Happy Merdeka Everyone

a Frog on Flags and a Happy Merdeka day…

Merdeka means independence and on the 31st August of every year, Malaysian’s would go out in full force to celebrate our ‘Hari Merdeka’, our Independence Day or so hoped the ruling party. It’s now 5.30 pm, I am working on my computer and thinking what can I do tonight to usher in Merdeka day. Was pretty busy, so didn’t make advance plans; so there’s nothing on the cards yet for me. Standing alone in my room and singing the negaraku at the stroke of midnight accompanied by the live broadcast on TV feels pretty lame…so I do feel like getting something on the cards and quick. I message one of my friends…hey any plans for tonight? Expecting a yeah, let’s go celebrate Merdeka with the crowd, I get instead let’s go shopping…it’s the last few days of the mega sale. Another friend said yeah…Redbox and karaoke…very patriotic presuming they are there to sing negaraku, but the chances of them crooning bad renditions of pop tunes are far more likely.

Thoughts got me hungry…I decided to go downstairs and acquire an Otai Burger (A new variation of the Ramli has surfaced it seems, Mc Donalds watch out). Things doesn’t seem so ‘Merdeka’ but at least I have got my flag flying from my window…I thought as I peered up between the leaves to see my flag. It was unsettling, in my hugely overpopulated high density condominium block, there’s only a mere 4 flags. I kid you not….In the whole six apartment blocks that made up the Kelana Puteri Condominiums, I hardly see any more than 10 flags…inclusive of two on the guard house placed by management. A glimpse at Kelana Putera down the road fared no better…the two blocks in my view had a Malaysian flag count of 0. More prominent were TO LET and FOR SALE call 012…. signs.

After getting my burger and going back up to the apartment a malay dude gestured at me and I said to him, ‘satu block bagunan besar, kurang 10 bendera…’( One huge apartment block, less than 10 flags…)He laughed in agreement...but remarked…ya, kerajaan tidak bagi kita, mereka patut beri…(Yes, the government didn’t give us the flag, they should give it to us…) For crying out loud, are you that poor you can’t buy one? I said at heart…sampai hati kata macam tu ( he really can have the heart to say that!) golly, so if I look out of my apartment window and the scarcity of the flag in kelana jaya area must be an appalling indication of onset poverty? Can’t buy a flag….good golly…

Anyway, there are many buildings in the city out there with flags and declaration of merdeka aplenty, there are cars enveloped with flags, there are beautiful commercials firing our spirits on TV…but I just wish…I just so wish that here in Kelana Jaya, admist the ordinary folk in my condominium block and its surrounding areas and you my dear reader would be so grateful as to fly the flag…maybe not this year but please remember next year. As I type this, there the sound of a flapping flag outside my window in tune to my pecking of the keyboard…it sounds nice…to my friends and all Malaysians out there… a Happy Merdeka Day!

Writer's Note: Blog version...Original writing much longer slated for magazine publication later.

Recharge Revelations and a Working Frog

I was introduced to raves and parties from work actually, being one much preferring the solitude of a good book, the breeze of a beach or the greens of a jungle. Now some of my friends think I work the coolest job in the world…I like to think so too…who doesn’t like to think his/her job is cool? but a friend of mine, training to be in the medical field has a job so,so,so,so much more interesting and cooler…even in her studies, she cuts up dead people for forensic , deliver babies…and a whole lot more…I guess it reduce my work to quite cool, much better than office work anyway heheheh… but the key word here is the word work… part of what I do is to provide MCP (multi-camera productions) and videography for event coverage. In short, I get paid to go to events and provide video work whether it is shooting the event or set up a multi camera production. Hence how I find myself… camera, microphones, video lights and tripods at hand in Recharge Revelation beach party in Port Dickson on the 20th August 2005. All ready to provide video coverage for the party …But who wants to know about work right? Let’s talk about Recharge Revelations…

For some, an avenue to beat the stresses of a modern workday, for others the avenue to beat boredom from not working and loafing about at home anyway, for rebelling, for music, for dancing, for picking up chicks…for partying… 23 000 people found reasons to show up, get tickets and fill the two dance floor (Recharge and Revive) of Revelation, there’s at least 1-2000, I guess that’ll sneak in without tickets and another good 2000 more standing outside not having a ticket. The last revelation was held in Genting, this time it’s at the beach as Genting didn’t really fancy the crowd cramping up it’s system anymore after the jam packed Zoukfest in March this year.

