Hidup Maggi!

Dalam kehidupan ini
Yang terindah
Melalui usia remaja
Senda gurau suka duka
Sering berganti
Meninggalkan kesan abadi

- Ogy Ahmad Daud's "Wajah Rahsia Hati" OST Ali Setan -

Filem ini membawa mood yang mendekati realiti sebuah kampus pada alaf baru dengan gaya hidup remaja yang lebih berfesyen, memilik telefon bimbit, berkereta, skuter dan basikal mahal tetapi masih tetap suka makan mi segera. Remaja dilihat happy go lucky, senior dan junior masih suka cabar mencabar, pelajar lelaki dilihat suka mengurat, pelajar perempuan mencari cinta dalam diam dan pensyarah begitu toleransi meskipun pelajarnya masuk terlalu lewat ke kelas, hanya tinggal seminit lagi tutorial hendak selesai.

- Perenggan akhbar di atas dipetik daripada suratkhabar Berita Harian -

doesn't the words remind you of your uni years? *sigh* it did to me....the paragraph was taken from an article written about the latest malay movie offering, "Kuliah Cinta" starring Erra Fazira (who else..) which could not be rivalled with another uni-life movie from the Eighties, Ali Setan...by the way, those not in the know, the lyrics from above was from the aforesaid movie...

i'm not doing a movie review here, merely musing over the words in that certain paragraph...it reminded me of my carefree uni years... in uni, everyone was "berfesyen"..especially, the business students! haha, mengikut reputationlaa nie...and everyone had either a mobile phone (which changes like, every sem *rolls eyes* ), a scooter (that comes in blazing colours), a motorbike (either kapcai or those rider types) and quite a number too had cars (ranging from the nifty Kancil to larger models)...but everyone, and i mean EVERYONE, still goes back to maggi mee for their emergency dietary supplement..heck, sometimes it even extends to being a full-day meal! a kettle was indispensible back then, and the person who owns them will be the popular one on the block...i remembered my friend, Anwar, telling me how he and his friends had to make do with cooking maggi in a pail! eww, but that didn't put me off maggi, either! hehe...and remember those end-of-the-month days when you simply have to stretch those ringgits before the next installment comes in *wink*...and remember all those concoction and and innovative Maggi recipe you came up with for variety? haha, Nestle can learn a lesson or two from us students...

i did remember how i had to stretch my ringgits and settled for an RM 1 nasi bungkus...how did i manage that? well, being friends with the abang gerai ensured beberapa sen discounts...nasi separuh, only sayur and no "binatang" (ayam, daging or ikan), plus some free sambal belacan, and voila! you have a one ringgit lunch! hehe...speaking of discounts, we just can't seem to stop asking for them! be it the mamak stalls, the gerai tepi jalan, the abang burger depan 7-Eleven..semuanye mintak discount! i think we even mintak discount at the makcik kedai dobi...

"remaja dilihat happy-go-lucky"..yup, that's right...no matter how tensed we get (heh, tensed ke? ), and no matter under whatever pressure we are, happy-go-lucky je all the way...bile pergi gerai ke food court ke, macam pesta, as everyone seems to be having a great time with their friends...kat library masa exam weeks pun, it wasn't a purely tensed zone...people were seen walking round, laughing quietly...and in our case, running down to the tv area to catch a tv show in between studying...speaking of our tv area, i remembered a certain friend, Abang Lokman, who told me that during the "Mis Tres Hermanas" and "La Usurpadora" phase..the tv area will be crowded come 4.30 p.m....and he would tell me and my friends how some would be crying quietly in the audience after a particularly emotional scene..hhehehe....

and the best memories of all, submitting all the last minute work! hehehehe...i am known among my friends for my EXTREMELY last minute work...i know its really bad, and someday its gonna cost me *sepandai-pandai tupai melompat, gedebush! "...but those were definitely memorable ones....i remembered finishing my Business COmmunications project like 20 minutes before the deadline, and hopping on the back of a motorbike of a friend of mine (yes Afti, i did that!), giggling all the way (i soo tak pandai naik motor, i don't know where to put my hands!! and i was heavier than my friend, so i was kinda scared that we might topple over at the corners, cuz we were going really fast! if my mom knew, she would kill me! hehehe..) she got us to the binding shops to bind the pages!!! and that took soo long, that by the time i arrived at my lecturer's room, panting, wild hair, slippers and all, i found him by the door, looking pointedly at his watch..hehehe...sorry sir!! i passed the subject, altho' to this day i never knew if any marks were deducted for that delay...by the way, Mr Chook Ka Joo, the subject lecturer, left us shortly after that, which was kinda sad, cuz he's a great lecturer..he was the one who introduced us to the phrase: UPM (Universiti Penuh Manusia)..hehhehe...sorry UPM-ers!!

ooh, and the extra costs for being late, when we had to bind our assigments with hard covers, and it would take 3 days for RM 10...and we had to hand it in the next day! after much cajoling with the apek at the shop, we managed to get him to be done with it by the next day, but at RM 25!! takpelaa, janji siap...i remembered reminding the apek countless times.."ingat tau, sebelum pukul 3, ingat tau, jangan lupa aa..."

and the night me and my friends had to stay up to finish a 15 page Company Law assignment AND prepare a presentation by the next afternoon...we started at midnight!! Half an hour before class start and we're still binding it at the shop...then we discovered that my car cannot be started!! arrghhh!!! luckily, Nieza came to the rescue with the Nonz's car ...and we managed to make it to class, only 5 minutes later than we should...the presentation actually went very well...but guess who had to push her car later, in the pouring rain, AND in a white shirt???

and remember how those lecturer couldn't care less if you came in late or super early? it really helped that most of the doors leading into the class is located at the back of the rooms...hehehe...there were countless times where we just had to smush ourselves in between total strangers, just so we don't attract the lecturer's attention...not that he cared anyways...and ALL those early morning classes that were just hazy memories, as we were too sleepy to pay attention...remmeber all the "sleeping positions" in class? ade yang mendongak laa, ade yang leaning to the left or right laa, ade yang tunduk soo super low that their heads almost touch the desk laa....hehhehehe.....

these memories apply mostly to myself and my close circle of friends back in uni...but i'm sure you guys have unique memories of your own..what compells me to share some of them with you today is that tiny paragraph in the article...funny how a small tremor can cause an avalanche....

present-day London: woke up early in the morning to take pictures at the park in front of the house..it already stopped snowing and the sidewalk is really slushy and slippery..ugghh...by the time i got out of the house, it was really slippery so i can't walk as fast as i wanted to, so kena jalan cam wanita jepun pakai kimono ketat...really had no mood whatsoever to go job hunting today, but i did actually make an attempt..alang-alang dah keluar pergi bank tu, pergilaa kejap Oxford Street to try my luck...tried Clinton Cards and Zara (i know, i know, i'm not trendy enough, but a girl's gotta try kan? )..pulang dengan hampa..so got myself a lamb kebab for dinner, and settled down to watch The Weakest Link...highlight of the day: discovered a different route home today...heh...

tomorrow Tina Yoohoo's coming over..yay!

oh yeah, Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Adha everyone! :)

Snow in London..

