How to choose when there is no choice!

Making choices is always hard especially if it is between the devil and the deep blue sea. Choose one way, it is the devil. Nobody in the right mind would want to be with the devil! Choose the other way, it is the deep blue sea. Unless you are a good swimmer, chances are you are going to get drown! In situation like this, what do you do?

Its the same old story

Once again, Malaysia got whipped, this time 5 goals to nothing by UAE. And we were playing at home! What in the world is happening to Malaysian football? Are we that bad? Its terrible! I have already given up hope of ever seeing Malaysia playing in the world cup finals, at least not in my lifetime. If we can't even match the strides of UAE, just cannot imagine what will happen to us when playing the likes of Brazil, Germany and the rest of the elite of world football. What ever happened to the days when we were equals to South Korea and Japan while Thailand was a step behind. Now even Thailand is consistently beating us!

Getting on in age

I first noticed it when I was in my thirties. The tiredness took a longer time to go away after a game of football. It will be a few days before I will feel fully recovered and ready to play again. Before, I can play football day after day after day and still able to give my best every time without feeling tired. There was no need for a recovery period. Immediately after a game, all I needed was a good bath, a good night sleep and I'm ready again. Now, in my early fifties, its even longer! I marvel at people in their fifties, sixties and even seventies and yet, can still finish a marathon. They must be really fit.

An exciting battle looms in KT

Just when we thought the politics have slowed down to a trickle, overtaken by the financial tsunami, Kuala Trengganu comes to the fore. And what a battle it will be! Unlike Permatang Pauh, where the likely winner was known right from the beginning, KT is another story altogether. There's no clear favourite. Both has equal chance, discounting the independent candidate off course. So, 17th January is going to be an exciting day indeed! In between, there'll be a lot of excitement for the supporters of both sides as well as for keen observers like me!

A picture paints a thousand words - I have four

At the wedding reception

Another view

Padi fields a week away from picking

Stayed at this homestay near Kangar town

Going North

Padi fields as far as the eye can see - somewhere in Kedah

Stopover in Sg Petani for the Friday prayer

On Friday 31st Dec, I went to Kangar, Perlis for my niece wedding reception. Left the house at 9 in the morning. Decided to take a nice leisurely drive while enjoying the sceanary. Didn't reached Kangar till about 5 pm. 8 hours altogether it took me to get to Kangar but I didn't feel tired at all. Maybe that's the secret. Don't try to get to the destination as soon as possible. Just enjoy the drive and you'll be amazed at what a difference it will make!

Come today, gone tomorrow

I have been sitting here at my desk staring at the computer for almost an hour already and still I'm at a lost at what to write. The funny thing is I had this interesting piece in my mind just last night and had planned to write it early this morning. So here I am at my desk as planned but I just can't remember what it was that I had wanted to write. Been unsuccessfully trying to recall what it was that got me all excited last night so much so that I had difficulty sleeping! I had to say to myself, sleep first. Tomorrow early in the morning you can write it. But now, its all gone! Just like that. The memory just fail. I give up!

Just the three of us

The holiday season is almost over. After a long break, the schools will be starting soon. The universities are also almost back in full swing. My son, Hanafi, has gone back to UTM Skudai to begin his new semester. My daughter, Fatihah, has already started her new semester one week ago at UIA while my youngest, Hafizi, is well into his second semester of his foundation year at Uniten. So that left just the three of us in the house on most days, my wife, Shima, my eldest son, Hakimi and myself.
Come 2009, which is just a few days away, I will also be back at work. Back to the routine of the last 29 years. That's how long I have been working! Just seems like yesterday when I first reported for work way back in 1979. Anyway, that's another story...

A Night Out in Shah Alam

Hanafi in front of Plaza Alam Sentral

A Night Out in Shah Alam

View of SACC Mall

At McDonald

A Night Out in Shah Alam

In front of Plaza Alam Sentral, Shah Alam

The whole family decided not to have the usual dinner in the house. Instead we went to Shah Alam for a change. Left the house after the Isya prayer and headed for Plaza Alam Sentral first to meet Hakimi. Decided to try one of the many stalls there for some food and Teh Tarik. Later on went to McDonald in Section 4 for more food.

A year is gone.... so fast

As the year draws to a close, I can't help but reflect on the year that has been. For me, nothing much have changed. I'm still much the same, working to make an honest living, making ends meet at the end of the month. No doubt the pot has got much bigger than when I first started but then the needs and the wants has also grown in tandem. I would say 2008 is a trying year as the world grapples with the economy that is rapidly slipping. Until a solution is found, 2009 can only gets worse.
Life, as they say is a never ending lesson!
As for me, only God knows what awaits in 2009. I, as always, can only look forward to it.

