munmonlisme

Dear PRC, It’s Been 12 Years

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Twelve years. That’s a lot of logins, meetings, and “can you share your screen?” moments.

When I first walked into PRC, I had no idea that this mix of books, databases, and brilliant minds would become such a defining part of my life. Somewhere between The Library Systems, MyPRECISE, and countless emails that began with “just checking,” PRC stopped being just a workplace. It became a family.

Over the years, I have had the privilege of working alongside an incredible team to shape PRC’s digital evolution. Together, we migrated our library systems from Millennium to Sierra, and then from Sierra to Symphony, whereby each transition was a leap forward in how we manage and deliver knowledge. It wasn’t just about software; it was about collaboration, late nights, and shared victories.

We digitised over 1.2 million resources of images, videos, and audio with the intent to preserve PETRONAS’ rich heritage and make it accessible at the click of a button. That milestone wasn’t mine alone, as it was the result of tireless teamwork, meticulous planning, and a shared belief in the power of preservation.

We modernised the OPAC, transforming it from a rigid out-of-the-box interface into a fluid, user-friendly experience. We migrated SharePoint (MyPRECISE) from 2010 to 2013, then to 2019, and finally into the cloud with M365, bringing collaboration into the future. Every step was a team effort, with each member bringing their expertise, creativity, and grit.

And when the office had not changed since 1997, we reimagined it into the “New Workplace for Tomorrow,” turning a static space into one that reflects how we work today. (The library itself had its own glow-up with two refurbishments in 2005 and again in 2018.)

Beyond the big projects, I have handled countless system librarian tasks, a quiet, behind-the-scenes work that keeps everything running. But even those moments were rarely solo. Whether it was troubleshooting a glitch, refining metadata, or streamlining workflows, I always had a team beside me.

Now, as I close this chapter under MSS, I realise how much of me is written into PRC’s story, and how much of PRC lives in mine.

To my team: thank you for the laughs, the teamwork, and the never-ending patience (especially during those “quick meetings” that somehow lasted an hour). You made every challenge lighter and every success sweeter. You turned projects into milestones and milestones into memories.

To my bosses: thank you for the trust, the guidance, and the space to grow. You have shaped not just what I do, but how I see work, people, and purpose.

And to PRC itself, thank you for being more than just a library. You were a classroom, a playground, and sometimes even a therapy room.

I will carry the memories, lessons, and friendships long after the staff pass expires.

This isn’t goodbye. It’s just the next chapter. Maybe with less SharePoint, fewer renewals, and hopefully better coffee.

Here’s to 12 good years, PRC. You have been one of the best parts of my story.

Why a 45-Year-Old Dad Still Plays Zelda

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Last night I finally picked up my Nintendo Switch again. The game? The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

Now, I’ve had this game sitting in my collection for a while, but only recently betul-betul ada masa nak layan. At first, I was a bit reserved about the whole Nintendo Switch thing. Honestly, I’m not a big fan of handheld devices. My hands are like frying pans, so the tiny Joy-Cons? Forget it. I prefer a proper console or PC setup. Luckily, the Switch comes with a dock, so boom, big screen, real controller feel brother!

And yesterday, history was made. I defeated Waterblight Ganon and finally freed the Divine Beast Vah Ruta. No walkthroughs, no guides, nothing. Why? Because Link in this game starts with memory loss, so I decided to roleplay, kan… kalau Link tak tahu apa-apa, aku pun sama. Pure discovery sedara. Baru mashuk.

The last Zelda game I played? A Link to the Past, which was, what, a few decades ago? That hit me. I’ve gone from a skinny kid blowing into SNES cartridges to a dad with three kids and a Milo packet always somewhere near my desk. But here I am, still saving Hyrule.

Gaming at 45 isn’t about escapism alone. It’s about nostalgia, about keeping that curious kid alive. Every shrine, every puzzle, it reminds me why I fell in love with games in the first place.

And you know what? It feels good to know that while my kids might laugh at me yelling at cartoon monsters, deep down, they’re seeing their dad doing the same thing they do, (roblox la, menda la Roblox) figuring things out, failing, trying again, and celebrating small victories.

