Day 2 Milan

Ah...finally, a gelato, cute little boys and the Duomo at the back.

It has been a very hot day.

Venice tomorrow.

###

Ciao Milano

Greetings from Italy!

5-7 Sept : Milan
7-9 : Venice
9-13 : Florence
13-15: Arezzo
15-19: Rome


:)

1 day

In less than 24 hours, I'll be flying off to Italy.

But right now...I have to complete 5 articles.

Hopefully in about 4 hours' time.

Haha.


###

My first

I finally got myself a record player.

It feels like Christmas :)


###

Kampong Style!

This brought tears to my eyes!



Best 'Gangnam Style' parody I've seen so far.


Gotong royong-yong-yong-yong!


###

Pfft

10 more days to Italy and we havent planned our itinerary.

Well done.


###

Your birthday

Happy birthday to my dearest da-jie.

May you be blessed with health and prosperity.

Shen re kuai le!

###

And we're back!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NXe_M8LgRw&feature=youtube_gdata_player

We'll maintain the status quo it's Man United here we go.

The season's back :)


###

Going out

Black today...with splashes (or splotches) of colours.

###

Day 2 raya

Waiting for guests to arrive before I can go out.

Hurry peeps.

Cepatlah datang!


###

Two colours...

...I hate are yellow and green.

But this year, my mom sabotaged me and chose green.

Then I sabotaged myself and chose a two tone outfit...green AND yellow.

Might as well go all out crazy, right?



Heh.

Selamat Hari Raya.

###

A must

Fresh flowers on the joyful morning of Syawal are a must.



It's 7pm. It's almost time for the celebratory prayers be said and heard. Time to ponder how fulfilled our Ramadan was.

I am happy with mine. It can definitely be better and hopefully, I can get to work on that next round.

With Aidilfitri, I just wish peace and happiness for all. It's not about the clothes, the food or the decorations. It's about how you take the time to renew relationships and utmostly, your faith.

Selamat Hari Raya to my fellow Muslims.

Eid Mubarak to one and all.

Maaf zahir dan batin :)


###

Out with it...redux

Gone.



Like a bad relationship, we have outgrown each other.

I will miss you, my drums.

Those moments I spent beating the shit out of you are really priceless.

Adieu and...rock on.


###

Out with it

Going



Going


###

Downer

Cramps.
Period.
Missing final terawih prayers.
Upsets in heart and in tummy.

I'll see you next year, Ramadan.
Insya-Allah.

Boooooo!


###

Day -3

With this, I hope you find/found Lailatul Qadar, had a fulfilling Ramadan and may Syawal come and bring you great joy, rejuvenation and determination to live life the best way you can be.

A tad early but...Selamat Hari Raya Maaf Zahir dan Batin.
Eid Mubarak to all Muslims.
Chinese Muslim, Pinoy Muslim, Bangladeshi Muslim...
ALL Muslims.




###

When the time comes...

...sigh...Petronas.



Sniff.


###

I'm like a bird

Met Nelly Furtado just now.

Good 'live' singer.

###

The proverbial animal

What is life without challenges, without its ups and mostly downs?

But still, one cannot stop the tumultuous feeling one has in her heart. One has to shape one's own destiny. That ability to think, choose and act separates man from animals.

And I am no animal.

So whatever feelings I have right now, I can change them.

I just need to make the important first move.

And that's the difficult part.

But I promise when I make it, it will be proverbial.

Bismillah.


###

Just sharing...

...my sweaty, 'berlengas' post-terawih look.

Now...cleaning duty resumes. Hopefully I can get 2-3 hours of sleep before watching the Olympics closing ceremony.

Spice Girls! George Michael! Adele!

###

10 mins...

...before breaking fast.



Things you do when you're hungry.


###

8 days...redux

Slow cooking my brains out.

Good weekend.


###

Mama mia

Bongiorno principessa.

:)


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Nothing's gonna change

For some reason, Ramadan always bring this really weird memory of silly past.

Is it God's way of testing me on the lesson of conquering evil?

His way of checking my counter-reactions?

To know if I have guilt?

...Ramadan, you always get nostalgic with me.

###

Run

"Light up light up
As if you have a choice
Even if you cannot hear my voice
I'll be right beside you, dear..."

In due time.

###

Daif

Cerita macam gini mengingatkan kita betapa dengan sekelip mata saja kehidupan kita boleh berubah.

Ini lah kisah seniman Ahmad Nisfu.



###

Believe

Why cant we say "I'm not good enough yet" or "I must try harder" instead of saying "It's not fair" or "I'm more deserving"?

Or what about the good old "It's not my luck"?

