I actually couldn't believe it when I did a quick search on this blog. Apparently, in February last year, I was down with the usual cocktail of fever, cough and cold. Guess what? It's February and I am having fever, cough and cold since Saturday afternoon.
While the weather may be unpredictable these days, if this trend stays next year, then maybe I can say that February is the "cold" season.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Monday, February 18, 2008
Fabulous February
What a month February is turning out to be.
The consultancy project that we're working on is now running at third gear. This Thursday, we'll be interviewing candidates to fill up 22 vacancies available. In the meantime, I have been tasked with identifying and locating a suitable office space, and if everything goes as planned, we'll be moving to Setiawangsa Business Suites some time in March.
I have also started collected the needed data and information for Fikri's memoir, Echoes of My Heart. Fikri's mother, Puan Fatimah, is also helping out especially with arranging for interviews with family members and friends as well as collecting pictures and newspaper cuttings of Fikri. We have also discussed some technical aspects for the publication of the memoir.
Renovation (albeit minor) for the apartment that my wife bought is ongoing. The contractor informed me that everything will be done next Monday. Hopefully we can move in by the end of this month. When we move into the apartment and when Yayasan Ilmuwan moves into Setiawangsa Business Suites, this would mean that it will only take me about three minutes to walk from my apartment to my office! I have never thought that this would be possible for someone working in Kuala Lumpur, but alas, when this day comes, it will be like a dream come true.
I am so looking forward to tomorrow afternoon when I start my lecture at Universiti Malaya. I am scheduled to give two one-hour lectures weekly for five weeks. The lectures are on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. After my lectures, I guess I'll be spending my time at the university's library - one of my favourite spots in the university. At least I can use the time to search for references needed for my PhD research.
Yesterday, I attended a meeting with the buyers of the housing project in Hulu Langat. I bought a plot of land there and the house was already near completion. Unfortunately, the developer was issued a stop-work order by the municipal council. Essentially, the meeting was organised to plan ahead on what needs to be done to alleviate the problem. It was a fruitful meeting, and hopefully, we can have the keys to the house by the year's end. It has been a long enough wait as it is already.
The month of February has certainly be packed so far, but what's more important is that it has been productive. Let's hope that this positive momentum stays that way.
The consultancy project that we're working on is now running at third gear. This Thursday, we'll be interviewing candidates to fill up 22 vacancies available. In the meantime, I have been tasked with identifying and locating a suitable office space, and if everything goes as planned, we'll be moving to Setiawangsa Business Suites some time in March.
I have also started collected the needed data and information for Fikri's memoir, Echoes of My Heart. Fikri's mother, Puan Fatimah, is also helping out especially with arranging for interviews with family members and friends as well as collecting pictures and newspaper cuttings of Fikri. We have also discussed some technical aspects for the publication of the memoir.
Renovation (albeit minor) for the apartment that my wife bought is ongoing. The contractor informed me that everything will be done next Monday. Hopefully we can move in by the end of this month. When we move into the apartment and when Yayasan Ilmuwan moves into Setiawangsa Business Suites, this would mean that it will only take me about three minutes to walk from my apartment to my office! I have never thought that this would be possible for someone working in Kuala Lumpur, but alas, when this day comes, it will be like a dream come true.
I am so looking forward to tomorrow afternoon when I start my lecture at Universiti Malaya. I am scheduled to give two one-hour lectures weekly for five weeks. The lectures are on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. After my lectures, I guess I'll be spending my time at the university's library - one of my favourite spots in the university. At least I can use the time to search for references needed for my PhD research.
Yesterday, I attended a meeting with the buyers of the housing project in Hulu Langat. I bought a plot of land there and the house was already near completion. Unfortunately, the developer was issued a stop-work order by the municipal council. Essentially, the meeting was organised to plan ahead on what needs to be done to alleviate the problem. It was a fruitful meeting, and hopefully, we can have the keys to the house by the year's end. It has been a long enough wait as it is already.
