Driving home from Kenduri in Alor Star, we decided to stop by our regular Auntie’s Nursery to get bigger pots for our overgrown pandanus. Sharina was browsing for the right pots and I was looking around for appropriate plants for the house – just in case. My eyes caught something wicked and I really have to blog this. The picture above explains everything (I hope) and we walked away with two bigger pots – without any plants.
It’s been said that if we like something, we’ll tell 3 people, but if we hate it, we’ll tell 12. Needless to say, I like this view so much that I walked back to the office (postponing my nature calls) and capture this shot so that I can blog this. Trash has always been a major problem in public places in Malaysia. Sometimes our favorite products are like adorable pets that pee on the furniture: we love them, but we don’t love their filthy habit. Wasteful packaging is annoying, unnecessary and more expensive to produce. Plastic bottles, Styrofoam containers, canned drinks and plastic bags are just a few of the long list of harmful items if not disposed properly.
Please think again before you toss out another trash – Green is really Sexy!!!
Capsicum is a plant with a densely branched stem. The plant reaches 0.5–1.5 m (20–60 in). Single white flowers bear the fruit which is green when unripe, changing principally to red; some varieties may ripen to brown or purple.
Today is a gloomy Saturday morning with nothing much going. After a short visit to our local Day’s Market (Nat), we just bunk around the house with our son who is having a slight fever watching Madagascar.
Since our house in a village near Kodiang, we have no need to “keep up with the Jones?” Having the best looking lawn in the neighborhood is a goal many men and women have stressed over for years but not for us. So I decided to explore our backyard under slight drizzle. To my amazement, my capsicum bears fruits. I remembered tossing a few seeds into an unused plant pots and blessed by the rainy season and here they are. Since I was outside the house, I decided to get my hands dirty so I planted a mango that has been nursed by my 96 year-old grandma. Not a bad gloomy Saturday after all and now its pouring cats and dogs.
Yes, it seems that the rains have finally reached Kodiang. That was the only reason I woke up this early to write - the weather. It is raining, the sky is gray, and it is the perfect time to play Maroon 5’s song Sunday Morning (or Diana's Krall's Isn't This a Lovely Day !!!!).
Later today, I managed to catch this view.
Heavy rain creates temporary puddles in my backyard and frequently attracted herons to come and look for fish maybe. There are times when they came in a flock of up to thirty birds. Here you can spot nine of them lurking for fish under my pomelo trees.
Part I
I'm now in KL Central killing time to catch my train. Once my lappy was turned on, I was searching for available wireless connection so here I am (connected...). This is my third and last day in KL and I'm really looking forward to be on my own bed.
The presentation that I delivered went very well on the first day and I was really glad about that. The same presentation for another group of participants wasn't that bad too. I guess I can go home and sleep well tonight.
I would like to share in this blog about an interesting person that I met for this particular trip. A taxi man named Mali (HWC560), who gave me a ride from Dynasty to Pearl International.
to be continued.....
Part II
I am back to my root now. Away from the city buzz and back to my nest. I was reflecting on my experience in KL.
Back to my lectures, the audience is people of my age group practicing the same profession and is more advanced in their carrier path. Many have gone to same school, shared the same lecture rooms, and worked together with me. A friend who went to the same college with me 30 years ago sent me this sms later that day after the first lecture. He said “Congratulations for your excellent presentation. You rekindled memories that I’ve not thought for a long time – Afifi”.
Thank you
Went for a can of diesel the next day and once it was filled in the tank, I cranked the engine. It was idle for a few seconds and went dead. After a few attempts, the tractor won’t even start at all. Drove to a friend’s house who operated a few tractors and a back hoe and he dispatched his son to look after my problem. Only then that I knew, one have to bleed the fuel line before you can restart it again.
Harun or better known as Own went through these procedures..
1- Fill the tank completely full of fuel. This will help add pressure to the fuel system and flush out the air much faster. Don't skip this step- it is important!
2- Locate the bleeder screw at the top of the fuel filter valve (the part that the fuel bowl is attached to). Open the screws at the top a few turns and wait for fuel to run out. This will indicate that the filter is full of fuel. If you did not fill the tank there will not be enough pressure to force the fuel through the filter.
3- Follow the fuel line up to the injection pump. There will be a small bleeder screw on the pump where the fuel line goes in to the pump. Loosen it and wait for all of the air bubbles to come out. You should be getting straight fuel now
** If you ran out of fuel completely while running the engine or you tried to start your tractor before bleeding the system you will need to continue on through step 7. If you did not try to start the tractor before bleeding the system you can start the tractor normally and go on with your day :) **.
