AT THE SPEED OF NOOR

So I watched IMAGINUR with my friend F recently.  The movie reminds me of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind in terms of subject matter and editing. Everything feels like a dream... but what if it actually is? Or worse,...what if it isn't?  The story follows Zuhal, a middle-aged writer trying to navigate his world which runs like a broken record (or, in the words of a hypnosis specialist in the movie - like a burger in which he is stuck) as he faces people and situations that make him question everything and everyone he thought was real. If you like sci-fi dramas with a dash of philosophy/existential crisis, it's worth watching!

Clouds Over the Poppy Garden as She Runs on Grass is a 3-part collaboration between artists 🌺 Xeem Noor (Poppy), ☁️ Shiela Samsuri  (Clouds) and 🏃🏻‍♀️ Cassielelolea  (Runner) and nature in February 2023. Xeem is a multitalented artist and a dear friend whose work I have long been a fan of. We got closer since the pandemic started so I was able to witness her creative evolution online, so being able to see her work in physical form is incredibly exciting.  When I found out she will be displaying some of her work inspired by her time in residency in Spain, I couldn't wait to see all of them in real life.

In February 2020, before the COVID-19 hit Malaysia, KLSketchNation was tasked with painting a 30,000sqft mural at an apartment buidling in Kuala Lumpur.  The project took 12 straight days, and over 20 local artists! The theme is stars, hence the design being based on past and current celebrities and public figures. I only managed to help on my days off, but some of my friends were there on most days. It was tiring, but it was also a pretty fun experience. Check out the process video below to see the before, during, and after! :) Last Updated: 2022-12-01

In Malaysia, there is an initiative called #SIGNON to promote Bahasa Isyarat Malaysia (BIM) or Malaysian Sign Language (MSL) . I've been meaning to join one of their BIM introduction classes  which they have monthly for free, but I could never find the time to go/I was worried to go alone. In an effort to be start learning MSL, I decided to invite some friends (which I was too shy to do before), and a few of ended joined me on the first SIGN ON session for 2020!

Artworks by a few KL Sketch Nation members - namely Hakym , Jerome , and Syah Daud - were being exhibited at LOOP Hotel , so as part of the launch, we had a sketchwalk activity around the vicinity of the hotel. Of course, a road trip was in order, so the KLSN team went to see the sights, sounds, and tastes of Penang!

On day 1 of 2020, some  KL Sketchnation  friends and I decided to have a simple picnic to celebrate the new year. It wasn't anything fancy - we were basically just hanging out at the river - but it was the most fun New Year's I've ever had. (Credit: Anonymous child, using Hakym's phone)

Dang Wangi LRT station has two entrances, but only one of them has a 2-way escalator and an elevator, while the other only has an escalator that goes down, to the underground track. Both entrances have stairs but they're not just steep but also a long way down/up. Every workday, I have to use a bridge with stairs to/from this station, because there's a river between that station and my workplace. I have to use the 2nd entrance because it's closest to me. As I was walking back from work today, an old Malay pakcik was struggling to walk down the stairs for this bridge. When I asked if he needed assistance, he didn't say anything, just looked down. I asked again, but he didn't move, so I held his left upper arm gently and asked again. This time, he looked at me, slightly nodded, and looked at his feet. We walked down the staircase together, slowly. I warned him that there are more stairs when we reach the station, and he nodded. When we reached the other set of stairs,...

I've been listening to ONE OK ROCK for a few years now, and I found out around March 2019 that they would be coming to perform in KL as the opening act for Ed Sheeran. Naturally, it was a no-brainer. Missing their performance is not an option. I had to go. And so I did, with my sister and two of my Japanese-language teachers :)

I found out that Hyde was coming to Malaysia through a Facebook ad that I almost scrolled past. At first I thought it was a scam or that I'd misread the poster until I landed on the organiser's event page , saying that he indeed was coming to KL in May 2018. In fact, it was the only stop he would be making in South East Asia in 2018. No words could explain how gobsmacked I was, but needless to say I have never bought tickets to something so fast in my life lol.

What does a gender blind world look like? DUALITY is an immersive theatre production I've never experienced before. According to its producers - two Malaysian individuals who are "tired of the moulds society tries to put [them] in", this project was created to challenge the status quo through "unconventional storytelling", in particular, to showcase local performers who struggle to adhere to traditional gender roles and stereotypes. Due to a busy schedule, I was only able to catch DUALITY's finale show. I'm so glad I didn't miss it!

Ipoh offers a good time for both the relaxed and the restless as it can appeal to those looking for things to see in the city as well as those looking for things to do out in nature. For most of my life, I saw Ipoh as a stopover point when travelling along the north-south highway in Peninsular Malaysia, but the first time I properly went for a trip, I knew I had to return. And I did... in the same month, in fact. :) White water rafting!

Malaysia has a lot to offer, but we are (or I believe, should be ;P) best known for our fantastic food, the richness of our cultural diversity and history, and the beauty of our flora and fauna.