2009 is Over (Thank You)

"Run straight for your dream," Dorks Never Say Die by Pee Wee Gaskins.

Goodbye 2009~

And so, 2009 is coming to a close. And this is the time most of us would sit back and reminisce about the year that has been. It's also the time of year that people would set their aims and goals for improving themselves in the year ahead. Being the "easily influenced" type, I don't want to miss out on the fun either, and this post will be an ode to 2009. A lame one, but an ode, nonetheless.

2009 was for me a good year (but then again, any year spent healthy would be a good year, no?)

It was the last year I have spent as a teen (unofficially) and my 2nd and 3rd semesters of my foundation course. I will be entering 2010 (Kedah Maju?) aged 20 (adult?) and in my degree years.

First and foremost, I would like to thank God, but then again, I thank Him every chance that I get. Alhamdulillah.

Next, I would like to thank my family for always being there for me, providing, caring, loving. This also includes cousins, uncles and aunts. It wouldn't be half, heck, even a quarter as good if even one of them weren't there. So thank you.

I would also like to thank my Cohort mates for helping me out in the turbulent 2nd semester. A special thanks would be given to the Cohort 2 guys (all 8 of 'em), all them TESL 2 kids (for making FREP what it is now) and generally to anyone else that helped a lot. I would like to drop a few names here, if you don't mind. Thank you to Hystrix (for being the best assistant and friend a guy could ask for), Azie (for being a tremendous help and for always keeping me grounded), Bagan (for being a great older brother), Aini Thoyba (you don't know how much your words mean to me), Nurul (for giving me something to smile about), Lan (for reminding me time and again that I'm not the perfect human being), and all the lecturers that have helped us tirelessly to get this far.

A special thanks to Miss Letch (my tutor and boss), Madam Rovena (for making ES my favourite subject), Miss Choong Ching Ching (for caring a lot), Madam Salmah (for making SS fun and being one of my favourite lecturers, even though you're no longer one), Madam Nurulnadia (for making me realize I was weak and want to improve) Miss Malar (even though you don't teach me, you taught me a lot), Madam Mariah (for inviting me to realize that I love acting, and for the books that you've lent), Mr Ganesan (for being a cool lecturer) and any other lecturer that might have slipped my mind. Thank you and thank you again for everything.

Next on the list are my Alor Star friends. All them boys from Delude, Akmal Chom (whom I got to see only once this year), Collegian friends, rugby friends and all. I hope not to lose touch with all'a'yall, and with the existence of a little thing called Facebook, it'll be hard to. Thanks fer ev'rythang y'all.

Wow, it turned out to be just a really big thank you list, huh? I wonder how my thank you list would look like if I won an Oscar (as if).

'Till next year,

Cheers!

SAHOCA vs AS Blues (Dec 09)

"There was never the top, so why (are you) looking up?" Sunny Cloudy by Delude.

Top left, guy in yellow smiling like a retard.

So last Sunday, there was a friendly rugby match between Alor Star's traditional rival teams SAHOCA (Sultan Abdul Hamid Old Collegians Association) and Alor Star Blues. I naturally play for SAHOCA.

The game ended with SAHOCA (predictably) winning 27-0. Not the biggest of scores, but we had very little to choose from. If you count the number of jerseys in the picture above, there would only be 19 players. That means only 4 would be on the bench. And with fitness levels nearing zero, 4 is not enough for normal games. Good thing the Blues were less equipped in the talent department, even though the bench could have formed another team.

The game reminded me of how I loved playing rugby, and it made me realize that that wasn't just it. I loved playing rugby with Collegians. I've been playing rugby with other teams before this, namely the Penang Blues and the Kedah team, but none of them can compare to playing with good old Collegians.

And the game also reminded me of what I didn't like about rugby. Some players (none of them from the SAHOCA team) play dirty. They punch, kick, pinch, squeeze where it's inappropriate, and verbally abuse. That's the dirty side of rugby and brings disgrace to the good game of rugby. These guys are (to me) not fit to play rugby because they aren't cool enough, or in other words, professional enough to carry themselves in a game of rugby.

When they're on the winning side, they (figuratively) spit in the faces of their opposition, unnecessarily rubbing salt into their wounds, dragging the loser's faces in the mud and laugh at them. When they're on the losing end, however, they come up with excuses, pointing fingers, try their hardest to injure their opponents in hopes that it would bring a small joy in their little hearts to have been able to break a bone or scar a face. These players are bad winners and bad losers. They don't even deserve to be called rugby players, in my humble opinion.

