Will be away to Thailand for trip beginning tomorrow! And Selamat Hari Raya!

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri / Happy Eid to all Muslims across the world especially to my Malay friends in Malaysia! Have fun and enjoy in this festival after a month of dedicated fasting in the holy month of Ramadhan. Have a safe journey back home (balik kampung) and cherish the happy and festive moment with your family, relatives, friends, and neighbours. For the other Malaysians (me included) who are not celebrating, Happy Holiday!

I always envy this Hari Raya festival. It comes earlier every year because the Islamic calendar is shorter than the Gregorian calendar the whole world is using now. For our Chinese New Year festival, we are fixed to the time from January to February annually because our Chinese calendar has the similar number of days with the Gregorian calendar. Soon after, Hari Raya will get past us one round and clash with the Chinese New Year.

So for this Hari Raya holiday, I will be joining my parents for a short trip at Bangkok and Hua Hin, Thailand. We took on a 5 days 4 nights group tour which will begin tomorrow and ends on next Wednesday. I have been to Thailand twice in the past but this will be only my first time visiting its capital city, Bangkok. I’m looking forward to it. I’m hoping that I can see some great architecture over there like the traditional ones such as from its palaces and temples and the contemporary ones such as from its latest tallest building, Mahanakhon (designed by Ole Scheeren). You see, that’s the difference between a normal tourist and a people with an architecture background. You tend to search or look for different thing even when you are on a trip. I call it ‘architectural virus’ that has infected me for over a decade.

Besides than the bustling Bangkok, I am also anticipating for the visit to Hua Hin, a small beachside holiday town which is a few hours drive south from Bangkok. I think I need a time to get near to the nature and so this beachside attraction will be an ideal location. I have just returned from the airport few days ago, and tomorrow, I will be heading there again to catch the flight to Thailand. KLIA is now my frequent destination annually. If you want a tour in the airport, I think I can help on that without any problem. Haha…I have just unpacked my luggage few days ago, and now I have to pack it again for this trip. Will be back writing about this trip as soon as I’m back on next Wednesday!

(Images in this post are from various sources throughout the world wide web)

 

Back to Malaysia, and I couldn’t stand all these things! And by the way, this is my 1900th post!

Yes. Finally, I’m back to my country, back to my home. After a lengthy wait at the airport for the flight (I reached airport way too early as there is no queue at all on normal Monday in the airport for those check in and immigration procedures), a lengthy flight (the flight took over 5 hours and 30 minutes from Perth to Kuala Lumpur), and a lengthy wait to get the luggage in KLIA (you know you are in Malaysia when you have to wait almost an hour to see our luggage are finally arriving), I’m finally back home.

I do felt really unnecessary and uncomfortable to have that much of time wasted in airports on a single day alone. Quite tiring and frustrated. I don’t enjoy sitting in a plane especially for a flight that takes longer than 2 hours. I felt very uncomfortable and I couldn’t sleep usually in a flight. I don’t like being fixed to a small crammed space for a long duration of time. Fortunately, this time it was slightly better. Isn’t there technology available yet to increase the speed of normal airplanes nowadays? It would be very useful to cut everyone’s time on flights.

The first thing I’m doing when I reach home is not to unpack my stuff, but is to go out to the nearby mamak stall for my late dinner. I miss roti canai and maggi goreng a lot and so I ordered both of them just now. What a satisfaction! They do not only satisfy my hunger but also fulfill my long-awaited desire to eat them again after a half year. Nevertheless, tomorrow will be the day I will begin to hunt down all my other favourite Malaysian food! my stomach is ready for them!

The other thing I couldn’t stand when I reach home is my room! My very own room! It has a weird smell to it when there is no one occupying it for some time. And the worst is my wardrobe. It gets very damp and has white spots growing in it, which eventually affects all the clothes that I placed in it. I have previously thrown away a lot of my clothes in the past because of that issue. And till now, the problem still didn’t get away. Oh God…please help me! What can I do to fix this wardrobe? Sometimes, there are also some kind of insects or bugs lingering inside, perhaps due to the dampness as well. And then, my room is also frequently visited by lizards. They are not harmful but I want my room to be clean and bacteria-free. Get out, lizards! This is not your house!

One more thing. The weather. I think I’m used to the perfect nice weather in Australia (as I have lived there for one and a half year already) especially now when it is winter over there. When I’m back here, I felt the stuffiness, and the heat even at night. Hmm…my body has to adjust back to the Malaysian weather and it really made me felt uncomfortable. I’m supposed to be very happy and excited to be back home but these are the things that dampen my spirit now. Anyway, it’s still my country, still my home, and is still my room. I will adjust back to them accordingly.

