Friday, May 23, 2014

Kim

Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh....

Kim, this is the first time I am writing about you. I just want to say thanks. You might not know what you have done, but I really appreciate it. We are not that close, but somehow each time I feel down, there you are comforting me. All the same, its about the house. We are fighting the same battle, just that you are lucky that they are finishing on your house now.

Last night I was so down, and somehow today you decided to sit with me during breakfast, thank you. You always sits with the rest, but today you sit with me. Allah knows that I am frustrated right now with the whole house stuffs and maybe Allah has sent you to just lift up my day. Thanks Kim. Next week, you'll move to your house. I will definitely miss your company. I am pretty sure you won't miss mine. Then again, thanks a lot Kim, for those little talks as we walk to the office, the occasional chat in the bus, thank you very much.

I pray for all the patience that I can get, and hope they can start the work on my house, finish it up, so that I can cook and have you over for lunch or something, so that I can return the gesture. Thank you very much Kim.

Wassalam.

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Book Club : Necessary Lies by Diane Chamberlain

Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wa barakatuh...

As I mentioned before, the Outpost ladies came up with few activities to keep us occupied in the camp. An email came in last week to remind us on the next few week's activities. There was a planned book club session. I emailed them back to get the details, it turns out I missed out the earlier email, that gives the book details that is up for discussion.

After searching high and low, I finally get myself an e-copy of the book. (Lemah nak baca...I am an old fashion book reader, I need the hard copy). Nonetheless, I am making an effort to blend in. I am an introvert in many sense, and now, living in the guest house, I am even more isolated from the rest of the community. These kind of activities will help me a bit. Besides, its important for me to build rapport with the ladies. I will not be there in most of their activities on day time, hence I have to at least show up once in a while.

I didn't even finish the book, I only managed to read some reviews online and with the very limited knowledge and opinion of the book, there I was, attending my first ever book club meeting. Only the 'mat saleh' ladies showed up. I kinda guessed so. The Asian ladies are not really into these kind of things.

The discussion went well, they all have rounds and rounds of wine, vodka and soft drinks. Me? I had nothing..hehehe... I was there to observe the discussion, I didn't even contribute. I came clean much earlier that I have not finished the book yet, and I have not read that much yet. Its interesting on how they analyze the book. Few of the ladies are teachers, and they obviously has seen enough of the social issue where they came from. My take away from the session.
  1. Book club is a legit session to speculate, delve on other's life and judge on how a certain things should be. We do this everyday, its called gossip...hahaha....but the beauty of a book club is, you are not actually talking about a real person, its just the character from the book that was put under scrutiny.
  2. Moving forward, I would also use this session to practice my communication skill. I am intimidated by the 'mat saleh'. They are speaking in their mother tongue, and I have to step up. At the office I am interfacing too much with the locals, so much so, I can sense that my English is deteriorating, badly. Their use of grammar is poor, and sooner or later, I would go down to that level and I don't like that, therefore, I have to do something. It will be a monthly affair, but at least I will spend more time to prepare and up my game.
  3. The club is a way for me to expose myself to other people's culture and get to know other people. As I mentioned, the Asian ladies, are not into this. My session with them revolves around recipes, home care, which is nothing wrong, but sort of limited to a certain topic only. 

About the book, having read only the reviews, and coming out from the book club meeting, I would definitely try to finish it. The fiction is based on actual issue that happens in US circa 1920s-1970s. Its a heavy topic but according to the ladies, its an easy read. We'll see how I will survive.....hahaha. Till then, wassalam.....

Friday, May 16, 2014

Ungu - Bila Tiba (OST - Sang Kiai)

Going in loops now...


Lirik Lagu Ungu - Bila Tiba (OST Sang Kiai)

Saat tiba nafas di ujung hela
Mata tinggi tak sanggup bicara
Mulut terkunci tanpa suara

Bila tiba saat berganti dunia
Alam yang sangat jauh berbeda
Siapkah kita menjawab semua
Pertanyaan

Bila nafas akhir berhenti sudah
Jatung hatipun tak berdaya
Hanya menangis tanpa suara

Mati tak bisa untuk kau hindari
Tak mungkin bisa engkau lari
Ajalmu pasti menghampiri

Mati tinggal menunggu saat nanti
Kemana kita bisa lari
Kita pastikan mengalami
Mati

Mati tak bisa untuk kau hindari
Tak mungkin bisa engkau lari
Ajalmu pasti menghampiri

Mati tinggal menunggu saat nanti
Kemana kita bisa lari
Kita pastikan mengalami
Mati

Jatuh cinta sama Pasha untuk kesekian kalinya ~ ~ ~ 

Monday, May 5, 2014

Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah

Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh....

