Dubai Revisited

It's now 7.17 a.m. in Cairo and about 13 degrees Celcius. I am sitting at a cybercafe opposite the hotel I am staying. I planned to post something on my few days in Dubai whilst in Dubai but the internet connection was so bad and I could not gain access to my blogger account, frequent interruption to internet connection etc etc. It's too early to tell about my Cairo trip as we have actually not started yet except that we had dinner at Nile Restaurant last night after arriving from Dubai and a brief glimpse and tour of Cairo city on the way to our hotel in Zamalek.

On my second day in Dubai, aku menjadi 'chapperon' kepada golden citizens yang terdiri daripada Mak and parents housemate Liza sightseeing in Dubai city. Since all of them are in the sixties, taking the public bus or going on foot were out of the question and taking the city cab was just too expensive. The best alternative was to take the Big Bus Company tour. This is a hop on and hop off tour service on a double decker bus which covers 23 tourist stops in Dubai through 2 bus routes, the city tour and the beach tour. We managed to cover only half of the entire route when after shopping at Dubai Old Souq, some of the golden citizens dah nampak penat memicit-micit kaki, so we stayed on the bus for the rest of the stops and headed home. Aku dan Mak tak rasa ralat sangat because both of us have been to most of these places during our last trip to Dubai in May 2006

The following day, I decided to wander off on my own in Dubai, mainly because I need to get some souveniers and some barang kiriman relatives and friends. Using the same Big Bus Company tour ticket (it's valid for 24 hours from the time of purchase), I took the beach tour route to Souq Madinat Jumeirah. This route will pass through Jumeirah Road and you will stop at some main tourist attractions like Jumeirah Mosque, Jumeirah Beach Park, Jumeirah Public Beach and Souq Madinat Jumeirah. The bus stopped at Jumeirah Public Beach for 5 minutes where you can see Burj Al Arab from there. The view at Jumeirah public beach was exactly how I remembered the last time I came here, breathtaking, undescribable beyond words. Pasir yang halus, the clear water in shades of emerald green berhampiran dengan pantai dan turned into darker shades of green and blue towards the sea.

After a couple of hours shopping at Souq Madinat Jumeirah and Zuhr prayer there, I walked back to the Jumeirah public beach and just sat there looking out to the sea with my feet buried in the cold sand, my iPod playing my favorite numbers, a cup of hot chocolate and my travel journal penning stories of my journey so far, my thoughts, hopes and dreams as the new year approaching. Pemandangan laut yang indah dengan angin sejuk bertiup buat aku leka sehingga tidak sedar sudah lebih sejam aku duduk di situ. Gathered my stuff and decided to walk along the beach and feel the water, it was icy cold but bearable. Continued to walk for the next 30 minutes and finally took a cab to Mall of Emirates where I bought a few more things mainly perfumes yang dipesan.

Lambaian Cairo ex Dubai

All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go

I'm standing here outside your door
I hate to wake you up to say goodbye
But the dawn is breaking, it's early morn'
The taxi's waiting, he's blowing his horn
Already I'm so lonesome I could die

So kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that you'll wait for me
Hold me like you'll never let me go
'Cause I'm leaving on a jet plane
I don't know when I'll be back again

Just like the starting of Chantal Kreviazuk's Leaving On A Jet Plane, I am all set for Dubai, leaving on a jet plane at 0030 hours before flying off to Cairo on Dec 28. Preparation for this trip is the same as my other previous trips except kali ini kena bawa baju tebal. It's not-summer season di Cairo where temperature could go as low as 7 degrees Celcius and maximum 20 degrees Celcius. A good time to travel there.

I started my packing last Friday night. As usual memang konon-kononnya nak travel light tapi I always end up packing more clothes than I actually need. Most of the time ada yang tak dipakai langsung, I call it emergency clothings (or maybe just an excuse!). Anyhoots, I am carrying max two bags, a trolley bag and a backpack. Whilst packing, berbalas-balas SMS sekejap with Yusran, a 'thirsty' traveller currently travelling with Zura (his wife cum one of my usual travelling buddies) to Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam and China for a month. Yes, you read me right, a month! Aaaargghhh...best nyer!

22-Dec-06 11.11 p.m.
Hi Nurul, Grub Gott. Truly forgotten about Arabic CD titles as I was so busy with work till just b4 left 4 KLIA. Fr sea we r headin 2 the mountains SAPA via Lao Cai (near China). Appreciate if u cud get latest 5 CDs fr 1)NANCY AJRAM 2)AMR DIAB & 3 other singers. Willing to spend RM200. Sorry to trouble u. Danke schon.

22-Dec-06 11.16 p.m.
OMG - sounds adventurous n interesting. The other 3 CDs r 4 which singer?

22-Dec-06 11.25 p.m.
Just grab based on their Top 10 which had the longest run in terms of popularity. Kalau dapat beli music DVD ciplak lagi bagus. BTW, my Yang is already zzz we r in the overnite train. VIET Train r not as sophiscated as the sleeping berth in China or even KTM

22-Dec-06 11.30 p.m.
Wokey - she must b dead beat. What r u doing still up? Not sophisticated. That's the interesting part of travelling, isn't it? I tgh packing my stuff 4 my trip.

23-Dec-06 8.00 a.m.
Arrived safely in Lao Cai. The temp is below 10C. Ahlan Wasalan.

23-Dec-06 8.08 a.m.
Alhamdulillah..hope u guys hav clothes 2 keep u warm. Expecting that kind of temp in cairo esp at night.

On Saturday, I ran a few more last minute errands. Pagi-pagi ke Taman Tun Dr Ismail to collect sambal tumis Kak Nor yang Liza pesan and whilst at it, stopped by at Maxis centre to configure my mobile phone MMS setting. Since I changed from Nokia N70 to Sony Ericsson K750i a few months ago, the MMS setting has not been working properly. Rupa-rupanya ada masalah dengan my SIM card and it was changed and configured in 15 minutes. Superb and prompt service because ada orang dalam kat situ.

Headed to Kema's place for brunch with Mak and in the afternoon ke KLCC to shop some trivial stuff but ended spending more than I planned/should at La Senza. The price slash and sales offer there was just to tempting for me to ignore. Sebelum balik, exchange Malaysian Ringgit into UAE Dirham and once in Dubai, I'll exchange some into US Dollar and Egyptian Pound.

Now the final hours, going through my checklist to make sure I do not leave out anything important:-

• E-ticket print out
• Passport
• International driving license
  
• Travel journal
  
• Books to read in the plane
• iPod
• Camera
• Shopping list from relatives and friends

OK, I have to shut down now as I have to leave for the airport in an hour or so. Thanks to those who smsed, called and personally wished and prayed for my safe journey and return. If everything goes well as planned and I return home safely, there will be an entry and pics on my trip, insyaallah.....I am now leaving you with a song from Amr Diab - Tamally Maak.

A Banana A Day Keeps The Doc Away!

Bananas contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber. A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes. But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

Depression: According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

PMS: Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Anemia: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

Mosquito bites: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at wor k leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and crisps. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.

Ulcers: The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Temperature control: Many other cultures see bananas as a "cooling" fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand , for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.

Smoking &Tobacco Use: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.

Strokes: According to research in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!

Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape!

A banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around.

Bananas must be the reason monkeys are so happy all the time!

Apples of My Eye

Weekend at Port Dickson

Hujung minggu lalu dihabiskan di Port Dickson dengan aktiviti teambuilding yang diadakan oleh my department. It was actually a mixed of teambuiding and bersantai since for the past few months it has been a stressful and hectic period with a lot of operational issues. We departed from the office on Friday dan pagi itu masing-masing sibuk menghabiskan apa-apa kerja yang patut. At approximately 3.30 p.m. kami bertolak menaiki bas tetapi hanya sampai di Port Dickson at around 6 p.m. kerana di Lebuhraya Sungai Besi, fan belt bas tersebut putus menyebabkan terkandas selama lebih kurang 30 minit.

