A Leaf

Autumn's really nice. It's warm and chilly at the same time. Always a good blend of wind, rain, shine and all that. It's a beautiful scene. My most favourite season of the four. Lovely weather.

Anyway, I'm currently at Kak Fida's. Staying here tonight. Its Halloween tomorrow, so I won't want to be around loads of people. Today's been a busy day. Had an international student sign-in as part of the new rules and regulations for the Border Agency. Also had a meeting with the Gradshow committee members and Paul Slocombe, the tutor heading this batch's graduate show. InsyaAllah it'll be a big one!

Anyway I've been awake since 9am today. It's already ten past midnight. Really tired and sleepy. Was thinking of taking photos at Perry Park tomorrow if the weather is good. And if I wake up that is. Hope everything's going well with all of you =)

Salam

What has been happening.

Hiya. Sorry for the lack of updates. The chicken's in the oven right now so I'll make this short and sweet.

It's been a hectic hectic week. Been having trouble getting work done for class. I've currently got the 'Metro Newspaper', 'Bodyshop', 'Vladivar Vodka' and 'Aero Chocolates' as briefs running at the same time. It's really good fun. But it takes alot out of you. Physically and mentally speaking. Ideas don't just come by your head suddenly. So loads of things have to be done to complete these briefs. So far I've got good response. The difference of the 'Bodyshop' brief is that i'm working on it myself now. The others are in creative teams.

Apart from the workload in uni, I've also got an interesting offer to get together with three other companions to set up our own agency. It's not too far away in the future, so wait up for news. We've been putting this off since Summer. There's a lot of opportunities there. It'll be interesting for me to learn and work side by side these great people. It'll be a tiring one i admit. But well worth the experience. Will see what happens. InsyaAllah i pray very hard so it'll work and I would have the Creativity, patience, discipline and whatever I need to go where I want.

I hate the term '...at the end of the day, we don't even know what we are doing!'. It just shows how well you are focused with your goals and what you want to be in say 10 years! The agency i was talking about might just be well worth the 5 years. But always think ahead. Some companies that I see only get to a point of 10 years, and then they will re-new or re-establish their position or proposition. That's bollocks.


Like what David Ogilvy said 'What's your BIG IDEA?'. No point selling something if you're doing it for JUST 10 years! Think 50. 100 years. And ahead! Why not? At least it shows you live for a certain belief. A certain proposition. Single minded that it makes you special and unique.

Anyway photos are from today's One Day Brief. It was for 'Aero Chocolate Bubbles'. Was great fun reviewing. Didn't have much fun doing it cause we were all worn out from the other briefs. Specially the 'Metro' one. InsyaAllah i'll post some things up here related to the briefs.

In the mean time, I'm gonna just sit back, relax and have my dinner. Accompanied by a few movies and back to bed (i've just woke up from a nap actually). So there you go. What will you be doing tonight?

Salam

By My Side.

.love.

Look in the Mirror

What do you do when you've lost something? Nothing literal, but when you've been doing something really well, and you think that it just dropped off your life CV. How do we look at things, when we've lost it?

Look not only at how, but why did we lose it. We 'lost' it because we forgot. We are 'INSAN', which if i'm not mistaken derives from the Arabic word meaning 'Forgetting'. We tend to forget the great pleasure and leisures that we are having. We forget that it doesn't all belong to us. We just freak out when suddenly it's all taken away from us.

I've seen, live in front of my face, people (some of them are my own loved ones) losing EVERYTHING they've worked for in a split second. But that kind of lost isn't a negative one. They lost it because they were chasing something better. Something that they might be better off with than what's current. I know it's pretty complicated to explain such a situation but in layman's term, there are better things that they wanted.

I've heard. I've seen. And I've done that myself. And i feel effin good about it. Alhamdulillah, so far I've made choices. And I've decided based only on how much my mind can handle. But Allah is Great. It's all been well. Why this out-of-the-blue post you may ask? I've been depressed a few times in my life. When i say depress, it really OR literally is something that sinks down. I just feel like the world just went somewhere and left me to die stranded.

But with faith, hope and alot of prayer and doa, alhamdulillah i've managed myself. I hope you all will too. I think this then leads to the reason of being depressed. Making mistakes. I hate making them. Mistakes. Mistakes. Mistakes. Makes me look like a complete fool whenever I do so. But these 'mistakes' have led me to being a better person.

