Hello everybody, I'm back.
It's been quite long since I last posting entries. I have to admit that beside writer's block, I was quite lazy to update stories and I concentrated more on Facebook instead.
Getting connected with friends of old (high school & college) really delights me. There are lots of friends whom I last saw more than 10 years ago. Hmm, I wonder if I could organize a big gathering for all friends (if I'm filthy rich) and becoming a king for a day. Dreaming again.
Oh yes, the most important thing is that we have moved to our new abode of peace at Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur. 10 minutes walk to 1Utama and nearby access to IKEA and The Curve, TTDI boasts some of KL's past. I'm so into KL history nowadays, especially KL in the 70s and 80s, which fascinate me so much. OK. We got a single-storey terrace house at Burhanuddin Helmi. A big house, I could say. We love it so much and the best thing is we are free to do wahtever we wish without inviting some unwanted attention (thus progressing to complaints, as at our former residence in Shah Alam). It takes 15 minutes to reach my office, but it's double the distance for my wife to hers. But as long as we enjoy ourselves, anything is good. We are planning to organize a gathering for our friends at our new place cum house-warming, and yet to be finalised.
Hmm, what else, eh?
Things are progressing well, as we adjust to our new home and new life. Lots of works are underway. Let's hope and pray for the best, insya-Allah.
And last but not least, wishing you a happy and blissful Ramadan to all Muslims. Pray on, lads!
Till then.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Niblets
Monday, June 8, 2009
Semi-fictional Phuket adventure
I like to present my latest addition of semi-fictional series... PHUKET ROYALE is now online! Click at the logo next at the sidebar and read on.
I welcome any suggestions and comments. Enjoy reading!
I welcome any suggestions and comments. Enjoy reading!
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
(the case of) MisTaken IdenTity
How many of you experience this throughout your life?
I had a few experiences about this, and mostly people mistook me as a departmental store salesman. When I put my thoughts into it, I laughed to hell while stamping the floor until I feel the exhaustion and possible faint coming. Seriously.
The most recent case of mistaken identity happened yesterday (Monday, June 1), but to me, it's a blessing. It made me become confident and lovable (with myself).
I wore white shirt with black pants and shoes as I have no idea what to wear after a weekend of moving in and out from Shah Alam to Taman Tun Dr Ismail. I took a half-day off and at noon my wife and my youngest brother picked me up at office, switched sides and off we go.
I went to LCC Terminal, KLIA (KUL/WMKK 2°44′44″N 101°42′35″E) to send him for his flight to Kuching. His flight is at 1642 hrs, and getting there as early as we can is our goal. We wasted some 10 minutes just to look for parking lots (bigger parking spaces please, Malaysia Airports!) and had to endure intense heat while walking to the departure terminal.
Now bear in mind that I wore black and white, plus a blue Airbus lanyard with a lapel wing pin atop my staff pass, which I didn't take off since leaving office.
We were about to proceed to the self check-in kiosk where a small group of middle-age ladies walking towards us, seemingly lost in the terminal. As they got closer, my wife overheard their conversation:
"Eh, why don't we ask that guy. He's a pilot, isn't he?"
"I'm not so sure-lah, but he looks like a pilot."
My wife grabbed me and told me the conversation. I laughed in control. My brother shoved me as asked me to keep it low.
"Relax bro, be collected. People can hear you-lah."
That's not all. After checking in, we went to a cafe while waiting for boarding call. I craved for a sandwich, and I went to get my meal. After getting my order, another thing happened. The pretty woman, a supervisor of some sort, attended me while making payment.
The conversation is as follows:
"How much is this?"
"That would be RM 7.90 with RM 1 discount for each order. Which part of the air crew are you, sir?"
Discounts for air crews? This is good!
"Err, I'm supervising the air ramp sectors. F64."
I walked off with a big grin on my face. A discounted meal for 'air crew' made me grinning with evil. My wife looked at me from afar and wondered. As I sat and start unwrapping the sandwich, I told them the whole thing.
