Elbows on the window sill

work challenge

2010-02-07T16:28:00.001+08:00

Half year end of 2009 had been challenging but I managed fairly well. Despite being new in student affairs department I have a reasonably well understanding of what student affairs management is all about. With a resourceful boss, a very supportive all-student leader and motivation from colleague-friends my spirit and enthusiasm were sky high. The 3 papers we worked on student centre, student sports centre and students transports (bus and van) were through and approved. God gave me a son..much more than what I asked for..alhamdulillah. Few student leaders with the right frame-of-mind appeared and helped the new student orientation program. Very encouraging.

I thought I started well in 2010. The training model on student leadership and teamwork which the trainer, student leader and me worked on works. A new horizon of positive and exemplary bunch of students emerged. Thanks to almighty Allah. Next the MTS was so near to success but I had spoiled it..I had broken my own all-these-while DTA principle.. As a result I paid a high price for it.. a substantial amount of my cash, dignity and I crushed the FMTS leader's faith in me..huhu.. The pain is too much to bear alone..

Then stinks caused by some skunks appeared one after another. Those unblessed souls were searching for white souls as slaves for their own selfish agenda. I pity those skunks and the 'naives' but decided those we not my problems since those skunks were there long before me. My sifu had taught me well 'once a skunk always a skunk'.

I am glad that I was holding tight to the Quran in those challenging moments. Surah 16:119-128. Allah has shown me his love and blessings in kinds..subhanallah. I still hold to the principle "If thing can go right, it should" but with some changes to suit my 'new path'..(smile)

me on marg-cann team mgmt wheel

2009-12-27T10:50:00.002+08:00

I practice what I prefer and hope become more proficient at it which in turn gives me pleasure from my work.

an engagement of two hearts made in heaven

2009-12-26T09:21:00.003+08:00

It is just like yesterday she was a little girl.. jalan-jalan jatuh.. nenex got to tatehkan dia atas rumput pagi yang masih berembun.. mulut yang sentiasa tersumbat dengan punting pacifier.. dan muka yang comot makan cheeseburger di a n w drive inn. Today she is a full-grown young lady.. beautiful.. intelligent.. berani, cekap.. and sentiasa sibuk kerja (part ni sounds like her usu).

On this christmas day, she is being wooed by her beloved prince.. how lucky for both.. and i am happy for them..

Dance like no one is watching

Sing like no one is listening

Love like you've never been hurt

Live like it's Heaven on Earth

A dream that is dreamed by two
Will always come true

aina's godsister got engaged

2009-11-29T16:28:00.001+08:00

When aina was still tiny and until she became a toddler, she was babysitted by her godmother, Puan Norizam whom aina affectionately called 'mak' (aina calls me mama). Ayu, (Pn Norizam's only daughter)) became aina's godsister or rather her 'sister' whom both had never had. Ayu loves her, disciplined her and pampered her. So does her father, En Sulaiman (godfather) whom aina referred to as bapak (aina calls dh babah). Apart from them, aina has abang Jim and abang Nik as godbrothers. The distance between our homes is four houses apart which had made easy for aina to escape my disciplinarian routine.

Ayu is a daughter whom all mothers had hoped for. She is a good mannered, intelligent and responsible girl. On this engagement occasion, I pray that Allah will bless ayu with kindness and love.

mak's lonesome eid adha

2009-11-28T16:53:00.014+08:00

Mak has 6 grandchildren. Only 1 (her eldest grandson) visited her during edul adha (apart from her youngest granddaughter who stays with mak). Her eldest granddaughter is studying in Bristol, with her grandson-in-law and her only greatgranddaughter. Mak's 2nd granddaughter attended her bf's sister's wedding in Kulim accompanied by her 3rd granddaughter. Mak's youngest grandson is studying in Hamilton. Mak's only son is performing haj in Mecca. So does her daughter-in-law. Mak's only daughter is with her. So does her son-in-law.

Maybe next year mak will have everyone celebrating the raya with her..

rindu meamor dan lambaian kaabah di edul adha

2009-11-27T20:37:00.004+08:00

Tahun ini tahun kedua, musim raya keempat tanpa putera tercinta di sisi. Hanya kasih sayang, doa dan skype di pagi raya yang mampu mententeramkan rindu, sebak dan pilu... Mana ada insan yang ada iman di hatinya yang tidak berasa rindu pada Kaabah...Edul Adha tahun ini sangat meruntun kerinduan pada putera dan Baitullah. Semoga Allah mengizinkan lagi percutian bersama putera tercinta dan kunjungan insan kerdil ini ke Mekah pada tahun hadapan... insya Allah..

aslam on mbti

2009-11-27T11:15:00.002+08:00

Without introverted intuitives, it is said that Israel would have had no prophets. Under deceptively conventional appearances lie perceptive minds that travel the breadth and depth of universal mysteries, contemplating its multilayered complexity, seeking the trends that will define the future. With time, clarity of vision comes. When it comes, they are propelled towards the vision and all their actions lead to it. They are perseverant behind a quiet exterior and will often come back with their vision long after everyone believes they have let it go.

What they see is so clear and obvious to them they are often surprised to find that others cannot see it as well. They may find it difficult to articulate the necessary steps towards implementation or to explain how each goal fits into the larger picture.

Their mind usually travels from the past to the future, seeking to fit a particular situation in a large context. It picks up patterns, symbols and images from different seemingly unrelated fields, identifies similarities and provides meaning. This can help solve problems by juxtaposing ideas, finding analogies or simply by rooting out the quintessential reality, discovering the origin in universal stories and human experiences, culling wisdom from the infinitely small to the infinitely large. Their mind naturally travels from the microcosm to the macrocosm.

They regularly have to face the difficulties of bringing dreams into reality. The time and effort it takes is always more than what their intuition initially suggested. They are determined, perseverant, inspired and often see things just around the corner, into the near or far future.

sighed..

perseverance

2009-11-20T01:53:00.008+08:00

When things go wrong as they sometimes will,

When the road you're trudging seems all uphill.

When the funds are low and the debts are high,

And you want to smile, but you have to sigh.

When care is pressing you down a bit,

Rest if you must, but don't you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,

As everyone of us sometimes learns.

And many a fellow turns about,

When he might have won had he stuck it out.

Don't give up though the pace seems slow,

You may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than

It seems to a faint and faltering man.

Often the struggler has given up,

When he might have captured the victor's cup.

And he learned too late when the night came down,

How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out,

The silver tint of the clouds of doubt.

And you never can tell how close you are,

It may be near when it seems afar.

So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit,

It's when things seem worst that you mustn't quit.

Anonymous

attended a wedding by lake titiwangsa

2009-11-15T17:15:00.006+08:00

I have always enjoyed attending dh's family and relatives' gatherings. Although I am an 'in-law', all the time they made me feel welcome as part of the family. I enjoyed the teasings, jokes and laughters - they are all still the same (i've been married to dh and known his big families for more than 20 years!). Doctors, engineers, businessmen, accountants, lecturers, teachers, drivers, odd-jobbers, pensioners etc etc are all behaving alike - full of humbleness and ukhwah. I very much hope meamor and his generation will follow suit.. no matter what their backgounds are and how far their distance apart..

And when its time for us to leave for home..while waiting for Aina who strolled around the lake.. I became the subject of dh's photography!

doaku mengiring...

2009-11-15T10:22:00.002+08:00

my cuteprincess is eleven on 6 nov ..

2009-11-15T07:49:00.005+08:00

aina.. the taekwondo kid..

she is a rare and priceless treasure..

who brings special happiness..

we had joy we had fun we had seasons in the sun..

2009-11-14T19:25:00.004+08:00

(back row) mun mooi, mrs teh, wai ling, mooi kwai, mrs hanif loke, azirah, me, yati, cheok giam, kalsom, wei foonf, carolyn & gaik leng

(front) rose chay, siew leng and kwee ling

"It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them."

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

New Friends and Old Friends

By Joseph Parry

Make new friends, but keep the old;
Those are silver, these are gold.

New-made friendships, like new wine,

Age will mellow and refine.

Friendships that have stood the test -

Time and change - are surely best;

Brow may wrinkle, hair grow gray,

Friendship never knows decay.

For 'mid old friends, tried and true,

Once more we our youth renew.

Cherish friendship in your breast-

New is good, but old is best;

Make new friends, but keep the old;

Those are silver, these are gold

when will i see you again..

remembering a beloved teacher

2009-11-14T17:06:00.019+08:00

I was hardly fifteen.. being cared and loved by a new teacher.. somebody i have never known before. All the love, guidance, presents, attention she has given me, sacrifices she has made for me and her loving memories can never be matched till now and which I can never repay.. she even addressed herself as mama.. how touching..

How ingratitude and naive I was to just let go and forgotten them all these while.. it takes only now (so long after) for me to really understand and appreciate.. sorry so much cikgu maria .. but there were other unavoidable circumstances also..

It is my wish now that we will meet again.. i just met my old friends (cikgu maria's other students).. they helped me to realize it.. i am now in student affairs dealing with students of adolescent age.. and one has made me realized it..

God has given me such a lot.. i should be giving out some also..

These are some memories linked to cikgu maria.. so sweet and beautiful..

One of cikgu maria's poem which i still can memorize which carries a lot of pain inside..

ku ~~titip pesan~~ surat rindu pada angin menderu

housemaid arrived

2009-11-01T23:52:00.002+08:00

What a relief when the housemaid finally arrived. Though it means a tight purse, but I am in dire need of :

meamor ngigau skype

2009-11-01T21:13:00.034+08:00

Its 8.30pm malaysia and still early in Canada - 8.30am. Meamor skyped lying from his bed... "mama boleh nanti postkan perencah dan rempah. Hari itu masak ikan talapia fresh giler...." He asked me again "mama apa dia ikan jenahak in english?". I do not know and humbly replied "ntah mama tak tahu, apa dia?". Meamor said "its golden snapper. mama tak tau sebab you are not canadian!". Poyo betul budak ni... And he went to sleep again... Or he ngigau ke ape?...

I promised to dhl him his favourite famous amos, chilli sauce and some herbs and various pastes and gravies. If he ngigau i wonder if he will remember these when he awakes.

where am i?

2009-11-01T19:45:00.003+08:00

Only child

An only child is a child with no siblings, either biological or adopted. Although first-born children may be considered temporary only children, and have a similar early family environment, the term only child is generally applied only to those individuals who never have siblings. An "only child", however may have half-siblings or step-siblings who come along considerably late (after he/she turns, say, 12) and still be considered an "only child". Children with much older siblings may also have a similar family environment to only children.

Families may have an only child for a variety of reasons, including: family planning, including financial and emotional or physical health issues, stress in the family, time constraints, fears over pregnancy, advanced age, infertility, personal preferences, and death of a sibling. Additionally, some parents decide to have only one child because they simply prefer it that way. Under the the One-child policy in Mainland China, subject to local relaxations, urban parents are prohibited by law to have more than one child.

In Western culture, only children are often subject to a stereotype that equates them with spoiled brats.

