Demam Cinta Kura-Kura

I was down with fever since last Friday. In fact sejak hari Khamis lagi dah rasa "Panas dingin, panas dingin...seluruh tubuhku" *matilah Sheeda. Kepala hotak I pun dah nyut nyut berdenyut-denyut. Memang rasa macam nak demam. Tu lah mulut jahat sangat asyik mengata orang, kan dapat balasan Tuhan. Ish. But I still managed to get through the day yang celaka tu, siap jalan kaki balik rumah kononnya nak excercise la. Walaupun hakikatnya kat luar tu angin bertiup kencang. Tapi dalam dok menggigil kesejukan tu, ku gagahi juga langkah ku ini balik ke rumah dengan berbekalkan hot latte from Costa.

Sampai je rumah, I cakap kat pakcik 2 ekor tu kita order lah takeaway. Lepas pung pang ambik order semua, I pun bantai tidor sekejap. Bila order dah sampai, I bangun la makan. Then lepas tu tidur balik sampai keesokan harinya.

The next day lagi lah dahsyat. Sakitnya kepala ni macam nak meletup!! So I pun called la switchboard to bleep the bleep holder kat my department tu and I told her (the bleep holder) yang I ni tak sihat and bla bla bla. Berdasarkan pengalaman yang lepas, walaupun I dah bagitau kat bleep holder yang I tak boleh datang kerja hari ini, I tetap kena bagitau personally kat Mak Naga yang I ni tak sihat. Pompuan tu memang cepat sentap kalau you tak bagitau dia personallly as if dia tu pengarah hospital. Mengada betul lah!!

So terpaksa la I mengadu nasib dengan Mak Naga tentang diriku yang dilanda musibah ni. Tapi tahu je lah, Mak Naga being Mak Naga tetap insist on "Are you sure you're not feeling well? Could you come and work today". Hish marah betul aku. Do I really need to come to work and show her that I am actually sick? I told her lah yang I can't even lift my head up (which is true). How could she expect me to come and work at this rate? Lepas tu, she goes on and on about susah nak cari orang ganti last minute and betapa susahnya nak reschedule patient segala (eleh bukannya dia kena buat pun..apa gunanya ada 3-4 orang booking clerk kalau tak nak suruh diorang buat kerja selain dari menghabiskan biskut digestive tu?).

A phone call yang sepatutnya 5 minit, dah jadi panjang lebar. Mak Naga cakap, "Izuan, kenapalah kau ni suka bagitau weols yang kau tak boleh datang kerja last-last minute??". Sentap lah I kan? Last minute?? If only I knew that I am going to be unwell one week in advance. Kalau boleh lain la ceritanya ye tak? Apa ke bodoh punya soalan tu? Ikut hati nak je maki hamun but I bit my tongue instead. Kadang-kadang bercakap dengan bangsa-bangsa kap lam yang feeling upper caste ni kena la bawak watak talam 18 muka seperti Mak Tiri Bawang Putih bila berdepan dengan bapak Bawang Putih. So I told her, "I'm sorry that I am sick. I wish I could come to work but I can't. Sorry if I cause you any trouble"...diselang-seli dengan effect batuk-batuk. Drama sungguh. In the end, dia cakap take care and hope you're well soon.

Letak je phone, I terus bantai tidur sampai la ke pukul 2 petang hari Sabtu. Punya lah lama kan?? I did get up few times untuk kencing, makan ubat and makan sup ayam yang dibuat oleh Pakcik #1 yang konon dibuat dengan penuh kasih sayang tu..phuih! The rest, I habiskan dengan membuat taik mata. Peluh tu memang tak ingat dunia la sampai basah segala bed sheet and bed cover.

The worst part has long gone. Cuma kepala I ni je yang masih spinning around macam Makcik Kylie Nonok.

Mak Naga ni always la dok pertikai why la aku ni selalu off sick. Cis! Takde la selalu pun. Cuma 2-3 bulan sekali. Bukannya sengaja mintak sakit pun. Dah memang nak sakit nak buat macam mana? Nak pulak Pakcik #2 tu memang prone untuk mendapat jangkitan penyakit yang pelik-pelik disebabkan dia punya health status lah kan. So last week dia demam, lepas tu habis satu rumah demam.

She (Mak Naga) on the other hand memang jarang-jarang ambik sick leave. Pompuan tu memang gigih bekerja. Dedikasi la konon. Even time dia annual leave pun bukannya dia duduk berehat kat rumah, tapi pergi kerja kat hospital lain. Ada sekali tu dia kena buat lower GI tract endoscopy due to the her sakit perut bagai nak rak tapi berak sejemput ala-ala cekodok je. So masalah digestion ke hapa benda, maka doktor dia kata, jom la kita buat endoscopy ikut mulut dan ikut vontot. Mind you, endoscope ikut mulut tu probably ok la kot but yang ikut vontot tu, someone told me yang peritnya lika having the first anal sex. Kan Kak Fahya?? *matilahhh pecah rahsia~

So nak dijadikan cerita, selepas Mak Naga terpaksa membiarkan vontotnya ditutuhi tanpa rela oleh menatang endoscope yang kejam itu, tup-tup petang tu muncul balik bertugas seperti biasa. I was like, kau kenapa? Oh dia kata I have to work, tak boleh balik rumah, patient nanti kena reschedule bla bla bla. I cakap kat dia, dah dah le tu. Gi la balik. Patient boleh reschedule. Mana yang I sempat buat, I tengok hari ni. The rest tu pandai-pandai le I suruh pompuan-pompuan tukang habiskan biskut digestive tu call patient and reschedule them. Lepas paksa baru dia balik. Kalau tak, mrasa kerja dalam keadaan bontot tonggek. Last time masa dia kena tendonitis pun still datang kerja dalam keadaan tempang. Padahal boleh je mintak MC. Takdenya department kitorang ni gagal berfungsi kalau dia tak datang kerja sehari!!

She even voluntarily extend her working contract until 70 years old (psttt pompuan tu dah 65 you), padahal takde sapa pun request suruh dia extend. Gila kuasa sungguh! Tak mrasa la I nak buat rampasan kuasa! *matilahhhhhhh verangan~

So gitu le ceritanya. Habis berlalu weekend ni dengan aktiviti membuta. Bila bangun pulak, tu diah banyaknya info-info sahih dan info-info putar belit pasal BERSIH 3.0, up to the point I don't know what to believe anymore. I have my own opinion about BERSIH 3.0 ni. Nantilah kalau kuku tak sakit, I'll blog about it later. Tu pun kalau I tak tewas dek penangan makan chicken wings sampai muntah!

Sekian.

The One With Soalan Puaka

Few days ago (or weeks ago), my cousin yang memang ada tokoh jadi CNN kawasan Permatang Buluh tak bergaji tu, ada la tag I kat gambar cousin kami yang duduk kat Pekan Darat tu sewaktu majlis bertunang. Apa jadah dia tak tau nak tag aku sana sini. Menyampah betul. Takde ribut takde taufan, tiba-tiba muncul gambar ku ditagged kat perempuan yang tak berapa cantik ni.

So, I guesslah sapa pompuan yang bertudung terkeluar jambul ala-ala Shahrizat ni dengan bertanya, "Adakah ini ms so and so?? Tahniah!". Perempuan CNN tu pun reply la, "Ha lah, ms so and so. Tu la lama sangat tak balik, adik beradik sendiri pun dah tak kenal". Eh pompuan ni menopos ke?? Tetibe je nak bahasa-bahasakan aku?

Weols sepupu sepapat on my paternal side ni memang la rapat gitu-gitu je. Jumpa pun ada la setahun sekali. Asyik-asyik dok kata family aku ni jarang balik. Habis kau ingat beli minyak kereta tu guna air kencing ke? Asik-asik bapak aku yang kena balik sana as if we grow pokok duit-duit kat belakang rumah kitorang. Nak harapkan puak-puak syaiton ni datang ke Baling, memang la haram kan? Selama aku hidup ni, berapa kali je diorang bertandang ke rumah bapak aku tu. Lagi rajin diorang pergi mandi air panas kat Ulu Legong dari datang rumah bapak aku, walaupun in order nak ke sana, lalu depan rumah. Tidak ke tu LAHABAU namanya?

