Victoria's secret Fashion Show 2008

Who are these shows for?
For the men?
or
for women?

Men do not need all these tiny itsy bitsy bits to make love.
Then, these underwears or is it "underwears" are for women.
Yes, to some women, it brings the spirit up just to put them on.
The feel is like having a very tall glass of Haagan Das Ice cream, sweet just for a moment.

Yes, the sweetness is there but I still opt for nothing.

(note from a lady who is married for more than 26 years).

Anthology of Contemporary Haiku (Japanese)

Below is the essay I wrote for the hardcover book of

Anthology of Contemporary Haiku.

This book is a compilation of about 230 haiku writers all over Japan. Each writer submit 20 haiku in the Japanese language.

This book goes into printing for 1000 copies only and cost JY2500 each.

As far as I know, there is no foreigner or non-Japanese person who have ever stepped into the Japanese haiku world, writing haiku in Japanese.

The photo of me wearing tudung, this will make me quite famous but hey, famous or not, I'm still a housewife ironing my husband's shirt everyday!!!

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

The Essay:

Eventhough I have known haiku in the english version during the early introductory years, it did not impressed me much. Most of foreign written haiku are either too wordy or too brief. Most of the time, the season word are missing or the magical abstract touch and the inner core of the haiku itself is not there.

I was not satisfied with the knowledge of haiku that is written in the english textbook. The turning point came when I was faced with the challenge of getting to the basic of haiku. I want to know the original version. I want to know when haiku was started and who wrote the first haiku. That was the very basic of haiku. The main body which every haiku enthusiast should know before embarking on a journey of the haiku spirit.

With a heart full of bare knowledge and with a spirit of wings high in the sky, my feet carried me to the first haiku class in session. I did not know anyone in the class and coming from a foreign land, my knowledge of the Japanese kanji and writing was almost minimum. But this fear did not stop my thirst for that sweetness of haiku knowledge.

I challenged myself in a class of original haiku writers. Writers who are so knowleageable in haiku writing. At times I felt so helpless. This is the beginning of a hard climb for me and I am still climbing. Still struggling.
Imagine me, a person without any background of Japanese language since young, going all out to study a new language at this advance age, I have to admit that a few times I almost gave up in my frustrated attempt.

With much help from kind friends around me and understanding members in the haiku circle, I ploughed on. I fertilized the soil and build the knowledge ever so slowly. I planted the seeds of learning bit by bit.
I do not know the result yet but I hope the seed will grow into beautiful plant. This plant will one day, spread more seeds and build an empire of haiku writers in the Malay literary world.

End of Essay.

All this is written in Japanese.

Tsunami

artist: Southern All Stars
Song: Tsunami

kaze ni tomadou yowakina boku　(my timid self is confused in the winds)
toorisugaru ano hi no kage (that day's shadow passed me by)
hontou wa mita me ijou namida moroi kako ga aru (actually, more that it seems, its easy for me to cry)

tomedo nagareru sayaka mizu yo (endlessly flowing clear water)
kesedo moyuru mashou no hi yo (the devilish fire burning endlessly)
anna ni sukina hito ni (such a person that I love)
deau natsu wa nido to nai (such meeting that summer will not happened again)

hito wa dare mo ai motomete (everyone is serching for love)
yami ni samayou sadame (wandering in the dark to find destiny)
soshite kaze makase Oh, My destiny (so, I let the winds decide Oh, my destiny)
namida kareru made (till my tears is dried)

mitsumeau to sunao ni oshaberi dekinai (I can't say anything when I looked in your eyes)
tsunami no youna wabishisa ni (desolated like the tidal waves)
I know.. obieteru, Hoo.. (I know I'm scared, hoo..)
meguriaeta toki kara mahou ga tokenai （the magic didn't break since we met)
kagami no youna yume no naka de (like a mirrow in my dreams)

omoide wa itsu no hi mo ame (the memories and its always raining)

