this week

Alrightey, my blog has been left deprived for far too long.

First and foremost, I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to those people who contacted me regarding my previous post. I am extremely touched deep inside eventhough I didn't exactly explain what it was all about. It's really really heatwarming to know lots of people out there care about me; especially hearing from people I've not heard from for so long. You all know who you are. A million thank you's:)

I am not lost anymore. For now:)

Almost everyday I think: Oh! I'm going to blog about that! I'm going to blog about this! But as all bloggers can empathize, it almost always never materialize... So I'll probably jot down those things I wanted to blog briefly. (Though there may be MANY brief points...):

1. General Anatomy Finals coming up on friday. Not so sure if I'm prepared... wait, scratch that... I'm sure I'm not prepared. Oh well, positive thinking! Will be doing intensive studying with my housemates! Previous marks has not been satisfactory. People look at my notes and see my studying and say: Wow! Rajin nye! And I admit: I struggle in Biology- it's one of my weakest subjects. When I got my results , the akak said in a surprising manner: "You physics is better than your bio!"

2. Dr Khin's class is not for the faint heart. I had practical session (lab) with her this week. She is an AMAZING lecturer. She is so good in fact that at the end of the first lecture, she received an applause. Yes she did. The most memorable part of the practical class would probably be when she screamed at us. Yes, she did. She shouted: BE WRONG! LEARN!!! That was when she asked a question and we all mumbled out incoherent answers because we weren't so sure. Nevertheless, I always enjoy her classes. Even if you try to stifle a yawn, you'll probably be bombarded with questions for the next 10 minutes in front of the whole class and be landed with a big fat zero. Once, I asked her a question. After that, Min patted me and said, "That was very brave of you."

3. 10 days of Ramadhan has passed! I have to admit I miss Adni. The atmosphere, the feeling, the... people. Teacher Rasyidah!, I want Islamic Studies classes with you again! I want to see Kausar sitting in the classroom during break time reading the Qur'an. I want to sit at the outside bench with Fuddy and Iman and just talk...buke puase with Nurul Basma Maryam Amalia Rasya and everyone else... solat tarawikh at i'tikaf with them... When Ramadhan came, for some reason I picture all those Adni moments... I miss you all:(

4. Biggest shocker of the week: I found out my dad can draw. I NEVER EVER EVER KNEW! Him being an engineer + human resource guy with 6 kids did not enable him express his artistic capability. He's always into short and concise drawings. Graphs, charts, that's what I'd always see him draw. I found out from my auntie that he could draw. And then my dad admitted he liked to draw portraits- his best was a portrait of Napolean Bonaparte. And that's where I got my artistic talent from. Wow wow wow. I asked him to draw yesteryday - he was like, "Alia, I've not drawn for more than 20 years." After I cajoled/pleaded/begged/persuaded him, he came up with a caricature of what I assume is a cross breed of a rabbit and a mouse. Bummer.

I think that's enough from now. I've been wanting to blog about Amar but have yet to be able to... Next post, next post!:D

lost

Ramadhan is here.

My friends are around.

My family is a call away.

And yet for some reason I am feeling unexplainably lonely and disoriented. I really have no idea why. I'm wondering what happened to that energy and enthusiasm. The smiles that can come so easily now seem so difficult to even fake.

Why do I feel so lost?

cookies

Cookie Monster has always been my favourite:D

sekolah

Today I attended iftar at the surau. Twice I've been asked the same question.

"Adik sekolah kat mane?"

"Oh, saya dah masuk uni."

*surprised, comprehension dawning* "Oh ye kee? Ingatkan masih sekolah..."

"Saya tengah buat degree, 1st year perubatan." *smile smile*

I do hope it's because I LOOK young and not because I act... immature or anything. I'll take it as the earlier anyhow; a great compliment it is thank you very much.

Stunt that Stunned

I have so many things to say but nothing else can beat what happened this morning. It is something so compelling to write, everything has to be put on hold while I recall the insane incident. So crazy it was, that I can assure no one has ever experienced or witnessed something like this before. So here goes:

This morning my dad came to pick me up as agreed; around 7am. When I came down, it was a delightful surprise to find my mom was there. Really, it's always a relief to be seeing your parents' radiant faces after a long long week. My dad then drove off and just as he cornered out of the apartment, a curious sight befell me. There was a thing hanging on to a pole at the bus stop infront. As we came closer, I realized it was a kid and thought it must be some budak sekolah agama waiting for the bus since he was wearing songkok and green baju melayu. Upon nearing, my dad honked at the kid, yknow, just to get him down because probably it was really dangerous to be climbing up that high. Or so I thought.

My dad then stopped directly infront of the bus stop. And I realized that that was no budak sekolah agama but my brother Safi. The next thing I knew, Ahmad was infront of me, Along was opening the front seat door and Syarif was bouncing out; all four of them in their baju melayu and kain pelekat roaring with laughter! I was too stunned to speak and just sat there, with my mouth hanging open and my eyes wide, still glued to the boy on the pole.

Budak Sekolah Agama: Safi- stuck to the pole with that... face.

Roaring with laughter: Them all coming out from their hiding places and surprising me. (Ahmad in red with his kain pelekat)

Still rooted to the spot, speechless and and perplexed, my brothers all filed into the car, in stitches, and recalled their ingenious scheme. So here, I reveal the whole story, bits and pieces chipped in from everyone amidst the sniggering and chuckling with glee:

This morning during Sahur, everyone woke up. My mom told all of my brothers (5 of them) to go for Solat Subuh at the surau and since they were all already there, my dad suggested they all come along to pick me up (It was such a shocker because they've never all come and picked me up). So on the way, apparently Ahmad concocted the idea that they should do a surprise for me. Thus at the bus stop before entering my apartment, they got out. Initially they were meant to sit there and probably wave when we passed by.

Of course, since when will MY brothers do something as normal as that? With ideas running wild and imaginations knowing no boundaries, they agreed that Safi climb up on the pole while the other 3 (Along Ahmad and Syarif) hid behind the wall of the bus stop and came out surprising me with "Well hellooo theree. Would you like to have a cup of tea?" in a British accent. I was meant to be whooping and screaming in surprise and delight (I didn't because it was too early in the morning and my dad concluded that my brain could not comprehend the illogic of it all- my mind was too objective). Anyway, their plans went so wild it even included the rapid KL bus- one which did not happen because it was 'Plan B'.

Still laughing: It was honestly totally unexpected.

Only when they came in did I see Siraj sleeping at the back of the car and my mom and dad were sniggering, not being able to hold in their laughs anymore after having to hide the secret from me.

I felt like crying and laughing and smiling and hugging them and yet, I was still too stunned to speak. I ask you, what kind of brothers would do that? Hide at a bus stop with their baju melayu and kain pelekat early in the morning, imagining an idea on how to surprise their sister. Definitely crazy, I must say. And astronomically sweet. You all are the best. I love you guys:)

The Bus Stop: Where they all came up with the stunt that stunned me.

fixed

My darling is back.

I went into ultimate depression when my dad told me the price of fixing my laptop- and the fact that it's taken out of my savings. My heart sank, my knees quivered, and I fell to the floor. Okay, not that dramatic. It was kinda expected really- that the money was going to be coming from my savings, not the cost. Almost went into irrecoverable (if there's such a word) shock from the information.

Got my laptop back a day after it was sent; ie today. My dad works miracles I tell you. He says I'm lucky they had the parts. I'm just glad that my screen is whole and functioning. No weird black and white blotches. No spider-web pattern of glass reaching out to the edges.

It's just me and my laptop. And Photoshop and Flash MX. And general anatomy assignments; that is once I am able to access the portal. Grrr...

them

Ahmad gloats that he is the only one well in the house (excluding mummy and daddy). He says we all should wear the face mask to stop contaminating the air in the house. I say HE should be wearing the mask instead so that he does not breathe in the virus. He stops arguing.

The house has turned into a makeshift sick bay. The upstairs landing is covered with a mattress with pillows and water bottles around. The master bedroom has an additional two mattresses for the young patients. Honey, lime and Coconut Oil is the medicine everyone now has to take.

Through it all, my mom is more of a cooler mom than I realize. She ensures we all take 3 table spoons of coconut every morning. Cook the food that we like- since she knows our appetite isn't so well. She allows my brothers to be a sloth on the couch and watch TV all day- by right weekdays we're not meant to be watching cartoons. She sent my older brother to the hospital last night at 10pm and only came back at 3am because it takes 2 hours just to see a doctor. She growls at us when we're lazy to freshen up. She lets us sleep in. She uses a damp cloth to make sure that my younger brothers fevers' don't shoot up too high. And more and more and more.

Siraj asks: Ummi, can we bake cookies ? and my mom says: InsyaAllah we can today:)

And my Super Dad? When I received the MC from the doctor that I have to be quarantined for 7 days, I immediately call my dad to know what I should do. He says not to worry and that he'll be coming in an hour. In the car I find out that he droped everything, rescheduled his meetings. He comes to Cyberjaya, sends me back home and goes back to work.

I asked: "Ayah, what did I make you miss at work since you have to pick me up?" He replies, "My dear, I work because of you. Really no point of working if I'm not taking care of you." Something to that effect. Super sweet, I know.

What am I without them.