december update

crazy busy with multimedia production/editing and tv!

'nuff said.

very cool film site

www.becomingroyston.com

Film: Michael Clayton

I realized that I haven't been watching intellectual movies for a darn long time. It's sure good to watch something more substantial once again (for a change).

I felt really stupid for about 3/4 of the movie but then I suppose it is more the intention of the movie to unfold things ever so slowly as opposed to my intellectual capability to grasp the seemingly un-graspable.

Everything was however clear come the last 5 minutes of the film and my friend and I walked away saying 'this is really really good.'

I particularly loved the cinematography. Specific-focused, suave focus-pulls, the blurs of the street lights, warm-cool tones...

This is writer/director Tony Gilroy's directorial debut and I felt like giving him a standing ovation even before I knew he was a first 0time director.

mesmerized, in every sense of the word

ahhh, the weekend again! i can just sit here all day sound tripping.

======== Events Past and Up & Coming ========

weather forecast: rainy - and from the looks of it, it's gonna be like such ALL weekend


The Past: Miss Saigon, Balmain
Had dinner at the infamous Miss Saigon, owned by Doms dad. Doms was working that night and we decided to say hi and give them some business. We love food as it is so it ain't a problem. We were pretty sure we'll be happy with whatever brand of Viet nosh they serve and we weren't disappointed.

We were a happy group of nine. Post dinner, we walked up and down Darling Street (the main road) in search for a coffee place. To our disappointment, all of them were closed. We happened to ask a couple of Italian middle aged men and they told us to go home cos there's nothing open. Ended up having gelato. And then eventually got kicked out cos they were closing. Alas, Balmain is such a day time suburb.

I used to work there and I believe all the charm it holds belongs to the community of people. I was lucky enough to have interacted with a bunch of those people my first two years in Sydney.

We walked past the Starbucks where I onced worked and they were closed at 7pm! It's just weird.


Up & Coming...

Saturday:
Lunch somewhere with a colleague / friend. I normally draw a line between work friends and friends friends but this is one exception.
Might catch a flick later or just hang around. It is still rainy...

Dinner (or should I say pig-out) with a friend from UTS, Heading to Cafe 22, an all-time favorite. This is perhaps going to be my big big meal before I launch into the 2-week low iodine diet where I can hardly eat anything. Think detox, Ivannah!

Sunday:
Yum Cha with a couple of high school friends. It's so cool how there's three of us here now. One's making her way from the Blue Mountains.

Sunday arvo will be dedicated to ironing and cooking lunch for the next day.

Such is life.

And the cycle just goes 'round and 'round.

the thing about life is...

I am just loving the fact that it is friday night. nothing on the agenda for tonight. as usual i scurried home as soon as the clock ticked 5. no detours, whatsoever. just straight home.

just in dire need of that breather.

been having really bad headaches the past few days. a concerned amy asked me what the ache was like and i could only compare the feeling to how i imagine it would be if some dumb muscle man tried to physically squeeze your brains out. ugh. i am just glad it's over.

no more excuse for procrastinating, i suppose. so i'm sitting here trying to recuperate (from staying up late producing a video last night) and get some stuff done (just like i do every week - well, i try).

while i still owe my blog a 'holiday' post (okay, sneak preview below...), let me say something somewhat in reference to my twenty- seventh.


perhaps the best birthday gifts i can ever receive (that makes my heart thump with glee) include (in no particular order) a birthday card (okay, that one's pretty important), anything related to photography & film (read: moving pictures), art and notebooks. okay, the list goes on. i like a lot of things - note the difference between like and need, thus i buy only what i need (inclusive of what i want to need and/or what i think i need because i absolutely want).

i reckon i look like a notebook person. for years, people have been giving me diaries and notebooks for whatever occasion. i have all these under-utilized notebooks lying around but i still love them.

