Woes of Sexuality - A Matter of Being Confounding and Confounded at the Same Time

I'll be honest. If I didn't discover the world of debates, or study in KL, I wouldn't be as open-minded as I am today. Somewhat. In some things, I remain as narrow-minded as I have always been, but personally, I think I'm really and honestly more open-minded than I was before.

This open-mindedness has allowed me to discover the wonderfully confusing world of gender identities and sexuality - and the more I delve into it, I'm still not sure whether I've become more enlightened, or still in the dark as I had always been. I still don't know whether homosexuality is natural or a choice. I still have to ask some friends if I should refer to them as 'he' or 'she'. I mean that was what happened when I first talked to my best friend (who shall henceforth be known as Lucky Stars, in order to protect his privacy - and in case he accidentally comes across this blog). This is more due to my upbringing as a Muslim, but there you go.

Recently I've identified myself as pansexual, after so many years of delusionally thinking that I'm the "awkwardly straight Muslim" among my peers from all walks of life - and all sorts of sexual identities. Pansexuality, what does it mean? At first I thought it was something to do with being "gender-blind", but as it stands, there's more to it than just not giving a damn whether or not your crush is a man, a woman, a transman or transwoman, asexual, gay, lesbian. etc. I'll be honest again: I like women just as much as I like men. Two women getting it on together is enough to raise my libido to the roof just as much as two men or a man and a woman having sex together. As for actually imagining myself in that situation, let's just say I almost never imagine myself in a sexual position. These things are still very awkward to think about for a Malay Muslim girl like me. except I'm not 100% Melayu Asli but eh

One of Dina Zaman's writing from her book "I Am Muslim" strikes a chord in me, though. An article about being Muslim AND gay at the same time. How can you live with such when they contradict each other? How can this man who has earned the title of 'haji' be very relaxed about his gender when the very religion he and I follow condemns the act of homosexuality? Or by what Allah SWT talks about the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, He was referring to the act of sodomy and not the people who identify themselves as such? There are men out there who have wives and are straight in every which way, yet they still can find time to fuck underage or preteen boys. This was something implied in Hosseini's "The Kite Runner", yo.

We need to think about these things, especially when too many so-called 'ulamas, ustazs and ustazahs' are laying claim to knowing everything and anything about this beloved religion. This is my 2 years of over-analyzing everything I read speaking. Goddamit, Literature class.

I still don't know where I stand now that I am fully aware that I'm pansexual. A Muslim pansexual could land herself in a lot of trouble. But for now, I'll ask my other friends who knows more than I do about this, and just be content with it.

Hey Guys, Let's Talk about Free Speech and Censorship! You guys like talking about that, right?

The US congress recently held a hearing on their latest bills, which is christened the Stop Online Piracy Act bill, or SOPA for short. If this bill passes, a lot of sites will be crippled - this includes Facebook, Tumblr, Youtube, Google and a myriad of third-party sites that serves to be useful to the community at large. It will limit creativity, cripple businesses that rely on online advertising on these sites (except for Tumblr. Tumblr doesn't really advertise unless the blogger installs ad apps), and all in all restrict freedom of speech. Which, as far as what little knowledge I have about US politics, clashes with its Amendments.

How will this cripple free speech? We all know that these sites aren't just there for you to post derpy things. People actually use them with a PURPOSE. Like reviewing products. Updating fans on the latest news on Supernatural. Or even talk about politics.

Even though it's unlikely that this bill will be supported, the thought scares you, doesn't it? Iran and China have already done it. Vietnam has already done it, according to one of my friends who live there. I hear Malaysia was about to do it (explains why I can't access the Pirate Bay with a Unifi connection, no doubt), so doesn't it frighten you that if heavy censorship is placed on the Internet, that means you can't talk about anything at all?

Here's a protip: if you don't want others to censor you, practice self-censorship. Know what you can write about and what you feel you'd be frowned upon if you write it. Although, admittedly I broke this rule countless times. It's not just merely vulgar words and such - sometimes you could be prosecuted for incitement, harassment or even libel. Which leads to my second protip: check your resources every time. It doesn't hurt to do a little research.

I'm not sure what else to write about, so I leave you with this question:

• What do you personally feel about freedom of speech? Is it a leeway for you to say anything, or do you feel that you do need to limit yourself?
• Can this be abused in any way possible?
• What are your views on censorship?

I haven't updated this blog for a long time - bear with me on this one! I'm going to have to have to give this blog a much-needed revamp.

Gasp, Whoops, Gee Whiz

Last post on April 25, 2011.

Blogging: You're doing it wrong.

So what's happening? It's now my third term studying A-Levels. Took me about 3 terms to finally realize I'm doing it wrong.

WHOOPS.

