before the clock struck nine

Thinking about this while waiting in line

My heart knows not where it incline

Perhaps it is best for me to decline

and risk putting everything on the line

Lately this has been on my mind

Not entirely sure it is all mine

Maybe it is all but to remind

Before the clock struck nine

Things has been good for me so far

Can't forever let the door ajar

Afore bleeding turn to scar

Leaving the heart behind bar

I hope to set all doors closed

and not be a person posed

I can try and do it , I supposed

and not let things be disposed

3 places I want to explore

Who can resist that smile. I've been thinking about this for quite sometime. spending time to explore Angkor Wat. I remembered having seen photos of it in my late uncle's national geographic since I was little. I've always had some fascination about old civilisation, particularly of asian origin. I have always associated myself with having a blood line from this civilisation. The other part came from the lineage of the one who killed Sultan Mahmud mangkat dijulang, a southern ancestral link. A photo of my grandmother with my late Ayah, taken when he was still a young boy, indicates an indian subcontinent features in her face, well she could be a kembojaas well. back to Angkor Wat, one of these weekends, I may just pack up my bags and jump into a flight to Myanmar. Just wait for the next post on this.

I also recalled having seen photographs of Borobudur whilst browsing through the pages of the old magazine. I remembered vividly photos of stupas with diamond shapes openings on its surface, in them the revered statues buddha. I recalled reading somewhere, that one may extend one's hand into the opening and touch the hands of buddha, one's wishes will come true. That one, I will try. soon too.

One last place that was in my immediate list is New York. I blame this on Shaliza Mokhtar, whose used to have amazing photos of her travel, at that particular time, as a student of architecture, I tried to find links of her photographs in her fotopages but unlucky for all of you, its no longer available. But instead, I have kept a photo of her, if I am not wrong, taken in New York. I remembered photos of her having steaming hot coffee in a cafe with her then boyfriend, it was winter then. and many amazing photos of architecture and buildings. blame her for romanticizing New York. Well, she only partly to be blamed, i guess it's also the movies that i watched. Will definitely go there soon. I know its coming.

Baby Gaggia Twin and Doc Martin

I was watching Doc Martin with my mother in law the other day, there is a scene with Doc Martin conversing with his mom in his kitchen.

Doc Martin: Would you like an esspresso?

Mom: Do you have instant?

I could not help it but chuckle. Also noticed that he has a baby gaggia twin. Told Taufik from ETC that the other day, ETC is where I got one of those damn machine. Worth every sen that I spent. An another strange coincidence is when I was watching The New Scandinavian on AFC, she's got one of those Gaggia icecream maker machine.

I have had this new fascination with coffee since coming back from Zaragoza. The thing about the way the serve coffee in Spain is that it is done with dignity. The cafe con leche (coffee with milk, kopi susu), is done with an esspresso machine. This is like standard operating procedure from the smallest cafe at the train station to the poshest of restaurant. This amazes me, resulting on one hand, me having this new fetish on coffee and another made me realise how shitty Nescafe 3 in one taste like. The thing about good coffee is a pleasure to make and even more so to savour.

Now all I got to do is learn how to froth milk properly, and learn how to make that heart shape, chrismast tree and oddest of shapes on that froth. and be a barista.

putrajaya critical mass

Apparently this has been going on for quite sometime. yes, behind my back. got to try and join them this coming one. this time, a rather girly theme event. Sure, I'll be careful with the top tube. Always a priority. The last time I read that there were about 80 of this nutties roaming around on the streets of Putrajaya. This is an absolutely positive development. You know, on the promoting of the use of alternative mode of transport. Friday, eh? Got to rush for my PT at 6 pm and try and make it for this one. And get some batteries for the lights. But i suppose it'll be pretty safe, riding in a group.

so doing a bit of promotion on my side:

Date: 28 November 2008
Venue: Restoran Darussalam Presint 9 (Mamak Double Trouble) (this is relatively new to me, the psuedonym, i mean)
Meeting time: 9.00 PM SHARPIE!
Ride time: 9.30 PM
Distance: About 20kmRide speed: 15-25km/h

conversation between 2

I overheard this while browsing for Amir Muhammad's books in Borders. This is between 2 young kids, presumably, dating.

Girl: You jangan lari mana-mana

(You don't run anywhere)

Boy: er...

Girl: Kalau you nak lari pun, you lari setempat je.

(If you want to, just run on the spot)

Boy: (smile)

I can't helped it but smiled.

Two things that i miss

1. not being able to have a conversation with Nab, God please lend her the gift of the gab again or at least before she leaves.


2. not being able to talk to Abi.

