StudioLine Photography

Just a quick note - after much pestering(!) from me and Ckn (but I don't think it was just us...), our wedding photog, Zainul Firdaus and wife, Ema, finally 'opened shop' on the Internet.. woohoo!

He did a good job for our wedding, and as a gift for my sis Farah, I also commissioned him to cover her wedding last year.

(no, Zainul didn't take this pic - I did!)

Au Revoir dear Friends

We just came back from a lovely supper with our friends Razman and his wife Dila. So what's the occasion? Unfortunately our dear friends are going to leave Khartoum soon.

We first got to know them back when we first arrived on these shores. They were a lovely couple, and somehow we clicked. I guess we've had each of our families over for dinner/meals several times now, including a breakfast they invited me to when Ckn was in KL awaiting Erica's arrival.

We wish them all the best back in KL, and God willing, we'll meet up again for some 'teh kangkang' again! (OK the actual term should be 'teh cangkung' but my BM is BAD)

you are Tagged

Wow - so much time has passed since my last post - so many things to tell, but so many things to do!! hehehe guess I'll just take 5 minutes to do this post before leaving for home today - 'Thanks' to my wife for tagging me...

1. Name one person who made you laugh last night?
Ckn

2. What were you doing at 0800?
Waiting for my driver to take me to work - it was quite pleasant as winter has come to Sudan

3. What were you doing 30 minutes ago?
Still going thru all the emails left untouched over the past 3 weeks holiday - then I chatted with Ckn and Alena

4. What happened to you in 2006?
The biggest thing is, of course, our move to Sudan... hehe and conceiving lil' pear. Next week will be our 2 year anniversary moving out here to this continent

5. What was the last thing you said out loud?
OK Thanks - to Hj Zul my colleague for helping me with something - his office is down the hall so I just shouted!

6. How many beverages did you have today?
Hmmm... 1 mug of Love Tea (fruit mix bought in Istanbul), 2 mugs of Nescafe gold blend, a bottle of Moya (hehe mineral water in loghatul arabiya)

7. What color is your hairbrush?
White - but I just use my hands currently

8. What was the last thing you paid for?
A 5 Gallon bottle of water and SDG 50 worth of top up credits for Ckn. If I can choose, I wished I had just paid for a nice big juicy Big Mac...!

9. Where were you last night?
At home! all of us slept at 7.30pm because of the jet lag!! Then all of us were up by 5am...groan

10. What color is your front door?
Dark brown.. Same as Ckn's answer (I wonder why??). Same as the door to my home in Kota Damansara and my parent's home in Sg Buloh

11. Where do you keep your change?
In a small copper cup near the door

12. What’s the weather like today?
Sunny, windy and really pleasant

13. What’s the best ice-cream flavor?
i just love chocolate and vanilla and banana (I don't care I love them all!)

14. What excites you?
hmmm...I'm a guy, so I'd like to say - gadgets and gizmos!!

15. Do you want to cut your hair?
Sure, when it gets long! I experienced my first visit to a proper salon in the last 2 weeks - no mamak haircut for me then!

16. Are you over the age of 25?
unfortunately...NO !

17. Do you talk a lot?
I do - especially If it's on something I'm really passionate about... and it depends on the company ... mostly I talk very fast , and like my reading, I sometimes even skip words when I talk

18. Do you watch the O.C.?
Nope - but I downloaded its god-awful soundtrack song - ... CALIFFORNIAAA!!

19. Do you know anyone named Steven?
HAHAHA - This is partly why I wanted to do this tag - YES I know a Steven - he was the dude who cut my hair at the aforementioned salon! I also like to watch Steven Segal (kill me now)

20. Do you make up your own words?
Don't think so - but I like to piss Ckn off by saying supercalifragilisticaspialidocious!

21. Are you a jealous person?
Yes - but my wife doesn't think so... ;-)

22. Name a friend whose name starts with the letter ‘A’
Arman and Alena (one of each sex)

23. Name a friend whose name starts with the letter ‘K’.
Had to do a search on my Palm - Nope I don't have any

24. Who’s the first person on your received call list?
Sayang (code word for Ckn)

25. What does the last text message you received say?
"Hantar kat rumah aku..." from my friend who volunteered to carry something back to Sudan for Ckn

26. Do you chew on your straw?
Nope

27. Do you have curly hair?
Well... No - wavy yes

28. Where’s the next place you’re going to?
We're planning to visit the pyramid ruins of Meroe!! maybe over the long weekend in Sudan starting on Wednesday (still thinking of Malaysia though...)

