Chronicles of St.Nawtee

. . . still awesome . . .

2012-01-17T18:45:00.002+08:00

assalamualaikum

21 years has passed... the beautiful story line of this animation had and still manages to entertain me. i don't really have to turn back time to go back to my childhood to be happy. just have one of these on the shelf. truly a must have in every household where the inhabitants want to escape to a mindset full of wonders and happiness...

beauty and the beast, 1991

wassalam

. . . punked . . .

2012-01-17T17:57:00.002+08:00

assalamualaikum

should've seen it coming. this is what usually happens when we use something for free. used to get similar 'hoax message tactics' in the days when Hotmail was... uh... hot for uh... using e-mail. the message goes...

WhatsApp is going to cost us money soon. The only way that it will stay free is if you are a frequent user i.e. you have at least 10 people you are chatting with. To become a frequent user send this message to 10 people who receive it (2 ticks) and your WhatsApp logo should turn Red to indicate a frequent user.

and there i was sitting in bed waiting for my WhatsApp to turn red... lol! made my morning cheerful though. being punked ain't that bad as long as i don't hurt myself i guess... hehehe... oh i also read there was another kind of similar message, as the following;

“Whatsapp is shutting down on 28th jan Message from Jim Balsamic (CEO of Whatsapp) we have had an over usage of user names on whatsapp Messenger. We are requesting all users to forward this message to their entire contact list. If you do not forward this message, we will take it as your account is invalid and it will be deleted within the next 48 hours. Please DO NOT ignore this message or whatsapp will no longer recognise your activation. If you wish to re-activate your account after it has been deleted, a charge of 25.00 will be added to your monthly bill. We are also aware of the issue involving the pictures updates not showing. We are working diligently at fixing this problem and it will be up and running as soon as possible. Thank you for your cooperation from the Whatsapp team”

seriously, i don't understand why they would want to ruin a thing thats given for free... some people are just too crazy and narrow minded. sigh...

wassalam

. . . no PS4, about Apple and lastly, Alienware . . .

2012-01-12T06:53:00.005+08:00

assalamualaikum

saw it thru the CNN site on how its not over yet for the Playstation 3. apparently i've heard and read about upbeat rumors of the impending arrival of the Playstation 4 this year. but now Sony says they're going to extend another few years (it was reported for another 5 years or so) before introducing the 4th generation of the Playstation.

my comment on it, thank goodness and SLOW THE EFF DOWN for God's sake! i mean come on! its bad enough that i have to cough up money just to get the Playstation 3 a few years back. heck it even took me a while on getting the Wii and Xbox. now i'm on the verge of getting me a gaming rig (PC) as i am having these "i have to get me one of those!" moments.

Apple products are killing me as well. to date, i just have two; the MacBook Pro and the iPhone 3Gs. yes i am a bit backdated, that i don't mind. but seriously, every so often i hear Apple releases a new product, i have urges of getting it as soon as possible... which most of the time, i don't understand my own brain on why i want those stuff.

i end up questioning and arguing with myself (yes i am insane, that i agree wholeheartedly) on why i should waste my time (especially money) on stuff that i know will only take at least a year to be 'the in-thing' before another new product pops up. Apple for one thing i find out, is not giving room to breathe for customers. but thats my own opinion. other tech-freaks out there don't mind hoarding all new products (even queueing up a day before the real release outside the stores) as soon as it's available. it always struck an awe in me on how motivated and crazy at the same time a human being could be just to get their hands on the latest products.

i have my thoughts on Steve Jobs' passing but i'd rather keep it to myself (i don't want the verbal wrath and threats of Apple geeks...)

now theres the oncoming event for the iPad 3 release. goodness gracious. i was so near of getting the iPad 2 but i successfully pulled back my insanity. i feel pity to those who bought the iPad 2 just a few months ago. but then again, like the crazy humans will always be, they will eventually buy it within a heartbeat. i'm still measuring my thoughts on getting or leaving it and getting other stuff that i really do need. like a mop for instance. or a spare blanket. yes i don't have a mop yet. yes i am a very sad lunatic.

but thats just me :) i love how i ridicule my own stupidity. its the highlight of entertaining myself.

oh have a gander at this...

thinking about it just give me pleasurable chills... the thought of having it makes me drool like a puppy but the sheer cost of getting it (not including a monitor, keyboard etc... just the CPU itself) just takes the life out of me...

wassalam

. . . it really makes a difference . . .

2012-01-11T17:02:00.004+08:00

assalamualaikum

a cool enfant terrible of cookery

surf around his Youtube clips on the net, his techniques seems really basic and simple. nothing much out of the ordinary. nothing fancy as far as i've seen. i have yet to look around and see his past works in the kitchen but for now, i will emphasize his simple, yet works very well, usage stock cubes (ones that you would find in any market nowadays to help you do soups etc).

he uses Knorr brands on most of his cooking, be it stock cubes or pastes. i wasn't actually interested much since i only use stock cubes in a few of my cooking. its usually the basic black pepper, salt, chopped veges and so on.

but what got my attention was the way he made a simple minute steak... what happened to me next, as you can imagine, was a rush to get an ample collection of stock cubes, stock pots... anything that will help me answer my insane curiosity. yes, when it comes to food, i waste no time to make my palette satisfied!

have a look...

... and have a go.

i found myself amused and amazed and awed.

bien joué Monsieur White...

wassalam

PS. i also recently found out that Gordon Ramsay was one of his culinary students and made him cry... how bad ass can one be to make a foul mouth bad ass cry? not really a guy i want to work with but will definitely try his personally-made dishes if i was given a chance...

. . . its here!!! . . .

2012-01-10T17:58:00.003+08:00

assalamualaikum

finally after 5 years of wishing, it came true and here it is... now my heart is at ease and i am only left with a wishful heart that my bank account suddenly has tons of cash to let me spend on whatever i want that i can find in that store...

lo and behold... *angelic music playing in the background*

situated in Rue de Zurich, Geneva

i almost went on my knees and cried while holding one of the Originals shoes... hahaha! yes i am an avid fan of Adidas although i do like other brands too *cough*cheaper*cough* but i've been eyeing so many things from it. i love the Originals collection. makes me feel like Snoop Dogg in a way... :P

i seriously wished for one store to open up in Geneva. since i see lots of teens around here do love this brand as well. the first branch i saw was in Zurich a few years ago and i also heard that there was one in Lausanne. of course, both places are too far from where i live. i'm not gonna waste too much money just to get a pair of shoes. but now that its here... hmmm... there is still space in my shoes cabinet... *sigh* the happiness that comes along with pain... you can expect me buying one very soon :)

wassalam

. . . execute . . .

2012-01-08T04:08:00.007+08:00

assalamualaikum

i wish i was a young blooded teenager again. that way i could play my games like 24/7 without having a headache or keep peeing for every 5 minutes thru the game. i confess that out of the 20-30 titles of games (PS3, Xbox and Wii) i've only managed to complete probably like 5 or 7 of them. i can never have that urge to finish it one at a time. i skip from game to game not remembering where i left off. the worse part i guess is getting used to or remembering the d-pad instructions. especially between the Xbox and PS3 as they are quite similar.

Splinter Cell Conviction

GOD! this game is friggin' amazing...

so far i've been religiously playing GTAIV, Dead Space 2 and Splinter Cell Conviction. Dead Space 2 being my most favorite but least played. not that its hard. not that its boring. not that i don't have time to play it. frankly, i am scared to play it. the suspense and horror gives me the nightmares. i remember once playing it in the middle of the night and i swear, i heard a noise from the kitchen that sounded like one of the Necromorphs. the hair on the back of my head stood up, confirming the cowardliness. yes, at this age, i am not akin to horror games anymore. i used to be scared of Resident Evil. not the ones nowadays, back when it was popular in the first Playstation. but i really want to play games as much as i can. because only here at this moment of time in my life, absolutely no one is there to stop me (sorry Mum and Dad). most people say gamers don't have a life and are losers or barred from the social world. i disagree. i can't say for all gamers since i am not hardcore but i definitely can say that i am not like that description. for some others that i see (usually in Youtube) are crazy and waste their life playing games... thats them. and personally i don't care. i play to enjoy and fill my time. and i certainly don't waste my life.

for the past several months, i've been following closely to a guy that plays games, records them and puts in commentary while he plays. i found him while i was surfing for walkthroughs (yes, i choose the easier way to complete a game by knowing it first, then playing it... so what? its my choice) thru Youtube. his name is Vash12349. he does a great job in playing. he does have his moments of dying or glitches or messing up... but i love the fact that his commentary makes the corners of my mouth bleed because of laughter. he is so hilarious. have a black dude do something, its always hilarious. don't believe me? you want an example? watch Fresh Prince of Bel Air. but first you gotta understand comedy (as well as messy English). if i sound racist, i do apologise sincerely and truthfully. but what i mean is, black people are geniuses when it comes to comedy. i love the way they talk. there's a certain swagger to it. search him on Youtube, watch and listen. i am sure you will have, as i would quote from him, a bootleg time!

it was really my dumb luck of finding out the ingredients. i've been longing for kolo mee for so very... uh... long. i have this knack of being really trying to make something close to how i remember it to be. be it from my past or from my insane ideas in mind (this includes my very own clothes rack that i seriously wanted to fit into my closet... i'll tell you that a bit later). a lot of my experiments are on food. i said it before and i'll say it again, i absolutely love food. but by far, this kolo mee that i made really surprised (yet annoyed) me a lot!

not that i actually know what ingredients are used. i seriously tried my best surfing the net and looking for the best recipes for kolo mee but after trying it all, it didnt satisfy me at all. my theory is that it comes in two most important parts; the noodles and sauce. the sauce is fairly easy but the noodles were really a bother. i tried several noodles including spaghetti. i have this theory too that the noodles used for kolo mee are specially made noodles specifically made for kolo mee recipe. if anyone out there disagrees (or better yet, knows the real recipe) please do let me know.

but of course, the best way to know it, is simply by asking a cook from a local restaurant. i would've tried that but unfortunately, the quest for making kolo mee came only when i stepped out of the country. its is true, once you live out of your normality, it is really hard to adapt... this is so true when it comes to food. as the Brunei Malays would say, "tais liur" which means you want to eat something which is not available at that moment. i seriously miss the food from my own country... but so far i've managed to make my own 'organised' and 'copying' food (recipes). again, not exact but i vouch that it tastes close.

i'm not sure what type of noodles they are but i call them as 'fresh handmade noodles'. none of those dry noodles or ramen. boiled for 5 minutes, strain and rinse with cold water. for the sauce, i just used broth from the 'Hainanese Chicken Rice' i made before (i still have yet to try it with chicken cube stock or chicken granules, particularly those made in Asia e.g. Knorr or Maggi... the similar branded ones i find here are okay but i think its more to the basic chicken stock with added parsley, carrots etc. basically non-Asian way. i have no idea if there is such Asian or European or American way of making broths. if only my tongue can explain i would let it tell you why it finds it different...).

copied from the net... not the actual kolo mee i made...

but it looks close enough :)

to that broth, i add sesame oil and light soy sauce. i leave it up to the others out there to balance the taste out or to put in how much they want. i tried to reinforce the taste by quick frying garlic in oil then putting in the sauce. i let it be runny and quite soupy as i like my kolo mee having a bit more sauce. then add the noodles. and there it is... kolo mee. i made so much, it could've fed 3 people. but in my math, that is equal to eating just for myself...

wassalam

. . . 2012 . . .

2012-01-02T02:30:00.003+08:00

assalamualaikum

bonne pute annee a tous!!!

2011 went off and 2012 came crashing in without much of a surprise. yeah you had that feeling also... 'gosh, its 2012 already'. yep, nothing much of a surprise. everyone starts making new resolutions after finishing (so they say) their last resolution which has yet to begin in the first place.

come on, all we got to do for the new year is just to plainly survive it so we can face another new year that will come in no time at all. time passes by so quickly. all i want to do is get all the things or work done without much of a hassle and move on to solve the next problem in life.

so 2012, here i am. come give me all you got.

wassalam

. . . back to blogging . . .

2011-12-31T08:16:00.003+08:00

assalamualaikum

never did i intend an unplanned hiatus from blogging. i've only realized/remembered about the existence of my blog a few minutes ago. never too late though. and just in time to close 2011. i never also got to know why i took the hiatus. i guess i have to blame it on lack of ideas on what to write exactly.

i think i need to divert or find a way to rectify, modify and set a new direction for my blogging days ahead.

all this while its been too much of my own inner insane thoughts. daily life isn't that much interesting nor boring at the same time. then again, i would blame it again for being too intimate (wonder if that is correct for this sentence) with my game consoles.

not that i am a true gamer, but i do spend as much time on it as i spend being online with my laptop. i feel like a male version of Major Motoko Kusanagi. except i'm not sexy. don't kill anyone. not jumping from building to building. not a cartoon. ok this is getting nowhere. basically what i'm trying to say is that i'm too wound up with the internet rather than my reality.

so hence, starting 2012, i'll try my best to make use of this blog. not only to myself but probably to others as well.

wassalam

. . . quote . . .

2011-06-13T19:39:00.003+08:00

"Saints are sinners who kept on going"

Robert Louis Stevenson

"He conquers who endures"

Persius

. . . victory tastes sweet . . .

2011-06-09T15:27:00.004+08:00

EFF YEAH!

this is exactly how i look right now...

after 6 months of dizzy and heavy studies

so this is how victory feels like

prayers and patience do pay off well

alhamdulillah

berkat La Illaha Illallah,

Muhammadur Rasullullah!

Syukur Alhamdulillah :)

. . . ecole francais TEST! . . .

2011-06-08T17:20:00.002+08:00

test is today... T.T

praying for the best...

Dear Allah, i hope i can manage it well... amen!

. . . MOAR food . . .

2011-06-08T16:13:00.005+08:00

assalamualaikum

Belutak was probably (surprisingly!) the easiest to make although i lacked one key item that is needed to ferment(?) the slices of meat; cow intestines. yeah, its more or less like a chorizo (without the red colors) or blood sausage (without the blood) and of course, no pork. although, to non-muslims, i think if you try this method, it'll be mostly the same except the fact that beef can be slightly chewy. but for the sake of my own faith, beef is by far the best for me.

slicing then chopping them into dices wasn't as easy i expected. its as difficult as mincing raw chicken or fish. but the challenge comes when you cut the tough tendons and fat, both of which i also include to make the Blutak tastier.

that was a given fact, being hard to prep/chop. what astounds me the most is the ingredients; just basically 2, salt and LOTS of garlic. mix em up and let it stand for a while to dry a bit. if you have, by any chance, be in possession of a cow's intestine, that would be awesome. because it is essential when it comes to drying the meat under the sun (or in my case, hang in the kitchen near the window. doesn't stink at all. what i did was wrapped clear kitchen cling film and shape it into a sausage. tied each end with a rubber band and just hung it on the wall. sound unhygienic but no maggots nor funky stuff goin' on in the meat. just check every so often so that flies don't come disco-ing around on it. i hung it for a whole day (during a perfect sunny day) and transferred it to the freezer to eat another day.

this was like... my 3rd try. got lazy putting it in cling film, but still works!

normally i would stir fry it. some people deep fry it. i once actually roasted it. either way, it tastes awesome. FYI, i added hot thai chilli peppers in the mixture (because i'm the boss!) and it tasted even more kick-ass awesome. just adjust the salt to your liking... and voila!

"Belutak"

the second batch i made was a bit too salty but managed to skim it away by boiling it before frying (skims off a bit of fat as well)...

suivant... next in line...

chicken charsiu

i think i might be wrong or have modified it completely but i made it a few times, still tastes delicious ^^

what i meant about being wrong was that, as usual, pork was supposed to be the main meat ingredient. Charsiu or en anglais, barbecued meat or literally meaning "fork burn" (don't know why, so don't ask. i got it from Wiki... hehehe) is quite an experimental dish to me, since the first try wasn't that much successful in looks but taste-wise, it was delicious and satisfying. i was trying to get that steamed kinda look, with the skin still on (i love chicken skin! they are the best when deep fried and in steamed chicken rice!).

this was my first attempt... yeah, doesn't look appealing :-/

but the taste... super de-effing-licious!

the first try included ingredients as you would find in making chicken rice; soy sauce, garlic, ginger, sesame oil. not really charsiu ingredients but i was trying to get the hang of prepping its 'looks. as you can see from the picture, i pan fried/boiled it after marinating it for a few hours (i used the marinade as the sauce as well but you can make a new one if you are feeling hygenic... i didn't suffer any disease so it was okay).

the next few tries, after obtaining a bottled charsiu sauce/marinade, after deboning 2-3 chicken thighs (which i recommend as it is more flavorful and interesting), seasoned it with salt and pepper then rolled it into a log. i tied it with baking strings to keep the shape. the easiest but lengthy way was to roll it then wrap with cling film and freeze it for an hour before tying it with string. i used that way because tying it when its still soft was a bit to hard for me. after marinating overnight, i roasted it and kept basting it every 15-20 minutes until i have that nice crusty dark brown-red char on the outside. i also poured in water in the baking tray while the chicken was on the baking rack so it won't boil the chicken. it was merely to give it surroundings some sort of a humid atmosphere which i believe can maintain the juiciness inside the chicken while the outside it charred.

from what you can see from the previous Ramen recipe i made, there was also charsiu but i used meat and the prepping was as similar to the chicken except that i didn't have to roll it since you can purchase meat in a block form. i used a portion of rib meat so it was kind of chewy. next time i would probably boil it till it softens a bit before roasting and basting it with charsiu sauce.

wassalam

. . . itchy fingers . . .

