...bullet the blue sky

1.

For the third night in a row I failed miserably to sleep when the hours should be dedicated to do as such. Unfortunate? Perhaps....but not entirely. The past couple of weeks have been painted colorful with miles of traveling across the Titiwangsa, the backbone which divides the country nicely into the west and east sides. Of course, it's a business matter (read: gathering moolahs while enjoying freedom of life), entirely. The project is a spearhead for more to come, insyaAllah....tiring but really enjoying it. The only wish I have in my heart to to have my kids and wife with me but that's something that I have to put up with, for the next couple of months I'd probably be living off my backpacks (so to say...but the real deal is I get to rent houses fully furnished and all in the assignments, fom time to time perhaps a 4x4 when it really necessary too).

2.

Kuala Terengganu. Always a nice place...since my childhood days. The difference on my part now is that I can converse in the dialect quite confidently and it makes it much easier to be accepted by the locals...friendly mostly and all generally living a life sporting the theme of a relaxed and easy setting. Definitely unlike KL. I will be here until february 2012 and then move on to the southern part of the peninsular, not to the ultimate south-most tip though... a couple of hundreds miles before it...more likely.

3.

Almost three years living off my DSLR equipments and I am yet to claim I have achieved what I wanted to achieve. Reason being, the set target would require me being away for 1/3 of the year on a continent I have never been to...so, the progress is not really happing anytime soon, definitely..but as I have mentioned time and again - it will happen.

The years after the corporate life, has been a mix of achievements, failures and a hoard of emotions - some, traumatic...but here I am continuing the journey and happy to be out here (read: not trapped in a fabric box with KPIs to enslave me)....and the journey is far from over. So, I'll just continue enjoying it as I progress onwards, insyaAllah.

4.

The last couple of nights, I spent my time on the FS bicycle. Crossing the bridge of Terengganu river was refreshing. The first time was way back in 1992 when I did Peninsular Malaysia-Southern Thai tour....almost 20 years back!!! BY-GEORGE! 20 years already???!!! I can still cycle...Alhamdulillah....last ride couple of nights ago was about 50KM. Alhamdulillah. This ugly fat boy is tough as he used to be, mister!

5.

As I wrote this, I am eagerly waiting for my kids & beautiful wife to arrive tomorrow afternoon. Been weeks since I last kissed them. How I wish I could be there to help my wife with all the house chores and have meals with the family....

6.

I was angry with some groupie last night, some postings that was inappropriate and I asked politely to be removed, which they did but "the package" includes blocking me from entering their page. So be it. Some people are just too amateur and too focused on grabbing money and wealth that they forgot the whole purpose of having a life...IS TO LIVE IT!

At certain age, it is just too obvious when people is just busy barking about being rich...and failed to answer the most important question - what's next after that bag of cash???

Anyway, I consider the case is closed. Faces & names - marked, so, beware of me, in the future.

7.

I just enjoy being with people that have a clear goal in life...and understands well that a bag of money is just a part of the bigger deal...not the ultimate end...and my present team, is sharing the same view. What else can I say? Alhamdulillah!

8.

...so, do you have that bag of cash like many wanna-be-rich are chasing for?

No I don't....and I just don't care tuppence....it's not my ambition, not even in my life's "to-do/ to-have" list...simply because I have bigger deal - A LIFE TO LIVE...my own life with my family and the buddies that matters.

9.

Yaay! :o)

10.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALIYA IRDINA KHAIRIL...AYAH SAYANG NEENA!!!

11.11.11....so?? Pfft...

1.

Too many FB status and promotions about 11.11.11.

Yet another marketing fad...and people just love it...same like 1.1.2001, 2.2.2002, 3.3.2003, 4.4.2004....well you get the idea....if the dates/ numbers are nice, it must be expensive and some would pay anything for it.

Smart.

Not really.

...afterall, Rm1 is still Rm1....only you cannot buy much with it nowadays....

2.

It was quite a shock (NOT REALLY!! Hahaa!) for me this morning when I receive the news about MACC raids on PETR0N45.

Corruption. What else is new?

One of the reasons why I packed my bags and left that luxury workstation & pay cheque....I might not be as rich as many of us but I held to my words and ethics, never regretted my move.

...but the story about corruption, misuse of position, asking/ getting "gifts" from vendors etc, is nothing new at all. To a certain extent it has become a normality...I guess. It comes with the post one is holding....and some really really took advantage of the situation - both vendors and employees.

It's good to know some real "cleaning-up" activities are happening...hopefully one day there will be no more abuse of power and positions....in whatever forms.

3.

Anyway, as far as I am concerned, the only numbers that I am focusing now would be - 38 and 90.

Size 38 waist.....and body weight of 90KG.

So far, I can fit into size 40 and weight is at 114.5KG, from 116.5 last week Alhamdulillah.

<--FROM THIS (2009)|TO THIS (2011-->

4.

Keep on moving Torque!!! :o)

Slim...mer

1.

When it comes to diet products, slimming tea, gym packages and the likes, my standard response would be simple - shut-up and get lost!
Simply because I have tried a bunch of those and it only focuses on one thing - the dealers to bag in the moolahs and "pretend at their very sincere best" that they are really helping you to achieve what you want.

- dirt riding with my good ol' rig, circa 2009
on the way to Steroid Hill, FRIM, KL.

In all cases, all that I wanted was to trim down my tummy and feel more energetic. In most cases, I managed to trim down a bit but once I stopped - due to the expensive product and more other "extras" being introduced just to make more sales - I'd be back on the same scale before I started, or maybe a higher reading on the scale.
Thus why - shut-up and get lost!!
2.
I always believe in the natural way of losing weight. Thus why I started cycling again in 2009 and managed to trim down my tummy - though not very much. All that matters for me is I get to enjoy doing what I love to do - cycling - and I feel much healthier and energetic.
The matter of fact is, some "cyclists" get sucked into the "gear & gadgets" thing - same like people who "think" they are into photography - and I became more and more bored to join any groups because most of the time the talk during break between trails would be - GEARS & GADGETS. I came to cycle and enjoy the nature, the companionship of fellow cyclists and end up listening to people talking or boasting about GEARS & GADGETS - either theirs or soon-to-be-theirs...money is not a problem, boasting rights is all that matters.....credit card is king (IDIOTS!)...I am just lucky none of them are my close buddies, just buddies of buddies who happens to join some particular rides or what.

So, yeah I shed a couple of millimeters off my tummy on my FSDH bike and I get to ride the same trails - one in particular would be Steroid Hill which many younger cyclists talked about - that I used to do alone in my younger days back when cycling on a full-suspension bike with helmet and back-pack is considered weird by many. (Heck I even had to book with Joo Ngan for a proper sized Cratoni helmet back then!!!)
Anyway, I could not cycle every weekend/ everyday - the daily schedule and the stuff I have to do for living, would be part of the failure for me to ride on every weekends. Not blaming anything nor anybody nor am I making excuses, I am merely telling my story and telling the facts.
So, I am back to the same reading on the scale, if not more, by the days.

