One in A Million

One in A Million is on at this moment. Frankly, I don't think anyone deserve the RM 1 million as I think none of them can sing that well. Anyway, if I had to choose I would want Ayu to win. She's the best of the lot.

Mintak2 Siti Sarah tak menang. Huduh ler minah tu, pakai apa pun tak cantik. Jahat aku yer..aku tak kata aku ni baik...muahahaha

Yeay, Ayu won!

Hujan

Lama jugak tak hujan kat tempat aku ni dan semalam dalam pukul 6 hujan lebat bebeno. Aku dah agak dah bila American Idol nak mula mesti hujan, betul tekaan aku. So macam biasa Astro tak boleh dapat dan akan keluar kotak kuning kecik kat TV aku. Hujan bebeno lebat sampai bocor sikit bumbung kat family area tingkat atas rumah aku. Ni hujan lagi nih, masa aku tulis entry ni. Apa pun aku suka hujan dari hari panas terik. Aku suka udara sejuk selepas hujan. Cuma yang aku tak suka hujan ni bila aku baru basuh kain atau kereta. Selalu bila aku basuh kereta pagi, petang mesti hujan. Kawan aku plak kata bila dia basuh cadar jer mesti hujan. So bila lama tak hujan aku suruh dia basuh cadar supaya hujan.

Macam aku suka hujan aku juga suka cuaca sejuk. Aku suka cuaca bermusim. Kawan kata aku tak ni tak berapa betul sebab suka sejuk. Nak buat camne, memang aku suka sejuk, memang Poyeng gila. Muahahaha

A Visit to the Doctor

I have this tightness in the chest and slight coughing for the past 1 month. Today I decided to see the doctor at the clinic I frequent. The usual doctor wasn't there today but there was a very young male doctor and he said it might be asthma. I developed this slight asthma about 5 years ago. I thought people developed asthma only when they were kids and not at their 40s. Boy was I wrong. So today I was nebulized and a felt a bit better.

Kopitiam

Sekarang ni kopitiam belambak2 kat mana pun. Kat tempat aku ni pun berlambak2 kopitiam. Pak Li ler, Pak Long ler, Uncle K ler...macam-macam nama. Menu wajib termasuk kopi, teh, telur setengah masak, roti bakar, nasi lemak dan mee2 terutama mee kari.

Kat tempat aku tinggal Pak Li Kopitiam ni antara paling popular terutama malam hujung minggu penuh dengan hadeq-hadeq perasan chanteq macam dalam forum website lelaki yang ada angka 4 tu. Aku pergi kopitiam ni pagi untuk breakfast jer, time lain malas pegi sebab hadeq2 ni. Menu dia tak banyak. Yang sedap sini Nasi Ayam Lemon dia. Yang lain pun boleh ler tahan. Apa yang buat dia popular aku tak brapa tahu. Mungkin ambience dia kut. Dua kali aku pergi sini waiter dia tak perasan aku ada, so bila dia orang datang aku laser kan dia orang sikit. Aku bukan jenis laser, tapi bila waiter2 blur tak peka customer datang, padahal tak penuh, aku laserkan gak kadang2 ikut mood. Setengah waiter kat mana2 kedai kat Malaysia kadang2 tak ambik kisah orang datang, tak alert dengan customer2 yang baru sampai. Lagi satu dia orang tak de sense of urgency, order kena ambik cepat dan makanan kena sampai cepat. Beza betul dengan waiter2 kat Italy yang aku pergi. Cepat jer pegi kat customer dan cepat gak makanan sampai. Buat kerja pantas, takde terhegeh-hegeh.

Satu lagi kopitiam kat sini nama dia Sri Hainan. Aku suka pergi sini sebab parking banyak, mee kari dia pun sedap. Clientele dia pun terdiri dari family dan professionals umur 35 keatas sebab dia dekat dengan kawasan rumah org2 kaya. Item kat menu dia tak begitu banyak so tak pening bila nak order. Wanton goreng dan wonton sup dia sedap. Kulit dia nipis dan rangup. Siapa suka kambing kat sini ada jual wonton kambing, memang sedap.

Satu lagi kopitiam tak jauh Sri Hainan ni ialah Pak Long Kopitiam. Menu dia memang banyak, macam2 ada. Roti bakar dia paling sedap kat bandar aku tinggal ni. Yang lain2 tu sedap2 juga.

