"When you want something, all the world conspires in helping you to achieve it," - Melchizedek, the Old King

The Alchemist by Brazillian best-selling author, Paulo Coelho is a book that i'd like to recommend you to read. I've just finished reading it and i'd say it's probably one of the best fiction that i've read in recent times. Such an inspiring book to read. (The quote above was taken from the book)

"(It tells the story of) Santiago, a simple boy who lives by travelling with his sheep, is suddenly enchanted by a dream he dreamt while resting under a tree, inside a ruined church. He dreamt that if he travels to the pyramids, he will find his fortune. So he went on for an uncharted journey and along the way encontered magical phenomenon, involving a King and then meeting The Alchemist himself. He also met the girl of his life, Fatima, on his way to Egypt.

When he got to the pyramids, he met a desert soldier who told him that two years ago, in the exact same spot where Santiago is, he dreamt that in a tree that has grown inside the ruins of a church in Spain, he will find his treasure. In that instant, Santigo realized that what he's been looking for all these years is right where he left it." - Allreaders.com

I'm currently looking for 'Jonathan Livingston Seagull' (by Richard Bach) and 'My Name is Red' (by Orhan Pamuk)? Anyone can help me find it? :)

Furniture - Postcards

alya chomel

Ah, it feels like soo long since i write something here. Previous entry was just a copy paste. So that didn't count. Anyway, guess what? Aleeya (pic) won the Carrefour baby photo contest (pertandingan baby comel)! Next Saturday is the prize-giving ceremony at Carrefour Subang Jaya. :p

Seriously i was very surprised when my mother told me that that photo won, as it was like a last minute entry (we've submitted 4 entries) and i don't quite like the amatuerish-look of it and its composition, though her emotions looks natural while dancing on the table. heheh. But nevertheless, i'm still happy that she won (or should i say, i, as the photographer :p)! Winning is what matters most! She is one of the 8 winners. You know how hard it is to snap a shot of a 'grown up' baby. If she notice that i'm holding a camera, she would rush toward me to grab a hold of it. So you gotta be quick! After all, isn't photography is all about time & light, right? hehe. Blablahs.

Belinda Carlisle - Leave a Light on Me

Three minute management course

A friend of mine forwarded this to me. Read up guys. interesting. :)

Lesson One:
An eagle was sitting on a tree resting, doing nothing.
A small rabbit saw the eagle and asked him, "Can I also sit like you and do nothing?"
The eagle answered: "Sure, why not." So, the rabbit sat on the ground below the eagle and rested.
All of a sudden, a fox appeared, jumped on the rabbit and ate it.

Management Lesson:
To be sitting and doing nothing, you must be sitting very, very high up.

Lesson Two:
A turkey was chatting with a bull. "I would love to be able to get to the top of that tree," sighed the turkey. "But I haven't got the energy."
"Well, why don't you nibble on some of my droppings?" replied the bull.
"They're packed with nutrients."
The turkey pecked at a lump of dung, and found it actually gave him enough strength to reach the lowest branch of the tree. The next day, after eating some more dung, he reached the second branch.
Finally after a fourth night, the turkey was proudly perched at the top of the tree. He was promptly spotted by a farmer, who shot him out of the tree.

Management Lesson:
Bull shit might get you to the top, but it won't keep you there.

Lesson Three:
A little bird was flying south for the winter. It was so cold the bird froze and fell to the ground into a large field.
While he was lying there, a cow came by and dropped some dung on him.
As the frozen bird lay there in the pile of cow dung, he began to realize how warm he was. The dung was actually thawing him out! He laid there all warm and happy, and soon began to sing for joy.
A passing cat heard the bird singing and came to investigate. Following the sound, the cat discovered the bird under the pile of cow dung, and promptly dug him out and ate him.

Management Lesson:
(1) Not everyone who shits on you is your enemy.
(2) Not everyone who gets you out of shit is your friend.
(3) And when you're in deep shit, it's best to keep your mouth shut!

This ends the three minute management course.

Saves the Day - Sound the Alarm

demam

Ada Apa Dengan Indon?

