The Oracle

An awesome display of a minaret of a small mosque basking in the evening light. The place is at the road leading to Meru. From our place in Saujana Utama, we have a back entrance that connects to Puncak Alam. Some 5 km from the entrance, there's a junction to the left where the infamous Mongolian lady, Al-Tantuya was depleted to bits by her assailants last 2 years while the mosque, as the minaret in the pic above, is located some 200 meters on the right turn at the junction.

Do you think there is no plan for this world, this life? God is in control. He assigns our destiny. Our job is to obey the laws set forth by God.

Talking about laws, granny never took it for granted when I was little. She was then very particular on religious matters. She would be nagging endlessly upon discovering my foul play in observing my religious duties.

It was no fun when I had to recite Quran in late afternoon and you can imagine how you would have to control yourself while in the distance you heard the laughter of friends having good time playing. I had to delay my presence joining the group with much pain to endure. Grandpa would notice the less-than-focused in my reciting and I would have to succumb to his stern voice as a warning. It’s not too strange when my eyes were then clouded with tears, and dropped.

I would be on grandma’s tail to “madrasah” together with grandpa every now and then. Despite of my lack of interest, I switched my preference to liking to be at madrasah when I knew I would have opportunity to play with friends.

More often than not, I would be a subject that caught on the old folks’ nerves over my mischief. At times, I would be caught giggling during my prayer when friends like Fadhil or Ariff shoveling an elbow or two. Regardless of who have started, everyone would try to give a return. Shunned! And missed! And it tickles our funny bones – felt as if it was very funny. In the height of controlling the giggle, with a single knock of forehead on the floor during “sujud” that louder than usual, it was enough for three of us to burst.

It didn’t fall below my expectation. Right after the second “salam” when the prayer was over, the very look from grandpa’s eyes in the front row signals trouble. I knew it. Well, Fadhil and Ariff have got their own shares of stares too. Lucky it happened while many people were around. If it was only me, and him, within his reach while he was boiling, it could have been different story altogether.

It happened for reasons when I was ushered by granny for my “Asar” prayer while we were still in the height of our play. I couldn’t understand why; of all the kids of similar age playing, I was the only one have to rush home for my prayer. Many times over, I was in anger, dissatisfied, but had to execute order anyway.

It took time for me to understand all these.

May be due to age I am in now, I would reflect over small things that happened during my formative years and try to bridge my comprehension on how the conspire has worked on me and why, that in the end makes I am who I am today.

That’s just a small piece of me.

Everyone has got his or her own unique story to tell. It somehow is exclusive to the individual that makes you as you.





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In Contemplation

Sam, Edrin and Fara are in their good mood here. All three of them on their bellies on the floor in the hallway of our home.

At times I'd feel that I am disclosing too much information about my private life in public over the internet in the blog like this. At the same time it brings some kind of satisfaction expressing myself somewhat in anonymity manner, except to some handful of my family members, close friends, neighbours and so forth. How I wish I could personally be in touch with all the readers in my real life.

Whatever it is, I am looking at the lighter side of the thing that the rule of thumb says good things will come to you when you expect good things to come.

Expecting good and beautiful things, I can’t help pondering about what future holds for me in years to come. It sparked ponders in me when yesterday my wife inadvertently had to add another year to her age. It was yet another birthday for her. I thought of writing something in my blog glorifying her birthday like what I did last year. Here

But my hands were full yesterday. I had to attend to something outside of the office premise. I even obliged a friend to attend a talk on CIMB Unit Trusts held in Bronx Room, Berjaya Times Square Hotel in the afternoon. It was amazing to see two beautiful young sisters in their 20’s managing an agency, Platinum Partnership Group, dealing with unit trusts. It in no qualm has made them millionaires with the venture. After all they call themselves “The Amazing Millionaire Sisters”.

Now back to my contemplation. What will it be in 20 years to come? As much as I do love to see my kids growing up before our eyes now, I would also love to see them one day venturing out this world and learn everything about life.

For they have to find reasons to revere what the reality of life can offer.

I could imagine that by then, my wife and I would be longing for our grown-up kids to drop by our house as they have their own lives to run somewhere. They could possible be living somewhere in any corner of the earth. They would have their own sets of problems to settle while we are in the twilight of our living years.

Edrin poses for the camera

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New Year Kick-Off: Tagged!

Happy New Year!
My thanks to a neighbour in Saujana Utama, KC, for tagging me up. What a nice way to start off blogging in the New Year with an entry like this.