If that's how they handle themselves in something as trivial as rugby, imagine how they carry themselves in actual life. Because, like rugby, life hits you hard, and you're going to lose some battles, and not everyone plays fair. How are you going to handle yourself when you find yourself in a pickle? Like my father/coach says, how you handle yourself in life is often determined by how you handle yourself in a game of rugby.

Rugby is a good sport for good sports. It's a barbaric game played by gentlemen. Or at least it's supposed to be.

Cheers!

Mid-morning Ramblings

"The age of man is over," Kings and Queens by 30 Seconds To Mars.

You know what? I'm turning 20 next year.

Yeah, I know what you're thinking. "A post at 3am and that's all you have to say?"

Okay, so maybe you weren't thinking that, but I am (about turning 20).

When I turn 20, (oh God, I can't believe it) I'll be closer to adulthood than pubescence.

And I'm scared out of my mind.

But reading a post by a fellow TESLian (a senior at that, who has recently turned 20) got me thinking.

She said " I'm 20! No more in my teen years! But it's okay, I've lived those years well."

The contentment that she felt with her life so far was enough to bring a silent "wow" out of me.

And it made me ask myself, "Did I live my teen years well?"

Well, now that I've thought about it, yes. Very well in fact. I've travelled, studied, gained friends, learned to play the guitar, played rugby, made mistakes, apologized, prayed, laughed and cried.

I bled, broke an arm and my head (not figuratively), made jokes, fell silent, wondered, felt depressed and jubilated.

I loved, I lost, I longed, I walked, I talked, I sang, I cowered, I hated, I fought, I forgave and I forgot.

No, this is not a list of verbs in simple past tense. This is my life (or was).

And I lived my teen years well.

:)

Cheers!

Depression Potion (Tag From Neynie)

"16 just held such better days," Adam's Song by Blink 182.

So I got tagged by Neynie from Neynie's Labyrinth. Might as well.

So, what would I do if I felt sad or depressed over something?

Here are some things that I would or would not do. You try guessing for yourself. *Cheeky laugh*

Neynie: Ske ati jer dier ubah aku nyer tag.. (What? He changed/modified my tag to make it better??)

1. Beat somebody up. Bad.

Where's your umbrella now, biatch!?

Not even the princess of R&B would be safe from me when I get really depressed. So whoever sees me not in a good mood should shut up and drive the hell out of my way before I send you in for physical rehab. You don't wanna see how this good boy turns bad, so put out an SOS, ya dig?

2. Weep helplessly.

Awww~

When I *sob* can't take it anymore, *sob* I just need to let out a good cry, let the pain and misery flow out of my eyes like clear, liquid needles out of my system. Of course, I'm a dude and it's just not right seeing a dude crying in public, so I'll escape to the nearest powdering room to weep my little heart out.

3. Play Rock Riot! on Facebook.

The Guitar Hero of Facebook!

When I'm feeling down in the dumps, there's nothing like a good game of "Rock Riot" to sooth the soul and turn all that sappy sadness into testosterone filled madness of jamming on your numerals on your keyboard and gain sweet satisfaction from getting five-stars and 300-combo while earning your badges and accessorizing your rocker with a much needed afro and Converse. If only I had the real Guitar Hero.. *sigh*

4.Be on my own.

Seclusion potion.

When the world gets me down, I simply run away. Yup, being alone can work wonders on myself. It gives me a chance to contemplate things, argue stuff out with myself, sing, praise the Creator's majestic creations, remind myself of how fortunate I really am to be living, breathing, given a chance to better my chances in the afterlife and ultimately seek happiness. We sometimes need to listen to ourselves, because most of the time, we make sense.

5. Read the al-Qur'an.

One on one with the number One.

When my world doesn't seem to shine like it used to, I can always count on the words of God to sooth me. They're the ultimate words and in those words your soul feels glee and you repent from your sadness, knowing that life shouldn't be lived with a frown. You find calmness and security from the Holy Book, reminded that everything happens for a reason, and everything will work out for the better, InsyaAllah.

Anyone up for this one?

Cheers!

Cartoon Tag From Najwaa

"It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep," Fireflies by Owl City.

So this is a tag by a friend of mine, Najwaa. It's a simple enough tag. Just list down 5 of your favourite TV programmes/shows that you were obsessed with during your childhood. Easy.

I was a cartoon addict back then, and I recall a time when I woke up late one weekend and upon realizing that I had missed the show (Pokemon, I think) I cried. I was 8 years old at the time.

