iklan selingan - waris jari lentik

untuk menambahkan lagi keseraman, sama-samalah kita menonton klip video pendek ini. yer laa kan..sambil membaca cerita seram kena laa ada unsur-unsur keseraman siket baru laa ada kick...keh keh keh

Siri cerita seram satu malam (Episod satu)

kisah kali ini: puaka flat teratak mesra

Untuk perhatian pembaca watak-watak yang disebutkan dalam cerita ini memang ada sangkut paut dengan yang masih hidup ajer..itu pun kalau mereka perasan…tapi watak diubah agar tidak dikenali ramai bagi mengelakkan saman fitnah dan malu…

Keletak! Keletuk! Keletak! Keletuk! Dari jauh kedengaran bunyik tapak kasut yang membingitkan telinga. aku menutup cuping telinga dengan bantal. Dalam hati menyumpah-nyumpah si polan yang memakai kasut tinggi dan berjalan dengan mengeluarkan bunyi. Ini mesti kerani pejabat pos yang tinggal di sebelah rumah yang sibuk nak ke tempat kerja. Bukan apa, sejak aku berpindah ke flat ‘teratak mesra’ ini, sudah berkali-kali jiran sebelah yang lebih mesra dipanggil che puteh menjemput makan di rumahnya. Bukan tidak mau menerima tapi agak keberatan kerana rakan serumah yang lain kerap tidak ada jadi segan rasanya mahu pergi seorang diri. Keletak! Keletuk! Keletak! Keletuk! Bunyi tapak kasut tumit tinggi semakin menghampiri pintu rumah. “hiii…bunyik apa tu?’ pekik wan benai, teman serumah yang biasanya bangun lewat kerana dia hanya masuk kerja pada lewat tengah hari. Aku hanya membatukan diri sahaja. Malas rasanya mahu bertekak dengan si wan benai yang terkenal dengan hobi menari dan menyanyi bila semua orang takde di rumah.

‘wan benai! oh wan benai! Ko tak bangun lagi ke?’ kenapa pulak suara che puteh tiba-tiba berubah jadik suara jantan? getusku dalam hati. Takkan lah che puteh tercekik malam tadi sampai suara bertukar jadik suara pakcik-pakcik yang menjaja ikan di pasar chow kit? “siapa tu?memekak pagi-pagi buta ni orang nak tido laa?” jerit wan benai dari dalam biliknya. “aku laa wan benai! pak pung mustapho gebu! mu nih bagun laa wei! dah pukul berapo dah ni” Dalam tubuh yang diseliputi selimut Aku tersengih lebar. Hai..rupa-rupanya jangkaan aku betul-betul meleset. Pak pung mustapho gebu yang bermulut murai waktu pagi itu disangkanya che puteh. Mesti kali ni dia nak menunjukkan koleksi baju terbaru yang baru dibeli di kedai jenab Scotland di seberang jalan sana. Ah, apa khabar agaknya si jenab Scotland? dah lama tak nampak kelibat beliau. Pagi yang sejuk membuatkan aku malas untuk membuka pintu. Apatah lagi mau melayan pak pung mustapho gebu yang asyik melentikkan jarinya tiap kali mahu memperagakan pakaian terbarunya.

‘kroikkkkkkk’ bunyi pintu bilik dibuka. Kelihatan wan benai keluar dengan muka berbasi-basi sambil berkemban tuala mandi. Ditanganya memegang berus gigi. Mulutnya terkumat-kamit tanpa henti. Disampuk polong barangkali. Tergelek-gelek beliau berjalan ke pintu. Sosok badannya yang agak besar itu membuatkan aku tergelak kecil di dalam selimut. Melihat wan benai sebegitu samalah menyaksikan seniwati siti tanjung perak beraksi dalam filem-filem P. Ramlee. Cuma tidak ada hiasan bunga dan siput sahaja di atas kepala. Kalau tidak lengkaplah klon siti tanjung perak. ‘haa apa ko nak’ kedengaran suara wan benai dengan perasaan tidak senang. ‘Ko baru bangun ke wan benai? Dah pukul berapa ni?’ dari celahan pintu kelihatan jelas pak pung mustapho gebu berdiri dengan jari yang melentik. Itu belum lagi dengan kemeja pink yang lengkap dengan tali leher berbunga-bungaan. Kalau aku tidak tahu dia bertugas sebagai pegwai tadbir di sebuah institusi swasta, aku mesti meneka dengan nakal bahawa dia bekerja di sebuah florist di tengah-tengah ibu kota. Kalau tidak pun pasti pegawai promosi untuk pesta flora. (bukan alam flora ya!)

Selepas habis bergaya sakan dan mempamerkan keunikan kasut yang bertapak tinggi mengalahkan kasut tumit tinggi wanita untuk beberapa ketika, pak pung mustapho gebu pon berlalu. Aku pun menutup mata kembali. Tapi kali ini semakin sukar. Bukan bunyi keletak keletuk tapak kasut tapi gedegang gedegung wan benai mengejutkan firuan, seorang lagi teman serumah. ‘bangunlah, kau tak nak pergi kuliah ke?’ Gedegong! Gedegong! Gedegong! Rasa seperti mahu runtuh seluruh flat teratak mesra ini. Aku dengan segeranya terkulat-kulat bangun. Terus mengemas tilam dan bantal dan terus menyumbat ke dalam bilik. ‘hari ni kita nak masak apa wan benai?’ soal ku bersahaja. Ku lihat muka wan benai terus berubah wajah. Mungkin agaknya trauma terhadap pak pung pak mustapho gebu masih belum hilang. Dan pagi itu aku mendengar kuliah pagi percuma. ‘kau ni tak habis-habis nak memasak. Mengalahkan orang pompuan. Orang pompuan pon tak macam tu. Tengok aku ni tak perlu nak sibuk-sibuk nak memasak. Makan aje apa yang ada.’ Bebel wan benai tanpa henti. Aku hanya terlopong sambil memandang tanpa kata.

Dalam masa yang sama aku melihat tangan wan benai sibuk menepek tuna mayonnaise ke atas roti ke atas beberapa keping roti. ‘tiru macam aku ni. Simple aje. Tak perlu nak bersusah payah. Nyum nyum nyummm….ngap…ngap….’ Dan selepas itu bebelannya berhenti setakat itu sahaja. Yang kedengaran mulut wan benai sibuk mengunyah roti dan tuna yang ditepeknya berkali-kali. ‘Firuan? Ko tak bangun lagi ke? Hai budak zaman sekarang ni. Bukan zaman macam kita dulu-dulu..pok pek pok pek…’ dan selepas itu aku tidak mendengar apa-apa sebab aku sibuk mandi dan bersiap untuk ke pejabat. Dalam kepala aku dok berfikir apa yang perlu aku masak malam ni. Dah lama betul aku tak makan best. Sesekali nak jugak masak. Ah peduliklah apa si wan benai tu nak cakap. Yang penting aku mintak dia tolong masak. Dia tu kalau memasak mengalahkan makcik-makcik dalam rancangan memasak kat dalam tv. Siap dengan berdandan sebelum nak memasak ni..katanya kena ada aura….barulah masakan menjadi. Terlintas pula dalam fikiran aku nak memasak gulai lemak ikan masin. Kalau dicampur dengan nenas lagilah sedap…terliur dibuatnya…dan aku terus sibuk merancang bahan-bahan yang patut dibeli.

bersambung ~

mari berjoget

aku baru jer lepas balik makan kat satu restoren jepun dengan alvin...kali ni alvin merungut besar sebab makanan dah laa tak sedap lepas tu tak authentic plak..kih kih kih..aku mana laa tahu sedap ke tak habis bila dah lapar hentam sajalah labu..jangan aku makan oink oink sudah...hari ni aku masih sibuk menyiapkan part romance dan pendefinisian soap opera..ceh..cakap jer tu, walhal dari pagi tadi tak buat mende pon..main jer lebih...tiba-tiba aku teringat video yang angelo bagi kat aku tempohari...alah..video orang berjoget..happy-happy laa kata orang...jangan tensyen beb! berjoget amendenya kalau dah banyak keje..tapi kalau si erwanita tu tengok pasti dia akan berjoget macam ni depan boss dia...bila boss dia tengok mesti boss dia berjoget sekali..lepas tu ajak satu ofis berjoget..tapi bukan berjoget poco-poco okay....say no to poco-poco...kih kih kih...anyway, enjoy joget beb!

siri cerita seram satu malam (dengan kisah hantu air)

cerita ini memang dah lama aku nak kongsi dengan kengkawan...tapi biasalah bila dah busy ada ajer alasan tak sempat nak menulis...bila melawat blogs farid baru-baru ni, dia dok sibuk bercerita pasal hantu pocong...mula-mula aku ingat dia dok menari poco-poco kat lebuh raya seisi keluarga..rupanya jumpa pocong..keh keh keh...tapi takde laa seram sangat berbanding dengan cerita yang aku nak kongsi bersama ni...cerita seram ni berlaku kira-kira empat tahun yang lampau sewaktu aku tinggal di kuala lumpur...masa tu aku baru jer grade dan kerja sebagai pengajar di salah sebuah ipta di sana. nak dijadikan cerita aku masuk tidur awal pada malam tu. roommate aku - tok met, erwanita dan kamarul dah lama membuta...aku sorang jer lewat sebab nak kena habiskan beberapa kerja di ofis yang tak sempat disiapkan..pulak tu aku makan malam agak lewat so aku ambik laa kesempatan tengok dvd dulu sambil melantak...

sebelum nak masuk tido tu aku pi laa berus gigi dulu..biasalah kan, dah makan benda segala kena laa berus gigi sebelum tido...untuk menjaga kebersihan laa...keh keh keh..masa aku nak masuk bilik air aku dok tengok si erwanita punya laa lena sambil berdengkur kroohh krohhh krohhhh tak ingat dunia.. kalau hantu atau penyamun datang malam-malam buta nak kacau mesti tak jadik dan lari lintang-pukang sebab terperanjat...entah hapa-hapa laa...si tok met plak tido macam batang kayu...kalau dia tidur gaya godfather - sampai pagi laa jawabnya takkan berubah...macam tu laa jugak..si kamarul tu plak siket-siket terbangun jawab sms dari si kekasih hati si mas tu..(masa tu belum berkahwin lagi)...si mas tu sibuk dok tanya dah tido ke belom..kalau dah tido dah berapa lama? seminit, dua minit? aduhai, itu pon nak tanya ke? keh keh keh...

berbalik dengan kisah seram ni ...sorry laa terlalu banyak corner baring...tu yang terlupa dengan cerita seram yang aku nak kongsi ni...okay laa...lepas jer gosok gigi dan basuh muka dengan pencuci muka eversoft (menurut erwanita pencuci muka eversoft ni bagus sbb akan melembutkan lagi kulit muka kita) aku akan terus ke balkoni untuk mengelap muka sambil menikmati angin malam...tapi yang pelik tu kan malam tu sunyi dan sepi...aku tengok laa jam kat dinding - alamak rupanya dah jam 1 pagi..aku tak tidur lagi...esok ada kelas jam 10 pagi pulak tu..harap-harap larat laa aku bangun...tiba-tiba aku rasa seram sejuk...alamak kenapa jadik macam ni? takutnya..rupa-rupanya hari nak hujan...angin punya lah menderu-deru...patut laa sunyi dan sepi jer malam ni..semua orang tidor awal rupanya....mesti akan hujan lebat malam ni...