Stop blaming everyone else.

We do have a part in our own future.


###

Hello!

It's August.

One more month to Milan.

Yikes.


###

Shitty

Cause you're my blog, allow me to be whiny.

Got a bout of diarrhoea since yesterday. Somehow I could still manage an afternoon musical of Annie, amidst the rumble-tumble that was going in the belly.

The runs continued but it didnt hit me that bad cause I thought it was just a frequent upset tummy. I even had warm milk this morning for sahur, without knowing that dairy, in any kind, is bad for diarrhoea.

So yeah, around 0700hrs, I ran again to the loo. Then again..then again. The bellyache was annoying and I couldnt write (yeah I woke up early before work to write).

So yeah...sent a message to boss and colleagues..headed to clinic to get an MC and some meds. It's 1700hrs now and the meds are still untouched. The thought of wasting a fasting day is more painful than the belly.

So...since morning, I have been in and out of sleep, in and out of toilet, and been trying to complete work. Rubbed some oil and diarrhoea has since ceased the last few hours, probably because there's nothing else to flush out.

I swear my skin is turning yellow right now. haha.

Okay not funny.

2 more hours.


###

When all I want...

...is you.

Why YouTube doesnt have this is beyond me. Their loss.

This tune is in my list of sad romantic songs ever.

:(


###

Do you remember...?

No one shared my music back then in school.

It would have been nice.

###

7 days

7th day of Ramadan is completed.

We're almost halfway there.

Must...pay...zakat.


###

Watashi wa hitori ... satte yuku

I first heard this Japanese tune when I was about 4 years old. 28 years later, it still pulls the heartstrings, worse now cause now I know the meaning.

And possibly able to relate to it.



Nani mo shirazu ni anata wa itta wa
Tamani wa hitori no tabi mo iiyo to
Ame no kuko dekki ni tatazumi
Te o furu anata, mienaku naru wa
Dozo kaette, ano hito no moto e
Watashi wa hitori satte yuku

Itsumo shizuka ni anata no kaeri o
Matteru yasashii hito ga iru no yo
Ame ni kemutta jetto no mado kara
Namida o korae, sayonaru iu no
Dozo modotte, ano hito no moto e
Watashi wa toi machi e yuku

Ai wa dare nimo makenai keredo
Wakareru koto ga futari no tame yo
Dozo kaette, ano hito no moto e
Watashi wa hitori satte yuku

(English)

Knowing nothing (of my decision), you told me
"Going on a solo trip would be good for a change."
Standing on the observation deck of the airport in the rain
You wave at me, and soon you are out of sight
Please return to her side
I'm going away all by myself

Always quietly (waiting) for your return
There's a sweet lady awaiting
From the window of the jet misted up by the rain
Restraining my tears, I say good-bye
Please go back to her side
I am leaving for a faraway town

Though no one loves you more than I do
Breaking up is for the good of both of us
Please return to her side
I'm going away all by myself


:(

Qiyamu lail

So hard to get started.

Carried away once started.

Perspiration.

###

Those lines on forehead...

...remind how I'm getting on with age.

Expiration?

###

Love

Anthems of our lives :)


###

Good times

I felt 16.

Thank you, Stone Roses.

###

Garage flower

Fools gold.


###

Tonight!

Cause I love only me...I love only me..

It has arrived

21st July, 2012.

Ramadan comes again. May we all have a good one.

It's out

August issue.


###

Hyperballad

by Daniel on 7/18/2008 8:48pm
Living on a mountaintop together can be seen as a symbol of being completely in love; the beautiful view from the top is how she sees the world when she's so in love. She's at such heights of emotion. Throwing off objects and imagining her death is not so much rehearsing suicide as it is testing the relationship, thinking about what it would be like to lose that love, a daily reminder of just how precarious love is. This is a private act ("before you wake up"), doubts and fears she keeps to herself. Crashing down on the rocks below can be seen as falling out of love. The line, "will my eyes be closed or open" = if she loses her love, will she have been aware of that as it was happening.


###

I wanna...I wanna...I wanna be adored

After being a fan for half of my life, I'm finally going to see them live this Sunday.



Stone Roses!


###

To be free but till then...

"All the concepts about stepping out of your comfort zone mean nothing until you decide that your essential purpose, vision and goals are more important than your self-imposed limitations."

- Robert White

Burst of star

Mother and I with a Malaysian actress/host/cook/writer, Sheila Rusly.

That's all.


###

After the fall...

Not meant to be happy but I was hungry and I saw a food stall up ahead.

Went to a friend's place..her mom just passed away this afternoon.

