.the palpitating heart of mine.

.theblog.

2012-02-15T21:02:00.000-08:00

http://luxurymadeaffordableyeah.blogspot.com/

enjoy :)

.09126.

.twomoreweeks.

2012-02-13T17:06:00.000-08:00

two more weeks and i'll get a break! yeay!

done with Econ exam last week. alhamdulilah. I was settled with only a B+ but I'm satisfied enough (: Alia got an A though, huh. Korean written test was okay and I'll have the oral test next week. and, this Wednesday, I'll be having my Differential Equations test. been struggling with mechanical vibrations and forced oscillations for quite some time now. I really hope that everything will turn out fine. oh, I didn't do well for my first essay in my writing class. well, thanks to those b****es who kept bothering me with all those filthy emails, stalking people like their business. and to those who may concern, I'm not joking about the letter.

.09126.

p/s:see you in court. :D seronok kan kau stalk orang?

image from http://www.jkp.com/catalogue/book/9781843105473

.end of january.

2012-01-27T19:00:00.000-08:00

hello all!
오래간만이야!

time is really tickling fast. ah-uh. it's now already at the very end of January in 2012. life has been pretty good so far (i guess?). and the workload is increasing dramatically! haha. i need to write a paper on Islamophobia that is due this Monday and i have couple of tests the following weeks. stress!

on a brighter side, i already bought the flight ticket to Malaysia. yeah, baby. i'm going back, insyaAllah.

it was a loooooooong ride this time. longer than before.

DTW-LGA-JFK-FRA-SIN-PEN

feel free to google the airport codes if you didn't memorize them. (duh, who memorizes all the airport codes?) haha. there's a lot of things i need to do when i am in Malaysia. but these two are a must!

내 가죽
말레이시아 맛있는 음식!

wonder what those are. copy, paste, open a new tab, Google translate :) sorry, i need to put my Korean into practice. it's the learning process :P

that's all for now.

.09126.

p.s : waiting for miss P to be at my home. bila lah nak sampai. :(

.sirna sukma sang satria.

2012-01-14T20:10:00.000-08:00

di celah keheningan kota Los Angeles
kala bulan bertapak seri
bayu malam menyapa halus
namun siapa sangka
saat sukma seorang satria
dirobek dilapah pendekar maruah

"bodoh"
sang satria bermonolog sendirian
angkara serakah segalanya musnah
sahabat? teman? rakan?
segala yang dibina sirna sekelip mata
bobroknya tindakan tiada siuman
pendeknya akal tiada waras

kendatipun jauh di sudut hati
sang satria terkesima
pada yang Esa dia meminta
keampunan penuh keikhlasan

hatinya berteriak
dosa yang berkeledak
silaturrahim yang terkoyak

sang satria sedar
segalanya sudah terlewat
apa yang dia tahu
sang satria perlu
di kala sonata kaya dengan salju
seribu kemaafan diharapkan
selagi hayat dikandung badan
silah itu ingin diteruskan

.09126.

.musim sejuk.

2012-01-05T21:30:00.000-08:00

instead of writing for my ENGLISH 125 essay that is due tomorrow, i decided to write something here. oh gosh, how fast the time flies. it has been more than a quarter year now i live on the American soil. life has been pretty much great. well, ups and downs here and there. c est la vie right.

winter break was fun. i went to Las Vegas, Los Angeles and San Francisco to be exact. and it was also my first time driving far away from Michigan. Vegas was fun for the gamblers, nothing much that tempted me here. muktamar was super fun, minus the food. but at least there were free food given kan. but one thing for sure, I LOVE THE WEST COAST WEATHER. very very much. it was really nice. warm enough to keep me happy all day during the trip :D

now, back to academics ! i'll be taking more Korean this semester, along with Differential Equations, Microeconomics and English 125. so far, so good. but I already missed my very first DE lecture. LOL. i woke up late and rushed to my Korean class. haha. hope that everything will go well this semester. :)

.09126.

.fall wrap-up.

2011-12-21T17:04:00.000-08:00

so i got my result today. i mean, the full result. alhamdulilah. i am quite satisfied with my grades. got an A+ for my Writing class, an A for my Korean and a B+ for my Calculus 3. yeah. i survived Calculus 3 with Rouchuan Liu! that's the best part i guess!

next stop: Las Vegas :)

.09126.

Before I Forget: Ego

2011-12-21T12:38:00.000-08:00

Before I Forget

something to ponder on.

.09126.

.backin2008.

2011-12-20T15:37:00.000-08:00

i wrote this during my agama paper back then in 2008.

it’s now or never,
i was at stake,
a day to remember,
the moment when i take,
oceans of love from her.

i pressed the ON button,
and started my calculation,
of prediction and predicament,
to be assessed by this machine,
all sorts of achievement,
lie between,
numbers and symbols,
on the calculator.

it was then,
i glimpsed on the screen,
memories stirred in my mind,
i stared the thin atmosphere,
and cried.

it was hard for me,
to continue in this printed lines,
i couldn’t find tee ANS,
although thousand times of tries,
million times of endeavors,
i still failed and failed.

i looked up…
i guessed it’s the best,
to let the THING only in my mind,
not to be appeared on the screen,
like the numbers on the calculator,
because it’s unpredictable,
for me and her.

so,
to make things better,
i lingered my finger,
on the OFF button...

24 oct 2008
9.25 am

p/s: zai, aku jumpe! haha.

.freak.

2011-12-20T15:35:00.000-08:00

Freak

Weird

I was in my castle

Sneezing

Cold and lugubrious

Counting the days of no-talking

Thinking the moments of no-playing

Downcast

It has been a week

And yet

Everything is still topsy-turvy

Heebie-jeebies all over me

Bees-buzzing-in-my tummy

Heart-in-the-throat

Butterflies-in-my-stomach

These were all evils

Deep in my heart core

I know that someone knows

That I still care about you

And

I’m still hoping

For a miracle to happen

Tomorrow or a day after…

.09126.

0014 6^th July 2009

p/s: found this in my hard-drive. memories :')

.stupidity in a captivity.

2011-12-20T13:45:00.000-08:00

who are you?
immersed in the blue of the oceans
dissolved in the green of the trees
evanesced in the yellow of the saffrons
but still
kept in a captivity
full of stupidity

you seemed lost
astray from the original path
making you less known
maybe alienated from your surrounding
differed much from your roots
less influence
less trust
less dignity
but again
who are you? now?

wake up
people treat you differently
for a reason
they expecting a change
but should you care
should you give them
what they want
instead of what you really want
what you really enjoy
what you really fond of doing

they may laugh at you
they may ridicule your life
they may bring you down
they may reveal your darkest secrets of all
but friend, stay strong
you are not alone
you will never be
someone up there will still be watching you
close enough to make you feel belong
and accompanied
so that one day
or maybe now
you can break free
from that captivity
filled with stupidity

.09126.

.imisshome.

2011-12-17T17:01:00.001-08:00

insyaAllah, going back next June.

.09126.

.a video.

2011-12-05T23:04:00.001-08:00

credit to izuanshah.

.09126.

.longtimenosee.

2011-12-04T18:25:00.001-08:00

exam glasses are on!

우래간만이에요!

which literally means "Long Time No See"

the Fall semester is going to end real soon. i'll be having my final papers next week. Korean on Friday and Calculus 3 the following Thursday. things are getting pretty hard in both subjects, but insyaAllah i'll try my best! pray for me! time to hit the books :D

.09126.

p/s: Las Vegas, here i come!

.제 주간 스케줄.

2011-11-19T22:47:00.001-08:00

Title: 제 주간 스케줄 in 2012 (My Weekly Schedule in 2012)
Oral Test 2 Korean
(just sharing)

.09126.

.kolotkah? saya rasa tidak.

2011-11-14T16:33:00.001-08:00

alhamdulilah. sudah lebih dua bulan saya berada di bumi Amerika ini. banyak pengalaman yang telah saya kutip meskipun hanya baru sahaja saya tiba di sini. sungguh, pengalaman memang mendewasakan kita! saya tiba-tiba terpanggil untuk menulis entri pada kali ini dalam bahasa Melayu. mungkin ini entri pertama saya yang akan cuba saya tuliskan tanpa bahasa asing yang lain.

pertamanya, saya sangat sayangkan bangsa dan agama saya. benar, saya bukanlah siapa-siapa yang alim ulama mahupun yang mampu mengeluarkan idea-idea bernas mengenai politik negara. malahan, saya sering terdiam tatkala rakan-rakan serumah berbicara mengenai tokoh-tokoh agama terkenal di Amerika Utara mahupun tentang hal perihal politik Malaysia dan juga dunia. saya sering tercengang tatkala seorang demi seorang nama ilmuwan terbit dari bibir-bibir mereka. sungguh, saya malu dengan diri sendiri. saya hanya mampu tersenyum ketika mereka bercerita mengenai kehebatan Imam Siraj menyampaikan ceramah beliau. siapa Imam Siraj? kali pertama saya dengar nama tersebut, terus saya teringat seorang rakan ketika zaman sekolah dulu yang namanya serupa, namun tidak. kalau anda mahu tahu, bolehlah melayari internet untuk mengenal imam masjid di Brooklyn ini.

kedua, saya harap anda tidak mentafsir tajuk entri ini secara salah. anda akan faham mengapa saya namakan entri ini sedemikian. (harapnya anda faham tujuan saya).

ketiga, rasa syukur saya panjatkan pada yang Maha Esa kerana alhamdulilah Allah telah menempatkan saya di sebuah sekolah agama ketika saya mula menjejaki alam remaja. saya sangat-sangat bersyukur kerana pada hemat saya, di Al-Irshadlah saya lebih mengenali agama dan adab batas semuanya. namun, setelah meninggalkan halaman Al-Irshad, saya sedar saya mula berubah. semakin banyak yang saya tinggalkan. semakin banyak yang saya lupakan.

kini di bumi Amerika ini, saya melihat sendiri , dengan mata kepala sendiri, bangsa seagama saya semakin meliar dalam kehidupan seharian mereka. Ya Allah, besar sungguh ujian-Mu kali ini. saya hanya mampu membenci dalam hati tatkala air kencing syaitan dihirup rakan(?). entah mengapa, lidah saya tidak mampu untuk berkata apa-apa pada saat dan ketika itu. saya hanya mampu melihat rakan-rakan lelaki perempuan berpeluk sakan tanpa menghirau orang sekeliling. mungkin ada di antara anda yang menganggap saya kolot kerana tidak biasa dengan perkara-perkara sebegini. tapi saya rasa tidak. saya bersyukur ke hadrat Ilahi kerana saya tidak dibesarkan di dalam ruang lingkup sosial sebegitu. mungkin saya pernah keluar sehingga 3-4 pagi yang boleh menimbulkan fitnah, namun tidak sama sekali saya berpeluk sakan dan mengagungkan najis tersebut. ini pengalaman pertama saya melihat aksi sebegini tanpa segan silu. Ya Allah, mohon terus pelihara hamba-Mu ini.

mahu kata saya kolot? silakan. kalau inilah yang dikatakan kolot, saya sanggup digelar kolot sampai bila-bila kerana saya sangat-sangat sayangkan agama dan bangsa saya.

.09126.

.note.

2011-11-11T20:06:00.001-08:00

You’ll never enjoy your life,
living inside the box
You’re so afraid of taking chances,
how you gonna reach the top?

