Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri

me, mala, meen, ang, amel, apai

SELAMAT HARI RAYA AIDILFITRI
MAAF ZAHIR & BATIN

To our family and all our friends
the world over

Selamat Hari Raya Aidifitri Maaf Zahir & Batin

Minal Aidil Wal Faizin - Maaf Lahir & Bathin

Eid Mubarak - Happy Eid - Happy Holidays

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BE GOOD, ANYWAY
People are unreasonable, illogical and self-centred, love then anyway. If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives, do good anyway. If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies, succeed anyway. The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow, do good anyway. Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable, be honest and frank anyway.
Source Unknown

Thought 26SEP2008

THE MIRACLE BRIDGE
The Brooklyn Bridge that spans the river between Manhattan and Brooklyn is simply an engineering miracle. In 1883, a creative engineer, John Roebling, was inspired by an idea for his spectacular bridge project. However, bridge-building experts told him to forget it, it just was not possible. Roebling convinced his son, Washington, an up-and-coming engineer, that the bridge could be built. The two of them conceived the concept of how it could be accomplished and how to overcome the obstacles. Somehow they convinced bankers to finance the project. Then, with unharnessed excitement and energy, they hired their crew and began to build their dream bridge.
The project was only a few months under way when a tragic on-site accident killed John Roebling and severely injured his son. Washington was severely brain-damaged, unable to talk and walk. Everyone thought the project would have to be scrapped, since the Roeblings were the only ones who understood how the bridge could be built. Though Washington Roebling was unable to move or talk, his mind was as sharp as ever. One day as he lay in his hospital bed, an idea flashed in his mind as to how to develop a communication code. All he could move was one finger, so he touched the arm of his wife with that finger. He tapped out the code to communicate to her what she was to tell the engineers who continued building the bridge.
For 13 years, Washington tapped out his instructions with one finger until the spectacular Brooklyn Bridge was finally completed.
A Fresh Packet of Sower's Seeds - extracted from 'a 3rd serving of Chicken Soup for the Soul', Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen, Health Communications, Inc; 1996

Ambition is putting a ladder against the sky - American Proverb

Thought 25SEP2008

ON LAUGHTER

Laughter has a scientifically demonstrable exercise impact on several body systems. Muscles are activated; heart rate is increased; respiration is amplified with increase in oxygen exchange. Mirthful laughter is followed by a state of compensatory physical tension.
William F Fry MD - extracted from 'Speaker's Sourcebook II, Glen Van Ekeren, Prentice Hall, 1994

Advice is least heeded when most needed - American Proverb

Thought 24SEP2008

THREE DAYS
During World War II General MacArthur called in one of his Army engineers and asked: "How long will it take to throw a bridge across the river?" "Three days," the engineer told him. "Good," snapped the general. "Have your draftsman make drawings right away." Three days later the general sent for the engineer and asked how the bridge was coming along. "It's all ready," reported the engineer. "You can send your troops across right now if you don't have to wait for the plans. They ain't done yet."
Extracted from 'Bits & Pieces', The Economic Press, Inc., Fairfield New Jersey - From the Library of Puan Hajah Zaihani Abdul Hamid

A joy that's shared is a joy made double - American Proverb

Thought 23SEP2008

10 TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL PUBLIC SPEAKING
Feeling some nervousness giving a speech is natural and healthy. It shows you care about doing well. But too much nervousness can be detrimental. Here's how you can control your nervousness and make effective, memorable presentations :
1) Know the room - Be familiar with the place in which you will speak. Arrive early, walk around the speaking area and practice using the microphone and any visual aids.
2) Know the audience - Greet some of the audience as they arrive. It's easier to speak to a group of friends than to a group of strangers.
3) Know your material - If you're not familiar with your material or are uncomfortable with it, your nervousness will increase. Practice your speech and revise it if necessary.
4) Relax - Ease tension by doing exercise.
5) Visualize yourself giving your speech - Imagine yourself speaking, your voice loud, clear and assured. When you visualize yourself as successful, you will be successful.
6) Realize that people want you to succeed - Audiences want you to be interesting, stimulating, informative and entertaining. They don't want you to fail.
7) Don't apologize - If you mention your nervousness or apologize for any problems, you think you have with your speech, you may be calling the audience's attention to something they hadn't noticed. Keep silent.
8) Concentrate on the message - not the medium - Focus your attention away from your own anxieties and outwardly toward your message and your audiences. Your nervousness will dissipate.
9) Turn nervousness into positive energy - Harness your nervous energy and transform it into vitality and enthusiasm.
10) Gain experience - Experience builds confidence, which is the key to effective speaking. A Toastmasters Club can provide the experience you need.
An extraction from an article published by Toastmasters International

