People rushing from one lecture to another, ignoring the dudes selling donuts. Some even pretend that they never heard our voices or never saw us no matter how sweet our smiles or how friendly we approached them.
"Donuts for charity mam?"
She smiled whilst replying, " Oh, I don't know we have competitor." This lady is one of the people working for the cafe of The Exchange Building in Jubilee Campus. I smiled, I approached the wrong target customer.
An matured looking gentleman walk pass the stall.
"Donuts for charity, sir?" said one of the fella selling the donuts.
"Pardon me, I'll donate some money but you can take the buns. I am in the middle of my teachings." It happens that he is one of the lecturers rushing to get some coffee. Who knows he might be one of the top professors in the university? I smiled.
"How much is the donut?" asked a guy. When we said the price and the money will go to charity, it still didn't manage to make him contained his feelings and uttered the words, "What? £1 for a donut? That's expensive!" Later on, he pretended that his phone rang, talked into it and walked away. I smiled, because I saw his phone was completely blank and nobody was calling.
Entering maghrib, it was around 5pm. We took turns performing our maghrib prayers at a corner and selling the remaining donuts.
"Donuts for charity? Come on sir, you know you want them," one of us said to a guy walking to and fro passing us. Finally he stopped by, bought some donuts and we smiled.
Closing Time
It was about time we packed up. Out of sudden, a couple of people came to buy a box of donuts each. Few boxes of donuts sold in a matter of minutes when we were about to wrap up.
At the end of the day, I felt this feeling tingling in my vein, the feeling that I can't really find words for it. It was a happy, satisfying, worth the effort, tiring but fun experience. What touched me most was I can see how I react at other times when other people were trying doing the effort of selling things or fund raising for charities. I can see sometimes I ignored like they weren't there, I pretended I didn't hear or see them, some people pretended the phone rang when the phone was completely blank, talked into it and walked away. What ever reaction people gave me that day, it reflected back on me.
Now I know how they feel.
Donuts for Charity? But attention was on their iPhones -_-"
I love basketball. In fact, I love basketball so much. This is the sport that I started when I entered high school. The basketball court was the first beautiful view I saw at that school. I started to have my hands on the basketball, played rubbish and went through the hardship of being rookie, being laughed at by the senior students, was one of the 5 members of basketball club when nobody else wanted to join it back then. I went through the hardship of being part of the only non-Chinese team in Kuala Selangor district when all other schools were looking forward to beat us. I went through being "rejected" to play in the school team in 2000 because the coach wanted me to give my place to the only final year senior who did not made to the team. Seniority.... sigh...
I was part of the team that played well when we were underdogs, when we all couldn't afford to buy fancy Nike, Converse and Adidas basketball shoes and everybody wore some cheap badminton shoes and I wore RM7 Pallas Jazz. I was part of the team which played crap when we had sponsors for our jersey with our names written on it, when all my team mates rewarded them selves with nice expensive basketball shoes for fashion rather than playing and when we started the "curse" of losing at the Zone Division in Boarding School basketball league. Ever since, I don't recall the name KUSESS in the National Level of Boarding School Basketball Tournament.
I remember the good times and will always cherish the good times when we played well, when my team mate scored a buzzer beater and won the semi, when we chased from behind and beaten one of the Chinese teams in Kuala Selangor with multiple 3 pointers, led Garnet team to the championship and left a legacy behind in KYUEM. I remember the good time of playing in the team named "Sampah" for 3-on-3 with my team mates Dr Muaz and Shakkir and won second place and playing for fun during my final year in University with my mates.
I miss my basketball doses.
Life goes on, people move forward with their dreams and ambitions. My mates have left university and started a new life. Ariff Sod, Din, Kyo, Azim, Hartono, I'm going to miss so much playing basketball with you. Although it was short, it was fun and I wish you the best for your future! Now that I'm no longer a student in University of Nottingham, I wish the best to the rest to carry on the legacy. Akashah, Neo, Yuri, Rudy and Cha, when is our next basketball session?
