ADZ

 We all have friends. Friends who you hang out with. Friends who get into trouble with you. Friends who are there with you when you are happy. But do you have a friend who makes you feel very special, someone whom you can share all your darkest secrets with?

I do.

 The funny thing is, I never thought I’d be friends with him. AT ALL. The earliest memory of him was in 2011. I was being a busybody, visiting each class instead of studying. Then I heard someone calling my name. “Ash!” I was surprised to see him. He looked like what I call a gangster. Honestly speaking, he scared me. He wanted me to have a look at his story. He was soft-spoken, which took me aback. It was about Nazis and war and that mushy thing called ‘romance’. It was nice.

 And just like that, we clicked. I don’t remember how we got close, but Alhamdulillah, I’m glad we did. He was with me through the ups and downs of my school life. He was the reason I cried. He was the reason I laughed. We have loads of things in common; we’re both the eldest, we have similar names. He’s one of the kindest people I’ve ever met, he’s down-to-earth, and he’s wonderful. He is my confidant, my advisor, my John Watson, my shoulder to cry on whenever I’m down in the dumps. I would do anything for him, and he’d do the same for me.

He’s my best friend. And he is the best thing that has ever come into my life.

This year's present: a sucky-but-from-the-heart painting.

 To Ashraaf Danial Zakaria, if you’re reading this, I just want you to know that you are one of my closest friends. I consider you part of my family already. You will always be my best friend. I hope it’ll last forever (I’ll make sure of that.) I'm sorry if I have ever hurt your feelings. And I didn't buy you anything. :( But hey, the painting is sentimental. :) I hope you cry reading this, hahaha; it’s very hard to put this into words. And always remember that I have your back as well. I wish you all the best in life.

Ash and Ash. (I'm obviously the hotter Ash.) (The one at the left.)

5 Items I Would Grab From A Burning House

First of all, I would like to say that the original title in the writing prompt was a bit different.

The funny thing is that the prompt title instructs and assumes that I would willingly burn down my house.

Gee, thanks, writing prompt. At least I can prepare myself in case it ever happens, not that I wish for it to be, good heavens no. Let’s start.

1) Identification Records

 I’m assuming a majority of you would dash for your shiny electronic gadgets at the slightest hint of danger, because we all know how social media is our life, and how we would die painfully should our social connections be severed by raging fire. I understand perfectly; I’m an addict. But if I were to think it through, it’d be a wise decision to save your documents (Birth certificates, identification cards etc.) first, because your life depends on your identity. And if you have no proof of whom you are, then YOU DEAD. :O Your life would probably be a struggle, seeing as how humankind nowadays is very much paranoid and sceptical with identities. It’d be hard to find a job, education, you get the gist.

2) Wallet

 Money logically comes after identification. Because...

Nothing in the world is free.

                                 – Someone who apparently has to pay to breathe air

 But seriously, you need these colourful papers to trade it for food and shelter, in other words, survival. You can always steal, but y’know, morals and so on.

3) Phone & Laptop

Yeah, there are two items in one. Hey, for all you know, they might be at the same place when the house burned down. *shifty eyes* Well, like I said before, gadgets are very important in at least my life, if not everyone’s. I thrive off online gossip and mindless chatter. I crave for social interaction. My hand feels lonely without my phone constantly glued to my palm.

Oh, and my work is stored in my lappy. I guess that’s a more plausible reason to save them.

4) Box of Memories

 Technically, my box of memories does not exist (yet), but thinking about all the small trinkets of the past I would be losing to the self-inflicted flames, I might as well stuff all of them in one container. Yesh, I am a sentimental person. I cling on to memories very dearly.

5) Books

I am a book lover. Must I elaborate on how I would do anything to keep my books?

So I guess that’s 5 items that I would save from my burning house. Truth be told, I never expected my books to be in the list. .___. I shall now have a day to look around the house and ponder about things that I could’ve saved from the fire.

So ask yourself: What would you grab from a burning house?

