Artie L

This drunken semaphore

2012-01-16T07:43:00.001-08:00

It's like we just can't help ourselves,

'Cause we don't know how to back down,

We were called out to the streets,

We were called in to the towns...

Called Out in the Dark

2012-01-10T09:05:00.000-08:00

So this is my third draft considering I sat here with the intention of writing something brilliant. Unfortunately I've been writing for work so much the past few days I actually don't feel like writing anymore. Yeah, thats saying a lot!

I, for once, have nothing to say.

So i'm just gonna leave you with a picture of the beautiful sunset at Tanah Lot, Bali that I took on my recent trip there.

The Red, White, Blue...and Yellow!

2011-08-28T19:23:00.000-07:00

I remember my years as a primary school boy crying in unison with my friends the word “MERDEKA” and writing it in huge letterings across our classroom chalkboard. It was always the right word to use in that situation to express our overwhelming joy.

That is, the joy of having finally completed the week of our final exams. We did this year after year not realizing the real significance of the word and how our lives would’ve been different without it.

It wasn’t until recently when I started working on a project for a Merdeka Edition T-shirt that I started doing research into the little details of that extraordinary day. The day that ultimately gave us all the equal chance to behave like buffoons, nonchalantly throwing around this powerful word without knowing its true substance.

Many of us do not truly grasp the significance of the word Merdeka. It is important as Malaysians to understand that this word doesn’t just signify another public holiday on our calendar or another season of tear-jerking vintage styled ads but is really the memory of the day our nation got past its teenage years of being mothered and made its transition into adulthood.

The word itself means nothing without the memory. It is the waving and swaying of the red, white, blue and yellow, our dear Jalur Gemilang, that will always be the greatest reminder of the day our fathers and our grandfathers, regardless of race, regardless of religion, regardless of social status, stood together chanting this one word seven times with our forefather.

It is with this that I have come to finally understand the cohesion of the word Merdeka, along with these four colors and the vows we made to our country every morning during our school assembly.

“Independence is indeed a milestone, but it is only the threshold to high endeavor”

- Tunku Abdul Rahman

Uniformity

2011-07-27T02:59:00.000-07:00

Alan dropped by the office the other day to hang out. In the same damn T. So I had to change before we went out for a few beers. Not coool

KLue Urbanscapes 2011

2011-06-20T05:59:00.000-07:00

Here's a little video I did for promotional purposes for our upcoming reappearance at KLue Urbanscapes!

A Private Party

2011-06-13T09:57:00.000-07:00

I spent my Saturday at a party organized by a friend who was making his debut as a party DJ spinning some of the sickess tracks on deck.

He even got the whole entire crew wearing Pestle & Mortar for the night! So naturally I had to be there not just to document the whole thing but to also enjoy myself after weeks of work straight out.

Representin!

Saw this on the wall. I thought it was a pretty cool piece to have, and then figured out it was actually spray painted on the wall using a stencil. Uber cool.

Then I spotted this hottie sporting this at the bar. It was a really nice jacket but this country's not even cold enough to be wearing a flannel shirt. Cool jacket, but no not here in M'sia!

More pictures on Pestle & Mortar Clothing's facebook page! Go HERE!

Btw this is my first blogpost with my new Macbook Pro. Pure delight!

Temple Travel

2011-05-09T08:32:00.000-07:00

Photography & Self-Reflection

2011-05-03T00:44:00.000-07:00

Photography use to be a skill. An art form that relies heavily on the skills and ability of the person wielding the instrument. It was based on the person capturing the picture to be able to foresee events and understand lighting conditions before being able to properly set his/her camera to take the photo in a desired effect.

These days photography is all about a persons ability to understand certain words in English. In other words, you really only need to know how to read to work a camera. Technology has made it such that people don't have to learn so much anymore to know how to work a professional camera. Instead, they buy one, test it out a bit, read the manual, figure it out somemore, and then run along calling themselves a professional photographer.

I admit I fall into this new generation of pseudo photographers.

All it takes these days to become a name in photography are the right tools (A big professional DSLR, big professional lenses and Adobe photoshop)and a bit of luck shooting a few big names.

A story was related to me once about how this professional photographer took up a part-time teaching job at a local college, and in his own words "Not for the pay but to give back to the community". Such is the level of modesty that in order to properly give back to the community we need them to know it beforehand?

This photographer was becoming quite the prominent figure in Malaysian photography and shot to photography stardom when he got the chance to shoot Siti Nurhaliza's wedding.

Photography has sold out. It is no more an art form of subjectiveness based on individual creativity but has become something that people can look at and say "You're doing it all wrong!" Since when has art ever had a right or wrong? Who's to say what piece of art is good and what is bad.

Photography is nothing but another business. Why? I think because Chinese people became so involved (Just kidding).

No more is the skill of wielding a camera enough. These days what it really takes to become a REAL photographer is based on how much money you make doing shoots and who hires and where your pictures have gone and at the end of the day, who you know.

There are very few photographers left out there who do it for the passion. I'm talking about real passion. Like Mr. BrainWash (MBW) with his video camera passion.

I'm glad I know at least one even if I'm a sell out.

Hang Zhou, China

2011-02-24T05:49:00.000-08:00

Hang Zhou, China. Famous for its ginormous (Unless you're a marathon runner you might find it rather difficult to see everything in a day) West Lake situated a close 4 to 5 blocks from the city, with plenty of tourist attractions and heritage sites speckled all around it.

