Good Morning Malaysia!!

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A long time business friend called me first thing in the morning.

Davy: Good morning!!
mama: What's so good about the morning?
Davy: How do you know what I feel?
mama: It's a mutual feeling shared by most people of Malaysia today.

I woke up in the morning staring at the front page news in the newspaper to a 30sen hike per litre of petrol!! And I have 4 empty tanks right now sitting on my porch!!!!

Next page is the RM1billion loss made by Malaysia Airlines, amongst the cost cutting measures will be reducing the non-profitable routes and cutting off non-productive agents.
(mental note: I now have to be more productive with less routes to sell....hmmm....).

These after a lenghty explanation over the news last night about the new tariff hike on the electricity rates.

And you know what? TV3's news declared that our PM has just gotten an 'Ilham' while officiating a Kraftangan function last night, that we should go and export our 'bakul rotan' overseas in order to get rich!..... wow!! what a great new ILHAM!!!!.... But the blinds have always known that for years, are they rich yet?!!!!......

My boys have been complaining about the smelly water from the tap!
Imran: Is there a dead Bangla in our water tank?
Ikram: our water smell like sh*t!
The Malay Mail explained the mystery today, the stench is due to the sudden increase in the ammonia content in the raw water taken from the source at Sungai Selangor. The ammonia contamination came from the ponds nearby which overflowed after a downpour. We will have to bear the stench for another 2 days, boys!.


Davy: I'm calling to tell you that the cheque that we are supposed to receive will only be bankable in the middle of next month!

Any more bad news? They are all welcomed only for today, as I have declared today to be a 'Bad News day'!
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STF Golden Jubilee Buletin

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Every once in a while, I'd meet a fellow kakak/adik Srikandi here at blogspot. Some of them if I may recall are:-
Atasya ,who is studying for her Phd in Sydney and has since unpublished her blog.
AuntyN, the educated makcik from the kampong.
Mutiara, Kak Salmah who is living at the Southern Plains of the USA.
Anedra, crony Kak Teh, who is our chieftain at Sentraalstation.
Nyonya La Mer, who once visited my blog.
1bloghopper's mom, fancy me and my junior's daughter getting in touch with each other.....
However, my apologies if I fail to mention any other srikandis who came and paid me a visit without letting me know who they are....

OK, adik2 / kakak2 /anak2, dibawah ini I lampirkan some information regarding the preparation for the STF Golden Jubilee celebration. If any of you are interested to participate in any of the activities being outlined (eg.futsal??), be free to contact the person and the phone numbers given.

This information is courtesy of Wardah Zainal Abidin (75/76).


BISMILLAHIRRAHMANIRRAHIM
Dearest Sisters,
As promised here are the summary of our upcoming events for you to disseminate to your batchmates. We hope to get your utmost support in all our proposed programmes.
May Allah guide us all to success, and barakah; after all whatever we do we do to get His Blessings.


(All information are correct at the time of writing this email: 23rd Feb 2006)

Events:

1) MAJLIS MAKAN MALAM PERDANA SRIKANDI:

Date: 1/4/2006
Venue: Sunway Lagoon Pyramid Hotel, Convention Centre, KUALA LUMPUR

Time: 8:00pm
Dress Code: Baju Kebangsaan - Men: Batek long sleeves.
Adalah digalakkan setiap batch beli tables instead of seats.. so do bring your spouse, and family (above 18) (chlidren below 18 - kena tidur awal so tak digalakkan bawa)
Price Per Table for Srikandis: RM2000 only.
Individual DISCOUNTS for Life Members at RM180 per head and accompanying spouse.




2) ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Date: 1/4/2006
Venue: Sunway Lagoon Pyramid Hotel, Convention Centre
Time: 4:00pm
Kalau dapat datang bagus sekali, jika tak, tolong beri proxy saja. Itupun dah memadai. Kita tak ada pemilihan AJK, hanya formality saja.


