Battle Royale | Movie Review

First off, let me just say how much I actually enjoyed watching this movie!? To be honest, I went to watch it twice. Normally, anything gore and violence themed? Not my thing. But I guess that I am glad that I still gave it a try! Battle Royale would probably be the first for me to see heads & knives  flying everywhere like the cannons that bursts on Fourth of July. Literally. 

It kinda seem like as if it's the same plot from Hunger Games? Where a random class of people are being packed off to an island where they'll be given weapons to eliminate each other. & only one survivor remaining. But I'd think it is a possible inspiration for it instead. I did felt uncomfortable by that mix of humour and horror all at once, the movie just seemed too epic! Even for the matter that the "villain" here is not the teacher, Kitano-sensei. Which I would say.. kind of a plot-twist. 

But seriously though, what would I have done? (Personal Analogy) 

If there was a way, I would want to be killed before the game even started. I would not risk killing anyone if I could. I know I would not survive long. Haha, I sound like a total scared-y cat! But then again I think thats what most would wish for, I guess? So if say I did have the guts to survive, I would want to be with the group of guys hiding out tryna make the explosives. At least I would know that I tried hard and smart. But still get killed in the end. I would think there are many of my classmates that can possibly turn unconsciously & psychotically strategic in killing anyone and everyone. For example, I think someone unexpected like Lynn? Or maybe Keisha? Someone really unexpected and unpredictable! Who knows who could survive till the end.. 

All in all, I think constantly discovering new themes/genres of movie, can help us in building up creativity. Especially with things that we are not fond of, or use to most of the time.

Analogical Thinking | Week 7

Apart from being absent for this weeks' topic, still gonna give a shot understanding & talk about what Analogical Thinking is anyways! Hm.. analogical thinking..

Analogical Thinking 

consists of:

-similes

-metaphors

-analogies

Analogy draws a comparison between objects in order to show similarity in some respect, basically in the term of examining/comparing resemblances between objects.
These descriptions are really just 

based on our personal perspective and how we look at things, interpreting them in a creative way rather than the meh, basic to-the-point and too simple, that its just boring!

They are kind of like English idioms I would say? 

Or if this was a Malay lesson, it would be called 'Bahasa Berbunga', I'm sure.

It was like our gateway to heaven when writing descriptive composition back then.

Well, for me that is, haha! 

Anyways, in analogical thinking, similes is a figure of speech that compares two things which are not similar to each other and it is to create a new meaning. It normally begins with "as" or "like". Examples are, "as easy as ABC" or the famous saying, "like a box full of chocolates". Metaphors are somewhat similar to similes but it consists of only one thing to mean another and compare. It is more direct. Simile is kind of like a type of metaphor. Examples are, "life is like a roller coaster" or maybe "the clouds are balls of cotton". 

Types of Analogies - personal, direct, symbolic and fantasy 

Personal analogies allows people to feel like a different person or object. Exactly like putting ones mind into ones shoe. It can be through space/object/person. It involves more on emotions.

Direct and symbolic analogies are somewhat similar . They compare or pretty much describe objects/concepts directly. [e.g shampoo that smells like tea]

Fantasy analogies make use of own imagination. Imagine options that are even to the most extreme. Image that ideal situation/position. It is like taking our best shot as the solution.
 [e.g the humidity and heat wave feels like there's a giant fire-breathing dragon toasting the earth!] 

I really think that with analogical thinking, it helps portray a situation/object/someone with a twist. Its not really cutting-edge where everything sounds and seems predictable as it is. With it, it adds life when we describe things then.

Pic of the Week | Week 6

Coming into 6th week in NAFA, & I can honestly say that it has been filled with such a whirlwind of events. Despite, the workload, deadlines and them frequent sleepless nights (Y'all know what I'm talking bout right?) Anyways, I did met a bunch of great friends along the way. Honestly, even if it sounds cliché, they are kinda like the happy pills everybody's been talking about. It is sorta impossible/to good to be true over such a short time that we've been together. Adilah and Dinah were the first friends that I made since Day 1 and right off the bat, we just clicked! We have the same sense of humour, life-experiences, interests.. the list is just, endless I'd say. Travel, Music, Fashion, Makeup, Family, Relationships.. You name it. We could go on and on. & It's like each of us are some sort of a motivation source for each of us? Yeah, it's hard describing friendships that are treasurable because its like theres not a word thats enough for them. (In a good way, of course!) 

