Sekadar terlintas di fikiranku

Still frustrated sebab harga minyak naik...bijik tul lah!

Lum pun Mesia hantar angkasawan naik ke outer space, harga minyak naik berapa kali da!
Malaysia memang boleh sangat! Boleh apa....I can think of a lot of things ler to add behind the boleh part...tapi malas jer. Gigit lidah sampai berdarah ni!

Kononnya we benefit ler from the Government's saving from the subsidies...nak save betul betul? Cut down ler wastage on numerous Government projects yang merugikan duit rakyat.

The chain reaction to price hikes now begins....pasni harga tuala wanita pon naik (saja je...produk pertama terlintas kat pala nak sebut)

Arghhh! Tension...

Tapi kan....untuk fanatik Mawi (Disclaimer : Golongan fanatik jer patut terasa...bukan peminat Mawi sebenar)...kesian kan...Mawi da tiga bijik keta....baru je menang yang third, harga minyak naik (cue conspiracy theories dari para fanatik yang Mawi dinaya...terus kata boikot ler barangan buatan Mesia)

Rasanya ada tak talian SMS dibuka terus untuk menolong Mawi bayar duit minyak keta nak ke hulu hilir show.

It'll probably go like this....untuk bantu Mawi dari Point A ke Point B dalam kehidupan harian dia, silakan SMS MINYAK (ruang) MAWI (lucah lak bunyinya...) dan hantar ke 73724 (ataupun tekan PERAH kat your mobile phone). Sumbangan anda amat dihargai dan hanya Tuhan dapat membalas jasamu.

Adus...pecah perot nak gelak lawak sendiri....very the babs punya lawak!

Anyway...today masuk office rilek sikit sebab kerja yang sangkut paut ABP-BH da settle...so rilex sikit hari ni.

The good news for today is....pada yang meka yang tatau...Garasi, the Indonesian trio is in town. The band, and also the cast for the movie is on promotion sini.And the best news I got today was that

I've got my interview set up for tomorrow afternoon kat Sri Pentas.

Aku banyak nak tanya pasal music meka cause I really do like the soundtrack - tak sabar lak release soundtrack dia kat sini....tak nak lah download...nak gak beli yang original!!!

I know there are a lot of sentiments about Indonesian movies and music coming to our shores, tapi aku rasa tak ada salahnya we open our market to foreign products as well.

At least we have a realistic gauge of where we stand compared to our regional neighbours in terms of advancement of the growth of music in our country. Look at it this way...awal 90an, Indonesia digegarkan dengan fenomena (perkataan ini bnukan berasal dengan wujudnya Mawi ye...) music rock.

Supergroups of that age like Search and Wings (feberet aku Febians, EKamatra dan BPR) took our music and dominated Indonesia. Skang, just because music kami tak berkembang dan tetap berada di tahap lama (even if we advance, it's very the setapak) we are being overtaken.

So is closing up our market to outside talent wise? Maybe it'll teach our folks a thing or two to work harder.

It's the same in sports zaman dulu, kononnya nak ban imported players. Last-last opened balik kan to foreign talent.

All we can hope is that Malaysians will rise up to the challenge and evolve rather than sit and sulk in a corner, while banging out the same tired tunes in hopes of making that quick buck by manipulating the masses

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Arrghhh!!!!

Petrol Price Up Again

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 27 (Bernama) -- The retail price for petroleum products including diesel will be raised by another 30 sen effective Tuesday.
"The government has decided to raise the retail price of petrol and diesel by 30 sen per litre and the price of LPG by 30 sen per kilogram effective Tuesday," said a statement from the Prime Minister's Office Monday night.
The increase was to tackle the impact from the increase in the price of crude petroleum in the world market and to curb the increase in subsidy which had to be borne by the government, the statement said.
However, the statement said that the government gave an assurance that there would be no further raise in the retail price of petroleum products this year. The last time the government raised the retail price of petroleum products was on July 31, 2005 where the price of petrol went up by 10 sen per litre, diesel by 20 sen per litre and LPG by five sen per kilogram. The new price of RON 97 petrol is now 192 sen per litre, RON 92 Petrol -- 188 sen per litre, Diesel -- 158.1 sen per litre and LPG -- 175 sen per kilogram. In Sabah, RON 97 Petrol will cost 190 sen per litre, RON 92 Petrol -- 188 sen per litre, Diesel -- 158.4 sen per litre and LPG -- 183 sen per kilogram. In Sarawak, RON 97 Petrol will cost 191 sen per litre, RON 92 Petrol -- 188 sen per litre, Diesel 157.8 sen per litre and LPG -- 183 sen per kilogram. All the new prices are higher by 30 sen. "The retail price for petroleum products is being raised because in 2005 the amount of subsidy borne by the government was RM7.41 billion. Whereas tax exemption stood at RM7.85 billion. "The burden of subsidy and tax exemption borne by the government from January to February 2006 was RM1.19 billion and RM1.44 billion respectively," the statement said. The statement said that without subsidy and tax exemption provided by the government, the retail price of these products in March 2006 would be higher. Without the subsidy and tax exemption, the price of RON 97 in the peninsula would have been RM2.46 per litre, RON 92 -- RM2.37 per litre, Diesel -- RM1.98 per litre and LPG -- RM3.21 per kilogram. In Sabah, RON 97 petrol without subsidy and tax exemption would have been RM2.45 per litre, RON 92 -- RM2.37 per litre, Diesel -- RM1.97 per litre and LPG -- RM3.35 per kilogram. In Sarawak, the price of RON 97 petrol without subsidy and tax exemption would have been RM2.45 per litre, RON 92 -- RM2.36 per litre, Diesel -- RM1.97 per litre and LPG -- RM3.34 per kilogram. "Although the government is raising the price of petroleum products, diesel and LPG, the price of petrol and diesel in Malaysia is still cheaper compared to the price of most of these products in the Asean countries except for Brunei Darussalam," the statement said. The statement also said the price of petroleum products in several other countries, including Asean countries, was higher than in Malaysia. per litre), diesel (RM2.28 per litre) and LPG (RM1.65 per kilogram). In Thailand, the price of RON 97 petrol is RM2.52 per litre, RON 92 (RM2.45 per litre), diesel (RM2.28 per litre) and LPG (RM1.65 per kilogram). The price in the Philippines is RM2.21 per litre for RON 97 petrol, RON 92 (RM2.20 per litre), diesel (RM1.95 per litre) and LPG (RM4.90 per kilogram). In Singapore, it is RM4.15 per litre for RON 97 petrol, RON92 (RM3.89 per litre), diesel (RM2.39 per litre) and LPG (RM5.32 per kilogram) while in Brunei the price for RON 97 petrol is RM1.22 per litre, RON 92 (RM1.19 per litre), diesel (RM0.71 per litre) and LPG (RM1.40 per kilogram). In Indonesia, it is RM2.30 per litre for RON 97 petrol, RON 92 (RM2.20 per litre), diesel (RM1.68 per litre) and LPG (RM1.89 per kilogram). The statement said the government had also introduced a diesel subsidy system for 84 per cent of vehicles in the land transport sector comprising public transport operators and consumer goods services through the use of fleetcards. "With the use of fleetcards, they are able to buy diesel at a subsidised price of 15 sen lower than the fixed price," it said, adding that the Domestic and Consumer Affairs Ministry had issued a letter to inform the eligible operators of the matter. The Prime Minister's Office also said the financial savings from the increase in the price of petroleum products would be used to finance development projects and improve the public transport system for the benefit of the people.

Click here for this BERNAMA report in Bahasa Malaysia

So it's past midnight...and harga minyak dah melantun naik lagik....as the prices of every bloody thing.