pulak tu langit kat luar pun mendung kelabu dan tak berbintang...mesti nak hujan laa tu - aku cakap dalam hati...boleh laa aku tarik selimut dan tido dengan selesanya...so, apa lagi aku terus laa pegi masuk bilik dan tarik selimut...tak lama lepas tu aku dengar hujan lebat turun kat luar...walaupun kami tinggal kat semi-apartment tapi dapat dengar dengan jelas hujan turun dengan lebatnya...yess...aku menjerit dalam hati...cuaca menjadi bertambah sejuk dan aku pun tarik selimut dan peluk bantal dengan eratnya...malam semakin larut..hanya ditemani dengan bunyi hujan dan kilat yang sabung menyabung...sesekali kelihatan dengan jelas silauan kilat memancar dari kaca tingkap...mujurlah si erwanita dah gantung beberapa kain hiasan kat tingkap so takdelah silau sangat...hampir satu jam berlalu...hujan di luar masih tidak reda...dan kilat dan guruh bersilih ganti... aku tiba-tiba terjaga bila terdengar bunyi orang merintih..ahhhhh....ahhhh....ihhhh...ihhh....alamak bunyi apa tu...bunyik macam orang menangis pun ada....bila dengar bunyik macam tu aku pun apa lagi meremang laa bulu tengkuk...menurut cerita mulut ke mulut orang-orang yang tingal kat kawasan perumahan ni, blok tempat kami tinggal ni memang keras....

dulu pernah ada orang terjun dari tingkat 13 bunuh diri...tiba-tiba kedengaran pula bunyi anjing bersahut-sahutan...menambahkan lagi keseraman yang ada...macam mana ni...peluh dingin mula mengalir di dahi dan tengkuk...aku membatukan diri... bunyi orang merintih tu semakin kuat...ihhhhh huhhh....aduhhhh...tolonggg....alamak...mintak tolong laa pulak...pernah aku baca buku cerita seram tok awang ngah dan tamar jalis tentang bagaimana orang yang membunuh diri tu bangkit semula dan mengganggu penduduk kampung kerana tak diterima bumi...biasanya roh yang bangkit tu akan mintak tolong dan menangis dengan syahdu..yer laa sebab roh tak diterima bumi kan...lepas tu boleh menjelma dan menunjukkan dirinya kat depan sesiapa yang dia suka nak mengacau...aku dah kecut separuh mati...dalam hati aku kenapa laa si erwanita ni tak berdengkur kuat-kuat lagi supaya suara orang merintih tu tak kedengaran...at least takde laa takut sangat aku ni...bunyi orang merintih tu semakin kuat...kali ni dari arah tingkap bilik aku...aku pejam mata kuat-kuat..disbbkan aku suka tidur menghadap ke tingkap aku tak dapat nak beralih ke tempat lain..yer laa takut laa jugak kot-kot hantu tu perasan aku dah sedar yang dia datang nak kacau kan...(aku buat assumption yang hantu tu dok terbang kat tepi tingkap sambil menunjukkan muka yang menggerunkan...apatah lagi dengan hujan dan angin yang menderu-deru...mata yang merah menyala dan rambut yang panjang berjela-jela...aku cuba menggerakkan sedikit kelopak mata...sebaba aku rasakan ada sesuatu yang bergerak-gerak dari arah tingkap...


dalam fikiran aku itu mesti kain hiasan yang erwanita gantung untuk menghalang sinar cahaya matahari...tapi ia bergerak-gerak macam tubuh manusia...aku pejamkan semula mata aku rapat-rapat...bunyi orang merintih semakin kuat....uhhh...uhh...aduhh....tolong....alamak dia mintak tolong laa pulak...aku dah kejang separuh mati..punya laa takut...kalau nak diikutkan, mahu sahaja aku menjerit kuat-kuat...aku dah mula rasa tak selesa...aku buka lagi kelopak mata...kali ni agak luas sedikit...betuk tekaan aku satu susuk lembaga hitam sedang berdiri dari arah tingkap...Ya' Allah....mulut aku terkumat kamit mebaca ayat-ayat suci...itu pun sampai tak betul tajwid..sesia jer aku pergi sekolah agama...ihfak hakiki ke mana, izhar halki pon ke mana...tapi tak kisah laa tu...yang penting ada bunyik arab...lepas tu aku dengar pulak derapan tapak kaki ke sana ke sini...macam mana ni...betul laa ni...ni mesti hantu hantu polong...kalau tak polong mesti jembalang tanah....aku bukak lagi siket kelopak mata aku...kali ni susuk lembaga hitam tu mengadap tingkap pulak...alamak apa pulak hantu ni nak buat? takkan dia nak ajak terjun dari tingkap...ni mesti hantu yang bunuh diri kat blok ni tu kot...?

kali ni hantu tu merungut pulak...'iskk..iskk...benci betul..benci..benci..' macam tu laa lebih kurang..agaknya hantu ni kecewa kot ditingalkan suami/isteri...tak tahu laa pulak aku jantina hantu ni...sebab gelap sangat...hujan semakin lebat...kilat dan guruh masih sabung menyabung..aku pun semakin kecut dan takut...perut aku yang kenyang makan nasik dengan tomyam kat gerai depan rumah tadi berbunyik-bunyik...terus jadik lapar sebab takut yang amat sangat....bunyik rintihan dari lembaga hitam tersebut masih kedengaran...kali ni lain pulak bunyiknya...'tolong....tolong..alamak macma mana ni...bodoh! bodoh! bodoh!'...eh lain macam pulak bunyik hantu ni...boleh cakap bodoh laa pulak....dan suara tu macam aku kenal jer...takpe laa....tutup laa jer mata...manalah tahu hantu tu nak menyamar suara orang yang aku kenal..nak kelirukan aku laa tu..tak guna punya hantu...

'haaa...alamak..tolong....shah...aku basah...tolongg.....' alamak..apa pulak tu...bunyi tapak kaki semakin kuat...agaknya hantu ni kena bunuh dalam sungai kot...tapi nak kata ada sungai, tapak tempat yang aku tinggal ni bukan sungai...lombong jauh sekali...'tolong...tolong...shah..wei bangunlah bengong..aku basah ni..' eh hantu ni macam mana pulak boleh tahu nama aku? setahu aku kad matrik aku dah simpan dalam wallet...mesti hantu ni educated..kali ni aku memberanikan diri dan bukak kelopak mata luas-luas...rupanya lembaga yang aku sangkakan jembalang tu si erwanita dok memunggah barang-barang dia ke tempat lain..bunyik orang merintih tu pon rupanya si erwanita yang dok menyumpah-nyumpah air hujan dok tempias masuk membasahi tilam dan buku-buku yang dia letakkan kat tepi tingkap..aku tak dapat nak tahan gelak...berdekah-dekah aku ketawa sampai tok met yang tido macam batang kayu tu pon bangun dan gelak sekali...tak lama lepas tu si kamarul pun bangun tolong punggah sekali barang-barang si erwanita...terus aku tak tido lagi lewat malam tu sebab kelakar yang amat sangat sampai aku tak boleh nak berhenti gelak beberapa hari yang berikutnya....sorry laa ya erwanita...nanti aku belanja ko makan kat umbai bila aku balik cuti nanti..kuang kuang kuang...

cerita lawak dari miss

Nasi lemak Buah Bidara Sayang Selasih Ku Turutkan
Sepanjang perjalanan ini lembah dan lurah ku lewati....
Apa khabar mu di sana lama sudah tak berjumpa......
Aku insan yang lemah hanya mampu berserah......
Bila sendirian terbayang wajahmu....

Kita tempuh segala rintangan kecundang jua akhirnya.......
Layang-layang terbang melayang terbang melayang ditengah padang.....
Esok tetap ditangan tuhan bukan aku yang menentukan.......
Diri ini seumpama pemburu yang memburu tentang jawapan rindu.......
Dalam perjalanan ini menuju destinasi pelbagai lebuh raya dilalui.....
Tidak kuharapkan rencana darimu kalo ko beri cinta sementara........

Salam semua....Kita smbng blik story ttg sape dia Azlan...ha kalo korng nak tau nielah lagu2 favourite yg diorng suke nyanyikan time Juara lagu tahun 1990 kelas 6 cempaka....(si Azlan, Zaki, lailizah, marlina dan Esmawaty) tp nizam jer x join nyanyi that time...cz beg dia busuk mlas nk basuh....hahahaha....sorry bro kutuk ko...siap de juara bulanan lg...ala mcm muzik2 gak yg di hoskan oleh azwan ali dan sharmine anne agustine....ingt lagi x....time 2 havoc nyanyi dlm kelas.....aku la yg jadi juri n mrngkap emcee that time....sbb slalu training nyanyi la diorang sume dpt msk koir sekolah 2 wakil SKBE time 2....

gi btanding lwn skolah2 Zon Sedili...ish mcm name kampung jer...hahahaha...lagu tanahairku dan ape tah lg2 lain....yg aku ingt si Azlan nie msuk gak tarian...tp jd ular ngan kwan baik dia nielah si Ramli Idris....ape khabar abg ramli...dengar cter dh jd duda skrg...cmner ngan bisnes burger....xde nk wt reunion group reebok ker....Aku ms 2 x join koir cz aku wakil SKBE berlakon sketsa...ala skrg nie mcm teater la jgk..aku jd Monster 2...lain2 pelakon trmsklah si kawan baik Azlan nie...saper lagi Nurazuan, Jiran baik dia jgk, arni, Secret Admire dia nie jgk, Faizal Rahmad, Siti lelawati dan razilah.....

tp yg aku xleh lupe smpi skrng ialah lagu berhantu ... ISTANA RATU...lg 2 mmbwa mala petaka kpd kitorng satu kmpuln smpi kene halau kluar klas oleh Cikgu Rukimin.....hahaha...wei ko ingt lg x peristiwa 2....ms training koir dan tarian waku 2 ingt lg diorng training kt kantin sekolah. Ms 2 bapak nurul yg jg kantin 2 2...nsib baik la diorng..kalo mak jah sure kene lempar ngan minyak panas....ingt lagi aku peristiwa dilempar minyk panas oleh mak jah. Ms 2 kelas kitorng betul2 sebelah kantin sekolah...bile bising jer mak jah akn lempar mnyk kt kelas kitorang suh diam dan mengadu kt guru kelas kitorang...

Cikgu Dalimah Dali...So sweet...ape lg cikgu dalimah pn marah2 dan menangis...opps sori cikgu...kt mane agaknye cikgu sekarang....kalo korng nk tau smpi skrg aku msih brdendm ngan mak jah 2...aku pnggl dia mak jah kerepot...tp mak jah 2 la yg mnjadi ksyangan si Azlan nie cz dia nie suka sngt beli ns lemak ngan kopok basah...ntah pe yg best sgt pn aku xtau......mybe Azlan kene mandrem kot...kalo korng nk tau Azlan nie dulu de ati kt anak mak jah 2...tp dia dh kawin skrg..2 yg frust menonggeng smpi x kwin2 lg smpi skrg...3 Cempaka name kelas kitorng...wlpn kelas kecik nk mampos mcm kandang kmbing tp kelas kitorang slalu gak mnang kelas terbersih dan tercantik....Ms 2 si Azlan la ketua kelas yg gi ambik piala time perhimpunan mingguan...Muka riak dan takbur.....smpai la piala 2 patah....hahahaha.....

Org lain sbuk study nk exam UPSR, si mamat nie gler nk jd penyanyi....gler glamer la katakan...de plak prtndingan nyanyian nk wakil sekolah...ape tah namenye...remaja Eon kot...dia msuk gak ngan member baik dia 2 la si zaki, lailizah dan esmawaty....kalo x salah tajuk lagu semut....

Tubuhnya yg kecil badan berkerat tiga
Ada enam kaki sesungut di kepala dan bla....bla

Tp yg pasti dia kalah ngan jiran dpan umah, si Afidah...bukan afidah s tau....bapak afidah nie dulu pakai gigi emas...jual mi grg kt gerai....hahahaha.....Tp time kt sekolah tadika lain plak minat si azlan nie x suka menyayi tp suke bercerita ngan kawan baik dia si Suhayani...tp dgor cter diorang nie bergaduh skrg dan x bertegur sape..aku pn xtau sbb ape...Azlan de lah msuk prtndingan bercerita kt dewan felda spg waha...kalo x silap aku tajuk cter dia ialah Tomato Comel....tp ble aku pikir ade ker tamoto comel...biasa jer...Gler ker ape....Hahaha...xtau mnang ker kalah mybe hdiah saguhati kot.....

