WHAT DID I WATCH ON NETFLIX: "MUCIZE"

Mahir Ogretmen was sent to teach in a remote area in the mountain somewhere in Turkey [in the 60's] but there was no school. He however eventually decided to stay and even managed to get the money to build a school for the villagers. He got to know the village Chief, his family and the people there. The noblest thing Mahir did was to teach Aziz, the disabled child of the chief who had been an outcast all the while. His determination and honesty to provide education had touched the hearts of the people and he had formed a special bond with the villagers.

A beautiful movie that took me to the scenic countryside of Turkey as well as to observe the culture and customs of the people there. And there are a few subplots that deal with the theme of love and humanity, with some acts which are comedic and at times, hilarious. Mahir had made a miracle happen, which gives the movie its title in Turkish, and you have to wait right until the end to see how the whole thing ends. Be ready with your box of tissue as you will shed some tears especially as the movie is about to conclude.

With no hesitation, I am giving the movie a 10-star rating. 🌟

WHAT DID I WATCH ON NETFLIX: KILOMETERS AND KILOMETERS

This is a Malayalam movie which tells the story of Josemon, a kind-hearted young man who had to work hard to make ends meet and to ensure he could pay for his sister's education. As he was about to sell his motorbike, the Bullet, came a young American who was looking for a driver to take her on a tour through India on a motorcycle. Cathy won a lottery back home and was traveling the world. Although there was a language and cultural barrier between the two, the journey began and the story began to unfold.

Definitely not going to tell the whole story, but my hint will be it is a love story with a happy ending. The best thing about this film is that you could see a lot of beautiful panorama of India as they explored the country, and you would meet common people of the land minus all the filthy rich society and people who live in mansions with bright chandeliers hanging from the ceilings. And there are no lengthy Indian songs and dances too, and I have seen in a few Indian movies on Netflix which are no longer filming the conventional ways.

 

Something you can watch without requiring you to crack your heads understanding some complicated story line. Recommended if you are hoping to visit Indian one day, like me.

THE 17th DAY OF EID 1442H

A colleague of SMK Dato' Jaafar, Mr. Ahmad Ridzuan Mohamad, and his wife, were out to get their lunch outside and decided to drop by. It is still the month of Eid so there were still Eid cookies on the table.

Thanks Mr. Ahmad Ridzuan and wife for visiting, When things get better then we should get more people to gather at my house like we used to do before this.

 

WHAT DID I WATCH ON NETFLIX: "I LOVE YOU, STUPID"

This time I chose to watch an Argentinian drama chosen at random from the list on Netflix. Marcos was 35, and when he proposed to his girlfriend, Ana, he was dumped. To make mater worse, he was fired from his job and had to move in with his parents. He tried to change by watching this influencer on the Internet and then he met Raquel, a childhood friend who claimed to have a crush on him when they were in school. After that, Ana his ex-girlfriend came back to him and things got a bit complicated. So you have to watch until the end to see what would happen to Marcos.

A light romantic comedy drama that you can enjoy during this lockdown period but there are a few scenes that contain nudity. You have been warned.

WHAT DID I WATCH ON NETFLIX: "THE BOY WHO HARNESSED THE WIND"

The story of William Kamkwamba, a 13-year old school boy, who invented the windmill and brought back water to the village during drought and this had made planting crops possible and humans stay alive. It really reminds me of the short story we used to teach in school many year back entitled "Looking for a Rain God". Based on a true story in Malawi, the movie displayed the African culture, the hard lives people had to endure and the politicians who were corrupted, guess everywhere is the same.  The young protagonist, William, shows that being intelligent is not enough but being determined is the key factor to make things happen.

And this is the real William Kamkwamba, sharing his real life story on TedTalk, which is very inspiring.

WHAT DID I WATCH ON NETFLIX: "GIFTED"

When Mary's mom committed suicide, her uncle, Frank, took and raised the genius kid because he wanted Mary to live and enjoy a normal life as a child - unlike him and her sister. At one point when his rich but tyrannical mother [Mary's grandma] got to find their hiding place, she challenged the custody of the little girl for a better education and living condition for Mary. This has opened up the real conflict and the dark and hostile past of family and the climax of the plot when Frank and Mary were separated against their wills. The norm is one cannot be genius and live a happy and normal life. You have to watch until the end so as to see whether there is a happy ending to this story.