Kerajaan tetap maintain we're a bunch of lucky f*****s as we're paying among the lowest.

Sheesh! Sooner or later...that's getting bloody tired. It's just ONE of the factors in our multi-detailed life that is included in the cost count! haven't they realised that!

Were we surprised by this at all?

And are we among the luckiest to have bloody tolls everywhere we are?

This year, we've already set a record....as did we during July last year.

Sapa nak bertaruh masuk je tahun depan, kami akan menetapkan rekod baru dalam kenaikan harga minyak.

Kenaikan harga minyak seperti menjadi suatu tradisi lak....and while I'm sure that I speak for all of us when I say that I appreciate the oil companies' respect for our sense of tradition, I think they might be taking the joke a bit too far now.

You know what the REAL problem is now? Bukan sebab harga asik naik jer...but apa yang menggerunkan aku, is the fact that there is NO sane discussion about a possible solution nak counter the inevitable problem.

Dok membebel jer seribu satu alasan untuk kurangkan pembaziran...nak carpool (what happened to THAT campaign!)...nak pakai public transport (make it safer and more accessible then!

Tapi, apa yang sebenarnya diperlukan is a discussion untuk penyelesaian alternatif!

Kami ibarat dirogol industri minyak....tanpa sebarang peluang untuk mempertahankan diri!!!
Protest sebanyak yang kami nak...bising ler ngan tulis surat ke sapa pun...buiat ler seribu satu posting seperti ni....at the end of the day....the fact remains that we're just the oil companies' bitches!!!

And the government's cool about that!

And those cartoons are pretty much how pissed I am to be spending more. Aku dapat tau jer malam tadi dari abang Bad about it, I called my sister to confirm it, and sure enough....it was time to kena j**o again by the Government we voted for.

Aku kebetulan turun Genting siang tadi pun lampu E dah menyala on my fuel gauge....so ok ler. Top up RM65 full tank....selepas beratur berejam. It turns out, despite the lack of announcement...everyone had found out about it from someone or other that they knew.
tension!!!

Anyway....setakat wat posting ni nak lepas geram sebelom balik tidur.

By the way...continuing a little about kekecohan peminat pasal konon album Mawi tak layak tuk AIM, ni aku nak amik petikan dari blog Fiebie mengenai ABP-BH.

Anugerah Bintang Popular Berita Harian.
Kak Ungka, eh silap kak ungku kelakar selamba, Syarifah Shaheera Make up meletop.
Kak Nita meletop. Nasib baik kak nita ada, at least orang yang naik genting tu tak lah rasa menyesal sangat.
Madley lagu-lagu Ahmad Nawab nyanyian Zahid, Adibah Noor, Kak Ning dan Kak Mimi meletop.
Sekian. Tak tahu lah nak tulis apa.
Oh yeah, satu lagi,Yeh... Mawi dapat satu lagi kereta. Jumlah terkumpul hartanya sekarang adalah Ringgit Malaysia 2 juta 125 ribu. Wow!!!
Tahniah pengundi yang membuktikan, bukan politk sahaja perlu didemokrasikan, seni pun perlu lah demokrasi jugak.
Pendemokrasian seni sudah bermula.

The highlighted text is something I like!!!

Not everything is a democracy! And democracy is not always good!

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Up where we belong...

Arghh! It happens ler everytime kalau aku ada money to go shopping and splurge on something. Mesti ada something happen where I have to use my 'excesses fund' nak do something which I must.

Case in point...naik Genting Highlands tuk menghadiri Anugerah Bintang Popular-Berita Harian.

Melayang duit...

Adus...

But first...recap. Friday was fantastic...or at least it started out that way. Got to spend time with Dreamy a little more. I am really addicted nak spend time ngan dia sebab aku find dia so captivating to talk to. Or maybe I'm just so smitted.

Saturday, awal pagi, aku da gerak jemput Nikki nak hantar dia ke Danga Bay tuk show.
We leave at about 11.30am dari KL and we reach by 3.30pm with a good half hour to spare before the show. Sebab lambat sikit, kerana stop beberapa kali...sebab lapo ler...sebab ngantuk ler...

Sampai sana..terkejut! Tak sedar lak Danga Bay da ada section baru! The last time I was there was end of last year for the Akademi Fantasia II tour. So cam terkejut gak sebab banyak sangat perubahan dah kat sana, termasuk the indoor street mall section where the show was supposed to take place.

No one really interesting performing along except for FarahDhiya who I absolutely adore!

Lepas habis show, redah bundle kat seberang jalan dari City Square (persinggahan wajib everytime I get to JB) and finally get my pair a pair of white, chunky Lugz platform shoes for RM90. Cool!

Make our way back to KL, jemput Yanie, three of us have a dinner at Bukit Bintang.

Esok paginya, disaster struck. Janji nak pick up si Rudy kul 11.30 pagi.

Da kira awal ler aku lepas rumah, malangnya, kerana banjir yang melanda kawasan Shah Alam (you must have read about it), Federal Highway dan NKVE CLOSED!!!

So divert to Kesas yang jam nak gila, then upon finally reaching KL, gi check keta make sure ler tak masuk air dan sebagainya.

Then meet up with Vernon, Rudy and Lucas, pick up Nikki and Yanie and we're on the move.

Sakit atinya baru nak panjat Genting je, keta aku rasa lain macam. Adus...cam takde power. Nak kata sebab diet tak jadi...mungkin gak. But this was bad. The first police checkpoint, it kicked it, and the temperature started rising.

So aku pon stop. And the vultures descended.

To cut a long story short, kena laa start discussing business lor with these idiots who kept coming up asking the same bloody question of whether there was anything wrong dan sebagainya. Nak je laser, "No...I'm standing here in the middle of nowhere for my f*****g health!", tapi control temper aku. Rupanya clutch aku terbakar.

Aah! That explains the stench of burning rubber and smoke! So anyway...the first asshole who comes up kata RM180 nak tuko clutch je, plus RM150 for workmanship. And siap kata no discount, AND "Tatau laa kalau ada benda lain...tu charge lebih tau!" Aku pun hi hi bye bye...nampak sangat nak cekik!

Second punya lagik k***k! Mai je..."Clutch bakar ek...ni kena towing ni!"

Hello!!! My car is mobile laa mangkuk jamban! It's just that it can't climb!

So, si Rudy yang ikut keta aku pun lepak tunggu ada abang ngan family dia lepak ngan kita.

Abang tu ala freelance agent...dia laa yang call kan semua mechanics.

Sambil lepak-lepak camtu...ramai lak member Press yang lalu nak naik Genting.Tiga keta laa total yang stop offer a ride, termasuk abang PR syarikat rakaman ni.

Tengah lepak tu, we notice something quite interesting. There was this spider about the size of my palm...kira beso ler gak in this intricate web. And the most fascinating thing was, the web was held up by two strands extending some 20 feet into the air, attached to the top of a billboard.

We started throwing bits of flowers and leaves and watched the spider scurry towards them in hopes it was fresh food caught in its web.It was amazing how after the spider decided benda yang terperangkap dalam sarang dia bukan makanan, it would give a huffy reaction and campak whatever it was away. Yes, it was an arachnid spring cleaning session.

And how's that for a National Geographic special...who says my blog can't get educational (cam sial!)

So anyways...we finally get this mechanic....RM400 settle the whole clutch set, ori punya...plus workmanship...and a cheery nature. Not too bad. So we make a U turn kat police checkpoint tu and follow the mechanic to the workshop. Aiyo! If you've seen the thriller movie Wrong

Turn....it looks exactly like that yard with all the cars of people they murdered tu!

