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Last weekend my classmate stayed at my place so that we could finish up our assignment. As the night was getting late, my friend asked whether he could have a cup of coffee. While he boiled water, I filled up the sugar canister which was almost empty. I took a packet in the upper cabinet, opened it, and started to fill up the canister. ‘Hmm…this sugar looks strange,” I thought. My friend then put two spoonful of the strange sugar into his mug. As he was about to pour the water, I looked at the packet. OMG, it was actually salt. We had a good laugh over this. If I hadn’t realized that I actually pour salt in the sugar canister, my friend would have a very salty coffee. Imagine how surprise he would have been when he sips the coffee. I tried to find where I put sugar but couldn’t find any. Obviously, I haven’t use sugar for a long time that’s why I don’t remember to buy…LOL…

The next morning, we had a breakfast of eggs and English muffin. I told my friend that I’m sick of having cereals, toasts, eggs –half-boiled, scrambled, whatever, and muffins for breakfast, I want roti canai and teh tarik. I assumed that he knew what teh tarik is since he’s from Indonesia, but he didn’t. So I had to explain. Then he said, “Then, you can make teh tarik at home!” “True, but it wouldn’t taste the same as what I used to have in mamak restaurants, because the tea that they used is soaked up all day long and they added more tea as people order more teh tarik and the taste is so strong.”

However this morning, I took my friends suggestion and made my own teh tarik. I used low fat milk and Equal as a substitute for sugar since I don’t have sugar (the canister is still filled with salt). I soaked my tea for a longer period of time that I usually did. Then I ‘tarik’ my tea. The result was the worst teh tarik ever…LOL…teh tarik is a high fat high sugar beverage, that’s what make it so good. But I used low fat milk and Equal…LOL!

Today a guy who I happened to see quite a lot but never get a chance to speak to finally had a chat with me while on a train to Oxley. Again, the same question was asked,

“Do you have Indian background?”

I smiled. But inside I was like “What! Again…” The truth is I never know how to answer the question properly. So I said, “Well…My great-great-grandfather is an Indian,” emphasizing on the ‘great-great’.

I stared at my face in the men’s just now. I didn’t see any Indian look. Not that I feel offended or anything but I find it strange and quite funny too. Back home I’d never been mistaken as an Indian. I will not find it strange if people assume Norman and Maiden are Indians. This reminds me when I was in high school and a new form 1 student said good morning to Maiden instead on giving salaam. Maiden got really angry with him. Pity that junior student…but people make wrong assumptions sometime…

I just realize that if I went missing, nobody will notice my absence for months. I use debit transfer for my rent and if I don't come to class nobody cares. Especially now during summer semester when Lin scarcely call me I can dissappear without a trace and no one will know. But I bet once the new semester starts he will be suspicous with my absence. The thought scared me at first. But then I find it interesting. I can runaway from life if I want to.

Oh I forget...since summer class started my mom called me almost everyday, maybe once every two days, or three I don't know but she called me very frequently...that's good then...I can't runaway...LOL

When I woke up yesterday morning, out of the blue a thought pop up into my head. I thought, "Hmm...I bet Alex Yoong don't have to wake up this early to prepare his lunch box! He's so lucky, good look, rich and famous!" It was 5 o'clock in the morning. Then while cooking my lunch I couldn't help but to laugh at myself for having such a silly thought. What did Alex Yoong got to do with me having to wake up early!

Later that afternoon after class, I missed the intercampus bus to go home. So I had to take public transportation. When I arrived in Toowong, I decided to take the 5.15 express train to Ipswich because I knew from my previous experience that if I took the train, I'd arrived in Ipswich just in time to take the bus home. According to the timetable displayed on the TV screen, the train should arrive at platform 3. But the train arrived late not at platform 3 but at platform 2. I ran with so many other people up the subway and down again to get to the train. Alas, I missed it. I had to wait for another train. I knew I'd missed the bus and would have to wait for about half an hour in Ipswich alone.

