Solitary Figure

So we finally moved to our new office cubicles. Can't say I liked it, having lost my previous kingdom of privacy and my two tech buddies, the ever hilarious Mr. Wan and Mr. Ayah, Aidil. They were two of the few reasons why I liked coming to the college. I kinda regret the times where I declined to join them for lunch, going to the digital mall and usha-ing all the latest graphics card and casings, preferring to sit in my cubicle, surfing the net and doing some admin related work.

But then again I realized I have always been that way. I liked being alone. Now before you accuse me of being a 'kera sumbang', let me affirm that I enjoy the company of people, people that I like of course, pretty much like everyone else. But most of the time I'd rather do things by myself, because I like that space of doing things at my own pace. When I go to a certain place it has to have a purpose. I don't like it when I want to contemplate on buying a something, I have to be dragged by friends who clearly have their own agendas. I get lost in my thoughts a lot, thinking hard on so many things, and I can't simply do that if there are people around me.

I don't hate people, I just don't want them around me most of the time. And I just can't explain it to everyone.

It is not a problem though, I have had few (very few) friends who understood this unspoken rule (or selfishness, whatever you feel towards it) of mine. They'd just let me be and not assume the worst of me, and know that I'm around when the time comes. Like Mr. Wan and Aidil were. Thank you dudes.

The Like Button

That Facebook 'LIKE' button? I hate it, but at the same time I can't get enough of it.

I hate it, because it brings insincerity out of some people. When a person writes a status update, it must come with an intention, it's the same with conveying a simple message in real life. A status is meant to tell your Facebook friends what's going on around you, what's latest, what is on your mind, be it something from the past or plans regarding your future. Pretty harmless actually, unless you're one of those pricks who loves offending others just for fun online, and get away with it as you behind your keyboard, you sick obtuse fiend.

Now, I don't use the word 'fake' or 'hypocrite' often, because I do believe that almost every single being on this planet constantly live in pretense, at least to a certain extent. Lying and keeping certain truths from being let out in the open are a part of our lives, whether we choose to believe it or not.

My problem lies with not the usual lies that people tell to please others. It's the ones that have much to do with sincerity. What I mean is things that people post, to let others, not themselves paint an image so that the public would see them in a better light. You know, the self righteous ones who won't explicitly say what they do (won't post anything here, I'm sure your Facebook page will provide necessary examples) but they know that some parts in the public will probably imply, "oh, he's a good person," or "I can conclude that he's very religious, such a nice young boy" or "Oh he helps a lot of people judging by this status update."

But I've always been taught that good deeds are truly good when you do it with a sincere intent. I want to help someone, or go to the mosque/church/temple because I want to, because my religion demands me to. I want to help people because I feel that it is the right thing to do, not because I am whoring for likes on Facebook. The concept of 'Liking' a status is fine, but when some people use it to satiate their need for attention or acceptance or recognition (or whatever reasons that make you such a person) it just gets on my nerves. It's like one of those charity stuff. I don't think people should announce they are the ones who made that gynormous amount of money. I'd rather look at the wall and see the word "Hamba Allah" or "Anonymous", but like the word 'Like' has taught me, some of us desperately seek that recognition, or that need for acceptance. I know I'm just assuming, but I can't help but notice the recurring pattern. And sometimes I'm guilty of it too. I share things online hoping people would like them. I just can't stand it when people use it...I'm just repeating myself here, you get the idea. 

My girlfriend did tell me, and I agree with her, that maybe I should just think of the best of these people. Maybe they really are what they say they are. That's why I did say some, not all. So to you who's reading, if you truly are what you claim to be, and I may have offended you, I'm sorry.

Keep it real mates.

(This is not directed towards anyone in my circle of fellow bloggers, you guys are awesome. I'm talking about someone I knew on my Facebook. Tamo terase kay)

Dragon Ball

Growing up as a kid in the 90s, anime and Japanese mangas were quite a hit with me, even though its meteoric rise of popularity only started in the early 2000s. I had several favorites like Ninja Boy, Ranma, Rurouni Kenshin (Samurai X), Akazukin Cha Cha, El-Hazard (among many others that I couldn't remember) and of course the legendary Dragon Ball series.

