Today we went into cst advertising, looking for Dave Trott, and we found him. He gave us a proper grilling. We went away energized, hungry, and eager.
He sent me away with a souvenir. Sort of. A copy of "how to get your first job in advertising" with a quote written on one of the blank pages.
"You can have what you want, or you can have reasons for not having it."
I showed it to Lyn.
"No excuses, basically."
Yeah. That pretty much about sums it up.
No excuses for not having what you want.
No excuses for not doing what you need to do in order to get what you want.
No excuses for failing.
Right now what I want is a job.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Street Fighter 4 and job interview
Apparently the Street Fighter 4 arcade cabinet arrived in Trocadero London right after I left the UK. When I found out I was so disappointed because that meant I would have to wait a about one and a half month before I got to try it out.
Well today is that day. After all that waiting, the sight of two HD linked Street Fighter 4 cabinets felt like a dream. I had to mentally slap myself for a few seconds before I put down my coin to finally, finally try out the newest iteration of the seminal fighting series.
Nothing disappoints. Except maybe my own skill, but even then I played a lot better than I expected myself to play. I still couldn't pull off Ultras but boy did it feel good. Smooth as silk and controlling like a dream. Street Fighter 4 is the very pinnacle of 2D fighting games.
Maybe I'm still starstruck, but I spent quite a bit of cash (I'm not saying how much) in that arcade, and I left wanting more. This just makes that interview tomorrow that much more important.
Which brings me to this. Job interview. Tomorrow. Finally. Luck has smiled upon me and tomorrow is my first official book-crit. It's make it or break it. Lucky too. Second day in the UK my partner tells me he's got an appointment with Adam&Eve London tomorrow and has invited me along. I couldn't be happier.
Look at you, jw. 23 year old and gushing over Street Fighter. Hoping to land that jon/paid placement just so you can play more Street Fighter 4. How much lower can you sink?
Bastards. I shall not give in. Loving Street Fighter 4 is nothing to be ashamed about.
Tomorrow's the big day.
Now's the time for rest.
Well today is that day. After all that waiting, the sight of two HD linked Street Fighter 4 cabinets felt like a dream. I had to mentally slap myself for a few seconds before I put down my coin to finally, finally try out the newest iteration of the seminal fighting series.
Nothing disappoints. Except maybe my own skill, but even then I played a lot better than I expected myself to play. I still couldn't pull off Ultras but boy did it feel good. Smooth as silk and controlling like a dream. Street Fighter 4 is the very pinnacle of 2D fighting games.
Maybe I'm still starstruck, but I spent quite a bit of cash (I'm not saying how much) in that arcade, and I left wanting more. This just makes that interview tomorrow that much more important.
Which brings me to this. Job interview. Tomorrow. Finally. Luck has smiled upon me and tomorrow is my first official book-crit. It's make it or break it. Lucky too. Second day in the UK my partner tells me he's got an appointment with Adam&Eve London tomorrow and has invited me along. I couldn't be happier.
Look at you, jw. 23 year old and gushing over Street Fighter. Hoping to land that jon/paid placement just so you can play more Street Fighter 4. How much lower can you sink?
Bastards. I shall not give in. Loving Street Fighter 4 is nothing to be ashamed about.
Tomorrow's the big day.
Now's the time for rest.
Air Asia X: London review (bring your books)
Perhaps the biggest failing of Air Asia X is that it does nothing to exceed expectations. Everything you've come to know(and hate) about Air Asia is present here in full force. Low price, rubbish service, ridiculously overpriced food labeled as "reasonable", somewhat uncomfortable seats, the whole package. For better or for worse.
For some people, the low price(if you are lucky enough to get it) is forgivable for everything else.
Take the rather expensive comfort kit for instance, which is just terrible. Consisting of an inflatable neck pillow and a blanket, my coat served as a better blanket, the back of my scalp a better pillow than the sorry excuse of a kit that is supposed to provide comfort.
Food, is of course, as previously stated, abhorrently expensive, but is passable. The Sri Melur Jaya Roti Jala they served gave me chuckles, for which the reason I know not. Just be sure to pre-book unless you don't mind getting the leftovers of the pre-bookers. Contrary to the in-flight menu and catalog, there doesn't seem to be any savings involved when you pre-book a meal, curiously.
While the subpar service other bollocks are permissible on a short distance flight under 4 or 5 hours, a 13 hour flight is a different beast entirely. Not to say that there isn't entertainment, just that it will cost you. Like everything else on the flight. The upside is that you can see in advance if the stuff provided is to your liking before you blow RM30 or so on a screen roughly the size of an average notebook.
If you're not planning to spend extra money, just be sure you bring a book or two. Your PSP or NDS will not last you 13 hours. That I guarantee.
