This is the three variation of poster 2 for my film mother,please put your remarks in the comments section as to which one you like better as i will only maintain one poster per mother and child.
It's so easy to be happy...that's what a little child thought me...her mum is an immigrant worker at a squatter but that doesn't stop her from having outburst of joy saying 'KER-JA' or 'A-YAM'. It's wonderful how children are so carefree and in their little ways gives us so much hope.Froggie smiling...
Sorry for the lack of updates.slept at 1am...now already awake at 5.27am to start shoot on mother at 6.30 am...my time frame is very short but I am doing my best and praying it will come together for release on astro, mother's day.
He had rice mixed with chopped lamb, egg and carrots... I had mutton bolognese spagetti with cheese... We had dinner together over tv... Then we just sat lazily over more tv....when he suddenly realised... there was still bolognese sauce on my plate...and despite being the well bred basset hound...he wasn't spoilt and knew of the many starving stray dogs all over the world, so he refused to let the food go to waste... I named him foot stool...but seeing this fact...i should have named him dishwasher instead... Meet my new dog who I named foot stool...I adopted him over from a friend CY Phang.He used to be called jazz but i thought jazz was a stupid name for a dog so I renamed him...jazz is now his surname...he is a two years old pure bred basset hound and cannot be friendlier or lazier...but he will do anything for food...he doesn't do any tricks yet...but he can drink from a cup... and everytime i sit on my sofa...he'll come and lie down right infront within just the right distance to be a foot stool. so yeah...friends...next time you are in the damansara/ taman tun area...give a ring and come by to visit froggie and his new pal Footstool.
This is a little bit late...but I pledge to tell as many people
it may not be a great thing for one person to do it...but I pledge to turn off all power and sit in the dark for one hour nonetherless...I hope all of you, my friends will do the same...and do that little bit for the environment... =)
why do we love the zoo? well, wild animals of course =)
"Hey,we are gonna bring some orphans to the zoo tommorow...wanna come and help out?" my good spider friend said to me...I really wanted to but in my mind I was thinking...you need to work, work, work...
So I was initially reluctant...but then I thought...it's easter...i do good to make someone happy and I myself simply adore children...having taught sunday school and worked with children on my film...
my sunday school class
So off I went with only a three hour sleep the night before...with spider dennis and basset hound brother timmy...to the zoo with ophans.When we reached there...the other group that were suppose to bring the orphans were already there...so we immediately went into silly hoo haa mode...
and we quickly made friends with the kids...behaving slightly silly to break the ice...and the ice broke quickly...
help! I am caught in the middle of a hindraf rally!!!!
perhaps it's because I am a kid at heart or trying hard to be one...but I simply adore children...and I was so happy even though I had to try organise them by screaming my lungs out "lion's roar!!" and keep an eye on them constantly...
But we cannot blame them...as a child they have a wide worldview and the world seems so big and so magical to them that they will be almost impatient in trying to get as much in...it's nature's way to teach the young...
So I try to be as accomodating...I carried them on my shoulder...flipped them and talked to them...trying to be their friend...I did become popular because i could flip them...but I feel so unappreciated when they called me of all things...UNCLE! :(
I'd rather they call me friend...but it was all good...AS I was leaving...Megan said thank you...I think it's me who is in debt of a thank you. =) thanks to my two friends who invited me along...thanks for the wonderful people I've met...MEGAN,LAURENCE,MAY,ERIC,KEN and thanks to the children for all the smiles...all the smiles they gave me and all the smiles they put on my face.
I can't believe that at the begining I was actually thinking of going...I'll never think again...got children? bring it on!!! hehehe
This weekend is turning into a very holy weekend.The hindus, christians and islams all have significant religious event over this few days.
Yesterday was a public holiday, me and my trail trekkers group decided to go up to bukit tabur or bukit melawati. As usual, we plan to start very early in the morning at 6am(meaning with some group members obeserving malaysian time, we started at 7am). It began with a drive up to wangsa maju to meet a bunch of new friends gathered by aries(a self declared kampung girl who just joined us on our last trip) The drive up to wangsa maju was a beautiful one with a simply gorgeous sunrise ahead of us.
Upon reaching wangsa maju...aries informed us that on her side she has about 16 people coming...so plus the five of us,that's a whopping 23 people...well...okie.So as everyone gathered...it did become a big group...and it was a good opportuinity to go crazy...so I told them...the word for the day is hoo haa...once someone shout hoo haa...everyone would too...here's our practice...
And so with that...we set off on our adventure...
