Changes for 2017

Its the last day of the year. Tomorrow a new year will dawn. Its going to be a year of uncertainty for me. I do not know what the year will bring forth. I have been accepted into this new core team focusing on new projects. What it means is that I will be taking on a new task. It will be back to the working ways that I am used to but the big difference is there will be no salary at the end of the month. How much I get will depend on how many houses I can sell. The new year will also see Akid and Maisarah starting their preschool. That will be another change to the household routine. On weekdays, they will be occupied although only till 12 noon. From now on, going for holidays will only be possible during the school holidays. Those are the few but very significant changes that will happen in 2017.

Hope for the best

The year is ending soon. Very soon it will be 2017, a brand new year. For me, 2016 was the year of mix fortune. This is the year I lost my job because I had to retire when I reached the age of sixty. Since that time in July, I have been in a limbo. Tried a few things in order to make up for the lost of a steady income but up to the end of the year, nothing has worked out. As of this moment, I am still trying. A few days ago, I went for an interview to be part of a project team to be formed by my company to sell in the primary market. It is something new. Never done before in the company. Anyway, this team is going to be different because it is going to be a core team. There will be rules and regulation to follow, working hours to adhere to, a boss to report to etc. In other words, its more like the working environment I am used to. I thought maybe it is better for me that way. Working alone on my own, I find it a bit of a challenge. The interview done. Now I just hope for the best. 

Where to?

At a wedding

Was at a wedding in Banting over the weekend. Been a long time since I was in Banting. Must be over thirty years. The place has changed so much I hardly recognised the old town. One thing for sure, there's too many traffic lights to go through once you reached the town. As long as there is no highway to bypass the town, the traffic lights will continue to be a nuisance. Just like those with the towns of Slim River, Tapah , Kampar etc when going up north or Kulai, Air Hitam etc when going down south.

Wedding

At the mosque in Banting before the Akad Nikah.

Could it be dengue?

Akid has been having carrying a fever for a few days. The problem is it is on and off. That's why we did not bring him to see the doctor all this while as he would be okay for example in the morning. Then at night he would be sick with his body temperature high. Then okay again then sick again. However, last night, his body temperature was very high. I could feel it when I touched him. He was very sick. We had to douse his body with wet towel. Even then it did not really subside. We were worried sick. Could it be dengue? Come morning, we decided he had to see the doctor. Alhamdulillah, it was confirmed it is not dengue. Just the normal sickness. A shot to the butt by the doctor did the trick. He was okay. Hopefully, it remains, in sha Allah.  

Not Dr Maza

I was busy the whole Wednesday preparing for my ceramah at the surau and attending a meeting with a developer in Sunway. We are promoting their units but the respond has been below expectation. The meeting was to discuss ways on how to improve things. Later in the day I did my ceramah. At the end of it, I mentioned that I leave it to the surau to decide if my once a month ceramah should continue because after almost a year, I have nothing more to say on the Quran, the topic I am teaching now. Personally, I was hoping that this would be my last ceramah as I do not know what else to talk about the next time. I am not Dr Maza with lots of knowledge. I am not Kazim Elias either who can get peoples' attention by talking freely off the cuff. Fortunately or unfortunately, the answer was I should continue. Hmmm.....now, I have to think about what to talk come my next ceramah. It is a challenge alright!

Hospitalised

What was supposed to be a routine check at the hospital turned out to be a nightmare for Munirah. It was going to be a simple injection and then we go home but the doctor found her not to be in the best state of health. She had difficulty in breathing. Actually she was sick the day before but had recovered before the appointment with the doctor. Nevertheless, when the doctor said she need to be warded to clear her breathing difficulties, who are we to argue? There began her nightmare so much so that she has become scared of the nurses. Every time they come, they will do something to her like giving injection, medicine etc. Alhamdulillah, after a day, she was allowed home. Otherwise, things would have been complicated on the home front with Akid and Maisarah to think off.

A different kind of blues

Its Monday again. If before, its Monday blues because its means going back to work after a weekend that is never long enough, now its Monday blues because I have to start thinking about what to do in the week ahead, with regards to my real estate business. If before, the weekdays ahead are already full with meetings, reports to complete, discussions, presentations and whatever else, now the weekdays ahead are void of anything. I have to think and plan what to do. I have to find things to do that will enhance my chances in the business. Meet friends, call people, read the papers for listing opportunities, update my e media advertisements, read relevant books etc. Most of all, I have to let as many people as possible to know about my new profession. From one of this people, I might find my break.

Munirah is reaching nine

Its a fact

Its back to the drawing board with regards to my real estate business. After my foray into the primary market resulting in the secondary market being neglected a bit, I am now looking again at the secondary market. Both markets are important I guess. Meantime I am busy putting up a plan on how to go about doing my business. I am making good use of my knowledge of the balanced scorecard to give some clarity on the target, business direction, strategy, action plans, budget and the key performance index. My main worry is that after having all that, I may not be able to follow them religiously. The best laid out plan means nothing if it is not followed through. 90%  of fortune 500 companies faced this problem. Its a fact.

Reinforced our decision

Made a day trip to Malim Nawar  yesterday for a wedding of the wife's cousin. It is nothing if only the two of us were to make the trip but with the kids in tow, the stress level doubled or even tripled. Anyway, alhamdulillah, its over and done with. We reached home safely at almost seven in the evening, although for sure tired and worn out. The traffic was okay given the school holidays. After our trip to Penang in July, it was so stressful that we made a decision not to travel anymore until the children grows up. For short trips okay but not far. The trip yesterday only reinforced our decision.

What?

As usual, back from the morning prayer at the surau, I will read the quran a bit, memorise a bit and finally hitting the keyboard of my laptop after that. This morning, I am busy finding ideas for my 'ceramah' which will be next Wednesday. Don't want to fall into the trap of being too academic like the last ceramah where it bored people to death. I want to make it an easy listening experience, where everybody is connected and having fun. I don't have enough knowledge to be like Dr Maza. I don't have the talking skills to be like Ustaz Kazim or Ustaz Azhar Idrus but I have to find something that make the ceramah interesting! What?

Where am I

Another day, another week, another month. I am still finding my footing in this real estate business. At one time, I thought the primary market provides the better opportunity but after a while, it seems to me that the secondary market should remain as the main focus. At one time I was busy looking for houses to sell in the secondary market but I got distracted by opportunities that came along in the primary market. However, things are not like what they seem so I have started to put in more effort in the secondary market again. Its a merry go round. People have tens of listing while I have none. People are selling at least one house a month while I am struggling to make my first sale. People have new leads everyday while the few that I have go cold after a while. Am I doing things right or am I doing the right thing?

