– I wanted to give them something hopeful. My friends around me, my generation, they appear to me to have lost all hope and I made this for them."
Friday, July 26, 2019
唯一的出路，是一步一步慢慢走。心里默默地相信，这一切将会过去，纵然目前看来几乎不太可能。没关系的，至少我努力地活着
Wéiyī de chūlù, shì yībù yībù màn man zǒu. Xīnlǐ mòmò de xiāngxìn, zhè yīqiè jiāng huì guòqù, zòngrán mùqián kàn lái jīhū bù tài kěnéng.Méiguānxì de, zhìshǎo wǒ nǔlì de huózhe.
The only solution is to take one step at a time, and to faithfully believe that this too will pass, even though it seems impossible at present. It's ok. At least I'm still striving to live.
quote from puttingham.blogspot.com.
Wéiyī de chūlù, shì yībù yībù màn man zǒu. Xīnlǐ mòmò de xiāngxìn, zhè yīqiè jiāng huì guòqù, zòngrán mùqián kàn lái jīhū bù tài kěnéng.Méiguānxì de, zhìshǎo wǒ nǔlì de huózhe.
The only solution is to take one step at a time, and to faithfully believe that this too will pass, even though it seems impossible at present. It's ok. At least I'm still striving to live.
quote from puttingham.blogspot.com.
Thursday, July 04, 2019
Nice.
"We All Lie"
(from "SKY Castle" soundtrack)
We all lie
Tell you the truth
Sometimes we laugh and easily lie
Alright, it's a... it's faker
Shout it out
What you want for the world
Money, honor, beauty
Everything you want
Play with a mask to hide the truth
People cheat each other, right?
Is this really true?
Tuesday, July 02, 2019
Taken entirely from www.eonline.com/
News outlets reported that police officers found the actress in Jeonju, North Jeolla province, which is 240km south of Seoul. Her body was found after her manager called the police to report that the actress had gone missing.
The North Jeolla fire department apparently found the actress' body in the bathroom of the hotel. No suicide note was found on the premises.
Her agency made the following statement on 29 June:
"Actress Jeon Mi Sun has passed away at the age of 50 (by Korean reckoning). She has been receiving treatment for depression. However, we are here with sad news today. We ask for your condolences, and we ask the media to refrain from reporting on unconfirmed rumours and speculations out of respect for her family, who are in shock and grief-stricken. We will share more information once plans for her funeral parlour are set."
Jeon made her television debut in 1990 and was a beloved figure on many South Korean television shows. Her most recent work includes He Is Psychometric, Love In The Moonlight and The Moon Embracing The Sun.
Her last film The King's Letters will premiere in July.
Thursday, June 13, 2019
Taken from https://www.facebook.com/upliftconnect
"Piglet?" said Pooh.
"Yes Pooh?" said Piglet.
"Do you ever have days when everything feels... Not Very Okay At All? And sometimes you don't even know why you feel Not Very Okay At All, you just know that you do."
Piglet nodded his head sagely. "Oh yes," said Piglet. "I definitely have those days."
"Really?" said Pooh in surprise. "I would never have thought that. You always seem so happy and like you have got everything in life all sorted out."
"Ah," said Piglet. "Well here's the thing. There are two things that you need to know, Pooh. The first thing is that even those pigs, and bears, and people, who seem to have got everything in life all sorted out... they probably haven't. Actually, everyone has days when they feel Not Very Okay At All. Some people are just better at hiding it than others.
"And the second thing you need to know... is that it's okay to feel Not Very Okay At All. It can be quite normal, in fact. And all you need to do, on those days when you feel Not Very Okay At All, is come and find me, and tell me. Don't ever feel like you have to hide the fact you're feeling Not Very Okay At All. Always come and tell me. Because I will always be there."
"Piglet?" said Pooh.
"Yes Pooh?" said Piglet.
"Do you ever have days when everything feels... Not Very Okay At All? And sometimes you don't even know why you feel Not Very Okay At All, you just know that you do."
Piglet nodded his head sagely. "Oh yes," said Piglet. "I definitely have those days."
"Really?" said Pooh in surprise. "I would never have thought that. You always seem so happy and like you have got everything in life all sorted out."
"Ah," said Piglet. "Well here's the thing. There are two things that you need to know, Pooh. The first thing is that even those pigs, and bears, and people, who seem to have got everything in life all sorted out... they probably haven't. Actually, everyone has days when they feel Not Very Okay At All. Some people are just better at hiding it than others.
"And the second thing you need to know... is that it's okay to feel Not Very Okay At All. It can be quite normal, in fact. And all you need to do, on those days when you feel Not Very Okay At All, is come and find me, and tell me. Don't ever feel like you have to hide the fact you're feeling Not Very Okay At All. Always come and tell me. Because I will always be there."
Monday, June 10, 2019
Noa Pothoven, a 17-year-old girl so overwhelmed by despair and depression, chose to end her life by refusing food and drinkCredit: Central European News
But perhaps the most shocking part of the story is that, in fact, she died at her parents’ home after they agreed to not force her to eat.
But really, whether she died in a clinic by euthanasia, assisted suicide, or at home by her own hand, what’s the difference? This young woman was so full of despair she decided there was nothing left to live for.
And her parents agreed. She had been trying to die for a long time. Euthanasia and assisted suicide are legal in the Netherlands.
