celebrating almir's birthday

27th july was the day we all went to flyer for the first time.

but... it wasn't to ride the contraption, but to celebrate a dear friend's birthday... with a fish spa!

first up, we went to Kenko Fish Spa, where we had our feet attacked by the gara ruffa fish, better known as the Doctor Fish. Definitely an experience that we will not forget, and one which we will be coming back for, albeit not at the same location...

with our feet newly cleaned, and feeling oh-so-refreshed, we made our way to the cathay to go to strip-ed co, not for a boyzilian of course, but for a manicure and pedicure, just to pamper the birthday boy. but because of my absent-mindedness, we couldn't get in because we had no appointment - HOW DISAPPOINTING. but i still love their adverts.

we called ALL the centres in singapore, and still, nada. so with heavy, unbuffed and unpedicured feets, we just went to eat. and it so happened that we went to fish and co's. it was all unplanned of course, but we hadn't gotten a cake for our birthday boy. so while he went to catch some fresh air, i managed to sneak in a cake order... and this was the surprise celebration at fish n co, courtesy of the good people.

then after the food, we decided to take dessert at max brenner's, where our dear birthday boy gave a wonderful demonstration of the different looks he has.

Mat-Emo "The Sensitive Guy"

Mat-Rugged "The Tough Man"
Mat-Rocker "The Punk"
Mat-Cool "Slick Casanova"
Mat-Nerd "The Nerd"
Cikgu Mentel "The Perverted Teacher"

well, suffice to say we enjoyed ourselves. Happy birthday Shaf!

healthy-errrr lifestyle

this is so in the making for the past few weeks.

in an attempt to try and begin a healthier life, me and almir have been trying our best to insert active activities into our non-active lives.

so we have been trying to go around in the weekends to have a more active life.

see how i am just using the word active over and over again.

although it hasnt been dutifully followed, the program has brought us to some nice places in singapore. as i download the photos from my camera, it is only now that i remember to talk about it.

henderson waves is part of the southern ridges of singapore, part of a nature conservation and community engagement plan with nature. it is a very very nice place, as you can see from the pictures to come.

it was a long walk to the top, and a bit more to the waves themselves. but i think its worth it. the night view is supposedly more spectacular.

the wave formations on the bridge that give the structure its name.

quite a marvelous sight.

then as we continued our walk, almir decided that we should take the cable car from mt faber to sentosa and back to harbourfront. as it was all in the fun of it, we did. and here is the conversation that transpired between us as we were hanging 50m above the sea...

*urm...apparently the conversation is not for everyone's ears... so here's the aftermath of the ride instead*

glad to know that the whole trip was not wasted spiritually... HAHA.

supplication

from ustaz's zhulkeflee's blog, An-Naseehah

reservist call up

served my first real reservist in june.
and boy was i out of touch with what the army is.
after all i spent the good part of it in another world unknown to the army then.
i remembered ranting away because i was not very keen about having to go back, or even having to be associated with the army once again.

but hey, its every proud son of singapore's duty to serve, ain't it?
so i trudged and made my way back.

and when i came back, i was like... what?

it was a pleasant surprise.
the unit is great, the people were great.

and i am glad to know that i still got what it takes to shoot the butt off the range, all puns intended.

in fact i may even be looking forward to the next call up, ;)

hehe...

obviously i have been so caught up with my birthday that i have totally missed out blogging.
because it was my birthday i wanted to talk about.

and although my birthday is still technically being celebrated(some people still getting me gifts), i guess i should just move on already.

after all, i was the one who so gallantly said i did not want anything for my birthday.

haha.

and still caught up with it, after the first four sentences.

get a grip.

Stream of Life

Stream of Life

The same stream of life that runs through my veins night and day

runs through the world and dances in rhythmic measures.

It is the same life that shoots in joy through the dust of the earth

in numberless blades of grass

and breaks into tumultuous waves of leaves and flowers.

It is the same life that is rocked in the ocean-cradle of birth

and of death, in ebb and in flow.

I feel my limbs are made glorious by the touch of this world of life.

And my pride is from the life-throb of ages dancing in my blood this moment.

