Drive the Sensation

You've Gone Big, Now Go Home -Part Two- The Energy Beneath

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel Jeyachristi Jude-Valentne Anthony) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:39:00 +0000

Witness, I got the heart of 20 men. No fear, go to sleep in the lion's den. That flow, that spark, that crown, you looking at the king of the jungle now."

Good Feelin' - Flo Rida

So I hope some of you picked you your cameras and got to work on that photography competition!

I threw in my little bit. I suck in photography and all but there are some things that can survive my hand. I took about 300 shots with my DSLR to get something like this:

Maybe you can take a better shot than me (if you can, you should enter the competition! It is still open!), but all I have is this and the very reason I submitted this picture is simple, It made me reimagine energy.

I grew up in a fantasy world of my own. My head was always high up in the clouds and it would usually take a lot to bring me back down to earth. I believed that lion dances were actually done by creatures like those. I believed in these creatures which perform extreme acrobatic stunts to the sound of drums.

Even after a few years and a few cheaper lion dance shows where I actually saw the people inside who were operating the lion, I still didn't lose faith in the lion that I once knew. The truth was hard to accept and follow but now, almost 17 years after seeing my first lion dance, it's become clear to me.

People who do lion dances make me think about how they unite under the skin of the costume to put on a show. It's almost like 2 people becoming one with the costume and focusing its energy on the dance. Just like how Petronas reimagines energy, I see things in a whole new way today and how sometimes it's better to take a step back to see the full glory of something.

And with that, it's FEBRUARY! I hope you like the new header!

Love,
D.A.niel

You've Gone Big, Now Go Home -Part One- Reimagining Energy™

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel Jeyachristi Jude-Valentne Anthony) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 06:44:00 +0000

"Ever since I was boy I swore to the Gods above I would rise above the adversity and show em love."

Been Dreamin' - Mike the Microphone

The phrase "Go Big or Go Home" was pretty popular around the internet during my early teenage years and I am quite sure it kinda still is.

I believe that a lot of us are trying to go big. We're all trying to live the dream. Some of us are already there while some of us are trailing behind. Nonetheless we are all trying to attain the dream.

I've talked enough about dreams in my life and no, these aren't the dreams that Leonardo diCaprio can enter and turn upside-down. I'm talking about things that you wanna do and who you want to become.

So if you're not already aware, Chinese New Year is right around the bend. It's gonna be the year of the Golden Dragon very soon. You can usually see the signs: Shops are extending their opening hours, banknotes are being exchanged for new ones in the financial institutions, mandarin orange seeds are being launched out my car window as I drive and many more. The hustle and bustle is crazy.

But come Monday, which is the first day of the new year, this town is gonna be dead. You can plank on the road during rush hour and there won't even be a motorcycle in sight. You'll most likely be at home with your family - the people who love you mutually.

By now you may be packing your bags and gearing up for the weekend. Chances are you've set course for home. Your story may be different but I've mentioned it before. We all have different ways of describing home. Home isn't necessary the house where you eat and sleep and become mayor of on FourSquare. Home can be anywhere.

To me, home is where love is. Home is where the people whom I love the most are. For me, that would be my family. I call Malaysia my home because I [sincerely] a proud to be Malaysian. I've changed from my old self.

This Chinese new year, a special message comes from a party that is most likely the one that takes you home. The company that gives life to the automotive that will carry you to wherever you call home. This video is touching to say the least. It's a great clip to show your overseas friends, especially Malaysians.

Datuk Mohammad Medan Abdullah, the Senior General Manager of the Group Corporate Affairs Division of Petronas gave us the explanation of the message behind the Television Commercial (TVC). Honestly, I can always relate to Petronas commercials. I've been a Petronas customer all my life especially after the launch of PriMAX95 Xtra.

I'm infamous in my family for running the petrol tank in the family car to rock bottom. I can't seem to do that anymore with PriMAX95 Xtra. Seriously, the mileage is so much better.

This year, Petronas wants to wish you a happy Chinese New Year in more ways than one. In the true spirit of Reimagining Energy™, it's time to disseminate our diligent side and put in more effort into going home to our family. Malaysians are a unique bunch. We want to advance and see the future while staying true to our roots and that's what we're famous for and this is not only for those who celebrate. It's a public holiday and most schools take an entire week off. The national spirit of togetherness that surrounds us is manifested at the dinner table at the family reunion that happens once a year.

Yes. Especially during the Loh Sang.

In reality I might just be a little too ambitious. Not all of us may have this habit, but there's one thing I know for sure - that sometimes in life, all we need is a little push -a little reminder.

I almost flipped when an invitation to a press conference arrived in my mailbox. It's not every day when I get something like that and for me, this was something really different. It wasn't a corporate product launch or some wild publicity stunt. It was a message that was close to my heart.

They even had a really unique lion dance. When was the last time you saw a lion dance that moved over 3 stories in a shopping complex?

Plus, notice the kompangs on the ground. This was a really interesting addition - A lion dance with both traditional Chinese AND Malay instrumental backing. It's just another way of Petronas showing their spirit of Reimagining Energy™.

Being a company that stood strong since establishment in 1974, Petronas is a body that reflects the spirit of resilience that lies in our hearts - the spirit to excel in whatever we do.

My home is here in SS2, where I grew up. It's only after this when I began to see the true spirit in this town - the energy that brings it to life 24 hours a day. I truly understand how Reimagining Energy™ can bring us to the future while letting us stay true to our traditions.

It's now your turn to capture this spirit. While I sit here and write, you're most likely better in pointing and shooting. Don't lie, your phone has a camera which you use for every other thing.

Petronas in partnership with Leica have RM2000 up for grabs for whoever can capture the spirit of Reimagining Energy™ in a photo and yes, everyone can enter: Amateurs, Professionals, students and even Petronas staff!

So what's your excuse for not sending something? Go out and anywhere, anytime you see something that reflects this spirit, just point and shoot.

Submit your photos here: http://www.facebook.com/petronas1?sk=app_354326444581364. After submission your photo will be queued for submission approval. When approved, you have 3 days to send the high-resolution picture to petronascny2012@gmail.com.

Happy Chinese New Year y'all!

Love,
D.A.niel

Credits to Petronas for giving me this experience and reminding me of what's important - home :)

Reimagining Energy™ is a registered trademark of Petroliam Nasional Berhad.

The Energy Never Dies

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel Jeyachristi Jude-Valentne Anthony) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 08:46:00 +0000

"It's all the money the you're saving while the good life passes by. It's all the dreams that never came true cause' you're too damn scared to try"

Hit The Lights - Selena Gomez & The Scene

So today has finally come. I've dreaded this day for years already and it's finally upon me. 2012 really is the end of the world for me.

If you're here for the first time, or if you have never come across my overly open profiles on Friendster, Twitter, Foursquare or Facebook, I become my true inner pessimist today. I'm ~~one day~~ less than 2 hours from the end of my teenage life. I turn 20 tomorrow and I sure as hell hate this feeling. It's like how my friend on Facebook described trying to remember a dream. It's like trying to grab hold of a fistful of sand. You want it so badly, but the tighter you cluch, the faster it seeps away.

Since my birthday is so close to the beginning of the year and because I haven't done a recap of 2011, here goes.

JANUARY: I turned 19 and the fuse that is nearing it's end today was lit. Out of college and unemployed, I basically didn't know what on earth to do.

FEBRUARY: Another Valentines Day spent all alone. No big deal. I'm used to it. Started University. A whole new life began. It never felt better to go back to studying.

MARCH: Went with the choir to Vietnam. Best trip of the year. Everything was amazing from the opening concert till we left for the airport.

APRIL: Rebecca Black went even more viral that I thought she could ever get. Nice song, terrible artist. I rest my case. Crammed with assignments and research work all day all night.

MAY: DriveTheSensation.com went into cardiac arrest and needed to be recovered. I initiated a campaign that made me post at least once a week. It worked...sorta.

JUNE: The Stayin' Alive campaign fell flat, but I still had a little faith that I could manage my time better, so I rebooted the campaign into Round 2.

JULY: Some long-awaited blogger event passes came, making it an awesome month. Someone tried to get me to work. I can't sell water to an Arab...you seriously want to trust me!?

AUGUST: Ramadhan. My second attempt at fasting. I only pulled off 2 weeks because I went to Australia to visit my aunt. Family trips are insanely inefficient because of the compromise we all have to do. The currency exchange was not helping either.

SEPTEMBER: SOCialites @ Taylors University Psychedelic Prom 2011 committee was on full throttle to spearhead the event. Going to University never felt better.