Birth order

is a person's rank by age among his or her siblings. Typically, researchers classify siblings as “eldest”, “middle child”, and “youngest” or simply distinguish between “firstborn” and “later born” children.
Birth order is commonly believed in pop psychology and popular culture to have a profound and lasting effect on psychological development and personality. For example, firstborns are seen as conservative and high achieving, middle children as natural mediators, and youngest children as charming and outgoing. In his book Born to Rebel, Frank Sulloway argues that firstborns are more conscientious, more socially dominant, less agreeable, and less open to new ideas compared to laterborns. Literature reviews that have examined many studies and attempted to control for confounding variables tend to find minimal effects for birth order on personality. ^[4]^[5] In her review of the scientific literature, Judith Rich Harris suggests that birth order effects may exist within the context of the family of origin, but that they are not enduring aspects of personality. ^[6]
Some research has found that firstborn children have slightly higher IQs on average than later born children. ^[7] However, other research finds no such effect. ^[8]

^{What is the personality of a child if she could be categorized not only as only, but also firstborn and also the youngest when/but she also has sisters and brothers? Unpredictable.}

sedih dan luka - seasonal affective disorder?

2009-11-01T15:53:00.012+08:00

I read my eldest niece's blog a while ago and i feel deeply sad. Looking back, my life is quite full of sad stories and one of them is associated with my sibling huhuhu. But I have always - "Life is short - it's been a great reminder to not take life or myself so seriously" and my life goes on the way it is now. I pray to Allah that both my brother and SIL will successfully perform their mabrur haj. Amen.

jejak kasih

2009-10-27T22:50:00.003+08:00

I haven't seen many of my friends for many many years, partly my fault for not making the effort. Recently facebook has helped me in menjejak kasih for Azirah, Kalsom, Juneta, Jasmin (sis of Juneta), Yati and Puteri (and perhaps many more). I am eagerly looking forward to meet them .... this time I shall find the time dear friends....

miss brilliant

2009-10-26T22:59:00.014+08:00

(gambar hiasan sahaja)

My Little Red Car

I have a little red car,
that fits five quite comfortably,
but members of my family
when shopping think I drive a lorry.
The thing is that they think
it will take them as well,
would you believe.
I do not know where they got the notion
that if you push the back seat down
you can carry triple the amount.
In a minute if they keep going
I will be driving through the sunroof
as there will not be any room
for me in my little red car

by david harris

meamor skyped on his trip to webster

2009-10-25T05:58:00.003+08:00

Meamor skyped at 4am malaysian time on his visit to webster falls today. He said it was marvelous and he enjoyed every bit of it. I think he deserved to be off hook with books for a while. He had just undergone a 2-week hectic schedule with assignments, projects and tests. He has gone thinner in 2 weeks due to living on "sarapan roti, lunch roti and dinner roti tak sempat masak" kind of menu.

He asked me "mama nape waktu macam ni tak tidor lagi?". Suddenly I realized that my haywire sleeping time started with his departure to canada and it has gotten worse since I joined HEP.

a new family member arrived

2009-10-24T12:48:00.005+08:00

(3-week old sugar sleeping on a tree)

Last thursday a new family member arrived. She is a little kitten bought from a pet shop which aina named 'chomel' (though I wanted to name her cleopatra or poppin). Aiman squealed with joy and laughter when we showed her over skype. I hope dh will recover from his 'lost' over sugar. Most of all I am happy that mak adores chomel (since she will spend most of the time with her at home when all of us go to either work or school). Hubby will teach her some games and tricks. I hope to teach her 'martial arts'!

Welcome chomel - we will make u a home which you will be happy to spend the rest of your life in it.

a prof who inspires

2009-10-09T23:10:00.020+08:00

Prof Dr Muhd Kamil Ibrahim - I've known him long in blogosphere through his writings. His name was nothing new since I was also from ITM. I bought his travelog haji from mph bookstore in Subang Jaya. I've met him personally in Sarajevo and he presented me his travelog haji cd signed with a kasih sayang seorang saudara muslim. One week knowing him in Bosnia (we were part of the malaysian universities delegation) and having the opportunities to solat jemaah with him as the imam and hearing his tazkirahs has done me good (in faith) and I am so thankful to Allah. He is a simple yet great man, and effective in his dakwah.

cute princess having a high fever

2009-10-08T21:18:00.005+08:00

Aina is having a high fever again @ 39.9-40.0 C. This means mama will have to stay all night in the study room by her side to monitor every hour and sponge bathe her. Since her first month until 2 years old she used to cause alarm to her parents - by having fits alongside even a slight fever. The neighbours were being noted and more often than not, they took the trouble to send her to smc (then only noting us, her parents). Every time she went into fits, I went into phobia - it caused tears and pains to me - every of those times, I felt like almost losing her. Even she is almost 12 11 years of age now and responded well to prescribed dosage of fever medication, I wouldn't take any chance and continue to nurse her to ensure she is totally free from fits and its symptoms.

Here are the lyrics of a beautiful poem by Mary A. Loberg.

A Mother's Prayer

Help me dear Lord, as a mother, I pray
And bless these hands folded in prayer today;
May they be ever strong as they guide, as they teach,
Beings never too far for a child to reach.
May they never, with selfishness, try to dissuade,
Nor too quickly punish, nor too slowly aid.
May they point out the pleasures in laughter and song,
And may they show, wisely, the right from the wrong,
So that one day I'll know that I've helped all I can
To make her a woman, to make him a man.

sunday morning with me amor

2009-10-04T11:54:00.007+08:00

a mute wife and a deaf husband

2009-10-04T02:27:00.007+08:00

It had passed midnight and i am still with the laptop working on the international conference to be held at the end of this month. On dh's invitation, I gladly answered yes, grabbed my scarf and followed him heading for dataran shah alam for a char kuey tiau, otak2 and hot plain tea. The last time we came here was like more than 1 year ago before me amor leaving for canada. While eating and watching manchester u vs sunderland (dh is a fan of chelsea while I am of man u's) on the screen, we discussed about young men in general, their behavioral and needs, likes and dislikes. My cellphone buzzed at 1.35am, my, with a message from an src - he was still awake at this wee hours? We then had a good laugh mimicking a mute wife and a deaf husband. He still can insult me 'crazy' with his sign language - but I was just not in the mood to 'pay' him for that! Initially I was just mooting up the idea of a happy marriage - that is between a mute wife and a deaf husband. But then we thought it would be very deadly boring - its the whispers, sweet talks and quarrels that add salt and pepper to a husband/wife relationship! Really?

don't shut the door too hard

2009-10-03T17:42:00.017+08:00

An unfavorable incident occurred today that has left me frustrated and agitated. Though I feel wanna shut the door then lock it and throw the key away, I cannot do it for there is love and sense of responsibility in all the things I do and vision out. I tried to find console by having a lunch date with dh at JM Briyani, Tesco. I remembered a lesson learned from John Casey's mother some time ago - don't shut the door too hard like you don't want to open it again... and I also remembered fairly well those words uttered by Prof Zainal in a lecture. Good balance of them make it do, I hope so.

westlife, seasons in the sun

me amor...

2009-10-01T23:48:00.016+08:00

Naruto - one of sweet prince's favourite cartoon series dh and I watched on tv today. We miss you sweet prince...

on whether to have another winning team workshop

2009-10-01T23:24:00.003+08:00

A little while ago I was doing a bit of clearing of what my mak said my 'sepah' belongings. But these (especially the above twos) had delayed my 'berkemas' and put me into a deep thinking....

bravo ex-comrade

2009-09-29T21:26:00.010+08:00

Last Thursday I was at the Tesco as an escapism from a 'boringness' being at home alone - mak stayed for two nights at her one and only sister's place in Gombak, dh and aina day-balik kampung in Hulu Langat. I dropped by the office for two hours only to witness cold and still office since everyone was still away celebrating their rayas. As I was passing by the plant aisle, sat on a wheelchair in front of me was a familiar figure of a man whom I've known used to be full of vibrant, talkative and cheerful. Though hesitated at first (fear he might not recognize and just ignore me), I smiled at him and said, Haji Fesal? He smiled back and replied, Hajah ada sini tengah beli barang. Not sure myself on whether to ask him on his health condition or not, i said, ok haji saya pergi cari hajah.

At the perishable section, I almost cried with joy when I saw Hajah Azmahton. Masya allah, she doesn't change an inch, still look as young as the last time I saw her - more than 8 years ago. We had a long chat relaying all the happenings in our work and family lives in the past 8 years. She lost a grown-up daughter to meningitis, (fondly called kakteh whom at that time studied is UIA). I remembered what a fair and fine girl kakteh used to be. A year after that Hj Fesal got his leg amputated due to diabetes (that being the reason he is now on a wheelchair). Ya Allah tears almost rolling down my cheek listening to all she had gone thru in all those years - Earlier she had lost the only son and another 2 children in their infants. She is now a Senior Deputy Bursar and the sole breadwinner of her family which now consists of a hubby and 5 girls. But her face doesn't show even the slightest of sadness but only redha.

Though taller in height compared to her, yet I felt so small and inferior - to her determination, calmness, patience and expression of devotion to Allah. All praises be unto Allah, the All knowing, Most Gracious, most Merciful. Before we depart, she handed me an invitation card to her daughter's wedding to be held in December. Till we meet again friend, may God bless you with happiness, love and laughter too ....and everything else that makes your life a happy one for you. Amen.

picture paints a thousand words - raya part 1

2009-09-24T22:50:00.006+08:00

pagi aidilfitri

2009-09-20T11:02:00.009+08:00

Syukur alhamdulillah tahun ini dapat menunaikan solat sunat hari raya di Masjid Ubudiyah Seksyen 19 dengan mak dan DH. Bacaan imam pun sedap dan berlagu masyaallah kalau tahu makna bacaannya pasti akan lebih menusuk kalbu lagi. Aina tidur di rumah abah di PJ malam tadi. Katanya "nak ikut makteh beraya sebab mama tak raye sebab along jauh". "Sorry darling tapi mama pun rasa aina akan lebih seronok kat rumah nenek PJ sebab ramai cousin brothers and sisters dan echah. "

Pulang dari solat, dapat pula skype lagi dengan sweet prince. He sounded cheerful and I felt so bahagia.. Di sana malam raya - baru lepas makan 'besar' dengan rakan-rakan serumahnya dengan pelbagai juadah yang dibawa oleh seorang yang dipanggil pakdin oleh students malaysia di sana. Pakdin ni seorang malaysian prihatin, bertugas di Toronto dan ini tahun kedua beliau 'belanja' students malaysia di sana. Malam tadi sebelum takbir meamor dapat video called dengan hampir semua orang including DH, aunties dan cousinsnya. Pagi ni pulak dengan nenexnya.

Lepas maghrib malam tadi (malam raya) seorang sahabat prof called dari makkah. Rindu sangat padanya sebab dah lama tak jumpa dan pemergiannya ke tanah suci mengerjakan umrah tanpa sempat berhantar dan berpesan. Beliau bukan saja seorang sahabat tapi dah macam kakak kandung yang sempurna whom I have never had. I felt so touched when she said she prayed in front of kaabah for me and hope to see a 'better' me. Amin.