Last two week, when I waited alone for the bus at 6.30 pm in Ipswich, there were a group of aboriginal teenagers hanging out outside a bar. Well I think that place is a bar! Then two policemen came and asked them to leave. The group came where I was waiting and I pretended to read a brochure and not to notice them. One of them came very near to me and shouted to the policeman, "Hey, here's a black man, why don't you tell him to leave!" His waved his hand and was almost touching the brochure.

So yesterday, when I arrived at about 6.15pm in Ipswich, I quickly took a cab home. There goes my A$8.40! Since summer classes started I've been spending a lot of money. Today, I spent five dollars for coffee and muffin but the muffin tasted so bad that I couldn't finished it. Sayang! I think I need to save more money. What to do...

This morning I saw the video clip ‘Father and Son’ by Ronan Keating featuring Yusuf Islam or formerly known as Cat Steven. I was surprised.

I think the collaboration is a good idea, although I found out after reading this article that Yusuf had no plan at all to re-recorded his song with Ronan. I hope the video will give a new light to people’s perception about Islam especially in these days when, to use Yusof’s own words, Islamophobia is no longer a theory, it is a fact.

Last year Yusuf Islam was deported from the US. Read more here.

This week I’ve been taking express bus service to St. Lucia provided by the Uni. It is more expensive than taking public transportation but I save myself from being stuck in a crowded public space during rush hour frenzy and I save time. Besides, on my journey home, the bus arrives at Ipswich campus thus I don’t have to wait at Ipswich’s Bell Street after 5 pm, which can be a horrifying experience. But that’s another story.

On my journey home on the express bus I saw many beautiful houses with green lawn and red-brick walls in St Lucia. There are also many Queenslanders houses which are like Malay traditional wooden houses with beautiful gardens. When I saw houses which I think are really cute I always thought that wouldn’t it be nice if I can live in one of those.

This morning, as usual before breakfast I opened the sliding door and the window of my dining room. Then I sat down and enjoyed my first meal of the day while my eyes absorbed the fresh green view of the golf course. The scenery was so calm and peaceful. Then it struck me that I was actually having my breakfast while taking pleasure in the scenery of a golf course. What are the chances that I can do this back in Malaysia? Even after I finished my master and go back I don’t think I can afford to live in a place with a golf course view. My neighbour in Malaysia has a daughter who bought a semi-detached house in a golf club in Shah Alam section 13 and the house cost half a million ringgit.

Of course the golf course here is not a luxury golf course with good turf. It’s cheap if one wants to play here. But golf course view, no matter how much is the rate to play in the golf course, is still a golf course view. It is so green especially in the morning. What was I thinking when I wish I could live in those cute houses. I’m practically living in one now!

I planned to go to Oxley on Saturday to buy halal chicken. So at 9.30 am, I went out to wait for the 9.40 bus. 20 minutes later, the bus still didn’t come. Felling angry with the thought that I’d probably missed the bus, I walked to Uni. Since on Saturday bus service is only available until 12 noon I decided not to go to Oxley. Later that day I met a friend and I related to him my experience. He told me that actually on Saturday the bus to Ipswich Central is every 20 past not 40 past. Oh! I actually missed that bus! I just hate myself then.

There’s no bus service on Sunday.

Today, I make an attempt again to go to Oxley. By 7.30 am I’m ready to go out but suddenly nature called. I really had to answer the call. When I finished I rushed out to the bus stop. At the entrance of my village compound, I saw the bus past by me. I missed the bus, again. So again, I walked to Uni. I killed my time browsing the net. On 8.50 I took the bus from Uni to Ipswich Central. When I got to Central, the train had arrived on platform 4, the usual platform for train heading to Brisbane. But the announcement on the train said otherwise. The train was actually going to Rosewood. I found it quite strange cause train from platform 4 always goes to Brisbane but I thought Rosewood must be one of the stations on the way to Brisbane. To make sure, I looked at the map next to the coach’s door. OMG…the train was heading away from Brisbane. Quickly I got off the train, and by that time I heard another announcement saying that the train to Brisbane was on platform 3. I boarded the train and at last I was on my way to Oxley.

