Tahniah Syahir Yem a.k.a AA sebab dapat 8A untuk PMR 2010. Bak kate Pak Lang, lepas ni dah tak boleh panggil AA. Kena panggil AAAAAAAA la plak. Adoh, kalau dapat 10A plak SPM nanti letih la nak panggil AAAAAAAAAA. Panjang sangat tuh.
By the way, brother, I'm proud of you. Seriously.
*2008, lakaran kejayaan Angah.
*2010. Kejayaan berulang. Same place, same event. Same result.
Okay, cukup. Nanti abang bagi hadiah dari US okay.
Next, nyang a.k.a moyang aku yang tersayang;
SELAMAT HARI JADI YANG KE-99!!!
Haha.. yes, I know right? 99 tahun. Wow, dah sangat tua tuh.
Korang tak percaye? Kat bawah ni bukti kukuh.
*actually nyang boleh jalan lagi. yang ni just gimik je sebab Dato' Fauzi datang haha
(Dato' Fauzi: Presiden PKR Pahang)
*yang ni close up IC dier. 111223. Mane nak cari beb? Haha.
Okay, ucapan untuk nyang, jangan nakal2 duduk kat rumah tu. Rajin rajin mandi. Dengar cakap We dengan Aki. Jangan banyak cakap sangat, orang tak suke. Sori lah lame tak layan Nyang mengarut. Haha. Takpe2, taun depan kite buat grand2 punyer okey?
Dah jumpa satu lagi sebab untuk aku survive dan balik Malaysia hidup-hidup. Biarkan apa orang cakap. We have each other now. Winter break tak bosan sebab ada beliau. Thanks a lot :)
Millions of miles away tu terlalu exaggerating. To be precise, 9436 miles. Tak sampai millions pun.
Untuk sape2 yang rindu aku, mak, abah, angah, AA, tat, we, aki, nyang, pak epu, mak emi, pak lang, mak lang, muazim, moksu, poksu, addin, kori, yuman, wani, mak cik, cik amid, teh p, mokde na, nurul, imran, a'an, tirah, dan semua sedare sedare tersayang, ika yang gorgeous, member2 jamming, member2 gig, member2 ngeteh, member2 pecah rumah dan member2 yang buat2 member;
We see the same sun everyday. And we see the same moon. And we stand on the same Earth.
Oh, bilik aku syurga aku. Welcome to paradise!
*Malaysian flag. Aku junjung martabat negara di perantauan.
Untuk awak (mak sila jangan jeles),
*Irama klasik 80'an. Tak dimakan dek zaman.
p/s: hehs. Hope and promises. False hope, check. Yes, no promises. Fuck it. Thank you by the way.
Yes, I know. These two things doesn't come in any common.
Let me break it up to you first, one by one.
World Trade Center is a 2006 movie, where you can reach the link from IMDB here. It is a movie starred by Nicholas Cage, which has won two awards and other six nominations. The story shows a real-time plot from the massacre which happened back in 2001. This is the movie, if I had to name one, which have caught my eyes and penetrate right through my heart. Not every movie (I remembered a couple who have big inter-emotional impact on me, which is August Rush and 500 Days of Summer), but this one is the best. It taught us that the terrorist attack does not mean that we have to be vengeful, but instead, appreciate the life that we have now. I started to miss my family once I've seen this one. Damn it. But seriously, this one's a real good movie. Download it, stream it, rent or buy the DVD, any way possible, watch it.
The quote that I really loved from this movie;
"9/11 showed us what human beings are capable of. The evil, yeah, sure. But it also brought out the goodness we forgot could exist. People taking care of each other for no other reason than it was the right thing to do. It's important for us to talk about that good, to remember. 'Cause I saw all of it that day."
Here's a trailer to the movie;
So the place where once stood proudly the twin towers, now become a lifeless field, which we were about to build a mosque, a place where people repent for their mistakes, be grateful of their God-given life and responsibility to lead the other humans from strayed path, and learn to love each other. Put aside the conspiracy, this attack does not tell us only about the evil, it also teach us on how to love. How? Go figure. But seriously, Ground Zero is one of the place I want to visit when I'm hitting on NYC next year.
And now, what about Dawson's Creek?