2011-06-06T06:48:00.004+08:00

assalamualaikum

yes... the gamer is back again!!! ^^ basically back dated on games but hey, ain't nuthin' wrong, eyh?

spent hours playing on this shit... well, more of dying brutally rather than finishing. after leaving the PS3 for a while for the dust particles to collect, i finally picked up the joystick and started playing again. after downloading the movies, Dead Space: Downfall and Dead Space: Aftermath, i became intrigued with the story line. Dead Space has a remarkable resemblance or playability that i came upon when playing my all-time favorite (as well as a heart-stopper) game, Resident Evil. except that Dead Space is carried out in... space. DUH!

anyway, games like these heighten the happy child inside me but my so-called braveness isn't what it used to be. i tend to squeal and get shocked more often. i don't know whether games nowadays packs a punch in them or its just me being a scaredy cat... :P this shit always manages to scare the very soul outta me. my mouth puckers in sync with my anus just by the sheer anxiousness that i experience every time i move into a dark corner. i physically have to put on happy music just so that i won't be scared when i listen to its realistic sound effects and suspense music.

so, gonna get back to it. wish me luck! (rather, wish i don't die of shock...)

sigh... so true... so very true :(

wassalam

. . . the plumpy food activist . . .

2011-06-05T03:50:00.004+08:00

assalamualaikum

Okay, i'm not really that active in making food but apparently these past few weeks have been really productive in terms of making food from scratch... i don't actually know how it started. but the key recipe that ignited my food quest was probably from a simple dish Ramen, basically noodles in hot broth. i'm not talking about packet ramen either. thats a given simple instant food that normal growing up kids (and also grown-ups) eat in times of dire circumstances. for me, its a fast way of saving money and also curbing my hunger from buying meals around these parts (yeah, food in Swiss can really burn a hole in your wallet if you're not careful).

Price could also be a reason that greatly impacted a burning passion in me to come up with awesome recipes. well, to me that is. i don't dare yet to widely promote my ridiculous creations. but i must say, at most of the times i make them, i was greatly impressed on what i can do (FYI, i got none to praise me but myself... its my way of pushing myself to my own limits... hehehe). i had some good comments before... such as my stuffed chicken rolls. i could list out various reasons but frankly its just me filling in my time during the weekends.

lets start at the beginning, Ramen. i've always had cravings for it every single time i feast on instant noodles. oh yeah, its not a sad sight nor thought that i eat instant noodles, apparently i eat them once a week at most. but usually it comes in handy when i'm short of cash. personally, when i am lazy to cook, hehe...

curiosity is an awesome state of mind, it can lead to victory or your doom. so far, it hasn't failed me yet. its like an addictive drug which fuels my mind, body and soul. its a push to my bodily movements (sounds kinky... hmmm...). the kitchen has become my permanent hangout place, with the toilet and bedroom being the 2nd best and the living room the last. i'd sit there for hours, even a full day trying to look for recipes and concocting my own.

the ramen broth, in my opinion, plays a very important part. i always consider ramen comes with broth or noodles soaked in soup. so far that i know and tasted so far are; miso based, soy based and meat (beef and chicken) based. after i've covered the basics, i realized that more can be made, soup wise. that'll come later. i wish i could do my own noodles. so far i've tried it once but it was neither a win nor a failure. to me, its sort of like making a cake, you know, with all the measurements and exact quantities. i never liked that, i am what some professionals would say, rustic. but i say, plain reckless. dump in first, then taste later. so far, my recklessness has done well for myself. i managed to virtually taste it in my head rather than on my tongue (again, sounds kinky... hmmm...).

i used the simplest broth at first, miso and soy based, both can be purchased at your nearby supermarket (except for miso, in Swiss, i can only get it at Japanese/Korean/Chinese shops). miso by itself, kind of stinks like 2-day old sweaty feet in old sneakers. in this case, pungent. but i got the hang of it n it smells really tasty. its just something that you'll get used to when u venture into Asian, especially Japanese/Korean/Chinese food. but the funkiest one on the top of my list is the smell (and taste) of fermented bean curd. phew, not for the faint-hearted. unbelievably salty and smelly but in small doses, it is quite nice. an acquired taste so to speak.

Ramen broth starts off with making a base soup, includes boiling a seaweed called Konbu (sold hard and dry but becomes slippery and jello-y after boiled) and a few pieces of dried anchovies in water. what you get is a steaming hot salty sea-smelling base soup. chuck anchovies and konbu into the garbage since you won't need it. i tried to slice and add the konbu to the ramen broth but it wasn't that tasty to me. so from there, u can add the miso or soy sauce. you can of course go more simply by buying a powder called Dashi. some sort of soup bouillon, just as similar to normal soup powder in instant noodles. i use it often since its easier and pre-salted.

after a while, my brain starts ticking and had that urge to do even more... so in comes Youtube. watching endless clips or food, concentrating mostly on ramen broth. you should at least try to look for 'Tonkotsu Ramen'. this aroused my palettes and brain particles to a higher level. i was so fascinated on the creaminess of the broth. but i was blocked by one factor that was the main ingredient used in that particular recipe; pork fat, pork meat and pork bones... although looks tempting, but as a Muslim it didn't lead me to do the unthinkable. in fact, gave me a variety of options. Beef/chicken meat and bones. i started with a few then as months passed by, using a small pan first, then i used a soup pan. after having successful attempts making beef and chicken soups, i modified the ingredients and amounts to make a thick broth. what looks simple is actually time consuming. from thereon, i never looked at a ramen dish the same way and respected those of master the art of making Ramen from scratch. simple daily Asian ingredients; onions, garlic and ginger (carrots and celery can also be used to heighten the taste). pop in the chicken bones (and the meat if you want to... i used at least one chicken thigh with the drumstick attached... i'd debone it too if i was feeling chef-y) as well as the beef bones with the meat as well (i used the ribs because they were the cheapest i could buy... any parts with the bone and meat will do well)... boil at high heat for the first hour and low for the rest. then, its all patience all the way. i didn't count the hours but i think it felt like 10 hrs in total. the meat literally fell off the bone and the chicken bones was so soft, i could easily squeeze the juices with my bare hands.

get the juices through a sift and squeeze every goodness out of it and voila... a creamy, thick and awesome broth. i added some soy sauce to adjust the taste. pop in the noodles and you're good to glut over it. a fair warning, not to be consumed regularly. you will understand when you try it. once or twice a month is fine.i became quite picky with the noodles. i can't seem to get it right. i mean the choices. in the ramen clips, the noodles look so tasty. its most probably hand made. the ones i got from the shops are just fine. but up until now, i am still searching for the right one. its entirely up to you, i'm not satisfied yet so basically i'm still looking for the correct noodles.

oh the result...

the first attempt... broth was light and thin

the recent win :) thick and creamy!

more to come soon...

wassalam

. . . Happy birthday Nyaiyung! . . .

2011-05-05T16:04:00.003+08:00

Jour de Naissance ou Anniversaire ou, en Anglais - "Birthday"

meaning = un journeé spéciale ou date, chaque anneé,

pour la célébration du miracle de Allah, envoyé sur Terre

comme un cadeau pour tout l'humanité...

je t'aime beaucoup...

tout les jour,

tout les journee,

plus qu'hier,

et encore plus dans les prochain jours.

Joyeux Anniversaire mon Amour

Allah bless you always, Amin!

. . . T-Rex's quotes II . . .

2011-04-23T02:26:00.005+08:00

while on the way to Annemasse, discussing on good Airsoft brands...

Me: i wanted to buy the gun from the shop in Rolle but its a CYMA.

T-Rex: what's wrong with a CYMA?

Me: i saw bad comments on the CYMA brand in online forums and most airsofters don't recommend it.

T-Rex: hey, i got a CYMA M14 and its great! quite powerful too!

...at this point i was sensing T-Rex was offended...

Me: seriously?? you have one?

T-Rex: yeah, its in the trunk... broken...

Me: ...

. . . say hello to my new friend . . .

2011-04-23T00:09:00.004+08:00

assalamualaikum

M4 RIS is acting up again... i'm pretty upset at its performance now. i guess i have myself to blame for that for having too 'itchy' hands. but its a lesson learnt very well. now the big boy is sent over to be fixed at a French airsoft shop located in Annemasse.

from the first time i stepped into the shop, i was utterly amazed at its collection of guns and accessories. to say that it has everything, not really but thats no different from other shops. i am very happy with its service as it is run by those of my age so basically they know what my needs are when it comes to airsoft.

Tibo (i dont exactly know if that is the way to spell his name) is one of the guys looking after the shop, no idea if he owns it as well but he definitely has given me lots of good information about airsoft guns. i am also definitely looking forward to go against his team one day because i'm getting pretty much bored of playing in CEPTA almost all the time =.=

oh by the way...

his debut will be on the 1st May ;)

moms' really gonna kill me now =.= but then again i had already intended on getting it way back when i began to really gain interest in airsoft. this time, if any problems occur (touch wood) i'll definitely send it over to Annemasse. one time is enough. phew...

wassalam

. . . facts . . .

2011-04-07T03:44:00.003+08:00

assalamualaikum

this is what i have gone through in the past months of being in a class... probably ever since i became a pupil, regardless of where or when.

there will always be...

1. the quiet (either plain dumb or very smart)

2. the loudmouth (always dumb and doesn't hold their tongue)

3. the funny (50-50 on this one)

4. the groupie (enough said)

5. the smart-ass-know-it-all (always wanting to be alpha)

frankly i'm fine with the first 4 and definitely detest the fifth.

wassalam

. . . keeping it alive . . .

2011-03-09T01:59:00.005+08:00

assalamualaikum

no, i apparently have lost on ideas or even a single thought on how to start a new post. but anyway, i'll just share some awesome music :)

yeah as you've noticed its all in french...

j'ai besoin... terriblement, tres terriblement... de praqtiquer un peu plus la langue Francais à partir maintenant ^^

wassalam

. . . simple entertainments . . .

2010-12-14T01:37:00.002+08:00

it never ceases to amaze me... ^_^

. . . cuteness . . .

2010-11-29T18:50:00.002+08:00

any resemblance?

^_____^

. . . airsoft surgery . .

2010-10-21T01:08:00.007+08:00

assalamualaikum

no no, noone is getting a surgery because they got hurt in airsoft games... i'm referring to my M4 replica as u can see below...

why take it apart? simple... i just want to know my weapon more better. see whats goin inside... how it works etc. a more probable answer is just that i have nothing to do. i find myself calm when i am immersed in such intricate creations.

so far so good. i haven't lost anything so far except for that darned plastic piece inside the hop up barrel. basically its where the bullets or plastic pellets loaded and stored or readied before it is shot out. sort of a transit place for the pellets.

replaced the (old) black hop-up to the metal hop-up

^^ finally got it together... such a painful b*tch to install. i spent around half an hour just to get the rubber guide into the new hop-up and another half hour to precisely shove the barrel in... then struggling to install the finer pieces. i do have some doubts about fitting it back to the main body of the M4 rifle... but i still insist on it to work properly. i might have to file some corners of the hop-up to fit the main body.

i still have some tools missing. especially the torx screwdriver and a fine hex allen key wrench... the dumbest part was ordering it online rather than going to the DIY shop... i guess i've been spending too much time with the computer =.=

two more upgrades was an addition of a red dot scope and crane stock! thanks to T-Rex, i replaced the original stock with a crane stock! ^^ altho it doesn't seem much, it has the 'cosmetic' appeal (so says T-Rex) and that i can use it to store my batteries in!

the scope wasn't that much big of a deal... i'm pretty much worried about the new batteries. originally my batteries was placed on the fore grip of the M4. now that i got the crane stock, i might have to do a little bit more of modifying and rerouting the wires. i can either open the gearbox or just reroute it from the outside (i'm still having this urge to open the gearbox... just to see how it tinkers and probably make some effort to make it run smoother).

wassalam

ps. big ups and 'merci's to el-toniosky for giving me a lift to the airsoft shop... let me know when you go there again :)

. . . matrix-ey . . .

2010-10-12T20:31:00.002+08:00

. . . T-Rex's quotes . . .

2010-10-12T17:11:00.002+08:00

on finding our way to Toni's apartment...

T-Rex: (on the phone with Toni) we're now about 4 mins away according to the GPS...

Toni: ok no problem, you sure you're not lost?

T-Rex: no no we're not lost, we just don't know where we are!

Team Ariana: ...

on issues about Torrent downloads...

Yvette: can you still download from Pirate Bay?

Saint: it used to be banned but nowadays i can still get files from there...

Yvette: its illegal to download torrents in general, right?

T-Rex: well its not illegal, unless you get caught.

Team Ariana: *tilts heads down in dismay* ...

discussion on what ideas how (routes, ways) to leave Milan...

Saint: i'm gonna try and set it on my GPS, what route should we take, any ideas?

Team Ariana: *giving endless ideas*

Saint: (looks over to T-Rex) what say you? how are we going to find our way back to Geneva?

T-Rex: let's put it this way simply... we should think carefully how to leave Milan before arriving in Geneva.

Team Ariana: ...

dinner at a local Italian restaurant...

Waiter: ok, so everyone has ordered differently, some have appetizers first and some wants the main courses straight away. we will serve the starters and appetizers first.

Team Ariana: *giving the ok and go*

food arrives...

Toni: everyone has their orders set? *looks over to T-Rex* shall we start? or should we wait for the rest?

T-Rex: i think we should start when we begin...

Team Ariana: *doesn't give a damn anymore*

. . . milano 9-10 Oct 2010 . . .

2010-10-11T14:33:00.006+08:00

assalamualaikum

a roadtrip / belated birthday celebration to our Ariana leader, T-Rex! happy birthday big boy, God bless you always!

T-Rex handing a gift to our host, H.E. Toni

oh, and happy belated birthday to Toni as well!

a good surprise for me as well as i haven't been traveling for quite a while. its more of a holiday to me than a weekend relaxation... hmmm... thats actually the same. oh well. it boils down to the fact that it was a getaway from Geneva for a very long time.

thank God for extra people because i was getting worried of driving long distances, and worse, entering a new city with confusing roads. Italians are quite well known for their 'unique' driving habits. traffic along the way was smooth but weather was totally dull, we only got some sunshine when we went up the mountainous Mont Blanc passes giving us a glimmer of hope that it will be a good trip anyway. i calculated digitally and mental/physically that the trip itself took half a day, in our case, 2 stops for toilet breaks, driver change and a picnic lunch. i felt ok but according to the rest, it was quite cold and fairly windy.

as we entered Milan, i began to say to myself... is this Milan? the outskirts are so... ghetto.

i am a man of first impressions. some people will say i tend to catch on to things quite fast or plain short-minded. either way i would agree. we were greeted with honking cars, tight roads, confusing road signs... i was going stressfully nuts even when i was not driving. i left most of the driving in Milan to El-Tonio who did amazingly great, merci bien mon ami! :) i suck driving in a new city using a big car. the navigation that we had was almost ok but due to the fact that we had lots of 'directors' in the car, it was confusing.

and i want to state here and now, Bruneians are NUMBER ONE when it comes to direction, where its giving or taking, hands down, no argument, case closed and FULL-EFFING-STOP! talk to my ass if you have any objections. my ass is very diligent on giving you full blown answers, literally. took us at least half an hour or so to get to Toni's place and luckily we managed to find a nice parking spot. Toni did relay his concern when we caught up with him telling us not to keep anything visibly valuable in the car as nowadays some unlucky people get their car windows smashed. most of it blamed on illegal immigrants who don't have work or drug addicts (common around Europe... or the whole world as of matter of fact).

His Excellency Mr. Toni, a close friend and country man of T-Rex, was our host in Milan. thanks to him, we had a wonderful welcome, a wonderful time and a wonderful stay at his humbly HUGE apartment. again, as part of the group, i would like to convey my sincere and severe (is that possible) appreciation for letting us stay with you. 3 things that i totally fell in love with in Toni's apartment:

. the toilet - i loved the neutral white colors and the fact that i could vogue my way to the toilet bowl (it had that model runway look... hehehe)

. the kitchen - huge, fully equipped and well stocked. enough said :)

. the balcony - though not in the centre of Milan, the view was fantastic.

not wasting a second, the team as usual dispersed to each of their given rooms and rallied together after a short break. it was agreeable that everyone except myself (i think) wanted to shop till they drop. we opted to walk to the centre of Milan since it wasn't that far, plus it would be rather a hassle to bring out the van and that i strongly advise all of us to walk more since we are Arianas (what i usually mean is that exercise is the best option).

i love the fact that theres always a cool treat for shoppers wherever they cross. shopping haven? yup. for the middle class? not really. but then again, theres always a bargain if you're careful enough to notice each item.

we made our way to the Piazza del Duomo (centre of Milan), we first made a visit to the Milan Cathedral (i have yet to read thru wiki or history channels to know about it) as far as i'm concerned, its a big, historical and landmark church in Milano. i heard from Kite that the walls were completely made of marble. effing-wow. frankly that was my first time in a church. being a Muslim myself, i am amazed at other religions especially the ones that are famous around the world. namely for me, of course: Islam, Christian and Buddhism. there are more out there but so far i've been watching these three for quite some time. not that i have interest of changing religions (i never even thought of that) its simply to satisfy my curiosity and knowledge :) c'est bon, oui?

Milan Cathedral

the art was simply amazing. in and out. it even has that Gothic feel... makes you wonder what makes their minds tick and how is it possible to make such enormous structure. but it also has its own flaws. man-made thing are never meant to last forever. i could see that some parts the roofs (?) were surrounded by scaffolding, showing signs of treatments being done to parts of the building that has problems. i loved the decor on the windows. very colorful and fits the contrasts in the inside. i really wanted to go up to the roof to get a nice top view of Milan but most of us are scared of heights (plus they wanted to shop till they drop).

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II

after the breath-taking tour of the cathedral, we headed over to the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II... basically its a crossroad that has several high end boutiques (as well as a McDonald's!) covered over by arching glass and cast iron roof. this and the cathedral made me imagine that i'm traveling thru Dan Browns' books in real life... lol! after some coffee, we headed back Toni's apartment to freshen up before dinner.

McDonald's in gold?... (OO)

Kite turning his heel in a hole on the floor...

they said it will bring you luck! :)

surprisingly theres not much to see in Milan, provided by the fact that i don't know much beforehand what to expect, i could only think of the cathedral and expensive shopping boutiques. maybe the next time i go, i'll make sure to find out more about Milan and the places of interest.

Milano Polizia! well, i think they were the guards of

the Milan Cathedral... but they have an amazing suit!

dinner was what i expected of Italian cuisine. simple and tastes amazing. never miss the opportunity to try out the pastas and pizza. i had a tagliatelli con scoglio, basically pasta with seafood. surprisingly cheaper and more in quantity compared to the Italian food they have in Switzerland.

