The Merdeka Parade

We went to watch the Merdeka parade at Dataran Merdeka today. Never done that before in my life. I thought it'll be packed, and hot and would just be a drag.

And today I found out that .. those things are all true and more. It was packed, nobody cared that we were standing on the spot first - they just barged through to the front - even that lady who looked so polished. Can you belive she stood in front of the children who were sitting in the front row on the tarmac? But she moved away when some sharp tongued makcik (oh no, it was not me..) insulted her bottom. ha-ha.. (Good riddance, if you ask me).

Then there were two tough guys who wanted to pass through me to the front and I said NO. He said, no? but I'm on duty. Then show me your pass I said. He put the pass in my face. I blandly said thank you and let him pass. (What can I say? I need to protect my rights).

Then I tapped the Bangla (who pushed his way through me) on the shoulder with my small flag and tell him to get out of Eirfan's way. He was blocking Eirfan's view and I didnt take my son to the parade to watch nobody's back.

And definitely it is hot - we stood facing the sun and I'm sure I got sunburned to proof I was standing at the parade for a couple of hours.

But anyway, at the same time I was amazed so many people turned up for the celebration in spite of all those things. In a way it was nice to see we all converged together at an occassion like Merdeka. And watching it on TV definitely is not the same as standing there on the sidewalk.

We waved at the King and Queen when they left - they had the window open, which was nice.

While walking amongst the crowd back to the car we lost Eirfan for maybe about 2 minutes. My heart lurched but before I got to the panic stage, he reappeared. Of course he was reprimanded and I held his hand all the way to the car.

Eirfan said he liked the parade. He loved the jet show the best. Then the hellies and the tanks and the soldiers who wore camouflages.

We talked about going again next year. (I never thought I'd say that!)

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The Most Gracious

I was reading when I heard verses from Surah 55, Ar-Rahman ie The Most Gracious - the mu'azzin is getting ready to call for the Fri prayers it seems. Friday prayers first held at the surau (I'm not sure if it has been upgraded to a mosque) across the field close to a month ago.

The verses that said, Then which favors of your Lord will you deny? is most sublime I think from the Surah. It appears 31 times among the 78 verses in the Surah.

Anyhow a long time ago I read (or was I told? - I cant remember which) that in the Hereafter, Allah Himself will be reading the surah to the dwellers of Jannah. And that read, will be the most beautiful sound anyone had ever heard.

I cant remember if I had found this in any of the books I read (not that I read many anyway). And I wonder if what I remember is actually correct..

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Of Love & Commitment

When I was young and leading a carefree life (I am middle-aged and contented now..) I have a few very close friends. One day a friend got a proposal - which she politely and oh my God - promptly - refused.

Later I asked her why she turned the guy down. She said she loves her independence too much to be bothered with a partner. Furthermore she added she cant cook, sew and neither does she clean. As her room-mate who else knew better about her likes / dislikes?

But secretly I think she underestimates herself. She reads Carl Sagan and actually owned a telescope that she uses to look at the stars at night. She quotes Sheikh Yusuf Qardhawi and introduces topics like the Zionists in her conversations. She's techie and was on the Dean's list.. I thought she's amazing.

Many, many years after that at a get-together I asked her if there is anyone special in her life. With a face that lit up, she said well, there is this guy in the office who always notices what I wear, compliments me and always singling me out. And I said oh wow, sounds like love is in the air. Solemnly she said no, he quit doing all that now. Why? (I really want her to find someone to share life with) Maybe because I didnt respond to his overtures - I want to but I cant and in fact I dont know how. Maybe that's why he stopped doing all those things - because he thinks I am not interested..

Dear me. I didnt know what to say.

If she would come to me and tell me the same story today I'd tell her to just go to the guy and tell him that she likes him. To hell with being shy or bashful. And this is not the time to let our insecurities stop us for getting what we want in life either.

So you go, girls! (But I regret to say my friend remains single till today.)

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The Upcoming National Day

I came back from the office one day and noticed the national flag is up on our front gates. It looked nice hung high up on a pole; flapping in the cool dusk air. The so-called raya lights (because it is almost always lighted up at raya only) is on too.

