For fun.

No, seriously, in the beginning I was doing it just for fun, it made my gamer self laugh. Even if I dearly hate the sound of my own voice (Morgan Freeman, teach me, please). Also, I'm a really bad guitar player, so there. Just.For.Fun.

But there is more to the story.

It happened almost by accident. Found myself displayed for the public to see, and I couldn't stop it since I wasn't the one uploading the video.
For those who don't know (all of you, probably), here it is (trauma ahead, you've been warned) :

To be honest, when it got the first views, I wasn't really happy I was scared lifeless and quite depressed.

But then I read some of these comments on twitter and around:

His video got my grandma laughing so hard she got a cough - @leetabulat

I've not watched it for one minute and I can't stop laughing - @nchuNurindah

My little sister won't stop singing it! -(Friend on YM)

And I though... ok that's not many people, but I'm actually making people happy? Man that's great!

So that's it, I have decided to go further and give a million rupiah to a charity I'll reveal the name of when I get there, if I get a million views.
What's in for me? Nothing. I'm not sponsored, I'm not a brand. I'm just thinking that if that video can make people laugh and feel better, it deserves a chance to be known, and if it helps people too, it's two hits with one stone(d singer).

Call me narcissist so I can kiss myself, but that's really what I'm thinking :)

Oh, and I'm available for autographs. XD

Posted via email from @Danny_Fr

Or Japanese, or Korean...or Vietnamese...

Why so?

Today is my birthday.

I usually don't make a fuss about it, but it's been seven years since I haven't celebrated it and this year it comes with several funny little perks.

• I was born on a Thursday, today is Thursday. Once cycle ended.
• I'm 28 years old, 28 is also a cycle.
• 28 is my lucky number (when I feel like having one) 
• 28 is a funny number

Still, nothing about Chinesedom yet, but I'm comming to that.

• Thursday is the 4th day of the week
• this day is the 14th.
• This month is the 4th month
• 28 is 7 times 4, or twice 14
• If we fetch it even further, this year, 2011, can be seen as 2+0+1+1, 4 again.

Still not getting it?

In Chinese (or other languages from nationalities listed above), the number 4 sounds like death.

This year, and particularly today, were I Chinese (and supersticious), I would spend my next year looking at the sky, hoping to dodge the proverbial falling piano (well, I'm in Indosia so make it an anklung ).

So voila, inflamatory headline for a numeric prank, forgive me, but there, look at me grinning.

 

Big big thanks to @acidive, @varidia, @septianandre, @sudaasli, @younithaanggra, @debby_zhang, @pamelahalomoan, @rezade, @perlninja, @thrandurilion, @putriutiee for their wishes!

Now let me go and order some pizza for the office buddies, I think I'll order 4.

 

 

 

 

Posted via email from Walking down the dragon's back

I used to think, naively, that appearance didn't matter at all.
After all when you really can perform, what's important is the result of your work.
That's a logical thought, one that makes a lot of sense.
A thought no one should deviate from... in a perfect world.

I've been playing with my looks for a while now, so much that my hair has aquired sentience. In my line of work, which doesn't include much public speaking, if at all, I can take the freedom of  proudly harboring, at work, a blonde streaken mohawk and a pink t-shirt.

When it comes to communicating to a wider public rather than a keyboard, though, a little experiment I did with a certain pair of sunglasses showed me that things are completely different.

See for yourself, the difference with and without.

Now... I remarked several things while wearing these:

• I can't do eye contact
• I have to smile the whidest grin ever to show that I'm agreeing or happy
• The said smile makes me look like an angry wholf
• People look at me a quickly look away
• I am given more seats in the bus than ever before, and it goes with a body language indicating fear, yes, fear.

To put it simply:

Where am I going?

Well, think: such a little detail as a pair of glasses can change the behavior of people all around you. What if your face were a website, what if the glasses were a feature, and add, a video? Something you would think innocent, but would definitely change your audience's behavior?

A popup means spam, background music means amateurism, flash splash screens mean you're stuck in 2002... maybe not to you, but to your visitors, whom are either born in the internet era or using it since long enough to know the patterns, it will make the difference.

Be open to critics, show your work before publishing, make closed alpha and beta test, and you'll know if you look killer or look like one.

Posted via email from @Danny_Fr

Fight yourself, win and lose and come back with the bruises.

Empty your wallet, throw away your jacket and see what's left.

Your shoes:leave them behind; your feet are made to stand the walk.

Fall and get up, you'll know how it feels.

Run backward if it brings you there.

Look at your sun, not at their stars.

Make all the mistakes, once.

Take your own hand.

You.

Are.

Your.

Own.

Fucking.

Achievement.

 

Posted via email from Walking down the dragon's back

On the 29th or March 2011, was uploaded on YouTube what's about to become one of the biggest viral video in Indonesia.

Briptu Norman, from the province of Gorontalo (population +- 1 million) instantly got internet famous.
To date the video has a total of more than 500,000 views.

Of course, things being what they are, we all expected the this talented lip-sync artist to be punished for turning the good name of the local police into a mockery,
On the 5th of April, the press was officially informed that, in spite of the overwhelmingly positive reception of the video, bridagier Normal was to receive due disciplining.

Today, 6th of April, the sanction received by the prancing policeman came to pucblic knowledge. Here you go:

 

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, we were all expecting him to be set on fire while flogged with a spiked paddle dipped in vinegar... But there.
This, is a superb PR move.

The Indonesian police doesn't have what you'd call a good reputation; all in all they are mostly reputable for receiving extra bribes to make the ends meet at the end of the month.
Their reaction here proved that they both have a good sense of humor and some real common sense, bringing them one step closer to the people.

Norman's superiors did everything right:

• They understood the context of the video
• They monitored its reception on the Indonesian web
• They took in account the public's reaction
• They issued a response that took everybody by surprise, taking a stance diametrally opposed to their reputation

To PR all over the world who still think that censoring message on a facebook page is the best way to control a brand's reputation: take lessons from brigadier Norman and the police force of Gorontalo, Indonesia (population: +- 1 million).

 

Posted via email from @Danny_Fr