An elegy for Zuhairy

2009 will end in less than 2 days' time. I hope nothing outrageous will happen until the new year, after the surprising news on Zuhairy's mom's departure yesterday. Nobody in the family was ready for it. Sudden loss, hearts crushed. Rest in peace, Auntie Mashitah..

My dear Zuhairy, yesterday marks a new beginning for you and your family. I sincerely hope that you will go through this phase with an open mind and heart. Remember, everything that we have in this world are all temporarily given to us. It only differs in time, the moment they will be taken back. I remind myself that constantly, to help me move on, to help me realize and be 'redha' with what He has destined for me.

As your friend for over 16 years, I do have my own memories of her, especially when we were in school. I regard her as not only a friend's mother, but someone I could share stories with, especially when I was tired of waiting for my dad after Girl Guides class on Saturdays. She was one of the aunties I know who kept that competitive spirit in us classmates burning. She was one of those aunties with creative cooking ideas, and she was definitely a loving mother. I still recall how she made the effort to come to school nearly everyday to give you your breakfast box during recess time. And I do believe you inherited the looks from her too.

Be strong Zuhairy. Being the eldest son, I know you have a heavy role to carry on your shoulder. Fear not my friend. Life is full of unexpected things and uncertainties that, if we are afraid, we can go nowhere. Now that your mother is gone, you can help to lessen the missing in your siblings' hearts by filling the emptied space with love and care. Make certain that her departure does not end the blessings she could receive by continuously praying for her. That is the best thing that parents could receive from their children - the prayers, even after they are gone.

As a friend, I will be there for you. I am sure lots of friends will do be there for you too. The friendship that all of us have is very strong, and I can tell it by observing the friends who paid their respect yesterday. We want you to know that you are not left alone.

You will start a new beginning very very soon my friend, and I wish you all the best.


.. Sincerely from your loving old friend.

Sale sale sale! Beli beli!

(I have always wanted to refrain from talking about my upcoming wedding, but the things I wanna talk about evolve around me when I am working on the preparations. I hope I won't flood the blog with soapy wedding stuff. Enough the links)

Since the big day is drawing near, and what's more, the Year End Sale is still on high tide, En. Tunang and I made a series of shopping exercise. From Pavilion to Suria KLCC to Jalan TAR. From surveying and deciding what to buy, and the next few days were just buying-the-things-we-have-spotted, and we did a good job adhering to our allocation. It was fun to go shopping, I seriously can not deny that. But what I am more interested in is not the part when we got the things we wished for (memang seronok, but I did not say "Yes! Yes!Yes!" like the girl in Confessions of a Shopaholic), but the shopping behavior that shoppers have. I am awed. Awed in mixed feelings.

Yesterday, En. Tunang and I went to a well-renowned fabric shop in KL to get the fabrics for our pengapit during the receptions. It was Christmas, so yeah, I kinda expected Jalan TAR and its surroundings to be packed with swarms of people. It's shopping season kan!

After we got what we wanted, we waited for his sister who was queuing to pay at the counter. That was when one of the fabric shop staff hollered "Happy hour, happy hour! Murah2~ semua RM50 sepasang! Kain lembut2 kak.. tak payah gosok, mari2~!"

The aunties who came in are not all from KL I suppose. There were those from Kelantan, Terengganu (noting from their accent) and I was like "Whoa.. they come here to shop for kain? I thought city folks travel to their places to find kain? Hmm I guess that is called 'shopping assimiliation', haha.

I could feel the excitement in the makcik2's eyes upon hearing "kain sepasang RM50 je". They were delving into the rolls of cloth, picking one after one.. and I was bawling my eyes out. Deep inside my heart I yelped, "Auntie, don't buy, those pieces are unpretty. Tak cantik! It's a waste!" But if I were to open my mouth, I would definitely be kicked out of the shop, haha. So I tried in hesitation to watch them reaching out for the so-called cheap-but-pretty textile, knowing that I would turn them into rags to clean my kitchen if I were to buy one. And I was thinking too, every second the textile merchant gets richer and richer. Oh dunia~ how easy it is to get rich.. just rake the money out from everyone's pockets! Weapon? Good marketing and promotion! Barang tak best pun pembeli bukan pandai sangat nak tahu.. dia tahu dapat diskaun je..

So after all is done, out we go. Suddenly I was into this kinda-stupid idea. "Ain, let's check out that tudung store. I wanna find out what's there.." En. Tunang and family went their own way, leaving Ain and I to do what we wanted to do.

Tudung. Scarf. The trend now: Tudung Indon, that is being restyled and rebranded into brands like Ariani, Ratu and Fareeda; just quoting a few names. Don't say I have not tried, I have, but let's just say that I like scarfs with no awning. Afterall, the style in wearing tudung is not limited.

And so, Encik Kedai Tudung promoted the different names of scarfs that they have, telling us why we should opt for their tudung. Thai silk covered awning, swarovski beaded, face shaped to perfection, and so on. But referring to one of his statements, I will never agree that ladies who don't wear tudung indon-like style is out of trend. It's just that someone like him has been 'intelligent' enough to stick the thinking that branded indon-scarfs is the in-thing and make so-called trendy ladies pay RM200 just to take an average scarf out of their store. Some marketing they have there..

So, what kind of lesson learnt can we get? Make your own product, promote it to the sky, entice people, and your pocket will be thick in no time. Well, some time jugak la kut..

And I'm glad that I have great resistance to spend.

My Unwind

The 3-day training in Kuala Terengganu was a really needed getaway after the Instrument Forum, the changes in my wedding arrangements, the pre-shopping activity (4 days straight!), the tiring-but-finally-I-get-what-I-want-kain-hunting and my family's kenduri. Should I call it one of the last few moments that I enjoyed my life being single? Eh, I mean unmarried :D Yeah, it was one of the perfect getaways.

Why? Because there were great friends as company, great food, great hotel, much things to laugh about, pillow talks, many unexpected things, no rules to play by, and the list goes on. Sitting on the beach with the cold night's breeze biting the skin, admiring the dark sky pierced with glittering stars, sharing good stories and silent moments.. I couldn't ask for more. I call it rejuvenation process, haha.

(Seriously, the tension got my skin to age somehow. Don't say it's not visible ok)

I must admit that I really treasure the happenings around me right now, and that I would likely recall them this way "ingat tak a few months before our weddings.. we did this and that.." (Oh, a few friends-cum-colleagues will get married around the same time like mine, so we're kinda celebrating our single life together). I suppose after marriage, a different type of life could be expected. Not to say that I am viewing marriage from a not-so-positive angle, I DIDN'T say that! Let's just say that life later will somehow change. Priorities especially. I guess it will take some time for me to adapt. But anyway, I always believe that discovering something new or going through uncharted waters bring colors to life. Afterall, I am getting myself a great partner :) And I look forward to it.

Tomorrow, I'll board the plane again. Oh, have I ever mention I love airports? Yes, I do (love airports) :)

P/S: Thanks to Encik Nazim for the great training (specially edited for you ok~ hehe)

Prelude after the break

Here I am, sitting alone in Primula Beach Hotel lobby, just got myself connected after like 3 days of not accessing the Internet. Tomorrow I will head home, and will start my long untaken annual leave (yay!). 3 months more, and so much things to get done. Enough of planning!

It has been more than a month since I seriously wrote something. Oh well, not that I can really recall what happened throughout the 4-5 weeks, but I was damn busy and tired. Busy with work, family affairs and wedding affairs too! I'm not talking about my upcoming wedding, but my friends' weddings! Even this weekend I will have three weddings to attend, two on Saturday and one on Sunday, and that one being held in Bandar Baru Kedah. Wuhuu.. balik daripada Terengganu ni kena pergi tukar minyak hitam la jawabnya...

I guess I'll separate the things I have in my head into several posts (wah, adakah rajin?) If not, my idea will be so messed up!

P/S: Esok birthday Aishah. Happy 23rd birthday my sista!

No, not yet

It's hard to accept that I left my blog with all the cobwebs for nearly one month. Wuuhuu..

.. for the next post.

But then..

There are times when I wish that my journey to the office would be free of the unsightly things that would impose negative energy to me.. But then, I have to accept that unsightly things are a common thing, and there's nothing I can do about it, other than correcting my point of view.

Sometimes I wish I could yell to the guy beside me who smells so foul, I may think he has no money to buy a deodorant.. But to think he's a stranger that exists only 5 minutes of journey back from the office (petang kan.. panas.. peluh ler.. adeih) it's no worth to say anything. The wife never complains I guess. That's good enough.

Sometimes I wish that I would see no tears.. But then I know I should not forget that tears could heal the sadness inside, and that one feels better after crying.

Sometimes I wish that I could just listen, that I don't have to talk. But then I hate it just to nod or shake my head or to just say 'uhuhh..' without giving opinions..

Sometimes I hope that some people would just leave me alone.. but then, if they do, I would probably miss the publicity (muahaha!) and yeah, the fame perhaps? I might as well just sit back and enjoy it (hah!).


Sometimes I try to blend, never say I didn't try.. but then the way they boast makes me ill, that I shut off all my auditory senses when they talk.. They say I was inattentive.. Whatever.