 Somehow you could say we're familiar but different at the same time. 

Haha! Does that make sense? 

It has been a hella ride but I would think that if it weren't for these two,my current life in NAFA would just be meh, a big blur. They truly are gems of life.

Lateral Thinking | Edward De Bono

Edward de Bono made known that lateral thinking is a type of thinking. He knew that there are others that questions creativity if it just so happens that an individual can inherit such skill or even some kind of talent, although he believed as much that creativity and the ability to imagine is something that anyone can learn from with proper training. No doubt, some may be better than others. But hey, that is how some things operate. I can be good at cleaning but not at cooking? Like I can paint well but I can't draw well? Of some sort like that. 

It so happens that one idea can be a tad more usable or creative than the other also because of our own effort. There are tools accessible for anyone to go beyond and develop this skill in workshops and such. No kidding! He really believes, which I agree, that in order for us to constantly think outside of the box, in any creative thinking session, we got to refrain ourselves from this habitual mode of traditional steps - he's got a great point though. We generate new ideas also to stock the mind with potential concepts that may not be at such use now but in near future. This theory on lateral thinking shows that he has good explanatory value with the need of creativity. 

Lateral Thinking | Week 6

Lateral thinking - ability to think "outside of the box" or creatively.

It involves us to discard away the obvious & get rid of our own traditional mode of thoughts so we can make use of inspirations and imaginations to look at problems and solving it in a different/unexpected perspective.As coined by Edward de Bono, it is basically changing concepts and perceptions. Not only playing around with the pieces but changing the pieces as well.

 Connect the dots without having to lift the pencil off the paper. 

Trace the lines in one continious movement without crossing a line on the way.

We were to get into groups of three to figure out on a few examples like about the neighbours chicken causing the hole in my fence. 
What would I do to solve it without having to offend him/her? 

Hm.. And so here are our top picks that may seem a tad crazy but possible, maybe? Haha!

1. Put a mirror as reflection for confusion

2. Turn the fence upside down 

3. Dig a whole as a trap for them chickens

All in all, lateral thinking is as important us to imply to the external world, especially in the world of designers. Sticking to the same ole same ole, would not expand creativity for us to illustrate it then.  Who would be there to do so? If not ourselves? Who? 

Effort plays a huge part in change. With change, there comes evolution. There comes, growth. 

Ending off with a thinker given from our lecturer,

"What would you do if.. you are not in NAFA now?"

  Realistically

1. Proceed with the course offered in RP (Diploma in Health Services)

2. Continue working retail / kids art teacher / babysitter

3. Start a Youtube channel - personal or travel vlogs/ beauty & wellness 

4. Take up on a design workshop and build up on portfolio 

5. Finish up my movie/series to watch list!

6. Stay unemployed and decide to just revamp my whole room 

7. Re-retake O' Level

Unrealistically & Crazy

1. Make a sex tape, get discovered in hopes to become like Kim Kardashian 

2. Go on a hunt for a rich husband 

3. Join a circus  

Amy Tan: Where does creativity hide? | TED

In Amy's TED talk, I can see how she projected and forsee her ingenious ways of what creativity is for her. Right off the bat, it is obvious that she loves uncertainty, how it was unclear when she comprehended life. As quoted by her,"There is no absolute truth." 

"The value of nothing; out of nothing comes something."

Her presentation manage to give a glimpse of her muses, be it by accident or was it serendipity? It helped her either way a lot in understanding the specifics, the about-ness or the discovery of that happening at that point. She questions theories of life likewise when she doesn't understand quantum mechanics but still uses it as a reference. Consciously or sub-consciously in her mind, she discover new things over her doubts/questions constantly running through a regime of her life experiences be it good or bad. There are quite a number of theories about how one can be creative. Simply with all these factors of having different life experiences/traumas/world views/backgrounds that any of us could have gone through, we ought to make that connection to vary these factors and make something new out of them. 