After I came back from Oxley I did my weekly grocery shopping. I just hate doing groceries. It’s not like shopping for clothes, books or CDs. Grocery shopping means buying the same things over and over again as the weeks go by – a repetitive task which for me is such a waste of time but a must for survival. Unfortunately big retailers like Coles and Woolworth do not deliver groceries to my area. If they do, I’ll be glad to do my groceries online.

Now it’s raining and I’m back in Uni after putting my groceries away at home. Since I still have the daily ticket for today I thought I might as well catch the 5.11 pm bus home saving me from having to walk in the rain. But just now, as I was approaching the entrance of building 1, struggling to take out my umbrella from my bag, I saw the 5.11 pm bus past by me. Damn it…I missed the bus, again!

At last, I managed to change the appearance of my blog.

The previous blog was so cluttered with links and icons and tiny little stuff that was too cute not to put up here. When I first started blogging I wanted my blog to be read by many people thus listing it in so many blog listing and end up having too many little icons of the blog listing sites. Other than that when I found something interesting that others put on their blog, I put those things on my blog too, for example that ‘now I’m feeling…’ thing and Yahoo! messenger online status. And I put up tracking script so that I knew how many hit I got a day and from where I got those hits.

But after a while I scarcely check the site hit information. It just doesn’t matter to me because I know now who frequently visits this blog. Thank you guys…you know who you are! Other than that I didn’t even update that ‘now I’m feeling...’ thing and now I don’t use Yahoo! messenger anymore. So I have no need for those things that I once put on my blog.

This new appearance is more clean and simple. I got the idea to put the weather information from sevven’s blog. And I also put headlines from Brisbane. I think the weather updates and headlines will give some ideas to people reading this blog about my surroundings which is a good thing because I can get people to see more from my point of view without actually having to describe so much. I reckon sevven having the weather update on his blog is such a good idea.

I hope you guys can give feedback if having difficulties to load this blog or seeing the blog somehow distorted. I hope you guys see this blog the same way that I do on my machine. But who knows...hmm...I'd better see how this blog looks like on a PC...

Anyway, I noticed the current breaking news in Brissie now is ‘All-nude, All-music, all the time’. Probably the headlines won’t be there tomorrow. Those headlines are provided by Australian Herald and will be updated automatically. LOL…apparently next week there is going to be a Nude Art Festival in Elephant Rock near Brissie. Now you know more about my surroundings!

I came to the master’s room with the intention of studying for my summer course. But what did I do? I browsed and I emailed. Now as I’m about to leave I thought what the heck I’m not doing work anyway better that I make a new entry in this blog.

What’s happening to me? Have I lost interest in my study? Now it seems that I have to do this. This is no longer a choice for me. It is a must. I do things because I have to. Recently I thought I got an excellent idea for a new product to be patented. I got really excited about it…until I found out that the product is already patented by a Japanese guy back in 1994. What? Why haven’t I see the product in the market? Maybe the product does exist in Japan. I don’t know. I’ve never been to Japan anyway. Gosh, disappointment can be so bitter.

I really miss Bibuk. My sis told me that Bibuk is getting fatter by the day. And Bibuk had taught herself a new trick. Now she can open the kitchen cabinet door using her front paw. After she opens the cabinet, she will browse leisurely inside to satisfy her curiosity and according to my sis, every time when she gets out of the cabinet she will close the door back. At first my mom wouldn’t believe this when my sis told her about it until she saw it with her own eyes. I never thought that Bibuk could be so smart. For me she’s such a crazy unpredictable cat. I can’t wait to see it for myself.