- from the Gintanjali of Rabindranath Tagore

where the hell is matt?

its just such a beautiful video to make.
one people, one world.

we all dance.

birthday week updates

so my sister and brother-in-law were the first ones to gift me. Hugo Boss's newest fragrance for men: Hugo Pure.

then nura, yanni and azmi with these books: Moomin, a comic...which up till now i dunno whether it is about a cow or a hippo. and persepolis - critically acclaimed art film about sanctions and gender discrimination in iran.

then taufiq and azfar bought me a camera. the pentax optio m40. been wanting to get me a lens for the longest time.

and then almir bought me a levi's watch. black with red screen. just the way i like it.

abu and rezuan got me hush puppies white shoes. hehe. always wanted to look cool in white shoes, but never got the guts to go buy it. well, now some people bought it for me... so no excuse not to look cool.

yups. so that's for now. birthday week ends on sunday. so let's see what else we can get, HAHAHAHA.

pre-birthday celebrations

photos will hopefully come soon.

yanni and nura planned a lunch and karaoke session. and i had a ball of a time there with the girls and azmi and taufiq. we were also celebrating azmi's advance on 17 june. karaoked our butts off. i hope the video is not uploaded. haha.

then met afiq and chris for max brenner's. i finally got my max brenner's. and it was good good good good good good good...

hahaha...

then watched a short concert at the esplanande, and then took a leisurely ride home.

what's happening tomorrow?
i don't know!

finally the updates 3

ok i do not have the pics yet. but in the period of may to early june, we observed and celebrated the matrimony of 4 happy newlyweds.

Ashraf and Yati on 25 May 2008.
Siddiq and Fazlinah on 31 May 2008.
Syahid and Renee on 1 June 2008.
Fareez and Murshidah on 8 June 2008.

I will update with pictures accordingly.

May Allah bless the couples and their unions as husband and wife, and may Allah give them a happy and long-lasting marriage and home, guided with faith and love always. Amin.

finally the updates 2

something happened to a close friend, and it was a big thing.
and while initially i was out of the loop, i am thankful that this friend managed to recollect himself in time to prevent what could have possibly been a very very big mistake.

however, the whole incident did leave me angered and frustrated for a while, and at times it did seem that the friendship would end there. because i just could not take being treated with such nonchalance, and being taken for granted.

and that frustration was acted out, and other people also got the brunt of it.
and another close friend received a cold shoulder from me for it.

for my own lack of control and temperance, i caused others to suffer.

but luckily all that has passed, and we have somehow all made up.
i just want to bury it and let it pass.

not a very beautiful thing to remember, but important nonetheless.

finally the updates 1

ended the hoopoe's class close to the end of may.

and it dawned upon me how much i will miss having some form of spiritual engagement on tuesday nights. and that last day, i was actually tearing when i walked away from the place. i was wanting more. although the hoopoe had an upcoming class on fridays at al-falah, i unfortunately could not make it for that class.

i guess i will miss the intimacy of the class that the hoopoe had.
and the way he presented his lessons, which always seem to touch deeper.

and i will miss him as a teacher who is hip and up-to-date with the times, contemporary and moderate.

and of course that is that something more. few teachers are around whom you know you can speak to on different levels, and engage them on different levels. i regret not having gotten to know him better before this, and now that he is leaving for the US, i regret possibly not being able to get to know him better, until after he comes back.

but our paths takes us to all places, and we learn from everyone.
i just hope that our paths will cross again, and i will be able to receive guidance and light from him once again.

may Allah bless his endeavours and efforts in guiding us to the Path, and for being who he is.

just wondering

who will present me the most precious gift?

quiet weeks

but not so quiet heart.

actually a lot has happened in the past few weeks.

where do i start?

haha.

wherever it is convenient then.

will update on:
ending of the hoopoe's classes
fights and makeups
weddings

the young ones

its been a good 14 years since my secondary school days.
but as they say, the bestest friends are made in those days.

these are the friends we begin to build strong relationships with, the ones with whom we go through the most testing of our pubescent years, and the ones with whom we fall in love with just by virtue of them being around the longest.

and how much we have changed since then.

and yet the friendship remains.

azfar is getting engaged soon, alhamdulillah.
zul is getting married not so long after.
fahmy and firdaus are getting hitched too, though news have not reached us.

haha... how we've grown.

*i've got tears in my eyes*

fairness

so everyone else gets to complain. but me.
sigh, the fairness of it.

did something today

and i was reminded of what the hoopoe excerpted, about hatching out the helpless inside.
to be utterly and totally at His Mercy, and to feel utterly and totally without power.

all things happen for a reason. even what happened yesterday.
and i have to accept it and thank Him that it happened, because i was moved to do what i did.

and then He reminded me.

"Verily, my prayers, my worship, my life and my death are for God, Master of the Worlds. There is none equal to Him, and this I have been commanded, and I am of the believers."

accept from me, Allah, and forgive me.

sleep it all away

bawled my eyes out.
but it was comforting.

feel much better... but just for good measure, will still abstain.

matter of fact

that even the best of people are flawed.
that even the best of friends can let you down.
that even the hardiest of souls can be worn out.

that everyone has the capacity to cause hurt.
that everyone has the capacity to feel hurt.
that everyone does either, at one time or the other.

that others are empathetic.
that others are apathetic.
that others are emotionally sensitive, or emotionally inept.

MALAS. MALAS. MALAS.

at this stage i want to cuss and swear, and cry my heart out.

david cook final 3 performance

american idol. he deserves it.