Selepas makan malam, aktiviti pertama bermula dengan icebreaking dan pembahagian kumpulan. Tugasan pertama ialah menamakan kumpulan, mencipta slogan, sorakan dan merekacipta bendera dalam masa 20 minit. After much of cracking our brains branstorming, we came up with the name of 'Happy Hooligans' and honestly by now I vaguely remember our slogan and cheers. Each group presented and introduced their teams with much cheering as well as friendly jeering from other teams, the spirits were high that night and semua orang berkobar-kobar as the facilitator briefed us that for each activity and task, points will be awarded. The first task that we had to do to accumulate points was to play charades. Although the words given were common words and easy but acting it out was a totally different ballgame altogether. My team was leading even for the start and by the end of the game, we obviously were the winners.

Hari kedua bermula awal pagi where everybody gathered at the beach untuk aktiviti sea rafting. Cuaca cerah tetapi redup, just nice to do this activity but it drizzled soon after that and eventually stopped. We had to build our own rafts using drums and bamboos provided. After a brief warm-up session and water confidence activity, we hurriedly discuss and drew our drawing plan on how the drums and bamboos should be positioned. The raft has to be exactly like our drawing plan. Misi aktiviti ini adalah untuk berdayung ke tiga lokasi berlainan untuk mengumpul tiga belon yang berlainan warna. Selepas melihat demo yang diberi oleh one of the instructors on how to tie up the bamboos and drums together, everybody went to work and started to assemble the pieces together in 30 minutes. Kalau salah ikat atau ikatan tu terlerai, jawabnya capsize le raft tu. Jenuh juga membuat ikatan sambil cuba mengingatkan ikatan reef knot yang diajar semasa demo dan mengejar masa hingga kena blisters di tapak tangan. Nasib baik tak teruk tapi pedih juga bila kena air laut.

Selepas wisel berbunyi, semua mengangkut raft ke air untuk memulakan perlumbaan. It was difficult at first getting everybody to synchronise the paddling and manouver the raft but we got the hang it after a while. The mission was to collect three balloons at three different locations. Our raft started to fall apart as we were heading to get the last balloon. We had no choice but to head to shore for safety reasons as two of our female team members already looking panic.
The next activity started at 4 p.m. on the same day. We were instructed to make a reef knot which we learnt earlier from a rope. The rule of this task were everybody's hands have to be on the rope, we can't lift even a single finger from the rope and we are given only three attempts to complete this task. Percubaan yang pertama berakhir even before we started when one of us lifted his index finger. Percubaan yang kedua lasted for almost an hour but not after some of us got squeezed and almost trampled by other especially those yang pegang di bahagian hujung tali. Aku bernasib baik sebab I was holding on to the center of the rope and some of us siap bersembang trying to kill the boredom. Initially, some of us tried to give suggestions and guidance to those holding to the rop ends but it was impossible for them to manouver around other people and this created a lot of confusions. My colleague and I got a better picture and plan on how to complete this task and decided to implement it in our last and final attempt. And we officially became the 211th team to successfully complete this task and we did it in less than 15 minutes. How?.....those you out there yang mungkin kena buat this task in your teambuilding exercise have to figure this out yourself ler...

Sabotage! That was what happened to my team when we had our treasure hunt the following morning. Our last clue which was supposed to bring us to the treasure box was taken by someone. The culprit was not our colleague(s) but most probably someone from other companies who were doing similar activity there. Nevertheless, my team came in third. After short de-briefing, we killed several hours playing water polo, had lunch and headed back to KL 3 p.m.

Eventhough a little bit tired tapi bila balik tengok anak-anak buah aku, hilang segala penat tengok keletah mereka.

Tomorrow Can Be Too Late

Someone sent this to me via friendster and the recipient is supposed to mail this to every person one care about including the one who sent it to you. You will then know that there are people who cares about you that you didn't know. But I thought this is something I should share with everybody and you may be one of those I care about.

If you're mad with someone,
and nobody's there to fix the situation...you fix it
Maybe today, that person still wants to be your friend
And if u don't, tomorrow can be too late.

If you're in love with somebody,
but that person doesn't know...tell her/him.
Maybe today, that person is also in love with you.
And if you don't say it, tomorrow can be too late.

If you still love a person
that you think has forgotten you... tell her/him.
Maybe that person has always loved you.
And if you don't tell her/him today,
tomorrow can be too late.

If you need a hug of a friend...ask her/him for it.
may be she/he needs it more than you do.
And if you don't ask for it today,
tomorrow can be too late.

If you really have friends
whom you appreciate...tell them.
Maybe they appreciate you as well.
And if you don't and they leave or go far away today,
tomorrow can be too late.

If you love your parents, and
never had the chance to show them... do it.
Maybe you have them there to show them how you feel.
And if you don't and they leave today,
then tomorrow can be too late.

Background Music : Kata By Hazami

Saturday 'Wasted'

I woke up early today at 5.00 a.m. to perform Isyak prayer and waited till Suboh azan. Thought I could stay awake but by 6.30 a.m. I couldn't keep my eyes opened as I was still sleepy and tired after late partying at my boss's year-end party last night. I will save this story for my next posting. Went back to sleep and dozed off till 9.00 a.m.

Started the day with work around the house starting with my laundry, separating the ones that could go into the washing machine and those which have to be handwashed. Bukannya banyak pun because I tend to do my laundry every other day. Swept and mopped the floor and arrange apa-apa yang patut. Whilst in shower, scrubbed the bathroom floor and toilet, threw all empty shampoo bottles, cleanser tubes or anything else yang dah luput jangkahayat out into the dustbin.

Folded my dry clothes in the living room and once in a while glanced at the idiot box. 'How Do I Look' was on. I find the program revolting because the host, Alex Liu and those interviewed on his program, who are obviously his cronies never fail to look so superficial and pretentious. I am totally oblivious what's the message this program's trying to deliver, just like whoever is in the program, superficial and the kind of Q & A were insulting my intelligence.

It has been a while since I last buy groceries, my fridge kinda empty. Furthermore, I don't eat heavy dinner. It will be a waste to buy groceries if they are going to end up rotten in the fridge and landed in the dustbin. Kalau nak masak selalu pun, tak berbaloi masak untuk seorang. Nak pergi keluar beli breakfast, malas pulak. Found there are enough basic ingredients for fried meehoon. That's my brunch with a mug of hot nescafe. Kalau ada biskut raya ni best juga. Teringat cake yang Tyah bagi kat office.

It's starting to rain heavily outside. The more reason to stay at home and maybe catch up on my reading. Recently received the December 2006 issue of Reader's Digest. I have been subscribing to this magazine for several years now. Full of enlightening, amusing and interesting real life stories. Kadang-kadang they enclose small prizes like bookmark, coasters or diary with the magazine or even contest information where you have the chance to win like a few hundred thousand ringgit. Most of the time, I didn't bother to read the contest brochures, tapi kadang-kadang saja-saja hantar. Who knows....tiba-tiba lucky pulak.

Malam ni nak ke KLIA to pick up my buah hati pengarang jantung. In the mean time, need to start finishing some office work so that tomorrow I can spend my entire time dengan my buah hati. Siapa yer, tunggu ajer ler....

While I Was Gone

Sudah lebih dua minggu sejak kali terakhir aku post an entry on 'Life As It Is'. Main reason for absence of any new entry - work, work, work.....At times had to come very early to the office just to clear a few to-do list without interruptions. Rasa lega sebab one major report is out of the way after endlessly chasing a few people for information to complete the report. What have I been up to during this period? There were strings of events, incidents, revealations for the past 2 weeks - not sure where to start, how to start and where to begin but in random order :~

1. Had lunch with my 'jiejie', Helen and ex-boss, Kasuma at Bukhara Restaurant, KLCC last Wednesday. Kebetulan, Kasuma pun baru habiskan puasa enam, so it was kinda 'Raya' for both of us as aku pun baru habiskan puasa enam that Monday. It was my first hearty meal after Ramadhan. Both Kasuma and Helen ordered lamb and chicken beriyani which came in big serving. Luckily I did not order any main dish for myself but just vegetable with mushroom and fried prawn as side dishes. All of us decided to share the food so that we could have a taste of everything. Even that pun we all tak boleh habiskan semua. Anyway, Kasuma was generous enough to pick up the bill.