By the way, the lead actor, Chris Evans, is also the one who plays Captain America so you can see him as an ordinary human being, and not a superhero in Avengers.

ANOTHER EID CARD FOR THIS YEAR

25th MAY 2021 ~ Another Eid card arrived for me on the 13th day of the month. As the saying goes: better late than never. Thanks to my ex-classmate of SMS Muar, Mr. Abdul Razak Sapian, who still took the effort in replying to the card I sent earlier to him. May we continue sending greeting cards for this occasion for many more years to come.

WHAT DID I WATCH ON NETFLIX: "MOVE TO HEAVEN"

The problem of good drama series is I will get hooked on it and binge-watch until the concluding episode. I managed to finish this 10-episode Korean drama in two days which is an achievement but it is worth the time spent, staying up late into the night.

When his (foster) father passed away, Han Geu-Ru, a 20 year old with Asperger's Syndrome, had to live with a long lost uncle, Sang-Gu, who was an ex-convict. Life was not easy for them, both living in their own worlds and now they had to adapt to each other's distinct lifestyle. Then there was this Geu-Ru's next door neighbour cum childhood BFF who was there to monitor how well Sang-Gu was taking care of his nephew. The three of them continued to work as trauma cleaners for Move To Heaven company which cleared the houses of dead people as they were carrying out collecting and throwing away the belongings of the deceased, the history unfold. There are many subplots and flashbacks, but be ready to cry yourself a river in almost all the episodes.

One drama series you should not miss. In this cruel world where people vent their anger, hatred, frustration and resentment on social media, you will find that actually in life, there still exist friendship, love, kindness,  compassion, loyalty and humanity, and most importantly: hope. Get ready to run a drama marathon during this semi MCO period.

One point worth mentioning, the lead actor Geu-Ru, played by Tang-Joon Sang, is half Malaysian.

THE BOX OF SWEET SURPRISE THAT ARRIVED ON THE 12th DAY OF EID

When I was thinking of what to write in my blog which had been abandoned for a few days, another box of sweet surprise was delivered to me. Another kind soul, Puan Rozaina Abd. Latif, a friend of UPM TESL class of 1993 clan who is now residing in Melaka, got this box of Mamasab brownies sent to my house on the 12th day of Eid.

Puan Rozaina, a.k.a Kak Kaynah, used to do Eid house visit every year with her husband but that could not be done this year because of the partial MCO. I guess the box of sweet and chocolaty brownies was in a way to replace the annual gathering that we miss this time.

Thanks again my friend for the kind thought. Once this pandemic is over, or when the partial lockdown is lifted, we should be able to meet again.

THE 9th DAY OF EID 1442H

On the 9th day of Eid, I was invited to the house of Mr. Ahmad Ridzuan Mohamad, a colleague of SMK Dato' Jaafar, at Taman Sierra Perdana. Another colleague was also there with his housemate whose real name I still do not know until today. 😀

The host and his wife prepared special dishes for us, and I had to personally thank them for the delicious lunch and the hospitality.

With the prohibitions and restrictions during MCO, the visiting activities could not be done anymore like last time and this is already the second year the same thing happens. The best way is by to limit the number of visitors coming at one time and follow the outlined SOPs. Three more weeks to at least enjoy all the Eid cookies in the jars.

THE DAY BOXES OF MILK WERE DELIVERED TO ME

 An ex-student of SMK Taman Universiti, Mr. Mohd. Arif Mohd. Nor, dropped by after work just to deliver to me two cartons of milk products. He should be some kind of a seller or distributor of Farm Fresh milk [and coconut milk as well] and was kind enough to get me to try some the products available. This Eid, besides the usual cookies, cakes and other food items, I now have variety of flavoured milk and yogurt to finish.