Rudy got bored and suggested we go find a shop. So we walk through nature and find a rest stop for Singaporean suckers...I mean tourists. We get some ciggys and drinks and then head back.

Halfway tu, we lepak under this bridge area overlooking the highway. If you've seen Pricilla Queen of the Desert...we were doing a Genting Stranded in the Middle of Nowehere.

It started drizzling, and we headed back to the mechanic. Sampai je da nak siap! Wow! Tak sampai sejam pon! These guys are good. Tak nyesal la...walaopon melayang duit lebih sikit.

We head back up and aku drop Rudy at Genting Hotel for a Rafflesia event. Aku gi First World where Press are checking in and then meet up with presiden kelab peminat Osman Kering dan naib presidennya serta kawan meka si Eddie.

We grab a bite at Pizza Hut sebelom jumpa Mama and Papa, Bad and Jolyn (auntie Pet to moi!) Juan is nowhere to be found walaopon he's lurking somewhere.

Meka semua balik ke bilik memasing so aku pun ciao back and bersiap. Rudy and I decide to drive and park in Theme Park Hotel sebab malas jalan ke Arena of Stars.

Ada member lak call mintak tiket...adus...sakit jiwa tul orang ingat suka ati last minute mintak tu ni. Pastu aku dah ler on the way...call lagik...aku kata jap...nak sampai...sabar...dia call again...and again...and again...and again!

Haiyo! Nak mintak tolong ke kutip utang! Very! Terus aku silentkan phone tu! Nasib baik aku ada tiga phone ngan tiga nombor...anytime leh switch off one.

And the show started. Aku takder ler hectic sangat sebab biasa cover anugerah, aku da biasa da with the routine. Plus Cleo was doing the news bit so senang ler ati aku takyah nak immediately send in my story.

Malas ler komen pepanjang on the event, sebab benda tu kan siaran langsung, memasing leh laa nilaikan what's good and what's not kan... So dari aku panjangkan cita...apa kata aku sharekan pics ni je....enjoy!

My family!!! Bad, Jolyn, Zahid and me!!! They all looks so good I feel underdressed! Also my baby sisters Nikki and Yanie




My Akademi Fantasia family - Marsha, Bob, Adam, Vince...tak sempat amik pic Edlin, Liza, Farah dan Kefli

Keluarga ERA dan AMP - ZZ dan Nila dari ERA, Halim dari Sinar dan Julia dan Adi dari xfresh (Adi jangan marah gambar ko blur)

Stunning, sassy and SEXY!!! Ning, Sazzy, Marsha, Nana, Julia, Jac and Rosnah Mat Aris.

Congratulations! Tahniah kepada Bintang Paling Popular - Mawi . Nak gak aku enter frame amik pic...pinjam keta kang ek, botak! Yang pentingnya shading pipi meletup! (mati lah aku kena keji ngan make up artist kang!)

Ada yang tanya aku lepas abih je ABP-BH....adilkah keputusan...wajarkan si polan Selesai sahaja ABP-BH 2005, ramai yang bertanyakan pada aku, adilkah results? Wajarkah si polan ni menang ...sesuaikah si polan tu menang....well my answer is simple.

This is Anugerah Bintang Popular - Berita Harian. Ia berdasarkan peminat yang bersusah payah untuk memilih msapa meka nak nobatkan paling popular. Setuju atau tidak...sudah bertahun aku ikuti ABP-BH dan faham konsepnya.

Tapi dengan itu juga, I have to add that, peminat tak seharusnya sekali-sekali, lupakan yang POPULARITI TAK SEMESTINYA MENJANJIKAN KREDIBILITI!

Keduanya ada berbeza...dan oleh itu, kekecohan yang timbul akibat kononnya album Mawi tak layak untuk Anugerah Industri Muzik is nothing short of ridiculous.

Aku malas nak terangkan panjang lebar....tapi peminat harus ler fahami konsep ni.

AIM mempunyai peraturan-peraturan dan syarat-syarat untuk memana artis, album, lagu dan sebagainya untuk layak untuk dicalonkan.

Produk Maestro, dari Mawi, diterima pencalonannya. CUMA album Yang Tercinta yang merupakan studiop album, tak layak masuk SEMUA kategori kerana ia tidak menepati syarat 10 lagu atau jumlah 40 minit dalam album. Oleh itu, Yang Tercinta hanya layak masuk kategori teknikal dan sebagainya.

Album Koleksi Lagu-Lagu Terbaik Konsert AF3 : The Best of Mawi World pula layak dipertandingkan dalam semua kategori.

Bila aku kata layak...ertinya, kedua-dua album tersebut, mendapat peluang dinilaikan orang industri muzik tempatan. Prosesnya adalah adil, dan melibatkan lebih dari sekadar berpuluh orang.

Jadi kalao ada peminat marah sebab Mawi tak layak bila diumumkan top 5 finalists dalam AIM nanti, jangan cepat melatah.

Kenapa nak mempersoalkan industry players who are more experienced and knowledgeable. Itu yang aku maksudkan antara populariti dan kredibiliti. Jangan hanya buruk sangkakan segalanya konspirasi nak jatuhkan Mawi.

Apapun, pada peminat yang kononnya nak boikot AIM, aku hanya katakan...silakan lah....AIM adalah malam industri muzik tempatan meraihkan mereka yang bergerak dalam industri kami...bukan nak meraih populariti tau.

It's a night for singers, producers, music video directors, composers, lyricists, sound engineers, graphic artistes, entertainment journalists, singers and others I may have left out....bukan peminat yang overzealous rasa kononnya this is another popularity contest.

Don't make a mockery out of our music industry....muzik Malaysia deserves so much better.
Ok ler...letih membebel....saja je tiba-tiba cita pasal kemenangan Mawi, teringat suara-suara nyamuk sumbang yang tak puas ati.

Ok ler...be blogging tomorrow with more updates...ni da abih keja nak balik da...ngantuk lak nak cover tak cukup tidur berapa hari.

The actual ABP-BH tak meletihkan sangat...tapi yang post party tu yang best gila...rugi meka yang tak dapek masuk.

Siap tengok Tengku Muda dan CIk Puan Julita mesra, respect kat meka. They are seriously so laid back and cool! Aku amik ler pic ngan meka tapi segan lak nak posting kan....

Ok ler guys...aku nak ciao dari opis sat agik...rindukan katil sendiri dan bantal bucuk sendiri....there's no place like home....

Before I end this posting...lupalak nak wish....to Sultan Muzaffar on celebrating the fourth anniversary of his blog semalam. Hepi besday to your blog, dude! Hidup SPF 6.5!!!

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It's been a long time...

It's been a long time..

There are a couple of things I really want to say and recollect of the past day...tapi entah kenapa...Dreamy is on my mind.

Setelah dapat tau Dreamy ni da jadik milik orang....cam tension sikit...adus....always bad timing aku ni! Yang aku suka mesti da jadik milik orang.

But tatau la...tu mengikut member aku yang kata da jumpa dia dengan orang rumah dia.

I'm hoping it's wrong because some other friends insist dia single mingle lagik.

It's been some time since I've had a massive crush on someone like this...and it feels almost sadistically good, to pine for someone this way. Weird huh...

Anyway...hari ni aku ada renewed interest sikit sebab balik je office pas assignment, aku serempak ngan dia. So buat ler nak isap rokok...memang dah janji ngan member sorang ni nak gi smoking section anyway...but decided gerak sendiri dulu so leh erm...'bump' into Dreamy.

Hoping...and hoping that an opportunity would materialise to talk with Dreamy.

