Chocolate Chip Cookies

Semasa Ramadan baru-baru ini, Embak mencari bagai nak rak resepi Chocolate Chip Cookies yang Embak buat saban tahun... tapi tak jumpa. Puas ditanya adik, ipar duai dan rakan-rakan yang Embak rasa pernah dikongsi resepi ini tapi tak sorang pun ada simpan. Tapi akhirnya jumpa , terselit antara buku-buku. Jadi Embak ingat, kalau direkodkan di blog ini pun bagus juga. Agar boleh dirujuk setiap tahun. Dengan harapan, tahun depan Embak dapat la hamper chocolate chip cookies pulak.

Asalnya resepi Embak ambil dari makalah Eon/Proton, tak ingat pulak masa Embak beli kereta pertama atau kedua. Kalau kereta ke-2 maksudnya dah 9 tahun, kalau kereta pertama dah 14 tahun. Banyak tahun tu jugaklah Embak dah pakai resepi ni. Yang takjubnya, resepi ni menjadi, tak payah adjust bahan-bahannya tak seperti resepi-resepi yang kedapatan di majalah-majalah di pasaran.

Ingredients:
100g butter
100g shortening ( if possible use Crisco brand)
200g soft brown sugar
4 drops vanilla essence
2 large eggs, beaten
200g chocolate chips
100g chopped walnut or almonds
1/2 level tsp salt
Sift together:
400g plain flour
2 level tsp bicarbonate of soda


1. Cream the butter, shortening, brown sugar, salt and essence together for 2-3 minutes, adding the eggs gradually. Fold in the sifted flour, chocolate chips and chopped nuts.
2. Using two teaspoons make small mounds of the mixture, well apart on a baking tray.
3. Bake 10-13 minutes until crisp and brown (temp 160 F). Transfer on a cooling tray and store in airtight container when cooled.

Will yield about one and a half standard-sized plastic jars or approximately 750g cookies. If you add up the mass of all the ingredients, the yield is much less. I wonder where the rest of it goes!

Some unimportant updates

My, it’s been weeks since my last post. My vacationing brother has come and gone, Ramadhan too, is ending very soon. What’s to update? These are the trivial things:

1. I have repainted my car. Now it is respectable again. It’s funny how it drives better too.

2. I finally got the hang of “torrents”. Too bad for the “pirate” merchants of Ferringhi night market. I now watch House MD Season 4 almost as if I'm in America. The torrent will be available 1 or 2 days after the episode is aired. J'adore les torrents!

3. And I have fallen in love with the music and word wizardry of Jason Mraz. Try listen to his debut album “Waiting for My Rocket to Come” – you’ll be hooked. Here’s a sample of the words from his song “Life is Wonderful”, from his sophomore album:

And it takes no time to fall in love
But it takes you years to know what love is
It takes some fears before I trust
It takes those tears to make it rust
It takes the dust to have it polished.

Brilliant!

4. I am a few pages into “A Walk In The Woods” by Bill Bryson. God, help me finish it. I like to finish my books as fast as I could, but this one is difficult – it is so funny. Last night, I laughed until tears came out. I’ll give it another go tonight.

That's all for now. I'll come back after the Eid, insyaAllah. So, happy celebrating y’all. Drive safe.

Peribahasa

Dari poster di Muzium Padi, Kedah:

Peribahasa Melayu yang menggunakan perkataan padi, beras dan nasi.

1. Padi dikebat dengan daunnya
2. Padi ditanam tumbuhnya lalang
3. Padi masak, jagung mengupih
4. Padi rebah mangsa terkukurlah
5. Padi setangkai bernas semuanya
6. Ada kerak ada nasi
7. Ada padi masak adalah pipit
8. Beras tinggal, sekam melayang
9. Jika ada padi, adalah hampanya
10. Beremas kemas, berpadi menjadi
11. Bersisih antah dengan beras
12. Harapkan pagar, pagar makan padi

Maksud:

1. Modal yang sama digunakan lagi.
2. Nasib malang
3. Berkali-kali untung
4. Dapat untung tanpa susah payah
5.. Keluarga yang hidup bahagia
6. Tiap kejadian ada bekasnya
7. Orang yang baik budi disayangi orang
8. Yang baik akan kekal, yang buruk akan dibuang
9. Kalau terasa bila disindir, tentulah bersalah
10. Orang kaya, semua kehendaknya tercapai
11. Yang miskin tidak bercampur dengan yang kaya
12. Orang yang dipercayai mengkhianati

Grand Family Outing 2007

I just came back from 3 days and 3 nights stay at hotel Le Maziah in Tasek Gelugor, Penang where our family (comprised of some 30 odd adults and children) stayed for this year's gathering. It was a lot of fun. To summarize, here was our programme:

Saturday nite 18th Aug - Feringghi night market with children in tow for quick shopping. Of course yours truly only hang out at the pirated dvd stalls. My Penang bred nephew told a first-time going Uncle that he only visits the FNM when Mak Long comes to Penang!

Sunday 19th Aug - Three-quarter day at the Carnivall, a water-themed park in Sg. Petani (Much thanks to Uncle for sponsoring the tickets). Everybody had a wonderful time.

Monday 20th Aug - A whole day in Alor Star. A visit to my landscaper friends' who fed us laksa Kuala Perlis (sans belut) and loads of rambutan and dokong. Next to the Muzium Padi where we were awed by a panoramic 3d painting of a kampung. Then to the famed Pekan Rabu for some kuali shopping.

We reached home at midnight, and today I give myself one day to rest. Going on a holiday is so tiring!

Embak jadi cikgu!