Today, it marks more than 6 weeks of missing my basketball doses. God, that IS long!
Basketball makes me feel good. A lot of my tweets and facebook status updates talk about "Basketball never disappoint me". Nowdays, the only way for me to quench my thirst of basketball is via watching NBA. But that is not enough, I want to play, I want to play, I want to play!
Literally, losing my basketball doses makes me don't feel good.
I'm a Malaysian by nationality and by heart. Although my forefathers were from Java, Indonesia and I claim Javanese is my mother tongue, I am still a Malaysian. After all, Java still lies within the Malay ethnic group if we look at the larger picture.
I love my country, I love the seas and beaches, I love the mountains and forests, I love the cities, I love the harmony people especially those who live in the countryside. I love my both my paternal and maternal kampungs, Pasir Panjang & Muar. Last but not least, I love my national car.
The Cars of My Family
I remember that my family never used any national cars, regardless whether they are Proton, Perodua, or Naza until the invention of Proton Waja. The first car my father used was a very old fashion Toyota Corolla E70 (the forth generation) until he went to the Japan for his post graduate studies. Later on, he drove Talbot, Ford Escort Mark III and Mercedes W123 when he furthered his studies in the UK. When he came back to Malaysia, he drove the Mercedes, then changed to Mitsubishi Pajero and right now Honda Accord. My mom drove a small cute little Daihatsu Charade Aura when my dad had his Pajero, and right now she drives a Proton Waja. All the cars were sold before the new ones were bought.
Toyota Corolla E70
Mercedes Benz W123
Although my family never drove a national car, I started to love it since my primary school and became kinda proud of it...... Until I realized the harsh truth.
The Harsh Truth of National Cars
Never before the cars my family drove had any minor problems which occur in Proton. These include problems with the power windows, problems with the door knobs not opening, problems with here, there...problems with everything and anything minor. Although they were minor, trust me it becomes irritating. Within just a couple of months or maybe a year owning the car from brand new, I assure you you will experience any of these problems. Neither of these were experienced before in our previous cars.
In addition to that, the most important aspect I'd look for in a car is the safety it provides me. Malaysia is known for its festival nightmares. During festive seasons like Eid, Chinese New Year or Deepavali, there will be loadsa news about fatal crashes, sometimes between cars and lorry and so on. Sadly, most of these road accidents involve the national cars. Even more sad, one of my friend was involved in one, he passed away in a car crash on his wedding day! (Innalillahi wainnailaihi roji'un)
Therefore I can understand why people are willing to pay more to get the comfort of driving and traveling whilst retaining the performance and safety of the car they drive. That is why people prefer imported cars like the ones from Europe (Mercedes, Audi, BMW, etc) and from Japan (Honda, Toyota, Mitsubishi, etc).
Don't Blame Us For Not Buying National Cars but Give Us Hopes!
Alright, I am still at the point of wondering what should be my first car when I start working. Most probably, I'll drive my mom's Proton Waja, which I don't really mind. But judging from the safety and other problems, I'd rather look for a nice second hand Japanese made car. I know I can't afford one yet, but buying a second hand one won't cost that much, will it? After all, I don't wanna get killed in a road accident, driving a 3 stars car. Wanna know the definition of 3 stars, 4 stars and 5 stars cars? Do watch this video.
Well, I've heard that Proton will be launching its replacement model of the Proton Waja. Its real name is still unleashed but most probably Proton Inspira. What ever it is, Proton please listen to this. Please provide the Malaysian hope by producing cars that are competitive, world class, 5 stars in all the specs and at the reasonable prices. Sounds crazy, but the truth is, it is not.
The news reported that this new car will start its price at under RM80k for a 1.8 manual transmission and around RM95k for 2.0 automatic transmission.