Seth Godin: How to get your ideas to spread | TED

I have to admit, I had to re-watch Seth Godin's TED talk on sliced breads, multiple times well because.. I could barely understand what he was saying! Although generally, it was quite an informative presentation, I did get the gist of it all. Basically, Seth talks about basic marketing in the now overstimulated advertising world. There is no escape that sponsored banners, TV & radio commercials, billboards are our permanent friend. Them catchphrases, exclamations all of which are fighting for attention. All these messages, they have one goal and that is to make sure it embeds in our memory. This not only applies to commercial products but to all kinds of ideas. Seth encourages us to stretch the margins, innovate further and to not play safe. 

"Be remarkable" 

To constantly make notice of ideas that can help spread the word, ideas and products should break from tradition and turn it more contemporary. Give the audience what they can't/won't expect. Something that is not the already-known. Something that causes curiousity because it's "new". That marketing tool will draw that needed undivided attention and make people really look and wonder. An example he gave was the cow. 

Would you rather stop halfway driving for a regular b&w cow or a cow with  both black and pink.

Exactly. 

Also he made a point especially for marketeers to focus on the audience, for those who actually may spread the word out of passion. The thing is, this all seemed pretty straight forward & common sensed but it's the approach, it is just not commonly done. 

Mind Mapping | Week 5

This week, we started off with an introduction of mind mapping. 
It was 9am, & of course everything else just sounded like "blablabla" 
As we got into it, we came across a personal mind map, some sort like a biography. 
Which led Mr Ezzam asking us,
"If you could be someone for a day, who would it be?"
To be honest, I was thinking hard about this.. It was the golden opportunity I could take advantage of! To think of the moment being able to be somebody you've been admiring or idolising for the longest time. I could be Charmaine Olivia, Lana Del Rey, Louis Cole, all these people with all I can but unfortunately, I was so blank I could not think of anyone but...
Heck yeah, the Queen B herself,Beyoncé.

Why? She was the first that popped up outta my head. To my defence, I would not even mind being Beyoncé any day. EVER. She just has it all together! And for her, she does everything discreetly but insistenly and wholeheartedly, which is a good thing. Usually what Beyoncé Knowles wants, Beyoncé Knowles gets. She got em voice, smokin' body & not to mention ass as well, favourably confident and dominant, a rappers' wife etc.. I mean I would trade any day to be her. Who in the right mind not?! 
C'mon, lets be real here.

   Hmm.. personally, I find mind mapping a complete waste of time & sometimes unnecessary simply because I do not put in effort to do it... However after much thought put into it, knowing myself, I am a visual learner. Mind mapping saves more time actually. I tend to be more interested anything associated with images, colours or maps. I mean it just adds more personality and liveliness to it or everything would've been extra EW! dull & boring. Would've you not agree with me, haha! 

On a side note, mind mapping is more than just note-taking. A mind map links information to the central subject and branches out to subtopics, key points or any related ideas. That's the thing about mind mapping - once you start, the possibilities seems endless. It's very intuitive and helps organise our thoughts, in a fun way I would say. There's no limit a7 s to how and where we can apply this graphical tool of mind mapping. It can be used when we are planning our career, studying a subject or language. Pretty much anything! 

Later in class that day, we were told to actually do a mind map of ourselves as part of our activities, and so here is mine:

You can pretty much know the kind of person I am straight off the bat. Anyways, this just came to mind as I was summing up my "About Myself", oh well. 

Thats right, that's what I would have written on my very own tombstone [shown above]! Honestly, I went completely blank (yet again) and came up with the shortest descriptions ever.... 
Though this would most probably be outta three I'd have to choose from for myself,haha!
 Speaking of tombstones and death, we were told to think of a scenario or ways how we would want to face and taste death all at once, if given a choice. I'd have to say, 
"committing suicide by jumping off a building backwards."
 Well, this was what happened to my cousin way back when. I have never met her not even once which is an unfortunate because my family always have talked about her, her life, her daughter etc. I would definitely want to feel for that exact position, and finally knowing and understanding what she was really thinking and why what she did, was done. Till now, no one could respond for her with that solid answer. & no one ever will. It does not have to have the limit to only her, but also for those that face death knowingly, consciously and sometimes even decisively. When you'd think situations and people are really that fine and normal, you'd surprise yourself with these depressing unpredictable wonders of life that has yet to happen.