Life is but a dream ……

Tomorrow is a new year. May all that is good will be, and what’s evil will be cast aside. May the Almighty shower His blessings and guidance to all of us, to our families as well as friends throughout the year two thousand and eight.

Banyak yang berlaku di tahun 2007. Banyak yang manis-manis. Yang pahit telah aku letak jauh jauh. Anyway to recap, here goes the highlight:

Jan: Strategies, art of war, positioning, it’s all in the mind.

Feb: Newbie on the blog, so many things to say (mostly ciphered) and share.

Mar: At the cross-road of life. The virtual experience seems so real.

Apr: Every April is without doubt the month of love.

May: Mothers, Teachers and a nice poetry.

Jun: A cool dad, just ask my kids.

Jul: Melayu sesat di Belanda.

Aug: A dinner which satisfy more that the tummy.

Sep: Welcome O Holy Month of Ramadhan, to me who is not ready …

Oct: … with this heavy tribulation.

Nov: Victory (in life and cricket) comes for those who are focused, patience and …

Dec: … steadfast.

Obviously there’re the endless Lion City trips, LIMA photo shoot-outs, cricket, tennis Titans, T20s, cacing business, movies, Brick Lane, Golden Jubilee, more strategies, GLAM write ups, F&S, kids, cats, Harmoni, HP, etc.

Dear Gentle Readers and Friends,

I would like to invite you all to my little girls (Ateef’s 10th and Ayra’s 5th) birthday party at:

Kompleks 3K

c/o A&W Restaurant

Subang Jaya

Date: 23th December 2007

Time: 8.30 pm onwards (jangan datang lewat …nanti tinggal Papa Bear je)

Bawak la anak-anak.

Post script (on Boxing Day):

There were around 40 odd plus at the party including 26 children. Thanks for those who turned up. Thanks for the lovely gifts as well (siapa la yang bagi Disney Uno tu, I’ve been beaten by Ateef for the umpteenth times …). To my fellow bloggers Mus & Shana, my cricketing friends, my batch, my wife’s friends, their respective families and all those who can’t make it but sending their warm wishes and gifts: Terima Kasih daun keladi, God willing tahun depan jumpa lagi.

Luckily the Root Bear showed up, else I’ll be the Papa Bear.

Friday: I was at my Regional Office in Singapore. I had a whole day meeting with the Vertical Industry Leaders. Lotih kepala eden. Anyway, I’m very pleased with the outcome. The Top Management has pledged full support to all my initiatives (and bright ideas) … so much so that even the Executive VP offered to send me to the airport (which I gladly accepted) in his brand new E-Series.

Saturday: Early morning … I had a spasm in my stomach and nauseating feeling … and vomitted everything in my tummy. Was it because of the food that I took in Singapore. I had few prathas with curry (few days old?) in the morning.

In the evening, after a long sleep, I went to the clinic. Yes, my favourite and beautiful doctor was there. ‘Why do you look horrible?’ Maybe partly because I was in my yesterday’s t-shirt, or maybe I’m still not taking shower. Then the good doctor heard a child singing outside the examination room. ‘That’s Ayra my daughter, let me call her in’. When she saw Ayra, she quickly embraced and kissed her. Of course, even myself who sees her everyday will be flattened like a pancake, what about others seeing her for the first time.

After Magrib prayer, I went with J’dad to the MBPJ’s Dewan Sivik to attend my second cousin’s wedding. It was a glorious wedding. The bride is beautiful and sweet. But the bridegroom looks young though. Met my aunt Wirda. She said, ‘I give you one more week to submit your article on the Love Stories for the GLAM February issue.’

Sunday: In the morning I sent Ahwaz for the cricket practice at PJ Club. Met Mr Mike the coach. S%&#! How come I’m still scared when I see the old man. ‘You must make sure Ameerul practice a lot. I need him to performed well.’

In the afternoon, I was with J’dad again for another wedding reception at Kg Datuk Harun. Somehow, the modest occasion is nothing compared to the one last night. But the food … the fried chickens are freshly, emm fried. The umbut masak lemak, where on earth can you get this, but here.

Hujung-hujung tahun ni, bisnes seperti biasa, walau pun mood cuti ada di mana-mana. Well, I”m doing my pre-Xmas shopping at Orchard Road tonite.

"Perjalanan ini …" - Ebiet G Ade

I wanted to narrate something on some of my train journeys in the sub-continents,in the UK, in Europe and in my beloved country. But alas, the time and materials (my journals) were not there.

