Eternal nemesis is around the corner.

The amateurly taken picture of my table.

I am writing to myself at a time of distress.

On this desk, this dusty desk. I will prepare for my test, exams to be precise. I'm going to try me best.

Surgery and therapy,
Are interesting than psychiatry,
Psychosis and OCD,
Are no match for appendectomy,
Thanks to this guy McBurney,
He makes things look so easy.

22nd will be traumatology,
I've got Appley and Maheshwari,
Joints dislocating , bones breaking,
I've got to try and stop blogging.
Casts and splints, arthritis and fractures.
I've got to prepare for my future.

Infectious diseases are the obvious monsters,
It will cause my brain to shatter.
Now say hello to herpes zoster.
It will cause your skin to blister.

To all my 6th year folks in Volgograd, the best of luck for your finals. Do your best, fulfill your destiny and become excellent doctors later on. This is it guys. What you've been waiting for all this while.

Lepas exam jom pi Dinamo men atas rumput yang nan menghijau, sejuk mata memandang. I'm going back on the 5th of July, so if you guys are still here we could spend some time visiting the ailing Mamaev Kurgan.

To all my friends all over Russia; Volgograd, Moscow and Nizhny, good luck and all the best in your finals.

And to whoever is facing their exams, wherever you are, good luck too.

I pray and hope that we will all pass the exam with the colours of the rainbow.

This atheistic society

"...the devil, disguised as a magician, descends upon Moscow in the 1930s with his riotous band, which includes a talking cat and an expert assassin..."

Master and Margarita was a novel written by Mikhail Bulgakov, a satire of the bureaucratic nature and the godless order at the capital of atheism, Moscow. I've yet to read it after buying it from ebay during the winter holidays, but the theme interests me so much, it was sublimely punk to actually write something that antagonizes the communistic state.

Another novel, which fortunately i managed to finish was Neil Gaiman's American Gods. Fantasy by genre, but from a self interpretation, a satire by nature. Brilliantly imaginative, a magnum opus from the writer who also wrote 'Stardust'. It was a battle of old Gods against 'new Gods'; ranging from Thoth, Anubis and Horus of the Egyptian Pantheon, Slavic Gods Bielebog (white god, the god of happiness) and Czernebog (black god, god of death), Odin-the chief God from Norse paganism and a few other pagan gods against the new school 'American Gods'; Gods of Internet, media manifested in physical forms.

Probably, Gaiman thinks that we have reached a point where the very nature of our existence is questioned, up to the point of being godless, a life with no purpose or a life solely based on quenching our endless desires in this temporary world. That we have come to a point when we spend too much time 'praying' in front of the television, on the internet, so on and so forth.

Atheism literally translates as 'godless'. Jean-Paul Sartre, a prominent French philosopher denied the existence of God but later on in his life, as he matured, he acknowledged the presence of God. "God is dead" is one of the most famous quotes from Nietzsche, a German philosopher. He believes in the creation of Ubermensch or 'superman' as a new moral conduct, since the sacred belief in God could no longer promise morality. Nowadays, the ideals of atheism is widespread. With publications like 'The God Delusion' by Richard Dawkins propagating belief on a large scale. While people like Bill Maher continues to satirize religion, calling it a 'neurological disorder'.

After generations of people trying to decipher the meaning of life, trying to find who is actually God, the fast food generation of our current times have simply debunked the idea of the his existence.

112 : 1-4 Say: He is Allah, the One and Only; Allah, the Eternal, Absolute; He begetteth not, nor is He begotten; And there is none like unto Him.

Islam is 'submission'. And we submit only to the one omnipotent God, Allah. 'Al' is the definite article 'the', while 'ilah' means deity or god. So practically, Muslims are praying to Allah, The God. Being a montheistic religion, there is 'Tawheed' or the assertion of one-ness of Allah, of which its tenets include Tawheed ar-rubibiyah (oneness of Lordship), Tawheed al-asma was-sifaat (oneness of Allah's name and attributes) and Tawheed al-Ibadah (oneness of worship). Seeing, is indeed, believing but the belief in a God needs faith. We may not see Him, but there are more than enough manifestations in nature that testifies to the presence of Allah. We may not have a physical representation of Allah, but the belief itself is of utmost importance in Islam.

16 : 18 And if you would count the favours of Allah, never could you be able to count them. Truly! Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

The relationship between Allah and man in Islam is often misunderstood. Some have thought it to be unliberating as Muslims believe they are slaves to Allah. But when we mention slavery, the general picture springs out the man to man form of slavery. But in this matter, the form of slavery is just different from what you may think of. By being slaves to Allah, we (human beings) are being entrusted to take care of what has been given to us by Allah, the concept of being a khalifa (2:30, 33:72). Not only between human beings, but to the nature as well. And Allah sent down a manual, the al-Quran to His beings, through which we would know how to live and who and how to worship in this life. There is dignity in this form of slavery, as Allah has given us more than we could have ever imagined.

But sadly, nobody questions our slavery to the material world. To be liberated, we would need to cut the chains which bind us too much to the our wordly desires. And only then, the presence of Allah would be felt in our hearts all the time. God willingly, the act of remembrance of Allah would prevent us from the negativity and evils of the world.

51 : 56 And I (Allah) created not the jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me (Alone).

2 : 255 Allah. There is no god but He,-the Living, the Self-subsisting, Eternal. No slumber can seize Him nor sleep. His are all things in the heavens and on earth. Who is there can intercede in His presence except as He permitteth? He knoweth what (appeareth to His creatures as) before or after or behind them. Nor shall they compass aught of His knowledge except as He willeth. His Throne doth extend over the heavens and the earth, and He feeleth no fatigue in guarding and preserving them for He is the Most High, the Supreme (in glory).

Presumably, the suicide rates proves to us that the post soviet era has produced a generation that are still atheistic and most probably nihilistic, with former soviet states occupying the upper tier of the statistics.

Quite frankly, those who stand for nothing would fall for anything.

Spontaneous Human Combustion

Spontaneous human combustion (SHC) is the alleged process of a human body catching fire as a result of heat generated by internal chemical or nuclear action. While no one has ever witnessed SHC, several deaths involving fire have been attributed to SHC by investigators and storytellers.

Taken from here.

Are there possibilities that the person next to you could just go ablaze in a split second and cremated into ashes, blown away to distant lands by the storms of early summer? Sitting on my couch last summer, in that wave of heat in Malaysia, watching the National Geographic channel on the aforementioned topic, it perplexed me as to how there could be such phenomenon, a myth which is now hotly debated among scientists, some trying to approve it as a valid scientific theory, while skeptic scientists are eager to debunk SHC with hopes of making it a mere reference in some pulp fiction publication.

