Breaking a Hiatus

Hello Peeps...

After a very long hiatus, I finally found the energy to update this beloved blog of mine.  The truth is, I did missed blogging.  But due to some unforeseen consequences, me being preoccupied with studies and of course my natural laziness...I conveniently demoted myself from a self-glorified blogger to merely a blog reader and blog hopper :)

So now, I'm ready to restart my so-called blogging career...che wahh.   

Me thinks me likes to start with some light entries.  Just some updates on myself would be a great start right?  FYI, I started this blog when I was transferred from KL to Ipoh back in December 2006.  Hence, the title of the blog.  But now, I'm back in KL.  So should I change the title to From KL to Ipoh to KL? No?

My office is literally in heart of KL. In fact it is actually in the golden triangle.  So I'm now back to where I first started my career.  

The new office, is not actually what I had in mind when I finished my master's degree.  So naturally, I was ranting and complaining all the time.  It didn't last though.  I'm learning to love the new job and frankly, I'm falling in love with it.  Yup...something that I found lacking in the melange of my previously hackneyed postings.

I guess the love comes from the team that I'm working with.  From the very big boss,  her right-hand men, my colleagues and juniors...we all just click so well like a well oiled machine.  We are like a big happy family.  And of course, the family is not perfect.  There's always some issues waiting to disrupt the dynamics.  But we managed to keep the stress level low.  The stress level is so low I'm actually looking forward to go to work everyday - another thing that was lacking previously.

I hope that what I have right now would last.  But from experience, I know that sometimes good things don't last forever.  I just hope that it's not anytime soon.  Hopefully...

C ya later peeps!

Sydney's Summer

Sydney is experiencing its coldest start to summer in 50 years!  How ironic is that huh??!! and I am here to be part of history :)  So now I have one more story to tell my anak cucu years from now about what happenned in Sydney in the summer of 2011.  Ain't life great?!!  

The sky is always gloomy nowadays.  And it drizzles almost everyday.  Hampering my long term exercise regime (yeahh...I know it's lame, just cut me some slack will ya?)  The only exercise I consistently do right now is the Sunday football game with the guys.  Since it's now summer, we get to play until 8.00 pm.  Don't worry though, we didn't miss our Marghrib prayer :)


Still, the Sunday football game may not last.  We have less people now, so it's less fun.  In fact, last week we had to play with some people from China.  Playing with people you barely know was definitely less exciting.  Well, at least to me.  You see, some people play because they love the game.  I play because I love the people - my friends.  Yup, I'm sentimental like that.  I value friendship, I really do.  Friends are forever, unless if I got stabbed in the back.  Then it's a different story.  I remember a friend of mine used to tell me - If you fuck me once, shame on you, but if you fuck me twice, shame on me.  Ehehh....sooo Godfather.  


Anyway, I really hope there will be more students coming next semester.  It's not just about football.  It's about having activities to do within the Malaysian community.  Activities bring people closer.  And in a small community like us, it's important to be close to one another.  Here, it's soooo not like back home.  Back home, I barely had the time to chat with my neighbors.  Let alone play football!  We were so busy with our lives that the only time we really get to socialize is during Hari Raya or when someone dies.  Yup, we are that sad back home.  I hope I could change that when I got back.    


p/s:  another sad thing is this blog.  hmm....gotta post more often....

King of ASEAN!!!

Can't help it!  Need to blog about our win against Indonesia last night.

Maannnn....it was so sweeeettttt.   Sweet taste of glory.  Congrats to the players!  

Normally, I'd say something nice to the LOSERS - ie. better luck next time, good game etc etc.  But since they were so mean and disrespectful to us, I'd say IN YOUR FACE INDONESIA!!!!   Thanks for all the hostilities, hatred and provocations.  And of course the most mean-spirited thing of all - jeering our national anthem.  Come on man.  You guys are better than that.  Oh yeah.....my anger is dedicated only to those bad Indonesians.  The good ones, you guys are great.

Anyway,  winning the gold medal certainly solidifies our status as the best team in ASEAN.  Look - Gold in 2009, AFF Champian in 2010 and another gold in 2011 - i think we deserve a little bragging rights.  But don't stop there FAM.  Defending it will be much harder.  Keep up the good work!

End of semester

Semester dah abissss!!!!!

It's always nice when the semester is over.  But it will be nicer if I could celebrate it with my friends.  And better still, have access to a lot of money so that I could really celebrate.  Mannn...seriously, JPA must revise the allowance structure.  It's just not enough, especially to those with family.  Dont get me wrong, I'm thankful, but I think it's not wrong to speak the truth.  The truth is...the allowance is barely enough.  