Psyco-Cybernetic is a great work written by Maxwell Maltz, first published in 1960. It has since been improved by his student Bob Sommer with the release of Psyco-Cybernetic 2000. It is one of the books that I like for its sharp and brainy advice that one can practically make use of in day-to-day living.

Maxwell Maltz believed that self-image is the cornerstone of all the changes that take place in a person. If one's self-image is unhealthy, or faulty, all of his or her efforts will end in failure. Whilst Bob Sommer, in his enhanced version has even elevated the principles of it to the “science of imagination”.

Answers for questions in the tag like this, they actually prompted by the grey matter in the mind of a writer. It smolders through a delicate process, deliberated, reflected and imagined and on top of it, we cannot run away from the eventual responds that to still be based upon the blueprint of our mind, in a shadow of our self-image. In the end, if it falls into the hands of connoisseurs, it’d manifest the psychology behind it.

Now, come read what’s concealed in the rear of my psyche with the answers I have to offer.


1. NAME ONE PERSON WHO MADE YOU LAUGH LAST NIGHT.

My son. Sam! He’s good at making sounds, hilarious twist of reverberations that would tickle you up. Last night in the car, on our way back from dinner in Sg Buluh, I asked him to twist around a familiar tune in his squeaky voice and I had good laugh at it.


2. WHAT WERE YOU DOING AT 0800?

I was running down the highway. In any working days, around this hour, you can expect me either on highway or at Jejantas Sungai Buluh, stop over for my breakfast at KAYA Kopitiam. You’d better try the place sometime. Who knows you’d be a rich person the minute you walk out out from there.


3. WHAT WERE YOU DOING 30 MINUTES AGO?

No fun for me to answer based on 30 minutes ago because of the dreary things I was doing, apart from drowning myself in the blogosphere. What about an hour before? I was down there in a shop checking on a padlock that equipped with built-in alarm. Have you ever come across this? When the padlock is shaken or wrong key is used, the alarm would go off. It’s a product from China selling at RM 70.


4. WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU IN 2006?

Nothing great happened in 2006. Managed to do what I was supposed to be doing. I wrapped up the year hoping 2007 would be a better year just like the way I closed my 2007 a few days ago with a hope that things will be good for me, wife and kids in 2008. Here


5. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU SAID OUT LOUD?

Hard to trace back because I seldom yell or shout. May be my excitement answering a phone call from a friend who was not in contact for some considerable length of time. I said “Heyyy… Where have you been? Lama tak dengar berita!?”


6. HOW MANY BEVERAGES DID YOU HAVE TODAY?

Up till this point in time, morning, still early in the day, I just had two. One at home, a cup of tea my wife prepared for me and just now almost a bottle of 500ml mineral water.


7. WHAT COLOR IS YOUR HAIRBRUSH?

For a second it makes me think that the one who started this tag is a lady. And yeah, hairbrush is not in my dictionary, comb is, and it’s blue in color.


8. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU PAID FOR?

If the charge for SmartTAG is considered as a payment, must be it when I passed through the toll gate this morning. But if you mean cash in use, well, last night when I filled up gas for my car at Petronas.


9. WHERE WERE YOU LAST NIGHT?

I was at home after a sumptuous dinner at a Thai restaurant. I find solace to be home. My night is far off from any sort of after-the-dark activity.


10. WHAT COLOR IS YOUR FRONT DOOR?

Peach color.


11. WHERE DO YOU KEEP YOUR CHANGE?

In a small pocket inside the pocket of my pant. Do you ladies know that some trousers for men are designed with small pockets inside the pockets?


12. WHAT’S THE WEATHER LIKE TODAY?

A bit gloomy


13. WHAT’S THE BEST ICE-CREAM FLAVOR?

I have to sound a bit conservative here. I do love “aiskrim potong” best. To me that’s what simplicity in enjoying ice cream is all about. I love all those Häagen-Dazs® super premium ice cream, gelato, sorbet and frozen yogurt but “aiskrim potong” is laced with sweet memories to go with.


14. WHAT EXCITES YOU?

I am confused between “what excites me” and “what turns me on”. Oh dear, you want me to let the world knows the wild side of me when it comes to libido or what? Just kidding! Actually, I get excited every time when I am harboring thoughts of making a trip back to my hometown with my kids and family.


15. DO YOU WANT TO CUT YOUR HAIR?

Yes, in a few day’s time.


