Some thoughts on turning 41…

Let me share with you some random thoughts running in my head as I turned 14 today. Hehehe I mean 41! I’ve arranged them in no particular order or value.

Chocolate is good for you. It reduces cholesterol and releases your happy hormones. Anyone who tells you otherwise needs to let their hair down. That’s what I call a lesson in learning to live and enjoying life a little. Just don’t overdo it though, especially if you’re diabetic

A good cup of coffee is one of the simplest pleasures in life. But in the absence of good cuppa, a bad cup is better than no cup. That’s a lesson in being grateful and enjoying life as it is. Your time on this earth is measured by the life in your years, not by the years in your life. So, don’t sweat the small stuff. Shit happens sometimes, you can choose to feel shitty or make the best of the situation.

Good pizza is worth the calories. Bad pizza is not. Likewise, Nasi Lemak, Roti Canai and Teh Tarik too. Only one way to find out. Hehehe, life is meant to be enjoyed, not endured. If you do everything in moderation, you can enjoy many, many things in life in moderate doses that will sum up to become hefty pleasures.

The Oreo is the best cookie ever made. I have no argument there. Oreo cookies dipped in cold milk makes me happy. Hehehe just like they do in the ads. So I’ll give credit to Oreos for a bit of my happiness. The lesson I learned is, making other people happy for the right reason will only multiply your own happiness. Don’t be afraid to acknowledge and give credit to everyone and everything for their contribution to your happiness.

M&M’s and Hersheys make almost everything feels better. When you are stuck, get unstuck by taking a step back, take a breather and come back later to a different perspective at the same thing.

Alhamdulillah, ceramah means more than they used to. Appreciate every good advice, even if it will kill your ego and undermine your need “to be right”. Learn to let go of the need to be right all the time. By insisting on being right, you may feel elevated above those who you can prove wrong. But is it serving you well in the end? So, it is okay to realise that you are wrong sometimes, and open up to other people’s perspectives, opinions and thoughts.

Youth is certainly wasted on the young. We don’t always appreciate what we have until it is taken a way from us. Don’t take people and things for granted. Count every blessing in life.

Good friends are worth the trouble…and I am not yet the friend I hope to be. I’ve learned that love, kinship and friendship transcend humanity. So does understanding and sacrifice. I love all my family and my friends. I love all my cats and kittens, they’re family and friends too.

My career has been not like what I’d imagined when I was younger, but I wouldn’t trade it for any other. Even though this is not what I had set out to do when I graduated from the university or when I entered college. Far from it. But it brought me new adventures and learnings, and news things to explore. Through my career I met many people who later became my acquaintances, friends, buddies and some became best friends forever. A few actually became my family members. Through sheer hard work and sometimes “intelligence” and “working smart” (both words are overrated), learning through my own experience and other people’s experience, I became humble and grateful to Allah for giving me very good rezeki. In return, I will act with kindness and thoughtfulness to my fellow human beings and to God’s creatures, especially cats.

Aches and pains take longer to go away and I have more of them. Always have a muscle pain reliever with you all the time, and whatever medication you need, just in case, especially when traveling. It is also a lesson in being prepared for every situation. Thankfully, age comes with better foresight and wisdom to anticipate and pre-empt what will happen.

Born Muslim

Reflections about Muslim immigrants in the West by Neqiniso Abdullah
(from his book of Poetry “In Praise of Allah”)

Some who say that they were born
Into the Islamic Fold
Allow the binding fear of God
To gradually loose its hold

They early learn to fast and Pray
and recite the holy book
They make the Hajj and pay Zakat
and Swine they will not cook

So after this they proudly say
that they are Muslims true
and venture forth to western lands
where Muslim men are few

Their eyes and minds are then amazed
at everything they see
and soon their hearts admire men
who cause such things to be

But those men they seek to make this world
their haven of delight
and therefore they create their own
standards of wrong and right

So when a Muslim looks to them
as model for all men

Unwittingly he begins to slip
Gradually into sin

At first perhaps he misses a prayer
or rushes one on through
then busily pursuing the western ways
maybe he misses two

He reads the book a little less
and less he gives the poor
the challenge to raise his standard of life
now means a little more

Perhaps he’ll even begin to gamble
or taste some wine and beer
his acts distinguish him not from those
who have no godly fear

