At the toy shop

Luqman had Aed200, a bribery present from me for agreeing to take school bus coming home. I will be sending them to school unless I travel, but coming back has been a problem since LiL does not have a driving license yet. So far we have been using Avis chauffeur car - too expensive to sustain.

He wanted to go the Toy shop to spend his money, so we were at the Emirates mall yesterday.
We strolled into the Toy Shop and told him to look for his toy. He walked from shelf to shelf, from one section to another - skipping those meant for babies and for girls.

In the beginning he was fascinated with a remote controlled model helicopter which can fly. He tried it...and I could see excitement in his eyes. He checked the price - it was Aed169, so within his budget. Then he asked, "Ayah.....does this use battery?" And in turn I asked the shop assistant.
"Yes, the remote control use 12 AAA batteries, and the Helicopter has be charged for 15 minutes after every 8 minutes of flying".
Frowning, he said, " That is too difficult to play, where got electricity to charge in the field. Too many batteries also lah ayah".
I smiled.
He moved on, losing interest in the Heli.

Next stop was a section of Paint-ball guns. There were many models, some even come in pairs for combat or single for shooting targets. His eyes brightened. He examined each model, looking at the pictures and reading what they are capable of doing. Then Amirul came and pulled his hand to another section in the shop.
I followed.

"Why don't you get this...." Amirul was trying to persuade Luqman to buy a red remote controlled Ferrari. I must say, I too quite liked the Ferrari, it looked so real and it cost only Aed249. I was willing to top up the additional 49 Dirham if Luqman were to buy it.
Luqman picked up the box, and said, "I only have 200, and I am not going to ask ayah for more money. Anyway, this thing use battery ....I dont want".
I was impressed!

LiL was looking at some jig saw puzzles. Haziq was equally interested with the Paint Ball gun and was trying to persuade Luqman to get the pair for combat. He was keen to be Luqman's combat partner. I could hear from behind the shelf, again Luqman rejected the model for combat because it cost more than what he had. Not realizing I was listening, Haziq was telling him to ask for more money from LiL.
"Don't you know Mom don't work, and she has no money" Luqman retorted.
Again, I smiled - impressed!

Last night at home, the gun was in action. All three boys were having great fun with their own little shooting competition. Mom and Dad had a little quiet time together which has been hard to get since we are still in a service apartment. Ah, I so look forward to Monday! We will be moving to our own house then.

Pasal Jerebu....Bukan Jelebu!

Pasal Jerebu! ( ejaan sudah di betulkan ...tq azzah8 )

This morning Dubai was enveloped by fog.....limiting visibility to less than 50 meters. The morning desert sun was transformed into a mis-timed moon ( Please see the above photos - taken about 8am ).
Surprisingly, and in a pleasant way, vehicles moved cautiously and safely. It was a joyful drive for me - without the normal presence and pressure of huge 4by4 looming and zooming into my rear. No accident was reported the whole morning! Unusual - considering that for the past five mornings there have been pile up of multi vehicle accidents on the stretch to Jebel Ali.
In Dubai, foggy morning equals safe driving!

The fog lifted by mid morning. The afternoon was scorching hot - temperature soared to near 40 degree. The road was clear - visibility was excellent! And guess what??......
When I was driving home from work at 3.30pm, the radio was announcing four major accidents at different locations ; One near Jebel Ali, one on Sheikh Zayed road involving four cars, one near to Arabian Ranches and a three cars piled up on Garhood bridge!
Welcome back maniacDubai drivers.......! Oh how I wish for foggy days just for the sake of better road safety.

Pasal Jerebu kalbu.....!
"You are invited to Iftar tonite, also majlis solat hajat for Bro Z and solat ghaib for arwah abang kepada bro Nik". Said the SMS from bro F. I promptly replied to say LiL and I were coming.

Bro Z is a wonderful person, a father of four wonderful children and husband to a wonderful wife. My heart sink everytime I think of him and his family - being separated by the law during this holy Ramadan month - through no fault of theirs. The solat Hajat - surrending to AlMighty God, asking for His compassion - for bro Z and family. I was overwhelmed with emotion during the solat hajat - my heart touched by humility and filled with His greatness - Allah Hu Akbar! I felt so humble and vulnerable and to Him we all come to seek help. I was hopeful as ever that He will not test his Ummah except for a reason to bring all of us closer together and closer to Him. I prayed for bro Z and family to be reunited again soon. InsyAAllah...

Bro H, in his Tazkirah, managed to blow clear some of my own jerubu kalbu. He appealed to all of us to pay due deligent to our duty as Muslims to pay Zakat - and reminded us that 'what is so little' to most of us can 'mean so much' to others who are less fortunate.

