The power of dreams

Katanyalah... I watched the interview this morning.

"mesti take action" dia cakap.
by attending his talk, that is.

agaknya dia dah kaya kot by talking.

ni mood malas nak layan kot

12.58

I don't mind listening.

As long as it is short and sweet.

Precise, not a long winded and parroting the same script.

Were told to come at 10.30.

By 11.00a.m the door still close.

By 12.20 we just entered, in the midst of ehem ehem.

A few stares and curious glances just won'y stop us.

At 12.50noon. they stopped.

Well....

At 12.58 noon still no sign of resume.

Nope. No lunch today. Want to save RM20 on fuel.

That's it.

mood: confused

Go ahead, count me out.

Hahahahhaha..

Saya rasa nak jatuh kerusi sebab ketawa.

Sangat lawak antarabangsa.

Actually I wrote about it here.

Long time ago.

As usual, before I made a major decision (that was kind of major to me) I seek my good friend's opinion.

"You have to", he said firmly. The good friend, I mean.

"Will u do it for me?, please.." I begged.

"Nope. It is urs, so you have to do it. C'mon... sampai bila? " He answered shortly. Jarang saya dihampakan...

It took me a few istikharah and months of sembahyang hajat before I said the line.

Just that. The gud friend urged me to be firm n precise. Besides, I hate small talks.

Couple of days ago, while I was choosing "gift' for someone who fell sick, I received a phone call.

At first, I was flabbergasted, and a bit hurt.

How could you be so mean and putarbelitkan cerita, when all I said was only those two sentences?

After much thought, let just say

A leopard cannot change its spots.

Once a --- always a ---- .(fill in the blanks).

Ariff Alfian Rosli

Saya jumpa berita ni kat sini.

Lepas berhari-hari baca berita tentangnya di Malaysia.

Hmmmm...

Semoga Allah selamatkan kita semua, di dunia dan akhirat..

_________________________________________________________

The Irish Times - Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Malaysian Muslims seek action over man 'missing' in Ireland

• 

CARL O'BRIEN

A MALAYSIAN student who reportedly had a civil partnership with an Irishman has been caught up in a political storm of controversy in his home country.

Ariff Alfian Rosli (28) has been resident in Ireland since moving here eight years ago to study medicine at a university in Dublin.

After an apparent disagreement with his son in 2009, Mr Rosli’s father reported him missing to Malaysian authorities.

In recent days, pictures emerged on the internet which appeared to be of Mr Rosli in traditional Malaysian dress with his civil partner in Ireland at an event at Dublin City Hall.

The pictures were published on the front pages of some local newspapers and have been the source of criticism from numerous political groups in Malaysia, where same-sex sexual relationships are illegal and punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

The Malaysian police have been urged by Muslim groups to investigate the issue on the basis that Mr Rosli has failed to adhere to the country’s Islamic laws.

The controversy has prompted the Malaysian prime minister’s office to issue a statement pledging to investigate the matter.

An official from Malaysia’s ruling political party is reportedly due to arrive in Dublin later this week to convince Mr Rosli to return home.

Mr Rosli yesterday told The Irish Times he was not missing and wished to correct inaccurate comments about him in the Malaysian media.

“I am not missing. The Irish authorities know I am legally resident here. The Malaysian embassy has also been aware for several years that I am residing here legally,” he said.

“I feel I have have been inadvertently thrust into the public eye. I just want to get by without upsetting anyone or causing any trouble. My overriding concern is for my family.”

He declined to comment on whether he had a civil partnership or was involved in a same-sex relationship. Homosexuality is still a taboo issue in Malaysia.

Advocates for gay rights say many Malaysians remain afraid to come out publicly for fear of religious condemnation or prosecution.

Mr Rosli also said reports that he had renounced his Muslim faith were inaccurate.

“I have not converted to any religion, contrary to what has been reported. I was born a Muslim, I am still a Muslim and will remain a Muslim ’til the day I die. Nothing will shake me from my faith.”

He also said he was in regular contact with his family and was baffled at how his “disappearance” had become a major source of controversy in his home country. However, he has not spoken with his father – a retired naval officer – for several years.

“I had a disagreement with my father in 2009, after which he reported me missing . . . I’m not in communication with him, but I am in regular contact with my other family members,” he added.