2. I lost weight during the Ramadhan month as I notice most of my clothes dah longgar especially my pants. I did not weigh myself until recently - 5kg gone. Nak beli entire new wardrobe, bankrup ler aku, maybe kena alter whichever I can. I am now at my ideal weight for my height. How I did it? I did not starve myself or resort to diet pills like some people I know. During Ramadhan month, berbuka dengan kuih-muih and ate rice only for sahur. Now I continue to eat moderately and avoid rice for dinner. Hopefully I could discipline myself to follow this routine so that I could maintain my weight.

3. Met 'Tan Sri' and S for dinner last Friday night. Dah lama juga tak jumpa 'Tan Sri' sampai he did not recognize me when I was sitting like 2 metres away waiting for him. We had dinner at House of Fishball in Subang Jaya before adjourned to Gazebo for drinks.

4. Relieved that after months of preparation for the company first annual dinner, it finally came and over and done with on November 10. The theme was 70s and 80s with a tagline 'The Funky Town'. Everybody had a good time and we received positive feedback from the employees especially on the entertainment lined up for that night. Other than performances by the employees themselves, we had Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson impersonators as well. Everybody dressed up according to the theme sampai aku tak kenal even my own boss. They really let their hair down especially on the dance floor. The dance floor was opened at 11.30 p.m. and we all danced till 1.00 in the morning. I had never danced the way I did that night from disco dance, twist, cha cha you named it. Had several dance partners, actually I tak kenal pun sebab I just joined the company about 5 months ago and I hardly knew all the 300 employees but there was one mamat ni yang jadi steady dance partner. He's a good dancer, our dance moves kinda synchronised easily as he twirled and swirled me on the dance floor. Dia ajak aku pergi hang out dekat club after that tapi I turned him down sebab aku dah letih organizing the annual dinner since early that day. Nak balik and tidur aje. Anyway, aku bukannya kaki clubbing.

5. I finally confirmed my travelling dates to Cairo ex Dubai. Called the travelling agency to issue the tickets. Asked them to charge to my credit card. Initially they said I will be charged 3% for that but the agent decided to waive that. Dapatlah save a few hundred ringgit. This time I decided to fly with Emirates Airline. Cukuplah pengalaman naik Gulf Air ke Dubai last May sampai stranded a few hours kat Muscat, Oman sebab nama tak listed for connecting flight to Dubai. I pinned up the flight itinerary at my working desk and counting the days to that trip. At least there's something to look forward to.

6. I collected my car after more than one month at the workshop. However, I had to send it back after one week. There was a rattling sound coming from the compressor and I asked a cousin to look into it. Obviously there are a few more other things which need to be rectified further inluding the absorber as a result of the accident. Nothing major though but I hope to get my car back in a week's time.

7. Received two calls from headhunters about job opportunities in Putrajaya and another in the city centre. Yang satu ni I flatly told them I was not interested to pursue esepcially when whether I am wearing a tudung or not became of the selection criteria. They prefer someone who is not wearing one and eventhough I don't, I find that offensive and I definitely do not want to work in an organization where one's religious beliefs and practices are more important than the person's ability and capability. Anyway, one day mungkin aku akan pakai tudung.

8. Have been having a few weird dreams. The only thing I could tell is, it's something to do with nakedness, baring it all... Itupun belum habis cerita, 'Tan Sri' dah teased teruk-teruk. So, terbantut nak cerita selanjutnya.....

I'll Be Here Tonite!

I was busy making final preparation for the company annual dinner yesterday morning which will be held that very night when when n ex-colleague called and said she has free tickets for the above play. We got good seats as one of the sponsors is my former employer. I have read about the play in the local newspaper and found it intriguing but just did not have the time find out more about the play and organize with the usual comrades to go and see the play due to my busy schedule with office work and personal matters. Not exactly a cultured person who religiously follow and watch whatever play which is on but once in while the usual comrades and I will just catch several interesting plays at these theatres. Below is the synopsis of the play:-

"Florence unexpectedly breaks up with her husband. Despondent, she determines to kill herself but is saved by her friend Olive. With nowhere else to go, Florence is urged by Olive to move in with her, at least for a while. The only problem is that Florence is anally retentive, neat, tidy and neurotic, whereas Olive is slovenly, casual and an absolute slob. In adapting this script from the play that made his career, Neil Simon investigates the conditions of friendship minus testosterone. The end result is this rare, side-splitting version of two completely opposite characters trying to share the same apartment"

What I think of this play......wait till I watch it tonight.

November 12, 2006 @ 9.22 a.m.

We arrived at KLPac just at the nick of time as when we left my friend's house after my Maghrib prayer only to find that there was a bit of jam on the road going out of Subang Jaya. The initial plan was to have dinner before the play but since we were running late, we skipped dinner and went into the theatre with empty stomachs. Dinner will have to wait.

Although I do not know how is the original version of this Neil Simmon's piece but obviously, the director has incorporated some local elements in the play. Yeah....it's funny and I particularly like Olive's witty character played by Bernie Chan and one of her kaki buddies, Veera, the sweet, naive and so 'duh' character played by Elaine Daly. I wouldn't consider it as a MUST SEE play but only if YOU-HAVE-NOTHING-BETTER-TO-DO. I'll give it three stars out of five.

Egyptian Dreams Come True

December 28, 2006 - January 1, 2007

Sebelum ini ada several travel plans yang telah dirancangkan pada hujung tahun ini termasuklah ke Sarawak dan Indonesia, tetapi kita yang merancang, Tuhan juga yang menentukan. Tempat yang langsung tiada dalam perancangan tahun ini yang bakal menjadi kenyataan - end of this year, tempat yang bakal aku jejaki ialah Kaherah, Mesir. Ini gara-gara ajakan dari Liza sebelum Syawal dahulu kerana dia dan rakan-rakannya termasuk A (ehem! ehem! bakal abang ipar aku ke?) telah merancang untuk ke sana pada hujung tahun ini. Liza memang sudah maklum hasrat aku untuk ke Mesir yang aku suarakan semasa aku ke Dubai Mei lalu tetapi tidak kesampaian sebab Liza pun masa itu sibuk dengan kerja. Lagipun, tidak selamat kalau wanita travels to Mesir alone. I of courselah, bagai pucuk dicita ulam mendatang terima pelawaan itu. Memandangkan January 1st is also Mak's birthday, aku ajak Mak sekali where all her trip expenses shall be borne by the children as birthday gift ler kiranya.

I will be flying to Dubai in Emirates on X'mas Day, spent a couple of nights there and then to Cairo on December 28. I will be in Cairo till January 1 and return to Kuala Lumpur on January 2. Sebelum buat booking, the travel agent said all flights to Cairo on December 28 were fulled and I asked to be on a waiting list. Alhamdulillah, the agent came back to me and said there are available seats on that day. Kalau tidak, I would have to fly there a day earlier. Dah memang rezeki aku agaknya. Cuti juga aku dah apply awal-awal dan telah diluluskan oleh boss.

Look forward to this trip and hope apa yang dirancang akan menjadi kenyataan.....

Open House @ Armanee

From left : Alymiey, Nurul, Rush, Airry

Alhamdulillah, syukur kerana majlis rumah terbuka yang diadakan pada Oktober 31, 2006 berjalan dengan lancar. Majlis diadakan di event hall Armanee Condominium, Damansara Damai where Liza (my eldest sister) has a condo unit. Kalau nak buat at her condominium herself or my apartment di Bukit Jelutong, Shah Alam memang tak muat to fill all the guests. I was very pleased that majoriti tetamu jemputan yang terdiri daripada close family and friends dan bloggers dapat hadir termasuk a Sarawakian friend yang dah about 3 years aku tak jumpa.

Early bird guests yang sampai were fellow bloggers - Rush, Xis and Rush's friends, Almiey and Airry (Hope I got their names right). I wasn't expecting guests to arrive till 8 p.m. tapi about 7.40 p.m. I received a call from Xis asking for direction as they were already nearby sedangkan aku masih tengah taking my own sweet time bersolek and yet to get dressed. By the time I reached the event hall, they were waiting in the car at the carpark. Felt so guilty making them wait instead of aku yang menyambut mereka. When they came out of the car, immediately, I could easily recognized Rush as he looked exactly like his pics, just that didn't expect him to be that tall. I couldn't tell which one was Xis and when I asked, Rush suruh aku main teka-teka pula. Sukar jugak nak cam sebab his pics on his blog tak terang and if I heard correctly, when Xis called he introduced himself as Nik. Itu yang confused sekejap.

