28 Ramadhan

Notes at the end of Ramadhan.

Actually, I'm quite confused with the date for Raya this year. People have been saying that this year is special because we're welcoming a double celebration. Raya and Merdeka, on the same day.

But just now, the bilal at the surau in my kampung made a quick speech after we performed the terawih prayers. He said that tonight was our last terawih for 1432H, and that we're celebrating Raya the day after tomorrow. Eh, 30th? Merdeka is on 31st?

I'm not interested in verifying that now (I concede to my laziness this time). For the past hour, I only logged into four sites; Twitter, Fantasy Premier League, Gmail and Blogger.

I just want to wait for the announcement by the Royal Seal keeper tomorrow. It'll be the first time for keeper Dato' Syed Danial to be on TV announcing the date for Raya, which, has become the most anticipated show of 29th Ramadhan.

Oh, I'm also frustrated with the Portal 2 installed just now. For long, I've been dreading to travel thru portals, and a PC with better performance supposedly ended it. Turns out, my DVD copy is the Russian version! Darn it. Should just download it when I get a proper connection.

And welcome me as one of Skype's newest members. Got my account just now. Guess I'm falling into another social network trap ha2. Four months since I got out of a horrid virtual city named Facebook.

"Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in."

Lastly, I suppose this will be the last post for Ramadhan. My vision a month ago was that I would type in an account weekly throughout the fasting month, it seems to fail obviously. Nevertheless, since I'm the only one reading this piece of sh*t, no guilt is felt ha2

So, Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri and Merdeka! to all of you, except Mat Sabu.

Retreat

How it goes with me, Ramadhan is incomplete without being with family. This holy month supposedly be a time for us Muslims to strengthen the ties between us. And one shan't ever forget no relationship supersedes that of family.

Plus, living in city is cramping me, mentally and physically. The temperature is hostile as usual, and it's never not hazy here.

So I felt grateful to have planned this getaway months earlier. Travelling by bus is tiring to many, but not to me. It's quite a part of the getaway itself; I'd sleep along the way.

Now here's a tip, if you're getting a bus ticket, try Sani Express. Heard they're equipping their double deckers with 'in-flight' entertainment right now. Not sure about the possible ticket price hike, but for now, it's as usual.

Gotta enjoy this weekend.

8 Ramadhan

Today marks the start of the second week of Ramadhan. Which means 8 days have passed since I stopped buying nasi lemak for brunch.

So the first week, I think was an uneventful early stage. I went thru the drill as I did last year. But actually, I feel that I'm exhausting Ramadhan for nothing.

When I was in school, the encouragement for religious deeds was thrusting. Sure, the feeling to get close to God was factored by the many exams students have in school.

I was no exception. Thinking of this has shed a little light upon me. An epiphany perhaps. I think I'm a hippocrate. To myself and my deeds. I'm so heavily guilty. May Allah forgive me.

Therefore, I'm changing this. The second week of Ramadhan has to be the start for better undergoing of Ramadhan . It's not too late.

I'm putting the words here so that I can come across this post anytime and remind myself of what I've determined.

InsyaAllah.

Spiderman 3 is epic

After watching this, I felt a little guilt that I didn't watch it earlier, like 4 years back.

I am kinda unfriendly towards cinemas. It's a feeling I can't avoid. To me, the idea of watching movies should be similar to watching TV. A couch, or pillow, free-flow drinks, and endless snack from the fridge (that depends well on your foodstock).

Back to Spiderman 3, this movie is a blast! (yeah2, I'm the slowest slowpoke).

I particularly like the ending, that makes this movie an epic. Retribution and revenge and forgiveness and humanity.

I mean, who knows Parko was quite misunderstood; actually I pre-empted this when Parko seemed so innocent at the start of the movie; and Harry was so noble to eradicate all his sentiments towards Peter, in fact taking the fatal blow for Spiderman.

Yeah well, he kinda mistook Pete so he should do what he did, but Harry missed out on MJ and even his own pop.

Venom, I hate. I hate him too when he was Eddie Brock. A jerk.

Oh, and I'm so eagerly waiting for The Dark Knight Rises. The trailer, the poster seem so nice and attractive! Will surely be an epic!

AirAsia-MAS deal

Over the weekend, words have flown around town that Tony Fernandes, CEO of AirAsia and local LCC supremo has been in talks with the govt to buy stakes in Malaysia Airlines.

Purportedly, Mr Fernandes and the govt thru Khazanah Nasional are already in the final stage of the discussion and the deal will be finalised as early as Monday.

The news as first reported by Malaysian Insider here.

The news as further propagated here.

And so far, the people, primarily the flying public (and me myself) are a tad skeptical to the idea. Furthermore, the idea of Mr Fernandes to 'help the ailing airline'?

Skeptics in the air here.

I know that people are just nice sometimes, but in business, it won't happen without a knife behind one's back, I believe.

I heard that AirAsia X has been poaching for lucrative routes traditionally served by MAS, and they're not getting much from the govt till now. That is enough to make them belligerents.

Hope that this deal will never happen. MAS needs transformation, the right one by the right people right now. We know it's ailing and falling to a rival's play will instantly dig its own grave.

Centre of attraction

This happens in everyone, me included. Someone tells a story, and someone else comes up with another story, greater, either good or bad, and steals the eyes before someone else repeats the drill.

I like the Malaysian typical style of response. It’ll start with “Aku lagi lah,” and the speaker goes on uttering his words of excitement. I do it too, I admit.

Conversation #1

A : Dulu, masa aku kecik aku punya mainan Merc McLaren yang betul punya tau.

B : Aku lagi lah, dulu aku selalu naik Ferrari pergi sekolah.

Conversation #2

A : Aku dulu tak pandai, exam mesti markah terendeh punya.

B : Aku lagi lah, dah berapa ramai bomoh ayah aku bawak pergi jumpa, semua kata aku punya kelembapan tak boleh ubat.

See, people don’t care if more sordid, or more humiliating stories are told, as long as they are interesting enough to help live up the scene.

Yes, I, as a typical Malaysian enjoy this.