check out these unused ones i recently got... (left to right - kikki.K kraft notebook [from rosie], MoMA hologram notebook [from leanne])


people just make cool notebooks. speaking of which, check out the stuff (notebooks, included!) my friend, Bernee makes by clicking on the etsy shop link on this page. they're eco-friendly, funky and user-friendly. in other words, coooolnessss... if you're viewing this via multiply, check out my blog site... www.ivannah.blogspot.com. don't forget to clicky, clicky!

i'm just really happy it's the weekend. nuff said.

random ramblings

That's my not-so-new lomography fish eye 2 toy. I got a newer one intentionally purchased by a friend from MoMA - yep, The Museum of Modern Art!!! The lovely new lomo toy is a green lomolito. Thing is, I'm so rusty with films that I've pretty much wasted my first roll of film! Oh, my friend got me an unruled notebook with a hologram MoMA building on the front cover. Coolness.

Two Fridays ago, Joy and I went to the Seventh Avenue Market held at the Aussie Tech Park in Redfern. Pretty cool place, I tell you (both Seventh Ave and Redfern - it's the old Redfern train station so it's a heritage site with locomotive stuff!).

Seventh Ave was a disappointment to begin with because the website (check out www.sevethavenuemarket.com.au, register for free and get access) promised a whole lot of stuff from sass & bide, life with bird, le specs (really cool, drool-worthy but cheap sunnies), stephanie conley (trendy jackets and dresses) and a whole lot more.



We got there and there were just piles and piles of jeans. And I mean MILLIONS of them but only like 10 styles. There were other stuff but not worth mentioning. We kinda browsed through the other stuff but nothing appealed to us. So we thought we'd look closely at the jeans.

I love jeans but they're tricky cos you really have to try them on for the right fit and all. And so we did but the dressing room is a big dressing room, akin to the fitness first change rooms without the toilets, sinks, lockers and cubicles. But oh well. Once I found my sass & bide size, I went and grabbed a couple of pairs. It's 50 bucks a pop. There was the european brand cheap monday but I didn't bother. Those were going for 30 bucks.

Not quite sure what the big deal about sass & bide jeans are just yet. Don't get me wrong, I love the ones I got. i've washed and worn them and yeah they're pretty comfy.

I checked out DJs and saw that they were selling for about 240 a pair. Seriously. I remember checking them out a few months back and I thought they were only about 150 each. Geez. One of the pairs I got was made in china, the other was from the phils. Showed my bro and he went 'it looks like Penshoppe!" Penshoppe would have cost me 10 bucks. Okay, maybe 15! Haha!

Anyhoo, I'm just not sure why people would pay 240 bucks for jeans made in china. Yeah they're sass & bide but they are not way better than say an esprit (they sell for less than a hundred and with the membership card, you get 15% off). *scratch head*

With the advent of the internet and all, I reckon it ain't so difficult trying to be resourceful anymore. So for those people who do not appear resourceful, maybe a more accurate adjective for them is 'lazy'.

I wonder if employers would pre-screen their job applicants by looking them up on google before deciding if they are interview-worthy.

There is currently a gross infestation in Sydney. The moths this year have come in droves. It is disgusting - like a plague of some sort. We can't even open the windows so the apartment smells like food cos we can't air it out properly! And then the moths still come in somehow. We've been vacuuming them up (like we did spiders back in the days).

Apparently they (moths) were migrating to Victoria from somewhere but the wind blew them to Sydney. What an excuse! It's just like when people say the wind blew them to some place to justify their presence, or maybe that includes justification to their existence.

I'm pretty much still in square one. Life's been almost same old, same old. A friend told me I'd be depressed if things were same old, same old. But then maybe I'm just numb, or maybe I'm hopeful that one day I'll reach the end of the tunnel cos there's that flicker of light I see.

trying to get the groove back

haven't blogged for a while so i just noticed that they've added an "add video" function. woohoo!

i need a great big shove, a good whipping and some back-lashing.

it's almost Quarter 4 of 2007. now i wonder where the first three quarters went.

the hallway of so-called family values

p.s. i'm still very much alive - but very tired (i.e. longing for that long-overdue much needed holiday scheduled for September).