Passion is the key

It needs a different set of skills to work on my own. I can set targets, prepare a budget, devise strategies and make action plans. It is not a problem for me as I have been doing them for years. The problem is will I have the discipline to actually execute them? That's the word, discipline. Without discipline, even the best plan means nothing. The other is the motivating factor. When working for other people, the motivating factor is not a problem as there are many. Bosses, subordinates, deadlines, meeting, presentations etc. Working on my own, the motivating factor is simply not there! Money? Yes but its not enough cause there are other ways to make money. Why should I be in the real estate business? Now I am beginning to understand it when people say passion is the main motivating factor. You must love what you are doing more than anything else. The passion must be there first. The money will come later, as a direct consequence of your passion. 

Rubber time

My almost perfect timing has always been a problem for me. Whenever there's an appointment, I am always on time. In fact I make it a point to be early. I then hang around before finally showing up at the appointed place about five to. Very very rarely I am late. So, what is the problem? The problem is other people are always late. Most of the time, I will be the first one to arrive. The rest will come, almost inevitably, later than the appointed time. Sometimes more than half an hour late, or even much later. Many a times, even the one who organised the meeting is late. I don't understand it but that's the culture. Being late means nothing to most people. Its a normal thing to do. For people like me, it really is a problem because I am wasting my time, waiting, waiting and waiting.  

Do more

Now I have everything I needed to have as a property agent. I have my name card, I have my Real Estate Negotiator (REN) tag, I have joined the e media platform such as propertyguru and I property, I have attended training and I am attached to a Real Estate Company. All I need now is to start doing my business. Not that I have not started. In fact I started more than a month ago but now, with all the tools at my disposal, I should be able to do better.  I need to do more. To try my best.

Yesterday

I went to the office in Ampang yesterday for a short while to collect my tag. After that I printed my name card. It took only forty five minutes to print 300 cards. I had actually ordered through my office but after more than two weeks, it is still nowhere to be seen. That's when I decided to do on my own. Never thought it is so easy. I was at home by half past three when I thought I had to go to the burial ceremony of a cousin who has passed away earlier in the day. I did not plan on going because I thought the house is far away. When I got the address, it is nearby, about ten minutes drive from my house. Was there twice, after the 'asar' prayer and after the 'maghrib' prayer when the burial was finally done. Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi rajiun.

Tough going

Its tough going in the property business or for that matter, working on your own. It is so unlike what I am used to, working for people and getting paid at the end of the month. Now I am working for myself. It takes some time getting used to it. Thinking back, this is what I have always wanted to do, work for myself. Even during my working days, I was always wanting to one day be on my own. I wanted to do things for myself, set my own direction, have my own plan, do what I want with, work when I want, take leave when I want. Now that I am on my own, I am beginning to learn that it is not as easy as I think. It's really tough.

Solving problems

Busy working from a mamak stall in Ampang. That's the beauty of being a real estate negotiator. You can be working from anywhere. I had two clients calling wanting me to help them sell their houses while at the mamak stall. At the same time, I was busy updating my data and following up on prospective clients. The more I get into this business, the more I get the feeling that this business is not about selling houses. Its more about finding solutions to help people solve their problems. That's what I do. I help solve peoples' problems. By solving their problems, I gained their trust. Gaining their trust means gaining more business. That's how it is.

My first lesson

I was at Cyberjaya in the morning on Friday visiting a new housing development area. Have been involved in trying to sell the units by doing cold calling to prospective clients. With a free car to boot plus thousands in cash rebate, it should have been an easy sell but its not. Anyway, there was one client who showed a lot on interest, asking a lot of info. Me, being a rookie, gave him everything. With all the information given, he knows exactly where the place is, who the developer is etc. As a result, I have strong reason to believe that he went and bought a unit directly from the developer without going through me. Sigh...... That happens sometime and it had to be me. Its a lesson well learned. I take it positively and move on. There's no use crying over split milk. If Allah says its mine, I will get it, no matter what. If Allah says its not mine, I will not get it, no matter what.

A fruitful day

Was in Amcorp Mall in PJ this morning for breakfast with some friends. It may be just a breakfast but to me, it is part of my work, networking. That's the beauty of being a real estate negotiator. I'm working even when I'm indulging in empty talk with friends at a restaurant. Later in the day, went to Sunway for some real hard work. This time cold calling sessions. Was there till about 4pm. I enjoyed it. A valuable learning experienced. Established some leads which could be the starting point for better things in the future. On the way home to Gombak, stopped at a print shop to do some printing. By the time I reached home, it was almost 6.30pm. It has been a fruitful day to say the least.

Its for real

Come to think of it, I should be excited because I am living in an exciting time. Yes, exciting time because I am living out my MBA. Its for real. When I was doing my MBA, it was just lessons and theory. Say what I want, it is still classroom. No real hard stuff. Later, while working, I was doing business development for a while but then again, it is not the same. I still get my salary at the end of the month, even if I failed to garner new businesses. Today, its for real, so real that I am afraid even to set a target for fear I might not be able to meet it and get discouraged. When there's no target, how can I plan and strategise? How then does the action plan fits in? Sigh.....in the real world, its totally different. I need to set a target, then go for it with a plan and strategy followed by action plan. Remember, if I don't have a plan, it means I plan to fail.

Disconnected

In terms of business, yesterday was not a good day. I didn't do much, business wise but in terms of my 'ceramah' at the local surau, yesterday was alright. I bought three books for my reading which I hope will help me when I am giving my talk. The last time I gave my talk, I made the mistake of treating it like a classroom lecture. It was too academic. As a result, I didn't connect with the listeners. I knew that when giving talks at the surau, it should not be of a heavy stuff but light, easy listening banter that would be simple to understand. Somehow, I forgot about it. As a result, I was told that it was too high a stuff, more suitable for serious students rather than for people who are  sitting in a relax atmosphere at the surau while waiting for Isya to come.

At the blue mosque

Yesterday, I was in Shah Alam in the afternoon for some business related thing. I had plenty of time to spare once I did what I wanted to do. Therefore, when it comes to praying time, where else would I be except at the my favourite mosque, the blue mosque. The mosque never cease to amaze me with the hive of activity going on. Yesterday was no different. There were groups of school children, teenagers, ladies group, adults etc. Its a mosque that is alive!

Rain rain go away

Sunday was spent mainly at home. Play with the kids, go to the surau, read the papers, read the quran, send e mails etc. It rained on Saturday the whole day but Sunday was okay, no rain although in the morning, the sky was dark and the clouds look heavy. That's quite normal in December when the north east monsoon wind comes blowing. Floods will start to come in the east coast. Two years ago the flood was massive but last year it was normal. This year, floods already happening in a few states but not that big. Hope it will remain that way although the rain is quite persistent. Almost everyday it will come. I can't remember a time when it was like this. Everyday I had to put on my raincoat when riding my motorbike. Matter of fact, I wanted to go jogging on Sunday but decided against it because the clouds were darkening.