One more thing to share before I end this post. This is officially my 1900th post in my blog here! Amazing, isn’t it? Another hundred posts and I will reach the exceptional 2000 mark! That one can be certainly accomplished before my blog’s 10th anniversary in next year’s September!

Alright. I’m tired now after a long day. Good night and bye!

My last night in Perth before the break and movie review for ‘Power Rangers’ (2017)

Tonight is my last night in Perth. I have cleaned my room, done my house’s cleaning duty for the week, and packed my luggage for my flight back to home (Malaysia) tomorrow’s afternoon. Official farewell to Perth, but that’s not the end yet. I’m coming back by end of July for my final semester. Now, I’m just chilling in my room, go online, play some games, watch some videos, and update my blog here. I will be back in Malaysia when I write my next post.

After all my assignments are completed, I finally have some free time to catch up on some movies released early this year that I have not yet watch. One of them is ‘Power Rangers’, and I’m glad that the clear version of the movie is finally out recently. ‘Power Rangers’ is one of my most favourite childhood television shows alongside with Mr Bean (animated), Tom and Jerry, Ultraman, etc. It’s interesting and also at the same time weird to see ‘Power Rangers’ being brought back to present time and it’s on the big screen this time. I’m not really excited about the movie after I watched the trailer because I just felt weird.

Now, after watching the movie yesterday, I felt it isn’t good enough to be brought to life again onto big screen. The suits are exaggerated. That'[s my first ever negative feedback of the movie. The female villain appears to be so strong in the beginning but then she just got defeated in the end so easily with a ‘slap’ by the Red Ranger that sent her straight to the outer space. Just like that to end a mighty villain. And then, I find the cast as not good enough to portray the rangers. They are given sufficient character’s developments in the movie but they just couldn’t immerse into it well in my opinion especially the main guy as the red ranger and the black guy as the blue ranger. Perhaps they are very new to the industry and has no experience yet.

The movie isn’t all bad either. There are still some thrilling scenes especially when the 5 people first found the coloured ‘coins’ and when they first morphed into a Megazord. The Megazord by the way looks like the sibling of Transformer. They even mentioned ‘Bumblebee’ at a scene in the movie when they has to use a yellow Chevrolet Camaro to attack against the villain’s  minions. And as mentioned earlier, I’m surprised that this movie delivered in terms of character’s development. It mostly deals with teenage’s life and its typical issues and how the 5 of them truly bond together in their friendship. Out of 10 points, I rate ‘Power Rangers’ a total of 6.9.

The producers mentioned that a sequel is possible but is still in planning and not confirmed yet as this first isn’t well received in both box office and critical reception. That’s my thought too. Power Rangers should be just kept to the television and that’s enough. And kids nowadays are different with kids in the past. We, back then enjoy these type of shows while kids now love superheroes. Power Rangers are a bit too cheesy for them and there is certainly huge drop of interest.

And by the way, today is Father’s Day! Happy Father’s Day to my dad and to all the great dads around the world!

(Images in this post are from various sources throughout the world wide web)

Everything is finally done for the semester.

Huh…a sign of relief, a sign of stress leaving and a sign of embracing holiday is approaching. I have finally completed my design studio portfolio which is the final assessment of the semester and submitted this afternoon. I am actually a week ahead on submitting that one together with my physical sectional model because I’m flying back to Malaysia on next Monday already. I was quite tired in the last few days to rush and get this work done.

Now I will have this last remaining weekend for room cleaning and luggage packing. I can’t wait to get back to Malaysia to eat my favourite chilli pan mee, durian, fried koay teow mee, maggi goreng, roti canai, cendol, nasi lemak, wantan mee, etc. While I’m missing all the food back in my home country, I am actually in the opposite opinion in terms of weather. I rather enjoy the cold weather here in Perth right now than the extremely hot and humid climate in Malaysia 365 days a year.

Well, my study is not over yet. I will be back to Perth by end of July to start my very final semester of my Master of Architecture programme before graduation. That will be a 4-months period for me to focus on my thesis project and also on one other remaining unit to complete. There wouldn’t be many classes to attend, but workload would be much heavier due to the thesis project. I’m hoping that I can get satisfying result both for this semester (that has come to an end) as well as for next semester which is very crucial.

Once I returned to Malaysia, I will have few days of break chilling at home before taking a flight again on next Saturday for a short trip to Thailand. My trip will be during the Hari Raya holiday and I will spent five days in Bangkok and Hua Hin. I have been to Thailand twice in the past (once in Hatyai and Songkhla and once in Chiangmai and Chiangrai). And by the time I’m back from the trip, it will be almost end of June already. Then, I will have the remaining mid-year break to work further on my thesis project and do detailed site analysis on my proposed site. So, it’s not a full 100% holiday time for me. There’s still works to do.

But for right now, I wouldn’t stress myself for that first. I will just enjoy for the moment and I deserved it after all the hard works for this semester. This semester appears like more longer than the past two semesters and with more workloads. Anyway, it’s done and I’m wishing the best for my result. I’m so sleepy now. I think I’m going to go to bed early tonight (something that I have done for a very very long time).

End of semester celebration? No energy for it. I can’t even open my eyes wide now. I think a good sleep is already a form of celebration for an architecture student like me already…Haha…yes, it is! I’m not joking.

14th June 2007…the day 10 years ago that I hope it will never occur.

14th June 2007. The day that I will forever remember. It was today, exactly ten years ago. By far the saddest and most tragic day of my life that I would never want it to happen. It was the day when my beloved mom passed away. Today marks the 10th anniversary since she left us. It was way too soon and unexpected.

I think I have not raised this event in my blog here before. A heavy headache and serious vomiting started it all. She eventually fainted, couldn’t move and been sent to the hospital in emergency. It was a Sunday’s night when I went to bed and get ready for the class tomorrow’s morning after the mid-year break ended. On that day itself, we just had a one-day fun family trip at Genting Highlands, a mountain resort. She did complained of headache on that day but we thought that was a normal thing. In the past, she always complained of headache but we didn’t realize it would be life-threatening. Things get worst on that evening when I heard her vomiting several times heavily in the bathroom right next to my room. Then, I no longer heard any sound. It was creepy. My dad then asked me to continue to sleep while he and my sisters sent my mom for medical attention.

I obeyed his instruction, thinking that it was not a serious case. An hour after an hour passes. I couldn’t sleep and kept waiting for their return. And then, there’s the most undesired phone ringing in the middle of the night. I sense something terrible even before I pick up the phone. It was my aunt. She said she will come and fetch me to the hospital to meet my mum. While I was in the car, I remembered my whole legs were shaking. Once I reached the hospital, it was a nervous moment when I have to pass through doors by doors, knowing that I’m getting nearer to my mom but at the same time didn’t wish to see my mum in that condition. Finally, I reached the Intensive Care Unit and there was my mom lying on the bed motionless with all the tubes attached to her. Her eyes can only open half-way and I saw tears flowing from her eyes. Nurses said that she may not be able to see us at this point but she can still hear us. It was the most heartbreaking image in my life.

Doctor told us that there is a sort of pressure in her brain that causes a blood clot that prevents her from moving or even opening her eyes. She can still slightly move her finger but after a day, she can no longer even do that. A surgery can be done but the percentage of success is only 10 percent and the operation will only be conducted when my mom shows better sign. But she only deteriorates day by day and an operation isn’t even an option by then. In the end, she was declared brain dead and had her breathing aid took away on Wednesday’s morning, 14th June 2007. Today, exactly a decade ago.

Time flies. Life move on for me and my family and I see this day as a day of reflection and remembrance. The words in my blog’s header of the month are actually related to my post here today. Sometimes, you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory. I find that I do not treasure enough of my short time with her and I miss her every single day. She is forever in my heart and perhaps she is watching and looking after us from the heaven, ensuring that we are happy, healthy, safe and has everything to be smooth in our path. Although I have only spent less than 16 years with her, but it was a great childhood and teenage years for me with her being around.

Hmm..let’s not get too emotional on that anymore. Life moves on and I have to stay positive for the days ahead. Ironically, ‘memory’ is also the concept for my design project this semester and I have this one portfolio for that subject to be completed before I’m flying back to Malaysia next Monday. Alright, I’m getting back to work. My mom would want me to succeed in my study and I won’t be letting her down.

One week left before I’m back to Malaysia, and movie review for ‘The Mummy’ (2017)

I have one submission today and a final submission of the semester this Friday which is the design studio’s portfolio. The deadline for the folio is actually on next week but I have to hand it in this week as I will be flying back to Malaysia on next Monday already. So yeah…I have one week left in Perth before returning to my home for the mid-year break which is going to take about a month. After that, I’m coming back to Perth for my final semester before the graduation.

