Saya Beta berasa gering. Maafkan saya jika tidak melayan. Bergembiralah di taman Beta sehingga Beta berangkat pulang.

apa tu?

Dah ada telepon, tak nak guna telepon.

Dah tu pulak orang lain terpaksa tunggu ko telepon.

tapi tak puas la kalau marah-marah orang kat sini. hmph..

Tuhan Maha Kaya, Maha Mengetahui dan Maha Pemberi Petunjuk.

He has a way of teaching us a good lesson.

I made a mistake by mentioning m and my parents in the same sentence and now am experiencing His gentle reminder that He associates with no one.

Made plans to go out at 9:30pm. All went well throughout the day giving me an impression that it would be a good night as well.

at 7:30pm the phone rang. On the other side was a barely audible voice of our colleague in Dubai saying something something something something. By barely audible, I mean that it's almost impossible to make out the conversation had it been in a crowded or noisy place. Since everyone went home for the day already, I managed to extract the gist of what she was saying:

Guest coming to KUL, leaving in a few hours, wants to book a room at XXXX from XX Dec to XX Dec. Guests are honeymooners.

Ok. Irritation number one.

Called the property to proceed with reservations but "Sorry Sir, reservations is already closed, can you call tomorrow?" Mr, Miss, I wouldn't wake up an elephant if I can help it. So made some other phone calls to other people who assisted, to a certain extent but still, "Come tomorrow".

Irritation number two.

Anyways, this particular issue was a question some days ago that I answered. And they had to wait until the very very very very laaaaaast minute to decide.

Takpelah. Kalau aku ada vocabulary mencarut yang panjang berjela, I wud've. But tonight, I feel happier not to revise those words.

Happy eve of public holiday people.

The day before..

Saya memohon ampun jika terkasar bahasa dan tersilap kata..

Don't have to wait until I'm on the death bed to start saying sorry. I'm having phlegm for the longest duration I can remember. It must be the things I ate. It must be the things I did. It must be the things I didn't do. And probably the things that I said?

Naah, I don't think so. If it were the things that I said, it would've been worse.

Pagi tadi dah susun rangkap-rangkap pantun nak diblogkan tapi sekarang ni dah terlupa pulak. Nantilah, susun rangkap pantun lain.

We're having our first outbound client tomorrow, departing for Gold Coast, Australia. Made some checks with our office in GC just to be sure that the clients are taken cared of. The guys down under are just not keen on operating during Christmas and most offices are closed. That is SO unlike Kuala Lumpur, or Malaysia in general. Festive seasons are the time of year when everyone wants to remain open.

Come to think of it, that could well be the reason why our economy is kinda stable - Malaysians are crazy about shopping anytime of the year.

Sebab tu jugak there are so many disgruntled employees demanding for better pay for the long hours at the workplace.

Sounds like me :P

Hari ni nak balik awal. Have plans after work. Why not? Tomorrow's a public holiday. I'd be just about crazy enough to come to work tomorrow although it's another working day in the Middle East.

Am I crazy enough?

From a Beamer to a Merc..

Membuatkan poket saya berasa sangat ringan sekarang dan juga melegakan hati dan perasaan yang bingung.

Untuk Abe, inilah hasilnya setelah dinilaikan untung-ruginya menyimpan sebuah telefon pcpoket yang berusia 2 tahun. Telefon itu telah berjaya membuktikan bahawa ia tidaklah lagi sihat dan selamat untuk digunakan. Tuan punya kedai pembaikan juga tidak mampu memberi jaminan terhadap penggantian papan ibu yang telah dibaikpulih. Dengan rasa kurang berat hatinya saya menerima cadangan menebus-jual telefon 525 tersebut setelah difikirkan sengsara yang bakal dielakkan dan setelah diperjanjikan akan ditemukan saya dengan pengedar dan wakil penjual sah bagi bahan mainan idaman saya semenjak 2 minggu lepas.

Tanpa berlengah lagi saya mengikuti wakil penjual tersebut ke gerainya dan menilik barang mainan yang amat amat diidamkan. Disoalnya mamat itu dan juga diminta membelek beberapa lagi bahan mainan lain untuk dibuat perbandingan yang nyata berat sebelah ke arah mainan yang terkini. Ah, ikut hati mati, baik sahaja matikan peribahasa itu :P Setelah ditimbangkira semula, saya menerima tawaran telefon tersebut dengan muatan memori tambahan 8GB dan alat pengecas dalam kenderaan yang asli.

Saya masih belum mengenalpasti kebolehan sepenuhnya bahan mainan itu namun setelah 5 tahun terpisah dengan jenama Nokia, saya kini berNokia kembali.

Saya sayang kamu juga, E66 :)

p/s: buat abang-abang yang sangsikan kandungan botol di sebelah itu yang berlabelkan 'adhesive liquid', itu adalah gam non toxic dan tanpa solvent.

A longer one for the weekend :)

It's been a few weeks of no opportunity to write. I seldom write in the day simply because I don't have the peace and quite I need when writing but more because I have a constant interruption from colleagues, boss and the telephone.

I thought I would remain 'nameless' in the organisation which I know now is impossible. Not when I've distributed a lot of emails requesting for rates from properties and suppliers. Yes. Remain hidden but broadcast emails.

Made plans last week and most of them didn't work out which resulted in a less-interesting alternative. It's really no fun when plans are cancelled and I for one am a moody person when that happens. It's not that I blame anyone or anything or happenings but I guess that's the human part of me that wish for things to be smooth sailing and for wishes to happen.

Have plans for this weekend but surprisingly, it's only for Saturday. Sunday's rather free, as usual. I intend to play basketball on Sunday morning but the rest of the day remains open.

Had BBQ last Wednesday with Aunty Shamsiah, her sister, her children and her DIL. It was a surprise BBQ for them and for us too since it was only decided the evening before. Aunty Shamsiah is a family friend whom we befriended while in Dubai and she was pivotal in assisting Khalisah in her BM A* achievement for IGCSE.

I've managed to stay away from the office after 7:30pm for the whole of this week with the exception of Tuesday (or was it Monday? I don't remember days anymore!). That too because the MD gave me an enquiry that requested for an urgent reply. I didn't finish it that night but it was done by Wednesday evening. Been eating small meals for dinner too which now makes me feel slightly heavier.

Remember the 80kg I ended up with at the end of Raya? Well, I'm back to 81ish. Not interesting and I'm still not interested.

I've had many people making noises at me for not updating my blog.. Kinda like the mosquito I experienced a few nights ago when my parents conveniently switched off the fan when they switched off the light when they vacated the room after watching tv. Speaking of which, I slept early last night but woke up at about 1am because of the tv and slept only at about 3am eventhough the tv was off at 2. I really dislike waking up in the middle of my sleep, unless of course it's due to the matters of the heart :D Or the tummy. Issues of the tummy should never be ignored.

Mali is missing. Calls not going through, emails not replied, messages not returned. What's up with him?

Oh, I'm not writing in spite and I do not hate you for asking me to update my blog :)

Much love,
Azmil.

Back to reality..

I am reading this as I write this.

Everytime I score upon a successful younger person, I wonder, would I rise to the occasion should I chance upon the opportunity? How would life have been now should those opportunities arrive and I responded positively to them?

Fantasies, imaginations, wishes, all mind occupying thoughts occupy thoughts.

Then I snapped back to reality ("oops, there goes gravity") and came back to my senses.

To everyone is everything that He knows is best and it is not for us to question, much less judge His Wisdom.

Some takes, in the morning

I seem to notice that spicy, rowdy and postings that incite controversy gets more responses as compared to lame mundane ones. Oh, not to forget, those that invite opinions. Not the explicit invitation "comment please?" but those that triggers questions in the minds of those who read it.

*thinking..*

Got up early today and decided that I should heave my heavy behind to work immediately. And that I told myself that I'd be going to the workshop with the car to get it fixed and serviced but after receiving the call from the workshop supervisor just now, can clearly see wings on my RM, more than expected.

Oh, working hours on Saturday are 10 to 2 but I got here at 9. Haha.. it shouldn't count since I'm not purely doing work but I registered attendance.. :D

Kids, those of you who are still in school, this is not a good example to follow. If you decided to still and one day get a warning or termination letter, don't tell me I didn't warn you! Worse still, if you don't get those types of letters, remember that all your life's doings are recorded.

That's all for now. Oh, Mr. Cat didn't wake me up today. He came back at about 1am last night and whined and whined and whined so I thought he wanted something to eat. He had a few crunches then left. What exactly does he want??

And they say it's tough trying to understand women. No wonder dogs are man's best friend (as they say) and that cats are more receptive to women (from what I see)..

haha..

Updates, updates..

It's 5 days past the beginning of December and I've not made a posting yet. I actually thought that it's the 7th already but alas! It's not.

Apart from Mr. Cat waking me up for Subuh daily for the past 5 days, nothing else was new. I got rid of my shares for some profit and unit trust for a bigger loss and had work I wanted to do since Monday but because it requires attention and it's rather cumbersome, it couldn't be done as an in-between job. Which was why I just started on it two days ago. It's progressing albeit slowly but progress is progress. Closed the chapter on Langkawi and am almost closing Penang.

A long but interesting day tomorrow (I hope!) although I don't know which way it'll turn. Sent the car for a wash just now, planning to send it for servicing tomorrow morning.. hahaha.. "morning". I think I'll take the opportunity to go out early, start work early and drop the car off at the workshop before going to work in hmm.. eeny-meeny-miny-moe.. macam banyak je. Have to use the elephant to work la like that.

The car is giving weird wheezing sounds when driven over 80km/h. Was driving (in a rush) about 130 on a bumpy section of the NKVE when I heard some grinding noises which made me slow down to a more decent 120. Hahahaha..

Went to Sunway just now to send my faithful 525 to a workshop recommended by the RC and guess what? The most they'll charge me is 300 for an ultimate solution - motherboard replacement - which would cost me 550 if from RC. But they're selling the battery at 120 instead of RC's 80 so there's win some lose some.