Buat dua minggu berturut-turut, Embak telah diberi kepercayaan mengajar Pengurusan Kewangan Peribadi kepada pelatih-pelatih Khidmat Negara di dua kem. Satu di Negri Sembilan (gambar) dan semalam di Selangor. Tak bolehlah cerita dekat mana sebenarnya sebab sensitif - Embak nak komen pasal perbezaan kualiti kedua-dua kem tersebut!

Pelatih-pelatih di kumpulan ketiga ini (Jun-September) rata-rata adalah dari remaja 18 atau 19 tahun yang keciciran pelajaran, majoritinya dah bekerja dan ada yang dah berkahwin. Ada yang di antara mereka buta huruf, dan ada yang tak pandai berbahasa Melayu. Bayangkanlah cabaran nak bercerita pasal bajet, matlamat kewangan, simpanan dan perbankan!

Dengan pra-tanggapan yang rendah, Embak dengan perut yang senak pergilah mengajar di kem yang pertama, iaitu di Negri Sembilan. Sejumlah 160 orang pelatih semuanya. Walaupun ada segelintir pelatih yang tidak ambil pusing dalam kelas, Embak puas hati dengan yang selebihnya sebab semangat dan tumpuan yang mereka berikan melebihi jangkaan. Embak tengok suasana di kem amat menyenangkan, penuh dengan disiplin dan pelatih-pelatih secara umumnya gembira di sana.

Dengan pengalaman dari Negri Sembilan, Embak agak selesa untuk mengajar di kem berikutnya. Rama-rama dalam perut dah kurang sikit. Kali ini Embak adakan kuiz bersama cenderahati untuk lebih menarik minat para pelajar. Kali ini bilangan pelatih lebih sedikit, 192 orang. Cukuplah Embak rumuskan yang pengalaman di Selangor tidaklah semanis di Negri Sembilan. Kali ini Embak rasa kurang puas! Pada hemat Embak, kualiti remaja yang akan keluar dari kem yang di Negri Sembilan itu akan jauh lebih baik dari kem yang satu ini di Selangor. Pucuk pangkalnya ialah kualiti kepimpinan di dalam kem itu sendiri.

Komandan kem yang pertama menunggu hingga Embak tiba pada petang Jumaat itu sebelum beliau berangkat balik untuk bercuti hujung minggu ke rumah beliau di Kuala Lumpur. Sepeninggalan beliau, timbalan komandannya sentiasa di sisi Embak, melihat anak-anak buahnya belajar. Tetapi komandan di kem yang lagi satu langsung tiada kelibatnya, begitu juga dengan timbalannya. Sepanjang Embak berada di kem, Embak dibantu oleh para jurulatih yang sebenarnya sebelum ini tidak tahu-menahu akan kedatangan Embak. Hakikatnya, komandan dan timbalannya tidak komited pada kem, maka tercerminlah kekurangan dedikasi mereka pada suasana di kem itu sendiri. Disiplin para pelatih amat lemah, sampaikan semasa dalam kelas Embak ada pelajar yang nak bertumbuk! Begitulah, lain padang, lain belalang. Apapun, Embak gembira sebab dapat peluang melalui pengalaman di kem Khidmat Negara. Ada satu lagi kem yang akan Embak lawati bulan depan iaitu di Perak. Apa pulak yang menanti Embak... akan diceritakan nanti.

Jenaka benar

Irfan, 2 tahun melawat Zoo Johor Bharu bersama Atuk, Nenek, Pak Lang & Mak Lang, dan sepupunya Raihan.

Irfan: Pak Lang, itu apa?
Pak Lang: Itu eagle.

Selang beberapa sangkar;

Irfan: E-boy mana?

**************************************

Nani menerima tempahan "name tags" murid-murid sebuah sekolah. Beberapa "name tags" yang rosak atau salah dipulangkan. Arahan pembetulan ditampal dibelakang "name tag".

Setelah dibetulkan, Nani membuat pemeriksaan. Salah satu nametag telah di"engrave" semula - "Gam Tak Kuat".

Musik latar -- Kwang kwang kwang!

Look at what we made!

Last week, I went to a week-long landscaping course, and one of the things taught was how to construct a pond. With a team of 1 very cute instructor, 1 very enthusiastic photographer, 10 "workers" and 18 "observers", the whole feat was accomplished in less than two hours.

The pond was not quite finished. We didn't have enough rocks to cover the canvas. If you get to go to FRIM's PR building, you will find this pond with a few more rocks and some railway slippers added, if not already.

Menang membeli, alah memakai

Semalam semasa berjalan balik dari Tasik Permaisuri, kasut Bata Embak berbunyi "pelepek-pelepek". Rupa-rupanya tapaknya dah renggang. Inilah dia padahnya kalau beli semasa jualan murah. Dari pengalaman Embak, inilah hakikatnya. Kalau beli beg tangan, dompet atau kasut, janganlah beli yang diskaunnya lebih dari 30%. Nescaya stok lama, yang takkan tahan lama. Macam beg tangan, Embak dah kena banyak kali. Koyaklah, gelung besi terpatahlah, merekahlah, gam terkeluarlah, dsb. Kasutpun sama.

Jadi, janganlah ghairah kalau diskaun 50%. Yang 70% tu lagilah, stok dah 10 tahun agaknya. Yang berbaloi beli kalau diskaun banyak ialah buku. Ni dah bulan Jun; tak lama lagi Payless Bookstore akan adakan warehouse sale lagi sebab menurut Max, staff PB, mereka adakan sale setiap 3-4 bulan sekali.

Bulan depan, khabarnya Megasale seluruh Malaysia akan diadakan selama sebulan, jadi berhati-hatilah bila membeli-belah. Biar menang membeli, menang memakai.