P/S:

"Ah, but then.."
A phrase I remembered the most in one of the classes of Technical Writing taught by Dr. Shahrina. It was just a phrase that she uttered, and it got stucked in my head.

I just wanna record this here

I guess 2009 is a sweet year for my mom.

Adding to that is this.

Aim high Mak! Our love is always with you :)

November Rain

1) No, it's not like the ultimate love song from Guns N' Roses. It's just that coincidentally, it rains more heavily now in November, and I remembered a few lines from the song while driving alone in the cold weather just now.

2) It's not so hard to understand my fear + hatred for roaches. Everybody have their own things that they are scared of. A good friend of mine is scared of chicken (though they taste nyum nyum to me :D) and another is absolutely scared of cats. Though I find it amusing, but I never failed to save her from stray cats when we walk together. I mean, in short, everyone have their own things to be phobic of. I don't see any reason why it is so hard to accept my fear of roaches. It's normal.

3) I suppose my status as a fiancée for 11 months (and counting!) should somehow be understood that I am not at all available. Available as in to accommodate requests to have a drink or to go somewhere. What would you feel if someone would have done similar thing to your girlfriend? I expect my status to be respected. If it's not work, then I suppose there is no need for a meeting.

4) I went for a class today! A class that I have been trying to fit in my schedule for like 3 months, and only until today I was able to attend the class. I'll definitely be practicing more of my skills to do this. Enchanting new interest :)
 

The pieces of Q-dip petals and leaves. Just had them dried and glittered!

The participants in the class. Creative ladies. The lady in the vest and spectacles came all the way from Singapore just to attend this class, can you imagine?

My two Q-dip flowers! Now that I know how to make lily and rose Q-dip flowers, I can do it on my own for my big day! Encik Tunang, thank you for the support :)
(Sorry for the mediocre shot. They look better in live mode)

P/S:

When I look into your eyes
I can see a love restrained
But darlin' when I hold you
Don't you know I feel the same
'Cause nothin' lasts forever
And we both know hearts can change
And it's hard to hold a candle
In the cold November rain

These kids..

Just now, the house was filled with chattering of the kids who came for tuition. I am always fond of them, albeit them being naughty, talkative, and at times, delaying their work.

But of course, my mom is allergic to those kinds of attitude. So there you go kids, being scolded and nagged at. I know how that feels, haha.

But Afif didn't seem to take heed of mom's nagging. I was the one who was more concerned, hushing him to lower down his voice, and asked the others to concentrate on their workbook.

"Eee.. Afif tak takut pun Aunty marah.."

"Eee.. akak takut!"

"Nape nak takut.. kan kita kena takut Tuhan aje.."

Then Afiq interfered, "Habis tu, ko tak takut Mak ko?"

Afif shook his head, "Tak.."

Well, I suppose this is the egoistical part of kids after being scolded.

"Eehh... kalaupun tak takut Mak atau Aunty, tapi kita kena hormat.. mak ayah, cikgu, semua kita kena hormat. Betul tak..?" I was trying to give my suggestion.

"Betul betul.. Hormat orang tua la Afif.." Afiq seconded my opinion.

Afif sat down again, continuing his work. But not long after that..

"Hmm, akak, tak boleh ke UPSR dapat 4A ke, 3A ke.. memang kena dapat 5A jugak ke..?"

"Well, boleh je.. tapi lepas tak dapat 5A tu, jangan la marah kalau ada kawan-kawan ejek kita sebab tak dapat 5A.. Suka ke nak kena jadi bahan gelak orang..?" Well, expect a kiasu answer from a kiasu practitioner, haha.

"Tak nak.. tapi mak asyik cakap kena dapat 5A.. 4A pun ok apa.."

"Ok tu memang ok.. tapi kenapa kita target nak hadiahkan something yang tak sempurna pada mak ayah kita..? Everytime Afif datang tuisyen mesti pakai baju Manchester United. Baju mahal. Mak ayah bagi apa Afifi suka.. betul tak?" Afif nodded his head. So did Afiq.

"So, kalau Afif bagi something yang tak sempurna pada mak ayah, so can your parents.. do you want them to give something that you don't want..?"

"Apa yang kitaorang tak nak.. akak tahu ke..?" Cewah, Afiq seemed to question my credibility in understanding their wants, haha.

"Hui, senang je, let's say after this, parents korang belikan baju kat pasar malam je.. no more T-shirt Manchester United ke, Ben-10 ke.. ataupun t-shirt football club yang Afif tak suka.. sure tak nak pakai kan..??"

Afif answered straightly, "Uii, mestila tak nak pakai.." Gila demanding budak ni, adeh.

"See.. you want to give something yang tak perfect to your parents, but you want them to get you the best things in life that you want, eee.. mana aci.. Be fair la to your folks, korang~"

Afiq nodded. Afif was still left with a little defiance.

I suppose, kids need the explanation, only then can they really remember and feel what is being taught.. agaknyalah.

Journey to Swiss Garden

Lumut. The last time I was there, it was during Oreetians' Barbecue Day. It was held at the end of our 4th year 1st semester, just for fun and friendship, before leaving for internship.

This week, I had a work assignment together with a colleague at Kencana HL yard in Lumut Port. I drove alone, since it was hard for us to meet up and car pool. But no issues. I love driving alone, especially on long distance and with no traffic lights, and of course, with good music accompanying.

My colleague confirmed that he would be staying at Swiss Garden Damai Laut. Since I did not frequent Lumut that often when I was in UTP, I had no idea where this hotel was located. My dad always reminded me to stick to the signboard in case I didn't know the way. Well, I would take it from the expert.

I arrived at Lumut township around 6 p.m. I could not find any signboard that could lead me to Swiss Garden, though I was sure that I saw a signboard before the Lumut junction saying that Swiss Garden was 21 kilometres away. I dropped by a pump station, and there was a kind lady who told me to follow the directions to Lumut Port. So okay, I got on the main road again, and took that junction: To Pantai Remis/ Pelabuhan/ Taiping.

"Yerp, this was the road that got Nadi and I to venture off until Changkat Jering tollgate at 10.30 p.m.!" I murmured.

The road wasn't good. And the junction to Swiss Garden, it felt like ages to reach there. My heart was boiling, and the feeling of fear seeped in at the same time. It was then 6.20 p.m.

The road to Swiss Garden led to a palm plantation, with a signboard at the beginning of the junction saying "7 km to Swiss Garden". Driving into that kind of area at that time, it didn't feel good. Then there was another junction, that led to a narrow, winding road. No cars were in sight.

Not too far after that junction, I could see a plantation of dragon fruit plants on both sides of the road. Well, not to say it was a pleasant sight, since the 'leaves' looked like the hair of the aliens from the movie "The Predators".

"Ishhh.. time2 macam ni laa nak teringat rambut alien tu.." and the bumps on the road made it hard to push the accelerator further.

Greeting me along the way were the swallows, flying high, and then drooped towards my car, as if they were teasing me to knock them down, and when my car was drawing near them, they fly away, which was quite enlightening really. Kinda fun to watch them teasing. At least they got my head off the predator. Oh yes, should I mention too that the monkeys lying on the road were so affectionate towards each other, ha ha.

And then I saw a signboard "1 km to resort".

Oh great. I had been driving for too long, man. I wished that there won't be another following sign that said "Oopss.. sorry.. another 10 km for you to drive, wahahaa.." Wuu, that would be really scary.

After the long, narrow, winding road (as if I were on my way to Fraser's Hill!) I arrived to a guardhouse. Lowering down my window, I was greeted by a security personnel.

"Nak ke mana Cik?"

I was beginning to feel puzzled.

"Hmm.. Swiss Garden?"

"Nak buat apa Cik..?"

"Eesshh banyak tanya lak encik ni. Kang cakap nak main golf kang, dia rasa kita berlagak pulak.." my heart murmured again.

"Nak tidur. Boleh kan?" with my eyes bawling out.

"Cik ada buat reservation?"

I supposed he didn't really get the 'eyes bawling out' signal.

"Dah call, tapi reception kata boleh walk in. Boleh saya masuk tak ni? Ke register sini je?" I wasn't sure if he understood that sarcasm.

"Tak, register kat reception.." Then he lifted the iron bar gate, and I quickly drove in. To reach the hotel, I had to drive further, surpassing the resort golf course and apartments. Thinking that I only had some leftovers of Nescafe and Bytes, I regretted of not buying anything for dinner, as I would not want to traverse the same road at night just to fill in my grumbling stomach. It was 7 p.m.

As I parked my car, I saw a Mazda3. I called up my colleague to ask if it was his car. Yep, it was his. Nice to look at definitely.

I quickly headed for the reception and got my room. The staffs there were nice and welcoming. The ambiance and setting were something like Hyatt Kuantan. Hahhh.. selamat pun sampai..

P/S: It was good that I didn't rush in to get a Mazda3.

Adi on AC?

I do think it's about time that I change the banner of this blog. It has gotten outdated I know.. I haven't the time to do so anyway. Will think of something interesting soon.

