Due to the so called pressure mounted by the local music and movie  industry this initiative is being implemented. I would strongly suggest the local entertainment industry especially the movie industry to stop creating mind numbing crap in the first place before even mentioning that piracy affect their sales.

Blocking direct download sites is stupid as it will effect those who do NOT download copyrighted files from them. Direct download sites usually have users ‘flagging’ inappropriate content so that it can be removed. Besides, the MSC Malaysia Bill of Guarantees states that the goverment will not censor the internet. This action would only bring a precedence of the goverment controlling the internet and thus giving control to certain quaters for their own gains.

More work should be done to combat piracy by making original products more affordable or by creating an enviroment whereby the normal average joe could actually afford those said original products.

A blue-ray disc in the US is RM35 after conversion but the same item cost about RM90+. A rediculous example perhaps but an example of why people resort to piracy in the first place. Smoke don’t appear when there is no fire.

I was told of nonsense by my boss and yes I relayed what was said to me to those I spoke to. Although many times I have said that I do NOT care what he said and that I’m only trying to take the opportunity to use his resources to train the people I bring in, I keep getting misunderstood as “you felt for his tricks and gimmick”. Regardless, as much hurt and pain I’m reeling from this treatment I’m getting its nothing compared to the words of your love ones condemning you to shame.

One might ask me questions on my bad decisions and give suggestions to stay on and then give degrading statements that I’m useless and couldn’t hold a job but let me ask this:

“Are you happy? With  your current (first) job?” Yes?

“Do you like the environment you’re in?” Yes?

“Do you have great colleagues and an understanding and cooperative boss?” Yes?

If its yes the you have not been in my shoes. I’m looking for what you have right now. It might not be 100% the same that is true but I’m looking for the right environment and that’s why I change. The current company I am in is dying to a point where it cannot sustain itself due to mismanagement and very bad planning. I did not see this during most of the first month I was there but only during the second month and I then quit with the rest of the company at the end of my second month there.

Indeed, I am not perfect and I will make mistakes and continue to make mistakes in my life but it doesn’t mean one doesn’t learn from experience and move on. That is the part and parcel of becoming human. Show me one human being that has never made a mistake before and I’ll show you a portrait of Da Vinci painted by Mona Lisa herself.

Went to Seremban this year to visit my girlfriend’s family for the Chinese New Year. Worst decision ever. They hated me. Well hate is a harsh word so I guess “disagree with her choice” is the more appropriate one to use. Not to say I didn’t expect what will happen though. Don’t really blame them too. If I dated myself I’ll disagree too.

Anyways, I’m just gonna take things easy for the rest of the month and take my time finding another job opportunity. It hurts but I guess I should not be bothered so much about this. People will always say stuff about you after they met you only once(or twice). First impression as they say is important but as I always say…in life…”never judge a book by its cover” and “actions are better than words”.

Happy Lunar New Year to you and  your family and may prosperity shine upon you this new year.

2010 was a really REALLY weird year for me. It was a years of change, joy and also sadness. All mixed up in a giant blender top off with some disappointment.

1. FINAL YEAR PROJECT

Pretty hard to miss this one here. Its my Final year pursuing my degree in electronics engineering in Multimedia University. It was tiring, kinda fun, painfully sad and satisfying when this was all over. It was a solo project. Not a very smart thing to do mind you. It didn’t really work out in the end and although I wanted to do this in a team I was unfortunately to receive the short end of the straw…again. As usual, I could sum up my entire university life in just two words really. Lonely and disappointment. Yes I did meet some really great people and had some wonderfully crazy times but the times I had IN class with people just didn’t really work out.

The yellow block of cheese robot didn’t move in the end after building it up due to very bad board fabrication. Would have done a better job if I had a partner to do it with. Anyways, whats done is done. No use crying over spilled milk.

2. USA SUSI TRIP

The land of liberty and freedom. I had one heck of a shocker when I found out that I was selected as one of the 7 Malaysians to participate in the year’s summer Study of the US Institute program. I had loads of fun there. Meeting the people. Seeing the sights and listening to the sounds of a country I have admire from behind a TV screen all my life. The Americans and their lifestyle may not be perfect or great but no ever country ever is. They might have their problems but their ideals ingrained in every citizen is really something to admire about.

Its hard to describe something as an experience into words. Only that it was EPIC. Although, there was a certain incident that made the rest of the SUSI participants hate me. I blame it on the huge age differences and on how I view things differently. I will return to the US of A that I guarantee but without the extra baggage.

3. END OF STUDIES

About two months after the SUSI program ended, I finally completed my extra semester for an additional subject and also partly due to the US trip. I was actually pretty weird going to class without seeing most of the people I knew throughout the years. Almost all of them had graduated by the time I came back since the convocation was held during my entire flight duration back to Malaysia. Finishing up my degree should feel satisfying but again…I’m not really feeling it that much. Maybe because I have a freaking study loan the cost of a brand sparkling new Toyota Vios with automatic transmission to boot literally up my ass. That was really a punch to the balls especially since they decided to start the payment counter in May and NOT in October when Ive actually finished my course.