OCTOBER: I became a full blown brony! MLP:FiM took over my life and gave me that little push I needed to be all I could be.

NOVEMBER: Finals in University. Friction between us in the class got so hot that I cracked under the pressure of dealing with people whom I have not talked to since the semester ended.

DECEMBER: First ever cosplay experience. Never felt more love in my entire life and I owe a lot of it to the Marelaysian Bronies Society for all the support!

And that's the story of the last 12 months, up until today. Hey! You wanna hear about today?

Of course not. You won't like it. There's nothing happy about letting childhood go. 19 years of priceless moments are going to be over in...just about an hour's time.

So yeah. I have nothing much to say. Slowly, as every minute passes, I'm trying to accept it more and more. Hopefully by midnight, I'll be ready to see a new sunrise...It's gonna come whether I like it or not.

And now I shall begin wrapping up 2011. Yes. Now. It's come the time for my teenage life wrap-up.

Goodbye for now! You won't be seeing a teenager updating this blog anymore!

Love,
D.A.niel

Magic Makes It All Complete

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel Jeyachristi Jude-Valentne Anthony) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 16:52:00 +0000

"Hands on our bodies gonna keep our skills warm. We need social reform 'cause we're just so criminal. Linguist subliminal, damages minimal "

20 Percent Cooler - Ken Ashcorp

Dear Princess Celestia,
Happy New Year! 2011 must have been a crazy year! Your sister's homecoming and Discord breaking loose certainly made it a year to remember!

We gathered on New Year's Eve on the roof of a Treebrary in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur. We had a magnificent aerial view of the city and could see fireworks as far as Putroughjaya.

At about 7pm I arrived at the Treebrary to help set up. While waiting for the rest, three of us played Mahjong. By about 9 most of us had arrived, and we decided to go to the mamak coffeeshop nearby.

Once we made it back to the Treebrary, we took a vote of what to do. It was a split between a drinking game and decorating. We started pouring drinks and soon enough, it was 5 minutes to midnight. All of us, including the non-bronies in the house, gathered on the balcony to witness fireworks deployed all across Kuala Lumpur. Sone started a little too early, some went off a little late. The fireworks were so beautiful that they could rival Trixie's crowdpleasing magic shows.

Right after the fireworks died down, all of us prepared to launch our wishing balloons into the sky. One by one the colorful balloons, each with our favorite pony drawn on them by Vincent Fang, took to the clouds. All were launched successfully except for Twilight's balloon which didn't make it past the balcony.

Rainbow Dash

Fluttershy

Pinkie Pie (and the artist who drew all of them on the balloons!)

Surprise (Mine!)

For the rest of the night all of us just hung around and talked. We shared what we did and toasted to a great 2011 full of ponies. At 2:30, half of the group left and we turned in for the night.

Later that morning after the party, Azman and I decided, it isn't a brony meetup...

...until we raided Toys R' Us.

Marelaysian Bronies Society 2011 NYE Countdown was one helluva success.

Roll-call:
Daniel "Surprise" Anthony [Organizer]
Ian "Twilight Sparkle" Cheah [Host]
Vincent "Pinkie Pie" Fang
Aaron "Berry Punch" Lee
Azman Ariff
Rick Brony [Birthday Boy]
Ng Guang Zhe
(Not Present) Michelle Barbour [Co-Organizer]

Your Loyal Subject,
D.A.niel

P.S. I hate writing formatted works. I'm gonna enjoy these holidays...A LOT.

You're not gonna see me this crunked for a long, long time.

Give A Little More, Take A Little Less

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel Jeyachristi Jude-Valentne Anthony) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 18:54:00 +0000

"It may look bad, but I don't see it that way. I see a lot of hope in the words you don't say that you won't tell me, shows me you care."

It's The Thought That Counts - Lobo

This is way later than overdue, but I'm gonna post it up anyway.

In the cloud city of Care-A-Lot, roughly 50,000 feet above sea level, they call it the Giving Festival. There isn't any Santa Claus or reindeer, only the spirit of giving and a visit from Princess Starglo. Starglo is the boss who basically handles all the paperwork and is the higher management for all the wishing stars in the sky. So when all the Care Bears gather in Care Square and it's all lit up, they're having a party that involves a lot of giving and fun.

A little lower down is a hillside metropolis called Canterlot. Though the names sound the same, this is where ponies from all over the nation of Equestria gather to celebrate their beginnings as a united land. The celebration was given the name of Hearthwarming. Carols are sung and gifts are exchanged in a fiesta of friendship and harmony. Gifts as simple as little favours and hugs count towards the love and friendship that (literally) burns and lights up the night with a lovely pink heart-shaped flame.

Closer to home, in the United States of America, giant balloons and floats parade down the streets in November for Macy's Day Parade. Also known as Thanksgiving, families get together from all around the country, exchange gifts and give thanks for everything they have.

Here, we call it Christmas. It's basically the birthday of Jesus Christ. Religion aside, Christmas was never a celebration that was restricted to Christians. It's commercial, it's intercultural and it's fun.

So the shopping malls put up decorations and everything to usher in the holiday season. In the United Kingdom, it usually snows during this time, rendering it a holiday for many students and anyone who is unable to access the road.

People don't discriminate on whether you're Jewish, Muslim or Christian when it comes to Christmas sales in malls. This is because there's a sense of togetherness in this festive season - a sense of giving.

There are many tales that lead up to why we give during Christmas, but do we really need to hear any of them? While some of us are looking for an excuse to give, some of us need to learn how to give.

I grew up in a Catholic family where giving during Christmas and birthdays became so routine that these times of the year seemed more like a season of receiving. It took me a long time to learn that it's time to give back to the karmic scale.

So this year, let's all celebrate December, the month of Giving. It's never too late to give, so you don't really need an excuse like Christmas to wrap something up for a friend or anyone. Just remember these three things:

1. IT'S NEVER TOO LATE

Shut up and give. Seriously. So what if it's too late? Are you gonna send your gift back to the shop?

2. IT'S THE THOUGHT THAT COUNTS

So maybe someone else got your friend something worth 10 times more than what you have up your sleeve. Don't let that discourage you. No matter how big the gift, it is always the heartwarming intent that is behind it that makes the difference. Sometimes, it's best to ignore all that notions of a cheapskate present because really, not all of us have money to throw around.

3. LOVE AND BE LOVED

If you've been receiving all your life, it's time to balance it out. Give a little more, take a little less. Where have you heard that before? Ok, maybe you haven't. It's from the credits song from movie "Care Bears: Oopsy Does It!".

It's been a really awesome year of 2011 that was more wild and crazy than ever. It's one of those years that I would love to relive just to enjoy making all the same mistakes again.

So if I fail to update again by tonight, I'll sign off now to be safe. Have a wonderful new year everybody, and stick around because I'm not going anywhere!

Love,

D.A.niel

The Fire of Friendship

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel Jeyachristi Jude-Valentne Anthony) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 06:23:00 +0000

"From Sweden to UK, we will bring our song. Australia, USA, and you people at Hong Kong They have heard, This made it all around the world."

Caramelldancing - Caramell

When you try something new, it's not always the easiest thing to do it in public. Part of the reason is because you're dead scared you'll screw up. I always thought it would be worse when you wanna do it in front of experienced people who have done it a million times.

It's like that dancing/parapara game in the arcade. You know, the one that you have to step or wave your hands to the beat and score points? It looks easy and people are queuing up like nobody's business to get their shot at the game.

So what are you gonna do if you're a new player? Pretty much humiliate yourself if your hand-eye coordination is shitty, or if you need time to adjust like me.

But sometimes, when you're not going to fight to see who has the most awesome skill but rather cheer each other on and laugh with one another and of course, just tease without intent of destroying other's feelings.

If you have not heard of ComicFiesta, it's basically the Malaysian equivalent to the world famous Comic Con in USA. And I'm not gonna be covering the event since I was stuck outside for half the time, but I surely had the time of my life.

Meet the me at CF 2011. I went as Surprise from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. If you haven't seen her in the show, you'll see that her cutie mark is very close to that of Pinkie Pie. Surprise was the original drawing made by Lauren Faust for the character that is now Pinkie Pie.

Ok. From that angle it's hard to see my full costume. Here's a better pic:

Meet the Marelaysian Bronies' Society. They're a bunch of awesome people :)

Being in costume was something different for me. Through out all them plays, dramas, sketches, concerts where I played some weird role on stage that never suited my character, this was totally different.

