My Blog... A glimpse of whats inside..

Do come..

2009-10-23T14:00:00.002+11:00

Hi all, here is the invite and the map to my sis in law's house for Nidal's birthday party and a mini open house. Hope you all can make it.

Learning portrait shots..

2009-05-11T13:58:00.003+08:00

Sunday was a busy day. Shooting session in the morning, a wedding reception in the afternoon and work in the evening. But thats how it is, if you want to get the most of your day and i know many would agree that the tiredness from a fulfilling day is totally worth it.

Here are a few pictures taken during the shooting session. The rest you can find here

Perhentian..

2009-04-06T11:31:00.005+08:00

It was truely a tiring weekend. Went to Pulau Perhentian (besar) last weekend, without taking any leaves. Worked on Frideay, departed late night, arrived in the morning and on Monday morning, left Pulau Perhentian and head straight to work.

But the experience was worth it. A few snorkeling sessions, met new friends, play with clown fishes. Exciting. Wish to take my family there sometime..

Here are a few pictures.. the rest is here.

The view from Fauna beach chalet at dawn.. You have to wake up early.

The group..

Putrajaya Hot Air Balloon Fiesta 2009..

2009-03-23T09:59:00.003+08:00

One of my most tiring weekend. All for the sake of this non-profitable (yet) hobby of mine. I went there three times. Saturday morning i went alone. Saturday evening I met up with Faiz and Kak Aja, and on Sunday evening, with my Eita and Nidal.

All in all, it was ok. I got to take a lot of pictures (amongst the pros strapping 2 Canon 1Ds each.. scary), met with old friends and take Nidal out for a much needed walk.

Nidal, like Nadal (Eita's remark ya..) is always late to appreciate. We reached there at 4+pm but it was still to hot. So we waited it out amongst the goverment building. I let Nidal walk around, chase birds and drink before we head on to the fiesta site.

The first thing Nidal saw was the promo balloons. Soon he saw the kites, (which he was not really interested in). The thing that caught his attention was a boy riding a bicycle (the same kind that Atuk and Wan just bought him a day before) and he was screaming!!! When the hot air balloons starts lifting off, he wasn't bothered (except for the orange balloon and another balloon that flew really low).

Once all the balloons lifted off, we set our way back to the car, and thats when he starts appreciating the balloons, waving at em and asking us to look at them too. Thats when Eita said "Macam Nadal.. lambat panas.. " hahaha. Nadal is our favourite tennis player.. and like always tends to start slow in his game against new unseeded players (and sometimes mid ranks too) which he usually wins as the match proceeds.

Nidal's name was not picked because of our love towards Nadal.. but because of its meaning. Nidal means 'a fighter'. I strongly believe that what you name your child plays a big part in his personality development. I want him to be strong and never give up easily. I want him to be a fighter when things are rough.

Anyhow, here are a few of the pictures taken. The rest you can view here.

KL... and around, in HDR.

2009-03-20T08:58:00.004+08:00

Its an amazing creation our eye is. It is able to cope with different objects at different range effortlessly. Another reason to praise Allah SWT. But a human creation (a camera lens that is) is not capable of such range. If it focuses on a subject, then everything else will be out of focus. Even at minimum aperture, a lens still can't give you what your eyes can see (and appreciate).

So here i am, trying a 'not so old' technique called High Dynamic Range Imaging (HDRI or HDR for short). These are pictures of the KTM HQ building in KL, and also the Pusat Islam building. Taking pictures of the Pusat Islam do bring back memories as my advance diploma convocation ceremony was held there. That was one of the highest moments of my life, and for the first time i felt accepted by Eita's parents.

And here are two of my earliest attempts. One is the picture of my office building, and another is a stop sign at KESAS on the way back home from work. This HDR is rendered using Qtpfsgui, an open source HDR workflow tool. It produces high impact images, especially with its Fattal tonemapping algorithm. Too bad the office pictures are not taken in true HDR settings (EV-2, EV0, EV+2). Thas why it turned out like a drawing huhuhu. Owh.. my camera can't do this range of exposure bracketing. I have to change the setting manually and take different shots. *a reason to upgrade perhaps..

Along the way...

2009-02-24T11:08:00.003+08:00

These were taken on the way to work (the blue sky) and on the way back home (the sunset).

It just shows that beauty is everywhere. Either you want to stop and appreciate it, or just let it pass you. And opportunities are everywhere.. Pictures, giving me a reality check.

Kak Aja....

2009-02-24T11:03:00.002+08:00

This was taken during Abg Men's wedding. turned b/w with a little contrast adjustment, using my 50mm opened f/2.