Baru nak mula bersembang dengan mereka, aku sudah mula menerima panggilan telefon dari guests yang lain meminta road direction ke majlis open house dan had to leave the table several times untuk menyambut mereka. Terkilan juga sebab tak dapat hold decent conversations with them to get to know them better without being interrupted by calls from other guests asking for road directions. Tambahan pula, bila friends yang lain mula sampai, naturally banyaklah perkara yang nak diperbualkan dan layanan and attention pun had to be divided amongst all the guests. Hopefully, in future all of us including bloggers yang tidak dapat hadir dapat meet up and get to know each other better. Dalam pada itu, as I expected, timbul juga soalan cepumas dari a few relatives and friends. Those singles will know apa soalan cepumas itu. Eventhough I told them the honest truth pun, masih ada yang speculate juga.

Anyway, menu that night mainly consisted of typical Raya dishes - lemang and rendang, nasi impit with kuah lodeh and sambal, and other dishes - chinese fried rice, asam laksa, roti jala and kari ayam, satay and kuah kacang, cucur badak, fruit tartlet and kordial and tea as drinks. The food was catered from this caterer I hired whenever I organize functions which involved makan-makan in my previous company. I was relieved that the guests including my relatives commented that the food served was delicious although aku sempat merasa dua cucuk satay dan dua potong lemang dan rendang sahaja. Itu pun sempat makan bila most of guests dah pulang.

As Rush and the gang about to leave, I gave badam potong for Rush, Xis and Tyah seorang satu bekas as diorang pernah cakap nak merasa kuih tu. So, bila orang dah berhajat, aku cuba tunaikan mana yang mampu. Insyaallah, sampailah hajat Tyah nak merasa bila Rush pulang ke Miri nanti. Aku buat additional badam potong ni a day before I came back to KL/Shah Alam. Merata juga aku mencari a couple of bahan-bahan kuih ni di TI sebab dah out of stock at most kedai dan supermarket, maklumlah most of them do not replenish the stock selepas Ramadhan. Alhamdulillah, memang rezeki mereka, akhirnya aku jumpa bahan-bahan tu.

Majlis ended at around 11 p.m. and by the time I reached home it was almost 2 a.m. Aku ucapkan terima kasih kepada all the guests yang sudi hadir walaupun majlis diadakan in the middle of the week and most of them had to work the following day. To Helen, thank you sebab unexpectedly bagi ole-ole - I truly appreciate it. Aku juga ingin meyusun sepuluh jari meminta maaf kalau ada cacat cela, terkurang, terlebih, tersilap bicara atau terkasar bahasa sepanjang majlis yang tak seberapa tu.

Kepada Shahril, another blogger who was invited, I am touched with your politeness making courtesy call and sending SMSes apologizing for not being able to attend. To other bloggers yang tak dapat hadir juga, kalau panjang umur dan diizinkan Allah, insyaalah kita akan dapat bertemu suatu hari nanti.

Coretan Syawal

Today is the seventh day of Syawal and the first day I am back at work. Checked my inbox for one week's old of incoming e-mails and let out a sigh of relief that there was no pressing matters that requires my immediate attention or action. Decided to reply some of the e-mails anyway and get some outstanding matters out of the way as I will be busy with the final details of the company's first Annual Dinner & Dance which is just 2 weeks away. The committee members have decided to do a brief performance as part of the opening gambit that night and we have yet to practise together-gether. Luckily the performers we engaged have agreed to help us out with the dance steps at their dance studio.

Earlier in the morning on the way to work, dropped by at Liza's place to give goodbye hugs and kisses to my niece and nephew before they leave for KK that morning. Asheen was in her usual chirpy mood whilst Noah was grumpy having woken from his sleep very early in the morning. Managed to get to work on time despite of the usual heavy morning traffic.

Reminiscing the last few days of Ramadhan in preparation of Syawal, I started baking Raya biscuits the morning I arrived in TI and Kema took over the kitchen in the afternoon. Started with Badam Potong (2nd pic from left) followed by Mata Kucing (3rd pic from left) and Mandarin cupcake (1st pic from left) whilst Kema made the rest, Coklat Gajus (3rd pic from left) and cornflakes (5th pic from left). Tried to bake marble cake but for a certain reason, it did not turn out the way it was supposed to be. Liza is the one who is good at baking cakes but this year for a reason oblivious to any of us, dia mogok. Luckily there was another cake given to Mak by her friend and a cheese cake from one of Kema's clients.

First day of Syawal was the same as the previous years. The day started with sembahyang Raya at the mosque, asking forgiveness from Mak and my other siblings and headed to onyang's house which is about 15 minutes drive to meet with the rest of my relatives. That night, everybody adjourned to my house and we had belated birthday party for Asheen and Noah. Asheen's birthday was in September whilst Noah's in October. I only went to the cemetry to visit Abah, Onyang, Tok and Tok Alang's graves on the 3rd of Syawal as it was packed with people with cars parked alongside the road on the first 2 days of Syawal.

Started going to my relatives' open house on the Saturday I came back to KL and on Oct 31, I will be holding a joined open house with Liza at Armanee, Damansara Damai. Other than my relatives, I invited a few close friends and bloggers who are in town. Look forward to meeting friends I had not seen for quite sometime except via e-mail or phone and also fellow bloggers I am meeting for the first time.

Menjelang Syawal

Dengan Syawal yang bakal menjelang, persiapan raya juga semakin rancak. Dua minggu lalu aku sudah mengambil baju kurung pesak dari songket Pakistan yang ditempah di sebuah kedai di Semuahouse. Aku amat berpuashati dengan hasilnya dan aku turut membeli sepasang brooch untuk dipadankan dengan baju tersebut. Dua pasang lagi kebaya Kema tolong collect dari tailor hari ini sebab aku memang takkan sempat ke kedai itu selepas waktu kerja. Pada hari minggu yang lalu, aku, Kema dan Mak ke Parkson di Putra Place untuk membeli pakaian kasual dan kasut raya untuk anak-anak buah aku. Si Asheen insists baju dia mesti warna pink dan kasut kena ada heels. Noah pulak is just too young to have fashion sense, till then, he'll just wear whatever we buy for him. Hari ini pula, Bobo (nickname for my twin sister) called minta belikan baju kurung untuk Asheen. Baju kurung yang ditempah telah disalah potong oleh tailor di KK. According to Bobo, lehernya terlalu besar hingga belahnya sampai ke perut Asheen. Tergelak bila aku bayangkan rupa Asheen pakai baju tu.

Last weekend juga, bahan-bahan untuk membuat biskut raya dibeli. Biskut raya yang wajib sudah semestinya Coklat Gajus, Badam Potong, Mata Kucing dan Cornflakes. Masa tu mulalah buka resipi yang mak tulis dalam diari. Diari berisi resipi tu dah macam legasi dalam keluarga sebab dah bertahun-tahun dalam simpanan dan dirujuk setiap kali menjelang raya. Sebagai tambahan, aku bercadang membuat Tart Nanas, Mandarin Cupcake dan Marble Cake. Ambitious betul tapi tak tahulah larat ke tidak. Mahu bersengkang mata sampai dua tiga pagi tunggu kuih raya masak dalam oven macam tahun-tahun yang lalu.

Insyaallah, selepas sahur Sabtu ni, aku akan bertolak dengan Kema ke TI. Liza dan Shahrul akan bertolak keesokan harinya selepas mengambil Bobo dan family at the airport that morning. Semoga semuanya selamat sampai ke kampung untuk beraya bersama.

Sick Day

Yesterday morning, I woke up with a slight headache. Went straight to the shower, washed my hair hoping that my headache will subsequently go away. Whilst driving to work it got worse and by the time I reached the office, I felt giddy, lethargic and felt like vomitting. The air-condition at the office worsened my condition as it was too cold and I did not bring my shawl or jacket along. Tried to bury myself into work just to forget the throbbing pain but by 11.oo a.m. it was unbearable. Decided to go the clinic at the ground floor of my office building and got to see the doctor after waited for almost half an hour. The doc was male though I hoped to see the female doctor. Told the doctor my situation but I didn't see this coming..

Doc : Are you pregnant?

