al28894 | al-numbers

Zine arrival!

Fri, 22 May 2026 21:23:28 GMT

Months and months ago, I put in my money to crowdfund a zine about Tommyinnit from the Dream SMP. The zine theme was about wildflowers and how they relate to the character, who went through a lot within the Minecraft series.

Yesterday, the zine finally arrived!

Due to the massive support from fans, the zine team managed to add-in some perks to all physical orders, such a standee and an enamel pin. And they're so cute and lovely!

The zine itself is beautifully made. Hardcover, printed on well-quality paper, and glossy! My only gripe is with the endpapers, but even then it's more of a bookbinding itch than an actual gripe. Otherwide, what a beautiful tribute to one of the most scrappy and chaotic characters of the Dream SMP.

This really made my day!

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Book Review — Embracing Imperfections: Women's Stories of Triumph by Lian Wai Bee

Thu, 21 May 2026 16:26:09 GMT

I originally got this book by winning a department-wide campaign for World Book Day 2026 at my office, and I have found time to finish it cover-to-cover by reading a few pages every day when I could make time.

The book is about how women could be more than what other people assign them to be, teaching topics such as self-acceptance, assertiveness, and embracing imperfections to become better people. There are also four stories interleaved between the pages that add a humanising touchstone to the book’s lessons, given from various experiences of women in Malaysia.

( Read more... )

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Searching for jobs as a book-lover...

Thu, 21 May 2026 03:46:00 GMT

So after 7 years in corporate, I am slowly trying out finding a job that I can love (aka. anything relating to books) and two days ago I sent an inquiry to one of the largest bookstores in Malaysia.

Yesterday, they replied back. There are no job openings at present.

Noooooooooooo!!!

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History: A traveller, a tomb, and my musings of another world

Tue, 19 May 2026 14:22:28 GMT

A few weeks back, a link to a Substack piece popped up while I was on the phone scrolling the net. I glanced it, opened it in a new tab, and left it unread till today, when I finally paid my attention in full.

I've always had a love for travel literature, probably because of my childhood and adolescent years reading the fantastic novels, storybooks, and Doraemon comics where all the characters go off to another world. Fictional places and fantastic locales. Places I've never been too and people I've never met.

(There's a reason why I hold The Starless Sea in high regard, and it's not because of the bees lol)

So real-life people like Ibn Battuta and Evliya Celebi, who travelled across Asia, Europe, and Africa in their lifetimes, have always caught my interest. If the past was another country, then they are the travellers writing of a lost world. And so did the people who followed in their footsteps it seems, for I have stumbled upon a blog that documents an Imam's visit to a tomb and shrine.

( Read more... )

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Adulting on a Sunday

Sun, 17 May 2026 05:58:16 GMT

One of the saddest thing about being a fully-fledged adult with hobbies and interests is that - barring some lucky hours during weekdays - a lot of what you want to do can only be done in weekends. Just two days to cram in a lot of stuff that should have been spread out over multiple days.

For me, I have a pamphlet bind that I want to finish today (Sunday), but I also...

need to check my emails
read up a lot of updated fics
comment on said updated fics
update my bookbinding blog
read and finish a book I intended to read and finish

All while trying to get my papers for applying into a housing scheme for my first apartment, which entails:

Finding out my credit score and credit report
Finding out my banking transactions for the past six months
Finding out my payday slips for the past six months
Filling in details for an app-ID
Sending proof of all of the above by today or tomorrow

All while I also want to:

Save all the fanart I liked this week of Project Hail Mary
Save all the fanart I liked this week of Searching For / Destroying A World That Doesn't Exist

And, if possible:

Reduce the number of internet tabs in my phone which is/was getting to 80 tabs
Read up on papers to prepare for work training tomorrow

This weekend is particularly rough because so many things coincided at the exact same day, but phew! I need a week off! (╯•ᗣ•╰)

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Creativity and a bookbind from the past

Mon, 11 May 2026 11:29:28 GMT

So I was scrolling through the Renegade Bookbinding Discord when someone asked if anyone recalled a fic where a person finds a dead body on a beach. Someone replied with a link to the prospective fic and said I had bound this particular fic, some time back.