The perfect proffesion

I am beginning to like my new profession. Its a different way of making a living, for me at least. What I like most about it is the flexibility of the hours. There's no working hours. I work when I like and don't work when I like. Nobody cares. I can be at a mamak stall by myself but I am working. I can be socialising with friends somewhere but I am working. I can be playing golf or futsal but I am working. At the same time, personal needs does not get interrupted. I can go to the bank anytime I want. I can go to the market anytime I want. I can go to the mosque anytime I want. I can go jogging anytime I want. It keeps me busy but it also keeps me free. Wow! This is just great. At this age of mine, this is just what I needed. But there's one major drawback! There's no salary at the end of the month. If I don't sell, I don't get paid. In order to sell, I have to work. That's the catch. If only pay is given at the end of every month, this would be the perfect profession.

The selling will continue

These days rain is almost a certainty. The raincoat that I carry in my motorbike is becoming handy. Everyday I need to use it. Yesterday, the day before, last week......hmmm....everyday. If not in the morning, its in the afternoon. This morning, it was raining again. After the morning prayer, I had to run back to the house from the surau to escape the rain. Its a good exercise so early in the morning. I guess the rainy season will continue till January. Then the hot season will come back. As for me, rain or shine, life goes on. There's no rest. The selling will continue.

The primary market

Developers are building them everywhere. They are selling them as well. Some are sold out. Sometimes I wonder who are the buyers. They don't come cheap. Costing hundreds of thousands and mostly in the millions. But people are still buying although a bit slow. Very interesting.

Primary market tour

Went on a company sponsored primary market tour around KL. As I have said before, it seems to be that I am more involved in the primary rather than the secondary market. It is not by choice but the opportunities in the primary market presented itself. For a rookie like me, it is something I have to take with no hesitation whatsoever and give a try. After all, getting a listing in the secondary market is so damn hard. Here, the developers are giving them to me, albeit through the company. There are thirteen projects altogether with property worth more than 4billion ringgit to be sold. Mind you, there are more to come.  I need to digest them before trying to sell them.

Times are difficult

When I started in this industry, I thought I would mainly be involved in the secondary market. Even during training, it was on the secondary market only. Nothing or very little mentioned about the primary market. However, after a month, I find myself mostly working on the primary market. It is because times are bad. Developers are engaging estate agents to help sell their units. My company, being one of the reputable one, is being engaged by many developers. That's how I get involved. It is still tough, just like the secondary market. Both markets are tough. It is a buyer's market now. Cash is king. Selling is difficult although transactions are still happening.

Close shop

My seniors tell me I am doing a good job. Perhaps because they see me coming to the office often, making calls, updating my data and what not. At least I am doing things. I have my activities. They say there are people who do nothing even after two months. Its a compliment alright but to me, it means nothing if it is not translated into income. At the end of the day, its the amount of selling that I have done that counts. Personally, I feel like I am working at less than half pace. I need to do more. I am still trying to adjust to the fact that I don't work 9 to 5. I work twenty four hours. Sometimes I feel lazy I just don't do anything. I need to push myself, motivate myself more. I will give myself a year. If I cannot close even one deal after a year, I might as well close shop.

On my own

Working on my own is a totally new environment for me. More than thirty years of working experienced have not prepared me for this. Before, there's always something that is chasing me, be it my boss, reports, papers to be presented, my subordinates etc. There's also the punch clock to worry about. Now there's nothing that chases me except myself. As a result, sometimes I tend to get lazy. Today for example, I planned to be in the office by ten in the morning, make some cold calls, do some reading to increase product knowledge and update my database. However, after the morning prayers, I went for a jog. Came back, had my bath, took breakfast and read the papers. By the time I realised it, it was already eleven. Then I felt sleepy so I nodded off a bit. Soon it was already time for the afternoon prayers. Sigh......by that time, I was debating with myself to go or not to go to the office. Finally, I managed to drag myself to the office, reaching there almost three in the afternoon. With so little time left, I did less than a quarter of what I originally wanted to do.

Selling is the name of the game

Doing what I am doing now, I don't travel anymore. All of the time, it is within the Klang valley only. Gone are the days when every month, I would be on the plane to Bintulu and finally to Bakun. Sometimes, twice a month. It was hectic alright but the pay was good so I stayed on. I also quite enjoy the job working with nice people plus doing something that I know best. It was challenging but it was great. Now I am doing something even more challenging. I am on my own, something which I never experienced before. I have no boss to report to. No reports to write. No papers to present. No meetings to attend. No deadline to meet. No subordinates to help me. I can stay in the house the whole day if I want to cause nobody cares. As for the office, I come and go as I like. However, I have to sell cause if I don't sell, I have no income! Selling is the name of the game. 

Keep on trying

A few days ago I was getting somewhere with making sale for a condo costing about a million coming with a free car plus more than a hundred thousand cash to boot. In the end, the deal didn't get through. If it had, it would have yielded me some thousands. Then last night I was involved in discussions to sell properties worth about four hundred million. Wow! Whether it will be successfully concluded or not, I do not know. That's the life of a real estate negotiator. From zero to a few thousands to a few millions in commission, everything is possible. You only need to sell but that's the hardest part, selling. So far I have not sold anything but I will keep on trying. Jack Ma failed so many times he has lost count but now he is a multi billionaire. Micheal Jordan failed so many times before he became the legendary basketball player. Abraham Lincoln failed so many times before he finally scaled the height to become president of USA. There are many other inspirational stories to fall back on. The question is, can I do the same? As long as I keep on trying, I have not failed and will have a chance. Failure is when I stop trying!

On the chin

I am encourage by the responses that I received from doing cold calling. Although from about fifty calls that I made, I failed to get even one appointment,  it is still a step forward for me, albeit a baby step. It is a learning experienced for me. Believe you me, I will be having many more learning experiences of many different kind in the future but it is okay. As long as I am moving forward, it is enough for me. One day, in sha Allah, it will come to fruition. Meanwhile, I will keep on learning. I will keep on trying. Failing does not mean it is the end of the world. It is giving up. I will take the challenges as they come, on the chin.

Learn from the experience

I read recently that one of the reason why people doing sales are not meeting their targets is because they don't do enough selling. They do other things besides selling. The time spent on actually selling is less than 20%. I can say that it is true for me. As a rookie in this business, my first month was spent doing reading, learning, exploring and scouting. I did very little selling although I did do cold calling. Don't know if it was the right thing to do but as a result, now I know a little bit more about the business plus the most important thing, I have products to sell. So, what I need to do in the second month is to do the actual selling. It will be tough for sure but even if I failed to sell any houses, I will surely learn from the experience. 

Tough going

It seems to me that I am now embarking on a new career, at sixty years old. At an age when many people are already slowing down or have already stop working altogether, I am just starting. How ironic! In a way, it is good, It keeps my mind working, my body active. However, how long I can remain in the industry, I do not know. It's tough going, that's for sure. There's absolutely no free lunch unlike when you are a salaried worker. Everything you earned, you have to work for it. It is a challenge alright. A tough one but there's a saying, when the going gets tough, the tough gets going. Do I belong to that category of people?