Me : Err...no (My eyebrow raised)

Doc : It's just that normally if you are pregnant, you'll feel this nausea, vomitting etc in the morning.

Me : Ooo..ok

Doc : Have you had any children?

Me : No

Doc : Are you married (Ahh...finally the question he should've asked in the first place)

He checked my BP and it was slightly low than normal. Checked my eyes, tounge, the palm of my hands and pressed the tips of my fingers. His conclusion was I am not anaemic but dehydrated. I was given Ponston, T.Moloxon and Oral Rehydration Salt for dehydration and to help increase my BP.

I still continued with my fasting and after seeing the doctor I felt much better even without taking any the medicine prescribed. I think it's a psychology thing. Receiving a call from a close friend during my UiTM days made me felt much much better. Her usual chatty happy go lucky ways made me forget the pain for a while. After breaking fast, took my medicine and went to bed after Maghrib prayer. Missed Tarawih that night....

Dia Dalam Kenangan & Doa

Sejak bermulanya Ramadhan 10 hari yang lalu, ingatanku kepada lelaki ini semakin kuat, sayu rasa hati terutamanya bila mengingatkan saat-saat manis bersama dia. Dan sejak 12 tahun yang lalu, pada pagi Raya, aku akan menziarahi dia berbekalkan air Yassin dan segenggam daun pandan. Di situlah tempat bersemadinya seorang lelaki yang pernah menjadi sebahagian hidupku dan takkan ada gantinya.

Masih segar dalam ingatan peristiwa 12 tahun yang lalu seperti baru semalam berlaku. Tengahari itu, Abah pulang dipapah oleh Mak dan Tok Mat selepas 'collapsed' di sekolah. Percakapan Abah kurang jelas dan pandangan Abah kabur. Cuma mampu menggeleng kepala bila disebut mahu dibawa ke hospital.

Ketika melihat Abah terbaring tidak bermaya dalam ICU dengan tiub, wayar dan monitor ECG disambungkan ke badannya, aku tak dapat menahan airmata daripada tumpah, laju mengalir seperti empangan air yang pecah. Aku genggam erat tangan Abah, tak sangka Abah yang selama ini memang aktif, sekarang ni terlantar tidak berdaya dengan sekelip mata. Aku lihat airmata Abah mengalir, aku kesat airmata Abah dan aku usap kepala Abah. Aku bisik ke telinga Abah memberitahu Abah aku ada disisinya. Pada awal pagi Januari 4, 1995, aku terima panggilan telefon dari hospital yang Abah sudah tiada lagi. Mak semasa itu dalam perjalalan ke hospital untuk memulakan giliran menjaga Abah yang telah dipindahkan ke wad biasa selepas seminggu di dalam ICU.

Apabila jenazah Abah tiba di rumah, aku mampu mengawal emosi, tiada ratapan, raungan cuma tangisan kecil keluar dariku. Aku tatap wajah Abah, ada airmata bertakung di kelopak matanya yang aku kesat perlahan-lahan dengan tisu. Bila adik-beradikku sampai, tiada kata-kata antara kami, hanya pelukan erat dan tangisan yang menggambarkan perasaan masing-masing. Mak, kulihat tidak mengalirkan setitis pun airmata. Aku tahu Mak kesedihan tapi mungkin dia mahu kelihatan tabah untuk anak-anaknya. Sebelum wajah Abah ditutup dengan kain kapan, aku kesat airmataku dan aku cium dahi Abah, terasa sejuk dingin. In spite of all this happening, aku masih berasa seperti semua yang berlaku pada hari itu seperti mimpi even semasa aku mengiringi jenazah Abah di dalam kenderaan jenazah ke masjid dan ke tanah perkuburan. Hanya selepas segala-galanya selesai dengan lancar, pada malam itu aku masuk ke bilikku, aku macam baru tersedar yang Abah dah pergi selama-lamanya. Di dalam kegelapan, aku menangis sepuas-puasnya. Malam itu, aku keseorangan tidur di atas katil di mana jenazah Abah dibaringkan dan kain pelekat Abah menjadi selimutku.

Beberapa tahun selepas itu, Mak beritahu yang Abah pernah berkata kepada Mak yang kalau dia pergi dulu, dia nak Mak pastikan semua kami adik-beradik sampai ke menara gading. Mak bersyukur yang amanat Abah sudah dia tunaikan. Cuma aku terkilan Abah tak sempat melihat kami menerima ijazah dan untuk aku membalas pengorbanan Abah selama ini. Tapi, aku sentiasa berpegang, apa yang berlaku ada hikmahnya.

Al-Fathihah untuk Abah...................

Sand And Stone

This story tells about two friends who were walking through the desert. At one point during the trip, they started arguing and one of the friends hit the other in the face. The one that had been hit was hurt, but without a further word, wrote down in the sand - TODAY MY BEST FRIEND HIT ME IN THE FACE.

They carried on walking until they came across an oasis, where they decided to freshen up and bathe. But the one that had been hit before got caught in the mud and was about to drown, but the friend saved him.

After he had recovered, he wrote down on a stone - TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SAVED MY LIFE.

The friend who had hit his best friend and had then saved him asked, "After I hit you, you wrote in the sand, and now you are writing on stone, why?"

The other friend answered, "When someone hurts us we should write it down in sand, so that the wind can forgive us by blowing it away. But when someone does something nice for us, we should engrave it in stone, where no wind can ever blow it away."

They say it takes a minute to find someone special, an hour to appreciate them, a day to get to like and love them, but it takes a lifetime to forget them.

A Different Perspective

One day, the father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the express purpose of showing him how poor people live. They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family.

On their return from this trip, the father asked his son, "How was the trip"

"It was great, Dad."

" Did you see how poor people live?" The father asked.

"Oh yeah," said the son.

"So, tell me, what did you learn from this trip?" asked the father.

The son answered. "I saw that we have one dog and they have four.

We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end.

We have imported lantern in our garden and they have stars at night.

Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon.

We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight.

We have servants who serve us, but they serve others.

We have our food, but they grow theirs.

We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them."

The boy's father was speechless. Then his son added, "Thanks Dad for showing me how poor we are."

Isn't perspective a wonderful thing? Makes you wonder what would happen if we all thank for everything we have instead of worrying about what we don't have. Appreciate every single thing you have, especially family and friends.

Third Day of Fasting

First day berpuasa pada hari bekerja dah melalui cabaran dalam bulan Ramadhan ni. During the fasting month, Muslim employees are allowed to leave 1 hour earlier provided that one work through lunch. Although I started work at 8.30 a.m., I decided to leave only at 5.00 p.m. thinking that it would give me ample time to to go to bazaar Ramadhan kat Stadium Shah Alam and be home before masa berbuka. When I came out from the office lobby and walked towards the carpark, noticed that cars were queuing up opposite my office building. Ingatkan mungkin disebabkan simpang kat Jalan Pantai but by the time I drove out, I realized that the queue was all the way to Federal Highway up to exit ke LDP. It took me 45 minutes just to get to Federal Highway and by the time I reached home, azan from the nearby surau dah dilaungkan. Berbukalah dengan kueh teow semalam tapau masa berbuka di rumah Kema. Terkejar-kejar jugak mandi and bersiap-siap tarawih di Masjid Negeri Shah Alam. Alhamdulillah, dapat bertarawih dengan tenang. Selalunya buat 8 rakaat aje, by 9.20 p.m. dah selesai and sambung witir di rumah sebelum Subuh prayer.

Hari ni, berbuka meriah and lebih teratur. I decided to leave the office at 4.30 p.m, traffic was smooth and sempat balik rumah sebelum jumpa Zura di bazaar Ramadhan. Nampaknya, kena leave office at 4.30 p.m. on the dot sepanjang bulan Ramadhan ni. I bought a few kuih, nasi tomato and a couple of lauk untuk bersahur. As usual, bazaar Ramadhan kat Stadium Shah Alam ni memang banyak jugak gerai and choices. Kalau tak kawal nafsu membeli, boleh sampai beli more than one can eat and at the end pembaziran. By 6.30 p.m. headed back to my place untuk berbuka. Earlier, my aunt called nak berbuka kat rumah jugak. So, bertigalah berbuka hari ini. Seronok and lebih berselera kalau berbuka berteman ni.

