The Key to Writing Romantic Comedies

Here's an excerpt of an article written by one of my favourite gaming writers. He used to be in the writing team of the popular early 90s comedy : Roseanne. neways, his views on writing rom-coms pretty much hits the spot.

The KEY to writing Rom-Coms = Follow the same' ol Boy meets Girl Formula

The KEY to writing GOOD Rom-coms = Follow the formula + sprinkle some unique angle

Eg:
When Harry Met Sally:(unique angle)Friends CAN fall in love after all

Notting Hill & Love Actually :Brits aren't stuffy after all when it comes to love

There's Something About Mary : More gross out comedy THAN romantic

Closer & Wicker Park : The dark side of romance from an adult point of view

-------------
By Mark Rosewater of www.magicthegathering.com (Once More With Feeling)

The first thing you learn when you set out to learn about sitcom writing is the format. And by format, I mean the very elaborate structure. Sitcoms are very short (twenty-two minutes in prime time) three act plays. Not some sitcoms. All sitcoms!

The same is true no matter what medium you choose. Formulas are an intrinsic part of the creative process. For example, let's say you want to write a romantic comedy. Guess what, a lot of it is already planned out for you. You're two main characters are going to meet sometime during the first act. They are going to have a horrible first meeting and hate each other.

There will be a major obstacle for one or most often both of the characters. One, most likely both, will be in another relationship. But something isn't quite right. They're not fulfilled. And the very thing they want, the other person has it.

I'll stop now, but this formula goes all the way through until the end.

(Hint: They've broken up but they each come to realize that they miss that very thing that the other person had that they were lacking in the first act in their old relationship. There will be some physical distance that is covered where one of them can proclaim this realization to the other.)

Why can't someone write a romantic comedy and not follow the formula?

Because it's what the audience expects.

And yes, there is a little room to fiddle, but as I said above, everything else has to be by the book. Audiences like comfort. They want to have an understanding what to expect. And here's the most important piece.

Having a formula doesn't restrict creativity.

Aha, my favorite theme. Yes, restrictions breed creativity. True creativity comes from working within the formula. Think of your favorite romantic comedy. Odds are they followed the formula. But they found ways of making it their own and using the formula to create something bigger and better.

Management Lessons from Star Wars

By Maureen Ryan
Tribune staff reporter
May 23, 2005 1:49 PM CDT: Bad ‘Star Wars’ bosses

I took a break from TV obssession this weekend to see “Star Wars: Episode III—Revenge of the Sith.” And despite all the whizzing lightsabers, dazzling space battles and political drama, it was clear what “Star Wars 3” really is.

It’s case study of bad management.

Why does Anakin Skywalker turn bad?

It sure seems like it’s because he didn’t get a promotion. He really wanted that title, Jedi Master (and the company car would have been nice).

But, you say, maybe Anakin wasn’t ready for that promotion. Maybe he was still too immature, too easily angered, too likely to furrow his brow at the slightest provocation.

So why didn’t his managers give him a clearly defined path to promotion?

Not a bunch of Jedi mumbo-jumbo about using the Force and examining his feelings, but a concrete list of job skills he needed to improve (Using time more wisely? Prioritizing better? Keeping the Jedi break room cleaner? Thinking up better dialogue?)

The worst Jedi manager had to be Mace Windu, who, when things got hairy, essentially told Anakin to just stay put, don’t worry, and by the way, we don’t need your help right now.

That’s not the way help an employee feel empowered and invested in the task at hand.

And it was disastrous for Yoda to tell a troubled Anakin to give up that which was most important to him. That sounded suspicously like “Don’t expect a raise any time soon.”

Obi Wan Kenobi wasn’t much better. A boss should know enough about an employee’s life to know what they’re worried about. Obi Wan didn’t realize his apprentice was having a child (well, twins,actually) with Padme until it was too late. Those sorts of personal issues worried Anakin to the point of obsession, yet Obi Wan was mostly oblivious.

And sure, Palpatine appealed to Anakin’s ego. But what smart boss doesn’t, from time to time?

It’s not enough to tell an employee that he’s the chosen one, yada yada. Obi Wan should have realized that the constant “you’ve got more to learn, young apprentice” stuff gets old after a while.

