Yes, we have moved. All members of the Faculty of Agriculture and Biotechnology have moved to the new but rather poorly finished building in Kubang Badak Campus (or more popularly known as KUSZA campus).
The latest news is that even the Biotechnology department has received the marching order even though initially it is understood that they will stay put.
As usual, I was the first to move, that was on Thursday itself. There was nothing much to move except papers that I have to keep. I did it by myself, carrying a little at a time using two traveling bags into my car.
For me the new office is more comfortable. I do not have to drive long in the morning. It just takes me 5 minutes to reach office.
The only problem here is that Facebook is off limit. I do not know why, but they block the usage of Facebook. I just cannot understand the real issue behind this. Thus, I am lonely up here for the time being, much to the like of my wife!
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
SHE HAS END-STAGE RENAL FAILURE
She has been diagnosed with the end-stage renal failure. Not long after that her eye-sight went bad - retinopathy. All these because of her neglected diabetes.
She could not see details anymore. All she could see is blurry images.
She was also weak and could hardly walk without people's help. Her mind too suffers as the result of her condition.
The question is, who is going to look after her in the long run? My wife? I don't think so she has the energy to do it day in and day out. You know her, her own household chores already tire her body.
Her only son, well I don't think he is dependable in that respect. He has been pampered too much to know what to do without being repeatedly asked.
Her husband too. Up to now he still thinks that his wife is going to recover soon. It has never come to him that his wife may require much longer time to recover or may never recover at all.
They, as a family, have to change the way they live. Now they have an important member incapacitated, may be for life.
I do pray that her condition improves soon. As I just cannot envision how their life going to be without her being active.
She could not see details anymore. All she could see is blurry images.
She was also weak and could hardly walk without people's help. Her mind too suffers as the result of her condition.
The question is, who is going to look after her in the long run? My wife? I don't think so she has the energy to do it day in and day out. You know her, her own household chores already tire her body.
Her only son, well I don't think he is dependable in that respect. He has been pampered too much to know what to do without being repeatedly asked.
Her husband too. Up to now he still thinks that his wife is going to recover soon. It has never come to him that his wife may require much longer time to recover or may never recover at all.
They, as a family, have to change the way they live. Now they have an important member incapacitated, may be for life.
I do pray that her condition improves soon. As I just cannot envision how their life going to be without her being active.
OF GLOSSY STARLINGS, YELLOW-VENTED BULBULS & TINY WEENY TAILOR BIRDS
Our residence is not as luxurious as other bungalows, but it is blessed with flora and fauna soothing to the eyes and mind.
Would you believe me if I say that the trees inside our compound provide shelter and foraging ground for not less than half a dozen bird species.
Let me introduce you to the trees that I have planted in our housing compound. They are Moringa oleifera (there are six of them the last time I counted them), mango, breadfruit, water apple, banana, bamboo, yellow palm, and many other flowering plants.
That mango tree is very special as it bears two kinds of fruit - the huge apple mango and the 'pauh' variety. Right now it is flowering, budding and fruiting too.
The breadfruit tree is also busily fruiting. In fact I have just tried two last weekend and they are indeed tasty when deep-fried.
The banana tree (given by a lorry driver) seems never want to grow tall at all. Suddenly it surprised everybody when it began bearing fruit last two weeks.
As they fruit, birds come by the dozen to feed or play. Yellow-vented bulbuls are always busy harvesting palm fruits or chasing insects among leaves.
Glossy Philippines Starlings have found crevices in the house interesting enough to build their nests in. They must be competing for space with the nuisance bed-bug-bearing bats!
Tiny cute little tailor birds are always busy hopping on the chain-link fence or on the twigs going after flying insects or crawling caterpillars. I have yet to see their nest till now.
Magpie robins are always the first to wake up, even earlier than me. Before dawn prayer, they start to sing on top of the roof. When two males meet, their song can go on forever.
In short, our residence is indeed a nature's gallery where human dwellers and flora and fauna interact making life interesting...Welcome to our residence!
Would you believe me if I say that the trees inside our compound provide shelter and foraging ground for not less than half a dozen bird species.
Let me introduce you to the trees that I have planted in our housing compound. They are Moringa oleifera (there are six of them the last time I counted them), mango, breadfruit, water apple, banana, bamboo, yellow palm, and many other flowering plants.
That mango tree is very special as it bears two kinds of fruit - the huge apple mango and the 'pauh' variety. Right now it is flowering, budding and fruiting too.
The breadfruit tree is also busily fruiting. In fact I have just tried two last weekend and they are indeed tasty when deep-fried.
The banana tree (given by a lorry driver) seems never want to grow tall at all. Suddenly it surprised everybody when it began bearing fruit last two weeks.
As they fruit, birds come by the dozen to feed or play. Yellow-vented bulbuls are always busy harvesting palm fruits or chasing insects among leaves.
Glossy Philippines Starlings have found crevices in the house interesting enough to build their nests in. They must be competing for space with the nuisance bed-bug-bearing bats!
