G, the copywriter, is dead

Shit, defined

I wrote this dark poem during my internship in Shell, Oct 18, 2002 to be exact. I felt a mumbo-jumbo of frustrations for various reasons. A lot of it had to do with how people looked at me, or how I perceived that people look at me. There's this pressure to excel in a field I had no passion for. There's this expectation that people have of me, giving me shoes I couldn't possibly fill. There's this appalling disbelief at how lines were drawn to separate the 'holier-than-thou's from the rest of the 'body of Christ'. And to wrap all that up, there's this uncertainty of my future and despair that possibly, highly probably, I'd be stuck in this shit for the rest of my life.

Shit is a profound word

A word that tells a tale

A curse understood only by a handful

Whose lives seem meaningless

Yet they're forced to trudge

In this life they hate so much

Forced to loiter on Earth's countenance

Guided only by a faint glimmer of hope

Inspired only by thoughts

Of loved ones.

Shit is a void felt
When no one understands
Everyone looks at you
Like you’re something else
It hurts so bad when they’d rather
Believe in a fake you
It pressures when they expect
More than what you can give
It makes you mad when they try
To make you someone else
You’re fed up of living your life
Full of lies for someone else
Like a puppet on a string
Tugged to amuse the kids
Like a bonsai tree
Choked for beauty’s sake.

Shit is how I’d describe
The world for its injustice
Its contradicting views
And man-made laws
How the lowly views the highly
How the highly views the lowly
How differing races, religions
And even denominations
Put aside humanity, respect,
Unity and love
Allowing an invisible barrier
Between you and I.

Shit is an expression
Of anger and disillusion
Of an ancient wound
Unable to heal
Of erupting lava
After years of silence
Of pain and hopelessness
In a world full of glitter
Only because the glitter
Is never meant for you.

Shit is a life
Of unfulfilled dreams
Of wood uncarved
For lack of tools
Of forests unexplored
For lack of pioneers
Of a yearning so bad
For something you can never get
Of a passion that screams in silence
Never to be heard.

The Song

This song was written during one of the darkets moments in my life. Things seemed bleak, having gone from bad to worse. I felt so helpless that I couldn't stop the pain, the angst, and deteriorating situation. I loved them and had never stopped praying for that ray of light. Yet, on that day, it seemed like all hope was lost.

The walls, they seemed to laugh at me, scorn at me. Was all in vain? All those tears? All those quiet times? What was happening and what was going to happen? I couldn't comprehend it. Still, as I put pen to paper, and scribbled my pain into words, this song ended with a reassuring note of Hope.


When the curtain falls
And the hall is empty
D'you look in the mirror
And see someone else?

You can shrug it off
Or wear a mask
So no one can tell

Bridge I:
How you pain and you hurt
There's no one you can turn to
You try to be strong
But you're breaking down inside

Chorus:
Jesus, I can't take it no more
Lord help me heal this land
Jesus, only you understand me
Be my strength, Lord, or I'll fall apart

When you're all alone
And the voices get louder
Saying, "Give up, child, you're going nowhere.
He doesn't care and nothing's gonna change.
You're on your own."

Bridge II:
But I look to the skies
I believe in His promises
I'll wait and I'll pray
Till His hand moves the mountain

Repeat Chorus

A Mother's Day Poem

My very first (and only) attempt at a Mother's Day poem. How I got around to this was, my younger brother came up to me one day and said that he needed me to help him choose a Mother's Day card--one with 'nice' words. I don't know what made me do it, but I just told him there and then that I'd write the words for him instead.

Forgive me, Ma

for these hands

that weren't there to help you stand,

for leaving you at a loss

when you needed me most.

Forgive me, Ma

for these eyes

that refused to cry

even as you broke down in tears

for all those heart-breaking years.

Forgive me, Ma

for this icy heart

that refused to melt, even now as we part,

for all those prodigal years

of girls and beers.

Forgive me, Ma

I wish for nothing more than to turn back time,

so I can say "I love you" while you're still fine.

I just want to say, as I hold your palm,

"Happy Mother's Day, from your son."

"The Broadcaster's Left the Building"

Thank you, A2J, for the opportunity to be the cell's broadcaster for almost 2 years, through which I have enjoyed revelling in my passion for creativity - for the cell, for God. I had great, nostalgic moments. Now, having moved on, I do hope the best not for the cell, nor for the church, but for you as individuals and my companions of the time.

