Thursday, October 06, 2005

Ramadan Blues

It's 5.44am now, the second day of the 30-or-so days of the fasting months, aka Ramadan.

To me, Ramadan means family time, time to get together. Sadly, as we're in the middle of the semester, it's not possible.

Actually, it's the butt-end of the semester. Finals are approaching fast, and so does the crunch time for finishing homeworks and assignments. So I guess the Fasting Month is a kinda of closure to the semester. Hm.

Oh, this is my first time fasting in Shah Alam, and my fourth outside from my home. And it's kinda tough to adapt.

I can't remember my first time of fasting outside Perlis. I know it was during my MMU days. I totally cannot recall my first Puasa over there. But I still remember the consecutive Puasas over the years.

I guess I was in the Taman Melawis house. I remember getting up in the wee hours to go get the sahur food. We had to walk (or cycle, we had bikes) up to the front of the housing area and eat at RSU or that PAS-supporters' diner. Political affiliations aside, we had a good meal, in the mist of morning. Yes, it's really cold at 4am, but we have the warmth of our friends to survive the morning. Always being together through thick and thin. Ah, the good ol' days.

The breaking of the fast is a colorful affair too. Food are always abundant, and colorful. One could get dizzy just looking at the food, or maybe it's just the hunger pangs that struck at the worst possible moment, heh.

I guess Shah Alam is no different after all. It's a bigger, nastier place, but the magic is still there. Colorful food in the evening, cold temperature in the morning, and the warmth of friends all around.

As yesterday was the first day of puasa, it was kinda hellish. Not about me, but the city. The traffic was a killer. People racing to get back home. Could you believe that the road was congested? But then again, this is a city, and this is expected. Oh god, the traffic jams...

I guess, as the days roll by, we'll get used to this. It was just day one. I guess things will get better today, and the day after. It always have.

In other news, I was in stitches after listening to Pablo's rendition of ABBA's "Thank you for the music." All I can say is, you have to see it for yourself. I mean, it was her expression that was the killer. And the song itself, my god.

Oh, my dad's comin' to town today. Atok Jabar's getting sick again, and he's at my uncle's house in Sungai Buloh. Sigh. I'm gonna pick up my dad and go to Sg.Buloh together.

RLC.