Franchising is..

Still a form of support and contribution to the franchise owner.

You subscribe to a franchise, you pay the franschise fee.

You buy at a franchise, you pay to the franchise subscriber who uses your money to pay the franchise owner.

Therefore, Go Mamak!

hehe..

setbacks setbacks

i was on the way back yesterday passing through my normal route. It's not uncommon for me to encounter idiotic drivers along the way and yesterday was no exception.

It started quite early, as early as on the bridge crossing the Pandan roundabout. That bridge has two lanes both leading to Pandan Perdana but the left lane also leads to Kampung Pandan. The guy was driving on the right lane, slowly, when the left lane was empty. True enough, as the exit to Kampung Pandan was insanely near, he changes lane and exits. No finger gestures from me although I felt like whacking him to kingdom come.

Nothing eventful in Pandan Perdana except for a Kenari who thinks stealth mode is awesome and drove without his lights on. It was after maghrib and raining.

At the traffic light near Raintree was a Swift rushing to exit first.

Trailed a car which was trailing a slow car. When the slow car turned left, I sped to overtake but the joyful chap sped to match my speed for a good 200m. I think he thinks it's very funny doing that. I got a flash from an oncoming truck and queued behind mr. Funny again.

Got home only to find that all parking spaces have been occupied by guests of some houses resulting in me having to double park in my own neighbourhood. Then noticed that a Kancil took a huge parking space fit for 2 MyVis.

Gave up on thinking, went in, had dinner then withdrew from the outside world..

Here endeth the blog.

On the second day of CNY..

I went for a stream-side picnic today. Mind you, it wasn't rosy as you think it'd be. It took us 45 minutes hiking (in slippers and across a jungle-y landscape) to and back and I had (as expected) a tummy issue just as we were about to leave the picnic site.

The thing is, this site is not so far away from the main road because on a quiet day, we can hear cars passing-by although by a stream, not many of those quiet days can be chanced upon. It was nice still because the place wasn't out of reach and that we had bbq for lunch which was almost unlimited in quantity and that the place looked untouched since we last went there, which could've been CNY last year. The rocks were slippery but there were signs of newly felled bamboo trees unearthed by rain.

The water was as cold as it was before but that didn't deter me from entering. I would usually be the last to enter water be it a stream or the sea but I was the first to complete 'initiation' by being fully submerged. The combination of sun and water, warm and chilling cold was very welcoming but the good times had to end rather prematurely due to spots of dark clouds and because I had a function to attend to tonight.

Fast forward to tonight's function, I met Inteam. Don't know if any of you know them but Inteam has some albums out - they're recording artistes - made up of graduates from Malaysian universities.

The 'opportunistic' me just cannot sit still, so I took Amin's number for future potential travel arrangements.

The night ends with whiffs of 'burnt' cookies, or more aptly named burnt baked brownies (or at least they smell burnt!) from downstairs.

Good night!

As the Arabs see the Jews

"As the Arabs see the Jews"
His Majesty King Abdullah,
The American Magazine
November, 1947

Summary

This fascinating essay, written by King Hussein’s grandfather King Abdullah, appeared in the United States six months before the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. In the article, King Abdullah disputes the mistaken view that Arab opposition to Zionism (and later the state of Israel) is because of longstanding religious or ethnic hatred. He notes that Jews and Muslims enjoyed a long history of peaceful coexistence in the Middle East, and that Jews have historically suffered far more at the hands of Christian Europe. Pointing to the tragedy of the holocaust that Jews suffered during World War II, the monarch asks why America and Europe are refusing to accept more than a token handful of Jewish immigrants and refugees. It is unfair, he argues, to make Palestine, which is innocent of anti-Semitism, pay for the crimes of Europe. King Abdullah also asks how Jews can claim a historic right to Palestine, when Arabs have been the overwhelming majority there for nearly 1300 uninterrupted years? The essay ends on an ominous note, warning of dire consequences if a peaceful solution cannot be found to protect the rights of the indigenous Arabs of Palestine.

"As the Arabs see the Jews"
His Majesty King Abdullah,
The American Magazine
November, 1947

I am especially delighted to address an American audience, for the tragic problem of Palestine will never be solved without American understanding, American sympathy, American support.

So many billions of words have been written about Palestine—perhaps more than on any other subject in history—that I hesitate to add to them. Yet I am compelled to do so, for I am reluctantly convinced that the world in general, and America in particular, knows almost nothing of the true case for the Arabs.

We Arabs follow, perhaps far more than you think, the press of America. We are frankly disturbed to find that for every word printed on the Arab side, a thousand are printed on the Zionist side.

There are many reasons for this. You have many millions of Jewish citizens interested in this question. They are highly vocal and wise in the ways of publicity. There are few Arab citizens in America, and we are as yet unskilled in the technique of modern propaganda.

The results have been alarming for us. In your press we see a horrible caricature and are told it is our true portrait. In all justice, we cannot let this pass by default.

Our case is quite simple: For nearly 2,000 years Palestine has been almost 100 per cent Arab. It is still preponderantly Arab today, in spite of enormous Jewish immigration. But if this immigration continues we shall soon be outnumbered—a minority in our home.