I seriously need a desktop setup with photoshop.. Huhuhu..

Abg Men's Wedding..

2009-02-24T10:52:00.002+08:00

Some pictures taken during the kenduri. It was also Nidal's kenduri akikah. Alhamdulillah, everything went well.

Pictures from Pantai Jeram, Kuala Selangor

2009-01-12T10:27:00.002+08:00

We went to Pantai Jeram last Saturday, to Aroma Ikan Bakar for dinner. Siakap stim, butter prawns, sotong masak pedas, sotong goreng tepung, sayur campur, ikan bari bakar, and kerang bakar. Food was good.

Here are a few pictures, highly saturated off course, taken before the food arrived.

Fireworks.. welcoming 2009..

2009-01-07T16:05:00.003+08:00

Here are a few pictures shot during the new year celebration in Dataran Merdeka. Well i was not exactly at the dataran. A few miles away amongst the government buildings.

A new year, new hope, new chances, new changes, and a year older. I hope to be a year wiser too :D

An new year engagement...

2009-01-07T15:04:00.003+08:00

I met up with Abg Nuar at The Mall, on my way back from sending some documents for my bike loan (hope it goes thru..) to catch up, and buy a tripod to take pictures of the new year fireworks. In the middle of the chat, he told me he was booked tomorrow for an engagement reception. I requested permission to tag along, with the hope of gaining more experience, and at the same time help him out whenver I can.

So here are a few shots from my camera. Not photoshopped, just midtone adjusted as i had my camera lcd display brightened and the review mislead me to believe that the picture was a bit overexposed. Thank you very much to the couple, for the permission to post these pictures.

My 50mm prime is now focussing better. Apparently, old lenses needs to be 'exercised' to get it back to its sharpness.

Portraits.. with my used Minolta 50mm prime, f1.7

2008-12-23T16:07:00.003+08:00

After our zoo trip, we went to Amcorp Mall to a late lunch. There was a sunday flea market and i was walking Nidal around when I saw a guy selling old cameras. The first thing that caught my eye was an ancient Minolta SLR with a 50mm prime. I asked for permission to test the lens, booted up my camera, set it to aperture priority and turned the dial. It went all the way up to f1.7!! (for a guy who has an f3.5 and an f4, an f1.7 is really awesome)

Bargained for the camera and lens (he didn't want to just sell the lens) and when my mom and grandma stepped in, the price dropped down to RM80!!!

So here are a few pictures taken using the prime. Have a shallow DOF, and sharp focus. Works well at f2.8..

Lets go to the zoo...

2008-12-23T15:31:00.009+08:00

Last saturday, we went to the zoo to take Nidal out. Nidal was not feeling really well, but i know he had some fun.

Balik dari Zoo, temperature Nidal naik sket. So pergi klinik kat Berkeley.. Alhamdulillah skarang dah okay.

It was a really.. really tiring day, slept at 4:30am, woke up at 6am, and all the walking.

Kenduri Leman...

2008-12-23T15:10:00.003+08:00

Drove up to Kampung Bikam in Sungkai, Perak for a friends wedding. A dear friend, who never seems to miss any wedding receptions. He rides all the way from Sungkai to his friends' wedding venues in and around KL.

Congratulations!!!! Semoga bahagia dan sejahtera hingga ke anak cucu..

Nidal@Aquaria, KLCC

2008-12-08T13:05:00.005+08:00

On Saturday, I had some free time (due to cancelled meetings and activities). So we decided to take Nidal out to Aquaria. Its his second, and my first :D

As always, he's more fascinated with the bubbles than the fishes. But he's giving a bit more attention to the fishes, especially those big sharks. Nidal's nenek and mak ngah is also around to share the fun.

It was a great place to visit. Educational non the less....

Nidal@kayu manis

2008-12-04T11:58:00.004+08:00

This was taken at Kayu Manis, Bukit Jelutong while having lunch family friends.

Kesian Nidal sekarang, rindukan ibu ayah yang balik lambat, dan atuk & wan yang balik lagi lambat.

Sekarang Auntie Lin yang tolong hantar and pick-up Nidal from nurseri. Thank you Auntie Lin!!!

And thank you Auntie Fionna for Nidal's birthday present :D

Night Shot...

2008-12-04T11:52:00.002+08:00

Taken at Kesas, after the second toll plaza.

Flowers and leaves..

2008-12-04T11:41:00.002+08:00

This was taken at Kak Pah's house (or should i say Kak Lin's place for now :P ).

Its my birthday..

