Reading!

Ok, aku tahu I haven't been updating my blog, tapi aku memang malas nak make any entries. Faham sajalah...dahlah aku tengah cuti (matilah ko fiebie! Ni dah settle the Glass House project Nikki, terus *woohoo!!!* enjoy the holidays lor.

Anyway, just to recap the last few days first, am extremely busy with. Yerlah...on Thursday ingat nak ke Singapore tuk wat some last minute Christmas shopping because aku tau where to get the best bargains there, which is hell of a lot cheaper and more cool than here.

Tapi last minute takde tiket bus available malas terus aku...putus asa. No Christmas gifts from abroad lor...have to do my part for the Malaysian economy by offering myself up to the slaughter of local retailers with supposed discounts yang tak semana...

But one proud achievement I have to boast of is kebelakangan ni, sempat ler aku nak keep up to my reading habit which has been virtually non-existent in my business. Have read this Roald Dahl compilation of short stories halfway...tapi apa pun...into the third book from Sophie Kinsella.

The 'shopaholic' series (The Secret World of a Shopaholic, Shopaholic Abroad and Shopaholic Ties The Knot) is really good (book three aku da halfway), so kalao you've heard of the Adrian Mole series, you really should get this cause it's simply hilarious!

It's so me...cause it's about this character yang obsessed with shopping...mampus ler aku mengidam ler nak go brand hogging cam dia. This book is like the Harry Potter series for anyone who can't resist a good bargain or a good sale!

Aku been neglecting to read for some time now...and the fever to start back to a habit aku came ever since aku baca the December issue of The Rolling Stones, and read that Madonna carries a book everywhere (she hates wasting time, and reading is the most beneficial way to kill time - she even drags one along into a disco just in case) aku da psyche myself up to be more prepared to more wisely spend my time.

So this year, I'm up three books (I'll be done with the third book by tomorrow and continue with the Roald Dahl one...) which makes it four, plus two Amy Tan ones (The Hundred Secret Senses and The Bonesetter's Daughter) to complete her series (saw a new one from Amy in MPH yesterday...have to get it!). Plus the autobiography from Tim Allen, Don't Stand Too Close To A Naked Man (absolutely hilarious!!! - one of the funniest books I've read in a long time), which brings my grand total of at least six books (seven if I can finish the Roald Dahl in time) in 2005. Not good...but not too bad...and that's not even including some favourite titles I've been rereading (as well as the books which are hardly credible to mention as reading material).

Seriously...think it's not too bad (waddaya think?) I read somewhere the average number of books read by Malaysians in a year is two, so I've more than done my share (boleh?) Ok, back to updating my entries...I know a lot of updates on The Glass House Project - iaitu pelancaran album Nikki, Maharani, which lasted three days.

Tapi kalau korang baca ler dalam blog beberapa geng Bloggers United yang turut terlibat menyumbang masa untuk menjayakan projek ini, iaitu sultanmuzaffar dan elkapitan, you would have gotten an idea of what it was all about and how it went. Jangan lupa usha blog Abang Bad gak because dia pun ada updates sikit pasal tu.

It was absolutely fantastic, and I think these pictures prove how amazing it was. All of us stayed at Bukit Bintang for three days, and Bintang Walk was our home (not literally lah sebab kami dok JW Marriot - cuma jarang ada peluang tidur). For those yang tatau The Glass House Project tu apa (where the flying freak have you been), on Friday, December 18th, Nikki entered her glass house located in the heart of Bukit Bintang, the busy shopping district of Kuala Lumpur.

So dalam tu, dia sibuk vocal training ngan mentor dan executive producer album dia, Ning Baizura, and also vocal trainer dia Hazami as well as Linda Jasmine tuk prepare for the mini showcase pada hujung tiga hari tu.

Celah-celah tu, ramai artis yang lawat dia untuk memberi sokongan...dan juga nasihat untuk berjaya dalam industri muzik. Dari keluarga Akademi Fantasia, tamu-tamu Nikki termasuk Zahid, Mawi, Farah (tatau ke mana gambar-gambar Farah...kena cari!), Marsha dan Kaer.

Pastu ada gak Jac, Nasha Aziz dan Afdlin Shauki yang wat kunjungan mengejut. Tu lum kira semua penyampai era yang mai memberikan sokongan tak terhingga iaitu Rustam, Nana, Kieran, Nila, Farah, Linda...erm sapa lagi ah....Geng Bloggers United pun hampir semua ada in full force (leh kira glamer lah kan)

Ok...here are a couple of photos of who was there...ni tak comprehensive...keep checking [klubbkidd's rave] - the fotopages for more and more pictures added...slowly (part ni kena tambah takut kena maki sebab lambat sangat update).

Ok...don't forget ler lawat blog kengkawan Bloggers United yang da link kat atas tu, sebab aku letih nak update bebanyak...(jangan marah) But it was a great experience...and I was glad it was for Nikki, one of the most promising new artistes in our country...and together with a team of people who I can consider friends and family...