Lepas tu bila dah lama-lama sekali jumpa, off course la each and everyone of us mengalami few physical changing. Ada yang dulunya gumuk air, sekarang sudah slim like moir (matilah perasan). Ada pulak yang dulu slim seperti makan makjun taik kambing bulat-bulat boleh ubat, tiba-tiba menjadi tembam seperti kuih pau inti sardin.

Not to mention pulak dimekap-mekap seperti burung hantu, macam mana la aku nak kenal sapa kan??

Lagipun I could not care less pun. Walaupun kami sepupu-sepupu ni memang la boleh berkawan sebab masing-masing boleh kata agak muture and some of them agak pandai, maka our relationship tu tidak seperti anjing dan kucing. It is just mak bapak diorang je yang aku tak berapa berkenan. Ni kisah-kisah lama. Dah la nama gelaran/pangkat pun dekat-dekat dengan nama jembalang. Memang JEMBALANG!!

Mereka berdua ni memang suka menyakat aku. Thing is, it was not even funny. Menyakitkan hati adalah. Mulut masing-maisng mengalah puaka Padang Kota. Lepas tu dah macam upacara berganti-ganti. Lepas bini mengata, laki pulak sambung mengata. Tak berhenti-henti.

Ada sekali tu, depan-depan mak aku si mak jembalang ni kata aku ni lembut macam Jaafar Onn. Aku rasa tak ada pondan kat dunia ni yang in their right mind yang sanggup disamakan dengan J. Onn tu. Pastu aku pun jawab la, "Biar lembut asalkan pandai!". Boleh bagi jawapan tak rasmi macam tu? Ye lah, anak-anak jantan dia semua takat-takat SPM je. Yang perempuan je masuk U. Mak aku dah bagi jelingan manja versi Sheila Majid sambil bagi hint suruh aku berambus dari tempat kejadian. Nasib baik mak sendiri. Kalau mak tiri harus aku jeling balik kan?

Dah sudah dengan mak jembalang, lepas tu muncul pulak pak jembalang. Asal aku salam je, "Awat tangan hang ni lembut macam perempuan?". Hish nak je aku lempang time-time tu jugak. What do you expect tua kutuk oi?? Aku ni kerja tukang kebun ke that my hand has to be as rough as the tarmac? On the other time pulak, dia kata, "Ish hang ni aku tengok makin lama makin lembut!". Sakit hati betul lah. Sampaikan gigi dah luruh and kena stroke bagai, it never did stop him from teasing me as if takde benda lain yang boleh dibahan.

Yang buat paling aku tak boleh blah, anak jantan diorang tu bukan setakat lembut, he was mak nyah drag queen ok. Duduk satu rumah dengan parent, tapi berani mati drag ni. Aku masuk bilik dia masa aku umur dalam 13-15 tahun dulu penuh dengan baju pompuan, mekap and not to mention rambut palsu kembang mengerbang ala-ala rambut Zaiton Sameon. Besar sungguh pengaruh Kak Ton masa tu. Everybody wants to be her. Even pondan pun wants to be like her. Tapi menaruh harapan je lah sebab suara fail. 

Sekarang ni, pondan tu dah insap la (kot). Dah selamat kawin anak 3 you. Tapi takda sapa pun yang pernah persoalkan lenggang imahlenggok (matilah seru nama Imah) pondan sekor ni yang hobi dan kerja masa lapangnya adalah mekap pengantin. It could not get any more pondan than that la kan? Tapi takde sapa pun pernah ambik tau pasai dia. Walaupun bila time raya, akan datang segerombolan pondan bertetek datang ke rumah jembalang tu untuk berhari raya sambil tayang lelaki simpanan masing-masing. Dah macam lorong Haji Taib pun ada jugak. Semua orang buat macam biasa je. Mak bapak aku tak pernah la pulak make fun of him back then. Setakat mengumpat dalam kelambu tu biasa la. Tu pun sebab aku curi-curi dengar. Mak bapak aku memang jarang buat ketupat depan anak-anak. Kalau ada yang pasang telinga, sah lepas tu kena piat. Bila dah tua-tua ni baru la join sekaki menganyam ketupat secara berjemaah sambil makan pisang goreng dan kopi panas cap tarbus. 

Yang aku ni, tak pasal-pasal kena bahan. Takde buat salah pun kena bahan. Babi tau!

Sekarang ni pulak, bila balik kampung diorang dok soal siasat bila lagi aku ni berlangsung. Berlangsung apa aku tanya? Saja je buat-buat blur. Diorang tanya bila nak kawin. Gila la penting soalan macam tu kan?

Even si pondan insaf (insaf ke?) tu pun join sekaki. Dia kata, "Hmmm kau ni tak kawin-kawin lagi...sesuatu sangat", dengan menggunakan suara kepit tapi garau macam pompuan dalam filem Ibrahim Pendek yang ada scene Yusni Jaafar tercekik jagung tu..ala yang ada dialog, "BARU BALIK BANG BRAHIM"..."TULEN BANG". Sebijik sangat!!

Lepas tu kan, bila aku mintak nak dukung anak dia, dia kata, "Gi main dengan akak...eh abang!". Haiyohhhh tak sayang mulut sangat kan? 

Kalau ikutkan hati ku nan terluka ini (ewah), tidak le aku ni hadap sangat nak pergi ke Pekan Darat tu. Kalau tak mengenangkan mak aku yang suka bagi ceramah perdana free yang bertajuk 'Menziarah sanak saudara dan mengeratkan silaturrahim sesama keluarga sumber kekuatan ummah' dan mengenangkan mee rebus mak jembalang tu yang sedap tak terperi, tak hingin aku pergi. Baik aku pi makan mee udang Sungai Dua!

Tidak ke mereka ni pernah terpikir perasaan aku...or at least perasaan mak bapak aku?

Baru-baru ni pulak one of my Irish patient, dia punya partner yang also Irish ni terlebih ramah dok soal siasat asal usul aku ni. Dah some of his words sepatah haram pun aku tak paham dek kepekatan loghat Irishnya. Banyak bercakap sampaikan girlpren dia suruh hush. Tapi diam sekejap je, lepas tu sambung balik pok pek pok pek macam Joyah.

Where are you originally from mate??  (Bila masa tah aku mate dia)

 Malaysia.

Where is it? What is the neighbour country? Philippines?

Somewhere around there. It is between Singapore and Thailand. Quite far from Philippines but at the same region.

What is the country like?

Hot. Very hot! Roughly about 25 to 35 degree.

Bloody hell. Why is it so hot?

Errr because it is tropical country?

*bunyi cengkerik*

Do you have kids?

Nope.

Married? Girlfriend?

No and no. Single but not ready to mingle.

Are you serious? A guy like you still single?? Man, I am going to teach you how to pull a bird!

Pull a bird katanya?? Pull your bebird ke? Ish tak berkenan sungguh aku bila most of the siamang-siamang ni menggunakan 'bird' sebagai kata ganti nama pertama kepada perempuan.

Hehe. Thanks but no thanks!

Hoi kenapa la aku asyik ditanya soalan-soalan puaka macam ni?? 

Walk A 1000 Miles

Tajuk je bukan main. Tapi hakikatnya mau tayang kasut yang gua baru beli. So entry ni ditulis dengan hidung yang kembang kuncup tali kecapi!!




Sebenarnya, plan keluar last weekend just jalan-jalan ambik angin sambil balas dendam makan nasi lemak. Takde plan pun nak shopping sebab dah shopping sakan last week kat High Street Kensington. Ni semua salah hujan!!