Shakespeare said that all the world is a stage. When you're in costume and walking around, you'll feel the same. It feels amazing to break free from a scripted life and be in character not because your grades or your salary depends on it, but because you want to do it with all your heart.

I always thought costume playing (or cosplaying) was something light and just for fun, and that there was no good reason to do it. Somehow, it was all different once I got into that outfit and got out there among everyone else at ComicFiesta.

You may be someone from totally different shows and series but nothing is going to stop you from interacting. It felt like jumping right out of a TV into some other show and having fun. it's like that feeling you get when you are hating on your computer screen because it's that fourth wall that prevents you from mingling and playing with all those characters in the shows you watch just disappears.

If only my wings were operational, it would be totally compete. The whole journey of over 3 months preparing to become a pony was damn well worth it. Every cent spent on my costume and all the time I took to work on it was not wasted at all. I blew a lot of cash on that one weekend but it was freaking worth it.

The irony of this is that I always had something against fashion and modelling partially for what it does to you. The thing is, cosplaying is a whole new adventure. You're not graded for your own beauty but for how well you take on someone elses character. In true spirit, heck you're not even graded at all of you're not competing! You're just being the closest existent charater to who you are inside or who you want to be. It's like playing dreams in real lifee.

Being Surprise was the most awesome feeling I had. It's along the lines of having the spotlight on myself during my solos when I sing, but this time the sun is my giant spotlight and the world is my audience. I still can feel as if I'm wearing my wings, that my balloons are still tied to my wrist and that my tail is still trailing behind me wherever i go.

Not only was being out there in costume fun, but doing it with friends made it 20% cooler. Jimmy and Tash came dressed up as well and it was all really fun. (Waiting on sources for pictures). I honestly thought more people would do this but hey, it was still one helluva fun. Being able to wave and mix around with characters like Mario, Naruto, Domokun and so many more that I didn't know was priceless. Absolutely priceless. Even those who trolled on us were silly and all in good fun.

Now if I went as myself I would have fried in a few minutes. The management of CF was pretty badly done in terms of traffic handling. I left the hall to answer my phone at 11:30 and due to overload I could only wriggle back in at 5:30. That stuff was worthy of my ranting for hours about how shitty things were and you would hear my rant flow from management to Malaysian attitude to the government. Somehow, i only had it for a split second and as if it was automatic, I responded just like how Surprise would have: smile and have fun wherever possible.

I owe a lot to Zach Morris (a.k.a. WillDrawForFood1). He's an amazing talented guy who sparked my love for Surprise and is completely responsible for me choosing Surprise to be the pony I was gonna cosplay. Her personality is one that i am in love with and I would marry her with half a chance. Such a simple and adorable webcomic reached out and touched me so much. Thank you Zach, for this blessing. You're my hero. Go check out his awesome blog here: http://asksurprise.tumblr.com

I never was the same again after CF this year. A whole new world opened up to me. What I thought was just a simple way to have fun was more than just putting on a costume and jestering around a hall. It had so much more to offer. Being a brony, it was hard to reach out to the rest dressed in full army wear or brandishing swords taller than they are being a party pony whose name already inspires fun. Better yet, Surprise isn't in the show, but she is very much a part of the community. It was totally priceless to hear people identify and just ask me "Are you Surprise?" or even shout out "Look! It's Surprise!" and hear me squeal like a little girl.

Ponies, in general, have turned my life upside-down this year, and meeting bronies from all over the world gave me a little something more to talk about. There's just so much love and friendship that when I left the convention I didn't take off the costume. I was in it all the way to the LRT (Light Rail Transit) station that I disembarked at.

I miss being Surprise. Real bad.

Love,

D.A.niel

P.S. More pics may come soon as they surface! :)

I Used To Wonder What Friendship Could Be

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel Jeyachristi Jude-Valentne Anthony) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 13:44:00 +0000

"Why is everybody so obsessed? Money can't buy us happiness. Can we all slow down and enjoy right now?"
Price Tag - Jessie J

Jeez. I thought Monday being a pubic holiday would lighten things up a bit. Turns out I need ~~Sweetie Belle~~ a dictionary to tell me what the word "holiday" means.

I used to think that my friends love me very much. But as the days have gone by I realized something. Being friends could have been a hindrance. Why? Friends, especially fresh ones, are scared of being blunt with one another. I tend to be quiet about this because of three reasons. The first is because I'm paranoid of losing friends. As I've mentioned before, my 885 friends on Facebook aren't all friends. I don't know a fraction of them, I've met more than half of them only once and the rest are well, acquaintances. Nothing more. The people who matter to me are just a little number that I always remember in my heart.

My second reason would be because I have this notion where I feel hurt when I hurt others. Sounds familiar? If you've read this blog before, you would see that it's part and parcel of who I am. It's something I cannot shake off. It's my soft spot. I can talk cock all day about beating the shit out of some folks, but I never do it.

What's the third reason? It's also something that isn't new. In fact, it was the whole reason why this blog still exists even after my URL got snatched. I believe in acceptance. I believe in accepting people for who they are and who they want to be. We all say the same thing. In fact, we even know what we should do, but we just don't put it into practice.

I have been offended before and most of the time I just shut up. I only have something to lose if I put up a fuss about it so why bother? I may bitch about it a little but that's kinda where it ends. We all need to let off steam.

We tend to fail to see how much tolerance we put into our daily life and that is where the problems begin. When something is bothering you, don't walk away. Instead, confront it. Tell people to the face what you don't like, but don't do that and then plug your ears to what that person says about it. Maybe there is a good reason for your friends is doing that bothers you so much. Once you state your point, it's time to be the listening party.

Yes, you read that word again. Tolerance. Tolerance is a bitch that destroys us. Tolerance is a test of patience and faith that isn't necessary. The difference is almost worlds apart because acceptance and tolerance are opposites of one another. If you are tolerating someone, like I said, your balloon is going to pop soon. There is a limit to both, but acceptance doesn't bottle anything up.

If you've seen me around with the shirt that has this blog's URL printed on it, read what it says and follow it. Trust me, it'll do you a world of good.

If you haven't seen it, it says STOP TOLERATING.

And on the back, it says

START ACCEPTING

Love,
D.A.niel

C U When You Get There

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel Jeyachristi Jude-Valentne Anthony) — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 02:50:00 +0000

"It's about to get a little crazy up in here, cause you can't escape this club. I'm bout to tear it up and I can see I gotcha trippin' for this. Oh, and I mean business."

Take Over - Mizz Nina feat. Flo Rida

Hell froze over in the last two weeks. It has not been easy putting up with assignment after assignment in University. I've had enough of my seniors ranting that we're sweating small stuff because they go through things that are twice as bad. I'm 19 and one of the youngest in my class and I have not been through the shit you've all been through so yeah. If you want to bitch, bitch about people who need some ear bashing.

Monday's performance was a blast. It was nothing short of a miracle. No one knows how we managed to pull the whole thing off with so little time and resources.

Yes, it's the month of celebration. Be it a shitty month or a great month, there's always something to be grateful for. We all face problems all the time from wondering what time to set the alarm clock to whether we should give into the alarm when it actually rings the next morning. What's important this November is that we should be happy that we can solve our own problems and give ourselves a pat on the back when we're done.

November is a month full of challenges. It's right before the holiday season, therefore a lot of us have to fight against our natural rhythm that wants to kick back and relax to finish the final leg of our work or studies. We all want to let go of all this stress and we have our own ways of doing it. Some of us want to party, some of us want to hit the beach and some of us just want to catch up with what we've missed on the telly. They're tempting as hell, so close you can almost taste it but yet so far away that they seem like they'll never come.

I haven't updated for so long, and I regret it because blogging was what I love to do. Sometimes, holding back on what you love to complete something more important is not really the best option. Of course, going all out to indulge in your hobbies is definitely not the right answer either, but everyone needs to let off some steam.

The last of my exams are on Wednesday, and hopefully after all this slogging things will pay off. I can't stand any more formal writing this year.

Love,
D.A.niel

Hey Monday!

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel Jeyachristi Jude-Valentne Anthony) — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 08:58:00 +0000

"I was playing with her, she was playing with me. Next thing you know, we were playing with three."

Rain Over Me feat. Marc Anthony - Pitbull

Monday. Again.

Good afternoon ~~everypony~~ everybody. It's been quite the great week no? Weather's been okay, traffic's been good and not much disturbance going on.

THAT IS BECAUSE I WAS INSIDE ALL THE TIME.

Cooped up inside the MacLab on campus, running through my junk on mom's iPad in the car and everything else along those lines. I haven't left much, but one thing has ensued. I'm more productive than ever.