Molto delizioso!!!

El-Tonio making an ass of himself... to another ass.. x)

the next day, before we left for Geneva, we had our final shopping spree in Milan. everyone dispersed and did their own thing. i was planning to get Prada shoes but ended up getting an Adidas Vespa sneakers (i absolutely love it!).

Arrivederci!!!

wassalam

. . . laungan anak dagang . . .

2010-09-10T00:00:00.003+08:00

Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri

Maaf Zahir & Batin

ikhlas dan tulus hati dariku

yang jauh dari kasih sayang keluarga...

insan tersayang...

sahabat handai...

namun sentiasa dekat di hati kecilku

dan tak pernah luntur dari sahutan doaku

dan juga ingatanku

doa yg terbaik buat semua

diperlihara, diselamatkan dan diredhai

oleh Allah SWT

Ameen Ya Rabbal A'lameen

. . . k-pop fever . . .

2010-09-03T06:12:00.004+08:00

yeah... its just one of those days where you have such annoying (yet you still love it) obsessions. thanks to the Mama Bear x) now the fever is stuck with me for the past few months... aigoo...

. . . Happy birthday Mama ku! . . .

2010-08-12T14:46:00.002+08:00

assalamualaikum

doa yg terbaik dan teristimewa buat ibunda yg dikasihi dan dirindui selalu. mudah-mudahan umur panjang badan sihat rezeki luas ibadat lancar dikerjakan serta diredhai Allah dan selamat...

i quote the sms she send me after i sent her a 'surprise' sms for her birthday:
"waalaikumsalam. terima kasih lai mama ucapkan atas ingatan alai arah mama... semoga alai menjadi anak yg soleh"

insyallah Mama, berkat bulan Ramadhan yg mulia serta mubarak, akan diusahakan pesanan mama atu.

wassalam

. . . words i'd want to say . . .

2010-07-26T05:43:00.001+08:00

. . . overseeing the future from my balcony . . .

2010-06-23T07:40:00.004+08:00

assalamualaikum

the coldness in the soft breeze of the silent night is not as cold as the floor of the balcony that is slowly seeping thru my boxers. actually it is kind of a first for me to really sit on it after a few months of moving in. this is also the first of all these nights since the beginning of the world cup 2010 that is particularly quiet. usually some asswipe(s) would be blowing off their car horns or the insanely annoying vuvuzuelas all the way from one end of the city thru to the other end. seriously, i hope someone shoves it up their ears while blowing it so it could destroy their stupidly useless brain cells.

a moonless night yet the streetlights are sufficiently enough to light the surroundings. i see the crossroads from my balcony. i guess thats how my life is. always on the crossroads. each road has its own way. either way can take you to a similar destination if you wanted it to be. sometimes you just have to go the long way or the short way. doesn't really matter. it only matters when you want it to matter or to reach it. always a different face to encounter each day. each with their own private things. do they notice me? i don't know and i don't care.

okay probably some of them right now do really notice me as a weird asian in boxers sitting in the cold night at his own balcony. well its my balcony so i could just sit here stark naked if i wanted to. and before you pass any judgement, i remind you that its is cold so things are not as they seem to be. yes i know its a sad way to spend the start of my birthday but hey, i'm quite happy with it. its not that bad. i know its gonna be hell in the office/class. birthdays are celebrated immaturely. don't get me wrong. its supposed to be that way. its just funny that you're treated as a lil wee kid coming into age, and when you're 27, you know its not right yet you friggin enjoy it! haha!

so where do i go from today? well i'm still at the crossroads. there are already much improvement done but the still much to improve at the same time. have i achieved much? yes and no. i can't give a definite answer myself. all i know that i am trying. some might not see it. i don't mind. have i done the right things? or has it gone wrong? i don't know. can i work more on the rights and repent for the wrongs? i don't know. i can never stop trying.

i don't know all the answers. i can tell you what i know but you won't know what i don't know hence you'll only know what i know.

ok i think staying up so late has managed to really boggle up my mind in many ways. come to think of it, my mind has always been that way. hmmm...

wassalam

. . . chicken rice . . .

2010-06-19T23:15:00.005+08:00

assalamualaikum

even the name itself when written or said, makes the water in my mouth to ripple in the form of Niagra Falls up to the Tsunami itself (this also happens when Scarlett Johanssen is present too)... i've been dreading and wishing that once day i could muster up myself to create this wonderful dish that i can never forget... and it finally came true today.

cooking it is fairly easy. its just using a whole chicken that scares me. well, the fact that i used to be able to finish one whole chicken before doesn't really help when i am this old already. my stomach has never been the same although my sense of yearning on local foods back in Brunei never ceased. after a few weeks of maintaining my food intakes, i saw today was the best time to make this dream project a reality.

simple ingredients;

one whole chicken, 3kg is more than enough for yourself plus one.

ginger, i chose one which was as big as my palm.

scallions, 2 pieces is ok, chopped into 1 inch pieces.

salt to taste

(you will also need sesame seed oil and soy sauce (light is better) for the finishing touches.)

for the boiling process, you may add carrots, chilli, celery, small amounts of fennel (not too much or else the anise-y flavor of the fennel might overtake the ginger)... i also added 3 cloves of garlic.

frankly, even without the additional ingredients, it is already more than enough to make the chicken taste to what i can remember how it tastes back home. the only reason why i added it is because i wanted to use the water (which will be combined together to boil the chicken) as stock for future purposes... e.g. soups, sauces etc.

clean the chicken thoroughly, cut off excess fat if necessary, dont' you dare take the skin off! thats important for taste as well. some chickens are clean enough but some still have that yellowy thin layer which you can get rid off by rubbing salt on it. similar to doing a facial cleansing, and it opens up the pores of the chicken skin so the essence from the ginger, scallions etc will penetrate the meat making it much much mucho grande better. wash off the salt after that.

boil water (half full, half empty) in a big pot that can fit the whole chicken and as soon as it seems to bubble up, add some salt... a teaspoon should do (you can add extra ginger, scallions and the additional ingredients in as well). while waiting for it to boil, stuff the ginger (peel off the skin of course) as well as the chopped scallions into the cavity of the chicken. rub some salt over and sprinkle some in the cavity too. don't worry too much about it being salty because the chicken will be cleaned again when its fully cooked.

once the water boils, put the heat to medium-low and plunge the whole chicken till the water covers it all up. if part of it isn't submerged, don't worry, you can turn it over later. i cooked it for at least 30-45 mins and due to the fact my chicken wasnt fully submerged, i turn it over by poking the handle of my spatula or anything long and hard (oh you did not think that... you did, did ya??? pervert!) poke it into the cavity and slowly lifting it up and turning it over. i did that just once in the whole process of boiling the chicken.

just a few minutes before time is up, prep a big bowl a fill it with cold water, add ice to make it much more colder (d-uh). again, using the handle of your spatula, lift the chicken, drain the excess stock from the cavity, and plunge it immediately to the cold water to stop it from cooking further as well as to tighten the skin. leave for another few minutes.

the broth or soup or stock or whatever it is, you can use it in several ways. i choose to store it by putting it into a bottle or plastic zip pocket and freeze it to be used in another time. if i'm not mistaken, it can still be stored (hygienically) up to 2 or 3 months. you can use it as a side soup dish together with the chicken rice. oh yeah, you can also mix it with chili peppers to make a dip for the chicken you just made, i'll explain that later. you can also use it to make the rice. instead of using water to cook rice, use the stock. add a bit or margarine or butter as well to increase the texture and smell as well as taste.

after that, you can use your imagination. chop it up... slice it up... carve it... or just simply rip it apart. do what you fancy. i cut the chicken in half, carefully not tearing the skin too much. i kept the other half (i intend to roast or grill it the next day) and put it in the fridge.

place it nicely on a plate, drizzle a bit of sesame seed oil... a good amount of soy sauce... u can shove under it a few slices of cucumber if you have any (i forgot about the veges)... and as you know it, you've made yourself and your tummy really happy!

the chili sauce, blitz using a blender some chicken broth, chili peppers, salt, sugar and garlic... i didn't measure the amount as i relied mostly on my tongue. you should do it too... don't mess up your mind with measurements unless you're doing pastry (which i will do in the next cooking session).

my quote of the day:

you will never make any good if you don't try to do it.

wassalam

. . . AWRIGHHTTT!!! . . .

2010-06-18T16:38:00.003+08:00

assalamualaikum

i've always been a mediocre fan of Naruto. cant say exactly though whether Sasuke or Naruto is better. its the same like those Twilight fans with their ¨team Edward¨ and ¨team Jacob¨thing (yes, as embarassingly mellow and mushy as it seems, i watch Twilight too... nothing to be ashamed of i guess when one like watching movies).

moving on...

before i ventured on dowloading and watching Naruto, but i slowly realized that reading the manga was way off better since they move much more further along. you kind of have to wait for the producers to make it into anime. last i checked, Naruto manga was already on chapter 100+ while the anime was still in the 70+ chapters. so might as well do the reading rather than wait for the anime. i do follow some other mangas although not really that much as Naruto. i'm still itching on his re-match with Sasuke again.

to the creator of Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto, i thank you and appreciate the wonderful mind wonderland that you have given to me and the to the rest of Naruto fans. Gamabatte!

wassalam

. . . i'm alright . . .

2010-06-14T14:09:00.002+08:00

. . . what's new? part II . . .

2010-06-01T15:40:00.007+08:00

assalamualaikum

ok since i feel a bit more interested on blogging today, i'll just spill out what i've been meaning to say. perhaps it is easier to do it according to what i can remember (i hope)...

updates on the apartment and life in it...

not really an easy task of starting from scratch. not that i have the ability to purchase everything in one go, its just that i don't want to get unnecessary stuff at unnecessary times for unnecessary waste of space as well as energy. oh i forgot, unnecessary waste of mon-neh! so i promised myself to go slow on it since i'm not in a rush and i ain't bitching too much nowadays after i got the necessary items.

i guess my main target is to stay alive and happy... both has been covered after purchasing the fridge, stove, freezer, washing machine and a tv set (^_^) i'm pretty much happy with that. the washing machine works wonders for me. i love the smell of fresh washed clothes. i recently bought the freezer and by Allah's name, it saved my culinary life. i can store more meat and fish products which will probably (fingers crossed) will last me more than two months if i maintain my 'trying-to-averagely-lower-food-consumption'.

with the small extra amount of money as well, i bought a plant bucket and several useful herbs that i really love to use in my daily cooking. at least i have a small green life in my kitchen. i bought a few of them which were readily grown from the market and some were packed seeds so you can grow them yourselves. and i am happy to say that almost all of the seeds that i've planted have grown into cute baby leaves... even the chili seeds that mum sent to me a year ago! hehehe... well i do admit not all of them are healthily growing. the ones that i've planted are doing ok, the ones that were pre-bought looks like they are struggling for life. my dill has totally died, my mint and thyme as well as the rosemary are surviving, i can't tell whether my parsley is well or not (the leaves are kinda crumpled) and lastly my coriander looks like its becoming a celery! hahaha... yes i don't have a green thumb but hey, no harm done in trying.

most of the menus i make nowadays are italian based. aka very simple cooking. ok ok ok... aka very lazy BUT delicious cooking (this usually includes pasta). hehehehe... i am very amused by the fact that they are easy and fun to make. i have yet to try roasting and pastry making... the last 2 weekends i tried my hands on basic frying (i know its a normal thing among cooks but i have never tried cooking in large batches) and fat removal from beef by boiling. i understand now on sealing the flavors inside the meats or fish, hence making me want to try and experiment more on how to impress my own palette. in my own words, i am trying to tweak up my experiments on my culinary skills.

i managed to get recent pictures of my loving family as well as my beautiful mama bear, gonna put them up soon on my walls. so far, pictures are the only things that i can hold to and makes me feel so close to them :') i love you all...

viewing pleasures...

yes it does sound rather kinky but i assure you its not... maybe... ahem! moving on... lately after the Supernatural series, i delve into other tv shows. Caprica, How I Met Your Mother, Justified, Glee, FlashForward, Fringe... lots to mention. that doesn't include movies yet, we'll get to that later. but recently i managed to finish off Lost. as i said to mama bear, the more i see Lost, the more lost i get. it took me quite a while to understand it. the ending was severely bittersweet altho there were some other questions in mind but mostly i am satisfied with it. it was rather long compared to the other series i watched. i felt like each episode lasted for like more than 2 hrs. my interest now is on Fringe as it has a common impact on me when X-Files was my top priority. the only reason that i watched Lost was because it has ended and that i can download it in one go as well as to prevent me from getting over excited on waiting for the next episode to come. trust me, i really hate suspenses and hanging story lines... i want to get the bottom of it as soon as i can take my next breath.

i hope there will be some more interesting shows. i'm pretty much sad with Supernatural's ending and i am surely hoping there will be more!

i only managed to catch Prince of Persia, this year at the movies. i wanted to go and see Iron Man 2 but there was a movie streaming site that obviously saved my life (well, in this case my wallet) both are good. nothing much could be expected. even Nightmare on Elm Street was so-so.

ASEAN Sports...

scrabble was not entirely what i expected but i did give it my best. its still one of my favorite games after pool.

to my surprise we didi very well in Darts and managed to get a Gold medal! wohooo! big ups goes to the team, Amb Erih-Fauzi-Gerome for doing so well in the game. yes i was in it too. the last time i remember playing it was when i was like below 10 yrs old and that was just for filling in my time. i am definitely going for it again next year!

i backed out from pool this year to give an opportunity to my colleague since he didnt get to play last year altho he didnt manage to go thru the 2nd round. no worries Gerome! as long as we have fun, that matters the most. congrats to Amb Erih for attaining the Silver medal. there wasn't as many competitors this year compared to the last. to my two female officers, Mali and Tina, congrats for getting Silver and Gold respectively (yes, i absolutely had no doubt that those medals were to fall in your hands without even trying that much) hehehe...

...

i guess that covers most of it. i haven't done any traveling but insyallah when theres time (and money) i will post up something...

wassalam

. . . what's new? . . .

2010-05-31T14:30:00.002+08:00

assalamualaikum

theres a lot to start with... and theres a lot that i forgot. we kinda have those moments of a mental block days. well, i have it daily... hence most of the time i don't know what i'm doing. i do promise to update as soon as something comes up.

at one time i considered taking a picture of everything that i encounter just so that i remember and raise my interest on posting a new story...

soon, insyallah...

wassalam

. . . happy birthday Mama Bear! . . .

2010-05-05T00:01:00.003+08:00

assalamualaikum

seems to be that these few weeks, i have lots to celebrate about :) now comes the time to celebrate the birthday of the love of my life!

to my dearest Norismah, Happy Birthday!!!

i do understand (a bit) when it comes to celebrating something, especially birthday, they always want to be the first to greet or announce it. i took the liberty of doing that for the past 3 days :) yes it is corny in some ways but i guess thats what you get for being in love. you just tend to ignore it all just to show how much you really love and appreciate someone. so be it. i think now you can understand me a bit sweetie, yes i do forget most of the times... a wee bit blank as well... but one thing about you that i know pretty well is that you love surprises. although i do confess that its not much however, there's still a long road ahead. hence more time and chances that you'll experience more :)

i love you with every molecule of life that i have. others say, "if loving you is wrong, then i don't want to be right". i say, if loving you is wrong, i WILL STILL love you and make it right! Allah bless you always... my best prayers for the greatest best things to happen not only on your birthday, but forever and infinitely beyond. amin...

wassalam

. . . new babies! . . .

2010-05-02T20:56:00.001+08:00

assalamualaikum

and the family just keeps on getting bigger and better... now mom and dad has extra kids to take care of... good gosh!

feast your eyes on these two adorable new addition to the family :) once i saw them, i just went all mushy inside and out. makes me appreciate the great wonders that Allah has given to us humans. it is true to what some say, happiness can be found in little things in life... this is one of His proof!

above: Baby Rahimah, below: Baby Raihan

and yes! one of them is a baby girl!!! finally after a few baby boys, there's one girl. i bet Mama Juliha is very happy that she got a female companion :) *both born on the 28th of April*

wassalam

. . . 4th Anniversary (^^,) . . .

2010-04-30T05:32:00.002+08:00

assalamualaikum

words are easily said. easier also said time and time again... over and over again. and i do know how much you love hearing it no matter how infinitely many times i say it. words are my best companions which can express and show you how i feel. at times i dont understand though. i say it when i mean it but you don't believe me. i guess women have their own twisted way of thinking... or, i'm pretty much sure, that they're in love. so far i've managed to write it down... use a bit of sign language that you taught me (thank you sweetheart)... and of course, the usual way by saying it out loud coming directly from my heart.

words not only cause happiness... it can deviate itself to bring up sadness. at that moment, maybe i am to naive to notice or that its just my ego taking over... but here and now i apologize for all the wrong things. i am after all, human. but i do learn from my mistakes. your way to make me realise it, its fitting for me to say that i understand and get it more or less. there's still lots of things to get used to... especially getting to know you. as the saying goes, knowledge is still learnt no matter how long it takes. so bear with me, in trying to understand you.

in our story, i'm pretty much sure its not something new, being far apart. but i think it is for the best. i'm sure of that. i can't explain it exactly. but a wise man once said to me, not seeing each other too often, will make every second more specially appreciated when we are finally together physically. i've seen it happen, therefore i believe in it... as i believe in you. there's always that usual doubts coming to haunt our faithful hearts. but i'm pretty much confident that it doesn't make me crumble down as we have achieved the 4th (4 magical and unbelievably believable) year of being together as a pair of one.

see how much words i can put up? :) through the ups and downs... happiness and sadness... rain and sun... divided by the seas and continents... i still think its fitting to say:

i love you mama bear

i miss you

there won't be a universe

without U and I in it

wassalam

. . . scrabble & chess . . .