Kononnya niat di hati nak pergi morning walk kat Hyde Park, lepas tu melantak nasi lemak kat Malaysia Hall. Masa gerak from Ealing tu, cuaca elok je. Bila dah cun-cun sampai High Street Kensington tu, ambik kau! Hujan lebat nak mamps. Terkedek-kedek lari cari perlindungan, termasuk lah ke kedai Gap tu. Bila hujan berenti, I pun keluar dari Gap sambil menjinjit shopping bag.

Lepas tu, kononnya insap la sekejap. Sekali lalu depan TK Maxx yang besaq ni ha di penghujung jalan. So you can guess la apa yang berlaku.

Sudahnya, nasi lemak ke mana, I jumped on the next train balik rumah. Sebab hujan lebat macam tak nak bagi I pi Malaysian hall yang lap kaki itu!! Eh!

Tapi tu lah, kalau dasar takde pendirian. Hari tu bukan main lagi buat spring cleaning. Baju-baju yang dah tak dipakai or jarang dipakai (include baju yang diberi sebagai hadiah, tapi tak berkenan), dah selamat hantar pergi charity shop. Niat di hati, enough is enough. Jangan dok gatai beli baju lagi. Tapi tahan 3 hari je. Lepas tu penuh balik gerobok baju tu.

Berbalik kepasa kasut, so harus la hari ni datang pakai kasut baru kan? Walaupun plan asal nak jalan kaki gi kerja, konon excercise. Tapi sebab sayang kasut, terus tukar plan naik bas boleh?

Anyway, kasut tu nampak macam kasut Bottega Veneta. Tapi ketahuilah yang kasut tu cap ayam je. Berkat berwindow shopping sepanjang Oxford street yang penuh manusia macam brengset tu. Nampak, terus berkenan dan terus beli.

Moral of the story? Rajin-rajin le window shopping. You never know what you might found along the way kan?

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Cinta Itu Buta Kayu

It is always interesting to read about my patient's background or history. Memang la aku ni kaki penyibuk, but in a way, it helps me to predict what sort of people I am going to face. I know it is a bit superficial to judge them based on their background, but I would rather be prepared for the worst la kan? Sesetengah tu does help me clinically.

Dua hari ni, I kept thinking about this one paku pakis lady whom I met last Friday for her antenatal appointment.

When I read through her notes, I stumbled the 'orange pages', the notes from the social services. Quite a history. Hidup dia penuh dengan onak dan duri gituh.

She have been through a lot. Depression, hidup porak peranda, dibuang sanak saudara, not to mention an abusive relationship with an abusive man. Tapi biasa la jantan kan?? Dalam dok sepak terajang tu, sempat jua menghasil beberapa ekor anak haram. To put insult to the injury, anak-anak dia pulak sekor-sekor tak ubah macam setan. Tapi what to expect kan kalau kids membesar in such environment with bapak setan dok kerja bagi makan sepak terajang day in day out and ever so often masuk keluar penjara?

One of the son masuk penjara sebab dadah. The other son kena buang sekolah sebab apa tak tau. From what I read mak dia menyalahkan pihak sekolah sebab tak support or accomodate masalah anaknya yang anti social tu.

Berbalik kepada makcik ni, after all what the siamang did to her, in the end dia kawin jugak dengan jantan jahanam tu. And off course la with all the troubles that they already had, it never did stop them dari membuat anak la kan, walaupun makcik ni dah 40 lebih.

When I finally met this lady, surprisingly she did not came across as I though she would be. In my mind, I thought she would be someone like set-set perempuan pariah estate council yang rough dan vulgar with thick Cockney accent and 'innit' in every flipping sentence! No she was not. She was totally 180 degree opposite from what I though she would be. She just like a normal typical asian lady. Soft spoken, polite and very timid.

Sometimes I wonder la jugak what did she do the deserve this? The same question that I ask myself everytime I have to deal with patient yang perangai macam setan gondol. Why is why? Ada kita ni jahat sangat to deserve all these bullshits?? *tetap la tema 'mak baik nyah'~

To think that jantan keparat tu pernah masuk penjara for good few years, and she had to raise the kids on her own, tidak ke dia pernah terpikir to just ditch the guy and live her live dengan aman without sepak terajang from that guy anymore? If it were me, I will make sure that he will never set a foot in my front door, let alone marry him. In fact, I will moved far far away without leaving a trail so that he will never sees me again! 

Ni tak, dia pergi kawin pulak dengan lahabau tu pasai apa? Bukan ke tu ibarat volunteerkan diri untuk masuk ke kandang untuk dibaham harimau?

Love? What do I know about love? 

Sesetengah orang tu sebab cinta sanggup ikut jantan sampai ke Lombok. Some people pulak, tak cukup dengan bagi what's between their legs (and their 'back door'), dibaginya pulak duit berkepuk-kepuk kat pak-pak hitam atas nama cinta, which end up dibiarkan sehelai sepinggang after that pak hitam chabut lari with all the money. Funny thing is some of these girls bukannya pompuan-pompuan bohsia yang tak cukup akal tu. Some of them dari background yang bijak pandai. Siap ada business sendiri bagai lagi you. But apparently not clever enough when it comes to love!

Is it the fact the love is blind? Or is it the fact that love makes us all go blind, so blind that we can even see the truth?

Ah again, what do I know about love?

Karma

Hamboi semalam bukan main lagi bereffing-effing mengata kat patient, hari ni terus dapat bayaran cash from the Al-mighty.

Mak bangun lambat hari ni nyah hey!!! Ni bukan lambat biasa-biasa. Ni lambat gila!! Gila pun tak lambat macam ni. Kalau anak dara, cancel orang nak masuk meminang. Dalam keadaan terpisat-pisat sambil lap ayaq lioq basi, tengok jam...opoco poco mak kau!! Dah pukul lapan lebih siyal!! Huwaaaaaa!

So, I got up, have a quick shower. I have to have a morning shower, even in a cold winter. Rasa tak lengkap kalau tak mandi pagi. Nasib baik tak kena mandi hadas! Siap cepat-cepat. Baju seluar semua dah siap iron. Nak set rambut pun tak sempat you. Lepas tu berlari-lari anak badak pi bus stop yang cun cun bas datang.

Sudahnya, 10 to 9 baru masuk klinik dengan muka tak malunya dan rambut berantakan. Nasib la I live 10 minutes away from the hospital. Patient baru sorang tengah tunggu. I have to apologise to her for keeping her waiting. Dia kata, takpe dik. Dia pun baru sampai katanya.

Moral of the story: Tuhan bayar cash! *mode insap*

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Shitty Shitty Bang Bang (Luahan Hati Seorang Yang Stress Melampau!)

It could not get anymore worst than dealing with demanding patient, though I am pretty sure they acknowledged that they are actually at the government hospital? On the top of it, some of these bastards not even pay taxes. Having had almost everything been provided by the government yang baik hati hasil memeras ugut duit tax pekerja-pekerja tegar like me and my friends, still want to demand macam-macam ka?

And with the shitty weather like today memang menambah kusut masai yang sedia ada kat kepala otak that can reduce your heart to failure!!

The morning alone I have to deal with Down's syndrome, VSD (ventricle septal defect) and midline cleft lip and palate, ditambah pulak dengan kebiolan system yang suddenly unable to accept the photos that I have been transfer from the ultrasound machine to the computer, which made me have to deal with the IT technician yang femalas. Sudahnya I end up restart the whole thing and it took ages nak start balik. Even beranak sulong lagi cepat nyah hey!

So, bila masalah bertimpa-timpa one thing after another, time keeping pun tidak la berapa bagus kan. I am surely will spend more time with the patient yang bermasalah. It is difficult sometimes to explain to some patient that they had lost their baby when the only words they know were 'boy, girl?'.

Time kita tengah dok kalot cari midwife and booking the new appoinment, boleh la pulak pompuan ni datang buat drama membebel-bebel yang dia dah duduk tercongok selama almost 1 jam.

"Hey you, I have been waiting for one hour. Kau hengat aku tunggul?"

Initally, I do felt sorry that she have to wait that long. But after I found out that her actual appointment was like 2 hours ago, which means that she came one hour later for her appoinment (ni kes lambat lembab sipot sarawak le), serta merta rasa marah membuak-buak.