Pas2 ms darjah 6, kitorng gi rombongan smbil blajar ke KL thun 1990....kira mcm rombongan cik kiah la nie....best rsnye time 2 mklumla si Azlan nie mamat felda x prnh jejak bandar besar. Plg kuat pn g bandr kota tinggi yang selalu banjir 2...tmbng ms 2 RM30 jer...tp time 2 kira mahal la jgk....pejam celik dh 18 thn...byk kenangan yg x dpt dilupakan....merata tmpt kitorng g....masjid negara, zoo negara dan yg belakg dia negara2 la cm2...time 2 jgk la smbutan hr kebangsaan...mcm Azlan nie kira wt perbarisan jgk la...Ms 2 g naik bas sekolah tp bukan mcm bas sekolah skrg de aircon...bas dulu yg bukak tingkap sendiri...

bile angin kuat terbang sume brg dalm bas...banyak jgk la kitorng bergmbar sakan ngan ular, gajah dan penguin...hehehehe...ade ker bgmbar ngan penguin...kitorang jalan2 waktu malam...kitorng ngan cikgu Zaini menghabiskan duit sbyk yg mngkin beli jajan....aku ingt cikgu zaini yg belanja kitorng rupe2 nye gune duit kitorang gak...hahahaha....kene tipu...time 2 jgk la ade sorng cikgu yg baik ngan Azlan nie...mklumla popular kt sekolah.....cikgu 2 belikan kotak pencil yg leh berbunyi...ala mcm mini piano la jgk....name cikgu 2 Ahmad Awang...betul ker namenye aku pn dh x berapa ingat.....Cikgu 2 pn dh meninggal dunia cz trlanggar palang pintu gol semasa bermain bola sepak......

aku x tau la Azlan ingt lg x cikgu 2 yg hdiahkan kotak pencil.....Kalo korng nk tau, aku jgk la yg mnjahanamkan kotak pencil 2....nk tau aku watpe...aku smck down benda 2..ala mcm westling la jgk....Aku skit ati cz boleh dia ckp dia de group...name group 2..kumpulan suara emas...mcm group anak-anak ikan plk...hehehehe.....aku dgor cter, ble blik umah dia kene marah ngan mak dia....tp yg kelakrnye mak dia sound aku suh gnti blik kotak pencil 2...mane aku de duit time 2 nk g KL...sjak ari 2 aku dh x g lg umah Azlan takut ngan mak dia....

Ms blik KL singgah kat Bandar Hilir Melaka...korng tau si Azlan nie beli ape...Dlm byk2 benda yg de dijual, boleh dia beli teropong ajaib ngan bkas bunga yg dibuat dr rotan....Esoknye g sekolah x abis2 tunjuk kan teropong 2 kt member lain yg x g rombongan 2.....hahahaha...lawak2 time 2..kalo beli brg br jer esk mesti nk tunjuk kt member yg lain sape lbih hebat...zaman budak2 ape tau...yg tau hnye keseronokan semata2.....Tp kitorang sume dah dewasa skrg dan mpunyai halatuju idup msg2...cume kalo belek2 gmbr lame trkenang kisah2 dulu, lucu gak ble pkir2 blik...kalo leh nk gak aku blik zaman budak2 espcialy ms zaman sekolah rendah...Doraemon help me.....penuh ngan kengan yg xleh dilupakan smpi ble2......

Mane member2 yg lain mcm zaki, nizam, marlina, lailizah, esma, norwati, norfamilah, amizah, zairi, nurulazlin, md hisham, md zaid, asnor, azlin, azlan lazim, riduan, rokiah, anuar dagang, rosetah, norzita, norlaily, roslizawati@mak mok, sharizan, ramlee, rostam, mustakim momok, mardiah, murni, murniwati, faizal riza, lilihidayu, roslila, norhaziah, nasrul hisyam, norizad , nahidah, normala, norlinda dll...

6 kenanga...aida, mashanizah, nerazuan, irwan, afizah, rizal, sidek, maslina, airma, naziry, husaidi, che suhaidy, azlinawaty, zamry, herwan, maslina, maswati,

6 mawar...suhayani, khairenawati, Nur azuan, kher, hairon alami, nazir, azmam, salasiah, norman, asrif, siti radhiah, fadhil, amran, idris, sarnida, issahly, zetty asmara, azril hisyam, azlina ayob, jajali, faisal razib, faizal md nor

6 melati...suzana, rinda, norfaeza, tinazila, sharifudin, sumiamah, rozalita, salwa, zamzam tukiban, fadly ustz rawi, yusrey, sopian, syahrizal...........................

Ok kite jmpe lg pd chapter akn dtg dalam siapa sebenarnya Azlan........

Regard,
Addy Putra,
Kano State, Nigeria

thanks christine

Dear Shah,

I would be howling, after so much expectation and effort, to be disappointed about a visa. Are you allowed to swear? A few choice words might let off steam, but a vigorous bushwalk is great too. There is an old Scottish saying: 'What's for ye won't go by ye." If that is any consolation. Better luck next time.

It is very cold here. We took Mum to the bus station this morning. She is off to Canberra, to my sister, for a few weeks. She refuses to fly this time and I hope she survives the 18 hour journey by bus. Maybe, I will have to go and fetch her home (fly with her). We'll see. She wants to stay a long time with my sister, but my sister wants to put a time limit on the visit (being a very busy person). It will be interesting to see what eventuates. Then I went to an outdoor shop to buy a new parka with a hood for the rain, but couldn't find one to suit. But Val bought a nice thick one really cheaply for next time we go skiing (ha ha).

Then I picked up some books at Uni library. Then we walked the dogs. And now I'm home and wondering which end of my work to get on with, the creative piece or an outline of the whole project including the critical component.

5pm and time to feed the dogs.

Take care and don't work too late,

Cheers, Christine

miss & my life story

Look the weather is fine, i get the some paddy from the field and pick out the good one....Ha mukadimah jer...bukan petik padi pn tp g cari kangkung tepi bendang...ari nie aku xde keje coz merayau2 la kt keliling kampung nie dengan ditemani 2 budak itam legam....rajin depa nie tolong aku g cr kangkung kemain banyak kt cni...rupa2 nye diorng x mkn kangkung....bodoh gak diorang nie...air longkang pi minum....dpt la satu beg plastik..spnjg jaln nie byk gler kambg, lembu dok bg salm kt aku...tanduk panjang berjela....tp pandai cross jln time ptg....xde plak accident....

Kt sni ble g mane2 sume org tgk...ramai peminta sedekah siap dtg dan kerumun aku...depa ingt aku org kaya kot...tp depa x tau aku kayap gak....x pn diorang tgk sape nie mamat nie...hensemnye...hahaha...kulit nie putih ckit jer dr kulit kte....bile kt masjid sume duk pakat keliling aku tgk muka aku...yg budk kecik2 ar....bwk mangkuk mintk duit...mane leh bg duit kalo bg berderet mintk...kdg2 kesian gak tp nk wat camner keselamatan....time diorang tgk jer aku pn pura2 tdo time dengar kutbah....jaht x aku....kutbah diapun x paham...pot pret...alih2 dh nk smbahyg simple gler kutbah diorang kt cni.... siap pakai baju yang ade bendera malaysia lg, langkawi....kt cni ble ckp msia diorang kagum...sume ckp good...ape yg good pn aku x tau padahl dh porak peranda....

K ar skrg aku nk start story ttg member aku nie, si Azlan nie, kalo korang nk tau abg dia prnah bling biji kelapa sawit kt kepala aku...ape lg mnangis la aku...sakit wei...time 2 mandi kt sg...mane de paip time 2..tp aku x prnh lak jmpe si azlan nie mandi kt sg..anak manja la katakan....
Kalo nk tau, dia la the only one mybe di msia khussnya dan amnye di benua Asia, best student time SPM ms kt SMBE.....terror gler...tp mlangnye gagal bile msuk matrikulasi kt Uitm...ambk kos sains perpustakaan....pdhal dia dpt offer gak msuk matrikulasi kt UIA.....ape jadahnye ambik kos 2 ntah....nape x puas jd librarian time kt SKBE dan SMBE...sampai ramps jwtan ketua pusat sumber dr hairul zairi BACHOK...

smpi nk keje jd librarian...dengar cter nk jd ketua Arkib negara mcm ZAKIAH HANOM...dh x cukup g curi buku dan x dipulangkan dr library (f) Bkit waha...mentang2 la member sendiri yg jg time 2...sape lg best frend dialah si razali....jeneral syaitan....black devil....curi plak buku penyiasatan yg popular time 2...ape lg 5 sekawan...ala yg georgiana nk jd george, Eddie, dean, mona dan tompok...tompok bkan name khas utk kucing ker...gler ltak name anjing pn tompok..anjung pondan kot....hehehe....berbalik story ttg si mamat nie...pas fail dia pn menggur jap and then x lame kmudian aku dgor dia smbg study form 6 kt Maktab Adabi Muar....ala maktab yg byk kopak2 dan lubang2 xkn korang x tau..Sejak study kt maktab 2 la sume instant food dr adabi trmsk la rempah ratus adabi n then x lupe time raye ketupat segera adabi...skrg x tau la plak aku dia still guna brand yg same...jgn babi sdahla...

Slps mndapat result yg cemerlng dalam STPM, dia smbg study kt UM, tgh2 study accident plak...tangan patah...dah posponed study mybe 1 semester kot...pas2 tangan dia x leh main badminton apetah lg melancap...x tau dia mlancap skrg gune aper...mybe gune bantal kot...Arrrgh....Pas2 dgor2 dpt offer cntinue study kt australia...power gak dia nie...smpai la skrg....aku pn xtau dh pe perkmbangan dia...yg aku tau dia brkawan ngan anjing....hahahaha.....Aku msih ingt lg bile dpt offer smbg study kt U bukan main hepi ktorang...dia la trlbh over time 2...trlompat mcm beruk makye kene belacan...ntah aper yg dia suke sngt pn aku xtau...nk mampos kot time 2...

kitorng pn pegila bukak BSN akaun, bukan main jauh time 2 nk bukak buku akaun smpi kt jb, ala ape name tmpt 2 wisma maria kot...ambik name sempena maria bachok, maria arshad dan maria farida.....time 2 buku wrna kuning...aku still simpan buku 2 yg kami sme2 wat pd tahun 1996...dh 12 tahun 2....punye la hepi time 2...asrif? sape dia nie...aku nk bg tau aku dh x lg berkawan dng dia nie ats sbb trtentu...sorry....aku gaduh pn sbb si Azlan nie la...kalo korng nk tau lbih lnjut tnye dia la...

Si Azlan nie suka penynyi sheila majid...konon2 taste org bandar la...nie aku nk ludah nie..ptuiiih! kalo pnyi lelaki dia minat gler kt Herman Tino....hahahaha.....

Aku dh mengantuk nie...kte smbng pada edisi akan dtng ok....dalam edisi...Siapa Azlan Sebenarnya??? Syhh....bye

Khabar dari Miss - Nigeria

Ape ko tgh wat ek skrg...mesti membuta kan kt sne skrg kul 7.30pg...kt cni kul 10.30 mlm....
Jap lg nk masak tp bukan aku yang masak, member aku si doktor 2 la yg masak...tiap2 hr dia jer yg memasaknye..aku just tlg2 jer ape yg patut...potong bawang ker...skrg asyk jer mkn nasi...nampak gaya x turun la berat aku..makin naik lg...lbih2 lg ptg td beli milo tin besar lg..pling special brand malaysia bai....pada member yg nk anto milo 2 takyahla terima kasih jer....member nie org kelantn so sume mask dia letak gula dan suka manis2 smpi tembikai pn ltak gula aku pn tibai jer...nasib baik aku byk member kelate dan selalu gak mkn yg diorang msknye....Even skrg pn hosmet kt Msia 3 org sume kelate....dulu hosmet aku org kelate jgk tp dh kawin dh de ank pn...dulu jer hosmet aku org johor dekat 8 thn ktorng duk same smpi la dia kawin......msg2 dh beranak pinak...aku jer bujang trng tang tang.............

