I’m rather glad to announce (as if anybody’s interested) that the swelling on my eyelid is healing quite nicely. After religiously applying eye drops and other medication, the subsidence is encouraging. Slowly recovering my mojo after days of discomfort. Well maybe I’m not too vain after all. Come to think of it, I didn’t make regular trips to the toilet to check my eye out in front of the mirror. I have a new resolution. I’m going to cherish the feeling of being healthy now. Although I have this niggling feeling that I may be saying too much too soon. Let’s see what happens when I wake up tomorrow morning shall we?
After being sick and seeing others get sick, I have a fairly good knowledge about medical stuff now. No, I’m not about to become Dr. Shahrin Albakri anytime soon, but I know a fair bit about these things. You see, whenever I’m unwell (or the people around me are unwell) I do a great deal of research about whatever sickness that is afflicting myself and people around me. Back in 2008, I was admitted to the ICU of Selayang Hospital because of a bad asthma attack. I was unconscious for 36 hours, I think. I really believed I was on the brink then. Apparently the doctors told my family I would only regain consciousness after 5 days (if I do regain consciousness). That’s a scary thought, isn’t it?
Now, I try to take care of myself. Since I moved to JB, I’ve managed to shed 8 kilogrammes in all. Not bad at all. No, I didn’t suddenly become an exercise freak or watched what I eat. I just didn’t know what to eat. Every night I go to the same place I’m already good friends with the guys there. I wrote about it more than a month ago. I’m wary of the fact that losing weight doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re healthy. I’m fine with that. To me, losing weight is a lot better than being obese (although I think I still am) and being a magnet for diseases. So I’m fine as it is now. There’s more weight to lose though. I have this totally weird way of judging the way I look. My yardstick is how I look on a bike. Once I look like a bear riding a bike, that is the time when I know I’m overweight. Although I don’t exactly look like Nicky Hayden on my bike now, I think I’m still OK.
Now, about last week’s rally. No, I’m not going to write about my stand on it. I’m just going to write about something else in connection to the rally which nearly affected me in a big way. A few days ago, I wrote about going on leave on Friday, 8th July after settling the work in relation to the company’s Board of Director’s meeting. Actually I just felt tired and went on leave on Friday. So I left for KL on Thursday night. Little did I know that by going back on Thursday night I managed to escape one of the worst traffic jams in recorded traffic jam history. The massive jam was as a result of police roadblocks to monitor people who were coming into the city. Luckily on my way back on Thursday I was only impacted in a small way. There was a roadblock near my house in JB and another one on the highway. Nothing major.
So I was already home on Friday. Apparently commuters were stuck on major roads for three, some four hours. Reading my friends’ remarks (or rather, curses) in Facebook made me rather grateful of my inadvertent escape. All the major routes to my house in Gombak were closed. Jalan Tun Razak, Lebuhraya Mahameru and Jalan Kuching. I would have to brave through the MRR2. I don’t take the MRR2 even on normal days. It’s an absolute nightmare. So again, I’m grateful. On a side note, apart from monitoring people’s entry into the city, I honestly believe the roadblocks were held to instil hatred at the organisers of the rally. Probably the most often used phrase the whole of last week was “menyusahkan orang” or something along those lines. Which I think is absolutely spot on.
There, I’ve let it out. I have other thoughts on the rally, but that’s private. Involves expletives. So I’d rather not put it in writing just yet. For now.
As I said earlier, this time I’m thinking of going off tangent on my writing principle. I feel like writing about the recent street march/protest. I do feel rather strongly about it and I’m sure to take sides. However, I’m not going to do it. I’ve read so much about it, I don’t feel I can contribute to the plethora of views already expressed on the subject matter. Well, it’s kind of difficult to be diplomatic in commenting about this issue. So I’m just going to stay away.
Now I have swollen eyelid. On my right eye. Which is not a good thing. Actually I had symptoms of it last week. Went to the clinic and it got better. For some reason it decided to come back. Really bad. I have medication to relieve the swelling, antibiotics and eye drops, supposedly to kill the germs currently building a city in my eyelid. Must be quite a sizeable city as the swelling is quite bad.