La Famille Tenenbaum

--> stunned <--

can't believe it. my iMac is one month old and this morning, it died!

thank goodness for tech support, at least i got to share part of my frustrations with someone. i had to do an 'erase and install'.

smart ivannah hasn't backed up anything yet, therefore i have lost my works in progress (screenplay, videos, after effects projects), some music, a lot of photos and my newly revised CV.

currently reinstalling mac osx and mourning the loss of my stuff. to top it all off, i haven't backed up my programs which means i have to get them form the source once again and then whip up a video by tomorrow.

sigh. i'm glad my old rickety pc is still around. i almost sent THIS for reformatting last week!

i feel like i just had a heart attack. to think i've called in sick today due to bad tummy condition (i was orchestrating my own fireworks last night). i darenot say more.

in a way it's good i'm home when this happens. guess i better look at it that way.

*BIG SIGH*

there's still hope.

i disintegrate.

i need at least a month to recover.

don't ask me for details,
i'm not good with disecting abstact concepts.

therefore i cannot quite explain,
unless i try very hard (and i have no energy for such),
my current dilemma.

checking with the doc at lunch time,
hoping they won't make me wait an eternity...

seeing the new shrink after work.
pray work won't be crazy busy like friday.

the weekend:
chatted with B / hillsong tv gfx / bus ride with G / watched Life Aquatic + Lost in Translation bonus features /caught up with Ced re Fri nite projects / lunched and hung-out with Joy, Andrew + bro post church service / napped and prepped for the new week ahead

The Week: in point form

+ busy lunch periods catching up with an array of lunch buddies - to make up for the nights spent on The Editing.

+ spoke to dad on monday, dad's birthday on tuesday, found out he had a bit of an accident thereafter - pray it's going to be all good. soon. :I

+ bro somewhat worried about eye probs. :(

+ busy day at work, meetings and all - think the volume has picked up once again - and maybe we need those contractors after all.

+ officially taking a finance course next month - something i have to pass (aim:71%). otherwise, it's going to be another expense - an unwanted one at that.

+ whew! i thought my Photoshop died - it's alive again!

+ tired, potentially getting sick - winter's coming! - oh well for sickness, yay for winter. i need new black boots.

+ weekend's here! please be slow, weekend dearest. don't go too soon and let monday come, lest i be miserable!

+ DONE with the video! i love you, final cut pro, though you don't do sound mixes very well. oh well. i still love my mac and the best thing about the whole experience is the learning process. more on this in upcoming blogs.

+ just bought STACKS of blank DVDs and a couple of Wes Anderson's films: The Royal Tenenbaums (one of my faves!) and The Life Aquatic (apparently a flop, but for 10 bucks, it's not too bad - savour the commentaries, fingers-crossed they're worth 10 bucks).

+ oh, me and Na are officially Club Dendy (www.dendy.com.au - THE best cinemas - for their choice of flicks) members! been wanting to join since 5 years ago! so FINALLY! :D


Below: the product of that wee bit of photoshop exercise i just had to do.

Calm after the Storm

A friend used to tell me how there's one thing a person in their lowest of lows can look forward to -better times. She reasoned that there's just that point where things couldn't get any worse.

That's something I've believed until now.

i'm currently happily editing The Video. But I have to do everything again... not that I've done so much already...I'm just glad the concept's worked.. sort of.

I'm blabbering. I have more to say but currently lost for words. I'll write again when I'm more organized.

Locked-in

The lifts in the apartment went berserk last night. They fixed it an hour or so ago. Good for them. I thought I'd be stuck here forever.

(There are fire stairs but once you're out, you can't come back in unless someone from inside opens the fire door for you.)

Having pre-shoot jitters. The thing to bear in mind is that I'm not alone and there are people (make that at least one person) who shares a deep concern for the project as much as I do.