Only last night I was lamenting about my reduced income after leaving my previous employer. And tonight, He brought me to this get together for a purpose - a reminder that I am to be grateful and bersyukur!

The jerubu in my kalbu - wiped away not by a shower of rain, but by remembrance of His blessings. Alhamdullillah.......

Jerebu para kaum bapak di Malam Jumaat!
Selepas solat Teraweeh, kami kaum lelaki kembali ke veranda menyambung dengan makan-makan dan minum-minum. Cerita kaum lelaki - topiknya tidak lah se intellectual mana. Hehehehe....
Dari GPS dan teknologi telekomunikasi...kepada hal hal politik semasa ....seterusnya cerita-ceriti suami isteri ...., dan ada seorang saudara yang baru aku kenali berseloroh, "Hah....kalau orang lelaki kawin perempuan Nogoghie....memang pressure, sebab masuk suku!".
Aku memang mula-mula tu blur tak faham. Tapi sebab semua orang di meja ketawa, aku pun tumpang ketawa sama. Then the pin dropped.....I got the joke. Adess......terasa bersalah pulak dengan kawan2 dari Negoghie......
*Maaf yorr bukan eden yang bercerito, dior yang cerito eden tumpang ketawo ajoarr*

Then adalah pulak yang mengingatkan yang malam ni malam Jumaat. Mereka yang ada isteri - tersenyum simpul. Yang single, tersenyum tawar - macam frust pun ada. Nik yang berjauhan dari isteri, garu kepala. hehehehe. Yang buat-buat terseyum tu agaknya isteri mereka tak boleh berpuasa la tu kut....hehehehe....kesian!
Saudara F - senyuman dia meleret-leret! hehehehe sampai terjatuh gelas nescafe tarik.
Mungkin sup tulang masakan Nik dah menyerap agaknya.....*sorry F, gurau je ek...terimakasih daun keladi di atas jemputan dan for being such a gracious host*

**Sama sama lah kita sedekahkan Al-Fatihah untuk Arwah abang
kepada Bro Nik yang pulang KeRahmatullah dua hari lepas di usia 36 tahun , dan sama-sama berdoa agar Bro Z dan keluarga mendapat kelapangan dalam menghadapi ujian ini**

Click Here, to peep into the Malaysian community center in UAE.

Family matters!

Since the start of school, I have been driving the three boys to their respective schools every morning. The journey from our residential apartment to both Amirul and Haziq's school and then to Luqman's school takes about an hour, and then a return trip of forty five minutes. It has been a long time since I spent as much quality time with the boys and LiL every morning.
LiL and the boys seemed to enjoy the ride as much as I do.
We talk about their school lessons, new friends, and some of their new experiences.

Amirul for example, is into this project of writing a guide book for tourists to cross the the plain of America in the days of the Red Indians. In the last couple of days, I have learnt a lot about ancient America by listening to his research.

Haziq has written an essay on "The most memorable moments during the summer holiday". We asked him to read his essay during one of the morning drive, and both LiL and I were touched listening to his account of the day we spent at the orphanage.
Of all the things he did, he remembers the day at Darul Izzah with the children there the most.

Luqman, has been both funny and so sweet every time we approach his school. Last week, he said to us "Please touch my heart, it is beating so fast...I think I am scared". LiL did touch, and she confirmed that he was anxious. We tried to understand the cause of his anxiety. It was the Religious lessons. He has been anxious in trying to memorize some of the Ssurah and Doa taught.
This morning, I thought he was so cute when he said to LiL just before they left the car, "Mom, please don't kiss me in front of the whole school. Just kiss me in the car like Ayah does".
Hehehehe....

I am reconsidering the decision to hire a driver. Time with Family matters!
Finally I got to see how they are early mornings - the good, the grumpy, and the cute side of my boys.

After six days of fasting, Luqman still break fasts at 2pm daily. He was so proud today for not eating in school despite one of his classmates celebrated her birthday and they served out cupcakes. We congratulated him.....and quietly I made a mental note to buy him some cupcakes soon.

"We're closed early - for Ramadhan!"

"Sorry sir, we are closed early for Ramadhan. What is your good name, I will get the officer to return your call tomorrow morning" He was polite and spoke clear good English. He must have been saying the same response to so many callers after the closing time for the office. And when I called it was 2.45pm. Apparently their office close at 2pm - and he is the security man on duty.
Oh well, just a week ago I too issued a circular to announce new working hours during the Month of Ramadhan - "From 9am to 3pm", and it applies to all - Muslims and non-Muslims alike.
From my observation in our office so far, the Muslim ladies tend to leave early using the new timing, but the Males normally stay back longer - at least until after Asar prayer. The Non Muslims vary, perhaps depending on their work load and personal needs. Those who waited to leave late have cited an advantage of a clear road during the iftar time. Good for them.