Snip preview of Proton Inspira
I can buy a used Mercedes Benz W203, year 2004 at around £7000 and add another £7000 to ship it to Malaysia, settle the customs and whatever tax concerned and I know I'm driving a good quality car in all its aspects. Convert that, it will turn out to be around RM70k, and the cost of a new Proton is more expensive than that. Why would a person risk his lives, buying a more expensive car with the less specs? That is just not rational.
Mercedes Benz W203
Proton, Please Don't Disappoint Me
I love being optimistic. I love looking things at the bright side, and always be positive. I hope that Proton has produced a competitive car that has all the safety features which are WORKING, eliminated all these minor problems, good in performance and at a reasonable price.
Otherwise, you lose a valuable customer like me. If you do, definitely I'll buy an imported car and won't allow anybody in my family or my friends to buy your product.
Alhamdulillah, almost all new students have arrived safely to their respective universities. Welcome and ahlan wa sahlan wa marhaban bikum I wish to all. I hope all of you have already settled down, get the feeling of how university life is, plan your time, get involved in society activities and you control your life.
It is the time of the year, when event organizers will be promoting all out for people to join their program. Subhanallah, only Allah can reward the intention and hardworking in delivering awareness of Islam in the most entertaining, easy going and fruitful while enabling the participants to create new networks and strengthen bonds that are present.
I remember when I was in my first year. I went to PUISI 2006 and that time the main speaker was Ustaz Hasrizal Abdul Jamil (SaifulIslam.com) and what happened was amongst my batch from KYUEM, a lot of us decided to register in a bulk. Therefore during PUISI, it looked like we "invaded and colonised" it. Nevertheless, new bonds and friendships were formed. I even still keep in touch with some of the new people I met back than. Alhamdulillah, what a nice brotherhood it is.
However during that year, I didn't planned to tour Dublin and other places on Ireland which I should have done. Therefore, I was looking forward to attend PUISI in the following year in addition of planning to travel interesting places around Ireland.
What I did was gathering few of my friends and planned the trip with a good friend of mine, Im Koyube. But I firmly inform everybody in the group that I wanted to go to PUISI as the main agenda, and traveling around Ireland and other places are included because PUISI is always in Ireland. If I didn't use the opportunity to travel there when I attended PUISI, chances are I won't explore Ireland at all. This is important to ensure all the new students are well informed before making a decision.
Regardless of how polite a senior is or the uncountable the helps and lending hands given to welcome you, you must have a grip of your life. You run your life and never let other people, regardless who the person is, how mature or more experienced they are you have to get grip of your life. You determine your path, you determine your future.
I keep on emphasising this every year because there is a great tendency that the senior students here in the UK to "control" the lives of the junior students. The seniors tend to be very very very very very very very very very kind to the juniors when they arrive, pick them up from the airport privately although in Nottingham we have the official entity to do so, cook for them and invite them secretly and so on. I believe the intention is to promote the organisations where they belong to so that the juniors and to prevent the "clean" senior students who are not part of them from "poisoning" the minds of the new students.
I remember when shamefully, some of these people even "prevent" and "discourage" the new students from joining events and programs which are not theirs by saying this and that about the respective events. Who are you to do so, and to the juniors, don't be such a fool to follow these bullshitty ideas. Please don't. You are all the bright students of the clever, the successor of the leaders and the Malaysian hope. Don't allow yourself to be a fool. To the seniors who had done it before, please stop it and be gentlemen. Do things at the right way, do things professionally.
Alright, I'm going too far already. But the gist of what I wrote are you decide on your life pathway and if you don't have anything in mind on what to do this winter, I recommend you go to PUISI and travel around Ireland. It didn't disappoint me, so I dare say it won't disappoint you insyaAllah.
Today is the 19th Syawal 1431H. We only have roughly 10 or 11 days left for this year's Syawal. So to all who have not yet fasted the 6 voluntary days of Syawal, please do so as the time is running out. Please do start it today but if you forgot or decided not to fast today, have the intention and fast starting tomorrow!
