…And Then You Come Out, well… Different!

Sometimes To Move Up You Have To Explore Deep, Dark Places

A Must-Watch! MINI Short Films : Hammer + Coop

A friend of mine sent me this link. It’s brilliant. Go watch it at hammerandcoop. Highly recommended!

Steve Jobs Talks About the iPhone (Parody)

Check this out, Steve Jobs talks about the iPhone in a TV interview.

Apple iPhone Teaser Ad

Watch the Apple iPhone teaser on Google Video! It’s excellent. Simple but elegant, true to the spirit of Apple!

Everybody Loves Irene. I love Irene, too!

It’s been quite a while since I’ve watched a proper concert (no, the resident band at the Thai Bar is not counted!). I think it must years actually. Hmm..Let me think now…. Zainal Abidin, Pearl Jam, Bon Jovi, Jewel… bought tickets for Incubus, but didn’t go… erm… a good 8 years perhaps? Geez, that’s almost a decade!

Although not a full-fledged concert per se (but it might as well have been), Indonesian trip-hop outfit Everybody Loves Irene rocked the Laundry Bar @ The Curve last night, supported by Junk magazine. As part of a Crossborders effort, the 6-piece dished out eclectic fusion sounds backed by incredible vocals from Irene. What’s Crossborders, you may ask?

Crossborders fuses together the aspect of live performances by talents across the Asian region playing on the same stage, sharing music from different parts of the world. Catered mainly to rock music, it is an effort to unify all these bands from the region to create a larger music scene and at the same time, benefit through international exposure. (excerpt from Crossborders MySpace page)

Ipoh punk band Free Love opened with some tracks from their old album as well as new before Everybody Loves Irene took stage. I was introed to ELI by my boo Baby J, who has been a big fan since sampling their music from their MySpace site. Being a fan of Portishead, I too, took a liking to their music almost immediately.

Their music can only be described as organic and multi-layered – an electronica buffet. Irene’s vocals, which I liken to be a cross between Bjork and Amy Lee of Evanescence, fits the musical fusion of live sounds and electronics like hand in glove. Haunting, angelic and heart-wrenching.

The band was tight and engaging throughout and Irene did not disappoint. The sound system balance wasn’t too good at the Laundry Bar, but like true professionals, ELI took it in stride and rocked the house like any great band would.

Baby J and I bought their debut LP (only RM20!) – The Very First Thing You Must Learn About Flying Is Gravity, on the way out. If you’re a fan of Portishead, Massive Attack, Radiohead and Sigur Ros, ELI is all these and more. I highly recommend this album. If you can’t get a hold of the physical album, get it off iTS (iTunes Store) where most of the tracks were offered as iTunes-exclusive before the release of their album.

Big thumbs up!

Everybody Loves Irene is:

1. Yohanna Erine Putri Ana Siregar (Irene)
   vocals, chants, screams, backing vocals
2. Yudhi Arfani
   electric guitar, acoustic guitar, programming
3. Dimas Anindityo
   electric bass
4. Mulyadi Triharsono Imam (Adi)
   acoustic drum, drum machine, drum programming
5. Aulia Naratama
   analogue synthetizer, air synth, sampler, special effects
6. Nurendro Siwiaji (Aji)
   keyboard, vibraphone

Catch Everybody Loves Irene on MySpace. You can sample tracks from their LP and also learn more about the band.

Dunkin Donuts Gone Nuts!

Hairy, meet Sally

Hairy, meet everyone. Everyone, meet Hairy!

Hairy, in all it’s glory!

I had a hairy shock the other day at the Dunkin Donuts mini outlet at a Shell station off Sg. Besi toll plaza. I bought 5 donuts for breakfast (buy 5 free 1!) on the way to Malacca. I didn’t realise the hairy extra until I got into the car. The four of us, were no doubt, completely disgusted.

I have been trying to get hold of the Dunkin Donuts contact here in Malaysia but to no avail. I’d like to send in an official complaint to the franchisee in Malaysia, as well as to the press. This is lawsuit worthy! If anyone knows, give me a holler!

Happy Lunar New Year!

Baoz. Episode 15-16.

Catch Baoz in action! Just updated!

Weight Watching 101

I had the pleasure of going for a body analysis test at the gym the other day.  Since realising how blubbery I was in September last year,  I had not only drastically changed my diet (I have been vegetarian for 4 months, but not vegan) but also hitting the gym regularly with some personal training thrown in for good measure. If self-realisation isn’t the BEST motivator, then nothing is.  Way back in October ‘06, just a month since turning vegetarian and getting my ass to the gym, I shed 1.5 kilos.

Entering the fourth month, without as much personal training as I preferably want, I’ve hit 86.5 kilos! My body fat percentage has dropped from an unhealthy 25% to a leaner 19%. My short term target is to get within the 15-17% range and hopefully 12% in 2-3 months time. My trunk and legs muscle mass is above average. I’ll need to work more on building my upper body and muscle mass overall.

I’m most likely to modify my program with my PT to a more upper-body strength and mass-building program, as opposed to muscle endurance (for regular futsal purposes). I’d really like to bring my weight down another 3 kilos within these 2-3 months. I’m on track, and mighty pleased.