Olympic 2008

Assalamualaikum...

Everywhere now, the hottest topic around - other than Anwar alleged sodomy case and Permatang Pauh election - is Summer Olympic 2008 in Beijing.

As a sport fan - although not really an excellent sportsman myself - i really follow this Olympic with great interest. Of all 28 sports in current Olympic, these are the sports that captured my attention the most:

1. Tennis (of course)
As one of the most elite sport in the world, tennis always seen as not really belong to the Olympic. Why? Because unlike swimming, gymnastics, athletics and badminton, just to name a few, Olympic is not the grandest or the ultimate championship for tennis. In fact, just like Golf, Tennis has its own Grand Slam - 4 - that far more prestigious than Olympics. In terms of prize money, point accumulated, seedings, and even global acceptance, these 4 Grand Slams and even its 10 Master Series tournaments around the world, are more superior than Olympic..

That being said, Beijing 2008 actually marked the first time all the world's top players showed interest to represent their country for gold medal. Kudos to ATP and WTA (two governing bodies for men and women's tennis), Olympics now is regarded as Master Series-level Tournament, therefore attracted all these top players.

As i typed this entry, my favourite player, soon-to-be-World-No-1-replacing-Roger-Federer, Rafael Nadal of Spain just defeated World No 3, Novak Djokovic of Serbia for a place in final tobe held Sunday. And that my friend, is enough reason for watching tennis Olympic.
Vamos, Rafa!

2. Swimming.
Other than the fact that i don't know how to swim - don't laugh ok. i planned to learn swimming soon! - I really want to see Michael Phelps of US, broke the record of 7 gold medal in one Olympic, by getting the 8 he targeted. So far he already got 6, and only 2 to go.
Go, Phelps!

3. Volleyball.
I simply love to see the players spike the ball as hard as they can. And then see if the other side can retrieve the ball. Seriously.. really amazing!

4. Badminton
I have to admit, i didn't pay much attention to this sport because as it represent Malaysia's only hope for gold medal, it was hard to see them faltered under the pressure and sheer power of Chinese players.
So, when Lee Chong Wei managed to go to the Final, my interest was back. And now, i really hope he can deliver the first gold for Malaysia!
Tomorrow (Sunday), the D-Day!

5. Archery.
Last week, i went to Sunway Pyramid with my good friends, Aiman and Amir. The original idea was to go ice-skating. But we changed our mind. Partly because none of us can really ice-skating, (except Aiman i guess). And as we - me in particular - were not in the mood to look like a cow skated on ice, we changed the program. To Bowling, as usual I won, heheh, and... Archery!
Oh, we were having so much fun that night! And guess what, we were actually, quite talented in Archery! Hmm. and i was thinking, maybe the three of us should make the Archery national squad for London 2012 huh!

So, that's the top 5 sports for me in this Olympic. The list will change by time, but for now, i will just enjoy the world's top athlete competing against each other to be the best among the best.

*i will update some of the results later.






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Last weekend...

Assalamualaikum...

Last weekend, i went back to my hometown in Melaka.
Normally, it was one of the highlight of my life - monthly basis i mean - because i can see my Mom, my siblings, and all my nieces and nephews.
Normally...

But not last week...

The reason? My cousin's wedding. The last of my cousins. Well, except me. Obviously, because i am not my cousin.
Ok ok ok. What i mean is, of all my cousins, including me - which i think would be almost 40 of us - everyone is married. Except two of us (We are the youngest of the lot). Well... that is... until last Friday.

And now, i'm the only one left.

Hehe, as all my aunties and uncles kept reminding me when they saw me last weekend, 'ekau tu bukan makin mudo, Zahar. Jangan lambat2 bonar.'

Well, they got that right, right? (sighing...)

Hmm, next year... maybe?!

(sorry, this entry is a little bit haywire. one can only guess why huh...?)




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Best Friend (2)

Assalamualaikum...

*Continued from Best Friend (1)

"Today my best friend slapped me in the face..."

Silence...

'What have i done?!' The still standing friend asked himself. He felt like shouting his head off, but no voice came out from his throat. He shivered slightly as the full effect of what he just did sank in... slowly, but surely.

He looked at his friend. His best friend!, fiercely he corrected himself, feeling the word echoed in his empty heart. Once again, he glanced at the clear writing on the sand. Once again he closed his eyes, feeling the vein inside his chest pumped wildly. His heart ached. What kind of person slapped his very best friend?
My God... what have i done, he asked again and again in agony.