Roti bakar paling sedap aku pernah rasa ialah Uncle Lim kat Subang Parade. Oooh, roti nya rangup (gambar kat atas), combination kaya dengan butter dia amat sedap, pada aku ler. Laksa dia aku tak minat sebab ingredient dia macam daun kesum dll kasar2, so macam makan laksa banyak sampah sarat gitu.

Mee kari paling sedap pada aku ialah kat Old Towm Kopitiam, memang delicious. Mee kuah putih dia Ipoh Chicken Hor Fun pun enak sekali. Aku jarang ke sini sebab jauh sikit, dekat sempadan bandar bersebelahan. Cawangan kat sini kecik jer tak macam kat Metro Kajang.

Sebab apa kopitiam ni makin popular? Aku rasa sebab menu dia, cepat dan ambience dia, setengah tu comfy dan classic.

The Academy Awards

Saw the live telecast of the Academy Awards today but not the entire show. I have always love award shows and beauty pageants . The prestigious award events like this one, the Grammys etc and the pageants produced in the Stateeas like Miss USA and Miss America are fantastic, well executed unlike the ones produced in Malaysia. Presenters at these awards waste no time at promoting themselves or making stupid jokes....well most of them. Presenters at the local awards show will waste audience's time by asking each other questions like 'Apa khabar?', 'Apa projek sekarang?' Shouldn't you be asking these questions backstage. They turn the podium into a platform for self-promotion.

Once I saw Miss Malaysia World on TV. The organization of the whole show would make Donald Trump cringed and yell, 'All of you are fired!'....from the organizers to the props people.

Saja-saja

Dua tiga kucing berlari
Tiga-tiga penat
Yang dua dah pun mati
Yang lagi satu tenat

Bank Teller: How do you like your money?
Malaysian student: Err...I like my money very much.

Waiter at McD : For here or to go?
Malaysian student: Go where?

Waiter : How do you like your steak?
Sophomore Malaysian student: Medium
Newly arrived Malaysian student: Errr....same.

20 minutes later the steaks arrived

Newly arrived Malaysian student: Nasib baik aku tak order large.

Don't Interfere

Today I was told not to interfere. Hey!!!I never wanted to interfere. I was involuntarily pulled into interfering by all of you fools. This is what I get for being nice. You fools should have thought about the consequences of your actions and how they will affect other people. Idiots!!

Today

Today:

• I woke up late and missed subuh, had to 'qadaq' the prayer. Some one told me one 'qadaq' prayer equals 80 years in hell. Takut nyer. Without my alarm I could not wake up.
• Had McD's Big Breakfast for my first meal of the day. One of the main reasons for choosing McD for breakfast is that the place is air-conditioned. It has been quite warm these few days. I have been noticing that the employees at this McD outlet are loud. They are loud when they talked to each. I don't mind that they are loud when putting in orders but not when having casual conversations among themselves.
• I did some work this morning. Notice some minor mistakes. I tend to make a lot of errors when writing. That is why I like to write, put it aside for a week or more and then reread it. That way I can discover the mistakes e.g. typos that I have made. Even after editing it many times I will still find errors.
• I had lunch at KFC, another fast food restaurant, ordered the cheezy melt.
• Finished my work with a headache

Amertican Idol - Asia'h and Mas

Hari ni tengok American Idol 7 dan peserta perempuan plak nanyi. Bila tengok dia orang interview Asia'h Epperson muka dia macam Mas AF2. Suara Asia'h serak2 macam suara Mas. Tapi Asia'h boleh nanyi, Mas tak boleh lansung dan bongok plak tu. Gambar dia orang kat bawah ni tak nampak serupa, tapi bila tengok dekat2 kat TV hampir sejibik.