Its been a while I shared my book reviews (as if I wrote that many reviews :P). Its been a while as well since I last finished a complete book. Time seems to pass by very quickly, especially when you are alone. You would have thought that being alone means you get to do more things, yes, but on condition that you have to be discipline. Me and discipline does not go hand in hand.

I started on this book more than 6 months ago. My first English books after a string of demam novel melayu....hehehe... I have never really read a chick flick/ chick lit, last was the one I shared here about a girl's trip to NY on new years' eve. I have never bought Sophie Kinsella's book, just not drawn to it I guess. So this is an attempt to see if I can survive the genre. (survived for 6 months that is!!)

The story started off slow, very slow, and its no way a page turner, but I had promise myself to finish this book before moving on to a new one. A simple friendship story with series of trouble among two girls that later in life brought them to two different paths. I can recognize one of the character in me, and that's the point it starts to hook me into reading it further. The plot is predictable, with a bit of suspense here and there but of course not to a level a thriller can give you chills. I think it would make a so-so drama that would probably survive one season. The tagline on the cover actually got me hooked .

I keep on reading to find out what the betrayal is, who betrayed who, as it can potentially goes both ways. And finally it happened, maybe I have not read enough chick lit, I didn't really see it coming, oh well.... there it is. Based on other people's review, they were quite pissed with how the two characters were brought together, so cliché, they say...hahaha... what do you expect, I wouldn't put high hopes in chick lit for the twist and turn. 

Reading this book, I began to reflect on my own, how solitary lives can impact me, it has, and I hope I am handling it well. Years worth of friendship does not guarantee anything. Friendship, as any other relationship goes through ups and downs, mine has pretty much been plateau for the very much part of it, be it with anybody. I managed to steer clear of just having one BFFs. I have big groups of girl friends, which I know when push comes to shove, they will be there for me emotionally. (Can't really count on physical support, each has their own commitment, I have to deal with it)

One of my close friend has just had a rough patch with another close friend (they still are as we are talking now). I listened to both sides, trying to be impartial, but somehow I tend to side with one of them, advises were given, but the outlook is not good. How far can you go in intervening somebody's else's problem? I found this video by Syeikh Yasir Qadhi helps a lot. 


Watch from minute 28 onwards, the second part of the khtbah. May it all help us as well. 

Wassalam....

Monday, April 28, 2014

A Tour of Paradise and Hellfire - Abdul Nasir Jangda - Quran Weekly

Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wa barakatuh...

A 1.5 hours well spent to get the idea of how Jannah and Jahannam looks or feels like. Loads of lesson to be extracted. 

Wassalam.

Friday, April 25, 2014

An Epic Journey Sharing - translated to Malay part 5

Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wa barakatuh...

Lama betul tak menulis...(menaip...hehehe..) dan rasanya tak habis-habis lagi kongsi tafsir Surah Yusuf. Panik kejap tadi bila tak jumpa word file yang saya kongsi waktu bulan Ramadhan tahun lepas...dah nak masuk Ramadhan..tak habis-habis lagi...Ya Allah... this is taking procrastination to the max!! Astaghfirullahal 'azim...

Alhamdulillah last-last jumpa juga, search pakai keyword macam-macam masih tak jumpa, sayang kalau hilang..nak taip balik...bercinta tahu... oklah.. without further ado, kita sambung dari siri lepas.

*********************************************************************************
Kita berhenti setelah mengupas pengajaran hingga ayat 49.

Mendengarkan penafsiran mimpi itu, raja meminta supaya Yusuf AS dibawa bertemu dengannya. Nabi Yusuf enggan, lalu meminta orang suruhan raja bertanyakan tentang hal perempuan-perempuan yang melukakan tangan mereka. Raja pun memanggil perempuan-perempuan itu untuk bertanyakan hal itu.