29. Who’s the rudest person in your life?
I'm an optimist - I can't name anyone (in public)

30. What was the last thing you ate?
Lunch - nasi, sayur kobis and a fish curry/rendang kuah mix that dear Ckn sent - I finished it all!

31. Will you get married in the future?
Nope - I'll stay married!

32.What’s the best movie you’ve seen in the past 2 weeks?
Hmm - the only time i could watch a movie was on the way back home on the flight - it was the Invasion with Nicole Kidman. Ok-ish. On the way back I watched Rescue Dawn, with Christian Bale. Ok-ish too. I also half-watched Mukhsin with Ckn - pretty lame, save for the last parts which were sad...

33. Is there anyone you like right now?
The kids - coz they make me laugh and mad at the same time. Ckn - for pretty much the same reasons too!!

34. When was the last time you did the dishes?
trick question!

35. Are you currently depressed?
Nope! Malaysia-holiday after-glow...

36. Did you cry today?
No - alhamdullillah, no need to do so

37. Why did you answer and post this?
Well it's kickstarting my blogging engine - and STEVEN!! heheh

38. Tag 5 people who would do this survey.
Firhan - Radzi - Arman - Alena - The boy who lives down the lane - and Azrul

p/s this took me 33 minutes to complete...

Ezalman the Lecturer

As part of the company's outreach and engagement program, we sometimes participate in local university events. I had the opportunity to do so last July 12th at the College of Petroleum Engineering and Technology, Sudan University (located on Amarat Street 61, about 15 minutes away from home). The 4th year students requested Petronas' help in making their Engineering week a success by contributing presentations and an exhibit. Well, considering that they came to us only a week before the propose dates, I decided that a half day presentation would suffice for this event.

With the help of a senior geoscientist, Mazman and a seeding executive Caesar, we manage to put together a 3 hr presentation on Petronas's 10 year presence in Sudan, followed by a technical paper on Geosciences. I thought our efforts were well received, and the students did their part by asking meaningful questions. They have really smart students here, and it was an eye-opener for me to see the condition of their college (in comparison with what I am accustomed too back home and in Kent). It didn't deter their learning, but I could see that they needed support in terms of industrial training (which they didn't have at all)

Hosting a Simple Get Together

I told Ckn last week that I wanted to host a simple 'do' at home - as a 'Thank You' to my neighbors who have helped feed me(!) since Ckn went home (if this do is succesful, then I'll *still* get free grub!). It's also been some time since all of us had a nice cuppa teh tarik and a chat. I'd hoped that this do would be a great way to do so.

Anyways, the more memorable comments I got after mooting the idea, was that everyone couldn't believe that I would host a 'hi-tea' without Ckn around(!). I admit, a women's touch is essential to the success of such a party, but I thought it would be a simple affair to handle (see my steps below!)

By the end of the day I think they were impressed (thank God), which was great! All the food was finished (either by eating or giving away; but there wasn't much to give away, anyway!) Of course I had a secret methodology for those who are single and want to host such an event too. I will share with you this secret...now :



Steps to Host a Simple Get Together

1. Send out Invitations - very important; you don't want to be slaving away for a 'lifeless' party, do you?
2. Cleaning - make sure the house is clean and conducive for your invitees, including the toilet; and the last important step...
3. Get someone to cater the party! hahahah. Easy as pie huh?

I ordered a pretty full menu; but I forgot that my neighbors were capable of 'sabotaging' it - by bringing a dessert each! haha - so it's a good kind of sabotage! Being the practical creature that I am, I suggested that I would set aside my dessert (not pictured; caramel custard), for the next day's event being held by my neighbor downstairs (irony - from NO parties in a while, to 2 parties hosted in the same weekend!). Well, everyone agreed! We don't want any food to go to waste right?

p/s by now I can admit that I took the very, very easy way out in using *a contractor* to prep the food. Hey, don't blame me; my wife wasn't here, was she? :-) haha sorry Ckn sayang