A good son makes a good husband - American Proverb

Thought 22SEP2008

THE HAPPIEST PEOPLE
The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything in life. Perhaps they are just good at making the most of everything that life brings along their way.
Lawrence Douglas Pulliam

A contented mind is a continual feast - African Proverb

Thought 19SEP2008

GREAT VALUE IN DISASTER
Thomas Edison's laboratory was virtually destroyed by fire in December 1914. Although the damage exceeded 2 million dollars, the buildings were only insured for $238,000.00 because they were made of concrete and thought to be fire proof. Much of Edison's life's work went up in spectacular flames that December night. At the height of the fire, Edison's 24 year old son, Charles, frantically searched for his father among the smoke and debris. He finally found him, calmly watching the scene, his face glowing in the reflection, his white hair blowing in the wind. "My heart ache for him," said Charles. "He was 67 - no longer a young man - and everything was going up in flames. When he saw me, he shouted, "Charles, where's your mother?" When I told him that I didn't know, he said, "Find her. Bring her here. She will never see anything like this as long as she lives." The next morning, Edison looked at the ruins and said, "There is great value in disaster. All our mistakes are burned up. Thank god we can start anew." Three weeks later after the fire, Edison managed to deliver his first photograph.
The Sower's Seeds - Extracted from "Chicken Soup Series, Jack Cranfield & Mark Victor Hansen, Health Communications Inc, 1995

A clear conscience is a good pillow - American Proverb

Thought 18SEP2008

YOUTH
Youth is not a time of life, it is a state of mind, it is not a matter of rosy cheeks, red lips and supple knees; it is a matter of the will, a quality of the imagination, a vigor of the emotions; it is the freshness of the deep springs of life. Youth means the temperamental predominance of courage over timidity, of the appetite for adventure over the love of ease. This often exists in a man of sixty more than a boy of twenty. Nobody grows old merely by a number of years. We grow old by deserting our ideals.
Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul. Worry, fear, self-distrust bows the heart and turns the spirit back to dust. Whether sixty or sixteen, there is in every human being's heart the lure of wonder, the unfailing childlike appetite of what's next, and the joy of the game of living. In the center of your heart and my heart there is a wireless station; so long as it receives messages of beauty, hope, cheer, courage and power from men and from the Infinite, so as are you young. When the aerials are down, and your spirit is covered with snows of cynicism and the ice of pessimism, then you are grown old, even at twenty. But as long as your aerials are up, to catch the waves of optimism, there is hope that you may die young at eighty.
Samuel Ullman
Not to know is bad. Not to wish to know is worse - African Proverb

Thought 17SEP2008

PUPPIES FOR SALE
A store owner was tacking a sign above his door that read "Puppies For Sale." Signs like that have a way of attracting small children, and sure enough, a little boy appeared under the store owner's sign. "How much are you going to sell the puppies for?" he asked. The store owner replied, "Anywhere from $30.00 to $50.00." The little boy reached in his pocket and pulled out some change. "I have $2.37," he said. "Can I please look at them?"
The store owner smiled and whistled and out of the kennel came Lady, who ran down the aisle of his store followed by five teeny, tiny balls of fur. One puppy was lagging considerably behind. Immediately the little boy singled out the lagging, limping puppy and said, "What's wrong with that little dog?" The store owner explained that the veterinarian had examined the little puppy and had discovered it didn't have a hip socket. It would always limp. It would always be lame. The little boy became excited. "That is the little puppy that I want to buy." The store owner said, "No, you don't want to buy that little dog. If you really want him, I'll just give him to you."
The little boy got upset. He looked straight into the store owner's eyes, pointing his finger, and said, "I don't want you to give him to me. That little dog is worth every bit as much as all the other dogs and I'll pay full price. In fact, I'll give you $2.37 now, and 50 cents a month until I have him paid for." The store owner countered, "You really don't want to buy this little dog. He is never going to be able to run and jump and play with you like the other puppies." To this, the little boy reached down and rolled up his pant leg to reveal a badly twisted, crippled left leg supported by a big metal brace. He looked up at the store owner and softly replied, "Well, I don't run so well myself and the little puppy will need someone who understands!"
Dan Clark - Weathering the Storm - extracted from 'Chicken Soup for the Soul, Jack Canfield & Mark Victor Hansen,Health Communication,Inc, 1993
Knowledge is like a garden; if it is not cultivated, it cannot be harvested - African Proverb

Thought 16SEP2008

A SENSE OF A GOOSE
Next fall, when you see geese heading south for the winter, flying along in "V" formation, you might consider what science has discovered as to why they fly that way. As each bird flaps its wings, it creates an uplift for the bird immediately following. By flying in "V" formation, the whole flock adds at least 71 percent greater flying range that if each bird flew on its own. People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going more quickly and easily, because they are travelling on the thrust of one another. When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to go it alone - and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird in front. If we have as much sense as a goose, we will stay in formation with those people who are headed the same way we are.