A modern and booming city of China naught but an hour's train ride from Shanghai on the bullet train, fully equipped with plenty of malls, nice hotels and plenty of night markets and street bazaars to keep you occupied when not sightseeing.

This busker had the brilliant ingenuity to strap a huge speaker to the back of his moped acting as an amplifier for his guitar. Thats not all he had, if you look closely he also had a mixer for it! All powered by a small car battery.

Oh yes, he sang really good too.

I spotted this on the way back to my hotel. If you pronounce it wrong it actually says Cibai (Ji Bai) Group! For all of my non-Malaysian readers out there, that actually means pussy in a Chinese dialect (Hokkien). HAHA

Grade A Green Tea leaves of Hangzhou. Famous for its green tea, Hang Zhou has a local legend about a Dragon that lives in well and this well contains not water but green tea.

The Shanghai Clock tower of the building where they use to have horse races. Refurbished now to be Shanghai's Museum of Art. A must see that showcases local Chinese talent of the highest respect.

Old before New.

There's a park (The People's Park) in Shanghai filled with these little ads. As much as China has developed and become a major economic power in the last couple of years, many traditions are still apparent throughout. These are actually ads for arranged marriages. There are even agents who sit around all day to attend to interested "customers".

Shanghai Grand Theater. It was so big it took almost forever to walk around it.

Everybody see's the tall, shiny, glass buildings in China's fast-growing economic hubs but what a lot of people don't know is that those buildings were only build as a facade. A clever and quick solution to quickly develop, hiding behind them in little alleys houses and residences of what use to be China all over.

The Chinese Museum of Traditional Medicine.

A little isle in the West Lake.

A favorite Chinese past time. Mahjong in the park.

An elderly group of Chinese people were actually spending their time just chilling out and singing old songs in the park, like kids do these days with guitars.

This has got to be one of the best, most cost-efficient brooms I've ever seen. It's made out of leaves and twigs and basically dried up stuff from plants and covers a whole lot more area than do conventional brooms. Talk about innovation AND going green at the same time!

2010-12-12T06:03:00.001-08:00

The 7th Penang Island Jazz Festival.

Amazing stuff and I'd have to say it was worth spending RM60 on a ticket. Although it really wasn't worth spending RM80 on 5 bottles of beer.

PelBo....

This band played a cross between jazz and rock and they did it all with a vocalist, a drummer and a TUBA. Yeah get that.

They were awesome.

The vocalist bears some resemblance to Dolores O'Riordan of The Cranberries. Their sound too.

More next time...

Photographer POSE of the Year

2010-08-28T11:15:00.000-07:00

Mag's hard at work

Long OverDue

2010-08-25T22:21:00.000-07:00

Back in the day this is what cool was. In fact, it still is.

JUICE 8th Anniversary @MOS, Euphoria

2010-07-19T12:55:00.001-07:00

So Juice turned 8 years old last Friday and I was there with my camera just to check out HypeEmBeats representing Pestle & Mortar Clothing on decks!

Got to watch some pretty cool performances too and even one smashing best dressed competition in relation to the theme "Space Invaders". Pestle & Mortar was even represented by Ethan Curzon up on stage for a nominated best-dressed!

Pestle & Mortar Clothing @KLue Urbanscapes

2010-07-01T07:08:00.000-07:00

Its been one hell of a week and most definitely one hell of a weekend as we prepared for our first ever sales to the public at the KLue Urbanscapes 2010!!!

We had so many things to get ready we hardly had enough time to sleep! Working day in day out from our temporary office (Hugh's house) just trying to make sure everything is settled before the big day.

This is Bam Bam...the pug we use in most of our shoots. He belongs to Hugh's brother.
Thats us slaving away.....right up until 6am.
We brought in a crew of 2 girls. One fluent in Bahasa Malaysia and Mandarin (My girlfriend - Amanda) and the other a financial whiz (Hugh's Girlfriend - Juelle), to help us out with efficiency.
Manda rocking out to our Lorong Haji Taib design.
Thats the CEO of PrimeWorks! Big thanks for the support!
This is what we started out with. Good sales that day turned most of this out. We had little left to take home which was a pretty awesome thing considering how far the hike was to the car.

People came thinking we were selling Pizza at first!
Thats Edmund taking his picture with celebrity blogger Ringo

Learning Curve

2010-06-21T14:47:00.001-07:00

The camera was starting to collect dust so I decided to take it out for some fun at Mango's studio in Cheras where David had arranged a shoot just for kicks.

Mostly used Mango's camera, while I used mine for some behind the scenes shots and some candids of the models.

They're always better caught off guard. Its just more natural.

Coming Soon!!!

2010-06-17T12:23:00.000-07:00

Pestle & Mortar is coming to you this June!!!

Stay Tuned to find out when!!!

Border Hopping

2010-06-14T06:34:00.000-07:00

...continued from Pai Nai Kap?

Having stayed in a temple that was a 15 minute walk away from the border of Myanmar, I naturally crossed over, by foot. Yes. I walked across to Myanmar and hung around the border doing almost nothing.

Found myself a nice little cafe and just sat there watching hoards of tourist pass go through shop after shop of bootlegs.

Pai Nai Kap???

2010-06-02T07:40:00.000-07:00

...continued from Sawasdee Kap

Took a day out of the temple travelling through the hills of Chiang Rai and also looking at other temples in the State.

The small community that lives in the hills are ALL Chinese descendants and can mostly speak fluent Mandarin on top of Thai.

