Circumcision : Nabil & Nazreen

We arrived a bit late (one hour late, actually) at the hospital. We were not rushing, giving the kids ample time to have their breakfast and relax. They were really excited to receive a goodies bag, full of goodies - books, stationery and even cash! I am not excited. This is something that I try to avoid +_+, but it is your kids' HUGE milestone, you have to face it although you cant stand the screaming/crying.

After registration, the kids change into this cute (what do you call it?) gown(?). Alololo cutenya.

Papa playing his role comforting the kids while I just stood there motionless (ok, I snapped a few photos) listening to other kids screaming and crying +_+

I couldnt even look at the stainless steel equipment down there.... I truly understand their fear. FYI, my SIL, Dr. Shazni is the one performing the procedure. Thank you, Aunty Ani. I cant imagine the challenges you faced down there while they were struggling to get off the bed +_+

Luckily it was performed in a military hospital so we have macho military men holding my kids down.

Both in the recovery room. Relieved.

One proud father. Sleepy. Time to go home.

Roof leak

This is the time of the year :)

My sister is worried about the flood in Kuantan.

And I am worry about the roof leak.

Last week, we sent 8 huge plastic bags of wet clothes to the laundry. The roof leaked on top of our walk-in closet. 

Presents for their aunt

My kids bought some presents for my SIL's birthday.
I hope she is happy with these. She travels a lot so they got her travel-related things.

Wacana Kepiminan Perdana : PPTD Bersama YAB PM

I attended this session along with 3000 PTDs from all over Malaysia. Fun to finally meet each other after 9 and 10 years (I joined 2 batches - different batch for Unggul and DPA). Instead of having 334 batchmate, I actually have double that :)

School break : Suite memory

We went for a holiday.

I booked a room with two twin beds, online. Upon check-in, the hotel admitted that there was a mistake at their end. The room was fully-booked but they still accepted my booking.

They gave us a suite, instead. With no extra charge.

Alhamdulillah. THANK YOU. The kids have fun running around the suite.

Nazmi's another favourite spot

MyDesign : Megarafting Kufi - the process

Morning:
Received a message & invitation to be part of the Gift / Souvenir Committee.
Requested to design some souvenirs.
Agreed to kufi. Hyperventilated on the possible failure - but try to design anyway. They are my sweet and wonderful friends, I just couldnt say no without even trying.

Printed grid paper from the internet.
Made this in two hours. 

Evening:

Managed to finalise the kufi before going home. Phew! Didnt want to get nightmare at night. But still had a good dream on the possible design layouts and colour scheme - that is a normal dream for designers. lol.

The next day:
Beautify the kufi. Instead of linear, I designed a square one too.
(here)

Next next day:
The tumbler supplier emailed the design template.
Came out with one design using red watercolour background. The theme is red-white-black and some was suggesting red. So, instead of plain flat red, I opted for the one with texture and more character.

Posted in the WA group for crit session. They requested for more designs. So I came out with a few. And printed it so they could see the real size.

I will post the final tumbler design. I havent received the tumbler yet.

Nak bawak beg..

He wanted to carry a bag, just like everyone else. So Papa has to carry the bag like that allllllll the way to the car.

I am having a Designer's Block now

It is similar to the writer's block.

I cant come up with creative idea at all for the moment. I have a lot of creative works to be done but I couldnt even design a simple 2 inches x 3.5 inches card. I usually capable of doing that in 5 minutes. JUST IMAGINE HOW SEVERE MY BLOCK IS NOW!

Let alone designing a whole booklet packed with infographics and artworks for two programmes. Both are due today.

My last severe designer's block was back in 2006. Long time ago. I still remember, I took quite some times to recover.

THIS-IS-NOT-HAPPENING.

MyDesign : MegaRafting

My friends trusted me to design a kufi for the 10th Anniversary event - MegaRafting - for batch 2/2004. It wasnt easy. I designed a few and asked them to choose.

India : Road trip

India is not a safe place for ladies. I got a lot of reminders on that. But, it is okay if you have a trusted driver to drive you around.

When I told my friends that I am planning a road trip, against all odds, with a lady companion, from Delhi to Jaipur in Rajasthan state (nearly 270km), overnight there and travel to Agra in Uttar Pradesh state the next day (another 240km) and back to Delhi (210km more), I received a lot of objections. 

Well, I LOVE YOU GUYS too. 

There were ups and downs. but overall, it was a memorable trip. I should do this more often with my adventurous friends.

Delhi : Good morning

My favourite view everyday.
Good morning cold Delhi! The sun rises at 6.30 am.

I usually made myself a breakfast at 7.00 am and finished my uncompleted report before departed to the office at 8.00 am.

I am going to miss these. The weather, the routine, the healthy breakfast.

But not the loneliness.

Delhi : Cold

Oh yeah, it is cold here!
It is getting colder.

Delhi : India International Trade Fair (IITF) 2014

I have received an invitation for IITF 2014. It was officiated by the President of India, Mr. Shri Pranab Mukherjee.

It was held in an open area but the draping work using golden coloured fabrics done by the Indians to create the tent-like interior, brings a majestic feel to the event. 

There were thousands of booths selling products from all Indian states - millions of products, from socks to an aircraft - most of them are sold at a very competitive price AND also hundreds of booths from 22 countries, including Malaysia. This is the International Pavilion.