When the head goose gets tired, it rotates back in the wing and another goose flies point. It is sensible to take turns doing demanding jobs, whether with people or with geese flying south. Geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed. What messages do we give when we honk from behind? Finally - and this is important - when a goose gets sick or is wounded by gunshot, and falls out of formation, two other geese fall out with that goose and follow it down to lend help and protection. They stay with the fallen goose until it is able to fly or until it dies; and only then do they launch out on their own, or with another formation to catch up with their group. If we have the sense of a goose, we will stand by each other like that.
Author Unknown - extracted from 'A 2nd helping of Chicken Soup for the Soul' Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen, Health Communication, Inc., 1995

However long the night, the dawn will break - African Proverb

Apai Left For London

Apai (Fairuz Abdul Aziz) our eldest, flew off to London this morning 15th September 2008 @ 10:05 on MH0004 to start his studies at University of East London (UEL) pursuing his Graduate Diploma in Architecture (Royal Institute of British Architect - RIBA)Ang had to 'ponteng' sekolah to send Apai to the airport

Some friends came by to say goodbye and good luck
Apai's 'Pondok 9 Geng'

Yameen will be leaving for London too, tomorrow Tuesday 16th September 2008 to resume her studies at City University
The Family
One for the album

Apai approaching the Immigration counter
Mama, Yameen, Ang and Amel watching from the tarmac
Since Apai had to leave before Raya, we took our 'Raya Photos' earlier

Thought 15SEP2008

THE BEAUTY REMAINS; THE PAIN PASSES
Although Henri Matisse was nearly 28 years younger than Auguste Renoir, the two great artists were dear friends and frequent companions. When Renoir was confined to his home during the last decade of his life, Matisse visited him daily. Renoir, almost paralyzed by arthritis, continued to paint in spite of his infirmities. One day as Matisse watched the elder painter working in his studio, fighting tortuous pain with each brush stroke, he blurted out : "Auguste, why do you continue to paint when you are in such agony?"
Renoir answered simply: "The beauty remains; the pain passes." And so, almost to his dying day, Renoir put paint to canvas. One of his most famous paintings, The Bathers, was completed just two weeks before his passing, 14 years after he was stricken by this disabling disease.
The Best of Bits & Pieces - extracted from 'A 3rd Serving of Chicken Soup for the Soul', Jack Canfield & Mark Victor Hansen, Health Communications, Inc., 1996.

A fool and water will go the way they are diverted - African Proverb

Thought 12SEP2008

MANNERS
The tired ex-teacher edged closer to the counter at Kmart. Her left leg hurt and she hoped she had taken all of her pills for the day: the ones for her high blood pressure, dizziness and a host of other ills. Thank goodness I retired years ago, she thought to herself. I don't have the energy to teach these days. Just before the line to the counter formed, she spotted a young man with four children and a pregnant wife or girlfriend in tow. The teacher couldn't miss the tattoo on his neck. He's been to prison, she thought. She continued checking him out. His white T-shirt, shaved hair and baggy pants led her to surmise, He's a gang member.
The teacher tried to let the man go ahead of her. "You can go first," she offered. "No, you go first," he insisted. "No, you have more people with you," said the teacher. "We should respect our elders," parried the man. And with that, he gestured with a sweeping motion indicating the way for the woman. A brief smile flickered on her lips as she hobbled in front of him. The teacher in her decided she couldn't let the moment go and she turned back to him and asked "Who taught you your good manners?"
"You did Mrs. Simpson, in third grade."
By Paul Karrer - from Chicken Soup for the Unsinkable Soul, Copyright 1999 by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen

When a king has good counselors, his reign is peaceful - Ashanti Proverbs from Ghana

Thought 11SEP2008

ON MARRIAGE
A husband (a doctor) and his wife are having a fight at the breakfast table. Husband gets up in a rage and says, "And you are no good in bed either," and storms out of the house. After sometime he realizes he was nasty and decides to make amends and rings her up. She comes to the phone after many rings and the irritated husband says, "What took you so long to answer the phone?" She says, "I was in bed." "In bed this late ... doing what?" he said. "Getting a second opinion!"
Source Unknown

What is bad luck for one man is good luck for another - Ashanti Proverbs from Ghana

Thought 10SEP2008

THE TROUBLE TREE
The carpenter I hired to help me restore an old farm-house had just finished a rough first day on the job. A flat tyre made him lose an hour of work, his electric saw quit and now his ancient pickup truck refused to start. While I drove him home, he sat in stony silence. On arriving, he invited me in to meet his family. As we walked toward the front door, he paused briefly at a small tree, touching the tips of the branches with both hands. When opening the door, he underwent an amazing transformation. His tanned face was wreathed in smiles and he hugged his two small children and gave his wife a kiss. Afterward he walked me to the car. We passed the tree and my curiosity got the better of me. I asked him about what I had seen him do earlier.
"Oh, that's my trouble tree," he replied. "I know I can't help having troubles on the job, but one thing for sure, troubles don't belong in the house with my wife and the children. So I hang them up on the tree every night when I come home. Then in the morning, I pick them up again. Funny thing is," he smiled, "when I come out in the morning to pick 'em up, there ain't nearly as many as I remember hanging up the night before."
Author Unknown - extracted from a 4th course of Chicken Soup for the Soul, Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Hanoch McCarty and Meladee McCarty, Health Communications, Inc.,1997.

