The Reader

My son's cat...

As I was about to enjoy my afternoon siesta yeterday, I was rudely awakened by a very hard knock on the entrance door of my house.When I asked who was that, my youngest son Munir, who just came from from school, appeared with a sad face.Immediately, he told me that his cat just died outside the gate of our house!

Every time my son comes home from school, this cat will follow him inside the house. He is so fond of the cat and the cat is just like a playmate to him for he does not have any younger brothers or sisters.When my son does his home work ,the cat will be lying around besides him. When my son sleeps in the afternoon , the cat sleeps with him and at times the cat imitated his behaviour!

A few months ago when the cat got sick, he asked me to drive him and his cat to the vet.On returning home, he fed the cat with medicine everyday for a week and placed the cat in a basket with some blankets.I prayed to Allah that my son will be rewarded with al-Jannah for his sincere kindness to a strayed cat that came to seek a shelter from our home two years ago.

I told my son to leave the dead cat there and have lunch first. He said no and he got the cat buried within half an hour with the help of his older brother who is on semester break.Munir just kept quiet for the whole day...

Good bye Che Awe(the name of the cat).

What really touched me is that the cat came to die at my house even though it moved around the neighbourhood during day time....

Let me qoute Imam al-Ghazali:

"Cintailah apa jua yang kamu sukai,sesungguhnya kamu akan berpisah dengannya."

Deep Conversation

Last Saturday night, I sponsored a satey and teh tarik session for my schoolmates to discuss the recent general election using a methodology callled Deep Conversation.Thank you Dr KN for the photo above.

Deep conversation involves deep listening and deep thinking.A topic is pre-selected to allow participants to think and do research on the subject matter-based on data, facts and assumptions. Everyone is allowed to talk for a few minutes without any interference from any participants.While a person is talking, the others must put his/her personal views aside and listen deeply to the speaker and try to undertand what the speaker is talking and the reasons for his/her views.Listening is given equal or more emphasis as talking.

When all participants have spoken, the moderator will summarise the main points and ask around the table for anyone who wish to give his views.If he disagrees with someone's view, his job to offer the alternative and give the reasons why.The process is to assess our own views vis a vis others' views and opinions.

The objective is not to impose one's opinion on others but more to re-examine one's personal views against facts,opinions and assumptions.The final goal is to seek the truths!

PS:"You don't learn when you're talking."

—Watts Wacker, CEO, FirstMatter

Note: The process is adopted from an article entitled The Power of Talk by Margaret J. Wheatley published in a magazine called Utne Reader,August,2002

Reader's Digest

The above is a snapshot of my RD's.
Do you read Reader's Digest every month? I do but I can't remember when was the first time I read the magazine.When I was a teenager many,many years ago, I had to borrow the magazine from a teacher who rented a house next to mine in my kampung.At that time,he is the only one who could read and teach English in my kampung.

Now, I am a subscriber to Reader's Digest because I like to read the following features:

1.Laughter,The best medicine.
2.Quotable Qoutes
3.Human drama
4.Word Power

If you are a regular reader of Reader's Digest,please share with me your views about the magazine. By the way, Kinokuniya Bookstore at KLCC is organising an event of book signing with a personality by the name of Mr Peter Dockrill. He will be at the bookshop on Wednesday 31st March,2004 from 4 to 5 pm.InsyaAllah ,I will be there for the event.

PS-Taken from Kinokuniya Website:

Meet The Editor
Date: 31/03/2004, Wednesday
Time: 4.00pm-5.00pm
Venue: Level 4, Suria KLCC

You're invited to join us and meet Mr. Peter Dockrill, Editor-in-chief of Reader's Digest English Asia Edition. He will be introducing and sharing new highlights of the Reader's Digest magazine as well as signing autographs.

* First 50 customers who drop their name card during this session will get a Reader's Digest Music CD. (While stocks last)

Arrogant or Proud

Let me share with you some verses of the Qur'an and Hadiths about being arrogant or proud.This feeling will creep into our hearts if we are not careful:

{[And swell not your cheek(for pride) at men,nor walk in insolence through the earth: for Allah loves not any arrogant boaster]}-Quran 31:18

[Allah says:'Might is My cloak and pride is My garment.Whoever vies with Me for either of them,I will punish him']-Hadith (Muslim)

[There are three whom Allah will not speak to,or praise,or look at on the Day of resurrection,and they will have a severe punishment: and old man who commits adultery,a king who tells lies and a poor man who is arrogant]-Hadith(Muslim)

[No-one will enter Paradise who has an atom's weight of pride in his heart]-Hadith(Muslim)

Our actions and attitudes will reflect what is going on in our hearts.So,observe and monitor our actions so that we don't become arrogant and earn the wrath of Allah.By its very nature, the hearts(qalbu) is easily influenced by external factors,so take care of our hearts so that Allah will be pleased with us.

Mengikut satu syair Arab:
Dikatakan insan itu manusia,kerana sifat lupanya.Dikatakan hati itu qalbun,kerana keadannya tidak tetap(berolak-alik).

PS: My mentor retired from from the highest post in his department a few years ago. Below is one of many advices the Tan Sri gave to me: When you are inpower,please be compassionate! I hope and pray to those who just got their political powers or positions to take heed of this advice. The power is only at the 'majazi level'(temporary and dependent ).It can be taken back in 4 or 5 years time!

How do you build a start up?

A young man in his 30's asked me the above question.I told him that he needs a lot of passion and patience.I have been in business on my own since 1987- and had a few failures and successes! And this is my favourite quotation :

Anyone can open a shop, but not anyone can keep the shop open!

Honestly, I can't possibly write a one page blog about starting a business but here is a short summary:

1.Please read this book by Howard Schultz:Pour Your Heart into It : How Starbucks Built a Company One Cup at a Time

My comments: I should read this book first before I start my own business.There are a lot of things you can learn to avoid costly mistakes.