I really don't have much to say, other than "Hi guys. Sup. Expect more interesting posts soon. Bye."

Because I Need an Update.

Starting time: 12.30 PM


Name: Redha Attiya binti Abdullah Saidi

Sisters: Syaza Iwani

Brothers: Abdullah Ghazi, Abdullah Hadhri, Abdullah Wafi

Eye Color: Brown.

Shoe size: 10. *flails*

Hair: Shoulder-length and quite wavy due to being in a bun frequently

Piercings: None, I don't do piercing. o_o

Height: 160 cm. YEAH BBY YEAH

What are you wearing right now?: A T-shirt that presumably came from Sabah (it had a picture of an orang utan and the words 'Sepilok, Sabah' on it) and a 'kain batik'.

Where do you live?: Miri.

Favorite number: 9

Favorite drink: Tea.

Favorite month: January - because it's BIRTHDAY MONTH 8D.

Favorite breakfast: Something nice and piping hot, however simple. Sometimes curry puffs will do! <3


***********Have You Ever***********


broken a bone: Uh...

been in a police car: Nah. I wish I did, but preferably not because I committed a crime. HAHA.

been on a plane: Yes, loads of times.

been in a hot tub: I'd be in a hot  tub every time I have a chance!

swam in the ocean: Yeap.

fallen asleep in school: Yes.

broken someone’s heart: Um. Loads of times, I guess...

cried when someone died?: Yeah. But it was three hours before I realized what happened and start crying my eyes out. My first death.

fell off your chair: Yeah. XD

sat by the phone all night waiting for someone to call: No. Don't have anyone to call.

saved e-mails: I have loads of e-mails in my Outlook. :)

been cheated on: No.


***********What is************


your room like?: Messy?

what is right beside you?: A book and my phone.

what is the last thing you ate?: Bits of chicken.



———————-Ever Had- ————————-


chicken pox: Yes.

sore throat: Yeap.

stitches: Nah.

broken nose: No.


————————-Do You————————–


believe in love at first sight?: Yes. See, I'm a hopeless romantic.

like picnics: Yes!


———————————————————


who was the last person you danced with?: My niece.

who last made you smile?: My aunt's family and my sister.


————————–Who—————————


did you last yell at?: My niece, because she was being so naughty.

do you wear contact lenses or glasses?: Glasses.


———-Final Questions————-


what are you listening to right now?: Blackstreet ft. Dr Dre: No Diggity.

what did you do today?: Sleep, because I have a bad stomachache.

diamond or pearl?: Pearls FTW.

are you the oldest?: No. I'm right SMACK in the middle. What a bummer. >__>

indoors or out doors?: Depends.


——————Today did you———————-
(I thought you said that was the last set of questions! Dirty little piece of... >8U)

1. talk to someone you care for?: Yeah.

2. kiss anyone?: No.

3. get sick?: Yeah. :(

4. sing?: No.

5. talk to an ex?: Nope.

6. miss someone: Yeah.

7. eat: Not yet.


—————-Last person who——————


8. you talked to on the phone?: My roommate.

9. made you cry?: Nobody

10. went to the movies with?: Nobody.

11. you went to the mall with?: My friends.


——————Have you——————-


19. been to Mexico?: Why would I want to go to Mexico for?

20. been to USA?: Planning to.


——————-Random——————–


21. have a crush on someone?: Yeah XP.

22. what books are you reading right now?: World's Best Trivia.

24. future kids names?: Haven't really given it a thought.

25. do you sleep with a stuffed animal: No. Give me a plush Vegeta and I'll get back to you on that.

26. what’s under your bed: Bags.

27. favorite sport(s) to watch: Not interested in sports.

28. favorite place: Home.

32. who do you really hate?: Not pointing fingers at anyone.

33. do you have a job?: No.

37. What time is it now?: 12.47 PM

38. Done?: last questions? : NO MORE QUESTIONS BITCHES.

Gleaned from Adi - Wandering Souls

Update Is Needed. LAZINESS, GTFO!

Hi! I see I now have 415 Americans visiting my blog. Howdy y'all, how goes life in the U.S? And we have an astounding number of Germans too! Guten tag, Wie geht es Ihnen? :D

Ah, ahem,  I'm sorry, I've strayed a little too far off. ^^;

Well, life has been hectic. A little too hectic for my taste, actually. Catching up on studies, helping to manage my college's anime cons,  having my wireless fried. Yeah, life is totally hectic, it feels like my brains have been wonderfully fried to perfection.

In any case, I found that I haven't updated this blog in almost a month; why this is happening, I do not know nor do I really want to know. It's just there.

I need a break, but these days it seems impossible to get a break without forcing oneself to believe one is ill, with massive headaches and nausea occurring every morning and moaning to people that "Oh, unhappy illness! I am sick!" in a very Shakespearean tone. And the bigger problem is it stays there until you actually deal with it.

