Movie : Looper

Another movie made to make human stop and think for a while. After so many movie genres that keep on giving human a distraction from thinking, here comes : Looper. A movie that gave me some minutes to ponder. There will be spoilers in this post, so you should watch the movie before you come back to this post. So if you watched this movie and want to read my thoughts on this movie, click on the link below !

Little Stories 21 : Drawing Human

Situation 1 :

Anon : Why do you like to draw girls? You fancy girls is it?
Me : No ! Girls are easier to draw, their feminism is easy to portray.
Anon : No.. I know you fancy girls. *wide smile*
Me : ....

Situation 2 :

Anon : Why do draw so many human?
Me : I don't know, I usually doodle without planning anything.
Anon : You know, all your drawings will haunt you when you die.
Me : No.. They won't.
Anon : "Reen-chan, Reen-chan, give me a lifeeee~!". *wide smile*
Me : ....

*

Little Stories 20 : A friend & Marriage

A conversation with my friend, he is getting married soon ! 

A friend : Reen, do you know why some men are afraid to get married? 

Me : No. 

A friend : Because when we want to get married, the man need to ask a permission from her parents to take care of her. He needs to give the same life she has right now with her parents, or better than that. The expectation and responsibilities are overwhelming.  

Me : Are you afraid? 

A friend : Of course I am. I need to give her a place to live in, enough foods and love. So that she won't feel any less than being with her family. Sometimes I don't think I am ready.
But when I am with her, I know I am.

*

Little Stories 19 : Google & My Mother

A conversation while having dinner last night :

Ma : You know, someone called me today and said my name is listed for Adiguru nomination.
Me : What is Adiguru? I only know Adiputra.
Ma : Well, I googled and said it is a nomination for Malaysian crafters by Kraftangan Malaysia.
Me : You Googled !
Ma : Now everything I google, I don't know, I google. I know how to learn, okay.

:D

How to Set Up Reading Challenge ?

*

Hello !

I've been using Goodreads for a couple of years. By far, it is the largest social media related with reading tracking website I know. It is widely known, linked to facebook and twitter, has easy-to-use mobile application on iPhone and Android. 

Features that I like :

You can find a wide ranges of book database. I even found Fadhli's Conteng-conteng book listed in there. 

You can view huge list of quotations and can share it with your friends.

Some authors even have their own fan page, and I followed some like Paulo Coelho.

You can keep track of all your books.

You can read book reviews, or forums.

You can set up a reading challenge.

This is the easiest way to set up a reading challenge :

*

Being a fulltime worker, I found myself struggling to find extra time to read. So I choose specific time to do my reading : on my way to work. Usually I will take around 1 and a 1/2 hour to arrive to work. That is by far around 100 pages on average. 

For readers out there :

• Set up an accout on goodreads.
• Make your achievable reading goal.
• Find specific time to read daily.
• Read.
• Keep track !

Good luck! :D

What you Should Know About Blood Donation ?

*

Hello !

There will be a blood drive donation this Saturday at Jusco AEON. I'll try to be there and donate blood if I am qualified. It will be my 7th time ! It is held by Pusat Darah Negara (PDN).

For anyone interested to donate blood, but actually terrified by the idea of it, you should not worry ! I've done it many times, and it is not as terrible as you thought it will be. 

*

Before :

Sleep more than 5 hours the night before.

Drink a lot of water or fruit juices before the day. Drink around 4 glasses of water to keep your blood pressure up, 3 hours before the donation. 

Avoid drinking caffeinated drinks - it causes your body to expel water.

Eat 3 hours before the donation, avoid coming on empty stomach.

Donating blood is a safe process, each donor's blood is collected by using new, steriled needle and then it is discarded right away. Read myth on blood donation, here.

On donation day :

For the first timer, you will be given a little red book to record your details.

You will be asked to fill-in a 4 pages form : short information and tickable questions to ask about your health and important notes, and sign the form.

You will be weighed : you should be more than 45kg , they will take your blood to check your blood type, haemoglobin level, blood pressure and record it in the little book, you will be questioned :

• Did you sleep more than 5 hours last night ?
• Did you eat before coming ?
• Are you on antibiotic or any medicine? 
• Do you have fever, cough, flu, stomach ache? 
• And other basic questions.

You will be asked to lay down and let the nurse do the work. It won't be painful, just look away if you are not that confident. But seeing the huge needle inserted is really something - I would recommend it if you are just as curious as I am. 

It is not painful - I think I can pinch you much painful than this.

After :

You will be asked to rest for 10-20 minutes to avoid light-headedness.

