Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Farehan

Hiya farehan---finally you're in. I have been following your blog. Welcome aboard and make yourself at home !

Hint of one of our camping activities....

ok campers --have a look at what you are in for at the Woods Camp. This will be one of our activities - a 7-a-side football  league.

I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS ....AND MORE !

Azel

Hi azel--welcome and nice to see you here! But is what your blog addy ?

The Community Logo

You'll see a logo on my sidebar which is designed by helas. So as an identification of our community' why not put it on your side-bar as well ? 

Rock on helas !

satay_zul

Welcome and thanks for joining my my followers list, but your name is making me hungry. By chance are you in the satay business? And please give me your blog address ya !

The Lirpaloof Bear

Hey ! I've just found out that a new bear has been put on display in the Zoo Negara. Apparently it has been described as a derivative or 'relative' of the Panda bear. It was actually first discovered in Pahang about 6 months ago. But it was kept a secret as they do not want people to flock to the area to look for and harass these animals.

The Malaysian Zoological Association has made an extensive study on the bear and discovered that the habits and diet are very much similar to the famous Chinese Panda bears. Presently , zoological experts from China are here to work with the Malaysian counterparts to make more tests and observation. It was reliably learnt that officials from the London Zoo and San Diego Zoo are also here to have a first-hand observation of this exciting discovery.

It was reported that the Zoo has , in captivity, four of these bears and they are slowly adjusting to their new environment. The secret of its existance has been so well kept that the authorities even dyed the fur of the bears to a plain dark colour as their natural colours and patterns are so much similarity to the Pandas.

It was also reliably learnt that an official announcement will be made soon and meanwhile the bears would be on display as introduction to the public. The authorities are also considering other possiblr names, but for the time being, it is referred to as the "Lirpaloof Bears" , based on the name and in honour of the discoverer of the bears.

Hmmmm... think I'll go pay it a visit tomorrow ! I'll try to get some photographs of it as well.

Monday, March 30, 2009

To Class 25 and others who are down with assignment blues !

 Here's a song for you--assignment and poem writers and those on their 'ojt's . Don't worry--just be happy .

Heres a little song I wrote, You might want to
sing it note for note
Don't worry Be Happy
In every life we have some trouble
But when you worry you make it double
Dont worry Be Happy, Dont worry be happy now
(x2)
dont worry, Be happy
dont worry be happy
Aint got no place to lay your head
somebody came and took your bed
dont worry be happy
Your landlord say your rent was late
He might have to Litigate
dont worry (hahahahahaha)be happy
(look at me I'm happy)
Don't worryBe happy
hey i give you my phone number
when you worried call me

I'llmakeyou happy
Dont worry Be happy
Aint got no cash aint got no style
aint got no gal to make you smile
but dont worry be happy
Cause when you worry your facewill frown
And that will bring everybody down
so dont worry be happy
Dont worry be happy now
(2x)
Dont worryBe happy
Dont worry be happy
Now there is song I wroteI hope you learned it
note for note like good little children
dont worry be happy
Listen to what I say
In your life expec tsome trouble
But when you worry you make it double
dont worry be happy
be happy now!
(2x)
dont worry be happy
dont worry be happy
dont worry
dont worry
dont do it be happy
put a smile on your face
dont bring everybody down like that
dont worry it will soon pass
whatever it is dont worry
be happy
im not worried im happy

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Try to beat him in giving ridiculous excuses ! --in reggae that is..

This is a really funny one. Let me briefly explain the gist of it ! The singer was in court. A husband was charging him in court for having an affair with his wife. The singer denied it. He said he was sitting in the couple's closet (in the bedroom) minding his own business. ( what was he doing in the bedroom in the first place ?)

When the husband claimed that the singer touched his wife. His excuse was that it was not possible because he had his shirt in the left hand and his pants in the right. That means he's naked. Next he said to ask the man's wife who was the better man ( how did she know that-if they hadn't slept together?) , and if she doesn't answer, ask the maid for the answer (he has also slept with the maid ? ).... ..and theres more to it

Talk about someone being stubborn and who refused to admit his guilt ! hahahah . heres the lyrics.

Your Honour

Oh lord, anybody see my trial grieves for I
Why lord I was badly beaten, found by loved ones
Battered by an irate husband
Searching for a man that wasn't I.
When we reached the court we garn inside,
the hand of justice shall preside
over this case the trial shall begin.

Your Honour I was inside de closet
minding I and I own business.
Your Honour it was a complete stranger
causing these disturbances.
Him claims of me touching him wife
which is a wicked and awful lie
Me two hands 'em was occupied
me shirt's in me left
and me pants in me right
me hand 'em was occupied
me shirt's in me left
and me pants in me right

Dear Judge, can this court accept my story from me heart?
Why Judge,if by chance you don't believe this tale
ask him why she will not fail to agree I was a better man than he.
Just in case she refuse to answer,ask de maid
downstairs,Agatta
she gonna be glad to testify for me.