Browsed some phones as well since I was already there. I was recommended Palm's new toy for a 'basic' phone with PIM that synchronises with MSOutlook but a 'basic' phone for 1300?? I looked at another shop and saw E66 which was simply.. LOVEABLE. Satunamstengah for an ori set with ori in-car charger. Why must everything loveable be so expensive?

*please God make it not be beyond what I can afford*

:D

So veryveryveryveryveryveryvery tempted butbutbut.. :(

Spoke to a friend in Dubai as well when he called instructing me to go on YM.. hahaha..

Dah lama tak main bowling. Anyone game for a game? Or two? Or some? :)

DI pagi yang hening ini..

Tidurku terganggu lagi pagi ini kerana ngiauan sang kucing yang tak kenal erti rehat dimalam hari dan yang tak pernah kenal erti menghabiskan rezeki di pinggan. Buat kesekian kalinya, kucing itu meninggalkan sisa makanan yang sudah terhidang di dalam pinggan barangkali dengan niat untuk berkongsi rezeki dengan sang semut-semut hitam yang berlegar-legar laksana burung-apakah-itu di padang pasir menunggu akan tumbangnya sekujur tubuh yang kehausan.

Bangkitku lagi hari ini dengan membuka pintu bilikku setelah sang kucing itu bergolek-golek di atas katilku memohon simpati dan perhatian akan perutnya yang lapar itu dan seperti selalunya akan menghilangkan diri setelah nafsunya disuapi. Rezekiku agaknya sepupuku tiba malam semalam ketika bulan masih gah di langit menunggu akan kepulangan kami sekeluarga daripada kedai makan malam.

"Jalan kena buka mata," nasihat sepupuku melihat akan kezombianku menuruti pergerakan sang kucing itu.

Al-Fatihah buat abangnya KR dan juga Raja Perempuan Besar Perlis, Tengku Budriah Tengku Ismail.

Muncul pula sang kucing itu kembali di dalam bilikku setelah ia meniti bumbung dan masuk melalui tingkap.

Mengantukku masih lagi belum terubat. Tidurkah atau kerjakah?

Dua tiga empat lima..

Bukan jahat itu orang
cuma nakal sekali sekala
bukan sakat yang sebarang
sakat untuk bergurau senda

Hati bukan sebarang hati
hati jantan panglima siang
mimpi bukan sebarang mimpi
mimpi siang malam bersilang

---

Hati kuman kecillah ia
Hati yang kecil sedihlah ia
Hati yang sedih gembirakan ia
Mari kita bersuka ria?

---

Berjalan lalu menuju ke kedai
Niat di hati membeli bekalan
Hati yang rindu, hajat tak sampai
Gagah menunggu hadirnya teman

Merak kayangan mengibarkan ekor
Berwarna-warni menyinar malam
Temanlah daku sebelum tidur
Sepanjang terang berganti kelam

---

Senyumlah, senyumlah, wahai cek mek molek..

An elaborated summary..

There's nothing like the satisfaction of completing outstanding work in outstanding time with outstanding quality.

Well, two out of three is still alright.

I've been wanting to clear all the calculative mess since I returned but I just can't seem to do that due to distractions from phone calls, people talking and the constant need to go and relieve myself. I actually drank the can of Livita that I bought a week ago at about 12am just now. While opening the can, I thought, "..why drink this when you'll be going back in 30 minutes,"

But I can only plan. Things got so exciting that I decided to not just clear up cheque-based payments but also record petty cash expenses as well. The good thing about doing it at an ungodly hour (I wonder why they say that because all hours are God'ly', no?) is that there's minimal disturbance and the brain can think out loud, as loud as it wishes to. And also for the occasional phrases of songs from the Karaoke lounge downstairs. Plus the a/c is switched off at 10 so it's not really that cold that I can't move my fingers.

Also managed to contact DiGi today to get the issue of transferring two mobile numbers into our company's DiGi Bizline (but had to repeat the process again since the 'owner' of my sister's line is my brother and not my sister..) then had some issues with the guy at Asus' RC.

Oh, I almost forgot about that issue.

You see, I was happy with my first purchase of Asus that I decided to buy another Asus phone. I brought the phones on the FAM trip and while in Langkawi, the older one decided to call it quits and refused to start. The younger one began to have slight problems with the standby sliding switch but it wasn't major. Sent the phone to Asus RC and collected it today (because Jason didn't call yesterday eventhough he did say he would) to my dismay because the touch-screen is now working intermittently.

Yeah, intermittent my foot, behind and anywhere else vulgar-ey. The phone again decided to go on a semi-permanent sleep today and it's like that since 4pm. I was just too tired to go back to RC but apart from being tired, I just don't think I can swallow another lame excuse from him.

Yesterday, it was, "Oh, it's your battery. Your battery is a little 'swollen', unlike mine so I guess your battery is faulty,"

After changing battery, it worked for a short while then conked again. "Let me check and hard reset and bla.. bla.. bla.. and flash the ROM and bla.. bla.. bla.. Should be ready in 1 or 2 hours."

Came back today and tried to negotiate returning the battery after he said that the problem is with the screen. The touch screen seems to have some issues to it although there weren't any exposed wires nor broken pins that he can see. The screen costs RM450 after the RM80 for the battery.

*breathe Azmil breathe.. you also have minors amongst your readership..*

:P

I decided not to change the screen because I just can't help but feel cheated by the battery issue. Mali was with me then and he blasted Jason even before I did.

"Aku dah berbulu dengan mamat tu sebelum kau lagi. Ada ke patut dia kata I don't know how to explain to you? You're an engineer, he's a technical guy, cakap je la.."

Sometimes he makes me feel so.. valuable.

Sometimes :)

Anyway, I intend to go to RC again tomorrow and demand a proper explanation as to why my phone hung again even after installing a new battery. If there's no proper explanation, then I best get them to refund me for a false remedy.

Also went to Kenanga today to sell off my Landmarks share, the solitary lot that I purchased to benefit from Landmark's discount for shareholders. Bought it at 44sen and it's now selling at 88sen. I wanted to buy 3 back then because I had the funds but the remisier advised against it since the company was going through some restructuring. Rezeki, siapakan tahu.

Will go to Avenue Unit Trust Management tomorrow to sell my ASNITA. Have some plans brewing. The ASNITA isn't doing as well as Landmarks but it has recovered its value from the slump 4 years ago. I'm only getting what I invested and although it's a loss in terms of time value for money, it doesn't really feel that way to me. I wouldn't have that much money now if I hadn't placed it in somewhere difficult to reach.

Yes. That's the story for today. I'll see you again tomorrow.. :)

Potpourri story with some chudney..

First official day back at the desk since boss declared last Saturday to be an official break (which was much appreciated but would rather have a full-day break on Monday). LOTS, loads and loads of paper to be sorted with payments to be prepared and filings to be done not to mention requests and whatnots but I just don't know where to begin.

I've not even started on compiling the expenses incurred for the trip much less calculate the IOUs I'll have to forward to the company. And the amount I'll have to reimburse the company too, not to forget that.

Abdul sprained his ankle playing squash yesterday and so had to go to the hospital for a checkup. Consultation fee was RM145 and medication (1 set of painkillers - 10 tabs - and 1 tube of ointment) came to about RM50. I'd rather not be sick if that's the figure I'll have to face for ONE visit to the hospital. It's sick just to see the bill.

I'm still spent. Tried to linger in bed on Saturday but couldn't. Tried again today and still couldn't. I guess it's better to ride on this morning wave for as long as I can so I won't have anymore late attendances.. It's synonymous really, red marks and Azmil. I have a can of Livita on my desk (it's got this halal logo so I'm convinced) from the A'Famosa - KL return leg. Also drank 100+ just now, after a bottle of Lipton's ice lemon tea. I drink a lot from the bottle nowadays due to the huge and lazy bum I have and that I don't really like walking in crowds.

I'm thinking of writing what we did day-to-day from KL to Langkawi to Penang to KL again then to Melaka and back to KL then to Pahang then KL before going to Tioman and finally returning to KL BUT as usual, the lazy bum rules the day and my fingers need some warming up to do before embarking on a mission possible.

Oh, HBO's having an MI trilogy run at the moment and will be showing Pirates of The Carribbean trilogy in December.

My phone's both dead. The 750 has some button problem which causes it to occasionally become active although I've locked and put it on standby. With that problem, I can accidentally dial someone without me realising. Imagine what that would do?! Hahaha..

My 525 just didn't want to work. It stopped functioning and had this last-known-action freeze and just wouldn't budge even after a hard reset. And it happened in Langkawi. I was dearly frustrated because that was the beginning of our journey and the road ahead was still a long way. I didn't even have the time to stop at Asus' Royal Club to send it for repairs while we stayed at Berjaya Times Square due to the hectic schedule.

Both phones are now in Times Square the workshop. Boo on Asus for not having any loan units. I've currently connected to the Yellow Coverage Fellow using the company's Nokia. Just happy that it's on full charge. Must also remember to borrow the handsfree until I get my phone(s) back. 750 takes about a week to return because the button is connected to the motherboard and so they'll have to change the motherboard. The 525 was said to be done today and that they would call me once it's done but I guess not. I'll have to check it tomorrow.

Might actually seriously look at Sony. Or return to Nokia. Or try out Samsung although Samsung doesn't have alphanumeric keypads on their PDA. One thing for sure, I'm not about to get myself involved in the iPhone hype although the toy that Samer brought looked very tempting. I'm also itching to try the E71.

Might consider a full-screen PDA with GPS and a basic phone with alphanumeric keys combo. Lets see..

That was the longest marathon I've had since camping days while in school. Although it wasn't as tiring and as challenging as the camps, being over 30 and doing continuous activities for 12 days is good enough for me to want a good rest.

But I'm just me. The day I returned, I almost wanted to go play futsal but alas! I had to wait for them to finish their last-minute shopping and board the transfer towards KLIA. I've never felt welcomed by the thought of returning to the office anytime before as I did that Friday. Welcome back, welcome back.

:)

Aku suka dia.

:)

Note: PP, how's that for an introduction? :D

A shortie..

