10 Sebab Mungkin Tak Balik Raya Tahun ni

Ada banyak sebab aku berat hati nak balik tahun ni.

1. Baru sampai dah nak balik?
Yes, that's it. Belum sampai setahun lagi kat US, takkan dah nak balik kot? Apa guna belajar kat US kalau asyik nak balik je. Tak mencabar la, betul tak?

2. Tak beli tiket lagi? Sekarang dah mahal beb.
Awal tahun aritu aku check kat Cathay Pacific, USD1020 termasuk tax. Sekarang harga dah naik sampai USD1500++ termasuk tax. Aku rugi hampir USD500 sebab beli lambat. USD500 = RM1500. Baik aku simpan duit tu buat bagi adik aku belanja nak masuk universiti.

3. Duit beli tiket tu macam-macam aku boleh buat.
Tiket Buffalo - Los Angeles lebih kurang USD500 pergi balik. Tiket Los Angeles - Kuala Lumpur plak lebih kurang USD1500 pergi balik. Belanja makan, hotel, jalan2 etc otw maybe dalam USD200. Dua ribu lebih US Dollar tu aku boleh buat benda lain. Pegi jalan2 Eropah ke, Florida, Paris, Venice, London, Miami, Toronto, pegi buat umrah ke, roadtrip satu Amerika. Woah nak pegi naik kapal cruise pusing Atlantik.

4. Aktiviti time Summer second session tu boleh dipenuhi dengan pelbagai aktiviti berfaedah.
Meningkatkan stamina seperti mengikuti konsert. Buat lesen memandu Amerika. Main gitar sampai bosan. Ambik kelas online. Pergi bungee jumping kat Niagara Falls. Bergiat aktif dengan MSA atau ISNF. Buat terawih tiap-tiap malam. Berkebun kat belakang rumah.

5. Lease rumah merugikan.
Balik rumah pun, still kena bayar sewa. So what's the point? Baru duduk rumah ni tak sampai 6 bulan pun, dah nak pindah? Kalau keluar, tak sambung lease, ada orang lain masuk camne? Melopong la aku. Rumah dah mantap, cantik, indah, kemas, berciri-ciri estetika.

6. Hargai masa di Amerika. Malaysia takkan kemana.
Last-last nanti aku nak balik Malaysia jugak. Dan lepas tu tak pasti bila aku akan datang Amerika balik. Jadi di kesempatan yang ade ni, baik dan pandai lah jugak kalau aku jalan-jalan tengok tempat orang. Roadtrip satu Amerika, jumpa member-member. Dah dapat bayangkan, bawak basikal kat bandar Chicago, tengok sunset dekat Chicago waterfront tu, dalam cuaca Summer yang seronok. Oh, dengan kawan-kawan yang tersayang.

7. Boleh cari kerja, buat duit lebih.
Second session of Summer, ada dua bulan. Boleh cari kerja untuk dua bulan. Dapat duit tu, simpan buat bawak balik Malaysia. Nanti boleh enjoy melampau-lampau kat Malaysia. Boleh beli TV LCD letak kat rumah. Tak pun kembali giat menulis untuk Helium, dapat sikit-sikit pun jadi lah. Boleh improve English lagi. Better la daripada Luxor ke, Infinity Downline ke, Log in Facebook dapat seratus wtf.

8. Saving duit demi mencapai financial independence.
Bak kata adik aku, senang tu adalah financial independence. Maksud dia aku boleh beli apa yang aku minat atau suka atau nak tanpa perlu fikir panjang. Nak beli, beli je terus. Sebab kita ada duit. So, nak iPod 4 64GB? Takde masalah. Nak habiskan wishlist aku yang kat bawah ni? Takde masalah. Tambah lagi koleksi gitar tersayang.

9. Tahun ni tak sempat raya lah.
Kalau ikut jadual, memang tak sempat raya, except kalau korang nak ponteng minggu pertama semester baru. Kalau korang nak la kan. Tapi kalau balik tahun depan, confirm la dapat raya. So boleh la raya tanpa rasa bersalah atau pun tergesa gesa. Mental woo mental buat keje macam tu.