Noa asked the Levenseinde end-of-life clinic in The Hague two years ago if she could be considered for euthanasia or assisted suicide but they — rightly — refused.
She told De Gelderlander newspaper in December: “They consider that I am too young to die. They think I should finish my trauma treatment and that my brain must first be fully grown.
That lasts until your 21st birthday. It’s broken me, because I can’t wait that long.” No one, surely, could read those words without agreeing that yes, she was too young to die. Right?
Most of us have enough life experience to know that, no matter how bad things are, or seem to be, dark clouds can hang around — but they do shift.
Things change. Hopelessness gives way to hope. And dark often eventually becomes light. But Noa didn’t believe it.
There is no doubt at all that her young life had been incredibly difficult. She’d had extensive treatment for depression and anorexia, and had tried to kill herself several times.
She had been sexually assaulted at the age of 11 and raped at 14. She was so traumatised she didn’t want to live any more and, after repeated hospital stays, decided to stop treatment earlier this year.
In what she referred to as a “sorrowful last post” on Instagram, Noa said she had “stopped eating and drinking for a while now, and after many discussions and evaluations, it has been decided to let me go, because my suffering is unbearable”.
A hospital bed was set up in her parents’ home and last week she refused all food and fluids after her parents and doctors reportedly agreed not to force-feed her.
It is pretty much impossible for most of us to understand quite how desperate, resigned, despairing this woman’s parents must have been to have facilitated their daughter’s voluntary death.
They must all have felt sure that there was no alternative. But it’s also hard to resist the urge to challenge that notion.
There are so many examples of people — from Maya Angelou to Malala Yousafzai to JK Rowling — who have overcome adversity to make a huge success of their lives.
Without diminishing Noa’s suffering, I do know there were things that felt to me like a crisis at 17 that I barely now recall
I know many people who have overcome very difficult, challenging and dark times as teenagers who have gone on to create fulfilling and happy relationships and live rewarding and successful lives.
I think it’s fair to say that, as a teenager, it’s impossible to imagine the future. It’s all too easy to be so mired in the difficulties of the present that you feel you will be stuck there for ever.
Without in any way diminishing Noa’s suffering, I do know there were things that felt to me like a crisis at 17 that I barely now recall.
I would take the view that it’s possible to get over even the most difficult challenges — even if it involves temporary defeat, sometimes total failure, it is how you react that sets your path.
The big question that this story raises is, should we be allowed to choose to die? Ultimately, I think the answer to that is yes, we should. But does anyone know enough about living at the age of 17 to choose to die? I don’t think so.
by Karren Brady
Sunday, March 24, 2019
I came across two similar Facebook inspirational sharing.
A fame social activist put this in her page,
A man who has been living on the streets for nine years has been found a home and job after a teenager spotted his note posted next to a bus stop.
Charlotte Howard, 16, saw the note on the Hastings bus stop and decided to post an appeal on social media.
She has so far raised £1,000 and found a caravan for Mr Johnson, who has also been offered a job as a handyman.
Mr Johnson's note read: "I will do a trial for free to show how I work. I don't take drugs or drink.
"I will also do dog walking/minding, window cleaning, shopping, gardening, car valeting/washing, housework, cooking..
"Anything to earn a living and make life seem worth living."
After seeing Charlotte's appeal Nelson Smith offered Mr Johnson a job and the pair are now working to set up a handyman business.
A fame social activist put this in her page,
"I had to tell a 71 year old man he couldn’t work for us anymore.This part of his letter humbled me,
We tried but it was too tough to justify him staying on. He wrote me this beautiful letter, which he emailed to me this morning. Who writes like this anymore? Very rarely.
I’m sad but determined to find him something else to do"
...Lastly, as have been mentioned earlier, I would be most grateful if you could kindly assist me to find another job such that with whatever meagre income that can be earned, will help keep my body and soul together.2nd Story
A man who has been living on the streets for nine years has been found a home and job after a teenager spotted his note posted next to a bus stop.
Charlotte Howard, 16, saw the note on the Hastings bus stop and decided to post an appeal on social media.
She has so far raised £1,000 and found a caravan for Mr Johnson, who has also been offered a job as a handyman.
Mr Johnson's note read: "I will do a trial for free to show how I work. I don't take drugs or drink.
"I will also do dog walking/minding, window cleaning, shopping, gardening, car valeting/washing, housework, cooking..
"Anything to earn a living and make life seem worth living."
After seeing Charlotte's appeal Nelson Smith offered Mr Johnson a job and the pair are now working to set up a handyman business.
Friday, March 22, 2019
Her childish email reinforced my perception of her personality.
Her email resembled an ex-communicated friend who was a delusional schizophrenic.I couldn't and shouldn't feed into her content anymore.
At first I thought a reply wasn't necessary but I don't want you to misunderstand my unresponsiveness.How could I have ignored the signs for so long?
For old time sake, I shouldn't mind to take the time to assure you that all is good.
We are grown ups.
🙂 It's time to let go and move on.
Bye Mn
Why was I hesitant to take a stance for so long?
I have bottled them up far too long.
Sunday, March 10, 2019
Been watching Netflix again,
"Live"
Their theme song "Carry Me" feels very close in proximity.