So here are my 5:

1. Pokemon

Gotta catch 'em all!


Pokemon Blue: highly addictive!

I can hear the theme song playing in my head already. When it came to Pokemon (Season 1), you name it, I knew it. Everything there was to know about those cute little vermin, I knew. I was a walking, talking, breathing PokeDex. I played the game until my eyes got sore while listening to Britney Spear's "I'm Not A Girl, Not Yet A Woman" on Winamp. I had the Pokemon sticker book (but then again, everyone did at the time) and was well on my way to finishing it until a teacher confiscated it from me, us, everyone. I always fantasized that there would be a Pidgey or a Ratatta hiding in any long grass I passed through. I purchased the Pokemon merchandise, and even those trading cards and was the understudy of Akmal, the owner of several decks (I only had one). More affluent friends bought those assemble-it-yourself Pokemon models and played with them in class as I enviously watched on. Then, a piece of paper saying horrible things about Pokemon saying horrible things stopped my interest in them.

2. Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers

Go go Power Rangers!

Just in case you forget their names.

Remember Alpha 5? "Aiyaiyai!!"

I was in love with these guys ever since I could speak. I don't know what my first words were, but if you told me they were "Go! Go! Power Rangers!" I would believe you. I loved the fact that they were the best of friends, fighting evil together while still managing to have great fun together. Plus, they got those cool morphin' belt buckles which were to die for. The way they made punching bags out of the monsters that Rita sent down to defeat them, and after almost being beaten, she throws down her staff from her lair on the moon to unleash a crevice full of smoke to supply her monster with even more power and grow ten-fold. The Rangers don't mind as they call up their Zord pals and combine to become Megazord and eventually beat the monster. My personal favourite is the green ranger, Tommy. He has that long hair which was so cool back in the '90s and he's got that neat dagger that also acts as a flute to call up his Zord. Memories.

3. Digimon

Taichi and the rest of the gang.

They digivolve!

I memorized the whole intro (Japanese version). I knew the names of all the 1st wave of Digimons. I watched all the episodes of Season 1. I even have a few Digimon VCDs, some in Malay, some in sucky English spoken by Malaysians, and I think just one or two actual American English VCDs. I envied all my friends that had Digivices and brought them to school. They were super-expensive back then, so I was just a spectator to their battles. I was also given a Digivice by someone (I can't remember) to tab it (the art of getting your digimon to digivolve without actually training it). Then that friend got a newer Digivice and gave the Digivice that I was tabbing to me for FREE! I loved that little thing as if it were my own brother and tried hard to take care of it, even though at that time, the trend was deteriorating. I had the sticker book until (again) a teacher confiscated it. But after numerous seasons of Digimon, I have now lost interest in the all-new Digimons. The simplicity of it is gone.

4. Barney

BJ, Barney and Baby Bop.

Come on in and join the fun!

Barney is a dinosour from our imagination. And I loved him! I have an overload of video tapes (yeah, it was THAT long ago) in the store-room showing just how much I loved him and he loved me, and that we're a happy family. I learned a LOT from him and the gang. Songs, games, manners, everything you want a five-year-old to learn, I learned it from him. My English would not be where it is today if it not for the oversized purple t-rex. Seriously. He would take the kids in the class and give them a whole adventure using only their own imagination, sing songs, give lessons. And don't forget, he can be your friend too, if you just make-believe him!

I'll just leave it at 4, 'coz I can't think of anything right now.

I leave you with the opening theme song of Barney & friends.

Cheers!

Rugby Refs and Football Refs

"Earth turns slowly," Fireflies by Owl City.


Referees. Love 'em or hate 'em, they're there to do their jobs, which is to keep a match between two sides fair. But I'm not going to touch on their jobs here. I'm going to write about the differences between the treatment of the refs in two sports, which are football (or soccer) and rugby.
















Rugby-
A barbaric sport played by gentlemen. And it's true. The refs get treated very well. Rarely does a rugby player get in an argument with the referee, even if the referee is downright wrong in a decision. Even if one does try to argue, he admits defeat quite easily. The referee has very good control of the game and the players, and puts his foot down without as much as a groan from the players. If the referee needs to say something, he calls the captain as well as a wrong-doer for a little chat and that's the end of it. If the referee produces a card, the guilty player will turn on his heels and go to the sin bin without saying a word, most of the time.