I guess my energy of going 'beraya' has ended. With Mak being busy (even on weekends!) and Abah whose spirit to go anywhere plunges every time Mak is not around, I suppose staying at home is better.

Talking about staying at home, one of the ways to kill time is of course, watching TV. Yesterday I watched AC?. Not because I am a fan, but because the brilliant kid Adi Putra was on air.

All in all, I should sum the kid as being "outstandingly wow".

Sadly, the one interviewing him, should I say, 'otak ke laut'! Personally I think the program does best in tarnishing the minds of the viewers. Adi is too intelligent to be there. Serious.

The best thing about the interview with Adi Putra was that, he answered all the questions with intelligence in modesty. I absolutely salute his qualities.

One of the questions if I could recall, "Adik, adik kata nak bina satelit dengan formula yang adik buat tu, dah tahu macam mana nak naikkan satelit ke atas?" I am not so sure if this kind of question was being asked to test the boy's credibility, but to me, it was kinda annoying. Lain la kalau yang menanya tu memang pakar fizik ke.. boleh la terima. Oh well, I am not judging the guy who asked. He confessed that he flopped math in school ok. Physics need Math.

But Adi's answer was just simple, "Adi tahu macam mana nak bina luar dan dalaman satelit tu, tapi macam mana nak naikkan, itu Adi belum fikirkan lagi.." In short, he's humble! How many intelligent people could be as humble as that? I don't sound like a fanatic fan, do I? Haha. No, just mesmerized.

The usual question that was popped was regarding Adi's competency in subjects other than Math. Personally, I think he is not just gifted in dealing with numbers. In fact his capacity could be borderless. Who knows. I suppose people would love to know that he's only good at Math, but not in other subjects. Why? The easier for them to criticize. Why? Because they want Adi to appear imperfect, just like them, so that they won't be inferior. Also, people worrying about him not having the 'fun' childhood. Kenapa la nak susah hati sangat kalau Adi ni tak reti main bola pun.. it is his choice. And he did say in the program that he does actually spends time to play. So, no issue la kan..

The worry that national education system is unfit for Adi, I suppose it may be hard for the government to have an avenue for genius kids when they are actually not prepared to have anything implemented. It is not everyday that we encounter child prodigies, and if the education system is not formulated with much thought being put in, it is feared that the kids will not benefit from it. We have yet to figure how can we offer an interesting way of learning for gifted kids. Perhaps Professor X can help? Ok2, stupid joke.

The thing that I am concerned about is, I hope that he will escape the envious hearts around him. Just for precautions, since our society still believes in resorting to you-know-what when it comes to the matter of envy and jealousy and hatred. I hope he will survive all those bad things.

P/S: Dulu agak reluctant nak beri pendapat tentang Adi Putra ni, but kerana bengkek dengan cara AC bertanya soalan yang menyakitkan hati kepada adik yang sangat berakal ni, maka post ini pun ditulis. Nasib baik aku takde kat studio, if not, mahu dah aku sound AC ni.

Plain updates

I just can't believe that tomorrow's Friday again. It feels like last Friday was just here not too long ago. Oh well..

Lega sikit la hari ni dah memasuki separuh yang kedua, siang tadi pening ditunggangterbalikkan dalam the submerged heli simulator, tapi nasib baik ada breathing bag this time.

This week is quite bland, since Mak is away on her first paper presentation after getting her doctorate. Well that means no tuition for a week! Betapa bosannya la budak-budak tu takde membisingkan rumah.. Ozal pun is not around to pretend being a baby.. tak gitu Ozal? :P

.. And I am viewing October to be the most boring month ever so far.. sigh.

Raya + filem Melayu = Lemau

Raya ke-4. Macam dah kehabisan idea nak pergi rumah siapa. We only visited Uncle Mansor, mom's varsity junior, also one of her good friends. I am waiting for Zuhairy and Uncle Shah's open house on Saturday. Gathering lagi!

Today, we had the entire day to waste. Thinking of helping my dad to mow the lawn, it was too hot I couldn't stand it, so sorry Abah. So the last resort was the TV, and since TV stations were playing so many movies, I thought that I should watch a few movies. And so, I watched 'Anak Halal' and 'I'm Not Single'. I only watched the latter halfway through. Boleh tak kitaorang bersorak gembira masa Fasha terjun bangunan dalam Anak Halal? Sibuk je nak potong jalan Maya Karin, cewah.

Two main summaries I made:
1) Mesti ramai guys jealous dengan Farid Kamil. Mungkin dia good-looking (and he knows how to capitalize on that for sure), and most importantly, he has hugged Fasha Sandha, Maya Karin, Raja Farah and Lisa Sughihani (betulkan pronunciation 'R' tu Lisa, isk..) Rezeki dia la kut.
2) Fasha Sandha pun tidak keberatan untuk peluk semua actors. Dalam Anak Halal tu macam semua je dia peluk. Sigh. Malu la tengok.

In general, watching Malay movies kat TV pun boleh rasa nak cekik diri sendiri kerana telah membuang masa dan juga mensia-siakan neuron otak yang rosak kerana TV. If they give away free tickets to watch pun, I don't think I wanna go.

I think there are a few issues before the film makers and producers can really come up with a good movie to sell:
1) Not enough budget
2) Not enough technology
3) Time constraint
4) Apprehensive to explore beyond normal societal stories
5) More interested to 'sell' current issues like mat rempit and bohsia
6) The mindset that Malays like to watch comedy stories aka movies with 'light & easy' storyline
7) Scared of criticism
8) Lack of true talents (janji kena cantik @ sexy)
9) Cronism inside the movie industry

Watching P Ramlee's movies jugak yang best. No need million-dollar budget. Though I have watched some of his films tens of times (and some of the dialogues I can memorize) but I am never tired to watch them again. Am pretty sure many Malaysians are alike in that sense.


Suatu hari lebih kurang 3 bulan lepas:

Lisa: You dah tengok 'Jangan Pandang Belakang Congkak?'
Me: Err.. not yet..
Lisa: Eyy pergila tengok.. best tau cerita dia.. kelakar.
Me: Kelakar ke..? Bukan ke cerita hantu? I can't really watch horror movies aa Lisa (cewah, nak ngelak je ni) then Senario summore.. tak minat la..
Lisa: Eyy tak2.. cite dia best, nanti tengok tau.
Me: Haha, ye ke.. okay2, nanti I tengok :)

Yeah right. Show kat TV pun tak tengok.

Malam Raya

It's 11.25 p.m.


Baru habis masak kuah briyani daging, ayam masak merah and acar rampai. Dead tired and sleepy.

Esok mesti bangun awal. After subuh prayers, tolong masak nasi minyak jap, mandi sunat aidilfitri and head to the mosque for solat sunat aidilfitri.

Tahun ni we'll be spending raya in KL.. hopefully this time around, raya will bring sweet memories, and more people to the house!

Selamat Hari Raya to my readers and friends :)



Footnote:

In the car, heading back from Pasar Pagi Sek. 16.
Ain: Along, tahun depan Along dah tak ikut kitaorang pergi pasar beli barang kan.. Along dah tak tolong masak.. Pagi raya pun tak dgn kitaorang. Ee.. sedih nya..

Me: A'a kut.. hmm.. sedih kan.. tengok la macam mana nanti k..

Suddenly tears flowed down our cheeks. We cried in silence.

Ain: Mak.. minta tissue.. (sure Mak ingat Ain selsema..)

Blabs malam Likur

(1) Ramadhan has entered the 'Likur' period. Am I doing good? Well, I try to. Definitely many other people score better than I do. But, Allah is Most Merciful, and His mercy means everything for an average slave like me.

(2) Usually, the last ten days of Ramadhan will witness a more intense preparation towards welcoming 1 Syawal. Shoppings and stuff. I have not done that yet. Not excited to. Not really driven to celebrate raya, except by a few reasons: the annual leave, open houses by my friends and of course, my family will be complete again :) Well, for a week that is! Ozal, I got chocolates for you!

(3) I got this from someone: "What is constant in life? : CHANGE". I like that. It gives some sort of positive perspective of Change. Tiba-tiba terasa like it has been ages since I last went to a motivational talk. I suppose that was one of the recipe of my schooldays success. After schooling days ended, sendiri la kena motivate diri. Huhu..

(4) Siapa dah dapat kad raya from me, angkat tangan! Eh, sorry, I can't see you, hehe :D

I love (smart) kids!

My mom holds tuition classes on weekdays except on Thursday. That means 4 times a week. In those 4 days, I loved it when it's Tuesday or Friday, because the two days are meant for primary schoolkids :) (yang dah secondary school ni tak best nak layan sgt.. berangan diorang dah lain macam sikit)

Sometimes, I join in my mom to teach too. I don't mind if they tell me "Kak, tak faham la...". I never give up in teaching them, because I believe if they do not understand what I am trying to teach, perhaps there are loopholes in the way I am teaching them.

"Faham tak?"
"Faham akak.."
"Sure betul faham..?"
"Emm..."

Okay, teach again how to answer.

Tapi, paling tak suka if dah Standard 4 pun tak hafal sifir. The problem is, ramai yang tak hafal sifir! Sudahnya, memang kena bebel la..