When you know it's not okay
and you know you're not to blame
Look inside your mind and try to find
this heart of mine
And you know it's just a dream
one you wished you'd never seen
Open up your eyes, it's still dark outside
Alone again tonight
You got the smile I wanna see
You got the heart to carry me
You got the smile I wanna see
You got the heart to carry me
And you try but it's too much
And hurting yourself is not enough
Think of everyone who has it worse than you
There is no curse on you
Think of everyone who has it worse than you
There is no curse on you
Won't you realize it's not that bad
And a chance to love is all you ever have
Tell him…
"You are a good person. So, naturally, the things that you do are good.
You make the world a better place by just living."
On Children, the mother said, "Love yourself. There is always a way."
10 Habits of Highly Successful People With Bipolar Disorder
Taken from BpHope
#1 They’ve created their own treatment plan
Through trial and error, these folks have created a personalized treatment plan that works for them. For one person, focusing on therapy for the mind may work, while someone else is better treated with certain medication. All treatment—pharmacological, therapy and lifestyle—needs to be designed specifically for you.
#2 They rally a supportive team
First off, they are not afraid to ask for help and understand they need the assistance of others when they can’t help themselves. They know that support comes in many forms; perhaps they’ll join a support group, either online or in person. Successful people living with bipolar also nurture their support team—staying in contact, communicating and expressing deep appreciation for their help.
#3 They practice mindfulness
A meditation practice improves your ability to manage work, organize tasks and focus in stressful situations. Over the past decade, mindfulness meditation has been shown to improve a whole host of health and disease outcomes; new studies demonstrate what’s happening to the brain in order to produce these beneficial health effects. It shows that meditation reduces Interleukin-6, an inflammatory health biomarker, in high-stress adults.
#4 They know their triggers and have a plan
As with mania, knowing what stressors leave you vulnerable to depression can help prevent recurrences. Work-related stress, sleep disturbances and traumatic life events can all be triggers and having a plan to help prevent minor symptoms from turning into a full-blown episode is vital. Successful individuals have put together a comprehensive plan, usually with the help of their spouse and/or family. They understand how to recognize the beginnings of either depression or mania and what they will do in such cases.
#5 They have a healthy diet and exercise regularly
Whether they find it challenging or not, they know that having a healthy lifestyle—eating well and moving more—is a crucial complement to a treatment plan of medication to maintain mood stability. Studies now prove that people with bipolar disorder are more likely to have certain vitamin and mineral deficiencies, making a nutrient-dense diet all the more important.
#6 They have good sleep habits
For people living with bipolar, sleep is found to be a significant cause of stress. We know that sleep problems don’t just affect mood, they can also be the cause. People who are successful with their bipolar treatment plans know to keep a steady rhythm throughout their day…going to bed and rising the same time each day and following the same bedtime routine.
#7 They stick to a schedule/routine
The schedule itself is personalized to each individual but the point is they stick to their set routines—especially for the important aspects like their medication protocol, exercise, diet and sleep. They know that by doing something regularly, like brushing one’s teeth, it soon becomes second nature and doesn’t take willpower to stick to.
#8 They pay attention to their thoughts
They are aware of the loop that links bipolar depression, anxiety and negative thinking and work hard at breaking free of this; they learn to shift out of negative modes such as catastrophic escalation and pessimism and destructive self-talk and instead choose a more positive and practical outlook to almost every situation.
#9 They are grateful
They understand that gratitude has a strong association with well-being and that practicing this state of being has a positive influence on their mood, relationships, outlook, and overall happiness—all of which can protect against anxiety and depression. Some people have found it helpful to keep a daily journal and write what they are grateful for every day.
#10 They keep a journal
Whether it’s charting their moods, diets, exercise or even what they’re grateful for, the simple act of writing it down somewhere (or typing for that matter) does something to further instill the subject matter to memory. Besides its validating and therapeutic benefits, writing one’s thoughts down in a journal can be meditative as it forces one to think only of certain thoughts and not about everything at once.
#1 They’ve created their own treatment plan
Through trial and error, these folks have created a personalized treatment plan that works for them. For one person, focusing on therapy for the mind may work, while someone else is better treated with certain medication. All treatment—pharmacological, therapy and lifestyle—needs to be designed specifically for you.
#2 They rally a supportive team
First off, they are not afraid to ask for help and understand they need the assistance of others when they can’t help themselves. They know that support comes in many forms; perhaps they’ll join a support group, either online or in person. Successful people living with bipolar also nurture their support team—staying in contact, communicating and expressing deep appreciation for their help.
#3 They practice mindfulness
A meditation practice improves your ability to manage work, organize tasks and focus in stressful situations. Over the past decade, mindfulness meditation has been shown to improve a whole host of health and disease outcomes; new studies demonstrate what’s happening to the brain in order to produce these beneficial health effects. It shows that meditation reduces Interleukin-6, an inflammatory health biomarker, in high-stress adults.
#4 They know their triggers and have a plan
As with mania, knowing what stressors leave you vulnerable to depression can help prevent recurrences. Work-related stress, sleep disturbances and traumatic life events can all be triggers and having a plan to help prevent minor symptoms from turning into a full-blown episode is vital. Successful individuals have put together a comprehensive plan, usually with the help of their spouse and/or family. They understand how to recognize the beginnings of either depression or mania and what they will do in such cases.
#5 They have a healthy diet and exercise regularly
Whether they find it challenging or not, they know that having a healthy lifestyle—eating well and moving more—is a crucial complement to a treatment plan of medication to maintain mood stability. Studies now prove that people with bipolar disorder are more likely to have certain vitamin and mineral deficiencies, making a nutrient-dense diet all the more important.