If Obi Wan and the council had chosen Anakin for a few crucial solo missions, maybe he would have been too focused on Jedi business to be tempted by Palpatine’s Sith pitch.

Still, Anakin must bear the responsibility for his eventual decision to join the staff of Dark Side, Inc. He was seduced by a boss who promised much, but actually withheld vital information that would have affected Anakin’s most important decisions.

Those kinds of bosses—the ones to hold on to information and use it like a weapon, all in an effort to manipulate employees into doing their bidding -- are usually very articulate and seem like your buddy at first.

They seem like they’re looking out for you.

Then, one day, you’re cut off at the knees.

Dependent on them for everything. And have nowhere to turn, especially if your old bosses kinda wants you dead.

So the lessons for bosses and employees everywhere?

Give your employees a stake in the enterprise, and if they want to move up, use constructive feedback to tell them how they can do so.

Motivate their best qualities by giving incentives for good behavior, but be willing to accept criticism when it’s warranted.

And don’t become the kind of boss who rules through fear, intimidation, secrecy and appeals to greed and arrogance.

Unless you’re really good with a lightsaber.

;-p

The 7 Don'ts of Dumping Him

By Alan Goldsher (taken off Msn.Match.com)

Answer this one honestly, ladies: When it comes to pulling the plug on a relationship, what's tougher... being the dumper, or the dumpee?

Harder to answer that than you thought?

Getting dumped is heinous for obvious reasons — the pain of rejection, the impending loss of physical affection, the bummer of not having somebody to hang out with on Sunday night — but cutting the cord is ugly, too. Knowing you're going to hurt someone is awful. Planning out what you're going to say is awful. Going home to an empty apartment after squishing his heart is awful.

Believe it or not, between our baseball debates, we men talk about stuff like this. And believe it or not, we have preferences on how we we'd like to be let down. So print out this article and have it handy for the next time you have to do some cord-cutting. Be sure to avoid the seven "don'ts" of dumping:

1. Don't beat around the bush
"You see, well... it's just that I feel like we're... you know... just not doing... I mean it's like..." Twenty minutes later: "This is really... I don't know how to... I'll always, um..." I believe it was the great 20th Century philosopher Jerry Seinfeld who said, "Do it like a Band-Aid — rip it right off!"

2. Don't give us prior warning
Calling us up and saying "we need to talk" is the biggest red flag imaginable. It's fair to say that when you tell someone "we need to talk," it's generally not to inform them you got tickets to the circus.

3. Don't do it via email
A real letter written on real paper with a real pen is okay — if the note is well-written, that's even classy and respectable. But doing a cyberdump is a cop-out.

4. Don't do it after we've taken you out for an expensive dinner
Need I say more?

5. Don't do it in public
If your soon-to-be-ex is a dramatic kind of dude, keep it in-house, if only to avoid having to pay for some random restaurant's broken plate-glass window.

6. Don't be passive/aggressive
It drives us nuts if you stop returning our phone calls, or stand us up, or ignore our instant and/or text messages. That'll create horrible karma — the kind of karma that'll assure the next time you're dumped, you'll get big-time passive/aggressive treatment yourself.

7. Don't tell us how NICE we are
Prefacing the break-up with a litany of our alleged good qualities — "You're nice, and cute, and smart, and blah blah blah..." — doesn't make us feel any better. It just makes us think, "If I'm so nice, and cute, and smart, and blah blah blah, why am I being kicked to the curb?" Adding confusion to the dump mix is just... well, confusing.

The one "Do" — Do unto others...
In the end, the most important thing is to be respectful and honest — to treat your now-former-boyfriend the way you'd like to be treated.

On the other hand, if you caught him messing around with your best friend or your sister, feel free to drop him a three-word "Dear John" email after he foots a $200.00 sushi bill.

Port Dickson : THIRD Hard Rock Hotel Site in Asia !

WTF ??

Errr..... just what is SO enticing about Port Dickson to make it the site for Asia's THIRD Hard Rock Hotel neways ??

I mean Pattaya has them wimmens, while Bali has them gan-ja, but P.D. ....wtf ??

Local and foreign tourists can look forward to the sight of oil tankers passing by, or delight in the green glowing waters as the sewage pipes flow into P.D. from the mainland....

Maybe some Nogori native out there could comment a lil' on P.D.'s redeeming qualities and TRY to convince sceptical ol' me that this is a good idea....