Baby, baby, baby
You can have my private number
Baby, baby, baby
You can have my private number, oh

- 911's "Private Number"-

it snowed last night!!! i was on the phone with my cousin, Tina Yoohoo, when i saw tiny white things flying around out of my window...snow!!! terjerit sekejap..hehehe, si Ainor pun terjaga, and got to the window to see...unfortunately, when the morning comes, it seemed as if nothing happened last night....there was just occasional shower to tease us..hmmpphh....but on the way home on the 56, as i looked out the window, it started snowing again!! really lebat! i couldn't wait to get off the bus, so i could walk in the snow and crunch them underneath my foot...siap pakai gloves lagi..but it was heavy, as in the cars were covered and so are the sidewalks...when i got off, and start walking, it was really heavy and i had the snow flying into my face and into my mouth! i had to keep my head down! when i saw my reflection in the mirror, it wasn't with pretty snowflakes stuck in my hair, it was as if someone scraped the ice of your freezer compartment, and dumped them on me! totally unattractive! haha..

it was another unfruitful day of job hunting...printed 6 cvs, started at Piccadily where i dropped one at Millie's Cookies..at first i was hopeful, as the guy behind the counter said there are vacancies, but after i filled in their application form, another lady behind the counter told me that they don't employ anyone without a NAtional Insurance number...hmmpphh...should i? then i walked down to HMV, and finally got my brother's Beatles poster...Abbey Road, that's it! walked across Leicester Square to Covent Garden, where i was nearly stalled by one of those survey guys..."Sorry i'm in a rush".."What did you get at HMV, maam? a poster?"..."yeah"..."whose poster?".."the Beatles..".."oh the Beatles, i love them!"...*giggle, giggle* ...ran off....

the next cv was dropped off at Morgan...then Gap Kids....then i walked to the market halls at Covent GArden, and dropped another at Books Etc...today, despite the cold temperature, there were street jugglers, street magician, and a qudruplet of 2 flutist, a cello player and a violin player performing out in the open...as always, i ran off before the lady with the collection hat come round...the markets today was not as interesting as before..but i did see a fortune teller's tent...hmm, tempting, but noo...there were interesting sketches of scenery in London, which is prolly some tourist rip-off, but they're so cute and irresistable..wanna get some before i balik nanti, insya-Allah...

rushed off for prayers..after that, i hit Oxford Street...dropped a cv at New Look...then Dorothy Perkins..and i'm all out...hmm..is this all berbaloi? i really hope so....walked into Clinton Cards and found those Simpson posters that my brother requested too...ooh, that reminds me, i need to find out which ones that he wants...so, tomorrow i'm going back to Oxford Street, for the last round of job hunting...wish me luck!

by the way, Dani is back from maternity leave!!! Hi Dani!!!! and i can now claim that i helped named her baby..heheheh....

after ER, me and Ainor bundled ourselves up, and took pictures outside..hehehe..snow's already knda melting, tapi dapatlaa sikit2 the "winter wonderland" look...thought there won't be anyone around, but 2 mat sallehs passed us with amused smiles...hmmpphh! kisah ape...and it was freezing! dapatlaa jugak guna gloves tebal that i bought before going to Germany...tried to buat snowball, but tak jadi...why aa? hehehe,boleh berangan nak buat snowman with the small amount of snow tu...

i'm tired and sleepy...tadi bersilat kat dapur (cik kieli, pinjam phrase eh...hehehe..thanks! ) buat maggi goreng...hmmpph, note to self, kering Dalie, not basah....

nite folks.... :)

Nak cari kerja, nak cari kerja...

Oh,Someday we'll know
If love can move a mountain
Someday we’ll know
Why the sky is blue
Someday we’ll know
Why I wasn’t meant for you...

- Mandy Moore's (featuring Jonathan Foreman) "Someday We'll Know" -

hari ini kite jalan lagi!

hehehe..anyways, i did want to turn my one-week break into a get-to-know-london-on-a-more-personal-level week..that means, deviating away from any shopping areas, and visit non-money inducing places of interest..tapi, takdelaa pergi mana2 sangat..pusing-pusing kat situ jugak...

but today, the agenda is different..i went out today to look for jobs! yup, armed with 5 resumes/cvs, dressed properly and a little bit wangi-wangi, i went off to search for a part-time career in retail...hehehe...the thing is, next semester, i'll only be taking 2 subjects, so, i'll prolly have lots of time on my hands..nevermind that i have to complete my dissertation laa kan...but, i think i'll go crazy if i stay at home all day...besides, my parents have plans for a major renovation back home, so i don't want to burden them anymore than i already am, so a job would be the best solution...at least, it'll give me something to do...besides, i've never worked in shops before...i've taught english once, i've helped manned a registration counter at an environmental ngo seminar for 2 days, and i've worked in a merchant bank for a year...but retail? never....when i should have been gathering retail experiences after SPM, what i did was hang around with friends, at numerous malls, bowling alleys, tennis courts, and other places where you can find toothy-grinned kids fresh off exams...

so, this morning, after breakfast, i printed the cvs, and set off....wanted to print 10 at first, but i didn't want to be optimistic about my chances...so, to be safe, 5 is a start..besides, i hate rejection! grrr...tu yang buat malas nak start looking for a job in the first place...top on the list is Borders, a megabookstore that comes with a Starbucks attached to it...top area on my list would be Angel, as it's about 20 minutes away on the 38...so pergilaa...all the way, i was praying and hoping there'd be vacancies and most importantly, i wouldn't be rejected! hehehe..thank god, there was a sign on the window for part-time sales assistant..yay! turns out, the stationery department, Paperchase, needed someone to work on alternate Saturdays, for long hours...so, dropped my cv and told them to get in touch, if they're interested...err, cam tu kan kalau nak mintak kerja kat kedai?

anyhoo...then decided to hit the bookstores at Tottenham Court Road...bookstores are my top choices...macam best kan? maybe i'll get discounts on books! hey, stop dreamingla, kerja pun tak dapat lagi nie! the first stop was Blackwells, another bookstore, where this really sweet-looking curly-haired young lady took my resume, and asked if i've ever worked in a bookstore or have i ever worked in retail before...err, nope..but i've worked in a bank before? *big grin*..she smiled, and told me that they'll get in touch if there's any vacancies...then i went over to another Borders to try my luck, where the kinda-sombong-faced lady told me that there's no vacancies..okaay..crossed the road, and left my cv at Foyles, an independent bookstore..bit of history about Foyles, it used to be THE bookstore in London once..but now, it has been eclipsed by other trendy bookstores..so, it kinda have to go through a revamping phase...they were looking for a marketing assistant, and although i know i don't have a chance at that permanent-sounding position, i hope they note that i am doing an MA in Marketing..and might consider me for employment...heheheh....

ooh, ooh, then i found a discount bookstore!! yaayy!!! Bookends looks almost boring from outside, but i managed to leave with "Confessions of a Reformed Dieter: How i dropped 8 dress sizes and took my life back" by AJ Rochester...i know, i know, i'm a sucker!!! but it seems interesting..*mentally inspecting my figure in the mirror*...