I took a look at the photos I made of the ficbind and was just... awed... at how much I pushed myself to be creative for this book. Image-heavy chapter openers, pages printed black to convey dreams, formatting paragraphs into text messages...

A part of me realized then that I haven't been as creative with my later ficbinds as with my early ones. I mostly go for readability over visual impact, and my old inkjet printer couldn't handle printing full-color pages without jamming. After several bad incidents, I decided to restrain myself.

But I miss it. I miss going balls-to-the-wall creative with typesetting and layouts. I miss being creative and uncaring if the printer jams or not. I miss plastering blown-up photos across pages or go with funky layouts. It feels something within me to see how images and story go together. I miss it.

Just recently, my dad replaced the old inkjet printer with a HP inktank printer. It produces a noticable printer skew, but makes amazing color images. Maybe it'll jam, but I wanna try being visually creative again with my bookbinding.

I wanna see pretty pictures when I read again.

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Kuala Lumpur Illustration Fair 2026!

Sat, 09 May 2026 15:21:04 GMT

So I was thinking for sometime about what kind of jourmal I want this to be. But about 5 days ago I had an epiphany: I could post whatever the hell I want! Songs, pictures, things that I like... all of that!

And what better to start than posting about the art fair I went to back on Labour Day (May 1st). I have already talked about what I bought from here some posts back, but the fair really needs to be seen to be believed.

( Read more... )

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Music! Or, my weekend post is late and I have found some vibey tunes

Fri, 08 May 2026 16:04:23 GMT

Pretty much what it says on the tin lol. I had a post planned for the end of this workweek but I am too tired to think about editing it. So intead, I shall post some tunes that I have vibed over the past 5 days.

And two more tunes I vibe with down below!

( Read more... )

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My last day at the office (sorta)

Tue, 05 May 2026 14:10:43 GMT

It feels hard to explain, the feeling I had today.

The entire office floor is empty. Almost everyone decided to work from home today. No wonder then the department threw a farewell party on Monday.

Only four people worked alongside me today. My section manager, two coworkers, and the person who shall permanently replace me.

( More melancholia... )

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My first bookbinding post!

Sun, 03 May 2026 08:50:48 GMT

I have finally posted my first ever bookbind! And OH MY GOD I REMEMBER HOW BAD I AM AT PARSING HTML.

In my ignorance, I never thought Dreamwidth's Rich Text could lead to errors in the completed post. So when I clicked the 'Post to:' buttom I almost popped when the post showed extra spacing, centered text, and the cut section being openly displayed. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Thank goodness I haven't completely forgotten how to parse HTML, because it took me an HOUR to finally make the post as proper as it could be. I also think using all the images in different formats (direct linking and small linked thumbnails + making them all centered) made the Rich Text formatting a bit confused.

Thank goodness I'm going to post there once a week, because I don't think I could take it if I have to parse HTML every other day. The blog is for redundancy, and I will get better at it as time goes on. Still, that was a headache-inducing morning.

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First post-layout post, and the topic? Art!

Sun, 03 May 2026 02:32:54 GMT

Alright, I think I am satisfied enough with the layout and 'look' of this blog to leave it be for a moment, though I am by no means done with tinkering.

And what better way to make a new post in this new environment by slumping on my desk by the sheer number of fanart I want to save?

I have been burned multiple times over by deleted fics and fanart, which has precipiated me to save as much of my hyperfixations as much as I could. Currently, it's Project Hail Mary and SFAWTDE/DAWTDE which has led me to become Sisyphus rolling his stone up the mountain. I would like what I see on Tumblr and Twitter, and then try and save it into my PC as soon as I am able. If I consider a saving-session done, I would rest my laurels for a day or two before beginning again.

I can just let these beautiful pieces of work pass me by. But... so pretty...