The path he follows gradually leads
the way the worldly seek
and his religion becomes a task
to practice once a week

What! six days he gives himself
and God he gives but one
But he sill claims to be a Muslim
Cause he’s a Muslims’ son

He who serves his own desires
but one place will he dwell
God shall seize him by his neck
and throw him into hell

Your father nor your mothers faith
will save you from the fire
If you consider this world to be
your innermost desire

BUT WAIT! where ever you are, your life
can surely be turned around
and the God you place upon your tongue
can in your heart be found

Conversion not only occurs in those
who do not know the way
It also occurs in those well versed
who gradually go astray

Forget, therefore, how u were born
God judges not your birth
By the purity of your heart at death
Will he determine your worth

Those who say that they were born
Into the Islamic fold
Like others, they must submit themselves
As clay for God to mould

Nilai Hantaran Kahwin

Macam nak jual anak saja orang sekarang. Cuba tengok Nilai Hantaran Kahwin Mengikut Harga Purata Terkini dan Status Pelajaran di Seluruh Semenanjung Malaysia pada masa ini adalah seperti berikut…

UPSR, PMR/SRP : RM1,000-RM3,000
SPM : RM3,000-RM8,000
STPM/DIPLOMA : RM8,000-RM12,000
DEGREE : RM12,000-RM15,000
2ND DEGREE/MASTER : RM15,000-RM20,000
PHD : RM20,000-RM30,000

DISCLAIMER:
Bagi yang ada degree ke atas, tapi tak pandai masak, secara otomatik nilai hantaran akan ditolak 50% daripada nilai bidaan.

Sumber: TAK BERNAMA

Kambing Dalam Perigi Buta

Ada seekor kambing yang terjatuh ke dalam sebuah perigi buta.

Kambing tersebut mengembek sehingga menarik perhatian orang yang lalu lalang. Orang ramai berfikir bagaimana ingin membantu mengeluarkan kambing tersebut dari perigi buta itu.

Perbincangan mengambil masa berhari-hari. Malangnya mereka tidak menemui cara untuk mengeluarkan kambing tersebut. Akhirnya mereka sepakat untuk mengambus perigi tersebut dengan andaian bahawa kambing tersebut tidak dapat diselamatkan lagi dan perlu dikambus bagi mengelak bau busuk bangkai si kambing.

Penduduk kampung bergotong-royong menimbus perigi buta itu. Sudah jatuh ditimpa tangga, begitulah nasib si kambing. Bukan sekadar terjatuh ke dalam perigi buta, malah ingin dikambus hidup-hidup oleh penduduk kampung.

Pasti tamat riwayat si kambing. Namun kambing tersebut tidak berputus asa. Setiap kali tanah dan pasir dituang ke dalam perigi, kambing tersebut akan menggoyangkan badannya bagi menyingkirkan tanah daripada berkumpul di atas belakang badannya.

Penat kerana tidak makan dan minum selama beberapa hari tidak dipedulikan sang kambing, sebaliknya dia semakin bersemangat. Makin lama makin tinggi timbunan tanah dan makin cerah jugalah harapannya untuk keluar dari perigi tersebut. Akhirnya si kambing terselamat. Dia melompat keluar dengan girang.

Pengajaran daripada kisah ini adalah…

Apabila kita ditimpa kesusahan yang tidak nampak jalan keluarnya, janganlah berputus asa, kerana Allah tidak menurunkan ujian yang tidak kita mampu untuk mengatasinya jika kita redha, bersabar dan berusaha.

Sebagaimana Firman Allah yang bermaksud “Kerana sesungguhnya sesudah kesulitan itu ada kemudahan.” (Surah Al-Inshirah 94 : Ayat 5-6)

Ahmad Albab

My great grandmother used to remind me, “Hidup biarlah mengikut resam padi, lagi berisi lagi tunduk.” Tunduk pada Allah, bukan tunduk pada harta benda, wang ringgit, kuasa dan nafsu.

Let me tell you a story called “Ahmad Albab” a 1968 Malaysian drama-comedy film directed by, written by and starring Malaysian artiste P. Ramlee about an arrogant and materialistic man who marries off his outspoken daughter to a poor villager to teach her a lesson. The story is in the style of traditional Malay folktales with an underlying moral message. The movie features real-life husband and wife P. Ramlee and Saloma acting opposite each other.