And Brandon Boyd of Incubus sings on 'Pardon Me' : -

A decade ago, I never thought I would be,
at twenty three, on the verge of spontaneous combustion. Woe-Is-me.
I need you to hear, I need you to see that I have had all I can take and
exploding seems like a definite possibility to me.
So pardon me while I burst into flames.
I've had enough of the world and it's people's mindless games.

It may be illogical, but the song deals with the calamitous surroundings and persistent disastrous state of the world as a possible cause of SHC.

Indeed, one of these days i could be blown out of proportions due to the evils of the world.

There is a heightened state of hypocrisy. Devils masking as angels. The air thickened with the stench of greed and the world bloated with sexual harassments and rape. Minds poisoned by jealousy, fuelled by anger and emotional outbursts. The rule of megalomaniacs, thirsty for a piece of political power.

Nobody cries of 'emergency state'.

Sex and drugs are the new Gods. Wealth is the new creed. Entertainment is the new religion. The regression of a generation. This atheistic society, with an allergy to God.

Nobody cries of 'de-civilisation'.

By 2020, depression will be prevelant in the society. High incidence which may overtake myocardial infarction on the top spot. Will then, only, people will cry for God. For help.

Will you then ask for the parachute after the drop from the sky?

Regardless of religion, it's the nature of human beings. It's in the genes. We come back searching for Allah. For Jesus, Krishna, Yahweh or whoever you believe in. But i'm a Muslim, and i would be scrambling back for the one and only God, Allah.

Now religion is minimized to the function of an airbag. In certain cases, in accidents, in distress and chaos, then only would people certify religion in their lives.

And i pray, and i ask, and i beg, "Don't stray me off the path".

17 : 67 And when harm touches you upon the sea, those that you call upon vanish from you except Him (Allah Alone). But when He brings you safe to land, you turn away (from Him). And man is ever ungrateful .

P.S : Happy birthday to Hidayatil Alimi. His birthday is today, 29th of May. May you be prosperous and healthy. You're already thin. Stop dieting.

To my beloved Kak Eja, congratulations for becoming an engineer by profession. Now, go to www.maybank2u.com.my, log in, and deposit some cash for your little brother.

A toast to the champions of Europe

Carles Puyol proved to us that he deserves a Golden Globe award for best supporting character. The boy from the theater of dreams, Cristiano Ronaldo was up staged by the diving antics of Puyol, who went down to the ground, quite easily at times, accompanied with the facial expression of a mother giving birth. Finally, Ronaldo gets a taste of his own medicine.

Carles Puyol, i salute you.

Given the circumstances that Manchester United were on course to be the first team to win back to back European titles of the new format, they were far superior favourites to win it.

But pundits were left scrambling as their predictions went wrong. Awfully wrong.

While Barcelona are being lauded for their tiki taka method of short passing movements, Manchester United had an off day last night. They could have done better. And it wasn't a cracking game as i expected it to be. Quite rightly, it was a stroll in the park for Barcelona.

The trio of Xavi, Iniesta and Sergio Busquets, who is fast becoming a cultured holding midfielder was enough to dent the attacking threat of United. It was a joy to watch the fluidity and the silky slick passing of Barcelona, orchestrated by Xavi Hernandez.

The strength in depth of the English Premier League came into the spotlight last night. The riches of the top four teams can't be questioned, but the gulf existing between the top four and the other teams is enormous. The same statement should not be mentioned with La Liga, in which the teams out of the top four are far better than their counterparts in the EPL.

And while the new faces at Old Trafford are more of a mixture of international up and coming stars, Barcelona have been producing prodigies of their own and most of them are Catalunians, which is important when it comes to understanding the roots of the club. The appointment of Guardiola is a master stroke, as he himself came through the youth system to become one of the legends as a player and now, he is re-writing the history books with his humility as a coach.

And as for Liverpool, they only harbour Gerrard and Carragher as scousers and i would love to see few more local lads to break into the first team.

But for now, Barcelona deserves all the plaudits. Kings of Europe. Undisputed.

Shoes

On some random day, the shoe rack of room 93 would look something like this. I've got a few pairs of high cut basketball shoes which are like my obsession (how hedonistic is this?). Vikneswaran has a lot of shoes because his dad owns a few shoe stores in Temerloh (Kedai Kasut Sri Maju). So he gets them for free. Fairuz has a lot of futsal shoes (Nike Tiempo, Nike 5,R10), and everytime he buys a new pair, i would inherit the previous pair. So i need not buy a pair of futsal shoes. I'm certainly not a fashion guru like my senior, but i do like a good pair of shoes.

Aha. My first love. I still remember when i bought this, it was before our final SPM paper, chemistry. I didn't have a proper pair of shoes prior to this one. I was quite the "Raja Pau" as i had the knack to take food from people (particularly nasi lemak after prep) and i was not left behind in "taking" or borrowing shoes from my friends. Bwahaha. I went to Langkawi Fair, a shopping mall in Langkawi and got myself this. Muizz got himself a good pair too that day. It's quite worn out and i rarely use it. It's like a first wife. You love her and don't want to let her go, but at the same time, you spend little time with her. And it holds tonnes of memories.

Being observant of my love for such shoes, my classmate, upon our return back to Russia from our first summer break, Shairazi Azizi told me that there was a nice pair in Park House, which at that time in 2005 was the only decent shopping mall in Volgograd. So i bought this Adidas Epi Pro II which are exquisitely larger than my feet, but i still like it. I went to Spain with it.

Then after returning back from Spain, i got myself this pair, bought in GUM in Moscow. It was intended for some proper meetings or events as it didn't look that sporty, although the shoes are actually skateboarding shoes.

When i went to Saint Petersburg in summer 2005, i laid my eyes on this beauty and told myself i had to have this. Realizing that i can't afford any high cut Jordan shoes, this was the perfect substitute. And i finally got it for my birthday in 2006. And it remains one of my favourites, although there are holes here and there.

From that moment onwards, i became Puma crazy. And i got myself a second pair in 2008. It's actually the same Puma Sky High but with different colours and this design, according to my friend Sacchi, is only manufactured specifically in Europe. And of course, just like all new wives, i will tend to wear this more often than the others.

I think that's it for me. I mean, after this i need to find myself a nice pair of Bata shoes to go to work. I'm getting old and i think these shoes won't fit my elderly appearance later on. Plus, in Malaysia it's quite hot and these shoes make my feet sweat so much, my socks will be soaking wet after awhile.

Scholesy

If all the Manchester United players queue up, from the beginning to the Matt Busby era to Fergie's generations of players, from greats such Bobby Charlton to George Best, Bobby Robson to Steve Bruce to Mark Hughes, Cantona to Cristiano Ronaldo, there will always be one player who stands out the most.