I remember what I learn from Quran Workshop in university which discussed about verse 184 of Surah Al-Baqarah. It was mentioned that the previous generation, they were prescribed fasting like us now days. However, they fasted 3 days every Lunar Calendar throughout the year. Therefore, the total days fasted were 36 days every year. I see it that since this fasting was done consistently, 3 days every month, it is like doing it through out the year. The ummah of Muhammad SAW, we are prescribed with compulsory Ramadhan fasting for about 30 days and 6 days of voluntary Syawwal fasting. Hence the total is also 36 days and the reward is similar to fasting throughout the year.
One of my passion since school is photography. It started in secondary school but never got it bloom because I had no camera that time, always have to "make bookings" first with my sister as we shared our parent's compact camera and back then I didn't get the exposure I'd love to have. This lovely passion came back to life during my A-Levels when I joined the photography club. That was when I started to get my hands on digital point-and-shoot cameras and single lens reflect (SLR) cameras. Boy, how I love them so much. Thank you Dr Foord for the guide you shared with me.
However, during A-Levels a lot of my friends developed the skills and knowledge of photo editing especially using Photoshop. Up to one level, I can't really tell which of their photos were original, which were edited. They claimed that the purpose of digitalisation of everything, including photography, is to make post editing more easy and convenient. True, but I don't buy that.
Until I bought a DSLR, went some photo outings with new friends who share the same interest, then only I realised that post-editing is as important as snapping the greatest photo. Thanks to 2 of my lovely friends; Syafiq and Faiz, who taught me some post-editing techniques, now I can appreciate what photoshop can do.
But I still prefer something fresh, straight out of camera rather than editing them afterwards. After all, I would like to claim myself as a photographer, not a photoshoper.
Anyway, here are some of the photos I produced after learning some basics of HDR photography. Have a look. The first photos are original and the seconds are edited into HDR photos.
Photo 1: Kensington Gardens, London, England
Photo 2: Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, Turkey
Photo 3: Shakespear's Birthplace, Stratford Upon Avon, Warwickshire, England.
Photo 4: Attenborough, Nottingham, England
Yup, post editing does bring some life to the original photo but I still prefer straight out of camera photos.
Allahuakbar Allahuakbar Allahuakbar Lailahaillallah Wallahu Akbar Allauakbar Walillahilhamd
Allah the Greatest, Allah the Greatest, Allah the Greatest No object worth to be worshiped except Allah and Allah is the Greatest Allah the Greatest and to Allah all the praises belong to.
Let us all listen to some message and reminder from Tok Guru Datuk Seri Hj Abdul Hadi Awang, the President of PAS (Islamic Party Pan-Malaysia).
Allahuakbar Allahuakbar Allahuakbar Lailahaillallah Wallahu Akbar Allauakbar Walillahilhamd
Allah the Greatest, Allah the Greatest, Allah the Greatest No object worth to be worshiped except Allah and Allah is the Greatest Allah the Greatest and to Allah all the praises belong to.
In 9 days time, it will be 4 years has gone by since I stepped my foot onto this land of England, the land of people who colonised my country, ruined it, extracted all the wealth to be brought back and left when we were exhausted with resources.
Ok, that's a bad way of visualizing England. In a good way, this is an eye opener country for those who seek the experience.4 years in the making, and 5 times of Ramadhan away from my family. If I stayed behind till 10th Zulhijjah, it will be 10 Eids I celebrated in the UK. Quite an achievement for me as I can't imagine myself doing it again.
A lot of things happened, lot of things I've learn and many room for improvements. What ever it is, the Ramadhan in England will be one of the most memorable event for me in this life. Not everybody have the chance of experiencing long day of fasting and short night for qiam.
Alright, let the photo do the talking :)
(OMG! I just realised I didn't capture much photos of "moments"... sigh... )
First Ramadhan (1427H)
Second Ramadhan (1428H)
Third Ramadhan (1429H)
Forth Ramadhan (1430H)
Final Ramadhan (1431H)
As usual, photographers rarely appear in photographs. Sigh... What ever it is, let's make doa that all our deeds are accepted by Allah, bless us with his Rahmah and Mercy and free us from the hell fire insyaAllah.