Borobudur - 9th century Buddhist stupa.


me sitting on the monument's top-most floor

Ah finally an update. Visiting Indonesia was like an annual routine for me (heh). In 2003 - Bali, 2004 - Bandung & Jakarta, 2005 - Padang & Medan and last week; Solo & Jogjakarta. It was certaintly a great trip. As always it has been for me. ya know, I've been meaning to visit Borobudur (listed as one of the World Heritage Sites) ever since form 5. (dont ask why) Heheh. Alrite, enough said. Check out my fotopage for more Central Java & Jogjakarta pics.

Later folks.

Let's have war on American soil

US "Seriously" Considering Nuclear Attack on Iran: Report
"CAIRO, April 9, 2006 (IslamOnline.net) – The administration of US President George W. Bush is looking "seriously" at striking Iran with tactical nuclear weapons, an option that has created misgivings inside the offices of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and prompted some officers to consider resigning, investigative journalist Seymour Hersh says in a new report.." - Islam-Online.net

First it was Afghanistan - Osama was nowhere to be found, then follows the fall of Saddam Hussein in Iraq - what WMD? In Afghanistan, they have succeeded in defeating the Taliban and installed a puppet leader, same goes with Iraq and how fool of them to thought that democracy is the solution to all the problems in the middle east. Just look at the internal conflict between the Shiite and the Sunnis in Iraq now. Definitely, much worse than before.

And now their next target is the Islamic Republic of Iran. It is just a matter of time before people witnessing another world war. If America thinks they have the right to launch a preemptive strike on any countries in the world, the same should apply to the others as well. It would certainly be nice to see if Iran, together with the so-called axis-of-evil nations (North Korea and Iran and most probably joined by Syria) could launch a preemptive attack on American soil.

Ever since the early 20th century, Europe and Asia have always been the main battlefield of wars, killing millions of innocent people. The WWI, WWII, Sino-Japan War, Korean War, Vietnam War, Iran-Iraq War, Gulf War and so on. So, why not now bring the war to the American soil and let them defend themself in their own country, if they want it so much. Oh, how wonderful it would be then.

Kutu-kutu lepak dan tulang-tulang ayam KFC

Haih. sedih tengok anak-anak muda melayu belasan tahun - kutu-kutu lepak atau budak-budak punk wannabes yang lepak setiap malam minggu kat Bukit Bintang tak tentu hala dari maghrib sampai ke tengah malam. Budak-budak sekolah yang kononnya dah punk habis, dengan t-shirt band band punk macam The Ramones, Exploited, Sex Pistols, The Clash dll dengan seluar jeans hitam ketat atau seluar ketat warna merah pattern kotak-kotak dan boots bundle mungkin dari Golok atau Petaling Street. Malu..malu kalau Joey & Johnny Ramone hidup lagi ataupun Sid Vicious tengok budak-budak camni pakai t-shirt nama band diorang & tengok perangai 'ajaran sesat' budak-budak ni.

tu mukaddimah je. . Mungkin ada antara korang dah biasa dengar cerita2 macam ni. Dulu pun pernah kecoh kejap dalam Harian Metro isu budak-budak punk makan sampahlah, buat kacau kat sana sini, itu ini.. Ni cerita yang paling menjijikkan. kat KFC Bukit Bintang (24jam). Adalah dalam 10 orang kot geng diorang ni. Budak-budak ni yang paling tua aku rasa form5 je kot, paling muda mungkin baru darjah 5, termasuk dua orang anak dara (tak dapat dipastikan dara lagi ke tak) yang aku agak dalam lingkungan 13-15 tahun. Duduk-duduk, borak-borak, raba-raba, gelak-gelak entah apa, sambil menunggu pengunjung habis makan dan kemudian bersorak berpesta memakan sisa-sisa, bekas makanan orang!

Dulu aku macam tak percaya ofismate aku cerita pasal budak-budak sekolah yang dah tak sekolah kot yang datang dari kampung mana entah lepak kat KFC ni, tapi bila dah tengok dengan mata sendiri, ya Allah betapa jijiknya perangai diorang ni. Serius macam anjing - makan sisa-sisa makanan. Kucing aku pun takde perangai sampah macam diorang ni. Isk isk. Dalam geng diorang ni ada sorang macam ejen tukang kutip tray, dia akan standby je tengok sape2 habis makan & blah, dia akan serbu.