So yeah, orang dewasa main game sebab game ni tak pernah hilang fun. Kita je yang makin tua, tambah bil, tambah tanggungjawab, TV pun makin besar. Tapi bila Link pegang Master Sword… umur 15 ke 45, kau tetap hero dalam adventure kau sendiri.

Cuma bezanya sekarang… hero tu ada Milo panas sebelah, ready bila pause button ditekan.

A Historic Moment Remembered: Malaysia’s Inaugural Ceremony, 1963

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On September 17, 1963, the Straits Echo and Times of Malaya captured a defining moment in our nation’s history, the inaugural ceremony marking the formation of Malaysia. This landmark event united Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore under one federation, symbolizing a bold step toward regional unity and self-determination.

The ceremony reflected the hopes of a newly formed nation, with dignitaries, cultural performances, and a spirit of celebration that echoed across Penang and beyond. It was more than a political milestone. It was the birth of a shared identity.

As we look ahead to Malaysia Day, let’s honor the legacy of those who shaped our journey and continue building a future rooted in unity, diversity, and pride.

Radio Klasik 2060: Bila Lagu Kopi Jadi Evergreen

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Masa aku kecil dulu, rumah selalu penuh dengan bunyi Radio Klasik. Lagu-lagu P. Ramlee, Saloma, R. Azmi, semua tu jadi soundtrack hidup mak bapak kita. Generasi aku (Gen X) dah terbiasa dengan itu.

Tapi bila aku fikir ke depan… Radio Klasik tahun 2060, apa agaknya yang mereka akan main?

Anak-anak aku sekarang, generasi Millennials dan Gen Z, lagu yang viral kat telinga mereka bukan lagi “Getaran Jiwa.” Diorang hafalnya lagu Kopi by Nazu & Fahimi. Bayangkan announcer Radio Klasik 35 tahun lagi:

“Dan seterusnya, sebuah lagu klasik dari tahun 2020-an. Pernah tular di TikTok, dan menjadi siulan anak muda zaman itu… Lagu Kopi.”

Oi Aku Nak Tanya Ni
Suka Matcha Atau Suka Kopi
Kalau Pilih Kopi 
Baik Kopilih Ku Disini
Macam Novel Cinta
Kisah Romeo Dan Juliet
Dah Kenyataannya 
Ku Hanya Sendiri Menatap

Apa Yang Ada
Ku Bayangkan
Engkau Putera
Yang Datang
Tuk Selamatkan Ah Ah Ah

Ku Seorang 
Puteri Yang Sedang 
Kesepian Menunggumu
Huu

Oi Aku Nak Tanya Ni
Suka Matcha Atau Suka Kopi
Kalau Pilih Kopi 
Baik Kopilih Ku Disini
Macam Novel Cinta

Kisah Romeo Dan Juliet
Dah Kenyataannya 
Ku Hanya Sendiri Menatap
Apa Yang Ada

Bukan Bayangan
Realitinya Walau Ku Tak Ada Di Depan Mata Matamu Sayang

Menerangi Jalan Aku Pulang Padamu 
Aku Romeo Engkau Juliet
Selamanya Ku Ada Untukmu

Romeo Aku Juliet
Tak Tercari Aku Putera Selainmu Romeo
Romeo Aku Juliet
Tak Tercari Aku Putera Selainmu Romeo

Oi Kau Suka Matcha Atau Kopi
Oi Baik Kopi-Lih Ku Disini
Oi Kau Suka Matcha Atau Kopi
Oi Baik Kopi-Lih Ku Disini

Baik Kopi-Lih Ku Disini

Masa tu cucu-cucu kita tanya:
“Tok, betul ke dulu semua orang nyanyi lagu pasal kopi ni?”
Dan bapak budak tu jawab penuh yakin:
“Ha’ah, tu la lagu klasik zaman abah muda. Jangan main-main, lagu tu pernah trending seminggu!”

Lucu kan? Kita ingat lagu klasik tu P. Ramlee. Anak-anak kita pula nanti anggap lagu pasal kopi sebagai evergreen.

Jadi soalan aku: Radio Klasik masa depan ni, nak ketawa ke nak menangis bila lagu Kopi jadi warisan bangsa?

