When The Spurs Go Marching In - My Almost Perfect Sunday!

Have not had such a perfect day than last Sunday. Era un giorno quasi perfetto!

26th of November 2006, a date to remember. The journey started around 12.25pm, me and my bro-in-law, nearly missed the 12.31pm train had it arrived on time. It took us an hour and a half and changed 3 trains just to reach our destination. Since the first station, I've noticed several Tottenham Hotspur supporters joining our ride already. And, it was a totally different situation when we reached at the White Hart Lane as thousands of supporters were swarming the nearby area! What a view, what a scenario! Never have I been surrounded with so many Spurs supporters. There were 3 shops, 1 megastore and countless stalls selling Spurs merchandise around the White Hart Lane Stadium and all of them were packed with people. I was informed earlier that THFC will be selling it's 3rd kit/brown kit a day earlier, and I was very much hoping that it would be available on the day we were there. Sadly, the brown kit was sold out in one day! And believe or not, I had to line-up just to GET INSIDE the Spurs Megastore, and let's not even talk about the payment part.5 minutes before the match started, we were still outside the stadium, buying hot chocolates. The weather was getting colder, around 8 degrees, thus the need to heat up our bodies. After that, we were busy looking for the east stand entrance, the location of our seating area. The stadium stewards were very helpful and made everything easy for us. As we were walking inside the stadium, the suspense was getting unbearable. My heart was pumping faster and faster as I ran up the stairs. And when I saw the White Hart Lane ground for the very first time, the feeling was breathless. I can't really put it in words how great my feeling was, at that time. One has to experience it oneself to understand it. Obviously, it was totally different than watching via TV! Never had I imagined I will be at the White Hart Lane stadium, one day, and get to watch Spurs playing! And at the same time get to see their famous players like Keane, Defoe, Berbatov, Lennon, Dawson playing! Woweeeee!25 minutes into the game, Spurs weren't really hungry and paid the price. Wigan was leading, 0-1. The crowd became restless. But, almost at the end of the first half, Defoe did his magic and once the ball hit the net, the whole stadium erupted! The feeling was superb! Everybody was jumping with joy. The best part was, as we were still celebrating, the second goal came 90 seconds later with a fine goal by Berbatov. A very good ending for the first half, indeed. This was went I did most of my photo opps. Did call Abang Najib, all the way in Malaysia, just to check whether he was watching the game, as well. As for the second half, Spurs werre playing more defensively with King and Dawson in cruise control. Ironically, it ended almost the same as the first half, Spurs scored another goal, at the last minute. This time it was Lennon who did the damage. 3-1 was the final score. Almost a perfect game, I would say. I just couldn't believe as I got to watch 3 Spurs goals right in front of my eyes. Everybody was happy and started singing their hearts out. I wish I could join them if only knew the lyrics. Plus, their accent was just too pekat, so it was hard to understand, actually. I wish Abang Najib and Leonard were with me at that time, too.

While we were walking out of the stadium, we bumped into the White Hart Lane's Executive Box. Guess what? It's the place where the players would come out from the stadium. Another lifetime opportunity! I quickly ran to a nearby convenient store and bought a marker. Whizzed back the box and squeezed my way through the crowd and stood at the front line and waited for the stars to come out. Half an hour passed by, felt like the temperature was getting lower by the minute, but it was worth it. Edgar Davids was the first to come out, he looked quite masam. Guess he was unhappy coz he wasn't playing. Ledley King was second, he looked tired but was still nice to everybody. Third was Michael Dawson. A very warm and very friendly guy. He was very happy to accomodate with everyone's request. Lastly, it was Pascal Chimbonda, he was limping a bit, maybe because of the game but still nice and friendly.

"Good game you had just now, bro." Those were the words I uttered to him.

That was the last person that I could wait as it was getting late and I couldn't make my bro-in-law wait any longer. So, we strolled back to the nearest train station and headed our way home.

Last Sunday, I knew it was going to be great, even before it happened. I knew the experience would be a lifetime. I expected such great day. However, turned out, it was better than I expected. I got more than I bargained for, much, much more. I was hoping that I could watch Spurs score a goal and win. In the end, I got to see 3 goals and Spurs winning the game. Another pleasant surprise was the opportunity to meet some of the Spurs players! It never occured to me it would happen but it did. I was so blessed that day, as it was almost a perfect day, for me.

God willing, I will be back, one day.

From White Hart Lane With Love

What's wrong with London! Everybody in the house is suffering from either flu or sore throat or fever. I myself is suffering from flu. Makes me wanna stay home and not exploring London further. The worst person that got hit is my youngest daughter, Sofiah, she has all of them. Weather really sucks here!