Oh, this is another drama, another series, soap opera, or whatever it was called, which have caught my eyes, and my heart. Oh, I swear I could cry watching this. This six seasons series was a big impact on my teenage years, as the first season, first episode were out on 1998. I followed each episode, which back then were played on RTM2, every Tuesday and Thursday at 9.30 PM. Yeah, fuck homework, to hell with the computers, I'm off to watch my favorite girls on TV. For a 8 year old boy, what do I know huh? Right it's pretty simple and yet I can't explain myself. Got it, guilty as charged. Look for the information on the series on IMDB here. Oh, damn. My favorite girls. I can't believe I'm breaking it out for you guys.
*here's the intro part of Season 1, Episode 1 (I guess)*
Okay here I go. Joey Potter. Please don't put it as I like Katie Holmes or whatever, I just like Joey Potter. She was an average teenage girl back then, yeah, you know, before she got trapped in scientology with Tom Cruise. As Joey, she was an independent girl, an out-of-the-norm adolescent who lives with her sister, lost her mother to a harsh breast cancer and his dad got caught for transporting marijuana and got put into jail. She have been good friend with Dawson for her entire life, I mean since she was a little girl. They watch movies together, they play together, they act together, and they even sleep together. They finally arrived at one point where they both grown up to be 15, and it all start to get awkward. Dawson loves Joey, and she felt the same thing, but no one break it up. So everything is getting more and more and more complicated.
*and 12 years ago, I said to my mom, "When I grow up, I want to marry this girl.*
Damn you Tom Cruise!
All right, done with Joey. So here's about a girl I like more that Joey. Jen Lindley. A big city girl who were sent by her parents to Capeside to stay with her grandmother because of her wild behavior back in the New York city. A typical, yet stunning American Girl, which makes me wanted to go to America and here I am, haha. What else do you want? Beautiful blonde hair, above average sized boobs, red, moist pouty lips and long eyelashes. Perfectly tailored for perfection. The cast was by Michelle Williams, who if I was not mistaken, the wife of the Joker, Heath Ledger if you know him. But back then she was just an average small time actor, before she became a movie star the next following years. I love you Jen! Haha yes sure I do.
*Jen~ Speechless~~*
Owh, and I though I could finally come into conclusion here. On September 11, 2001, the time was something after 9.30 PM. I was about to get ready to watch my favorite show, Dawson's Creek when an emergency casting interrupted. It was about the WTC attack. I ran down to tell my father but he won't believe me. As I remembered, I said, "Abah, ada bangunan kat US kena langgar kapal terbang." But he was busy chatting, and he would just ignore me. Being also ignorant, I just continued watching the show afterwards. Well we were just a primary school student back then aren't we?
So here's the meeting point. It was all connected somehow. Dawson's Creek and World Trade Center. If I'm about to cry watching movies, it would be this two. No other could.
Someday, I'll watch these with my beloved girlfriend on a Saturday night. We'll fall asleep to the movies. Cool huh? Sabar okey?
Someday.
Till next time, jom sambung hibernate. Winter is cool. Well, I mean cold, thank you.
The first effect when I got here, is that I learnt to pay much more attention in class, as the fast-pacing teaching and learning process here requires me to work independently, no more spoon feeding. The first week of my Chemistry lectures, one chapter is covered in only one lecture session; which is only 50 minutes. The professor is going way too fast for me. I got to go home and study the chapter for a few hours before I got to understand it holistically. It was really tiring when you instructor crammed all the topics for your quiz in only a few days. I’ve started to regret my decision to study here. My pleasure time seems to be much more back in my country. However, to my surprise, I managed to follow the rhythm of the teaching and learning process here time by time. Now, after three months of struggling to keep up with the current study plan, I have been able to manage my time more effectively.
One other thing that I will surely get here, but not in my home country, is the whole new experience. The first time I was here, I was extremely excited. It’s a whole new world for me, new environment, new study atmosphere, new cultures and new faces. For the last 20 years of my life, I have studied and learnt how to live independently, but that was back in Malaysia. I never ever been outside of Malaysia, even the neighboring countries, and now here I am, at the other side of the world. In terms of study, back in Malaysia, we studied very hard and hardly have time for ourselves. We Asians are very rigid, very particular and thoughtful on our education and studies. But now in the States, I was amazed to see how those guys managed to have fun and at the same time, perform well in their studies. I was held spell bounded by the embellishment of their life. So now, as far as I can get here in the Land of Freedom, I have the advantage of studying hard like and Asian, and at the same time, have fun and party like an American!
