Friday delight

I am delighted with two good news today.

First, I finally get to move into my new office. The long wait is finally over. While work on the floor is not completely done, at least my office space is fit for work. So, after exactly a month since the rest of the staff moved, I get to join them at the new office at last. No more squatting for me.

Second, I received an e-mail from my editor informing me that my second novel, Transgenesis: Bisikan Rimba, is out. A call to the publisher's marketing department confirmed this. By the end of the week, it should be available in major bookstores nationwide. I will only be getting my complimentary copies after Tuesday though, as my editor is on leave. [I'll go and get a copy of my own at the bookstore soon, just to quell this anxiety that I have at the moment].

So, there you have it. After quite a wait, I get to heave a double sigh of relief.

Alhamdulillah.

Reality bites

Yesterday's announcement caught many by surprise, to say the least. Many expected a price hike, but didn't expect the 40.6% increase for petroleum and 63.3% increase for diesel. For the past couple of months, I have been talking to friends working in Petronas, and they told me that the price hike for petroleum and diesel is inevitable. The questions then were when and by how much. And the answers were revealed yesterday. That's reality for you.

How do I look at it? I agree that the price increase is unavoidable. And to continue with the subsidy would be economically-suicidal in the long term. As it is, with the current pricing, the government is still subsidising RM0.30 per litre.

No doubt, most of us will find this increase causing a major dent in the wallet. We are talking about a 40% increase. So, if you spent RM500 a month on petrol before, that means you'll be spending RM700 now. And that's just for petrol. Just imagine if this increase is translated into escalating costs on other things. Things like foodstuff, public transport, electricity tariffs, as well as other goods and services. That would surely spell more financial trouble for most of us.

Most definitely, everyone will have to do a lot of adjusting in the way we spend and manage our finances. We have no choice but to spend prudently and prioritise on our spendings. Of course, this is easier said than done.

As for me? Coincidentally, for the past few weeks, I have been talking about selling my car. And interestingly, I already have a buyer. The potential buyer owns a Volvo that is petrol-consuming, and he travels from Kulim to Penang everyday. With the jam on the Penang Bridge, just imagine how much he will have to spend on petrol alone. So, switching to a Proton Wira 1300cc is perhaps a wise option for him.

So, I'll be selling the "old faithful" which I have owned for nearly eight years. [Eight years this 20th June actually]. And since my office is only three minutes away, the logical choice for me is to walk.

It'd do my wallet a whole lot of good.

And my tummy, too.

Get cracking

After a chat with a friend last night, I realised that my plate is full with a number of writing commitments. I have to get cracking real fast, otherwise I'll be behind schedule. This is the thing with writing... your head may be bursting and flooding with ideas, but your body is just too tired to sit down and write.

Writer's block? I hope not.

Squatting nomad

And so the agony continues...

Would you believe it? I still can't move into my office. Level 3 is still not fit to be used as a workspace. Work is still on-going, and dust is everywhere. Not to mention the hammering and banging and what-have-you.

I am now like a homeless (or rather, officeless) nomad without an actual place to work from. At the moment, I am utilising one area on Level 2 to work from. Feels like squatting, nonetheless.

There are times though that I feel like working from home. After all, it's only a three-minute walk from home to the office, which is nearer than walking from the old office to the new one.

Stimulating discussion

I had an appointment at 11 a.m. with Ms. Dina Zaman. She is a well-known columnist and author, who has a regular column in The Star called "A Writer's Life" and has penned the award-winning best-selling book entitled I am Muslim. Go get the book and read it with an open mind - it's very stimulating.

The appointment was set about two weeks ago. She is currently carrying out a research for the Malaysian AIDS Council (MAC) on awareness and understanding of HIV/AIDS in Malaysia. The President of MAC, Professor Dr. Adeeba Kamaruzzaman - whom I've worked with in the past - suggested my name as one of the people to be interviewed for the research. I was greatly honoured to be recognised in such a way. To me, this interview actually presented an opportunity for me to present my views and thoughts on the matter at hand.

Needless to say, the interview became an interesting and stimulating discussion about a variety of things, ranging from attitudes of Malaysians (and particularly Muslims in the country) towards HIV/AIDS to apathy and complacency of the community towards this pertinent issue. I have to say that it has indeed been a long while since my mind felt stimulated in a discussion.

Aside from organ and tissue donation and transplantation, I have an interest in the issue of HIV/AIDS as well. Although I don't get that much opportunity to talk on this issue compared to organ and tissue donation and transplantation, the issue of HIV/AIDS remains close to my mind. After all, my very first novel, Ombak Senja, dwells on the stigma of a man living with HIV/AIDS.

It was indeed a nice two hours plus spent with Ms. Dina Zaman. I hope that I could continue to assist MAC in the future as I have in the past. And I hope to meet up with the down-to-earth writer in the future.

And yes, I did get an autograph from her.

That extra cushion

Weight can be an issue with a lot of people. I think this is because weight has to do with how one looks, and how one looks has to do with one feeling good about one's self.

Long-time friends would know how skinny I was. A lot of people tried to get me to put on weight to no avail. Until I was married in 2000, I was around 55kg and not more. I remember being around 49kg when I left to further my studies in early 1992.

Then, circa 2002, I contracted an allergy. The dermatologist prescribed me a number of medications which I had to take for about a year (because the allergy kept coming back). Aside from having to refrain from eating seafood and some other types of food, I also acquired an appetite. As a result, I gained an extra 7kg in that one year alone - not to mention an increasing waistline.

Then fatherhood came in 2005. And with that, my weight got up to about 67kg, and later seems to stabilise at 65kg. And needless to say, with the extra weight, comes the expanding waistline. My wife doesn't complain, and my two sons seem to enjoy the extra cushion on the tummy.