10. Emm tak tau.
Aku main random je letak nombor 10 tu. Tapi dah cukup la ni kot. Okey, nombor 10, boleh fokus study. Percaya lah, anda takkan study kalau kat rumah. Okey, mungkin anda study, tapi adakah anda akan perform? Okey, mungkin anda perform, tapi adakah anda cemerlang? Pfft.

Banyak sebab tak balik, banyak jugak sebab nak balik. Homesick, nak holiday dengan family, nak pakai duit US Dollar kat Malaysia dan buat macam, "I got money, you can kiss my ass". Nak jumpa kucing baru. Anak buah baru. Nak jamming dengan member-member lama. Oh, mesti lah, nak jumpa gefren. Arghhhh banyak lagi lah. Serius. Mamak, karaoke, kenduri kahwin (tak tau la korang, tapi aku rindu ah nak pegi kenduri).

So mak, abah, adik-adik dan sedare mare sekalian, mungkin abang tak dapat balik beraya taun ni.
Kalau PKR berjaya ambik alih Malaysia pastu Anuar buat minyak turun pastu tiket MAS pun turun gak, abang balik. Confirm. Tapi impossible la kan.

Dengan ini saya tujukan lagu Dendang Perantau dan lagu di bawah, Memori Daun Pisang dendangan Iwan dan Amelina. Satu bukti kat Amerika pun boleh dengar dangdut oyehhhhh.

Sekian saje buat masa ni, dan majulah diri saya sendiri untuk diri saya sendiri.

Salam Alaik~

We Were so Close. And Yet so Far.

I have gone a l-o-n-g way.

Eh, tak. We have gone a long way. You, and me, and other.

Frankly speaking, this is the best time of my life. Edge of the world. End of the rainbow. Guess there's not pot of gold though.

But yet, I think I found the real thing. Friendship.

Know what I mean that I have gone a long way? I've been through different dimension of life and yet, I survived.

Oh, how great I am. Nope, how great we are.

I grow up in a peaceful FELDA settlement. A kampung, unmodernized, but civilized. Surrounded by plantations. Man, how would I forget the fun?

Stayed there until I was 12. Yes, I stayed there still, though. Just the demands of education for the sake of my future calls me to go out of that place.

My friends? Easy enough. Remember that post I wrote about growing up in FELDA? About two years ago? Click here for some reminiscence. And now, after two years, I don't think anything changed.

*gambar kelas aku, waktu darjah 6. Tahun 2002.*

The headmaster, who was sitting in the middle, Tuan Kamarulzaman has been stricken by stroke. I met him last time, earlier 2010. Strong man, still. Terima kasih, cikgu.

Then I went to SMK Seri Kuantan (now renamed as SMK Sultanah Hajah Kalsom) after UPSR, when I was 13. I stayed there for three years. Of course, it was a boarding school. Strong enough? Good enough? You answer.

Three years in that school. I learned a lot. Lesson of the life. It's not an SBP, so don't expect the student to be nice anyway. I've seen too much for such a young age. Damn. How'd I survived that?

*This is my room, from the outside*

*Our favorite spot. Miss the good old days*

And after three years in this school, after PMR, I went to a school at Kuala Lumpur. Yes, a suburban boy to the big city. I was 16 then. The life in the new school is way different from the last one. I have to work super-independently. If you think I'm not, think again. My dad came only like two or three times to the school to visit me in the two years time I was there. Yes, and I have no relatives in Kuala Lumpur. And yet, I survived.

Okay, when I say difference, what do I mean? One, the students. The students was very excellent, particularly chosen to perform in this school. I learned stand as tall, and keep my head up among the best guys in the whole nation. 

Second, the environment. The school was properly equipped. Well what do you expect?

Third, the location. Placed in the edge of one of the biggest city in Malaysia, walking distance from a LRT station. Every outing is about Times Square, Pavillion, or Low Yat. At least, Mid Valley (it is, because it was the closest).

You're still with me? You see? A whole new dimension. 

Let's recall. My rural primary school, my suburban lower secondary school, my big-city-dreams upper secondary school. Yes, that's what we call a three dimension view. Friends? All around, all over.

