Self Reflections.

I was pretty hyped up about the whole Steve Vai thing that's going to happen tomorrow.

For those who're a bit backdated, I'm in Melbourne as I'm typing this out. The Steve Vai Masterclass takes place tomorrow at this place that's..somewhere...near...this place I'm staying.

I'm currently staying with an old friend of mine for about 9 years (but we started talking in 2004, so that's 7 years of good friendship). The last I've seen her was 5 years ago, and I'm really glad that I saw this random advertisement about Steve Vai's masterclass and .. called her up, asked her everything that I needed to know, and BOOM.

I'm here, a week before my finals, and one more day to watch the guitarist I'd never imagine to meet (not personally, but it's close enough!).

Getting back to the point, I was really hyped up about it. But as my friend dedicated her weekend to me (with the fact that she's working and all!), I feel really touched, appreciated and at home. And this trip; this unplanned getaway made me realise that the really good friends never move away from you regardless of what you do!

I feel really great. It's been years since I really went about doing the things that I wanted to and stuff like that without the fact of being tied down to a certain schedule/time or something! I actually feel pretty relaxed and I'm having a great time.

Melbourne's a beautiful city, and I was watching some light show at some art exhibition at town area. It's .. great. Music made me appreciate more than what audible art is. The amount of effort being put in certain works and all, I think that's a good effort that requires attention and respect by the public!










And to all of my friends that have put up with my personal shit, and random music status updates of my journey in Music itself, I thank you all for your patience.

Slight Update.

So, I got down and dirty with creating an official Facebook page for myself. It's better to diversify my music stuff than my personal life so others won't be annoyed with it, I guess?

It's a win-win situation, although I don't really like the idea of.. having that Facebook page sometimes. It's fun, and I see the numbers growing!

If you wish to follow up on a less cluttered update scheme, do head over to the right of this page, and click on "like" on Glacius!

Alternatively, you can head to this website - My Official Music Page on Facebook and click like.

Most of the songs will be featured under "videos", until further notice.

Also, I've been speaking to plenty of Malaysian (to me, local) guitarists, and one of them came up with the craziest idea after I sent him a sample of a new song I'm working on. He suggested that we should collaborate and work on a song.

Sure, who wouldn't like that?

But he's speaking to -me-, you know. I'm not going to hog the spotlight myself, so I asked him.. how about featuring the rest of the guitarists we know?

And the ball started rolling.

I can give you a hint, and if you're a Penangnite. The people involved:
Richard Leong
Jean "Glacius"
Kelvyn Yeang
Chiat
Eric Neoh
Alfred Oh

And we're still awaiting for the better musicians!

I'm really looking forward to this project, and the upcoming song that we're going to produce.

I must say, Dropbox does make transferring files a lot more easier.

Memories.

This is good. This is really good.

So far it's the first day of my finals that finished, and guess what I'm up to?

Here's a hint:



I'm just practising on what I can really do with what I have around me, more importantly, stuffing my mind up in every aspect to get every piece of creativity to get things up and running.

Right now, I'm redoing one of my old songs that I wrote with a cheap ass keyboard (that was worth RM10?) entitled Seasons of Heartbreaks. This time, minusing out the crap flute, and trying my best to not stuff in guitar works, because I want to see how far I get with my own creativity based on MIDI technology.

And believe it or not, I was sitting down here for about 7-8 hours staring at the screen, producing stuff and having dinner in between.

Rather progressive, I must say.










I wish I could do this all year long.

Streams of the Unknown.

Sometimes when you put in too much input, you get nothing in return. There's only a handful that really kick you in the places you expect, and sometimes, when you least expect it. But most of the time, nobody really bothers to kick you back. Regardless if it's on the face, stomach, trying to break your ribs, and plenty of other things.

But sometimes, when nobody's there to give you a good kick, it makes you wonder if you've lost everybody, or you've lost yourself?

Some questions are meant to be unanswered. And most answers are meant to be unquestioned.

I've taken a risk; I took a really good jump.

But this, is one of those times, where I actually regret bits and pieces of it. It's like I finally landed flat on my face, and I understand how it is like to be a failure when it comes to accepting facts and decisions.

It's problems like these that made me rant out as much as I want to. But ranting it out, doing what I do, being who I am today, performed divisions to worlds unexpectedly.

Not like I wanted this to happen, but I am not the controller of fate.

It feels like I've lost everything up to this point. Perhaps karma for not appreciating the finer things in life. Sooner or later, I'm going to look back and regret everything I have done.

Perhaps, to not accept myself for who I am was always the first problem. This leads to plenty of other issues.

It's hard, really. You know what's going on with the world, but the world won't look back on what you've achieved.