And finally, my wife wanted to eat some assam laksa and asked me to order. Now at a different counter, I made my move and ordered the meal. This time, without any notice, the cashier said:
"We give RM 2 discounts for pilots and air crews here, sir. Have a good meal."
I knew how lucky I was. And afterwards, I took a short nap while they eat and proceed to send my brother off at the departure hall.
What actually happened in these three occasions?
As described earlier, my attire coincidently resembled a pilot's uniform. I was mistaken for a pilot and an air crew. And I got discounts for meals.
Now whenever I go to LCCT, I will dress up like an air crew and get some treats (that I shouldn't deserve). Pretty good, eh?
Till then.
Khallas.
I had a few experiences about this, and mostly people mistook me as a departmental store salesman. When I put my thoughts into it, I laughed to hell while stamping the floor until I feel the exhaustion and possible faint coming. Seriously.
The most recent case of mistaken identity happened yesterday (Monday, June 1), but to me, it's a blessing. It made me become confident and lovable (with myself).
I wore white shirt with black pants and shoes as I have no idea what to wear after a weekend of moving in and out from Shah Alam to Taman Tun Dr Ismail. I took a half-day off and at noon my wife and my youngest brother picked me up at office, switched sides and off we go.
I went to LCC Terminal, KLIA (KUL/WMKK 2°44′44″N 101°42′35″E) to send him for his flight to Kuching. His flight is at 1642 hrs, and getting there as early as we can is our goal. We wasted some 10 minutes just to look for parking lots (bigger parking spaces please, Malaysia Airports!) and had to endure intense heat while walking to the departure terminal.
Now bear in mind that I wore black and white, plus a blue Airbus lanyard with a lapel wing pin atop my staff pass, which I didn't take off since leaving office.
We were about to proceed to the self check-in kiosk where a small group of middle-age ladies walking towards us, seemingly lost in the terminal. As they got closer, my wife overheard their conversation:
"Eh, why don't we ask that guy. He's a pilot, isn't he?"
"I'm not so sure-lah, but he looks like a pilot."
My wife grabbed me and told me the conversation. I laughed in control. My brother shoved me as asked me to keep it low.
"Relax bro, be collected. People can hear you-lah."
That's not all. After checking in, we went to a cafe while waiting for boarding call. I craved for a sandwich, and I went to get my meal. After getting my order, another thing happened. The pretty woman, a supervisor of some sort, attended me while making payment.
The conversation is as follows:
"How much is this?"
"That would be RM 7.90 with RM 1 discount for each order. Which part of the air crew are you, sir?"
Discounts for air crews? This is good!
"Err, I'm supervising the air ramp sectors. F64."
I walked off with a big grin on my face. A discounted meal for 'air crew' made me grinning with evil. My wife looked at me from afar and wondered. As I sat and start unwrapping the sandwich, I told them the whole thing.
And finally, my wife wanted to eat some assam laksa and asked me to order. Now at a different counter, I made my move and ordered the meal. This time, without any notice, the cashier said:
"We give RM 2 discounts for pilots and air crews here, sir. Have a good meal."
I knew how lucky I was. And afterwards, I took a short nap while they eat and proceed to send my brother off at the departure hall.
What actually happened in these three occasions?
As described earlier, my attire coincidently resembled a pilot's uniform. I was mistaken for a pilot and an air crew. And I got discounts for meals.
Now whenever I go to LCCT, I will dress up like an air crew and get some treats (that I shouldn't deserve). Pretty good, eh?
Till then.
Khallas.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Aku hampir mati (dan hidup semula dengan senyuman)
"Kringg... kringg."
Telefon, telefon berbunyi. Telefon, aku datang...
"Hello."
"Iskandar, awak kerja petang kan? Ni Encik G, Head Regional Sales nak jumpa awak, ada ad (iklan) salah keluar. Naik sekarang kat tingkat empat, urgent!"