I learned one thing about myself during this ordeal and I’m not proud of it. It appears that I am a vain person. Not that I was not a vain person before, but the manifestation of the feeling takes a whole dimension when I suffer an ailment which affects the way I look. I have always believed in looking my best. Most of the time at least. But now all that is ruined due to this condition that I have. I know it will go away really soon, but that’s just how human beings are isn’t it? For example every time I get a sore throat, without fail I’ll think of the feeling I have when I do not have a sore throat. But when I am doing fine, I never appreciate the way being fine feels. As humans, we never appreciate something/someone until they’re gone. Not so bad in the case of a clear throat. It’s just about time. It clears up after a few days. What about if it’s a person? Almost always when you don’t appreciate someone, chances of you getting him/her back is pretty slim if he/she decides to leave. So heads up guys. Start appreciating people who are close to you (if you have not done so).
The vain me feels ever so conscious about my appearance. You feel that people are always looking at where it’s swollen. They may or they may not. But the feeling of inadequacy is always there. I have to get rid of it, somehow. You see, every night (so far) after taking my medication I go to sleep with high hopes that the next day when I wake up, the swelling will be gone. When I wake up, it’s there, bigger than ever. As the day progresses, it subsides. Which is great. After taking my medication, I retire with the same hope. The next day the vicious cycle repeats itself. So tonight, I pray hard that tomorrow it’ll go away for good.
Things like this throw you off your game somewhat. I can strongly feel it. Well I guess it’s all about the whole consciousness about it again. They say if you don’t let it bother you, it won’t. Something about mind over matter. I’m rather sheepish about the whole thing, but I’m not a hypocrite either. So I’m just going to say that I’m bothered about it and may not get to function normally until this condition goes away. Which I hope is soon.
It has been a busy week (which explains the lack of entries. Or am I just tired of this whole blogging thing and am currently in denial? Let’s see). And the best thing about going through a busy week is when you are on leave at the end of said week. Which I am today. So at this moment I’m at home watching a recorded MotoGP race, a cup of coffee in hand. Bliss!
The company’s Board of Directors’ meeting was held last Tuesday. Which thankfully was rather uneventful. Since my department organised the meeting, wouldn’t want anything untoward happening. And having cleared the first BOD meeting was definitely a feather in my cap. As somebody who never did any company secretarial-related matters before, it was definitely a daunting task to organise a BOD meeting attended by high profile personalities. And now that it’s over, I can go on leave and recharge.
Anyway, the other night I saw this show called “Intervention” on the Bio channel on Astro. In the show’s context, intervention is used in the medical sense. The Medical Dictionary defines intervention as “an act performed to prevent harm to a patient or to improve the mental, emotional, or physical function of a patient“. In that particular episode, a lady got married rather too early. Ended up with a messy divorce and lost the custody of her daughter. She sought solace in drugs. As a result, she became an addict and is a total wreck. As usual, people in this situation are almost always in denial. The family members (individually) confronted her and tried to make her realise what she’s doing is wrong and is causing irreparable damage to herself.
The thing is, the addict not only hurts herself, but the people around her as well. The show contains scenes where the family members would have conversations amongst themselves about the addict and the scenes show the mother and grandmother in tears. I guess the moment came when they realised they couldn’t make a difference anymore. They then engaged an “intervention therapist” who guided them on the methodology and the process of the said intervention. Although the process didn’t go as smooth as the family would’ve liked, the addict finally agreed to go for rehab.
I wonder at the apparent willingness of the family to be filmed during the whole process. Especially the addict’s agreement to be filmed at probably the lowest point of her life. Well, that’s the point of reality TV isn’t it? I do think the family was paid a fair bit to allow the documentation of their collective lives. I think that’s the true definition of reality TV. Not some contest where people compete to be the best singer, chef or whatever. I believe reality TV is about showcasing people’s lives, documenting the trials and tribulations they face. Although I honestly believe there’s been an absolute overload of self-labeling “reality TV” programs nowadays. I used to watch some of them but none had the staying power to interest me into really following them consistently.
Moving on, the other day TV3 invited the tallest guy in the world (a Pakistani dude) to come to their morning chat show program, Malaysia Hari Ini. I really pity the guy. He had problems standing up straight. Probably because of the height, his bone structure may be a bit unstable. What irked me was the way he was treated by the TV3 guys which in my view lacked sensitivity. I know he’s a bit weird being very tall and everything, but that’s hardly a reason to treat him like some sort of freak. Here he was, probably a little bit clueless about the whole thing (and facing a little bit of trouble standing straight), being measured with a measuring tape by one of TV3’s staffers who rather sensitively let out a secret, “nampaknya tali pengukur ini tidak cukup panjang untuk mengukur ketinggian Mr. so and so.” They proceeded to ask him questions like, “since when you starting growing non-stop” or something like that. My God, let the man have some dignity will you? Bad enough he’s having problems with his height. The last thing he needs is you rubbing it in.
