Pulut Kuning Penyeri Majlis

Should I get this ....

Nikon DSLR D60

Or this ...

Canon EOS 1000D Kit EFS 18-55

Aku ni memang suka ambil gambar. Cita cita memang nak tangkap satu SLR camera, but of course must be affordable lah kan. Dulu tu, masa muda muda (not that I am old now), masa suka ambil gambar orang kahwin, aku pakai Nikon FM. Ni camera paling best. Boleh ambil dual exposure. Tapi dulu tu, camera cepat berfungus. Aku pulak bangsa tak kisah barang, tak tau nak simpan betul betul, kejap jer lens semua fungus. Nak hantar cuci, mak datuk... punya lah mahal. Akhirnya camera tu terperuk bawah katil. Tapi hobby ambil ambil gambar ni masih ada dalam benak aku.

Ramai jugak pasangan pengantin yang guna service aku ambil gambar. Banyak jugak duit aku buat. Mana tak nya, dulu aku charged segulung film $40, termasuk developing, album and enlargement. Paling sikit pengantin ambil 5 gulung. Dah $200. Kira banyak lah dulu tu... 23 tahun dulu. Tolak campur darap, dapat lah untong dalam $100. Okay lah, 2 hari kerja dapat $100. Tapi, yang tak best nya, kena tunggu.. tunggu.. tunggu... tunggu. Pengantin tukar tukar baju, kengkadang sampai 12 malam baru habis. Maklum lah time tu, pengantin punya baju, sampai 30 pasang. Yang lagi satu tak best nya, driver aku selalu hilang. Eh.. tu kisah lama. hehehe. Yang best nya pulak, mana pengantin pergi, aku dapat duduk dalam kereta pengantin, so kalau driver aku hilang pun tak kisah. Yang lagi best nya pulak, bila orang menghargai kerja aku. Tu yang puas hati.

Sekarang ni, aku pakai digital camera yang simple pun, blur. Memang aku tak suka camera auto. Tak boleh nak focus schmocus. Ni, dah lapang sikit rezeki aku, aku ingat nak mula balik ambil ambil gambar ni. Nanti kalau ada orang yang nak kahwin, tak yah susah payah cari photographer... Tangkap satu SLR... amacam? Tripod dah ada... tinggal tenggek camera je.

Untok permulaan, beli yang murah dulu... nanti lama lama... beli yang S$6 ribu punya. Okay tak? set? Sekarang ni photographer charge berapa eh satu gulung film? WOI! mana orang pakai film lagi??? Memory card laaa woi !

Bunga Bakawali

It’s known as Epiphyllum oxypetalum scientifically. Epiphyllum oxypetalum or Dutchman's Pipe is a species of cactus and one of the most cultivated species in the genus. It is also referred to as Night blooming Cereus and often confused with species of Selenicereus.

Dulu kat Plywood Road, Arwah Nenek aku ada tanam pokok Bunga Bakawali. Dia tanam dalam pasu yang di buat sendiri dari pada kayu berbentuk empat segi, dan bertiang supaya tak kena air masin bila air pasang. Tak tahu lah siapa yang buat, sebab masa tu aku kecik lagi, tak pernah hirau siapa buat apa. Yang aku hiraukan waktu tu ialah, bila nak main sembunyi sembunyi, bila boleh panjat pokok, bila boleh pergi pancing, bila boleh tangkap ular, bila air nak pasang.

Pasu kayu yang dalam nya ada pokok Bunga Bakawali ni, letaknya di depan tingkap ruang tengok TV. Pokok Bunga Bakawali ni, susah nak berbunga. Dan bila berbunga, cuma satu saja, dan bila mekar hanya pada tengah malam. Ada yang kata tepat jam 12 malak, tapi aku tak pernah pulak tengok jam bila tunggu bunga ni kembang. Heran kan?. Yang pelik nya lagi, bunga bakawali ni, berbunga di daun nya, bukan di batang pokok atau di dahan. Daun bunga bakawali ni, panjang dan tebal. Bau bunga ni pulak bukan main wangi lagi. Harum semerbak. Tapi, dia cuma mekar sekejap aja, paling lama pun tiga jam aja. Bila dah fully bloomed, pelan pelan dia kuncup balik and wilted. Selalunya aku dengan Arwah Nenek aku akan tunggu bunga ni mekar. Bila dah mekar besar, kita petik dan simpan dalam esbok. Tiap pagi aku ambil dan cium bunga ni. Wangiiiii….