Ushering In a New Year with A Letter

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

 Yeah, I know it's 4 days late. But hey, better late than never, I always sometimes rarely say. So how was the past few days for you all? I had gotten a friend's confession (Bromance, yeah~!) and catzoned within first two hours of the year, so I can say I had a pretty awesome start. It's different from all the 18 other 1st Januarys I had so far. (Of course, all of them are unique in their own way, but meh.)

 This year, I decided to start the year in a different direction. Instead of just ushering 2014 lazing about and grumbling about the distant fireworks, I thought it'd be nice to write a letter to someone special.

Myself.

Handwritten letters are not my forte.

 Ha, gotcha. You'd really think I have a significant other? If so, then may your wish come true. Yeah so, I decided to write a letter to my future self. Scribbling down questions and hopes so I can answer them when the year gives way to 2015. Why did I write a letter until 2AM, resulting in the anxiety of a mother who woke up to find her son doing something silently in the wee hours of the day?

 I am not really sure myself. Probably it was the desire of walking down memory lane as I read the letter in a year's time stirring up in me. I just had the idea in my head out of nowhere. But writing down what I wanted to achieve in a year's time to myself did boost my spirit, even if it's just a little. It was partly due to not wanting to be ashamed of my past self.

 I know. Other people would just write down their goals and stick them on the wall where they could see it 24/7. But where is the fun in that?

While carrying out this project of mine, a thought crossed my mind. "Hey, it'd be nicer if there were others joining in this plan with you." And now here we are. I would like it if you, the awesome reader of this blog, wrote a letter to your future self. It'll be fun, I promise. And you won't be alone, for I am here, so you wouldn't feel bad about yourself should people call you a freak for doing so. Write your letter any way you want. Just as long as it's readable, and will be able to last a full year without disintegrating into tiny atoms.

 Tell me if you're also doing this; just write a simple note in the comments. Or any other ways possible, if you know me personally (I hear telepathy is the rage now.)

I'll be looking forward to hear from anyone.

Yeah, it doesn't have to be handwritten. You can type it out, fine by me.
 I KNOW MY WRITING IS UGLYYYYYY

Giving In Ain't Defeat

 Hello there, people. I’m on a month-long break from the hectic college life. And you know how the average day is like when you’re on holiday: Wake up, pray, eat, take a nap, stare at your phones and lappies, not focusing on the telly, being cooped up at home, scared that the sunlight will burn your pale skin. What, your day’s not like that? Lucky you. I’m imprisoned in my own home. It’s not my family’s fault. My friends are just not on holiday like I am. And I'm just too lazy to go out on my own. Besides, being with family ain’t so bad. We bond over game nights.

You can really feel our bonds strengthening. RELATIONSHIP LVL UP

 And one of the things I have to bear with is Mom’s pearls of wisdom. Usually I’d just nod along to whatever advice she throws randomly. But most of them, if not all of them is very much helpful. Like that one time out of countless other moments my little brother and I scrambled for the front seat of the car. Yes, I know it’s childish. My mom noticed the disastrous scene breaking out and decided to pull me slowly out of the scuffle, letting my little brother enter. My heart was boiling, especially when I saw him sticking his tongue at me. I stared at my mom, waiting for an explanation.

 She said: ‘You’re 18 already. Just give in to your little brother. It doesn't mean you lost. It just means you’re thinking of others.’

 Now, I didn't read much into her counsel, because I was so full of emotions. But for the past few days, I finally see what she meant. To tell you the whole story in detail would probably take 2 to 3 pages, so I’ll just sum it up. One of my circles of friends is in what you can call ‘a negotiating period’ over a project. I became the middle person (I felt obliged to do so.) And what I witnessed was touching. One thing you have to know was that the main reason the group split into two very VERY stubborn sides was because of the disagreement of the location. And one girl, L was very enthusiastic over the initial location.

 But she decided to let her wish go, for the sake of unity. She was willing to change location, just so everyone would be in this together. ‘Oh, it’s just a small thing.’ I hear you sigh. I don’t consider a feeling of excitement and dreamy wonder to be a small thing. To give up something you wanted so badly for somebody else is not a foolish matter. My mom’s words vibrated in my mind. She was very mature in handling this problem.