This is my first time, blogging from my mobile phone. Let see how it goes.
InsyaAllah in 2 days time, the United Kingdom will be facing its General Election to elect its Members of Parliament (MP). This will be my first ever opportunity to vote in a foreign land, the land of the people who invaded my beloved country many years ago. Alhamdulillah this is an opportunity to learn about the politics and the election system in the UK and who knows it can be applied in Malaysia in the future?
Here is a good summary about the election in UK, was a comment from a friend in Facebook.
Kagum dengan proses piliharaya Britain. 1: Banyak debat 2: Liputan Berita untuk semua Parti 3: Universiti adalah pusat Kempen 4: Takde poster 5: Kebebasan bersuara 6: Bincang pasal isu bukan skandal 7: Public participation dalam Q & A (bukan tahu sorak jer) 8: Banyak analisis bukan spekulasi 9: minor issues of race and religion 10: Professional & Intellectual.
Hate to admit it, but it is true. The Malaysian election and hustings system are still way behind and I'd say not as professional as here. Well maybe this system does not fit with Malaysia as its waqi'? I believe that is not the case.
1. Banyak debat (a lot of debates)
Over the past 3 weeks, leaders of the main 3 parties, Labour, Conservatives (aka Tories) & Liberal Democrats (Lib Dem), met face to face to debate about issues and policies that they bring and would fought for should they were elected to be the next government. Yup, you heard me right. They met face to face and debated. What they debated on were the policies and analysis of flaws in the UK and ways to improve it. And these debates were broadcasted live in many TV channels!
2. Liputan berita untuk semua parti (News coverage from all parties).
Yup, TV channels, newspapers and internet websites covers the news about all parties, from the current government or its contesters. News about Labour strength and weakness were fairly broadcasted with news from Tories, Lib Dem and others. Unlike Malaysia where the TV only shows what the current government says about something and the opposition do not have the chance at all to have their say unless their says benefits the current government.
3. Universiti sebagai pusat kempen (Universities as the centre of campaigning)
Being an NUS Delegate myself opens my eyes to this. There were delegates from my uni which represent the Labour party and fought for its policies to go through the NUS. NUS is National Union of Students, which acts like the Parliament of Students and have the power to ensure all Student Unions to follow the constitutions and motions passed in the NUS Conference. In other words, university student as the future country leaders are given the opportunity to gain experience of politics, able to express its rights and fight for it and not oppressed by Acts and Laws which suppressed the student's hidden potentials.
In addition, the last series of Election Debate (last Thursday) was held in the Great Hall, Birmingham University itself. Yup, debate session between the leaders of 3 main parties was held in a university.
4: No posters
Very true indeed. I can snap a photo of Nottingham today and not see a single poster or banner of election. It makes the world look less messy, i guess it costs less, more greener and less hassle to clean it back later on.
5. Kebebasan Suara (Freedom of Speech)
Very much indeed. The parties who are running for the election can give speeches about why they are the best to be the next government. It can be done anywhere and I do not think these people will be captured and prisonised if they criticise the government. The etiquettes of freedom of speech is maintain. Freedom of speech doesn't mean you can utter such racism and facism words like "go home, Paki" or something like that. I believe if racism speech uttered, it won't be long before that person is captured and accused for racism.
6. Discussing issues, not scandals.
As mentioned, debates and speeches were focused on discussing issues, not scandals. If a candidate have scandals like marriage scandals, the opposition does not use that point to attack this candidate personally. Instead focus is on telling the public why their policies are the best and its opponents' are not. That is called professional and maintaining election etiquettes.
7. Public participation in Q&A
The public were given opportunity to ask controversial questions to the government and its competitors without the fear of some sort of secret agent or special branch would be tracking down and assasinate the questioners. As example if I was given a chance to ask, I'd ask "why does the government decided to allocate more funding into warfare (eg: Afghanistan) and not into education and health system?". I would not be arrested for asking that and the parties' leader must answer it professionally otherwise they will lost a lot of votes.