" A LIFE SPENT MAKING MISTAKES IS NOT ONLY MORE HONOURABLE BUT MORE USEFUL THAN A LIFE SPENT DOING NOTHING "
-George Bernard Shaw

I agree totally with him. It is true that if we've never fell, how then do we learn to stand up? At least I know that I can admit to myself and the world that, YES i've done mistakes. But those that would make me a better person.

Have a great and wonderful weekend ;)

Salam.

Happy Birthday Sayang!

Wishing you a happy birthday!

Turning 19 is not so bad. Mine was when i was alone. First year in
Bimingham. Haha. It was the fasting month, me alone and I went out
with some friends to catch a movie and Paellas. Haha.

Go and explore what's out there! There's so much to see!

May Allah bless you in your every moment. Wouldve loved to Celebrate
with you. Have a good one B.

hugs and kisses.

When you fall?

How do you pick yourself up?

Just a short post today. Not feeling too well. Again. And I've got
loads of work that needs to be done.

People say tomorrow's a new day. Is it? I am always in a predicament
where I always get to this stress or 'bottom pit' of my confidence
level whenever things just don't go the way it should or how I would
like them to. I know for sure, Allah knows best and insyaallah will
ease my burdens.

So how do you pick yourself up? I remembered Reading somewhere about
Mr. Churchill which MIGHT'VE sounded like this :

" Success is going from one failure to another without losing
enthusiasm "

I think that's it. It's true isn't it. Life's better if we keep
failing rather than not doing anything at all I reckon. I have a
feeling someone wrote that too. But anywho, you get the picture.

It shows how much you want in life, when you try to pick yourself up
again. And again. Without losing interest.

" Why do we fall? So we can learn to pick ourselves up. " - Alfred
(Batman)

Salam!

Hilmi Ramlan

Promises

I know in life i've made promises that don't turn out. I know i've made promises that would've been wonderful if it came true!

But i still remember the promise, more like a life swear to make you two the most 'proudest' (if there's such a word) people. I've been carrying this promise of mine for two years now. And i'm not ready to give it up. No matter what comes in to interfere, I will never forget this one particular one. This one where I look forward to everyday of my life. The results will be ever great.

I will never give up. Never in a million milestone. There's just too much i've been through to give it all up. InsyaAllah, with what is in my heart, mind and soul. I pray to Allah so He would care and bless you as how you took care of me since I was a child. I have always looked up to you as my inspiration, my strength and my ever lasting love to go through everything in this world.

Don't worry too much. With the blessings of your Doa, InsyaAllah I will bring myself to where I promised myself to. InsyaAllah.

I love you both.

More Reading Material

Had a walk in town, just to get some fresh air. Have not been feeling at all well today. Went in Waterstone's just to check out some books. Fair enough i got myself two! Pictured above. I love the poster since I first saw it. Great wit. Beautiful copy. The other book was written by Steve Harrison. The big man at Wunderman's. An well known agency. Halfway reading through it, I remembered hearing his name from someone. It was my lecturer Clive. Apparently Clive has had experience with him. The time he taught us the three box strategy. Brilliant piece of advice to be honest.

Anyway, the small red book is a compilation of wonderful quotes. Should go and check it out. I've got loads of stuff to do now. Had pasta with stir fried beef. Delicious ;) Till next post!

Salam

My current read

Just thought I should share this with everyone. This is my current
read. I've got another book that I bought but am loosing interest
halfway. Maybe cause it's for my dissertation. :) have a go!

Recommend it to people within the creative field. Learn how to make
people say YES. ;)

Working Hard? Or Hard Working?

To help me focus, I pray.

How's everyone doing? Hope you're all alright. It's been raining here in central Birmingham. Beautiful sight from the ninth floor. But not a pretty one when you're scouring down there. Really a mess. It's been drizzling for the past few days nine to five. It really gets to your head. I've not been feeling well due to the rain. Head's been groggy. Feels like a bus rammed my head. Reversed, and rammed it again. Haha. In short, i've had a really busy week.

