Random Bitching

I gave up. Finally decided to drive to KL, can't handle Puduraya anymore. If I wanted to kill myself by way of inhaling hazardous air, then at least let me choose my poison, any strong 'kretek' would do I think. Or petai-flavored shisha.

Look at KLIA. Then look at Puduraya. Then look at KLIA. And look at Puduraya again. Attracting foreign investment issit? Oh, I forgot that the bigwigs don't use public transportation but they do use the airport. Hell, even Melaka has a nice bus station. And keeping the muhibbah Malaysian copycat spirit, it was fashioned after KLIA too. I doubt Kurosawa did the design for Melaka Sentral. Oh you noticed that the name is similar to that badly designed transportation hub in KL too?

Actually I don't really fancy the design of Melaka Sentral, but at least waiting for your bus at the platform there doesn't quite pose the same health hazard risk as standing downstairs in the dark dingy interiors of Puduraya's surreal platforms. Or maybe that was the exhaust smoke which has gotten to my head talking. It doesn't take much to get me high. I am that innocent.

Before you accuse me of being a snob, let me tell you that I've done the whole hanging out at Puduraya thing while I was in high school. Been there, done that bebeh. Not that I wanted to, but what choice did a 15 year old kid have to go back to her hometown? I could in theory take a bus to Kajang, then either get on the bus or the commuter to Seremban, and then from there get on the bus to Melaka. Sounds tedious eh? Well. It was. Suddenly poisoning my strong 15 year old lungs didn't seem like a bad option.

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I went to the Gardens, the latest addition to that parking nightmare called MidValley City. For a place called the Gardens, it was the most ungarden-like space I've ever been to. Dude, placing a few palm trees (which I strongly suspect are plastic) in that sorry excuse of a planter box does not constitute a garden, neither here nor in the Middle East. Trying to appeal to Arab tourists who can actually afford to use your RM5 loos (maybe they wash your bum in there for you) and buy shirts at Thomas Pink? Well. What do I know. It probably works. I have no idea how their minds work (the Arabs I mean, not Malaysians).

And yes, Pink has arrived all the way from Jermyn Street, and I still harbour a not-so-secret obsession with Pink shirts which interestingly I don't own any. Actually it's not that interesting. I just couldn't afford any. And I hate all of you who own Pink shirts.

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Would you like to sign up with the MBA? No, not for an MBA, but with the MBA. Malaysian Bridal Alliance that is. I wonder what they do. Kick the asses of those from the Malaysian Groom Service? Now that would be interesting to watch. No I am not bitter at all. Didn't find out though. For some weird reasons our legs were on auto-pilot and we steered away from the Wedding Exhibition at MidValley.

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Two of my close friends are about to become parents! Nani and Rudin, I'm sure you'll be great =) There's always Auntie Ayien to corrupt, I mean, spoil your kids. Rudin, nice work with the crank call. I might have not driven a car for a long time, but I think I could have managed a sudden U-turn at the busy intersection at The Curve to speed to the hospital. Which I didn't remember the location until I passed by it this evening.

Once the baby has popped out, do share how it feels like to be able to make your own people. Not the process, I do have some ideas on how it works, a stork delivers the baby to you right? Told ya I'm innocent. What I mean is that whole geez-a-person-actually-came-out-of-me feeling.

Have fun my friends =)

Because it's there

Edmund Hillary's answer to why did he decide to scale the inhospitable Everest.

Conversation between two potential cradle-snatchers whilst poring over wedding photos taken in Buenos Aires

Together forever is overrated.


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Uh, or did the conversation take place while having lunch at the cafe? It seemed now like a very unlikely thing to be said while poring over wedding photos.

Oh well. Point is, it was said.

Sometimes

You want but you can't because you don't and hence you won't

Sometimes

The more you want the more you can't

So

Don't

Because nobody will have

Won

Stoned

Getting stoned in Dubai, and getting stoned in Amsterdam, could jolly well mean very different things.

Caffeine

I managed to go for two weeks without touching coffee at all. I gave up on Monday. Am averaging two mugs per day now, which is ok.

I used to chain drink coffee. Well, what I used to chain drink had some coffee in it at least. Back in Bolehland I couldn't function properly without a mixture of Nescafe, Milo, and milk. By the time I add water, the mug would already be half full (ever the optimist). And I would continue making mugs of it through out the day.

It's a wonder I still have all my teeth. And we all know my digestive system has given up on me a long time ago due to my zealous intakes of chilli.

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I've been making a model of the site since Tuesday. Site's pretty, it's in hilly Sheffield.

Note to self: Next time don't use so much glue. Carving out cardboards glued overzealously is not that much fun at all. It's heart-wrenching to see my beautiful model torn out.

It's ok. Got to wear a cool pair of goggles to do the model. They said be careful, if the blade snap it might get into my eyes, so don't take off my glasses. Dude, without my glasses all I can see is a blurry version of things. I jokingly asked if there's a pair of goggles lying around somewhere. 2 minutes later, I was wearing one.

I get up in the morning to go to this cool place to make things. While listening to Nina Simone.

I think I can like this job.

Oh and I've been asked if I could come to a consultation event. You know, to talk to people and explain things (so perhaps I'm not exactly the bumbling idiot I thought I was). We'll use the information gathered to develop the design.

Cool eh?

I don't think people do this in Bolehland. Well, not to my knowledge anyways. Site analysis is usually done by taking in the physical factors mainly and even the feel and experience is taken from the perspective of the designer. Newsflash: Let's ask the people what they want! Well, they'll be the ones using the bloody space anyways. Designers seldom use the space they created themselves, unless of course, it's their own house. Designers always assume how people are going to use the space while really, they don't have a clue. We are too weird to function like normal people do. We do things for the wrong reasons. Attuned to asthetics, sometimes we sacrifice practicality, while the average joe really just want to walk the fastest route so screw this business of pattern-making on the landscape.

It's participation. I'm not that crazy about talking to people really, but for the sake of designing and getting the information, I'll do it because I think it's bloody crucial. it's democratic, well, at least the people have a say in how they want their environment shaped. Also by getting them involved in the design stage, they would feel a sense of ownership and care more about the space. It's about fostering that sense of neighbourhood.

Perhaps this is the result of hanging out with the Tall Dane and the Only English Girl In Our Class. Those two are really into this participation thing and although I found it interesting, I found other things more interesting (for example, my quest for the inclusion of landscape into the process of urban design which I never got to solving, I think the subject is worth another masters, or a PhD. Hell, who wants to study anymore?).

The time of the gentleman architect with the royal patron has long past. It's the time of regeneration and thus the inclusion of the people in the design process. The people ARE the patron.

Unless we're talking about the Middle East of course.

I sound like a bloody socialist don't I?
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Can't believe it's Friday tomorrow. Where has the week gone?
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Oh elusive flat, please materialize. I think I've found the flat that I want, well, judging by its description at least. It's a studio with a separate kitchen and the rent is inclusive of all bills, which is very good.

Haven't seen it yet but the agent said she'll arrange for a viewing.

If I like it I prolly would just snap it on the spot. You have to move fast in London.

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Have a nice weekend people of the world.

Self Destruct

Why do I keep hitting myself with the hammer?

Because it feels so good when I stop.