So down to the beach we go… and the fun to be had from this party. There’s the usual cigarette girls who would peddle a box to you every ten feet, superstar DJs that spins and puts the crowd into a trance fusion of blissful dance decadence and of course his loud music that feels like an extreme pace maker if you walk pass a speaker. Some party people really have hearts and eardrums of steel as they stand a whole night in front of these speakers oblivious to it. But incase someone need some reprieve there’s a recharge spa where you can have a rub down…but the quality of the massage is dubious as I belief the masseuses to be selected more on look than any true massage skills. In addition to that, there’s a cool down juncture where there was a rain of water coming down for anyone to dance in the water. A brilliant and quirky idea were a few big beach balls that were left for anyone to toss about and have fun...they were really tempting me to quit work. Now, I wonder what’s my strange affection for BALLS…to move on, Revelation also had a place to dine and tents where you could get freebies and drinks.

To complete the picture, a ferris wheel with a clever twist...as you jump into one, a ‘loved one’ at hand and go wohhoooo! an opportunity to be alone and make out, you hear jeers and screams of delight from the crowd…yes, there’s a camera setup in your private domain and it’s broadcasting live for all to see on a huge screen....that is if they all aren’t already too busy peering over at the vast amount of skimpily dressed bodies of both boys and especially girls. Some where even pouring beer all over themselves… Well at least, it’s not Genting…they wouldn’t catch a cold and this is a beach party so who am I to be prudish… As the party went on… sometime late into the night, fireworks and a zeppelin proudly proclaiming the words REVELATIONS filled the sky…ahh…the music, the lights, the crowd, the wet bodies, the wonder…the work… reebit! : p

P/S the Cross is the picture above was a picture taken from a guy’s shirt…amongst all the ‘heavenly morale’ things at the party there was this cross blinking sumore!

someone : )

we emailed...we sms...we called...we met...we to be continued

someone...

Recharge Revelations at Port Dickson is over...pretty cool beach party...will blog about it later...but anyway...smiled to someone who smiled at me when I was there...then we both sort of like ask 'do I know you?' at the same time... then we found out that we really didn't know each other...but started chatting for a while.....someone from One Academy who studies advertising and has a pretty smile...I didn't get your number!!! ahhh kicking myself now...hope you find your way here as I told you my blog...if I am right and you like to have coffee somewhere...do email me your contact at linus_frog@yahoo.com.... otherwise...leave me a message herelah...

Linus

Frog : Episode 1

In the year 2000, I made a little film called Demolition Frog. It's a story that I had to tell about a little frog taken from his family in a rice field to become the subject of cruel laboratory tests. The frog is left in a beaker yearning for family and home.I guess it's a release of buildup of angst I have against the mistreatment of animals by us, the self appointed rulers of the universe. The film's success and subsequent screening in film festivals in France, Manchester, Phillipines and Thailand was largely unexpected...but I am needless to say very happy.Being more determined than ever and ambitious, I wrote a second story Frog:Episode 1. It's a prequel, this time it's my small comment about our we seem to take our environment for granted...seems kinda timely seeing the haze and all... but I never got started having my attention being taken away by firstly trying to get a sponsor for the project and then my other interests of painting, my gradually building and busying career, SEPET, my other project Ordinary Miracles (tentatively shelved due to a lack of budget and me not wanting to compromise on a story of my beloved hometown of Kuching)

That's the problem with the practice of art and creating anything...it really only take the initiative of being able to pull yourself away and committing to something...and yet that is in itself asking alot...from the idiotic distractions modern life tend to throw at us.I mean nowadays even important family matters are sometimes put aside and left to mount into huge problems in the course of a busy day...however, it is strange to note that while matters of self and heart gets placed aside, most of us would eventually finish work that brings in the dough...goes to show how important money really is huh?

Demolition Frog was a clay animated project. It's a traditional form of animation that is done physically; the shot being made from posing clay models instead of manipulating pixels on a computer...needless to say, it's an ardous task. So why do it? I have friends who are telling me to tell the story with software like maya or lightwave... but I much rather do it with clay...why? Well, there seem to be certain sentimentality, a feeling, a romantic quality to clay. When I was in Thailand, I marveled at the temples…the small drawings that filled the massive temple walls each in it little way gave the place its total charm. It must have taken ages to do those drawings which aren’t in anyway manufactured…but slowly hand drawn by artisans. Hmm…In some ways we have de-evolve as it seems we are all less and less reluctant to put heart, sweat and time into doing something worthwhile but want to emphasize on as fast of a turnover and financial profit…and hence why, not to be a hypocrite, I am doing it the hard but gratifying way…I want the frog films done with clay… (I intended to do Ordinary Miracles with cell…25 hand drawn frames a second)

Two out of three young people, answered my offer to work on Frog. One’s a student the other a freelance graphic designer. They were like everyone, busy with their own lives, but they loved the story at hand, were concerned and they called as we were building up to the starting day…one didn’t take my offer even though she initially told me to give her a chance and said she like to try out productions. I guess she wanted the more glamorous acting type roles and balked when I said the words ‘hardwork’. Ah well…two out of three ain’t bad.

