between the lines: January 2020

Case #5 | Reason to Stop Writing

By faten.banana - January 23, 2020

Heh.

I was going through my blog list, visiting all 106 blogs which I have been following since the past 8 years. Reading, leaving comments at some and removing those who have been inactive for years. At the end of the process, I was left with 68 blogs. The other 38 have been inactive; some do leave their last words, others choose to dissipate into thin air. I hope they are doing fine regardless.

I sincerely hope they are doing good.

I write a lot. I write mainly in Bahasa Melayu as my English is basically horrendous for people to read. I write in a blog where you can see me updating them almost every single day. I write short stories (because I am super bad at series-writing) which I occasionally posted at my Wattpad's account. I write in my diary. I write long reflection post whenever I am updating my private social media accounts. You see the point, I am so accustomed to writing as a medium to express my string of thoughts.

It was two years ago.

If I decided to stop writing one day, I wonder what would be the reason?

Nowadays, you can rarely see me writing. I have abandoned my Wattpad's account ever since 2018. I think the last time I updated was in January 2018, not until recently (yes, I actually post something last week). I do have a separate bujo which I use as a diary other than my daily bujo. But I only write when I have things that are too private to share with any soul. Good news, I only write three times in that last year! You can see me writing my inner thought on Twitter but then within a minute, it has been deleted. I have grown choosy as I share things in my social media. I do not want to incur unpleasant feedbacks, explicitly or implicitly. The last thing I ever want is to cause unnecessary distress. I have experienced that, and I hate it a lot.

I wonder how about the others?

I wonder what makes people turn their back from things they used to find solace into?

I wonder if by using the phrase 'turn their back' would ultimately make me guilty of accusing their action as a betrayal - unconsciously. Language analysis into practice lol.

Even as I write this, I am clueless with my writing. I have no idea how it would turn out. Would I come to a situation where I am going to abandon them at the end?

No idea.

One thing I can promise is that if I stopped writing - it is not because I have fallen out of love from it.

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features

How to Choose a Suitable Emcee for Your Event in Malaysia

By faten.banana - January 17, 2020

Finding a suitable emcee in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia is a key to the success of your event because they are the front-liners who will co-run your event with you. Choosing the right emcee that can fit your event is a very crucial process. You will have to consider many factors to ensure the emcee is suited enough for your event.

These are the few factors that you should take note of :

Experience and track record

You will have to make sure that your emcee has had experience in this field before. In handling an audience, the emcee will need to have a specific set of skills and hiring a novice emcee is a risk as they may not be good at handling a large number of audience. An experienced emcee knows how to keep the event running even when there are any problems and can keep the audience engaged at all times.

The number of emcee needed

Should you be considering two emcees to handle your event? The answer is yes! Two emcees can work hand in hand. For example, having two emcees with different personalities that can complement each other can handle your event better. Choosing two emcees however is a hard task as well because you will have to find the right combination and has the right chemistry on stage. Having your event in mind, be sure how you want your event to be and then decide whether or not you need more than one emcee.

The gender of your emcee

We all know that a female or male emcee can bring a very different type of environment in your event. The gender of an emcee is a determining factor since they have very different personalities and capabilities. For instance, a male emcee could be better in handling an unsettled crowd and a female emcee can be more accommodating and persuasive in her speech. You might want to consider the gender of your emcee based on the type of audience you are having in your event.

Language proficiency

The emcee needs to be a master in the language that they are speaking. If your audience are from a multiracial background, the emcee might need to be proficient in more than one language such as Malay and English. If you have a very specific target audience like Chinese people, the emcee will have to speak Mandarin fluently as the emcee is speaking their native language. So language proficiency is important to get the audience to understand what your emcee is delivering.

Multi-talented emcee

Here’s the thing, an emcee is not someone who can only speak and deliver a message. They can also come in a package with various other talents. You can always have your emcee do an extra set of performance in your event. For example, incorporating talents like singing or a standup comedy when emceeing could be an advantage as it adds a different element in your event.

So now that you know what to consider before choosing an emcee, the big question that follows is how will you find one for your event?

Colorz Event has a variety of emcees in Klang Valley that you can choose from that best emcee profile to suit your corporate event or other functions. So, fret not and get in touch with their team to find the ideal emcee to ensure the success of your event!

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book

Book Review | Educated by Tara Westover

By faten.banana - January 14, 2020

334 pages

Published February 20th 2018 by Random House

Synopsis:

Educated is an account of the struggle for self-invention. It is a tale of fierce family loyalty and of the grief that comes with severing the closest of ties. With the acute insight that distinguishes all great writers, Westover has crafted a universal coming-of-age story that gets to the heart of what an education is and what it offers: the perspective to see one's life through new eyes and the will to change it.