Tona suara bosku seperti mahu membaham aku bulat-bulat.
"Err, Abang H, ad mistake apa pulak ni?" aku bertanya dengan penuh kasih sayang.
"I don't know. Awak naik sekarang jugak!"
Sah, ada something wrong dengan kerja aku. Maka aku pun meletakkan gagang telefon.
Ada orang dalam bahaya... ada orang dalam bahaya di sini!
Hatiku berdegup tsunami macam lumba kuda. Tengah best je seharian aku bekerja tetiba je ada hal besar camni berlaku. Ad salah? Ad region mana yang salah? Setahu aku, ad region yang paling recent aku buat ialah ad Kerajaan Negeri Terengganu. Ad pendidikan e-Book untuk BH. Rasanya OK dah ad tu, siap validated. Ad mana pulak yang salah?
Fikiranku berkecamuk dan menerawang ke kerja-kerja kau minggu lepas, manalah tahu aku ada terlepas pandang. Tiga minggu sudah aku dah kena kaw-kaw dengan bos-bos sebab aku cuai masa validate plotter proof. Keluar dalam paper hilang semua particulars. Mengamuklah klien, pastu yang kena akulah sebab signature aku jadi bukti aku validate iklan tu. Kena warning, dapat memo. Sekali lagi, kalau tak kena gantung, kena pecat la. So, aku tak nak buat hal lagi. Jadi masalahnya sekarang, apa mistake yang aku buat kali ni?
Jam sudah pukul 5.20 petang. Aku pulak kerja syif petang, balik pukul 9 malam. Aduh, bahana apa pulak kali ni. Apa pulak kesalahan yang aku terlepas pandang?
Tanpa melengahkan masa dan tenaga aku pun mengambil pen merah tanda kuasa aku sebagai seorang executive copywriter terus naik ke atas. Menanti lif yang lambat membuatkan aliran adrenalin dan jantung aku lebih hebat daripada kelajuan Usain Bolt memecut di balapan. Masuk dalam lif, aku berdiri tak tentu arah.
"What the hell or heaven is going on now?"
Lif terbuka dan aku terus keluar. Aku meninjau-ninjau dulu kat tingkap kecil pintu masuk ke Unit Jualan Pengiklanan. Yelah, kang nanti kena tibai malu la aku dengan bebudak tu. Ada yang tak naik atas 40 hari karang. Tapi ramai pulak kat dalam tu! Ah, selamba jack jelah. Dan dengan gaya macam kena tembak James Bond di tulang metatarsal, aku berjalan dengan penuh perasaan bercampur-baur... takut, geram, hairan, pelik dan yang seumpamanya.
"Zul, mana satu bilik bos ko?"
"Apahal Isz? Lain macam je rupa ko ni."
"Bos ko nak jumpa aku. Urgent katanya, ada ad salah. Ah, matilah aku lepas ni."
Aku menjeling Encik G yang sedang khusyuk serius amat dalam biliknya. Kebetulan pulak dia menjeling ke arah aku. Renungan tajam menikam bak the Sword of Omen Thundercats itu. Aku semakin tidak keruan.
Matilah aku. Bersedialah aku untuk mengemaskan meja and go home for good.
Di luar bilik Encik G, kelihatan beberapa staf dari pelbagai region sedang berkumpul lepak seperti menantikan sesuatu di meja sekretarinya, Kak P. Sekejap gelak ketawa, sekejap serius. Oh, apakah kes ad salah ni sudah diketahui ramai?
I am so dead!
"Iskandar, awak nak masuk jumpa Encik G ye?" dengan tiba-tiba Kak P memanggil aku yang sedang menuju ke bilik bosnya dengan penuh hati bukan kristal ini.
"Ya, kak, ada urgent matters katanya."
"Ke sebab ada iklan salah ni? Habislah you, Iskandar."
Aku tengok semua muka staf region di depan aku. Ada yang ayu manis, yang biasa aku lihat pun ada, dan muka Kathy. Eh, Kathy ni aku selalu tolong dia buat translation via email dan over the phone. Apa diorang buat datang ke KL, ada training ke?