During the month of Ramadhan it is a requirement by the law for offices to declare shorter working hours for their employees. In UAE, the law does not differentiate between Muslims and Non Muslims, hence everyone has shorter working hours. In Saudi, the law for shorter working hours only applies to Muslims. However, most companies find it hard to discriminate and would extend the flexibility to everyone.

From my outdated experience, this practice of shorter working hours is not common in Malaysia. People in Malaysia works normal hours, and rush back fighting the traffic for Berbuka Puasa. Many working couples resort to Pasar Ramadhan foods - which I must say is something I really miss in Dubai.

Having experienced both, I do prefer the Middle East practice of giving employees the option to leave early. Having the OPTIONS make a great difference. And from experience I have seen employees from most senior to junior managers who come back to the office after Teraweeh to finish off their work. People rarely abuse freedom given to them in good faith.
The freedom to leave early means, more time to prepare home cook meals for the family and more time to beribadah. During the month of Ramadhan, the local Arabs also use the night time to socialize amongst family members. After Teraweeh, they would visit close relatives - a very good practice, in my view.
As for myself, I have been staying on in the office until after Asar prayer. Coming home at around 5pm gives me time to have decent conversations with my children and offer what ever helps needed by LiL in the kitchen. On a day like yesterday when I was tired - I had a short nap. Hehehehe.......another benefit of shorter working hours.

After four days of fasting, we have been invited three times to friends house for Iftar. Murah rezki pulak di bulan Ramadhan tahun ini.....Alhamdullillah!
Yesterday, LiL cooked
-masak lemak udang dengan nenas
-roasted honeyed chicken
-grilled salmon
not bad at all considering we are still living in a service apartment with limited cooking facilities and only an open kitchen - So has to limit to dishes which tak kuat bau!

The holy month of Ramadhan, no matter where we are - God's blessings come in so many ways. Question not 'why'- some Divine callings are beyond us to debate and intellectualize. Surrender......a total surrender. The light will reach the part of your soul you don't even know existed.

"We are closed early - for the holy month of Ramadhan" I begin to appreciate this responce for it make me feel that during this holy month, matters of faith is given higher order priority compared to other worldly matters. It is not for us to say that Ramadhan is like any other months - God has made it special and that is what it will always be.

The opportunities are there for us to cleanse our souls and be closer to God - blessed are those who believe!

No kissing - I am fasting!

More than half of Dubai residents are NoN Muslims. But no one eat or drink in public. Even smoking is prohibited. One Western couple was arrested for kissing in public - not a peck on the cheek type of kissing I was made to understand.
In offices, no beverages or food are served.
Non Muslims can still do what they want to do, but in private.
The same was true when I was in Jeddah.

In Malaysia, the situation is different. Muslims in Malaysia are more tolerant towards the differences a diverse society brings. Only Muslims are not allowed to display their disobedience of the Ramadan callings publicly. In my view, is necessary to avoid confusion amongst our young children. However, from my own experience - my NoN Muslim friends and neighbours had always chosen to respect their fasting Muslim counterparts. Even if they were eating when I intruded, they would apologize and stopped the act while in my company.

I still prefer the Malaysian way - that we let the freedom of choice to the NoN Muslims to exercise their own judgement.

Often asked about Fasting by Non-Muslims, my answer has been simple.
"Fasting is separating our body from our soul for a month. During the month of Ramadan we give priority to our soul - nourishing it with prayers and remembrance of God's blessings.
During this month, we deny our body of its usual pleasures of foods, drinks, and intimacy. It is a way of resting our systems - overhauling them.
We also get to appreciate how it feels not to be able to eat and drink when we want to during the day".

There are of course more reasons to the ones I give above. There are verses from the Hadith and Qur'an. I am yet to learn all of them sufficiently to be able to quote them with confidence. However, my simple explanation seems to work.

Malu!

Pasal Malu.....

"Ayah...ayah....mak suruh kejut bangun sahur" Kaki ku di cuit cuit.

Aku menggeliat. Eh, selimut ku tiada membaluti badan. "Alamakkkk!!!, dia nampak ka tadi?"

Setelah membasuh muka, aku keluar untuk bersama mereka di ruang makan.
Luqman tersengih-sengih memandang aku.....

"Adesss....pasti dia ternampak tadi" bisik hatiku.

Malu!

