Mental Music

Run to the hillssss..run for your live

Is there a music called Mental Music? Huh you don't know? Well I made that one up..

Ever since I came to Dubai I have not been listening to music (except the radio in my car) like I used to back home. And my ears' muscle is getting stiffed and my brain's gel is frozen because of that. It has also been proven that I don't really enjoy listening to MP3 songs through the tiny earphones of my Ipod. I wanted better sound, crispy acoustic quality and material originality !

After Jumaat prayer, I went to Virgin music store and purchased a ticket to Iron Maiden concert. This purchase has been planned since last year. So it wasn't an afterthought. But 2 hours after that whilst patrolling the floors of the Mall of Emirates, I decided to spend more on music. I thought in order to stay sane I must be able to buy and listen to quality CD again.

I went to look for a nice Discman first. But Dubai is all about anything trendy and fashionable and gadget like Discman is considered obsolete already. Next in the search is a mini hifi components. After listened to a few models and brands I found that the price was not worth the quality of the sound. I also thought rather than buying a small off-the-shelf mini hifi (small because of the price), maybe I should look for a quality home theater system, which I found out produce better EQ and offer superb features. Plus the landlord's DVD player that I have at the my apartment has started to play hide and seek with me when it comes to pictures !

At the end I bought a new model of LG DVD + Receiver + 6 ways home theater system. The price was affordable and I like it sounds quality. To complement the purchase I also bought the Iron Maiden's Somewhere Back In Time and Nervecell's Preaching Venom CDs.



That night I fell asleep on my 2nd round of the Iron Maiden's CD. Now I look forward to build up a new collection of CDs in this city.

"Puas hati aku !"

me

Transit

Well actually I ran out of idea on what should be the title for this post. For the past couple of weeks I have been in deep thinking with myself on my life direction now. It has been 3 months now since I left Kuala Lumpur for Dubai. It has not been an easy choice for me to take and I am glad to know that so far I have managed to overcome all the challenges that came following the move here.

My wife now is in dilemma whether to quit the government job and join me in Dubai for good or keep her job and visit me during long holidays in a year. My wife and I have been discussing a lot about this topic and so far we have not reached a confirmed final conclusion yet. One thing for sure is that the current market condition and news about staffs lay off in all over the world is not helping us at all. But I can say that I am getting busier day by day in the office and for the first time in my career life, I felt grateful and happy for the workload.

One of the issues that keep on bugging us is the security of a government job versus the high return of unsecured expatriate job. To my Malaysians friends, I guess all of you are aware on how secure a government job is, plus the benefits and the pension scheme. On the other hand my job as an expatriate lawyer in UAE gives me the salary that my wife and I have been dreaming all the while. However being a new expatriate and a foreigner, my heart thumps everytime I read the news about lay off around the world, especially in Dubai.

But despite all the uncertainties I think I can rest on a notion that our life after all is just a brief transit in this world. Say that I am destined to live until 70 years old, I have only 38 years to live now. If I know this for a fact I will not in any way choose security over opportunity. I mean what the security is for? Why should I stay in my comfort zone and not see the vast world and its creatures created by Allah? In my opinion there is no security in this world but only opportunity. In my short experience in Dubai so far, I have met a lot of people who have been in any sort of situations in their pursuit of a better opportunity in this world. And they survive ! An opportunity in Dubai has come to me and I grabbed it. Next year or year after it, I dont know whether the same opportunity is still there or I will see a better one. My life is short but sure is long enough to be enjoyed.

Out of respect of one's career I will let my wife to decide about her job. As a husband I can always exercise my prerogative but I don't want to do it yet. Maybe my wife is also seeing a better opportunity by keeping her job..hahaha what do I know. But there are other factors to consider. I hope she knows...

Talking about Transit, 2 weeks ago I received a call from an unknown numbers at 12.30 a.m. I thought it was my alarm ring. It turned out to be an SOS call from a long time friend. He and a wife and 2 children were on their trip to Kuala Lumpur from Newcastle. They transit in Dubai for 24 hours and booked an airport hotel through online booking. However they didn't realise that the hotel is inside the airport before the immigration gate. As they wanted to see Dubai during the day they went throught the immigration counter and got their visit visa. But then they could not check in to the hotel unless they cancel the visit visa.

Syahmi, Shukriah and their 2 lovely angels
(the kids' English were better than mine)

Soon I have to address him Dr Syahmi..

Luckily my friend had my numbers and informed me 2 days before their departure that they intended to meet up with me in Dubai. So after he called, I came to their rescue and booked them another hotel. I could not spent more time entertaining them in Dubai because of the working day, which was regreted, but we managed to catch up for about an hour in the airport when I sent them off the next day. I wish them good luck for their Phd and pray that they will get more good opportunities in the future.