2.

....but this is me now!!!! Ahh c'mon, be sincerely kind to me...I do look good!!!
Well, not until last 2-3weeks, I finally managed to trim down about 10KGs FOR REAL and I can already fit into some attires that was bought/ given to me some years back with wrong size printed on them - XXL printed as the size but actual fitting is L!!!
Fcuk, I am not wearing anything that can show off my nipples!!! Nipple showing cuts are for stupid faggots!! Now that I have trimmed down a bit, some of the attires fit me nicely, no nipples are injured!!

As I mentioned above, I was a skeptic when it comes to this kinda things.

I am still a skeptic but I am also an honest person - I will tell my boss he/ she is a stupid idiot smack on his/ her face if he/ she is a stupid idiot and I would not regret doing so! - and now I am honestly telling that this Slim Diet 2 works for me.

Thanx to my wife, who insists to try the New Image Slim Diet 2 products...we started using it about 3 weeks ago, together with disciplined diets...and we achieved our target easily.

I don't know about you all out there but hey, to each his/ her own!!!

3.
I will be off to East Coast for a couple of months on assignment and I am already planning to bring my bike over...so that I can cycle everyday and on weekends whenever my family would be there to visit/ stay.
If the jigsaw starts to fall in the right places, I might even get a Specialized and re-do Steroid Hill as a reward - one of the "have to do list" in my life!!!!
....(gosh now I am talking GEARS & GADGETS too!!!!)

4.
Oh...just for the record:
Buying a camera does not not make you a photographer - you're only a camera owner (Quoted by Che Ahmad Azhar!).
Buying a bicycle does not make you a cyclist - you're only a bicycle owner.
Buying health diets, jumping into any MLM on health diet and all - does not make you a healthy person....you have to show & feel you're healthy to really be one.

Contact me if you wanna know more about the product and the foods I now consume.
You might even wanna join me for a dirt ride one of these days, who knows? :o)

- just an outdated and old carbon-fiber Proton T-Bolt FS

5.
Get a bike, shut-up and just ride it!!! (...and try the New Image Slim Diet 2, why not!)

Merdeka Life at 54...or so to say.

1.
Merdeka.
Happy Birthday Malaysia.

2.
My grandparents - father's side - made his way into Tanah Melayu from Sumatera...and settled down in Parit Lapis Mahang, Batu Pahat.
My grandparents - mum's side - made it all the way from Southern Thai and settled down in Kampung Tonjos, Pekan Jabi, Segamat.
Johor is the state where most of my family lives in, so Johorian we are....but I was born in Melaka due to the better hospital services available in the 1970's....frankly I am not sure whether I can claim that I am a Johorian because I didn't spend much of my life there!
...but I tend to try to "understand" Sarawak so much more ever since my teenage days, though I must admit Sarawak seems like a foreign entity too far away when I was a kid. Even the whole family seems to mark it as quite an alien state, to be honest.
I spent my teenage years in Perak, only back in Segamat for school breaks. Then I stayed in Kuala Lumpur campus of my university for the most of the days in my 20's. When I started working, I could spend only weekends or holidays in Johor.
I guess most of my life is actually away from my (supposedly) home state - Johor - thus why I can't really claim I am a Johorian 100%.

...but on this day, I can admit that I do "understand" what it means to be merdeka....at least in my own way...whether I am in Segamat, Johor, or Kuching, Sarawak...merdeka carries the same meaning to me...

3.
In this country, the presence of harmony across the multi-ethnics citizens really matters.
I appreciate the presence of Uncle Goh who'd come and visit my Almarhum Pak Uda when I was very young....especially when Uncle Goh brings some sweet cakes during Chinese New Year...wrapped in pink paper. I would enjoy eating it on the "pangkin" of Almarhum Pak Uda's place, sometimes with him, sometimes with my cousins. Uncle Goh and Almarhum Pak Uda were good buddies.
I had an Indian friend that went on the same bus to kindergarten. The bus towkey was Ah Che - very friendly, fatherly guy....he'd help every single kid on his bus to cross the street on the pick-up/ drop-off spot if the location is on the opposite side of the road. The Indian kid was Ganesan. We shared sweets and whatever we had as we walked back to our kampung house from kindergarten. I never had any quarrel with him. Never.

4.
I have not met Ganesan nor the bus driver Ah Che since I started Standard One....where most of the students were Malays since it was a sekolah kebangsaan. However, I had some good Chinese and Indians friends...Low Yew Hoa, Chan Tiam Fatt, Yai Ban Tat, Chew Nai Sian, Chiew Teck Wee, Eddie Hong, Melvin Liew Kwan Tai, Tai Siew Shen, Patrick Goh, Sivarajah, Vigneswaran...

5.
Then I went to a boarding school in Perak, I had no other friends than the Malays BUT I had my first experience to have friends from every states in Malaysia, including Sabah & Sarawak.
Just to name one in each state:
Johor - Aidi Mohamed.
Melaka - M Amin Yunus.
Negeri Sembilan - Khairul Amin Awang.
Kuala Lumpur - Nahzamri Zainal Abidin - we went to the same boarding school, somehow ended in the same university....and company until I left in 2009!
Selangor - Muhd Azmil Mahayudin.
Perak - Mohd Fahmi Sohot.
Kedah - Ermal Aswardy Abd Rahim.
Penang - Johan Ahmad.
Perlis - Nazran Basirun.
Kelantan - Zailani Zain.
Terengganu - Khairul Emran Chik Aziz Badli.
Pahang - Sheikh Mohd Faridz Sheik Salleh.
Sabah - Awangku Mohd Ridzwan.
Sarawak - Isham Alwaddy Bujang.

....the truth is we all know each other very well - the whole 117 of the first batch and later as we entered form four, the rest of the newcomers....and I started learning the dialects of every state in this country.

5.
...but I still remember my primary school friends, even till today...and thanx to FaceBook we managed to find each other and started to be in touch with each other again.

6.
Recently, there's just too much noise about those who contributed to merdeka, Bukit Kepong heroes (or not), halal and non-halal issues....and with the politicians trying to get a piece of air-time in whatever possible media...things have been quite a havoc...and the mainstream media is not helping much at all. Good thing we have the internet...otherwise with all the news from mainstream media, we'd probably be in quite a mayhem already.

7.
....but for me and my buddies, we're still buddies as we were when we were just kids.
Let the politicians do what they do best - nothing!
We appreciate and respect our differences. We might not all be the citizens of Malaysia (some migrated) but we took our first baby-steps on the soil of this country. Whatever it is, we are what we are and Malaysia is part of our history. We love the country....and would want to be buddies for the rest of our life...and we would love to have our kids to become friends too....and where else could that be beautifully happening but in this country that have been our place since we were kids?

8.
If we still cannot learn live together in harmony, learn to appreciate, accept and tolerate the differences between our religions, cultures and traditions....might as well stop shouting 1Malaysia...well actually it is just Malaysia, as far as me & my buddies see it....because we have always been living together as one.

