Maan...this is taking a long time...
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Lost in Future
I'm supposed to be sleeping right now. But I just can't. I had just chatted off with Midget about 15 minutes ago. I couldn't really figure it out about us, Midget and I. Whenever she's around me, it's like I have no worries at all. The days will be shorter for sure. It's like you are having fun and time just flies away without you even noticing it. It is like that with her. I feel exuberant when she's around.
But then, we can't be around each other the whole time, lest you want to see some real life drama swasta being played out in front of you. And that is to put it mildly! No, I'm not exaggerating, not one bit. The fact is, Midget and I can't be around each other 24/7. And yet, we complete each other when we are together. Mind boggling? Perhaps.
That's the part that I can't really figure it out. How can we, two individuals who can't be with each other all the time, make a future with this relationship? I love her for sure, and she does me as well (is it true, Midget?). Is that enough? Can love withstand all?
The title of my post this time is similar to that 70's TV series, Lost in Space (yeah, they made a movie out of it with Matt Le Blanc in it). In that TV series, the family was like the Robinson's family, except that they became lost in space. I'm not lost in space, nor am I stranded on a deserted island. I am at lost when it comes to Midget. What will become of Midget and I? Perhaps, I'll just que se ra sera...?
But then, we can't be around each other the whole time, lest you want to see some real life drama swasta being played out in front of you. And that is to put it mildly! No, I'm not exaggerating, not one bit. The fact is, Midget and I can't be around each other 24/7. And yet, we complete each other when we are together. Mind boggling? Perhaps.
That's the part that I can't really figure it out. How can we, two individuals who can't be with each other all the time, make a future with this relationship? I love her for sure, and she does me as well (is it true, Midget?). Is that enough? Can love withstand all?
The title of my post this time is similar to that 70's TV series, Lost in Space (yeah, they made a movie out of it with Matt Le Blanc in it). In that TV series, the family was like the Robinson's family, except that they became lost in space. I'm not lost in space, nor am I stranded on a deserted island. I am at lost when it comes to Midget. What will become of Midget and I? Perhaps, I'll just que se ra sera...?
Monday, August 27, 2007
Merdeka celebrations, the other side
It is that time of the year again. Where you'll get stuck in jams due to road closures, everywhere. Not just KL, mind you. It's happening at all major towns, even in Batu Pahat! Yup, it is the Merdeka week. Don't get me wrong. I am as patriotic as any Malaysian on the street. I love my country. And I will not go on rambling about how much I love my country and what not. That will not say anything on my patriotism. It is just that, whenever it is Merdeka week, roads, like the one in front of Dataran Merdeka or Dataran Batu Pahat (that's in Batu Pahat), are closed for the rehearsal. That causes traffic jams. Precious times are lost due to the jams. It is not enough that jams during peak hours are bad enough, but the organisers of the Merdeka celebration found it good enough reason to compound that routine jams with road closures! (I know, I used the same word 3 times in one sentence...so...?) In the heart of KL! Doesn't anyone have a better idea of perhaps closing the roads during non-peak hours? Like 12 midnight, perhaps? The participants wouldn't be "burnt" under the hot sun, no heat stroke and families can go and watch the rehearsals...
It is also that time of the year again. When you can find the Jalur Gemilang being run over by cars, lorries, buses and perhaps, kereta lembu? Yup, some patriotic drivers, having the Jalur Gemilang on their cars, doesn't have the decency to make sure that the Jalur Gemilang stays there. You can find strewn Jalur Gemilangs on major highways and this is ironic because it is during these weeks that Malaysians will be using the highways most. For holidays in celebration of Merdeka! I wonder how patriotic are these drivers...sigh!
What I'm trying to say here is that, perhaps, it is high time now that we reflect on our Merdeka celebration? Just my two-cent worth...