X paham

SMS telah dikirim seminggu lalu.

hari menandatangani borang blabla..

Janji pukul 9.00 pagi.

Sekarang pukul 12 tengah hari.

diberitahu borang akan sampai dari Ipoh pukul 3 petang.

Itu saja.

Tiada komen.

I am not.....

Goshhh!!!

Keeping 12A really suck up lots of my ciput salary.

The last time I paid zakat was in 2005.

For reasons a muslim should know, that's why.

Armed with all the saving passbooks, I paid a visit to Majlis Agama Islam Slim River just now.

Kecik hati saya when the lady said, "maaf dik, tak cukup ye".

"Tapi..." I wanted to say something but then, makcik saya selalu pesan, dioarang paling tak suka kalau dealing dengan cikgu sebab banyak sangat argue.

"Penat saya datang..." saya cakap ngan muka seposen, duaposen, limaposen... entah...

"Tak per... janji kita lepaskan... lagipun harga emas tinggi sebab tu adik tak layak bayar lagi".

"Oooo patutlah.." saya cakap ngan muka terkejut yang asli padahal masa belajar Pendidikan Islam dari derjah satu lagi ustaz dah ajar kiraan zakat dinilai dengan harga emas, apalah norizan adnan..

Not eligible to pay zakat really hampered my mood. Suddenly I felt like... I dunno...

mesken?

I went to my favourite stall, had plain rice with ikan kembung bakar and warm water. I lost my appetite actually.

To make matter worst two men in their late 60's came in together chatting happily. To add salt to injury, I saw one of the pakcik cut his ikan tongkol into half and offered it to his friend who mildly declined, but he insisted.

Wasn't it sweet? Eat out with your bestfriend, sharing meals while talking about everything under the sun?

I envy both them.

"uhuh.. boleh x akak kira untuk 2 orang pakcik tu sekali" I asked the kakak tukang kira politely while maintaining my composure.

Cengeng betul ... saya rasa bertambah nak nangis tengok dua orang pak cik tu...

Again... I envy both of them.

Because they are happy, and I am not.

Tak penah dengar eh Barm Brack.

jadi saya google gambar

ooooo macam fruitcake je eh. Gambar ni saya google kat sini

Ini pula cerita tentang barm brack dari wisegeek.

Barm brack, also called báirín breac, is a traditional Irish tea bread. A raised fruit bread, barm brack is lightly sweet and studded with raisins, candied citrus peel, currants, sultanas (yellow raisins), and other bits of dried fruit. It is served toasted and generously buttered, accompanied by a cup of tea.

There is some discrepancy over the origin of the name “barm brack.” Some sources say it comes from barm, meaning “yeast,” and brack, meaning “bread.” Other sources claim the words mean “little speckled cake.” Perhaps the quandary is fitting, since the barm brack itself seems to be a bit of both.

Although some barm brack versions are leavened with baking powder or baking soda instead of yeast, one thing that appears to be common in most forms of this bread is the preparation of the fruit. Before the raisins and other dried fruits are added to the batter or dough, they are soaked for a period in hot tea until they are plump and rehydrated. This gives them a uniquely soft character in the finished product.

In Ireland, it is customary to eat barm brack at Samhain, or Halloween. Traditionally, it was part of an annual fortune-telling ritual. Wrapped individually in a bit of waxed paper and baked into the barm brack were several small tokens imbued with symbolism for whoever was served the slice containing them. Family and friends would gather to have tea and barm brack, with each eagerly, perhaps fearfully, anticipating the news

their slice would bring.

The tokens baked into the barm brack were a pea or a thimble, a snippet of cloth, a coin, a stick, and a gold ring. If your slice contained the pea or the thimble, you could expect another year of spinsterhood. If, on the other hand, your slice revealed the gold ring, you could expect to be married within the year. The stick, however, was a portent of a bad marriage, one that would require “a stick with which to beat one’s wife.” The fragment of cloth, signifying rags, foretold poverty or bad luck in the year ahead. The coin was a fortuitous omen — good things, hopefully riches, were on the way.

In addition to Halloween, barm brack is also eaten on the feast day of Saint Bridget, which falls on February 1. It can be eaten as a breakfast bread or at tea time, and some establishments in Ireland serve barm brack with every meal.

