It was a long holiday and I went for our family vacation. Last year Langkawi was our destination but this year we went to Malacca. We headed to Malacca at 8.30 a.m from my house and arrived there at about 10.30 a.m. We stayed in Bidara Puteri Beach Resort. It is a little further from the town but near to Hang Tuah graveyard. This is a resort cum service apartment and so beautiful with the sea view of the straits of Malacca. I was acknowledged this resort was once the four star Mutiara Melaka Beach Resort and it was under management of one of the leading institution in Malaysia. We got 30% off as my sister is a member of that institution. Even though, it was a beautiful resort apartment that we rented but I think it was slightly not well managed. One of the workers there told me it was due to the high overhead cost of maintaining the resort ( not sure whether it is true or not) when I asked why there was only one lift operated. However, the lift issue was not a big issue as the scenery was beautiful and suitable for our vacation since my father was not fully recovered. Despite, the minor problem of the service in the resort, I should say it was a nice place to sit and relax and enjoy the peace and tranquility of the morning and evening. I enjoyed watching the activities and walking along the beach.
We were so lucky to get that place to stay as it was fully booked during the long holiday and in conjunction with the Christmas Open House in PortugueseTown. We didn’t realize that Malacca held an event for Christmas until we tried to book the hotel and most of the hotels were fully booked. It seemed a lot of Singaporeans went here for a long holidays.
Not much activity was done during this holiday as our movement was restricted with my father’s condition. My father enjoying reminiscing good old days when he was in Malacca. However, I think this was truly a vacation, as I always argued about the definition of vacation with my siblings. As for me a vacation means having a good time sleeping or waking up a bit late from the usual days, relaxing, enjoying and indulging yourself in the hotel/resort, do a few activities or sightseeing that you can if the time permit. As for my brother a vacation means sightseeing and visiting places and go back late at night to the hotel and sleep. Whatever, definition it is, I enjoyed our family vacation this year.
Sorry Is for borrowing your words. Yes, boring tahap gaban. Not because I have a lot of works to do or don’t have any works to do at all. I have few works to be done especially preparing the progress report to the sponsorship and the university, and studying my comprehensive exam but the productivity it is at a very low level. Really low. Sometimes, I miss the time during my exam which I felt 24 hours was not enough for me, which I felt like heartedly wanted to watch the television but I couldn’t do that or I really wanted to sleep but I was afraid I might not finish the work.At that moment my brain worked very well or sometimes can be overloaded with information and I got stuck. (That was the reason while I rambled in the blog). However, I felt really productive and using my 24 hours effectively. Felt really occupied for being busy.
As I was so bored, my friend suggested to read the novel by Khaled Hosseini. She said it was interesting, touching and full of emotions. She cried while reading the story. I couldn’t remember when was the last time I read a novel. Maybe it was eight years ago. Since I was really awe listening to the story from her I drove 35 km to get this RM35+ novel. However, people see things differently, I think I beg to differ a bit from my friend especially in assuming Amir was a hero in the novel. There are also few things that I'm totally disagree with the writer.
The Kite Runner, I must admit is very well written. The expressiveness of the characters and the vocabulary produced a book that was easy to read and not at all dull. Most of the story happens in Kabul, Afghanistan. Parts of it before the Soviet invasion when Afghanistan was a secular independent state. It gave the pictures of Afghanistan from the writer’s eyes. He portrayed Taliban as cruel and gave the expressions of very bad Muslims in a very wrong Islamic faiths
The story didn't made me cry like the person who sugested it (he3x) but I felt pity for the characters in the novel and for everyone;
I’m pity for Hassan for being Hazara. He has been lied for his entire life about who he was, his lineage, his heritance.He died for not knowing his real father, without realizing his master was his blood brother. I’m pity for his sacrificial love.
I’m pity for Amir for being such a coward. I'm pity for his betrayal to Hassan and anything he would do to win his father’s heart. I’m pity for the guilt he had to suffer in his life after betraying Hassan. I’m pity for following his Baba to have secular minded and didn’t really understand what against the Islamic faith.
I’m pity for Amir’s father (Baba), who was a secular, who exercises the opposite of what Islam teaches as he thought the faith of Islam couldn’t save Afghanistan. I’m pity for him as he taught his son (even it was indirectly) went against Islamic faith. (e.g he taughtAmir to drink to celebrate the graduation day or went against the words from Mullah (some sort of Ustaz if I’m not mistaken). I’m pity for people who has dad like Amir’s. I’m pity for his strong principles, for his pride and honour but eventually he doesn’t have any guts to stand for his mistakes, and admit it. I’m pity that he stole other people's happiness and pride for his own pride and honour.
I’m pity for the poor Afghans which could not escape from the war and had to protect the families by themselves. I’m pity, they had to suffer in their homeland. I’m skeptical for the rich (people like Amir’s father) who always ran away and leave the country behind to save their lives and belongings.
My friend asked me to watch the movie as she said it will capture our heart than the novel. The trailer seems interesting but couldn't find the CD. I was informed the movie was banned in Afganistan due to the social reasons. If I found the CD I think I might watch it if I'm in the state of boring tahap Ultraman Taro.
If we familiar with "Human Capital" as a topic in labor economics, we will know how to measure our leisure hours effectively. One of them is time we spend for shalah (praying).
Let's say we have been praying since we were 10 years old. We sleep 8 hours a day (=1/3 of 24 hours). If we were 70 years old, then the time we spend sleeping would be 70*1/3 = 23 years
If the prayer time we spend is 5 minutes, then 5 minutes x 5 prayers = 25 minutes (let say 30 minutes/day); and within a year, 30 minutes x 365 days = 10,950.00 minutes = 182.50 hours = 7.6 (let say 8 days of prayer time in a year) ……. What a shocking fact!!! Suppose we just realize that we have so short a prayer time (8 days in a year) to remind ourselves of remembering ALLAH.