2008-11-24T11:00:00.002+08:00

Its that time again, when you look back to see what a you have done, in a year of chance. Frankly, not much. Still 1 kid, same old job, still 1 car, but definitely a bit wiser.

My wifey got me cupcakes, with a football theme (I'm a MU fan by the way). Thank you everyone for the well wishes and the present. Got a few, one flewn from Australia (Thank you Kak Pah!!! it fits, perfectly), from my wife and Kak Lin. Thank you Mak for the wonderful dinner (at 4:30pm??? :) )

Here's a couple of photos.

Ayah and Mak, departing for Haj..

2008-11-24T09:20:00.005+08:00

Ayah dan mak, dah selamat berangkat untuk menunaikan rukun Islam yang kelima. A few pictures, taken during our wait at Tabung Haji. Semoga mereka selamat pergi dan pulang dengan haji yang sempurna.

Video call with Kak Pah at Aussie.

Uncle Ikhsan, saying farewell to Ikhvana

A wedding at Batu Caves...

2008-11-19T22:01:00.005+08:00

Last Saturday, we went to Batu Caves for Wan's friend's son's wedding. Pheww.... Not much pictures of the wedding, but more of Nidal and my wifey :)

Here are a few..

Kawan Wan ni, dah 30 tahun tak jumpa...

A good view of Batu Caves.. from where else, Taman Batu Caves :D

Kak Aja..

2008-11-19T21:37:00.001+08:00

A few pictures taken during Nidal's birthday...

Nidal and Eita..

2008-11-10T20:53:00.002+08:00

Here's a picture taken after me, Atuk and Eita came back from Uncle Ikhsan's house and The Mines (to buy Atuk's camera, a Canon A560 for his Haji trip).

Nidal was forcing Wan and Cik Lin to drive him around and we met them on their way out of the housing area. Nidal dah kurus sket sebab demam....

An hour at KL Bird Park..

2008-11-10T20:09:00.004+08:00

Here's how my Saturday started. Me, Nidal and my mother-in-law went to the clinic to get Nidal checked for fever and diarrhea. I guess the diarrhea was because of the few medicines he took days earlier, and the fever was because he didn't want to stay at the nursery.

After the checkup and a blood test, we went home and I prepared to head to The Mall to get my additional camera battery. Long story short, the shop didn't have the battery I wanted so I went to Maju Junction. After getting the battery, I was supposed to join a friend to learn on wedding shoots but it turned out the reception started late and i couldn't make it at that time. So I drove to Taman Tasik Perdana, for a quick run around the bird park. Here's a few shots. The rest of the day was spent at home with my wifey and Nidal...

Its Nidal's birthday!!!

2008-10-27T15:05:00.003+08:00

26th October will probably one of the days that I will never forget. We have a small gathering of close friends to celebrate. Thank you everyone for coming, to make it a very special day for Nidal.

Inspite of his hernia, Nidal was as usual lively. But I worry for him. We would need to schedule a minor operation to move the herniated organ back into place. Hopefully all goes well. InsyaAllah..

Anyway here are a few pictures taken..

Me and Nidal...

2008-10-20T08:44:00.002+08:00

This was at my mom's place in Sri Andalas, Klang. Thank you Eita for snapping a few shots.

"Not" at a wedding...

2008-10-20T08:38:00.002+08:00

We rushed home, to change (came back from a few open houses) and rushed to a hotel in Shah Alam for a wedding. Arrived late, only to stand outside with no seats when everyone is already busy eating. The worst part is, they have two seats, separated!! It was supposed to be arranged seating, but i don't know what happened.

So we decided to drive thru McD's and head home.

A few pictures outside the ballroom. Poor Nidal, he was so tired. Another is my lovely wifey.

At Emi's place..

2008-10-20T08:31:00.003+08:00

Before going to Mimi's open house, we stopped by Emi's place. Here are a few pictures of Zahra.. and Nidal.

Something different.. from my bathroom.

2008-10-16T18:51:00.006+08:00

I just bought an external flash, to give me a bit more room to play. An entry level HVL-F42AM, but good enough for a newbie like me.

Heres pictures from my bathroom :D Taken with the flash set to wireless, hitting the subject from the left. (Don't ask why the second picture turned out that way. It just did, all 4 of them)

Photos.. Mixed..

2008-10-16T14:54:00.012+08:00

To someone new into photography, i believe it is a must to capture a sunset. So here is my exposure, taken at Aroma Ikan Bakar in Jeram, Kuala Selangor

This is also at Jeram. A beautiful cat, but i can't say the same about the beach.

This is Nidal.. with atuk at a relative's place in Kota, Negeri Sembilan

A chandelier at Tupai-tupai, taken during Eita's birthday.