I love kids. And above all, I looovveeee intelligent and witty kids. Bonus if they are cute (tak cute, salahkan mak bapak! haha)

But it's not everyday I get to see smart kids. When I meet one, I feel honored, refreshed, I feel great! And yes, I definitely respect the parents who know how to nurture the 'X-factor' in their kids. Walaupun Sufiah Yusof mischanneled her stress in education, I sincerely believe that her mom did a terrific job in educating her children until they are regarded as child prodigies in Math. Seriously, hebat.

When I was in primary school, I had two friends whom I consider to be totally out-of-the-box breed.

Zuhairy:
"Okay Sharifah, tell me in which period Velociraptor existed?"
"Johann Sebastian Bach was more into writing songs for the church.."
"Weih, fakta tentang Corsica and Sardinia dalam Joe Jambul semalam macam salah je.."

He made me read about classical composers, dinosaurs, world history, etc. Terrific inquisitive mind. I never stopped saluting him.

Arwah Idris:
"Okay Sharifah, aku challenge ko jawab soalan kuiz aku ni. Soalan pertama, namakan 5 jenis pokok fir.." (I was thinking "damn this isn't in Alam & Manusia year 4 chapters!")
"Kau ambil je mana-mana buku. Buku pasal Milky Way aku ada a few. Pinjam je.. aku dah baca semua"

It was a terrible moment when I learnt that he passed away. Almost 3 years already.

Presently, I think NST is doing a good job in educating kids and teens. Niexster pull-out is an avenue for me to find thoughtful kids and teens. Opinionated and matured compositions by ages 17 and below. I'm inspired. But most of the column contributors come from urban areas. Another NST effort is the Spell-It-Right contest. I guess that competition created some kind of competitiveness in learning among the participants (and the viewers too!)

I believe encouraging the offsprings to have a sense of race in learning is a good approach. Afterall, learning is not just about getting Top 3 in the school exam. To learn more means to give more choices of what one wants to specialize into in the future. Parents, they 'have been there, have done that', so supposedly they can guide their children through what they have experienced.

Ibu, Ayah, jangan la asyik fikir kerja.. we need your attention too!

1 - the number for Malaysia

Fuhh.. at present Malaysia has various kinds of fever:

1) H1N1 fever (please observe the way you cough and sneeze ya.. before someone gets a shout on the face for coughing or sneezing in front of people's face)
2) Bazaar Ramadhan fever (sila control selera anda. Perut anda bukan tong)
3) Shopping raya fever (baju kurung chiffon kat SACC RM1k! Are you crazy?)
4) Matta Fair fever (oklah, ni KL je)
and finally, the best fever ever - 1Malaysia fever (iyolah kau)

(actually I felt a little jealous of Faizal Tahir & co. for getting that RM25k fortune out of that 1Malaysia promo.. if only I write songs too.. haha. Tapi nasib baik Siti tak menang. Kuikuikui..)

Speaking about the spirit of 1Malaysia, I personally have been practicing it (without being pushed to do so!) since I was 5, that was when I moved to Alam Megah, and began to have friends of different races.

My first friend in the neighborhood was a Chinese boy. His name was Hock Seng. I can still recall, how I really enjoyed Chinese New Year, because we would fill our evening, together with my siblings, with playing firecrackers a few days before CNY. His family was equally friendly too. Then, when I stepped into kindergarten, my circle of Chinese and Indian friends grew. Some of them, I met them again when I stepped into secondary school. It was really fun back then. Every CNY, Raya or Deepavali would mean "it's time for beraya for us schoolmates!" Mandarin oranges, marukus and capatis and nasi impit.. everyone loved it.

Even language was not the barrier. In fact, we tried to learn a bit of Tamil and Cantonese. Those who excelled in English always made the effort to lend a hand to other classmates who wished to learn. Of course, when the exam seasons were around the corner, we became competitive, trying to outshine one another. We gauged each other's competency, and by knowing that, we doubled our efforts to do better. But we shared the mistakes we did in the exams, because in the end, it was the 'A' percentage of the class that mattered to us. We wanted to do better than our seniors. And yes, we did it.

Speaking of religion, we talked about everything. Why Muslims have to fast; the differences between Catholics and Protestants; the significance of cow in Hinduism, popular gods and goddesses of Buddhism (remember the series 'Journey to the West'?). Yet, we managed to observe the way we approach things between different races and religions. I totally felt the 'muhibah' atmosphere.

What I am trying to say is, even though the advertisements and promotions of 1Malaysia are heavily conducted, the possibility for 1Malaysia to be institutionalized inside everyone's mind and heart is slim if it is never felt nor experienced. I am not sure if the hearsay that says rifts among races are agonizing spreads purely on political purpose (disregarding what happened in Shah Alam). Politicians must remember, that one of their roles is to facilitate improvements, not scaring the public with free, baseless comments. I suppose, if more news on interracial well-being is publicized, perhaps it could motivate the readers to take it as a good societal example.

Another challenge for 1Malaysia to be implemented is that each race must understand the other races and their sensitivities. For example, caning of the Muslim model who consumed alcohol. Though for other races, it may be looked at as a severe prosecution for a woman, but it is a prosecution based on the religion. Therefore, other races must understand that the issue should totally be contained within the religious parameters only; not to be a polemic. Another good example is of course, the cow-head thingy. I suppose objections can be made in a more civilized and sensitive way. The action of putting the cow head to be displayed as such evidently showed that too little sensitivity is taken into consideration when the mind is in resentment.

But of course, intra racial harmony should be observed too~ (Malay neighbor vs Malay neighbor? A common eyesight I suppose. Sg Buloh Country Resort is the best example, haha. Siap nak berparang lagi.. gile.)

P/s: Tapi rasa pelik la bila dengar orang cakap "Salam 1Malaysia!". Ala-ala poyo pun ada jugak. Haha.

Some ngomelan

Just a few things to mention..

1) Two wrongs don't make a right. I suppose many of us can easily hear people say this, even in formal meetings! "It's mean.." (when the actual meaning is "it means..", not like in the context of "it's mean... to do something bad to someone..") Too many times. In fact, it has never been corrected since the first time I heard someone said "it's mean.." Is it because of the slogan "Kepimpinan melalui Teladan", therefore, those who don't really know grammar just follow blindly without questioning (or they can't even bother to question) the appropriate use of apostrophes? The worst part is, the grammatical error becomes increasingly widely used in other phrase like "it's depend" (duuhh..)

2) Terawih di masjid/ surau. When my siblings and I were younger, my mom used to scold us whenever we made noises when she was performing her prayers. Usually, the prize would be blue-black bruises, haha (serious sakit gile kena cubit dengan pakar!) But we got the point, that making noise when people are praying or reciting the verses is discourteous. I expect parents to teach their kids about manners. The tok imam repeatedly reminded parents who brought along their kids to refrain them from making noises while the jemaah were praying. But of course, some parents were too lenient toward their kids, until their kids became uncontrollably naughty and noisy. I have pinched one kid at the surau last Ramadhan after terawih, thanks to her distracting the jemaah by lying down on the prayer mat in front of us when we were performing terawih. I don't wanna do it again. But these kids, they just have to be taught a lesson! And believe me, I am actually tempted to do it again.

3) Sentenced to be caned, but nobody is expert enough to perform the caning? It's just like sentencing the accused person to go to jail, but then, rupa-rupanya the jail has not been built! Or does the judge actually expect her to appeal.. in which she didn't? Silap la Your Honor.

Of H1N1 and whatnots

Gossip hari ini: Akhil Hayy is married to Waheeda? Whateverrr...

Another week in Miri and I can't wait to come home. Unluckily, my flight home is on the first day of Ramadhan, which means I won't be able to dine on flight (which is something I reaallllyy love~) I hope the renovation is done by then, and hopefully I will be able to find something good for Mak to decorate the house with next weekend.

News on arising number of H1N1 cases is something not so nice to know. Yesterday, in the news, it was predicted that almost 5 million of Malaysians will be affected by the virus. Such a large number! I sincerely hope that we Malaysians adhere to the advice from MOH, to take care of our hygiene especially our hands, and to cover the mouth and nose whenever we sneeze or cough. I really think that those who cough and sneeze freely without heeding people's presence are really insensitive about this matter. Doesn't matter if you don't have H1N1 pun. It's also a matter of courtesy and manners. Sometimes I just feel like blurting out my anger to this kind of people. Tapi nanti diri sendiri terbuat (walaupun tak sengaja), orang kata 'cakap tak serupa bikin' lak kan.. so, better I keep it inside.. dan protect myself with tissue papers and Scott's Emulsion..

(Mak, Abah and the whole family, sila simpan stok Scott's Emulsion ya..)

At present, I feel time is ticking really fast. It's already August, and exactly in 5 months' time I'll be 26! Fuu.. dah nak late 20s ok. In these two years, I notice that there are lots of changes in me, especially in the aspect of viewing life. I am also trying to recollect things that happen in my childhood and adolescence, so that whatever I experienced can be shared with my generation later, in hope of giving them more life options and insights before making any decisions.

(Is that too early to be thought of? Hmm..)