Dapat kita lihat peribadi Nabi Yusuf AS di sini, beliau tidak mendedahkan isteri al-Aziz seorang sahaja, bahkan mengarahkan pertanyaan kepada sekumpulan perempuan itu, ini menunjukkan betapa pentingnya untuk tidak membuka aib sesama manusia walaupon kita mahu menyelamatkan diri kita sendiri.

Ayat 51 menegaskan bahawa kumpulan perempuan itu telah mengaku merekalah yang telah menggoda Nabi Yusuf AS dan bila itu tidak berhasil, merekalah yang memasukkan Yusuf ke dalam penjara.

Raja berkata (kepada wanita-wanita itu): "Bagaimana keadaanmu ketika kamu menggoda Yusuf untuk menundukkan dirinya (kepadamu)?" Mereka berkata: "Maha Sempurna Allah, kami tiada mengetahui sesuatu keburukan dari padanya". Berkata isteri Al Aziz: "Sekarang jelaslah kebenaran itu, akulah yang menggodanya untuk menundukkan dirinya (kepadaku), dan sesungguhnya dia termasuk orang-orang yang benar".

Mengetahui hal itu, raja telah memerintahkan Nabi Yusuf AS dibawa mengadap dan baginda sendiri akan melantik Yusuf sebagai orang kepercayaannya.

Berkata Yusuf: "Jadikanlah aku bendaharawan negara (Mesir); sesungguhnya aku adalah orang yang pandai menjaga, lagi berpengetahuan".

Dalam ayat ini menunjukkan Nabi Yusuf AS memohon diberikan jawatan yang mempunyai kuasa dan tanggungjawab yang besar.

Pengajaran untuk kita, hanya memohon sesuatu pekerjaan yang kita yakin akan dapat tunaikan, Nabi Yusuf yakin dia layak untuk menjaga perbendaharaan waktu itu berdasarkan pengetahuan dan ilmu menafsir mimpi yang telah Allah kurniakan kepadanya.

Sepanjang tempoh beliau berkhidmat dengan raja mesir, Nabi Yusuf berhasil menyimpan stok tanaman yang cukup sebagai bekalan untuk 7 tahun kemarau di Mesir. Kemarau bukan sahaja melanda Mesir, tetapi juga negara jiran. Mesir mempunyai simpanan yang cukup untuk membantu jiran-jirannya. Berita ini sampai ke pengetahuan saudara-saudara Nabi Yusuf AS di Palestine. Disebabkan kemarau, mereka juga bertolak ke Mesir dengan harapan untuk memohon bantuan makanan. Apabila sampai di Mesir, mereka bertemu dengan Nabi Yusuf AS untuk memohon bantuan, tetapi mereka tidak mengenali beliau.


Setelah memberi bekalan makanan kepada saudara-saudaranya itu, Nabi Yusuf berkata,  :" (Pada kali yang lain) bawalah kepadaku saudara kamu yang sebapa. Tidakkah kamu melihat, bahawa aku menyempurnakan bekalan makanan kamu, dan bahawa aku sebaik-baik penerima tetamu?
Oleh itu, kalau kamu tidak membawanya kepadaku, maka tidak ada hak bagi kamu mendapat bekalan makanan di sisiku, dan janganlah kamu menghampiriku lagi".

Mereka menjawab: "Kami akan memujuk bapanya melepaskan dia bersama-sama kami, dan sesungguhnya kami akan melakukannya".

Nabi Yusuf sekali lagi menunjukkan sifat mulia beliau bila mana beliau menghulurkan bantuan tanpa mengira penganiayaan yang telah dilakukan mereka kepadanya dahulu. Nabi Yusuf menggunakan teknik untuk meyakinkan saudaranya untuk menurut permintaannya.

Semasa bantuan itu diberi, saudara-saudara Nabi Yusuf menukarkannya dengan barang-barang yang mereka bawa dari rumah, namun Nabi Yusuf AS mengarahkan pembantunya untuk meletakkan balik barang-barang itu ke dalam karung mereka. Oleh kerana Nabi Yusuf tahu, ayah mereka tidak pernah mengajarkan mereka untuk mengambil barang-barang secara percuma, mereka pasti akan kembali ke Mesir untuk memulangkan barang-barang itu. Dan kali ini mereka pasti akan membawa saudaranya iaitu Bunyamin.

