Kerana dirimu amat berharga

Saturday, February 28, 2009

Lagi-lagi Taman Botani

Antara tempat yang aku tak pernah bosan melawat ialah Taman Botani atau Botanic Garden. Terletak betul-betul bersebelahan dengan University of Wollongong, ia menjadi tempat beriadah para pelajar dan juga afternoon walk oleh staff university. Bukan sahaja manusia, malah haiwan seperti burung, itik, reptila dan pelbagai jenis serangga menjadikan taman ini sebagai habitat mereka. Begitulah indahnya alam ini bagi mereka yang mahu merenung dan mengagumi ciptaan Ilahi.

Aiman bersama helikopternya


Agak-agak kalau taman kat Malaysia, selamat tak buah2 limau ni? Merenduh buah!


Setiap kali melawat pasti terdapat kelainanan. Awal musim bunga memang menarik, pucuk-pucuk daun beserta putik bunga mula terbit dari dahan dan ranting. Di musim panas juga tidak kurang bunga-bunga yang masih berkembang. Penghujung musim panas, banyak pokok yang berbuah lebat, sewaktu musim luruh daun-daun mula bertukar warna seakan-akan merah dan kuning keemasan. Terdapat beberapa tema dalam taman ini seperti Taman Ros, Taman Tumbuhan Gurun serta Hutan Hujan yang seakan-akan sama seperti kawasan hutan lipur kita di Malaysia, cuma sungainya kecil dan tak ada orang mandi.



Lebah, serangga yang tidak penat bekerja.


Daun sirih pun ada, cantik bukan main hijaunya.



Penat berjalan, rehat sebentar sambil berangan, "Kalau lah kat belakang tu rumah kita sonok kan yang? Duduk dalam taman."


Bunga Raya, bunga kebangsaan kita


Encik Aiman sedang memberi taklimat mengenai kelebihan pokok bunga ini yang bukan sahaja cantik malah dapat menenangkan jiwa yang kacau.


Agak-agaknya Pak Osman mana lah yang jumpa pokok ni dulu...


Banyak taman2 sebegini sekitar NSW, malah di seluruh Australia. Terjaga dan bersih, sejuk mata memandang. Mudah menjaga Aiman di sini, lepas bebas berlari. Salah satu kegemarannya ialah mengejar burung dan itik. Mak bapaknya tak perlu risau dia nak naik permainan ke, nak beli toys ke, aiskrim ke, sebab tak ada, hehehe...


Berangan lagi...

Kalau lah aku ni milionaire, boleh beli tanah besar2 dan buat rumah dalam taman. Boleh bela ayam, itik, kambing, lembu, rusa, beruang. Tanam pokok durian, rambutan, langsat, bunga-bunga. Pastu open to public, bukak gerai pasembor satu. Pastu ramai orang datang, pastu taman aku jadi kotor banyak sampah, buah2an aku hilang kena curi, couple 'merendek' sana-sini. Ah, tak jadi lah... Tanam dalam pasu pun tak larat nak jaga.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

A New Old Clock

This is the latest member of the household; an Anniversary Clock, also known as Dome clock or 400-Day clock. Obviously it has a glass dome covering the movement, hence the name. During the old days, it used to be given as a gift during birthdays or weddings. Usually this kind of clock can work for a year or so just only with one winding, so people normally wind it to mark their anniversary. This is what amazed me rather than the look.

I believe this was made circa 1950's. It is marked J. Kaiser G.M B.H, Villingen, Germany. This maker is not really as popular or most sought after in terms of Anniversary Clock as compared to Kundo, Schatz and some other makers. Almost all of the fine clock movements and their maker have their roots from Germany. Watching the four-ball pendulum rotating, transmitting the energy to the spring where it's hanging from and thus moving the fork to push the arbor pin that makes the hand move is really amazing.

When I received the clock, the brass base were covered with film of stain and dark. I used autosol to polish it up, but some spots just too deep to eliminate all over. It could be in the hands of people who don't really care about it before this. Nevertheless, the glass dome is in mint condition, and the dial together with the brass showing sign of aging added up on the patina of this antique. The two pillars that hold up the movement plates were decorated with vineleaves motives.

