When no problem is a big problem!

My wife and I decided on a bookcase in Alor Setar furniture store. When I asked if it can be delivered to Kodiang, then they said no problem because there will be delivery around the vicinity the next day. They even promised me that the truck would leave the place around 11.00am. I called the store around noon and they said the items were already loaded in the truck and the driver will take it away at 2:15pm. My wife made another call at 6:30pm and they said the truck has just left the store because they have to get another driver from Perlis. It is already 8:30pm as I am writing this hub and there is yet any news of the delivery. I wanted to say, "Of course, it shouldn't be a problem for them - they are, after all, our service provider and I didn't ask them to do anything unreasonable. I'm only asking them to do their job." What is it with this phrase, "no problem?" Think about it. The definition of "service is an act of helpful activity; help; aid: to do someone a service. Customer service should be the focus of every interaction you have with your customers. "Don't let the guest work. You should anticipate their needs," - "If the customer asks for something then be positive in your reply. Our servers are taught to say something such as 'Certainly, I'll have that right out for you." So the next time you interact with your customer or client - think before you unthinkingly reply to a request by saying, "no problem." No problem is a big problem when it comes to quality customer service. I'm a stickler for customer service. There are so many choices today for just about any product or service that you shouldn't have to put up with lousy customer service. Yet, you don't have to go much farther than a nearby store to see how pathetic customer service can be. Sometimes even common courtesy falls to the wayside.

A day went by where nothing works

Nikon D80 Nikkor Ai-S 24mm f/2.8

Don't you have it that sometimes you get one of those nothing seems to work out. Today I had to to complete a few tasks which looks easy in the beginning. By 6:30pm, I was driving home reflecting on all the time wasted running around with nothing in return. After a quick shower and obliging my responsibility, I headed for my Pentax with the battery compartment sealed. I tried every possible ways that I knew off to get it opened but to no avail. Once this hub is posted, I am seriously thinking about calling it a day.

Well i think you know the feeling trying to get out of bed - got a bottle of coke beside me six aspirins in my head - Well it's been like this ever since last thursday night - Seven days gone by and nothing went right It's been one of those days all week long - A fraction of my personality wants to splitI walk around from room to room but nothing seems to fit - Too many colours on tv ten aspirins in my head - So i go get my covers and slip into bed - It's been one of those day all week long.
Readymade : One Of Those Days Lyrics

Work Part II

Tyre shop : Minolta SRT Super / Rokkor 55mm f:1.7

Jobs are ok for many but the stupid coworkers, guys acting like pussies, bored out of skull, and people that really suck and many more lead to why work sucks. Like many, I have the same problem. I have a job in the ranks of middle management. But I hate it. I hate the bureaucracy. I hate the work politics. I hate the constant management changes. Constant strategy changes with no significant changes on the products will make you think. Everything is derivative, "borrowed" from elsewhere, recycled five years too late. I somewhat sympathize with the smart asses who specialize in figuring out how not to get things done, but all I really want to do is build great characters and have a reasonable amount of fun doing it. If I can stick it out, I could choose not to work. I could stay home and do nothing for a year or more. I could spend all my time doing volunteer work or labor myself in the farm. I wouldn't have to work for any man. How can I stick it out without going crazy?

Looking without seeing....

b+w Nikon D80 18-135 Nikkor

I am roughly where I should be today, in my office waiting for some kind of event/ceremony that I'm not looking forward to. Later today, I'll be taking a short work trip to an island. Another ferry ride and the possibility of working for long hours does not sound like a very good prospect ahead. Along the way, I might be looking for some photo opportunities as I will be in the passenger seat for once. I have been to the island last week but being on the driver's seat made me just looking without seeing.

I just did a very stupid thing and still kicking myself over it. I was looking all over the place in my office for my car key until I realized that my wife dropped me at work today.... silly me!

Grandpas’ rock!

B+W Nikon D80 18-135 Nikkor

Of ISO and SSM - how much are all these fuss contributed to quality and job performance. Has anyone tried working out the man hours involved in conforming the ISO identifiers and does this fit in the sense of cost benefits in bringing out the efficiency of the output? Has SSM been successful as indicator for job performance as compared to grades obtained in PTK?

