After a few broken promises, finally!

Sonata Model 2012.
We received one of these in dark grey color tonight, finally~!

...The first promise was for last Wednesday.

So I rushed back from the farm. The children were excited. We were planning to take a joy ride in the new car over the weekend.

Alas...

I want to publish a 'Scrap book'~!

To whom it may concern,

I have a dream! My dream is to see my name on a book cover and to see my book being read by young and old readers, whether at home or on the move, bought or borrowed, do not matter~!

I do not have much talent in writing, but never the less I want to realize my dream. Boleh kan?

"Are you a pro?"

"So I silently resent...for I prefer peace over confrontation. I prefer to win silently than to lose publicly!" - A Loser!




That was me at a Volleyball game. I may be a Pro, but not at this game! Gaya lompat ada, tapi sebelah kaki masih mencecah tanah hahahaha~! Lutut tak kuat la beb.



"A victory can only be achieved in public, for it is the public's acknowledgement which determine whether one has won or lost. A private victory belongs to people who are socially awkward, often cocky, and very rarely can work or get on well with others." - My personal view!

Pahala Solat di Mesjid...~!

Siang tadi, terleka! Azan Zuhur dari Mesjid di sebelah pejabat berkumandang. Aku sibuk di laptop. Iqamah memanggil! Aku teruskan membuat kerja! Syaitan bagaikan memberatkan punggung aku dari bergerak dari kerusi. Setengah jam kemudian aku solat Jamak / Qasar Zuhur dan Asar di dalam pejabat. Kerugian besar! Aku telah di jemput Allah untuk ke rumahNya, tetapi aku lalai. Sebelum Maghrib, seorang rakan berbangsa Saudi memasuki pejabat aku. Tidak semena2 dia membuka cerita dan hadis Nabi mengenai 'Pahala' bersolat di Mesjid. Cepat Allah memberi ingatan kepada ku. Alhamdullillah. Justeru, malam ini aku mencari2 tulisan mengenai 'Pahala Bersolat Di Mesjid, dan terjumpa catitan dari satu blog seperti di bawah ini. Aku juga mengimbas kembali dengan penuh nostalgia kenangan bersama sahabat2 sewaktu di Dubai pada summer 2008, menjelajah UAE dalam satu program yang kami namakan, 'Jalan jalan mencari Mesjid'. Aku siar kembali catitan dari blog lama untuk ingatan dan motivasi diri sendiri dan juga pembaca.

Mari lah kita Muliakan Rumah Allah~! Seperti juga kita hanya menjemput tetamu yang kita sukai ke rumah kita, Allah juga menjemput orang2 yang Dia sukai ke rumahNya. Jika kita sudah terdengar Azan dari Mesjid...tidakkah kita terfikir, "Allah sudaah menjemput, maka kita harus tergesa2 ke RumahNya!"

Kenapa lalai? Terlalu angkuh dan sombongkah kita menolak jemputan Allah?

Jalan Jalan Cari Mesjid - part 5: Dubai

Tazkirah, di Mesjid bersama sahabat2. Minggu ini menyentuh tajuk-tajuk,

'Taqwa - dan kebijaksanan hanyalah milik orang yang bertaqwa', peranan Mesjid - rumah Allah tempat mencari kedamaian, ingatan untuk kami sendiri supaya tingkah laku di dalam dan di luar mesjid haruslah konsisten untuk kita benar2 melakukan ibadah ini dengan kerana Allah. Kami menyentuh peranan dan tanggung jawap penulis, sama ada blog atau pun artikel2 yang di baca umum. Penulis akan di hisab di akhirat kelak dengan apa yang disebarkan melalui penulisan mereka. Justeru itu, sebagai penulis blog yang agak aktif, saya berdoa agar ketangkasan jari saya menaip akan di pandu oleh hati yang beriman.

Jalan Jalan Cari Mesjid - part 4. Al Ain!!

Anakanda ku ADLIL juga menulis di sini.