And it happened! Aku spend dekat 20 minutes just talking ngan dia about this and that....ada ler yang mengacau sikit...sibuk je bila bebudak tau aku minat someone, nak hover and listen in on what I have to say. Kurang asam!

And it's great sebab the past few days I've struck out a couple of times with some potential targets.

Enough of my oozing...Dreamy will still be around. I can catch up on more tentang dia as it proceeds (confident proceed!) Cuma sentap masa dia tanya aku gi Anugerah Bintang Popular ke tak...entahlah...seolah ajak nak gi bersama lak (perasan lak) Aku lak cuma jawab...pergi....

That's the second potential invitation I could have turned down! Damn!

Hope to cover up tomorrow...mana tau kalao dapat gi ABP ngan dia...erm...besh!

Anyway, tadik baru balik dari press conference for Konsert Kemanusiaan Remaja Perihatin anjuran Persatuan Bulan Sabit Merah, Maestro dan Astro.

Yang akan terlibat ramai ler anggota keluarga Akademi Fantasia dari ketiga-tiga musim, termasuk Zahid, Mawi dan Bob. Kalau yang bukan tu...erm...ada Hazami, ada Ning, ada Nikki, Dayang Nurfaizah, Fauziah Latiff, Sierra...dan tak silap aku ada Nurul dan Ajai serta Shazzy.

The concert held to raise funds for the PBSM will be held on 17 March at 8.30pm at Stadium Putra, Bukit Jalil.
Kalau berminat, tiket akan dijual pada harga RM10 dan RM15. Kalau taks empat gi, konsert tu akan ditayangkan secara langsung kat Astro RIA.

Kalau nak info, there'll probably update soon over Astro's website.
Masa PC yang start lambat sampai aku tak jadi jumpa travelling salesman yang datang melawat kat opis...aku memang boring gila sebab ramai artis tak muncul.

Yang ada aku amik ler pics kat bawah ni for posterity.

Aduh...smart gak si Zahid pakai suit ni. Salute, bro! tapi entah ngapa laa wat pose mata terbeliak camtuh. Takkan dok sebelah Dayang jer da naik juling. Yang lain yang hadir Dayang (of course), Farah (tak sempat lak amik gambar si ligat ni walaoppon dok gossip ngan dia), Anding (ni pon tak sempat amik...sibok kaco Farah punya pasal), Edlin, Mas dan Rosma.

Artis lain memasing da ada prior engagement katanya. Tu la lain kali organiser rajin-rajin ler booking awal-awal yer tuk bagitau pasai PC.

Jangan kelam kabut tuk carik artis hanya bila masa da dekat....but overall the event was trailed...and aku rasa the MC petang tu...si Helmi Gimik memang got on my nerves. Sampai kalao ikotkan ati nak campak jer garpu ala ala dart tengok kena ke tak dia. I had lots of silverware at my disposal, you see. I don't know...but he just irritates the crap out of me.

Anyways...tuk melayan bosan aku dok amik pics budak-budak candid ler cam masa tour Akademi Fantasia tahun lepas.

Si Rosma pandai tanak bagik aku amik pic dia tengah makan, cover mulot je keja. Nuts!

These are three of the pictures I can share ler.

Yang pentingnya...esok rilek jer keja...sebab ada warning kat opis mengatakan esok ada demonstrasi ke...mogok ke...piket ke entah haper kat Balai Berita, so selepas 1.30pm semua tak dapat keluar atau masuk opis. Ala...entah ler pas semayang Jumaat ramai-ramai dengar nak kumpul kat sini nak protest NSTP sebab bab kartun tuh...erm...aku no komen...but all I know is...keja esok rilek jer akibat tuh because no real movement about that time. Polis pun akan cordon off access points nak masuk Jalan Riong sementara semua jalan masuk ofis akan di kunci! Suspen!

Very dramatic! But extremely cool!!!

My office is going into lockdown! (gelak sat!)

Sah aku akan dok rooftop je lepak tengok bebudak memekak kat bawah...kang aku posting ler pics tuk dikongsikan semua.

Okler...nak carik something to do...isi masa...sebab takleh tido.

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...shut the...up!

Tengah semangat rock ni!

Yes, today aku tengok Garasi at the press preview. Aku da dengar pasal Indonesian movie ni, and it's supposedly quite impressive so bila pra-tayangan ni diadakan, lari kerja sat gi tengok camna the movie for myself.

So here's my very occasional...and comes only when I feel like it movie review.

Garasi, was released earlier this year in Indonesia.

The setting for the story begins with the meeting of the three central characters in Gaia, Aga, Awan, who start a band in Bandung, West Java.

A little bit of background, the production by Miles Films established their reputation selepas two successful released in Petualangan Sherina and Ada Apa Dengan Cinta.

It starts out a little too Empire Records, but somehow along the way runs a little too akin with That Thing You Do.

Throw in a couple of personal dramas, some really loud music with a line that goes, "Shut the f**k up!" (that one thankfully lepas Censorship Board ok! - which proves a theory of mine those old fogies don't understand English! *hik* *hik*), great cinematography, and yet take out that last cliche in the ending to avoid it from being overswamped, and you've got - a teen angst movie!
Ok lah...so the script is not all that original, but it does work pretty well.

The whole thing starts with Aga who bumps into Gaia and then recruits her for a band.
Joined by Aga's best friend, Awan, they churn out what is obvious with the first two minutes of them whacking out the tune, that it is undoubtedly a hit to be.

They cut a deal with a trio of slackers who run a local music store to record their debut, and is soon on the road to gaining mainstream popularity

Masa ni ler start drama swasta. See if you can keep up...it's not that complicated.
Aga goes ga-ga over Gaia, she starts having feelings too. Awan somehow is suspected of digging Gaia and Aga pon naik bengang.

All this while Aga is embroiled in an unspoken and underplayed conflict with Sena, abang dia pasal pondok musik that they run.

Aga (who seems to be the catalyst for drama most of the plot), during their rise to fame vents his anger on a trashy tabloid journalist on invasion of privacy, and as a result, Gaia di exposekan sebagai anak luar nikah, which gives us another dose of more drama.

After the drama of dissent over the assumption that Gaia leads the band, Aga catches Gaia in Awan's arms, though doesn't know the reasons.

The ending? Cliched success for the band, though not overworked for a stamp of approval for a happy ending.

What did I think?

The movie is stunningly, beautifully shot, and the cinematography...camerawork memang meletop! Impressive even by the high Indonesian standards.

It's captivating enough, that if any eventuality you feel bored, the shots amaze you enough to keep your eyes glued on the screen.

They tried to ensure that the MTV glossiness of it all was dispelled with to provide a more accurate representation of the scenes...so I guess that was one up for their effort.

The script however is mediocre, memang nampak ler the influence of sinetron on the use of the plot devices. Still...to some extent, the storyline is well told....takder ler lengthy or draggy sangat. And the ending, while some may feel abrupt, for me, is something that works.

The music? Quite poppishly interesting.

Not quite credible enough for the underground, independent sound they are supposed to represent. It is after all a music movie right.

What a waste to model the band after the sound of Cokelat, padahal I think the lead vocals in Gaia sounds more credible than Kikan, vocally presenting shades of Alanis Morrissette.

Okler ada ler this on and off musical reference to my fave band Smashing Pumpkins...a little bit of Rammstein and odds and ends which seem to form their influences.

It's not very strange however is to discover that the trio of Garasi, really did compose and performed their own songs for the movie.

And quite brilliantly, while reality TV has launched many a career, movies may just be the new medium to promote new talents as interest in the soundtrack has shown.

