Berani kerana sengkek.

Lama sungguh tidak diupdate blog ku ini. Sejak dua menjak nie, memang sering sibuk. Selain dari kerja research yang harus dibuat, ader juga hobi baru sekarang nie, yang mengambil masa dari activity blogging. Antara hobi yang terbaru ini ialah hobi menjadi mekanik kereta. Ada juga hobi hiking, hobi rock-climbing, hobi berjogging, hobi swimming, tetapi, hari ini, nak cerita pasal hobi menjadi mekanik kereta.

Hobi mekanik kereta ini bukan lah sesuatu yang datangnya dari minat. Tetapi datangnya secara tak sengaja. Mulanya begini, pada suatu hari jumaat yang lepas, saya mengambil masa untuk menghantar kereta ku untuk diservis. Sudah lama kereta ku ini tidak diservis. Kalau tengok ikut mileage, memang sudah tiba masa untuk masuk ke bengkel untuk menukar minyak hitam. Pagi itu, setelah memanaskan, saya mula berjalan ke bengkel berdekatan untuk menukar minyak hitam. Elok pagi itu juga, kereta ku mula merengek. Ada pula bunyi pelik dekat tayar. Tapi saya tak layan perangai mengada-ngada kereta ku, dah terus berjalan ker bengkel.

Sampai dibengkel, ku sampaikan hajatku ke mekanik orang putih tersebut untuk menukar minyam hitam kereta ku. Sambil itu, ku arahkan mekanik tersebut untuk tengok kan ape yang kereta ku itu sibuk merengek dibahagian tayar. Seteleh diangkat kereta ku, mekanik tersebuk turun dibawah kereta dengan penyuluh lampu dan kembali dengan kerut-kerut di dahi sambil senyum cover line. Saya dapat rasakan yang mekanik ini sudah tahu banyak benda yang perlu ditukar dan inilah peluangnya untuk mengetuk licin pocket mamat melayu nie. Apa yang diperhatikan mekanik tersebut ialah break pad depan kereta telah haus. Jadi itulah punca merengek kereta itu. Tambah lagi katanya, disc break rotor di tayar belakang sudah habis berkarat dan tidak ader grip, sambil break padnya juga sudah haus. Semua ini perlu ditukar katanya. Saya menyuruh mekanik tersebut membuat anggaran cost untuk membaiki semua yang rosak. Setelah sepuluh minit, dia kembali dengan anggaran sebanyak USD150 utk break pad dibahagian depan, dan USD300 utk menukar disc rotor dan break pad dibahagian belakang.

Tanpa termasuk servis, sudah USD450. Terkejut beruk saya, tetapi masih buat tenang. Saya kata, tunggu sebentar, kena pulang rumah tanya tuan rumah dulu. Saya ni tukang hantar kereta sahaja untuk diservis. Jadi mekanik tadi dengan kecewa, mengatakan, baiklah, dengan berat hati dia melepaskan saya dengan harapan akan kembali untuk menukar semua masalah break.

Setelah pulang, bermula lah hobi saya sebagai mekanik. Puas saya google untuk mencari tutorial. Terutamanya, utk menukar break pad dan disc break rotor. Semua nie sebab saya nie dah sengkek, tak sanggup nak bayar mekanik USD450. Kalau dulu takut benar untuk membuka screw kereta, tapi kerana nak jimat punya pasal, kenalah berani.

Setelah beberapa tutorial online, dan merasa yakin. Saya pergi mendapatkan alat-alat untuk membuat kerja mekanik ini sendiri. Saya beli, jack stand (bukan jack kereta, ini sudah default ader dalam kereta) supaya boleh jack kereta dan biar kereta landing dan berdiri atas dua kaki jack stand ini. Dengan adernya jack stand, bolehlah saya duduk bawah kereta membaiki apa-apa yang patut tanpa risau jack kereta tergelincir, gagal ataupun jatuh. Juga dibeli beberapa spanar untuk membuat kerja. Semua cost tersebut, termasuk break pad ceramic untuk depan dan belakang, hanya lebih kurang USD180.

Setelah tukar break pad tayar depan, minat pula saya untuk membetulkan kereta sendiri. Keesokkannya pula, saya membaiki disc break tayar belakang dan tukar break pad. Puas hati juga dapat membetulkan kereta sendiri. Selama nie tak tahu bukan nya susah sangat untuk membuat kerja mekanik ini sendiri.

Inilah Disc break kereta saya yang dah habis berkarat. Hanya separuh jer yang dicengkam, separuh lagi, dibahagian luar disc break habis dah jadi rapuh bersisik-sisik dengan karat. Sebelum masuk musim sejuk, kena lah tukar. Kalau tak, bahaya, kerana jalan licin dan campuran salji dengan garam yang ditabur untuk mencairkan salji akan menyebabkan karat ini menjadi lebih teruk. Oleh yang demikian, bahagian disc break rotor dan break pad kereta ini kena lah ditukar dengan segera. Barulah saya faham aper yang dimaksudkan mekanik tu dulu. Ingat kan nak ketuk saya jer.

