Creativity outside the box

People always say think outside of the box but how do you usually do it? For starters understand the meaning of the phrase itself, the box refers to the normal context or limitation that one put into ideas which are commonly thought of. Thus thinking within the box makes you produce the same thing over and over with just minor changes within the normal method that does not gives you a significant outcome in whatever your ideas are.

A box does not have to be square, a cup does not have to be cylindrical. What we see mostly in the shelves of supermarkets and departmental stores are the many example of over-used ideas that does not need the capacity to think nor waste time on. But if you think carefully, if everyone uses the same ideas over and over and compare it to those who create normal objects to something unique. Which one of them would be remembered more? I'm sure you know which is more memorable among the millions of products which you see having the same features.

First of all, throw away any limitations and boundaries you have on the normal ideas people usually come up with. Even if you are talking about a simple T-shirt, mug, flowers or whatever you wanna use. The goal is to make it "Unique" in terms of ingenuity and creativity in its design. This applies greatly in advertising and production industries. Roses do grow in red,white, orange & pink. You can also make blue, violet, green or rainbow colored roses. Hehehehe not gonna explain how you make em. Just find it out on your own. People who made these made themselves stand out among the normal creators because they think what others would not go through the hassle of doing.

There are a lot of people I know always design things that looks cliche, well going by the book might be safe but these days competition is what we call survival of the fittest. First of all you need to know what is WOW and what is normal. Before we actually be able to create something out of the ordinary, exposure is very very important. Because if you look at the masterpieces of others and compare it to normal works, you will see the difference between whats WOW, GREAT, GOOD, NORMAL, SO SO, BAD and the YUK! Slowly learning the skills to differentiate the details needed to grade people work is essential. Because you can learn what makes it good and what does not work.

Understanding in the nature of the work is needed, there are a huge majority of people who says this a painting is good but failed to explain why. Why is that? The answer is lack of understanding and knowledge on what makes it good. Man it gets on my nerves one time when my lecturer tells one of my mates that her design is bad but refuses to explain why. Not to be a buzz kill but critique sessions are for that very reason for the lecturer to explain her views on why it is bad in the first place and why is it better to try another method. I somehow got a feeling that lecturer does not understand the need to explain or she is inexperienced enough to say anything besides "I like that" and "I don't like that".

Remember that within your creativity to make something unique, there must always be an explanation to your work as to what you use, why you use it, what does it represents and also why do you choose to to display it in such manner. If you can't explain your own work, who can?


That is all for now. Laterzz!

Creating, Designing & Revamping (Idea Vs Time)

Hmm since I mainly do game concept designs, I realize that there is one very important aspect when it comes to the topic of IDEA Vs TIME. The main problem with ideas are they are not yours only, in the world most probably thousands have thought of what you think is a GREAT IDEA or GREAT CONCEPT, but the catch is how many of these thousands will step up to claim that this so called idea is theirs?

Creating & Designing
1. Well this is not really hard if you have the right head and interest in what you like to do. Ideas comes out from everywhere you go and whatever you think. Being a critic helps out a lot because you are able to evaluate every aspect of your idea to a certain degree and have the right company to give feedback about what you have come up with. Being open to suggestion is also very important for it allows us to modify and not narrow ourselves to an idea that only caters to a small percentage of people.

2. To whom are the ideas targeted at? This is a question many forgot to ask themselves when they try to create something. Questions like age group, work group, income group, interest and available resources are the main essential things that helps you evaluate your targeted group. The second step is to understand the people who are in your target group like in the area of their liking, habit and also their views on the idea itself.

3. Are there any variation to what you have created published by other people in the internet? Well like I said above that ideas are not yours alone so to know that if you can make it your very own, check if any other people has already done it or have something similar. Lawsuits on copyright issues are very sticky matter, better be safe than sorry is what I would say. Which of these veteran ladies have it originally done? Dolly Parton or Pammy Anderson?

It is actually a race between the creators and pioneers to push and publish their findings or discoveries to actually name it as theirs. I have created alot of game ideas and concepts but it will only be recognized if it got published in a game and sold commercially. Unfortunately for me in Malaysia the gaming industries are so tiny that getting into a studio requires you to have a degree and portfolios comes secondary. Not to mention with the economic crisis, not much investors are willing to spend let alone invest in a place where the government are not fully transparent about its policies. = = Singapore is my second best chance but heck I still need to graduate before I get to try out somewhere further.