Bila kampong aku kena ambil dengan gahmen, pokok tu pun terpaksa di tinggalkan. Sedih aku tengok pokok bunga kesayangan aku kene tinggal. Bukan saja kena tinggal, pasu nya pun orang pecahkan. Nenek kata “beremma se kibe aaa… raje delhuk”.

Bila dah pindah, rasa rindu pulak dengan Bunga Bakawali. Fed up pun yer. Ada dua tiga kali selepas pindah tu, aku balik ke Plywood Road nak tengok apa jadi dengan rumah aku and pokok bunga bakawali aku. Tapi selalunya aku sampai ‘darat’ jer, tak sampai hati rasanya nak masuk sampai ‘laut’. Takut apa yang aku nampak nanti akan buat aku menangis. Sampai darat pun aku dah keluar air mata.

Tapi, bila aku beli rumah sendiri di Clementi, jiran cina sebelah rumah aku, ada tanam pokok ini. Happy sangat aku bila nampak pokok bunya bakawali ni. Bila nampak aja bunga dia berputik, tiap malam aku bukak pintu nak tengok bunga dia dah besar ke belum. Dan bila dah agak agak dia nak mekar, aku tunggu kat pintu. Sampai jiran aku pun perasan. Aku cakap dengan dia yang aku suka bunga tu. Aku cerita kat dia yang aku dulu ada pokok bunga ni, dan bunga dia selalu aku simpan dalam esbok. Jiran aku ni memang lah baik orang nya, walaupun dia bangsa lain. Bila bunga ni fully bloomed aja, dia gunting, dia kasi aku. Punya laaa happy. Yang bagusnya, pokok jiran aku ni, selalu jugak berbunga, tak macam yang Nenek aku punya, 4-5 bulan baru sekali berbunga. Jadi selalu lah aku dapat bunga bakawali ni jadi simpanan kat esbok. Kengkadang tu, dia berbunga sampai dua kuntum sekali. Jiran aku ni selalu petik dan kasi aku. Kadang kadang, bila aku tak ada dirumah, dia simpankan dalam esbok dia, dan dia letak note kat pintu aku suruh ketuk pintu rumah dia kalau aku balik.

Sekarang ni, susah nak jumpa pokok bunga bakawali ni. Dah merata aku cari, tak jumpa. Pergi nursery pun takde. Kata orang, bunga bakawali ni kesukaan Kak Pon, sebab tu dia cuma kembang malam aja. Aku tak percaya tu semua. Nenek aku kata, bila bunga ni kembang, ada puteri pari-pari akan turun dan cium bunga ni, sebab bunga ni, harum dia fuuyooh… best sangat. Yang ini aku percaya, sebab yang kata tu, Nenek aku. So, beside tengok bunga ni kembang, aku pun selalu sangat berharap dapat tengok puteri pari pari tu. Tak pernah nampak pulaaak.

Tetiba aja aku teringat Bunga Bakawali ni. Mana nak cari eh?

Up the Hill We Go!

Sunday afternoon. After a bowl of laksa, we took a cab to meet Baid and her kids at Bukit Timah Hill for an afternoon stroll. Baid is working out for her trip to Mount Kinabalu in June. I was just tagging along for a healthy walk.

I've done the tracking at Bukit Timah Hill few times during my younger days. So I know what to expect. Steep foot path, long stairs and mozzie.

I used to run with the Hash House Harriets too. So, walking into woods and shrubs doesn't bother me at all. During my HHH's days, we would run into all kinds of trail and tracks. Depending on the hares who select the route. I used to run from Kampong Chantek woods to Riffle Avenue and back. From Changi Sailing club to Old Commander Barrack and back again. I was able to complete all the time.

But this time, I did not do my maths right. Previously I was young and agile, now.... phew! age is really catching up on me !

Erin, was puffing and huffing too

I don't think this was a challenge for Eriq, as I saw him walk with so much ease!

He said, his hockey practice is much tougher. Show Off!

Berhenti sekejap, tarik nafas

It was raining in the morning. So the area was rather wet. Luckily we all wore sport shoes

Aaargghhh... penat makcik??

Give me one minute

On our way down

Gemuuukkkkk

Terjumpa pulak si dierni ni...
Dulu pernah aku kenal sedara mara dia...

Muka merah padam... berpeluh-pelih seh.

Ni kalau suruh Jazz, cium gerenti dia buat tak dengar... hehehe

Shopping, shopping, shopping

Ni baru sikit... hehehe...

tu Prada tulen wooo...$570.00 jangan marah...!

Hari ni macam malas sangat. Besok pulak cuti umum. Jazz pulak pergi KL dengan the boys. Probably will go shopping with Mary and Aini tomorrow, after Aini comes back from her flight.