Fortunately, I still have my gaji in Malaysia.  But I feel so sayang to transfer the money from Malaysia to Australia.  My original plan was not to touch the money in Malaysia so that we have enough cash to restart our life in Malaysia once we got back.  Well, not our entire life, we just need to buy the cars.  But still, cars cost a fortune in my tanahair tercinta.  In Australia, cars are cheap.  Seriously cheap....so if you want to drive nice car even though your earn a middle class salary, please come to Australia :)

I have a three-month break and I have absolutely no plan what to do with it.  Thinking of getting a job, but don't know what kind of job should I do.  It would be nice to get some extra money.  It could cover our trip to Gold Coast in February.  Or maybe could save some money to send Akif to school here.  Dont know la.  I'll just keep that in mind for the time being.

Oh yeah...played my last football game with the TESL boys just now.  They are leaving for Malaysia next week.  Hmmm.....we have less people in the community now.  The government wont send any TESL students next year.  It's sad to see them leave.  The friendship, even though it's still new, it's solid.  I guess when you are in a small community, you really value your friends.  These boys, they are much much younger than I am.  Now I am not saying that I'm old either ok.  All I'm saying is that if your compare the age difference, they are younger, maybe by 12 years.  But they treat me as though I'm one of them.  Apparently, there's no concept of 'Abang' here.  And surprisingly, I'm ok with that.  

Anyway, I wish them best of luck.  Hope to see them in Malaysia.   Hmm...I'm missing Malaysia so much.  While Australia is nice, it's not Malaysia.  One thing that I really miss is my financial freedom.  I'm no rich guy.  But in Malaysia, I can do anything that I want without worrying about not having money.  

Here, I don't have that freedom.  I am constantly worried of whether the money could last till the end of the month.  It's sometimes frustrating when you cannot provide the same life to your family here.  But Alhamdulillah, my family seem to understand.  But Alif sometimes does ask question like 'abah...do we have money to buy this..' and it breaks my heart to say 'no'.  Maybe I would give him the same answer in Malaysia, but it's because I don't want to, here, I have to say no because I cannot afford to.  Hishhh....runsing wooo.

Ok la.  I got nothing to write anymore.  See you guys later.  Hope the tigers will maul the garudas tomorrow!!!

Entry penat....

End of semester is just around the corner.  Mannn....how time flies.  I'm very busy now.  Sleepless nights, red eyes, overeating and too much coffee.  I've got 4 assignments to submit in three weeks.  It's totally driving me crazy.  Hmmm...going back to school is not as fun as I imagined :P.  My standing is not good.  Hope I'll survive.  Yup, that's the mission at this point.

Procrastinating is not helping at all.  I always know this, but keep doing it over and over again.  Bila la nak sedar oii.  One more thing, being a HOD is not helping either.  I am so used to people doing things for me, I am now feeling it awkward to do everything myself.  Usually, my staffs will prepare my schedule and remind me of the deadlines, but now, I'm on my own.  Hence, the chaotic sleepless nights I'm experiencing now.

Like I said, I hope to survive this first semester.  But come next semester, the game is on baby.  Yup, gotta come back with a bang.  You'll see....

Insya Allah....

See you guys

Darfur

I learnt something sad about Darfur two nights ago in my Border Security and Migration class.

You know the two factions who are killing each other, the Arabs and the Africans, they are both Muslim.  Just to make sure, I checked with a friend who used to work in Sudan, and he confirmed it.  

It really got to me.  Why are Muslims killing Muslims?  Because of land disputes?  This is ridiculous!

Islam is a religion of peace and harmony.  It doesn't teach its followers to be mean cruel.  Still this is happening now.  And yet, we are mad when people label us terrorist.  We keep calling the unbelievers as infidel, but it is not them who are killing each other. Are we living the Muslim life?  Are we setting the right example to others?  

The Muslim world really is in need of a leader.  Just to bring all of us back to the right path.  I think it is our responsibility to clean Islam's name.  Just imagine how the Prophet (PBUH) would feel if he sees his ummah in such clueless life.  Totally disregarding all his teachings.  We are letting him down mann.....

I really feel I need to do something personally.  But I don't know where to start.  Allah....help us!  

Sorry la....kinda emotional because this is really sad.

Something to ponder

I like this one.....

'Disregarding history is like driving without a rear view mirror'

-Dato' A. Kadir Jasin-