So I think I'll do something about it. Yes, that's it.

Every Day is Maulidur Rasul Day.

My country bans Muslim people from celebrating Valentine's Day. True stuff. But of course, this doesn't EXTEND all the way to Non-muslims - non-Muslims still have the free choice of celebrating Valentines'.

Now, the day after that, 15th February 2011, is Maulidur Rasul Day, or the day the Prophet Muhammad S.A.W was born. A question for you now is - why are so many Muslims making a hissy fit on Valentines' Day when Maulidur Rasul is made a grand day - when by right IT SHOULD BE CELEBRATED AND REMEMBERED EVERY DAY?

Personally, I don't agree with Valentines' Day. Valentines' is just an excuse to either waste your money on trivial stuff or get laid. It's simply lame. You can still spoil your loved one silly any other day. You could still get laid any other day (just so you know, I don't encourage you to go round getting laid either, okay?). So why do people have to create a specific day to show love when it's something you can - no, you're SUPPOSED to show every single day without fail?

Same thing goes for Maulidur Rasul. The Prophet Muhammad S.A.W. is a great man. He's a legend. He's everything a Muslim wanted to be, his beliefs and morals something we all want to adapt and apply in our daily lives. He is someone we should be remembering every day. Therefore, what is the significance of Maulidur Rasul when, by right, we should be remembering and showing our love to him every single day: in our prayers, in our doa, in our selawat, in everything we do?

Yes, I do know that it's to commemorate his birth. In the words of a friend, it's like celebrating your birthday. But Prophet Muhammad is more awesome than any of you, because billions of people will be there to celebrate it even after his death thousands of years ago. I'm not saying we shouldn't celebrate Maulidur Rasul, but at the very least, I hope you don't just celebrate it one day and then suddenly forget about him the very next day - or worse, just a few minutes after following the Maulidur Rasul parade in your area. "Buang karan aje kalau macam tu".

Le Crappy Review - Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King

Sexy monster ladies, a DBZ-esque tension system that increases your attack and defense power like heck, hard-to-level-up environment that makes you want to pull your hair out - admit it, you PS2 gamers do love Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King.

It's got a playable demo of FFXII? Hey, why wasn't I made known of this?

I'll admit though, I'm only a quarter into the game (got to find the Venus' Tear and be done with it) and even at level 16, it's a lot more challenging compared to other turn-based RPGs I've played to date (which, unfortunately, is severely limited to Final Fantasy), together with Chrono Trigger. I dunno about you, but I think I see a pattern of some sort - any Square Enix RPG game that has Toriyama's character design will leave you with a hellishly difficult level up process.

The merry team of DQVIII.

Nevertheless, the game itself is fun. The story begins with a curse: a king and his princess were cursed by a thieving jester who steals a scepter sealed within the king' castle - the king turns into a pathetic monster while his daughter turned into a horse. The course of the story is basically a quest to lift the curse off the king and the princess, and you play as the nameless hero (pictured with a red bandana and a yellow....cardigan?) who, mysteriously, is the only person in said castle unaffected by the curse. Add a bandit who turned over a new leaf, a sultry and rebellious heiress to a noble family, and a charming yet mildly lecherous young man of the church and you get an adventure like no other.

Welcome to the wide world. You're on your own now, soldier. 

The battle system operates the same way that has been the staple of many Square Enix games: turn-based. However, turns taken are determined randomly rather than having the main characters strike first before the enemy makes a move. The beauty - and frustration - of it is that you can never be sure who'll go first - you, or that Minidemon who's probably planning on launching a terrible Frizzle spell at you.

It's hero time! ....Wait a minute. That's a Ben 10 quote. o_o

One thing for sure though - definite DBZ-like references in battle. There's a 'psyche-up option that enables you to 'psyche up', which increases your tension. When your character's tension rises, their attack and defense power goes up a notch, and it always goes up in multiples of 5. When you reach 100, this is what happens:

A Super Saiyan? In MY Dragon Quest?! COOL BEANZ! 8D

Impressive, huh?

Of course, where will the battle be without cool techniques and spells to learn? Even though levelling up is hard like hell (My character, whom I've named Hiro [charming! A variation of 'Hero'!], needs 3000+ experience to reach level 17), coupled with hard-to-beat monsters (at least in my eyes), the benefits you reap from hearing the sound of invisible trumpets that indicates you've levelled up is well worth the trouble and the wasted medicinal herbs. Each character has a unique set of weapons they may master throughout the game (the only common thing being they can also fight bare-handed), and levelling up different weapons can gain you different abilities and spells with it. Uniquely, abilities are only learned with the weapon you currently use at hand, and cannot be used on a new weapon even when of the same type, so keeping old weapons is a good idea that will really come in handy.