I think I have aged (I bet Mak will say I'm crazy). Ageing, in a way, I think it's interesting. But I would prefer if it is accompanied with exponential matureness of the mind.

August wishes

A few people to congratulate =))
1) To Mak for completing her Ph.D. Can't wait for your convo in November!
2) En. Dayat and Kak Zufina for the newborn baby girl. Siapa namanya..? Is it Dania?
3) My dearest and prettiest roomate, Shafaf for the awesome news.

A few wishes to be expressed >_~
1) Happy birthday to Maktok. You never age in our eyes.
2) Happy 2 years of knowing each other, Encik Tunang~ :) dah 2 tahun kita convo ek.. how time flies..
3) Selamat berpuasa to all friends.. moga bulan puasa ni tak la panas sangat..
4) Best wishes to Kak Nedd.. may you deliver a healthy and cute little baby~ just like the mom ;)

I'm depending on Scott's Emulsion now.. to strengthen my body resistance.. and hopefully to keep me safe from that bloody flu! You guys should try it too. It's really good. One second I am having runny nose, and the other second it's totally gone! Magic gile..

Eh, dah August dah..

My weekend: two movies in a row: disappointing Harry Potter and his troubled mates (why did Snape claim himself a 'prince' eh? Is he some kind of royalty? I wonder..) and Transformers (to overcome the disappointment in Harry), some shopping, spending some time with beloved fiance at our fave ice cream parlor, dining out with the family, and making currypuffs for today's breakfast. Next on today's list: meeting my planner and accompanying Ain for more shopping =D

This week alone, I watched three movies already. The other one was 'Night at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian'. Okay, I should fairly say that Transformers 2 kinda uplifted the frustration. Well, boleh lah..

Some questions pondering in my mind while watching the movies:

1. What happened to the meeting with Wal-Mart that Larry's company managed to secure? I thought that he would be having tough time balancing between his business and his mission for the museum. In the end, his business didn't really portray himself as a successful businessman. I was puzzled.

2. I wonder if Amy Adams' presence as Amelia Earhart was merely because the story needed a character who knew how to fly an aircraft. Apart from flying, she was just an excess baggage for Larry.. and a seducer.. lame.

3. How could JK Rowling ended Dumbledore's character by letting him die in vain? In vain as in how could Dumbledore not know that the necklace was void and risked Harry and himself to get it? Could it be that the author just wanted to express that nobody is perfect?

Night at the Museum: The story is so easy to be predicted. Takde surprise. Bosan!
Harry Potter: Too many scenes of that itchy ugly girl getting obsessed with Ron, Malfoy crying and fidgeting.. haih, boring betul. Bila Death Eaters nak mati ni~~!!
Transformers: The robots are the ones who should be nominated in the Oscars.

Lepas ni lagi la malas nak pergi tengok wayang. The motivation is just the popcorn..

Hona Hain Tujhmein Fanaa~

Mode: Stucked in Kerteh again. Heading for KL this evening. Will head back to Kerteh on Saturday.

Current wish: To have the 'jumper'-ability, like Hayden Christensen :P

Blessing in disguise: Enrich Miles (though not as much as my bosses' miles!) & World Card & Treatspoints

You know, one of the reasons why I like to be on my own is that I don't have to make people understand of the things I like. One of the things I find hard to share about is my penchant for Hindi songs (and movies too :D) My all-time fave are the song from the movie Fanaa: Chand Sifarish ('chand' means the moon, while I'm not so sure what 'sifarish' means) and Tinak Tin Tana from the movie Mann (it doesn't mean anything specifically, just Tinak Tin Tana.. like la la la). Hmm.. ironically in those two movies Aamir Khan played the lead. Well, yeah, I am a big fan of his :) Look at the way he wooed Kajol in this video.. heart melting..~

(bestnya kalau ada someone mengorat mcm tu.. encik tunang, sila la ngorat saya macam tu, hihi)

The interest for Hindi songs is nothing new to me. I guess because all of us in the family were exposed to a lot of Hindi movies of the 60s and 70s (Bobby, An Evening in Paris, Sangam, Talaash, to name a few) and that the generations of the actors then emerged in the industry (Karisma Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan, Kajol, etc.) added to the interest of knowing and watching more of their movies. Abah and maktok love watching them until now. Abah even bought a few albums containing the songs that he liked. The result: I memorized some of them! Funnily, Ain thinks my fondness of Hindi songs is something crazy. She rather goes for Japanese. Thank God she doesn't like anime though, which I personally think is rather a weird interest :P

And because of the love for the songs, I put in effort to find the meanings of the songs.. to better understand the message, and the language itself. Believe me, it's not like learning English or Malay; the sentence will be jumbled up if I try to directly translate from English to Hindi. It's not that simple.

Have I sang Hindi songs in public? Yes! Tapi sekali je la.. during my PIPE group visit to this Old Folks Home in Semenyih, where most of the old folks were Indian. We didn't really know how to entertain them by doing other things less physical, except singing. So I sang a few Hindi songs for them, and a few who knew the songs joined me by singing along. Serious seronok seeing them enjoying themselves.

Haih, minta-minta la kat Astro/ TV2/ TV3 ada cerita Hindi yang best. Yang best pastinya ada Aamir Khan, SRK, or Preity Zinta :)

Forgive and forget?

2 weeks in Kerteh and now I'm back in KL for a while. A rough start in Kerteh: missing luggage and the emergence of a larger-than-a-dinosaur pimple on my forehead. Anyway, having my work completed 1 week ahead of schedule and getting a closer look on the plant instruments were definitely the cure.. apart from the nice small dinner I had with one of my best chums Nadi on my last night there. This weekend Ozal will be back home, since on this coming Monday he won't be having any classes. I'm thinking of what to do this weekend. I don't expect myself to watch Harry Potter that soon, because it is expected that the cinemas will definitely be flocked, and I don't really enjoy big crowds, especially on weekends. Nevertheless, I am foreseeing that Ozal might drag us to watch the movie.

During the dinner, among the topics that Nadi and I touched were about seeking apologies and being forgiving. I told her about a few stories, painful to the heart, that I am still unable to forgive and forget. One of the reasons: there were no apologies sought, and because of that, I am unable to forgive. Perhaps in those particular cases, I believe forgiveness does not come for free. It should be asked for. Especially when the occasions involve heart matters. It's not the same like one freeingly forgive a neighbor's offspring for breaking one's flower pot. The damage is not the same as the damage done to the heart. It leaves permanent scar inside.

I quote Fairuz's favorite tagline: Treat others like you wanna be treated. If the 'treat others' fails, then definitely 'like you wanna be treated' is just for us to dream about.

Walking through my life, I have seen too many incidents around me that were so damn impossible to forgive, that sometimes led to vengeance. I can totally understand why, because they did not involve the heart alone, but also pride and family ties. And because forgiveness was too seldom to be sought for, the ties just dissolved with time.

I have seen people begging for forgiveness, and eventually repeat the same old attitude again. What's worst is that they influence other people to hate the wronged person. Because of that, I tend to identify people around me as being trustworthy or otherwise. Because of that too, I tend to warn my family and friends acquanting with those of that type to be careful. It may sound paranoid, but I just wanna protect my beloved from being offended, or lied to, or heartbroken.

I do believe in the phrase 'once bitten, twice shy'. Perhaps there are former acquaintances that I don't wanna keep in touch with anymore. If they can't think of a reason why, may be the most likely case is that I was been incised by them. I love my heart, and I constantly make sure that it doesn't bleed. Perhaps in time it will heal, even though they never really say sorry to make things better. Perhaps they have forgotten what they have done, and that's why I'll just shy away and will not highlight things anymore. It's called "healing myself".

I know some will say 'sedangkan Nabi ampunkan umatnya'. Well, it takes a great deal to be a great human like the Prophet (pbuh). Allah's guidance to seek peace in mind, soul and heart is the only help I always ask for.

Oh yeah friends, do not advise me, unless I ask you to. The best thing to do is to send me tapes of sermons or books by Islamic scholars. That will be better :)

P/S: Kailua, I know who you are.

Closing June, welcoming July

I just got back from Perlis, with my parents. Sent Ozal my little brother to UiTM Arau. This is his first time being far from home. Just like what my sisters and I experienced when we stepped into the university. The only difference is that, I am the eldest, and he is the youngest. And I don't expect him to be as tough. He will always be our baby, though he's 17 going on 18..


(Ozal, please don't merengek kat sana ok!)

The queue towards UiTM Arau gate was as long as the traffic jam queue during peak hour on the Federal Highway. With a few impatient drivers trying to overtake and squeeze their vehicles in between cars which were already bumper-to-bumper, our patience was really tried. If I were driving a 4WD, you could predict what I would have done to those cars, huhu.

About 10 meters away from the main gate, we saw the signboards being put up by the security personnel: Right lane for male students, left lane for female students. For the second time (first time was during Ain's time in UIA), boys were again being outnumbered by the girls (in UTP, it wasn't like that). As a result, driving to the male hostel was smoother than driving to the female hostel, haha.

After helping him unpack and all, we headed back to KL, and arrived home in about 5 hours. Upon writing this, I already missed him. I hope he will be strong there.

