After 340km and 4 hours

I'm backkkkkk.... :)

SELAMAT HARI RAYA everyone.

After 340km and slightly more than 4 hours which include 'jam' at Sg.Besi due to dono-what and Kepong-PJ-Sg. Buloh flyover/traffic light area due to accident, I reached home-sweet-home safe and sound.

Just after I lugged all my things and reached my 3rd floor apartment, rain started to fall heavily followed by thunder. Hmmm... have to wait a bit before I go online. After 11 days without internet connection, I have 385 new emails of which 85% of them are SPAM emails. Duh! @#%~&* spammers.

I'm still on holiday until tomorrow. Time to unpack and rest before the hectic schedule resumes. More blogging have to wait :)

Selamat Hari Raya

I'm going on a long leave with no internet access. Hope everyone will have a great and safe holiday :)

Canon PowerShot A710 IS Review

I was thinking of doing some kind of review on my Canon after using it for a few weeks. But the haze spoils my mood for photo taking so I haven't really tried my new camera. Only the initial try and a hazy one.

Here is a professional review of the camera. If you're still thinking, hope it will help you make the decision :)

Oh by the way, don't forget to take this poll.

Of Soul Mate And Unattached Singles 'Balik Kampung'

My friend told me of this analogy - finding one's soul mate is like waiting for a cab. Sometimes you got a cab, sometimes you don't. If you got a cab with a good driver who is willing to send you to the place you wanted to go to, great.

At times, there will be a cab driver who wouldn't go to your desired destination. At times, there will be a cab driver who has agreed to send you to your desired location but changed his mind when there's a massive traffic jam or accident or landslide ahead. The cab driver will dropped you off at the nearest convenient location to him and ask you to get another cab.

Thanks for the analogy Ben. A very interesting one indeed. Thinking about soul mate reminded me of Eve's creation and the Hadith below.

The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: "Treat women kindly. Woman has been created from a rib and the most bent part of the rib is the uppermost. If you try to turn it straight, you will break it. And if you leave it alone, it will remain bent as it is. So treat women kindly." (Bukhari and Muslim)

Without analyzing the Hadith, I have this vision of a woman who goes around putting her palm on one guy's chest after another; trying to feel a connection, trying to find her soul mate. But then again, scientifically speaking, that would make the men and women who are soul mates share the same DNA? That would be like marrying your family members. Yikes!!!

Some explanation on the Hadith and the creation of Eve is here and here. Lest someone would get the wrong idea, the gist of the explanation...

The Qur'an says only that Eve was created from "it." What this "it" refers to is the point in question. Most of those commentators who have penetrated deep into the meaning of the Qur'an have taken "it" to refer to "species": Eve was created - not from Adam himself - but from the same species as Adam. This is the explanation given - among others - by Abu Muslim Asfahani, and it is this explanation that fits in with other verses of the Qur'an.

Analogies and Hadith aside, Raya is near and many unattached singles will 'balik kampung' with mixed feelings. Partly, they will be looking forward to see family, relatives and friends. The other part would dread the never ending questions about their other half and the unwelcome match making efforts.

You will hear advices about not being too choosy, to lower your expectations and to just get married and produce offspring because you're supposed to. Don't falter, don't feel pressured even if your nieces and nephews have school going children already. If you're not ready, you're not ready. If you haven't found the one, you haven't found the one. Do not take the broken Len Seng bus cause you fear the right cab will never come.

Here are some rules on seeking your soul and its mate.

Happy 'Balik Kampung' to everyone :) Maybe a bit early for me to make a wish but who knows if I got busy next week and everyone would start taking leave and so would I and then I wouldn't have internet connection for a week. Sigh! Might as well make an early wish :D

Who Are You?

I know I have silent readers. I know some are friends and some are strangers. I wonder if you care to answer the poll question below?

Complicated Expectations

This is a story about you and Jamie. I chose Jamie because it is a unisex name. You can be Jamie Lee Curtis or Jamie Foxx. Both men and women can relate to Jamie. And then, there's Lou, just another boy or girl in the story.