Pak Lah kawin lagi

Tahniah kepada Jeanne Abdullah kerana berjaya menawan hati Pak Lah. Kayaknya Pak Lah suka pada bukan Melayu sebagai isteri. Dulu Arwahpun separa Melayu. Embak pun sebenarnya 1/4 Cina, layak jadi calon. Walaupun tak hantar permohonan, hati ni rasa kecewa juga, sama masa Jamal Abdillah kahwini Dee dua dekad dulu, M.Nasir kahwini Marlia dan yang terbaru Raja Nazrin kahwini Zara.

Sesuai betul buat Jeanne ya, dia dibinti Abdullah, jadi tak kekok kalau orang sebut Mrs Abdullah. Cubalah bayangkan, kalau Embak yang Pak Lah pilih. Ramailah kawan lama telefon.

Bonding Time at FRIM

Semalam Embak bawa anak menakan seramai 9 orang; yang paling besar 16 tahun, yang paling kecil darjah satu, ke hutan di dalam bandar iaitu FRIM, Kepong. Kami tiba di sana kurang lebih jam 10 pagi. Embak memilih tiga orang yang besar untuk jaga kanan, kiri dan belakang kumpulan kami, dan Embak di kepala kumpulan. Mereka ini dibekalkan dengan lakaran “trail” yang bakal kami lalui.

Kami bermula di tasik yang menempatkan sepasang “arapaima” atau ikan naga yang berukuran 5 kaki. Selepas itu kami berhenti sekejap di rumpun buluh gergasi yang berasal dari Myanmar. Embak berlagak sebagai pemandu pelancung gitu. Selepas itu trek yang sebenar bermula. Menurut peta, kami akan mendaki hutan sejauh 1 km sebelum sampai ke jambatan gantung. Ada juga anak-anak menakan yang mengeluh sebab penat – iyalah, first time masuk hutan. Embak beri mereka kata-kata semangat.

Wira-wira Hutan FRIM (2 wirawati tak enter frame)

Kami berhenti rehat dua tiga kali juga. Embak pun sebenarnya dah terasa semput; by this time posisi embak dah bertukar ke belakang sekali. Kami lega bila akhirnya kami sampai ke jambatan gantung. Umur minima untuk pelintas jambatan ini ialah 7 tahun, jadi semua ahli rombongan Embak layak. Jauhnya dalam 200m dan ketinggian 30m dari bumi. Ada anak menakan yang “beku” di tengah-tengah jambatan, tapi abang sepupunya bantu dari belakang. Embak bangga semuanya berjaya sampai ke penghujung tanpa menangis.

Selepas itu kami menuruni bukit untuk ke air terjun sejauh 500 meter. Masa ni semua orang dah gembira sebab menuruni bukit kurang perlu tenaga seperti mendaki, Cuma perlu pasang brek lebih sebab licin. Bila deru air terjun mula kedengaran, anak-anak menakan dah bising kegembiraan. Trek tu sepatutnya mengambil masa satu setengah jam; kami cipta 2 jam - kira oklah. Embak biarkan mereka main air sampai hujan pada jam 3.30 petang. Pada jam 5 petang, Embak dah selamat di katil, kepenatan dengan semua otot kebas. Semua anak menakan Embak “enjoy” dan ada yang nak datang lagi. Nampak gayanya, mereka kena ajak orang dewasa lainlah untuk temankan mereka.

Masam-masam manis

The holidays are here again! Twice a year, my nephews and nieces from Penang will visit their Atok and Nenek and Mak Long.

I always look forward to these visits, but honestly, after a few hours, I would have to put on a shield to survive, which is turning on a deaf ear when one child screams to another and holding back when a parent scolds a child. And a blind eye when the house starts to resemble a shipwreck. Cooking and washing will increase a few folds, the tv, cd player and computer will be surrendered to keep the kids entertained.

My brain cells had a good crack to find that cuti-cuti Malaysia spot that’s not too far from KL that will provide precious bonding opportunity with the young ones. Am I complaining? Hell, yes! But at the same time, they give me a good excuse to skip work for a few days. Me smiling.

Write a will today

Amanah Raya Berhad is having a promotion on will writing now until 30th August 2007. It now only costs RM150 to write a will (usual RM350). No extra charge for rewrites later and free safekeeping for life. Hurry to your nearest ARB branch, or you could register your interest with me as I am an authorized agent of ARB.

In your will, other than the distribution of your estate (less debts), pay attention to:

1. Appointment of ARB as the wasi/administrator of your estate.
2. The guardian of your underaged children.
3. Your favourite charity should you want to generate eternal pahala.

ARB staff will guide you on faraid distribution and probate matters. You could also contact me for clarification.

The grass is not always greener the other side of the longkang

I used to envy a friend.

Today, I sit in her living room, in a grand house, in a posh area. I see that she has some white hair now, but her complexion is as fine as a twenty-year old. We talk about the inconveniences of growing older, but agree that age has somewhat made us see things more clearly, i.e wiser. In passing, she mentions something about her “polygamous” husband. That’s new; in the past she has never mentioned him like that, just “my husband”, even though she is in fact wife no. 2. And then, she confesses, yes her husband has taken a new wife. And she is heartbroken. Who wouldn’t? For many days and nights, she struggles to find acceptance, to have “redha”.

She says, One day, my daughter (8 years old) came to me and asked, Mommy, do you regret marrying daddy? She waited for my answer, I just couldn’t respond, my heart was heavy with sadness. And then she asked again, Mommy, do you regret having me? Then, it hit me. I realize the marriage had not been all futile. It takes my innocent daughter to make me realize something good did come out of the marriage.