In any case, for the past couple of months, I have been looking after my diet a lot more strictly than before. I have begun to eat less rice. And last month, my weight has come down to 60kg. My waistline has also decreased proportionately.

Then came the school holidays a week ago. My wife and sons went back to our hometown to spend the school holidays there. I only went back during the weekends. As such, I had to eat out most of the times when I'm in KL. And after one week of eating out, I gained an extra 5kg - or rather, the 5kg that I shed decided to come back!

Oh, well. That's what eating out does to you. Frankly, there's nothing like home-cooked meals. It's a lot healthier, cleaner and you can enjoy them with your family in your own home.

Trying to think positively, I think my sons would probably enjoy that extra cushion on my tummy...

Three minutes

I actually timed how long it takes for me to walk from the door of my home to the entrance of my office.

Three minutes!

And that's when I walk rather casually.

Never in my life would I imagine that I'd be working three minutes from where I live. Now... if only the contractor would speed up the renovation work, so that I have an office space to work from.

Agony of waiting

While the staff of Yayasan Ilmuwan has settled down (more or less) at the new office, I am still stuck at the old office. It has been three weeks since they moved. Despite reassurance from the contractor, work on Level 3 is still not completed, made worse by the unexpected leakage that occurred recently. All the damage carpet, floorboards and ceiling had to be replaced - and this only prolonged the agony of waiting.

It is most unproductive to have to operate from two premises, ridiculous even. I'm giving them till the end of the week. Come Monday, I will move in - whether my office is fully ready or not.

Ideas... ideas...

A few people wondered out loud how I got my ideas to write. Frankly, for a person who writes quite a bit, this is quite a difficult question to answer.

Ideas just come unexpectedly. I noticed that most times ideas would come when I drive on the highway or watch documentaries. And oft-times, ideas come at night. The unfortunate thing for me is that I don't jot down these ideas when they came. More often than not, I would commit these ideas to memory.

Of course, sources of ideas include books, documentaries and people. That is why when I have time to spare (and there's not much time for me to spare really), I would observe people at shopping complexes, parks, on the roads, etc.

And another source of ideas would have to be discussions or casual chats with friends. Sometimes you'd be inspired by a particular story or anecdote that someone relates. This would occasionally trigger new or fresh ideas that could then be used for writing.

Then, when I am in the mood to write (and this mood doesn't come every day), I would utilise my idea bank to incorporate ideas into my writing.

Back in KL

After returning from Kuala Terengganu on Friday, I left for Kedah on Saturday. My family organised an aqiqah ceremony for my second son on Sunday. While my family remains in Kedah, I am now back in Kuala Lumpur. The drive back from Kedah was quite pleasant, but I do feel somewhat exhausted after the accumulated mileage over the past ten days.

Sometimes I feel like I need a decent break. Alas, the time for that has yet to come.

Frankenstein science

In Greek mythology, there is a creature called "chimera." This monstrous creature is said to have the head of a lion, body of a goat and a dragon hinderpart. While this creature may be a myth, there is a worrying sign that genetic engineering has managed to open the doors towards the creation of creatures with hybrid DNAs.

I actually read this particular piece of news on the flight to Kuala Terengganu yesterday and find it most disturbing. The creation of human-animal embryos is a classic case of ethics versus research in science. While the backing of the British Parliament in allowing this research would keep Britain at the forefront of stem cell research, there are many ethical and religious concerns that must be addressed. Muslims and Christians are the two groups that would find the creation of "admixed embryos" most unethical. Christian groups have even dubbed this research as "Frankenstein science."

I can list a number of concerns that must be addressed when it comes to this kind of research:

1. Would the creation of human-animal embryos go against the natural order of things as created by God?
2. Where do we draw the line when it comes to embryonic research?
3. Should we allow research to be done for the sake of research without weighing in on ethical and religious concerns?
4. How vital is this research in finding cures for illnesses such as Parkinson's?
   
5. Is "finding cures for illnesses" just an excuse to conduct this research?
6. Is injecting human DNA into animal cells ethical?
7. What are the risks and dangers of this research?
8. What are the guidelines governing this research?
9. Could this technology be exploited, misused or abused by scientists?
10. How far could scientists go about conducting this research before they stop?
11. What is the legal status of the embryo - is it human or is it animal or is it considered something different entirely?
    

Certainly there are many more concerns that can be raised. But suffice to say I am very concerned with this development. While I support and understand the importance of conducting scientific research, I am a believer of the equally important role that ethics and religion play in providing guidance for researchers to conduct the research. To me, science does not exist in a vacuum. Science exists alongside other facets of our lives, and these include social norms, religious beliefs, local culture, time-honoured virtues and moral standings of particular individuals and societies. If we fail to acknowledge this and allow scientific research to be conducted without taking into account these matters, then I fear that scientific research would be subject to exploitation, misuse and abuse by irresponsible quarters.

Coincidentally, this is the very subject that I tackled in my second novel, Transgenesis: Bisikan Rimba. While the novel may be a piece of creative writing on my part, the questions that I raised in the novel are very much relevant to this issue. I just hope that what is depicted in my novel remains as science fiction. I dare not think what would happen if it indeed becomes a reality.

Full day in KT

I arrived in Kuala Terengganu as scheduled last night. There was no delay and the weather was fine even though it was raining very heavily in Kuala Lumpur when I was heading to KLIA. I am here in Kuala Terengganu as a facilitator and trainer for doctors, nurses, paramedics and health educators on the issue of organ donation.