Charice Pempengco

Saw this Pinoy girl singing on YouTube not too long ago. I think she sang in a Korean talent show and made many jaws dropped to the floor. Yesterday I saw her on Ellen Degeneres Show. She sang even better

Hari ni

Hari ini:

• Aku bangun kul 6 pastu siapkan kerja yg aku kena buat, kul 10 lebih habis.
• Aku makan roti jala dan roti dgn rendang
• Aku tengok Oprah dan Ellen Degeneres. Budak pompuan Pinoy kat Youtube tu nanyi. Dasyat, sedap betul. Mcm Whitney Houston.
• Aku pi ambik spek yg tertinggal kat kedai dapur Isnin ari tu
• Aku pi ronda2 kat shopping kompliaq, tak beli apa pun. Tengok peti ais dua pintu tu, teringin.
• Aku tengok American Idol, comel betul budak David Archuleta tu. Rasa macam nak ambik jadi anak angkat pastu dodoi dia. Aku rasa Ryan Seacrest pun macam nak cium jer dia.

Itu jer lah aktiviti aku hari ini. Produktif gitu-gitu jer, janji kerja aku dah siap.

Am I prejudiced? Which city I belong to? How vain am I?

Took a test to see whether I'm prejudiced or not from Blogthings. Here's the result

You Are a Little Prejudiced

You can't help but judge people a little based on your personal biases. But you tend to be aware of your prejudices, and you fight them the best you can. Most people are more like you than they'd care to admit... but it doesn't mean you shouldn't change. Remember to take each person as an individual. It's not fair to judge someone based on their background or subculture.

Are You Prejudiced?

I agreee with the results above.


Took another test that tells which city I belong to. Here's the result:

You Belong in London

A little old fashioned, and a little modern. A little traditional, and a little bit punk rock. A unique soul like you needs a city that offers everything. No wonder you and London will get along so well.

What City Do You Belong In?

I agree with the result, I really do like London.If I was a billionaire I will buy a house in London and stay there a few months out of a year.

Tool also another test that tells me how vain am I:

You Are 27% Vain

Okay, so you're slightly vain from time to time, but you're not superficial at all. You are realistic. You know that looks matter. You just try to make them matter less.

How Vain Are You?

Phew...

Nessun Dorma (None Shall Sleep)

Nessun Dorma is an operatic song. I have heard it before but never really paid any attention to it until I saw Paul Pot's audition for Britain's Got Talent. Then recently I saw the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, singing the song on the Grammy Awards 1998. The video attached does not show Aretha singing the song but only an audio recording. Her performance can be viewed on YouTube. The owner does not allow the video to be embedded.




Italian Text
Nessun dorma! Nessun dorma!
Tu pure, o, Principessa,
nella tua fredda stanza,
guardi le stelleche
tremano d'amore
e di speranza.
Ma il mio mistero è chiuso in me,
il nome mio nessun saprà!
No, no, sulla tua bocca lo dirò
quando la luce splenderà!
Ed il mio bacio scioglierà il silenzio
che ti fa mia!
(Il nome suo nessun saprà!...e noi dovrem, ahime, morir!)
Dilegua, o notte!
Tramontate, stelle!
Tramontate, stelle!
All'alba vincerò!
vincerò, vincerò!


English Translation of "Nessun Dorma"
Nobody shall sleep!... Nobody shall sleep!
Even you, o Princess,
in your cold room,
watch the stars,
that tremble with love and with hope.
But my secret is hidden within me,
my name no one shall know... No!...No!...
On your mouth I will tell it when the light shines.
And my kiss will dissolve the silence that makes you mine!...
(No one will know his name and we must, alas, die.)
Vanish, o night!
Set, stars! Set, stars!
At dawn, I will win!
I will win! I will win!

Pak Itam dan Pak Putih

Masa aku kecik2 dulu aku di panggil Pak Itam dan abg aku Pak Putih oleh salah sorang Pakcik aku. Sebab nya? Obviously sekali aku ni hitam dan abg aku putih. Masyarakat Melayu memang menghina orang2 yg kulitnya gelap. Bukan masyarakat Melayu saje tapi semua masyarakat dunia; India, Arab, Cina, Omputih dan yang lain2. Dalam masyarakat orang Melayu aku rasa orang utara (dari kawasan pulau) paling mendiskriminasi anak2 atau sesiapa yang gelap berbanding yang putih. Mungkin sebab negeri ni banyak mamak kut. Ada mamak putih ada mamak gelap. Yang itam ni di pandang tak cantik dan tak de siapa nak kawin. Kalau kawin pun dgn yang itam dan tak cantik jugak. Kalau ada anak dia orang nak kawin orang kulit gelap risau nya mak bapak, terutama makl, takut nanti cucu2 pun hitam. Cucu hitam sure tak brapa sayang. Yang itam ni juga di pandang tak pandai, tak layak berjawatan tinggi, pendek kata tak layak berjaya dalam hidup. Kalau anak yg itam ni berjaya sedara mara akan kata, 'amboi, tak padan itam'. Bukan sedara mara saje, kawan2 pun akan hina termasuk ustaz2 jugak. Pernah aku tengok satu program ceramah ni yg berbincang pasal warna kulit. Ustaz tu boleh kata ' yang lebih teruk nya dah lah kulit hitam, hati pun hitam.' Tak ke kita boleh tafsir dari kata2 ustaz itu berkulit itam ni memang hina?