I can't wait to get my hands on this ability.

The music itself is nice, classic and nostalgic. It provides a suitable atmosphere to the adventure, giving you the impression of a Middle-Age (if you can call it that) era full of might and magic, warriors and damsels in distress, ferocious dragons and powerful wizards, and - if slimes exist - lovable slimes. Frankly put, the music is what makes the game even more exciting.

I'll let you in on a secret: Before I picked up DQVIII, I had no idea Akira Toriyama did stuff other than Dragon Ball. So picking it up was a surprise; which is the other beauty of it, because Toriyama's style is so distinguishable from other mangaka. A little glimpse of odd-shaped eyes, and you just KNOW it's the handiwork of Toriyama himself.

Just so you know, I am a lady and I'm not a lesbian. I just find Jessica looks good like that. 

The only thing I'd be miffed about is the fact that levelling up is a great chore, but all that is nullified by the spectacular plot, charming music, and the insistently random turns you get in gameplay. Also, there are also a number of interesting sidequests you'll encounter along the way, and if you're a gambling fan....well, I've said too much already. Best find out for yourself.

What's that? You don't have a PS2? If I remember correctly, you're still able to play PS2 games on your PS3. What? No PS3? Then there's two choices: get yourself a PS2 (trust me, they're really cheap now) or a PS2 emulator (of which may require your system to be really top-notch in terms of graphics and RAM if you want to play PS2 games on your PC or laptop). Either way, I'll safely say that Dragon Quest VIII is definitely a game worth your investment.

Epic Keywords that Direct to my Blog. LMFAO

 

This is a little funny.

Almost none of these key words have anything to do with my blog. 

Almost none of them.

And yet these are the top key words that show up in my Blogger stats.

LMFAO. 

Note to self:  The "goku vegeta love" bit. Don't ask. XD

No, Facebook is NOT Shutting Down.

You probably heard about it already, whether from the Weekly World News site, frantic tweets and statuses from friends, or some other personal blog.

Just today I received news that Facebook will cease all operations on March on the grounds that Mark Zuckerberg (or however the hell you spell it) is getting too stressed from managing it.

First of all, the news is reported in Weekly World News. That supposed 'news' site has been known to post faux news - or fake news, as you'd like to put it - in their site. It's not credible, and cannot be trusted. If you actually believe in the site and its reports, then you're an idiot.

Secondly, with its gaining $500 million from Goldman Sachs and some Russian inventor in a deal, putting the company's worth to $50 billion, and an increasing number of members day to day (currently it's just less than 500 million), who WANTS to shut Facebook down? With them making great profits out of it while allowing many users to keep in touch and such, you can't expect Facebook to close down any time soon. It's profitable for Mark and them, profitable for us.

So CALM THE FUCK DOWN. Your favorite social network isn't going to kick the bucket just yet, and that's how it'll always be. Don't get your knickers in a twist. As long as they're making big bucks, they won't exit the market. It's simple business. If you're on the top of the competition, you're more likely to be able to last longer. Remember what happened to Friendster after the birth of Facebook?


So don't fret so much about the matter. Rest assured that it's not true, it's only a hoax, and keep living your life enjoying what Facebook has to offer.

Peace, brothers and sisters! 
 

Ma'al Hijrah - Let's Celebrate it By Making Changes

So, 1431 Hijriah is over and now we Muslims are steadying into 1432 Hijriah. It is marked so to commemorate the Prophet Muhammad S.A.W.'s migration (hijrah) from Makkah to Madinah. 

We should be reflecting on ourselves. What exactly in the concept of 'hijrah' is relevant to us today? A physical migration to a better place? Well, it would seem fitting, especially if you live in a backwater place that does not bode well with your senses and your overall development.

But 'hijrah' means more that just moving from one place to another (You CANNOT possibly keep moving to a new house every time Ma'al Hijrah comes now, can you?). It also encourages us to change ourselves and improve, which, by the way, is also a 'migration' in itself. From being deviant to being good. From being good to becoming better. From becoming better to being the best. And ultimately, shaping yourself to be an all-rounder - a new you, a you that's better than the you before.

 

As a young Muslim, I think it's also high time all of us rethink our situation in the past years. What happened? Oh, you know - 9/11, the London bombings, war in Afghanistan and Iraq, the controversy of the offending caricature of the Prophet Muhammad S.A.W., and most recently, Terry Jones' proposal of burning the Quran. It's high time we all should go back to our roots and re-think. What, if any at all, is causing so much trouble that people think our beloved religion should be made a laughing stock?

