Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Before and after - environment

Im not so much an environmentalist, but I am sad to see they are gone!!

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Those beautiful green that used to cover me from the heat every morning cruising slow among the heavy traffic, on my way to the office.

They are gone..!!!

And here we are talking about saving the earth by saving the greens.

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THEY’RE GONE..!!!

Silence Is Golden

 

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Agree!, that's true Silence Is Golden. Without saying a single word during the recent meeting, my hubby was selected as a committee of Teachers and parents association for year 2011-2012, at my son’s school.

I thought he was getting a nervous breakdown when someone walked to the microphone and suggested him, just by pointing finger (not knowing his name then). He opposed, at first, but I gave him a my supportive whisper..

“Thats ok, just accept it. Its a good experience for you. I will help you”. So he did.

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His son was proud to see his father sitting in front, along with the others.

More work to do Mr. Committee.

Sunday, April 24, 2011

errr..errr…needle?..blood..?

 

I'm terrified of any blood suckers. Be it a leech, a mosquito, a bat or a…..(thinking..what else?)..NOT PAD..!!! hello…that's not included in my list of fears.

Ahuh..! a NEEDLE..

oh pleeeeaase…. That's my most fear, eversince I admitted of Dengue last 2 years, I would try every means to avoid injections. The feeling of it getting into my vein.. errghh@%%$@##@@!#$…!!!! then the sucking sensation follows , flushing my precious red liquid out..AARRGGHHH..!! its getting into my nerves…

BUT, doctor’s appointment is just around the corner. I have to let it happen again. Its for the sake of my love one. Just like a package of buy1 get 1 free, we both shall go. I want my hubby to go for medical checkup. And I believe he needs a moral support from me, which also means………………

I HAVE TO LET MY VEIN POKED TOO….!!! (why am I covering my ears..?)

Why haven't anyone invented a method that doesn't require any needles..???

I truly hate that shrieking sharp thingy. Somehow I realize that we are not getting any younger. The book said, should sickness comes, this would be the right age for it to attack.

fine..fine… I will go. I will allow those blood suckers do what suppose to be done on me.

I’ve started praying for the nurse  not to lose her balance when poking me.

Friday, April 22, 2011

Silver Arowana in the thinking

Thru my brother, I was given a fish. Its about 1.5 foot long. I accepted the offer to be the new guardian for this silver fish.

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I was willing to take it mainly because I like its romantic name, ‘Arowana’. Little that I knew that, the fish is also called ‘monkey fish’ or “river monkey” due to their aggressive jumping nature and they are notorious for committing suicide by jumping out into the dry. Two of my Facebook friends(Amin & Rafihi) told me that theirs committed the deadly act. There went their money on buying the River Monkey. Now I have to make sure the temporary container is heavily topped.

Do you know that….

Silver Arowana are primitive, prehistoric fish?

They actually have teeth on their tongue?

They may reach up to 4 feet /120 cm in length?

Now you know.

And now I’m dealing with this beautiful creature. I’ve got to do some reading on how to take care of this fish. Hey..!! this is NOT FAIR..!!

I got the fish yesterday, without having a chance to shop for an aquarium and without having thought of where shall I place the aquarium within this space limited casa of mine.

Left corner? right corner?

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Let go one of my couch?

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Or let it try its luck swimming together in my man-made tiny in-house pond with my 2 cannibalistic turtles? Woooo….big dinner.. (Turtles thinking).

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For now, I will just let it gets familiar with the house temperature and stay in this plastic container until I find a better place for it.

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Welcome to my house Princess Arowana…!

Monday, April 18, 2011

Lahad Datu Interesting Stink

I was back to the same place. I dislike the faulty smell. The surrounding was still yuk! as Yucky! as the last time I was there. But, there I came again, happily arrived with a good list of seafood to buy.

I went early morning with my mom. First thing first. Yes! the stinking wet fish market was my first choice.

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Lahad Datu wet fish market is the place I wouldn't want to miss whenever I visit this home town of mine. Fresh and colorful fish, most the time I could get crabs and shrimps loaded still half alive from the boat.

For years I haven't had a chance to visit my unties  and uncles and other relatives, who live just a few steps away from my home. Ever since my working days, I’ve never stayed for more than 5 days the most on my visit as my work in KL could have murdered me with stress should I kept on taking days off often. But as for the fish market, its a must go place. In this visit, I did my seafood shopping again.