In Ireland, barm brack is sold commercially, particularly around Halloween. These store-bought loaves will often contain a toy ring.

Love without trust is nothing

Bukan saya yang kata.

Ni ayat Anna Fischer yang dia tulis kat buku yang dia tandatangan untuk A Shaw, main character in the novel that I currently read.
Ceh, melankolik plak novel David Baldacci kali ni.

btw, my favourite is page 50-51

He ordered for them, which was unusual. When it arrived she said,"What is it?".

"Barm brack. It's sort of a fruitcake".

"Fruitcake! Don't they use those for doorstops and to poison people?"

Shaw cut her a slice. "Just try it. You're an adventurous gal".

Anna stabbed the cake with her fork and it clinked against something. her wide eyes grew even wider as she probed the barm until her fingers close around it.

Shaw said," Legend has it that if you find the ring in the barm brack, you're destined to be married".

Oh sungguh manis...

Kepada yang belum baca, ni ayat Shaw sebelum dia melamar Anna, itupun selepas dia nekad nak keluar dari organisasi dan kerja dia yang sangat bahaya tu.

Samada mereka akan berkahwin atau tidak, kena lah baca..

Oklah genre novel ni ialah thriller.

Memang best!

Iklan diri?

Nik komplen dia tak pernah g jalan-jalan kat KL lepas kahwin.

So, I offered to drive all the sisters.

Biasalah..

bila dah ramai-ramai.. semua benda yang tak berfaedah pun kitaorang telek.

Including the poster above, in front of KFC@Pertama Complex.

I don't remember when, last year agaknya...

Ada jugak orang macam ni ye?

Lawatan ke kebun

Adnan clan had a family gathering in PD since last Saturday, ended today.

Anyway, mom don't have the heart to skip a wedding feast in our block, because this is the first time they had the feast after their mother passed away 3,4 years ago. Sangat sentimental.

I went back to #18 to accompany mom.

At 6.45a.m we went to the Kebun (that's how we called it) to look for durians.

Now it is towards the end of season, so we don't get much.

The first since we moved to #18.

p/s will upload the pics

Betul ke ni?

Nadia tanya, ermmmm...

"Eh pernah ke Mak Andak bohong awak?" Ada ke saya tanya macam tu..

"Well.. what makes u think I could not win?" saya tanya semula beberapa minit kemudian.

"Ya rasa Mak Andak buat tak kemas" komen Nadia.

Well... rasanya ye jugak.

Lagipun itulah kali pertama saya taruk aising atas kapkek pun.

Plan asal saya nak buat blueberry cupcake with cream cheese frosting yang saya jumpa resepi kat sini tapi instead of blueberry filling, ada orang tu send strawberry filling pulak. Ada ke?

Since I still have an unopened dried strawberries (rasanya Feza yang kasi) so saya belasah je apa yang ada.

And I won!

Of course when I entered the competition, saya memang nak dapat no 1.

Nasib baikla, orang yang terer tak masuk, kot tak sah-sah saya tak menang...

Saya suka gambar ni

Me: Whattttttt????? Kan dah pesan banyak kali suruh prepare?

Girl 1: Alahhhh mana nak tau...

Girl 2: Lagipun kitaorang busyla...

Girl 3: Cikgu BM tu kasi banyak sangat kerja, nak hafal Sejarah lagi... hishhh busy sangat...

Me: Hah! korang pilih kasih, subjek I korang cincaikan je... sudahlah... dulu kata I love U.. huh?

Girl 4: Hahahaha janganla marah Ce*, nanti kitaorang prepare.

Me : Wehhh Ari ni Khamis dah, exam hari Selasa depan, I merajuk nih..

Girl 1: Alaaa janganla macam tu.. boleh tak kita ambik gambar dulu?

Dalam gambar muka macam tak merajuk.

Dalam gambar tak nampak satu pun muka boys.

Budak berlima ni saja (seorang tukang ambik gambar) yang setia menunggu hingga tamat kelas tambahan. Yang lain semua dah curi-curi balik.

Ada banyak hari yang saya rasa kecewa sangat dan kalau saya kaya, saya tak nak dah kerja, but these 5 girls selalu buat saya rasa sangat..

terharu kot.

Ada lagi ke batch macam ni yang akan saya jumpa tahun depan?