I tell him,

Your Honour, I was inside de closet
mindin' I and I own business
Your Honour, it was a complete stranger
causing these disturbances
Him claims I'm a touching him wife
which is a wicked an awful lie
Me two hand 'em was occupied
me shirt's in me left
and me pants in me right
me hand 'em was occupied
me shirt's in me left
and me pants in me right

Silence silence.........


Dear corporal,
as you lock me in this prison pray for I
Please corporal,
Please don't leave me here to wonder
why de court has made dis blunder
grabbed me for a crime that wasn't fair,
corporal when you goin to send me dinner
Send your mother or your sister
one more day of this I cannot bear.

Hear me now...

Your Honour - [chorus]

Just for you non-animal-lovers football fans

...and the strange songs continue.....

Heres Grace Jones....

Libertango

Strange, I've seen that face before,
Seen him hanging 'round my door,
Like a hawk stealing for the pray,
Like the night waiting for the day,

Strange, he shadows me back home,
Footsteps echo on the stones, 
Rainy nights, an hustling boulevard,
Parisian music, drifting from the bars,

Tu cherches quoi, rencontrer la mort,
Tu te prends pour qui, toi aussi tu detestes la vie,

Dance in bars and restaurants, 
Home with anyone who wants, 
Strange he's standing there alone, 
Staring eyes chill me to the bone.

Dans sa chambre, Joel et sa valise,
un regard sur ses fringues,
Sur les murs, des photos,
Sans regret, sans mlo,
La porte est claque, Joel est barr.

The Robert Cray Band

This is one of my favourite jazz/blues group. Hers the lyrics of "right Next Door"---its like telling a story . Awesome !

Right Next Door.

I can hear the couple fighting right next door
Their angry words sound clear thru these thin walls
Around midnight I heard him shout 'unfaithful woman'
And I knew right there the axe was gonna fall
It's because of me
It's because of me
I heard him shout who is he, she mumbled low
He said 'baby don't you lie to me no more'
And I'm listening thru these thin walls, in silence and shame
As she called out my name I was right next door
It's because of me
It's because of me
Because of me
It's because of me
She was right next door and I'm such a strong persuader
Well she was just another notch on my guitar
She's gonna lose the man that really loves her
In the silence I can hear their breaking hearts
Oh oh oh oh
At daybreak I hear him pack and say goodbye
I can hear him slam the door and walk away
Right next door I hear that woman start to cry
I should go to her but what would I say
It's because of me
It's because of me
Because of me
Young Bob
She was right next door and I'm such a strong persuader
Well she was just another notch on my guitar
She's gonna lose the man that really loves her
In the silence I can hear their breaking hearts *2


and another sample,

TO ALL FOOTBALL FANS -- heres something...

Read this lyrics from the song "Shaddup your Face" , then enjoy the rendition from one of football's most colourful managers, --then listen to the original.   And heres the original lyrics....

I'm-a Giuseppe

I got-a something special-a for you
ready?
Uno
duo
tre
quatro!
When I was a boy
just abouth the eightth-a grade

Mama used to say: "Don't stay out-a late
With the bad-a boys
always shoot-a pool

Giuseppe going to flunk-a school!"
Boy
it make-a me sick
all the t'ing I gotta do

I can't-a get-a no kicks
always got to follow rules

Boy
it make-a me sick
just to make-a lousy bucks

Got to feel-a like a fool

And-a mama used to say all-a time:
What's-a matter you? Hey! Gotta no respect

What-a you t'ink you do? Why you look-a so sad?
It's-a not so bad
it's-a nice-a place

Ah
shaddap-a you face!
That's-a my mama. I can remember!
Big accordion solo!
Ah ! Play dat again! Really nice
really nice!
Soon-a come-a day
gonna be a big-a star

Den I make-a T.V. shows and-a movies

Get-a myself a new car
but still I be myself

I don't want-a to change a t'ing

Still a-dance and a-sing

[ t'ing about-a mama
she used to say:
What's-a matter you? Hey! . . .
Mama
she said it all-a da time!
What's-a matter you? Hey!
Gotta no respect
. . .
That's-a my mama!

Hello
everybody!
'At's out-a dere in-a radio and-a T.V. land

aid you know I had a big-a hit-a song in-a Italy with-a disc?
Shaddap-a you face,
I sing-a dis-a song
all-a my fans applaud

Dey clap-a da hands
dat-a make me feel-a so good;
You ought to learn-a dis-a song
it's-a real-a simple -
See
I sing: "What's-a matter you?" You sing: "Hey!"
Den I sing-a da rest
and den at de end
we can all-a sing:
Ah, Shaddap-a you face!
0.k.
let's-a try it
really big -
Uno
duo
tre
quatro!

What's - a matter you ? Hey !.








Saturday, March 28, 2009

Thank God for technology !

Yes---exactly that ! I was on web-cam with my son (who is in the United States) for FOUR HOURS ! What a splendid way to spend a Saturday morning.  Its so good to be able to talk and see him real time from almost 10.00 am to about 2.00pm.

Its amazing as we can never run out of topic to talk about. This morning we covered topics on his job, i-phones, the weather, the rain, my 11.00 pm hospital visit few nights ago, my ABS emergency braking experience the night before, the Black-bird, the F-16 fighters, Mustang, Corvette , Nissan Altimo, Nissan Skyline, Hi-Fi and countless other topics !Come to think of it , it has always been like that between us.

