Thursday, May 29, 2008

Study in India

As some people know it,

YES, I'm going to further my studies in India and will do Cambridge A-level at Kolej Teknologi Timur (such an ugly college. A building comprised of shophouses. *sigh sigh*).

India has never occured to me, man! I thought the worst I could get is New Zealand or Australia. How am I supposed to watch tv?? (definitely have to learn some urdu/tamil/hindustan). And they don't eat beef. So I guess there's no McD and BurgerKing ;(

However, after giving it a good thought, well, what's the worst could happen?

India has a lot to offer. It just that you must know how to explore it. Westerners are very fond of India, so why can't we be the same?

I'm sure me and Joanna can go to New Delhi by tuk tuk during weekends and I read that Connaught Place is a good place to shop. They even sell branded goods and I believe, by the large amount of allowance we will get, we can live like kings there. I'm sure shops over there are pretty much like ones in other developed countries and could be cheaper in price.

During holidays, I can go visit Taj Mahal, Bombay, Goa (beautiful beach there), Bangalore and who knows by the generosity of JPA, we will be able to save a lot of dollars and have a vacation in Nepal (shall we Joanna?). Though, one has to becareful and it is advisable to get your own private transportation because the society there likes to shove and push you around which at one point, can be fatal.

And actually, India do have 4 seasons, it's only the matter of location.

Of course, poverty is everywhere in India but I guess, that should be a good lesson for me and others to appreciate our country more. *poyo je*

Though, the vital part is, to get along with the locals there. Then, you will find the beauty of India. Usually educated Indians speak english very well. And by making friends with them, I'm sure we will not have a problem to communicate and mix with them. They can help us to find good places to eat, shop and such. Even in terms of food, we won't have a problem at all since most of them are vegetarians, so it's halal and there are muslim communities over there.

Besides that, we're not the only foreigners there. I'm sure there are many other foreign students study in India. So, make a good circle of friends over there and I'm sure you will be happy :)

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

JPA O JPA

Call me ungrateful and yes, I'm pretty much dissapointed when I knew I didn't get UK/Ireland/Aus or Nz to do dentistry.

Instead, I get India.

And will do the preparation at Kolej Teknologi Timur (which lacks of facilities and the building is comprised of few shophouses).

I've tried to rationalise my result. Well, maybe this year it is jpa's policy to send den/med students to india or indon.

Apparently, i was wrong. THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO GET UK DENTISTRY!

Even after done completing my course in India, I have to serve for 10 BLOODY YEARS with the government.

I really really need an injection of motivation here. I am so lost.

Intan, you don't have to worry, even though you get twinning, most probably you will do your next 30 months in UK since IMU usually send students to UK (if worst pon, depa anta ke aus/nz).

Well, whatever it is, I'm thankful, at least I get jpa scholarship. Alhamdulillah. Though, I admit, I am pretty down.

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Tag

Bile xde keje, jd sewel, maka inilah hasilnye.....

Put your itunes on shuffle and click 'next song' for every new question.

1) If someone says "is this ok?", you say.....
~~ I'm all out of love - AirSupply (wakakaka)

2) What would best describe your personality?
~~ Your Call -Secondhand Serenade (haha, not an answer at all)

3) What do you like in a guy?
~~ Unintended- MUSE (lol, like unexpected?)

4) How do you feel today?
~~I don't want to miss a thing -Aerosmith (kinda, carpe diem!)

5) What's your life purpose?
~~ I think we're alone now - The Click Five (=.=)

6) What is your motto?
~~Without you - Same same feat Jaclyn Victor (unrelated)

7) What do your friends think about you?
~~ SOS - Jonas Brothers (save my soul? yea....from turning evil, i think)

8) What do you think about your parents?
~~Goh_in_selero (............... so not true)

9) What do you think about very often?
~~surah yusuf. (eh?? well, sentiasa ingat akan Tuhan)

10) What do you think of your best friend?
~~ Empty decorations - Indecisive (hahaha)

11) What do you think of the person you like?
~~When I fall in love - Celine Dion (mcm tau tau je =.=)

12) What's your life story?
~~Imagine - David A. (so true! i live my day daydreaming, always see myself as a multibillionaire, slim, young, posh and loaded with Jonathan as my beau..tee hee)

13) What do you wanna be when you grow up?
~~Surah Rahman (hendak menjadi seorang yg baik dan penyayang....Amin)

14) What do you think of when you see th person you like?
~~ Jenny - The Click Five (wat la........)