 And now, I shall leave you a quote to ponder upon:

Giving in to people is not a sign of weakness. If it’s for a better future, it is an act of selflessness.

 Neat, huh? Wanna use it, cite it back to yours truly. Yes, I created it. Is it a sign of me finally catching up to my age? No. The day I will be considered mature arrives when I will not fight over the front seat with my siblings.

And that day will probably never come.

Tell Your Loved Ones

 So recently, a tragedy befell Malaysian land. (Other than the increase of prices.) If you were nowhere near any source of information during the past two weeks, possibly due to a temporary allergy, let me catch you up to speed; a female Ambank officer was coldheartedly shot in the face bya security guard in his attempt to steal the money in the safe. Don’t be ashamed if you just found out through me; be glad that you didn’t find it out my way – Staring at the explicitly gory picture of the deceased as it popped up in a WhatsApp chat.

The picture found its way into my phone, not once, not twice, but THRICE. It’s as if people knew I deleted the horrid stuff from my phone and thought, ‘Hey, let’s send him a pic.’ Why people rush in sharing such a picture is beyond me. It’s just disrespectful for the deceased and her family.

 Anyways, that picture isn’t the reason why I wrote this post (I ain't here to spread gore). It’s this picture:

Sad story pic.twitter.com/0VJwIwo1S1
— Sampah Remaja (@SampahRemajaKL) October 25, 2013

 For those of you who still hasn’t figured it out yet, that’s the unfortunate woman’s husband. What really struck me was this:

'I should have told her I loved her there and then. Now it's too late.'

 You can really feel his regret, caused by a decision that will haunt him for years to come. His words really hit home. And I cried as I stared at this photo. It made me realise my own lack of contact with my parents. It made me think about the times where I was too caught up in college activities to call them once in a while.

 Let this be a reminder that we don't live forever, and neither do your loved ones. Don't take them for granted. Don't ever think they'll always be there when you need them. Remember to always show them your love toward them, before it's too late.

 And a reminder to all; I beg you, please don't forward the horrific pictures and videos of the incident to others. It's already too much for the family of the deceased to handle her death. The last thing they need is a constant reminder of how she left this world. If you still have the urge to share something, share the picture above, and remind them to tell their loved ones how much they love them.

Al-Fatihah. May her soul be placed among the pious.

Taking a Look Around MARA College Banting (KMB)

vWhat’s up, people? I hope you had a lovely time cursing me for being very late with the updates. But hey, this time I actually have a plausible reason (There’s a first time for everything.). I have entered college. *cue low-quality clap track* Yes guys, I've embarked on a two-year journey on the International Baccalaureate programme, getting ever so close towards my dreams of flying overseas.

Now before we start, I’d like to show you a picture of a college:

 Isn’t it a beauty? The site practically screams high-class education with all the state-of-the-art facilities and equipment (Not to mention the exuberant price that comes along with it.). You’d wanna study there just by ogling the image, right? I wish I’d be able to study there too.

 What’s that you say? Don’t I study there, in that awesome-looking building? No no, you’re mistaken. I'm just showing you a picture of A college. Never said it was MY college. Power of sentence structures, guys, never underestimate it. No, THIS is my college:

School haters will suffer.

 I know, why does MARA College Banting look like a boarding school stuck in time? Well, that’s because it WAS a boarding school, MRSM Banting to be exact, before it died, allowing us to live on its remnants. And technically, we are categorised as a school.

World schoo: Someone's attempt of denying the fact

 But we’re a WORLD SCHOOL. One of the top ones in the world, as a matter of fact. So say what you want. Haters be hating. I be getting the best.

 Enough with the intro. Let’s get on with the tour:

This is the entrance to my beloved awesome college. It looks pretty grand in my eyes.

Here we have the ATM machine, one of the most visited spots in MCB, due to the fact that your money can dwindle very fast, what with all the costly textbooks and projects. It is situated at the entrance, and is used by students and outsiders alike.