Mashood is a rich man who believes that happiness and wealth are the same thing, and that both are in his hands. He has three daughters: Zahara, Suhara and Mastura. Zahara and Suhara share his life philosophies, but Mastura doesn’t and frequently clashes with their father. Mashood decides to prove his beliefs by marrying off Zahara and Suhara to two young men (Muharram and Safar) from wealthy families while Mastura is married off to a poor goat-herder named Syawal.

Syawal and Mastura live a simple life together in Syawal’s village but are happy. One day, as he is herding the goats, one of them wanders away from the pack. Syawal follows it into a cave, where he sees a large chest of a treasure. A djinn appears and tells Syawal that the treasure belongs to Ahmad Albab, who is the only person who can claim it. Syawal obeys the djinn and leaves.

Elsewhere, Muharram and Safar have used up all their wives’ money and decide to steal from a jewelry store, pretending in front of their wives that their business has boomed. Using this money, they buy the goats that Syawal was herding, putting him out of a job. However Mastura has started up a small farm next to their house, and this becomes their new livelihood.

Mashood’s birthday is around the corner and he invites his three daughters and their husbands to his home, where they are required to give him a birthday present. Muharam and Safar give him fancy presents which pleases Mashood. As for Syawal, he presents a packet of salt and a packet of sugar, which Mastura explains represents their love for him. Mashood is angered by this, saying that love should be like jewels and gold. Then Mastura presents to her father meal she’d cooked for him. Mashood attempts to eat it but the food tastes bad, as it has been cooked without salt or sugar. Mastura explains that this is the meaning behind their present, for although salt and sugar are simple things, without them even the most delicious dish tastes bad. Mashood grumps at this and warns them that they won’t be able to pull this trick again next year.

The three couples part ways. During this time, Mastura has a baby boy. Although at first Syawal and Mastura are overjoyed, their baby refuses to stop crying for weeks on end. Eventually Mastura and Syawal bring their baby boy to visit Mashood, who tries to cheer up his grandson. After several attempts, Mashood finally manages to cause the baby to stop crying by tapping on a door. Since the Arabic word for door is “Albab”, Mashood names the baby “Ahmad Albab”.

Syawal is shocked to hear this name and takes his baby back to the cave to show the djinn. The djinn sees the baby and says that all the treasure in the cave belongs to him, on the condition that Syawal brings Ahmad Albab to the cave every full moon to play with the djinn’s wife and son. Syawal and Mastura become wealthy overnight, but even with this wealth they remain humble and help others who are in need.

Meanwhile, Muharram and Safar have run out of money again and try to rob the same jewelry store. However, this time the store owner is prepared and the pair are captured and brought to the police station. Zahara and Suhara are told to seek out a kind-hearted man name Syawal who will be able to pay the bail. All are shocked to learn that Syawal and Mastura have suddenly become rich, but Syawal and Mastura gladly pay the bail, setting Muharram and Safar free.

However, it is time again for Mashood’s birthday gathering and his demand for gifts. In desperation, Muharram and Safar decide to rob Syawal’s house, but they are caught. Syawal is disappointed in them, but agrees to give them presents for them to give to Mashood.

On the night of Mashood’s birthday gathering, Muharram and Safar are quiet and subdued as Zahara and Suhara present Mashood a tray each of precious jewels as their gift to him. Mashood is impressed by the extravagant gift, and then turns to Syawal and Mastura, demanding their present. Syawal gives him a model of a mosque, telling him that it is to remind him of God. Mashood balks at this present until Muharram and Safar break down and confess that they are thieves and all the jewels are from Syawal, not them. Mashood questions this disbelievingly until Syawal opens his robes to reveal a smart white suit underneath.

You Can’t Be Productive When Falling Asleep

The National Sleep Foundation says that drowsy workers cost U.S. employers an estimated $18 billion annually in lost productivity. Too little sleep also suppresses your immune function, which leads to increased infection and illnesses, creating more absenteeism. If you add errors, damage, and health consequences, the costs are even higher.

Overall, the quality of work, the amount of work, and your concentration EACH decline by 30% when you’re sleepy. Sleepiness also impairs memory, reaction time, and alertness. Talk about a productivity loss! It’s critical to get between seven and eight hours of sleep each night.