"Friend!" His eyes sprang open. He couldn't believe his ears. His best friend just called him! Just minutes after he slapped him!
"Let's go buddy. We don't want to be late for our journey. I thought i heard the great river we talked about not far from here." The voice was really calm, and so was the face. In fact, if he wasn't so shocked, he might noticed a little smile on his best friend's still red face.
How could he be so insanely calm?

What happened after that were just a blur to him. No sooner after he collected himself back to the real world, they had arrived at the great river that his best friend talked about just now... or was it couple hours ago? He still felt numbed and out of sort. He just nodded when his best friend told him they will camp there for tonight. Also when he was told to eat something after dinner was ready.

Huh! He was the one who slapped his best friend; and suddenly, he was practically being fed by the very same guy he slapped! What on earth happened to this guy? Consumed by guilt and regret until cannot moved by his own?! Well... maybe that was not totally unexpected. He let his anger got the better of him and he was paying the price straightaway after that.

Little did he know that God had other plan for him to help ease his guilt-ridden suffering.

The following day, he woke up knowing he would ask for forgiveness from his best friend. He realized their friendship meant so much to him, and he would do anything, anything, to turn things back to normal.

"Friend!" He called. "Buddy!" He called next. Louder this time. Eyes shone with determination. Both hands clasped tightly into a fist beside him. Yes, he will even beg for forgiveness from his best friend if he needed to!, he told himself repeatedly.

Then, almost immediately he saw something that made his heart almost jumped out of his chest. His legs felt weak as he saw his best friend was struggling to stay afloat in the wild current of the great river!! His best friend fought very hard, kicking wildly in the water while gasping for air, but it was soon apparent that he was fighting a losing battle.
Any second now, he will lose and became the latest victim of the wild great river.

At the riverbank, the friend quickly recollected himself, and without any second thought, took off his shoes and jumped straight into the wild river. Never once he stopped to think that he wasn't as good swimmer as his now-struggling-for-his-life best friend, or to think about a plan to make sure they both could survive the critical situation.
All he could think of were, the scenes from yesterday. The slapping, the writing on the sand, the calmness on his best friend's face afterward... and the regret he will bear for the rest of his life if things ended with the dea-

NO!!!! I WON'T ALLOW IT! PLEASE GOD! HELP ME!!!

Then, something happened! Later in his life he would say that was God-intervention in the form of one great miracle bestowed upon him to help him save his best friend's life.
A surge of energy suddenly entered his body, giving his strength he knew he never would have conjured by himself. With one powerful stroke, he found himself besides his weakened friend, and seconds later, he swam his way to the riverbank, his best friend safely in the clutch of his other hand.

THANK YOU GOD!! THANK YOU FOR SAVING MY BEST FRIEND'S LIFE, he said with tears.

That evening, as he prepared dinner for both of them, he caught his best friend did something to a big rock near his resting place.
"What are you doing buddy? You're supposed to get some rest.." He frowned at his best friend. But the frown lasted only for 2 seconds..

Because in front of him, etched on the stone by his best friend, was a writing,

'Today, my best friend saved my life'


*Hmm, i think the story isn't quite finished yet. So, wait for the conclusion of the story in Best Friend (3)


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Best Friend (1)

Assalamualaikum...

Not so long ago, not far from here, there were two best friends. How they became best friends wasn't really important, as this story takes place years and years after that - at one time when they were walking side by side on their journey home from one of their great adventure.

Just like any other great adventures in this world, the journey was very hard as they had to cross a scorching desert, climbed a steep cliff to a mountaintop, walked through wild forest and dangerous swamp, and many, many, other obstacles we can only think of.

After several weeks, all the hardships of the journey began to take their toll on the two friends. They started to quarrel a little more often than usual, sometimes over something very trivial. Like why you always make that sound with your tongue when it's cold huh?, or, why you always drink more, when i'm the one who fill the water supply throughout this journey?!!
And many others.
It was as if, they wanted to release their frustration over the long journey by irritating the other, or maybe they simply derived pleasure by doing that, nobody knows.

