The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate

When I first read The Story of My Life - by Ted Chiang, I was wishing he could read the Quran. Because I was reminded of the Quran, when I read it - how the story was not linear, how the idea of past, present and future is interrelated. It actually made me also understand the message in the Quran at a different level - more aware of how the story of what happens in Afterlife is presented - 'as if' it has happened - and it has - because our life is like a block of ice - frozen, and as a human being, we go through our passage of time, before we get to that part. It is mind-boggling, it makes me reflect so much and appreciate the Quran even more. So I had wished I can give Ted Chiang a copy of the Quran translation.

Then I read The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate - and I know, he HAS read the Quran. First, I'd like to note my feelings, when I came across familiar and true ideas of Allaah and a Muslim. Then I will also share what I feel about the whole story.

I was excited when I first saw 'Allaah is the beginning of all things'. [29:19] Whoa - okay.. this is mentioned in the Quran. And then came the story of Hassan, and how he 'prayed to Allaah for the injured to be healed and the dead to be at peace and thanked Allah for sparing him." - what a true Muslim would do.

At this point, and as the story became more intriguing, I can't help saying aloud, 'oh please don't be disappointing!' I was afraid if towards the end of the story, the idea of Allaah and a true Muslim becomes twisted at the end of the story. I read on with anticipation.

'And seeing the boy's tears had reminded him of the Prophet's teachings on the value of mercy...' - okay, still fitting a true Muslim.

'As to how we came to know... I have no explanation except that it was the will of Allah, and what other explanation is there for anything.' MasyaaAllaah.. yes. Please don't disappoint me in the end.

'I swear is shall make good use of these riches that Allah has blessed me with.' Subhanallaah, still on the right track! Relating the good received to Allaah's blessings. Any good we receive is by Allaah's will. And aiming to make use of the riches to do good, is also an idea mentioned in the Quran. [27:19]

'Allah rewards those He wishes to reward and chastises those He wishes to chastise.' [5:18, 5:40, 35:8, and more] MasyaaAllaah.

'you cannot avoid the ordeals that has been assigned to you. What Allah gives you, you must accept.' [10:107].

'after sixty sunrises and three hundred prayers' - he is aware that Muslims pray five times a day.

To my delight and satisfaction, the story ended with the perception of Allaah intact.

The story itself, is amazing and deep in meaning and lessons. And I am impressed at the familiarity of the language and how the words were used in the dialogues. It didn't feel out of place. I remember The Alchemist, having the same type of characters with some learning points as well - however this one, even though it's much shorter, is much more poignant and clear. And the fact that it's shorter and inspiring, makes it excellent, worthy of an award. I am not disappointed at all.

Have a read.

p.s. some sentences from the story that i like/love.
1. I had not expected a learned man to perform a conjuror's trick, but it was well done, and I applauded politely.
2. ... until he was overtaken by death, breaker of ties, destroyer of delights.
3. ... Allah guides whom he wishes to my shop, and I am contented to be an instrument of His will.
4. Coincidence and intention are two sides of a tapestry.. you may find one more agreeable to look at, but you cannot say one is true and the other is false.
5. It is said that Fate laughs at men's schemes.
6. If our lives are tales that Allah tells, then we are the audience as well as the players, and it is by living these tales that we receive our lessons.
7. Nothing erases the past. There is repentance, there is atonement and there is forgiveness. That is all, but that is enough.

*standing ovation*

Boyhood

It has to be the most epic film I've ever seen - in it's simplicity. Masyaa Allaah. So amazing, that this film is made over a span of 12 years, and that you actually observe the boy grow - and how life is mundane, and how it could be so empty, without a real purpose in life. They just try to survive day by day, moment by moment.

So much patience and discipline to be able to carry this out. It's what is amazing about this man, Richard Linklater, writer, director.

There was no 'climax' in this story - what is demanded of me all the time when I submit stories. I get turned off. Cause life does not necessaryly have climaxes.

If Allaah has written for me to make a film - I hope it's as moving and simple as this. Insyaa Allaah.

My husband, didn't like the movie. He got bored 15 mins into the film. He and I are different. I do realise, the stories I have that I wish to make into films, will not be of everyone's taste. If asked to describe the target audience - I'd say, those who enjoyed 'Before Sunrise' 'Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind, Boyhood' Those group of people.