Peserta: Adlil, Khairul Affendi, Urs truly, Yusree, Hasnol, Imran, Lutfi, dan Mushil (not in above picture)

Seperti tiga minggu sebelum ini, hari ini kumpulan kami 'berjalan jalan cari mesjid' untuk minggu ke empat. Setakat ini kami telah ke Fujeirah, Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah, dan kali ini pula ke Al Ain. Ada tambahan peserta baru, jadi kami berlepas dengan dua kereta. Perjumpaan pagi tadi di rumah saudara Imran untuk bersarapan bersama2. Alhamdullilah kami kekenyangan dan kami doakan semoga bertambah2 rezki Imran dan puan Z sekeluarga.

Jalan Jalan Cari Mesjid - part 3

Alhamdullillah, syukur! - 'Jalan Jalan Mencari Mesjid minggu ketiga telah selamat selesai!'

Syukur ke atas nikmat Allah yang telah memberi peluang kepada kami untuk meneruskan 'jalan jalan mencari mesjid' untuk minggu ketiga ke Ras Aal Khaimah. Kami selamat pergi dan pulang, dan di sepanjang perjalanan terbuka hati untuk melihat, mendengar, dan berkongsi bersama - pengajaran dan ilmu2 Allah untuk membawa diri dan hati kami lebih dekat kepadaNya.

Jalan Jalan Cari Mesjid - Part 2

Masa muda2 dulu ada juga dengar pesan orang2 yang lebih tua, "Jika masuk kedai bunga kita akan berbau harun juga....jika kita masuk kedai ikan, badan yang wangi pun terlekat bau ikan"

Aku ni dari dulu hingga kini, ada masuk kedai bunga dan juga ada masuk kedai ikan. Ada waktu tu, 'ter'masuk kedai ikan pekasam - mak aiii bau!! Tapi paling seronok sebenarnya setiap kali masuk kedai dan taman bunga lah.....tenang, wangi, dan selalunya bertemu pun dengan orang2 yang wangi belaka!

But but .... this entry is not about kedai bunga! It is about 'geng' kami jalan jalan ke Abu Dhabi dan singgah singgah di mesjid. Sempat lah juga kami bersolat, bertazkirah sesama sendiri, dan menikmati suasana nyaman di dalam mesjid2 di Abu Dhabi. Rata-rata, keadaan di dalam mesjid di sini sungguh terjaga dan di hiasi mewah dengan permaidani dan hiasan chandeliers.

Jalan Jalan cari Mesjid - Part 1 : Fujeirah

Beautiful pictures as captured by Sdr ZBA - Here.

The 'summer bachelor' decided to fill up his free time with spiritual activities. He wants this summer to be marked with a Hijrah into the second inning, on a winning streak. One reason is because he is afraid of himself. A close friend once said to him, "We have to protect you....not from enemies....but from yourself!" So true. To protect myself from myself, I shared with my friends a plan to spend Fridays in July to 'Jalan-jalan UAE membina mencari Mesjid!'

Two 'summer bachelor' friends and two 'friends with limited visit visa from their wives' joined my son Ad and I today - exploring Fujeirah. Our target today was to stop at seven Mosques and offer prayers at each one. We did just that, including a stop at the 562 year old Al-Bidyah Mosque.

Al Bidyah Mosque above.

Below is KP in prayer at our second stop over. Most mosques in UAE do not normally have names.

Above, At the fifth Mosque - Hasnol was seen taking a break from Fujeirah's melting temperature to check for latest news from Malaysia's political melting pots. Below, the beautiful Mosque on the Corniche where we performed Jumaat Prayer.

Above, at the Friday market on Dhaid road. We can go bananas with so many fresh fruits on offer at low prices. I bought some Rambutans, and the fruits were as fresh as any found along Malaysian's highways.

Below, captured moments of rejoicing at the end of the trip - at Nik's abode. We were treated to delicious fried Macaroni and ever so refreshing 'Iced cold Longan drink'. Thank you NiK for being so gracious with your hospitality.