then decided to hit Waterstones at Oxford St, but there weren't any vacancies...(although the store was packed, and the queue was long...hummpphh! ) then tried my luck at Dorothy Perkins, the only kedai baju, besides Next, that i'm interested in (only because of their Petite range for my height, or lack of, hehehe..)..no luck there..although they did tell me to drop my resume, so maybe will do that tomorrow or something...then it was Next, where they told me that there's no vacancies at the moment, but they'll be accepting resumes in February..walked all the way to Regent Street, where i decided to try Hamleys, this HUGE toystore..the place is soo cool! as a matter of fact, i lost track of my purpose for a bit, when i saw a staircase with "Harry Potter" printed next to it..hehehe....dropped my cv at customer services, altho' i'm not very optimistic about this place, but the guy behind the counter told me that, hey, you might never know, yours might stand out...okaylaaa.....*sucker!!*

oh, btw, i went into one Waterstones, and they told me to forward my cv to the branch at Piccadilly, and gave me a contact address..so i decided to make that my last stop...however, it was near Maghrib and i haven't prayed Asar yet...so, rushed to Goodge Street (i know how to get there by bus now, yay!)...even managed to join the jemaah prayers for Maghrib...then returned to Piccadilly Circus...the address was 30 Jermyn Street, but i only saw the building numbered One..so got off, and searched for it on foot...by the way, got my tiny digital radio and headphones (which i'm now using to listen to Era : Sheila on 7's Melompat Lebih Tinggi) from Lillywhites...benda kecik, plastic bag sikit punya besar...finally found Waterstones, lerr kat depan jalan besar tu je ke... dropped the last copy of my cv, where the guy told me to give the lady in charge a call next week or something....and then i went home....

so,kesimpulannye, tak dapat pun any job...yet...think i'm gonna get myself a job? eee, i hope so! i really need this..nevermind that i'm soo not up to working *soo malas!* but i need to get my lazy big, fat arse off this comfortable cushion of parental support and stand on my own here...eee, hope i'll be getting answers soon! Aminnn....well, at least dapat experience humbling myself to walk into stores and ask for vacancies (albeit in a lowered voice)...kalau kat Malaysia, i'll be too shy and self-conscious to do that...hehehe...

we had ayam masak madu (which Kak Iza made for lunch today), sambal telor, and keropok ikan and udang for dinner tonight...yum! makin sihat laa i kat sini, makan nasi je....then Kak Amni called! so chatted for a bit, found out where she's staying, where she used to study and other stuff..she invited me over on Friday night, but my dear cousin, Tina Yoohoo, is coming over from Birmingham, so i don't think it'll be appropriate for me to go visiting..besides, Tina nak masak beriyani kan, kan, kan? hehehe...insya-Allah, will be dragging her to Greenwich this Saturday..and maybe to MSD on Sunday for Raya Haji prayers...ooh, and the new season of CSI Miami starts tonight! *sigh* i have a crush on the audio guy, Archie, altho' he doesn't appear that often..hehehe..

so, besok? cari kerja lagi daaa....nak target Marble Arch and Covent Garden pulak...wish me luck!

p/s: i know the song at the top is not originally sung by Mandy Moore (sorry to all you purists!) but its the only version that i kept on hearing...hehehe...

Its time to grow up....

Follow your heart
Your intuition
It will lead you in the right direction
Let go of your mind
Your Intuition
It's easy to find
Just follow your heart baby

- Jewel's "Intuition" -

alhamdulillah...notch-up another year for me...i am now 24!! hmm, its such a pretty age to be at, don't u think? the numbers have a nice ring to it...its like 16..where you're supposed to be at your most gorgeous, and, ahem, supple...ahahaha...who am i kidding? supple, my foot!

my bestest friends, Afti and Eileen, got together on Sunday, and i managed to talk to both of them, and they wished me a happy birthday then..called up Eileen to check on her plans of coming here, insya-Allah, in April..i REALLY hope she can make it...my roomie will prolly go back to Malaysia, and i'll be here, all alone, bored out of my senses....so, please, please, i hope she can make it...

then i got an sms from the Nonz...then my dear cousin, Kartina yoohoo, called me up to wish me, which was sooooo sweet, dearie, thanks!!! and i woke up to smses from my sister, wishing me happy birthday, and that she misses me...cue: AWWWWW.....then Ainor, wished me while ironing her tudung for her early class, while i clambered up from bed for Subuh prayers...*sigh*...its nice to know that people remembered kan? then those lovely people who left wishes on my tagboard..thank you!

what did i do today? well, woke up, checked my mails, had breakfast..then i finally gave Afti's sister, Kak Amni, a call...(yes, Afti, saya dah call die dah...and she has the sweetest voice ever! ssoooo ayu gitu! assal tak run in the family aa? heheheh..) chatted for a while, but she was busy handling her kids, whom i could here squealing in the background..hehehe..comel laa..gave her my number, and she told me that she'll call me when her tykes dah tido or something...then i decided to go to Lillywhites at Piccadily Circus, to get the cheap tiny digital radio..bukannye ape, i wanted to get the headphones so i can listen to online radio stations at uni...the tiny radio is a bonus tho'...can use on buses, or while jogging or something..wait, jogging?? hellooooo Dalie!!!! you don't even know what that word MEANS! stop dreaming laa...heheheh...

so, i took the 38 to Piccadily Circus, and started walking towards Lillywhites...as a matter of fact, i was almost on top of it, but decided to melencong for a bit, and went into this gadget shop, where i saw the coolest stuff for my brother...and that's where my birthday excursion started..

i just started walking...i walked and walked towards the direction of Covent Garden, but ended in St MArtin's LAne....okaayy...didn't want to look like a tourist, so i continued walking, and walking....and i ended at the Charing Cross station, which was near Trafalgar Square...okaay, this is way off Covent Garden (i had wanted to check out the antiques market at the Jubilee Hall)...then i remembered that Charing Cross is associated with bookstores, so i wanted to check them out..unfortunately, saw this alley in between the buildings where lots of people are going up and down...decided to check out where it leads to...and i ended up at the Embankment station..which is next to the Thames River..the next thing i knew, i was walking across the river, on the pedestrian bridge, with the wind blowing my ears to numb pieces, and freezing me...i actually walked across to the other side! and ended up near waterloo station! south bank! sheesh! i was like, huh, where am i? and why was i soooooo laa pandai, go and jalan2 sampai sini?! i was actually planning to take a bus from Trafalgar Square earlier on while walking in front of the Charing Cross station, before my attention was diverted! cheh! but the view from the bridge was great, nampak London Eye, Big Ben, IMAX cinema...not to mention all the boats that were cruising the river underneath us...

checked the time, and saw that Zuhur is going to end in about 45 minutes time....as i have yet to recognise which door leads to the prayer rooms in LSE, i decided to go to Goodge St for the prayers..but i didn't know where to take the bus...oh well, burnt laa 2 pounds, and took the tube there....on the way to the platform, saw a signboard for Dali's exhibition..hmm, menarik jugak, but i was pressed for time...maybe i'll check it out some time..hehehe..namesake kan...