Currently the clock is ticking and moving just fine. It is still undergoing some adjustment to regulate the beat and ensuring it keeps the time by adjusting the pendulum balls. This needs some patience, and it will continue to serve the master for many years to come with a bit of tender, love and care.

I am really amused by these mechanical clock movement from the older ages and the precision of early days clock maker is also a wonder. Next time I will write about the other clocks in my possession.

Comment from The Manager: Nampak macam jam orang tua aje... Cantik kot mana...
Big Boss said: Nak buat macamana, dah minat kat benda2 antik. Nasib baik tak kawin ngan 'orang antik', huhuhuu.

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Go greens

'Ulam' is any kind of edible plant that we eat raw, as a side dishes accompanying the rice. Having brought up with Malay traditional food, I sometimes miss the 'ulam' we can easily get back in Malaysia; ulam raja, pucuk gajus/janggus, daun selom, pucuk beluntas, bebuas, pucuk paku and many more. With each ulam, there will be the 'sambal' or chilli paste that goes together. Be it sambal belacan, sambal cuka, sambal tempoyak, or even budu and cencaluk, all are delicious and suits certain ulam. For example, pucuk bebuas should go with sambal cuka, and 'setenggek burung' with budu.

Of course here in Sydney they also have lots of greens and 'ulam', such as ocra, lettuce, parsley and salads, so we have to make do with whatever the place has to offer. For instant, I can't have pucuk paku to make kerabu, I used parsley instead. Even green apple tastes very nice when turned into kerabu with perut, hmm...

We are lucky that at this place called Bankstown where we live currently, there is a Vietnamese town close by. Lots of the greens we familiar with are available here. One day, I saw bunches of pegaga in the polystyrene while shopping for greens. Elyn was excited when I called her asking whether she wants it or not. They sold it in a big bunch, $6/kg if my memory served me right. To go with it, I've made some sambal nyoq (sambal kelapa lah tu), which Elyn found not really to her liking, tak penah makan katanya...

This was not the pegaga kampung we usually plant at home, very crunchy and soft. This was pegaga gajah, bigger and a bit hard. So we ate a few as ulam, and turned it into kerabu pegaga the next day. Tak larat nak gonyeh, hehehe...


Nutritional Value of Pegaga Gajah:
Measurement Weight gms Energy Kcal Water gms Protein gms Fat gms CHO gms Fibre gms Ash gms

100 30 89.90 1.20 0.4 5.30 1.3 1.9
1 cup (chopped) 43 13 38.20 0.50 0.2 2.30 0.6 0.8

Measurement Weight gms Retinol microgram Carotenes microgram RE microgram B1 mg B2 mg Niacin mg C mg

100 0 1404 234 0.07 0.20 0.4 70.20
1 cup (chopped) 43 0 597 99 0.03 0.09 0.2 29.80
Source: http://nutriweb.org.my

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Hujung minggu yang 'mandom'

Sudah seminggu cuaca mendung menyelubungi Sydney dan kawasan sekitar. Setelah beberapa lama berpanasan sehingga melebihi 40 darjah celcius, suhu turun mendadak ke sekitar 20 darjah celcius.

BENCANA ALAM

Ramai yang mengetahui tentang kebakaran besar yang mengorbankan lebih 180 nyawa di negeri Victoria, Australia. Beribu-ribu penduduk kehilangan tempat tinggal. Banyak binatang yang rentung dalam kejadian yang dikatakan terburuk dalam sejarah bush fire di sini. Ladang-ladang musnah, termasuklah ladang anggur beserta kilang arak didalamnya. Aktiviti membantu dan menyelamat bukan sahaja manusia malah tumbuhan dan binatang liar seperti koala dan kanggaroo masih diteruskan.

Dipercayai kebakaran ini dimulakan oleh arsonist, antaranya telah pun ditangkap dan disoalsiasat. Dengan cuaca yang panas beserta angin yang kuat, hanya sepuntung rokok boleh menyebabkan kebakaran yang besar. Paradoxically, di negeri Queensland sedang mengalami banjir pada masa yang sama setelah menerima hujan yang berpanjangan.