So we started on the 12th of August 2005, wie jie showed up at my apartment at approximately 2.30pm, I jumped out of bed from a really late night and we began… he was new to this so it’s up to me to gauge the task at hand and instructed him on what to do. Firstly, we evaluated, sized up the scope of the project and what we had to do…then we started….We worked humbly, seated on the bare floor of the living hall of my apartment with low chairs wrapped in newspaper serving as our table and work space…there isn’t any air conditioning but it was quite cool…the haze was went away on the day we started work (I initially wanted to reluctantly cancel due to the haze)…God’s gift I suppose… Later that day, Hooi Yee joined us…she’s also new to clay but a trained classical animator. Over two days, we modeled leaves, trees with wire and paper, we fashioned land from plasticine, we painted toy tractors and flavoured them to look more like authentic dirt and rust filled vehicles. Every once in a while we stopped to have a break and discuss directions we are heading, sometimes we scoured my animated film library for inspirations… As we worked, all the while we joked…talked about stuff (some dirty…cheng! cheng! cheng!) and I guess had fun…hard work isn’t all that bad.

So the journey has started….I am very… no freaking happy…I finally pulled myself away from trivial distractions and life’s sometimes stupid busy-ness and got started on t Frog Episode 2. To wie jie (who I jokingly call wicked) and hooi yee…my many and sincere thanks…and let’s hope that we follow this good start and finish a great film…

NOTE:
Frog : Episode 2 is self-financed meaning I am paying out of my own pocket. Cost include raw materials, technical equipments and expenses, petrol and transportation expenses, meals for crews and other miscellaneous cost. If excess money is raised, volunteer crew will be paid. Anyone else SERIOUSLY interested to contribute to this film…whether as a volunteer crew or to offer some financial help whether big or small do contact me at linus.frog@gmail.com with the heading HELP FOR FROG FILM. Sponsorship welcomed whether in money or in kind - equipments. Credits can be arranged, while gratitude and thank you‘s’offered with all my heart. When done, I hope to sell the film on VCD with proceeds benefiting the Malaysian Nature Society or another environmental based charity(as yet arranged)

Inquisitive Malaysians

I fell asleep early last night, actually I was just taking a cat nap seated on the floor while resting my head on my bed but I somehow fell asleep and crawled up semi consciously onto the bed later. Too tired from not having slept the night before…I awoke at 4 am and being quite awake I decided to get my butt up to do some housework…putting laundry into my washing machine and collecting used bowls that littered the apartment. Romantically musings that I would be moving out of here soon, my home of six years…
I will be moving to a house next to a park with a pond, waterfall and turtles…a more froggie happy environment as opposed to this, a over populated condo next to a highway with some uncivilized people often defacing the lifts and the walls. But it has been a good home for me…I will miss it.

Then suddenly, I heard a police siren…then like how thunder follows lightning…a screeching sound and a bang! There has been a traffic accident on the highway again…I hear a crash approximately three times a year….my current apartment face the highway outside the new giant kelana jaya and it is like the perfect accident spot…screech bang screech bang…screech bang is as common as the mat motor and their oh so silent engines at night.

Anyway, as I was peering out of my apartment to try and see the crash but as of the haze which is bad…I can’t see anything much…and being the ever inquisitive (Kay-po in a better word) I decided to drive out and see what’s wrong…upon reaching the site I saw a police car and a civilian vehicle banged up. Nested my car on the side of the road, grabbed my camera and went on to be inquisitive…

This is hear say from the crowd of other inquisitive people that began building at the site. A police car was rushing down the road going the opposite direction of the traffic chasing some mat motor in a lethal weapon style. Civilian car unaware crashes into the police car…mat motor gets away…leaving an accident site with a growing number of spectators…Nobody died but I heard the two police men broke their legs while the man in the car was totally fine and walking about having only a glitch in his neck that he was trying to shake off from the looking of his car…the scene was very muhibah…there were Indians trying to help out, Malays trying to wave at oncoming vehicles to slow them down and Chinese busily taking down the car plate numbers…there on, pictures speaks a thousand words so I shall leave you to that….