after prayers, i actually wanted to go back to Lillywhites AND check out the Covent Garden Jubilee Hall market (cam tak serik2 lagi tu..)...so, went to search for the bus stop that will take me there...cross the road, discovered i was going the wrong way...hehehe...tak nak nampak cam lost, so konon2 nye, masuk kedai and pretend to look around, then keluar kedai and patah balik...btw, the kedai that was the victim today was Habitat, this furniture store, ala-ala Homelife gitu...hmm, not that interesting to me, altho'many regard it as a place of ultimate domestic chic...i'm more of a flower and classic style furnitures girl..hehehe..

jalan-jalan cari bus stop, tengok-tengok, eh, dah sampai UCL? heheheh...walked into Waterstone's (bookstore)..walked out again...walked along London School of Contemporary Arts or something and took a bus in front of London School of Hygiene and Topical Medicine...ok, am definitely going to Lillywhites...tapinye, ended up getting off somewhere near Chinatown...jalan-jalan mencari Covent Garden...i vaguely remembered the way there, masa pergi tengok theatre Rat Pack during the fasting month...luckily spotted this familiar pub...so, walked along the street, and saw the familiar shops leading to Covent Garden tube station...on the way, saw Muji, this contemporary fashion store (i think from Japan or Hong Kong or somewhere Oriental), and remembered that my groupmate from Japan, Tomoe, works there...so, popped in and said hi...comellaaa, pakai apron sambil fold clothes...chatted for a bit...then walked over to Next across the road...this sales assisstant asked me if i wanted to have some newsletter sent to me, so i said yes and filled in a form (i love getting snail mails! i've already signed up for another newsletter! hehehe)..then she noticed my birthdate, and wished me happy birhday...so nice!

then finally, sampai Covent Garden MArket Halls! *big sigh of relief* naik sakit dah my thighs walking up and down the west end of London nie..sampai ke south bank tu! walked around in the market halls, where i saw this black lady, singing an opera aria in the open courtyard cafe...she was amazing! she just stood there, in her long coat and boots, with her stereo by her side, and an upturned hat with a few coins in it in front of her..and she belts out the song macam kat dalam some great hall! and her voice was amazing! all of us audience, who was watching her from above, applauded her after she finished..but i ran off, before the lady handing round a collection cup came my way...

unfortunately, the antique markets were near to closing..so, i just jalan-jalan a bit...looked at some stuff..then i inquired about a poster for my brother at this poster seller..btw, my brother is looking for a poster of the Beatles walking across the zebra crossing...i can't really remember other details, but it's a pretty famous picture of them...anyone know where i can get this picture/poster?? let me know please! thanks!

then decided to go home, and i found myself walking near the Strand...yay! now i know where to go cuz i've recognize the area..so went to catch the number 4 or 341..unfortunately, the busses were late! and all other busses kept coming and going...and it was pretty chilly masa tu (temperature today: min. 2 degrees, max. 5 degrees.sejuk sey! ) so, i just hopped on the 241, turun kat Holborn station, then walked over to catch the 38 back home....Lillywhites entah ke mana, headphones entah ke mana..bagus sangat la tu...

my tummy was rumbling badly by the time i reached home, so after magrib prayers, me and Ainor prepared instant roti canai, heated up yesterday's chicken curry, made some onion sambal (yum!), and fried smiley faces mashed potatoes...Kak Iza made bread pudding that looked and tasted yummy...but they were waiting for me to get home, so i can cut it..alaa, cam potong birthday cake gitu..heheheh...Ainor even got a picture of me, in my smelly pajamas, cutting the bread pudding! hehehehe...Kak Iza dah tersedak-sedak laughing at us masa tu....takde candles laa pulak..ehehhe..

btw, got a present from Ainor..."The Fabulous Girl's Guide to Life" by Kim Izzo and Ceri MArsh...cool!! i fingered this book like EVERYTIME i walk into a bookstore...as a matter of fact, i was looking at it longingly, earlier on! wooohooo!! yaay! best, best! thanks Ainor!

my birthday this year is celebrated a little differently, and way away from dear friends and family..well, it's symbolic, isn't it? it's high time i grew up :)

A day at Portsmouth..and just a little bit more...nonsense...

Girl, close your eyes
Let that rhythm get into you
Don?t try to fight it
There ain?t nothin? that you can do
Relax your mind
Lay back and groove with mine
You got to feel the heat
And we can ride the boogie
Share that beat of love
Chorus
I wanna rock with you (all night)
Dance you into day (sunlight)
I wanna rock with you (all night)
We?re gonna rock the night away

- Michael jackson's "Rock WIth You" -

and i'm back from the dead!!!!

pheewwww....*big sigh of relief*...i am DONE with my courseworks and exams...finally! well, for the first semester anyways, and it all starts over again in a week's time...but, i have a week off! yaay! hmm, what mischief can be done in such a short span of time....

anyways, me and me housemates went off to Portsmouth yesterday for a little break...hehehe, break for me, unplanned glitch in their study plans for them...we went to check out all the factory outlet stores there, as Ainor had been there a few months back with Ainurul and Safurah (Hi Ainurul! Hi Safurah!)...and came back with cheap goods...Kak Iza wanted to check out some stuff, and i was just dying to go off anywhere, as long as its away from my designated port of small ground space in front of my closet, facing the tv, where i have camped for the past few weeks, finishing up my assignments and studying...i can't sit at the desk to do my work, i tell ya...first reason.well, its next to the window, and my fingers will get numb much faster that way, not to mention, my feet will also freeze...ok, ok, fine, the numb fingers could be the result of hours of Solitaire *rolls eyes* but susahlaa wanna study there..with my laptop and all...second reason: i never study at the desk and able to absorb everything..don't ask me why, but it happens...the only time i've sat at a desk, and managed to do well for my exams was for the last semester in uni studying for my degree, when i didn't know what came over me, but i spent my nights at the library, trying to understand financial theory and the likes...yucks! hehehe, thank god for distraction in the form of interesting young men walking up and down...ooh, and i remembered rushing home for Ally McBeal which goes on at precisely 10.45 p.m. on NTV7...hehehe...

eh, where was i? oh yeah, Portsmouth....initially, we invited Ita along, but she had other plans that involved Oriental City, petai and belacan, so she opted out...Ita is a friend of Ainor, Ainurul and Safurah who stays about 5 minutes away, studying for an actuarial masters degree at City University, attached to UKM...Oriental City, apparently, is where we can get Malaysian goods...hmm, i might check out the petai thing..heheheh.. *devilish grin*...

so, there we were, saturday morning, where i woke up to the smells of sardines and onions...Ainor made sandwiches for our 2 hour journey...sardine sandwiches always remind me of "perkelahan" or picnicking..and not just any ordinary picnics, the types that happen next to rivers or sungais or jerams or waterfalls or air terjuns...heheheh...anyhoo, we rushed, cuz we're trying to catch any train that leaves before 10 a.m., cuz apparently, after 10 they get less frequent...so, with a few sandwiches in our tummies, rushed to catch the 38, got off at Angel Islington, withdrew some cash, and hop on the number 4 to Waterloo train station where we're supposed to catch the train..on the way to waterloo, we crossed the Thames River after the Strand, where we got the view of London in sparkling sunlight..fuyyoo...one of the days that the weather was wonderful, and we have to spend 2 hours on the train...unfortunately, due to lack of foresight, we weren't properly (read: warmly) bundled up, cuz the temperature dipped that day..menggigil jugak laa pagi tu...managed to get cheaper tickets cuz the guy behind the counter persuaded us to buy the railcard..which is going to come in handy, insya-Allah, in our future train trips..so, instead of paying 21 pounds, the tiket only cost us 13 pounds! cool huh...but we still have to pay for the railcard, so it came up to about the same..takpelaa, investment...