 There are reports of paranormal sightings around the ATM. The description given by the locals is a female clad in white, from head to toe. Coincidentally, the hauntings occur around the same time as the conclusion of Isya' prayers.

 A better (?) picture of the academic block. For those of you who hasn't guessed, this is where the classes are. The seniors told me that the classrooms aren't permanent, and they'll change the positions after a while ('A change of environment', they claim). This actually one part of the block. The new section is...

 ... Right over here, next to the old one (Behind tree.) Unfortunately, my class is over in the old block, where there are only fans. The other architecture class (R13A), however, got placed here, so they are able to bask in the cool breeze of the air conditioner,all the while watching something on the brand-new TV. 

Think it's just luck, eh? Remember what I said about the changing of classroom positions? Well, it happened earlier this week, and not only did my class stay at the old building, the new class is SMALLER. Worst part is, we were one class away from making it into the world of air-conditioning and TVs. The other class, stayed in the same building. Proof that R13A was the mastermind behind this cunning plan.

 Here we have the main hall, which also doubles as a badminton court. The majority of the orientation week was spent here.

This is one of my favourite spots. It's at the 2nd floor, and it's peaceful during the evenings, compared to the concourse. Until I can find a more secluded place, this will be where I find peace and sanity.

There's some construction going on at the back. They say it's for the floating classes (Classes who do not have a fixed classroom.) Who is this 'they' that I keep mentioning? Ah, that's a secret.

The 1Malaysia plain.

This door here is located at the back of the small campus. It's current use is to pave the way to Narnia the nearest Ramadhan bazaar which is usually held during... You guessed it, the month of Ramadhan.

And this here is the BBQ thingy. (Sorry, I forgot what it's really called.) Can be used for any event. You need to book for usage. 'But I dunno how to BBQ!' Don't you fret, incompetent little child. For just a small amount of money (per person) Someone will prepare the whole feast for you~!

 When it's said like that, it doesn't seem fun, does it? It's nicer to try BBQing on your own. At least you can say you did it as you munch at the burnt products. As they say, money can't buy experience.

The Music Room. The Music Club frequently gather and practice here. It is advisable not to disturb them during practice. I learnt that the hard way. As usual.

This here is the recreation centre. You can play squash and ping pong, or hit the gym. 

*Gee, now that there's a free gym at a walking distance, there should be no excuses not to lift weights, right Ash? Right right rig-* Ahahaha, keep telling yourself that, brain.

Oh. Did I mention we have KFC here? See, even though we're situated in the middle of nowhere, we do have some nice things around the campus.

KOLEJ FOOD COURT (KFC)

(Insert sound of hearts smashing into million pieces here)

 Now, off to the dorms~ The whole student body is divided into 6 blocks, with boys occupying Blocks A, B and C, and girls conquering Blocks D, E, and F. Of course, the 6 blocks are separated by a road, boys and girls on each side. Only our morality keeps us from going over to the other side and do the unthinkable.

That, and possibly an invisible force field that turns on at night.

This is Block C, a.k.a MY BLOCK. :D Looks very school-ish, no? 

My room's located at the first floor, right on the right side of the staircase.

Tadaa~ May I present to you my room! A room evidently made for only 1 tenant, it looks small in the photo. In real life... It's smaller. XD Oh, there is the option of choosing who you want your roommate to be, if you have someone in mind. Mind you, you are going to be stuck with them for TWO WHOLE YEARS, so it is wise of them to give us the choice. I was stuck between going with someone I know (There are two other people from my school), or just leave it to fate.
 I chose the latter. Alhamdulillah, I received a very nice roommate. :D :D :D

Still think it sucks to be here? Have a look at this:

Our clothes hang in mid-air! Pure awesomeness!
Does your place have it? :P

The playground: A place for us students to blow some steam

The start of a surprisingly long jogging track.