********************************************************************

The news on Michael Jackson's departure held my breath. It is the same feeling like I had when Lady Diana died. A total disbelief. And I knew that it is a big loss to not only the entertainment world; he was an icon encompassing his music. The world is not ready to lose him. Though I am not that big of a fan, I feel his loss. It hurts inside.

I then begin to think, whose departure after this would leave such a big impact alike to MJ's? Sir Elton John? Sir Paul McCartney? Mariah Carey? Nelson Mandela? I'm not that sure..

Whatever it is, Michael Jackson is forever irreplaceable. May he rests in peace.. and if it's really in Islam, alhamdulillah..

********************************************************************
June has been a fun month for me. I got to fulfill my dreams to give a talk when my alma mater invited me as one of the speakers for their students induction week, went for technical seminars and vendor presentations (which I have not been able to do for the past few months), secured myself a good deal for my big day during the wedding fair at Ampang Point, went for my offshore safety training (and being in water now is no more a nightmare, yay~!) and boy, was it a fun experience, and with my good friends Caah, Shafaf, Yatt, Alice, Diyana and Nazrol by my side, it was even more exciting :) I wish that I'll be assigned for offshore RTS work this year.. even if it's not under my group's KPI..

July is coming.. and I foresee my absence from KL, which means, yay! (Oh well, a little urrgh for not being able to have breakfast talks with Caah, Yatt and Shafaf..)

Danger: Emotional Alert! Haha.

I have always wanted to know where my readers come from. And because of the advancement in real time online tracking, I am able to track where my readers come from. Yes, it is nice to know that my blog is being visited, even by people whom I don't know. I sometimes wonder, which friend is it that I have in Brighton (well, cousin Alisa used to study there.. but that was like 2 years before), Singapore (Tan Su Yi kah?), Saudi (let me guess, Zaim?) and Japan (I suppose it's Fiqah). I just wanna say thanks for spending the time browsing though my posts :).

How do I know some of my readers? Well, some are constant commentors (like En. Dayat!), some friends (who are usually bloggers too) told me that they came across my blog and expressed their views about my posts, and some friends gave some hints that they have read this blog by giving me some hints, e.g. you love fried chicken, don't you? And I will wonder like, err.. when did I give that information away verbally..? Hmm.. The pulling down part is that, when I know my readers, I tend to restrict whatever I am writing so as not to write things that may be discomforting to them. As a result: depressed blogger! haha. Less of self expression.

For almost two years, I no longer engage in diary-writing (except during new year's eve), cuz when I read back my diary posts, it all seemed to be quite emotional (it's easier expressing my emotions on paper, than with people, nanti kena label as drama queen. Tak macho la kan..), and I don't prefer that sort of feeling. And I have thrown lotsa them into the dustbin. In short, waste of my time. So no, I avoid going near to fancy diaries when I step into Kino or MPH.

Speaking about being emotional, lately I sense the huge impact of emotions on me. You know, I guess the "9 nafsu 1 akal" thingy is taking over me. Nafsu, in my understanding after reading a few opinions (mentioned by Saifulislam and demipena in their websites) does not really link to lust or desire or whatever synonyms that it has, but more to the emotion matters. I asked a few of my close girlfriends before, do they feel that, and they said it's affirmative. It's not that I'm trying to deny the womanish development inside me, but it does feel awkward (and tak best jugak!). Why? Because I adore those whom are more logical than emotional. Maybe it's the ego thingy, or maybe the adapting process is slow. And because my emotional side is developing, I pity my fiance who has to get used to the emotional turbulence I had recently. Believe me, I am adapting as well! It's rather weird you know.

Perhaps I should finish reading that Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus (sebenarnya malas nak habiskan.. tapi Robert Kiyosaki said those who don't wanna learn more are ignorant people. No, Sharifah is not ignorant!) to better understand women (as well as men). It should help me in dealing with my loved ones, and friends and colleagues.

I've got a wedding tomorrow to attend in Putrajaya (congrats Syikin and Amri!) and after that, I'll head to Jalan TAR, kikiki.. mencari kain! And Monday to Wednesday, BOSET with Yatt, Caah, Nazrol and Shafaf! May we survive.. (cey, the scaredy-cat me!)

Early June rantings

I mentioned in one of the previous posts that I would love to have some kinda reunions with my fellas. Guess what, after that wish was written down, I continuously bumped into my Raja Muda (Arshad, Khairul Amir & Ziadora), Alam Megah (The Cronies - you know who you are) and UTP friends. Boy it felt sentimental to revisit the memory lane again. Thank you God for granting my wish..

I suppose June is a bit more relaxed than the previous months. The boon about it: I am able to attend weddings, haha! But of course, I can only go for one wedding a week.. why? Penat! Seriously the commuting (plus the bad weather and the traffic jams!) are taking their tolls on me; where usually weekends are the times to relax and unwind, are now the times to get me wound up on the roads. Well, not that I don't enjoy driving, but you know, trapped among not-so-nice drivers (though just a few) can actually drive me up the wall! Huhu.. and the result is Weary Mondays -_-.

(aah..~ I can't concentrate writing.. these songs are distracting me..)

I'm actually in the midst of finishing reading Robert Kiyosaki's Rich Dad Poor Dad (which I should have bought like 2-3 years ago). One thing that I like about the book is that, it encourages the readers to continuously think and seek ways to better up financial knowledge, and not just stamping on the head the dollar sign only. The keyword is "continuously think", in which I think, is something not all of us do constantly (except En. Dayat and my fiance, speaking of those whom I know of), and also, it somehow agrees with CIMB's tagline "winning is about thinking one step ahead" (I love this tagline). I should be completing the book by next weekend (my pace is too slow.. darn) and I should start reading another book after that.

Oh yeah, let's see.. schedule in June: wedding fair at Ampang Point (why must it be Ampang.. why not Alam Sentral..), offshore safety training, sending Ozal to Arau. Can't wait to go for all those!

Oh yes, I would like to wish my dad Happy Father's Day! No one can beat your patience of waiting, and I am learning it from you (well, not that he bothers to read my blog pun.. haha) Neways, we all love you Abah!

P.S: To Nawar, happy welcoming your baby soon! I pray for both mother and baby to be safe and healthy (Muspa, if you read this, please convey this to her okay, hehe =) )

Kasih berubah..~

Cinta zaman sekolah. Hyundai Coupe. Perfect for ladies.
(The new 2009 Coupe is out! Do check it out. Wicked!)

Peugeot 407.. Cinta zaman universiti.
Perfect front and rear appearance, perfect interior, perfect cruising.
Personal opinion: A perfect package.
(Tak reti nak komen panjang2 macam Jeremy Clarkson..)

Cinta terbaru! Alfa Romeo 159.. terlalu handsome!
Kalah Justin Timberlake.
Bila la boleh beli..
Perlu test drive macam ni!

Mehndi? What's that? Shaadi karogi!

Beginning this weekend, I am gonna go for a series of weddings every end of the week. I am happy that more and more of my friends are gonna start their family life very soon. And yes, going to weddings can also help in giving me some ideas for my own wedding afterwards, hehe.

Suddenly this thought came to my mind.. and I just wanna jot it down.

We all love pretty weddings, especially with some sort of concept. There are tonnes of wedding concepts that we can usually see: garden weddings, wedding by the beach, Bali-style wedding, English style, fairy-tale wedding, arabian night concept (Mawi?), and the list goes on..

But, all in all, as Muslims, regardless of whatever the concept is, we should adhere to the DOs and DON'Ts of the religion. No exception.

Recently, there were interviews on henna wearing among brides. It is announced that the henna should not be drawn on the hands, as it somewhat replicates tattoo-wearing, and tattoos are definitely a huge no-no in Islam. Enough to wear henna on the ends of the brides' fingers.

Well, drawing henna on hands is not the only thing that happens in weddings that contradicts to the teachings of the religion. I think it should be better if the DOs and DON'Ts in weddings can be communicated thoroughly, and I suppose the best channel would be during pre-wedding courses conducted by the State Religious Department. Perhaps orang nak kahwin ni, they get so excited, they want everything to be pretty and adorable, they forget other things easily.

Personally, I think if cara pakai inai je betul, but other things are being overlooked, like bride tak menutup aurat ke (tutup aurat time nikah je trend sekarang ni.. haisshh..), sesi berkaraoke lagu pop yeh yeh ke, still, it's not good in the eyes of Islam. The usual flaws in weddings.

And sometimes, I think, we are just too focused in not making Muslim weddings be influenced by elements in Hinduism, we overlooked that Malay weddings are actually becoming more.. westernized! Off-shoulder gowns, a parade of aurat-exposing bridesmaids.. fashion show man! Sigh..

Oh well, it's just a thought anyway, that it's hard to run away from being double-standard.

Huh, saja mengomel petang-petang..

Of leadership course, and a lil bit of emo thingy..

Question: what do you do with someone who does not like you and tempts you to feel the same way towards him/ her? You obviously don't wanna get in a mess with that person, but because of his/ her shown 'attitude', you feel like smacking that person on the face? Is it worth it?

