aina's godsister got engaged

When aina was still tiny and until she became a toddler, she was babysitted by her godmother, Puan Norizam whom aina affectionately called 'mak' (aina calls me mama). Ayu, (Pn Norizam's only daughter)) became aina's godsister or rather her 'sister' whom both had never had. Ayu loves her, disciplined her and pampered her. So does her father, En Sulaiman (godfather) whom aina referred to as bapak (aina calls dh babah). Apart from them, aina has abang Jim and abang Nik as godbrothers. The distance between our homes is four houses apart which had made easy for aina to escape my disciplinarian routine.

Ayu is a daughter whom all mothers had hoped for. She is a good mannered, intelligent and responsible girl. On this engagement occasion, I pray that Allah will bless ayu with kindness and love.

we had joy we had fun we had seasons in the sun..

(back row) mun mooi, mrs teh, wai ling, mooi kwai, mrs hanif loke, azirah, me, yati, cheok giam, kalsom, wei foonf, carolyn & gaik leng 

(front) rose chay, siew leng and kwee ling

"It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them."

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

 
 

New Friends and Old Friends

By Joseph Parry

Make new friends, but keep the old;
Those are silver, these are gold.

New-made friendships, like new wine,

Age will mellow and refine.

Friendships that have stood the test -

Time and change - are surely best;

Brow may wrinkle, hair grow gray,

Friendship never knows decay.

For 'mid old friends, tried and true,

Once more we our youth renew.

Cherish friendship in your breast-

New is good, but old is best;

Make new friends, but keep the old;

Those are silver, these are gold

when will i see you again..

jejak kasih

I haven't seen many of my friends for many many years, partly my fault for not making the effort. Recently facebook has helped me in menjejak kasih for Azirah, Kalsom, Juneta, Jasmin (sis of Juneta), Yati and Puteri (and perhaps many more). I am eagerly looking forward to meet them .... this time I shall find the time dear friends....

a prof who inspires

Prof Dr Muhd Kamil Ibrahim - I've known him long in blogosphere through his writings. His name was nothing new since I was also from ITM. I bought his travelog haji from mph bookstore in Subang Jaya. I've met him personally in Sarajevo and he presented me his travelog haji cd signed with a kasih sayang seorang saudara muslim. One week knowing him in Bosnia (we were part of the malaysian universities delegation) and having the opportunities to solat jemaah with him as the imam and hearing his tazkirahs has done me good (in faith) and I am so thankful to Allah. He is a simple yet great man, and effective in his dakwah.

bravo ex-comrade

Last Thursday I was at the Tesco as an escapism from a 'boringness' being at home alone - mak stayed for two nights at her one and only sister's place in Gombak, dh and aina day-balik kampung in Hulu Langat. I dropped by the office for two hours only to witness cold and still office since everyone was still away celebrating their rayas. As I was passing by the plant aisle, sat on a wheelchair in front of me was a familiar figure of a man whom I've known used to be full of vibrant, talkative and cheerful. Though hesitated at first (fear he might not recognize and just ignore me), I smiled at him and said, Haji Fesal? He smiled back and replied, Hajah ada sini tengah beli barang. Not sure myself on whether to ask him on his health condition or not, i said, ok haji saya pergi cari hajah.

At the perishable section, I almost cried with joy when I saw Hajah Azmahton. Masya allah, she doesn't change an inch, still look as young as the last time I saw her - more than 8 years ago. We had a long chat relaying all the happenings in our work and family lives in the past 8 years. She lost a grown-up daughter to meningitis, (fondly called kakteh whom at that time studied is UIA). I remembered what a fair and fine girl kakteh used to be. A year after that Hj Fesal got his leg amputated due to diabetes (that being the reason he is now on a wheelchair). Ya Allah tears almost rolling down my cheek listening to all she had gone thru in all those years - Earlier she had lost the only son and another 2 children in their infants. She is now a Senior Deputy Bursar and the sole breadwinner of her family which now consists of a hubby and 5 girls. But her face doesn't show even the slightest of sadness but only redha.

