Home schweet home...

Back in the 'Burgh after 9 days traipsing around Spain and spending a fortune on senseless after-Christmas bargains. Tonight's Hogmanay and I haven't decided whether to join in the fun. I have an essay to write, three novels to finish (acquired two more en route to Spain. I know. Suicide), photos to edit and upload, stuff to unpack, and souvenirs to distribute. Wish me luck.

Ah-ha, it's over and done with now!

Call it a long hiatus but my desertion of the blog was somewhat justified.

I would always cringe whenever I go to a blog that has a traffic feeder. Not only it's telling the owner who has been stalking them and from where, it also functions as a speedometer to gauge the blog's popularity. But the idea of being able to trace the origin of the readers disturbs me the most. I deem it as a severe infringement of privacy and an intrusion to freedom of accessing information. Of course, it's the insecurity in me speaking.

Anyways, the term has ended with a minor bang. Minor because it has been blighted by an insufferably difficult assessment. To careen myself back to reality, I went to Waterstone's right after the exam and parted ways with a handsome sum of money for four novels. I have no idea when I'm ever gonna finish them. But the splurge was enough to shine some happiness into the bleak creases of my personal despair.

I think I didn't say proper goodbyes nor did I wish some of my friends 'Merry Christmas' at the end of the exam. Although I might have argued that everyone was embroiled in frantic attempts to console each other and recovering from the consensual mindless stab in the dark in the exam hall, there's a feeling of incompleteness in me for not even trying to do it. 

The truth is, I seem to have been trying so hard to blend in but I still need to clock in more miles before they even accept me as one of their peers. The After Exam Party should have been a good start to break through the mould. However, I see it as a futile effort at being more sociable by witnessing some friends numbing their senses with booze and losing me entirely. And I will be at the fringe, unsure of what to do and struggling to come up with some dodgy jokes that these people so like. Doesn't it just defeat the purpose?

So, here I am. The end of term is celebrated with Amadeus and The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. On top of that, I am in the strive of becoming the next Cleanliness Champion and I have 70+ podcasts in Spanish to be endured. Happy Holidays peeps!

P.S: I need a tag to do. Pronto.

I have work to do but doing a tag offers more fun!

I've been meaning to do this tag long ago but there's always something that hindered from doing so.Although I still have an unfinished business in the form of yet another PBL case,I figure that it's best not to wait any longer.I'm not in any mood of studying anyway and in an hour time,I'll be heading down to Princes Street with some of my friends.Blogging is the best way to kill time,methinks.

 

 

Here goes nothing!

 

 

rules:1-the rules of the game get posted at the beginning

2-each players answers the questions about themselves

3-at the end of the post the player then tags 5 people n posts their names,then goes to

their blogs and leave a comment,letting them to know they got tagged and to ask

them to play and read your blog

 

Staring time: 1729 (Isya' is in half an hour time)

Name: Muhammad Firdaus

Nick: Da, thegame, Aus, Along, Muhammad (course mates), and one given while at school which I'm not too keen to share here.

sisters: Nada.

brother: One lil' bro. Very annoying at times.

shoe size: 10/11. Depending on where the shoes are from really...

height: 175 cm

 

Where do you live?

In an attic room with one Chinese,a Scottish and his girlfriend,presumably Scottish. You can hear (fortunately not see) some of the 'actions' sometimes...If you know what I mean.

 

Have you ever been on a plane??

Took Titanic from KL to Portsmouth.Months on it really wises me up.

Swam in the ocean?

I can't bloody swim!!

Fallen asleep at school?

Who doesn't?But I had ways to overcome it.Would go to a certain room for a cup of coffee and some stale gossips to evade the excessive boredom of Sejarah... Now I've got Strand 2 classes to deal with which proves to be almost insurmountable.

Broken someone's heart?

Pobody's nerfect!Made mistakes here and there and hurt people along the way.I'm normal.Top to bottom.

Fell off your chair?

Lemme see...uhm...aah...nope!

 

Sat by the phone all night waiting for someone to call:

Cambitch didn't phone me.Scholarship bodies don't run at night.

Saved emails:

There's a reason why I use GMail...

What is your room like:

Cozy. Much tidier than the previous one. However, the floor is a bit slanted and it can get unbearably warm if I switch on the heater...

What's right beside you:

All the typical student's table paraphernalia. Plus Aqtawar's neoplasia note,iPhone,a mineral bottle, and the blardy heater.

What is the last thing u ate:

The blood clot inducing Mosque Kitchen's biryani.

 

Ever had...chicken pox...:

Thank God I'm immune to it now!

Sore throat:

Duh!

Broken nose:

Living up to the status of being the most passive person in the country which can easily translate that I've never been involved in anything physical,nope.It's fine and intact.Not too aquiline either.

Do you believe in love at first sight :

Oh hell yeah!