Walaubagaimana pun, kehidupan kami berlalu seperti biasa. Malahan, di hujung minggu ada yang terpaksa ke makmal demi melawat tikus tercinta...

A WET WEEKEND

Di suatu hari minggu yang basah dan lembab, di sebuah university yang terletak ditengah-tengah kotaraya Sydney...Seorang penyelidik, Dr. Rozlin, sedang tekun menjalankan pemeriksaan ke atas sel-sel tisu yang bakal di'infect' dengan virus kelak yang semakin membiak. "hmm, cepat pulak sel-sel ni membiak kali ini," katanya kepada jurukamera yang sedang mengambil gambar, klik!


Tikus hitam, yang akan disuntik dengan sel-sel bervirus nanti, seolah-olah cuba memberitahu aku, 'Selamatkan kami! Kami tak nak mati lagi! Tolong! Bawa kami pulang agar kami boleh bermain-main dengan Aiman!' Kesian aku melihatnya, tapi tikus-tikus yang rupanya seperti Mickey Mouse ini telah ditakdirkan menjadi bahan kajian untuk kesejahteraan manusia sejagat.


Selesai tugas-tugas di makmal patologi di tingkat bawah, aku membontoti Dr. Rozlin ke makmal di tingkat atas menaiki tangga ini.


Dr. Rozlin bertukar profesion pula, kali ini training sebagai taukeh barang kemas mungkin?! Aku pun tumpang sekaki memasukkan harta benda aku ke dalam mesin yang comel itu, untuk mengambalikan cahaya dan gemilang kemilau barangan yang tak seberapa ini. Hasilnya sungguh memuaskan, bling-bling!


DI MANA AIMAN?

Mungkin ada yang bertanya, mana si budak Aiman? Semalam merupakan hari pertama dia bersama penjaga baru di Lakemba, Nunu, seorang Indonesia. Kesian Aiman, perlu ditumpangkan merata-rata sementelah ibu bapanya terus-terusan sibuk. Mudah-mudahan Aiman gembira di situ kerana ada kawan sebayanya untuk bermain.

Hari Ahad, hujan masih belum berhenti. Awal-awal lagi mama telah pergi ke makmal, ntah apa pula kerjanya hari ini. Aiman terus tidur dengan babah, sejuuuk....

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Those were the days

The Autumn session of the universities around Australia is about to begin. At this time of the year, many new students from all over the world are arriving. Some students were already here for a few weeks, taking English classes before they enrolled into their respective faculties.

Once upon a time
I can still remember vividly when both of us first arrived here in mid 2005. It was winter. Cold. The pouring rain all week had worsen my condition, asik meleleh aje idung. We were blessed with a friend who had helped us a lot to settle down, Kauthar. We stayed at her place for nearly two weeks before we moved into our cute little one bedroom unit right across the road in Catherine St, Gwynnville.

Among the memories, I always remember having breakfast at Kak Sam's granny's flat the very first day we arrived - apple teacake from Woollies and hot tea - before we headed to the uni on foot and did the necessary things like opening a bank account and getting a new mobile phone SIM card. Then slowly we learned where to get halal food, house hunting tips and many more from the seniors. Not to mention accepting the 'pass down' legacy like cutlery, small furniture, heater and pinggan-mangkuk periuk belanga. There were lots of things we discovered by ourselves as well. Staying in another country you must be independence, can't be manja2 asking for help all the time.

At that time, there were just the two of us. Aiman was still in our dreams and prayers. We would walk, I think for more than 2km, just to get to the city for groceries as we haven't bought a car yet. Hop on and off the bus was normal. Going to Sydney sounds too far, nak pegi tu bercinta. Kak Sam as ketua kampung, Hasri & Family, Kauthar, Firdaus & Hazman the bachelors; we lived in the same kampung. Sam & family lived in the city, others were Kak Latifah and Lina. These were the only Malaysian who were close to us at that time, berapa kerat aje compared to nowadays. Thanks to all these people, we have settled down successfully with no major problem at all. Those were the days we will never forget.