Tanggungjawab membuat drama/filem

Seram jugak kadang-kadang tu, bila tengok orang buat cerita untuk drama atau filem.

Betul kata Bromo, bila kita menulis dan mengarah sesebuah drama/filem, kita ni macam berlaku sebagai tuhan bagi watak-watak dalam cerita itu, dengan menentukan nasib-nasib mereka, juga kesudahan mereka (tentunya dengan izin dan ketentuan Allah juga). Jadi tanggungjawab itu besar sangat, untuk menunjukkan kesudahan yang betul dan pengajaran yang betul.

Saya terfikirkan hal ini sesudah menyaksikan sebuah cerita di mana penulis/pengarah memberi kesudahan yang salah bagi satu watak dalam cerita itu. Allah sudah menjanjikan sesiapa saja yang bertaubat dengan ikhlas atas apa saja dosa2 mereka sebelum menemu ajal, akan diampunkan. Watak itu ditunjukkan sudah lama mengesal dan bertaubat - tapi masih juga diberi bayangan bahawa mayatnya disiksa. Ini menyalahi janji Allah.

Tentu sekali perkara yang lagi satu yang saya menyampah adalah keberanian pelakon-pelakon Islam kita membawa adegan-adegan yang melampau.

Apa yang diceritakan dalam drama atau filem sebenarnya memberi kesan kepada penonton - lagi-lagi yang kurang upaya untuk membentuk pemikiran sendiri dan senang terikut dengan apa saja yang disajikan untuk mata dan telinga mereka.

Astaghfirullah, besarnya tanggungjawab - jika dengan cerita kita, orang jadi putus asa dengan apa yang sebenarnya dijanjikan Allah SWT. Atau orang digalakkan melakukan perkara2 yang tak baik, kerana pengaruh cerita kita. Berapa banyak penonton? Berapa banyak dosa yang kita nak tanggung?

Semuga Allah mengampunkan kita, dan melindungi kita dari melakukan perkara2 yang akan sangat merugikan kita di Akhirat kelak.

"Whoever recommends and helps a good cause becomes a partner therein: And whoever recommends and helps an evil cause, shares in its burden: And Allah hath power over all things." An Nisa 4:85

the arrogant atheist's argument

There are different types of atheists out there. Those who are not sure, and therefore don't believe. Then there are those who have seen proofs staring at them, but are too arrogant to accept - because it's just to big an idea for them to grasp.
Look at the example of the argument provided by the arrogant Richard Dawkins who insinuated that to believe in God is childish.

I've mentioned before, perhaps you can prove that something exists, because you've experienced it with your senses or experiments. But just because you cannot find or phantom the idea of God in your very narrow and limited mind, it does not mean that God does not exist. To claim that something doesn't exist just because you cannot find it, is very arrogant, because no one can ever know EVERYTHING there is to know, even if it's just within their own self - what more the universe.

The following is what I got from a Richard Dawkins, arrogantly demonstrating what I've said above. And I'd like put after that, what I'm reminded of, from the translations of the Qur'an, and my personal viewpoint.

The debate on youtube here.

At minute 31:25, the arrogant man said: Such a Grand God, the God of the Cosmos, the God of of the Physicist, the God the Hyper Mathematician, God, the Master Architect - that would be a God worth worshiping. Probably not worth praying to, for that sort of Cosmic God worthy of proper reverence and respect would have better things to do than bother Himself with the trivia of human prayers and human sins and human preoccupations. The sort of God I would not feel like worshiping would be one who, far from fixing his thoughts on his magnificent creation, was instead obsessed with sins. Sin, sin, sin, sin, sin. The obsession of the Christian God. Interested in nothing but the sin, including private acts which do nobody else any harm, of the members of one particular species of old world primate, on one small planet, orbiting one rather small star amidst a hundred billion stars, some are in the outer suburb of one ordinary galaxy among a hundred billion galaxies. Such delusion of grandeur to think that a God with a hundred billion galaxies on his mind would give a tetany damn who you sleep with, or indeed whether you believe in him.

