Celebrating everyday

1.
When we were at the Neuro Ward, there was a Chinese man in the same room with Abah. He's a bus driver and was warded due to sudden heavy headache and a stroke, at the age of early 40. Mak & Abah became friends with the family and we were quite sad when we had to leave them behind - he was going for a more serious treatment and it would cost him about Rm60k or so - Mak hugged the wife of the bus driver and even Abah who has yet to recover, had shown on his face a glimpse of sadness and hope for the family. I would say that moment was a true definition of 1Malaysia. I wished them all the best and told them not to worry so much, because the doctors have mentioned he can recover really soon and all he need was a proper rest for at leas two weeks.

2.
What struck me was this - even on his first hour of being warded, the bus driver has been calling all the parents of the school children to mention his situation. The wife talked to Mak and told Mak that they were worried because they could not send and fetch the school children and some of the parents were not happy about it.....some scolded them, some even hung up the phone and blamed them for not being able to do what they were supposed to do.
...this made the couple really sad and worried.
But Mak did told them, what more important is to focus on getting well soon and they would be able to do business again once the husband is back to normal. They cannot do much about the arrogant and inconsiderate parents.

3.
What has become to our society? Why do we have such parents with no heart at all? Even if you pay somebody to do some service it does not mean they are your slaves and have to serve you every single day regardless what condition they are in. Why are they so arrogant and stupid to treat the very responsible bus driver like that? How can he drive the bus if he's suffering a stroke? They'd rather put the life of their kids at risk than taking a couple of hours off for the next couple of weeks to send and fetch their kids? Arrogant, stupid, inconsiderate, no heart at all.

4.
Like it or not, this is our society. Now. Today.
Not unlike it was back in the 70's. Or maybe 60's and before.
Why?
I don't have the answer....do you?


5.
...what I know is this - for the years I have been on the high floor of what used to be the tallest building in the world, I tend to set aside certain values when it comes to family matters.
Now, ever since I am out of the corporate world, I realized that what matters most is nothing but the family, relatives and the good friends that you have around you, who'd be there to support and help you in any way they can.
At the same time, I realized that there are so many things that I consciously took for granted - all those years mentioned - and now I realized that some simple things that we'd took for granted are actually what makes our life more meaningful and rich. It's too difficult for me to explain...but that's how I see it.

6.
The shot above is of a chicken satay and "lontong" - a Javanese dish normally served during Eidulfitri in our family. Arwah Nenek (Abah's mum) used to make lontong for Eid and coupled with her own recipe of ayam kampung masak kicap....it's probably the only thing I'd devour for the duration we would be in our kampung - Kg Parit Lapis Mahang, Batu Pahat.

...but we have not been having lontong for years...ever since Nenek passed away (mentioned in this blog too). When we discovered a good tasting satay, served with ketupat and lontong very recently, we packed enough for the family to celebrate Alisya's 8th birthday....boy oh boy, were we happy to see Abah enjoying the lontong...after missing it for so many years.

7.
As I mentioned....my priorities has changed. I would spend more time to look after my kids and my parents now. Even if it means I am not going to have as much time to do business and shoot for my personal documentary projects.

8.
The friends and relatives that you may expect to be there to provide some help, hope and whatever, may not be the ones that would be there at all to support you, for whatever reasons they may have. No use lamenting about it. You're just wasting your time because they would not spend a time nor a dime to support you anyway....in the first place, if you think about it, you don't actually need those kind of people to be in your life, not at all, never.

9.
Celebrate everyday like it is the final day of your life with your loved ones...and those who matters to you.
For the rest of the other people, they'd be "busy celebrating" their every days too...the big difference would be that their focus is not on "celebrating"....but on being "busy"....

...from generation to generation

1.
Some instances - looks, habits, way we do stuffs, even fate perhaps - that we have been living with, are perhaps being "inherited" from our father and grandfathers...and maybe being passed on to our next generation. Maybe we have not realized it or maybe we'd realized it a bit too late...

One instance that I can claim being inherited from my Abah is - I end to doze in front the TV set if I am tired regardless how bad I need to view that particular program! :o) The funny thing about it is this - I used to laugh at Abah (and so did my kid bro & sis) when he dozed off....now I have that same habit and my kids laughed at me (including my little wifey too!)...heck I can even comprehend what they talked and laughed about even though I was half asleep (I think!).


2.
My parents are teachers, Abah teaches at some sekolah menengahs and Mak at sekolah rendah kebangsaans....of course they have retired for about a decade or so. That is perhaps another instance - teaching & disciplining students/ kids - which I somehow inherited from both of them. Boy oh boy were they strict when it comes to education - especially Mak. Abah is a bit on the relaxed side but from time to time he'd do a "full inspection" and the outcome would be almost the same like what Mak would prescript - if we do not complete or do well our study/ homework, of course. That's what I am doing to my kids now.

Some of my lecturers back in my studying days told me I can be a good educator, the way I present and explain stuff and how I performed in certain education-related subjects or courses....but my parents were against all of their kids to become teachers like them....ahaha!!

3.
I can still recall in my much much much younger years - before primary school - my parents used to bring me for a walk on the stretch of dirt road of our kampung and show me birds nests, make "baling-baling" using mangosteen leaves, make "rocket" using "lalang" leaves....and with the help of my Pak Uda (almarhum Tn Hj Abd. Rahman Harun), I'd also be "shooting" birds with his nicely crafted slingshot or bamboo machine-gun. There are photos of my dear cousins who pushed me in my stroller (with proper cap and shoes) on that same stretch of kampung road.

I guess I inherited that instance too....I spent hours on weekends walking, talking with my twins and Aliya when they were younger...not at their present age, I'll find ways to be their "friends" and do stuff together with them, with my little wifey too.
...oh yes, it's not going to be long before they'd want to do more stuuf with their friends than their parents - like we all used to when we reached certain age, of course - but before that happens, we'd grab all opportunity to do whatever we can with all of them, together.

...and I realized that was also what my parents did...the last opportunity was perhaps when we all did our hajj - the whole family, with money saved on monthly basis and all, before any of us got married. Couple of years before that they went to perform hajj with almarhumah Mak Tua - my Mak's mother, my grandmother of course.

They were happy to be able to perform hajj with their parents and next with their kids - that already fulfilled their ultimate ambition, as far as I know.

Alhamdulillah, they have reached their targeted ultimate ambition....and it doesn't involve anybody else but only the closest of the family members.

Now it's my turn to set my targets as far as the family is concerned.