I managed to nail my entire portfolio for one of my subjects. It took a while and some really intensive work, not to mention all the frustrations I went through with the Macs in school. I never expected them to be able to hang, especially after all of Steve Jobs' hot blabber about how robust his creations are.

Don't bother correcting that sentence. I know it doesn't sound right but I think you got what it meant.

Currently the workflow is a serious mess. Somehow what they say about NaNoWriMo was right. You only work when you have a serious shortage of time, and that's how I've been. I really have to learn to self-motivate more. Being sluggish and sleeping in the wee hours of the morning isn't helping.

Do you ever feel that when you're lazy, time flies by you and you're all "meh", but when you're sitting in a traffic jam, warming up in the sauna, putting the kettle on or doing any other redundant thing you suddenly feel like time is flying by faster than a speeding bullet? I feel like that. When I'm sweating my ass off in the sauna, I suddenly feel that I should have my laptop or my phone, that I should be memorizing something or typing something, that I should start some uploads or be doing some sort of design work. Somehow the steam makes my checklist appear in my head, and tortures the hell out of me by not letting me do anything about it.

And then when I get to work, POOF! It's gone.

Now I'm in front of a computer with EVERYTHING I need to start work, but just one thing is missing - a sense of motivation. I'm groggy and sleepy and don't have the steam to start.

As it is, I started writing this post at 12:40 pm. It's almost 5 and I haven't hit "Publish" yet.

I have gots a dinner appointment at 7 and being my forgetful self I didn't bring a couple of things that I need, so I need to panick and find whut I need nao. BAI

Love,
D.A.niel

The Harmonic Seventh

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel Jeyachristi Jude-Valentne Anthony) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 08:08:00 +0000

"Now that I know what they all do I have to find my place and help with all of my heart. Tough task ahead I face. How will I do without my magic? Help the earth pony way? I wanna belong so I must do my best today."

Winter Wrap Up - Daniel Ingram

Sung by Rebecca Shoichet as Twilight Sparkle

It's been a year since Twilight Sparkle stepped into Ponyville in search of the Elements of Harmony. Today we know the true Magic of Friendship because of the bonds she formed with her true friends. If you ever doubt someone today, remember that in each of our hearts, there's a little bit of honesty, laughter, loyalty, kindness and generosity. When we forge friendships, we are bonded in a spirit so strong, the only word that can describe it is magic.

Hello everyone! Yes there are vent posts in the queue and I'm about to explode from a lot of stress, but I felt that this is so important to me because of what I've learnt from over 10 hours on YouTube watching that "show for little girls".

Today marks the first anniversary of the viral television series Friendship is Magic, the latest reboot of the My Little Pony television franchise. If you have not already noticed this blog is dedicating the month of October to Friendship and all the wonders it brings. There is much that we can learn from this show, and it's really intriguing for what it is termed to be - a "show for little girls".

I don't think I can say I learned who my true friends are. Instead, All those letters to Princess Celestia that Twilight wrote made me think deeper and helped me see that as messed up some of my friends are, they still have a little spark in them. You may not be close, but if they really care, then there's a little place in their heart just for you no matter how oblivious they are to others. Everyone has a heart. If not, bronies like me wouldn't exist.

What I have now is not my 806 friends on Facebook, not the class of 35 I'm sitting in where some people don't give a shit nor my 202 followers on Twitter. I have the people who are on speed dial in my phonebook. I have the people whose calls I constantly and consciously miss. I have the people I ignore on Skype and Facebook Chat. I have the people who show up at my doorstep out of the blue just to say hi.

Today, after being a brony for about a month, that spark ignited inside me. The magic came to life in my heart.

I realized over the years that friendships have what is called the "test". If you are cut out to be friends, you WILL fight. It means that you have learned to voice out your opinion to your friend and when you do fight until it's so bad that you never wanna talk again, the seventh element of harmony springs to life - FORGIVENESS.

When you learn to forgive, your friendship will be locked in place and set in stone. Nothing will be able to tear you apart no matter what happens.

So here's my take on this, to all bronies out there.

Dear Princess Celestia,

I hope this finds you well. I trust that Pinkie Pie passed this to Spike or Twilight.

I've been checking into Ponyville now and then and seen all the happenings there, and I feel safe to say I am really envoius of how things go. Where I'm from, everypony is so different. We fight over trivial matters, live without generosity and don't have a heart for one another.

The reason I'm writing to you is to thank you for your trust in Twilight Sparkle and her friends. Without them, I wouldn't have learned that my friends actually have a little place in my heart. Nopony is perfect, and that is hard to accept. What we have to lessen that burden is that we learn to be the best we can be, and that comes from the hearts of the ponies who help us in any way they can, even when we don't realize it.

We all hurt others whether we like it or not. Everypony does it consciously and unconsciously. Some of us are sensitive while some of us are more acceptant. I, for one, am a sensitive pony.

Another thing I want to express to you , Princess Celestia, is that I believe that there is still one element missing from the Elements of Harmony. Yes, the six elements have taught me much, but there's just one more that appeared. It wasn't manifested in anypony, but I believe it's the missing element that put Discord back where he belongs.

Princess Celestia, behold the element of forgiveness. I've always pictured it to be a necklace like the ones that Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy wear. A simple yellow heart-shaped pendant, just like the one I used to wear as an earring. I've always believed in forgiveness and what it can do. It's wonderful. Do let me share.

I've fought with and hurt many ponies, not that I wanted to or that I got something out of it. In fact I have hurt myself through all the stupid things I've done and I have to admit it really hurts me inside. I was once told by a friend that forgiveness is what I was missing. He was right.

I was touched by how you forgave Princess Luna for almost putting Equestria in eternal darkness, and I believe that everyone in Equestria would have gotten the message too. That moment was a real tear jerker, and as your subject I feel proud to call you a Princess.

Forgiveness is in our hearts. I'm sure Twilight knows that. It comes naturally to her because she learned friendship from the best ponies around - her friends who have kept faith in her and didn't let her go into the Everfree forest alone.

I thank you for your time, your majesty. And I believe that you have more important tasks to take care of. I just would like to give you a gentle reminder that you should go visit Twilight in the Treebrary. Maybe head down later this evening or tonight and have a chat with her. I'm sure Sugarcube Corner would stay open a little longer for you. Pinkie's in a great mood today. It's been a year since you posted Twilight to Ponyville to make friends and incarnate the Elements of Harmony and she wants to celebrate. I'm sure the Ponyville folks would be honored to have you around again, after all, you still owe them a visit from the time the parasprites infested Fillydelphia!

Your loyal subject,

St. Pinkie

So pull up a chair and watch a few episodes today and give thanks to God and Celestia for Lauren Faust and how she touched our lives, all with the touch of a "show for little girls".

Love,
D.A.niel

Something Small

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel Jeyachristi Jude-Valentne Anthony) — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 17:34:00 +0000

"I used to wonder what friendship could be until you all shared this magic with me."

Friendship is Magic - Daniel Ingram & Rebecca Shoichet

Wake up and smell the roses. It's October!

So I promised already I would explain what I've become. If the banner isn't sufficiently explanatory, I've become a full-blown Brony. What's a Brony you ask? It's simply an adult male fan of the new My Little Pony series.

No I don't blow my cash collecting plastic toys. I'm not a fan of action figures anyway. What I am a fan of is the TV show My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.

That one, NOT THIS ONE:

It started airing last year in the USA on The Hub. So the toys are made for girls (the mane is stylable so it's fun to give a unicorn a mohawk), but who ever said the show is? We watch Toy Story. Sure we have outgrown the toys but come to look at it, as long as a show wasn't meant to teach us something through the breaking of the 4th wall, there isn't such thing as a childish show.

This series is kinda different from other serial cartoons partially because of Lauren faust, the creative powerhouse who had a stake in other awesome series I grew up with like the PowerPuff Girls and Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends. You remember those shows? Of course you do. No one can forget how they stick in your head.

Okay! Fine! You think I'm being super extra childish today, why don't you find out for yourself!

Really. Click play and you will be taking a look through the window to the world I live in. You'll love it. Plus, I'm not the only one who's at this. There are thousands (I mean THOUSANDS) of adult male fans of this show. Google the word Brony and you'll see just how many of us there are. It's been said: We are the herd. If you are not part of us, you will be soon!

So enjoy this! It's probably the only awesome serial you can find completely on YouTube! So take advantage!

And oh yeah! Happy October! Enjoy the Month of Friendship!