The story is that many years ago when General Mao ZeDong became Chairman Mao Zedong and rose to power in communist China, a group of unsuccessful rebels headed by a General loyal to Sun Yet Sen had to flee China.

They migrated southwards and eventually ended up in the hills of Chiang Rai where they stirred up a small squabble for land between themselves and the natives.

The Thai Government eventually stepped in and settled them in an unpopulated area in the hills. They have lived there ever since and for the life of me I cannot remember what the name of that area is called.

Sawasdee Kap

2010-05-25T05:01:00.000-07:00

So I was in Chiang Rai for a week living in a temple. A temple by the border of Myanmar/Burma called Waat Thum Pae Jhum.

It was definitely an experience seeing how a monk lives his life. I did it for a day, they do it everyday.

They woke me up at 2.45am and start their days at 3am to do prayers/chanting and then spend a few hours meditating.

The monks then carry a bart each into town walking around collecting offerings from willing devotees.

They then go back after collecting the food and split it equally amongst themselves while the nuns cook for everyone.

to be continued...

We Love Colors - Laws Of Graffiti

2010-05-08T04:36:00.000-07:00

District...a nice small corner for graffiti artist and all artist alike to come and hang out. They even exhibit artwork and sell aerosol paint!

I was a lucky winner of a book of Banksy's collection.

David Corio @Zinc Art Gallery, Bangsar

2010-04-26T07:49:00.000-07:00

So David Corio was exhibiting his work at Zinc Art over in Bangsar and he gave a little talk about his life as a photographer too.

Why wouldn't I go, it was sponsored by Converse! :)

The Marlboro Man

2010-04-20T02:31:00.000-07:00

I was asked recently by my Advertising lecturer to come up with an idea for an ad. It was for an assignment and he said we could do an ad for whatever we like.

This is what I did. Could've been better...

Take me to the Next Level!!!

2010-04-12T09:30:00.000-07:00

I went for the auditions for Digi's The Next Level last Saturday.

Its a Reality TV Series in which contestants pitch their businesses or business idea's and battle it out for a cash prize of RM50,000.

Sad to say I don't think I'll get into the show.

Just look at the number I got for the day and if you're Chinese enough you'd know luck wasn't on my side.

En Ai and Annie. En Ai's from Life College too, an old classmate in fact.
This was the crew that were filming the auditions. It was nothing like American Idol I swear.
Nicole and Kumar. Kumar complained to me about being on the shit end of my brothers racist jokes. Good thing he took none to heart.
This one guy even brought his wife and kid for the ride.

Sonic Vibes - Hype This?

2010-04-02T23:06:00.000-07:00

Went down to BarSonic, Zouk KL, the other day to show HypeEmBeats a.k.a. DJ Kidd some love!!!

Hype This?! with Blink from Lapsap

School You

2010-03-27T01:48:00.000-07:00

Was helping out the Hailer team the other day with an editorial on some clothes they brought it.

The Hailer's basically a college magazine thats been around for quite sometime but never got big enough to get far enough.

Its run entirely by students and the editorial team changes every semester.

It really is more of a student project to help throw students into the pit of publishing a magazine, much like an industrial training course.

Thats me with the models and a small part of the team.

"The Hailer" is a licensed magazine supported by Life College. By students, for students.

Consistency....or the lack of

2010-03-23T09:13:00.000-07:00

I was reading The Hundreds earlier today and Bobby talked about blog consistency. I agree with him. The best thing any blog can have is consistency and I'll have to admit I do not totally live up to that here. For that I apologize and will try my best to be a lil bit more frequent and consistent with my posting.

Low got married last Saturday. Last of em to get hitched until David starts getting his game together.

Here's one with this dude from Australia and his wife on their honeymoon. We met em at the lift lobby of our floor in the hotel and later became drinking buddies.

Week after that we celebrated Cody's 1st Birthday with all our buddies. Here's one with his Momma!

Studio C

2010-03-07T06:56:00.000-08:00

So last night I was at Studio C. Apparently, a competition for bands that was held at KL Live Center.

I stayed, I watched, and took picture of bands that pleased my ears.

I left early and missed Pop Shuvit and some American band though. Too bad.

Skate Jam

2010-02-19T08:54:00.000-08:00

Had a lil' skate jam the other day with some of the guys over at Hugh's place but turned up 5 minutes too late to see Fug's abuse the rail.

Got some pretty good shots of G riding that rail like a champ though.

And we played RockBand after!!!

Blast from the Past

2010-02-11T12:17:00.001-08:00

The Old, the New, and the Dodgy

2010-02-04T13:35:00.000-08:00

Denim Factory

2010-02-03T10:57:00.000-08:00

PhatCulture

2010-01-24T06:12:00.000-08:00

So I recently did a shoot for PhatCulture promoting a line of cosmetics that they carry.

We had two models on that day and one of em happened to be Sarah Jane, from HELP. Whom also happened to be an old classmate from my short stint there. Wacky.

The Many Blessings

2010-01-22T11:27:00.001-08:00

I count naught the many blessings brought forth by this year anew,

For it will take more than the life of a nonagenarian to pen down.

Life as we speak has taken quite a turn for the better,

as with each passing day something new I discover.

For this I am eternally grateful,

To the one they call the Merciful.

For what is life without substance,

It becomes naught but a life of decadence.

I thank the great power on high,

For giving me a limitless sky.

In this a testament,

To my faith and deliverance.

