Kids dental class

I took the last Friday afternoon off, to bring all my three children to our Company's Health Centre 'Dental Class'. There were about a dozen children participating, and they showed slides, used models of huge toothbrush and teeth set to teach on how to take good dental care. 

I also learnt a lot, especially how to gently brush my teeth - previously I will wear out the toothbrush within a month, as in my mind, the plaque really needs a good strong brushing to take off... how wrong I was. And I would put the paste all over the bristles, just like they showed on TV....apparently all you need is just a pea-size. Commercials can be misleading, huh!

Anyway, kids enjoyed it and I get first hand impression of how Muhammad is in class, very eager to answer questions from the presenter. One funny one was - what should you look for in a toothpaste?. Muhammad answered - CAP HALAL!  It was hilarious! We taught him well...

Enjoy.

The dental staff showing how to scrub brush the teeth

The kids gargled with a special dye, which can show which part of the teeth that were not brushed properly....

The dye will stick to the plaques, which wasn't brushed away properly

  

Really glad that my kids enjoyed this.

Project One Click One Pic @ 24 October 2009

Last Saturday, I participated in the "Project One Click One Pic", the World's Largest Photography Project Ever undertaken, where in a single moment in time people from all over the world will simultaneously take a photo capturing the earth as it was on the 24th of October 2009 at 8.00am Queensland Australia time(GMT +10.00).

This is my contribution, out of possibly a dozen taken during that one minute once the clock chimed 6.

Shadows of 69

As part of the BSRC Photography Section committee, I joined the team for the rehearsal tonight for the event tomorrow.... Hari Raya event. I know. Its Dzulqaedah, no longer Syawal, but it's just that during Syawal nobody is around possibly to do this event.

Anyway, I can sense tomorrow's event will be a success based on the rehearsal.... miles better than last year's. Good luck for tomorrow.

Here's a nice shadow pic of the MCs for tomorrow, Kumpulan 69 Beracun (i think). They are HILARIOUS!

4 legs and a ball

My thinking girl

Weekend at the Empire

Last weekend, my wife and I decided to make full use of the reward voucher that I had, to surprise our children for a weekend stay at The Empire Hotel & Country Club.

I got the voucher back in July, for helping out the team to resolve issues. Put it simply, it involved numerous trips to Bandar, not mentioning table bangings but also good food!

Anyway, to put it to full use, we offered the stay previously as carrots to Muhammad and Iman to complete their 30 day fast in the holy month of Ramadhan. Muhammad completed but Iman had to stop for a week to take her antibiotics.

Muhammad and Iman had frequented this place with us, with Muhammad the most with 8 and Iman possibly 5, but this was Aaeeshah's 1st, which she thoroughly enjoyed, showing by her insistence to stay in the water as well as running through the long marble and thick carpet adorned hallways.

Will I stay here again? Perhaps, although there need to be a serious improvement on the check in services.... I confirmed booking on Saturday (repeated it three times over the phone, Saturday and 24 October), only to be told I was booked for Thursday 22 October; then I have to be put on queue for 30 minutes (it wasn't even busy) and they gave us a room facing an alley, warm aircon, smoking floor (my mistake, I didn't specify though) and quite a walk from the lift. Thanks to my dear wife, she insisted to the front desk that we get a room with working aircons and close to the lift. Thank goodness that the supervisor saw our records and noted that in the past we always asked for rooms near the lift.

So, again I ask myself, will I stay here again. Yes. A definite yes. Of course at BND250 (for main building room) it is more expensive than some hotels in the neighbouring countries, at least to me and the family, for this trip we can just stay or a day or two and relax, without the hassles of flying.

Enough of me babbling, and do enjoy the photos below.

My kids, they were all surprised! My wife and I got kisses and hugs. We love you too kids.

From left, Izzan 'Aaeeshah, Iman 'Aaliyah and Muhammad 'Abdurrahman

Each with their own poses

Having fun with Aaeeshah... the rare occasion I came in front of the lens

The hotel electric cart got hijacked !

In the room . . . Aaeeshah with her signature grin and Iman getting cosy in bed with daddy.

Below are the pics of my kids amidst the beautiful scenes and architectures of the famed The Empire Hotel

The Thirty Seconds Quiz ~ Great Lesson

I got the following via email. Very interesting as it is so true... the teachers, the friends, special people, people I love spending time with        


The Thirty Second Quiz                         Author Unknown       


Don't bother getting a pen and paper... just read... if you can't answer them, just keep going.   
1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.   
2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.   
3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America contest.   
4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer prize.   
5. Name the last five Academy Award winners for Best Actor and Actress.   


How did you do?  The point is, none of us remembers the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They're the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.  Now here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:   


1. Name three teachers who aided your journey through school.   
2. Name three friends who helped you through a difficult time.   
3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.   
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.  
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.   


Easier?  The lesson?   The people who make a difference in your life aren't the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They're the ones who care and make a difference!        

Chung Ching School Seria 71st Anniversary

When the opportunity to work with a prominent photographer came up, I wasted no time to accept (ok, I took a couple of days check if there is any function with the family :)). He was invited by Chung Ching Middle School in Seria to cover the school's 71st Anniversary dinner event, and invited Gavin Goh, Husini Bakar and myself to come along.

The night event, a mixed of dimmed lights as well as colourful spot lights, plus the dancing movements demanded a lot from our equipment. I am lucky my best buddy loaned me his Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 lens, it is a superb lens, very sharp and at f/2.8, is fit for this occasion.

We learnt a lot from the sifu, and I hope to get more opportunities to learn from him.

Enjoy the pics. For some more, please visit my facebook album

sifu n sifee? (mentor n mentee)

offerings

silky fingers

emotion

what was that?

Jump!

Run!

Excited

food!

The mime performance lit only by UV light was very nice, especially with background song of "What a wonderful world" by Louis Armstrong

These little girls wanted to give the little flowers to their friends (or was it teachers) performing on stage

This standing chinese uncle tried to chat in chinese with me. Do I look less Malay and more chinese? or the fact that it is a chinese school event hehe?

Gavin in action

Home Renovation

I don't suppose it is just us humans who would like to renovate the home. Growing up I always like to think that this is crabs way to renovate their home. I love the details of the tracks left by the rolls of sands in this picture

Holy Excitement

Aaeeshah is always excited whenever she gets the chance to pray together with us.

Father and Son

BSP Finance Beach Cleaning Campaign

As part of Brunei Shell Finance Department's HSSE (Health Safety Security and Environment) monthly activity, the team has arranged for a Beach Cleaning campaign near the Billionth Barrel monument in Seria today.

It has been a couple of years since we have done the beach cleaning, and it was great to be back, to offer what little we could to help keep the environment clean. Still it saddens to see how people can be so ignorant and opted to just chuck their rubbish (plastic bags, bottles, drinks) anywhere they like, instead of bringing it back and dispose properly. Less they know that if they continue such attitude, they won't be able to enjoy the nice clean beach for long.

Here are some of the pictures during the event , but you can view at my facebook for more.

The nice long walkway leading to the Billionth Barrel monument

The monument as viewed from the beach

Plaque commemorating the 75th Anniversary of Oil and Gas industry in Brunei

Some of the BSP Finance team who made it to the event

These things intrigued me. Apparently they are metal stubs... initially I thought it is one of those things you would associate with superstitious activities

The beach looks clean, but when we walk along we found lots of rubbish almost hidden under the sand.

Team lead for the day, proudly wearing the HSSE shirt

The team in full force

Marc showing his lifting prowess..... safety first, bend at your knees, not your back!

Din working tirelessly

The ladies with youngest participant