Kau dah datang lambat and you expect to be seen immediately. Are you f-king kidding me? How dare you!

Normally, bila berhadapan dengan benda macam ni, I would rather walk away or just simply say sorry, my mistake and bla bla bla. Tapi hari ni, entah syaiton ifrit apa tah yang merasuk tetiba je mulut jadi celupar nak menjawab balik. Terus bawak watak mak Paro, Sumitra dalam filem Devdas.

*Bersiap sedia nak membuat serangan balas*

"Macam ni lah cik. You were late for your appointment to begin with. And I have lots of patient to see, who arrived on time for their appoinment. It would be unfair for them".

But I have been waiting for one hour. People could die you know if they have to wait that long. Is that how you run this place?

"Hmmm in that case 'that people' came to the wrong place because this place is not an emergency department. This is antenatal clinic for antenatal assessment!"

But why I have to wait. Why? Why??

"Well, some patient have problems with their pregnancy and I have to spend more time to assess them, so that I can be sure what am I dealing with. Some people have their baby with heart's problem. Some have brain's problem. Off course I have to spend more time with them so that I won't make any mistake. I'm pretty sure if it were you, you would want me to same thing".

Well I am still not happy and this place is shite!

"If you are not happy, you may leave. On the way out, turn to the right and find an office called PALS and you can log your complaint there."

"Basssttttt!! Tumhare shap te mere maan ki mariatar ko par kuch ata hey!"

Some of you would beg to differ, but in my opinion it was justified. Tidak le aku memaki hamu sampai segenap hospital boleh dengar. I talked with firm tone, tegas dan sedikit emotional. Boleh macam tu?

Lagi satu yang aku tak paham, why people always thought yang kita ni saja-saja nak bagi depa tunggu lama-lama?? Percaya lah, to all of us, lagi cepat klinik habis, lagi bagus. Boleh balik awal. Takdenya weols saja-saja nak bagi lambat. What do you think we do in our room? Wanking while facebooking?

Some even have a cheek mengunglit pasal gaji weols yang juga dibayar menggunakan taxpayer money. Nak je aku cakap, kalau dah duit kau, apa kata kau balik rumah, kau suruh laki kau ke, tukang kebun kau ke yang tolong buat antenatal check up tu! Ughhhh, some people seriously need to take more omega-3 to improve their brain function or perhaps to grow their brain cells!! *tu diah cakap ikut sedap molot jer~

Oh before I go, here is the video of mak Paro (Aishwarya Rai) naik hantu dalam filem Devdas. Enjoy!!

My Princesses

The other day kan, aku tunjuk la gambar niece kesayangan aku, Raudhah yang sangat comel bila pakai tudung (sila rujuk gambar kat bawah).





Comel kan?

Kau tahu dia kata apa? Dia kata, "Why do you have to force your kids wearing like this?" dengan nada yang sungguh offensive.

Oh before that I did explained to her that wearing tudung is not compulsory until puberty. So agaknya sebab tu la kot?

Sentap maknak nak habaq mai kat hangpa, Tuhan je la yang tahu.

Aku pun reply la, that I believe that my brother or my sister in law did not forced her to wear like this. Sebab most of time pun memang tak dipakaikan macam ni. Adik aku tu walaupun dia Ustaz, tapi dia tidak la bingai tahap Ayah Pin sampaikan budak-budak pun dia suruh pakai tudung segala.

Macam ni lah. Naluri seorang ibu, kalau ada anak perempuan, most of them love to doll up their kids. Ada bagi pakai baju ala-ala princess la, ada bagi pakai baju kungfu panda la. Tak kurang jugak yang bagi anak dia pakai baju yang tak ubah macam perempuan dot dot dot. Bukan ke tu semuanya normal behaviour?

I think that is the fun bit that all mothers enjoy to do. Bagi anak pakai cantik-cantik, lepas tu ambik gambar buat kenangan or untuk letak dalam FB. Salah ke? Hat yang dok kata tu pun dok bagi anak jantan dia dok pakai baju batman superman segala tu, takpa la pulak kan??


Lagipun yang dipakaikan kat anak buah aku tu, comel dan sopan gituh. Budak-budak memang elok diajar pakai yang sopan-sopan. Benda yang kita ajar perlahan-lahan, lama-lama akan jadi kebiasaan.

Ala macam parent yang suka pakaikan anak lelaki dengan dress. Sudahnya dah besar jadi Mak Nyah Drag Queen!! Tak ke tu haru biru namanya?

Anyway, this is the recent photo of my second niece, Iffa.


Eii geramnyeeeeee! Time-time macam ni la rindu nak balik ke Malaysia membuak-buak. Sayangggggggg anak Pak Long banyak-banyak!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Amsterdam Bahagian 2

Yosh. Seperti yang dijanjikan, ni adalah bahagian ke dua dari tiga bahagian yang diplanned. Saja je nak bagi Bro Hazrey sakit hati hehehehe.

6. Anne Frank House

Visiting to Anne Franks's house was on the top of my 'to do list'. Buku dia tu, The Diary of a Young Girl dah lama baca. Content dia pun ingat-ingat lupa. I vaguely remember about her story, her personal issues with her mother and her feeling about always being misunderstood by the rest of 'Secret Annexe' family. In fact, I have to re-read the book before I made my trip.

The house was actually an office and warehouse, located in front of canal called Prinsengracht, next to Westrkerk (Western Church) and Homomonument, at the area called western canal ring. The entrance fee is 8.50 euro for an adult. The queue to get into the house was unbelievable. My friend and I have to wait for about half an hour just to get in the house.

Walking through the house, stepping into through the revolving bookcase of the Secret Annexe and up to the steep stairs into the place where Anne and her family lived there for over 2 years before the were captured is like stepping back into a time that seems both distant and tragically real.

As I walked by, there were some of passages from the diary that has been written on the wall. The were also photograph of you Anne and her family, some of Anne's collection like movie star's photos, personal belongings include the yellow star that she (and other jews) forced to wear when German occupied the Netherlands.

There were also videos (some were very disturbing) showing the situation at concentration camp, how they treated the jews, dibiar kurus kering tak makan, yang mati dibiarkan macam tu je tanpa dikebumikan, some of the mayat tu diorang main humban je dalam mass grave. It was really disturbing. I almost cried when I watched some of the videos. Sangat tragic.

The were also video interview with some of the people who were related like Miep, Otto Frank (her father) and Anne's friends (Hanneli and Nanette) who confined in another section of the concentration camp that Anne went to.

Anne Frank died in March 1945 due to typhus. She died few days after her sister. A month later, the camp was liberated by British troops. After the deliberation, the camp was burned and both Anne and her sister, Margot were buried in the mass grave (along with others who died on the same cause) to prevent further spread of the disease.

Ayah Anne Frank, Otto Frank was the only survivor of the family. After war, he went back to Secret Annexe and found the diary among the litter scattered by the Nazis. The actually diary and few pages from her early days of writing (sebelum bapak dia bagi hadiah diary) were on display. On the way out, I saw this words on the wall quoted by her father,

"To build up a future, you have to know the past" - Otto Frank, 1967

To date, the diary has been translated into 60 languages, made into stage play performed in 34 countries and was made into movie. The latest edition of the diary has came out with few controversial passages that Anne's father did not include in the initial edition because it too personal (which I bought on Amazon few days ago and downloaded it to my kindle). Anne have left us with the legacy of the story of an ordinary girl who struggled to swim during the tide of difficulty. Sesungguhnya perang merang ni sungguh tak berfaedah. Have we not even learn from this? I wonder whether the people like Ehud Barak, Ariel Sharon, Slodovan Milosevic, Osama Bin Laden, George Bush and Robert Mugabe have ever read this book!!

So, to sapa-sapa yang pi Amsterdam, visiting this house is a MUST!!