yume ga owari mezameru toki fukai yami ni yoake ga kuru (in the darkness of the night when the dawn is breaking, I woke up from my dream)
hontou wa mitame ijou utarezuyoi boku ga iru (the truth is I'm stronger than I appear)

nakidashisouna sora nagamete nami ni tadayou kamome (gazing at the almost tearful sky with seagulls drifting on the wave)
kitto yo wa nakase Oh, sweet memory (makes the world so tearful, Oh sweet memory)
tabidachi wo mune ni (the journey of my heart)

hito wa namida misezu ni otona ni narenai (a person cannot mature without showing tears)
Glass no youna koi da to wa (my love like glass)
I know.. kizuiteru, Hoo.. (I know, I feel it, hoo..)
mi mo kokoro mo itoshii hito shika mienai (my body and soul can only see my love)
harisakesouna mune no oku de (deep in my heart, I almost burst)
kanashimi ni taeru no wa naze? (why do I endure such sadness?)

mitsumeau to sunao ni oshaberi dekinai (I can't say anything when I gaze at you)
tsunami no youna wabishisa ni (such emptiness like tsunami)
I know.. obieteru, Hoo.. (I know, I'm scared, hoo...)
meguriaeta toki kara shinu made suki to itte (from the time we met till the day we die, say that you love me)
kagami no youna yume no naka de (like the mirrow in my dreams)

hohoemi wo kureta no wa dare? (the smile who is it for?)
suki nanoni naita no wa naze? (I love you but why am I crying?)
omoide wa itsu no hi mo... ame (the memories and its always...raining)

ps: Please be kind, when you take this translation, put my name. Its mine!

Jahrera@Okinawa.

Jendela Timur Nov. 2008

Sword Bean/Kacang Parang

I stare and stare at these beans. What do I call it? Since I have the beans and since nobody else know what to make of it, then I shall name it as

Kacang Parang (along the line of Ikan Parang).

or

the english version

Sword Beans.

Maybe I should let Kamus DBP or Wikipedia know about this.

Still thinking and staring...

Kacang apa gerangan ini?
Suruhku rebus, suruhku masak.
Mana asal benih ini?
Taburan dari bimasakti,
membaling kejora ke laman ini.
Mintaku rebus, mintaku masak,
diresap lembut,
dalam senyap menjalar akar
menusuk saraf ini.

ps: kacang bukan buatan photoshop.

Diego

I am sorry but I will come back as soon as things are settled, insyaAllah.

In the meantime, enjoy this heart-rending Okinawa song by Jimama, Okinawa singer. Finish the song and you'll understand.

Diego, the national flower of Okinawa.

Retirement of the Home Madame.

For people who have been actively employed all the waking hours, being paid handsomely or otherwise, they will have a cut-off line to change their lifetime status. When those employed time has ended and they brand themselves as "retired", the image is set.
Naturally, by this time they have a bagful of retirement reward, they feel inner satisfaction, they will look forward to hobbies that were sacrified long ago.

I envy these people. Its nice to know where you stand, good to know you are up onto another level of life.

The subject of this rambling is me.
I am a home person all my waking hours after I am "happily married ever after"!
The first phase of my life as a bearing and fruiting person is long gone.
Then the second phase of guiding and taking care of the growth has just gone.
Now, when the growth is blossoming, when the growth can take care of itself, where do I stand?
Quite clearly, this is the last phase of my life.

Then, do I call myself as retired?
I am still a home person, doing my home thing. So, in truth, let me ask again...
am I or am I not retired?

Persamaan Pantun dan Haiku

Sudah hampir setahun Sdr Darma Mohammad berkecimpung dalam penulisan haiku dengan prolifik. Haiku-haiku karangan beliau masih dalam proses pengumpulan.

Catatan analisis ini ialah hasil dari kajian beliau menuju ke jalan kemantapan dunia haiku.