Apapun, aku ada dua pic nak share ni. Yang aku rasa very the meaningful. First of all this one...this is the first tamu yang datang sejurus Nikki masuk je kerumah kaca. Apa lagi, alang-alang dedua beradik aku kan...so relax tak kekok ler. Lagipun ni bukan kali pertama mereka berjumpa pun...Zahid ada rakam featuring spot on one song dalam Maharani (dengar Urban di era).

So...for being the first guest (and for me...one of my favourite!)....thank you so much Zahid!!! Thank you ler pada semua yang mai sekali gak ler....I mean...all of you were so nice to visit Nikki...and not just like Nasha yang bak buah tangan hamper cekelat yang giant...siap bak teddy bear pink (favourite colour si Nikki tu) yang giant gak...but also membawa hadiah yang paling istimewa dan berharga...iaitu nasihat dan tunjuk ajar.

Terharu aku...kawan-kawan semua mai support....By the way...kalau nak tau...tengok celah pintu tu...enter frame pic di bawah tu si abang Badrul ler...

Ok...the next photo aku nak share ni...gambar Mawi. Bukan apa...sebelum projek ni jalan, dan ada promo semua, ada peminat Mawi yang serang Nikki. Aku diberitahu dalam forum semua, ada je yang hentam Nikki, angkara para fanatik (yer...yang cam pakai nickname pengkid tu).

Lantak ler ko Dol kalao ko tak suka. Tapi Mawi sendiri rilek je ngan si Nikki nak bagi nasihat, ko dengki ngan budak ni sebab tak kena ajak lunch skali ke? Lum agi...masa da siap era da announce Mawi akan lunch bersama Nikki...ada lak sebarkan benda tu tak jadi...yang si Mawi 12.30 sehingga 2.30 ada kat Dewan Felda. Apa lah nak naya tanak orang mai tengok...ehek!

Mawi sendiri gelak je...apapun...tima kasih daun keladi dari pihak Nikki tuk Mawi kerana menghabiskan masa dari lebih kurang 12.45 sehingga dia bergerak dekat kul 3pm (singgah kedai Linda Onn sat). Apapun, ni bukti sokongan album memasing. Ni time meka bertukar album...Mawi sign Yang Tercinta tuk Nikki...dan Nikki autograph kan Maharani tuk Mawi. Yang penting bagi thumbs up tu! So kalau ada yang nak kutuk sebab Mawi ok ngan Nikki...lantak ler korang...memang lebih kuah dari sudu...

So anyway...jangan lupa to drop by Nikki's Official Site and if you want to get the CD of Maharani online, check out Project : Maharani.

Moving on...Christmas is going to be so great, even though I wish I was celebrating kat Sabah. Mana taknya....Nikki kat Sabah...aku call Felix dia da pun tengah prepare nak celebrate Christmas at home there too. Marsha pun SMS aku wish da...miss them lak.

But I'm glad this year aku (walaupun habiskan bonus dua bulan) aku da settle manyak benda. Masuk 2006 ni memang kewangan way better than sebelum-sebelum ni. Keta dah renew road tax dan insurance (tinggal nak repair sana sini - sapa nak sponsor!). Pastu bebanyak yang tinggal aku shopping sakan ler. Got my mom this Clarins set....new shoes and clothes. Just sakit hati tak sempat gi SIngapore nak beli perfume my Mom punya favourite (Boucheron - Jaipur).

Takpe lah...bagi cash to her and my papa pun dah rasa sedap sikit...

Papa aku punya present lak satu hal...nasib baik this year my sis is handling that department. Rilek sikit aku takyah pecah pala nak cari! So esok...(alamak! berapa jam lagi..sah tak tidur) kena lari keluar and buy present my sis as well as her boyfriend...as well as some friends yang aku lum settle lagi.

My score card for this year - da dua hadiah da setakat ni aku dapat, a cool diary (more like book spoof of a diary and planner) and calendar dari Vern and gorgeous ear studs from Badrul (ever the sweetie!)

Ok lah..walaupun tak seberapa entry ni, aku harap ler mengubat rindu korang ek (ada ke yang rindu) entry-entry aku. To everyone (not just those celebrating)....have a merry Christmas and God bless. Sapa nak shopping last minute esok jom! Call aku!!!

So to everyone...again...here's wishing you a hearty merry Christmas...remember the reason for the season!!! (and my Christmas presents!!)

Read More

Photo day!

Seperti saya katakan, the last week has been hectic!

Mana taknya, on Monday, ada 'open house' kat office. Selasa, Rabu dan Khamis ada separuh akhir Muzik Muzik 20. Throw in beberapa function lagi where I'm required to work, today is the most free I've been the whole week.

Saya rasa purata tidur sehari I've been getting is about 3 hours a night!

Ok...time to catch up with my blogging.

Let's see - secara ringkas lah ek. Isnin wat open house, secara kecil-kecilan sebenarnya. Tapi seronok ler sebab Kaer, Idayu and Akma sudi hadir ditemani Adi dari Maestro.