"Hello Iskandar, nice meeting you again," sapa Kathy sambil tersenyum melihat aku yang yang kalau ditoreh nescaya setitik air mani takkan keluar punya.
"Err, hi Kathy, how are you? What brings you to KL?"
"You know, all regional staff got to come here, got training lor. I wanted to see you and to give you this."
Kathy menghulurkan sebuah kotak yang aku tak tahu apa isinya. Apa pulak dalam ni? Pistol semi-automatik Walther PPK99 James Bond ke? Alat Spark Lense untuk bertukar menjadi Ultraman Tiga ke?
Kak P pun mencelah dengan penuh ketenangan bagaikan syurga di wajahmu:
"Iskandar, actually akak yang buat call kat H tadi. Sebenarnya takde apa pun. Takde salah apa pun. Takde salah ad pun. Encik G takde nak jumpa kamu pun."
"Si Kathy nak jumpa you tapi tak tau office you kat mana. So, dia minta akak call. Akak pulak tak tau extension kamu, tu yang call bos awak. Akak buat-buatlah ada hal pasal kamu so kamu naik cepat."
APAKAH INI?
Takde ad salah, takde sebarang masalah... dan kek?
I'm perplexed. The idea of me getting pranked and Punk'd is so unreal. Is this reality or just a fragment of my imagination from foreseen trouble scot-free?
Serius. Aku seperti ditipu. Aku seperti kena suntikan penenang. Rasa macam nak buat-buat jatuh menggelupur keluar buih basuhan sabun Breeze kat mulut. Dan kek itu, so dalam kotak itu ialah kek? Kek apa ya, baunya enak sekali yuk.
"So sorry Iskandar to trouble you like this." Baiklah kakak-kakak sekalian, aku menerima semua ini dengan lapang dada.
"Iskandar, I made this cake for all of you that helped me a lot with my job. This is coffee walnut cake, I hope you like it. Share with other copywriters ya. Saja la buat ini macam nanti satu office you serbu, I buat pun tak banyak, bawak your portion pun just nice untuk you all je."
Walnut? No wonder nampak sedap. I love nuts in cakes!
"Thanks Kathy. It's a part of my job. We all tolong-tolong la. So glad to be an assistance to you. Gotta love the cake, I love walnuts!"
I gotta admit yang hatiku daripada berdegup tsunami pantai Khao Lak bertukar setenang bayu di Gunung Kinabalu. Sejuk hatiku.
And I gotta admit that I got punk'd, gotcha-ed dan wakenabeb!
Selepas berborak dan bergelak ketawa dengan diorang, aku pun turun ke office. Buat-buat muka baru kena tibai. Sampai kat workspace, aku distribute each slice to my fellow copywriters sambil menceritakan the whole story. Kena gelak aku. Lepas tu, aku bawakan sepotong kek tu ke bos aku, Abang H.
"Ha, Iskandar. Awak ni ada apa hal lagi ni? Sampai kena panggil dengan orang atas. Ni kes serius ni. I nak you explain kat I apa hal kat atas tu sampai you kena panggil tadi."
Nota: Abang H langsung tak tahu-menahu kes wakenabeb ni.
"Sebelum saya explain, saya nak bagi abang kek ni dulu."
Dan aku pun menceritakan segala benda dari mula. Kami ketawa sambil makan kek bersama-sama. Dan bila aku pulang ke rumah, aku ceritakan pada isteriku, kena gelak lagi.
Hmm, apa yang penting? Kerjasama, kan?
Khallas.
Telefon, telefon berbunyi. Telefon, aku datang...
"Hello."
"Iskandar, awak kerja petang kan? Ni Encik G, Head Regional Sales nak jumpa awak, ada ad (iklan) salah keluar. Naik sekarang kat tingkat empat, urgent!"
Tona suara bosku seperti mahu membaham aku bulat-bulat.