#6 They have good sleep habits
For people living with bipolar, sleep is found to be a significant cause of stress. We know that sleep problems don’t just affect mood, they can also be the cause. People who are successful with their bipolar treatment plans know to keep a steady rhythm throughout their day…going to bed and rising the same time each day and following the same bedtime routine.
#7 They stick to a schedule/routine
The schedule itself is personalized to each individual but the point is they stick to their set routines—especially for the important aspects like their medication protocol, exercise, diet and sleep. They know that by doing something regularly, like brushing one’s teeth, it soon becomes second nature and doesn’t take willpower to stick to.
#8 They pay attention to their thoughts
They are aware of the loop that links bipolar depression, anxiety and negative thinking and work hard at breaking free of this; they learn to shift out of negative modes such as catastrophic escalation and pessimism and destructive self-talk and instead choose a more positive and practical outlook to almost every situation.
#9 They are grateful
They understand that gratitude has a strong association with well-being and that practicing this state of being has a positive influence on their mood, relationships, outlook, and overall happiness—all of which can protect against anxiety and depression. Some people have found it helpful to keep a daily journal and write what they are grateful for every day.
#10 They keep a journal
Whether it’s charting their moods, diets, exercise or even what they’re grateful for, the simple act of writing it down somewhere (or typing for that matter) does something to further instill the subject matter to memory. Besides its validating and therapeutic benefits, writing one’s thoughts down in a journal can be meditative as it forces one to think only of certain thoughts and not about everything at once.
Friday, February 22, 2019
I need to remember that there are still goodness in my life...
I heard the sad news that you might be leaving .While I do not know the reasons for this, I would just like you to know that Kamilah adores you, and will miss you terribly. Your encouragement and your kind words about her booklet made her feel really good about her abilities, and she told me after, that she wanted to continue to write. You have made a positive impact, and I just wanted to thank you. I truly appreciate all that you have done. And I wish you the very best in your future undertakings. Know that you will always have my support. Thank you.
Tuesday, February 19, 2019
Grey's Anatomy Season 14 Episode 17
Dr.Kepner.
You really think I can't tell when someone's in pain, too?
listen, listen, the Talmud says if someone is sick or in need and you can take away 1/60th of their pain, then that's goodness. That's God.
It is exactly my job, and I prefer to do it till the bitter end.
Come on.
You're not gonna deny a dying man's wish?
I've held enough dying men's hands in my career.
I know it's mine this time.
Oh, and you realize that that phrase is not an invitation for narcissism, right?
You know, it's human nature.
You face enough hardship, then you can't help but think that you're being punished, that you did something to deserve it.
And that guarantees you what? Excuse me? Well, where where where is the guarantee? In the sequel? 'Cause, I have to admit, I'm not as up on that as I used to be.
- No, no, where where is it written exactly that if you do this or that, that everything in your life's gonna be good, hmm? Nowhere, in any faith, is there a guarantee.
Was it fair when Isaac went blind and then his child betrayed him? And where was the fairness when Sara had to wait 99 years before she had a child, and God said, "Sacrifice him"? And Moses couldn't even get past the bouncer to the Promised Land.
And like I said, I'm not up on the sequel, but from what I hear, Jesus got a raw deal.
Nobody in the Bible lived a life free of suffering or injustice, or it wouldn't have been a best seller.
And if they lived lives like that, why should ours be different?
Now, if people only believed in God when things were good, I guarantee you, after the Holocaust, not a single Jew would be a believer.
Faith wouldn't be real faith if you only believe when things are good.
Well, so, what? The world is just cruel and random, and there's nothing anyone can do about it? Look, I don't have a lot of time here.
Do you mind if I just skip to the part where I pretend I don't know what to tell you? I'm just gonna tell you, okay? - Okay.
You sound like a child.
Terrible things happen.
Terrible, wonderful, devastating things happen.
Who the hell are you to know why? Who are you to know why some people live and some people die?
Right.
And you don't get to know why any more than than I get to know why I'm dying from taking a pill that saves lives, that saves nearly everyone's life but it's killing me.
So you can either believe in God and goodness, or you can believe it's pointless, it's cruel, and it's random whatever makes you happier.
Are you? Happy?
God's not indifferent to our pain.
Listen, tikkun olam.
Tikkun olam means that the world is full of brokenness and it's our job to put it back together again.
It assumes that the world is, uh, broken and in need and in pain.
And it's our job to fix f-fix it.
Read more: https://www.springfieldspringfield.co.uk/view_episode_scripts.php?tv-show=greys-anatomy&episode=s14e17
Dr.Kepner.
You really think I can't tell when someone's in pain, too?
listen, listen, the Talmud says if someone is sick or in need and you can take away 1/60th of their pain, then that's goodness. That's God.
You can't take away a 60th of something if you don't know what it is.
Come on.
You're not gonna deny a dying man's wish?
I've held enough dying men's hands in my career.
I know it's mine this time.
What's that saying? "If If I'm not for myself, who will be for me?"
- Well, I am taking care of myself, for once.
Oh, and you realize that that phrase is not an invitation for narcissism, right?
You know, it's human nature.
You face enough hardship, then you can't help but think that you're being punished, that you did something to deserve it.
I did nothing to deserve Okay.
My whole life, I followed His rules.
I studied, I believed, I practiced what I preached.
I did every single thing He asked of me.