The disadvantage is that I have one week lesser than everyone else to work on my folio. Hence, I don’t have the time to add more newer or revised drawings to be included into the folio which is going to take up quite a lot of percentage of the unit’s grading this semester. I also have to work on a physical model that is also can be divided into two halves for lecturers’ pleasure. It’s hard work. Usually, workload for a semester is supposed to diminish after the final presentation of the design studio. That is not the case this time as our lecturers intend to prolong our suffering by still giving us plenty of works to do after the final presentation. I will just work on it as much as I can till this Friday. I have to leave my coming weekend to pack up my stuff, clean my room and has a last chilling moment before flying back.

Yesterday, I watched a new movie. I think it will be my last movie here in Perth before going back. Price for a movie ticket here is extremely expensive. With one entry ticket here, I can watch movie in cinema back in Malaysia for four times from the same amount of price. Okay…back to the movie, not the price. I watched ‘The Mummy’ which is like a reboot to the trilogy in the past that starred Brendan Fraser. This time, it starred Tom Cruise and all the other cast who I don’t know. I noticed that this movie received mostly negative reviews, and after I watched it, I don’t think it is that bad. It is still an enjoyable ‘mummy’ monster movie with some thrilling scenes.

Of course, I obviously saw that most parts of the movie are recycled, but there are still some originality to it. I don’t mind that. I’m only disappointed that the havoc scene in London isn’t really intense enough and almost all of that is already shown in the trailer. So, expect nothing more from that in the movie after you have watched the trailer. There are some scary moments (of course there will be since it’s about a resurrected mummy) and also some funny scenes too. There are also some parts that I don’t really get it and the plot isn’t strong enough. This is an average way to launch the ‘Dark Universe’ film franchise. ‘Godzilla’ did much better on launching their ‘Monster Universe’ back in 2014. Out of 10 points, I rate ‘The Mummy’ a total of 7.0. I prefer Hollywood to actually continue from the previous trilogy that has Brendan Fraser in it than starting it again. That one appears more convincing and felt more ‘mythical’ to me than this one.

(Images in this post are from various sources throughout the world wide web)

Review for TVB drama ‘Phoenix Rising’.

‘Phoenix Rising’ (蘭花刼) is a TVB drama that is already 10 years old but is only released in Hong Kong this year. It is first released overseas in 2007 and has been warehoused for a decade before a full release this year. It is such a strange move by TVB on releasing a 10-years old drama. Didn’t they have a lot of completed dramas in waiting list for release? Why ‘Phoenix Rising’? Nobody know the answer. And for now, I just treat it as a 2017 drama.

The drama which has 20 episodes revolves on 3 orphan sisters. They are then separated as they leave the orphanage. They were reunited, but under bad event when one of the sisters is receiving death penalty soon for murdering her foster mother. The murderer then uses various tricks and evil plans to escape the death penalty, even by sacrificing her own sisters. The drama starred Kristal Tin, Louisa So and Leila Tong as the 3 sisters and also Sunny Chan, Ben Wong and Jack Wu as other significant characters.

The drama is actually quite nice to watch. I like to watch drama with some vicious plots. I always felt that a series would not be intense or thrilling without those evil plans by the villain characters. I never see Louisa So portraying a villain character before and she did quite well here. Actually, I seldom see her in dramas at all. So, this is actually a great opportunity for me to see back some past artistes such as Louisa So, Sunny Chan and Leila Tong. I wonder what is happening to them right now…

Sunny Chan is the main male lead of the series but this series is never intended to emphasize on the males anyway. It’s mostly about the three sisters. And for that, I’m a bit disturbed by the way that Sunny Chan’s character will occasionally disappear throughout the series, most notably in the last two episodes. Ahh…it’s so nice to see Leila Tong. Eventhough I’m not that fancy of most of her characters in the past as she didn’t leave any memorable or powerful roles, but it’s delightful to watch her in this series. As for Kristal, I didn’t realize she has such good acting skill back then. She handled this lead role well and it is just that her character here that is too unbelievably stupid and being over kind, and in the end she herself ended up to be the one to suffer to protect everyone else. Well, if she didn’t do so, we wouldn’t have a drama to watch.

So, this drama is short and engaging. Out of 10 points, I rate ‘Phoenix Rising’ a total of 7.2. And Nancy Wu has a small supporting role as a pregnant prisoner in this drama. Back then, she was not yet reaching her fame. Now, she is a two-time TV Queen. As for now, I’m hoping that TVB will get back to its form by releasing back its recent dramas. Or maybe TVB knew its recent dramas are mostly bad. Come on, get up on your game…it’s your station’s 50th anniversary this year!

(Images in this post are from various sources throughout the world wide web)