7. Van Gogh Museum

This museum also on the top of my to do list. I am not familiar with his work except his famous artwork, Sunflower. This visit was really an eye opening to me. I was there for good 3 hours, watching and learning about his life, his idea and his story behind of his many artworks.

His style of painting was really different. The strokes on his artworks were really interesting and different from contemporary art, which made him notable for the rough beauty, emotional honesty and bold colour. He also famous for painting his self-portrait.

I think the interesting fact about Van Gogh was the fact that he started to paint late at his twenties and only completing his best known works during the last 2 years of his life. He paint for about 10 years and died at 37 years old due to self-inflicted gun shot wound. Lagipun, he also have long suffering mental illness which made his little brother Theo have to look after him during his life. Someone told me that somewhere between his (Van Gogh) life, dia konon-kononnya dapat wahyu which made him join the missionary. He was also famous for cutting off his left ear, wrapped it in the newspaper and gave it to the prostitute named Rachel and asked her to keep the 'thing' safely.

Whatever his mental health status was, I still find that his works were fascinating. At the same time, he also proved that it is never too late to brush up your talent and just because people says that you are gila, doesn't me you're talentless dan tak berguna, betui dak?

The queue to get into the museum sangat la panjang macam nokharam. But since I have the I Amsterdam card, I can use the express lane and I don't have to pay a penny for the fees!!! Yay!! The best time to go is early in the morning sebab tak ramai orang.

Do you know that the song called Vincent (Starry starry night) is referring to him?? *matilah jakun baru tahu~

8. Rijksmuseum

Rijksmuseum is national museum and also the premier art museum of the Netherlands. Memang banyak la art collections kat sini and some of them were owned by the royal family. Unfortunately, some of the area in the museum were closed to the renovation (sampai 2013 katanya!), but there are still lots of collection that worth to see like the Dollhouses, Fran Hals's artworks and Rembrant's Night Watch (and other artworks).

Entrance fees agak mahal. It is about 12.50 euro. I still have to queue on ordinary lane, hence the I Amsterdam card. Not entitled to use the express lane katanya unless you are the museumkart cardholder or Holland Pass cardholder. To avoid all the kelam kabut nak masuk ke muzium ni, adalah dinasihatkan if you can purchase the ticket online in advance.

9. The Red Light District

Tidak dinafikan that this area is one of the most crowded, happening (yes and no) dan paling busuk among the area in Amsterdam. This place merupakan tempat orang mencari keseronokan maksima, either keseronokan untuk melampiaskan napsu serakah or untuk melepas gian dengan legal drug yang banyak dijual secara halal di Amsterdam.

Cannabis is not technically legal but widely tolerated. Having or purchasing small amount of soft drug like marijuana and hashish were allowed and won't be prosecuting for carrying or smoking. So memang banyak la cafe yang jual drug secara open. In fact, you can smell the strong odour of weed when you walk through this area.

Wormoesstr street (part of the red light district) during the day.

Well basically I just follow the guide in the Lonely Planet book for Amsterdam for neighbourhood walk. It was easier sebab at least I have an idea the direction and benda apa nak tengok.

Following the instruction in the book, me and my friend (Marcus) started our 'Red Light District Quickie' from Condomerie Het Gulden Vlies atau nama melayunya Kedai Kondom Meriah!!

Marcus posing in front of colourful condoms.

This place is a shrine for condom's art. Ada condom bertanduk dua, ada condom berbentuk kepala beruang panda, ada bermacam-macam warna, bentuk dan size. Pendek kata, macam-macam ada.

After that we walked down to the small alley called St Annenstr and Trompettersteeg. The we walked pass by this beautiful area by the church, which totally contradict with the area. The church called Oude Kerk (Old Church), the oldest building in Amsterdam. It was built around 1306.

Oude Kerk

Oude Kerk

The Golden Torso (yang terletak di luar church)

Di kawasan ini jugak terletaknya Prostitution Information Centre. Lepas tu banyak la room-rental shop yang disewa oleh prostitutes untuk operasi posing-posing menjual diri.

After that, we walked along the canal called Oudezijds Achterburgwal. Kat sini lagi meriah nyah hoi. There are lots of shop yang jual sex toy and offer non stop hard porno live show. There is a Erotic Museum that show exhibition on bondage and other erotic stuffs to 'educate' visitors.

We end up our walk at Marijuana Museum yang unfortunately tutup for renovation.

I decided to went to Red Light District at night as well, just to the difference(s). Apparently, it was more happening at night with more people and more ehem..prostitutes.

The 'Asian' girls alley?

Some of many many shops that offer live sex

Here are quick facts about prostitution in Netherlands:

a) Prostitution has been legalised in Netherlands since 1810.

b) Only 5% of working prostitute were born in Netherlands.

c) Less than 5% prostitute work illegally.

d) Prostitute have to pay tax.

e) There is a union for prostitute as well to protect their right.

f) Pimping and prostitute trafficking is illegal.

g) There are some sort of emergency button in every prostitutes' quarter to protect the prostitute from violence which when pressed, it will activates a light outside.

Prostitutes quarter.

10. Market

There are lots of market in Amsterdam but I only managed to go to two of them. One of it was Albert Cuypmarkt at De Pijp neighbourhood, which only 5 minutes walk from my hotel. This market is the Europe largest daily market. It's not just largest, but busiest as well!

Albert Cuypmarkt

It was named after the painter Albert Cuyp and have huge variety of stalls selling from the basic stuffs like cloths, handphone, shoes to the wide range of cheese and tulips as well as x-rated chocolate!

So kalau nak beli souvenir segala mak nenek (including furry clog slippers buat pakai dalam rumah), boleh la cari kat sini. I'm not sure whether you can bargain or not sebab aku ni tak reti nak tawar menawar harga. If I think I can pay for it, aku bayor je lah. If I think it is ridiculously expensive, I would rather move on to the next shop and do the price comparison.

X-rated chocolate

The other market that I went to was Bloemenmarkt. It is one of the world's most famous flower market and has been established since 1860. Katanya, back then, this market actually floating on the canal. Tapi nowadays, dah no longer floating.

Bloemenmarkt

This is heaven kepada penggemar bunga tulips where you can buy all the kind of tulip's bulbs. Bukan tulips je, they have other flowers as well, let it be fresh flower, flower in the pot or just the seed. Selain itu, depa pun ada jual jugak accessories untuk mencantikkan garden serta peralatan untuk gardening.

Selain bunga, terdapat jugak few shops yang jual souvenirs dan CHEESE!! Kalau tak mau beli pun tak pa, but you can just enter and try all the cheese. I am not a big fan of cheese. Setakat gouda cheese tu boleh la telah. Unlike my friend yang memang hantu cheese. Rasa goat cheese tu je dh buatkan aku mual-mual nak muntah. Kampung sangat kan?

Variety of cheese

Gouda cheese, product of The Netherlands

Tulips

More tulips

The were the time somewhere in 1637 digelar sebagai zaman Tulpmania, dimana harga sebiji bulb tulip itu dikatakan 10 kali lebih mahal daripada annual income of the skilled craftsman! The more exotic and different the tulip is, the expensive it will become. Tak tahu la kenapa ada kegilaan sampai macam tu. Nowadays, tulip ni boleh dijumpa kat mana-mana. Funnily enough, I just found out yang tulip ni asalnya dari central Asia. The one yang dibawak ke Netherlands tu asalnya dari Turkey.

There is one of museum called Amsterdam Tulip Museum which I happened tak sempat pergi sebab kesuntukan masa. But if you guys datang Amsterdam somewhere around end of April or early May, tak payah pergi museum ni pun tak pa. Tapi, sila lah pergi ke Bulbs Field at Keukenhof estate. Kat sini la korang boleh tengok hamparan tulips yang berbagai-bagai bentuk dan warna. Boleh la feeling-feeling buat filem Hindustan sambil golek-golek atas bunga tulip ni. Aku pun tak sempat pergi. Lagipun time aku pergi tu, bunga tulip masih kecik.

Keukenhof Estate

That is all for now. Ada satu lagi part. Sabaq na!!