I've had parotid glad infection for a few days now. The damning condition has made one of my cheeks swell, made me feel (not to mention look) a bit funny and has sent my mood into swift series of sommersaults.

www.avidlingoren.com - inspiring, at the very least.
Cheers to you all, Filipinos!
Double cheers to you all, Filipino film people!!

Finally, Finally...

* North Sydney Freeway, taken form the North Sydney Footbridge.

Finally got my DSL2 modem, hence an even faster connection (not that I've ever complained in the past) but at least we've got optimum (or so I think) internet connection.

Still have that one box to unpack but I'll take my time on that - until tax season, I suppose.

We are currently working on a wedding video, plus I've got a few projects lined up. Apart from the wedding video, the others don't really have a deadline which is well and good - but I'm determined to come up with kick-ass material though I don't know how.

The week's been alright. Lunches with good friends - Katrina's back! - a few dinners, a 007 movie from the 70s and a bunch of late nights.

Long road ahead, I tell you. I gotta catch up with house work before I totally shove the thought to the back of my head.

Back to the Groove...

Hey hey! I'm back, I'm back.

Posts and photos coming up shortly!

BlogCrazy

I'm back on track, with opium in hand.

==========================
I was:

+ adopted by Shaun on Valentine's Day.

+ fed by Joy at 10am on CNY whilst others looked on, after I made my way through the Darling Harbour CNY fireworks, after I did graphics for Hillsong.

+ happily enjoying Trofest night at the Domain once again!

+ and still am inspired to make a film. Sigh.

==========================
I long for your return, and whilst I wait, I wish thee well.
==========================

what's summer without a trip to the beach?

flattie bday

the long weekend i will always long for.

Happy Belated Australia Day...

Blank.

I've kinda lost the plot this week and we're still on the first half of the darn week.

Need to learn to take the bitter with the sweet.
And perhaps aquire a taste for the bitter.

"Thomas Listen. Listen. There are times when life calls out for a change. A transition. Like the seasons. Our spring was wonderful, but summer is over now and we missed out on autumn. And now all of a sudden, it's cold, so cold that everything is freezing over. Our love fell asleep, and the snow took it by surprise. But if you fall asleep in the snow, you don't feel death coming. Take care."

Can water colouring save me?

Sigh. They look like the type of art I used to submit during my early primary years.

Another sigh.

But then again, it has been fun.

By the morrow I should finish the cut-and-paste.

Crossroad Number One

The portfolio is due on Friday. I've started drawing. It ain't so bad. Pretty much halfway through the drawings and it's only Monday.

I have been on the verge of chickening out once again. I have my fingers crossed. I am holding my breath and praying... I need a miracle.

After Friday I've got someother things to attend to. I should not hold my breath until mid-Feb.

It won't be the end of the world.

Even if it will be, it won't be the end of me.

A beach of a day.

Finally! A really summery summery day!

Forced myself to wake up 8-ish, though with a headache, to make it down to Balmoral beach with my thinking cap, inspirational literature (read: a cool mag - the old vanity fair with kate moss on the cover, in this case) and my trusty lil notebook.

This was Day One of my application-in-progress for a certain to-die-for course. One that might just get me somewhere.

Not sure if I got much done, apart from get uber absorbed in reading I can't remembed what now.

Headed to 'Not Bread Alone' to meet up with friends for brunch, had a bit of a chat and man it was a seriously hot day.

Checked out 5 bookstores around the city, darlo and paddo for more research and fingers-crossed I'm halfway through the thinking process. Or at least close. Doubt I'll get much done tomorrow. Got the scientific research left. Wikipedia, help me please...

Saw Black Hawk Down after dinner. We had to return the DVDs we rented last Sunday. Pretty much skimmed through the film. I have to say it's beautifully crafted. Err.. not a very film-person (wannabe) review there but what can I say? It's been a long day and the film's dragging, especially when you're watching it on DVD (on normal poor household tv monitor).

Work's been a bit on the annoying side lately. I've got an incident to report next week and I'm not looking forward to it. Growl.

