Chapter : The Generation Gap

Last Sunday, I joined the family for dinner. While deciding what to eat, the dad decided to start the conversation in the car...

Dad: So how’s your new Mac in the office?

Me: Not too bad...still getting used to it...

Dad: Okay...what is that word, “noob” you put on your Skype?

Before I could answered it, the youngest brother B, decided to do it for me with a lot of confidence too...

Brother B: IT MEANS NEWBIE!!

Dad: How is newbie related to NOOB?

Brother B: NEWBIE MEANS BEGINNER!!

Then Brother A, the older one said, "Daddy asked HOW it is related. Not what does newbie mean."

Brother B looked at brother A with a clueless expression.

Dad asked again, "How is newbie related to noob?"

I said, "It’s just computer language. A gaming term."

Dad: But how-?

Mom interrupted, "You don’t have to learn this fancy mancy language. This is the sign that you’re getting old when you don’t know what language or words your children are using"

Dad: I want to learn so I can keep up to date of the latest trend that our kids are using these days.

Mom: What for? No point. Not like you are going to use it also.

Few minutes later...

Mom was asking Brother A...

Mom: What is futsal?

Before Brother A could answer...

Brother B: FOOTBALL!!

Mom: I know, but what's the difference? Why futsal not football? 

Brother B: CAUSE IT’S INSIDE!

  

Brother A face palmed and said, "The only difference is that we played it indoors and the ball is heavier."

Mom: Why is it heavier?

Brother A: So the ball won’t fly...

Mom: So why is it call futsal?

Dad: Why you want to know? No need to learn these fancy mancy languages or words. No point, not like you’re going to use it also.

Mom smacked Dad on the arm and said,  "I want to keep up to date also!"

The generation gap. It happens to everyone. At least my parents are learning...some how.

Chapter : First Post of the New Year

Welcome to the year 2011! Quick updates on what happened to me last year.

1. Graduated with a Masters in Animation
2. Failed for the first time when completing my Masters
3. Met someone new
4. Got a job
5. Made more new friends
6. Stayed in the office overnight for two days straight
7. Managed to complete a project
8. Got my first pay check
9. Got a new car (2nd hand though but still!)
10. Got a Nintendo DS as a Christmas gift

These are few highlights that I can remember from the top of my head. If anyone asks, what my New Year’s resolution is, there’s only one.

NOT TO MAKE ANY RESOLUTIONS.

Because I know that I will never keep them or do them. For now, I’m taking things as it goes. Hopefully this year will be another great year!

Chapter : This Christmas

This Christmas I gave my boyfriend a handmade card and some joke t-shirt that says, “Thanks. I work out” which I know that he would never fit it in and a computer ram. 

Funny story about the card, on the eve of Christmas, I was out at his place hanging out, then by the time he sent me home, it was pretty late at night and I haven’t wrapped his gifts nor done the card. So burning the midnight oil, I lugged out my dusty old light box which I used for my 2d animation during my college days and spent the night tracing my drawing and then colouring it with my dried out markers. 

I was having fun colouring the card because it really reminded me of my college days working late nights finishing some marker rendering work which I know that I can never do it well because I can’t make my artwork look realistic enough. 

Then on Christmas day, we both went over to our friend’s place and there was a massive spread of food. Turkey, cake, spaghetti and loads more. I literally ate till I could not move anymore. Then there was some caroling going on. It was really Christmassy. I really enjoyed myself that night. 

Anyway, when the boyfriend opened the present and saw the card, at first he thought I bought some card from the rack and cut off the picture and pasted it on some cheap ass paper and wrote a note behind it. Then when I told him that I drew and coloured it, he was like, “Whoa.” 

Here’s the final outcome.

Sorry for the tiny image size, I took it from his blog.

Anyway, wishing you all Merry Christmas or Happy Boxing Day would be too late. Instead, I would wish you all HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Chapter : It's almost 6am!

Currently sitting in the office at 5.20am typing an entry, taking a short break doing 2D Flash animation before resuming the tedious task again...I have been in this company for almost a month now and adapting pretty well. 

Today’s the first time that I’m staying a night in the office finishing up some stuff. My colleague is feeling sleepy even though we both napped for a while around 2am. Basically, I couldn’t sleep because I was worried about the animation that is due...later TODAY. 

I haven’t done 2D animation in years because I was mostly trained in 3D animation so doing 2D animation is a huge challenge for me. Thankfully, I have a great colleague to teach me a few tricks about animating in Flash. We’re not doing frame by frame animation but more like cut-out-ish looking animation and I hope that we would have time to actually make it even better.

Luckily the office would be close on the 23rd of December because they are renovating the office. So I have an extra holiday which allows me to do ALL my house chores that I have been neglecting. The main thing that I need to do is to CLEAN UP MY ROOM. I have been going home late everyday so I haven’t had the chance to tidy up my room and my cousins from Singapore are coming on the 29th to stay with my family for the night up to my brother’s 21st birthday. 

But on Christmas, the boyfriend and I are heading to our friend’s place for BBQ, without missing the Rock Band sessions and other card games. I’m still thinking what to get for the boyfriend after his glorious surprise gift for me. Why is it so hard to get a guy a present? 