At first it looked like any other jungle walk albiet being uphill. However as we reached closer to the top...typical forest folliage started to thin until there was only a few plants left which dominated the landscape above...the plants had really thin string like leaves.The earth also gave way to rock face and here's where the fun began. It's a climbing trip and we were climbing allright and having alot of fun at it...The trail trekkers were really singing outloud, either that or it's just me...being hyper as I was climbing without a single wink the night before...but I am sure...I heard echoes from the rest....
Up above...there was gorgeous scenery to be had...also on hikes like this you expect to see birds...well as I thought that the yield of animals on this track was low suddenly we saw a whole flock of birds! It must be paper crane season!!!
Three of us also found God
The only flaw of the day was the stronger members of the group had to travel a little slower to accomodate the weaker new members of the group...and some parts...a few of us were too excited and ran ahead...frog is also guilty....much to the dismay of a loyal spider who has the principle of staying as a group...spider btw...will have his own blog posting on the day on his blog here...but eventually, we all did reach the end...which offers this scenery
To some it was a little bit of an anticlimax after a three hour trek across 'dangerous' cliffs but I day say of the journey, everyone had fun negotiating the rock face mountain ridge...enjoying the scenery, the nice warmth of the morning sun, friends, singing out loud like crazy and just being outdoors...here are some additional pictures...
This is a painting by rembrant of the biblical story 'the prodigal son'.The story(here simplified) is a simple albiet beautiful one, of a son who ran away from his father after taking his share of the family fortune coming home broke and world weary. He just wanted food and never expected anything from his father but despite his failings...his father ran out to him and just loved him and rejoiced for his son has come home...
Early this lenten season,I've attended a christian retreat...called the Prodigal Son I believe in God however...I don't feel God or my faith is somewhat a matter of sheer will to believe and not one that is a conviction of my heart...I decided to take time off to allow myself to find God again.
As I've said many times before...God has been good to me.For one, I am born healthy with great parents.I am blessed with good friends or have this job where I enjoy myself and make good money...I am essentially partaking in my hobby and getting paid for it.Will I be able to come from a simple Sarawakian family to Kuala Lumpur and without a degree enter the film industry and become someone who has directed a movie for the cinema?Don't get me wrong...I am not trying to be prideful...but thankful...thankful for all he's given me.
But despite him always giving to me, I have been the sinner.I have got lust and pride and though I stupidly say well,I've never killed anyone...someone blew me out of the water saying well...killing someone's spirit is killing...that I've done...screaming at people when I am angry.Yes I am the sinner.
So I went in search of absolution...but would a God whom I have been nothing but a shitty sinner take me home? Is this why my faith is paper thin or at least feels paper thin? Well...as I walked into the Loyala hall at St. Francis Xavier and I was greeted by my own home parish's Archibishop John Ha..."Nice to see you here Linus, where is your brother..." I already felt home...
Minutes later...we sang together softly and gently jesus is calling...calling for you and for me....come home, ye who are weary come home...I wept...like a baby. It was a crazy outpour of emotion from me...and I wasn't even trying to be affected by it...I was just swept by the fact that I can always go home...Later...as I was kneeling in prayer...seeing nothing but the cement floor between my feet...I cried again...and like a flush of toxins coming out...I felt great again...I am allowed to come home...no wait, I am very much welcomed home...
only the sight of my feet and cold concrete floor...and yet as i knelt...I felt an alarming presence of peace...and I cried...of sadness and of joy....
... the poor boy who is in the father's midst is bald in the painting...while this can be observed that he was a slave for a while after losing everything...do notice that it is also the head of a fetus...one of pure and innocence...you can have grace and salvation again no matter how bad you've been... =)
So for any of you weary and in need of rest...know that you are always welcome to home...don't reason...don't think...don't try to be holy...just come home....
Come to me,all of you who are heavy burdened and I will give you rest" Matthew 11:28
Have a great holy thursday, a good good friday and a wonderful easter...
"Looks mum...i've got toxic drums...." is what I'll say had I been about 7 years of age and made these...today...I'd say the same but I rather say..."Look mum...your son is still playing with paint and he's 28 and earning from it!"
Who says art don't pay...but it's good mothers everywhere believe so...less men more share. But honestly...I tell you...art pays...it makes me have a pretty good life and so satisfied with what I do...
I am currently at work at a new stop motion animation...it's not a job...it's not anything for money...that's what people assume all working people should do everyday...make money, make money, make money....I am happy that I have a job where I can be always actively creating and get paid for it but I decided early on that in this life I will not do everything for money...I am not a slave to it...
It's a new animated (cartoon if you will)short film of a story that I want to tell. It's about our environment and what matters most in life....friends,love and life itself. You all have to see the finished film to enjoy it but for now let me share with you the little steps in making this film and how fun it all is.