Palestine is a small and very poor country, about the size of your state of Vermont. Its Arab population is only about 1,200,000. Already we have had forced on us, against our will, some 600,000 Zionist Jews. We are threatened with many hundreds of thousands more.

Our position is so simple and natural that we are amazed it should even be questioned. It is exactly the same position you in America take in regard to the unhappy European Jews. You are sorry for them, but you do not want them in your country.

We do not want them in ours, either. Not because they are Jews, but because they are foreigners. We would not want hundreds of thousands of foreigners in our country, be they Englishmen or Norwegians or Brazilians or whatever.

Think for a moment: In the last 25 years we have had one third of our entire population forced upon us. In America that would be the equivalent of 45,000,000 complete strangers admitted to your country, over your violent protest, since 1921. How would you have reacted to that?

Because of our perfectly natural dislike of being overwhelmed in our own homeland, we are called blind nationalists and heartless anti-Semites. This charge would be ludicrous were it not so dangerous.

No people on earth have been less "anti-Semitic" than the Arabs. The persecution of the Jews has been confined almost entirely to the Christian nations of the West. Jews, themselves, will admit that never since the Great Dispersion did Jews develop so freely and reach such importance as in Spain when it was an Arab possession. With very minor exceptions, Jews have lived for many centuries in the Middle East, in complete peace and friendliness with their Arab neighbours.

Damascus, Baghdad, Beirut and other Arab centres have always contained large and prosperous Jewish colonies. Until the Zionist invasion of Palestine began, these Jews received the most generous treatment—far, far better than in Christian Europe. Now, unhappily, for the first time in history, these Jews are beginning to feel the effects of Arab resistance to the Zionist assault. Most of them are as anxious as Arabs to stop it. Most of these Jews who have found happy homes among us resent, as we do, the coming of these strangers.

I was puzzled for a long time about the odd belief which apparently persists in America that Palestine has somehow "always been a Jewish land." Recently an American I talked to cleared up this mystery. He pointed out that the only things most Americans know about Palestine are what they read in the Bible. It was a Jewish land in those days, they reason, and they assume it has always remained so.

Nothing could be farther from the truth. It is absurd to reach so far back into the mists of history to argue about who should have Palestine today, and I apologise for it. Yet the Jews do this, and I must reply to their "historic claim." I wonder if the world has ever seen a stranger sight than a group of people seriously pretending to claim a land because their ancestors lived there some 2,000 years ago!

If you suggest that I am biased, I invite you to read any sound history of the period and verify the facts.

Such fragmentary records as we have indicate that the Jews were wandering nomads from Iraq who moved to southern Turkey, came south to Palestine, stayed there a short time, and then passed to Egypt, where they remained about 400 years. About 1300 BC (according to your calendar) they left Egypt and gradually conquered most—but not all—of the inhabitants of Palestine.

It is significant that the Philistines—not the Jews—gave their name to the country: "Palestine" is merely the Greek form of "Philistia."

Only once, during the empire of David and Solomon, did the Jews ever control nearly—but not all—the land which is today Palestine. This empire lasted only 70 years, ending in 926 BC. Only 250 years later the Kingdom of Judah had shrunk to a small province around Jerusalem, barely a quarter of modern Palestine.

In 63 BC the Jews were conquered by Roman Pompey, and never again had even the vestige of independence. The Roman Emperor Hadrian finally wiped them out about 135 AD. He utterly destroyed Jerusalem, rebuilt under another name, and for hundreds of years no Jew was permitted to enter it. A handful of Jews remained in Palestine but the vast majority were killed or scattered to other countries, in the Diaspora, or the Great Dispersion. From that time Palestine ceased to be a Jewish country, in any conceivable sense.

This was 1,815 years ago, and yet the Jews solemnly pretend they still own Palestine! If such fantasy were allowed, how the map of the world would dance about!

Italians might claim England, which the Romans held so long. England might claim France, "homeland" of the conquering Normans. And the French Normans might claim Norway, where their ancestors originated. And incidentally, we Arabs might claim Spain, which we held for 700 years.

Many Mexicans might claim Spain, "homeland" of their forefathers. They might even claim Texas, which was Mexican until 100 years ago. And suppose the American Indians claimed the "homeland" of which they were the sole, native, and ancient occupants until only some 450 years ago!

I am not being facetious. All these claims are just as valid—or just as fantastic—as the Jewish "historic connection" with Palestine. Most are more valid.

In any event, the great Moslem expansion about 650 AD finally settled things. It dominated Palestine completely. From that day on, Palestine was solidly Arabic in population, language, and religion. When British armies entered the country during the last war, they found 500,000 Arabs and only 65,000 Jews.

If solid, uninterrupted Arab occupation for nearly 1,300 years does not make a country "Arab", what does?

The Jews say, and rightly, that Palestine is the home of their religion. It is likewise the birthplace of Christianity, but would any Christian nation claim it on that account? In passing, let me say that the Christian Arabs—and there are many hundreds of thousands of them in the Arab World—are in absolute agreement with all other Arabs in opposing the Zionist invasion of Palestine.

