I NEED PICTURES!!

Help everyone!!

I need pictures of you or your friends partying at a club or pub...being merry and well...slightly drunk is alright too!! Or pictures of bands on stage performing in a club...DJs welcomed as well!

WHY? Well...coz I'm banner girl that's why! I need pictures to be inserted into our Gig Guide Banner (all about Gigs in South Auckland) and I need all the help I can get...sorry, I don't have time to explain in further detail, but if you have any suitable pictures...please HELP!

Banner Girl

Yes, you are looking at the Manukau Courier's Advertising Coordinator, as well as their very own BANNER GIRL.

HA! Just because I started designing the 'Party Planner' banner (which may I add has not been published in the paper yet as there were not enough advertisers to come under the banner), I've taken several other banner assignments since then:

1) MOTHER'S DAY banner (quite a pretty attempt I must add - though the process of getting to this final product was a gruelling process between us and SNAP - the creative department at head office)
2) HOT WEEKEND SPECIALS banner (finding suitable pictures were a pain in the butt and there were arguements with the title 'WEEKENDER', 'HOT WEEKEND SHOPPING' but finally, it was settled on 'HOT WEEKEND SPECIALS' - however, the banner is not up and running yet)
3) TRAVEL DESTINATION banner (not enough advertisers to get the banner going - same old same old)
4) And the latest ENTERTAINMENT & LEISURE banner (which is running this thursday - I HOPE).

And today, in the weekly sales meeting while discussing this new 'GIG GUIDE' feature, there was talk about needing a banner and almost automatically, my manager delegated "Lorraine will design this banner for us". THANK YOU VERY MUCH. Do they know how frustrating designing banners are? I think SNAP is probably pissed at me for the many many jobs I have put through, many of which have not even come out in our paper. Plus...the crucial element of this banner is still under discussion - "What title should we give this feature banner?" Without this title, I can't start designing anything! Even after settling on a banner title, the next part gives me nightmares!

I have to write instructions for SNAP and draw out a brief of the banner. However, SNAP might not have suitable pictures in their picture bank and this becomes a PAIN as the pictures they have do not suit out target audience's demographics and theme of the banner. You can't take pictures from anywhere online as well due to copyright restrictions. Then it boils down to me having to go out to take the photos myself - I'm not a pro cameraman, I don't have models at my disposal, and I have to ask permission if I ever need to take people or shops.

And even if the banner they designed looks alright-ishly nice to me, there's always gotta be someone in our advertising department who has something to say - or rather, diss - about it. So pleasing everyone is never ever possible.

So to wrap this up...I DISLIKE DESIGNING BANNERS. I quit as BANNER GIRL.

Can you spot the difference?

I've always liked this comic above because it really depicts the difference between the editorial and the advertising department. It is especially visible in a company like mine, involved in the print media industry, where advertising and editorial have to work hand in hand in the one environment.

Today, it was especially visible. After work, we had drinks at the local pub as a farewell to one of our colleagues from the editorial department who was leaving our company. As I sat there, surrounded by 5 others from editorial and only 1 backup from advertising, the difference was visible.

The jokes they cracked had a more intellectual twist to it. As I listened in to their chit chat, I just smiled at times when the rest of them laughed. Me and my fellow colleague from advertising remain silent in their conversation, smiling politely to the different type of humour.

It is even more visible in our office. In the editorial side, mostly silence is kept (apart from the occassional talking in low voices), and the only noise comes from their fingers clicking on the computer keyboard. However, at advertising, constant banter occurs. Phones are ringing (not only for work purposes, but just for fun, adding some music to the monotonous environment), jokes are cracked once in a while, cross office chats breaks out between colleagues sitting across the room and people are constantly moving in, out and around the office space.

Life happens at the creative end...and you'll see me there!

La la la

I'm bored. Just got back from work...don't know what to do, so here I am, sitting in front of the computer...singing along to my korean music...la la la...what should I do...I'm so bored.

Maybe I could redesign my blog layout. I was meaning to do that...hmz...but all that coding - AHHHH. It's not difficult...just a pain-stakingly slow process.

I'll just go watch TV instead.

