Lost

Right after I came home from my baking assessment, I stumbled across 2 little kittens sitting back to back in the garden. They looked lost & afraid - one of them has orange & white coat while the other has greyish stripes all over its body. I walked over to them, being careful to not scare them away. The orange one was mewing at me, or so I thought.

I got a bored trying to "communicate" with them & walked back to my house; surprisingly the little felines trotted along, trailing behind me. I thought they looked so adorable & wanted to play with them after putting down my stuff. The kittens crawled underneath my car instead of following me back to my door. I panicked, fearing the car may run over them if someone decides to reverse the car.

I was trying to coax them out of their hiding place but to no avail. Thankfully, the mother cat came looking for her little kittens. It was a quite a sight to behold, as I watched her gripped one of the kittens head with her mouth & carried the offspring towards the gate. It's amazing how the strong grip does not leave any wound to the kitten.

The other kitten was being difficult, refusing to leave its hiding place. Finally, the mother cat returned for its baby by entering through the back drain. Upon hearing our voices, the mother cat were very cautious about calling its baby & instead hid behind the bushes. When the grey kitten appeared slowly, the mother quickly led her kitten to the gate & out of sight.

Sometimes, the most mundane things in life can be so interesting than you'd expect. It's a normal reaction of the mother cat to be protective of its young ones but for some reason, seeing it with my eyes brings a whole new experience of life in its simplest form.

'Kodak moments' no more

Soon after Kodak Inc announced that the firm had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, this article written by a former banker & economist was published in StarBizWeek dated 11 February 2012.

I read the article with great interest & wonder how soon the company I work for will fall victim to similar predicament due to complacency & pure stubbornness. Worse still, we were not known for any breakthrough inventions/innovations which would result in creative destruction.

No wonder we're known to be the follower, slowly falling behind & being crushed by rival brands. We may be lucky to be still standing "kinda" strong for now, sure bet that we'll be cannibalised in 5 years time. Pure disappointment...

Credits: The Star, Saturday 11 February 2012

K-pop worship

While at work flipping throught the newspapers, I came across this article titled, The K-pop cult with the images featuring TVXQ & Super Junior. While I was supposed to be looking at competitor's advertisements, I couldn't help but continued reading the article. Upon consuming the entire article, I could certainly relate to the writer's experience.

I couldn't agree more with the writer's description on how cult-like K-pop fandom can be. If you've been following my blog for the past few years, I'm sure you're aware that I was once a big fan of TVXQ or fondly known as DBSK. On a daily basis - without fail - I would stay in front of the computer for hours just downloading TVXQ stuff (MVs, songs, live performances, variety shows etc.) when I should be getting started on my college assignments.

Then, there's the hard-to-resist new album releases with several versions packaged in the coolest or most beautiful box you've ever come across. In fact, I almost owned all their CDs & DVDs and treated them as my prized collection cuz they were imported from Korea or Japan. And I had the opportunity to attend their concert twice when they stopped over at Malaysia. While I considered my sanity kept in check by hanging out at the concert venue 6 hours before it starts, my friend was crazy enough to stalk them right from their arrival at airport until the late night rehearsal before the concert.

Soon enough, 3 members of the group were plagued with a court case between their management/record label SM Entertainment for binding them to a slave contract that was too long, restrictive & low pay. Due to this, their activities were drastically reduced & I saw less of them. When Junsu, Yoochun & Jaejoong won the case, I supposed the relationship with SM turned sour & ended with a tragic split from the TVXQ to form their own group called JYJ. Meanwhile, Yunho & Changmin remained in TVXQ & continued to promote their works via SM.

As predicted, my interest for all of them wane quickly cuz I was heartbroken with the split. When the love for them was lost, whatever prized collection I have seemed like heaps of trash taking up unnecessary space. But never got to selling any of it cuz deep down inside, I couldn't. TVXQ was indeed a talented group which possess versatile voices & fancy dance moves, unlike the new generation of K-pop boybands with engineered sounds & Autotuned, churning songs after songs that are forgettable.

Unlike what the writer said, I wouldn't consider TVXQ as robots that have passed its lifespan & discarded as rag dolls. The band still lives on anyway - only with 2 members while the 3 of them took different career paths. I never regretted being part of this K-pop worshipping cuz it cheered up my life & made me some new friends (though not long-lasting). Now I'm glad that I put an end to it cuz the fandom was draining my moolah faster than I could ever imagine.

Credits: The Star, Friday 6 January 2012

Augmented Reality (AR)

I was flipping through the newspapers for competitor's advertisements as part of my daily task in the office until I came across this Samsung Galaxy mobile phones Christmas ad. It wasn't their first insertion to promote their Galaxy series in white but this ad was their first to allow readers to view the Galaxy phones in 3D using augmented reality (AR).