It is also that time of the year again. When you can find the Jalur Gemilang being run over by cars, lorries, buses and perhaps, kereta lembu? Yup, some patriotic drivers, having the Jalur Gemilang on their cars, doesn't have the decency to make sure that the Jalur Gemilang stays there. You can find strewn Jalur Gemilangs on major highways and this is ironic because it is during these weeks that Malaysians will be using the highways most. For holidays in celebration of Merdeka! I wonder how patriotic are these drivers...sigh!
What I'm trying to say here is that, perhaps, it is high time now that we reflect on our Merdeka celebration? Just my two-cent worth...
Thursday, August 16, 2007
How to behave in the office
I was updating my blog when a colleague walked pass. He saw what I was doing and said in jest, "You're practising your LLB, right?" Hahaha! LLB for him is Look Like Busy, but LLB for me is Lagi Loyar Buruk. But, can anyone tell me what LLB really stands for? I know it's Latin. Anyway, moments later, an email came in. I re-produce verbatim. Hehehe!
Did I say I reproduce verbatim? Yup, a number is missing. See Rule no 2? I guess I do look busy whilst updating this. Hahaha! Ooops! Boss is coming towards me. I'll be doing REAL work soon, I guess. Or, perhaps not?
Books and Classics
I'm back to re-reading my books. The two books that were borrowed from Midget are done for. I'm now with Phileas Fogg and Passerpartout. I never noticed how routine and boring the life must have been for Mr Fogg before his round-the-world adventure. The man sacked his servant (the one before the ever reliable Passerpartout) just for not preparing his shaving water at the right temperature...! His life had to be exact. It must have been tiresome to have everything exactly as you wanted.
The first time I read the book, I was full of admiration for Mr Fogg. I was 11 at that time. The adventure that Mr Fogg went through was inspiring for an 11-year-old boy. The description of exotic India, the wild west train ride and so forth were such that I wanted to experience them first hand. I wanted to be Mr Fogg! But alas, reading it for the second time, I was so embarassed that I used to want to be like him! But hey, I was 11 at that time...good enough excuse, perhaps?
Reading the book reminded me of another book of that period. Lord Jim, if I'm not mistaken. It was about a mat salleh, came to Borneo, had an adventure of a lifetime, settled down there and the locals called him, Tuan Jim. He wrote about the headhunters of Borneo, the tribes that were scatterred along the Sungai Rejang, etc. The book was written by Joseph Conrad, an American, if I'm correct, and was made into a movie back in the sixties. I have a copy of the same in e-book.
I was skyping with Midget yesterday when somehow or rather, we talked about Sandera, by Arenawati. I miss that book. I had a copy some years ago, but lost it to termites. Now, I'm wondering, where can I get another copy? In fact, there is a list of books that I want to buy/have. I noticed that it is easier to find old English books by DH Lawrence, Jules Verne, Joseph Conrad, etc, but it is almost impossible to get old Malay classics. What is DBP going to do about that? Or anyone for that matter? My wishlist (some might not be the correct titles or authors, but the gist of it...):
- Sandera, Arenawati
- Merpati Putih Terbang Lagi, Khadijah Hashim (?) (not a classic classic, quite contemporary, actually)
- Lepaskan Kembali Aku ke Laut, (can't remember the author), Volumes 1-3
- Ranjau Sepanjang Jalan, Shahnon Ahmad
- Desa Pingitan, (can't remember the author)
- Hikayat Parang Puting, (can't remember the author)
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
O Love! Becoming unto Me
I stood tip toe upon a little hill,
Over the plains and my own will,
Over a love that remains still,
For it has nought a life to quill.
But what am I that for which love forsakes,
If not a penne of hollow and flakes?
Alas! Love becoming in shapes, fonts
By which the letters are bold and golden,
But whose shape has love formed,
It is you o sweet beholden!
Hair as silky with sweet honey brush,
A smile that a fleet would damnly be crushed?
Atop the little hill I found a gully, to
Couler, to slide in reaching unto,
O you, my sweet beloved Love,
Felling and tumbling to your safety cove.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Raining Transformers!