Aiman Tak Kisah....

A couple of days ago I received an sms from my twin sister. Tergelak sorang-sorang bila baca sms tu.

"Kalau terasa nak buat jahat dalam bulan puasa tanyalah iman, tentu iman kata tak boleh. Jangan tanya aiman, nanti dia kata aiman tak kisah..."

Ramadhan Datang Lagi!

Ahad ini, September 24, 2006 bermulanya Ramadhan. Bulan mulia ni bulan ibadah bagi aku. Honestly, I am not a perfect Muslim, ada banyak flaws - for one I do not wear a headscarf. Sembahyang lima waktu, I strived untuk tidak tinggalkan walaupun kadangkala terbabas juga kerana lalai dengan urusan dunia. Nauzubillah! Sempena bulan Ramadhan ni, aku ambil kesempatan untuk tambahkan pahala dengan membuat sembahyang terawih di mana pahalanya berlimpat kali ganda. Like Stef said - to level the score. Last year, alhamdulillah aku dapat tunaikan sembahyang terawih hampir penuh except masa 'red flag' and a few days skip sebab terima jemputan berbuka puasa dengan kengkawan. Tahun ni, aku komited to fulfill sembahyang terawih jugak. Zura dah sound awal-awal nak berbuka puasa sekali dengan aku sepanjang Ramadhan and aku nak ajak dia terawih sekali. Last year masjid pilihan untuk berterawih were Masjid Besar Shah Alam and Masjid Wilayah Persekutuan kat Jalan Duta. I prefer to go to Masjid Wilayah sebab the ambience lebih tenang and bacaan imam memang very soothing but Masjid Shah Alam lebih dekat dengan rumah. Hopefully, Allah permudahkan urusan aku dalam memenuhi niat aku ni.

Lepas ni kena buka buku balik ulangkaji pasal sembahyang Terawih - almaklumlah setahun sekali aje buat.

EnTiTi

Sayup-sayup terdengar petikan gitar, sekali-sekala terdengar suara jeritan lelaki memecah keheningan pagi dari asrama pelajar lelaki. Release tensionlah tu! Almaklumlah final exam tinggal sebulan lagi. Aku masih tercanguk di meja study menelaah subject Accounting. Mata masih tidak mengantuk lagi walaupun jam dah menunjukkan pukul 3.00 pagi. Memikirkan ada kelas pukul 11.00 pagi, aku ambil keputusan untuk tidur. Nanti mengantuk pulak dalam kelas. Kawan sebilik aku, Azni dah lama koma, yang dua orang lagi, Linda dan Artie entah ke mana merayapnya.

Aku kemaskan semua buku dan padamkan lampu kamar. Suasana dalam kamar masih samar-samar oleh cahaya dari asrama pelajar lelaki yang terletak di atas bukit di hadapan blok aku. Aku pejamkan mata, pusing kiri dan kanan, masih lagi sukar nak lelapkan mata. Keadaan malam yang agak panas menyukarkan lagi untuk aku tidur walaupun kipas di tengah kamar ligat berpusing dengan kelajuan yang maksimum. Cuba jugak kira anak kambing lompat pagar, kut-kut boleh tidur, masih tak berhasil. Tipulah siapa yang bagi petua kira anak kambing ni boleh tidur. Aku baring mengiring betul-betul di tepi katil supaya boleh kena angin dari kipas. Yalah, katil aku double decker dan aku di bahagian bawah. Aku pejamkan mata dan fikiran mula melayang tentang kisah lalu dan berangan tentang masa hadapan, cubaan terakhir untuk tidur. Manalah tahu, bila otak letih berimaginasi, terlelap kut mata.

Tiba-tiba, aku terasa tilam di sebelah belakang aku tenggelam seperti dibaringi seseorang. Kemudian aku terdengar bantal kepalaku dicakar berulang kali. Tubuhku terus kaku, hatiku berdebar-debar, mata ku pejamkan rapat-rapat dan aku mula membaca di dalam hati ayat-ayat suci yang aku hafal dari ayat lazim hinggalah ayat kursi. Semasa itu, aku teringat kisah yang aku dengar tentang pelajar dihempap oleh sesuatu semasa tidur. Sedang aku asyik membaca ayat-ayat suci, aku dikejutkan pula dengan bunyi yang amat kuat. Ku bukakan mataku sedikit dan aku terlihat satu lembaga hitam lebih kurang 7 kaki tingginya berdiri di tepi pintu sedang menghentam pintu kamarku dengan kuat hingga bergegar pintu tersebut. Ku pejamkan mata semula dan tidak putus-putus membaca ayat-ayat suci. Berbagai perkara bermain dalam fikiranku, tergerak jugak untuk berteriak dan melaungkan Allahuakbar tapi aku batalkan niat aku dan mengambil keputusan untuk mematikan diri.

Selepas beberapa kali, bunyi itu berhenti. Aku terdengar pulak satu suara membuat bunyi ketawa "He he he" beberapa kali. Hatiku berkata-kata, "Alamak, apa pulak ni." Aku memberanikan diri untuk membuka mataku sedikit. Dalam cahaya samar-samar itu, kelihatan satu makhluk bertubuh sasa dengan bentuk tubuh setengah manusia dan setengah beruk ala-ala dalam cerita Planet of The Apes. Makhluk itu berlari-lari kecil dengan menghentakkan kakinya sambil ketawa di tengah kamarku. Beberapa kali aku pejam dan buka mataku sedikit memerhatikan tingkahlaku makhluk itu. Risau jugak aku kalau tiba-tiba ia menerkam aku. Selepas tiga kali berlari-lari di tengah kamarku, ia lenyap dari pandangan dan aku terasa benda yang berbaring di belakang aku juga bangun dari katilku. Tiba-tiba, terdengar kembali petikan gitar dan suara dari asrama pelajar lelaki. Sepanjang aku diganggu oleh sesuatu, lembaga dan makhluk itu, aku seperti berada di alam lain kerana aku dapat melihat Azni tetapi dia sedikit pun tidak terjaga dek bunyi yang kuat di pintu dan gelak ketawa makhluk tersebut. Tanpa aku membuang masa, aku terus terjun dari katil dan lompat ke katil Azni. Azni terjaga dan tanya aku kenapa. Aku cakap esok aku cerita sebab hati aku masih berdebar-debar dan aku tak mahu takutkan dia. Sempat juga aku tengok jam di tangan aku - pukul 3.30 pagi.

Cerita ni memang kisah benar. Aku pasti sebab aku memang cubit diri aku sendiri semasa didatangi oleh gangguan-gangguan tersebut. Aku pernah terbaca dan terdengar mengenai ada tabir yang memisahkan dunia manusia dan dunia makhluk halus ni, jin atau syaitan. Ada masanya, tabir ni tersingkap dan manusia dapat melihat makhluk alam lain ini. Mungkin sesetengah orang anggap sesiapa yang dapat peluang melihat atau berjumpa makhluk alam lain ni bertuah tetapi bagi aku cukuplah sekali melalui pengalaman tersebut.

Semasa aku menulis entry ini, beberapa kali bulu roma ku meremang...................

Annual Beach Cleanup @ Teluk Kemang, PD

I departed from home exactly at 6.00 a.m., left my car at the office and took Putra LRT to KL Sentral, meeting point for all volunteers. By the time we got onto the bus, it was already 7.30 a.m. and we only arrived at Teluk Kemang on the dot 9.00 a.m. We had to change to the event T-Shirt distributed on that day though we were very much prefer to just wear and show off our company's T-Shirt especially when we females ended up with L and XL size T-Shirts which were too big for us. Volunteers were asked to form into group of 4, each group were given garbage bags, gloves and a form listing categories of garbage that we need to record. We were told that the data we collected will be used for research purposes.

After speeches by the Managing Director of Body Shop, Country Manager of Coca-Cola Malaysia and a local VIP, off we went on garbage-hunting. Our plan was to walk together and one person was supposed to record the type of garbage collected but I guess eventually whilst we were busy scanning the beach for rubbish, we tend to wander off and went our separate ways. It was not suprising that the highest type of rubbish collected were cigarette butts. Our group managed to collect 16kg load of rubbish whilst some collected more than 100kg of garbage (though some of us silently protested deadwood does not count as garbage!)