After 30 minutes and having enough I decided to leave the scene…there were also angry looking police officers with what looks like an M16 so I don’t want to be shot accidentally…people with SLRS could be prime targets…so I walked off…to my surprise as I got back to my car there were at least ten other cars parked in front and at the back of me by the side of the road…Malaysians are very inquisitive… : p

Linus

Froggie's First Kiss

Hey Everyone...

Sorry I've been away...got alot to do...handling the entire pensonic TV campaign that is launching end September so I hardly have time to breathe...sigh

Anyway, it has come to my attention that I hardly blog in an irrelevant way and my blog looks more like editorials...so since a friend of mine started a thread about first kiss, I contributed and thought I bring it here too...so here's my first, dare I say, horific kiss...

Anyway...kiss stories...well I have not got much experience in this department...anyone care to teach? *hint* ;P

Anywy, am not someone who test on innocent pillows or cousins or outside tuition but hey I am not heartless okay? I wanted it badly too,it's just that I m too shy...so due to self restrain (either that or nobody really kiss frogs!) my first kiss was held off until I was like 19 or so, and my first girlfriend. cheng-cheng-cheng!

It was sometime in July 1999, I was courting my ex clumsily for quite a few months...I hinted many times...I always said I want to find a girlfriend and have my first kiss before the new millenium.. infact I wanted my first kiss at the dot of the millenium...

Anyway, I was in her room...she finally said yes to this clumsy complusive obsessive stalker ME!(hey, I've got no sister or many girlfriends to show me the ropes of relationship ok)

Having heard that I always wanted to kiss during the millenium, she teased me...
so you want it now or you wanna wait...the devil!!!

I say I dunno...up to you.And she said...ok, we'll wait and I am like 'auuuuggghhhh' inside...I didn't know what else to say...I have ingeniously screwed my situation...then we hugged and she asked again...now or wait...I said another stupid thing...my lips are dry...she's probably like '!!!!' by now...then I said ...nah let's not wait...and she jumped on me...I was petrified! I thought

kiss = a soft plucker after two of you close your eyes, gently and slowly bend in to one another

...what happened was this big wet sucker was attached to me and something is pushing hard against my teeth which I grit together in absolute fear!!!...It took a while and then I gave up and my mouth got invaded and I was no longer a 'virgin' kisser...Not that I don't like french kissing but today I live longing for that one sweet kiss...just the innocent peck that I never had and will never have again...sigh...

A friend of mine had this same story actually...and said to me hey...I always thought that my first kiss had a taste of vanilla or chocolate..but it was like eww...wet and soppy tounge and all.

So yeah...If only I had kissed another someone who's never been kissed...and we discovered together oh what fun you can have with a tounge rather than having it jabbed right in...well that's the froggie's...so what's yours... : P

someone... :)

Glittering, Glamorous Lights and a Frog.

On the 17th July 2005, PWTC was suddenly crammed with so many filmmaking industry who’s who and a whole host of cameras vying to capture their smiles that a can of sardine would say they have ample room to move about. The event was the 18th Malaysian Film Festival (FFM18-Festival Filem Malaysia ke-18), the Malaysian equivalent of the Academy Awards. Everyone knows what goes on in the Kodak Theatre… cinema online has a lowdown on what goes on in our own ceremony as yours truly covers from the point of view of an invited guest.

Long red carpets stretch the length of the corridor on the 4th floor of the PWTC. Movie posters and balloons line the glamorous walkway where celebrities are lit from a constant stream of flashes and reporters vying for their attention. Once inside, an usher will guide the nominees to the appropriate seating at the front of the theatre. There’s an upper floor of spectators and fans in attendance, those lucky enough to win a ticket to the ceremony from road shows held prior. Once seated, a wide video screen that extends the length of the stage, two big video screen beside it that shows you the live telecast, a camera on a giraffe crane that swoops over the crowd and a many busy people serves to further ignite the excitement of the night.

A while after I am seated next to Auntie Fati, Sharifah Amani’s Mother and a winner from a previous Festival Filem Malaysia, the ceremony began with a obviously Cirque Du Soleil rip off as soldiers descent from the ceiling on ropes. Funnily, the motive include some of them landing on the ground and point guns into the crowd with weird semi-stern faces. Then suddenly a pile of film ( it kinda looks like a pile of garbage) on stage come to life with silver dressed dancers. Next up, our host for the evening, Bob Lokman and Linda Onn took hold of the microphone and it’s the moment of truth for all nominees in the crowd. The first award of the night went to Gangster for box office collection. It’s a surprise that they are presenting this award at all, as though Gangster lead the pack in ticket takings; it took a mere two million something ringgits, which isn’t really much to scream about.