The five Farm Fresh products received were: Chocolate Milk, Fresh Milk with Dates, Strawberries Yogurt, Mixed Berries Yogurt and Coconut Milk [for cooking purpose].

People in Johor Bahru, especially in Skudai area, who are interested to buy Farm Fresh products, can directly contact Mr. Mohd. Arif Mohd. Nor at 0197508005 or you can visit his Facebook page FARM FRESH ABANG SUSU. Delivery service is available and don't forget to mention my name for special prices. 😀

Thanks Mr. Mohd. Arif for the delivery. I sure will be a healthier man by the end of next week. 😃

A BOX OF SWEET SURPRISE THAT ARRIVED AT MY DOORSTEP

When I feel I have already lost some weight after the fasting month, a box of sweet surprise arrived at my doorstep this evening. Overflowing with creamy and delectable chocolate, I got to share this with a few other people in school tomorrow. There is no better way to get fat than to find other friends to get fat together. 😊

zooming in

if you are wondering where to buy homemade
brownies

A million thanks to Puan Farah Sabina Safiai, a friend of UPM TESL class of 1993, for her kind thought. She is now residing in Seremban but still managed to get the brownies sent to me. I wish I could send her something else in return but I might have to find another suitable time to do that. Perhaps that will be when she gets to visit her in-law's family who is actually staying at the end of the same stretch of the main road of my house.

"Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom." 

~ Marcel Proust ~

TWO MORE EID CARDS ARRIVED TODAY

Two more cards arrived on the 6th day of Eid. Guess it is never too late to send friends greeting cards for the festive season - really it is the thought that counts. 

Thanks to Puan Rozana Ab. Manap, my ex-classmate of SMS Muar, and Puan Salmiah Mohd. Ghazali, a friend of UPM TESL class of 1993, for their kind gestures. Your determination to get the cards delivered is very much appreciated.

 

THE 5th DAY OF EID 1442H

Another ex-student of SMK Taman Universiti, Mr. Hamzah Hamdan, came visiting with his wife this evening. They tied the knot in October last year. I guess Mr. Hamzah will no longer do house visits with his classmates anymore. 😀

Thanks Mr. Hamzah and Puan Ika for coming over and hope to see both of you during many more Eid visits in the future.

THE TESL UPM CLASS OF 1993 HARI RAYA AND TEACHER'S DAY GOOGLE MEET REUNION SESSION

Another online gathering was organized for the TESL UPM class of 1993 in conjunction with the Hari Raya/Eid celebration and Teacher's Day. And we managed to get more people, from other parts of the country and the world as well, to congregate this time.

The international participants this time were: Mr. Ahmad Yasir [USA], Ms. Lindy Ooi [Singapore], Ms. Renuka Devi [Australia] and Ms. Suseela [Oman].

As usual, we try to keep ourselves updated with the latest and most recent development. Nevertheless, the most shocking piece of news was when one of the group members revealed that she was infected with C-19 and had to spend 4 days at the MAEPS Quarantine Centre. Alhamdulillah, Praise be to Allah, she has now recovered and is virus-free.

The session lasted for two hours - some people joined earlier and a few much later, some people also left earlier and a few stayed on until 11:00 p.m.

Even though we are no longer categorized under the young generation group, and not that IT savvy, we do utilize technology to the fullest. It was a pleasant moment to get to see people whom you used to be surrounded by and grow up with for 6 years - and I must say, we all have not changed much i.e. recognizable. 😀

This was our second Google Meet reunion session this year. Hopefully we could find another slot for similar session in a few months' time. Thanks everyone for the time and company - it just felt like the good old time when we were in UPM many years ago.