16. ARE YOU OVER THE AGE OF 25?

If my friend KC says she’s way over the age of 25, I would say I am slightly over… hahahaha! Now comes the question of how slight is slight?


17. DO YOU TALK A LOT?

I’ll bet giving speech to an audience does not count as I can go for hours talking at the podium (conducting trainings & presentations) – that’s speak. Talk – you can say it’s a lot when I do have the right sparring partner on an issue that dearly to me. If not, I’d be as quiet as a mouse.


18. DO YOU WATCH THE O.C.?

What OC?


19. DO YOU KNOW ANYONE NAMED STEVEN?

I know many Stevens. There is one Steven that I know but he doesn’t know me; Steven Spielberg. Silly joke! Well, of all other Stevens that I know, there is one Steven Keong I would like to give tribute here. He is my personal friend from Brinchang, Cameron Highlands and he's heckuva nice man.


20. DO YOU MAKE UP YOUR OWN WORDS?

Not in particular as I’m trained to plain-talk when I need to talk. But I may be using barrage of words often used by others like, “Holy Shoot”, “Holy Cow”, “Alahai…”, “Mama Mummia” and so forth.


21. ARE YOU A JEALOUS PERSON?

I am not a jealous person as what jealous is. But, if a pinch of it as a must in a person, of which it demonstrates responsible and protective nature in you, I’d say yes.


22. NAME A FRIEND WHOSE NAME STARTS WITH THE LETTER 'A'.

Adnan


23. NAME A FRIEND WHOSE NAME STARTS WITH THE LETTER ‘K’.

Karen


24. WHO’S THE FIRST PERSON ON YOUR RECEIVED CALL LIST?

It comes out as * YanG * on my screen – must be my wife.


25. WHAT DOES THE LAST TEXT MESSAGE YOU RECEIVED SAY?

The last one is no fun to share because it says only “OK”. Neither does for the second last, it is even shorter with only “K”. The third last is fine, it says, “Futsal on Sunday at U-One Sport Center USJ 1 at 11 am. A farewell game to our “Footballer of The Year” Mr E.P Yeo before he joins AC Miri at San Sarawak”


26. DO YOU CHEW ON YOUR STRAW?

No. I have better things to chew on.


27. DO YOU HAVE CURLY HAIR?

What do you call that between wavy and curly? You know, like Tom Hank’s. Mine is in that category.


28. WHERE’S THE NEXT PLACE YOU’RE GOING TO?

In the context of day’s work today, I’ll be out to Cyberjaya. In the context of long distance traveling, I may be going to Japan for Tokyo Anime Award Competition 2008 in March.


29. WHO’S THE RUDEST PERSON IN YOUR LIFE?

The rudest person in my life I want to mention here is not rude at all in the eyes of others. It happened when I was little and it was my uncle. Knowing he was my uncle, I then purposely get myself closer to him in a crowd with the hope of him acknowledge me as his nephew. But he turned his face away that until today the very incident is still vivid in my recollection. It hurts me deep. I was only a kid, had no slightest idea on what the bickering in the family had been.


30. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE?

I took chicken sausages for my breakfast at home. But it was only 2 or 3 pieces, feel a bit hungry. I am now opting for an early lunch.


31. WILL YOU GET MARRIED IN THE FUTURE?

Let me do my mathematics for a while. I am married and now the question is about getting married!? Perhaps the question is meant for non-married person?! I don’t think it is a hint on polygamous issue in the question. And it triggers in my mind that the person who started this tag is not just a lady but single too.


32. WHAT’S THE BEST MOVIE YOU’VE SEEN IN THE PAST 2 WEEKS?

If in the past 2 weeks I hardly watched any movies. My movies had been all real-life drama & play with my kids on the centre-stage or graced my widescreen while they were concluding the last precious minutes of their school holidays.


34. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU DID THE DISHES?

It was the night before yesterday after my dinner at home. I’d do it every time after a meal for my own plate.


35. ARE YOU CURRENTLY DEPRESSED?

No


36. DID YOU CRY TODAY?

No


37. WHY DID YOU ANSWER AND POST THIS?

Because I am honoring the person who tagged me up.


38. TAG 5 PEOPLE WHO WOULD DO THIS SURVEY:

I would love to tag them up but I want to end it in a bad way by breaking the chain. I’d spare those 5 potential people from being tagged and if you are interested to know, they are among the last 30 names that left their comments in my previous entries.

Previous Tag

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