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Pasal makan.... Semalam, hari pertama berpuasa di Dubai bersama LiL dan the three boys. Ada jemputan untuk berbuka di rumah saudara Fudzail. Syukur Alhamdullillah.....jemputan di terima dengan senang hati.
Kami tiba di waktu azan bergema dari mesjid berdekatan. Ramai tetamu.....kaum bapak dan anak2 lelaki makan 'outdoor' dan kaum ibu dan anak2 perempuan di dalam rumah. Mungkin rahmat bulan Ramadan - kepanasan hilang dengan mendadak. Selesa makan di bawah payung langit tanpa awan.
Alhamulillah sekali lagi, dapat merasa kueh seri muka, kueh talam ubi, dan bubur kacang!
Ada pulak nasik dagang berlaukkan ikan tongkol, meehoon goreng dengan udang yang besar2 belaka, dan nasi putih berlaukkan macam2....umpamakan satu hidangan buffet.

Satu2nya kelainan yang aku rasakan antara Jeddah dan Dubai. Di sini, masyarakat melayu lebih akrab dan welcoming. Seronok!

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Pasal berkenalan...

Tak kenal maka tak cinta. Malam tadi aku berpeluang bertemu semula dengan rakan2 yang telah di kenali, dan bertemu juga dengan kenalan baru. Macam2 rupanya kerjaya yang di lakukan oleh Malaysians di Dubai....
Ada professor di fakulti dentistry di University di sini, ada QS, ada chef, ada landscape designer, ada yang kerja bank, IT pun ada, dan ada banyak lagi.....
Ada juga yang tak bekerja kerana mereka ke sini mengikuti isteri yang bertugas.

Berkenalan di acara berbuka puasa - permulaan yang di berkati hendaknya. InsyaAllah!

Wishing you a Blessed Ramadhan!

Translation of Al-Bakarah 184:
"The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for mankind, and clear proofs of the guidance, and the Criterion (of right and wrong). And whosoever of you is present, let him fast the month, and whosoever of you is sick or on a journey, (let him fast the same) number of other days. Allah desireth for you ease; He desireth not hardship for you; and (He desireth) that ye should complete the period, and that ye should magnify Allah for having guided you, and that peradventure ye may be thankful."

In wishing you a Blessed Ramadhan, I want to share with you this Qur'an explorer ( Please click here, and turn on your speaker ). hope you will find peace and love listening and understanding the Qur'an during this holy month.
The explorer is so user friendly - By clicking on the scroll down options, you can
-Select the reciter whom you prefer. Al-Sudays, for example will bring nostalgic moments to those who have visited Mekah Al Mukarramah.
I also love Mishari Rashid's recitation. Somehow, listening to him makes me feel the messages being conveyed deep within my heart! Minitis airmata......bila mendengarnya terutama bila lewat di waktu malam.

- Choose the surah
- Choose the translation language. And if you want to listen to the translation , then on the scroll down option for translation choose English-Lickthal version.

InsyAAlah.....marilah kita sama-sama menghayati AlQur'an.....supaya kita menjadi orang-orang yang berjaya dunia akhirat.

Sempurna menyambut Ramadhan ini, saya menghulur jari sepuluh memohon ampun maaf jika ada tersalah kata atau terkasar bahasa.

سُوۡرَةُ لقمَان
بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
الٓمٓ (١) تِلۡكَ ءَايَـٰتُ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبِ ٱلۡحَكِيمِ (٢) هُدً۬ى وَرَحۡمَةً۬ لِّلۡمُحۡسِنِينَ (٣) ٱلَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَيُؤۡتُونَ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَهُم بِٱلۡأَخِرَةِ هُمۡ يُوقِنُونَ (٤) أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ عَلَىٰ هُدً۬ى مِّن رَّبِّهِمۡ‌ۖ وَأُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُفۡلِحُونَ

Surah Luqman
Dengan nama Allah, Yang Maha Pemurah, lagi Maha Mengasihani
Alif, Laam, Miim. (1) Ini ialah ayat-ayat Kitab (Al-Quran) yang mengandungi hikmat-hikmat dan kebenaran yang tetap kukuh, (2) Menjadi hidayat petunjuk dan rahmat bagi orang-orang yang sedia mengerjakan amal-amal yang baik (3) Iaitu orang-orang yang mendirikan sembahyang dan memberi zakat, serta mereka yakin tentang adanya hari akhirat. (4) Mereka itulah yang tetap mendapat hidayat petunjuk dari Tuhan mereka dan merekalah orang-orang yang berjaya.

Surah Luqman
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
Alif. Lam. Mim. (1) These are revelations of the wise Scripture, (2) A guidance and a mercy for the good, (3) Those who establish worship and pay the poor-due and have sure faith in the Hereafter. (4) Such have guidance from their Lord. Such are the successful.