Nidal again, at labuhan dagang.

A "not so macro" shot.. Like the colors though...

My journey into digital photography..

2008-10-16T14:37:00.004+08:00

Its been a while since I updated this blog. For those who have been reading, it all ended when I was in Fort Worth. I find it hard to write, of the people I miss the most. So I just stopped. After coming back, it has been quite an exciting experience, especially getting to know my baby boy, whom i left when he was just 3 months. He has grown to be quite a handful, but still shows a glimpse of his intelligence. What amazes me the most is his memory.

One of the reason of this new found interest is him. The need to capture his moments. I've always been fascinated by beautiful pictures, but understanding the complexity and art of producing the images has always been rocket science to me (thats what happens when you read too much, but doesn't have a camera to practice with). So I've committed myself to understand this art by buying an entry level D-SLR (a reasonably priced Sony a200, thanks to Abg Nuar).

Here is the first picture taken using my new camera(at the camera shop!!). From left, its Bul, Abg Nuar and Lin.

Nidal is 5 months today..

2008-03-26T11:32:00.003+08:00

Nidal Iskandar Jasmin turns 5 months today. I just wish I was with him.

Its snowing...

2008-03-17T08:35:00.007+08:00

This was taken on Thursday 6th March. It was snowing in Fort Worth. I've asked my colleagues and they told me it does snow, 2 -3 times in a year but this is one of the heaviest (6 inches). I got stuck in traffic for 2 1/2 hours.

This.. just made me miss home even more...

A week has passed..

2008-03-03T05:25:00.004+08:00

After 1 week being away from my family, it is only today did I found the heart to take out my camera phone and snap a few pictures. I am still miserable from missing my wife and kid, and being tens of thousands of kilometers away is not really helping.

I am glad that work has kept me occupied during weekdays, and was thankful that I had more work to do so that it will overflow to the weekend. But the migration that I was supposed to continue headed into some issues and it stopped me from continuing. Now I’m at the hotel, practically with nothing to do.

Don’t take me as someone hopeless. Believe me I’ve tried. Yesterday, I drove nearly 80 miles just to have lunch at this middle eastern café. Pretty good food at a decent price. A lunch buffet costs $8.99. Today, I drove down I820 to Northeast Mall. Just another shopping mall. It wasn’t that big but has almost everything. One the way back, stopped by a WalMart. The problem is going out on my own, makes me miss my family even more. I’m not the solitude type of person. I like to be around people, especially my family and friends.

Anyhow, this is what it looks like at around my hotel. Leaves and flowers are budding. Hopefully spring will be in and the weather will be warmer. Till then…

It truly is a different feeling..

2008-02-25T18:37:00.006+08:00

It’s only been 30 hours since I arrived in Fort Worth, but the feeling of missing my baby boy and wife is killing me. I’m missing every single moment of my boy growing up. This feeling puts me in a different perspective, letting me cherish the all the moments I’ve spent with him, and yet regretting every moment that I spend away from him. I miss my wife dearly, her voice and smile keeps on looping in my mind every time I try to sleep.

This morning, just amplified the feeling 10 times. I woke up early (can’t really sleep well because of jet lag) and called up a cab and headed to down town Fort Worth to rent a car. I arrived early, 8:15am to be exact and the car rental opened at 9am. After a really helpful conversation with Khamsy (the cab driver, from Thailand), giving me directions and showing places to go, I stepped out of the cab and into a cold and empty town. There was no one around. Business starts late and I can’t even get hot coffee to warm me up in that freezing temperature. Worst still, I didn’t eat any breakfast at the hotel. Walked around trying to find a warm place to wait but sadly, none.

Back to my baby boy, Nidal will be 4 months come 26th February 2008, and praise Allah SWT for the health that he has blessed him. Weighing a bit more that he should, he is growing fast and learning fast too. At his age, he can flip over, tell time, understand actions and communicate. He knows who to look at to ask for his needs. He will not stop staring at his mother and grandmother for milk, and the same to me and his grandfather is he’s bored and wants us to walk him around. If we are not reacting to his stare, he will start flapping his hands and voice out to attract attention. Usually by then his needs will be fulfilled.

I think Nidal is the type that will start talking early, and walk a bit late. He is more interested in communicating rather than learning how to crawl. He looks at people talking with curious eyes and react swiftly with a smile when we talk to him. He also make sounds as if he is talking to us, but right now, with the volume he’s talking, its hard to isolate any phrases that resembles anything meaningful. Its baby language I guess.