A few years ago when he was in Switzeland,on week-ends we could talk the whole morning (thats anything from 3 hours to 5 hours) on the Skype phone -- but of course minus the web-cam.  Or he would  be home for his lunch and we would skype throughout his lunch hour !

Now we would 'YMed' and exchanged photos. The time difference was quite bearable when he was in Switzeland , but now it is kind of weird and I am still grappling with the 16 or so hours difference. Like this morning, it was 10.00 am on Saturday while it was still early Friday evening for him.

I cannot imagine what it would have cost us if we hadn't used the internet phone ! Anyway although technology has given us the chance to spend more time communicating with each other, it can never ever beat the real presence of him. Yes ! I still miss the two - three hours  chat that I always have with my son when he would come to visit me on week-ends. 

Yes , I do miss him !

Friday, March 27, 2009

Help ! All you designers !

OK! I need help from anyone who can design something for me . It is to be used during the comng Woods Camp. Here's what I need..

I want a way in which we can wear a pair of binoculars like we're wearing a pair of spectacles and run about without dropping it and also not having to hold it .

So guys start thinking !! Show me what great designers you are !

I can't tell you what its for , but I can tell you if your design works, I'll be preparing at least 14 pieces of it. .........ans you WILL  'die' of laughing.

Now that we're going beanz

 Now that we're going beanz , how about this one, ----licensed to kill you , with laughter....

credit and thanks to  'bregman1155'

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Do you know this one ?

Ok--I found this and tell me if it reminds you of somebody we know ! Just imagine, if that person were to dance, this would probably be how he would look like .........

( Credits to' ssmakan' with thanks. )

http://kambingakuterbang.blogspot.com

Hey--I'm still looking for you ! Don't fly away also !

Just Me,Myself and I..

Hi angelshine ! Good to have you here ! Welcome to you!

dyon_dyomara

Hi dyon ! Welcome and nice to see you here . Can you send me your blog address through the comments of this posting.

JoEthel

Hi JoEthel ! Its good and nice to have you back here !

aying

Hey aying--welcome back. I've just checked your blog ( http://nazhreinz.blogspot.com/) and......that is really really cool ! I bet its a Sony cybershot , right ?

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

TsarJack

Hi tsarjack. Nice to have you back here. you're a  loyal blogger as I can see you  logging in here regularly . Its much appreciated indeed and you'vealways remain the staunch supporter - although very much in the background only. 

Thanks

leesheleas

Welcome aboard lee ! Can I have your blog address please ?

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

CAMPERS -- UPDATES

Tuesday, March 24 th. 2009

Here's the update..

Friday, March 20, 2009

OK- here's the list of campers before the updates, which I hope to do over the weekend.

1 NUR DIYANA BT OMAR
2 NIK DEENA SOFEANA
3 NURFAAIZLIN ABD AZIZ
4 SHARIFA NUR FARADILLA
5 NUR ATIQAH BT MUSA
6 MD IZWAN B ADOR
7 YIK KIM HUAT
8 MD ASRAF B WOZALI
9 MOHD RODHI A RAHMAN
10 SITI SALINA BT SAHARUDIN
11 JANICE AK SABAN @SAMBAN
12 NORULHIDAYAH BT M NAWI
13 IRISS OOI
14 FAREHAN BT HAMSA
15 MD NOR ASLAN SAH
16 FARA ADIBAH BT A RAHMAN
17 MASLINDA BT A HALIM
18 NIK NORWAHIDA BT RAHIM
19 HAZWANI BT ISHAK

20 MUHAMAD AFIF B. AREF

21. HELAS



STAFF

1. MUSTAPHA
2. ATIF
3. ALYANI
4. AFRIZA ( TENTATIVE)
5. MARIAM ( TENTATIVE )
6. IZHAR
7. ARMAN
8. SURESH
9. MICHAEL (TENTATIVE )
10. GUESTS ( A MYSTERY )
11. IZHAR'S FRIEND


Zakwan and oOo

Zakwan---welcome ! and can I have your blog name please ?

Mr. oOo --what an extraordinary name ! Welcome aboard anyway. I've visited your site.

Monday, March 23, 2009

MgGd.ohuy51CN_gLb5IEL0uRVRH9nD

Hi Mr. MgGd.ohuy51CN_gLb5IEL0uRVRH9nD. My ! That is a long name, but still , welcome to the community !

Vanderdynamite

Hi Mr. Dynamite. Welcome aboard and looking forward to your postings.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Sunday evening in Pearson Park !

Day : Today, Sunday

Time : +- 5.00pm

I was sitting in my car while waiting for my daughter to come down. Nice cool temperature with the air-con on full-blast in the car, but sunny outside. It has that funny warm/cool feeling.

Then the radio played Poisoned Arrow by AC/DC. Wow ! That song was in the chart in mid-80s !