Incident and Injury Free (IIF) poster entries - 2004

What is IIF? One of Intel's core corporate values is to ensure a 'safe, clean and injury free workplace' for its employees and contractors, hence, the "Incident and Injury Free" motto. Various programs are held in-house each year to maintain awareness and share best practices where safety is a concern. One of which, is the "IIF poster contest" back in 2004. Quote from the organizer: "...the most creative and relevant entry would be the winner...entries will be judged on their originality as well..."

Keen to see how far I could go, I submitted the below entries. Sharp constrasts, a minimal selection of colors and arresting images were used to seize the attention of busy folks - pretty much how ads should function. Image of the "eye" emphasized the word "watch" that followed. Images of "sharp-suited businessmen" and "light-bulb heads" were supposed to represent "professionals", as were most Intel employees. Basically, the message seeks to remind professionals - managers and engineers alike - not to neglect safety practices.

Looking at all the winning entries, I just had to conclude that I probably was in the wrong place, wrong time and judged by the wrong panel. ;)

myWallpaper 1

Created during the wait for a break :(

A storm is brewing...

It's been so long...

People don't write, do they?

~Waiting for your return, ladyG~

2D of Gorrilaz

Sure doesn't look like 2D of Gorillaz - har har har!

Loving My Job

In an attempt to self-motivate while at work, I created this piece that says LOUDLY what every employer wants to hear: "I Love My Job!". The idea was to stare at all the values (Precise, Exciting, Informed, Relevant, Professional, Customer-focused) that seemed to dance around the phrase, sort of 'plug' them into me brains through me eyes, then 'play' them out at work.

I don't think it worked.

Jalan Terus ("Moving On")

I created this piece at that point in my life when I told myself that I needed to move on. It was hard, and I kept holding on to what was slipping from my fingers. Little did I realize that staring longingly at that empty corner had stopped me from looking around the room. No, the room ain't big but, hey, I found another very interesting corner :)

Leap like you defy gravity

I created this in response to Ogilvy's "Raise your sights! Blaze new trails! Compete with the immortals!" :)

Leap like you defy gravity...

Run like you have wings...

Fight the good fight.

Anything for a cause ~www.rebelz.com

Screwed

SCREWED. We all are...

Yep, that's how we feel, when things go shitty and, worse, beyond our control.

Customer: How come you sell shitty products?

Sales: Whoah, don't look at me, I didn't create the thing. Ask marketing!

Marketing: See? I knew this was coming even before the thing got out. But what are we to do? We pushed for better specs, but the R&D folks aren't exactly cooperative. Sue them!

R&D: Well, we told you we needed more time, you big-time bullies! Eat it (shit) alone!

Marketing: <>

See? All in a day's work.

Man I Love

The man I love

Knew... I was the one even at first sight

Is himself, an imitator of none

Sings me tunes that last forever

Breaks the walls of a guarded heart

Makes me smile and giggle out loud

Drives me crazy in love each day

Showers his all and puts me first

Embraces me tight each time I slipped

Sends kisses miles away

Carries my picture in his heart

Has his scars – to prove he loves me

Knows not to give up on me

Shows me what true love is

Is you :X

Sunshine

Ode to my brother. Wish things could be the same as before.

My sunshine was once pretty
With you and I laughing silly
At blue Mondays, flying cows and the bright orange moon.

You were so pretty, warm and funny as can be
I wonder if you knew I loved you so
We had sunshine on our faces, I wish it never had to go
Why won’t you let sunshine live again?

The memories they’re so vivid
I could almost hear you laugh
I just wish that it would all come back
That you’ll stop being someone else
Why won’t you let sunshine live again?

Light vs Darkness

Are we united via worldwide paradox?

Ever smirked at a disheveled bloke with bright studs? Or shot that disapproving leer when a heavily tattooed creature emerges through that door? Or even edged slightly-yet somewhat uncomfortably-away when the dude next to you hasn’t got a color matched to your skin tone? Who’s the bad guy now?

Many times we judge a book by its cover. We think all sharp-suited, angelic looking beings are favored bearers of the light. Anything that doesn’t look anything like the ‘bearers of light’ is the ‘lost crowd’. We teach our children to be careful of these ‘bad’ guys: they steal, kill and destroy.

Our children get confused. Their ‘light-bearer’ mates cared only for themselves, even to the point of ass-kissing just to go up the career ladder. To make matters worse, their social lives revolve around strict rules and goals, abiding by which reaps points for the afterlife. Our children aren’t comfortable with these kids because they’re so fake for “who can tell who your real friends are?” And yet we tell our children, “Stay away from friends of the 'dark side'."—yet those very beings are ones who stand by them through thick and thin, rain and shine.

Light or Darkness: Who is which?