Faith, Friendship, Family & Fun! "HaPPy NeW YeaR!"

Our five boys are here in Dubai. Last night we were all on-line, each on his/her own laptop and in conference chat with Angah in Dublin. Shirin happened to be on-line as well and was invited to join in....hehehehe. I hope she enjoyed having a peep into a corner of Idham's clan....

Yesterday was a lovely and an activity packed day. We had a breakfast invitation along with ten other families. Included in the menu were nasik lemak and laksa penang ....really brought us home to Malaysia!. Thanking our breakfast host and his family....
The breakfast was followed by a Friday morning Usrah by an uztaz. He spoke about 'keimanan'.....and shared his personal experience of being tested in his career. A few, including me shed silent tears.
Lunch was at another friend's house. Again, we were brought home to Malaysia with a delicious offering of sea-food tomyam and ikan masin dan sambal belacan with tempoyak! Thanking our lunch host and his family....
I am repeating....but, the Malaysian coommunity here in Dubai is just wonderful. Close, unpretentious, and really founded on basics.....Faith, Friendship, Family, Fun! And I am enjoying myself....

In running up to the new year, I sent out a survey to my six children - An advantage of having many children is I can do survey ad-hoc and be assured of good returns from my respondents!Hehehe ....asked them six questions and requested them to respond spontaneously. All six replied - and without any bibery too. Phewwwww.....what a sport! I get interesting insights....indeed. The survey was done in the spirit of - Family & Fun- !

The questions I asked were....
1. Apa yang paling menyeronokkan ?
2. Apa yang paling membosankan?
3. Apa yang paling merisaukan?
4. Apakah yang menjadi kenangan paling manis? / Pahit?
5. Apakah cita2 dan kenapa memilih itu sebagai cita2?
6. apakah barang kepunyaan sendiri yang paling bernilai / di sayangi?

Some observations were --Angah was the first to reply. Luqman asked me to translate the questions into English. Ermm, he didn't understand my BM questions. Look like more BM lessons at home is required. All have some humour in them...which was not really a surprise.

Here are their responces. I won't be saying which answers belong to which of my children.

Respondent #1.

1. Apa yang paling menyeronokkan ?
**main game,holiday ngan family.
2. Apa yang paling membosankan?
**sesuatu yang ingin dilakukan terpaksa batal atau tangguh
3. Apa yang paling merisaukan?
**bila result exam nak keluar..hehe
4. Apakah yang menjadi kenangan paling manis? / Pahit?
**kenangan pahit hampir lemas dkt water park sunway lagoon.haha..
**kenangan manis?macam banyak je.tak tau nak cakap cane.
5. Apakah cita2 dan kenapa memilih itu sebagai cita2?
**(deleted to protect identity) ...sebab?um,minat dan boley jadi lagi kaya dari doktor.bley terima ke?huhu
6. apakah barang kepunyaan sendiri yang paling bernilai / di sayangi?
**um,macam bnyak jer,first skali handset,pastu beg duit.hehe..

Respondent #2

1. Apa yang paling menyeronokkan ?
owh yg paleng menyeronokkan dapat makan mak masak!!! maken bulatlah diri hamba~hahahahaha
2. Apa yang paling membosankan?
lihat beatle tidak di bawa ronda-ronda..lesen takde..uwarrggh!!!
3. Apa yang paling merisaukan? Keje ooo keje di mana keje...
4. Apakah yang menjadi kenangan paling manis? / Pahit?
kenangan manis?muwahahah dpt dinner kat burj al arab...sure yg lain2 jeles..lawa wooo dalam tu..
5. Apakah cita2 dan kenapa memilih itu sebagai cita2?
Dulu ingat nak jadi pilot tapi sbb rabunkan...sebab jadi pilot nak berkenalan ngan stewardess...hehehehe dpt jalan2
6. apakah barang kepunyaan sendiri yang paling bernilai / di sayangi? oowhh wat masa ni...urmm kepunyaan sendiri tu yg beli ngan duit sendiri ke yg ayah belikan?wat masa ni kalo yg ayah belikan tentulah kelisa kuning ku...muwahahah tu pasal takmo kasi jual =)

Respondent # 3.