Truth be told, while officially I am here to be part of this training of trainers (TOT) programme, I have managed to also squeeze in a number of informal, yet fruitful, discussions with doctors and health officers here. I hope to be able to follow up on these matters when I return to Kuala Lumpur.

The TOT programme for today began with my session. Originally, there were supposed to be three of us handling this session. The other two are from IKIM - both of whom were my colleagues when I was there. Unfortunately, one of them was hospitalised yesterday due to haemorrhoid. He has lost a lot of blood and fainted at Pantai Batu Burok. As a result, for the morning's session, there were only two of us left. But nonetheless, the session went very well.

After lunch, I went to Hospital Sultanah Nur Zahirah with the head of the National Transplant Resource Centre, Datin Dr Lela Yasmin Mansor, and Dr Hirman from the Ministry of Health to visit my former colleague who was hospitalised. He had just undergone treatment for the haemorrhoid when we arrived, and seemed to be somewhat dazed as a result of the anaesthesia. [He was discharged later in the afternoon, and is now resting at his hotel room].

Later at the hospital, I was fortunate to be able to tour the new ICU wing that is being built. And after that, the three of us went to the new Masjid Kristal at Pulau Wan Man. I had the opportunity to perform the Zuhur and Asar prayers at this mosque. Then from the masjid, I followed Datin Dr Lela and Dr Hirman to survey a possible venue for an upcoming conference located at Pulau Duyong. By the time we arrived back at the hotel, it was already six o'clock.

After dinner, I had planned to rest after a tiring day. Instead, I found myself having a lengthy discussion with Dr Hirman ranging from organ donation to stem cell research to genetic modification to cord blood banks. It was a very productive discussion, and I totally forgot that I was tired.

In any case, tomorrow is the last day of this TOT programme. I'll be flying back to Kuala Lumpur tomorrow afternoon. And I'll be driving back to Kedah on Saturday morning. I think I had better get enough rest for the journey this weekend.

Blogging from KLIA

I am now at KLIA with plenty of time to spare before my flight departs. It has actually been over two years since I flew. It's difficult to believe that it has been that long. Since I have time on my side, I thought that it'd probably be a good idea to try out the airport's wifi facility. At least, I have something to keep me occupied until my flight to Kuala Terengganu is ready to take off.

Dampened spirit

Talk about a damped (damned?) start to the day.

I was supposed to have a meeting at 10 a.m. at Angkasapuri. But my routine dictates that I stop by the office first. Initially I wanted to go straight to the old office, but then I changed my mind by stopping by the new office (where everyone is aside from me... but that's another story).

When I got to the office, one of my staff said that the second level was wet as water was dripping from the ceiling. When I heard that, blood rushed up my head. If water is dripping from the ceiling of Level 2, that means it must be coming from Level 3, which means that Level 3 must be drenched like crazy.

Level 3, by the way, is where my office is situated. I have not yet moved into the new office because renovation is still on-going. But I have already sent most of my books there. There are about 10 boxes of books that was put on the floor in my room.

Imagine my horror when I see water pouring down the roof of Level 3 soaking the new carpet, new floor boards and new furniture. The damage went all the way into my room, and soaked quite a number of my books. It's deja vu all over again as something similar had happened before at the old office.

I lost my mood to work upon seeing the damage done to my books and the office. I immediately made a phone call informing that I was giving the meeting a miss. Even if I did attend the meeting, my mind wouldn't be there.

One of the staff offered to remove the books to a dry place. Another staff started making phone calls. The contractor who is doing the renovation also came by to assess the damage. But most definitely, this is something that the developer of the building will have to take responsibility. My staff are taking care of all that.

At the moment, I am saddened because one of my most valuable possessions - my books - are already damaged. You could say that these books are my life. Just imagine my feelings upon seeing the state the books are in.

What a day..., and I still have to fly to Kuala Terengganu later this afternoon. *sigh*

Destination: Kuala Terengganu

I will be outstationed from tomorrow till Friday. It has been a while since I have been away for an outstation trip, so I'm really in two minds. While I look forward to the workshop on organ donation organised by the Ministry of Health in Kuala Terengganu, at the same time I feel a bit tired to travel.

Oh, well. Nothing that keropok lekor Losong can't fix.

Hopefully I can update the blog from the east coast. I'll be bringing my laptop along, and if time permits, I'll be sure to put up a couple of new entries from there.

Political interest, no more

Quite a few people asked me why my blog is non-political. And the following is my reply:

Everyone who follows Malaysian politics know that these are pretty exciting times. A lot of things are happening that are unseen or unheard of in the history of the country. And most definitely, many are following transpiring events with great interest.

And everyone who knows me well enough know that I used to be very much interested in politics. We are talking about the early 1990s, when yours truly was green, very much idealistic and has a specific notion of what politics should be. Some close friends even mentioned that they see me one day playing an active role in politics.

Alas, this has all come to past. My interest in politics have exponentially decline over the years. I have been somewhat disillusioned by politics (or to be more exact, politicians). And the idealist in me is gone, replaced by the realist and to a certain extent, the pessimist.

Don't get me wrong. Politics is still an important aspect of the nation. It is part and parcel of democracy. I am very close to a number of politicians. I would give my opinion when asked, but most of the times, I'd keep them to my own. Not everyone can swallow what I think about political issues.

That is why you'd notice that I tend to keep my blog virtually free of political rhetorics. And that is why I refrain from blogging about the last general elections and the political landscape that resulted after the political tsunami.

Of course, if my friends ask me to talk about this, I would do so. But only if asked.

And that bit about my going into politics... At this point in time, I don't see that happening as I am not interested at all. Whatever interest that may have existed nearly 15 years ago are non-existent today.

I am happier in my roles as an academic and researcher, and pursuing my interest in writing.