Tapi dia ketuk part labor cost dan parts tu rasanya dia markup lah 100%. Yang puas hati bila buat sendiri, kita dapat pilih sendiri parts tu dari kedai dan tahu quality aper yang kita nak letak. Contohnya, untuk tayar belakang nie, saya pakai standard metalic base break pads. Tapi yang belah depan, saya pakai ceramic break pads. Ceramic break pads nie best, lebih senyap dan bersih tanpa habuk. Ini penting sebab tayar depan nie lah yang break banyak buat kerja untuk bentikan keta. Kalau pakai metalic base, banyak habuk lah dan bising pula bila kita break kuat. Tambah pula sebab habuk yang banyak, kena lah cuci tayar kereta selalu.

Kalau boleh, untuk disc break rotor belakang nie nak pakai yang mahal punya sikit. Tapi aper nak buat, nak jimat. Jadi saya beli lah yang standard punya disc break rotor. Janji ader warranty 2 tahun, dan tahan karat. Ader juga disc break rotor yang lagi murah, tapi takut tak tahan lah pulak. Ader juga disc break rotor yang cantik, siap ader lubang-lubang perhiasan untuk prestasi breaking yang hebat. Tapi yerlah, bukannya saya nak bawak racing. Bawak gie berjalan jer. Jadi buat masa nie cukup lah dengan standard rotor jer.

Kent State U Climbing Gym

I have started a new hobby while I'm here. My new hobby is doing more sports, so that I can stay fit and happy. How is doing sports can possibly make one happy? Well, supposedly, more workout, produces more endorphins and endorphins suppose to make you happy[1]. So I have done a lot of running, swimming, trekking, bowling and the most recent one, rock climbing.

The thing with rock climbing is you need at least one friend to belay you as you climb the rock. Fortunately, recently, I managed to "racun" (coerced) my friend to start rock climbing. After much resistance, he eventually gave up and succumbed to my constant sales pitch about how cool rock climbing would be.

So we went to rock climbing gym in Kent State U, and started to register to take the examination for license to climb. We had a 30 minute safety instructions course, and the next day, we were ready to climb. The gym has a few nice beginner walls as well as some pretty challenging walls. Some are artificial holds (a point where you can hold on to, which could be a rock or a crack on a rock), and some are natural holds (not really natural, just meant to look like a real rock rather than something protuding out of the wall). Aside from the walls, they do have a nice bouldering rock with a nice overhang setup to test your upside down cliff hanger skills. Of course they provide cushions underneath the overhang just incase you fall. The picture above shows the boulder rock.

After about a few climbs, we decided to go check out some gears at a outdoor store. I have most of the rock climbing equipment, but I do not have a nice belaying device. I preferred using the figure of 8 before, but for some reason, using an ATC would be easier for my climbing buddy to start learning how to belay me. So I bought a sports ATC that would be easier to belay. A sports ATC is like any other ATC except that it is only for one rope. Hence, it can't be used for rappelling and it is mostly used only for sport climbs. However, because its small, and only for one rope, it seems to balance better while you are belaying. And it makes you perform better while you are belaying. Plus it gives you the needed friction, with the ridges at the opening. Of course, when it comes to climbing equipment, I prefer to use Black Diamond stuff. So previously I've bought a Black Diamond harness, Black Diamond Carabiner and a Black Diamond figure of 8, well now I got a Black Diamond, silver colored sports ATC[2]. I bought it at the Appalachian outfitters[3] which was about 20 minutes away from Kent.

Other than that, I also got myself a nice climbing/hiking pants. When choosing a climbing pants, its important that its light, and also flexible. So I got myself the North Face Meridian surplus convertible pants[4]. This long pants can be converted to shorts when you want it to by unzipping it at the knee. The nicest thing about it, is the material. It is superlight, and the material gives you freedom in movement. Plus, its also very breathable. It dries up superfast and makes your figure looks great. Okay, the last one is just an exaggeration. But, unfortunately, it was hard finding a size for me. Since the pants here are made for Americans. Minimum inseam is 32, and minimum waist is 30. So its hard for me, since my inseam is 30 and my waist is 28. I had to go to the boys section to find a pants that fit me. So in the US, I'm still a little boy.