15) What do your parents think of you?
~~Imagine - John Lennon (hahahaha, no comment)

16) What will you dance to at tour wedding?
~~ Seribu Tahun - Imran Ajmain (wakakaka......NOOO! i want The Beatles!)

17) What's your interest?
~~Kau atau aku - Elyana (easy, aku la)

18) What's your biggest fear?
~~I'll take my chances - The Click Five ( hurm?)

19) What's your biggest secret?
~~Surah Yasin - (true)

20) What do you think of the person who started this tag?
~~ Sayang sayang - Alif Aziz (WAKAKAKAKA)


I tag

1. Azri
2. Huari
3.Aina K
4.Farhana
5.Izza

and anyone who has interest to waste their time doing this ;)

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Portrait drawing (charcoal)


Heavyweight champion, Muhammad Ali by Suraya Sajoli :)


Friday, May 16, 2008

Bukit Antarabangsa, my hometown

Went jogging with Syaz on that day. Next time, we shall take pictures at the Great Wall of Bukit Antarabangsa. hehe.



Pencil Drawing

Syazana, you won't believe this, my third post in one day! Haha. *sobs sobs*



Somehow, it looks more like an ape than a human being. *wakaka*

It will look much better if I used charcoal.

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Pukka Cuppa?

The second post of the day!
In order to keep myself awake for the whole day, here I am, online 24/7.

I like coffee. Do you?

Well, since I like coffee so much and don't know what else to write, let's talk about Coffee! Yay!

Coffee, there are many kinds of coffee you can find, be it Latte, Mocha, Expresso, Frappucino, Macchiato, Cappucino or just the normal white or black coffee. But what are the difference they make? So, let's continue on reading, yea?

Latte

According to a website I found, to the experts, Latte is not exactly categorised as coffee (??). And what makes Latte italian is just its name, Latte. Actually, Lattes don't even exist in Italy. The name was invented by American vendors back in the 80's.

For coffee newcomers, Latte is hot milk with a dash of coffee thrown in. Basically, this is coffee for those who don't like coffee. HAHA!

Mocha

Mocha is a strong Arabian coffee; a dark-brown strong-tasting coffee from Yemen and some other countries on the Arabian peninsula.

Or easy to say, it's a type of coffee in which cocoa are added into it, forming balance in coffee bitter taste with milky chocolate flavour.

By far, it is one of my favourites. It is not as strong as Expresso and not as subtle as Latte.

Expresso

This is, I believe, the King of All Coffee. Very very strong and most people take it as a kick-start of the day.

"Espresso coffee is made by forcing 1.5 oz of 185 degree water through 0.2 oz (7 g) of finely pre-ground espresso coffee at 135 Ibs of water pressure. This creates a strong "extract", called Espresso. A true italian espresso has an aromatic taste, full body but not burnt. Unlike american coffee, espresso is made using an espresso machine." - cafeto.com

It is a tough business in coffee industry eh?

Frappucina/Macchiato

To be honest, I haven't tried these yet and have no idea what are they really but they are popular among youngsters.

OK, after googling it, actually Frappucino and Macchiato are coffee drinks invented by Starbucks (duhh)

For Frappucino, it comes in many flavours e.g. coffee with strawberry, coffee with caramel, coffee with vanilla and etc. And these flavours will be blended with milk and ice, topped it off with whipped cream. It's like a thin milkshake.

"The term frappuccino is a blend of frappe, the Italian term for milkshake, and cappuccino, the coffee drink with a milky topping"- wikipedia.com

As for Macchiato, it is an Italian word, meaning 'marked' or 'stained'. It is a drink of espresso coffee with a small amount of steamed milk on top. So I guess, it is like mild expresso? Need to check more on this later.

Cappucino

Cappucino and Latte are usually taken by most people during lunch.

"A cappuccino differs from a caffé latte in that it is prepared with much less steamed or textured milk than the caffé latte with the total of espresso and milk/foam making up between approximately 150 ml and 180 ml (5 and 6 ounces)" - wikipedia.com

And Cappucino is a truly Italian coffee drink.