2010-04-09T17:08:00.010+08:00

assalamualaikum

i find anything that has got to do with physical work of the human body is totally irritating. i detest it completely. although i do have my moments where i have to exert them at their fullest potential and the result surprises me every time i manage to finish it, i.e. moving my stuff to my new apartment :)

what i love the most is mental challenges. somewhere once i heard that humans have yet to unlock the full use of the brain. i think it was like we are only using like not nearly 3/4 of it. i'm not sure, i'll get back to you on that. however, it is true, in God's miracle of creations, theres always something that is yet to be unfolded.

ok enough of that mind opening bullshit. what i really want to talk about is the ASEAN Scrabble and Chess tournament. held on separate days, apart from pool and bowling (although i detest it at times as it effs up my fingers... last time i effed up my foot), scrabble is the only game i participate in. i have yet to tryout chess as it seems so interesting. the best part of all is that i could hear myself think (well, i was watching but still it showed me the strategies made by players and made me wonder on why they do those moves).

basically it is a strategical game. one of which i love most but usually comes in the form of a video game like Final Fantasy. scrabble is strategy and ideas on words to create. last year i managed to go to the quarter finals... but alas, this year, i wasnt that lucky anymore. i was outsmarted and slightly outscored by another player.

if you cant beat them, at least make yourself a worthy adversary. and by God, i gave em hell. hehehe... but i really appreciated the other ASEAN colleagues for giving me a good time. it was absolutely hilarious. my group was really sticking to the rules and almost all the time had to check every word that we all created. another was so full of debates, it looked like lawyers trying to sue each other for the words they made, but in this case, it was full of comedic debates. d other two groups were in the world of their own but still had their moments of slight giggles and doubts. i heard that Pak Endut from the Indonesian Mission won (hes very good actually, my asshole nearly fell off when last year he made a killer move by placing his letter tiles on the triple word score).

the next day was about chess. this time, my colleague Fauzi takes his turn in the spotlight. it was a real surprise for me when i saw 3 kids going up against adults. not a sight that i always see in real life. i do know there r out there even younger but this was the first for me. 2 of them managed to go to the quarter finals. one was beaten by Fauzi but again, was a worthy adversary. i bet you that he could annihilate me with just three moves. or even by the power of their thought is enough to beat me. i dont even know where to begin. but, after a few hours of watching them play, i am fascinated by the mental efforts they think of to move the pieces as well as putting on a strategy and predicting their opponents move. its just one of those mental orgasms that i usually have when i see such coolness of people thinking their brains out. ahahaha! yes i have weird turn ons...

i went home early bcoz the game took a hell of a time to finish. Fauzi failed to win against another opponent (a young kid) but managed to squeeze thru to determine who will take the bronze medal. apparently, he won by mere luck when the loser of the finals decided to call it a day. wohooo!!! d first medal for the Brunei team. not bad for a start. at least we won something right? thats gotta count for something... it does in my book :)

wassalam

. . . a new beginning 2. . .

2010-04-01T16:13:00.003+08:00

apartment sweet apartment

. . . a new beginning . . .

2010-03-18T17:13:00.006+08:00

assalamualaikum

as far as i am concerned, i am absolutely ecstatic as my luck seems to be up this month. i received that surprising call (which usually turns out to be a regret call telling me i didn't succeed on getting an apartment, but that day was totally different) telling me that i was chosen to be given an apartment. it took me a while to register as i was busy rearranging the store room at the office in the middle of the morning on top of the cabinets. not actually a strategic spot to answer a phone call but heck, i nearly toppled off the edge due to my happiness on hearing the great news.

after 2 years of endless efforts on applying for an apartment, i finally got one. i can tell you my mind wasn't thinking straight after that (ask my colleagues and friends, even they were like 'edde, are you ok?') no i wasn't ok. i was effing happy. i mean, i never felt that happy. of course there are other times but happiness like that happens once in a blue moon. i could've just ran all over Geneva butt-naked in the freezing cold, but yes, i am sane after all. so i could only muster up a cheerful smile.

everything changes now... change can be for good or can pick up bad things as well. i'll tell you that a bit later.

15.03.10, i received the keys to my new apartment. frankly, i couldn't remember how it looked like and that made me so excited. all i know that it was bigger (totally) compared to the studio apartment that i am currently living in. the price of course is a bit more higher, but that is normal. some people would say that is a hell of an amount to pay for an apartment... but people, come on... as Dorothy in Wizard of Oz would say, we ain't in Kansas anymore. let me translate that to proper English... ehem, THIS IS FRIGGIN GENEVA FOR GOD'S SAKE.

i hate people saying, 'oh its so expensive over here... ohh ohh i'm so not into this situation... oh ohh i don't like it here'... well tough luck asswipe. you get to complain like a bitch while i have to face all those shit for the rest of my life. people like me have to face it just to put food on the table for my family unlike you bitches who whine and never get satisfied with what you have... always wanting more but don't want extra work for it. so the next time you think that you have a hard time, think again coz some others go thru more and better yet, don't whine a lot and keep doing what they do best, to have a better life. sorry, at this moment of time i just have something on my nerves. so yeah, cut me some slack.

simply beautiful. its not too old and not too modern. i think it was made around the 1960s as most of the buildings in Geneva are. but the inside is just perfectly wonderful. what about the inside pictures? oh you know i like surprises... so ya'll just have to come over to see for yourself :) the lobby is just amazing. huge. and i live on the first floor, which is really helpful when furniture comes in. i wont have to worry about breaking my ass bringing up the stuff. my apartment is actually located on the back part so its perfectly calm as its not facing the main road. FYI, its busy at the front. the apartment is perfectly lit when the sun comes up and best part of all is that i have a simple balcony for me to relax when summer comes popping by.

to be continued...

. . . Happy Birthday Papa! . . .

2010-03-10T15:49:00.003+08:00

assalamualaikum

No worries dad, the saying still lives on, Stay Sexy Till Sixty! hahaha!!! i love you so much. time has been my witness throughout the life i have endured up until today. i know i have misjudged you when i was still immature. but now that i've gone thru and past my youth into my adulthood, i totally realized and totally agree on your decisions which includes me and mom.

To Allah i pray a never ending, even thru death itself, blessings for you. thru you, Allah has shown me the true nature of life and how to go thru it without ever worrying about the harshness in life through your guidance all this time eventhough i am out of sight now. my life and world itself, revolves around you! i'll proudly stand by you even till we reach the gates of heaven, Amin.

wassalam

. . . the beauty . . .

2010-02-24T16:36:00.001+08:00

. . . YEAHHH!!! . . .

2010-02-24T07:09:00.006+08:00

just to show you how happy i am finishing Metal Gear Solid 4 :) yes i did the dance out of sheer stupidity and happiness... :)

. . . the situation . . .

2010-02-18T20:06:00.003+08:00

assalamualaikum

much to my realization and surprise, its already 2010. i cant remember exactly if i did a post on it. apparently my head, up until now, was still stuck in 2009. em, belated happy new year? i guess? haha... frankly it doesnt really matter too much for me. all this while i feel very unproductive in so many different levels. theres not much to update really. ever since my return from the holiday i had to Zurich, i've been relentlessly searching for a new apartment. yes, i'm nagging about it again and no, i havent had that much luck in it.

i dont know what i'm doing wrong actually. maybe i need more papers and proof. its not a small matter when it comes to spending a hefty lot on poursuites (its like a letter from the Swiss goverment that i am 'clean' and properly staying in Geneva). i can't even remember exactly on how many visits i made to view apartments. but i can only remember one word, regret. well, not that i am regretting, its just the way it goes here. bla bla bla... we regret to inform you that you were not chosen to be given the apartment... bla bla bla horseshit. all that kinda thing. if another person says 'u'll get used to being turned down' again, i'd personally give em all a free undiscounted fart on the face.

seriously, what does it take to get an apartment here? its unbelievably hard. i guess thats part of trying to improve your life in the world... well in this part of the world. eff that. i do confess happily that i save a lot eventhough theres not stop unsuccessfulness in the apartment hunt. so much so that i bought a PS3 out of sheer impulse. that came really unplanned. i planned to do the plan on planning on buying the PS3 after i got an apartment. but hey, come to think of it, rather than sulking and whining that i have a small apartment, might as well make that tininess of space comfortable. its not that bad actually. lets put it into an equation shall we?

small space

buy less things so it doesnt clog up your room

save lotsa monaaayyyy!!!

ok so i'm not that smart in maths or equations but it does make sense to me.

its like being a fly on shit. seriously. i cant bear to be far apart from the PS3. i stopped playing the Playstation like ages ago. its really a hard comeback for me. the visual effects are amazing. yeah i'm a noob but it definitely bought me to a new level of having fun. i dont regret on having it. probably i'm gonna spend a bit more on purchasing the games but thats part of having money, they dont stay in your wallet. but alhamdulillah so far i managed to restrain myself from more impulse moves. i was really close on buying an XBox 360 a few days ago. phew. that was a hard fight against my demons. it was either that or a flat screen tv. its a routine or a tradition i guess. you buy one thing, you would buy another to make it better.if course as you all know, HD is the in thing nowadays. but i do understand the thumb rule. or was it rule of thumb. eff it. the rule. once a new thing comes up, wait a bit. theres bound to be an offer. sale, stock clearance etc. so i'm pretty friendly with patience :)

finally got to skype with the lovable parents last monday. it felt so good to see and know that they are perfectly fine and healthy. mom looks chubby but dad as usual is skinny. seriously dad, lay off the work a bit, get some time for yourself and enjoy relaxation as well as eat more. i guess it runs down from father to child, being workaholics. ok so i dont do much on physical movements, but i do try. but anyways, much love to them both and may they be in Allah's grace forever and beyond, amin, selamat selamat selamat...

i am excited and happy to see that the Mama Bear is also having a great time with her new camera and brand new oven :) currently her blog seems to be full of recipes and it pretty much threatens the Papa Bear! they all look incredible. i do seriously miss her Begedils ;( anything made with love by her is such a blessing. yes, i do agree with the saying, good food makes way to the man's heart. maybe one day we can do a cook off and let our parents be the judges, eh? hehehe... keep up the great work Mama Bear, Allah bless you always...

i've certainly been slacking on the food matter. lately i've grown lazy to cook. it always boils down to instant noodles... was that a pun? i dont think so. but yeah. i gotta reshuffle my food routines. a boy needs to grow into a healthy man now. but so far my food cravings are cut down due to the PS3 :) yes i do not regret on buying it. hahahaha... and i've been really sober on Red Bull. i cant get Nutella out of my system yet but they are in small doses now. i resorted on getting the small bottles. yes, plural. BOTTLES :P but still!!! that is a drastic change! usually i go non stop till the last spoonful of Nutella. now i have to pause for a few minutes before i open a new bottle :) see? there is a change!

wassalam

. . . happy birthday to Abd Rahim! . . .

2010-02-03T16:56:00.005+08:00

assalamualaikum

yes yes i know its weird but who gives a hoot of what you think. they're our pets and i love them to death (although i nearly encounter death everytime they headbutt my friggin arse most of the time). the actual birthdate of Abd Rahim is 31st Jan 2009.

what was once cute, cuddly (yes, they dont stink much when they're young) and innocent... is now fully grown, full of raging male testosterone, eating machine and humping (yes) goat/monster. good god. seriously he's grown that fast. the only thing i am really worried about are the horns! eeekkk... i remember running for my life when his dad, Yusop, eyeballed and ran at full speed with horns sticking out. i swear he had like a fit or something. or he just had the thrills of scaring a lil innocent boy... *smiling and sparkling eyes* lols!

anyway, lets see the changes so far...

Abd Rahim before...

Abd Rahim now... you can tell he has that

'Tough S.O.B' written on his face

it doesn't take a chemical engineer or a rocket scientist to tell you the difference. he's friggin huge! even looking at his picture makes me winch and wanna run for my life! but come to think of it, the horns are not that upright and bent sideways... i hope he doesn't know or learn to sway his head coz that will do much damage. my ass can't take such brutal impact...

and here are the other bros, abd raham and abd rahum... they've grown quick too! the pair are hard to separate... twins indeed... well, not exact twins. cute and inseparable...

beats having a mowing machine :)

i've left Brunei for two years and counting... i only went back for a while last June 2009. things have changed a lot back home. one thing never does, missing home sweet home and my family... at least now i can put my mind off it with my brand-spanking-new ps3 :) more news on it next time.

up to his usual behaviour... but caught red handed!

again, i know its a bit late but its never too late for birthdays for me... Happy Birthday Abd Rahim!!! oh, he's just 1 year old by the way... surprised? welcome to my world of surprises... the world you wanna be in and i am effing happy that i am in it :)

wassalam

. . . havent't got a clue . . .

2010-01-28T17:35:00.002+08:00

assalamualaikum

i dont really know where to start. i dont know exactly what to write. hmm... apart from the cold is really getting colder each day (i usually thought the cold will only be in december and that christmas 25th is always the day that snows...) nothing much has happened.

the search for an apartment is not as stable as i thought it would be. it really sucks to go out and visit apartments in the cold. especially those which are far away from my normal areas. but despite that, my savings has really boomed. so either way, i still feel good. apartments can wait. although one fact has boiled up my head.

i cant seem to deny the fact that i would be purchasing a video game console soon. i just feel all so giddy whenever i have a glance at a game console. i'm setting my eyes on the XBOX360. my usual is the Playstation but hey, theres no harm in a change.

i am quite worried though. i might not be as young as i think. i remember playing Metal Gear Solid for a straight day (i know some people are more worse but to me, thats bad enough... hence the addition of another set of eyes) but the thought of playing again. hmmm... i hope i havent lost my tough. i played MGS on the PS3 and it didnt take long for my brain to hurl and sway. graphics nowadays are way off better than my days before. god i sound old...

frankly my target is to get the three popular consoles; PS3, XBOX360 and the Wii. at the moment, i think Wii would be a last resort as i need space (which i dont have now) so i'll just stick to the first two consoles.

one thing that will change drastically, my weekends will never be the same. or in this case, i will never see the light of day... i think...

wassalam

. . . zurich! . . .

2009-12-29T17:39:00.005+08:00

assalamualaikum

simply put, i’m really happy that i took the choice to come to zurich. although i hate the fact that i would have to travel more than 2hrs on a train (i don’t last long when it comes to land transport) and that i had to travel early in the morning... :(

its just what i really need at this moment of time... some of you would let loose somewhere else which is fun. i must confess that zurich would not be that of a perfect place to really relax. everyone knows that its a place where you want to party-go-wild. but actually you would be surprised on what else other than that is offered.

compared to the lake in Geneva, Zurich also has a small lake of its own and i pretty much love it coz its not really that close to the bustling streets. at this time (early part of my journal), i am sitting in a park just 30 minutes (walk) from the hostel that i am staying in (ZicZac Rock, i recommend it... will explain more later) its good to go out early in the morning... cold as it may seem and feel, i love it. i was hoping to enter the China Garden but i took the wrong time to travel. i forgot that it is Christmas... so pretty much most of the places of interest are closed.

but nonetheless, i don’t really mind. i don’t see myself as a person who wants to visit museums or any particular places of interest. i just want to stroll around. as you know, i love walking. gets my mind off things. and walking around zurich is more than enough for me... i bought a full day bus ticket which cost me 8 swiss francs. but after that i realised i didnt need it so much because as usual, i use my feet more than i use the public transportation. however, it is easy to use them. its just the same concept as to the public transport in Geneva.

its best to lookout for cheap offers going to Zurich or in this case to any part of europe. but make sure you really look into the details. i found out on last minute that my trip departs at 0536hrs. i ended up doing my laundry d whole night and prepping as well. i didnt even have my ticket printed yet. but as far as i know, as long as the internet is around, i could do almost anything.

theres clocks everywhere!

so basically, its deja vu all over again. last trip i took by train was to paris gare de lyon. that was at night. but its just the same thing. i never see the light during the night. hm, doesn’t sound interesting. let me rephrase that...

of all the 2 train trips that i have had the whole time now (paris and zurich) i always travel with the view of the darkness. et voila! better. continuing...

zurich hauptbanhof (HB) is simply huger... bigger i mean. compared to gare cornavin. shit, i couldn't get my bearings right no matter how hard i try. i took the chance of going to the HB every single opportunity that i have... but stil i couldn’t find my way properly. i even had to use the navigation on the iPhone just so that i know at which exit/entry i am at.

zurich hauptbanhof

most of the signs, information boards tend to be a bit tricky when theres no single translation in english. so its best to carry around a small dictionary or an electronic translator (saw it once, very useful, gonna get it too soon). but other than that, people around are way better and nicer compared to the people in Geneva. not that i have chatted randomly with any random person at a random place durin a random time. ok thats too much randoms. randomly i don’t do randoms.

anyway, way better people. love them. even if they can’t speak a word of english, they will find someone for you (in my case he just pulled a random woman coming out of nowhere just to translate...and she wasn’t shocked or furious at all!).

if you do have a chance to drop by in zurich (again, dont come during the big holidays) get the ZurichCard. i was planning to get one but since theres nothing much open, i just bought myself a one day ticket. its kind of useful. simply google it and you’ll know :) ok so basically it gives you access to all the transports as well as museums, discounts in certain restaurants and shops. last i checked, for 24hrs, it will cost you 19.90 francs. theres another for 72hrs. approach the tourism or information counter to purchase it. its really worth it if you are the normal giddy tourist.

it will also sae you from the confusion of using the ticket machine in every tram or bus stop. theres not a single english translation there. better use the machines inside the HB or get the zurichcard to save you the hassle.

ziczac rock (hotel? i think its more of a hostel) is situated on the street of Marktstrasse 17 or market street. quite similar to the place i had in amsterdam but this has a better twist in it. basically every room is named with the names of rockstars, most of them from the 70s to 90s... as usual, the toilet and bathroom are shared. you can get a bed in a dorm room with other people (sort of like a backpackers kind of style) or you could get a private room for yourself. the space is just ample and comfortable to sleep in. it cost me 170 francs for 2 nights, plus around 13 euros for the online booking. breakfast is served at 6-11am, but you have to pay for it separately. simple menu: coffee or tea and 2 croissants for 5 francs, packet of orange juice for 2 francs and cereal with milk for 2.50. enough to jumpstart you in the morning.

this wall freaks me out... (its a cast of a dude, wish it was a dudette)

small yet comfy

marktstrasse is actually located in the old part of zurich which makes it even more better. i just love the cobblestone roads and low buildings cramped up together. don’t get me wrong though. old town is not that old as you think. locals tell me that its really a hip place for youngsters and i vouch for that since there are a lot of young updated fashion boutiques and shops. prices are similar to those in Geneva but there are a lot more items and choices offered. but alas... all are closed. i must take revenge the next time to come and shop at that adidas store nearby the hotel. gosh darn it...

others usually head to bahnhofstrasse which is like the high street or zurich. but knowing the cheapskate as i am, i just walk pass by there and don’t see things that interests me. however, if you are the shopaholic type, bahnhofstrasse is for you. it seems endless and you could simply spend all your time (and money) till the end of the day. if you stray more to the east, that would lead you to the ghetto more or less. it seems dark even at the light of day. i’m thankful enough that i went there early in the morning so all i saw was a couple of people drunk or talking to themselves. so in this case, stay in the centre or the old town (though it has lots of clubs and pubs, i find it quite safe walking around at night... at that moment of time).

bahnhofstrasee

i bet most hotels around the old town have the same thing to go thru during the night. loud music. although it has sound proof walls and windows, you still get the feel of that treble and bass. calypso shit. it was so bad, i physically have to disco or rave my way to the bed. i even breakdance while i sleep. ok so thats moslty a lie and i am exaggerating. but the fact of the music being heard in your room is highly possible.

surprisingly, the roads are not that dirty. maybe a few beer cans... a couple of mouldy with interesting dabs of colors puke stains/puddles... a few people lying nearby a trashbin... ok more exaggeration... but not so terrible. it will be cleaned in a few blinks. it doesnt even leave a bad smell in the air.

food, perfectly similar to Geneva. you have lots of choices of any national european dishes. and its normal for me to pick the kebabs as my first choice in food. there are a few asian restaurants as well as for vegetarians. so, if you are a muslim like me, you know the drill. kebabs are sure fire hits and usually have the ‘halal products used’ sign displayed outside.

wassalam

. . . 2nd week . . .