The answer is simply because we don't dare speak. Of course, Saudi Arabia and Iran is helming the crown of defense in reciprocation towards the West's accusations that Islam is a 'terrorist' religion (thank GOD these things are starting to change!). But what about those in countries like Palestine? Or Afghanistan? Or Iraq? The Muslims there seem to have little or no voice at all. Can you really blame them for responding by way of bombing themselves?

And now I'm going to start picking on the faults on the Muslims's side. The Hadith clearly states about relationships with Non-Muslims, ESPECIALLY when they are our friends and allies. The Prophet S.A.W. clearly says this: "Whoever hurts a Non-Muslim citizen of a Muslim state hurts me, and he who hurts me annoys God." (Bukhari) And he also goes on to say the following: "Anyone who kills a Non-Muslim who had become our ally will not smell the fragrance of Paradise." (Bukhari)

So then! Why the bombings? Why 9/11? Did these people take literally this infamous verse: Quran (2:191-193) - "And slay them wherever ye find them, and drive them out of the places whence they drove you out, for persecution [of Muslims] is worse than slaughter [of non-believers]...and fight them until persecution is no more, and religion is for Allah." ? The answer is simple and clear - many of us fail to take into account the social and historical context of the Quran and the Sunnah. That's why you see women wearing burqas, and men having such bushy beards. 

It won't be easy to do it. You cannot revolutionize Islam overnight. And there can be no way any perception about Islam can change now, seeing that what we have today is the end product of thousands of years of Islamic teachings. This is where the concept of 'hijrah' once again comes in: we can start moving from old perceptions and draw out new ones that are relevant to today's world. And it can start with the new generation. Who else do you think can do it? Not your grandma and grandpa surely!

 

In all cases, to those returning from Makkah after Hajj, I wish you a warm welcome back home. Your short hijrah to the holy city does not come without its rewards. How I wish I can go - I want fulfill my obligations while I'm still young and carefree - and I want to stare at the Ka'abah in awe again like I did 11 years ago. 

Last but not least, to all Muslims around the world all over, I wish you all a happy Ma'al Hijrah!

 

Peace, brothers and sisters! <3

Girls Will Be Girls - The Story of 'Gedik'

Let's say you walk in the streets of KL one day and you run across a bunch of giggling school girls (tweens, the lot of them), and imagine you don't understand a single thing they're talking about, yet you listen to them just as well. This is how their conversation would look like:

Girl #1: Eh, ko tau tak budak kat kelas kita tu?

Girl #2 and Girl #3: Mana satu?

Girl #1: Alaaaah, yang bajet hot ngan cun tue.. (okay, you know you can understand 'hot')

Girl #3: OOOOH! Budak tu ke? Eee! Tak tahan aku ngan dia tu! Asal dengan lelaki je, nak menggedik. Asal ngan lelaki je, nak menggedik! Geli aku!

Girl #2: Ko tau tak hari tu dia rampas boyfriend kawan kita si ******* tu?

Girl #1: Ye ke?  Eeee, jahatnya minah tu!

Girl #3: Aku benci budak gedik.

Girl #1 and Girl #2: *nods*

 By now you're probably wondering "WHAT IN THE WORLD IS 'GEDIK'? Have you watched "Mean Girls' before? Yes? No? Yes? If you had, then I can safely say that the gals in that story are the living definition of 'gedik'. Basically, 'gedik' is used to call a girl who are show-offs, think they're hot (and often, unfortunately they are =__=), and generally think the world revolves around them.

Would YOU want to be friends with these ladies?

Perhaps for the person living in parts other than Malaysia you have your own set of these girls. Often these are the very girls that create that maddening stereotype of 'cliques'. Frankly speaking they are the horror of your childhood or high school years. Nobody can stand them, end of story.

But I can't help but think the youth of my country are taking this 'we hate budak gedik' mentality a little too far, to the point that they feel their lives will never be in peace until these girls are properly eradicated and thrown six feet under the ground. In other words, they want these hapless girls DEAD. 

Even you wouldn't want to wish that overly-girlish girl sitting next to you dead, now, would you?

Mean as they are, they shouldn't be considered a bane in society.

Well, consider this - I was part of an 'anti-gedik' Facebook page, and I saw a lot of comments berating a girl just because she said belitting these girls is wrong and that they should be given a chance. Being the troll-in-the-making that I am, I went off trolling everyone and their dog about how silly their minds are, and complimented the girl for her profound wisdom. Actually there are a number of girls and guys with such profound wisdom that I feel I MUST add them to my friends' list. And the rest? Well, I find their reasons for hating these girls UNJUSTIFIED. Some even went as far as to - what - saying these girls came from the deepest pits of Hell! As a sane and intelligent person I am obliged to say "WHAT THE HELL?!"