If i had to pick 3 United players, who i want to see playing for Liverpool, they would be Roy Keane, Wayne Rooney and Paul Scholes. Giggs comes a close fourth. Of course, this is due to the fact that i've grown up watching these players instead of the other great United legends.

But there's only one Paul Scholes.

You can talk about Gerrard or Lampard and their abilities, but England lost a potent goal threat when he decided to retire from the international scene.

He scores crackers from 25, 40 yards out of goal and this one against Aston Villa is top notch. He delivered a volley, perfect timing, a sweet connection with his boots, with the precision of a neurosurgeon.

And the best fact of him is that he shuns from any publicity. In the modern era when football is more of an industry, he prefers to be a laid back, normal guy. This is asthmatic guy is an example for any up coming footballer. And he's about to retire next year.

As Roy Keane states in his autobiography : " 'No celebrity bullcrap, no self-promotion - an amazingly gifted player who remained an unaffected human being."

There's only one Paul Scholes.

Bomoh

It was in the premature hours of early morning, when i received that ominous call. That sinister ring, reverberating through the four corners of my house just half past midnight. When the ringing lasted longer than 15 seconds, i anticipated a wicked night ahead. The silence of the house made my mind sharp. It was as if i had a sixth sense of what was coming.

A night of ghosts and ghouls yet again.

At midnight, i don't expect any marriage proposals, business deals or banquet invitations.

The ad goes : "Modern Exorcist Service/ Perkhidmatan Bomoh Modern : 012-908 6789."

I put it up everywhere possible. Particular emphasis : those rural villages where roads are infested with potholes after potholes, where neon lights are scarce, where houses stay apart from each other. Where the devil roams.

"Modern", in the ad, defines my fashion sense, rather than any progressive method of exorcism. Heck, i was forced into this profession, at the very least i should have the freedom to choose what to wear. I'm clad in black coat and slacks, white shirt and a red tie. My Bata leather shoes complete my western appearance. And of course, the songkok. A helmet would mess up my hair, so i don't use it.

I was once held up by a police officer for wearing only the songkok. He asked for some form of bribery. But i managed to subdue him with my powers.

Yes, i ride a bike to work. A Honda Super Cub. Exorcism doesn't make you a millionaire.

I loaded my arsenal into my briefcase, consisting of "Manual of exorcism", written by my 'legendary' exorcist dad, a tranquilizer gun and darts of Benzodiazepines and Haloperidols and other anti psychotics.

In medical school, you learn about psychosis and its causes. From tumours to severe depression to schizophrenia to degenerative brain disease, sclerosis or as a complication of conditions such as electrolyte disbalance in the body. They are all manifested with delusions and hallucinations.

But i'm not treating any of that.

My cases are due to supernatural etiologies. Of unexplained nature. There were cases of schizophrenics mumbling about their prophecies and a great deal of the end of the world, but those are as rare as seeing a six legged rabbit munching on watermelon. When they do happen, somebody just calls the ambulance and i would go back and have a good night sleep.

The problem arises when they are not medical cases. And mostly they are not and those tranquilizer guns make me look like a second grade FBI agent.

Kampung Jahanam would take about 15 mins on the motorbike. Albeit a short journey, it was enough to get my head rolling of what to expect.

The call was atypical.

"He's waiting for you."

"Who's waiting for what?"

"For the son of Samad the exorcist."

A short and simple call which injected more enquiries.

There was no time for me to check through the files left by my dad, but his enemies are aplenty. But the caller, Pak Aboo is his old friend, and the his voice was slightly trembling. On my way, i stopped at a 24 hour sundry shop to buy a pack of Marlboro, not for me, but for the devil himself.

For this nefarious nemesis awaiting me. A new school exorcist against an old school nemesis.

I never asked to be the son of an exorcist. I never asked to be part of this occultic scene. Maybe this was fated to be.

And when i arrived, the hypnotized body of the victim was dancing under the light bulb. Dancing and whistling, wearing that psychotic smile that never fails to excite me. And he started to sing. It was impromptu and the song sucked. He had the voice of a girl high on steroids. The language was inconceivable.

Then he stared right into my eyes, his ruby red eyes spoke of hatred and damnation.

"I was waiting for you."

It was, indeed going to be a wicked night.

As much as i hated being an exorcist, did i mention my penchance for a good old conversation?

"Care for a cigarette?". The devil-man took a cigarette and started to sip.

And we started to talk...

PS : I'm trying to write a short story of a modern day bomoh who is a medical student dropout. He's a son of a bomoh and seems to naturally inherit the abilities of his dad. He never wanted to become one, but due to some circumstances, he has taken the task with a heavy heart. Maybe i'll write it on another blog.

Di Volgograd tiada Disneyland...Surat terbuka kepada Dato' Ahmad Said.

This post was written somewhat before the Volgames started, and before i found out Dato' Ahmad Said was not coming to Volgo (he actually sent some other people to Volgograd!), when i was pretending to be busy and had no time to put it up.

Assalamualaikum Dato' Ahmad Said!

Ke bawah duli yang Maha Mul..eh..Kau bukan Sultan. Silap intro.

Ehem.

Sebenarnya, di Volgograd tiada Disneyland. Kalau di Eropah, Disneyland hanyalah terdapat di Paris. Di sana, ada Mickey Mouse dan konco-konconya. Bukan saja di Volgograd, Moscow pun tiada Disneyland. Mungkin ada 'Gorky Park', taman tema yang diungkap di dalam lagu lagenda Scorpions, 'Winds of change'.

Di Volgograd ada Mamaev Kurgan, gagah berdiri mencakar langit. Di situlah nampak habis 'overseas'.

Tapi jika terlintas niat di hati ingin ke Disneyland, tanyalah rakan karib Dato'/Datuk/Datok (apa-apa sajalah!) Khir Toyo. Dia dah ke Disneyland Paris dengan ditemani keluarga dan konco-konconya. Katanya hal kerajaan Selangor. Mungkin kerajaan Selangor berniat menghantar pelajar-pelajar ke Disneyland seperti Datuk, yang ingin menghantar pelajar-pelajar melalui Yayasan Terengganu ke Volgograd.

Niat suci, niat murni.

Sekali lagi saya tegaskan, di Volgograd tiada Disneyland.

Sekian, terima kasih.

Assalamualaikum.

PS : Another failed attempt to sound sarcastic?

And today, i don't think everyone is surprised with the court's result. Once Najib told Malaysia that they would be appealing against the result of the High Court, which favoured Dato Nizar as the rightful Menteri Besar of Perak, the result was inevitable. I'm not crying out loud of whatever conspiracy theories that exist in the political scene, i'm just saying it was predictable.

