Our Crib

The view from the frontThe view at the back yard

NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab

Little that i know i was photographing a model NASA's space craft named "Phoenix" which landed on planet MARS a few days ago.

Honour All @ John Marshall High

We attended our eldest daughter's Honour all Ceremony. She's attending the School of Advanced Studies program run by John Marshall High. This program is intended to nurture the gifted students so they can reach their educational excellence in a shorter time. I can see that a majority of the students are of south east asian ethnicity. Maybe thats why America is well known because it is a culmination of great minds and talents.

Strawberries

The strawberries are bigger this year due to the favourable weather.The one i have in my hand is by far the biggest I've seen. The taste is mildy sweet. Smaller ones are sweeter.

Strawberry Season Again

I guess the strawberry season is back and the berries are bigger.















































The tree at my back yard turned purple.

The Fountain of Americana @ Brand

Americana @ Brand

Some shots i took at a shopping arcade that recently opened at the City of Glendale. The landscape is similar to the one found in the Grove @ Los Angeles.

Fun Day with LA's Best

LA's Best is an after school enrichment program run by LA Unified School District (LAUSD).In LA School starts fm 8am to 2pm. Some children in lower grades ages 5 to 13, their parents are unable to pick them up as most work normally finish at 3 or 5pm. So the kids remains at school after the academic session is done for the day. This is where LA's Best comes in. They offer after school enrichment program. Its supervised by young adults. Besides caring for the students the kids are instructed to play games,art works,handi craft etc. This keeps the kids out of mischief and safety is the utmost priority. The kids gets healthy snacks too. The program starts from 2.30pm till 6pm. Only authorised adults besides the parents can pick the kids up.

On Saturday May 10, LA's Best organised a fun trip for the children accompanied by their parent or guardian. There are about 200 elementary schools within LA county participating. It was held at a water recreational park called "Raging Waters" in San Dimas. The whole park was closed for LA's Best. When we arrived the temp was 15 deg C. but despite that the kids still took to the water. By afternoon the temp was more conducive for water activites. We really enjoyed it.Thanks LA's Best. What will we do without you...















































These are the ladies of LA's Best which takes care of the children at Micheltorena Elementary,the school where my youngest daughter attends.

Cinco De Mayo

This festival celebrates Mexico's Independence from colonizing forces. This is my youngest daughter's first participation in celebrating event.

My Kidz

We've been blessed with 2 girls and 1 boy. Sharifah Yasmine is our eldest daughter. Syed Muaz is the only boy in the family just like me. Then there's Sharifah Nadine, our youngest. My children as far as their own identity crisis is concern is even worse than me. They are half of what I am and the other half is of Filipino origin. But that does not matter. What matters is the kind of human being they will grow up to become in time and what contribution they will make towards society and humanity.

My Family

This is one of the very few family foto that i have in my possesion. We took this in a studio in Seria. We're just a family of 4. I think i managed to squeeze in a " Peace" sign on both my hand after being told not to do so by my parents and the photographer. It was the "IN THING" to do during those days when taking photos. I think it still is. The japanese girls do it all the time when taking photos.

My dad is of Arab descendant from the "ALIDRUS" clan. That's as far as i know. My granddad on my dad's side hails from Penang. I was told he was a policeman. He came to Sarawak as an imam where he met my grandmother. They later went to Labuan and on to Brunei. My dad told me that in the family there were 4 children but 2 died during the Japanese occupation leaving my dad and his elder sister.

My mom hails from Taiping Perak of West Malaysia. She came over to Brunei. My mom's ethnic is Eurasian. It means to be of European and Asian descendants. She has 1 brother and 2 sisters.

I wonder what is my identity as far as ethnicity goes??? Anyway what matters most is that we have lived a pleasant life thanks to living in Brunei all those years. Theres no other country that can compare to Brunei Darussalam in terms of the pace and peacefullness of life. Hope fully we can maintain the harmony of life in years to come Insyallah....Amin ya rabul alamin.