Love,
D.A.niel

Sky Full Of Lighters

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel Jeyachristi Jude-Valentne Anthony) — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 13:52:00 +0000

"I got my feet in the air and my head on the ground and the rest of body‘s somewhere in the clouds. I’m coming down no time soon like I’m tied to a couple hundred helium balloons."

Higher (feat. Travie McCoy) - Taio Cruz

Exams are over and I'm back once again! I'm sorry to keep you waiting, but I just have to do this.

October is coming soon and to everyone out there, The SOCialites @ Taylors University will be having a prom this year! So open that diary, Google Calendar or iCal and free up the 4th of November!

Click the button to add this event to your

It's for everyone to be a part of ! This is the FIRST cross faculty prom in Taylor's University and you're invited! The theme for this year is PSYCHEDELIC colours! That means any colour that pops out like the neon signs in Las Vegas, so come dressed in your most vivid, lucid dress and have the time of your life!

Early bird tickets are up for sale now at RM135 each! If you grab an early ticket, we'll throw in a special bonus for you! An RM20 voucher to do up your hair at Re:Style by A Cut Above right in the comfort of Taylors University.

It's easy to get to Empire Hotel (yes, I know I bitch about Subang being the world's best recreation of hell). It's on Google Maps (clickie here) and should pop up on any maps app on your smartphone. Just punch in Empire Hotel, Subang. It's the one and only Empire Hotel in Subang. You can't miss it!

So if you want tickets, reserve them NOW by emailing us at thesocialites.tlc@gmail.com and also, please "Like" the SOCialites Facebook page so that you can get updates in your stream!

See you there at the Psychedelic Prom 2011 by the SOCialites @ Taylors University!

EDIT: This event has been cancelled in the wake of the explosion that happened in Subang Empire. We regret the inconvenience caused.

Love,

D.A.niel

Information Age of Hysteria

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel Jeyachristi Jude-Valentne Anthony) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 08:15:00 +0000

"Welcome to a new kind of tension, all across the alienation. Everything isn't meant to be okay. Television dreams of tomorrow, they're not the ones we're meant to follow."

American Idiot - Green Day

I know my last update was way too long ago. I'm sorry again. Looks like I need another booster campaign to get me on my feet. The amount of motivation I've been dealing with is way below what I need to do anything. I'm just back to my lazy ass self again.

To say the exams are around the corner is an understatement. They start tomorrow, and the demotivational aura that wafts around me in the house and in the car isn't helping. I've been falling asleep at the wheel a little more than often and I thank my lucky stars it only happens in traffic jams. Our privatised highways only care about the bloody toll and don't bother to build an emergency shoulder for things like this. It's part of the the reason why we have so many slowdowns when accidents happen. A two lane highway just isn't enough to accommodate our assole driving.

It's kinda like what's going on in my mind. There's a traffic jam up there from all the stuff I have put off. The vicious spiral has begun again. It's just like how it happens in the Bulletproof Monk comic: sleep brings hunger, hunger brings sleep, sleep brings hunger, hunger brings sleep, and this goes on. I need something powerful enough to break me out of this stupid rut. I have tons of work to do and I have the time to do it. I just wasn't born with the ability to self-motivate.

With that I should get back to work. Blogging during the toilet break isn't really the smartest thing to do, especially in the class where the tools are a bitch to use and the subject matter the most unappealing of all.

The day isn't going too well either. For once I parked on campus during peak hour and I happened to get the lot at the furthest end of the campus. It's gonna be a hell of a walk back to the car. My phone headset is spoilt and I'm gonna have to listen to the sound of wind and traffic on my hike.

In other news, I've become a Brony. Google it, or if you're that lazy, I'll tell you more after my exams.

And I'll put up what I've kept in store since my trip to Australia. So stay tuned. I'm back!

Love,

D.A.niel

By the Billabong -Part One- In Flight Entertainment

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel Jeyachristi Jude-Valentne Anthony) — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 14:45:00 +0000

"All I could think about was monday. And maybe I'll be back around. If this keeps me away much longer I dont know what I will do. You've got to understand it's a hard life that I'm going through."
Landing in London - 3 Doors Down

You may now kill me for not already telling you that I am in Australia.

Yeah. I'm here in Sydney, so don't blow up my phone.

I have nothing much to say as for now. The journey here was pretty damn turbulent. However, we landed with what I dare call a perfect 3-point landing. We were watching the inflight movies when we touched down and we didn't feel a thing!

Before we left I decided to hit the loo, and that's where I saw this.

Come on. NOTHING can deter the Malaysian attitude. We are people who live for the "Final Call" rush and we walk the line when it comes to things like these. This is why Malaysian timing is more unique than you think.

So Malaysia Airlines managed to impress me a little more this time. The last time I wen I could swear that I would never fly with them again. They can never beat AirAsia's service. Ever. The only upper hand they've got? Bigger planes and more perks.

As soon as the plane levelled off, the fasten seat belt sign was still on! The turbulence made the ride a bumpy one. Looks like it's going to be a wet Aidilfitri this year. Drive safe everyone!

The etertainment came on and it didn't impress me as much as the ones I have found on other airlines, so I just kicked back and browsed through the shows available for watching on board.

I watched HIMYM. The only had 3 episodes. Not the best ones, but they were still entertaining.

Moving on to brunch. I have no idea how Muslims observe Ramadhan in flight, but whatever it is I'm glad I'm off the fasting. One less thing to worry about.

We had a choice. Nasi Lemak was the alternative. Should have went for that. Damn. (There's a watery omlette under the foil)

So yeah. It's late now. I better hit the sack before die here. Hope to post again soon!

Love,
D.A.niel

P.S!
None of you guys will ever be awesome enough to see this happen on your flight!

Rock & Roll Ramadhan -Part Four- Finding Places

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel Jeyachristi Jude-Valentne Anthony) — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 11:14:00 +0000

"You wanna be the one in control. You wanna be the one who's alive. It's not a matter of luck, it's just a matter of time."

Edge of the Earth - 30 Seconds to Mars

I don't think I can say I was intentionally late today. The dynamics of my usual departure from my house were maintained as usual. Can't really say its my fault now can you?

I would love to post some pictures, but snapping from behind the wheel is already considered Darwin Award worthy. Snapping from the side window would be a totally mindless thing to do especially for a person with poor multitasking skills like me.

What am I talking about? It's the parking. The beloved parking at Taylors. There's nothing worse than trying to fish out a parking spot in the hot afternoon sun on a daily basis.

We blame the management. I blame the management who keeps saying that they are trying to "improve the experience" by imposing a charge on the carpark. There is a problem of space and all they care about is money. As if they don't have enough from our fees.

Enough about that. The Rock & Roll Ramadhan campaign ends today and I want to end it on a good note, so instead of ranting my as off as I usually do, here are some pictures of ~~assoles~~ people who have a lot to learn.

What's wrong? People have a hard time as it is locating a place to dump their vehicles so that they can make it to class on time and what do we have here? Cars taking up multiple lots.

Sure there's no paint on the road to tell us how to park, but I believe that we all should already be instilled with basic parking skills. That "P" sticker means that driving is still fresh in the head. Why should there be a problem?

So maybe you're late. You found a parking lot so good! Now park properly so that all of us can benefit. This kinda parking is totally useless. You gain nothing from it. I have squeezed a Proton Wira into tight spots and I'm sure that your Japanese cars can do the same if not better.

Bear with each other and be considerate. Parking's a bitch. Not just in Taylors, but everywhere. That doesn't necessarily mean that we can bring the carpark drama into our campus. Seriously. If you wanna park like you drive a stretch Hummer then go park outside and take a hike in.

I don't drive a big fancy car, but instead of finding a lot within campus, I had to park at Sunway and walk all the way in. It's good exercise, but the weather is dry as a bone and I was late for class a couple of times already because of the parking problem. Early or late, at noon the parking question becomes one of luck rather than punctuality.

So what have I learned this Ramadhan? I never knew a lot about it in the first place, and I didn't know that shutting up about the fasting was part of the deal. I complained my head off. Maybe I wasn't used to it but I learned that the Puasa (fasting) needs to be sincere before it can hold true meaning.

Also, I need to find alternate ways to take out stress from the usual finger and expletive. Maybe I should take up boxing or something. I've gone swimming more often and I'm pretty sure I've lost weight.

And it's 15 minutes until I break fast for the last time this Ramadhan. I can't wait for next year. Maybe I'll do the full Ramadhan - and keep my promise for a change!

Salam!