Suddenly my mind flew back to the past. It was this kind of weather on a summer Sunday evening like this when I would walk to Pearson Park during my "Hull days". I would be there with my 5 year-old-son, my wife, my first daughter in her push-car (she was only about a year oldthen ) and a very good friend of mine, Iain Beresford.

It was so nice and cool to be relaxing on the grass and playing football with Iain, my son and anyone else who cared to join us. We'd be rolling on the grass, and just fooling about. Iain was always being chased by my son !

We'd walk back home for dinner and with songs like Poisoned Arrow, Don't you Want Me, Billie Jean , Shut-up-your-face, Don't Stand So Close To Me, and so on playing on the radio. Dinner could be mackeral fish (the cheapest fish) curry, or just fried eggs (sunnyside up) or, if we have extra cash, good old oily fish and chips with salt and vinigar wrapped in papers.

Oh--those days--- . Then the passenger door opened and I heard my daughter's voice, 'Sorry 'Bah--for being late !"

For once, I wish she was even later --so that I can spend more time down memory lane. Oh wellll.......

Friday, March 20, 2009

List of Campers ..

OK- here's the list of campers before the updates, which I hope to do over the weekend.

1 NUR DIYANA BT OMAR
2 NIK DEENA SOFEANA
3 NURFAAIZLIN ABD AZIZ
4 SHARIFA NUR FARADILLA
5 NUR ATIQAH BT MUSA
6 MD IZWAN B ADOR
7 YIK KIM HUAT
8 MD ASRAF B WOZALI
9 MOHD RODHI A RAHMAN
10 SITI SALINA BT SAHARUDIN
11 JANICE AK SABAN @SAMBAN
12 NORULHIDAYAH BT M NAWI
13 IRISS OOI
14 FAREHAN BT HAMSA
15 MD NOR ASLAN SAH
16 FARA ADIBAH BT A RAHMAN
17 MASLINDA BT A HALIM
18 NIK NORWAHIDA BT RAHIM
19 HAZWANI BT ISHAK

20 MUHAMAD AFIF B. AREF




.

WOODS CAMP- TENTATIVE PROGRAMME

Here is the tentative programme sent to me by helas, a committee member of the camp .Thanks helas. Changes will be made as necessary when the committee starts its meeting next week. Look out for updates here.

TENTATIVE PROGRAMMES WOODS CAMP 09


18 April 2009 (Saturday)

07.00 am – 08.00 am : Departure to Woods Camp Ulu Yam
09.00 am – 09.30 am : Arrival at Ulu Yam Woods Camp 
09.30 am – 10.30 am : Participant registration
10.30 am – 12.00 pm : Short briefing - Dividing camp to participant
                                           - Presentation task(Free presentation)
                                           - Allocation of accommodations 
12.00 pm – 2.00 pm : Lunch and Zohore prayer
02.00 pm – 04.30 pm : Activity 1
04.30 pm – 05.30 pm : Asar Prayer
05.30 pm – 06.30 pm : Free activity: (River Activities)/Volleyball match 
07.00 pm – 09.00 pm : Maghrib and Isyak prayer 
09.00 pm – 12.00 am : Dinner & campfire
                                          Group presentation (free Presentation)/karaoke
12.00 am – 03.00 am : Night Walk(if no Rain)
03.00 am – 06.00 am : Rest/campfire ( sleeping is optional !)

19 April 2009 
06.00 am – 07.00 am : Subuh prayer
07.00 am – 08.00 am : Aerobic / the alphabet exercise/Pocho-pocho
08.00 am – 09.00 am : breakfast 
09.00 am –12.00 am : Activity 2
                                        Activity 3 Miss and Mr Ulu Yam *
                                        Activity 4 Egg and The Gravity *
                                        Activity 5 Tower of success *
12.00 pm – 02.00 pm : Lunch and Zohor prayer 
02.30 pm – 04.00 pm : Free activity: Friendly football match/ “mandi 
                                           Sungai”/ Jungle Trekking (if Rain on Saturday night)
04.30 pm – 05.00 pm : Closing ceremony / Photography sessions  
 05.00 pm : Back to reality.  

* -proposed only 
Notes :If it rains-Plan B will be used.…


STUFFS TO BRING• Enough and suitable clothes
• Personal medical kit especially those who are asthmatic 
• Suitable shoes(sport shoes/hiking shoes)
• Sleeping bag
• Extra socks
• Cap 
• Torchlight 
• Snacks/biscuits/instant noodles 
• Toiletries 
• Sun Block 
• Rain coat (Yellow is The best) mmmm wonder why !
• Gifts (exchange of gifts segment during the dinner)
• Camping Knife(optional)
• Stove (Optional)
• All your Tension(so that you can them release them at the camp-site))

Others 
• Deodorant / perfume -- please! Please! Please!
• Your Sporting spirit
• Your Happiness


Strictly prohibited items.
• Any types of illegal Drugs
• Alcoholic drinks
• Any illegal weapons( such as guns , bombs, hand-grenades, smart-bombs and smart alecks, etc)

ps. suggestions and comments are welcomed !



Thursday, March 19, 2009

..of courtesy and appreciation….