2009-12-22T04:12:00.005+08:00

i've been meaning and hoping that one day that i would be at Kempinski Hotel. i love it there. i'm not promoting them. no. i just love it there. i find that the hoteliers are much more responsive than other hotels i have been so far. i've grown quite close to them even during the pre-preparation day... just a few days before the 2nd group came.

the hotel prepping for christmas

most of the times i would want to just go away from the hotel just to keep me away from the stress.

i must say, what i did during the 2nd week surprised me much. so far, i don't remember missing out any duties and i was very happy even to stay there till late at night. i still don't like that fact of the rooms very confusing... and very far.

work and life was easy although we had the normal events that we get confused on car positions. but apart from that, things went great.

colorful balls... *snickers*

the cold though, wasn't that much of help. my ears nearly fell off, my face started to be more redder than usual, my fingers became dry and cracked (basically i would just have to slide my fingers on any itchy surface rather than scratch)... just terrible. the cold is not a best friend to me. even when i really want it during hot days.

however, the last night of duty, things didn't go as i planned it to be. a guest left a small object and i had to go over back to the hotel to get it. now, as a warning to others who chooses to stay in Geneva, don't take it for granted that everything seems safe and not much of a fuss. people aren't that nice when it comes to the streets. the office car can be my witness after the windshield wipers were broken and cut off... i dunno how or why. i was just happy that it didn't rain or snow that night because that would certainly be a big problem to me.

wassalam

. . . 1st week . . .

2009-12-17T02:53:00.004+08:00

things was not going to go that easy regardless of the preparations we made. theres always that possibility of the impossible to possibly happen.

brainstorming session

after all of this, i vow to do some serious research of my own. not only that it would benefit myself but it shall be one heck of a help to others. mainly in terms of general knowledge. my tourism senses come back into action in this case. although i hate the fact and idea of tourism (dont ask, i have my own reasons) it truly helps in various ways. in reality, tourism is everywhere. whether you notice it or not.

as you might have seen the pictures in 3471family's blog, there had been a serious incident in regards to the WTO meeting that was held 2 weeks ago. personally i dont know what it was all about but some say its regarding the low earning workers having difficulty in living their lives in such economic downturn. i leave it at that because i myself have my own problems with my own finance and alhamdulillah, so far so good, i manage it successfully on my own.

rumors were that there was supposed to be this manifestation or strike or demonstration that was going to take place in certain parts of the Geneva town during the early days of the WTO meeting. it also said that it would be peaceful. however, people with past experience of such tragedy said it was going to be brutal, especially to innocent people. as i recall, a lot of shop windows were damaged (most of them selling expensive items such as jewelry and watches) as well as a few cars being burned to the crisp. i saw at least 6 cars barbecued.

damages caused during the protests

there were protesters roaming the streets with masks on, a noticeable sign that there is going to be something big happening. i even heard some of the people attending the WTO meeting were stuck in the meeting halls as there were a lot of angry protesters barricading the entrances and exits. however, they came out safely. that's Geneva for you... so much for being safe. i'm just glad that i dont even own a car. having a burnt Mercedes S500 isn't going to make me happy...

an act of kindness

the streets of Charmonix

i suddenly remember my first encounter with these sort of tragedy. if i'm not mistaken, it was late January 2009 when the Davos meeting was held. i was minding my own business and trying to look for food (as it is everyday of my life) it surprised me that i am that capable of running while balancing a burger and a can of soda while running for my life as empty glass bottles were thrown around. i certainly don't want to do that again. at times i do find it funny but what if it was going the wrong way and i get caught up? alhamdulillah i didn't. hence began my long solitude at home during weekends...

our very own 3G with Aldo

to be continued...

. . . back in business . . .

2009-12-16T03:00:00.003+08:00

assalamualaikum

yeah, fast recovery eh? not really.

to Sir Erih & Mdm Jaq, I FINALLY FOUND OUT THE PASSWORD TO THE WIFI!!! wohoooo!!! hahaha...

due to the top secret mission (well, i'm the only one assuming it) which i was given a month starting from now, i will have to keep you questioning and guessing on my whereabouts. just so you know, i am still in Geneva. for all the fibre and might in me, i absolutely despise this part of the world at this very moment. i don't know for how long but it just sucks. not only the cold is cramping up my style, i feel so suffocated.

but with Allah's grace, in the position i am now, i love it. the surrounding is just perfect for me and i have no doubt that i would enjoy the next days (with a few holidays coming up) in peace, serenity, salvation, severe sanity and best of all, silence. a long time comrade of mine which i hold dearly to my heart and soul.

the previous weeks was the hardest ever that i have gone thru so far. never have i worked so hard. surprisingly i made it thru even so bruised and battered (seriously). i haven't recovered fully yet. every inch of my body hurts and most of the time i can't feel any part of it. the cold keeps getting colder every single moment passes by. i've been shivering so hard everyday. so hard that i could make fire with the friction. even the sunny view from the hotels we worked in last week (ok, so it wasn't that sunny. gloomy to be exact) wasn't enough to make me smile nor put my mind away from all the things that cannot be avoided. i can't clearly remember the last time i had a good sleep. frankly, i don't even know if i slept at all. the eye always auto opens at a certain time, also known as early or just the perfect hour to start the day. even now i can't sleep properly. my mind is always set and questioning myself on what do i have to do at that time.

i've lost weight throughout the work period which really makes me angry. don't get me wrong, i've been trying to lose weight. thats the part i hate the most. when i try, it doesn't work. but once i realised, i've lost like 10kgs. its good to know i lost a lot but its bad that i didn't know about it. ok you are confused. the thing is, i would really like to notice myself losing weight, i think you could understand that.

my phone has been ringing so much, i physically hold it in the palms of my hand and answer it as fast as an eye can normally blink. i even sleep with it and still its in my palm. talk about being ready... i never fail on surprising myself at times.

i am very thankful to those who have been together thru the thick and thin. i also thank them for giving me the opportunity to do things way out of my normality. i must say, truthfully, as bad and as tiring as it may be, i enjoyed it. working with great people is one thing that i treasure most. sometimes i always feel that i am doing this thing alone or rather i shouldn't be doing it at all... but at those times too, i think others have gone thru worse and more things than i do.

to be continued...

. . . jibberish . . .

2009-12-14T21:30:00.002+08:00

assalamualaikum

ok, due to a few request from fans all over the world (HAH!) heres a simple update...

i'm too tired to be tired

i need a friggin' holiday road trip

i need two days worth of sleep

i need to save up money

i haven't pooped properly since the last few weeks

hmmm... ok i really dont know what to blog for the moment coz my brain cells seems to react slowly to everything. will update more when things calm down more...

wassalam

. . . being sick . . .

2009-11-16T17:30:00.003+08:00

assalamualaikum

it totally sucks. your head is always twisted in so many ways. your unanswered questions start the very first time as your head swings, or to be exact, cracks your skull at the most precise time that you need your brain to function, who actually started it? but you know you can't point your fingers wildly. its just your time to get sick.

your brain seems to be loose inside your skull. you can literally hear it bumping the sides of your skull every time you shake your head. kind of like a small ping pong ball bouncing around in a huge metal barrel. clearly you can hear your head ringing. not like the ring of a handphone, but more like the ring of a bell.

then your eyesight effs up. you tend to focus on to the unfocused. the moment you pull yourself out of bed, you just want to crash back down on your pillow. not that it will comfort you in any way. it just feels right to lay down and do nothing and pray to god that it would go away soon. except it does not. it keeps drilling its way through your very head.

the worst of which (pick your choice) having coughs or your nose extremely blocked. both i do not have affection nor love for it.

for me it began with the cough. let me begin with the cough. i swear i saw my lungs and heart jump out every single time i coughed. i coughed so hard, i severely wished that my lungs and heart would just go out literally to end my misery. seems that the very meat of me is tough, hence it still stays in till this very moment. my chest hurts. my stomach muscles just flipped out (nearly made me excrete instantaneously) it hurt. very much. ever had a gut cramp? multiply it by a ten fold and double it. thats the way it is. if a cough was i a person, i would personally choke him or her. which ever gender it may choose.

now, in addition to the cough, was the dizziness. its amazing to know that it goes away for a single second that you cough but comes back the single second you stop coughing.

you can never sleep with a cough. one thing i am grateful of a cough is that it keeps me awake and also wakes me up quite early in the morning.

you certainly won't eat a single crumb. funny fact, you always eff up your diet when you really try to lose weight. but it always work very well when you are sick. i could just say a straight no (even without a person nearly completing the question) to a thick juicy medium-rare roast steak laced with a thick spicy mushroom sauce accompanied with garlic infused buttery mashed potatoes with a sprinkle of freshly fine-chopped parsley and roughly crushed black pepper alongside a colorful ample portion of green vegetables. how the mind really concentrates when one really puts their minds into it. praise Allah, amen.

i hate the cough. the next thing that comes close to it is when my nostrils are blocked. its like two bricks stuffed inside your nostrils. two bricks fully cemented with fast drying cement. totally not porous. no molecule of air can penetrate it. nothing. all you sniff is nothing. you can literally drink skunk piss and it would go through like water (not that i recommend you to do so unless you are one of the members of Jackass... i love them. especially when they experiment on papercuts on their lips).

i've done it before, i did it again. when you get both holes stuffed with mucus, lay down on one side. let it move down to the next nostril, so that you would have the other open. it really works. very helpful but really wont help you in sleeping. but then again, you won't get a chance to sleep so might as well make yourself comfortable in breathing. you would certainly be comfortable...

until the time comes when it dries up. then you have to work yourself to clean the caves from the dried mucus you spent the night with. apparently it the most fun thing i look forward to. particularly a ver big challenge. not all of them are dry. they come it several forms. okay so far i see (and feel) three types. dry. semi dry. and wet (to be exact like agar). the colors varies or would depend on the person itself. personally i never fail on lightly old green. works every time. for the sake of humanity, i wont describe the saltiness of the taste.

i want to continue on being lifeless and tired. but its not a new thing to me. i am always like that on weekends. lifeless with a dash of hopelessness. or in short, nothing. or probably you all are already barfing after the previous paragraph.

but at this very moment, i am okay. i feel fine. except for waiting for the mucus to dry off...

wassalam

. . . autumn . . .

2009-11-02T17:40:00.001+08:00

. . . the face of boredom . . .

2009-10-15T16:44:00.003+08:00

i've read books... seen movies... surfed the internet...

but still i look like this...

cute eh? yeah, exactly like me ^_^

. . . ironing woes . . .

2009-10-07T03:59:00.003+08:00

assalamualaikum

i definitely have a curse with ironing. i never get better at it.

one time, i burnt my baju melayu at the very last moment of attending a function, and as a bonus, i burnt off the ironing board cover as well. talk about killing two birds with one stone... i've managed to somehow faded one side of my trousers that ended up looking like i had one of those cross colored jeans (it was a hype circa late 1990's... but thank god i didnt get into it coz it looks so incredibly stupid). my full dark black (yes there is!) work trousers looks as like failed attempts of making cool bling-bling smears. i successfully made creases that would shame the Adidas-Three-Stripes. all my perfectly flat ironed shirts would have wrinkles in a blink of an eye.

and of all unfortunate days, today had to be another. this one beautiful day, my iron decided to strike an olympic javelin, molded and rusty, up my ass. it took the option to retire early. i dont even remember treating it bad. i've always cared for it with sweet warm love. gently pushing it back and forth, side to side, with slow but surely swift moves. it actually turns me on!

did i mention its the second one i bought this year? double whammy. eff. effing eff. effingly effing eff. EFF! *twitching eye and throwing punches at nothing*

i ended up wearing crumpled clothes today. making a new definition of rustic. the notion of throwing it out my 5th floor window seems so inviting at this very moment but i refrain myself (still thinking about it tho) because i dont want to murder innocent people passing by. hang on... ok no. refrain... *woosaaahhh...*

wheres a Red Bull when u need one...

scratch that.

i took a vow of abstinence on it and some other stuff *fingers and toes crossed!*

i'll get another one soon. an iron i mean... now if that effs up again, i'll do it the traditional way. sleep on it. seriously.

i'm gonna spread... my clothes on my big... empty... bed... (ideas anyone?), top it with another layer of bed cover and sleep on it. knowing that i am not stationary on bed, i pretty much sure i can flatten my clothes. hell, even flatten my jeans!

wassalam

ps. huge congrats to my beautiful Mama Bear for winning her scrapbook challenge recently (and another before that). i chose the picture for it! :8) i'm proud to be part of her endless pursuit of perfecting her delicate artful hands (which i love... along with the person attached to it). congratulations again and i pray that she would win more challenges in the future! Gambate!

. . . syawal & bbq . . .

2009-09-28T14:32:00.005+08:00

assalamualaikum

ok i do say that my syawal wasnt that bad at all. apart from missing important figures of my life, i am very well occupied with the lovely people that work and have fun with, my friends and my family in Geneva :)

i do apologize for putting it up late coz i've been particularly busy replacing Karsay on is on a sick leave. hopefully he will be back and fully healthy by this week, amen. but i gotta say, i really love driving and going around.

after a long delay (sorry) i dedicate this post to Mali and her gorgeously wonderful family who had offered us food (YAY!) on the first day of Syawal. her mom is absolutely the best (as to every moms i meet, of course, by far they dont compare to my own lovely mother :) however, all my intentions and verbal expressions come straight from the heart. each woman who is a mother, shall never be left behind without being acknowledged by me!)

anyway, Mali's mom, fantastic! the food was awesome. you could visualize my face like the picture below when i saw the glorious food...

ok i didnt really look like that. i am much cuter and better looking. way off. totally. ok i'll stop. but seriously i look better. ok ok. onwards...

courtesy of 3G (i stole it off from him as usual) pictures of Mali's open house. and to all of them, the wonderful family, i thank you and pray for the best to all of you, amen! oh and keep in mind i am always available when food is around! ah, i mean, to help as well :)

The Bruneian Family in Geneva :)

onwards... again, food does not stop there. just slightly after a week, Ambassador Erih invited us over to the Brunei Residence for a barbeque!!! (double YAY!) yes i am very eccentric when it comes to food. and i am darn proud of it. and as the usual tradition goes, yours truly automatically manned the barbeque. yes sirs and madams, i do my utmost to help when it comes to cooking and eating (well, i'd do more damage on eating if i'm not doing anything so since i didnt want to look like a hog, i took over the bbq pit).

now i want to say this. frankly, the bbq wouldnt be a success without Madam Jacqueline as she prepared the best lambchops and chicken that i have ever tasted so far. but i am sad to say that despite of me manning the bbq pit, i missed out on a lot of dishes. i swore i saw something like a cottage pie. urgh. but no worries, i'm sure there would be another time *hint hint* in a near future... we had a great session together with the colleagues as well as some guests, Mali's wonderful parents!

i do confess i burnt the first batch, but alhamdulillah everyone seemed to enjoy it. its pretty normal i guess since most of us would mistake the heat on the early stages of the bbq. i really enjoyed my afternoon-evening yesterday. i really do hope we could have another soon since winter is just a few blocks away. the summer remnants are slowly pulling away, and so shall the cold start shivering my fragile ba... ok i'll stop here.

wassalam

. . . silent syawal . . .

2009-09-20T04:04:00.002+08:00

assalamualaikum

all i hear is myself. the takbir sounds so empty when i say it out loud, only hoping that the heavens hear my cries of celebration.

ramadhan just went by and i didnt even notice it. as i received the sms text saying that tomorrow is syawal, i just remained silent. its used to be like, oh yeahhhhh! i can eat again!!! or happily distressed of buying last minute munchies for the first day of syawal. but frankly... i dont have such feeling anyway... not anymore.

this is the second syawal i celebrate alone. of all this time i wished i couldve gone back to Brunei, i wished i couldve gone back now. during this time instead of June 09. either way, i would still be happy. and its already done. i cant go so frequently.

again, old feelings come back to haunt me. causing me much sadness as i type right now. i just dont know what to do. i do feel happy and all but theres always some pieces missing. important pieces that make my life complete.

i'll shove that aside now. back to my native language. for those who dont understand, just pitch in my celebration of Syawal.

Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri, kepada sekalian umat muslimin dan muslimat dimana jua biskita berada. Ramadhan telah pergi meninggali kita lagi sekali. harapan dan doaku agar kita akan ditemukan kembali utk merebut peluang untuk menghargai pemberian Maha Berkuasa. namun begitu, adalah lebih baik kita mengingati dan menghargainya setiap masa dan setiap waktu. hatiku berbisik kecil, mengatakan mungkin Ramadhan tahun ini tidak begitu sempurna dari segi diriku yang serba kekurangan, lalu meminta ampun kepada-NYA dengan doa dan niat suci akan diberi peluang untuk memperbaikinya lagi sekali.

di kesempatan ini juga, saya sebagai insan biasa yang mencari redha-NYA, ingin memohon ampun dan maaf kepada semua, terutama kepada yg dikasihi, ibu dan ayah yang tidak hadir didepan mata namun sentiasa hadir dihati yang kecilku, yang tidak pernah luntur semangat menyayangi. hati kecilku tidak pernah berhenti berdoa akan redha dan keselamatan diberi dari-NYA utk mereka berdua.

dihati kecilku juga, masih tertulis, tiada harta sehebat kedua ibubapa.

dihati kecilku juga tidak berhenti berdoa agar impian mencium tangan mereka, memeluk dengan penuh kasih sayang... dan juga kebahagiaan ditahap yang teratas melebihi 7 petala langit.

dihati kecilku juga, mengucapkan Selamat Hari Raya, Maaf Zahir dan Batin.

wassalam

ps. mama bear, forgive me for not being there with you to celebrate syawal. i love you too, best regards to ur family :) selamat hari raya sweetheart, maafkan ku atas ketidaksempurnaan ku ini and i hope you could give me the chance to make things far more better than before, insyallah, amin!

. . . going hyper . . .

2009-09-17T05:09:00.005+08:00

assalamualaikum

a real surprise when u got energy boosted up in the middle of the night. i seriously got to get rid this Red Bull addiction (i found another energy booster: turkish coffee, trust me. it'll get you goin on and on and on... and so on and so forth and on).

i find myself amazed as well as dazed at how clean my room is. i havent slept the whole day, its usually right off to bed after work till an hour or so before breaking fast. however, i have been really productive today. so much so i am awed at the fact that i could pull all this up in just half a day.

cleaning my room would usually take a hefty time (by that i mean a very long time... okay, a week) it started out with a small speck of dust... then i moved over to my mound of laundry that was as high as Everest. cold and there... with the stinking visual effects. so horrible that it not even a fly would dare to cross over. yeah, i am dirty. off i went doing the laundry. and i even walked up and down the stairs coz the lift was occupied most of the time. and in between i even had time to prep food for breaking fast.

after eating (and several cans of Red Bull) i started to rocket off. i felt like a human bunny rabbit, only bigger and stronger (oh yeah). cooking and cleaning up, done. laundry, done. and the best part of all, folding up my clothes. as of the first t-shirt i folded, i heard applause (its the Red Bull effect, definitely). suddenly i went berserk. i even folded up my undies! how fantastic (and pathetic) is that???

my room looked huge. i remember a familiar voice in my head... 'its like your front lawn. you mow it up and it looks bigger!'. i could do summersaults without hesitation. heck, even fit a Mini Cooper with the Big Fat Bastard standing outside.

and now i cant sleep. i've surfed every corner of the internet. yes, every corner. the one that your thinking as well. yes, i am human after all.

and in the moment of insanity, i remembered home. i remembered how my small family would spend the whole night prepping for the end of Ramadhan and the beginning of Syawal. i just realized that this would be the second Syawal i celebrate alone. i dont hear any fireworks cracking. i dont hear kids shouting and singing annoying Hari Raya songs. worse of all, i dont see my parents as well as my other half... i am still alone. just me, my Spongebob and Doraemon pillow close by my side. so what? can't i have my own little bundle of joy?

turned my tv off as well as the lights, traced back to my bed and started to lie down but hesitated and continued to walk to my window. standing near the window, under a vague light of the moon surrounded by the darkness of nothingess, i looked out to the apartment buildings nearby. a few lights still turned on. the sound of the tram rumbling by. small dark figures walking pass by on the streets withe their dogs barking happily by their side. a slight breeze of the cold autumn night wind slowly started gently caressing my face. in the moment of small insanity, i started to feel what i tried not feel for quite a while. missing everyone back in Brunei. i love you all. i miss you all terribly. Allah bless you all... thats the only largely small effort that i could do when everyone is out of reach. stretched out my hand and slowly bringing it up to my face, i started picking my nose and decided to blog again. hm? did the nose picking spoiled such good composition? i doubt it. you all approve of it since all of you are smiling. keep smiling. coz i am. Allah bless you too.

wassalam

. . . wrath is a vice . . .

2009-09-12T21:55:00.003+08:00

Wrath (Latin, ira), also known as anger or "rage", may be described as inordinate and uncontrolled feelings of hatred and anger. These feelings can manifest as vehement denial of the truth, both to others and in the form of self-denial, impatience with the procedure of law, and the desire to seek revenge outside of the workings of the justice system (such as engaging in vigilantism) and generally wishing to do evil or harm to others. The transgressions born of vengeance are among the most serious, including murder, assault, and in extreme cases, genocide. Wrath is the only sin not necessarily associated with selfishness or self-interest (although one can of course be wrathful for selfish reasons, such as jealousy, closely related to the sin of envy). Dante described vengeance as "love of justice perverted to revengeand spite". In its original form, the sin of wrath also encompassed anger pointed internally rather than externally. Thus suicide was deemed as the ultimate, albeit tragic, expression of wrath directed inwardly, a final rejection of God's gifts...

taken from wikipedia... search 7 deadly sins.

. . . meet the kids . . .

2009-09-09T18:18:00.005+08:00

assalamualaikum

shudda done this a long time ago but i had to wait a little for mum to send me the pictures... thanks mom! i love you!

anyway, back to my post... after longs months of waiting, finally Abdul Rahim now has some new fellas to play with! introducing... Abdul Raham and Abdul Rahum!!! horrraaaayyyy!!! two more boys to look forward for when i get back home. i guess it would be (already is) much work for mum and dad.

Abdul Raham and Abdul Rahum

both were born on the 1st day of Ramadhan, 22nd August. hold on, the best part of all, mom and dad even timed their birth... ahahaha! according to mum's report, Raham was born just 2 minutes (1307hrs) before Rahum came out (1309hrs). aren't we the most interesting people in the world? :) i love my family...

according to mum, both are beginning to get nawtee as the day progresses. there is no doubt that i'll have to increase my awareness of looking around just in case any one of them are putting a bulls-eye on my behind...

wassalam

. . . singing in the rain . . .

2009-09-03T18:46:00.002+08:00

assalamualaikum

i absolutely positively love it when it rains. i find it highly calming to walk in the rain. if only i had the chance to walk through it without an umbrella. theres an overwhelming feeling about it apart from getting a slight cold from it but somehow i dont really care about that.

unfortunately with these work clothes on, i have to remain dry... have you ever walked in the rain? try it out. its awesome. well, i know some can't *ehem*mama bear*ehem (^^,)

one best moment of my life when i was back in Brunei last June was working with dad during the heavy rain. we had to lift up the planks from the drains to prevent it being carried away by the strong currents. it was great. even mom was standing around watching us without an umbrella. from that moment on, i loved them more. coz from there i saw it is true, no matter sun nor rain, nothing will ever cut our bond as a family. i love my family. i miss them so much.

i thought of that when i was walking towards the office. as i walked along the path onto the bridge, i looked forward to whatever may come in front of me. the slight nibbling on the cheeks (not there. face.) of the cold rain as it began splattering all around me as i passed the bridge. cars racing fast here and there. yet i felt the calmness of the rain enveloping my whole body comforting every nerves and senses. in that very moment, i do what i do best in (apart from doing nothing)... i thanked Allah and gave my sincere smile to the world. come on world, either you go against (which i dont care and will take you head on) or smile with me. oh you're smiling too eh? thank you. Allah bless you always.

i do have one annoying problem though. my hair. without the hair gel (which i hate putting on most of the time coz it makes my scalp itchy) my hair looks like Johnny Bravo gone wrong... urgh... oOOoo, Mama! :P i'm just thankful that i'm not as dumb as him... or am i? hehehe...

wassalam

. . . wasssaaaa-bi . . .

2009-08-31T19:39:00.001+08:00

somethings i never get tired of... :P

. . . surviving ramdhan . . .

2009-08-26T18:14:00.002+08:00

assalamualaikum

hmm... 5th day of ramadhan. another 25 more days to go. oh shut up, you're counting the days as well. let me guess, ur head hurts... feel dizzy.... stomach is growling non-stop... your breath stinks... etc.

well thats part of ramadhan. lucky enough for me, surviving ramadhan has always been my favorite. restraining myself from all the usual needs (and i do stress that i do refrain and restrain myself) is not that bad. trains me more on patience. i have so much, i'm starting to see a halo on top of my head as well as white fluffy wings behind me :P

i think we do have to agree that having early breakfast or sahur isn't normal for us. its so hard to kick up an appetite while your body is still in sleep mode. hence, some people would do it after the terawikh prayers. actually you could have 'extra points' on having your sahur after waking up but yeah, i don't blame others coz its not easy waking up early. then theres the part of cooking. i don't like doing that too early coz it does not only annoy the hell out of me, other people in my apartment i think won't appreciate the noises i make. hell, i try to fart under the sheets most of the time... (too much info?).

so after my first experience of ramadhan last year, i modified my habits for this month... i had to do serious calculations to since the fasting times are way off different from last year (next year would be worse...). last i checked the dawn prayer was at 0455hrs and the dusk prayer was at 2031hrs. so imagine the length of time and patience we endure here in Swiss.

hence my schedule is like this;

wake up around 3-3.30am, just brush my teeth and wash my face, drink plenty of water (coz thats what i usually crave during the day), have a meal thats just enough for my tummy to handle, have a couple of sweet stuff too like chocolate (i really need sugar most of the time, normally i would get a loaf of bread and some Nutella... just the thought of it now makes me drool. urgh)... then finally the dawn prayer. sometimes i could sleep a bit after that before going to work.

when the break comes at dusk, i try not to gobble everything down at a nanosecond. i tend to take my time. the most perfect step is to drink water and have some sweet stuff (maybe a few pieces of sweet crackers), do the dusk prayer, then have the full dinner. for me, food would always consist of a good ample portion of rice and one portion of a side dish whether it be meats or veges. for this month i would concentrate more on skimming the oils. which means more soups and veges for me. i know it sounds terrible but hey, like i said, restraining myself. nothing is easy... and nothing is impossible :) i would also leave some food for the sahur so that i won't have to cook again in the morning. i try to eat slowly and not exceeding my limits (the usual procedure would be eat till u cant breath or move... which is astoundingly stupendous).

so far so good. i have not terrorized my tummy after following such strict schedule. it works and i am happy. oh yeah, since there is a wide gap between asar and magrib prayers, i use most of it to nap and rest my body since during that time its the most critical where my systems begin to lockdown on food or water. even looking at a picture of an ice-cold lemon tea, sweating its coldness outside the sides of the bottle with the effect of icy water and ice splattered around it seems so inviting. yes, i do a heck of a detailed explanation when i am hungry. arent we all?

wassalam

. . . marhaban ya ramadhan . . .

2009-08-19T14:47:00.002+08:00

assalamualaikum

the time has finally come where every muslims refrain from doing what they desire at most. eating and drinking... (the latter wont be mentioned).

yet another year i spend my time alone without loved ones. how i long for sitting down for sungkai with my two adorable and lovable parents. i miss the times when we fight over who gets food first. miss my mom screaming at the top of her voice calling me and dad to the kitchen. miss the silence as we indulge ourselves with the glorious food that the Al-Mighty has given us. i pretty much agree that i do feel lonely without them.

for now, i can only make them proud for living alone as well as cooking for myself. i have no doubt with my cooking skills which are averagely poor but yet i remain strong till this very moment.

to all muslims around the world, ramdhan al mubarak to you all. may Allah bless you always in your search for his forgiveness in this holy month. amen.

wassalam

. . . Happy Birthday Mama! . . .

2009-08-12T15:42:00.003+08:00

assalamualaikum

although i am afar from the loving arms of my mum and dad, it has never faded my love for them and it never will for as long as i breathe.

i dedicate this post to my wonderful and beautiful mother, Husnah Bte Hj Damit who has always been the push that makes me move! she has been patient with me for all the time that i know and she has indirectly given me numerous supports that i know that no amount of money or items or other things can repay for the ups and downs she has endured just to see me where i am right now. and for the record, i am happy that i am in debt with my mother because i will never cease to love her so much... and so much more, forever and infinitely. I LOVE YOU MAMA! HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAMA! Mudah-mudahan umur panjang badan sihat, rezeki luas dan diselamatkan Allah sentiasa. Iboy sayang Mama! (^^,)

wassalam

. . . carouge tourney . . .

2009-08-10T18:26:00.003+08:00

assalamualaikum

for the second time around i participated in the 6th Asian 8-Ball Tournament at Centre Carougeois de Billiard and to no surprise i made it to the second round (i was skipped on the first round coz there was no player against me... and i came a bit late) and did not win at all. i managed to win at least one out of 7 rounds playing against James and lost 5-nil to Yoshi. yes, i need to sharpen my skills up more... Jerry and my guru, Joseph were kind enough to let me in on some training whilst waiting for the champion.

top from right, Ken and his brother Nukul

seated, Jerry and the Saint

wassalam

. . . fete de geneve . . .

2009-08-10T15:48:00.003+08:00

assalamualaikum

didnt stay for long. fireworks only start around 1030pm. besides i can see it from my apartment window. well its not comfy or clear enough for enjoyment but then again it works for me. i cant stand the infinite crowds walking by and i aint wasting hours looking up till my neck cracks. its beautiful though. u can hear everyone saying 'ooohhhh ahhh' over and over again. the very interesting part is the delicacies that await along the lake. you would have a number of choices which may cause your cholesterol or blood pressure rise to kingdom come. but its all great. for muslims, as always, your best bet is the kebabs or you can spot a lot of vegetarian food as well. oh and do go for the candy :) try the churros!

i hate clowns... they scare me :(

as young as i may be, i think i've done a fair share of going up on rides or roller-coasters. i just dont have too much space in my excitement department :P and i persist to remain sane as well as TO BE ALIVE for quite a while. but i do miss being that young and naive. u just wanna try everything. if it doesnt kill you, you'd find other ways of suicide... eh? or was it, it makes you stronger? eff it.

wassalam

. . . amsterdam 01-03 aug part 2 . . .

2009-08-06T18:26:00.005+08:00

i have no doubt that the people in Amsterdam never sleeps. the only time i realise everything was quiet was when i woke up for dawn prayers, say around 4 or 5 in the morning. but a few minutes after that, came the bustling noises of motorbikes and honking cars. had to wake up early for prayers and also beating everybody to the shower/toilet. a good exercise in the morning :P i was kinda hoping that since we went out early we could be the first in line for the museums but i realised most of em open by 10 or 11am. then again the tikets were too expensive for me at that point of time and i didnt really wanna waste my time going thru all the exhibitions. i wanted to walk around and sightsee the city... as well as eat a lot :D

the dungeon... was too afraid to go in :P

statue of Anne Frank

i'd suggest buying some groceries from the stores and bring it back to the hotel for breakfast and late night snacks. i myself eat once a day and alhamdulillah i manage to cut down the expenses from buying too much food or souvenirs. i'd say i could finish all of Amsterdam within a day, just simple sightseeing, eating and walking around as well as getting some souvenirs. actually 3 days is more than enough from any holiday you take. for me, its all good.

the Palace...

i do suggest of placing your bags at the station since its very safe and guarded by security. u could hire a box for like 4 or 5 euros (but you can only use maestros or cards, no cash since its machine operated). our hotel's checkout time was 11am and our flight was at 8pm. so we had loads of time but we had to bring out our luggage. hence we used the boxes. not bad. for 24hrs it costs 4-5 euros... more hours, more charges. i think it goes up to a maximum of 72 hours.

its will also be great to come during the summer since everyones out and about. but its just the crowd that i dont like. alleys are small and millions of people are trying to cross it. i had to physically shoved myself in an alley just to try and get a souvenir...

so Amsterdam is crossed out in my list. next could be Budapest or Athens... any places that would pop in my mind (and not forgetting on how much there is left in my wallet)

wassalam

. . . amsterdam 01-03 aug . . .

2009-08-05T21:00:00.005+08:00

assalamualaikum

a 3 day holiday was what i really needed after all this time. finally got a chance to travel european countries for the 3rd time and alhamdulillah it looks fine from my point of view. theres stil a lot of places to go however with the money i'm earning, i gotta spend wisely and slowly. but insyallah i intend to cover all the places in the future ahead.

anyway, the trip to Amsterdam was great. although i spent most of the time breaking my legs n back walking around town, it was a well taken opportunity. for what i can remember in one day we walked for about 10 hours or so. it was one hell of a workout. at one point i couldnt feel my legs or feet or anything under the belly button... ;P

Fatih Camil mosque

after an hour or so flight from Geneva, we arrived at Schipol Airport around 8. to those who dont intend to shop till u drop, i do suggest to bring a duffle bag or a backpack. its lighter and easy to carry around rather than use one of those bulky bags or the ones with rollers. plus u wont have to kill anyone who can trip over it whilst u go walking around. hahahaha... quickest way to town was of course with the train which will cost u like 3.80 euros, one way and takes about a mere 5 mins (provided the train doesnt stop, which is only like 15-20 mins trip. easy-simple). we kinda effed up our bearings when we arrived at the amsterdam centrum (city centre?) but u could prevent that by previewing the maps from the internet before you arrive or simply go to a mag store and get a small fold map. amsterdam is quite small but can be very tricky with all its winding alleys. but give it a few hours, you'll get the hang of it pretty quick. i had many debates on my colleague on finding the roads and our hotel (urgh).

the Quentin Arrive Hotel (no, it doesnt have any affiliation with quentin tarantino) was about 5 mins walk from the station, Harlemmerstraat street if i'm not mistaken. i don't really care of what the street is called coz one, i cant pronounce dutch that perfectly and two, i wanted to lie on bed everytime i first check into a hotel. not a bad place. i read several reviews saying that the hotel sucked big time but hey, what do you expect from a budget hotel?

the Dam Square is filthy in the morning...

a bit about the hotel. situation is just ok. 3 mins tops and you'll enter the real centre where the shops are. you'll find some cafes, bars, restaurants as well as a grocery store nearby. doesnt have bed and breakfast but you could order some coffee and crackers from the front desk. hotel staff are really minimal (i saw there were only 3, one at the reception, another vacuuming and the other cleaning up toilets) and their attitudes were very... ok. the toilets and showers are shared on each floor, so you have to fight for it if there is a need to poop or pee... and shower. rooms are small an cramped. dont expect any cable tv or any special treatments. no lifts, small and steep stairs. not really sound proof. towels are provided (if lucky) that should give you a bit of a view on how the hotel is... to me, its good enough if you are a cheapskate like me :)

cramped space...