Stay focus

Was at a mamak restaurant in Putrajaya yesterday in the afternoon to meet a person who has been in the industry for eleven years. He started with nothing, just like me but after eleven years, he is now in a very comfortable position. In other words, he is doing very well. Before that, he was running his own business for thirty years but it went bust. That's when he became an estate agent at age fifty two. It was a fruitful meeting. I learned a lot. He was kind enough to share with me his experience, having gone through eleven years of trial and tribulation. One thing I can take away from the mamak restaurant meeting is to be focus. Don't try to do too many things. For example, his focus is Putrajaya and Cyberjaya and then only landed properties. He knows them like the back of his hand.

No more theory

What I have been doing in the first month being an estate agent is to absorb. Yes, a lot of absorbing, through reading about the industry, meeting people, visiting new housing developments, attending team meeting, viewing houses for sale, observing the senior people etc. Its been a month of learning and absorbing. Success is not guaranteed. To have a chance, you have to work hard. Otherwise, you will end up like many of the agents who eventually leave the industry because income is uncertain. There's no guaranteed salary at the end of the month. Its like running a business. You have to have a target, then a plan on how to reach that target, then follow up with actions to execute the plan. All MBA stuff which I know already having done my MBA but now, its the real thing. No more theory.

Part of the job

I have been receiving cold calls for so many years from so many people. Most of them are from banks telling me cash is available immediately if I want. To put it plainly, asking me to borrow. There are also calls from others such as hotels, health, insurance etc. How they got my name and telephone number I do not know. However, that is not what I write about now. It is more about me doing cold calling now. I have known about cold calling before from books that I have read but never ever thought I would end up doing cold calling. Yes, I am doing cold calling now. Yesterday I made about twenty calls. I failed to make even one appointment. Why? because it's not enough. I need to do a hundred or even a thousand. When you are doing sales, cold calling is part of your job. Being rejected is part of your job. I am doing sales. Selling houses!

Not immediate

After almost a month in the real estate business, I realised it is not getting houses to sell that is difficult. It is getting buyers to buy. That is the most difficult part. In times like this when the economy is not really on the sunny side, houses for sale are a plenty. It is buyers that are scarce. I am learning the ropes so to speak. Everyday I am meeting people and learning new things. The rewards has not come yet. It may take three months, six months, a year or even more before I can see anything. That's the way it is. It is so unlike Uber where the reward is immediate but little. In the real estate business, it is not immediate but it is a lot more.

Friends from Brighton days

Had breakfast with friends from those days in Brighton last Sunday. It was 1974 when we first arrived in Brighton, England. We have come a long way since then. Most of us are in our sixties already. Grandparents. Retired and enjoying the fruits of our labour....... except me off course. Still, we asked how many grandchildren you have. How different it is from those days. Hmmm.....times really flies. A few of our friends have also passed away. Many more are still alive but last Sunday, only eight of us could make it. Good enough.

Carnival

Just thought I'd joined the crowd. It was fun. The atmosphere was carnival like. As for the threat from the red shirts, I didn't see any of them. Must have disappeared in the sea of yellow!

Icing on the cake

After more than three years of riding the motorbike, I have become quite handy with it. Gone are the days when I was a rookie, riding like a beginner which I actually was. I still don't ride fast. The most I would go is 60km/h. Only on the very rare occasions I will go up to 70 or 80km/h but I am most comfortable riding at about 50km/h. That's my favourite speed. Now that I am retired, I seldom drive anymore. Most of the time, it will be the bike. It is so convenient. No traffic jam issue, no parking issue and no cost issue because there is no toll charges plus the fuel cost is so low it is forgettable. Now I am thinking of upgrading to a scooter. There are some beautiful scooters out there on the road. getting one would be the icing on the cake.  

A great business to be in

Real estate business is a good business. You start from the bottom like what I am doing now. This is the hard part, a real estate negotiator. Here the role is to be the middle man, helping people to buy or sell houses for a commission. If you find that this is the job you like, you can go for the diploma in real estates. That will take two years. Then there's another two years of real life practise before you can go for the interview to get your license to own a real estate agency. Once you achieved that, its plain sailing from then on. As a licensed real estate agency owner, you can have up to thirty real estate negotiators under you. These real estate negotiators will do the hard work for you. You don't have to do it anymore. All you need to do is to provide the guidance and motivation. Whatever commission they received, a certain percentage will be yours. What a great business to be in where other people do the hard work for you!

Learn from them

When I started this new profession, I thought finding houses to sell was the difficult part. After a few weeks I found out that it is finding buyers that is more difficult. I can find houses or land to sell or rent but getting buyers is another thing. That's what I have discovered so far. I don't know how my colleagues do it but they seem to be doing alright. They are selling houses with total values in the millions. They can have holidays overseas. They must be doing something right. As for me, I am still in baby steps. Need to learn from them.

Different

Huh! Its been three days since I last updated this blog. That's the surprise I got when I opened my blog this morning. I thought it was only yesterday that I had added in something. Nowadays I find it difficult to be consistent unlike before. Perhaps that's a refection of my life now. What I'm doing now doesn't require me to be at the office nine to five. It is up to me. When I feel like it, I go to the office. Otherwise I can be anywhere I like. I can be at a restaurant somewhere but I am working. I can be with friends having a cup of tea but I am working. That's the way it is now. A completely different kind of profession. I don't know if it is my cup of tea having worked nine to five for all my life but I will give it a try.

Absolute awesome

The All Blacks was awesome last night. Italy was well and truly beaten. It was like a walk in the park for the world champion. It looked like becoming more of a practise run towards the end. The defeat by Nothern Ireland last week was nothing but a small dot on a white piece of A4 paper. After all, they are only human. Last night however, there was only one team on the pitch. The Italians tried to put up a fight but all to no avail. They were totally outclassed, beaten by the best team in the world. Nothing to be ashamed of.

Nothing is impossible

The win by Trump has given me a lot of encouragement. One thing is to never give up even if you sometimes feel that the mountain is too steep to climb, the hurdle too high to clear, the path too narrow to pass and the road too long to negotiate. As long as there is a glimmer of hope, go for it for until it is a done deal, anything can happen. The other is age is not a factor. He realised his dream to become the President of the US of A at age 70. I am (just) 60. Its 10 years to 70. In 10 years, a lot can happen. I can still dream, no doubt about it. Not only dream but to realise the dream. Why not? Nothing is impossible! 

Job of a different kind

Having a cup of tea at Line Clear Ampang. My office is just in front, walking distance. Yesterday, I joined the Friday prayer congregation at De Palma hotel, again walking distance from my office. This Saturday afternoon, I have an appointment to view a house. On Monday, I have two more appointments. One is to view an office building that is selling at over RM35mil. The other is to view a land plus building that is selling at RM5 mil. Tuesday, I planned to make a few calls. Wednesday, I need to start advertising my listing to get buyers. Thursday, more viewing if I can get them. Friday, I.....the list goes on. Getting a listing is one thing. Getting buyers is another. Hmm.....that's the life now. At sixty years old, I am just starting.