Anyway, visited White Hart Lane 2 days ago. To my surprise, North London looked quite scary as the place looked like Brooklyn, New York! A lot of old buildings and graffitis everywhere. The town looked a bit like under developed, as well. I saw more blacks than white people. And that could mean one thing, more poor people here than the rich. Going back to THFC, what an experience it was! It took me a while to actually believe I was standing at the entrance of the stadium. After snapping tonnes of photos, I went to the Spurs Shop and that made me go wild again! The range of merchandise thay have was unbelievable. From the jerseys to baby Ts, caps, books, ties, and even baby's stuff, like bips and milk bottles! Me and my girlfriend spent almost 2 hours there. Abang Najib got his wish as I bought everything what he had pesan earlier. I wish Abang Najib was there with me, too. Both of us would have gone berserk! Perhaps, one fine day. By the way, he was here years back. And I'm sure things were very much different then. The sad thing about my entry this time is that I can't post my Spurs visit pix as I can't download the photos from my hp to my sis' laptop. I will, once I get back to Malaysia.Last night, 6 of us went to watch Casino Royale. Me, my partner, my sis, her husband and 2 other friends. It's the second time for me and my sayang, actually as mentioned in my earlier post. Why watched twice? Well, first, to check out some scenes that were censored in Malaysia, nothing much actually. Second, I get to claim that I watched a James Bond movie in London! Hahahaa...

Tonight, my sis and her husband are hosting a dinner for their Malaysian friends here. So, all the women will be busy cooking later today. As for tomorrow, we're heading to Bicester, a place that is famous for it's factory outlet stores. So, shopping time la esok! Hopefully, I get to buy some cheap Bally shoes.

So, that's the update thus far. Need to take a bath. It's been 2 days since. Jadi mcm kambing lak aku kat sini!

7 Degrees of Bloody Cold Weather!

It's been 4 days since I touched down in London. And it's been 4 days of bloody cold winter weather. Personally, I'm not facing any weather shock here, since I had mine during my university years in the U.S, years ago, I feel pity for my kids and my girlfriend, though. It's their first time experiencing winter. However, looking at their smiley faces, I'm guessing their enjoying it, so far. Rosy cheeks and red noses for all 3 of them. A very cute sight, no doubt! London has been exactly how I imagined it would be. Dull and full of old buildings. And the people here aren't as friendly as the Americans. Surprisingly, the drivers here, reminded me a lot of the Malaysian drivers! Sheer madness and bloody rude! However, the plus point here is the shopping! A shopping haven this place is. Buying designer brands in Malaysia looks stupid to me, now! The prices for designer brands in Malaysia are just too much compared to here. In London, the prices and the designs are relatively much, much cheaper and better.Yesterday, we went to FCUK, NEXT, ZARA, Lillywhites, Topshop and many more stores in London. Topshop at Oxford Circus London was huge, it took me 20 minutes just to find Topman! I can't remember how many floors the store has. They even have Mini Topshop, for babies! Really enjoyed walking at the Bond Street and Oxford Street, though it rained a bit, for a while. Visited Hard Rock Casino and Planet Hollywood London, too. Today, I plan to go to North London. Probably it will be just me and my girlfriend. As for my two kids and my mom, they will just rest at home, today. This time, my sister won't be following as she has to work, so, hope it won't be that hard travelling via the tube on our own, today. White Hart Lane, here I come! Till then, Ta...Ta.

London, Baby!

People! I'm off to London tomorrow. 2 weeks vacation. Will update whenever I can, in London baby! See ya!

James Bond Begins

Had the opportunity of a lifetime last night. Got to watch the preview of the latest James Bond flick, Casino Royale! What an experience and what a movie it turned out to be. However, I must say that it didn't really hit MY mark, (it's trailer made me expect more)but it was very entertaining. I must say the approach was very different than other Bond movies. A very daring move by the 007 franchise owners.

It was a story of how it all started. Just when he was promoted to double-O status. Bond was meaner, more human but still suave. Rookie mistakes here and there, but this was to show that he was still green at that time. Great action and the script was near perfect. I assumed it must have been very challenging for the director but he did very well. I just love how the chemistry between James Bond and Vesper Lynd developed. Both acted very, very well. But, at some point, the movie went a bit slow. Probably due to the story turned into a love story for a while. Superb soundtrack, too. All in all, I think Daniel Craig was almost perfect being James Bond in this movie.

I would give a rating of 8.5. Don't expect the usual Bond stuff and it is definitely a must-see movie and worth the 2 1/2 hour!

Visit Malaysia Year 2007 - Petai Edition Part I

Don't really know what the mat sallehs call it but, here in Malaysia we call it Petai. In my family, when I was small, this delicacy was a no-no for kids. That really got me curious at that time, being a kid and all. Till now, I never knew what was it all about, I'm guessing the smell. I finally got the go-ahead when I was around 16 or 17 years old. Very nice actually the taste. Udang Masak Sambal Petai is one of the best dish to go with white rice. BUT, after a few hours, your toilet bowl will be pissing on you for the excellent smell coming out from ya! No doubt, that's the only downfall of having petai. Interestingly, I got some additional info. The one that might make you think twice of NOT HAVING petai in your diet.

I got this article from a website, directhere.com.