Semalam kt cni hujan ribut angin kencng nk mampos prtma kali sejak aku lahir tgk live angin ribut mcm 2....mcm citer twister tahun 1999....kt cni xdela smpai lembu pn terbang gak 2 pembohong namenye...ps2 ujan slebat2 nye smpai banjir smlam......tp umah aku x plak ujan....
Oooo...ko kutuk aku yer...serupa taik ko..nie aku nk bercerita ttg ,member aku yg sorang nie name dia azlanshah...tp kami panggil dia azlan jer...tp aku panggil dia noya...jiran2 dia pnggil angah...ape tah yg best sagt name 2...nie kalo nk bercerita ttg mamat sekor nie mmg la pnjg x cukup sthun kena panngil doraemon kuarkan dr kantung ajaib dia.....masa kt SKBE...dia nie suka sgt menyanyi..kami time 2 darjah 6...bukn nk belajo sgt asyk jer nk main....siap wat prtndingan juara lagu lg....time 2 dkt UPSR pn ktorang main lg...

last2 kuar result UPSR aku yg pling teruk....masa prtndingan jenuh jugak aku nk cr sponsor hadiah nk bg kt penyanyi cabok nie....time 2 aku msih ingat yg selalu brtnding ialah si Azlan nielah ngan kawan baik dia si Md zaki, lailizah, esmawati dan marlina.kdg2 panggil penynyi jmputan lain Norwati.....antra lagu top yg selalu diorang nyanyi time 2 adalh dr penynyi spt ramlah ram, rohana jalil, wann, norsheila amin...wei jgn x tau time 2 sume top lagi...berada pada papan teratas....tp yg marlina nie suka sgt nyanyi lagu kump rock ekamatra-pusara lebuhraya dan sentuhan kecundang.....mane agaknye minah sekor nie mnghilang......siap tubuh group sendiri, irabella kot...mcm bangkai nama group....

Pastu kitorng main pen plak...siap wt bendera lg gantung....dulu2 macm bodoh.....wlpn main permainan bodoh tp kitorang semua dpt masuk universiti tau kecuali esmawaty.......Si azlan nie pntg de pertndingan menyanyi ker, syarahan ker dan lain2 muke dia jer yg masuk....xde muka org lain...kira2 popular la time 2...tp x plak msuk pertandingan musabaqah kt sekolah...yg aku tau dia msuk prtndingan musabaqah wakil blok2 kt felda simpang waha...x tau la menang ker x...rasenya saguhati kot......maklumlah tajuwid x pas....hahaha....bola sepak lngsng tak tau main...kaki bangku....

Ble msuk SMBE, aku dh x berape sgt ngan mamt sekor nie, time 2 member2 aku mcm asrif, irwan, azrul, zamzam, zul saian.....tp aku still ikut prkmbangan dia lagi...tp berubah jd penari plk....menari time ade menteri dtg...yg aku x paham bole dia bergelek, lenggang lenggok menari time 2....kalo aku dh bunuh diri.....menari sampai kt johor craft lg....sampai la tempt 2 bangkrup...dengan kawan baik dia 2 la md zaki......pas PMR aku g SMT dan putus hubungan sampai la abis SPM baru jumpe blik...2 pn kawan baik dia si razali dia bwk aku gi umah mamat nie.....benda yg aku tinggalkan selama 5 thun dulu kini kembali lg....disuruhnye aku plak menjadi juri...diorang menyanyi tp dh advance nynyi guna kaset plak....aku terpaksa bwk kaset blik nk nilai suara diorang yg mcm katak bentong 2....hahahaha..

Nak tau kisah selanjutnya tunggu....ape yg berlaku plak....jangan marah yeee....hahahahah

keep warm in winter...

Hello Shah,

Lovely to hear from you. I'm plodding on. I saw a superb movie a few days ago "Hiroshima mon amour" (1959) by Alain Resnais, a French/ Japanese collaboration. It combines a lyrical trajectory in the text with stunning documentary images. Very innovative use of flashbacks to mark how memory interrupts the linear time of the present (a love affair, amidst the rebuilding of Hiroshima, between a French actress making a movie about "Peace" and a Japanese architect).

I've just had a disquieting visit from my mother who is full of anger about growing old and unreconciled to the way the world "respects" old age. I must bear the guilt for not making institutions or the young come to heel when called. So, I am going to take Molly and Butzi for a walk to blow away the Sunday shadows. Then maybe I can do some work for my thesis. The creek is full of water and the flowing very quickly. The dogs love to jump in and play, catching bubbles and water-drops. They fence with their snouts, then run out when they get cold, shake and race away across the oval, chasing one another and barking at the wind. Butzi is still very fit for a sixteen year-old (or older, no one knows), but Molly is fast and slim and sleek and happy—full of beans. They are fun to watch.

Alex came for dinner on Friday. He is fine and said we must make a date next week to see the new Heath Ledger film. Sam came for dinner yesterday (you would think they could get their act together). He is enjoying his new job at the Attorney General's Dept. Val has just come back from squash. Yoyo and Merry spend more time indoors, although Yo is suspicious of Butzi and sleeps with one eye open. Yes, it is cold here too. And I don't know where today has gone. We have some South African friends. Steve has a strong Affrikans accent. His father was Dutch/Boer and his mother Italian, and English is a second language.

Although he understands very well because he is a practising pathologist here. Alison has English as her first language, although she speaks some Affrikans. They have been in Australia since the early 1970's. Val is bilingual. Estonian is his first language, although he went to England when he was eight-years-old, then came to Australia when he was twelve. I asked him which language he dreams in, but he said he doesn't dream in any language: understanding is through mental telepathy. I have a young friend who is rehearsing his play for the OzAsia Festival in Okinawa with a Japanese/Australian cast and crew—cross-cultural venture. He suggests that it is very hard to reach complete cross-cultural understanding. Many things get lost in translation. And more about respecting difference, negotiating areas of conflict, staying open, working out what really matters in life...etc., etc.

Gotta go now and eat. I hate it when my stomach acid gurgles. Snack, then a walk with the dogs. Fortunately, the sun is shining and looks likely to stay that way for a few hours at least.

Cheers, Christine

semalam punya cerita

dah lama aku tak menulis apa-apa kat blogs ni...aku sibuk banget lately...nak siapkan chapter itu ini, mana nak ke conference lagi, kertas kerja tak siap, jurnal apa ke benda lagi aku pun tak tahu..tapi okay laa so far masih berada dalam keadaan terkawal....hari ni sejuk...dah pakai jumper yang diperbuat dari bulu kambing pun masih sejuk lagi..so aku on ler heater..baru best siket...sambil tu minum kopi dan layan jazz...Alvin beritahu aku tadi sama ada aku nak pi ke live jazz jamming esok...tak tahu laa nak pegi ke tak..hari tu dah pegi....tapi rasa macam aku terbuang masa jer walaupun enjoy...so maybe next time kot....

diam tak diam dah masuk 18 bulan aku study kat sini....dalam erti kata lain dah setahun enam bulan...takutnya bila menghitung hari ni...yer laa kang tak siap keje aku kat sini mahunya aku dimangkukkan oleh semua org kat Malaya...so aku kena keje kuat lagi lepas ni...mesti buat semua on time...laa ni aku tengah dok sibuk pulun analisis data untuk pilot test...kena siapkan sebelum conference bulan oktober tahun ni...aku kena make sure sebelum balik malaysia end of this year at least dah siap few chaps..tak sabar nak balik Malaysia...kali ni nak melepak betul-betul..tak hingin aku pi opis kang nanti tak pasal-pasal tut! tut! tut! malas nak cerita...

sebut pasal nak balik malaya ni, teringat plak dulu waktu zaman aku sekolah kat kampung...apa nama sekolah tu? haa Sekolah Menengah Bandar Easter...(ewah buat pura-pura lupa laa pulak)...hahaha....aku tetap menghargai sekolah aku walaupun tak seglamour sekolah-sekolah yang lain - yang ada wibawa kononnya...pagi tadi aku dok mejenguk group SMK bandar Easter..ramai plak yang posting...bincang macam-macam topik...best laa pulak..tak sangka ramai anak felda Simpang Waha dah berjaya laa ni..cuma kami tak hasilkan artis jer lagi...artissss...paham tak? sepatah kata Man Laksa...kuang kuang kuang....mana cd Man Laksa aku Faizal tak pulang balik ? cis...satu-satunya movie Melayu favourite tu....

apa yang menarik kat SMK Bandar Easter tu? takde laa menarik apa pun tapi banyak juga kenangan pahit manis waktu kat sana....aku sekolah kat situ dari form 1 (1991) sampai form 5 (1995)...aku paling tak suka wakut hari sukan sekolah..masa tu kena lari laa, kena lompat-lompat laa..tapi nak buat macam mana kan..kang tak lari atau lompat kena tempeleng laa pulak dek cikgu..so buat jer laa...of course laa aku yang lari paling teruk...kuang kuang kuang...aku masih ingat lagi nama-nama cikgu yang mengajar aku dari form 1 sampai ler form 5...tapi yang paling best ialah cikgu Wardah..dia baik sangat sampai laa ni mesti datang umah aku kalau hari raya..cuma masa tak mengizinkan nak jumpa sebab bila dia dan suami dia, cikgu Iskandarrani datang time tu laa aku takde....busy beb....kalah PM..ok lah sambung nanti... nak makan mcd..hahaha...

yoyo ~

Dear Shah,

It has been very cold and wet today, but we still managed to take Molly and Butzi for a walk. Yoyo has found a cozy spot on a chair under the little table where I have put your lamp. We had visitors for dinner on Sunday and the lamp gave a lovely warm ambience to the corner of the room. I love watching the red globs move up and down, break apart and reform -- fascinating.
I have just received some good news, confirmation that a creative piece was accepted for the 4th annual AAWP writing anthology. It will be launched in November. I have just sent off a 25 word biography, really only room for name and institution. A little positive reinforcement feels good. I hope your visa application goes well. We had a circular today that mentions your conference here in November at Adelaide Uni. It will be great if both you and Wokar make it.

Cheers, Christine

keep busy ~

Apa yang menarik, proses ‘perkelanaan’ konseptualisasi ‘moden’ memerlukan percaturan peripentingnya pengekalan sistem dan fahaman ‘patriaki’, sungguhpun ia mampu dan perlu diubah dan disesuaikan mengikut peredaran zaman. Adalah jelas bahawa kegusaran untuk mengubah persepsi bahawa peranan wanita semakin ‘menyetarai’ kelas eksklusif ‘patriaki’ pada zaman moden hari ini, boleh mencipta siri ‘ancaman dan ugutan’ terhadap sistem gender yang berkiblatkan tradisional. Adalah jelas bahawa salah satu elemen yang membentuk pembangunan sosial masyarakat adalah wanita. Namun, apa yang perlu dipersoalkan ialah dominasi dan cabaran ke atas imej wanita. Sebagai contoh, penyerlahan imaginasi yang bercantum dengan budaya kepenggunaan kapitalis bakal memberi impak pasca moden yang melihat wanita menjadi sandaran kepada kepelbagain imej. Peluang untuk kebanyakan wanita di Malaysia khususnya orang Melayu hari ini melibatkan diri dalam sektor industri menyaksikan ‘pengkelasan’ wanita Melayu sebagai objek pemodenan keluarga, dan pada yang sama dilihat sebagai ‘ancaman’ kepada perpecahan keluarga, serta ugutan dominasi ‘patriaki’ dan sistem gender tradisional.

home again

Dear Shah

Arrived home just before midnight last night -- very weary. But we had a wonderful day yesterday, in spite of some rain. We visited the Treasury Museum, Fitzroy Gardens, Melbourne Museum, State Library of Victoria (Dome and Medieval imagination Exhibition -- stunning), Federation Square, South Bank and wonders of wonders The Eureka Tower. We also walked until my legs gave way and my feet were agony with blisters, but I bought first a new pair of boots which were just as bad, and then a pair of cheap flat shoes which were soft and bliss on my burning feet. We caught the last bus to Avalon at 7-40pm.