On the way back, I took a detour and took a few pictures of some familiar places and buildings, which I might not see them again in the near future, like the old Cathay Cinema, which has turned into a coffee house and billiard place. I was looking for an old man selling my favorite grilled dried cuttle fish in front of the old cinema, but someone told me that he is too old and stopped selling it. Oh no..!!!170420112394

The used to be Mido Hotel has been renamed by the new owner into something else (I cant remember) and the old MAS office on the ground floor has turned into Guardian Pharmacy.

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Along the way back home along Silam Road, the road widening construction is still going on.

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The new hospital is occupying a wide area, about 2 miles away from town.

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Those village houses along the airport runway are still there, standing without fear of airplane skidding possibilities.

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Judging from the crowd at the airport, I could tell that the Tabin Wild Life has contribute to pulling foreigners to this little town. Welcome to my hometown, amigos..!!!

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The one day visit was too short. I spent every little time being around my parents, siblings, nephews and nieces, that I could not spend time to snap photographs of them.

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Time Flies. I landed at Kota Kinabalu, the capital state of Sabah, around 6:40pm. There, I met up with 2 of my colleagues. It was late evening. I took, Siti Bulkiss, to a seafood restaurant located next to our hotel. SEAFOOD..!!! MY OH MY…..

We had Sabah veggies, crabs and prawns, that costs us only RM120 (USD40).

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After dinner, I took her closer to the seafood aquariums, which were filled with varieties of sea creatures. She enjoyed what she saw and was so amazed looking at those live prawns and lobster. So was I.

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They were just too beautiful. God is so great to come up with such a beautiful creatures.

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The restaurant owner must be so proud of his business achievement. Bravo !!

We were to attend an early morning meeting. It was time for us to get our beauty sleep.

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Trip ‘Balik Kampung’

‘Balik Kampung (buhleek-come-poong) is a Malaysian slang to describe an occasion of going back to one’s hometown. I am, at the time of posting this journal, on my way to balik kampung. I will be meeting my parents and siblings and nephews and nieces.

I’m coming home..!! I’m coming home..!!

I will be there just for a night stay, before I fly to Kota Kinabalu for a meeting, then back to Kuala Lumpur, where I left my hubby and kids, right after the meeting.

I took the 9 O’clock flight from Kuala Lumpur International Airport. With one stop as Labuan Island. As if the pilot could not wait to throw us out of the plane, the landing was terrible. I thought the airplane was gonna break into Two. I heard a lady screamed of horror when it touched down. This situation happened in almost every trip to Kota Kinabalu. I'm not sure if they were handled by the same pilot and am not sure whether to blame the pilot or the uneven landing field (whatever it is called).

Despite the rush landing did by Captain, called Hamzah, as I heard him introducing himself, the plane landed at Kota Kinabalu Airport 10 minutes late. When flying MAS airline nowadays, I do anticipate delays (sorry to say). While working on this posting, I heard an announcement, informing flight being delayed. Not surprising.

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Anyway, wow..! nice view. Thank God and THANK YOU,Captain Hamzah, I reached safely. Upon embarking the plane , I rushed to where the transit counter used to be. MOVED TO GATE A6..!!!! @@@#$#@@@!!!. Cant they make up their mind???

I wasted another 10 minutes looking for the counter. The friendly lady said I have to get my boarding pass at the checkin counter.Thats another 15 minutes. Argghhh..forget it. ..!

So I missed the earlier flight to Lahad Datu. That gives me 4 hours wait to the next flight. I am now, waiting and blogging.

Hearing the news, my country men on the other side of the Borneo Island, Sarawak, has started their election. I’ve lost track of the current political matters. Not my interest, anyway, but, I’m interested to know if the current Chief Minister, Taib Mahmud could still win after 30 years of holding the post.

Lahad Datu..!!!! Here I come..!!!

WiFi in the train to KLIA

I couldnt wait to reach my hometown. My mom called early morning to check my whereabouts. She is eager to see her daughter. Me too mom.

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I am posting from the train to Kuala Lumpur  International Airport (KLIA). The last time I boarded the train was about a year ago. See the difference:

The previous one took only 28 minutes, non-stop trip KL Sentral Station –> KLIC, while the current made a stop at ‘Bandar Tasik Selatan/ Salak South"’ Station,Putrajaya Station, Salak Tinggi, then to KLIA.

Note: If you are heading for LCCT Airport, flying on AirAsia Airlines, Salak Tinggi is the station to stop, where you would take a shuttle bus to LCCT.

I am a bit jittery now, as I didn't anticipate a journey longer than 28minutes. The person next to me told me not to worry.

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The previous didnt provide WiFi, which is available in the current train.

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Great to get such a fast moving technology is happening here in our developing country of Malaysia. The best about living here in Malaysian is NO WAR but peace.