Tears well up in my friends eyes. Embak, always the emotional, cry along. I am learning to cope with this trial, she continues. My children are very supportive and understanding. I read books about women in Arabia and how they cope with polygamy. And I turn to Allah most of all.

It is heartbreaking for a wife when her husband takes a new wife irregardless what th wife she is. Another friend of mine who is a third wife fell into depression when her husband took wife number 4.

I guess a rich polygamist will always strive to fulfill his quota.

I am no longer envious.

Excuse Me

I have not blogged for 2 weeks now - last week I was couped in a hotel for 5 days (actually 3 and half , because we had field trips on the remaining days). My mind was focused on learning, and meeting new people. So that's my excuse. Heck, I can't even convince myself that is a good one.

Really, I do not have much to say; my life is that flat. Perhaps you could go to these blogs for the time being. I peruse this daily,
http://www.rickey.org/ for the latest on Sanjaya Malakar and other AI contestants, and this, weekly:
http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-bSgka9MjerQP1V1Jo45o
for beautiful prose to wind down over the weekend. Deli, the latter is actually your blog. To the other 3 readers, you should visit Deli's blog. This poet had people in tears last Saturday when he recited his poems before them.

My current read: E. Annie Proulx's Shipping News (which I pick after watching Brokeback Mountain and reading Ms Proulx's short story of the same title).

Lets not be idle

Wah, what a long break we are having; it’s a week off work if one takes Friday and Monday as leaves. Since I am without agenda this time, my yesterday and today were spent on watching and re-watching Robert Altman’s Gosford Park VCD, which I bought during a trip in Hong Kong 4 years ago which by the way, I still do not know whether legal or pirated. The packaging and the VCD's quality are convincingly original but it cost me equiv RM10 only, - what da ya think? It was a title that I was looking hi and lo for in Malaysia at that time, so when I saw it in Hong Kong, I grabbed it. But the Chinese sub-titles irk me every time.

I have actually watched this video twice before, but this time, with surplus free time, I looked up the internet to research the movie. I joined the discussion board on IMDB website, looked up for Ebert’s review and downloaded the script to make sense what the mostly British cast are saying.

It’s a story set in 1930’s that takes place over 1 week or so at a grand manor in the English countryside with a murder thrown in, in the middle of the story. The cast is comprised of two sets of people; the upstairs people i.e. the aristocrats and the guests, and the downstairs people i.e. the servants. I don’t know how to summarize the storyline, because there are so many characters and sub-stories, so I just say this. It’s a movie that you cannot blink, because you chance to miss a gesture. Many times I have to press the replay button to see what all the characters in that frame are doing. All in all, it is a very well made movie.

Do you know that the Americans and the British have different pronunciation for the word “valet”?

Ah, I also stumbled upon this website http://www.gutenberg.org/ which hosts millions of e-books that you can download for FREE. And Frank McCourt’s favourite author P.G.Wodehouse’s works are listed. Yay! I know I’ll be as busy as a bee tomorrow.

Soul Nourishment

Setiap hari Ahad, insyaAllah Embak mengaji Aqidah di Persatuan al Hunafa di Taman Tun. Kelas ini dibimbing oleh seorang lecturer in Islamic Thoughts di UIA. Ustaz ini berasal dari Uganda dan telah menetap di Malaysia 12 tahun. Muda lagi orangnya, awal 30an dan berkahwin dengan muslimah Aceh dan mereka mempunyai 3 orang anak.

Embak suka cara dia mengajar, (he speaks 12 languages!) sebab lain dari ustaz-ustaz yang biasa Embak tengok di tv atau dengar di masjid/surau. Adik Embak yang bongsu kata, style ustaz ni ialah salafi, iaitu berasaskan hadis dan alQuran. Dan yang istimewanya kelas di al Hunafa diikuti oleh berbilang bangsa yang baru memeluk Islam dan lama/lahir sedia Islam.

Baru-baru ini Ustaz memulakan topik baru iaitu pengenalan terhadap Sunnah, yang mana pada minggu-minggu mendatang akan membawa kepada topik Bid'ah. Sebagai mukadimah, ustaz memberi beberapa contoh hadith salah yang telah digunapakai sehingga mendatangkan bid'ah.

Pernah tak dengar orang cakap, "Bukan dari umat Nabi kalau tak berkahwin"? Satu lagi, "kalau anak tu anak luar nikah, tujuh keturunannya tak masuk syurga"? Embak pernah.

Kedua-duanya tak betul. Yang pertama tuh, Uztaz kata ada imam terkenal (kalau tak silap Imam Nawawi) yang tak berkahwin kerana sibuk dengan ilmiah. Kalau betul Nabi ada cakap sedemikian, tentulah Imam tu akan berusaha kahwin, ya tak?

Yang kedua tu, bercanggah dengan ayat dalam alQuran (tak catit pulak ayatnya). In essence, ayat tu menyatakan, untuk setiap individu setiap amalan yang dibuatnya, dan dia tak akan disoal mengenai amalan orang-orang lain.

Bercakap mengenai kahwin, ustaz kata ianya boleh jadi wajib, harus, makruh, dan haram. Makruh, kalau si suami berkahwin dengan harapan menumpang gaji isteri, haram kalau dia akan memudaratkan isteri.

Banyak pelajaran Embak dapat dari kelas-kelas Ustaz ni. Yang mengobat hati dan menjadi pedoman, dan banyak benda yang dah lupa diingatkan balik. Embak banyak terimakasih pada kawan Embak yang mengajak hadiri kelas ni, walau pada mulanya Embak keberatan. Alhamdulillah, sebab beri Embak kekawan yang baik-baik.