Class on Tuesday was wonderful. We did something called the 'hour brief'. It's where we practice to come up with ideas within a short time period and put it up on walls. These sketches on walls are called scamps (ad talk). These scamps are then critiqued by the lecturers and fellow mates. This helps us to get feedback on how we are doing. We were given a brief to promote a Vodka brand (I dont think i'm gonna name it here, just in case). Everyone gave it their all. It was amazing what we came up with within an hour. Haha funny and amusing. :)

After that, off to my other briefs. I'm currently on the 'METRO' newspaper and 'BODY SHOP' briefs. Not easy I admit. Fun? Not so. But a challenge for us. Yes. Us. I'm working on them with a team. Pairing up with Mike and Hetal on this one. Seem to make a good one. We've been meeting everyday since tuesday. I've been so busy that I've got alot of other things to settle. My parents are as you remembered coming to the UK in November. As a surprise for me. So i've got to settle their accommodation and sort. InsyaAllah.

Other than that, life's been pretty smooth Alhamdulillah. On that note, it's been really well. Uni work has been good. Just need to focus a little bit more to get the creative juice out. Been working hard on them. I've got two open houses this weekend. Blimey. Busy weekend i'll be having. Might skip the one on saturday. No.11 at Perry Avenue are having theirs on Sunday. Might drop by and help out on saturday night if i'm not too busy. Will see InsyaAllah.

Well, hope that sort of wraps up the few busy days i've had so far. How has yours been?

Salam

Tak Mungkin Ku Melepasmu

This is another beautiful song. Really feel homesick suddenly. Seeing
so many people and their families today atvthe Coventry Eid Open
House. Was pretty knackered as well. Collin, a friend, sprained his
back BAD. Paramedics had to come twice. He was in agony. Hope he gets
well.

Thanks to Abg Lubi, Kak Fida and Wan, I feel so at home. I really am
homesick. Didn't want to say or show it. But you know, it gets to you
finally. I talk about my family to people. Without realising that I
actually miss them so much. Apart from that I also miss my special one
back home. It's only been 10 days since I left Malaysia for Birmingham
again. But it feels like forever.

I pray to Allah, may He lighten my burden and make easy what is tough
for me. For I am only human, and this is really a challenge. But I
thank Allah for giving me the spirit to go on. To get where I want.
Chase my dreams. That's been the push for whatever that's in my mind.

I miss my family. I miss my dearest sayang.

Her photos on my desktop make me stay my heart and work harder to
achieve my dreams. The photos that I took of my family in the summer
are my ammuntion to get through this war zone. I need to press on.
Insyaallah.

Hilmi Ramlan

The Night Sky

I'm sitting outside of Kak fida's house waiting for her to come back
from Tesco. I can't help to see the beautiful sky looking down on me.
Beautiful. Peaceful and calm. While listening to music, I pulled out
my ear phones and tried to listen to nature. Nothing. Silence. Except
for sounds of whispering jets coming from far away.

This beautiful night, though it's very cold right now, I'm missing you
so much. After the call we had, never was I wrong in thinking that all
this would be worth it. It's never easy to leave someone you love
behind. And come back a year after. Not with everything beautiful that
you see everywhere.

I know it sounds pretty insane to always want you here. But I also
thank Allah for giving us a chance to really understand each other.
Even in such circumstances and distances. Ever so beautiful a human
heart. To love is to know no Borders.

Hilmi Ramlan

SELAMANYA

It's such a beautiful movie.

God I miss you so much sayang.

How we need each other

I just can't find words to fit this picture. I suppose only I know how much it means to me. Although you're not physically here with me, you're still in my mind and my heart. It was that 'Famous Amos' moment that still makes me laugh and smile. Let the photo speak for itself.

=)

First Day in Third Year

Feels good seeing familiar faces today in Uni. Also happy to have met new ones as well.

Today I had my first class since we broke off for summer about three months ago. We've got Clive and Ross as our tutors. Brilliant people. Ross's a new tutor in Uni. She's an experienced Creative Director. Worked in Australia for abit. I'm sure she'll be great help for all of us. She's so funny AND friendly as well. Hope to learn alot more from her.

The day started off pretty wet. The roads were all wet and slippery. Could see reflections from my place high up on the 9th floor. Got ready and walked to class. Started off seeing what Ross did when she was with TBWA Australia. It was wonderful. Was truly inspired. Didn't get to say much though. Anyway, we then broke off for tea and Clive took over. We had our session regarding our Negotiated Project and Dissertation. In short, I've got hell lots of things to do. This year, there's no play-play. There hasn't been a playtime session. Even since year one. Alhamdulillah so far I've gotten through fine. But I'm praying really hard so I'd get through with flying colours. Amin.

Anyway Kak Fida sent me back yesterday, after spending two nights at her place. Had a wonderful time with them. Now i need to get cracking with my assignments. I've got four design briefs running at the same time. Wonderful isn't it. Aiyaiyai. Alot needs to be done. With so little time.