Though taller in height compared to her, yet I felt so small and inferior - to her determination, calmness, patience and expression of devotion to Allah. All praises be unto Allah, the All knowing, Most Gracious, most Merciful. Before we depart, she handed me an invitation card to her daughter's wedding to be held in December. Till we meet again friend,  may God bless you with happiness, love and laughter too ....and everything else that makes your life a happy one for you. Amen.

pagi aidilfitri

  

Syukur alhamdulillah tahun ini dapat menunaikan solat sunat hari raya di Masjid Ubudiyah Seksyen 19 dengan mak dan DH. Bacaan imam pun sedap dan berlagu masyaallah kalau tahu makna bacaannya pasti akan lebih menusuk kalbu lagi. Aina tidur di rumah abah di PJ malam tadi. Katanya "nak ikut makteh beraya sebab mama tak raye sebab along jauh". "Sorry darling tapi mama pun rasa aina akan lebih seronok kat rumah nenek PJ sebab ramai cousin brothers and sisters dan echah. "

Pulang dari solat, dapat pula skype lagi dengan sweet prince. He sounded cheerful and I felt so bahagia.. Di sana malam raya - baru lepas makan 'besar' dengan rakan-rakan serumahnya dengan pelbagai juadah yang dibawa oleh seorang yang dipanggil pakdin oleh students malaysia di sana. Pakdin ni seorang malaysian prihatin, bertugas di Toronto dan ini tahun kedua beliau 'belanja' students malaysia di sana. Malam tadi sebelum takbir meamor dapat video called dengan hampir semua orang including DH, aunties dan cousinsnya. Pagi ni pulak dengan nenexnya.

Lepas maghrib malam tadi (malam raya) seorang sahabat prof called dari makkah. Rindu sangat padanya sebab dah lama tak jumpa dan pemergiannya ke tanah suci mengerjakan umrah tanpa sempat berhantar dan berpesan. Beliau bukan saja seorang sahabat tapi dah macam kakak kandung yang sempurna whom I have never had. I felt so touched when she said she prayed in front of kaabah for me and hope to see a 'better' me. Amin.

Allahuakbar indahnya kebesaran Ilahi.

nasib baik tak pecah kereta orang

Tengah hari tadi temankan Kak Rj Norhayati seorang sahabat dari uitm shopping. Dah lama sangat kami tak jumpa oleh kerana kesibukan tugas masing-masing.  Setiap kali dia telefon, dia akan complaint "asyik I jer selalu telefon - u kan sya selalu janji nak telefon balik tapi tak pernah nak telefon". Masya Allah 'munafik kalau selalu berjanji tapi tak tunai' ni. So, lepas ni I shall note whatever promises I made so I will remember and ensure the delivery. Shopping can be a 'crazy splendour' kepada ramai wanita but not for me but for the sake of a friendship I had made myself available all afternoon. And I enjoyed every moment bersamanya - an 'anak kerabat raja' driving me in her new latio while I sat comfortably listening to her stories and soft soothing music, ok what! Kami bergegas-gegas berjalan dari Shah Alam Mall ke SACC kemudian ke PKNS Complex sampai nak tercabut kaki cari her baju kurung biru tapi tak jumpa-jumpa. Dulu-dulu dengan izin DH we used to 'dating' dari pagi sampai malam dan shopping kain and tempah baju raya dengan kain corak dan warna yang sama yang dibeli dari Gulatis di Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman. How sweet. We found that many boutiques these days are selling less unique but very common items up to being 'mediocre' in quality of design and materials.

Di SACC basement parking tadi I directed a 'havoc' drama. Terdengar suara perempuan menjerit-jerit histerical tapi tak jelas biji butir yang dijeritnya and a sound of car screeching. Tiba-tiba teringat kisah Canny Ong, Suzilawati dan kanak-kanak perempuan yang hilang so I shouted to a few men yang kebetulan berada di situ 'kejar, kejar, tolong, stop that car, ada orang kena colek'. I was also looking for a 'besi' so that I can break the glass of the moving vehicle. Berderau darah dan hampir semput juga nafas  berada dalam situasi kejadian tu. So those men pun kejar and stopped the car - alhamdulillah satu lagi kes pencolekan telah berjaya dilumpuhkan I thought. But to my surprise - cerita sebenarnya, perempuan tu gaduh dengan her husband or boyfriend I was told. I confirmed with the security officer there dan rasa amat lega. Tapi ya tuhan, bergaduh sampai macam tu .... perempuan ke apa tu? And nasib baik I did not find the 'besi'. If not i will be landing myself kat 'balai' dekat-dekat raya ni. But I am glad.... masyarakat Malaysia khususnya Shah Alam masih prihatin and I witnessed that with my own eyes.