Rules and regulations,
force you to play it safe
Get rid of all the hesitation,
it’s time for you to seize the daaay

Instead of just sitting around
and looking down on tomorrow
You gotta let your feet off the ground,
the time is now

I’m waiting, waiting, just waiting,
I’m waiting, waiting outside the lines
Waiting outside the lines
Waiting outside the lines

Try to have no regrets
even if it’s just tonight
How you gonna walk ahead
if you keep living behind

Stuck in my same position,
you deserve so much more
There’s a whole world around us,
just waiting to be explored

Instead of just sitting around
and looking down on tomorrow
You gotta let your feet off the ground,
the time is now, just let it go

The world will force you to smile
I’m here to help you notice the rainbow
Cause I know,
What’s in you is out there

I’m waiting, waiting, just waiting,
I’m waiting, waiting outside the lines
Waiting outside the lines
Waiting outside the lines

I’m trying to be patient
the first step is the hardest
I know you can make it,
go ahead and take it

I’m Waiting, waiting, just waiting I’m waiting
I’m waiting, waiting, just waiting
I’m waiting, waiting outside the lines
Waiting outside the lines
Waiting outside the lines

You’ll never enjoy your life
Living inside the box
You’re so afraid of taking chances,
How you gonna reach the top?

(Greyson Chance, Waiting Outside the Lines, 2011)

p/s: I have to fix it before it's too late :(

.the art of trench.

2011-10-29T19:33:00.000-07:00

though it's not BURBERRY, but it looks incredibly nice! i am truly happy to see this inside the package! alhamdulilah! it was delivered straight from the UK. :D

Topman Trench Coat

Camel Funnel Neck Trench Coat

me wearing it :D

Closer view

now, i'm ready for winter!

.09126.

.two months and still counting.

2011-10-28T18:56:00.000-07:00

it is now my second month in the US. life has been pretty great. i am now working my ass off in the Hill Dining Center. well, my job is quite easy, i guess. I need two work three shifts per week (weekend shift is an alternate shift) so;

on Monday, I work on the fronthouse : changing milk, juices, sauces, waffle syrup and whatnot. by far, this is the most tiring shift i've ever had as i have to run to and fro to get the things refilled on time.

on Wednesday, I work inside the kitchen, being the assistant chef in the hot food preparation department (grand sikit nama :D) truth to be told, i really love this shift. i get to handle all those things inside the kitchen; cutting parts of chicken, making steak, grilling buns, preparing spaghetti sauce and a lot more to come.

on every other Saturday, I am stationed at the dessert section. so, i prepared cookies and cakes. easy peasy this one. but things will get a little mess up during the rush hour as people will grab lots and lots of cookies at a time and me, being the replenisher( is that correct ?) i have to continuously bake new batches of cookies.

i really enjoy myself working in here. my uniform is pretty simple, a yellow t-shirt and a cap which i will put them on every single day i work.

academic-wise, i am doing good i guess. mid-terms are over and I can say that I'm quite satisfied with my scores :D alhamdulilah. 88 in Calculus III 96 in Korean 95 in Essay I and 97 in Essay II. but things are getting harder each day. duh. haha. well, i think that's all for now. i'll write more after this.

.09126.

p/s: the temperature is dropping each day and InsyaAllah it'll snow tomorrow!
pp/s:versace for h&m collection is simply gorgeous!

.Birch Run.

2011-10-09T21:19:00.000-07:00

.columbus day sale.

.winter shopping.

.dim mak challenge.

2011-09-28T17:42:00.000-07:00

so today 5 of us, me, izuan, alia, elissa and qasya went to No Thai! Restaurant somewhere in S University Ave. We've tried a meal before (me, alia and elissa) once in No Thai! near Plymouth Rd which is a lot bigger than this one. well, if i haven't mentioned this before, this restaurant serves food depending on the level of spiciness that the patrons want. it goes from 0 to "x8". we've been hearing a lot of things about this "x8" level, so why not we gave it a try! and yeah me and elissa were the only two who dared to order this. HAHA. the rest took a slightly less spicy meal; well if my memory serves me right, Alia and Aqasya ordered the medium level which is x2 and Izuan tried x4. here are a few snapshots of this challenge! oh yeah, dim mak is the name of the "x8" meal. the literal meaning of it is the death touch! ooooouuuu...

presenting the two contenders in the Dim Mak Challenge!

the face before tasting the meal. it's Dim Mak Prawn No Thai Fried Rice!

Elissa's Dim Mak Prawn Fried Noodle. ooouuuuu...

Alia's Medium Fried Noodle

Izuan's Yoga Flame Fried Rice!

Aqasya's Medium Pad Thai.

and the outcome

i finished it! hahaha :D but not elissa. let us do some comparison.

from up-down: before and after meal

hahahaha. so funnnny! but yeah, it is super spicy. u can literally feel something is burning in ur mouth and in your stomach as well. the after-taste of the spiciness is unexplainable. it is something that you guys MUST try if you come to Ann Arbor!

.09126.

.satubulanduahari.

2011-09-26T20:55:00.000-07:00

first of all, for those who did not speak/learn/write in Malay, the direct translation of this post's title is "One Month Two Days". well, yeah, the title speaks for itself as today is my 32nd day in Ann Arbor, Michigan. life is good here and the temperature is slowly decreasing now. i need to find a spot quickly to shoot a 4-season-shot pictures before the leaves turn red!

i haven't tell you anything about my classes yet? hahaha. alright, so for this Fall semester, i took ONLY 3 classes with the minimum 12 required credits to make sure my visa is valid for this entire semester.

ASIANLAN135 Beginner Korean (5 credits)
MATH215 Calculus III (4 credits)
ELI120 Writing for Undergraduate Student (3 credits)

i enjoyed Korean classes very much. very interactive and full of activities. Calculus is just full of lectures and labs. basically the same thing that you'll do in all math classes. BUT BUT BUT one thing that makes me cry the most is the type of questions here in UMich Calculus classes. there are a lot, yes A LOT of justification questions and believe it or not, you'll rarely see numbers on the question papers. all sorts of unknowns and weird symbols suddenly float out of nowhere. haha. proving equations with numbers are easy, but proving equations with unknowns. gahh. i hate those questions. writing class is fun too. Mindy is cool enough with her students and this class is actually not required but i really think i need more practice for academic writing purposes; not this kind of writing.

mm, i just got back from MuJew first meeting and it was a good start i guess. i'll be attending all their Core meetings, insyaAllah every Monday at 9pm. conflicts aside, it was a really nice environment to see Muslims and Jews sitting together under one roof talking about anything under the sun. plus, we can eat food together too since both faiths observe the practice of Zabihah. oh yeah, before you start thinking or labelling me with all sorts of nonsense, please know that this organization is not an act to support Israel movement or whatnot. we do not touch anything about that conflict and yeah the main reason we are together is to combat those stereotypes. Not all Jews are Zionists. and these Jews are really good to befriend with :D

cool MuJew sticker!

that's all for now. i need to study Korean for vocabulary test tomorrow. till then.

.09126.

.mujew.

2011-09-22T17:28:00.000-07:00

Muslim-Jewish Association

Mass Meeting next Monday

09.26.2011

.chicago-yeah.

2011-09-18T11:34:00.000-07:00

it was a great weekend indeed. MSD Chicago held a Raya celebration over there so most of us in the Midwest region went for the event. so, let the pictures do the rest of the talking!

rented cars, Cadillac and Dodge.

the hotel!

Aurora Outlets! i went crazy here. running here and there!

fera makan!

INTEC freshman. rindu!

HAHA. ngan icap n luqman :D

wisconsin girl! hana !

just realized that most of the IRVINE SPRING 2011 are here!

freshman in US!

UMich family :D

in front of Lake Michigan, Chicago. it was freezing cold!

now the shopping outcome

Hugo Boss polo shirt with two Boss Orange socks :D

Tommy polo shirt.

Armani Exchange shirt and a trench.

Ralph Lauren sweater with scarf attached.

DKNY sweater.

Calvin Klein scarf, winter jacket and a polo shirt.

a must when you are in the States because it is freakingly cheap!

a Coach sling bag.

Coach belt.

jangan jeles Mut and Pali. hehehe. this time around, i will not disclose the price. u may contact me if u really (desparately?) want to know. that's all for now. i need to do my homework!

.09126.

.fattening.

2011-09-12T20:48:00.000-07:00

tension sangat buat calculus

bukak fridge, ambil ice-cream

bukak photobooth, tangkap gambar

makan!

.09126.

Korean Thanksgiving Party (추석 바티)

2011-09-10T14:37:00.000-07:00

안녕하새요!

it was a nice thanksgiving event organised by Nam Center of Korean Studies, University of Michigan. I tried several Korean cuisine, played Korean traditional games and even won an i-Tunes voucher for the lucky draw :D oh yeah, alhamdulilah. God saved me. I almost ate a dish that contains pork just now. they just served everything to us and I just stared at my plate for a moment as I felt uneasy looking at the food. so, i went and asked the lady and yeah there was pork inside the fried kuih (?). alhamdulilah :D

clockwise : the white fork, delicious rice cake,
the dish that contains pork (i didnt eat it, OK),
some vegie sushi (ughhh, i hate the seaweed),
sompyon (traditional Korean delicacy made of rice and nuts),
seafood fried dish and fried kimchi!

i forgot the name of this game,
but you have to throw this sticks to move a pin on the board below.

korean version of "batu seremban" i won! hahaha.
but the peebles are a bit weird as they contain some seeds inside to vary the weight of the pebbles.
so, when you throw them, they will go different ways.

the lucky draw winners! published in Korean newspaper :D

my Korean 135 lecturer, 정선생님!

free Korean book and $25 App Store gift!

감사함니다!

.09126.

.festifall.

2011-09-09T14:05:00.000-07:00

so, the festifall is today. well, in case you didn't know, festifall is an event in the University of Michigan where almost all of the clubs will set up their tables and promote their clubs to the students. it was fun, tiring and confusing as the clubs are scattered all over the Diag. there were hundreds of clubs (yeah, i'm not joking; that's why i said it was tiring) promoting today and i already signed up for a couple of clubs that i found very interesting.

1. Quidditch Club

2. Pokemon Club

3. Muslim-Jewish Association

4. FLU(Film Lovers Union)

5. Salsa Club

6. Squirrel Club!

well, obviously i will not be devoted to all the clubs at the same time and yeah, most of the clubs are leisure clubs so i can just do what i like the most! YEAH!

.09126.

.birthday treat.

2011-09-04T13:32:00.000-07:00

so i went to Briarwood Mall today to do some stuffs : survey the price of the Coach handbags and of course buy something for my birthday. it may sound weird but my parents send me some cash to spend for my birthday so that's why I went there. we arrived there at 10am-ish and most of the stores are closed. I decided to grab some coffee in Starbucks while waiting for the stores to open. at 11am, the whole mall was getting crowded with people, so I went from one shop to another and it freaked me out to see how cheap the items here in the US [compare it to Malaysian stores i meant]. those graphic t-shirts in Malaysia's Topman that sell for MYR90-100 were ridiculously cheap here. u can have one for 5-10 bucks. Perfumes here are cheaper too. Most of the designer's brand are cheaper than Malaysia except for a few controlled perfumes like the Chanel N5. most of them costs around 30-50 bucks for the big bottle and a lot of free gifts too. i was tempted to buy the Dolce&Gabbana's The One just now as i was so attracted to its free gift which is a big D&G duffel bag. i found this really nice Coach messenger bag for $295,[it is still cheaper to buy here if u convert it to MYR] and i still have cash to spend. but i am really sure i can find a better deal in other stores. so, ladies and gentlemen, here are some snapshots of my shopping trip today ! :D

Eddie Bauer shirt. got it for $10. most of the stores are having fall sales so i am lucky!

People here in Ann Arbor have this very high school spirit, so we decided to join the crowd! it was fun! got both of this in M Den.

Adidas Michigan Home Season shirt for $15.

the back of the shirt lists the game schedule!

this lanyard for $8.95, replacing my ATUSA's lanyard.

Abercrombie & Fitch sweater for $30. previously it was $40.

a pair of jeans for $39.99 bought at Macy's.

but it's RALPH LAUREN
[pronounced as LAW-RENT not LAW-REN as in RENDANG]
! it's freakingly cheap here! plus it's fall sales! YEAH! :D

Calvin Klein shirt for $35. it is cheap for a designer shirt :D

just a closer snapshot if u don't believe me. the price shown is before discount.

seriously, if u come here, u can shop till you drop. [SHAHIR MUTTAQIN alert!] well, the taxes here is pretty reasonable as it only charges 6% from the whole bill and since Ann Arbor is not a megacity, the prices of the clothes here will not run as high as those in New York or Chicago. [FADHLI MANSOR alert!] well. till then, i need to shop some books right now for my courses :D

.09126.

.moolah.

2011-09-03T18:01:00.000-07:00

it has been two weeks i am here in Ann Arbor, Michigan. life is great so far and the town is getting packed as more people are moving in to their apartments. the first michigan football game was held just now in the Big House and the whole town was flooded with people wearing the yellow Michigan shirts! we went to Meijer today to buy Fikri's stuffs since he just got here and a few other things. well, so far i've spent quite a lot for this settling down purposes.

Phone line - USD500 deposit for not having the Social Security No.
House Rent - USD525
Internet line - USD25++
House appliances - USD300++
Sewa kereta (senior drive :D) - USD80
Makan - USD100+-
Books - USD200++
TOTAL - USD 1.7K++

i think that is considered normal for people to settle down in a place. most of the things here are cheaper than in Malaysia. CORELLE, KITCHENAID, Coach and Starbucks just to name a few. oh yeah, LEVIS and LEE's jeans are pretty cheap too. just saw a bunch of sales of those jeans at Meijer just now. 20 bucks for a pair of LEVIS. yeah!

for those who are not in my facebook account, here is my apartment :D

.09126.

.19.

2011-09-01T17:29:00.000-07:00

my facebook page is starting to flood with all those wall-posts.

but technically, i am still 18 in the US at the time i posted this :D

thanks everyone

especially for the flowers sent by my dearest family.

they sent it to my house exactly at 12pm malaysian time.

hope to have wonderful years ahead!

insyaAllah.

.09126.

.USA.

2011-08-25T22:17:00.001-07:00

finally. i am here. i couldnt believe myself when I actually stepped out the Tom Bradley International Terminal, LAX last night. the feeling of actually stepping on the American soil is indescribable. all was well in the customs clearance, including my 1kg serunding. haha. the weather here in Ann Arbor is very cold and breezy. well, tak biasa lagi kot with these surrounding and it is only 12-13C right now. tomorrow will be a new beginning for me. wish me luck :D

Detroit Metro Wayne Airport.

Los Angeles Airport

i survived the long flight!

Taipei, first transit.

Muhammad Firdaus Kasman

Actuarial Math

University of Michigan

Ann Arbor, MI, USA.

.great day.

2011-08-20T08:02:00.001-07:00

it was a great day today, i guess. i went to Gurney Plaza with Asyif to watch Spy Kids 4:All the Time in the World. the movie was okay with some very comical scenes. Jessica Alba is so hot man! haha. well, the movie run for about an hour and half and we went touring all over the mall. i bought something in the Sox World while waiting for the iftar time. the mall is congested with people; yeah we had to park on the rooftop.

these are what we had for our berbuka puasa in Chilis, Gurney. it is kinda pricey, but i'm craving for them dude! haha. the pictures are topsy-turvy, i was too lazy to adjust everythingg, so just assume that they are in the right order. haha.

dessert; the famous Molten Chocolate Cake - a moist chocolate cake topped with vanilla ice-cream, chocolate sauce and caramel sauce. why is it molten? well, when you try to scoop the cake, some nice chocolate sauce will be oozing out from the cake. fantabulous!

Asyif's Monterey Chicken - grilled chicken breast glazed with cheese and BBQ sauce. it is served with a very nice mashed potato with gravy and some veges.

my all-time favorite Honey Chicken Crispers Chipotle - five large pieces of crispy chicken strips, coated with honey BBQ sauce. it is served with generous amount of french fries and a comb of corn.

our starters; the Tostada Chips with Salsa Sauce - well, the name says it all. the salsa sauce is kinda nice, it has all the flavors you want; sweet sour and spicy!

thanks for the day Asyif. till we meet again next time. 3 more days :D

.09126.

.shopping part 2.

2011-08-14T08:02:00.001-07:00

it was a tiring day. i woke up veryyyyyy late today, well in fact, it was the whole family. we bought nasi goreng with telur dadar the night before, but unfortunately none of us woke up before the subuh prayer. dang. u may guess what happen next to those nasi goreng. huhu :(

well, the workers are not doing their jobs today since it is Sunday. so around 10, i followed my dad sending my mom's Mazda to a battery center?(is it?) in Bukit Mertajam. After around half an hour, we went back to meet my Pak Long's family who came to visit the "unfinished" house. later around 4pm, the whole family went out and headed towards the island.

i did my second part of shopping here in Gurney Plaza. in Cold Storage at first, buying all those spices and blah2 and later to the Parkson to grab some track-bottoms initially but ended up buying something else. haha.

the whole shopping spree of food!

TADA!

lotsssssssssss of spices and instant stuffs.

raya special. huhuhu.

mushroom soups and milo?

oh and of course, this thing! i don't really eat maggi mee but well, just bring it!

we had buka puasa in Evergreen Laurel Hotel. it was nice. i love the macaroons. :)

10 days more!

.09126.

.that same old routine.

2011-08-07T23:42:00.001-07:00

i'm bored. doing the same thing again and again. my back ached as i have to sit and watch tv or online every single morning while breathing in the fumes of the constructional works in my house! i couldn't get outside of my house as there will be no one monitoring the house. i thought the routine will be ended soon as my bibik is scheduled to be back today but dang, she doesn't. :( well, we couldn't escape death and her daughter passed away, that's why. i hope i can bear this for at least two more weeks. then , i have only one week to do all the stuffs before i step into the US. nice.

someone please tell me what should i do everyday! i'm bored! it's killing me!!!

.09126.

.shopping part 1.

2011-08-06T07:27:00.000-07:00

i did some shopping today. well, 18 days to go! so, here are a few things i got today.

one luggage and another hand-luggage. (bought days before)

MacBook Pro replacing my old Macbook below.

new spectacles. One from Monocle Optic and the other from Focus Point.

Marc Jacobs from M.Optic and FCUK from Focus Point. They had BIG sales.

Hugo Boss Just Different.

nantikan Part 2. hehe :)

.09126.

.PFS.

2011-08-04T23:45:00.000-07:00

KUL-LAX-DTW

19 days more.

and i'm not ready yet :|

the first batch of MARA scholars are already there.

waiting for their pictures :)

gonna go shopping next week.

.09126.

.i'm sorry dad.

2011-07-31T06:53:00.000-07:00

i was driven by too many demanding thoughts. thus, i stumbled, searching for the best piece for almost 2 hours. i'm sorry dad. i'll make sure that they'll worth your money :)

Gucci? Boss? Marc Jacobs? FCUK? Ferrari? CK? Armani?

or maybe something at a lower tier?

Quiksilver? Giodarno? HangTen? Converse?

p/s: thank you very much :)

.food galore.

2011-07-23T23:27:00.001-07:00

ate this yesterday while accompanying my brother and sister for their bowling practice. love the chicken popcorn (MYR5.00).

extremely sinful Molten Chocolate Cake by Chillis. loving it to the max. a must-have dessert when you dine here. (MYR19.95)

Honey Chicken Crispers Chipotle by Chillis. Nice texture. Well mixed with the honey sauce. (MYR28.95)

just from a decent food court in Section 2. but the taste kills! Mango Sorbet Blended at MYR3.00. the stall also famous for its Oyen at MYR2.50

Subway. My favorites Chicken Teriyaki and Roasted Chicken. Chicken Teriyaki starts at MYR10.80 and Roasted Chicken is slightly more expensive, about MYR12.00 i think.

this is not food. duh. haha. my roommate soon-to-be? classmates for 2 semesters.

Pak Li's Lemon Chicken Rice. MYR5.20. I don't really like it since you cannot choose the chicken parts. well, i only eat the chicken breast and that's that. haha.

with Helfie, Zamir and Haziq (not in the picture) in Ikano.

well, he loves that meatballs!

Ikano's Fish n Chips. quite nice at MYR11.95.

favorite froyo of all time! TUTTI FRUTTI. it goes by weight so you have to be very smart in choosing your toppings or else it will cost you for a whopping MYR30++. i did once. haha :P

Cream and Fudge at KLCC. nice ice-cream with delicious toppings. price range is a bit higher than Baskin Robins. around MYR15-20.

this is me! haha. people who knows me well will know this. Starbucks Caramel Frappucino. the prices are hiking up right now. as until today, it is MYR15.00++

sekadar hiasan. sorry Syamil. hehehe.

the famous syukor tomyam (for budak2 cendana it is). my favorites are Nasi Goreng Ayam Lada Hitam (Black Pepper Fried Rice) at MYR5.00 along with Ice Tea Jumbo at MYR2.00. saving wehhh.

Carls Jr. my favorite is the Chicken Burger with Crispy Bacon.

the price are slightly expensive but the taste is so extraordinary for a burger. wahh. hiperbola sangat. MYR20++ for a set.

favorite place for steamboat. Flaming Steamboat Buffet. all you can eat for RM25.

Madam Kwans. my favorites is Nasi Lemak at MYR15.90 and the Banana Fritters with Ice Cream. Heaven!

in less than a month, i will be flying off. tiba-tiba, nak buat post pasal food. hehe.

.09126.

.rumah hancur.

2011-07-23T23:14:00.001-07:00

i wonder when will they finish everything? :(

the dust is killing me!

.09126.

.when Mr. B strikes again.

2011-07-12T06:44:00.000-07:00

my usual routine at home is kinda killing me. hence, i'll try my best to fine-tune everything. haha. i woke up at 7am to send my sister to school, back at my house, sleep again until 12-ish and eat my lunch. then i have nothing to do. online; movies; dramas; games and everything. i wanted to cook spaghetti just now but oh boy i woke up vey late and when i ran towards the kitchen, bibik has prepared everything already so i sat down and ate. haha.

i missed INTEC's life. well, normal lah kan baru tinggal INTEC nak miss2 bagai. but truly, i want to meet my friends, all of them but i have to juggle between my friends from INTEC, from high schools, teachers and my family. of course i have to make my family as my priority since i'll be leaving them very soon to the States butttttttttt it's killing me to reject all my friends offers to go here and there; plus i haven't meet any of my teachers yet before I'm flying off. i'm torn between all these right now :(

i'm sorry dear readers if this is a crap, but i couldn't help myself but to express it here. honestly, i have mixed feelings right now. the idea of me going to an alien country is kinda too good to be true. time is moving very fast. and without me realising it, it is already approaching the end of July...

ahhh. good times in Shah Alam will never fade in my memories.

.09126.

p/s:Mr. B is Boredom fyi. haha. i'm bored. huhu :(

pp/s: if you are reading this, i'm sorry that there are some times when i was with you, i imagined that i was doing it with someone else. sorry that i faked it. [only one person will understand this, others pls let go all your crazy dirty imaginations. pfft.]

ppp/s: for those who have "interpreted" the statement above, please, if u don't know. do not ASSUME. it is not about B.I.

.awesome week.