I've not had people asking me to write for quite some time now. What it is I wonder that encourages others to visit my blog? It's pretty much.. factual writings of someone with time in his hands and lives in the open.

Dan seronok jugak kena puji tadi.. ah, it's a human flaw that I have, liking praises. If you consider someone calling you modest a praise that is.. hehe.. simple joy for simple minded people. Person la, if it's just me you consider.

I'm not sure if it's cloud nine I'm on right now because the clock shows 0026 and I'm at the office. We're embarking on a road trip for the next 12 days or so, visiting properties that we'll be selling to interested buyers in the middle east. It's commonly called FAM - Familiarisation - Trip but the big boss would like it to be known more as Exp - Expertisation - Trip, thus with no power vested in me, I dub it the X-Trip.

It's something new I learnt in the travel industry. The industry functions by getting to know their target markets and the target destinations. Logic, isn't it, that if you wish to sell a certain something, you've got to know it better than others, unlike most shopkeepers in Dubai (I can say because I've been there although I don't know about other places) who just sells and when asked, they'd go searching for information around the package the product comes in, as if we haven't already read it and not found the information we asked about.

Back to the clouds, I've not been high for quite some time. I did comment in FB sometime back about being high but this is a new high that I'm feeling. Akin to a child getting his wish on his birthday, I'm ecstatic like that.

It could be those Slurpees that I've drank for the past 2 weeks but I'm sure it's more than just sugar high.

Ah. It's work again tomorrow. We'll be leaving office at about noon to receive our buddies from the Middle East before heading for lunch and then towards Pan Pac KLIA for our tour. In all, we've got in excess of 50 properties to visit in 5 states. The East Coast isn't featured for now, hopefully there'll be some in the near future.

I'll probably write from time to time, if there's internet connection where I'm going. If not, behave, don't be naughty in my absence! :)

The story of..

She looked pretty. Very calm and pretty in her new white dress. Her face exudes faith and serenity and nothing less than happiness.

I kept on looking at her for as long as I could without glancing away, never once worried that she would catch me staring. Oh, I am used to having people look back at me staring and if she does that, I would've been more than happy.

There were many others around us, more around her than me for she was the center of attraction that day. She has always been, ever since I can remember. I did too. I remember this time when I almost lost my patience for not being able to find our bunch of slippers but just in the nick of time managed to control myself before speaking to her. She would've been devastated had I burst out. We walked both, side-by-side across the road with her on borrowed slippers and me bare footed. When we arrived to where we wanted to go, I took the slippers back to where it came from and decided to search once again. And found the bundle.

Ah, kalau terlepas cakap masa tu, tak ke rugi rasanya?

She adored me too, I can tell. Whenever I meet her without my parents, she would seem restless and always trying to make me feel more comfortable that I already was. There were always special dishes that she'd save whenever she knew I was coming over and my cousins were forbidden to even catch a smell off it. I remember the fried cow's brain, the special ox tongue in tomato and the Milo drinks that we shared together.

When she was much younger, she would always make the extra walk to the grocer's to get me things that she would consider goodies (and my mum sometimes disapproves of) and when I met her the past few years, we'd go out for our occasional 'forbidden' high-cholesterol foods for breakfast, lunch or dinner. I was not able to entertain her much apart from the occasional assistance in the kitchen, the market or cleaning the house but without fail, I would always be there during Raya, just because I wanted to visit her.

She's now gone. The shortcomings that I was has been replaced by rewards in many folds. insya Allah. She must have had a serene passing with children and grandchildren in her company. No one in the room noticed it until she was already gone. She even slept with her daughter the night before she left us but her daughter didn't really sleep much. Although I know I wouldn't be able to make her life any better, her presence I'll miss. May Allah bless her soul.

Al-Fatihah..

I am banned!

Latest update: I'm barred from 3 blogsites that I wanted to visit. Two of them are bloggers I know and another I don't remember which site it was.. hahah.. funnee..

Head and cat

I was still having the headache this morning. I thought I didn't but I did. That was why I had to go to work.

No, didn't want to and stayed home for quite some time until Madam of The House returned and insisted (with simple but annoying words that I'd rather not hear again of) that I do. Dropped Reader's Digest on the bed and got ready. I guess the adrenaline rush was just too much then that the head didn't feel like it's spinning and everything seemed alright.

Until I arrived at the office and knew for sure that it's still there. Did a few things here and there which included removing dried skin from my lips and lunching at Subway as well as preparing my paycheque for the month and now blogging.

I must apologise to everyone who were in my way today for the stare, the look, the horns (I was sooo very horn-ey today :P) and the almost-killed-you encounters.

Okay, I'm not sorry for the almost-killed-you encounter simply because you were riding your motorcycle on a one-lane road, AGAINST traffic. And it had to be my traffic that day. That surprised look on your face? THAT should be lesson enough for you to spare a few extra seconds to ride in the right direction.

I really have no pity for motorcyclists who think they're small enough to squeeze through any illegal access. Not in this state of mind, or in any state of mind for that matter. Lucky you, my wish for a Hilux wasn't a reality or you would've been hospital-bed-ridden as compared to riding your motorcycle still.

Since KR went back to her hometown, Perang's been cared by us. Well, not complete and fulfilling care like KR affords him but daily meals and drinks. He drinks water and eats those mushy meals off the packet. He likes rice and grilled fish but we're out of them (KR left a week's supply - that was how long she was supposed to be away - and Perang finished them all). Madam of The House bought those hard crunchy cat food which was not to Perang's liking but he's okay if it's mixed with his mushy meal.

So my routine until KR returns is to feed him breakfast and dinner. One thing about the cat is that he's not a very disciplined eater. He would eat lots at one time and just snack at some other time so it's difficult to ration his food. The past 2 days, I sat with him as he ate because I didn't want him to eat so little or waste too much. Plus there are these black ants that likes his mushy meals as well, to the Madam's dismay. In order to keep the floor free from the creepy black ants, we'd have to clean Perang's dining pan after every meal.

Oh, a(n) (inside) riddle:
Q: If Perang has offsprings, what would they be called?
A: Mini Ku-Pe..

Getit? :D

Kepalaku pening..

Thank you for the.. entertaining comments, Nu and PZZ (I just came up with this nick, it's supposed to sound kinda like PDD :P).

I find that I write better rhymes when I'm overwhelmed with happiness either from self-induced excitement (.. it doesn't really sound right but if it helps, the direct Malay translation would be "syok sendiri" :D) or from experiencing pure joy from a day's activities or an event/happening. I've not really had those lately although life's not bad. My days were just.. ordinary. No complaints here, for I'd rather have ordinary over tough anytime.

My head's currently in between ticking and calming down. I think I don't drink enough (although I consumed 1.5l of water already by 11am today but haven't drunk a sip since then) but I'm quite sure it's the "I think I'm still young and highly active-able" day yesterday combined with the failure to replenish lost body fluids. Played basketball in the morning for about 1.5 hours then had open houses in Taman Duta then in Pandan before going to Sports Seven for another hour of futsal.

I've always called upon others to love, care and nurture their bodies, I reckon I'd better pay more attention to mine.

N:-(

Short take..

I have a few postings that I've put on draft for the lack of substance (or the lack of substance that I thought it did) which included some attempts at reviving my poetic side. I'm no poet, to be honest (like it's not already obvious :P) but I do write rhymes. Far from being nursery, these rhymes are inspired by out-of-the-blue-ness of whatever I thought was nice to write about.

I blogged a few rhymes on Friendster and later on Myspace. Friendster was the beginning of my indulgence into blogging and Myspace was a look-see. I've since deleted all entries on Friendster's blog and deleted my Myspace account. Facebook rocks, you see. I don't think if anyone downloads my writings but if you do, please let me know. I'd like to upload them again. I'll of course put a word in for you for keeping safe my 'work'.

I particularly like the rhyme on bigfoot which I think I called Gargantuan Orang Utan..

Gargantuan Orang Utan
Sitting on the bench
Its name not Tuan
And it's not French

and something something.. :)

Like I said earlier, out-of-the-blue-ness. That rhyme was inspired by the word "gargantuan" and because it rhymes with Tuan :D

Oh, I'm quite obsessed with my name.

Just thought of writing a bit before I tuck in. 2:35am, good night! :)

Conversation at the Coffeeshop

"Dude, I just realised," I said.

"What?" Asked Tan

"I just realised that these two can represent BMW models," I said, pointing at my phones.

"How?" Asked Tan again.

"Ya la, one is a 525 and the other is a 750," I explained.

"Woowh..! Hebat tu, 750!" He exclaimed.

"Nasib baik takde iL kat hujung," Added Naz.

"Tu lah," I concurred.

Then continued to exercise my 'jakun'ness at Facebook Mobile and the WiFi access at Hartamas Square.

And this is because I was tired of not blogging..

I thought the previous posting would garner some response seeing how universal the topic is but it didn't. A little disappointed but it's a blog and it's the world of writing. I can't just write and expect my writing to trigger reactions and comments all of a sudden. Anyway, from the cold response to the previous title, I've kinda lost interest (temporary, I guarantee you :)) to write and I'm now forcing my fingers to start keying word by word before I run out of time to actually write something.

Funny thing is that I've had quite a good time this week. Work has been the usuals, mostly slow but generally okay but time after work has been good. Caught up with two long time long lost friends, good friends too over dinner on.. What was that day again? I think it was Tuesday. Yes, probably Tuesday. These ants are slowly eating up my brain.. :P

We went to my current favourite place, the Bread & Olives at lookout point in Ulu Langat (I think there's only one place like that in KL, right?) for dinner. It was an ad-hoc plan that came about from a long exchange of Facebook comments on Zamzuri's status update. It was initially supposed to be somewhere around town but due to shortage of ideas on where to be, decided to go somewhere nice. Zam gave it a 10 for view although the food was quite a letdown with a 4. I have to agree with Zam's evaluation. Probably have someone talk to the cook about it. Or the owner. Or someone.