Sci-fi thriller

"Sci-fi thriller."

Apparently that's the description for Transgenesis: Bisikan Rimba. I don't have any problems with it. In fact, I'm very happy. According to my editor, Mat Jan, the story has so many twists and turns that he didn't want to give much away when he wrote the blurb (description of the novel at the back cover) for fear of spoiling it for the readers. The official blurb can be read here.

I really and sincerely hope that this novel will be well-received by readers. As a dear friend said to me yesterday, there are not really that many local science fiction novels out there. So I hope Transgenesis: Bisikan Rimba will be able to fill up part of the vacuum.

What's the story about?

All I can reveal at the moment is that the story revolves around an enigmatic girl named "Flora." The story begins with a murder..., and it's a roller-coaster ride from thereon. Believe you me, things at the beginning are not what they are at the end.

And I have a feeling by the end of the story, probably one would think twice before wearing ylang-ylang scented perfume!

Novel solicit

My second novel, Transgenesis: Bisikan Rimba is scheduled to be out on 31st May. And as promised, here is the cover of the novel.I may be bias, but personally, I like it very much. There's a certain air of mystery to it.

So, get a copy of Transgenesis: Bisikan Rimba when it hits the stand at the end of the month.

Subtitling horror

A friend just got back from watching the movie "Iron Man." He told me that the movie is perhaps the best comicbook adaptation that he has ever seen. And that comics fans who watch the movie are in for a treat. There were a lot of great moments, and the action was superb, and there were a lot of in-jokes. All in all, he said, it was a fun movie to watch.

But he was annoyed with one thing - the translation. He said that the translators who did the subtitles are simply not fit for the job. He cited one simple example. Jeff Bridges' character, Obadiah Stane, was talking to Robert Downey Jr's character, Tony Stark. Stane said to Stark, "I'll talk to the board."

The subtitles read, "Saya akan bercakap dengan papan."

Huh?

Obviously, Stane was referring to the board of directors. Therefore, "board" should be "lembaga" as in "lembaga pengarah" for "board of directors." I wonder if the translators translated "board of directors" into "papan pengarah-pengarah"? Talk about lousy translating.

However, I have to admit that we do see this happening quite a lot in the local movie theatres. Subtitles for television programmes are light years ahead in terms of quality. Unfortunately, this is not the case for movie theatres. It's high time they get professional translators who can do the job more accurately. It's a sad day when the translator does not know the difference between "papan" and "lembaga" when translating "board."

I forgot to ask my friend how they translated "Iron Man." Is it "Lelaki Besi" or "Lelaki Seterika"? Hmmm...

The write stuff

A few weeks ago, I was tasked with marking the answer scripts for the subject that I taught. There were more than 60 students in that class. All questions were essay questions. Each student was required to answer three questions out of six.

Anyway, when I received the answer scripts, I had a quick look - and I was shaking my head in disbelief. It wasn't so much that their answers were off the mark. In fact, most of them did very well. But the problem was that quite a number of them had - for lack of a better word - "bad" handwriting. [This problem is also shared by a blogger friend, Jie, who wrote her own account of this same subject matter recently].

While I enjoyed reading their answers, more often than not, bad handwriting influences my mood as an examiner. But most definitely I had to be fair to all of them, and as such, I had to persevere. [I wish I had scanned some of the worst cases of handwriting that I have ever seen, but alas I didn't].

If I lecture again in the future, I will most definitely remind the students of the importance of decent handwriting. Imagine having to mark answer scripts at the wee hours of the night, and having to read bad handwriting, surely that'd be an unenviable task.

I hope students realise that they too have to be fair to the examiners. While people say that handwriting is a manifestation of one's psychological state and character, it is perhaps fair to say that handwriting could also affect the reader's psychological state and mood.

Fortunately for us all, these days most things are computerised. So we don't have to endure bad handwriting in e-mails, blogs and websites.

Still at the old office

I am still located at the old office. The renovation on the third floor of the new office is still on-going. Fortunately (for me at least), the old office still has Internet access. Otherwise, I'd end up talking to myself.

Anyway, I don't expect to be here any later than this week. If the contractor's words are to be believed, then I should be moving in to the new office in the next few days.

Unexpected passing

I was resting at home today when I received a text message from my former colleague at IKIM informing me that a former deejay of Radio IKIM, Ahmad Alwani a.k.a. Riqbal, has passed away today.

Riqbal was one of the first four deejays of Radio IKIM when the radio went on air many years ago. While I wasn't too close to him, I did know him nonetheless. In fact, he left the radio to join RTM when I was acting director for the Radio.

My condolences to his family who will surely mourn his untimely passing. And I pray that his soul will be blessed.

Al-Fatihah!

The week to come

This coming week will be pretty hectic for me. I am planning to finish off a chapter of my PhD thesis to be submitted to my supervisor on Friday. I am also planning to finish off a story I'm writing for an upcoming anthology. I have a number of meetings to attend almost on a daily basis. I am also writing Fikri's memoir, Echoes of My Heart. I have a radio programme to record. And I am currently putting the final touches to a 600-page book that Yayasan Ilmuwan is publishing.

All these to be done in the coming week. Phew!

It's not yet Monday, and I'm already exhausted. Well, at least I have something to do.

Silent killer

On Thursday, I visited a friend who is a staff of the organisation I was attached to prior to joining Yayasan Ilmuwan. As there are four of us at the Yayasan who worked under the same roof with this friend before, we went to the hospital together. This friend is diagnosed with stage 1 cancer. She has had her uterus removed when doctors detected cancer cells there. She is now undergoing radiotherapy, and the doctors will continue to monitor her progress. Fortunately, she doesn't have to go for chemotherapy.