Subhanallah.. you think that God is in need of your worship and prayers? That's what a lot of human fail to understand, even among the religious ones. We are the one in need of the prayers to God, as a source of constant remembrance (for man is ever so forgetful), and strength as a guard against sinful thoughts and deeds.

"And Moses added : If you should [ever] deny the truth, you and whoever else lives on earth - all of you, [know that] verily, God is indeed Self Sufficient, ever to be praised!" Surah Ibrahim 14:8 - translation of the Qur'an by Asad.

"Verily, I - I alone - am God; there is no deity save Me. Hence, worship Me alone, and be constant in prayer, so as to remember Me!" Surah Ta-Ha 20:14 - translation of the Qur'an by Asad.

"Recite what is sent of the Book by inspiration to thee, and establish regular Prayer: for Prayer restrains from shameful and unjust deeds; and remembrance of Allah is the greatest (thing in life) without doubt. And Allah knows the (deeds) that ye do." Surah Al-Ankabut 29:45 - translation of the Qur'an by Yusuf Ali.

And you think, just because God looks after the universe, that He would have no capacity to look at all of us individually? That He has no capacity to care for us individually? How infantile and backward your thoughts are.

"The creation of you all, and the resurrection of you all, is but like the creation of a single soul, for verily God is all-hearing, all-seeing." 31:28 Surah Luqman - translation of the Qur'an by Yusuf Ali

Why must God bother with you even if you don't harm anyone else?
God loves you. Ask your mother if she would let you harm yourself, even if what you do, doesn't harm anyone else.
Or if you have children, let your child do something to harm himself, if what he does, does not harm anyone else - would you?

"When My servants ask thee concerning Me, I am indeed close (to them): I listen to the prayer of every suppliant when he calleth on Me: Let them also, with a will, Listen to My call, and believe in Me: That they may walk in the right way."
2:186 Surah Al Baqarah - translation of the Qur'an by Yusuf Ali.


At minute 38:08, the arrogant man said : The explanation for the existence of things like eyes, is almost laughably simple but it had to wait for the 19th century before we got a clue as to how it came about. Before Darwin it would have taken a deep deep take, a great a philosophical mind to spot that the argument from design, the argument that says, 'because it screams 'design' at you', therefore there must have been a designer. That is a deeply fallacious argument and it doesn't explain anything. The designer himself or herself of itself, would have to have been himself, a highly complicated object a highly sophisticated object in order to achieve that level of design.

What does that mean? Just because I came across a wonderfully decorated cake, and I myself cannot do it, and I know of nobody who can, therefore the cake was created by chance? That is a scientific proof? Clear sign of arrogance.

"On the earth are signs for those of assured Faith, As also in your own selves: Will ye not then see?"
51:20-21 Az-Zariyat

"And We have made the heavens as a canopy well guarded: yet do they turn away from the Signs which these things (point to)!" 21:32
Surah Al-Anbiya

"And if all the trees on earth were pens and the ocean (were ink), with seven oceans behind it to add to its (supply), yet would not the words of Allah be exhausted (in the writing): for Allah is Exalted in Power, full of Wisdom." 31:27 Luqman

- translations of the Qur'an by Yusuf Ali.


*in the video, you can also see how RUDE the last atheist speaker, i don't remember his name, as he responded to a senior pastor with his hands, beckoning him to come as if for a fight. Such arrogance!!! SO RUDE!!!

Subhanallaah. God guides whom He wills, those who WANTS to be guided.

Caught in the act

After my Isya' prayers, I comfortably lay down on my bed, tucked my feet under the blanket, and picked up the book I was finishing. It's Akira Kurosawa's 'Something like an Autobiography'.

On the section of Random Notes on Filmmaking, I came to read this passage:

"I've forgotten who it was that said creation is memory. My own experiences and the things I have read remain in my memory and become the basis upon which I create something new. I couldn't do it out of nothing. For this reason, since the time I was a young man, I have always kept a notebook handy when I read a book. I write down my reactions and what particularly moves me. I have stacks and stacks of these notebooks, and when I go off to write a script, these are what I read. Somewhere, they always provide me with a point of breakthrough. Even for single lines of dialogue I have taken from these notebooks. So, what I want to say is don't read books while lying down on a bed."


Right.