Look Out Point has made an improvement in traffic management. It used to be park-as-you-wish concept with not much care for vehicle arrangements and space issues but they've since initiated a parking fee per entry at RM2 and a jockey system for an additional RM3. Mind you, if you get there, don't ask for valet parking, ask for jockey parking. Yeah, the same but they didn't understand valet when I mentioned it.

It rained in KL that night and although we weren't expecting breathtaking views, it was a wonderful sight to behold. It was, considering we could see KL Tower and KLCC. There was no Genting this time, I guess it must be the thick fog since we had the fog entering our dining area as well.

A meal for four adults, with drinks at a little less than RM120. Reasonable, for that standard.

We're planning to 'attack' Zucca in PGRM next month for a taste of something Italian. I'm thinking of having a larger crowd this time seeing how excited other people were after learning of our 'escapade'. I'm just a sucker for food and company :)

See, nothing to write and already this much.

We're currently making preparations for our familiarisation tour of selected properties from Langkawi, Penang, Melaka, Pahang and Kuala Lumpur. OK, lets be fair. Melaka - A'Famosa and Pahang - Genting. It's not actually a tour of the states of Melaka and Pahang :P

This trip is a common one organised every other year by most tour agents to enable the 'sellers' to get-to-know the properties they're selling. As they say, seeing is believing and it's true, even in the current internet-accessible era. It'll be a 9-day programme beginning and ending when, I'm not sure, and participated by our team members from Australia, UAE and Malaysia.

(intermission)
Oh, I must just mention that this one 'artificial pizza' from Bread History was simply FABULOUS! I was lucky enough to be walking into their shop when they've just removed the pizza from the oven. Owh, the smell of burning tomato!
(end :D)

It's the first time I'm involving myself in the travel industry and although simple and trivial matters, it's just an eye opener to see what goes on behind those glass walls and customer service tables. We took some pictures after the Arab travel season in August of Ahmed, Idah and I. Lets see if I can find it in the computer.

Oh, I've also managed to 'screw up' my phone, the 525, while trying to install Adobe Reader for PPC. I did it with little problem on the 750 but when it came to the 525, the menu asked me to tick the program that I'd like to install. In the list, there were 40-50 preinstalled programs with 0KB file size and one unchecked box which was the Adobe Reader. Thinking that I need to uncheck everything and only check Adobe Reader, that's what I did. And it conveniently uninstalled all the programs that I didn't check. Being a guy who would usually just sit quietly and try to fix the problem, I sat focused on the issue at hand, attempting to revive it and breathe easy that it's all over. It wasn't as easy as that. The programs that were uninstalled remained that: Uninstalled. Then there's this nagging pop-up that kept on saying such-and-such a program cannot be found, everytime I turn the phone on. And although I can dial-in, the phone doesn't ring and I can't dial-out.

Shortcut solution: walk to the Asus Gold Service Center (they don't have silver, bronze, platinum or plastic, just gold) and told him of my predicament. The guy who serviced my phone before took the task and reset the phone as requested. All installations gone, phone back to normal. At least for now. I've also left my 750 at the center for a windows upgrade to WindowsMobile6.1. Yes, what a dumb move knowing how reliable Windows OS are but until I have a mobile phone working on an OS other than Windows and work in an office that uses softwares other than that from Microsoft, that's the OS that I will use.

I'll be going to The Brilliant in Low Yatt to get my phone reinstalled with some stuff.

Oh, also know that Google now has a phone and it runs on Linux or something. Don't remember the name of the phone but I think you should get a good search items found if you google for Google+phone. Maybe then, when the phone and its technology gets better, I'll use a new phone and get myself a laptop replacement.

Oh, just remembered that I've got to collect my PC from Shidi.

Wonder how long I'd write if I had LOTS of ideas :D

Kawan, kan..

I was at the office today when out of the blue, saw a friend adding me on facebook. I've been very close with him during matriculation years and for a couple of years as an undergraduate but we kinda moved in our own directions after that. I wondered where he went and he too I. It was pleasant then that he rediscovered me.

While exchanging wall messages with him today, up came another friend who shares the same name with this now-found friend. Their names were as short that I almost missed it that it was from someone else.

Anyways, having these people talking to me at odd and sometimes weird times of the day makes me feel.. present. That I'm here and now and not lost and missing somewhere somewhere. True that these people may occasionally have 'radical' thoughts of what's funny or what's entertaining but in times when I question my existence or the worth of my existence, having them around talking to me makes me feel so much better than a brick wall by the roadside.

Little things in life counts. They main sometimes be a pain but it's my life they paint.

Words

Lets begin with words and their opposites

Restless vs. restmore
Hopeless vs. hopemore
Countless vs. countmore
Needless vs. needmore

BUT

Chipsless does not compare to Chipsmore :D

Words and their meanings

anti
It's the Operating System that you install on a server.

hologram
The weight of nothingness. Also represents the weight of EVERYTHING when you factor out gravity.

awards
An acute example of oxymoronic English where a singular marries a plural and makes a totally different something else.

abrain
What you're left without after you read this blog. You just don't know where it went..

the one before one fifty

It's an ordinary day today but at the moment, I'm restless. I don't know why.

best to keep occupied until work ends I guess..

restlessness sucks :(

When all things click-in

juices starts to flow..
work begins to roll
table starts messing-up
heart starts pounding faster
bottom starts heating up
focus goes in and out
legs getting giddy
time runs faster

and life gets better.

note: I actually thought I had another post after the statistics, I guess not.

How la?

I'm as baffled as I am 'impressed' looking at the statistics generated by the site meter. Tapi seronok jugak bila tau ada orang visit, even if they don't leave comments or make remarks.

Haha.. attention seeker.. :P

Cumanya, Norway? Netherlands and India?? Oh, UNKNOWN?!! Hahaha... Aliens visiting the blog, maybe? What worth, I don't know but welcome, dear visitors :)

It may rain outside but I'm warm and happy in.

edit: I was looking for Zimbabwe but couldn't find it in any of the statistics. I reckon Zimbabweans don't visit my blog :(

146

First time ever in office that I put on songs. Selected songs from a compilation CD and some from my phone. Didn't realise it was there until yesterday. The office gets a little too boring when there's no distraction. Been trying to go on remote connection but the server is not stable at the moment. Awaiting update from the server manager somewhere somewhere donno where.

Got an application rejection today. Sad though because I don't think it should be rejected. Called the number on display but no one's answering. Don't want to generalise this as one of those 'standard governmental procedures' and will try calling again.

Had rice, chillied egg and chicken curry for breakfast this morning. No, not sahur, breakfast. With the pace I'm eating during raya, the gains would've been gone in another week or two. Weighed myself (against the urge not to) and found that I put on 1.5kg between 01 and 05 October. Hah. Either maintain the eating routine or increase my metabolic rate a few notches. Lots of room to improve, only lacking determination.

Not a long posting yet.

I have two tags not replied. Aisha's already fussing and making noises about it, hahaha.. Miss, kita gi minum-minum ke apa ke nanti la eh? U belanja because u left too soon. I visited Che's house (that's what your mum calls her, no? What do you?) the day you left. Very the tall that house, Abang Farez can walk underneath without having to bend.. hahaha..

If you're bored, try listening to Kiroro's Mirai e. Then google for the lyrics then google again for the lyrics' translation in English.

Happy day all. It's fine here, just pretty nice and fine :)

The days after Eid

Salam everyone..

Assuming that I have a list of interested readers, I hereby announce that I'm back in KL.

Like it matters :P

I really don't know if it's something personal or if it's a nationwide 'bug' but this year's Eid, like the National Day, has little to be happy about. It could be the timing of this part of my life or the current crisis hitting the nation (like I know/care/bother enough to be worried) or simply because I'm just feeling 'not good' enough to deserve the candies but it just wasn't really Eid for me. Yes, I have three new pairs of baju melayu to wear (which I've officiated way back in July and August, heheh..) and three t-shirts courtesy of daddy and bro, on top of 4 pairs of socks and another three round-necked tees (3 for 45 from somewhere in The Curve, last minute browsing) but it was rather dull.

Despite all that 'dullness' that I felt, we managed to visit our relatives in N9 and Kelantan, with the exception of my uncle whom we thought was still in Cyprus, until he sent a text message inviting us to his house on the 6th - the day we're scheduled to arrive in KL! - which we had to decline. And the RM30 duit raya that generous uncle, aunty and granduncle+aunty decided to give ("You're the married one, right?" "No, I'm still single," "OK, this is for you") :D

I also felt more at ease this year because of the lack of 'drama' that usually accounts for most of my going-back-to-Kelantan worries/apprehension, and the fact that we're staying quite far away from Grandma's place made it a travel to enjoy, each time we go visiting. In total, we stayed in Kelantan for 3 days from Thursday to Saturday and we were in TUM at least twice daily. It was a very welcomed difference in our routine and I know for sure, the waterhouse helped a lot.

I don't think there's any family photo at the waterhouse despite having all of us there on Friday and Saturday morning. I don't know why. We didn't even have the casual canoe+boat morning around the house and through the river. The timing was just off and the tide receeded as early as 10am. We had a family gathering to attend on Saturday morning so there goes our only opportunity.

We did however have some nice shots in Pasir Pekan during the family gathering. Or at least I think we did because I'm officially the non-photographer :) It feels better not having a camera to hold, as that enabled me to just sit down and listen to boring speeches for a good 45 minutes. Yes, I surprise myself at being able to sit in the semi-hot room listening to 3 men giving speeches which are at most times repetetive. For 45 minutes. Oh, I did fidget a lot and removed my songkok to wipe the sweat off the brim and it helps having nephews and nieces to attend to, as that distracted my thoughts from how boring those 45 minutes were.

45 minutes.

Anyways, had duck for lunch which my brother, being the last one to dine, managed to clear all meat off it. Also had Chinese dinner at Four Seasons Restaurant in Sri Cemerlang (they have a branch in Lundang) dining on buttered prawns, egg soup, tom yam soup, some fish, meat, chicken and lots of some other stuff I don't remember. Also had sweet and sour fish for dinner on another day from the fish reared at the waterhouse. We took pictures at the waterhouse last year but I'm not sure if the picture's accessible to public. Try googling for my pictures in picasa.