3) FUTSAL TOURNAMENT AMONG BOARDING SCHOOLS ALUMNI
Date: 26/3/2006
Venue: Rio de Futsal, at Sunway
Time: 8:00am (registration)Fees per team: RM200 per team (before 24th Feb) RM240 (after 24th Feb)Person to contact: Jaja 0193606565
Open to: Srikandis/anak-anak SK too/ex-Alumni from other boarding schools.

4) BATEK BOOKING AND DEPOSIT TAKING
Due Date to place ORDERS for first batch booking: 28 Feb 2006
Price: RM200 (for members)
Batek: 4-metre, Hand printed Silk with motifs of the Srikandi logo - green coloured. Tastefully done.
When to wear: During the PROCLAMATION CEREMONY in June/July; (After that; use it on the 15th of each month; for Govt people)
Person to contact and details:
MAYBANK ACC : 1623 48440771(SITI ZALEHA NGAH), PLEASEEEEE inform> nourangah@ortech.com.my 016-6788799 OR Hana hanazita@gmail.com 012-3171626

5) ARTEFACT CONTRIBUTION FOR EXHIBITION AT STF DURING THE GRAND CELEBRATION IN JUNE/JULY
Collection Due Date: 30 March 2006
Items: Any item of interest that you wish to share/lend/give outright to be exhibited to the public: (eg: school uniform, library books that you accidentally took home, silver cutleries... pix, oscars that you won, etc: as long as you want to show them off to us...)
Person to contact and details: Ryzah at shairyza@mail.hukm.ukm.my or myself.
Collection Mode: To be collected from your place; so please call or email us.

6) HOTEL BOOKING FOR THE GRAND JUBILEE CELEBRATION IN JUNE/JULY:
Official Hotel: Seri Malaysia (Larkin) (has been refurbished recently)
Package: 3Days2Nites Stay with 2 breakfasts, 2 dinners including the Royal Dinner, transportation from hotel to STF vice versa, Lunch coupons at the Carnival, and hopefully some door gifts.
Price Range: Will be released soon, but caters to 6 categories: ie; if you are coming with husband, or with family or with friends. Also for those who do not wish to stay at the hotel. We also have package for junior members at the 'Sick Bay' at stf.
Person to contact: Myself or Zaleha Adwin at lehadwin@gmail.com
Due date to Register: 15 April 2006
Tentative Event Date: 30June - 2July 2006
Our Hope is to provide the best, comfortable yet economical stay for you all. We plan to have a simple get together that Friday nite among all the SKs and maybe have a karaoke competition besides getting to know each other after all these years.

7) LOGISTICS AND TRAVELLING ARRANGEMENTS FROM YOUR PLACE OF STAY TO JB [HOTEL SERI MALAYSIA]
Official Transportation: To be decided but we are open to suggestions: train, chartered bus(es) or air.
Person to contact: Adibah Kasmuni at adeeb66@time.net.my ; Myself or Zaleha Adwin at lehadwin@gmail.com
Due Date to indicate choice of transport mode: 15th April 2006
Price Range: We are negotiating to get the best as soon as we get your information in.

8) TREASURE HUNT
Date: 22 April 2006
Fees: RM300 per car (before 4th March registration) RM400 per car
Venue: Klang Valley area
Contacts: SK Yan Hasmoni '94 (013 342 0503)
SK Suhaimah '95 012-300 0290

9) TENTATIVE AGENDA OF THE GRAND JUBILEE CELEBRATION IN JUNE/JULY 2006
Tentative Date: To be finalised as soon as we get green light from Istana Johor: for now it is from Friday 30 June to Sunday 2 July 2006.
Venue: STF, building, Padang and Sports Arena.

