Why Would I Write

  • (Circling) Parking Spots

    If there’s one thing I can’t stand when I’m in a car in a parking lot – it has to be drivers who go around in circles looking for the ‘perfect spot’ to park in. You know where’s the perfect spot? Any fucking spot. Anything is better than circling a lot for 30 mins just to find some place that’s closer to the entrance because for some reason you can’t walk more than 10 meters to the mall. Seriously. It annoys me to no end. It inconveniences other people (because parking lots usually have narrow lanes that don’t allow cars to overtake) and the time you spend circling the parking lot could be used being productive.

    You know what’s the best way to find a parking spot? Drive down to the lowest floor. Because many people in Malaysia seem obsessed about finding spots on the higher floor for some strange reason. A lot of the times, these people create jams inside malls looking for spots to park in. I think it’s a worse offense than parking in handicapped spots. At least those guys don’t hold up traffic for no reason. So, just go all the way down and chances are you’ll find plenty of places to park in. It’s a great tip which works in every mall except during public holidays (when you should be avoiding such places in the first place).

    You park your car faster, you spend less time in it, more time doing whatever you need to do, and you can even leave the mall within 15 minutes if you’re fast enough. Also, you don’t hold up people behind you. You’ll make someone else’s day. Don’t be a dick, walk a bit, it doesn’t hurt.

  • Sink or Swim

    Ever since Taking Back Sunday stopped being Taking Back Sunday, I’ve always been looking out for a band to recreate music similar to the style of Taking Back Sunday I fell in love with. For a long time, nobody came close – until recently, when I discovered this band called Pentimento. I can’t remember how I stumbled across their music, but damn I was blown away when I put on their latest album, I, No Longer. From the Eleven-like opening Small Talk for Strangers, to the ‘Ballad of Sal Vilanueva’-ish riff in Sink or Swim; I, No Longer is reminiscent of the old school Taking Back Sunday I love. Bear in mind that this isn’t an insult (why would I write about them otherwise?) but a testament to how good I think their music is.

    Listening to Pentimento for the first time invoked in me feelings that I had listening to TBS in the past. While they have similarities (guitar sound, call back vocals, and ’emo’ lyrics), Pentimento’s music is strong enough to stand out on its own and fans of the genre will easily find themselves at home. I haven’t had a chance to listen to their full discography yet, but their 2015 is definitely one of my favorite releases I’ve heard this year. Check out I, No Longer below:

  • Photography doesn’t come naturally/slight updates

    If there’s one thing I don’t do a lot of with my smartphone, it’s taking photographs. If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook, you’ll notice that I hardly upload photographs. However, I am tagged in plenty of them.

    For some reason, the act of lifting my phone up to shoot a photograph doesn’t feel natural to me. My friends and most people I know don’t seem to have that problem. To them, shooting their food, their surroundings or people they see seems instinctual. On the other hand, I have to think – what am I shooting this photograph for? why am I taking a picture?

    Especially selfies. Maybe it’s from fear of embarrassment, or just lack of self-confidence, but I cringe at the thought of taking them in public. At home, in the comfort of my room, I’m fine with that. But in public, no way! Unless I’m in a remarkable location or I can do it inconspicuously, I rarely do it. I don’t know why. I have no problems posing for photographs or being in them, but when I’m the one holding the camera… *shudders*

    In other news, I’m back! After a few weeks of not blogging, I hope I’ll have plenty of things to say in the coming weeks – at least until the next Big Bad Wolf sale, which will be at the end of February in Malacca.

    Some updates:
    – Rocket League is awesome. Probably the best online game I’ve played next to Dota 2. If you’re looking for a fun way to relieve stress online, be sure to check it out. It goes on sale quite often, so you can pick it up for cheap.
    – MUD is still fun. I recently got back into Realms of Hell, and while I don’t expect to spend a lot of time on it, it’s been a fun experience getting back into the grind. Maybe this time I’ll get further than I did previously! Mudding on your phone is actually quite enjoyable too.
    – CNY is here, and I’m going to be on a week-long break (hooray!). I’ll use the time to catch up on my Python and Science of Happiness classes. Also, maybe grind some MMR.
    – Deadpool is coming soon, I’m looking forward to that. And Valentine’s Day too. It’ll be my second one with Milin!
    – Pentimento is the best band I’ve discovered this year (so far). Holy shit, these guys are amazing. Check out Sink or Swim below: