Thursday, June 29, 2006

Date Wanted

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Another weekend with a gala dinner. My bosses are going to Vietnam this weekend for a material for our project and they both left me with 2 dinner invitations for the Institution of Engineers Malaysia Annual Dinner with a message - bring a date.

A date? Well that's what I need. So if anybody interested to be my date for the dinner, kindly drop a message in my blog before Friday, 30th June, 8pm.

Heh, macamlah ade.

Though knowing I wouldn't be able to conjure up a date, I asked my cousin Irra to accompany me for the dinner. At least we could both look for young and eligible engineers in the crowd *wicked grin* ~~ dream on la minah, hahahaha

Saturday, June 24, 2006

2nd Serdang Sunshine Gathering

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UPM,

Started out as an agriculture school that was opened in 1931, was upgraded to 'Kolej Pertanian Malaya' in 1947. After going through the phase of World War 2 and more upgrading, in 1971 Universiti Pertanian Malaysia was formed focusing on agriculture, forestry and veterinary. In 1997, the name was changed from Universiti Pertanian Malaysia to Universiti Putra Malaysia in accordance to the emphasization on various sceince and technology courses offered in UPM other than agriculture.

I'm actually typing right now with my numb fingers in a cyber cafe near to my uncle's house. A bit... nostalgic I would say since the last time I went to one for netsurfing was ages ago. Straight to the core of the topic.

Yesterday was the 2nd Serdang Sunshine Gathering; ie: UPM Alumni. Initially, it wasn't my plan to join in the dinner but since Ms Lee & Mr Lok was insistent, I went. Of course, both of the graduated from UPM too and that was how I was called for an interview in the first place. Decked out in my best clothes and my 'Cinderella' shoes, I rushed out from my uncle's house thinking that I might be late since I didn't know where does the Grands Straits Garden situated at. The restaurant could be seen from the main road and I was so relieved.

Reaching there, I was among the earliest people. Looking from the list, I was the 5th. First impressions are almost always inaccurate. In my case, it was totally out of line. At first I thought that I would be sorely left out when the crowd comes in as I saw the attendance list as they stated the year of graduation behind our names. I know that most of the attendance would be from the 70s class, few from 80s and I know I was the youngest of all - 2004. I was wrong. I went out to the balcony to find a senior graduated in 1980 smoking his cigar. We talked about our job swapping business card (I forgot to refill my namecard before going, baka me) and in the end he was asking for my CV. I didn't realize that I was being interviewed in the first place though the questions that he asked me was actually mind boggling.

My bosses rang up, worrying that I might get lost getting to the restaurant and I went in to mingle with the crowd. I was very wrong thinking that I might get excluded. They looked at my name tag and start joking about giving me a 2nd round of orientation from the super seniors since of course I was the youngest. Everyone was very warm and friendly and I could almost see how all of them were back in college. The eldest senior who came was YAB Dato' Mohd Noor who graduated in 1955. I learnt that our eldest senior around is 92 years old and couldn't come due to his health. Back in those days UPM was known as the countries' (and some say region) best agriculture school around. From the conversation I also learnt that lots of UPM graduates from the 70's made their way to work overseas, teaching and handling their own business.

The dinner started later than the itinerary with all the mingling and catching up in the crowd. Mr James Ho, the chairperson and also a close friend of my bosses told me earlier on to sit at the VIP table, but I kind of freaked out and sat next to Ms Lee. To think that I would be safe? Fat chance. I was jarred out of the conversation when Mr Ho said through the speaker, "Nadiah, your seat is here at the VIP table. Don't worry they won't give you a ragging - that much." There I was seated among Dato' Soh Poh Sheng, Dr Rohani Abdullah, Dato' Mohd Noor, YB Lim Kee Moi and boy I was nervous thinking what would I do if I managed to make a fool out of myself when I eat.

The food was nice. As an appetizer there were baby octopus, eggs, shellfish, fishcake and shrimp. 2nd dish was sharkfin & crabmeat soup, followed by roasted chicken with prawn cracker, sea-bass cooked in chilli (super hot and spicy, I love), fried rice, shrimp in chilli, an unidentified sea-food (looks to me like cow's foot but not) and more that I forgot the menu. One thing I know, I could barely move when I was done eating. We had a short introduction on ourselves and honestly I felt like UPM is like Yale or Oxford, kind of like an old school feeling. I felt that because during the introduction most of the attendance has their kids going to UPM and preserving the generation in the university. Well of course during my introduction I was proud to say that my sister and brother are both UPM graduates :D