Surah Al-Bakara

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
الٓمٓ (١) ذَٲلِكَ ٱلۡڪِتَـٰبُ لَا رَيۡبَ‌ۛ فِيهِ‌ۛ هُدً۬ى لِّلۡمُتَّقِينَ (٢) ٱلَّذِينَ يُؤۡمِنُونَ بِٱلۡغَيۡبِ وَيُقِيمُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقۡنَـٰهُمۡ يُنفِقُونَ (٣) وَٱلَّذِينَ يُؤۡمِنُونَ بِمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيۡكَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ مِن قَبۡلِكَ وَبِٱلۡأَخِرَةِ هُمۡ يُوقِنُونَ (٤) أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ عَلَىٰ هُدً۬ى مِّن رَّبِّهِمۡ‌ۖ وَأُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُفۡلِحُونَ (٥) إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ سَوَآءٌ عَلَيۡهِمۡ ءَأَنذَرۡتَهُمۡ أَمۡ لَمۡ تُنذِرۡهُمۡ لَا يُؤۡمِنُونَ
Dengan nama Allah, Yang Maha Pemurah, lagi Maha Mengasihani
Alif, Laam, Miim. (1) Kitab Al-Quran ini, tidak ada sebarang syak padanya (tentang datangnya dari Allah dan tentang sempurnanya); ia pula menjadi petunjuk bagi orang-orang yang (hendak) bertakwa; (2) Iaitu orang-orang yang beriman kepada perkara-perkara yang ghaib dan mendirikan (mengerjakan) sembahyang serta membelanjakan (mendermakan) sebahagian dari rezeki yang Kami berikan kepada mereka. (3) Dan juga orang-orang yang beriman kepada Kitab "Al-Quran" yang diturunkan kepadamu (Wahai Muhammad) dan Kitab-kitab yang diturunkan dahulu daripadamu, serta mereka yakin akan (adanya) hari akhirat (dengan sepenuhnya). (4) Mereka itulah yang tetap mendapat petunjuk dari Tuhan mereka dan merekalah orang-orang yang berjaya

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
Alif. Lam. Mim. (1) This is the Scripture whereof there is no doubt, a guidance unto those who ward off (evil). (2) Who believe in the Unseen, and establish worship, and spend of that We have bestowed upon them; (3) And who believe in that which is revealed unto thee (Muhammad) and that which was revealed before thee, and are certain of the Hereafter. (4) These depend on guidance from their Lord. These are the successful.

Please forward the url link above to your friends and relatives. May God Bless you!

Luqman's secret and some Creepy Facts!

And...here is latest of Luqman!

"Today is the day!" He said as soon as he opened his eyes this morning.

"Why ?" I overheard Lil asking.

"Ermm....I can't tell you. Ayah is here" He replied, and hid his giggles with a pillow.

And.....I was so curious! Hehehehe

Do you know what was his secret?


Creepy Facts......about two Dead Presidents!

(Copied from a Yahoo group entry by MalekZ!)

Abraham Lincoln was elected to Congress in 1846.
John F. Kennedy was elected to Congress in 1946.

Abraham Lincoln was elected President in 1860.
John F. Kennedy was elected President in 1960.

Both were particularly concerned with civil rights.
Both wives lost their children while living in the White House.

Both Presidents were shot on a Friday.
Both Presidents were shot in the head.

Lincoln's secretary was named Kennedy.
Kennedy's secretary was named Lincoln.

Both were assassinated by Southerners.
Both were succeeded by Southerners named Johnson.

Andrew Johnson, who succeeded Lincoln, was born in 1808.
Lyndon Johnson, who succeeded Kennedy, was born in 1908.

John Wilkes Booth, who assassinated Lincoln, was born in 1839.
Lee Harvey Oswald, who assassinated Kennedy, was born in 1939.

Both assassins were known by their! three names.
Both names are composed of fifteen letters.

Lincoln was shot at the theater named 'Ford.'
Kennedy was shot in a car called a 'Lincoln' made by Ford.

Booth ran from the theater and was caught in a warehouse.
Oswald ran from a warehouse and was caught in a theater.

Booth and Oswald were assassinated before their trials!

And here's the kicker: A week before Lincoln was shot, he was in Monroe, Maryland.
A week before Kennedy was shot, he was with Marilyn Monroe.

Creepy, huh?

Just my ramblings on Leadership....

Leadership is not rocket science but a simple act of bringing positive change for the betterment of others. It sounds so simple, yet so many leaders we know are only able to dream, talk, and lull their followers into the same dream ......and soothingly reminding us not to wake up, for if we wake up the dream will be over.
Leadership - is a role and a choice! And once you have chosen to be a leader, it is incumbent upon you to deliver to your constituents ....to those people who follow you, and unlike you many of them do not have a choice but to be in the crowd of followers.

