Apa macam in Seattle...

How interesting! Like finding a needle in a hay stack, we found it by chance. Now that is an interesting finding. We were on our way to the Space Needle in Seattle. While walking along the pathway toward it, our daughter Lin saw what look like some words written in Malay engraved on a blue tile laid along side the pathway. It is part of the many engraving with all sort of character that line the sidewalk. And this one caught her eyes. She told her mom and then told me of this finding. I walk back and indeed I was sort of surprise to see something written in Malay on a tile in this part of the world, the site of the 1962 World's Fair. I took a closer look and thought that it is authentically Malaysian.

So what does this 'Apa Macam' mean in English. Well this is how some Chinese Malaysian says How are you. The Malay would not do it this way. The Malay would say 'Apa khabar' for How are you. But in Malaysia where the cross cultural influences are great, greeting like ‘Apa Macam’ is often heard when a Chinese Malaysian greets a Malay for example. It sometime sound awkward because the official way is 'Apa khabar' but then for those who have been to Malaysia know that the communicative language that Malaysian use are a bit of a mixed up and often use as a Malaysian vocabulary. Like Ngam a Chinese word for exact is often use by all Malaysian to mean exact when measuring or to mean in agreement. They would say ngam ngamlah, which mean it is perfect in aliment or exact. So it is rather interesting to see such word have travel outside its boarder and this time engraved on a tile, in a faraway land, Seattle!.

It do made me smile and wonder of what else are to be found that Malaysian contributes to the world unofficially. So Rita and Louis of Seattle 'Apa Macam?' or as some folks here would say 'Lu Apa Macam?’.

Have a nice day.

Of Meatball and beautiful people...

Sometimes things just happen. Like last Saturday. We were at Ikea for lunch. The restaurant was packed to capacity but then that is the Ikea restaurant, often like that. Good food and relatively fair price made people come back. So we decide not to be taken up by the crowd since after their meals they would surely leave, either to start buying things or leave for home. With our mind set to have lunch here we decided to look for a place to sit and once that's done we would join the ques for the food. It looks like every table and sitting places were taken up but then we thought surely someone would move sooner and just took our chance.

I saw two young ladies at a table for four and as yet to get their meals. I approach them and one of them pointing to the two seats, says that these two seats are taken but the other two are free. So with that we decided to share the table and since there are no chairs around I went to look for two more and eventually found one with red in color, Seeing the red chair she quip, Oh! A lovely color! I replied that it is mismatch to the one at our table. Anyway it does add color to the table setting. Our daughter Lin got another one and we cramp to sit as comfortable as possible. With that settled I went to get lunch and follow the long ques for that, leaving the ladies on theirs own. I believe my spouse and our daughter Lin would soon get acquaintance with the two friendly strangers.

It was a long ques, so I took my time and move along and eventually got the orders and return to the table with the foods. We got for ourselves Poach Salmon, Roast chicken and Fry. As expected they were already exchanging notes. I notice one of the strangers already got her order of Meatball and wanted to share it with her friends but her friend did not take beef on that day and she was left with a plateful of Meatball that she could not consume all. She told us that she just could not finish all the meatball so she offer us the meatball and eventually I took some and with that the ice is broken and we soon began to chat in a friendly atmosphere on various subjects, from the high cost of living to cars. We soon found that the charming lady who does most of the talking is working with a foreign embassy in town and that the other lady is her school mate. This friend of hers seems to have thing in common with me, in that like me she love driving new car. With that there are plenty to talk on our philosophy of car. Soon we were eating and chatting like a family. With jokes and anecdotes that turn that lunch into an enjoyable get together of sort.

Friendly strangers who became friends at a lunch table are such beautiful people. When you meet such people with such charm nothing could go wrong. The aura of friendships and happiness was vibrating all over, turning this simple episode of living into another colorful event in our lives. Like any episode in real life, it has to end some time, so eventually they left the table with a wonderful smile. Charming! Thanks friends for making our day. Have a nice day.

[Both images are from the Ikea website]

A Birthday...

Woke up to yet another beautiful day. A cool Sunday morning in August. Folks, it is my birthday today. I am sixty nine today. It has been a great life with Asmah, the great other half, I believe the better half; great kids and grand kids and those great relatives/friends both in Malaysia as well the worlds over. It has been beautiful and colorful all the years. I am as healthy as ever and enjoying every minute of my golden years.

To all out there be good and give as much and that includes Love that could be given with ease. Give with all the sincerity and I am sure in one way or the other you would reap what you had sowed all those years. Have a nice day.

The image above was taken on June 26, 2008 at the Columbus Park in Boston.

That little Frog...

It was a beautiful day, with clear blue sky and patches of white clouds all over. It was indeed a nice day to take its easy and relax. I walk toward my little garden in front of my house that I had redone after that absent of two months while on a holiday in the US. For almost a whole week I work patiently and did the best that I could to clean the garden that had been neglected for that whilst. Rearrange the pots, clean the fish pond and got everything in shape again, Voila! My garden is as great as ever.