I got everything in Malaysia. I good great house, a loving family, fun relatives, a loyal lover, a cute pet, even a good academic institution! So why would I give up all that just to get here in the United States? The country of the Star - Spangled Banner has taught me the lesson of life, which is to survive. I got nobody here; no parents, no relatives, no teacher, just friends. They won’t be able to guide me if I went astray. I learn to communicate with officials, do my own electric and gas billing, pay for my own telephone lines, and most importantly, manage my own financial standing. I even have my own Mastercard (which means I have to responsible for it, too)! As me with my friends, we have to help each other in any crucial times, as to survive. As the American says it, “You scratch my back, and I scratch yours. We will both be happy.”
I was only 20. I got another three year in the United States. This means that 13.04 percent of my life will be spent here. There is only two outcomes and lessons that I will probably brought back to my home country; either I will be good and contributed to my country, or I will be a spoiled, hedonism-stricken brat. Let’s hope that I will have the courage, the spirit and the faith to continue my survival here. So the answer to those who ask me these questions in the first line, I got here so I can have worthwhile experiences that no one else can get, adapt myself to a new high quality study environment and lastly, develop my skills of survival and be independent. There’s no regret in leaving my family for a better education, not only for a degree and a job, but an education for life.
"He, who wished to secure the good of others, has already secured his own." (Confucius)
Confucius said it all, so beautifully, I cannot say it better. Imagine a typical college student; he woke up every morning, exercise, have his breakfast and go to school. He went home that evening and as usual, cleans up and get ready for dinner. After dinner, he might do his usual chores, either play games, studying, or go out with his friends. These are the mundane, typical days for a college student. So what the college and the family institution are teaching him is the ordinary, technical stuff. He will not grow up to be a special, charismatic and important individual for the community. Ask yourself, is this typical person are we trying to develop in the students? My main point is, every college student should be required to give three credit hours’ of worth of community service a year because of its various impeccable benefits.
First lesson of community service for students; be grateful of your life. I still remember a few weeks before the last Thanksgiving; I joined the Collegiate Village group to go to Elderwood Senior Care in Buffalo. We are planning to play Bingo with the elderly there. Once we arrived, I was amazed seeing there is so many elderly who were on the wheelchair. I followed the caretaker who then took me to a room, who then assigned me to take a particular elderly to the community room to play Bingo. It was not my first time doing community service in the US, but it is the first time I went to an elderly nursing home. Looking at all those elderly, who some were sick (they got tubes and wires all over, and they can still afford to smile), some looked very tired and always fall asleep during the game, and some were even crying when we were about to left. This short trip has a very big effect on my mind, on my heart and my soul. As a college student, it makes me think how fortunate I am to have a happy family. Thus, as for the other students who will have to do the community service for their credit hours, this will help to instill moral and good values in them. It teaches them to think beyond ‘me, myself and I’. Some says that the community service done without sincerity, for the sake of their credit hour is not effective enough, but the effect will get to the students, sooner or later.
Is that all? Of course not, as doing community service will bring the students out of their own world to see the reality of life. This will also bring out some sense of humanity for the students. They will learn more than typical academic stuff and see the true ugly face of life. As mentioned by Charles W. Grant, the Executive Director of Clayton County Community Services Authority, “College is a place that differs completely from a shelter home or a nursing home. Sometimes, for students to join our program will definitely change their perspectives on life, widen their thoughts, and enhances their self-empathy towards the unfortunate.” Besides the latest trip to the elderly home, I have also volunteered for a fund raising event for the Pakistani Flood Relief last month. I can’t be there (I mean at Pakistan), but still I feel terrible for what happened for them. These good works were enjoyed at its best when we are truly sincere when doing them.
The last reason to make this compulsory for every college student is that we have to prepare them in their best condition to be ready for the post-college life. Everybody knows that being an adult is not easy; you will have to deal with massive responsibility and also numerous stresses on your life. These are not the things that were taught in the classroom, these are skills that you have to develop on your own as you live your life. Once the students go out of the college, they will have to work independently. Doing community service will teach them the skills of survival, the lesson that will worth for lifetime. For example, a student is pampered while in high school, while in college, given monthly allowance and secured housing for the whole semester where their parents were the ones who take responsibility for their life. However, when they were out of college and started the working life of an adult, they will have to work independently without the help from their parents. As what I understand, in the United States, it is a disgrace for a college graduated individual to stay with their parents. By doing community service, students will learn to develop the skills needed for them to survive, even in the hardest situation, for example, making difficult decision in a short time.