4.WORK WORK….CARRY ON NOW…

A couple of weeks after my final FINAL paper I started working with an engineering firm nearby as a project engineer. They were supposed to be dealing in building control systems as part of a green building kinda program. I though ‘Hey, this should be interesting as by joining the project team I will be learning so much and benefiting from it too. HAHAHAHAHA.’ I was wrong…I became a site supervisor instead. After over a month of not delivering what they hired me for I quit and a week later with recommendation from my sister, I’m now at my new job doing sales and marketing in an events company that specializes in trade shows. I do not know whether I feel lucky or not because I really hate conducting sales. But I’m now trying to stay positive….really…really hard. Hehehe. ;;>__> On the plus side, I’m now at least involved in the events field. Although, it is not what I expected it to be. This company may be small, old school and very obsolete but at least I’m being given opportunities to learn and grow.

It has been a tiring but not entirely not great year for me. I just hope and wish that this year in 2011, would be a better life changing year ahead. HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY AND GOD BLESS!!!!!!

What makes this experience here in the United States so special is the locals and I believe that in traveling it is the local people that will make the trip a more fulfilling one. Those that I have met should it be either our graduate mentors, our lecturers, our host family or even the local towns people, they have really gave me the opportunity to learn so much about them.

After all that is said and done, I have only one conclusion and it is that the American people are one of the nicest, most honest and strong people I have ever met.

Thank you Dr.Foster, Dr.Jackson, Mrs. Foster, Mrs. Jackson, Drew, Cary, Onur, Joel, Jennifer, Dr.Brown, Emily, Selin, the Wagners and to all those who had work so ahrd to made our experience an unforgettable one.

To the people of the United States, I say this to you for I shall return…one day.

From left: Dr. John Jackson, Dr. John Foster and Dr. John Jackson's wife

It really is interesting on how much I love attending classes compared to the ones back home. Not only that the topics are ridiculously interesting, the way that it is presented really pulls my interest and stimulates the mind. I so hope classes would last longer here which is such an opposite back home. Now I see why the education system here is of such high standards.

They and I mean the system isn’t designed to kill your interest and create mindless subservient drones, they nurture it. I’ve asked more questions in class than I have ever done in my entire primary and secondary education combined. It’s been almost a week of classes and I’m always looking forward for more.

Our gradute mentors. From left: Joel, Selin, Jennifer, Cary, Drew and Onur.

A small reception was also held in our honor with the mayor of Carbondale Brad Cole and various staff past and present from the university attending. It was a small get to know each other session as we were also introduced to our lecturers who would be getting more than they had hope for teaching us for the next few weeks.

The Malaysia delegation with the president of SIU. From the right: Faizal, Sabina, Joanne, Glenn Poshard, Fareeza, Farah, Ridwan and me of course. XD

1. A full formal suit.
2. Playstation 3. <—–I foresee this coming sooner then I expect.
3. A wardrobe upgrade. <—-I so need to get better clothes.
4. A new handphone!!! Preferably an Iphone but not likely.
5. A HD pc monitor with a new 1T hard disk.
6. My internets….

Why 6 you might add? Its because I can.

I’m now having my so called holidays after months of controlled chaos. Its starting more like becoming a driver ferrying people around and doing random task here and there. I need to get some 12 hours sleep and lie down marathoning anime the entire day to call it a holiday. Hopefully its gonna be more relax in the coming weeks. Still have to deal with quite a few backlogged work. Urgh…

In other news, looks like I’ll be heading off to Illinois in a months time. Well, its Southern Illinois University Carbondale to be exact for the Study of the US Institute program in New Media I got selected for not long ago. Looks like I’m gonna be going right smack to the center of the North American Continent. This is gonna be one very interesting 5 weeks of my life and I’m gonna mention it again by saying that I’ll be sharing with you my few readers on what I will be learning about, seeing and experiencing on my blog and also on Twitter(hopefully) as log as i have an internet connection that is.

Speaking of internet connections, I’m upgrading my internet connection which has one very troublesome process of doing to a higher speed so no internet at home for the meantime while the upgrade is being done. This is such a bitch in having go through internet withdrawal every few hours. Urgh…but it does feels nice to post random stuff though. XD

*This is a pre-scheduled post.*

The beginning of the year started off really bad with heartaches after heartaches. Living everyday was like a zombie living with the only purpose of eating brains. Sad. Pathetic really.

Then came the build up to Daicon. The event that I put my heart and soul in. It was all fun and dandy until politics kicked in and people who I once though as my friends became my foes. It pains me to see such an occurance but alas that is life.