Pet Names

Semasa Embak kecil, emak dan abah selalu menggelar Embak “si Tua”. Nama tu digunakan sesama mereka, seingat Embak tak pulak dipakai apabila bercakap dengan Embak. Contohnya, "Si Tua mana?" - And I would just cringe in the background- Memanglah Embak anak sulong, tapi Embak sangatlah tak suka nama tu, MACAM lah kita ni tua sangat! Lamanya juga perap perasaan geram, hinggalah ke usia duapuluhan, barulahEmbak terfikir yang sebenarnya si Tua tu nama timangan, nama yang diberi dengan rasa kasih, bukan untuk mengejek. Nasib baiklah namatu tak lagi mereka pakai sekarang ni, kalau tidak akan terus menjeruklah Embak .

Apa lagi gelaran yang mereka beri ya pada adik-beradik Embak yang lain? Kalau tak silap:
Untuk Angah - Si Cembeng (kuat melalak)
Untuk Ateh - Si Raja (kuat perintah)
Untuk Alang - Tak ingat, tapi yang ini lambat bercakap
Untuk Cik, Uda, Atam dan Acu - ish, tak ingat lah. Tak ada kut! Agaknya selepas tiga anak, emak dan abah saya dah malas nak menggelar anak-anak mereka.

Masa emak dan abah muda-muda dulu, emak panggil abah "dia" (sebutan macam "dear" je kan?). Contohnya, emak akan tanya, "Pukul berapa dia balik nanti?". Dan abah akan jawab, "Abang balik pukul 4. Nanti Nah siap-siaplah". Tapi sekarang, sejak emak sakit, emak akan cakap, "Abah ye balik pukul berapa?" Abah jawab, " Aye balik pukul 4. Nanti Ayang siap-siaplah."

Embak gembira mereka lebih mesra di usia emas. Dulu tak perasan pun mereka berkasih sayang, mungkin sibuk membesarkan anak-anak.

Dah beli!

Berita terkini. Kepada 4 orang pembaca blog ini, sekiranya anda berkira-kira hendak belikan Embak buku Teacher Man karangan Frank McCourt, Embak nak maklumkan, Saya dah beli.

Semalam, Embak pergi ke MPH, nak cuba dapatkan diskaun 15% sempena besday Embak(salah satu manafat keahlian MPH Readers' Circle) walaupun besday Embak dah 3 minggu berlalu. Petugas di MPH berkata Maaf Puan, diskaun 15% tu hanya untuk tempoh seminggu dari tarikh lahir. Tapi berita baik Puan, esok kami akan adakan Sale, yang diskaunnya 20%. Woopee!

Maka Embak datang balik hari ni dan membelanjakan diri Embak dengan 3 buku. Jualan murah MPH akan berakhir 1 April. Jika anda bukan ahli MPH Readers' Circle, diskaun 15% sahaja. Pergilah beli buku, nanti boleh dapat potongan dari cukai pendapatan.

Wajah

Semalam Embak berjumpa dengan kawan Embak di kliniknya, yang juga menawarkan perkhidmatan kecantikan. Di ruang menunggu, Embak lihat dua orang wanita yang bertudung, yang sorang tu teramatlah putih bersih kulitnya, dan dalam kategori jelita. Dari perbualan mereka, Embak dapati yang mereka ini tidak asing dengan suntikan kolagen, vitamin-C, botox dan seumpanya. Terkejutlah Embak. Selama ini Embak ingat yang mengamalkan bantuan-bantuan kecantikan begini adalah dari kalangan artis-artis dan orang-orang yang, iyalah, trendy, sofisticated, fashion-conscious, glamour-seeking rich tai-tais.

Rupa-rupanya, semua lapisan dah mengamalkan gaya hidup suntikan ini. Patutlah klinik kawan Embak ni berdaya maju gayanya. Embak di sana atas urusan kerja, tak tahulah esok-esok pulak. Minta-minta kat Allah, tulang pipi Embak yang orang selalu kata tiruan ni, maintain. Takutnya hari ni kata tak nak, esok-esok bila dah kendur, pucat, kata nak pulak!

A reminder for me

This is one of Angela McCourts's favourite songs, and one of two songs sung by her sons and grandsons at her funeral:

A mother's love is a blessing
No matter where you roam,
Keep her while she's living,
You'll miss her when she's gone.

Frank McCourt - My new favourite writer

I have seen his book,“Angela’s Ashes” many times at MPH warehouse sales, but because the cover is a dreary photo of a dirty boy, I never had the incentive to pick it up. I saw the book again at PayLess Books warehouse sale, a hardcover selling for RM8. Upclose, I read that the book is a Pulitzer prize winner. Because it was so cheap and apparently good enough to merit a Pulitzer, I bought it. It is about Frank McCourt’s stories of growing up in Brooklyn, and then Ireland.

I only got around to reading it last month; the book overwhelms me with images of hardcore poverty and hopelessness. I have never understood what being poor means before; it's so well written, that TV3’s Bersama Mu pales in comparison. To Frank and his brothers, an egg was a luxury, jam jars served as cups, and most of the time their once a day meal consisted of cold, weak tea. Their mother survived on beggary because the father was a hopeless drunkard. But the book is not all about despair; there are many places in the book where I laugh hard. McCourt managed to find hilarity amidst his family's misery. Truly deserving the Pulitzer.

Soon after I finished "Angela’s Ashes", I found “‘Tis”, the sequel to “Angela’s Ashes”, at the Big Bookshop warehouse sale (yes, I am fond of books warehouse sales!), which is still going on at Atria until 24th March. Very lucky find indeed as it was the only copy left. I finished this book too.