While enjoying the food, we were already talking with excitement and anticipation about next week's trip. We may go into top gear next week - if an idea suggested by KP is to materialize. Next week, we may go Al Ain and Abu Dhabi! If there are others who are keen to join this expedition, please let anyone of us know.
On the trip were: Mr ZBA, Hasnol, Adie = click their names to go to their blogs, and also Imran dan KP ( both have no blogs ).

"Jalan Jalan cari Mesjid!"

Beautiful pictures as captured by Sdr ZBA - Here.

A week ago I wrote about projek 'bujang musim panas' ingin menjelajah UAE menziarah sebanyak mungkin Mesjid. Six of us did just that last Friday July 4th. For this time, we focused on Fujeirah.

Al Bidyah Mosque above.

Below is KP in prayer at our second stop over. Most mosques in UAE do not normally have names.

Above, At the fifth Mosque - Hasnol was seen taking a break from Fujeirah's melting temperature to check for latest news from Malaysia's political melting pots. Below, the beautiful Mosque on the Corniche where we performed Jumaat Prayer.

Above, at the Friday market on Dhaid road. We can go bananas with so many fresh fruits on offer at low prices. I bought some Rambutans, and the fruits were as fresh as any found along Malaysian's highways.

An investment went bad ~!

During the time we were living at house # 4 in Taman Melati, I purchased, on impulse, a service apartment developed by the then MBf holding. The property was located in Ayer Keroh Malacca and named Century Paradise, rather inaptly, as later on the buyers had to go through hell after the collapse of the MBf empire..

The story had a happy beginning...~!



One day he will grow up to be a tycoon...inshaallah~!
Luqman posed by a car which took his fancy at
the Malls of Emirates, Dubai, in 2007.



One fateful weekend, Lil and I were at a shopping mall and we walked straight into a sales man's lair. We were sweet talked into believing that with a small down payment and a readily approved loan (also from MBf), we could get big rental returns by buying a one bedroom service apartment on a lease back arrangement. We were guaranteed of a rental income of 7 percent yield for five years. In Malaysia, at that time, circa 1993, MBf was a pioneer of this concept. I was gullible and made an impulsive purchase! I learnt later on that acting on impulse, in real estate investment, is a cardinal sin!

The collapse of MBf Empire started almost immediately after the death of its founder and head of the family business conglomerates. Perhaps because I tried hard to forget this bad investment and huge financial loss, I even had forgotten the name of the tycoon who was in the Rich and Famous list in the eighties and early nineties!

The property was actually completed. However, the property was placed under receivership and all owners suddenly were in a No Win situation.

I stopped paying the monthly mortgage installment, only to be sent a summoned letter and later on a threat of bankruptcy!

*wtf!* we lost the property and we still had to pay and threatened! -  where got meaning~! But that was the situation we were in. I had to pay up for fear of being blacklisted by banks, and of being declared a bankrupt! The threat of these big boys (Finance institutions) really sucks big time! But what to do...had to pay, so I paid lah~! huhuhu

The red brick building is still standing there facing the Ayer Keroh lake. Darn. It would have been, at least, sweet sour taste for me if it were to collapse or to have been swallowed whole by the earth! It is a sickening memory of my investment which went bad.

Lessons which I have learnt (hopefully lah) and vowed never to repeat:

> No more purchasing properties on impulse

> To be extra cautious of any investment opportunities that sound like easy and sure money! There is just no such thing as sure money.

> Study the track record and financial strength of the developer. MBf at the time was already financially over exposed. I didn't have a clue then, mainly because I didn't care and I should have!

> If property investment is all about location, location, and location, why did I decide to invest in a property in Ayer Keroh. On hindsight, the reason was purely an emotional one. It was close to where my in-laws were. The lease back arrangement gave us 20 days free stay! We thought we could use the free stay and the facilities especially the swimming pool for our recreation.