Revamp
As time pass by, you will notice what you originally created while starring at a blank wall long ago is being used somewhere in another part of the world. Don't be surprise because eventually someone is bound to wind up with the same ideas you do and they have the means and resources to carry it out and bring it out to the world as something complete. I actually don't find it as a negative thing to deal with because it has its perks if the idea is published by another person instead of yourself.

The very first thing is to see the public responses to the application of the idea itself. Sometimes base on statistics alone ain't gonna tell you that you would have a guarantee of how many people will go after your product. So if the response is good it means that you are on the right track and the only thing left is to use what you created and tweak it so that it does not resembles the work of the person who already got it out first or do something entirely better than what you have already thought of.

Sometimes what we thought of to be a great idea isn't that great in reality, that is where trial and error comes to play. Always listen to your elders =P they have taken in more salt and butter than we have before we were born and they know more. But that does not mean you have to follow what they say hehehehe (Evil Grin) As time change, so does the culture of the people. Knowing what your seniors had been through and the problems they have encountered can save you a lot of precious time from repeating their mistakes. Time is of the essence! But heck sometimes we give in to our stubbornness and end up learning the hard way. On a few special occasion, being bull headed helps you create something daring & bold that no one would ever think of venturing BUT it works. You can call it what every you want, genius, prodigy, eccentric, crazy or just plain lucky bastard.


Till I have more to write about =) laterzzz.

Company Trip to Pangkor Island

Yay, I'll have a chance to go on a company trip next month to Pangkor Island. This might be my last vacation getaway before class starts at the end of next month. I'm exited because I love the beach =D, and i heard snorkeling is a blast there from some of my friends.

But wait . . . . . I seemed to recall my last company trip when I was working in Low Yat plaza as a Computer sales personnel. It was more painful than fun from what I can recall in this very moment. It was a 3 days 2 night trip to Langkawi. I vividly remember the day where I happily packed my bag waiting with my friends outside of my house for our taxi to take us to the airport. My bro Ericc lost his shoes at the check in, I got hyper just getting a chance to go anywhere, Billy was being his silly self by being blur to the point of stupidity telling cold jokes while the others are half asleep waiting to board the plane. Mr.Wong our manager was complaining about the outrageous price of RM9 nasi lemak he had (I advised him to look before he leap)

Alas we reach Langkawi, the air was cool and it was drizzling a little. We rented 2 cars and took a 15 minutes drive to the resort hotel. First order of business is to check in, rest up and then go into town for some shopping. We bought lots and lots of CHOCOLATE to take home and I also have to stuff in 2 boxes of cigarettes for my aunt because its tax free. When night came we went back to the resort and then plundered the buffet table. Karaoke was our next event, this is when things start to go wrong, in there we sang and sang and the big boys drink and drink. = = it was the first time I am forced to drink Chivas without watering it down with coke (Damn Mr.Wong). 2 glasses was the max I could take and thank my lucky stars, my boss was looking out for me and I was spared from being drowned with alcohol by the half drunk Mr.Wong. Billy tried acting tough and drank like a donkey with a bottle up his ass. = = 3 decisive and direct shots of Chivas+Martel was all that took to take him out.

Me and my buddy Ericc volunteered to take the poor Billy back to the room, man that was when embarrassment and horror surfaced in that trip. Billy still being a little conscious but way out of his mind tried to walk on his own. Like a true master of chinese martial arts, he managed to walk like a drunkard master ready to embrace the cold hard floor with his face. As friends we did not let that happen. When we reached the elevator, Billy was banging the elevator door saying "Let me in baby! Let me in!" It basically stunned me and Ericc that Billy had this side of him. . . .when it opened we lift the drunkard in and it was hell inside when he started to scream "Open up! Open up!" The very moment the door opened he dashed out and fell flat on the floor, we did not know what to do with the sorry fella. So we decided to drag him by his feet since he doesn't wanna get off the floor. Then the most memorable word that came in the trip came from his drunk mouth. "DRAG ME BABY, YEAH HARDER!! PULL ME BABY!! YEAH~~!" When those words fly out we dropped his feet and look around because some people are peeking out of their door looking at who the hell is making all those noise at 11pm.

