The Reader

Photo:Yellow lighted Petrol station;-)

On the way back to Kota Bharu two months ago,I stopped at Gombak Petronas station.Ater getting a few bottles of mineral water and some titbits,I saw a brightly lit yellow wall.It looked so beautiful under the morning sun..

Negligence or incompetence?

Two months ago,I went back to my kampung and every time I go home,I must pay a visit to Pantai Irama,Bachok-our local sea-side picnic area.As I walked,my heart sank and anger came all over me!Just look at the photo on your right.When I came back to KL,I wanted to write about it but following the wisdom of the elders,I should not write or say something when I am madly angry about it.Two months had gone by and I am sober enough to say my piece.(but still angry)

What really made me angry was that no one in authority seems to care about one of the most beautiful beaches left in the state of Kelantan.The local politicians and the local authority officers seemed to be 'buta dan pekak'.I bet  you, nothing will happen or damaged beach protections will be repaired until His Royal Highness The Sultan of Kelantan were to visit the beach.To my fellow engineers  who were in-charge of the works,I want you to know that the quality of workmanship was sub-standard!As a professional engineer Registeration No 4902, with the Board of Engineers,I will testify to that.

How about cleanliness? Just see  the photo below.I was speechless.

Books about books,bookshops and booksellers..

If I see one,I have to buy one.And the latest in my collection is a book entitled The Yellow -Lighted Bookshop.My love affairs with bookshops began way back in the mid 80's when I went to Oxford and got myself drowned in a Blackwell Bookshop(luckily it was not a black hole,otherwise I won't be blogging right now) and roamed and got lost along 3 miles of bookshelves!

The other books that I have bought and read are as follows:

1.The Bookstore by Lynne Tillman

2.A Passion for Books by Rabinowitz & Kaplan

3.You've Got To Read This Book by Jack Canfield and Gay Hendricks

4.Used and Rare by Goldstones

...and two more but I can't remember.

May I invite you to share your 'love affairs' with books and bookshops but not booksellers.

PS:

Just remember the two books I read..

The Bookseller of Kabul

by Asne Seierstad (Author) 

Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader by Anne Fadiman

Lights play..

At the waterfall

When was the last time you had a picnic at the waterfall with your friends and family members? HOnestly,I cannot remember at all...It may be at least 30 years ago..

Today,I joined my riding buddies for a 21km ride at Broga and the climax of our mountain biking was a cool dip at a waterfall and later we ate nasi lemak and hot nescafe!Thank you guys for  the ride and the company.

This week,I must confess that I had too much fun.The 1st anniversay of Putrajaya Critical Mass ride(17km) that I joined about 70 riders last Friday night and today I joined 9 riders to Broga,Negeri Sembilan) for a 21km mountain bike ride and later had a picnic at the waterfall.May I wish you all-Have a good, healthy and fun weekend.

For detailed stories of my cycling,please visit: The Trek Rider

Sujud sambil menagis..

Surah Al-Israa'

[105] Dan dengan cara yang sungguh layak serta berhikmat Kami turunkan Al-Quran dan dengan meliputi segala kebenaran ia diturunkan dan tiadalah Kami mengutusmu (wahai Muhammad) melainkan sebagai pembawa berita gembira (bagi orang-orang yang beriman) dan pembawa amaran (kepada orang-orang yang ingkar).

[106] Dan Al-Quran itu Kami bahagi-bahagikan supaya engkau membacakannya kepada manusia dengan lambat tenang dan Kami menurunkannya beransur-ansur.

[107] Katakanlah (wahai Muhammad kepada orang-orang yang ingkar itu): Samada kamu beriman kepada Al-Quran atau kamu tiada beriman, (tidaklah menjadi hal); kerana sesungguhnya orang-orang yang diberi ilmu sebelum itu apabila dibacakan Al-Quran kepada mereka, mereka segera tunduk sujud (dalam keadaan hiba dan khusyuk);

[108] Serta mereka menegaskan (dalam sujudnya): Maha Suci Tuhan kami! Sesungguhnya janji Tuhan kami tetap terlaksana.

[109] Dan mereka segera tunduk sujud itu sambil menangis, sedang Al-Quran menambahkan mereka khusyuk.

Sama-samalah kita berterusan mencari/menambah  ilmu dan memohon ilmu dari Allah swt agar kita bersegera untuk sujud dan menangis.

I went shopping..

When the sale of the trousers for my cycling dropped from RM99 to RM29,I had to go shopping at Sogo last Sunday. In fact,during sale like this,if we are patient enough,we can look for what we needed and really get value for our money.Below is a shot I took using my camera phone E71 during the sale at Sogo:

Trying harder to sketch

Being an engineer by training,I always envy artists/architects who can draw very well...

I tried to imitate good artists since three years,but alas,my skill never improve.An artist told me he can coach me but I never bother to take lessons from him. I just bought a few books,colour pencils etc and had a go on my own..Lately, the work of Urban Sketchers stirred my interest again.One of the reasons that I sketch is because it posts a big challenge for me who is very weak in drawing and it also a form of 'meditation' for my mind and well as a good exercise for my fingers;-)

As a moleskine fan,I do my sketches in this notebook.

Below are a few sketches I made when I was at Tarbush restaurant,Sun Moulin cafe,Coffee Xpress,Delifrance and Kluang Station restaurants.The last was done at home.

Cat-eyes:Located at 3,000 light years away...

The title sounds like science fiction, but it is as real as you and me.Can you imagine the distance of 3,000 light years away? That means it takes 3000 years for the light from this object(see photo below) to arrive at planet earth.And compare that distance to the distance of the sun which light only takes about 8 minutes to arrive here.Then try to visualise the vastness of space...MasyaAllah.All glories to You,my Lord-Allahu Rabul'alamin.

[50:6] Do they not look at the sky above them? How We have made it and adorned it, and there are no flaws in it?

I just wonder how come we are still arrogant and refuse to obey His commands?

[7:40] To those who reject Our Signs and treat them with arrogance, no opening will there be of the gates of heaven, nor will they enter the Garden, until the camel can pass through the eye of the needle: such is Our reward for those in sin.

[53:61] Sedang kamu adalah orang-orang yang sombong angkuh, lagi yang melalaikan kewajipan?

[53:62] Oleh yang demikian, hendaklah kamu sujud kepada Allah (yang telah menurunkan Al-Quran itu) dan beribadatlah kamu kepadaNya (dengan sepenuh-penuh tauhid).

Below is a news I picked from Telegraph.Enjoy the beauty of Allah's creations:-

The Hubble Space Telescope was launched in April 1990. After the problems with its main mirror were fixed, it started sending beautifully detailed images of space back to earth. Here are some of the best

Staring across interstellar space, the Cat's Eye Nebula lies three thousand light-years from Earth. One of the most famous planetary nebulae, NGC 6543 is over half a light-year across and represents a final, brief yet glorious phase in the life of a sun-like star

• Receive updates every time we produce a new picture gallery. Follow TelegraphPics on Twitter

Picture: NASA

What I see..

...depends on what vehicle/speed I travel:-

Driving in a car,I see a city....or a concrete forest,

Cycling on my bicycle,I see the buildings and trees,

Walking by the lake,I see flowers,smell the fresh air and heard birds chirping...

Last but not least, my guru is asking me to walk half of my usual speed.Give it a try and tell me what you see,hear and feel..