Trying my best to be a fence sitter, i've asked a few BN supporters and they are also sick and tired of BN's attempt to regain Perak. Does Perak have mines of gold or pools of petroleum? BN has other states to worry about and Perak seems to be the holy grail of their political desperation. BN is like Chelsea, moaning like some school girls beaten up by some goth chicks after their loss against Barcelona.

But at least, they couldn't take their on field problems to the courts.

But do you know what is the best part out of all this mess?

The drama won't stop here. How we all love dramas.

The cement is always grayer on the other side

Would the real Daniel Agger please stand up?

The classic backside pose. What most people don't know is that i'm actually Danish-Malaysian. That's why i chose the name Agger to be printed on the back of my team's jersey, which is the Malaysian national team jersey. But I always consider myself a Japanese. Henceforth, the Japanese slippers are always there to cover me.
And the long john i'm wearing is not a fasion statement. I just think my thighs are too big they could make an elephant shy. So i cover them up.

My hands are covering Ahmad Fardi and Mus. Once in awhile (actually always), we play football at this cement turf approximately around the Lenin Square. And again, you could witness that balding spot on top of my head. It runs in the family. Even if planting my hair is permitted, i would rather go shiny bald.

Now this is the real Daniel Agger, celebrating a ferocious strike against Blackburn Rovers.

And this is Daniel Agger receiving an award for being consistently injured.

Daniel Agger is also a tattoo artist back home in Denmark. And also a metal fan, just like Carles Puyol. How cool is that.
And he has just signed a new contract for Liverpool. The temptations of higher wages from AC Milan or Real Madrid didn't interest him.

The Arrivals.

The Arrivals, a documentary about the delusions of Freemasonry, Zionism and Conspiracy theories have been greeted with great support throughout the Islamic world.

As to all conspiracy theories, it was indeed interesting. The same experience was felt when i read Da Vinci Code 3 years back.

The theory that Obama is actually part of the zionistic plans. How the NWO is affecting our daily lives. How the media is controlled by those who want to hypnotize us and control our mindset.

Well, i won't say those are absolute truths. The disclaimer at the end of the series asked us to do further research rather than just blindly believing what they recorded and taped for us.

For example, the theory of the star of David. How they claimed it to be 2 triangles overlapping each other to open a new vortex point bla bla bla, to a new dimension bla bla bla, so on and so forth.

It was hard to believe at first, then i read what Ustaz Amin wrote in his blog.

The origin of the star is from the original inhabitants of Palestine, a clan known as Kan'an Arabs, who used it to symbolize their group of people. They converted to Islam and the symbol is extensively used in the al-Aqsa mosque.

So, presumably, the Israelis fortook the symbol as their own, as a gesture that they are the original inhabitants of Palestine. So, there might be misunderstanding that the symbol represents some intersection of worlds, and one day people might think there are freemason/zionist symbols in mosques! Get your facts correct.

And i'm not against wearing red or the red colour. I just can't agree with red being the colour of the devil or whatever it is. Pink or bright yellow attracts more attention compared to the colour red. Well, this is just my idea. No basis in this. The thing is, i don't think Islam bans any colour. Correct me if i am wrong.

They seem to be blaming pop music (Madonna, Aguilera, Britney). I like it very much because bubble gum pop is just out of order these days. But it's not just pop, music and entertainment in general are not wrong, but there are some other better things to do like read a book or understanding some hadiths, rather than just dwelling too much on entertainment. (this last sentence is dedicated especially to the writer of this blog). But the idea of how the Zionists are raking money from the entertainment industry, for me, is plausible. Because the dinosaurs of the industry are mostly jews.

And to simply say that Lord of the Rings was inspired by the tale of Imam Mahdi, is indeed wrong. They jump into conclusions because they believe too much in conspiracy theories and believe the world is made up of too much symbolisms. Tolkien's influences are listed here. You might now say the list was made up for us to believe that LOTR wasn't influenced by the hadith concerning Imam Mahdi. Well, believe whatever you want to believe in.

My point is, don't just blindly believe what has been told. Go do your own self research. And for all the mystics of the world, let Allah decide on that. Whether there'd be stargates to other dimensions or pyramids emanating powers, we have no power on that.

But there are some things which we could take note from the series. Like, don't trust the media too much. They show us what they want us to believe in.

Be on your guard, read whatever you want to read, but don't trust everything on mainstream media. Be a smart reader and choose the best information out there.

Jose Mourinho does it again

Jose Mourinho is at it again!

"It has been like an 11-month holiday in a great country. In November and December, I thought I was in St Moritz."

I'm not a big fan of Chelsea but the song above tickles me to the core! But i really like Jose Mourinho and his ego is entertainment. His quotes are legendary.

"If I wanted to have an easy job... I would have stayed at Porto - beautiful blue chair, the Uefa Champions League trophy, God, and after God, me."

Now, i'm following Inter more than any other Italian team.

This is my 3rd post for the night.Whoa.I'm making up for loss time.

Well, the internet is not quite unlimited and the server was down for a few days. But i'm not the one complaining. I understand the complexities of dealing with Russians especially when it involves money. I still remember the time when Helmi came to my room and tried his experiments to install the internet in the hostel. It was hard back then because there were only a limited number of cyber cafes in Volgograd offering limited internet service.

And Helmi has since bled his nose a few times trying to establish internet at the hostel. And whatever the outcome is, whether we could achieve the goal of installing unlimited internet service or not, he has done a lot for us. Thanks a lot Helmi!

The Gambar Market Mutlak

Ini gambar market mutlak.

Gambar perasan handsome. Come on! Give me a chance to post my picture once in a while. Aku takda akaun Mukabuku, aku ada akaun Maybank saja. Tapi akaun Maybank aku takda duit, bukan macam akaun bank Bill Gates.

Dalam gambar tu aku pakai cermin mata Jeal Paul Gaultier. Bukan aku punya, tapi kepunyaan apek jiran aku, Christopher Ting Kah Ming yand dibeli dari eBay, bernilai hampir RM400. Murah la tu, jika dibandingkan dengan bingkai-bingkai jenama ayam di Malaysia yang dijual pada harga yang sama. Balik Malaysia, aku perlu tempah cermin mata baru. Bingkai cermin mata lama dah patah, and as for the new spectacles i made last summer, the lens prescribed seems to be much inferior in power compared to what my eyes require. The world blurs everytime i wear them.

Christopher cadangkan bingkai Marc Jacobs dari ebay. Aku bukan jenih branded sangat (habes branded pun adidas dan nike saja), tapi kalau murah aku cakap ok saja.

Kawan-kawan cakap aku nampak muda bercermin matakan bingaki JPG tu. Aku tak habes-habes perasan handsome.