Garasi aku dengar on tour as a band. Background meka pun enough to prove that they were not just actors

Gaia, is acted by Ayu Ratna, yang dahulunya finalist for Indonesian Idol.
Aris Budiman atau Awan sememangnya a real drummer yang memang terkenal manakala Fedi Nuril iatau Aga, is a musician as well.

Anyway...I think it's more a youngster's movie, so the crowd watching it will be below 30 (I know some people were sleeping in the audience)

Personally, the movie will definitely appeal to former Generation Xers here (your 25-35 age group...yang lebih umo tu like someone I know buat-buat je suka kot sebab nak feel muda - matilah aku kena carut!) because the indie music culture here is mirrored in the movie.

Teringat ler zaman-zaman start up band cari vocalist, then kemudian nak cari gig...the exclusivity of the community and its elitist cliques.

Perhaps, ten years ago, Garasi woud have emerged a cult movie that would mark the era of its release, as it indicated the rise of the indie and underground local music scene. It definitely would have been more significant to cinemagoers here then,.

The relevance today however is how much pop culture has infiltrated every nook and cranny of the music industry and taken over every single facet of every known genre.Though I suppose...the ease with which they dealt with for their musical opportunities proves me wrong there.

Lari topik jap...if older folks see this movie, hopefully it serves as an eye opener, how much music really serves to provide a sanctuary for youths, and how it becomes a language that is used not just to vent, but also to communicate and congregate with their peers.

When I was about 18 or 19, port lepak aku kat Bukit Rajah Shopping Centre kat Klang. Well not really...but it's where our band would hang out for our creative sessions. Everyone was an artiste then. You did it for the expression, not for the fame.

When our band, Sean Olsens was put together and eventually started venturing out in the underground scene throughout KL, Damansara and Subang in the late Nineties, it was never a concern to get a mainstream record.

And two of our peers back then - will bear testimony of that. 18SGG and Disagree were bands that arrived on the scene when Sean Olsens was in its infancy and today they've managed to bring their sounds to a wider audience.

In this respect - Garasi has failed. There is no semblance of reality of the suipposed dark, artistic touches to the artistry of musicianship that they boast of throughout the whole movie. The very facade of the movie, which practically brags an elite understanding of the music scene is betrayed by poppy touches to the influences to the sound of the band.

Moving on...if you are like some of my friends at the preview yang leh tertidur, then the fun time you could have is by spotting the cameo!

Kalao kat sini kita bukan tau atau kenal sangat Pas (an alternative rock band from Bandung tau...bukan Parti Islam Semalaysia), or known music critic Denny Sakrie.

The three music store owners in the D'Lawas trio acted by radio talkshow hosts Desta and Arie Dagienkz, and indie rock promoter David Tarigan pun tak ring a bell

Aku nak spot the cameo pun yang fun, tengok Kikan and gang from the band Cokelat.

My verdict at the end of it all?

No matter who you are, it's definitely worth the price of the ticket to watch the movie. To watch it a second time, you'd either have to be a technical film person who loves those outstanding shots, or an oid Gen Xer like moi. However...you may choose to stay away from it if you don't like extended music videos, cause this tends to feel like one at times. Still...give it a chance. You might just like it.

And if you don't like the ending?

The story is still going on with the band touring for real...so that's your story still in progress.

The movie was only an introduction of sorts.

Garasi (115 minutes)
Starring Fedi Nuril, Ayu Ratna, Aries Budiman, Syaharani.
Directed by Agung Sentausa.
Official website : Garasi The Movie
Garasi akan mula ditayangkan di panggung-panggung mulai 2 Mac 2006 seluruh Malaysia.
*The cast of Garasi will be in Malaysia from 28 February for promotion of the film.

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Akademi Fantasia IV - Auditions - Day Two

Aku nak update my blog semalam, tapi malas semacam walaupun online pas balik dari Astro (again tengah malam past midnight).

Supposedly, this time around lepas singgah kat Astro nak observe again what was going on for my report tuk article aku, patutnya gi Planet Hollywood for M. Nasir punya show lepak ngan tokei funfair...tetapi apakan daya....kemalasan menguasai diri ala Garfield. Yerlah...tambah lagi hujan turun ngan lebat...suasana sejuk, so it was quite comfortable to have a snooze.

Lagikpun...SPF 6.5 pun tak gi sebab abih gi tengok Puteri Gunung Ledang - The Musical sekali lagik so malas ler kalao tak cukup korum. Erm...iklan sat ek...

Sambung lak...another reason why I wanted to hang around was because bangga sebab ada member yang aku kenal, bekas anggota kumpulan 'anak didik' vocal yang berjaya lepas stage 3, so aku nak tengok ler lepas ke tak last stage. Tu aku cita later.

Anyway, again for this round...haus gak. Campor dua ari punya audition, sejumlah 1,005 yang menjalani ujibakat. Quite a few folks isi borang gak, tapi sebab aku dengar Astro limit jumlah penyertaan dalam sehari kali ni, nasib korang ler kena go for the next audition sebab tak sempat.

Tu lah...lain kali kalao nak audition, bersungguh ler bangun awal. Jangan bila orang nak tutup kedai, nak close shop jer baru nak terburu-buru nak register. Perlu ke.

No surprise, tapi geng rempit tetap menguasai hari ni .

Horror tul! Sampai je Astro da agak mesti tengah break sebab da 7.45pm, so aku head ke cafeteria where bumped into abang Adi, Aman, Syafinaz, Ajai, Deja dan Umi tengah berehat have a bite before resuming the auditions.

Aiyo! Bermacam cerita horror lagik aku dengar pasal contestants yang memacam perangai.
It's extremely scary to think that no matter what happened the first day, the second day reflected a truth that was inevitable. That rempit akan terus menguasai audition Akademi Fantasia.

Mintak-mintak laa apa pun faktor yang menjadi pendorong warga rempit audition, tidak akan menghampakan mereka yang betul-betul berbakat datang untuk mencuba nasib, cause I really wanna see some real talent audition.

By the way...aku letak posting yang terakhir tu mengenai how to face the auditions tu untuk membantu sesiapa saja yang ingin mempersiapkan diri untuk menghadapi proses ujibakat....so I hope for those who are really keen to try out...they take my advice as it will indeed help them.

Contohnya cam adik sorang ni yang aku jumpa. Si Araf...(jangan marah ek dik jadik test case abang nak sebut kat sini).

Nampak dia kat stage 3, tapi dia gagal masuk stage 4. Sembang ngan dia automatically aku da dapat tangkap apa kelemahan dia. Sembang cam tak bermaya tak makan...and memang ler dia letih dan lapar. But still...personality tu penting!

You have to maintain your composure no matter how you feel, cause this is one chance for you to prove you're worth it.

Lagik skali aku cakap...kalo ko rasa ko letih tak larat...bagaimana laa rasanya juri yang mengadili audition berejam terpaksa tahan sampai berdarah telinga tapi tetap maintain professionalism.

Anyway, Araf...aku really hope you try again.

budak lepak tunggu giliran kat stage 3, aku perasan bekas ahli kumpulan anak didik aku, si Nobi. Dok lepak-lepak sembang ngan dia, aku yakin dia mesti lepas kerana confidence dia memang impeccable.

I don't know how far he will go, but I know his singing ability quite good, so bangga ler bila finally dia muncul ngan borang tuk diisikan...iaitu berjayanya dia masuk short list! Ni pic sebelah tu Nobi (tu nama timangan dia) yang aku curi dari blog Juan, yang rajin menjadi paparaazzi malam tu.

Kalau dia layak...jangan lupa AFUNDI dia ek! Aku skang doa bagik dia dan Najeeb je qualify as I think they have the complete package to make it.