Allahuakbar indahnya kebesaran Ilahi.

takbir malam raya

2009-09-20T03:47:00.018+08:00

Thank you muzh, dekwan, BIL megat, BIL rani, SIL angah, SIL ateh, halim, hatim, nabila and nadhirah

for coming over to takbir raya.Will skype-send aiman the recorded takbir.

aidilfitri without meamor

2009-09-19T18:45:00.016+08:00

with other malaysian students in Toronto 2008

Its aidifitri tomorrow. Last year aidilfitri was celebrated without meamor and this year it is going to be the same (is it celebrating when there is no celebration?). For a family of 4 (plus mak 5), not having all of its members in an event is a significant loneliness. 2 years aidilfitri without him here, listening to takbir raya really inviting tears, the routine would be skype after subuh, performing the mass solat sunat raya at section 19 masjid, having a 'breakfast' of rendang, nasi impit and kuah kacang then continuing skyping again before visiting MIL and FIL in Petaling Jaya. And aina will be following ateh visiting families and friends.

Pagi lagi sudah ke pasar seksyen 6, cari daging, ayam dan beberapa lagi mengikut nota pesanan yang mak dah siapkan. Tapi kali ni DH helped me since troli pasar rosak and tak larat nak angkut seorang barang pasar nanti. Balik rumah buat washing and hanged all cucian at the car porch sebab cuaca tak berapa panas. Then buat house spring cleaning (its a big task) - sweeping, mopping, clearing the dust, mengemas yang bersepah-sepah. Luckily aina independently helped washing the car porch area (time kasih aina, mama saayang aina!). How I wished I still have a maid. Ria, our last maid ran away while I was away in Bosnia.Beza ada maid dengan tidak, life now is a bit huru-hara since semua kena buat sendiri, baiknya pulak 'we enjoy the privacy'. If meamor di sini, all those chores are a mother and a son's shared work - sambil kemas sambil dengar dan nyanyi lagu raya sama-sama, saat-saat akhir pun sempat pergi beli bunga ke, pasu ker when we found the decoration tak cukup meriah. But for these 2 years, everything is kept to very simple and minimum.

Petang raya eve ni DH and aina had already left for takbir at FIL's place. I had chosen not to go since I promised to skype meamor on the night raya eve. Hope this raya would be a better one for him compared to last year since it falls on Sunday and now he rents a house with 7 other Malaysian students. Last year he wore a full baju melayu siap samping on the raya day and attended classes!

nasib baik tak pecah kereta orang

2009-09-19T00:57:00.011+08:00

Tengah hari tadi temankan Kak Rj Norhayati seorang sahabat dari uitm shopping. Dah lama sangat kami tak jumpa oleh kerana kesibukan tugas masing-masing. Setiap kali dia telefon, dia akan complaint "asyik I jer selalu telefon - u kan sya selalu janji nak telefon balik tapi tak pernah nak telefon". Masya Allah 'munafik kalau selalu berjanji tapi tak tunai' ni. So, lepas ni I shall note whatever promises I made so I will remember and ensure the delivery. Shopping can be a 'crazy splendour' kepada ramai wanita but not for me but for the sake of a friendship I had made myself available all afternoon. And I enjoyed every moment bersamanya - an 'anak kerabat raja' driving me in her new latio while I sat comfortably listening to her stories and soft soothing music, ok what! Kami bergegas-gegas berjalan dari Shah Alam Mall ke SACC kemudian ke PKNS Complex sampai nak tercabut kaki cari her baju kurung biru tapi tak jumpa-jumpa. Dulu-dulu dengan izin DH we used to 'dating' dari pagi sampai malam dan shopping kain and tempah baju raya dengan kain corak dan warna yang sama yang dibeli dari Gulatis di Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman. How sweet. We found that many boutiques these days are selling less unique but very common items up to being 'mediocre' in quality of design and materials.

Di SACC basement parking tadi I directed a 'havoc' drama. Terdengar suara perempuan menjerit-jerit histerical tapi tak jelas biji butir yang dijeritnya and a sound of car screeching. Tiba-tiba teringat kisah Canny Ong, Suzilawati dan kanak-kanak perempuan yang hilang so I shouted to a few men yang kebetulan berada di situ 'kejar, kejar, tolong, stop that car, ada orang kena colek'. I was also looking for a 'besi' so that I can break the glass of the moving vehicle. Berderau darah dan hampir semput juga nafas berada dalam situasi kejadian tu. So those men pun kejar and stopped the car - alhamdulillah satu lagi kes pencolekan telah berjaya dilumpuhkan I thought. But to my surprise - cerita sebenarnya, perempuan tu gaduh dengan her husband or boyfriend I was told. I confirmed with the security officer there dan rasa amat lega. Tapi ya tuhan, bergaduh sampai macam tu .... perempuan ke apa tu? And nasib baik I did not find the 'besi'. If not i will be landing myself kat 'balai' dekat-dekat raya ni. But I am glad.... masyarakat Malaysia khususnya Shah Alam masih prihatin and I witnessed that with my own eyes.

selamat berangkat mencari ilmu akmal

2009-09-18T01:25:00.005+08:00

Akmal is heading for the Trinity College Dublin Medical School
dengan doa tulus ikhlas mengiringi perjalananmu mencari ilmu

matlamatmu, gunung indah di kejauhan

dengan bekal semangat waja

laluilah denai semangga

gunung itu pastikan kau tawan kemuncaknya

berbuka with friends 3 days in a row

2009-09-16T21:48:00.026+08:00

I had my berbuka at Tesco JM Briyani today with the one and only sweet lady whom I knew sharing the same birth date with me (but of course we're of different years). I am a dragon who wished to be a leopard and a lion at enthusiam ?! while she is a replica of perempuan melayu terakhir! Both of us are truly piscean - ultra sensitive creatures which she called as having the extra extra sense. Actually we didn't plan to berbuka together. I drove the sweet lady back to Shah Alam after we both attended a meeting in the BJ Campus. All the way in the car we had lively and lovely chats about work and people minus the gossips?! The rain poured heavily and the traffic jam was real bad. We reached near Kelab Shah Alam past the berbuka time. So we drove to Tesco, had a mug of orange each while walking in search of a decent restaurant. We had to queue until about 8.15 to be seated at JM Briyani.(The last time I drove alone back home to Shah Alam from BJ, I had almost fallen asleep while on the moving wheels. I had a short nap at Elmina only to be awaken at half past 7 - past the berbuka time)

Yesterday I had my berbuka with Dr Nasser and the gang from Marketing, Corp Comm and International at Grand Bluewave Hotel hosted by Dr Nasser. He will be leaving the university to join another one in Bangi. I guess he views the grass over there is greener than here. Good luck Dr Nasser, I hope to see you there one day - a step higher on the ladder (you know what I mean!). After the good berbuka I joined a bunch of dedicated students in a meeting on organizing an Eid Fitr celebration at the university which ended at 12.05am. I think if I am a wakil rakyat, at the rate I am going now, I might secure the next election seat!

Kesian DH, mak and aina for those 3 days I've been away for berbuka...

dione warwich & friends - that's what friends are for

a good song the amisoens sang together in genting highlands last year

remembering old friends during a 'sahur'

2009-09-15T06:01:00.008+08:00

Its good to make new friends, but the feeling is nicer when meeting the old ones. During break fasting in Intekma yesterday, I happened to meet Hazrul Anuar and Zaki Kadir with wife Juliana and children, Zahid and Kasih. We were colleagues in the Intekma's marketing and pr department which I once headed. Now Hazrul is a successful General Manager of Intekma (with a wife and 2 children) and I am so proud and happy for him while Zaki is doing well in a firm (I can't remember whether it is a construction or property one). Both of them had been serious marketers and workaholic during our old times in Intekma. Everywhere I've been after that, no one could match their hard work and dedication. I could still remember those challenging times when we were to present the business plan to the General Manager - few days before the Day, we worked round the clock and only left the office after midnight and on the last preparation day we went home at 6 am, had shower and appeared at the office again at 9am. Pheww... But we were younger and our spirits were very high then. Hazrul even told the students (oh, forgot to mention that I went there with the mpps and Ama) that I used to be very 'garang' during those days. I think I have mellowed much especially since I left the marketing line to be with the student affairs now.

I hope we could meet again, this time with other ex-colleagues. We had been like one big family before, reciting surahs every day (during En Azmi Kassim's days as GM), having briefing sessions every day (the length of each briefing is like a meeting) and having breakfast lunch and sometimes dinner together. And those memories linger on.... We drove one round of Intekma to have the sight seeing of its night ambiance before we left heading for our onward destinations. Thanks Syafizal, Fauzi, Amal, Zeela and Ama....

....considered to be my serious sahur after being on milk-mode since 3 sept 2009. Maybe I have lost few pounds due to this but Zaki, Juliana and others in Intekma found me 'obese' now. Syafizal even asked me how thin I was before and I answered slim enough to wear shirts and blouses tucked into skirts and pants. Those were the days .....

Fauzi posted a Kenny G's Breathless in the FB while I was listening to Kitaro's Caravansary. Its real nice to hear them in the wee hours of the morning. DH was listening to them too, since he tidur-tidur ayam on the couch in this study room.

Kenny G's Breathless

Kitaro's Caravansary

Just a while ago, me amor video-called me. Its 6.12pm in Hamilton and they (he and his house mates) were about to prepare dishes for berbuka - 'Abang Ayi nak masak ayam masak kurma'. I've got to e mail him recipes on chicken and tomyam soup.

student posing and creative expression

2009-09-14T21:37:00.023+08:00

From Amalina's album

Sesampainya jer kat rumah setelah berbuka puasa di Intekma Resort, upload pics and terus bommm... mata tak larat nak tongkat dah.

'makan students, tidur students' syndrome

2009-09-14T02:08:00.010+08:00

aina zzzzzz

Will the the whole stretch of the green house block have a grand new look of student centre?

Will this vacant land be ready to house sports event early next year?

I am staying up late again to review a paperwork to be discussed by the management tomorrow. The presentation of tomorrow's paper is very important to me and also in particular to the students of this campus. I have been even busier since my transfer to the new office. I owe apologies to DH, me amor (who has left for Hamilton), my daughter and my mak. Sorry that I had promised to allocate more time to the family since there is no more out station and overseas trips with my new appointment, but the fact is that I had been busier locking myself in this study room doing thinking and some studies pertaining to student affairs. Especially mak, sorry I had not been a good daughter - especially when mak needed someone to talk to - when her health was deteriorating..Thank you DH for reminding me to solat every time I seemed to forget about 'time'. Thank you Aina for keeping mama company in this chilled room tonight. I'll find more time....I'll try...when there's a will, there's a way...

I hope and pray that the student and sports centres will materialize in 3 months time with tomorrow's management approval. Hopefully by January next year I am able to see again the 'many happy faces' of students (as in Adib's facebook album - iftar jama'e) and this time in a larger scale during the launching of the said centres. I hope then I am able to make the SRC finally understand all my 'pressuring' gestures that some of them find hard to 'endure'.