Due date for Registration: 15th April 2006
Due Date Payment: 7th May 2006 or earlier
Payment Details: To be announced soon

Events: (tentative)

*One-Day Educational Seminar - "STF: Her Future and Relevancy" (or something like that)
Date: to be done around this time
Venue: To be announced
Participants: Educators, ex-STF, PIBG
Call for Papers: open now
Person to contact: SK Ruhayah Derus at ruhayah@streamyx.com

Friday
Morning:
Start of Jubilee Carnival
Afternoon at HOTEL Seri Malaysia:
Check-in
Registration
Night at STF:
Forum Perdana TV1 Recording
Night at HOTEL Seri Malaysia:
Welcoming Dinner for all Hotel Guests
Special Srikandi Get-Together and Ta'ruf Session

Saturday
Morning:
Proclamation Ceremony and marking of Time Capsule
Carnival and Exhibition Opening Ceremony
Night:
Royal Jubilee Dinner (Venue to be finalised; but transport shall be provided from Hotel Seri Malaysia)
Dress Theme and Dinner Theme: TUN FATIMAH: WARISANMU...
(So Traditional Malay Costume; glitz and glitter, ok..)

Sunday
Morning:
Tee-Off at the Golf Tournament for Husbands:
Carnival and Exhibition
Afernoon:
Carnival and Exhibition Closure and End of the Jubilee Celebration.: Farewell and adieu.

FYI too

FOUR MORE THINGS to note:

1) SHOOTING FOR THE VIDEO MAKING of your batch
A group of batch 94s is making a video to capture the thoughts and nostalgics of the batches from the 60s to the 2000s. So if you could organise some of your batches to meet up; call up AZLINA at azlina.a@gmail.com to come for video capture.
Due Date: URGENTLY ASAP

2) GOLF TOURNAMENT ORGANISING COMM
The Golf Tournament is mooted by the PIBG; As of now, we are waiting for directions from the PIBG. It is done to collect funds as well as encouraging husbands to come down to Johor for our celebrations.

3) SRIKANDI HI-TEA AT THE SCHOOL BY THE JB CHAPTER
On the 4/3/2006 the Johor Chapter is organising a Hi-Tea at STF Dewan Makan to call all SKs in JB area to help out with the preparation. So if you have your batchmates in JB or Johor area, please inform them. Person to contact is SK Norsarahaida at nsarah@mel.fs.utm.my . STARTS AT 4PM (3.30pm registration)

4) CAR STICKERS WITH GOLDEN JUBILEE LOGO ready for purchase
Please grab this opportunity to buy these once-in-a-lifetime EXCLUSIVE limited edition car stickers at only RM5.00 each. Buy and stick them in all your cars back windows and let the whole world spot you. You can pay more if you wish to help the school.
Contact: LAILA at lailamehat@yahoo.com to get yours NOW!

Lastly, please call or email me if you need further clarification. Please DOAKAN that we have the stamina, and all will be WELL. InsyaALLAH.

Luv.

SK Che Wa
019-3185870
GJC Committee Member-- Wardah Zainal AbidinSrikandi Tun FatimahSTF 7576
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Happy Birthday, Imran!

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It's Imran's 14th birthday today.
Alas, he is having a fever....

Papa said he's like a baby, demam bila bertambah usia..
Mama said he is exhausted, he went jungle tracking with the KRS (Kadet Remaja Sekolah) on Friday, came back on Saturday, only a day rest on Sunday to do his homework. On Monday he was back to school and marching practice until late evening.

Mama: Imran, I think you are exerting yourself!
Imran: A member of KRS does not exert himself, mama! Ish..malu kalau Ustaz dengar!!
Mama: OK, but please put on the sunblock lotion, I don't want you to have that road divider coloured-skin! (read: black!)
Imran: Mana ada!!!
Mama: Put the sunblock ON!
Imran: OK, provided it has no smell and that nobody would notice!!!!

Huh, boys.....
*KRS is the muslim boys' version of the scouts.