A Day Out

Having Teppanyaki for a change

So far my holidays had been spent lazing around the house, doing nothing much except eat, watch TV, go to the mosque, swim and sleep. Was getting a bit bored. Perhaps this is how it will be when I retire in a few years time. Anyway, today, on Christmas day, decided to go to Low Yat to have a look at some of the new computers and handphones in the market.

Saturday and Sunday

The Perdana Ballroom
Cars parked alongside the road almost a kilometre away from the market.

Saturday morning, I was at Mid Valley for a bowling event organised by my department for some of TNB's partners. On Sunday I went jogging with my wife at the Shah Alam lake. Then stopped by at the Sunday market for some groceries before heading home. Looking at the cars parked by the roadside and the large crowd, you'll never thought that we are in an economic slowdown. People are still buying! and buying! and buying!
Later in the evening, we attended a wedding reception at the Felda Perdana Ballroom, KL. One of our Haji friend ( we met while performing the haj in 2002) was marrying off their daughter. By the time we got home, it was almost midnight. And to think that early tomorrow morning, I have to send my son to Uniten. So much for the holiday............

One busy holiday

Just when I thought I could spend my first day of holiday lazing around the house, I was jolted from my thoughts by my wife asking me to accompany her to the immigration department in Putrajaya. Our application for a new maid has just been approved and we need to collect the documents. So off we went to Putrajaya to do the necessary. Made it just in time to collect the documents and still be able to go for the Friday prayer at the mosque near my house.
Then after the prayer and lunch, I thought I could just spent the afternoon quietly in bed and slowly doze off but alas! it was not to be. My daughter wanted me to accompany her to the Store in Sungai Buloh town. She wanted to repair her computer. It seems that the WiFi is Kaput. So there goes the afternoon and also the first day of holiday.

When Life is at a Crossroad

In life, you don't always get what you want. Many a times you are forced to make a choice. However, no matter what's the choice, you are bound to loose something. In other words, choose one way or the other, you'll end up the loser.
In circumstances like this, you can only choose the one which you think will cause you to lose the least. Nonetheless, in most cases, the choice is not that simple. Firstly, you never want to lose anything. Secondly, the loses are not always tangible. Therefore, how do you know which choice will make you lose the least?
In Islam, the prophet has taught us how to make a choice when faced with such a circumstances. Do the 'Istikharah Solat'. If you do it with all sincerity, then God will guide you in His own way to the right choice.

The Wedding Ceremony

The Akad Nikah was followed by the wedding feast on Saturday at Kelab Golf SSAS, Shah Alam. The invitees were mainly her friends and close relatives. After this the welcoming ceremony by the bridegroom will be held in Perlis, his home state.

Akad Nikah

The Gifts
The Bride
The Bridegroom waiting to Akad

Last Thursday I attended the akad nikah of my niece. The event was held at masjid Al falakh, USJ. Real glad it went without a hitch.

I read the news today

Bulls on a rampage!
The Hang Seng index jumped dramatically higher over the last three days. Although there was a slight setback on the second day, the bulls came charging back today. Similarly, over the last 10 days, the Dow Jones has mostly been on the rise. Other indexes have also shown similar upward trends though not as much. Have we have seen the last of the bears?

Another tragedy, another round of announcement
Yet another tragedy happened. Same area. 14 bungalows destroyed by a massive landslide resulting in 4 deaths. Immediately, announcement after announcement were made. Mainly, to say no more hillside development. How many times have I heard it all before? Yes, for a few months, there will be a lot of hue and cry but soon enough, everything will quieten down and the development will start ......... again. Until another tragedy!

What ills Malaysian football?
I saw the third goal scored by Vietnam in the match against Malaysia. What a joke! My grandmother could have done better! The days when Malaysia could stand on the same ground with Japan, Korea and even Thailand are long gone! Where are the Soh Chin Ans the Mokhtar Dahari, the M. Chandran? Where? Please show up!

This the season for Haj

Once again, the haji season is back. More than two million people from all over the world will converge in the holy city of Makkah to do the haj. It will begin on 10 zulhijjah with the wukuf in Arafah, follwed by the stone throwing rituals in Mina for three days and finally the Tawaf and Sai in the grand mosque.
I have done it twice. Once in 1996 when I went alone. Then in 2002 with my wife. Both times the experienced were something I can never forget. To finally see for myself Makkah, the Masjidil Haram, the Kaabah, Bukit Uhud, Masjid Qiblatain, Masjid Nabawi in Madinah and many many others. It was real and its happening right before my eyes!