Aku rasa, lelaki terutamanya, banyak bergantung pada ego. Ego fuels that engine in them. Some feed on ego and die if the ability to exert that ego is suppressed. Banyak laki-laki tengok cermin tiap pagi, berus gigi, puji diri depan cermin. In a sense it does help to boost confidence. Macam sesi self motivation tanpa bayaran, percuma sahaja.

"Handsomenya aku pagi ini."

"Macho jugak aku rupanya."

"Siapa mamat handsome dalam cermin ni?Laa..aku rupanya!"

Kadang-kadang ada yang kagum dengan kebolehan masing-masing seperti kebolehan bermain bola, memancing ikan mahupun perempuan, bermain DOTA, memasak atau apa-apa sajalah. Aku rasa memang perlu, tapi janganlah sampai timbul perasaan riak dan takbur itu. Manusia ni senang tumpas dengan lontaran pujian. Bila dipuji sikit, rasa macam melambung tinggi darjat.

Ada yang perasan diri tu best sangat, nasihat apa pun didengarnya tidak. Aku pun kadang-kadang susah nak terima nasihat orang. Ego habes.

Aku rasa aku takda ego sangat. Cuma bila aku cakap aku handsome, aku ungkapkan dengan perasaan ikhlas dari hati aku.

Aku rasa, ego jualah yang menghalang kawan-kawan aku dari memuji ke-handsome-man aku.

"Kau nampak mudalah pakai spec Jean Paul Gaultier tu."

I understoood that pretty well.

In other words, "You look rather handsome today."

PS : Gambar ini untuk menyedarkan anda bahawa blog ini bukan ditulis oleh seekor panda. Tapi kalau kau nak puji aku comel macam panda, aku terima seadanya dengan hati terbuka. Ahli kugiran kegemaran aku ketika ini, Animal Collective, salah seorang ahlinya bernama Panda Bear. Tapi aku homo sapiens. Aku makan nasik, bukan makan buluh.

Animal Collective

I'm not much of a music connoisseur as i used to be few years back. I don't really hunt for new music as i've lost that hunger and i've acquired (partially) a reading habit.

But animal collective captivates me.

Being childhood friends, they have been able to produce experimental music for such a long time. When i say experimental, it means that most people can't accept what they offer. It's so much anti pop, they are categorized in the 'freak folk' genre. I couldn't comprehend the music they were playing prior to their album 'Feels'.

But since then, their music has been more acceptable to the common ear, and i'm certainly impressed. If there's a band to rival Radiohead, this is it. They have taken the step into the world of electronica and synthesizers and drum loops, akin to what Radiohead has done from the world of guitars and drums.

Their new album is a chemical reaction between Beach Boys' poppish sentiments with Kraftwerk's ambience and electronica and what you get is a distinctively Animal Collective sound. It's something like the Postal Service, just that it's much more destuctured and experimental.

Maybe this is the hallmark of great bands. Take Pink Floyd for example. Where would people rank them if it wasn't for their shift of sound from the psychedelic rock 'Piper At The Gates of Dawn' to the progressive 'The Dark Side of the Moon'.

'My girls' is from the new album. Simple lyrics (There isn't much that i feel i need, a solid sould and blood i bleed) compared to one of my favourite tracks from the old album, 'Feels' entitled 'Did you see the words?', with thoughtful lyrics such as (Do the elderly couples still kiss and hug and grab their big wrinkly skin so tough wrinkly wrink wrinkly?). This 'indie music video' is a video made by a fan for the song 'Did you see the words?'.

Cristiano Ronaldo is Ugly.

The title is a publicity stunt. You fell for it!

Taken from an interview with Jamie Carragher : -

Will it be any consolation to Liverpool, if they finish runners-up, that they have beaten United twice this season? "No, it's nice to beat them but that's a load of rubbish," he says. "If they win the League they are the best team."

That was in April and I wholeheartedly agreed with what he said when i read it.

Being a Liverpool fan is never easy. They day i decided to support them, Liverpool lost 3-1 at Anfield to Manchester United (97? Or was it 98?). David Beckham scored from a free kick in that game. That was all i could recall.

At that moment i never had the faintest of ideas that they were quite successful.

Then there's the Carlsberg issue. It's hard finding a decent looking Liverpool jersey. It either has Carlsberg or 'Liverpool' (wrote in same font as the Carlsberg logo!).But the worst is the banter we've had from Manchester United fans for the past few years. I can tell you it's frustrating but it's football. Damn.

I've never heaped any praise on Liverpool at any moment supporting team minus some exceptional moments. They were never good enough for me. Istanbul was a miracle as far as i could analyze. I've always wanted them to play more like Manchester United, and win more and more. "Why Liverpool are not playing quick passing like Manchester United?". "Why can't they win against these smaller teams?"

It's like i'm a dad, and i'm bombarding praises to the neighbour's son for his achievements in front of my son, and keep on asking my son, "Why didn't you get first place in class?". "Why are you so handsome like your dad?".

Me and my Liverpool metaphors. Enough of it.

But this season, I have to say Liverpool were exceptional at times. Not against Manchester United at Old Traffod, because i thought Man. Utd. were way off their usual selves that day and Liverpool seized the opportunity. But the match against Chelsea (4-4) sticks into my mind of how far they have improved mentally. In previous years, they could not have done that and would usually succumb to a defeat.

Yes, it takes mental strength to win. Jose Mourinho and Alex Ferguson, besides being 2 good managers, they are good at man management and injecting that winning mentality and hunger in their players.

And Liverpool, hopefully are close to that level of mentality. That hunger that drives Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs season after season after season.

And today, i watched Manchester United clinch the title with 5 good Mancunian friends. Arsenal played for pride, Manchester United played for a point. But it was enough. So my congratulations especially to Theenesh and Cerap.

But this doesn't mean i've come to terms with Cristiano Ronaldo. I still hate him. Brutally.

PS : Tahun depan takleh tengok Premier League sama-sama dah dowh!

The Show Must Go On...Welcome to the Royal Malaysian Political Circus!

Ladies and gentlemen, children of all ages. Welcome to the Royal Malaysian Political Circus (RMPC)!

Since 8th of March 2008, we have been serving you with all kinds of delicacies and controversies ranging from the takeover acts, frog hoppings, political stunts and acrobatic acts, the Naked politician show and the latest attraction, the Royal Rumble in Perak!

But of course, the show that got the most attention was the takeover act. Supposedly planned on the 16th of September 2008 by our most talented performer, the gifted, the one and only magician, Anwar "Master Orator" Ibrahim, the hypnotist did not get it right that time around! But the show was so good it amassed an audience of millions.

Then there's the gorgeous Eli Wong with her mesmerizing body which attracted the attention of pervert circus fans all around the globe. Mind you, there's some form of adultery in this show. Not suitable for those below 18 years of age.

