Frustrating Season.

Manchester United – you have failed me this season and I am thoroughly disappointed.

Sir Alex Ferguson timed up and came in David Moyes from Everton. I wonder why David Moyes because Everton was never outstanding in EPL? From the beginning of the season, MU was not performing well under David Moyes.

The biggest mistake David Moyes made was to bring in Fellani from Everton. He is too clumsy and his height is not contributing to score goals from corner kick or free kick.

The other entire football clubs in EPL by now could read MU tactical game play. Too much possessive football and play safe to the Goalkeeper other than attacking and aggressive football. Much too often, MU only satisfied with a goal winning margin and the rest they ding dong the ball among themselves. On several occasions MU was taught a lesson by the opposing team scoring final minute goal and equalized. That was the most frustrating moment watching MU on the field.

The season is going to be over soon and MU will never step up into the top four (4). Last season at this time, MU was already declared the Champion even at the expense of losing the last few games.

The last straw that broke the camel back was when MU lost to Everton - the team that David Moyes came from. When Davis Moyes was Everton’s Coach, Everton could never dream a win against MU.

Good bye Davis Moyes.

Bad April.

A)     The house main water tank was leaking – replaced with new one. Tedious job and exorbitant cost as the roof had to be dismantled and repositioned.

B)     The Master bathroom sewerage pipe blocked. Found the blockage and the pipe replaced.

C)     The Master Bedroom air condition went bust – replaced with new one.

D)     Perdana WDD 7878 – stalled due to faulty water pump. The whole engine needs to go for major overhauled.

E)      Due to 4, recalled my Mercedes 190E WBX 7031 from the kampong garage. Air condition malfunction, car need tuning, wiper adjusted and horn was replaced. Managed to get half cut air condition blower set and quotation sought for installation. I love this classic antique.

 

F)      Pesona BJN 7878 starter key manifold jammed. Engine could not be started – replaced the key manifold.

G)     TNB increased the deposit fees and dumped it into the monthly bill.

H)     Manchester United will never be EPL Champion for 2013/2014 season.

I)        The other half is pestering me to chase for people who owe me money. I give up with those brainless idiots. Time in need came begging but time to pay, even shadow cannot not be traced.

I don’t think I can make it for Ramadan umrah this year. My budget all went haywire.    

Congkak.

Congkak is a mancala game of Malay origin played in Malaysia,Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei and Southern Thailand.

Congkak, which is often considered a game for girls, has simple rules that allow the boards to have different numbers of holes. Congkak boards are often made of teak or mahogany wood are often elaborately carved into various shapes such asnaga or birds.

The Congkak board has fourteen holes in two sets of seven (some have ten holes in two sets of five, some have eighteen holes in two sets of nine), plus an additional bigger store-hole for each player. Each player controls the seven holes on their side of the board, and their score is the number of seeds in their left-hand store. In Indonesia, the holes are called anak("child"), while the larger store holes are called indung ("mother").

A total of 98 pieces are used in the two sets of seven board version. In Southeast Asia, cowrie shells and tamarind seeds are the most common. Seven seeds are placed in each hole except for the players' store. The objective of the game is to capture more seeds than one's opponent.

The main method of play has rules as described below.

Players take turns moving the seeds except in the first move which is performed simultaneously, beginning with the hole closest to his/her own store. After this first simultaneous movement, once the last seed falls into an empty hole, the players' first turn is over and the opponent of the player who reached an empty hole first commences his/her turn after the other player has finished his opening move too. On a turn, a player chooses one of the seven holes under their control. The player removes all seeds from this hole, and distributes them in each hole clockwise from this hole, in a process called sowing. Sowing skips an opponent's store, but does not skip a player's own store.

If a player is unable to fill a hole with seven seeds that hole is considered sunog ("burnt"); all excess seeds are returned to the store. The round begins with the player with no sunog holes taking his/her turn sowing first.

If the last seed falls into an occupied hole, all the seeds are removed from that hole, and are sown starting from that hole. The process continues until the last seed falls into a player's store, or an empty hole.

If the last seed sown falls into a player's own store, they immediately earn another turn, which can begin at any of the seven holes under their control.

The game ends, when a player has no seeds in his holes at the start of his turn. The remaining seeds are awarded to his opponent.