***********

Pantun klasik Melayu yang sentiasa segar (evergreen) ialah :

Tuai padi antara masak,
Esok jangan layu-layuan;
Intai kami antara nampak,
Esok jangan rindu-rinduan.

[Pujangga tanpa nama]

[1]
Pada pandangan umum sesebuah pantun mempunyai dua unsur penting ialaitu Pembanyang dan Maksud.
Dua baris pertama (blok A) disebut pembayang, manakala dua baris akhir (blok B) adalah maksud.
Pantun itu mengandungi 4 baris (bagi pantun 4 kerat) dan setiap barisnya terdiri daripada 8 - 12 sukukata.
Bunyi hujungnya berbentuk a-b-a-b.

[2]
Apabila mendalami pantun klasik yang diakui bermutu tinggi; dua baris (Blok A) dengan dua baris (Blok B)
mempunyai kaitan naratif. Pembaca jarang memerhatikan hal ini, kerana pada pandangan umum,
dua baris pertama (Blok A) itu semata-mata pembayang dan tidak bermakna apa-apa.
Begitu juga dengan baris 1 dan baris 2 (Blok A) itu sebenarnya ada kaitan atau urutan naratif, bukan semata-mata
sekadar ada sahaja.
Dengan itu dalam sesebuah pantun klasik yang bermutu tinggi setiap baris itu ada kaitan semuanya.
B1, B2,B3 dan B4 mempunyai naratif; iaitu ada kesatuan cerita dan maksud.

[3]
Perhatikan pantun klasik di atas :

Tuai padi antara masak,
Esok jangan layu-layuan;

Naratifnya :
Pada musim menuai, masyarakat desa sama-sama menuai padi di sawah. Padi huma (ketika itu), perdunya tinggi.
Bila mereka mengetam, keadaan buah/tangkai padi itu berada di aras dada atau bawah sedikit. Mereka menuai padi
yang sudah masak (ada bahagian yang belum masak), nanti kalau tidak dituai,pokok padi itu akan (rebah) atau
tumbang ke bumi,dan ini menyukarkan mereka menuai nanti.
Di antara mereka yang menuai itu terdapat seorang teruna dan seorang dara yang sedang dalam percintaan.

Intai kami kami antara nampak,
Esok jangan rindu-rinduan.

Sang dara atau sang teruna (salah seorangnya) meminta temannya mengintai / melihat / menatap wajahnya
di balik pohon-pohon padi itu untuk melepas rindu masing-masing. Mungkin ini dilakukan secara rahsia,
ditakuti perbuatannya dilihat orang. Mungkin masa itu mereka berada (menuai) tidak jauh dari satu sama lain.
Oleh kerana pokok padi itu agak tinggi, wajah mereka antara nampak dengan tidak. Kesempatan ini (waktu menuai)
hendaklah dimanfaatkan oleh sepasang kekasih ini, agar antara mereka tidak merasa rindu yang bersangatan
pada keesokan harinya.

JIka naratif itu diterima, maka keempat-empat baris (B1,B2,B3,B4) pantun itu mempunyai satu kesatuan yang padu.
Ini menunjukkan pantun klasik ini teramat tinggi mutunya.

[4]
Pengalaman membaca puisi klasik Jepun iaitu haiku (oleh Basho) cukup menarik. Haiku puisi 3 baris dengan sukukata 5-7-5 itu
mempunyai kesatuan dari segi naratifnya. Haiku yang baik mesti mengandungi unsur alam (pantun pun begitu juga).
Dalam haiku ada kata musim (tidak diwajibkan dalam pantun), tetapi pembayang yang baik harus menggunakan
daripada unsur alam. Haiku mengandungi perasaan atau kesan emosi di dalamnya, demikian juga pantun yang baik.

[5]
Pantun klasik Melayu lahir dalam masyarakat Melayu, manakala haiku dalam masyarakat Jepun. Pengucapan seniman
yang tulen tidak dapat pisahkan daripada alam persekitaran penciptanya dengan luahan pemikiran, perasaan dan pandangan hidup
penulisnya.