As much as my schedule was bare, I guess it was something that I needed to have. Structured programs without me having to plan. I don't make plans whenever I travel with my parents because their plans are SO fluid. Plus the fact that there's only 1 car and 5 of us rendering me rather immobile. Probably consider going back in two cars or maybe renting one there, next time.

No duit raya for the children again this year. Still considering whether I have enough to give my nephews and nieces. There were looks of anticipation (not from my brother's children but from my cousins') but they were good enough not to ask. Phew.. :P

Tomorrow, life resumes. Must be some mail in the inbox that deems attention. Not to mention updating tourplan. I was car sick when I arrived. Feeling better now. Had drinks with some buddies just now.

Happy after-holidays people!

My wish..

It's a Sunday today and I'm at home. This is what I normally do on Sundays but somehow I feel this Sunday a little different from my other ordinary ones. I'm not doing anything different, just the feeling.

Anyways, I'm still at the same workplace although I wish and wish so hard that I'd find a new place to land. And a new bed to sleep in. Which comes with a new room and probably new housemates.

But that's too cheap a wish to be making in Ramadhan.

although it would help if it does come true.

*Just had to borrow that song title.. :P*

Gain some, lost some..

It's almost the end of Ramadhan of 1429. It will be Syawal in about a week. Baju raya are hanging silently in the wardrobe with no outward intention of seeing the light of day. It suffice to see some light twice daily, when I open the doors to get a shirt or t-shirt. Probably three times if I have other places to go before dark.

This Ramadhan also brought me great relief. Finally managed to drop the burden of guilt carried for over 2 years. It happened as a surprise really, as I was not expecting anything from my prompt. I sent an email a few months back with some information I chanced upon while doing research. Received a reply this week. Sent a random text message too, some time recently and received a reply to that as well. With apologies said, I guess we can all move on. Gain: 2 friends.

I've been on an eating regime from day 1 of Ramadhan. It came from a concept I logicised (I do this often, using my logic purely :P). In my logic, since I don't do much at night, I don't need such a high energy level. As such, I don't need to consume so much food as the food I eat should only provide me with enough energy to rest a bit, watch tv and sleep. In the morning on the other hand, I would need a lot of energy to wake up, remain awake and to go about the day's business. With that, my food consumption should be high to be able to keep me at a good pace throughout the day.

So I began eating just a little bit at night and a whole lot in the morning. It's a huge help that morning meals are almost piping hot, making it tastier to the buds. Although I received compliments (:P) a few times the past week (and felt the difference too), I refused to agree to them until I weighed myself on a proper scale. Loss: 4kg.

Well, it's not all good though as I found out that I have a metabolic rate of 2 out of 9 and that my body's equivalent age is 36. And that the measuring tape states that I wear a size 37! Hah, never!! :P

I've got to remove some leather from my belt now. I have three black ones and all are currently loose. Hope there's perseverance after Ramadhan.

BTW, I'm supposed to be 72kg. I don't think I'd like to reach that weight. It's way too light. 74 or 76 sounds just about right.

Gain some, lost some but in conclusion, it was a great gainful month.

Ignore my English ;)

Singkapan Ramadhan

I'm not sure how my earlier Ramadhans were but let me recap my memories on the Ramadhans that I remember..

At one age, Ramadhan was the most dreaded month of the year. It's because I have to physically refrain from eating and drinking, acts which I cannot understand yet at that age. It was like a forced ritual and I had to go through that ritual simply because my religion is Islam. Of course, parents and teachers at the Sekolah Agama explained the who, why, what, where, when and how but what meaning does it make in this simple mind of mine then? Nak kena bangun pagi pulak tu just to eat, at the time of day when I would rather sleep, and by then time I get home from Sekolah Agama, had to wait for a couple of hours before I can taste the first sip of cold something. It didn't make sense.

There were lots of moments when I turn to the hose in the toilet for temporal relief, to burp (and be heard burping! :P) right after that and emerge refreshed after a supposedly evening shower. There was also an incident (that I made as an excuse) when I was 10, to break fast because I couldn't stand seeing someone drinking. Oh yes, I did get to taste the sirap selasih earlier than others but I also had to stay outside when it was iftar (dah minum air, boleh la gi padang main basikal! :P). Daddy locked me out of the house for that 'mistake'. Did I mention that it was a baby drinking milk from his bottle? Yeah.. excuses.. :P

Secondary school years were also a bane. There were the seniors who would ask not to be seen eating (to put it in mild words), the afternoon fatigue boys roll call and there was once while in form 2 that I had a bad stomach issue, I was forced (and I accepted gleefully :P) to take bread dipped in air sirap. And had lunch brought to me by a roommate (by the instruction of the DSM, no less). Alhamdulillah, that was my only authentic stomach related problem so far. Others were more of *ehem* reduced will power :D

I don't really remember what went on during uni years except that in 1998, for almost a month, I had one constant company for iftar.

Ramadhan in 2000, '01 and '02 were the beginning of our venture into business. It started off with my dad making a suggestion to open our gates and make ayam percik sales. It quickly included akok, cream puff and nasi kerabu. In the first year, we also had occasional nasi dagang, courtesy of my brother's MIL although the years after, it didn't work out that well. We opened sales again last year (for the record, last year was the year 2007) with the assistance of some of my former students and dubbed ourselves the Percik KING. They received certificates for their participation and we took photos to remember the event. We even had our private convocation dinner!

This year's Ramadhan is the best for me, so far. There's nothing superior about this year's activities and I've spent most of my iftars at home (although this week's nights are booked until Sunday) but I don't have to go to work too early and I don't have to move much in the office so I guess that makes it more appealing as compared to previous years.

I've still not completely understood the meaning behind it all but I think I'm beginning to appreciate it more.

Ramadhan kareem :)

New habits stay on longer

But old habits die hard..

Okay, second day aku menggantikan aktiviti tidur pagi lepas sahur dengan baca blog orang lain. It helps jugak bila singgah kat blog tu ada lagu yang sedap didengar, sane, clean and somewhat energetic. Aku tak berapa suka lagu yang bising dan merapu although kadang-kadang aku dengar jugak. Sebab tu jugak radio dalam kereta hampir 100% masanya kat Lite & Easy "For your easy listening favourites". Mungkin 20 tahun akan datang, lagu-lagu yang aku kira bising dan merapu tu akan jadi listening favourites untuk golongan 'oldies' (yang mana aku rasa aku akan tergolong sama.. :P).

Plus the fact that after my radio antenna went missing, LiteFM's the radio station that I can get the clearest reception where music sounds clearer than noise.

If I turn on the radio that is.. :)

Aku suka dengar lagu yang orang recommend sebab bila orang recommend, secara langsungnya dah ada filter. The best thing about getting recommendations is that in the recommender's subconscious mind, the song is related to the person it is recommended to. So when someone says, "Listen to this song," or "I think you'll like this," it's more than a suggestion, it's a recommendation, a thought and more than that, it's someone sharing part of his/her life with you.

Agak seronok rasanya kewajiban bersahur ni. Subuh pun mudah nak cover, kepala pun cepat jadi aktif. Bila makan sahur dekat-dekat nak Subuh, bila masa nak pergi kerja, kepala pun dah boleh berfungsi dengan sepenuhnya. Bulan-bulan lain aku tidur malam waktu sama tapi bila nak bangun tu agak liat. Sekarang ni tak la susah sangat nak bangun. Tambahan pulak aku tak berapa suka tidur bila dah makan/bangun pagi. Jadinya, waktu tidur aku memang kurang kalau dibandingkan bulan-bulan lain. Don't ask me about Sunday la ya? ;)

Siang hari boleh baca..

Aktiviti pagi tadi sambil menunggu masa nak siap-siap pergi kerja adalah membaca blog orang lain. Aku singgah kat blog patplohtujoh lepas singgah blog ayien. Bila dah abis baca blog patplohtujoh tu, aku tersenyum sorang-sorang. Simple, unsur-unsur lawak jenaka yang bersahaja.

Kalau korang tak nak tido lepas sahur tapi tak tahu nak buat apa, boleh la pergi blog hopping. Untung sabut timbul, untung batu tenggelam. Suka juga aku maklumkan kat sini bahawa adalah lebih bermanfaat jika masa terluang itu digunakan untuk mengaji, mentelaah pelajaran dan beribadat.

Sekian, terima kasih.

Yang berusaha
Tuan Punya Blog

mane ade.. hehe..

Kite tak marah la.. :P

I didn't know that the blog sounded so.. (for lack of vocabulary) angry until I read it again and realise that it could sound like it was written in anger..

Kalau rasa dimarahi, mintak maaf ya? Bukan itu niat kite.. hehe..

Apelah..

From small I've been amazed by some school friends who prefers the word 'kita' to refer to herself as compared to the more apt 'saya'. It's not a gender issue but those who frequent this word were girls, thus my angle. (Just a note, those girls then are still girls now.. - if you get what I mean.. :P) It wasn't 'cool' to be using words used by girls and boys would usually choose other words in conversation. There are, though, some guys who were able to bridge the gap between the two genders by timely use of words that would woo girls and earn them smiles, stolen glimpses, love notes and 'kakak angkat's and those were THE GUYS of that time.

It's bright morning now. Good time to get ready to go to work :)

If you can't take the crits, don't share your wits.

Imagine writing on a piece of paper then making 1000 photocopies of it and spreading those 1000 pieces at various drop-off points in the city.

Imagine seeing on each of those 1000 pieces of paper that came about from a photocopy of 1 piece, words inciting hatred, dissent or simple vulgarity.

Imagine having all that done, with the peace and comfort of your chair and writing equipment while the copying and distribution is done by others.

That's basically what we do when we blog.

Some people just don't understand the implications of writing a blog. Thinking that blogs are 'personal spaces' that warrants writing 'personal issues' using 'personal languages' that one feels/deems fit for the content of the blog, some people just write according to their fancy with little or no thought put in to how it might seem to the readers.

I really am generalising here so don't start feeling offended or as if I'm focusing on you 'coz I really don't have time to critic any particular person. I'm just trying to (hopefully) wake some ignorant people on a simple fact.