And that guarantees you what? Excuse me? Well, where where where is the guarantee? In the sequel? 'Cause, I have to admit, I'm not as up on that as I used to be.
- No, no, where where is it written exactly that if you do this or that, that everything in your life's gonna be good, hmm? Nowhere, in any faith, is there a guarantee.
Was it fair when Isaac went blind and then his child betrayed him? And where was the fairness when Sara had to wait 99 years before she had a child, and God said, "Sacrifice him"? And Moses couldn't even get past the bouncer to the Promised Land.
And like I said, I'm not up on the sequel, but from what I hear, Jesus got a raw deal.
Nobody in the Bible lived a life free of suffering or injustice, or it wouldn't have been a best seller.
And if they lived lives like that, why should ours be different?
Now, if people only believed in God when things were good, I guarantee you, after the Holocaust, not a single Jew would be a believer.
Faith wouldn't be real faith if you only believe when things are good.
Well, so, what? The world is just cruel and random, and there's nothing anyone can do about it? Look, I don't have a lot of time here.
Do you mind if I just skip to the part where I pretend I don't know what to tell you? I'm just gonna tell you, okay? - Okay.
You sound like a child.
Terrible things happen.
Terrible, wonderful, devastating things happen.
Who the hell are you to know why? Who are you to know why some people live and some people die?
Children die.
Children who didn't do anything wrong, children who were broken before they had a chance to be whole, who were climbing in their own front windows.
Right.
And you don't get to know why any more than than I get to know why I'm dying from taking a pill that saves lives, that saves nearly everyone's life but it's killing me.
So you can either believe in God and goodness, or you can believe it's pointless, it's cruel, and it's random whatever makes you happier.
Are you? Happy?
It's not narcissism.
It's Pain.
Unimaginable pain.
Yeah, I know the feeling.God's not indifferent to our pain.
Listen, tikkun olam.
Tikkun olam means that the world is full of brokenness and it's our job to put it back together again.
It assumes that the world is, uh, broken and in need and in pain.
And it's our job to fix f-fix it.
Read more: https://www.springfieldspringfield.co.uk/view_episode_scripts.php?tv-show=greys-anatomy&episode=s14e17
Wednesday, January 02, 2019
I spoke to ShW last night.
"I can't seem to find the reasons to justify this heavy dark cloud that is engulfing me".
With ShW, I need not explain myself. She gets it.
That's why we are good friends.
We talked about our sleep patterns, coping mechanisms, work, doctor appointments and meds.
She listened patiently as I filled her in with the things which have happened for the past month.
"That's when I knew I could no longer be friends with her anymore.
It's tragic, but I can't allow myself to be treated that way.
I need to care and love myself more than this relationship."
There was silence.
I heard a "hmm...."
"I can't seem to find the reasons to justify this heavy dark cloud that is engulfing me".
With ShW, I need not explain myself. She gets it.
That's why we are good friends.
We talked about our sleep patterns, coping mechanisms, work, doctor appointments and meds.
She listened patiently as I filled her in with the things which have happened for the past month.
"That's when I knew I could no longer be friends with her anymore.
It's tragic, but I can't allow myself to be treated that way.
I need to care and love myself more than this relationship."
There was silence.
I heard a "hmm...."
Saturday, December 29, 2018
From my comrade's blog.
一定要好好工作，
不管情绪怎么样，工作时间都要咬紧牙根撑过去。
能有一份工作算是非常幸运，不会去在乎薪金和人事问题.
I must work hard, no matter how I feel, I must endure it all.
I am very lucky to have a job.
I would not be bothered about salary and conflicts among colleagues
.
一定要好好工作，
不管情绪怎么样，工作时间都要咬紧牙根撑过去。
能有一份工作算是非常幸运，不会去在乎薪金和人事问题.
I must work hard, no matter how I feel, I must endure it all.
I am very lucky to have a job.
I would not be bothered about salary and conflicts among colleagues
.
Taken entirely from MALAY MAIL .
One thing many will agree upon though, despite the hard news reporting, is the paper’s quirky sense of humour.
Through the years, many creative minds have contributed to the paper… lending it a unique personality that easily stands out from other publications in the country.
Even its in-house ads reflected the character of the paper as evident in two particular ads which came out circa 90s (go check them out in the other pages of this final edition of the newspaper in print!).
Unbeknown to many, the creative force that was behind those ads was none other than the late storyteller extraordinare, Yasmin Ahmad.
Yasmin would go on in the next decade to stamp her mark on Malaysia’s collective psyche; not just for her advertising artistry that included those tear-jerking Petronas ads Malaysians looked forward to every single major celebration, but also for her films that were deceptively simple but infinitely relatable.
From her debut in 2003 with Rabun to the breakthrough hit that was Sepet the following year, Yasmin amassed not just a following, before her final effort in her fifth full-length feature film in 2009’s Talentime, but also the respect of an entire industry.
From sitting down with Yasmin and dissecting Sepet to being stunned on the set of the controversial Muallaf in 2008 where lead actress Sharifah Amani shaved her head to Yasmin’s gentle shrug at the reaction of her established peers walking out of her Gubra premiere in 2006, I was fortunate to have been able to write about her work.
The final print edition of Malay Mail would be incomplete without featuring Yasmin and it was by sheer coincidence that the two ads featured in these pages were found.
The discovery came in the form of a chance discovery of a special collectible — a limited shoebox edition of Yasmin I Lup Chew.