4- Follow the steel lines going from the injector pump up to the top of the engine. Loosen the fitting on the end of the line. Do this on both lines.
5- While sitting on the seat, crank engine at full throttle until you see no more air bubbles coming out of the lines. Do not crank for longer than 10 seconds at a time, letting starter cool 1 minute between attempts.
6- 2 cycles and you should be ready to tighten the fittings back up.
7- The tractor should start now. Let idle for a few minutes to get out the remainder of the air.
NEVER operate starter for longer than 10 seconds at a time. Allow several minutes for starter to cool before re-trying.
Check engine oil pressure light and temperature light. They should both be off. If the red light is on after 10-15 seconds of running, or the amber light comes on- SHUT OFF IMMEDIATELY. You could be causing permanent damage. Locate the problem before running again.
FYI- Why Is a diesel engine hard to start when it runs out of fuel?
Diesel engines rely on extremely high pressure pulses in the injector lines. This high pressure is required to make a fuel spray that is fine enough to burn completely. The pulses cause the fuel injector to "pop" (a point where the pressure in the injector line reaches the required level and the injector opens) and sprays a very fine mist of diesel into the engine during the combustion stroke. When the injector line has even the smallest amount of air in it, the air will compress and the required pressure can not be met. The injector never opens and the air can not be purged from the line.
Own insisted on not charging anything when asked. I handed Own RM20 but he refused. I popped the money in his pocket anyway while he was washing his hands.
Thank you Own!
Well, the day started off very early with a lengthy meeting that lasted three hours followed by piles of papers to go through. I was trying hard to keep my thoughts organized, and keeping myself on track. Hopefully this will help me get right back into the swing of working.
it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae...
Dayang Bunting Pedal Woman (007-Bond Girl)Got up early on Thursday the 18th and straight to my alamanda (pretty poison) which have been crying for attention. Have em pruned and tied I turned to my eight kelat paya (Eugenia Oleina) for the same attention. All done and tidied, it was still 10 in the morning. Nothing much to do for the day so my wife and I decided to head for Langkawi.
Overcast AheadLangkawi hosts between 99 and 104 islands - depending on who you talk to and whether the tide is up or down. It's on the west coast of Malaysia, just south of the Thai border. Reminiscent of Thailand - but quieter, lazier and unspoiled by pushy touts peddling 'same same' t-shirts. Pantai Cenang, Langkawi's gorgeous main beach, features a wide strip of beach, with sand like cocaine (ironic in a country where drugs are a guaranteed death penalty) and fabulous palm trees overflowing with coconuts. There's one main road, with a strip of shops, budget hotels and restaurants which spill out onto the beach
The prettiest shutterbug around
Caught a 12:30 boat and secured a Kanchil and we were all set. Checked in by Chenang Beach (cheap and cheerful Lonely Planet recommendation down the road!) and we headed for little shopping spree around Kuah. It was nothing much to do anyway because it was raining till we turned in by midnight.
On Friday morning, after confirming our reservation for island hopping, we popped at Breakfast Station- of course, for breakfast. My nasi lemak did not arrive until about 9am so we decided to call for the bill. The owner was apologetic as I was catching on time and gave us RM4 discount for the bill – good for him but we went ahead for the trip with my empty tummy. The weather was with us for the whole trip until when we were about to head for the shore at almost noon.
All too quickly, it was time to farewell Langkawi - relaxed, chilled and ready to take on the world. Yep. Living the dream.
Four Docs engaged in serious discussion (me and the host hidden)Most that turned up, intelligent and understated. I assumed we’d have the normal chit chat/banter about life and work, probably hear an anecdote or two and I’d leave feeling slightly inadequate by comparison. The power of positive thinking, visualization and attitude really hit a nerve with me.
The argument was that while some areas of my life are more successful than others, this could also be true with my attitudes towards them. If I fed some of the positivity, drive and certainty of a positive outcome, say, that I have about my relationships with my family and friends, into my career or love life, the results would be very different.
I know I’m mostly a good friend and am confident of my friendships and family relationships. While I occasionally fight with my family members, we are always solidly supportive of each other and I would never hesitate to ask them for help. In return, they also ask for help occasionally. And I think it’s this co-dependence and mutual support that makes me feels so contented in that environment.