It's ramadhan, I pray the Almighty God will grant the above wishes as they were derived from a good and an honest intention. Amen.

cemerlang

2009-09-13T01:28:00.002+08:00

from left, akmal, megat marwan, halim & megat muzhafar (all are cousins)

Baru balik dari iftar di rumah Kaklang (DH's 1st cousin) di Gombak. Akmal, anaknya yang sebaya Aiman akan berlepas ke Dublin pada 17hb ini ambil jurusan medic. Semua anak-anak Kaklang hebat, after 2 orang lepasan engineering now the 3rd one buat medic. So he's gonna be the 5th doctor in our big family. (Aiman kata dia pun nanti dr jugak, tapi dr engine, tak nak kalah tu hehehe). Lepas solat tarawikh, kita (uncles, aunties and cousins) beramai-ramai rekoding takbir supaya Akmal dan Aiman boleh dengar takbir keluarga di perantauan nanti (family besar FIL ni selalu buat takbir malam raya sampai hampir subuh, tak larat nak ikut). Tengah takbir ni tiba-tiba Abang Udin (father Akmal) yang bawa takbir ni menangis sebak dan disambung hingga habis oleh Marwan. Terharu semua orang dibuatnya. We have gone thru the sadness when Aiman left for Canada a week before Ramadhan last year. So me and DH could very much understand the family's situation. Ours were even worse since Aiman is our only son.

Bangganya lihat Marwan mengimamkan solat Isya' dan tarawikh malam ini. Bacaan surahnya bagus dan taranumnya sedap - mana tumpah kuah kalau tak ke nasi. Even Abg Piah pun kata 'selepas ni kalau megat nizar tak hadir event keluarga pun takper, sebab anaknya pun bagus macam dia'. Congratulations BIL and SIL, you've trained him well. He has a good package. Dia juga menggambarkan kematangan pemimpin mahasiswa IPTA.

sooo beautiful

2009-09-12T07:31:00.020+08:00

one man's dream

reflections of passion

a beautiful prayer

2009-09-11T20:08:00.001+08:00

I found this beautiful prayer that i cannot not share in this blog.

I asked Allah to take away my habit.
Allah said, No.
It is not for me to take away, but for you to give it up
I asked Allah to make my handicapped child whole.
Allah said, No.
His spirit is whole, his body is only temporary
I asked Allah to grant me patience.
Allah said, No.
Patience is a byproduct of tribulations
it isn't granted, it is learned.
I asked Allah to give me happiness.
Allah said, No.
I give you blessings; Happiness is up to you.
I asked Allah to spare me pain.

Allah said, No.
Suffering draws you apart from worldly cares
and brings you closer to me.
I asked Allah to make my spirit grow.
Allah said, No.
You must grow on your own!
but I will prune you to make you fruitful.
I asked Allah for all things that I might enjoy life.
Allah said, No.
I will give you life, so that you may enjoy all things.
I ask Allah to help me LOVE others, as much as He loves me.
Allah said...Ahhhh, finally you have the idea

THIS DAY IS YOURS DON'T THROW IT AWAY

May Allah Bless You, "To the world you might be one person, but to one person you just might be the world" For all the negative things we have to say to selves
Allah has a positive answer for it. "It's impossible"
Allah says: All things are possible
You say: "I'm too tired"
Allah says: I will give you rest
You say: "I can't go on"
Allah says: My grace is sufficient
You say: "I can't figure things out"
Allah says: I will direct your steps
You say: "I can't do it"
Allah says: You can do all things
You say: "I'm not able"
Allah says: I am able
You say: "It's not worth it"
Allah says: It will be worth it
You say: "I can't forgive myself"
Allah says: I FORGIVE YOU
You say: "I can't manage"
Allah says: I will supply all your needs
You say: "I'm afraid"
Allah says: I have not given you a spirit of fear
You say: "I'm always worried and frustrated"
Allah says: Cast all your cares on ME
You say: "I don't have enough faith"
Allah says: I've given everyone a measure of faith
You say: "I'm not smart enough"
Allah says: I give you wisdom
You say: "I feel all alone"
Allah says: I will never leave you or forsake you
You say: "Nobody really loves me"
Allah says: I love you

working at home and missing me amor

2009-09-11T06:46:00.006+08:00

I am behind schedule in completing my readings. I am supposed to finish reading Homer's Iliad quite a long time ago, but reading the epic poem is just never my style. So now I shall look for the modern translation version instead of the classical one. My last reading of classical english was Shakespeare's. Might be the age catching up left me with no patience on reading classicals. Sigh. Apart from Iliad, I am a quarter way of finishing up The Life of Hillary Rodham Clinton. I didn't understand why I purchased that book in the first place when I was actually looking for Michelle Obama for sarah ain. The next book is gonna be Al Qarni's Don't Be Sad (malay version) for my 'santapan rohani'.

That reminds me of I need to go to PJ Digital Mall to get a replacement for the broken microphone this weekend to skype meamor. Sitting on my study table is meamor's very young picture which will keep me smiling whenever I had my eyes set on it. Oh how I miss him...

Tak tidur seinci pun malam tadi, hope I can still stand a fresh mind today.

ad veritatem per caritatem

2009-09-09T20:12:00.008+08:00

How to inspire people (including students) to be charitable in their day-to-day living and in their interaction with others?

The story of Dr Jemilah Mahmood (now a Tan Sri), once the president of Mercy has recognized the influential imprints of alma maters significance in her life. She closed a chapter of her humanitarian career with Mercy and will be starting another on foreign soil impacting more lives all over the world with UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund as a Humanitation Response Branch chief.

The infamous story of Dr Jemilah in Iraq in 2003 has touched many hearts : On a relief mission, two of her team lost their lives and Dr Jemilah was out there with a bullet imbedded in her hip and was brought to the hospital. Still, this angel of mercy gave up her painkillers for the lady having a baby in the next room and delivered the baby herself.

Her words that I always matched with Dato' Adnan's (UNISEL's ex-VC) quote on 'be different, make the difference' were :

"Whether it is in the field of sciences of technology, the arts of humanity, in business or engineering, it is up to you to leave your footprint, something that says you were here and that you've made a difference".

Masya Allah.

the student's 'gemuruh' during mts

my alma mater, cochrane road school (crs)

2009-09-08T20:36:00.022+08:00

What a surprise today when I found out that the shah alam campus student leader, nicknamed eijal was a Cochranean. No wonder all these while having dealt with this guy - the chemistry and all were like he is a simple spartan from somewhere familiar that I couldn't recall. During my time there Cochrane was running a 'boy school' from Form I to V and the co-ed for Form Sixes. I was the only malay prefect then and well respected (up to being loved) by most of the malay juniors. Areas around the cochrane road was like my 'kampung' during those days - I will blog more about my life in Cochrane later when I have the time and am in the right mood to collect all those everlasting memories.

SMK Cochrane (formerly known as SMK Jalan Cochrane or Cochrane Road School) is a secondary school in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia founded in 1957. It was situated on Jalan Cochrane before the school was relocated to a new building in Jalan Shahbandar in late 2004. The school building opening ceremony was held on 4 February 2005 (Friday) Hishammuddin Hussein, Malaysia's Minister of Education[1]. The school, like the road it was once situated on, was named after an American engineer and scientist, Dr Zefram Cochrane.

I collected this from a website on especially the big gurls' muchly admired headmaster.

at 71

Mr Ajmer Singh headed the school during my time until 1989. During this period Cochrane Road School emerged as one of Kuala Lumpur's most successful and famous secondary schools. Cochrane had 51 classrooms with 1987 students. Staff count stood at 87; 52 graduates and 33 teachers college trained and temporaries. Cochrane emerged as the champion of the Pudu Zone. There were numerous students of the hockey chosen to join the MSSM. As usual the annual cross country run was held on the 23rd February. The 1982 walkathon successfully collected RM72,000. More money was needed in order to put up new blocks such as the sixth form block which was only successfully built to completion in 1993.

School song

Love your neighbours
Help serve society
Be fair, unselfish and charitable
Fear nor the rich nor the high and mighty
Trample not the helpless and the humble
Thus do we Cochraneans learn, do and say
Our watchword is one for all, all for one
Strive earnestly for the progress every day
In all our morals, studies, games and fun
Carry high the standard of loyalty
Come Cochraneans, follow the cosmic light
Heaven's bright beacon shows the way for ye
To honour and glory that noble sight
Cochraneans, hear ye Alma Mater's call
Yes, we hear! Then must we come one and all.

Viva cochrane!

mahasiswa meraikan anak-anak yatim

2009-09-07T17:15:00.288+08:00

Masihkah ada rasa belas kasihan di kalangan mahasiswa dewasa ini? Kelmarin hampir setiap raut wajah mahasiswa/i yang sempat, diimbas cuba untuk mencari riak wajah yang merenung memikirkan nasib masa lalu dan juga masa depan anak-anak yang yatim, susah dan duka. Apakah anak-anak ini dijemput oleh mahasiswa untuk bersama-sama berkongsi kasih dan penghayatan ramadhan atau semata-mata kerana melaksanakan sebuah lagi program CSR yang telah direncana oleh seorang aktivis PR? Sebahagian jawapannya terurai melalui raut-raut wajah yang sempat diimbas itu.

Menyaksikan kesungguhan mahasiswa/i yang pagi-pagi lagi (malah ada yang sejak dari sabtu lagi) sudah berada di kampus bagi menyediakan persiapan Majlis Berbuka Puasa Bersama Anak-anak Yatim dari Rumah Amal Limpahan Kasih di Puchong membangkitkan semangat dan rasa bangga. Siswa adam dan hawa berpadu tenaga mengerjakan persiapan yang seharusnya ...dan usik-mengusik di antara mereka pun manis kedengarannya...

Paling membanggakan apabila melihat pemimpin-pemimpin Persatuan Insan dan MPP turun ke padang melihat dan bersama-sama dengan anak-anak buah mereka mengerjakan persiapan. Pada sebahagian ahli-ahli pimpinan lain tergambar jelas keamanahan, kesetiaan dan kebertanggungjawaban. Tidak dinafi masih ada juga yang terkeliru dan harus dipandu. Selesai bicara dengan Prof Hj Zainal TNC HEP tentang 10% mahasiswa... kupohon tuhan melindungiku dari terburu-buru...

Meriah kelihatan mahasiswa/i di kampus shah alam hari ini - yang senyum dan riang meladeni anak-anak yatim, yang mundar mandir dengan tugasan masing-masing, yang lelaki segak bak laksamana hang tuah (yang bagaikan pengantin tunggu diarak pun ada!) dan yang siswi berwarna-warni dan manis-manis semuanya. Laungan azan oleh Wan Amal Firdaus kedengaran amat syahdu menandakan tiba waktu berbuka. Selesai solat maghrib semua tetamu - mahasiswa, anak-anak yatim, jemputan dan warga kampus yang hadir menjamu hidangan yang tersedia. Benarlah apabila makan bersama-sama seperti dalam sebuah keluarga yang sangat besar amat terasa bahagianya.

Kepada semua pihak yang telah berusaha dan menyumbang dalam apa jua cara untuk kejayaan program tersebut, firman Allah swt yang bermaksud :

"Mereka beriman kepada Allah dan hari akhirat, dan menyuruh berbuat segala perkara yang baik, dan melarang daripada segala perkara yang salah (buruk dan keji), dan mereka pula segera segera pada mengerjakan berbagai-bagai kebajikan. Mereka (yang demikian sifatnya), adalah dari orang-orang yang soleh."