Amsterdam Bahagian 1

I have been drafting my entry about my trip to Amsterdam for the past few days. So since macam panjang sangat, so I have to divide my post ni kepada beberapa bahagian lah. I will try my best to make it short. Besides, blog ni bukannya travel log.

1. Budget Hotel

The name of the hotel is Iris Hotel, di Stadhouderskade, southeren canal ring yang terletak berdekatan dengan De Pijp neighbourhood dan Heineken Museum. Kawasan ini agak sunyi kerana terletak diluar kawasan tumpuan utama pelancong. Nevertheless, it is accesible by tram. In fact, takde la jauh mana pun kalau nak ke centre. About 15 minutes by tram.

The fact the hotel terletak di kawasan yang tenang (and not to mention mengadap canal), could not make me more happier. Hotel ini ada menawarkan pelbagai pakej mengikut kemampuan pelancong. Ada bilik hostel yang dikongsi seramai 6 orang. Ada single room with share bathroom. Ada single room with private bathroom. I chose to stay in the single room with private bathroom. Tak suka la share-share ni. Nanti geli nak duduk toilet seat. Hehehe.

My room

Bilik hotel agak sempit. Tapi saya tak peduli. Lagipun bangunan tu bangunan lama. Cuma interior je yang baru. Dan yang paling best sekali saya dapat bilik mengadap canal. Hotel ni bersih. Tandas pun bersih. Takde bau kepam atau bau weed. I was informed that smoking weed or any drugs are prohibited in this hotel. Dan selama saya duduk kat hotel ni, tidur malam memang nyenyak tanpa sebarang pencemaran bunyi.

Canal di hadapan Iris Hotel

2. Transportation

Pengangkutan yang paling utama di Amsterdam adalah tram. Cepat, efficient dan mesra alam. One thing I noticed masa kat sini adalah takde traffic jam langsung!! Probably sebab kurang kereta di sini. Kebanyakannya menggunakan tram dan BASIKAL. Di Amsterdam memang ramai menggunakan basikal. Terlalu ramai in fact sehinggakan ada laluan untuk basikal yang merangkumi setiap inci jalan dan lorong di Amsterdam. I almost got ran over by bike for few times.

Tram

Laluan tram routes covered almost every part of Amsterdam. So sangat mudah nak travel ke mana-mana, especially ke tourist attractions. On the first day, map route tu boleh tahan jugak complicated. Lepas tu, senang je nak faham. Some area yang tak accessible by tram, perkhidmatan bas turut disediakan.

Basikal

Basikal adalah pengangkutan yang paling popular dikalangan local people dan tourist. Terdapat banyak kedia yang menawarkan perkhidmatan menyewa basikal with very reasonable rate.

Most of the tourist attractions are quite close to one another. So, kalau nak lagi murah, jalan la kaki. Lagipun, sangat best kalau jalan menyusuri canal. I did get lost few times, but that was the fun bit.

3. I Amsterdam Card

The first thing I did bila sampai adalah to get this card from the tourist office depan Amsterdam Central Station. Kad ini sangat berguna dan berbaloi-baloi. If you are thinking to make just a short trip in Amsterdam, this card is something that you might want to consider.

Harganya adalah mengikut berapa jam/hari yang diperlukan. The price per 24/48/72 hours adalah 30 euro/49 euro/59 euro. Dengan ada kad ini, I can use the tram without paying a penny (mine you, the fare for a single journey is quite expensive). Selain itu, dengan adanya kad ni, I can get a free entrance to lots of tourist attraction like museums (Van Gogh, Stadelijk, Boat House, Tulips, Windmill dan banyak lagi). Bukan itu sahaja, some of the museum bagi masuk guna fast lane if you have this card. So tak payah susah-susah nak beratur panjang-panjang.

Selain itu, with this card jugak I can get a free canal cruise and discaount at some cafes/restaurant in Amsterdam!

4. Dam Square

Belakang tu adalah Royal Palace *sila abaikan lobang hidung yang kembang sejambak tu~

Dam square merupakan centre of Amsterdam. Di sini lah tempatnya where Amsterdam was founded back in 1270. This square became the national square, which mean segala mak nenek major speech dan demonstration akan dibuat kat sini.

Kat sini terletak Royal Palace dan National Monument. Royal palace ni asalnya adalah town hall and was completed in 1665. In 1808, this building became the palace for King Louis. Bangunan ni masih digunakan oleh Queen Beatrice. If HRH is away, you're welcome to wonder in the palace. Gitu le ceritanya.

National Monument

Monument ni dibina untuk mengingati tamatnya perang dunia kedua. Ni kiranya tugu kebangsaan bagi rakyat Netherlands. Every 4 May, akan ada upacara memperingati the war dead bertempat di sini.

5. Amsterdam Museum

Tidak akan lengkap lawatan ke Amsterdam kalau tak pergi Amsterdam Museum. Walaupun tak segah London Museum (tetap nih!), in order to know Amsterdam, you have to come this museum. Kalau boleh datang on the first day of your trip!! It will bring you through the journey, when and how this magnificent city was built, who was the mastermind behind the plan of building the city by canal. It also will show you how this city develop through years and centuries, the ups and downs, and the future hope.

All I can say is magnificent. Whoever came with the idea sangat genius. They way they maintain the city sampai sekarang with all the sea level rise adalah luar biasa. Amsterdam or Netherlands in general telah prepare in advance untuk berhadapan dengan kenaikan paras laut. While Venice still struggling to keep their city on the map, Amsterdam jauh lebih ke hadapan!

Kalau aku nak cerita all the history dan kehebatan bandaraya Amsterdam ni, sampai esok pun tak habis. Ada baiknya kalau korang bukak buku sejarah or simply baca kat wikipedia.

Anyway, that is all for now. I will update more about my trip soon.

PTPTipu

Aku ada pandang-pandang dan dengar-dengar kata PTPTipu akan dimansuhkan kalau PR menang PRU. Tak tahu la ye ke tak sebab aku memang malas nak ambik tau dan malas nak membaca hal-hal politik Malaysia.

Bagi aku, Malaysia bukan la negara yang kaya sampai nak offer tertiary education free. Kita bukan Norway yang hutang negara pun takdak. Cukai dia off course la tinggi. Taraf hidup dia pun tinggi. Tapi rakyat Norway jarang-jarang nak complaint pasal cukai tinggi sebab in the end diorang tahu itu untuk beneficial diorang. Sebab tu la healthcare dan education kat sana boleh bagi free.

Kalau Malaysia nak bagi totally free education, maka harus la kena bayar tax lebih kan? Eh but wait, actually korang semua bayar banyak tax jugak ye. Pergi makan pun kena 6% government tax. Tu belum masuk cukai pintu, cukai tanah, cukai jalan, cukai pendapatan dan macam-macam cukai lagi. Tol jalan pun actually a form of taxes. But bear in mind, Malaysia negara membangun. So most of the taxpayer's money ni akan disalurkan untuk membina prasarana, termasuk la melebarkan jalan, as if bila jalan lebar, jem akan berkurang..NOT!!

Berbalik to PTPTipu ni, aku adalah among yang tak bernasib baik sebab tak dapat biasiswa and end up terpaksa berhutang dengan PTPTipu ni. Nak kata aku ni bengap sangat sampai tak dapat biasiswa tu tak la. Masalahnya aku memang tak minta biasiswa pun. Kawan aku yang haram CGPA rendah dari aku dapat biasiswa. Takpe la rezeki dia.

Aku pun bukannya orang kaya. Tak juga papa kedana. Blame it tu the sistem yang menjadikan education tu hanya untuk orang berduit, maka PTPTipu adalah the last resort. Orang selalu kata yang kami yang dapat PTPTipu ni tak tahu diuntung. Duit loan guna buat beli handphone dan berjoli sakan. Well, tak semua or maybe depa tu bukan belajar kat UM kot sebab yuran pelajaran kat UM mahal berbanding dengan universiti lain. Keras tangan aku menahan duit poket from abah aku masa belajar kat UM dulu. Some of my friend yang kurang bernasib baik terpaksa menggunakan baki duit PTPTipu yang tak seberapa tu untuk survive sepanjang semester.