Football-

Those above pictures happen almost every time the ref blows his whistle. Every decision is argued. If he was the fouler, he'll scream "Ref! The wanker obviously dived!". If it's the foulee, he'll say "You're not going to give a card for that??" after rolling on the ground feigning pain in the leg or head area. A red card will be greeted with at least 9 players from the carded person's team arguing all at once that it's a bit "harsh". The carded person will stay on the pitch, pleading his case for ten more minutes before reluctantly heading off the to the showers.

Seriously, I don't like that part of football. In 90 minutes, 15 minutes are set aside for faking injuries and arguments with the ref, and that's just the average professional game.

Any comments?

Cheers!

Dance Revolution

"If you never try, you'll never know," Fix You by Coldplay.

Git up up on da dance flo'!

It might surprise a few out there that I dance. No big shows or anything, just a performance or two here and there. I don't consider myself a dancing prodigy of any sort, mind you. But I do enjoy dancing. Expressing yourself through movement shouldn't be a no-no, in my opinion anyway.

When I hear some good music, it just makes me want to move, and that movement, that spontaneous sequence of flailing the arms, or tapping of the legs, or bobbing of the head, or shaking of the hips is what you call dancing. It might not be very sightly, but it's bodily expression nonetheless.

When I hear a good, upbeat tune, it just makes me want to stand up and move. If it's a hardcore breakdown, then headbanging is what comes naturally. But not being able to dance makes you shy to do it, on your own and even more in public.

And, as sad as it sounds, I don't think I can dance all that nicely. Sure, I can wave my arms around like a madman with a bee in his dress, but I crave for a more refined kind of dancing, you know, the kind that you see in "Step Up" movies or in video clips.

Ain't dat kool?

Realizing my limited know-how of the dancing world, I searched a few videos that I thought could help me out and get a few moves under my belt. One dance I'm working on right now is this:

It's a dance bit by a Japanese band called L'Arc En Ciel. It's the only dance they have ever done (I think), because they don't have a lot of upbeat songs. Plus, they aren't really J-pop.

Another dance crew I like the look of is the Jabbawockeez. Here's my favourite from them,



Other dances would have to wait, because even though these aren't any longer than a minute long, they're tough for noobs like me.

If you guys have any other dances that you feel look cool and danceable (no flips or headspins quite yet!), don't be shy to suggest them in my comment box okay?

Cheers!

Iskandarians Now

"Can we get something to eat?" last line of Kung-Fu Panda.

Friends are great to have, aren't they?


Especially when you've had them since you still had babyteeth. 3 years in primary school (SK Iskandar), then a further 5 years in secondary school (Sultan Abdul Hamid College). But after the first 6 years, you've had to part with one of them as they had bigger and better things to pursue at 16 years of age.

And then after you've finished your SPMs, you've had to part company with all of them as each had their own thing to do in faraway lands, as you too have also been placed at an Institute on an island.


But then, after long years of being separated from each other, you can jump around like you were teenagers again (we're nearing 20) when you meet up in your hometown to go visit your old primary school.

Then you go to all the places that you used to frequent during the pre-pubescent days and recall all the stories you can muster up with much nostalgia. You marvel at how much the school has not changed after more than 6 years.


You try to re-enact you're primary school glory days in hopes that it would be as exciting as the first time you were there and met each other.

You visit the place once regarded haunted by you and your friends back in the day,

and you cam-whore.

And cam-whore.

And cam-whore.
Until a grumpy guard-lady chases you out of the school saying that you are intruding on the school's land. *Party-pooper*

Thank you Akmal, Shaheir, Amar and Gee for everything!

Cheers!!

6 Reason Why Aidil Adha Isn't As "Rancak"

"Ikatan itu kubuka sendiri," Mencari Konklusi by Hujan.

.read.

Wake up in the morning, perform the Subuh prayer with my family, go back to sleep.

Woken up again at 8am by parents, reminded that it's Raya day. Oh. Shower, then to the mosque for the Sunat Aidil Adha prayers. Come back and... nothing.

It sure wasn't like Aidil Fitr, and I didn't expect it to be. Here are a few reasons why Aidil Fitri feels a lot more exciting than Aidil Adha (in my humble opinion, anyway)-->

1. No fasting.
In Syawal, we have just finished fasting for a whole month, and are looking forward to the first day of being able to eat during daylight after a month of staving away from food. Therefore, Aidil Fitri is much anticipated. In Zulhijjah, you have already been eating 3 square meals a day for months, so the impact is less.