All you need to do is download the Samsung GALAXY 3D app from Android Market. Next, launch the app & point the phone's camera to focus on the AR marker. Ta-daa! You'll see the 3D phone appear on the screen - rotatable & scalable. Move your camera phone slightly further but keeping the 3 markers within the frame allows 3 phones to pop up magically!

Using AR in thise case is a breath of fresh air from the usual, boring product ads which shout "Come buy me cuz I'm darn good". However, I thought the execution method was kind of a failure cuz you need to download the app from Android Market. For those who has an existing Android phone (excluding the Galaxy phones advertised), then it would entice them to view the AR. What about those who doesn't own Android? How is it possible to call for action from these readers to downlaoad the in order to view the 3D phone & consider visiting the shop, hence even purchasing the phone?

Perhaps using a microsite to view the AR instead of the app will be a more viable option?

Yellow Man Santa

It's Christmas time again & we're bombarded by the media with offers, gifts etc. One ad caught my eye yesterday with probably the most used QR codes ever in an ad. The advertiser is none other than DiGi's Christmas ad with a collage of QR codes forming a Yellow Man Santa.

Before you judge that it's just another ad with exceptionally lots of QR codes, indeed you're wrong. The unique part of these QR codes is that each code is different, hence every scan directs you to a completely unique gift downloads or should I say offers. Way to go, DiGi & the agency who created this!

"Ponteng kerja"

Today reminded me one of the good 'ol days during my sophomore year in college. I still remember joining some of my friends once in a blue moon to skip classes cuz the tutoring sessions were sometimes pointless & boring. We would catch a short movie in the cinema or just plain hanging out at nearby cafes with hopes that the tutor wouldn't see us loitering around.

How does my good memories relate to today, you wonder? Well, I sprained my right wrist without realising when & how it happened. For all I know, there was a slight pain yesterday morning but I ignored it & carried on with my weekly household chores. Early this morning, a sharp pain hit me hard & woke me up abruptly from my slumber. I felt numbness all over my wrist & could barely bend it nor open any door. Indeed I was struggling to endure the pain at work.

I took half day off & waited for WL to fetch me to the doctor's. It was a very sweet gesture from him making an effort to take emergency leave just to accompany me to the clinic. =) Visit at the doctor's only lasted slightly more than 30 minutes & we were left with nothing to do. Here's the fun part...instead of resting at home, we headed straight to Tropicana City Mall for a movie! Both of us could've return to the office but our procrastination got the better of us. =P This was one of those mischievious things that I've done with WL & it sure is great fun. XD

Dream kitchen

I was a little bored over the weekend & did a random visit to a renowned kitchen appliances brand, KitchenAid. I found out about this brand when I did some research while scouting for a stand mixer (though I ended up buying a Philips cuz I couldn't afford KitchenAid).

In case you have no idea how the stand mixer looks like, here it is...the ever gorgeous Kitchen Aid tilt-head stand mixer in a wide array of hues.

In the website, there's a page that showcases several kitchen design concepts equipped with KitchenAid appliances. Boy, I was captivated by all the designs but I was definitely attracted to 2 designs.

My first favourite - Modern American.

My next favourite design - Contemporary.

Such beautiful kitchens...who wouldn't dream of owning one in their homes one day? If only achieving it is a not-too-distant reality. For now, I can only dream.

Pics credits:
Appliance Online
KitchenAid Gallery

First class pizza

It was another Saturday afternoon when me & my family had to ponder about what to eat for lunch. My aunt had a sudden craving for pizzas & not wanting to buy the usual food take-out ie chicken rice, noodles, mixed rice you name it - got me to place the pizza order on the phone.

I ordered our personal favourites - Aloha Chicken & Classified Chicken in NY Crusts, onion rings & chicken wings in barbeque sauce - waited for approximately 20 minutes until the delivery guy came knocking at our door. I was surprised by the different pizza packaging box the minute he took them out of his heating bag. So this is what Domino's been hyping about - not just "First Class" pizza but "First Class" packaging too.

For those of you who're unaware, Domino's has launched 3 new flavours namely First Class pizzas in conjunction with the upcoming movie, X-Men: First Class. The new flavours which consist of Tuna Extreme, Chicken Perfection & Shrimp Passion feature the new pesto sauce.

I haven't tried any of them as it can be pretty pricey due to the surcharge for different sizes. Anyways, it never occured to me that Domino's would apply the First Class packaging design to all pizzas, not just its First Class range - which I felt the box is particularly cool but...on 2nd thoughts, may not be a good colour for food.

Big discounts

I was in for a panic attack as CNY nears & yet I've not gotten any shopping done. Here's a problem in my family especially my grandma who expects each & everyone of us to be clad in new clothings - top to toe - which makes shopping for something I fancy & pleasing the elderly simultaneously is getting increasingly difficult. What's more, for some odd reason the red clothings sold around this time never looked good.