Well, I was in this leadership program a few days ago. A good program for my inner growth definitely. Learnt a few useful things that I could do to better up my self-reflection, judgment, decision and action. We watched a movie titled "The Peaceful Warrior" on the 2nd night there.. and obviously we had to pick up a few things in the movie related to what we have learnt in the previous sessions. The movie was superb! I wish I could discover my Socrates like Dan did. It was a mind-opener..

There was one particular line in that movie that made me laugh about myself: "Life is a mystery, don't waste time figuring it out".

Well, I DO waste a lot of time thinking about life's mystery, haha. Why? Ntah, I just like to. Maybe it's nice to blog about what others don't really think of kan.. hehe, poyo. And sometimes, thinking about life helps me to widen life choices, mend heartbreaks, change my perspective... But yeah, at times, my mind is too cluttered I get agitated when my family asks me about my weekend plans for wedding preparation. Sigh.. kerana jarang ada plan pun! Wedding kan lambat lagi.. ceyy, alasan!

At this point of time, I feel my life has less meaning than before. I don't know why suddenly I feel that. Perhaps because I don't have that many activities outside work hours. Plus the really hot day-time.. that adds to the lazy feeling definitely. Ah, I'm definitely thinking about some kinda reunions or catching up with old friends.. or hanging out at some coffee house with my sibs.. but it all ended up as plans.. plans not realized! Cis cos.

Oh well.. At least I am left with myself to reflect upon, and that's a lot of homework jugak!

Another day at the office.. and I'm off to Bintulu! Hopefully I will be able to meet my Uncle Shah there.. and ask him what's it like to be the new first man of ABF, huhu. Can't wait!

P/S: Maybe it is worth it to give a smack, but I would like to stay in my best senses.. and not to react to my anger.

Just some updates..

Although today is Saturday, but it feels like it's Monday tomorrow. Feels a little bit awkward with 3 days off. Anyway..

Yesterday, the UPU online result was announced, and Ozal got a place in UiTM Perlis. Well, my parents wished that he would get himself a place not too far from home. I guess after this my parents will be willingly happy to have outstations in the northern region to visit Ozal more frequently. Surely after this, our weekends won't be as cheerful as it is now.. We, especially Ain, will miss Ozal..

A few of Ozal's friends didn't get a place, and seriously I felt sorry for them. My mom is heavily bugged by the worried parents these few days, seeking for advice on their next step since their children didn't manage to get through, other than seeking for comfort. Well, kesian these parents.. cuz of their children didn't score in SPM, they had to find other ways to get them a place in some private college. Well, I guess the admittance criteria to universities are now getting stricter. During my time, even those who scored 2As could go to Matriculation. Now, I don't think so. Getting 10As also is not something extraordinary at all nowadays.. Oh well, I am glad I have passed through all that.

Fatin called me just now. One of the topics discussed was about Tomok's victory in last night's OiaM grand finals. I thought I was the only in my circle of friends who voted, but Fatin voted for Tomok even more okay! Haha.. I first voted YES for Aweera, and a few NOs for Esther (hehe, jgn marah aa.. tak minat Esther langsung!) and 3 YESes for Tomok. Fatin voted 15 YESes for Tomok alright! Way to go Tein.. =) All in all, Tomok won, and I really hope that he will make full use of his advantage being the champion, unlike Suki and Ayu, respectively being overtaken by Faizal Tahir and Shila, eventhough they were champions of the previous OiaMs. And I hope Aweera and Esther will make more fortunes after this, and that for Aweera not to go and collect tins to make ends meet. It was indeed a pity to be listening to those kinds of hard situations. Unimaginable. Seriously.

I will be back in Kertih on Monday. I suppose this "jumper"-type of life will not be relaxed so soon. Nevertheless, I guess it's okay, since there are not many important things to happen in May. Only a few family and friends' weddings to attend, but that will only be the activities during the weekends. Oh ya, some shopping for Ozal of course.

Thank God tomorrow's Sunday. I still have another day to lepak around.

What a great thing to end my 1st May!

I am soooo HAPPPYY!!! that Tomok is the champ of this season's OiaM!

Congratulations Tomok! You definitely deserve it!


To Aweera and Esther, congratulations also for the well-done performances. You guys definitely have a place in the music industry, cuz your talents are over the top!

Aaaa.. Can't wait to listen to Tomok's new single.. haha.. sure boleh jadi Juara Carta Era and Hot FM ni!

And.. guess what.. I voted, haha!

-from once-not-a-New Boyz-fan-

Who's the next one-in-a-million?

One of the TV shows I lately look forward to is One in a Million season 3 (haha!). Only this season that I get to follow quite a few episodes. The past two seasons, I only knew who won at the end of the competition. This time, I think what ignites my interest is watching two recording artistes - Amylea and Tomok - battling for that RM1 million - alongside Aweera, Esther and Nine.

It is actually easy to see who is at the top of the heart of the voters, and who's not. Anyway, that could just be my own judgment. Perhaps Malaysia will prove that thought as wrong. Hehe.

Okay, since I have time to waste tonight, I think it's fun to analyze the top 5 of this season's OiaM.

Amylea - seriously I wasn't a fan of her during her AF times. Furthermore, her songs in the radio, personally for me, aren't that melodic compared to, say, Mila and Stacy's. But in this program, she really proves herself to be more than just a singer. A true talent. It is really apparent that she just loves performing! Very natural. I should say, reinventing the songs that she chooses in her own ways, making them sound so.. Amylea! And I love it when she does it in Lily Allen's way. If her fan base is big enough, maybe she can win OiaM. I wonder if I were in this competition with her.. mau je surrender.. hebat sangat for an amature.


Tomok - well, I think we all must agree to one thing: that his female fans still love him! But surprisingly, he is a good performer too, just like Amylea, creative. Contradicting to the time when he was still with New Boyz.. you know, he sounded so dreary when he sang all those 'jiwang karat' songs. I was really surprised when he sang Beyonce's Crazy In Love.. boy, was that a great performance. I think if I was there as the audience, I would've get on my feet and dance along. Seriously, Tomok is a close competitor to Amylea. Although his vocals are not as 'whoa' as Rizu or Esther's, but he has made it to this point. And I think he has a big chance of winning, since his female fans will be more than willing to vote for him time and time again. If he wins, I hope he won't go back to singing 'Sejarah Mungkin Berulang' genre.. it would be a total waste of talent then..


Esther - my first impression on her: she looked older than she is actually. She may be plump, but I think she's really sexy when she does all that poses on the stage. Her plus point is when she sings ballads and jazzy sounds. But I think her performance last week was not so good. I have to agree with Paul that she overdid the 'Legenda' song. Nevertheless, she has lotsa fans back in her hometown I suppose.. so she might not be so threatened by Amylea and Tomok. We'll see if she makes it to Top 2.


Aweera -(Wa, he will add to the list of male rockers in Malaysia whose names start with 'A': Awie, Amy, Ali, etc.) Aweera is a good looking young man, definitely, equipped with ability to hit high rock-song notes. But this guy, agak 'control macho' sikit la. The thing is, he is not as musically versatile as Amylea and Tomok, in which he prefers to play it safe, having too little changes in the song arrangements. Oh well, it seems he has his own circle of fans (even the guys scream for him in the studio!), so I bet he'll be in Top 3, if luck is on his side.


And lastly, Nine - not my fave definitely. He is really lucky to still be in the running to get that RM1million. He usually picks Indonesian songs for his performances, which I think, somehow erodes his credibility in this competition. It seems that he seldom heeds the advice from Paul and Syafinaz. Vocals, not that improving, style more or less the same every week. I'm bored watching him! Last week, he was in the less-voted group, and his performance was messy too. So I guess he should be worrying about his next performance this Friday.

Who's my fave? I should say they are Amylea and Tomok. The only thing is that they are already recording artistes, and both of them has a few years of experience performing on stage, leaving the other three to be seen as total novice. Who do you choose Malaysians? Our second-chance-seeking celebrities, or the hopeful newbies? Well, all we can do is sit and watch (and also vote!) who will win the heart of the viewers :)

Hehe.. I only vote during elections.

Saturday night post

April has four important dates in my calendar: Ain's birthday on the 6th, my parents' anniversary on the 10th, and my beloved's birthday on the 14th. On this 25th, Ain will be called to the Bar, and she will officially be proclaimed as a lawyer. Congrats sis =) I'm so proud of you.

So far, I missed the earlier two, and I will miss this 14th too. So I am foreseeing a birthday card or a gift to be given away on a belated basis. I'm sorry sayang. Ain, I promise I will make it!

This month is a busy month for my family, and for myself definitely. Only in KL on weekends, and wherever-I-may-be on weekdays. Mak and Abah are going to do some traveling also. Abah with his regular outstation, and Mak will be interviewing students in some states too. Pity Ozal he has to stay at home. But it's good also for him to be around for a while, before he continues his tertiary education.

Okay. Enough of the minor updates there. Lately, I am quite disturbed with this annoying issue that my mom faces these few days. Since the university my mom works in is opening interview sessions for selected students, many of her acquaintances + relatives + friends + colleagues are asking her help to recommend their child/ nephew/niece to get a place in the varsity.