So, don’t watch television, eat, read, or work on your computer while you’re in your bed. Your mind associates your bed with sleepiness, so when you turn it into an entertainment zone, it can’t shut down properly. One hour before you go to bed, involve yourself in non-alerting activities in another room, such as doing dishes, taking a bath, journaling, or reading.

Don’t get involved in upsetting tasks such as paying bills or arguing with your spouse.

Watching television one hour before bedtime can result in increased brain activity, and even though you’re sleepy, you’ll get fewer sleep cycles and won’t feel rested in the morning.

By changing any poor sleep behaviors, you can sleep better and longer, resulting in higher productivity the following day.

The Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.

Reinhold Niebuhr

What I Learned From A Mouse With Big Ears

Here is one excellent story on going the extra mile in delighting our customers, written by Guy Kawasaki, Co-Founder of Alltop. Guy Kawasaki is one of my all-time favorite people for his inspirational stories.

What I Learned From A Mouse With Big Ears
by Guy Kawasaki

According to Bruce Kimbrell, a facilitator for the West Coast operations of the Disney Institute, people come back to Disneyland for three reasons: cleanliness, friendliness and safety. A few weeks ago Bruce took me on a behind-the-scenes tour of Disneyland to show me how Disneyland employees make the enchantment happen. This is what I learned:

1. Focus on the right stuff and the money will come

The top three priorities of Disneyland management is leadership excellence, cast excellence and guest satisfaction. The fourth priority is financial results. My interpretation is that if you do the first three things right, money is a natural outcome.

2. Take care of your employees (cast members)

Disneyland has “team centers” to serve the needs of its employees. These centers provide insurance, discounts, tickets, transportation services and payroll services. The message I picked up was “be good to your employees, and they’ll be good to your customers.”

3. Everybody should do the “dirty jobs”

How many people are there in the park sweeping up trash? Take a guess. The right answer is an astoundingly low number: eight. (I guessed 250 when Bruce asked me.) This is possible because every employee is supposed to keep the park clean, not just the janitors.

4. Everybody is customer service.

Here’s another question for you: How long do you think the training is for the people with brooms sweeping up the trash? The right answer is an astoundingly high number: six weeks. This is necessary because guests ask janitors questions, so the folks with brooms must be experts about the park. By the way, the training for parking lot attendants can be as long as eight weeks.

5. Pay attention to the details

Bruce told me that Walt Disney himself specified the type of trash can for the park. These cans are currently swapped out every two years and Disney repaints them every four months. Steve Jobs was a perfectionist about the Macintosh trash can icon—the similarity between Steve Jobs and Walt Disney is not a coincidence.

6. Pay attention to even more details

A hairdresser in the wig department told me that it takes 30-45 minutes to wash and set the wig for Ariel. Then it takes 90-120 minutes to dry it. Finally, there’s another 30 minutes to comb it out. This is for a wig. Most entrepreneurs don’t spend this much time practicing their pitch for venture capitalists.

7. Make your customers feel close and important

The buildings on Main Street are 5/8th scale. This is to make people feel like they are closer to the action and important. Most companies erect edifices to make their customers feel small, and their bosses feel big. Disneyland does the opposite. Walt Disney used to crouch down to see Disneyland from a child’s perspective.

8. Know the facts

Here’s yet-another question for you: What is the ratio of adults to kids at any given moment in the park? Believe it or not, there are four adults for every kid. I would have never guessed that. This has big ramifications: Disneyland can’t just be a place for kids since kids are only 20 percent of the customers.

9. Green is good

The floats are all battery-powered. The fireworks are launched with compressed air, not explosive charges. The trains are bio-diesel and burn the oil from the park’s restaurants. Currently, 80 percent of the 1.3 pounds of trash that each guest produces per day is recycled.

9. Keep customers coming back

The Star Wars inspired ride called Star Tours has six different destinations, two beginning scenes and three holograms. This means that there are 54 different combinations. If you’re very lucky, you can see all the combinations in three rides—or, much more likely, you’ll have to keep coming back for more.

You should check out the Disney Institute for its seminar offerings. The institute covers topics such as leadership, brand loyalty, creativity and service quality. Many programs include behind-the-scenes tours like the one I went on. And the next time you schedule an event, consider a Disney meeting facility because of the blend of inspiration, education and entertainment that’s offered. There are few institutions that can put theories into practice like Disney can.