Tomorrow I will start my duty in AIG Global Services' Datacenter 2. I seriously hope that work will take my mind off this awful feeling. Don’t get me wrong, I love remembering my wife and kid, but missing them this far away, is unbearable. I hope to pick up knowledge on a new product (new to the team), and that will probably keep me occupied. Plus there are several central client applications that I need to get familiar with. It’s a welcomed load at a time like this.

Till then.. I will share more as time progresses..

Missing you Eita and Baby Nidal..

Its that time again.. only worse.

2008-02-24T11:20:00.004+08:00

Its that time again, when i have to spend 3 months away from my family, friends and beloved country. No Eita, Nidal, my family, friends and the only sport thats keeping my weight from reaching 100Kgs.

Here I am, fresh off a 20+ hour flight, just checked in, and missing all of you like crazy already. Owh.. I'm in Fort Worth, Texas. Room 325, Fossil Creek Extended Stay Deluxe to be exact. Another bitter sweet episode is in the making. I'm on training at AIG Global Services Datacenter 2, alone!!!!!

My last trip to the US, I joined another 2 guys from my company. They were there earlier on different assignment. The now "graduated" Sathya was doing database support, and the ever loyal Andy was doing Active Directory Migration. This time around, its only me.

I'll just stop here before i go even mellower.. So till then.

Nidal's smile..

2008-01-29T18:22:00.001+08:00

His first smile on camera. We were at hentian sebelah Tangkak when he cracked this cute smile.

Nidal..

2007-12-26T07:52:00.001+08:00

After dinner at Nyonya kitchen.

Kuala Selangor..

2007-12-01T13:05:00.001+08:00

A friendly face at Bukit Malawati. A thief i might add. Stole the pack of long beans right off my hand.

My latest journey...

2007-10-29T21:14:00.000+08:00

In life, we are bound to meet someone special. I have just met another. He is on top of the list of my special people, along side my parents and my wife. He's warm, full of restlessness, outspoken in his own way and truthful. His name is Nidal Iskandar Jasmin Bin Farid Iskandar Jasmin.This entry is a glimpse of my journey to meet him.

It all started on a fine Friday morning, 26th October 2007 to be exact. I woke up a bit late than my wife, bathed and prepared to leave for Darul Ehsan Medical Center, clueless of what lies ahead. All I knew, we made a decision sometime a day before that to have an induced labor as my wife was 5 days overdue. I packed a few extra items such as magazines, discman, an some of my shirts, anticipating a long day ahead.

Before heading to DEMC, we stopped by for breakfast somewhere in Section 9. Eita had roti canai and warm milo, and I had nasi goreng, sardines and iced tea. Straight after, we headed to DEMC, directly to the second floor where the inducing procedure took place.

We waited for 8 hours in a waiting room after the initial medicine was given to 'ripen' the cervix and water was broke by force. At around 6.30pm, Eita was requested to enter the labor room. I was on her side from there on. The medicine to increase contraction was administered through an IV drip. By 8:20pm, Eita's contraction was down to a minute. Her hands were grasping mine tightly each time a contraction came. I could only imagine how it felt like.

I called in the nurse. She checked an told us Eita is ready to deliver. Within a few minutes, Dr. Norleen came up and prepped herself. It took Eita 4 long pushes to get Nidal out. My first sight of him was his head partially out. Dr. Norleen told Eita to take a deep breath and the third push got Nidal's head completely out. The final push lodged Nidal out completely. He was all blue. I was scared at first, but looking at Dr. Norleen and the nurses reaction, I knew everything was ok.

Within seconds Nidal opened his eyes, eventhough he was still covered in blood. Seconds later, he cried. That was a real relief to hear him cry. My mother told me that a newborn's health is calculated by keeping score after 1 minute he is out. Part of the score card is when did he cry. So at least i know my baby boy scored high there. Crying is a natural action to jumpstart a baby's heart, adjusting it to his new environment.

After the nurse cleaned him, drained all fluids from his nasal passage and trachea, he was taken out and put under a warm light. I carressed Eita, congratulated her smooth delivery and went out to see him. My eyes was heavy with tears of joy. Went back to Eita, told her to wait while I take my wuduk before reciting Azan to Nidal.

On the way to take wuduk, I stopped by my mother and gave her a hug. At that point, I couldn't hold my tears anymore. I cried on my mother's shoulders and told her everything was alright. I was overwhelmed with emotions of seeing my baby boy, and from witnessing the miracle of life. Now, I have the highest appreciation to all mothers, especially Eita for bearing the pain and agony of labor. My mother told me " Tak de sakit lain yang perempuan sanggup buat lebih dari sekali, kecuali sakit bersalin..."