Petai contain three natural sugars -sucrose, fructose and glucose - Combined with fiber, petai gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Research has proved that just two servings of petai provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder petai is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes. But energy isn't the only way petai can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

Depression:

According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND among people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating petai. This is because petai contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

PMS(premenstrual syndrome)
Forget the pills - eat petai. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Anemia:
High in iron, petai can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure:
This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it the perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the petai industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power:
200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school were helped through their exams this year by eating petai at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation:
High in fiber, including petai in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Hangovers:
One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a petai milkshake, sweetened with honey. The petai calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

Heartburn:
Petai has a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating petai for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness:
Snacking on petai between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

Mosquito bites:
Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of the petai skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves:
Petai is high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Overweight
Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and crisps. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.

Ulcers:
Petai is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Temperature control:
Many other cultures see petai as a "cooling" fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Holland, for example, pregnant women eat petai to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) :
Petai can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer, tryptophan.

Smoking:
Petai can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress:
Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium petai snack.

Strokes:
According to research in "The New England Journal of Medicine", eating petai as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%"

Warts:
Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of petai and place it on the wart. Carefully hold the petai in place with a plaster or surgical tape!

So, you see, petai really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrates, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around.

So guys, throw away the old apple phrase and change to the new version, the Malaysian version - A Petai a day keeps the doctor away (probably your partner too!)

A Great Man

Yesterday was my dad's birthday. He would have been 60 years old, today, if he was still alive. He passed away 3 years ago, of heart attack.

If I have to summarize my dad in 2 words, it would be STRICT yet LOVING. That was my father's character. He was a man with principles. As long as I can remember him, I have never seen him miss a prayer. A pious man he was and yet open. A very hardworking and an honest person, as well. He was a government employee throughout his career. From an English teacher to the Secretary General of Kedah Sports Council, a span of more than 30 years. He was also a quiet man and liked to be seen as serious with others. And yet, there was a part in him that made him a jovial person but mostly, just, within our family circle. I can still remember back when me and my sister were still small, he would loved to wrestle with me on the bed and my sister would come and rescue me from him! Sometimes my mom would join the tussle, as well! Those were my good old times with my father. Another way of him showing his love is via gifts as he seldom give with his words. Maybe it was his upbringing.

He was also a loving husband. He was very close with my mother. They were inseparable. He loved my mom so much, that anyone could tell. They would be doing things and going places together. He even presented my mom a beautiful poem, describing how much he loved her, a few months before he left. He cared for my mom, even, up till when he was hospitalised on that fateful day. Once, my mom told me,

"I am very proud of having bapak as my husband. He took care of me, very well. And during we were together, I never regretted, even a second, as I had given my best to him."

I envy what he and my mom had during their marriage. I wish, one day, I will experience it. Great man he was, and if only I am half of him. My dad, my idol.

"Happy Birthday, bapak!"

Al-fatihah.

From Boston to Kuala Kedah

Had a pleasant surprise yesterday. Doug, my dad's old family friend, came down to Malaysia and visited us. My late dad first met him in 1968. He was with the Peace Corp. then. They were good buddies. He left Malaysia somewhere in 1971. But, they still kept in touch with each other via mails and telephone calls. He and Andrea, his wife, came down last weekend for a wedding, held in Langkawi Island. He also paid a visit to my dad's grave in Alor Setar. He respects my dad so much, that he actually tried fasting this year, in honour of my dad. A true friend he is.

Back in the early 90s, I was in the States, studying. Being a 20 year old guy, who was never been away from family, and suddenly found himself thousand of miles away from home, stranded in St.Louis, Missouri (more like misery!) in bloody cold end of December of 93, wasn't a good start to my staying there! Had no one. Felt really alone. Homesick to the max! Most of my seniors over there weren't much of a help either. Really hated those f#@%ers! After my first few days there, had a conversation with my dad via the phone. Shared with him my thoughts and tribulations. So he told me to call a friend of his. An American, by the name of Douglas Rae. That wasn't my first time hearing the name, but somehow or rather, it was pleasant to hear it again. Got his number, but initially I was a little reluctant to call him. Had my doubts, I mean, I've never spoken to him, let alone sharing my feelings.

Somehow, I did, eventually, at 3am! To my surprise, he was extremely pleasant. A very nice friend, indeed. He was very warm and made me feel relax. I felt, as if, I've known him long before! He shared with me his story when he was about my age. Turned out, we actually had the same experience! Well, almost the same. He was around my age when he was posted to Kuala Kedah back in the late 60s. Imagine then! The culture shock he had to endure during that time. No clean water, no electricity, no phone lines. His house was almost a shack. He had to cycle 20km just to get to Alor Setar town! And only a handful could converse in english! I can't imagine how he survived the period. Luckily, I guess, he met my father then.

He made me appreciate what I had at that time. He made me stronger inside. I hope tp repay his kindness, one day. I, eventually, dropped by Boston and paid him a visit, a year later. And that was another great experience all-together!