2011-07-10T04:55:00.000-07:00

it was tiring but fun. and i was certain that i have made the right choice to join MDS during this holiday. oh wait, MDS is Minggu Destini Siswa; sort of orientation week for the juniors and I was one of the pemimpin mahasiswa(facilitators) for the thing. we had to undergo a three-day camp in Lembah Azween and it was super fun! no stress at all. the food was awesome, the activities are superb and everything was incredible. then, comes the MDS where we had to work our muscles in and out 24/7. it was hectic at first, some issues came up, we even pranked the Prank King (ehem ehem, if you are reading this) haha and all ended well! very well i must say. all the PMs were helpful enough to the students and most of the activities ran smoothly. the night after MDS ended, I had my dinner in Shukor, as i am craving for their Nasi Ayam Lada Hitam. it was awesome, yes again. awesome is the word of the post. hehe. we went to Melaka after that, staying in the A Famosa Resort, thus we were all safe and sound from that Bersih assembly. okay, fast forward to today, i met a few of my batchmates, went to the Gardens to buy some stuffs, had my lunch at Chilis - i was craving for their Chicken Crispers Chipotle and Molten Chocolate Cake for weeks; and head back to Penang. and now again, i am in my room, counting the days left for me to be in Malaysia this year. awhhhh. :(

.09126.

.the end of another chapter of my life.

2011-06-24T04:27:00.001-07:00

Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road.
Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go.
So make the best of this test, and don't ask why.
It's not a question, but a lesson learned in time.
It's something unpredictable, but in the end is right.
I hope you had the time of your life.
So take the photographs, and still frames in your mind.
Hang it on a shelf in good health and good time.
Tattoos of memories and dead skin on trial.
For what it's worth, it was worth all the while.
It's something unpredictable, but in the end is right.
I hope you had the time of your life.
It's something unpredictable, but in the end is right
I hope you had the time of your life.
It's something unpredictable, but in the end is right.
I hope you had the time of your life.

sorry zaid yazid sebab copy post kau. huhu. lagu ni tacing sgt. aku tak tahan.

so, another chapter of my life ends. will be leaving for the states on 22nd august. i'm sad. seriously. there are a few things that i regretted after i took the left fork to Federal Highway just now. i could just easily take the other fork and go back to cendana. but i couldnt. yes, i couldnt and i regretted it until now as i knew there would be faces that i will never see again in the near future. OMG. did i cry in the car just now? i know i know it sounds stupid and immature, but who cares anyway? kenapa aku tk baik dengan kau since fall? kenapa masa summer baru baik? ......... :(

.09126.

.red carpet affair.

2011-06-18T04:26:00.001-07:00

syahmi and his new hairstyle.

mut, also with a new hairstyle.

pali :)

pennstaters.

the wolverines! :P

budak yg terer u-turn. heh.

my best man when it comes to work :P

i like this pic! suit up!

hummer :P

didn't bring my camera. most of the pics are taken with my HTC Desire. :) a memorable night, enough said :)

.09126.

.summer is ending.

2011-06-15T05:11:00.000-07:00

tomorrow night is atu night. next friday is my final class. next week is my final week in INTEC and i'll be leaving INTEC for good. MPSI is on thursday and my final exam is on next next friday. time is moving fast, really! honestly, i havent had the chance to know everyone close enough in ADFP, especially those JPA students. btw, yeay, they don't have to move out from cendana yet. teehee :P ok, back to the story.

calculus 2 is getting insane and my momentum is dropping steeply. i can say that i did well in the first test, but did not in the second one. i flunked, and it is all due to my own fault. i didnt study. i went to taiping that week and did not study. yeay me! and i have to work extra hard for vincent's paper next friday. adoi.

atusa's last event is atu night, and now i'm busy collecting funds for that thing. it's hard and it's kinda sad to ask money from people especially those who had financial difficulties. i have to consider but but but that was my job and i have to be equally fair. hehe. and i havent started any line on my job description to be passed down to my next treasurer. haha.

i've settled my i-20 complications with Michigan last week and they are processing mine but it's kinda freaking me out since i'll be leaving KL/Selangor next week and I haven't done my visa interview yet. (since the i-20 is not in Malaysia yet). so there is a HUGE possibility that i have to come to and fro KL to settle this visa stuffs and it is tiring! insyaAllah, if nothing happens, i'll be flying off to Michigan on 20th August 2011. :)

summer is ending. and i'll be leaving intec for good. am i sad? huh.

.09126.

p/s:if u read this, see, i have a lot of things to do, and i don't really need to care about your stuffs. please mind your own business, stalkers. peace :P

moving on and getting used to it.

2011-05-06T05:18:00.000-07:00

first weekend of summer semester. BORING. seriously. i don't know what am i supposed to do. most of my friends are not in cendana. they went back as early as the class ends on thursday as they have NO class on fridays. and i am stucked in cendana doing my same old stuffs.

well, basically i am taking calculus 2 this semester. the subject is getting harder and harder everyday but i kinda like it. the first few chapters deals with 30+ techniques of integration and differentiation. my schedule this summer: woke up, went to class at 8-ish, class from 8.30 to 10.30, library time 10.30-1.00, lunch, back in cendana, HIMYM, calculus AGAIN at night but this time from a series of videos. i really love this guy. i've been watching all his calculus videos since high school as his explanations were incredibly clear and concise. try searching for patrickjmt in youtube and i'm sure you wont regret it!

7 weeks more of this same routine....

.09126.

156th-Summer Semester.

2011-05-03T00:40:00.000-07:00

here comes Summer Semester. the so-called most relaxing semester in ADFP. i kinda doubt it. haha. maybe its relaxing for those who are taking "light" subjects like Psychology and Agama but not for us who are taking Calculus. no no no. just had my first quiz just now and another one coming tomorrow. cramming a 4-months chapters to only less than 2-months should be an uphill task i guess. oh god. i hope i can easily pass this last phase in INTEC. oh yeah, a few seniors are in my class too. kinda awkward actually :|

the final results of spring semester are out! alhamdulilah. it was better than what i had expected :)

Philosophy of Islamic Akhlak 4.00 (A)
Speech Communication 4.00 (A)
Calculus 1 4.00 (A)
Computer Programming 4.00 (A)
Critical Thinking 3.67 (A-)
Advanced Composition 3.67 (A-)
American Cultural Studies 3.33 (B+)
GPA 3.86
CGPA 3.74

for those who are not familiar with our grading system, please click here :)

alhamdulilah :)

.09126.

.it's coming to the end.

2011-04-17T06:36:00.000-07:00

encik suhaimi ossp :)

ms khaida, speech com lecturer :)

pn mas, advanced comp lecturer :)

batman, class parade 2011

mr ikhwan, previously my pre-calc lecturer, currently my
calc 1 lecturer; soon-to-be calc 2 :)

mdm penny, critical thinking :)

adfp speech night 2011, u rock fera!

i love this picture. typical outfit to class.
that blue sweater, jeans, crocs, laptop, and shiny bag!

gonna miss spring 2011.
.final exam-mode.
Speech Communication (done)
Calculus 1 (done)
C++ Programming

WISH ME LUCK!

.09126.

.i'll truly miss the hectic-ness.

2011-04-09T23:26:00.000-07:00

exactly tomorrow, it will going to be week 15 of our spring semester. two more weeks and i'm done with spring. a lot of things happened throughout this semester and through all these time, I began to discover my true self and my friends'. it became crystal clear to me right now that not all your friends will stay as your friends and not all your foes will forever become your foes! i learnt a lot that some people in this world may just dump their friendship for the sake of statuses and money. yeah. that's the ugly truth people! and i do realize that sometimes, being alone is a perfect getaway to all these problems.

enough with that. i have completed ALL, yes i repeat ALL my presentations and assignments. next week, i'll just go to the class, watching my classmates' presentation and finish up my tests and the week after; do my final exams and wallah. SPRING IS OVER!

insyaAllah. i'll be flying off to the Ann Arbor soon enough. i wonder what will my future life be. can i cope with the surroundings? and i must say, my heart was heavy just now when i realized that spring is over. i love IRVINE so much. the songs presented by my ADFP-mates during the KO-PLN night really touched my heart. "Count on Me" and "What I've Been Looking For". both songs connote the true meaning of friends. and up until now, I will listen to both songs almost every time i turn on my laptop...

"You can count on me, like one two three, I'll be there;
and I know when I need you
I can count on you like four, three two, you'll be there;
and that's whats friends are supposed to do..."

.09126.

2011-04-05T07:01:00.000-07:00

If you ever find yourself stuck in the middle of the sea
I'll sail the world to find you
If you ever find yourself lost in the dark and you can't see
I'll be the light to guide you

Find out what we're made of
What we are called to help our friends in need

You can count on me like one, two, three
I'll be there and I know when I need it
I can count on you like four, three, two
And you'll be there 'cause that's what friends
Are supposed to do, oh yeah, ooh, ooh

If you toss and you turn and you just can't fall asleep
I'll sing a song beside you
And if you ever forget how much you really mean to me
Everyday I will remind you

Find out what we're made of
What we are called to help our friends in need

You can count on me like one, two, three
I'll be there and I know when I need it
I can count on you like four, three, two
And you'll be there 'cause that's what friends
Are supposed to do, oh yeah, ooh, ooh, yeah, yeah

You'll always have my shoulder when you cry
I'll never let go, never say goodbye

You can count on me like one, two, three
I'll be there and I know when I need it
I can count on you like four, three, two
And you'll be there 'cause that's what friends
Are supposed to do, oh yeah, ooh, ooh

You can count on me 'cause I can count on you

-Bruno Mars-

a few more final laps : Broadway.

2011-03-31T08:30:00.000-07:00

i've been keeping this for so long. actually, just after i got back from I-PROKHAS camp in Asahan, i got one really important email. after reading the email, i just kept shut and remained silent. i'm confused, having conflicts of emotions in myself. sad? happy? disappointed? needing someone to talk to, i told my family and a few of my close friends about the news.

yeah people, i've just got rejected from NYU :( i've been passionate about this school since last fall. everything around me is New York. during our forum, i did become the analyst in the Wall Street, graduated from Stern. i even chose Broadway as the theme for my music appreciation assignment. i really wanted New York University badly. but again, Allah knows me better. and I firmly believed He has better plans for me in Ann Arbor :) so yeah, I am sure I will be missing the hustle bustle of the NYC, but I will get to enjoy the decent friendly neighborhood of Ann Arbor later !

it's less than three weeks for me in spring semester. frankly, i'm glad that the hectic-ness is going to be over. now, a few more final laps for me. Persuasive Speech, Research Essay, Advertisement Project, Music Appreciation and the Final Exams! hope that everything went well :)

Mid-Sem Results are out!

Philosophy of Islamic Akhlak : A (93)
C++ Programming : A- (91)
Calculus 1 : B+ (89)
Critical Thinking : A- (91)
Speech Communication : A- (91)
Advanced Composition : A- (91)
American Cultural Studies : B (86)
GPA- 3.56
CGPA - 3.54

alhamdulilah.

.09126.

.post-BTN.

2011-03-18T08:42:00.000-07:00

i just came back from BTN for 5 days. the camp was err err just ok. after the camp, i collected my phone from the urusetia and ran through my email. alhamdulillah. i received another two more offers from the States. One is from Drake University, my safety school and another is University of Michigan, Ann-Arbor. yes, i am happy! :)

University of Michigan, Ann-Arbor

Drake University

so again, I would like to share my essays with you. feel free to read :) the first one is a free-topic essay which i sent to NYU, UMich and Drake.

Living Coffee

“One Venti Caramel Frappucino, with coffee, extra caramel and extra whipped cream on top, please!” The cashier gave me a smirk and I paid her while examining closely on how the barista prepared my coffee. Later, I claimed my drinks at the next counter, picked up a straw and made a beeline to the empty seat in one secluded corner at the back of the Starbucks coffee house near my home. I sat there for hours sometimes doing my Calculus studies and watching my favorite Korean series, “Coffee Prince”. I went there almost every day after my high school graduation and indeed Starbucks coffee house is like my second home for 7 months before I continued my preparatory studies in International Education Centre, Shah Alam.