Wish me luck! Pray for my success k?

Salam.

How can u not love it

The view was just spectacular. Didn't notice it till i woke up for morning prayers today. Saw the beautiful autumnal sun piercing through the clear skies. MasyaAllah. It was so peaceful while it lasted.

Today I went to the market to get a few things. Sadly? The wet market was closed. Blargh! So went on to the Carboot sale nearby with Andy and the gang. Bought myself a pretty cool long carpet. Cost me a fiver. Simple and just fits in. I'm waiting for Kak F to pick me up to her new place. Gonna help her unpack and all. Just knew she moved close by!

Also unpacked the kitchen stuff Fairuz and Ayu left last summer. My kitchen is so complete. Thanks guys. Anyway will post more interesting stuff soon. Ta.

Wish 'you' were here to watch the sun rise with me.

Cleaning

Kitchen has been cleaned! Finally after having to see such a disgusting kitchen, Me and Yin took the time to clean up the mess and get rid of what needs to be ridden of. We scrubbed and 'sental' everything till it was 'OK' for us. We were happy with it. Hahaha. Then my room was next. I took most of the things that I had and considered whether if i wanted to throw them or no. Hehe. Tiring job unpacking. Really. Thanks Yin for the wonderful help!

Went shopping for a few household things. Oh by the way, bought a pair of room slippers for myself. Always wanted one. Got them from M&S for 5 quids. Not expensive but seriously comfy. Mind's getting astray tonight. Been really tired and not having proper night's rest. Body aches didn't help either. Unpacking and all made my back ache like nobody's problem. Ergh.

Anyway, just looked outside the window. Beautiful lights. Well obviously plain yellow ones. But the city scape is just fantastic. Wish I could share it with someone.

My sayang's been really busy as well. With her friend's open house and stuff. Bet she's awfully tired. Been talking about when she could come and see me in the UK. I know it sounds funny but I really do miss her. Would help if we could see each other for abit. InsyAllah.

Sipping my tea on this pretty warm night, I'm quite satisfied with what I've got. Alhamdulillah. Now it's just getting my mind back on track to getting my work done for Uni. Dissertation and other major projects have just been back in my mind. D&AD have just released new briefs. Looked fantastic. Might just disect them tomorrow. Exciting.

It's only 8:30pm and I'm already falling asleep. Had only Dutch Gouda Cheese i got from Tesco's and some bread. Pretty light eh? Simplicity wins. I just want to get some really well deserved rest and sleep it off tonight. I've already done my prayers. So I should be well awake by Fajr/Sunrise. Hope you guys are having a good time wherever you are.

Salam.

Back in Birmingham

Alas, i'm finally back in Birmingham. The trip back was quite tiring. 7+7 hours of flight time. 4 or so hours of waiting and etc. And an hour of delay in Dubai. But overall it was all good Alhamdulillah. I've arrived safely.

Went straight back to the new place. My new place is called Londonderry House. It's an all student flat. I've got an en-suite room all to myself and sharing a kitchen with five others. Everything looked pretty cold. Maybe cause of the emptiness. I've got to fill it with things soon. I can't even sleep here yet cause i've not got my pillow, duvets and all of them are still back at the storage. InsyaAllah by tomorrow I should have settled all of it.

Came as a surprise Barclays Bank decided to cancel a few of my direct debits. Whilst I'm in Malaysia. Haih. Frustrating la. Oh and O2 said they didn't receive my last payment due to the earlier trouble. So hence my number got barred once i arrived at the airport. Charming. When I came home, i met one of the guys living here. Looked pretty friendly. So i extended a hello first. Responded quite well haha.

Just wasting time right now. Wanting to sort out my things quickly so i can work on my academic soon. It's been put off too long. I've got to say, i kinda love the view I have right now. Facing Aston University, The Queen's Court and a very nice scape of buildings. When i said buildings, not old and weird ones. Quite a scenery. I'll post a pic or two later insyaAllah.

Anyway can't deny that i feel great being back. Wanting to start Uni soon. Excited, Nervous and pumped with passion and enthusiasm. I do miss people back home, but because they are there, I'm willing to go the distance and achieve what I sought out to do in the first place. InsyaAllah. I pray Allah will ease my burdens.

Gotta get some lunch now. How was your McD sayang? Good? :)

salam.