-Arthur Loh

FAIL!!!

2010-01-20T11:57:00.001-08:00

Her fucking name is GoatHead?!?

Seriously?!?

Stitch in my side

2010-01-16T14:03:00.000-08:00

So recently I did this little panoramic image for Tom's final year project. He's doing a website based around a housing development. This is actually his house.

Man on the Moon

2010-01-09T15:55:00.001-08:00

Just like the man on the moon,

I'm here with a mission,

Just like the man on the moon,

I've got a destination.

To walk where no one else has tread,

To have what no one else has had.

Just like the man on the moon,

I've got a plan,

Just like the man on the moon,

I've got the upper hand.

To justify what I'm sayin,

All you gotta do is listen,

Cos just like the man on the moon,

I'll be coming home soon.

-Arthur Loh

Karma 101

2010-01-08T23:50:00.000-08:00

Buddhist believe that karma is a cycle. It is the Asian version of the theory that to every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Jesus said, "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you".

This is life. Life consist of the choices that we make and the repercussions that take place based on our choices.

We choose what we want to do and by that we choose what we want to happen to ourselves.

Making bad choices only means bad thought out courses of action and a horrible lack of foresight.

As young cubs we make bad decisions, never wrong decisions, and we learn the outcome of our bad decisions and from there we learn to grow into adults with the the ability to think before we act.

A friend had posted on her blog "The worst mistake anyone can make is being too afraid to make one".

Life is full of bad decisions. The worst decision you can make is to not learn from them.

I've learnt and I'm still forever learning. Have you?

Just like any other day

2010-01-01T11:07:00.000-08:00

So yes. Today happens to be the first day of the new year, and yet it still feels like just any other day.

I wondered why and then realized because it IS just any other day. With a little bit more hype and less work.

My Christmas and my New Years was horribly spoiled by a untimely call from college telling me I failed one subject (Which I knew) and I had to re-sit one paper.

That paper happens to be this Monday. For which I have no idea what to study. Best of all, my lecturers a real hard ass and is extremely not lenient when it comes to grading our papers. Although a very interesting subject (Media and Society), I spent most of my time this year skipping classes and trying to iron out my deformed spinal cord. Not fucking cool at all.

So cheers to spending another sleepless night tmrw studying for my re-sit.

I have a shoot tmrw for phatculture.

Its gonna be interesting.

Sonic Vibes - Christmas Eve

2009-12-25T06:28:00.000-08:00

I was asked to do DJ Kidd aka HypeEmBeats a favor last night and take pictures for him in BarSonic - Zouk.

So I did, and since I was there with my camera I might as well take pictures of the funky fashionista's that frequent the joint.

Berry Nice

2009-12-21T13:34:00.000-08:00

I opened the paper bag and peered in. I saw the box. Not too big. Not too small. Classy, all black, with silver words looking back at me. There the words were.

BlackBerry.

I smiled with satisfaction and carefully pulled the box out. Rubbing my hands together, I opened it and very quickly but gently unloaded all the contents onto my bed. Placing each accessory neatly one after another in an organized row. Now all that stood between me and my upgrade was the egg carton that held it in place. I lifted it off swiftly and there she was. The upgrade I've been anticipating for weeks.

I picked it up with one hand, still holding old faithful in the other. The expression of disappointment fell over my face. Why was it so light? I mimicked a small weighing motion, old faithful in one hand, the upgrade in the other. It felt nothing like a Berry.

Ahhh. Maybe after the battery goes in, it'll feel more real. I hurriedly unwrapped the battery and popped it in. The difference was little if there was any at all.

I put it in to charge and finally after waiting 12 hours, I start fiddling with it.

The whole interface blows my mind. The functions are more or less the same, with the exception of the fact that the track-ball was much more fun compared to the track-pad, and yet there's just something different about this new experience.

I'm sold...

Yes, I know this phone isn't very new, but forgive me. I'm not very up to date when it comes to the latest gadgets and what not. It really is a new experience for me.

5am Monday Morning

2009-12-20T13:10:00.000-08:00

and I'm bored out of my mind wishing I could go to sleep.

My sleeping pattern's been put off by an incredible party schedule lately and I think maybe its time to relax and tune down.

November and December have always been the months in which I relax and chill, and also party hard. It has always been this way, cept this year. This year it started off with endless sleepless nights at McDonalds studying for my finals, which I have come out of rather disappointed. It then progressed to a friend getting married, which left me with little, if no time, to recover from the after effects of my exams. Also, because my friend got married, all the guys who now live in Australia made a trip home and that means partying hard Malaysian style.

Tomorrows the start of a new week and I plan to get my body's rhythm back in tune.

I cannot imagine the amount of times I've said this to myself, but once again, I'm off the alcohol. Hopefully this time I'll at least be able to hold on to abstinence until the semester starts. Although, my real goal is to hold off until July. I can already see you there thinking to yourself, "YEAH RIGHT!!!"

haha, I'm trying.

Ran out of books to read too. Anybody know any good ones?

Ford Models: Supermodel of the World Malaysia 2009

2009-12-18T12:41:00.000-08:00

So I was invited for an event tonight for the Malaysian Ford Models: Supermodel of the World, that was at Zouk KL.

It was an awesome party with plenty of pretty girls and, uhm, well-to-do men?

If I'm not wrong it was sponsored by Parkson. I'm really not sure but it had the words Parkson everywhere. So i'm assuming it was MAINLY sponsored by Parkson.

