all of Vancouver's finest were in attendance.

Re the General Election, I am very excited about the revolutionary change that Malaysia is currently undergoing. This unprecedented outcome, to me, represents an increasing awareness and more importantly, the motivation to initiate change. I am insurmountably proud of my fellow countrymen, who through the exercise of freedom of choice, vocalized their exhaustion at being trampled upon and exploited. Our complacency legitimized the many problems and issues that plague(d) Malaysia; it was a collective mistake. But it's never too late to correct wrongs and the GE results are reflective of our keinsafan and marks the beginning of real change.

I am very optimistic and possess unwavering faith in my homeland. In times of true desperation, it has stepped up and proved itself; it can and will continue to do so.