I should not have followed my emotion alone. Logical and calculated consideration must be used for decision making.

In the end, I lost more than RM300,000~! In the nineties, that was a lot of money.

This summer when I return to Malaysia for vacation I wish to consult with a real estate lawyer on how to regain possession of my property! I have fully paid for it, and it should and must be mine!

"Ambil kan Peta!"

Last Friday, LiL and I were on our way to the old house to take whatever was left behind and also to do some cleaning up before we handed over the house key to the compound management when our son Amirul called my mobile.

Amirul: Ayah bagitau Mak jangan lupa ambil kan peta!

Me: You better talk to mak!

Puzzled with which 'Peta' he meant I passed the phone to LiL, while saying, "Amirul suruh ambil kan peta!"

Equally puzzled, LiL asked quizzically, "Peta mana pulak?"

Then she burst out laughing. I mean more than LOL kind of laugh....it was ROTFL kind of laughter.

Sensing that I was feeling left out, she said with a chuckled, "Amirul was reminding us to ambil comforter lah...bukan ambil kan peta!"

I joined her, laughing. I tried vainly to defend myself, "But but, he did say, ambil kan Peta!"

Lately, either my hearing has gone cross-wired or people who speak to me have been mumbling with their words.

Last night for example, soon after we switched off the light and settled in under the duvet, I heard she said  with a sniff, "I love you!" Instantly, I turned on my side and extended my hand to hug her, and whispered, "I love you too - nak ka?"

I got a sharp reply, "Isk....I cakap I have flue lah~!"

Not to be out done, of course I replied, "I have flue too - nak tissue ka!"

"Hahahaha!" we both laughed.

Kereta baru untuk keluarga!

This picture was taken at the Hyundai show room parking lot~!

When we were living in the security compound, we managed with one car. If anyone from the family wished to go anywhere while I was at work, there was a limousine service available from the compound itself. One phone call to the reception office - khalash, everything arranged!

Now, not only we need a private driver, we also need a second car.

Hati seorang Orang tua....

Aku sendiri kurang mengerti kenapa bila semakin tua, semakin sensitif pulak hati manusia. Jika aku yang dah tua ni tak faham, apa lagi orang2 muda. Itulah mungkin sebabnya semasa aku muda dulu2 aku kurang arif dalam hal2 mengambil hati ibu dan bapa.

.

"Panas Punggung"

Sekarang dah mula masok musim panas di Saudi. Bila jalan2 pijak tiles rasa panas. Bila masok kereta jer terasa panas punggung, especially jika leather seat. Bercakap pasal panas punggung, ramai juga orang yang 'panas punggung' walaupun duduk diam2 di dalam rumah sendiri.

Untuk lebih memahami maksud 'panas punggung' saya telah memulakan topik "Peribahasa: Panas Punggung, apakah maksudnya?" di Facebook.

Jeddah - Living like a local!

Not too big, and not too small...just nice ~!

Front view, with the mosque a short walk away~!

Main living room~!

Finally, we are settled and nestled well and good in our new home. Paintings are up adorning the walls. Furnitures are in placed at their rightful spots. ACs are working. Water supply has been restored. And perhaps, most importantly of all, our aching back and sore limbs have also recuperated.

House number 4~! Taman Melati, Setapak.

By mid 1991, finally, the new corner unit of town house we bought in Taman Melati were ready. We paid RM150k for two units, the upper and lower level units. Each one came with three bedrooms and two bathrooms. There was also a 20 feet of extra land, and an open field at the back.

"Masih Di Sini" - Tersiar di Mingguan Malaysia 17hb April 2011

Masih di sini

Tidurlah mata

walaupun buat seketika

aku ingin mimpi dahulu

yang hilang di telan waktu.

Berlabuhlah malam

walaupun bulan tidak mengambang

biarkan pungguk berkirim salam

kepada bulan yang lama menghilang.

Berkeliplah bintang

walau langit di selimuti awan

tidak akan pudar kasih dan sayang

selagi ada nyawa di badan!

