Wrapping Up 2010

It's less than 3 hours to 2011.
Some people might preach to ask us to celebrate the Hijr calendar more than the Gregorian calendar; in fact some even asked me to stop celebrating the coming of 1st January of a new year.
So I gotta defend myself before continuing, since the calendar is used by more than half of the world as the civil calendar, and a lot of "worldly" matters revolve around the days and months of that calendar thus, in my honest opinion, it is important to know and practise the calendar. I am not, in any way degrading the Hijr calendar. :) They are both important in planning your life.

After setting that point straight, let's get back to the main topic; wrapping up the year.

I remember vividly how I spent my 31st Dec 2009 and what I did until the next morning; 1st January 2010. And now it is already one year later, 31st Dec 2010. Things have really changed, and I learnt a lot of things since then.

(some of the) Lessons, mistakes and "life" learnt in 2010.

1. Friendships don't last. Not all of them at least. Some perhaps do, some unfortunately don't. As what someone told me before, "Easy Come, Easy Go". Man, that hurts...

2. I thought I built a wall, a strong concrete one. I though I learnt from my past mistakes. But I've realised that, I went into that same "hole" again, in fact it was easier this time. And until now, I am still in that black hole.

3. A lot of people may not regard you as how you regard them. There are quite a lot of ppl, that I have regarded as close friends. But to my surprise, they don't actually take me as a close friend, I have been playing on my own all these while. Nvm, learn from mistake.

4. Don't trust easily. What more if someone ask you to trust them with your life, the more you should not. :)

5. I've realised too that being able to get angry is a blessing. I lack that substance in me, especially to get angry to some people. I tend to let things pass, and seek no justice.

6. If you fall sick for at least a week, you'll get thinner. :p

7. The western celebrities are getting trash-er. Saw Gaga's meat dress? Ugh, I do not why am I mentioning her here but I'm watching MTV Music Video Award now on TV, so it came across my mind.

8. Fake crocs without socks are bad for hiking, or climbing.

9. Some people think they are better than other people, and they scolded people whom they think is lower than them without thinking. That's even more stupid when that same person preached to you about how patient we should be in dealing with people. Screaming? Huh... Save your voice for something else pls...

10. The DESA mineral water makes my throat sore. The more I drink it, the thirstier I became. I thought I was dehydrated, turns out it's the water.

(some of the) Places I go to in 2010

1. Genting Highland
2. Jakarta, Indonesia
3. Bandung, Indonesia
4. Puncak, Indonesia
5. Penang
6. Kelantan
7. Kuantan
8. Sungai Tuang, Melaka

Eyh, that's all? Well, maybe I have not remember all. :p

(some of the) Joyous Events in 2010.

1. IMU Amazing Craze, 27th March 2010.

2. My "surprise" birthday party by Hui Fong and friends.

3. VPM fundraising Charity Bazar at Bangsar Shopping Centre.

4. Kuala Kubu Bharu rotation posting, 31st May to 2nd June 2010.

5. Jakarta trip, 8th-19th July 2010

6. Electives posting in Paediatrics in Damansara Specialist Hospital, 2nd to 21st August 2010.

7. Break fast in a Korean BBQ restaurant, 22nd August 2010.

8. Eid Fitri 1431H, September 2010.

9. Raya Open House at home, 16th September 2010.

10. M109/P110 Raya Open House in IMU, 6th October 2010.

11. Hui Fong's Surprise Birthday Party, 21st October 2010

12. Sui Ean's wedding in Johore, 5th December 2010

13. Siew Huan's early birthday celebration in Times Square, 8th Dec 2010.

14. KL Motor Show 2010 in PWTC, 12th Dec 2010.

15. Genting Highland with sister, 14th December 2010.

16. BBQ in Sungai Tuang, Malacca with batchmates, 17th to 18th Dec 2010.

17. Penang, painting aunt's house, 18th to 24th Dec 2010.

18. Genting Highland with family and aunt, 25th and 26th Dec 2010.

19. Broga Hill with family, 29th Dec 2010.

Well, I kinda spend a lot of time for this post.
I don't care if people find it boring, too long or anything. I will want to read it back after a year, after two yrs, few yrs...a decade (with God's will).