The month of February has certainly be packed so far, but what's more important is that it has been productive. Let's hope that this positive momentum stays that way.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
X marks the vote
And so the date for the country's general election has been fixed on 8th March. That's just over three weeks away. With the dissolution of the Parliament and the state assemblies yesterday, election fever officially starts.
There are indeed many who dream of becoming Parliamentarians and State Assemblymen. Those who are incumbents would most probably want to carry on "serving." And there are many more who want to contest as first time candidates. Those who lost in the last elections would probably want to make a come back. And those who were not fielded the last time around may harbour hopes of being chosen this time.
Personally, I want to see those who are nominated and consequently elected - no matter which party they represent - are those who are mature, responsible and accountable - and more importantly, are true "wakil rakyat."
I am tired of our Yang Berhormat who talk rubbish, do no research before speaking and worse still, rude, when they are debating in the Parliament - turning the august house into a circus or a joke. I am equally sick of our Yang Berhormat who are merely talkshops - where they talk and talk and talk, without being able to implement what was said.
But then again, who am I to argue?
Oh, yeah. I forgot.
I am a voter who puts down the X.
And my vote counts.
There are indeed many who dream of becoming Parliamentarians and State Assemblymen. Those who are incumbents would most probably want to carry on "serving." And there are many more who want to contest as first time candidates. Those who lost in the last elections would probably want to make a come back. And those who were not fielded the last time around may harbour hopes of being chosen this time.
Personally, I want to see those who are nominated and consequently elected - no matter which party they represent - are those who are mature, responsible and accountable - and more importantly, are true "wakil rakyat."
I am tired of our Yang Berhormat who talk rubbish, do no research before speaking and worse still, rude, when they are debating in the Parliament - turning the august house into a circus or a joke. I am equally sick of our Yang Berhormat who are merely talkshops - where they talk and talk and talk, without being able to implement what was said.
But then again, who am I to argue?Oh, yeah. I forgot.
I am a voter who puts down the X.
And my vote counts.
Monday, February 11, 2008
My CNY adventure
Yesterday was essentially the last day of the long Chinese New Year weekend. As per usual, when there is a long festive holiday, the highway would be congested. This time around, I spent the long holiday in Kuala Lumpur with my family. My parents and sister meanwhile went back to Kulim on the first day of Chinese New Year, and returned home yesterday.
As expected, the journey from Kedah to Kuala Lumpur was at a very slow pace. My mother even remarked that it would probably be faster to walk. My parents and sister took an express bus from our hometown. The bus left at 12 noon, and only at 3 p.m. did the bus arrive in Ipoh. The journey was terribly slow. As if things were not bad enough, just after 7 p.m., my mother called to inform me that the bus had broken down somewhere just after Slim River. All the passengers waited beside the very busy highway - in pitch black condition as the sun was already down, safe for the bus' own lights - for any other buses with empty seats that could give them a lift to the capital city. Apparently the bus company did not prepare a contingency plan as there was no replacement buses available. [Note to self: Must remind parents not to take that bus company again].
I was gravely concerned with the situation. It is very dangerous to be waiting beside a busy highway in darkness. At 8 p.m., I called my mother and offered to pick them up. Initially she declined the offer, but half an hour later, I called her again and this time she relented. So immediately, I left home and drove all the way up to Slim River, made a u-turn just after the toll at the Slim River exit, and doubled back to where the bus broke down. It took me nearly an hour and a half to reach there from my house. And it took me another an hour and a half to reach home. We arrived at my house at 11.30 p.m. The traffic was indeed heavy. Mind you though, I wasn't breaking any speed limits!
I was relieved that everyone was okay. It is quite an experience to be making such a mad dash at that hour. I don't really like driving at night. My eyesight at night is not so sharp especially with the blinding headlights from opposite traffic. In any case, that was indeed an adventure for me to remember.
Addendum:
To all my Chinese friends and visitors to this humble blog, may I wish all of you a Happy Chinese New Year!