This is actually the first time that someone I personally know is diagnosed with cancer. She has lost a great deal of weight and looks somewhat frail. But her spirit remains strong and she is very upbeat. I can only pray that she will bounce back from this episode. And when she does, she should be proud that she is a survivor.

It is indeed scary when you think about it. Cancer is a silent killer. Most people do not realise that they have cancer until the cancer has reached stage 4. By then, more often than not, it is too late.

Let us all pray for our good health and well-being. And spare a thought and a prayer for those who are fighting this silent killer.

Totally forgotten

I just realised just now that this blog is already two years old on 27th March. Amazing! I never actually thought that I was able to maintain this blog for this long. In any case, as with most bloggers, there are times when I am not able to blog regularly. But rest assured that I will continue blogging when time and circumstance permit.

And please continue your support for this blog. Keep coming, and I'll keep blogging!

Baby pictures

Quite a few people requested that I post my second son's pictures on this blog. As much as I wanted to, I didn't actually got to do it... until today. As such, I apologise for the delay. So, without further ado, may I present you with a couple of Shaikh Ammar Qusyairi's latest pictures. By the way, he is going to be 8-month old this month.

Unplanned reunion

Yesterday, amidst the relocating exercise at the office, I attended a meeting at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) in Shah Alam. For the past couple of years, I have been a member of the university's research ethics committee. All research proposals involving human subjects must get the green light from this committee before they can proceed.

In any case, that is not exactly what I want to blog on. Yesterday's meeting was an unplanned reunion when I bumped into an old friend whom I haven't seen since 1996. He was my senior in Glasgow, and was one of the first Malaysians I met there. In fact, we lived in the same neighbourhood for a few years. So it was kind of nice to have bumped into him in a rather somewhat awkward circumstance.

He did medicine at the University of Glasgow, and even after he graduated, he remained there. He only returned home a few years ago, and he joined UiTM's Faculty of Medicine. He is now one of the academics there and also a specialist in respiratory diseases.

In any case, I have come across his name in previous research proposals. As his name was somewhat unique (and almost similar to mine), I suspected that this was the same person I knew. Unfortunately, whenever the research proposals were presented in front of the research ethics committee, he wasn't there - simply because he was not the research team leader.

But yesterday was different. This was his own research that he initiated, and he had to present the proposal himself - which he did very well, and defended successfully.

Yesterday's chance encounter was very nostalgic. We managed to catch up with our latest developments in the short time that we had. It was interesting to know that he had noted my name as a member of the research ethics committee, but unfortunately none of us was able to meet up before this.

It is encounters like this that makes me feel very nostalgic about old times. I really cannot believe that I have left Glasgow for 12 years now. Has it really been that long? Wow!

Operation: Angkat Barang

And so my staff and office stuff have moved to the new office...

...aside from me and my boss.

It just so happens that Level 3, where we are located, is not ready yet. Looks like we have to wait till it's ready, hopefully by the end of the week. Or else, the two of us will ridiculously be operating away from the rest of the staff.

Now everyone is blogging

Blogs and bloggers have always been a subject of interest for many. Some say bloggers hide behind the mask of anonymity when criticising or condemning people, organisations or policies. Others say bloggers are irresponsible cowboys who "shoot" randomly at people. Others meanwhile want to regulate blogs. There are also those who called bloggers "goblok."

However, it is interesting to note that blogs started off as an alternative means to relay information and disseminate news from a different perspective - usually from the man-on-the-street's point of view. Most definitely, blogging has gained momentum in its popularity, so much so that it is now no longer considered to be an "alternative" or "underground" media, but instead it is regarded as "mainstream."

Certain quarters here fail to acknowledge this until the political Tsunami that hit Malaysia on the March 8th general election. Now, it seems everyone is blogging. Of course, a number of politicians (mainly from the opposition) have started blogging a long time ago. Lim Kit Siang for instance is one of the earliest, if not the earliest, to do so. Then there's Jeff Ooi with his famed Screenshots blog, although he started blogging way before he joined active politics. And there's also Tony Pua who blogs from Parliament. From PAS, the one that I am aware of that has a blog is Husam Musa. Then there is PKR's Che Gu Bard - who took on and lost to Khairy Jamaludin Abu Bakar - in Rembau in the general elections. And of course, the list wouldn't be complete without mentioning Anwar Ibrahim's blog.

Those from the Barisan Nasional government has also joined in the fray, although I must say that I wish they had done so much earlier. Former Selangor Menteri Besar, Dr. Mohd Khir Toyo has started blogging after BN lost in Selangor. Perhaps he now has a lot more free time to spare in the blogosphere. The Ketua Menteri of Melaka, Mohd Ali Rustam has also started blogging. Perhaps the earliest of the BN leaders to blog is the maverick politician, Shahrir Samad, who is now a minister in the current federal cabinet.

Retired politicians also have their blogs these days. One of the earliest retired politicians to blog is Ruhanie Ahmad. And don't forget the latest kid on the blog - Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad!

While Tun Mahathir may be new to the blogging world, his outspoken daughter is not. Marina Mahathir's ranting is as spicy as ever as her articles in The Star. And most certainly, there are many many more political blogs around. We are actually spoilt for choice. The only thing that I wish to state is that, it is best that we don't take what is written at face value without counterchecking the facts. What is presented may be one person's point of view. As with many things in this world, there are many views as there are people.

It is good to see that freedom of speech is alive and well in the blogosphere at least. While freedom of speech is much cherished, equally important is the wisdom that has to be coupled with the freedom. Wisdom must exist on the part of bloggers as well as blog-visitors. Nonetheless, it goes without saying that everyone is indeed blogging these days...

...including Amitabh Bachchan!