Until one day, as it happened, their quarrel became really intense, and they started to shout to each other. This time, on top of their lungs. Bad remarks, dirty words - name it - flew from one to another, giving clear picture of how deteriorated their friendship had become at that point!
Such intensity (some would say fierceness), it wasn't really came as a surprise when suddenly one of them came lurching towards the other, and in one split second, slapped the friend really hard across the face!

The moment, even though somehow, was expected, never seriously crossed their mind! As the friend who was being slapped fell onto his back to the sand, the harsh reality of what just happened, came crushing on both of them. The still standing one, looked hard on his hand, cannot believe what he just done, while the other, both hands covered his now-red-face, blinking rapidly while trying very hard to contain tears that i would say, have nothing to do with the pain on his face... if you get what i mean.

The silence afterward was really unbearable for both friends. Almost to the point of deafening, if i might add. Nobody really wanted to move. As if by moving, they will finally admit the inevitable; that their friendship was failing! And that, they just realized, was something they were not ready to face... yet.

The first one to move was the one with the red face and broken heart. He pushed himself up into sitting position and stayed there longer than any of us would. Well, who could blame him? The guy was just hit by his best friend!

What he did next, was really unexpected. Even to himself.

Silently and slowly, he wrote something on the sand beneath him.

'Today, my best friend slapped me in the face...'


*Wait for the second part of this story in Best Friends 2


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WALK!

Assalamualaikum...

Last Sunday, as i told in the last entry, the 'Walk for Life' program was held, organized by Tesco for MAKNA.Conclusion first: It was a good program with a lot of fun, and definitely worth all the hype.

So full of spirit, me and my good friend, Mullah; we were there, at Taman Tasik Titiwangsa since 6.40 am. The air was cool and steady, and the sky canvas was still dark in colour, but there we were, breathing hard while finding our way to the starting place - hmm, i didn't know the lake was really big until that very morning!

Later, we were joined by another of my good friend, Alias; and together we went to settl our registration and get our t-shirt. The program started at 8 a.m sharp, and for 4.5 km after that, the three of us joined another thousands of other participants, walking slowly at first before picking up our paces towards the end, a little sweaty but still full of energy.

It was a piece of cake - the walk i mean - because what we really did was... walking! But, that was where the fun came from. All around us, life was at its brightest and to its fullest. People were talking and laughing like there was nothing to worry about in this world.

We can see parents with their youngs, some with strollers, and some with their small kids on their shoulders, all having a good quality time as families.

We also can see friends, all in groups, talking and laughing while taking pictures, clearly enjoying themselves in each other's company. That, still not to mention couples, school's representative, community groups, and so many others that make the numbers of the participants - in my estimation - nearly 5000.

Overall, the whole program was like a huge social event, which would be even better if you brought along all your families and friends with you.

I have this one thing in mind; that for the next event like this, i will urge all my friends to come with me and just enjoy ourselves, just as you should do so too...!

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Walk For Life (MAKNA)

Assalamualaikum...




This Sunday, TESCO will organize 'Walk For Life' to raise awareness and money for MAKNA (Majlis Kanser Malaysia).

This program is not only for raising money fro cancer causes, but also to encourage the public to stay fit and healthy by encouraging exercise as a vital part of cancer prevention.

You can register at any TESCO Hypermarket by only RM10.

The details are as follows:

Date: 27th July 2008 (Sunday)

Start time: 8.00 a.m.

T-Shirt Distribution: 6 a.m onwards

Venue: Taman Tasik Titiwangsa, Tapak A

Make a difference in fighting cancer, one step at a time!

There's this one proverb...

Assalamualaikum...

There's this old Persian proverbs that i wanna share with all you guys. As much as i impressed with the message, i also equally impressed with the poetic and melodic language. Enjoy...

He who knows not,
And knows not that he knows not,
Is a Fool, shun him.

He who knows not,
And knows that he knows not,
Is a Child, teach him.

He who knows,
And knows not that he knows,
Is Asleep, wake him.

He who knows,
And knows that he knows,
Is Wise, follow him

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101st: my first ever entry - revisit

Assalamualaikum...

Today i feel like going down the memory lane to my first ever entry for AidanZ.
Call me sentimental.. cause i kinda am, you know.
So, bear with me okay, cause this entry is like a memorabilia for me..

Assalamualaikum

This is my first attempt for my own blog...
Wow, isn't that wonderful?
(I can't help it, but at this time, i close my eyes, take a deep breath, and after that, slowly exhale... very slowly - just to savour the moment!)