Nine long years after her passing, Yasmin’s legacy is kept alive through reproductions of her raw works that ended up captivating the hearts, minds and imagination of Malaysia.
Launched in tandem with the book, Yasmin I Lup Chew, titled after the lovingly cheeky phrase she became known for, it is a must-have offered for sale only online.
An exploration of its contents reveals a treasure trove offering an insight into the eccentricities that made Yasmin Ahmad special.
Neatly packed in the shoebox is a painstakingly reproduced collection of her works a book could not house.
Handwritten poetry, ideas, miscellaneous jottings, scripts and photos, apart from the book itself are in reproductions of a notebook, the occasional doodle, a sketch, an old-fashioned photo album from the Nineties and a ‘newspaper’ with articles and press ads dreamt up by Yasmin herself.
And in the pages of the I Lup Chew Daily, sandwiched inside are these two rib-tickling funny full page ads about the Malay Mail.
While it is aesthetically awe-inspiring to see the attention to details in the recreations with the yellowed and aged pages, and little blotches of correction fluid (today’s generation will never fully appreciate the use of Liquid Paper), the magic here is the insight into Yasmin’s musings.
The box is akin to finding a little time capsule. Sister Datin Orked Ahmad would probably know best, as much of the material was sourced from an actual shoebox, that held most of the items.
“When I saw it, I cried. It was exactly as she left it,” she sighed.
“We kept it as a limited edition item, because we wanted to keep it special for those who appreciated, missed and treasured her.”
Through the beauty of technology, former colleagues and a new generation of creatives have managed to put together the package that is a work of art on its own.
One of those mainly responsible for the limited edition shoebox is Virgil, who worked with Yasmin as a copywriter from the late 80s at Ogilvy & Mather to her last agency Leo Burnett.
“Yasmin kept her handwritten notes and photos in various shoeboxes, just like how she depicted it in her movie Gubra (where Alan Yun shows Sharifah Amani his late brother’s shoebox hidden under his bed).
“In the Ogilvy & Mather office, whenever Yasmin noticed struggling fellow copywriters, she would show us her… shoebox. And tell us stories.
“She was never lokek or kedekut when it came to helping others improve. She never hoarded knowledge.
“Her library in the office was open to all. She would even insist we read her books on Zen koans, the Tao Te Ching, Rumi’s Sufi poems, even Wislawa Szymborska’s Polish poetry.”
At Leo Burnett, Yasmin organised classes every Friday night to teach whatever she knew, which by the third week, attendance had dwindled to Virgil alone.
“She didn’t give up teaching the one person who turned up.”
Bringing the project to life was Fictionist Studio founder and creative director Joanne Chew, along with art director Jona Lim and intern Kimberly Yap.
“We were given quite a lot of disparate materials to work with, and the freedom to suggest how they could be showcased.”
The small team worked with paper sponsor Antalis as well as printers, Percetakan Image Vest, to ensure that all items were faithful reproductions of Yasmin’s stuff.
“I had received a call from Hyrul Anuar, a friend who was part of the team at Leo Burnett who was tasked to get the project off the ground. He asked if I was interested to take on the project.”
Despite budget restrictions and swamped with work, Chew however agreed.
While she knew of Yasmin, she never had the opportunity to meet her – and working on Yasmin I Lup Chew was an eye-opener.
“I think most of us Malaysians identify Yasmin as a creative genius. That was what I knew of her, and her witty sense of humour.
“But working on Yasmin I Lup Chew shed so much more light on what a kindred spirit she was, how quintessentially Malaysian she was, in the movies she made and her outlook on life. She loved her family and country so steadfastly, it was beyond inspiring. And not to mention her humility.”
And that was the creative direction from the get-go.
For Virgil it was years in the making, and for Chew, endless hours spanning five months.
“It was a labour of love and our way of paying tribute to her — by trying our best to design a damn bloody beautiful book which matches a damn bloody beautiful soul,” said Chew.
“Having received positive reactions has been very rewarding for us but more importantly, we hope that this project can inspire other Malaysians to be more compassionate, live life with a greater purpose and the realisation that something can always be made from nothing, just as how Yasmin did.”
Yasmin Ahmad never wanted to be idolised nor was she perfect, and that is one of the messages the team hopes to get across.
“Everyone, herself included, started from nowhere, and took years to improve as you can see from her notes, poetry and ideas.”
One thing many will agree upon though, despite the hard news reporting, is the paper’s quirky sense of humour.
Through the years, many creative minds have contributed to the paper… lending it a unique personality that easily stands out from other publications in the country.
Even its in-house ads reflected the character of the paper as evident in two particular ads which came out circa 90s (go check them out in the other pages of this final edition of the newspaper in print!).
Unbeknown to many, the creative force that was behind those ads was none other than the late storyteller extraordinare, Yasmin Ahmad.
Yasmin would go on in the next decade to stamp her mark on Malaysia’s collective psyche; not just for her advertising artistry that included those tear-jerking Petronas ads Malaysians looked forward to every single major celebration, but also for her films that were deceptively simple but infinitely relatable.
From her debut in 2003 with Rabun to the breakthrough hit that was Sepet the following year, Yasmin amassed not just a following, before her final effort in her fifth full-length feature film in 2009’s Talentime, but also the respect of an entire industry.
