11 years and counting

28/12/07 marks our 11th wedding anniversary.....it seems like yesterday that there were only two of us in the family.....now there are five. I am really, really grateful and thankful to the Almighty Allah for giving me the opportunity to meet this lovely lady and to love her. And I will always love her with all my heart. This is the lady who endured three caesarian sections to deliver to me three lovely children in 1998, 2001 and 2004. This is the lady who stuck with me through thick and thin....always there for me when I needed her....I could go on and on....hehehe... Because of that....I LOVE YOU!!!! HAPPY 11TH ANNIVERSARY......

Instant Celeb????

Suddenly, almost everyone I met at work shaked my hand and asked about my Dubai trip....instant celeb...hehehehe..... My OFG friend, Khairi, called me this morning. It turned out that he too volunteered for this trip but didn't make it. There's also another friend who volunteer as well, but didn't make too. Somehow, I felt like Dr Sheikh Muszaphar...our first astronaut....well of course I'm not as handsome as he is. It's no big deal anyway...I'm going there to work and as Mr Roslan said....I must do better than I do at SOEM....hmmm...of course I will.....I'm shouldering the reputations of SOEM and Malaysia over there..... I'm still hoping that Amin could make it.....The SoGul MD wanted a Production Engineer and a Planner. Amin is a planner and a good friend of mine...even our wives know each other....his wife was my wife's junior in UKM. He volunteered....but since his boss is on a Biz Trip in Japan, the decision is put on hold....Anyway...here's hoping.

DUBAI!!!!

I had an interview this morning, with Mr Okawa the TVOPA President. This is the man who will decide whether I'm going to Dubai or not. I went to his office with my GM, Mr Roslan. It went very well...it turned out Mr Okawa is also an American Univ grad from UC San Diego. He spent 6 years there. And Mr Roslan also gave some good words on my behalf....Thank you Boss. If everything goes as planned....I'll be going on the 15th of February 2008.....that's 2 more months. I really have a lot of things to do before departing....I mean A LOT!!!! but I'll take things in my stride.... So, I will spend the Aidil Adha holiday conferring with my family and my wife's family about this trip (or tour of duty...if I may say that). Hopefully, everything will go well.... I wonder if Dubai has any fishing ponds.......hehehehe

The UMP Interview

I have a job interview in Kuantan; as a lecturer at the Universiti Malaysia Pahang. I booked the Seri Malaysia Kuantan last week and after sending my Avanza for an engine job at the UMW Toyota in Puchong, my family and I were off to Kuantan. It rained all the way and we arrived in Kuantan, checked in at about 5:30pm. Luckily, the Highway was not flooded (eventhough LPT runs through an extensive area of swamp forests). We ate an early dinner at the Berjaya Megamall and went back to the hotel just after sunset (Maghrib). I spent the evening preparing myself for the interview while the kids played amongst themselves and my wife marking her SPM EST papers. I woke up at 6:30am and after the Subuh prayer, I drove off to UMP in Gambang (and it was raining heavily since last night). It took me about 30 minutes to reach UMP and another 30 minutes looking for the interview venue (the Pusat Pembangunan Pengurusan Teknologi. The interview went smoothly, the interviewers were professional and friendly....much, much better than those from UMT who interviewed me at KLCC about two months ago. I don't know where I did wrong but I didn't get the job. Maybe because I sucked during the 'mock teaching' sessions. Maybe because my facial expression changed when they told me I would have to teach older students (part-timers). Maybe because they didn't think that I might accept a pay cut if I join UMP....Maybe this, maybe that.... I guess I now have to start "muhassabah"-ing my self and find ways to improve it. But I took the rejection with an open heart. Maybe because the friendly atmosphere that suurounded me when I was there. Thanks to Prof Ahmad, Mr Hanafiah, Mr Hasahudin and Ms Rosidah. Mind you.....I might still have one interview coming.....this one will be big, I promise..... but let's just say I'll keep this one private and confidential for a while. But the most important thing is that I get to bring my family to Kuantan....sleep in a hotel, let them enjoy themselves....There's no greater feelings than to see your family happy...ain't it?

Kenyir and Sg Kejar Re-visiting

My mates from the OFG told me that some of them are going to join Ujang (cartoonist) in Kenyir at the end of this month. But, I have to decline....my kids will start their 2008 school session early next year and alot of things need to be done....So, Kenyir is off. But there's a plan to re-visit Sg Kejar...this time we will go further upstream....but the plan is that we go during the February 08's CNY holiday.....hmmm....sounds tempting....this time it'll be a real camping outing.....but February is not bonus month yet....but we'll just wait and see....if God's willing...I'll go.... Wait ahh!!!