I would have pictures. Cept I was there to attend and party. Not to work.

Good food. Free-drinks. I don't what went on besides that. HAHHAHAA

Yes so uhm, good luck to the contestants, and, uhm, CHEERS.

Btw. You guys should watch the mini-sodes HERE.

If not for the beautiful girls, then at least for the comedy.

My favourite's when Amber Chia opens her mouth to speak. It was hilarious.

Name Dropping

2009-12-15T14:05:00.000-08:00

No. Not name dropping in the usual sense of dropping the name of a famous person you know just so people think a certain way about you. Name dropping in a way that makes you appear informed about whatever topic it is at that moment.

I was talking to a guy recently, and his wive had just asked me to help them do their annual family portrait. To be fair, I have no idea what this guy does for a living, nor do I know how much he knows about photography. Although, something he said sparked a question, or rather a statement, inside my head that had been ringing for the past week.

He asked me if I knew a certain photographer, a famous international photographer, and if I've seen his work. I bluntly said "Nope, dunno who that is" and he looked at me as if I didn't know how to work a camera.

I have no idea about other industries and who their big wigs are, but I know for sure that one thing about photography (As far as I know, cos I really don't know all that much) is that there are a million photographers out there. Good ones, Average ones, and yes, the occasional Bad ones.

As an aspiring photographer, I have never found it necessary to know who's who in the industry. I have always just happen to chance upon someones work and admired it. That is the extent of my knowledge of people who take pictures for a living.

I mean there are tons of bloody good photographers out there who really know their stuff and produce really inspiring work, but I don't see how having heard of a certain photographer makes you any better a photographer. This is unless of course, you have a certain niche, or style, that appeals to you and you spend your time analyzing work by a certain pro to help with your work.

To help better myself, this is where I go:

FashionPhotographyBlog - by Melissa Rodwell

To admire work, this is where I go:

TheHundreds - by Bobby Kim

TheSartorialist - by Scott Schuman

Douche Bag

2009-12-13T00:10:00.000-08:00

I spent the most awkward 15 minutes of my life the other day trying to explain to my mom what a douche bag is. We obviously don't have it here Malaysia then.

I'm not explaining it to you so go look it up on the internet.

The mindless partying has taken a toll on my health. My throat feels like sandpaper. Food taste like cardboard. I get intensive chest pains eating too much after a night of partying.

The worst part? The best cure for it all is as simple as a mug of beer.

So cheers.

Sleep is for the weak

2009-12-08T10:44:00.001-08:00

I am tired.

No, correction.

I am exhausted.

I spent Tuesday to Friday of last week finishing up the rest of my Final Exams. Sped off to Bahau on Saturday with my friends for a buddy's wedding. Took pictures of the whole two day ceremony for him. Came home Sunday evening. And have been working on the 900 over pictures I have taken. Still have a slide show to do with my brother who was the videographer. The wedding dinner is this Friday. And I'm working that too.

I want to rest. I need to rest.

I hate weddings.

Come next week, I will party on and party hard. Come next week I will sleep till my hearts content, come next week I'll do whatever I fucking please and nobody can take that away from me!

Homeless in McDonalds

2009-12-03T03:46:00.000-08:00

So I've now spent a lot of time in McD's SS14. We stayed there like homeless people studying all night, it being 24 hours and all.

Besides us, there are 3 resident hobos in McD's SS14. YES, it doubles as a homeless shelter in the night. Kudos to Maccers for allowing homeless people to live in their restaurant.

The resident of the highest floor is a fat man whom we have dubbed smelly cat due to the fact that he frequently takes of his socks and hangs it on one of the chairs, thus allowing the whole third floor to smell like sour, unclean socks that have not been washed for 6 months. He dons a yellow shirt that says Hou How Fook Restaurant on the back. If you know where this restaurant is please tell me. We believe he's an out-of-towner.

The second floor is occupied by two different homeless people. The loudest and weirdest one being a chubby Indian lady who dresses like she just came back from a jog. She switches table every time someone sits close by and pretends to talk on the phone. She has a real phone. We caught a bit of her conversation that involved calling someone, Vishnu, to come kick us out of her club. We were referred to as the dirty devils that sleep in McDonald's. Yeah. I swear. Then she babbled on and on about something to do with how we needed special passes. Like VIP's i'm assuming. Her name is now Vishnu.

The third guy is just really sad. Unlike the previous two. He I pity every time I see him. Reclusive and quiet, he sits in a corner in the smoking section, at the same table and same chair each night, sleeping with his arms folded and his body hunched over, hanging his head inches away from the table. He has 2 cups of coke or coffee, I couldn't really tell, before he goes to sleep, as he sits in the air-conditioned area before moving out into the smoking area.

Pictures courtesy of the internet :)

Metallica Edition Converse

2009-11-30T06:30:00.000-08:00

I am now a proud owner of a pair of Metallica edition Converse shoes.

James Hetfield is definitely the man.

Good Morning Malaysia

2009-11-27T14:12:00.000-08:00

KUALA LUMPUR, 28/11/09 - 6.30am.

I have just spent 3 quarters of my day watching movies and That 70's Show.

Its so early right now, I don't know if I should go to sleep, or if I should just stay up and ride the day out.

Movies make me happy.

wtf wtf

7.30am

2009-11-25T15:12:00.000-08:00

KUALA LUMPUR, 26/11/09 - Its 7.30am right now and I have just spent my last 5 hours watching That 70's Show.