I hate asking for help from people and showing my vulnerable side (especially when forced to). I suppose because I don’t know their vulnerable side and so feel exposed. But maybe just giving people a chance to be kind and nice is what life’s about. Assuming your colleague is about to side-swipe you are unfair, as even if he subsequently does so, your negativity before the event just prolongs the pain.
Move on. Think positive. I thought!
Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri, Maaf Zahir & Batin to everyone - I seek for your forgiveness if I’ve wronged anyone, neglected the friendship, and abandoned someone in times of need. Thank you also to everyone who has been honest and contributed to my blog. So I wish everyone a wonderful Hari Raya, a significant victory for us. Ampun maaf dipinta…. Halalkan everything that have been written or dramatized here. Gotta go now - need to pay my 'zakat fitrah' before its too late!Dengan tulus ikhlas ,
Sometimes I wish I didn’t think about all the negative consequences of my actions. Some days I wish I could just be blissfully ignorant and go about my day not caring about toxins or working conditions or environmental degradation. I wish I could just leave my empty plastic bottle on the floor and just not care. Of course, that’s not my style. When I really think about it I know that I’m better off for caring, and hopefully I’m making some sort of positive impact, even in my very imperfect way.
No young child likes to lose at a game. But there are some for whom not winning or not getting their way is a trigger for a tantrum or a pout. They'll storm off if their friends won't let them be the captain of the fantasy pirate ship. They'll knock over the checkerboard or walk away with the basketball if they're losing a game.
A certain amount of this behavior is normal and reflects a child's stage of development. Toddlers and preschoolers, for example, don't yet have the words to express the intense emotions they feel. They're also experimenting with ways to handle their frustration and desire for control. They find it hard to lose for the same reason they find it hard to share toys with other children.
We expect to see a shift in this attitude by the time children are in elementary school. Unfortunately, that doesn't always happen. Researchers have found that older children and adults who are sore losers worry about what others think of them if they don't win, or feel that winning is what makes them good people. (Interestingly, this confusion of doing something good with being someone who is good is typical of how toddlers think.)
Dynasty Hotel view of the Twin-Towers with the cloud passing by.WARNING…EXTREMELY DISTURBING CONTENT COMING UP. PLEASE DON’T READ NOR BE OFFENDED IF YOU DO READ. JUST A WARNING YOU NOW. THANK YOU.
So I got into my office as always and I had to do my routine “duty”.
Well imagine my surprise when I walk into the washroom and immediately am greeted by a foul and unpleasant order (obscure Seinfeld reference for you there, 100 points if you can guess the scene). I opened the washroom's door and saw this large black piece of shit “dry-docked” in the toilet (meaning above the waterline for those who need a visual). The water was yellow and apparently whoever left behind their mess didn’t bother to flush.
It was disgusting and appalling. I nearly threw up and turned to leave immediately. But then of course the blogger in me kicked in so I decided to share with you how disgusting this was.
I held my nose as I took the picture on my mobile phone (just the thought but I didn't) but I ran out of there as fast as possible. Suddenly my urge to go was completely gone. The craziest part was how whoever took the shit got it to come out of their ass sideways? Seriously…that’s really crazy. And how they managed to get it dry-docked is beyond me. Actually there is some traces of shit on the bowl so they literally must have been forward in the seat.
I wonder what this guy could’ve eaten to create such a thick and dense piece of shit. I mean it must’ve hurt like hell trying to push that through. Well…… Life is like that!
Why are so many people such lazy thinkers? To me, it's easy to blindly accept something as true - reasoning it out is a whole different story. Take the time out to do more research instead of using emotions to filter out what you read and hear about. If you find yourself passionately for or against something, look carefully at your beliefs - can they face the light of facts? Oh, I better hope I did not make a typo or the lazy thinkers who graduate from college today will ask for a discount on the entire argument.
I came up with this answer. Let us share a fine tuned sense of hearing, it almost borders on hyper sensitive. Our sensitivity to sudden loud noises will probably lessen with age. So why would sensitive hearing help me sleep in the rain?
As the rain falls it taps on every part of the house, the cars outside, the street, the trees, it taps on everything. And I hear a lot of tapping! I myself find this comforting because I become more aware of my surroundings by taking in all the tapping, it’s sort of like a 3D sonic reading of the area. This seems to satisfy some sort of primal instinct in me to be aware of my surroundings before I let my guard down and fall asleep. And if I feel safe, I sleep better.
I am sure that if I was sleeping more during these past sun-free week I would be very well rested.