NiK!
---it SO should have been Redang or Perhentian instead...Sipadan even....
----------------

PORT DICKSON, July 17 (Bernama) -- Port Dickson will be the location of the third Hard Rock Hotel in Asia, after Pattaya (Thailand) and Bali (Indonesia).

The Negeri Sembilan government has approved the development of the five-star hotel at a cost of RM175 million at Km11.2 of Jalan Pantai, Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said Sunday.

The hotel would be constructed on the 6.8 hectares previously occupied by the Si Rusa Inn and would face the sea, he said, adding that it was expected to be completed in 2007.

"The Hard Rock Hotel will more or less transform Port Dickson into a seaside resort of repute, alongside Bali in Indonesia and Pattaya in Thailand," he told reporters after presenting prizes to winners of the Port Dickson International Triathlon here.

The private-owned Hard Rock Hotel Port Dickson would have 300 rooms and 50 chalets.

Hard Rock Hotel Port Dickson will be managed by HPL Hotels & Resorts which has its headquarters in Singapore and is wholly owned by Hotel Properties Limited (HPL).

-- BERNAMA

Car-spotting

Eversince I purchased my Nokia cameraphone, I notice I've developed this disturbing ache to take pictures of everything that catches my eye !

If the last installment showcased my penchance for taking pictures of food before I consume it, this post shows my appreciation of vehicles (what can I say...I'm a REGULAR guy-lah!)

(Not) My Vespa

I just love the retro stylings of this Vespa I saw parked outside of an eatery during lunchtime one day. If only there was a helmet hanging at an odd angle perched off the handlebars, that'd make a 'classic' pic!

Hafiz's Mini Cooper S

This hot rod is my investment banker mate: Hafiz's pride & joy. Guys want to be him, while Gals want to be with him. Hhhmmm...I wonder whether the car has any bearing on this at all... ;-p

My Porsche

Saw this hot wheels in a showroom at PNB Darby Park one late Saturday night / early Sunday morning and couldn't resist taking a pic. Luckily the security guard didn't think I was a planning a heist or summat !

Herbie Fully Loaded

And this cutie here is a nice surprise I saw in the parking lot as I was rushing to get into work on time this morning. Damn the bloody advertising executives on the 7th floor of our building SURE do drive really funky cars ! I just love the retro styling and zany colours. The upholstery inside has been redone as well and is super-immaculate...this is one CU-TE VW Beetle.

What Reality Shows Can Teach You About Attracting Women

by Grant Day
Copyright © 2005, Seduction Insider.com

“The supreme object of life is to live. Few people live. True life is only to realize one’s own perfection, to make one’s every dream a reality.” – Oscar Wilde

Don’t worry, I’m not asking you to go sign up for next season’s Fear Factor, or Beauty and the Geek, or even the Amazing Race but I am going to point out to you the most important lesson you can take away from watching a reality T.V. show (and by important lesson, of course, I mean the sort that’s going to make you more popular with women).

Ready? Here it is: Take Action.

Any time you’re forced, or force yourself, out of your comfort zone and into an active mode you greatly expand your opportunities and increase your ability to actually do something with those opportunities – which is what reality shows are all about. The show creators come up with all kinds of zany and challenging situations to put contestants into, and all of us lazy asses at home get to set back and watch the antics and drama as all the fish out of water find out if they’ve got it in them to swim in brand new ways.

And just why would you want to force yourself out of your comfort zone into a brave new world? Isn’t life challenging enough you wonder? Nope. I know you’ve got bills, and a job, and family situations, and worries but that’s no excuse if you want a hot love life - because every time you expand yourself you expand your opportunities with women.

Let me put it more bluntly:

Average guy = too much of a couch potato, boring/staid existence, doesn’t get out and about enough to meet really sexy, interesting women much and when he does he doesn’t have the skills with which to catch and keep their interest.

Above average guy = grabs life’s opportunities and makes the best of them. He’s got an interesting life, has interesting life experiences, and knows how to show women a good time and he knows that’s something women can’t get enough of.

The problem is that many of us men don’t even realize we’re stuck in a boring routine, because frankly we guys are creatures of habit. Once our wild college days are over (if we were ever wild to begin with) many of us settle down to work, work, work and a little bit of down time with our buds over a few beers. We think we lead a relatively enjoyable life if we can afford to pay our rent, our car payment, and buy a few toys.