The ceremony continued with stage performances intertwined with awards but after an inspired performance of Kayu, the others like Pontianak Menjerit, Gerak Khas, Gangster and Puteri Gunung Ledang were lackluster with the gerak khas song? bubbles? To be brutally honest, the choreography of the dance seemed rather repetitious and when the dancers were getting into set pieces it became a little clumsy too. However, amusingly edited backing video with bullet shots like that seen on time crisis video games serves to sway your attention away from it all (Writer’s note: FFM should all learn how the academy awards uses simple fades to really dramatic effects) As a whole, the presentation at least gets you get engrossed in a myriad of colours and an applause to the fact that they tried... Other highlights…hmmm….‘bagus cina menang!’ was heard coming from the crowd when Saw Teong Hin won best director.

A truly Million Dollar Baby / Aviator moment ended the night as Bob Lokman said ‘pemenang filem terbaik ialah’ (the best film is) and squinted his eyes…to loud thunderous cheers!! At this point Amani reached over and grabbed this frog to go out on stage. Enjoy the pictures!

Self Help for Filmmakers

Self help seminars are all the rage nowadays with big names speakers like Anthony Robbins of ‘Awakening the Giant Within’ fame making it to our shores so it is hardly surprising that the local filmmaking industry with the initiative of one man in particular, Mr. M.P. Nathan, is looking to import Hollywood expertise to our shores. Self help for moviemakers anyone? Welcome to the Action Cut Seminar.

This seminar is returning after an initial bout in 2002, yup…they did it once before, all the way out in the now down trodden dessert that is cyberjaya but to their credit they have manage to arouse enough interest and collaborations even then (yours truly was there in attendance) to lure Mr. Guy Magar back for a second round. It is hardly surprising that the seminar is now within much reachable venue, that of Sunway University Campus.

Anyway, seated at my desk upfront here in Sunway, my arsenals of stationary primed, I feel so much like a schoolboy once more waiting in anticipation of a teacher who’s flying in from that mystical place of filmmaking Hollywood. Yes folks it is Hollywood Comes To Malaysia right here today! A quick glance around, I see some familiar faces…Actors - Aflin Shauki, Animator -Syed Hassan, Film Critic -Hassan Muthalib, Infamously Vocal Producer David Teo of Metrowealth, Commercial Director - Virginia, K.L. menjerit’s Director of Photography - Mukriz, Film Exhibitor Yvonne of GSC, Film Distributor Patrick Wee of Audio One and even Dave, the Camera Department personnel of film equipment rental house F.E.G. Among them, sits an army from Finas and other companies, all geared to up their game I suppose… in this seminar.

The compulsory speeches and thank you starts the day leading up to the launch gambit where the James Bond theme screams out from the speakers with confetti cannons blasting left right corners effectively awaking those still sleepy in this cold Friday morning.

blah blah blah blah.....FULL VERSION IN CINEMAONLINE...blah blah blah

After a day, everyone looked tired but appropriately enlightened with a wealth of information. Pacing for the seminar was good and the information relayed made you felt satisfied, an ‘Ooomph’ if you will. Audiences earned a quite through understanding of the process. Though its not what I don’t already know having been in a feature film, producing commercials under my company and also having sat through Action Cut 3 years back, I personally gives the thumb up for Guy. It’s nice to have what basic essentials of filmmaking you know sorted out for you, re-looked and reinforced. In the words of an Akademi Filem Malaysia graduate, it’s equivalent to an entire semester of pengarahan ( direction ) and penerbitan (producing classes).

Urgency and the Need to do.

the need to do… very small words...

How come we can go to school and study when we cannot do so at home? Or so it seem so to me it's because we hapless beings become stingy when it comes to giving a measly donation but willingly fork out huge sums of money to pay for tuition whether it be an after school tuition or in the context of college. Remember that line from Good Will Hunting? Something about books and how one can choose to actively better oneself through books at the library? There're so many books out there...if you are armed with a basic workings of how to read (you'd be surprised at our literacy rate)... technically you can bring yourself to the ranks of any scholar if you just work at it and consume information like how we say consume food when we are hungry...Given, it is not an easy nor fun task...hence the meaning of the word DISIPLINE hence why we have to have tuition so we can be whipped and forced to do so by our tutors...