Di sini aku nak bagi anecdotes yang masih melekat kat kepala aku pasal macam mana orang memandang rendah pada orang2 berkulit gelap ni. Pada satu hari sepupu aku yang aku tak berapa rapat ni, orang utara, datang rumah aku. Masa tu aku tengah menunggu nak pergi oversea untuk sambung belajar. Bukan dia nak congratulate aku ke, tapi dia kata 'bagus lah, nanti pi sana kulit boleh putih sikit.' Terdiam sekejap aku. Satu lagi situasi: mak aku terjumpa makcik aku dan bagi tau dia yang aku dapat scholarship pi oversea. Reaction dia, "amboi tak padan", maksud tersirat, 'amboi tak padan itam, nak pi oversea.' Ada sorang lagi dua pupu aku yang tak aku tak berapa rapat, dia ni lelaki, bapak dia pernah jadi gabenor sebuah negeri di utara. Masa tu aku sekolah rendah, so satu hari kami sefamili pi melawat keluarga dia. Pastu mak bapak dia suruh abg aku dan aku pi main dgn dia. Budak tu layan abg aku dengan baik sekali, aku di marah2 nyactak tentu pasal dan dia boleh kata kat aku " I don't like you". Aku tau sebabnya, aku ni itam dan huduh. Dah lama aku tak jumpa dia, tapi kalau aku jumpa dia aku nak remind dia yg dia pernah cakap dia tak suka aku. Sedara2 yang lain yang tak selalu jumpa, terutama yg dari utara ni kalau kami pi melawat mereka mesti ada yg kata ' awat yg ni hitam?'. So bayangkan macam mana soalan2, perkataan, layanan semua itu memberi kesan kepada 'self-esteem' seorang kanak2? Aku rasa diskriminasi sedemikian memang ada impak dalam membentuk personaliti aku. Bila dah dewasa ni pun ada jugak orang pandang hina pada aku yang itam ni. Satu ari masa aku nak hantar mak pak aku pi umrah ada beberapa kawan cum business partner abang aku datang ke airport . So abang aku introduce lah aku sebagai adik dia. Terbeliak mata dia dan ternganga mulut dia macam tak percaya yang aku ni adik abang aku. Aku diam aje. Yang pelik nya dia ni mamak hitam gak. Aku ni reaksi memang lambat sikit. Lain kali kalau ada orang kata kenapa aku ni hitam tak macam orang lain dalam famili aku, aku nak kata, "kenapa, berdosa ke aku ni hitam, hina ke orang hitam, tak layak hidup ke aku ni hitam, gerenti tak masuk syurga ke aku ni sebab hitam?" Boley?

Tak semua sedara mara aku yg pandang hina dan mendiskriminasi aku yang hitam ni. Sedara mara aku yg kat selatan semua tak pernah kata dan layan aku beza dari abang aku yg putih. Malah dia orang sayang aku lebih. Mak pak aku pernah tak defend hinaan orang sebab aku hitam? Seingat aku tak pernah. Pak aku malah macam setuju and consent the treatment dan kata2 terhadap aku yang hitam ni. Bapak aku memang tak suka aku. Aku lagi tak suka bapak aku. But that's a different entry all together.

