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.

Monsoon and Mood

It has been raining all week around here and I can here the thunder and rainfall outside my room as I am typing this. The picture was shot yesterday while I was riding my two-wheeler around the village. The cloud formation might give some idea about the whether and the mood camouflaged underneath it. A few demeaning creeps can overwhelm the warm feelings generated by hordes of civilized people. The abuse spewed out by just one jerk was ruining the experience for me today. The guy who threw a bagful of trash into the river this morning as I was driving out to work just kept bugging me. Treating people right means conveying respect, warmth and kindness to them -- and assuming the best about their intentions. But the game changes when people demonstrate that they are unmitigated jerks. I wonder when will be the time when everyone takes responsibility for pressing the "delete button" to expel assholes from the system.

Break

It has been raining all week and the blue sky is a definite no with our conversation. Today, a deserved shot break of blue sky lasted for about two hours. I took this image on my way to my mother’s house to help her for weekend weeding this morning. The bridge is the same one I was using to and from school during my primary schooling. The red roof between the swaying palms is the house where I was born. I like the view today with the newly planted rice spreads over the green field for another busy season.

Losing touch!

Yesterday was another lay off day. I like not being there, but I don't like not being paid. Yesterday, I heard something outside the door, and it triggered a dream recollection. I half woke from the dream, and i was very afraid. I dreamt that a tall, terribly unhappy man came through the door. There was no clear reason for me to be afraid of this unhappy man. I just was. Can't exactly get a grip on the cause of why I feel that way. Similar to the unpleasant dream I suppose. Nothing in particular, and everything in general. Physically and mentally fragile, but, for now anyway, I'm holding it together.

Interaction

The environment is a concept of wholeness (nature), with non-living and living components interdependent among themselves. It is aptly defined as ‘the sum total of all conditions and influences that affect the development and life of organisms’. This comprehensive definition stresses totality, and every living organism from the lowest to the highest, including human being, has it own environment. The word nature also conveys the idea that it does not belong to anyone but everyone belongs to it, like a family does not belong to anyone but everyone belongs to the family. Like in a family, in the environment also interactions between its different constituents are expected, and these interactions sometimes might lead to hazardous situations. Interaction is leading to the faster deterioration of the environment.

Regards.

Nikon Langkawi Photohunt 2008

I was checked in to Frangipani Resort and Spa on the 28th of March 2008 for the event and this is the beach of Pantai Tengah where the hotel is located. The program started immediately after the registration in the first day. We were allowed to turn in by midnight and the next day was awakened by the wake up call at 6am. The photohunt was flagged of after breakfast and lasted until 8pm for many team. A very exhaustive but productive day for everyone participating in the event. We were checked out by noon 30th and I reached home by 5pm. Very sleepy and a very good night...... zzzzzz

Scenic Ride

Taking a scenic drive through "The Kedah Plain" is time honored tradition. It goes all the way back to when the first car cruised through. Older generation used to tell me how they would just find an open field, pull over, and have a picnic. "This land is your land, this land is my land...". These days, there are still plenty of great spots to check out and enjoy and put down a nice picnic if you so choose. Nearly everyone gets an itch to drive "up the line", out into the mountains, or through the vastness of the paddy field, you can find them here right outside our doorstep.

Storm

The rain was torrential yesterday evening. The wind was strong too with thunder and lightning completing the drama. The indication is very clear that the dry spell is over and the rain brought back life to flora and fauna around my vicinity.

This flame of the forest was captured this morning with droplets from yesterday's rain still visible in the image. The Flame of the Forest is a medium sized tree, growing from 20 to 4O feet high, and the trunk is usually crooked and twisted with irregular branches and rough, grey bark. It is seen in all its ugliness in December and January when most of the leaves fall: but from January to March it truly becomes a tree of flame, a riot of orange and vermilion flowers covering the entire crown. These flowers, which are scentless, are massed along the ends of the stalks—dark velvety green like the cup-shaped calices—and the brilliance of the stiff, bright flowers is shown off to perfection by this deep, contrasting color.

Have a nice day!

Election 2008

I am glad that the General Election is over. Glad that all the posters and banners are slowly going down and thus eliminating the eyesores that I have to tolerate for the past two weeks. I am wondering how much longer we Malaysians have to stuck ourselves with this third world mentality even though much progress we have achieved in many ways. I am wondering too, how much does this poster wars actually influenced the voters in deciding who to vote or who not to vote. I began seeing something positive though - more placards have been used this year displaying the candidates' faces. Not only they pose less eyesores, they are also less hazardous to traffic and easily removed after the election.

The power of rain.

The dry season have left this lily in my garden lifeless until the rain starts to fall again in March. The flower came out straight from the ground and the first bloom was spotted and what a beautiful day too. I have captured this under saturated blue sky with sheep-like clouds. A perfect day to be out and a perfect day to cast our vote. Happy voting to all Malaysian!

Busy Month

February have been a busy month for me. So many things needed to be done and now the month is almost over. I was counting on the photo a week project to keep me engaged on this blog! But life gets busy, busy thinking about all the stuff one must do to work, think, play and live out the things that are important to me like family and keeping the finances in order. The month ended with mixed feelings of achievements and some frustrating moments, as always.