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

Terima kasih Sdr Darma mengizinkan catatan ini disiarkan.

Selamat menunaikan ibadah haji bersama isteri, semoga mendapat haji mabrur.

Wassalam

Raya 1429/Oct 2008

Today is the 4th of Syawal, I am still blinking. Don't know how I managed the whole week before the Raya and the cleaning up the days after.
My family, or what is left on this island, wish all beautiful readers and closed friends, far and near:

Salam Aidil Fitri,

May we forgive and forget,

May we understand each other more,

May we mature and not make the same mistake over again.

(this goes for me as well).

With my mother passing away less than 3 months ago and without my two daughters with me, I could not celebrate Hari Raya. Could not!

I made up my mind not to go the morning eid solat, I didn't want to make cookies, I looked at the curtain and let the dust fly happily. During all the days of Ramadan, I stayed home, eventhough there were invitations for iftar together.

I know my actions and decisions were wrong. This is not Christmas, this is not Deepavali, this is Aidil fitri and I am part of it. Then 3 days before 1st Syawal, my brain snapped out of its cocoon.

Alone, I pulled out the flour, the sugar, the rollers and tried making something.

I did but my heart wasn't in the tarts. The pineapple jam just melt out of its fillings, the oat cookie was half-burnt, the blueberry roll cookie wasn't rolling and the peanut bites was hard enough to break a dog's tooth!

Ya Allah, I am into one of my deep depressions, take me out of it! I refused to switch on radios from Malaysia and Singapore, just so I don't have to listen to the raya songs. That can take me deeper into the dark valley in the deep oceans!

My otto somehow understand the "underflow" or lack of it, in this brain. He took me to buy flowers, he helped to clean and tidy the rooms and he went to get the meat for rendang and other raya dishes.

I was smiling quietly to know that most of the muslim friends on the American military base have gone home mainland and many students from JPA are still holidaying in Malaysia and no Malaysian from the JICA group.

So I told myself, "yeay, no cooking, nobody is visiting me!"

There and then, I decided to spend my first raya day at the hot pool spa.

Oh no, that wasn't the best plan arranged for me. One friend from Perak, told me she might bring in the whole contingent from Indonesia to my house.

With a surrendering sigh, out come the kerisik, serai and lengkuas. Soaked in the pulut and waited. Slowly, things just happened. The flow moved on in the right direction. Draggingly, I have to feel the beat, I cannot just drowned myself on this wonderful day.

I am sorry to say, I did not take any photos, neither did I hang those wishing raya cards that were from beautiful friends in Malaysia.

Those flowers in the photo above, are the only evidence of raya this year from this house.

footnote: a few more sessions in the hot pool spa might pull me out of this, so bear with me for a little while, thank you.

From a distance, I am.

I am here...from a distance.

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

FROM A DISTANCE - Bette Midler

From a distance the world looks blue and green,and the snow-capped mountains white.

From a distance the ocean meets the stream, and the eagle takes to flight.

From a distance, there is harmony, and it echoes through the land.

It's the voice of hope, it's the voice of peace, it's the voice of every man.

From a distance we all have enough, and no one is in need. And there are no guns, no bombs, and no disease, no hungry mouths to feed.

From a distance we are instruments marching in a common band. Playing songs of hope, playing songs of peace. They're the songs of every man. God is watching us. God is watching us. God is watching us from a distance.

From a distance you look like my friend, even though we are at war.

From a distance I just cannot comprehend what all this fighting is for.

From a distance there is harmony, and it echoes through the land. And it's the hope of hopes, it's the love of loves, it's the heart of every man. It's the hope of hopes, it's the love of loves. This is the song of every man. And God is watching us, God is watching us, God is watching us from a distance.

Oh God is watching us, God is watching, God is watching us from a distance.

26/9/08 1:46 PM from my friend VimmiYasmin, thank you V.Yasmin for the lyric.

