The Reader

I was tracked?

As someone who loves gadget with new technology,I always read the Tech2U and the Tech Tarik by Encik Ridzwan A Rahim.When I read Tech Tarik column today(NST) talking about Google Latitude,it made me smile.Encik Ridzwan wrote about his friend Ismail who used google latitude in his mobile phone to track his friend starting from KL to KLIA.From KLIA, his friend took an 8.20pm MAS flight to Kota Bharu airport.Later on ,when his friend landed,Encik Ismail sent him his text message that he knew his friend has landed.On receiving the text message,Ismail's friend just laughed it off.

How did I know of what was written on page 3,Life& Times section of NST today?Well..I was Ismail's friend in that story.You can read about it here.

Listening to cuctomers

I am not a subscriber to Packet One Broadband service provider but I am happy to note that the marketing director made a statement that they are willing to listen to all the brickbats.My friend, a user of P1 has a lot to bricks to throw.By the way,I also have a friend who is working at P!.Here is the link.I hope my Broadband Streamyx will do the same.Once the customers are not happy and the vendor fails to listen,they will look to another alternative.I think the customers will stay longer if they know the vendors are listening to them even if they are unhappy with the service.

Personally,I am still not happy with streamyx but what choice do I have.If there is a better aternative,I will definitely switch over.

Talking about listening to customers,we as individuals are also 'vendors' of service even though we don't get paid like me being a father to my kids and husband to my wife,my wife as housewife to my family members and my kids to me as their father.Since we have two ears and one mouth, we have to listen more.The same also applies to big corporations and governments.If not,they will lose their customers and votes.

What is 'listening to customers' means?

Literally listening is not enough.Understanding our customers and do something about it is a good start.Good luck...it is a hell lot of hard work.

Small shock!

Espresso
Originally uploaded by Adibi

Someone who had a lunch with me got the shock of his life!He never drink espresso before but he ordered it.He thought it is like a latte.When the waiter served him using this small cup as shown,he almost shouted,"RM7 for this little cup!!!".I cooled him down and told him next time,ask first.This is one lesson that we all must learn.What is good for the goose is not necessary good for duck:-)

Melaka Revisited

I am just back from Melaka to have a little celebration with my schoolmates and to visit one who is sick and house bound.I was very happy indeed to see a real effort by the state government to get the city to be recognised as World Heritage City since 7th July,2009.Here is one the photos I took but more can be viewed at my flickr website.I look forward  to have dinner at the Quay Side Seafood Restaurant.

Sketch #8

After having my early dinner at a restaurant,I took some time to sketch the fresh flower that sits on the centre of the table.Using a black ball pen to draw the outlines and later I used fine colored Staedtler triplus fineliners.When I returned home I added the background with water colours.If you cannot notice,it is a fresh red rose!

By the way,the real thing is much more beautiful than what I could draw here.Before I drew this,I had to see the details of the stalk and the flower and that made more aware  and appreciative of Allah's creation.

Have a good weekend to all.

Ziarah di Aidilfitri

Nabi s.a.w. bersabda;

”Sesungguhnya orang yang menziarahi orang sakit itu dinaungi oleh Allah dengan 70000 malaikat.”- Riwayat Atthabarani

Semasa saya dan ahli keluarga berhari raya di kampung bersama ibu dan sanak saudara,saya mengambil kesempatan yang ada untuk menziarahi saudara mara yang uzur dan tua.Suasana trafik amat sulit bagi kami untuk bergerak dari kawasan Kota Bharu,Pasir Mas dan Bachok.Walau pun begitu kami bersabar kerana bukan senang untuk kami anak beranak dapat pulang bersama jika tidak pada hari raya.Keluarga yang lain semacam kami juga.

Dari Kota Bharu,saya ambil masa  satu jam setengah untuk sampai ke Hospital Pasir Mas,di Lati untuk ziarah mertua sepupu isteri saya yang masih sakit tenat sejak 6 bulan  kerana 'stroke'.Beliau dulunya tinggal berhampiran Bandar Makkah sejak 40 tahun yang lalu dan saya teringat layanan yang istemewa yang diberikan olehnya semasa saya  melawat beliau ketika  saya mengerjakan haji dan umrah.Pengajaran yang ambil dari lawatan tersebut ialah supaya kita sentiasa menjaga kesihatan dan bersegera berbuat ibadat sebelum tua dan sakit mendatangi kita semua.