Took my wuduk and went back to Nidal. Gently and cautiously I held him up, with his right ear facing me, and recited Azan for my baby boy. At that moment only did it struck me "I'm a father!!!!". Everything has changed. Our family of two is no more. A little member has just joined and its a different ball game now. I will bear responsibility for another life. My actions will make or break him. My wisdom will be his and his, mine....

Praise Allah SWT for this 3.45Kg, 57cm tall, gift of life..

Buka Puasa..

2007-10-08T20:06:00.001+08:00

Intekma resort. Eita with her colleagues. Comot!!!

Buka puasa..

2007-10-08T09:20:00.001+08:00

Me and Eita, at Eden, Chulan Square. Food was good.

Dinner at Jogoya..

2007-10-07T19:04:00.001+08:00

Team D dinner at Jogoya, Star Hill. Winner of AIG SI sports carnival.

Gathering..

2007-10-07T18:59:00.001+08:00

AIM Class of 2001. Gathered at Big Shot Archery Bistro in Maju Junction.

AIG SI Family Day

2007-09-11T10:33:00.001+08:00

Me and members of group 3, after completing our design for Project Runway. Lost though.. but really had a good time.

AIGSI Idol..

2007-09-09T02:42:00.001+08:00

The red shirt + 'home' by michael buble = winner!!! Woohooo!!

Thanks to Angeline for the pictures.

Ratatouille..

2007-08-31T23:09:00.001+08:00

My wife and her sisters, with Abg. Shidi. 7 1/2 months. Counting down to meet the next Iskandar Jasmin.

SSM Family Day

2007-08-21T08:29:00.001+08:00

3 sekawan kat PD. Kak Aja (top) Kak Zatul (left) and Kak Lim. Makcik2 ni my SSM ex-colleagues. Somehow I miss working in SSM..

SSM family day..

2007-08-18T21:34:00.001+08:00

Kak Aja, unwinding 'mencintaimu'.. Won 1st place lagi. Got a cheap phone m-mobile. Anyone wants it?? Going cheap... hihi

PD.. SSM treasure hunt.

2007-08-18T13:58:00.001+08:00

At teluk kemang.. Lunch.

PD.. SSM treasure hunt.

2007-08-18T13:30:00.001+08:00

We're the second group to arrive, despite the seventh off the starting grid. And... we won!!!!!

All of us are first timers in this treasure hunt thingy, but with good observation skills, some level of general knowledge and mobile communication, we have done it!!!!!

MU Umbrella

2007-08-14T15:52:00.001+08:00

Anyone? Its official merchandize.

Umbai..

2007-08-13T18:50:00.001+08:00

Mother-in-law's birthday

Kak Pah's birthday..

2007-07-27T18:41:00.001+08:00

Mak and Kak Lin.. Ceria.

Kak Pah's birthday..

2007-07-27T18:40:00.001+08:00

At bumbu bali..

Picnic..

2007-07-04T09:22:00.001+08:00

At Elmina Utara, waiting for the others..

Ja's wedding..

2007-06-02T12:56:00.000+08:00

Semoga kekal bahagia hingga ke anak cucu..

Ja's wedding..

2007-06-02T12:35:00.001+08:00

Selamat pengantin baru!!

Ja's wedding..

2007-06-02T10:34:00.001+08:00

Pelamin cantik..

At Nyonya Kitchen..

2007-05-02T20:44:00.000+08:00

My wife and I at nyonya kitchen after being disappointed by Mea San (closed for renovation). They served a good desert called cincau air mata kucing. The name said it all.

Who??

2007-04-29T12:47:00.001+08:00

Ai Ling punya bf? Thought he is only doing siteminder and ldap. Now rally driving?

Kecik's wedding..

2007-03-26T09:57:00.000+08:00

My wife and Farah.. Tiap2 minggu kat kl. Tapi dok kedah. Rajin..

Kecik's Wedding..

2007-03-26T09:53:00.000+08:00

Wak.. Ngan baby cute dia.

Kecik's wedding..

2007-03-26T09:50:00.001+08:00

Yang sebelah kecik tu bila lagi..

Kecik's Wedding..

2007-03-26T09:43:00.000+08:00

'amik gambar semua ya. Jgn miss sorang pun.'

Kecik's Wedding..

2007-03-26T09:37:00.000+08:00

Kepenatan.. Relax sat.

Kecik's Wedding..

2007-03-26T09:36:00.000+08:00

More pics..

Kecik's Wedding..

2007-03-26T09:33:00.000+08:00

Finally.. Happily ever after.

Muka ngantuk..