Now, there is only 25 mins to 12pm.
Actually, the 0000hrs is not so significant.
It's the starting of a new academic year, new hopes, new responsibilities, new events and new lessons that are significant. :)

I hope I can forget all the heartbreaks and hard feelings this year but sorry, some scars are destined to remain.

p/s: To you, you lost my respect. It may not worth as much as you think but so what, it's my respect, I can give to anyone I want.

-AkMaR-
http://nur-akmar.blogspot.com

Facebook

It's one day before the starting of a new year. I don't plan to make this post as my end-of-year post; I plan to write one tomorrow.

I've been reading other people's blog, and writing my own too, almost one post a day.
And I noticed I've been writing a lot of personal stuff; what I did and where I went, compared to my opinions on certain issues.

One of my friends pointed out in his blog that people post weird status-es on their facebook wall.
Though all the lovey-dovey statuses are weird enough for me, according to him statuses like "Thank God, I completed my fast today", or "Oh God, forgive me for all my wrongdoings" are also weird. Why do you tell the whole world that you fasted today?
Or why do you announce that you are praying for forgiveness?
Even when the right hand is giving, it's best that the left is unaware of it.
It is comparable to standing in the middle of a field and screaming your lungs out, telling you're praying to God for forgiveness, or blessings; just that people nowadays are using a different media for it.

Well yes, I do agree with him for some extent.
It's rather weird to tell people that you fasted today; it's almost like announcing your deeds, which will make the deed less worthy since it might not be done out of pure sincerity.
But I also believe, they just want to share if not with everyone, with a specific someone.

How many times have you read someone's status and felt like that status is directed towards you, or someone you know. How many times have you posted a status that is so vague, and incomprehensive to other people but is directed to a specific someone?
How many times have you read a blog post directed towards someone, or even write a blog post directed to someone? Tumblr-iing about someone?

Well, I have done all that, quite a lot of times.
Posting something like, "I hope this moment last forever"; it is not a status that everyone in my friend list will understand. Most of them do not know what is that exact moment I'm talking about but, someone who is sharing that moment with me, and is also in facebook, will definitely understand, and responds (if that person's smart enough, but most of the time, haiz.....).

So, when someone posted "Oh God, forgive me for all my wrongdoings" in their fb, it is to see if there is anyone who cared enough and ask what are the wrongdoings. And it's not solely to ask for forgiveness, we have better medium for it. :)
When someone asked what are the wrongdoings, with the intention of offering advise and just to share the stories, then the purpose of the status is achieved.

Or perhaps when someone posted, "Oh God, help me go through all these challenges and sufferings". Most probably the person is hoping that person who is putting him/her in that hot pot will realise her/his sufferings, and try to alleviate it.

After all, that's what I see other people is doing.
Isn't it?
Hopefully "to share" is the real intention, instead of "showing off".

With that, adios!

-AkMaR-
http://nur-akmar.blogspot.com

Back To Nature

It was 4.20am, 29th Dec 2010 and my mum rushed into my room waking us up. She said we're late. We should set off at 4.30am!

I rolled over, refused to wake up and suddenly what happened last night, how I felt before sleeping came rushing into my mind. It forced me to shut my eyes and mind. I need to sleep...
Then my sister got up and went into the toilet. I dared not sleep if she's not anymore, she'll scream to wake me up. Haiz... We have to face this challenge together.

My brothers are getting ready, the whole household but my dad was on their feet.
I searched high and low for my sport shoes, and since it's no where to be seen, I decided to wear that fake crocs.
At 4.40am, we set off from home with my brother driving fast, we're late!