Regardless of who you are and what you think, you cannot judge people just because they behave a certain kind of way. Just because they have the nerve to take your group of friends or your boyfriend away doesn't mean they are entirely to blame. Have you asked yourself as to why your friends or that boy you declared your love to chose that 'gedik' girl instead of you? Maybe the flaw is in them, and if so you are spared from having an even more miserable life. Perhaps the core of the problem lies in yourself. Maybe there's something majorly annoying about you that others just couldn't stand, and they see the other girl as much better than you are, as girlish and show-offy as she is. 

Think, don't judge, and keep your temper. It's easier than revolving your whole life making these girls suffer anyway.

And I'm Just Going to Share This...

Because this is one of the best works I've seen so far! X3 These babies here are in no way mine (doubt I'll ever be able to reach to such a high level of art proficiency XD), but they are the result of two separate commissions by a good friend, Kael.

These are just two of the commissions I had asked him to do, and there's another one coming. >:3 Even though they look simple but look at how amazing they are! I simply love his works so much - they're just breath-taking and simply professional.  I'm certain he'll go far in the field he's aspiring to be in. He sure will.

Anyway, if you want to see more of his works, you can either go to his deviantART page or to his art blog, which you can find in my list of blogs. :) Till then, bask in the glory of Kael's works!

And THIS is What the Word "Self-Evaluation" is Invented For!

You know it's a sad day when you find that all of a sudden you don't know what you wanted to put in your blog.

Oh well, I feel I live a bit of a sad life sometimes. What's that you say? JPA scholarship? Private college? "Everything JPA handle looo!" Ah, cheese it. Whoever said you get to lead the good life with a government scholarship is an idiot. Well.......of course, everything major that needs to be paid is paid by JPA, but but but the drawbacks are that I almost NEVER get in touch face to face with all the rest of my pals from high school. From Adi to Azureen, Syazwan and Mei Mei, King Hui to Faiz, Adib to Razia - oh hell, I missed them all dang it! And they get to go off for holidays for a month or so - and I get only 2 3-week holidays. THIS DOES NOT BODE WELL WITH ME AT ALL.

I almost wished I had turned down JPA and stayed in UiTM instead - but then if I did, I'd be really stupid.

Anyway, leave the emo stuff in the corner. Life ain't all perfect happiness, but it ain't all about sadness and sorrow (Hey that sounds like the Naruto song! 8D) either. Even though I might just die in the upcoming January A-Level examinations I have to say I'm still cruisin' through life. Heck, even my C2 Mathematics seem to be a breeze these days (except for some parts). In any case, the nearer I get to exams, the calmer I feel. It's almost like how it was during SPM - but that's probably because all tension and anxiety had been let loose earlier in the year.

And it got to the point where I was practically going the way Fred and George are doing up there. Can you see them? They're doing that "cruisin' through life" repertoire right there and I'm like "You guys sure had it easy don't you?" And in the end I found myself almost doing the same thing. BAHAHA

But of course, life cannot be that easy, and if you took it waay to easy - everything starts to cave in, you fall down, and you look up and hear this creepy voice saying "SHIT JUST GOT REAL, MUTHAFUCKA". And you'll go like this:

Umm. Maybe that's just way too much. Tee hee!

In any case, I try my best to focus, and keep myself from snowballing down below to the path of epic failure together with all my mistakes. I kinda feel something is not right with my life - I had it waaaaay too easy. Having it too easy just means that the worst is yet to come - so Redha! Be prepared for that! BIIIIG TIME!

On a side note

All Hail Megatron

OBEY OR I KEEL YOO.

Yes, the whole world gets to enjoy the All Hail Megatron comics, and, as a Transformers fan, I find myself seriously lacking this great comic. I hardly see the justification of being left out in the bandwagon of avid TF fans who actually get to read and enjoy the comics. Do you know how much they cost at my local bookstore?

About RM75+ in the least! 

Presenting the Battousai samurai of Cybertron! 8D

I'll have to admit that American comics these days are costlier and harder to get unlike manga. I'm tempted to blame the trend of manga preference these days for pushing away Western comics in order to fulfill the tastes of today's generation for manga. But that will be utterly superfluous, as Western comics still have it in them. Millions of people still love them and will pay good money to even get a copy. I bet the first ever edition of Transformers would sell for a million bucks if it was held for auction. 

You know he's plotting something. And Megatron knows it well!

In many cases, All Hail Megatron is one of those comic I would surely splurge my scholarship money on, even for just one copy. I'm attracted to the spectacular artwork, story and colors that splash from page to page, and what's awesome is that they present the everlasting enmity between the Decepticons and the Autobots in a rather interesting way, though I'm sure the notion had been playing in the minds of any die-hard Transformer fan. You know what I'm talking about! Decepticons win, Autobots lose. And the Autobots are fighting back. 