"Dan apa sahaja kebajikan yang mereka kerjakan, maka mereka tidak sekali-kali akan diingkari (atau disekat dari mendapat pahalanya). Dan (ingatlah), Allah sentiasa mengetahui akan keadaan orang-orang yang bertakwa."

sunyi, kosong, infiniti

2009-09-04T20:38:00.016+08:00

Selepas 2 Sept lalu, tiada lagi routine harian bergegas membeli 15 biji Inn tepung pelita di pasar ramadhan seksyen 19, tiada lagi routine harian DH bakar ikan senangin dan siakap balut daun pisang dan foil untuk berbuka puasa, tiada lagi pekik sorak sebab menang chess game lawan DH, tiada lagi challenge pakar bahasa game upwords, tiada lagi supper di Khulafa, tiada lagi jalan-jalan cari makan, tiada lagi manis bicara mohon berdating, tiada lagi gurau dan sakat, tiada lagi jerit kegelian kena tickle, tiada lagi masakan pelbagai mak untuk cucu yang kuat makan, tiada lagi gaduh dan tangis aina, tiada lagi rajuk dan tunjuk perasaan, tiada lagi tukang bukak gate bila balik kerja, tiada lagi supir paksarela nak ke mana-mana, tiada lagi kawan setia tolak troli ke pasaraya dan tukang angkut barang pasar, tiada lagi keluh kalah main internet game, tiada lagi jalan-jalan hujung minggu cari game dan gadget, tiada lagi nyanyi bersama lagu-lagu di youtube, tiada lagi pelukan manja dan soalan berulang "mama sayang aiman tak?"...

Bilik study yang jadi 'gua aiman' selama 4 bulan bercuti dah diconvert semula kepada bilik study. Rumah kecil ini tiba-tiba jadi semakin besar.... I am trying to cope with this loneliness.... solat dan doa akan jadi semakin panjang, computer akan terpasang 24 jam, kerja akan jadi sibuk giler, handphone akan sentiasa bersama hingga dibawa tidur sebelah pillow, bill telefon akan melambung, skype akan jadi routine di hujung minggu, hari-hari soalan ini akan ditanya by if not me DH atau mak "hari ni aiman ada sms? hari ni ada call aiman?".... dan rindu akan jadi tidak terhingga....

roxette - it must have been love

selamat berangkat mencari ilmu me amor

2009-09-03T16:26:00.009+08:00

sudirman - hujan

if a man could be in two places at one time
i'll be with you
tomorrow and today
beside you all the way

sibuk dan sedih

2009-09-02T14:33:00.006+08:00

Aiman is flying tonight huhuhu. Early this morning a dear friend, Sabariah came over to send 4 jars of Aiman's favourite jam tarts (look at how mak wrapped them-like pumpkins!). Sabariah's son, Ayie is a senior student in the same university as Aiman and this year onwards they will live in the same house (together with 6 other Malaysian students). Chores this morning - collected some vitamin supplements for Aiman from a friend-pharmacist at Sect 19, collected his shoes at the cobbler in Sect 18 (we sent them only yesterday evening), changed into some cad$s and korean wons, bought socks and serunding in PKNS Complex, collected his second pair of spectacles at Tesco Focus Point (his first pair was sent only on 30th August and collected yesterday, this second pair was sent only yesterday). DH accompanied him to have his hair cut. I hardly able to hold back my tears listening to this song

sudirman - dari jauh ku pohon maaf

In PKNS they played this song out loud and repeatedly so I decided not to switch on the radio in the car. I still need to do a lot of packing and repacking and run through a final checklist of things Aiman need to bring along with him.

a sister i admired - prof dr ingrid mattson

2009-09-02T09:56:00.003+08:00

"In the summer of 1987, I was riding the train out to British Columbia to start a tree-planting job in the mountains. I had just finished my undergraduate degree in Philosophy and had only recently begun my personal study of Islam. I came across Fazlur Rahman's Islam in a bookstore a few days before my trip. Reading that book as I traveled across the Canadian prairies, I made the decision to apply to graduate school in Islamic Studies. His book sparked in me a keen desire to study the classical heritage of Islamic theology and law. Going a step further, I wrote a letter to Rahman (this was before we all used email) describing my situation and inquiring if I might be able to study with him. I dropped the letter in a post box somewhere in the Rockies and forgot about it until I returned east in August. There I found a hand-written note from him, inviting me to come to the University of Chicago to study with him. Rahman died before I arrived in Chicago, but it was his book and his encouragement that inspired me to start on the path to scholarship that I have found so rewarding."

http://www.whyislam.org/Forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1662

Dr. Ingrid Mattson is Director of the Macdonald Center for the Study of Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations, Director of Islamic Chaplaincy and Professor at the Macdonald Center for the Study of Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations at Hartford Seminary in Hartford, CT.

Dr. Mattson earned her Ph.D. in Islamic Studies from the University of Chicago in 1999. Her research is focused on Islamic law and society; among her articles are studies on slavery, poverty and Islamic legal theory.

Dr. Mattson was born in Canada, where she studied Philosophy at the University of Waterloo, Ontario (B.A. ’87). From 1987-1988 she lived in Pakistan where she worked with Afghan refugee women. In 2001 she was elected Vice-President of ISNA and in 2006 she was elected President of the organization. Dr. Mattson is the first convert to Islam and the first female to lead the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA)

was jesus christ crucified

2009-09-02T07:58:00.011+08:00

Yesterday night I watched a full video of an open discussion on the above which was held in 1985 at the Royal Albert Hall. It’s a great debate between Sheikh Ahmed Deedat who is well-known as a muslim scholar in comparative religion and Dr.Floyd E. Clark who is a professor emeritus at Johnson Bible College USA. In this debate was the first appearance for Dr. Anis Shorrosh whom Sheikh Ahmed Deedat had many debates with. I admired the moderator of the said debate too.

Ahmed Hussein Deedat (July 1, 1918–August 8, 2005) was a Muslim scholar, writer, charismatic public speaker and Islamic missionary of Indian-South African descent. He was best known for his numerous inter-religious public debates with evangelical Christians, as well as pioneering video lectures most of which centered around Islam, Christianity and the Bible. He also established the IPCI, an internationally renown Islamic missionary organization under whose auspices Deedat wrote and mass produced several booklets on Islam and Christianity. He was awarded the prestigious King Faisal Award in 1986 for his 50 years of missionary work. Deedat used English to get his message across to Muslims and the non-Muslims in the western world.

happy birthday dh

2009-09-01T22:10:00.009+08:00

The background picture is in beautiful Male atoll, Maldives.

Both me and DH went there last year.

I bought DH a 3-piece table and seating furniture which he had chosen himself to be located in our home living area so that he can watch tv while working on his laptop. Aiman bought him a nice shirt chosen both by him and his special friend. But I think the best present DH got today is - he won a chess game against Aiman (after losing many battles to him most of the time in the past week). Happy birthday dear!

my secret recipe

2009-09-01T20:35:00.002+08:00

My family loves this cake only second to Secret Recipe's Blueberry Cheese Cake.And today I baked these cakes (3 altogether) for DH's 47th birthday today, for Aiman who will be leaving tomorrow (sorry dear, after 4 months aiman balik bercuti, mama hanya sempat baked pada 'injury time' macam dalam football tu), for Aina cake tu hadiah dari mama sebab tak pernah tinggal tarawikh and for mak yang dah penat suruh anaknya buat cake tu (sebab kesian kat cucu yang mak dia selalu sibuk dengan keje jer!).

My cost of baking this cake this year ia a new Kenwood cake mixer and an annual leave; and last year an Elba oven. And in those 2 years I baked only twice (inclusive this time).

transferred from my old blog - 2

2009-09-01T13:22:00.009+08:00

It seemed just yesterday aiman was a little toddler with his best friend pink panther. Today he is a grown up.

On his ICPU graduation day in July 2008 at Taylors UC

He got this pink panther when he was 4 mths old which his nenex still keeps till now.

He sure will have a good laugh if he reads this posting

untuk meamor

2009-09-01T09:57:00.003+08:00

Latar gunung kinabalu. Kita sekeluarga ke sana pada penghujung 2006.

meamor has a gout

2009-09-01T00:09:00.012+08:00

Tomorrow aiman will be leaving again for canada to continue his 2nd year study. I am already feeling the pain inside having to depart with him again for another 8 months. And today it is utmost unbearable especially seeing him suffer from what doctor diagnosed as gout. I am quite shocked and worried as he is too young likely to suffer from gout. Before he leaves tomorrow, I shall prepare him some notes on diet food that he must observe.

Gout is a disease that results from an overload of uric acid in the body. This overload of uric acid leads to the formation of tiny crystals of urate that deposit in tissues of the body, especially the joints. When crystals form in the joints it causes recurring attacks of joint inflammation (arthritis). Chronic gout can also lead to deposits of hard lumps of uric acid in and around the joints and may cause joint destruction, decreased kidney function, and kidney stone http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gout

We didn't turn up to SIL angah's iftar gathering at their home today. After tarawikh, abah and mak PJ, SIL ateh, muz, halim, ros, sarah and baby aliff came to our home to visit aiman. While I was updating this blog, SIL angah dan her husband also came to visit him.

I am so very worried on aiman's condition and pray hard that Almighty Allah will bless my meamor with speedy recovery, good health and guide him in leading the right path always. Amen.

of unisel shah alam's 'gerakan pelajar'

2009-08-31T09:20:00.073+08:00

On calling for all students and community of unisel shah alam's support to the leader and members of the Students Representative Council (MPP) Shah Alam 2009/2010 ;

Syafizal Bin Omar (FBSH)

Mohammad Fauzi Fahmi Bin Kamarolzaman (FBSH)

Umi Kalsom Binti Disun (FTSSI)

Wan Amal Firdaus Bin Wan Muhamad (FBSH)

Surenthdren A/L Supramaniam (FBSK)

Yeo Wee Kiat (FBSH)

Abdul Alif Bin Saibeh (FBSH)

Nur Azeela Binti Mohd Zaki (FTSSI)

http://mppunisel.blogspot.com/

raise them up

2009-08-31T01:28:00.020+08:00

Today is supposed to be a 'raya' shopping day for the family. So, after zohor prayer we left home for Kuala Lumpur avoiding our usual weekend shopping (and window shopping) favourites which are in Low Yat and PJ Digital Mall. But ironically it also ended up this way.

Then it was about time for breakfasting, we left for Kajang Satay. And here the children are busy again with their gadgets. And you just watch them babah!? Please DH, you have to stop over manja them, you must.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1_MydgRFZw

"You Raise Me Up"

When I am down and oh my soul, so weary,
When troubles come and my heart burdened be,
Then I am still and wait here in the silence,
UNTIL you come and sit a while with me.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains,
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas,
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders,
You raise me up To more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up To more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains,
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas,
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders,
You raise me up To more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains,
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas,
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders,
You raise me up To more than I can be.