I can’t believe that the year is coming to an end! How time flies...Maybe I will write a list of “THINGS THAT HAPPENED TO ME THIS YEAR” just to recap what interesting events that made an impact in my life. 

Till then, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Time for me to get back to work.

Chapter : The Surprise (Plus Updates)

Updates! Just started my first job ever...survived the first week at work! Upside, I get to wear whatever clothes I want, downside...my work place is in the city where it’s always jam and I work late nights. That’s how life is in the media and creative world...

Anyway, few days ago when I was at work chatting with the boyfriend and we planned to have dinner together on Friday because since I have started working, I can barely spend time with him...suddenly he said,

“Dear, if tomorrow you finish work at 8, let me know, then we can postpone to Saturday. I have to bring you somewhere, but got to be 8.30.”

“Err...Ok...but can you still pick me up after 8?” (I feel so demanding here!) 

“Can”

“Yay! But why have to be there by 8.30?”

“Err, cause surprise la...if cannot, then can do on Saturday.”

So at work when he said that, I had all sorts of funny thoughts in my head. I was like, “Is he going to bring me to some place and sell me? Is he going to bring me some place romantic? Do I have to dress up? Are we celebrating something? Why is he going to sell me?”

These nonsenses were just swimming in my head...

So last night (since it’s 2am, now) I managed to leave the office on normal working time because I did most of my part for that day and on Monday I will have to continue it. Lucky that I don’t have to work on weekends...he picked me up from the LRT station and he drove to Digital Mall.

I was like thinking, “Why are we going to Digital Mall? Does he need to fix something? Get something? Going to sell me?” I was puzzled but never thought much about it. Then he parked his car, then he carried my laptop bag for me and then he said, 

“Dear, can you go to the glove compartment and take out the thing I’m going to bring to fix?” (I think it was something along that line...)

 

So naturally I did, and when I opened the glove compartment, inside there was a NINTENDO DS LITE box. Then he was grinning from ear to ear and said, “Merry Christmas, dear.” 

I stood there frozen with the glove compartment open, holding the box and staring at him at disbelief. He was laughing and I was flabbergasted. I didn’t know what to say or do. Instead of saying thank you, I believed I said "Why did you get me this? Why did you get me a present? When did you get it? Why did you get it?"

A lot of whys, but barely a thank you (I did thank him in the end!!!)...so walking towards Digital Mall because he wants me to choose games and I was still questioning him and pestering him but he keeps changing the subject. That moron. 

After choosing games and stuffs, we headed off to Tropicana City Mall to grab dinner and a movie. We watched The Social Network. Awesome stuffs, I would seriously recommended it if you are a fan of Facebook. The way they scripted the entire thing was really great. A lot of talking but nevertheless it was awesome. I really liked it! 

Also, another movie I would recommend is, Rapunzel (Tangled to some others). I was laughing throughout the entire movie and the graphics, design, animation was mind-blasting (quoting from Russell Peters). Do watch it!

Other than that, this last paragraph is to the boyfriend. Thank you for the lovely Christmas present! How am I going to top that? 

Suggestions anyone??

Chapter : Food List II

Updating the food list because the boyfriend asked me too...well, also because whenever I asked him what he has for lunch he would say something then I would start to crave for it too...

THINGS I HAVE YET TO EAT.

1. Chee Cheong Fun
2. Curry Laksa
3. Tom Yum Mee Hoon
4. Bachang
5. Lemang
6. Steamboat
7. Dim Sum
8. Bak Kut Teh
9. Loh Bak
10. Nasi Briyani
11. Ramlee Burger (ate Otai Burger, it's the same to me!!)
12. Rojak Buah
13. Nasi Kandar
14. Loh Mai Kai

Shit, all these food listing is making me hungry...but I can’t think of anymore!!

Chapter: The Confusing Question

Ever since I started dating again, I have been constantly bombarded with these questions, “How are things with so and so? Are you guys okay?” Be it from the MOM, relatives or friends, they never fail to raise these questions at me. For an example,

Person A: So I have heard you have got a new boyfriend!

Me: Yeah...

Person A: How long already?

Me: Err...Four months plus...I think...

Person A: Oh! Good good...so how are things with you and him? Are you guys okay?

Me: Yeah...why?

Person A: Oh...just asking...

And then the topic changes...it happens almost EVERY SINGLE TIME. Why is that? Are they just curious or are they concern because they know what happened between me and the last ex? Okay, if you’re not convinced...here’s another example...

Friend L: Hey! How’s things? Job hunting going alright?

Me: Still jobless and living off my parents and soon sucking them dry...hahahah

Friend L: Aww, don’t worry! I’m sure you’ll get a job soon!!

Me: Thanks! Then I'm able to pay the debts back that I owe...to my parents...

Friend L: Hahaha, hey...how’s things with you and your boyfriend? You guys doing alright?

Me: Yeah...why?

Friend L: Nothing, just curious you know...

Then the topic changes again...It’s driving me crazy! Can someone please explain to me what these means? Do I sound depressed when I’m talking with them that makes them assume that there’s something wrong? Are they expecting something?

Do let me know. I’m trying to understand why are they always asking me these questions...or do you get these questions also? Or it’s just ME?