Tiny cute little tailor birds are always busy hopping on the chain-link fence or on the twigs going after flying insects or crawling caterpillars. I have yet to see their nest till now.
Magpie robins are always the first to wake up, even earlier than me. Before dawn prayer, they start to sing on top of the roof. When two males meet, their song can go on forever.
In short, our residence is indeed a nature's gallery where human dwellers and flora and fauna interact making life interesting...Welcome to our residence!
I CYCLED TO SCHOOL
As I drove past SK Pusat. my alma mater, my mind suddenly flashes back to a scenario sometimes 45 years back.
It was a hot sunny afternoon after school. There I was, cycling back from school under the punishing hot sun. It was a relatively new Raleigh bicycle.
The distance, well it was well over 6 miles from the school to Kg Bukit Kuang.
The road was not as busy as it is now. We could hardly see any cars passing by. Only timber lorries were making full use of the road to bring the bounty from the forest to sawmills. They, especially the empty ones were really the kings of the road then.
As far as I could remember there were only three cars in Chukai then. One was owned by the late Syed Noh and the other two, well, I have forgotten who the owners were, but I know for sure that once in a while I did hitch a ride in one of them two to school.
Six miles was easy for me back then. No sweat. But knowing well that something delicious was waiting for me at my late aunt whom I called Mak Long, in Kg Besut, I usually stop at her house for lunch. Still vivid in my mind how I criss-crossed the roads in Kg Besut before making it to the main road.
In youthful zealousness I got was involved in a few little road mishaps in Kg Besut. One was when I ran over the back of an old male muscovy duck. The duck was ok. It was me who came tumbling down and hit the jagged edge of the road. My knee was wide open and I just laid there in great pain. Cikgu Taha came to my rescue. After cleaning my wounds and repairing mr bicycle's handles, there I was speeding home, asif nothing had ever happened.
The second incident occurred on the way to school. As I was speeding away, out of a corner I saw a motorcycle crossing the junction. As it was so near to me, I just rammed into the back tyre and fell down. The
motorcycle rider stopped and helped me up. I continued my way to school after getting my bicycle handles realligned.
A rude driver overtaking me at a dangerous corner brings me back to the present world. I pressed the gas paddle slightly and the car speeds on chasing the Proton saga.
It was a hot sunny afternoon after school. There I was, cycling back from school under the punishing hot sun. It was a relatively new Raleigh bicycle.
The distance, well it was well over 6 miles from the school to Kg Bukit Kuang.
The road was not as busy as it is now. We could hardly see any cars passing by. Only timber lorries were making full use of the road to bring the bounty from the forest to sawmills. They, especially the empty ones were really the kings of the road then.
As far as I could remember there were only three cars in Chukai then. One was owned by the late Syed Noh and the other two, well, I have forgotten who the owners were, but I know for sure that once in a while I did hitch a ride in one of them two to school.
Six miles was easy for me back then. No sweat. But knowing well that something delicious was waiting for me at my late aunt whom I called Mak Long, in Kg Besut, I usually stop at her house for lunch. Still vivid in my mind how I criss-crossed the roads in Kg Besut before making it to the main road.
In youthful zealousness I got was involved in a few little road mishaps in Kg Besut. One was when I ran over the back of an old male muscovy duck. The duck was ok. It was me who came tumbling down and hit the jagged edge of the road. My knee was wide open and I just laid there in great pain. Cikgu Taha came to my rescue. After cleaning my wounds and repairing mr bicycle's handles, there I was speeding home, asif nothing had ever happened.
The second incident occurred on the way to school. As I was speeding away, out of a corner I saw a motorcycle crossing the junction. As it was so near to me, I just rammed into the back tyre and fell down. The
motorcycle rider stopped and helped me up. I continued my way to school after getting my bicycle handles realligned.
A rude driver overtaking me at a dangerous corner brings me back to the present world. I pressed the gas paddle slightly and the car speeds on chasing the Proton saga.
Monday, May 30, 2011
THE PASSING OF OUR 'STOCKING'
There she was, having her kittens right smack on our old sofa on our patio. There were six of them, tiny little creatures with eye still closed.
The queen was barely an adult..still too young to have babies. She just came to our residence as soon as we moved in, that was more than three years ago.
With a twist of misfortunes, the queen was ran over as I reversed my car. It was indeed a very tragic incident. She quickly ran over her kittens as soon as she realized that her life in this world was nearing the end.
She looked at her kittens with sad eyes as she breathed her last breath. She was dead, right in front of her newborn kittens.
With her passing, the kittens were sort of left on their own. To cut the story short, only him (known as Stocking) survived to adulthood.
But, with no mother to teach him the way of life for a cat, he was far from a male cat that he was supposed to be. He missed most of the things that cats do.
He became a cat too dependent on us to give him food and love.
As everybody was busy with their own life - Kamal was married and moved out of the house, Syafiq was too busy with his work and I was busy with my work in UniSZA, Stocking was left to survive in the cat's harsh world all by itself.