It’s such an easy trap to fall into. We’re so conditioned to be happy with working hard and a little bit of entertainment that we usually just watch.

But what about really living? What about really doing? And what about women? And what about learning just how tough, resilient, and capable you really are? That’s what reality shows really show us – that people who put themselves in situations where they have to grow, and adapt, and rally find hidden strength, energy and intelligence to accomplish the goal – because they find out the hard way there’s a lot more to what they signed up for than meets the eye.

Because an interesting life, a life that keeps you on your toes, just ain’t easy.

So when was the last time you forced yourself to take on a goal that really challenged you? When was the last time you decided to knuckle down and learn that skill you’d been dreaming about for years but never had the courage to go for before?

I’ll wager it’s been awhile.

Okay, so for those of you who need further encouragement let’s get down to specifics. Let’s look at some examples of goals you could possible have and what will happen when you finally set yourself towards finally accomplishing them:


Dude It’s Your Attitude
You know what I notice whenever I see a reality show with guys who are “so called average” vs. “so called hot” guys? No, I’m not gay. I’m a journalist and it’s my job to notice things. And what I notice is that a) damn we’re a fat society and b) there are always a few of the “so called average” guys who are just as attractive as the “so called hot” guys but they lack is the attitude of self-confidence.

Let me say that again all they lack is the attitude of self-confidence.

What would you do in life if you could just get up the courage to try?

There’s no time like the present.


Learning Something New
Any new positive skills you learn are going to advance your possibilities with women. What would you like to know how to do now that you don’t know how to do? Ski? Imagine the ladies you can meet on the slopes…Cook? Imagine how you can impress women by being able to prepare something more than hot dogs on the barbie…Learn to speak in public? Having the ability to speak well in front of others allows you the ability to bring your ideas and personality really across and that’s always going to win you big points with women. How about learning to speak a foreign language like Italian? It’s the language of love. I rest my case.


Getting in Shape
The myriad of ways in which getting in shape can expand your existence and sex up your life are endless. First and foremost you’re going to feel better when those endorphins start pumping. Secondly you’re going to start being much healthier, and third you’re going to look better. And that’s just the beginning.

The more physically fit you are the easier it is to learn to play a new sport or any other type of physical skill. Sexy hot women are often physically fit women who love to get out and do things. While she may well have you panting like a dog in heat just by looking at her, you don’t want to be panting like a dog in the heat if you go hiking, canoeing, to play tennis, roller-blading, horseback riding or any of the hundreds of fun physical activities you can do on a date.

And remember, as long as you’re not a complete jerk, the better you handle playing at the physical activities in the great outdoors, the better your chances of playing at the physical activities in the great indoors.

Film Review : War of the Worlds

WoW in my opinion was : Perfect.

If you were expecting a big summer blockbuster with mindless action and heroics tho', u'd be dissapointed.

No...despite being released during the summer season..WoW is more subtle than that.

To put it into context : It's the human side of Independence Day (ID4), or a continuation M Night Shyamalan's Signs if the aliens decided to invade Earth instead of retreating after one isolated incident (don't even get me started on THAT crap ending!).

Spielberg managed to portray an alien invasion from a humanistic point of view instead of showing big action heroics ala the aforementioned ID4. Yes, we DO get the money shots of huge tentacled alien warships wreaking havoc upon cities, buildings and people...but Spielberg humanizes the impact by letting us experience it from the point of view of Tom Cruise's family members.

Their journey is OUR journey as well.

Their FEARS are transplanted onto us as well.

Their losses HURTS us as well.

The book was basically about human-nature. And the movie portrayed this perfectly.

The beats started from people being naturally curious even in the face of danger.
Cue multiple scenes of groups of people staring in the sky at the electrical storms or gaping wide eyed at a 40-foot alien war machine structure moments before the death rays started. Comment: Humans are stupid!

Followed by how LOW humans would go in the face of common tragedy.
Cue the car jacking scene where hundreds of people rioted and even resorted to killing each other JUST for the chance of driving the only working vehicle around.

To how desperate people would do ANYTHING to save themselves.
Cue the rush to get onboard the ferry scene and how cold and callous the captain was when he decided to sail off eventho' there was space on the boat for another hundred people.

