The Reader

Donuts and Coffee

Perosnally, I don't like donuts but I love freshly brewed coffee.However, when J.Co came to town,I won't bother to buy and even try to eat the much talked about delicios donuts.One day I was tempted to go in and buy on my way back from the Times Bookshop at Pavilion.Looking at the long queu,it put me off.Anyway sweet pastries are not good for me at my age with the body's BMI asymtotically approaching 28!

A few months back, my brother bought a box for me.OMG, these  donuts tasted great.Still,I remain stubborn not to buy these  round devils, but I never turn them down when my kids bought and brought them home for their father and mother.Thank you boys and now I began to love them.

By the way,I also love the packaging...

Bunga-bungaan..

This photo was taken using my Nokia mobile phone as I was walking to attend a function last night.The only light was from a street lighting nearby.That is how I got this photo blurred and with shadows..

Most of the time when we see something nice, ex flowers,we just pass them by.I promised myself to stop and look and smell the flowers whenever I can.We seem to live the pages of our lives just like we flip through the pages of magazines.I wish to read every word of it and ponder at the end of each page as I go on reading the book of my life...

Taman Cabaran,Putrajaya

Taman Cabaran,Putrajaya
Originally uploaded by Adibi

Now I know why they called it Challenge Park(Taman Cabaran).I got the taste of it after riding and pushing for about 4km over three short trails over 40minutes.It was too much for me and my bike also cannot take it.

As usual I took the 'chicken loop' out and went to the complex fun area where I did try a few dirt jumps.Again, I was not fit for these activities.I met Jason who is one year younger and he told me to be ready physically and mentally.The trails scared the hell of me!I think for this year,I will ride only at FRIM.The photos are at my flickr website.Below is a photo of seven of us who dared to give it a try.

Parfum

Most ladies use perfume in their everyday lives.How about men?I do especially when I go to perform my solat at the moasjid. How about you? The first perfume I bought was Channel No 5 for my mother when I returned home from England after my study-way back in 1976.By the way,is Channel No 5 still around?What is your favourite brand?

Repost: Stamps in my moleskine notebook

Sedarlah wahai orang-orang yang lalai..

Tajuk diatas saya salin dari permulaan ayat 20 surah Al-Qiammah.Surah ini mempunyai 40 ayat-ayat pendek-mudah untuk dibaca dan senang untuk difahami.Saya syurkan kita membaca semuanya(lebih sikit satu muka surat) dan juga membaca terjemahan ayat-ayat tersebut untuk mengejutkan kita semua dari lalai,khususnya diri saya.Dari apa yang saya belajar dari guru-guru saya,kita semua memang dalam keadaan tidur-ada yang tidur mati dan ada yang tidur ayam.Kelalaian berbeza dari seorang ke seorang.Kita semua akan 'bangkit' sepenuhnya dari 'tidur' apabila rohnya sampai ke pangkal kerongkong.[lihat ayat 26],tapi saat itu,segala-gala sudah terlambat.

Dari Surah Al-Qiammah:

[20] Sedarlah wahai orang-orang yang lalai. (Sebenarnya kamu tidak ingatkan kesudahan kamu) bahkan kamu sentiasa mencintai (Kesenangan dan kemewahan dunia) yang cepat habisnya.

[21] Dan kamu tidak menghiraukan (bekalan untuk) hari akhirat (yang kekal abadi kehidupannya).

[22] Pada hari akhirat itu, muka (orang-orang yang beriman) berseri-seri;

[23] Melihat kepada Tuhannya.

[24] Dan pada hari itu, muka (orang-orang kafir) muram hodoh,

[25] Sambil percaya dengan yakin bahawa mereka akan ditimpa malapetaka (azab seksa) yang membinasakan.

[26] Sedarlah (janganlah mengutamakan dunia dan melupakan akhirat. Ingatlah akan hal orang yang hendak mati) apabila rohnya sampai ke pangkal kerongkong,

[27] Dan (orang-orang yang hadir di sisinya heboh) berkata: Siapakah yang dapat menawar jampi (dan mengubatnya)?

[28] Dan dia sendiri yakin, bahawa sesungguhnya saat itu saat perpisahan;

[29] Serta kedahsyatan mati pun bertindih-tindih.

[30] (Maka) kepada Tuhanmulah pada waktu itu engkau dibawa (untuk menerima balasan). 

Waiting..

While I was reading the morning paper at Pasar Wirawati,I saw this young boy in yellow t-shirt.He just sat quietly doing nothing with his head resting on the table.I guessed he must be waiting for his mother going shopping at the wet market nearby..

Waiting is very boring.It is better to keep something handy to read.

First visit to Cziplee Plus

Yesterday was my first visit to the special stationery shop located at No 10 ,Jalan Telawi 4,Bangsar,KL where I can buy almost anything related to moleskine.My only limit is my cash in my wallet.Congratulations to Cziplee and I must say I was greatly impressed with the collections.Now,I would not have problems like before(some two years ago) where I had to look around for moleskine notebooks at a  few shopping complexes.Sometimes,I had to get my friends who went to US or Singapore to buy a few for me.To see what they have got,just click on the link above.

Another lovely suprise for me was the BIG moleskine notebook as shown above.

Some two years ago,I tried to start an online community for moleskine users in Kuala Lumpur, but sadly we lack active members.I hope the owner of this shop will initiate a monthly meet-up for moleskine users to get members to share their knowledge and experience in using moleskine products.By the way,I have the privilege to see the catalog for new products coming next year.Some are really great!

Here are something new I discovered:

1) Sai water colour pen brush 

2) Doodle notebook

Here is a tip from me: The shop will hold a sale beginning 1st July for one month.I was told at least you can get 20% discount.

Note on photos:They were snapped by my Nokia E71 with owner's permission.

Dsiclaimer: I have no direct or indirect interest in this shop-just a passionate user of moleskine notebook

I keep sketching..

Please forgive my indulgence in trying to do something that I have nothing to show off but it is important for me to keep on trying to improve my free hand sketches.It is my effort to improve my hand movements,to improve my fading memory and and an exercise to pay attention to details.This shot is a 3rd attempt to capture what I saw at Putrajaya Wetland using pen and a few coloured pencils.You can see my previous sketches here with some photos.My experience showed me that I learn more about my life when I started To Draw my Life.

Biodiversity of Wetland

Wetland never fails to fascinate me.Every time I passed one,I will stop and take photo like the one shown here.Given the time,I just love to sit there and do some sketches.This photo was taken yesterday when my friends Prof Dr Jaafar,Aliff and me went cycling around the lake.

We began riding from Taman Warisan to Taman Botani and later crossed to Putrajaya Wetland-full circle.Mostly the trail is flat but it offered many types of road surfaces-plain earth,gravel,pavement and at the furthest end of the lake, we had to cross about 20 metres of track under water!The next time,I should have brought some nasi lemak and hot coffee to picnic here.

The wetland always brought me back to the time when I was a kid.I enjoyed wadding through the marshes and the padi fields behind my kampung.It was where I caught fighting fish to play and also I went fishing with my 'tauk'.

Below is a photo taken by my friend Ghazali when more than a dozen of us went cycling around the lakes in Nov,2008.