I am now looking for “Teacher Man”, which is the last of the memoir trilogy. Not too late to get me one as a belated birthday present. Hint, hint.

chap goh meh - haiku buat YC

Bulan mengambang,

gadis penuh harapan,

limau di dasar tasik.

Nohara Sinchan

Embak dan Maisara berebut patung Sinchan semalam. Mak dia belikan sebagai hadiah harijadi Embak, tapi dah dipeluk-peluknya si Mai, Embak pun mengalah. Hari ni Embak masuk bilik, tengok Sinchan dah ada atas katil Embak, hee hee. My first stuffed toy ever!

Dulu-dulu, Embak tak faham betul kenapalah adik Embak suka sangat tengok katun Jepun nih. Sekarang, Embak pulak dah tersangkut. Walhal, anak-anak menakan Embak ramai yang tak dapat tengok program ni - dah di "ban" oleh emak bapak mereka.

More on Brunei

There are many beautiful and grand mosques in Brunei, many with gold-plated domes. I can't recall what this one is called, but notice the dome- it's gold plated. Many of the domes here are gold-plated including the one at Istana Nurul Iman, which I heard is solid gold.



I love their teh tarik India. I had one glass everyday I was there. It tastes like teh tarik but the way it is prepared that is giving its presentation. First you stir condensed milk and evaporated milk in hot water; then pull it to form froth. Pour in thick hot tea. Voila!

I also sampled their Mee Kolo (but no picture to prove- as I was so hungry). I do not know whether the one I had was authentic Brunei or not, but it was sedap! It is different from Sarawak Mee Kolo (which I have never tasted, but seen pictures of). Cucur Pisang and Murtabak Kosong is Goreng Pisang and Roti Canai, respectively in Bruneispeak.

I went to Jerudong Park, but it was closed during my stay there. They only open during the weekends. Admission and the rides used to be free until year 2000.


The Kampung Air was a nice experience. The 10-seconds boat ride costs 50 cents a way. The people may appear to be poor, but I change my mind when I saw their cars, parked at the specially built parking bay near the jetty.

Signboards of establishments are written in Jawi as well as Rumi. I had a fun time testing my Jawi proficiency. Notice Pizza Hut is Pondok Pizza in Jawi.

Empire Hotel and Resort

This 5-star hotel lies about 20 minutes from Bandar Sei Begawan. The opulence of the hotel should merit the hotel 6 stars, but a star was deducted because this hotel does not serve alcohol. It is a lovely place for Prudential sales incentive if only the Agency people know.

We did not stay here though. I was informed a night stay costs B$199, which is reasonable. The grounds are beautifully landscaped, but I can't help but compare them with the ones in Bali which I find far more outstanding.

Interesting Finds

Instead of “Encik” and “Puan”, they use “Awang” and “Dayang”, though these could also be a family name. So, I was addressed as Dayang M. I saw “Awda” in their literature and I thought it was a typo for "anda"; but no. It is the combination of Awang and Dayang. So in a sentence, it is used like this: "Awda dijemput untuk ke majlis...."

“Kami” means “Awak”. So if you are eating with your Brunei friends, and they say “kami bayar”, it means they want you to pay.

Their official baju is called MIB, or Melayu Islam Beraja.There are about 380,000 people living in the whole sultanate, out of which a third are foreign workers or expats.

Bruneians do not ride kapcai unless they are McD delivery boys, couriers or newpaper men. Most drive to work. They ride super bikes after office hours.

Cars are cheap here. Vios costs B$23K. Mercedes B$80K. B$10 petrol can fill up the gas tank.

The drivers are very polite. They readily give way and patiently wait for you if you make a wrong turn. Generally, honking is frowned upon. You risk of getting slapped on the face if you happen to honk at the “wrong” car.

Kain ela is "the" thing to bring home. They have the "latest" designs and price is very the cheap. My friends and I enjoyed shop hopping the outlets of Nazmi, Hong, KoFom and YMRM and their branches all over Bandar Seri Begawan and Gadong.

Starting salary for a graduate working with the Govt is B$2,600. He/she enjoys free medical coverage and housing. After 15 years of service, he/she can perform the Haji for free.

Every Bruneian can apply for a piece of land or “tanah kurnia”, but it cannot be sold.

Despite their good salary and many perks, Bruneians are big borrowers; they borrow money even for hari raya celebrations.

Brunei Escapade

The plane was scheduled to take off at 3.15pm on 20th Feb 2007, but was re-timed to 4.oo pm because our assigned plane was still at Langkawi Airport. At 4.30, we were still not boarding, and then the rain came. We were given each an umbrella to cross the tarmac, but suddenly the rain got heavy and we were shooed back to the wait lounge. We finally departed at 5.30 pm amidst still bad weather. In mid-flight, there were a couple of scary turbulences, and I was very relieved and grateful when we landed, albeit late. We were further held back in the plane for another half hour, not sure why, but the plane had to get to another gate before we could disembark.

We were lucky to find a shop near our hotel, Le Gallery Suites that agreed to serve us dinner at 10 pm. We had nasi goreng kampong and teh tarik. It felt like Malaysia but we were already in a foreign land.

Merapu, meraba.

Hari ni, Embak dipaksa tukar ke format baru. Tak tahu lagi apa kelebihannya, tapi sebab dah lama tak post berita, Embak cerita dulu, sebelum intai apa yang bagusnya format baru ini.