Pasai apa orang menghina orang berkulit hitam ni? Mungkin tamadun mengajar mereka yang orang hitam ni ada sifat dan perangai yang tak bagus. Tengok ler pada masyarakat Africa dan India. Dan juga kenapa penduduk yang miskin, yang tak maju dan yg bermasalah dari mana2 negara2 contoh nya Amerika berkulit hitam? Entah lah. Mungkin ada kaitan antara warna kulit, perangai dan impaknya pada ekonomi dan kedudukan sosial.

Aku ni pandang hina tak pada orang berkulit hitam? Mungkin. Experiences may have moulded me into reacting that way. Perhaps our eyes may have been trained to view dark skinned people as ugly. Just look at how kids react when they see dark skinned people. Dia orang mesti takut dan tak nak salam orang2 dewasa yang berkulit gelap ni. So is this perception of dark skinned people innate, embedded in our genes? I wonder whether reseaches have been carried out on this. I believe it has been carried out somewhere.

Hitam2 aku pun masa aku dok hostel ramai jugak minat kat aku. Ada saje yang nak kacau.

Amazing Race Asia 2

Amazing Race is one of my favourite reality shows on the telly. Yesterday TARA2 ended and team Singapore, Adrian and Collin won, yooohoo. Second place was team Malaysia the gorgeous Chong sisters and third place was team Philipines, Marc and Rovilson.

I was hopping that team Singapore would win and I'm glad they did. They have been cool throughout the race. Though they arrived last at the last task location they left first when Adrian placed all the right flags at the right place at the first try.

I was also hopping that the home girls would win but I had a feeling they won't. They bickered at each other once in a while. One major problem was one of the sister's driving skills. They panicked easily too.

These Filipino hunks came 1st place many many times at the pit stops. Frankly that took out the excitement from watching the race as I could guess who would come first each episode. I succumbed to the fact that they will win the race that I didn't pay much attention to the final episode last night. Though they arrived 1st at the last task they left the place last. Rovilson didn't get it right many times. I guess you can use the phrase brawn with no brains here. He just did not know his flags.

Anyway Amazing Race Asia has proven that nice people win twice unlike the American counterpart, specifically AR 3.

Valentine's Day

I don't celebrate Valentine's Day eventhough I'm currently in a relationship. Why must we say we love someone and give him or her gifts on this special day when we can do it anytime we want. Furthermore, I've read somewhere not too long ago that St Valentine fought in the Crusade and perhaps was one of the leaders.

Anyhow I do wish back those who wished me Happy Valentine's Day out of respect for them.

Kajian 25thn Dato' Fadzilah Kamsah

Found this in one of the websites today. Let's see whether these characteristics for a person born in April describe me or not:


April

Sangat aktif dan dinamik.* - aktif, tak brapa kut
Cepat bertindak membuat keputusan tetapi cepat menyesal.* dulu2 betul bila cakap something yg mengguris hati orng pastu menyesal plak cakap macam tu
Sangat menarik dan pandai menjaga diri.* 'Menarik?- lies in the eyes of the beholder, tapi boleh jaga diri, campak jer aku kat kebanyakan tempat, insyaallah aku boleh survive walaupun aku ni pemalu dan loner
Punya daya mental yang sangat kuat.* hat ni tak sure, apa maksud daya mental kuat? tak gila ke?
Suka diberi perhatian.* Ooo...ini 95% tak betul, tak suka jadi perhatian. Well maybe sometimes
Sangat diplomatik (pandai memujuk ).* Mungkin, pandai pujuk Baby aku
Berkawan dan pandai menyelesaikan masalah orang.* Tak brapa betul, aku ni pemalu sangat kekadang, aku dengar masaalah orng tapi tak berani nak selesai kan. Mungkin aku tak sedar kut aku telah menyelesaikan masaalah org
Sangat berani dan tiada perasaan takut.* Tuhan aku takut, Ular aku takut, laut dalam aku takut, dok rumah bungalow sorang2 tgh malam aku takut, jumpa bos2 aku takut, dll
Suka perkara yang mencabar, pengasih, penyayang, sopan santun dan pemurah.* Suka perkara mencabar tak brapa betul. Aku tak suka take risk dan tak suka di beri masaalah
Emosi cepat terusik.* Dulu-dulu ya, sekarang kurang sikit
Cuba kawal perasaan.* Dah tua-tua ni memang boleh kawal perasaan.
Kecenderungan bersifat pendendam.* Hmmm...abang aku kata aku dendam kat apa yg terjadi masa kecik2 dulu. Aku rasa aku ingat apa org buat, layan dan kata kat aku masa kecik2 tapi tak ler nak balas dendam (mungkin itu a subtle way of balasing dendam???)
Agresif dan kelam kabut dalam membuat keputusan.* Kdg2 kelam kabut
Kuat daya ingatan.* Ooo, not lately
Gerak hati yang sangat kuat.* Mungkin
Pandai mendorong diri sendiri dan memotivasikan orang lain.* Diri sendiri ya, org lain kurang sikit
Berpenyakit disekitar kepala dan dada.* Hari ni aku pening dan dada rasa ketat sikit