In my next entry I’m considering straying from my writing principle. One of my unwritten rules is I will not write about politics. However I am extremely tempted to provide my opinion on the recent street demonstrations. Let’s see.
I read the New Straits Times. Have been doing so for many years (I read the Star at the office. That’s what they provide me with). I look forward to Sunday’s edition, The New Sunday Times. Apart from the usual news, there’s the Cars, Bikes and Trucks pullout. So as usual today, I got my copy. As I flip through the pages, I saw this article of an interview with a distinguished lady who is the current NAM Institute for the Empowerment of Women Malaysia (NIEM) Tan Sri Dr. Rafiah Salim. The article is entitled, “Men, your wives are not doormats“. It’s part of a series of articles pursuant to the Government’s newly-announced policy of women making up 30 per cent of corporate decision-making positions by 2016.
I have nothing but respect for women and I believe beyond the shadow of a doubt they’ll make good decision makers wherever they are. I have seen some at work too. My superior at Group level when I was at my previous employment was a lady. In fact, at Group level there has never been a male boss (as long as I was there). And I connect well and have a great amount of respect for all of them. As such I honestly believe they should be given a fair crack at the whip. The oft-mentioned example is the current Central Bank Governor, Tan Sri Dato Sri Zeti Akhtar Aziz. I think she’s doing a good job and she’s here to stay.
OK, back to the above article. To be perfectly honest, I take issue with a few of the remarks made by the learned Tan Sri. If you don’t find the time to read it, I’ll reproduce some passages of said article and comment on them (note that this is not selective prosecution. It’s not a long article anyway). The first one is where she said,
“For a change, it’s about time men realise that they are equally responsible, they should share the burden for the sake of the country. Why should the man come home in the evening, sit happily in the living room and read the papers while the woman, who has been slogging in the office, rush home to care for the baby and cook all the meals for her family.”
I don’t think the above statement is a fair one. At least not in the city anyway. For starters, most people have helpers at home now (the popular term is “maid”. I just felt “helper” is a more dignified term. They do “help”, don’t they?). And the women who come back and cook are usually helped by said helpers who in turn, helps with caring for the children. Although I do know of some women who fits the description of the statement above. For these women, I have the highest level of respect. Their job is a 24 hour one. They work hard (women do work hard. It’s a fact), and then go back to tend to their families. These women deserve a great deal of appreciation from their spouses. Husbands who don’t respect and appreciate these women are frankly, jerks (or any other derogatory term of your choice). On the other hand, there are men who help out as well. They do not lounge around and expect that everything is laid out for them. They don’t “sit happily in the living room and read the papers…“.
The Tan Sri goes on to say, “Even worse, there are men who sit down and say to their wives, ‘ambilkan air untuk saya’ (get me some water) — they sound like invalids. It’s about time these types of men change their lifestyles. This mentality is purely cultural. Don’t just know how to make babies, also learn how to take care of them; take equal responsibility.” I have an issue with this one. And I’m not quoting this because it fits my argument. In fact, the statement follows the previous one. Does the mere fact that a man asks his wife for water when he reaches home from work warrants a change in lifestyle for the guy? Come on. We men are not slave drivers. Sure, get your own water. I have no issues with that. But putting the request for water in isolation like it’s some sort of a male-chauvinistic way of treating your wife is just not right. And sounding like an invalid while we’re at it. Obviously I don’t condone treating your wife like a slave (and I do know some men who still do, the jerks) , but “don’t just know how to make babies, also learn how to take care of them?” I’m sorry, but dear Tan Sri, but that’s rather harsh, don’t you think?
Honestly, I know of some men who really take the trouble. Waking up at night when the baby is crying, preparing the baby’s milk, that sort of thing. Some people have really got to get in touch with reality and stop generalising, because that’s exactly what I think the Tan Sri is doing.
She proceeds to say, “Who says she needs to cook every day? These days, you can order food to be sent to your home. If her husband doesn’t like it, maybe he can try cooking for himself. Women must learn to manage.” With this, I cannot agree more (although I can’t cook to save my life). However, let’s think about this for a second. Some women love to cook. And so they do. Some men like their wife’s cooking, as do children love their mother’s cooking. I know women find great joy seeing food they cook is enjoyed by the family. So I do not see the problem there, unless the cooking bit becomes a chore. There’ll also be problems when say, the wife doesn’t feel like cooking and suggests that the family eat out. To which the husband flatly refuses and insists that she cooks because “that’s what women do. It’s their responsibility.” Then that’s wrong.