4.
Those are just some examples. There are many more details and what we may categorized as not-so-worth-to-mentioned stuff in daily life that we may have inherited from our fore-fathers...and as we grew up and become more stronger than them, more educated than them, we'd be more occupied to the stuff that means so much to our future.
Then we have our kids..and truly enough everybody would want to give the best the can for their kids....in doing so, we tend to be occupied with whatever items that we mark as important and spend time on those items....
Before long, we are already wearing the title of a grandfather/grandmother....so, how have we spent our times? Have we spent enough and do enough for our loved ones? In the first place, do we really ask ourselves that question when we reached that age anyway?

5.
Maybe I am digressing....but to be frank, here I am, waiting for my Abah in the observation ward for the memory lost issue he's facing and it has struck me right in between the eyes - we'll only have one chance to take care of our kids, our father & mother....the time could not be reversed nor repeated.
I just told myself again, last night - no matter what is the number of RM I have in my banks, or how many gold bars I have in the vaults of those banks....it cannot be priced as precious as the time and that one chance to take care of the family.

6.
May Allah bless my family members, those older than me, those younger than me, those whom I have had the opportunity to spend my life with and those younger ones in the future when probably I would not be around anymore to kiss and hug....but for my future generations, please know this - I'd probably still be alive in all of you, as like all your forefathers did in me....and so would you, in your future generations....insyaAllah.

Candlelight

1.
Candlelight. A small source of light. Used to be the main source of light for those who came from kampungs, studying and completing homeworks, reciting al-Quran, shadow play - you guys still remember how to "draw" a rabbit using the light from a candle, your hands and the wall of your room as your canvas? :o)
This little source of light helps those knows how useful it is, to do everything else that one would be doing with the help of a modern light bulb nowadays....just like a piece of paper and a pen compared to an iPad or iPad2 or GalaxyTab or...oh well...you name it!!!


2.
So, we have progressed far from having a candle to read and do those humble stuff in the night as far as a kampung kid is concerned, to having what we have around us today.
The question is, have we progressed too? Maybe.

...but maybe not.


3.
With the light from the candle, our grand parents, parents, maybe some of us too, recited the al-Quran, woke up in the middle of the night for prayers, "talk" to Allah for hours...
With the modern light bulbs....are we not supposed to be able to recite the al-Quran more easily? Are we not supposed to be able to do the midnight prayer with more comfort?
Are we not supposed to be able to read the books and kitabs of Islam in a more comfortable environment?
Yes. Generally.

....but maybe not.


4.
There's so much more "interesting" things to be done with all the modern light bulbs compared to the candle.
A candlelight could not power up our Macintoshs...or PC for non-Mac users lah!
A candle light could not power up our modems.
A candle light could not blow cool breeze like our ceiling fans and air-conds.
How on earth are we gonna get connected to the world of internet with a candle in hand?

So, generally, the result modernization would normally bring us to more fun and interesting things to do and indulge in.

...but the candlelight is still used for certain occasions. I can think of two that would mostly involved the majority of us:
- marking the years of age on our birthday cakes
- lighting up the table for a romantic dinner (TNBs blackout is not in the equation though!!!)

So, it's still there. Existing in the middle of modernized and chaotic life we have.

...but maybe not.


5.
So much so, the existence of a candlelight is almost like existence of the teachings of Islam. To the very basic of it.
Let's just take one example - covering of aurah. It has been there for ages. The aurah of a Muslimin. The Aurah of a Muslimah. The teachings are there, still. The actual practicing of it...maybe yes.

...but maybe not.


6.
A couple of days ago, when we were having our family riadhah time, I saw the usual vision that we'd encounter every day of our life today - Muslimah - ladies, young, old, married or unmarried - walking around in short pants (or we are supposed call it hot-pants?)...riding on the motorbikes with their male partners, also in shorts or bermudas...
I told my lovely wife, back in kampung we used to have our non-Muslims villagers sporting those kind of attire but nowadays, the number of Muslimahs clad in the skimpy pants are just almost "at par"...perhaps.

Modernization? Maybe...to their own definition.

...but maybe not.
At least, not mine. (Maybe not yours too....Alhamdulillah).

7.
The sad thing is, we could not say much to them. They have all the reasons to counter back no matter how soft and sincere the way we try to tell them. Not all of them (Alhamdulillah to that!) but most of them, if not majority. They'll tend to get annoyed for being told about the teachings of Islam on aurah...but we just need to do what we are being told to do by Allah, the least would be to go against it in our heart....and make sure our kids won't belong to the same group when they reach the time.


8.
Going back to the candlelight...the fire is small. It gives benefits to those who knows how to appreciate it.
When the fire grew bigger...to the extreme end it would be as massive as the An-Nar.
Engulfed in the flames of An-Nar, the reward for those who are blunt and arrogant to accept the rules of Allah. As simple as that.
No argument....if you insist to have one, please reserve your argument when you are facing HIM in the HereAfter...


9.
Well, that's just one simple example. We can talk about solat too but as many would say - Hey dude, you'll go to your own grave, I'll go to mine.
...and I am not writing it here about the over-ridiculed busana Muslimah...maybe another day.
So, yeah, let them have it their way. As much as possible, we just do our part, at the very least, dislike it in our heart.


10.
At least we still have the time to repent.
And as I said earlier...with the light from the candle, our grand parents, parents, maybe some of us too, recited the al-Quran, woke up in the middle of the night for prayers, "talk" to Allah for hours...
With the modern light bulbs....are we not supposed to be able to all of the above in comfort and ease....?

So, are we doing it already?
InsyaAllah. Yes.

...no maybe. Just a solid YES.

11.
To each, his own.
Light a candle tonight and think about it.

Wassup Doc?

1.
The recent development (if I may use the word) in Malaysia's political scene is rather...urhm...tiring. Boring. Many would say it is almost the same story being repeated with different actors and directors. That DSAI sodomy trial that have been ongoing for many years. The ongoing investigation of the death of Beng Hock. The sex videos revealed by Datuk Trio team....the Omega watch that matters a lot to everybody involved...you can continue with the list (of the same ol' stories!!)
The impact would depends on the ability of the players to win the minds of the citizens - most are already been in deep fatigue and give no ratsarse except on matters that would hit them on their forehead immediately...or let's make it simple - they are just too occupied with the daily roles and responsibilities plus the always sought after opportunity to be in FacebookLand as much as possible...and for entertainment purposes the obvious option would be Astro's sickening antiques - reality shows the like of AkademiFantasia (45th? 67th? I dunno I don't bother following it!)...of course we also have the TV3 and the RTM channels' prime times, "purely entertaining"....