You raise me up To more than I can be.

huhuhu..... 2nd sept 09

2009-08-29T07:54:00.012+08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CK5wgHu9NSs (ne me quitte pas, nina simone)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1MipfUd5sc (soledad, westlife)

sleepy faces at khulafa with slr, pda, psp, earphones, wifi and blog

2009-08-29T01:40:00.021+08:00

Me and Aina were awaken from sleep by DH who wanted to night-outing at our usual night hanging place. Khulafa is so 'berhantu' that we simply can't resist. Cladded in tees and track bottoms, DH drove us (me, Aiman and Aina) to Section 20 Khulafa. Though sleepy we did serve ourselves with tandoori, nan and fried maggi alongside teh tarik, iced-milo, teas and rose syrups!

While listening to oldies like Nina Simone's Ne me quitte pas (if you go away), Once's Dealova, Dewa's Pupus, Freddie Aguilar's Anak, Search & Inca's Jangan Pisahkan, Celine Dion's Titanic and Broery's Widuri (boy! this song reminds me of 'Kamek' - my former boss whom NZ said menjengkelkan!), I managed to update my blog. I should go not only fat but also deaf listening to loud-played songs via earphone plugged into my ears should this became my nightly routine. And I surprised not only DH but also some of the mamak's guests and waiters by taking shots from my slr camera (in the wee hours and at the mamak's, who would imagine?!).

Lastly listening to Sudirman's haunting Senja Berulang Senja at a friend's posting via http://mama.nuraina.com/?p=3718, I feel like crying. Wherever you are now friend (in Kelantan i believe) I miss you!

a malaysian pride - prof datuk dr ismail md salleh (1948-2009)

2009-08-27T20:58:00.002+08:00

FIRST disabled senator, Prof Datuk Dr Ismail Md Salleh died on a flight from China to Singapore early today. He was 61.

An officer at the Malaysian High Commission in Singapore said Ismail was pronounced dead on arrival at the Singapore General Hospital at about 8am.

The hospital will conduct a post-mortem to determine the cause of his death, he told Bernama.

A father of six children, the visually challenged Ismail became the first person from the disabled community to be appointed as senator in December 2007.

Born in Pasir Mas, Kelantan, he was totally blind since he was 13, but the limitation did not stop him from getting his degree, masters and PhD, all in the United States.

For his achievements, Ismail was named as the first blind person to receive a doctorate by the Guinness Book of World Records.

He also held various key positions including Twintech International University College vice-chancellor, Twintech Holdings Sdn Bhd chief executive officer, National Association of Bumiputera Private Colleges president, a member of the National Implementation Task Force in the Prime Minister’s Department and Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) former deputy director-general.
- Bernama

kak nilam's final journey

2009-08-27T01:44:00.004+08:00

We just came back from Petaling Jaya near Jalan Othman visiting almarhumah Kak Norilam, whom I affectionately called Kak Nilam and her family to extend our condolences. I shall always have good memories of her being a devoted muslim, good-hearted and strong lady, a good cake maker and a person of pure lady-like qualities. We rushed to her home upon receiving phone call from Abang Wan informing of her demise. Abang Wan is Kak Nilam's brother-in-law who work in the same university as I do - thank you Abang Wan for the early news. Kak Nilam is a sister-in-law to my cousin brother, Nordin. Although me and Kak Nilam are 16 years of age apart but our families have been observing close contacts through visits especially during the hari rayas.

Semoga roh beliau dicucuri rahmat dan ditempatkan di kalangan insan yang solehah. Amin. Alfatihah..

leaders in the making

2009-08-26T20:12:00.015+08:00

It is a usual saying that 'a leader is born'. I believe it is not a total true. Can a leader be 'made'? I chose to believe what I have chosen to believe. For that undivided believe, I hurt myself many times but managed to collect my total self and kept on going. Praise be unto Allah, allow me to prove that my believe is so very right again this time on my MPP-8, like you had always allowed me to for so many times again and again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vs1hcg40Eao

For now, I shall try to finish reading the Homer's Iliad which I started some months ago. Pak Khalid Jaafar, I shall also look for tumit Achilles.

one of my favourite oldies - el condor pasa

2009-08-26T06:32:00.008+08:00

(but i still couldn't get the older version i used to listen to when i was younger and smaller)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1l5eNOlOYY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qmOKsDb3AY

(Paul Simon/Jorge Milchberg)
I'd rather be a sparrow than a snail
Yes I would
If I could
I surely would

I'd rather be a hammer than a nail
Yes I would
If I only could
I surely would

CHORUS
Away, I'd rather sail away
Like a swan that's here and gone
A man gets tied up to the ground
He gives the world
Its saddest sound
Its saddest sound

I'd rather be a forest than a street
Yes I would
If I could
I surely would

I'd rather feel the earth beneath my feet
Yes I would.
If I only could
I surely would

CHORUS

dh's favourite oldie

2009-08-25T19:59:00.005+08:00

DH always made me sing this song "kelembutan" by Gigi Villa. Now i need not to anymore (thanks to youtube). More often that not, i used to sing this song out of tune and just lalalala coz i never really memorize the lyric.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p91e-xRueGA

Mengapa ku bermuram di senja yang remang ini
Senja yang terbenam di pinggiran warna pelangi
Kuabaikan keyakinan tentang hari hadapan
Yang pasti bersinar terang

Mengapa kuharus bermasam muka denganmu
Menilai kelembutan yang lenyap dari pandangan
Kulontarkan kekerasan bersunyi dan berfikir
Hatiku tersusuk duri

Oh tuhan berikan daku ketenangan
Untukku kenali dirimu
Laluku dakap alam yang indah terbentang
Dihiasi bintang-bintang berkerlipan

Tidak kukesali masa silam yang berlalu
Kerana waktu ini kukenali erti sendu
Kan kutimba ilmu-ilmu
Ku jamah buku dan cerita
Kan ku kenali warna dunia

transferred from my old blog - 1

2009-08-25T05:40:00.002+08:00

Dari Prof Dr Firdaus LN. Msi

(sewaktu menghadiri penganugerahan profesor kepada Prof Dr Firdaus, UNRI

http://proffirdausln.wordpress.com/

Ya ALLAH yang Maha Pengasih lagi Maha Penyayang

Ketika kumohon pada Mu kekuatan
Engkau memberiku kesulitan, agar aku menjadi kuat

Ketika kumohon pada Mu kebijaksanaan
Engkau memberiku masalah untuk kupecahkan

Ketika kumohon pada Mu keberanian
Engkau memberiku kondisi bahaya untuk kuatasi

Ketika kumohon pada Mu cinta
Engkau memberiku orang-orang yang bermasalah untuk kutolong

Ketika kumohon pada Mu bantuan
Engkau memberiku kesempatan

Aku tak selalu menerima apa yang kuminta
Tetapi aku menerima segala yang kubutuhkan

Subhanallah, Alhamdulillah, Allahuakbar

dedication to a friend - sabariah

2009-08-25T03:12:00.004+08:00

Malam ni rindu sebab dah lama tak jumpa u. Lagu ni kita sama-sama suka dan cuba nyanyikan bersama semasa di Kuching dulu (dalam Merc Azri dengan P Nasir dan Iszmi) tapi masa tu kita tak tau lirik.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rCHr0mxJ5U

Senja Berulang Senja
Sudirman

Senja berulang rindu
Dan ku sebut namamu
Dalam suara yang bisu
Engkaukah itu

Dan ku ulang kembali
Sewaktu dalam sunyi
Nyanyian kata hati
Rindukah itu

( 1 )
Biarkan kemesraan berlalu
bersama kesunyian yang padu
Akan ku sebut namamu selalu
Namun ada rindu yang lebih dari itu

Kasih di mana janji
Dan kau teruskah lari
Dari ku yang menanti
Engkau kah itu

( ulang 1 )

Labels: Malay Lyrics, Sudirman

andai ini ramadhan yang terakhir

2009-08-25T01:40:00.005+08:00

ANDAI INI RAMADHAN YANG TERAKHIR

andai kau tahu ini Ramadhan terakhir

tentu siangnya engkau sibuk berzikir

tentu engkau tak akan jemu melagukan syair rindu

mendayu..merayu. ..kepada- NYA Tuhan yang satu

andai kau tahu ini Ramadhan terakhir

tentu sholatmu kau kerjakan di awal waktu

sholat yang dikerjakan.. .sungguh khusyuk lagi tawadhu'

tubuh dan qalbu...bersatu memperhamba diri

menghadap Rabbul Jalil... menangisi kecurangan janji

"innasolati wanusuki wamahyaya wamamati lillahirabbil 'alamin"

[sesungguhnya solatku, ibadahku, hidupku, dan matiku...

kuserahkan hanya kepada Allah Tuhan seru sekalian alam]

andai kau tahu ini Ramadhan terakhir

tidak akan kau sia siakan walau sesaat yang berlalu

setiap masa tak akan dibiarkan begitu saja

di setiap kesempatan juga masa yang terluang

alunan Al-Quran bakal kau dendang...bakal kau syairkan

andai kau tahu ini Ramadhan terakhir

tentu malammu engkau sibukkan dengan

bertarawih.. .berqiamullail. ..bertahajjud. ..

mengadu...merintih. ..meminta belas kasih

"sesungguhnya aku tidak layak untuk ke syurga-MU

tapi...aku juga tidak sanggup untuk ke neraka-MU"

andai kau tahu ini Ramadhan terakhir

tentu dirimu tak akan melupakan mereka yang tersayang

mari kita meriahkan Ramadhan

kita buru...kita cari...suatu malam idaman

yang lebih baik dari seribu bulan

andai kau tahu ini Ramadhan terakhir

tentu engkau bakal menyediakan batin dan zahir

mempersiap diri...rohani dan jasmani

menanti-nanti jemputan Izrail

di kiri dan kanan ...lorong-lorong redha Ar-Rahman

Duhai Ilahi....

andai ini Ramadhan terakhir buat kami

jadikanlah ia Ramadhan paling berarti...paling berseri...

menerangi kegelapan hati kami

menyeru ke jalan menuju ridho serta kasih sayangMu Ya Ilahi

semoga bakal mewarnai kehidupan kami di sana nanti

Namun teman...

tak akan ada manusia yang bakal mengetahui

apakah Ramadhan ini merupakan yang terakhir kali bagi dirinya

yang mampu bagi seorang hamba itu hanyalah

berusaha...bersedia ...meminta belas-NYA

wahai tuhan ku tak layak kesyurgamu .... namun tak pula aku sanggup ke Nerakamu ... kami lah hamba yang mengharap belas darimu "ya allah jadikan lah kami hamba2 mu yang bertaqwa..ampunkan dosa2 kami kedua ibubapa kami .dosa semua umat2 islam yang masih hidup mahupun yang telah meninggal dunia" Amin.....

andai benar ini Ramadhan terakhir buat saya

MAAFKAN SEMUA KESALAHAN YANG PERNAH SAYA LAKUKAN

(thanks pn nino, for this beautiful verses forwarded into my inbox)

khulafa, tea, tandoori, wifi & beautiful songs @ midnight 12.30am

2009-08-25T01:02:00.006+08:00

We burnt the midnite oil at khulafa quenching thirsts with horlicks, iced-milo, hot tea and rose syrups hearing to Westlife Soledad, Plain White T 1234, Glenn Fredly Januari and not forgetting Faizal Tahir Gemuruh (my MPP-8 will laugh at me should they know I listened to this song at this hour...hehehe). With nan and tandoories while surfing the net via wifi, these are treasurable moments. Me and DH will miss the company of Aiman once he leaves again for Hamilton.

a pair of jeans, a psp, breakfasting at johnnie & banana split

2009-08-23T21:33:00.004+08:00

In 10 days time aiman will be leaving to canada for his second year study. So for now, his parents are trying their best to pamper him here. Yes meamor, you grew up so fast, but you shall always be mama's little boy - which some times had caused the tug of wars between us.

babah played 'banker'

bicara tentang mahasiswa lagi

2009-08-23T10:19:00.005+08:00

Setiap kali jumpa dekwan mesti lama bercerita berkisar dunia gerakan mahasiswa. Malam ni topiknye menyelusuri kelesuan kepemimpinan mahasiswa. Perjuangan mahasiswa di UPM sudah agak jauh matangnya dipimpin oleh Shamsul Salleh, YDP MPP merangkap ketua YDP MPP seMalaysia. Baru-baru ni Shamsul dianugerahi pemidato terbaik lambang pemikiran kemahasiswaan yang kritis dan analitikal dan dengarnya beliau menjadi kesayangan Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah.