May I also point out that Jerusalem is, after Mecca and Medina, the holiest place in Islam. In fact, in the early days of our religion, Moslems prayed toward Jerusalem instead of Mecca.

The Jewish "religious claim" to Palestine is as absurd as the "historic claim." The Holy Places, sacred to three great religions, must be open to all, the monopoly of none. Let us not confuse religion and politics.

We are told that we are inhumane and heartless because do not accept with open arms the perhaps 200,000 Jews in Europe who suffered so frightfully under Nazi cruelty, and who even now—almost three years after war’s end—still languish in cold, depressing camps.

Let me underline several facts. The unimaginable persecution of the Jews was not done by the Arabs: it was done by a Christian nation in the West. The war which ruined Europe and made it almost impossible for these Jews to rehabilitate themselves was fought by the Christian nations of the West. The rich and empty portions of the earth belong, not to the Arabs, but to the Christian nations of the West.

And yet, to ease their consciences, these Christian nations of the West are asking Palestine—a poor and tiny Moslem country of the East—to accept the entire burden. "We have hurt these people terribly," cries the West to the East. "Won’t you please take care of them for us?"

We find neither logic nor justice in this. Are we therefore "cruel and heartless nationalists"?

We are a generous people: we are proud that "Arab hospitality" is a phrase famous throughout the world. We are a humane people: no one was shocked more than we by the Hitlerite terror. No one pities the present plight of the desperate European Jews more than we.

But we say that Palestine has already sheltered 600,000 refugees. We believe that is enough to expect of us—even too much. We believe it is now the turn of the rest of the world to accept some of them.

I will be entirely frank with you. There is one thing the Arab world simply cannot understand. Of all the nations of the earth, America is most insistent that something be done for these suffering Jews of Europe. This feeling does credit to the humanity for which America is famous, and to that glorious inscription on your Statue of Liberty.

And yet this same America—the richest, greatest, most powerful nation the world has ever known—refuses to accept more than a token handful of these same Jews herself!

I hope you will not think I am being bitter about this. I have tried hard to understand that mysterious paradox, and I confess I cannot. Nor can any other Arab.

Perhaps you have been informed that "the Jews in Europe want to go to no other place except Palestine."

This myth is one of the greatest propaganda triumphs of the Jewish Agency for Palestine, the organisation which promotes with fanatic zeal the emigration to Palestine. It is a subtle half-truth, thus doubly dangerous.

The astounding truth is that nobody on earth really knows where these unfortunate Jews really want to go!

You would think that in so grave a problem, the American, British, and other authorities responsible for the European Jews would have made a very careful survey, probably by vote, to find out where each Jew actually wants to go. Amazingly enough this has never been done! The Jewish Agency has prevented it.

Some time ago the American Military Governor in Germany was asked at a press conference how he was so certain that all Jews there wanted to go to Palestine. His answer was simple: "My Jewish advisors tell me so." He admitted no poll had ever been made. Preparations were indeed begun for one, but the Jewish Agency stepped in to stop it.

The truth is that the Jews in German camps are now subjected to a Zionist pressure campaign which learned much from the Nazi terror. It is dangerous for a Jew to say that he would rather go to some other country, not Palestine. Such dissenters have been severely beaten, and worse.

Not long ago, in Palestine, nearly 1,000 Austrian Jews informed the international refugee organisation that they would like to go back to Austria, and plans were made to repatriate them.

The Jewish Agency heard of this, and exerted enough political pressure to stop it. It would be bad propaganda for Zionism if Jews began leaving Palestine. The nearly 1,000 Austrian are still there, against their will.

The fact is that most of the European Jews are Western in culture and outlook, entirely urban in experience and habits. They cannot really have their hearts set on becoming pioneers in the barren, arid, cramped land which is Palestine.

One thing, however, is undoubtedly true. As matters stand now, most refugee Jews in Europe would, indeed, vote for Palestine, simply because they know no other country will have them.

If you or I were given a choice between a near-prison camp for the rest of our lives—or Palestine—we would both choose Palestine, too.

But open up any other alternative to them—give them any other choice, and see what happens!

No poll, however, will be worth anything unless the nations of the earth are willing to open their doors—just a little—to the Jews. In other words, if in such a poll a Jew says he wants to go to Sweden, Sweden must be willing to accept him. If he votes for America, you must let him come in.

Any other kind of poll would be a farce. For the desperate Jew, this is no idle testing of opinion: this is a grave matter of life or death. Unless he is absolutely sure that his vote means something, he will always vote for Palestine, so as not to risk his bird in the hand for one in the bush.

In any event, Palestine can accept no more. The 65,000 Jews in Palestine in 1918 have jumped to 600,000 today. We Arabs have increased, too, but not by immigration. The Jews were then a mere 11 per cent of our population. Today they are one third of it.

The rate of increase has been terrifying. In a few more years—unless stopped now—it will overwhelm us, and we shall be an important minority in our own home.

Surely the rest of the wide world is rich enough and generous enough to find a place for 200,000 Jews—about one third the number that tiny, poor Palestine has already sheltered. For the rest of the world, it is hardly a drop in the bucket. For us it means national suicide.