Curious, I asked what's with the lights? The answer I got was we are celebrating merdeka, arent we? Me : Oh? Oh.. okay. We boys put up the flag - you like it? I said yeah, nice. What's even nicer is that they spent time together putting it up.

So this is the flag that we have.

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Books, Books And More Books Part II

Left office a bit earlier than usual today and stopped at the book store to just "browse and look" and to relax a bit.

There is a good selection of things to read actually once I open my eyes to other genre of readings. Noticed books by Khaled Hossein like The Kite Runner - it looked interesting. And maybe I should read something by Amy Tan. These days local and non-western writers seem to attract my attention.

Picked up the book by Zabrina A Rahman (did I get her name right..?) also, she is a blogger and then went on to publish a book (I so envy that, ughh..). Her blog is fresh, different, entertaining in a way but at the same time makes you think about.. well, things that matter. Read her blog here http://www.wisdomthruwords.blogspot.com/

Wondered if I should buy her book - but since I've decided to buy two other books already today, I thought I should make another trip to the store to get her book.

Got calls and sms(es) while in the store. From people in the office, of course. Replied all of them and decided to head home after all. What a deflating way to end a good trip to the bookstore.

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Pasar Tani Part II

Someone asked me yesterday what I'd be doing over the weekend. I said I'd be going to pasar tani on Sat and then uh, I dont know. Yeah I know - so dulll eh? - and as expected she made a face..

& went to the pasar tani I did this morning & got the usual stuff.. But arent the fruits lovely at this time? With rambutan and pulasan, and manggis and cempedak and dokong and mata kucing in addition to the usual guava and watermelon and bananas and those imported stuff.

But I also notice something else at the pasar - there are more people asking for money there (I wouldnt want to call them beggars). There is the regular pakcik who said he is a musafir (takkan tiap-tiap minggu musafir..?) and the blind pakcik who sings there - he's quite good actually too.

But this morning there are blind makciks and some younger men who are incapacitated. The poor men - most cant walk - maybe five of them. The articles that we read long ago about children being kidnapped and then incapacitated in some way and then forced to beg came to my mind.

I prayed that didnt happen to the men I saw at the pasar this morning.

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The Green Is So Bad..

Urgh, I think the green in ths blog is just horrendous - dont you?

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Anak Yang Hilang (Sekejap)

Eirfan was not waiting at the school front gate as usual after school today. He was not there at quarter past one either. And neither was he there at 2. The school office said there are no trips made outside school today. The jaga has no idea either.

Eirfan showed up at our front gates at about half past two. His father made him call me at the office. He was scared I think - maybe he knew he's in trouble.

He said he went on a school trip with classmates and teachers to a studio to watch "actors act". & I go like ??? (& for that reason, ie to watch actors act, I had to go into an almost panic mode?).

Cant teachers be more logical than this? No prior notices, no consentment from parents, causing worries for no reason - purely lack of sense of responsiblities if you ask me.

I will have to bring up the matter with the PIBG. Come to think of it, I think I'll just write a letter to the school and let them explain about this!

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Difficult Times

There is an exercise in this book that I am reading - ie to list down at least a hundred goals that I want to achieve in life. That is a tall order for someone who doesnt think about goals at all - maybe once or twice in some of the training sessions I attended. It is difficult to come up with 30 let alone 100.

And also I found out some simple and sometimes familiar words are hard to explain - maybe like conquistadors and tapestry. And then maybe cerulean and aga. And someone asked me what's the difference between a cove, a bay and a ? (cant remember the third word). I thought I know the words but turned out they are quite difficult to describe actually.

But difficulty is only when we cant see through the subject, once we do it failed to be difficult anymore.

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Taking 100% Responsibility

I thought and 'thunk' and deliberated and mull over the thirty things I want to have, I want to do and want to be before I die - and found out it's too much to think about. Couldnt even get twenty yet..

I'm going slowly over my book so that I can put into practice what I've learnt. So far I've learnt err.. uh.. hmm.. now let's see what exactly have I learnt? Oh yeah right - you've got to take responsibility over everything (read that as EVERYTHING) that happens in your life. Take control. If anything is not going the way you like it, start changing it. You and only you have control over what happens to your life.

Stop blaming your boss or spouse or the weather or the traffic for anything. The least that you can do is to change the way you response to these variables in life. Make sense? No? Read the book.

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