Siang tadi masuk keja, dengan semangatnya habihkan keja sikit sebab entah kenapa keletihan melarat. I really feel beat and want to get some sleep for tonight. So no activities to keep me up!

Lagik pun nak conserve energy sikit sebab ujung minggu ni banyak yang aku kena wat. Selain kena wat liputan Anugerah Bintang Popular-Berita Harian hari Ahad kang, Sabtu aku kena rush ke Danga Bay, Johor bak Nikki tuk show Kosmo!.

So I definitely akan keletihan gila babas kang...better conserve energy!

Ni nak tidur da ni. Mata da berat...tapi tanggungjawab nak memblog ni (nak ilangkan malas and get in shape for bermulanya Akademi Fantasia nanti) memang kena dilaksanakan.

Anyway...sebelum aku mengundurkan diri for this posting...ni ada pesanan penaja sekejap...sapa nak gi apply, kalao dapat nanti bagik aku komisen ek!

ASTRO akan mengadakan ujibakat untuk mencari usherettes (pengiring) bagi program Anugerah Seri Angkasa 2005 yang akan berlangsung di Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre pada 100 & 11 Mac 2006.
Kepada yang berminat, sila datang untuk ujibakat :
Pada : 26 Februari 2006 (Ahad)
Masa : 10 pagi hingga 6 petang
Di : North Lobby, Pusat Penyiaran Asia (Astro), Bukit Jalil.
*Terbuka untuk wanita sahaja (yang ori dan tulen jer kot)
Jangan lepaskan peluang anda untuk bersama-sama memeriahkan majlis anugerah yang hebat ini!

Until tomorrow kiddos...

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Akademi Fantasia IV - Auditions - Day One

Letih gila babas...baru lepas habis makan, after the end of the first day of auditions untuk ujibakat Akademi Fantasia IV.

And so how did it go? Not too good if you ask me.

Kalau nak dibandingkan dengan tahun-tahun sebelumnya, haus ler!

If before this, out of a group of 20 people, ada at least tiga empat orang yang aku leh dengar ada basic talent, kali ni...kalau dapat seorang yang kira cukup syarat pun dah bagus!

This time around, a lot of people who showed up, nampaknya suka-suka jer, and didn't take things seriously...and for me this is the biggest insult to an opportunity...kerana ini satu peluang untuk betul-betul bakat anda untuk dinilai secara profesional.

Memang ler setiap orang berhak nak mencuba...tapi aku rasa ramai orang perlu nilaikan diri sendiri...but deep down inside you know whether you can sing or not. The funny thing about chances like this, biasanya yang leh nyanyi ler yang susah nak pujuk mai audition. Yang pekak badak punya tone deaf lak....takyah ajak beriya-iya nak mencuba nasib.

On to how my day was for today.

Mula-mula cadang kul 11.30 ler paling lewat nak ada kat Astro da. But sebab bangun lambat, aku arrived there about two hours later than planned.

Kesian aku nya taiko tunggu nak jumpa!

Lepak punya lepak...terserempak lak ngan ramai member-member yang memang vocal power yang audition sekali. Ada beberapa orang member aku memang tahun lepas pun dah short list tapi takde rezeki masuk yang mencuba nasib lagi...termasuk Najeeb dan Adi.

Diana yang layak Konsert Prelude dulu tapi tak berjaya masuk Akademi ada gak skali...dia lepas stage 4...kira shortlist. Melihatnya, aku teringat lak si Isa SMS aku tanya patut ke dia masuk. Pada mereka yang minat sora Isa (dia ler first person kenalkan Kata dari Hazami pada ramai orang), doa ler mamat tu dapat kali ni.

Selain tu...erm...awal-awal tu...ada ler beberapa orang kengkawan pembaca blog yang tegur...tima kasih ek...and walaupun aku tatau nasib korang...I wish you guys the best ler!

Yang penting...ari ni pakai uniform (apa lah!) t-shirt with three quarter sleeves yang chest dia embossed with a purple (with pink outlike) K. Ala ala short for klubbkidd ler...tapi sebenarnya baju Kipling yang aku entah berkurun tak pakai (yang diendorse Kris Dayanti ok!)Aku lepak dari tengahari sampai skang! Amik ko!

So sesiapa yang dapat masuk Akademi Fantasia nanti, nak carut aku kata usaha meka blah blah blah...pengorbanan meka...etc aku tak paham...gi mampos ler.

Aku last year pun masa audition kat Astro aku turun dua hari. First day start petang je....lepak sampai habis, while second day aku dari pagi temankan kengkawan yang audition. Member-member semua yang daftar 10 pagi habis pun sampai 11 malam. Masa siap temankan mama dan papa Zahid tunggu adik Zahid si An masuk audition, yang stage 2 baru start kul 12.30. Haiyo!

This year, there was a noticeable increase in perserta laki (faktor Mawi ni). Dari lebih kurang 150 orang, hampir 90 yang pilih lagu Aduh Saliha.

Understandably, majoriti yang muncul ari ni adalah rempit yang memang aku memang rasa vocal...ADUH!

A total of 500 audition siang tadi...sebab jumlah limited by Astro...so bayangkan ler berdarah bernanahnya telinga juri yang terpaksa berdepan meka yang perform lagu sama. Bukan nak kutuk lagu tu...cuma ramai yang pilih lagu tu, memang tak sesuai ngan lagu tu, tambah lagi....ramai yang pilih Aduh Saliha nak cuba tiru gaya Mawi...siap ada yang opening silat. Tak caya tengok kang @15.

Orang nak cakap Mawi camna...tapi jangan samakan je sebab background sebab at least dia leh nyanyi. Pening the Mawi wannabes. Original ler sikit beb!

Which means lagu paling popular kat audition ialah Aduh Saliha, diikuti ngan Pupus (faktor Mawi gak!)

Tahun ni tak azab sangat ler sebab aku wat hal aku je kehulu hilir satu Astro perhatikan proses ujibakat.

Yang penting, untuk lebih memahami proses kali ni...aku ada partner in crime yang temankan aku lepak sampai habis (tapi dia sampai pun about kul 5 lebih)

Siapa lagi kalau bukan Mr SPF 6.5!

Selang-selang tu...ada member lelain yang muncul tuk lepak ngan kita seperti Botak, Huzaifa...Reza pun ada sekali belah malam.

Anyway...ni aku ada beberapa things aku nak kongsi dengan mereka yang nak gi audition (kalau bukan ari ni...hari Ahad - kat lokasi lain-lain.

Sebelum apa-apa...ni ler peringkat yang korang kena lalui untuk peringkat ujibakat. Ada four levels to the audition and here's my breakdown and explaination of what the levels are.

Stage 1
Peringkat ni simple...dan confirm ramai yang lepas kecuali memang bangap!

Kalau nak senang....print out borang dan bak sekali supaya takyah leceh berejam nak isi borang.

Kat sana pun leh...but better if you download the form HERE and get it done earlier. Preparing for things earlier is always good!

Jangan lupa gambar berukuran 3R dan kad pengenalan. Please...please make sure you are between 18 and 27 by 1 January 2006. Pastikan anda warganegara Malaysia...and please oh please be able to speak English dan juga Bahasa Malaysia.

Hah...kan senang...kira layak da ke peringkat seterusnya.

Stage 2
Here's where it gets tricky.

Peringkat kedua...peserta akan dibahagikan kepada dua kumpulan, Team A dan Team B.

Juri Team A adalah Ajai dan Syafinaz manakala Team B akan diadili oleh Sham Kamikaze dan Deja Moss.

Disini, vocal, presence dan kebolehan memberikan persembahan yang menarik secara keseluruhan penting.