You may well ask me, ‘why pick such a topic?’ I’m not quite sure myself, but I guess it may be because I am exposed to all sorts of characters in my profession then sometimes you begin to compare and contrast the many facade of characters you see every day .

Generally, we still get the usual morning greetings along the corridor, in the lift and even the sidewalks outside the building. The occasional ‘thank you’s and ‘hello’s , and ‘how are you’s and ‘hi’s ---are still coming. And indeed it is a pleasure (and  has always been) , to give or receive such greetings.  


This morning I started thinking of words which can be related to the title of this posting. I have compiled and listed a few which were taken from www.dictionary .com. Look for the similarities and if anything, it would at least help the members of this community to expand their vocabulaer :-

Main Entry: decency
Part of Speech: noun
Definition: respectable behavior
Synonyms: appropriateness, ceremoniousness, civility, conventionality, correctness, courtesy, decorum, dignity, etiquette, fitness, fittingness, formality, good form, good manners, honesty, modesty, propriety, respectability, righteousness, seemliness, virtue 
Antonyms: immodesty, immorality, impropriety, indecency, obsceneness, obscenity

Main Entry: courtesy
Part of Speech: noun
Definition: good manners
Synonyms: address, affability, amenities, amiability, attentiveness, ceremony, chivalry, civility, comity, complaisance, consideration, cordiality, courteousness, courtliness, cultivation, culture, deference, elegance, familiarity, favor, friendliness, gallantness, gallantry, generosity, geniality, gentleness, good behavior, good breeding, graciousness, indulgence, kindness, polish, politeness, refinement, respect, reverence, solicitude, suavity, sympathy, tact, thoughtfulness, urbanity 
Antonyms: bad manners, discourtesy, impoliteness, pompousness, rudeness, unmannerliness

Main Entry: etiquette
Part of Speech: noun
Definition: manners, politeness
Synonyms: amenities, civility, code, convention, courtesy, customs, decency, decorum, deportment, dignity, form, formalities, good behavior, mores, p's and q's, politesse, proper behavior, propriety, protocol, rules, seemliness, social graces, suavities, usage 
Antonyms: bad manners

Main Entry: protocol
Part of Speech: noun
Definition: rules of conduct, behavior in certain situation
Synonyms: agreement, code, compact, concordat, contract, conventions, courtesy, covenant, custom, decorum, etiquette, formalities, good form, manners, obligation, order, p's and q's, pact, politesse, propriety, treaty 
Antonyms: bad manners, crudeness, impropriety

Main Entry: decency
Part of Speech: noun
Definition: Conformity to recognized standards, as of conduct or appearance.
Synonyms: comeliness, correctness, decentness, decorousness, properness, propriety, respectability, respectableness, seemliness

Main Entry: manner
Part of Speech: noun
Definition: Socially correct behavior.
Synonyms: decorum, good form, mores, propriety, 


I know of a student who had to repeat the ENG 511 and he had to repeat a semester just to do the paper. And that time around, he showed how serious he was with his project paper. Regular meeting showed his perseverance and honesty and I gave him all the help he needed.

Before the actual presentation, he had to go back to his hometown and I arranged a special session just for him and immediately chased him out of college to be with his family in his hometown.

A few days later, I received a mail from him , thanking me for everything. That mail was never expected and gave him a long reply which he truly deserved.


There are students , funnily from CDDS ( not for anything else but the fact that I only teach a few classes in this programme as my bulk was from CBDS and CCSS) , who dropped in to say their farewell before they left for their OJTs. Its not that lecturers asked for these, but these gestures should be spomtaneous and self-initiated. I’m glad to see this value still exist among the young.

My youngest daughter takes a lift from me every day to the Deng Wangi Station, and every day, without fail, she would thank me after the ‘salam’. The lift was never taken for granted by her. It would be the same everytime she leaves my car , after sending her to the clinic and so on.There were a few other examples of courtesy displayed. 

Of course there were those on the opposite side where courtesy and decency were totally ignored or void , not that these were expected, but this  reflect ourselves and ........... 

But the goodness that I continually  see among the others more than makes up for all the lack of the above attributes and I just hope the future augers well for all of us. Yes -- lets hope gratitude, decency, courtesy and others will ptevail - for all times.

Oh well, my two-cents worth---so much for this……


Wednesday, March 18, 2009

shellamedam

Hi ! Welcome and nice to have you on board ! May I have your blogsite please ?

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Marvin Teow

Welcome and thanks for joining Marvin ! May I know your blog site please ?

My Collection









Well, here are just some of my Blues/ Jazz collection. Love them all !

December 2008 revisited !

For some reasons, I just felt like re-posting my December 2008 posting---maybe to remind me that what I have now wasn't easily achieved--a lot of hard work (whatever interpretation that may be) and sacrifices was made - for the family, by the family...\

"So another birthday and what have I done !

So another December, another birthday. Today , I sat back , consolidated my life and counted my blessings. Syukur alhamdulillah ! Whatever He has given me ---is more than I bargained for!