Now its real

Doing what I am doing now is a totally new thing for me. I am based in Ampang where the company have one of their offices besides thirteen others. However, it is up to me if I want to go to the office or not. Nobody cares. It is not a nine to five job. I come and go as I please. I can work from home if I want to. I don't get paid by the company as well. Its all based on commission. The more houses I sell, the more commission I get. I do my own planning. I schedule my work as I want it to be. I make my own appointments. In other words, I am on my own. Off course I can always refer to the seniors and the more experienced people for guidance. But one thing is clear, it is up to me. I don't sell houses, I don't get paid. Don't know if I can do it or not cause all my life, I have always been a salaried man. My only experienced to these kind of things were in MBA classes. Textbook thing. Now its real!

A disaster

Two days ago I made a few calls. Warm calls and cold calls or whatever call you may want to call it. Then yesterday I did my first viewing. I was excited, nervous, apprehensive but I know I had to do it. I have to start somewhere or I will never get off ground. The viewing however, turned out to be a disaster! Watching from the gate, I could see that the compound of the house was littered with unsightly things. The moment I entered the house, I was taken aback by the condition inside. I could see straight away that the house is not being well kept. Just like the compound. It put me off my footing. I lost sense of what I wanted to say or do.  I heard myself asking if this is a bachelor's pad? That is a real no no! Finally, I did what I had to do and went off. With the condition of the house and the price he is asking, its an almost impossible job I thought!

Give me hope

I have been struggling with my emotions lately. Its tough being out of job. Not so much the job but the steady income that it brings. At the moment its manageable but something needs to happen soon. Otherwise, I will be in trouble. I have my plans off course but it depends on many factors for it to come to fruition. In the meantime, I will have to keep my spirit up. The win by Trump gives me hope. Nothing is impossible if you don't give up. There are many other examples besides Trump, even Hillary Clinton herself. All these stories of people winning over great adversities gives me hope. At sixty years old, I am facing a kind of crisis I have never faced before. However, I feel comforted knowing that life is a cycle. Wherever you are at the moment, its only temporary cause it will roll on. There will come a time when you will be on the upside again, in sha Allah. 

Shocking

To say it was a shocked is an understatement. Its unbelievable! Unthinkable. Won't happen. He came from nowhere to claim the presidency. I think the whole world wasn't expecting it to happened, except off course his supporters. Even they do not really believe he can do it, looking at the polls before the elextion. When he first announced his bid to become the president, nobody took him seriously. Then when he came up with all those stupid statements, everybody thought he was a joke! But he won the Republican nomination, which surprised everybody. Now this happened. How did the US of A ended up with a president elect like him?

Happy faces

One that got away

There was a serious buyer for my house in Seremban who contacted my agent. He wanted to pay cash. The price was lower than what I had asked for but considering the circumstances, I was inclined to accept. However, I asked for a day to decide. Unfortunately, I think the agent didn't tell that to the buyer. Thinking I had not accepted his asking price, he bought another house that he had also been looking at. When I finally told my agent a day later that the deal can proceed, it was too late. Sigh....... it was a sure deal that got away. There's nothing I can do but wait again. The agent didn't do a good job I think. Nonetheless, I hope another buyer will come soon, with a better offer, In sha Allah

A night out

Decided to have some pizza last night. Went to Wangsa Maju pizza outlet. The place was crowded. Possibly because its a Saturday night and also its early in the month. There's still plenty left of the salary. At the restaurant, every few minutes the waiters and waitress were singing happy birthday to you to a guest. It seems like everybody was celebrating their birthday last night at the restaurant.

Look at options and strategise

Yesterday I was back in Seremban. An agent wanted to have a look at the house with the intention of wanting to help me sell it. I said carry on. Its okay with me. I have no problem with that. The house has been on the market for about three weeks now. So far I have not received any offers nor has the agents who are helping me to sell it have come back to me with concrete offers. I hope it will go soon although I can wait a while if I need to. At the moment, its a buyers market. That much I learned while attending the Real Estate Negotiators course. Houses are still selling but at prices below market. Most if not all properties can be sold if the price is right. So for me, its wait and see. Meanwhile, I look at my options and strategise.

Awesome

How come the All Blacks are so good at what they are doing? Unbeaten in eighteen straight matches against the first tier teams of the world, that's a new world record. Add to it a winning rate of more than 90%, that really make them the best in the world. Every time they play, they are expected to win. When they lose, its big news cause they are not expected to lose. If you look at all the top teams in the world, in terms of size and weight, they are all about the same. No one team is bigger or weightier than the other but yet the All Blacks keep on winning. So, where does their strength or advantage come from? Speed? Skills? Tactics? Individual brilliance? I don't know cause I am not a rugby expert but want thing I do know, I just love watching them play, especially when they are winning.

Cross the hurdle

Ever since I retired in 2011 I have tried my hands on many things. Most of them are, however, short lived and not successful.. Tourist guide, dabbling in shares, currency trading, Uber driving and now real estate. The only one that was a success, if I may say so, was when I worked again in 2013, doing the things that I know best, an engineer in the power industry. That lasted for more than three years. Alas, I have to retire upon reaching the age of sixty. That was July this year. As for all the others that I tried, for one reason or another, I stopped after a while. Now I am trying real estate. Already I am feeling the challenge. I am still at the first step, unable to cross that first hurdle.

The three kids

The weekend

Was in the house most of the time during the weekend. Didn't go anywhere at all. Enjoyed the football on Saturday night. All the leading teams won big but for Man U, the woes continue. They had so many chances but couldn't put them away. They need to have a player like Firmino, who showed how to score when in one to one situation. First of all, be cool. Keep your head. Then at the right moment, chip the ball over the goalkeeper. Not try to blast the ball away like the Man U forwards did. On Sunday, there was the Malaysia cup final. Didn't watch it but knew later Kedah had won through penalty kicks. A reverse of last year result.

Memories

Its almost four years ago when I was busy learning to be a travel guide. I enjoyed the experienced although in the end, I didn't become one. Just after taking the tourist guide exam, I started working again. So, although I passed the exam which qualify me to be a tourist guide, I didn't take the license as it would be pointless. I wouldn't have the time to be a tourist guide. Today, all that remains are memories to cherish. In life, these things happened.

An encounter

I still get the jitters when I am leading the prayer especially when I am reciting a verse that I seldom do. That was how it was this morning during the morning prayer when I decided to recite from Al Baqarah, 39-48. I had memorised it well. I have gone through it in my mind so many times. I was sure I could breeze through without any problem. There will be no mistakes. I had also recited it a few times before but somehow this morning, I was so jittery. The nervousness came and I couldn't stop it. Needless to say, butterflies were in my stomach. As a result, I couldn't think straight. My voice cracked. I started to struggle. I mumbled. Alhamdulillah there was somebody in the congregation who also memorised it. With his helped, I managed to get through. 