WHATEVER YOU MAKE AVAILABLE PUBLICLY
is
NO LONGER YOUR PRIVATE PROPERTY

If you paint your car pink and drive it around town, you have no right to stop people from making comments on your car. If you decide to go to work as a drag, people around you have all their rights to comment on how you look (well, some may like it some may not).

The blog that you make available on the internet is also subject to the same public 'scrutiny'. You may be able to write and pour your heart's contents into it but that also means that you should be able to accept comments from all and sundry who reads it.

Unless of course, you disable comments from your blog then it's purely for reading pleasure.

There's no such thing as "It's my personal space so I write as I damn well please and if you don't like it, go fly kite or make yourself useful." anymore because you allow people to access and read it.

If you're worried that your blog may be read by people whom you don't want to read it or don't want yourself to be known, you'll either have to create an access limitation with user IDs, passwords and what nots or blog anonymously forever and ever.

If you're only a reader and are very private about your life, I recommend that you keep your thoughts in your head. If you're a reader and like to write, I recommend that you keep an open mind about the types of people who have access to your blog and watch your words everytime you write.

If you can't take the crits, don't share your wits.

You want it? Come get it :)

Okay, so I strayed a little. It's not like the world will cease to spin without my meddling into its activities. Yeah, it would probably cause some to wonder but I doubt it's directed towards me rather to the outcome that I was supposed to give.

Like, "Where's the toast?" Not "What happened to the guy who always prepares the toast?"

I'm rambling. And the above is purely drama.. :)

I still am recovering from a back ache that I got grilling some flightless birds on day 1 of Ramadhan although it's very mild now as compared to last week. And I had to go to work on day 3, inching my way through staring eyes and curious minds. Not to mention the extended standing hours on the 5th to the 7th, smiling and wasting colourful paper, which (I guess) extended the duration for complete cure of the ache.

It used to be an annual event starting in 2001 and since last year has made its way up to twice a year. Progress? No. The opposite of progress. (side note: tried to find the opposite but found regress, which does not suit the situation but if you do find the opposite, comment please. Searched for egress and not found in Cambridge online dictionary) I've only got myself to blame and my sleeping habits. Oh, not habit but location. Since the fan's over there, I decided to sleep on the couch rather than on the bed as I used to wake up *drama* dripping with sweat even with the fan at 3. Oh, I don't believe in turning it to 5 because I think it's pointless.

The sofa gave me a bad sleeping posture and multiply that with about 7 weeks of sleep, out comes the strained muscles and stiff back. Yeah. Learning from that lesson, I've migrated to my bed, which is just inches away (with no fan above my head) and acclimatised to the change (I now use a blanket!).

MATTA Fair 08 was quite alright. I've never been to one before because I don't just feel like being amongst bargain hungry people. Met many friends I've known along the way. The prominent people I met were Syaza, Aunty (?) Mesra and children (prominent because I made 1 sale to them :D). There were also seniors from school as well as basketball buddies. Also made 1 Hi! Bye! friend with a promoter of a health outlet at The Golden Horses (hotel). I have a strange feeling that I'll be going to MATTA Fair 09 as well.

Came to office after the long absence seeing lots and lots of papers on my desk consisting of cheques to disburse, PVs and petty cash records to enter and receipts to pay. Felt overwhelmed and played the notty-employee for a couple of days before finally completing the task yesterday.

Terasa terurus sikit after that.

Have some documents to prepare for an application (not job :P) and some updates to do for some package enquiries.

Otherwise, life's smooth sailing :)

Who are we really?

I know I have a name.

And that's reinforced by the fact that this same name is on my National Identity Card and also on my Malaysian Passport. And that I use this name wherever I go, whatever I do that requires filling in forms and to state my existence. Not to forget that people calls me by this reference as well.

And thus, I know I exist, at least to the other people whom I see and know exist as well.

(writing this while waiting for Celcom's website to load.. was good in the morning, getting much slower now.)

But who is this Tuan Azmil Abdullah bin Tuan Ibrahim? Son of the land is he? Owner of rights is he? Beneficiary of rights is he? Or is he merely someone who in existence knows not what rights he has from the daily butchering of rights by those who claim to be fighting for his rights (or, from his own ignorance)?

I refer (again, to a limited exposure of the person, from a play directed by a respected director, in the presence and in honour of his son and wife) to a short play I saw of Tun Dr. Ismail, the Reluctant Politician (as was portrayed in a book).

(Now talking to a Blue Cube dealer)

Tun Abdul Razak put forward the proposal of an NEP which was objected by TDI because he sees more problems as compared to benefits coming from it. TAR on the other hand insists on it being the better solution as the racial issue that resulted in the 13 May 1969 riots stemmed from the inequality in wealth, for reasons I've not researched yet.

Fast forward 50 years, the NEP is still in existence although it was replaced in name by NDP and despite its existence, there are still many poor and ill-cared-for Malays who were supposed to have been taken cared of by the policy.

I do not wish to be ungrateful nor do I wish to be an extremist. One benefit I saw out of me being a Malay is in education. I was accepted into a boarding school which had at most 90% bumiputera and at least 50 mixed Chinese-Indian-Punjabi races. It may not seem a lot for those of you who went to schools with 700 to 2000 students but in our school of about 400 students, that accounts to 12.5% of the population. That wouldn't have happened in an ordinary school run by the Ministry of Education. Then I went to a university that not only accepts a multitude of races but also a very good mix of nationalities as well. I had friends from Macedonia, Bosnia, Saudi Arabia, Oman, UAE (although this particular guy is a Somali by birth :P), Phillipines, Indonesia and not to forget also Malaysia.

I strongly believe that had I not been a Malay, I wouldn't have chanced upon this much exposure.

I didn't receive scholarships nor did I apply for loans. I was not a part of any political formation nor did I land any jobs due to my political views. I was however offered a well paying job for being Malay. Keyword here is: offered.

How would I react, had I been on the other side of the fence, not getting into universities because of my race or marginalised because of it? I don't know. But I don't think I'd like it that much because it's simply not fair. If I were to say this out loud, I would be ostracised for being vocal and for 'forgetting my roots'. But were my roots firmly rooted in this country? No it wasn't. My great great grandparents were from a land now part of Southern Thailand, for most of it. On my maternal grandfather's side, we were from Indonesia. If there were any gratefulness that should come about, it should be for the acknowledgement those countries accord me should I go there.

From the SO MANY Malays who claim to fight for their rights, the rights as a Bumiputera, I wonder how many would be able to trace their roots beyond who their grandfather or great grandfather was? I wonder who amongst them would have at least 3 generations living on this land? Do they really know what the fight is for or is it just a mere 'protecting your boundaries' thing?

Ntahlah. I do feel that to an extent, I have been weakened by the limited exposure I have. I wonder if races play a role in our natural development and growth. I wonder if there is such a research done to show that the Chinese has it in their genes to be more successful as compared to the Malays or that the Indians are better speakers as compared to the other two or if the Malays are stronger in championing justice? If there was such a study and an accepted conclusion was found, damn us all for our fates have been sealed.

Otherwise, why fret? What's the big deal in having a more open-door policy towards other races? If we fail to accept that we are equal to any other races in this country or the world, we're only saying that we're weak and boneless. If we claim that we're supreme, as many (politicians, wannabes and the general public alike) claim, the only way to gauge our claims is to take the challenge of facing the tide.

After all, what matters in the afterlife is how good we are as Muslims.

Tahun yang kurang rasa merdeka

Aku tak tahu apa masalahnya tahun ni tapi sambutan hari kemerdekaan yang ke 51 tak sama seperti tahun-tahun yang sebelumnya. Pertamanya, rumah aku masih belum kibarkan bendera. Ini sangat pelik sebab tahun-tahun yang sebelumnya, tak boleh tidak, belum habis lagi satu minggu bulan Ogos, bendera dah terpacak di tiang di luar rumah. Tak lama selepas itu, pasti jiran-jiran di kiri dan kanan rumah mengibarkan bendera yang sama di luar rumah masing-masing.

Kami merupakan jiran tipikal bandar yang kurang berucap sesama sendiri tetapi apabila terserempak di pagar rumah apabila salah satu ingin keluar ataupun semata-mata untuk menyiram bunga sekalipun, pasti akan berlaku teguran dari satu kepada yang lain. Di sebelah kiri rumah ialah Uncle dan Aunty Tan yang anaknya CK Tan dan menantunya Aunty Putri manakala di sebelah kanan rumah pula Aunty Mas dan suaminya Uncle Idris. Rumah kami diapit rumah-rumah yang agak sunyi oleh kerana penghuninya warga tua yang anak-anaknya sudah membesar dan mendiami rumah lain bersama keluarga masing-masing. Oleh itu, sudah tentunya rumah kamilah yang paling bising sekali.

Background information over, now's the story about the flag. I'm still wondering why despite the National Day approaching very near, we have yet to fly our flag. The flag is in tatters now and I have to get a replacement but I don't see people selling flag around my work place. I do see a little more flags than on ordinary days being put up but they don't seem to have it sold. Must drop in and enquire at Petronas.

I made a resolution last year that I shall start buying a new flag for every National Day from then on. Somehow I do have this feeling that I'm the only person left out from this National Day emotion due to my isolation from the crowd and the Malaysian world. It wasn't so last year, nor the years before.

Hey, even the office does not have a flag. Talk about being patriotic? NOT! Good thing is that the building management put up flags at the atrium and that made the place look a little more... Merdeka-ish.

Anyone know of a place to buy GOOD QUALITY Jalur Gemilang?

Tuan's Wants..

Apa nak cerita hari ni eh?

We're currently having a Tour Plan training in office, conducted by an in-house expert from Dubai. Yeah, in-house? Dubai? Oh, it's our other branch, or rather, the second oldest branch of the company. We get most of our 'orders' from them, being inbound and whatnots.

It's been fun but to a certain extent, confusing as all trainings are, considering there are so many windows to look at, so many buttons to click and so much data to enter. It's not a problem about data per se rather the rates, on errors and faults and whatever else that deals with data entry. Data entry has been so.. elementary that doing it again seems like a task rather than a breeze.