Like picnic :

The last time when I went for a picnic was nine years ago.I'd love too though.Frolicking at Meadows on Sunday morning could be a good start.

 

Who was/were...the last person you danced with :

Aqtawar who had the sudden impulse to teach us tango.

Last made you smile :

Uhm,my flatmate's girlfriend?

Last you last yelled at :

Yelled for help in resuscitation workshop two hours ago.

Today...did you talk to someone you like :

Yeah!

Kissed anyone :

Hurm,the mannequin (spelt mannekin at the hospital. Scottish spelling I guess...) which I had to give CPR to.

Get sick :

Perfectly healthy.Alhamdulillah.

 

Talk to an ex :

Whaddaya mean??

Miss someone :

My parents,Adik, and my dearest friends.

Who do you really hate :

This random guy who cursed me in thick Scottish accent. Quite a long list I have here. I know I know. Hating people is a big no-no. Peace not war.

Do you like you hand-writing : 

I can only please myself with my handwriting.

Are your toe nails painted :

Not a Goth.

What color shirt are you wearing now : 

Back to Black. Kinnae contradicting the previous statement I made...

 

 

Are you a friendly person :  

Very much depending on who I'm with...

Do you have any pets :

Used to. I've got a draft to be finished though. Oh wait, that's my pet project!

Do you sleep with the tv/laptop on :

Nope. No way. Afiq's gonna kill me. He's the future Green Party president.

What are you doing right now :

I don't have to state the obvious do I?

Can you handle the truth :

I can't be bovvered!

Are you closer to your mother or father :

Both.

Do you eat healthily :

Have to especially when Aqtawar is around. But I do binge on really unhealthy stuff like Irn Bru, Mosque Kitchen stuff, and Ben and Jerry's occasionally. I'm not figure conscious or anyhting...

 

 

Do you still have pictures of you and your ex :

Ex-schoolmates and ex-collegemates? Yes.

If you're having a bad day,who are you most likely to go to :

Myself.

Are you loud or quiet most of the time :

Again, depending on the situation.

Are you confident :

Yes if I don't have to. No if I desperately need it.

 

 

5 things I was doing 10 years ago:

 

1) Was in Standard 4 after flunking PTS with flying colours.

2) The grand sweep at the end of the year.

3) Really interesting experiments with beansprouts.

4) Getting circumcised

5) I can't think of anything memorable anymore....

 

 

5 things I would do if I am a billionaire:

1. Travel the world.

2. Splurge on worldly trappings.

3. Spend some on the development of medicine and make it available for deprived states. chewah!

4. Set up a business.

5. Establish a foundation.

 

 

5 of my bad habits

1. Procrastination

2. Gossiping

3. Procrastination

4. Complacency

5. Procrastination

 

 

5 places I've lived/living:

1. Pekan

2. Jelebu

3. ASiS,KL

4. KYUEM,Lembah Beringin

5. West Nicolson Street...

 

 

5 people I tagged:

1. Fiqry

2. Hajar Jojo

3. Anwar (For God's sake,enough with cryptic posts!)

4. Warwern and Farah (am considering them as one entity for no obvious reasons)

5. Anyone who's reading this and has a blog.

Snippets Vol. 1

Yes,it's one of the rare days that lecture ends before 10 in the morning and students are then left to their devices in filling in the time before tomorrow's lectures. You can go to the library, do groceries, or work out at the gym. I choose to return to the comfort of my room, away from the frenetic and soggy rush downstairs (it's drizzling out there!)

A lot and not much has happened since I last posted, depending on how I want to look at it. Exam is less than a month away and I am now overwhelmed with unfinished revision. It's crystal clear that I've been left bajillion miles behind judging from the little sense that I can draw on the online academic discussions. Yes, they tend to stray off tangent but that is not an excuse for my lack of even the most fundamental of knowledge. In every sense, I've been adequately inept.

So, recap. Last weekend saw me travelling 7 hours in a cramped bus to Nottingham. While the journey was as uninteresting as the annual health report of the geriatrics in Scotland, the event itself was amazing. Nothing beats seeing Fiqry paving ways to become somebody really important in the future or gossiping with Tyra and the gang or catching up with the boys or gaping in awe at Bazli's ability to dispense lurid jokes. Even the so-so Malaysian food was enough to quench a certain craving. Indeed the trip wasn't really to see people getting sweaty and all in action but merely a catalyst to rewire some (not so) long-lost connections. I also found out that R&R food in the UK is bloody expensive!