Dengarlah bulan

bisikan pungguk yang merindu

bintang berkelipan

tidak se indah purnama mu!

Hadirlah  pagi

bawa bersama mu warna pelangi

hiasilah kekosongan hati

yang tidak di datangi mimpi.

Begitulah indahnya

bila masih ada rasa cinta

walau gersang seluas benua

hati yang kasih indah berbunga.

"Aku cinta kamu

selagi ada hayat ku!"

Malam ini, aku masih di sini

dan kamu masih di sana

aku masih mencari mimpi

waktu waktu kita bersama!

Adakah kamu juga

merenungi malam dari jendela?

(Ariffin Mamat - Jeddah)

To Umrah for the weekend~!

In a few minutes we will be leaving for Mekah. Inshaallah, semoga Allah permudahkan urusan kami dan makbulkan doa kami.

Our son Amirul has asked to go for Umrah before he faces his final IB exams. I appreciate his thought - in seeking God's blessing and compassion! InshaAllah he will do well in his final, and ready to face the world. With a good IB he will be enrolled into one of the Universities - somewhere! I know he has been focused in getting into one of the top 100 Universities in the world. That is an admirable standard for him to set.

View from the window oof room 215 of Hotel Royal Orchid!

The last time we went to Mekah we stayed at the Al Ghufran hotel at the Al Sawfa tower. This time around we are booked into the Royal Orchid. In the end, it matter not where we stay. What matters will be what we bring within our heart. 

Rumah ke 3, Jln A9 Tmn Melawati!

(Click on image to enlarge - House 161 A9 three houses away from the open field)

I have previously written about our first two houses. Not necessarily houses which we bought and owned, but about houses we used to live in. 

The most challenging time awaited us at our house number 3, house No 161, Jalan A9, Taman Melawati. We were residents of the 3 + 1 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, split level, 22' x 75' terrace house between 1989 - 1991. I found it as refreshingly spacious after spending a few years prior in a 14 x 70 compact house.

We paid RM480.00 monthly rental. By comparison, today a similar house is being rented out for RM1500.00 per month!

Rumah ke 2~!

Terdesak dengan keadaan rumah sewa di Kg Pasir Hulu Kelang yang kurang selesa, kami meluangkan masa di hujung minggu memandu keliling taman-taman perumahan di kawasan berdekatan. Matlamat, mencari rumah untuk di sewa dalam budget maksima RM300 sebulan.

Ahirnya kami menemui sebuah rumah terrace jenis compact, di no 44* Jalan J6, Fasa 6, Taman Melawati. Rumah ini kecil, mempunyai dua bilik sahaja, dan ruang tamu bersambung dengan ruang dapur dan ruang makan. Lebar buka hanya 14 kaki! Bayangkan, memang lah sempit berbanding dengan rumah2 yang di bina sekarang. Tapi oleh kerana budget kami kecil, maka yang dapat pun rumah kecil juga lah. Begitulah kata orang2 lama, "Mengukur rumah baju di badan sendiri!"

Rumah Pertama!

Ogos 1983 - Sekembali dari UK dengan ijazah aku bernasib baik kerana terus mendapat kerja di Texas Instruments Ulu Kelang. Aku menyewa di rumah bujang di AU2 Taman Keramat. Memang convenient. Hanya 20 minit berjalan kaki ke tempat bekerja. Rumah itu ada empat bilik, dan ada empat penyewa. Semua nya bujang, dan semua nya dari Kelantan. Semuanya juga ada girl friend. Aku yang paling handsome muda. Sesekali memang kami menjemput girl friend kami datang ke rumah untuk sama2 masak2 dan makan2, dan bermain scrabble bukan raba2. Beberapa bulan setelah aku bekerja, girl friend aku tu dah jadi ex-girl friend! Tak tahan aku nak bergirl friend lama-lama.

The darker side of the moon~!