From sitting down with Yasmin and dissecting Sepet to being stunned on the set of the controversial Muallaf in 2008 where lead actress Sharifah Amani shaved her head to Yasmin’s gentle shrug at the reaction of her established peers walking out of her Gubra premiere in 2006, I was fortunate to have been able to write about her work.
The final print edition of Malay Mail would be incomplete without featuring Yasmin and it was by sheer coincidence that the two ads featured in these pages were found.
The discovery came in the form of a chance discovery of a special collectible — a limited shoebox edition of Yasmin I Lup Chew.
Nine long years after her passing, Yasmin’s legacy is kept alive through reproductions of her raw works that ended up captivating the hearts, minds and imagination of Malaysia.
Launched in tandem with the book, Yasmin I Lup Chew, titled after the lovingly cheeky phrase she became known for, it is a must-have offered for sale only online.
An exploration of its contents reveals a treasure trove offering an insight into the eccentricities that made Yasmin Ahmad special.
Neatly packed in the shoebox is a painstakingly reproduced collection of her works a book could not house.
Handwritten poetry, ideas, miscellaneous jottings, scripts and photos, apart from the book itself are in reproductions of a notebook, the occasional doodle, a sketch, an old-fashioned photo album from the Nineties and a ‘newspaper’ with articles and press ads dreamt up by Yasmin herself.
And in the pages of the I Lup Chew Daily, sandwiched inside are these two rib-tickling funny full page ads about the Malay Mail.
While it is aesthetically awe-inspiring to see the attention to details in the recreations with the yellowed and aged pages, and little blotches of correction fluid (today’s generation will never fully appreciate the use of Liquid Paper), the magic here is the insight into Yasmin’s musings.
The box is akin to finding a little time capsule. Sister Datin Orked Ahmad would probably know best, as much of the material was sourced from an actual shoebox, that held most of the items.
“When I saw it, I cried. It was exactly as she left it,” she sighed.
“We kept it as a limited edition item, because we wanted to keep it special for those who appreciated, missed and treasured her.”
Through the beauty of technology, former colleagues and a new generation of creatives have managed to put together the package that is a work of art on its own.
One of those mainly responsible for the limited edition shoebox is Virgil, who worked with Yasmin as a copywriter from the late 80s at Ogilvy & Mather to her last agency Leo Burnett.
“Yasmin kept her handwritten notes and photos in various shoeboxes, just like how she depicted it in her movie Gubra (where Alan Yun shows Sharifah Amani his late brother’s shoebox hidden under his bed).
“In the Ogilvy & Mather office, whenever Yasmin noticed struggling fellow copywriters, she would show us her… shoebox. And tell us stories.
“She was never lokek or kedekut when it came to helping others improve. She never hoarded knowledge.
“Her library in the office was open to all. She would even insist we read her books on Zen koans, the Tao Te Ching, Rumi’s Sufi poems, even Wislawa Szymborska’s Polish poetry.”
At Leo Burnett, Yasmin organised classes every Friday night to teach whatever she knew, which by the third week, attendance had dwindled to Virgil alone.
“She didn’t give up teaching the one person who turned up.”
Bringing the project to life was Fictionist Studio founder and creative director Joanne Chew, along with art director Jona Lim and intern Kimberly Yap.
“We were given quite a lot of disparate materials to work with, and the freedom to suggest how they could be showcased.”
The small team worked with paper sponsor Antalis as well as printers, Percetakan Image Vest, to ensure that all items were faithful reproductions of Yasmin’s stuff.
“I had received a call from Hyrul Anuar, a friend who was part of the team at Leo Burnett who was tasked to get the project off the ground. He asked if I was interested to take on the project.”
Despite budget restrictions and swamped with work, Chew however agreed.
While she knew of Yasmin, she never had the opportunity to meet her – and working on Yasmin I Lup Chew was an eye-opener.
“I think most of us Malaysians identify Yasmin as a creative genius. That was what I knew of her, and her witty sense of humour.
“But working on Yasmin I Lup Chew shed so much more light on what a kindred spirit she was, how quintessentially Malaysian she was, in the movies she made and her outlook on life. She loved her family and country so steadfastly, it was beyond inspiring. And not to mention her humility.”
And that was the creative direction from the get-go.
For Virgil it was years in the making, and for Chew, endless hours spanning five months.
“It was a labour of love and our way of paying tribute to her — by trying our best to design a damn bloody beautiful book which matches a damn bloody beautiful soul,” said Chew.
“Having received positive reactions has been very rewarding for us but more importantly, we hope that this project can inspire other Malaysians to be more compassionate, live life with a greater purpose and the realisation that something can always be made from nothing, just as how Yasmin did.”
Yasmin Ahmad never wanted to be idolised nor was she perfect, and that is one of the messages the team hopes to get across.
“Everyone, herself included, started from nowhere, and took years to improve as you can see from her notes, poetry and ideas.”
Sunday, December 16, 2018
“What if I missed the chance to let him know the truth, forever?”
I met up with one of my best friends today.
As usual, we chatted about everything under the sun.
We don’t need to self-check when we are together.
We both have the unfortunate similar past which binds us closer than anyone else.
“Did I tell you about this guy?”
“No! Tell, tell !”
I was surprised that I had never mentioned this guy to her.
Did I ? Or did I not?
Or perhaps she forgot?
Bad memory is another unfortunate common trait that we share.
I had to tell her the story from the very beginning.
She was so excited that she kept interrupting me,
“Go for it ! Don’t care! Go!”