The Mystifying Bat

I completely forgot to tell the world my opinion of Batman Begins. I went to watch it with dad last Tuesday and I felt it didn't quite meet my expectations. I'm not saying it sucked - it was a great movie - but it didn't meet up to all that hype and talk about it. Maybe I had too high expectations. I'm always setting myself up in these situations, expecting too much just coz one or two others said it was fantastic.

But I guess...it's not that I had too high expectations. I've always loved Batman and all those action heros shows and cartoons. Batman was always among one of the top coz of his mysterious background which made him appear even more enticing. However, with Batman Begins, his mysterious background is unravelled and you find out why he is who he is and I think that compromised his character as Batman. To me, he lost his mysterious touch just because we've gotten to know Batman even better.

It's sad, how we try to get define something - or someone in this case - in too much detail that it looses it's allure.

Lets just throw Boy Z into the equation as well while we are at it!

Do I have "ASK ME OUT FOR DINNER" written all over my face???

I don't understand...

What's this about? Today, Girl X got asked out again for dinner - but not my Boy Y...this time, it's Boy Z! HELP!

Let me give you the brief.

Today, I went to another car yard to take photos and after taking the photos, I went in to see the yard manager to enquire about the advertisement base. It was a strictly work conversation and then out of the blue, he said, "You've got a very beautiful smile."

Obviously I thanked him for that compliment. Once I got hold of the new base and was walking out the door, he asked if he's got my mobile number in case he ever needs to reschedule any appointments to take photos till later. I told him if he rang the office number, it would automatically transfer to my cell (that is, if I set my work phone to do that). And just as I was leaving, he threw this odd ball at me - never expected coz he's the manager, he's supposed to be professional - he asked me out for dinner (no date mentioned, but sometime was implied). No, WHY?!

WAIT...before you guys (yes, I'm talking to you Jas and Jacques) think I led him on, I replied - very tactfully I must add (unlike you guys and your hurtful 'no, I'm not interested') - "I'll think about that."

Vague and diplomatic.

And he replied that he hopes the answer will be good. I just smiled and went on my way. Mumbling under my breath, "Don't you ever dare ask me out for dinner again."

Why did I buy a Snow Princess and not a Dark Prince?

Today, I had it up to here with my Snow Princess. The moment I came home from work, I got so irritated, paraniod and frustrated...she was flithy dirty!! Why didn't I get myself a Dark Prince instead, one who looks good and yet did not need too much upkeeping? I know, I'm all to blame, afterall, I haven't given my Snow Princess a shower for quite a while now...I think the last time she had a good shower was 2 and a half weeks ago...far too long ago!

The hose did not help either! She was that dirty...and there were some stains that couldn't come off...dad reckons it's cement or something...GRRRRRRRRRRRR...after giving her a quick shower which seemed pointless, I had a tug-of-war with the hose while trying to keep it back onto the rack. This was not my day. I got even more frustrated and decided to vent my frustrations by eating the remaining Grain Waves I had in my cupboard.

And what followed next taught me a lesson. I should learn to cool down, not to be so quick to temper. Trying to open the packet of Grain Wave chips wider while filled with frustration and irritation will only make it worse. Not only did I feed half the packet of chips to the carpet, I now had to literally pick up the bigger pieces of chips from the floor and vacuum the rest of it up. While picking the pieces up, I learnt to cool down, to take deep breaths and not to get so heated with what I should have done on a weekly basis.

After the cleaning up, I was ready to take on Snow Princess again and this time, I was cool and faced her head on with a bucket full of water, soap, wax and a whole lot of arm power. I scrubbed her, showered her, scrubbed somemore and showered even more, till she looked relatively presentable. Washing my Snow Princess in the dark (it was around 6 to 7pm) - with the dim lit porch lights and the help of a torch, combined with the freezing cold water that was blasting everywhere and the occassional night breezes - made it a whole lot more difficult. Not to forget the stubborn stains that refused to budge, 'relative presentable' became acceptable. Usually, I'm one to only accept perfection, but today, I learnt to take things a step at a time.

Girl X and Boy Y

Hey guys, I need some help here.

You see, I've got this friend, lets call her Girl X and she works at this local surburban newspaper as a coordinator. Her responsibilities involve going out the client's place to take photos of pictures that are going into their ad. Most of her clients are car yards.