Anyway.

I must be doing nothing much lately since all of a sudden, it's already Friday. Banyak rugikan masa kot, not doing enough beneficial activities.

Got a call from a few people inquiring if I'd be returning to my former office. They know and I don't? Coz I don't. Simply put, I told them that no one's contacted me yet wrt the opportunity and as such, I have not made any decisions. To some, I replied, "If the person who asks can sign me an offer letter, I'd be willing to answer/talk. If it's just the ordinary Joe who asks for the sake of asking, what's the purpose of answering?"

Went to Low Yatt yesterday and the day before to first survey then buy a laptop for a friend's BIL/sister. A good deal I must say, RM1450 for Centrino 1.74GHz, 1GB RAM, 120GB hard disk with some freebies thrown in. I guess he was lucky since no other shop that we scouted had an offer like that.

Also (finally) banked-in my July paycheque earlier this week after procrastinating. It vanished within 10 clicks. Yes, online banking and its clicks. I'm now able to happily answer phonecalls from Citibank.. :)

I guess that summarises the two weeks that I had. Raya plans? Not sure. Ramadhan is approaching and I've got lots to do then.. Like repent, beg for forgiveness and try to do deeds to help balance my scale.

Oh, what have I done?

.

.

...

Maybe, rated..

As light turns dark
and day turn night
Lonely in the park
sitting side by side
Gazing at the stars
and the moon's gentle glow
Two beating hearts
lay silent, no one knows

As night gets deeper
and day drifts further
Two beating hearts
still together not apart
Watch the sky shift
from clear to spots of clouds
Two hearts going under
restless for some cover

The rain came and went
as night is day again
Two hearts now spent
taking cover from the rain
Walked forth from the shelter
headed for the diner
Two beating hearts
clearly feeling hunger

Along the city streets
avoiding cars and buses
In the door they stepped their feet
"Sorry, we don't serve dogs here"

:)

When The Phone Rings and No One's There..

When the phone rings
and no one's there
I can hear the voice sing
loudly and clear

Of Justin and Madonna
and occasionally Adib
The songs just make me wanna
join in and sing ad-lib

When the phone rings
and no one's near
I want to say something
I guess I'll have to try later

Sandals? Slippers?

It's no biggie. Just to know a general population's opinion. BTW, General Population (or genpop) is usually referred to convicts in a prison's main containment area, although not in this case.

I've always referred to sandals as being those semi toe-covering pieces of footwear that actually has more than two straps over each straddling foot. Many friends that I know considers expensive slippers as sandals as well.

My opinion is that a sandal looks like this:

*A long absence in search for pictures, answering nature's call and googling*

And I found these..

SLIPPER

The word is recorded in English in 1478, deriving from the much older verb to slip, the notion being of footwear that is "slipped" onto the foot.

Slippers are frequently made out of soft materials such as felt, terrycloth or soft leather, and may or may not be lined. Some slippers, particularly those meant to be used near pools, bathrooms, or other wet places, are made of plastic or rubber. Slippers generally have thin and flexible soles, with a shallow tread meant only to prevent the wearer from slipping on smooth floors. In contrast, shoes and boots are generally made of canvas, plastic, rubber, or leather, and often have thick soles.

Slippers may be shaped like a shoe (foot inserted through top), or may have no heel, so the foot can be slipped in the back. They now come in many colourful designs – cartoon characters, patterns and animals are often used to decorate this type of footwear.

SANDALS

Sandals are an open type of footwear, consisting of a sole held to the wearer's foot by straps or thongs passing over the instep and around the ankle. While the distinction between sandals and other types of footwear can sometimes be blurry (as in the

case of huaraches—the woven leather footwear seen in Mexico), the common understanding is that a sandal reveals most or all of the foot (especially the toes) to view. People may choose to wear sandals for several reasons, among them economy (sandals tend to require less material than shoes), comfort in warm weather, and for reasons of fashion and attractiveness.

Usually, sandals are worn in warmer climates or during warmer parts of the year, because feet stay cool and dry. The chances of getting a fungal infection on your feet (athlete's foot) is lower than with wearing an enclosed shoe, and wearing sandals may be part of treatment for a fungal foot infection. Wearing sandals with socks is considered by many to be a faux pas.

After 30 years, I finally know. No longer need a genpop opinion.. :-S

I know..

I know I have to go home now. It's already late and the clock will strike very soon. But just as I was about to click start>shut down, I decided to blog.

What the..??

So here I am. Came back from Singapore safe and sound, alhamdulillah, under the lead of Safwan Fadzli and the napping-and-occasional-glimpsing me. It was two long days filled with sleep, chat and walks through the streets of Singapore. We were fortunate to have experienced the dry run for the upcoming Singapore National Day with parade from participating groups in full regalia. The setback was, it was in Singapore and as far as Singaporeans are concerned, there's no short cut to anything.

Including the path to the Merlion. So yes, it was my 'fault' to have made the wish to snap pictures at that lion-maid statue in down-town Singapore but for the last 10 times I went there, I didn't even manage to steal a look at that statue, apart from pictures in the tv and post cards. So the Merlion was a target more so since we're travelling with only guys. No! No! I'm not saying that all girls are fussy, I'm merely saying that if I were to travel with a lady companion, I'd be fussy about her well-being..

*cover line.. :P*

Believe you me, it REALLY took us a whole 7 hours to arrive at that lion-maid (after lots and lots of stops along the way for pictures, sight-seeing and poses) that includes being lost in the car just 1km away from the statue and the search for *free* parking space (ada, really, in Singapore!!), not to mention the waiting time to 'rediscover' Pue, and seeing the fly-by by helicopters, fighter jets and the xx gun salute by the river (xx <-- not sure how many shots there were..) We walked most of the way, or rather, almost ALL the way, hahaha..

And I cannot believe that all I had were almost blistered feet. I was expecting aching soles, tired thighs and calf but alhamdulillah those did not happen.

But I do have that feeling that I might get a cramp anytime soon.. YOu'll understand if you've felt that before. So remedy: decramping exercises..

I'm talking nonsense now. It's evident from the made-up choice of words.

Will return when I've stabilised. Pr0bably tomorrow.. P-R-O-B-A-B-L-Y :)

I wore brown BATA slip-on sandals without socks (probably the best decision for that weekend). Bata works!

Pictures, here.

-ANNOUNCEMENT!-

I'll be going on a road trip tonight. Hope everything works out alright..

See you on Monday!

The list..

Okay, so I finished work today at 7:49pm and have lots of time before going back. The past days were rather okay but at the point of returning home, there were still things left pending that required attention. Not today. Well, except for that payment to that hotel for that guest. Lets hope they give me free parking :P

I've been wanting to write about my gastronomic experience for the past 2 weeks month but like I said, things just kept up, eating away my private blogging time that stopped me from blogging, REAL blogging (like this one? :P) since early July.

Oh, I'm 32 now! :D

For the month of July, I've had the opportunity to dine at these places:

1. Bread and Olives at Lookout Point, Hulu Langat
It's an Arabic eatery/restaurant strategically located at the lookout point atop Bukit Langat (or what official name they have for that hill). This is a new discovery for me although I've been to the lookout point before. The food was good and the price was deserving for an Arabic meal. The view however was breath taking but it's only pretty at night, when no camera can do justice since all pictures will turn out dark-ish.

2. The Atrium Cafe, Sunway Resort Hotel (Pyramid Tower), Bandar Sunway
Had my 'breakfast' and lunch here twice when attending to guests, courtesy of The Management of Sunway Resort Hotel. The meal was quite alright but I adore the lamb so very much. Juicy succulent lamb can make me drool no matter the situation or surrounding. It wasn't really a breakfast, thus the inverted commas, since it was just some pastries and a cuppa tea. Which I didn't really eat because we had some other business to attend to. Also had sushi (although a very bad combination considering the other spread they have) and lots of ice creams. Oh, the tummy didn't agree with my choice of food :P Only Danish pastries were for breakfast and all others mentioned were from lunch. TWICE :D

3. The *something*something*, Hotel Istana, Bukit Bintang
This was a dinner that wasn't meant to happen. We went to the hotel to confirm some stuff and initiate contact with the people there (they visited us a few days before that) which ended up with us having dinner. Blame it on the reception for taking tooooooooooo long to process our request and before you know it, it was already a decent time for dinner! I wanted to eat well but felt self-conscious primarily because I wasn't prepared to be there and also because I was expecting to have dinner at home. The spread also included sushi as well as lobsters, salmon, Malay dishes, and some other mix I cannot remember. I didn't really indulge in the varieties on offer because we were accompanied by a few hotel staff so malu la nak buat muka tak malu.. haha..

4. Strawberry *something*, Taipan, USJ
Chanced upon this place while browsing Taipan and ate fish and chips. And realised that I've been to another outlet with the same name before but in PJ, near MBPJ. The dish was alright and the ambience just nice although the price of drinks were.. surprising.

5. Zucca Pizzeria+Cafe
Courtesy of Mama for the July-borned babies in the family. We had a good mix of almost everything on the menu and also multiple doses of fried calamari, garlic bread and garlic bread with cheese. Also had spaghetti with meatballs, lasagna, pizza, lamb shank, and and and and.. hahaha.. I'd be a fool not to be full! ;)

6. Uncle Lim's, Berjaya Times Square, Bukit Bintang (or is it Pudu?)
This used to be our 'station' whenever my father and I go out for lunch. I think it got too much into our pockets as we now bring sandwiches from home, hehe.. Well, actually, my pocket was already shallow to begin with so the pain was more in my father's. Uncle Lim's serves killer bubur nasi, chicken chop, laksa asam and mi cendawan. PERGH! Must try, if you haven't.

7. Bread Talk, Berjaya Times Square, Bukit Bintang/Pudu
This was courtesy of Abdul, for Ahmad and I. Ahmad's birthday is *surprise!* on the 24th! It's a small world afterall.. We had green tea cake, very mildly sweet so much so that Abdul took a second helping (never seen him do that before!)