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I pick up this one in the middle of exam weeks. It's weird how I keep having this tendency to do things other than doing my revision when I am supposed to read my textbook instead. It took me a week to finish this as I only read them before I went to bad, it is the only time I can read without feeling guilty over the fact that uhm I have to study for those exam. 'Educated' has been in my wish list for quite some time and it is worth the time.

It is non-fiction, a memoir about the author Tara Westover who was brought up in the mountain of Idaho with the premises set up by her parents that everything related to the federal government is a form of illuminati. That also means, no school, no hospital, no anything related to government at all. She was 'homeschooled' similar to her other older siblings, repressed from getting a formal education like other children of her age.

Sounds familiar isn't?

Yep. That earth-is-flat people.

Reading 'Educated' makes me furious, fumes with anger with her parents' way of manipulating her into having the same ~~idiotic~~ ideologies. Tara struggles but she managed to get into college, where she made a huge impression to one of her lecturers later getting support into Cambridge and Harvard. Her unusual path into getting education is basically the main theme of this book. We can see the environment could shape a person's attitude. We can see the reality faced by the children of people whom strongly against the formal education and blindly following religions, tossing away the worldly matters.

"First find out what you are capable of, then decide who you are."

This book was divided into three part; the first two I would say emotionally engaging - depends on how you are going to digest the whole 'fumes'. There are people who cannot handle them and decided to put it aside for awhile, like me. The last part - I have no word to describe how warm it is. It just means that there are things we need to learn to embrace and accept :)

This book has won a number of literary awards too. If you are looking for something that is non-fictional but highly engaging - I would recommend this one.

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Life Case

Case #4 | 2019, a transit for self-growth

By faten.banana - January 13, 2020

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

Assalammualaikum.

It's the third week of 2020, and I finally got the time to properly sit and write about 2019. Talking about the past used to be my forte. Not anymore I guess. How would you describe your 2019? If I were to answer, I would use colours, a bunch of colours to describe all those emotions I got to experience along the year of 2019.

I was blue when I no longer feel the fluttering butterfly I used to when it comes to knowledge acquisition.

I was red when I had to diminish all the chances I was given to, yet I chose to close my eyes out of fear.

But then again, as I was thinking and trying to describe my feeling with colours - all I can ever think of is that bright warm yellow-orange-ish colour radiated by people around me. Of course, 2019 is full of surprises - some are really bad yet there are a number of things that makes me happy regardless of the conditions.

About people

For an introverted-soul like me, people could scare me sometimes. There is a moment where I get overly conscious about people around me - hence, it affects the way I would treat them. Most of the times, an action that I never intended too and regretted a lot when I finally got the time to be alone, contemplate about that misery.

2019 is the year where I look upon chances to break out from that shell. I figured I need to throw myself in the society in order to break myself from that old shell. I had to do something. And I did something. I applied for Corporate Communications and Public Relations Bureau under IIUM Students' Representative Council - it was accidental but I took the chance regardless. In addition, I was offered to be a part of my kulliyah-based society - the Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences Students' Society and those people I met is such a gem. There among the beautiful souls that make me enjoy being in social functions, events and simply, being around them. They are the one who pushes me a lot when I get into this 'I don't think I can do this, I wanna drop out'.

I learnt a lot from them.

At one point, it does get hard and I feel like dropping out.

I did not.

I survived.

You did well, Fatin.

I look forward to your growth.

About friends

It is weird how I think that I finally get to know my circle of friends more in 2019 as compared to other years. There are people whom I have been with 5 years, 8 years and even 10 years long - I do not know if I am the only one who feels this, but I finally see every piece that make them special, make our relationship special than the other relationship I ever had with people.

I am glad.

One thing I realized I unconsciously did is that - I would express whatever feeling that I had at that moment towards them.

"I am proud of you."

"I kinda like the fact that whenever we spent the time together, I would get this urge to do my best in my studies too."

"You are not that fragile, I know you can handle this."

~~"Kita ni asyik cakap pasal lelaki je."~~ lol that one was a joke but - hehehehehehe.

To more cendol dates, roti canai dates, Pasar Malam dates and adventures beyond!

About studies

I was struggling with my own learned helplessness attitude in the first half of 2019. By the second half, I am pretty much proud of where I finally land. I came into the same conclusion that I stumbled upon later in a k-show, that in studies, we have to decide either to study hard or not (quoted from Lee Seung Hwan @ Brainiacs Wanted Episode 3). I would love to talk more about this later after I wrapped them up in my Campus Rambles Series as I literally finished with my Semester 6. Lol.

There are a number of things I managed to challenged and accomplished in 2019. I choose to highlight these few because I really wanna read this again later in another few years to see how much I have changed since 2019.

Have a blessful 2020!