Besides that, I went to an art illustration fair on Friday and found a local queer artist who loves to draw Malay men being unabashed in their love for other men, all in local styles and symbolism. I have known of this guy for quite some time now on social media and on previous fairs, but this is the first time I am willing to have what he has beautifully made.

I spent RM50. I regret nothing.

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Tinkering with new blog layout

Sat, 02 May 2026 03:00:55 GMT

If I am going to be here in the long-term, I'll need to make this blog at least more pleasing to the eyes.

If anyone sees a horrendous blog with little to no beauty, I apologize.

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Working blues for this particular week

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 07:54:29 GMT

If I may complain about work for a moment...

It feels like this week has been an exercise in extremes. Monday and Tuesday? Hectic flapping about. Today? The complete and utter opposite. Doesn't help too that more than half of the office floor decided to work from home (and will probably do so tomorrow). So I am left with a largely empty floor, bored.

Scrolling on the phone? I've been looking at it so much that it's giving me headaches. I've read all the fics I can mentally take, and the stuff I really want to do on a desktop is... not suited for the work laptop.*

Thank goodness I have packed a book of poems and a Kinokuniya anniversary issue. ~~Oh my god, Friday Labour Day could not come fast enough~~

*which is to say: search and archive Project Hail Mary/SFAWTDE fanart from Twitter/Tumblr, store South American history-posts from Discord, and try to find a new layout for this personal blog!

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Kicking myself in the ass to finish a craft project.

Sun, 26 Apr 2026 20:52:58 GMT

After a 3-month hiatus, I finally took the time this week to complete a bookbind that has been laying unfinished for weeks!

Also... I bookbind now.

Not as great as those with specialist equipment, but still good enough. Started the hobby in early 2023 and never really stopped. All thanks to a thread on r/hobbydrama and a fanbinder there sending me a ficbind from Australia.

Well, that and finding a Discord community of fanbinders who also helped and supported me over these 3 years. I never would have come far if not for them.

https://www.tumblr.com/keystonepublishing/814924237062144000/the-mcyt-metazine-interview-transcriptions?

(If you are wondering if there's a place to see my work beyond a Tumblr blog, I maaaaaaay be in the process of rectifying that)

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Too many things? Make a bullet point

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 14:12:15 GMT

As part of my trying to post informally here, I need to exclaim ~~one~~ ~~two~~ ~~three~~ four things:

1) I am going to be permanently transferred at work and I feel oddly calm. I am sure this will not last.

2) I am looking magnificently at the Project Hail Mary fandom on Tumblr and Twitter. Not only do I get alien cultures, whumpable dudes, and acceptable xenophilia, I also get to see the growth of a tiny faction that is thinking "what if Ryland Grace has a twin brother? Or brothers? Who are all other Ryan Gosling characters? And they found out one of theirs is forced into a suicide mission? YEEEEESSSS~"

3) My fountain pen broke due to excessive force during refilling (FUCK).

4) I am embarking on a secret project that might, might, make me active around these parts for much longer!

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Notebook writing

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 04:25:18 GMT

Me being back on this blog is a part of rediscovering my love of writing things down and to maintain it as long as I can.

A few months ago, I decided to dive deep into this by buying several cheap notebooks and one expensive notebook. This Leuchtturm A6 Pocket notebook costs almost 100 Ringgit here, but I have it close to me on my desk whenever I want to jot down what happened in my everyday.

It was an expensive gamble, but I have found that writing at least once a week - usually more - helps me to recall some of the most important stuff over the day(s), even if those days were unpredictable or packed with a lot of confusing stimulus. Also, it felt good writing things down with a good ballpoint or fountain pen.

Now if only these notebooks are easier on the wallet ;__;

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Easiness of posting in laptop vs. tablet

Sun, 19 Apr 2026 23:44:30 GMT

I noticed something. Whenever I try to post here from my laptop, it feels a bit daunting and exhausting, especially as I'd then try to link up to imgur for my images.

But the one time I tested out posting from my second-hand tablet, it feels far easier in my mind, especially since I no longer need to think about formatting or linking to imgur. A side-effect of me posting on Tumblr and social media on my phone?