Friday, April 15, 2011

Its in the bible

 

I have been doing this ‘not-good’ practice for years. When the night comes, I could not let my mind to stop thinking until I see the clock pointing at number 1.

I would normally do some reading, painting, blogging or searching lost things, which ever comes to my mind at that point of time. When I was younger, I even cooked at that odd hours. Yes, that is the weird side of me.

I'm not a religious person. Somehow, last night I had an urge to read books related to religion. I thought of the Bible, that I borrowed from my neighbor, Rick. I fetched it from the shelf. Then I picked up The Quran from my bedside and one of my  book collection, authored by my favorite Muslim scholar, Ahmad Deedat.

The glare from my side lamp irritated my hubby who was fast asleep until I switched it on, but he knew I wouldn't budge regardless. He tossed and turned for a while, and then… zzzzZZZzzz…

I started to read, while having both Holy books, The Quran and The Bible as my reference whenever necessary.

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I like to do such comparison, although I was warned on the possible implication of reading The Bible. Still, I don't think its wrong to read and use it for comparison reason.

Anyway, this is what I learned from the history. Prophet Muhammad(Praised Be Upon Him),who didn't know how to read nor write, one day went into a cave named Hira’ , mediating. He was forty years old then.

Suddenly, a voice came to him.“ Read”

“I cannot read”, He said.

He was asked again , and his answer was the same “I cannot read”

At last , the voice said,

 “Read in the name of your Rabb who created. Created man from a leechlike mass. Read! Your Lord is the most gracious. Who taught by the pen, taught man what he knew not”.I captured this from The Quran Ayah 96: Surah 1 to 5

Then, as if they were inscribed upon his heart. He remembers them and he also remembers all the following revelations sent to him, after that. He passed those beautiful words around through his closest friends.

Come to think about it…an illiterate man like Muhammad could come out with such beautiful words?? Couldn't be possible.

Next, I referred to The Bible. Its written.

“Or if you give the scroll to someone who cannot read, and say, “Read this please.: He will answer, “I don't know how to read”. the Bible, Isaiah 29:12

That kept me thinking…. The history of the first revelation received by The Prophet Muhammad(PBUH) was already known, waaaaayyyy before he was born. And, its written in The Bible.

What an interesting facts.

I then took a glance at the clock. 1:30 am !!!!  Time to sleep.

 

Thursday, April 14, 2011

‘Kompek’ seller kid

 

It was a day before Eidul-Adha celebration, 18th Nov 2010. As planned, we, all family, went back home to celebrate the occasion with my aging parents.

I was at my favorite place, Lahad Datu fish market, which I never missed on my every visit to this beloved hometown of mine.Lahad Datu located in the east of Sabah, eastern Malaysia on the island of Borneo. It occupies the peninsula on the north side of Darvel Bay.

He told me, his name was Jimal. That was my first question to him when he approached me, begging for me to buy his plastic sack, at the market.

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“beli kompek.? beli kompek..?” I heard his voice asking me to buy his sack, right behind me, having the plactic sack in his hand. I looked at him in his eyes. He put a sweet smile.

“such a cute boy” I pointed him to my hubby.

My hubby liked Jimal’s sweet smile too. Then we asked  him to come along with us , scrolling around the market looking for seafood. By mutual agreement, the sellers handed all seafood that we purchased to Jimal.  Such an obedient kid he was.

“RM2 to RM5 (USD0.55 – 1.60)”, He answered, when I asked how much he could earn a day by selling those sacks. I trust a child’s honesty.

He also told us that he would give all the money he earned to his mom. His parents did not send him to school, so as many more friends of his.

Illiterate children?? This is the last thing I would want to hear, happening in my country. I didn't asked him further question. My heart sank hearing his poor story.

Throughout our conversation, I addressed him by his name and I could tell how he enjoyed our attention on him. Out of pity, I asked him to fine another 2 of his friends to help him with the load. They were both happy for being chosen as the lucky Two.

Once we had done with our seafood shopping, the kids walked with us to the car and placed the seafood properly in the trunk, avoiding any leakage, which could stink the car for days, if it happens.

We took photograph with them before letting them off. They were overjoyed when my hubby handed RM20 (USD5) to each one of them. The little RM20 was a bit too much for Jimal, somehow, we were hoping for him to get himself a little rest for that day.

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Jimal. (standing close to me). This little boy might have forgotten me out of his young mind, but I will always have his smile kept in my heart.

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I could tell how happy my hubby seeing those kids jumping with happiness on their extra earnings for that day.

What a sweet looking sacks seller. If only I’m rich….