This morning, because of the rain, she had to reschedule her appointment at a car yard to take pictures. She rang up and this car yard sales man picked up the phone. Let's call him Boy Y. He is a very friendly guy and is always joking. When Girl X said she wanted to reschedule to around 12.30pm, Boy X decided to add in, "and after the photos, you can take me out for lunch." Girl X teased back that it should be the other way around, "...the guy always takes the girl out." They ended the conversation with a, "I'll see you at 12.30pm" and a very polite "thank you, bye." Girl X didn't think anything more, especially when they have casually joked about going for coffee and lunch several times before but nothing really conceptualised, so why should this be any different?

When Girl X got to the car yard - thankfully the rain had stopped - Boy Y teased her, "you do know how to make me wait for my lunch, don't you?"

They went off to take their photos, and chatted along the way. When everything was done, Boy Y asked again if Girl X was going to take him out for lunch. Girl X replied that it's the rule of life that the guys always do the asking. So Boy Y asked, "would you like to have lunch with me?"

Girl X, being the nice and sweet girl who doesn't really know how to say no, replied with a "yea."

And so, they walked to the nearby food court to have lunch. Boy Y paid for lunch and Girl X wished she had some spare change on her hands. Lunch was pleasant and the got along well.

Boy Y walked Girl X back to her car after lunch, and before she got in, he asked, "so now that we had lunch, can the girl ask the guy out for dinner?" Or something along that line...

Girl X, not really sure how to reply, smiled back, saying, "no...the guy always asks the girl out. It's a rule in life. Unless the girl is really bold."

"And are you?" Boy Y asked.

"No. I'm quite shy."

"Alright, fair enough. I would like to ask you out for dinner sometime." Boy Y asked.

Girl X smiled, not sure what to say, and I think she casually said, "yea...sometime."

And they exchanged business cards or contact numbers before Girl X drove back to the office.

Boy Y's cell phone was printed on his card; Girl X doesn't have her number printed.

The End.

Now that I have told you this story, my friend really needs some help. You see, she is in a dilemma. She doesn't know what this 'asking her out for dinner' means...and because Girl X is a very shy but nice girl who doesn't know how to say no...maybe it's just a casual dinner...nothing to it...but maybe it means like a date...so here comes her dilemma. She has kind of agreed to a dinner, but it's not confirmed since no date and time is finalised. What should she do? Though Boy Y is a really nice and friendly guy, Boy Y is not Girl X's type and Girl X is only looking to be friends here...is she thinking or worrying ahead? If he asks again, should she agree to dinner, for all you know he means as friends as well, or be mean and say no? Is it really mean to say no?

What should I - oops - I mean, Girl X do?

Toddler is to Kindergarden as Adult is to Work

Today, I discovered that there are some similarities to going to work and going to kindergarden!!

1) When I arrive, I greet my teachers (manager) and friends (colleagues).
2) I use my scissors to cut things (cutting the ads out).
3) I also have to glue things to my art paper (attaching pictures onto the copy).
4) I also use coloured pencils and markers to decorate my work.
5) I write simple sentences (writing simple instructions so that the people at production will understand what I mean).
6) I bring my lunch from home.
7) I have to clean up after I eat if not I will get told off.
8) When I need to go somewhere, I have to write in the book.
9) When I don't understand, I ask questions.
10) We share things with each other (the one computer among everyone in the advertising department).

Happening to quiet, in-dated to out-dated

It's so quiet!

It's such a change...for the past 3 weeks, our house has been noisy, with Laura back, along with 2 other friends who also stayed at our place, the house has been pretty happening till today...and hence this long outdated blog entry.

You see, with 3 more people in the house, Laura naturally took her own room, Chew Wen took the guest room and Nigel slept in the family room which is also the computer room. But then it's not as if I didn't have access to the computer. They didn't sleep early and so Nigel didn't mind if anyone used the computer, but because the family room had a television, a computer with internet access, a sofa and it was big, it became a hub where Laura and her friends (often plus 2 more - Laura's friend Sam and Chew Wen's friend Nac) would congregate, access to this computer to do my daily ritual of checking Es and blogging became harder. But having said that, I still enjoyed the company and the more happening house!

But today, they left. It's gone all quiet now, and I'm left with me and my parents.

And as for an update about my past life, well...think it's too out-dated so I'll see you guys in my next blog - when there's something more interesting and in-dated to share.

