Unbearable

The El Nino is clearly felt these days. Its very hot during the day. Even at night or early in the morning, I can feel the heat. They say it will last till March. I don't really trust the weatherman so I hope it is not true. Rain would be most welcome but off course not so much until it cause flooding. With the country facing a thrust deficit with all the woes it is encountering, it only add to make the heat unbearable.

No hassle

Last Friday I went to Pantai hospital in Bangsar. This is to get my supply of medicine which I do monthly while every three months I see the doctor. Used to be a hassle because parking is so damn difficult. Nowadays however, ever since I started to use the bike, the hassle is no more. I go early in the morning, get my medicine from the pharmacy and by 8.30am, I'm already in the office. Very convenient. easy ride on the road, easy parking at the hospital. By the way, the hospital has just added a new wing, big and modern. Must be doing very good business. Lucky for me, my previous employer is paying for my medicine. Otherwise, the costs would be difficult for me to sustain.

In the Morning

Morning is an important time of the day. It can start off with a cheer or it can be down in the doldrum. When everything is all right, the whole day will bright and sunny but when things are not quite what you want it to be, then the whole day can be a struggle. In my almost sixty years of living, I have gone through a whole lot of them. There are times when the morning is bright and cheerful and there are times when the morning is dull and gloomy. However, it is mainly up to you how you want your morning to be. Nobody can decide or control your morning because you are in control of yourself. So, no matter what, the morning will always be bright and sunny and cheerful, if you want it to be.

A game of chances

Football is a game of chances. You create the chances, you take them and you win. if you don't, the other team will create the chances, take them and win. Some team create all the chances but don't take them. Arsenal was one such team in the seasons before but not now. Now they take them. That's why they are challenging for the title this season. Liverpool under Klopp is one team that is creating the chances, but not taking them. So many chances created but all went a begging. That's why they lose in matches they should have won, easily too. Barcelona is a team that create the chances and take them. In Messi, Neymar and Suarez, they have the best takers in the world. That's why they are the best team in the world at the moment.

What do you want?

Its back to work after a three days break. The break was good but on Monday, I had this feeling of getting bored a little bit. Perhaps its because of too much rest or its because of having not much to do. I need to get back to work to get the adrenaline flowing once again. Sigh….that's how we are. When we are working we want to have a break because we are getting bored with working. When we are not working, we want to go back to work because we are getting bored not working. Nothing satisfies us. We need to take a good look at ourselves in the mirror every once in a while. Ask ourselves, what do you want?

Maurinho who?

The Liverpool - Norwich match on Saturday was a real cracker. Who could have thought that Liverpool would win after being three one down early in the second half. The match was great to watch not only for the ongoing on the filed but also outside of it. The Liverpool manager Klopp was in his element. That man is a real character. He has introduced a new dimension of the typical football manager. The premier league has never seen anything like him. His uncontrolled anger, his wild celebration, I watch Liverpool now partly because I like watching him. With Klopp around, who needs Maurinho.

Late night

There's no Monday blues today cause its a public holiday. Its another day of rest in the house, to recuperate, to spend time with the family, to go to the surau, to watch TV, to read the Quran etc. I am enjoying it. Last night I slept very very late, almost 2am. Partly I was watching the football on TV, partly because the kids somehow were not sleepy last night. They went on till 1.30am. At times, they were getting on my nerves. Hmm......... This morning I woke early as usual, enough time to go to the surau for the morning prayer but my head and body isn't in the best of shape. Must be the result of the late night sleep last night.

One for the memory

Health is wealth

Yesterday I attended a wedding reception hosted by my friend. His second son I think. Just last month he was well and healthy. Then he had a stroke. Now he is on a wheel chair and not very healthy. he is about my age, sixty. As you grow older, health is the most important thing to take care of. Unfortunately, most people don't. They take it for granted until its too late. You never appreciate how valuable and great being healthy is until you lose it. Its not a given thing. You have to take care of it. I am grateful to Allah I am as healthy as can be for a fifty nine years old. I try to take care of my health although I must admit, not religiously. I pray that I continue to be bless with health, in shaa Allah.

Take them as they come

Its Thursday today. Another day to go before the weekend! Yeah….. I'm feeling positive! No, I shouldn't be writing like this. Everything is fine on all fronts. I'm positive even if its a Monday, not just because today is Thursday and tomorrow will be a Friday. I have a job, I have a family, I have a home. That's all I need. Sure, there are little things here and there that's need tweaking but that's all part of it. That's the way it is! So, be positive and be happy. Life is a roll. Take them as they come. 