Stop motion is an old animation technique where you create all the props and film them on a camera frame by frame to make an animated film...it's labor intensive and heavily utilised prior to the computer taking over everything but now it's largely a loss craft...so why do I do it and don't i just make it on a computer....
Well...it's hard work but it's alot of fun this way...
In the story...i need a toxic drum...as I illustrate in my storyboard
and so I set out to make them...recycling old soft drink cans....
i also need a drain...and so...
out come some old cardbox(from product packaging...I am enviromentally friendly)...snip snip...glue glue....paint paint and you get
drains....the reason why it's made in two so that it can be pulled apart to accomodate the camera...
well...as you can see...i am having alot of fun...wish to have the same fun? start doing stop motion animation yourself!!!! :P For those interested...I'll update on my stop motion project here from time to time! I am currently being assisted by Dennis Teh on the creations of this film. :)
Sorry readers...been away from blogging for awhile. Quite alot happened in my life since Chinese New Year.
I've broken up with my girlfriend and it sadly seems like it's for good.
I decided to up my ante and hiring two permanent fulltime staff, my company has always been operating on managing a strong base of freelancers. This two full time staff are great and despite not being demanding in terms of pay to help me adjust, they are still a financial responsibility. I am also trying to be a good boss understanding to their needs and also to always motivate them.
My movie was on ASTRO channel 333 and is the top 5 film for the chinese new year period.
I went back to church in a bigger way. I confessed all my faults and sins and cried that I was free and accepted home.I now want to be more committed to my faith.
Now...I am getting myself ready to do my first big commercial feature film while trying to win a contract to have the financing for it.Also I am trying hard to expand by doing bigger and better jobs.
Now I am also trying to commit to update this blog regularly.
I think this film ' One Rat Short' speaks so so so much on love...it's a very special and beautiful film. I bet you'll love it...i applaud the makers and wished i can make films this good....
it goes to show....eloquently how love can be so simple n sincere.... and can exist such coincidentally in such chaos.... and be so beautiful and yet tragic all at the same time...
sometimes we who are in love don't realise what a gem we have... sometimes we know we have a gem yet we have to let go... I pray I can love sincere...I pray I'll be loved sincere... I pray for you guys too...
The slideshow above is dedicated to my beautiful, very sporting and really cute though slightly cina-beng girlfriend (then again, i am quite cina pek)...Zhiling Chia. She's currently an aupair in America. We have had a long distance relationship for the last year or so....
I would be so happy to be hers but this valentine's day is a little sad for me as my girlfriend whom i love very much has left me. And though we had small breakups before...this time it may just be the real end...and so froggie is sad...It's not her fault...nor mine but our fault. As we are people from different walk of life...we have different ideals,wants and needs.And sometimes...arguements comes from the differing ideals....I can be quiet an ass sometimes...and I guess I was in this arguement wanting to of course win it...and well...she left me.It's funny how the arguement didn't matter anymore...I let her win it now.... I really tried to win her back...she's very much everything to me and despite having some flaws, she is a wonderful wonderful girlfriend....
dear...I am truly sorry...
I m imperfect dear but I feel it's not about perfection but loving inspite of the imperfection and possibly being romantic by finding perfection in togetherness.
also, dear...please don't say you want to be strong and don't want to be emotionally dependent on me...I want to be emotionally dependent on someone...I think that's why God made us in two...I am dependent emotionally on you because I love you...
dear...I am lonely because you are so far away but so long as you are my girlfriend at least I am not lonely at heart...now i am lonely at heart and it's not nice.
I am stressed out thinking...if we will still be...I can't close my eye because i'll see you and it's painful because you're not mine
dear...we had wonderful memories together...I don't want just those memories....I want you...more of you...
dear...I already love you alot and you know that. say you love me...and you'll have me.I am sorry...Happy Valentine's Day...
That aside...I was at the cinema for valentine eve...while there were many people there with flowers and their girlfriend/boyfriend that made my mind sort of wonder to my own sad situation above I was happy with people I love on the eve of valentine's day. I was with my grandfather, brother, father and granduncle...
I brought my grand-dad to the movie Rambo as he was the one who made me want to be a filmmaker and the rambo series of movies were one that we shared long ago...Rambo: First Blood, Rambo: First Blood Part 2 and Rambo 3...classics! Well...traffic in town was horrendous so I m glad we got there with enough time to settle my granddad into his seat before going out to buy him a drink....i want a cold mix hot milo...because hot may be too hot for the old man....I told the girl...she gave me the ??? look. First pour in the cold milo...then add some hot onelah...aiyor...but she obliged after i explained....