I forgot to look at the time when we arrived.
But I'm sure it's not yet 5.30am. It was very dark, very very dark.
We had to rely on the 3 torches we brought. Only one was bright, the other two were half dead. Lucky enough, I have my handphone with me; it gives out light.

We started walking...the roads were slippery with tall grass on the left and right.
We had to walk in a line, my sister accompanying mum. They were far behind, I was in the middle while my two brothers were in front, leading the road.

Soon, the road gets harder and steeper. We need to climb, instead of walking. And my brother had taken the responsibility of walking mum since she needed more energy to continue to climb.
It was still very dark. I can't see my family's face. Only their voices kept me walking, and climbing.

We stopped a few times along the way, allowing my mother to catch her breath. She's asthmatic but she did not bring her puffer! Oh man...
She asked us to leave her and continue the walk. Naahh.. No way!
It was so dark, how could we?
Before reaching the 1st peak, the route was so slippery and steep that we needed to climb on all 4. And we did.

And there, after that climb, we made it.
Not silently though...
My mum was already wheezing, breathing forcefully.
She said that will be her first and last climb here.
And she made such a high-toned noise that it almost got me and siblings panicked!
Aisyah, my sister is a certified first-aider, and I'm entering my third year of medical school.
We were thinking, and talking to each other; what exactly should we do if mum really gets her asthmatic attack there?
What if she suddenly cannot breath?

God were with us though, the conversation remained conversation. :)

So, where exactly did we go?

Broga Hill!!!

Yes, yes we did...
We climbed Broga Hill to watch the sunrise.
We reached the first peak before 6am.
There were 4 peaks altogether but Aisyah, mum and I stayed at the first one; since mum could not move anymore.
Two other brothers went up to the 4th peak; the highest one.
Wasil said the sun usually comes out at 6.30-6.45am.
And since that was my first time seeing a sunrise, I wonder how will it be like?
Will it be like the ones in tv? We could only see the upper border, then slowly we can see the upper half and in no time, the whole round of sun is there above the mountains. Will it really be like that?

It was very dark, and cold up there!

This was the view before the sun rises. We can see nothing but the lights.

Between darkness and brightness. Dawn?

This is the view when it is already bright. Astonishing huh? :)

Breathtakingly beautiful. If you don't think so, I think it's most probably due to my not-so-hi-tech camera and poor photography skills. It really is beautiful!

To my frustration, the sun did not come out until 7.15am though it was already bright.
Someone told us to wait another 10mins, he said the sun comes out at 7.25am.
True enough, it did. But it wasn't as beautiful as in TV. The sun was shy, hiding parts of it behind the clouds.

The west side, where the sun sets.

Waiting for the sun to rise. It's funny.. It is already bright, but the sun is nowhere to be seen.

On our way down

There were a lot of other hikers as well, it's fun to see a lot of people there.

After the hike, we went to a mamak restaurant for our breakfast. :)

And drove to Sungai Congkak for a picnic!
We marinated chicken last night, and had a barbeque at the riverside.
We brought our own tent, and a mat.
Mum, Aisyah and me took turn to sleep while the boys set the fire up and barbecued the chicken.
It was so nice, there weren't many people since it was a weekday.
We almost had the river to our own.

The only picture I have during the picnic. I wasn't pretending, the water was very cold, comparable to IMU airconditioning. :)

At 3.10pm, after almost 10 hours playing with soil, mud and water, we drove home.
Back to that 4 concrete walls we were living in.
Of course, my mattress is more comfortable than that mat I slept on at the riverside but, the air and the joy we had today were irreplaceable.

I think it should be A WORSE kind of suffering. Well, I do not want to edit the picture. :p

-AkMaR-
http://nur-akmar.blogspot.com

Actions

1)What kind of people do things that they knew they'll regret it after some time?
-Idiots

2) What kind of people let other people bully them over and over again, over almost the same thing each time?
- Weaks

3) What kind of people refuse to think much for the wrongdoings they've done, instead just accept the wrongdoings as "weakness"?
-Lazybums

4) What have I been thinking of?
- Even if you do not want to play hard-to-get, at least don't play cheap!