I’d like to quote more passages from the interview, but it’s late now and I’m rather tired. And I apologise if this rant is offensive. Although as I said, the statements made mirror generalising a little bit too much for my liking. And it’s not really the prevailing reality. Although I do realise the fact that there are men out there who take for granted the roles played by their respective spouses and just refuse to play an active roles in family development and general well being. Of course I’m no angel myself but I always try to improve. It is a shared responsibility and as the saying goes, you never appreciate something/someone until it/he/she is gone. So to those still in dreamland, it’s definitely time to wake up and smell the coffee.
I haven’t had much experience in training people. Actually I conducted a spot of IT training while I was in between jobs back in 2006. It was definitely an enlightening experience. I got to do what I love i.e. speaking in front of a crowd. I already had a fair bit of experience in that having litigated many cases in court. But speaking in front of a crowd is a totally different experience. Sure the lines are standard and rehearsed, but to be honest nothing beats the experience of seeing the expression on people’s faces when they listen to you. I’ve always tried my best to make my presentations interesting and rather relaxed. And I thoroughly enjoyed it. I’d jump at the opportunity if I was given one now.
Then there’s the other aspect of training. Which is coaching actually. The objective is to turn a bona fide greenhorn into somebody who is proficient in another field which he/she isn’t trained for in the first place. This is also another thing which I love to do. Provided of course the trainee possesses the right attitude and in the first place, has the desire to learn. I do believe that everybody has the capability of picking up new knowledge given the right attitude and the right type of trainer. It is all about using the right approach.
In the organisation I work for, there’s this programme where a select few are currently being trained as future leaders. It’s a programme where these individuals are trained in commercial thinking and at the end are supposed to come up with a project for the company. The project could take the form of a business model or in general something which would benefit the company. Each of them are assigned to a mentor. I am flattered to have been chosen as one of the mentors. You see, my mentee is a lady from the IT department of the company. She is a pleasant lady who confessed to me of her lack of communication skills when she joined the company about 4 years ago. For somebody who can’t really communicate, I see that she has progressed by leaps and bounds in 4 years. Good for her obviously.
I do try and coach those who are under my care to the best of my ability. I see that as my responsibility. When everybody’s standards improve, so will productivity and the level of competency. There’s nothing more satisfying than being able to delegate with your eyes closed. By that I mean delegation to staff who are well versed in their own area of work. I must say I have a good set of staff at the moment, but there is still room to improve everybody’s competency level, including mine. There has got to come a time when the department is respected as one which does its work properly, while at the same time not compromising quality. I honestly believe that the Legal Department is one of the pillars of the company and should always ensure that the organisation’s interests are protected from all angles.
I do hope we’ll be able to reach that standard. To do that requires bloody hard work. I know we’ll get there someday. For now, everybody’s attitude (including mine) would have to be tuned to look towards the same goal which is raising the standards of the department collectively, without leaving anybody behind.
On another point, in my view the way a superior manages his/her department or unit or whatever it is should never be underestimated. A superior can inspire staff members and motivate them to no end. Or on the other end of the scale, be the one who ultimately destroys morale and send the department/unit on a downward spiral. This must never be the case if one is to maintain a high degree of productivity coupled with a high level of morale. Although I admit it is never easy. There has to be an equilibrium. Some bosses are hard taskmasters. For these types it’s absolutely critical to have a subordinate who possesses the right kind of attitude. Someone who doesn’t lose his/her head when the said superior is being hard on them and at times being overly critical. If the subordinate gives up easily, a hard taskmaster would definitely make a bad boss. But with the right attitude, much could be learned.
Some other superiors (like me) prefer the diplomatic way of management and coaching. Again, attitude plays a huge part. A subordinate with the wrong attitude may not get to learn much and be relaxed due to the diplomatic nature of the superior. In any case, I firmly believe that harmony in the office is of utmost importance. I place a high degree of emphasis on a good work environment. In my view, nobody likes to come to work. Given the chance, most people (including me) would like to relax on a beach somewhere and watch the RM rolling in. I admit there are people who lived a charmed life like that. Unfortunately I don’t. As such, I don’t see the point in making the office environment hostile to the level that people dread coming to work.