Now if you've never read Dragon Ball then this would probably mean nothing to you. It's a series made up of 42 chapters, casts the life of Son Goku as the main protagonist, and how his life intertwines with many iconic characters that stemmed from Toriyama's impeccable art style. The dragon ball, refers to the 7 golden balls with stars inside them (insert silly Malaysian dubbing joke here) which, when brought together, would bring forth the great Shenron (Dewa Naga in the Malay translation lol) and fulfill any wish the heart desires.

I was a fan of the first two parts, Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z, before the abysmal GT came and broke my teenage heart. As far as I'm concerned, GT didn't happen.

No Trunks, it didn't happen. 

The reason I fell in love with the Dragon Ball saga probably the same bunch of reasons that other fans would probably utter if asked of such question.

For Dragon Ball it was the awesome sense of adventure and wonder, where this world that Toriyama has created felt so new (at the time, at least) and fresh, with citizens that range from stereotypical human beings to some unusual anthropomorphically designed ones. Goku's growth from the beginning is remarkably compelling. It felt right to root for such a character, even if he was extremely naive and incredibly stupid at times. The humor was crude and crass, but it felt true to the overall feel of the manga/anime, giving that innocence that makes it so easy to get sucked into.

Dragon Ball Z was the embodiment of action, explosions and grunting. Lots and lots of grunting. The plot can sometimes mindlessly steer itself into plot holes and in later parts of the story only the Saiyans seemed to matter, Krillin and others of the original saga were relegated as useless characters, used only as/in fillers, (which is a shame because I really liked Tien as Goku's rival and the Roshi as the source of humor, which I found lacking in Z).

I'm not gonna lie. When I was a lot younger, DBZ was like an obsession to me. Video games titles, action figures and stuff. But as I grew older and read the manga again, I appreciate DB's simplicity more than Z's ultra epic proportions that were DBZ's battles. In the end it was just episodes of who's getting stronger than who, not the bond of the characters that used to be the heart of stories when Goku was a simpler minded teenager. I still like DBZ, but being a student of literature I noticed how hollow DBZ's story is presented.

There's basically nothing that tugs your heart (character deaths are so frequent that you stopped caring about them after some time), and I noticed that I liked Gohan more than anyone else later in the Buu saga because he felt human. Socially awkward, going to college, trying to be a crappy superhero... all this makes him eerily relatable, despite being an otherworldly Saiyan. But then they made him a pathetic warrior, brought Goku back from the dead and made the transition from Goku to Gohan as the main protagonist of the story (at the end of the Cell saga) worthless. Of course, the others are just obsessed with getting stronger.

Perhaps I just got older. Heck I used to think Power Rangers Movie was the 'shit', but watching it today, well, it is shit. For what it's worth, it's still an entertaining manga. I just want to know if anyone out there feel the same. Anyone?

Back From The Dead

Since my office has decided to block every single thing that I need to access, (Twitter, Facebook and ridiculously, Tumblr) I thought I'd make my long awaited (lols, poyojers) return to my first ever blog page.

I swear to god, if this blogger is blocked too...

Oh what the heck. Middle finger to you anyway, whoever you are. Happy Mondays. I dunno if this will be a short stint like last time, but I have a good feeling the contents will flow just like it used to years ago.

By the way, AVENGERS IS FREAKING COMING! *fanboy squeal* Here's a trailer for you!!

......

Oh yeah, Youtube's blocked as well. Awesome.

Compass

And now I know the only compass that I need,

oh is the one that leads back to you.

And the burning blisters on my feet will calm,

So hold me as I m close to flaw.

Away from the warmth of your arms I stay,

off the radar and into harms way.

Yeah, coffee will raise the head again,

cokes that lead us from the pain.

Words just sit like empty scribbles,

such empty caffeinated widows.

Now I know the only compass that I need

is the one that leads back to you.

Jamie Lidell - Compass (2010)