For some people, the low price(if you are lucky enough to get it) is forgivable for everything else.
Take the rather expensive comfort kit for instance, which is just terrible. Consisting of an inflatable neck pillow and a blanket, my coat served as a better blanket, the back of my scalp a better pillow than the sorry excuse of a kit that is supposed to provide comfort.
Food, is of course, as previously stated, abhorrently expensive, but is passable. The Sri Melur Jaya Roti Jala they served gave me chuckles, for which the reason I know not. Just be sure to pre-book unless you don't mind getting the leftovers of the pre-bookers. Contrary to the in-flight menu and catalog, there doesn't seem to be any savings involved when you pre-book a meal, curiously.
While the subpar service other bollocks are permissible on a short distance flight under 4 or 5 hours, a 13 hour flight is a different beast entirely. Not to say that there isn't entertainment, just that it will cost you. Like everything else on the flight. The upside is that you can see in advance if the stuff provided is to your liking before you blow RM30 or so on a screen roughly the size of an average notebook.
If you're not planning to spend extra money, just be sure you bring a book or two. Your PSP or NDS will not last you 13 hours. That I guarantee.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Friday, March 13, 2009
Kevin Smith on Watchmen.
Reviews on the Watchmen are split half and half. Bloggers and fanboys generally love them, and snot-nosed-holier-than-thou mainstream journalists except Roger Ebert generally hate it.
I've always been a fan of Kevin Smith. Despite whatever people think of him these days. I think he's a great guy, has an impeccable ear for dialog,and always always tells interesting stories.
He's also a huge comic geek and it's no surprise he loves the Watchmen movie.
Here's a humongous 1hour35minute review/discussion/podcast he's done with 4 other guys on slashfilm.
I am starting to feel that he's mostly right about this movie, especially from the point of view of a fan.
Watchmen fans, be grateful. The movie is awesome, the original ending wouldn't have worked on screen anyway, and I'm going to see it again soon. This time without looking out for what they have cut etc.
note: this was not the thing that I forgot which I was going to write about. I'm still bummed about that. It's like an parasite eating at my brain, causing it to itch constantly. Man I hate that.
I've always been a fan of Kevin Smith. Despite whatever people think of him these days. I think he's a great guy, has an impeccable ear for dialog,and always always tells interesting stories.
He's also a huge comic geek and it's no surprise he loves the Watchmen movie.
Here's a humongous 1hour35minute review/discussion/podcast he's done with 4 other guys on slashfilm.
I am starting to feel that he's mostly right about this movie, especially from the point of view of a fan.
Watchmen fans, be grateful. The movie is awesome, the original ending wouldn't have worked on screen anyway, and I'm going to see it again soon. This time without looking out for what they have cut etc.
note: this was not the thing that I forgot which I was going to write about. I'm still bummed about that. It's like an parasite eating at my brain, causing it to itch constantly. Man I hate that.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
4 more days
and I leave for the UK again. My friend over there has told me that shit is not good. Market getting worse.
Gloomy gloomy gloomy weather ahead. Dark clouds, thunderstorms, warts and all. Why am I going back there? Probably because I really wanted to work there. Even just for a little while. Just to say that I have(how naive). Also the pound is still 5 times stronger.
amazon.co.uk. 10 mbit internet speeds. None of this streamyx one mbit but not even that kind of cockery. Nice people. Weather is shit but everything else kind of makes up for it. Football matches. Humour. BBC.
Still, I give myself a maximum of 6 months. Come back after that. No point otherwise. Even though it's not like the market here is getting better anyway.
I have to be hopeful. Tomorrow is printing and tidying up portfolio day. 3am now. Sleep.
Gloomy gloomy gloomy weather ahead. Dark clouds, thunderstorms, warts and all. Why am I going back there? Probably because I really wanted to work there. Even just for a little while. Just to say that I have(how naive). Also the pound is still 5 times stronger.
amazon.co.uk. 10 mbit internet speeds. None of this streamyx one mbit but not even that kind of cockery. Nice people. Weather is shit but everything else kind of makes up for it. Football matches. Humour. BBC.
Still, I give myself a maximum of 6 months. Come back after that. No point otherwise. Even though it's not like the market here is getting better anyway.
I have to be hopeful. Tomorrow is printing and tidying up portfolio day. 3am now. Sleep.
Monday, March 09, 2009
my name is Zack Snyder, look on my works, Ye Mighty, and Despair!
(spoilers ahoy)
I've watched Watchmen.
Zack Snyder did a good job, but the movie breaks under the crushing weight of the book. This is probably as good a Watchmen movie we're ever going to get.
The sheer depth and detail of the world the graphic novel has built up proves too much for the movie to handle. Even a 2.5 hour long one.