*Night class in the surau. With my besties.*

*My desk in the class. Where I inscribed my success.*

*my classmates. during the night prep time*

*we have walk through bushes for Friday prayer ;P

There. See? A new dimension. Okay then. Let's go somewhere else. I finished studying here, and offered to a preparatory program in INTEC, Shah Alam. Not a whole new dimension, but as for me, a new life.

I was 18 when I entered INTEC. How big is this guy huh? Yeah I know this would sound funny, but the collection of my friends boomed. Here is where I learned a lot. Yeah, I mean a lot.

Glendale. The first semester. Where I learned to mingle with girls. Relationship, huh? Different story for that one. 

*our PSA video. Made during an overnight stay at KL.*

Next, let's focus on one magnificent class I've ever been in. EUGENE.

*A music video I make on Eugene.*

There's one more tribute video, made by Hazirah, but I guess she's too stingy to let me embed her video here.

And after two years in INTEC, I've graduated. So next? The United States of America!

Talking bout dimensions, this one is unlike a new dimension. I prefer to mean it as one new universe, a new planet. 

So now, I was in the States. Am I good enough to endure? Am I not?

Am I better than you? Are we still friends if I am?

Yes.

No matter if you're my friends during kindergarten, school, college or university, yes, we're still friends.

I miss you, friends. We walked through dimensions together. We made it through together.

We succeed together.

I've learned a lot. To share is not a problem. May this be useful.

Salam alaik~

=)

*Americans taught me one thing. Muslims, Christians, Buddhist or Jews, we were all human.*

Aku, Kau, Mereka. Ibnu Sabil.

Hikmah kita di luar negara. 

Dihadapkan dengan cabaran maha luas. Orang ramai di Amerika, seluruh dunia, di luar sana, mencari Islam.

Tapi kita dilahirkan sebagai Islam. Terlalu mudah. Tanpa halangan. Terlalu senang.

Saudara kita berjuang mempertahan agama. Kita goyang kaki.

Dan bukanlah kita diberi mandat sebagini hebat untuk bersenang lenang.

Bukanlah hikmah adanya kita di sini untuk bergelak ketawa, bersuka ria.

Mari belajar solat. Tepat pada waktunya. Mari belajar guna ruhsah. Tepat pada keadaannya.

Mari belajar guna khuf dan tayammun. Walau dengan salji semata-mata.

Mari bersolat mengikut masa. Walaupun di dalam kereta.

Sebarkan agama dengan teladan yang baik. Mandat setiap yang bernama manusia Muslim.

Dilabel kita marah, tapi tak mahu berubah.

Siapa lebih baik? Yang berkata atau yang dikata?

Atau mungkin yang diam dan melihat.

Iman tak kelihatan. Tapi dosa pahala syurga neraka itu ada.

Lemahnya iman. Tipisnya iman bagai tiada.

MALU LAH KAMU! HINA LAH KAMU KERANA MENINGGALKAN ISLAM!

Bukan tinggal pada nama. Bukan tinggal pada akidah.

Tinggalkan pada ibadah. 

Dan seseorang akan berkata.

LIHATLAH. DIA BERKATA KATA TETAPI DIA SENDIRI TIDAK SEMPURNA.

Pekakkan telinga. Kerana kata-kata manusia tidak bermaksud apa-apa.

Kalamullah bermaksud segala-galanya.

Kamu mengeji umat yang lain. Kamu mengaku Islam sejati.

Tapi Islam kamu pada nama semata-mata.

Belajar. Belajar. Belajar agama.

Ditegur kamu berpaling. Diketuk kamu insaf sebentar.

Hidayah satu hadiah. Tapi tak berguna hidayah tanpa hati yang terbuka.

Kamu hidup dikelilingi dosa. Mempertikai agama. 

Janji dulu. Kau dan aku. Berhijrah untuk agama. Tarbiyah Islamiah.

Tapi di sini kau bukan lagi yang serupa. 

Aku risau. Kau sudah tenggelam.

Aku menunggu masa.

Berpaut di dahan rapuh.

Berteduh di awan mendung.

Menghalang dengan tangan, aku tak kuasa.

Membantu dengan lidah, aku tak berilmu.

Menidakkan dengan hati, menjaga diri sendiri.

Jangan sampai satu masa, kita sama-sama jatuh.

