Awarding Excellent Achievements

We had Majlis Penghargaan Kokurikulum in school today. I was there for English Language Society, Nostalgia Editorial Board and Wira debates. Oh and English Language Society won the Best Academic Club of the Year, 6 times in a row. How awesome!

The realization that this will be my last Majlis Kokurikulum came with a pang when I was gabbing and laughing away with friends today. But at least, we know we are leaving the school with achievements to be proud of and memories that will be remembered for a long time.

I'll definitely miss the debating team and Nostalgia Ed Board. So much time, effort and energy have been poured into these two and they have showed me there is life outside of classroom. If I were to look back at my years in secondary school later, my debate team and Nostalgia would be the first thing to come to mind.

And we cam-whored like no one's business too today. Ah well, after all there's no such thing as taking too many photos, is there?

SMKDJ's choir. They sang with such gusto

The energetic conductor, Rachel

Best Academic Club of the Year for English Society

And here we have the Prez of the club himself (Daryl) with the Vice-Prez =)

In deep thoughts, Keefe and I

AJK of English Lang. Society

I was trying to tie my own necktie for the first time. With Calvin's help

It's actually Syamir not Fadzil

Talk about Girl Power

Making the 'Fat People Are Happy People' pose with Daniel. That was the title of his award-winning public speaking speech.

Who else if not Miss ZharifZafran kan? Hah

Kisses for the trophy with Sophia

For memories' sake

Point of Information, Sir!

Awww!

Wira champs with the ever so lovely, Pn Mag

Great food and even greater friends

Amar and Amir, my good friends from my primary school years were kind enough to invite a bunch of us from DJ to their restaurant's opening, D'tandoor, an Indian cuisine restaurant. I've been friends with them for like 7 years and I've never set foot in the restaurant before. Huh, I wonder why?

But the food's good and the crowds were spilling on the roads for the opening. They have branches all over the world (Aus, Saudi, New Zealand etc.) and they're doing impeccably well now.

It was a good time to catch up with the twins (many are surprised to know Amar and Amir are actually twins when they look so different) and I miss those days way back when we were 10 year olds, keen on everything and anything that we saw. Remember the laughs and jokes we had during our agama class with Ustazah Faridah? We were such jokers la!

Here are some photos.

The inside of the restaurant

With Amir, one of the hosts

Yes, Fadzil dreams to be as tall as Amir. I believe Amir is close to 7 feet tall. Wow!

On the road

The flowers were not spared too. Hah.

Us

The other twin brother, Amar.

And this is my so-called 'twin', Syira. We are always mistaken as sisters. Righhttt!

The Death of the Storyteller

I almost choked on my breakfast when I read the news on Yasmin Ahmad's death in Sunday's newspapers. Everyone thought she would recover from her coma and continue making great, unique Malaysian movies and commercials like she always did.

But that wasn't to be.

I'm not a huge fan of her movies but her Petronas commercials are the best. I always look forward to what's in store for the next advertisement when it comes to Hari Raya, Chinese New Year, Deepavali etc. So far, she's the only Malaysian director who could beautifully capture the essence of Malaysia's multiculturalism and put it into one simple advertisement.

And, for that I truly respect her.

Yasmin, may Allah bless your soul. While, we here continue to enjoy the legacy and art works that you have left behind for us.

Read my mother's little story she had with Yasmin Ahmad here.

Here's one of my favourite Raya commercials made by the woman herself. Petronas advertisements will never be the same without her now.

Looking back 3 years ago

I have a stalker. It's Syamir! Well, he doesn't exactly stalk me but he has been reading my blog posts dated 3 years ago and he seems to remember a lot of things about me that I, sometimes have forgotten.

So I took a time out yesterday to read my old posts (from 2006) to remember back the 'old' and the younger me. At times, the memories are so distant that you did not think they ever happened. That's why it's a good thing to keep a blog so 20 years down the road, you can still know what you did on the Saturday of 20th July 2007.

As I compare my latest writings to the writings in 2006, I notice how different they are. I used to talk about anything and everything there were, from the most significant stuffs (like winning competitions) to the little details (like how Chee Fai refused to comment on my blog) and at the end of every post, I would normally insert a 'moral of the story' line: fight against racism, appreciate your friends yadda yadda.