"A cappuccino is traditionally served in a porcelain cup, which has far better heat retention characteristics than glass or paper. The foam on top of the cappuccino acts as an insulator and helps retain the heat of the liquid, allowing it to stay hotter longer."- wikipedia.com

OK, now I'm a bit confused between cappucino and macchiato. They are similar, aren't they? They come from the same ingredients except that cappucino has milk foam on top.

Oh, now I get it. The most important element in cappucino is the texture and temperature of the milk. Usually a barrista has to steam the milk to produce microfoam which creates tiny bubbles of air that give the milk a velvety texture and sweetness.

"Attaining the correct ratio of foam requires close attention be paid while steaming the milk, thus making the cappuccino one of the most difficult espresso-based beverages to make properly. Moreover, a skilled barista may obtain artistic shapes while pouring the milk on the top of the espresso coffee"-wikipedia.com

Now, we know why coffee at Starbucks is expensive.

Though, for us, medium-class people, our top choice of coffee is........

INSTANT COFFEE


This is the cheapest coffee you can get.

"With instant coffee, the flavor will never be as strong or intense as that of real coffee. Instant coffees are made with a low-grade robusta, a type of coffee bean. Intense processing eliminates any aroma or flavor that is associated with real coffee......

As the "gourmet" coffee trend has established itself, drinking instant coffee is, in some circles, akin to drinking rat poison (heh???) "-wisegeek.com

Knowing that, you better find a decent coffee yourself.

However, did you know that the most expensive coffee bean in the world is actually produced in Indonesia? They call it Kopi Luak and costs 700 US dollars (USD) for a kilogram (2.2 lb).
According to wisegeek.com, the flavour is impossible to imitate. I think for those who watch GlobeTrekker know what kind of coffee is this.

"The reason for this is that the Civet cat chews on the ripe cherries and the stone, or coffee bean, is retrieved by farmers once it has taken its natural course through the cat (ALERT: The cat's poo). The bean is then washed and roasted, and the intense odor of the drink comes from the musk secreted by the anal glands of the cat. Perhaps this is not the best drink for a pick-me-up at breakfast."-wisegeek.com

Yikes!





Coffee poo anyone?

Rambling



It's really obvious that I only have one loyal reader (and the only reader, I believe) on this blog.

Whatever it is, Thank You Syaz for being supportive. Haha. I shall reward you another blog award later.


OK.


Today is slightly better. I managed to wake up at 10 am (usually 11) with a sudden pang of mild headache (usually severe). In order to cool it down, I had a shower and heard that familiar sound came from a motorcycle that lately, brings joy and happiness in my life.


Yes, the postman.

Harap-harap ade surat JPA, tak sabar dah ni, ARRRGHH!!. Shampoo masuk mata. *sigh*

So, I had my shower done as fast as possible and got myself ready with a finishing touch of few drops of EyeGlo Regular.

I went out to check the mailbox looking haggard and saw my neighbour, busy drilling his house which has driven me up the wall.

Though, to my disappointment, no big package in the mailbox. :(

Only a letterbill from Ass-Tro.

I went in and my instinct told me I better weigh myself.

So, I weighed myself on the ugliest weighing scale ever and found out I lost 2 kg. Yahoo!



<------- The ugly weighing scale.
*those black spots, I believe are grease
because this scale is located in kitchen*



Then mum called telling me that abah is going to buy food for lunch. Another yahoo! because I don't have to cook. :)


That's why my day is slightly better today and I'm trying my best NOT to take a nap. Some people are addicted to alcohol and drugs, haven't anyone heard of sleep addict?




*yawn yawn*

Random

I really have no idea what to write. I did something really bad.I woke up at 9 am and went off to bed at 2 pm and soon, woke up at 7 pm?!

God bless me.

However, due to months of being jobless and school-less, I spend most of my time these days either in front of tv (my loyal companion) or laptop. So, since, I am blessed with the ample time in the world, I had the time to spot few hot actors on tv.

After much deliberation and research, here's what I found;

1. Jonathan Rhys Meyers



He is very charismatic with great aura and not to forget, his British accent! how's that lurv?
Well, who wouldn't know Jonathan? He's very famous in movie industry and quite popular too with his heavy drinking activities and bad boy behaviour. hehe.

His first appearance is in A Man Of No Importance (1994) as First Young Man (extra?). I think he was, of no importance in that movie. I became aware of him in Vanity Fair as George Osbourne. He caught my eyes immediately! Though, before that he was in Bend it Like Beckham along with Keira Knightly.