Dan satu masa, kita mustahil bangkit semula.

Niat awal kita untuk ke jalan-Nya.

Nyata sesat sudah akhirnya.

BANGKIT SEMULA. PEJUANG AS-SABIL AMERIKA!

Jatuh tak bererti kalah. Sesat tak bererti hilang.

Dia maha ada. Dia maha melihat. Dia maha tahu. 

Cukuplah menafikan kebenaran. Mari belajar dari kesilapan.

Aku tahu siapa aku.

Dan kau sedar siapa kau.

Diam.

Diam.

Dan renungkan.

p/s: bangkit. satu manifestasi fisabilillah.

Salam Alaik~

=)

Not so much of a Winter Wonderland, eh?

*fuhh*

Meniup habuk dan sawang di blog yang lama tak di update.

Masuk Februari, genaplah setahun aku pakai domain syahmiyem.com ni.

Oh yes, it was so cold today.

It was so cold today that when I spit, wind blows it back on my sweater. And I don't even realized it until I got home.
And when I got home, even my spit freeze to ice.

It was so cold today that I have put my hands on my balls, or else it'll frost. Okay, just kidding.

So now, not so much of a winter wonderland, eh? Haha.

Right, a lot to say, but don't really feel like writing. So here it goes, the first thing, the New York City.
Yes, say it people. The Empire State, the Rockefeller Center, the Statue of Liberty, Ground Zero, Chrysler Tower, Hudson River, Ripleys, Madame Tussauds. And not to forget, the Times Square.

But they were all not as good as I expected 'em to be. Well yeah, it might be cool though. Being somewhere I have only seen on movies and television before. It a pure depiction of the United States of America. Talk of the USA, and all that people will think of is the New York City. Okay, might be some of Hollywood. Or Las Vegas. Or Miami beach. But the face of the States is the New York City. I beg to differ to others.

And here's some proof that I've been there, seen that, done that.

*breakfast percuma di Hostelling International, Washington DC*

*Teruja bila jumpa classical guitar kat lobby HI. 2,3 lagu while tunggu Encik Mat ambik.*

*Bersama En. Rahim, pegawai MSD. Background Hudson River dan NYC.*

*The New York Times HQ, NYC.*

*Salah satu street view yang sibuk di NYC.*

*AMC Theatres. Panggung wayang okey.*

*Depan Ripley's. Sibuk je pakcik ni interframe.*

*Jumpa mamat ni depan Madame Tussaud's. Dah la tak senyum, sombong.*

*Depan Hard Rock Cafe NYC. Sempat masuk sekejap je :(

*Kepada semua yg nak tahu Times Square tu cmne, ni la Times Square!*

Okay! Cukup pasal New York City. Kita kembali ke Buffalo. Snow-tubing time!

Em, actually, frankly saying, aku ingatkan snow-tubing ni untuk orang-orang yang pemalas je. Sebab benda ni macam korang naik donut besar, lepas tu slide turun bukit. Ala, macam yang kat Sunway Lagoon tu la. Tapi once dah try, pergh. Boleh mati woo naik benda ni. Serius.

Bergerak dari UB ke Kissing Bridge, tempat kitorang snow-tubing tu. Bersama-sama Alif dan Azizi.

*Suasana petang di Kissing Bridge.*

*Sungai beku. Tapi cantik. Ni kalau jatuh ni...*

*Yang ni lift untuk bawak donut tu naik atas bukit.*

*huh time ni serius kesejukan. hampir beku*

*Yang sebelah kanan tu la track untuk tubing. Tempat donut turun.*

*Dapat hot chocolate, duduk tepi unggun api.. Pergh..*

Conclusion dier, snow-tubing is fun and thrilling enough. Of course, by time, ada orang injured. And ada medic datang. Macam teruk gak, nasib baik xde patah ape2. Sliding down the ice on a rubber tube, lying on your stomach and got only your feet for braking, going on more than 30 miles per hour, it's thrilling enough. Seriously. 

Next time nak try skydiving or bungee jumping plak. Serius. 

Okay. Banyak lagi yang nak di share. Tapi dah malas. 

Until next time. 

I'm Syahmi Yem, signing off...

Salam Alaik~

=)