I took stock of my life and tried to list down the blessings He has bestowed on this mere mortal though not in chronological , priority or favoritesorder :-

I had been blessed with:-
With such wonderful and loving parents

-Wonderful siblings, specifically my second sister who has sacrificed so much for me

-A healthy and meaningful life

-Three wonderful and loving children (my pride and joy) of my own

-Given the opportunity and experience to study and stay a while in the United Kingdom fully sponsored my second sister with no help from any organization or Government which was no mean feat at that time.

-The opportunity to ‘go round the world’ and see whats on the other side like

-A reasonably successful career

-Survived a massive heart attack when I was only 49 years old

-The successes of my children :-
1. My son – his successful career in South Africa and Switzerland as a Touring Car and F1 engineer, present posting and lots more to come
2. My first daughter for graduating in Malaysia’s top university as a medical Doctor
3. My youngest daughter who is on the way to graduate as a lawyer (Insyallah) from the same top University.

There are more---but suffice with these !

Yessirree --- I am indeed blessed . Regrets ? I would be lying if I say I don’t have any. But if you stacked them against all the above , they are so negligible and insignificant.

No—I wouldn’t trade anything for anything


It didn't come easy though They were not given on a silver platter !. Hard work, perseverance, sacrisfices,risks, tears, heartaches and more. Guess I could look back and say all the hard work has been worth it !

Thank you God -- for Your patience, love, mercy and blessings !"

# posted by sunnyside up @ 8:27 AM

Sunday, March 15, 2009

The Tokyo Blues Scene

I was just surfing youtube  and checking out the blues and street band in Japan and wow---wish we have those live here.......check these out.....For starters--watch this...really language is not such a big thing in music---the rhythm, spirit and mood--thats all you need..

and now---the others...

Watch that Japanese harmonica player

Yura yura is the name of the group.  They're pretty cool..

Here's what the contributor minkx8 (thanks mate) said about the above.

'What amazes me was he spoke with thick Japanese accent, but, he sings with pretty good Southern-accent songs! I just found out, his name is George Kamikawa and his website is . www.georgekamikawa.com'

Heres another one...ignore the distractor on the left side of the screen , awww---go on if you wish to.....

Oh yees ....give me the blues--anytime. Japanese or not.....

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Sunnyside up !

I was driving in my neighbourhood this evening when this scene caught my eyes.  Can you blame me for stopping my car at the side of the road to capture this amazing scene ?

Oh--that bright round ball is not the sun or the moon. Its the street lamp !

OK ! HERE IT IS !


Thanks again Salina. I appreciate your help !

Angel and helas

Good ol' faithful helas and angel----thanks for being in the list again. Nice to have bothe of you back !

TO AMEEN

Hi ! Thanks and  nice to see you at my 'followers' list. But can I have your blog-site Ameen ? 

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

...just domestic news...

1. Congratulations is due to helas on getting his internship----but most of , thanks for informing me of the new development - I much appreciate the update.
I have already told my contacts of your new status but I have also informed them of the possibility of a permanent basis when you finished your internship. Anyway we 'll see......

2. The Woods Camp has been postponed to 18th April as two classes would be having examinations on the earlier dates .

OK.....until more news......

Monday, March 9, 2009

All the way from...


This morning ,  I had a chat with my son who is in New Orleans. This is one of the photos that he sent me, and I thought its really cool...here it is..

Cool Hage

Love this song -so I put them on the side-bar. Listen to  how they can present the same song in two ( sorry - THREE ) different ways. Luvit luvit luvit...............

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Are you a bean who has forgotton its pod (skin) ? Part 2

.

Now if you think the first part is funny---take a load of these.....


Above : Can just see the youngster with their MP3 prayer...

Below: Too much of MP3 prayers perhaps ?







Above : This must be one horny party !

Above: This would be good advice for one of my collegues. See jony ...?

Below:  UUrrrggghhhh !!!!!....



Above : Is there another type of 'Man" ?


Above : Lets hope whoever needs the toilet urgently could find it in time..

Are you a bean who has forgotton its pod (skin) ? Part 1

.

Don't worry ! There's no hidden purpose in the title of the topic. Its more on literal translation which can be very funny or give a meaning which borders obscenity ! The above is a literal translation of a Malay idiom.

I remember reading a warning notice inscribed on the back of a mini-compo. It states clearly "Do not go inside ! No user....'' and so on which I couldn't remember. All it was trying to do was to warn users not to open the back of the cd-player as it might endanger you. 

Of course film subtitles can produce many gems. 'Fire!' --meaning to shoot , can produce translation of 'Api!". Of course there are many more and I invite readers to write in if you know more .

Can you imagine if Malay idioms are translated literally ! We'd probably get these--(leave it to you to guess the actual ones)----

1) ..don't drop my water-face

2)..leg-beat

3)..water-stone

4)quiet not quiet 

Oh--there are others ---any contributions? I remember a student of mine wrote this (seriously---I'm not joking....

'I wait wait no bus come but when one bus come two three bus come !'

I leave it to you to figure out what he was trying to say.

(Having said the above, I would like to make it clear, before anyone misunderstood me, that I am not laughing at the weaknesses of English learners. After all , I still make mistakes in the language too !)