Sangat cemburu dan terlalu cemburu- dulu2 ya, sekarang dah pandai kawal dan boleh rasional kan perasaan cemburu aku.

So conclusion nya, ada yg betul, ada yg tak sepenuhnya betul,g ada yg tak betul lansung.

Grammy Awards

I'm watching the Grammy Awards at the moment. Tine Turner has just performed with Beyonce and it was fantastic. I grew to like Tina Turner when she sang What's Love Got to do with it back in the 80s. I used to immitate her a lot especially whenever I happened to find any of my female friends' high heel shoes lying around. My other favourite Tina Turner's songs are We Don't Need Another Hero, Private Dancer, Golden Eye, and others. Had the chance to go to her concert long time ago. It was fantabulous. She's a hot sexy grand momma.

Amy Winehouse won a lot of Grammys today, 3 (5 actually) if I'm not mistaken. Love her Rehab song (naik syeh jugak bila dengar). I thought she's American but she's actually British. This is how she looks without that beehive hair and that 50s or 60s eye liner. Not bad. Sayang kuat laloq

Best years of my life

The best years of my life was indeed when I went to college and graduate school in the US. The total time I stayed there was 6 years and 9 months. I wanted to continue staying there but my father was leaving for his Haj, so afraid that I might not see him again and ask for his forgiveness I came back for good.

I lived in two cities in the US (the pictures above), one for 5 years and the other 1 year and 9 months. Both were major cities but the latter was the bigger and the more popular one. I cherished every moment I spent in the States and there were times when I said to my self that I wouldn't want to be anywhere else but here (or there, you know what I mean). If I could go back through a time machine I would want to go back to the day I left terminal two for the US and relived every second of my time there. Well not every second, probably minus a few months when I was depressed (I may blog about it later).

Old Blog and Old Age

I started a blog in 2005 at http://arim40s.blogspot.com/. I have not been updating that blog because I forgot the username and the password.I don't remember a lot of things lately. I believe it has to do with my age. I'm in my mid 40s now. Female shop assistants have been calling me 'pakcik' lately. I hope it's a sign of respect instead of me looking old.

So now I think I'm going to start blogging using this blogspot address to document my thoughts and activities so that I can read them later in life and evaluate myself. I might laugh at my self or react otherwise. One problem I have is that I don't have a flair for writing, plus, I commit a lot of typos. Words that I want to pen down stay in my head instead appearing in the entries.

Anyways, what has been happening in my life lately? Of course like everyone else, a lot.

1. I'm nearing the end of my four year leave and middle of this year I'll be back at work. Frankly I'm not looking forward since my colleagues have warned me of what's waiting for me at my workplace.

2. I'm in a relationship now. I never actually went around looking for a relationship. I was waiting for it to come to me and it did. Recently I thought about why I was not in a relationship previously and I concluded that I did not gave any possibilities for relationship a chance. I had several opportunities for a relationship, I just did not allow any to develop or even start. I was comfortable being single. So why did I give this one a chance, well, one reason was this person accepted me as I am, accepted me with all my idiosyncracies (in other words idiotic behaviors, muahaha). I love you my Baby.

3. One of my parents passed away in 2005 after 5 1/2 years of being bed ridden. God please forgive me for saying this but it was a relief at least for me. Spouses out there be ready to commit to a very restricted and exhausting life if your partner suddenly becomes bed ridden. You got to have a lot love for that person to endure the life of a care giver. One thing for sure, you'll be rewarded with an abundance of "pahala".

4. A lot of other things also happened which I might blog about them later...if I could remember what they are.