berbuka with friends 3 days in a row

I had my berbuka at Tesco JM Briyani today with the one and only sweet lady whom I knew sharing the same birth date with me (but of course we're of different years). I am a dragon who wished to be a leopard and a lion at enthusiam ?! while she is a replica of perempuan melayu terakhir! Both of us are truly piscean - ultra sensitive creatures which she called as having the extra extra sense. Actually we didn't plan to berbuka together. I drove the sweet lady back to Shah Alam after we both attended a meeting in the BJ Campus. All the way in the car we had lively and lovely chats about work and people minus the gossips?! The rain poured heavily and the traffic jam was real bad. We reached near Kelab Shah Alam past the berbuka time. So we drove to Tesco, had a mug of orange each while walking in search of a decent restaurant. We had to queue until about 8.15 to be seated at JM Briyani.(The last time I drove alone back home to Shah Alam from BJ, I had almost fallen asleep while on the moving wheels. I had a short nap at Elmina only to be awaken at half past 7 - past the berbuka time)

Yesterday I had my berbuka with Dr Nasser and the gang from Marketing, Corp Comm and International at Grand Bluewave Hotel hosted by Dr Nasser. He will be leaving the university to join another one in Bangi. I guess he views the grass over there is greener than here. Good luck Dr Nasser, I hope to see you there one day - a step higher on the ladder (you know what I mean!). After the good berbuka I joined a bunch of dedicated students in a meeting on organizing an Eid Fitr celebration at the university which ended at 12.05am. I think if I am a wakil rakyat, at the rate I am going now, I might secure the next election seat!


Kesian DH, mak and aina for those 3 days I've been away for berbuka...

dione warwich & friends - that's what friends are for 

a good song the amisoens sang together in genting highlands last year

remembering old friends during a 'sahur'

Its good to make new friends, but the feeling is nicer when meeting the old ones. During break fasting in Intekma yesterday, I happened to meet Hazrul Anuar and Zaki Kadir with wife Juliana and children, Zahid and Kasih. We were colleagues in the Intekma's marketing and pr department which I once headed. Now Hazrul is a successful General Manager of Intekma (with a wife and 2 children) and I am so proud and happy for him while Zaki is doing well in a firm (I can't remember whether it is a construction or property one). Both of them had been serious marketers and workaholic during our old times in Intekma. Everywhere I've been after that, no one could match their hard work and dedication. I could still remember those challenging times when we were to present the business plan to the General Manager - few days before the Day, we worked round the clock and only left the office after midnight and on the last preparation day we went home at 6 am, had shower and appeared at the office again at 9am. Pheww... But we were younger and our spirits were very high then. Hazrul even told the students (oh, forgot to mention that I went there with the mpps and Ama) that I used to be very 'garang' during those days. I think I have mellowed much especially since I left the marketing line to be with the student affairs now.

I hope we could meet again, this time with other ex-colleagues. We had been like one big family before, reciting surahs every day (during En Azmi Kassim's days as GM), having briefing sessions every day (the length of each briefing is like a meeting) and having breakfast lunch and sometimes dinner together. And those memories linger on.... We drove one round of Intekma to have the sight seeing of its night ambiance before we left heading for our onward destinations. Thanks Syafizal, Fauzi, Amal, Zeela and Ama....

 

....considered to be my serious sahur after being on milk-mode since 3 sept 2009. Maybe I have lost few pounds due to this but Zaki, Juliana and others in Intekma found me 'obese' now. Syafizal even asked me how thin I was before and I answered slim enough to wear shirts and blouses tucked into skirts and pants. Those were the days .....

Fauzi posted a Kenny G's Breathless in the FB while I was listening to Kitaro's Caravansary. Its real nice to hear them in the wee hours of the morning. DH was listening to them too, since he tidur-tidur ayam on the couch in this study room.

Kenny G's Breathless 

Kitaro's Caravansary

Just a while ago, me amor video-called me. Its 6.12pm in Hamilton and they (he and his house mates) were about to prepare dishes for berbuka - 'Abang Ayi nak masak ayam masak kurma'. I've got to e mail him recipes on chicken and tomyam soup.

my alma mater, cochrane road school (crs)

 

 

What a surprise today when I found out that the shah alam campus student leader, nicknamed eijal was a Cochranean. No wonder all these while having dealt with this guy - the chemistry and all were like he is a  simple spartan from somewhere familiar that I couldn't recall. During my time there Cochrane was running a 'boy school' from Form I to V and the co-ed for Form Sixes. I was the only malay prefect then and well respected (up to being loved) by most of the malay juniors. Areas around the cochrane road was like my 'kampung' during those days - I will blog more about my life in Cochrane later when I have the time and am in the right mood to collect all those everlasting memories.