I felt oddly surprised that she has such different approach towards this matter.
I continued my narration of the story.
How special he made me feel. How attentive he was.
“ No matter what, I can’t deny how flattering all the attention was. Come on, at our age?” I confessed sheepishly.
“Go for it!” She was relentless.
I giggled at my friend’s enthusiasm. It’s indeed a delight to see her so unusually optimistic.
As my story was about to end, she asked, “What does he do?”
“It never occur to me to ask,”
I was surprised at this truth. Why didn't I ask him? Oh ya... I had always avoided personal topics between us, to keep the boundaries safe. I couldn't risk misleading him.
“Is he handsome?” she asked.
I smiled.
“Did I mention he’s Malay?” I suddenly realised I had forgotten to include this element of description.
My friend’s mouth was ajar. “He’s not Chinese?!”
I snorted. How presumptuous of her !
And with that, she seemed to have lost interest in anything I say about him.
I self-reflected a moment.
I never cared about the 3 things that she seemed very concern of.
She on the other hand, doesn’t even consider the worries I shared with her in my story as important as I do.
What an interesting difference between us to ponder on.
I wished that I have more about him to add into my narration.
But alas,now he has chosen to ignore me.
Why isn't he replying my messages? He sensed that I won't respond to him?
I regret that our communication ended hanging like that.
Now both he and I will never know.
I will never forget the fact that I was once cherished by this fine young man.
How he made me blushed.
He has given me a memory so sweet that it will definitely recall a smile in many years to come.
And I need him to know that.
I think of him each time I hear this song by Li Yu Gang 李玉剛; 剛好遇見你
因為我剛好遇見你
Because I just met you
留下足跡才美麗
Leaving the beautiful footsteps
風吹花落淚如雨
the wind blows the flowers and in compliance with the rain weep them
因為不想分離
Because of the unexpected separate
因為剛好遇見你
Because I just met you
留下十年的期許
Leaving behind the ten years expectations
如果再相遇
If we meet again
我想我會記得你
I think I will remember you
I met up with one of my best friends today.
As usual, we chatted about everything under the sun.
We don’t need to self-check when we are together.
We both have the unfortunate similar past which binds us closer than anyone else.
“Did I tell you about this guy?”
“No! Tell, tell !”
I was surprised that I had never mentioned this guy to her.
Did I ? Or did I not?
Or perhaps she forgot?
Bad memory is another unfortunate common trait that we share.
I had to tell her the story from the very beginning.
She was so excited that she kept interrupting me,
“Go for it ! Don’t care! Go!”
I felt oddly surprised that she has such different approach towards this matter.
I continued my narration of the story.
How special he made me feel. How attentive he was.
“ No matter what, I can’t deny how flattering all the attention was. Come on, at our age?” I confessed sheepishly.
“Go for it!” She was relentless.
I giggled at my friend’s enthusiasm. It’s indeed a delight to see her so unusually optimistic.
As my story was about to end, she asked, “What does he do?”
“It never occur to me to ask,”
I was surprised at this truth. Why didn't I ask him? Oh ya... I had always avoided personal topics between us, to keep the boundaries safe. I couldn't risk misleading him.
“Is he handsome?” she asked.
I smiled.
“Did I mention he’s Malay?” I suddenly realised I had forgotten to include this element of description.
My friend’s mouth was ajar. “He’s not Chinese?!”
I snorted. How presumptuous of her !
And with that, she seemed to have lost interest in anything I say about him.
I self-reflected a moment.
I never cared about the 3 things that she seemed very concern of.
She on the other hand, doesn’t even consider the worries I shared with her in my story as important as I do.
What an interesting difference between us to ponder on.
I wished that I have more about him to add into my narration.
But alas,now he has chosen to ignore me.
Why isn't he replying my messages? He sensed that I won't respond to him?
I regret that our communication ended hanging like that.
Now both he and I will never know.
I will never forget the fact that I was once cherished by this fine young man.
How he made me blushed.
He has given me a memory so sweet that it will definitely recall a smile in many years to come.
And I need him to know that.
I think of him each time I hear this song by Li Yu Gang 李玉剛; 剛好遇見你
因為我剛好遇見你
Because I just met you
留下足跡才美麗
Leaving the beautiful footsteps
風吹花落淚如雨
the wind blows the flowers and in compliance with the rain weep them
因為不想分離
Because of the unexpected separate
因為剛好遇見你
Because I just met you
留下十年的期許
Leaving behind the ten years expectations
如果再相遇
If we meet again
我想我會記得你
I think I will remember you
Saturday, September 15, 2018
I've been more stable lately.
MTn AmK queried me.
"I think I finally got the right pieces of the puzzle together.
In the past, I've been forcing the wrong pieces together and the picture just didn't make sense.
I got lost.
Confused.
Depressed.
Now, the pieces slide nicely with each other.
The puzzle pieces fit.
The picture is ugly.
But ugly truth is better than a misleading illusion.
No matter how painful and ugly,
I sense peace in facing the truth.
My truth.
MTn AmK queried me.
"I think I finally got the right pieces of the puzzle together.
In the past, I've been forcing the wrong pieces together and the picture just didn't make sense.
I got lost.
Confused.
Depressed.
Now, the pieces slide nicely with each other.
The puzzle pieces fit.
The picture is ugly.
But ugly truth is better than a misleading illusion.
No matter how painful and ugly,
I sense peace in facing the truth.
My truth.
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