Tapi kalau anda mampu membuktikan anda mempunya vocal yang bukan sahaja menarik dari segi tone suara, tapi juga kebolehan basic mengawal pitching dan tempo...dan TAK SUMBANG, then you're in.

Pada mereka yang serious, sila sediakan pilihan lagu sendiri kalau-kalau pengadil mahu mendengar sesuatu kelainan dari anda untuk lebih menilai your vocals secara acapella, atau tanpa music, untuk lebih meyakinkan mereka.

Please take this stage seriously sebab aku perasan ramai yang main-main jer time ni. Takkan untuk tak sampai seminit takleh wat preparation betul-betul kan?

Sila ingat video yang diamik tu bukan setakat tayangan kat @15 tau, tapi akan digunakan untuk penilaian juri kemudia kalau anda lepas stage 4 untuk decide whether or not anda akan jadi pelajar Akademi Fantasia.

Stage 3
If you've made it this far, congratulations. It means there is something about your voice that people do bother with, and you're more than just penyanyi longkang bertemankan kapok.
Cabaran seterusnya diadili oleh dua lagi set pengadil.

Team A akan diadili oleh executive producer Akademi Fantasia abang Adi, head of talent untuk Maestro Talents & Management Aman Ali dan Fatimah Abu Bakar (seb baik korang ada dia sebab dia rilek sikit)

Team B lak akan diadili oleh producer Akademi Fantasia iaitu abang Adnan, Osman dari Maestro (semalam, tapi setakat mengganti Baha dari Maestro) dan juga Fauziah Nawi (umi ni baik...tapi jangan menjawab, kalau tak naya je!)

Peringkat ni melibatkan interview untuk discover your personality. Peringkat ni, selain dari tu, anda mungkin diminta menyanyi lagi, ataupun menari untuk menyakinkan juri anda layak.
Seperti mana stage 2, please note that sesi ni juga divideokan, walaupun bukan untuk tayangan, tapi untuk tontonan juri sebagai sebahagian proses evaluasi.

Stage 4
Semakin ler cerah masa depan anda (sial jer statement ni) kalao da sampai peringkat ni kerana anda telah dishortlistkan.

Kalau ikutkan tahun lepas, kurang dari 200 orang je dari beribu yang sampai ketahap ni.

Pada mereka yang lepas stage 3....samaada anda akan diberitahu...terima kasih...apa apa nanti we call you...dan ditunjuk pintu keluar...ataupun anda akan mendapat borang.

Mengisi borang tu adalah peringkat seterusnya. Jangan perlekehkan peringkat ni walaupun nampak simple.

Apa yang anda isi dalam borang tu, akan memainkan peranan juga dalam bab pemilihan.

And then what? Kalau anda da berjaya sampai tahap isi borang...the only thing you can do is wait, and hopefully, the sessions videotaped will have something that will yakinkan para juri anda layak menjadi pelajar Akademi Fantasia.

Untuk membantu korang...ni aku wat guide tuk korang supaya korang lebih bersedia menghadapi ujibakat. Print this out if you have to, and make a check list, untuk pastikan anda ikut guide ni.

This will really help you...so laugh if you must, but take it seriously if you are going for the audition.

*Pastikan anda membawa segala dokumen dan gambar yang diperlukan. Also bring along a CD player tuk nak layan lagu yang anda akan perform during the audition. Practise makes perfect...and daripada anda membuang masa termenung...baik berlatih. Bring along a book too in case the waiting takes too long, and bekalan minuman (ataupun member atau ahli keluarga yang leh jadi 'runner' tuk dapatkan bekalan makanan dan minuman seandainya lapar atau haus. Persiapan ni akan memastikan anda tak lari-lari kemana, takut nombor dipanggil lak entah kemana...it doesn't give a good impression to be late for your audition.

*Pastikan you're dressed to be impressed. Takyah terlampau fashionable, sebab kalao packaging meletop tapi isi tarak pun tak guna. It's only one of the ingredients...looking good... Dress to impress, but don't overdo it. Make sure you look as good as you sound. Choose a look that goes with your personality, tapi pastikan pada masa yang sama anda selesa, ok, as the audition process could take very long. Kalau baju ke seluar baru, kang gatal-gatal ke tak selesa lak kang...but it's always worth investing in doing something to your hair, like getting a cut. Guys, pastikan jangan rupa serabai jer while girls...don't look like hookers...make up sampai kalahkan opera Cina. Like I said, preparations help. Kalau anda bukan antara batch yang awal, you may have to wait for up to 12 hours, based on my experience.

*Tunjukkan minat anda. You're one of thousands, dan naya je bukak mulot je, juri da kata tima kasih leh cuba tahun depan. Jangan terlampau bodek...kang nampak bodoh lak bakat tak sampai tapi yer yer nak butter up the judges. It will NOT work...trust me. Say what is necessary while maintaining an honest representation of yourself. Jangan lak nak tipu ngan berlakon menjadi something else nak impress. Professionals can see through your acting. I mean it. Dan control your nervousness. Jangan membebel atau meracau. Taking a breath before you say anything. It'll calm you down. No chewing gum ke apa apa. Nampak kurang ajor da.

*Anda tidak akan didiskriminasikan. So jangan ingat ada apa pun pasal diri anda yang akan menjadi bahan tuk juri memandang serong at you. As long as you're decent in every way, you'll get the same respect from the judges.

*Panik? Buang masa...baik takyah audition. Pada yang beragama Islam...erm...tauler what you have to do kan. Yang other religions pun can say a short prayer before you start. Calm yourself down, and jangan stress. Fokuskan your energy of being afraid yo prepare yourself. Jangan torture diri sendiri. Kalau anda cukup bersedia, anda takkan menghadapi sebarang masaalah, so kenapa nak risau?

*Bayangkan kenapa anda audition in the first place. Kalao ko takde sebab...padan muka ler. Kalao ko cuba nasib sebab yakin anda ada bakat...then you will have no problems. Focus on making it. Maintain keyakinan anda dan sentiasa pastikan diri anda tenang, supaya tak affect persembahan anda. Pastikan ada keseimbangan dalam personalii dan suara anda. Don't let one outshadow the other.

*Pilih lagu yang sesuai untuk anda. INI TERAMAT PENTING! Jangan pilih lagu cam Aduh Saliha hanya kerana minat Mawi, kerana anda bukan Mawi. Pilih lagu yang bersesuaian ngan suara anda. Juga yang mampu anda persembahkan tanpa sora ke laut. Interpretasi adalah penting. Jangan nak fotostat lak! Tak guna kalao lenggok sebijik nak ikut CD. Wat pe? Kalau anda klon terhebat sekalipun, peluang anda immediately kurang da.

*Kalau suara power, jangan lak sampai menjerit nak robohkan Astro. Impress with your vocals, tapi jangan sampai berserabut sehingga melody pun da takde. Pada mereka yang tak mampu, jangan ler nak melalak. Suara yang kuat, lantang atau nada tinggi tak semestinya sedap! Banyak lagi faktor yang menjadi pertikaian. Show what you have....but remember...don't overdo it...dan ikut kemampuan...

*Paham tak apa tu emosi? Kalau bak lagu sedih, jangan sengih cam kerang busuk! If it's an upbeat song you're singing, look happy, have some energy. If you're crooning a love ballad, do it with feeling so you embody the words coming out of your mouth. Kalau tak mampu nak hiburkan setakat dua anggota juri dan teman teman seperjuangan...camna nak menghiburkan Malaysia?