Birth of a New Nation

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On 31 August 1957, Malaya gained independence from British colonial rule, marking the birth of a new nation. The historic event was celebrated at Merdeka Stadium in Kuala Lumpur, where the Union Jack was lowered and the Malayan flag was raised for the first time. Led by Tunku Abdul Rahman, the country’s first Prime Minister, the moment symbolised the beginning of self-governance, unity among diverse communities, and the hope for a prosperous future. It was a proud and defining milestone in Malaysia’s journey towards nationhood.

Source: The Straits Echo – 31 August 1957

The Day Siri Almost Got Me in Trouble

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Morning school runs are usually routine, get the kids in the car, survive the traffic, sip Coffee from my trusty tumbler, and maybe sneak in a bit of podcast time.

But that day, I made the mistake of talking to Siri.

While driving, I said, “Hey Siri, call my wife.”

Siri, with the confidence of someone who has never been married, replied:

“Which one? Suzila Isteriku Munawar, Suzila Isteriku Tercantik Sedunia, or Suzila Munawar?”

Before I could defend myself, my 14-year-old son Adam, sitting at the back, sensing danger like a cat hearing a can opener and said loudly:

“Wow Abie!!! You have three wives?! Careful Abie… nanti kena tidur luar.”

At that point, my daughters were already laughing, and I was calculating the odds of Siri making it through the rest of the trip.

Just imagine if this happened in public and the WIFE was sitting right next to you. That’s not just “funny anecdote” territory! That’s a public trial without a jury.

Now your wife freezes mid-sip, the barista stops steaming the milk, and the uncle at the next table lowers his newspaper just to get a better look at the guy who apparently has three wives.

In that split second, you have to choose:

  • Laugh it off (risky).
  • Blame Siri (safe but suspicious).
  • Or fake a call and pretend Siri was asking which contact group to use (expert-level damage control).

Lesson learned: Siri may be smart, but she is not designed for marital harmony.

Also… do not test voice commands when your kids are in the car, they are too quick to turn small things into big dramas.

Air Coway, Influencer & Ikan Dalam Air Mineral

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Salam Hari Khamis Warga Dunia, Salam dari Munmon, serorang Gamer dan bukannya doktor, tapi tahu beza air paip dengan air laut.

Baru-baru ni, kecoh satu Malaysia. Ada influencer tampil berkongsi pendapat, katanya, air RO ni tak bagus. Katanya lagi, “air mineral lagi elok, sebab ada kandungan semula jadi, bukan air kosong yang dah dibuang segalanya.“

Hmm.

Maka bermulalah debat meja makan:
“Eh, kau pakai Coway ke Cuckoo?”
“Eh, tu air RO, tak elok minum selalu!”
“Eh, betul ke air RO hisap mineral dalam badan?”

Bila “Sharing” Melebihi Fakta

Kita hidup dalam zaman di mana influencer boleh jadi pakar pemakanan semalaman, hanya kerana ada cincin oksimeter dan filter kamera yang power. Tapi malangnya, filter tak boleh tapis maklumat mengelirukan.

Air RO (Reverse Osmosis) adalah teknologi penapisan yang sangat berkesan. Ia tapis bahan kimia, logam berat, dan juga mineral semula jadi. Jadi memang benar, memang tinggal air “kosong” yang sangat bersih.

Adakah ini satu masalah kepada kita pengguna Air RO ini? Tidak. Wajib ke semua orang minum RO? Itu pun juga tidak.

Siapa Perlukan Air RO?

Soalnya sekarang, siapa yang patut ada Water Filter, tak kisah jenama K-Pop ke, jenama Jarman ka, jenama apa² pon. Berikut adalah antara sebab kenapa mesin air itu dipasang di dalam rumah.