Let's calculate how much we spend effectively out of our supposed age (70 years). The formula will be the supposed age minus the time for sleeping minus the age when we start praying (70 - 23 - 10 = 37). It means, out of 70 years, we effectively spend only 37 years, but mind you, that is not the time we spend for shalah, because for that we just need 8 days in a year. Thus, within 37 effective years, we spend only 296 days (roughly 10 months), i.e. 37 x 8 = 296.
Therefore, assuming we always perform the five obligatory prayers, within 70 years old, we spend only 10 months for prayer time; what about the rest of our age, the 36 years and 2 months?
Allah, the Exalted, says:"O you who believe! Endure and be more patient..". (3:200)
"And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to As-Sabirun (the patient)". (2:155)
Went to visit my brother’s house at RiverdalePark in Bukit Antarabangsa. That area is in yellow area which is safe but still under caution. The scenery looked pathetic, which part of the parking lots had been taken due to the plan (which plan yang tak menjadi) of a bridge construction. The canopies of policemen, volunteers, PAS, UMNO and PKR were still there in front of the RiverdalePark. No more beautiful scenery, harmony, tranquility and feeling of security living in that place. My sister said it is just temporary and I hope so.
My brother chose to live there since it is near to my sister’s house. Due to his job’s nature which needs him to leave her wife alone that was the best option to live in. Now it seems not the best option anymore, when he started to doubt the level of safety of living there. As an affected resident of Bukit Antarabangsa, whatever result that will come out regarding the safety level in that area, I know my brother will still be in the state of worry of leaving his wife alone again.
In the middle of the chaos of people commenting and finger-pointing blame on the tragedy of landslide in Bukit Antarabangsa, I don’t feel like adding another bitter or more blaming on any sides. Placing the blame is all good and well to make people feel better but it’s not going to make things any better. Truly, I’m sad about the families who lost loved ones to the landslide.
Me and Bukit Antarabangsa, there is only one connection. That is the place where I spent my weekend during free time. My siblings are staying there. My sister and her family have been staying there for ten years. While my brother and his wife staying in Riverdale just few meters from the disaster area. The landslide tragedy may change a lot of things including the tranquility in the area and their neighborhoods but I hope it won’t change my regular visit to their houses (if they don't move lah).
اللَّهمَّ إنِّي أستَخيرك بعلمكَ، و أستقدرك بقُدرتك، و أسْألك مِن فضلك العظيم،
فإنّك تَقْدر و لا أقْدِر، و تعلم و لا أعلم، و أنت علاَّمُ الغُيوب اللَّهمَّ إنْ كنتَ تعلم أنَّ هذا الأمْرِ خيرٌ لي في ديْني و معَاشي و عاقِبة أمري – او قال عاجِل أمري و آجِله – فاقْدِرْهُ لي و يسِّرْه لي ثمَّ بارِك لي فِيه، و إن كنتَ تعلم أنَّ هذا الأمرِ شرٌّ لي في دِيني و معآشِي و عاقبةِ أمْرِي – او قال في عاجِل أمرِي و آجِله – فاصْرِفْه عَنِّي، و اصْرفْنِي عَنه، و اقْدِر لِيَ الخيْرَ حَيْثُ كان ثُمَّ ارْضِنِي بِه اللَّهمَّ إنْ كنتَ تعلم أنَّ هذا الأمْرِ خيرٌ لي في ديْني و معَاشي و عاقِبة أمري – او قال عاجِل أمري و آجِله – فاقْدِرْهُ لي و يسِّرْه لي ثمَّ بارِك لي فِيه، و إن كنتَ تعلم أنَّ هذا الأمرِ شرٌّ لي في دِيني و معآشِي و عاقبةِ أمْرِي – او قال في عاجِل أمرِي و آجِله – فاصْرِفْه عَنِّي، و اصْرفْنِي عَنه، و اقْدِر لِيَ الخيْرَ حَيْثُ كان ثُمَّ ارْضِنِي بِه.
Oh Allah! I seek Your guidance by virtue of Your knowledge, and I seek ability by virtue of Your power, and I ask You of Your great bounty. You have power; I have none. And You know; I know not. You are the Knower of hidden things.
Oh Allah! If in Your knowledge this matter is good for my religion, my livelihood and my affairs, immediate and in the future, then ordain it for me, make it easy for me, and bless it for me. And if in Your knowledge this matter is bad for my religion, my livelihood and my affairs, immediate and in the future, then turn it away from me, and turn me away from it. And ordain for me the good wherever it may be, and make me content with it.
as our destination but this year we went to Malacca. We headed to Malacca at 8.30 a.m from my house and arrived there at about 10.30 a.m. We stayed in Bidara Puteri Beach Resort. It is a little further from the town but near to Hang Tuah g
raveyard. This is a resort cum service apartment and so beautiful with the sea view of the straits of Malacca. I was acknowledged this resort was once the four star Mutiara Melaka Beach Resort and it was under management of one of the leading institution in 
was only one lift operated. However, the lift issue was not a big issue as the scenery was beautiful and suitable for our vacation since my father was not fully recovered. Despite, the minor problem of the service in the resort, I should say it was a nice place to sit and relax and enjoy the peace and tranquility of the morning and evening. I enjoyed watching the activities and walking along the beach. 
with the Christmas Open House in 
s, relaxing, enjoying and indulging yourself in the hotel/resort, do a few activities or sightseeing that you can if the time permit. As for my brother a vacation means sightseeing and visiting places and go back late at night to the hotel and sleep. Whatever, definition it is, I enjoyed our family vacation this year.