We are sometimes told that since the Jews came to Palestine, the Arab standard of living has improved. This is a most complicated question. But let us even assume, for the argument, that it is true. We would rather be a bit poorer, and masters of our own home. Is this unnatural?

The sorry story of the so-called "Balfour Declaration," which started Zionist immigration into Palestine, is too complicated to repeat here in detail. It is grounded in broken promises to the Arabs—promises made in cold print which admit no denying.

We utterly deny its validity. We utterly deny the right of Great Britain to give away Arab land for a "national home" for an entirely foreign people.

Even the League of Nations sanction does not alter this. At the time, not a single Arab state was a member of the League. We were not allowed to say a word in our own defense.

I must point out, again in friendly frankness, that America was nearly as responsible as Britain for this Balfour Declaration. President Wilson approved it before it was issued, and the American Congress adopted it word for word in a joint resolution on 30^th June, 1922.

In the 1920s, Arabs were annoyed and insulted by Zionist immigration, but not alarmed by it. It was steady, but fairly small, as even the Zionist founders thought it would remain. Indeed for some years, more Jews left Palestine than entered it—in 1927 almost twice as many.

But two new factors, entirely unforeseen by Britain or the League or America or the most fervent Zionist, arose in the early thirties to raise the immigration to undreamed heights. One was the World Depression; the second the rise of Hitler.

In 1932, the year before Hitler came to power, only 9,500 Jews came to Palestine. We did not welcome them, but we were not afraid that, at that rate, our solid Arab majority would ever be in danger.

But the next year—the year of Hitler—it jumped to 30,000! In 1934 it was 42,000! In 1935 it reached 61,000!

It was no longer the orderly arrival of idealist Zionists. Rather, all Europe was pouring its frightened Jews upon us. Then, at last, we, too, became frightened. We knew that unless this enormous influx stopped, we were, as Arabs, doomed in our Palestine homeland. And we have not changed our minds.

I have the impression that many Americans believe the trouble in Palestine is very remote from them, that America had little to do with it, and that your only interest now is that of a humane bystander.

I believe that you do not realise how directly you are, as a nation, responsible in general for the whole Zionist move and specifically for the present terrorism. I call this to your attention because I am certain that if you realise your responsibility you will act fairly to admit it and assume it.

Quite aside from official American support for the "National Home" of the Balfour Declaration, the Zionist settlements in Palestine would have been almost impossible, on anything like the current scale, without American money. This was contributed by American Jewry in an idealistic effort to help their fellows.

The motive was worthy: the result were disastrous. The contributions were by private individuals, but they were almost entirely Americans, and, as a nation, only America can answer for it.

The present catastrophe may be laid almost entirely at your door. Your government, almost alone in the world, is insisting on the immediate admission of 100,000 more Jews into Palestine—to be followed by countless additional ones. This will have the most frightful consequences in bloody chaos beyond anything ever hinted at in Palestine before.

It is your press and political leadership, almost alone in the world, who press this demand. It is almost entirely American money which hires or buys the "refugee ships" that steam illegally toward Palestine: American money which pays their crews. The illegal immigration from Europe is arranged by the Jewish Agency, supported almost entirely by American funds. It is American dollars which support the terrorists, which buy the bullets and pistols that kill British soldiers—your allies—and Arab citizens—your friends.

We in the Arab world were stunned to hear that you permit open advertisements in newspapers asking for money to finance these terrorists, to arm them openly and deliberately for murder. We could not believe this could really happen in the modern world. Now we must believe it: we have seen the advertisements with our own eyes.

I point out these things because nothing less than complete frankness will be of use. The crisis is too stark for mere polite vagueness which means nothing.

I have the most complete confidence in the fair-mindedness and generosity of the American public. We Arabs ask no favours. We ask only that you know the full truth, not half of it. We ask only that when you judge the Palestine question, you put yourselves in our place.

What would your answer be if some outside agency told you that you must accept in America many millions of utter strangers in your midst—enough to dominate your country—merely because they insisted on going to America, and because their forefathers had once lived there some 2,000 years ago?

Our answer is the same.

And what would be your action if, in spite of your refusal, this outside agency began forcing them on you?

Ours will be the same.

You're revealing too much!

"There should never be equality between men and women" - M

Kalau dia tahu cerita aku semalam, sure dia geleng kepala. Dia bukan jenis pemarah, tu yang bestnya. Aku selalu gak marah kat dia, mostly bila janji jumpa time ni, pastu dia tak ada. Kengkadang, aku pun buat hal jugak dengan dia, lambat datang la, buat dia miss appointment la. Tapi dia cool. Tak marah. Abis tinggi pun dia mintak drop-off kat memana tempat yang dia boleh ambik public transport untuk sampai ke tempat appointment dia.

Pernah sekali tu aku hantar dia gi stesen bas, dia terpaksa keluar kereta, bawak beg yang berat entah berapa, lari kejar bas. Betul tu, LARI KEJAR bas. Nasib baik area tu pun memang sesak jadi bas baru gerak tak berapa jauh. Itu pun dia tak marah. Siap boleh buat lawak gelak lagi. Aku lak yang jadi cuak.