Usually they will give you something hot to drink and cookies and probably vitamin B.

Avoid doing heavy activities right away.

If you are feeling lightheaded, it's normal for some people - just rest !

Your body will reproduce new blood cells in 4-8 weeks, healthy new blood!

Who will benefits from your donation?

Accident and burns victims.

Cancer patients

Patients on surgery

Patients with bleeding disorders, immune system disorders, etc

Anyone, fighting for their lives.

Imagine you need blood - not in Edward Cullen's way and there is no one out there to help you. Imagine your family needed blood. This probably the least way to help others, indirectly.

Facts :

It will lower down the risk of having a heart attack by 88% and lower any cardiovascular attack like strokes by 33 %. Why? By research, it will prevent blood from thickening too much - read more.

Decrease cancer risk : lung, colon, liver, throat and stomach cancers - by research.

Blood can't be manufactured - it can only come from very thoughtful people. 

Oh, basic woman's question : Can you donate blood while on period?
The nurse will check your haemoglobin counts before the donation, if you are below the level - you can't donate your blood. So yes, if you are feeling healthy on 'the' day, you can go and check your haemoglobin level. See how it goes. 

Read more :

Facts you should know about Blood Donation.

8 Strong Reasons Why you Should Donate Blood.

Little Things 39 : iTunes

I love iTunes, I love to browse through the lists of applications. 

I used to feel annoyed when I found out that I can't buy songs, movies or books from iTunes because of the area restriction. It was like we are given a catalog full of things but we can't buy it because they just won't post it to you.

Up until just few months ago. Recently Apple launched iTunes in several countries in Asia including Malaysia. Finally! Like any other Apple fan, I was excited by this news. For months, I keep on searching for an album to buy for my first experiment to experience the buying process. As you might noticed, I love to learn about the process of things. Being a super geek, I take note on the flow of the system, the interface, the notification, the requirements, and the whole process when I buy stuffs online. I am just curious - this is when my IT knowledge is pretty useful.

Anyhow, today I finally found a perfect find. For months, I've been listening to Sóley's song on youtube, and when I googled it to search for their distributor's location, Malaysia is not listed - I am not surprised. So I don't think I'll be anywhere near the physical copy soon. So I decided to buy her latest album : We Sink.

Basically, Sóley Stefánsdóttir is an independent singer and a piano player from Iceland. Her sweet voice with a mixture of odd dead-circus-songs-like give a bit of eerie feeling but soothing at the same time. This is one of her famous track : Pretty Face & I'll Drown.

Thank you iTunes.

*

Little Thing 39 : Table Manner

Table manner.

It is ever since that afternoon when my brother pointed it out, I started to be extra aware of it. 

I am not sure how we picked up this habit, I guess our parents trained us since we were so small it actually stayed in our head like a normal routine. I thought it is what everybody does, not until I started to become aware of other people's manner while eating and started to see our differences. 

Some of them are :

Close your mouth while muching foods.

Put your spoon and fork together after finish eating.

Put unwanted leftovers at the side of your plate, not on the table.

When you are leaving the table, put the chair back properly.

Don't play with your phone while eating.

Say thank you to the waiter/waitress.

It is so interesting to see differences around us. My brother and I usually get excited when we find something that we can discuss on. With him, I could go on with some issues that troubles me and he actually manages to listen and give opinions. My sisters are equal to toy soldier on my desk - it  only stares back at you.

Illustration : Nature

* 

Hello !

I am beginning to doodle same things over and over. My generic mind keep on producing what it knows. Unfortunately I am not as talented as many illustrators out there, the one that can draw what they see and what they imagine. So to keep on pushing myself and not feeling so down, I call myself a doodler, so it won't be as heavy as being an illustrator! 

Anyway, here are some research illustrations I am doing to learn new things, focusing on nature. I draw these using Unipin 0.2 and 0.8 - right away, no pencil sketching. I hate to see pencil strokes under pen strokes and having to erase them afterwards.

*

Research 1 :

*

Research 2 :

*

Reseach 3 :

*

Travel : Thoughts

This is one of my morning that I wish I am on Trans-Siberian train expedition, smelling adventure and serenity. I woke up thinking I spent more than hundred thousand for this little apartment and will spend years of my life trying to pay my debts.

MOVE from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.

*

Doodle : Carry a Doodle Book

*

Carry a doodle book.

It is another start of a new book.

Pirated Software Issue

I've been meaning to write this. It's another topic on morality.
The use of pirated softwares for users, especially designers.