I wanna try something This post is made-up at 7:41 am on my tablet. If I do feel easier on this than on a laptop screen, this might be my new go-to. Not sure how to upload images using this though - feels more cumbersome. Maybe edit via laptop once this is done.

EDIT: This passage is written in notepad. I have alwways used either Notepad or Word in writing things on-the-go, and so far I think I could easily write in this and then copy-paste here. Feels more natural (to me) than typing down a blog post in-house, so to speak.

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Project Hail Mary and Con Merch!

Sun, 19 Apr 2026 05:14:38 GMT

So I have watched Project Hail Mary (twice!!) and it has become, needless to say, my latest hyperfixation.

So when I heard there was going to be a local anime con this weekend, I immediately jumped out and began planning to go there. I know the movie was too recent for any new fanmerch to be made on time, but I couldn't help but hope.

And that hope was rewarded!

Out of all the tables and booths, only one had PHM fanmerch! A print and a Rocky sticker! And it was such a niche booth too with the fanartist also having SlimeKnight from SFAWTDE, Klance, OMORI, and a single Sleep Token keychain.

I bought all the PHM, SlimeKnight, and Sleep Token stuff on that booth. MINE.

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A website rabbit hole

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 15:33:25 GMT

When I last posted for the first time in ages, I also got subscribed by another person for ages.

Feeling curious, I took a jaunt to their journal and the first post I saw was about a site called the html review. I was intrigued.

Apparently it is a, quote, "annual journal of literature made to exist on the web", compiling the most interesting websites that make the most creative use of coding to present what they want. It took me a while to look at the sites presented for this year (Spring 2026) but my god, they are all so damn creative it's insane. Some of them are poems, some of them are webcomics, some of them are archives, media players, etc. but they were all so interactive that it's hard to put it into words!

If I had more time, I would explore all the presented sites to the fullest. But for now I could only glace at them once or twice in the free time I have available.

And a link, to explore in the near-future: https://thehtml.review/05/

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I'm... returning?

Sun, 05 Apr 2026 01:49:56 GMT

Okay, it has been over 10 years since I'm last here.

To the me from the past, you have absolutely no idea how much the internet has changed. So much has changed that it might look almost unrecognizable - AI / LLM's are one thing, but there is also the enshittification of almost all social media, among other things - but there are also some things that remain the same, such as Tumblr! And new things, such as Discord.

Speaking of which, Tumblr (and initially, Reddit) will be where you will encounter what is known as 'fanfic bookbinding', in which people turn their favourite fanfictions or stories into handmade books! You will be interested in it, have someone from Reddit bind a fanfic for you from Australia, and bind a fanfic yourself! Eventually, you will join a Discord group of fanfic bookbinders, and that will be where you still are today.

But while you have found groups of new friends, the wider web changed. You made an alternate Tumblr blog for finished bookbinds, but wider web events such as surveillance and privacy have made you consider returning to Dreamwidth. Perhaps you shall make a bookbinding blog here and transfer all you have posted. Me from the past, a lot has changed, but not all of it's bad.

For now, this is Me from the Future, signing off.

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Discovering things… personal things…

Sat, 07 Dec 2013 14:39:32 GMT

As it turns out, being on the internet sure exposes you to strange new stuff.

First of all, I’m sorry for neglecting this blog for the past month and a half. Tumblr got to me, and yes I know I have made vows never to open up an count there, but… most of my fandom is there now, so there’s really no choice in it. Sorry…

Okay, now that that’s done with, new update stuff! Well…

There’s Tumblr…

And college…

And exams…

And me finding new things…

…Did I mention the exams?

College life is… unexplainable. I will only say though that getting myself involved in a play is probably the most fun decision I’ve ever had (even though the main actor forgot his lines on ‘Opening Day’. Improvisation, ahoy!)

The exams though… I’m actually supposed to be studying right now, but procrastination is so much eaaaaaaasierrrrr. From the 9th to the 13th I will have my finals and I am now in a new house brought by my parents where they shall have a kenduri (get-together) tomorrow, halfway across the state from college. Yay priorities!