I have always had an obsession with coffee. It first started when my English teacher showed me a very inspiring video titled “Life is Like a Cup of Coffee” in one of my junior English classes. I still remember vividly, the gist of the video explaining that though coffee is bitter, everyone just loves it. My life is exactly like that - I enjoyed every piece of my life though I sometimes encountered hardships and toils along the way. As I sat on my seat, different people walked past me, Mr. Ahmad, Mr. Leong and Madam Kiranjeet, enjoying every sip of their coffee. Despite the racial differences and various personalities’ discrepancies, they still favored the same coffee. I observed everything, and that made me realize how simple life could be – not as complicated as the confusing differential equations in the Calculus book – with only a cup of Starbucks coffee, the definition of life starts to unfurl and serve as a bond for everyone.

I soon learn the fact that there is not only one type of coffee – there are a lot of them. The Frappucino, one of the Starbucks ice blended coffee itself has numbers of brothers: the Caramel, the Double Chocolate and the Strawberry to name a few. Each and every one of them has its own strength to appeal the customers. I sensed something in common with our life. People have different strengths and weaknesses, so I try to be positive - tolerating and accepting others as who they are and to be fair to everyone for I am perfectly sure that nobody is flawless. I remembered one time when I was facilitating a group of Muslim students in Southern Thai to improve their English proficiency where initially, I was in the midst of giving up as I had a lot of difficulties to comprehend on what they were trying to say in Thai. However, as the time moved on, I could see that despite their poor command of English, they were persevered enough to learn and had an amazingly great brotherhood spirit among them. I emulated them and made use of their strengths by conducting a lot of sharing sessions where I had to teach them English and I got to learn Thai from them. It worked perfectly then, and I was happy to see that by the end of the camp, a lot of the students were confident enough to try speaking in English.

As the saying goes, “variety is the spice of life”. Same goes to a cup of coffee. People add sugar and milk to coffee to make it less bitter. Starbucks made my favorite Frappucino by blending in coffee with caramel and milk. As I contemplated deeper, I could see the significance of this in my life. Whenever I’m having problems and monotony, I’ll spice up my life with humor and peculiarity. Whenever I’m at wits end proving tricky trigonometric identities, I’ll tune into “Coffee Prince” series to ease my tense. Though I have deep passion and curiosity in mathematics and economics, I always favor language studies too. I devoted a lot of my time to learn new mathematical concepts all by myself besides self-studying the Hangul language through the drama series. Besides, living in a small country like Malaysia does not make me compelled and obliged to my customs only; but I still relish in Korean series and enjoy Starbucks almost every day. I always diversify my view to the global horizon – seeing a globe not just like a round planet, but as a unified humanity with different perceptions and point of views that should be respected.

It is incredible that just a cup of coffee could symbolize an entire life of a human being. I scrutinized my half-drunk cup, seeing how perfectly the coffee blended with the cream on top, just like how a Western and Eastern culture could assimilate. I looked around and saw the menu, listing different types of coffee served in Starbucks, made me grasp the fact that people around me are of various traits and personalities. I then stood up and packed my things as I saw more people thronged the place. I smiled and walked away from the shop because I knew that even though the coffee is bitter, everyone just wants it more. And I was certain that life is just like that.

Yes, life as we know it began with a cup of coffee in hand: the first sip of mild, lightly roasted coffee makes for a young, naive child. In time as the roast goes darker, when the aroma intensifies and bitterness starts kicking in, we start adding our sugar and cream to tone it down and form a personalized recipe. It mimics life in every single way: as we grow older in time, alongside wisdom and knowledge, trials and tribulations accompanies. And we try our best to overcome problems with solutions, unique to oneself - just like a personalized recipe. The twinkle in our eyes glimmers brightly as we indulge every sip of maturity and knowledge. No matter how bitter this coffee may initially be, we all fervently desire to make the most of this gift of life that acts to awaken the aura. And I drive myself to the nearest Starbucks whenever I can to do just that. It's simple - I love my Venti Caramel Frappucino as much as I love my life!

Everyone belongs to many different communities and/or groups defined by (among other things) shared geography, religion, ethnicity, income, cuisine, interest, race, ideology, or intellectual heritage. Choose one of the communities to which you belong, and describe that community and your place within it.

“We are proud to be collegian,

How can we ever make you see?

Deep inside we’re all somebody,

The game is ours and you will see”[1]

My bittersweet experience in boarding school is simply priceless. I was a naïve boy when I started the cycle of “Pride, Passion and Tradition”.

Pride. It is not arrogance, but how collegians carry themselves humbly and presentably to everyone. We were trained to do everything perfectly, from dining etiquette up to our stance while walking. From a typical boy who could not handle cutleries properly, these trainings have transformed me into a confident man who can now share the dining table with the Kings.

Passion. Collegians strive for the best to top the list. While being ardent, we still value all the lessons learnt along the success. Hence, achievement alone is insufficient to satiate the passion of the collegians; the enjoyment felt and the hardships dealt should also come with it. I still remember the toil I went through when organizing an international event in Indonesia; I tried to remain calm and did everything accordingly and thank God, the program drew a huge attention from the school officials!

Tradition. Dubbed as the King of Schools, we lived in many traditions pioneered from our former old boys[2]. One of the most significant one is the cheering squad where the whole school will sing fighting vibes in unison to support our college team in any sports tournament. Standing on the lines of the spectators, I feel obliged and proud to share the victory and shed tears with my “brothers” whenever they were down.

Undoubtedly, I am honored to be a part of this community. I am also happy that the cycle has now completed.

[1] This is the lyrics of Motherrusia, one of the fighting vibes in my school, The Malay College Kuala Kangsar

[2] Old boys-The Malay College Kuala Kangsar alumni

Describe the unique qualities that attract you to the specific undergraduate College or School (including preferred admission and dual degree programs) to which you are applying at the University of Michigan. How would that curriculum support your interests?

It was in the year 2025. I was sitting in my office, in the 20^th floor of the Central Bank Malaysia building, when suddenly someone knocked my door. A man came in, strode confidently across the room and took a seat in front of me. With a nice sweet smile, he greeted me and handed me his CV. “Please introduce yourself.”

As soon as he started speaking, I could feel his charisma and passion burning inside him. I began reviewing his CV after that. “Degree: Actuarial Mathematics, University of Michigan”, I stopped for a second after reading this statement. Yes, now everything makes sense. He was a graduate from U-M, my dearest alma mater! I knew perfectly how U-M has produced thousands of exceptional and skillful graduates like one who is facing me now. At that moment, slowly, I reminisced back my path towards my degree in U-M, 14 years back.

I told the young man almost everything. It was during the fall 2011 when I first stepped in Ann-Arbor. Being a complete stranger in this new country, I was alienated by the unusual surroundings of Michigan, unlike my hometown in Malaysia. However, my anxiety started fading away when some of the amiable and helpful University’s International Center officers came into sight and guided us.

As I am majoring in Actuarial Mathematics, same as the fresh U-M graduate in front of me right now, I was placed in the College of Literature, Science and Arts (LSA) during my sophomore year. I completed all the pre-requisites required for the admission to the LSA during my first year including Math 425 and Stats 426. Being in LSA, I got the opportunity to participate in the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) as well as to be a part of Michigan’s Learning Communities. Well, as U-M is an international university, I got to be acquainted to the people from all over the globe! It was an amazing experience!

Besides my math aptitude, I have always had a strong desire in Asian cultures; I did my Korean Studies courses and even did my internship in Ernst & Young, thanks to the strong rapport between U-M and its alumni. Furthermore, as U-M is recognized as one of the Centre of Actuarial Excellence by the Society of Actuaries, I managed to gain maximum number of exemptions allowed for my actuarial papers.

Without me realizing it, the interview has been lasting for almost an hour. I told him that I’ll make the decision by tomorrow for the consulting actuary post that he applied. I shook hands with him and saw him walking out of my office. I smiled. I could see me in him 10 years back, applying for the same post in the same building. Deep in my heart, I was grateful to be chosen to be in U-M. In silence, I prayed that the young man who just walked out from my door will hold the same title as me soon, the “Chief Actuary of Central Bank Malaysia, Fellow of SOA”.

.09126.

delightful?

2011-03-13T10:52:00.000-07:00

i was actually waiting for a friend to give me her DVD sets of this one drama, but somehow suddenly my other friend gave it to me and yes two sleepless nights were worth it. DELIGHTFUL GIRL CHUN HYANG. well, basically, the drama has the usual korean storyline and just now i just realised few things after i finished watching it.

Love can do a lot of things; to the extent of opressing/killing someone who is in our way to get hold of our lover. love can be painful and yes, it is not as sweet as it seems in the drama. jumping into the hole of love at early age may harm u, A LOT! you don't have enough experience, there's a lot more in the world that need to be explored, so why bother having a very serious relationship at that young age? just like how Moong Ryong and Chung Hyang messed up~

.09126.

Wisconsin Madison and UIUC essay.

2011-03-07T02:48:00.000-08:00

hey bloggers! alhamdulilah, since I've been accepted to these two schools, I would like to share with you guys my admission essay that win me the admission. so juniors especially, feel free to read. drop me comments :)

Write a brief statement on a separate piece of paper regarding your educational plans at UW–Madison.

It was in the year 2025. I was sitting in my office, in the 20^th floor of the Central Bank Malaysia building, anticipating with high hopes on one interviewee. I was looking at my Tag-Heuer watch, a gift from my beloved wife during my 30^th birthday two days ago when suddenly someone knocked my door. “Come in”, I said. The man came in, strode confidently across the room and took a seat in front of me. With a nice sweet smile, he greeted me and handed me his CV. “Please introduce yourself.”

As soon as he started speaking, I was amazed by his charm and personality. I could feel his charisma and passion burning inside himself. He was enthusiastic and knowledgeable. I began reviewing his CV after that. “Degree: Actuarial Science, UW-Madison School of Business”, I stopped for a second after reading this statement. Yes, now everything makes sense. This talented young man in front of me was a graduate from UW-Madison, my dearest alma mater! I knew perfectly how UW-Madison has produced thousands of exceptional and skilful graduates like one who is facing me now. At that very moment, slowly, I reminisced back my path towards my degree in UW-Madison 14 years back.

I told the young man almost everything. It was during the fall 2011 when I first stepped in the States, in Madison to be exact. Being a complete stranger in this new country, I was alienated by the unusual surroundings in Wisconsin, unlike my hometown in Malaysia. There were only 10 of us, Malaysians registered as the freshmen in 2011. However, my anxiety started fading away when some of the amiable and helpful International Students Service (ISS) officers came into sight and greeted us. They even guided us from A to Z about UW-Madison: from our academics, housing, finances to our safety. Besides, the Student’s Orientation, Advising and Registration (SOAR) which was held in summer was a great and meaningful moment for me. We had a whale of time, getting to know each other during the SOAR. Well, as UW-Madison is an international university, I got to be acquainted to the people from all over the globe! Not forgetting, I’ve got to learn the Wisconsin cheers at Camp Randall stadium during the “Wisconsin Welcome” in late August. It was an amazing experience!

Majoring in Actuarial Science, same as the fresh UW-Madison graduate in front of me right now, I was placed in the Wisconsin School of Business during my sophomore year. I finished all my pre-business courses required for the admission to the Business School during my first year including Finance 300 and Stats 201. Being aware that UW-Madison has an excellent actuarial program, I also joined the Actuarial Club and attended then Actuarial Science Career Fair which was held annually in mid-November to develop and enhance my interest towards this field. In order for me to hone my mathematical, statistical and problem-solving skills, I attended the Actuarial Career Awareness Night and even did my internship in Ernst & Young, thanks to the strong rapport between the School and its alumni. Furthermore, as UW-Madison is recognized as one of the Centre of Actuarial Excellence by the Society of Actuaries, I managed to gain maximum number of exemptions allowed for my actuarial papers.