And it's through rants like these that allows others to distance themselves from one another. Regardless if it's distance from me, or distance from the rest.

It's been six months that I've been floating around like a specter. A wandering soul, that is lost endlessly in all streams that leads to life.

Some find it easy in life, some find it challenging.

But really, this is not what I want.










Maybe one day, I will regret how this day will change my life forever. Or maybe not. I've made promises to others before, but I haven't done one for myself.

I promise myself to be a musician, the guitarist that I am, who lost his heart to all of the instruments around him.

A puppet with a soul, yet without a heart.











It's not too late to really kick start this year for myself.

If someone can give me a birthday gift, please give me time as it's the most valuable thing in this world.











And I'm sick of relationships, the whole issue with feeling love, and getting yourself in and out of everything. Maybe you're the one reading this, or not. You're always welcomed to read what I write. More importantly, I can pretty much fuck off because I really can't be bothered what happens to anything around me.

Bona fide.

Unleashing Thoughts.

Empty promises.

Not to say that I believe in karma, or anything, but if I can't even fulfill my own promises, I don't think anyone else will fulfill their promises towards me.

Guess it works as a double edged sword.

So, what should I do? Branch off from the world, escape from the past and begin a new life?

It's more to like a reset button on a device.

If I do that..

.. Really, how many people will remember of the existence of one who faded?










Another mystery of life, and suicide.

So.

I hate it when this happens.

Sometimes, you know what you're doing, but when you really look at it objectively, you know that you've got completely no clue about what you're doing.

The only thing I know what I'm really doing is that when I pick up the guitar.

On the studies side, on the other hand, is a pain in the ass. On one matter, everything seems clear. But apparently, I've got short memory issues, so I tend to forget everything that I know of.

Which is clearly a bitch.










It's been a few times I've hit rock bottom. I am truly depressed.

Thoughts.

So, another month passed.

And I'm still on the urge of killing myself.

Another one of those thoughts about how people can actually change over time, and never look back.

Which is a good thing.. or a bad thing?

Is change even recommended?

Is change the best method to overcome a certain situation?










Like governments, they will not believe something they spent their time so long to nurture (or invest), even if the outcome is going to reflect bad issues.

Sometimes we have to learn to let go.










Sometimes, I have to learn to let go.

New Year Resolution - The Amendment.

So, Penang has been great.

Not really.

My mum flipped when she re-remembered that I failed 2 subjects on the first semester, and calculating the costs on how much those bloody subjects were in MYR.

I mean, in AUD$ was already a headache, but if you convert it to MYR, you'll just pee in your bloody pants until you turn anorexic.

So, here's my new year resolution for this year. We (or rather, my mum and I - for the first time) had a serious discussion about financial rubbish.

I can assure you a few things:

A major cut in toy collections (A lot of good ones coming out this year!!)
Custom model guitar going to be postponed.
My 27" iMac might not pull it through (especially when I got the MacBook Pro, it kind of eliminates the purpose unless if I really want to be an ass to myself.)
Expanding my pedal board.

All because the funds will be pumped into funding the most important thing in my life:

.. Myself.

My education, the mess that I've created through my failure, and my decision of taking up another room that will increase costs for me and my brother, so on and so forth.

Guess I have to work hard, and study hard.

This is just the beginning.










Hopefully my email will be heard of, and the steps to my career will make it through. If all goes well, I might move from Hobart to Melbourne by the end of this year, and get a TR / PR straight if possible.

I will stand firm on this year's resolution. Because I really want to achieve this.

I really want to.

New Year Resolutions.

I have to be frank; I make promises and I keep them. The promises I can't keep would be related to relationships because, well, shit happens.

But in the world, we have friends who do their resolutions, and sometimes, it's great to think that they set their resolutions and all, and would attempt to achieve it.

I don't set resolutions; because I hate living life by the lines.

But here's a list of achievements for this year:

• Got the iPad
• Got the iPhone 4
• Got the mini-rig that consists of a BOSS DS-1, BD-2, DD-3, Jim Dunlop BG-95 and the Roland Cube 30X
• Got a guitar that I've somewhat dreamed for 6 years - two years prior to the time I started playing the guitar.
• Managed to collect figures that feeds my inspirations (If you noticed, the Takara Masterpiece MP-01B, and Sneaking Suit version of Big Boss)
• Managed to consistently catch up with studies, and work.

Then again:

• Failed 2 subjects on the first semester, and 1 subject on the second semester (results pending as I got a supplementary paper for it)
• Killed my entire leisure time due to studies, and work.
• Failed to meet my savings for this Malaysia trip.
• Uncertainty in financial stability.
• Uncertainty in future job security.