That, in itself was a wonderful ride. There were only about half-dozen people on this huge double-decker and Sam and I took a seat each, on the top deck, at the front. The night-lights of Melbourne were spectacular, especially from the top of the Westgate Bridge. Flight went out late at 10pm. This morning I got up early for my shift at radio RPH. Now I'm really tired. I'm sorry I did not attend Rosja's presentation. I meant to but we had barely begun at the Treasury Museum and Sam did not want to change his plan and hike back in that direction so soon.

However, I was really impressed with yours and I'm sure Chris and the rest of the supervisors are very happy with your progress and plans for your next step in the research. I also learnt something from the way Rachel structured her report and from Wogar's presentation. The suggestions and feedback from both staff and students must be very useful in clarifying thoughts and directions. You seem to be involved with a supportive and happy working group. Please thank the convenors for allowing me to attend. I must go and get to work on the structure of my proposal, so that I can talk to John MacC.

coherently about what I am trying to do. My abstract was not accepted for the Uni of Melbourne Conference (AntiTHESIS) in July. The convenors suggest they had twice as many applications as they had places for on the day, and mine did not fit into a category with any others. They suggest I might like to make a submission to their journal later in the year, but my whole reason for applying was "performative," rather than an analytical report. Ah, well, I've done enough gadding about for the time being.

Well done again on your presentation. And thank you for the chocolates -- naughty of you to be so extravagent, but Sam and I both appreciate the gift -- we are both chocoholics.

Cheers, Christine

-----------------------------------

Dear Shah,

I hope your visa application goes well. I cannot see how it shouldn't. Thanks for the link to zoo competitions. Sadly I am not eligible --only undergrads. I bought Jeff Lewis' book on cultural studies -- very interesting, especially towards the end on transculturalism. I ordered it through Amazon and it arrived very quickly and much cheaper than I could have bought it here. It is a second hand copy, with a few pages already highlighted, but in very good condition.

It is very windy and rainy here. Dogs may get a walk later, but I have much to do today and must return some books to Flinders. A long way to go for a few books. On Saturday night I went to a beautiful performance in the Space of the Festival Theatre. It is called "Impulse" and combined the Zephyr Quartet (strings, four musicians) with six dancers from the Leigh Warren Dancers. Very innovative exploration of the space and patterns of movement. No narrative except what each spectator brings to the performance, just logical, mathematical, lyrical statements. I was very happy with the experience.

I am about to work out what I would like to attend in the OzAsia Festival in Sept/Oct. Hope you are well.

Cheers, Christine

Letih tapi seronok....hahaha..dah lama betul kan tak tulis apa kat sini...anyway, ia satu perkara biasa...bila dah terlalu sibuk sampai perkara-perkara kecik pun lupa nak buat...minggu betul-betul sibuk...apatah lagi GRC pun dah nak dekat..masa tu laa kena buat preparation betul-betul..tak nak laa buat setakat melepaskan batuk di tangga...bila buat kerja, kena hasilkan dan perform sesuatu yang terbaik...hmmm...next week Christine dan Sam datang....lama betul tak jumpa Christine...last jumpa ketika summer tahun sudah...malangnya christine tak dapat bawa Molly dan Yoyo...kalau tak mesti seronok...

tahun ni kena siapkan beberapa kerja yang tertangguh...terdapat beberapa fakta dan teori yang perlu di kaji sehingga ke akar umbi...dan paling mengejutkan aku terpaksa membaca semula karya-karya agung melayu walaupun rata-ratanya sudah diterjemah ke dalam bahasa orang kulit putih..tak kisah laa tu...last aku membaca karya-karya ini ketika di form six..alamak, teringat pula rakan-rakan ketika menuntut di Maktab Adabi Maharani...walaupun sekolah tu buruk dan kemudahan tak mencukupi, tapi aku terhutang budi betul sebab ia menjadi platform penting untuk aku mencapai cita-cita...aku masih ingat lagi bagaimana kami terpaksa memujuk beberapa kenalan di sekolah kerajaan biasa untuk rujukan soalan-soalan lepas STPM...kelakar betul....

ke mana agaknya mereka semua? Emy gemuk, Adriana yang cantik (malangnya dah ada anak dua), Ajak, Am, Fadzil, Zul Zam Zam, Bob, Zam, Azmi dan ramai lagi...hampir semuanya aku dah lost contact..kalau terjumpa semula di tengah jalan mesti rasa macam tak percaya....seakan baru semalam ia berlaku..walhal sudah lebih 12 tahun....hmmm...mungkin cuti musim panas kali ini aku akan ke muar...mengutip kembali kenangan di tepi Tanjung Emas dan Wetex parade..hahaha...ayat macam sasterawan...entah hapa-hapa...aku sebenarnya masih lagi menunggu jawapan dari Pittsburgh..tak tahu sama ada aku layak atau tidak untuk dapat fund tersebut..harap-harap berjaya....tapi aku tak meletakkan sebarang harapan..terlalu jauh dan berkos tinggi...tak apa lah...yang penting kerja-kerja aku di sini siap dan menepati jadual..tak sabar rasanya nak balik dan membetulkan semula kurikulum di Jabatan...semuanya sudah tersasar dan tidak menepati apa yang aku harapkan...tapi tidak mengapa...ia satu cabaran dan cabaran itu memang menyeronokkan..

christine is coming :P

Dear Shah,

What fun! Sam has a few days off before he starts his new job, so we are coming to Melbourne next Thursday and Friday for a break. He has just booked the flights and accomodation. If I may, I will come to your conference on the Thursday, but I must spend the Friday sightseeing with Sam. Should I register with the organisers for Thursday? I would also like to hear the keynote speaker. I asked Sam to give me plenty of time to get to RMIT by 10-30pm for your presentation, so we are getting the earliest flight.

Cheers, Christine

christine says:

hi shah

just hit the wrong button on the laptop. i'm balancing it on my chest and typing with one finger. and i have the wrong glasses on to see at the correct distance. how's things with you? we had hailstones and buckets of rain last night. you'll be back for the cold weather. 3am i was cleaning up after having friends over for dinner. had alovely time and both alex and sam came to help out and meet friends. i'm thinking of sending an abstract to the uni of melbourne for a conference in july - based around a performance piece i wrote a while ago -- antithesis. i have my paper written for conference in two week's time at newcastle. only problem is presenting in powerpoint. sam is going to help with the transfer since it's my first attempt.

how is your work coming along? have you managed to collect all the data you require? i'm interested to know the outcome of your research. it should be very enlightening about viewing patterns. has your teaching gone well? There is a picture in today's paper of the autumn leaves at mt lofty botanical gardens. mylor, too, is very beautiful. the leaves are deep red and crispy brown this year. very little yellow. a product of the water shortages over summer, i think.

hope you are well. cheers, christine

-------------------------------------------

Dear Shah,

Thank you for the beautiful postcards. I am pleased to hear about your project and never doubt that your network of subjects will prove very interesting. Persist and you will find what you are looking for. Do your best with the teaching and all will be well. You will find that nothing of substance will have slipped your brain when you need it. Yesterday I spent the day in Melbourne. So sorry you were not there, but I caught a 6am flight, the Skybus to Southern Station, walked up Bourke Street and turned left into Swanston Street, had breakfast at the State Library, spent four hours in research on a text in the rare texts reading room, then reversed the travel and was back in Adelaide by 5-15pm. A wonderful day and I learnt heaps. Thank goodness for cheap flights.

I must go. My brother and sister-in-law have a week of their holiday left. I must be sociable.
Cheers, Christine

--------------------------------------

Dear Shah,

I was wondering about the crossed emails, but did not take it too seriously. You are doing well with your research, to have come so far.I like the new statement you have finally nutted out with your supervisor. My research has stalled, for various and complex reasons. At the moment I am concentrating on getting my paper for the Newcastle Conference down to twenty minutes. It "hurts" to cut my beeyooteeful composition (about 5,000 words), cut out my "darlings" and leave nothing but fish-bones (3,000 words). But I must be ruthless.

("Ruthless" that is an inadvertant play on words because my supervisor is called Ruth and we are not doing too well together at the moment.) In effect, I have talked to the Literature Department and I am thinking of transferring there, but I have until the end of May to weigh my decision. I am thinking of sending an abstract for a conference called "Antithesis." I think it's in July at Melbourne Uni. Also will be happy to see you when you come to Adelaide. We have a spare room now, if you need a bed for a few nights. Frisky finally passed away peacefully a few days ago. She hung on with good appetite much longer than expected. A good innings. When the warmer weather comes, we think we will get another puppy for Molly, another kelpie. They are such smart dogs.

Tomorrow I am going to a wedding -- the daughter of very old friends. Sonia was born just before Sam. Alex escorted her to the Year 11 and 12 formals. It is a very grand affair at Ayers House. I spent today looking for something dressy to wear. I hate shopping and I am going to hate even more teetering around in stupid court shoes. But the speeches should be fun and the bride and groom (Jason), no doubt, exquisite. Val is fine, and the boys. Mum is coming for a meal on Sunday because it is Mothers'Day. She has a cataract operation on Tuesday. I go to Newcastle from Thursday to Monday next week. I am looking forward to the workshops and everyone's papers.

Cheers for now,

Christine

christine says:

Hi Shah
Good to hear from you. Off to Malaysia already? Good luck with your plans. Of course you are welcome whenever you come to Adelaide. I've been meaning to contact you, but it is Writers'Week in Adelaide, and I am spending my days in the tents by the Torrens near the Festival Centre listening to authors talk about their work. It has been extremely interesting so far. Last night I heard Peter Carey, Paul Auster, Siri Hustvedt and Ian McEwan at the Town Hall. I did enjoy the occasion.

My work proceeds slowly. However, I know what I am doing (I think) and it is just a matter of hanging in there and doing the work. I have had an abstract accepted for a conference on "Art and the Real: Creative Nonfiction" in Newcastle in May. I must work steadily towards that (with other things) and do the best I can. My brother, his wife and my nephew came last week but have gone again, touring around the coast road and then on to Canberra to my sister. Alan, my nephew, wants to visit Sydney where he has a friend to see. They will be back anon (to use the old Shakespearean word).

Again, all the best for your research.
Cheers,Christine (Val and the rest)

PS It is very hot but maybe we will take Molly for a walk when Val gets back from squash.

--------------------------------------------------------

Hi Shah,

Is your boss-lady still keeping your nose to the grindstone? In other words: How is your research coming along? And your teaching responsibilities? I hope all is going well. March was a wipe out with Writers'Week (great culture) and my family from Scotland being here. They went home to cold and snow and my brother emails that they all have colds. My nephew, Alan, had a good break. He is twenty-three now, in fact three weeks separate him and Sam in age. This was his first holiday in four years, since he started working at Lairhillock, a posh restaurant near Aberdeen. He is a fully qualified chef now and did some reconnaisance in Adelaide, Canberra and Sydney for work as a chef. He's gone home to apply for a two year working visa with a view to immigrating, if he likes it here. Nice lad, with a broad Scots accent, as have my brother and sister-in-law. Look what I escaped!

My mother is getting older. At the moment she is trying to decide whether to stay in Adelaide or move to be near my sister in Canberra. She is going in for a cataract operation in May -- nothing dramatic. I went to see a play last night, at the Dunstan Playhouse -- very funny. By Joanna Murray-Smith, "Female of the Species." I would swear she's been sitting in on my computer and pinched my notes on Lacan and Freud, not to mention Joni Mitchell and turned them into hilarious archetypal characters. I've also had a great time listening to old albums, from "my era" -- the late Sixties and early Seventies. Couldn't afford to buy music then, so I'm catching up now. When are you due back in Melbourne? You'll be just right for winter coming. The weather is fine and cool right now. Just come back from walking Molly on the Mylor Oval. Someone said: "that's a good looking dog you have there." And she is.