The tradition goes on

The spirit of helping the newbies settling down continues from one generation of students to another. During the opening season, there will be lots of emails from prospective students asking lots and lots of questions. Popular question is about accommodation, weather condition, basic things to bring and allowed food from Malaysia. Some people asked into details, I even had a question like "Katanya sejuk, saya dah beli glove. Kena bawak tak ha?". Hmm, hang dah beli tu bawak je laa...

I fully understood that most people are excited, maybe scared too, especially for those experiencing the first time going overseas alone. Don't worry, help is always around. Just don't expect people will do everything for you here. One of the main problem is to find a decent accommodation, and you have to do it yourself. What I did if I received an email asking us to look for an accommodation, I will refer them to the 'archived' emails explaining the same thing again and again each session. Easy. And most of them have no problem in getting one.

Today I managed to meet a new student who just arrived a couple of days ago and assist her moving her belongings from her aunty's house in Sydney to Wollongong. She was here before for a session sometime last year, just changing the university. Nevertheless, she never been to Wollongong during that time. Since I am staying in Sydney, and commuting between Sydney and Wollongong is a norm for me now, dah mangli, I agreed to help her out. Good on her that she's already secured a place in Kieraview Accommodation earlier. All the best and enjoy your time in UoW, a great place to study!

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Dan untuk ke sekian kalinya...

Every time we check our inbox, most people will go through the list of subjects before clicking to open and read the content of the email. We will be very happy looking at the senders name if it was a long lost old friend. We can be excited if we are expecting an email saying that we have won the bidding on ebay. Much more delightful if we got new photos of families and friends. The incoming spams and junk mails sometimes unavoidable. However, it can be easily deleted or labeled as 'spam' so that next time it will go straight into 'Spam' folder. However, there are sometimes where we don't really like the emails, but we read it anyway. So, senders and subjects are the main factors that determine whether one will open or delete an email.



BILA NAK BALIK?

Having people around me who are using PCs, I received emails almost everyday. One disconcerting 'heading' or sometimes 'body' of the emails are sentences sound like or similar to these, "Bila nak balik?" or "Bila habis?" or "Bila nak balik Malaysia?" or even worse "Tak nak balik Malaysia ke?" or in English literally means "When are you coming back to Malaysia?". Dan untuk ke sekian kalinya, I received the same questions just a couple of days ago, totally spoiled the good mood I was having.

There are two interpretations or maksud tersirat that I can think of upon receiving these messages. You can see the difference of tone in these two categories:

First:
a. Why are you so slow? Three years already passed and you still not finish yet? Are you stupid?
b. What are you doing there? Studying or enjoying your time?
c. Balik la cepat! Kerja banyak ni, tunggu hang balik aje.

Second:
a. Miss you a lot, long time no see.
b. Lama tak lepak2, borak2, makan2 sama-sama.
c. They are just being polite, tanya khabar.

Well you might say I am paranoid, but I happened to know some people who agreed with me. Maybe because being in an 'insecure' position full of pressure makes us feel like that, but duh! I am doing PhD, and being philosophical have made you always thinking beyond the literal meanings. Furthermore, involved in qualitative study allows me to theoretically presume the outcomes or impacts of a certain things that can't be measured statistically. Argh! What have I done to my brain?!

Everybody have the ability to interpret the information they have received based on their own capacity and limited knowledge. But not everyone will come to the same conclusion. To know more, you have to learn, experience and study yourself. To all my friends yang dah di hujung-hujung jalan, keep up your hard work! For those who are just at the beginning, good luck and all the best. For people who are planning to get yourself into the 'tunnel', may Allah guide you and get the right one.

Keep on asking, at least it reminds me of how much I have been missed and loved back home...

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Dugong

It was a hot day. We wanted to go somewhere cool. The closest is Centro Bankstown shopping mall, we can get ice coffee plus window shopping, and it is a place with air-cond.

But nowadays strolling along the mall with Aiman is not an easy task. His eyes is very good in spotting that $2 coin operated machine, be it a car, merry-go-round or anything he can sit on and ride. We never put coins into those machine though, but he enjoys just sitting on it and making sounds, "broom brrooom!!"
So, one day we decided to go to the aquarium. There was the 'Dugong' exhibition ongoing at that time. Being an endangered species, it was told that only 4-5 Dugongs were on show to public around the world. This particular dugong, named 'Pig', was found stranded on a beach north of Queensland, Australia. It was just a newborn baby then, and how it has been astrayed from its mother was unknown. Since then, it has been under human care and has grown up to as big as a cow now.