the train ride was quite long, so we ate the sandwiches, and slept..hehehe..the train was butt ugly, kalo nak dicompare with he trains in Germany..but there was ample legroom..ooh, one more great thing about the trains in Germany is that it has a digital display of the station that it is approaching and all the stops in sequence..so, even if you don't understand what was being announced, you can still know when to get off or prepare to get off....arrived at around 12 p.m., and as we walked out of Portsmouth Harbour train station, we can smell the salt air...waaa, laut!! lamanyee tak tengok laut! 5 minutes walk later, and we arrived at Gunwharf Quay, factory stores galore...

i shall not go into details of the whole day, cuz it was pretty much, masuk kedai, exclaim at prices, ponder whether or not to buy, made purchase, then go into the next shop...my self-determination to NOT spend was strong earlier, but it broke down towards the end of the day..ahhaha, whoops! those 2 were buying things for their significant others, wa tak mainlaa significant others nie, ehhehe, it was me, me, me all the way! muahahahahah...

in short, cheap adidas and nike stuff...cheaper tommy hilfiger and polo stuff, but not unlike the ones found in FOS, cheap Gap, Clarks, Triumph, Crabtree & Evelyn, Marks & Spencer, Levis and Whittard...but the best was, a Cadbury factory outlet store!! woohoo! apa lagi, borong chocolates laa...had lunch at Burger King and took pictures with the sea behind us...and the seagulls squawking in our ears..gah! actually, a bit the tak aci, cuz we didn't actually GO to the town center or any other attractions in Portsmouth...but can say laa that we've actually reached the place..

we slept the whole way on the train ride home...had to wait for the bus for a bit at the waterloo station...and that's where i noticed the building nestled between 2 railway bridges..sheesh, how do u sleep up there?! then i noticed, its part of a hotel/pub establishment..hehehe, they must have the cheapest rate! we were wondering which room would get the maximum impact of the trains' soothing sounds, hence fully interrupted sleep..ehhehe...

oh, by the way, i cooked a full meal on friday! hah! made my mom's dish of ayam, marinated with garlic, soy sauce and ginger, with vegetables and sambal ikan bilis with thinly sliced crispy potatoes..yum! the latter is my absolute favourite! oklaa, 2 dishes and nasi cannot be constituted as a full meal, but give me a break laa...i'm still figuring out how to cut chickens into pieces...i can't seem to cleanly cleave it, mesti berkecai punyelaa...i've resorted to apologizing FIRST before anyone touch any of my dish, you know, in case they find any pieces of loose chicken bones or freakishly misshapen piece..ahhaaha....

todaY, was another lovely and sunny day, and i was the acting ayam buyer...so, took the 48 to Walthamstow and bought chickens, sausages and mince meat...there was an offer at the chicken shop, and i walked away with 10 lbs of chickens! that's a whole lotta ayams! gile berat...but i was thinking, hey, you can never get enough of ayam right? i mean, we can cook up many, many things with it right...heh, what was i thinking, these people are not my brother, King Ayam...later went to Tesco, to get some groceries...note to self: NEVER go to Tesco on Sundays!! the queue was terrible!! gah! i'm gonna do my groceries on weeknights from now on..i just have to ignore the creepy feeling i get while walking down the dark streets...err, yeah right! i'm better off dragging any one of my housemates with me...oh, btw, about 2 months back, there was a stabbing scene in the area and someone also got attacked at the park..yup, its the ghetto, baby...and, we just realised, after a visit to the bookstores, that our area is in the Top 10 WORST places to stay in UK picture/coffee table book! waa, glamour gitu...

sometimes when i write, i feel like going on and on...but i have to stop as my neck is hurting...maybe next time, i will include some marketing anecdotes...i think i should..at least, it'll help refresh my memory of the things i'm learning here....the marketing and promotional activities in London is definitely top-notch..i like the way i could see how the stores are all geared up for the coming warm weather, even though it'll be a few months away...for example, they are promoting exercise equipments in the Argos catalogues, along with barbeque and garden sets...camping equipments also comes first in the catalogues as opposed to jewelry in the previous catalogue, which i presumed, is an incentive for Christmas...

anyhoo, the dodgy, but catchy Michael Jackson song at the top was Number 1 on the US chart exactly 24 years ago...wonder if my mom listened to it before all hell broke loose? hehehe, well, if she did, she must have felt VERY unamused....

Less than 24 hours lagi...

There's gotta be more to life...
Than chasing down every temporary high to satisfy me
Cause the more that I'm...
Tripping out thinking there must be more to life
Well there's life, but I'm sure... there's gotta be more
Than wanting more

- Stacie Orrico's "(There's Gotta Be) More To Life" -



I had a verry weird dream last night..well, technically this morning, but it was still dark outside..kinda.. :p anyhoo, i dreamt that i was at a reunion of my Standard 6 classmates..at the tennis court of my secondary school..hmm...the usual gang was there..we were actually in our sport attire, and apparently playing some games that involved throwing tennis balls...anyway, we were all tired, and settled down in some kind of bus (?) to relax, while the bus takes us to some unknown journey...what was weird was that i found myself suddenly lying on the laps of this certain guy whom i've had the HUGEST crush on back in those old days...it wasn't a romantic thing, as in my dream, i assumed we were chummy enough to do that...then he picked up my fingers and started to peel off my fingernails...(err, this EXTREMELY bad habit i have, but can't seem to kick it)...which was soo weird, cuz i was enjoying it, and even turned my fingers in different directions to make sure he gets each and every one...i could actually feel his fingers in mine...and suddenly, i sat up straight, and leaned against the shoulder of this good female buddy of mine, who was sitting across us, away from him....why? cuz i suddenly remembered he's MARRIED....and nobody seemed surprise to see my reaction....

weird huh? tulaa, siapa suruh tido after Subuh prayers? but the dream stuck with me throughout the whole day....

methinks its all these staying at home..:p but i have TONS of assignments to finish!! i didn't even turn up at my group meeting as i had tons to finish..(kejer last minute)...i was supposed to start on them on Friday, but i couldn't stand staying at home, as the weather was really nice..it was actually sunny, as opposed to dark, dreary days we're currently having...

so, i took the bus to Holborn, where i got off, and walked to LSE to pick up Ainurul's graduation gift thingy.....hehehe, perasan budak LSE kejap...however, i've forgotten where the surau is as i intended to perform my Asar prayers there, so, i walked around selamba-ly, actually trying my best to locate the surau...i ended in the library, where i pretended to look at the computer area from the balcony, just before the entrance barriers, pretending to look for a friend..haha....
then i took the bus to Angel, where i deposited a cheque at the HSBC branch there, and walked around for a little bit...masuk Boots to buy some cough medicine, and this black cashier accused me of banging the bottle on his glass table..i was like, ooh soorry! but he was just joking...told me to get better soon, and i told him to stop harassing his customers...hehehe...

masuk kluar a few shops like Monsoon, Body Shop, Gap, Borders, Next...the sales have died down, so there weren't much left..but the jeans at GAp was at this really attractive prices...sheesh...Borders are still having their 3 for the price of 2 books...soo best! i've singled out 3 books just in case i get rich anytime soon..hehehe...walked into Tchibo to lsee if they have the miro system i liked, tapi takde laa pulak..and the smell of coffee was enough to send me to a mild state of dizzyness...time to go home then....but it was nice getting some fresh air...i missed that...