Aku tak rasa la PTPTipu patut dihapuskan secara total. Sebab zaman sekarang ni, nak berak pun kau kena bayar duit. Cuma yang aku tak berkenan dengan segala mak nenek interest rate yang dikenakan sebaik saja kau habis belajar dan yuran perkhidmatan yang tak berfaedah tu. Kau hutang RM21k, tapi end up dengan RM26k. Tidak ke tu keji namanya?? Bukan ke PTPTipu ni ditubuhkan untuk memberi BANTUAN pinjaman pelajaran kepada pelajar yang KURANG MAMPU?? Tapi apa jadah kalau bantuan yang dihulurkan tu, kau end up dengar membayar with interest yang mencekik darah. Ia seolah-olah berhutang dengan along yang dihalalkan oleh kerajaan Malaysia.

Not to mention yang Malaysia self-proclaimed negara Islam. Bukan ke interest tu dah terang-terang riba??

Yuran perkhidmatan tu pulak satu hal. I don't see the relevance of yuran perkhidmatan tu kalau perkhidmatan yang ditawarkan adalah macam taik. Website semak samun. Call tak pernah dapat. Surat tak sampai, especially bila kita buat surat mintak tangguh pembayaran sebab sambung master and so on. Memanjang je tiada dalam rekod. Tu belum masuk part kena marah dengan akak kaunter PTPTipu yang garang macam tak dapat nafkah batin. Kaedah sangat kau pompuan!

Seriously berhutang dengan PTPTipu ni is no fun at all. Serabut perut aku dibuatnya. Aku start bayar balik dengan kencang pun bila dah berkerja kat UK ni. Kalau nak harapkan gaji masa kat HUKM dulu, nak bayar RM100 sebulan pun fikir 5-6 kali.

Some might say, tu lah tak nak belajar sampai first class, tak payah bayar hutang PTPTipu. Well, aku ni tak gila study sangat. Orang dok sibuk study, aku dok sibuk dengan project dan program-program kat college. Orang lain dok sibuk mentelaah, aku dok sibuk praktis tarian mak yong mak nenek untuk festival seni. But I still managed dapat 2nd Upper with CGPA mengalahkan orang yang study hard tau!

Apapun, hutang tetap hutang. Bila dah berhutang, kita wajib bayar. Tapi, tak perlu la nak letak interest banyak-banyak. Kata rakyat didahulukan, pencapaian diutamakan..kan?? Aku tak mintak banyak. Cukup la kalau hutang RM21k, maka bayaran balik pun RM21k.

Is that too much to ask?

What The Fuss?

What the fuss with all this Aarong Ajis?? Yang tak suka pun over. Yang suka pulak lagi over. Pantang artis kesayangan kena cuit sikit, meroyan macam laki dia main jubur pondan.

Bagi aku Aarong Ajis tu harapkan muka hensem je. Yes, memang hensem. Kalau nak bandingkan dengan aku yang kampung ni, memang macam langit dengan bumi. Tapi kualiti lakonan?? Ada yang ok, ada yang tak berapa ok. Tapi disebabkan dia hensem, maka to some people yang dangkal, lakonan Aarong Ajis tu la paling mantap. Semantap bonjolan dada dan bontot pejalnya.

Industri filem Malaysia tu memang dah lama sakit. Dah lama sangat dah. Pelakon semua kena hensem atau lawa. Kalau muka ala-ala roti nan cheese, selayaknya bawak watak sampingan je. Tak pun bawak watak antagonis. Boleh berlakon sikit je, terus dapat bawak watak utama. Janji penerbit dengan pengarah suka. Tak kisah la watak tu sesuai ke tak.

Kalau kat Hollywood, the writer(s) wrote the story first, then buat casting cari pelakon yang bersesuaian dengan watak dalam cerita tu. Walaupun yang datang casting tu ada oscar sekalipun, doesn't mean he or she will get the watak. Bila dah dapat watak tu, diorang gave 110 percent untuk menjayakan watak yang diberi. Renee Zellweger has to put on lots of pound in order menjayakan watak Bridget Jones. Do you think Erra Pazira will do the same??

In Malaysia, they cast first and then find the a stupid story to work around the cast. Tak pun, there will be one idiot with money bagi RM 1 juta and say, "I nak buat filem dengan Pasak Sandak". Lepas tu, baru diorang brain storming nak buat movie apa. End up dengan filem sampah, yang ada banyak muka-muka cun and hensem yang boleh dibuat stok masturbate, letak aksi-aksi langgar-langgar kereta sikit, letak aksi-aksi romantik bikin air mata leleh sikit and then viola, box office RM 8 juta!! That is how the cancer begin.

Tidak ke kita berasa pelik bila pelakon-pelakon ni bawak watak sebagai gadis desa kelihatan sangat janggal. Too pretty for gadis kampung tu satu hal. I am not saying yang kat kampung ni tak dak perempuan lawa. Tapi tak pernah la pulak aku nampak ustazah yang ajar mengaji Al-Quran mempunyai kening yang perfect dipantis. Kuku berkilat seperti baru dimanicure. Pakai tudung pun nampak tak betul. In fact, ada sesetengah tu, tengah malam nak tidur pun berlip gloss dan bermascara bagai. Pathetic!! Stylist yang diupah pun macam mempunyai pemikiran yang tak diverse.

Some of the story yang dibuat pulak sangat tak masuk akal. Timeline tak dibuat dengan betul. Sinematography out. Sekejap rumah tepi pantai, tup-tup rumah jiran tengah bendang. Lepas tu pergi dating dengan hero kampung kat air terjun lata iskandar. Research tak buat betul-betul. Some woman came to hospital will bleeding, tiba-tiba diagnose as internal bleeding. How dumb!!

I somehow think some of the independent movie tu far better dari movie yang modal berjuta-juta with CGI bagai. Macam movie The Red Kebaya, Pensil, movie from Allahyarham Yasmin Ahmad (just to name a few), aku rasa lagi better dari cerita pasal mat rempit dan bohsia yang kononnya nak ketengahkan isu-isu semasa (walaupun dah jadi isu basi). Some of this so called high profile movie, not even as good as filem Allahyarham P. Ramlee yang hari-hari tengok pun tak boring.

Well, what can I say. Selagi ada orang tengok, selagi ada orang menyokong, off course la people like Razak Mohaideen will come out with more trashy movie. Put a bunch of good looking celebs in the movie, and voila, the public laps it up. Doesn't matter if those people can't act. Doesn't matter if the director doesn't pay attention to the details. Doesn't matter as long as there's enough make-up, enough fake eyelashes and enough mushy scenes. That sells. Quality apparently doesn't.

Have you ever think that these people are actually exploiting your acceptance towards good looking celebs? *matilah meroyan sampai terkeluar tajuk~

It is NOT just a bag!!

Train to Amsterdam took about 4 hours plus with interchange at Brussels Midi. It's a shame that Eurostar tak ada direct train to Amsterdam. So from Brussels to kena ambik train Thalys to Amsterdam via Antwerp, Rotterdam and Schipol Airport. The good thing is you don't have to buy separate train tickets and you can do all this on Eurostar website.

London St Pancras Station

Eurostar train

Initially, memang lah plan nak buat solo trip. Tapi, last minute ada kawan nak join. Aku ok je. Besides, better ada kawan. At least you have someone that you can trust to take your photo with your DSLR. Kang suruh stranger, silap orang dibawaknya larik camera kau itu mrasa!!

I took a late afternoon from London and sampai kat Brussels Midi around 6pm. The station tu sangat lah lenggang. All the shops dah tutup. Standard European punya style, by 6 petang semua dah tutup. Ada la beberapa orang kakitangan station keretapi yang bertugas kat situ, tapi haram sepatah haram English tak faham. I have to depend on my intuition kat mana nak tunggu the next train and help from the tv screen yang bagitau pasal departure and arrival of the trains.