Ish, aku ni asyik shopping aja. Mentang mentang lah kerja Manager... hahaha. Jelous nampak? Kalau jelous mengaku ajer laaaah... HAHAHA.... Rezeki aku lah kan. Kalau prestasi kerja baik, testimonial bagus, mesti lah boleh dapat position yang tinggi.

Eh... apa ada kene mengene dengan position aku eh? kerja apa pun boleh shopping per, asalkan kerja halal. Jangan panjang tangan kat kerja sudah. Mulut pun mesti lah jaga. Tapi jangan sampai nak mengampu lebih lebih lah kan.

Alamak, Income Tax belum file lagi. IR8A form baru jer dapat dari HR. Lambat lah HR ni buat kerja. Budak yang in charge of all these, on maternity leave. Jadi yang took over her place kocar kacir. Lagi lagi Malaysian, buat Tax for Singaporean. Mesti lah kecoh. Besok lah baru aku file, ada lagi 5 days to do it.

Bila tengok IR8A form aku ni, pakai nampak macam nak kene bayar tax jer this year. By what I have received recently, nampak sah next year kena bayar lebih lagi. Ni apahal pulak laaa nak kasi gahmen duit eh?

Eh....! jelous nampak.... kih kih kih. Aku dapat position Manager pun engkau jelous, aku cantik pun engkau jelous. Aku happy pun engkau jelous. Engkau ni tak habis habis jelous. Bodoh. Jodoh, rezeki, ajal, tu kan semua kurniaan Allah.

Mangke nye...kalok jadi orang, jangan jadik bego! Bego!

My New Toys

Bought myself an Ipod Touch G2. My MP4 is giving me problem, so I had to get a new entertainment piece. And the decision of getting the Ipod Touch was made with no regrets!

I love my Ipod!

And it goes well with my new MacBook White!

I gave my PowerBook to Thasim, one of the best bros.

And I love my new MacBook!

Got them from the Epic Centre at Wheelock.

Jangan marah.. Apple products tak boleh hutang...

Tapi, siapa siapa yang ada credit card boleh lah gi beli - credit - hutang jugak.

My new Ipod Touch G2

Woo Hoo

P!nk, my favourite girl.

Devil's Food

It was a lazy Sunday, so so lazy that I did not follow my diet plan. It was also a non-stop eating day. The children had hot-dog sandwiches for breakfast before their religious class. After class, they had blueberries muffins that I baked the night before so that I have something for Ustazah Raminah with the morning tea.

For lunch we had Assam Pedas Kepala Ikan Duri and Mutton Chop Curry courtesy of Mariam. That made me free from cooking and gave me all the time to watch CSI.

By 2pm, Eriq was restless and decided to bake something. There goes my CSI Supreme Sunday and my 'lepak' Sunday afternoon. Eriq is always up and about and lazy Sunday is not one of his favourite past time.

We looked thru the fridge and the recipe book, and decided to make a chocolate cake since everything that is needed in the recipe is available in my baking box without having to go to the supermarket.

Eriq did most of the whisking and the mixing under my supervision. My role was just making sure that he got the measurement right and followed closely with the recipe. Not bad for a first timer. His cake was delicious and very satisfying!

Unlike his brother who would rather watch Animax and play his PSP, Eriq likes to help with the house. He would sweep the floor without being ask, or help clearing the dishes after meal or fuss in the kitchen while I am cooking.

For the recipe, please go to My Ezie Recipe.

Eriq doing the double-boiling for the chocolate frosting

Eriq whisking the frosting

Smiling baker

Eriq and his cakes

His own invention. Slices of banana in the middle so that it won't be too rich of chocolate

Voila ! Eriq's chocolatey Devil's Food with banana slices

Of Popcorn and Heath

We had the pleasure to watch The Dark Knight on its opening night. The theatre was packed til the last seat. Jazz booked the ticket online with his master card, and I bought the popcorn combo. We had our seat the the back of the the theatre, and with Jazz's long legs, he got the aisle.

I am not actually a fan of the Cape Crusader, nor am I a fan of any of the Marvel Heroes. But I was there to watch the late Heath Ledger in his last movie before he was found dead due to OD six months ago. Everyone knows that.

The story is very predictable of course. Bruce Wayne owns Gotham City, turn into Batman to fight against crime, Batman has vehicles that no one has... bla bla bla. Of course with all the new technologies, we expect to see all the movie effects and we were not dissapointed.

I guess The Dark Knight is worth watching if you are a fan of Heath Ledger. Christian Bale didn't impress me. The only attraction for me was the Joker.