How easy life is when you were just friends with Jamie. You talk about anything and everything because you were just friends. You told Jamie about Lou who is being too pushy in trying to get your attention and have a good laugh over it. You call or SMS or email at any time just because you have something to share and you know Jamie would love to hear from you. You become closer each day and then the friendship turns into a relationship. That's when life becomes more complicated.

You started to demand the attention verbally or non-verbally. You started to wish Jamie would do this or that if he/she were really into you. When you're away from each other, you expected Jamie to contact you because isn't Jamie supposed to miss you. Besides, Jamie contacted you before when you're away. Why must things be different now? The worst thing is when Jamie holds back because not too long ago you had a good laugh about Lou who is trying too hard to get your attention that it became a turned off. What Jamie didn't realize, it is OK for him/her to do the same thing Lou did because you like Jamie. There is a difference when someone you like do something to get your attention and someone you don't. But how do you tell Jamie that?

When two people, both expected the other to do something but nothing happened, they will begin to have doubts. Is he/she the only one having the special feeling? Is Jamie really into you? Doesn't Jamie know that sometimes you're having a mixed feeling and just needed a little reassurance from him/her? Time passes by and both you and Jamie hold more and more of yourselves back because the expectations are not met. You finally decided that Jamie is probably not that into you and the relationship started to wane. In the end, both you and Jamie would wonder what went wrong. You thought there was something going on but probably you're mistaken.

What a waste of good friendship to begin with. But such is the story of life. You expected Jamie to understand what you need. Jamie also expected the same. In the end, you thought if the other person didn't understand what you need, it wouldn't work out anyway. You continue with your life until you met another Jamie and the same cycle continues.

I wish I had the solution so you and Jamie can have a better relationship but I don't. The answer may lie in your communication with each other or your expectation towards each other. Whatever it is, if you're in similar situation, I wish you all the best.

Another Kuching Trip

I was in Kuching last Wednesday. As always, I really looked forward to the blue sky up above the clouds.


Since I don't have the chance to go kayaking this trip, I decided to try the boat ride across the river. Despite the haze, my colleague and I went straight for the boat after the training. It was exciting. Both of us looked like a real 'jakun' especially the lady with the camera snapping at everything hehehe...

We're not wearing any life jacket and it felt so near to the water. The boat rocked hard as more and more people get into the boat. I looked at my colleague looking a bit panic. Of course nothing happened and I started to relax as we started moving.


We went for a stroll once we reached the other side of the bank and planned to reach our hotel about 15 minutes before the breaking of fast. We were waiting patiently for any boat to bring us back to the hotel side. Unfortunately, there were no boats coming our way and this uncle (photo below) said he is not taking any passengers any more since it was near to buka puasa time.


Oh oh... My colleague suggested swimming across which was not very funny.


Then there was one uncle going to his boat. We asked if he can send us to the other side and he jokingly said, "esok boleh lah". Why do suddenly everyone wants to be funny? Finally, a boat came. Thank God! We reached the hotel just in time for the breaking of fast.


Night view of the river.


The view on my way back.
(Photo taken by my colleague who had the window seat)
Entry for previous trip here and here.

Happy Belated Birthday

I did not forget my blog's 3rd birthday. I was in Kuching sans laptop. I reached home at about 9 p.m. today and only a day late wishing :)

It all began here and I'm glad I started blogging.

Polygamy: Another Perspective

* Written in the context of Muslim Malays

Whenever people saw or knew of a man who's married to more than one wife, the general reaction especially among female would be disdain or disgust - gatal, miang, tak sedar diri, tak cukup satu and many other similar accusations. If nothing seems to be wrong with their marriage, people would be wondering what kind of charm has the husband use on his wives. If the first wife accepts the husband's other marriages, relatives, neighbours and friends would continue giving 'advice' on how she should secure her rights on her husbands property, how she should assert her rights as the first wife and so on. I was with them until a friend, A, told me of this insightful story.

B, like many married women would look at divorcees in contempt, as if they have nothing better to do but snatch other people's husband; as if there is no possibility at all for her to also be divorced one day and face similar injustice. We have a long journey ahead of us in this life. God's willing, anything can happen. She was not divorced but discovered her husband has remarried three weeks ago. All hell breaks loose. However, she didn't want to join the rank of divorcees. A friend brought B to join religious classes to calm her down. When we have nothing else left, there is always Allah. She finally came to term with her husband's second marriage and decided to benefit from it too.