Honestly, I almost gave up searching & was tempted to wear my old clothings. I decided to drop by at WH, 1U with WL to try our luck since a large placard was displayed outside the store with "Relocation Sale" printed on it. Relieved I was when I found what I wanted whereas WL only bought a few shirts cuz most of them wasn't up to his liking. Guess how much the bill turned out to be?

Much to my surprise, I enjoyed 50% discount for each item I bought. All this while, WH was not known for selling affordable apparels cuz the prices range from RM80 onwards. Apparently, WH is relocating to one floor below but will be re-branded to cater to premium market. O.O Their clothings are really not worth buying yet they plan to sell it even higher than before after the re-branding. Anyways, I have one less thing to worry now that I've also managed to grab a pair of wedges at RM29.90. Thanks to all the wonderful discounts, it made my day! =)

Lomo-fied

I've been actively taking pics using my iPhone after downloading a pretty interesting app recently. The app is called Lomo Lomo which simulates the effects of a Lomo camera, allowing you to capture images similar to the original device.

Here's an intro for those who have no idea what Lomography is all about. This form of photography emphasizes casual & candid snapshots. The cameras used are analogue film cameras which produces overexposed, light leaks & grainy effects on the pics. These imperfections are considered art especially among Lomo enthusiasts cuz the effects give a vintage feel & personal touch to the pics.

Nothing comes cheap when it's art related. Each Lomo camera costs at least RM300 or more as it only has one type of lens for a specific filter or effect. Fortunately, Lomo has offered a cheaper alternative for us by designing an app for iPhone. It's available free for download on the App Store. I downloaded it & started snapping pics immediately. And I'm amazed by the results produced!

See the different filters that create gorgeous pics of nostalgia. =) Cool, huh?

Of course, not all things come free. If you wish to try out new filters for different effects, in-app purchases are available at $0.99 per filters. Not that I'm gonna buy them anyway cuz whatever sampler that is given is more than enough to whet my hunger for candid photography. Yay to iPhone apps!! =D

Minty "condoms"

*gasps* Who left a box of condoms on my table?

I supposed there's no harm taking a closer look & see what's inside, right?

Oh c'mon, it's only a chewing gum. Who am I kidding? LOL. But who would've thought this new Wrigley's chewing gum bear too much resemblance of a contraceptive. The name sounds so...condom-ish. Electro gives me the feeling of ultra-lubricated condoms with ribs for that vibrating feeling. Good gracious!

Speaking of minty "condoms"...=P Was this packaging design intentional?

Hotel toiletries just got cuter

Did it ever cross your mind that hotels would go the extra mile to provide you toiletries like this?

With colourful designs as plastic wrappers as part of the hotel's branding? And at the same time being eco-friendly by using recycled materials to manufacture these items? Wow! That is a whole lot of objectives to meet.

According to a friend of Mum's who travels frequently to Japan, she discovered these cute toiletries in most of the hotels she has stayed before. It's indeed common to have the following on their list:

1. Hair clips of different purpose - one for clipping your bangs & the other to clip up all your hairs

2. Hair brush & comb - for the straight or curly tresses

3. Hair rubber band - for a quick ponytail

4. Razor - to shave your unwanted hair

5. Toothbrush & toothpaste - for that clean, minty breath

And last but not least...

6. Wash ball - to scrub off all the dirt & grime, dead skin cells etc.

Wow, what a feat! I'm so going to Japan... =D

People of the media industry

Being part of the marketing industry can actually provide an individual a life full of excitement & bizarre events. You meet people from all walks of life - not only of different backgrounds but personalities too. For instance, this media guy who is affiliated to our agency was at our place for a quick presentation by representatives from the radio station.

He was transferring a presentation deck to my thumb drive so that my manager & I could look through it just in case our CEO might start questioning for our opinions. Coincidentally, he saw a movie clip of Underworld 3: Rise of the Lycans (I think...can't remember -_-") & casually asked..."can I have that, please?"

I was taken by surprise as it was such a hilarious moment. I was like..."Sure, go ahead. Since you've asked..." Haha! It's no biggie, really. But just so funny =P. Never thought that I would encounter such random moments with someone I'm not personally close to. Perhaps that made he & I close up the gap as working partners. Interesting...*chuckles*

Wedding groove

I just had to post a link to this video that I bumped into while randomly reading news on the net. It was hilarious & fun but heartfelt at the same time. How often do you see weddings like this so upbeat & cheeky? If I can do something like this for my wedding, super cool isn't it? XD Minus the "ketiak" dance that WL keeps on complaining about. Perhaps something more groovy no? ^^

P.S. I love this video...