For me, using pirated software is the same as taking something without permission also as known as stealing. Dear designers and illustrators, it is wrong to make money using pirated software. I purposely emphasize on the making money part, although it is almost the same for any pirated softwares user. It is almost the same concept of stealing. So, for Muslim, you can't use money from stealing - basic concept.

When I was a student, I bought Adobe Creative Suite CS3 for students. If you are a student, you can apply for student edition, it is just for RM 400, you can get Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Flash and Indesign. Almost 80% off for students. You need to be a student, send in your student ID copy, transcript and proof of enrolment. There are some basic rules in buying this product, for example the basic student licensees said:

• It must be used on private computers.
• The software cannot be transferred or sold.
• Students can only buy one copy.
• The software can be used after you graduate.
• The software can be used commercially - images can be sold by student before or after the student graduate but with limited usage.

If you are a student, you should buy student edition from Mac City or Sapura Marketing. If you are a professional freelancer, you should pay for the lisence. You can refer the pricing here. Roughly around RM 2600 for Photoshop CS6 - online price. 

I know it is quite pricy, but it goes to your moral beliefs later on.

If you still need to use these softwares for free, you can use the open source software :

Open source photo editor softwares :

GIMP - for Mac & Windows

GimpShop - for Mac & Windows , mirror image of Photoshop

Paint.net - for Windows

Open source vector graphic editor :

Inkscape - for Mac & Windows

DrawPlus - only for Windows

Xara Xtreme - only for Linux

Skencil - only for Linux

PS : I am still using my CS3 version at my Mac at home to improve my skills. I also use GIMP and CS6 at the lab while working. The thing about using open-source softwares is you need to make an extra effort to learn it. Be ready to ask Google a lot and have extra patients in learning it. 

You can refer a list of tutorials for GIMP, here.

*

Little Thing 38 : iPhone 5

I am an Apple user. 

I use many Apple products daily, from the littlest ipod shuffle to an iMac. Yesterday, Apple introduced the latest iPhone 5. If I haven't bought iPhone 4s early this year, I might be stumbling on Apple's website everyday just to pamper my eyes. 

But the thing is, I bought my iPhone 4s , eight months ago. It is still shiny, still new, and still scratch free. It delivers great job in promoting my works, keep in touch with people, snap memories and ideas, keep me entertained, and help me in my daily life. I love it. 

I've tried Blackberry, and Samsung, but they can never make me feel satisfied as much as an iPhone did. I don't mind really, on who got the better camera, or the bigger screen with clear pictures. It is not a childish competition on comparing who is better. 

Technology runs fast, so stop comparing.

This post is just a personal thoughts after hearing many childish mouth fights over smartphones. I wouldn't mind much if you just stop teasing my choice :D

*

Little Thing 37 : Motivational Moves

Being human, I have my good and bad sides. But I live my everyday life as good as I can. Although people can point and judge me for every single thing I do, I try my best to not take it too personally. And although people said that it's just between you and your Creator, well no, actually it is also between you and people around you. 

We revolve around one another whether we like it or not.

If I keep on showing my emotional-pathetic-moody-loner life in my social networks circle, the negative energy will revolve around it too. So I keep on putting motivational doodles and links, in hope to spread positive energy. At least, I believe in that. If I try to help myself everyday, the least way for me to help society is by sharing what I read and learn everyday.

Hope it goes to a good use :)

*

Little Thing 36 : Money Spent

Yesterday I doodled things I spent my money on that day. I spent mostly on food and the other was on transportation ticket. Even though I try my best to reduce spending money on foods! :D

So today I brought lunch from home.

Yesterday was also my Pasar day.

*

Doodle : How to Help You Boost Your Energy

*

When you need to focus for long hours at work, school or university, you need energy to stay productive. Sometimes I take a fastest way out and drink a tin of coffee to stay focus on a job - I'm not proud of this, so I did some reading on how to help me find other ways to recharge my energy at work. Here are some tips on boosting your energy I collected over several blogs and articles :

Stay awake, earthlings! :D

Doodle : Toys Set

*

Hello !

This is my latest digitally painted Toys Sticker Set ! 

It consists of :

Book | Pencil Colours | Lost Sock | Sleeping Plusie | Milk

Boat | Gasing | Block Tower | Wooden wheel box

*

*

To order, 

please email me at azreen_31@hotmail.com or

PM me through facebook page. 

Doodle : GameBoy Sticker Set

*

Hello! 

This time, I digitally painted several Game Boy from various version. As a child from the 1900's I did own Game Boy once. The classic thick greyish one my father's friend from Japan gave us as a present. It was one of the day when people still watch huge CRT Tv and there is no such thing as mobile phone, let alone a CD! Time flies.