I have just had a huge realization that my brain functions when the sun goes down. No I'm not special.

Because of the fact that I have spent months on end sleeping late and only doing things I need to do in the most ungodly hours of the day, my brain has adapted to a specific timing to fully function. This would also explain why I hate the sound of people talking to me when the sun is up.

I have decided to stay up all night so that hopefully by tmrw my body's clock would be reset.

I really do think I need to lead a healthier life.

Maybe I'll stop drinking and smoking some day.

HAHAHAHHA who am I kidding....

Thinking with 2 Heads

2009-11-25T03:40:00.001-08:00

You only need 3 things in life to make a man happy.

This is it...

Journalism 101

2009-11-24T04:55:00.000-08:00

KUALA LUMPUR, 24/11/09 - I woke up this morning after 4 hours of sleep ready to face the trials that lay ahead of me. I had spent the night reading disorganized and redundant notes on journalism as a subject.

I arrive in college half an hour before the paper, only to realize how unprepared I was at the sight of all 4 of my fellow classmates studying in the Library.

I sneak out for a smoke and keep telling myself "It's gonna be fine". Journalism is after all a subject about writing capabilities and I don't doubt for a second that I can write properly, if not effectively.

The time had come for me to sit and face the music and I did. I was whizzing through Multiple Choice Questions. Then I hit a brick wall. I had come to the short answer questions and the 2 essay questions that later became my down fall.

I sat and pondered the questions to no avail and decided to hand up an empty sheet of paper. I'm not the kind of person to kid myself and pretend I know shit by sitting there and thinking "If I think harder it will come". Its simple really, if you don't know it, you don't know it.

That decision was not a decision to give up, but a decision to be honest to myself and have the courage to say, I really don't know this crap.

What really happened? I was extremely angry at myself for not having studied hard enough for this paper.

Then it dawned on me. Really, what is Journalism? Is the question "What does DAD stand for and elaborate on it." really what makes a journalist good?

If you've noticed, we now live in a culture of examinations. If you fail a test, you're stupid. If you sit the whole week out at your desk studying and memorizing redundant crap, score an A on your paper, you're supposedly smart. Really? Is this the kind of society you'd want to grow up in. A society whereby you are judged based on paper qualifications.

Higher education has become so important to so many people that everybody seems, now, to be missing the whole point of a higher education.

Education has become a business.

What happened to the days when people learned through doing. Yes, the process maybe more tedious and time consuming, but which is better, the well seasoned blacksmith who has learned all tricks of the trade over 5 years of being a blacksmith, or the blacksmith who spent 5 years of his life in college reading books on being a blacksmith?

Which would you rather be?

Bold as Love

2009-11-23T00:56:00.000-08:00

So I'm sitting here contemplating whether or not I should start studying for my Finals, which happens to start tmrw.

I cannot, again, stress how stupid academic examinations are.

But then again I've talked about it way too much.

My back's getting better. Still hurts everyday, but it isn't as bad as it used to be. Guess the physiotherapy is helping. Although I'd love a massage right now.

I'm still looking for people who would model for me for free. Cos I'm like a Jew like that.

Any of you girls interested? Drop me a line...

Anti-Histamine

2009-11-18T20:51:00.000-08:00

So yesterday I had a photoshoot. In which I was in the picture.

I had a bit of a sinus problem when I got there so someone decided to give me flu medication which sorta works the same way.

Turns out I had an allergic reaction to the medication. I was starting to choke, and my eyes were getting really swollen so I made my way to the clinic nearby.

This is the first time a doctor has ever told me to pull my pants down.

He gave me a shot on my ass....not cool.

The choking feeling subsided instantly, but my eyes are now still swollen for some reason.

This sucks.

Movies, Assignments, and INK

2009-11-14T04:04:00.000-08:00

So to sum up my rather boring week.

I watched a number of movies. Which I do every week.

I finished some assignments and handed em up. I now have ONE very pesky one left.

I hung out with Hajok, like really hang out, for the first time. Met some really cool friends of his, and some really cool friends of his friends. Sarawakian people are really funny man.

Palak Buto!!!

Oh and the highlight of this week.

I got a new tatt. In fact I've made appointments in January to finish up my half-sleeve.

Finally....

A REAL blog post

2009-11-09T10:37:00.001-08:00

Its been awhile since I've posted something on my blog that really is somewhat personal and not some rubbish I post just so I don't get people yelling Update!!! at me.

I was just reading Su Ann's blog, and I finally took the time to really read out a whole post (honestly your post damn kau long wei) and it made me realize how I've always thought of blogging about so much shit and yet it always slips my mind when I get on the keyboard.

But today, I shall, for she has reminded me of why I started a blog in the first place.

I believe that I am an asshole. If you don't think so, you really don't know me THAT well.

I believe I was brought up just fine. My parents did right by me and I strive to do right by them.

My brother and I were always given the freedom of choice and the leeway to do as we please in the confines of a certain ethical code of conduct that we were brought up with.

My brother being the older one, with more responsibilities, lives his life pretty much by the book. He went to a private school, then went to college, and then to University, got a degree, came home and got a job. I'd say he's normal.

I was the ever carefree, young rebel without a cause. I went to public school, got beaten, beat people up, skipped classes and hung out in snooker centers and cyber cafes. Stayed out late drinking in the park with friends on school nights. Smoked in the school toilets.

Then one day I realized I was in too much trouble and I couldn't get caught, I didn't want to get caught. So I weighed my options, and made my choice.