I thoroughly enjoyed this book. At the end of the book, I felt like I personally knew him.

But, of course I don't.

Like he said, people tend to write a good description of themselves, or even a description that is more towards the type of person they'd like to be, but not necessarily is. Most of the time too, people would leave out the negative or ugly parts.

But then again, of course, right? I mean, who in the right mind, would write about their ugly parts for the public to read. As Muslims we are told not to go reveal our personal sins to others - just acknowledge it personally to God, and ask for forgiveness.

Anyway, like I said, I enjoyed the book. Apart from some of the funny incidences he related, I think a lot can be learnt from this man's thoughts about life in general, and filmmaking.

Travelling with the Tangerine and Ibn Battutah

I don't have enough wealth and capacity to travel around the world physically. I've resorted to reading travel books.

I've just finished my travels with Tim Mackintosh-Smith, from Morocco to Turkey, from 1300s to current time.

It's great. :) Will write more if time, mind and Allah permits. Got to go to work now!

I am Muslim

I just finished reading I am Muslim by Dina Zaman. My sis in law - asked me to read it. She said I'd find it interesting.

It is interesting, I must say. Most interesting article for me is the one about the bomoh with ken and barbie dolls hanging from the ceiling. It's sad too - the state of most Muslims in Malaysia - and I'm sure a lot like those in Singapore too. But perhaps because Singapore is very much smaller, the issue is not that obvious or not spoken about openly. Or we just don't mix in the same circle? Even if you are, you don't talk much about religion, only to close friends you do - or if you're an asatizah.

It seems like talking about religion is uncool. I wonder if people get offended or uncomfortable if we ask them what their religion is. Don't care much about the race. It should it be as practical as asking, 'what do you do?'. Right?

Sheikh Dr Mustafa Ceric, Grand Mufti of Bosnia, said in his talk on 1st Oct at Grand Hyatt Singapore, his Christians friends said, Muslims are always talking about religion. Talk about something else! He said to them, that they in turn, don't talk about religion at all!

Christians and others, should talk more about their religion - and Muslims - I wouldn't say don't talk about it at all. You'd have to define what it means to talk about it. Because basically everything good that we should do in our everyday life, is to please Allah. And that is our religion - our way of life. So how not to talk about religion so much?

Kan?

where are the real kings, emperors and leaders?

Leaders nowadays, they declare war or summon people to war, from the comfort of their air conditioned offices sitting on plush seats. While their men suffer in other countries, they get reports for the day and then they go back to the comfort of their home and their families.

As we've often read, in the olden days, when a leader declares war, to defend or to conquer - the leader would go with the troop and will be at the forefront of the army. They take the FULL responsibility of making such decisions. They feel the obligation to feel what the men feel - to experience what their men experience. THAT is a true true leader.

In the book 'The Places in Between', the author quotes snippets from an old chronicles written by Babur (himself), a Muslim Conquerer who lived from 1483-1531. He is from Turkestan, and he died in Kabul, Afghanistan. His real name is Zahiruddin Muhammad Babur. In a mission to conquer places, he and his men, walked across Afghanistan in the mountainous area and at one point, the snow was so heavy that he thought they would die there. They stopped near a cave.

"The first of the troops reached this cave while it was still daylight. About evening and night prayers the troops ceased coming in; after which every man was obliged to dismount and halt where he happened to be. Many men waited for morning on horseback.

The cave seemed to be small. I took a hoe and cleared for myself, at the mouth of the cave, a resting place about the size of a prayer carpet. Some desired for me to go into the cave but I would not go. I felt that for me to be in... comfort, while my men were in the midst of snow and drift... would be inconsistent with what I owed them... it was right that whatever their sufferings were... I should share them. There is a Persian proverb that Death in the company of friends is a feast. "

Can we find or name any leaders of the world today wanting to share their men's hardships?

As Muslims, amongst our values are..

I am feeling kind of restless today. The feeling of wanting to do/think/learn/write much more than I currently possibly physically and psychologically can.

Or it could be pms.

Right, blame it on pms.