  • Kalau rumah anda dekat kawasan air berbau, atau penuh klorin, atau tinggal di kawasan air keras (hard water, macam dekat Perlis) RO sangat membantu. Influencer² ni kena banyak membaca. Hard Water pon belum tentu dia tahu bendalah apa tu. Korang ada tgk orang Perlis minum air direct dari paip? Sebab air dekat sana sangat tinggi kandungan mineral dia sampai. Keras kejung nanti badan penuh dengan magensium dan kalsium.
  • Orang yang ada masalah pinggang, renal disease mmg kena minum RO atau drinking water. Sebab depa ni ada masalah diet, tak boleh ada banyak mineral kerana tidak ada kemampuan menapis. Jadinya RO sangatlah sesuai untuk golongan ini.
  • Atau memang you guys suka air yang puteh dan bersih, maknya RO water la. Sedapnya wooo minum sejuk².

Jadinya, disebabkan RO water tu takde mineral gantilah dari sumber lain macam sayur ke, buah ke (bukan durian ye saudara). Kena pulak ko mmg bangsa makan ramen segera, mee segera atau apa yang segara secara istiqomah, RO water memang tak baik untuk anda. So minum lah RO, tapi make sure hampa dapatkan mineral dari sumber yang lain, bukan dari air mineral sahaja… sebab….

Air Mineral vs Air RO?

Yes, air mineral ada kalsium, magnesium dan mineral lain, namun kandungan mineralnya adalah di dalam jumlah yang sangat kecil. Untuk dapat mineral secukupnya daripada air mineral, anda mungkin kena minum satu kolam sehari.

Makanya kenyataan “lebih baik air mineral daripada air RO” hmm… mungkin sesuai untuk kapsyen Instagram, video TikTok atau Status Facebook, tapi tak berapa sesuai untuk fakta kesihatan. Sebabnya tak benar pon.

Sebagai Rumusannya

Kita boleh pilih minum air mineral, air RO, air masak, air kelapa atau air MILO… semua ok. Tapi janganlah panik hanya kerana satu video viral. Kalau betul risau sangat, boleh rujuk pakar kesihatan dan bukannya pakar konten.

Lagi satu sedara, Kalau nak jadi sihat, jangan harap pada jenis air saja. Tak cukup. Makan seimbang.
Dan tolonglah, jangan percaya semua benda yang keluar dari mulut orang famous. Famous ya, tak cerdik pun ya. So korang pikir²lah sendiri.

The Librarian Who Plays Games: What Lost in Random Taught Me About Life (and Filing Systems)

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People assume librarians are masters of the order of the Dewey Decimal, the wielding guardians of silent halls and sorted shelves. And sure, part of that is true. Some might even say, untungla jadi Librarian, boleh baca buku bagai… eh ko ni, kita tak ada masa la nak baca buku semua (sebab tu kita subscribe getAbsract, summarise je semua ni).

What people tak perasan is that the chaos we manage behind the scenes: missing books, metadata meltdowns, and users who still type “the whole questions” into search bars.

In that sense, I have never felt more seen than when I played Lost in Random: Eternal Die. It is not about randomness deciding your fate. It is about how you respond to the strange and often unfair tools life hands you.

Aleksandra is not a passive character waiting for a number to appear. She is a girl who was once a queen, now fighting her way through a broken world shaped by her own past decisions. The die in her hand is not about chance. It reflects what she has learned, what she carries, and how far she is willing to go.

That hit me. Sometimes it feels like we are trapped in our version of the Black Die. Life throws things at us that do not make sense. Loss. Mistakes. Silence. But we keep moving forward. We use whatever little voice or power we have. Like Aleksandra, we are not rolling the dice to see who we become. We are choosing what that roll means. We are equipping our pain, our joy, and our memory like weapons. Not because we want to win, but because we need to survive and make peace with the ruins.

Enter a dark new chapter set in the twisted world of Random. Play as Queen Aleksandra and roll alongside your living die, Fortune, as you face the corrupted designs of Mare the Knight in this roguelite fairytale adventure.

That is why this game stayed with me. It reminded me that control is not about avoiding chaos. It is about facing it with the right tools and a bit of courage.

Chaos Is a System: You Just Haven’t Indexed It Yet

In the game, the protagonist Even journeys through unpredictable lands with a sentient die named Fortune. Nothing goes as planned, but she adapts, survives, and finds clarity in confusion.

