Home is where the heart is

King Solomon's Mine by H. Rider Haggard - The novel that started it all. For me at least. Allan Quartermain's adventures through the unexplored region of Africa, over the humid and scorching deserts, up the Suliman's Berg and their climb to one of the two peaks of Sheba's Breast captured me completely, making me a die hard fan - hogging for more and more - of adventure novels. People often asked me why I rarely read romance novels. They questioned my choices for novels to be read. Brows were raised over the lists of novels I mentioned as my favorite in book reviewers gathering (among friends who read). One of my friends called me 'weirdo' for being a fanatic of adventure novels. I would say, blame it on Haggard and his King Solomon's Mine and his wise and experienced explorer Allan Quartermain. Not only the novel was captivating, the proragonist - in which the story was told in his point of view - Allan Quartermain himself is a mesmerizing character. He is...

Ekspedisi Mendaki Puncak Gunung Serapi Wajah pura-pura ceria walaupun sebenarnya dah kepenatan 28 April 2007 - Mencatat sejarah buat diri ini sebab pertama kali sampai ke puncak gunung tanpa menaiki kereta, hehe. Walaupun cubaan kali pertama mendaki gunung, menuju ke puncak Santubung, tidak kesampaian, Alhamdulillah cubaan kali kedua, kali ini ke Puncak Serapi, tidak menghampakan. Tak sia-sia latihan turun naik tangga rumah sewa empat tingkat setiap hari...hehe. Apa yang nak diceritakan bukan kehebatan mendaki gunung. Tapi pengalaman mendaki bersama rakan-rakan yang kebanyakannya baru pertama kali bertemu dan bertegur sapa -Rakan2 Persatuan Seni Silat Cekak Ustaz Hanafi Unimas dan Sarawak. Sebelum ni sekadar mendengar cerita dari orang2 dalam yang sangat dedikasi pada persatuan. Bertemu di meeting spot (restoran di pekan Matang) rasa macam nak menyorok bawah meja. Dikelilingi oleh mereka yang hebat, terasa diri ini kerdil. Apatah lagi bila diri ini tak pernah menyarung seragam...

TESL UNIMAS 2002 - the coolest batch ever!! Hehehe...sesekali nak bernostalgia sket. Asyik post entry yang skema je, kali ni nak mengimbau kisah2 silam plak, hehe. Ni sume sebab demam keputusan UPU yang akan diumumkan esok, tetiba je teringat masa dapat keputusan UPU 8 tahun lepas (ye...diulangi, 8 tahun yg lepas). Esok2 cerita di matrikulasi plak, hehe. Lepas 3 semester di Kolej MARA , susah senang dengan kawan2 dalam program matrikulasi KPM, tiba masa untuk tau keputusan UPU. Bila check online, keputusan yang diterima sgtlah mendukacitakan, tiada offer dari mana2 universiti untuk course yang diminta (course yang menyimpang terus dari subjek sains - TESL, pengajian Bahasa Inggeris dan Kaunseling). Mujurlah ada seorang teman yang bermurah hati, menawarkan diri untuk menyemak di talian infoline. Jawapan yang diterima amatlah mengujakan. Bila dapat tau ditawarkan untuk pengajian TESL, rasa nak melompat mencapai awan. Tapi bila dimaklumkan tempat pengajian, UNIMAS...Sarawak???!!...

"I noticed that, my beloved teacher is always happy nowadays, someone special in your heart?" A smile popped up as soon as I read that comment from one of my dearest students on my facebook's wallpost. If you read this, thank you my dear for noticing and thank you for keeping this teacher of yours in your heart. I hope he knows how much his thoughts made me happy. Yupe! He made a point there. For certain unknown reasons, I am happy. And I don't think it was because I have someone special in my heart. My significant other half is there in my heart for years and he is special everyday. My mom, she's the queen reigning my heart since forever. After all, everyone in my heart is special. I am happy for unknown reasons. Don't ask me what, I don't know. Sometimes the emotions rushed in like a broken dam. They fell on me without me being conscious. I must be affected by a lot of things happening around me and most of the times, I didn't even realize ho...