Even though many plot-lines are cut and scenes butchered, the film stays true to the book in that the crux of the movie, the moral question at the end, remains intact. It'd no secret where Alan Moore's sympathies lie when he wrote this book 20 odd years ago.
There are moments of greatness flashes of genius in this film, among the rushed conclusions, the fanboy-rage inducing ending and the missed opportunities. Jackie Earle Haley's performance as Rorschach will slowly but surely etch itself squarely into the mind. By the time of his pivotal arctic scene the Rorschach character will have left an impression not easily shaken by even the most ardent of fanboys. For other signs of brilliance we look at the origin story of Doctor Manhattan. Even though rushed, it makes the blue god such a relatable character, despite his supposed distance with humanity. His change of heart on Mars however is another story entirely.
Most of what bothers this viewer about the movie is situated in the latter half of the movie. It felt like the editors really tried to compress this behemoth of a story down to it's current theatrical running time. It shows. It really does.
A lot of the scenes felt rushed, Ozymandias in particular gets the brunt of the shafting. He's more distant, more arrogant and more of a prick this time around. His moral ambiguity still present but lacks impact, mostly due to the cutting down of his backstory. Manhattan's going away also suffers, for some reason. His lines and sudden change of heart can be sometimes hard to swallow, his decision to maybe create life in another simpler, less complicated galaxy loses it's emotional punch due to Billy Crudup's rather toneless delivery, which worked well for the first part of the film, but seems empty when Manhattan finds value in life.
In the end what we lose are nuances, little details, that make the book come to life. Ozymandias' doubt for his actions and his revelation on how the comedian brought him enlightenment, Rorschach's sugar cubes, Laurie's ciggerettes, Dan's belly Hollis' death scene, Russian fast food chains in America, almost all of the minutemen's minute details revealed to us only in prose, and so on.
Nitpicks in the grand scheme of things.
Going in one cannot expect the same emotional impact that the book delivers, that much is certain, but the film succeeds on it's own merits by delivering a compelling mystery, and an equally compelling conclusion. This may not be the film everyone wanted, squidless or not, but at least it's closure. Closure for those who thought the movie will never see the light of day.
So here's to Zack Snyder, who did the once thought impossible, unfilmable; look on his works, Ye Mighty, and despair.
I've watched Watchmen.
Zack Snyder did a good job, but the movie breaks under the crushing weight of the book. This is probably as good a Watchmen movie we're ever going to get.
The sheer depth and detail of the world the graphic novel has built up proves too much for the movie to handle. Even a 2.5 hour long one.
Even though many plot-lines are cut and scenes butchered, the film stays true to the book in that the crux of the movie, the moral question at the end, remains intact. It'd no secret where Alan Moore's sympathies lie when he wrote this book 20 odd years ago.
There are moments of greatness flashes of genius in this film, among the rushed conclusions, the fanboy-rage inducing ending and the missed opportunities. Jackie Earle Haley's performance as Rorschach will slowly but surely etch itself squarely into the mind. By the time of his pivotal arctic scene the Rorschach character will have left an impression not easily shaken by even the most ardent of fanboys. For other signs of brilliance we look at the origin story of Doctor Manhattan. Even though rushed, it makes the blue god such a relatable character, despite his supposed distance with humanity. His change of heart on Mars however is another story entirely.
Most of what bothers this viewer about the movie is situated in the latter half of the movie. It felt like the editors really tried to compress this behemoth of a story down to it's current theatrical running time. It shows. It really does.
A lot of the scenes felt rushed, Ozymandias in particular gets the brunt of the shafting. He's more distant, more arrogant and more of a prick this time around. His moral ambiguity still present but lacks impact, mostly due to the cutting down of his backstory. Manhattan's going away also suffers, for some reason. His lines and sudden change of heart can be sometimes hard to swallow, his decision to maybe create life in another simpler, less complicated galaxy loses it's emotional punch due to Billy Crudup's rather toneless delivery, which worked well for the first part of the film, but seems empty when Manhattan finds value in life.
In the end what we lose are nuances, little details, that make the book come to life. Ozymandias' doubt for his actions and his revelation on how the comedian brought him enlightenment, Rorschach's sugar cubes, Laurie's ciggerettes, Dan's belly Hollis' death scene, Russian fast food chains in America, almost all of the minutemen's minute details revealed to us only in prose, and so on.
Nitpicks in the grand scheme of things.
Going in one cannot expect the same emotional impact that the book delivers, that much is certain, but the film succeeds on it's own merits by delivering a compelling mystery, and an equally compelling conclusion. This may not be the film everyone wanted, squidless or not, but at least it's closure. Closure for those who thought the movie will never see the light of day.
So here's to Zack Snyder, who did the once thought impossible, unfilmable; look on his works, Ye Mighty, and despair.
Sunday, March 01, 2009
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