I watched Transformers yesterday! It was super COOL! My daughter jumped from her seat to give me a high five the first time one of them transformed! If you go for the storyline, plot, and whatever mumbo-jumbo artsy fartsy, better don't. Once they transformed, I was transformed to a 12-year old kid! My daughter and I swapped stories after that. We were like kids! Except that one had to drive the car back home whilst the other kept on talking.
The whole experience transported me back to the time when I watched Star Wars, Episode IV. It made me reminisced about light sabres we used to make with torch light and coloured plastic wrappers. How we would be swashbuckling with our light sabres from our double-decker beds. Yup, me and my elder brother. My parents wouldn't let us buy the "real" light sabres that kids at our age were playing with at that time. My parents would say, "Buat apa buang2 duit beli?" At that time, we thought they were just being parents, spoilers of fun. In actual fact, the money they had, which was not much, was used to buy food, clothings, our Hari Raya clothes, pay the school fees, etc. But still, without the real light sabres, my brother and I had fun like other kids, except that when we swashed, our sabres would buckle.
Then, there was Luke Skywalker. When we played with our light sabres, my brother and I would argue, and in the end, we took turns who would be the hero. Whoever was Luke of the day would have the blue coloured sabre, mark of a hero. Saviour of the galaxy. Even at that age, we've learned how to compromise. Maybe because there were only two of us and if we didn't compromise, then each of us would be playing alone. That wouldn't be very fun, would it?
When I was 12, there were a lot of fun things to do, without the use of TV, PS2, etc. With two sticks and a hole in the ground, us kids could play cakar ayam or was it sonkang sungkit? There are various names to this game, that I know. It is a game where we put one stick across the hole, and used another stick to flick the former as far as possible, without it being caught by your opponents. Then, your opponent would have to throw the stick back towards the hole. Marks would be counted as to the distance of the stick from the hole. Then, there was the TV series "Combat". We would be cutting and carving pieces of woods to make guns so that we could play combat. I remember that us kids would be running around like real soldiers in a combat, finding covers so that we can shoot our opponents without us being shot at. We used senduduk buds as our ammo.
Those were the time, eh? No worries in the world would stop us from playing games and having fun. Except of course, our parents. The "Fun Spoilers". After the movie, we went back. It was raining, more like a heavy drizzle. And I was still a 12-year-old kid. So, I asked my daughter whether she would like to join me for a bit of fun in the rain. She jumped out of the car and we started jumping in water puddles, dancing and looking up to the raining sky with our mouths open. It was fun! While it lasted. That was, when another "Fun Spoiler" came out from the house. My darling wife. And being the only adult, I got the worse end of the lecture.
It was fun, even for a little while...
The whole experience transported me back to the time when I watched Star Wars, Episode IV. It made me reminisced about light sabres we used to make with torch light and coloured plastic wrappers. How we would be swashbuckling with our light sabres from our double-decker beds. Yup, me and my elder brother. My parents wouldn't let us buy the "real" light sabres that kids at our age were playing with at that time. My parents would say, "Buat apa buang2 duit beli?" At that time, we thought they were just being parents, spoilers of fun. In actual fact, the money they had, which was not much, was used to buy food, clothings, our Hari Raya clothes, pay the school fees, etc. But still, without the real light sabres, my brother and I had fun like other kids, except that when we swashed, our sabres would buckle.
Then, there was Luke Skywalker. When we played with our light sabres, my brother and I would argue, and in the end, we took turns who would be the hero. Whoever was Luke of the day would have the blue coloured sabre, mark of a hero. Saviour of the galaxy. Even at that age, we've learned how to compromise. Maybe because there were only two of us and if we didn't compromise, then each of us would be playing alone. That wouldn't be very fun, would it?
When I was 12, there were a lot of fun things to do, without the use of TV, PS2, etc. With two sticks and a hole in the ground, us kids could play cakar ayam or was it sonkang sungkit? There are various names to this game, that I know. It is a game where we put one stick across the hole, and used another stick to flick the former as far as possible, without it being caught by your opponents. Then, your opponent would have to throw the stick back towards the hole. Marks would be counted as to the distance of the stick from the hole. Then, there was the TV series "Combat". We would be cutting and carving pieces of woods to make guns so that we could play combat. I remember that us kids would be running around like real soldiers in a combat, finding covers so that we can shoot our opponents without us being shot at. We used senduduk buds as our ammo.
