what do we celebrate?

The other day, I tumpangkan my vendor to town, after she worked with me on some documents at my office. We were talking about holidays. She's christian, filipino, who has just been in singapore for a few months. We talked about her hoping to go back for Christmas break, and we talked about how Muslims celebrate Hari Raya.

Then she said. "The other day, at another of my customer's place, I saw something very strange. There were these 2 MUSLIM ladies decorating a Christmas tree at their office! So I asked them, 'hey, why are you doing this?? you shouldn't be doing this. Go ask a christian colleague to decorate the christmas tree!' "

The way she said it, I think she felt like the Muslims were being forced to decorate a Christmas tree. Then she said, her friend, another filipino who have stayed longer here, explained to her that it's quite normal in singapore. She said, that kind of thing never happen in the philippines. The Muslims dont' get involved in the Christian's celebration.

Actually, I ni malu la jugak. I mean, yeah.. this IS a christian's big day, so why on earth are Muslims all so excited in the preparation to celebrate this day?

I told her, hmm...Christmas has become quite a commercialised thing in singapore. (yes, the americans have succeeded in making these people follow whatever they throw at us). I agree that Muslims should not be mainly involved in the preparations.

Wish your Christian friends if you want to, go to their parties if invited, but don't need to be all excited, as if it's a day of YOUR big celebration too.

In the office ni pun, I get email about Christmas parties and gift exchanges. The truth is I'm reluctant to join. It's good that for almost every year now, I'm always away from Singapore during that week. So one very good excuse for not attending.

I feel that singaporeans ni, have become quite a funny bunch of people.
Like some colleagues of mine - who is also ALL EXCITED about christmas, even preparing a poster where they change the numbers every day to count down the days to Christmas. And they are not even a Christians, they are Taoist or Buddhist, or some are half Taoist half Buddhist - don't ask me.

And some others pulak, don't know how to judge when it's appropriate and when it's not, to invite people of other religion to celebrate something. Like during Hungry Ghost Festival - they invited me, and all the other Indian colleagues to join in the hungry ghost festival celebration. Like.. huh?

Ok lah, perhaps they meant well. They want to arrange a get together, and therefore use some festival as an excuse. BUT...so far, belum pulak ada Hari Raya Party or Deepavali get-together.

The whole point I'm trying to make here is : Muslims, be more aware of what u're doing. I think it's ok for us to go to their parties if invited, but BE clear about who you are. It's a thin line.... susah nak explain what exactly is ok and what's over the line. But if you think, you'll know it.

Say: O disbelievers!
I worship not that which ye worship;
Nor worship ye that which I worship.
And I shall not worship that which ye worship.
Nor will ye worship that which I worship.
Unto you your religion, and unto me my religion.
~ Al Quran, Kafirun 109:1-6

growing old

I have not fully recovered from my flu. But I'm not having any body aches or headaches. Just a running nose and a bit of cough. I'm back at work. Can't afford to take more MCs.

I have tedd on yahoo. She's at home and need not go to the office until 3rd Jan!!!!! Apa punya kerja macam ni?!?!? Aku pun nak!!

Seriously, she's blessed with a GOOD job, murah rezeki. And she's only 20, for heaven's sake! Alhamdulillah. Her job allows her to work from home almost anytime, except when she has meetings or things to clear at the office. Best kan?

I hope I can get an opportunity like that. But being at this age, nearing 40, the chances are slim. I should be contented with what I have.

Nearing 40... Ever since I was 35, the next number in my mind is always 40. It's funny - sometimes it feels surreal. Like 'seriously? I'm going to be 4-0 in a not so distant time??' MasyaAllah. There's no turning back. Then I'd think about the things I've done in the past. Things I should have done. But that's past. Now, is what matters, right?

I plan to grow old graciously, and independent. I pray that I don't turn into a grumpy old woman. I imagine when I'm 60-70 (kalau umur panjang gitu, ameen) and retired, besides all the extra ibadahs I would want to do regularly, I'd probably be seated with a good laptop, writing a book. My house will look like a library. It'd be nice if it's near the sea or overlooking a sawah padi. ... ok, perhaps that's just imagining too far.

At that time, I'd have more time to spend with family and friends, meeting them and chatting over a drink. I'd probably have quite a few grandchildren to play with too. *imagining the whole scene*

That reminds me - I don't intend to be put in charge of my grandchildren full time. A maid must be there to look after them, so that I can go out, when I need/want to. Children, please take note.