2. No Ramadhan Bazaars.
The arrival of Aidil Fitri also signals the departure of Ramadhan bazaars, and you know us Malaysians, we loooove our bazaars. Last time I checked, there were no Hijrah Bazaars around.

3. No Aidil Adha songs.
Even 2 days into Ramadhan, we can already hear the "Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri" songs being rotated everywhere; in shopping malls, from laptops, school PA systems, ringtones, everwhere. Try searching Malaysia for an Aidil Adha song and I would hail you as queen/king for a week.

4. Less open houses.
A lot of households spend a LOT of money on their Aidil Fitri open house that by the time Aidil Adha rolls around, they still have not finished paying off the debt accumulated from Syawal, so most don't hold huge open houses during this festive period.

5. No Hajj-goer, or Hajj-goer.
Either way, it only helps in retarding the celebrations. If there is a Hajj-goer in the family, then most of the money would have gone to paying for the Hajj, and most probably the parents won't be home, since they're in Mecca. On the other hand, if there is no Hajj-goer in the family, then there isn't much to go ga-ga over either. Just killing a cow or two. Or five.

6. SPM candidate in the household.
In my household anyway. It's smack dab in the middle of the most important exams in their lives, so they won't be going too crazy beraya here and beraya there.

Alas, I'm still thankful to be living and having the luxuries that I do. You should be too.

p/s- If anyone has got any more reasons, don't be shy to drop a comment.

Cheers!

A Bloody Knife

"Di lantai dansa inilah tempatku menyaksikan kugiran kegemaranku," Obsesi by Hujan.


I stare into the cold, lifeless eyes of his as a smirk emerges on my face. The nothingness portrayed in his stiff body shows that he was already that way since yesterday night. It doesn't matter. Soon, he'll join all his friends in the pit.

I reexamine my instrument. It's shiny blade, stained by countless cuts to innocent bodies reflects my hungry eyes as I come in again for another penetration of the flesh. Surprisingly, not that much blood is on it, but then again, I was a very neat person when it came to these things. You wouldn't want a mess when dealing with these matters. It would complicate things, if you know what I mean.

I exhale one last time before I raise my knife to cut into the stomach section of my victim. I slice off a section, revealing some guts and bone. Good.

I then open his mouth without that much force and insert my thumb into him and tear his lower mandible right off. How easily it rips off, almost too easy. The respiratory organs follow as I intricately dissect my victim as I was instructed to do. As expected, his guts followed, and I put it all away in the designated waste plastic bag.

"Phew, that's the last of 'em," I say to myself out loud. "Mak! Dah habis siang ikan!"


Cheers!

Practical?

"How can I decide what's right?," Decode by Paramore.

A lecturer of mine once said, "It doesn't matter (to me) what you're like on the outside, as long as you're good on the inside," while pointing to that part of his chest where the heart is. Sure, you can be a Saint on the inside, but what if that same Saint on the inside were to show an outside like..


it wouldn't be too saintly, now would it, especially if you're a Muslim in Malaysia?

Well, to me, if you're insides are as good as you claim, it would reflect on the outside, wouldn't it? Seriously, if you were a self respecting man, you wouldn't be caught dead wearing something like..

on the streets, or even n the privacy of your own bedroom now would you?

A self-conscious human being would wear something sensible and not slutty, or even something that might even get her into compromising situations. You wouldn't want that to happen now would you?

Seriously, a true Muslim would show that he/she is a true Muslim on the outside, as well as on the inside.

Seriously~

Cheers!

Salute Your Solution (tag from tomyamfan)

"Dasi taeeonado neoman barae," Barae by FT Island.

They're so hot right now~

And don't think I don't know what it means either. It means "Even if I was reborn, all I want is you." Hah!

K-pop is the new in thing right now, ok? And I'm not one to dwell on being in, but this is seriously a good song. Try listening to this one.

OK, so I got tagged by Tomyamfan.

OK, so I stole this tag from her, but it's just a fun looking tag to do, so I thought I might as well do it, seeing that I'm short on writing ideas right now. So check it out!

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Put your iTunes, Windows Media Player, Winamp etc. on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS.
4. SONG FILE DEPENDS ON YOU..
5. The format= Song name (artiste)
6. Tag 10 people. Everyone tagged has to do the same thing.
7. Have Fun!

IF SOMEONE SAYS ‘ARE YOU OKAY’ YOU SAY?
::Buttercups (Cajun Dance Party).

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF?
::Don't Listen To The Radio (The Vines).

WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
::Tears Don't Fall (Bullet For My Valentine).

HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
::The People's Elbow (Attack Attack!).

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE’S PURPOSE?
::The Music And The Misery (Fall Out Boy).

WHAT’S YOUR MOTTO?
::Design (Tempered Mental).

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
::Lightbulbs (The Answering Machine).

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
::Anysound (The Vines).

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
::Windu & Defrina (White Shoes & The Couples Company).

WHAT IS 2 + 2?
::Take Me Out (Fraz Ferdinand).

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
::Diamonds Are Forever (Kanye West).

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
::The Only Difference Between Martyrdom And Suicide Is Press Coverage (Panic! At The Disco).

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
::Bat Country (Avenged Sevenfold).

WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
::Always Where I Need To Be (The Kooks).

WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
::She's Got You High (Mumm-Ra).

WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
::Gold Digger (Kanye West) .

WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
::Fire And The Thud (Arctic Monkeys).

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST FEAR?
::Shockwave (Black Tide).

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
::Deeper Conversation (Yuna).

WHAT DO YOU WANT RIGHT NOW?
::Gelombang Cinta (Butterfingers).

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
::The Real Slim Shady (Eminem).

WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS?
::Salute Your Solution (The Raconteurs).

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I tag anyone who is as fascinated with tags as I am.

And you know what, some of the answers are actually true. HAHA!

Cheers!

A History of God

"Your pastimes consisted of the strange, twisted and deranged," Crying Lightning by Arctic Monkeys.

The cover.

No, I'm not going to start writing about God. Instead, I'll be writing about a book that writes about God. The same thing? I beg to differ.

"A History of God" by Karen Armstrong is a book that I'm currently reading (yeah, not even finished yet). I borrowed the book from my lecturer, Madam Mariah, or rather, she lent it to me. She said it was an interesting read, so I said to myself "what the heck?" and accepted it like any good student would. Awww~

My first impression was just like most of yours. "What the?" immediately sprang to mind, but because it came recommended by a lecturer, I thought it couldn't be that bad right?

It is 399 pages thick (I triple checked) and consists of 9 chapters (I think). I have so far read until the 253rd page, and I have to say, this is a textbook. If you're looking for a relaxing, easy Sunday afternoon read by the windowsill, this is not it.

It mainly consists of historical facts about what humans worshiped at what time and why. It centers mostly around monotheism (new word!) which is the practice of worshiping one god and hovers a lot around Judaism, Christianity and Islam, although there are some mentions of Hinduism and Buddhism here and there where relevant.

I have to say, it's a good book if you want a deeper insight into the history of these three religions (as the title suggests). It's a good book to discuss, to raise views, points, arguments, discussions and such, but as I said earlier, it's no Black Dress. This book is for serious reading and studying, where every page needs to be broken down into parts where you can scrutinize and find facts.

Obviously, it's not a book that I would usually read, and it shows. It has taken me more than a month to get to even the page I'm putting my bookmark in, mainly because I keep dozing off every 20 pages or so. Sometimes it just takes 5.

Alas, I'm still determined on finishing the book, and moving on to my other books. So wish me luck, and if you catch me snoozing with the book on my face, please give me a whack. Much appreciated.

Cheers!

It's My Turn... Again?

"We are the only ones we are running from," I Never Wanted To by Saosin.

I haven't mentioned this in my blog yet, so I guess it's high time I did before people start accusing me of keeping secrets (what people??).

I have been re-elected as the B. Ed. TESL Cohort 2 Cohort Leader, the captain of a 62-strong team of different people of differing backgrounds possessing different qualities.

I'm actually not too keen on taking up another whole semester as the Cohort Leader again. A (sort-off) farewell speech was given by me here. If you read it, I said that I wanted as many Cohort Leaders as possible. But now the possibility of having 5 CLs has gone down to 4, given that next semester brings a new face to occupy the post. Plus, I cant compete for a position in the Institute High Council elections next semester. And I was just beginning to imagine myself as the Institute Big Kahuna (YDP). Oh well~

Regardless of my reluctance of taking up the job, I will still have to do it so, I'm going to have to give it my all or nothing. So check it y'all, in order to avoid work swamped on me for everything, I will ingeniously go where no Cohort 2 Leader has gone before, that is forming new posts such as the Transportation Manager, Spiritual Adviser, Tech Dude, and Wizardry Chief, besides the subject leader for each subject to aid me in my various works that I may have to do.

AND, so that next year's tenure would bring about more style, I should seriously consider making a Blazer for myself with the words "Master Chief" engraved on the back of it. And people will need to address me as such, even lecturers.