We had a privilege to visit the whole area FOC. BUT we only have one hour plus since we need to rush to another meeting venue. 

I bought a file made of jute. 

Since we were not allowed to bring in handbag, so my pockets were full with passport, security pass, handphone, pen, paper and tissue. Buying the file has put me at ease. It just cost me around RM12.

I will blog on the state pavilions on different entry.

Delhi : Interactive Session

I had a chance to attend An Interactive Session on the Current State of Indian Economy and Future Prospects with Dr. Arvind Panagariya, Professor of Economics and Jagdish Bhagwati Professor of Indian Political Economy, Columbia University on 13 November 2014 (Thursday). 

The session, held in conjunction with the FICCI Higher Education Summit 2014, focuses on India’s challenges in developing the country’s economy.

Scanner at FICCI.

Delhi : Newspaper

I read the newspaper everyday in Delhi because:

1. They hanged it to my door every morning;

2. I tried to look wise carrying a newspaper to the office everyday. No;

3. I need to understand their economy; and

4. I didnt understand their news in the TV.

I love the Page One Plus. It is a small strip of paper glued to the rest of the newspaper that contains the editor's picked summaries of interesting news inside. Great idea.

Delhi : Counting days

This mark my 2nd week residing in this hotel. An interesting magazines, delicious cookies and chocolates. Thank you, Hotel.

For the 3rd week, I received the same cookies and chocolate. But different magazine.

Staying at the hotel for the first few days is interesting. After more than two weeks went through the same routine, it doesnt feel the same anymore.

I started tuning my biological clock to Malaysia's time so I wont have any problem going to work on time when I back in KL later this week (yay!)

It is now 9.30 pm in Delhi and 12.00 midnight in KL.

I am sleepy like crazy although I still need to do economic reports on Jaipur and Agra.

Delhi : Water

People warned me that water is not clean here. Not even in a five-star hotel. You will get diarrhea and itchy skin. So they said.

My super-sensitive skin is OKAY here. Alhamdulillah. 

The water supply in the hotel is clean. 

I even cooked it and drank it, just to prove that it is fine for consumption.

For drinking, I downed two or three bottles of mineral water everyday.

Delhi : Ayurveda

There is an Ayurveda spa (Neo Veda) in our hotel. I went to the spa everyday - to access the gym. lol.

We have endless supply of Neo Veda products in our hotel room - bath gel, shampoo, hand wash, body lotion and their OH WANGI GILE green citrus glycerine soap (left). Last week, I bought that pink box:

I guess I will go to the newly-established Ayurveda centre near my home once I am back in KL.

Delhi : Breakfast

My breakfast every morning. Oat cluster, almond and honey AND darjeeling green tea. It's perfect. 

India : Too much - I cant digest

India has a lot of historical monuments / old buildings / forts / structures / UNESCO sites and some of them dated from 300BC, 1st, 2nd century (ok, what year is 2nd century? - it is like year 10, 11?), 5th, 6th century.

This is not even their historical site. This is the Government office building. See how rich architecture there?

As an architecture graduate, of course I am intrigued by these precious works of art. It is like every inches of Delhi is filled with historical structures. I usually will come back to the hotel and start google-ing about any structure I came across that day. Until I decided to stop doing it today. 

THERE ARE TOO MUCH OF THEM HERE. I CANT DIGEST ANYMORE.

INDIA IS RICH < that is the fact.

Delhi : Nazmi and Croco

This was why I havent finished packing until 2.00 a.m. while I supposed to be at KLIA at 6.00 a.m.

He even insisted to ride it at the aiport. +__+

Delhi : Good morning cold Delhi!

It was cold in Delhi this morning.

We took different route to the office today. We saw new things.

Walking around cold weather supposed to be fun, if not because of my blistered foot.

Delhi : Kembara Khazanah India

My nephew lend me his book on India.

This is my favourite book during the treadmill session after the office hour. 

Delhi : Rock sugar and fennel seeds

Rock sugar is widely used in India with fennel seeds as a mouth freshener after the meal. I went to a restaurant for lunch today where they served it after they cleared the table. I was so curious and I tried. That was my first time chewing mouthful raw, uncooked fennel seeds. So Fear Factor one..

From (here) - Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) is a herb that has long been used as a remedy for flatulence, upset stomach and intestinal cramps in Ayurveda, Mediterranean medicine and other healing traditions. Fennel promotes gastrointestinal motility, thus relieving gas buildup in the intestines. 

Reading that makes me feels a bit better. I actually did something good for my intestines today.

Delhi : 3 weeks

My luggage, Croco (yes, she has a name), is the red-black one.

It is so huge. So huge that it could hold different attire for 21 days. 

As usual, the first thing I would do when I settled down in a hotel room - iron everything that is iron-able :)

(No, I am not lying when I said different attire for 21 days)

I have requested for extra 10 cloth hangers from the housekeeping team and they sent me 15. haha.

Delhi : Brilliant signage

Restrooms in Gandhi Airport, Delhi.

Simply brilliant. 

Delhi : Departure and Arrival

My lovely heroes sending me off to Delhi.

(Credit: Ms Saedah, the photographer) 

And this Hero Hindustani welcomes me at the Gandhi Airport in Delhi.

Totally. different. feeling.
Yeah, it is totally a new world for me over here. 
Bring it on.