My internship was a first taste of a standard salary man lifestyle. Very stable if I do say so myself but very boring as well.

Cosplayers. Geez…this was the year I finally came out of my shell and met so many great people in the cosplay community. Seeing them giving their best from making their costumes to trying their bestest in being in character really encourages me to organise more cosplay related events for them.

AFA09 was great other from me going all crazy at the end due to amassing tiredness. Apologies to my cousin Janice and Crystal if I scared you there. I feel if I was more energized it could be even more fun. My first full attempt at cosplaying as well. Not very well executed. Need more practice.

Cosplay photoshoot. I’ve been learning alot from every photoshoot I get invited too. Really happy got to meet many photographers as well like Aoshi and Linkinstreet and cosplayers alike too. Now I really need to upgrade my equipment cause I’m at my limits at what I can and cannot do with what I have. Any sponsors?

Last but not least….I’ve met someone. That certain someone was the one who lifted me up from all my deepest depression period ever. All these unexpectedly too for the both of us and I’ve never been happier in my entire miserable life…until today. Its about 2 months till the time of this writing since we’ve been together. No regrets. Thank you dear.

But what do I see in 2010? Organizing one of the biggest event I’ve ever conducted in my life, finally finishing my studies and starting my own company might be somewhere in there I guess. But anyway, Happy New Year to all my readers and all my family and friends and I wish you all a good health and great prosperity!!! Time to think of a new resolution this year. Maybe loosing weight may not be such a bad idea i think…

P/s: I wish a slow and painful death to all my enemies. XD

The more I think about it the more I feel confused. What am I trying to achieve here? Where am I going? What is the reason for all of this? All these done and to what extent of such said benefits? Seriously? None. Met a lot of people, learned a whole new bunch of stuff but I still do not feel…happy?

Never ending questions float around in my head everyday seeking to find some sort of a satisfying answer. But then again no answers on life are never clear. There are things that bothers me and often times it does alot and I have to find acceptance somewhere along the long road ahead. Things never ever goes my way and though I’m never the lucky person to ever being associated with I’ve tried my best. I’m tired. Mentally and physically.

For what’s its worth at least knowing that I’ve tried my best to the fullest of my extend all this while might not give me any regrets when I’m down 6 feet under one day. Well, maybe.

In other news, I’ve finally upgraded to the latest version 3.8.2 of Wordpress after seemingly too lazy to upgrade from version 2.6. I have to say that it looks pretty nice. Now I have to start redesigning the site to something more visually pleasing. Speaking about the site, its almost time for me to renew the domain name and the site itself. Which also means it gonna be Clowonline.com’s first anniversary. Yeah!

But…should I maintain the domain name or should I change it to something more catchy and memorable? Any ideas?

Me? A peon? Not quite true!

After 3 weeks of work I’m finally getting used to it. Although there is the matter of sleep debt and a whole lack of it I still have to say it beats having to study for exams. For the past couple of weeks I’ve tend to realized a couple of things while working. For starters, I’m apparently addicted to the internet in a sense that if you take it away from me at the office I’ll go crazy after a while killing everyone in the office then curling up into a fetal position at the corner of the room and then die slowly withering like a flower without water. Okay, no not really but still it becomes unbearable when you have nothing to do between assignments workloads.

Eating alone is so much fun! No, not really. Since I’m the ONLY intern here its kinda expected. I could eat with my fellow co-workers but seeing how I’m always on a shoestring budget(or until the end of this month) I do not see a point in doing so. On a side note, having cold pre-packed chicken rice from Carrefour for 3 days straight does not make it taste any better nor addictive at all. Well, at least it gets the job done by filling up my stomach. Kinda. How I wish there’s a nasi campur stall nearby at a time like this.

Just like how most people like to read the newspaper in the morning I have the tendency to check out bbcnews.com for the latest news reports…in the office. Unfortunately, I try not to access a certain Sankaku Complex due to its *ehem* non-work safe news. Other than the occasional workload that I usually complete in no time at all (freaks surprises my supervisors out every time), I’m pretty much quite free in the office. Heck, I even got some DaiCon work done as well.

Going to work in the morning takes me 30ish minutes to get from my house to the office door but it takes twice that time to go home. I hate rush hour traffic.

Overall, I’m still learning new stuff everyday but I still miss the ol’classrooms and the same consistent food around campus. Pffft…hell no.

I won’t really call this a honeymoon break but I do hope it becomes that way in a sense. I need a rest. I have stuff carried forward in my head that would make a can of Surströmming to shame. Hopefully, I’ll have more time on my hands to so what I want but its gonna looks like a long shot. I’m also gonna be working during the weekends for Lolitech Logitech again till the end of June.

Working 7 days a week non-stop. Heh. I sometimes wonder why do I punish myself like this. I just hope I’ll keep sane till the end of the month and not go into a murderous rampage of mass self destruction.