Saifuddin suatu masa dahulu merupakan aktivis gerakan mahasiswa UM dan pernah mengajar di YAA. Berbunga hati ingin menjemput beliau untuk menyampaikan idealism beliau sebagai timb menteri di suatu forum yang sesuai sambil bercerita pengalaman beliau menggerakkan PMUM/PMIUM dulu kepada pemimpin mahasiswa di sini. Ya, tentunya DMN akan tolong.

Perbincangan malam ni banyak menyentuh peranan untuk menggerakkan kepemimpinan mahasiswa. Agar pimpinan mahasiswa tidak terasa dipaksa dalam melaksanakan program-program universiti. Dekwan ada kredibiliti dan pakej untuk berkongsi hingga ke lubuk permasalahan ini kerana beliau mahasiswa psikologi, pemimpin mahasiswa, mengenali peribadi ini dan banyak pengalaman berkaitan. Bicara malam ini diconclude dengan kesungguhan ini harus diteruskan dan dengan kaedah yang lebih memujuk dan bersifat fasilitasi. Semoga Allah memberi kekuatan dan hidayah. Amin.

Ramadhan pertama dan tarawikh di rumah mak abah PJ

2009-08-23T05:13:00.011+08:00

Berbuka puasa hari pertama di rumah abah & mak PJ. Solat Isya dan tarawikh di ruang tengah rumah bersama-sama semua anaks and cucus (including mak and mak PJ sekali) berimamkan abang megat. His bacaan surahs was real splendid - qasidah musabaqah antarabangsa tu! Sempat kecek dia semak mengaji dan ajarkan taranum sekali!

Lepas solat abah called everyone - hadiah angpow to tak kira kecik besar (mak pun dapat). Malu gak kat abah - kita yang dah keje ni yang patut sumbang - ni reverse pulak. Aiman got the most in amount - RM600 tu! How come? Abah must have converted it to canadian dollar kot! Oh no! He converted it into uk pound. Semoga abah panjang umur, murah rezeki dan bertambah sihat. Dan berpeluang tengok Aiman grad di canada, insya allah. Budak tu nak balik canada 2hb sept ni. Huhuhuhu......

i used to get abundance from a 'mademoiselle'... now am I able to give too?

2009-08-22T11:54:00.006+08:00

she is a busy little toddler
a delightful little sprite
a sweet and serious schoolgirl
doing homework every night

she's a pert perplexing teen
who seems to leave neatness up to chance
till she became a princess
overnight for her first dance

but all the way from rompers
to a formal party dress
she is a rare and priceless treasure
who brings special happiness

(~~1973~~) 1979

a penny for your thought

2009-08-22T03:39:00.006+08:00

Namamu seindah wajahmu
Oleh itu peliharailah kesempurnaan itu
Resminya insan menilai hati bercerminkan wajah
................

batu bata batu delima
batu kikir buat asahan
antara harta rupa dan nama
yang mana satu jadi pilihan

melati rendang tempat berteduh
itu falsafah hidup pendita
benarkah mati pemutus jodoh
andainya hidup sering derita

meminta pada yang sayang
berkasih pada yang cinta

(1982, siapakah dan dimanakah dia?)

its been a long-long time....

2009-08-22T03:12:00.004+08:00

Dah terlalu lama tak update blog (sejak sarajevo). Hari ini muncul lagi azam baru mahu update blog seberapa kerap yang boleh. Beberapa faktor menyumbang ke arah iltizam itu.

Beberapa hari yang lalu berkesempatan berbicara dengan anak-anak muda yang bergelar pemimpin tertinggi mahasiswa universiti. Kerana menggunung ghairah untuk menggerakkan anak-anak muda ini mempelopori perjuangan gerakan mahasiswa, bicara tersebut lebih bersifat sehala. Barangkali di awal-awal ini, respons mereka lebih kepada melihat dan menilai Timbalan Pendaftar yang baru menerajui HEP ini daripada menghujah kembali. Waktu ini betapa rindunya - kalau waktu bisa berputar menyongsang rasanya ingin duduk bersama-sama dengan anak-anak muda ini berhempas pulas merancang, bergerak dan menggerak menjadikan idealism direalisasi dan dihayati oleh segenap lapisan yang di bawah pimpinan.

Apakah anak-anak muda kini masih punya idealism yang membara sepertimana pemimpin mahasiswa sewaktu era 70-80an dulu? - apakah falsafah dan pegangan mereka jitu dan kukuh hasil cetusan kecintaan kepada nilai-nilai yang muluk? Apakah mereka sanggup berkorban demi memperjuangkan idealism tersebut? Apakah idealism dan intellectualisme mereka cukup kental bagi menzahirkan aktivism yang mencapai matlamat perjuangan mereka? - peristiwa hari ini sayu mengingatkan kembali kepada kata-kata yang sering diucapkan oleh seorang teman dahulu - "may the force be with you"....

sahabat

2009-08-22T03:06:00.007+08:00

(Sajak ini mengingatkan kepada - Cikgu Salasiah Maria Talib, yang pertama mengenalkan kepada dunia puisi dan perjuangan)

sahabat
andainya kematianku kau tangisi
maka di atas tulang belulangku
yang dah luluh
nyalakanlah obor untuk umat ini
dan lanjutkanlah gerak merebut kemenangan

sahabat
kematianku adalah suatu perjalanan
memenuhi panggilan kekasih yang merindu
taman-taman indah di syurga tuhan
terdampar menanti
dan burung-burung berpesta menyambutku
maka berbahagialah hidupku di sana

sahabat
puaka kegelapan pastikan lebur
fajarkan menyingsing
dan alam ini kan disinari cahaya lagi
relakanlah rohku terbang menjelang rindunya
jangan gementar berkelana ke alam abadi
di situ cahaya fajar memancar

- syed qutb

a working trip to sarajevo

2009-04-29T12:03:00.026+08:00

work in action

sarajevo

exhilarating view - along the way to Mostar

Still in Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina. The work schedule is very tight - universities n school visits, meeting with officials fr malaysian embassy of BiH and discussion with potential agents.

can I or can't I?

2009-04-05T22:10:00.005+08:00

Today out of the blues after attending a wedding in PJS2, I went to a handicraft shop and bought a cross-stitch guide, cream color canvas, 25 DMCs and a needle. The last time I work on a cross-stitch was more than 20 years ago - a colorful flower-cushion which i didn't finish up - my mother did it for me!

What's Next In Marketing & Advertising

2009-03-24T04:03:00.001+08:00

Check out this SlideShare Presentation:

What's Next In Marketing & Advertising

View more presentations from Paul Isakson.

PR government plays the drum of unity

2009-03-21T17:36:00.035+08:00

Its carnival is Shah Alam last Saturday. The city folks celebrated the 1st anniversary of the new Selangor Pakatan Rakyat government. I had the chance to beat the drum. That night there was a concert. It was a good show which represents multi racial culture. I had the chance to play a photographer - an amateur one!

The Selangor state government has identified five economy stimulus initiatives : 1. rehabilitate and clean Sungai Klang and set up housing development along the river and its reserves; 2. enhance the Light Rail Transit (LRT) system; 3. upgrade and replace water assets after taking over the assets of Air Selangor by Pengurusan Aset Air Berhad (PAAB); 4. introduce development activities in towns and areas that have been abandoned in Petaling Jaya and Klang; and 5. restore abandoned housing projects or those that have not been completed. These 5 initiatives will provide opportunities for SMIs that were seriously affected by the current global economic crisis, create investment opportunities top a tune of RM50 billion and provide 15,000 job opportunities in the future.

YB Dato Dr Hassan Ali, the organizing committee chairman

YAB TS Khalid Ibrahim, the hero of Selangor

YB DS Anwar Ibrahim, the national hero

Bumi ini tidak setenang dulu

2009-02-15T22:36:00.005+08:00

Baru je balik dari "relationship marketing" di satu negeri di utara Semenanjung. Dalam perjalanan sempat singgah di Masjid Ubudiyah, Istana Lama dan Istana Bukit Chandan. Di mata hati cuba juga membayangkan beberapa bab dalam drama 'rampasan kuasa' di Perak. Dan entah kenapa terasa sayu juga hati ini. Bumi ini tidak setenang dulu.

Beberapa insitusi telah dilawati di negeri destinasi. Kenangan indah adalah di kala berjumpa dengan rektor daripada sebuah IPTS di sana. Kalaulah diri ini pemastautin Kedah, sudah pasti kutawar diri untuk berbakti di institusi tersebut. Kenangan terindah adalah bertemu dengan menteri besarnya. Humble and charismatic.

Siri lawatan tersebut mengimbau kenangan sewaktu kecil bermain-main di batas padi di sana. Walau sawah padinya tak sebening dulu, namun budi bahasa orang-orang di sana tetap macam dulu. Itulah perbezaan ketara orang di utara dengan yang di sini. Terima kasih kerana menyambut baik kedatangan kami. InsyaAllah, semoga di lain kali kita akan berjumpa lagi.

Selasa tepat jam 12 malam tiba di rumah. Kemudian esoknya sudah berada di pejabat. Selepas 4 hari meninggalkannya, kini terasa ianya juga tidak setenang dulu...