Sore + Bruises = The Price of Fun

As you can see, I'm back!!!

Back from snowboarding and well...basically, I'm SORE and BRUISED!!

It was great great fun, I had an awesome time and I know I have improved from the last time, but still, my technique is not correct and I really want to master it...I WILL KEEP PRACTICING!

Well, while trying and trying to correct my technique, I fell heaps of times, once even landing on my head with a loud THUMP which really scared me, thinking that I might have damaged my skull for that split second and I even thought that I could be bleeding. It was a nasty fall but nevertheless, all that worry disappeared after a minute and I was back on my board - no quits - and hitting the slopes, trying to get it right and falling hard again.

At the end of the day, I don't know if my efforts were all worth it. I still hadn't mastered the right way of turning on a snowboard (I switch my board an entire 180 degrees instead of just turning my waist - hard to describe)...and I was aching all over, bruised from all that falling on my bum and knees, and I got 'F'ed at when I crash landed in front of an approaching pro, who had to swiftly chnage his course.

But, that's the pessimistic view. On the positive side, I had heaps of fun, I improved and I'm more confident on the board. I even went up to the more advanced slopes - where I snowboarded 'with' the pros - and I learnt that I should never give up - fall and get up again.

I can't wait to snowboard again - maybe I shall go tryout that indoor ski field in the North Shore...improve my technique there so that when I hit the real slopes, I can confidently say I'm almost a pro!

The 'F's in Life

Friends, Fun, Fellowship, Fish, Fresh Faces and Family...these are just a few things that's been going on in my life.

Right now, I feel like an inspired writer (note the word 'feel' - purely a feeling, not vocab-wise), banging away furiously on a lap top in a moving car, as if once the moment has passed, there wouldn't be any inspiration left. Truth be told, I'm bored on our journey down to Mount Ruapehu and in order to satisfy and overcome my ADD (attention deficit down-syndrome), I have to occupy myself.

So what's the 'F's in Raine's life...lets start from the top - well...from Wednesday 2 weeks back that is.

Most of my Friends who are still studying finished their exams around that time and on Wednesday night, Elim church threw a movie night, showing a yet to be aired Luthur. The story revolves around Martin Luthur (minus the King) and tells of our Christianity roots. It was a good movie, though at some parts, I got myself confused with the actors (they all looked the same under those elaborate outfits). It was a fantastic night out with Friends, catching up with each other about our 'interesting' lives, which pretty much was 'studying' for them and 'working' for me. We hanged at Dennys after the movie (Thank God for a 24-hour restaurant) and chatted till almost midnight. We haven't done that in ages and for some, I haven't seen them in months, so catching up with Friends was a definite welcome.

Saturday came and a group of us met at my place at 1.30pm. The initial plan was pancakes, but sadly, the timing was wrong and speeding wasn't an option. We changed our destination and ended up taking a long drive in the rain (nevertheless shorter than the journey to pancakes) to the so-called best Fish and chips in NZ. We were enlightened that the award went to them only in 1990 and 1995, but nevertheless, it wasn't the Fish that made the trip worth-while (it was part of the reason for going) but it was the company and the Fun we had along the way that made it enjoyable.

After the Fish and chips, we had ice cream in the freaking cold Pokeno and headed back to my place to whip up dinner - Spaghetti Bolognaise, cooked by 4 fantastic award-winning chefs Joanna (most-experienced award), Jacques (busybody award), Amanda (fresh-face award) and me (organized-host award). Movies were the main item for our night entertainment: Battle Royale 2 - the cute Jap guys were just side-menu extras, followed by A Walk To Remember. I didn't get to bed till past 2, when everyone left.

Sunday was a fantastic day for Fellowship and I learnt that my interest in Advertising "only", combined with God is a formidable combination for my future. After church, the bunch of us had Dim Sum followed by shopping at Botany to kill time. It was another relaxing day with Friends, just chilling and killing time.

On Wednesday, we had the biggest turn-up to our cell group meeting at my place. Many Fresh Faces! It was a fantastic turn-up and we had an awesome time of Fellowship followed by mingling.

Lastly, our Family and Friends snowboard/ski trip down to Mount Ruapehu is going to be fantastic - I just know it. Update on the journey: We've passed the half-way point, slept the first half of the journey and it's starting to get very very cold. Bring on the SNOW!