Leadership happens everyday and everywhere. Leaders make things happen. You can either be born with leadership flowing through your blood or you can also acquire the skills. But beware, leadership skills are learnt early on in life.

Leaders energize others!

In my view, the key roles of a leader are
1. To identify the end results ( or more popularly known as vision )
2. To assess the gaps * between now to there - there being the end game!*
3. To have a game plan on how to get there
4. To have a rigorous review and monitoring systems
5. To build a contingency plan, just in case.

The clearer the end game in the mind of a leader, and the more effective the communication the higher is the probability of success. A great leader can see an end game which is not so obvious to others. He can seize the future. He can visualize the impact of the end game to others - and compellingly motivate others to pull together to execute the plans.

What really differentiate great leaders from those in the middle of the pack is their ability to spot and mobilize the right people.

Therefore it is also important to understand "Who are the right people?"
The answer will vary from a leader to the next. In the end it is also dependent on chemistry and preferences of styles. A leader who has a tendency of recruiting only people who mirrors his/her own style and image may miss out the benefits which diversity can bring. But all said, the final measure rests on how effective the person is in making things happen! If he/she is one - then he/she has the most important ingredient.

Talking from a personal perspective, the 'right' people for me are.....

- People who have a burning passion to achieve. One who makes extra effort, especially on their own initiative. For example a manager who not only present excuses why targets were missed but has researched and tested ideas on how to recover and even do much better after learning from the mistakes. You may say, that is so obvious....think again! When was the last time you experienced something like that yourself?

- People who has energy and is naturally energizing others. Energy is contagious, and an office requires energy to enable creativity and innovations. A factory requires energy to be productive. Positive energy comes from confidence, and confidence comes from having knowledge, skills, and relationship. Ahh, I love to be surrounded by people has "Can Do!" attitude. They simply get going and focus on achieving .....The harder and more complex the challenge the more motivated and energized they become. I can't have enough of such people in my team.
On the other hand, people who sees only problems, and allow their pessimism to stop them from even trying.....as far as I am concerned, they are better off being employed by competitor companies.

- People who are great at making things happen! To be visionary is one thing - but even the best of visionaries need to be willing to roll up their sleeves and do things. Leaders who are satisfied to have binoculars to their eyes from the top of the ladder, and lead only through the vision will not achieve much and may find himself/herself without great followers.
The leader must be able to translate the vision into actions and ultimately delivering results through executing with the team.

And I will also add one important trait - the highest level of personal integrity into the mix.

Are you a leader? Are you doing justice to your constituents? On a personal level, our children are constituents entrusted to us. We need to have clear goals for them too....how do prepare them for the wild wild world...and what foundation do we provide them with?
If there are gaps, do we know them? What are we doing to ensure the gaps are closed? When was the last time, we opened their exercise books voluntarily to review and monitor? Do we know who their best friends are?
What contingency plans to ensure their schooling are not interrupted, just in case our source of income is stopped involuntarily or through disability?
We have chosen to be parents - we better deliver our roles and responsibilities to our children.
Are we influencing them to be 'great leaders of the future' - leaders who can make things happen for their organization, their community, and last but not least - lead their own families.

I am a firm believer that a social system really starts at home. Leaders are born, and leaders are trained. But not at Universities. Leaders are trained by the hands that rock the cradles, the voices which sing nursery songs, and by parental leadership with examples - with love and compassion. And to love is to give them time....undivided, attentive time!

I like the poster above, especially the sentence "LEADERSHIP is a way of LIFE".

One grumpy old man in Dub@i says....

Being new in Dub@i, and if you are like me.....you would have
- taken wrong turns, even if you were using GPS because so many roads are undergoing construction or upgrading. You could, just like me, ended close to seventy kilometres on a wrong motorway before you can find a way out.

- Trusted a delivery man blindly when he promised to deliver your piece of furniture at 6pm..you even re-arranged your schedule to wait for him....and planned to go out for dinner afterwards. When he failed to turn up.....you believed his story that he was on the way and "will arrive in TEN MINUTES, sir!" By 9pm, your children were hungry, and you were close to being angry...and the delivery man has been promising to arrive in TEN MINUTES for the last twenty times! Finally, you had toast and fried eggs for dinner, and switched off the light to sleep...afterall it was already 11pm. Then, it happened! They rang the gate bell....!You rubbed your eyes, it was 12 midnight, and by the time they fixed the furniture it was 1am....