At the end of the day, the grandpas who had been in the system before us that rock. No PTK, no ISO and just plain delivery of services until the day they retired.

So, do you think you can tell?

OR

We're just lost souls swimming in a fish bowl,
year after year,
Running over the same old ground.
What have you found?
The same old fears.

Song about war and peace

Nikon D80 28-70 Tokina f/2.8

Mike Rutherford from Genesis wrote the lyrics of this song by Genesis for their 1986 album Invisible Touch. A lot of truth back then and so much of it is true now. Disturbed remake the song and here is the lyric.

DISTURBED LYRICS

"Land Of Confusion"

[Originally by Genesis]

I must have dreamed a thousand dreams
Been haunted by a million screams
But I can hear the marching feet
They're moving into the street

Now, did you read the news today?
They say the danger has gone away
But I can see the fire's still alight
They're burning into the night

There's too many men, too many people
Making too many problems
And there's not much love to go around
Can't you see this is a land of confusion?

This is the world we live in
And these are the hands we're given
Use them and let's start trying
To make it a place worth living in

Oh, superman, where are you now?
When everything's gone wrong somehow?
The men of steel, these men of power
Are losing control by the hour

This is the time, this is the place
So we look for the future
But there's not much love to go around
Tell me why this is a land of confusion

This is the world we live in
And these are the hands we're given
Use them and let's start trying
To make it a place worth living in

I remember long ago
When the sun was shining
And all the stars were bright all through the night
In the wake of this madness, as I held you tight
So long ago

I won't be coming home tonight
My generation will put it right
We're not just making promises
That we know we'll never keep

There's too many men, too many people
Making too many problems
And there's not much love to go round
Can't you see this is a land of confusion?

Now, this is the world we live in
And these are the hands we're given
Use them and let's start trying
To make it a place worth fighting for

This is the world we live in
And these are the names we're given
Stand up and let's start showing
Just where our lives are going to.

Faith

Photograph courtesy of Sharina

The idea of modernity is difficult to pin down. For some modernity implies cultural behavior that takes advantage of technological advances in order to live and relate to others in their own ways. Relating to others will put you in restlessness. Putting your faith in others (which is worse) means you are going to set yourself up for a loss. Instead you are better and wiser to put faith in yourself and God. Do you really know another person completely? You may think you do, but really when it comes down to it you know nothing. You may think you know how another person thinks, speaks or will react in a given situation but, as is with many things in life, there is always the element of surprise. This happens to all of us on a much smaller scale everyday. When you talk to somebody they may say something that to you that is completely unexpected and out of the ordinary, which will again make you think.

All the good hearts have been taken
No more hearts around here were breaking.................
All I got to keep is strong so move along......
[All American Rejects]

Begging for mercy

Nikon D40 50mm f/1.8

I don’t really fancy asking favors from people but it is not always avoidable. Even though I’m aware that it’s not their obligation to fulfill my request, I am still disturbed with the negative responses. It is like begging for mercy.

The same goes with operating digital camera or automatic genre. You are begging the processors to do all the calculations for you so that you can concentrate on composition. If the battery fails or the chips went bonkers, you are left with no mercy. There are too many reasons on why I chose Nikon FM2 (or my trustworthy Olympus OM-1). I can shoot all day and night from the Arctic to Sahara. A couple of batteries will last me years and even if they went dead, I can still rely on the Sunny16 rules as long as I have films in my pocket. Not to mention the synchronization flash speed of 1/250s (my D80 is a step backward with1/200s) and a really fast shutter of 1/4000s. The metal felt good in my hand and the solid metal gives me confidence of its reliability. Now with the newly acquired Nikkor 24mm f/2.8 excellent optics, it can only get better. As my own style of photography slowly evolved, at last I knew what I needed. Being purely mechanical, and one of the most reliable cameras Nikon has ever made, its small size means that you can carry everywhere and in action. Shooting is fun again and I am looking forward to explore more with this wide optics.