Tulang-tulang ayam KFC dikumpul dan ditolak tepi, mana sisa-sisa yang agak-agak boleh makan lagi atau ape saja yang boleh ambik bagi kat geng dia, dia kumpulkan dalam pinggan lain dan bawak lari tray tu ke meja geng dia dengan diberi sambutan VIP oleh kawan-kawan. Jijik amat. Aku buat kesimpulan yang diorang ni bukannya miskin tahap kebulur sangat pun sampai terdesak nak makan sisa orang, dressing bagai nak raklah jugak (biasalah Melayu), dari rambut kaler berkarat nak taknak, baju dan seluar macam seminggu tak basuh, sampai ke kasut boot ranggi yang ada yang terlebih saiz, tapi mungkin untuk diorang aktiviti macam ni dah macam pesta. Rutin setiap minggu.

Aku sempat borak sikit dengan staf KFC sini.. Diorang pun tak larat dah nak halau dah budak-budak ni, cuma kalau masa New Year atau Merdeka, KFC ni ada pak gad jaga. First time dengar fast food restaurant pun ada pak gad.

Haih. Sedih sangat. Sejarah akan terus berulang dan berulang. Nanti lagi 10 tahun 15 tahun, bila dah terhantuk, dah tersedar, oh aku ada tanggungjawab, aku nak kahwin, nak ada family, nak tengok mak bapak pegi Mekah buat haji, baru la diorang ni nak rasa menyesal. Kalau yang tak insaf tu mampos la. Pastu baru la nak keluar tv (kalau berkesempatan) merayu kepada adik-adik di rumah supaya janganlah jadi macam kami.

- Isk tiba-tiba pulak terasa blog entry ni macam artikel dalam Harian Metro atau Kosmo pulak nih.

No definitions of frust were found in English

Isk isk.. Tak pernah terfikir sebelum ni bahawa perkataan frust itu tak wujud. Baru tau tak wujud istilah frust dalam kamus bahasa Inggeris (!). Baru aku sedar yang frust tu ialah perkataan Inggeris yang telah dimelayukan. Yang wujud ialah frustrate atau frustration. Orang Melayu kita je sebut frust.

Mungkin sebab sebelum ni tak pernah nak ambil kisah agaknya dan dulu kalau tulis essay pun tak pernah pulak guna ayat frust, sampailah terbaca tulisan Dato' A. Kadir Jasin, bekas ketua editor NST, dalam buku terbaru beliau, 'Mencari Dugalia Huso', himpunan koleksi artikel-artikel beliau dari lewat 90-an hingga awal dekad ini.

Antara petikan tulisan beliau,

"..ketika saya menyunting akhbar Bahasa Melayu sedekad lalu, saya sering menggunakan perkataan "frust" untuk menguji calon pemberita, termasuk yang lulus universiti dan Institut Teknologi Mara. Saya bertanya dari bahasa manakah datangnya perkataan "frust". Boleh dikatakan semua menjawab dari Bahasa Inggeris. Apabila saya memberikan kamus Bahasa Inggeris dan meminta mereka mencari perkataan itu, mereka bingung kerana tidak menemuinya.

Sampai hari ini pun banyak yang asyik menggunakan perkataan "frust" sehingga ada di antaranya menjadi penagih dadah, lari dari rumah dan jadi bohsia tidak pun tahu bahawa perkataan itu tidak wujud dalam Bahasa Inggeris. Perkataan sebenar ialah "frustration"." - Utusan Malaysia, 9 Mac 1998 (Mencari Dugalia Huso. m/s 63)

Rasanya ada banyaak lagi perkataan-perkataan Inggeris yang telah dimelayukan dengan jayanya dan menjadi sebati dalam perbualan harian, kan. heheh.

Anti-Flag - The Project For A New American Century

For Blood and Empire

Wuhoo, i've just finished downloading Anti-Flag's latest album, For Blood and Empire! Although my taste of music has slightly changed to indie and post-rock since around mid last year, Anti-Flag is one of the many few punk rock band that i still listen to. Their lyrics are still ever the same - highly political, provocative with the usual left wing ideals. Though i don't consider myself a leftist, (save for the fact that i'ma lefthanded) i enjoy listening to their anti neo-con & neo-fascist, anti-war and anti US hegemony lyrics.