'Pig' the Dugong

Aiman really enjoyed the trip to the aquarium. Even though we were tired just chasing him around, but it was fun. In the aquarium compound, it was cool. However, it was so hot outside that the kids splashed into the water features and fountains to cool themselves, making it looked like public pools. Adults just submerged their legs to cool down while reading books. Luckily we were on a train ride, so Aiman couldn't join the kids in the water...

Monday, February 2, 2009

Aku Hangat!

1. Aku hangat. Cuaca memang hangat la ni, tak dak kurang dari 35 darjah celcius. Depa yang dok main tenis kat Australian Open tu meleleh-leleh peluh macam mandi. Bila Nadal gilin-gilin kepala, kelepiaq rambut dia, tu dia macam ayaq ujan jadi! Baju toksah cerita la, buleh perah berapa gelen tak tau la. Pasai basah la seluaq dok lekat kat 'celah tu' kot, sat-sat nak kena tarik keluaq. Mujoq pakai seluaq itam, ada 'blink-blink' lagi. 'Game' depa memang best tengok. Keputusannya, Nadal juara dan Federer no. 2.

2. Aku hangat. Hati ni dok peram ja. Aku dah email awai2 habaq cerita plan aku bla bla bla untuk research. Sampai ke la sv aku tak balaih2 lagi. Report yang aku mintak zaman tok nadoq dulu pun aku tak dapat lagi, tapi dok kata ada sangat, mana?

Ni la dianya, dua2 sv orang 'qualitative'. Aku dah habaq dah dulu tak payah la kot buat interview ni, data hat dok ada ni pun dah belambak, yang belum 'analize' pun tak habih makan. Depa kata 'ngok ngek ngok ngek' rasanya hang kena buat jugak sebab hat tu la yang utama. Abih tu orang yang takdak part 'qualitatif' tu tak layak dapat phd la? ******* hang aih! Ni nak jadi lagu 2 tahun sudah balik la ni, yang melembabkan aku punya progress. Dok berkunun saja kata ada dah student yang nak buat, batang idung pun aku tak penah nampak lagi. Dah lah, malaih aku nak beletiaq. Lagipun tak baik marah kat 'cikgu'.

3. Aku hangat. Dalam dok hangat2 tu makan tak hingat jugak. Hari jumaat pulun nasi lemak. Aku masak sendiri, sebab aku nak rasa macam yang mak aku buat. Pagi, tengahari, sampai malam tibai nasik lemak. Isok tu, breakfast nasi lemak jugak, perabih hat lebih-lebih. Lepaih tu semalam bini buat laksam pulak. Tu dia, sampai ke malam dok pulun laksam, tambah lagi pulak ada orang bok mai 'yee mee'. Tiga mangkuk malam saja. Sambil layan Australian Open final sambil ngapp. Mana perut tak makin 'bam-bam'. Tapi nak gaduh apa, dah ada bini. Takdak sapa nak mengorat dah. Aku dok agak dah time ujung-ujung study' ni memang pressure, dan time pressure ni aku dok perasan memang aku layan makan. Hang mai la apa pun sedap sajja.

4. Aku hangat. Kalau apa yang aku tulih kat ataih hangpa tak paham sori la no. Sekali sekala lepaih geram. Tu pun ada lagi geram-geram yang aku tak boh.

Ada orang kata bahasa aku skema, jiwang, macam dalam buku dsb. Hangpa ingat senang ka nak tulih lagu tu? Mujoq aku dapat A1 SPM Bahasa Melayu, sebab aku selalu tulih dengan gaya bahasa yang betui la. Hangpa tak tengok lagi surat yang aku tulih kat mak bapak aku masa kat asrama, 100% bahasa melayu. Ada member kelantan aku sorang ni, tok pehe setabuk hame aku baca surat yang dia tulih, muakakaka!

5. Aku hangat. Aku nak pi mandi, lepaih tu nak makan laksam semalam ada sikit lagi. Kemendian kena mengadap PC balik.

Wassalam!

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