Playlist on the Road

This time tomorrow I'll probably be driving back home. Once I finished my GD journal, then I'll start to diassemble my PC, pack some clothes, bring all my books back, a couple of design magazines, all my artsy fartsy materials and not to forget, my running shoes. And oh yeah, toiletries. I've spent more time in this house in SK #16 than I did in my new house back in Batu Maung.

There's something about going home. I need a few hours to get used to being home. It helps when I assemble my PC, put my clothes in the wardrobe, arrange all art stuff and books into shelves and on desks, and also put my toiletries into my own bathroom. Then, it'll feel like being back home.

I'll be home for slightly less than a month. Then it's final semester. *shudders* That'll come when it comes. For the time being, it's just gonna be chilling and devoting all my time to preparing work for the final exhibition. Dank, I've nothing worthy to put onto display yet!

Driving home tomorrow. I've just burnt two CDs to listen to on the way. Most of my top rated songs. Hee.

I'll be home! Friends in Penang, give me a call. We can go for movies or something. Friends in LUCT, see ya next sem!

A Letter to Me

I stumbled upon this beautiful song sung in three different versions, three different languages, all touching in their own way. The main message in all three versions is a letter to oneself from the past. They are all about the hopes and dreams when we are young and how our present selves view these aspirations.

This Japanese version should be the original version. This is the one most beautifully sung of all three. If you paid attention to the lyrics, though the message is sombre it is truly uplifting in the end.

This is the Sammi Cheng canto version, which is my favourite of all three. Though this also has an uplifting end, the lyrics made me very afraid. I am at a point in life where dreams come easy and the world's in the palm of my hand. Though I may face a lot of difficult choices and questions, the wonder of it all is I still have choices. The scary thought is when these choices run out, and one day, all I might have left are my broken dreams. Will the thirty-three year old me, look back from the future, and still see Me?

And this is the Mandarin version, the one that affected me the least. This is nice in its own way but does not resonate with me at all.

I will want to write a letter now, addressed to myself ten years later. In the letter, I will write down all my dreams, my fears and my great loves. When I grow up ten years later, and read back the letter, I will want to be able to tell the twenty three year old me that all is fine. I will want to be able to tell me it's okay to dream, that I have removed all obstacles and it is all just, fine.

Will you write a letter to yourself too?

Sammi

One of the most touching performances I've seen.

Sleepy...

UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE!

Nothing much really, haha~ One final assignment to go which is supposedly due on Tuesday. Once again, no surprise there, it's postponed to Friday instead. Basically it's just prolonged torture. Anyhow anywho, I'll be packing my bags, leave on a jet plane, don't know when I'll be back again (love this song).

*yawn*

Just waiting for the rest of my drama to load, so that I can put my PC on standby. All loaded dramas shall be slowly enjoyed tomorrow while working. I personally think the standard for TVB dramas has been going down. I can't stand it when the writers take audiences for fools. Bah!

Ta~ good night. =v=

SPCA Campaign and The Best Lecturer EVER

SPCA Campaign

Our final project was to come up with an awareness campaign. Together with 41, Tham and Elysia, we chose SPCA as the organization to do this campaign for. Our main message was the consequences of strays overpopulation. Through this campaign, we aim to encourage the people who want pets to adopt instead of buying from pet shops.

Tham was in-charged of all things visual, I deal with copy while 41 and Elysia both came up with the design for the promotional campaign props. This is one of the few group works where I felt totally relaxed. Coz I deal only with copy, once my part is done, I'll just have to pass that on to the rest. Then I could sit back and only comment on their works. Sweet~

I really like the visual style we came up for this campaign. It's clean and the impact of the images was really strong. All thanks to Mr. Tham for the great visuals!

But maybe it's due to this being the final project, and we're all pretty burnt out by now, we didn't push the possibilities of this project even further. As good as I thought our ideas were, we could have done more, have a wider reach. At one point or another, I think we're all guilty of thinking, 'This is good enough.' But apparently it's not. A good campaign goes beyond powerful visuals and ideas. There's still the strategy on how we want to reach the audience and I think this was our weakest point throughout the whole project.

Anyways, it's done. Just a few tweaks and Advertising is finished for this semester. And so is our time with Mr Ken Goh which has come to an end.

The Best Lecturer of LUCT

He is funny and impossible to please. He has many weird quirks and asks the hardest question which left most of us stumped all the time 'What is the message?'.

After all the presentation, Ken Goh went to the front of the class to give us some feed backs on how we did. It was only when he was giving us what sounded like final advices that it hit me, this was our last class with Ken Goh. We were with him for two semesters. This dude gave me a B for Advertising before. Hoping to get an A from him seemed so... far-fetched. But he is the best lecturer LUCT had to offer. He questioned our work all the time and had a lot to do with tying our ideas to the ground, making them realistic and executable. Without him, our work will only looked pretty, nice and without substance.

He said that he hoped everything we've learnt we will put into practice and not only do them because it's from the Ken Goh bible. But it's true. We only do certain things thinking 'What will Ken Goh ask?' and 'Ken Goh will not let us off that easily'. It is because of his standards that we strive to do better hoping if not to impress, then at least for approval.

You have been truly great, Sir. Thank you!!

ps: Class pictures courtesy of Ying Waey's album. More here.

Pride of a Graphic Designer

This was my proposal for Design Analysis submitted yesterday. I've thoroughly enjoyed designing the layout for this book though some said it's not necessary. But what the heck. There are like tonnes of group work this sem. I reveled in doing everything on my own here, making my own decisions without having to get the nod from every other person before doing something. I'm not complaining about group work, the groups I got this sem were awesome, but it felt freer to be on my own.

I've chosen this topic because it's a rather personal question for myself. Every emerging designers must have gone through the same thing. Before getting to make something resembling a career, we get approach by friends and relatives. When it's friends, they normally have nothing to pay me with. When it's relatives/family, they'll probably offer at the most RM50. And then I couldn't help but think, really, my work is worth this little? My work's so... for lack of a better word, worthless?

Then there's this one time when I felt like my pride's bigger than this. I didn't want to do anything for free, I want my work to be worth something. And then slowly, I began to change my mind. Really, what credibility do I have to think so highly of my own pride? I didn't have experience, no real work in my portfolio, so basically I have nothing to bring into this game called freelancing.

So now, I help out friends even if they can't afford to pay me anything. My only aim will be to do real work and put them into my port. Besides, I find the interaction with these people when we discuss the work I do for them to be a worthy experience.

However, I think I'll pass those cheap-ass logo designs on some freelancer sites. RM5-10 for one logo? Like, really? And for some people who has a business and can definitely afford to pay, they won't, claiming exposure's good enough. Screw them. Yes, I want exposure, I want experience. But I will not allow myself to be exploited.

So there. I might not have the credibility now. But I know I'm good. Some will beg to differ, but heck, I think confidence is important in improving myself. I do have my pride, it might not be worth much now, but it will be soon.

Of course, no harm in getting my head up in the clouds so long as I have my feet firmly planted on the ground.

Caryn

Caryn Tan. Born on 4 June, 12.55p.m. I've reserved a soft spot in my heart for this little precious. Three more weeks and I can go home and put her in my arms. =)

Doubt

Sometimes I doubt.

I don't know.

Are they mine or.

When was the last time I gaze into the stars?

It was by the side of a highway where the bus broke down.

It was utter darkness save the flashes of headlights zooming by.

The sky was a sea of glittering diamonds.

Had I reach up, my hand will glide upon its dark liquid silkiness, scattering the stars, that blink like fireflies.

I might doubt.

But there are no other ways.

This is the only one I know.

So I doubt.

So?