"Err, Abang H, ad mistake apa pulak ni?" aku bertanya dengan penuh kasih sayang.
"I don't know. Awak naik sekarang jugak!"
Sah, ada something wrong dengan kerja aku. Maka aku pun meletakkan gagang telefon.
Ada orang dalam bahaya... ada orang dalam bahaya di sini!
Hatiku berdegup tsunami macam lumba kuda. Tengah best je seharian aku bekerja tetiba je ada hal besar camni berlaku. Ad salah? Ad region mana yang salah? Setahu aku, ad region yang paling recent aku buat ialah ad Kerajaan Negeri Terengganu. Ad pendidikan e-Book untuk BH. Rasanya OK dah ad tu, siap validated. Ad mana pulak yang salah?
Fikiranku berkecamuk dan menerawang ke kerja-kerja kau minggu lepas, manalah tahu aku ada terlepas pandang. Tiga minggu sudah aku dah kena kaw-kaw dengan bos-bos sebab aku cuai masa validate plotter proof. Keluar dalam paper hilang semua particulars. Mengamuklah klien, pastu yang kena akulah sebab signature aku jadi bukti aku validate iklan tu. Kena warning, dapat memo. Sekali lagi, kalau tak kena gantung, kena pecat la. So, aku tak nak buat hal lagi. Jadi masalahnya sekarang, apa mistake yang aku buat kali ni?
Jam sudah pukul 5.20 petang. Aku pulak kerja syif petang, balik pukul 9 malam. Aduh, bahana apa pulak kali ni. Apa pulak kesalahan yang aku terlepas pandang?
Tanpa melengahkan masa dan tenaga aku pun mengambil pen merah tanda kuasa aku sebagai seorang executive copywriter terus naik ke atas. Menanti lif yang lambat membuatkan aliran adrenalin dan jantung aku lebih hebat daripada kelajuan Usain Bolt memecut di balapan. Masuk dalam lif, aku berdiri tak tentu arah.
"What the hell or heaven is going on now?"
Lif terbuka dan aku terus keluar. Aku meninjau-ninjau dulu kat tingkap kecil pintu masuk ke Unit Jualan Pengiklanan. Yelah, kang nanti kena tibai malu la aku dengan bebudak tu. Ada yang tak naik atas 40 hari karang. Tapi ramai pulak kat dalam tu! Ah, selamba jack jelah. Dan dengan gaya macam kena tembak James Bond di tulang metatarsal, aku berjalan dengan penuh perasaan bercampur-baur... takut, geram, hairan, pelik dan yang seumpamanya.
"Zul, mana satu bilik bos ko?"
"Apahal Isz? Lain macam je rupa ko ni."
"Bos ko nak jumpa aku. Urgent katanya, ada ad salah. Ah, matilah aku lepas ni."
Aku menjeling Encik G yang sedang khusyuk serius amat dalam biliknya. Kebetulan pulak dia menjeling ke arah aku. Renungan tajam menikam bak the Sword of Omen Thundercats itu. Aku semakin tidak keruan.
Matilah aku. Bersedialah aku untuk mengemaskan meja and go home for good.
Di luar bilik Encik G, kelihatan beberapa staf dari pelbagai region sedang berkumpul lepak seperti menantikan sesuatu di meja sekretarinya, Kak P. Sekejap gelak ketawa, sekejap serius. Oh, apakah kes ad salah ni sudah diketahui ramai?
I am so dead!
"Iskandar, awak nak masuk jumpa Encik G ye?" dengan tiba-tiba Kak P memanggil aku yang sedang menuju ke bilik bosnya dengan penuh hati bukan kristal ini.
"Ya, kak, ada urgent matters katanya."
"Ke sebab ada iklan salah ni? Habislah you, Iskandar."
Aku tengok semua muka staf region di depan aku. Ada yang ayu manis, yang biasa aku lihat pun ada, dan muka Kathy. Eh, Kathy ni aku selalu tolong dia buat translation via email dan over the phone. Apa diorang buat datang ke KL, ada training ke?