"Go through your phone book, call people and ask them to drive you to the airport. The ones who will drive you are your true friends. The rest aren't bad people, they're just acquaintances"

Jay Leno
American TV Host, Comedian

A Quest For a New Cave

I wondered how did it goes for cavemen in the past if they decided to find a new cave as their home. Maybe they just go in to a cave, write some graffiti, shout a bit and declare that the cave is his. Or if somebody is residing in that cave, he either look for another cave or ask the resident for a duel. I sometime wished it could be that easy for me to find a new home everytime my tenancy contract is about to expire.

For the past 2 weeks I have been calling on agents and landlords, checking websites and newspapers and visiting apartments in International City in my quest for a new house by April 2009. At the moment the Dubai property rental market is in favour of the tenants because of the drop in rental rates for some areas due to more new houses available in the market and slow pace of recruitment for new expatriates. Thanks to the recession..well finally I found something positive about the recession didn't I?

For example when I checked the rate for a 1 bedroom apartment in International City (cluster areas) in October 2008, it was around Dhs80,000 to Dhs85000 a year payable by 1 or 2 payments. Nowadays the rate for the same type of property in the same area is between Dhs68000 to Dhs75000 a year payable by 1 up to 4 payments, and some even by monthly payments. But as Malaysian folks always say "murah tak murah la" if we compare to rental rate in Kuala Lumpur. But this is the uniqueness of Dubai, where they pay you very fat salaries with no tax but half of that salaries will go to the landlords, the Dubai's version of taxmen. But the good side is if I save up enough money then of course I can be the taxman myself, Inshallah...

Since this is January so I am not in a hurry, for I have another 2 months to choose and decide. At the moment I am sticking to International City residential area because it is quite close to my office (20 minutes drive), the traffic is smooth, plenty of shops and cafes, very near to the Dragon Mart shopping mall, a lot of multi-national hot chicks (wahh !) and the whole place is just a brand new! The downside is because of the sewage treatment plant next to it which sometime gag me with its smell. But the smell factor is really not that bad because it doesn't occur all the times and depends on which cluster I live in the huge area of International City. Anyway sometime I can't even smell my son's "pooh pooh" right under my nose..hehe

I just prayed that the trend will be better for the tenants in the coming months. Hopefully I will not have to do what I imagine a caveman would do in this situation.

"Home...I can't say where it is, but I know I am going home"

U2
A music band

A Long Lost Friend

This posting is specially dedicated to all my friends who know this one guy.

I was enjoying my Mandi Dajaj lunch in a Yemeni restaurant called Zeina Restaurant in Safa Park when I saw a very familiar face entered through the door. I thought "it could not be him!". I called out his name but he didn't hear it. But I was very sure, the guy was my long lost friend.

I couldn't wait to guess anymore. So I stood up and walked towards him. He sat with his back facing to my direction, so he couldn't see me charging towards him with my hand full of mandi rice.

I patted his shoulder and said "brader kenal aku lagi tak?"

The guy turned around and I said "Amran bukan?". I like the feeling to have put a shock to someone's face, and his was full of it. And he replied "Alongggg... !"

Amran or An Ipoh as I used to call him is a long lost friend back in IIUM matricualtion centre. We had not met for at least 12 years, after he left to further his study in UITM. We never bumped into each other in Malaysia and at last we met here in Dubai.

Apparently An just arrived in Dubai for his first posting in his company. He is a Project Manager for interior design works in Dubai horse racecourse hotel. He will be in Dubai until his project finished. Probably he will look for opportunity for a permanent position in Dubai. After that day, I invited him to my house and we had a great shisha time until late at night, catching up on our lives for the past 12 years. What a great buddy session !

An is one of my friends who has a great entrepenuer skill since his student days. In fact he still owns a shop now back in KL. It is good to see him in Dubai and I wish him good luck for his new endeavour. Who knows he will open up his own business here in Dubai.

Busy managing a project..hah

The only way to have a friend is to be one

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)
American poet

Salam Maal Hijrah 1430H and New Year 2009AD

I pray that the new year 1430H and 2009AD will bring more happiness and prosperity to you.

I woke up late this morning and quickly jumped to the balcony to gauge the time (I should just check the clock, shouldn't I) and to my surprise there was fog everywhere in my sight. It was quite a thick fog with visibility around 5-10 metres. It was a fantastic view and suddenly it reminded me of a lyric in a black metal band called Dark Throne. I quickly checked my Ipod whether I have the song, but I didnt have it.

Normal view

this morning

At the time of writing this posting around 4pm, a cloud of fog have already blanketed my office window at level 18th. I couldnt see the sea anymore. I thought - "what a foggy day to end the year 2008 yeah.."

Anyway, amid the crisis ridden 2008, the past 12 months have been a productive year for me considering that I received a bonus from my KL company in February, raised a healthy baby, played some fantastic gigs with Dewangga Sakti locally and abroad and of course, made the big decision of moving to Dubai in October.