There's alot more examples of studies on human nature in this movie from Tom Cruise having to kill Tim Robbins to ensure their continued safety from being found out by the aliens (desperate times calls for desperate actions); to his son wanting to go into battle with the misguided belief that might makes right; to his daughter's neurotic screaming and hysterics in the face of trouble.

Different people react to tragedy differently...and that's what makes WoW so brilliant.

Like I told you...the movie is very, very subtle. It's SO dense with all this character studies yet you don't feel bogged down with it because Spielberg unravels it within the action instead of making it the main reason for the action.

-----
My only gripe which took me out of the movie for a second was the moment the Army G.I. suddenly jumped up to save Tom Cruise from being sucked up into the War Machine to be chopped up into human fertilizer.

WTF ??
WHY save Tom Cruise when moments before, no one made a move to save the poor business man who was sucked up earlier ??

THAT was one weak moment when the writers used a deus ex machina to keep the plot moving.

Didn't the G.I. realize that if they saved Cruise, the ship would just suck up ANOTHER different victim from the cage..heck it might even be the G.I. that could have been sucked up if they saved Tom Cruise?!

This section of the movie reeks of the writers writing themselves into a corner and not being able to find any other way to further the plot except by taking the easy way out.

Beside this minor gripe tho'...the film was a superb study in human nature and even followed the book faithfully by staying true to its ending.

Most people would balk and say what a rip-off ending it was that the aliens died to something as simple as germs. But think for awhile and realise the message that H.G. Wells meant to imply in his book; or why Spielberg stayed true to it.

The message at the end is:
Despite humans being flawed, cheating, lying scumbags that ONLY care about the safety and well being of themselves in the face of tragedy and danger, we CAN rise above that.

And in a way we have; for over a million generations, we evolved from the days when the common bacteria like flu or stomach ache would kill us.

In a way, EVOLUTION is the answer to us rising above our current state of mind and imperfections.

It is the ONLY reason humans are the rightful inheritors of this Earth and not the alien invaders.

And with that thought in mind, remember that how the world ends up (politically, economically and environmentally) is in all our collective hands.

Don't forsake the Earth for future generations in our rush to make our own lives in the present, better!

;-p

Haloscan commenting and trackback have been added to this blog.

A Yuppie Night Out

Top-up petrol for night out in town = RM 50

Reflexology Treatment (Shoulders, Back & Feet) = RM 50

Dinner & Drinks at a jazz lounge in KL = RM 50++

Chillin out with friends over tea and conversation = PRICELESS


Yesterday was one of the mellower nights out I've had in awhile; but it sure was a nice change from last week's clubbin night out. I could get used to this change in pace.

*sigh*

I'm getting old and complacent aren't I ?

;-)

London Bomb Blast : The NEW 9-11 ?

8:50 AM, London Time.

A regular rush hour traffic for office workers and Londoners.

7 locations hit by bomb blasts -

6 Underground routes :

Kings Cross, Liverpool Street, Aldgate East, Moorgate, Edgware Road, Russel Square
1 Overground : Tavistock Square (a Double Decker bus)

300+ people rumoured dead.

Stock markets worldwide are bound to take a plunge tmw morning.

Could this be the NEW 9-11 ??

My theory is it's the French whom just yesterday was pissed off for not winning the rights to host the 2012 Olympics. ;-)

---Yes, I am indeed an insensitive bastard.

-----Original Message-----
2005-07-07 05:16 (New York)
By Tom Kohn

July 7 (Bloomberg) -- London closed its subway system and evacuated all stations after explosions occurred in two locations on the network.

Police said a ``major incident'' had occurred, without elaborating on a possible cause. The British Broadcasting Corp. said a power surge may have affected trains underground. Sky News said a bus exploded at Russell Square, west of the city's financial district.

Emergency services were called to Liverpool Street station, Aldgate, and Edgware Road, London police said in a statement.Transport for London, which runs the city's transport network, released a statement saying the subway was suspended and all stations have been evacuated.

A policeman on the scene at Liverpool Street said an incident may have been caused by a train crash. He didn't specify whether it was an underground or overground train.

A spokesman said London Fire Brigade was called to an explosion at Liverpool Street. A city of London police spokesman said a blast occurred just before 9 a.m. local time at Aldgate station, and a number of people were wounded.