Semalam, Embak habis membaca buku A Civil Action, oleh Jonathan Harr berkenaan kisah benar seorang peguam, Jan Schlichmann yang berjuang membela pelanggan-pelanggannya dalam satu suit melawan 2 syarikat besar dalam kes pencemaran pada tahun 80an. Embak ingat, ceritanya berakhir dengan kegembiraan, tetapi sebab ianya kisah benar, tak bolehlah pengarang membuat cerita sendiri. Walaupun akhirnya, Schlichmann berjaya mendapatkan pampasan untuk pelanggan-pelanggannya, tetapi dia menjadi bakrup. Buku ini sarat dengan proses perundangan dan prosiding di mahkamah. Penat membacanya.

Bila di "google" nama peguam ini, Embak lega yang dia kini kembali menjadi peguam, dan telah berkeluarga. Kisahnya telah dijadikan filem dengan wataknya dilakunkan oleh John Travolta. Ebert memberi 3 setengah bintang untuk filem ini.

Mulai 3 Februari, sebaiknya baik demam, Embak telah mulai kelas nurseri lanskap di UPM. Ini yang buat Embak teruja ni. Lima kali sahaja kursus ini yang akan berakhir pada 3 Mac ini, yang kebetulan Hari Lanskap Negara. Sekarang memang tengah kemaruk subjek ini.

Rancangan TV yang Embak ikuti sekarang ialah American Idol. Cuba juga nak tengok Heroes, dan Gray's Anatomy, tapi tak gi lah. Akhirnya Embak tengok balik DVD House MD Seasons 1-2. Tiada yang setanding siri House ini. Bilalah AXN nak mula siarkan Season 3?

Itu sahajalah rapuan ku ini. Oh, sebelum tu, Embak nak cerita, satu hari di masjid subang jaya, Embak terdengar sekumpulan budak perempuan sekolah agama bercerita, in disgust tentang seorang ustaz yang suka meraba. Mereka menggelarnya "Rubber Tapper".

My day

After turning and tossing, I finally slept sometime between 2 and 3 am. I tried to carry on until 8 am, to “make up” for the lost hours but my body clock simply refused. I got up, partook my nasi lemak breakfast, and sat to finish “All Too Human”. By 11 am, I was ready to see Dr Kassim again. I waited for my turn by reading a book that I once read two years ago, Deena Katz on Practice Management. I thought and still think, I have been disillusioned by the promise that a financial planner is a coveted career choice as it is in the US. I am trying to find again bits of wisdom in preparation for tomorrow’s meeting at SFP. Don’t worry, as I don’t care to explain, I don’t expect any of my readers to understand what I’m blabbering about.

Today’s shot is more painful than yesterday's. Come again tomorrow, the good doctor reminded me. I spent my afternoon reading some more Deena, and another book from my shelf, a fiction, White Oleander by Janet Fitch. By 6pm, as if by telepathy, an old, old friend sms-ed me, asking how I was doing. Just the break I need. I quickly called her back, thanking her for making my day. And All Praise to Allah, I felt I just need to sms another friend, and ask her how she’s doing. It turns out that she was feeling down, and my calling her up had cheered her. MashaAllah. Thank you Angah for checking on me first thing in the morning. I am also blessed for Makcik Timah who insisted on getting me daun bunga raya to cool my fever down, my buddies from my hostel years for calling, and for my abah for making me teh tarik and buying me peanuts from the night market.

Embak Demam

Sekian lama Embak tak demam (yang migrain sebulan sekali tu tak kiralah), hari Sabtu baru-baru ni, lepas balik dari seminar 1/2 hari, Embak rasa tak sedap badan, panas semacam. Tergoleklah atas lantai depan tv. Pukul 4 petang adik Embak yang dari Bukit Beruntung datang dengan keluarganya. Embak bangun buatkan air. Lepas tu dalam pukul lima, satu lagi keluarga tiba. Embak tambahkan air. Embak ambikkan cawan, sebab nak cepat, Embak tingkatkan sampai 3. Gopoh sangat, jatuh berderai. Dah terpaku anak-anak sedara Embak, tak dibenarkan bergerak takut terpijak kaca. Embak ambik vacuum cleaner, adik Embak yang sorang tu datang tolong dengan penyapu, yang sorang lagi ambik vacuum cleaner dari Embak. Lepas tu, Embak "excuse myself" dan terus lepak kat bilik Embak. Lepas tu, Embak dah tak ambik pusing, pandai-pandailah layan diri sendiri. Lepas muntah, Embak ambik Panadol.

Semalam, Ahad, demam Embak berterusan. Pagi-pagi lagi dah buat pengumuman yang Embak tak nak masak. Tapi tengah hari terasa lapar, Embak ambik keputusan buat masakan yang simple: meehoon goreng dan meehoon laksa cina. Ambik Panadol lagi. Dan Lozenges, sebab tekak dah mula sakit. Sepanjang hari tidur, walaupun badan rasa tak selesa, panas.

Pagi, tadi rasa kurang panas dan lebih kuat. Pergilah ke Klinik Dr Kassim, pukul 8.30 ambil nombor. Dapat No. 20. Embak balik dulu. Dalam pukul 10.00, Embak congak-congak barulah tiba giliran. Wrong! Pukul 10.50 lebih kurang, barulah dipanggil. Pembantu Dr Kassim kata demam akak kuat nih, temperature 38.5 darjah. Embak complain , kelenjar sakit dan nak telan sakit. Dr Kassima suruh buka mulut dan kata "aaaah", tonsil awak kiri kanan bernanah. "Saya beri injection antibiotik paling kuat" Esok dan lusa datang lagi. Kalau tak, nanah tu akan poison badan awak, dan rosakkan hati, blah, blah, blah". Embak kata, "Doktor, you takutkan I je". Dia kata, kalau tak percaya, malam karang awak akan menggigil. True enough, sekarang nih Embak tengah kesejukan. Dan tak boleh tidur. Walaupun tak buka kipas, Embak kena berselimut. Tapi bila di bawah selimut, berpeluh pulak. Tu yang tak tak selesa tu.