She was dressing up to go out, felt breathless, rested and never woke up. Within 2 hrs she was gone.

Inallillahiwainnaillaihi rojiun.

That's how swift You pull our lives.

###

Hey

How are you, Bibik?

###

Not alone

Whenever I feel down, God has His way of showing me the light.

An ex-student of mine is feeling extremely suicidal and I, as her former mentor, felt that it’s my responsibility to snap her out of it.

Truth is, I am not feeling top of the world myself but like SpiderMan, a responsibility is like a duty that you cannot shake off. So, yes, I’ve been trying to talk her out of it.

This happened before and I managed to talk her out of it but this time round, I am not sure. Since we’re no longer in close contact (I used to teach her everyday), it’s hard to dig out the problem.

I don’t know. God, can you help me?

She and I…we both have been feeling down in the pits lately. Though I have the wisdom (not the sharpest but it keeps me away from the knife) and maturity, she may not be so.

God, should she were to do something stupid, will you save her?

Or, would you rather she leave this cruel world behind?

People may say that suicidal people tend to be overly dramatic. It’s not true. There are many things that go in their heads and sometimes, they feel that there’s no way out and death is the answer.

It seems so tempting and easy, isn’t it?
Dying?

Plus, she has no responsibility. Single, young and free. Yet oh so problematic.

Maybe…it is better for her to go?

I don’t know, God. I am sure you know.

So anyway…my light comes in a way that no matter how I feel shitty about myself, I still feel a certain kind of responsibility – if not for mankind, at least for the people I have met in my life.

It’s not like I am gaining strength from their misfortunes but in trying to understand and help them. I find answers in myself. I find the ability in myself to pick myself up, carry on and move along.

Let’s just hope I have the stamina to go far.

###

Mo alarms no surprises

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5CVsCnxyXg&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Please.

###

Oh bella please...

"You've got the best of both worlds
You're the kind of girl who can take down a man
And lift him back up again
You are strong but you're needy
Humble but you're greedy
And based on your body language
And shoddy cursive I've been reading

Your style is quite selective,
Though your mind is rather reckless
Well I guess it just suggests
That this is just what happiness is

And what a beautiful mess this is
It's like picking up trash in dresses

Well it kind of hurts when the kind of words you write
Kind of turn themselves into knives
And don't mind my nerve you could call it fiction
But I like being submerged in your contradictions dear
'Cause here we are, here we are

Although you were biased I love your advice
Your comebacks they're quick
And probably have to do with your insecurities
There's no shame in being crazy
Depending on how you take these
Words I'm paraphrasing this relationship we're staging

And what a beautiful mess this is
It's like picking up trash in dresses

Well it kind of hurts when the kind of words you say
Kind of turn themselves into blades
And kind and courteous is a life I've heard
But it's nice to say that we played in the dirt oh dear
Cause here we are
Here we are...

We're still here
What a beautiful mess this is
It's like taking a guess when the only answer is yes
Through timeless words, and priceless pictures
We'll fly like birds, not of this earth
And times they turn, and hearts disfigure
But that's no concern when we're wounded together
And we tore our dresses, and stained our shirts
But it's nice today, oh the wait was so worth it..."

Heard it live again at the Gardens By The Bay. Thanks to work and bad traffic, I met the rest late and we were 1 song late at the entrance. However, due to some miscomm with Pam, we got delayed 3 more songs and I only got in at the beautiful Bella Luna.

Still...it's Jason Mraz.
Nothing short of amazing.
And when he sang my..erm..theme song - Beautiful Mess - I knew the sweaty trip was well worthy.

Here we are, here we are, here we are.

Sexy :)

One last day before a week of..depressing, morale crushing, dignity oppressing days. These will end soon, I promise.

But today is Sunday. And Sunday is like a dangerous romance - sexy, seductive and has the potential of going awry. While it's still sexy and seductive, enjoy.



..it just hit me.

My love lives have so far been bad Sundays. Haha! But it's okay. We cant move to Monday without a dash of hope and charm.

:)

Daddies' Day

To my beloved dad, I wish you a Happy Father's Day. Thank you for everything.

Thank you.

...

Few days ago, doctor told him one of his kidneys run a risk of infection, no thanks to his diabetes. What did this daughter of his do? Run to Marina Mandarin Hotel and holed up in there for 2 nights.

There, she battled emotional turmoils. Quarreled with her emotions, argued with God and eventually found a bit of peace. Then on Sunday, she went home.

Talked to him about it on the phone on Friday and he was like..it's nothing. "Trust your mother to make such a big fuss." Well, we couldnt talk anymore without him dismissing it off and me getting emotional. So yeah..we'll see.