Susu melamine

Cantik pinggan dan cawan set ini.

Kalau arwah mak saya, dia panggil pinggan damar dan cawan damar. Rujukan pada Kamus Dewan, melamine ialah melamina. Istilah damar pula Kamus Dewan terangkan sebagai "bahan berupa getah keras yg diperoleh drpd beberapa jenis pokok."

Alahai, dia letak bahan melamine dalam susu tepung minuman bayi.
Bermakna bayi-bayi itu makan bahan getah yang beracun.

Padanlah 5 orang bayi dia dah balik ke alam abadi!

Lailatulqadar

Hadis riwayat ibnu Umar r.a.:

Bahawa sebahagian daripada sahabat Rasullullah s.a.w bermimpi melihat lailatulqadar pada hari ke tujuh yang terakhir.
Kemudian Rasulullah s.a.w bersabda: "Menurutku bahawa mimpi kalian pasti bertepatan dengan hari ketujuh terakhir, maka barangsiapa yang ingin menantinya, hendaklah ia menanti pada hari ketujuh terakhir (bulan Ramadhan)."

Semoga penantian ini dikabulkan-Nya, amin.

Hadiah Hari Nuzul Al-Qur'an

Sesuatu pelik berlaku hari ini tapi saya anggap ini satu takdir atau rezeki bulan Ramadan.
Polis inspektor menziarah rumah ini. Sebelum datang, dia telefon terlebih dulu.
Selepas meletakkan gagang telefon itu, dengan segera Otto minta siapkan kopi.
Polis Inspektor dari Pejabat Polis Besar Naha nak datang lagi 20 minit, katanya.
Berbagai soalan bermain-main dalam kepala ini.
Adakah kami telah melanggar undang-undang?
Apa polis inspektor nak tanya?
Apa motif dia datang?

Dia datang, membawa sebakul hadiah yang berisi berbagai buah-buahan.
Kenapa dia bawa hadiah itu? Hati ini bertanya dengan curiga.
Kalau rakyat jelata memberi hadiah pada pegawai kerajaan secara peribadi, itu orang panggil rasuah.
Tapi apa pula jika pegawai kerajaan memberi hadiah kepada rakyat jelata?
Kenapa dia beri hadiah itu?
Ini membuat unsur curiga bertambah besar.

Tuan nak kopi black atau sugar?
Brack, brack...dia senyum.
Saya hidangkan kopi tongkat ali dari Seremban, hah ambil kau rasa Msia!

Sambil membaca berita online, saya terdengar antara perbualan mereka.
Tahu tak mengapa mereka bertengkar? (siapa pula yang bertengkar?)
Apa perkara yang mereka bincangkan? (ada perbincangan hebat, agaknya)
Orang yang timbulkan isu itu dari negara mana dan apa namanya?

Otto pula memang tidak melibatkan diri dalam perbincangan bersama orang-orang sini. Sudah selalu berlaku kekecuhan di antara kaum-kaum dan puak-puak dari berbagai negara yang datang berkursus di pulau ini.
Otto kata orang Islam yang kebanyakan berkursus di pulau ini tidak tahu cara berbincang, pendapat mereka selalu tidak sama, tidak mendapat kata putus yang sama, keras kepala dan ego.
Saya tambah pula itu disebabkan kebanyakan mereka masih muda dan pengalaman belum dapat mengajar mereka menjadi orang penyabar.

Jadi maklumat yang inspektor harap Otto dapat menolong dalam penyiasatannya hampa belaka. Tidak ada satu pun yang inspektor ingin tahu, Otto dapat bantu.

Malang betul nasib inspektor.
Agaknya menyesal dia bawakan hadiah.
Tapi saya anggap itu rezeki kami, hadiah hari Nuzul Al-Qur'an.

Koizumi, Abe, Fukuda

Mula-mula PM ini letak jawatan...pening dengan pembangkang yang kuat sangat.