I am provoked to writing this because today (July 10th) I was talking to a friend about when he will start shooting his own film. Correction, I wasn't talking but sneering him as to when he will start. Rewind a little...this friend of mine is a hardworking crew member of a huge production entity but that's all he does...he's a crew. He doesn't get any say whatsoever and he doesn't get much real satisfaction from what he does...he always whines about how he admires independent filmmakers who have day job and yet prolifically makes films. He longs to tell his story like them but never seem to start despite me offering as a friend to give him the support both technically and morally. Duties as a friend and as a filmmaker who craves tales, I want to see his stories told too and wish I could kick his skinny but lazy ass to work on it. He tells me a good premise. I say work it into a story and write it down. Foward one month...we meet up, he has yet to write anything saying he wrote it already in his head...I say fine...next week...a week pass he says he cannot write it out in English. I say fine...write it in chinese...a week later I am to repeat my frustration again due to another excuse...The world can be filled with excuses...I don't have my homework...my dog/cat/hamster/turtle ate it...the wind blew it out of my hand...it got soaked as my mum spilled her drink...I used it to wipe my smelly ass as the public toilet has no toilet paper...yeah right....an excuse is an excuse...you didn't do IT! Hence the work is undone, unfulfilled and uncreated…human kind didn’t progress….end of story.

In a world where lock stock and barrel half hearted merely money making shop-lot colleges proliferate and where we are all too consumed by the word intelligence, degree and graduation, I think we missed the point entirely…its all a matter of discipline and taking an initiative…I would say. The world’s smartest can be beaten if by mere means of overpowering and overthrowing his need to do.This article will be continued... I need to watch a movie.

SEPET amongst the stars

Just moments before writing this, I received an sms from a lady excitedly exclaiming that SEPET is HMV no.1 best selling Asean film in Singapore. That lady has every right to be happy, her baby, SEPET has touched hearts, is loved by many and has claimed a number of firsts for a Malaysian film. To add to it’s mantle, it has become the first Malaysian film to play in Nokia Starlight Cinema. Ahh…the starlight cinema, though there is always the risk of rain, the presence of the occasional irritable insects, no soft seats to cushion your butt; there is a certain wonder of watching a film in starlight cinema, of watching a film under the stars amidst open skies and friends sharing a mat laid out in a field. Take off your footwear and short grass gently brushes your toes that curl in bliss. In addition, tonight there was also SEPET.

In the field there was a mix; hardcore SEPET fans whom seen the film before and has come for another serving, new crowds who have come to see what all the news about, as well as their unknowing friends who are about to discover a little movie about a chinese boy, a malay girl and an unforgettable love story. Just before the movie, the making of it was screened as to share with the crowd the joys and friendship that was born in making this film a year and a half ago in the land where pomelos are aplenty Ipoh. After the short video my two friends Sharifah Amani (ORKED), Ng Choo Seong (AH LOONG) and I presented a few gifts consisting of sepet T-shirts and posters to the crowd. It’s then that I have an odd feeling that a few of the collectables have been nicked, as there were fewer that I brought to the site. I should frisk all the staff of starlight. hahaha.

Then it came time, the lights dimmed and the movie starts…me, Choo Seong, Sharifah Amani and another cast member Alan Yun (Jason’s brother who answers the phone, one of Malaysia’s top models) sat and it bated breath just hope that they loved the film. Throughout the film we reminisce, we made fun (Alan jokingly stood and clapped momentarily for his short bat an eyelid and miss it moment in the film) and we changed dialogue (take for example … add lib dirty dialogue to Ida and Harith’s not naughty enough bed scene) Then, the film ended. It started with some starlight staff asking for autographs on their crew tags and lead to a whole queue of people with this funny grin asking for autographed and photo opportunity. After quite a number of John Hancocks, smile and flashes, the crowd cleared…as we walked out of the field, I just thought how fortunate it was for me to have this experience of being in this film…and also how surreal it was for me to have once watched a film here to be now on screen and making people laugh teasing Jason about cutting of his little brother. I was snapped out of the trance when I received a text message, “Thanks for the invite, enjoyed the movie and looking forward to the sequel ” I am a tad sad that my character will not make it to the sequel but you’ll have the sweet Orked and the King of Puteri Gunung Ledang who has a controversial LRT ad... Adlin Aman Ramlie. Your goose bumps up yet?

Leap for the rainbow

A FEVER, A QUARELL...HAPPINESS
I shouldn't be all too happy as I just quarrelled with a friend and I have a hint of a fever... with a sore throat and a heavy forehead...allright...maybe I do have a fever...but I am happy...no I am not some sadist machoist to love pain... but I am happy as I view all this difficulty as part of my journey towards my goal...you see the fever was brought upon by nights awake finishing off my workload to earn my keep and the quarrell is over silly interpersonal stuff brought upon by you guessed it...a conflict of ideals in a shared dream to make films.

IN ANOTHER LIGHT
Talking about films, in a movie called Ask Me If I am Happy, the opening scene was of a dying man asking the audience to ask him is he happy? after he illustrates that happiness can indeed come in some funny ways...the diver who wanted to explore the depths of the ocean dying after he reached the sea bed... the climber who died at the peak he conquered...are they happy? Well happiness comes in funny ways...