Megatron's a nice guy. Really.

So far all the covers you and I are seeing now screams "PROPAGANDA" at me. And whatever the case, they're doing an awful good job at it. With the likes of Shane McCarthy, Guido Guidi and Joanna LaFuente, AHM makes for an excellent complete package. And I'm not kidding. 

Okay, okay, I admit I did read the first edition of AHM from cover to cover (huzzah for bookstore assistance!) and I admit that I wanted to but it there and then (but after earning some dirty looks from friends I had to decide against it) right after reading it. AHM is just whole in nature - a great story and strong plot, reintroduction of memorable characters, and once again managing to bring in humans into the picture by presenting the Decepticons as a threat to their existence, depicting them as refugees, bringing in the military into the picture- yeah, if your country is under invasion of giant bloodlusting alien robots from outer space you'd do that too.

"Blow up whatever you can lay your hands on, boys!"

Of course, where can a story be without good visuals, no? As I said before, with artists like Guido Guidi, Shane McCarthy and Joanna LaFuente in AHM, it's little wonder you get so much thrill just reading it. I know I do, simply because my favourite characters like Starscream (hey, he's there! What a coincidence!) are in there! Words simply cannot describe just how marvellous the art and colors are. It is a feast to the eye, so to speak!

Screw it, forget budgeting and all - with All Hail Megatron, I could care less if I have to end up poorer than my friends again for the next term - I WANT ALL HAIL MEGATRON IN MY HANDS RIGHT NOW.

All Of A Sudden You Get to Be a Musician!

I'm a hopeless piano lover. Every time I'm at my aunt's house, I always find some time to play her piano - even though all I can do is play single tunes. XD

Since now people manage to come up with a multitude of audio creation software out there, it's not impossible that you could turn into a budding musician - all you need is your computer, a keyboard (duh) and a decent sound card. At least that's how it was in my case, apparently.

Of course, like all software, you just have to buy the best ones. Don't be fooled by the 'free-to-try' deals; they always have so much of a catch that it make you feel that you have to BUY it to get the real deal, which in turn actually puts you off and you decide to chuck the software into the Recycle Bin because you're sick of it.

Anyway, there are a good number of free audio software out there that you can check out, and it probably doesn't take rocket science or extraordinary musical talent to figure them out. In the meantime, I'm off to hit a few notes on my virtual piano. ^ _ ^

Just to Share With You Guys.

Windows Vista/7 Transformation Packs - Changing the Way XP LOOKS

Those who have seen my netbook in action probably think that it operates on Windows Vista. That's a delusion. My netbook is still running on good ol' XP (but I'm looking for an upgrade of course). This is because I'm using some installable theme you can use so that XP looks like Vista.

Well, recently I found some programs that allows you to change your system so that it LOOKS like Vista/7, but is actually XP, from the desktop view right down to the startup screen. Sounds spiffy, doesn't it? It doesn't change the system entirely, but it only changes the way it looks.

But to install it, the current computer needs to be able to even run the program. Now since my netbook isn't really that young, I made sure I keep it optimized as much as I can before running these kinds of programs, such as fixing registries. (Now, that is one of the most important things you have to do.)

Anyway, I'm going to give my netbook a fresh new look with a Windows 7 theme (for some reason they even managed to work the theme in such a way that it imitates a lot of how the real Windows 7 works). And if you're looking to at least feel like owning a Windows 7/Vista without actually upgrading your operating system, you can go to the link below:

Windows 7 Transformation Pack

Have fun with that. <3

Le Crappy Review - Lagenda Budak Setan (Movie)

I don't usually watch Malay romance movies, unless they're from Yasmin Ahmad or the likes of "Sepi" and "Cinta". Frankly speaking I rarely watch Malay movies at all. But today while in a friend's room, I have to make an exception for "Lagenda Budak Setan".

   

Frankly one of the reasons I was attracted to this movie is because it has Lisa Surihani in it. Shoot me, I love Lisa Surihani's acting so much, especially after watching "Adamaya" on TV. She may not be so talented but that girl has got potential. I don't even flipping care about Farid Kamil or Que Haidar because I know they can pull off their roles well - and they did.

Anyway, back to my unprofessional review. Let's recap on the background of the movie. This is actually an adaptation of a novel of the same title written yonks ago by sensational Malaysian author Ahadiat Akashah. And this movie is just the first part of the book. 

Now you know how adaptations are like. You either pull it off really well (the Lord of the Rings) or you can completely blow it (*cough*TheLastAirbender*coughcough*), or you can sit in the middle - it's neither good nor bad. Because I haven't read the novel yet, I cannot judge just how good the adaptation is.  