Diganti dengan ini pula...dia pun letak jawatan.
Katanya perut sakit, ada lubang dalam perut, kena rehat.


Lawan pun lawan, undi punya undi...yang ini pula dapat jawatan tinggi ini.
Tapi...
dia pun angkat tangan...tak sanggup!

Gaji sebula rm 40,000 (US$10,000)
Bonus setahun rm 200,000(US50,000)
Elaun rasmi rm 15,000 (US5,000)
dan lain-lain penerimaan wang rasmi (tidak dapat dijelaskan).

Gaji bulat sikit lebih kurang 1 juta rm setahun atau US$300,000!

Tapi kenapa mereka letak jawatan berturut-turut?
Pembangkang kuat?
Perut berlubang?
Tak sanggup segalanya?

Entah!
Kita tunggu siapa lagi yang kena "gantung" lagi.

Iftar awal ramadan

Tahun ini Ramadan datang dengan kami saja bertiga di rumah ini. Tahun ini ramadan menjelang dengan melihat saya beriftar seorang. Otto habis tugasnya sejam selepas waktu iftar dan Tomo, si bujang yang tinggal, balik dari kelas mengajarnya 3 jam selepas waktu iftar. Tomo membuat kerja sampingan luar waktu belajar. Dia mengajar di Pusat kelas malam. Untuk bekal berbuka, saya bungkuskan nasi kepal bermacam rasa atau burger dengan sebotol air.
Jadinya saya berbuka seorang sahaja.
Hari pertama Ramadan, kedua-duanya Otto dan Tomo, tidak dapat duduk bersama beriftar, jadi saya menjemput beberapa pelajar JPA yang masih ada di sini, yang lain sudah balik ke rumah di Malaysia masing-masing sebab sekarang cuti penggal musim panas.

Menu:
Gulai lemak cili padi nangka dengan ikan masin (yang kuning).
Rendang daging nogori.
Sup petula bersama telur.
Ulam kacang botol dengan sambal tempoyak
Pulut kuning dengan serunding daging

Manisan:
kurma
Hum chee paeng
Buah jambu air, buah naga, buah belimbing manis dan buah anggur hitam.
Antara perbualan yang terdengar...
Eh, mana auntie dapat buah nangka?
Aik, engkau tak nampak ke pokok nangka depan rumah auntie tu?
Dah bertahun keluar-masuk rumah auntie, masih tak perasan ke?
Itulah nangka buah sulung, hah ini rezeki engkau dapat rasa buah nangka sulung tanaman uncle.
Sebenarnya nangka itu belum masak sangat lagi tapi agaknya terlampau berat, dia merekah. Auntie takut lalat dapat masuk dalam sarungnya, jadi berulat pula. Itulah auntie suruh uncle potong sebelum nangka itu masak.
Yang buah naga itu pun dari laman rumah auntie, tak nampak ke berjuntaian di tempat letak kereta depan rumah tu?

Depan belakang rumah auntie menjalar-jalar buah naga. Sekarang musim dia berbuah, bergantung sana sini, berbuai-buai sana sini.
Jambu air tu mana auntie dapat, pun tanam ke?
Oh, jambu air tu kakak ipar auntie bawa dari rumahnya, dia ada sepohon buah itu, manis sangat.
Auntie kalau ada petis rojak, lagi sedap buat cecah.
Oh, ada...
Tempoyak nie mana auntie dapat?
Oh, tempoyak auntie bawa dari Seremban, tempoyak itu auntie buat sendiri. Masa balik Seremban bulan lepas, auntie tengok durian berlambak-lambak di belakang rumah sedara, auntie pungut semua dan ramaskan isi durian, masukkan sikit garam dan masukkan dalam botol.
Bila bawa sebotol balik Okinawa hari tu, sikit durian masam itu tertumpah. Nasib pegawai itu memang malang, dalam banyak-banyak bagasi yang auntie bawa, dia pilih yang bag durian tumpah itu.
Bila auntie buka bag itu untuk diperiksa, alangkah berbaunya...auntie mengaku memang bau durian jeruk, sememangnya busuk. Pegawai Jepun itu, ialah orang Jepun, manalah tau itu durian jeruk, menjadi takut menjenguk lama-lama. Cepat-cepat dia minta auntie tutup bag itu dan kata lulus, lulus.
Selamat auntie, save by the durian busuk...alhamdulillah.