I won't take it as an issue if the candidates score fairly in SPM. But I don't think it is right if they were to be accepted based on some 'back-door' deals just because their parents/ uncles/ aunts have good contacts that can get them through. In fact, nobody with a clear mind will say it's valid to do so. Yeah, I understand that every parent wants their children to be educated, i.e. to attend university. But, with scores of mere 6Cs, 7Ds and 8Es, it will just give universities a bad name of taking bad students in. Quality should be the priority here.

Therefore, I wonder, how many of us actually did qualify for our tertiary education? Was it because of our own merits, or was it because our parents or acquaintances had the influence? If one has merits and influence, that is a double-bonus I suppose. But if it was based solely on the influence, then pardon me, we should be doubling our efforts because it was just a tick of luck for us to be given the opportunity. The reputation of getting a chance based on influence is definitely questionable.

Therefore, please, stop asking academicians that you know for the back-door ticket. It's too loathing, personally for me. It's not nice being granted an instant VIP pass. Every candidate should go through the same procedure of screening. You will know if you do well or otherwise..

Post yang tak penting

Sigh. I'm in Kerteh now. To give my exact location, I am at the hotel lobby.. since this is the only place in the hotel where I can have access to the hotel's pay-per-use wireless internet. Meaning.. mandi lambat la malam ni.. adeh. And whenever I'm outstation, small pimples will start to emerge near my eyebrow, and it kinda drove me crazy. I didn't bring my Nixoderm along.. so.. no quick remedy for the pimples for the time being.

Many of my friends are continuing the syndrom of tying-a-knot-when-you're-25 (Adzril & Shida, selamat pengantin baru!), and yeah, I am always excited interviewing those yang dah nak sampai seru. Seriously marriage stuff is the in-thing right now, haha. Marriage stuff as in not only the wedding preparation, but also in preparing ourselves for the marriage journey itself. Cita-cita kami nak menjadi isteri solehah la katakan. Whoa.. are we really adults now or what! Well, yeah, when I'm with my fiancé, I kinda feel a little bit grown-up. But I don't usually feel that when I am at home with my family. The feeling of "we're still mak and abah's babies" is still strong, and yes, my siblings and I still have that bear fight!

Oklah, saja merapu for this post. It's boring staying alone with no one to talk to.. (actually ramai je kat Kerteh ni nak ajak hang out.. tapi, hehe, saya tak suka menyusahkan orang, cewah!)

Sudahnya.. cakap dengan laptop je la ek. Oh ya, happy birthday Ain and Pur!

March final update

Hi people..~ (cey.. bajet ramai readers la eh.. haha)

Okay, so now only I have the chance to post something. March had its own mix of fun, sadness, busy-ness, though I was anticipating that this month would be a get-away month for me. Well, He has decided everything for me... and I just have to go through everything with an open mind and an open heart.

I spent the first week of March in Yangon. Yerp, I went there again with Wilson to complete additional work with Carigali Myanmar. This time, my journey was entirely hotel - office only. No shopping like my previous visit there. And also, because I was planning to shop-till-I-drop in Bandung, so I was trying to save more for the trip. And since the hotel already had wireless broadband connection, so staying in room after work was not as boring as the previous visit. Nevertheless, Wilson and I had the opportunity to try local mamak cuisine like roti prata and chicken curry (diorang guna ayam kampung ok. A bit liat la..). Well personally I think the roti tasted fine, I think even better than the mamaks in Shah Alam, but the curry... hmm, let's just say the taste didn't suit my tastebuds.

A day before leaving Yangon, Ain told me that Opah was admitted to the Ipoh General Hospital. I was actually feeling like going back to kampung for that long weekend. Well, that can be called as an irregular feeling cuz I have never driven alone to kampung without Abah and Mak. The end of the story.. you know what happened. But I'm glad Opah departed on a blessed day, 12 Rabiulawal.. Bless her soul.

On the 14th to 17th March, I went to Bandung as planned, with Fatin and her families. It was a great visit: The things I bought (I personally think) were the nicest things I can find for myself and everyone in my list, the Sundanese cuisine were also good, and I must say, the factory outlets there were great. Exquisite blouse designs, gowns and all... not to mention imitation version of branded handbags that looked original.. ah I wished I brought more money to spend. But I had this mindset before coming, to spend only for the things I wanted to look for. And yerp, I got myself what I wanted, with a little bit of overspending, haha. Never in my life have I experienced shopping-till-I-feel-like-fainting. Nope, not even during puasa time.

Apart from going for shopping, we managed to visit historical places like Dago Pakar, where the remains of the caves built by the Dutch and the Japanese located. We only entered the Japanese Cave (Goa Jepang in Indonesian) as we were exhausted upon reaching the Dutch Cave (Goa Belanda in Indonesian). Here are a few pics that were taken during the long walk.

Mak Ngah was explaining something while I was trying to listen closely. Firdaus was constantly checking his phone, if it got any roaming.

Jom masuk gua!


Daus, Fatin, Paklong, Maklong, Makngah, Fifi, myself and Kak La with her baby in front of Goa Jepang.

I couldn't agree more with this signboard. We should have signboards of the same meaning in KL, especially in Central Market area!

Alright, more pics, as usual, are uploaded in Facebook. Tomorrow's 1st April. Don't play pranks on your chums! Oh yeah, happy new financial year PETRONAS!

Requiem on her departure

There is much sorrow on her departure..

She wasn't the best grandma I have ever had,
But no one should say she didn't try
She was always there.. in times when we needed a hand..

She was a sturdy old lady..
Walking here and there was her regular routine
Perhaps because of that I always thought she'd be okay
And perhaps, because she said so..

Seeing her lying down on the bed unconscious
with her divided children by her side
was not the kind of sight that anybody would want to see
but then, I can do nothing
except prayed for this torture to not prolong..

Yesterday
she lost the battle..
perhaps that was the best for her
for there was no promised hope
that she could regain her strength like before..

Opah,
We will miss her
and the prayers gathered
will surmount the sorrow on her departure.
Innalillah..

Just regular issues..

I'm back in KL, but for just two days. It has been nearly 6 weeks of mobiling for work. Tiring, experience-gaining, competency-building, brain-wrenching, yes, very much close the aspiration of the company for young employees I suppose, haha. Oh well, I'm still alive, so yup, no reason of complaining. I love my job!

I can say for the past 1 week, I have not really flipped through the papers with much interest. Nothing that captured my attention of digging deeper into. Politics? Well, if the news is about resolving the current political disputes here and there, it would sound nice, but it seems that the political turmoil will continue to ride on the big waves. What more the misconducts of the two politicians? I'm loathed. Even though if eventually the reports may be untrue, I would still be loathed. As a result, I will usually skip the few front pages and look for the "letters from readers" column. Issues in the society. Worth reading.

Well, I don't mean to be ignorant. It's just that I am frustrated; which I am sure I am not alone to feel this. Everyday, sensational news on political problems take the centre stage. Or to be exact, MORAL issues of the politicians. Perhaps, there are more reports on immorality of the politicians to be revealed soon. Especially when it is time to lobby for votes to get a position.

Right now, there is rarely a report from the investment experts that Malaysia is able to endure the economic crisis. In times like this, I am convinced that many of us Malaysians are facing financial difficulties even more than ever. Retrenchments, VSS, and whatever more HR-related cost savings will just add pikes to the burdened economic scenario. No money, no spending. No spending, no money movement. No money movement, no encouragement on businesses. No business, raging downfall of KLSE. Falling of KLSE, our currency will be worsen..

Last two days, The MIX Breakfast topic was on "how do you Malaysians deal with the current economic situation". There were answers from the callers like "I don't have any savings, but it's okay cuz I'm still single" and "Well, I don't eat. Escaping meals seem to be the only way since I can't reduce expenses on other things". Both answers came from people with no commitment yet. But there was this particular caller whom I really felt sorry for. She was a single mother, with two kids to care for and to feed and to educate. She told the DJs that she really felt the pressure of the economic downturn on her. Prices of goods going up as usual, which means more expenses for the households. She felt sorry of not being able to fulfil many of her kids' wants and wishes, like buying new toys and going for holidays, because she couldn't afford to spend on the unnecessary things. There were a few times when she paused from talking, I suppose she was refraining from bursting into tears on air. I felt bad for her.

The price hike of the groceries makes me gulp. The toll fare rise makes me gulp. The drop of crude price makes me gulp. The political atmosphere makes me gulp. The drop of unit trusts prices makes me gulp. How can I sleep with mind's peace? How can we all sleep with mind's peace?

In times like this, it is not so nice of the governors of the nation to focus on their political dispute. If investors can express their doubt over Obama's ability to weather the American economic crisis despite the tremendous support given to him by the Americans, definitely we can doubt our not-so-credible governors' ability to better up the condition of Malaysian economy. Trying to fight graft, graft is worsening. Trying to fight recession, recession is worsening. "Oh well, if we know it never stops from worsening, we suppose there's nothing we could do.. but to sit down and hope everything will be okay.."

What do we have? Bad performing governors? You bet.