Now, I'm pretty discreet and reserve on the things I write about. I try to be as subtle as possible when talking about others on here as I know how feelings can be hurt easily when you're putting the person in a bad light.

Here are my Top 6 posts written by me when I was 14. Read them if you have the time (click on each title). It's pretty geeky and hilarious. Well, at least to me.

1. Frog Incident
Safwan put a frog in my shoes while I was praying in the surau. A real frog!

2. Awful Art
I was never good in art and this was a proof of my suckiness.

3. Shoelace at the Escalator
My shoelace got stucked at the Atria escalator and 2 guards had to help me pull the thing off in front of a whole lot of DJians who were having lunch at KFC. Heh.

4. Exam Results
I felt so smart looking at my Form 2 results now but they were never good enough for me back then. Kiasu me. Now, I'm more than happy to even get a B for Add Maths.

5. 4Ever and Ever
Back in 2 Belian, Jia Yi and I co-wrote a song (with the lyrics, rhythm and all!). The lyrics couldn't get any cornier than this.

6. English Oral Story
The boys in 2 Belian made a girl cry by saying something pretty 'sexual' and it showed how dirty minded they were even at 14.

Missing things

I'm perplexed. As to how you can lose your things at one time and find them again the next time.

I lost my Physics notebook and frantically searched for it everywhere. I almost lost hope when it appeared again a week later, at a place where I had looked for multiple times.

I couldn't find my thumbdrive which I needed badly to transfer some important files. Searched high and low for it but.....nothing. The next time around, it miraculously appeared on my desk although it wasn't there earlier on.

We all know that niggling feeling of mounted disbelief and rising panic that can swamp us when we've lost things and just can't find them. And we begin to think we have really lost them.

But when you have missing things that keep appearing again afterwards, you'll know that things don't go missing and get lost, they are just misplaced.

Check behind the sofa, sometimes that's where they are.

Me and Michael Jackson on Astro

Something interesting happened today. I was interviewed by Astro Awani for their Gala TV programme at my house. My mum, too.

And guess what was the interview on? Michael Jackson! Mhhm yea. Astro Awani is doing a special coverage on Michael Jackson for the next 2 weeks so we were both interviewed on MJ's influence on the entertainment industry and on us, personally.

Well, I was never a huge fan of Michael Jackson but I've been exposed to his songs since I was 5 years old. I related my kindergarten story to the reporter where we used to sing 'Heal the World' at our annual concert. And how I was constantly mesmerized with his incredible dance moves especially the sensational 'moonwalk'.

And so, when the news of his death came, I was surprised (like most of us were) but I was hoping that his death would be a kind of closure to his turbulent, troubled life.

Let us not remember him as Wacko Jacko, the plastic-surgery maniac but let us remember him as the legendary icon who not only entertained us with his beautiful music but inspired us in so many different ways.

Oh, and don't forget to tune in to Astro Awani (channel 501) this Sunday (or maybe next Sunday) at 6.30 pm for the interview =D

Your words won't hit me like swords anymore

I once dreamed of the day where people's opinions and talks won't matter to me. And I once dreamed of the day where I would stop trying so hard to please and impress other people just so I could prove myself.

I think that day has finally arrived.

A good friend told me what this other friend said about me. It wasn't pleasant and it struck a cord with me at the same time. But I see where he's coming from. For someone who thinks too highly of himself, it is of no surprise that he always see the fault and flaws of others but never his own.

I could have gone mad and ballistic with his unkind comments but I decided it won't be worth it. I'm done trying to please everyone, him included. I've learned that pleasing one person is never enough, you gotta do the same to everyone else.

So say what you want to say but your words will no longer hit me like swords.

Because the day where I turn my back to your ruthless, callous remarks and thoughts is finally here.

Chases

I'm tired of chasing after everything. And I can't help but wonder where is this all leading to?

Look up at the sky. Look at the animated faces on your left and right. Look ahead at the road far away. The answer is still not there, is it?

Because the answer lies in the search of it.

At least that's how I see it.

So I'm striving and struggling, hoping one day I would find the answer to all of my chases.