I include something a friend sent me. Enjoy it !

.

Saturday, March 7, 2009

THE WOODS CAMP


This poster will be up the week of 9 March. Thanks, Salina of C23/24 for the poster !

(ooppss....excuse the error in '50 place' instead of '50 places'.)
(ooppss, ooppss... excuse another one , it should be 'loads and loads of fun'.)

..thats ok salina---we forgive you..heheh...


WELCOME TO THE SECOND SUNNYSIDEUP SITE...

Okay, I won't lie about the reason for this new site. Its here because of only ONE reason, that is --

I GOOFED ON THE FIRST SITE !

On a Saturday morning, I was fooling around with new templates and what-nots and I lost all the info on the side-bar and was so angry with myself.

So , more on frustration than anything else , I didnt want to do anything else other than put a link to bring you here.

AND NOW A PLEA -- PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE ,

SEND  ME YOUR BLOG-SITE ADDRESS SO THAT I CAN START A NEW HERE.

SEND IT TO ME THROUGH THE COMMENTS FACILITY. 

THANKS. LETS HOPE THIS WILL BE AN EVEN BETTER SITE. !

Of course its still under construction and I will import some of the postings -- especially on the Woods Camp. 

In case you've forgotton you can go to the older sunnysideup here.

Friday, March 6, 2009

Days of Bangkok Bank & SLG...(Scheme Latihan Graduan)

.....their 'products' which they sold on Valentines Day..
......waiting to go back....

....wish I knew what they were doing.....


...my collegue who is now a Deputy Director in one of the Ministries.
..........between breaks....

....feeding time ......
...one of the winners getting the prize from the Branch Manager

..ditto.......

....why she won the 'search'.....




......another aspiring singer....


....ditto....

....awaiting the results of the contest....

...practising the karaoke....

.....foolin around.....again...

...

....and more practise..

...our usual lunch-time siesta when we switched the lights....


A few years ago (time is immaterial) , I was teaching the unemployed graduates at the Bangkok Bank Branch. Students do English on a full-time basis ( 9.00am - 5.00pm ). Thats a lot of time to spend together. Because of lack of classrooms, I was given the meeting room as my class-room. There were about 20 students and we sat in this room as if we're having a meeting. I loved it, and it was fun - lots of fun. I had a TV, CD player and VCD player at my disposal just behind me.

We had lots of activities other than formal English lessons - excursions, movies (in the room or the KLCC), talent search, karaokes and so on. Those were good times in its own way.

The students come from all over Malaysia - East and West, and because of the long contact hours together for 6 months--they left the programme with such heavy heart and strong feeling of camaraderie.

Here are photos ....

Monday, March 2, 2009

Looking back (4).....People and Pranks..


Grafton Street --- where I used to stay ..


Newland Avenue --where I use d to do my grocery shopping...


..sunrise in Pearson Park

PEOPLE AND PRANKS.

Did I really do all that ? …

I have written this somewhere and thought I use it here. As a student in UK then, most, if not nearly all of my friends are the locals. I wanted to know their life, thinking and everything about them. In a way I was lucky to be able to live with families and to experience all that I wanted to know. I also realized that this opportunity would only come once in a life time. I must say I have no regret

Let me relate my adventure (only those which are ‘tellable’)



1) My three unusual friends from Sabah

I had many teacher-friends doing either the Advanced Diploma or Masters in Education. That was the first experience for me to know anybody from East Malaysia and I was intrigued. Off-hand –I could easily remember about 15 of them and a few of them were unique enough for me to still remember them. Let me relate them but I would have to change their name.

a)

There was P---. Now he has been the longest in Hull and when I knew him, he was actually studying for his third degree. . he was the son of a rich and well-known politician in Sabah. He was a small chap with very long straight hair ( down to his waist actually) drove a Porche and very heavy on marijuana. .

One evening, I was at his place and talking to his house mates when we heard his car coming back, and the next instance, P---- was running straight to his kitchen. We wondered what was happening.

Next second , he ran out of the kitchen with a long ‘parang’ in his hand, and running out of the house. We followed him and were just in time to see him chasing a few people.

Anyway, later he came in the house and told us that he was threatened by some English men who followed him in the car, so he had to chase them away with the ‘parang’.

We had a good laugh and simply shook our head at his antics. There were many more ---but they are unmentionable here.

b)

Next, there was Kamaruddin (not his real name). He was an officer in the Sabah Ministry of Education. Now, he was a gentleman, very suave and smoked a pipe instead of a cigarette..

He lived in a flat with a room-mate whom I would write about in the next paragraph.

Now, Kamaruddin never go out or to have a night out. The reason- he was missing his wife and new-borne daughter very much.

I liked Kamaruddin because when I need to talk to someone serious and sensible—he was the one I would turn to. He was married to very rich woman who was not of Malay origin. So, what was his problem?

