Complaints
The Mamak Man
Thosai thosai on the pan,
Where oh where is the mamak man?
It's been hours since I last told,
the mamak man, my food is cold.
There's a fly in my dhal,
It's simmering there,
And if I'm not mistaken,
It is perched on a hair.
My teh ais is watery and my kopi is weak,
And my roti was probably from sometime last week,
So mamak man bring me my thosai please,
For I did not order this naan with cheese.
Abstract feelings
lash CS4 is out,... well the whole suite is out anyways and it is looking incredible! This is from a Flash animator's point of view. Bones with Inverse kinematics, 3D tools, upgraded path animation tool are amongst the few fabulous things that are available in the new suite. Move over After Effects!,...
Abstract
For the first time, my class was empty today. Not one, nada, zilch. The students were either busy with other assignments, gormless or didn't give a darn about it. I was feeling listless and a little abstract so I created this. It calms me somewhat and is a good form of practice in shadows and lighting.
Yein's reaction to my asking her what this was ,"Aaargh I don't wanna think!"
Exactly the feeling.
Looking back at my artwork, though plentiful, I realize that I don't really have a STRONG identity or better known as style. It's more or less a mix-match of anything I can create utilizing specific software. I think I have a too broad a style when I should really be developing an individual technique which is mine and mine alone.
Will have to look into that.
Mopings
"Those who can't do Teach"
That was a phrase I heard used lately and admittedly it was one that I used to have. In the creative industry, (advertising, designing, arts) the hectic unrewarding life of tight deadlines and late nights are the norm. It is expected of you and being in an Asian 'creative' company, some bosses demand their employees to be 'value-for-money'.
Coming back to that phrase, a lot of people leave the industry and wind up in the teaching / lecturing profession. This in turn gives the impression that those that leave the industry can't survive in it. It's frustrating but in someways true. It is also a notion that has to be dispelled individually.
The life of an educator is a more structured one. Work begins, lessons are thought and work ends at a set time. (This is to the exception of certain events of course). Beyond that, our time is our own. Now in academia, there will always be research and studies to conduct but all that is optional, some might opt not to do anything beyond their tutorials and cease self-development. I feel that that is the most dangerous thing you can do to yourself.
Time is valuable, so cliched but true. Time is the only commodity we have that can be used to further improve ourselves at what we do. I notice that some educators have fallen into a rut and they themselves have stopped learning. They develop bad work habits, become dissatisfied that the job has nothing to offer them and in turn become disgruntled and irresponsible.
This is stupid, I find the environment where we are allowed or even ENCOURAGED to research and further develop ourselves a fantastic thing indeed.
Probably the best way to avoid falling into a rut of disconnection (loss of purpose) would be to have one foot in the industry. Freelance is important eventhough most institutes of learning in Malaysia discourage it, I think all lecturers should have a hand in the industry even if just a minute role. This keeps us informed and open to business possibilities.
The world is everyone's oyster and education is the shucking knife.
Buggybugs
A little exercise for the students in painting through observation. Leaves are real tho'...
Conflagration
A short quickie entitled "Conflagration" inspired by guildmate Zaryed the Bright Wizard's tendency to self-combust.