The truth is that you won’t see the importance of community service before you do it yourself. The experience, I dare say, would change your perception on this matter. Community service should not be done just to announce the completion. It should be done without looking for a reward or praise. It should not be looked at as doing something for someone, but assisting them in making life better and fulfilling. Community service is very important for the students to develop themselves into a better person, as well as a preparation for the challenging future.
Aku bukak MySpace. Pergh pening sial! Ape bende la yang dorang nak buat ni. The original one is way better. Classic.
Dan selepas bukak MySpace...
Aku stalk page abang Rom, stalk ROTTW. Pergh playlist dier dah tak autoplay dowh! Dah tak annoying macam dulu.
Dan lepas stalk page ROTTW...
Aku nampak event baru. Pergh dah dekat nak Soundstage 2010 laa... Macam baru je semalam Soundstage 2009 kat Melaka tuh. Dah la open stage dekat Muzium Telekom. Memori beb venue tu.
Dan lepas komen kat event tu...
Aku nampak cover latest ROTTW. Rancid beb! Tim Armstrong tu jadi cover! Tulang belakang punk culture tuh! Terus aku komen suruh beliau buat international shipping. haha
Just found out, They Will Kill Us All dah buat lagu baru. Lepas dah lama menyepi, rupa rupa dorang tengah sibuk merakam lagu. Here's a teaser. Full song sila cari kat website dorang.
Pergh. Teringat, and I'm missing muzik Malaysia lah. Dah lame giler tak tulis review or pre-review pasal muzik nih. Link kat bawah ni bout my previous reviews, yang lain sila cari sendiri.
Dah lama tak follow, giler rindu. Try nak follow lagi pun dah blur. Tapi so far still acceptable lagi. Ape ek nak di updatekan, em, Bittersweet dah kuar a couple of songs, TWKUA yg macam kat atas tu, gig-gig metal ngan deathcore, macam biase, makin laju naik, nak nak kat kuantan. Graph dorang naik je, tak turun turun lagi. MITC? Terus meriah. Tak pernah kosong venue tu, as I'm browsing the flyers. One Cafe? Cam bese la. Every weekend pun ade gig. Oh, Couple, abang Aidil kite nak bubar band. Eh, xde la, main main je. Terus aktif bermain di gig-gig sekitar KL, di prom night sekolah-sekolah, majlis2 IPT dan kenduri kawin (kidding again!). Nothing much bout them. Ska jap. Skudap Skudip! Woi ape citer band Shah Alam kite? haha rindu ko Dodd. Serius. Rindu lawak lawak kimak ko. Dengar cter dorang ni pun mmg dah agak lame hilang. 2-3 bulan tak main gig tu kire lame gak ah kan bro? haha. Oh fuck! The Times nak buat EP baru. Deymm better be good la Naza. Lama kitorang tunggu nih. Aku dengar preview kt page korang, not bad. Still the same old, classic, The Times's sound. Still the best. Erk..malas dah nak tulis. Malas gak nak follow. Mane kuar kat page aku yang tu ah aku dengar.
Teringin sial nak tulis review lagi. Nice, mood muzik dah on balik.
Weh, malam ni SHOUT! Awards kat Malaysia. Nice giler.
Man, if I were there. Mas Asyraf, Kamal Bukhari SXE, korang tunggu. Later head banging lagi okeh!
It was a quiet, breezy Saturday afternoon when a massive traffic jam happened in the heart of our capital of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur. I was on my way back to my school from a tiring four hours bus ride right from my hometown. As a 16 years-old student who didn’t have much concern but for his responsibility to study, I get on the city train and head on to my school. If I have read the news yesterday, I might be aware of the chaos and massacre that will happen shortly.
On the flyover train, I sat by the window and glanced downward into the street. There were fewer cars than usual, but today is Sunday. Where everybody had gone? As the train passed over the building of the Royal Palace, I saw that the street was closed and there were a number of police officers, standing tall and ready, armed with a MP5 machine gun and a gas mask put on. My heart starts to wonder, what will happen now? What is happening right now? I looked around to the other passenger of the train, and they all looked scared. A couple of little kids were crying hard, while their mother tried to calm them down. From a few blocks away, I can see a number of groups of people are gathering near the street, not far below, marching on as they shouted and raising their banners of a new reformation.