A quick review of the film... It felt very short...it was straight to the action brutal shit....there's no middle bit where the film gets it's intellectual meat...it's hey...lets just just start, establish a story as quick and straight to the action. But it's not a bad thing...somehow Stallone after all these years knows how to tap into the male pyche of liking to see a hero brutally kicking butt and that's exactly what he delivers to the dot. It's not your typical Rambo movie where he works alone....this one her has a bunch of mecenaries...these add on characters were cutboard cut-out with the usual 'baddie'good guy who gets his fair share of pain and gets stared down by stallone and the good soldier plus the extras for killing off...the usual.
One thing that stand out were the lines....awesome and somewhat philosphical like "how ironic it is to send the devil to do God's work"or "Live for Nothing or Die for Something" or the one where he asked "Are you bringing weapons? If you're not you're changing nothing" There were some point in the film which i feel could have been further polished to make great moments but somehow were wasted.One was the one where he had to run from an exploding british bomb...that could have ended with a signature action movie signature jump but it didn't. Still I enjoyed it...but i wish my girlfriend was there with me....wait...i wish i had a girlfriend....
So yeah...a bittersweet valentine for me.....
A belated Happy Chinese New Year and Happy Valentine's Day everyone.
So what makes me happy or what is a happy moment for me? When i was wanting to write a blog entry about being happy...I immediately started to think...what makes me happy? at which point...i stopped myself as i wondered...must i make an effort to be happy? must I think what is a happy moment? am i such a sad contrived person that being happy takes effort? and suddenly...it just popped out...being happy can just mean being happy...and so i just begin to write...
about three weeks ago....i was with a friend and her little 10 year old nephew calvin...he was obviously unhappy as he was getting very little attention.We then went for sushi for lunch...at lunch...my friend dipped her sushi in wasabi to which her nephew asked..."auntie, what is that?" The aunt,my friend subsequently replied...it's wasabi...it's for man only. This was an obvious tease to the little boy as he was always fond of tapping his chest with his fist and declaring "I'm the man!!!" And so...when her auntie prompted further by pushing it to him and saying you're the man aren't you? He quickly took one sushi...plomped it into the wasabi and quickly into his mouth...he then...raised his hand...placed it at the back of his head...shake his head...shake his head violently...and then he reached out for something to drink...he grabs the green tea...but that's smoking hot...so too bad...he just sad there...his hand clasped his face....and then tears streaked out.
Me and his auntie had a great laugh....yes, it was kinda cruel but if you think this is my posting for being happy...no it is not....well maybe...for us...but i am not that evil...
Calvin was really pissed after that and refused to talk to his aunt anymore.Not even if he died and gets reborn...he will not forgive her....she is the devil (pronounced d-vil)But as I was still in calvin's good book...though I somewhat played a part...hehehehehe... I offered to pacify him....I told her 'auntie' to leave him at my house...I'll fetch him home later.
At my house...I first brought calvin to the park....to feed monkeys....i told him to show a scary face so the monkeys will be intimidated and wouldn't come near him.this is how to be a man!!!! he started to smile...I was his brother....then I brought him back to my house....I was thinking of other ways to make him smile...hey, my car is kinda dirty.So I told calvin....hey calvin...wanna wash my car? we race okie...you was one side...I wash the other....
So we went back...settled on the middle line...and began washing....he tore his sponge to two to speed things up...we went next to neck....I finished first,I won! then he pointed out that i missed a spot...so as I washed that spot...he declared himself the winner...but then...I inspected his side and he missed a tire...
That night he has forgiven his auntie....it's amazing how monkeys and a carwash can make him forgive her auntie when even dying and being reborn won't.....It's funny how effortless it takes to be happy sometimes....maybe we should all try to be happy....wait, maybe we shouldn't try at all....just be happy!!!!
this blog is part of a happy competition...to write a happy blogpost.... I kinda like the idea of the contest....and so here is my entry. There is a 5k prize at stake for the best post....so do join if you wanna chance to win the cash or need the cash. Or if you wanna help me win it...log on to the site...and vote for me.For entry details or to vote for me click on the happy smiley below. If I win it...I have already decided that since it's extra cash for me, I will use the money to make some homeless kids happy... because i get so happy making a kid happy.... regards to you all my new friends who's popping by for the first time from the happy contest... do pop a message if you are a newcomer here...
Sorry that froggie been away awhile...i have been like working like mad before chinese new year break...what's working like mad? well sleeping bout two three hours....work the entire day ...sleep two three hours...work work work...the perks? i can finish enough work that i can have an 18 day chinese new year break after...but the bad part? I was torturing myself more or less....finding myself yawning and tearing while pearing into a computer screen...but my body stayed strong and loyal...
i was packing like mad before I come home...and guess what...it's as if my body knows...it's home...it's time to fall sick so this crazy fellow will finally rest...if not i be overly excited and running about like crazy yumcha-ing with friends...and so my body crashed...