Kacang botol itu dicecahkan dengan tempoyak pun sedap. Kacang botol itu, jiran auntie kasi. Kacang botol banyak menjadi di pagar rumahnya, sampai tak termakan. Bila dia tau auntie suka ulam kacang botol, hari-hari dia hantar kacang botol ke rumah ini.
Engkau dah habis makan tempoyak ini ke?
Auntie kena tutup cepat-cepat, nie uncle sibuk kata busuk, busuk...

Hah, nanti balik bawalah balik gulai nangka ini, auntie tak habis makan.
Kalau boring-boring, datang rumah auntie, berbuka sama.
Auntie memang berbuka seorang saja.

Selamat bersahur dan beriftar semua. Rahmatullah.

Ramadan 1429/2008

Other than my weekly swimming session at the public pool once a week, the one thing I would really missed during the fasting month of Ramadan is the session at the hot pool bath.

See the picture above, that is where I go every week. That place is on a hilltop, way above the sea and almost touching the cloud. As I dipped my body in the hot pool jacuzzi, I looked below at small white-painted houses and green sugar cane fields. I just stare with empty thought. Clear my brains, washed my mind off all unwanted elements.

Clean my body, clear my thoughts and refresh my feelings with lots of love from memories of beautiful people, this I cannot miss every week.

Just yesterday, I had one of those weekly session. I was alone, looking at the sea so far away.
"Ufuk langit" at the edge of the earth.
Where does the sea drops from there?
Where does the sky rises from there?
These two, the sea and sky meet in the distance as our plain eyes see but the weird part is, our eyes are just playing trick on our sight.
While deep in thoughts about the "ufuk langit", I saw this women, maybe late 40s, sitting by the edge of the pool, near the glass window.
She has nothing on, she was also reflecting on the scenery. A long, deep reflection.
I looked at her and then looked again on the houses below and those cars that drove up the hill. Those people below would clearly see her as they drove up the hill.
I went slowly near her and told her, made her aware that some people can see her very clear in her bare element. She agreed and nodded her head a few times but never move away from the edge.
Never mind, I told myself, maybe people looking in her natural clothing is not a bother to her.

Ah, tomorrow is Ramadan.
I would miss that "ufuk langit", the white cloud swimming in the blue sky ever so softly, the deep blue colour of the calm sea, the pigeons that come to the glass window and cooing at us in the hot pool.

Ah, tomorrow is Ramadan....

Wishing all muslim readers, friends, relatives, even people who dislike me, ramadan al-mubarak (after edition), may Allah accept our sincere ibadah with rahmat.

Meals on the go

All the beautiful food I took while travelling in Msia and Spore, the last two months.

Casino Genting

Photo credited to: http://www.goldendays.co.uk/Images/DiscoverMalaysiaPics/Genting-Highlands-1.jpg

Link ke penulis asal Adik Aliff Mustakim: http://www.esasterawan.net/esasterawan/1_weblog.asp?uid=131

Dari Genting ke Hutan Rimba

Saya menerima permintaan agar haiku yang pernah ditulis oleh Lelahiro semasa berkembara di Malaysia agar disiarkan di blog saya. Saya tidak dapat menyiarkan kesemuanya kerana hanya satu haiku sahaja yang berjaya dimiliki(ini pun diberikan sebagai ‘hadiah’ daripada Lelahiro-sensei). Haiku ini saya anggapkan ditulis ketika Sensei mengembara di bumi Genting. Haikunya seperti dibawah ini;

Di Bukit Genting,
rimba menebus dosa,
tangan penjudi.