Of course, we could not leave behind our legendary troop of jugglers from UMNO! Yes! They are indeed legendary, not for juggling balls, rings, clubs or devil sticks...but they are a clan with the ability to juggle $$$$$$$ amongst themselves! Ali Rustam and Khairy Jamaluddin have been touring relentlessly with the team and have been outstanding in their contribution. You both deserve a salute from the sponsors and organizers!

It is very rare, maybe there's never been a circus, in which frogs are the entertainers. But behold! This breed of frogs are mutated and they jump very far into oblivion. From swamps they jump into sea water back to swamps and then, back to wherever they want to be. You could never see these kinds of frogs anywhere else in the world. A rare species, indeed. Since they are so special, even the animal activists are not against our show.

But a new attraction has arrived in town! Let's get ready to rumble! Introducing on your right, weighing in at approximately 70 kg, former Menteri Besar of Perak, Datuk Nizar "I'm the rightful Menteri Besar of Perak" Jamaluddin. And on your left, the newly crowned Menteri Besar of Perak, Datuk Zambry "there's this stay of execution and i'm currently the Menteri Besar of Perak" Abd Kadir.

The tagline for our latest show is : -

"This is blasphemy! This is madness! This is Perak!".

Testimonies :

"Best circus yet in the world."-Circus Magazine.

"Hats off to the greatest live reality show on the planet. We're talking about shows that have generated a great deal of attention in the country. Simply wonderful."-A circus critic.

"The jugglers are so natural. 3 thumbs up to them. Even the most famous juggler in the world, Vladimir Eremenko can't juggle money!"-Jugglers Worldwide Magazine.

"Do you know how many stars are there in the sky? Even that amount can't justify the quality and the sheer class of brilliance this circus has to offer."-The Best Newspaper in the world.

"We've heard of hybrid jazz and hybrid metal. This is hybrid circus. You have a mixture of circus, drama, and comedy."-Anonymous.

"One of a kind."-Anonymous.

The RMPC would like to thank all those involved in making this show a masterpiece.

Thank you.

9.5 facts you need to know about Shairazi Azizi.

1. Azizi is my classmate for the past 5 years.

2. He hails from Besut, the town famous for producing the one and only Ayah Pin. He says never had the chance to drink tea from that giant teapot.

3. He is a self proclaimed genius.

4. If you decide to debate with him, then think twice! The result is inevitable. You'll suffer defeat after the first round and would never want to debate again!

5. Azizi scored the first ever goal for our team (La Hermandad/Milo Kaw Kaw) from a long range effort. I've yet to score a goal. Not even an own goal for my team.

6. He is high on confidence. When asked why, he says he takes intramuscular injections of Sol. Confidencium 100%-5 ml every morning. Yes. He stabs those injections himself.

7. He is secretly a poet. Few people realize his potential, but recently he won the poetry writing competition about Palestine. But what most people don't know, i gave him the inspiration to write that piece of poetry. Hah. Just kidding.

8. If you give your earnest opinion about something, he will vehemently deny it just for fun. For example, if you say Maradona is better than David Beckham (everyone knows Maradona is better than David Beckham!), he will surely say "Nah. David Beckham is way better." As i mentioned, don't debate with him because you'll lose badly!

9. He wants to further his studies in philosophy and plans to establish the subject "Azizilogy". He will prove to us that Descartes, Nietszche, Kant, Aristotle and Plato are all wrong in their views of life.

9.5 His birthday falls on the 9th of May, the victory day of Russia over the Nazi Germans. So each year, his birthday is a holiday. Lucky bloke.

I hope he knows i'm joking. Happy birthday. This is your birthday gift. Haha.

Mother's Day

Everyday should be mother's day. But they've set a date, a special date specifically for mothers all around the world as a tribute to their contributions.

I was always the stubborn son. At form 1, she wanted me to enroll at KYS, i wanted to go to Sains Syed Putra, but in the end i settled at Alor Star.

She said that she doesn't like me wearing these black thick rimmed glasses. But i still wear it up til today.

When i was little, i liked ninja turtles very much. I would cry when she denied me those toys. And i would ask her to watch ninja turtles movies at the old Rex theatre in Alor Star. Then she would say, "there are no shows today here in Alor Star." When i was smart enough to read the time schedules for movies, right after she told me the exact same thing, i would take the newspaper and show to her that there would be shows that day.

We went there. The cineplex was almost empty except for a few people. She slept all the way through the show.

But the biggest contribution by my mama is that, she was the one, who taught me bits about football. She nurtured the football in me. In early 90s, she would tell me all about the Kedah football team. I would ask "what is a hat-trick?", "what is a penalty?". And she would explain to me everything.

And now, she supports Liverpool too.

Taken from a website : -

A man once asked the Prophet to whom he should show the most kindness. The Prophet replied: "Your mother, next your mother, next your mother, and then your father." (Sunan of Abu-Dawood) In other words, we must treat our mothers in a manner befitting their exalted position - and, again, revere the wombs that bore us.

I never had a dad, but i never felt that empty void. Mom was always there for everything.

Happy mother's day.

CDs are so 90s

I'm blaming the internet for all this.

It was sort of an investment on my part, buying CDs with the hope that the price would fluctuate high enough to make profit. My liking towards music collections stems from watching my mom's cassette collection. My cousin also has a lot of heavy metal music from his time studying in the UK. So i bought cassettes (there's so many of them!) and CDs myself to have my own collection.

Now i have to say it was the worst piece of investment a man could ever think of!

Darn it.

Regrets? I have a few. But then again, too few to mention. Sound fimiliar? But yeah, i don't regret buying CDs/cassettes. When it was outing time while i was at boarding school, i would usually attack the music store first and wondered,

"Why are you guys buying all these foodstuffs and eating at these restaurants? Food is provided by the school. Music isn't."

It turned out i was the only guy at school who never complained about the food. It was always finger licking good.

So last year i packed my CDs, only original ones into a shoebox with the hope of selling them somewhere. I tried to find ways to get the best deal out there. eBay's music market was dead and gone. Now it's the digital era. People either download music legally or illegally. So i sms-ed Music eXchange, a music store located behind KL plaza. It's actually a house, with its living room converted into a shop selling 2nd hand junk with a hippie owner who replies sms as quick as lightning.

"How much for a CD?". I sent.

"RM3-10. Depends on condition and title of the CD." He replied.

Some of the CDs have shrunken from its initial value by 80-90%. I decided not to sell them yet and would wait for next summer when i get back to Malaysia. There are some good CDs there, Broken Social Scene's Feel Good Lost, Mogwai CDs, 311 and Incubus collections, Sex Pistols' legendary album Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols!, Jaga Jazzist, Stars' Set yourself on Fire bought in Spain and lots more.