2.
With the elections coming up in Sarawak (sikda tiket untok sidak2 di Semananjung balit siya kah Pehin Sri?? Tehehehe!!) there are just too many "circus" being aired day in day out...promises here and there, one side accusing the other, the other accusing that one side...wahh...so busy lah everybody!! When the election is done...everything goes back to normal. Well maybe some development here and there but comes the next round, we'd probably realized that nothing much that was being promised is actually being done....true?

3.
No lah...I am not going to ramble about politics & the election.....I am apolitical though I have been a victim of political-inclined people since 10 years of age....when it comes to choosing colors, I do love blue but most of the time I end up preferring green...light blue is generally defined as sissy in my dictionary but once in a while it works nicely on certain occasion...and red is always attractive to my eyes but not suitable for my skin. Go figure!! ;0)

4.
Anyway, I have been talking to some people who have been in close contacts with the big-boys in political scenes. Casual chat, over teh tarik or kopi ais...till the wee hours of the mornings...Alhamdulillah they gave me new perspectives to the scene, some very privileged information and second to the actual persons actually telling the truth...in simple word - it's kind of a revelation, a surprising relief...that is why I always would want to hear all possible part of the story and for this matter, although it took me about 13 years to close the loop, well it's better late than never...

5.
Now I am reading the book by Tun Dr M.
...and also "The Malays: Their Problem & Their Future" by Syed Husin Ali (used to be a textbook for some courses by UiTM).
Why? Just to complete "listening" to the story....that has been there since 1998.

6.
...but of course, nothing beats the information and stories that one can get from the people directly involved...

7.
All I can say here is.....don't swallow everything you are being fed with. Read the ingredients on packets from where it came from. Compare with every other available packets. Get the real facts right. If "ketchup & chili sauce" needed to make it more "edible", then the actual content is probably not good after all.

Above all...chew and munch before you swallow....refrain from talking to others before your swallowing is done...because that would probably end you up in a mess...and the others too...

8.
Some leaders have the looks of a pious and religious Muslim...but you would not know the ugly stinking rotten truth unless you really do your homework (FB links, YouTube not in the package ok!). I am not saying A is wrong nor B is right....that, you have to find out on your own....converse, read, do research, try to get connected.....and be neutral.

9.
Just for the record, I don't belong to any political party. Nope.

First Exhibition for 2011

Invitation from TM to showcase works related to "Appreciation of Women" on 23-25March 2010 at Menara TM (Rebung).

Alhamdulillah....
A short period of time to prepare everything. All expenses on our own. The tema did really good, everything was done on time and it went well.
..more to come insyaAllah.

Such a great blessing....

1.

Couple of weeks ago was the school break. We took the opportunity to head on south to our kampung in Segamat and the rest of the family were there too. Such a noisy gathering, almost like raya...minus the ketupat.
..loads of stuff on the table of their Tok Mak & Tok Abah. Every night before sleep (they all sleep together with their Tok Mak & Tok Abah, huge room at the back....air-cond. summore...chiss!!), Tok Mak will ask the kids what do they want for breakfast tomorrow...and they would be having the items served on the table the next morning. Sayang sangat Tok Mak & Tok Abah sama cucu-cucu diorang nih!

2.
It has been quite a while since we last spent a good week in Segamat....that would be during the flood season...surprisingly, it has been raining for a couple of days before we arrived and the water is rising in some kampungs. Alhamdulillah it stopped raining on the day we arrived. No flood....well if there's any, I'd take the opportunity to "scoop" some shoots for front pages again lah kut!!

We brought Sparkle & Ninie back...set them free, no holds barred. How happy they were!!! Ran all around the house, went missing for almost a day and a night...but pops right out from the bushes on the afternoon of the next day. Carrots no more...they are busy exploring the various plants around the house and outside the gate, within out land area. Yep, they are happy to be free indeed!

3.
The kids had fun all day long for the duration we spent. Always running, playing...and of course quarreling....so many things to do foods to eat - barbecue night, pasta night...you name it...and a whole day picnic @ Gunung Ledang waterfalls. Yup, we had a good time indeed. Must to this every school break, at least!

4.
One of the thing that I really enjoyed during the break was this:

.....siput sedut masak lemak...served with steaming hot nasi, eaten at the waterfall picnic location...perghhhhh....

5.
The blessings from Allah...Alhamdulillah. No fake "happiness" for FB purposes, no blasting of horns 'bout boarding the plane for vacations abroad....well you know laa the typical Bolehlanders-kiasuness...balik cuti...confirm laa kad-hutang sudah maxed out...gaya mesti menang maa!!

Maybe we'd do oversea vacation when we have more to spare, insyaAllah...but what matters most is we had a great time and nobody else involved, only the whole bunch of our family members...pure sincere love and fun. No money can ever buy. Alhamdulillah.

Erk...seriously, how can we put high regards for this? Nope...no vote from me.

1.
Life been interestingly hectic this couple of weeks. School break (an entry in this blog is still WIP for that matter!) and the TM's invitation exhibition for CHAPS (that's Community of Hobbyists, Amateurs and Professional Photographers) or better known by the nick-name "Chap Ayam Photographers"....but I had time to read the books I am reading and of course the news papers....


2.
Some may find it annoying when I say I read news from the internet or English based newspaper...and sometimes Berita Harian. No, it is not because I don't love Bahasa Melayu (or is it now Bahasa Malaysia again? Whatevuh...same difference to me lah!!) but the content in each mentioned media brings a different kind of product to your face....thus when somehow I picked up a Harian Metro no Sunday, I cannot help but wonder - why is it so much different from the NST??

3.
The difference I am referring to is the kind of news it contained. Maybe it's more on entertainment this HM but even if it is so, I do hope the majority of Malaysian (Muslims in particular) are not really into "voting of sexiness" and giving reasons why the butt of some actresses won their vote...BY-GEORGE!! Don't you all have pride or respect for claiming being a Muslim?
So cheap....so cheap...such a disgrace.

....and oh yes...the ever-so-fabulous busana Muslimah stuff - now it seems that the fake eye-lashes are "wajib" to be donned by Muslimahs for some kind of function or whatevuh...excuse me, I am not as smart as many of you out there when it comes to hukum-hakam agama....but is it not true that "wajib" in Fiqh is defined as what we are required to do in Islam, failure to do so will end us in negative value for the HereAfter? When you read it proper with some minor knowledge in fiqh, but of course the definition of "wajib" here can be referred to "lughah" of language...either way, is it really the teaching of Islam to wear stuff like that and put on make-up like you are a peacock..almost.
...and how do you actually do your solat with all those on your face? If the preparation takes time, do you have time for maghrib before going to that very important dinner with those eye lashes and all? Owhh..darurat? Sekolah kat mana dulu???