* again i snatched the photo without asking

how do i begin? (again)

the past few months since reaching the four o's has been one helluva ride. not that i am complaining or anything, but the truth is i am really grateful to God almighty for letting it been easy for me, well at least so far. I do believe that He will, well He is the Compassionate and Merciful, have mercy on me. This short session is not supposed to be written at this hour, as i am paid by the pay master to get off my arse to the grind stone, and ethiccaly it is not correct to feed my kids with the dough that i scavenged over writting this entry whilst been paid for doing what i am not supposed to do. anyway, this is entry is more of a reminder, in fact a list of reminders. a to-do-list.

1) write about month long experience zaragoza which i treasure deep within my heart
2) write about my 'closure' circling the demise of my late father
3) write about my so called plan of getting rm125,000, before reaching 45
4) write about day trips to cordoba, sevilla and granada (trying to find out more why the muslim's downfall in Spain)
5) Escribir en espanol
6) write about "some people are (fill in the blanks), get over it"
7) get that damn 'expo survivor' t-shirt printed out

i guess that is a pretty long list, let us see if i can keep up to it.
bugger hell, i guess i can add in number 8, and 9 and 10
8) learn more about book binding
7) learn more about barista and coffee
10) learn more about yoga, muscle building and square foot gardening ( a bit of a dichotomy that last one)

10 is a good number.



fluvy on a plastic beer glass: photo taken from without permission from http://juanignaciosl.aminus3.com/

abi

dearest friend of more than 23 years,

good bye and may Allah bless your soul

ready or not?

Hear ye... hear ye Y.A.B Menteri Besar of Terengganu

Here's an email that i've sent to the MB of Terengganu CC to the Exco pelancongan. Let's see if i'll ever get a reply

Subject: Idea to promote terengganu visit year 2008 via Growing Up in Terengganu, by Awang Goneng
Dear Y.A.B. Dato’ Seri,

On the 25th of December, I was the lucky few to have been given the opportunity to attend the launching cum autograph session by Wan Hulaimi aka Awang Goneng for his book Growing up in Trengganu. I even manage to have a few quick words with him, in fact I told him, “Terengganu ni jarang –jarang ada selebriti, 40 tahung sekali baru ada.”. I suggested to him that since his book is indeed appropriately launched almost on the eve of tahun melawat terengganu 2008, maybe his book will be a good to promote the year through event by organising tour of selected places based on his book. I do believe that this will be a hit with overseas tourist especially the English reading ones. The same has been done in the case of the book “Da Vincci’s Code’ where tours has been arranged based on his book in Paris and London. Another thing is that, it’s particularly unique as it’s much different from the usual touristy stuff that they usually promote.

May Y.A.B. Dato’ Seri find this idea good and probably implement this via Jawatankuasa Pembangunan Perindustrian & Pelancongan Negeri Terengganu.

Thank You & may Allah bless you.

Yours sincerely,


A@@@@ O@@@@@

pekerjaan: stereotypist

Strange thing this is. Having written the previous entry had me open up the dictionary to find out what a stereo typist, the occupation of late Ayoh, does.

ster•e•o•type Pronunciation[ster-ee-uh-tahyp, steer-]

noun 1. a process, now often replaced by more advanced methods, for making metal printing plates by taking a mold of composed type or the like in papier-mâché or other material and then taking from this mold a cast in type metal.

this suddenly struck me dumbfounded, one for the reason that I’ve finally figured out to search for the meaning of that word in the dictionary after nearly 40 years trying to figure out what my late father did for a living, two for the reason, why during our primary schooling days, all of us were supplied with a piece of metal stamp block with our names on it.

duhhhhhh........I am so looking forward for the big four o.

photo nicked from http://www.publisherservices.co.uk/

5 months to turning four O

I guess the begin of the new year marks a good time to finally write something in this blog. What does the big 40 means to me? let me digress a little, Ayoh was born in 1930 that meant he was 40 in 1970, 2 years after I, the sixth child, was born. I am guessing (I must admit that I really don't know, in fact I have not felt any kind of hardship)it must have been hard for the family with Ayoh's meager salary as a 'stereo typist' (Ayoh's occupation written in my birth cert)and Nab's salary as an Ustazah. There are lots I want to write about Ayoh and all the memories that come with it. sand in between my toes whilst savouring hot 'roti bakor dengang sekaya' in a small makeshift warong made our of nipah leaves, on the beach near Kampung Dalam Bata. The paper rose made out of Dunhill’s cigarettes inlay tin paper, that I insisted that Ayoh make whilst me bawling my eyes out and 'ngamok' because he had to go to the Bangunan Syarikat Kerjasama on his bicycle, really embarrassed with me tailing behind him in my pyjamas. Yes, I was a difficult child, 'kuat ngamok', my eldest sister once told my wife, during one raya, whilst my son did his 'ngamok' thingy on me. What goes around , comes back around, suiting the title of this blog just nicely.
I have to stop, I have to prepare for a meeting. Will write about my plans for 2008. come to think of it this is the first time I have a plan. What kind of a town planner I am? Plan for others but none for oneself. guess turning 40's not that bad at all...just hope I can sustain it for another 40.