Howzzat??

Cheers!

Year-end Break Is Here

"Stop stalling, make a name for yourself," London Beckoned Songs About Money Written By Machines by Panic! at the Disco.

And I don't know what to do.

I have just officially finished my 3rd semester as a TESL (foundation) student. Up next, 8 more semesters of good TESL (degree) fun!

At least I hope it'll be fun. It would sure suck if it didn't.

Okay, I'm digressing from the topic here, so let's get back on track. As I said, the foundations are over and I don't know what to do to fill the 6-weeks off that I have before I enter my degree years.

That's not entirely true either. I actually do have a few things planned for myself this holiday. They are:

1. Read the 6 books/novels that I have at my disposal.
2. Learn the "Gee" dance.

Cool dance huh?

Other than that, my diary's completely open. My brother suggested I learn to play the piano. I could steal the unused keyboard that's at my cousin's house, but then who's going to teach me? I suppose I'll have to teach myself. But then again, I'm quite a lazy person, so we'll just have to see how it goes.

Any suggestions, anyone?

p/s- my brother's taking his SPMs this year, so if you decide to come over, don't you dare disturb my brother's study time, or else I'll be forced to gently tap your behind right out of the house. Comprende?

Cheers!

The Villain Dilemma

"There is more to this, I know," You're Not Alone by Saosin (pronounced "say ocean")

Here we are, watching the hero chasing the villain down. We see the hero dodging the countless bullets that the villain is generously firing towards our saviour. Here, the villain tries his utmost to kill our hero, shooting 1009 of the 1000 bullets at his disposal, but ultimately fails to even scratch our hero in pursuit. Here, the villain doesn't care if he kills the hero, heck, he would even be thrilled to be rid of the hunk.

But then, later in the movie we find that the villain has caught the hero and has put the gun against our protagonist's head. Here, we find that our antagonist has forgotten all his desperation to kill off our hero as quickly as possible. Most times we see the villain elaborate his master plan to his adversary, or explain to the tied down actor the justice of his actions. Sometimes he even manages to cut a deal with the hero and releases the hero just like that. Sometimes, the villain remembers that he actually NEEDS the hero alive in order for his plan to work.

Do you see what I see?

Cheers!

Consideration

"Ignoring any kind of prize I might receive at all," Salute Your Solution by The Raconteurs.

With the semester drawing to an end, exam time it is for most of the teacher trainees in IPGM Pulau Pinang Campus. This period is, of course, a very stressful time for the trainees here, what with all the studying and trying to catch up with all the skipped classes and sleeping in lectures to make the grade so that they would not have to go through the humiliating experience of retaking a paper, or worse still, repeating a whole semester.

During these stressful times, trainees need to enjoy the little things in life to keep their sanity. For some, it's enjoying some afternoon shut-eye, for others it's beating their roommate at a match of Pro Evolution Soccer. And for most, soothing themselves in the toilet is considered one of the most pleasurable extra-curricullar activities one could do. Yes, relieving themselves in the can would be an experience to savour. The feeling after exiting the vile grounds of the restrooms would put a wide smile on any trainee's face.

However, when a tool of a contractor decides that it would be a good idea to retile all, I repeat, all the toilets on all the four floors of a hostel block at one go, these trainees lose their sanctuary, their world turns upside down. Suddenly, they have to trek all the way to a neighbouring block about 150 metres away just to go number 2, that is if they can hold it in for that long. If they can't, then one would imagine looking for a nearby bush, or if desperation sets in, a bottle.

Sorry for the less-than-flattering imagery, but that is exactly what is happening in the Gajus block of IPGM Penang Campus as we speak. Not only have their sanitary rights been taken away from them, but they can't even shower there, so they go by the dozens to other blocks, or even the nearby Surau to cleanse themselves. I pity them, and condemn the blind-stomached (buta perut) contractor who was such a genius in devising this plan to make life plain hell for the Gajus inhabitants. A kick in the face would not suffice as punishment for their inconsiderate, appalling treat to Gajus.

I mean, couldn't you even have left ONE stinking floor for later so that the patrons could do their business in? To me, there is no excuse good enough to justify this action. Dahla depa tengah exam. Isk2..

To Gajus, I bid you all the best for your coming papers, and be patient with your condition. It will all be over soon enough.

Cheers!

I'm Back and Pie

"Farting is like burping through the other end."

My nose disagrees.