After lunch, prizes were given out for the heaviest garbage, the most variety and the highest type of rubbish collected. Our group did not win in any of the category. Although the event started late, it ended on time. It was supposed to be free and easy at the beach after lunch but all of us were so dead tired. The organizer arranged for the buses to depart earlier than schedule and we slept throughout the whole journey back.

Latest Addition To My Book Collection

Bought them at MPH, SAC Mall, Shah Alam today

The Harmony Silk Factory By Tash Aw

This is the story of Johnny Lim, textile merchant, petty crook and inventor of the Amazing Machine, and his marriage to the beautiful Snow Soong.

In 1940, with the Japanese about to invade Malaysia, Johnny and Snow embark on their honeymoon to the mysterious Seven Maiden Islands, accompanied by a mercurial Japanese professor and Peter Wormwood, an Englishman adrift. Many years later, Wormwood looks back on this defining journey, while Snow's son goes in search of the truth of his mother and the infamous Chinese man she married.

The Other Side Of The Story By Marian Keyes

Jojo, a high-flying literary agent on the up, has just made a very bad career move: she jumped into bed with her married boss, Mark ....

Jojo's sweet-natured client, Lily's first novel is a roaring success. She and lover Anton celebrate by spending the advance for her second book. Then she gets writer's block......

Gemma used to be Lily's nest friend - until Lily 'stole' Anton. Now she's writing her own story - painfully and hilariously - when super-shark agent Jojo stumbles across it.....

When their fortunes entangled it, it seems too much to hope that they'll all find a happy ending. But maybe they'll each discover that there's more than one side to every story.....

My Favourite Goodbye By Sheila O'Flanagan

Ash O'Halloran knows she should be having the time of her life. She's twenty-nine, single and self-suporting. So shouldn't she be out there every night, swiling Chardonnay and falling in love? Or if she isn't, at least having a great time moaning about it with her friends?

Doesn't she know how to be a single woman?

Trouble is, Ash likes things as they are. She doesn't do impulsive and relationships scare her to death. At the first hint of commitment, it's goodbye. No way is she going to let herself get hurt.

But as Ash watches Dan Morland - who employed her to cook the ultimate dinner the night he proposed to his girlfriend - trying to sort out a life with the woman he loves. she begins to wonder if being Miss Self-Contained-and-Secure might also mean Missing Out.....

So, This Is How Fresh Dates Look Like...Duh!

Has anyone seen how fresh dates look like? Well, I haven't till yesterday. On the way back from lunch at the usual place with the usual suspect, I saw a few people flocking at this stall membelek-belek this fruit. Usually, stall ni jual jajan, raisins, asam and dried dates. Out of curiosity, I stopped and asked the kakak, "Buah apa ni, kak?" "Fresh dates, dik dari Madinah" the kakak replied. Another person asked how does it taste. Kakak tu rasanya kelat. Teringin jugak nak rasa, so I bought some. Mahal jugak fresh dates ni, RM4 for every 100gm. I bought about RM30 bila fikirkan mak akan datang ke rumah hari ini. Bolehlah rasa kut-kut dia tak pernah rasa.

Sampai kat office, aku letakkan plastik berisi fresh dates tu di atas meja. Rasalah sebijik dua, rasanya taklah kelat sangat tapi campur rasa lemak manis jugak. It drew attention a few colleagues yang turut merasa. Some like it, some don't. Well, terpulanglah. Different people ada citarasa yang berlainan. Siapa teringin nak rasa, carilah sendiri yea....

The Office

Hari ni put extra hours at the office. Pukul 8.30 p.m. baru balik. Managed to clear a lot of tasks and did some filings. Aman rasanya sebab takde gangguan. Kalau tidak boss aku jap-jap panggil and a discussion that should take a few minutes dragged sampai berjam-jam sebab dia suka meleret-leret. Aku tekad tak bawak laptop balik so that aku tak teruja to continue work at home. Seronok rasanya duduk kat lokasi cubicle baru ni and I have started to personalize my work area dengan decoration and plants. Tapi my boss said this is temporary and early next year mungkin kena relocate lagi.

The signs I put up continue to receive comments from my colleagues. One said I should just leave it there because everytime she passes and sees the signs, they brought smile to her face. It also caught the attention of one German visitors and he came to my place just to find out who the 'culprit' was and commented 'It's very funny." Some said macam treasure huntlah and I retorted, "Tapi ni takde treasure to collect or giftlah, just me."

Masa aku berjalan through the pantry area to go to another wing, I didn't notice the cleaner was mopping the floor and aku terus jalan through the wet floor, terpelecok lah pulak. Immediately terasa a sharp pain around my ankle. Berhenti sekejap, gosok-gosok kat buku lali tu. Rasanya tersalah urat, jalan pun kena slowdown sikit. Sampai sekarang masih lagi terasa sakitnya. Kena urutlah jawabnya tapi siapa yang boleh urutkan yea....

At lunch, my colleague told me that last nite her husband was robbed at knife point at basement parking KLCC. He was working late and when he was opening the car door, a man pointed a knife at him and told him to surrender his wallet. He did not fight back and did as told. Luckily he was not harmed. Today, KLCC security informed him that his wallet has been found and all his personal documents, credit cards and bank cards remained intact, only cash yang kena kebas - about a few hundred aje. Tak tahulah apa nak jadi dengan dunia sekarang. Jenayah merata-rata, daring sungguh orang-orang ni lakukan jenayah sampai sanggup membunuh.

Minta aku dilindungi Tuhan dari situasi begini. Amin.....

Shell and Petronas vie for Jet stations as Conoco pulls out

Bangkok Post - Thailand/Monday September 11, 2006

SOONRUTH BUNYAMANEE

Shell and Petronas are interested in acquiring the JET petrol stations operated by Conoco (Thailand) Co. The US-based oil company has decided to withdraw from Thailand after failing to break even after 15 years. The firm has quietly approached several oil companies operating locally, including PTT Plc, about selling its 147 petrol stations nationwide. Industry executives now believe Conoco will call for public bids for the Thai operations in the near future. "We're interested in participating in the bids once Conoco begins the process," said Tiraphot Vajrabhaya, the chairman of Shell Company of Thailand. he said the multinational was always exploring opportunities to expand, particularly in Asia Pacific, under its "move from West to East" startegy. "However, the final decision of Shell (regarding Conoco) will depend on conditions, the market situation, potential and pricing," he said. Conoco is estimated to have invested more than four billion bhat in its Thai operations but Mr Tiraphot said the price of any acquisition was likely to be lower once depreciation and current market value were taken into account. For one thing, he said, the current climate of the retail oil business in Thailand was very poor. "With minimal margins for retail oil trading, we will definitely not expand the business this year." He expected the bidding process, if it went ahead, to last for six to 12 months. Mr Tiraphot said Shell would invest 200 million baht for general maintenance of its stations to sustain businesses for this year, substantially lower than its normal investment of 700-800 million baht a year. Shell has been closing around 10 poorly performing stations per year and now has 580 sites, a figure it expects will decline to around 500 over time. A Petronas executive confirmed that the Malaysian company planned to bid for the Jet stations to strengthen its presence in Thailand. However, Mohd Aidnil Abdul Razak, chief executive of Petronas Retail (Thailand) Co Ltd, said the company would not expand its network this year beyond the 117 stations it now has. "We are always seeking opportunities to expand business, but if Conoco formally opens bidding, I will have to convey the message to my headquarters in Kuala Lumpur and the decision will be made there," he said.

A Good Week!

Kelmarin aku berpindah ke another cubicle. Yang bestnya sebab secluded and ada privacy memandangkan my work deals a lot with confidential matters. Yang tak bestnya, betul-betul kat depan bilik boss. Bak kata pepatah Melayu, sekangkang kera atau sepelaung aje. Half day gone just moving and re-arranging the files and cabinets. Dahlah tu, pagi-pagi lagi my laptop buat hal, tak boleh nak login to network. Banyak kerja yang tergendala. Contact IT support pun, tengahari baru datang selepas aku berjaya solve the problem on my own. After lunch kat Rivierra (nama glamour untuk food court kat tepi longkang besar), aku singgah kat mini mart in my office building beli 1 box of mini cornetto ice-cream for lelaki-lelaki gagah yang tolong aku move the cabinets. Ice-cream yang selebihnya jadi rebutan yang lain. First come first yang merasalah.