After the prayer, I wanted to find out who that person was. Turned out that person is still in his teens, a Tahfiz, meaning someone who has memorised the whole Quran. I have never seen him before at the surau. He said he is visiting his uncle who lives on the village.

Wish I was here

A new beginning

It was good

When I was driving Uber, I went to so many places that I have never been before. I can safely say that I would not go to these places if not for Uber. One of them is Ampang. Yes, I have been to Ampang many times but not to the places in Ampang that Uber took me. Some of them are so far out I never knew they even existed. Anyway, in one corner of Ampang, I found a restaurant that serves great 'rendang'. Its so delicious that I will surely go again to the restaurant in sha Allah. I discovered the restaurant 'Line Clear' is also in Ampang. That is another to be tried. When we were in Penang recently, we tried Line Clear. It was good.

Always another time

Monday to Friday is like the wink of an eye. It's that fast. Suddenly its Friday. In a way its good because that means tomorrow will be Saturday. When I was a working man, I like Saturday for it means a rest day from the office. Now that I am a retiree, I still like Saturday because of the football. Football matches locally and across Europe are mostly played on Saturday. I enjoy watching the matches on television. I used to be emotionally attached to the teams I supported but not anymore. I have learned to be detached. I like it if my team wins but if it loses, so what? I will not let spoil my day. Besides, there's always another time!

Three is a crowd

Just beginning

In my life, I have bought three houses and one land, built a house and sold one house. At the moment, I have three houses to my name but I am trying to sell one of them. I hope it will materialise soon. Anyway, due to me being a retiree, out of work meaning no income, I am trying my hand in the real estate business. I don't know how it will be like but I will give it a shot. All my life, I have only being a salaried worker so I think this is a totally new way of earning a living for me. Its a new beginning. Like I have always said, I am only just beginning, at sixty years old. Not too bad when I look at whoever will be the new President of the US of A for the next four years.

Great advantage

Being a retiree has its advantage cause I don't have to worry about going to work the next day. In that sense, I am able to follow the football matches even if its played at 3am Malaysian time. I don't have to worry about the next day feeling tired or sleepy. Therefore, I feel free to stay awake the whole night long if I want to. Then, in the morning, after all has been said and done, I can sleep when people are busy getting ready to go to work or are already on the road to work. That's a great advantage. Off course I can't afford to do that everyday or my health will be affected.

I can only agree

Looking at the way Dr M and Anwar is cosing up to each other, I can only what is known to everybody, that is there is no permanent friend or enemy in politics. Come to think of it, what happened to Anwar during the time of Dr M was terrible. It is unforgivable for most people but only a man with a big heart can forgive and forget. That's what Anwar is doing. He said the struggle for the the nation is greater than that of any individual. At a time when the country is facing its biggest crisis, the need of the nation surpass all. I can only agree.

A thrashing

A team led by Maurinho suffering a 4-0 beating is unthinkable but that's what actually happened at Chelsea. A thrashing at the hands of the host where he used to be the manager. I don't know what was the strategy he employed but whatever it was, it didn't work out. I was disappointed when Mata was not fielded in the first half. I thought he should play as he has been giving good performance. When you keep changing the team, it becomes disjointed. That's what happened with Man U. Maurinho needs to stick to one team, a first team. Not make wholesale changes.

Big

When I ordered tosei for breakfast yesterday, I never expected to receive such a big one. Its the biggest I ever had. Its so big the plate can't fit it all. It was also crunchy, just the way I like it. A very good meal to start the day.

More on Munirah

Never discount anything

Last night I gave my 'ceramah'. It went okay I think. I am satisfied but as usual, there's always room for improvement. I don't give talk everyday like some people. For me, its only once a month. Still, I am grateful to Allah for giving me this opportunity. After all, I don't have a strong religious background in terms of education, degree etc. To be given this opportunity is a big thing for me. Its something I never expected. Who knows, one day I might be giving talk everyday. In this life, never discount anything. That much I have learned from experienced. 

Dinner time

Munirah being fed by her mother.

Munirah and me

We are sixty years apart. She is my youngest child, almost seven month old. Her smile makes my day. In sha Allah she will grow up to be an obedient servant of Allah. Everything else will fall into place once that is taken care of.

Making a mess

Being a retiree, the days can be long and, surprisingly, tiring. Every morning I wake up, I have a whole day ahead of me, free. There are times when I have errands here and there but most of the time, I am free. So, what to do? I am trying to find a routine. Maybe I busy myself writing a book. Or find something else to do, anything that will keep me occupied. Not busy but occupied. At the moment, the kids are keeping me company. Looking after them is a whole day job. Akid is more than four years old already. Maisarah is almost three. Both of them can be more than a handful. Munirah on the other hand is only seven months old. She's crawling now. In a few months she will be walking in sha Allah. Then she can join her brother and sister, playing while making a mess of the house!

Making good money

When I was driving Uber, I met people from all walks of life. I also observed many things while on the road. One of the thing I noticed were the people selling by the roadside, mainly 'nasi lemak' especially in the morning. There's so many of them. They are everywhere, be it right in the middle of KL city or by the roadside in Bangsar, PJ or wherever. In front of supermarkets, restaurants or anyplace where they can put a tent, they will be there. I don't know how much they make in a day. Having said that, there's this story that has gone viral about a young girl, a university graduate in engineering who has rejected two job offers in order to continue selling nasi lemak. Must be making good money for her to do that!

Went to Seremban

Drove to Seremban yesterday to have a look at the house there. Been quite sometime since I last visited the house. Need to do some cleaning, look at the utility bills and do a few other things. I like the place but as for staying there, I am not sure when it can be. Maybe not ever but then life is so dynamic. Who knows the future? I might find myself staying there one day! Went there in the afternoon, did the things I needed to do, then drove for home reaching at about 7.30pm. This weekend I might have to go again because the grass needs to be cut. Only on weekend can I find the  people to cut the grass. On weekdays they are not around.

The debate

Watching the debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, I can't help but think how good it would be if we have the same here. Unfortunately, one side has been avoiding it at all cost, even saying that it is not our culture. That's a silly excuse. Debate is good, It stimulates the brain. It bring out the best in you. We, the audience watching can see who is talking facts and who is talking crap. In this case, it is obvious between the two. Not that I care much who wins the US of A presidency but I can see who has the clear edge. However, one thing I must say. Both look good considering their age. Clinton is 68 while Trump is 70.