9.
Anyway, in this world...we do not just have one country to live in....the choice is always there.

10.
To all my childhood buddies - where ever you are - selamat hari Malaysia to you all!
Perhaps we could have a teh tarek and roti canai...one of these days.

So, It is Eidulfitri.

Berziarah dan berkumpul di musim raya sepatutnya menambah pahala dan BUKAN mencipta pelbagai dosa melalui mata & lisanmu. Bukan pula medan menunjuk kemampuan diri, apatah lagi untuk membanding dirimu dengan orang lain, sama ada pada besarnya kenderaan, hebatnya pakaian, meriahnya hiasan, jumlah duit raya & harta. Redhalah dengan apa yang sedang kamu miliki, jangan sesekali merasa diri ‘lebih' atau ‘kurang'. Bebaskan diri dari rantaian kebanggaan & kehinaan kerana pemilikan duniamu. ~Zaharuddin.net

1.
So, It is Eidulfitri.
We celebrated in Segamat. For 4 days. Then off to Melaka for a holiday.
Had a good break from the routine that has taken quite a toll on my life...and the family, I believe.

2.
Probably the most uneventful eid of my life, this year.
Everything I did is not right. Nothing seems to be right for me right now.

3.
Started sending my resume to whatever job title that I think is interesting.....

Ramadhan 2011

1.
Another opportunity to welcome another Ramadhan. Alhamdulillah. The activities would probably be quite the same but with different learnings and experiences, insyaAllah. Honestly, I just want to keep on moving and not bother about anything else but only my set goals and intention.

2.
I am glad the kids are into fasting, yes of course there would be the part where they'd grumble - waking up for sahur, feel the thirst conquering by mid day etc etc - but at least they're starting to learn and understand what it is all about.

3.
Aliya managed to do her first full day on the 4th day of Ramadhan. Alisya has not missed a single day yet and so is Naufal - who's with Tok Mak for some medication matters.

4.
I hope and pray the month of Ramadhan will be a good month for all of us...insya-Allah...just please remember, it is not an "adat", cultural heritage...it is part and parcel of our religion, Islam.

5.
Let's really do our best to fast and behave like true Muslims...not Malays...

Balls and holes and everything in-between.....

Probably most of the golfers out there would beat me up for this but I wrote this out just for the fun of it! :o)

1.
I used to organize corporate golf tournaments/ outings whatchamacallit when I was a corporate citizen. So much to the extend that I created a procedure/ documentation on how to organize a proper tournament for one of the units I was in and I am sure it is still being used to this date. However, no matter how much involvement I had in the organizing part, I never actually fancy golf as a game/ sport. In fact I prefer to either shoot (photograph, that is) the golfers and/ or observe their antics during the tournament/ outing.

2.
I would confidently say, that for many who has organized a golf event/ tournament, it is an "interesting" experience in so many angles. Hectic, yes. Fun, yes...
...well maybe not if things went helter-skelter throughout the whole event and you get "the look" from those in the list...and a first slot in the boss's appointment list the next working day...but, well, c'est la vie! (Read: It comes with your salary and perks!) :o)

3.
Golfers are generally friendly bunch of happy-go-lucky-people, well, at least some of them, naturally. If you get this bunch, you're gonna have a good day at the clubhouse. Otherwise, you might get those who woke up on the wrong side of the bed and rushed to the greens just in time to register before the VVIPs came and would just easily put the blame on everybody around him...except maybe for those Indonesian girls caddies...tsk! tsk! tsk!
Now this group of people may make the day difficult for you...but normally they're gonna turn cool if they get one big box of prize after a good lunch and laughter later that afternoon.

4.
Of course, there will always be those "born to be permanent pricks" present in any event...they insist to be treated as kings (small k, if you don't mind). Wrong color chosen for the gift bags, they'll nag and make a fuss. Wrong size of t'shirt...you're gonna get the best kind of humiliation you'd ever get in your lifetime right there at the registration table...accidentally present within his/her eye-view before tee-off, you'll be yelled at...if you're photographing the event, you're the most convenient subject to blame for bad tee-off, of course....:o)

5.
...and some of the interesting phrases on the greens:
"Kemra kau tu keluar bunyi tak?" (urhmmm...the distance you're yelling at, Sir, I can use a silencer to make it totally quiet but I need a Glock to shoot you with it)

"Heyy kau ada ke amik gmbar aku dgn caddie tadi...delete delete...mampus kalau bini aku nampak..." (urk....no Sir, I follow the contract - shoot what I am being paid to shoot, any on-the-greens-soft-porn is forbidden as far as my work ethics is concerned, Sir...)

"Aku nak gamba tee-off tapi aku nak berlakon je, boleh?" (Of course Tuan, but keep the ball out of sight first, it's gonna look funny if you perfectly do a "cangkul" but the ball is still there..."

"Ehh aku nak gambar dgn adik caddie ni sekali boleh tak?" (Up to you Sir...but your boss will keep all the softcopy...)

....and at the half-way hut, it is good to NOT be there when they are having a break with the Lady Caddies...usually you'll get to hear the "free flow" of "not so bersih jokes"...that may make some of you wanna laugh, vomit and fart at the same time :o)

Note: Ladies, be aware if your hubbies start to spend more time on those golf courses that provides Lady Caddies....you'll be amazed if you see how they behave....bee-hive baybehh!!! :o)

5.
...and to be able to talk strike a small conversation, about the country, the range to that nice looking water hazard...and sometimes about business and some industries that I was deeply involved with, would make some of the Tan Sris, Datuks etc more comfortable before they tee-off...the higher ranks VVIPs are probably more friendly than the boss-machais, in many cases...they would just walk to you and start a conversation...for that, they really deserve the best tee-off shot you can ever compose...

6.
Well, I don't play golf but I love shooting golf events...that's me...
I just wrote everything above because I feel like it....and this is my blog. :o)

39.7 ~ 358

...happy 39th year 7 days Torque.
Another 358 or so to go.

‎...hv not watched Transformers 3 | wanting to get a birthday present for self but not able to do so even after 1 week due | probably the second worst birthday after 2010 | oh well...there's always the 24mm prime and the old D70s...and VAD3R...

it is deep and dark......am I at my nadir...or maybe...c'est la vie...

Framing the moments...in our hearts.

A meaningful shot is not a beautiful photograph

...but it is that beautiful moment in our life that means much more than the time we have unconsciously missed.

1.
Every morning, the family wakes up early to get ready for the day, the week is filled with hours of classes and work. Indeed, it has become a routine and as far as most - if not all - are accustomed to, a routine will end up being something that would just be a plain, flat, boring part of the life. Perhaps.
..but break the routine into moments and we'll find something not quite the same like it is supposed to be - i.e. not a routine.
Between that rush to meet the school assembly time, the office hour clock-in time (for my dear wife) and the evening of doing homework and preparation for the next week day....there ought to be some precious moments that would mean a lot in the later years. There ought to...be it in conversation with the kids/ my wife, or the things that we - the family - see or experience throughout the day.