Brussels Midi Station

Thalys train to Amsterdam

I drank lots of coffee sepanjang perjalanan tu, which made my pundi kencing menjerit-jerit minta dikosongkan. So, I gave all my stuffs and possessions including my precious LV Naviglio bag to my friend. Kang kalau bawak gi tandas, terkena taik pulak boley? Ops.

After I gave him all my stuffs, I walked few metres from him sambil tercongok kat papan tanda mencari direction to the toilet. Dalam masa yang sama, datang seorang lelaki and approached my friend tanya direction apa benda tah. But he could not understand sebab he talked in weird spanish lingo. My friend stood up while talking dengan lelaki ni with all our bags were on the bench behind him.

Sedang dia dok bercakap dengan laki ni, datang lagi dua orang lelaki dan dengan selambanya datang and ambik my LV bag. I saw them just right at the time they pick the bag up. Menyirap la darah aku. I was furious you.

So, perampoks tak guna terus lah jalan dengan selamba. Konon takde orang perasan. So aku pun jalan dengan laju and tunggu diorang kat satu corner ni. By the time diorang sampai kat situ, aku keluar and mintak beg aku balik.

Nasib baik la diorang pun tak panjang cerita terus bagi beg aku tu and blah. Padahal kalau diorang pukul aku pun bukannya orang tau sebab tempat aku sergah diorang tu memang terlindung sikit.

So, bila aku balik sambil membebel-bebel kat kawan aku pasal ada orang curik beg aku ni, baru la ada other passengers (yang tunggu next train sekali dengan kitorang tu) bagitau yang diorang perasan those guys dok tercongok kat situ cari mangsa. In fact, diorang nampak perampoks tu datang ambik beg aku and yet none of them buat apa-apa. I can't believe how ignorant people can be, termasuk la couple yang duduk sebelah aku dan kawan aku tu.

In my opinion, orang-orang yang mencuri ni, they are nothing but a coward. Diorang berani buat sebab diorang tahu yang surrounding people tutup sebelah mata kalau depa buat. Berapa orang yang berani kejar pencuri macam Kak Rose penjual buku tu?? I think if we look after ourselves as well as people around us, I'm sure yang mangkuk-mangkuk hayun ni tak akan berani membuat onar.

Apa pun, aku bersyukur sangat sebab dapat balik beg aku dan tak ada benda buruk yang berlaku. Dah la dalam beg tu ada segala passport, duit, document booking hotel, maps, kindle and my DSLR. The whole holiday will be fucked up kalau beg ni kena curi.

So, sapa-sapa yang nak pi Amsterdam via Brussels Midi ni, please look after your stuffs sebab banyak perampok and pencopet yang memang dok tunggu cari mangsa kat sini. I was quite surprise by the level of security kat sini. Sangat longgar. Tak ada polis ronda pun. I ada la jumpa sorang dua kat platform. Dok sibuk berborak sambil isap rokok. Bagus sangat kan??

I arrived at Amsterdam Central station about 11 at night. Sepatutnya lebih awal kalau ikut schedule tapi train delay and macam-macam lah. Dah tengah malam baru sampai hotel. Nak cari time gelap-gelap dan sejuk memang la tak membantu. I had to use my iphone nak cari hotel ni.

Hotel was good and I am satisfied with it. Nama pun hotel budget kan?? I will update more about my trip later.

Oh ya, Happy Easter to those who celebrate i!!

I Amsterdam

Taken at Amsterdam Museum

I just came back from an Ah-mazing trip to Amsterdam. But, it is so good to be home (at the moment I have considered London is my home). Terlalu banyak benda yang nak dibuat malangnya banyak tempat tak sempat dilawat like Bulb Field and Windmill Museum. Takpe, next time. Definitely will come back to this amazing city!

Banyak cerita nak tulis, termasuk la kisah beg Louis Vuitton (sila rujuk gambar di atas) yang telah dirampok ketika tunggu connection train to Amsterdam di Brussels and I came face to face with the perampoks (yang kurang asam tu) and got my Vuitton back!! Kalau tak naya you. It is not just a bag, segala mala passport and document dalam beg tu, my DSLR, my kindle dan banyak lagi barang berharga. Nasib baik dapat balik!!

Anyway, saya akan sambung cerita saya di Amsterdam tu later sebab I have a pile of laundry to do. Oh ya, today is a public holiday in UK sempena Good Friday!! Yay!!

Anak Aku Pandai English. Anak Kau??

Ada la satu masa tu kan, aku terjenguk kat page FB friend aku ni. Tu diah tak habis-habis lagi pasal FB khennnn? Takde la kawan rapat, just kenal-kenal gitu je. Dia tu doktor pakar, aku ni sapa la kan? Konsepnya enggang sama enggang, aku ni burung merak. So how??

Kisahnya, dia ada update pasal conversation dia dengan anak dia yang baru balik dari sekolah.

Mak Budak (MB): So, how was your BM exam?

Anak (A): Ok. For penulisan, I chose the one where you had to complete the karangan. It was about being home alone and suddenly...

MB: What did you write?

A: There was a peragut in the house.

MB: Why? Peragut means snatch thief!

A: Oh man! I thought it meant robber! Now I won't do so well.

MB: ??

Lepas beberapa hari lepas tu, dia ada update pasal anak dia dapat markah BM 45%.

Aku tak kisah le apa yang dia nak update tu. Cuma aku tak faham why she (and her friends) found it amusing. Adakah sebab anak dia tak pandai BM, maka dia rasa itu kelakar??

Oh before ni, dia ada kompang jugak kat FB that she will only speak to her kids using Queen's English. Kelas kau Maria!! No wonder la dia tak kisah pun anak dia reti BM ke tak, walaupun terang-terang dari jauh orang dah tau depa tu melayu.

Bagi aku it is a good practise kalau parent nak bercakap guna English kat rumah with their kids. Sebab nanti yang pandai English sapa? Anak depa jugak. Aku sendiri pun kagum dengan budak-budak yang umur baru 5-6 tahun tapi cakap English lebih English from the English themselves. Unlike aku yang lambat sikit nak fasih. Nak salahkan mak bapak pun, both of my parent sekolah tak habis. Tu pun aku bersyukur sebab diorang pentingkan pendidikan aku dan adik beradik aku. Nak salahkan cikgu? I guess, cikgu pun rasa turn up nak ajar lebih-lebih sebab sekolah pun kampung yang mostly budak-budak memang tak minat belajar. So kami-kami yang minat nak belajar lite-lite ni terpaksa la guna other sources untuk improvekan English.

Jadinya, bila dah tua-tua macam ni baru nak brush up my English, maka grammar pun lintang pukang seperti Ziana Zain semasa dia jadi pramugari MAS. *matilahhhhhhh kena maki dengan Izzu~

Tapi, dalam kita dok gigih ajar anak kita bagi pandai English, jangan la sampai lupa bahasa sendiri. Bila dah umur 10-11 tahun macam tu, perompak dengan peragut pun tak dapat dibezakan, bukan ke tu kronik namanya?? Tidak ke kita malu kalau ada bangsa yang bukan Melayu lebih fasih bertutur dalam BM berbanding anak kita?

Anyway, I am off for the whole week till Easter day. So, dari dok mengangkang kat rumah, I have decided untuk mengembara solo to Amsterdam.

My reading materials

Tapi pergi tak lama pun. Beberapa hari je. Lagipun kos penginapan sangat mahal. Off course la aku takkan duduk kat hostel (sharing room up to 6-7 persons) since aku pergi sorang. Kalau pergi ramai-ramai tu lain la cerita. To think that I might have to share the room dengan budak-budak remaja party animal yang datang ke Amsterdam mencari keseronokan hedonisme semata-mata, I would rather pay a little bit more for a single bedroom with private bathroom.

That's all for now. Kalau kuku tak sakit, nanti aku update live from Amsterdam. Selamat bekerja!!