They live in the same Taman. The second wife is not working so she takes care of B's children after school and also cooks for the family. When B came back from work, she picks her children up and also some food packed by the second wife. The second wife did not drive so B would bring her around for grocery shopping together. They also did their shopping without having an impatient husband breathing down their neck. He takes care of their children at home :) B is happy with their symbiotic relationship and feels it is not too bad. True enough B has got not much of a choice but she's not at a losing end with her decision. Maybe more women in similar situation should think of how they can benefit from the circumstances. They can even gain a good friend.

[30:21] And among His Signs is this, that He created for you mates from among yourselves, that ye may dwell in tranquility with them, and He has put love and mercy between your (hearts): verily in that are Signs for those who reflect.

Love is not mutually exclusive. It is not scarce for which one has to allocate sparingly so everyone has enough to get by or fight for so it can be owned exclusively. What if love knocks on your door the second time? What if you have a feeling of deep respect for someone that you want to have a bond together? Some would ask what if a woman falls in love the second time? She can't have a second husband. Allah knows best. Most women have a tough time as it is being a wife, mom, daughter, staff or employer. It is just not in her physiology and psychology to deal with more than one husband. But I know there will be women who demand equal right in everything. I have nothing to say if some women decided they could handle a second husband. I have a tough time finding even one :) Having said that, I hope my blog will not be flocked by MGs trying their luck :p

Verse 4:3, Verse 13:38

Polygamy is not the norm in the society and not many men can handle it too. B's husband is just one of the few lucky ones who has rational wives. He is wrong to keep it a secret in the first place. The man who keeps his other marriages a secret is being unfair to his wives. If he died, there will be problems later on and he has failed with his responsibility of being fair to his wives. Did he think his responsibility ends when he is in the grave? There is nothing in the Prophet's 'sunnah' about lying to your wives. 'Sunnah Nabi' is the excuse many men used when they want to marry another. So, follow the proper 'sunnah'.

Verse 4:34, Verse 4:128-192 , Verse 65:6

The majority of women are still stingy when it comes to their husbands though. No sharing allowed! Can't blame us when so many men around have failed in their responsibility to provide for their families equally when they have a new wife. If men wonder why it is so difficult to get their wives to agree to another marriage, they should blame their own men folk. There are also other women who use their wiles to get the husband to ignore the other family. It shouldn't work though if the husband knows his responsibility.

Verse 3:14

Anyway, parties involved should determine what is their goal in life and Hereafter. Nothing belongs to us in this world. Our good life, our job, our property, our spouse and our children can be taken from us anytime. We don't have any sole right in those things. Be thankful with what we have and be fair for we did not want unfairness to happen to us.

My Canon Powershot A710 IS

*grin*

I got myself this. (Photo taken with my Kodak and glow effect by Picasa)


I managed to do some testing but I have not use the full capabilities of the camera. Only Auto mode was used. I haven't got the time to play with other settings yet.


Indoor


Outdoor


Macro


Zoom
I wouldn't be able to get pic this close with my Kodak. And at 7.1 Megapixels, I can now see details not seen by naked eyes.

I'm hoping for many wonderful adventures with my new Canon as my Kodak has been.

Let's Read the Qur'an

I found a website called Quran Explorer where we can read Al-Qur'an online or listen to it without having to download anything. The screen capture is shown below. Click on it for a better image. Currently, it works best in IE.

We can listen to it at any time or check our own reading by referring to the site. We can choose to listen to both the verses and translation or either one by selecting the mute button. It requires some streaming time so what I normally do is let it run the first time and do other things. Then I can listen to it without any pauses.



Other site I like to refer to is www.al-islam.com. An example of a Surah is here. The Qur'an content is from the Saudi government and you can choose the translation in several languages like Malay, English and French. You can also listen to the verses in this site but I prefer Quran Explorer as it is faster. But you can save the images of the verses and transfer them to your handphone (if your handphone has the capability to do that) so we can access the verses at anytime. Just imagine reading Yaasin from your handphone anytime, anywhere.

If you want to download any Qur'anic verses in MP3 format, visit this site but I have not downloaded anything there so can't vouch for its content.