Some people say I am being emotional in the blog. Well, I have to admit that.
One of my friend said he would like people to leave his blog, feeling happy and enlightened.
But I dont think I can do that favour for my readers, sorry yea!

One day when I was doing my A-Levels in INTEC, I injured one of my fingers and put a plaster on it. The next day while in campus, one of my friends noticed the plaster (just by passing beside me, not even looking at me) and asked about my finger and how did I get it injured. I was quite surprised he noticed the plaster. Not many people actually notice that kind of things, in such a short time.

Then I left INTEC earlier than he does.
A year later, he was already in IMU and we talked.
Destined, I was again wearing a plaster on my finger though I could not remember if it was the same one.
And again, he noticed the plaster and asked about it.

I didn't tell him and I do not know if he remembers that, about a year ago, he asked the same question to me.

But that made me realise, some people are just very observant and cared enough to ask.
To some people, a plaster on the finger is not a big deal (well it is), thus there is no need to ask.
But, does it hurt to ask?

I hope people will ask if there is an arm sling.
And lucky enough, people do care to ask about that limping leg.

But why do some people just ignore that little plaster on the finger?
Or the absence of smile on that face?
Or the frowning of the eyebrow?
Or that tired eyes?
Or......

What exactly that we get at the expense of being caring and humble enough to ask about our friends?

Actually, this is not what I planned to write.
I do not know how I arrived to this, I just did.
:D
And oh, why did I suddenly recall the plaster incident?
Because again, I injured my hand today. But this time, it was on the palm....

Tuesday 28th Dec 2010
9.44pm

-AkMaR-
http://nur-akmar.blogspot.com

Random

They say a picture tells a thousand words.
I wonder how much this one does.


Tuesday 28th Dec 2010
1.03am

-AkMaR-
http://nur-akmar.blogspot.com

Holiday

No, I am not writing to express how boring or how excited my holiday has gone so far. I am writing to say that I need to study during this peaceful holiday of mine because I am entering my final semester in IMU next February (Whoa! Time Rockets!). And I really need to mug up a lot since I did not do so well in the last summative exam. Not only that, I will be having my GP Posting next week and according to Beya, the doctor likes to ask questions, diagnoses and things like that. If I don't start studying now, all that almost rusty knowledge in me won't come out when needed.

They need some warming up, at least one week earlier.

But at the same time, I crave to watch movies and dramas.
I am addicted to both Korean and Canto drama(s) now.
And I have not watch Season 6 House yet, while the season 7 is already selling!
And I want to go to Sogo, since it is Year End Sale now.
And I want to go out with my friends.

And there are a lottt other things I want to do.

And I think I am uselessly complaining now.
Let's just get back to Earth.
And start studying!!!
:D

Monday 27th Dec 2010
12.37pm

-AkMaR-
http://nur-akmar.blogspot.com

An Escape from Reality

Last Friday, 17th Dec was the last day of my Community Medicine selectives, which was also the exam day for the course, the first day of my holiday, and unfortunately, was also the day I went to collect my summative result from the AAD. Though I had to say I should never be proud of the result (and I even got my mother to call and scolded me for the results the next day), I embarked on the journey to fantasy right after the exam.