[halela-okinawa]
20 Julai 2008, KL Sentral, Kuala lumpur.

Membaca baris pertama sudah menunjukkan haiku menggambarkan latar Genting. Pada baris ke 3 dapat digambarkan ia mempunyai hubungan kaitnya dengan baris pertama iaitu kegiatan perjudian yang aktif di Genting(sangat mahsyur di Malaysia ini). Di baris kedua menyatakan bahawa ‘rimba (kigo – kata musim) menebus dosa’ ditamsilkan bahawa rimba atau hutan yang melata di bukit-bukit sekitar Genting itu seolah menebus semua dosa yang dilakukan oleh penjudi (baris 3 ‘tangan penjudi’).

Penjudi melalui hutan rimba yang menghijau sepanjang perjalanan pulang. Rimba itulah seperti berjaya menangkap dosa tersebut dimana mata penjudi menikmati panorama hutan yang luas seperti meninggalkan semua dendam, suka duka semasa berjudi kepada flora. Disini boleh dikatakan sudah ‘menanggalkan’ dosa-dosa tersebut.

Pada mulanya saya merasa baris ke 2 ini agak aneh. Mengapa? Sebagai muslim mana mungkin rimba/hutan dapat menebus dosa (erti kata lain dosa terhapus/zero kembali dengan mudah) sang penjudi walaupun sekadar menjamu mata pemandangan hutan tebal. Kemudian saya tersedar bahawa penjudi itu sebenarnya/seharusnya non-muslim. Lelahiro betul pada baris 2 dengan tamsilan yang logik. Dari segi kepercayaan tentulah si penjudi berbeza kepercayaan/pegangan dengan seorang muslim.

Dari segi ini kepercayaan non-muslim mungkin pada pandangan saya, alam atau sekeliling dapat mengawal pahala, dosa, nasib, kesihatan dan sebagainya. Contoh mengenai nasib, kaum cina khususnya terpengaruh dengan Feng Syui. Elemen-elemen seperti pokok, bunga, air, batu, warna dan sebagainya dapat mempengaruhi nasib mereka. Begitu juga dengan alam dan keadaan sekeliling mereka. Haiku ini memang berjaya mengajak kita untuk berfikir sebentar. Haiku ini mengingatkan saya kepada Basho seorang yang berpegang kepada konsep-konsep agama (buddhist).

Sebagai tambahan saya mahu mengajak pembaca fikir-fikirkan tentang hal ini;
Bolehkah alam menghukum kita?

Terminal 3, Singapore Changi Airport

This is Terminal 3 of Singapore Changi Airport. It was officially opened in July, 2008. The best part of this terminal is the immigration checkpoint. Its all glasses, see-through for visitors and waiting people.
The Singapore-Garden-City theme is admittedly strong. Tall, palm trees lining up, orchids blooming everywhere, creeping plants over stone walls, spraying, cooling fountains and shops, shops, shops...
It is huge, walking completely around it within all the 3 levels would take 1hr.
Singapore Airlines is the main anchor tenant, so I noticed.

I dont know where this feelings come from but when I'm in places like this, I feel rich. Maybe that's the point here...you are made to feel rich.

*point cursor at foto to see caption.

Bedok, Ansar Gardens

Tempoyak

If you are eating 20pcs daily of durian for the past 2 weeks and you are sort of bloated in the tummy, sort of having some slight headaches, be at peace.
Those of the after effect of too much durian, the shitty smell that the stomach have to work on.
So, after the pulut durian, bubur kacang durian, wajik durian, pengat durian...what do you do with the rest of the durians?



You peel the shitty, vanilla-flavoured, mellowing, yellowing pulp in a bowl, throw in some salt...



Keep in tight bottle, refrigerate...
Anytime of the year, any place in the world, give myself some good company and a dash of the shitty tempoyak and I am the happiest person on earth.

Bedok, Ansar Gardens.