London Ambulance Service initially sent four vehicles to Liverpool Street, a spokesman said.

Trippy Happy Day

I’m SUCH a RETARD. ;-)

I’m in a really, really, trippy happy mood today for no discernible reason.

*O.k.*

Come to think about it.....i DO know the reasons why I’m SO happy today:

1) Work’s FINALLY turning out to be enjoyable after all....it’s just the fact that I haven’t been applying myself to it which previously made it so hard.

As Yoda said : DO or DO NOT...there is NO TRY...

So for the past few months I’ve been dilly-dallying like crazy at work for fear of fcuking up...but once I actually sat down and TRIED doing the work..it wasn’t as hard as I thought it’d be.

2) Yesterday’s gym session has given me a zest for life I’ve been missing these last few days.

Sleeping in the office and working till late makes Nik a dull boy. After last Saturday’s clubbing session (altho’ I didn’t get to PLAY much) and yesterday’s gym session I realize that PLAY is just as important as WORK.

3) The David Deangelo teachings are finally making sense to me (after being a major WUSS for like 24 years) and results are starting to show.

Flirting with as many women possible daily with no care of the outcome is super-fun! Once I stopped caring about the outcome, I feel more relaxed and less EMO.

Next step: Weed out the ‘harem’ and gauge whether there’s any independent woman worthy of my further time & attention (i’m a busy, busv man after all with no time or patience for womanly drama / shenanigans.) ;-p

At the end of the day, i STILL have the same shitty deadline as I did yesterday, I’m getting nowhere with a few things on my to do list, I’m due to spend a few more nights in the office in the coming two weeks, worklife still kinda sucks in general....

Yet my point of viewhas changed since yesterday,so much so that it doesn’t matter anymore.... I’m simply, just....HAPPY !

Happiness is a STATE of MIND.

You can trick your mind into doing anything if you just learn to start BELIEVING.

Isn’t it ironic that LIE is hidden within the word : BELIEVE ??

;-)

Run Forrest, Run !

I went to the gym for lunch today.

Haven’t been there in awhile since I started having crazy deadlines & sleeping in the office.

On the treadmill, I feel liberated:

No pretensions. No bullshit. No great expectations. No lies.

It’s just ME. The Road. And My Feet.

The Road doesn’t expect much of me. Don’t give me impossible deadlines. Don’t play mind games with my head.

As long as I’m there. Ready to move to the pace of the machine.: It’ll be there to back me up.

Good God, it feels good to be alive again!!!

To hear the pace of my heartbeat increasing as I exert a faster run.

To break into sweat as my body burns more energy.

To lunge faster and faster into oblivion as I focus myself running on an infinite road.

And then I stop. And reality crashes back into my being.

Body still burning from the exertion, my white skin now turned red with dispersal of heat....I pant and breath out loud for more air....filling my lungs with life.

All my anger...all my fears...all my desires...all my frustrations...burned away in one single, focused jog.

Burning up all this pent up nervous energy and leaving me in a Zen state.

Ready to overcome any challenges coming my way.

And now...4 hours later as I sit in front of my terminal typing this out...I still feel that positive buzz that you only get from a burst of adrenaline... Just can’t wait for my next gym session!

;-p

The Penis Dialogues

Here's a resurrection of a post-thread I used to do in the past:

If women have the Vagina Monologues then us guys have The Penis Dialogues. ;-p

We men might seem unable to express our feelings well to you women-folk but when we guys do meet up and hang out together, our fears, our achievements and our thoughts DO get revealed.

It's just that we don't pore thru every nitty-gritty detail like women, but do it in a more subtle caveman-like manner:

Guy 1: What's up brah?

Guy 2: *sucks in breath and heaves chest out* Everything's fine. How's thing hanging with you?

(What he ACTUALLY means is: My doctor just revealed I have Penile Cancer, my marriage is breaking apart, my kids loathe me, and I'm getting fired soon)

Guy 1: Fine brah, just fine. Here have a beer/coke/drink of your choice.

(I'm a closet tranvestite unbeknownst to my closest and dearest family & friends, plus I like to dress in women's underwear during the the weekends)

Guy 2: Cheers! *Suddenly everything's all right with the world again*

Guy 1:Tru dat brah...tru dat.