I'm reading this book called 'The Places In Between'. It's about the author, Rory Stewart's journey through Afghanistan by FOOT. That's right, he walked across Afghan, across the snowy mountainous areas too. He came upon villages and villagers that people in the news don't even mention, or may not even know of - and therefore you and I, don't even know exist. Unless you read this book.
He spoke of our misperceptions of other people's wants and priorities in life. Most of us think that everyone wants the same things as us.

It's interesting to note how our priorities differ. Even as Muslims. E.g. there, it seems that amongst their biggest concern (besides the usual prayers & fasting) and what they try hard to comply with, as Muslims - is to ensure that their guests are taken care of, providing food and lodging. They feel a strong obligation to do so. I don't believe we, in Singapore feel the obligation as much - that you would take in a total stranger and give him food/lodging. This seems to be quite common in the middle east. I think I read of the same hospitality in Mohammad Asad's Road To Mecca too.

Whereas in Singapore/Malaysia, our common biggest concerns as a Muslim, other than prayers and fasting, are... is.....

...what ah?

the option not to behave like an animal

‎"The human creature is the only animal that knows it is only an animal... and therefore the only animal with the option of not behaving like an animal." - The Age of Absurdity (Michael Foley)

"Verily, We create man in the best conformation; and thereafter We reduce him to the lowest of low; excepting only such as attain to faith and do good works: and theirs shall be a reward unending!What, then, [O man,] could henceforth cause thee to give the lie to this moral law? - al Quran At-Tin 95:4-7

We have been created with the ability to judge between good and bad, to choose between doing good and bad.  If we don't use this judgement, and we just go with the flow, with the norms of the society regardless good or bad - then we are as good as creatures who cannot think.

The Age of Absurdity - on distinction and conformity.

Currently reading The Age of Absurdity. By Micheal Foley.

"The genius of branding has been to disguise the undesirable conformity of consumption as it's highly desirable opposite, distinction. So conformity is the result of everyone striving for distinction in d same way."

:p hokay, so back to square 1.

"In general, branding continues to flourish, with consumers paying exorbitant prices for what is suppose to distinguish them from the crowd, but only reveals them to be a part of it. Much consumption is driven by the futile attempt to get ahead of the pack or a defensive need to avoid falling too far behind."

And so the crowd goes in a circle, spending even more on stuff they don't need, paying amounts that could have fed the whole orphanage for a week - trying to be ahead of the crowd they are in. The irony.

I hope my not wanting to conform, is not a sign of an unconscious desire to be distinct, but just a sincere want to stay awake and alert, and not be deceived by the glittery illusions of this world. Astaghfirullah. Ameen.

The Dressmaker of Khair Khana

This book by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, is a real story of a woman in Khair Khana, Afghanistan - who braved all odds and dangers to survive and feed her family. It's a story of a woman who survived the Taliban rule, the inside story of how the women in Afghanistan felt and went through, when they were forced to cover themselves from head to toe. Forced to stay indoors most times.

Having read the stories of their ordeal and difficulties, it's hard not to appreciate our own environment. Despite all the complains we have about the government or the people or the 'restrictions' and whatever we can think of, we still have it so good, compared to a lot of other people around the world. What we lack here is gratitude and contentment.

 MasyaAllah, I am inspired by Kamila's perseverance and her bravery in doing and starting something she didn't even have experience in. So what's our excuse? :(

Julie and Julia

I have been wanting to watch this movie for the longest time. I missed it at the cinemas. And I was always unsure if I really wanted to buy the DVD. Finally it's shown on HBO. :D



I like the movie. It's about finishing what we start. It's about learning about ourselves. It's about marriage and appreciating our spouses. It's about cooking.

But sad to say.. not enough to light the passion fire for me to cook. But that's okay - I now appreciate cooks more. I have believed before and even now, that, when a person loves what they are doing - you'll be able to sense it in their final product. So when a cook, cooks with love and passion - you can see it and taste it in their food.

It is based on a true story. If you look up Julia Child and Julie Powells, you can read about them. You can even get the link to Julie Powells original blog when she was attempting to finish the recipe book.

What I hope to take away from this - is the determination and doing what we aim and love to do, with passion. And not giving up.

The movie, had a happy ending. Julia Child and Julie Powells, both became published writers. Although one unhappy (truth?) is that, Julia Child did not like Julie Powells work. That goes to show you cannot possibly please everyone - and if we do what we do, with a clear conscious for God and for ourselves - then, that is already perfectly alright.