And as for finding new things, there is alternatehistory.com where people would write absolutely awesome alternate histories about the world and with maps and flags and all sorts of cool stuff. There is also the YouTube Vlogging community where there are tons of awesome people just talking to cameras and yet continue to be awesome and delicious and awesome and… aaaaaahhhhh…. (I have no idea what to say really. Just. Watch. Them.)

Also, I kinda got myself involved in the alternate history shtick.

Hehe. :D

And as for music,

You’re welcome. ;)

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GAH WHAT HAPPENED TO THIS BLOG

Tue, 15 Oct 2013 04:57:32 GMT

IT'S OVER A MONTH AND A HALF.

I'm still here people. My mind isn't. College has finally gone full throttle and I am swamped with assignments and essays every week now.

I haven't been on Fandomsecrets for a while now and I think I'm forgetting just what has happened to that place over the months.

I just want to sleeeeeep....

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Of old villages, trained monkeys and beautiful music. Also, drawings.

Thu, 15 Aug 2013 05:27:51 GMT

Another Hari Raya Eid-ul-Fitr come and gone! In all accounts, it wasn’t too bad being cut off from Wifi for almost a week save for a USB drive that I have to plug in when I have the free time (which, to be honest, I had a lot). The villages where our relatives lived looked almost unchanged when we made our customary visits; the houses look the same, the shoplots are the same, the tiny main streets look like as they were before, and so were the winding roads…

…until we got to one of our relatives’ house by the edge of a palm oil plantation.

The palm oil plantation was gone.

I never realized how dark the whole place was until they cut down the old palm oil trees.

Also, we visited another relative who has a job training monkeys to harvest coconuts and keeps them right outside his home. I’ve known about him and his profession since I was a kid but this time I think I should at least get a picture of it so that I could remember what he did when I’m still young.

Also, I managed to find this little gem floating around the whirlpool that is YouTube:

For a comparison, here’s the original theme music: http://i.imgur.com/oKeBIf0.jpg
Um… wow.

Besides that, I managed to make a few more doodles!

And here’s them side by side for comparison

Why yes, I have been listening to Welcome to Night Vale for a while now. Any more questions?

Besides these doodles, when I decided to flip through my Uni notes I found a piece that I have forgotten for quite some time now; almost half a year by my guess.

This was supposed to end up in the large doodle portrait that now hangs by my bedroom door (and quite magnificently, might I add) but the more I looked at it, the more I wasn’t satisfied with the result. I guess that was why I’ve completely forgotten about this piece after I finished making a revised version of it for the bedroom portrait.

And it looks like I have been shipping Italy and Mituna for a bit longer than I thought. Italy and Mituna. What the heck is happening to the world?

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Happy Eid!

Thu, 08 Aug 2013 15:54:11 GMT

...Although I'm pretty sure the only people who's going to see this are either future-people or the very rare internet wiki-walker.

Anyways, maaf zahir dan batin, ya?

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WHY THE HECK DIDN'T I UPDATE THIS ALREADY!?

Fri, 19 Jul 2013 00:44:25 GMT

Well, it looks like fasting for an entire day for the next 29 days DOES make you feel tired and lazy.

My apologies.

Well, fasting month has officially arrived in Malaysia and the streets are once again full of vendors and hawkers selling everything under the evening sun. If I could, I want to photograph them so that I could make another F!S post about it all. Lets just hope my tiredness doesn't take over me entirely then.

In other news, that earlier painting I got from the art fair, I changed it into... something else.
I'll post some pictures up later but I can say that it look a LOT different from the original. My mohher thought it was the most creepiest thing in the history of ever but I couldn't be angry of it because... she's my mother. Also, she tried to calm me down after I missed my English exam.

I got another DIY-paint-it-kit and this time, it's even more daunting as the spaces to paint are really tiny and that my eyesight isn't that good. But I'm trying, though!

Oh, I've also started writing fanfiction. Just so you know.

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