Keesokan harinya,saya ziarah Ustaz Yusof Abdullah,bapa saudara nenek saya yang tinggal lebih kurang 200m dari rumah ibu saya.Beliau berumur 92 tahun dan seorang ustaz di Sekolah Arab Amir Indera Putra,Pondok Beris,Bachok. Sekolah ini diasaskan olih Allahyarham ayah saya lebih 50 tahun dulu dan beliau adalah rakan seperjuangan ayah saya dalam pendidikan agama kepada penduduk setempat termasuk orang2 Melayu dari Siam.Ustaz Yusof atau nama yang saya panggil sejak saya kecil ialah Toksu Soh,ada pakar Ilmu Tauhid dan beliau fasih membaca ayat2 Qur'an.Saya amat suka solat jemaah bersama beliau kerana sedap mendengar bacaannya!

Walau pun penglihatannya sudah kabur sekarang,tetapi bacaan Qur'an nya amat jelas dan tajwidnya adalah perfect!Qur'an sudah berada didalam hatinya buat selama-lamanya.Ini satu contoh yang baik saya ikut supaya Qur'an juga akan bersama saya bila tiba masanya saya berada di alam barzah dan akhirat nanti,insyaAllah.

Below are two photos when I attended my alumni hari raya gathering hosted by Dr Rusli and also when I visited  my dear friend with his family in Kota Bharu.

Book:Do It Tomorrow

Just came back yesterday from Hari Raya Puasa holidays.I am back to KL today.

The book as mentioned above is a time management book written by Mark Forster.I bought it for RM64.80 on 12th September and finished reading it a few days ago.You can read the summary and comments here.

IMHO,it is worth reading it and I am giving it a try to improve my time management.To execute the system,I am using using my paper based monologue dairy and a unicorn colour notebook(that looks almost like a molekine A6 notebook but costs RM12.90) to write my daily task lists(closed,open,current initiatives).

Everyone of us has our own 'system' and style but lately I am straying away from my goals and objectives.That was the main reason why I am testing this new rationale and methodology.I hope it works for me and for you if you wish to improve your time management system.As for me growing older and more and more of my friends pass away,I have to do what really matters to me and my stakeholders(family and friends).

Below is a photo I snapped at chabang 4 Panji on the way to Airport to pick up my son on the first day of Eidil Fitri at Tanah Rendah Sekebun Bunga..

2000 tweets today!

To my pleasant suprise,I found that the number of my tweets has reached 2000 this morning.This took place over the last 30 months.I blogged about it here.As they say,the rest is history.

As early adopters of new technology,I love to see how new technology evolved with the users.No one can predict how  users will use or misuse it.Whatever it is,it is a tool that we can use it to enrich our lives but not to be intimidated or dominated by it.

Most likely,during this Eidil Fitri celebration,I shall tweet from my phone and you may be able to read them here(see left sidebar) or at my Facebook.

Keeping our fitrah

Ramadhan 1430 is about to end in two or three days time.Alhamdulilah,we were blessed to be alive during this Ramadhan and insyaAllah we are looking forward to the next Ramadhan.For the last four weeks at the madarasah Ramadhan,we have undergone and learnt some lessons and with the grace and rahmah from Allah swt, we hope to return to our fitrah in the coming Syawal.

Let us continue to practise the lessons and exercises we just did during this Ramadhan until we reach the next Ramadhan.InsyaAllah, we may be able to keep to our fitrah.

May I take this opportunity to wish all of my readers the Eid Mubarak and thank you for reading my humble blog for the last few years.

Note: I will be taking leave from blogging for about a week.

Balik kampung-Eidul Fitri,1430

How I wish I am already back at my kampung and be with my dear mother.I was late in getting the plane ticket,so I only can catch the flight to KB on the night  of 19th September,2009.Whatever it is ,at least I have a ticket to go home.To those of you who have gone balik kampung and about to in the next few days,may I wish you SELAMAT HARI RAYA,maaf zahir batin and please be careful on the roads.To my pleasant suprise,I also discovered that the pageviews of this blog has exceeded half a million mark since last week.Thank you all for your kindness to keep on reading my humble blog.

I will be on leave from 20th to 24th September,2009.