Love,
D.A.niel

Rock & Roll Ramadhan -Part Three- Tired Of Lying

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel Jeyachristi Jude-Valentne Anthony) — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 05:29:00 +0000

"I really think you ought to know the truth because I lied and I cheated and I lied a little more, but after I did it I don't know what I did it for. I admit that I have been a little immature."

Don't Lie - The Black Eyed Peas

So I woke up to the sound of my phone blowing up. Calls, calls, calls. And they're not from my friends asking me how I am and how my week has been, neither are they pesky salesmen. Once or twice in the past they were profit-driven nutjobs who don't do their job properly in order to make profit out of you.

Now I remember tweeting weeks back that I don't, at any cost, want to take a up a job. I know it will be inevitable (unless I win the lottery), but now I am studying, and my parents have drilled it into my head that I should let nothing get in the way of my studies.

Yes, I have a fetish for currency (who doesn't), but I know how to live without it. I'm not boasting that I have sufficient money to survive at this point of time, but I am trying pretty hard to focus on what's important and that's my studies.

It's been a week of lying through my teeth and you know that I hate lying. Really, I do, but sometimes we do the things we hate to do, just like how we tend to hurt the ons we love. It's been really hard or me but I can relate to it in a really awesome way.

By the way, that's a movie. Why does it look so Asian? It's not a Chinese film if you thought it was.

It's Thai! Yes. A Thai comedy! Finally something different from the usual thriller and horror stories. And it is not a porno either! Note the Thai spinoff of the Playboy bunny. The movie is oriented on these three married Thai men who have a few more intimate relationships than the one they already have.

Playboys they are, and this is the wacky adventure they embark on to try to keep their lustful alter egos out of the way of their wives' line of sight. Sounds easy? Obviously not, otherwise there would be no movie.

This movie is 2 hours of pure comedy that will keep you laughing out loud non stop from beginning to end.

A pure blend of Asian attitude, western influence, trust issues and unstable marriage, this show is really not your ordinary movie. Many people would call it a stupid film and say that it is not worth the money, but after a rough week and a lot of stress, this movie will do you a world of good (unless the cause of your stress is your partner ACTUALLY cheating on you).

Sounds confusing? Well, just think of how a bunch of people are trying to keep this...

...away from this...

...by calling it this...

...but end up like this...

...and eventually like this...

Sounds interesting? It's now showing in Cathay Cineplex in Damansara Jaya. Just look for the show called "Lulla Man". If they don't know what you're talking about, just tell them it's the Thai Playboy film.

And now I'm suffering from my dry sticks due to the fasting. No water since midnight last night. I didn't wake up in time for Iftar.....again. Oh yeah. It's tough.

But because I will be headed to Aussie at the end of the month for family matters, I will be ending Rock & Roll Ramadhan on the 16th of August, but till then, I'm not planning to give up!

Love,
D.A.niel

Rock & Roll Ramadhan -Part Two- Sweet Tooth

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel Jeyachristi Jude-Valentne Anthony) — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 10:22:00 +0000

"I'll talk about my faith and never judge or hate. My actions will do the speaking. "
The Time of Ramadan - Fez Meghani

Day two of the fasting season and all has been going well for the exception for the little Mentos I spat out immediately after inserting it my mouth. Memory lapse.

My memory failed me at that moment, but during last year's "One Week of Ramadhan", I made the exact same mistake, only worse because I actually ate something as compared to swallowing sweetened saliva.

I don't count this as a failure though, just a little bump on the road.

However, I found out that I seem to have a sweet tooth (See? I learn things during Ramadhan). I'm not surprised. No offence to diabetics but who doesn't like sweet stuff? Candy and sugar make the world spin faster!

It's 5:30. Two hours to breaking fast. My stomach is already complaining to me as I would in a restaurant where I would have to wait for food for 10 hours. Plus, I'm dehydrated and tempted to drink shower water when I bathe (as I normally do lol).

As for university, class today was pretty fun. It was a great way to kickoff the new semester with some light and interesting activities. I sure hope everything stays this way, if not get better.

I'mma sign off now and find something to do for the next hour before breaking fast.

Love,
D.A.niel

Rock & Roll Ramadhan -Part One- Here Comes The Moon

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel Jeyachristi Jude-Valentne Anthony) — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 16:47:00 +0000

"It doesnt mean at iftar, that you cant have fun, but strive in your heart, for your Lord the one and be blessed by Allah, when the month is done."

Ramadhan is Here - Native Deen

I'm keeping to my word for once (not that I do all the time). It's August, and simultaneously, Ramadhan. Tis time to fast and this year, though I'm born a Catholic and stand as a Universalist by choice, I'm gonna try my very best to observe Ramadhan.

So the sighting of the moon last night confirmed the beginning of the fasting month. This is the month that leads up to the ever-so-anticipated festival of forgiveness and repentance known as Aidilfitri. It's the light at the end of the tunnel for many.

Plus, classes at University resume tomorrow! It's going to be something different for once when people have to look for another way to socialize with new classmates than over the same old boring lunch. It'll probably make us more creative in a way.

I believe Ramadhan brings many blessings. The crap theory that fasting doesn't make one lose weight is nothing but an urban legend. I have lost weight over fasting before and I can do it again. But I'm not in this just because of the weight loss. There's so much to see and learn when you leave out a couple of meals a day.

As for those who have observed Ramadhan for a while, have a great Ramadhan al-Mubarak this year and for those who are about to have their first taste (no pun intended) of the Ramadhan experience, good luck and have fun!

Love,
D.A.niel

Stayin' Alive! .:Round 2:. Finishing Hard

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel Jeyachristi Jude-Valentne Anthony) — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 11:30:00 +0000

"I'm gonna get you wet. I'm gonna make you sweat. A night you won't forget."

Champagne Showers feat. Natalia Kills - LMFAO

At last! The engine is running and I'm back!

I wake up at ungodly hours and take outrageously long naps in the afternoon these days, but I'm about to get the wake up call of my life next week when classes begin at University.

Like most of my other holidays, I tend to squeeze the last drop of fun out just before they end so that I have a little more to look forward to. I need a ton of motivation.

Now this time I managed to get my hands on a much more fun opportunity to get the most out of the last 24 hours of my semester break.

So I woke up at 6:30 am on Sunday morning and nearly fell out of bed. I hadn't woken up at that time since...I made my passport a couple of weeks back.

I love the Malaysian lifestyle. We wake up late as ever (even if its in the wee hours of the morning) and our specially engineered perception of time is so easily understandable between most of our peers. There is almost no sense of time sensitivity, only time consciousness. There is a difference between the two.

Back to what I was doing up so early. I took a little morning walk (first in YEARS) to the rendezvous point where Jason picked me up. From then, it was an hours drive to Kuala Kubu Bharu (sound familiar?) where the adventure begins.

No. This isn't some stuntman show. Helmets they are, and their purpose is simply to protect your head and its contents.

What's the bigger picture? If you know Kuala Kubu Bharu and its perimeter, you will notice the river that runs by it (Sungai Selangor). It isn't surprising that a bunch of folks got together and decided to brave the rapids that were on that stream.

They must have enjoyed it very much to add it to their portfolio of rivers to hit the rapids on.

Khersonese Expedition. Heard of it? Well now that you have, here's a big peek into what they've got.

Rafting is serious business but heck, no one wants to sit through a half-hour safety briefing. Not unless you're fortunate enough to have Bai as your supervisor. That's him up there. His safety demo is the closest thing to David Holmes unique flight safety demonstration on Southwest Airlines (see the video here). Bai is his Malaysian counterpart.

Rafting isn't about sitting still. Rafts got no seatbelts or airbags (Ok, fine. You can say the whole thing is an airbag since it's inflated). Each raft has a captain and in order to navigate the rapids, the weight on the raft needs to be shifted to suit the contours of the river. What you see on top is the "over-right", where all members grab the rop on the right and huddle at the right side of the raft.

There's over-left, back and front too. The over front is the craziest. It is usually used to shift the raft off a rapid by toppling it over to the other side like a see-saw. You go headfirst into the crazy river. Awesome no?

The river is a short walk away. We were assigned four to a raft (maximum 6 per raft). Azrin (AzrinArizz.com), Melanie (MelanieHwa.blogspot.com), Mandy (Mandylogy.com) and Shukri (BroFrameStone.com) took one raft while Jason (mynjayz.com) and I shared a raft with a couple from Dubai.

The folks on my raft. They're a fun bunch!

And the rest of the bloggers on the grey raft (furthest from camera).