2.
The imperfection of a person makes them more unique and perfect as their own self....that I have learned to appreciate as age takes over my emotions and enthusiasm.
I see, define, accept everybody/ everything in a different positive ways from what I used to when I was five years younger than today. The time that I have to myself - being free from the office hours tagged to KPI and the likes - allowed me to re-think and re-appreciate everybody/ everything around me in more positive ways than the negatives I used to portray in previous years...and I am glad I have this opportunity...while praying that I'll have the opportunity to do all the other stuff on my lists.

Probably I am living at a slower pace than what I used to as an executive in a big corporation...but what matters most is I continuously learn to really appreciate the moments...of being present...here and now.

3.
It has been quite a while since Mak & Abah been to Kelantan. It's a place where we used to go during school holidays, to enjoy the food, environment and to meet our relatives that still live there and linking the bloodline back to Narathiwat.


Little Zahra having breakfast with us, a few minutes before we board the plane to KB.

Last Saturday, I escorted them for a day trip to visit Uncle Farid who has been in coma for more than 3 weeks. A strong and friendly uncle that I first met when I was a teenager, where I get to know the wonderful kids he has - Tasneem, Firhan & Azra. It has been years since I last met them, including Uncle Farid. The last time was when I came to their place in USJ...and after I had kids, I have not met them at all....but Mak & Abah has been constantly in touch with their family and kept me updated from time to time.
...and time really flies....

4.
Seeing Uncle Farid lying on the CCU bed, is a massive heart-breaking moment.
We all pray for Uncle Farid's recovery...and for Tasneem, Firhan, Azra to have the strength to face this difficult moments.
I am pretty sure that Uncle Farid is proud of his three kids...and definitely he has given all the love he has to all of them all these while...

They are always there on weekends and Firhan has made the CCU ward his "home" since Uncle Farid was admitted...allowing himself some short break to rest and sleep whenever he must...and he will be there for as long as he has to, so would Tasneem and Azra...

...such, is a true definition of love.

5.
As we made our journey back to KL that night, I have only one thing in my mind - when I stepped into my house I am gonna hug and kiss all my kids...and my wife.
No words. I could not express my love in words to them anymore because it is already beyond any words that has ever been uttered in any form of languages that I have mastered.

Mak & Abah enjoying one of their favorite local dish - laksam @ Pasar Siti Khadijah. The excitement was too obvious in their eyes...the first time I was there was with them when I was a kid...and to be there again at the age we are now, is such a blessing.

6.

Moments are easily missed due to our focus on counting the minutes.
Minutes are the fractions needed to make the hour....and the hours turned days, weeks, months, years...those bundles of time would just fly...

...but the moments were there for that just one instant -never will be there again- waiting to be captured, framed, appreciated, not just with our cameras but also our hearts, our minds.

7.
To Tasneem, Firhan and Azra - SALUT.

The day the heart goes silent

1.
I got a call from Mak last night, delivering a sad news. Pakcik Farid (a relative on Almarhum Mak Tua's side which links us back to Pattani) has been in coma for more than a week after an operation. The chance of recovery is said to be very slim.

With Abah's condition getting better, Mak is confident to travel but needs somebody to escort them to Kelantan.

Yeah, though I have two jobs to cover, I made the arrangements and comes Saturday mid-morning I'll be there with them, insyaAllah.

2.
I pray that he'll recover.....and may Allah gives the best for Uncle Farid and the family.

3.
With news of family, relatives, friends, friends of friends who made the journey to the next agenda - some old, some at very young age - I take all of it as a reminder that when the heart goes silent, we'd not be able to say or do anything else but cross the line to the next life.....

4.
Do what matters most to your heart and family, while your heart is still able to talk to you...it may want to convey some messages to your loved ones....always, until it goes silent.

5.
...and unlike the mornings you're having now, you'd wake up in a totally different world by then...

6.
Good morning...I am glad I can still wake up with my family around me today....

...to start a day with a good meal...

1.
I still remember those early younger days when I was an executive of a JV company in Dayabumi, seconded by my scholarship sponsor. Rushing everyday, came to do more works on Saturdays and sometimes Sundays, I was really enjoying it and when I left the corporate world, I visited the office and old staff (based on the PTT already of course) and I felt honored that some of the business guides, templates, procedures, the SAP system design/migration, reporting methods and some others I did....is still being used by them. My heart smiles. However, one thing I really learned from the staff there was this - star the day with a good breakfast!
Yup....it helps, a lot. Regardless whatever you have, as long as your stomach is "happy" you'd probably end up having a very good day compared to starting on an empty stomach but fueled by heavy ambition to continue climbing that ladder.

2.
...and as I made my way throughout the years, I realize it is very very true indeed.


3.
Every morning, my lovely wifey prepares breakfast and packed lunch for the family.
We'd have breakfast together as much as possible. The first meal of the day, may be the last meal for me to be with the family. Who knows? For that reason, I never take things for granted, especially if it is about the family I have because other than them, I have no other.

4.
So, have a good breakfast everyday! :o)

Never leave home without it...

1.
Yup. It has been yet another stretch of "quite a while" since the last entry. Truth be told, I have a lot in my mind that needs to be attended...and the matter of fact is I don't have much time to do most if not any (really) of it at all. Not a sorry excuse, just the plain truth. Not lamenting, just writing from my heart.

2.
However, since the ordeal Abah had to face (supported by Mak and the family of course) I find it a big relief to be able to get through the period and just recently the latest tests and discussion with the specialists confirmed that the is nothing more to worry about but just to help Abah recover as much as possible. InsyaAllah.

3.
The recent break in Kuching was also very very refreshing. Though it was probably the shortest stint for the family we managed to squeeze in quite a number of activities for all, though low in fund but the fun that was generated was nothing any kind of money could really replace. I just wish I had more time (and fund, yeah) to cover some documentary that I have in mind.
Next time around, insyAllah. Adalah hikmahnya tu.

4.
...and the idea of migrating to Kuching has been quite an interesting subject. I am really keen to make a move now that the whole family is excited about it....only thing is I am sure Mak & Abah will be sad if we made the move....
Oh well...when it comes, it comes and we'll deal with it accordingly.

5.
I finally have the desire to write again in this blog after the long silence. Just delivered a portfolio asked by a good friend a couple of hours ago to promote some areas of works that I have done....and with that, I feel a fresh batch of energy coming in to my soul.
...and I just toyed around with the D300 again after almost a fortnight leaving it in the small NatGeo sling bag after the Sg Congkak trip...and told myself I have reached that specific target set in quite a surprising time frame a few months ago...if I managed to do that, insyaAllah I can do anything and so it is now time to start moving to the next level even though I actually have just about 5 hours of time a day to do it.
No other option but to make the best out of it no matter how hard it may be.