Amsterdam is not that different from Paris. drivers are not as crazy though. streets are filled with the smell of urine and marijuana, which is legal of course. and no, i didnt take any coz i prefer to remain clean and sane :) not very hard to find halal restaurants. frankly i see that they have lots compared to Geneva. most of them are Turks and Indians. i wouldnt recommend the chinese-indonesian since they also serve pork. souvenir shops are easy to find. a few steps and theres another one and another one and so on... if you plan to buy some, scout every souvenir shop you can find and compare the prices. i didnt do that so i ended up buying two pairs of shirts which cost me like 25 euros whereby you can find similar t-shirts for only 5 euros a piece. but hey, i'm still happy with it :) food is way more expensive than Geneva and Paris but they come in very big quantities. for those who are weak on walking, you can always rent a bike for a day or so. didnt check on the fare but expect it to be way averagely bearable. you can cover most of the places within a day. i recommend the musuems, the Dam Square, Chinatown, the area in front of the train station, flower gardens.

one thing i found out from my observations throughout my holiday in Amsterdam. all of them are there for 4 things. Tolerance, Marijuana, Red Light District and live-your-life-to-the-fullest-when-you-are-young mindset. the first 3 being the most popular. also another that i might point out, the places that you really want to avoid... you can't avoid them. you will one way or another end up being there. which is the Red Light District. i wont touch too much on that subject.

frankly i didnt visit many of the destinations and skipped a lot of them coz either they were too expensive to pay for or just plain far away. i really wanted to go to Madam Tussauds (21 euros per head) as well as the parks. but no worries. its nearby so i can travel anytime i want provided i have sufficient amounts :) language is not a problem at all. go to anywhere you want, english is widely spoken.

to be continued...

. . . homemade curry! . . .

2009-07-30T16:49:00.003+08:00

assalamualaikum

this is like the biggest success after a while of living alone beyond the reaches of my mum's delicious cooking :) i had this tingling urge of making curry last night (don't ask me why coz i don't even know...) and it was already like 10pm. i always wanted to make a great effort on cooking besides relying and depending mostly on instant products (e.g. maggi noodles... instant noodles... ramen... funny fact is that all the instant food i make are usually noodles...).

i have this one dream of making proper food for myself. and alhamdulillah with the good care of my parents on living independently, i finally have proof to all of u that have doubts on my cooking skills (not to mention my bbq skills, hehehe...)

i am proud of it but sorry to say i don't have the courage yet to ask others to try it. let me perfect it in a good way. but i still live till this day so i guess my cooking is quite safe :)

nawtee's curry :)

baked salmon with noodles topped with nawtee's curry :)

after...

wassalam

. . . i was a baby :) . . .

2009-07-28T17:52:00.003+08:00

assalamualaikum

my blog has been quite neglected again for the past few weeks so i guess its time to put in some things before i forget again. hehehe... theres a pre-festival here in Geneva celebrating the summer heat but i havent gone down to the lake yet coz i just dont feel like going out and about since my return. i duno, i think i kinda miss Brunei so much but hey, life has to go on and so does studies as well as work.

and for some odd reason, once in a while (well, i did it twice last week) i've been walking back home from the office... it takes like an hour or so and its a great workout. one thing about me, i dont exercise. i prefer walking as an exercise. i havent slimmed down yet but i do feel a bit lighter. hehehe...

oh yeah, back to the topic. i found some of my baby clothes when mum was rummaging stuff at the old house. i never imagined i was that small. i thought i was like a normal baby. well i dont know, i just seem pretty small judging from the clothes...

what i really liked was my cute yellow hat and also my small blue socks. i knew i was cute :) and mom was explaining to me about the 'baruts' that i wore to keep my stomach from bulging... but my stomach was hardly the width of my thigh. wow, i was that small... damn i'm cute! :) i could even see mum was a bit tearfully happy to remember all those memories when i was a kid. i love my mum... and you too dad :)

wassalam

. . . nawtee's goat :) . . .

2009-07-17T18:04:00.004+08:00

. . . jump on it! . . .

2009-07-09T18:57:00.001+08:00

. . . chillaxing . . .

2009-07-09T17:47:00.002+08:00

assalamualaikum

as u can see, i've grown really lame and tired. i havent been posting much lately, except for the photos. as u see below. i dont know. i just dont feel right. theres so many things i have to think about... especially my rights and wrongs. its a pain in the hole but yeah, i am that responsible. come to think of it, i dont think i would survive without problems. ehhehehe... it makes me that experienced in life. but no, i'm not that experienced yet. i do try to be. once i saw a t-shirt in Miri, one of the quotes that i like. it showed the Cancer zodiac sign and under it was written, For Every Question, I Have The Answer. that was cool... but alas it was too small :( it couldve been a great t-shirt to wear :)

but when you hold the answer to every question, it bears a burden on you. everyones dying to ask you and each one of em wants a positive answer. sorry dudes and dudettes, unless i am certain, the answer will smack you in the face. for the things that i do know now, only Allah can be my witness. whether it is sins or blessings. i do ask for forgiveness although i know it would take time for the sinful to be forgiven. i am that hopeful. insyallah, i will make wrongs to rights.

on a lighter note, i think i've gained pretty much weight (how light can that be??) currently my trousers are getting a bit tighter than usual... i'm just happy that my jeans still fit :) oh god, why cant we wear jeans to work and school? its such an innovative creation... hehehe...

the ASEAN games didnt help that much. as u can see i was hoarding the bbq section. everyone keeps asking me if i'm ok coz they see me sitting by the bbq all day long. i tell u this, it was great and for no obvious reason, it entertained me. i didnt eat that much coz i think most chefs or cooks know, when you do cooking, you dont get hungry as the smell of delicious food can really make you full. well, i dont know if that works during ramadhan... (^^,)

what keeps me entertained much now is that i have bought a new laptop. seriously, i've been eyeing that MacBook for so long now... for those who never got one, it is really recommended. well, most of you have it and you might think that i am pathetic but i dont care that much coz its my long dream to have one and now that i have it, pls, let a saint be happy for his achievements... capiece?

wassalam

. . . ASFD 2009 . . .

2009-07-08T20:56:00.002+08:00

. . . patriotik? or buang boring? . . .

2009-07-07T22:50:00.003+08:00

sekejap takde...

sekejap ada... :)

. . . faces of happiness . . .

2009-07-02T21:35:00.003+08:00

. . . back at ground zero . . .

2009-07-02T17:39:00.002+08:00

assalamualaikum

sorry for the delay on updates. things have been quick or slow, wherever course it had n may take. i truly had an amazing time going for a less-than-a-month long holiday in Brunei. apparently i gained weight (no surprise there) and i kinda feel heavy. need to do some more walking around... i'm quite proud of my parents coz they remained strong as i entered the departure gates. i didnt cry along the way. it sounds cruel of me to do so. but i have a reason for it. its because i know i'll be coming back soon. i dont like tears. happy tears are welcomed. but like i said, i was really happy even when i left. i know i'll come back again. it will take me a long time but yes, definitely i'm coming back. and for what i'm certain, there'll be good things happening by the time i come back :) just ya'll wait and see.

i do hope the family is safe coz since i came and left, all i hear about is the H1N1 cases. last i heard they were up to the 50-60 counts of cases confirmed. masyallah n nauzubillah, mudah2an sekalian keluarga dan kawan2ku dselamatkan Allah dari penyakit atu. but ujar2nya bapa jua, penyakit bukannya datang dari siapa2. datangnya dari kitani sendiri jua... you all would have to take that in and understand it for urself. i learned it the hard way :) and it was great.

surprisingly i'm doing quite well. it is true that i didnt sleep much during my holidays (how can u when u dont wanna miss a thing) and the freakin jetlag killed most of my working brain cells. good thing KLIA had a hotel so i could have a snooze for a couple of hours to n fro. both KLIA and Schipol (Amsterdam) airport was in fact really cool. yes, probably you i'm such a newbie at airports but in fact i dont even care what you think, coz by far i've never gone to other countries that much. so cut me some slack aite? hehe.

the most funny thing ever (but i'm also embarrassed, sorry mom n dad...) was that i mistook the departure date to be 26th instead of 27th. thankfully the other lot of the family didnt came and were warned earlier of the mistake. i do apologise to my other relatives who came to the house and assist... u can imagine the laughter when they realised i was not gonna fly off on the 26th but tommorrow. better early than left by the airplane, right? WRONG. i nearly missed my flight to Amsterdam. on the 27th. i was at the wrong gate... but the freakin screen had the same flight number! i was lucky enough to realise that the date was wrong so i asked the counter if i missed the flight. my flight was at 2305 hrs and i realised my mistake at 2300hrs... i ran like my life depended on it... good thing it was still there... phew! i kinda blushed when i came into the plane coz everyone was lookin at me... i think i delayed the flight but the pilot said we will make it on time to Schipol... phew... thats like the second mistake i ever made in an airport. last i remember was missing the flight from Nottingham to Geneva. urgh...

its just that i really get annoyed with long haul flights. i wish i could fast forward it in real life. not forgetting to mention the tight spaces that u sit in (try to get the seats next to the aisle. it will save ur life especially when nature calls... plus ur the closest when the food comes :)) i'm fine with babies and kids. i love them to death. but when they start crying for like 6 straight hours, i'd love death. its worse enough that u cant (i definitely cant) sleep in the plane, u have to endure the screams and cries... what annoys me the most is that the parents just let them cry... probably they know they cant even shut them down. oh well. all is fair.

i had a really warm home welcoming when i arrived at Geneva, special appreciation to G3 & family for being at the airport. G3 really scared me when he grabbed my arm from behind. hahaha! and also to Fauzi, sorry that u had to drive during your off days. Allah bless you all. we went to the Badminton Tournament somewhere in Lignon i guess where our team was playing. Our ambassador managed to get the Bronze for Men's Singles (yay!) and i was really happy to hear that we managed to conquer the first and second during the Golf Tournament. i missed it and i do regret bcoz i was really looking forward to become a paparazzi again. hehehe...

eventhough my birthday has passed for like a week or so, its still goin on in Geneva. thanks to colleagues and friends who are amazing and i do appreciate for all the gifts and birthday cake. thankfully there were not many people in the usual pool place so i can bear myself being embarrassed. haha... i cant or more likely, i dont really know how i can show my appreciation to your efforts but know this, u all are in my prayers. Allah bless you all. thank you dearly very much!... apparently everyone has been waiting for me to come back and celebrate my birthday together. sweet of them to do so and again i really do appreciate it. how i wish my parents and the mama bear was around to celebrate them with me. but witnessing the happy faces of colleagues and friends, i have myself a family in Geneva. this is for them, i thank you sooooo very much.

sorry theres no pictures yet. still waiting for them to be sent from Brunei...

wassalam

. . . another year older . . .

2009-06-23T23:36:00.002+08:00

assalamualaikum

ok so the real reason i didnt put any pictures since i came back to Brunei is that i dont have a card reader. its so pathetic n really annoying. all of this time when its there, i have no use for it but now i am really itching for one. argh...

anyway, as of this moment i am happy. what was suppose to be a small birthday celebration, turns out it became one hell of a birthday party. no no, no music or dancing. i dont do that stuff. trust me, i'm too old for that.

but like i said at this very moment i am really happy (^^,)

i thank everyone who came for my birthday. i really appreciate it. i'll come back to blog again coz i have to chow down on the birthday cake that the mama bear bought me ;) so sweet of her. thank you sweetie... i love you. oh oh oh, i LOVE the gift :)

wassalam

. . . @ home . . .

2009-06-18T13:04:00.002+08:00

assalamualaikum

i said it once or twice or even lotsa times and i'll say it again... panas eeeyyyyhhh!!! *kiap2* is there someone who could invent a portable air conditioner around here? GOD! i think i bathed for like a hundredth time today! and its still freakin hot. even the skin on my fingers are starting to crack and tear apart... urgh. luckily theres owes cheap food around to keep me entertained. hahaha!

i am entering what seems to be the last days of my stay in Brunei. frankly i kinda have mixed feelings about it. especially the thought of leaving my loved ones :( i dont know what to do. in a matter of days i'll be on that ass whooping flight back to Geneva. then i have to look forward to another few weeks of jetlag. whats worse, i'll be alone again. things have to end sometimes, i have to accept it.

i managed to meet some of my relatives and friends but still not all of them. i hope i can still make time for the others. all i can bring back is memories. they keep me strong throughout the storm... i love you all. i am surely gonna miss you.

wassalam

. . . insanely sane ramblings . . .

2009-06-03T02:13:00.002+08:00

assalamualaikum

yep, i cant sleep. its like 2am in the morning and my eyes are wide open. heck i forgot the last time i blinked. haha... seriously. its taking me some time to get used to the change. especially the freakin weather. i am so like... swiss... like... right now. oh-mah-gawd. mon dieu! i am that hot. hot with a capital H! arf!... um, where was i?

i havent had the opportunity to see some close friends yet since theres more important things to do. dont fret, theres still time. insyallah. give it time.

i cant stop munching. at this very moment, i am skillfully trying to balance a cold chocolate drink (which is really cheap), a piece of... err, i forgot, i gobbled it down already... hahaha... but for petes sake, i cant stop eating! aiyaiyai... benefits of coming back home. everywhere is cheap food. i think 10 minutes ago i took a dump for like the 10th time in a row today... just to save space for the incoming mounds of food that i will take in. but still i feel full... and yet i wanna eat more!!! aiyaiyai...

earlier we had ambuyat at Aminah Arif's i dont even know what we ordered exactly. i just ate. thats me. food in front of me, theres no wasting time. the only time i think i would stop eating is when i stop breathing... which will take me a while to get to at this rate. hell, i would even ask the doctors to jump start me to life again just so i can grab another bite to eat. hahaha... for the sake of 'kempunan' to some peeps *cough!*in*cough!*cough!*geneva*cough!... hmmm. man i have a sore throat... i meant actually, i'm not gonna post the delicious... succulent... CHEAP... and the crazy amount of infinite food menus, i wont post the pictures... yet. muahhahaha!!!

oh oh oh, i cant wait to go out with the mama bear (^^,) i miss her so much (and i'm already in Brunei!) i just love the happy look on her face as well as her parents when i dropped by. sorry it was only for a few minutes. i'll make it up to u soon sweetie.

so many things to do, so little time.

on the small dark side. i am really frustrated of people always considering of one's badness (does that word exist?) rather than think of the goodness they have. why would u do that? u know what i think of them? eff it. u understand, alhamdulillah. u dont, laissez tomber. let Allah point u to the right direction. it is to Him that i put my trust on my judgements. i pray to those to have the right thoughts in mind to others. sedarlah siapa dirimu. i know myself. i know my wrongs and for sure i know my own rights. climb up to one's skin and walk around it.

wassalam

. . . home again . . .

2009-06-02T02:26:00.003+08:00

assalamualaikum

this is the best ever feeling that i've had for a long time. the sight of happiness etched right out loud from the faces of my parents when i came walking to the front of the house was a total blessing from Allah himself. i couldnt believe it myself. i'm acting like i've never seen them for ages... frankly, even a day without them is already enough to cause me sorrow. now i have at least a month with them.

i couldnt sleep ever since i flew from geneva (well, up until the last 6 hours ago when i dropped dead on bed) and i've been having nausea from time to time. no no... tis not the flu my friends, its the suspense and excitement. i couldnt think straight, my mind was always wondering on how my loved ones will react, couldnt eat... hey thats a lie. i ate like a pig once i touched down in KLIA. hahaha... i also had the luxury to spend a few hours in the airport hotel.

the scene was so different to me. i havent been away for that long enough but i felt like a kid being bought out to the city. so suddenly i start recognizing every license plate i see. hahaha... pathetic. i know. hey, i'm really happy to be home. the thing that worries me now is how bloated i'm gonna be will all the food lying around. i cant stop munching. this is really dangerous.

the heat is really killing me. i couldnt stand 5 minutes without breaking a sweat. damn. its really that freakin hot. i think i need to carry and ice block around...

wassalam

. . . the calm after/before the storm . . .

2009-05-25T17:42:00.005+08:00

assalamualaikum

it has not been an easy week but alhamdulillah everything went smoothly with a bit of hassles (sorry for those who are affected). again i stress the sheer amount of pleasurable pain being around hardworking people. i do admire them as they can manage lotsa things thru all of these times. myself as well included, oh yeah, i never actually realised on how i can cope with different situations no matter what the situation might be.

having not much sleep throughout the week was particularly normal, not that everyday is normal. there is always something happening everyday. and i appreciate and welcome it with arms wide open. i must say though, it has been tough for me to wake up in the early mornings (coz the night seems so short) these past few weeks and i really do regret on missing some prayers as well as time for myself. but all is not lost coz i get to spend my busy time with people i hold dearly close to my heart. i think i really need another one day straight of sleep. i can even manage to hold my pee and poop while i have my beauty sleep. such a miracle...

especially to my family and my mama bear, time seems so short and i barely have time to talk or sms them. i do feel sorry but as i always say, i will make it up to u all. i promise and be advised it will come soon (^^,) lately i've been missing them so much :'( it doesnt break my heart though coz they do understand the stuff that i'm going thru and i really honestly appreciate them for being patient with me throughout my absence. or should i say being far apart from them.

frankly i dont even care that my phone bills are skyrocketing everytime i contact them coz i know every penny is worth it. i wont trade my loved ones for any currency nor gold in this world. i can tell u that. but the fact remains, i miss you...