Moving office

The day has finally drawn closer. After viewing a number of places, we have finally decided to relocate to an office block not far from our current location. The postcode and phone numbers are still the same. The only thing that changes is the address.

In any case, renovation has been on-going since early mid-March. I have been visiting the new office on and off to monitor its progress. I would say that it is now 80% completed. In all probability, we will be shifting to the new place next week.

The staff are pretty much excited. I could sense it in the air. It's probably the excitement of moving into a brand new office compared to our current 20-year old problem-infested office. In any case, much packing needs to be done. And I hope the moving process will go smoothly.

Advanced promo

This may be a bit early, but I figured what the heck...

If everything goes as scheduled, come June 2008, my second novel with the working title of Transgenesis: Bisikan Rimba (roughly translated as "Transgenesis: Whispering Woods) will be in bookstores nationwide. The sci-fi novel is currently in the final stages of editing and as soon as I get to see the cover, I'll put it up in this blog for all to view.

I hope that when this novel comes out, it will be well-received by the readers. And if it does get a decent enough reception by readers, rest assured that I already have a sequel in mind. [Actually, I plan to make Transgenesis a series chronicling the adventures of the main character - a special girl named "Flora"].

What's the story about? Well, I have given a teaser before. I am not at liberty to divulge the details as yet, but I will when the time is right.

So, stay tuned for further updates on this.

World Book and Copyright Day

While publicity on yesterday's Earth Day may be wide, many of us may not be aware that today has been designated as "World Book and Copyright Day" by UNESCO. Anyone who knows that today is World Book and Copyright Day please raise their hands!

As someone who is involved in publishing (directly and indirectly) since 1996, I think that this day is important in increasing the awareness of society on the importance of books and copyright issues. While many talked about piracy in the computing, music and film industries, many forgot that this same problem exists in the publishing industry. Plagiarism in publishing is a serious matter. By the way, let's remember that books are not just printed material, but may also include electronically-published material.

The only other thing that I'd like to emphasise is that we should make reading as our culture and not merely a hobby - for reading is food for the mind.

Let's enjoy reading!

Do our part

We live in a planet that is fragile. Whether we want to admit it or not, much damage has been done on this world that is our home. And already we can see its impacts - global warming, flash floods, landslides, etc.

We only have this planet to live on. Let us do our part in ensuring that no more damage is done to this blue gem that is Planet Earth. Remember that we borrow this planet from the future generation.

Happy Earth Day 2008 - and let's not just celebrate, but act on it as well. Each of us has a role to play in ensuring a better future for this planet of ours.

Feels like old times

It has been an interesting day today for me at the office. One of the trustees of the organisation I'm attached to came by. He is currently based in Brunei Darussalam as an advisor to the government there. He happened to be my former big boss at my former workplace. What is interesting is that, since Yayasan Ilmuwan started one of our consultancy projects on 1st February, we have started recruiting a number of staff. Three of the project team members recruited are in fact formerly attached to the same organisation which I was with previously.

So, when the old big boss came a-visiting, and the four of us are here, it really felt like a mini reunion. Amazingly, it really feels like old times at the old workplace.

[Health update: I have not had any migraine episode for the past three days, alhamdulillah].

Headthrob

It has almost become a daily ritual now. Every afternoon I would get migraine. It would start with what I would describe as a tremendous pressure building inside my skull, followed by intense pain on one side of the head. The pain may be on the right or left side of the head. But one thing for sure, you could see my throbbing veins popping up the skin on the side where the pain is.

I have been to the doctor twice already. And I have been prescribed a drug meant to ease my migraine. It does work, but I'd rather not take it as it makes my body shiver and causes my legs to cramp. I'm not sure if it's related, but my blood pressure these days has been pretty low.

I'm waiting to see if there is any improvement in the next few days. If the migraine persists, I may have to make an appointment to see my neurologist.

Temporary (health) glitch

I had wanted to update this, and my other blogs, earlier. There were many things that I wanted to update in the past week. Unfortunately, for the third time in six months, I was unwell again. I had a severe case of fever and migraine. In any case, my health is steadily improving. And hopefully, frequent updates will be forthcoming.

Cybercongestion

I have been an Internet user since 1996. I was one of the earliest Jaring dial-up subscribers. Then about two years ago, I switched to TMNet Prepaid dial-up service. At the office meanwhile, we use the Streamyx broadband service.

Recently, when my family moved to our new home, I was at a crossroad of sorts. Should I continue using narrowband dial-up Internet? Or should I now use broadband Internet connection? Or should I try out the new mobile broadband service? Until today, I haven't actually made up my mind.

Partly because my office just provided me with a mobile broadband modem which allows me to (theoretically speaking) be connected anywhere anytime. While this is indeed handy, I find that the connectivity of the mobile Internet device left a lot to be desired. I find that the Internet traffic at certain hours is horrendous. And it is virtually impossible for me to get online at home in the evenings.

I suppose we can draw similarities with highways. While highways can be very fast for road users, during peak hours however, the highways would still be crawling with traffic.

I think much still needs to be done with the country's infostructure. With the growing number of Internet users in Malaysia, the facilities must be improved in accordance to this trend. Otherwise people will be left with an awful taste in their mouths when it comes to Internet connection. We have heard people complaining about the traffic jams in the country, let's not wait till people start complaining about cybertraffic jams.

Managing geniuses

Aside from the local political issues, Malaysians seem to follow with great interest the story of Sufiah Yusof. Her success story was first told way back in 1998 - both here in Malaysia and the UK. But when her latest story was published on Sunday, many people were shocked. The shock was felt not only in Malaysia but also in the UK. Some of the common responses could be read here. Even her ex-husband who is now working in Saudi Arabia was shocked when the news reached him.