But they too are not without their critics, according to wikipedia,

"In 2005 Anti-Flag signed a two-album record contract with major label RCA, though their label A-F Records remains independent. Their new album, For Blood and Empire, was released March 21, 2006. The band said that they want their music to be heard. RCA is owned by Sony BMG, one of the largest corporations in the world. Some fans find this decision hypocritical due to Anti-Flag's previously overt anti-capitalist lyrics. Furthermore, critics have highlighted the contradiction between releasing an album entitled 'Underground Network' and espousing the benefits of independent media, and signing to a major label." -- heh, well i just don't give a damn. as long as they don't change their music, it's fine for me.

Part of the song lyrics below was based on John Perkin's autobiographical book, Confession of an Economic Hitman.

..Arbenz, Mossadeq, Allende, Roldos, Torrijos, Aristide
Elected democratically, all snuffed out by the CIA
The truth will cause your heart to seize
Shed light on the true enemy..
Confession of an Economic Hitman by Anti-Flag

-- 8 Days left... Misi Nusantara 4.

Gubra, Cadbury & MPH 100th birthday bash

fuh lamanye tak update. ok here goes. not exactly a movie review though..

Gubra was nice. I was kinda expected that the two parallel stories in Gubra would eventually, in the end somehow be merged into one, but no, it didn't happen. heheh. man, what was i thinking. :p Again, like previously in Sepet, Yasmin Ahmad slotted in the Melayu-Cina-Malaysia issues in the dialogue, though a little less controversial than Sepet.

One of the scenes that i like was when Orked received a call from her mother about her father's illness. I like the kelam kabutness of everyone from the moment Orked and husband, Arif went off to Orked's parent's house up to their way to the hospital. it was like so natural and real. the spontaneous and all.. hehhe.

Satu scene tu, masa bapak Orked tengah baring separa pengsan, tiba-tiba bangun mendengus dengan mengejut, pastu dengan muka mamainye, cakap - nak kencing. ehehe buat suspen satu rumah je. :p

"kalau tengah nak beranak ni, anak aku dah darjah 1 baru ambulans sampai." - kak yam komen sebab ambulans lambat sangat sampai.

Lain-lain dah lupe la..

On another note, I was bemused - what was the purpose of showing the ustaz/imam touching a dog on the middle of the road? (tahula anjing & tangan Ustaz dalam keadaan kering. tapi macam, tak penah dibuat orang. Ustaz kampung pulak tu.) And some of the scenes in the movie was like, too fake to be true . boleh pulak si perempuan alim (mas) berkawan rapat dengan dua orang pelacur? hmm. well, i just don't know lah, maybe Yasmin was trying to show a different pespective to the audience.

But anyway, I like mas's character, the tudung-clad-hitam-manis young ustazah, she's always with her smile and her cekodok. Although she knows that kak temah is a HIV positive, never did she treat kak temah indifferently, and in the end kak temah yang buta alif-ba-ta decided to belajar mengaji with mas. So yeah there's a positive side to the story there.

oh, the pantun by Kak Yam was nice too. :p

ikan tenggiri,

ikan yu,

jaga diri,

i love u~

If any of you ask me, which is better, Sepet of Gubra? Technically, I would definitely say Gubra. But overall it's quite hard to tell which one is better, really. Both are of different genre. Gubra is more to social issues whereas Sepet is a love story. but one thing's for sure, i love Sharifah Amani. hehee..

All in all, it's a good watch. Definitely worth the money, er i mean, the time spend lah. (refer to previous blog entry :p)

-- kenape website Gubra takde ape pun lagi?

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Public annoucements:

-From 6 to 8th of April there'll be a Cadbury warehouse sale in section 16, Shah Alam! So for those chocolate lovers out there, don't miss it! :p

- For ulat-ulat buku out there, MPH is now celebrating their 100th birthday bash! Promotions starts from 29 March '06 for 100 days..

Sunny Day Real Estate - In Circles