Quiet Ramadhan... NOT!

Back when I was working with IKIM, Ramadhan was usually busy with invitation for talks (usually Kuliah Zuhur) at various agencies, departments and companies. Now that I've moved on, I am no longer doing those talks.

But lo and behold, I find myself doing a lot of writing, from the academic to the semi-academic to the literary. I have finalised my PhD proposal which would be submitted to Universiti Malaya next week. I have been invited to publish academic and semi-academic books for a publisher which shall remain nameless for the time being. I am also sketching plots for three novels, though I'm unsure when can I actually sit down to write them.

And here I thought I was going to have a quiet, uneventful and free Ramadhan this year. How naive of me to think that.

Ahlan wa sahlan ya Ramadhan

I had wanted to post this on the blog before Ramadhan began. But I didn't, partly because of what happened to my laptop. Still not fixed, in case anyone is asking. And I'm using my wife's laptop at the moment, again in case anyone is wondering.

In any case, I don't think it's too late to welcome the month of Ramadhan al-Mubarak. So far, I am enjoying Ramadhan, more so than previous years. I found that I have been very productive workwise compared to previous months. Spiritually, I am also enjoying the nightly rituals of Tahlil, Terawih and Witir - a feeling that is reminiscent to my days in Glasgow.

Back then, my fellow students and I used to commune at the Malaysian Students Centre at Albert Road in Glasgow, where I was a resident. I was one of those entrusted with leading the Terawih and Witir prayers. After the prayers, we would sit down for moreh. In retrospect, what we went through strengthened our friendship that lasts till this day.

Let us all pray that all of us would be able to reap the many rewards and bounties of Ramadhan of 1427 Hijriyyah. Amin!

Temporary disconnected

I had an unfortunate turn of events on Wednesday afternoon. My trusted laptop met with an accident. I was shifting some furniture at the office because of a small leakage in my room. Unfortunately, the table that I was moving accidentally knocked the laptop down to the floor. As a result, the laptop's LCD is now broken. I need to get it replaced, but the price is too expensive for me at this point in time.

At the moment, I'm sharing my wife's laptop, but I won't be bringing it to the office. I'll also be transferring the data from my laptop's hard drive so that I can work on my wife's laptop when need be.

But this also means that I won't be able to be online as frequent as I'd like. Which also means that I may not be able to update my blogs as often as before. *Sigh*

Another interview

I gave a talk at the Kolej Sains Kesihatan Bersekutu, Sungai Buloh last Monday. The talk was on organ donation.

There was a journalist from NST who was present, and she asked for an interview. The interview came out yesterday in the NST. Just in case anyone missed it, here is the link.

The object formerly known as Pluto

More of the Pluto downgrade. According to this report, Pluto is now relegated to just a number. So, the new designation for Pluto now is 134340.

Suddenly I see a lot of parallel between what happened to Pluto to our everyday lives. When something or someone is no longer important (usually because of relegation or downgrade or no longer holding any important post), then that thing or person will be given no prominence. A mere number would make Pluto less prominent. Not many people can remember the number, I guarantee you that.

Likewise, when a person is no longer in the seat of power, he will just be relegated to a footnote in the history books.

CUTE

On Saturday, I sat for my Computerised Unit Trust Examination (CUTE). I went there without ample preparation and was in fact preparing myself for failure. Lo and behold, I passed the exam! So, now with this accreditation, I am qualified to talk about and handle unit trust investments.

Don't ask me why I took the exam. Just felt like taking it.

Yeah, sounds like I'm bored.

Icing to the week

This has been a pretty good week. The icing to the cake is when I got to know that Utusan Publications and Distributors Sdn Bhd has verbally agreed to publish my very first novel. Insya-Allah the formalities will be finalised next week.

9-11

We are a few days away from September 11th - that fateful date that launched America into a terrorist-hunting frenzy. Nonetheless, while we condemn what happened in the US five years ago, we also need to have the right perspective on this issue. I wrote something last year on this entitled "Meletakkan 11 September pada perspektif yang tepat" which was published by Berita Harian.

You can read this article using this link.

The future is bright after all...

Lately there has been a lot of talk on race relations in Malaysia. Most, if not all, highlighted in the media are quite negative. I don't want to comment on what is highlighted, rather I'd like to share what I saw on Wednesday.

I took the LRT to attend a meeting at Medan MARA in the heart of the city. Why I didn't drive to the meeting is another story.

Anyway, as I was walking from Medan MARA to the Bandaraya LRT Station, I passed by a blind man walking on the pedestrian walkway. What is interesting is that, this blind man - a Malay - being escorted by a young Chinese guy. This Chinese guy looked a lot like one of those Taiwan singers, wearing a sleeveless shirt, dyed hair and sporting an ear-ring. Not someone you'd expect to hold the arm of a blind man.

But as in many instances, appearances can be deceiving and stereotypes are often far from the truth.

If what I saw, albeit probably one case in a thousand, is any indication, that I'd say the future for Malaysia is bright after all...

Insya-Allah.

Writer's block

I'm having a bad writer's block for the past 2 weeks. It's quite difficult to pen my thoughts down these past fortnight. Even blogging is somewhat hard to do.

Hoping that things will improve.

An impromptu Merdeka poem

I begin to notice more white hair on my head.
Perhaps, it's time for me to reflect instead.
Not to be nostalgic nor melancholic.
But reflect we must, to be pragmatic.

Yesterday, Malaysia celebrated its 49th year as a free nation.
Today is my 10th anniversary as a working person.
Many things I've gone through, many things I've experienced.
Yet, I know there's still much more to learn.

I wish we continue to prosper.
I wish we do not ever bicker.
Let us move forward together.
Never let our differences be a bother.

Differences of opinion is not a strange thing.
It is even considered by al-Ghazali as a blessing.
But the differences should be handled with wisdom.
So that it'll never be a source for tantrums.

Set aside our personal agenda and glory.
The nation and its people must take priority.
Put aside differences and emerge united.
Lest we want to remain divided.

Independence must never be taken for granted.
It is a priceless gift that must never be wasted.
Instead we have to ensure that it is safeguarded.
So that we will never ever again be subjugated.