Softball and football field~

So, there you have it. I've shown you around a good part of my school college. This is where I'll be living for the next two years. A place in the middle of nowhere, with the nearest shopping mall being a half hour away. A place where the signal is bad. A place that feels just like school, having to call your lecturers 'teachers', and assignments 'homeworks'.

 Sounds bad, don't it? But look at the bright side; we'll be focused without any distractions, our eyes and hands won't be glued to our smartphones and laptops 24/7, and we'll still have our studying mood going on. Don't judge a book by its cover. Being here will bring out the best in us.

 To sum it up, this place is good for those who wanna study, and go far in life, distance and careerwise. It's bad for those who loathed their 12-13 years of school, and relished at the thought of freedom in college/university, but realised that their next two years will also be very, very school-like. But I assure you, this place is awesome.

 Oh, did I forget to mention? They're making a swimming pool here too. AWESOME.

 P.S: If there are any mistakes, please let me know. Questions are also welcome, but I've only been here for a month, so meh. I will probably upload more pics of the college. It'll depend on my ever-changing mood.

Butter Cake Recipe!!!

  You are one lucky reader to have found this place. I'm feeling especially generous today, so today, I will be handing down, to you, a secret family recipe that was inherited since 250 years ago. But there is one flaw to this appreciative gesture: I don't have a 250-year-old secret family recipe (Or do I...?). So I'll just have to make do with a butter cake recipe, ripped off straight from the newspaper.

 The other day (1st June. to be exact.), my dad found a little something between the pages of the newspaper that he'd like to try; a butter cake recipe. When he said 'I wanted to try it', he meant 'I will drag my son down to the kitchen to help me'. So after a week of delays, he finally dragged me into the kitchen, and got started.

 Here are the ingredients you are gonna need:

• 250g butter
• 210g castor sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 200g self-raising flour, sifted with 1/2 teaspoon salt, and
• 4 tablespoon fresh UHT milk

Ze Instructions!:

1) Grease and line a 20cm cake tin with greased greaseproof paper. Preheat ze oven to 170° C.

It said to do it first, but we put it last on ze list. Yeah, we're rulebreakers, and proud of it.
Plus, I dunno why the empty tin was in there.

2) Cream the butter and sugar until light and creamy. One way to make sure that it's creamy (Because I didn't know how to recognize it, even when I'm facing it.) is that the butter does not stick to the whisk.

3) Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until mixture is light and creamy. Than add the essence.

4) Fold in sifted flour gradually to mix, before finally adding the milk. Mix until well combined.

Yup, that's well combined alright. I guess. Creamy yellow mess.

5) Turn out mixture into prepared tin. Level out the mixture at the sides but allow a shallow well in the centre. The keyword is SHALLOW. This is to enable the cake to level up evenly during ze baking.
   
    As you can see below, my dearest father did not listen to his son's constant disagreeing mumbles. Let's see what happens...

Not shallow enough, dad. Not shallow enough.

6) Bake in pre-heated oven for 55-60 minutes or until cooked through when tested with a skewer.

Optional Waiting Activities:

• Dance to a song (In my case, Bruno Mar's 'Treasure)
• Show dancing moves to mother. (This is a risky activity, as it can cause the mother to start her lecture on colleges and the importance of education. This will depend on the attitude of mothers.)
• Let sofa swallow you into comfort as you watch the latest episode of your fave TV show
• Watch curiously at the oven as the tin spins around for the hour.

 7) Let it cool before serving the cake.

  And we're done. :) As I proceeded to slice the cake, my baby bro pointed out how familiar it seemed to him. I stared at the cake, slowly realising the likeness of the cake.

Like a burnt pimply pellet-eating, ghost-chomping arcade character.

Also, we noticed the peculiar bump of the cake. Then I remember that it was due to the lack of shallowness and the ignorance of a certain person.

This is clearly a case of ididn'tlistentomyawesomeson-tis.

It was delicious. :D And I'm gonna attempt the second time this evening, so I'll try to upload the pics as soon as possible. In the meantime, you can either try this recipe, or continue drooling at the images of the awesomely home-made creation. ;)