That is not unlike library work. You start the day thinking you will catalogue a few journal titles, but suddenly someone’s locked out of their account, a database isn’t syncing, and an exec wants a 5-year industry forecast by lunch.

The beauty is learning to roll with it, literally. Every unpredictable task becomes a chance to regroup, reprioritise, and figure things out on the fly.

Parenting Is Like Random Dice Rolls (and Sometimes You Roll a 1)

I have three kids, and no user manual came with them. One moment, they are peaceful angels reading under a blanket. The next moment, someone’s crying over unplayable Roblox (aku blocked la apa lagi). Tak pon gadoh pasal youtube Channel, sorang nak tengok MiawAug, sorang lagi nak tgk Minecraft Channel – entah apa la depa ni semua???

Much like the game, parenting is all about responding to the unexpected. No guaranteed formula that will work all the time. You make the best choice with the hand (or die roll) you’re given.

Sometimes, it’s not about getting everything right. It’s about being there, ready to adapt, listen, and love even in uncertainty.

Librarianship in the Dice Kingdom

We may work in air-conditioned rooms and databases, but let’s be honest — a modern library is no longer about just storing books.

We:

  • Fight for reading culture in an age of 10-second reels.
  • Train AI models on curated knowledge.
  • Run outreach events while updating MARC records.
  • Explain for the hundredth time that “Google is not a library.”

In Lost in Random, Even finds her power in embracing the randomness. That’s the librarian spirit, too. Order isn’t about controlling everything. It’s about navigating the mess with curiosity, compassion, and maybe a few backup drives.

What the Game (and Life) Really Says

Random is not the opposite of order. It is part of it.

Whether it is raising children, managing knowledge, or exploring strange fantasy worlds, we are all just trying to move through chaos with a bit of grace. Some days you roll a six. Some days, you step on a LEGO. Both are part of the journey.

So here is to the unexpected.
To the librarians.
To the parents.
To the gamers.
And yes, to Milo, to chaos, and to the quiet joy of a shelf that finally makes sense.

Libraries Are Not Loot Rooms; They Are Lore

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Few days ago, as I attended one of the prestigious conference for information professionals or in other words, Librarians, the CONSAL XIX (2025). This event was made even prestigious with the arrival of Malaysia’s 10th Prime Minister to give his words…. katanya “morning lecture” – boleh refer sini untuk Text Ucapaan YAB Perdana Menteri Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Perdana Menteri Malaysia ke-10, sempena ucaptamanya pada majlis tersebut.

Ok. Let us return to the main text of this post.

As a librarian, a gamer (currently lost between Diablo 4 dungeons, the wait for Borderlands 4, and the weird beauty of Lost in Random), and a father navigating homework, and monthly Grab fees, I felt this one deep. And let me tell you, he did not come in with a generic speech. He came in like an endgame Boss (Level: 💀💀💀) dropping wisdom bombs.

Here is my take.

Libraries Are Not Side Quests

PMX said it straight, libraries are not decorative add-ons. They are the main storyline in any nation that wants to stand tall and think big. He spoke of Alexandria and Baitul Hikmah like they were real-life equivalents of knowledge guild halls. Places where people did not just collect scrolls — they built worlds.

Librarians Are Not Just Bookkeepers

According to PMX, we should not just be stamping books and sorting Dewey decimals. Librarians should be creators of curiosity. The Architects of thought as he shared a story of a librarian who faxed him book reviews late at night. Gitulah, kami mmg suka buat orang suka dan gembira. Melampau ke? Pada orang lain, mungkin namun itulah dia kind of passion that keeps the light on when the world is too tired to read.

Books Are Magic Spells That Still Work

Quoting Carl Sagan, PMX reminded us that books allow you to enter the mind of someone who has been gone for thousands of years.

“A book is proof that humans are capable of working magic. A book is a flat object made from a tree, with flexible parts on which are imprinted lots of funny dark squiggles. But one glance at it and you’re inside the mind of another person, maybe somebody dead for thousands of years. Across the millennia, an author is speaking, clearly and silently, inside your head, directly to you. Writing is perhaps the greatest of human inventions, binding together people who never knew each other, citizens of distant epochs.”