8. Living Room, The Westin Kuala Lumpur, Bukit Bintang
Ate here twice on the same day. Twice = The Westin, not Living Room. One was with a courtesy ala-carte coupon (limited at RM40, imagine, berkira gile! Macam tak ikhlas je nak bagi courtesy coupons). I was rather irked at the limit that they gave on the coupon. Nak bagi biar la bagi betul. To make it even sillier, they didn't even have anything worth lunching with that costs less than RM40, on the menu. Went to the table, they didn't have dining utensils, no side plates. Asked the server if we can take buffet and top up the difference (buffet was RM72++) which she responded positively. Then after we took our buffet, she said cannot. Kalau tak pasal my parents and my brother, I would've snapped. Then we proceeded to have lunch and she didn't even have the decency to lay our table. We had to pinch the side plates, forks, knives, spoons and the side plates from neighbouring tables. AND THEY CALL IT A 5* HOTEL. Can take all those stars and *()@($!)@(* In return, we ate our hearts out with MORE lamb, less rice and all the lauks we can feast our eyes on. And two helpings of ice cream. Well, they don't lose anything from our meal but we ate more than RM72++, if we ordered ala-carte. Also had dinner at the hotel, during a friend's wedding.

9. Aunty Mas' house, Taman Zaaba, TTDI
I mean, this is the one place you can find a Taman inside a Taman.. For the same wedding mentioned above, this was a prelude. Had more kambing here but unfortunately was interrupted by some duties before having the chance to enjoy the kuey teow goreng. Food was wonderful!

10. Chee Hor Chicken Rice Shop, Jalan Bukit Bintang, Bukit Bintang
Try and you'll understand.

Alhamdulillah, despite the current financial constraint, He has shown me the path of good food. Sometimes I wonder how single-incomed households manage to feed and clothe all under their care when I cannot even manage to do much with what I have, just for me.

I must have missed a few other eat-capades because I thought I ate at more places than these. It was a very good month with good food.

I should be more thankful..

Zucca, for the delectable delicatessen

and bountiful Italian spread.

It's now 4 minutes to 6..

And if JT and Madonna's right, the world will end at 6pm.. hahaha..

Today's been good. Everybody seems to be in high spirits with smiles and niceties abundant, everyone including the guy serving at the Mamak restaurant downstairs. I have not for the life of me known his name but I've always had him serve me drinks (on his insistance, not mine) and we've always managed to have a short chat. I've also just realised that he doesn't actually speak our language so I guess he's an Indian from India but that's no problem for me. I've worked with more Indians than I've ever met before that. Being amongst them helped me understand their life, their tolerance, their upbringing and their approach to life and social relations.

Anyhow, things just happened to fall into place today with no unsuspecting trap doors. Tonight pulak ada meeting organised by the company with a travel agent from Iran. I guess working odd hours comes with the territory, unavoidable and forever accommodating. Tambah pulak baru je merangkak, nak mula bertatih, tak boleh la pilih-pilih sangat masa. Mungkin bila dah besar nanti, boleh mintak orang lain kerja lambat, kita jumpa masa siang hari je. By then, we'd probably have a bigger office with a proper meeting room and a pantry..

Haha.. Pantry. Why of all things do I mention pantry huh?

It has been a wonderful day. Alhamdulillah..

The itch.. eee.. *scratch*scratch*

Jari ni sebenarnya gatal nak menulis tapi kepala ni tanya balik, "Apa yang kau nak tulis tu?" It must be the time of the day that slows down whatever mental capacity and redirects the blood towards the digestive system. Baru nak tersebut reproductive system tapi apekebenda la aku nak buat dengan banyak2 darah masuk reproductive system? haih.. Dah dah..

Yes, it's the tired brain talking here.. I'll see what's there to think of writing next.

Emo.. :-S

Really, it can. Like, for one moment, you're all focused and directed then in a blink of an eye, you become all messed up and things turn topsy turvy. Just as you could, from being dark and moody suddenly become cheerful, happy and smiling as you walk, counting your steps on the crooked and broken pavement.

The same pavement that only one week ago was trodden in disappointment and frustration as you walk towards the Masjid, as a result of being scolded. At one time, I used to think that the most painful moments were the times that the teacher scolds you for doing/not doing something wrong/right. After years of surviving that belief, I realise now that being scolded at a later age is more painful since there's also this "tak pandai-pandai lagi ke? Umur dah berapa??" kinda thing hanging over my head.

But yeah. The same spot, different emotions, different pace although the same people.

This blog wasn't made to be about the pavement. It's made to talk about emotions. And it has been said :)

TOO MANYYY!!!

A Leo's Love Match

A Leo's Business Match

Cukuplah.. Look at them for fun, for enlightenment but not for guidance nor belief.

Now going GA!GA! over astrology..

It's detrimental to have so much time in your hands and have no idea what else to do.. Plus, I should've been a moviestar!! hahaha..


Dragon Personality

The Dragon is magnificent. He is flamboyant, attractive and full of vitality and strength. In China the Dragon is the imperial symbol, the sign of the emperor, or the male element Yang. The Dragon is the symbol of power and wealth.

It would be right to say that people born in the year of the dragon have a natural charisma and are certainly gifted with power and luck. It is unlikely for them to escape unnoticed from a party or to take a second place in a competition. The dragon person has an active mind and shows an unfeigned interest in the world around him/her. This person is also self-confident enough to know how to create a necessary impression. Because they are larger than life themselves, dragon people like to do everything on a grand scale. They are egoistical and ambitious, almost to the point of megalomania, and will stop at nothing to get what they want. Person born in this year wears the crown of destiny, and is capable of great achievements if he/she knows how to harness his/her tremendous energy, intelligence and talent. While these people enjoy being the centre of attention, they also have a brave and charitable side to their personality. If a dragon's friend faces a problem or dilemma he/she will be there to offer help, and when others leave the field of battle the dragon person makes a step forward to solve the problem with authority and dignity. These people set the high standard of actions for themselves as well as for other people and are surprised when others cannot cope with a task; they are so carried away by the process that fail to see other people's weaknesses.

The Chinese believe that there is a balance between heaven and earth in the life of people born in the year of the dragon, and successful follows them everywhere. Along with a good fortune, these people are also good organizers, who can step in at the right moment with an exciting or creative scheme. They can be quick-tempered and obstinate, and sometimes too outspoken, but there is usually good advice in their criticisms or suggestions. As a friend, person born in this year is often allows him/herself to be carried away by his/her needs to show everyone the way and neglects to solicit opinions and ideas from others. Yet no one could find a more devoted, open-hearted friend than this personality type. His/her vibrant, positive attitude is irreplaceable to have around and one can always count on him to support his friends unequivocally in times of need.

Dragon Love Affairs

These people are passionate, giving and totally partial when in love. They are blind to the faults of the loved ones and will shield the object of their affection against anyone or anything that could heart or threaten their love. Along with their inner power these people have an impressive presence and it is a usual thing for them to have a lot of admirers who are drawn by their charisma. On the contrary, the over-developed egos of dragons need constant attention and admiration from representative of opposite sex, and they will not hesitate to claim it if they feel they are not being sufficiently appreciated.

It is not difficult for dragon person to find romance, it is much more difficult for hi/her to settle down- there is often large quantity of love affairs take place at the same time in the dragon's life. The problem is that dragon person will soon be frustrated by emotional over-dependence or indecision, and will eventually set off in search of a new and exciting romance.

It is not a secret that these people treat love as a game at some point and it is rare for them to yearn for the past or harbor regrets. The situation is different when it comes to their ex-lovers who may carry a torch for the dragon lover long after the romance is over. It is very important to realize that people born in the year of dragon need a partner who would give them an opportunity to express themselves, someone who plays an active role but yet is not threatened by their irritable, stubborn and independent personality.

Dragon Career

A person born in the year of the dragon will be able to raise money for any venture and sound the trumpets far and wide. Being supported by a wide circle of friends he/she will selflessly work for the success of business.

It is in their nature to know how to gain respect, and being in charge or giving orders comes naturally; fortunately, most people accept their authority. It is important for them to have new challenges and freedom of movement. If they fell trapped by their career or they constantly have to follow other people's decisions, they would likely to pack their bags and leave.

They are high skilled specialists and have strong opinions on the planning and execution of projects. Their innate aggression and normal competitiveness may lead the whole business or even a company into dangerous waters, so it would be wise to hold the purse strings, tone down their expectations and unrestrained promotion as well as watch the legal aspects and exposure of the firm.

Ideal Job for the Dragon Include

Managing director, Salesperson, Advertising executive, Barrister, Film producer, Prime minister or President, Photojournalist, Architect, Astronaut, Artist, Film star, War correspondent.

Horoscope background

Lucky Numbers: 3, 4, 5, 6, 15, 21, 34, 35, 36, 45
Equivalent Western Sign: Aries
Element EARTH
Color YELLOW
Yin/Yang YIN
Direction EAST-SOUTH-EAST

Celebrity

Some Famous Dragons: Jeffrey Archer, Michael Barrymore, Count Basie, Julie Christie, James Coburn, Bing Crosby, Neil Diamond, Matt Dillon, Placido Domingo, Kirk Douglas, Michael Douglas, Marlene Dietrich, Tom Jones, John Lennon, Nick Nolte, Al Pacino, Elaine Paige, Gregory Peck, Cliff Richard, Martin Sheen, Ringo Starr, Shirley Temple.

Dragon Compatibility

Compatible with : Rat, Monkey, Snake, Rooster, Tiger
Less Compatible with : Dragon, Ox, Rabbit, Pig, Ram, Horse
Least Compatible with : Dog

Positive and Negative Capability

Positive: The Dragon can be vibrant, magnanimous, charismatic, principled, self-sufficient, discriminating, compelling, sentimental, accomplished, noble-hearted, healthy and prodigiously shrewd.

Negative: The Dragon can also be bombastic, dissatisfied, ruthless, demanding, opinionated, mawkish, egocentric, defensive, power-mad, foolhardy, wilful and pompous.