Bulan mengambang memang cantik! Tak puas mata memandang. Pungguk pun boleh tertawan, lalu sering merindu. Kita sering terlupa, bulan yang kelihatan itu, hanya pemandangan dari jauh. Juga yang kita nampak hanya permukaan yang bercahaya!

Jangan terpedaya! The moon has a darker side. Not as beautiful!

Jodoh!

Gotccha!

Jodoh.

buta paras rupa

tuli tutur bicara
bisu namun bersuara
jodoh tidak semestinya cinta
cinta, juga ada kalanya
hanya satu fata morgana

hanya hati yang mengetahui

siapakah jodoh, apabila di temui!

datang tanpa di rancang

lebih dekat dari bayang-bayang.

Jodoh
soal hati
adakalanya sukar di mengerti
adakalanya, umpama misteri
tidak lari walau di kejar

tidak ketemu walau di cari

jodoh juga walau sebentar

panjang jodoh membawa ke mati!

Bersyukur lah dengan jodoh sendiri

sudah tersurat dari Azali

usah di selidik atau di kaji

kekurangan yang ada, kita penuhi!

Jangan berputus asa sekiranya

lambat jodoh menjelma

kepadaNya terus berdoa

setiap insan ada pasangannya

itu janji Dia

redha dan pasrah dengan ketentuan

walaupun jodoh seperti tak kesampaian

ada hikmah, dengan setiap suratan!

Tahniah

sesiapa yang telah bertemu

jodoh yang putih, merah atau kelabu
jangan abaikan jodoh d tangan
umpama merpati dia mungkin terbang
jangan nanti tergila bayang
sebelum terlambat
belai dengan kasih dan sayang!

Ajaran ugama jadikan pedoman
jodoh mesti di halalkan

sebelum berlaku perkara sumbang.
.

Ketahuilah
jodoh datang berpasang-pasang

yang baik, untuk yang baik

yang zina, untuk yang zina
dan

yang bersyukur, akan akur

terhadap jodoh yang Allah atur!

Pp: Gembira mendapat berita.

dari Malaysia!

The after effect of Budu !



The Budu Effect~! Pengsan wa cakap lu...hahaha.

I am the first to wake up. It is 2.30am. The three of us must have fallen asleep on the sofa with the CNN channel still reporting about what is going on in the Gadafi's land. We must have been very tired! Must be. How else could three guys who are full of life, and full of good food dozed off in awkward postures while in full conversation. Mat Ju and Zainal must have left when we stopped responding to what they were saying.



The last sentence I remember saying is, "I know....~!"

I couldn't even remember what I was responding to! So often when I found myself not paying attention but a responce is expected, I would blurt out something like, "I know.." or "Yea, so true!", or "I Understand.."

The fact is, "No, I don't know. No, I don't understand! I just want to sleep!" hahaha

Truth and Trust!

One may think that 'truth' is the basis of 'trust'. One may also argues that 'trust' can only be achieved when a relationship is based on 'truth and nothing but the truth'.

I beg to differ!

Dubai Real Estate! An update...

Dubai real estate, Dubai Marina, Dubai property

Property prices in Dubai are still nowhere near the bottom and are facing up to a 30 percent fall in value, according to Gulf real estate stock analysts.

"House prices in Dubai are likely going to slide downwards for the next two years as oversupply continues to build," Rasmala Investments senior real estate analyst Saud Masud told Arabian Business. 

"I would put that number at around 25-30 percent downside on current levels. This may add to downward revision risk pertaining to rents from mall tenancy to residential occupancy."
Masud said superdeveloper Emaar could come under pressure, as short- and medium-term leases at Dubai Mall – where rents are higher compared to other malls – come to an end over the next three years.

Driving with a Ghutra over my head!

Out of the blue today, I felt like putting on a Ghutra ( Saudi head cover for men, melayu calls Serban) before driving out with my wife.

In full gear~! A Malaysian and an Italian!