Sufiah - then and now

If this story is indeed true, then most definitely it's a sad fate that had befallen the one-time math prodigy. Whether we want to admit or not, a successful person is not necessarily the most intelligent or brilliant person. One may possess a high intellectual prowess, but intellectuality is only one dimension that makes up a person's complete self. The physical, psychological, mental, emotional and spiritual dimensions should never be ignored. If any one of these dimensions are ignored, we would end up being an unstable or insecure person. One wonders what could have driven Sufiah to prostitution taking up the pseudonym Shilpa Lee?

Sometimes I worry when I read about young children with great academic abilities. Throughout the years, we have seen many of these child prodigies. When stories about their uniqueness come out, all are in awe - which is very much expected. Everyone applauds them. They are idolised by society. No doubt, all this is well and good.

But I have these questions to ask: Do we monitor their progress? More importantly, are the children's success being managed correctly? And the one million dollar question is, where are they now?

Oft-times I wondered whatever happened to the prodigies of yesteryears. I have heard many stories about the fate that has befallen them, with Sufiah's fate being the latest. I have always said to many people that, while it is good to score a string of A's in your SPM or A-Level or whatever, at the end of the day, these A's are just your ticket into universities. What is more important is your success at the university level. I have seen many who didn't do so well (read: didn't get a string of A's at the school level), but came out from university with flying colours. It would be a shame if the student who scored at the school level couldn't do as well at the tertiary level.

Success is not measured by how many A's you get on paper because the fact of the matter is that one needs not be a genius at the school level to be a true genius in life.

Sadly, I believe that we should shoulder part of the blame for our inability, or rather, failure to manage success stories such as our child prodigies.

KLIBF 2008

This is a note to all readers and book lovers out there. The annual Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair (KLIBF) will be held at PWTC from the 4th to 13th of April. So to those who are interested, please spare some time to attend KLIBF 2008. It's worth your time.

Blog readability

I came to know about a blog's reading level from this entry at Temasik's World. By clicking at this link, blog owners can rate the readability of their blogs. And the result?



Apparently, my blog is at the postgraduate level. Notice the test tube, atomic stucture and rocket.

Afterthought: I tried this tool for my other two blogs which use mainly Malay language, and the outcome is that those blogs are at the genius level. My guess is that if the language used in the blogs couldn't be understood by the tool, it'd regard those blogs as having a high level of intelligence. To quote Homer (Simpson, not the philosopher): D'oh!

Treat the tool as something fun, and it shouldn't be taken seriously.

Mary and her lamb in the biotech era

Some have asked what course do I teach at Universiti Malaya. It's "Science and Religion" - a course I share with my PhD supervisor. Most people I know regard this course as "heavy" and "very philosophical." I don't deny that "Science and Religion" can be heavy, but I find it fascinating as well, especially when we look at everyday case studies. Whether we realise it or not, the interaction between science and religion is an everyday occurrence.

I have been involved with this interaction since my tenure at IKIM. In 2005, while presenting a paper on biotechnology and Islam at a conference held at the Environmental Institute of Malaysia (EiMAS), I came across an interesting nursery rhyme, which is an updated version of "Mary Had a Little Lamb." I thought that it'd be good to share this with you.

MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB – biotech version
Author unknown

Mary had a little lamb

Its fleece was slightly gray

It didn’t have a father

Just some borrowed DNA

It sort of had a mother

Though the ovum was on loan

It was not so much a lambkin

As a little lamby clone

And soon it had a fellow clone

And soon it had some more

It made the children laugh and sing

The teachers found it droll

There were too many lamby clones

For Mary to control

No other could control the sheep

Since their programs didn’t vary

So the scientists resolved it all

By simply cloning Mary

But now they feel quite sheepish

Those scientists unwary

One problem solved, but what to do

With Mary, Mary, Mary?

Brand new day

I know how most people hate Mondays. But today, it feels like a brand new day for me. My family has moved into our new apartment which is a lot more comfortable than our rented house. Having said that, I left the old house with a rather heavy heart. Of all the places that I have stayed in all my life, that rented house was the longest that I stayed in. All in all, I stayed there for a little over eight years.

Now that I have moved, I look forward to the days ahead.

A brand new day indeed.

Looking east

Konnichiwa!

It has been nearly two weeks since I haven't been well. I have not fully recovered although I have to say things are somewhat improving. I don't have any fever anymore but the cold bug is still persistent. This bugging cold however is not slowing me down. I didn't take any day off from work as I find resting at home makes me rather restless.

Fortunately, there's plenty of action going on at this point in time - and I'm not talking about the coming election process.

One of the latest development is that I have begun learning a new language. As it is, I am bilingual with fairly good command of Bahasa Malaysia and English. I also have very basic knowledge in Arabic. I can understand standard Arabic when it is spoken, but that's about it. Now, I have started learning Japanese. Pretty interesting language this. It takes a while to get the hang of this language, but given time and hard work, I think I'll manage, insya-Allah.

So don't be surprised when you see Japanese words or phrases in my blog entries.

Bugged again

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

Signed and sealed

This actually took place on the 14th of January. I had wanted to blog about this much earlier, but have not been able to - until today.

The organisation I am attached to, Yayasan Ilmuwan, have signed an agreement with Yayasan Pelajaran MARA (YPM) to provide consultancy for the latter. This is part of the reason why I haven't been blogging of late. Much of my time these days are focused towards getting this important project started. Alhamdulillah, things are looking good for the project to commence in February.

Anyway, I just like to share the photos of the signing ceremony.

Above: YPM's CEO, Mohamad Ali Mansor and yours truly signing the documents.