The objective of the game is to capture more seeds than one's opponent.

I used to play that game of congkak when I grew up in the kampong (village). We imrovised by digging holes at the ground and rubber seeds were plentiful.

During our weekend retreat to SACC Shah Alam at a Batik Fair, there was a set on a pelantar (platform). I was delighted to teach Shasha the old traditional game. It reminded me of yesteryears. She enjoyed it.

Those were the Days.  

Pakmus plane ride.

The mysterious disappearance of MH 370 made me recollect my entire journeys on the air plane. Touch wood, no mishap and close calls but I encountered four (4) bad experiences:

1) At Heathrow, before took off, it was surprisingly delayed due to a faulty rudder. It was replaced. 2) On my way back to Subang at night from Ipoh vide a Fokker Friendship, the plane ran into a thunderstorm. The plane was shaky like crazy and lighting flashes everywhere. 3) On my way back from Singapore, the plane could not land at Subang Airport due to flooded runaway. The plane circled KLIA (under construction) for about an hour before the plane could approach Subang. 4) I was stuck in the plane at Penang Airport for several hours as Subang Airport did not give the green light to take off as Subang Airport Traffic Control Tower was handicap due to fire.

In the plane I always opt for aisle seat. Except during meal time, I choose to blanket myself and doze off. Let will be, will be. I don’t want to think about it and I leave it in the good hands of Allah and the Pilot.

To me, flying is no more a pleasure like those days. The last four (4) rows of seats were smoking seats. Now smoking is strictly prohibited. I never enjoy my meal in flight. One of the most memorable incidents was when I postpone my night flight from Subang Airport to London from the night flight to the next morning day flight. I was already at the Check in counter and I went home to sleep. At that era, night flight to London was no smoking flight.

My first ever plane ride was from Malacca Batu Berendam Airport to Ipoh on 15 May 1969. I had to overfly Kuala Lumpur as it was curfew due to 13 May incident.

While serving Kumpulan Guthrie I had the experience of flying on the Company’s Twin Islander from Sungai Besi Airport to Chenor in Pahang. When the Company switched to Bell Helicopter, I flew with Late Captain Nasir Ma Lee from Setapak Helipad to Penggerang Johore. I sat beside him like a Co Pilot and I remember he warned me not to touch anything.

Al Fatihah to late Captain Nasir Ma Lee.

Other experiences on the airplane, the Old Man had landed and venture into the following Capital Cities of the world:-

Austria – Vienna.

Bahrain – Manama.

Belgium – Brussels.

China – Beijing.

Egypt – Cairo.

France – Paris.

Indonesia – Jakarta.

Israel – Tel Aviv.

Italy – Rome.

Japan – Tokyo.

Jordan – Amman.

Hong Kong – Kowloon.

Palestine – Jerusalem.

Qatar – Doha.

Malaysia – Kuala Lumpur.

Netherland – Amsterdam.

Saudi Arabia – Riyadh.

Singapore – Singapura.

Thailand – Bangkok.

United Arab Emirate – Abu Dhabi.

United Kingdom – London.

United States of America – Washington DC.

Vatican – Vatican City.

Had been to the following countries but not the Capital Cities:-

Australia – Perth, Sydney and Gold Coast.

Switzerland – Lucerne.

Turkey – Istanbul.

Germany – Munich.

Canada - Vancouver.

Mexico - Monterey.

Vietnam – Ho Chi Minh City.

I would certainly love to go to New Zealand.

The country that I will not step again – Vietnam.

Country that I will not stop going – Saudi Arabia.

Most beautiful country visited – My own, Malaysia.

Landmark always in memory: Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.

Countries that visited more than once:

Austria, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Turkey, USA, Indonesia, China, Singapore, Thailand and Japan.

Places in Indonesia that I flew to:-

Bandar Acheh, Medan, Bukit Tinggi, Padang, Pekanbaru, Palembang, Jakarta, Bandung, Jakartar,Surabaya and Lombok Island.

Places in Thailand I flew to:-

Hatnyai, Phuket and Bangkok.

Best Airline:

Malaysia Airline System (MAS).

Whatever……….this simple kampong boy who dreamt to go to Singapore finally he saw most part of the world.

As at today: 13 April 2014, there is no trace of MH 370, the debris or the black box. My doa is  with the 239 on board.