When you bequeath a necktie for supper

Oh hi. You’re still there. Thanks for hanging around.

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I’m expecting to be really busy for the rest half of the year. Busy working on my animation demo reel. And busy with The Novel’s first draft. I doubt I’ll be blogging much (glances over at previous entries). I hope the weekly shorts will suffice.

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Every day I take the bus and I draw ugly pictures of pretty people. Sometimes it’s the other way around. Pay no heed to the guy fastidiously drawing next to you. He is an artist, i.e. he can do whatever the hell he wants. If you strike another pose, he will probably flip a page. Ignore this.

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Animation is very much a full-time discipline. I’m learning a whole lotta acting, drawing and software thingamajigs. Then there’s the whole history of the industry, the state of the industry as it is, and oh shit look, forums, books, magazines, interviews.

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Hougang won again. Yippee.

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As much as I agree with Joe on the Ferrari thing, I think there’re things like social symbolism, class-cultural divisions (real/imagined), and a general disgruntled affair with the ruling party that underpins the incident. A riot on empty streets.

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Turning 28, suddenly I’m open to dating anyone.

A story inspired by… Imelda May’s “Inside Out”

Every Tuesday, theplanktonsociety presents “A story inspired by…”, a weekly short story series inspired by lovely music videos. This week, we’re inspired by Imelda May’s “Inside Out”.

Beyond the Southern hamlet, against the dense jungle foliage, Magnon the Brave, warrior barbarian of the Further Lands, climbed the final steps of the jagged cave’s entrance. He was in the thick of it. Through rotting corpses of adventurers slain and past transmuted stone carvings of ancient curses, Magnon trod onwards, into the darkening abyss that awaited his holy destiny.

“Your grace has arrived upon sacred ground,” a high-pitched creaking echoed in the chamber. Magnon stood silent, and unsheathed the mighty sword of Disenfranchised Youthfulness from his side.

“There is nothing sacred about this place, witch,” Magnon replied. “Show thyself.”

“On contrary, barbara, ‘tis most blessed soil you stand on.” Through an opening in the distance, an oil lamp was lit, and patiently carried towards Magnon. The harridan was an ugly wretched thing. Up close and personal, she approached Magnon. “This was where they shot that whole Gandalf-Balrog scene in the Fellowship of the Ring.”

“What?” queried Magnon, his suspicions raised.

“Yup, the whole thing. You see that step over there? Ian McKellen was just dangling off the side of it. Most of it was CGI you know, but I mean, they did most of the shots here, and the rest of it on green scree-”

“Witch!” interrupted Magnon in anger, his sword raised to strike, “what madness does thou speak of?”

“You don’t have to get all sensitive about it. I mean, I totally understand the controversy behind digital effects and good ol’ Hollywood puppetry, but I think there’s plenty of room for both. Tsk. Everyone’s a critic these days. Still, that Balrog was pretty awesome wasn’t it? All flamey and firey and ARGH ARGH ARGH! And then, RUN YOU FOOLS! Oh god I teared up a wee bit when I saw that.”

For a moment, Magnon stood still. His heavy sword pivoting against the cold air of cave. Finally, his lips parted. “Doest thou hath any of those Legolas toy figurines for purchase?”

A story inspired by… The xx’s “VCR”

Every Tuesday, theplanktonsociety presents “A story inspired by…”, a weekly short story series inspired by lovely music videos. This week, we’re inspired by The xx’s “VCR”.

The shipwrecked young terrorists had fallen in love – this was inevitable. One could speculate the potentialities of alternate dimensions, or the exacting nature of serendipitous happenstance – one would probably fail to comprehend the predestined likelihood of “it is what it is”.

George and Kate had blown apart the vessel with their C4. Their botched escape plan saw them remaining on board the sinking ship, washed onto a tropical beach, and learning to survive with each other for three months. Kate was in the middle of beheading a wild chicken when she’d noticed George on one knee, wet tears welling up in his dust-encrusted eyes. “Honey,” the wild man declared to her in the cool afternoon wilderness, “I’m afraid I’ve fallen for you”.

The wind blew, a loose coconut fell, and the two embraced.

A story inspired by… Benjamin Francis Leftwich’s “Shine”

Every Tuesday, theplanktonsociety presents “A story inspired by…”, a weekly short story series inspired by lovely music videos. This week, we’re inspired by Benjamin Francis Leftwich’s “Shine”.

I had to know, so I had to ask, the weather girl, about the vase, that kept the rain, as it fell that day, that came in buckets, and went away; but left a trail, of smallest droplets, of memories, that we forgot, quiet still, they patter pitter, soaking up, the softest thunder, and sprays of water, of misled feet, and tyre marks, of wistful and longing, and evaporating dust. Upon leaves of trees, they shudder lightly, like morning dew, like sunlight rays; “If you walk quickly enough, they won’t get you, instead go swiftly, and between the rainfall,” she speaks and sings, in a hushed nightingale call. “I think you’ll like it out here.” So we took hands, all duty bound, and danced on wet, wet city streets; soundless and still, and without bother, protected by, our shrouds of water; the lovers danced, we loved, we laughed – we loved the rain, and it loved us.

A story inspired by… Mika’s “Elle Me Dit”

Every Tuesday, theplanktonsociety presents “A story inspired by…”, a weekly short story series inspired by lovely music videos. This week, we’re inspired by Mika’s ridiculous bundle of audio joy “Elle Me Dit”.

When you wake up tomorrow it shall be glorious.
The sun will shine and all manner of sadness and emotional wrangling will be
Poof, gone. Blown by the ever-fast clouds of midnight,
stolen by the night elven folk of the hood and kept in their secret keep of secrets.
Instead a new day will embrace you
and kiss you,
and hug you,
and tell you Congratulations on Your XXX Trip around the Sun!
So strap on your rocket boots and let loose the fireworks,
A new day awaits!
another hill to scamper up,
another mountain to climb,
A new song to sing, and a new dance to dance.
Because rose-tinted glasses never looked better on you.