Dalam speech dia, tak la dia amik bulat2 kata si Carl Sagan ni, aku pon tak tahu pasal dia hinggalah pada saat mendengar ucapannya. So aku buat la sedikit research untuk lebih tahu akan Carl Sagan ni. Seorang ahli astronomi, astrofizik, penulis, dan penyampai ilmu sains dari Amerika yang terkenal kerana berjaya mendekatkan konsep alam semesta kepada orang ramai dengan cara yang puitis. (kira banyak membaca juga PM kita ni)

Think about that. That is more powerful than any portal gun or corrupted rune. That is real time travel (tapi kena mau ada daya imiginasi yg power la) with no loading screen.

We Need to Buff Our Reading Culture

PMX called it out. People skim headlines, read two tweets, and suddenly everyone is an expert. This is not sustainable. (Macam expert dekat Social Media tu, setiap event mesti ada pakar). Without reading, we do not get democracy. We do not get critical thinking. We get noise. And rage. And conspiracy theory uncles in WhatsApp groups, TikTok (aku shaking ni….), Facebook dan pelbagai.

Digital Is Cool. But Use It With Intention

He is not against tech. He supports digital libraries, mobile access, even podcasts. But he warns, tech should not replace depth. In Borderlands, you can get a new weapon. But unless you understand how to use it, mod it, and build around it — it is just clutter.

Same goes for digital tools. Do not just chase trends. Use what helps you think deeper.

Library itu entiti yg hidup dan haruslah dianggap begitu selamanya

PMX had a simple request: stop wrapping books in plastic and locking them away. Books are not artifacts. They are living ideas. They should be touched, read, argued over. If your library is just a quiet place with air conditioning, you are doing it wrong.

Ini kita boleh lihat dekat beberapa sekolah yg tidaklah perlu saya namakan di sini. Buku itu perhiasaan dan bahan pameran. Buku jika serupa belacan adalah buku yg bagus.

Final Word: We Are the Keepers of Lore

PMX closed by reminding us that libraries are ecosystems of culture and connection. They are where thinking happens, not just storing.

And librarians? We are more than shelf guards.

We are lorekeepers. Quest givers. Map readers. Sometimes clerics. Sometimes tanks. Always there to help someone level up, quietly, persistently.

So the next time someone says “Library? Got Google what…”

Remind them:

Even in Diablo, you need scrolls.
Even in Borderlands, lore matters.
And in real life? Books still save people.

One page at a time.

Filtered Data? Don’t Just SUM It Up. SUBTOTAL It

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Good day, folks!

Today I learned something about Excel — and yes, maybe some of you dah lama tahu… but sharing is caring, and learning never ends (especially when you’re a librarian, dad, gamer, and accidental spreadsheet warrior).

So here’s the situation:

You use =SUM() to total up your data.
Then you apply a filter.
But… the total doesn’t change.
Why? Because SUM() includes everything — even rows you hid from your guilt.

At first glance, both SUM and SUBTOTAL show the same result — the total from the ‘Reporting_Period_Total’ row.

Enter: Copilot. (See: This is how AI improves your puny human existence and makes you a more worthwhile version of yourself.)

Copilot said:

“Encik… if you want your totals to reflect only visible, filtered data — use SUBTOTAL().”

Boom. Enlightenment. SUBTOTAL is basically SUM’s smarter sibling. It knows when to recalculate based on what you actually want to see — the visible rows.

Apply a filter, and you’ll see the difference — SUM counts everything, even the hidden stuff. SUBTOTAL? It plays fair and totals only what’s visible.

Example:
Let’s say you’re tracking sales in column B (B2 to B100):

=SUBTOTAL(109, B2:B100)

And yes… what is this mystical 109?
It’s a code — an operation indicator. In this case, 109 = SUM only visible rows.
It’s like function within a function — Excel’s version of Inception.

Here are more codes in the SUBTOTAL family:

  • 101 → Average
  • 102 → Count
  • 104 → MAX
  • 105 → MIN

So next time you’re slicing data like Amara punches psychos in Borderlands 3 — don’t just SUM(). SUBTOTAL() like a boss.

Milo in one hand. Filtered data in the other.
We move.