Better to light a candle, than to curse the darkness - Chinese Proverb

Thought 09SEP2008

A CLASSIC CASE OF STUPIDITY
Many years ago, in a land far away, three vagrants roamed the countryside in search of adventure. Their quest brought them to an orderly village where they created their own sense of excitement considered unacceptable by the town's people. For their serious unlawful behaviour, the three were sentenced to death by the guillotine.
When the fateful day arrived, the executioner double-checked the equipment and indicated he was ready to begin. But when the first victim was placed on the guillotine, it didn't work. "Unbelievable!" shouted the executioner. "The laws of our and dictate we must set you free." The second drifter was positioned beneath the murderous blade and again, the guillotine stuck. He too was freed.

The third man had watched the previous equipment failure and his two friends set free. As he lay on the platform, eyes glaring up at the weapon that would end his life, he suddenly blurted, "Wait a minute, I see your problem. If you would just oil that hinge ..."
Extracted from 'Speaker's Sourcebook II', Glenn Van Ekeren, Prentice Hall, 1994

A man who pays respect to the great paves the way for his own greatness - African Proverb

Thought 08SEP2008

BE YOURSELF
President Calvin Coolidge once invited friends from his hometown to dine at the White House. Worried about their table manners, the guests decided to do everything that Coolidge did. This strategy succeeded, until coffee was served.
The president poured his coffee into the saucer. The guests did the same. Coolidge added sugar and cream. His guests did, too. Then Coolidge bent over and put his saucer on the floor for the cat.
Erik Oleson - An extract from The Chicken Soup Series (Overcoming Obstacles) by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Jennifer Read Hawthrone and Marci Shimoff, Health Communication, Inc

Crows everywhere are equally black - Chinese Proverb

Thought 05SEP2008

IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER
One night, my eight-year-old son, Zakariya and I were scanning the TV listings for something to watch.
"Oooh, there's a beauty contest on," I said. Zakariya asked me what a beauty contest was and I explained that it was a contest to chose the most beautiful woman in the world.
Then my son thrilled me by asking, with complete sincerity, "Why aren't you in the contest, Mommy?"
Tammy Litchfield Najjar - Excerpted from Woman's World - extracted from 'A cup of chicken soup for the soul', Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen & Barry Spilchuk, Health Communications, Inc., 1996

No wind, no waves - Chinese Proverb

Thought 04SEP2008

LISTEN
A common fault, as people gain more authority, is a lack of patience in listening to those under them. A deaf ear is the first symptom of a closed mind. The higher people go in management and the more authority they wield, the less they are forced to listen to others. Yet their need to listen is greater than ever. The farther they get from the firing line, the more they have to depend on others, for correct information. If they haven't formed the habit of listening - carefully and intelligently - they aren't going to get the facts they need. There's another good reason for listening carefully, especially to subordinates. They want to talk to you about their effectiveness and job satisfaction to know that you are really listening, not just going through the motions.
Source Unknown - Extracted from 'Bits & Pieces', The Economic Press, Inc., Fairfield New Jersey (From the Library of Puan Hajah Zaihani Abdul Hamid)

He that plant trees loves others besides himself - English Proverb

Thought 03SEP2008

A LIFE WORTH SAVING
A man risked his life by swimming through the treacherous riptide to save a youngster being swept out to sea. After the child recovered from the harrowing experience, he said to the man, "Thank you for saving my life."
The man looked into the boy's eyes and said, "That's okay, kid. Just make sure your life was worth saving."
Author unknown - from More Sower's Seeds by Brian Vavanaugh - extracted from 'A 2nd helping of Chicken Soup for the Soul' Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen, Health Communication, Inc., 1995
There is no medicine to cure hatred - Ashanti Proverb from Ghana

Thought 02SEP2008

ON WINNING
Not everyone can win all the time; obsessing about winning adds an unnecessary layer of pressure that constricts body and spirit and, ultimately, robs you of the freedom to do your best.
Phil Jackson - Pro basketball coach, Cited in BITS & PIECES
The ruin of a nation begins in the homes of its people - Ashanti Proverb from Ghana