2007-02-22T23:25:00.000+08:00

Yus and ita.. Keletihan.

We're going back home..

2007-02-19T17:35:00.000+08:00

Comel and Tompok, on the way back from Kota, N9.

Beautiful morning..

2007-02-19T17:32:00.000+08:00

At Laguna, West Port. Eita took this picture while we were fishing.

Bowling..

2007-02-16T20:48:00.000+08:00

At Summit USJ with my wife's officemates

Wan and eita..

2007-02-05T23:42:00.000+08:00

My long lost practical trainee partner, Wan Ezianee.

Langkawi..

2007-01-26T15:19:00.000+08:00

At Telaga Harbour, before heading to telaga tujuh waterfall.

Langkawi..

2007-01-26T15:13:00.000+08:00

At D'sa restaurant before heading to Kuah town for last minute buys..

Langkawi..

2007-01-26T02:41:00.000+08:00

With Eita at geopark entrance..

Langkawi..

2007-01-25T20:13:00.000+08:00

At cable car top station. 710 meters above sea level. Strong winds too..

Langkawi...

2007-01-25T19:57:00.000+08:00

Me and my wife..

Bul n Kak Mas..

2007-01-24T13:33:00.000+08:00

On the way to LCCT..

Me and my wife..

2007-01-24T11:39:00.000+08:00

At klang komuter station, heading to KL Sentral..

Eita and friends

2007-01-17T10:21:00.000+08:00

During our reception

Eita n Tompok

2007-01-15T15:10:00.000+08:00

Tompok manje..

Tiga kawan2 dihari perkahwinan

2007-01-14T22:04:00.000+08:00

Farah.. my wife.. and Jaja.. Terima kasih org kuat majlis..

Eita pegang keris????

Wedding day..

2007-01-13T13:36:00.000+08:00

Eita and her nephews..

Sembilang!!

2007-01-12T12:33:00.000+08:00

Berat gak! Sekilo kot..

Flower bouquet sample

2007-01-10T14:10:00.000+08:00

Ok tak?

Preview..

2007-01-09T11:45:00.000+08:00

Hope it looks good

Ai Ling's scandal

2006-12-29T14:48:00.001+08:00

Hehe.. Seriously NOT!!

Kak lim..

2006-12-26T18:07:00.000+08:00

Makan tandorì..

Yoko and Ikin..

2006-12-25T22:10:00.000+08:00

Congratulations.. May you guys live happily ever after..

Baju Ja..

2006-12-25T22:06:00.000+08:00

Untuk reference best man.. Jangan marah Ja..

Eita..

2006-12-25T18:42:00.001+08:00

At level 2 klcc..

Old friends

2006-12-24T16:23:00.001+08:00

Hamim, Jas and Awa at Yoko and Ikin's wedding.

Tunjuk ajarku sifu..

2006-12-21T23:19:00.001+08:00

Taken by yus..kacau org study..hehehe..

Atlantic City..

2006-10-16T11:36:00.000+08:00

Atlantic City, a place to live your dreams.. If you're a gambler that is. Theres casinos all over the place, and most of it is owned by the great Donald J. Trump. Ok.. lets not jump straight to the highlight (like theres any.. :P). I'll start from the beginning. It was a two hour drive from Whippany. Again.. its all green, two lane highway, 3 tolls. Andy printed a map to this tourist attraction on the outskirt of Atlantic City. Can't remember the name of it though. Its a hotel!! can you believe it. I though it was a huge sculpture or something.. But there were windows at the belly and hinds of the elephant. It was right beside the beach. I saw a few dolphins swimming close to the shoreline. Its like in the movies.. except its real. Can't believe my eyes.. dolphins!!! By the time my camera phone was ready to take some shots, they swam away :(

From there we headed straight to the heart of Atlantic city. There were lots of cops there.. got a bit nervous. Guys who know me well, know why. Parked the car (it was USD6 for 12 hours), got something to eat, and started my latest adventure. It was great food by the way. Found this halal place to eat, Crown Fried Chicken. Name sounds American right?? but they serve Chicken biryanis... at it was spicy. Since i've been here, nothing was really hot and spicy. This one got my nose running and a bit sweating. Remember, I'm sweating at 40+F. Its really spicy.