Heh heh ;-p

I finally met up with the legendary Endie Shazlie at last night's do' and I gotta say...the tales and stories told about KL's one-man party machine does NOT lie. He can party with the best and show women how to have a fun time, all the time.

Watching this guy in action is like seeing everything David Deangelo hyped about condensed into one package.

You've been a revelation brah, and your cheeky parting words are *golden* for us regular men:

HESITATION leads to MASTURBATION,
On the other hand, DESPERATION leads to MASTURBATION as well !

It's ALL about finding that FINE balance when you're ATTRACTING women.

Oh and REMEMBER (!) to ALWAYS practice SAFE SEX. *cheeky grin*

Truer words have never been said, brah.

Elvis has left the building.

24-Hour Party People

Heh heh

Yesterday's par-tay/bday bash at Poppy/Passion was JUST what the doctor ordered.

The crowd invited turned out in full force.

The dance floor was packed and heaving with thumping beats.

The ladies let their hair down for one night and REALLY par-tay'd.
(I saw a fair share of woman-on-woman sultry dances to last a few lifetimes.)

I was in HEAVEN last night.

But it might seem as though I wasn't having much FUN to the casual observer.

Well I just chalk it up to the FACT that I'm JUST not THAT kinda guy.

I don't drink...so I don't get wasted & happy.

I don't (really) smoke (unless it's *weed*)...so I don't do the blase' posturing.

And I don't (really) dance 'cos of a freak accident involving monkeys and one WILD night when I was 15 yrs old. (Loooonnggg story). ;-p

Looks can be deceiving.

Inside I was just happy to be there and feed off the vibe of my dearest and closest acquaintance.

Watching people having fun and being merry is enough to make me content.

I'm a simple guy and it doesn't take much to keep me happy.

*OK*

Enough self-motivational crap...I better get out of this stupor from yesterday's partying and focus on work again unless I wanna sleep in the office tonight.

*Sigh*

It nights like last night that makes working at this firm (with its *angelic* bosses and continuous deadlines and demands made on you) a LIL' manage-able.

Here's to MORE decadent nights out and about the town to get by these demanding 24-hour work-days.

Married2theJob for now....

Grounded !

There hasn't been much updates in the past few days 'cos i've been GROUNDED(!).

My *angelic* boss decided to impose a Monday deadline on me JUST as I was planning to take Friday off for a 3-day holiday with mates at some motivational/out-of-bounds training.

Oh well...SO much for plans then, huh ??

So here I am, IN the office on a Saturday (and Sunday as well looking at my current progress on meeting the bloody deadline).

This is such a NON-post that it's not funny.

Ah well...at least tonight's gonna promise some fun as a close colleague of mine has booked a spot in Passion for his 28th birthday.(oh, just a small do' for 40+ people)

Here's to a few more years of bachelordom, Tims (!)

Don't go looking to settle down too fast eventhough u've had a LOT of fun in the intervening years.

And here I remain..in front of the PC on a Saturday afternoon...trying to decipher the Excel model in time for Monday's deadline. (Until 10 pm at least, then it's par-tay time!!!)

Bollocks!

Jalan-Jalan Jum'at

I had a MINI treat today when Shahrir and Ahmed (my regular Friday prayer buddies) decided to take me to a mosque I haven't been to before:

The International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization (I.S.T.A.C.)

ISTAC Mosque

ISTAC Mosque

As you can see from the gorgeous pics , the ISTAC Mosque has this unique Spanish/Morroccan styling to it unlike most Mosque architecture we are used to seeing around Malaysia.

The inside was more beautiful with heavy oak doors and high ceilinged carvings draped with chandeliers and Muslim scriptures adorning the walls. Unfortunately, I didn't dare use my cameraphone inside 'cos of the number of people praying at the time.

Symmetry

The centerpiece to the front entrance of the mosque is this simple water fountain adorned by arches on all four sides. I gotta say I was kinda taken aback by this exquisite grounds because I couldn't believe that an architectural beauty like this could be nestled secretly in between Damansara Heights' high cost houses, Bangsar's bustling activity, and Sri Hartamas' hot nightspots.

Tree Of Life

The next time you go on a drive...try roaming a bit off the usual routes and you'd be surprised at the secrets you'd find in between KL's regular hotspots.