While stuck in a massive traffic jam (the local schools have started their one week holiday), I realized that other drivers were giving me way like I have never experienced before. Cars actually slowed down to let me pass! Very unusual indeed.

Re-defined!

A Classic:"A classic is something that I buy, then I put on display in the living room where people can see and then I go to wikipedia to read its synopsis (so you know, just in case people ask me what's the book is all about). And I have a few classics at home... I feel very pandai oredi ;-)"

- Mior Adzhar

A Smile: "A smile is a curve which can put many things straight!"

Blogging via email~!

If this work, I will be even more active in updating my blog!
This will enable me to publish blog entries on-the-go from my BlackBerry.
This means, as and when I have flashes of ideas, I can type and publish, from anywhere at anytime.
Imagine ...
@ I am now able to type an entry while on the thinking seat in any private cubicle in any shopping malls!
@ I can type an entry, instead of sleeping or counting camels, while traveling between Jeddah to the farm!
@ I can publish multiple entries per day! Wow, that probably beat the pleasure of a multiple O which is much writen about but rarely delivered by the modern day men!
@ I may even get to finish writing the Su Limah story!  hahaha. I know at least a few of my readers will be happy to see the end of the Su Limah saga.

.....I will be limited only by my imagination!

But first let me test whether this will work.

I will press send, and will check whether it will get published!

Ciaow.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device from Aljawal



Googled picture.



In control ~!

An ability to remain in control of one's own destiny and one's own feeling, differentiate the best from the rest. Life as we know it, has its ups and downs. No matter where we are in the cycle, it is incumbent upon us to take responsibility for our own feeling, our actions and ultimately our life, and also to be aware of the impact we have on people around us. 

I was feeling tired today. So physically and mentally tired, I felt like dropping everything and calling it quit. When I looked at the mirror this morning, I saw a face I hardly recognized. My lips curled into an inverted 'U', my eyes cold, and my eyes brows arched in a wicked way. I forced a smile to bring back the person I knew. I saw my chipped tooth, and a real smile momentarily spread across my jaded face.

I was not at my best. When I got to my office, a colleague greeted me with a "You look tired!" That prompted me to snap into a 60 seconds lecture on how to and how not to greet people, especially people who have passed their fifty mark.

Never say, "you look tired!"
Never say, "You look old!"
Instead, simply say, "How are you?" Afterall, isn't that the phrase your school teacher used to teach you to say?

Once I settled in my chair and sipped hot coffee, I reminded myself to re-gain control. I should not allow myself to be annoyed by a simple remark. On a higher level, I should not let the exhaustion I was feeling to drain my spirit and to drift me away from my goals.

So I decided to focus on positive energy...

Yesterday, a good STAROBA friend Chot Awang arrived for his Umrah.  I hope to meet him soon in Mecca.
Today, the new furniture we bought for the new house were delivered. I am excited about this move...for the first time we will be living outside of a compound!
Tomorrow will be weekend! Yes, I will have 'my recovery' time. Perhaps will even get some new inspiration to continue the Cerpen - about Su Limah ~! Hahaha.

I know I will be okey~! The sound of Luqman's voice from the swimming pool, the aroma of 'kueh Pau' steaming from the kitchen, and the thought of a Mecca trip soon - bring me back on track!

Overlooking Hole 18 at the Dubai Golf Course,
for the Desert Classics! (2009 picture)

Have a good day folks! You will be okey too...

Is justice done?

There are three types of mistakes!



The LABEL is a MISTAKE!
My butt is not a stadium!
hehehe



The first type of mistakes are mistakes where we can learn from and can take actions which improve situations for the benefit of mankind in the future. Normally, this type of mistakes happen despite all precautions and procedures have been followed.

Jeddah often makes me smile...

Only in Jeddah ~!



I love Jeddah. I have been living here since 2003. Except for a brief courting with Dubai, my heart has always been here. As opposed to Dubai, I feel belonged and I do have a few friends from amongst the locals. In Dubai...somehow, no matter how hard I tried, I always felt like a visitor on transit.