We walked pass a casino to get to the boardwalk. It was full of people.. old people!!! I guess theres nothing much to do here when you're old. Got money, nothing to do.. just make someone else a few millions richer. Why not?? Passed through, and arrived at the boardwalk. It was a sea side walkway. The first thing I should say, the sunlight was blinding. It took me at least 10 minutes to adjust to the bright condition. Made our way leftwards, towards Trump Taj Mahal. On the way, found a Korean war memorial, Hard Rock Cafe, a freakish puppet master. His look was scary.. but his puppet.. 10 x scarier. Kinda reminded me of Chucky.. and that Saw movie puppet. Pictures attached. Another thing is.. back home you got cats begging for food at stalls. Here, you get sea gulls doing the same. A really handful bunch.

Walked there till nightfall.. took a few pictures.. and made our way home. It was a good experience. Tired of walking.. but worthwhile. A place that really... really.. and I mean really make you plan your future.. so you don't end up old.. alone.. and gambling your money away... Lesson learnt. Till then.......

New Hope, Pennsylvania

2006-10-06T08:27:00.001+08:00

New Hope.. Its a beautiful town in Pennsylvania. It is situated right beside the border between Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Cross the bridge in the picture, and you're back in Jersey.

This town is like stuck in time. The houses are centuries old from the looks of it. Its like you're driving along the highway.. surrounded by forests. One turn and you find this small town smack in the middle of no where. Apparently it is in the middle of somewhere, cause bikers swarm this town. I've never seen so many Harleys in one place. You got man riding, women riding, chicks riding, even neneks riding a big bike.

Its a historical site non the less. One of the first rail roads in Pennsylvania were built in New Hope. Guess thats why they call it New Hope. New hope to get outta town.. hehehe. The old steamer in the picture.. still runs. Went for a ride in it. And to have a taste of history, costs you USD14. A scam thats what it is.. 20 minutes ride to see a whole lotta woods.. and some nice houses in the middle of the jungle.

I got lucky that day. There was some outdoor art festival. People were swarming the streets. People here pays a s**t load of money for artworks. I saw one painting.. looks like it was drawn by a 12 year old and it costs USD300. Man I can make a living here.. :P

Another thing is the people here have elephant skins.. and i do mean thick!!. The weather was freezing cold.. like chill to the bone cold.. and they were out with shorts and light tops. I was wearing a windbreaker.. and yet I'm still shivering cold.

Last point.. to show that this is a rich country.. the fire department officers drive a Hummer. A bunch of show-offs. The best government rides back home.. are Nissan X-Trails and Rextons hahahhaah.

Back to New Hope.. Its a cool place to visit. Another "A" in the visit list. Till then....

Set foot in New York..

2006-09-24T11:10:00.000+08:00

I'm officially a tourist in New York. The first metropolis I've been in. It reflects, by the amount of people walking around town. And the name "Big Apple" also make sense.. Theres many walking around.. hihi.

It was a 1 hour train ride from Morris Plains train station, which is 5 miles from where I'm staying. The country side was beautiful.. and the journey was quite pleasant.

You can find almost anything in New York.. In the short 1 1/2 hours there, i found a shop that sells fetish items.. *Dude.. its your thing.. hehe gurau bang. Found a shop that sells comic books only.. and it was huge. Found a shop that sells Star Wars merchandise.. *Dude.. Life saber pun ada akakakak. And when i say life.. I do mean life. Not light. Found a shop that only sell adult items.. and it was quite big too. Found Foot Locker, and the word is shoes!!! I've never seen so many shoes. Found K-Mart, Burger King, McDonalds, KFC, Dunkin Donuts, Starbucks, a whole lotta banks, Madison square garden, Empire state building, Borders, With Love (Hilary Duff's thingy), Chinese food, Italian food, Irish bar, Japanese food, Mexican food, Wolcott hotel, an NYPD communications truck, a few muscle cars (Dodge made i guess), a lotta Hondas (in America??), Asians, hispanics, African, bla.. bla.. bla.. Moral of the story is I'm coming back again to complete the tour.

In the mean time, I gotta finish this middleware migration, which will probably hold be down for a couple of weeks.. Till then....

Its fall in Livingston, New Jersey

2006-09-23T11:20:00.000+08:00

Its beautiful.. never been anywhere during fall. Never been anywhere more like it. Its cold and dry.. And it eats the liveliness around. Wish you were here.....

First daylight in Livingston.. and i met this...

2006-09-18T05:50:00.000+08:00

This is the first creature that I saw in Livingston. Its an earth worm. The strange thing is, its not on or in any earth. Its crossing the driveway at my hotel entrance.

It was huge!!! Back home, earth worms doesn't get any thicker than a strand of spaghetti. This guy is like at least 3-4 stands tied together. Now just imagine the fish that would eat this bugger. Bul.. Fishing!!!!

Me & my fiance

2006-09-16T06:17:00.000+08:00

Just before leaving.. 3 months without her :(