Can he do the same?

I didn't follow the ongoing Australian open too much simply because I have no time. At night when they are showing the highlights I will be too tired to care. However, one glaring result that no one could missed was the defeat of Nadal in the first round. The news was everywhere in the papers and in the social media. Its must be very disappointing for him as he had arrived in Australia full of confidence coming off a good four to five months of tennis. Could this be the end of Nadal as we know it? Winner of 14 Grand Slams, king of clay with a never say die attitude? The rest of the year will be telling. Federer came back from a slum at age 30. Nadal is about 30 now. Can he do the same?

Monday blues?

Yesterday I met a friend. We had lunch together. His problem is the opposite of mine. He is tired of doing nothing after retirement. In other words, he is looking for a job for the simple reason that staying at home doing nothing is killing him. There is nothing to look forward to when waking up in the morning. Its like you have become irrelevant. Nobody cares about you and nobody needs you. That feeling can be a killer. Come to think go it, I should be grateful to Allah that I still have a job. It pays me well too. I should be grateful too that I am still relevant. That I am working my brains out everyday. That I have a place to go when I wake up in the morning. Yes, I have it all. Then, why should I have Monday blues?

I wish

No matter how much you had enjoyed working during the day, the best time, the time that you had been waiting for, is the time to go home. No matter how much you had enjoyed working from Monday till Thursday, the best day, the day that you had been waiting for, is Friday cause the day after is Saturday where you can rest at home. Home is where the heart is. That's why Monday is always a drag.  Saturday and Sunday are the best days but too much of it can also be boring. The best would be three/four days of working and three/ four days of rest. Maybe Monday to Thursday working then Friday to Sunday rest or even better, Monday to Wednesday working and Thursday to Sunday rest.

Boredom

After three years of rejoining the workforce, I am getting the feeling back, Monday blues. Really feel like not wanting to go to work. Really don't feel like working. Going to work has become a drag. Physically, I have to force myself to be at work. Mentally, I am just tired. Is it time to call it quit, once again? Or find a new challenge? Something that will stir my mind. Something that will make me feel energetic and lively. No matter what, I need the money. That's why I have to keep on going until such time I can sustain myself or find something to do that will give enough cash to support the family.  

Weekend

The weekend was spent resting at home. It was sleep most of the time except for the walk to the surau for the daily prayers. Even then, I missed a few of the day time prayers, such was the sleep. A big contrast to last week when it I was occupied all the time, Hakimi's wedding. Kimi came to the house on Sunday with the wife. Glad to see both are enjoying their marital bliss. I can see it in their eyes. Last night I watch the football match between Liverpool and Man U. It was a scrappy match with no team able to have any control and pout up a decent passing routine. In the end, Man U was lucky with a 1-0 win. 

The way it is

Another week is gonna be over, the work week I mean. Tomorrow it will be the weekend. Two days break from the working world before Monday comes again. That's the way the world goes and so is the life. Week in, week out, it goes round and round. Its like a turning wheel. There are days when you are up and there are days when you are down and there are days when you are in between. The trick is not to be too concerned or too worried when the chips are down because it will not be down forever. It will go up. It has to because that's the way it is. 

A threat to any team

I have been following this Klopps person since he came over to Liverpool. Almost immediately I can see the difference in the way Liverpool plays their football. They are in control most of the time. Their passing is fast and furious. When they lose the ball, they chase it back. They hurried their opponents into losing the ball. However, there have been times when they lose their way. Then the play becomes terrible. There is no pattern. The passing breaks down even before it started. I guess it will take sometime before they can find the consistency. Then, Liverpool will be a threat, to any team.

Very hot

The weather has been hot and dry the past few weeks. There has been no rain at all, except for a few minutes. Its the El Nino that is passing through. Will go on till March, that's what the weatherman said. In the office its okay because of the air condition but in the house, I can feel it. During weekends, the heat can really be felt. Hope it will rain a bit. That will bring welcome relief from the heat.

Beginning to like the place

I moved from Cheras to Gombak in Dec 2014. That was because I was mostly away from home, being stationed in Bakun for about four months then. The wife found it difficult to cope with the two kids alone so she rented a house in Gombak to be near her parents and relatives. That helped a lot. The house is convenient for me. Its near my workplace but most of all, the surau is a short walk away. That is the key as I have been looking for a place that is near (read walking distance) a mosque or surau. Since then, the surau has become my regular place to go for prayers whenever I am at home but I never anticipated having to be the imam there and giving religious talks. Anyway, that's the way it is. I accept it as another gift from Allah alhamdulillah. However, staying in Gombak was only meant to be temporary until such time when we can buy our own house. The problem is, I am beginning to like the place, for all the things that is happening to me now…….. 