WHAT SADNESS BRINGS
...some of my more morbid friends tend to look at life through a looking glass that's obviously tainted with sadness because I think life's wonderful with all it's dilemma being a sprinkle of pepper...what is a story's peaks without its lows? Being at a lowest point just mean there's only one way to go...up.Tragedy is often comedy it is said...you just have to know where to look...even in the Tsunami there was a silver lining...it watered down an acheh gearing for a civil war.True enough there are losses and sympathy to be had...we should grief for those at loss or lost but its a collateral of sort...we get more united in helping a nation rebuild, we again see that we are mere mortals at the wrath of nature and we learn to appreciate how fortunate we are.... rather cruelly, we also get gossip worthy news material...

EMBRACE
I see our lives as a journey...much as frodo has his trials to the mountain which made Lord of the Rings a thrill for some of us...our lives too need variety and that sometimes call for salt which as much as it stings also sterilize a wound...if you watched the pilot episode of desperate housewifes yesterday, you'll see in that an idealic life can often be less desirable than one with a flavour. and it was the flavour that made as well as attracted us to the show.

SEE
I am not born into a wealthy family but I was never left wanting aside from my crazy dreams which I chased hungrily even as a kid. At times, I wondered what it is like to be born a rich kid but also I really appreciate my upbringing that enriched me...but I had to see it...I know of friends in similiar consequences being unhappy...

GET UP
Why do we fall...the elder Wayne ask a young Bruce. So we can learn to get up. Always...always get up...things are never as bad as it looks when we are up and ready again after a fall...when I was young, I would be playing and running...when I fall, I'll just get up and tell myself it's not that bad so I can continue playing...had I gone to mother...I will be grounded and miss out on all the fun running and catching...but it is often neccesary to remember to get up...casualties who survive are often those with the will to recover and it is a known fact in business that most companies go belly up at the turning point from loss to profit.

RELATIVITY
when we are down...the floor provides an interesting angle of view but it often portray things in intimidating and horrific bigger than it is light...often, when presented or burdened with a problem...I take a cold shower, a big glass of honey and I seem to get pass the titanical hurdle with relative ease...

ROMANTIC MUSINGS
As a whole my musings today is merely about looking at disasters with a bright rose tinted eye...this last point is I think further emphasize how when romanticized a problem could be a pleasure.I don't know if this turns away girls or attract them...I very much like to be caught in a fix with my girlfriend cause in fear you will suddenly feel more protective and drawn closer to another as the common sense that there's safety in numbers dictates...I may remain single forever saying that it'd be romantic to be caught in a dire situation where you both know you will perish and have but moments to share. Relistic everyday view...I find that making up, shaking hand after a quarrel gives a great comfort...make better couples and better friends....

MORNING AFTER MIDNIGHT DARKNESS
So there is always happiness to be found even if it's in the romantic musings after...to all of you struggling with something...don't give up...and always get up.Happiness in a decision...In a storm... Leap for the rainbow...reebit!

An undated file photo shows Philautus asankai, a new species of female tree frog, at Agarapathan Biological site in central Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan biologists have found dozens of new species of tree frog over the last decade in the island's dwindling rainforest, but warn many known species are either extinct or on the verge of disappearing because of man. (Wild Life Heritage Fund/Reuters)
from http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20050629/sc_nm/science_srilanka_species_dc

Saying Hellooooooo

In frog tongue, it's a mellow and low toned 'brooaaakkkk' or at least I like to think so seeing my frogs do it to one another.

Anyway, it’s a magical thing the word hello or its counterpart more street credible hi. If there was ever a word that bonded more people in the world than the word love, I guess it’d be hello as even in love, hello does often come before, writing which I am reminded of a lovely line in a film ‘You had me at hello’. Hello is also heard instantaneously with almost every phone ring, any ‘chanced-upon’ meetings with friends and even when two strange eyes meet…

It’s from a simple hello that the metaphorical ice melts between strangers and acquaintances start. It is from acquaintances that we possibly becomes friends and subsequently partners whether in business or even in love. Think back at how you met that friend you now hold dear or that person you keep close to your heart. The bond that grows from the little bridge that is hello can also see strangers miraculously progressing to unforeseen and unexpected wonders sometimes even becoming one unit, the family.