I was only a typical high school student who doesn’t really care about politics back then, but the event sure taught me a lot of things. As the train approaches the next station, Jalan Sultan Ismail Station, it went faster and I’m not expecting it to stop at the speed. Seconds later, the conductor announced that the train will not be stopping at the station. As we go through the station, I looked out the window. The sight out there killed my unconcerned-perception on politics and my country. The sight that I’ve seen is only on the World News, and now I see it with my own head, in my country. Was not so intriguing when it’s in your own country isn’t it?
Outside the station, there was smoke everywhere. People of all walks of life, of all sorts of ages, are running here and there closing their mouth with some piece of clothes. Some of them were chasing the train as we passed by; trying to grab the door hoping it will stop. Their eyes were all red, a woman and her children were kneeling on the ground right beside the station’s platform, closing her mouth while trying to ease her children who were scared. You must be wondering what has happened, and I’m sure you won’t like it too.
It was not a terrorist attack, but it was just an extreme anti-government protest going on the streets. I learned this when I go off the street and saw the thousands of angry protester were walking down the street as they march to the National Palace, where they were planning to hand a memorandum to the King. Filled with curiosity, I walked towards them, following them from a few blocks behind. Shouting “Reformation now!”, they started to scare all the shop owners around the street, and they forced the street owner to close down their business for that day. The crowd of thousands of people had been given several warning by the Malaysia’s FRU (Federal Reserve Unit) and the police, but they still continued to make a chaos on the main street of our capitals. Foods and things got stolen, old man got mugged, windows get broken and ladies been harassed. I’ve seen it all happened with my own eyes.
Independence is not how we define it, because it defines itself. A chaotic and unlawful protest out on the street is just not our way of doing things, it is not a symbol of democracy, it a symbol of rude denial. I was only a teenage kid back there, and I’m sure that event will have a big effect on my life. As our former Prime Minister, Dato’ Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had mentioned, “This is stupid. It is not our way to do things. It is not Malaysian’s way.”
p/s: a descriptive essay for my ESL class. Should've mentioned the yellow shirts though ;)
Terjumpa texture yang menarik ni kat simviation.com, waktu bosan2 malam Sabtu. Mula-mula at first baca title texture ni, macam tak percaya. Tapi bila dah bukak, dah download, memang betul. Sani Ekspress dah jadi syarikat penerbangan.
Sani Ekspress dah berevolusi dari bas dua tingkat kepada pesawat penumpang komersial Airbus A330-300.
di Juliana International Airport (kalau tak silap)
Dalam approach pattern untuk mendarat
final approach sebelum touchdown
Interesting kan?
Kredit kepada painter kapal terbang ni, Raffiq Aziz.
Jangan kemalangan lagi dah la.. Well hopefully not :)
Fact: On 15 March 2000, a 6-year-old Malaysia Airlines A330-300 aircraft was severely damaged by corrosive liquids that were being transported in the cargo hold on a passenger flight from Beijing to Kuala Lumpur.
p/s: bas favorite aku everytime nak balik kuantan; Sani Ekspress dan Bulan Restu
Aircraft data:
Type
Large capacity medium to long range airliner
Schematics
History
The A330-300 is the biggest member of Airbus' twinjet family and is closely related to the four engined long range A340 with which it shares near identical systems, airframe, flightdeck and wings, the only major difference being the twin (versus four) engine configuration.
The A340 and A330 were launched simultaneously in June 1987. Although developed in parallel the A330-300 made its first flight after the A340, on November 2 1992. It was the first aircraft to achieve simultaneous European Joint Airworthiness Authorities (JAA) and US FAA certification, on October 21 1993. Entry into service took place by the end of that year.
Differences from the A340 aside from the number of engines are slight changes to the wing and internal systems, including fuel tankage. The A330 (like the A340) takes advantage of a number of technologies first pioneered on the A320, including the common advanced EFIS flightdeck with side stick controllers and flybywire computerised flight control system.
While the standard A330-300 shares the same fuselage length as the A340-300, Airbus has studied various stretched (A330-400) and shortened (A330-100 and 200) versions. The shortened A330-200 was formally launched in 1996 as a long range 767-300ER competitor, and is described separately. One stretched, high capacity concept studied for a time featured lower deck seating in place of the forward freight hold.
