Nostalgic Memories of us 30 y'olds.

We made up games with sticks and tennis balls.
We fell out of trees, got cut, and broke bones but there were no law suits.
We walked to friends' homes.
No one was able to reach us and no one minded. (Coz there were no cell phones)
We had friends-we went outside and found them.

Those were the content of an email I received some time back entitled "For Those Born Before 1986".

Remembering simplistic ways that used to keep me happy when I was in school triggered my discussion with Ponchoman about the toys we used to play with when we were really young. I was more curious what this 'Mat Salleh' would share with me about what he did in Bengeo.

To my surprise.... he mentioned the stuff he learnt from the local Gila-Gila comic, the one particularly written by the cartoonist, Rejabhad. I was ecstatic, he remembered the artist!

I only remember trying out the 'helikopter biji getah' when I went back to my hometown and it was so much fun, the idea was from the same source as Poncho's. He explained 'permainan guli' and 'Konda-Kondi' to me.

Me: Hmm.... budak normal rupanya dia ni.

I was speechless for awhile, I would expect people of my dad's age to share that with me instead of him.

Then we started blurting the names of junk foods in our past. Things went from left to right, top to bottom, inside out!

This 'gula-gula' bendera was something we'd eat two tiny beads at one time to make sure there's still something rattling inside the stick. Siap kedekut nak share dengan kawan. Padahal bukannya sedap pun.






Murakawa chewing gum. I don't know what happened to the free tattoo pictures of butterflies, flowers, lady birds they used to provide on the inside of the wrapper. We used to show off the tattoos which we print on the back of our hands kan! There's also Kiki Bubble Gum, the three marble sized chewing gum which is most affordable but only good for chewing.


Poncho said he used to hide this blade in a secret compartment in his schooltime canvas with valcro wallet so that it can be used to cut the rope in case he gets kidnapped. Kalau macam tu bila simpan blade ni kena belajar sekali buat magic, tangan tengah kena ikat pun boleh bawak keluar wallet dari poket, lepas tu seluk pisau dalam secret compartment?? Ampang kids la.


This was obviously a status symbol back then. Everyone will remember your name if someone mentions you have a Game & Watch. But mom got it for free during her trip to Japan. It's banned in school but we'd fight our ways through to show it off and use it as a bait to make new friends.

I was so happy to have discovered this chocolate. Cadbury mini bar don't compare to it. We'll usually bite according to the line attempting to conserve the middle part with the word 'Kandos'. Then we'll keep the silver sheets and press the crease away using a ruler or a coin and try to paste the ends together and try to make the biggest sheet which we imagined could turn into a wall mirror. Betul tak? And it sure sucks if it tears while being ironed out.

This is Poncho's part. He said this is Don Pelorian, typical Japanese line of pencil case brand (the tin type). I only remember the brand 'Final Frontier' on comb binded notebooks and pencil case. Don Pelorian tiada di kawasan saya atau mungkin hanya pilihan budak sekolah kat Ampang. I wonder if he was also into Hello Kitty.





I don't know what we call this. My colleague bought it and thoughtfully handed one to me coz she was too happy to have found it. Remember how we would make a few bubbles and stick them on top of each other? Then when there are holes in it, all we have to do is put our mouth on it, repuncture it and using our lips again, seal the hole.

Remember the junk food Kum Kum and Chickadees we used to buy from the roti man? The square 10 cents eraser with green top and alphabet pictures on it? The Pacer Casette mechanical pencil which used to be a status symbol? The scented colourful rubbery beads we buy and place them in pencilbox. The 36 sticks Luna colour pencils. Now when we see them, we can afford to buy a bundle! :)

Joe-Blogs Dalam Sejarah.

18th October 2003 was when this endearing figure made his homecoming...

Joe-blogs was launched four months prior to his demise (yes he blogged within only a short period of time) that was the good old days. I was just a silent reader and I remember how the names of bloggers in PPS can be remembered easily as there were not many at that time.

To those who remember the 'Supandi Saga' this will surely make you smile again.
[Click here for full view of article in The Edge.] If you remember, Joe had also managed to raise RM5K donation for baby Mariam Mia's abnormal condition (the money however was declined as there wasn't an assured surgical practise to rectify her condition). On the flipside, his contributions to the society is just as fierce and fearless.

