Esplanade Experience

"Gentaqrasa", for the past two years was known for its spectacular malay arts performances on stage. Many people had seen its performances and they reccomended me to go for its performance this year. Therefore, last saturday, the mosque had chartered a coach to bring us there, met Ramdan, Daeng, Juli, Anwar, Cik Tipah, Kak Sarah and others around 6.30pm to set off to Sultan Mosque for our Maghrib prayers before proceeding to the Esplanade to see the performance that starts at 8pm. It was my first time to see a performance in Esplanade.

Having some experience involving in stage performances in Temasek Poly, i am very excited to see the show. The stage set-up was unique, lighting effects was superb, live traditional band was wonderful....... however, i would say the overall performance was just above average. I slept for a few minutes towards the end of the show. Well no offence, the show was too draggy. Well, i know for sure how hard the performers trained for such an event, and for that i applaud and salute you.

Looking at the performers on stage reminds me of the times i used to peform on stage with my friends from Temasek Polytechnic Malay Arts Group. The rehearsals, practice, sound testing, stage props, lighting, skits and such....... the auditorium!!! sure miss those times. Performing contemporary nasyid with my friends, Hafiz, Hazre, Iskandar, Yusry, Saiful, Ahmad, Amin, and others on stage will forever be something that i will not forget for a long long time....

After the performance, all of us were at the holding area just outside the grand hall to wait for the rest before walking out the esplanade. Then at one end i saw this 2 girls talking to one guy that i find so familiar.... Hmmmm... ahhh...... it was Wati and Yati. I got 6 best secondary friends, Aminur, Isnaen, Iskandar, Yazri, Yati and Wati. We've known each other since 1997, and it has been nearly 12 years!!!! Hahahahha, so sorry gals i can't attend the previous gathering, i promise i will make up to that. Sure fun going out with you all again. Till then take care!!!

Badoque @ Bedok

Just last Friday, i went out for dinner with Hafiz and Erlyna in this restaurant called "BADOQUE" @ Bedok. All of us thought of trying something different from the norm, italian maybe... and so Lyna reccomended "Badoque". Its been months since we've last met one another. The last time we met was during last year's Hari Raya outing..... so all of us were kind of missing those times we used to have during our poly-life and decide to meet up, chit-chat and have dinner. I've known Hafiz and Erlyna since year 2000, when all of us were active youth activist at En-Naeem Mosque, studied in the same school (TP), involve in lots of community and volunteer work, been good friends since then.

It was a memorable night, having dinner under the stars, Hafiz with his jokes!! riddles that is quite impossible to answer,, Lyna being rather quite and just listen and laugh at Hafiz and me.... Gosh! What a night!! Hafiz and me had Lamb Shank for dinner, Lyna had a Tortelli, pizza! gelato! cakes! we spent altogether $90 for dinner!! Well its worth it, trust me, great service, great ambience, great food, what else can you ask for, try it!!

New Friend

I was tired after the Maulud celebration at Hougang Stadium last sunday. Never slept the whole day, busy preparing 12000 packets of briyani rice for the 12000 crowd expected to come to the stadium and last minute check to all things to do list before the project itself.

Alhamdulillah, yes, slightly more than 11000 turn up that day to join us in the maulud celebration. All donations that day will be equally divided to En-Naeem Mosque and An-Nur Mosque. Alhamdulillah, we got $21,000. I've decided to make a move first before the programme ends, because i need to fetch my new friend at the hotel at 2.30pm.

Who is this new friend of mine... she's 18, a german, and her name is Mirja (pronounce as MayYa). She was on a learning programme for one year where she had to stay out of her country in another country for a year. So, she decided to stay in Shah Alam, Malaysia. She's been in the country for 10months now, before she decides to visit Singapore since its just a few hours train ride away. She's a tall girl, probably 2-3cm taller than me, natural green eyes, blonde, funny and jovial, and guess what, she even talked to me in Singlish..... hahahahha, not all the time of coz, she picked a few lines while staying in Shah Alam.

So, i pick her up, bring her around Singapore, went to see the Merlion, took a cable car ride to Sentosa, visited the "Images of Singapore" and took a cable car ride back before sending her to Golden Mile where her bus depart for KL at 6.30pm.

Even though i did not sleep at all that day, its surprising to see that i managed to stay awake and drove her around without feeling sleepy or anything. Well, probably i'm excited about meeting my first foreign friend. Thanks Mirja for being my friend, hope you enjoyed your stay here in Singapore, please do come again.

Nasyid Performance in En-Naeem

I was once actively involved in nasyid performance in the mosque when i was an active youth volunteer there. Started just as a normal backing singer and later on i was the lead singer of the group, Syabab En-Naeem, name given during those times. Entered polytechnic life, and in year 2, i was invited by my dear friend Hafiz Mat Rock to join the school's contemporary nasyid group known as Sohib Nur Salam. Hehehe, seriously miss those times in poly. And so, i came for the group's audition and there for the first time they heard me singing. Immediately, the group, then and there decide to choose me as the group's lead singer!!! What the!!! If you guys still remember, that was how i got "Wan-Big-Mistake" nick. hahahahaha!! they accused me of stealing the limelight from them!!! Cmmon guys, i don't this alone, you guys were the best back-up singers that i've ever performed with! Yusri, Iskandar, Hazre, Hafiz, Amin, Ahmad........ Without you guys and TPMSS / Nurikhwan, my life in poly is meaningless. hehehehehe!!!! When are we getting into the stage again huh?.........

So, my nasyid days are over since graduating from TP and entering NS life soon after.... It's been years since i last performed.......untill....... i was given a chance to perform again for En-Naeem Mosque's mother's day celebration just last saturday. Wow! Not that bad eh, still can sing! hehehe, overall i must say the event was a success, every mother that day enjoyed to programme, food, goodie bags, gifts and etc. Here are some of the pictures taken during the event last saturday.

THE BIDADARI BALLROOM

BUFFET STARTS

THE DECOR MIRACLE

DAENG, DIDI, WAN & RAMDAN

FRIENDS FOREVER

Archery - Beginners

The pulling string of the bow, the letting go of the arrow, and the target to hit is what got me hooked to archery. Hmmmm, never knew that i can be quite good in this sport.. hehehe. Btw, i attended this basic archery course weeks ago (old story to tell) in potong pasir cc together with Hisham, Ameera, Zuwainah, Muhammad and some other youths from En-Naeem Mosque. We had so much fun together learning the first weapon mechanism in history, the bow and arrow, archery. Learning how Muslims before were amongst the best archers in the world, and that it was a sunnah learning archery. Gosh! It was a great experience, and i was hooked to archery, looking forward to any intermediate course. The best archers among us that day was.... hmmm.... of coz...... its me! .......... Muhammad too!

its been quite a while

Salaam friends, its been quite a while since i post something new on my blogpage, yeah its been a while...... I'm very busy this past few weeks, planning, meeting with datelines, meeting, site visit and such....... 3 Major projects in the month of May...... No promises though, i'll try my best to update my blog as and when i'm free alright. Till then, take care my dear friends.