Harum Sedap Malam (my backyard) - Nikon pic.One of the feelings which some of us experience is guilt. Strangely enough, the more a person is developed and the more they love and the care, the more they might experience guilt.
Guilt and shame are two different things. Shame is the uncomfortable feeling we might have that we might get caught out for what we have done. We might not care whether it was right or wrong. But we do care whether anyone knows about it or not.
On the other hand guilt has to do with right and wrong. It is not so much a matter of what others might think but what we ourselves think. We have gone astray from our own standards and we experience difficulty coming to terms with this.
Other emotions can be tied up with guilt. We are angry with another because of what we have done! We are angry at ourselves for what we have done. We may as a result feel very sad.
Related to guilt is forgiveness, of ourselves or of others. Forgiveness means to stop blaming or being angry at another for what they have done. It also means to free ourselves or others from an obligation. Not-forgiving is clearly a way of self destruction. Giving up hating or blaming can make us feel a lot better. Some people find it easier to forgive themselves or others when they realize that forgiveness does not mean thinking that what they or the other did was right. When we forgive we still think that what was done was wrong, but we give up punishing ourselves by holding a grudge for what we or another did. We release the bond and let the event go.
May the month of Ramadan brings us forgiveness!
Yesterday : Sunrise from my hotel room's balcony.
Today : Morning View of my desk.
Beautiful breezy evening and my kite flew gracefully as my two boys (17yo and 3yo) were kicking soccer ball around the yard. This 48yo man decided to join in – and after the third kick…. oucchhhhhhhhh….. I got myself a hamstring pull. The last time I had the pull was 10 years ago during tennis match. As I was flat on the grass, my 3yo bent down and asked “are you alright?” Of cause I was not alright and from my past experience it’ll take months to really heal. Well, now I'm limping and looking forward for a night with a couple of hot water bottles!
* pictures taken by Nikon camera.
Future Generation
Jalur Gemilang Against the Blue Malaysian Sky - Nokia pix.
backyard explorer - Nikon pix.
| Hujan - Mukhsin OS... |
view from my windowI've learned that we don't have to change friends if we understand that friends change.
I've learned that no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.
I've learned that true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance. The same goes for true love.
I've learned that you can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for life.
I've learned that it's taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.
I've learned that you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them.
I've learned that you can keep going long after you can't.
I've learned that we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.
I've learned that either you control your attitude or it controls you.
I've learned that regardless of how hot and steamy a relationship is at first, the passion fades and there had better be something else to take its place.
I've learned that heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.
I've learned that money is a lousy way of keeping score.
I've learned that my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the best time.
I've learned that sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down, will be the ones to help you get back up.
I've learned that sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry, but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.
I've learned that just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have.
I've learned that maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had and what you've learned from them, and less to do with how many years you have lived.
I've learned that it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others. Sometimes you have to learn to forgive yourself.
I've learned that no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn't stop for your grief.
I've learned that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.
I've learned that just because two people argue, it doesn't mean they don't love each other And just because they don't argue, it doesn't mean they do love each other.
I've learned that you shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret. It could change your life forever.
I've learned that two people can look at the same thing and see something totally different.
I've learned that your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who don't even know you.
I've learned that even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you you will find the strength to help.
I've learned that credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.
I've learned that the people you care about most in life are sometimes taken from you too soon.
There are days when I feel like no matter how much resolve I show, there’s just something wrong with how I’m approaching things that’s preventing me from succeeding, and I can’t tell you for the life of me what that something is. It seems like everyone around me is experiencing vocational and social success that manages to elude me. Today is the day where very little is accomplished..
National SymbolEvery year since I've lived in Kodiang (again), I've planted trees and plants. I can't say I've been very successful at it. But I can say, that each year I've been more successful the year before. The soil here has a lot of clay in it and you had to have just the right moisture level in order to be able to pull weeds because the soil would turn to stone when it got dry and you'd just pull the tops off. Now it is raining, and the planting season is here again.
Even with permission to quit and a history of failure, I still seem to have the itch to plant trees around the yard. I had thought I might still plant this year, just on a smaller scale. Last weekend, I started going through what I might plant and actually mapping out a garden plan. I know, revolutionary idea. Usually I just go out there when I get around to it and start planting things, and then I have problems like lime tree right next to the barn and grew over the roof. So, for this month of the year I’ve planted mangoes, lime and oranges while Sharina was busy with her decorative plants and shrubs.