6.
Ok...I have about 3 hours to sleep, before I wake up and do the ironing, sending and all...and I am gonna shoot some small stuff and write about it to kick-start the momentum again...

7.
...so, help me Allah.

Celebrating everyday

1.
When we were at the Neuro Ward, there was a Chinese man in the same room with Abah. He's a bus driver and was warded due to sudden heavy headache and a stroke, at the age of early 40. Mak & Abah became friends with the family and we were quite sad when we had to leave them behind - he was going for a more serious treatment and it would cost him about Rm60k or so - Mak hugged the wife of the bus driver and even Abah who has yet to recover, had shown on his face a glimpse of sadness and hope for the family. I would say that moment was a true definition of 1Malaysia. I wished them all the best and told them not to worry so much, because the doctors have mentioned he can recover really soon and all he need was a proper rest for at leas two weeks.

2.
What struck me was this - even on his first hour of being warded, the bus driver has been calling all the parents of the school children to mention his situation. The wife talked to Mak and told Mak that they were worried because they could not send and fetch the school children and some of the parents were not happy about it.....some scolded them, some even hung up the phone and blamed them for not being able to do what they were supposed to do.
...this made the couple really sad and worried.
But Mak did told them, what more important is to focus on getting well soon and they would be able to do business again once the husband is back to normal. They cannot do much about the arrogant and inconsiderate parents.

3.
What has become to our society? Why do we have such parents with no heart at all? Even if you pay somebody to do some service it does not mean they are your slaves and have to serve you every single day regardless what condition they are in. Why are they so arrogant and stupid to treat the very responsible bus driver like that? How can he drive the bus if he's suffering a stroke? They'd rather put the life of their kids at risk than taking a couple of hours off for the next couple of weeks to send and fetch their kids? Arrogant, stupid, inconsiderate, no heart at all.

4.
Like it or not, this is our society. Now. Today.
Not unlike it was back in the 70's. Or maybe 60's and before.
Why?
I don't have the answer....do you?


5.
...what I know is this - for the years I have been on the high floor of what used to be the tallest building in the world, I tend to set aside certain values when it comes to family matters.
Now, ever since I am out of the corporate world, I realized that what matters most is nothing but the family, relatives and the good friends that you have around you, who'd be there to support and help you in any way they can.
At the same time, I realized that there are so many things that I consciously took for granted - all those years mentioned - and now I realized that some simple things that we'd took for granted are actually what makes our life more meaningful and rich. It's too difficult for me to explain...but that's how I see it.

6.
The shot above is of a chicken satay and "lontong" - a Javanese dish normally served during Eidulfitri in our family. Arwah Nenek (Abah's mum) used to make lontong for Eid and coupled with her own recipe of ayam kampung masak kicap....it's probably the only thing I'd devour for the duration we would be in our kampung - Kg Parit Lapis Mahang, Batu Pahat.

...but we have not been having lontong for years...ever since Nenek passed away (mentioned in this blog too). When we discovered a good tasting satay, served with ketupat and lontong very recently, we packed enough for the family to celebrate Alisya's 8th birthday....boy oh boy, were we happy to see Abah enjoying the lontong...after missing it for so many years.

7.
As I mentioned....my priorities has changed. I would spend more time to look after my kids and my parents now. Even if it means I am not going to have as much time to do business and shoot for my personal documentary projects.

8.
The friends and relatives that you may expect to be there to provide some help, hope and whatever, may not be the ones that would be there at all to support you, for whatever reasons they may have. No use lamenting about it. You're just wasting your time because they would not spend a time nor a dime to support you anyway....in the first place, if you think about it, you don't actually need those kind of people to be in your life, not at all, never.

9.
Celebrate everyday like it is the final day of your life with your loved ones...and those who matters to you.
For the rest of the other people, they'd be "busy celebrating" their every days too...the big difference would be that their focus is not on "celebrating"....but on being "busy"....

...from generation to generation

1.
Some instances - looks, habits, way we do stuffs, even fate perhaps - that we have been living with, are perhaps being "inherited" from our father and grandfathers...and maybe being passed on to our next generation. Maybe we have not realized it or maybe we'd realized it a bit too late...

One instance that I can claim being inherited from my Abah is - I end to doze in front the TV set if I am tired regardless how bad I need to view that particular program! :o) The funny thing about it is this - I used to laugh at Abah (and so did my kid bro & sis) when he dozed off....now I have that same habit and my kids laughed at me (including my little wifey too!)...heck I can even comprehend what they talked and laughed about even though I was half asleep (I think!).


2.
My parents are teachers, Abah teaches at some sekolah menengahs and Mak at sekolah rendah kebangsaans....of course they have retired for about a decade or so. That is perhaps another instance - teaching & disciplining students/ kids - which I somehow inherited from both of them. Boy oh boy were they strict when it comes to education - especially Mak. Abah is a bit on the relaxed side but from time to time he'd do a "full inspection" and the outcome would be almost the same like what Mak would prescript - if we do not complete or do well our study/ homework, of course. That's what I am doing to my kids now.

Some of my lecturers back in my studying days told me I can be a good educator, the way I present and explain stuff and how I performed in certain education-related subjects or courses....but my parents were against all of their kids to become teachers like them....ahaha!!

3.
I can still recall in my much much much younger years - before primary school - my parents used to bring me for a walk on the stretch of dirt road of our kampung and show me birds nests, make "baling-baling" using mangosteen leaves, make "rocket" using "lalang" leaves....and with the help of my Pak Uda (almarhum Tn Hj Abd. Rahman Harun), I'd also be "shooting" birds with his nicely crafted slingshot or bamboo machine-gun. There are photos of my dear cousins who pushed me in my stroller (with proper cap and shoes) on that same stretch of kampung road.

I guess I inherited that instance too....I spent hours on weekends walking, talking with my twins and Aliya when they were younger...not at their present age, I'll find ways to be their "friends" and do stuff together with them, with my little wifey too.
...oh yes, it's not going to be long before they'd want to do more stuuf with their friends than their parents - like we all used to when we reached certain age, of course - but before that happens, we'd grab all opportunity to do whatever we can with all of them, together.

...and I realized that was also what my parents did...the last opportunity was perhaps when we all did our hajj - the whole family, with money saved on monthly basis and all, before any of us got married. Couple of years before that they went to perform hajj with almarhumah Mak Tua - my Mak's mother, my grandmother of course.

They were happy to be able to perform hajj with their parents and next with their kids - that already fulfilled their ultimate ambition, as far as I know.

Alhamdulillah, they have reached their targeted ultimate ambition....and it doesn't involve anybody else but only the closest of the family members.

Now it's my turn to set my targets as far as the family is concerned.


4.
Those are just some examples. There are many more details and what we may categorized as not-so-worth-to-mentioned stuff in daily life that we may have inherited from our fore-fathers...and as we grew up and become more stronger than them, more educated than them, we'd be more occupied to the stuff that means so much to our future.
Then we have our kids..and truly enough everybody would want to give the best the can for their kids....in doing so, we tend to be occupied with whatever items that we mark as important and spend time on those items....
Before long, we are already wearing the title of a grandfather/grandmother....so, how have we spent our times? Have we spent enough and do enough for our loved ones? In the first place, do we really ask ourselves that question when we reached that age anyway?