When there is NO money, there is frustration

[Before I start writing, I wanna warn you this will be a post peppered with profanity and uncomfortable use of language. Don't say I didn't warn you!]

I'm fuckingly frustrated! I spent the afternoon calling up companies and advertisers to invite them to advertise in Nostalgia magazine this year. And the responses: 'Disappointing' with a big ass capital D.

Some of them refused to even listen to what you have to say and just brush you off. Some even pretended that they did not receive the email you sent to them regarding the advertisements even though you've emailed them at least twice.

Admittedly, the advertisements aren't so much on garnering more business opportunities for themselves but more of giving back to the people. Companies (I'm so pissed off now I can't bother to practice anonymity) like WonderMilk, Hiestand (a leading internationally known gourmet bakery), Pensonic, Big Apple and I could go on until tomorrow morning but the point is these companies make money from people like us who buy their products and stuffs.

And they can't even donate RM 150 to a school! What is RM 150 to them, really? Even if you think RM 150 is just too much than say 'NO' politely la. Dumb asses.

I think we ought to be taught more on ethics and how to give back once in awhile. Denying us a few hundred bucks might be nothing to this business minded people but it's a step away from my school students from having a good magazine.

No money, no mag, remember?

Terror in DJ!

There was a Godzilla in SMKDJ! See for yourself.



Now, wasn't that cool?

Just one of the crazy, creative things the Nostalgia members did while we were on break from the photoshoot.

Notice how Pn Sharon, Pn Joyce and Pn Lim joined in the fun? Priceless!

Credits: En Lerk, Zhen Yang, Luke.

100% Made in SMKDJ!

School has been pretty crazy busy this week. Nostalgia photoshoot is in full swing and for the first time in the magazine's history, the photoshoot is being handled solely by Nostalgia members, no more help from outside.

From the equipments and cameras to the photographers to the people behind the scenes, they all come from the editorial board. While handling things on our own for the first time isn't easy, I seriously think the team is doing a really awesome job and we might even be better than the previous photographers that the school hired.

Now, Nostalgia is truly a homemade product of SMKDJ =D

Busy at work

Luke does what he does best

While I try to keep track of everything

There's still time to joke around

With Elmo as our toy. Lol

And I wasn't trying to pose for the camera. Faiz was just testing his SLR camera. Or so I said. =P

A pledge for a greener world

There was a 'Tree Party' at the Kota Damansara Community Forest, just 5 minutes away from my house. The party was in conjunction with World Environment Day and it had radio DJs from Hitz.fm, Era.fm etc and our local MPs pitching in their efforts to raise enviromental awareness.

There was kayaking, hiking and tree-planting, among others. And I just realized how beautiful the place is and how lucky I am to be living so close to the 'green lungs' of Kota Damansara.

I'm not much of an enviromentalist but I try do just as much. I turn off the tap while brushing my teeth, I reuse and reduce the use of plastic bags and I switch off the electrical appliances when not in used. Sometimes, the small steps do count too.

For more info on KD Community Forest, check it out here.

Kayaking on the lake at the community forest

That's me and Mum on a kayak

Green life

President of WildAsia giving his speech

A local indie band performing

A picture of serenity

Feeling the blues

I'm down with a terrible flu, fever and headache. No thanks to the unkind Malaysian weather.

I was lying down on my bed, shivering in the darkness and wishing things could have been better.

I can't afford to get sick. So many things left undone and unsaid.

Pain, pain go away. Come again another day.

A day as kids...again!

This is a long overdue post, pardon me. So last Wednesday my friends and I managed to celebrate my very belated 17th birthday. Yes, one month after the actual date. It was the only time where we were all free, anyway.

Off we went to Petrosains, KLCC. Haha, yea, out of all the places we picked Petrosains where 80% of the visitors were 5-12 year old kids. Hah.

Well, in a way, I would say that despite loving the feeling of growing up and being older, there is still that kid in me (and in all of us too, I'm sure) that wants to reach out once in awhile. And so, me and the rest of my friends couldn't help but unleashed our inner child and we were like hooligans in Petrosains.

Screaming and shrieking like excited 7 year olds. Haha. But it was fun-lah. A good way to release all the tension before we headed back to school this week.