Not my cup of tea

Went to the bank today for some errand. Used my motorcycle. It felt great to be riding again after a long time. I have decided to take a break from Uber driving for a while. Maybe even forever. It was good in the beginning. I enjoyed it for about a month but later on, it became quite a bore. I guess the job doesn't suit me. Besides, my knee was playing up a bit. If I continue, I worry my knee will get worse. All in all, I drove for about one and a half month, took almost three hundred rides, made a few thousand but in the end, it just wasn't my cup of tea.

There will be a way

When the going gets tough, the tough gets going. That's the philosophy I am holding on to now. I need a booster to prop up my spirit. Otherwise, I might end up swallowing in self pity. That will get me nowhere. I look at people who are facing even greater challenges. Yet they get on with it without any hesitation. There' no looking back. Move on and move up. I need to be like that. In sha Allah, there will be a way.

What else?

I continue to be surprised by the things that are happening in my life. The latest? It never crossed my mind that I would be driving a taxi one day but I am now. Driving Uber is driving a taxi, no beating about the bush about it. It is just the latest in the many turned of events in my life. I never ever thought I would one day be giving 'ceramah' at a surau but now I have a monthly slot. I never thought I would be an 'imam' again after my last experience many many years ago at a surau in USJ 20. That lasted for only four/five months. Now in Gombak, its almost two years. I never thought I would be leading a prayer  and giving a 'khutbah' but I did twice already for Aidil Adha. These are some of the few surprises that happened. I do not know what else is waiting for me in the future? I pray to Allah that whatever it is, it is for the good and something that I can handle.

Preparing for the rain

There's a lot of thinking to do on my part. I am still in the wilderness, as far as a job is concern although I needed one yesterday. Uber driving provided some relief but its only a stop gap measure. I need something more permanent, something more suited to me. Something I am used to like using the brain more rather than physical. Meantime, I have cut down on my expenses to make the saving last a little bit longer. It is drizzling now but there might come a day when it pours. I have to be prepared for it. My last saving grace are my two houses. Worse come to worse, I have to let go either one or both.

The weekend

The weekend was spent at home most of the time. Didn't go anywhere except for the short outing to a nearby Giant supermarket for groceries last night. I went jogging again on Sunday at Titiwangsa, after a long break. It was okay considering I have not been exercising much recently. Daily driving for hundreds of miles has taken a toll on my knee. My knee is hurting. Think I have to stop driving for a while or even stop altogether. Meanwhile, I still continue to lead the prayers at the surau whenever I'm there. Been almost two years now. The weekend was also spent preparing for my monthly ceramah at the same surau. Did some reading to brush up on my knowledge. 

Learning to crawl

Munirah is learning to crawl now. Last night at about 2am, I her her making some sound. I woke up and found her almost at the edge of the mattress, away from her usual place. Lucky thing these days, we sleep on the floor. Otherwise, she would definitely had fell off the bed. We have been sleeping on the floor for so many years already, ever since Akid was about one years old. He is now four plus. We found it safer and better that way. We don't have to worry about the babies falling off the bed. The space is also bigger, giving them more room to roll while sleeping, as kids usually do.

Less needed

Its been okay on the road this week although I do feel there were better times. Whatever it is, I carry on because of nothing better to do at the moment. As usual, was everywhere yesterday, driving almost four hundred kilometres in the process. By the time I was back home, I was totally drained out. These days, I wake up very early in the morning about twenty minutes to five. Somehow, my body refused to sleep after that time. At night, I sleep at about half past eleven. I guess as you get older, sleep is less needed.

Equal chance

With the defeat of Man City last night, the race for the title is wide open again. We all know the perfect start of Man City will not last. The question was when? It was answered last night with the defeat at Tottenham. My guess is there are a few teams that can win the league. They are Man City off course, Tottenham, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Man U. Everton is a long shot but they may surprise. All are performing as expected at the moment. All are in the top half of the table. Its going to be exciting to see who will finally prevail. I dare not guess cause to me, they all have equal chance. 

Nice place to go

Went to my son's house in Kundang yesterday. On the way we passed by the well known 'Tasik Biru', a recreational area for people to unwind. I was surprised by the improvement they have done to the area. A lot of facilities have been added. It certainly looks better than those days when there was nothing much except for the lake. Now they have children playgrounds, a jogging track, sitting areas, stalls selling food and many others. The surrounding grass is well kept unlike before when they were growing without being attended to. The lake also looks blue and inviting. A nice place to go if my house is nearby.

One for the memories

Butterflies in the stomach

This time last year I was struggling with self confidence with regards to my recitation of the Quran while leading the prayers. I would stumble even with simple verses that most of the time I can recite without any problem. I completely lose it after a series of stutters and mistakes, eroding whatever confidence I have left. It was a real struggle, to overcome the problem, to get back to normal. I had to start all over again, sort of. I focus on the short verses, never mind if I was repeating them frequently. My objective was not to make mistakes. That will slowly build up my confidence level once again. Today, I have recovered although I must say not fully. The butterflies in my stomach will not go, that's for sure but at least I am able to control them better now.

Train ride to no where

Went shopping for groceries at the nearby shopping complex. Took the opportunity to let the kids go on a train ride. Its the favourite of Akid. He loves trains as well as cars. 

Getting clever

Munirah is a big girl now. Almost seven months old. Real chubby. Getting clever too. Very soon she will be walking in sha Allah. Then she can join her brother and sister with their non stop antics that sometimes bring the house down.

Tomorrow is another day

I decided to take a break today. Stay at home, do some reading, writing, sleep, memorising the Quran, rest and recover from the hectic driving, eat and more sleep. After all, I'm working on my own. Nobody will question me if I don't show up on the road this morning unlike those days when I was working. Its a great option to have. As for tomorrow, it is another day.

There will be a way

Its been almost three months since I retired. I'm still without a job although I really need one. At sixty years old, my options are somewhat limited. Its not the same as young graduates applying for jobs. Its a retiree looking for a job. There's a vast difference there. Meantime, while waiting for one, I drive Uber for some cash. Its not that much but it will do. It also takes up some of my time so that I will not be bored dong nothing. Its the best arrangement at the moment. As of now, that's the way it is. For the future, I dare not think what it will be like. In sha Allah, there will be a way.

Be careful

Nowadays, we get news from everywhere, including the social media. Living in this kind of environment is good cause we get to hear and see a lot of things but we have to be very careful about some of the news we received. They might be skewed to one side and not tell the whole story. That's the problem these days. People are quick to comment without even checking if the story being presented is telling the whole story or not. This applies to all news that we received, not only from the social media. Newspapers will write stories to please one side. They do it all the time. We need to be careful before believing them. 

Its going to be a great season

This season the premier league is slowly getting back to a familiar pattern. After six weeks, the usual suspects are there and there about unlike last season when it was unpredictable so much so that in the end, an outsider became the champion. This season, it looks more familiar. Man U, Man City, Arsenal, Tottenham, Liverpool, Chelsea, they are all up there in the top half. There's no surprises. One of the above teams will win the league I'm sure. Man City with Pep is perfect so far but Liverpool is going strong as well. Arsenal is long overdue but Man U and Tottenham will put up a fight as well. Its going to be a great season.