*Body language is important too. Jangan lak tengah nyanyi tu, tangan tergantung cam mayat je...ataupun nak wat aksi garu tempat tak patut. Choreography is not just about dancing. You already chose your song awal-awal. Jadi persembahan anda dari segi gerakan anda patut dirancang juga supaya ko tak dok setempat sambil tenung spotlight, ataupun jalan kehulu hilir nak merentas desa sebab gementar tatau nak wat apa.

*Be honest. The judges want to see you! Bukan lakonan semula video clip mana ko tengok yang ko nak over-over lak nak tiru. Feel the song and concentrate on delivering it.

*Dalam menunggu giliran (kecuali nasib ko ler jadik yang first) sembang ngan teman-teman sekeliling. Find out what they're singing. Pastu, kalao ada yang nyanyi lagu sama, compare notes. Mana tau, ada idea ko leh curi sana sini to adapt to your presentation.

*Your attitude is important. Samaada ko leh wat perangai yang elok, dan memikat hati juri, atau wat perangai yang bagi orang meluat atau menyampah dimana juri akan terus mintak ko berambos! Lack of confidence is another thing yang sering menjadi penyebab kegagalan. Yakin pada diri anda dan kebolehan anda (masaalahnya ada lak yang terlebih confidence tapi kekurangan bakat!)

*Pada saat anda akan membuat persembahan, cari sesuatu dalam diri anda sebagai motivasi! *Don't let anything or anyone intimidate you. Kalau takut sebab tak penah nyanyi pakai mic ke apa, buat-buat je cam ko kat karaoke (tapi nyanyi jangan ler camtuh...style sambil lewa!) Kalau takut judges...wat pe...meka bukan nak marah ke nak gigit ke. Kalao ada contestant yang ko dengar sora power, so what? Rilek and do your best. The best voice is not the only thing necessary and just think that the person might not have something you do.

*Ini adalah rancangan televisyen. X-factor adalah penting. Find out what is yours, or if it is too late, confidence will be enough to fake it for the moment. *Your best-selling point has to be something in you. And if you try too hard it will always work against you. You want to be yourself, but at the same time, you want to have something that distinguishes you from someone else. Jangan jadi sesiapa kecuali diri anda sendiri. Be yourself.

*Which brings us to...be honest. Jangan nak kelentong kata pandai wat lenggok asli ke R&B kalau it's not your thing. Admit your kelemahan so the judges know and you don't make a fool out of yourself.

*Be patient. Kalao ko ingat dok 12 jam baru dapat nyanyi 30 saat stressful sangat...dok rumah je ek. Ramai lagi sanggup. Jangan terbawak your impatience or your unwillingness tuk bersabar into the audition. It makes you look really ugly. Lagipun kalao ko ingat tension dok tunggu berejam...bayangkan ler pening dan stressful nya tuk juri nak layan lalakan meka yang pekak badak!

*Kalau anda mempunyai banyak masa, jangan habiskannya ngan melalak. Practise is fine. Tapi aku perhatikan yang datang satu group mai lalak tak abih-abih...tapi masuk studio ilang sora. Ko datang tuk ujibakat...bukan sesi jamming.

*Jangan skali wat alasan tuk your lack of ability to sing. It turns the judges off. Alasan paling original aku dengar dari one of the judges yang told by one of those yang ujibakat, "Saya takleh nyanyi sebab da malam. Saya malam memang takde sora." Kepala hotak ko!

*I cannot stress enough the need to be confident! Tapi...kekadang...untuk sesetengah yang aku tengok....aku kena gak cakap...jangan lak overconfident!!!

*Have fun! That's the first thing before you can have confidence, and also the much needed ingradient that will make you look more like a pro (doesn't make you sound like a pro, but at least it won't affect your voice if you're nervous)

Based on my experiences...this are the best tips I can think of to help you. So...apa lagi. Start working on it if you are going for auditions after today. Tapi meka yang wat audition siang ni....work on it anyway, ok.

Aku akan ke Astro kang tuk hari kedua ujibakat, so kalao korang nampak aku...tegur je kalao ada apa-apa nak tanya. Just call me and said I offered you the help in my blog. I understand how memeningkan kekadang auditions ni, and I don't mind helping out by giving a little advice here and there.

Anyway....at the end of Day 1, I'd like to wish congratulation pada mereka yang lepas stage 4, and I wish korang all the best!

However, if you ask me...so far...lum ada yang impress aku...the best is yet to come!

Apapun...congratulations Najeeb sebab lepas stage 4, buddy! Ni aku letak pic dia as a tribute to your second time masuk short list. Hope kali ni ko ada rezeki beb!

Alamak...SPF pun enter frame masuk pic! (Mampos aku kena maki pas ni!)

See you guys tomorrow kat Astro!

Dan ingat...

Satu harapan....satu impian....satu destinasi....(terdengar lak sora Juwita Suwito ngan iringan piano..."pasti berjaya....di Akademi Fantasia)

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TGIF!

Yes!!! TGIF!!!

Thank God it's Friday!!!

Couldn't wait for the week to end....cam hectic abih minggu ni. Even though aku esok lusa ada kerja...tapi janji, dah hujung minggu....even though aku tak dapat jumpa Dreamy over the weekend...

Hari ni...jumpa dia...sempat ler senyum ngan dia say a few words...tapi sebab dia sibuk sangat, malas nak tarik dia ketepi for my first ever conversation ngan dia. One day...

Just that aku rasa dia ngan aku ni...setakat crush jer ler....nothing more. Though I may fantasise about nak date ngan dia (ada je...hish!)

Anyway...semalam masa gi xfresh, jumpa si Juan kat sana tengah amik pics. AKu gi ngan practical student UiTM yang tengah training kat tempat kerja aku, si Zubir.

Sampai sana...lalu ERA, nampak si Reza. Nampaknya da mula tugas solo dah, tak bawah jagaan lagi. My, how they grow up so quickly!

Singgah jap kat konti just to say hi, before moved on to xfresh jumpa Adi dan Julia. Lama tak jumpa si Julia gak. Sempat ler catch up gossip later when we all went for a drink.

They had an earlier interview with Azwan Ali, tapi masa aku sampai, lepak jap je, si Nurul dan Ajai lak tiba for the next interview.

Tengah selang seli on air, and dan wat lawak off air, si Zarina lak sampai. Biasalah...penyampai baru nak training kan! Ke ada sebab lain...oops!

Anyway...one thing that we did masa kat konti (aku dan Zarina ler) was to browse through my blog. Dia one of the few bebudak kuarga Akademi Fantasia yang tak pernah jenguk blog aku.

Nak gak rasanya nitis air mata aku tengok dia tompang aku nostalgia tengok pics lama dan cita lama masa musim kedua time meka dulu.

Banyak sangat kenangan Akademi Fantasia II...and of the Akademi Fantasia punya graduates...walaupun semua da cam adik beradik (well...almost all ler...), bebudak musim kedua ler betul-betul aku sayang.

Apart from that, takder ler banyak sangat cita...tapi ni some pics I wanted to share with you guys...

Ok...I guess...that's all the update for today. Aku nak hit the town nak enjoy...malam ni malam bersukaria! Yeah! Sebab esok awal pagi aku akan ada kat Astro untuk first round ujibakat Akademi Fantasia musim keempat!

So siapa yang gi esok...all I can say is...good luck...God bless...and do your best. And here's hoping I'll be seeing you guys soon as contestants.

Apapun...kalau ada yang kenal aku mengenai blog ni tereserempak ngan aku esok, tegur je ek! Kalau nak tips apa-apa...maybe I can help. Until tomorrow...ciao. Oh...one more thing...sapa nak tengok pics audition esok...aku akan try amik gambar esok ok!

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