I hope eventually, I will get to climb the rocks outdoors. There are some beautiful places around, but its been a while since I've climb, so I need to warm up first before I go out climbing and bouldering. However, in preparation, I need to drink a lot of water. And because I'm an outdoor lover nowadays, I support to keep the world a greener place. Hence, to show my support for a greener world, I bought the nalgene[5] water bottle and joined the pledge to reduce the number of water bottles in landfills. Nalgene water bottles are free from BPA, which makes it suitable to be recycled to create other water bottles, food containers and what not. This pledge is part of the filter for good program [6]. Why I choose the color green, well, I don't know, maybe its because of the greener world effort, or maybe, its just Islamic....:)


After much exercise, Paul and I went to Cheesecake factory to treat ourselves to some sweets. The strawberry cheesecake is the best here in Cheesecake factory. The environment is awesome, but the food is sinful. The cheesecake alone could be like 1000 calorie. But who cares, what's the point of playing hard if you can't enjoy the food. I play hard, I should be allowed to eat like a pig too. So here I am sinking my teeth into me delicious strawberry cheesecake.



References:
[1] http://yourtotalhealth.ivillage.com/endorphins-101-your-guide-natural-euphoria.html?pageNum=2
[2] http://blackdiamondequipment.com/gear/atc_sport.php
[3] http://www.appalachianoutfitters.com/ao/index.asp
[4] http://www.thenorthface.com/catalog/sc-gear/boys-pants-shorts/boys-meridian-surplus-convertible-pant.html
[5] http://www.nalgene-outdoor.com/
[6] http://www.filterforgood.com/login.php

Pinoy puki-puki masarap

Now, some of you might have reach my blog by accident, or you may actually know me--not necessarily mean that I would know you, but who cares. My ramblings are usually about nothing and it never seems important enough to read, and you may already know that about me. Since I'm such a showoff:). But I'm sure you are now reading it to this point, just because you saw the word "puki"[1] and that made you curious. If you are a guy, you're thinking that this entry must be something naughty and dirty, and you just have to find out, right?And if you are a girl, I'm sure you saw the word "puki" and though in a less imaginative state than guys would be, would be as curious and would just like to find out too. So read on....  

Recently, my mind often wonders back home--across the oceans, across the deep blue seas--to my humble home in Shah Alam. Don't know why, but I guess its true what the famous adage says, "there is no place like home", and that it is just normal to miss the place where you grew up. The familiar faces, the familiar decor, the familiar colors and smells that we take for granted from the time moment we were born.

I would like to talk about something delicious. "Pinoy puki-puki masarap" loosely translated means filipinos puki-puki is delicious. But I'm sorry to disappoint all of you, this entry has nothing to do with something dirty and naughty. This entry is about something delicious. Well, wait guys and gals, dont be dirty minded, not that kind of delicious. What I mean by delicious is that puki-puki[2] is a kind of signature dish from phillippines. Now, being half filipino, I was obviously brought up to eat puki-puki almost every week. In fact, puki-puki--sometimes spelled as pooky-pooky, or pookey-pookey--is my favorite dish, and I love it soo much. Whether you decide to eat it with rice, or just spread it on bread, it is still a delicious and healthy dish no matter how you decide to chew it down. Puki-puki can be classified as a vegetable dish, and hence it is good for those of you who wants to keep slim and healthy.

So since I miss home so much, i tried to cook myself puki-puki[2], and another dish called mince beef with potatos, which was also another pinoy cooking that my mom used to make for us.  I started with a recipe given by kak Shima[2] who was also interested in making some puki-puki.

I started by following exactly the recipe given at a website[2]. I started with two nice clean eggplants. And started to grill them on top of a stove. I used to remember mom doing this. She always told me, remember to make sure to burn it until it is charred. So here are some pictures of my silly attempt. 

After it is fully charred, you have to peel the charred eggplant's skin, and get the good tasting eggplant inside.

After that i followed the instructions given in the website[2] and added beaten eggs. I should have just put in one beaten egg, but silly me, I thought more is better, so the output was a bit different from what it should look like. However, it taste as good. 

After puki-puki, i tried the recipe my mom mailed me to make mince beef with potatos. The recipe is attached in the mail snippet below:

-----Mom's mail--------------------------

Ingredients:

1.Garlic -  half clove

2.Onions -  half big

3.Tomatoes - four big

4.Fish sauce -  two laddles

5.Mince beef  -  half kilo 

6.Potatoes  -  three small

7.Oil 

Saute garlic, onions and tomatoes till soft. Add mince beef and the fish sauce , till oil comes out and the beef fried dry. Add water , say four cups and boil . Slow down fire when the water boils and let the soup simmer for fifteen minutes. Add the chopped potatoes  and continue boiling till potatoes are cooked. Add a pince of salt to taste and pepper to taste. Can also add carrots or capsicon.

 

Enjoy cooking. Love Mom

---------------------------------------------

Anyway, after all that cooking, I was ready to eat....my pinoy homecook meal....it was just delicious, you can really taste the charred eggplant taste, and the delightful potatos.:)

Footnote & References:

[1] Puki is a female body part in the Malay language

[2] Puki-puki, http://mines45.multiply.com/recipes