Que sera sera. Gotta get to bed before I get uber hungry...

Lost and Found Orchestra

me was there, thanks to na for waking up freaking early to queue up for the el cheapo ticket!

the show was awesome! great lighting (love the vibrant colours!), kick-ass choreography and music-making!

*big grin* -> big enough to last me the whole year.

a return to love - marianne williamson

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking
so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine, as children do.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously
give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear,
our presence automatically liberates others.

You haven't had Japanese Cuisine until you've been to...

*sulk*

i am seriously falling asleep. have a few things left undone but my pc is dying on me and my connection... well my internet connection sucks cos i am too stingy to go broadband. and guess what? i am uploading a video this very moment. haha.

can't wait for macbook pro and broadband internet. expenses, expenses. can't wait to quit that which i have been longing to quit.

can't wait for happy days.

getting the picture

I've been telling close friends how reading John Maxwell always makes me want to quit my job. Having said that, I know I would need to make a few clarifications, particularly to those who a.) do not see the whole picture and/or b.) do not know me at all.

Jamiroquai used to be my opium. Now it is John Maxwell. He is that great a motivator to the point that his books remind me of that big dream which I have in the past deemed unattainable, give me that feeling of hype about the whole idea and then purport me to action.

Just perfect for the new year, just perfect for 2007 - after a stagnant 2006.

And so lies my mission statement, which came to me at around 3:00am this morning - to make a difference in people's lives through films which impart values, inspires and motivates people towards action.

There, I've said it. I'm also moving from aspiring to be a cinematographer into being 'the director.' Tough call but hey, I gotta be realistic, right?

After all that, I have still decided to keep my job. Afterall, they're helping me get my new 17" MacBook Pro. *smirk*

day two.

Back to work and the normal grind.

I remembered my MacbookPro, which I'm getting via salary packaging. Means I have to hang on a wee bit longer. Just a wee bit longer.

But then, I do have to start drafting the master plan. With plans A to D. Sigh. When did my life get so complicated?

The room's a mess. Mum's actually fixed it a tad. But then some things just don't work for me so have to do a lil bit of tweaking.

Two and a half months left in the north shore. Moving to the city end of March.

More expensive rent.

Less disposable income.

Dang.

OMG, it's 2007!

I've been hibernating for a bit during the holiday season. My whole family's in town to celebrate the holidays Sydney-style - "tatamad-tamad," to quote the junior Mr. Go - very laid-back, in words most of the world will understand.

I'm still on holiday mode despite the fact that I have been going to work and despite the other fact that tomorrow is back to work forever - the official end of the festivities I have so longed for the whole of 2006.

Pray the work days will not drag on endlessly.

Christmas week was spent lazing around the city in our three-star accomodation. To be honest, I am more relaxed doing nothing (or something I'd deem creative) at home.

Took the family around some nice eats about town - Tea Room (Victorian-style fine dining / Mod OZ cuisine), MCA Cafe (cafe adjacent to the Museum of Contemporary Art - my haven / Mod OZ cuisine) and Masuya (one of the best Jap places in town), to name the top few picks.

Boxing Day was indeed the ultimate movie day. Saw Marie Antoinette (with the family) and The Holiday (with Amy and Norman) back to back. Had to down my Subway sandwich of a lunch during the trailers prior to The Holiday. Both were good in their own respects.

Marie Antoinette is totally art house. I darenot say too much. I love the look of the film, and the style.

The Holiday was a good chill-out film despite some imbalance story-wise.

NYE fireworks were observed from the footbridge a minute away at 9pm, and from my bedroom window at 12am. This is perhaps the best place we've ever lived at judging from the great opera house/harbour bridge views. Perhaps even a good venue for a cool NYE party cos the possums and the cats were MIA last night. Guess these creatures are scared of people, after all.

My friends from home gave me a John Maxwell book for christmas which I haven't started reading until today. Good one. Maxwell's stuff always gives me the push I've always needed.

Time to get cracking. Seriously.