The rapids on the river are rated at Level 4, which is great for beginners with a little outdoor experience and also tickles the senses of adrenaline junkies.

Oh! And here's a fun fact: Why is it called white water? The term is caused by water that looks white rather than transparent due to the presence of turbulence or disturbance in amounts that cause air and water to temporarily mix and refract light.

Due to the nature of the rapids and also for safety purposes, only one raft can navigate a set of rapids at any given time. This is usually to avoid collisions and accidents and most importantly, spoiling the fun of the whole journey. So what do we do while our raft is parked at the side of the river and awaiting deployment?

We get out and enjoy the water. Come on! The weather these days is so hot you can fry an egg on your car bonnet.

Not just that, we watch how others fare on the same rapids. Especially Azrin's raft capsizing. Mind you, it's apparently more fun when your boat flips.

And the gang trying to recover from the "trauma".

So from then on, it's just getting off the raft and enjoying the view of the forest and the river.

When we reached Kem Bina Semangat, the National Service campsite at the end of the trail, there was lunch waiting for us there.

SO now does the place sound familiar?

That's where the SIC Youth Rallies for 2008 and 2009 were held. So many memories run through the corridors of the campsite. I really miss the place.

My life has really zoomed by these few years. Time really flies when you're having fun! I never thought that I would have returned to this place in my life. It's one of the places that changed my life for the better, and it will always be in my heart.

So with that, the Stayin' Alive campaign draws to a close. Finally, after so many failed travelogues and campaigns, I managed to finish one and finish it well. It sure feels good!

I'm back y'all!

Before I forget, a big thank you to Khersonese Expedition and Advertlets for this awesome and really, really memorable experience.

Love,

D.A.niel

Stayin' Alive! .:Round 2:. The Firing Field

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel Jeyachristi Jude-Valentne Anthony) — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 17:51:00 +0000

"You overthink, always speak cryptically. I should know."

Hot n' Cold - Katy Perry

Bugger the employment industry.

When the stakes are good, it's always the old folks who have left us with a brighter future. When the stakes are shitty, it's always the newbie's fault. Always, unless you're a gifted big show like Elton John, a dirty player like Mark Zuckerberg, a moneybag like most politicians nowdays or a cash-powered bulldozer like Rebecca Black (Really. Her moment is probably when she finally got the ATM card to her first bank account).

So who are we? We're the inexperienced new people who have just left the world of formal education to see the real world and how unforgiving it is. We're the new meat that are here for you to bat around like a stress toy. It's not that we do not respect the older generation and how you have gained your rank and place in the industry. Don't come to us with the stories of how you used to have to slog to work after graduation because unskilled labour is not the same as what we're expected to do after graduation.

Skills are skills. They are gained chiefly from experience. Without being given the chance to even try is bad enough. Not being given the chance to fail and make mistakes is worse. It's not that we love to screw up. Shit happens. It just depends where it happens and when it hits the fan.

Yes we know what responsibilities are and we have them. Our role is to know what we can do and take on the tasks accordingly, not to have others' work delegated to us so that we break our backs while the upper market reaps their "passive income". We can barely make enough for ourselves while the big players save up for their second Mercedes.

I'm not looking to tight slap someone or to sabotage some giant syndicate here. All I'm asking for is some room and chances. Nobody's perfect and everyone makes sacrifices. It's just that some people have things in life that cannot be put aside.

Love,
D.A.niel

Stayin' Alive! .:Round 2:. The Dying Sparks

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel Jeyachristi Jude-Valentne Anthony) — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 16:55:00 +0000

"Sink me in a river at dawn. Send me away with the words of a love song."

If I Die Young - The Band Perry

One week. That's all that remains. One stupid week.

It'll go by in a flash. That I know. I've been so messed up these weeks. Pretending to be busy so that I have time to myself and when I finally do, I end up wasting it by staying up all night, waking up late the next morning and wasting the day away. That's been the day-to-day routine.

I have nothing much to say. Nothing exciting has happened. I would pretty much cry right now from all the time I've wasted. Not on anyone but myself. I get too hooked onto Hollywood style scenes where people don't take advice because they're so faithful and sure in themselves and their peers that when the stakes are high, the euphoria is so capturing that it rakes them in. Unfortunately, that's Hollywood.

What happens here? Things just die. Ideas that once were full of anticipation and spirit now lie on the grounds like balloons after a party waiting to be popped and swept away. I'm a person made of dreams. No, not your dreams, my own dreams. I don't look like a slut thank you. I've lived and am living to see them come true, but around me nothing seems to change. I'm looking at everyone else and how I've just sit here waiting for something to happen. Everyone else is having fun and this idiot is still messed up and taking all the wrong opportunities.

Maybe holidays should just last 2 weeks or so. Just enough to rest and get some spirit going again. Hah. Silly me. Oh look. My to-do list looks almost the same as how it looked like when the bloody month started.

Somebody come slap me. Soon. Wake me up from this shithole.

Love,
D.A.niel

Stayin' Alive! .:Round 2:. Winning Territory

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel Jeyachristi Jude-Valentne Anthony) — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 07:33:00 +0000

"We gettin' money, don't be mad now stop. Hatin' is bad."

Party Rock Anthem feat. GoonRock & Lauren Benett - LMFAO

Forgive me once again. I know I'm pushing the limits of myself to discipline myself to update. It's tough and...holy crap I haven't updated since the beginning of July!

My beloved netbook, my HolyBible just collapsed on me and despite my crazy ongoing efforts to revive the poor thing, nothing's working...yet. I'mma keep praying and trying.

Ok. Blues aside (no pun intended), let's move on to some fun shall we?

Remember about a year and a half back? I was just starting college, life was beginning to show a deceiving brighter side and oh yeah, I had just gotten hold of my leraners' license and was testing the water on how to drive.

But what stuck with me for so freaking long was the fact that I got kicked out of a nightclub just a month after turning 18. Seriously, that night was burned into my mind forever.

In case you don't know why it happened, it was because I went straight from college in bermudas that were, for I don't know what reason, not allowed. Blame it on my total disregard for dress codes.

So for one whole year, I did not step into a nightclub. Not that I did before, but I was pretty proud of keeping my clubbing virginity. No late night hard liquor, no worrying about phones and wallets getting nicked.

After a year, opportunity struck again, and this time I was not going to let it slip out of my hands.

Behold, the remixed, revamped and reloaded REV-CUP, the most REVved up party of the year!

So why is it in Sunway? Well, guess what. Selangor won!

Now that we are officially the most awesome state in Malaysia, it's time to stand up and cheer!

So what was it like being in a nightclub for the very first time? Let me share. It wasn't a clubbing night as in, popping bottles, going nuts on the dancefloor and that. I'm not built for that kind of sleeze. No I have nothing against MOS or any other club. If I were to ever step into a club, it would be for music appreciation and I would park my ass behind the DJ booth.

This time, dance floor was spicier than ever. Some fun personalities turned up to keep the party going. There was Jin, the dude who hosts the Hitz Party on Hitz.FM,

His morning counterpart, JJ Fernandes, who hosts the morning show.

Bittersweet, who shook the dance floor and got us started.

Hunny Madu, the Fly FM DJ. Yes, in case you didn't know, she performs as well and she does it like a bombshell.

Along with her two dancers.

And they tore up the dancefloor.

Now if you're Malaysian and don't know who this familiar face is, it is about time you do. Here's a hint: he likes the way it makes you move.

Yup. That's Reshmonu and his drummer. You have gotta love his style of fusion. This is totally why I love club music. With people like him and his DJ, it's unpredictable. I've never seen that kind of percussion manifest itself in this genre of music.

Okay, so JJ and Jin don't perform. They were there to host the show :)

And then we have to salute the people who took Selangor to glory.

Four digits. Not in Revive drinks (though that would be cool), but in cold hard cash! These people uploaded and made the craziest and most awesome photos and videos to the Rev Cup app on Facebook (click here to see the app and the photos).

And after all that jam, we finally ended with a bang, led by none other than Pop Shuvit!

Apologies for a late posting and a big thank you to Permanis and Advertlets for having me over for this first!

Love,
D.A.niel

Stayin' Alive! .:Round 2:. Extraction

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel Jeyachristi Jude-Valentne Anthony) — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 15:01:00 +0000

"For now I'll lie around Hell, that's all I can really do. She takes good care of me, just keep saying my love is true"

Pulling Teeth - Green Day

Hold your horses! I have my excuses, and you better believe this.

It's been a hell of a few days. The holidays for me aren't really holidays now. I've been packed with all sorts of stuff, from meetings to tasks and jobs.