Imran always know how to take advantage of his special day. For as long as I can remember, he comes up with a birthday wishlist from as early as the beginning of the New Year. He'll dictate what he should receive from every member of the family. As he grows, he knows the importance of quality as compared to quantity, so, for the past years, it has been the PS2 player, The Digital Camera, a Nokia Camera phone and this year he was pondering whether he deserved an i-pod or the MP3 player......

As early as last week, we were already at the Ikano Power Centre to help him do some comparative studies, as to the pros and cons of the 2 gadgets. He spoke to the salesmen and I overheard him asked very brilliant technical questions which I myself do not know how to reproduce here....

Finally, he decided on a Sony MP3 player instead of the i-pod, due to the software programme used by the former, which is supposed to be compatible to his computer.
Mama malas nak pergi2 lagi tempat tu, terus belikan an advance birthday present for Imran.
And Papa got a new Sony viewcam too for himself on Imran's birthday....(apa kena mengena nya?)...talk about taking advantage......

For a while I saw the MP3's earpiece slowly becoming an extended appendage of Imran's ear. Then, later in the night he declared that he had just made a discovery:
His ears are not compatible to the MP3's earphones......The lobes are becoming red!!!!!

Mama: So, are we getting a new upgraded and more compatible earlobes for you?







Happy Birthday, Darling!!!



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Ikram's Jokes

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I am very sure that plenty of drivers are at the verge of tears daily now that the MRR2 bridge is closed for repair. I am indirectly involved in the massive jam each time I send and pick up Ikram from school at Sri Damansara. Traffics are at standstill the moment I drive out of the main road from the school, taking a u-turn into the Highway leading to our house in Mutiara Damansara.

If he himself is not tired, Ikram will try to humour me in the one hour jam for the 10Km drive.

Like yesterday, at 7pm after the accounts tuition, the moment he sat in the car, he asked if I wanted to hear a joke.
mama: No need!
Ikram: why not?
mama: I'm too tired! Besides I have to actively look left and right for queue jumpers.
Ikram: I'm going to tell you anyway!

"Well, there was this pregnant woman who wanted to eat pizza. So, the husband drove her to a Pizza Hut restaurant for a meal. When there, she went into labour and about to give birth to the baby. The husband wanted to rush her to the nearest hospital but she said there was no need for that. The husband asked why? She said , over at the pizza restaurant, she got 'Free Delivery'....

mama:.....silent....
Ikram:.....Not laughing???
mama: no!
Ikram: Why not?
mama: not funny!

Ikram: OK. OK. I'll give you another one, a dirty one!
mama: I don't want to hear a dirty joke!
Ikram: I'll tell you all the same! This was what my teacher told me in class today!

" 2 friends wanted to have drinks at the bar but they could not afford them. So, they pulled together the few coins they own in the pocket and bought a sausage.
They entered the nearest bar and had a few drinks. Later, one friend took out the sausage, put it infront of his zipper and asked the other friend to suck it. The bar's guards saw them doing the act and chased them out of the premise.
They went to the second bar and did the same act. They got free drinks when they got thrown out again, and so they repeatedly did the trick on to the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and the 7th bar. The friend who was supposed to suck the sausage said that he was too drunk and tired to continue fooling around. The other friend agreed as he was tired too. He had lost the sausage at the 2nd bar!"

mama: ...silent....(wondering teachers nowadays tell this type of jokes to the class???)
Ikram: HA,HA,HA....mama, you are not laughing?
mama: no. Not funny!
Ikram: You think papa will laugh at the joke?
mama: I don't think so, 'Hang belajarq tak pandai tapi cerghita dirty joke pandai!'...
Ikram: Who said Ikram belajar tak pandai? Pandai tau! Wait until you see my monthly report card next week!
mama: OK, I'll see your report card first, next week..
Ikram: O,O, How come I don't feel funny anymore???....

Last night after dinner, I heard a roar of laughter coming out from the kitchen. Papa and Imran were the better listeners to Ikram's jokes..and between them, they add more twists to the ending of the bar joke, which are not worthy for printing here considering I am a 'makcik blogger'.