4.
I guess, what we are witnessing now is the result of what we have been brought up with...what have been indoctrinated upon us, consciously, unconsciously, willingly, unwillingly. Much to the extend that what's not right according to Islam, can already be accepted as norm...though still not accepted by those who chose to really remain as true & real Muslim.

5.
Anyway, to each his own....the only thing is, when "bala, bencana, malapetaka" come, it's for the masses....so, just be prepared, while we still have time....

Out of this world

1.
The event that occured in Japan recently (8.9 magnitude earthquake that leads to massive tusnami, for those who were too busy with entertainment news...) should be a good reminder for all of us...including those who still have the heart to make stupid jokes about such disaster.
Since I started breathing the air of the world, I have never read so much earth quakes and tsunami warnings (of course I had no internet access back then...do you?) than what I came across since the ear of internet connection.
So, what are we doing about it?
The videos and still photographs feels so real - we actually witnessed the event as it unfolds. I was on CNN for many hours that day and I realized that as I see it happening, some poor souls were probably struggling for air and their precious life underneath that massive wave of mud and debris. As we at in front of our TVs, some poor souls over there were probably on their way out of this world.

2.
Their time already.
When is ours?
Nevermind, we still have time....yeah...time for what?

3.
It's just too obvious. The signs are getting more and more rampant and much much clearer. Our time is limited....already.

4.
Therefore, forgive me if I am too blunt towards those who are still busy with stuff I don't put high on my priority list. Don't forgive me, it's ok...just find time to reflect on your life once in a while...I try my best to remind whatever I can - here and anywhere - for me & myself...and my friends...the time is coming closer than we could ever imagine. Do something. What? I don't know, it's yours to decide...but just don't include me in your postings about stuff that you know I really don't like - suka-suka saja is soooo outdated...do something that would bring some goods for you...now and for the hereafter.

5.
No outings suka-suka outings this weekend? Watch out for the coming rain...it may be contaminated....but who cares....I don't!
:o)

Segitiga Melingkup Sdn Bhd

1.
A couple of weeks ago, I received one text message from my former boss while I was assigned to P*t*o*as Dagangan Bhd., asking me my views about Score-A. Apparently the same person (which somehow was NOT supposed to be there and was NOT in the official program at all) who presented to a group of people in a room at Std Charted office, about a year or so ago, approached this former boss and asked him to join her team.

Same old pitch which you may have become accustomed (and perhaps sick to the point of puking on the person's face too..):

- sampai bila kita nak bagi orang lain kaya, kita sendiri bila akan kaya kalau kerja terus untuk orang?
- tak mau ke income RM 4-angka seminggu?
- saya dah berjaya, saya boleh pergi bercuti ke Australia dengan keluarga saya bulan lepas.
- saya dah tempah BMW 3Series, kalau saya tak join business ni entah bila saya akan mampu beli kereta mewah macam tu.
- buat apa kita susah-susah kerja buat business kalau peluang business tu dah ada disediakan untuk kita?
- saya boleh bawa family & mak saya yg dah tua shopping dan diorang boleh ambil apa sahaja, saya bayar...
- ....Semua berunsur JUAH, BELAGAK...EKSYEN nak mampus....you continue with the list lah... I need to puke first....wait se-moment eh....


2.
OK...done.

So, I told the former boss all I knew about it and met him a couple of days after that...he decided not to join because what it is not a business for real...because I knew him for years and from being my boss we have became buddies, I knew he'd not interested in such thing - not for thinkers, strategic planners, educated people who really have done REAL business....like him...and me..and many of you out there too lah ok!


...heck since I am at it already, lemme also state here that some people in the organization I used to be in actually use their office hours for Score-A and one Manager in HR there actually called and asked me to join her team because she was "worried" I have no source of income after I jumped the boat...pfft...she was never there to answer calls, never bothered to return calls or respond to the messages left when I was trying hard to get hold of those idiots responsible to deal with LHDN and suddenly she can call me on my hand-phone number wanted to "help" me....how "noble".....

Well...forget it, go use the company loan to buy that farking BMW or Hondah that you want laa!

(FYI I did join Score-A perhaps much earlier than any of you, just to help a friend and I end up spending RM1k above for a pack of access card or what...never mind, that's another story to be told lah).


This is not about me kasi hantam Score-A people ke apa, I just wanna vent out my "bosan-ness" of these people who think everybody wanna waste their time on "business" to just get rich quick and "eksyen" with the shiny cars and all laa....

So, you think you can't get rich easy by joining the Score-A or any other similar "business"?
Well, let's look at it from this perspective...

You have a job, sitting in front of your computer, churn out numbers, do presentation packs, respond to emails, send emails and once in a while (if not everyday) deal with idiots who happens to hold a higher ranking position than you are...tough..but at the end of the month you poke that card into the teller machine and WALLA!!! You got loads of money!!

So, after all those years you decided that you are tired with the work you have and want to do something else? Joining a "business" that started with the phrases presented earlier (and more lah) would not be a good move. Why?

Have you ever asked yourself what is it that you really want to do if you quit the present job you have?

Generally, if it involved a business that being introduced with "opening talk" using the phrases similar as above....and when the presenter started drawing dots which would look something like a triangle, your "immediate next steps" would look like something the listed below:

- have to attend a gathering where another better ranking achiever-trainer-somnabiatch would "enlightened" you on how the business will make all who came to the talk to become filthy rich.

- have to go through a presentation pack or a softcopy given to you prior to the gathering so that you can come prepared...oh...it used to be tapes, which you'd have to return back at the gathering but now you just get a softcopy into you thumbdrive - yeah, no free thumbdrive somemore laa!...those people are not rich at all, don't you realize that already?? Haha!!
(Note: I was given a couple of tapes back in the 90's by some of these people...because I refused to listen to their talk and go for teh tarik...and in the end I returned the tape without listening to it too...I'd rather be listening to RageAgainstTheMachine musics rather than a baboon giving a sermon to wannabe-rich monkeys).

- have to buy a starter-pack or whatchamacallit and start studying and understanding the "business".

- have to follow the "up-liner" to other sales pitch before you are ready to do yours.

- have to prepare a list of people that you would be approaching and train to be ready to present the stuff form that package mentioned.

....and above all, you'd already be living, breathing, eating and all-other-ing only for the "business".

3.
Once you are done with the immediate next steps above, you'd be calling friends, family members, contacts and all...and try your best to get their time to listen to your "business proposals"....and start spending long hours after work and also weekends to do your "business proposal meetings."

The cycle goes on. The pyramid gets built. Some gets the money, some gets to end up still being in the dreams only lah.

....and before long you realized most of your friends may not be answering your calls or sms....but wonder no more....they got their info from everywhere and they are not really interested to be in the race to get that BMW or Honda or whatever....their Kancils gets them everywhere and they have more quality times with their loved ones...even during weekends as you and your rich-friends are busy in a "business seminar".....

4.
In case you have not realized, some of the famous faces, the successful businessmen and businesswomen of such "business" may actually have fake qualifications. Read it here, in this dude's blog:
Aididleaks
Seriously...how do you get "Prof. Emeritus. Dr. Sir" in front of your name??
Some of the Universities they claimed they went to...don't really exist.

5.
So...are you really going to allow yourself falling into this business-dunghole made by the people who are no smarter than you when in comes to REAL paper qualification?
You decide! :o)

6.
Yeah I have friends who are into MLM or Ponzi schemes or whatever you wanna call the frigging business...but I am yet to see any of them sporting a Ferrari or wearing a Patek-Philippe....the real Patek-Philippe, not the fake ones....like their "business"....heck....how could they afford one if it's the price of a house (that you still owe payment for the next..what 15-20 years?)

Excuse me, I have to fetch my baby now...now where's my Casio watch (100% original wokk!!!)

Honest Hornet

1.
It has been a while since I last ate a very good breakfast of nasi lemak. So on Friday I decided to take the LRT and walk to the warong near my wife's office. It's my reading day so I have all the time to spend there and anywhere with the books that I want to read....in fact I wanted to get "Teohlogy" by Patrick Teoh because I heard it's really a good read.
So, I started the day with a good nasi lemak breakfast lah....
It was OK, the sambal was a tad too salty than usual. The kakak at the counter is the same - with no terima-kasih in exchage of the money I paid for the foods and sporting the usual unfriendly face, it's a good thing people just care about the food not how they are being greeted or appreciated for that matter. The crowd are there...some old people (pensioners perhaps) and also of course some young people (self-employed like ngoh-hai leh.....or maybe students....or people having "kopi-break" or "mengular")...Chinese, Malays, Indians, Indonesians....cool. Really Malaysia lah so to say....


2.
The thing about good food, I found it difficult to get consistent quality from any "warong" in general. The quality and that "special touch" starts to deteriorate especially when they start "expanding" their menus or extending their serving space - more tables and chairs but same workforce and kitchen. Mass production is also the factor - to my observation - for the deterioration. That's what normally kills a good warong or restaurant or any outlet that serves good grubs. (Please note that "kills" in this context would refer to to my keen interest to go back to have another serving, not the warong goes ka-put and bungkus already lah!)

WHY EXTEND/ EXPAND?

Some people - or probably they would like themselves to be addressed as businessmen - just have never realized that some business is never meant to go bigger than what it really is. Business is being expanded due to demands and (ready or not) the ambition of the shareholders to make it big.
Why big? To bag in more money. To accumulate more wealth. To get that latest HornDuh SeeArVee...use Proton car where got standard? To buy that latest eyePhone or BrackBerry - those thwo are only phones nowadays, other than that are not phone already?? To get that latest iPad 2 so that can show off and play Angry Bird-bird whil siping expensive coffee that you have no idea where it came from. To go have holiday in Australia and show the photos to office mates like everybody else did....you name it. Kiasu laaa...Boleh-Land also becoming like our southern neighbor already, only just a bit worse because we boleh maa?

Reality - what started off as a simple AMBITION somehow turned and lead to GREED.

Before you start flaming (aahhh come on, you do know that it is easier to flame what a person has written rather than writing about some article yourself right? Shortest way to fame...duh!)...take a look at the matter from a different angle.

If you are selling good foods and people keep on coming to your warong, you know you would already have loyal customers and they keep on bringing their friends and families and business contacts to enjoy that plate of nasi lemak....your business is not food anymore but SERVICES.

The cold fact about service (especially in relation to food) is you cannot train others to create the same feel & quality 100%.

...and that 100% is what you have been giving the customer all these while.

Think about it.

There can only be one well let's just say "Warong Bawah Pokok"....it will never be the same if the brand is served inside Pavilion. That's total "wannabe" already, argue what you may but it's a wannabe.

...and for that same reason too, my lovely wife's "PassionCreative Bakery Studio" products is never on the selves of any other kedai or petrol kiosks even though many have approached and suggest for it..not thanx, you do your own business, we do ours and we intend to be in control of our business lah...you wanna get rich fast, go ahead...we want to live a good life and enjoy it for real.

3.
After the nasi lemak breakfast I head on to KLCC Kinokuniya with but one target in mind - buy that book by Patrick Teoh.
...and that was what I did.
...and I found it very hard to stop reading "Teohlogy" so I had to force myself to stop and do some other stuff....before an hour, I found myself reading the book again with that "some other stuff" only half cooked! :o)

The book is really marvelous - to my definition. Patrick tells what he sees and thinks. His opinion. Real story, real situation. What he sees as white, he wrote it as white.

4.
...and the language is sincere too...some may say it is "kurang ajar" but I'd say it is not "kurang ajar" at all, it is what you might say in a normal conversation with good buddies...and thus since maybe you are just too lazy to write and perhaps the kind that would always try hard to look and be proper in front of any other people and can only be your true self when you are alone in your stinking "rumah kecik"...you should either be quiet or you could try writing your views on the same topics instead. Try lah....but do it all in your stinking "rumah kecik" first because that's the only place you can truly be your own self!


5.
I have a reason why I wrote the above lah. (Not because I am trying to write like Patrick Teoh ok?!). A couple of months a go I wrote a nasty "kurang ajar" article about a topic. Many positives and negatives comments flooded the article in my FB, not in this blog la because we all know already what, people now lepak FB only....no need other thing from the net lah...FB only..further more, Boleh-landers are generally lazy to read, anything more than 3 lettered words is already too tiring for the general Boleh-landers....even SMS also must in short forms...correct?

Anyway the response to the article was a tsunami and I then only allowed limited access - reading back the comments, I can say frankly I am ashamed to see how people think and present themselves in writing. The worst kind would be those trying hard to sound like an educated kerbau pendek and comes up with ridiculous points simply "hantam" the article writer back for being a writer telling that white is white. (that is why, a true photographer understand the white balance...otherwise you will say white is blue...your white balance is wrong lah....busy with your stupid tone or what??)

My point here is simple....I have actually mentioned it in one of the sentences above - If you have anything to say against an article or writer, write a proper article. If you just put up a lengthy comment in it, chances are you're not going to be heard....simply because you just don't have enough points to present. Or maybe you just don't know how to elaborate your other points. Or maybe you are just trying to steal some lime-lights and be a hero by -chance. Or maybe because your braincell is just as active as that of a dead sloth.

So, coming back to "Teohlogy: The Word According To PATRICK TEOH" - it is a honest view of what we are breathing and living with here in Boleh-Land. Tabik spring to Patrick for being a sincere writer...heck even the preface is blardy sincere and I could not think of any other witty preface that I have read other than that he has done!

So you tunggu apa lagi? If you have not read Off The Edge from 2005 to 2010....GO BUY "TEOHLOGY" and start reading lah!! :o)

The fact might hurt a lot like being stung by a hornet (I can say this because I have had the experience, being a kampung boy!) but like it or not, that honesty needs to be told. Boleh?


6.
After good hours of reading and writing, I had lunch with my Petronas friends - Hazarizal, Nazri & Sunardi - before I got the Masjid As-Syakirin for Jumaat prayer. Khutbah in English. Good. But it would be better if the khatib really read it with emotion and feeling....no I am not saying the khatib is not pronouncing the words right enough...I am saying this: Reading is reading. Khutbah is not at all like just reading off the text.

Some "leaders" read their speech....politicians read their speech. Words that come out of their mouths may mean NOTHING for those who respect the intelligence given by Allah...
So in this case of the khatib, I salute him for trying his best but he can do better....he must do better....reading is not it.

HOWEVER...the worst thing that I wish I would not encounter ever again since I last did a prayer there actually happened ...hampeh punye executives (not naming any company but they are executives la...who else would be talking London but looks like petai eating Malays who wear expensive watches, slacks/khakis and not cover their head for prayers?)

Next to me, on my right, there was this bunch of youngsters (I admit I am old but many told me I look younger than my age...ok ok I am off the track a bit...ahahah!) was talking about investing in something, the amount of money they paid, the money they got back.....while that poor khatib was trying hard to deliver the khutbah for the benefit of all present. Stupid yuppies.


My left side "neighbor" during that khutbah was busy...sleeping.

Then there was this other guy behind me, so totally busy with his phone calls...


7.
My conclusion for them:
a) The stupid yuppies:
They have not been getting much from their company....kesian....stylo tapi sengkek?
Or...is it like the businessmen who just want to expand just for the sake of expanding like I mentioned above - those executives may have enough but they just want more because everybody is trying to get more than they could possibly chew...isn't it?
Or...maybe those executives have not completed their kelas agama...insyaAllah next Friday they might have completed it and would be quiet when the khatib delivers the khutbah in true emotion and capturing the intention of all in the masjid.

Maybe they think it is ok to talk about anything during the Jumaat prayer session...naive but ...Allah Maha Pengampun maaa?

b) The sleeping neighbor:
He's a very dedicated employee. Probably worked long hours and through the night. That's why a nap duting khutbah is important....because he cannot sleep at his workstation - Boss marah!!

...but sleep during khutbah...Allah Maha Pengampun maaa?

c)
The guy busy with phone calls:
Must be a star performer. Or the boss.
Company paid for the phone & bills so have to answer the call also lah....during khutbah...Allah Maha Pengampun maaa?

8.
Honestly.....I am not a good option when it comes to being role model (and rust me I really suck big time when it come to being a model...or shooting a model!!) but I try my best to be a good HambaAllah, a good rakyat and all.....so, my ramblings - as hurtful as it may be to some including me - is my way to venting my frustrations and voicing my views...to make me a better person....

9.
Want to flame me ah?
Write lah....but like I said earlier (read the whole rambling please!)...maybe you have to do it in your stinking "rumah kecik".

The instruments

1.
Meet my team of staff in the planning & creative thinking division:
+ Lamy ABC fountain pen - Parker Quink blue ink
+ Lamy aabc pencil - Lamy M44 1.4mm B lead
+ Harley Davidson fountain pen M-point - Parker Quink black ink
+ Lamy Vista VT15153 B-point fountain pen - Parker Quink red ink
+ Lamy Vista VT15153 M-point fountain pen - Pelikan 4001 brillian-green ink
+ Lamy Vista VT15153 M-point fountain pen - Parker Quink black ink

Mileage - very high, for each of them. These are not for show but for real works...each ink is used for specific reasons...each pen's point is chosen for specific function.

2.
I am not sure how many time have written about my fountain pen and writing instruments but one thing for sure, I really am fond of fountain pen and thus why I use it on daily basis. Part of my "workforce" for many years already.

These instruments have worked with me all along and have been good to me through ups and downs...some of the inks that flowed through these instruments may have helped a number of close friends in some occasion.

3.
At about the same time I shot this, Steve Job is launching the iPad2 in San Francisco's Yerba Buena Centre.

Yet another instruments for some things that needs to be done..or just another toy for those who just loves to be in the lime-lights at Starbux or any teh-tarik place gatherings...

As always in the case of new product launch by Mr Jobs, we can see almost every other friends status would related to the new products.

Face the fact - many of us would want to get the latest and the best instrument we can afford (or for some would just "berhutang" just for the sake of having it!).

...and also please face the fact - that I am sincerely sick and tired of these kind of people, sadly some of them are (still) my friends and some are even much older than me.

It is almost like kids yelling out to each other how much they want that new toy on the shelf....but in the end, only to be proud of getting the toy faster than any kids in the neighborhood.

4.
In many ways, we are so bogged down to have "state-of-the art" instruments or gadgets....but do we actually put it to good use and bring in some returns using it as what it is - a tool, not bragging-rights item...

Think and link it back to Islam - we'd probably be wasting money, unconsciously being riak and probably deeply involved in riba (oh yes, check your credit cards statement just in case you have not realized this).

No, I am not jealous or what but I am just observing and stating my mind. If you like it, thank you for lending your time. If you don't like it, thank you and my apologies for wasting your time.