*going back into the time machine, to current date/time*

Now I just want to make the best with the few years I have left of my 30s.
(..in iman, health & wealth - for all of us, ameen).

p.s. this entry seems gloomy - perhaps because it's Monday.

to be without one

Rus, my pembantu kat rumah, will be going back for a short break this weekend, for 3 weeks. So I've made arrangements for my usual stand-in pembantu, a local, to help out with the chores maybe like twice a week. Cukup lah untuk tolong do the whole laundry thingy and everything yang sewaktu dengannya.

Ok set, no worries.

Or so I thought.

Malangnya, just now, that good stand-in pembantu of mine, smsed me to say that she cannot come this time - kena OT on weekends. Oooh...ok. right.


Hmm.. I shall not panic. (panic, bukan picnic. paaanic. Picnic - berkelah.. panic - cemas)

I can do it. Yes, of course I can....... kan??

Afterall, I've done it before. Before there was Rus.

Yes, i remember those times. In fact, I was actually very reluctant to get a maid. I wanted my privacy. I can't imagine living with a stranger in the house... yada yada yada.

AND I did tell hubby.. i don't want a maid because i don't want to turn into a lazy bum. If there is a maid in the house, i'll be complacent and i'll be a lazy bum. He said.. think honey, you'll have time for yourself, to do the things you want to do. You can rest.

And rest, I did.

Now 3 years later, I can't imagine how I survived without a maid, with the 4 children. At that time Nadh was only a baby. I had to wake up early to get the children ready, send them to nanny's place, go to work, pick up children, come home, play with them, get them ready for bed, do laundry and clean the house.

MasyaAllah, how DID I do it? But no need to imagine further, I'll face it again next week.

But insyaAllah.. I can do it! Yes, insyaAllah I can. InsyaAllah. Ameen.

the unwritten rules

the last weekend, started very late for me. Cause i was still in the office until 330am. Next day nya kan exams, tak sempat betul nak revise except for the last hour before the paper. InsyaAllah la, can pass with not-so-flying colours.

I attended 2 wedding receptions over the weekend. So as i sat thru them, i made mental notes, on the not-to-do's. and the 2 things that keep coming up is:

Loud music
I mean REALLY loud. apa hal eh.. kat wedding kena buka max volume? org nak berbual pun susah. kena pekik2. Paling tak best, kalau tengah cakap pekik2.. skali music pun stop, and you find yourself berbual kuat macam orang gila.

Enough la music IN THE BACKGROUND. loud enough for people to hear the song being played - no need to.. macam nak sumbatkan music tu kat lubang telinga kita. *mental oteMust tell that to the DJs.

Souvenir (berkat - ke bunga telur?..)
Anyway, the thing yg kita dapat bila gi jemputan tu la. I rasa kan, kalau nak decide on souvenir ni pun, biar lah yang berguna. i have been receiving a lot of small cheap vases/containers as souvenirs. Skali dua kali dapat, kalau yg cantik sangat, boleh la jugak buat piasan rumah. Tapi kalau da asik dapat aje.. da tak tahu mana lagi nak simpan sey, all these small ceramic wares.

I think cute sabun or scented candles or cake or chocolates are a better choice - boleh consume.

Itulah saja yang ingin saya sampaikan.

tadi ingat nak ceritakan jugak about my dreams. But it's just too weird to be put into words.

have a GREAT week ahead.





p,s.
*unplugged entry - cause tengah stone jugak, baru maka ubat for running nose. signing off, before i fall asleep on the laptop.

By the way, my weekday start on Tuesday this week =D

Salam.

programming me

declare
cursor c1 is

select baju, tudung, socks
from almari
where
baju = "tak leceh"
and baju = "tak yah gosok"
and
(tudung colour = baju colour
or tudung colour = "black ")
and
(socks colour = baju colour
or socks colour like "black");

begin
for r1 in c1 loop

wear r1.baju, r1.tudung, r1 socks;

insert into hoversack (front_compartment, main_compartment)
values ("phone", "camera");

wear black shoes;

if day in list (mon, tue, wed, thur, fri)
exec go ofis;
go home;

else if day = sat
exec go ofis;
go kelas;
go home;

else if day = sun
exec lepak;

if die,
end loop.

Hmm.. masih imperfect this program? Haven't include if prayer time, pray, if hungry eat, if thirsty, drink.
Haven't include reactions to sight, sound, feelings, thoughts etc etc etc..
We, the human beings are sooooooo complex, the clockwork in us are way too advanced, too perfect. Subhanallah.
Our brains, a wonder of it's own.

"And in the creation of yourselves and the fact that animals are scattered (through the earth), are signs for those of assured Faith."
Al Quran, Al-Jathiya 45:4