Those were the time, eh? No worries in the world would stop us from playing games and having fun. Except of course, our parents. The "Fun Spoilers". After the movie, we went back. It was raining, more like a heavy drizzle. And I was still a 12-year-old kid. So, I asked my daughter whether she would like to join me for a bit of fun in the rain. She jumped out of the car and we started jumping in water puddles, dancing and looking up to the raining sky with our mouths open. It was fun! While it lasted. That was, when another "Fun Spoiler" came out from the house. My darling wife. And being the only adult, I got the worse end of the lecture.
It was fun, even for a little while...
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Sad morning...
I was having breakfast this morning, alone and with a newspaper in hand. Read about the little 3 year-old girl... What has the world turn to?! How could a mother, who had been carrying her for nine months, tergamak did something like that? And that mother who abused her kid till he ruptured his intestine and died a slow death... How could a mother do all those things to her own child?!
All these happened here, in my beloved country. If it happens in some hell-on-earth countries like Afghanistan or Iraq (ironically, both are so-called Muslim countries), perhaps it is more acceptable. With the need to survive and what not. Even that, I still couldn't swallow the fact that a person would kill his/her own blood!
Ya Allah! Lindungilah keluarga aku dan keluarga umat Islam yang lain dari perkara2 musibah dan buruk!
I was discussing this with my new friend over skype. She said, she's sad as well. And felt like bashing up the mother and her boyfriend. I asked her, what good would that do? You might feel good about it, or you might not. It is because fighting violence with violence that makes the whole world violent. Islam allows an eye for an eye but, the great religion also said that giving forgiveness is a more noble thing to do. I think because of taking Islamic teachings in parts, rather than its entirety, that extremists mushroom.
I was reading the book my skype friend gave me. It was about Afghanistan, prior to Soviet invasion, during Taliban and post Taliban. Things are not looking up over there. Most Afghans may have forgotten the Islam way of life prior to the Soviet invasion. Then, when the Taliban took over, the literal and extreme interpretation of Islamic teachings prevailed. It was hell being delivered, rather than heaven that was promised. Imagine, a Muslim woman, being beaten for speaking out too loud in public without further enquiries being made. In the book, there was story about this woman who went to the market with the husband. She asked for the price of some fruits to the old man who was selling it. And the old man was hard of hearing. So, she asked in a raised voice. She was beaten there and then, in front of the husband, the crowd for doing that! She was beaten so hard that she couldn't walk for days! That wasn't Islamic teachings. That was just brutality to women. And what about the Taliban's massacre of the Hazara. Just because they are Syiah, they were massacred? Even the Prophet S.A.W said that towards the end, his ummat would have many sectarians beliefs, but they are not wrong as long as they hold to the 5 pillars of Islam and believe in the six pillars of faith.
I am not religious. I am no imam or ustadz. But I believe this, peganglah Rukun Islam dan percayalah kepada Rukun Imam, InsyaAllah, you'll be okay.
All these happened here, in my beloved country. If it happens in some hell-on-earth countries like Afghanistan or Iraq (ironically, both are so-called Muslim countries), perhaps it is more acceptable. With the need to survive and what not. Even that, I still couldn't swallow the fact that a person would kill his/her own blood!
Ya Allah! Lindungilah keluarga aku dan keluarga umat Islam yang lain dari perkara2 musibah dan buruk!
I was discussing this with my new friend over skype. She said, she's sad as well. And felt like bashing up the mother and her boyfriend. I asked her, what good would that do? You might feel good about it, or you might not. It is because fighting violence with violence that makes the whole world violent. Islam allows an eye for an eye but, the great religion also said that giving forgiveness is a more noble thing to do. I think because of taking Islamic teachings in parts, rather than its entirety, that extremists mushroom.