And Faiz gave me a piece of Chocolate Indulgence from Secret Recipe as a belated birthday gesture yesterday. One month plus after my birthday. But it's the thought that matters. So, thank you! =)

Waiting in line for Petrosains

Wayang kulit

Kami kanak-kanak Ribena! ;P

Honey Bunnies

With the very white-looking Hanna

Lunch at Chilli's

The whole gang in front of KLCC

Hmm tired ke Hanna?

What's up guys? Top secret discussion eh?

=D

Twin Towers

Uh-huh, look at my pout. And Alia's too!

Awesome girls, no? Hehe

22 years and counting....

My parents celebrated their 22nd anniversary on Sunday. 22 years of marriage. Huh, imagine that! We had dinner at a Japanese restaurant, Genji at Hilton, PJ. Food here was definitely better than that Australian restaurant at Hilton, KL.

To Ibu and Papa, Happy 22nd Anniversary!

Your marriage has taught me that it is not possible to have a perfect marriage where your husband will sweep you off your feet every day of your married life. Or a marriage where couples do not argue and get along well everytime.

However your marriage, my lovely parents, have showed me that it is possible to have a happy and colourful one with your similarities and differences moulded together. As the saying goes, we get both sides of the coin. One can't possibly choose to have just the head or the tail.

I admire how my parents can poke fun at each other but at the same time respect and love one another beautifully. And so I pray that one day my marriage will last as long (or maybe longer) and as strong as you two.

22 years and counting.....

Happy Anniversary!

Heaven, oh Heaven!

Heaven is when you get to wake up at 11 in the morning everyday.

Heaven is when you can spend your day however you want it.

Heaven is when you can laze around without feeling guilty.

Heaven is when you get on the computer and realize there is no work to be typed out.

Heaven is when you can hang out with you friends and not worry about a damn thing.

Heaven is when you can enjoy 1 hour and 35 minutes of relaxation and rejuvenation at the spa.

Heaven is when you can watch Ugly Betty or Desperate Housewives without having to agonize over your Add Maths homework.

School holidays is up and I'm heading back to a place where it's not heaven aka HELL this Monday.

Wish me luck!

Cycling off the fats

I've been eating like a cow for the past few days and if I'm not careful, I might turn into one myself. So I decided to go for a cycle around the neighbourhood with my new cycling buddy, Anette, to lose off some of the fats. Nothing beats the feeling of having to cycle downhill, the cool evening wind rushing against your skin as you let loose of the handlebar. It felt like pure freedom.

Anette invited me over for a cold drink at her house. You know, after all the sweating and muscle aches, a cold drink would be great. And then I remembered I'm fasting for the day so I politely declined. Although I was tempted enough to say yes. Tapi iman masih kuat :)

Something unexpected happened though. Someone stole my bicycle pump! I left it at the corner of the park (Anette wanted to borrow it) for a few minutes and when we came back, it was gone. I'm pretty sure it was the dude on the motorcycle.

If he thought he could inflate his motorcycle tyres with a small bicycle pump, well he's just a daft. It would take him hours to do it and he might as well have gone to the petrol station and do the pumping for free.

*Sigh*

The things people do, sometimes.

Obama on Islam

I'm a sucker for good, moving speeches. And when I heard Obama's speech to the Muslim world on BBC and viewed the full text speech at White House's official website, I thought, 'Damn, it can't get any better than this!'

He addressed the issues that had to be addressed. From abandoning violence to the situation between Palestinians, Israelis and the Arab world to democracy and women's rights. Obama even peppered his speech with quotations from the Holy Quran. He spoke with such eloquence and his words just flowed like water.

But bear in mind, a few beautiful words to Muslims around the world will not erase the pain and the bloodshed of the Muslims caused by America unless it changes its policies and actions. What I'm afraid of is that his speech was just pretty words with even prettier promises. The question is will he walk his walk? After all, he IS a politician.

We'll see. Quoting his speech:

There is one rule that lies at the heart of every religion, that we do unto others as we would have them do unto us. This truth transcends nations and peoples, a belief that isn't new, that isn't black or white or brown, that isn't Christian or Muslim or Jew.

If only it is that simple, we'll be living happily ever after.

You can view his full-text speech here.