Saturday was spent in the library with my groupmates, trying to figure out Kruskall Wallis and chi Square from the SPSS assignment we were doing...grr...nasib baik si Alfred tu belanja Toblerone at the end..hehehe...

i'm supposed to finish my assignments..pray for me here, cuz i'm gonna really need this...so, i'm gonna scarper off now..toodles!

p/s: thanks Nonz for the screaming session on Sunday, it was a huge help! btw, send my love to that gay-ish looking guy you met at Lotus Ampang aiight..tell him, i'm pining for you here, won't you come and whisk me away? hah! in my dreams!!!! hehehehehe....

nothing much...

I get no kick from champagne
Mere alcohol doesn't thrill me at all
So tell me why should it be true
That I get a kick out of you

- Jamie Cullum's "I Get A Kick Out OF You"-

i have finally finished and submitted my dissertation proposal! yaay! and now i can allow myself one night of uninterrupted sleep..before the cycle starts all over again tomorrow...ugghh...i was having problems filling up the proposal..i mean, 3000 words??? it's a bloody proposal! when i was on my way to submit it earlier on, as i got off the bus, i met my classmate (whom i have no idea what to call..) and we started chatting..she was on the way to submit her proposal too! hehehe...guess i wasn't the only one doing this last minute work...it rained, and it rained, the whole time i was out...and my payung have suffered the wrath of the heavy winds..sekarang dah bengkok! hehehe...hmm, my second payung from home..i wonder if payungs here are as flimsy as the one i have? well, tunggu masa je payung nie..bile dah chronic nanti, can get a new one..muahahaha! back in Malaysia, I never had any use for the payung..oh sure, bile balik kerja, and it starts to rain, it came in real handy..but kalo panas2 tu, i prefer to macho it out...hahahah! actually, malas sebenarnye nak whip out the payung...in uni, it was the same case...we had to walk under the hot sun, and i would rather brave that than to keluarkan my bunga2 payung...

apahal cerita pasal payung pulak nie...anyhoo, i receive this friendster request from a certain junior of mine...yang sekrang dah sangatlaa cun! wow....these people really made use of all those years huh..my friends and i, i can safely and honestly say, the close ones, didn't go through as much changes or drastic ones...they still look the same, they may dress up a little bit more, but they are certainly recognizable...but some of my ex-schoolmates..wow...some of them even turned out looking so gorgeous that they've been entering all these beauty contest ...(contohnya, Bavani and being Miss Malaysia India runner up...i mean, this girl was soo cuddly last time! and now, wow..shocker! sungguh laa cun! )....and those pretty but unnoticeable ones, on to make advertisements looking like a million dollars....what would i give..hehehe...

all this sitting at home business has given me quite a perspective..suddenly aje, nak balik...like, right now!! like, i don't even want to stay aother minute here anymore! i keep picturing myself driving around on Saturday and Sunday afternoons (best time to drive, i tell you..)in Shah Alam and Subang, i can see the buildings by Federal Highway as clear as if they are before my very eyes....i imagined myself hanging around the house, watching tv with my family...everything! it made me feel soo homesick, that i dropped huge hints to my mom on our recent phone conversation...it didn't help that my roomie is feeling equally homesick as well, but is planning a short trip home somewhere in April..grr...mama tanya, nak balik ke? sheesh, mestilaa nak! but then again, i want to leave London when everything is over, when i can finally come home with an no excess bagage and no worrying over deadlines and stuff...i want to go home with a clear and free heart....and absolutely looking forward to go home too!

ape nie, baru bulan January, dah talk about going home...heh..what can i say? i'm a spoilt brat..but i hope my dear friend Karina, is able to get what she wants...someone is about to embark on a major change in her life, and i wish her well...i do hope my advice were of any help to you..i seriously believe in going after what your heart wants right now..life is short, u don;t want to go through it, thinking you're doing the right thing, when your heart yearns for something else..maybe its easier said than done...but it really helps if u visualize it iin your mind...but then again, remember when your parents told you to stick with something you didn't like, and you did, and it turned out wonderful?? what was that all about? parents instinct? i remembered hating my secondary school..i wanna go where all my friends are at, back in Subang...i felt alienated (chewahh), didn't have any friends, and totally, totally miserable...well, for the first few months anyways....and my mom promised me that if i was not happy by the end of the year, i can switch schools back to the one in Subang...i was ecstatic! i told my friends back in Subang that ít'll only be a matter of time, before i can join them and the rest...at this time pulak, conflicts have risen between some of them as a result of this grwing up process, and new friends and all...but slowly, slowly, i found friends...great friends from school...i started looking forward to go to school, and didn't mind the looong bus ride...i started to open up a little and started to have fun a little..and i saw my faults and other people's goodness...somehow, by the end of the year, i was too busy planning outings with my friends from school, that the changing school issue just died away....would my heart have said something different back then..? i honestly can't remember...but i'm really glad i stayed back then..i wouldn't have turned out to be the way i am right now... :)

but as i walked through the halls of my uni just now, it strikes me as to how badly i wanted to come here...and now that i'm here, i should make the most of my time here....maybe its the closed air at home that made me all dizzy with these homesickness...or maybe its the constant listeniing to Radio Era, ehhehe..it only needs a breath of fresh air, a bumpy bus ride, and the smile of friendly classmate to help me gather everything into the right perspective....

i may not travel as much as i want to here..i may not be able to do the things that i want to...but whatever it is, i'm going to go through this, and make sure i come back with a bundle of memories....and a fresher outlook on life...i may not look any different than i did a whole year back when i come back...i may still be the same person, but i do hope that i will become wiser, and more tolerant...even if that's the only good thing that will come out of this year....

this year, this year....how is it going to end?

p/s: help! i can't stop watching all those videoclips..both with Siti Nurhaliza on them! i'm gonna be a die hard Siti fan by the end of the year! watch out, i'll be defending her fashion sense soon, hehehe....all because of that ONE musician...oh, why can't you be normal and let people rip your videoclip too??? but its okay, cuz you're still yummy, even though all i have is prolly the clearest and closest view of your wristwatch...don't worry, i love that watch too! hehehhe...

One down, one more to go...

Maafkanlah diriku ini
Tiada rela jua jadi begini
Tika cinta kian bersemi
Oh relakanlah kupergi...

- A to Z's "Darjat" -

One down , one more to go...ooh, and tons of assignments in between..bluueerrrgghhhh! I just finished one paper earlier on...dengan sesat nak cari exam hallnye, dengan nak baca last minute dalam basnye, dengan nak batuk kong kong kong nye...sheeshh..glad I made it...the paper itself, hmm....ntohlerr....i¡¦ve tried my best..(goreng tahap maksima) let's just hope it answers what he wants...