Cognize

Nikon D40 28-70 F/2.8 Tokina

What do the others think about me? Well, I have recently found out that many times, putting myself in other peoples' places, I can analyze me from outside, objectively. Going further, to my emotional intelligence...what should I say? I believe I have some work to do in this area. Although I am aware of my emotions and feelings, I perceive them, it is rather hard to asses, control or manage them at times. I am a rather impulse-driven person, but I believe I have made considerable progress in this area. A question that pops in my mind now and then. Do I know myself? To tell you the truth, I don’t. Or is it this more serious side? Or maybe both? I have absolutely no idea. I just know that my thoughts, my actions all depend on what I feel. Another fool guided by heart you would say.... but I am learning.

Leading to some books I was reading recently (thanks Foozi)- on what is the essence of the teachings of the Prophets, how is it related to Sufism, and what is its relevance for today? If we look objectively and with sincerity at the lives and teachings of the Holy Prophets, it will be very clear that their lives were devoted to announcing, and sharing with others, their unique discovery. The method through which they had arrived at their discovery was not because of what others had said before them, or because they feared or trusted someone. Instead, they had an innate unquenchable urge to "know" which could not be satisfied except through personal experiences.

Mohammad gave directives as to how one can cognize one’s true self. He said,

"Whoever cognized his true self has cognized God."

In essence, this is what the message of all Prophets has been through time: Know yourself. Know the "being" who is everlasting and not restricted to the body, to desires, and all the action and reaction that takes place continuously. The Prophets are not addressing the elements that make up the various organs including the brain, the memory and the senses. They are not addressing the behaviors learned through the various socialization processes. They are addressing the "being" who has existed ever since the baby was born, and continued to be constant through out the changes that the child underwent until it reached adulthood. Everything changed –the body, ideas, ideals, thoughts, goals, et.—but the "being" called "I" always remained constant.

Sufism is a discipline, a method and a way that teaches humans how to discover and unfold their true self, the "I". Know the "being" who is your true identity, the source of your becoming, the source of knowledge, so you may live in peace and balance. Sufism is the method through which the Prophets attained the cognition of God, and their true self.

Wallahualam.

Silver gelatin

Nikon D80 Nikkor 60mm f/2.8 Macro

This year seems a bit funny with my photographic interest. When I was tidying up my three layers drybox, I discovered so many camera bodies and quite a number of film SLRs as well (Canon AV-1, Canon AE-1, Olympus OM-1N, Nikon FE2, Nikon F301, Nikon F50 and a few excellent primes with f/1.4). Having owned and extensively used Nikon D50, D40 and D80 with arrays of optics and accessories, I was thinking if I am actually an artist or just computer operators. Chimping with the LCDs and post processing with Photoshop, Lightroom etc., do not make me an artist.

Last week, I loaded my FE2 with TX (silver gelatin). Suddenly I am like a young boy again, toying with the camera that has been around my neck since the late 70s. So easy with no complication whatsoever. Yes its not as convenient, but I am now the artist, not the computer operator anymore. I have to consider technique and light again and use my judgment. I started using my tripod more with the cable release attached. A bit troublesome, but discreetly interesting, cheap and very satisfying. Tomorrow, I'll get my negs developed at Dragon. If things turned out good, I'll use my cheap scanner and save some prints for the family album. Less money spent and hopefully no redundancy.

Too much too long.

Nikon D80 60mm f/2.8 Macro Nikkor

I'm concerned about myself. The long unproductive break was heading me nowhere. I was in the meeting room, as always for the past 10 years. Shall I call the dealer “for a trade in?”. What will I do with the “new toy”? I guess I have been dealing with the same old stuff far too long. I compromised too much and looked the other way far too long. I'm sick of it. Listen up pal. This is the way things are going to work this year. No more bright television lights. I want every single one of those damn things turned off. Of course you keep seeing your shadow; a pilot could land a 747 at KLIA with just the beacon of lights that illuminate the place but you could still see your shadow. Ditch the light everyone because I am comfortable with the mysterious darkness.

The chairman hailed from the front; “Have you got anything to say?” I was reaching out for my stuff and packed them in my Transit Sleeve. I was more than ready to leave.