But then again, thinking back, i might as well sell them at Music eXchange.

If it wasn't for the internet, i would at the very least recoup a bit of what i've lost.

So in the end, i think the first thing i'll do when i arrive back in Malaysia is to spend few days in KL doing a piece of business although i'm not good at it. And don't worry, i'll put the money straight into my bank account. LOL.

Thanks to my sister who took the pictures while she was back in Alor Star last week.

Russia in the news : Mamaev Kurgan going down?

Mamaev Kurgan was once the largest standing statue in the world. Located in Volgograd, it is the one and only tourist attraction worth visiting here. But not for long perhaps! Despite its structure, the architecture lacks foundations and stands there by its weight. From a news article on BBC, the statue is leaning by about 20 cm. Few more inclinations and tilts, BOOM! It might collapse. It might fall. Then Volgogradians and the Russian government would have to perform a miraculous CPR in order to get it back up. CPR in the form of millions or billions of Russian roubles. They say what comes out in the news, is controlled by the media. Is this a sign, a symbolism, that Russia itself, as a country, is going down, along with Mamaev Kurgan? Or is it an inside job by the Russian government?

Conspiracy theorists, do your job!

And for those who haven't visited Volgograd, please do so.

The economic downturn, quoted as the worst since the Great Depression, is affecting the Russian economy massively. And prostitutes in the Russian capital of Moscow are not left behind. They have slashed their 'market price' in order to save their lives. Yes. I am talking about full time prostitutes! Not only have they become cheaper, but they have also evolved into shoulders on which to cry on. Since libido and economy are parallel to each other, customers come and instead of requesting for sex, they talk. They talk about the stock prices spiralling down. About their depressive state. Of being fired. Recessions and paycuts. These days, the ads go this way : -

"When your stock price is falling, what better way to relax than chatting with one of our girls?"

In some other news. China, Russia and Canada have become targets for their roles in the piracy. Internet piracy that is. I still remember when i arrived in Russia, there was an abundance of original like music cds with complete booklets but were cheap. I was wondering whether these were rejected cds of some sort. MP3 cds are sold sporadically here in Russia. The jailbreakings and the unlocks of iPhones involve Russians as well.

And the best piece of news of all, is the victory of Russia over the USA in the IIHF Ice Hockey world Championship semi final. I was gutted that Russia did not bring their 2 great talents Ovechkin and Malkin to Switzerland. Plying their trade in NHL, these 2 men redefine ice hockey. But even without them, the core of Kovalchuk and Morozov are able to advance to the final, their strength in depth shining bright. Against Canada tomorrow night in the final, Russian will be defending their world championship. Vpiriod Rassiya!

With all these news, there seems to be a widespread negative view of Russia. Are these criticisms justified? Some are true, but the media is just trying to pump that belief that USA are the heroes of the world, and Russia are evil.

The new cold war looms, with the television, radio, internet as its battlefields.

The Triumphant Catalunians

I was lying on the bed, with thoughts of tuberculosis walking about in my mind. No. Not that i've been infected by the bug, just that i'm having a 2 week posting of the subject. The room, my room was as usual full with people looking for a place to watch the game. Chelsea vs Barcelona, Stamford Bridge. Semi Final of the European Cup. They don't come bigger than this.

The score was 1-0. The blues held the upper hand.

Lampard tackles Iniesta on the screen. And me, playing the role of an unpaid, unprofessional, unmerciful commentator spoke a few discriminatory words towards the Catalunian.

"Is that what the press calls one of the greatest players in the world at the moment? Give me a break."

But little that i knew, Iniesta would have the last laugh that night. With a minute, maybe seconds of time remaining, the room thickened with tension and full of anticipation for one of those nights, people were restless waiting for a miracle.

Daniel alves crosses the ball. A bit overcooked to the far post for Eto'o. Essien fails to clear Eto's mistaken first touch and the ball rolls to the quick feet of Messi. Iniesta waiting for the ball just outside the box (not a pass again!), receives it and with the touch of his gifted right boot , donning the yellow Nike Total 90 Laser (my dream boots) swings it, his body balances, his heart pounding from the endless runs on the pitch and he pumps his soul into the shot, that shot...

There was this moment of breathlessness, a momentary loss of consciousness on my part...watching the ball hit the net was like watching a movie with a twisted ending. Who would've thought that a goal could be so crucial. What a moment. The room exploded into choruses of shouts and taunts to the negative Chelsea approach.

El anti galactico. El Illusionata. El Iniesta. The humble catalunian.

And the fracas after the game rivals the one we are having in Perak. Drogba is a disgrace.

It was a triumph of football. Chelsea's tactics lost to a team playing free flowing football. A triumph for the neutrals.

It's a bitter pill to swallow, for i am a Liverpool and Real Madrid fan, to see 2 arch nemesis, Barcelona go head to head with Manchester United in the final. But they both deserve it, it's a dream final for all football fans.

Both chasing domestic and continental successes, both boasting 2 greatest talents in football in the mould of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, both displaying entertaining football. What more can you ask for? (i would ask for a Liverpool presence in the final of course, duhh!)

It was not only a victory for the neutrals, but victory for both clubs and their policies. They share an idea of integrating youth with experienced, seasoned players. When Giggs and Scholes started out, there were Pallister, Robson and Bruce setting firm examples. Now Giggs and Scholes have themselves become living legends and role models to a new generation of players. They do spend their money, but their most valueble assets are those who went up through the youth ranks.

Barcelona, a great city with a great culture. Football culture, i meant. Pep Guardiola was an accomplished player himself and set an example for future players. Now Xavi, Puyol, Iniesta are fast becoming legends of Catalunia for future players to follow suit. Busquets. Pedro. Even Messi came through the youth system, receiving injections of growth hormone day by day.

What an investment. Growth hormones. Maybe now they're investing in genetics and may produce more Messis and Xavis in the future? Is cloning the next level in football?

I would be damned if that ever happens.

Now, i hope Liverpool will follow suit. The scousers of Gerrard and Carragher are slowly waning off. They have a solid youth team. Nemeth. Pacheco. Watch out for these 2 in the future. But Benitez is still keeping them and waiting the right time. I say, now is the right time Rafa. Unleash them.

The stage is set. 27th May 2009. The European Cup final. I'm anticipating a cracking game.

The competitve edge

Once you step out of your room, leaving behind the comforts and the indulgences, be mindful that you've agreed to enter the realm of an endless rat race in the population.

It's nothing like an F1 race when you have to accelerate in a short period of time, but it's more like Dakar Rally, an endurance and mind straining race with all the surprises of nature (deserts, dunes and canyons) along the way.