Every now and then he would grumble to me about his wife. Apparently each time he phoned or wrote to tell his wife how much he missed their daughter and her, --she would sympathize with him – not with sweet loving words---but by sending him money, money and more money. He showed me a stack of bank draft which he did not even bother to cash – in. Boy---some people are just born-lucky……



c)

Karim (not his real name) was a school principal in one of the smaller towns of Sabah. He lived together with Kamaruddin. He was a really fat but nice, jovial and really funny bloke. His level of English was not that good either.

He was the total opposite of Kamaruddin. If Kamaruddin was pinning and missing his family, Karim was so happy that he was alone and away from the family that he always teased his house-mate about this.

However, he was a great cook though. And I would usually be there for dinner. Sometimes he would invite some class mates – all girls, for dinner as well.


Now, while cooking, he would serenade the girls with P.Ramlee songs - and to the girls--they are nothing but sounds and noise.

I didn’t mean to laugh at him, but seeing him trying to chat-up 2 or 3 girls at the same time with his English was really really really funny!

There was a time he came from behind a girl, grabbed and embraced her and they both fell on the floor. Although she laughed, but later she confided in me that she was terrified of him. And she wasn’t the 4th. or 5th. girl to tell me that. What a character!


2) Midnight grown-up kids.

Weekends are usually the time we go crazy because weekdays were usually occupied with lectures, tutorials, projects and assignments.

However by Friday late afternoon, you can almost feel the electrifying feeling in the air. Go to the refreactory and students are more laid back .

There may be various activities by various groups of students, but amongst us, sometime we would go to a park near our friends’ place – at midnight !

So what do we do ? – nothing--- just climbed over a 10 foot fence to get into the children’s playground.

. The next moment , there would be over-grown kids playing the slides, see-saws , swings and merry-go-rounds – shouting and screaming at the top of our voices and just being silly..

On one occasion, a police patrol-car saw , sounded the siren--- and the next thing you find about ten university students scrambling over the same 10 foot fence and running in different directions so that the two poor policemen could not decide which one to chase !

But we always meet-up again at our friend’s flat, where we just gathered , talked, played the guitar and at times even cooked a late meal.---which would be in the next paragraph


the arch to Pearson Park

the same arch i revisited with my family in 1998

3) Anyone for fresh duck meat? (At 2.00 am in the morning?)

On weekends, we used to gather, usually staying overnight, at a Malaysian friend’s house, which happened to be in a park…

There was a pond somewhere in the park with a small island in the middle. The pond was only knee-deep, that is, the water-level is up to the knees. One of the attractions of the park was the ducks. There were many, always swimming in the pond and being fed by visitors.

Anyway one of those nights, someone suggested cooking for late supper. But there was nothing in my friend’s fridge (as usual). All we had was rice, chili, curry-powder, some spices and NO fish or chicken or meat. So that plan was killed immediately.

Someone jokingly suggested catching the ducks at the pond. But another friend answered “Why not?” Soon a plan was hatched.

Picture this.

Five of us, on a very very cold morning (about 2.00am), stepped into the even colder pond, and walked in the water to the island looking for ducks.


WE were laughing and shouting hoping to find a duck or two for our supper. With a lot of laughing, and shivering and quacking, we managed to catch one. Like great hunters, we brought it back after wrapping it in one of our jackets.

Thus –after more than an hour of cooking we all sat down to our supper. BUT THE WORST PART IS THAT — I DON’T EVEN EAT DUCK MEAT!!


..the duck pond in Pearson Park.

4) Helping an English friend to pack for his Christmas ‘balik kampung’.

Two days before Christmas, one of our house-mates, an English boy from Wales came home one night all drunk from celebrating.

He asked us to help him pack his bag as he was leaving for his village by the early morning train.

What we did was to pack all his forks, spoons, plates, cups, saucers and other kitchen utensils and wrapped them in his towel and one t-shirt. We stuffed everything into his back-pack.

Next morning, like good friends, we sent him off, carrying his back-pack for him. After hugging and wishing each other Merry Christmas, we packed him on the train wished him well.

As soon as the train moved, all four of us broke down and were laughing ourselves sick.

That night, we received a call from this friend. We couldn’t make out what he was saying, but we knew it wasn’t something nice. BUT, he was laughing as well. That is one thing I have to say about them—their great sense of humour.


5) Can you beat this hobby?

I was walking home at about 11.00pm from a friend’s house when I met a class-mate also on the way home. From his smell, I knew he had been drinking – maybe a bit too much.

Anyway when we reached a pedestrian crossing, he asked me to wait.

Next he (his size is on the heavy side) was climbing the pedestrian lights post. I was already quite used to his crazy behaviors before, but this really gave me the scare because usually at that time there were many police patrol cars doing their rounds.

I nearly fainted when I saw him unscrewing the big , round plastic lamp cover of the crossing. I was actually hiding behind a tree nervously. Soon he was walking to me , grinning from ear to ear carrying this big plastic globe. I have never seen him so happy before.

On reaching his house he invited me in. Entering his room, he had about 10 of the same type of plastic globe pedestrian lamp cover. ! That was some hobby! He told that he could never remember how he got each of them. Huh! I’m not surprised at all!

ok--thats all for . There'll be more. To that dear friend of mine -- looks like this is no longer a movie but a TV series ya !