Gung Xi Fa Chai

Nikon D80 60mm f/2.8 Macro Nikkor

Double happiness to my Chinese friends out there. Gung Xi Fa Chai. Best regards and have a prosperous year ahead.

Regret

Nikon D80 70-300 Macro Sigma APO DG Macro

A friend parted since 1977 contacted my blog while I was away and I am so grateful for what he did by dropping a line in my comment box. Hope we'll meet again soon. This is what happened when we are so engaged with our life affair. Thank you Nazri - much appreciated!

Most of us hate regrets. There are times when our consciences are bothered because of too many reasons. For those reasons, we're having a hard time sleeping. We've let people down. We've let God down. We've gone out of my way to justify junk. Don't we just wish we lived our life as though we were grateful for what God has done to save us?

The tiny butterfly above was captured after my meeting as I was walking to my office. So small and most of us will let it pass unnoticed. Sometimes when we look hard enough, we would find what we are looking for and really wanting what we are getting.

On your wings of Love

Nikon D80 10-20 Sigma

What a beautiful day :-)

Lake Garden Taiping captured after breakfast during my recent work visit there. I like the tranquility of the lake with so many raintrees with beautiful canopies. A surprising clear blue sky for a place with the highest rain fall in Malaysia.

The sleeping butterfly

I have never seen butterfly sleep before although I have tracked a few homing for the night. I was walking around my garden with my camera one early weekend morning and stumbled upon this butterfly still sleeping. The dew was still thick as can be seen in this image. This butterfly is very small perched on the tiny weed with droplets of the morning dew still intact. Wonderful creation and thanks for viewing!

Newton's Third Law of Motion

For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

People are as entitled to their opinions as we are. Allow them to express how they feel and let it be. Remember that it’s all relative and a matter of perspective. What we consider positive can be perceived by another as negative. When we react, it becomes me-versus-you, who is right? Some people may have a less than eloquent way of expressing themselves - it may even be offensive, but they are still entitled to do so. They have the right to express their own opinions and we have the right and will power to choose our responses. We can choose peace or we can choose conflict.

When we respond impulsively, it is a natural and honest response. However, is it the smart thing to do? What can be resolved by doing so? The answer: Nothing. It does however feed our ego’s need for conflict. Have we noticed that when we fight back, it feels really satisfying in our heads? But it doesn’t feel very good in our soul? Our stomach becomes tight, and we start having violent thoughts? When we do respond irrationally, it turns the conversation from a one-sided negative expression into a battle of two egos. It becomes an unnecessary and unproductive battle for Who is Right?

Nothing is really fair. I’ve found that once I allow negativity in one area of my life, it starts to subtly bleed into other areas as well. When we are in a negative state or holding a grudge against someone, we don’t feel very good. We carry that energy with us as we go about our day. When we don’t feel very good, we lose sight of clarity and may react unconsciously to matters in other areas of our lives, unnecessarily.

The truth is.......

Back in 1988, Elton John sang the words, "You can't argue with the image. The camera never lies." The camera still doesn't lie, but you can argue with what it says if the truth hurts. Here is a shot along my driveway with the sunrise hiding behind the tamarind tree. The bricks in the foreground has been piling there for a very long time waiting for the never arrived weekend project. Ouchhhh......

Like it or not, friends are going to hear the truth from us (?). Many know that the truth hurts, but living a life of lies is much worse. So while you're definitely kind and supportive, you don't pull any punches with your friends. Everyone should know where they stand with you and what you like and dislike about them. While some may be initially offended by your honesty, your friends have come to consider it as a virtue. We are living in the world of white lies and deceptive politeness and I guess somewhere along the line, you can be counted on for honesty and integrity.

Made it!

Sunset in Sungai Berembang, Perlis

Yesterday was my first day at work after a long Raya break. I made it through without much hassle although with some rejection from my system. It’s over now, the first day. I’m sure there were things that went great and things that did not go so great.