Take care. Cheers, Christine

selepas jer melantak McD untuk kali yang ketiga dalam minggu ni aku pun bertapa semula kat dalam office..mula-mula ingat nak siapkan saringan soalan untuk kumpulan fokus tapi rasa malas-malas kucing laa pulak..so aku menghabiskan masa membaca berita semasa dalam dan luar negara..kang tak update rasa macam tak best laa pulak kalau berborak dengan rakan-rakan yang sewaktu dengannya di Malaya nanti..esok pagi aku nak pergi bayar itu tiket flight..aku harap kali ni boleh clear semua bayaran tersebut..kalau tak dapat tarikh yang sesuai terpaksa laa aku beli tiket sehala jer...senang siket keje aku..at least, balik Malaysia nanti bleh dapat discount kat travel agency dalam kampus nanti..kih kih kih...bijak tak aku..

esok apa aku nak buat..? oh aku inga tnak kemaskan meja aku siket..aku rasa meja aku laa yang paling teruk dalam ofis ni penuh dengan barang-barang pameran...nasib baik che temah, kura-kura plastik yang aku beli kat Brunswick tu menjadi penyeri mejaku ini...dan juga che mek molek, replika burung kiwi yang dihadiahkan oleh si Tawakal sewaktu dia pi merayap ke NZ tahun lepas..kalau tak dengan sudu, kotak biskut, kertas note sana sini, menambahkan lagi kehodohan mejaku ini...oh ya, aku nak beli apa ek nak bawak balik ke Malaya? aku ni bab shopping paling lemah sekali...rasa macam nak tido jer bila dengar perkataan shopping..kalau boleh nak shopping online jer..takde laa nak menyusahkan aku nak pergi sana-sini lepas tu kena angkut berat-berat...aku ingat nak beli benda-benda simple jer laa kot..atau aku bawak nota atau artikel ilmiah sebagai buah tangan..baru laa nampak akademik sikit..keh keh keh...

Kalau aku dapat tiket 5 Mac ni aku ingat nak pulang ke Kota Tinggi sekitar 7 Mac..tapi ada tiket bas ke nak balik kampung? jangan sampai aku kena naik Airasia pulak...tak larat laa...harap-harap si Miss boleh dapatkan tiket balik kampung tu..tapi rasanya ada banyak bas tambahan kot..kalau tak dapat tiket maka punahlah impian untuk pi mengundi kat Sekolah Kebangsaan Bandar Easter tu...hehhehe..sebut pasal SKBE ni rasanya dah hampir lapan belas tahun kami tinggalkan sekolah..teringat waktu kami lumba lari setiap kali balik sekolah sekitar tahun 1985 hingga 1990. Dan juga aktiviti yang boleh membuatkan kami terbahak-bahak ketawa sebab memang kelakar giler bila jadik budak Felda ni...sebenarnya ada perbezaan antara kehidupan sebagai anak Felda dengan anak kampung..apa pun aku tetap gembira dan bangga jadik anak Felda...

Isk...berdebar-debar pulak aku nak balik ke kota tinggi ni..mesti ada banyak perubahan kot...tapi perubahan macam mana? mana tahu dah ada LRT ke kat kota tinggi tu..eh mengarutlah..kalau nak ada LRT pon rasanya kena tunggu sepuluh tahun lagi...itu pun kalau ada...tapi bak kata Miss acara yang paling mendebarkan ialah bila bertemu rakan-rakan lama waktu sekolah dulu ketika membuang undi..masa tu laa semua sibuk bertanya khabar (soalan bonus - bila nak kawin - rasa nak cepuk jer sapa-sapa bagi soalan cepu emas ni) dan aktiviti yang dilakukan sekarang ini..ceh, macam betul-betul jer aku ni dok bercerita...walhal bila habis jer mengundi terus jer balik rumah buat taik mata..sama seperti aktivit yang aku sering lakukan kalau balik beraya..kih kih kih...

yer laa nak buat apa lagi kan..semua member dah ada family dan aktiviti khusus yang depa nak buat..so aku pon taik mata laa disamping melakukan kerja-kerja pembaikan yang lain..contohnya, menonton televisyen, membaca komik Dragon Ball, mencari album-album gambar lama (kononnya nak menyingkap memori semalam, lepas tu kena marah dengan mak aku sebab buat sepah kat ruang tamu), membaca surat-surat dari rakan-rakan ketika bersekolah di Muar dahulu, mengira balik berapa banyak pen dan trofi yang aku terima setiap kali majlis penyampaian hadiah berlangsung (riak laa siket, keh keh keh), dan banyak lagi laa...

lepas tu makan sekejap and then tido balik...dan perkara yang sama berulang-ulang sampai laa hari aku nak balik semula ke Malaya...nak buat macam mana kan..nak pergi shopping kat Felda tu mana ada tempat pun..takkan laa aku nak melepak dengan pakcik-pakcik kat warung kopi kat gerai-gerai yang dekat dewan raya sana tu haa...lain laa kalau aku nak masuk politik..boleh laa aku jadik mesra rakyat siket...tapi kan, nak tak nak aku kena jugak jadik mesra rakyat tapi di kalangan wanita ajer laa kot sbb kajian aku lebih berkisar kepada wanita dan media..cis, ni penyelia aku ler punya pasal sibuk suruh aku kaji pasal wanita...tapi yang lawak, president/VC uni tempat aku belajar adalah wanita...boss besar tempat aku keje di Malaya pun wanita...

begitu juga ketua di Jabatan aku kat Malaya pun wanita...school tempat aku study sekarang pun diketuai oleh wanita..begitu juga dengan pengarah penyelidikan dan ketua unit pengajian Asia (yang juga merangkap penyelia aku)..pendek kata start aku belajar waktu first degree dulu sampai laa sekarang semuanya diuruskan oleh wanita...that's why aku selalu confuse memanggil erwan sebagai erwanita....(kih kih kih kutuk siket)..dan sebab itu jugalah tema aku sekarang ini ialah 'wanita sumber ilham selalu'...alamak, lapar pulak laa ...apa aku nak makan? walhal aku baru jer makan banyak benda..teruk betul laaa.....okay laa kita sambung nanti....bye :P

~ hujan turun rintik-rintik

Hari ni hujan turun...dah lama aku menunggu saat ini...musim panas macam ni seronok betul kalau hujan..teringat kat kampung...tapi hujan kat sini takde laa selebat macam kat kampung aku...masa aku perabih zaman kanak-kanak dan remaja kat Kota Tinggi dulu waktu hujan laa paling tak seronok..sebabnya tak boleh keluar bermain...tapi bila dah meningkat dewasa waktu hujan laa paling seronok sebab ada masa untuk berhenti seketika dari berbuat sesuatu..contohnya tengok tempias air hujan kat tingkap...

pagi ni aku bangun awal betul...rasanya dah hampir seminggu aku tidur awal...rasanya kalau kat KL mesti aku orang yang akan bangun paling awal..masakan tidak, kalau ditukar waktu maunya aku bangun pukul 4 pagi...tapi okay laa tu kot..bangun pagi pun seronok apa..mujur bilik aku takde air-condition...kalau tak mesti aku bangun pukul 10 pagi....hai tak sabar betul aku nak balik Malaya...jumaat ni aku ada appmt. dengan Brian..harap-harap laa pakcik tu bagi respon baik sikit...kalau tak terpaksa laa aku delay flight aku lagi....

The summer days are gone too soon...

Dear Shah,

Great to hear from you. Summer seems to have disappeared from Adelaide too. We've used our heater for the last three days; it has been cold. However, not much rain. It pelted on Thursday in the city. The carpark at Target was leaking with sheets of water on the top floor, but it did not rain at Aldgate. More rain would be good. I had been at uni in the morning returning a script to one of my colleagues from creative writing (I saw Katie C and John McConchie in the Plaza). Then I went into the Barr Smith to read a book in their rare book collection because the copy that was a Flinders has gone missing. While it rained I had lunch at Knoodle -- very tasty.

I sympathise with your supervisor problems. At least you are well ahead. I have yet to define my project and present my proposal. I am cross this milestone has not yet eventuated and would feel happier and more secure about what I am doing if only... Still, I am working towards an absract for a Creative NonFiction conference at the Uni of Newcastle in May, and hope it comes to pass -- focused work at least. Two nights ago I went to see the Bangarra Dance Theatre at Her Majesty's Theatre. It was a brilliant experience. The work is based on Indigenous Culture and the dancers seemed to breathe at one with the Land -- recreated with a wonderful set and lighting effects. The performance was at the same time deeply traditional and ultramodern in style and movement. The contemporary music score is superb. The outing put me in the mood for The Fringe and Festival of Arts, and of course Writers'Week here on the Torrens River by the Parade Ground.

I had a great holiday and enjoyed my stay in Canberra with my sister -- civilised kind of city. But I've come back to many admin and working chores -- concentration required. My brother, his wife and my nephew are arriving from Scotland at the end of Feb for a month's stay, mostly to see my mother who is growing frail. Val and Sam are busy clearing the middle room of Sam's stuff so we can make a spare bedroom. So if you do make it to Adelaide for a break, remember you are welcome here. The washing machine is also on its last legs. It is funny to see it hopping about the laundry and whining like a jet engine. The smell of burning wires is appalling. Val has ordered a new front-loader which arrives on Monday.

Molly is pleased I am home; I think the "boys" have not bothered to walk her properly. Frisky is holding her end up well for her age. Yoyo and Merry are cuddlesome and adorable as usual. Alex is moving to a house near the Ashford hospital and sharing with two friends. He will be much closer to his work in the city, have more space and be closer if we need to fetch him for anything (he still does not drive). Gotta get some work done now.

Cheers, Christine

greeting from Amina ~ Scotland

Hello Shah,

thank you for the greeting e-mail. Australia might be so far away, but once you test it and you meet those wonderful friends you can never forget them. Sorry to hear you are not going to UK to study, but I am sure your time Down Under will be more rewarding and enjoyable. So, the very best of luck with your new position. Everything here is going ok, in my free time I travelled to some places in Scotland, there is the megabus, a cheap bus that gets you everywhere. I attached some pictures of Edinburgh. I hope to get some good results for my project, so I would like to present in Australia. How is Deljian doing? Please give her my greetings.

Take care, amina

an e-mail from Peter Kemp ~

Hi there Shah
I like your list and LOVE your pithily cryptic captions...OK, here goes my list:

1) Meet Me in St Louis: for Judy Garland at her heart-tugging best, and because it's about the family I never had.

2) The Night of the Hunter: the age-old battle between utter Evil and benevolent Good, as witnessed by the fairy-tale-like innocence of children.

3) Mary Poppins: the most philosophically profound film ever to emerge from Hollywood: magical. mysterious, joyous, politically subversive, and genuinely sad.

4) Notorious: Hitchcock's glamorously sexy, emotionally complex suspense classic with Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman at their peak.

5) La Belle et la Bete / Beauty and the Beast: Versatile Jean Cocteau weaves a visually sensual cinematic spell around a classic 17th Century children's-fable-for-adults...

6) The Awful Truth: the supremely talented Cary Grant once more, matched every step of the way by gifted co-star Irene Dunne in Leo McCarey's witty, giddily romantic, deeply meaningful screwball farce.

7) Rio Bravo: Howard Hawks's almost transcendental 'chamber Western' about the heroic potential of friendship and 'making negatives into positives'.

8) Une Partie de Campagne / A Day in the Country: Jean Renoir's sublime and sensually charged adaptation of a 18th Century Guy de Maupassant short story into what can be justifiably claimed as 'a perfect film': idyllic, benignly good-humoured, pantheistic, unbearably poignant.

9) Happy Together: Wong Kar-Wai's iridescently hued psychodrama addresses many different kinds of love between three different kinds of men, who also, incidentally, symbolize three different kinds of 'China-ness'. An existentially tuned post-modern classic, superbly lensed.