Yellow blob

After months of searching, I've finally found what I've been looking for...

The perfect solution to cleaning hard-to-reach areas on the keyboard.

*unwraps*

Upon unwrapping, you'll find yourself with a gooey yellow blob - the texture a little rubber-ish & sticky but not as bouncy as those green stuff as shown in the movie, Flubber.

It definitely cleans very well! *thumbs up*

Indeed a good purchase~

^_________^

Shopping bliss

Sometimes things that your beloved say to you might irk or annoy the heck out of you. And having to dive into an argument wouldn't makes thing any better especially when both sides refuse to compromise or utter a plain simple apology.

Rather than dwell over the issue which might eventually lead to a heated argument, I found that shopping does wonders to your bad day. Provided that there's a strong abstinence over the tendency to overspend if your resources are rather scarce or risk ended up broke at the end of the day.

Thankfully, I was still able to control but spending over RM200 within 2 hours is considered a lot, eh? XD. I spent on a new pair of peep-toe pumps cuz I really love shoes. Wish I could buy more but Mum would start yelling at me again =P

And then I bought a perfume that I've been looking for a long, long time. Never thought that I could find it in Malaysia ever since the first time I had a whiff of the scent from a sample that came with the package I bought from YesAsia. From that day, I fell in love with it cuz it embodies simplicity, innocence & sweetness that matches very much to my personality. I didn't buy back then cuz it was too pricey on YesAsia & I was left to only dream of owning one. Here it is before my very eyes & till now, it still seems unreal to me...

Sasa was conducting promotion in which every customer will receive a RM10 for every RM100 purchase. With that RM10 & additional few dollars, I added a facial item to my basket. I've tried it & so far...pretty okay. It actually has cucumber extracts & smells like one too. Not reusable though :/

Come to think of it, I really love shopping alone cuz I actually get to buy things as compared to shopping with friends. Sad to say this but it's very true. Or else, tagging along with Mum would be another favourable option too. I wouldn't have ended up shopping alone today if it wasn't for accompanying Grandma to the beauty centre for her final facial appointment. The weekend crowd at Mid Valley was no doubt there, as per usual. Nevertheless, Kiehl's definitely caught my attention with their out-of-this-world marketing ploy.

As you can see, those "mannequins" are actually real humans being made as one. Believe it or not, they stood still in the glass box for 1 hour - waving to curious onlookers & shoppers every 5 seconds just so to draw attention to Kiehl's current promotion. It's pretty wicked cuz they're pretending to smile at you & pose as still as a tree simultaneously. Impactful as agreed by many but I wasn't sure if it was effective enough to draw crowds to the Kiehl's shop nearby. As a normal person myself, I was amused but in the end I wasn't interested to stop by at the shop. Why? Cuz Kiehl's products are way beyond my budget. Prove me wrong. Perhaps many might've entered the shop after witnessing such an interesting marketing tool by them. After all, I'm only one of the few that doesn't fall under their target market so whether the message had reached me or not...it's less important right? Of course, I wouldn't deny that they were trying to turn people like me into potentials & hopefully loyal ones.

Spot me on the web~

I'm feeling exhilarated & amused at the same time; seeing a photo of myself being exposed publicly. In a website, I mean.

I looked so funny. Haha. *rofl*

OneNote is the way to go!

I just installed Office 2007 this afternoon & was doodling around with this new program that I've not used before previously. I believe it's not new to many of you out there but it certainly is, at least to me.

I find it pretty versatile for note-taking purpose & organising the dozens of important notes taken during meetings & lectures. Or even organising your schedule. Works somewhat like your personal organiser. Too bad I didn't have the luxury of owning this program while I was still in university.

I'm still in the midst of familiarising it & I'm pretty sure that there's more to this than meets the eye. Hehe. There must be some hidden features that I've yet to discover. ;)

Girls, please watch this space...

I'm commenting this in relation to those girls gone missing cases that are becoming rampant these days. Either they're being murdered or raped by their boyfriends. What's even more frustrating is that they actually go out for dates after getting to know the guy for merely weeks. And why on earth would you go out with a guy alone whom you've only chatted online for less than 3 months?

I wonder, can girls really be that dumb & easily cheated? =( I read these news with a painful heart knowing that the majority of the males' image have been tarnished by irresponsible boys reported in the news. It's truly unfair to the rest of the guys who respects & treats women well. Girls, this is a wake-up call to y'all. Please, please...take good care of yourselves. Open your eyes & search carefully. Guys are nice living creatures if you mix with the right ones.

Guilty pleasure

I was dumbfounded when I saw this piece of scrap paper on my car windshield.

So much for the joy of sex... -____-

Anyone men up for virility enhancement can kindly call this number. Certified "halal" too. o_O