*Disclosure: Disneyland provided a room and board for two kids and I as well as passes to the park and a VIP tour guide.

Source: http://www.openforum.com/articles/what-i-learned-from-a-mouse-with-big-ears

Astaghfirullah!

It is scientifically proven that syaitan is such a cunning asshole. Without him around, I can easily wake up at dawn and do my solat Subuh as soon as the Azan calls. With him around, I’m a Queen of Snooze because when I wake up, I keep snoozing my alarm clock, until almost daylight before I finally get up! Worst, sometimes dozed off terus and terlepas Subuh…Astaghfirullah!

Ya Allah, Jauhkan lah syaitan dari aku!

Banyak sangat dugaan di dalam hidup ini. Ya Allah, please give me strength to overcome cabaran demi cabaran yang mendatang! Amiiiinnnnn….

There’s a boy in my mind…

There’s a boy in my mind and he knows I’m thinking of him, and I know he’s thinking of me too. He loves me berry much although he is not in love with me. Yang ada di hatinya hanyalah sayang dan bukan cinta untukku, and respect, admiration and adoration…

Ya Allah, Alhamdulillah kerana dia ikhlas menyayangi diriku dan sungguh mengambil berat tentang diriku, walaupun dia tidak mencintaiku.

Ya Allah, kuatkan lah hati ku ini untuk redha dan bersyukur…

Antara cinta dan sayang…

Sayang itu tidak sama dengan Cinta. Apabila kita mencintai seseorang, tidak semestinya kita menyayangi dia. Apabila kita menyayangi seseorang, tidak juga bererti kita mencintainya. Hanya yang sama adalah kedua cinta dan sayang bermula dari hati.

Antara cinta dan sayang, cinta itu bagaikan percikan bunga api di kaki langit Malam Merdeka yang sungguh indah dan mengasyikkan sehingga terlupa dunia seketika. Sayang itu pula bagaikan cahaya lilin yang setia menerangi kamar di dalam kegelapan malam.

Bunga api akan semarak hanya seketika. Lilin pula dengan sabar dan tanpa lelah akan menerangi ruang sehingga ke titisan terakhir. Namun, sudah lumrah, manusia selalu lupa pada kesetiaan cahaya lilin kerana terleka oleh keindahan bunga api yang amat mempesonakan.

Cinta ingin memiliki dan menakluki tetapi sayang ingin membebaskan. Aku sayang padanya, maka aku bebas kan dia dengan penuh redha pada Allah. Pujangga berkata, if you love someone, set him free…

P.S. Selamat Hari Lahir, Sayang…

Where do I go from here?

“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?”
“That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” said the Cat.
“I don’t much care where–” said Alice.
“Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,” said the Cat.
“–so long as I get SOMEWHERE,” Alice added as an explanation.
“Oh, you’re sure to do that,” said the Cat, “if you only walk long enough.”
(Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Chapter 6)

‘If you don’t know where you are going, it does not matter which path you take.’

Carrots, eggs or coffee?

I’m taking inspiration from this story:

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying A word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl.

Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, “Tell me what you see.”

Carrots, Eggs, and Coffee,” she replied.

Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg.

Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled, as she tasted its rich aroma the daughter then asked, “What does it mean, Mother?“

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently.

The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak.

The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its insides became hardened.

The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

“Which are you?” she asked her daughter. “When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

Think of this: Which am I?

Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?

Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?

Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor.

If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate yourself to another level?

How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor.

If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate yourself to another level?

How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

Dalam…

Dalam diam ada bingitnya, dalam sunyi ada kecohnya, dalam tenang ada ombaknya, dalam diri ada Dia…

Lovely night indeed…

Stepped out of hot shower. Clad in my bathrobe.

Made hot chocolate. Sprinkled a dash of coffee. I love the aroma *sigh*.

I glanced around my bedroom. Tuah is sleeping soundly on my bed. He is such an angel, mama’s boy. Said my prayers of thanks to Allah that he is out of the woods *sigh of relief*. The young vet at the Animal Medical Centre didn’t expect he’d survive FIP. But I do, I’ve never given up on Tuah, not even once.

Perhaps, love is what keeps every being alive and well.

Love? *long sigh*. Is love going to happen to me?

Next up, some bedtime reading. Music to unwind.

Lovely night indeed…