My Name is Khan

I actually don't normally watch Hindi movies.. but just now, someone turned on 'My name is Khan' and so I sat to watch.

It's good, it's touching.. it's long. But it was okay.

There were some scenes which were not logical - and reminded me of Forest Gump movie..
but it's okay.

Overall, it's heart warming.

And about him, being Muslim, marrying a Hindu lady.. well, there are some scholars who believes that Hindus are People of the Book also.. so wallahu'alam.

In fact, I hear that Hindus, they do have a main book that teaches man to believe in One God, and not assign partners to Him.

Allah guides whom He wills.

Okay not a real movie review.. just my thoughts after watching it.

twilight

I had no idea what Twilight was about, and I didn't care, at first. But my daughter, she's into it (but she's not THAT into it - phew), thanks to her peers.

So one day, just a few months back, her friend came over with the Twilight DVD and they wanted to watch together. So I thought I better sit down with them to know what they are watching. And that's
how I got... to know about it and liked it. Maybe what I liked most about it is the intriguing character of Edward Cullen and his look, ONLY in that movie. Seriously, if he is for real, and I'm
single (and I'm dreaming), I don't think I would fancy him that much because he is very temperamental. And if a guy like that hovers over you to watch you like that, in real life... most girls I know
will feel suffocated. And the fact that he is a vampire.. hmm.. I mean girls.. SERIOUSLY, you're talking about the likes of jins here.

And then I read about that Twi-mum thing on TNP, and I'm happy to report that I'm not in that group. Twi-mums are women in their 30s and 40s, who are married and with children (obviously), who are
craaaazy about the twilight series and robert pattinson (or is it edward cullen?). They, the mothers, paste posters of edward cullen or robert pattinson on their wardrobe doors (kan da kotor), have
his figurines, spend hours reading the books and watching the movies like... 9 times, and they prefer to be undisturbed by husbands or kids (girlfriends are okay), in their own fantasy world, when
watching the movie.

It's funny that it's making news like it's something trival, because it's not. It's seriously not good for their family life and mental health.

My friend and I, we were talking about what makes them go crazy like that. One of the ladies interviewed said, perhaps they fancy Edward Cullen (or Robert Pattinson?), because he has with him, what
they know they cannot get from their husbands in real life (something to that effect).

And I find this to be a real problem. This kind of movies, set unrealistic expectations in them, of their husbands or of the man they are looking for. They always forget, that most movies, are
exaggerations of real life.. or just selected scenes from whole deal in real life.

Like in a relationship, I'm sure there ARE moments with your spouses, where you feel smittened - those happy and intimate moments... and if you collect all these selected memories and put them
together, I'm sure you'll find that your husbands, are just like those leading actors in the movies you like (plus or minus a bit).

In real life, there are such intimate romantic moments, and there are normal moments, and there are the not so good moments. This is REAL life. If you're smittened 24 hours a day, I'm sure you'll
get sick of it too. It's like being fed sweet stuff (e.g. sweets and chocolates) for the whole day - you'd feel like puking. You would want to take something spicy and/or bitter too. (e.g. sambal
tumis and/or coffee). So....

I saw New Moon, and I think Twilight, as a whole movie package, is better than New Moon. I'm talking about the plots, scenes, logic (like there's much in the first place.. but still..), story line and
the ending (the ending in New Moon and one slow-mo-running-in-the-forest scene, I like.... cannot carry ah..). No, I didn't read any of those books and I don't know them from the book aspect. Okay,
okay... I admit, I find Jacob's running transformation into a werewolf cool - that was a scene that made me think that, yes, maaaybe I should watch New Moon.. you know to accompany my daughter...

Oh yes, stuff I learnt from twilight and new moon.
a. vampires can live in nice glass houses in the forest (pretty, I like).
b. vampires can climb trees and win marathons.
c. vampires are ice cold and werewolves are hot (like they are their own sun).
d. vampires and werewolves have mood swings.
e. werewolves must have short hair.
g. vampires don't sleep, werewolves do.
h. carlisle cullen is the best looking of them all.

p.s for those who wants to try to be cured of the 'robert-pattinson' craze, you may want to watch another movie he acts in, it's called 'How to Be' :p I admire him as an actor.

mental disorder

So, while i was having my pedicure at a shop, 'gossip girl' was playing on their tv.