The rest are self explanatory.
I can see that there are more to be done in Malaysia, in fact many of them. Who will have to change it if not us, the students and future leaders of the country? Not that I'm saying students must involve in politics, but we should not be restricted by any Acts or Laws which suppresses students from even knowing or showing interest in it.
Last week I spent 3 days away in Newcastle and Gateshead for the NUS National Conference 2010. Right after I got home, I got ille and sick and hence lost the interest and ability to write and share some insight from the new eye opener experience for me. I am still sick as I wrote this.
Today, I received a text message from one of the FOSIS people who was there during the conference, which reboosted my spirit to write something. The text message was a news about the outstanding election results. Alhamdulillah Br Usman Ali and Sis Fatima Junaid got elected on the positions they ran for, the Vice President of Higher Education and a member of Block of 15 respectively. Congratulations to both of you. (Sorry sis Fatima, I think I lost your lovely campaign leaflet. Otherwise I can share it here as well)
Campaign T-Shirt
That was the good experience from the conference. The bad one was when I checked my bank account balance today, I saw an expenditure of GBP250 towards the hotel where I stayed. That is massive, a third of my monthly allowance! Immediately, I gave the hotel a ring and they said it was charged for a broken mirror in my room. It wasn't my fault. The mirror in my room was broken when I checked in. I should have reported to the hotel management about it when I was there. However, the luxurious and the comfy of the hotel made me forgot to do so.
Now I am fighting to get my GBP250 back! Tomorrow I am expecting phone call from one of the hotel manager to discuss about it. Luckily I snapped numerous photos of every angle of the room. Hope that they could be my evidence saying that I didn't break the mirror. Thinking about it, a mirror worth GBP250! I could buy a brand new 32" Samsung HD TV with that price on ebay!
The broken mirror (See bottom right of it)
Well, I am not supposed to write my experience there now because my priority should be reading journals, criticizing and writing on my dissertation. However once that is done, I hope I still can share some insights about the NUS National Conference 2010 here insyaAllah. Make doa that I will do so.
Exams are back! So far, I have gone through 2 papers, very heavy ones, and going to face another 2 more. Next in line is on Saturday about Biomolecular Therapeutics. Last year's batch shown quite a number of student failed this module. I don't want to be the one who repeats this history. (May Allah give me the strength to face this paper and all other obstacles. Amin).
About the topic, who you are determines what you see, how you use something. As example I am quite new with the IT era (to be honest). I only knew about Youtube around 2004 or 2005 when I did my A Levels. Before that, I barely touch the computer and had a better outdoor life. (No offence, computer geeks). One of the most interesting website so far is Youtube.
When I first know Youtube, I always search around videos of my interest including my favourite music band (Metallica) and favourite sports (Basketball). But from time to time, I started to get bored and I felt like almost all videos on these 2 aspects I have watched at least once. I felt like Youtube wasted a lot of my time and this is persistent with reminder from my housemate. Please do not "Lagho" with Youtube. (Lagho means doing something unbeneficial) However, when ever I go online, I must at least visit Youtube at least once (accidentally or not).
So...What else to search in Youtube eh?
I recently developed a new way of revision, which is using Youtube! Who knows, what ever things you want to know is videolised (is there such word?) there. An example is, video about RNAi approach (one of the topics in the Biomoleculare Therapeutics module). Well, it further enhances my understanding by seeing it visually.
Let me share you this. Please don't fall asleep, it is only around 4 minutes long.
Other things I've found so far which aids my revision was about how retrovirus functions, how immune system works, etc. Great way of utilising the technology, right?
As conclusion, who you are determines how you see and use something. If you see Youtube as a way to entertain yourself, you will find it. If you see Youtube as lagho, you will feel guilty whenever you use it. If you see it as a way to assist your knowledge of something by seeing it visually, you will get it!
Donuts for Charity? But attention was on their iPhones -_-"