One of the highlights in gathering was when they were showing off the pictures during the 70s orientation and what I saw made my jaw fell. The orientation that they went through was a total berserk and the pictures were funny and mostly disgusting (mostly on the guy's side). There was a picture of a senior during mealtime with 2 juniors eating with their plate on the table but they were sitting on the floor. Kind of hard reaching and seeing what were they eating and I could see the same thing in the same picture behind the table, the same thing happened. Then there were of course the fertilizer pond bath ie: mandi baja. That's the other word for 'bathing' inside a pool of cow's/bull's dump. Good thing all of us were done with our dinner as it looked so darn disgusting. Then of course some censored picture during the ragging session which made me and the rest of female attendance blushed furiously. Not giving details on that one.

Nearing the end, we sang the songs from the 70s orientation which was thoroughly bawdy and funny and sang Auld lang syne as we parted. We managed to raise RM1625.00 during the lightning donation after the meal and contributed RM2625.00 (another RM1000.00 was the balance from the previous gathering back in 2001) for the building of UPM new clock tower.

75 years of legacy.

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Finally there's someone in the crowd who have a pic of me terselit, huhuhu

Sunday, June 18, 2006

Arashic, Arashi-ku

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Thanks for Jun's radio show, Jun Style that lots of Arashi fans get the opportunity to hear snippets from their upcoming album Arashic. They sounded more matured and as Dalinee said, the album just screamed - OTONA (adult)

This is my opinion on all of the songs that I've heard

1. Wish
The opening song for the drama Hana Yori Dango. It sounded genki through and through and I definitely love the lyric. About a man who wants to improve himself before presenting his love to the one that he likes most. I love the PV too, the guys were decked in red suit watching over a stage of puppets.

2. ランナウェイ・トレイン [Runaway Train]
Sounds funky and upbeat. Definitely a song that I would love to hear over and over again. Reminds me of being in a train watching the scenery outside and running to the sun, hehehe sounds cheesy. They spent a lot on this track as they hired the guys from Xtreme to play guitar in this one, whoaaaaa. More than words~~~~ ^_^

3. Raise Your Hands
Sounded retro and upbeat, honestly I think these guys are going retro all over XD. I could almost see them performing in the natsu-con urging fans to raise up their hands for this one.

4. きっと大丈夫 [Kitto Daijoubu]
My feel good song, do I need to elaborate more - Lucky lucky baby shigoto wa rasuto no oo my groove!!!

5. Ready to Fly
Ohno's pick-up song and it sounded retro 80's to me because of the guitar arrangement. Totally different from his previous solo. Can't wait how he would perform this song in the natsu-con. I know it's gonna be smexy XD

6. キャラメル・ソング [Caramel Song]
Nino's pick up song. True to the title the song oozes out sweetness and kawaii-ness. My head slowly moved to the song automatically when I heard this at Mit-to's house. Go Nino!!! You sure nailed it in picking this song for tha album.

7. Cool & Soul
To me it's a new version of their previous La Tormenta, sounded cool and I'm loving it - A~ra~shi~cool~~A~ra~shi~soul~~~

8. 旅立ちの朝 [Tabidachi No Asu] 
It's sexy with the sax-play in the background, setting off a romantic theme. I kept playing the song over and over again - can't get enough of it. Dalinee was saying that this would be the best song for a candlelit dinner *in love*

9. I Want Somebody
Jun's pick-up song. Gahh, I'm so glad that it sounded good as I don't like his W/me in One album. Very 80's sounding with a hint of, in my opinion a bit MJ at the opening. But I totally love the chorus - ~~I want somebody~~~~

10. Secret Eyes
Aiba's pick-up song. Again sounding retro and very adult to me but it definitely fits Aiba to the end. It kinda screamed AIBA!!

11. 超ありがとう [Chou Arigatou]
Sho's pick up song sounded very motown-ish and made me move to the tune of the song everytime I hear it. Another feel good smooth song, reminded me of his butai - The Beautiful Game

12. Carnival Night part 2
Weird thing that they put the part 2 first before the part 1 >_< style="font-weight: bold;">

13. シルバーリング [Silver Ring]
Another ballad in the album. I just melt listening to Ohno's voice at the opening *sighs* ~~kimi wo aishiteru~~~~ zutto~~

bonus track:
14. Love Parade
Sounds very jazzy and I know they don't put this track over in the Limited Edition copy. I know I would get the normal edition one, since Mit-to told me HMV doesn't have the LE for Arashi T_T

I forgot which track but there were one where Sho wrote the rap part in just 3 hours... was it Runaway Train? Enough spazzing for the day, I'm off XD

Credits to Wenna and Dun for the Jun-Style upload link, arigatou!!!