So tonight I will be at home on the eve of the new year 2009. Maybe I watch a few movies at home or smoke shisha at lebanese restaurant down the blocks or finish up reading Jeffrey Archer's False Imprisonment (I bought it in a newly opened first Kinokuniya bookstore in Dubai Mall, i love Kino..). A few of my colleagues will get drunk tonight, some will go to Shakira concert in Abu Dhabi, some will go clubbing...all these are really not my thang.

My new year resolutions - A LOT ! but let me keep it to myself at the moment.

My dream car? ..no lah

So close but yet...

Well.. I wish I had a Macbook and a bass guitar now.

Cheers to a new year and another chance to get it right

Oprah Winfrey

Lets Go Picnic

Dates trees

The weather in Dubai is getting chiller by the day. This week a wind called Shamal is bringing in more cool wind from the west and in effect it has lowered down the temperature to minimum 22 degrees Celsius, especially at night.

Grass on desert land

My wife, Adrin and I definitely enjoy this weather very much as we get to wear new warm clothes and do what the peoples of Dubai do in this season, that is - PICNIC !

One thing I noticed about the parks in Dubai is that they are very well maintained. It comes with a price though around AED3.00 to AED20.00 per entry per person. Initially I wondered how do they grow the grass and the trees on a desert. I found out it is not an easy task for them as every tree, grassy spot and bush in Dubai need to be watered automatically by dedicated system of underground pipe tubes. Back home in Malaysia we could just throw a seed or plant a flower stem and it will grow steadily without we realise it or sometime we don't have to do anything and some plants will grow especially lalang.

In Dubai we have been to a few parks like Zaabel Park (entrance fee 5 dirhams per person), Safa Park (entrance fee 3 dirhams per person) and Jumeirah Beach Park (entrance fee 5 dirhams per person and 20 dirhams per car).



The other day, we went to Al Ain city which is about 160km east of Dubai. Al Ain is located further in to the desert area but it is not all sand and dust here because Al Ain is surrounded by a number of oasis. In fact Al Ain is also called "The Garden City of the Gulf" because of its greenery, lush parks and dates/ palm trees. We went to one of its public parks called Hili Archeological Park which is so named because there are a few archeological excavation sites in the park where they have found artefacts of desert people dated as old as 7000 years ago. The entrance fee for Hili Archeological Park was very cheap at 1 dirhams and on that day we went in for free. Besides the grand sight of mountains bordering between UAE and Oman and the archeological sites, one good thing I remembered about the park was that it was really quite. There were not many people in Hili Archeological Park on that day. I lay down on a picnic mat, closed my eyes and tried to focus on my hearing, but there was no sound at all. I felt asleep in no time until Adrin slapped me on my face...huh...



This week is going to be the last week for my wife and Adrin before they go back to Kuala Lumpur. I will definitely miss them after this and more so there will be no more picnic for me.

Life goes on....

I don't bother about how bad the economy is. If I can find a place to go picnic that is a quality of life.

First Birthday in Dubai

Over excited !

On 21 NOVEMBER 2008 we celebrated the birthday of Muhammad Adrin. It was a very happy occasion for my wife and I and a new experience for both of us too. Because it was the FIRST birthday anniversary of our son ! and in addition to the happy note is that we celebrated it in Dubai !

Adrin woke up very early on his special day at 5.00 a.m. My wife and I tried to get him to sleep but he suddenly laughed and clapped his hands. Then we realised that it was his birthday and he was ready to celebrate. So after breakfast we went to the Mall of Emirates and bought him gifts and cake.

His idea was to touch the fire, not to blow it.

Confused on where has the fire gone

Adrin was waiting for his birthday gifts from this store

Last weekend, we went to visit Dragon Mart in International City. Dubai claimed that this is the biggest shopping mall with all Chinese products under one roof outside China. Well I can confirm that this shopping mall is VERY big and you can get all sorts of Chinese products from toys to forklift inside this mall.

This boy was having a good time loitering in front of the Dragon Mart

My wife like Dragon Mart very much simply because she can get the right size t-shirt for herself and she can bargain the price. My 2-cents advice when dealing with Chinese products... never ever buy their electronic goods. Or if you still want to buy, do not expect it to last long and covered with warranty (yeah I wrote like this but I bought a remote controlled fan from Dragon Mart..very cheap Dhs75 only). As long as it has no mechanical parts inside it, buying Chinese products may worth your money (make sure you got it cheap). As an example, we are still amazed with the fact that we could buy a 10 dirhams t-shirt in Dragon Mart. That was the cheapest bargain we ever got here in Dubai.

Couldn't resist the temptation

The store at the back was selling all kinds of neon lamps


This store provides a lot of towels to choose from

Adrin and his new winter jumper (part of his birthday gifts)

And for me, I like the only Chinese restaurant inside Dragon Mart by the name of Sun Tour Restaurant, obviously because they serve delicious foods that suits my taste budds.

Cheers...

Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional