In the midst of an economic crisis

Name: Maurina H A Hamid
Age: Old enough
Comments: She is currently in a situation that requires a choice between options that are or seem equally unfavorable or mutually exclusive.

I, at this particular moment in time, in this exact moment, after the particular sequence of events that has happened today am not feeling very optimistic. I need to make a purchase of a substantial amount and unfortunately, I am not with sufficient funds.

Yatah. Saja bah kan bedrama.

Ponder

BRUNEI DARUSSALAM: A NATION AT PEACE

As a modern day Brunei watcher comments on the strength of Brunei economy as a counterbalance to social upheavals-- “if its economy remains intact, the mould of Brunei’s recent past may well define its future.”

- HUSSAINMIYA, B. A.

The Violet Hour

"Sleeeepy... Must. Get. Sleep"

Mother Goose

If all the world was apple pie,
And all the sea was ink,
And all the trees were bread and cheese,
What will we have to drink?

Pure drool

Does this not look absolutely heavenly?
I. Love. Biriyanis.

Drool

Interesting. I can already imagine what it tastes like.
Imagine eating it with Vanilla Bean Ice-cream.
..or a sauce made of Vanilla and cream.

Expect more posts on food (weird or otherwise). I'm hungry.

Birds of Prey

The Dummy's Introductory Guide into the World of Kite-Flying

(illustrated by Maurina H)

Disclaimer: No one was physically harmed in any possible way during the making of this quasi-photo-documentary. All actors are acting voluntarilly under no coercion nor rasuah. (Fortunately for me)

1. This sport is usually more popular among teenage boys aged 12-21 years old, particularly if they are frustrated with boredom and burdened with stresses of unemployment.

2. The 'sport' is more often than not facilitated by hand made 'kikiks' (pronounced key-kicks) which are crafted and aerodynamically tested with purely traditional means - by instinct.

Basic things needed are; Temiyang (a sort of lightweight bamboo) for the main chassis (more commonly called alok-alok) of the flying instrument, glue (usually ambuyat is used), some lightweight oil paper usually of unusually bright colours and a roll of strong tangsi.

NB: seasoned kikik makers might dispute me on the things part. Please do not hesitate to add if I've left out some important bits.

3. Knowing the strength and direction of the wind is a great advantage.

4. With almost no effort, a skilled player can get a kikik up flying in the clouds within 5 minutes.

5. Within the next 10 minutes the player will keep the kikik floating in the sky, being careful not to let it get swept by the wind, and constantly making sure that their tangsi is not corrupting any unsuspecting phone lines in the process.

6. During the kikik season, kikik enthusiasts will constantly be on the look out for idle kikiks in the sky.

An idle kikik is call for a challenge.

7. Thus, begin the pulut battle. These two opponents acknowledge each other's presence. A mutual understanding is reached through unspoken discourse.

The challenge is accepted.

8. These two kikiks will try to cut off each other's lines or tangsi.

The action is done with utter skill, sufficient knowledge of physics, aerodynamics and strong basic instinct.

9. If a match is particularly exciting (e.g. between two people notorious for their pulut skills) people would convene.

The match now has an audience. Additional pressure is added to the opponents. Wagers are thrown and shouts and yells of support are heard.

10. Eventually one kikik will break and the one still remaining up there would be hailed as the winner.

The floating kikik would be lost forever, free for anyone to salvage and admire.

...and all that is left, is a neck strain and a broken tangsi line.


The End

These Boots Are Made For Running

Peekaboo. Grass, football jersey, football boots. That can only mean one thing!

Haha! Apparently I play football now! Not that I am neccesarilly even remotely good at it. In fact, I am absolutely crap at it though I frequently flatter myself to boost my ego. BUT yes, the invite came andI don't know if it was the weather on that particular day in that specific part of Brunei but for some reason I practically jumped at the opportunity. As of today, I officially play for Laviosa FC (and yes, it is the Laviosa the Levitating Spell but with an 'a').

Completely out of character no?

I suspect the reason why I am having absolute fun doing this is because, it is freakin' whole load of SIUKNESS buying them accesories!!!

I'm going to make them Kadai Sport Kalings rich! Watch out for an economic boom in sports accesories revolving around women's football (like size 5 pastel colored football boots specifically tailored to suit the delicate form of a woman's feet which are totally different from the physique of a man's) in the near future.

.....after Ramadhan of course. (Everyone know that all human activities halt to a deafening screech when Ramadhan comes - it's a Brunei thing~)

Shoes

Now what is that I have recently purchased?
EGAD! Football boots perhaps?

Baker's List

Happy Bithday Amy! :)

***

I. am. still. alive.

This (picture below) ALMOST killed me. Sixteen page behemoth of man made creation that sucked out all my brain cells. I practically need a protein shake every morning and night to recover.


I apologise for not updating. This MAJOR assignment shown above basically feeds on the portion of my vertebrate central nervous system that is enclosed within my cranium.

On a more cheery note, I Love Papaya Milkshakes. Fruities at the Mall. :) (Cuba kamu liat tu rambut ku ah, inda lagi terurus kali ah.. Be-puaka banar assignment atu.. Bari menangis!)

To celebrate me actually completing the thing that shall not be named above, I did this:


Beaches. I love. I grew up next to a beach. Actually I grew up on a sandspit. Do you know any of Bruneian sandspits? There are two actually. One in Kuala Tutong (Pantai Seri Kenangan - on the other side of the road is the Tutong river) and another at Kampong Danau. (Geography students and those with better knowledge of this may contradict me if I'm wrong)

Anyway, it is really great living on a sandspit. My front lawn is a beach, and my backyard is the Tutong River. I spent a lot of time on the beach naturally, it is too dangerous to swim most of the time because the current is VERY (a few people have died actually) strong. There is a whirlpool nearby that's why - where the sea meets the end of the river. So anyway, since swimming is a big no-no, me and my cousins play on the beach.

Can you imagine? Running around with the salty sea air blowing in your face, the sun though is shining brightly, we didn't care. If we're bored of running around and digging heart shaped holes in the sand (the theory is to make a swimming pool), we take the coastal path to an uncle's house which is basically two minutes away.

He had swings made of tyres! And under those swings are jasmines. The sweet smelling flower that never fails to bring me down memory lane everytime I catch a whiff. My aunty used to put these flowers in her hair. The jasmines are not there anymore, neither are the swings. Well, its in my head, and I suppose that will suffice.