a defining year that is...2008...

I was away from ezooone@seweng for a while due to the 'lost-of-mood' syndrome. Besides the Christmas greetings on Christmas Day, my latest post was not until, last night! Sorry guys for being ignorant.

So, today I made blog-hopping as a priority. Though it's working day today, but everyone was so into the festive season, you find it hard to actually concentrate on your work. Besides, it's half-day today, so...

There were many things that I have missed, but it's not that I was not expecting it. Carol and Jacq was in Kundasang, Carol had an 'unforgettable' Christmas, Kate forgot about her wedding anniversary (Kate!), Jiej was reminiscing the past 365 days we are going to leave, Twigs and fiance had an 'encounter' with a king-sized bed sales person, Shana had fish and chips in Secret Recipe, and Syura just watched The Kingdom (what?!). There are other blogs which I haven't visited but I'll give my time for that later in the day.

Tomorrow is 2008! OMG that's so fast! I remember getting involved in the water-gun war at Mia's house, and tonight they're having it again! And it feels like yesterday! So what do we expect from 2008? Well, it's Euro 2008 in Austria and Switzerland, and of course the Beijing 2008 Olympics. How I wish I'll be there... Also the not-so-unknown General Election is coming up. Fuel price is not going to be any lower, interest rates are rumored to increase significantly, 1 Borneo will be opened, as does Times Square, the new KKIA will be in use, and HOPEFULLY, the Karamunsing Fly-over will finally be completed! There's also the All Saints Batch '98 Reunion in February! Wow, so many things to look forward in KK in 2008!

As for me...hmmm...what's in store for me... I think I am obliged to the fact that 2008 would be the crucial year for me in terms of defining the path of my life. My resolutions are simple; 'To Do Masters, Get Married', whatever the sequence is. I think the assemblage of words are enough to get anybody motivated to work harder in 2008.

To actually study again is a real big sacrifice you have to take, once you have digest the fact to you are already working, and to go overseas is an even greater challenge.

And getting married, well, there's no need to enlighten you people. We all know what that means. That's one of those ultimate sacrifice in life! That means ikat perut! But as long as I know who I will be with, and what I am getting myself into, insyaAllah everything will be fine.

I'm in love, no doubt about that. And everyone who knows me well enough realize how much I am really into my other half, JJ Cerroline Juni. It's not a question of fact or fiction, it's a question of when, and how. I Love You Sweet, with a capital 'L'...I always will...

At midnight later, we will draw the curtain, leaving 2007 well behind us. But the memories will remain intact in our hearts. Some good, some bad, some happy, some sad. Highs and lows, smiles and tears, the norm of life, part of the learning curve. There are every reasons to things that happen. To my family, apologies from your humble son and my only brother for any wrongdoings. To all of those I have hurt, failed, thousands of apologies also. To those who achieved the achievable this year, got married, engaged, got new addition in the family, got promoted, graduated, passed his/her exams in flying colours, bought new car, house, land, shoplots, won jackpot (ekekeke!), etc...CONGRATULATIONS!

So we welcome 2008 and also 1429 Hijrah, which falls on 10 January. Hopefully it'll be a good year for us and all humankind.

P/s: Thanks to Syura, Shemah and Jacq. You guys were the reasons I blog...

loving the festive season!

You know one good thing when festivities come around the corner is, your friends are back!!! Back from all corners of the world!!! Then you will be able to go out, hang around, and reminisce every little bit of your memories with them, together with those who are already here (honourable mentions go to Hasli, Elaine, Bryan, Candice and Deirdre). Hehehe...FUN! I know last year there was Neil (NEIL!), Joyce, Michelle, Reiner, Alice, Chan Kok and all. Wait, was that Christmas or this year's Chinese New Year...but still...

This year, Erik was back, Terence, Evelyn Kwan (GOSH! I haven't seen her in years!!!). And I saw Jay Jun (JAY JUN?)! I know some of the others were back too; Ji Yung, Arthur, Lim Yi Farn, Hiromi (sorry Hiromi, a bit too late...) and others, but we have not yet get the chance to meet.

But this year's year-end season was a bit special because I finally caught up with my KAKAK, and BADIK, my long lost sisters (really, they are my sisters, kan kak! ) and errrr...IZHAM . I even met Darlene, whom I have not met since 1995, 12 years! Ekekeke, had so much fun with the Sikayuns and the Mogindols.

Ben Liew is also back here until February. He has never been back this long, so I'm happy cause this time can meet him whenever I want. I think he's back here to do his wedding arragements...ekekeke...Everybody, he's getting married on August 8th, 2008! Ben is getting married! KUIKUIKUI!