It is Man U off course

The way I see it, LVG has got to go. The team is unable to score, even unwilling to try. It has become so bad that the fans are applauding, in jest off course, when the first shot at goal was fired after almost seventy minutes of game time. Making the top four will be a struggle, let alone winning the premier league. After spending millions of money, nothing seems to come right for him. No player that he has bought has taken the league by storm. On the other hand, one player he has let go is scoring at will in the German league. Could it be that his football philosophy is stifling the his team? The players are afraid to take chances, to try the unknown, to do the fancy stuff. If you are wondering who I am talking about, it is Man U off course. 

More pictures from that day

Am I experiencing it?

The month of December when everybody will find time to go for holidays is over. Its January now. That means its back to business as usual. Its back to the routine. For me, its been three years since I rejoined the workforce after a two years break. After three years, the feeling of wanting to do something else do crops up but only in fleeting moments. Most of the time, I still enjoy my work. It stimulates the brain. I'm learning something new everyday. It also keeps the cash rolling in. Maybe its the word of Allah coming true for me. In my time, I have given away some money for good causes. Not much but some. Later when I am in need of cash, they came and is still coming without me having to look for it. Come to think of it, I was not even fully aware of my situation but I was in dire strait or coming to it. Then this job came when I didn't even look for it. After three years, my pay has more than triple. Now, if that is not a gift from Allah, then I don't know what is! Its a return from the little that I have given away. Yes, the quran says you give one you will get seven hundred in return. Am I experiencing it? Only Allah knows.

Do my best

Somebody else was supposed to give a talk after the Maghrib prayers last Saturday but he couldn't make it at the last minute. I was informed and asked to take over just after leading the Mahgrib prayers the same night. It was a surprise but I couldn't say no. Lucky thing the house is only a walking distance away. I went home quickly, took the book that I wanted to use as a guidance in the talk and came back to the surau. Alhamdulillah, it went well although as always, there are rooms for improvement. In sha Allah, given another chance, I will try to improve. It s a step by step process. I have never given talks before at any surau / mosque. Suddenly, at almost sixty, I am asked to do so. Nevertheless, its an honor and I will do my best, in sha Allah.

Another story

I was especially tired on Sunday. That was when the reception was held at my house. I was busy throughout the day, welcoming guest at the entrance. Many friends came to join the family and me in the celebration. I enjoyed it tremendously, tired as I was. Now there's only Hafizi, the youngest who is still not married. In sha Allah, his time will come soon. After that there's no more except to count the growing numbers of my grandchildren, in sha Allah. Then, in twenty years or more, the next batch will be ready for marriage. That, my friend, will be another story.

Happy ending

Was a busy three days. Everything went well alhamdulillah. Couldn't have asked for more. I was busy the whole three days starting on Friday at Putrajaya and ending in Sg Buloh on Sunday. In between there was the do at Pucong on Saturday. In the end, everything went according to plan. Off course there were hiccups here and there but its all part of the excitement. To Hakimi and his wife, I wish them well. This is the beginning of a new life for them as husband and wife. May the love prevail through lightning and thunder, till Jannah. The responsibilities for Kimi are more, with a wife and in sha Allah children to care for. 

Photos from Kimi's wedding

Everything will work out fine

I'm on leave today. Hakimi's marriage solemnisation is at 4pm. Will be there for the event In sha Allah. Hope everything goes well.

Woke up a bit late this morning. The kids were not well. So my sleeping was interrupted every now and then. In the morning, the alarm came on at 5.20am as usual but I shut it off. The next thing I know, it was already 6.10am.

Fives years ago, I used to sleep at 10pm, everyday. Nowadays, its almost always after 12 midnight. The time changed because of the kids. Now another one is coming. That will again disturb my sleep pattern I presume. Anyway, its all part of life. Things happened for a reason. Be grateful to Allah, all the time. Everything will work out fine.

That's life

Everybody is still not well in the house. The wife, Akid, Maisarah and myself. Been almost a week already. The virus must be real strong. It's not a good feeling to be this way. Last night I felt ok but this morning, it is back although mild. 

Tomorrow I will be on leave for my son's wedding. It will be a busy Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Hope my body can cope. With this on and off sickness, its going to be a real challenge. 

Its tough being a football manager. Another top class manager has just got the sack but I believe he will also be handsomely paid. So in that sense, he is okay. Give a RM20 million, I don't mind getting the sack everyday! 

