Typing here on my new Asus Transformer Pad, after a hearty meal of homemade tacos (recipes for the whole shebang, below). The Transformer Pad is awesome! A worthy replacement to my old Vaio netbook which is around 8 years old and behaving terribly. I'm slowly putting all the important softwares in the form of apps into it so I can quickly access it when I have a pretty good idea. I probably need to wipe out everything in the other computer before I hand it over to the fatherling.

I'm in the midst of packing for the Redang trip which I'm leaving for tomorrow night. 4 dives for the weekend, or 3. Depending on how I feel. I haven't met up with my grandmum and I've got a dinner with my grandad and uncle FH since he's back from London. Such a sweet old man. Hopefully the dinner with my grandfather will mean the confirmation of my club membership... Aaaaaaand that made me sound like a brat. Hahahahaha...

Now, the recipes below are pretty much only for me to remember what I had put in because I have a habit of cooking blind and realising later, after eating the delicious edibles that I'd probably would want to make it again. The tacos come in a few parts, most of which require preparation, especially the Chili con carne which tastes better when left overnight to let the flavours merge.

Sha's Chili Con Carne:

4 tbsp cumin powder
1 tbsp cintan manis (I have no idea what this spice is in English)
3 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp paprika powder
1 tbsp Cayenne pepper
2 tbsp cacao powder (give or take)
1 tsp instant coffee (for a secret kick)
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1 stick cinnamon
a few habanero peppers, cut, blended or left whole, whatever tickles your fancy
a bottle of pickled jalapeno peppers, sliced

2 cups white onion
1 cup red onion/shallots
3 to 4 cloves of garlic

1kg fatty beef, cubed or ground
2 cans of kidney beans
1 can of other beans, I don't know what the white ones are called.
250g canned chopped tomatoes or tomato puree
salt to taste

Epic Tomato Salsa:

5 chopped tomatoes
1/2 red onion blended to a paste
1/4 cup pickled jalapeno peppers blended to a paste
1/2 lime juice, give or take
1 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
salt to taste

Delicately nommy Guac:

2 ripe avocados
1/2 red onions blended to a paste
1 tsp pickled jalapeno peppers blended to a paste
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 lime juice, give or take
salt

Other stuff to prep for tacos:
Taco shells, sour cream, thinly sliced lettuce

Usual posting will resume in KL. See you soon MADAFAKAS!

Mo posted this onto her FB feed  (http://goinswriter.com/writing-voice/) and I thought I'd answer a few questions before starting tonight's Lace sketch and then going to bed. I'm not a writer or anything but I find these questions alluring to that self-absorbed part of me who thinks I'm a writer.
Some will be answered eventually when I have time to think about it.

Describe yourself in three adjectives.
-Witty -Random -Awesome
Ask (and answer) the question: “Is this how I talk?”
Yes, Yes this is how I talk.

Imagine your ideal reader. Describe him in detail. Then, write to him, and only him.
My ideal reader is amazingly worldly, intelligent and completely non-judgemental. When he reads what I write he imagines everything in detail, if there's no details he'll make it up and laugh at his cleverness. He reads my words with a cup of coffee while he's either sitting in awe or amusement. His name is probably Steve.

Jot down at least five books, articles, or blogs you like to read. Spend some time examining them. How are they alike? How are they different? What about how they’re written intrigues you? Often what we admire is what we aspire to be.
I'll cut to the chase: I read when the writer is tongue-in-cheek yet serious, witty, not demanding, fun, quick and important. (tbc)

List your favorite artistic and cultural influences. Are you using these as references in your writing, or avoiding them, because you don’t think people would understand them?
Robot Chicken, Everything pop culture pre 1995, English Wit (because it's just so lovely), Stephen Fry who is a genius, Garfield (because for a while, the obese cat had it going on), Everything. I like everything because everything makes life life. Except pop music and pink.

Ask other people: “What’s my voice? What do I sound like?” Take notes of the answers you get.
This has no relevence to me.

Free-write. Just go nuts. Write in a way that’s most comfortable to you, without editing. Then go back and read it, asking yourself, “Do I publish stuff that sounds like this?”
Toto bumped his head on the wall once. It hurt just like he knew it would. It was day three since he was changed from a being of pure light to this monkey in a suit. Thanks, dad.


He was so arrogant that day as to shout to his heavenly father, his creator, that he was his best asset. A being who did not falter in the face of duty. If it had to be done, it had to be done. In hindsight, he probably shouldn'tve made such a bold declaration. Dad can be a bit of a dick sometimes.

-- I actually do publish lots that sound like the abovewritten. I call them 'brainfarts'.

Read something you’ve recently written, and honestly ask yourself, “Is this something I would read?” If not, you must change your voice.
I would read it a million times over. I actually enjoy my brainfarts, even if it gets a little bit too ludicrous.

Ask yourself: “Do I enjoy what I’m writing as I’m writing it?” If it feels like work, you may not be writing like yourself. (Caveat: Not every writer loves the act of writing, but it’s at least worth asking.)
Because I don't write for cash, and most of what I write is drivvel anyway, it's a damn blog, it doesn't need substance. I love writing!

Pay attention to how you’re feeling. How do you feel before publishing? Afraid? Nervous? Worried? If so, you’re on the right track. If you’re completely calm, then you probably didn’t risk being vulnerable. Try writing something a little more dangerous, something a little more you. Fear is good.
I dont think this is relevent to me either... *shrugs*


The End.

The 3 3D images for the final presentation.

Chun tak?

In no real way is this totally fake Energy Bar endorsed by MONSTER Energy Drink.

MalamButa sketches for last night... well... Early this morning, more like.

Okay, now I photoshop the renders to make it look aaaawesome.

It's set, my final presentation is at 12PM on Friday. 20 Minutes long. I'm guessing 10 to 15 for talking and 5 for Q&A.

Right now I'm waiting for my renders to finish while I play the pokemans... Because... well, I'm that bored. There's not much on the internet anymore and I've finished watching That 70s Show and I needed a distraction that wouldn't crash the computer while the render was on. XD

To do for Syn:
- Do about 3 renders
- Photoshop finished Renders with MONSTER logo on the floor and people silhouettes
- Record bar sounds (people ordering drinks etc)
- Turn recording into amazing particle waves for play during presentation
- Ponder the contents of my 15 minute presentation and prepare for Q&A
- Final Syn portfolio arrangement done
- Print and send to Ross.

The end of this slacky-ass term will be savoured. I have to really, REALLY get my mind around more things to do next term.

First thing I do when I get back home to JAH, KL:
Cat mauling
Pizza
Hot 45 minute bath with scrubbing and chilling and napping with bubbles (I should buy this Immersion water heater for the tub)