Okay, (i opened my eyes) now i've got my own blog.
What do i do with it?

Hmmm, well, i'll figure it out later.
But one thing for sure,

It will be personal,
And it will contain almost everything that happened in my life.

I'll put my heart and soul into it.
From deep inside of me...
To the width of the world around me...
Joy and sorrow,
Happiness and misery,
Hopes and frustration,
The journey of my life...
And others around me...
Can be seen, clearly... and transparently...
Through my eyes.

'Till next time,
Z

Huh, it's really comforting to know that i still stay true to the course of this blog. i just hope it did at least a little good to other people if not as much as it did me.

Thank you,
AidanZ

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100th: Be healthy and stress-free..

Assalamualaikum...

(This is the 100th entry for this blog. Always the positive, i take it somewhat as my personal achievement. Wow. 100th! I certainly wouldn't believe it the first time i set up this blog April last year - although with almost 6 month sabbatical, hehe. I want to take this opportunity to thank Mullah and Kulan for helping me with this blog not long before. And of course to all the regulars that keep coming and visit. Thank you guys. Hmm, macam celebrity lah pulak. Already looking forward to the next hundred...!)

Not so long ago, i talked about wanting to expand my circle of friends. 2 circles actually, which i personally called: tennis-buddies, and gym-buddies.
Alhamdulillah, i could say the circle keeps growing now, especially the gym-buddies circle. In fact, from the so-called circle, come these facts that i want to share with you here...

The followings are the fitness tips of how to boost your energy.
When you mixed with a really hardcore gym guy, that's what all you will listen to: Take more protein and less carbohydrate! Take carbohydrate only when you're about to go to gym! Take supplement to strengthen your muscles! Or take protein supplement 30 minutes before work-out and 15 minutes after that! And so many other 'take this' and 'take that' of the things you never even knew exist before!

Well, that's the gym-hardcore, which i still am not.. yet.

But i don't want to talk about the gym here. i'm here to share something that i hope will make you and your day better. Hopefully, it will help increase the quality of your life too.

10 energy-boosting tips:

1. Go to bed by 10.30 pm every night. The body rejuvenates itself better before midnight than after midnight.

2. Get up at the same time everyday. Your body works best when you follow a routine. It is actually better to get up at the same time every morning even if you go to bed late.

3. Get plenty of sunlight. Try to go outdoors for some time everyday. Even looking at the sun throughout a window helps!

4. Get 20 to 30 minutes of aerobic activity five times a week.

5. Eliminate or greatly reduce sugar from your diet. Sugar wreaks havoc on your blood sugar levels and causes energy highs and slumps.

6. Eat breakfast. It takes three to five hours to convert what you eat into fuel for the body. If you do not eat breakfast, you will be running on empty for the rest of the day.

7. Take a five-minute energy break every hour or 1 1/2 hours. Get up. Walk aroud. Do eck rolls. Take five deep breaths. Refocus.

8. Avoid caffeine. It is a drug. It will give you an energy boost but it will also drop your energy levels like a hot potato when its effects wear off. Caffeine will also affect your sleep.

9. Drink plenty of water. Have 8 to 10 glasses a day. Dehydration is one of the main causes of fatigue. 10. Think positive. Negativity affects your mood, job performance, physical appearance, health and even the others around you. Optimistic people are likely to be healthy, energetic and successful.

Lastly of course, always pray to Allah for the strength and guidance in every way and in everything we do.

May we become a better person, in and out, mentally and physically, in this world and after...

Lagenda Elfarren

Assalamualaikum...

Alhamdulillah, yesterday i have the first meeting with an editor from Arus Intelek Sdn Bhd about a possibility to publish my long-kept-with-not-really-excellent-review fantasy book, Lagenda Elfarren...

It's been a new experience for me, just by meeting with somebody that has actually shows interest in my writings. And what's more, it was also very comforting - and still very much is - to hear from somebody else's mouth that my book can be considered as okay and even has potential to begin with!

And what's more important, the slight chance of maybe being published, lifts my spirit to get back to my writings and to improve myself more on it.

Even if things didn't work out the way i want, i will still remember this feel-good-feeling to keep me going in this thing i've come to love so much and try much harder in the future, InsyaAllah...

Meanwhile, i will savour this little triumph with joy and full gratitude to Allah The Almighty...

AidanZ

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