Life.



Lihat ke arah sana
Serakan warna dan berarakan
Awan
Pabila terik panas
Segera hadirnya memayungi diri

Pabila kau dahaga
Sesegera turun hujan melimpahkan
Kasihnya
Pabila kau katakan
Akulah awan itu yang kau mahu

Begitulah awan nano
Setia melindungi diri
Tika panas mencuba menggores pipi
Dan bibirmu

Begitulah awan nano
Sering saja tak terduga hadir
Dan tak akan tercapai jejarimu

Kasihnya
Kasih tiada banding
Setia tiada tara
Bagaimanapun jua

Awan kekasih sebenarmu sayang
Walaupun tak akan tercapai jejarimu

Lihat diriku ini
Yang sekali pernah kau bagaikan
Awan
Sehingga tak mungkin terlupa
Berikan belas sedari dulu

Sehingga tak mungkin termampu saksi
Setitis pun air matamu kasihku
Sehingga kau katakan
Akulah awan itu yang kau rindu

Akulah awanmu yang sedia
Melindungi dirimu
Tika panas mencuba menggores pipi
Dan bibirmu
Akulah awanmu yang sering kau rindu
Dan tak terduga hadirmu walau tak tercapai jejarimu

Kasihku
Kasih tiada banding setia tiada tara
Bagaimanapun jua
Aku pelindung dirimu sayang
Walaupun tak akan tercapai jejarimu

Begitulah awan nano
Setia melindungi diri
Tika panas mencuba menggores pipi
Dan bibirmu
Begitulah awan nano
Sering saja tak terduga hadir
Dan tak akan tercapai jejarimu

Kasihku
Kasih tiada banding setia tiada tara
Bagaimanapun jua
Aku pelindung dirimu sayang
Walaupun tak akan tercapai jejarimu

Our favourite song.

Happy Father's Day, Ayah.


###

End

With this, my staycation at Marina Mandarin is over.

###

Rest

After 2-3 weeks of heavy stress at work...which culminated in a pulled jaw tendon (no thanks to stress-related teeth grinding)...here I am having a staycation at Marina Mandarin.

Good morning.

###

Life

This dies for now...until I can gather enough energy and angst to type it out.

All is not rosy on the Western front.

Nothing is.


###

Itch

5 more days to the first anniversary.

Yay to me.

Now...what?


###

You belong to me

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYd_8I44YL8&feature=youtube_gdata_player

:(

Waiting for Mama

At 2000hrs...still waiting for Gaga.

Wrap

http://instagr.am/p/LN66uXFds-/

It's done by 2245hrs.

I had great fun, Gagaloo!


###

Going strong

http://instagr.am/p/LN6SZWldsp/

At 2200 hrs.

At 1920hrs

Off to the arena.

My Queen

Happy 44th birthday, my lady.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bx_P2IoH2ak&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Love, your most loyal subject.


###

Oh by the way...

After many many years...

... I succumbed.

La Sardina.


###

Faint cakes

This was for breakfast & lunch.

Since it's still somewhat stuck in throat, it'd be for dinner too.

$11 well spent.

Gyeah!

###

Primadonna

You're singing about me, Marina?



###

Remember?

One of my most favourite local ditties ever.



Ah..13/14. To be young, robust, nubile and in love.

###

Testing

Testing.

Ucapan Hafiz kepada peminat Singapura

Homeland

...and we're back on familiar grounds.

I miss my bed.


###

posted from Bloggeroid

Mania

Talked to these Malaysian celebs. Main reason of being in KL.

###

posted from Bloggeroid

Home bound

Met my cousin and her kids in KL.

You always love family.

###

posted from Bloggeroid

Selamat pagi sayang

Good morning, KL.


###

posted from Bloggeroid

Where am I?

Here I am...in KL.

Crazy day tomorrow.


###

KL-bound

Leaving for KL now from office.

Omaigart..so rush.

Belum mandi.


###

Enough is enough

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cI3yG1NfFro&feature=youtube_gdata_player

You'll be missed, my great disco queen.

###

posted from Bloggeroid

Landed

And we're home.

Memories are just 2hrs away.


###

posted from Bloggeroid

Landed...

...and we're home.


###

posted from Bloggeroid

Goodbye Ao Nang

See you next time.

###

posted from Bloggeroid

Greetings...

...from Phi Phi Don.

###

posted from Bloggeroid

Found love...

...in a hopeless place.

###

posted from Bloggeroid

Trying to sleep

http://instagr.am/p/KphUeXldgE/

posted from Bloggeroid

At 7pm

Ready to call it a night.