So, pros and cons.

I think this will be a good lead for me to place my goals for next year.










And the first step's always in getting a job.

.. But what about a career?

Having one eye bigger than the other.

In relation to the title, I have no idea what to say.

But one thing's for sure, I just found out about this thing called BTT - BetterTouchTool - To solve all stupid issues and questions that I raised for the Magic Mouse that I have for this MacBook Pro - pinching to zoom, and all that.

And I'm pretty surprised at the technology of the Magic Mouse, by the way. I didn't know it detects pressure sensitivity.

How DOES Apple do this anyway?


And as you can see, I made my mouse into a whore. A mouse that controls my Spaces windows, volume and brightness control, and all

I'm still trying to make a shortcut for it to shut my laptop down for the heck of it.

Life's good.

I think.










I don't know.

Bah.

I Just Had To..

I know December is when Santa Claus comes.

This year, he's coming earlier.

But too bad, he's not fat and red.

He looks more like Virgil Donati.



I will see if he's any good like Virgil Donati. And take a couple of pictures too.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Oh..Yeah.

And that's the reason why I study better. I've got more space, my guitar pedals are right below me, and my figures have more than enough space. Gotta clear up my table a bit more though.. So I can have my planned World War theme that should be done by the end of November 2010.. :)

Musclebrain.

Ever felt like you are somewhat awake, but you refuse to learn anything new?

You know you can go on physically, but mentally, you perform worse than a chimpanzee.

What have I done to deserve this?

I hate being optimistic.

Well, that's enough of complaints. Go into war with my final quiz. Then exactly one week to go through 12 weeks of shit, then finals.

Woopee-fucking-do.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Quickie.

I'm going to make this a quick one as I'm blogging from my phone.

Just minor updates because I haven't updated my blog for quite a bit. But I think I'll be just fine:

I am currently juggling 2 jobs, along with my main "occupation" (as they would call it here in Australia), a Full-Time student. At least that's recognized.

Benefits of juggling 2 jobs - increase in pay. I have been working in an underpaying job and it doesn't really get me much, but I've made it through somehow.

Outcome: earning nearly $700 per week (shyly at $692 actually).

Now with this one, I'm actually able to get Christmas presents for my family. Only if I want to. I know I've already thought of my brother's gift. Heh.

Besides that, perhaps another iPhone.

Now I just spoke to one of my mates in an unknown retailer and I'm able to get a 15" MacBook Pro 2.4GHz 250GB HDD (which is not even in the list) for $1600-1700. Which is about $500 cheaper. I compared it against Malaysia at an exchange rate of 3.06, and I only managed to see it as MYR200 difference here.

Since it's easier, I might just get the MacBook first. Or not. Save up straight for the iMac.

Dilemma and decisions

Also planning to get a car here for convenience. Not entirely my idea, but better to be safe than sorry.

.. Or not at all. Depends

Well, that's about it. Besides that, I also came up with an idea for my daily routine. Sleep at 6-8pm, get up at 3am, slack off and do whatever required preparations for uni before work (if I have work)

That is most probably going to be my upcoming schedule during the study break in 2 weeks time.

Please don't think of me having 2 jobs is insane. No sympathies. I really hate it when people do that. This isn't compulsory, but this is my own decision.

Besides, Mike Portnoy once worked 3 jobs to finance his dreams.

I should too.

iDevil?

I was doing my studies a minute ago on my iPad, and I wanted to post this up for quite a bit already.

A few days ago trying to figure out the mysteries of my assignment, I got really tired. I sat on my bed, wanting to take my afternoon nap, and then like usual, I couldn't sleep.

I picked up my books, again and I could focus even better. I felt relaxed more with my phones, netbook and the iPad on the table that I call my workstation.

I could absorb information better rather than staring into a "backlit-LCD" screen with my notes on it.

I mean, it is the exact same issue with you reading books, and reading eBooks, if anybody ever experienced or encountered any problems like that?

I tend to lose focus over the times where I'm closer to technology.

Is that kind of odd?

I remember reading one article about one person giving up the cyberspace and it improved his memory.

Besides his memory, he also had boredom.

Boredom is the most important emotion to actually feel to get inspirations. He was one of the few people who bought an iPad, and then he sold it off because it took up too much of his time where he prefers to be bored.

Which is pretty interesting really. I sat down, like what normal families would do before the introduction of the iPhone, the iPad, and other smartphone-related devices. If you switch off notifications, you'll end up refreshing your applications to figure out if there's anything new or whatsoever.

Just so happens, I was too lazy to reach out for my i-Products, and I was happy with it. I focused way better, and I felt better studying - with a book.

This is a pretty interesting thought for myself, and I'm not sure if you all experienced it.