So what does it takes to say that simple word hello? It’s actually as simple as twitching the lip and the tongue, so simple sometimes I don’t understand and feel it’s sad that people don’t say hello… how sad if two strangers are meant to meet or has a blessing to offer one other but never would they do, all because of an unspoken hello. I wonder how many people might have passed, people whom I have selfishly with held my hellos. To them, I so wish I have the chance to say my hello again. Need a hello have a reason? Well sometimes it’s said and taken with disregard…. but it is a funny thing that sometimes a hello need to be provoked (by a mutual friend)…a hello needs to be forced upon (imagine a mother forcing her young shy kid to mix), a hello need to be even be chanced upon…(a meeting unplanned)

Like all things…sometimes a hello amongst friend is forgotten… with no other words said… what’s left of the spark is not a fire but a hello long forgotten buried by layers of time and day; the friendship started by the hello lay wasted a dull shade of grey... Like all things we abuse or use with disregard, a hello is also sometimes sacrilegiously used as the word to say to passing-ly acknowledge someone without any weight at heart or any space at mind…with no gist, at a party like a parrot hello, hello, hello…

But at the bright side there are good hellos…I am writing this as I said hello to two strangers the other day…at the park I met a friend who contributed to this post and an artist running by…the hello exchanged made my day bright and gay.

With this, to you this frog says hello…

Linus

Expressive Froggie!

Here are some expressive ways to present the marvels that's a froggie....contribute your stories, jokes, musings, thoughts and eceteras on a frog or frogs in general at the comments section below...first ten gets a starlight cinema double pass ticket to any show except LOTR! do leave your email so I can get the ticket to you...

starlight cinema starts tommorow!!!!!yippeee!!!!!

:P

: P

SARAWAK!!!!

A friend of my sent this to me so being proudly
Sarawak to the bone I placed it here!!!!!!

Linus

Thousands of i.d.i.o.t questions

1.hey!u swak ppl live in trees ah?
YES,we have elevators too..they're really an
engineering feat coz its not ez to fit an elevator
into a tree.

2.u guys got electricity isit?
YES..but since cost of transmission is too high
due to the geographic barriers,we use independant
solar panels n mini turbines scattered all ard,they r
exactly 30k of them!!

3.over ther got wht car?
we ride wild boar.when the plane arrive at the
airport,we take our wild boar n ride it all the way
to our tree house.

4.Got road meh?
no.just jungle trails n few roads ard town

5.u bidayuh form sulawesi there huh?
yes we r head hunters.human brain is the best
food.

6.s'wak inside sabah right?
no,we're one independent state u idiot,sabah is a
town in s'wak ;)

7.eh,sabah s'wak not the same meh?
yes!!how many times i have to tell u sabah is a
town in s'wak

8.Kuching big ha?
soso la..but we have the largest population of
stray cats in the world.abt 400k,y do u think the
city is called kuching leh u idiot?!!

9.kuching got so many cats la....
YES LA!!!how many times i have to say??

10.Kuching got malay?
duh!

11.s'wak ppl can speak english?
no.but we speak french coz we were colonized
by the french in the 18 century n then by the
aliens in the 19,so our local dialect is pretty much
based on the alien languages tht no one
understands...

12.Kuching got airport or u use boat go johor..
kuching airport is only fit for fokker.... since a
fokker cant go so far...we have to use
steamboats,no joking!!steam boats coz swak so
rich with timber,its much cheaper than diesel or
any other petrol



THE FACT!!
1.the only state to be ruled by a white RAJAH.
2.swak is the largest state in m'sia.
3.swak supports whole m'sia with its own
economy!!!now u know how generous we r !
without us....where got PUTRAJAYA??where
come KLCC?????
4.swak population is 2176800.kuching has
458,300.
5.there r 27 ethnic groups tht speaks 45 different
languages n dialects
6.70%is english literate!!
7.kuching int'l airport hosts a number of direct int'l
flights!
8.swak has never achieved independence. ruled
by the BROOKE family,given to the british
empire,offered to m'sia.
9.kuching is the most liveable city in m'sia n the
7TH most liveable city in the WORLD...even kl is
behind at 12th..
HAHA..

1.we have electricity
2.in kuching,we c mercedes benz till we wanna
puke!u fool!!
3.the only ppl tht live on trees r those primitive
homo sapiens....thousands of years ago........nvr
study kah bodoh!
4.our guys r handsome n chicks r hot.real hOt~~
5. The size of Kuching is the equivalent of..
uumm.. uumm.. the size of..
uumm.. big la big la.. {[nick: almost the size of
semenanjung malaysia,about
124,449.51 square km]
6. kuching is one of the best cities to live
in around!! yoyoyo... kuching rocks!kch kia n ppl
now we realli realli know how lucky we r !
CHEERS!!

hehehehehhehehehehheheheheheheh