Yes. It's a competitive world we're living in. A long and hard race for the prize, whatever the prize is.

Winning, succeeding is on everyone's agenda and it pushes people to the limit of their frontiers. Businesses have to compete with each other to offer the best offers, services and products. That guy drinking coffee sharing jokes with you in the office, he's a nemesis too.

But i'm not that competitive to be honest. That's why, i hypothesize that i'm not that good at sports. For fun and recreation, that's ok. I've only represented my primary school in tennis and won the gold medal in the doubles event. In the singles' event, i was knocked out at the first hurdle. That gold medal was down to the fact that my partner was representing Malaysia at the junior levels, winning regional competitions here and there. What a talent he was. Sadly, he got the big C and passed away when he was merely 15/16.

In sports, i would rather lose than to blame the referee or other conditions, or even act like brainless wackos. In the end you could only put the blame on yourselves for whatever went wrong.

Years of supporting Liverpool FC have made me sterile to losing in sports i guess. I just won't complain about other teams much, except that Liverpool weren't good enough. I've ranted on forums on how Liverpool should improve in certain areas especially their mentality in order to succeed like Liverpool. Constructive criticism rather than blind support.

The problem is, there are some who can't understand when to say they have lost. I've got loads of good friends who support Manchester United and these guys know when to say Man. Utd are second best when they perform poorly. But there are some who go emotional over losses and can't handle losing as if their lives depended on it.

But that's football for you. Last night Drogba was a disgrace, showing the bad side of football when things go wrong. Is that what you call being competitive Mr. Drogba? Take a look at Lampard who swapped shirts with Iniesta, acknowledging defeat with grace.

Part of the competitive edge, for me, is admitting when you're second best and to try to improve for future times.

In my secondary school days, my Geography teacher complained to my mom that i was too quiet and would be the last to answer any question posed by her.

But then again, i've seen the competitiveness of people gone bad. Take for example the Russian examinations in which we are required to answer orally. Some who are not able to answer their initial questions will ask for extra questions from the lecturer in order to get that illustrious mark, '5' written on their report cards. It's nothing wrong with that, but when they don't get that mark, they whine like kids who are denied of their ice creams. Lecturer this, lecturer that. Questions were not in the list. So on and so forth. Some go to great lengths to gain the lecturer's attention so that they will be recognised when the exams come around.

In the end, i think i need to have this competitive edge when i start to work later. In the medical world, housemen need to answer questions and volounteer ourselves to do this and that. And if we keep our mouths shut too much, we might be labelled uncompetitive and therefore might be targeted later on.

Gosh, how much i need to change.

PS : I'm living in a gruelling moment of my life. Got forms and more forms to fill up and to pass up tomorrow yet i'm occupying myself with the internet.

Wouldn't you rather be happy than be rich?

I am borrowing the title of Dato Dzulkifli Abdul Razak's article on the NST. It isn't copyrighted under any circumstances, or is it?

When Adolf Merckle, a German billionaire decided to kick the bucket, it was a clear evidence that the economy had got better of him. All across the globe, from Tokyo to Paris, London to New York, businessmen, stock brockers and investors are being hit by the economic tsunami, and some will be left with the label "bankruptcy" on their backs after the tide has subsided.

But it's not just them, the common people on the base of the hierarchy are severely affected as well. Recessions are leaving people jobless. I chatted with a friend who told me his dad's business is non profitable nowadays. There are news of jobless dads who are facing it with patience, one of them proclaiming that he now spends more time with his children and will do so until he finds a stable job.

Thinking back of how things have gone, there seems to be a clear evidence of how material possessions are connected to our lives. Money. Wealth. All the things around you are a part of this cyclic movement of money. There is a social contract between the buyer and the seller and we're all involved in it.

But does money guarantee happiness? Well, yes and no.

Dude, if you give me one million ringgit right now, not rupiah, i will be spending it for the following stuff : retro Liverpool jerseys, tickets to Liverpool games, Michael Jordan Air Force 1 shoes, flight tickets to anywhere in the world, maybe an SLR, an iMac or MacBook, and the list goes on and on. Am i happy after this spending? Yes, i guess.

But is that what i really am looking for?

I've learned a mighty deal of philosophy from one of my all time favourite movies , "Into the Wild" (here i go rambling about this movie over and over again ;p). Growing up in a troubled family, Chris MacCandless gave away his money ($24,000 USD) to OxFam before venturing into the wild, trying to find a true meaning of life. Mind you, it is based on a true story.It just shows a detachment from the life of too much dependency on money and material possessions.

And the grunge legend, Eddie Vedder sings on the soundtrack : -

You think you have to want
more than you need
until you have it all you won't be free.

Adrian White pioneered a research on the inter-connections between subjective well being and economic indices and found out that not all rich countries are that happy, some even ranked outside the top 20. For the record, Malaysia is ranked at no. 17. Not bad at all. Now UK residents are asking for happiness, instead of wealth. To quote from a politician over there, “It’s time we admitted that there’s more to life than money, and it’s time we focused not just on GDP, but on GWB – general well-being".

As for Malaysians, we have that genetics in shopping and we shop no matter what. There are those who really suffer, but there are those who claim to suffer but still go on rampages at shopping centres week in week out. Aha! The Complaining Culture of Malaysians. Talk about complaining, i heard that some juniors complained of the state of toilets in the university which prompted the university to renovate them. I think most people know how frequent i use the toilet to poo but i never complained a bit even though those toilets are quite bad and are doorless. I would just shout, "Zanyat!Zanyat!" meaning occupied and they would just go away. But hey, have i ever mentioned i'm an introvert and just keep quiet most of the time?

Isn't it a wonder that some poorer families are happier than wealthy ones. I've been lucky enough to live a life full of blessings.

Word of the day : content.

But don't get me wrong. It is always a social responsibility for us to collect wealth. Lots of good things you can do with money! Imam Ghazali once stated that wealth is one of the means to succeed in eternal life. Being wealthy and being materialistic are both on different wavelength spectrums. He classified businessmen/economic agents into the following : -

1. Those who are fully occupied with business that they forget their place of return, the hereafter. These are the people who will be ruined.
2. Those who are concerned for the hereafter and therefore are kept away from economic sphere. These are the successful people.
3. These are the people who are involved in economic activites FOR the hereafter. This is the middle path.

We should always adopt the moderate/middle path, as this is encouraged by the Prophet from a hadeeth reported by al-Bukhari. Middle path being our hunger for both wordly and matters of the hereafter.

I'm not saying i'm liberated from all my wordly needs. I'm still chained to some things of life and trying slowly to be able to say "no" to my extra needs of this world. To share the words of Bob Marley on his song, "redemption song", :-

Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery,
None but ourselves can free our mind.

To be liberated. That's my goal.