I transfered to a home-school center in a church.

I struggled and finally made it out, barely, with average SAT scores and moved on to college.

I'm 21 now, and I'm still failing subjects even after transferring to a different college, with a fresh new program and a fresh new start.

I'm not cut out for this studying bullshit.

You see, the way I see it, life cannot be learnt through books. Books are for entertainment and the dissemination of information. Books are not for learning. Textbooks are a waste of trees.

I have learned everything I know from doing. I have learned everything I know from putting my hands down and trying it until I get the hang of it. I have learned my most important lessons from being beaten up or failing miserably.

I think education is over-rated. I think in Malaysia education is a business.

Take HELP college for example. HELP college is under HELP corporation. The only thing I can think about when I think corporation is business, profits, luxury cars.

Taylors college. They don't care if you fail. In fact, its better for them. That means repeat customers.

Welcome to the world of money. Where no amount of books can ever teach you the fundamentals.

Journalism 101

2009-11-07T10:06:00.000-08:00

Assassination of a High School President

I've always seen this movie at the shop but never really had the guts to pick it up. It always looked so much like a flop and I've had way too many movie let downs this week.

Finally after really looking at it, I saw Mischa Barton's name and Bruce Willis' too. So, I thought hey, how bad could it be if Bruce was in it right?

So I finally picked it up and decided I could use a movie that really made me think. Turns out my whole day of work just didn't have enough mental stimulation.

The movie is basically about a sophomore, Bobby Funke, who writes for the school paper. An aspiring journalist, he finally gets his big-break from the editor of the paper when he's assigned to write a story on the school Student Council President.

Mischa Barton happens to be the girl-friend of this President, and unsuspectingly the hottest girl in school.

The whole plot thickens when a whole batch of SAT's are stolen from the principals (Bruce Willis) office and so does Bobby's story. This is really where the story really begins.

An excellent movie about investigative journalism and the typical high school problems.

I really like it because it talks about business and careers from a young start. Which is something a lot of our High School students need.

I remember when I started college. I didn't know what I was doing and I didn't know what I wanted to do. I spent a whole year and a half in college finding out what it was I really wanted to do in life, then flunked out and moved on to another college to pursue it for reals.

Most of our High School students just flow through High School like it was a stream that just had to run. They are never exposed to active use of their minds to think and figure out what it was that made them tick (We all know how we just memorized shit in school). Then we go to college and keep doing the same thing.

We need to be given the training and instructions on how to start using our brains at an early stage. The only instruction manuals that exist out there are our teachers. Who come into class, sat down with their newspapers, and decided we shouldn't make too much noise or we might disrupt their concentration.

It took me a year and a half and thousands of tuition money spent in college to figure out what it was I was cut out for.

How long did it take you?

Ink Inc

2009-11-05T02:34:00.000-08:00

So Lam started on his Tattoo the other day. Aint done yet so no finished product to show just yet.

Portfolio On9

2009-11-02T06:40:00.001-08:00

I have recently started doing my own on9 portfolio.

Still under construction but awesome free hosting by carbonmade.

Check it out HERE

....and let me know whatcha think!!!

Whenever, Wherever

2009-10-29T02:55:00.000-07:00

I've recently started on a project I've been mulling over for a very long time.

This is the first of my project.

Converse. Whenever, Wherever.

Chan Ra Khun

2009-10-24T23:23:00.001-07:00

Cody Chin

My beloved nephew.

Just 1 Year

2009-10-20T08:46:00.000-07:00

Kidd's photoshoot.

****************************************************

I woke up this morning and realized how fucked up it is to still be in college. Realizing how my cousin, 2 years younger than I am is already close to completing her degree in University.

I swear I shall not cut my hair until I finish my Diploma.

The Traveller

2009-10-15T11:48:00.001-07:00

I want to travel again.

I want to move to different country.

I want to move, more specifically, to a different city.

Gotta admit it, I'm a city boy born and bred. I love the city. Especially ones with nice weather, proper planned blocks, easy to navigate, with proper public transportation.

Its so easy to see photo opportunities when you're in a foreign land.

DJ Kidd

2009-10-12T10:16:00.000-07:00

DJ Kidd - He couldn't help himself. Fresh out of the gym.

************************************************************

I wish I knew what I was doing with my time these days. Everyday just passes by like a blurred image. I sit and wait and wish sometimes I knew what it was I was waiting for.

Besides occupying most of the time I have with work and the occasional days that I'm well enough to show up for classes, I now attend some very frequent physiotherapy sessions. I have minor scoliosis. My spine is not the way it should be. I get horrible and frequent pangs of pain in my lower back. My nerves are being pinched by the abnormal curvature of my spine. Which sends more bouts of pain through my right leg.

Taking pictures has never been so painful. Sitting through a whole class has never been this hard. Functioning normally has never been so appreciated.

I pray physiotherapy works. Or I'll have to shoot myself.

The Phantom

2009-10-12T06:22:00.000-07:00

Even though the sun is shining down on me and I should feel about as happy as can be
I just got here and I already want to leave
It's gonna be a lonely lonely lonely lonely day

Phantom Planet - Lonely Day

XpaX BlackBerry Party

2009-10-11T00:17:00.000-07:00

So yea. XBerry Party...I think thats what it was called...

Gold Life

2009-10-10T13:23:00.000-07:00

So I was asked to shoot some pictures for DJ GoldFish's boys...

MC Terry T, DJ Classick and DJ MicHoh

Sabrina was a very patient wardrobe artist and art director....