Gossip Girls is about a bunch of girls and boys who have nothing else on their mind except sex and possible flings/pointless relationships. During the start of the show.. it was already like this girl making out with that boy, that boy with another girl and another girl with the friend's boyfriend.. it's like they have some mental disorder.

And then, two girlfriends whose self and bodies have no value whatsoever, were talking after a 'summer holiday' and one of them was exasperated that her friend was not enjoying herself, having sex with any of the many boys at the beach.

My GOD!! Sick pointless show - there was no real plot or story whatsoever to the whole episode - it's like if it's minus the making out part.. it's just like a story about people walking/driving/eating.

I was almost sure then, the creator of this stupid show must be a male. And true enough it is. What more can I say.

A piece of crap. Yuck.

You were here.

I finally finished 'You are Here'. It was reviewed by some to be a poetic book on science, but I didn't find it very poetic.. maybe only towards the end.

I like a poem quoted on the last chapter of the book:

Sweet is the lore which Nature brings;
Our meddling intellect
Mis-shapes the beauteous forms of things:-
We murder to dissect.

Enough of science and of art;
Close up these barren leaves;
Come forth, and bring with you a heart
That watches and receives.
(William Wordsworth, 'The Tables Turned')

Notice the name of the poet? 'Wordsworth' I guess he is! :D

I did read a lot of interesting findings (which may or may not be correct - but found to be correct at this point of time, with the current ability of humans). Some of which I've quoted in previous posts.

Among others are :

*| The only conclusion seems to be that all our ancestors died out, except for a single group from which all humans alive today are descended. This single group was no bigger than a few hundred people living in a single region of the world about 50,000 years ago, perhaps even earlier. (Now, I'm thinking of the great Flood and Prophet Noah A.S "They rejected him (Noah A.S.) but we delivered him, and those with him in the Ark, and We made them inherit (the earth), while We overwhelmed in the Flood those who rejected Our Signs. Then see what was the end of those who were warned (but heeded not)" ~ Quran, Yunus 10:76

*| A computer model made by the physicist Rasmus Bjork in 2007, predicts that it would take 10 billion years to explore just 4 percent of the universe, even if we could travel at a tenth the speed of light, a speed that is far beyond our abilities for the foreseeable future, and perhaps forever. (How GREAT the universe is? and inevitably how even GREATER the Creator is! Allahu Akbar - God is GREAT)

There are a few others that, for me, relates back to what I've learned and understand in Islam. I wish I can write them all here, but I'm not mentally prepared to do a research right now, to look up what I was thinking about, because I can't state it here if I'm cannot prove it to be from a true source. So, I'm not going to. For now. :)

Over and out for now.

The Time Traveler's Wife

The fiction book that first attracted me to quantum physics was The Testimony of Daniel Pagels. I read that a long long time ago. It tells us the story of a man wrongly convicted for murder, and saved by the testimony of a boy, who was at the murder scene - although other people have seen him at another place, at about the same time. The boy, had the ability to transport himself from one place to another - although he can't explain it himself. But the lawyer, representing the wrongly accused man, explained the possibility of this, through the mechanics of quantum physics. It's a courtroom drama novel - which I was always interested in when I was younger.

Since then, I've been amazed by 'quantum physics'.

The Time Traveler's Wife - is along the same idea of quantum physics, but it is a different kind of novel. It's a love story, that transcends over the person's space and time - about the man who travels through time - where he meets his wife, when she was young.. and she grew up knowing him, until they met each other in present time, when she was 20 and he 28.

Frankly, I've been recommended to read The Time Traveler's Wife since 2 years ago. But the thought of spending time to read a fiction, when there is a good non-fiction book to read.. is pushed to the lowest priority. But now, for now.. and at last, I have decided to go get the book and read it. I don't regret it. :)

I'm touched by Clare's perseverence in waiting for the next meeting with her husband-to-be, and perserverence though the husband's disappearance every now and then - and the ethics of knowing or not knowing about the future - and about how even knowing it, cannot change anything because it's fated (and this is according to what I believe - so the bias). But this (i.e. fate, and the inability to change the future) was also proven scientifically in the non-fiction arena, and presented in the most layman-terms possible, in the book 'Fabric of the Cosmos' - which also had me in awe of the vastness of God's logics, in His creations - something that can NEVER be fully grasped by the human mind.