That was the case until MONDAY. Yeah. The blacklisted day of the week couldn't get any worse.

So yeah. I went to the dentist last week. I was chewing on some Indonesian Satay flavoured Pringles when it struck. You know, that feeling that someone swung a baseball bat at you, miraculously missed your cheek and the outer core of your teeth and hit the sensitive inside covered with more nerve endings than any other part of your mouth?

As for the Indonesian Satay flavour, it's pretty much fail. The Bangkok Grilled Chicken Wings flavoured ones tasted exactly the same. I suggest you stick with the other Pringles flavours (and besides, isn't Satay Malaysian!?)

So that happened last week. Mom rang up the dentist and got me an appointment the very next day.

I'm not afraid of the dentist. Ever since I made an effort to take better care of my teeth after being told off when I was 12 about my dental health. I brushed my teeth religiously every night back then. I even had the kid's version of the electric ActiBrush by Colgate (RM75. Expensive bugger). The stains were, however, more religious than me.

So when I was about 14, I stopped brushing on a regular basis. Guess what. I did not need to go for scaling so often. A tube of toothpaste lasted me 4-5 months and all was well. I had no problems with my oral infrastructure.

That was until Colgate launched their new line of toothpastes. That was when I no longer wanted satisfyingly clean and healthy teeth. I started to want the bright Darlie smile and teeth so strong that I can survive a 10-storey drop with all intact.

I was about 17 and I started brushing about 5 times a day. It was good. Everytime I brushed it sent a jolt of freshness into me that immediately gave me more spirit and energy.

Surely it wasn't a bed of roses. You have assoles who say crap like "Brushing too much isn't good." Those are the people who definitely haven't tried.

Then there was the time when I was one of the Star Students in school so we went to Pizza Hut for our treat. God knows what got into me but I decided to look a little more human and eat pizza with cutlery. Sad thing is that halfway through the meal I forgot that I was using a FORK. I just sunk my teeth into the pizza with full force to tear off the pepperoni so that it comes off clean and doesn't drag the rest of the topping off with it.

That's when my teeth met with the fork.

So yeah. I lost a little bit of my front tooth. It was the right side so now I have a constant reminder to know how and what I am eating.

Surely enough, my left front tooth was next. People, NEVER drink out of a glass bottle when your friend is driving. Ed was behind the wheel and showing off his super-fast three-pointer. You know what happened next. Sudden brake and my left front tooth hit the rim of my water bottle. There went a little chip of tooth.

But still, my teeth were all okay. No big problems.

UNTIL LAST THURSDAY.

I have no idea why they call them wisdom teeth. The dentist had a look at my left side where I had that ache and she was like. "Oh, your wisdom tooth is coming out. It's bothering your molar next to it. No worries. Nothing's wrong. It's normal."

So it was all good until...

"But your right side wisdom tooth isn't coming out straight..."
"Is that normal too?"

Fat chance.

So yeah. I had it removed on Monday. It wasn't a typical pullout. This was a wisdom tooth, and it wasn't being very wise in the back of my mouth. It was crooked as hell and poking into the molar next to it. Yes. POKING. It was fitting inside like a jigsaw puzzle.

The solution to that? Grind down the part that's poking and sitting in my molar, then pull the root out.

And painful it was. Even with four times the anaesthetic dose, there were occasional pain attacks. After the grinding, it took quite a while for the tooth to crack and give way. Then the real shit started.

The removal of the root was really excruciating. The pressure that was on the root from the chisel (I have no idea what that tool is, but it was scary as hell) was enormous and it was just nudge after nudge till the tooth finally came out.

And that was it. Now I can't speak properly, half my face is slightly swollen and I can still feel the raw gum at the back of my mouth. But meh, it was worth it. The dentist said that if I had it removed a couple of years down, the root could snap and then I would be in deep trouble and even deeper pain.

So to all my dear readers. Go get an appointment with the dentist. NAO. If you have to pull a tooth, get it done ASAP, before things get stuck.

Love.
D.A.niel

Stayin’ Alive! .:Round 2:. Incoming!

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel Jeyachristi Jude-Valentne Anthony) — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 15:42:00 +0000

“My, oh my. It’s a little bit scary.”
Pretty Girl Rock – Keri Hilson

Okay, so I didn’t keep my promise. I’m sorry.

But hey, I’m back! If you’ve been following on Facebook, I said that is was harder than it sounds…

Dare I say, I’ve become a workaholic in a way. University is WAY more hectic than everyone says it is. Maybe it’s because I’m doing a completely assignment based course.

So the past few months have been crazy. I’m proud that I’ve survived it. I’ve had urges coming from all directions to get online and blog, but in the midst of hitting the online drop box a mere 30 seconds before the deadline, I realised that time was really of the essence.

but that doesn’t mean I’m given up on this blog! It’s the holidays now and even thought I’ve chocked up tons of activities, I’ve set aside time to pen my thoughts out. I’ve been cranky lately and I could use the journal therapy.

And then there’s the numerous stories out of campus that I bet you will love to hear. Really. If you are yet to get sunk into university or are about to begin soon, you’re gonna love this.

Shit aside, life has been treating me well. Sure there are ups and downs, but it has been a great and crazy 5 months.

So keep in touch. See your page peeling a little at the top? Click on it and “Like” us on Facebook! It’ll keep you posted!

Love,
D.A.niel

Stayin' Alive! -Part Two- The Wall of Words

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel Jeyachristi Jude-Valentne Anthony) — Sat, 21 May 2011 15:08:00 +0000

"Any language straight from the heart pulls us all together, never apart."

Love In Any Language - Sandi Patti

YES people! As promised! I is BACK.

The days in Semester 1 are numbered now and the final assessments are pouring in. It won't be long before the summer holidays get here.

Holidays may come and go and they say that distance makes the heart grow fonder. It's really foolish to let petty things piss you off.

And right in the midst of conversation, some people twist things until you feel as if the table you're sitting at suddenly burst into flames. I understand if you have pet peeves, but this is seriously ridiculous. I know I am for a universal language, but I don't shoot people down for saying something wrong. Some of the most innocent mistakes are those that are used to pick people up, slap them on the cheek and trample them. Wanna know what it is?

Language. It's our language! No, not the degree of how saturated conversations are with profanities, it's simpler. Our grammar.

Now I am definitely not hammering at people with poor grammar. Please do understand that. Who I really can't stand are people who can't stand others' grammar problems. Yes. I know that I shouldn't show this kind of tolerance to such people, but then they can't accept others just on the basis of language.

Allow me to ask. What is the purpose of language? Language is a tool, a medium that's used to communicate with one another. Yes, you can get a BA in English. If every government in the world enforced a rule that made it mandatory then maybe, just MAYBE, your argument would be valid, but that's never gonna happen. Not in Malaysia at least.

So language barriers arise between us. They're an issue of society that may get in the way of us, but it is part of what makes us a diverse culture. I'm sure you've heard the same old story.

"We're all from different backgrounds, different religions and different races, but we are all united as one"

Okay. Maybe you didn't hear it in this style but yeah. The typical response is like:

*YAWNS* Yes, yes. We're as one. Yay for 1Malaysia, yay for everything. I love my Chaineese friends. Is that how you spell it? Who cares. And all my black friends...I meant Indian friends. Yeah. We're one. We're united. We're 1Malaysia. It'll be better if those retard Indians would shut up and all blablablablaaa yak yakety yak yak yak....

Get what I mean? I know what's in your mind too. Yeah. I've become David Copperfield for a day.

Me? That's not me. I love everyone.

Bullshit (forgive me if that was NOT what was on your mind). No one loves everyone. You're not God. Stop trying to be like Him.

Messages spreading unity and preaching for diversity are doing just nothing but going in one ear and out the other. I'm tired of hearing them over and over again in traffic jams, at traffic lights, on the way to campus and on the public broadcast systems. They're not working because we're not actively trying to unite. We're putting the blame on others and not on ourselves. Yeah. It has to be our politicians right? I believe that YOU have a role to play here too.

And now, are we gonna let language get in the way? Just because someone can't write English as well as you can, it doesn't mean that s/he's of a lower class than you. Don't get me started on speaking. Maybe someone who has a pretty damn good command of the language can be like a toastmaster or something. Speech is only half the matter. If you're one who talks trash then that might be a good reason to have your ass kicked, but if you're someone who has something good to say, you have every right to have your voice heard in writing and in speech.

So keep it sweet and simple. We don't need another social bias that's gonna tear us up further.

Love,
D.A.niel