Passion

This picture was taken close to the Kuala Perlis jetty going to Langkawi or Thailand.

This is actually the tip of the river estuary with the visible distant islands are actually our neighboring country, Thailand. The location of this shot is in a small town of Kuala Perlis.

Seeing these kids cycling happily around me and politely greeting me armed with camera makes me thinking - the fun everyone had with bicycles. Where have the pleasure of riding these machines disappeared once we get the hand on motorized vehicles. It is ashamed that the love for riding this simple machine (almost zero maintenance) have been lost for some adults in a world where constant grumbles about high price of car's maintenance and fuel price is an everyday topic of discussion.

Of Geese and Turkeys

I was driving my children to a playground near our house and passed by this turkey roaming freely by the rice field. A very common sight for me when I was much younger but not anymore. Everyone from my generation who grew up in kampong will have a story to tell about being chased by geese and turkeys. This image makes me thinking about the disappearance of this birds and other species that we are so used to be living close to us human. Will the future generation be able see what I used to see?

4W

Try answering the following questions:

Why the Moon always shows the same face to the Earth.

Why the Moon's rotation period is the same as the length of time it takes to orbit the Earth (same as number 1, but phrased differently).

Why there are two tides a day.

Why the Earth's rotation rate is slowing.

It has something to do with moon. This one was captured this evening 20th Jan 2008 before sunset. It is a waxing gibbous @ 94% full moon. The blue cloudless sky reflected by the evening sun allowed me to take this moon picture hand-held above the rain tree. Now, I can call that my moon.

Long Weekend Here!

We are having an extra day at home this weekend so the whole family decided to help Sharina tidying up her classroom for a brand new academic year. Armed with hammered drills, scrapers, wall plugs ladder and handful of rags; we set off to her classroom rather early in the morning.

We did pretty good job fixing all the loose ends but the point I'm trying to say here is there are too many loose ends. I'll not go any further than that but I suppose we are all aware of the situation.

We ate on our way home and after hitting the shower, everyone except me were flat out in deep afternoon nap. I was a beautiful afternoon with sheep like white clouds against the stunning blue sky so I decided for a quick ride with my camera.

It's harvesting season here and the weather is scorching hot. The rice straws left by combined harvesters are good playground for bird, butterflies, grasshoppers and dragonflies. I was back in an hour a happy man after looking at the loot in my lappy.

Have a wonderful weekend because I do!

Batik : From Now to Eternity

Starting today and any other coming Thursdays have been made an official Batik for the civil servants in Malaysia. I will have to wear colorful and authentic batik every Thursday instead of the usual twice a month which I rarely remembered. More importantly, I’ll have to look for Made in Malaysia batik which I can probably find them printed on the chest - do they have them?

Anyway, I heard that all the departments and government agencies will have to design their own batik attire and they will be provided free to the civil servants. It’s a form of uniform for them to wear every Thursday – is that true?

Since it will be Malaysian batik, I hope they’ll provide the maintenance cost of weekly dry cleaning too.

Birds Collection

Friday Morning

Friday is an off-day for people in Kedah. It always make me feel wild and free. I made good start by walking around the compound with Sharina kicking off by washing both our cars - Thanks Dear!

A decent trip to the wet-market under the clear blue sky with my freedom machine was pleasurable. As I got home, my two young ones wanted to go for a ride; a two minutes trip to the playground at the nearby recreation center (a cave). Along the way, I spotted a few good subjects for my lens’ breakfast. Once dropping them back at home, I picked up my camera and headed back the same way. I was busy shooting sparrow which rarely came down low and these two birds were close by inspecting the architecture on the bridge. This pair rather candidly inspecting the leak pipeline in our community. Enough pictures to fill up my digital shoebox for the day and I am here writing my blog after giving my bike a good shine; and Sharina is cooking our lunch. Thanks Again, Dear!!!

My Proud Swallow

Awal

"You've got to get to the stage in life where going for it is more important than winning or losing." Arthur Ashe

I think I lost a lot this year but I am thankful that I never lost faith and love inside of me. I got the New Year and much great stuff to look forward to.

Wishing all of you a prosperous Awal Muharram!

Cave of Darkness

My family and I decided to take a drive to the bank but to our disappointment, the Bank Islam of Kangar was closed for renovation. The journey ended further to a well known cave in Perlis called Gua Kelam or Cave of Darkness. I find the name rather humorous because I’ve yet to see a cave that’s not dark.

Gua Kelam, Kaki Bukit refers to the 370-metre long limestone cave at the small town of Kaki Bukit. Its name literally means "at a foothill (Kaki Bukit) lies a dark cave (Gua Kelam)". Access to the cave is by way of a suspension bridge. The uniqueness of approach, as well as the experience of walking along the bridge, makes a visit to this place an intriguing and adventurous experience.

On our way back; about 30m to the exit, we spotted this about one meter creepy crawly at the edge of the suspension bridge which I managed to catch on camera. Fear for the safety of the visitors, I showed the picture to the security officer at the entrance. To our amazement; his reply was “Don’t worry about it; he’ll do no harm to anyone”.

Freaking Cool!!