Hiya peeps...sorry for the long silence..I am finally recovering from my fever/flu/cough/drama....although I'm still coughing my lungs out at the moment, I've never felt better :)

Granted, sebenarnye, I have found clips containing a certain new favourite musician of mine..*sigh* penat woo cari¡Kkena COMB through Kazaa (shh..)..cari among the many Siti NUrhaliza clips, download satu-satu, and scrutinize the background for THE musician, takde, delete, cari lain balik...nak cari group die, cam susah la pulak...hahahah..when I'm a fan, I'm a FAN!! let's not get into my Innuendo videotapes days here ok...sampai besok pun tak habis citer...

Anyhoo, last Friday nite, Kak Irma came over to spend the night again..this time, she brought along tom yam ingredients ..claimed that die dah lama tak masak, so, she was a llittle gian nak masakkan for us..she even brought like seekor ayam! It was one of the best tom yam I've ever tasted..made from scratch lagi..mmmm...slurrp, slurp...but, unfortunately, I couldn't really enjoy it as I was totally stuffed up..heheheh...stayed up to watch the Friday nightly dose of Friends, Will & Grace, The Osbournes and Sex and the City...Kak Irma was telling us about the protest at the French Embassy that she was joining, aginst the ban on the tudung in France, on Sunday...apparently, one lady wearing a tudung was refused service at a bank earlier this month which is a little too much...

The next day, in my kelam-kelam keadaan, they managed to drag me to the Harrods sales..ehehhe, who am I kidding? I would have gone anyways...the place was packed, but nothing excites me anymore (sebab takde duit la tuu...hehhehe) ..ooh, except for those exquisite chocolates in the Food Halls...*sigh*...but I think the perfumes were a bargain..heh..ntahlaa, tak minat betul hari tu...checked out a few stuff...Kak Iza wanted to get her hubby a birthday present, but couldn't find anything...left Harrods..went to Kak Irma's place to pray, and hang out before dinner at Nahar...the three of us had Nasi Ayam..gile besar portion! The poor ayams were left to defend themselves on the plates, sebab serious tak larat nak habis...ooh, Murakami..hmm, new author to be considered..let's check out his work next time, shall we...

I spent all the days between then and today at home, trying to study and finish my assignments...and they had to screen Pretty Woman laa kan last night! Hehehe....takpelaa, tengok yummy Richard Gere and his crinkly-eyed smile...met up with fellow classmates tadi before the paper..ade yang dah kurus, ade yang dah gemuk..hehehe..Alfred came and gave us girls a hug! and Coura, my groupmate from Senegal, was like, I think he misses u..haha! dah set up another meeting for this Friday..heh...malasnye...the blasted paper was at 6 p.m...bad timing betul laa...finishes at 9 p.m. and I had to walk down the lonely street yang sudah gelap..on the way, ade la pulak yg berhenti and tanye, excuse me miss...ape ntah die mumble..i just walked on straight...man, sometimes, all they want is some change, but I'm not taking any chances..nasib baik, some of my classmates are walking along the same road as well...curses to the bus stop yang sangat jauh tu..curses sebab I tak belajar naik bas lain lagi, but I think the other one's worse as it stops at a lonely spot further away from my house..

Penatnye...dah laa tadi, just before leaving for the exam, I decided to makan this onion and cheese pasty that I bought from Tescos..tapi, soo pandai laa kan, tak pandai gune oven to reheat that pasty...hari tu tengok si Ainor pusing,pusing the knob, and tembak the grill inside the oven..so, dengan selambanye, I pusing and pusing the knob, and start to tembak the small holes at the end of the inner part of the oven..tembak punye tembak, nothing happened..in the end, I gave up and wanted to shut the oven door..then I heard the pssstttt sound of gas..and the smell of gas...oh shit...i quickly turned and pusing the knob, but the stupid, ancient knob didn't do anything....the gas kept coming out!! apa lagi...I panicked! start to run around the kitchen, and cabut all electrical appliances....called Ainor, only to be greeted by Vodafone's message service....i ran downstairs for the landlord..takdelaa pulak makcik nie!!...then I rushed to smell the oven, masya-Allah...i had visions of myself with the cartoony type black face and poofed up hair after an exposion..only I know in real life it could be much worse!!!...arrrggh!!!...called up Kak Iza..Kak Iza pun tak tau macamane nak switch the oven off, and advised me to just pusing and pusing the knob sampai dah takde any more gas coming out...and I was rushing to go off pulak tu!! So, I went to turn the knob again and again...and alhamdulillah, the gas shuts off...pheww!...

Then I had to go and stand, shivering at the bus stop for my beloved 253...

Nasib baik ade those saviour clips off Kazaa...*sigh* nak tengok lagi sekali laa..heheh..toodles!

A dry entry...

the first cut is the deepest
baby i know
the first cut is the deepest
but when it comes to bein' lucky, he's cursed
when it comes to lovin' me, he's worse...

- Sheryl Crow's "First Cut Is The Deepest" -


*Tries to take a deep breath through mucous-filled nostrils* ...

I am recovering from the worst bout of fever/flu/headache/cough predicament I've ever had in all my adult years (chewahh, adult years..) I don't think I've ever felt this bad before..well, there was once when I was younger, about 12, when my cousin and I went to Subang Parade, and she stuffed me with food, lots of them..urrgghh..the next day, I woke up with a terrible fever, and was almost delirious..haha, my cousin came and visited me, and I mistaken her for my mom!..and there was that time, when I was working, and I overdosed on Neslo..suddenly, i had this splitting headache, and nearly fell asleep in the loo...that was terrible, I had to call up my brother to pick me up in KL..and slept all the way home..

I have reestablished connection with my Indonesian classmate from Leicester, Firman..he sent me a few emails, and I replied with my h/p number..and he told me that he tried to call me but couldn't ..so, he asked for my email address from a "temen"in the class (I wonder who that could be?) ..awww, isn't that sweet..apparently, everyone back in Leicester is stressed out with their assignments and stuff..and he reckoned he should have followed me to London..cheh..ape, loh ingat di sini, level stressnya enggak tinggi?!

A classmate of mine, Asrar, sent me an e-card wishing me a New Year...baru sekarang nak reply balik..*gulp* ..dah laa tu, bombarded him with questions about our exams and assignments..hope he's not pissed..

I found out that a certain friend of mine from uni, is engaged to her uni-sweetheart..I find that soooo sweet...i guess, because of all those failed romances after all those years of being together in uni, kinda makes me skeptical about this long-lasting ones..but I'm glad that these two friend of mine are..they are PERFECT for each other..I pray for their happiness, and hope to be able to see them at their jinjang pelamin..ehhehe..

Ooh, on another weddingy note, my colleague at the former office is already married, but as according to another colleague, he is as "gatal"as ever..cheh! well, after about a year, hearing him talk about his "baby", I"m kinda relieved to hear that he has finally tied the knot...another colleague is also planning to get hitched in June..hmm...is it the year for marriages or something..oh, who am I kidding, every year, every month is the time to get married..it's a good thing I'm not back home, or I'll prolly get my mom all tensed up with all this wedding stories..haha..