What you required was the right audience, Ikram!.
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The recurring nightmare!

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I was sent away to study at a boarding school at age 12, blank as a blank can be. Fate has it that I was to be there for the next 6 years, putting bits and pieces into my young life, learning the tricks of the trade from equally naive friends.

I don't know about others but come to think of it, I have not learnt much about personal survival. We were highly competitive in our studies, but most could not operate a gas stove by the time we left school at age 18!!

We were allowed to go back home to our poor families once a term, (that would be 3 times a year). Those trips home were on the dirty, smelly and stifling train of Keretapi Tanah Melayu. We never questioned it then, but how come there were never enough seats for us to sit in the train which stopped at every station along the way. It was not too bad if I managed to rough it out, struggled with my bag and got a seat if the journey started from Johor Baru to Tampin, the nearest train stop to my kampong. However, I might as well prepare to stand for 5 hours, all the way from Tampin to Johor Baru, because all the seats available would have been taken up by students originating from as far north as Arau!!

I have a feeling that someone had shortchanged us somehow! But it's too late to approach the ACA now, almost 37 years later.....

Those miserable train trips must have affected my psychological well-being, otherwise, why do I continue having nightmares now, after all those years....

I can remember every scene in the nightmare and could even anticipate the ending. It will be either one of these scenarios:-

1) I arrived at an empty Tampin train station, the train and everybody else had left,
2) I went up the wrong train, instead of going down South to Johor Baru, I was on one heading up North to Arau!,
3) I managed to get myself a cosy seat on the train, only to realise that my bag was still at the platform,
4) When we reached Gemas, everybody changed to another train but I was the only one oblivious of the changes and left sitting alone in the empty coach until midnight!
5) arriving at the station when the train has just started moving and I made a sprint towards it!!
Believe me, the last episode will be worse if I was awaken with Papa's arm around me while I would be sweating and panting..

mama: Papa, lain kali kalau mama mengigau, jangan pegang2 mama, tau!
papa: I thought you were sick, you were quivering and shaking....
mama: mama tengah kejar train! Padanlah tak sampai2....You are holding me back!
Boleh???
papa: Lain kali basuh kaki dulu sebelum tidor lah mama!!!!

But the nighmare continues, even with washed feet and all...
On hindsight, it's always missing the train from Tampin to Johor Baru, but not vice-versa....

My friends are currently organizing a 'back to school trip' in commemoration of STF's Golden Jubilee celebration this year.
I am still frighten to go back there.
Perhaps I should get my driver to send me to Tampin train station, buy a first class ticket in the fully aircond VVIP Coach, and travel in style to Johor Baru with my Louis Vutton suitcase...
that would probably break the nightmarish spell once and for all.......




Appearing in person for the first time!

Mama sitting on STF ground, in Dec.1974, minutes before leaving for good, and has since never returned....
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Origin of Valentine's day

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'The Valentine tradition dates back to AD 269 when marriages were banned in the Roman countries by Claudius the Cruel during Emperor Claudius II's reign.

At that time, young people had to find willing priests if they wanted to marry in secret and Valentine was one of them.

However, when Valentine's secret was discovered, he was condemned to death on Feb.14, AD 269. He wrote a note to Claudius on that day and signed it: "Love from your Valentine".

People are still remembering this day annually by spoiling their life partners with gifts and candle light dinners and Valentine's day became more and more commercialised throughout the years.'
....source: The Malay Mail.

And last night over Buletin Utama TV3, Ustaz Hassan Din Al-Hafiz appeared briefly to remind muslims 'supaya jangan terikut2 dengan amalan penganut ugama kristian kerana ditakuti akan memesong akidah, yang memungkinkan seseorang itu menjadi syirik'.

I quickly sent an sms to Dilla, reminding her of the reminder.

Dilla said even her christian friend does not celebrate Valentine's day anymore as even the church does not encourage commercialisation of love.....