I was reading the book my skype friend gave me. It was about Afghanistan, prior to Soviet invasion, during Taliban and post Taliban. Things are not looking up over there. Most Afghans may have forgotten the Islam way of life prior to the Soviet invasion. Then, when the Taliban took over, the literal and extreme interpretation of Islamic teachings prevailed. It was hell being delivered, rather than heaven that was promised. Imagine, a Muslim woman, being beaten for speaking out too loud in public without further enquiries being made. In the book, there was story about this woman who went to the market with the husband. She asked for the price of some fruits to the old man who was selling it. And the old man was hard of hearing. So, she asked in a raised voice. She was beaten there and then, in front of the husband, the crowd for doing that! She was beaten so hard that she couldn't walk for days! That wasn't Islamic teachings. That was just brutality to women. And what about the Taliban's massacre of the Hazara. Just because they are Syiah, they were massacred? Even the Prophet S.A.W said that towards the end, his ummat would have many sectarians beliefs, but they are not wrong as long as they hold to the 5 pillars of Islam and believe in the six pillars of faith.
I am not religious. I am no imam or ustadz. But I believe this, peganglah Rukun Islam dan percayalah kepada Rukun Imam, InsyaAllah, you'll be okay.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
How do I love thee
I got this beautiful poem off the ERL. It was written by someone, I can't remember who. I just wanna share it with you. Hope by publishing it here, I won't get into any trouble for not putting the original author's name to it. If you know who wrote this, please enlighten me. I'll give him/her due credit.
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the does of Being and ideal Grace
I love thee to the level of everyday's
most quiet need, by sun and candlelight
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith
I love thee with the love I seem to lose
With my lost saints - I love thee with the breadth
Smiles, tears, of all my life - and if God choose
I shall but love thee better after death
I was so moved by it that I text it down in my handphone. Hence, now sharing it. I dedicated this to my love. She said she liked it. Dunno whether she still keeps it with her. Hmm...
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the does of Being and ideal Grace
I love thee to the level of everyday's
most quiet need, by sun and candlelight
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith
I love thee with the love I seem to lose
With my lost saints - I love thee with the breadth
Smiles, tears, of all my life - and if God choose
I shall but love thee better after death
I was so moved by it that I text it down in my handphone. Hence, now sharing it. I dedicated this to my love. She said she liked it. Dunno whether she still keeps it with her. Hmm...
Idle but busy...?
9.30am:
Got into the office this morning. Actually, client's office. Have been here for two weeks.
Today is one of those days when I'm swarmed with work and have no inkling of head and tail as to what to do. Rasa malas je nak buat apa-apa. If only I could just lepak in front of the tv...sigh!
1.03pm:
Just had lunch with one of my colleagues. Somehow, the talk over lunch went from the tastiness of the lauk-pauk, to previous projects and to a mutual friend who is said to be getting married soon. About this mutual friend. He is the only Arab whom I know that eats siput sedut. Girls say he is cool, good-looking, tall...almost every girl's dream boy. You might have thought he is a bit of casanova, right? Wrong. He is the total opposite. I've known him for about four years and he has never talked about a girlfriend or makwe or any conquest. There was even a time when I thought he is, well...not straight. But somehow or rather, early this year, he kept asking about the procedure in getting married. And never once did he mention that he has a girl in his mind. But rumours have it (agh! no, i'm not a rumour mongerer...well, at least not the criminal kind...) that he is seeing someone for the past two years! Hmm....makes you wonder how come he had never mentioned about this. Or how he could have this big a secret. I guess, certain people are just good at keeping everything close to their chest. And now, he and the girl are getting married! It is still a rumour, hence, the kepochi in me started to make some inquiries. There and then, during lunch just now. I made some calls and all came back with,"Ha?! Dia dah nak kawin dah?!" It seems no one know. So, perhaps, it's just rumour....Or perhaps it's not...? We'll see...