5.
Maybe I am digressing....but to be frank, here I am, waiting for my Abah in the observation ward for the memory lost issue he's facing and it has struck me right in between the eyes - we'll only have one chance to take care of our kids, our father & mother....the time could not be reversed nor repeated.
I just told myself again, last night - no matter what is the number of RM I have in my banks, or how many gold bars I have in the vaults of those banks....it cannot be priced as precious as the time and that one chance to take care of the family.

6.
May Allah bless my family members, those older than me, those younger than me, those whom I have had the opportunity to spend my life with and those younger ones in the future when probably I would not be around anymore to kiss and hug....but for my future generations, please know this - I'd probably still be alive in all of you, as like all your forefathers did in me....and so would you, in your future generations....insyaAllah.

Candlelight

1.
Candlelight. A small source of light. Used to be the main source of light for those who came from kampungs, studying and completing homeworks, reciting al-Quran, shadow play - you guys still remember how to "draw" a rabbit using the light from a candle, your hands and the wall of your room as your canvas? :o)
This little source of light helps those knows how useful it is, to do everything else that one would be doing with the help of a modern light bulb nowadays....just like a piece of paper and a pen compared to an iPad or iPad2 or GalaxyTab or...oh well...you name it!!!


2.
So, we have progressed far from having a candle to read and do those humble stuff in the night as far as a kampung kid is concerned, to having what we have around us today.
The question is, have we progressed too? Maybe.

...but maybe not.


3.
With the light from the candle, our grand parents, parents, maybe some of us too, recited the al-Quran, woke up in the middle of the night for prayers, "talk" to Allah for hours...
With the modern light bulbs....are we not supposed to be able to recite the al-Quran more easily? Are we not supposed to be able to do the midnight prayer with more comfort?
Are we not supposed to be able to read the books and kitabs of Islam in a more comfortable environment?
Yes. Generally.

....but maybe not.


4.
There's so much more "interesting" things to be done with all the modern light bulbs compared to the candle.
A candlelight could not power up our Macintoshs...or PC for non-Mac users lah!
A candle light could not power up our modems.
A candle light could not blow cool breeze like our ceiling fans and air-conds.
How on earth are we gonna get connected to the world of internet with a candle in hand?

So, generally, the result modernization would normally bring us to more fun and interesting things to do and indulge in.

...but the candlelight is still used for certain occasions. I can think of two that would mostly involved the majority of us:
- marking the years of age on our birthday cakes
- lighting up the table for a romantic dinner (TNBs blackout is not in the equation though!!!)

So, it's still there. Existing in the middle of modernized and chaotic life we have.

...but maybe not.


5.
So much so, the existence of a candlelight is almost like existence of the teachings of Islam. To the very basic of it.
Let's just take one example - covering of aurah. It has been there for ages. The aurah of a Muslimin. The Aurah of a Muslimah. The teachings are there, still. The actual practicing of it...maybe yes.

...but maybe not.


6.
A couple of days ago, when we were having our family riadhah time, I saw the usual vision that we'd encounter every day of our life today - Muslimah - ladies, young, old, married or unmarried - walking around in short pants (or we are supposed call it hot-pants?)...riding on the motorbikes with their male partners, also in shorts or bermudas...
I told my lovely wife, back in kampung we used to have our non-Muslims villagers sporting those kind of attire but nowadays, the number of Muslimahs clad in the skimpy pants are just almost "at par"...perhaps.

Modernization? Maybe...to their own definition.

...but maybe not.
At least, not mine. (Maybe not yours too....Alhamdulillah).

7.
The sad thing is, we could not say much to them. They have all the reasons to counter back no matter how soft and sincere the way we try to tell them. Not all of them (Alhamdulillah to that!) but most of them, if not majority. They'll tend to get annoyed for being told about the teachings of Islam on aurah...but we just need to do what we are being told to do by Allah, the least would be to go against it in our heart....and make sure our kids won't belong to the same group when they reach the time.


8.
Going back to the candlelight...the fire is small. It gives benefits to those who knows how to appreciate it.
When the fire grew bigger...to the extreme end it would be as massive as the An-Nar.
Engulfed in the flames of An-Nar, the reward for those who are blunt and arrogant to accept the rules of Allah. As simple as that.
No argument....if you insist to have one, please reserve your argument when you are facing HIM in the HereAfter...


9.
Well, that's just one simple example. We can talk about solat too but as many would say - Hey dude, you'll go to your own grave, I'll go to mine.
...and I am not writing it here about the over-ridiculed busana Muslimah...maybe another day.
So, yeah, let them have it their way. As much as possible, we just do our part, at the very least, dislike it in our heart.


10.
At least we still have the time to repent.
And as I said earlier...with the light from the candle, our grand parents, parents, maybe some of us too, recited the al-Quran, woke up in the middle of the night for prayers, "talk" to Allah for hours...
With the modern light bulbs....are we not supposed to be able to all of the above in comfort and ease....?

So, are we doing it already?
InsyaAllah. Yes.

...no maybe. Just a solid YES.

11.
To each, his own.
Light a candle tonight and think about it.

Wassup Doc?

1.
The recent development (if I may use the word) in Malaysia's political scene is rather...urhm...tiring. Boring. Many would say it is almost the same story being repeated with different actors and directors. That DSAI sodomy trial that have been ongoing for many years. The ongoing investigation of the death of Beng Hock. The sex videos revealed by Datuk Trio team....the Omega watch that matters a lot to everybody involved...you can continue with the list (of the same ol' stories!!)
The impact would depends on the ability of the players to win the minds of the citizens - most are already been in deep fatigue and give no ratsarse except on matters that would hit them on their forehead immediately...or let's make it simple - they are just too occupied with the daily roles and responsibilities plus the always sought after opportunity to be in FacebookLand as much as possible...and for entertainment purposes the obvious option would be Astro's sickening antiques - reality shows the like of AkademiFantasia (45th? 67th? I dunno I don't bother following it!)...of course we also have the TV3 and the RTM channels' prime times, "purely entertaining"....

2.
With the elections coming up in Sarawak (sikda tiket untok sidak2 di Semananjung balit siya kah Pehin Sri?? Tehehehe!!) there are just too many "circus" being aired day in day out...promises here and there, one side accusing the other, the other accusing that one side...wahh...so busy lah everybody!! When the election is done...everything goes back to normal. Well maybe some development here and there but comes the next round, we'd probably realized that nothing much that was being promised is actually being done....true?