Aku borak dengan dia baru-baru ni.. "Baru aku tau yang tak semua yang mak aku tau pasal kerja-kerja bapak aku," dan ".. aku macam bapak aku siot!" Itulah antara ayat-ayat yang keluar daripada mulut dia. Heh, sama je nampak.

Tapi mungkin salah aku ataupun mungkin tak betul meskipun tak salah, tapi aku suka nak cerita "bogel habis" bak kata M. Interpretasinya, cerita tak ada selindung-selindung atau dalam kata lain, transparent. Aku suka bagi equal status ataupun mungkin cuma illusion of an equal status. Aku bukan tak boleh tanggung beban tapi aku rasa apa yang hak perlu sampai kepada yang berhak.

Tapi M tok guru aku. Or at least that's what my friends say. It's an inside joke, don't worry if you don't understand :) Takkan student nak lawan tok guru, kan? Takpelah, take it as an alternative thinking.

"You're revealing too much," said my dinner mate last night. It wasn't of the obscene nature but she was apprehensive about the honest declaration of my behaviour. My take, it's fact. No matter how honest, sincere and loyal a man is, there would be times when he looks at other women and think, "Oh, she's so beautiful," or "Wow!" Just as a woman would to other men. That doesn't tantamount to cheating, at least not in my books.

At the end of the day, the man would still love his wife, longing and wanting to grow old together. That reminds me of an Adam Sandler song "Growing Old With You" from The Wedding Singer.

At least that's how I feel about it :)

To' Guru M, jangan marah ya? :P

I Wanna Grow Old With You ( - Adam Sandler

Happy as I am, I worry too..

Every now and then you'll come across a moment in time (or a period) when you just don't want time to end so you may continue doing what you were and experience what you have, be in the company of those you enjoy being in and have little worry of what else is to come.

Every now and then I'd be thinking on what is life after now when we are promised eternity and life without limit.

And I shudder.

I just felt that it's too much for my comprehension and too worrisome to ponder.

And I'm afraid I'd go insane from thinking about it. My mind just fails to compute the concept of infinity.

But I had a moment today that I wished would last. It was pleasant, it was nice and most of all, it was bliss.

Today was

Saturday, 24 January 2009. It was my off-day. It was supposed to be my laze-in day too but being itchy, I didn't laze. In fact, I could've arrive at the office on time if I wanted but since I decided not to (and was actually asked not to), I didn't. Along with my usual accomplice, I went out to see what colour the town was painted in.

Well, to my surprise, the town was quite quiet. Quiet by my definitions would mean that it's nothing like what it's supposed to be come public holiday. I guess it's attributed to the fact that it's a VERY VERY long holiday and to people in the Federal Territory and working 5-day week, all they needed to do was to take another 3 days holiday and they'll have 10 straight days of not working.

It doesn't mean much if you don't already have plans but it means a lot to me if it was Hari Raya though.

We started the day off by sending Naz off to KLCC - the poor guy had to work today to replace the whatever holidays that the company have decided to 'grant' him. Moved to Damansara for breakfast before proceeding to Taman Bahagia (the GPS actually has Taman Bahagia in it, although it was quite a fuss finding the right combination of search keywords to get the desired output). Handled some business there then went to The Curve..

The Curve was EMPTY! Well yes, that was exaggerating but it wasn't full as expected. The street was accesible, tables weren't filled, restaurants were almost empty and it was 2pm. Went round and round and visited a few shops. Bought me a shoe rack to what else, store shoes! It's a 3-tier rack from Ikea so they're modular units. Initially wondered how to fit it in the car but yes, Ikea's thought of all that waaaaay before we had to come to the problem. Opened the plastic wrapping and converted the package into 2+1 tier and they fit in the boot just nice.

Went to Plaza Berjaya (but didn't even go up to the office) for a drink and went to Low Yatt to get some stuff for the office and for home. For home is this nice and quiet keyboard, a timely replacement considering some keys on the old one are not working anymore. Contemplated between an RM18 piece and an RM25 piece but succumbed to the branding and bought Logitech's keyboard. Made some off-hand calculations so the purchase would amount to RM200 so I can claim 2 points for the purchase and the bill actually came to RM201.10.

Met Mali, went for drinks, had a long chat then parted ways before going to BTS. Round and round and then went to Brickfields to drop off a package for Abdul before heading back to Wangsa Maju, fetched Naz then went for dinner at Aeon Mall, AU2. Makan-makan, met my father's friend whose name I don't remember but who remembers my face and smiled at me which I later saw having drinks with family at OTWC and I then went to meet him and have a courtesy conversation.

It's a small world, lah.

Left Aeon Mall, stopped by the apartment before going out again to Waizuri. It's a football night tonight and since I know which team's playing, I know what to expect when I get home. So decided to while the night a bit at NZ, had drinks and a lot of chicken wings before returning. Arrived home at half past 1, 'assembled' the modular shoe rack, placed 2 pairs of shoes and 1 pair of slippers in it and went up.

Yes, the stadium was already set up.