"Hello Iskandar, nice meeting you again," sapa Kathy sambil tersenyum melihat aku yang yang kalau ditoreh nescaya setitik air mani takkan keluar punya.
"Err, hi Kathy, how are you? What brings you to KL?"
"You know, all regional staff got to come here, got training lor. I wanted to see you and to give you this."
Kathy menghulurkan sebuah kotak yang aku tak tahu apa isinya. Apa pulak dalam ni? Pistol semi-automatik Walther PPK99 James Bond ke? Alat Spark Lense untuk bertukar menjadi Ultraman Tiga ke?
Kak P pun mencelah dengan penuh ketenangan bagaikan syurga di wajahmu:
"Iskandar, actually akak yang buat call kat H tadi. Sebenarnya takde apa pun. Takde salah apa pun. Takde salah ad pun. Encik G takde nak jumpa kamu pun."
"Si Kathy nak jumpa you tapi tak tau office you kat mana. So, dia minta akak call. Akak pulak tak tau extension kamu, tu yang call bos awak. Akak buat-buatlah ada hal pasal kamu so kamu naik cepat."
APAKAH INI?
Takde ad salah, takde sebarang masalah... dan kek?
I'm perplexed. The idea of me getting pranked and Punk'd is so unreal. Is this reality or just a fragment of my imagination from foreseen trouble scot-free?
Serius. Aku seperti ditipu. Aku seperti kena suntikan penenang. Rasa macam nak buat-buat jatuh menggelupur keluar buih basuhan sabun Breeze kat mulut. Dan kek itu, so dalam kotak itu ialah kek? Kek apa ya, baunya enak sekali yuk.
"So sorry Iskandar to trouble you like this." Baiklah kakak-kakak sekalian, aku menerima semua ini dengan lapang dada.
"Iskandar, I made this cake for all of you that helped me a lot with my job. This is coffee walnut cake, I hope you like it. Share with other copywriters ya. Saja la buat ini macam nanti satu office you serbu, I buat pun tak banyak, bawak your portion pun just nice untuk you all je."
Walnut? No wonder nampak sedap. I love nuts in cakes!
"Thanks Kathy. It's a part of my job. We all tolong-tolong la. So glad to be an assistance to you. Gotta love the cake, I love walnuts!"
I gotta admit yang hatiku daripada berdegup tsunami pantai Khao Lak bertukar setenang bayu di Gunung Kinabalu. Sejuk hatiku.
And I gotta admit that I got punk'd, gotcha-ed dan wakenabeb!
Selepas berborak dan bergelak ketawa dengan diorang, aku pun turun ke office. Buat-buat muka baru kena tibai. Sampai kat workspace, aku distribute each slice to my fellow copywriters sambil menceritakan the whole story. Kena gelak aku. Lepas tu, aku bawakan sepotong kek tu ke bos aku, Abang H.
"Ha, Iskandar. Awak ni ada apa hal lagi ni? Sampai kena panggil dengan orang atas. Ni kes serius ni. I nak you explain kat I apa hal kat atas tu sampai you kena panggil tadi."
Nota: Abang H langsung tak tahu-menahu kes wakenabeb ni.
"Sebelum saya explain, saya nak bagi abang kek ni dulu."
Dan aku pun menceritakan segala benda dari mula. Kami ketawa sambil makan kek bersama-sama. Dan bila aku pulang ke rumah, aku ceritakan pada isteriku, kena gelak lagi.
Hmm, apa yang penting? Kerjasama, kan?
Khallas.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Stormy Wednesday
Outside, it's pouring rain.
Inside, it's surging storm.
Around the inside, it's earthquake.
Deep inside, tsunami strikes.
And I'm drowning to the abyss.
Inside, it's surging storm.
Around the inside, it's earthquake.
Deep inside, tsunami strikes.
And I'm drowning to the abyss.
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