Sementara itu, di Palestine, saudara Nabi Yusuf AS telah berusaha memujuk Nabi Ya’qub untuk membenarkan mereka membawa Bunyamin ke Mesir. Nabi Ya’qub masih lagi teringatkan peristiwa Nabi Yusuf yang dibawa pergi satu masa dahulu dan beliau bimbang hal sama akan terjadi pada Bunyamin. Dia tidak membenarkan mereka membawa Bunyamin pergi. Selepas mereka membuka karung yang dibawa pulang, mereka terjumpa dengan barangan yang dikembalikan kepada mereka. Saudara- saudara Nabi Yusuf terus memujuk Nabi Ya’qub agar mereka dapat kembali ke Mesir untuk mendapat lebih banyak makanan, dengan syarat mereka mereka harus membawa Bunyamin.

Kali ini Nabi Ya’qub AS telah menyuruh anak-anaknya bersumpah demi Allah yang mereka akan membawa kembali Bunyamin pulang ke Palestine, melainkan mereka semua dikepung dan dikalahkan musuh. Nabi Ya’qub juga berpesan agar mereka memasuki Mesir melalui pintu-pintu yang berlainan.

Hikmah dari arahan Nabi Ya’qub ini adalah jika sekumpulan lelaki yang baik paras rupanya berjalan bersama, ia akan menarik perhatian mengundang pandangan jahat dari orang sekeliling.

Macam pepatah Inggeris tu...don't put all your eggs in one basket. Macam tu jugalah kita, contohnya kita diberi rezeki dari Allah, cuba perbanyakkan saluran sedekah kita, jangan hanya tumpu pada yang satu, sedekah duit pentng, tapi bila dah sedekah duit, belum tentu ibadah kita itu diterima Allah, sedekah la ikut lain pula..kudrat ada, masa ada, dan kalau tak mampu....sedekah doa pon insyaAllah ada manfaatnya :)

Itu saja untuk kali ni. Wallahu a'lam...

p/s: dah mintak company belikan tiket kapeiterebang nak balik raya.....hehehehehe...

Saturday, March 22, 2014

Nasi Lemak Port Harcourt

Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh...

Cerita ni dah basi....sebasi nasi lemak yang di tajuk itu sekiranya nasi lemak itu masih ada hari ini...hehehe..

Oklah, takmau panjang-panjang cerita. Here in the camp, the Outpost ladies tends to organize things to keep ourselves entertained. We are not allowed to go out of the camp, so we need to keep busy within the camp. They have been having 'Breakfast Sunday' once a month last year, and for 2014, things has finally get moving in mid Feb onwards. First month of the year, many people were still not back from their year end break yet. So the first breakfast event was only planned in March.

Annie approached me, asking if I have any ideas and since my last nasi lemak was like more than 2 months ago, I gladly volunteered to cook nasi lemak!! There were 2 menus on that day, American breakfast, and Malaysian breakfast. For the latter, we are asked to prepare 30 pax. I am still living in the guest house, therefore, Annie's kitchen has became my 'markas' for that weekend.

geoff and annie



ready for packing

yeah..makcik nasi lemak tengah sibuk ni...


ketaq tangan nak balut nasi lemak ni..last time i did waktu tolong mak meniaga dulu..zaman bila entah..tu pon mak yang balut..kami tengok ja.. hehehe...


display set

one finely wrapped nasi lemak..hehehe

satisfied customer, pak anton sama bu vivi

satisfied customer number 2, siap tapau..lupa plak nama mat saleh ni...hehehe

We sold the nasi lemak for 1500 Naira per packet, that is freaking RM 30 each!! but seriously, the cost is only 1000 Naira (RM 20 sepeket)...amek kau.. the raw ingredient indeed is expensive. Am rushing to do my packing now...later la I'll do the breakdown of the cost.

CS, I saw your comment, nanti saya reply ye.. :)

Till then..wassalam....I am heading up for another adventure, hopefully I am rajin enough to update after I come back. Taa....