1. Apa yang menyoronokkan?
hmm... susah tu... bila ngan kwn2 lah kot, kalau tak pun, bila bual ngan kwn2 online/sms =)
2. Apa yang membosankan?
membosankan... duduk rumah tak tau nak buat ape...
3. Apa yang merisaukan?
masa depan
4. Kenangan manis/ pahit?
manis- masa pindah dari Jeddah... pahit - masa pindah dari Jeddah [it's complicated] hehe
5. Apa cita?
Cite2: entah lah... most probably into science kut, tak pun into computers... strong subjects
6. Apa kepunyaan yang paling bernilai?
laptop ku... beli sendiri tau... kumpul duit lama tuu

Respondent # 4

1. Apa yang paling menyeronokkan ?
hmm...main bola dgn kawan...family...etc =]
2. Apa yang paling membosankan?
membuat survey mcm nie...haha
3. Apa yang paling merisaukan?
bile org tibe2 sakit..
4. Apakah yang menjadi kenangan paling manis? / Pahit?
leaving my friends...
5. Apakah cita2 dan kenapa memilih itu sebagai cita2?
xder cita lagi...xper..awal lagi kan?? :P
6. apakah barang kepunyaan sendiri yang paling bernilai / di sayangi?
phone.... =D..lol...unles friendship counts as an object... =]

Respondent # 5.

1. Apa yang paling menyeronokkan ?
- bersame family lah..(btol ke nie ...hahahaha)
- dpt result yg best..alhamdulillah :D
- kalo dpt keje kat sini..hehehehe
2. Apa yang paling membosankan?
- bile xde ape nak buat..kan bosan tuh..hahahaha
3. Apa yang paling merisaukan?
- camne lah nak jaga anak2 nanti yer..memandangkan keadaan sosial skang..hahahaha (berpandangan jauh btol anak ayah ni!!)
- kalo x dpt result yg best..huhuhuhu
4. Apakah yang menjadi kenangan paling manis? / Pahit?
- g holiday ngan fmly..amik gambar bebanyak..hahahaha
- yg pahit rahsia lah..hahahaha
5. Apakah cita2 dan kenapa memilih itu sebagai cita2?
- cita2??hmmm ( deleted to protect privacy of respondent ) semestinya menjadi berjaya..
- ingat nak ade bisnes sendri..tapi ayah bagi modal bleh??hahahahaha
6. apakah barang kepunyaan sendiri yang paling bernilai / di sayangi?
- ade ker?anak ayah ni buka pencermat orgnye..nanti xleh dpt brg baru...hahahahaha..


And here is from LuqMan....

1. What makes u happy?
my parents
2. what makes u bored?
my brother!
3. what make u worry?
all cars out of gas
4. what are ur sweet memories / sad memories?
sleeping together and laughing\when i got sick
5. when u finish studying - what do u want to be?
exercise-a police or auther
6. what things u have do u like the most?
computer,parents

In summary,
- Everyone of my children finds happiness from being with people they love. People rather than PS2 makes them happy - which is a wonderful thing!
- Spending time having holiday together featured highly as a source of happiness and sweet memories. This knowledge encourages me to save more for future holidays - before they all fly out of my nest!
- What bore them is 'inactivity'. This is just great!
- They are so forward looking, and worry about exams result, getting a good job, and their future! Ain't that too is simply good to hear. My young Luqman is worried if our cars are out of gas....I could only relate this to how often I have driven to near empty tank - and made everyone anxious whether we can get to the next petrol station. Ok....ayah will modify behaviour here!

- On the question of ambition, they are free to choose what they love to pursue. From their current interest, it looks like we will have enough skills to form a corporation! InsyAAllah...
- Computers are treasured possessions! It is heart warming to see one of them says he treasure friendship. And so sweet of Luqman to say, he want to treasure his parents! hehehe....Thank you boys and Angah for responding to the survey. Now it is your turn to ask ayah six questions each - which ayah will answer and post as an entry too. Cool??!!


"Those who rely on others for happiness are often saddened by things imagined, and those who search for happiness from within will find one so everlasting....May God bless you!"
-no one's quote. I just made it up.