Here's the attendance list for future reference

[in alphabetical order]:

Ahmad Yasir Che Ngah
Aida Ahmad Saipiuddin
Aliza Alwi
Anita Abdul Rahman
Aunillah Hilmi
Azwan Shaiza Nizam
Christina Chan
Fairuz Leman
Hanna Sheikh Mokhtar

Hayati Ismail

Jashireen Mohd. Bashir
Lindy Ooi
Maizurfidar Anom Abdullah
Mariati Salleh
Mohd. Azman Awang

Ng Pei Fern

Renuka Devi
Rosliza Mohd. Rosli
Rozana Sani Abdullah Sani
Salmiah Mohd. Ghazali
Shazreen Shah
Siti Rohani Awang
Suhaida Shamsuddin
Suseela Balakrishnan
Suhana Abd. Jamal

Suriana Ali
Wan Aisyah Haris
Wendy Chan
Wong Yat Wah

Zainal Mohd. Yusof
Zur'aiza Abdul Hamid

THE 3rd DAY OF EID 1442H

Puan Rokiah Junoh and her husband, Mr. Abdul Rahman, were here for the Eid visit on the third day. She was ab ex-colleague of SMK Taman Universiti and recently she retired from the government service to be a full time housewife. Puan Rokiah and her family have become our family friends and have been coming over for a few times.

I am happy to entertain people in very small group for the Eid visit which should be better in this time of pandemic than people coming together in a large crowd. Hoping for more people to come or else my cookies and cakes will remain uneaten until the end of the month of Syawal.

THE 2nd DAY OF EID 1442H

My very first guest for this year's Eid arrived at about 9:00 p.m. Mr. Syazwan Shavarein, an ex-student of SMK Taman Universiti, is on his short Eid break before going back to Kuala Lumpur this Monday. Thanks Mr. Syazwan for stopping by this evening for the short annual Eid meet up.

This year, I am expecting less people to come for Eid visit because of the MCO due to the rising number of C-19 cases, just like last year. The joy of entertaining people during the festive season doesn't frequently happen anymore especially when doing house visits is actually prohibited. 😥

WELCOMING THE ARRIVAL OF EID UL-FITR 1442H

 

Once the sun sets on the 30th day of Ramadhan, the fasting month, Syawal, which the month of Eid, appears. Muslims welcome the first day of Eid to celebrate their victory abstaining themselves not only from eating and drinking, but also from other prohibited deeds throughout the fasting month. 

This year's fasting month was much better than last year as we were allowed to perform our Terawikh prayers, special prayers that could only be done during Ramadhan, but we had to observe the strict SOPs. Other than that, the Ramadhan Bazaar was also given the permission to operate but it had to be closed a few days earlier as the number of C-19 cases was on the rise, unfortunately.

Consequently, stricter SOPs are also introduced to curb movements among people so as to prevent the spread of the disease. This might make a lot of people unhappy but they are the best preventive measures to reduce the infections and break the chain. It is better to be safe than sorry. The activities that are customarily done like visiting friends and relatives can always be done later, once things get better.

Wishing my blog readers a Happy Eid ul-Fitr and may we always be blessed and put under Allah's protection all the time. Hoping you could still enjoy yourself with the company of the family members and the special dishes prepared for the special day.

PHOTO/VIDEO: The "Takbir" session at Surau Nurul Hidayah, the small version of mosque near my house.

2 DAYS BEFORE THE ARRIVAL OF EID 1442H

As Eid is getting closer, I am getting more gifts from generous and thoughtful friends, near and far.

When I thought there were no Raya gifts for me from my friends/ex-colleagues of SMK Taman Universiti this year because the school was closed due to the pandemic, Puan Yusidah Md. Yusof contacted me to meet at Setia Tropika so she and Puan Nadzlina Daud could hand over all the items meant for me.

I have to thank all my friends who had been real kind to send me the annual Eid takeaways even after I have left SMK Taman Universiti for 7 years.  

Awaiting at home were two Eid parcels from two friends of UPM TESL class of 1993 - Puan Hazlina Aziz and Puan Wan Aida Wan Hassan, sending the Eid gifts all the way from Kuala Lumpur and Kelantan, respectively. I had sent Eid greeting cards to all my TESL friends this year and a few people were being reciprocal by sending back other items to me, instead of the same cards. I will have to send Eid cards much earlier next year. 😀

One of the greatest blessings in life is to have kindhearted people who treasure friendship, and I am very grateful for that. Thanks everyone for all the gifts and I feel very much loved and appreciated.