A330-300 - Choice of two 300.3kN (67,500lb) General Electric CF6-80E1A2s, 284.7kN (64,000lb) Pratt & Whitney PW-4164s, or PW-4168s or 304.6kN (68,000lb) RollsRoyce Trent 768 or Trent 772 turbofans.
Long range A330 choice of P&W PW-4164s or PW-4168s or RR Trent 768s or 772s or 324kN (73,000lb) PW-4173s.
Performance
Max cruising speed 880km/h (475kt) at 33,000ft, economical cruising speed 860km/h (464kt). Range with 335 pax and reserves 8340km (4500nm) with CF6s, or 8430km (4550nm) with P&W engines, or 8600km (4640nm) with Trents.
A330 longer range version with max passengers range 10,185km (5,500nm).
Weights
A330-300 - Operating empty 121,870kg (268,675lb) with CF6 engines, 122,460kg (269,975lb) with PW-4000s, and 121,970kg (268,900lb) with Trents. Max takeoff 212,000kg (467,380lb).
Long range A330 - Operating empty 122,780kg (270,675lb) with PW4000s or 122,210kg (269,425lb) with CF6s, 122,300kg (269,625lb) with Trents, max takeoff 217,000kg (478,400lb).
Flightcrew of two. Passenger seating arrangements for 295 in three classes or 335 in two class (30 premium class at 2+3+2 and 305 economy at 2+4+2). Max passengers in high density configuration 440. Front and rear underbelly cargo holds can take 32 LD3 containers or 11 pallets.
Production
Total orders stood at 177 at late 1998, of which over 70 were in service.
"Malaysia; an Islamic country famous for one of its leader who were convicted with sodomy."
We are not here only to study; we're here for soft-skill building. And one of it comes back to how you valued the place you were born. We're not here to go to classes, do assignment and pass exams with moderately excellent grades. We're here to learn to do things all by ourselves, boost our confidence and most importantly, take lessons from this first-world country to bring back to Malaysia and improve our own beloved nation.
Being in the United States, we should not ignored our nation's politics, (yeah I can say, if you're ignorant of those issues even when you're in Malaysia, why should you be nosing around about them once you're out of the country?). Put some confidence in the nations leadership, because you guys, (especially those who were sponsored by the PSD) will be coming home one day, and serve the nation. I prefer to say that we will serve the nation, serve the country, and not the government. That is my way of thinking. Berkhidmat untuk negara, bukan untuk kerajaan. Whoever ruled is not important, what's important is how you served the nation, what have you done for it so far, and how patriotic you are. Stop condemning the leaders when you don't know anything about leading a nation.
So my point here is not about politics, but what I have learned so far from my experience here in a foreign land. Am I Americanized? Have I forgot the culture of my own country? Have I been indulged in so much freedom and pleasures that I have forgotten about where I come from?
First lets talk about the culture. I'm sitting in a Law Building campus, eating M&M and wearing a fluffy coat with a bunch of Americans all around me. I eat bread with some cereals this morning. Am I Americanized enough? No I'm not. Soon I'll be wearing a boot with leather jacket, a Bose headphone and sunglasses, a Converse shoe and a scarf around my neck. Well lets just hope I'm talking shits right now.
Last Friday, I wore a baju Melayu to classes. Talking about attire, I'd like to quote from my ESL lecturer, Beth; "Americans are stupid. That's why we sometimes see some students go to class in their pajamas." You sure got it all right Beth, that's something we would never do back in our country. Sometimes, you shouldn't have to think too much for how the way you look. I imagined myself somewhere in the near future, I will be driving a half-million Audi A5 Coupe in my sarong and a kopiah on my head to the surau. That's how you should look, however you love yourself.
Courtesy. Americans are far more courteous (as I see it now, so far) than we Malaysians. They're far more friendly too. What did we called our country? A melting pot? Rojak? Well the States is far more than a melting pot to me, especially when you are studying at a university where almost half of it's students are international students. We did speak accented English, but still, it is English and everybody can understand it. Put a note on your mind to put away all our differences and lets work as one, for Malaysia. Comes to my lab partners, Alex Liang and Nicholas LaMarco. Both of them were American citizens, however Alex, originated from China. How courteous are they? Well that depends on how you define courtesy for an American citizen who you met just once a week in your Physics laboratory session. Alex is from New York city, yes, he's a big city boy, and Nick is just from around Buffalo. They were both older than me, but we worked together pretty well.