On and Off

The office is slowly getting back to normal. Parents who went to school for the past few days have now come back to the office. I guess their kids are okay now. As for me, I am still having the sickness that comes and go. Its been a few days already. The trouble with me is I can't take Paracaetamol, if I got the spelling right. That's the medicine for curing of sickness. Just one pill and the head will be throbbing with pain. The pain is terrible. So, I try my best not to take any medicine when I am sick. There was one clinic that gave me Uphamol. That is okay for me but most clinic will have the other one where I am allergic to.

Tired

After work I had to go to Shah Alam for a clothe fitting session. As usual, I had to go through the traffic which was extremely bad. Managed to reach there by 8pm. Was thinking where to do my Maghrib prayer when suddenly right at the u turn near to the place where I wanted to go, I saw a mosque. A spanking new mosque. Big as well. That solved my problem. After that waited for my daughter and her family at the appointed place before going to the tailor's house. The fitting took only a few minutes after which I headed for home. By the time I reached home it was 10pm. Felt very tired what with my body still reeling from the on and off sickness that I have been having the past few days. Akid was sick as well. 

Life is a cycle

With Hakimi's getting married this Friday, there's only one left from the first batch. Hope it will happen sooner rather than later. Marriage is good cause it brings out the responsibility in you. That's when you will start thinking and acting seriously about your future. You get matured real fast, having a wife and soon in sha Allah, a child to take care off. After that, I have the next batch but that is a long way away. I have to take care of them first, guide them as they grow up until they are ready for marriage but that will be later. For now, I have to think about how to get the food on the table first. That's the basic. In sha Allah, I will try my best, just as I did with my four children from the first batch. Life is a cycle, for me at least. Now I'm on my second cycle.

Busy weekend ahead

The body is not in the best of health. Been like this since the weekend. I guess it must have come from the house. My wife is sick. Akid is sick. Maisarah is like me, on and off. Its not a good feeling. I need to be fresh and raring to go. I didn't go jogging last weekend because I felt I was not up to it. This week will be a busy one with Hakimi's marriage events starting Friday with the Akad in Putrajaya. It will be followed by main event on Saturday in Pucong hosted by the bride's family and finally the reception on Sunday at my house in Sungai Buloh. However, in between, I will try to find the time for a short jog. 

No distraction whatsoever

What begun as a quiet Sunday turned out to be a very stressful one by day's end. As a result, I didn't have a good sleep last night meaning I come to work this morning in a not so good feeling. Hope as the day's move on, the return to my feet. Today is the first Monday of the new year. All the workforce are back except for the parents who have to go to school together with their children. I need to be able to fully focus on my work. There's plenty to do. No distraction whatsoever. 

Peace and relaxation

After so many months of being the imam, I still get goosebumps whenever the time comes for leading the prayers. It is something I need to overcome, no doubt about it. My heart beats faster, my throat gets drier and sometime I lose my voice. Recently I read an article of a person who left his high paying job just so that he can become an imam of a mosque where the pay is a mere fraction of what he was getting. But he loves it. He finds peace and relaxation in being an imam. How I wish I can be like him. I pray to Allah that one day I can find peace and relaxation as well. That I can recite the quran in a calm and relax manner. That I can lead the prayers, all because of Allah.    

Surrounded by mosques and surau

The village that I am living now in Gombak is surrounded by mosques and surau. Every time when prayer times comes, the call for prayer can be heard loudly, not from one mosque or surau but from many. I don't even know where some of the mosques and surau are located but I can hear the calls very clearly. One that I instantly recognise is off course the one coming from the surau that I frequent. Where I am the imam now. I also recognise the call coming from the mosque that is located at 4th mile Gombak road. That's the mosque that I go for my Friday prayers whenever I am at home. other than that, I don't know where the calls are coming from although I can hear them loud and clear.

Hello 2016

Hello 2016. Welcome. I was too sleepy to welcome you last night. Couldn't open my eyes. About fifteen minutes before you came, I was already too tired to care. Soon after, I was fast asleep. This morning I woke up to welcome you. At the surau, a friend wishes me happy new year. I said thank you. I wish you the same. 2016 is going to be a challenging year for me. I must prepare myself for all eventualities. Come what may, I am prepared in sha Allah. I pray to Allah that He does not give me a burden or challenge I can't carry. I pray to Allah that I am always bless with good health, a life of obedience to the One and Only. Oh Allah, let me be Your obedient servant, Your faithful servant. Let me be grateful to You.