The holiday cost me my internet access, which explains the silence of this blog. With no internet access, I was voluntarily kidnapped from my work and projects, into a world where I only have to think of what to eat for the next meal, and how am I going to spend the time.
I even have time to read the newspaper! (And sympathised over the tragic Cameron Highland bus crash).
And oh no, I am talking as if I have a multi-billion worth of business deal in hands.. ;p

From Malacca to Penang and to Genting Highland in 10 days, wahh... it really was a holiday.
And why am I talking so vaguely, not explaining my holiday tripS?
Well, I do not have the time now to write about all of them (plus the fact that I don't think they are interesting to be read).
So let the explanation be just this for the moment. :D

It has been a long time since I was scolded by my mum for my results, the scolding this time gave me two impacts;
1) A shock which brought me to realisation that this is SERIOUS, since I get scoldings but also
2) A grin, since I find it kinda funny to be scolded after so long. What two totally opposite feelings to have.
No wonder people say,

"Some women just continue to love with intense hatred"

Whoa.. That quote was so out-of-the-blue.
Nvm, just take it as a good catch line I remembered from the korean drama I just watched less than an hour ago. :)

Sunday, 26th Dec 2010
4.49pm
-AkMaR-
http://nur-akmar.blogspot.com

Genting Highland with Sister

The day after the sentimental trip, I went to Genting Highland with my sister, Aisyah. She has been asking me to bring her to GH for quite some time, hoping we can spend a night there. She even agreed to pay 20% of my ticket fare. But since it's school holiday season, the rate for a room for one night is too expensive. We asked my dad if he will allow us to sleep spend time in the lobby until the next morning because we plan to play at the indoor theme park until it closes at 1am. But of course, as expected, my dad said NO.

Anyway, we still go for the GH trip, and my sister has been preparing for this trip a lot earlier. She bought a new shoe, new pair of contact lens (it's gonna be hard to play roller-coaster with glasses on, said her) and without me knowing it, she has been collecting her pocket money for months prior for this trip!

And this trip will surely remain as an adventurous, unexpected trip for us both.

Since I am not allowed to drive up, my father sent us to Bangsar LRT Station and we were to take LRT to Terminal Putra, take bus from there to the cable car, and up we go to GH.
The buses from Terminal Putra depart every 30mins thus, we do not have to worry of buying the tickets.

But of course, we human can only plan.
When we reach Terminal Putra at 8.30am, the earliest bus will be at 11am!
There were no every-30-mins bus, I am unsure why.
And a taxi man was practically forcing us to take his taxi uphill for RM15 per person, and well, that's expensive!

So I decided to ride the LRT back to Masjid Jamek, change to Titiwangsa and we reached 5mins before 9.30am and lucky us, there was a bus departing at 9.30am. I really wanted to ride the cable car but, the bus counter person told us that this bus is not going to stop at the cable car station, it'll stop further away and we will have to walk for 20mins to reach the station. Duh! Goodbye cable car, I do not want to tire my legs early in the morning. So we bought the ticket to go right up to the peak.

And the bus was an old bus, and since we were amongst the latest, we had to sit on the most behind seats; the "best" ones. And the design of the seats did not suite my body architecture that I could not find a good posture to sit.

Reached the terminal!

Due to some problems created by my sister and her attire, we could only start playing at 12pm.

Rejang Flume Ride. One of my favourite rides! And this picture was taken when our boat is going up!

This was also when our boat was going up. Notice the slant? And I was really trying my best to grip the sides of the boat so that I won't slip down.

But the best part of the day is not over yet!

The last bus of the day was scheduled to be at 11pm while the second last bus was at 10.10pm, and after much persuasion, our parents allowed us to come down on the last bus.

However at around 8pm, I was already tired and managed to get my sister to agree to take the 10.10pm bus. We were late since the last ride we took made us queue very long and at 10pm, both of us were running across the First World Hotel to the bus terminal. And as soon as we reached the bus counter, the man said the 10.10pm bus was full. So I had to buy the 11pm bus. However, the man said I can go and ask if the bus driver allows us to hop into his bus, and if there were no seats, we shall stand. STAND??!! Oh well, I really want to get down fast so off we went to the platform.