Bagus, toksah celebrate! Dalam masa menjaga akidah, duit poket hang pun selamat........(boleh simpan untuk menyambut 'Hari Ibu' nanti!!! I want an i-pod in this colour, fully downloaded with M.Nasir, Udit Narayanan & Latha Mangeshkar's songs).....Thank you.

Hitting the treadmill

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I finally got hold of my jogging shoes and hit the treadmill yesterday. I was about to change my mind after an excuse of not finding a matching t-shirt to go with my DKNY track bottom....*Laa, makcik, bukan ker nak exercise dalam bilek ajer!!!!***

Chihuahua my cat was looking at me suspiciously. She was so waiting for the machine to start so that she could play too. Not another false start, eh mama! Embarrased, I was determined not to let another excuse to get inbetween me and my new kebaya.

I've laid off working out since Ramadhan. During the month, I imagined that I was supposed to be tired and hungry. And I got naturally slim out of fasting anyway.

Then Raya came and I ate endlessly. During our Open house, I met Dilla's friend who is a fitness instructor. When he greeted me, I thought I heard him say that I looked fit. I have to believe him, after all he is Jaclyn Victor's personal trainer as well..yep, Jac the 'gemilang' lady...

Last week, Mary who is my tailor delivered 5 new kebayas for my office wear. Alas, 1/4 of my anatomy couldn't go into the dress!!!!!!

mama: Mary! did you use other people's measurement???

Mary: No maam, it was you during Ramadzan!

No way, I definitely have to start doing something and that will certainly be huffing and puffing .......

After an hour and drenched down to my Nike shoes,

mama: Imran, please record the treadmill meter on foto for me!.

Imran: Wow!! You hit 10km/h!!!!!!!!! Very the terror one!!!!

mama: That's just to show off at my blog!!!!! Chihuahua can neither read nor tell the actual speed....

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note to Hisham: I no longer run up the Kiara Hill ,hence no more blood donation to the mosquitoes or looking out for gorgeous balding hunk incase it was you! ...

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3 Layers Of Heaven

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3 layers of heaven, that's what Imran called my cream caramel!

My children are so easy to please, I only made a simple effort, and the appreciation and tributes were triplefold. he,he,he.......

Due to the long holidays, rather than fiddling with my fingers, sleep, wake up to view the garden, fiddling my fingers, sleep and wake up to view the garden again, I decided to make my famous cream caramel. Well, actually it's only famous amongst my kids, anyway.

When Liza, my niece-in-law (is that what you call someone who married your nephew?), was courting Akmal, I was told that she came to the family house bringing her homemade cream caramel all the time. Her cream caramel was so delicious, so much so, I, the auntie, would always take some back home whenever I visited Akmal's mom's house. I have always known how to make one, but I was unsure, like, eh, dah masak ke belum? manis sangat ke? susu terlebih ke?..so it was trial and error all the time!

Last week Liza was kind enough to let me in to her recipe,

the topping:
1 cup of sugar to make your own caramel. when it's slightly yellow, add half cup water.

the custard:
2 cans evaporated milk
8 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
(blend them all together)

Pour the cooled caramel into a glass bowl, pour the blended mixture on the top.
steam for 30 mins.
serve chilled with a can of mix fruits.

Here's how your 3 layers of heaven should look like:
















Dilla: mama, tolong buatkan cream caramel for Nazrin!
mama:..(eh, boyfriend hang, hang lah buat, pasai apa pulak aku nak buat! might as well I go and find my own boyfriend and make the cream caramel for him!!).....
Nevertheless, I still make one especially for Nazrin, after all it's not often that I can show off my culinary skill.
The verdict?
Nazrin: Sedapnya cream caramel auntie!!!!!! I give you 9.7 marks out of 10!!
Ooooppsss...your loss, should you generously give 12 marks out of 10, I might just try to make the delicious tiramisu for you next week....

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