Today, a part of his dedication in it has become a great monster. An IT company in Kiara which his team had worked with to collaborate their products is going through its prime time. It has won the MSC-APICTA award this year and will be contested in the Asian level next month. The Performance Management System (PMS) software is at the moment rated the third in the world after the two MNC biggies (SAP and PeopleSoft) in terms of revenue. It is at the same time ranked no. 1 in M'sia.

I decided to give blogging a try again with MI mid last year to keep myself close to his energy and at the same time steal a ride on other great minds. One year ago, I posted one similar article like this for late Joe, least that I knew it resulted in me getting to catch another kind of great blog dramas. There were Fade the Great, then came Fakey, there was Papimami, Ngomongan, Shin Shin etc, mostly people in our common age group -30+. I remember, how quiet my office was but there was a great roaring session in the blogosphere during fasting month last year.

They say, blogging is just a phase. Today, I'm seeing DZ saying goodbye, FG, Fakey, even Roadie ending this. Not many from last year's drama is left. Luckily though, one of my favourite writers (Poncho) still do wanna contribute through MI when he decided to shut his blog down early this year... t'helps me to keep going, over time though he'd surely want to end this.

They say too, people who blog are people who are ultimately 'mencari' (hunts). Yes, I was hunting. My curiosity about what blogging could offer me when it was unconsciously left to me as a will has been answered, it brought many pleasant surprises. There's nothing about blogging that I have regretted eventhough I had experienced some silly feuds.

It doesn't mean I will take the same path as some of them. If it may happen, it's definitely because of a very good thing which I hope is the reason why the rest pulled the plug.

The article above is the last I have to share about Joe, it is rare to have people who are enthusiastic towards making people/society be better and do more than just empty talks.

I will always remember too how he made me realised that I shouldn't be ashamed of being rooted from Kelantan. And that learning about our roots is so important as we get to see and appreciate the way our genes spread out and differentiate from one relative or siblings and another. He was observant enough to notice how busy I was with other people whereas he was very much attached to his circle of relatives. MI allowed me to share the things I began to learn about my roots. That brought a lot of satisfaction for me.

Yes, both his parents are Kelantanese. It was funny listening to him telling the 'Jenab jaley jaley' (Jenab jalan-jalan) joke the first time we met during an exhibition. I can't remember the whole thing tho'. I wonder if Pok Ku may have any idea.

I will always cherish the good old memories of him, be it him as a blogger and as a friend. I have been lead towards good things even after he is gone.

"Gajah mati meninggalkan gading, harimau mati meninggalkan belang, bukan semua manusia mati dapat meninggalkan nama."

Al Fatihah.

Selamat Berpuasa.

I've been intoxicated with too much happiness but still with thoughts to blog at the back of my head everyday, so many subjects on KIV in my brain drawers. Yet, I'm feeling as if I'm losing my touch from Maine-Ideas. Writing is so therapeutic and I miss writing an entry which content is my own.

Yesterday I read Pak Lah's poem which he wrote two years ago which now being printed in Raya Cards. I miss genuine insights of our country's rulers whose speech texts are more often blurted out soul-less-ly because they are constructed by their PR assistant instead of coming from their hearts.

I don't mean to talk politics. No matter what people say about Pak Lah, I'm on his side. No one can be this strong at 'cleaning up the past taints' and stand strong against all the opposite characters. I am only more worried what happens after his time and beyond. But then again, we are all capable of looking after ourselves aren't we? See the colour of his heart, a poem which is his own, the mirror of his soul:

I seek the peace within

I seek not riches untold
To live a life of luxury,
I seek not millions,
To live a live of plenty,
I seek not friends so many,
To live a life of profligacy,
I seek he who is Al-Ghazali,
I seek he who is Al-Shafei,
To unravel the secrets in the Holy Book,
Seeking inspiration,
To unravel the secrets in the ways of the Prophet,
Seeking guidance,
I live only for him, my Lord,
He is my companion,
He is my guardian,
He suffices,
I live a life of full meaning,
Immersed in the peace within

And here's one taken from my collection of proverbs.

Make your mosque of compassion,
your prayer mat of sincerity;
Your Koran of honest and legitimate earning,
Be modesty your circumcision, noble conduct your Ramadhan fast--
Thus shall you be a true Muslim.

Make good deeds your Kaaba;
truth your perceptor;
Good action your Kalima and namaz.

Make your rosary of what pleases God;
Thus will you be honored at the last recknoning.

--Adi Granth (Var Majh).

Note to self: Never lose my personal sense of rhythm.

Selamat Berpuasa Everyone!