Winter at Niagara Falls

2008-12-22T22:17:00.013+08:00

The Niagara Falls are massive waterfalls on the Niagara River, straddling the international border separating the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of New York. The falls are 17 miles (27 km) north-northwest of Buffalo, New York, 75 miles (120 km) south-southeast of Toronto, Ontario, between the twin cities of Niagara Falls, Ontario, and Niagara Falls, New York.
Niagara Falls is composed of two major sections separated by Goat Island: Horseshoe Falls, on the Canadian side of the border and American Falls on the United States side. The smaller Bridal Veil Falls also is located on the American side, separated from the main falls by Luna Island. Niagara Falls were formed when glaciers receded at the end of the Wisconsin glaciation (the last ice age), and water from the newly-formed Great Lakes carved a path through the Niagara Escarpment en route to the Atlantic Ocean. While not exceptionally high, the Niagara Falls are very wide. More than six million cubic feet (168,000 m³) of water falls over the crest line every minute in high flow,[1] and almost 4 million cubic feet (110,000 m³) on average. It is the most powerful waterfall in North America.[2]
The Niagara Falls are renowned both for their beauty and as a valuable source of hydroelectric power. Managing the balance between recreational, commercial, and industrial uses has been a challenge for the stewards of the falls since the 1800s.

Yeah Yeah I Know Their Secret!

2008-12-22T21:18:00.002+08:00

I was cleaning up the files on an ASUS laptop this morning when I found this words file.

Name : S...N...M...N
Profession : Dentist
Working Place : Gleaneagles Specialist Hospital
Home Address : .... Kaki Gunung Nuang, Section 8, Bukit Bandaraya, Shah Alam

Name of Husband : M...A...H...M...H
Profession : Senior Mechanical Engineer
Working Place : BMW Automotive Bhd

Yeah Yeah! Better buy me a Blueberry Cheesecake at Secret Recipe or I shall let the world knows!

Back On The PC

2008-12-22T20:53:00.014+08:00

Its been almost a week since I last updated the blog. Last week was a very busy week. The University I am working in won the 2nd place in the Malaysian Siswasat (can satellite) competition http://www.angkasa.gov.my/siswasat/about.html. I missed the lecturer who 'brainchild' the canned-nano satellite model who had last year positioned the University as champion in not only the National Siswasat Championship but also the International Cansat Competition in Madrid, Spain. He has left us for UiTM Terengganu and I hope I could visit him some time in the near future. I feel the university should have kept this very young 'einstein' with the engineering faculty here! I hope this year the university can win the 1st placing in the International Competiton in Paris. I wouldn't mind having to pay for my travelling fare to Paris subjected to then I may proceed to Toronto, Canada.

I burnt the midnight oil last Thursday to finish a working paper for a supposed to be a Friday 9am-meeting only to be told then that the meeting was postponed to the 3 pm-meeting. I slept in the car with the aircond on parked under the shades of the palm trees. Wow! What a great afternoon nap. I gave a piece of my mind to those 'smarties' who thought that student enrolment marketing is just some distribution of university brochures work! These people missed the words 'strategos' in their vocabulary or never ever bought a 'dictionary'. Jerks.

This morning I gave the 'boss' a lengthy information about my office when he visited me. Only at the end I found out that its too much to be 'absorbed' in 60 minutes. I put the 'minutes' of the discussion on paper and will present to him as 'discussion notes' tomorrow so as to make it more 'chewable'. I 'interviewed' him on his vision and objectives and soon I found out though little about his submarine and rocket projects! Wow! He's an 'einstein' too! So that will answer the positioning of the university in the few months to come. SOS!

A 'Garden' Wedding

2008-12-17T20:59:00.010+08:00

I've never felt so involve in organizing a wedding ceremony before. No, not until this one. Things seem so next to perfect. Its a result of the bride having a mother who is soooo meticulous. So, if I am not with my job now, I know what else I probably can do! Hehe.

Till Death Do Us Part

2008-12-12T18:56:00.018+08:00

I borrowed DH's 4 wheels to a friend's daughter's nikah ceremony in the State Mosque after Friday prayer this afternoon. The bride is soooo beautiful, so is the bridegroom. Jamiila & Mahathir, if you read this blog, this poem is dedicated to you both. Happy Wedding Day.

Yesterday, Today And Tomorrow
by Kit McCallum

Cherished are the memories that

Brought us to this day,

For yesterday, was just a dream ...

A wish to contemplate.

A fantasy where in my mind,

A fleeting glimpse I'd see ...

A vision of the true desires

I longed for endlessly.

And when I dreamed, I did not know

The love I'd feel today;

The height of my true feelings,

And the depths they would portray.

And if I had one wish today,

A simple wish t'would be ...

Is that the love we feel this moment,

Lasts eternally.

Reality has merged now

As you stand here by my side;

And as I join your hand in mine,

My heart does fill with pride.

For as I pledge my love to you,

I see in many ways,

Reflections of my love for you

Are mirrored in your gaze.

And by our presence here today,

And for the love we share,

I thank you for our yesterdays

That brought us to be here.

But more than this, I vow to you,

My wishes yet to come ...

Tomorrow's dreams and fantasies,

This day that we are one.

Tomorrow's an adventure

That we'll share together now;

Our future's intertwined forever,

Through this holy vow.

I promise to rememberIn the future years and days,

The love I feel for you this moment ......

Dreams fulfilled today.

For in the coming years as we

Move on, and reminisce,

Back to the day I stood with you

And promised with a kiss ...

That blessed are the days that I have looked into your eyes,

And felt the warmth and love reflect,

The essence of our lives.

*****

Yesterday we dreamed of what might be;

Today we validate our love;

And tomorrow we will cherish the life we have shared as one.

My Working Carrier

2008-12-12T14:03:00.015+08:00

My car broke down again this afternoon, for the second time this week. My DH suggested I replace the car. Should I? It had been faithful to me for more that 8 years - should I abandon it now that it is getting older?

At Work - My New Year Hope

2008-12-11T21:48:00.025+08:00

Tahun 2008 semakin hampir meninggalkan kita. Kita telah menambah pengalaman dan pengetahuan lagi secara lebih menyeluruh dan pelbagai mencakupi pengiklanan, pameran, perhubungan institusi, khidmat pelanggan, pelbagai kultur, proses kemasukan pelajar domestik dan antara bangsa, polisi KPT, prosedur imigresen, nilai taraf sijil negara luar dan sebagainya. Intensive multi-tasking yang telah dilaksanakan selama ini membentuk kita sebagai ahli pemasaran yang lebih universal dan efektif kepada audien UNISEL yang bangsa dan tingkatnya juga berpelbagaian. Budaya multi-tasking juga dijulang ketika berhadapan dengan pelbagai cabaran ‘limited resources’.

Tahun 2009 mendatangi kita dalam beberapa hari saja lagi. AMISO harus mencetuskan anjakan paradigma agar lebih berkesan membantu mengenengahkan UNISEL menghadapi keberdayasaingan institusi-institusi pengajian tinggi swasta lain dewasa ini. Justru itu tugas dan tanggungjawab setiap ahli pemasaran dijangkakan akan semakin mencabar dan ruwet. AMISO mesti memfokus kepada a) teknologi dan sistem memproses permohonan kemasukan yang lebih laju, mudah, automated dan berkesan; b) managing perception melalui rebranding of UNISEL's image; c) ‘zero defect’ kemasukan pelajar antara bangsa; d) khidmat menggirangkan pelanggan UNISEL ; dan e) sokongan pemasaran dan pengurusan data secara lebih menyeluruh dan kemaskini; di samping tugas-tugas rutin dan wajib pemasaran yang lain.

Bagi merealisasikan ketiga-tiganya AMISO kini memasuki fasa tugasan secara lebih mengkhusus bidang. Keputusan pengkhususan bidang juga telah diperdebatkan dan dipersetujui secara majoriti melalui mesyuarat jabatan pada November 2008 yang lalu. Melalui specialization, setiap ahli pemasaran dituntut supaya fokus dan accountable dalam bidang tugasan masing-masing. Ia juga telah sebaik mungkin mengambilkira maklumbalas soal selidik kecenderungan/minat tugasan yang telah diedarkan. Namun begitu padanan kekuatan tertentu dan kecekapan individu ahli pemasaran dengan keperluan menjayakan misi bidang tugas tertentu adalah lebih diutamakan. Setiap ahli pemasaran mesti bersiap-siaga, merancang dan melaksanakan pelan aktiviti yang rapi bagi menjayakan bidang tugas masing-masing. Saya akan sentiasa berusaha membantu setiap ahli berada di landasannya dan berlari laju untuk ke garisan penamat.

Di samping disiplin diri, semangat berpasukan dan 4Cs (cooperation; commitment; competency; chemistry) harus dipupuk kerana ia merupakan resipi kejayaan selama ini. Sikap toleransi, sopan-santun dan saling hormat-menghormati mesti diamalkan bagi menjaga keharmonian dan perpaduan sesama ahli dalam AMISO dan inter-jabatan. Sayugia diingatkan bahwa kedangkalan pemikiran dan ketidakjujuran boleh mencetus pergolakan, perkauman dan permusuhan yang hanya mengundang kerugian.

Maafkan saya sekiranya dalam pengstrukturan semula jabatan ini ada ahli yang tidak begitu berpuashati dengan bidang tugas yang dikhususkan kepadanya. Namun saya percaya dengan kefahaman, sikap positif dan minda terbuka segalanya ‘alah bisa tegal biasa’. Mudah-mudahan ‘managing change’ yang dipelajari dalam kursus ‘A Winning Team’ tidak lama dulu dihayati kembali. Dengan sokongan ketua-ketua unit dan staf AMISO, marilah kita semua berganding dengan pihak pengurusan, semua fakulti dan jabatan melonjakkan UNISEL sebagai mercusuar pendidikan di Malaysia dan rantau ini.

Akhir sekali Selamat Tahun Baru 2009!

Sekian, terima kasih.

Good Luck Meamor!

2008-12-11T18:58:00.009+08:00

Aiman is now in Hamilton, Canada. Its now winter and the temperature is freezing cold at -17 degrees celcius. He misses the all the time 'summer' back in hometown and rather a bit 'homesick'. But I should think it is the exam week now that has made him misses home more. We gave him choice either to come back home or to go to London to visit his cousin during his 2-week Christmas holidays. The first choice of course means my purse will become thinner. But it looks like he is going to Ottawa for a 3-day seminar organised by the Malaysian MOHE and then staying with his friends who are studying in Ottawa during Christmas till the new year. http://maps.google.ca/

Me, nenex, babah, chenot and sugar too miss him like crazy. We shall look forward to meet him during his summer break in May next year which is a long long way to go. Huhu... But for now I pray hard to God - to bless him with good health, happiness and success. Amen.

New Leadership For New Year!

2008-12-11T16:49:00.006+08:00

Finally, after the exco meeting yesterday the CM announced the appointment of three new DVCs for the university - two renowned academicians from one public university and a professor from internally. Am I glad? To be frank I don't really know. But I am really looking forward to a rebranding of image program for the university at my best again under the leadership of the trio. What about the VC - when will he arrive? It has been a real hot seat ever since...

Well, few weeks back I was introduced to a DG of a government think tank institution by a professor whom I highly respect. She is looking for a marketing and event management person. So I e-mailed my CV (the last one prepared was about five years ago when I applied for my current job!). So last Tuesday, I attended the interview appointment (or I regard it rather as exchange of views) with its CEO, DG and ADG. The institution colonial building is located on top of a serene hilly area. I quite enjoyed the session with the DG and ADG. The CEO was rather cold towards me - but browsing though the net on his biography I think I could understand why. Anyway, isn't it the variety of people that add colors to this world?

Whatever the outcome of the above, think positive I told myself.