Last Tuesday (or was it Wednesday?) saw my first participation in a public demonstration. The Israeli Ambassador desecrated the ground by coming and giving lecture at the university and we were there to express our disgust and contempt at Israel continuous violations of the human rights. Most interestingly and rather (un)fortunately, the non-Muslim Caucasian helm Palestinian Solidarity Society and they are more semangat-ed in showing defiance against Israel occupation of Palestine. I was rather slighted and taken aback to see less Muslims at the demo. This is actually reflected at a larger scale. Muslims are not united enough to stand against the notoriety of the Zionists which is very embarrassing. The lecture was a failure.Most attendees were there to grill the ambassador and dissent with whatever justification he was making. As of now, I'm abstaining myself from venturing into Starbucks... which is kinda difficult but with so many substitutes present, I should not be able to find an excuse.

I was down with fever on Friday. Had a microbiology practical on Wednesday so I might have caught some bugs then. Or maybe I got them from Ilinda. Or Millie. LOL. I had a really dormant weekend as a result.

A 2000-word essay to be done with plenty of references are expected. I'm so glad that tutorial with the intimidating GP is over but I dread the way he's gonna mark my essay. Off to work now!

Just pluck it!

Maybe we shouldn't blame C entirely for his over-enthusiasm and almost paternalistic approach to the weekly session. A reason why he might not be at fault is he's always the first person to project ideas. But he should leave a space for others to contribute and doesn't purge everything out himself. To buzz off the temptation to share everything from his tens of pages of information might be hard though.

We should all pluck the fruit of courage. Or C can share his with us.

Meanwhile, I was chocked on the very fruit today, resulting in a very diminutive role in the group. To make myself feel better, I'd say that everyone seems to get the same information from the same source so there's not much point of echoing others' findings. Ah, whuttahell!

Notts,here mecomes!

It's Bond. James Bond.

In 2008, Bond:

1) Can smash into glasses but emerges unscathed.
2) Bumps, jumps, falls at various places and through many surfaces without fracturing a bone.
3) Doesn't get laid with the primary Bond girl.
4) Dumps a friend (literally!)
5) Owns a phone camera that can zoom in a million times.
6) Has the super cool computer used in CSI:Miami installed in his boss' office
7) Walks through fire without getting an iota of burn marks.
8) Doesn't die of suffocation by smoke.
9) Manages to drive out of the mess with a sleek Ford SUV which appears to materialize from thin air considering that the place he has last been to is blown to pieces...
10) Has Alicia Keys singing the theme song.

Loads of action but the storyline is kinda inept. Surprising coz it's written by Paul (?) Peter (?) Haggis who gave us, not the haggis, but the strangely beautiful Crash.

Anyways,had a long chat under the streetlamp with Wawan and Jal. Somehow, the literature stuff that we learned at school crept its way into our conversation. We compared personal favourites and dissed certain works which we thought were too boring to suffer. Remember 'Of Bunga Telur and Bally Shoes'? Or does Sehijau Warna Daun toll any bells? Can you recall the romantic prose of Sonnet 18 or the bleak atmosphere in There Has Been a Death in the Opposite House? Or how madly boring most of the Malay novels were? Funny that we actually talked about all those stuff. Wawan commented that the Ministry had succeeded in ingraining, however slightest, a sense of appreciation for literary works.

The world is waiting with bated breaths. Whoever wins is gonna shift us to a new direction. That's for certain.

I Wanna Eat You!

I'm feeling particularly snackish now. Went down Royal Mile with Aqtar and Afiq. Aqtar purchased a keyboard which everyone was excited about. Me? I'm tone deaf so I'm not even slightly aroused. We'll see how it goes down the road. Maybe I'll unearth some talents long hidden from the privy eyes of the world. Ah crap! I know I'm just hopeless when it comes to hand-eye-foot coordination. That's why I'm never good at any sports that I play. Which in turns makes me one of the most passive persons in the country.

Practical was cancelled today so there's no 'I see dead people' moment today. I've sighed in relief but I have to bear in mind that they're gonna reschedule it. Am crossing my fingers that they won't do it on Wednesday afternoon because that's when I wanna go see 007. Wanted to utilise the time by exploring Pharmacology in details but thought better of it and joined the entourage to Royal Mile instead.

The shop that we went was located near to Adam Smith's birthplace. For the uninitiated, he's the bloke who came up with the idea of free market system. Which pretty much shapes the capitalist's ideology. He's also the one who postulated the idea of division of labour. Ah, the joy of learning AS Economics!

Anyways, I'm feeling snackish. It's great of I have something to nibble on, which I lack at the moment.

I'm going through an indecisive phase. Went to Farmfoods and had my paws all over Cadbury chocolate variants. A packet of Mars bars. Aero chocolate bar which commercial still baffles me. In the end, I bought nothing. Which is kinda depressing. Because I'm feeling snackish.

I though I'd heard it right but apparently I was wrong. Justin's birthday was yesterday. Not today.

Guy Fawkes' Day in two day's time. Hopefully, I can catch whatever fireworks display they're gonna have on Arthur's Seat from my room window. Who in the right mind wants to climb the hill at night and in possibly subzero condition?

Ah,all the thoughts make me feel even more snackish!