The characters are quite memorable, especially Kasyah (Farid Kamil). Malaysian girls, face it. How many Kasyahs are there out in the world anyway (okay, try not to put 'Farid Kami' Kasyah into the picture)? Bad boy turned good because he's in love with a nice girl. Has his dreams and virtues. Becomes the sweetest guy you ever did meet. Faces a heart-wrenching heartbreak when his beloved finally leaves him through death. What then? There's plenty going for Kasyah yet, so hold your horses. Ayu is portrayed by Lisa Surihani in quite a realistic way even though she's your typical female character - the character who's all sweetness and light (Yes! This is why Lisa is awesome!). And as for Azmi (Que Haidar) - well, dang, that guy is your typical villain with a very obsessive desire. And coming to think of it, we do have our share of people who are like that. 

One interesting element of the movie is the cinematography. To me the sheer camera techniques utilized in the movie was what made it interesting to watch. And they are applied so well in scenes, giving more impact on the scenes themselves.

The emotions conveyed in Lagenda Budak Setan, however, aren't really consistent. You can go to really drrrrramatic to a bit awkward the next. Let's take Kasyah's realization of Amelia being Ayu for example. That one was REALLY awkward, especially on Kasyah's part. And as for Ayu - well, she went from "I'm not good enough for you" to "Screw it, let's get married" in a matter of seconds. I personally feel that that was one of the worst scenes in the whole film. But take my word when I say that there are quite a number of scenes where the emotions are perfectly conveyed. Like when Azmi (Que Haidar) beat up Ayu and burned all her pictures of Kasyah right in front of her. You can just feel it.

 

Kasyah's relationship with Kate (Fazura) wasn't really portrayed well, but I guess that would be saved for the sequel, so I'll leave it at that. And the movie does feel a bit too rushed, especially towards the end. And sometimes the dialouge can come as very akward and too...well..."skema" in nature. I can only think that some of those lines have been directly gleaned from the book itself.

But I can safely say that it was a satisfactory film to boot - not extraordinary but decent enough to make you feel at least touched by the characters and story. In any case, because of this film, now I feel like hitting the bookstores and go searching for the original novel. Ahadiat Akashah, here I come!

P.S. Look out for the music. 

Because The Over 9000 Quote is SERIOUSLY OVERRATED.

This is a common rant from a decent Vegeta fan.

I guess everything Vegeta spews out is pure gold. Lines like "I'm a warrior! Not a variety of a flower!" and "Being a good fiend is like being a photographer - you have to search for the right moment!" are just some of the best lines he's ever spoken (maybe not the "being a fiend is like being a photographer" part, I guess, but you get my point!).

And who could forget the infamous IT'S OVER NINE THOUSAAAAAAAAAND! quote? I sure as heck couldn't. But it seems that I didn't realize how 'powerful' an effect this quote has on fans because I only knew about it last year.

Dang it Malaysia, this is why you should just forgo dubbing and show animes dubbed in flipping English instead! >.<

But even now I find this quote overrated. And when I say overrated, I mean REALLY overrated.

People. The over 9000 quote wasn't the only line Vegeta said in the whole flipping DBZ series. And Christopher Sabat didn't exactly do a good job in his rendition of that quote either (but he did it so well in the DBZKai dub). And it was supposed to be OVER 8000. This is already evident IN the manga itself!

And besides, apparently even Christopher Sabat is getting a bit tired of it as well. To those who have Facebook, you could probably see it from his own Facebook page (the official one, not his personal profile). THEY'RE ALL OVER THE PLACE.

Long story short, keep your Over 9000 quotes in moderation. Don't overuse it. Like all fads, it gets old after a while. This is the truth (sadly XD).

And besides, why settle for 9000 when you go for more than that?

 

P.S. The weekend's just around the corner! What's your plan for the upcoming weekend?

Take Control of My Life!

 

Goddamit Batman, stop pointing at me. I'm totally working on it, dang it! D:

College is taking up much of life, yet I'm still adopting the "cruisin' through life" attitude I had from high school. Yet I find it hard for me to find time drawing, or I just lack the motivation to do so. 

I miss drawing. I wanted to draw as much as I had in high school. Is this what it feels like to grow up? But what if I  don't want to grow up? 

 

I need a miracle to survive this. I'm so jealous of all my friends who aren't necessarily having it easy, but they do have more holidays than I have. :( I miss my family, my friends, my hometown. I do realize that I gotta do my best even if it killed me.

 

I suppose, however, that life will never be easy. I can't control that. BUT I can control what I can do about it to make MY life easy.

Anyway, in all sense of the word, I'm glad I haven't lost my head just yet. I'm doing all I can to overcome my weaknesses, honing in on my strengths, and also learning to manage my money. Life isn't easy, but it's not hard either. I can safely say that I can look at challenges straight in the eye and go

 

Peace, brothers and sisters! <3