The Darndest Things

Hafiz: Mariane, what is SMDS (my current employer)'s staff retention rate?

Mariane: 90+ %.

Hafiz: 97-98%?

Mariane: About there.

Hafiz: Do you know that somebody will be leaving SMDS soon?

Asma: It's me.

Hafiz: No la. Someone else.

Asma: No seriously, it's me.
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After playing 4 games of volleyball and enjoying every part of it, we went for a group dinner. While waiting for our food to arrive, we decided to play Sudoku & Scrabble International on Hafiz's iPad. Hafiz is the Master at Scrabble (Sudoku, volleyball and pretty much everything else). He is also a pretty decent cool guy. Amir & I were being coached by Hafiz because we were noobies. Hafiz's tile was as follows:

ERBOING

All: What word are you gonna use?

Hafiz: BONER?

Asma: whoah....is that even in the dictionary?
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At the volleyball game, our friend Hanim played in another team. Though we train together but play on separate teams, she however came to support us.

Hanim: Asma, make sure the ball goes ABOVE the net! I'm gonna PRESSURE you so you perform!
Asma, be alert! Asma what are you DOING!
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Ms Sweets: How do you stay happy all the time?

Asma: (very surprised) You think I'm happy?

Ms Sweets: Yes. So many unimaginable things have happened to you through out but I see that you are happy.

Asma: (thinking) It's hard work. Daily mental programming. Normally I just switch off. In really difficult situations, I allow myself time to grieve, then I release what was hurting me (object) and pray for the happiness of the object. I don't know how other people do it. It has worked for me.

Ms Sweets: My mom said the same thing.

Asma: Your mom is smart. Listen to her.
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Emir is trying to assemble a DVD player. He leafs through the manual pretending to read it. He goes to the store room and takes out the tool box. Emir's mom Ilham and I observe him intently. Emir reaches out to his mother, puts his hand on her arm...

Emir: Ibuk jangan risau OK. Emir buat.

Ilham and I look at each and speak in telepathy: Emir, we are worried BECAUSE you're doing it.
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Emir: Muah (auntie), jom pergi swimming

Muah Ach (me): Hujan la, Emir.

Emir: Kita pakai topi la

Muah Ach: Ada guruh la.

Emir: Kita tutup mata la.
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I miss my nephew Emir la pulak!

Heed Not Thy Warning?

My attempt at getting a diving license in Perhentian before the start of the monsoon season only resulted in ''incomplete education''. Yes, I did not graduate. The seas began to get rough and choppy, and I broke my own record of having seasickness...twice. To enjoy the remaining of my last minute holiday, I had to end the classes.

Having said that, we did manage to have a few although short dives and I was already craving for more. I even began planning to pursue my ''education'' in Sabah hehehe.

Now that I'm back in Bintulu, I found the letter from my SJMC Specialist, written in 2005.

The letter specifically forbade me from scuba diving and rock climbing.

Ironic?

I haven't decided yet whether I want to heed the Doctor's advice. Yes, crazy Asma always wants to go for the adventure-driven activity.

Decisions decisons decisions...

The Adventurer

People have their ways to manage their daily challenges. As for me, it usually involves sleeping, getting some physical exercize, reading or just dropping things and going off for a holiday. My love for books and lust for travelling is sometimes scary, as I would really throw caution to the wind.

In October itself I did the unimaginable: I have literally gone for unplanned travels, 3 travels in total. I finally went to Penang island, re-visited Miri and jumped on a bus to Perhentian island. Perhaps it's the fact that I couldn't plan anything this year due to the nature of my job in Bintulu which is heavily business driven. Most of my trips are return-home trips where I would just laze at my parents' house. It's challenging to plan group holidays if the group bases the holidays on price alone, and so I plan for suitable timing with like-minded groups. When I can't satisfy any of the above, well, let's just say I would have to exercize judgement. Hehehe.

I've been thinking seriously about perhaps becoming a host of a travel show. Submit my idea to the Travel Channel. Perhaps be the first Muslim-friendly travel show host for the general public and inculcate some Muslim-friendly travel tips, itineraries and shed light on many myths Muslims have on travelling.

As part of my assignment, I may shoot a video of myself playing host to real tourists at one of my random travel locations. HAHAHA

Oh how I wish so badly...

Visit Bintulu Album...Part 1

Here are snippets of what we do in Bintulu. Basically it's anything under the sun. We have to be creative to keep ourselves occupied. Fishing, sports, barbeque-ing, night activities, or just jumping on a bus leading you to anywhere from Sarawak, Kalimantan, Brunei or Sabah.

Apart from the beautiful caves, the rainforests, diving and river surfing, the best attraction in Bintulu is:

US

Seriously ;-)

Meet the band members

The star gazers

The creepy lantern makers

Look Ma! Kites!

The volleyball players

Look your ENEMY in the EYE

Learn how to FLY like Jojim

This year I am happy to have been able to strike out many things on my To Do List. There are still a lot more to be done, but the progress is positive. One of the short-term things among the long-term ones is to get my arms numb and FLY like Jojim at Volleyball.

(Pictures courtesy of Fairuz, Fairuz, Izuan, and Mariane)