- Rushed early to send your children to school.....and you arrived within close proximity of the school in twenty minutes....got stuck at the round-about which happened to be a major intersections under construction, and crawled inch by inch for forty minutes to get pass it!

- You feel terror in your heart everytime you drive on the motorway. In your rear view mirrow you see huge four-by-four vehicles come tearing down as if they were hunting you....and as you swerve out of their way, you noticed your speedometer was doing 120km....yet, they zoomed past, and within one minute dissapeared from sight. Such are the hurry of Dub@i drivers......and majority of cars are big four-by-four. My Beetle....looks so feminine and vulnerable!

- You got lost, and called your friend to ask for direction. Being someone familiar with Dubai, he told you to drive towards a Stadium which had its spotlight on which according to your friend is close to your residence! You followed the bright light...and got closer and closer and felt happier and happier. Just as you thought you have found your way...the bright light happened to be spotlights from hundreds of cranes working on a construction site - not at all a stadium! Darn......

- You agreed to the invitation of your new found friends to go shopping in Naif, and you thought they have taken you to Bombay!

- And if you are like me being new in Dub@i, you do need a lot of help from people who have been here before! You need someone to tell you where to buy your S@lik, how to pay for your parking tickets, where to find nasi lemak, and what to do if you are involved in a car accident. In less than two weeks, I have seen minor, major, and fatal accidents......they just happened!

Tonight I was summoned Dirham150 for parking in Kar@ma because I did not pay for parking, and the reason being - I didn't know I had to pay. Driving back, more misfortune - I didn't know I had to purchase a S@LIK card ( pre-paid toll card ).

- But, if you are like me......you take all those with a lot of humour and resist any tempatation to be angry. No one cares whether you are angry or not, or how you feel ....Dub@i is a city where its inhabitants are into 'rat-race' big time, competing like trees in a forest fighting for sunlight, and are brutally selfish in a manner where 'dog eat dog', and where promises are meant to be broken and no plans work as planned. Please help me God ......

- You truely treasure that very few people who still show they are humans, still able to be nice and helpful. We are lucky, we have met a few......

- If you were me, what would you do.......?

Ouchhhhh, that hurts!

“Darling you are no longer a swivel chair…..Go easy on yourself!”
LiL was right. I would not have injured my back if I did not twist so sharply to take the briefcase from the back seat of our car. I should have been more aware of my own physical limitation now…..I am no longer the supple and flexible thirty something….Long gone are the days when I could wiggle my hips and throw my left foot, then the right one to the tunes of the cha cha….or go down low doing my a-go-go twist, and the occassional limbo rock….Now, I am a body with visible wear and tear…..At best, I am an antique which is prized and displayed for people to see and make silly or funny remarks on…..
For example, if I were an old antique organ the musical instruments, I can imagine them saying to each other “Look! That is an interesting looking organ….possibly one which has done one too many cha cha….and one twist to long”.

Tonight, I enjoyed an hour of oil massage. When it was time for me to return the favour – she simply said, “Not tonight lah.....” .
Hehehehe…..I only wanted to be nice….! What la you.......*Grinning sheepishly, pulled over my blanket and pretended to sleep. When she dozed off....i got up to update this entry and had the last say for the night...Maaaaooowwwww!!*

The First Day at School......

First Day at school
Amirul is 14, Haziq 13 and Luqman 7. All of their academic years, they have been in International school - in Singapore, Jeddah and now Dubai. As a result, besides academic achievements, they have also developed social skills - to adapt and adjust in new environments and meet and get along with friends from ethnic and cultural diversities. Yet, they are truely Malaysian in their values.....Today was their first day in Dubai school.


Today was a significant day for all three – Amirul, Haziq and Luqman. It was their first day at new schools in Dubai.
They have left behind their best friends, favourite teachers and their comfort zones to start a new adventure in Dubai, making new friends, re-building relationships with new teachers, and jumping right into new zones.
Even the school uniforms are different. Unlike their Jeddah school, here they can see girls in skirts! There are also more Westerners then they have ever had in their Jeddah classrooms, and perhaps one of the significant difference is to have their mom driving them to and from school. At last, LiL can drive again after four years of living in a kingdom which barred women from being behind wheels.

This morning all of us woke up early, and left the residential serviced apartment by 6.30am. I wanted to make sure we have ample time just in case traffic was bad or in case I lost my way like we did last Friday when we went for a trial drive. This time however, I have the aid of Satellite Navigation which is provided by my newly acquired N95. We tested it yesterday – and I realized that even the GPS has some confusion when it comes to a multi-exits intersection. When I relied on its advice solely, I ended up on the motorway to Al-Ain instead of making a turn into the neighbourhood community. In that sense, we learnt the limitation of the GPS, and can be more careful at major intersections.