“All work and no play make Jack a dull boy,” the man pointed out. I quickly stressed the point that good actuaries do need high creativity and responsibility to ensure perfect work. In UW-Madison, I really enjoyed and relished on debates and musical clubs. I played sports once in a while to release my tense. Moreover, with the international and cross-cultural community UW-Madison offered, I could mingle with people from all over the world and exchange opinions and points of views with them. I told the interviewee that I still keep in touch with my fellow Nigerian and Korean friends up until now and he was surprised to hear that I can even make business connections with them. “It’s the power of UW-Madison in uniting the world!” I stated.

Without me realising it, the interview has been lasting for almost an hour. I told him that I’ll make the decision by tomorrow for the consulting actuary post that he applied. I shook hands with him and saw him walking out of my office. I smiled. I could see me in him 10 years back, applying for the same post in the same building. I turned my chair and saw the picturesque view of Kuala Lumpur. Deep in my heart, I was grateful to be chosen to be in UW-Madison. In silence, I prayed that the young man who just walked out from my door will hold the same title as me soon, the “Chief Actuary of Central Bank Malaysia, Fellow of SOA”.

Essay 1

In an essay of 300 words or less, please discuss your academic interests and/or professional goals

It was in the year 2025. I was sitting in my office, smiling, after I have interviewed one man. Amazed of his charisma and personality, I could see me in him 10 years back, applying for the same post in the same building, here in the Central Bank of Malaysia. I looked back at his CV after that. “Degree: Actuarial Science, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign”, I stopped for a second after reading this statement. This talented young man just now was a graduate from UIUC, my dearest alma mater! At that very moment, slowly, I reminisced back my time in UIUC 14 years back.

Majoring in Actuarial Science, I was placed in the Department of Mathematics, in the LAS. Being aware that UIUC has an excellent actuarial program, I joined the Actuarial Club to enhance my interest towards this field. In order for me to hone my mathematical, statistical and problem-solving skills, I even did my internship in Ernst & Young, thanks to the strong rapport between the School and its alumni. Furthermore, as UIUC is recognized as one of the Centre of Actuarial Excellence by the Society of Actuaries, I managed to gain maximum number of exemptions allowed for my actuarial papers.

Besides my math aptitude, I have always had a strong desire in Asian cultures; I did my minor in Korean Language, following courses in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures. Moreover, with the cross-cultural community UIUC offered, I could mingle with people from all over the world; learn more about their cultures and exchange views and opinions with them. It was an amazing experience to be acquainted to the people across the globe!

“It’s the power of UIUC in uniting the world!” I monologued. Deep in my heart, I was grateful to be chosen to be in UIUC. In silence, I prayed that the young man who just walked out from my door will hold the same title as me soon, the “Chief Actuary of Central Bank Malaysia, Fellow of SOA”.

Essay 2

In an essay of 300 words or less, choose one extracurricular activity, work experience, or community service project from the list you provided on the application and explain why you initially chose it, why you continued with it, and how you benefited from it.

February, 2000

Dup-dup,Dup-dup.

My heart was palpitating wildly. It was my first speech in front of audience, when I was in the 2^nd grade. Every eye was riveted on me, waiting for me to start speaking. I was stammering and without me realizing it, tears streamed down my cheeks. Instead of talking, I ran down the stairs and from a distance, I could hear bellows of laughter. Deeply embarrassed, I cried.

*****

From that moment onwards, I told myself I have to change. I began the quest of searching the real “me” until one day, in my 5^th grade, a teacher introduced me to it.

It is an art which tries to find all the answers and solutions to all the problems and miseries in this world. People argue and fight for their rights in it. People defend and stand by their positions in it. And above all, it has a mighty power in changing people; well, it changes me!

From a reserved and laid-back kid, it has transformed me into a confident and vocal man. It has broadened my views and perspectives on my surroundings. It has made me learn how to be creative and analytical. It has taught me to be accurate and precise when responding to others. And it was it that introduced me to the world of economics and politics, figures and statistics, laws and statutes. It is, DEBATE.

*****

July 2007

Dup-dup,Dup-dup.

My heart was pounding furiously. I tried to stay calm. The opposition seemed to be stronger than I thought. The verdict of the debate was unpredictable. I held my breath when the result was announced.

“And the winning team of the National Debate Finals is THE OPPOSITION!” …

I patted my teammates’ shoulders and remained smiling. I could hear shrieks of joy from the other side of the hall. Well, winning is not everything. It is considered a huge accomplishment for me just to get to this level. I promised to myself that I would not stop trying because thanks to you, DEBATE, you have made a difference in my life!

.09126.

.weekend.

2011-03-03T22:28:00.000-08:00

weekend is here again. i chose to go back this time. i miss home :( currently, i am in Subang airport, waiting for my flight. hahaha. well, mid sem exams are over. i'm glad and relieved at the same time. Calculus 1 and Speech Com were okay i guess. same goes to C++. but but but but i did real bad in American Cultural Studies quiz. huhuhu.

with that bad news, alhamdulilah. when i got back at the hostel. i checked my status in wisconsin apps. and guess what. I was accepted to the University of Wisconsin-Madison. alhamdulilah. now, i have two choices whether to go to the more prestigious UIUC or to choose studying in the extremely cold region in Wisconsin. I can't really choose right now. haha.

spring is only 6 weeks left. and i guess the last 6 weeks will be the most hectic ever. with AIF, music appreciation (i'm going to do Broadway. wooot wooot!), american festivals, CT forum on shopaholics and that freaking research paper. oh oh oh not forgetting my persuasive speech. it's going to be a longgggggggggggggggg ride!

i think that's all for now. need to revise my Informative Speech outline. will be presenting it next Monday. hehe :)

.09126.

p/s:i will be acting in one of the Halloween videos! i'm nervous :|

.spring mid-sem exam.

2011-02-25T05:37:00.000-08:00

spring is very harsh. though it is the exam week, the class is still going on as usual and we have assignment some more to be handed in.

MONDAY (28/02/2011)
CTIS 20 Philosophy of Islamic Akhlak (4-5pm)

TUESDAY (01/03/2011)
no exams. phewwww... BUT have to hand in Essay #2 for USEL 22 Advanced Composition

WEDNESDAY (02/03/2011)
USMT 25 Calculus I (8.30-10.30am)
USEL 23 Speech Communication (2-4pm)

THURSDAY (03/03/2011)
USCS 20 C++ Programming (8.30-10.30am)

FRIDAY (04/03/2011)
no exams. but have to hand in topics for the forum USEL 21 Critical Thinking

MONDAY (07/03/2011)
INFORMATIVE SPEECH PRESENTATION!

that's all. i might need to go for BTN the week after that. so less holidays then. huhu.

.09126.

.moolah.

2011-02-23T05:20:00.000-08:00

*kena jimat sikit aaaaa. Ni baru kt msia. Jenuh aaa dok kat us nanti kalau dok berbelanja mcm ni. Belanja ikut kemampuan yang sepatutnya lah*

i've sent a message to my mom saying that i can't withdraw money anymore as I have less than rm10 inside my account. yeah. less than rm10. i, myself was shocked by this fact at the atm last night.and at that very moment, i realised how i have been so foolish, spending my money limitlessly and sometimes without any proper intention of spending it. and here i am, stucked for at least one whole week, armed with only rm50 in my wallet borrowed from someone.

okay, i am deeply embarrassed with myself right now. why? for I have scholarship money and yet I still keep asking for more from my parents. i know they can afford to give me more and more and more, but I sometimes prefer it to be this way, like the message sent by my mother at the very beginning of this post. i want to learn it the hard way so that I can enjoy later days. remember my previous post,"I am still a student and I should live like one."? yeah. this is the very reason why I am now still in doubt whether to study in big big big big cities in the US. *ahem ahem NYU* i don't want to be pampered too much.

sometimes, i do envy my friend for having lots lots lots of money given by their parents. but heyyyy! that's not really their money right? it's their parents. i constantly reminded myself to spend my money well these days. i don't want to ruin myself. MONEY IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL. familiar? how ironic, i just presented a case study regarding money, using the very same quote in CT class last friday. I should be thankful for what I have now. for I have my parents who taught me to spend my money properly, well at least for now.

SAYA SUDAH SEDAR.

.09126.

.spring updates.

2011-02-22T04:28:00.001-08:00

it is now approaching the end of the second month of spring. meaning that i have passed half of the excruciating and exhilarating moments of spring. two months two go! yeah! i'm done with my demonstrative speech, a bit shaky towards the end as i didnt really manage to finish up my kimchi in front of the class. instead, i completed it after the class and it turned out to be nice :)

AIF is coming up very soon and i was placed in the committee of "hello-wind" instead of halloween. the reason is too explicit to be announced here. hehe. ohh yeah. i might also have BTN this coming holidays. so, bye-bye mid term break. haihs. next, i'll be having tourism convention this thursday, promoting Pennsylvania. Hope that everything turns out well :)

last but not least, alhamdulilah. i managed to secure a place in the US. University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign or better known as UIUC. the result came out last saturday at 7am. i woke up and after my subuh prayer, i quickly checked it on the net. yes, i screamed. haha. i feel a bit relieved as i know that at least i have one place there secured for me. not sure yet whether i'm going or not. still waiting for Ann Arbor and NYU :)

that's all. tata~

.09126.

.arghhhh.

2011-02-13T07:59:00.000-08:00

(gambar hiasan)

ini adalah bebelan berbahasa Melayu + English.

arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! tensi sangat minggu ini. segala benda topsy-turvy. ishhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! i lost my Calculus text book. i don't have that much money left. shooooooooh temptations! i have two important presentations this week. UIUC result is coming out this weekend. ATUSA thingy on AIF. MINDS AGM blah2.

arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. saya sangat tertekan. tidak tahu mengapa. i'm considering to leave MINDS;
sangat-sangat terbeban.
maaf. no offence.

tolong doakan saya berjaya. terima kasih :)

p/s: dear MARA, please refund the SAT and SAT 2 money please :(

.i am a student.

2011-02-11T07:34:00.000-08:00

the temptations are killing me!

THEYAREKILLINGME!

I need to use a lot of money this month for couple of presentations. AND AND AND all those temptations around me are haunting me! i want to keep saying this. THEY ARE KILLING ME. i want those temptations to appear very dangerous to everyone.

I.AM.A.STUDENT.AND.I.SHOULD.LIVE.LIKE.ONE!

again,

THEYAREKILLINGME!

.09126.

p/s:now, i am paranoid on my financial status. :(

.study?

2011-01-30T03:09:00.000-08:00

just a note to remind myself!

MUHAMMAD FIRDAUS KASMAN

YOU HAVE TO STUDY!

if you want to go to the STATES,
you have to SACRIFICE!

.09126.

.spring sem.

2011-01-15T20:10:00.000-08:00

it is now approaching week 3 i am in irvine. 13 more weeks to finish this hectic sem. yeah. just by looking at every course outline makes me feel a lil' bit edgy, doubting whether i can cope with this pace or not. we have quizzes every week, have to hand in assignments each and every week and presentations. i'll be taking altogether 21 credit hours (CH) this sem. engineering major is the worst, 28 credit hrs. poor them. hehe. these are my subjects;

Fundamentals of Critical Thinking - 2 CH
Penny's class. great! lots of debates and article analysis. grouped with alia and syahmi for the "cursive writing" article analysis. Mdm Penny is a damn good historian! she knows everything. the russian history, the troy and whatnot. i do sometimes feel lost in her class for not really knowing what she's talking abt in front. hehe.