With a conducive working environment and a unified workforce, I believe any organisation would go places. Sure you can’t please everybody, but there’s certainly no harm in improving the general condition and atmosphere at the office. Try it, you never know what you can achieve.
In my life, I’ve met many people. All sorts of people. I must say that most of the people I’ve met are absolutely nice, caring and reasonable. People who’ve helped me get through problems. People who come to my aid at times when I thought help wasn’t coming. There are also people who offered me words of encouragement while I was at my lowest ebb. These are perfect models for a human being (in my view, at least). Looking at the example set, I try my best to be reasonable and nice to everyone I meet. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. If you have experienced good deeds from other people to you, it makes you feel good doesn’t it? As such replicate it unto others and share the joy.
However, that is not the subject on my mind just about now. I’d like to write about people who are the exact opposite of those described above. I am right now thinking about opportunists, hypocrites and people who are selfish down to the bone. In my life, I believe it’s always good to at least try and put others before myself. Of course I have my own problems to deal with, but it doesn’t hurt to consider other people’s interests before thinking of my own. I definitely don’t put others before me in situations which could prove to be detrimental to me (except where family is concerned of course). Now, back to the opportunists. The Merriam-Webster’s Learner’s Dictionary defines “opportunist” as “someone who tries to get an advantage or something valuable from a situation without thinking about what is fair or right.”
I think the above definition sounds just about right. Now, relating the definition to people I’ve met, I was in a situation where a few people around me were in dire straits. Somebody close to us was a supremely selfish person. And I wouldn’t be overreacting if I say that our very livelihoods depend hugely on this person’s actions. I hated it then. My destiny (at least in the short term then) was not in my own hands. Opportunists around me did this person’s bidding (obviously without thinking about the rights or wrongs in doing so). They had this illusion of grandeur that something great was going to happen to them. You know, people who are not inclined to work hard and hoping that someday untold riches and prestige would fall on their collective laps. You hear things like, “Oh, if we get this (or that) we’re gonna get (…) millions.” (insert the figure you fancy in the blank). At that particular moment, I was of the firm believe the word “conscience” didn’t even register in their minds.
Well, as with things like this, everything turned turtle after a while. I left without looking back and was very happy to part company with people of this sort. Good riddance, I say. The Merriam-Webster’s Learner’s Dictionary defines “hypocrite” as “a person who claims or pretends to have certain beliefs about what is right but who behaves in a way that disagrees with those beliefs.” Here’s the thing. When I left the organisation above, someone else left with me. We were absolutely determined to make it outside and prove everybody we know previously wrong. There’s this particular mantra which was always drummed into us (or shoved down our throats. Take your pick). It goes something like, “If you leave, you’ll never make it. Don’t worry, just stay. When we make those millions, everybody will be OK.” So when we left, we wanted to make a difference.
The favourite conversation topic whenever we met would be how we hate this selfish guy. I made it clear that I do not want to be associated with him in any way at all. I was actually coaxed by this guy who left with me to make friends with that selfish fellow. “Who knows we could make something if we just got back together with him. Let’s not be there on a formal basis, just maybe we could get some ‘tempias’ if he indeed makes it,” he said to me. Not in a bloody million years I said. Although the experience taught me a lot about a lot of things, I know mixing with people of this character would always end in tears. I heard recently this friend of mine is back in the fold. As he said, not on a formal basis, but the process has begun, again. Heard him socialising with the selfish guy, “sleeping with the enemy” as it were. For someone who was in the doldrums most of the time and having the gumption to go back to the very person who caused the heartache in the first place, the guy must have b*lls of steel, I tell you. And acting totally against his very beliefs. That’s hypocrisy. And still telling stories about how bad the guy is every time we meet.
I have a lot of hate in me. There are certain times like this, I choose to let it out. If I don’t, it’ll just drive me crazy with anger. I don’t try to suppress it, I just try to control it. I do not in any way want to be eaten up by my own anger towards others. As the wise one once said, “anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering.” Can you guess who it was?
I have 2 friends that I know so far who are leaving or have left my previous workplace. I myself left back in February and am very happy where I am now (don’t want to say too much or I might jinx it). It appears that the turnover rate is quite high where I was. When you work somewhere, there are a multitude of factors to consider. Are you happy with work? Are you being paid reasonably well? Do you have a good boss and/or colleagues? To be honest, I left because I wanted to learn a new industry (the pay is better as well. Not to say so would make me a first class hypocrite). My previous place of work was a property development company. Not just any property development company but the biggest property development company in the country. It’s a mega conglomerate, a Government-linked company. Not a bad place to be, isn’t it?
