Sunday, July 26, 2009

Yasmin Ahmad Dies. 1958-2009.

This sms was sent by Yelena, was forwarded by her friend who happens to be a family friend of Yasmin.

The Great Storyteller Yasmin Ahmad has passed away at 11.30om 25/7/09 due to the stroke that caused heart failure. Al-fatihah.


I've just did a presentation where she was the idol i featured.



I'm broken, and even more broken now.



Al-fatihah and may she rest in peace. Her priceless work will never be forgotten and should be continue for a better future in our country. I'm thankful to have met her once, shook hand and had small chat, and have been a frequent commenter on both of her blog. I dreamed to work with her as I've been too inspired with the ever most amazing creative thoughts that no other could ever replace.

She will truly and dearly be missed. And thou shall hope she will be in peace, as she whom appreciate God each time on anything in life-including winning award, facing obstacles and so forth..


Bernama news; http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsindex.php?id=428052

Saturday, July 25, 2009

How Can You Mend A Broken Heart.

Footnotenowheadnote: I did not paid for the tickets and accommodation. The only thing I paid for was the visa and all the trouble to get it done. Irregardless, there is now a substitute to go for very short term period of time, for a better and brighter future of the alumni.

Remember few post ago I mentioned I was supposed to go to Obamaland?


Tickets have been purchased and around this time I'm supposed to be on B747 on DL operated by CI from TPE to LAX then to IAD.









Guess what? I'm still in Bolehland now. The plan has been canceled because I could not be there by Sunday night since Department of Homeland Security has not approved my visa.



And nothing could ever describe what I've been going through the last 2 weeks rushing to settle things up. And most of the money spent on preparing to go. Nevermind the flight and accommodation to the conference since that would have been paid for. Its just that all the misery I had to go through and all.


Best of all, I even lost my wallet. And everything that was in it too.




Sigh. I'm a crier. And I did cried a lot. It was a second opportunity to go without having to hurt an arm and a leg, and it blew itself yet again.


I'm already broke, and now even broken.


Friday, July 17, 2009

Revolusi


Well no need to guess the name of this singer.

I literally screamed, jumped in front of the tv and in front of my parents when they won the Ultimate Shout! Award. OMG SCRRREEEEAAAMMMMMMMM!!!!!!

I loved them to death but thankfully not to the point that I am a fanatic and buy every single magazine they are featured on, stalking them, go to every gigs and so forth. Even unfortunately, I have had 4 different chances of going to watch them perform, plus one in my college next month (which I might just not be in the country then) and never been to one. At least I somehow is connected to Sam through a friend. Irregardless, they won!

On the other hand, the one show I have been spending money texting to 33399 won the Favorite TV Program Award. Its the one and only Field Trip USA!! Its the most amazing show ever produced by local television network and obviously its even most amazing as you could experience and see what's going on with the students while they live their lives as exchange students in the US of A. Obviously, I could relate my very own personal experience back then in 2007 too. It brings a whole lot of good memories and bittersweet experiences come to life watching that show in particular. [Click HERE]

And if you are lucky, you might spot one particular curly hair dude/volunteer (ehem, yours truly =P) in some of the episodes. =)

I have even more and better things to share now at the upcoming conference that I will be going soon! Let's just hope that State Department would approve my visa application as soon as possible (especially with the new trouble with most recent bombings in Jakarta-may the victim rest in peace and may justice handle the deal) since I would be flying out on Friday afternoon.

I'm praying hard for the best.

On a separate note, I had my driving test today. The hill one, which I failed last week. Shaken, and there was few complication at first but thankfully with the grace of God - I survived and PASSED.

Yes baby!! homeboy is gonna drive y'all now! - only if I could afford to buy my own car.

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Fly Me to The Moon

I'm not going on MH.

And visa is not even ready yet.



Pray. Pray. Pray.



KUL>TPE
A330-300
DL8956/CI722
14:20>19:00

TPE>LAX
B747-400 (OMG my first ever!!)
DL8956/CI18
23:20>20:45 (I fly on same day but its like recycling the day)

LAX>IAD
A320
UA99
23:30>07:28

This is only one way. Please do the calculation of time, its so confusing. I shall disclose the return one later days.

Mercy

I blistered my ankle. Yesterday was not such a good day as I was overslept and by the time I went to the bathroom the shuttle bus arrived. And so, quickly I got dressed up and called for a taxi. Fortunately, one came and I got to the station on time that came with a price to pay. I got on the ever-crowded train and arrived in Sentral by 8.30am. I decided to have breakfast using the discounted coupon at McD. I stupidly thought the LRT would be ever fast but forgot it would have to take me almost 20 minutes to reach to my destination.

I arrived shortly after 9am and ran all the way to the embassy. I actually stopped a cab to drive me but he whined and said it was near. I had only less than 10 minutes and fortunately I used to exercise and run a lot before so it was all good. Except that nobody run on a black leather shoe!

It was not too crowded at the security booth and I managed to queue on time. After security check, I left my mac and my whole bag there and brought only I-156, I-157, Alliance Bank Receipt, support letter, letter of appointment and photos. I think that was it though but I could barely remember since I've submitted everything to them.

One thing I do not mind is people being late but I absolutely hate waiting. My mum understand this ever since that incident of me waiting for almost 2 hours in the cold snow... of let's just forget about it.

First round - submit all forms.

Second round - finger print all fingers.

Third round - interview.