Yup, I have survived my foundation exams. My limbs are still intact and I'm still breathing, so I'm okay, I guess. Now I'll just wait on the edge of my seat to see if I made it to Macquarie University (excuse the spelling if it's wrong. I'm still not official).

It's amazing how 3 semesters just fly by. You enter, meet your roommate (Mesow), enter lectures, hold exhibitions, have class trips, move rooms and get a new roommate (Lan), play cards, watch movies, sleep (sometimes in class even), and before you know it, a year and a half has passed through your life. Wow.

And the Internet at IPGM KPP could not be worse, we had a whole week without it last week. I'm currently comfortably at home typing away, but I'll be back to Coombe Hill tomorrow for marching exercises.

What? Did I say marching?

Don't worry kids, No typo there. It turns out that the Institute was kind enough to plan a post-exam programme for us TESLians. Oienteering and Marching Course they call it. It lasts 6 working days, from Tuesday to Monday. Isn't the Institute just downright awesome? We were worried that all we could do was spend our mornings in bed to make up for the sleep lost from burning midnight oil for studying for the exams, but the Institute is always one step ahead of us trainees, and they proved this by introducing this cool course for us to look forward to. Fantastic.

Moving on from that dreaded topic. Pie.

I'm actually referring to PAI, which stand for Persatuan Agama Islam. What about PAI? Well, a few words uttered from a pal of mine got me thinking. And now I'm simply jotting (typing) down that thought.

Geng PAI, or in English, the PAI group (I refrain from using "gang" because of the bad connotation it brings). There's one in almost any place. Some groups are bigger than others, but they're there. And it's a good thing. They usually consist of nice people who frequent the surau and ask others to join them (to go to the surau). And it's a good thing.

BUT (yeah, there's always a but) what about the people who aren't in PAI?

Warning! Question mark galore ahead!

Why was PAI established? Certainly not to differentiate between the Muslims and the nons right? (If that were true, then there are a LOT of nons around.) Then was it an avenue for Muslims to be "Islamic" in? Then are the non-PAIs not Islamic? Or do we regard ourselves lesser Muslims, thus don't enter? Do we feel that if we enter PAI, we would have to walk around wearing skull-caps (kopiah) all the time? Would that be uncool? Do the PAIs wear their skull-caps all the time? No? Only when they pray, mostly? If we enter PAI, we would have to wear head scarves? Wait a minute, isn't that wajib for all Muslim girls? Then? If we enter PAI, can't we commit sins anymore? Do we want to commit sins? Don't we want pahalas? Don't we want to go to heaven? Do we want to go to hell? If we enter PAI, we might be considered a hypocrite? Are we not REAL MUSLIMS? Don't we pray to Allah? Isn't our prophet Nabi Muhammad (pbuh)? Don't we confess to the syahadah?

Back to the first question. Why was PAI established? Isn't PAI just a long term for ISLAM? Aren't all Muslims in the same club of Islam? Aren't we all supposed to be brothers and sisters and uncles and aunts? Aren't Muslims supposed to take care of one another, make sure we don't go astray, club or nay?

Hm, it's good to be back.

Cheers!

Indefinite Hiatus

"It has to be so lonely to be the only one who is holy," Playing God by Paramore.

Introduction with a few pictures of recent events:

Raya Fest '09 performance: Salam Dunia


Raya Fest '09: With Chrisblitz.


KRS Leftenan Mudas.


Kelab Siswa Budaya dinner.

So y'all must be wondering about the title huh? Yeah, I'm gonna be on blog hiatus indefinitely until further notice. It would be uncharacteristic of me to not brief you with the reason for me taking this decision, so keeping true to myself, here they are:

1. B. Ed. TESL Foundation final exams in two weeks.
This is the big one, the one that will determine if I go off down under or just stay under. Although I only have to pass to go to Australia, I can't help but feel a bit shaky coming up to this one. *sigh*

2. Blogger blocked by Websense.
The Institute thinks it would be in the best interest of the teacher trainees if they weren't on blogger, or read blogs. A few months ago, I would have cussed and sweared. Now, I'm just disappointed.

3. Writer's block still unclogged.
I'm feeling really REALLY down 'coz I STILL can't write as good as I know I'm capable of. It has dragged on into my essay writing in Language Development class, so it's worrying. Help..
>__<"

So, I won't be here blog, or even read others' blogs, let alone give comments anymore. Sorry to my readers, or anyone whose lives are directly or indirectly affected by this hiatus. Life goes on.

Cheers!