Jadi, nak cuba buat mengantuk, Embak ambil keputusan mengarang blog ni. Lepas ni kalau tak boleh tidur juga, kena baca buku All Too Human yang tinggal kurang dari 100 muka. Esok, eh bukan esok lagi, sekarang dah pukul 1; nanti pukul 8 pagi kena mengadap Dr Kassim untuk injection #2.

Embak dah menguap, insyaAllah boleh tidur dah. Wassalam.

Baru je Mmbak cakap....

Hakikatnya, dah menular ke bandar-bandarpun.

Lelaki berkeluarga dilanda sindrom malas bekerja
Oleh: AZMAN MD NOOR dan ZINAIDAH ZAINON (Utusan Malaysia)


23 Jan. – Sindrom lelaki berkeluarga malas bekerja kian menular di negara ini sehingga menimbulkan kebimbangan akan wujud jurang ketara antara lelaki dan wanita dalam soal kerjaya, kepercayaan dan tanggungjawab.

Setiausaha Parlimen di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Dr. Mashitah Ibrahim berkata, fenomena lelaki tidak suka bekerja, manakala wanita pula mengambil alih tugas mereka, sedang menular di kampung-kampung sehingga ada lelaki sanggup menjaga anak di rumah. Menurut beliau, perkara seumpama itu telah pun berlaku di beberapa negeri termasuk di Kelantan.

Mashitah berkata, telah ada wanita dilantik sebagai pemimpin Jawatankuasa Kemajuan dan Keselamatan Kampung (JKKK) dan ia bukannya kerana tidak ada calon lelaki tetapi mereka menolak tanggungjawab itu sehingga akhirnya diberikan kepada wanita.
“Ini merupakan satu fenomena serius apabila wujud kecenderungan lelaki lebih suka duduk di rumah berbanding wanita yang kuat bekerja. “Sekiranya perkara ini tidak dibendung, dibimbangi akan lebih banyak tanggungjawab dan kepercayaan diberikan kepada golongan wanita, sehingga mewujudkan jurang ketara antara lelaki dan wanita,” katanya selepas menyampaikan kerusi roda kepada Mohd. Rosli Ali, 33, yang lumpuh, di rumahnya di Kampung Telok Petata, Kupang, dekat sini hari ini.

Menurut Mashitah, jika keadaan itu dibiarkan berlarutan, dibimbangi kaum wanita akan memilih untuk hidup membujang selama-lamanya kerana tidak sanggup memikul tanggungjawab yang sepatutnya ditanggung oleh kaum lelaki. “Rasulullah s.a.w. menegaskan bahawa dosa pertama yang dihitung bagi seorang lelaki ialah dosa mengabaikan nafkah rumah tangga. Ini menjelaskan, bahawa seorang lelaki yang mengabaikan tanggungjawabnya kepada keluarganya adalah berdosa di sisi Islam,” ujar beliau.

Menurut Mashitah, fenomena itu hanya berlaku di kalangan lelaki golongan bawahan yang tinggal di kampung. Katanya, wanita yang berkahwin dengan lelaki berkenaan terpaksa bekerja sebagai penoreh getah bagi menanggung keluarga.
“Malah lebih menyedihkan, ada keluarga yang sanggup memberi duit bulanan kepada anak lelaki mereka yang tidak mahu bekerja, seolah-olah menyokong perbuatan anak mereka itu, yang disara oleh isteri masing-masing. “Gejala itu kini sangat serius menyebabkan ada wanita bujang takut untuk berkahwin kerana bimbang mendapat suami yang malas bekerja.“Sindrom itu jika dibiarkan boleh menggugat institusi perkahwinan dan kekeluargaan yang sangat-sangat dituntut oleh Islam,” katanya.
Sehubungan itu, beliau mengesyorkan satu program bagi menyuntik semangat kaum lelaki dilaksanakan bagi memperkasakan semangat golongan itu.

A Snapshot of Me, Now

Favourite colour: Olive Green
Flavour of the Month: Simon Baker (Past fav include: Ralph Feinnes, Jim Caviezel, John Colbert, the young Robert Redford, the young Ryan O'Neal)

Recent Favourite Movie: Something New (have watched 5 times even without the ending)
Top on my to-do list: Get a new Something New DVD
All-time Favourite: Notting Hill (have watched 14 times, and counting)
Favourite TV Programmes: House, American Idol, Sinchan

Tension Reliever: Chain Watching House DVDs
Favorite Blog: Yahoo! 360 Degrees - Viewpoints of Nebula_Z
Dream Holiday: 2 weeks of really living it in Germany (where my brother is)
Dream Car, but will not waste money on unless I win in a contest: Golf GTI

Current Read: All Too Human by George Stephanopoulos
Currently in my CD Player: Il Divo

I can't tolerate Big Time: Arrogant and lazy husbands living off wife's income
Person I admire: My multi-tasking cousin who endures her big talker, lazy husband

Things that I appreciate: Good quality cotton bedsheets, plush towels; good books

Recent "feel good" moments:
1. The blouse I bought at a sale actually matches the colour of my Bali pants
2. Shopping at Ferringhi night market

Recent "feel sad" moments:
1. My best friend describes "Something New" as ordinary.
2. Just this evening, when a young revert appealed for help at Masjid Saidina Uthman as his parents threw him out of the house.

What tickles me now: My “pelat” niece, Mai whose vocalization for the words Mak Long, belon and telor is the same: Yo.

For the record, this post is specially for my 2nd sister who reminds me that unless I am really busy, I should post something, however mundane.