One of the not-so-great was some down time with one of the server at the office. Maybe technology has gotten a bit more complicated, which makes it more likely that you will need to call for help or search Google for the answer, but it’s certainly more stable in many areas. I hardly lost any files or system crashed in a long time. Most of my terminals are well protected and I am comfortable with what we are getting today. Small updates to most software happens almost weekly if not daily. New web applications come out every day. People browse the web on iPhones and iPods. Wifi is almost everywhere. I guess little things like that don't bother me so much now. It felt good to experience some new things and I'll try to use that as a positive mindset to move forward.

Tell me why I don't like Sunday!

This shot was taken on my way to work. The dew was still heavy on the ground and mist crawling at the bottom of the hill.

A long break during the Raya season making me rather unexcited about going to work. It's not about work that sucks but these sleep-ins are actually putting my body out of whack enough to change my Saturday night bedtime - Sunday is my first day at work. This is the main set-up for the coming Sunday blues. These days, we’re pushing ourselves a lot, particularly during the week and the weekend or a long break like we are having now is our only refuge. I might not be sleepy on Saturday night as I might during my first day at work. I guess, if you take a bight chunk of hire purchase of an expensive car, you'll have a lot to pay off later on. Enjoy the break while we can.

We forgive

‘Please forgive me for all my wrongdoings, intentionally or unintentionally. May you be well throughout the year’

Isn’t that the typical greetings and wishes we make for one another every single time this blessed month of Ramadan is ending and the glorious month of Syawal approaching?

So much so that I once wondered- when we seek for the forgiveness from others especially during Ramadan, do we really mean it from the bottom of our hearts or it is just cultural and a mere lip service?

In the Qur’an Allah has described the Believers as
“those who avoid major sins and acts of indecencies and when they are angry they forgive.”
(ash-Shura 42: 37)

Orthosiphon stamineus

I had one of this planted but died last year. My father in law made a few cuts from the shoot while it was alive and now he donated back three of these plants to me. This is the first bloom during this rainy season and the reason I wanted to keep having this in my garden is to attract butterflies. Many butterfly species are fond of Cat whiskers plant and one of them is the beautiful common albatross.

Orthosiphon stamineus (Malay: misai kucing) is a traditional herb that is widely grown in tropical areas. The two general species, Orthosiphon stamineus “purple" and Orthosiphon stamineus “white” are traditionally used to treat diabetes, kidney and urinary disorders, high blood pressure and bone or muscular pain. ~wikipedia

Oh, another thing! Have you ever noticed that when people say not to be "judgmental" they never say it after they are judged to be something good? This is because they don't care about being judged, they just care about being judged poorly.

Little things that make me happy!

My friend just returned this bike after I loaned it to him 10 years ago when her daughter's bike was stolen. It's a pretty cool one which I bought in 1990 for around RM800. I felt happy that I had it again, and excited to use it. The bike has served me well during this month of Ramadhan with the daily visit to Pasar Ramadhan and trips for tarawikh. Now I'm back looking for the original parts of this 1981 C70 GBO which I can see a few have been substituted. So excited, that I'll be getting delivery of another moped, 1980 C70Z tomorrow.

I have that a lot, little things that I buy - anything from books to fruits and juice - make me happy after I buy them. There is something exciting about the fact that I now possess whatever I buy, and get to use it as I please. I get really excited about little things like nail-clippers, cutters and tools in my workshop. Some said something sarcastic about me being satisfied with the 'little things in life'. Do such things also make you happy, or do you not really care about the little things that you buy - or gift from someone?

EDIT: A peek at my new toy.
Thanks for viewing!

Eve of Ramadan

Mother. This is the sky that I just captured during the eve of Ramadan. It is beautiful with fantastic cloud formation against the sunset sky. This is the first Ramadan without you and all the things I have always done with you in the eve of Ramadan are still very fresh in my memory. Does everyone take so long to get over losing their mother? Perhaps the question is does anyone ever get over losing their mother? How can I think of you less? When I see my hands and feet, they become your hands; the shape of my nails is an imprint of yours; the skin crinkles over my knuckles in the same pattern. How can I allow you to recede into the background when I see you daily in my reflection in the mirror? You are in me, I am part of you, even in your absence. And these daily reminders keep the hole of that absence close to the surface. I wish to be strong going through this belssful month and I am not thinking about the coming Raya (Eid Mubarak) just yet - at least for now.