2008 is really around the corner...it's less than 26 hours! Welcome Welcome! Bring on the countdown!

Merry Xmas 2007!!!

To all my Christian friends, I would like to extend the merriest of Christmas to everybody!!!

:(

Today will not be a good Saturday for me, and also the coming days...so I really need something to cheer me up...but I don't think anything can, kan Sweet? She should know better, since since she's my better-half. Losing and losing my mood to do anything with the minutes that counts, so probably no posts from me in the next few days.

zodiacs...

I got read this in an email recently. It's the chain email thingy. But I am never intrigued by chain emails so I never forward them to anyone, bikin semak email jak. Anyway, what struck me was the content of the email, about your zodiacs. I'm not really into this kinda things (zodiacs, horoscopes, numerologies) but it hit me that most of the things said is quite....true...hmmmm...fishy eh...

ARIES – TheDaredevil
Energetic. Adventurous and spontaneous. Confident and enthusiastic. Fun. Loves a challenge. EXTREMELY impatient. Sometimes selfish. Short fuse. (easily angered.) Lively, passionate, and sharp wit. Outgoing. Lose interest quickly - easily bored. Egotistical. Courageous and assertive. Tends to be physical and athletic.

'EXTREMELY impatient' and 'Short fuse', that's really me! OMG! How did they do that! This is so mystery...

Now, let's see how my Sweet is doing...

CANCER - The Protector
Moody, emotional. Maybe shy. Very loving and caring. Pretty/handsome. Excellent partners for life. Protective. Inventive and imaginative. Cautious. Touchy-feely kind of person. Needs love from others. Easily hurt, but sympathetic.

I'm not sure if she hides her true characters, but only a handful of them are correct...hehehe...so the zodiacs ndak ngam jgk la kan...but yang 'Pretty' tu betul la...hehehe...

Aidil Adha 2007

When Aidil Adha arrives, it means that the fifth, the last practice in the Pillars of Islam (Rukun Islam), will be fulfilled. For those who don't go and perform Hajj, they do the Qurban ritual, or the sacrifice of animals. The significance of the ritual is to comemmorate Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son, Ismail in the name of Allah. It also signals the end of the Hajj in Makkah.

Every year we will carry out the practice of Qurban in UiTM. Qurban is to sacrifice animals (sheep, camels, cattle, goats, etc.) in the name of Allah SWT, whereafter the meat will be then distributed to the poor, while some portion will be given to those involved in the practice.

This year was no much difference, except that this year the event was very small in scale; people involved is very small in number, and only 2 small-sized cattles were slaughtered, in comparison to the last Aidil Adha, when 4 huge cattles were downed, and a lot of people were involved. Nevertheless, the ritual went smoothly without any glitches, and due to the scale of the event this year, it finished quite early.

After the short morning prayers, and the khutbah, or sermon, the practice began with the felling of the cattle. The cattle has to be positioned so that it lies on its left chest, with the neck facing towards where the Qiblat is, which is the Holy Ka'abah, in Makkah. Hehehe, I told you the cattle was small . That's Abah in the striped shirt.

After that the tukang sembelih will make a niat before slaughtering the animal. The slaughtering has to abide certain guidelines such as, the knife has to be very sharp, to minimize pain, and it has to cut through main arteries inside the neck of the animal, called the urat halkum, urat merikh, and 2 urat darah on the left and right side of the neck. And during the slaughtering, we praise Allah SWT by reciting his name and say our sholawats to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

After that, the cattle would be skinned, and the meat will be completely seperated from its bones. When all is done, the meat, the bones, the internal organs, and everything that can be turned into food, will be distributed accordingly into parts, to those who were involved in the Qurban, and for the poors. The whole process, started at about 9 am, and was complete at around noon.

 

The real work starts...now!

Abah sharpening his knife

The process of skinning

Abah cutting the meat from the leg

Ustaz Rostam doing what he does well...hacking the bones...hehehe...

The internal organs of the cow; heart, lungs, liver, et cetera...

Abah sharpening his knife, again...

and again...

the gotong-royong concept, always in place in our community...

The end product...our portion of the cattle...hehehe...siuk la ni makan sup...

Abah and Ajan cleaning the mess...

After we were done with everything, a visitor came to pay a visit!

meowww...

Let me share with you some photos, let us marvel at Allah's creation in life...just under my nose, at home! Sweet and Shana would like this...hehehe...enjoy...

 

Peekabo! CAK!

Sajuk bah ini...ni la jadi begini ni...

Sa mo nenen!!!