As expected, the journey from Kedah to Kuala Lumpur was at a very slow pace. My mother even remarked that it would probably be faster to walk. My parents and sister took an express bus from our hometown. The bus left at 12 noon, and only at 3 p.m. did the bus arrive in Ipoh. The journey was terribly slow. As if things were not bad enough, just after 7 p.m., my mother called to inform me that the bus had broken down somewhere just after Slim River. All the passengers waited beside the very busy highway - in pitch black condition as the sun was already down, safe for the bus' own lights - for any other buses with empty seats that could give them a lift to the capital city. Apparently the bus company did not prepare a contingency plan as there was no replacement buses available. [Note to self: Must remind parents not to take that bus company again].
I was gravely concerned with the situation. It is very dangerous to be waiting beside a busy highway in darkness. At 8 p.m., I called my mother and offered to pick them up. Initially she declined the offer, but half an hour later, I called her again and this time she relented. So immediately, I left home and drove all the way up to Slim River, made a u-turn just after the toll at the Slim River exit, and doubled back to where the bus broke down. It took me nearly an hour and a half to reach there from my house. And it took me another an hour and a half to reach home. We arrived at my house at 11.30 p.m. The traffic was indeed heavy. Mind you though, I wasn't breaking any speed limits!I was relieved that everyone was okay. It is quite an experience to be making such a mad dash at that hour. I don't really like driving at night. My eyesight at night is not so sharp especially with the blinding headlights from opposite traffic. In any case, that was indeed an adventure for me to remember.
Addendum:
To all my Chinese friends and visitors to this humble blog, may I wish all of you a Happy Chinese New Year!
Monday, February 04, 2008
It's February already
Time sure flies when you're having fun. Or rather, when you're busy.Such is the case with me. January has been a very eventful month that I find it difficult to believe that we're already in February. And before you know it, February too will be over - more so with it being the shortest month and 3 days of the month are public holidays (not counting weekends).
So what are my targets for this month?
Workwise, I need to oversee that the consultancy project with Yayasan Pelajaran MARA begins without any hiccups. That in itself is taking a lot of my time these past couple of weeks. In any case, with the Project Director and two key personnels already reported for duty on the 1st of this month, I expect they will be able to get things into second gear.
Also, my focus also falls on two books that Yayasan Ilmuwan is publishing this year. One is a collection of articles on "Islam Hadhari" while the other is Fikri's memoir entitled Echoes of My Heart. The former is more or less almost done - I just need to get four more articles from three very busy writers (sigh!). As for the latter, I am doing the research this month by interviewing the surgeons, doctors and nurses who were involved with Fikri at Institut Jantung Negara as well as his family members. The memoir project has attracted the attention of a VVIP who is willing to launch the memoir when it's ready. So, I guess I have to put my heart and soul into this very important project.
On a more personal note, if everything goes as planned, my family will move into our own home later this month. The apartment is currently being renovated but I don't expect the renovation works to take too long.
Studywise, I have begun to scribble a note or two for the first two chapters of my PhD's thesis. Since most of my working hours are spent on work, I have to use my evenings and weekends to bury myself in books at the library of Universiti Malaya.
This week is the semester break for most public universities including Universiti Malaya. Next week though, I will start lecturing to Universiti Malaya's Faculty of Science students taking the subject of "Science and Religion." I share this class with my PhD supervisor - I teach five weeks of the subject (sandwiched between my supervisor's turns). Personally, I look forward to this.
I have actually taken quite a long break from creative writing. I guess time hasn't really permitted me to focus so much on this. Nonetheless, I hope to start writing a script for a 90-minute drama set in pre-independent Malaya. And I also hope to get my anthology of science fiction-themes short stories done.
All in all, it looks like the short month of February seems pretty packed for me. At least, this will keep me on my toes. And if time permits, I'll certainly be blogging - so don't forget to come and check from time to time.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)