Advanced Composition - 3 CH
Mdm Mastura's class. she enunciates all her words clearly. she loves details. so you better know your subject really well when you're presenting in front of her as she will ask u all the nitty-gritty of the subjects. i love the essays discussion in class. oh yeah, we have to do research paper in this class. and i'm thinking of doing something related to coffee. ok? :)

American Cultural Studies - 2 CH
as the name suggests, we are learning abt american cultures. lots of presentations in the class and we are expected to know all the states and presidents in the US. currently, i'm working on one short story review titled "Nine". we have tourism convention next month where I have to promote Pennsylvania! next March, we gonna have American Indulgence Fiesta. Halloween Night, American Got Talent and such. gonna be awesome! Ms. Chelvi, my former Writing lecturer last sem taught me ACS.

Speech Communication - 3 CH
Ms. Khaida, one of the ausmat lecturers taught me this. lots of speeches need to be presented. we learned proper speech ethics and we have tests for that. great class. ohh, we are taught to write outlines to before speech. preparation counts!

Calculus 1 - 5 freakin' CH
maths class. taught by mr.ikhwan, my former pre-cal lecturer. just finished 1st chapter. having difficulties grasping the limit thingy at first but i am clearer now. haha. did real bad for the 1st quiz and improving on the 2nd quiz. alhamdulilah. as the credit hours is a lot, i can't just take this subject for granted. it will cost me massively!

C++ Programming - 4 CH
taught by one of the associate prof in INTEC. not really like this class at first. i slept during the first two lectures. but but but, the excitement rose up when i did my first lab session! it was intriguing! i love programming now! hehehe :)

Philosophy of Islamic Akhlak - 2 CH
energetic Ust. Wan. it is agama class. need an A this time. just managed a B+ last sem. hehe. so, basically this class deals with the ethics in Islam and how we are supposed to stay in the correct "akhlak" even if we are in overseas.

well, i'm now in the process of getting to know more about my classmates. still not that close like we used to be in Boston but i'll try. ATUSA has just finished our first activity, the volleyball and the futsal inter-class comp. the seniors bagged the champion title for both comp.

that's all fr now i guess. need to prepare fr my intro speech. tata.

.09126.

.recap 2010.

2010-12-31T00:59:00.000-08:00

well, today is the last day of 2010. 31st december 2010. i would like to do some recap for this year. so here it is :)

JANUARY

first month of 2010. i went to scholarship interviews. khazanah and sime darby. both managed to go until the 2nd stage. quite an experience. went to sekolah memandu. aced the test. 47/50. haha. get an L license. more and more trainings. met amiruddin ismail, my best friend since kindergarten after khazanah test. he treated me at the apartment after getting his salary working at Giant. wohoo.

khazanah test, menara uem

with amiruddin ismail, starbucks klcc

FEBRUARY

nothing much. korean movies and more korean series. anxiously waiting for my results, learned some maths from matriculation textbooks. started to learn Hangul. and yeah, reunion with my schoolmates. SK Seberang Jaya 2.

classmates 6 aktif 2004

MARCH

the most anticipated month for 0509. spm results. came back to koleq a day earlier. met my batchmates and received results. slightly sad, for not getting the best result for my batch but still grateful :) A+ for physics, something unimaginable. no pictures during the day. my camera rosak. :( huhu. filled in a lot of scholarship forms and essays.

syah, syaf, and me.

APRIL, MAY & JUNE

more scholarship interviews in these three months. received offer for Diploma Sains Aktuari in UiTM Shah Alam and to Kolej Matrikulasi Kedah. declined both when i received MARA scholarship to US. hang out a lot with my friends before going to INTEC. some of them stayed in my house. went to speech day in koleq in june. went to terengganu for syarahan agama peringkat kebangsaan. trained penang team. alhamdulilah. secured placing for them. :)

Securities Commision

Terengganu, Syarahan Agama

JULY , AUGUST, SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER

registered in INTEC. American Degree Foundation Program. great program, great seniors, great lecturers, everything's awesome! went through fall semester. did my SAT. the scores are average. find the scores in my previous posts. haha. ohh, i was in BOSTON. great great class! participated in ATUSA election, made the vice treasurer post. MINDS' BOMB was cancelled. missed debate so much. did a lot in fall. campaign project, radio drama and even gaga's performance. haha :)

Gaga's performance, for being late in class. haha :)

World Without War campaign :)

favorite past time in Boston - taking the pictures of someone who sleeps in the class. all must be included in the picture, including the lecturer!

Aiman's open house in Damansara

NOVEMBER

bored. started holiday. most of my friends were still in their respective college. did TOEFL in Phileo. satisfactory scores. alhamdulilah. went on doing my university applications stuffs. not going anywhere. my bro had his spm, so the whole family basically waited for him to finish.

DECEMBER

did my SAT 2. lalok came to my house. haha. went to singapore! bought quite a lot in orchard road. celebrated paan's birthday. okay, the post is too long already. so, i'll make it short.

favorite chocolate place.

this is lalok. haha :)

well, hoping for better 2011. sayonara 2010 :)

.09126.

.50 things you learned after watching k-dramas.

2010-12-30T08:37:00.000-08:00

1.Men who are hawt and rich fall in love with vulgar, outspoken women.

2.If you are a girl and have a best guy friend, he’s definitely in love with you.

3.Brothers/best friends/schoolmates/enemies always love the same girl.

4.You’re allowed to make U-turns anywhere in Korea. And there’s never traffic (or a single vehicle) on the side you want to turn to.

5.You get to run out of a restaurant without paying the bill. All you have to do is slap someone and storm out in tears.

6.Everyone has cancer.

7.You’ll get a flu/cold/fever after getting caught in the rain for 5 minutes.

8.When you’re sick, your boyfriend carries you on his back and races to the hospital. He hasn’t even heard of taxi/buses/hitching a ride.

9.Somebody gets into the pool/ocean with their clothes on.

10.If you’re rich, you’re an bubble gum.

11.If you’re poor, you’re an angel.

12.Your brother is a retard. If said brother is a real (blood-related) one, he is a lazy, stupid, irresponsible bum who exists by leeching off you. He’s not even handsome.

13.You’re not studying hard enough unless you get a nosebleed.

14.If you have a nosebleed, it’s most definitely cancer. And you have no money to pay for the surgery that’ll save your life. And your liver is missing. The doctors are not sure where it went, but it’s making your cancer progress faster.

15.You always order orange juice or coffee at a cafe. And you never drink it. EVER.

16.If two people are talking confidentally, they will leave the door of the room ajar so that a third party will eavesdrop on the conversation.

17.You go to America and you come back miraculously successful. You go to England and you come back amazingly fashionable. You stay in Korea and the only thing that’s changed is your hairstyle.

18.And you come back to Korea because you have cancer.

19.Everyone goes to the same hospital no matter where they are.

20.Even if you’re poor and can’t eat, you never wear the same clothes twice.

21.If you play a poor kid, you always have dirt on your face and your hair is always messy.

22.If you’re saving someone from being hit by a speeding car, you’ll push them out of the way and wait for the car to hit you instead.

23.Everyone has a long lost sister/brother/twin.

24.If you don’t want to answer your lover’s call, you can’t turn it off. You’ve got to take out the battery.

25.All Korean men can drink hard, smoke long, sing well and play the piano. Usually all at the same time, at the same restaurant that has a piano. The girlfriend doesn’t know this until she sees him playing the piano at night.

26.If you’re in a relationship, you must, at one point, leave the country and have your lover tearfully come RIGHT before you board the plane (vice versa applies as well. You can be the chaser.) 60% of the time you meet each other, and 40% you’re roaming around in circles in pass each other about 6 times. But you don’t see each other.

27.If you’re getting off a plane, you’re always wearing sunglasses.

28.All guys wear hideous tracksuits zipped up to their neck. Even if they’re only doing jump-roping.

29.Girls will always storm off because they’re mad. The guy will stoically grab them by them arm and swing them back – by magic, not dislocate their shoulders.

30.If you hit your head in a traffic accident, you might lose your memory. But don’t worry, you will get it back when you hit your head a second time.

31.Surprises ALWAYS backfire.

32.There will be situations in an elevator and in a toilet. In the elevator, you gotta get stuck with the bastard you’re trying to avoid. In the toilet scene, there’s a high probability you get caught by that bastard you’re trying to avoid.

33.Or most likely because you’re in the men’s toilet.

34.Unless you’re fabulously rich, your in-laws will always hate you.

35.So will your sister-in-law.

36.Your brother-in-law might have a crush on you.

37.There are only 2 ways to kiss. You either press your lips against theirs with your mouth completely shut in a long and comfortable kiss, OR you devour the other person and suck their soul out. In both instances, the world spins.

38.If a car ever breaks down or runs out of gas, it will happen on a small rural road with no other traffic, late at night. The area will also have no cellphone coverage, and you gotta walk the whole 10 miles back to civilisation in your 5-inch heels.

39.If you want 2 rooms in a hotel, only one will be available, and that one room will only have one bed.

40.You’ll get pregnant the first time you have sex.

41.You’ll get pregnant if he kisses you on the forehead.

42.Hell – you’ll get pregnant if you hold hands.

43.If you overcome great obstacles to be together, one of you must die. Probably due to cancer.

44.A guy and a girl on a bus must sit in the rear next to the right-hand window. A lone girl/guy sitting at that spot will reminisce about the time when he/she did have someone sitting beside him/her.

45.One man can kick the butts of 6 gangsters, especially when they all stand in a circle and attack the guy 1 by 1. When each of them get their butts PWNED, they wise up and attack the guy at the same time. Then the guy will get pulverized and bleed out onto the dusty concrete floor of the empty warehouse they found to fight in. And the girl will have watched this the entire time, screaming in horror. Instead of calling 119, she’ll just watch and cry. But it’s okay. Because the next day the guy will be fine with a few random bandages and a few scars on the face. But never a black eye.

46.Good girls don’t drive cars. Bad girls do. Well, a good girl just might drive, but she will do it so badly it’s a wonder she was ever given a license.

47.Rich people live in mansions surrounded by brick walls. The others live in shacks atop high buildings in downtown Seoul, or in hillside slums on the outskirts of the city.

48.Korean schools and universities suck. To study anything serious, you must go abroad.

49.If you study in the States (preferably Harvard), you are one of the top students and you can speak perfect English (as assumed by the reactions of those around you). Why the rest of the world OUTSIDE the TV can’t understand a single word uttered in your melodramatic voice is beyond me.

50.For one reason or another, a guy comes out of the bathroom naked/chest bared. Utterly shocked, you cover your eyes while screaming and pointing at him, while the guy screams along and covers his… nipples?

LOL!
_____________________________________
Thanks to: kara_elayne @ SKKSoompi

soooooooooooooooo true right? :))

source : http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=141518032568674&id=132678416776296

.09126.

.my girlfriend is a gumiho.

2010-12-29T09:28:00.000-08:00

hoy hoy!

fantastic series! well, not that common plot compared to other korean series. finished watching it today. yeay! 16 episodes :) the soundtrack is awesome too!

hoy hoy!

From LYRICSMODE.COM lyrics archive

Lyrics | Lee Seung Gi lyrics - Losing My Mind lyrics

.09126.

.scholarship assessments experience.

2010-12-24T23:22:00.000-08:00

heyy 0610, just wanna share a bit of my experience during all the scholarship assessments i went through last year. hope it helps :)

Sime Darby 2nd Stage (the 1st stage is the online application where you have to write 5 short essays)

Khazanah 2nd Stage (best experience i've ever had) - the 1st stage is some sort of IQ test

PNB (Permodalan Nasional Berhad)

Petronas EduQuest Camp

Securities Commission 1st Stage (i super love the building!)