Review from sfgate.com

The Dark Knight: Action. Starring Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart and Maggie Gyllenhaal. Directed by Christopher Nolan.

Rather than have everyone skip ahead, first let's talk about Heath Ledger. He's the linchpin of "The Dark Knight," and he's terrific. Director Christopher Nolan wanted to make an action movie that was different from other action movies - darker, more twisted, more despairing, more bleak - and he has mostly succeeded in this latest Batman installment. He can thank Ledger for a lot of that.

"The Dark Knight" rides on Ledger's performance as the Joker. So does a lot of audience hope, and that's another element at work here. There has never been a situation quite like this: Audiences for the biggest blockbuster of the summer are flooding in, not just hoping an actor will be good but also expecting and needing him to be absolutely amazing. They want something profound, to put alongside Ledger's Ennis in "Brokeback Mountain." They want the fabled gift that arrives six months after the loved one's death.

Ledger's performance can't live up to that. Perhaps no performance ever could, but especially in this case, with the limits built into the role. Nolan and his collaborators set out to deepen the action-movie form, but the Joker remains in essence a great comic book character, not Iago (or even Javier Bardem in "No Country for Old Men"). Nor will audiences find some of the other things they may be unconsciously looking for - a valedictory aspect or a suggestion that the role was eating the actor alive. The truth is, Ledger's death was a surprise to everybody, and "The Dark Knight" neither hints at it nor makes sense of it. Nothing could.

But shelve those outsize expectations, and, suddenly, Ledger's performance opens up. He comes onscreen and electrifies the movie. With his smeared lipstick and painted white face, he is every clown who ever terrified a child. He speaks in a measured, Middle American accent, enunciating his words carefully, a voice that could tell bedtime stories in hell. (He seems, actually, to be imitating Al Franken.) His simplicity is fascinating, and as the movie goes on, that simplicity in itself becomes genuinely frightening.

One shot, in particular, crystallizes everything that Ledger and Nolan were working for in "The Dark Knight." It's a shot that deserves to be anthologized, YouTube-ized and immortalized: The Joker is in the foreground, walking toward the camera, playing (and really, that's the only word) with a bomb detonator. Huge explosions are going on behind him as he walks toward us, stiff and happy and hobbling, like a toddler. He's a child, and this is pure id. At the heart of existence isn't creation, but chaos.

Not everything in "The Dark Knight" lives up to or even serves such moments of grim clarity. In many ways, and certainly more than "Batman Begins," "The Dark Knight" takes the form of a standard-issue action movie. It's a little too long (though never boring) and confusingly (though beautifully) shot. It's overly plotted and has too much rapid-fire cutting. Nolan had big ambitions for the movie, but before he made "The Dark Knight" into a smart action film, he wanted to make sure it functioned perfectly well as a dumb one. He could have compromised less, and should have.

Still, he has taken on a serious subject and a genuine fear. If "The Dark Knight" is about anything, it's about civic catastrophe and the fragility of our institutions in the face of blind, consuming evil. The evil is the Joker, and no one knows what to do about him - not the good guys, like Batman (Christian Bale) or the new district attorney, Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), and not even the bad guys, like the mob boss played by Eric Roberts. The Joker doesn't play by the usual rules, because he isn't motivated by self-interest. In the words of Alfred the Butler (Michael Caine), he "just wants to see the world burn."

This time out, Bale is almost a mere member of the ensemble, the first among equals that includes Morgan Freeman as Bruce Wayne's operations chief and Gary Oldman as Lt. Gordon. Skillfully, the movie shifts our attention to Eckhart, who, as Gotham's idealistic young crime buster, has the movie's most involved journey. As our focus shifts, so does that of Bruce Wayne's sweetheart, Rachel (Maggie Gyllenhaal), who sees in Harvey the possibility of a stable, happy life.

With its frenetic pace and its many concessions to blockbuster formula, "The Dark Knight" is by no means a complete success. But the more it reveals its dark heart, the better it gets, and at times it seems just a step away from achieving something extraordinary. In the end, it's no leap forward, but it's certainly a step in the right direction: an action blockbuster extravaganza that's sadder than sad and never pretends otherwise.

Advisory: Some of the special effects are disgusting and disturbing enough to justify something more severe than the PG-13 rating. This movie is certainly not for children, nor for anyone who's afraid of clowns.

Source : sfgate.com

Jazz wants one of this. Although it is the "only" one in the world.

Now I have to save money to get him just that.

Can we use Class 3 license to ride this, since it uses tyres that are so wide ?