I presented Ericc with 2 option which is to knock the fella out this moment or drag him as fast as we could to his room. We decided to pick the second option and dragged him to the room, his roommate opened the door puzzle and we threw the bastard on to the bed and ran out. We were happy we got that over and done with and walked back to the elevator. We heard a loud BANG!! at the end of the corridor, a door was basically slammed open and there comes Billy!! Holy COW! Now he is playing terminator and refuses to get back into the room! His roommate was having a hard time pulling him back so we help drag him back in to the room again. This time its a little difficult, he has his leg and hands griped hard to the frame of the door. We manage to pry him from the door and this time we threw him in the toilet coz we suspected he was ready to puke, after he did we make sure he gets to bed. By the time we are done with him it is already pass 12am and we think we should better get to bed for whatever is planed for us tomorrow morning.

The horror does not end there. We were roommates with Mr.Wong and he is also drunk like a seasick crab, we thought it would be fine since he can handle more alcohol than Billy and all he does is blab non stop. Me and Ericc cleaned up and got ready to sleep, when suddenly Mr.Wong stood in front of the tv looking at us like a flirtatious trany and started to strip dance. My eyes bleed and Ericc was brain dead for a mear 5 minutes because of indecent exposure, luckily he still kept his shorts on. He then grabbed the decoration sarong from the wall and started wrapping it around himself like an Indian costume. When he got tired of dancing he sat down on the bed and started talking non stop about his life . . . . I actually recorded what he said with my MP3 and went to bed with it still recording what he said while I'm asleep. (the recording was worth it =P)

We all went for breakfast with 2 people missing in action which is Mr. Wong and Billy. Mr.Wong was still sleeping and Billy is having a bad hangover. We had fun discussing what happened last night and Billy's roommate told us his side of the story after we left the room. Apparently when Billy was sleeping facing upwards he puked like a volcano on himself. The room stinks and the cleaning lady was having a hard time. I wondered what happen if we were to put Mr.Wong and Billy together that night...the unimaginable might happen.

We had fun at the beach, the pool and the scenery. We visited the landmarks and also hunt for small waterfalls. When night came, we head back for dinner and no karaoke this time. We played cards betting on peanuts and chocolates. Well that very night i thought i can finally relax and enjoy the cold breeze from the window, I was wrong. When we played cards, Billy got over excited when he won and the moment he won after a loosing streak . . . . he grabbed hold of the hard wood chair and he jumped with it. What followed was me screaming and howling like a warewolf with a wooden stick thought the ass, apparently Billy crushed my toe when he landed with the chair after his unwanted jump of victory. = = I solely regretted that i did not take him out the night he was drunk coz he won't remember me doing it for sure. I spent the night with a bloodied toe while grinding my teeth to sleep after cleaning and bandaging it.

Basically all i remembered for that whole trip was Billy puked pretty much the whole trip after the karaoke and me with a heart full of memorable painful events.

Well i hope that this next company tip would be a memorable FUN one. Cross my fingers and hope that i enjoy it.

Till next time! Laterzzz

Anger Management

Well I certainly ain't as poetic as Shakespeare but i find that the words holds more meaning than what we would actually think of it. First and foremost, we are what we are and the choices we make is what makes us who we are. But if there is a chance you make a yourself better than who you are yesterday seem like a bad thing? Well it all depends on you actually.

There are many people out there in the world and every single soul and body out there is different in many ways. Heck! One Pamela Anderson and one Paris Hilton is enough! The world would fall into a stupidity spur if there are more of them around.

I'm absolutely certain that a person has absolute choice to control what they want and don't want to do but in a condition that we must not loose cool no matter what happen. Emotion, its the most basic element of what makes us human. But having it run out of control is the worst thing to possibly happen. Letting Eric Bana become THE HULK is one of the examples of uncontrolled rage, nobody likes it when someone is angry.

First and most impulsive emotions which makes you leap before you think. ANGER! Yes its right. We usually say things we don't mean or things that makes another persons heart felt like skewered kebabs. Worst comes to worst, the words don't come out but our bodies just speak with action straight from what we think. But hey, what would we gain from anything anger has to offer? It gives our nerves a pump they don't need, equips the heart a type of fiery spirit (definitely not a passion for something) and if its out of control, who knows what kinda things we might regret doing when the rage is over? Solution to try out, when you notice you are getting pissed, ask yourselves a few question if you can still maintain your cool.

1. Is it worth it being angry?

2. Are the things or subject you are angry about that important to be angry in the first place?

3. Does anger bring out a positive outcome in the end?

3. Would you mind if other people especially someone close to you see your outburst?

Its not a 100% will work because it also depends the individual personality or each person but at least it is still an option that we can still think of from with whatever rational thinking we have left in that state.