Rushed to the computer to (excitedly) replace the keyboard before opening facebook to make my Scrabble moves. I'm having quite some luck at the moment and leading most of the games. I've been in this condition before and I know it would be disasterous if I slacken.

That's about all for today, which was Saturday, 24 January 2009.

Tomorrow's replacement dinner sounds like it'll be very good. The prelude was juicy, I just can't wait! :)

Nite-nite.

After the Course

I have just completed my training yesterday. It's called ******* Selling Platform. The training should have prepared me for a job as a front desk at a travel agency making bookings and what nots. I will know if I have done well when I receive my certificate later on, as it will reflect the results of my exercise. Kalau buat betul, dapat distinction. Kalau buat tak betul, dapat completion je la.

That's the least of my worries for now.

Called up the guy who sold us the platform who contacted the technical support who promptly installed the platform on our computer via remote access. I've been with computers for a long time and have seen remote access at work way back in the late 1990s but am still amazed at how it works.

Been having job-related activities daily and am liking it.

I don't like to like things. Especially when it comes to work. The moment I start liking some work that I do, I'd do it even better than I have before. As soon as I start feeling nice, something else will come and uproot me somewhere else. Then, I'd feel shitty again and have to adjust.

I'm not saying that I don't welcome change or changes but I do wish to have a comfort working zone without distractions.

Being busy is good. Makes me feel I'm worth every penny. Even if that's what I'm paid with.

Words are mighty powerful. Sharp and edged.

My apologies.

The time beyond time..

What happens after it happened?
What's after death?
What's beyond space?

We die. We go 6 feet down. We are questioned, we suffer for our sins, we are called back on the day of judgement, we are questioned, we are punished, we tremble in fear.

I cringe thinking, what next?

My mind is limited in its capacity to think, to understand and to try to comprehend. He knows best, AlMighty, All Knowing.

I cringe. I do.

Why?

The tables green the counter black
The front is seen but not the back
The glasses glitter the lights are shining
Time passes quicker and the clocks keep ticking

How long am I here, how long will I be?
Am I cooped in enclosure or have I been set free?
Am I not grateful of a gift I've not sought?
There must be a reason this happens and that not.

The clocks keep ticking, tick-tock.. tick-tock..
A quarter past twelve near the Bintang Walk
I sit in my chair with my head still thinking
"Have faith" in this happening,
There must be a reason,
Something.

This is a post

A few more entries before reaching 200.

I didn't start blogging to achieve numbers. I know that if that were my purpose, I wouldn't have reached 100 to begin with. I'm not much of a number achiever, I just achieve by chance. I think I'd better start targeting to send 400smses a month. If the rule of association were to apply, I'm sure I'd fail in reaching that target and thus make a small saving on my monthly bill.

I spoke to a chap yesterday who will soon be our supplier and have worked in a mobile telco operator before. I put forward the issue I had with a certain other telco company. His advise, taken from experience was to lodge a police report, send it to the telco company and get an acknowledgement stamp on a copy of the police report.

You see, sometimes lawyers do earn some honest money.

Had a long listening brief last night as well after futsal and over some glasses of drinks between lawyers and a government servant. Stories that people tell and talk about eh.

You can guess by now that I'm writing with a tired mind. Not really keen on thinking nor evaluating. Just tired. Made myself sleep late nights almost the whole of last week watching something or the other or doing something or the other and having early mornings. I feel zombie-ish although not so.

Oh, good news. The phlegm has subsided but still has its presence. The hair has grown longer telling me it's time to comb my hair sideways instead of backwards. Nails are cut both hand and feet. Accounts for 2008 completed although I still owe Ajay a copy of some bank statements for the past few months. I'm quite proud of my work achievement these past few days. Maybe a kick in the ass isn't that bad afterall.

Won't be having a long holiday for CNY, have to work on Monday but that's okay. Afterall, as was specifically mentioned, it is, "my father's company".

"I whack you then you know"

Have training in Jalan Raja Chulan from Monday to Wednesday and it's compulsory to prepare. Drats. Want to do my masters but still scraping for funds. Thinking of calling in favours that I gave out but wondering if it's better now, or keep it for the wedding. Stop jumping, no wedding plans in the tunnel yet.

Nak kawin pun mahal ek. :(

Tired, lazy, I don't wish for a long stretch of rest, I wish for instant recovery. Have lunch invitation today at Noreen's, pot lucking with friends. Have dinner function tonight in Saujana, Subang at the OPA Building. Going on a mission tomorrow with a friend to spread awareness.

I've never that before. I now just don't know how. The fact that I don't feel deeply and that I don't mingle with the people who do doesn't help. Still asking myself why.

Having Daughtrey's What About Now? singing in my head.

I'm feeling messed up. Jumbled, but not troubled. I think I need that rest..

Tag lagi

Facts & Quirks

1. List these rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog.
3. Tell 6 unspectacular quirks of yours.
4. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
5. Link the person who tagged you.
6. Leave a comment for each blogger.

I'm just too lazy to do items 4 to 6.