And this whole idea of it, made me more attracted to The Time Traveler's Wife book - besides the romantic part of getting to know a person, all his/her life. People may say, this is NOT a reality.

Yes, it may not be. But then again, this is as unreal, as our life on earth, if you ask me. We do get carried away by mundane daily issues and feelings.. that we always don't see the BIG picture, the insignificance of our being in relation to the universe and the logic that is beyond our understanding. Subhanallah.

Allahu'alam.

Anyway.. I love and enjoyed the book. :) Apparently, there is the movie, in the making - and they have picked Eric Bana to act as Henry the time traveler. Based on the description of Henry in the book - I think Eric Bana is suitable. The vision that I like most about the movie (they have some pictures out.. but no trailers yet, as of now) - is the picture of the 30+ old Henry, with his 'future'-wife when she's 6 yr old, sitting in the Meadow. I think I'm looking forward to the movie.

jane austen book club

Last night, hubby watched TV in the room, which means that I'm 'forced' to watch also. Normally, I'm just too lazy to turn it on - which is good for me. Cause, when I start watching TV, and there happens to be a good (entertaining) show on (like Monk), I'll end up glued to it, even after the program.

Anyway, we were watching American Idol & Get Shorty (hubby was switching channels - he's good at that, I just leave him be). As I was telling him, it's very obvious who the American Idol will be. Of course, Adam Lambert, insyaAllah.. and the runner up - either Gokey or that lady. But based on my suspected male/female ratio of voters, for which there will most probably be more females, cause males usually watch sports or, even if they watch this show, only half of them will bother to vote - yes, based on those suspicions, I think Gokey will be runner up.

But the main purpose of this entry is actually, to state how I've watched and like the movie jane austen book club, which happens to be after the movie Get Shorty, on HBO. Since I have not watched that movie, and it was on, I stayed up to watch. (see!)

I cried. Why did I cry? Oh yes.. I always cry at scenes when the woman who is strong emotionally, or containing her emotions for quite a while, breaks down at some point, or they falter sometimes - yeap I always cry at those parts. Like for all the 3 times I watched Sense and Sensibility, I'd cry buckets when Emma burst out crying towards the end.

I guess it's because I really look up to, and aim to be an emotionally strong woman... and I do realise, at some point, those emotions may struggle to be released, in one way or another - we are after all, human, and a woman at that.

The two woman characters that affected me most in the jane austen book club movie, were the single blond friend who was trying to get a guy for her just-divorced girlfriend, and the pretty lady teacher who was emotionally ignored by her husband (not intentionally) while being seduced by her cute student. No, I don't remember ANY of their names.. of except Grigg - because that was being mentioned so many times and even spelled out. Yeap, Grigg is the widget, used to distract the divorcee from bellowing over her ex-husband.

But what I DON'T LIKE about this movie is that, someone in the production group, is obviously promoting gay relationship - and trying to make it look oh-so-normal and acceptable. It is still NOT normal, and it's NOT acceptable, no matter how much they try to make it sound like it's some kind of natural human condition. It's not. It is a serious social and humanity issue, it is a psychological problem that needs to be tackled. They need to be saved. :-/

It's so important to be conscious and aware of what some people in the media is subtly trying to plant into our subconscious mind. There is a new kind of jihad, that the morally-sound people needs to really get into. It's the media.

*ponders........ *

Well.. It's a friday kind of Thursday today, and I'm on half day leave. :D Yeah.

icarus dream suite / fanfare

No real updates.. i have a few poems, but I probably need a break from my poems.

Today I'm happy, because I found the song I've been thinking about now and then, but didn't really have time to find. I first heard it, more than 15 years ago. I knew the guitarist was Yngwie Malmsteen, but I didn't know the title of that song, that mysterious song.

I've found it now.. the first song, I really fell in love with. Icarus Dream Suite Op. 4. They also come in 'fanfare'

I enjoy this A LOT.