Assalamua'laikum.

"DAH BAGUS TU"

A hefty congratulational handshake to the brass band members of YISS on their achievement of a Silver Award during SYF's preliminary round last Saturday!

It was a roaring moment for the audience and supporters of the competing 6 schools. The national stadium was filled with excited shrieks and cheers that it smells like teen spirit all around. Parents, families, teachers and fellow schoolmates were present to give applause and spirit to their loved ones. Amidst the 34 degrees temperature, as each kid brings out the very best of their well-trained formations and music arrangements, it was a sort of ordeal as each team versus one another to vie for the gold spot.

I should point out, all along these years of SYF competitions, Bowen Sec is a sure-killer. Tying the gold awards for this year's preliminary round are Bowen, Tanjong Katong, Pingyi-SpringField and Deyi. The silver-grabbers are Yusof Ishak, West Spring and Bukit Panjang. It has proved too hard a hit for the Yusoffian band members, the younger batch sobbed away at the silver give-away. I must say, it's been quite an achievement for a tiny 80-odd brass band to make it to the prelims. Which makes me wonder, are the generation Y's & Z's a bunch of over-achievers anyway? My lil' brother on the other hand, heaves a sigh of relief. He's now kissing his tom-toms goodbye for a while, in spite of his 'First Seargent' stature, I'm saying it's N-Level time.

From the queer eyes of a generation X-er, my advise is: Relax lah beb!

Wassalam.

Assalamua'laikum.

ALMOST MAY

Another weekend holiday is coming around the corner. In 2 weeks' time, the Labour Day holiday falls on May 1st, on a perfect Saturday! I think I'm planning to stretch the holiday till Monday, the 3rd of May. Looks like I'll be having some Mayday Mayday underway.

Already some people have started to ask about what to do for that weekend. Hmm, it seems pretty cool to pack some light clothings, a digital cam, comfy sandals, a cap to block the glary sun from my face and my red lion-logo passport across the causeway towards Parit Jawa for some bird-watching. Pretty neat, huh. It's still too early to plan anything right now. 2 weeks, so many things could happen.

Wassalam.

Assalamua'laikum.

THE "Z" FACTOR

My dad has a full 100 percent risk of suffering an attack of cardiac arrest. It is clear that he has been exerting too much pressure in his daily chores. It has been 11 months since his first stenting operation and he's been cautious enough to cease smoking abruptly but he wasn't keen enough to leave one habit behind - foods that harm.

It came to my knowledge that he has been enjoying the foods that harm the very vulnerable condition of his main artery. It's hard to make my dad eliminate the greasy food away from his system. All the pratas, the briyanis, the fried chicken and nasi gorengs seemed too tempting for him. As a result of his altered diet, his main vessel choked once again, thus letting the doctor to rummage through his internal chest organs during his day surgery this afternoon.

I got worried sick for old dad's situation. Lo and behold, like most die-hard rockers, my dad holds on real tight and appears cheery on his four-wheeled bed at the hospital after the second stenting. Quite the contrary when he had the first surgery last year. He was sipping water from a cup when I arrived. We had after-dinner conversations and my old man was chuckling, lending some time to joke away about the operation and farting away. Basket. The stinging pain on my left big toe almost seems a tiny flick in the ocean compared to his vein intervention!

Alas, I'm happy that my old man's a-okay. He's got the groove in his psychedelic years and the colors still hasn't run out of him yet. Acting his own champion, he really fights the battle damn well. Very, very strong-willed like his daughter. Keep it up, good dad. It's the "Z" factor which sums up to becoming the horrific invincibles of our hereditary chain. Foods that harm shall have to go anyway....

Wassalam.

Assalamua'laikum.

UNDERGROUND METZLERS

It was out of the scopes of my thinking, that, on the evening of every working days, the second link entering Malaysian state Johor is definitely full of motorcycle traffic. I never did thought about the Tuas checkpoint being yet another 'sheeps queue' during the after-five hours, yesterday it was swarmed by home-returning motorists. What's with today being a public holiday, many local residents were headed up-north for a little get-away break themselves too.

For what should seem a mere 10 minutes immigration clearance at the checkpoint normally, it was stretched to a steaming 30 minutes in-line, we got real wet underneath, drenched in perspiration. Once being released into freedom, away from the gruel wait, Pirelli tyres kissed the Gelang Patah highway, rolling away in unison. We took in the whizzing cool wind thus feeling afresh. Our riding partners released tension on tar, some were even out of sight. Each letting their mighty bikes showing its prowess, it's the rider's rule, for only the most insane traffic wardens might want to patrol that highway. Riding in the dark takes a hell lot of courage. I was lucky though, my partner never lets a hang loose lest one of us got strewn or something.

The group knew a lot of strange and unusual places and so we rode in and out of kampungs and stopped by Kukup to have a refreshing drink and some makan. Kukup! Whew. Now that really stings my backside. We were a little late when we reached Kukup so we couldn't savour the seafood though. If only time and other commitments wasn't bothering us, we would've rode further up-north. The fellas had to go to Johor town for tuning and so we spent the rest of the evening watching 'live' entertainment by hawking transvestite near the garage. What a funny way to while my time away, those 'part-time kupu-kupu' were enjoying themselves so much, they don't care much of who's hooking who, so long they earn their cash at the end of the day to fulfill their sinful distasteful lifestyle.

It was way past our bedtime when we rode back to Gelang Patah for the boys to fill their thirsty tanks. I have a thing about shopping for tidbits at those petrol stations because sometimes you can even find unusual things around there. Once my Arai bag's full of what-nots, we rode back to homeland via the second link again. Rather than having to pass Woodlands' checkpoint and queue endlessly even after 2am, Tuas point is such a straight clearance.

I have really fallen in love with the road since many years ago. I am deeply passionate about travel, it doesn't matter how far and long it takes, I only loved to see things a-new and exciting. Maybe we were born free.

Wassalam.

Assalamua'laikum.

GENERATION X.

What can I say about today? It has been part normal and sub-normal eventually. Things just needs to be not in the normal fashion. Being so carefree in one's lifetime is a breeze. Being strong to ride the tides of life isn't so arduous, it's very likely the trend of this new millenia.

Abstination from anger is such a blessed degree for a humble human being. Even the ultra-patience has the means to go off-edge a little at times. I vowed to never let anger overtake me in any situation, it makes one less smart in any way we speak, act and react.

Nurturing oneself leads to more greater friends and companions. Wasting temper on others are like beating gongs in the dead of night - meaningless. Therefore, so to speak, Singaporeans are a temperamental lot. Pending on our lack of space to out-flow our freedom of speech, it has led to becoming a very squarish group of people. In turn, many has become insolent towards others. High education was made possible for young and old but yet, when old habits die hard, these people are the ignoble S.O.B's of this island. The realization of ignominy just doesn't flag across their faces.

Diverting from this very rubbish, I seek the ultimate space and air to breathe. Having souls that match my very own personality, I long to run into their open arms and enjoy the sanctity of sweet life in laughter. Thanks for being the lustre surroundings in my life, babes. If only I could present you with the best thing, I'd give you the paradise. Do I stay lucid to you?

Wassalam.