I know when I go online, most of my time is wasted no thanks to Facebook. Because of Facebook, I don't play as much guitar as I used to. And when I play guitar, I play it better when my girlfriend is not online, or when she's busy, and with my netbook shut.

Boredom kills some people, like my 4 other housemates downstairs, but I think it's a divine source of major inspirations.

Although the idea of Apple products being highly promoted here, that is clearly the wrong message to send out. It's only because I own these things. If It was years back, I'd blame it on my PS2 and the home computer.






Give me my boredom so I can study right. No wonder I haven't touched my iPad for a bit. It's an odd sign.

Sad News.

I was happily procrastinating until I read something disturbing in Facebook.

Mike Portnoy, the backbone of Dream Theater, left the band because he needed a break.

Of course the stunning news early this year was that he was drumming for Avenged Sevenfold due to a personal request of their late drummer.

That's fine, but Portnoy found out that he had more fun in the other projects - and found out that DT was work to him.

I clearly understood that, but I'm truly shaken by his decision - and the decision of the band to continue on without him.

Sure Portnoy, not the best drummer in the world as others are catching up, but for those who CAN play DT's songs smoothly, were obviously inspired by Mike Portnoy.

So, Mike, have a good rest.

I wish to see you back in action as your life story motivates me to carry out my Quest for Tone.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

This is Nice.

There she is, having her fun with her friends, and having a different timezone just to see her for a short while.

Sounds familar, though.

I wonder if I'm the idiot doing something like that?

I am an idiot, only if I believe it.

Well, that doesn't matter anyway.

I came home from uni today, sat down and played the guitar. I actually slept while playing the guitar, so I decided to get some rest.

And I woke up at 6.45, plugged my guitar in without checking Facebook or playing around with Nemesis Prime.

And it's 2.14am as I'm writing this, and I've got the guitar with me still.











Even if I were to be alone, and that would suck. But that's alright..

"I still got my guitar!"

:)

Testing

Seriously, did they fix the issue with blogging from an iPhone after inserting pictures?

Since I already had this on the iPad, I hooked my iPhone up as well. It's one of those universal apps that you can share among devices, so that's pretty cool.

Now, updates? Another "toy".

Takara Masterpiece (MP-01B) - Optimus Prime - Black Convoy .. Also known as Nemesis Prime.
























There're two more figures coming in by this year - the Japanese mascot that replaced Mickey Mouse - Chokogin Fireball (which is smaller than my preferred height, but she is bloody flexible, comes in with plenty of hand gestures, and other misc stuff.) and the Jungle Fatigue version of Big Boss from Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker. That would be coming out by the end of the year, so I'm looking forward to that one.

So far this app works for the iPhone smoothly after the update being installed. I'm satisfied, although it does lag a bit (on the iPhone 4. Imagine 3GS lol)

And other than that, I've got nothing to update. Heh.

Till then, mates.

Edit: I just realized that I have already posted up pictures of this Prime. Oh well. At least the app works. I'm doing this through my iPad now LOL.

Pouring It Out.

Sometimes when I really think about it, is it really worth it to put in whatever efforts we have into something we don't really have confidence in?

In life, in work, in efforts, in hobbies, in studies, and in family?

It's great if you get something in return once in a while. The only thing that keeps me happy is when I get money.

Simple. Money in, money out.

When money out = more stuff in the mail arrives for me.

That's not how things should be, but at least I have the opportunity to grasp on the things that I only thought that I was able to view online.

On another note, I'm not sure if it's jealousy or whatever it is, but I love to share whatever I've got with those who view me on Facebook. And sometimes, I'm just guessing that they don't like the idea.

I mean, I'm just updating myself? And whatever I have is just pretty common to those around here. And that doesn't mean that you have to end up hating or flaming me because of the stuff that I own? That's just odd??

Why hate something that you can own? All you need to do is just to fork out your cash. If you can't, then work for it?

Others would say, "If you can't fork out your cash, then stop complaining"

I saved up since I started working, which was April. Before then, I was really tied down on my expenses.

And I admit that my job isn't the best in the world. I feel dumb in the current job I'm in, so shut up already.

Okay, the iPad and the iPhone were a tad bit overkill, but I saved up for those two shitheads. And I bet that my bank account shows less digits than your children's. So ????

And sometimes when you show some people that you really care, you just get a fine kick in the nose. Right back at you, so that doesn't make sense either.

Maybe I should stop degrading myself and should start finding myself, again.










Because, seriously, I think I've had it.

Ah.

My brother always told me that the toy quality nowadays really suck.

After I got the follow below, I agree.

25% plastic, 75% metal casted.

You tell me? :)