Here is the Game Boy set, it is consists of :

Game Boy Classic

Game Boy Color x 4

Game Boy Micro

Game Boy Advance

*

*

To order, 

please email me at azreen_31@hotmail.com or

PM me through facebook page. 

Little Thing 35 : How to Stop Being Easily Offended

Sometimes people get hints from interesting encounters. 

Lately I've been feeling offended by many little things. No, I am actually easily offended by everything, I called myself "an overly sensitive soul". I usually begged for people around me to not disturb me in any ways possible because I took things too seriously. I tried to change several times, but I failed, I was born like this. In simplest way, I just hoped that people would understand and keep a safe distant around me. I seriously won't disturb people with no reason, I'm super serious. I don't know why some people enjoy disturbing others.

I can have a decent conversation with people, of course I can. But I just can't really handle jokes on wrong timing, racism jokes, sexism jokes, annoying jokes, many other jokes that I failed to register, sarcasm, moodism, and those little things people take so lightly. My eyes used to water when my friend jokingly said "I hate him because he is Indian, I hate Indian" and I horridly said "That is racist!", slowly realising that people make jokes like that on regular basis. 

Easily said, I don't have sense of humour and I take things seriously.

I discussed with Mr.S yesterday on this. About being easily offended and irritated, how to handle this? It is not healthy, and this is what I received in my bloglovin' roll, it is like a huge hint to help me!

*

How to Stop Being Offended ?

1. You need to acknowledge this.

Say this : I get offended easily. This is to tell yourself, as a reminder. We usually get offended when we are picked on, talked about, ignored, teased, see someone throw rubbish on the road, or when someone cuts you on the road, maybe almost everything. 

If you know this problem, you can make room to overcome this.

2. Don't be offended by things that you can't change.

If the car behind you put on high beam, let them pass. If people make bad jokes you can't handle, ignore them, learn to tune off instead of trying to give sarcastic comments or worse; try to argue with them. 

3. Give yourself time to think.

Find a time to process things, and focus : is it worth it?

4. Don't take it personally

Ha, this is quite tough. When you believe in your value, it is hard to not take it personally, because you usually hold on to those things that is dear to your heart. If it matters to you, try to share your thoughts with people, and if they don't take on the same flow, remind yourself to not take it too personally. 

5. Give others the space to be themselves

Respect others, give them as much space as they want. If it hurts you, tell them to respect your opinion too, if they are still hurting you, walk away. Agree to disagree and walk out of argument. Tune off. 

I have a friend that love to irritates me, with no reason. So I tune off and ignore those remarks, completely. It does not work all the time, but eventually they will understand. 

6. Avoidance
Just avoid it.
Some people are born to be bullies.
And some people are born to be victims. Ha.

*

Read article by others :

10 Ways You Can Stop Being So Easily Offended

How Do You Get Over Being Offended? by Sharon Gibson

PS :
I doubt I can fight this.
But I'll try.

Little Stories 18 : Doodle Years

*

It's 2012, another couple of months before 2013. 

Last weekend I found a doodle in my drawer, dated back on 2010. Back when I was still a student, surviving exams and finals. Back when the year was so full with lively experiences of my little achievement from doodling. A field I never thought would bring me to the point I am now today.

It was a fun ride. There were ups and downs. There were little fights over childish imitating behaviour, immature attitudes, odd requests, cancelled projects, and disappointments. And there were also many personal self-achievements I am proud of. Sometimes I feel like a child, wanting to tell my parents, " Look at what I achieved, are you proud of me? " ,  a thirst of attention from the child inside of me. 

Me : Ma, are you proud of me?
Ma : I achieved a lot of things too when I was young. It was nothing new.

*Tett..* Not an answer I was looking for.  Sometimes parents don't know how much we yearn for their little praises, even though we are long gone from being a child. Being adult stops you from getting those little things we took for granted once. 

A spark of reality hits me. That it matters to me, I do this for her and for myself. A task I learned to enjoy. I love you to bits, Ma. And it is now the time for me to take care of you ❤ 

How to Find More Time ?

*

I did a short reading on finding more time last week, and came up with several points taken from here and there. Short doodles were made as a soft reminder for myself and others :

*

PS :

Last weekend was one of my productive days. I managed to doodle 2 sets of digital painted stickers. I will need to design another 3 more sets before going to the next phase. Are you ready? :D

Hello !

❤

*

Can you smell 2013 ? 

I can.