June 2009 is coming up fast and i will land in so many things, i'm sure it will take my time and patience. lotsa things to do... but hey, thats me. i'd rather do something than not doing anything at all. i must say that i am happy that most people are happy with my services and that makes me... um... happy too :-) i think thats the best part of me, making people happy and entertained. although i might be clumsy but hey, i give my utmost best.

i've been driving a lot lately too and its actually fun. well, both my legs have been rather muscular from working the pedals and my ass is getting flatter than usual... hahaha! but its all good. i love the challenge of driving. give it another few months, i will become the bad boy of geneva streets. oh yeah... i can drive. i look forward on driving a huge truck or a bus if i have the chance. at one point, i flew the car rather than drive it! awright! and best part of all, i dont get summoned for it. well, there was a minor fluke now and then but we make mistakes... we are human after all.

i've not played airsoft for several weeks now, i don't even know if i can shoot properly... well, i never shoot properly to begin with so i think the next time i'll play, it'll be alright. oh and my foot has healed a bit more and i can walk the usual vogue (^^,) i think after stomping the pedals now and then made my foot rather intolerant to pain. thank god for that. its not cool limping around in this hot weather and not forgetting that the distance that i'm walking to and fro never lacks of breaking sweats in every nook and cranny of my lushious body... arf! hahahaha... yes, i want to feel sexy at all times. can u blame me for it? it keeps getting better and better folks. amen to that.

dear god, i really feel like sleeping now. i got one week to calm d eff down from all the activities from last week... and i have to get ready for next as well. havent done anything much lately for my little apartment. frankly it looks more of a garbage dump now *sigh*

oh, Happy Birthdays goes out to our colleagues Don Leonor and Karsay Dawa, may ya'll be blessed by God. sorry for the late post...

and also farewell to Sir Hj Alaihuddin and his companions, hope you all have a safe journey home. it was great meeting you again and i sure do hope to see ya'll another time. and yes, i wont get the shoes coz its too expensive for me! hahahaha... i will set my eyes for the bags or probably start with something small like wallets or keyholders.... :-)

wassalam

. . . pain & happiness . . .

2009-05-18T21:36:00.004+08:00

assalamualaikum

its really getting me frustrated. i dont know whether this is gonna kill me or not but it certainly is doing a good job at it. i cant even walk for a mere 10 minutes now without gritting my teeth! yeah i'm really that stubborn. i dun wana bring it to the doctor coz i know it'll cost me a lot and frankly i dont have that much to spend on medical things. so i'm just gonna walk it off... literally.

ok i dont wana think about it too much coz the more i do, its gonna hurt like hell. might as well enjoy the hati buyah and daging payau that mom n dad sent me! (^^,) oh yeah! back into becoming a carnivore again. i swear, if do come back to Brunei, my weight will skyrocket as well as my blood pressure! hahaha... i love it mom! thank you so much n so sorry to have u gone thru lots of things to send me the stuff. frankly i dont know if it will last coz i've been munching on the stuff since i opened it this morning. hehehehe... yes i love to eat.

i also wana say welcome back to Sir Hj Alaihuddin! yeeeeeyyy!!! such a cool guy (we went to LV during lunch break... hehehe) yes sir, i still wana go for the shoes and also the bag. kita take over the Monogram and i'll have the Graphite designs! set?

wassalam

. . . funny ads . . .

2009-05-11T18:35:00.002+08:00

. . . Happy Birthday! . . .

2009-05-05T14:54:00.004+08:00

assalamualaikum

although being far apart, it has never failed my heart of being happy together for 3 years. shortly after the anniversary, the time has come for the birthday!!! Happy Birthday Mama Bear! i know you might be annoyed that i've been saying that since last night, but you know me, i over excel on happiness (^^,) today is never the same as yesterday. its all about you. i wish for so many things for you to come true. probably you're working even on your birthday, but dont worry honey, i've been there and done that. but come whatever may, it never seem to disintegrate my happiness! i am that persistent on being happy as well as loving you. hehehehe...

endless prayers for you!

wassalam

. . . montreaux . . .

2009-05-04T18:37:00.004+08:00

assalamualaikum

the gang and i went roadtrippin' to montreaux on sunday to attend a cultural show. apparently there is one Bruneian student, Hakim, studying there on a hospitality course. mind you, Switzerland definately has really good schools on this matter... scratch that, GREAT schools. i can safely say that Hakim is living my dream of studying abroad. though it costs a lot, i wouldnt mind it coz its a great opportunity for me as well as other students who wants to break the cycle.

nda tunggu2 aku ah begambar ah...

i must say we were a tad underdressed for the occasion but hey, i dont even give an eff. my foot is already smarting itself from the previous bowling tourney so i aint wearin no suits coz they just make me more uncomfortable. heck, i'd go naked (not that i intend to). the school was absolutely fabulous. i heard it was actually a castle n transformed into a school. i've studied tourism n hospitality before, but this was a whole new stage of hospitality. it gave me a sparkle of hope to join such tremendous organization.

it was fully packed (i think the inside was rather small so it looks like millions of people were attending). i managed to sit down and talk to Hakim about the things he went thru to get into n also study there alone. i must say, i am proud of him. this goes out to the others, he is breaking the cycle n i'll be damned if others dont like it. do i sound gay? hopefully not coz i aint one. hahahaha... i'm straight and hard. ok ok ok... moving on...

the cultural show was great. there was Brunei (AWRIGHT!... well we combined with Singapore and Indonesia so they named themselves as the South East Asia team) watching our flag on the background was so damn impressive. if i was given the chance, i'd run up to the stage and do my victory-jumping act. but my foot hurts so i declined that option. Africa really made a great show too with all the acting n bootie shaking (boys and girls), there was China, Korea, Thailand, Russia... erm... well there was a few more but i forgot. anyway, they made a terrific show and everyone was entertained. but i apologise to G3 for laughing when his name was announced during the welcoming speech (the guy sounded like he had a premature sneeze... LoLs!) sori hj, nda ku tetahan ketawa tu. nanti lanja kita croissont ah! hehehehe...

then came the moment i was waiting for... BUFFET! i basically went thru (of course) the Asia stand stall where Brunei was included, the sambal belacan was great. two thumbs up! but i totaly pumped my stomach up with the sushi from the Japan stall and also the fish n' chips from the Australia stall. i also particularly liked the Thailand stall as much attention was given to it apart from the Japan and China stalls... i love Thai food coz they're hot n spicy (^^,) well, i would suffer a loss of blood after that, but hey, i'm still alive and kicking! um, probably no kicking for this week but yeah, its all good!

my sunday was absolutely one of the best. to Hakim again, i wish you good luck and hope to hear from you soon. sorry i cant be around for your graduation in June coz i have a full schedule to work on. it was great fun and we went home happyily tired.

wassalam

. . . bowling woes . . .

2009-05-04T14:42:00.007+08:00

assalamualaikum

i already expected nothing really new happening to us on this year's bowling tournament as we were up against very good players. but one fact remained, we enjoyed it with our own sense of humor and good sporting spirits. thats whats best in our team. no matter who we go with, our hearts are always happy to cheer on our ASEAN colleagues.

strike a pose!!!

our team color for bowling this year is red. hell, i didnt know about it until the day before the tourney was held. and for one fact, red is not really my interest. since i already wore my one and only red t-shirt, i had to scoot over to Balexert (shopping centre in Geneva) just to grab another one. they only had that bright neon red... well, there were other options but being a fan of Adidas (oh yeah...) i had to get it. plus it was cheap. i'm a cheapskate remember? i saw myself in the mirror, n i'd give my self one and a half thumbs up. not bad... mum, dad? what do u think? i'll tell you this, you raised one hell of a great child (^^,)

vanity...

but alas, vain didnt last for long when pain invaded my very manhood. not that manhood. i mean my manliness... as others know, i am such exagerrating n eccentric boy (yes i am young, hence i am a boy). i'd skip, i'd jump, i'd make funny faces... heck, i'd even do the war dance if i could. anyway, as a reward for my childish behaviour, my foot was effed up. seriously. i had the new celebrate-when-i-get-a-strike move, stomping the ground with every strike i get. i got three by the way (the whole day... *sigh*) hence, three stomps. i knew the third was gonna hurt but i am that persistent. i stomped ahead... et voila. instant result. its a good thing that i could still walk properly and drive. but that night, it was hell for me. good thing mum sent me some ointments (i love you mum!) so it wasnt as bad as it may seem.

wassalam

. . . bowling . . .

2009-05-01T16:04:00.006+08:00

assalamualaikum

hmph. my arms have been acting up lately, not that i had much activities on it (i know what ur thinking... no its not that). got a lot of things on my hands now that its effing my targeting focus. i guess i'm still thinking too much on pool. havent gone there for a while but maybe i'll go within these few days just to polish my pool skills. after all, i have a year to train for next years' tournament. wohooo!

speaking of bowling, did u know i've never bowled more than once in Brunei? yep. the last time i remember about it was the ball slipping away to the back and miraculously i've managed to catch it before hitting my cousins. phew. from that day on, i didnt want to play anymore. but since theres nothing much to do here, i guess i can extend my sports list (which is so short) to include bowling. i still prefer pool though. oh yeah, to try snooker as well. i was glued on to this snooker tournament that was showing on eurosports last night after the bowling. it looks so interesting. the accuracy is so enticing. i might get a snooker cue if i do well on it. heck, i wanna join the swiss tournaments!

bowling gurus discussing on bowling tactics... LoLs!

wassalam

. . . 3rd Anniversary! . . .

2009-04-30T19:40:00.003+08:00

assalamualaikum

pejam celik mata, dah tiga tahun dah mengharungi hari-hari bekasih sayang. cewaaaaaahhh!!! ada saja quote yg manis tu. biasa lah. hati muda katakan... (^^,) awu, tau ku pa, awal2 ani mcm2 tia janji2 manis atu. branang 7 lautan lah (branang pun nda pandai, terpuruk dlm lungkang udah tia kial2), gunung tinggi ddaki lah (naik tangga pun kapus2), you lap me i lap you (lap tia meja ah, tantu plg)... ahahhaha...

happy memories of being close together

ah biasalah semua atu. but alhamdulillah, the mama bear and i have gone thru the 3 years steadily and never too much or too less loving each other. we still have a vague future ahead but nevertheless, we try our best at everything. for one that i'm sure of, we need to settle our lives to ensure the future (^^,)

this year for me is the saddest as i havent seen her for almost a year and a half *sobs* que vais je faire? but insyallah when i return back home, i'll try to spend some quality time together. i'm still eyeing for her Begedil recipes! hehehe...

for all that is worth, i thank you mama bear, for being patient with me through all these times. i'll make it up to you, i promise. i love you so much and i pray for good things to come in the near future! amin!

wassalam

. . . boredom . . .

2009-04-27T22:36:00.002+08:00

. . . pool tourney . . .

2009-04-27T16:57:00.003+08:00

assalamualaikum

yaw... as i expected. i didnt even last 5 games. i managed to win the first round against one of the Filipino players (by sheer luck). honestly, if he didnt accidentally potted the black eight ball, he cudve left me staring at the cold afternoon winds.

but luck didnt last for long, as i entered the 2nd round (my confidence and momentum was building up) i met a young Cambodian player who literally kicked my sweet sexy ass all around the place. the game was based on the best of three. obviously he kicked me out by the second frame which he cleaned easily without even breaking a sweat. all i did was just chug my lemon tea and watch him win. aiyaiyai...

some dudes say that they werent that ready, some say they didnt train properly, others say the feeling isnt the same when we're playing casually compared to a realy tournament. i say eff it. i lost. so what. end of conversation. but hey, there is still next year. probably i'm gonna do a full time career on pool. its all fun and dandy. i wanna learn snooker as well.

congrats to the 2 Cambodians, Lao & Ked who attained the 1st and 2nd while the 3rd went to Jesus from the Philippines (yes, he was playing pool on saturday... LoLs!). for the womens category (obviously) went to Ninja, congrats and i disagree, the stick doesnt make really big of a change. you played well, thats what counts (^^,) me on the other hand, with or without my happy stick, i'm definitely gonna give it all my best next year. i got one year to train so i aint giving up that easily (thank you very much for the support mama bear... i love you)

wassalam

. . . what?! . . .

2009-04-23T22:02:00.002+08:00

wiener waffles... LoLs!!!

this is one menu i aint taking...

. . . funny thangs in loife . . .

2009-04-21T17:33:00.004+08:00

corny looking box... LoLs!

wtf? 3 pieces (halved) of corn is 4 freakin bucks??

get high... on tea!

. . . spotting balls again . . .

2009-04-21T17:24:00.004+08:00

assalamualaikum

a few more days and the game shall start... good gracious god. its really nerve racking. i never compete full heartedly in every competition (well, not that i have been in any for a while) but the pool tournament this saturday is really getting me anxious as well as excited. i wont say its my favorite game of all time but thats the only thing that makes living in Geneva fun for me (apart from all the sales... hahaha!).

i came, i saw... i will conquer!

i've been going to the pool place almost every single day (i'm exaggerating as usual) but so far, i managed to become crappier each day. my placings are effed up, i cant pot the balls accurately. heck, i can't even strike a straight shot properly. yes, i suck at stress. i love it, but i totaly eff myself up. as i play, i began to think as usual... i always want to pot the balls in the right pocket, i'm fully determined at it. but most of the times it doesn't go in. i guess thats how life is. it wont go to what u demand. it only works for a while *sigh*

wassalam

. . . back in black . . .

2009-04-20T21:22:00.002+08:00

i LOVE this!

. . . farewells, welcomes, birthdays, kids . . .

2009-04-16T18:49:00.009+08:00

assalamualaikum

like i said, i have this thing for being late and also forgetfulness... its being me :) but my intentions are pure and true to all those that i keep close to my heart. here we go!

first off, this goes off to Ka Chil and her family! i love you all. although it was for a while, i loved every moment of it and i look forward for the next. i've said a number of times before and i'll keep saying it again, it was great fun hanging out with u no matter if it was for work or play (well, i'd give AAA ratings for the fun part) hahaha...! euro 2008, fenomeno, chancy... it was absolutely fabulous! and the best part of all, the lovely kids, sofia n sofian, i miss them both as i type this ;( i've learned a lot and i am not ashamed to ask for more in the future. this is to you! i love you and Allah Bless You always. can't wait to see you again when i return back to Brunei for my holidays!

on to the next subject! a new bouncing baby girl!!! i introduce to u, Mya Halimah Batrisyia! daugther of Bukz and Mugz :) shes is absolutely beautiful. i hope i get to meet her soon. although i have no intentions to cradle her in my arms coz no matter how muscular my arms are, i am quite unstable when i carry a new born baby. hehehe... i forgot the date when she was born but i think it was near the end of january i guess. ngikut mua sapa kh ni krg... ada jua imbas2 si Bak. hehehehehe...

my next news is about welcoming 2 new colleagues from Brunei, Noramali and Saiful!!! oh yeah! we have new people in the houuuusseee!!! both are settling just fine in Geneva. i look forward to working with you two in the near future. oh yeah, i'm still gonna get my Macs soon. just u wait. hah!... it may take me a while... or maybe in a couple of years. hahaha! but never fret, i'll carry that Apple logo proud one day (usin bah usiiinnn!!!)

Noramali had her birthday a while ago but sadly, our official photographer wasnt around so i can only settle by saying Happy Birthday to you Mali!!! May all your wishes come true and Allah Bless You always!

and shortly after that, it was Ninja's turn to have her mind-blarshting birthday! Happy Birthday Tina, same prayers for you as well! and congratulations for winning 3rd place in the Scrabble tournament. sorry, i only made it to the semi-finals. u know how i am about semis and pressure, muahaha!

phew. who said bloggin wasnt tiring? i can feel my brain liquids dripping out of my mind. damn. my finger are having blisters. regardless of the pain, all of it boils down to one fact, i love my friends. no matter who or wherever they might be (especially when they bring food along!). three cheers for great friends, new and old!

wassalam

. . . boredom . . .

2009-04-14T16:37:00.001+08:00

enough said... and done... LoLs!

. . . holiday agonies . . .

2009-04-14T15:26:00.003+08:00

assalamualaikum

back to life, back to reality. the previous four-day holiday was just what i needed after all this time. yeah, most of us wish that it would become a full week holiday, but no. we wake up to the world and face reality as it is. so, on to another excruciating weeks of work and studies.

the best part of the holidays was me passing out on our airsoft game last saturday. everything went black for a few seconds and before i realised it, i was flat on the ground. wasnt very macho of me though *sobs* i dont think it was the heatwave... most probably bcoz i didnt sleep for the past few days. well, since thursday night to be exact. why? endless tv series. downloaded tv series. yes. pathetic. but go through it and you will be in the same situation as i was. then came the red bull... ahahaha... yes. i overloaded on it. every can is an eye buster as far as i'm concerned. i think i need to trim down on my sugar levels.

after the game i took a few hours of sleep (and a bit of continuation on CSI...) and then i was back to normal. even so, i enjoyed every bit of it. from now i could spend my weekends without going out and spending too much. well, except if theres irresistable invitations eg. pool, movies, FOOD. did i mention FOOD? yes i did. anyfood, yeah, i'd rather stay indoors watching endless tv series (minus the red bull this time) for the rest of my holidays. some might and did say its a losers' world being a couch potato. so is everyone a winner in the world? i dont think so.

i wouldve done a record of staying indoors for four days but alas, i am human and i do need the sunrays beaming on my cute smiling face. its a pity that i didnt have the chance to go to yvoire with some colleagues coz i was just too tired (and still going bonkers on Supernatural) but they managed to pull me out to the lake at one point. i just realised i nearly missed a beautiful day at the lake. even the fact the almost everyone was half naked (i'm exaggerating) the view was fantastic. damuan, eat ur heart out :P~ having a caramel ice cream during a hot day was just the saving grace that i was looking for.

i'm still waiting for my pictures from my colleague. will post it soon.

wassalam