Selepas aku pindah, some people have problems finding me. So, I put up a few signs to direct them to my new cubicle which is just 20 steps away - NURUL HAS MOVED (With an arrow sign)......U'RE GETTING CLOSER (with pictures of footsteps).......ALMOST THERE, ABOUT 5 STEPS AWAY.......CONGRATULATIONS! U'VE FOUND ME. Macam mini treasure hunt pulak. In spite of the signs, ada yang masih asked people around where am I. I guess either they do not see the signs or some people are just not good at reading signs walaupun aku rasa signs aku tu 'terang lagi bersuluh'. Ramai yang jadi guide tak bertauliah directing these people to my cubicle. Several people teased me about the signs I put up, ala just to add humour in the office.

Minggu ni jugak aku terima call dari headhunter about a managerial job in a UK-based retail company. I told the headhunter I am not interested but she insisted of e-mailing me the job profile. After a couple of days, baru aku berkesempatan accessing my personal e-mail and read the job profile. It looks like a good career move but I'd like to prove myself in this company and I enjoy what I am doing right now. Lagipun, I just joined the company for less than 3 months. I replied to the e-mail and recommended a friend to the headhunter instead.

Alhamdulillah, rezeki aku murah sejak akhir-akhir ni. This is the 10th job opportunities I was being considered for, mostly from MNCs including 5 from oil & gas (the industry where I have worked in for almost 7 years), 2 pharmaceautical companies, 1 FMCG company and 1 each from an Arab-based broadcasting company and service company. I politely told the headhunters/company I did not wish to explore but will let them know if I wish to move on. You have to build a good rapport with them because you'll never know when you will need them. I also pity my friend who never seem to give up persuading me to join her and even willing to pay whatever salary I want just to lure me. But then again, although dollar and cent tu penting, I also value job satisfaction, working environment and quality of working life. To prove that, I gave up a job in an oil & gas company which provides better compensation and benefits package after two and a half weeks to join my current company merely because I like the job scope better.

This morning, on the way to work, sempat aku habiskan baca buku cerita The Undomestic Goddess' whilst stopping at traffic lights and caught in the usual slow moving morning traffic on Federal Highway. Now I can start reading another Sophie Kinsella's 'Can You Keep A Secret' which I just bought last Thursday at MPH.

That morning juga, received sms from sis, Kema 'This Sunday buat apa? Dtg la rumah kita makan. About 11 camtu. Plse confirm - in preparation to cook. Menu nasi lemak dan mee kari (ye la takan steak lak! Tak reti) Sms to confirm. By tomorrow morning'. Tak sempat nak reply sebab busy with work. Petang Kema dah call minta confirmation sebab dia nak pergi beli groceries. I asked her to buy some other things because I plan nak tambah a few dishes especially when she said she dah terover invite people mainly our relatives.

Later in the evening, a friend called and asked me to participate in a focus group study about water purifier where participants will be paid RM60 for 1.5 hour session. Terpaksa turn down sebab firstly, not interested and secondly kena help Kema with her Sunday luncheon.

Who is Tan Sri?

I was asked this quetion by a few people since I posted entry 'One Quiet Sunday Night'. Biarlah rahsia? Maybe, but when it's time to let the cat out of the bag, don't expect any fairytale lavish wedding like CT. One thing for sure, he's a friend who always make you feel special just the way you are.

Aktiviti Di Hari Merdeka

Sempena cuti Hari Merdeka ni aku dan Zura mengambil kesempatan untuk membeli kain lining untuk baju raya dan menghantar kain-kain tu ke tailor. Bukannya gungho, tapi kalau hantar lambat, tailor tak terima nanti. Furthermore, sempatlah buat fittings and alterations kalau perlu. Semasa aku di cashier untuk membayar, there was this lady who was in the midst of paying her purchases. Aku tengok kain yang dibeli were several French laces heavily embroidered with beads. Mesti mahal ni!! True enough, her total purchase was more than RM1K. She flashed her gold credit card and the cashier took out several shirts wrapped in plastics for her to choose as free gift. Aku tengok label kat shirts tu Zara - a well-known brand and usually quite pricey too. Yang warna orange tu cantiklah pulak. Don't know why I am soo into orange and pink nowadays. Anyway, instead of just choose one of the shirts, I saw her looking at them in disgust. She called her daughter, "Ni hah, engko tengoklah mana-mana yang engko nak. Kut nak pakai yang celoreng-celoreng ni ke, ape ke" dengan nada yang agak sombong. Lepas membelek shirts tu, her daughter decided not to take any of them. Whilst she walked away, I overheard her say, "Elok buat lap kaki aje." What a pompous ass! Kalau tak berkenan pun, tak payahlah buat ayat-ayat macam tu. Just politely declined or just take it and give it away to somebody else. Macam-macam ragam manusia ni.....

After watching the whole drama, we headed to Semuahouse to send all the kain to the tailor. Kat kedai tailor, Zura came across kain dari fabrik songket berwarna pink lembut dengan bunga berterabur yang ditenun dengan silver thread. It was love at first sight. The salesgirl tunjuk warna lain tapi aku dah terpaut dengan warna pink lembut. Memang aku dah lama mencari kain songket macam ni tapi kainnya samada keras atau motivesnya terlalu heavy. Yang ini, kainnya lembut dan harganya berpatutan. This must be my lucky day! Aku terus letakkan kain tu ke badan dan tayang di hadapan cermin. Dah mula berimaginasi how it will look on me once made into baju kurung. It did not take me long to decide that I must have it. Told the tailor yang aku nak buat rekaan klasik - baju kurung pesak gantung. Memang aku gemar rekaan ni and I have a few baju kurung with this design. Zura also bought one but berwarna kuning air. Tak sabar nak tengok the finished work and pakai pada Hari Raya nanti. Ala-ala Perempuan Melayu Terakhir gitu, kut.

*Sigh* Esok kena kerja........

Merdekakah Kita?

Pada pagi Hari Merdeka ni, aku teringat lagu WARISAN yang sering dinyanyikan semasa di sekolah dan UiTM Di Hatiku. In the hype of Merdeka celebrations ni, kita gembur-gemburkan tentang pencapaian, tapi bagaimana dengan failures? Aku sebenarnya sedih sebab masih ramai bangsa Melayu yang lalai dan ada mentaliti yang sentiasa mengharapkan subsidi dari kerajaan, Melayu kena tolong Melayu (in spite of most of them do not deserved to be helped) instead of berusaha sendiri. Kalau dah diberi pertolongan, tak menghargainya dan mensia-siakannya sampai ada yang sanggup menggadainya pulak. Allah juga takkan tolong hambaNya kalau hambaNya sendiri tak berusaha. Adakah tanpa semua ni, kita tak boleh survive...............merdekakah kita? Mungkin jasad kita merdeka tapi minda kita? This requires major paradigm shift.....dan aku faham Mahathir's frustration.......thanks to Malay Dilemma yang banyak membuka minda and to my parents yang telah membesarkan aku dengan fikiran Melayu baru.

WARISAN

Anak kecil main api
Terbakar hatinya yang sepi
Airmata darah bercampur keringat
Bumi dipijak milik orang

Nenek moyang kaya raya
Tergadai seluruh harta benda
Akibat sengketa sesama kita
Cita lenyap di arus zaman

Indahnya bumi kita ini
Warisan berkurun lamanya
Hasil mengalir ke tangan yang lain
Pribumi merintih sendiri

Masa depan sungguh kelam
Kan lenyap peristiwa semalam
Tertutup hati terkunci mati
Maruah peribadi dah hilang

Kini kita cuma tinggal kuasa
Yang akan menentukan bangsa
Bersatulah hati bersama berbakti
Pulih kembali harga diri

Kita sudah tiada masa
Majulah dengan gagah perkasa
Janganlah terlalai teruskan usaha
Melayu kan gagah di Nusantara

Unfortunately, aku tak jumpa lagu Warisan untuk diperdengarkan dan dihayati bersama tapi diharapkan lagu UiTM Di Hatiku ini akan mengingatkan kita.