The problem when you were in an enormous college like UB, you will not be able to came across the same people for times. Everyday, there's always a new face you will meet by the Promenade, by the Sidewalk, at the couch on the 3rd floor of Capen Hall, where I always slept in emergency times, and everywhere on campus. Oh man, how I hate the library here. Too many libraries, and each library is so big you can even get lost in it (if you're coming for the first time, of course).
Guess what, the weather's getting awful. It can get to -5 degree Celcius on a chilly and breezy night,and I hate it the most when it's raining. It funny though, because I used to love the rain so much back in Malaysia. Fuck it. I guess it's true when they say that the winter in Buffalo is murder.
Hey, finally, I'm happy again with my life. Moving on is not an option, but it is a gift that I have just received. No, not gay and won't ever be gay no more. Don't get me wrong, I not even gay after all this while. I don't mind if they were making up again with their ex, or getting engaged and married next year, or whatsoever. This is my life and I should not bother looking to the past and be saddened again. Oh my, how hard it is explaining how you feel about things.
Define happiness. It's not the way you see it from others, it is the way you feel about it. Lets get free.
One day, I'll get back to where I belong all this time, Malaysia. I'll be together again with my family, my friends and love whose awaits. I can't wait for that day to come, but I'm sure it finally will.
Conclusion: Be yourself. Love your country, no matter where you are. Lets be a small-deaf frog. Lets make it to the top. Lets make our country proud. Lets make all the hard works counts.
Aku, Lim dan Islam
Dari Jeram Pasu on Monday, September 6, 2010 at 10:11am
Aku mempunyai seorang rakan baik dari zaman kanak-kanak. Lim Wei Choon.
Sama-sama bersekolah rendah hingga ke peringkat menengah. Selepas SPM, aku
masuk ke Tingkatan 6, manakala Lim dihantar keluarganya melanjutkan pelajaran ke Amerika Syarikat. Kenangan sewaktu kanak-kanak hingga ke zaman remaja terlalu banyak yang dikongsi bersama.
Setiap kali hari raya menjelang, Lim pasti berkunjung ke rumah ku untuk menikmati dodol arwah ayahku yang amat digemarinya. Kadangkala, jika
ada kenduri kendara dirumahku, pasti Lim akan turut serta. Aku jarang ke rumahnya kecuali umtuk beberapa sambutan seperti harijadi dan juga
Tahun Baru Cina. Aku takut dengan anjing peliharaan keluarga Lim.
Dengan Lim juga aku belajar matematik manakala subjek Bahasa Malaysia
sering menjadi rujukannya padaku. Kenangan-kenangan seperti memancing, mandi jeram, ponteng sekolah untuk melihat pertandingan 'breakdance', semuanya kami kongsi bersama-sama. Apa yang ingin kunyatakan ialah, warna kulit dan perbezaan agama tidak pernah menjadi penghalang persahabatan kami.
20 tahun telah berlalu, Lim telah menetap di Amerika setelah berjaya mendapat
Green Card, beliau bekerja disana. Itu yang kuketahui dari kakaknya. Hubungan ku dengan Lim terputus setelah dia melanjutkan pelajaran. Maklumlah, di zaman kami dulu tiada internet, email atau telefon bimbit, yang ada cuma sesekali menghantar poskad bertanya khabar. Untuk menulis surat kepada lelaki amat malas kami rasakan.
Suatu pagi, aku bertembung dengan kakak Lim di pasar , kakaknya memberitahu
Lim akan pulang ke tanahair. Dan aku amat terkejut dengan berita yang ku dengar dari kakaknya.
"He's name is no more Lim Wei Choon. He's now Ahmad Zulfakar Lim since 5 years ago."
Subhanallah!
Syukur alhamdulillah, rakan baikku telah menemui hidayah dari Allah S.W.T.
Memang aku tak sabar untuk berjumpa dengannya lebih-lebih lagi setelah menjadi saudara seagama denganku.
Hari yang kutunggu-tunggu telah tiba, dan petang itu aku berkesempatan
bertemu dengan Lim dirumahnya. Ada satu keraian istimewa sempena
menyambut kepulangannya. Ketika aku tiba, tetamu sudah semakin berkurangan.
Assalamualaikum..Itulah kalimat pertama dari mulutnya, wajahnya sudah jauh berubah, air mukanya amat redup dan tenang.
