branded

Brands used to be formed from people's needs and desires, but now (most) people are being formed according to the needs and desires of the brands.

Think about it.

Do you buy a product because you are really in need of it, or do you buy it because the brands tell you that you need it?
And... you believe them.

Happy New Calendar.

It has always been an exciting moment for people when they have finished going through the dates of the current calendar and changing to a new one. Having countdowns to the change of the year count. Spending hundreds of thousands of dollars for 4-5 hours party.

Of course what the New Calendar Year really is for adults like us, is nothing. Other than that change in the year numbers. It's still another day, another hour, another minute, another second, forward, doing the things we do just the day before or the week before.

It'll be different if the mark of the new calendar means you no long have to work, or you're free from prison (literally, physically, mentally or spiritually). That is something to celebrate for - even then, agak2 lah.. not to overdo it.

But this is how we are now, right? We do absurd things.

I enjoyed reading Age of Absurdity. Recognising all the absurd things we do in these modern times. It was quite a best seller. But the irony is, we still do it anyway. Most of our actions make no sense. We are like zombies being swayed here and there in a drunken state, whichever way suits the money making plans of the corporations and government. Sometimes it's just following the unexplained trends, without questioning at all.

People no longer do things because it benefits others or benefit them. They do it because the media tells that it's cool, they were ask to do it, or everyone else is doing it.

I went off topic.

What I'm trying to say is.. relax lah, take it easy. It's just another calendar, another year.

Shouldn't we celebrate every single new day, that Allah has given us, with solat and the aim and effort to be better. insyaa Allah.

In any case.. Happy New Calendar, you all.

Charlie Kaufman talks about screenwriting - and intention of writing. :)

Patience is beautiful

"Sabar pun cantik ah"

..is the Malay slang that always comes to mind when I read " فَصَبْرٌ جَمِيلٌ " (fasobrun jamiil) - as in The Qur'an, Surah Yusuf, 12:18 & 12:83. Because the literal meaning of those words to me is 'patience is beautiful'. And that Malay slang literally means 'patience is also beautiful'.

If someone says something like that, he would really be saying, 'patience is best'. That is also how it is translated in Qur'an translations. Other translations include 'patience is most fitting' or 'it is best to be patient'.

In any case, don't you think, patience IS beautiful?

Answering irritating sales calls

I have grown tired of the world's cunning and dishonest ways in selling products. In almost every advertisements and every call, products and services are exaggerated or fine prints or additional charges not mentioned until you have signed up for it. There is always an element of dishonesty in their selling.

I'm also tired of answering calls from banks offering credit cards and loans, from spas, gyms, insurance companies etc.

I have been responding to these sales calls in different ways.

1. I don't pick up calls from unknown numbers.
2. I hang up at 'Hi maam!' or 'Is this... '
3. I answer in a lazy, monotonous tone and one word answers.
4. I lecture them back about how loans bring more problems to people.
5. I talk about One God to them.

I guess the above is in order of my energy level.