3.
No lah...I am not going to ramble about politics & the election.....I am apolitical though I have been a victim of political-inclined people since 10 years of age....when it comes to choosing colors, I do love blue but most of the time I end up preferring green...light blue is generally defined as sissy in my dictionary but once in a while it works nicely on certain occasion...and red is always attractive to my eyes but not suitable for my skin. Go figure!! ;0)

4.
Anyway, I have been talking to some people who have been in close contacts with the big-boys in political scenes. Casual chat, over teh tarik or kopi ais...till the wee hours of the mornings...Alhamdulillah they gave me new perspectives to the scene, some very privileged information and second to the actual persons actually telling the truth...in simple word - it's kind of a revelation, a surprising relief...that is why I always would want to hear all possible part of the story and for this matter, although it took me about 13 years to close the loop, well it's better late than never...

5.
Now I am reading the book by Tun Dr M.
...and also "The Malays: Their Problem & Their Future" by Syed Husin Ali (used to be a textbook for some courses by UiTM).
Why? Just to complete "listening" to the story....that has been there since 1998.

6.
...but of course, nothing beats the information and stories that one can get from the people directly involved...

7.
All I can say here is.....don't swallow everything you are being fed with. Read the ingredients on packets from where it came from. Compare with every other available packets. Get the real facts right. If "ketchup & chili sauce" needed to make it more "edible", then the actual content is probably not good after all.

Above all...chew and munch before you swallow....refrain from talking to others before your swallowing is done...because that would probably end you up in a mess...and the others too...

8.
Some leaders have the looks of a pious and religious Muslim...but you would not know the ugly stinking rotten truth unless you really do your homework (FB links, YouTube not in the package ok!). I am not saying A is wrong nor B is right....that, you have to find out on your own....converse, read, do research, try to get connected.....and be neutral.

9.
Just for the record, I don't belong to any political party. Nope.

First Exhibition for 2011

Invitation from TM to showcase works related to "Appreciation of Women" on 23-25March 2010 at Menara TM (Rebung).

Alhamdulillah....
A short period of time to prepare everything. All expenses on our own. The tema did really good, everything was done on time and it went well.
..more to come insyaAllah.

Such a great blessing....

1.

Couple of weeks ago was the school break. We took the opportunity to head on south to our kampung in Segamat and the rest of the family were there too. Such a noisy gathering, almost like raya...minus the ketupat.
..loads of stuff on the table of their Tok Mak & Tok Abah. Every night before sleep (they all sleep together with their Tok Mak & Tok Abah, huge room at the back....air-cond. summore...chiss!!), Tok Mak will ask the kids what do they want for breakfast tomorrow...and they would be having the items served on the table the next morning. Sayang sangat Tok Mak & Tok Abah sama cucu-cucu diorang nih!

2.
It has been quite a while since we last spent a good week in Segamat....that would be during the flood season...surprisingly, it has been raining for a couple of days before we arrived and the water is rising in some kampungs. Alhamdulillah it stopped raining on the day we arrived. No flood....well if there's any, I'd take the opportunity to "scoop" some shoots for front pages again lah kut!!

We brought Sparkle & Ninie back...set them free, no holds barred. How happy they were!!! Ran all around the house, went missing for almost a day and a night...but pops right out from the bushes on the afternoon of the next day. Carrots no more...they are busy exploring the various plants around the house and outside the gate, within out land area. Yep, they are happy to be free indeed!

3.
The kids had fun all day long for the duration we spent. Always running, playing...and of course quarreling....so many things to do foods to eat - barbecue night, pasta night...you name it...and a whole day picnic @ Gunung Ledang waterfalls. Yup, we had a good time indeed. Must to this every school break, at least!

4.
One of the thing that I really enjoyed during the break was this:

.....siput sedut masak lemak...served with steaming hot nasi, eaten at the waterfall picnic location...perghhhhh....

5.
The blessings from Allah...Alhamdulillah. No fake "happiness" for FB purposes, no blasting of horns 'bout boarding the plane for vacations abroad....well you know laa the typical Bolehlanders-kiasuness...balik cuti...confirm laa kad-hutang sudah maxed out...gaya mesti menang maa!!

Maybe we'd do oversea vacation when we have more to spare, insyaAllah...but what matters most is we had a great time and nobody else involved, only the whole bunch of our family members...pure sincere love and fun. No money can ever buy. Alhamdulillah.

Erk...seriously, how can we put high regards for this? Nope...no vote from me.

1.
Life been interestingly hectic this couple of weeks. School break (an entry in this blog is still WIP for that matter!) and the TM's invitation exhibition for CHAPS (that's Community of Hobbyists, Amateurs and Professional Photographers) or better known by the nick-name "Chap Ayam Photographers"....but I had time to read the books I am reading and of course the news papers....


2.
Some may find it annoying when I say I read news from the internet or English based newspaper...and sometimes Berita Harian. No, it is not because I don't love Bahasa Melayu (or is it now Bahasa Malaysia again? Whatevuh...same difference to me lah!!) but the content in each mentioned media brings a different kind of product to your face....thus when somehow I picked up a Harian Metro no Sunday, I cannot help but wonder - why is it so much different from the NST??

3.
The difference I am referring to is the kind of news it contained. Maybe it's more on entertainment this HM but even if it is so, I do hope the majority of Malaysian (Muslims in particular) are not really into "voting of sexiness" and giving reasons why the butt of some actresses won their vote...BY-GEORGE!! Don't you all have pride or respect for claiming being a Muslim?
So cheap....so cheap...such a disgrace.

....and oh yes...the ever-so-fabulous busana Muslimah stuff - now it seems that the fake eye-lashes are "wajib" to be donned by Muslimahs for some kind of function or whatevuh...excuse me, I am not as smart as many of you out there when it comes to hukum-hakam agama....but is it not true that "wajib" in Fiqh is defined as what we are required to do in Islam, failure to do so will end us in negative value for the HereAfter? When you read it proper with some minor knowledge in fiqh, but of course the definition of "wajib" here can be referred to "lughah" of language...either way, is it really the teaching of Islam to wear stuff like that and put on make-up like you are a peacock..almost.
...and how do you actually do your solat with all those on your face? If the preparation takes time, do you have time for maghrib before going to that very important dinner with those eye lashes and all? Owhh..darurat? Sekolah kat mana dulu???

4.
I guess, what we are witnessing now is the result of what we have been brought up with...what have been indoctrinated upon us, consciously, unconsciously, willingly, unwillingly. Much to the extend that what's not right according to Islam, can already be accepted as norm...though still not accepted by those who chose to really remain as true & real Muslim.

5.
Anyway, to each his own....the only thing is, when "bala, bencana, malapetaka" come, it's for the masses....so, just be prepared, while we still have time....

Out of this world

1.
The event that occured in Japan recently (8.9 magnitude earthquake that leads to massive tusnami, for those who were too busy with entertainment news...) should be a good reminder for all of us...including those who still have the heart to make stupid jokes about such disaster.
Since I started breathing the air of the world, I have never read so much earth quakes and tsunami warnings (of course I had no internet access back then...do you?) than what I came across since the ear of internet connection.
So, what are we doing about it?
The videos and still photographs feels so real - we actually witnessed the event as it unfolds. I was on CNN for many hours that day and I realized that as I see it happening, some poor souls were probably struggling for air and their precious life underneath that massive wave of mud and debris. As we at in front of our TVs, some poor souls over there were probably on their way out of this world.