This morning, luck was on our side. The traffic was smooth and the GPS was helpful. We were amongst the first to arrive, and benefited from it by getting a parking space right infront of the gate. We left both Amirul and Haziq at their schools after introducing them to their respective form teachers. They seemed confident, although a bit intimidated by the large population of westerners and all of them being strangers as well. In the car, LiL releaveld that she too was anxious when she asked, "Do you think they will be alright? I hope they can make friends quickly".

We then proceeded to Luqman’s school. Due to over crowding of primary students, we could not get Luqman into the same school as his elder siblings. This meant even after we have moved into the new house in the neighbourhood of the school attended by his brothers, Luqman has to travel every morning for about half an hour. As a motivation we involved him in the decision to choose the school he wanted. After looking at four, he chose one which is also the closest and with an available seat. At least it was available...until this morning!

“Sorry sir, we have to tell you we can’t offer Luqman a place. The class is full”.
These were the words from the registrar when we arrived. We went there to start his first day, and instead were told he did not have a place. Lil was shocked. I was speechless! But for only three seconds. *now I can laugh about it...*. No…..I did not shout at anyone! Neither did I left grudgingly. I paused, counted to twenty, *and I did pray to God and praise the Prophet - pbuh *.......before I spoke, calmly and confidently.
“Ma’am, look….Luqman is going to start his school here today. There is no other option and there is not going to be one. Now, I need your help. And if I need to speak to anyone else – please let me know, because I am not leaving this school without a place for Luqman”.

We waited in her office. She went out and came in again, then out again and in again. Busy! Obviously. We just stood there by the wall without saying a word. Each time she came in I held eye contact with her and smiled.
Then after nearly half-an-hour of 'now I see her, now I don't' , she caved in with the most polite of tone and the sweetest of smile, “Can you pay for his fees now?”
I took out my check book and wrote a check within seconds. Phewww.... And Alhamdullillah......And thank you...sorry I forgot to ask for your name, Ma'am!

We had early dinner today, everyone was tired. Amirul reported “All ok, friendly people”, Haziq reported, “We didn’t do anything today…but ok lah” and Luqman shared the story with his brothers of how he lost his place and got it back again within half-an-hour, “I got my choice school – but only after Ayah begged for it”.
Hehehehe…..that was how he saw it. That I begged for his admission into the school.
I wanted to correct him that I did not beg but I was *whatever*.......... Gosh, I could not find a better word. So what the heck! If that was how he saw it, so be it.......at least he appreciated the effort and he was a happy young man.

Hold your tummy in!

What started as Amirul trying out his school pants which were tailored in Malaysia led to more horrifying discoveries. The pants were cut to measurements taken on his first week of holiday. Despite him exhaling hard and holding his tummy in, the pants could not be hooked. We, LiL and I had a bit of exchanges in opinions. LiL said, Amirul has put on weight. I maintained that can't be the case - the tailor must have done it wrongly. Amirul himself was feeling pretty bad, and simply said he does not mind wearing any cheap pants if we can buy him one which fits.

The ugly prosperous truths after the holiday in Malaysia were confirmed yesterday after I bought a weighing scale. Indeed he has put on weight. Two months of delicious offerings and being spoilt for choice with great spread of menu while on holiday in Malaysia has had its effect.
When no one was looking, I stepped on the scale myself. I could not believe my eyes. Or rather I did not want to believe what I saw. I kicked off my house sandals, took off my jeans and stepped on it again. Not much less...and still 8 kg more than my eighty-something-kg normal weight which I was trying to reduce before the holiday.

Prompted by the panic in Amirul's case, Haziq reluctantly tried his pants on. The result - very much the same. His was also too tight.

Last night, we went to Carrefour to shop for blue long pants for them. This morning, LiL had to modify, for in order to find one which fit the waist, we had to buy pants which are too long in length. LiL asked for sewing kit from the hotel, and did some emergency tailoring work.

This morning, all three of us - Amirul, Haziq and I - spent an hour in the gym. Huh, I was panting and were totally spent, and the tread-mills indicated less than 300 calories were burnt!
I felt so guilty now about the T-Bone steak I had for dinner last night....!

Resolution from all three of us - Go easy on food until we lose back what we gained in Malaysia. Can't wait for Ramadhan to arrive.....

LiL has not used the scale yet, not in front of us anyway. I have this naggling feeling that she may also tip it the wrong way...hehehehehe.
Luqman in my view, is the only one not affected. Children his age are active, and they eat to keep them from not feeling hungry. Some of us adults eat to socialize, to try this and that, to indulge, and to satisfy our cravings which seem to be running riot .....