My sis sent me another parcel. Now I have heaps of Alagapa’s curry powder. Awesome! And there are Adabi’s instant cucur packets in the parcel too. Since I don’t have a wok, I have to make the cucur in my frying pan and all my cucur are flat like pancakes. Hahaha! But some food my sis sent me was confiscated by the quarantine office. Australia has a very strict quarantine policy. No meats, poultry, dairy products and bananas. The last time my sis sent me Brahim’s beef and chicken curry it was not seized but this time all Brahim’s products in the parcel were seized. What to do? No Brahim’s for me! I can send the confiscated items back to Malaysia if I pay about A$50. If not the items will be destroyed. I chose not to send them back.

Now with so much curry powder I need chicken. Guess I have to go to Oxley tomorrow and pay a visit to my favourite halal butcher. Or should I say the only halal butcher?

Last Friday after I arrived in St Lucia for my group discussion, I had a sudden crave for nasi lemak. I don’t know why but I just wanted nasi lemak. In fact, while writing this right now I feel a pang of hunger even though I just had breakfast an hour ago. Yeah of course I can cook my own nasi lemak. In fact, bottled sambal is available in leading supermarkets. But I want nasi lemak pyramid – coconut rice wrapped in banana leaf with anchovies, sambal and hard boiled egg and shaped like a pyramid. Gosh, my mouth is all watery now!

After group discussion I went to Brisbane. After hours of window shopping, I met Lin and we watch a movie; ‘Ladder 49’. The movie is okay if you want to enjoy sadness. Then, we stroll around Kangaroo Point just to look around. There are heaps of restaurants and people were flooding the place for it was a Friday night. After that we went to West End and ate at a small Indian restaurant. The food was really great and the restaurant attracted a lot of customers. I’ll definitely go there again. But of course I still want my nasi lemak pyramid.

After dinner, it was too late for me to take the train because I would miss the last bus in Ipswich. So we went to Mt Coota. From there I could see all of Brisbane illuminating at night. What a lovely view! Lin said during New Year even the fireworks in Gold Coast could be seen from Mt Coota. Lovely!

I spent the night at Lin’s and the next day I followed Lin and his wife to Carindale Shopping Tower and did some shopping. At about 4 o’clock Lin dropped me at West End train station but I decided to have a walk at Southbank river side. Finally I got back to Brisbane central and took a train to Ipswich. While on the train I realized that it was Saturday and bus service is only available until 12 noon thus I had to take a cab home. Damn it! Cab cost me 9 dollars but if I take a bus I don’t have to pay nothing cause I already paid for the train.

What a weekend! But I still want nasi lemak…

Intensive summer class has started. For three days in a week I have to take a one-and-a-half hour journey on train and buses to go to the main campus in St. Lucia. Class starts at 12 and ends at 4. By the time I got home it’s already dark and I’m spent and hungry and all I can think about is sleep, even though I need to prepare for next day’s class. Thus, I don’t have much time to write here.

For the past few weeks, I have been feeling down. Well, the way we feel is actually affected by what we think about an event. As the New Year was approaching, I realized that 2005 would be the tenth year after I finished high school. When I looked back at those ten years, out of nowhere, I got the notion that for the past ten years I had been wasting my time and had achieved nothing. I thought that I had achieved nothing. I thought. Thus I feel. Sad.

Actually I had a diploma, a bachelor’s degree and I had wasted two years of my life in Petronas. Aren’t those considered as achievements? Well if I think that those are achievements then they are. And I can be happy with that. All I need now is to think positively about my past and feel grateful with what I have now.

Another event that makes me think that I haven’t really achieved anything in the last 9 years is my upcoming high school reunion. In the class of 91-95 eGroup, the hottest discussion now is about planning the reunion. Although I never join the eGroup, I always read it. Thus I know current situation of my former batch mates, some already married with children. They must be financially stabled to start a family. They have moved on in life and hold greater responsibilities while I’m still a student, a scholar with a meagre salary. Well, not that I don’t have enough but there is always a dream of having more. Somehow I feel I am left behind. I know it is silly. But that’s how I feel. Or is it only what I think? But what I know for sure is that if I think my current situation is okay and stop comparing myself with others than I’ll feel good.

Well, enough rambling for today. I’m not going to the reunion anyway.Now I must prepare for next week’s tutorials.