Quickie, among others:

• 18-hour journey steam locomotive from Chennai to Tirunelveli (if you think that’s long … I was in a 36-hour train from Delhi …)
• Intercity train from Glasgow to London
• Train to Ayr
• Ekpress Wau from JB to Jerantut during rainy season
• 1/2 hour of tram ride in Gothenburg

Padang Mat Sirat

What would be more fun than “fun, fun, fun in the sun, sun, sun”?

Well, it’s the aerial displays of what’s high tech in the bluest sky of the Legend Island, and the sonic booms that accompanied them.

At LIMA2007 these are my all time favourites:

• the RMAF MiG-29N ‘Fulcrum’

• the RMAF F/A-18D ‘Hornet’

• the RAF Red Arrows BAe Hawks-100/200

• the IAF Suryakiran (Rays of the Sun) HJT-16 team (the pilots walked past us in a straight row, as if in slow-motioned, just like in the Rajinikanth movies)

• the Australian F-111 ‘Aardvark’

• best of all the newly delivered RMAF Sukhoi Su-30MKM ‘Flanker’

• and others too.

The Malaysian Su-30 is termed as the supermanoeuvrable multirole fighter. This Generation 4+ aircrafts not only highly agile and have superior aerodynamics but equipped with the best of avionics. The engines are with thrust vector-controlled and using fly-by-wire systems.

"I feel the need - the need for speed."

If the slit eyes fighters from down south trying to be funny, then the Su-30’s Tikhomirov phased array radar can easily detect at least 15 aerial red dot threats and shot four of them at a time with its active radar guided AAMs.

My first ever air show was in 1990 at Farnborough near London. I missed out the Paris’ le Bourget, but been to LIMA a couple of times as well as the smaller Singapore air shows. My next air show hopefully is the one in Moscow, the MAKS2009.

The whole static display area was heavily guarded by our very own Special Air Service forces or PASKAU in short which is akin to the British SAS … remember the “Who Dares Win” slogan. But don’t play play with them. These maverick commandos can do the HAHO and HALO para-jumping with their eyes closed. There were some lady PASKAU who’re really cute and smiled at me, despite they way I looked at their heavily armed outfit with Browning HP sidearm and MP5SD submachinegun and matching Kevlar suits, with awe and admiration.

Inside the exhibition halls there were many appealing booths like the BAe (I started to realise my dreams at BAe Warton), Saab (they not only make cars), Airbus Military, etc. which were the feast to my aviation enthusiasm, and childhood dreams which sometimes brings me closer to the danger zone.

Highway to the Danger Zone

Ride into the Danger Zone

Headin’ into the twilight

Spreadin’ out her wings tonight

She got you jumpin’ off the deck

And shovin’ into the overdrive

- Kenny Loggins

Hang on, of course, there he was … the handsome and iceman Dr Sheikh, our very own Angkasawan. Too many people queuing up to get his autographs. I’d be contented just by taking his photo. Good to see ya alright Doc, after surviving the ballistic descent. It was reported that Dr Sheikh pulse rate was 72 beats per minute during the 8.5 g-load landing. I bet the beautiful ladies’ heart (who queued up to get his signature) beats much faster.

Somehow, I did not see my other favourite doctor, TDM, though he was there. We missed your leadership Tun. Nowadays, everything’s in auto-pilot mode, even the paraiyar want their rights.

Lastly, before I forget, my sincere gratitude to the person who took my photos at LIMA2007.

p/s: the above is dedicated to the 3 paratroopers who died and 11 others who’re injured during the mock exercise at Cenang Beach, Langkawi

" … teringat saya pada Cik Siti Wan Kembang. Permaisuri lagenda dari Kelantan di kurun ke-14. Baginda amat terkenal dengan kecantikan dan kebijaksaan. Yes, beauty and brain. Saya amat sukakan kombinasi itu. Patutlah kebanyakan perempuan dari Kelantan cantik-cantik belaka … "

-Glam Magazine December 2007

Last fine Sunday morning our SOCC team started the Nava Shield T20 cricket league with a match against a team called Selangor Warriors. I don’t want to elaborate on the match details (s%$#!, we lost … really bad) as the ‘warriors’ had a Pakistani import and some Selangor players.

Anyway, the best thing is, that was the first time father and son played together. Yeap, me and my 11-year old Ameerul Ahwaz. He batted at no 11. The 5 foot 2 inch young boy did his best but was caught behind when facing the first ball. Good try my boy.