5.
Couple of hours ago, I read the FB status of a friend who happened to be present at a kenduri - she stated that nobody was talking to anybody because everybody was busy with their gadgets....Wow!! Are we becoming a very dedicated workforce or are we just becoming totally dedicated slaves to the small squarish tech-stuff we carry around?

Maybe it's about time to just have on-line kenduri gathering since the iPad2 has 2 cameras now. Forgive my sincere-sarcasm but I do hope you realized something here....I am sure you have seen similar case...or probably the ones doing it.... :o)

6.
...now if you don't mind I'd like to scribble and scratch on my papers with the bunch of instruments I shot above....they are my slaves...not the other way around.

Her first neck tie...

1.
Alisya was very very exited when she was selected to be the leader of her class group last week. She mentioned to us that she'll be getting a neck tie which she'll be wearing everyday….yesterday she got the tie from the person who used to be the leader and I quickly cleaned it and ironed it. She prepared her uniform last night, eager to wear the neck tie.

Today is her first day as the leader. She woke up early and was ready to go before I even had the chance to have breakfast!

2.
Her role as the leader would be to manage the submission and collection of the workbooks and reading materials, among other things. She has been very helpful and the class teacher favored her to take over because the previous leader was not doing the job well.

Her first learning experience to lead and manage a small group and she's really excited about it. I am sure my baby will take the responsibility much better than the previous kid, Insya-Allah.

3.
Last night, after Maghrib prayers I had a shock.
Alisya wept and hugged me tightly. I asked her why.
"Alisya sayang Ayah…Alisya tak nak hilang Ayah, Ayah jaga Alisya dari baby, Ayah hantar Alisya hari-hari pergi sekolah, jemput Alisya, bagi Alisya makan..Alisya sayang sangat Ayah…."

….I could not say anything but hugged her tightly.
"Ayah pun sayang sangat Alisya. Ayah pun sayang Naufal, Neena, Mama and semua sekali. Alisya good girl, jangan nangis ok, Alisya good girl, Alisya baby Ayah…dah jangan nangis."

4.
Deep inside me, I was worried…I don't know if it is a sign that my days are limited or what…but what ever it is, I will always love my family and they come first, second and third before anything else in this world…and for each day I am around, I would never take for granted the opportunity to hug and kiss them, telling them that I love them.

5.
Ayah sayang Alisya.
Ayah sayang Naufal.
Ayah sayang Neena.
Ayah sayang Mama.

6.
Never take for granted the opportunity of living another day with your loved ones.
You'll never know what would happen before the day ends….

Writing blog, writing block.....

1.
Read an interesting article in NST (FYI I seldom buy NST, most of the time I'd go for STAR) on Monday 2011.02.28 entitled "Overcoming Writers Block". I was quite pleased to see the title because although I have been writing quite a bit in my yellow "The Book of Torque: Chapter 1", I am still slacking in updating my blog.

The article mentioned a few good points to be on top of the situation, presented below in my own words & interpretation:

a) Brainstorm & organize: get a blank piece of paper (or a fresh page on your computer, iPad , GalaxyTab or whatever toys you lug around for that purpose!), write the topic and jot down whatever that comes to your mind. Don't bother about grammars or spelling or what. Just jot everything down and later on, organize all the ideas and find the central point of the idea. Start expanding with key sentences then proceed to complete each of the paragraphs.

b) Uninhibited writing: simply allow a short time limit (5-10 minutes) and just write down whatever you can think of, related to the topic. No matter it makes sense or not, just continue to write until the time is up, then you should take a couple of minutes to go through what you have done and re-organize it in such a way to enable you to start a proper article.

c) Grouping: I find this quite similar to the loose definition of "mind-mapping". Same with the earlier mentioned point above, grouping method is also about writing with no clear ideas, just a topic or a word that would be the central point of the intended document or article. Place the word in the middle of a blank piece of paper and start to write any similar or related words around it, connecting it to one another as you go along. It should not be logical nor well-structured. Just do it and see how it goes....you may find new ideas and topics.

Above all, bear in mind that writer's block is not permanent...if it is, then maybe you might conclude that you are just not a natural writer in the first place....but still, you should not succumb to the situation and you must find fresh ways to view your topics, ideas or subjects...find the way to continue writing.

2.
SO, what about my personal view on the subject?
Frankly, when I started writing this blog way back in 2005, I have no idea I am going to write this long....6 years already.

Thank you AbeDib for introducing me to Blogspot and asking me to start writing about anything.

I started writing about things that matters to me.
My family. My loved ones. My passion.
My roles in the corporate world that I was enjoying and finally ditched about 5 years after I started writing this blog....

I wrote as and when I feel like writing and it was easy to let my fingers ran across the keyboards of my devices - or my pens & pencils scribbling across the pieces of papers in my journal - maybe because the ideas and words just came naturally from my heart and my mind. It was all about what I am thinking, feeling, experiencing, learning....everything that are close to me. To a certain extent I was really cursing, placing all my hatred and anger into words. It may sounded negative but it prevented me from doing other more negative things - that one is for sure. In all instances, if it is white, I will say it is white. Some may say I should not be blunt or I should be milder in my writings etc etc...I should do this and that and all that other stuff to refrain from writing what I have already written....but to me, I will write whatever I want...and again - in all instances, if it is white, I will say it is white.


3.
It was almost like I just translated what was in my heart into words...and I guess that was the big factor that made it easy for me to write.
The ideas, translated into words, sentences, paragraphs....flows naturally, like water.

...then it became more difficult. Each new sentence requires more effort than the previous one.

Why?

4.
I can only answer the question for myself.

Apart from the adjusting to change in daily life since I left the corporate world, I come to realize that the one big reason why it became difficult is because I started to lost focus - instead of writing whatever I wanted to write, whatever my heart wanted to say, unconsciously I started to write for "audience". (Do note that professional writers are focused on their specific audience).

Not that I have a massive number of readers that would be waiting for my next entry...but somehow I became conscious that I have to "tailor" my writing for such "audience".

Big mistake. Not entirely stupid but still, a biggie.

I realized this after reading the mentioned article a couple of times and quietly questioning myself (again and again...for so many times since last year!) what is it that's stopping me from being able to write as easy as it was.

So, I guess I have found the answer finally and with the aide of the article in NST, I hope to write more and more in this blog and in "The Book Of Torque: Chapter 1".

InsyaAllah...


5.
Do you write?
If your answer is no, please....consider to start writing. It might be the best gift for your kids....because your handwriting, sketches and all, would still be there with your loved ones...even when you are not there with them anymore....

Once upon their own time….