My primary school friends had another tiny reunion..for the second time after I was gone!! Grr...heheheh..but it's great that these people take the time to actually meet up even for a few hours..I was surprised that my friend, Azura, emailed me a reunion recap report..she knows me too well, to know that I would be too interested to hear about the latest gossips on everyone..and for the first time, in many, many years, they managed to get this long-lost childhood heartthrob classmate of ours to come! Awww..with his wife in tow..hehehe..according to her, he still has his boyish charms..hmm...the reunion is in conjunction with the visit of our classmate, who migrated to Australia, when were 14, who's back here with her dad..Aislin is part of a boy-girl twin..Melvin, stayed back in Ausralia, and couldn't make it..both were our classmate..we have another half of a twin in our class at that time, Thiru.. but apparently, he is also in Australia, with no intention of coming back! .apparently, Aislin has been busy scouring our malls for the Karnival MEmbeli Belah sales, and got away with 8 shoes, 35 tops, etc..the last time they visited, was about a few years back, and we had a little gathering at Starbucks, Pyramid (one of our ex-classmate was working there, so it was more of a convenience choice, ehheehe) when they treated me to a birthday lunch, and all of them surprised me with a huge birthday card..aww..soo sweet..dang! Wish I was there with them, laughing my heart out, rehashing past stories (they've been rehashed soo many times at every reunion, but it never gets stale..somewhat similar to P. Ramlee movies ;) )..

On the homefront, my brother is thinking of going to USM to pursue a degree in video editing or something like that¡K*gasp* ..soo far! *sniff, sniff*..and I heard that my sister has taken off her braces..i want pictures of both of them! Grr..

Today's entry is as dry as my throat..I have not left that house for about 3 days now..I think I should get some sunshine, no...unfortunately, the weather here teases us with its occasional dark clouds and showers..so I'm still cautious about putting my head out..but I do need some groceries..mm...Kak Iza wants to check out the Harrods sales, so if I'm up to it, we'll prolly go..but I'm too broke for anything :p

I've inserted a few new links! btw, can I attach u Miss A.N ..? need to ask for your permission first..but, you should know you're on my Favourites list ;)

Have a good cough-free day, folks.. :)

Excerpts...

How can I not love you
What do I tell my heart
When do I not want you
Here in my arms
How does one waltz away
From all of the memories
How do I not miss you
When you are gone .

- Joy Enriquez's "How Can I Not Love You" OST Anna and the King -


I’m having a slight fever and sore throat..methinks its demam nak besar..*shudders*

# On New Years Eve, Ainor and me ventured to Wembley to visit the Brent Park IKEA…bestlaa jugak…huge…but u kinda see the same things back in Malaysia..but arranged differently…I got myself a table lamp, a box and a grater (don’t ask!)..later balun veggie dog at the café..on our way back, we kinda took the wrong bus and didn’t hop off where we were supposed to..but alhamdulillah, sampai jugak ke tube station…on the tube, met this family of Somalian, who used to stay in Malaysia for 7 years! The father came up to us in the train, and asked us if we were from Malaysia, and we cautiously said yeess..terus die panggil his family to come over and sit with us! He was an Electrical Engineering lecturer in UTM , and his wife used to speak Malay…so, we chatted a bit, and he asked us how’s the country under the new PM…his wife told us that he loves Nasi Lemak..ehhehe..comelllaaa….but get this, his wife..watches..Senario!! can u bear??!! And she understands the jokes! Waa, now Senario can claim that their jokes transcends cultural barrier..ehhehe..and their daughter was squealing “KLCC” hehehhe…earlier on we planned to go to Greenwich to celebrate New Year (kononnye..) but after all that getting lost, and running around looking for a decent kebab shop nearby , we were too pancit to even move, so we just settled down with Mavish kebabs for dinner and watched the countdown on tv….

# New Years was spent watching 5 movies on tv…count it: F.I.V.E…..it started with The Sound Of Music, where I finally understood what the whole movie was really, really about..and I also discovered how deliciously sarcastic the nuns were..and how yummylicious Christopher Plummer is…*sigh*…then on to Grease..well, technically, I didn’t watched it properly, because I was online at that time, but I did manage to catch John Travolta’s lithe body dancing to “You’re The One That I Want”(ooh, ooh, ooh!) …about 8.15 p.m., it was What Women Want, and on to Speed ( again, baru faham the total soryline), and finally before dozing off, The Breakfast Club..its funny how when I think back to those early years when I watched all those movies, what WAS I actually watching?!

# The next day was spent with cousin dearest Tina (who came down from Birm)..we got lost at Kensington while looking for her cousin Mariam’s hotel..then lepaked a little while at Oxford Street..then I had to rush off home, cuz Kak Irma was coming over..yay! It was fun hanging out with her..we ate spaghetti yang telah di-disguise menjadi kuehtiow goreng, hehehe…and we had a tv marathon..we watched, get this…Friends, 2 episodes of Will and Grace, The Osbournes, and 4 episodes of Sex and the City…borak-borak with Kak Irma and listened to her stories..Kak Irma is really cool, and jolly…her mom’s from Indonesia, and she kept spouting Indonesian words..funny sangat! And she told us about her activist boyfriend Adam, and all her experiences in the States, back in Malaysia and in London…I also discovered that we could actually be related! Cool!

# The next day, we had lunch at the Nandos at Bayswater, and had an encounter with a Singaporean Indian waiter, who spoke to us in Malay…had a tummy-busting lunch..and Kak Irma had to leave to email her proposal to her supervisor..so, me and Ainor went to see my cousin in Selfridges to pass her birthday present and Mariam’s camera, which I had forgotten to pass back, the day before..met her friends, Cola (betul ke nie? ) and Sue..then we decided to go to Chinatown (first time! )..took the wrong bus along the way, but finally ended up at the right place..hehehe…bought Kicap Manis Adabi, Indo Mee, and a few other things…walked all the way back to Piccadilly Circus via the London Trocadero…discovered this really cool shop, Octopus, selling the coolest gadgets…masuk keluar a few shops, discovered Lillywhites, this sports shop selling jerseys and stuff…which reminds me, my cousin kirim-ed a rugby jersey…

# On Sunday, me and Ainor went off to Liverpool Street’s Petticoat Lane Sunday market to meet up with Afie and Za (from Surrey)..they had to rush off, so we had to scrap the plan of taking them to lunch..pusing-pusing market tu kejap..jumpe this Chinese couple selling halal Chinese food..yum! we bought nasi goreng cina and fried noodles and ate by the sidewalk..haha, dengan penuh sopannye..then went off to the Argos kat Tottenham Court Road, to buy a toaster…but I couldn’t find the one I wanted, so we took the bus to the one at Marble Arch..first went into Woolworths, jumpe my coveted hairdryer with diffuser (camne nak guna nie?) and finally my toaster…unfortunately, it was the wrong type of toaster, so I have to lug it back and get a refund…

penat laa…its been hectic, and its gonna get busier..cuz I have all these assignments to finish by the end of the month..*padan muka, siapa suruh buat kerja last minute* ..so, pardon the silence..i’ll try to update whenever I can..

btw, anyone heard about Sheila on 7 coming to London on January 7th? Let me know A.S.A.P please…Thank you!!!