I was there for four years. During which, I must say I learned a lot. Benefits were good, the pay not too shabby. I was in the Legal Department. Alone at first, then the department grew to a healthy size of 10 including me. The role of the department is for the majority of the time, an understated one. I think it is understandable that in an organisation, the department(s) which makes money for the company is usually the cherished one, be it sales or marketing or whatever. Obviously the common thought and impression is the personnel in that department should be taken care of as they are the ones who performed duties which ultimately would bring revenue to the company. As such there may be a higher level of focus in the activities of the said department.
I’ve certainly no issues with that. In fact, I encourage it. Evaluate the needs and requirements and ensure that the department meets its critical objectives (I somehow deride the phrase KPI for some reason. Rather over used in my opinion. The other one is the word “strategic”). But let’s think about this for a moment. The Legal Department certainly doesn’t make any money for the company (well, not in the traditional method, anyway. Although for the life of me I cannot think of how I make any money for the company, haha). Although by ensuring the company or organisation goes into any transaction with its eyes wide open by minimising risks and exposure (legal and non-legal) I honestly believe the Legal Department saves the company quite a lot of money and trouble. Who knows what the future holds.
The other thing is, I’ve always seen myself as a problem solver (sounds grand. It never is. Actually I’d rather be a problem eliminator). In my line of work, people come to me with all manners of problems. Obviously mostly work-related. And I’ll try to do my absolute best to alleviate their troubles. At times, it’s not easy. But it’s just that people are counting on me to at least come up with a some measure of solution. I’ve always taken great pride at managing to solve many of the problems given to me. Although there have been hits and misses. In any case, it never is a losing situation. If you succeed, you thank Allah and should you fail, you learn and ensure that whatever got you into trouble is never repeated. Which is difficult. Sometimes you just forget. As such I try to write down all these lessons in order to serve as a reminder.
I have digressed quite a bit. Thought of writing about turnover. Got carried away with all the Legal Department stuff and my work. Anyway, I wish all my friends who are leaving their current workplace to environments anew good luck and may you achieve what you’ve always wanted. When you were at your previous place, the grass is always greener on the other side. Now, let’s see if it is indeed.
Which brings me nicely to my other subject. I have a question. Are you looking forward to anything in your life currently? I definitely am. To me, looking forward to something is like hope (they probably are the same thing). It makes you carry on with your life. How do you expect to go on if you don’t have anything to look forward to? Some look forward to a promotion, the birth of a child, getting married, getting a new car amongst others. You do the things you do in your life, all focused towards the thing you look forward to or hope to achieve. Be that as it may, the process may be fraught with factors which may bring about disappointment. As such I’ve learnt not to place too much hope with anything. Although at most times I just cannot help but think of what I may get. Easily termed as “berangan”. Well, everything starts with that, isn’t it?
Anyhow, I’m going to keep on dreaming of the things that I want, although some may be completely out of reach. Something may be out of reach today, but through “rezeki” or a weird twist of fate, who knows?
Went on a cruise tonight. No, not those Star Cruise-like thingamajig where there are buffets, suites and casinos (dalam Star Cruise ada casino ke?). This is a cruise you board from a cruise jetty in Danga Bay. Today, the local port authority is having a do to launch a book on the port that I work for. The port is 11 years old this year. The book celebrates the past decade of the port. Which has not been too bad if I’m being honest. The work culture is totally different from where I came from. Here, the dedication levels are high, and people strive to maintain the port’s competitive edge.
OK, back to the cruise. So the book launch was marked with a dinner on the said cruise. Apparently the vessel (got to show I’m in the maritime industry now. So you’ll see a lot of marine-inspired lingo) will set for the open sea, err straits and make a U-turn back to the place where it came from. All in all it takes about 2 hours. Enough for dinner and then some. When the journey started, I felt a little light headed. Probably I just haven’t found my sea legs just yet. The thing is, my last experience on board a sea-going vessel was in 1999 when I went to Pulau Tioman with Murni for our honeymoon. So I think me getting a bit groggy is pretty much understood.