SMK Cochrane (formerly known as SMK Jalan Cochrane or Cochrane Road School) is a secondary school in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia founded in 1957. It was situated on Jalan Cochrane before the school was relocated to a new building in Jalan Shahbandar in late 2004. The school building opening ceremony was held on 4 February 2005 (Friday) Hishammuddin Hussein, Malaysia's Minister of Education[1]. The school, like the road it was once situated on, was named after an American engineer and scientist, Dr Zefram Cochrane.

I collected this from a website on especially the big gurls' muchly admired headmaster.

at 71

Mr Ajmer Singh headed the school during my time until 1989. During this period Cochrane Road School emerged as one of Kuala Lumpur's most successful and famous secondary schools. Cochrane had 51 classrooms with 1987 students. Staff count stood at 87; 52 graduates and 33 teachers college trained and temporaries. Cochrane emerged as the champion of the Pudu Zone. There were numerous students of the hockey chosen to join the MSSM. As usual the annual cross country run was held on the 23rd February. The 1982 walkathon successfully collected RM72,000. More money was needed in order to put up new blocks such as the sixth form block which was only successfully built to completion in 1993.

School song

Love your neighbours
Help serve society
Be fair, unselfish and charitable
Fear nor the rich nor the high and mighty
Trample not the helpless and the humble
Thus do we Cochraneans learn, do and say
Our watchword is one for all, all for one
Strive earnestly for the progress every day
In all our morals, studies, games and fun
Carry high the standard of loyalty
Come Cochraneans, follow the cosmic light
Heaven's bright beacon shows the way for ye
To honour and glory that noble sight
Cochraneans, hear ye Alma Mater's call
Yes, we hear! Then must we come one and all.

Viva cochrane!

selamat berangkat mencari ilmu me amor

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

sudirman - hujan

if a man could be in two places at one time
i'll be with you
tomorrow and today
beside you all the way

sibuk dan sedih

Aiman is flying tonight huhuhu. Early this morning a dear friend, Sabariah came over to send 4 jars of Aiman's favourite jam tarts (look at how mak wrapped them-like pumpkins!). Sabariah's son, Ayie is a senior student in the same university as Aiman and this year onwards they will live in the same house (together with 6 other Malaysian students). Chores this morning - collected some vitamin supplements for Aiman from a friend-pharmacist at Sect 19, collected his shoes at the cobbler in Sect 18 (we sent them only yesterday evening),  changed into some cad$s and korean wons, bought socks and serunding in PKNS Complex, collected his second pair of spectacles at Tesco Focus Point (his first pair was sent only on 30th August and collected yesterday, this second pair was sent only yesterday). DH accompanied him to have his hair cut. I hardly able to hold back my tears listening to this song

sudirman - dari jauh ku pohon maaf 

In PKNS they played this song out loud and repeatedly so I decided not to switch on the radio in the car. I still need to do a lot of packing and repacking and run through a final checklist of things Aiman need to bring along with him.

 

  

 

sleepy faces at khulafa with slr, pda, psp, earphones, wifi and blog

Me and Aina were awaken from sleep by DH who wanted to night-outing at our usual night hanging place. Khulafa is so 'berhantu' that we simply can't resist. Cladded in  tees and track bottoms,  DH drove us (me, Aiman and Aina) to Section 20 Khulafa. Though sleepy we did serve ourselves with tandoori, nan and fried maggi alongside teh tarik, iced-milo, teas and rose syrups!

While listening to oldies like Nina Simone's Ne me quitte pas (if you go away), Once's Dealova, Dewa's Pupus, Freddie Aguilar's Anak, Search & Inca's Jangan Pisahkan, Celine Dion's Titanic and Broery's Widuri (boy! this song reminds me of 'Kamek' - my former boss whom NZ said menjengkelkan!), I managed to update my blog. I should go not only fat but also deaf listening to loud-played songs via earphone plugged into my ears should this became my nightly routine. And I surprised not only DH but also some of the mamak's guests and waiters by taking shots from my slr camera (in the wee hours and at the mamak's, who would imagine?!).

Lastly listening to Sudirman's haunting Senja Berulang Senja at a friend's posting via http://mama.nuraina.com/?p=3718, I feel like crying. Wherever you are now friend (in Kelantan i believe) I miss you!