He also acted as Elvis Presley in Elvis Presley. I haven't seen yet the movie but if I'm not mistaken, that movie was a success. And not to forget, another of his major hit which is August Rush where he played Louis Conelly and surprise surprise, he sang in that movie!

HOT face check!
Beautiful pale blue eyes check!
Melodious vocal check!
A Golden Globe award winner check! check! check!

The verdict : Jon has everything that women want! 4.5/5


2. James Marsden









OK, he's not exactly a newcomer but I took notice of him in 27 dresses. He played as a wedding journalist, a bit bitter with his love life though at the same time, he's playful and charming. Let's just say, he's every girl's dream guy.

What I like about James Marsden besides his sexy scruffy hair and mesmerising blue ocean eyes is his versatility in playing different roles. He played a serious role as Cyclops in X-men (Pity, people couldn't see his beautiful eyes in that movie), classic 50's as Corny Collins in Hairspray, a typical fairytale prince in Enchanted as Prince Edward and so forth.

He appeared few times in Ally Mcbeal as Glenn Foy and also in The Nanny. In a nutshell, I really like to see more of him in movie industry playing different characters. :) rating: 4/5

3. Matthew Bomer




Who wouldn't melt to see a guy running (in style) with blood all over his body in a mission to steal Government's top secrets? Dashing is the word.

Recently, Matthew Bomer played Bryce Larkin in Chuck. Bryce is Chuck's roommate back in Chuck's varsity life in Stamford University. Chuck was expelled from Stamford because of Bryce and sadly, lost a girlfriend to Bryce too. But then, after few years have passed, one day Chuck received an e-mail from Bryce containing intersects to Government's top secrets. At that time, Bryce was already shot dead. Not exactly dead dead though.

Before this, Matthew Bomer appeared in The Texas Chain Massacre: A New Beginning as Eric. I think this is the one who got his legs cut off. He was also in North Shore though for only an episode and surprisingly in Tru Calling too! I didn't notice him back then. He played as Luc Johnston, I believe he is Tru's beau?

Throughout his acting career, mostly he acted in tv series rather than in movies. I believe he has a potential to go further but perhaps he needs to polish more on his acting skills. Overall, two-thumbs up for him! rating: 2.5/5


Sorry Josh Hartnett, you're out!

Saturday, May 3, 2008

The Wisdom Of Crowds


Now, I've come to a realisation that the world is shrinking. Perhaps, that 6 degrees of separation theory is true afterall.


"Six degrees of separation refers to the idea that, if a person is one step away from each person he or she knows and two steps away from each person who is known by one of the people he or she knows, then everyone is an average of six "steps" away from each person on Earth"

- Wikipedia.com


Nowadays, it seems that everyone knows each other without knowing that everyone they know, know each other too. Funny isn't it?


For example, Bob knows Billy and Billy knows Bobby and Bobby is Bob's friend but Bob has no idea that Bobby knows Billy too, neither do Billy and Bobby know that Bob knows Bobby and Billy respectively.


Dizzy?


OK, let me give you another example based on my experience.


Last month, I met a new friend introduced by my friend basically because her friend gave me a ride home.


However, a week later, I checked on my other friend's friendster profile who lives hundreds of miles away in Kelantan. To my surprise, I saw a picture where my new friend was standing next to him. They know each other but they didn't have any idea that each of them know me too. At that time, it hit me that world is indeed, small.


In another example, like just now, I checked out my other friend's myspace profile. Currently she works at Raoul. To my another surprise, I saw a picture of her and her colleagues and one of her colleagues is someone that I know too. I met her colleague last year in IIUM debate championship as my team fought against his team that time. But, the same thing happened, that they have no idea yet that they both are related to me. And I believe that her colleague knows my Kelantan friend as well as three of us are from the same group of people which is debate and my Kelantan friend is also a friend to her colleague's teammate. Therefore, this example is connected to the other example above and thus, creating a chain.


Probably, if I do more research which including another spying and skodeng on other people's friendster and myspace profiles, who knows, there are more chains to it and as a result, we might be connected to one another without knowing it. It's either that the 6 degrees of separation theory is true or debate that brings us together. As Syazana once said, "It's as though, you debaters are connected by blood and marriage".

:)