According to someone I know, the cost of having the dinner function with 100 guests (it was a Chinese 7 course dinner, food was OK) on board the vessel was about RM15 thousand. Not bad at all isn’t it? You get to go on a 2 hour cruise, you get to eat and spend some time on the deck looking outwards, the wind blowing in your hair. Certainly not a bad way of spending part of your night. I’m thinking of having my big family’s Hari Raya gathering in such a way. Now that’s definitely an idea worth considering. Although I would have to have RM15 thousand to burn. That’s definitely a bit of a setback.
Anyway, the cruise was OK and the ride was surprisingly quite smooth. I got to mingle with my work colleagues, listen to a live band (not really Hard Rock Cafe quality) and have a good meal. Which is a rarity in my 4 months in JB. Don’t get me started about food here. I’m sure there are good places to eat, but not being much of an adventurer myself, I end up going for the same things (I’ve covered this part before).
Anyway, what’s the deal with people who give flowers to other people who sing on a stage? This I don’t really understand. I went to quite a few concerts in my time (the most notable one was when Linkin Park came to KL 6 or 7 years ago) but I have never seen anybody go up the stage to give the performer any flowers. Imagine some girl walking up on stage and handing Chester Bennington a bunch of flowers. That would be quite a sight isn’t it? Well, probably it’s a way of appreciating the person currently singing. But think about this for a second. Could it actually be a really cynical way of ridiculing or making fun of the person currently singing/performing? I think is probably the latter. Why? Because as the flower is given, I can hear people sniggering and laughing. Why else would you laugh at somebody other than because you’re making fun of them?
This would certainly put people in a bind of sorts. Imagine your spouse singing on a stage at a dinner do. You’ll feel there’s pressure on you to give her flower(s). But then, you’ll be in two minds as your actions would be coupled by sniggers and laughter from people. Maybe they’re just enjoying the occasion. But what if they’re really laughing at your spouse’s singing? Would you be considered to be making fun of her? If you happen to be in that exact situation, give it careful thought. I’m not joking. Unless you have the uncontrollable urge to sleep on the couch that night. It’s subjective, but worth a thought.
Honestly, I don’t think I’m out of the woods yet where my writing is concerned. Not satisfied by the quality really. They say the best way to improve your writing skills is to write. So please bear with the daily spewing of nonsense. Thanks.
Yesterday was my off day. No, I was not on leave from work. Would be nice if I were, though. It was the normal grind of never ending slogging at work. But something was definitely missing. I had a writing off day. Probably a creativity off day (never thought of myself as a creative person anyway. Look at how drab my blog is). Took me a few hours yesterday at work to figure it out. When I finally discovered what it was, everything I did during the day made a lot of sense (or rather no sense, writing wise anyway). For the whole day yesterday, I lost my writing mojo. You see, in my work I’m required to do a lot of writing. And when you suddenly lose the ability, even for a moment, you get terrified. You stare at your laptop screen blankly, nothing made any sense. You try to write, again everything you write make absolutely no sense at all. And when you’re writing something for the Board of Directors to read, you better write well.
Members of the Board are obviously clever guys who sit and make decisions for the company. And trust me, they’ll recognise bad writing. That somehow got me on the edge a little bit. I tried to take a break, went for a walk, spoke to people in the hope that I’ll get it back, but to no avail. Got my work done (although it was a little sub-standard, in my view) and left the office. Didn’t have any idea at all to write last night. Usually I’m bursting at the seams with ideas. Didn’t have any last night. So I just slept. Today is a new day. I think I’ve managed to sleep it off. Well, I’m writing now, aren’t I?
Just watched The Shawshank Redemption on HBO. Brilliant movie with a brilliant story. A guy was accused of a murder he didn’t commit and was sentenced to 2 life sentences (that’s 50 years). They have that in the US. Not here. Here you kill somebody, they kill you. Anyway, it’s a story of the guy’s life in prison and how it all went. As for myself, I had a near miss experience myself, with the prison I mean. You’re doing your work as usual, and then you get hauled by an enforcement agency. And the offence looked at is punishable by years in prison. I had to provide my statement and went through the whole process. In the end it appears that they were not going after me. But let me tell you, it was the worst 3 months of my whole life. The thought of being charged in court for an offence you didn’t commit is bad enough, what more having to serve time for it. For that exact reason The Shawshank Redemption resonates with me.