1.
In my younger younger years, I have always wanted a BMX. In the end I got a Raleigh Power from my parents as a gift for being the top student (again...) in my primary year 3.
Then, for being the first batch of 3r Formers to be appointed as prefects, I get to ride a classic 7-Up bike which I posted from Segamat (borrowed it from my cousin), the bike is still in Kuala Kangsar....I hope so!
When I was in my 3rd year doing Bachelor in Business Admin., I was selected to join a zany-bunch of brothers to tour Peninsular Malaysia-Southern Thailand on sponsored Raleigh roadies. The program was called Kayuh Bakti.
I bought my first FS rig when I started working and now I have a Proton T-Bolt FS rig (as mentioned in some earlier posts in my blog).
Recently, when I started to talk to iLuvIslam.com buddies, we started CycleForCharity program. InsyaAllah it the near future we'll be doing more of the program but for now, I just want to share some experience over the program we did....

2.
"Allah meluaskan rezeki dan menyempitkannya bg siapa yg Dia kehendaki.
Mereka bergembira dengan kehidupan di dunia, padahal kehidupan dunia itu(dibanding dengan) kehidupan akhirat, hanyalah kesenangan (yang sedikit)"
[Ar-Ra'ad:26]

On 2011.02.15, the first CycleForCharity (CFC) by iLuvIslam.com & CHAPTERSimages was done.

It was just a short distance cycle to Pusat Jagaan Siti Nur Aini, Kajang, Selangor Darul Ehsan. Uphill all the way from Kajang town to the area. When we arrived we were surprised to see what's been prepared by Saudara Abdullah Noel, the host. MasyaAllah….we were welcomed and treated like close friends.

Saudara Abdullah Noel, aged 38 years old, dedicated his life to take care of the old folks at the center - named after his beloved wife - which he himself established in 2009. The daily routines is done by his family with the help of only one helper from India.

He's a convert and together with him, his 5 family members - youngest would be Musa, a 3 months old adopted child since 3 days old - embraced Islam as their religion and they have been giving all their love and time to all in the center.

Located in Taman Maju, Kajang Selangor, the center needs about RM15k on monthly basis to keep on surviving. Bulk of the expenditure is for foods and perishables. Alhamdulillah, even though he is just a taxi driver, somehow Saudara Abdullah Noel managed to keep the center surviving thus far.

Their strength and determination to continue providing the best they could afford for the center, is something that we all should salute.

The old folks have a lot to tell. The story of their life, what they were, why they are there, what is to become of them...

2.
When I ask the cycling buddies to ask their group who'd want to join the program, I managed to get about 10 or so saying they would be joining us on that day.
However, we can only plan, Allah knows what's best for us.
On that day only Syed Shaharudin was there to cycle with me to the old folks' center. Alhamdulillah, two is more than just one! :o)

What matters most is we were there to fulfill our promise and to start off something that we hope would bring good to the society - the ones in the center and the participants - physically and internally. What we experienced - the time spent with them - is something that we'd treasure for as long as time exist.

When I started to photograph the event and the old folks, I start to appreciate more what good a DSLR could do to my innerself (and hopefully to those who viewed my shots, insyaAllah). Composing, anticipating the moment, my mind could not stop from thinking and asking.

*Why are they here?
*Who are their family members?
*Do they have family member?
*Where are their family members?
*What's going on in their mind and hearts as they see many young and healthy people visiting them and none of which is their family member?
*Is there any sign of happiness in their heart at all after being sent to this place?
*How would I feel if I am to be like them?
*Are they just waiting for their time and have nothing left to look forward to other that meeting Allah in the end?

MasyaAllah. Too many questions that are going on inside my mind.
...and as always, when I shoot for this kind of event, I will shed tears and have to take a quick break to refocus on my intent and quietly telling myself to be strong and be connected to the subjects. Not an easy thing to do, capturing emotion of others instead of just mug shots.
"Many can make beautiful shots but to make a meaningful shot, that is a different discipline altogether...only driven by sheer purpose and intent." (my own quote lah!).

...Alhamdulillah, the event went well. We were there for a good three hours and insyAllah we will do more for the old folks in the future...insyaAllah..

3.
With a heavy heart and a bag of questions in my mind, I left the place with my good buddy Syed Shaharuddin.....

The old folks rely on each other to face the mundane everyday routine....nothing much for them to do, at that age, in a house with minimal facilities and fund....but yet they still brave their weak bodies, perhaps containing their last bastion of strong will, waiting for their time and silently hoping for some spur of happiness - the moment for their loved one to pay them a visit, maybe today, or tomorrow, or next month...perhaps...

From the bottom of my heart, I can just say a small doa for them....

Allah, be kind to your servants in the center and everywhere else. Please give them strength to continue living the rest of their days.
Please open the hearts of many out here to realize that there is more to life than just being enveloped with their daily busy schedule and reaping all the wealth that they may not be able to use in the end...
Let them be kind enough to contribute what they may for the old folks...
for You, Allah, is the most Gracious and Kind, Please Allah.

Once upon our time, we were loved by our parents.
Once upon our time, we love our little ones….

Please, if you have the heart, pay them a visit, spend some time with them…because they have their stories to share with you, once upon their own time….

~Khairil Faizi Jamian/CHAPTERSimages, MY.

Donation:
Pusat Jagaan Siti Nor Aini
CIMB Islamic Bank Berhad
Account Number: 1267-0000233-10-1

Just Papers

Oddly enough, I find writing - in my blog, my monologue notes or whatever - has been an extremely difficult thing to do. I don't know why but I do know I have to get moving and make it a casual thing like it used to. There are many reasons (or some may classify it as excuses) to this but all that matters for me now is I HAVE TO START AGAIN, NOW!! :o)

1.

Flood. Segamat. We made our journey back just in time before the peak of the worst. First experience to be trapped in my own hometown and guess what....I turned it into an opportunity and achieved something I have always wanted to achieve ...get a shot published on the front page of the mainstream newspapers in Malaysia.


2.
..and miracles do exist in this sickened world....Alhamdulillah.
Ian Ahmad took some and made it on BH online.
Got a message from BERNAMA, sent some shots...and the next day I received many sms, PM etc congratulating me on the published shots...even BERNAMA informed aboit my shots making the front pages of the newspapers.....the thing is I was in Segamat so I cannot see it because no newspaper were available!!! :o)


3.
...but what I would mark as the main achievement is the one that appeared on The Star - 2011.02.01. Alhamdulillah. Another target achieved.

4.
What else to achieve? Well...just keep moving on! :o)