11pm:
Another day went by. I had a meeting at 5pm just now. Had to go back to the office for that. The meeting went quite well. Finished off at around 7pm. Then only I remembered that I was supposed to watch Transformers with my daughter. Hurriedly went to the cinema to buy tickets for the 9pm show. But alas, all tickets were sold out! Aiseh, anak aku frust giler. She almost cried when I told her. Aku cakap kat dia, perhaps tomorrow. Hopely, besok aku boleh la balik awal sikit. Lately, I have been making promises to her that I couldn't keep. Like cooking her favourite ketam masak lemak or making her fried beehoon. I've been swarmed with work these past couple of weeks. Kerja yang aku tak tahu mana hujung pangkalnya. Aku sendiri pun dah pening, kerja mana yang aku buat sekarang...sigh! Hopefully, tomorrow I can at least fulfill one of the promises I made to my daughter...
Got into the office this morning. Actually, client's office. Have been here for two weeks.
Today is one of those days when I'm swarmed with work and have no inkling of head and tail as to what to do. Rasa malas je nak buat apa-apa. If only I could just lepak in front of the tv...sigh!
1.03pm:
Just had lunch with one of my colleagues. Somehow, the talk over lunch went from the tastiness of the lauk-pauk, to previous projects and to a mutual friend who is said to be getting married soon. About this mutual friend. He is the only Arab whom I know that eats siput sedut. Girls say he is cool, good-looking, tall...almost every girl's dream boy. You might have thought he is a bit of casanova, right? Wrong. He is the total opposite. I've known him for about four years and he has never talked about a girlfriend or makwe or any conquest. There was even a time when I thought he is, well...not straight. But somehow or rather, early this year, he kept asking about the procedure in getting married. And never once did he mention that he has a girl in his mind. But rumours have it (agh! no, i'm not a rumour mongerer...well, at least not the criminal kind...) that he is seeing someone for the past two years! Hmm....makes you wonder how come he had never mentioned about this. Or how he could have this big a secret. I guess, certain people are just good at keeping everything close to their chest. And now, he and the girl are getting married! It is still a rumour, hence, the kepochi in me started to make some inquiries. There and then, during lunch just now. I made some calls and all came back with,"Ha?! Dia dah nak kawin dah?!" It seems no one know. So, perhaps, it's just rumour....Or perhaps it's not...? We'll see...
11pm:
Another day went by. I had a meeting at 5pm just now. Had to go back to the office for that. The meeting went quite well. Finished off at around 7pm. Then only I remembered that I was supposed to watch Transformers with my daughter. Hurriedly went to the cinema to buy tickets for the 9pm show. But alas, all tickets were sold out! Aiseh, anak aku frust giler. She almost cried when I told her. Aku cakap kat dia, perhaps tomorrow. Hopely, besok aku boleh la balik awal sikit. Lately, I have been making promises to her that I couldn't keep. Like cooking her favourite ketam masak lemak or making her fried beehoon. I've been swarmed with work these past couple of weeks. Kerja yang aku tak tahu mana hujung pangkalnya. Aku sendiri pun dah pening, kerja mana yang aku buat sekarang...sigh! Hopefully, tomorrow I can at least fulfill one of the promises I made to my daughter...
Monday, July 9, 2007
Anak-anak....
These are my two beautiful children. I have a pair. The eldest, a girl, is turning 6 in a couple of months. The youngest, a boy is 2. Both have curly hairs. And the wife tak nak potong rambut anak lelaki aku, so, org selalu ingat dia budak pompuan. Here they are, my most sacred treasures!
Getting started
Man... I've been wanting to do this for a long time. Writing. On the net. I've done some writing before, got them printed and published and what nots. But never on the net. You see, when you get things printed and published on paper, a whole bunch of editors must have had gone through your manuscripts, checking your grammar, spellings and most importantly, making sure your contents make sense. But not on the net, though. It's akin to opening up yourself, in all its grammatical errors, spelling mistakes and incoherent thoughts for all to see.
Well, here I am. If whatever you got from here is beneficial to you, Alhamdulillah. If not, just leave it as it is.
Well, here I am. If whatever you got from here is beneficial to you, Alhamdulillah. If not, just leave it as it is.
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