Well it took a whole lot longer than I expected as it stated that they require 2 hours but I've already been there since 9.15am and by the time I was done it was 12pm. The interview/officer was very public where one will have to stand in front of the counter while the interviewer would ask questions over the glass and mini-loud speaker. So much for self-disclosure! In front of a whole large crowd of the unknown! The bright side is everyone get to asked the same kind of way and maybe different questions.

There were at least 3 counters for that and as for my side, she firstly asked "So you were an exchange student in the States? Which part was it?". And the interview went on and on and she asked more about the program and the conference event I will be going and the whole interview was smooth. She even commented on my hair after looking at my 4-year-old passport. "Wow, you've outgrown your hair!" and we laughed.

Unfortunately here is the part I hate the most. "Now, I will return to you your passport and this form, and there is nothing I could do because its in the system back in DC that does these, we will call you when it is done" and in the yellow piece of paper it clearly stated that "Please do not call us to inquire about your status-don't worry-we will call you ASAP". I now think it could probably because of the policy that they need to scrutinize people by name. Specifically, my name has a Muhammad, Bin and Mohamad all inside. Triple the trouble now, right? Pfft.

I HAVE TO WORRY! I fly next Friday afternoon! OMG I have no visa! Tickets all booked and I'm not even flying on MH which is even more depressing!

All I have to do now is wait for them to call and cross my finger really tight and pray really really hard.

Meanwhile, I'm at home now waiting to go practice for my driving test which I failed last week. Fortunately, the troublesome-bitchy-mouth-officer session was completed and I did not failed that one, just the hill test. Because of that, I had to skip 3 classes today and tomorrow. What a waste of time and money, since last week I planned not to skip anything at all.

I'm going to eat Gulai Ketam now. And pray that things WILL speed up.


"Dear Lord, please let the application will go on smoothly. I really need to go to Obamaland ASAP. Please don't make it any slower because it will cost a lot of money and I could not afford to pay anything if its becoming worse. It will trouble a whole lot of other people involved in this. I hope some miracle and God-incident would happen. Thank you."




Saturday, July 11, 2009

A Thousand Mile

Going abroad without proper preparation is not just a hassle but even more of a burden now. Unlike the most recent trip (was prepared over 4 months!); which I will be writing even longer stories there; the next trip is happening in 2 weeks (ohmygosh! so soon!!??) I will be going consist of a conference, training and arrival camp. Although flight and accommodation will be provided its becoming intangible mess with visa application of which I was unaware of the situation until I was asked whether it has been done or otherwise. I absolutely did not know I have to get it done by myself!

Moving on, I headed to the twin tower yesterday to browse for some formal outfit that is totally nonexistence in my wardrobe. It was nice to see nice things with not-so-nice prices and even made me depressed to see prettyful Car Shoe that cost thousands and rather affordable Boat Shoe which I could not afford. Fortunately, after 3 hours of walking and browsing I found the perfect black leather shoe for the most minimum price I could imagine as it was on 70% discount and obviously it was below $100 point. A must buy. I could not afford anything else and never mind cheapskate since I had bad experience with cheap leather over my foot. They eat you alive!

I had dinner with a fellow friend who happened to be reading this blog over the past thousand of years. Well not really, just couple of years and I was the only one doing the eating. We headed then to Sentral and while hanging out in front of Meridien and he was over the phone for work I sat there quietly observing two families from different race brought together with a smile over their children started to play around together and made me realized how much I love random conversation between families. It brought a big smile over my face. People are nice and friendly and its apparently the media, the government and those hoo-haas uncles and aunties whom get the votes makes the noises.

Anyway, I have to run to pay for my visa which obviously is going to rip off my pockets now. I will be back with more things soon.






And Aliff, I think it was you at Sentral trying to stalk over me. Dude, you should have said Hi!


Thursday, July 9, 2009

Trouble is A Friend

My sincere apology to those who have been waiting for my stories from my recent Indochina trip. I have wrote it half way and just couldn't click the "Publish Post" button since the story has yet to be completed and my memory of it has started to deteriorate. There has been an information overloading the capacity of which my brain could not handle.

Anyway, college has started. Its been awful weeks as its seemed to pass really quick and I could hardly get things under control. I could finally see true colors of some formerly significant others of whom I decided not to be around with as much as I did in previous semester. Why? Irrelevant, unreliable and never committed. Back in the first semester which I survived, I have not known these people yet and by now I learned how black some hearts could be and how annoying some have been.

Currently I am struggling to get internet connection in McD Sentral where I've just arrived from the great island about an hour ago. I took the midnight bus again and it has been yet another one of the most uncomfortable journey as I could barely sleep. Perhaps I shouldn't take Nescafe after dinner and I just remembered once back then when I could afford a 3 shot of Starbucks Caramel Macchiato it could still doze me off while a simple 3-in-1 Nescafe had put me awake for hours!

I was home due to my driving test complications, and I successfully failed the first test which was the going up on a hill where the car moved backwards instead of forward. Fortunately, I passed the road test of which was hell since the Road Department officer happened to be a woman and everyone knows how a woman tester could be - PURE EVIL. Not that I'm against feminism but obviously she had the bitchiest mouth any human being could ever afford an ear to survive and I almost didn't make it at all.

Its already 5.23am and I have been here since about 5mins before 4am. I'm waiting for the 6.48am train to Serdang so I could make it for my college shuttle. I have class at 9am. Pfft.

Will write more soon, and oh hey...




I'm going abroad again for a conference about 12,000km away from here.