I have a fever...
a fever is a funny funny thing....when you get it...you just ache all over, good home cook food taste like crap and you feel both hot and cold at the same time....you feel like dying...but you are not actually dying...you're just miserable...as you sweat you are hot...and sticky but you cannot shower...paracetamol sort of hides the pain awhile and then you feel so alive....but then if you take it for granted you get sicker right after it wears off...sigh....
but it's good to have a fever...when you feel so bad...it means you can only feel great after or it lets you appreciate more the time you feel great...and it's good to test out your body's immune system...to perk it up...because a fever afterall is your body trying to fight off an infection and regulate itself once again...
so yeah...feeling half asleep all day and drowsy....going from the bed to the sofa...sleep more...shift to another chair...sleep somemore....recuprating...in kuching.
no worries...froggie won't die...at least he thinks he won't...or if he does..well at least it's at home :P
"Linus..." the voice that greeted me on the phone one afternoon sounds distinctively familiar...."Marcus here"it added and with that I greeted in return with an enthusiastic hello.
12 years ago...Marcus,my brother Aaron and I met every afternoon for a single purpose. To practise our stunts with one another(in other words...to play).All three of us idolised Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Jean Claude Van Damme, Jet Li in equal measure and had the same crazy idea...to become stuntmen or better still... action stars. We would learn how to tumble and flip and would try just about anything...an unexpected fall from a crazy stunt being a measure of coolness and a badge of honour of sort...
It can be said as fearless crazy times...we played, we bickered, we fell, we hurt one another, but in the process had great fun and became friends. Marcus had a little formal taekwondo training but we all just learnt our tricks by Bruce Lee's principle that all men having the same set of two arms and two legs were capable of the same physical abilities...and with that we copied our moves from a Jackie Chan film or any other action movie we could get hold of.
Here is a small video I prepared a long time ago on what our life was like...
Yup...and this is less than half of it...we also played in construction sites...climbing up half built building, lamp post and even piling machines....
Occasionally, me or my brother will get a sprain arising from these crazy stunts...and our dear mother will first repeat her usual nag...ah..play somemore...come on...play somemore....then we would require nerve massage treatment from a traditional chinese master..."He was hit by a racket playing Batminton" my mum will say as she was rather ashamed of our kicking and jumping..."He slipped playing Batminton"yet another white lie..."He got hit by a shuttlecock" my mum expertly creates more excuses. If the master didn't know better...he probably think Batminton is a really horrific aggressive game.
About three years later...we parted ways...Marcus went to Canada as his family was migrating there...while I went to study in Kuala Lumpur and Aaron was finishing highschool in good old Sarawak.
All of us when on to working in the film industry...though not as what we initially wanted to be...stuntmen...however...our few years as amateur stuntmen has played a role in getting us where we are...as we do not fear falling and always dared to take the leap...and truly...I savoured every fall as much as every joy.
I am not asking other kids to do what we do (don't kids...it's dangerous...your mum may see it and get a heartattack)...but I feel sad that most kids nowadays don't play outside anymore or don't even venture out of their comfort zones, go exploring with other friends...sometimes nowadays parents are too careful with their kids...sure, we had cuts, bruises, dislocated bones and were even running for our lives from dogs but we are still walking and most importantly smiling :p
It's been so many years...but as I fetched marcus from his hotel out for a chit chat...he looked pretty much the same..."buddy" he greeted me with a handshake....i didn't shout aloud but I was very subtly overjoyed, smilling and happy seeing a friend again after so many years. "...nice to see you again" he adds taking the words right out of my mouth....
Me, Marcus, Aaron - 4th January 2008
Today
Marcus Sim - 27 currently a wala-wala(background vocal sound effect)artist and coordinator. Though straying away from making his own films, he has been acting small roles in series like Dark Angel, yes the Jessica Alba show and is going into real estate.
Linus Chung - 28 does corporate videowork and small commercials for a living, while slowly sharpening and improving his filmmaking skills.Has just completed a feature film 'A Note of Love' under his own company.Acted in small roles for malaysian films SEPET and 1957.
Aaron Chung - 25 A director of photography who shoots various films, commercials, telemovies and music videos.Also acted in realiti and kopitiam.
Living Life to the full...I hope to live by the principle that success doesn't mean making a tonne of money though I am blessed that i do make a decent sum...but success equates to appreciateing all the God given wonder this world has to offer before my time is up...