A rogue tomcat chased and bloodied him every time they came face to face. I remember seeing him high up the grill of our sliding door, sometimes twisting his legs, just to be away from the sharp teeth and claws of the muscular tomcat.
Then, as he was almost adult, it was his turn to bully that tomcat, who by now was so frail and sickly. It was sheer joy to see him giving his old enemy the chase. then that old tomcat disappeared, probably died somewhere.
With that old tomcat gone, Stocking's life became much easier. There was no other cat that could bully him. He was the king of the neighbourhood.
Suddenly he became anorectic. He did not want to eat anything my wife gave him, not even his favourite deep-fried golden-striped trevally (selar kuning).
Then one day I found him sprawled at the edge of my garage, very weak and emaciated. There was blood oozing out of his nostrils and mouth. He was dying. Fifteen minutes later, Stocking was no more with us. he has passed away at the age of just above three years.
Syafiq buried him beneath the busily fruiting mango tree. Stocking was no more with us, but with his mom and siblings....
The queen was barely an adult..still too young to have babies. She just came to our residence as soon as we moved in, that was more than three years ago.
With a twist of misfortunes, the queen was ran over as I reversed my car. It was indeed a very tragic incident. She quickly ran over her kittens as soon as she realized that her life in this world was nearing the end.
She looked at her kittens with sad eyes as she breathed her last breath. She was dead, right in front of her newborn kittens.
With her passing, the kittens were sort of left on their own. To cut the story short, only him (known as Stocking) survived to adulthood.
But, with no mother to teach him the way of life for a cat, he was far from a male cat that he was supposed to be. He missed most of the things that cats do.
He became a cat too dependent on us to give him food and love.
As everybody was busy with their own life - Kamal was married and moved out of the house, Syafiq was too busy with his work and I was busy with my work in UniSZA, Stocking was left to survive in the cat's harsh world all by itself.
A rogue tomcat chased and bloodied him every time they came face to face. I remember seeing him high up the grill of our sliding door, sometimes twisting his legs, just to be away from the sharp teeth and claws of the muscular tomcat.
Then, as he was almost adult, it was his turn to bully that tomcat, who by now was so frail and sickly. It was sheer joy to see him giving his old enemy the chase. then that old tomcat disappeared, probably died somewhere.
With that old tomcat gone, Stocking's life became much easier. There was no other cat that could bully him. He was the king of the neighbourhood.
Suddenly he became anorectic. He did not want to eat anything my wife gave him, not even his favourite deep-fried golden-striped trevally (selar kuning).
Then one day I found him sprawled at the edge of my garage, very weak and emaciated. There was blood oozing out of his nostrils and mouth. He was dying. Fifteen minutes later, Stocking was no more with us. he has passed away at the age of just above three years.
Syafiq buried him beneath the busily fruiting mango tree. Stocking was no more with us, but with his mom and siblings....
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
FRUITING DWARF BANANA AND BREAD-FRUIT TREES
Our dwarf banana tree suddenly bore fruits. I remember planting it many months ago under the mango tree at a corner of our lawn. All these while, I kept it just because of its leaves, It supplied us with banana leaves for grilling fish.
Then, a few days ago, there it was, busily fruiting.
On the opposite corner, my bread-fruit tree (sukun) also gave us a big surprise. It too was bearing fruits, 8 to be exact. All these while its fallen leaves kept me busy during my weekends.
Bread-fruit has been my favourite since I was introduced to bread-fruit fritters long time ago by a boy-seller at Chow Kitt road.
I hope these are signs of good things to come in our lives.
Then, a few days ago, there it was, busily fruiting.
On the opposite corner, my bread-fruit tree (sukun) also gave us a big surprise. It too was bearing fruits, 8 to be exact. All these while its fallen leaves kept me busy during my weekends.
Bread-fruit has been my favourite since I was introduced to bread-fruit fritters long time ago by a boy-seller at Chow Kitt road.
I hope these are signs of good things to come in our lives.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
BEWARE OF UNEVEN ROADS
I am both surprised and angry at a few road signs near Kijal asking road-users to be careful of uneven road surface ahead.
Angry because they have been there for ages. Usually, such road signs are up temporarily until the damage is repaired. But, no, they are still there and look like to remain there for a long time to come.
And the unplanned bumps are still there, causing many car rims of unwary drivers become crooked as they speed along.
What frustrate me further is that they have the money to smoothen the so-called uneven surface, but they choose not to do so. I just wonder why.
Are they waiting for another road carnage before they do something?
Or are they waiting for the next general election?
Angry because they have been there for ages. Usually, such road signs are up temporarily until the damage is repaired. But, no, they are still there and look like to remain there for a long time to come.
And the unplanned bumps are still there, causing many car rims of unwary drivers become crooked as they speed along.
What frustrate me further is that they have the money to smoothen the so-called uneven surface, but they choose not to do so. I just wonder why.
Are they waiting for another road carnage before they do something?
Or are they waiting for the next general election?
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