Adding to the misery, the bus has not arrived! And more and more people are coming. Only at 10.35 did the bus arrive. When giving my ticket to the driver, I asked if I can come up onto the bus; and the driver kept quiet. I took it as a yes and went in. We chose two seats and hope that they belong to any Bangladeshi men boarding the bus, since there were many of them. There is a bigger chance that the Bangladeshi men may not ask the seats from us, local girls. And there were a lot of extra people on the bus, I am sure they are supposed to be in the 11pm bus too!

Unfortunately for us, one of the seats belonged to a Pakistani family, and the wife sternly claimed the seat from us. I gave her the seat while my sister continued to sit. And I stood on the isle. The bus had two stairs in it, and suddenly I found myself stucked in the middle of two sitting Bangladeshi men. They were sitting on the floor; on the staircase to be exact. One in front of me and one behind me. I felt so awkward having two unknown men sitting very near my legs. Thank God the man in front decided to stand and a Chinese uncle gestured to me asking me to sit on the place the Bangladeshi left.

So I sat on the floor.
Until KL.
For more than an hour.
I could not see anything outside the window, I was too short for it.
I can only swing left and right when the bus driver made a sharp turn.
And I think the sharp turns spinned my stomach that I felt like vomiting. I wanted to take my minyak angin out but was scared that the whole bus will smell of the ointment.
I was also scared that the man standing in front of me might just fall on me if the bus brakes.
And I was thinking and imagining a lot of things at the same time.
And I dozed off (I wonder how on Earth I did that) a few times.

I was really hoping there was someone I could call to fetch me from Genting since my father could not because his extra-hard-working Japanese boss would not let him off just yet.

The Bangladeshi who stood up to let me sit did not look at me at all while we were driving downhill, so I could not even gesture a thank you.

When we entered Gombak, I started standing since a lot of people wanted to get down the bus. And to my surprise the Bangladeshi man who did not even look at me a while ago started to stare, smile and grinned. It was harder to avoid eye contact with him than to doze off sitting on the floor.

And when we reached the terminal, I chose to get down the bus later than most everyone, hoping the man will leave first. And I was so nervous when he did not. He waited outside the bus, with another friend. I was hoping he's waiting for another friend to get down. But when I get down with my sister and headed to the lamp post, he and his friend started walking to our direction. It was already near 12pm and I hoped they will not try to even talk to us. I took out my phone and started calling my dad saying we reached the terminal, and I pulled my sister heading to a different direction, and luckily the men did not follow. I do not know whether I was being too paranoid, or whether the men decided not to do anything. But we quickly walked to the roadside and waited for my father.

When I got in his car, I was so relieved.......
Relieved that I just want to sleep and not getting out of the car.

My father reached at about 10 past 12 midnight.
And that marks our adventurous day out.
Fuh!

-AkMaR-
http://nur-akmar.blogspot.com

Genting Highland with Sister

-AkMaR-
http://nur-akmar.blogspot.com

A Sentimental Trip

Last Monday, I went to see someone for my university project.

Then.... I went for a walk, and a drive.

Just some pictures:

During the trip however, I did a stupid thing. Oh wait, perhaps there were TWO stupid thingS.
And I won't talk about it here.

Enough to know that it was so stupid that whenever I thought about it, I feel like screaming and bang my head onto the wall... gedeGAAANG!

Sometimes in life, we just accidentally do stupid, embarrassing things don't we?
Haiz...

That evening, after the trip I went back to IMU for an "appointment" with Hui Fong and other friends.
And we went out for dinner at Pappa Rich in Kuchai Lama after that.
:)

I rarely get this kind of opportunity, to go out with friends till late at night.
At 10pm, we were STILL in the restaurant, and I reached home at almost 11pm (I usually am home by 10pm).

I messaged my mum telling her I'll be late and apologised for it. She was understanding, but on our way back to IMU from dinner, my brother called me asking why am I still out so late at night, and asked me to come home fast.
Whoa.. He really is exercising the "man-hood" authority mum rewarded to him; and he's starting to control me.
Duh!


-AkMaR-
http://nur-akmar.blogspot.com