The other thing is, the lead character in the movie was a banker. Probably an accountant or something. So he ended up rendering his services in prison like attending to the wardens’ tax returns and things like that. So I began to wonder if I could render legal services if I were to go to prison (not that I in anyway want to go to prison). That’s going to be quite the joke isn’t it? A lawyer is convicted of a crime, goes to prison and begins to provide legal services to the wardens and convicts. What kind of questions will this lawyer get do you think? Convicts asking him, “err…if I break out and I’m captured what would be the sentence?” or “what would be the damage if I gouge somebody’s eye out in here?”, something like that. It’s weird isn’t it? I honestly can’t imagine it.
The movie also deals with the bond forged between the lead character played by Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman. They become fast friends and remained that way for 20 years. You know, I truly value friendship. There are always “kawan”. But you don’t have many “sahabat”. These are the people that will tell you painful things to your face and not make a show for you. They will be close to you during your happy times. And most importantly, they will be even closer to you during your most difficult times. You don’t find people like this everyday. And I value that. I’m fiercely loyal to people whom I regard to be my “sahabat”. There was this time when I hated my friend’s boss with a vengeance just because he was being hard on my friend. This boss guy did nothing wrong to me. But yet I hated his guts. The more I dealt with him, the more I hated him. All that began with the fact that he was nasty to my friend.
And so kids, take some time to think about who your “sahabat” are. Appreciate them and be there for them when you can.
Today I read somewhere the great Albert Einstein once said, “I’d rather be an optimist and a fool than a pessimist and right“. I never thought Einstein to be a philosopher to be perfectly honest with you. But the man did make a valid point there. It’s often said you need to look at the bright side of things all the time. If you are faced with issues, always see how you can make the best of the situation. The glass is always half full, never half empty. I do try to look at the bright side of every situation that befalls me. Doesn’t matter how difficult or severe, there must be a silver lining somewhere.
Whenever I am in some sort of difficulty, in my mind there could be one of two possibilities. Firstly, Allah is testing me and would like to see how I respond and react. If I do well, I will be rewarded. Well, maybe not with money, but with other things we are so used to taking for granted. Like health, our children excelling in their studies, us being able to do our work well, things like that. The second possibility is that Allah is punishing me for my sins (and I have a lot of those, not only past but present as well). In this particular instance, my sins are lessened and God willing, be a better person. Looking at it this way, it’s always a win-win situation. You never lose. There’s always good out of every situation.
Although in my approach above, it’s always easier said than done (as with a lot of other things in life). At times, it’s difficult to keep a positive frame of mind. There would inevitably be doubt. Am I doing enough? Are there factors beyond my control? Questions and more questions. I was once told that whatever happens to me at a particular moment in my life is the best that could happen considering the circumstances. In short, things could be worse. And I honestly believe that. I have a question that should be asked to everybody. Have you ever faced a problem and did not do anything affirmative to address it? Could be a big problem, could be a little one. Suddenly you realise that there was an intervention by somebody or something. And your problem just goes away.
I have indeed experienced moments like that. It’s uncanny, but it’s the absolute truth. Now, the material question here is, who actually prompted the intervention? Is it you or any other human being? I don’t think so. If the said intervention was by a person, who prompted the said person to intervene? All factors considered, it must be Allah’s work, is it not? Strange. But He works in strange ways. That is exactly why things would always take a turn for the better in the end. Well, look at it this way. If you’re at the very bottom of the abyss, there’s nowhere else to go but up isn’t it?
I am not preaching here, of all people I would be the least qualified. But I’ve been told that what I just explained above is exactly how it is. No two ways about it. Don’t even dare to think otherwise.
Keeping on the enlightenment note, today I found this site through Facebook. It’s called Something Sweet By Mimi. Mimi caters for parties. And to me she has a unique product. She caters candy buffets. I have a few photos to share. I’m thinking of getting one of her buffets for Nureen’s birthday in October.
Candy buffet (pink)
And here’s what’s in the pink candy buffet:
Apam polka dot (not exactly candy, but the colours are beautiful!)
Bubble gums
Chocolates
Lollipops
Just beautiful isn’t it? She has the buffets in other colours as well:
Purple candy buffet
Looks really nice. And obviously the interplay of colours is magnificent. The rates are reasonable as well. I’m all for money well spent. For Nureen’s 9th birthday, we hired a performing artist by the name of Happy. Well, he’s a clown actually, but I specifically instructed him not to come with his clown get up on (Murni is just terrified of clowns). He did a stupendous job and kept 30 or so children at their wits’ end with his act. I think the candy buffet might just top it.
*all photographs courtesy of Something Sweet by Mimi.
daily rants (well...almost) 