10) Topsy-Turvy: Mike Leigh frames the story of Gilbert and Sullivan staging 'The Mikado' around a richly observed, wonderfully funny, humanly bitter-sweet, musically splendid portrait of life in the theatre, life-as-theatre. theatre-as-life. One of my favourite endings to any film.

Cheers, PETER KEMP

Canberra ~ another postcard from Christine

Hi shah,

Just thought I would show you an aerial shot of Canberra. I'm impressed with the city. Yesterday I swam in the Murrumbridge River at Casurina Sand ~ lovely. Today up early and looked at the City Centre, before walking around Lake BG to the National Museum ~ brilliant building. Bus travel so efficient - if you have a bike, easy.

Cheers, Christine

Canberra - a postcard from Christine

Dear Shah,

Canberra is a beautiful city ~ vey clean and excellent bus service. I've been doing the sighst in the morning and working in the Chiffley Library at the ANU in the afternon. The Australian national Film and Sond Archive was very interesting. I went to Old Parliament House yesterday and the Bushfire Memorial. Today visited the Bus Market.

cheers, Christine

penatnyer

selepas berhempas pulas selama lebih 3 minggu akhirnya aku berjaya juga siapkan struktur kasar ulasan susastera utk tesis...hehehe..sukanya aku..walaupun aku tak jamin tepat atau tidak mengikut keperluan school tapi aku rasa macam okay..keh keh keh..apa laa...tapi not bad laa..at least aku dah tulis sekitar 10k...cuma aku nak menyuntik ayat-ayat menggoreng bagi nampak ayu siket...cuaca hari ni sedang elok..tak panas dan juga tak sejuk...aku ingatkan nak pergi ke Melb. Central beli baju tapi aku melencong ke bookshop...hari ni sheryl takde..selalunya mak cik tu laa yang sibuk tolong aku tempahkan buku....rasanya dia off kot...aku dah tempah empat buah buku...nasib baik dah dapat elaun untuk beli buku..at least berguna jugak buku-buku yang dibeli tu nanti...

laptop aku dah meragam sejak akhir-akhir ni..mungkin dah terlalu banyak virus yang kurang ajar menyerang beliau dari segala sudut..hehehe...takpe..tunggu laa rosak...nanti boleh beli Mac...ceh perasan..macam ada banyak duit nak beli Mac...nak tak nak kena la kumpul duit dari sekarang...aku inagt nak pergi merayap ke rumah Rosya laa esok..tapi tak tahu pulak mak cik tu ada ke tak..kalau ada boleh laa aku ajak si zam pi merayap sekali...bosan betul akhir-akhir ni..rasa macam nak balik kampung ajer..harap-harap Chris balik cepat dari Thailand..aku nak suruh dia baca jugak ulasan susastera yang aku dah buat tu....kalau tak lambat laa nanti..aku nak semuanya selari dengan pelan yang aku dah rancang....

Thanks Christine for cheering my life :)

Dear Shah,

Thank you for your e-mail. Sorry the weather is getting to you and your literature review is a pain. It will get better when you can talk to your supervisor. We are at Falls Creek just now. I can receive e-mails but cannot sned them - so a postcard. We move on to Thredbo on Tuesday. After a forthnight there, Val is goping home and I go on to my sister's in Canberra. I return to Adelaide in early February.

Keep cheerful, Christine

summer's words from Christine

Dear Shah,

Thank you for the short story: I will read it shortly. I have also finally downloaded the attachment you sent about supervisors. I can't do it from my laptop inside but I have done it now in the "study." There are many useful tips there. Hot here also. Fortunately, we are air conditioned because I have been cooking and cleaning today. Some of my old school chums, teachers with me from 1975 to 1983, are coming tomorrow for a small celebration. We meet three or four times a year and all have children about the same age. It is good to relax and chat with friends.

Yesterday, Val, Alex, Sam and I went to see "The Golden Compass." I was disappointed. It is nowhere near as satisfying as the books. The script is pretty awful, although the mise-en-scene is rather lush. None of the characters were well rounded, nor did they grip my heart. Some nice special effects and some terrible repetitious ones. It's a pity Miyazaki Hayao did not get a hold of the rights and animate the story. That would have been stupendous. Phillip Pullman's polyvalent trilogy could be done justice to in anime. However, we did have gourmet woodoven pizzas beforehand in O'Connell Street -- very tasty. We've eaten lots of icecream to counter the heat, not durian, though. My favourite is vanilla.

Cheers, Christine

The Famous Five

Dear Shah,

I probably learnt to read on Enid Blyton. When I was at primary school in Nairobi libraries were non-existent. I remember a "collection" of books contributed by parents and friends from various sources, to keep children busy when set work was done. "Five at Smugglers' Top" was my first chapter book and I smuggled it home and finished it under the bed covers with the aid of a torch. Subsequently I discovered the kids next door (a family with five or six children), had most of the author's books. I begged and pleaded to borrow them, until I had read them all. Both my brother and I adored Enid Blyton.

I also used to devour my brother's "Biggles" books, about the ace World War pilot and his adventures. These days the 'political correctness' of such stuff is suspect, but I didn't care. Appalling maybe, but such fun reading, like the "Harry Potter" books. I read all of Enid Blyton's books to Sam when he was small. Both Sam and Alex also enjoyed Arthur Ransome's "Swallows and Amazons" series, about the adventure involved in messing about with sailing boats. Blyton created two sets of children's adventures. The Famous Five -- Julian, Dick, George, Anne and Timmy the Dog -- and another set of children who went to more exotic places abroad than the Famous Five.

I forget their names, but the books were "The Castle of Adventure," "The Island of Adventure" and so on. Kiki the Parrot is the main non-human character, adding more than a touch of humour. You told me the names of the children have changed for the Malaysian version, and for Uncle Quentin the 'do not disturb I'm busy' mad, bad-tempered scientist. Somewhere I still have Sam's box of Blyton books. He liked collecting them.

Cheers, Christine

summer days gone too soon....

At last, my task in Adelaide is over.

I went to adelaide last week for my delayed graduation ceremony and I have had so much fun for the entire six days with Christine and Tristan. After twelve months since I left Adelaide, everything still remained the same as it was. Yeap, the smell of summer scent and windchime sounds in Adelaide hills. I've seen a lot of awareness growing inside myself about emotional sphere. That dynamic of structure of feeling will lay beneath inside me and it will not gonna be changed forever.

summer greetings

Hi Shah,

The weather is great at the moment, but it will be hot by the end of the week. I'll meet you at 12 noon on Thursday in the Plaza. I'm happy to take you to Raffles House afterwards. I remember the Raffles Hotel in Singapore. Not that we ever went there -- too posh. But I think you could see it from an oval near a big swimming pool where we went to watch a tattoo -- once upon a time, a long time ago. Cole has been in touch about the get together on Tuesday, after your graduation.

See you on Thursday, Cheers,Christine

Christine says:

Dear Shah,

I've just had an email from Cole saying he has some spare time 17-19 December. That is a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday. Would you like to come to my place on one of those days for lunch? I think I can manage something in accordance with halal customs. Of course your friend is welcome too. Let me know what you would like to do and do not be afraid to speak out. Whatever suits you. Ask. I'm happy to pop up to uni anytime, if you would like to meet for coffee. Time and place is up to you. And if you would like to go on an excursion somewhere let me know, but there is no pressure if you are otherwise occupied. However, I have other obligations on Saturday 15 December, so that day is taken; otherwise it's up to you.

Looking forward to seeing you, Cheers,

Christine

Cole says:

Hi Shah,

Very good to hear from you. It would be great to catch up. I'm not sure about Thursday because I have interviews with students, Friday-Saturday 14-16 december I am on a film shoot, but 17-19 december I can certainly meet you! I would be very pleased to see you and talk, and hear more about your life in Melbourne. I really like Melbourne as a city, my favourite Australian city. Yes, I have been researching for my PhD. The major work will start next year and run 2008, 2009 & 2010. I have Christine's DVD, can you let her know I will bring it with me when we meet.

Cole

Summer scent from Christine

Hello Shah

Great to hear from you again. I am very glad your presentation went well and you have your conversion to PhD with no problems. I am putting theory on the back-burner for a while and beginning writing for my creative piece. I'm going ahead independently because I will have a new primary supervisor in creative writing when staffing is sorted out in the department for next year (many regular staff will not be there). Nick Prescott is still my second supervisor. I have only seen Cole in passing this year. In fact he has a DVD (Werner Herzog) of mine that I must remind him to return. It will be lovely to get together when you are in Adelaide, excursion, meal, whatever -- you say and I'll oblige. I would like to see you graduate, so be sure and reserve me a ticket if you can.

Asian Cinema is finished now and I miss the lectures and films. I loved some films by Zhang-ke, Zhang Yimou, Hou Hsiao-hsien, Kim Ki-duk and we finished with a most amusing Bollywood movie by Farah Khan called " Main Hoon Ha" (unless I have my titles muddled). But best of all I enjoyed the work of the Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami. I've watched " A Taste of Cherry", " The Wind Will Carry Us" and " White Balloon" (which he scripted but was directed by another young director, I believe). I am waiting for the library to receive more of his films, and I have put them on hold. Gotta go now and do something like work.

Cheers, Christine

entah kenapa

satu-satunya perkara yang paling tidak menyeronokkan hidup di perantauan ni ialah bila rasa sunyi dan bosan. Bila bosan satu kerja pun tak boleh jalan. pulak tu bila masuk musim summer. dah ler panas. bertambah-tambah laa kebosanan ku ini. rasa macam nak balik kampung jer. tapi nak balik pun kena fikir tiga empat kali juga. kalau setakat nak balik tambang macam dari KL ke JB tu hari-hari pun boleh. alahai, apa laa aku nak buat lepas ni. soalan interview dah selesai. proses identify responden pun dah nak hampir selesai. proposal dan approved. ethics clearance dah submitted. begitu juga dengan research permission ke EPU. satu lagi yang tak selesai. litt review.

aku jumpa terry last friday. saje nak korek siket ilmu beliau tentang litt review. kalau aku tanya chris bertambah pening kepala otak aku. dah ler rosya pun sibuk tanya benda yang sama. lagi laa bertambah berpinar-pinar bijik mata aku. nasib baik terry bagi a few tips. nampaknya aku kena ke library esok. oh, dah pukul 2.30 pagi. dan aku tak boleh tidur. susu dah segelas aku minum tapi tetap tak boleh tidur. dah dua filem aku tonton. mr bean dan in the mood for love. best. tapi bila rasa diri keseorangan semua jadi tak seronok. tiket ke Adelaide pun dah ambil. tak sabar nak jumpa cole dan christine. pasti banyak perkara yang boleh dibualkan.

berborak dengan miss sepanjang petang musim panas. sekurang-kurangnya dapat menghiburkan hati. satu-satunya member baik yang jauh di mata dekat di hati. membesar bersama-sama di kawasan luar bandar. sama-sama berjalan kaki ke sekolah sampai kulit pun naik rentung. tapi itu semua cerita dulu dan cerita itu kami kekalkan untuk dikongsi segala rasa pahit dan manis. jika masa boleh diputar semula mahu saja kembali ke zaman itu. belajar betul-betul dan menjadi seorang profesional di usia yang muda. walaupun tak praktikal apa salahnya pasang angan-angan. oh cepat betul masa berlalu. dah pun hampir 22 tahun. masa yang begitu panjang hanya untuk belajar.

dan dalam jangka masa itu kejayaan dan kegagalan silih berganti. ke mana pergi semua rakan sepermainan yang lain? itu kata-kata miss pada satu petang di musim panas 2007. soalan itu tidak terjawab dalam satu hari. sayang aku hanya menulis diari bermula pada tahun 1994 sehinggalah 2003. jika aku mula menulis pada tahun 1985 mungkin aku dapat menyimpan semua kenangan tersebut. tak apa. untuk generasi baru keluargaku nanti biarlah mereka bertatih menulis diari pada usia yang muda. sepatah kata Ella, "pasti aku abadikan zaman riang kanak-kanak"

selamat malam.

leganya!

hey hey hey...