Saturday, June 17, 2006

Saturday!!! Sab'ata!! Doyoubi!!

2 special Occasion on the same day. Well the first one is the main one as it is MY BEST FRIEND'S WEDDING *Cheers*. Congratulations Along for the special occasion and I am so sorry for not turning up for the solemnisation (nikah). I had to work late T_T After this, waaaaa Puan Noridah *salute*. After this we are going to have to check up on your husband if it's okay for us to hang out like before >_<

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Everytime we would both ask ourselves, how did we beome best friends - we were never in the same class, nor the same dorm. Though we both agree, we clicked when we were crazy about BSB XD. Selamat Pengantin Baru, girl!!!!

PS: Kengkawan, she was the one I accompanied to for the Kursus Kahwin in Pontian XD. Congrats Intan utk majlis tunang kau *lega dah boleh announce kat blog aku, hahaha*

And the second one, it's Nino's 23rd birthday!!!! Otanjoubiomedetou Nino!!!!!!!

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I like this picture when he was pitching for J-Red team

He was the psychotic killer in the movie Ao no Hono, landed in a role in Clint Eastwood's upcoming movie Red Sun, Black Sand along with Ken Watanabe, one of the Last Four in Stand Up!! (got moe list for his dramas but these would be enough for now), a self taught guitar player (and darn good at that too), notorious prankster in Arashi, ambidextruous, a good cook, thrift, loves chocolate cake - that's all I could think of for this post but there's more of course. The next Arashi birthday would be... for Jun XDDDDD

Friday, June 16, 2006

Home Alone part... I lose count

Night time, a moment to relax my old bones (macam la tua sangat) and basically just chill. Opened up funny clips over at youtube and funnily enough, a clip from a show have never yet failed to make me laugh. Here's the link and before you say "Tak baik tau ketawakan orang," bear in mind that the guy in the video inside the clip was chosen to make everyone laugh. A bit sadistic actually as, if anyone laugh watching the video, they are caned. There is no subs for this one but I bet anyone who knows English would laugh, hehehe.

Sunday, June 11, 2006

Another Arashi Filled Sunday!!!

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Well okay, I know I am freaky when it comes to Arashi. This weekend - make it to just now, I was in Singapore to meet up Mit-to since I asked her favour to buy me a copy of Kitto Daijoubu single. Before getting off from work Saturday, the temperature meter for my car went berserk and it was raining heavily. I nearly had a heart attack when the indicator went straight to H, afterwards C, in between both and then my signal light went funny. Luckily there were a car-service centre very near to my location. The main problem was that the battery wire did not have enough earth wire. An additional earth wire from the battery fixed the problem, thank goodness. Then I sped over to Larkin for my ride.

Reached Orchard at about 4.30pm and met Mit-to at Kinokuniya. It was totally mad and spazzing. We totally pondered on and talk about the guys of course, ranging from everything to anything. Arashi's natsu-con title which is - "AraSHIC, AraCHIC, AraSICK, Cool & Soul" was among it. We browsed through the latest Potato with Okada Junichi on the cover, Wink-Up and Duet since of course Arashi was in it and on the Duet cover. I finally bought Arashigoto book ^_^V and from the leaflet, mine was the 6th edition. That was like so fast in just a year since the first print was actually released on 31st July 2005. My favourite pic of all in the book would definitely be page 5 & 4 where the guys were running - hontouni kakkoi!!!. Later on, we were hunting for the newly moved MISE which of course haven't opened yet at the new location.

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My conquest for June

Went over to Mit-to's house and again it was crazy. Her Arashi photo album was such a drool factor and I was just so over the moon browsing through it. We stayed up late watching them - and of course yesterday on 10th June, Jun was in Taiwan, presenting an award on Golden Melody Award in Taiwan. Being a perfectionist, I am just very sure that Jun learnt the Mandarin lines really hard - and it's only the most necessary part. The introdution and of course the "Award would go to" part. It was just like him in an episode of Mago-Mago Arashi - Learning Mandarin session. It seems that the Asia concert in Thailand would not come true as he was saying that they would have a concert in Taiwan T_T