Aku menjawab salam dan berpelukan dengannya dan kami menangis umpama kekasih yang sudah terlalu lama terpisah.
'Ini dia olang memang sudah manyak lama kawan, dari kecik ini dua
olang", ibu Lim menjelaskan pada beberapa orang tetamu yang melihat peristiwa kami berpelukan dan menangis itu. Tetapi aku bukan menangis kerana apa, tetapi kerana amat sebak dan terharu dan sangat bersyukur melihat keislaman rakanku. Lim mengajak aku duduk dibuaian dihalaman rumahnya untuk berbual-bual. Beliau masih fasih berbahasa melayu walau sudah lama berada diperantauan.
"Talha, kau kawan baik aku kan? Betul tak?" "Memanglah. Kenapa kau tanya macam tu?" "Kalau kau kawan baik aku, kenapa kau biarkan aku diseksa?"
"Sorry Lim. Aku tak faham.Diseksa? What do you mean?"
"Cuba kau fikir, kita ni kawan dari kecil. Aku ingat lagi, rumah kau tu, is my second house."
"Tapi, mengapalah kau tak pernah ceritakan pada aku tentang Islam? Mengapa aku kena pergi ke US baru aku dapat belajar tentang Islam? Mengapa bukan di
Malaysia, negara Islam ni?"
"Dan mengapa aku di Islam kan oleh seorang bekas paderi kristian?"
Aku terdiam, kelu tak mampu menjawab. Dan Lim terus berkata-kata. "Kalau
betullah kau kawan baik aku, kenapa kau cuma nak baik dengan aku di dunia
saja? Kau suka tengok kawan baik kau ni diseksa didalam api neraka?
"Kau tahu, kalaulah aku ni tak sempat masuk Islam hingga aku mati, aku akan
dakwa semua orang Melayu Islam dalam kampung kita ni sebab tak sampaikan
dakwah dan risalah Islam pada aku, keluarga aku dan non muslim yang lain. Kau
sedar tak, kau dah diberikan nikmat besar oleh Allah dengan melahirkan kau didalam keluarga Islam. Tapi, nikmat itu bukan untuk kau nikmati seorang diri, atau untuk keluarga kau sendiri, kau dilahirkan dalam Islam adalah kerana ditugaskan untuk sampaikan Islam pada orang-orang yang dilahirkan dalam keluarga bukan Islam macam aku."
Aku masih tunduk dan terkata apa-apa kerana sangat malu.
"Berdakwah adalah tugas muslim yang paling utama, sebagai pewaris Nabi, penyambung risalah. Tetapi apa yang aku lihat, orang Melayu ni tidak ada roh jihad, tak ada keinginan untuk berdakwah, macamana Allah nak tolong bangsa Melayu kalau bangsa tu sendiri tak tolong agama Allah?Aku bukan nak banggakan diri aku, cuma aku kesal. Sepatutnya nikmat ini kau kena gunakan dengan betul dan tepat, kerana selagi kau belum pernah berdakwah, jangan kau fikir kau sudah bersyukur pada Allah."
"Dan satu lagi, jangan dengan mudah kau cop orang-orang bukan Islam itu sebagai kafir kerana kafir itu bererti ingkar. Kalau kau dah sampaikan seruan dengan betul, kemudian mereka ingkar dan berpaling, barulah kau boleh panggil kafir."
Aku menjadi amat malu, kerana segala apa yang dikatakan oleh Lim adalah benar! dan aku tak pernah pun terfikir selama ini. Aku hanya sibuk untuk memperbaiki amalan diri sehingga lupa pada tugasku yang sebenar.
Baru aku faham, andainya tugas berdakwah ini telak dilaksanakan, Allah akan memberikan lagi pertolongan, bantuan dan kekuatan serta mempermudahkan segala urusan dunia dan akhirat sesorang itu. Petang itu aku pulang dengan satu semangat baru. Aku ingin berdakwah!
Lim yang baru memeluk Islam selama 5 tahun itu pun telah mengislamkan lebih 20 orang termasuk adiknya. Mengapa aku yang hampir 40 tahun Islam ini (benarkah aku Islam tulen) tidak pernah hatta walau seorang pun orang
bukan Islam yang pernah kusampaikan dengan serious tentang kebenaran Islam?
Semoga Allah mengampuni diriku yang tidak faham apa itu erti nikmat dilahirkan sebagai Islam.
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