Saddest day of my life

This is the hardest hub I have to write. August 16th 2008 was the saddest day of my life when my mother passed away at 3.00pm at the age of 70. I miss you mother....

Barodontalgia

Little that I knew what the cabin pressure at high altitude can do to human body until my recent trip to Kuala Lumpur. The worst tooth ache I have ever had was on that airplane. The pressure difference at the high altitude took its toll on me. My whole jaws and face, and ears were in severe pain. After some painkillers, the pain eased overnight and appeared again on the way back to Alor Star. I did a little research and found out that it is called barodontalgia.

Anyone with gas trapped in an infected tooth may experience barodontalgia, a toothache provoked by exposure to changing atmospheric pressure. Sudden, sharp tooth pain that occurred in response to a decrease in atmospheric pressure such as that experienced during flight at high altitudes.

As I am writing this blog, after a double dose of painkillers, the pain is less intense now but I still need to see the dentist tomorrow, I hope!

Gently does it!

Kids do imitate their parents in many ways. You can watch the Nature versus Nurture debate in the movie Trading Places with Eddy Murphy as the main actor. Nature says that humans get their personalities from heredity and the gene pool, while Nurture says that humans get their personalities from environmental factors and how one is raised by humans. This is the most basic explanation of these theories, which is the main point here. I believe that people become who they are out of a mixture of the two, but there are circumstances that make me think one may have more impact than the other. My six year-old daughter will freak out at anything that crawl or with legs and wings… hmmm, just like the mother. Upon seeing the courage of her younger brother in many incidences, she let this butterfly perched on her finger – with a lot of hesitation.

Riding off into the sunrise

With the implementation of the new price for gas in Malaysia last week - the government raised petrol prices by 41 percent to 2.70 MYR a liter and diesel 63 percent to 2.58 MYR as part of a package of reforms. It came to no surprise that Malaysian are turning to an already popular two-wheelers' moped as their mode of transportation. Most of these bikes are powered by 70cc to 150cc engines which are useful in coping with the raising price of fuel. This is a common sight on my daily trip to work with a rider and a pillion rider in one of the moped heading for work early in the morning. At the same time, Malaysian bikers will receive 150MYR annually in cash subsidy on petrol and 625 MYR cash subsidy to owners of cars with a capacity below 2000cc.

Misty morning

I like breathing fresh morning air. The first thing I’ll do once outside the house is to sip the freshness of the daybreak. It has been deliciously misty of late. The mountain wraps herself and all who cling to her sides in this dreamy fog. In the early morning rush to run my daily errant, I seldom forget to grab my camera, just in case. The just in case today being the misty landscape. I like the foreground weed. They glow amidst the frosty grass and sheets of mist shone by the morning burst of ray.

Spring break

No spring here but it’s spring break. You know what that means, right? That means I have approximately one week to do everything I need to do that I couldn’t do otherwise while at work, which isn’t saying much because the things I’m referring to are work-related. Thus far, my spring break has been quite unproductive and I am already toward the end of the week. The only significant work that I did was mowing half of my lawn before the light faded yesterday's evening. I still don't feel good. Apparently, this is the 4th day since I had the wasp attack on Monday and have been unproductive since then. I am debating if I am going to do anything or not today. It doesn't seem like I would feel any better in the morning anyway. So what Am I waiting for? But oh well, I keep saying, I'll just make it up next week and hopefully I feel all better soon.

Utopia

In the midst of rice crisis and fuel price hike, I took this picture of my village with the inclusion of the wooden house. There is vast rice field in the foreground with the brown harvested corn close to the house. The compound is surrounded by swaying coconut trees and the rubber plantation making up the horizon on the left frame. I like the sky and puffy white cloud too. Looking at the picture again, I was wondering if this is utopia, where people are self sufficient, with plenty of oxygen and ozone for everyone. I would like to share words by Mohandas Mahatma Gandhi: The world is enough for our needs, but is not enough for our greed.