2.
Their time already.
When is ours?
Nevermind, we still have time....yeah...time for what?

3.
It's just too obvious. The signs are getting more and more rampant and much much clearer. Our time is limited....already.

4.
Therefore, forgive me if I am too blunt towards those who are still busy with stuff I don't put high on my priority list. Don't forgive me, it's ok...just find time to reflect on your life once in a while...I try my best to remind whatever I can - here and anywhere - for me & myself...and my friends...the time is coming closer than we could ever imagine. Do something. What? I don't know, it's yours to decide...but just don't include me in your postings about stuff that you know I really don't like - suka-suka saja is soooo outdated...do something that would bring some goods for you...now and for the hereafter.

5.
No outings suka-suka outings this weekend? Watch out for the coming rain...it may be contaminated....but who cares....I don't!
:o)

Segitiga Melingkup Sdn Bhd

1.
A couple of weeks ago, I received one text message from my former boss while I was assigned to P*t*o*as Dagangan Bhd., asking me my views about Score-A. Apparently the same person (which somehow was NOT supposed to be there and was NOT in the official program at all) who presented to a group of people in a room at Std Charted office, about a year or so ago, approached this former boss and asked him to join her team.

Same old pitch which you may have become accustomed (and perhaps sick to the point of puking on the person's face too..):

- sampai bila kita nak bagi orang lain kaya, kita sendiri bila akan kaya kalau kerja terus untuk orang?
- tak mau ke income RM 4-angka seminggu?
- saya dah berjaya, saya boleh pergi bercuti ke Australia dengan keluarga saya bulan lepas.
- saya dah tempah BMW 3Series, kalau saya tak join business ni entah bila saya akan mampu beli kereta mewah macam tu.
- buat apa kita susah-susah kerja buat business kalau peluang business tu dah ada disediakan untuk kita?
- saya boleh bawa family & mak saya yg dah tua shopping dan diorang boleh ambil apa sahaja, saya bayar...
- ....Semua berunsur JUAH, BELAGAK...EKSYEN nak mampus....you continue with the list lah... I need to puke first....wait se-moment eh....


2.
OK...done.

So, I told the former boss all I knew about it and met him a couple of days after that...he decided not to join because what it is not a business for real...because I knew him for years and from being my boss we have became buddies, I knew he'd not interested in such thing - not for thinkers, strategic planners, educated people who really have done REAL business....like him...and me..and many of you out there too lah ok!


...heck since I am at it already, lemme also state here that some people in the organization I used to be in actually use their office hours for Score-A and one Manager in HR there actually called and asked me to join her team because she was "worried" I have no source of income after I jumped the boat...pfft...she was never there to answer calls, never bothered to return calls or respond to the messages left when I was trying hard to get hold of those idiots responsible to deal with LHDN and suddenly she can call me on my hand-phone number wanted to "help" me....how "noble".....

Well...forget it, go use the company loan to buy that farking BMW or Hondah that you want laa!

(FYI I did join Score-A perhaps much earlier than any of you, just to help a friend and I end up spending RM1k above for a pack of access card or what...never mind, that's another story to be told lah).


This is not about me kasi hantam Score-A people ke apa, I just wanna vent out my "bosan-ness" of these people who think everybody wanna waste their time on "business" to just get rich quick and "eksyen" with the shiny cars and all laa....

So, you think you can't get rich easy by joining the Score-A or any other similar "business"?
Well, let's look at it from this perspective...

You have a job, sitting in front of your computer, churn out numbers, do presentation packs, respond to emails, send emails and once in a while (if not everyday) deal with idiots who happens to hold a higher ranking position than you are...tough..but at the end of the month you poke that card into the teller machine and WALLA!!! You got loads of money!!

So, after all those years you decided that you are tired with the work you have and want to do something else? Joining a "business" that started with the phrases presented earlier (and more lah) would not be a good move. Why?

Have you ever asked yourself what is it that you really want to do if you quit the present job you have?

Generally, if it involved a business that being introduced with "opening talk" using the phrases similar as above....and when the presenter started drawing dots which would look something like a triangle, your "immediate next steps" would look like something the listed below:

- have to attend a gathering where another better ranking achiever-trainer-somnabiatch would "enlightened" you on how the business will make all who came to the talk to become filthy rich.

- have to go through a presentation pack or a softcopy given to you prior to the gathering so that you can come prepared...oh...it used to be tapes, which you'd have to return back at the gathering but now you just get a softcopy into you thumbdrive - yeah, no free thumbdrive somemore laa!...those people are not rich at all, don't you realize that already?? Haha!!
(Note: I was given a couple of tapes back in the 90's by some of these people...because I refused to listen to their talk and go for teh tarik...and in the end I returned the tape without listening to it too...I'd rather be listening to RageAgainstTheMachine musics rather than a baboon giving a sermon to wannabe-rich monkeys).

- have to buy a starter-pack or whatchamacallit and start studying and understanding the "business".

- have to follow the "up-liner" to other sales pitch before you are ready to do yours.

- have to prepare a list of people that you would be approaching and train to be ready to present the stuff form that package mentioned.

....and above all, you'd already be living, breathing, eating and all-other-ing only for the "business".

3.
Once you are done with the immediate next steps above, you'd be calling friends, family members, contacts and all...and try your best to get their time to listen to your "business proposals"....and start spending long hours after work and also weekends to do your "business proposal meetings."

The cycle goes on. The pyramid gets built. Some gets the money, some gets to end up still being in the dreams only lah.

....and before long you realized most of your friends may not be answering your calls or sms....but wonder no more....they got their info from everywhere and they are not really interested to be in the race to get that BMW or Honda or whatever....their Kancils gets them everywhere and they have more quality times with their loved ones...even during weekends as you and your rich-friends are busy in a "business seminar".....

4.
In case you have not realized, some of the famous faces, the successful businessmen and businesswomen of such "business" may actually have fake qualifications. Read it here, in this dude's blog:
Aididleaks
Seriously...how do you get "Prof. Emeritus. Dr. Sir" in front of your name??
Some of the Universities they claimed they went to...don't really exist.

5.
So...are you really going to allow yourself falling into this business-dunghole made by the people who are no smarter than you when in comes to REAL paper qualification?
You decide! :o)

6.
Yeah I have friends who are into MLM or Ponzi schemes or whatever you wanna call the frigging business...but I am yet to see any of them sporting a Ferrari or wearing a Patek-Philippe....the real Patek-Philippe, not the fake ones....like their "business"....heck....how could they afford one if it's the price of a house (that you still owe payment for the next..what 15-20 years?)

Excuse me, I have to fetch my baby now...now where's my Casio watch (100% original wokk!!!)