GRC dah selamat....sekarang ni kena fokus utk post-GRC plak...perhaps, Chris will ask me for meeting sometimes next week to discuss another steps further in this research. Anyway, I am very happy as I did very well presentation, even though speechless sekejap in the q & a sessions. Apa pun depa puas hati, esp Dr Stephen dari NUS...siap sebut nama aku and point his finger on me waktu dia present keynote...oh bangganya...riak laa sekejap....keh keh keh...walhal research aku bukannya hebat sangat pun...mungkin it seems very ethnographic and the way I conceptualised the theoretical framework yang buat dia excited tanya lebih-lebih...

Ok lupakan GRC...aku baru jer dapat name list dari Azah - iaitu insan-insan yang digelar wanita yang menggemari televisyen drama...ada lapan orang semuanya dan rata-rata dari perlis...mak cik normah, mak cik rafida, mak cik fauziah, mak cik rokiah, mak cik misah, mak cik pura, dan mak cik Asma....alahai...nama pon tahap mak cik2 semuanya...ni yang buat aku exciting nak berjumpa dan bertentang mata...harap2 laa semua mak cik2 ni boleh bercakap dan ramah-tamah...bimbang jugak aku nanti jumpa semua jadik patung cendana tak bercakap-cakap...

Oh ya sebelum aku lupa, waktu GRC dengan tak sengajanya aku terjumpa Allison Wootherspoon, bekas penyelia sewaktu aku study kat Flinders dulu...memang lawak sampai dia pun terperanjat tengok aku study kat sini....apa lagi dia terus peluk cium sebab terlalu excited...memang lawak...terus aku teringat Cole dan Helen...Al beritahu aku Helen mengandung lagi untuk anak yang kedua..Cole pula semakin sibuk sekarang...dah lama rasanya aku tak e-mail Cole dan Helen....Al tanya sama ada aku akan buat filem lagi sepanjang aku di Melbourne...sorry laa Al, aku dah tak larat ler....dengan timbunan buku yang boleh membunuh sesiapa kalau jatuh kat atas kepala ni, macam mana laa aku nak buat filem?

tak sabar aku nak terbang ke Adelaide...walaupun ramai yang marah kt aku sbb tak pergi ke benua lain, tapi aku rasa selesa kat OZ...other than that, I learn a lot of things here and I will never stop....Kak Mira will be here somewhere around end of this year and Puan Liza plus Kak siti as well....hmmm...what would you think if we build another school of thought in term of cultural and media studies in the dept? this time an australian school of thought - that would be fun, hey! Ok laa..cukup laa takat ni...letih ler...nak rehat jap..ta!

christine says:

Dear Shah,

You are busy indeed. Your conference looks very interesting. I wish I could be there to hear the papers. I've been attending Mike Walsh's lectures and screenings in Asian Cinema, and I must say some of the auteurs and their films are fascinating. Tomorrow we move on to Iranian film. Last week we worked on Korean film, and before that Chinese. We are near the end of the course: next week is Bollywood, and that wraps up the year.

I read your abstract. Do you watch soaps? You know you must indulge if you are going to write about them. You must ask your mother what she likes, and her friends. I don't think you have sisters, from memory. Better ask Nora what she thinks, for the modern woman. When is your graduation in December? Does it take place atFlinders or in the city? Do you have somewhere to stay? You are welcome here, if you don't mind a mattress in the study. We would be happy to accomodate you. Molly is very friendly: she may bark but she wont eat you. Yoyo and Merry are enjoying the warmer weather, lolling in the sun. Frisky's old bones are happy too. Have fun writing your paper.

Cheers, Christine

GRC!!

Imagining Transnational Pleasure: Foreign Soaps, Malay women and the Modern world

Women and Soap operas are universally connected. Foreign soaps significantly create a new phenomenon and become one of the ‘must watch’ television programme in the afternoon or during prime time in Malaysia. At the same time, the association of Malay women and foreign soaps become a national tension and patriarchal-hegemonic discourse, in term of absorption and appropriation of foreign cultural value in the Malay’s socio-historic-specific activity environment. Thus, this research will argue how foreign soaps construct imagining transnational pleasure and the sense of ‘modern world’ to the Malay women. In order to seek the pattern of imagining construction process, this research will use media reception-ethnographic studies in the selective rural and urban setting in Malaysia.

member baru

Walaupun member aku ni dah lama bertandang kat melbourne ni, tapi hari ni jer aku ada masa untuk bercerita tentang 'ratu air mata' ni...aku panggil dia ratu air mata sebab mak cik ni selalu jer nak menangis bila stress....entah hapa-hapa laa...nasib baik ler si erwanita tak menangis bila stress cuma keluarkan statement "I want to be a woman" jer paling kurang...keh keh keh...kutuk siket erwan...biasalah sebelum raya ni kan...anyway, member aku ni namanya Rosya...aku pon kenal dia melalui si raja aminah...dia dan suaminya datang sekitar bulan Julai yang lalu...sapa nama suami dia ek? aku cuma panggil Zack jer...tapi kalau tak silap nama dia zamzuri....a week after anak rosya pon datang....budak cicah yang comel tu...anyway, itu jer laa aku nak cerita kali ni..ada masa nanti aku ada tulis lagi...

christine...

Hi Shah,

Good to hear from you. I, too, have similar emotions about my thesis proposal. My plan and literary review goes in on 6 October, soon followed by my proposal and seminar presentation. We have some aspects in common. I'm dealing with a transnational author -- model: Haruki Murakami -- and investigating his writing through critical reading and rewriting from my own POV. Enough of that -- my study is piled with books on literary and cultural criticism, so my POV will be "informed."

We have the OzAsia Festival at the moment. I've been to some super performances: contemporary music on Tuesday, William Yang doing a monologue and slide show called "China" -- excellent; Anna Yen telling the story of three generations of the women in her family in a performance piece and film called "Chinese Take Away" -- very sensitive and sad (both on Wednesday; Thursday was a traditional Indigenous Australian/Indonesian epic narrative -- much fun and laughter but sad too; tomorrow is drumming with Binari Dulsori; Monday is "Scorpionfish"; later in the week "Wanderlust" which is dance; finish with Hung Le -- comedy show.

A very busy time but I am enjoying myself, and wondering if I can get all my study done.
Family is fine, including all the furries. My sister has moved to Canberra and Mum has gone there for a month's holiday. It is quiet not having her drop by. I saw Sam at Uni yesterday for lunch. Alex I saw last week when we had a family lunch before my sister left. Val is fit as a fiddle, still plays squash several times a week.

We look forward to seeing you in December for your graduation. I saw Cole at the State Library last Tuesday. He asked after you. I told him you were fine, but not enjoying the cold weather. He laughed. He has lost a lot of weight; I hardly recognised him. Today I am cold. By December it will be warmer.

I am off for an early night, since I must be up early tomorrow for my shift at RPH (Radio for the Print Handicapped).

Keep in touch,
Cheers,Christine

memori

aku ingat nak tidor terus tapi better aku tulis siket kat blogs ni....tiba-tiba pulak dapat idea nak tulis satu cerita sebab dapat ilham bila dengar lagu memori..lagu ni antara yang aku paling suka dengar kalau ada sesiapa yang boleh nyanyi secara live..hehehe..aku mesti nak dengar walaupun suara orang yang nyanyi lagu tu tak sedap...oh, ya...apa nak tulis..kali ni aku nak bercerita tentang kenangan cinta monyet waktu kat sekolah menengah....walaupun lawak, harap sesiapa yang baca tu janganlah pulak kutuk aku..memamg aku terajang sapa yang kutuk tu...wakakaka....

ceritanya macam ni...waktu itu sekitar bulan Januari, tahun 1992...lama tu...agak-agak dah berapa tahun ya? hmmm..kejap aku ambik kalkulator...hmmmm....15 tahun yang lalu...lama tu...kalau aku kumpul duit seribu ringgit setahun mesti hari ni aku dah ada 15 ribu ringgit..terus boleh buat belanja kawin, hehehe takdelah..mana ada....tapi kan bila membebel pasal kawin ni memang tak best..setiap kali aku call mak aku kat kampung mesti dia kata, haa si polan anak si polan dah kawin dengan si anu anak si anu tu haa...kau bila lagi nak kawin? umur pon dah makin meningkat...

alamak rileks laa...takkan nak kawin cepat-cepat...nanti kalau aku dah kawin nanti susah nak bergerak..nak pergi berkaraoke dengan zaleha dan erwan pon tak boleh...hak hak hak..kelakarnya oppss..berbalik pada memori cinta monyet tadi tu...tak habis lagi aku cerita...masa tu aku berada dalam tingkatan dua..biasalah budak nerd mana ada masa nak bercinta-cinta ni..nak-nak lagi aku mak aku asyik suruh fokus dengan study..nanti susah kalau tak lulus PMR katanya..dah ler masa tu we all first batch yang ambik PMR ni seluruh Malaysia (sebelum ni SRP)...

Masa tu aku bersekolah di sebelah pagi...tak banyak perkara yang menyeronokkan kalau tinggal di kawasan pedalaman felda ni...habis jer sekolah balik rumah makan tengahari..lepas tu tidur sekejap...bangun pergi sekolah agama sampailah petang..bila malam pulak pergi mengaji sekejap sampai laa Isya' kat rumah Pak cik yang rumahnya berdekatan dengan rumah aku...lepas tu balik bukak buku sekejap then tidur...kitaran yang sama pon akan berlaku pada hari yang seterusnya dan seterusnya...memang takde life langsung masa tu..

dunia aku pulak terhad di kawasan felda tu jer..takde maknanya nak pergi keluar ke bandar nak melepak-lepak atau cuci mata kat bandar..dah laa bandar tu jauh gila..hampir 40 minit dari rumah kalau naik teksi...hahaha..tapi ok laa...at least, kadang-kadang tu keluar laa jugak ikut mak dengan abah aku beli barang laa..bayar bil laa...itu laa...ini laa...sebab tu laa sampai hari ni aku lebih selesa habiskan masa kat rumah atau ofis...kalau nak berjalan tu bergantung laa pada keadaan..kalau rasa perlu baru pergi...bersosial? jangan haraplah..terhad dengan kawan-kawan rapat ajer...

alamak...dah lewat laaa...aku nak tidur..nanti si peter cari aku esok kalau aku tak datang kuliah soap opera dia tu...penat orang tua tu dok remind aku "please come to my lecture, shah"...yer laa tu...aku harap aku tak sleep over ..otherwise, good bye ler pete...! hehehe...okay, selamat malam...sambung cerita nanti!

its not right but its okay..

hari ni aku betul-betul rasa tak best..macam-macam nak kena buat sebelum next week...benda yang paling bosan nak tengok of course laa assignment si Cathie and Pavla..tapi bila aku fikir-fikir balik, walaupun assignment ni dua pages rasa macam tak tergamak pulak kalau aku tak buat..hahaha..so, kenalah jugak buat..nasib baik ada si Rosya dan Akma yang boleh jugak aku tanya & bincang apa nak buat...hehehe....Hikmah pun dah mula e-mail tanya tentang apa nak buat untuk radio program malam Ahad ni..aduh....banyaknya nak kena buat...

hari-hari berlalu macam biasa...takde apa yang menarik selain daripada penemuan argument yang baru dari apa yang terbaca dan dibaca....kadang-kadang tu best jugak kalau jadik budak nerd ni...hehehe....baca buku (konon-konon), lepas tu pergi kelas dengan semangat (semangat tengok jam bila laa nak tamat kelas) hahaha....ok laa tu kot...semalam aku called pak din dan kak liza discuss tentang methodology kajian aku...depa bagi macam-macam input yang sepatutnya aku dah perasan sejak awal-awal lagi..apa laa aku ni...tapi betol laaa kata pak din..dalam research ni kena kreatif bukan ikut buku semata-mata...buku tu cuma panduan jer....ok laa..aku nak kena fikir macam mana nak buat ayat pertama untuk essays ni....