Abu Afiq the Angler

Monday, June 16, 2008

The Blade Runner....

I was watching the CNN in my hotel room in Tehran....and they were talking about this guy.....Oscar Pistorius.

A congenital amputee....he hopes to represent his country, South Africa, in the coming Beijing Olympics.....Michael Johnson and Co would be very proud should Oscar's dreams come through.....

Talking about MOTIVATIONS.......

It's all about MOTIVATIONS

I found these quotes on the wall of SMK Saujana Impian, Kajang, canteen.....Pretty interesting.....

Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that - Dr Martin Luther King Jr, American Human Rights Activist

The man who can drive himself farther once the effort gets painful is the man who will win - Roger Bannister, 1954 Olympic Gold Medallist

After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb - Nelson Mandela, Former South African President and Statesman

The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall - Nelson Mandela, Former South African President and Statesman

It is not the mountain that we conquer, but ourselves - Sir Edmund Hillary, First Man To Conquer Mount Everest

Sunday, June 15, 2008

They said, "behind every successful man, there is a woman....". But perhaps Datin Seri Wan Azizah's version is much better.....she said, "behind every successful man, there is a wife....". My version: "Behind every successful man, there is a wife, three kids and one heck of an extended family..."

When people talk about being rich.....they usually talk about money, multiple-storey bungalows and big cars. Me, my definition of rich is not about money and all that sort of things.

I feel rich when I'm with my family and friends.....you don't have to work your socks off at the office, you don't need any down-payment or even a 20-year, RM1000/month monthly installment. Family and friends just come to you......

I told my wife, that we don't have to be "stinking rich".....have "an obscenely huge amount of money"......when we have a family like ours......we are already rich.

I mean, we could go to almost every state, and territory, in Malaysia and find either a family member or a friend, to say the least.

To all my family and friends.....thank you for everything.....we'll see you again....(may be next year)....

THEY are here....

Their flight landed early on the Friday morning....it was supposed to arrive at 350am, but it arrived 315am instead. They were already waiting for us at the Marhaba counter.....This could be one of the happiest days of my life......having to hug and kiss my family......after more than a month being apart.

They spend the Friday morning resting....catching up with their sleep....trying to recover from the jet-lag, I supposed.

I brought Apit to his first ever Friday Solat.....he seemed to be a bit "culture-shocked".....so many mamaks around....he has this not-so-good impression about them....thanks to the "over-friendliness" of those restaurant mamaks in Malaysia. But he behaved himself.....he didn't complain even though he had to perform "solat" outside.....not in the air-cond.....

I brought him to Al-Ismaily Cafe afterwards to buy our Beriyani lunch......Can't imagine how proud I was to tell everyone who was asking about this little boy...."This is my son..." He was anxious actually....the cafe was filled with all the mamaks....

That afternoon, I brought my family on a small tour around the building......Everybody was quite happy with all the facilities......

We did some shopping at the Speedex Supermarket......

That night we ordered SFC.....The stove was still not working and I want to show my family that we have alternatives to the more expensive "brands".

14/06/08 - Deira City Center (DCC)

We went to the DCC.....to buy some house-hold things such as laundry baskets, mop and brooms...etc...We had lunch at the food-court....the kids wanted Burger Kings....and BK it was....

After lunch, we went to Carrefour....I managed to sneak two pairs of pants in among the other stuff.....they totalled to almost Aed500....oh man!!!....

Apit didn't get what he wanted.....to get a ride on one of those small cars (just like the "Kiddy Cabbies" at MidValley).....he went on crying for almost half an hour....he cried when we were lining up to take the taxi. Once in the taxi, he slept all the way home....He was tired actually......

We wrapped up the weekend by taking the kids to the swimming pool last night.....Apit was sound asleep, so I left him with his mother and brought his two sisters up to the swimming pool.....at 1000pm....

Saturday, June 14, 2008

Pakatan Rakyat's Leaders Were Here

DSAI, TS Khalid (TSK) & Dato' Husam (DH).....three of the top PR leaders were here. DH was on his way back from Tehran, where he met with investors for some investment opportunities in Kelantan. DSAI and TSK were here also for the same reasons.

But, they manged to spent a few hours meeting us in Dubai. We all (about 150 Malaysians, the biggest gathering so far) converged at Bro Fudzail's house in At-Twar 3.

They had dinner (or rather supper) with us....the normal people.....Nasi Beriyani Mendi....with chicken or mutton....and some other delicacies brought by other Malaysians....it was really a wonderful time...especially for us the new guys....A chance (might be once in a life time) to meet the Leaders.....to shake hands with them.....and above all to meet other Malaysians....

It was that night that I met with those people I knew only through emails....such as Pak Payne, Hasnol, Ajim, Imran etc.

We left At-Twar with total satisfaction.....and a full tummy.....knowing the next morning, the other event will unfold....our family will arrive at 350am at the airport....Thanks a lot to Bro Zuhairi for picking us up and taking us back......