To cut a long story short, let the pictures speak for themselves!







Sempat ler mini photo shoot gitu kan...tuk mereka yang rindukan mereka bertiga ni.
Habis je tu, bergegas ke Malam Karyawan di PWTC.

Pening memikirkan kena lari balik ofis tengah malam lepas tu nak wat story lak. Tapi at least terhibur kat event tu. Top five of Akademi Fantasia III hadir. Terhibur gak hati melayan gelagat masing-masing. Time camni kekadang lupa lak that you're on duty because you're actually having fun. Again...in pictures...here is what happened.









Apapun, kerana aku pernah buat koleksi tribute bagi ramai budak-budak kan...kali ni aku focus kat Felix sebab dia yang buat muka-muka paling kelakar sepanjang malam. Ada je idea dia nak pose tuk gambar! Dari pose berangan ala ala YB, sampai menguap tak cover ke pose ayu...and finally to favourite pose Beyonce...this is just some of the pics...Felix...Felix...(gealk tengok pose Beyonce...cam real je!)







Malam tu gak...sempat catch up ngan Nasha Aziz. Dah lama tak bump into her. She is such a sweet person...not too hard to get close with, though for some people, perhaps...a little hard to understand.

Apa lagi...in pictures!





The havoc really started the next day sebab separuh akhir Muzik Muzik 20 dah bermula. Selasa of course ler separuh akhir Etnik Kreatif dan Irama Malaysia. Ok ler...walaupun rasa rugi tak masuk ler Senang Tari.

Yang penting, for the genre, happy Kak Ani...and of course, kak Ana masuk. Ingat lagi zaman sekolah Rohana Jalil perform on TV...she is such a cool person!

Sebab tak penah amic pic ngan dia walaupun kerap jumpa kat many events, so took an opportunity to get a shot of us together.

Seperti mana orang lain, I have to admit, saya mempunyai pilihan yang saya rasakan patut mara ke Anugerah Juara Lagu 20, tapi petang tu, ada interview dengan para juri yang terdiri dari A. Ali, Zubir Ali, Lukhman S. (my favourite jury!), Khairil Johari Johar dan Ooi Eow Jin. It was then that after tau the specifics of the judging criteria baru sedar why they made the choices they did. And that helped me understand the next two days punya selection dimana antaranya aku rasa, shouldn't have gone on.

Malam tu...abih je separuh akhir, gegas dari Plaza Alam Sentral kat Shah Alam balik office to file the story. Then rushed to Bora Ombak in Ampang for Tanyangan Unggul's open house.
Kali pertama (not really lah) gi open house aku melantak tak ingat. Mana tak nya...dari pagi lari sana lari sini tak sempat makan. First meal of the day past 9pm!

Lepas makan, lepak kat ada couch area jadi ular sawa. Ngantuk campur sakit sakit badan. Last-last hang out sana, joined by Kak Fati...err...Fatimah Abu Bakar ler...along with her husband and her daughter (ari ni sorang je. Malam sebelum kat Karyawan dedua bak jalan tour)

Of course kak Fati's daughters are Sharifah Aleya and Sharifah Amani.

Together, cam aku bagitau kak Fati...meka ni cam Sure Heboh on their own. Family leh bak tour. Mana taknya...mom nya orang kenal from Akademi Fantasia (aku kenal kak Fati masa aku join NSTP mana dia keja dulu), along with Leya yang da familiar face everywhere and Nani who echieved fame, I think more recently on Yasmin Ahmad's Sepet.

Dok sembang ler ngan kak Fati manjang and her husband about Akademi Fantasia and what's happening. Banyak takleh ler tulis sini. P&C!

First time I had a talk of any sort with Nani...and found both she and Leya are exactly like their mom...so friendly, well mannered and intelligent. Really...upbringing does make a lot of difference!

The next day Ballada punya ketegori happening gila but I have to admit didn't meet up to my expectations dari segi persembahan artis. Dari lebih kurang tujuh lagu favourite, most of them did not perform to the standards I had hoped they would. Camna pun aku rasa Ning dan Jac je betul-betul up to mark and stood out from the rest.

Yang paling rugi Laingit Ke 7 Syarifah Zarina...wish she had made it. The song is absolutely haunting! Walaupun aku setuju Jac layak ngan Gemilang, tapi Wajah is such a crappy tune!!!

Anyway - malam tu ke event kat PWTC yang orang dok kecoh kecoh tu...malas nak ulas lebih.

Lebih suka kalau tak ada debat isu tu disini kerana kalau buka kang...kawan pun leh jadi lawan.

Lack of sleep in the few hours I had to spare, the next day was the Pop Rock semifinal lak...which is an absolute yawn kalau nak compare pada Balada punya competition. Terkejut Adam dapat cause Tak Tahu is such a kiddy ditty...personally wish Zahid had made it...but nice to see V.E. as expected, layak dengan Pop Ye Ye (kan da kata, Cham!)

Ok ler...nak gi dinner sat...

Read More