Afterwards, we listened to his radio show - Jun Style (of course it was aired much earlier before he went to Taiwan). Much to our delight, he played snippets from their upcoming Arashic. SUGE!!!!! With too much Vanilla Coke in my system, I pleaded defeat at 3.30am and went to bed. Woke up at 6am just to see it's raining outside and then again resuming my video watching session. Mit-to was baiting me with Ikuta Toma's performance in Sugao which was what I admit, rather effectively and we practically drooled on Sho's & Ohno's back side performances. Ohno's song, Deep Sorrow in his 2001 butai (theatre performance) - Shinseki Emotion made me cry. It was about a jungle boy who have never felt anything, learnt how to feel and during that scene, he lost the girl that he love most. I've never seen the butai before but Dalinee had given me his 3104 yen solo-con with the song in it. Honestly, watching Ohno cry singing that song in SE and reading the song translation.... *tears rolling down.

大野智/Ohno Satoshi - DEEP SORROW

終わりそうにない夜
つのる胸の孤独
深く錆びた心
どうして癒せばいい

もっともっと語り合えれば
見つけられたはず
君のほほえみを

君がいなければ僕になれない
世界はまるで壊れた楽園
記憶のすべてを消してしまいたい
想い出の数だけ悲しみに変わるのなら

君がいなければ僕になれない
世界はまるで壊れた楽園
記憶のすべてを消してしまいたい
君だけを愛していたよ

あの地平線の遥か彼方に
待っている
なりたかった自分の姿
もしこの体が灰になってもいい
その声にその瞳にもう一度会えるのなら

The seemingly endless night
brings me loneliness
my rusting heart
why would i need to cure it?

If we had been together a little longer
I would have been able to see
Your smile

I'm not used to your absence
The whole world is a broken paradise
I want to just forget everything
'Cause all my memories would only bring me sadness

I'm not used to your absence
The whole world is a broken paradise
I want to just forget everything
'Cause you're the only one i've ever loved

By the faraway horizon
I'll be waiting
I want to wait
Even if my body turns into ashes
To hear your voice, and see you one more time
Click here for download - though it is kinda poor and you might here Ohno voice screaming at the first part

Change note. I will definitely be going over again after 5th July for Arashic!!!!

Saturday, June 10, 2006

X-Thursday

Okay, so the entrance exam was interesting. Interesting as, I don't know if I would actually past the test because throughout the 2 and a half hour I felt like there are just not enough time to finish the questions. For the verbal part (that was actually Bahasa Melayu section), I guess that I was in a huge mess. The analogy given was too darn confusing. The Analytical section was fun, but then again there were not enough time for me to dwell on each interesting IQ questions. Math was fun, but not enough time. Maybe I should just stick to my day job ^^;;
I met Malia and Pi at the exam centre, haven't seen them for so long. Well actually I went to Pi's house last raya, and last time I met Malia was when we were in matriculation. We went for the same reason - burn out.
After the test, I went to Jusco Tebrau with my brother to catch X-Men 3 - The Last Stand. Being an avid follower of the X-Men TV series when I was in secondary school, of course I wouldn't miss the chance warching the rise of the Phoenix. I watched the Phoenix saga during that time for more than twice with another fellow friend Atikah. While the rest were resting at the dorm on a Sunday morning, you could bet that Atikah and I would be sitting in the front row of the Dining Hall watching X-men at 9.30am.
Verdict, it was so good and scary at the same time. Of course they didn't stick to the tv series. If they do, it would surely be weird if suddenly they have visitors from out of space dropping by and asking help from the X-men. Instead of MPD, Jean Grey would have the Phoenix spirit from the alien force possessing her when she was trying hard to guide the space vessel back to earth's atmosphere. That would kind of sound funny and too confusing especially if Mr Sinister's gang comes into the picture. There would be like... 5 major groups to think of instead of just 2. The Phoenix went berserk part was definitely freaky *shivers. Too many disintegration parts.
It's a Saturday and I'm off to Singapore!!!!
Jaa, mata getsuyoubi (^_^)//

Thursday, June 08, 2006

Walimatul Urus - Syakin & Ami

Okayla, sorry for the delay dear friend. A lorry drove into the phone pole so I was basically out of communication line for a few days. It was a torture *Aargh...
So anyway here's the pic taken at Syakin's wedding. Many turned up - the guys basically hang out at the dining table while us girls were inside the house for the 'bersanding' procession, sitting near to the 'pelamin' with the hope of taking some of the blessings from the 'tepung tawar'.
Okay, as for today my post is short. Going to get ready for a test later today. Wish me luck ^_^V
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Time to go. Bigger image, click on the thumbnail. Ciao!