The next day while looking around I notice a little frog crouching at the brim of the large porcelain pot; that I had filled with water, to look like a pond. Obviously the little frog thought that of it so and decided to stay put and enjoy the pond. I got closer to it and it did not run away, so without much ado I took my camera and took a few snap and sharing it with all to enjoy. Now that is nice, my little garden now has a new occupant and I hope it would stay there as part of this green of mine. I had been trying to get frogs and other friendly insects to be part of my garden. First the elusive squirrels that I had fed with cut apples which now a frequent visitor to my garden. At one time I did bought a few frogs and set it free in my garden but it did not want to stay but now this little frog is there and I believe enjoying itself in that made believe pond. I hope it would continue to stay and be part of my little garden.

So how do I have this frog?. Well the story is like this, during our absent for two months obviously others took the advantage and had a party in the empty house. This frog got into our kitchen and I believe could not find its way out and decided to stay. While cleaning the kitchen my spouse saw something that look like some rubbish and decide to throw it away but it jump up. On looking close we found it to be a little frog, so I scooped it and took it to the front of the house where my garden is and put it there and told it to stay if it wanted to. A few days latter I found it to be happily resting on the brim of that small pool of water. I am delighted that it decided to stay, so I did not disturb it but eventually I took my camera and got closer to it and took that snap as seen in the images above. So as you can see the presence of that little frog brought freshness to my little garden; making our lives as colorful as ever. Have a nice day.

Its Made in China...Awesome..

The Opening Ceremony of the Beijing Olympic; it is Majestic. It is the works of creative people. It is a set that is simply marvelous. It is I believe the best Olympic opening ceremony so far. China did it with all the grandeur with its tradition of great culture of perfectness that became the greatest show on earth. It is a stage performance of the highest standard and it’s as colorful as it could ever staged, making it a colorful evening that one would remember forever. Indeed a pomp and splendor show that is Made in China.


I watch the show in the comfort of my home and these are some images that I captured of those historical events in Beijing.




As an events organizer myself of such events in the past, I know for sure that it is hard works and only with dedication and team works that such show could be as successful. Congratulation to all those that made this event a success. All images are captured from my LCD TV, courtesy of the Astro channels. Have a nice day.

The Beijing Olympic...

It is 08-08-08. An auspicious day in the Chinese culture. And today is the beginning of the greatest show on earth, the Beijing Olympic. This is also Asia biggest show and it is I believe the start of new developments to come, the emergence of a new Asia. In the spirit of friendships let us make sure that the Beijing Olympic run smoothly. For those of us who are not in Beijing, let us watch the games on the TV in the comfort of our home. Have a nice day.[image taken from the official site]

Ayam goreng berlada...

Ayam goreng belada mean Chicken fried with chilly. It is one of my favourite. So just a week before we left Boston for home, my spouse did just that and we all got to enjoy a great meal, just steamy white rice and that fried chicken. To me that two combine very well indeed. That crunchy and hot and spicy taste of the chilly is simply wonderful with white rice. If you are in to foods that is hot and spicy you should try it when you are next in Malaysia. Most Malaysian love this kind of dish, for chilly has always been part of the Malaysian cuisine. In a country where there are so many influences of cultural elements in our cooking, the chicken always has been one of the favourites, whether it is Chinese, Indian or Malay cuisine. It is loved by all. Have a nice day. [compose in Boston, edited and posted in KL]

20 years later... in NJ...

You look like your mom, that's what I said to Serene, when we met again in Newark on that colorful evening after a lapse of twenty years. She was just a kid in her teen when we came to know her. She and our daughter Lin was in the same school when I was working in the state of Sarawak, that enchanting and mystic state on the island of Borneo. Her dad and me was close friend and continue to keep in touch after I return to Peninsular Malaysia. I serve Sarawak for three and a half years [1986/89]. As I had often mentioned to others serving Sarawak was the best part of my career with many great memories. I did enjoy every minutes of my time there and this includes the close friendship of the Patrick's family.

We had always wanted to meet her since our daughter Lin told us of the chance encounter with her at the Newark Airport a year ago. In fact the Patrick's family had always been in our heart. Whenever her dad and me talk on the phone the question of how's the kids were doing was always in the conversation. So in a way this meeting her after a lapse of twenty years was indeed a dream come true for Asmah and me. That evening this gorgeous lady in mid thirty looks so radiant and happy. She introduce us to her other half, a tall and handsome man who also hail form Kuching. The chemistry was perfect and we all interact as thought the lapse of twenty years was not there at all. It was love vibrating all over, like the atmosphere of a coming home affair of the family.

She had decided to meet us when told that we would be at Newark on our return journey to KL and invited us to dinner at a Spanish restaurant in the heart of Newark. In real life, things happen and in this case a reunion that brought back great memories of our good time knowing their parents. With such a wonderful couple and sumptuous food what else would we ask for more? Indeed a wonderfully colorful evening in Newark. As usual in a situation like this time was not on our side, it just passes by in a fast forward mode, as story after story were narrated in that short spans of time.

I believe that when memories are set in gold in your heart meeting like this would surely take place. It is only a matter of time and in this case in place that none of us could ever imagine, and it did happen in a faraway land, on the other side of the globe, in Newark, New Jersey. US. Folks the evening was indeed a great reunion of the hearts.

Serene, Adrian; Auntie Asmah, Lin and me did have a great time that evening. Thanks.

Folks do have a nice day.