Above: Exchanging the documents

Here's looking at you, kid

My second son is now four months old. Some of my blogger friends have requested that I post his picture. Who am I to disappoint people? Here are two pictures (one with my eldest son). Enjoy!

Maintaining the momentum

The third week of 2008 has been pretty much good.

On Monday, the organisation I am attached to has signed a contract with a government agency to undertake a consultancy job. This is indeed a welcomed development as we had been in numerous negotiations since early 2007. While the signing certainly brings about sighs of relief, the true work is only just beginning.

On Thursday, I attended a meeting organised by the National Transplant Resource Centre (NTRC) at Hospital Ampang. We were there to look at a possible media awareness programme presented by a company. I must say I am impress with what they have presented. If NTRC decides to accept this proposal, I am sure that awareness on organ donation would be increased.

Then on Friday, I received the keys to our newly-bought home. Again, this is after waiting for over a year. We look forward to moving in next month.

Later that afternoon, I met up with Azhan who works in Switzerland. He was in town after a business trip to China before returning to Switzerland. As we don't get to meet that often now that he's based overseas, the opportunity of chatting "live in person" was something that neither of us wanted to miss. We met up at KLCC for about an hour and a half, and managed to catch up with each other, while of course reminiscing about our time as students in that place called Glasgow.

I wonder what the coming week has in store. Hopefully, this positive momentum that began with the dawn of the new year would continue.

Welcoming 1429 Hijriyyah

Yesterday was the 1st of Muharram which is the first day of the Muslim calendar. As the dawn of the first day of 1429 Hijriyyah unfolded, it is in the spirit of hijrah that we strive to improve and better ourselves, not just by making new year's resolution(s), but also to endeavour to translate the resolution(s) into actions that would bring about the change that we want to make.

May 1429 Hijriyyah brings about success to our lives, insya-Allah.

So far so good

We are now into the second week of 2008. In a couple of days time, it will be the first day of the Hijrah calendar. I have to say that for me personally, 2008 has begun on a high, positive and promising note.

I am now a PhD candidate at Universiti Malaya. At the same time, I am also lecturing part-time at the said university.

If everything goes well, my family will be moving into our own home after quite a long wait. We are now waiting for the keys, before doing some minor renovations. We plan to move in come Chinese New Year in February.

On the work front, things are also looking bright. Something that we've been working on to get since January 2007 has finally been approved. Barring any unforeseen circumstances or hiccups, we hope to seal the agreement in the very near future.

And the Internet connection has been fixed this afternoon. After many moons of non-connection at the office, I am back online as of 4.25 p.m. today (finally!).

The building that we're occupying now has been sold by its owner. No doubt, we'll have to move out very soon. On the bright side, we're finally moving out of this problematic building. Where to? Insya-Allah to a better place. More on this when the time is right.

I have also set a number of writing projects for me to tackle this year. Personally, I have targeted at least one novel to be published this year.

Alhamdulillah, 2008 has started on a highly promising note. With all the things that I am doing, it will certainly be a busy 2008. I just hope the momentum will be sustained for the rest of the year.

As a friend always said, "here's to a bright and prosperous future."

New year... old affinity

All these years, I have always been involved in lecturing at one point or another. I have been a guest lecturer at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) and Universiti Malaya (UM). Lecturing is very close to my heart and it is something that I enjoy.

For this year, after a hiatus of four years, I will be lecturing again (on a part-time basis) at Universiti Malaya's Faculty of Science. This is something that I look forward to. The new semester begins this week, and the first class is today.

It has always been my aim that eventually, at one point in my life, I would like to jump into the academic world on a full-time basis. The time for that to happen is not now, but with the experience of lecturing that I am accumulating, I hope it would be a good enough preparation for that eventuality.

New year... new blog (not mine though)

A little promotion here. With the beginning of 2008, it looks like my little sister now has a blog. So, feel free to drop by Alam Maya Liyana. Now let's see if we can get my seafaring brother to blog as well. That would be interesting.

In the meantime, don't forget to frequent this blog or any of my other blogs (Macam-macam Aku Tulis and Step by Step) from time to time. I will try to update as often as I can.

Two Double-Oh Eight

And so, 2008 has been ushered in.

I received several new year wishes over text message. Quite a few interesting and unique ones too. Here, I'd like to share my favourite four.

From a friend who's doing his PhD in Australia, Arsaili: "Welcome aboard to "Year 2008" airline! Passengers, pls b in seat now, hold tight as the flight will b leaving soon to New Year City! Enjoy ur flight! May Allah bless u."

A message my wife received from her colleague: "No sweet thoughts to forward. No cute graphics to send. Just a CARING HEART saying I remember U... Happy New Year."

This message came from a friend who studied in Japan. It's in Japanese and I haven't really a clue what it actually means. I have to make a point to ask him when I can: "Akemashite omedetou gozaimasu. Sakunen wa iroiro to osewaninari arigatou gozaimashita. Kotoshi mo hikitsuzuki yoroshiku onegaishimasu. Zulkefeli yori. Gantang heisei 20nen."

And my favourite message is one that I received from a 68-year old friend: "Today's exit marks the end of the old year taking with it episodes in our lives & heralds the birth of the new year either to continue from where we left or to tread on new avenues. Wishing u to cherish another promising year."

Well, I guess much can be said and written about the new year. And we should certainly take stock of 2007 while at the same time making new resolutions for 2008. Personally, I do not have any new year resolutions, simply because I believe that life itself is a process of continuous improvement. Nonetheless, instead of resolutions, I have a list of targets and aims that I wish to achieve and realise in 2008.

So, to all friends who frequent my humble blog, allow me to wish "a happy and prosperous year ahead."