2. Work for others first in the industry you wish to start your own business.

This will let you have the necessary experience and get networked to the key players in the industry.

3.Save money for a working capital for at least 12 months.

4.Know where to grab the 'life-jacket' in the event you may get drowned.

5.Get a mentor-someone who can guide you and who wishes to see you succeed in what you do.

6.You may be your own boss, but actually your clients/customers are your new bosses!

7.Work harder and pray harder than you used normally do when you work for others.

The above is not exhaustive.In fact , there are other factors that may contribute to the success of failure of your new business.Those not mentioned can be discussed over "teh tarik" if you really serious of doing your own business.

I will deliver

First,let me congratulate Pak Lah for landslide victory of BN! I am no political analyst to review the last general election and neither this blog is for political discourse. As a Malaysian, I will remember that you had made a promise and as a "reader", I am going to read whether you are going to deliver those promises to the people.In fact, as many others, I also received a letter "Pesan Pak Lah" addressed to me personally.Please ensure that you deliver those promises.

To deliver those promises you need an efficient and effective delivery system.Please make sure the delivery system is in place. A leader cannot do it alone.

As a student of management, I am pleased to note that you mentioned about performance index/cards for the wakil rakyat(MP/people representatives).In the jargon of corporate management, we talk about balance scorecards for corporate executives.To the best of my knowledge ,the use of balanced scorecards have yet to be used widely in government civil service and I hope this will be installed and implemented soon if we wish to see responsible and accountable performance by the civil service.Hence the delivery system to deliver Pak Lah promises..

Below is an excerpt from the Star of what Pak Lah (the new PM of Malaysia said):

“I will try to look after myself. Other people can look after me too, by reminding me where I go wrong, when I do something that is not going to be good for Malaysia.

“I can accept people’s ideas and opinions. I am prepared to listen to them. They may be right or they may not be right. That is why I said, 'work with me.' Together we must work for Malaysia and Malaysians.”

He also said he expected the coalition’s elected representatives to work hard and inform the Government of problems faced by their constituents.

“They must submit their performance records every three months.

“We want them to stay away from corruption, have good character and meet the demands and requirements of the people.

“I will call them and talk to them if they are not performing.”

Note: The photo above is taken from The Star

Free Books

The above is a photo of Bookcrossers Meet at Kyros Kebab this afternoon.This is my 2nd time attending the gathering.

Below is an invitation from my fellow bookcrossers:-
You can get free books there./Adib/

From: "Emily"
Date: Fri Mar 19, 2004 11:40 pm
Subject: Open Invitation To All KL Members at Bookcrossing.com

Hi people,

Do try and make this meetup a big group meeting. We are setting up
an official site for book releases. See you there!

1. It's from 2.30pm - 4.30pm
2. It's for Saturday, 20 March 2004
3. It's at Kyros Kebabs (one floor above Delifrance) at the
entertainment outlets section of Times Square, Jalan Imbi/Pudu, KL.
4. My h/p no: 013-3967338 (from 1.30pm onwards)
5. Purple is the color for this meetup!
6. One book each for wild release/bookshelf/orphanage project
7. No books, no worry, there's always plenty to go around from the
others!

As always,
Emily aka AuntyJo @ bc

Breakfast at Asian Flavours

Breakfast at Asian Flavours

MHI continued with his third round of our morning walk,but I stopped after second round and went straight for teh tarik halia.

Penang Chow kueh tiaw is our choice today

PS:We changed the menu to Mee Soup:-)

Pak Lah at Work

This picture was taken by TARA SOSROWARDOYO-A DAY WITH PAK LAH ( From The Star) The PM must be very busy that he had to take the call with his shirt unbuttoned;-)

May I wish all Malaysians SELAMAT MENGUNDI on Sunday 21st March,2004

Be generous...

Last month, when I was visiting my mother at my kampung(village), she told me a sad story of a poor old widow who walked a kilometer to seek financial help from her.What shocked her and me is that no one cared for her at her kampung.Not only being poor, she has to take care of a son who is insane:-(

This may be isolated case, but we must admit there are pockets of poverty exist in our country where government and all of us who can afford to help should demonstrate our generousity.As muslims, we ask so many things from Allah swt at every prayer and many of us are blessed with uncountable mercy and wealth from Allah.We always look up for more things to have and yet we seldom look down to those who REALLY need our help.We ask Allah to be very generous to us,and yet we seldom remember to be generous to others who are not as lucky as us. I write this blog to remind first myself to be grateful to Allah and be generous to others.I hope it will also remind you to be generous all the time...

Let me quote a few paragraphs from the book entitled The Ideal Muslim(pages 267/268);

The true Muslim who sincerely seeks to follow the teachings of his religion is generous,and seeks to do good to the members of his society on all occasions and in all circumstances.

{[...And whatever of good you give, be assured that Allah knows it well]}-Qur'an 2:273

He also believes ,when he spends his money generously,that whatever he spends will come back to him manifolds and that Allah will multiply His rewards in this world and the next:

{[The parable of those who spend their substance in the way of Allah is that of a grain of corn:It grows seven ears,and in ear has a 100 grains.Allah gives manifold increase to whom He pleases: and Allah cares for all and He knows all things]}-Qur'an 2: 263

{[....and nothing do you spend in the least(in His Cause) but He replaces...]}-Qur'an 34:39

And in one Hadith Qudsi:

"Spend,O son of Adam,and I shall spend on you"(Bukhari and Muslim).

My notes: All of us can do something in our own way,irrespective of financial position. It is good to start helping those in need from our family members first.No matter how small,let us do it immediately.Those in need have little time to wait.