###

posted from Bloggeroid

At noon today

Krabi...safe and sound.


###

posted from Bloggeroid

Mania

Spate of "good luck" hasnt ended.

Have been activated to teleport myself to Kuala Lumpur this weekend to do an event coverage and a couple of interviews.

Need to settle travel plans by today because...ta-da...I am on leave tomorrow.

When you want to go, the whole world conspires with you.

Thank you.


###

Volcanoes melt you down

And What I am to you is not real
What I am to you, you do not need
What I am to you is not what you mean to me
You give me miles and miles of mountains
And I'll ask for the sea


###

Hey...

...got a problem?


###

I run

Two months after Hong Kong, I will be running away for 3 days to Krabi.
It's just 3 days...or rather, 2 nights.

Doubt I can do much, but I plan to rest and swim as much as I can.



I'm staying at the Mercure Krabi Deevana and true to my goal of to just space out, I've got the pool access room...

...probably something like this.



Asked my sister to join me and well...I'm paying. Would have been alone otherwise. I could, but really, I'd love to share moments with people. Even if I have to buy their moments. What to do...singleton.

Stop short of asking my parents cause they will bug me incessantly when all I want is to rest. Something which they cannot understand. Why would one pay so much to just...rest?

Well...cause good rest is expensive and hard to come by.

###

Second-class technocrat

I have always been a techie...since I got my first walkman. I've had a gazillion of them cause I always messed up those bloody things by ripping them apart and not being able to put them back. Then there were discman and all sorts of tape rewinders, radio transistors, pagers, various headphones and all sorts of gadgets courtesy of uncles and Bank of Daddy.

Then when I started to work, it all ended because I couldnt afford all those and Bank of Daddy ceased to exist. So now...when I'm finally more financially-able (just a little bit more only), I can slowly indulge in my passion for techno-ware.

But, I'm still too stingy/cautious (whatever you want to call it!) to buy top premiums and best sellers so I resort to buying used stuff like my black Macbook aka Mandela. And with that spirit, I've got another toy...

...an old DSLR camera.



It's just an old Olympus E420 but I've got it at such a good price and well, I've always wanted a freaking digital SLR (I have a normal SLR...who uses that nowadays? Films? Huh?).

It's an entry-level DSLR but it's all right with me cause I can play with lenses and playing with apertures will keep me occupied for many happy hours. If I am not wrong, this camera is one of the smallest DSLRs around so I can stuff it in my handbag or something.

Cant wait to bring it to Italia and shoot from the hips while rolling down Tuscan grass. It's going to be awesome, though it's just 4 months away and I havent gotten even a single accommodation covered.

Gonna start searching for the next electronic device...

...an all-in-one turntable :)


###

What's your worth?

I may not lead a perfect life nor am I the most happiest person on Earth.

However, I do believe that you should always do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

That means:
- Stay away from other people's property
- Be kind to other fellow human beings, not just to animals (yes, this reversal is intended)
- Don't be a hypocrite
- If you want to be selfish, then others can too
- Be empathetic
- Have a clean heart. Life's easier that way.

 Simple rules...
...so hard to undertake.

Take away your worldly possessions, and well, who are you really? Are you someone who is proud of yourself? Are you a good child? Sibling? A good friend? Or are you a parasitic creature who just takes and takes but seldom gives, if at all?

If you don't know your worth in kindness, others wont know too.

So, how much are you worth?

For if it is low, how can you not expect others to treat you cheaply?

So again...just how worthy are you?

###

Safe and sound

I remember tears streaming down your face
When I said, I'll never let you go
When all those shadows almost killed your light
I remember you said, Don't leave me here alone
But all that's dead and gone and passed tonight

Just close your eyes
The sun is going down
You'll be alright
No one can hurt you now
Come morning light
You and I'll be safe and sound

Don't you dare look out your window darling
Everything's on fire
The war outside our door keeps raging on
Hold onto this lullaby
Even when the music's gone

Just close your eyes
The sun is going down
You'll be alright
No one can hurt you now
Come morning light
You and I'll be safe and sound

Just close your eyes
You'll be alright
Come morning light,
You and I'll be safe and sound...



P/S: I am experiencing the lowest period of my life. So yeah, excuse my melancholy and sadness.


###

Shakespeare in the Park

It's raining but that wont deter my annual ritual of catching Shakespeare in the Park here at Fort Canning.

It's Twelfth Night this year...last year was Macbeth and the years before were Much Ado Abt Nothing and Midsummer Night's Dream.

Hope it's a good one.

Later.

###

posted from Bloggeroid