7 FACTS ABOUT ME

1. Second child out of three.
2. Leo, dragon.
   
3. Started driving before I turned 18. Driving license almost expiring.
   
4. Both my parents are Kelantanese, but I'm from KL. :-D
5. I no longer enjoy engulfing food. I now merely eat.
   
6. I am older than I look. haha.. ha.. ha.. ha..
   
7. I think mostly in English.
   

6 QUIRKS ABOUT ME

1. I can be subtle and can be blunt.
   
2. If I speak to you nicely, I expect you to treat me the same.
   
3. I get very grumpy when: hungry, tired and sleepy.
   
4. I enjoy clipping my nails but I also enjoy drumming my fingers.
   
5. I enjoy work most when it is my own.
   
6. I can survive for days without fb/emails/YM, contrary to popular belief :)
   

I now end this tag :D

Unless if you'd like to volunteer information. In that case, leave it in my comment box :)

I was tagged and I tag you.

Here's what we should do. it's simple:
List down 5 of the products from the list below that you are boycotting, and then list down 5 of the products that you will try your best to boycott, and finally list another 5 of the products that you find it hard to boycott, and tag 5 others.

This tag is to get everyone to read the list below carefully and identify which products affects your life and the lives of the Palestinians most! You can also compare your list with your friends and see: if they can boycott one product that you haven't been boycotting, why can't you start to boycott the product too?

i'll start first.
5 products i'm boycotting (Allahu Akbar! ^_^):
1. Sara Lee
2. Coca-cola
3. Starbucks
4. L'Oreal
5. Marks & Spencer
6. Danone
7. AOL Time Warner
8. Arsenal Football Club
9. Caterpillar
10. Estee Lauder
Added another 5 because I can.

5 products I will start to boycott (insyaAllah ^^,):
1. Kimberly-Clark
2. Johnson & Johnson
3. Timberland
4. Marks & Spencer
5. Motorola

5 products that i find hard to boycott:
1. Intel
2. IBM
3. Nokia - Just bought a Nokia recently :(
4. Delta Galil --Carrefour--
5. Nestle

I tag all of you who reads this.

COMPANIES TO BOYCOTT

• AOL Time Warner Time Life magazine, CNN, ICQ
• Apax Partners Jonny Rockets, Sunglass Hut.
• Arsenal Football Club
• Coca-Cola Fruitopia, Fanta, Kia Orange, Lilt, Sprite, Sunkist..
• Caterpillar
• Danone HP foods, Evian, Volvic, Jacob
• Delta Galil Hema, Barbie, Carrefour, Auchan, Tchibo, Victoria's Secret, GAP, Banana Republic, Structure, J-Crew, JC Penny, Pryca, Lindex, DIM, DKNY, Ralph Lauren, Playtex, cK, Hugo Boss, M&S
• Disney
• Emblaze
• Estée Lauder Aramis, Clinique, DKNY, Prescriptives, Origins, MAC, La Mer, Bobbi Brown, Tommy Hilfiger, Jane, Donna Karan, Aveda, Stila, Jo Malone, Bumble & Bumble, Kate Spade
• Home Depot Villager's Hardware, Georgia Lighting, Apex Supply, EXPO Design Centres
• IBM
• Intel
• Johnson & Johnson
• Kimberly-Clark Kleenex, Kotex, Huggies, Andrex
• Lewis Trust Group River Island, Isrotel hotels, Britannia Pacific
• The Limited Inc Express stores, Lerner New York, Structure, New York & Company, Mast Industries, Intimate Brands, Victoria's Secret, Bath & Body Works, White Barn Candle Company, Henri Bendel
• L'Oreal Giorgio Armani, Redken 5th Avenue, Lancome Paris, Vichy, Cacharel, La Roche-Posay, Garnier, Biotherm, Helena Rubinstein, Maybelline, Ralph Lauren, Carson
• Marks & Spencer M&S, St.Michaels
• McDonald's
• Motorola
• Nestle Nescafé, Perrier, Vittel, Pure Life, Carnation, Libby's, Milkmaid, Nesquik, Maggi, Buitoni, Cross & Blackwell, KitKat, Milkybar, Quality Street, Smarties, After Eight, Aero, Polo, Lion, Felix cat food, L'Oréal
• News Corporation TV: Fox, Sky, Star, Phoenix, Granada, CNBC. UK newspapers: Standard Newspaper, News of the World, The Sun, The Times. Australian Newspapers: The Telegraph , Gold Coast Bulletin, Herald Sun, Independent, Sunday Mail. US newspapers: New York Post. Publishers: Harper Collins Ragan, Zondervan, National Geographical. Nursery World, Rawkus, NDS, Mushroom Records, ChinaByte.com, Festival Records
• Nokia
• Revlon New World Entertainment, Forbes
• Sara Lee Hanes, Playtex, Champion, Leggs, Douwe Egberts, Bryan, DIM, Ambi Pur, Bali, Superior Coffee, Just My Size, Kiwi, Maison Cafe, Nur die, Pilao, Lovable, Outer Banks, Wonderbra, Sanex, Pickwick, Gossard, Body Mist, Brylcreem, Aqua Velva, Radox
• Siemens
• Selfridges
• Starbucks Seattle Coffee, Pasqua, Hear Music, Tazo
• Timberland

My tag reply..