Satisfaction guaranteed

After using for about a week my new smartphone that cost me less than eight hundred ringgit, I am thinking how we have been conned into buying phones that costs thousands of ringgit. With all the trendy marketing, the unsuspecting public have been conned into buying the expensive phones when the phones that costs less than a thousand can do the job just as well. Most of the things that that they add to the phones to make them expensive are things we hardly use or notice. Can we tell the difference between the photographs that we capture? No, except the professionals off course. Can we tell the difference between a few milliseconds of speed? No! What about the display? Can a few additions here and there make a difference to us? No! It is all unnecessary! We don't need them. My new phone is giving me lots of satisfaction without having to pay a bomb.

Just you wait and see

Somebody posted on my facebook a write up about the future. Very interesting but also scary because it can happen and will happen. Everybody knows about Kodak and the story of its demised. Within a few short years, from being a household name, it became a non entity. All because of technology. Nobody takes photographs with film anymore. Uber has changed the way we hail taxis. Despite protest from the traditional taxi companies, Uber is here to stay. Already its the biggest taxi company in the world without owning any taxi. It only has a software. AirBnb is the biggest hotel company in the world but it does not own any hotel. It only has a software. You see the pattern here? There are many others that will go the same way. Just you wait and see!

Good times bad times

Business has not been good the whole of this week. I can feel it. It shows in the accounting as well. I have always been a salaried man. At the end of every month I know how much is being put into my bank. Now, its a whole new game for me. I don't even know how much its going to be at the end of the day, not to mention a whole month. There are days when the pickings are good but there are also days when the pickings are just the opposite. There are times when half the day is already gone but my pickings are not even half my target. Then there are times when its only time for breakfast but I have already exceeded my target for the day. I'm learning everyday. Through it all, I learned to be grateful all the time, no matter what the situation, in sha Allah.

Not an option

When I bought my Samsung Note 2 many years ago, it was the phone of the day, albeit together with a few other brands like the I phone. Today, it is so outdated. With applications getting more and more sophisticated, using battery like taking water from the sea, the phone cannot survive. The battery cannot even last half a day. On top of that, charging it is a pain in the arse, with lots of difficulties. That's why I bought a new phone yesterday. Not that expensive! Cost below a thousand ringgit but it does its job. I am satisfied with it so far. I would have like to buy a more expensive phone like I used to but these days, it is not an option.

That's how it is

Yesterday, business was good. The requests keep on coming. They were long drives too including one to the airport. By early morning, I had exceeded my target. Unfortunately, by about 3pm, my phone battery was down to almost zero. I tried charging with the power pack that I brought along but alas, it was all to no avail. It refused to be charged. In the end  I gave up and headed straight for home at 4pm feeling terribly disappointed.

Don't want to be disappointed again, I bought a new phone last night. One with the biggest battery capacity, 5000mAh.  

So today, the battery was doing fine. It lasted three quarters of the day. After that, I charged it with the power pack. It worked beautifully. I can drive till late in the evening but unfortunately, business was only so so. I went home at about five, feeling there's not much use going on and on when the request were few and far between. 

Now I know how the nasi lemak seller by the roadside feels when business is thriving and also when its the opposite. 

Stopped by the authorities

What an eventful day! I was stopped by the SPAD at KLCC while I was dropping passengers there. They took photos of my identity card, license, car and even myself. I was asked to get into their vehicle where I was 'interviewed'. At that moment, my mind was playing games. Will they take me to their office for further investigation? Will they tow away my car? Will I be charged in court? Is it illegal what I'm doing? I was worried, no doubt about that. In the end, I think it was just a show to please the taxi drivers. They were watching from not so far away. Once inside their vehicle and cannot be seen by prying eyes, I was only advised not to do it so blatantly, right in front of the taxi drivers because they are an angry lot. My car may get smashed! Otherwise, I was let go scot free. 

Its a constant challenge

Tonight I'm slotted for my monthly religious talk at the surau. It has been almost a year since I first started giving the talk. To me, its something I can feel great about, given my education backgound and work experienced. I'm an engineer, with a degree in engineering. I didn't go to religious school. So, to be given a monthly slot at the surau is really a great honour to me. No matter if the surau is small and the   audience can be counted with the fingers. Its a responsibility that I take seriously. I am grateful to Allah for giving me the chance. I will do my best in sha Allah. There's still a lot for me to learn. I need to increase my knowledge, read a lot more, have more stories to tell, make my talk interesting and lively. Its a constant challenge.

Long haul

I used to have plenty of time when I first retired. Most days I would be free with nothing to do. I would spent the time sleeping on most days. Because I was sleeping during the day, I sometimes had difficulty sleeping at night. There were times when I couldn't sleep such that I decided to be at my desk with the computer. However, now that I am driving with Uber, sleeping at night is no more a problem. I would go to sleep as soon as I put my head on the pillow. That, in a way is a good thing. Driving the whole day long except for the occasional stop for food and prayer can be tiring. I will get used to it soon. The way things are going, looks like I'm in for the long haul with Uber.

1988 - Penang

With bapak and mak and our children.

1988 - Penang

1965 - Selama Perak

  I was nine years old.Standard 4.

Cannot imagine how

For three days I was on the road. Must have driven more than a thousand kilometres. Alhamdulillah, the roads were quite empty. People are still on holiday. Come next week it will be back to normal. During that time, I have driven to every nook and corner of Kuala Lumpur. Sometimes I don't even know where I am. Where people wants to go, I take them. The GPS is my constant companion. Without it I will be lost. Makes me wonder how it was before the GPS was invented. Cannot imagine how.

A friend has left us

At about 12 noon yesterday, I was shocked to receive the news that one of my friend had just passed away. In fact, I couldn't believed it at first because there was no warning at all. He seems healthy. There was no news of him being hospitalised or being sick or whatever. In fact our Whats Up group received his salam in the morning at 5.36am, which is typical of him. I double checked before I finally accepted that the news is true and not a mistake. A very nice person, loved by all, very sad that he is no more around. Really sad. 

Life is so fragile

Life is so fragile. One day you are well and healthy, the next day you are gone. One day you are rich and famous the next day you are a nobody. One day you are happy and so contented, the next day you are sad and disappointed. Life is like that, like it or not. In my sixty years of living, I have experienced it all. Yesterday, I was sad to hear a friend has passed away. Today I still can't get over it but then, tomorrow is another day. We are all humble servant of Allah. Be grateful always. Then Allah will reward you even more, in this world and in the hereafter.

Aidil Adha

Two of my children came to the house for the Aidil Adha celebration. As for me, was in the house throughout the day except in the morning when I performed my duty leading the prayers and giving the sermon during the Aidil Adha prayers. After that I was in the house all day long.