The boys having a few laughs with DJ Kidd in between...

War?!?

2009-10-07T10:54:00.000-07:00

It has come to my attention that off late there have been some tensions between Malaysia and Indonesia.

The latest I've heard and read, is that Indonesian vigilantes have declared war on Malaysia. They wage this war based on a few reasons, starting with how Malaysia has claimed and stolen its cultural heritage. They also say something about the Ambalat Waters which I have no idea about. Then there's the issue of Malaysia insulting their national anthem and the most heard of stories of Indonesian immigrant workers being abused.

I have close to no knowledge pertaining to all the other reasons, but I do know one thing, the issue with Indonesian immigrant workers being abused really is quite stupid.

In relation to the abuse of the workers, I personally think its a two way thing between both Malaysians and Indonesians. I'm sure you've heard of many cases where Indonesian maids are abused by employers, and yet you have also heard stories of Indonesian maids performing deviant acts against their employers.

Lets start with the webcam video that was posted up on YOUTUBE (HERE) that showed how an Indonesian maid repeatedly kicked a small child. This was sometime in 2007 (Details in the sidebar of that youtube page).

Then there are the stories you've heard of Indonesian maids boiling soup with their unwashed underwear in em. Not to mention the countless disgusting stories of Indonesian maids and the food they prepare for their employers, with that special ingredient they always have. (This, I presume, has something to do with black magic)

Then there are the Indonesian maids who come here to work, just so they can run off with another immigrant they've met here, and live happily ever after, riding off into the sunset. Or at least they think. And then get abused and blame it on Malaysia.

All that aside, there are the unlucky ones who really do get abused by employers for as small a reason as not properly arranging the cushions on the couch. In fact, I'm sure we've all heard plenty of stories about Indonesian maids being abused. But hey, guess what? We actually have associations in Malaysia that deal with such problems.

The norm for an Indonesian maid is to be female. Heck, you wouldn't want an Indonesian male cleaning your house and cooking your food for you now do you.

There is an association that deals with infringement of womens rights. AWAM. The All Womens Action Society has dealt with countless cases of maids in general being abused. If there are Malaysians working to help better the lives of women in general, including Indonesian Maids, I don't see how it makes abuse a valid supporting reason for a war.

We are at the end of the day individuals trying to survive whether abroad or locally. What happens to people is based on an individual basis. It just so happens that the majority of maids in Malaysia are Indonesian.

Read about the outrageous news HERE.

My mother runs her own business and has 2 Indonesian ladies working for her. They have watched both me and my brother grow-up. They have cared for us like real family. They have been part of this family for as long as I have lived. They celebrate Chinese New year with us, and we celebrate Hari Raya/Eid Mubarak with them.

I refuse to believe that there really exist a problem between the people.

The problem is the individuals, not the people.

Missed out

2009-10-04T11:36:00.001-07:00

Found an old picture I forgot to upload in my hard-drive.

Missed the biggest Hennessy part of the year while I was in Thailand. I'm Bangkok was better anyways.

Andy

2009-08-21T05:42:00.000-07:00

Cousin Andrew's down for a couple a weeks. Tried some monochrome portraiture with him. Very willing model.

Willing Volunteers

2009-08-06T02:40:00.000-07:00

Hey if you guys know anyone who's willing to model for me let me know ok.

I'm doing a small series of very simple black&white portraits, so if any of you guys out there know anyone willing, do let me know.

Or if you yourself are willing, just drop me a line here or email me at

ori3ntal_child@hotmail.com

Cheerz

(Will have a sample up of the kind of shots I'm taking soon)

Langkawi

2009-08-01T10:22:00.001-07:00

Captured tons of pictures in Langkawi for Low's pre-wedding slideshow. Still in post-processing now so will not post anything from that up just yet.

But here's a little something I took when I had some free time.

"As the sun sets into the ocean from where I look, so does my heart from where I'm standing"

Sunny + Irene

2009-06-26T03:58:00.000-07:00

Recent Pre-wedding shots that we did.

The Hailer

2009-06-26T03:41:00.000-07:00

Magazine cover I took for the "The Hailer". My college magazine.

Didn't quite like the way it came out on print though.

Lighting Effects

2009-06-08T22:31:00.000-07:00

Was just trying out some shit with a remote flash the other day.....

Thank You Francis Light

2009-05-25T13:18:00.001-07:00

Mahjong King (mine)

2009-05-04T04:34:00.000-07:00

inKL

2009-05-03T10:48:00.000-07:00

inKL is a small photography project that Mr. Lam Wai Cheong has put together to photograph tattoos in pre-planned themes.

If you have a tattoo or know someone who has one and want your picture taken, don't hesitate contacting me :)

Oh and just so theres no confusion, no one really gets paid. Not even me. hahaha.

cheerz :)

Double trouble

2009-05-03T10:43:00.000-07:00

Cleanliness is next to Godliness

2009-05-03T10:23:00.000-07:00

Mahjong King

2009-05-03T10:12:00.001-07:00

Of Dreams

2009-03-24T21:49:00.001-07:00

The Melbourne Experience

Clouds of dark

2009-03-24T21:22:00.001-07:00

I loved you more than you would ever know

2009-03-10T08:32:00.000-07:00

One of the days I actually woke up in time for a sunrise with my camera in hand.

Title's a line from an old song that holds sentimental value.

Armageddon

2009-03-01T01:41:00.000-08:00