I was tagged :D

A short write

Mengadu pun dah puas tapi tak puas lagi nak cerita..

Just as I have reported many many times ago through out the many years of writing, I am experiencing the back-ache again. Although this is not the first time it happened, this is the first time it happened while I was actually playing.

Scenario:
On the opponent's side of the basketball court, following a team mate as he cruises to the ring to convert an opportunity, jumped to reach for the ball and landed, without the ball. Turned my upper body immediately in search for the ball and stopped midway. Ouch.

Went to the bench to lie down. Perspiring profusely. It didn't actually hurt while lying down but it does when walking or standing.

I am now walking like I have one leg longer than the other.

Well at least I don't have to cling on some support. I used to. Thinking of going to Living Well but at RM110/visit, it's not something I can spend on at the moment because therapies like this require constant return visits. The last time I went there, I had to attend therapy for 5 consecutive days and then repeat once a week for another 2 weeks. The doctor advised me to attend therapy at least once a month but well, me being me, failed to adhere to his advise.

If only money grow on uncle's trees.

I'm taking a breather from the still nagging pain on my back. I'm not worried about the pain but concerned that the pain would result or lead to something worse once age comes to me. I saw an x-ray of my spine showing a calcium build-up on a few vertebrae (singular form is vertebra) resulting in hook-like bones. If the calcium continues to build up, I will not be able to stand up straight anymore when I'm old.

Gila tak macho.

Although seeming macho is the last thing on my mind to be when I'm old, I just can't imagine walking like a coiled-up armadillo, that's all.

If you're still young when you read this, remember to always warm up before games no matter how trivial the game you may be playing (unless if it's a board game of course :P). Always practice proper posture when lifting items off the floor and for your own good, walk and sit up straight. If you don't think walking/sitting up straight would help you, do it for me. It's just a sore looking at people slouching.

If you're already old and am already experiencing the pains that I mentioned, haha, tough!

Ahad oh Ahad..

Lima hari tak cukup tido (to my standard) campur dengan hari2 yang panjang dan disudahi dengan pagi Ahad yang bersukan (sebab Jumaat malam takde sukan dan Ahad malam ada function) maka dengan itu mengakibatkan badan yang lemah lesu tak bermaya seakan akan ingin tumbang bila2 masa saja lagi.

Dan dengan ini saya pun mengambil langkah pencegahan segera dengan meminum air bercampur madu UMF8. Gigi pun rasa seperti ingin turut serta dalam perarakan bantahan penderaan oleh agensi2 penguatkuasa pengoperasian badan. "Kalau awak tidak rehat, NAHAS awak nanti" serta laungan slogan2 lain yang membengkakkan kepala serta gusi dan rahang terngiang ngiang di kepala.

Seperti operasi ketenteraan pun ada.

Dan dengan itu saya mengundur diri untuk berehat seketika..

I love you.. :)

Something Stupid - Frank Sinatra

Savings? Or Current?

Have a savings account, even if just one.

I've been surviving so far thanks to the existence of the ATM card. Both my accounts are current and it's been 8 years since I had a savings account. I find current accounts better because I can issue cheques to make payments.

This is where it gets tricky. Yes, you can issue cheques to make payments but with the increase of popularity in internet banking, cheques are not so 'in' anymore. The 'in' thing to do now is to perform telegraphic transfers.

I TT you,
You TT me,
We all TT everybody,
With a tit tat tot and a TT from me to you,
Won't you please send a TT to me too.

I've lost both cheque books by now and misplaced my RHB ATM card.

I banked-in my pay into my RHB account recently because maybank ran out of fast cheque deposit envelopes and the scanner unit is out of service. I went to RHB just now to withdraw some money (without cheque nor ATM card) and was told that I cannot withdraw money from current accounts over the counter.

OK. How now, brown cow?

Tomorrow la update.


p/s: Correction people, it's IBG, not TT.. tapi tak best la bunyi bila tukar TT with IBG.. :(

Tiba-tiba ada..

I walked a step and saw the sun
It shone so bright, I had to run
To stop myself from being heated
And sweat profusely, as is fated

Little did I know the sun won't shine
As bright it did in when the morning's fine
Now clouds fill up my sky with darkness
"I won't run from you again, I promise"

The sun won't shine again for now
It's late at night, to bed I go
I pray and pray and pray to sleep
Please shine again sun, I quietly weep..

I listen to..

Whered You Go - Fort Minor

T-Shirt (Main Version) - Shontelle


:D

Don't ask why :P

aku, hari ini

Kiri himpit, kanan pun sempit
Jalan-jalan yang bersimpang siur
Kiri sakit, kanan pun sakit
Sakit muda yang dimakan umur

Depan tengok, belakang toleh
Sambil berjalan ke hulu-ke hilir
Depan jenguk, belakang alih
Semakin ke destinasi aku mampir

Basah kuyup berhujankan peluh
Disirami mentari terang benderang
Kerja sedikit, masakan mengaduh
Ingatkan yang teruk membanting tulang

Aku bosan hidup yang begini
Hidup yang tergantung tak berhala tuju
Namun bersyukurku pada Ilahi
Tak perlu lari mengelak peluru.