Forest City x The Network School

Recently, I took a trip with colleagues to Forest City. Like many who spend too much time doomscrolling, I had already absorbed a steady diet of articles painting it as a desolate ‘Ghost City.’ In my head, it was the kind of place where tumbleweeds roll down spotless sidewalks– if Malaysia had tumbleweeds. If it weren’t for work, it would’ve been nowhere near my weekend plans. Spoiler: I was spectacularly wrong.

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The Return of Feel-Good Superheroes

Superman and The Fantastic Four in Action

If you’re a superhero fan who loves movies, like I am, you’ve probably been pretty disappointed these past few years. The MCU and DCEU just haven’t been hitting the mark. Sure, there’ve been a few standouts—Deadpool vs. Wolverine comes to mind—but even that relied heavily on nostalgia and fan service. Thunderbolts* showed flickers of the old MCU magic, but let’s be honest, it didn’t exactly set the box office ablaze.

Which is why it brings me great joy—bordering on relief—that not one, but two superhero films released in the past month reminded me why I fell in love with the genre in the first place: they brought back that wondrous, joyful escapism that lets us forget reality for a while.

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To write, watch or play?

Time. One could never have enough of it.

It’s funny how abundantly time flows all around us, yet we can never seem to find the right moments to do the things we claim to love. Recently, I’ve been juggling new projects while moonlighting as my daughter’s personal chauffeur during her IGCSE exams (the real one this time and not the mocks). The result? My writing– an activity I’ve cherished since escaping corporate life– has been relegated to the “when I get around to it” pile.

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Putera Lilin vs. The Mountain

On Earth Day this year, I took a nature hike.

Let me set expectations immediately: I’m not exactly a rugged, wilderness adventurer. My idea of “roughing it” involves air-conditioned chalets, glamping tents with hot showers and jungle dorms that still somehow have Wi-Fi. I’m basically Bear Grylls– if Bear Grylls demanded 24/7 air-conditioning and room service.

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World War Trade

My monitor’s red LEDs have never worked harder than they did in the final days of last week. No, my screen isn’t broken– but global trade just might be.

If you’ve been off-grid (or hanging out with penguins on a remote island), here’s what happened: President Donald J. Trump declared “Liberation Day,” slapping sweeping tariffs on nearly every country. It was like Oprah shouting, “You get one! And you get one!”– except instead of car keys, every country’s exports got slapped with customs bills.

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Let’s Do The Twist

It was sometime last week and I was in the car when I reached over to grab my phone on the front passenger seat. That’s when I heard three satisfyingly crunchy cracks from the right side of my neck, near the base of my skull.

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