Shell Phone Interview (qualified to the final stage but didnt go. hehe.)

MARA Interview (this is the only one that i secured) hehe.

Securities Commission 2nd Stage

Sime Darby 2nd Stage (again!) SPM results

i think that's all. if you have any questions, feel free to ask me or email me at fird126@gmail.com. good luck juniors!

.09126.

PMR 2010 SBP (as on 2.57 pm 27/12/2010)

2010-12-24T02:35:00.000-08:00

Ked	Nama Sekolah	Bil Calon	Straight A's		GPK
Ked	Nama Sekolah	Bil Calon	Bil	%	GPK
1	SM SAINS HULU SELANGOR	146	132	90.41	1.0154
2	SEKOLAH SULTAN ALAM SHAH	134	118	88.06	1.0177
3	KOLEJ TUNKU KURSHIAH	104	96	92.31	1.0180
4	SEKOLAH TUN FATIMAH	143	129	90.21	1.0201
5	SM SAINS TENGKU ABDULLAH	128	103	80.47	1.0264
6	SEKOLAH TUANKU ABDUL RAHMAN	105	88	83.81	1.0286
7	KOLEJ MELAYU KUALA KANGSAR	97	81	83.51	1.0296
8	SBP INTEGRASI GOMBAK	89	71	79.78	1.0325
9	SM SAINS TENGKU MUHAMMAD FARIS PETRA	139	111	79.86	1.0388
10	SM SAINS JOHOR	106	89	83.96	1.0403
11	SM SAINS SELANGOR	109	86	78.90	1.0440
12	SM SULTAN ABDUL HALIM	132	97	73.48	1.0483
13	SM SAINS SULTAN MAHMUD	104	71	68.27	1.0493
14	SM SAINS MUZAFFAR SYAH	119	89	74.79	1.0516
15	SM SAINS RAJA TUN AZLAN SHAH	83	58	69.88	1.0533
16	SM SAINS MACHANG	117	84	71.79	1.0556
17	SM SAINS KOTA TINGGI	124	88	70.97	1.0585
18	SBP INTEGRASI RAWANG	84	61	72.62	1.0608
19	SM SAINS PASIR PUTEH	135	95	70.37	1.0611
20	SEKOLAH SERI PUTERI	160	122	76.25	1.0617
21	SM SAINS SULTAN HJ AHMAD SHAH	119	86	72.27	1.0622
22	SEKOLAH DATO` ABDUL RAZAK	107	83	77.57	1.0643
23	SM SAINS TUANKU JA`AFAR	117	81	69.23	1.0685
24	SM SAINS KUALA SELANGOR	157	101	64.33	1.0737
25	SM SAINS TUANKU SYED PUTRA	102	65	63.73	1.0739
26	SM SAINS LAHAD DATU	94	66	70.21	1.0802
27	SM AGAMA PERSEKUTUAN LABU	130	78	60.00	1.0855
28	SBP INTEGRASI SABAK BERNAM	85	50	58.82	1.0980
29	SM SAINS MIRI	96	69	71.88	1.0992
30	SEKOLAH SAINS SULTAN HAJI AHMAD SHAH	129	87	67.44	1.1049
31	SM SAINS SULTAN MOHAMMAD JIWA	114	61	53.51	1.1125
32	SBP INTEGRASI SELANDAR	88	47	53.41	1.1212
33	SM SAINS POKOK SENA	115	51	44.35	1.1217
34	SM SAINS TELUK INTAN	134	63	47.01	1.1319
35	SM SAINS DUNGUN	123	54	43.90	1.1331
36	SM SAINS TUN SYED SHEH SHAHABUDIN	83	37	44.58	1.1416
37	SM SAINS LABUAN	68	24	35.29	1.1471
38	SBP INTEGRASI BATU RAKIT	64	23	35.94	1.1545
39	SM SAINS KUCHING	101	58	57.43	1.1665
40	SBP INTEGRASI GOPENG	86	39	45.35	1.1705
41	SBP INTEGRASI TEMERLOH	89	29	32.58	1.1710
42	SBP INTEGRASI JEMPOL	81	38	46.91	1.1866
43	SM AGAMA PERSEKUTUAN KAJANG	112	35	31.25	1.2004
44	SBP INTEGRASI PEKAN	103	38	36.89	1.2060
45	SBP INTEGRASI KUANTAN	84	23	27.38	1.2079
46	SM SAINS SULTAN ISKANDAR	106	20	18.87	1.2463
47	SBP INTEGRASI KUBANG PASU	82	23	28.05	1.2724

p/s: my analysis can be found here : ANALISIS 4 TAHUN PMR SBP (updated 31/01/2011)

.09126.

.analysis.

2010-12-24T00:11:00.000-08:00

currently, i'm working on some analysis for the latest pmr results released yesterday. wait for it! hahahaha. :)

p/s:sorry. but i can't help it. i just love to see all that data in spreadsheets! :) i guess actuarial science is a good course for me. :P

.singapore and a week after that.

2010-12-22T07:28:00.000-08:00

guys, sorry for the looooooooong delayed post! hahaha. yeah, the title says it all. i went to Singapore, the Merlion Land last week. it was awesome. well, we stayed in Grand Park Orchard in Orchard Road. comfy room with a weird funny looking woman potret on the wall. =.= Orchard Road was ah-muh-zing for me. long stretch of malls with multitude of branded designer labels boutique inside. and the best thing is CHRISTMAS SALE! yeahh.

my mom managed to grab two Coach and one Fendi handbags. my dad with his photography stuffs. my lil' bro and sis got their toys and ps3 games. and for myself i bought two pairs of jeans, one from M&S, another from CK and couple of t-shirts. Universal Studios was so-so. not that fun though, but still okay laa. one of the rollercoaster was under maintanence. so couldnt ride it :(

our hotel, Grand Park Orchard, just opposite the Paragon

these drugs can be obtained easily, Starbucks Coffee :)

Universal Studios Singapore

the tallest observation tower in the world, Singapore Flyer

this dish is superbly delicious! Max Brenner Chocolate :)

two things that i love in Singapore is their MRT and their toll system in the roads. First, the MRT. MRT is like the LRT in Malaysia.but the good thing is u can just purchase one ticket and change the lines accordingly to reach your destination. not like in Malaysia. for example, if u r from Shah Alam and going to Putrajaya, u have to first purchase KTM ticket to go to KL sentral. then go out and buy another ticket to board the ERL to Putrajaya. No, in Singapore, it will be like buy one ticket in Shah Alam straight to Putrajaya, and u don't have to queue again to buy new ticket, just go straight to the ERL platform and off ur way to Putra. cool isnt it?

next, the attitude of the ppl. in Singapore, there will be NO, and not even single incident where the ppl who r going in the MRT push ppl who r going out from the train. instead, they will obediently wait for everyone who want to alight from the train, and then go in after that. yes, i love that courtesy! i suppose i will not get the same environment here in KL Sentral where ppl will be pushing in and out from the train and u will end up sandwiched between ppl. haihs.

now, the toll system. there is no tolls there. only some machines built across the roads where the thing will deduct some amount from the card(sort of like the Smart Tag) according to the hours u pass through. so, the good things are, firstly, there will be less traffic jams and basically no queue at all because u can just pass by the thing. and secondly, the amount of car in the city can be controlled to avoid traffic congestion in peak hours. how? the machine will charge u more when u pass the thing within the peak hours, and charge u less if u pass by after or before the peak hours. so, ppl will generally avoid being charged more and only going in the city if they REALLY need to go. i amazed ,really! hahaha. jakun sebentar. :)

yada, yada, yada. enough about singapore. i received my SAT 2 results yesterday and yeah, i'm quite happy and thankful for that :) alhamdulilah.

Mathematics Level 1 - 740/800
Mathematics Level 2 - 740/800
Physics - 680/800
Total - 2160/2400

i'm thankful! really really! never expected this :) next sem, which will begin in more or less a week plus, i'll be in Irvine with my fellow Actuarial Science mates and Computer Science. looking forward for that. ok, see ya!

.09126.

.personal taste.

2010-12-11T06:56:00.000-08:00

korean freaks out there, go and watch this beautiful drama if u haven't! i just completed watching this whole series this evening. 3 days straight! yeay! well, i'm going crazy about this whole drama thingie. i even changed my ringtones to Personal Taste OST and currently couldn't stop listening to them! hahahaha.

Title: 개인의 취향 / Kaeinui Chwihyang

Also known as: Kae In's Taste / Personal Taste

Genre: Romance, comedy

Episodes: 16

Broadcast network: MBC

oh yeah, BOF fans, u should go and watch this. your favorite Gu Jun Pyo (Lee Min Ho) surely do wonders in this one as Jeo Jin Ho!

.09126.

p/s: off to singapore until wednesday :)

why? :(

2010-12-02T10:18:00.001-08:00

.click for better picture.

arghhhhhhhhhhhhh! i'm freaking out right now! apesal tak receive my academic transcripts ni??????????????????????!!!!!!!

pray, please be there!

.09126.

.oh my < 3 .

2010-11-30T01:15:00.000-08:00

khusyuk tak? haha :P

HAHAHA. i am happy today. so, i just simply put the title like that! do you want to know who's my love?

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TADAAAA!

STARBUCKS COFFEE! :)

obsess? yes, definitely i am! my university's admission essay is also about starbucks. so, yes. i am obsessed with u, starbucks. :P

managed to collect all 12 stamps and i redeemed this today!
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.starbucks 2011 official planner.

nothing much but i am happy. haha :) ok, here's one tip, whenever I am not in the mood, treat me one VENTI yes VENTI caramel frapp, then i'll be back into the action! hahaha :)

.09126.

p/s: crazy? yes, SAT 2 is this saturday and i'm not ready! ahhhhh. :|

.post pendek.

2010-11-29T04:50:00.000-08:00

apehal aku x confident dgn essays aku ni??!!

heeeeeeeeeeeeeshhhhhhhhh....

.09126.

.friendship.

2010-11-27T01:07:00.001-08:00

now i know, why people always say that life is full of surprises. take friendship for an instance. you'll never know what will happen to your friends in the future. in high school, you may become one of his/her best friend. but wait, time will decide everything. when you're in college, you'll meet new friends and eventually u'll never be as close to them as during the schooling days. well, i'm not generalising though. i'm perfectly sure that there are exceptions. here are two examples of my friends and how the friendship develops: hahahaha :P

muhammad amir akram abdul rahman
frankly speaking, it is super amazing for me to be as close to him as now for I don't know him at all at the first place before. haha. well, it was asyif who introduced me to him. i couldn't remember the exact date. but, me, asyif, nik and him were going out in queensbay last school holidays after spm. i was very awkward at first! yea. he was from STAR, one of SBP in Ipoh. ohh, we have a lot of mutual friends too! so, as the time moved on, we become closer and yeah, from a complete stranger, we can become as close as today! one more thing, if u think that i am a korean freak, try him! he is freakier than me! hahaha. lawak doe fikir :P

amir zahin asmadi
ok, he is my batchmate in koleq. but we rarely talk. like VERY RARE! i talked to him, like my first time, was during the Perfect Score Program in Kubang Pasu. he was in the same group with me, Add Maths :P well, the talks and conversations just stopped there, in IKUPA. when we were back in koleq, both of us seemed to be completely alienated towards each other. until the graduation day, which is the last day of SPM, we became closer. i don't know why. but it just happened! haha. and up until now, he is still the same "lalok", never changed a bit! :)

some pictures in Feringghi. more in my FB :)

"a friend in need is a friend indeed"

true?

.09126.