This and that...

Just came back from a 2-day course in PD. Now that I've attended a crash course on discplinary action for government servant, I'll be on the speaker list next.

After the baby is born, insya Allah.

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Used to be a keen follower of the latest on Gaza on Al-Jazeera - both online and on Astro - while the war was on. Mak is a volunteer for Aman Palestin, and she was among the thousands Malaysians who walked from Tabung Haji to US Embassy one Friday afternoon to show their protest. Mak and Adik were among the thousands who joined Aman Palestin's rally for Gaza in Stadium Malawati and until now, Mak has yet to take off the "Save Gaza" sticker on her CRV's driver's door.

Ayah and Mak worked hard on getting contribution - and alhamdulillah, the qariah of Masjid Kampung Tunku contributed RM17,000 for Aman Palestin on the day before the rally at Stadium Malawati. Mak made me pass around an Aman Palestin 'tabung' at the office - and with some Administrative officers' assistance, the 'tabung' was passed around on 4 different floors. Mak said that the content of the tabung amounted to almost RM4,000, alhamdulillah. Not that it all came from the office - the tabung was already half full before Mak asked me to pass it around in the office, but still...

And it came out in the paper yesterday that over RM800,000 in the forms of an ICU-facilities- equipped ambulance , 3 generators for the hospital and food item had been sent to Palestine by Aman Palestin... Mak said that they are still working on getting more ambulances, generators, medical supplies and food item to be sent over. Based on their track record so far, I guess I have faith in Aman Palestin to deliver what they promise - that each sen we contribute insya Allah will reach the needy ones in Palestine. That's a lot more than can be said for some 'tabung kemanusiaan'...

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Hubby already warned me that attending the Alumni of my former school ex-students may lead to me being chosen as a member of the committee.

"Rubbish! I'm sure there better candidates in presence than a heavily pregnant mother...," was how I dismissed his warning.

Ira and I were the only two representatives from our batch in the AGM. Zarin, the main 'otai' in organizing meet-ups for our batch could not attend it because he just returned from his kampung that day. I thought I was safe since I was sure that Ira would not be nominating me just like I wouldn't nominate her to hold any post in the committee...

How wrong was I.
Zaki, the former president of the alumni nominated my name.
And Kak Zu from SPM 1986 batch just had to announce that I am working in J*A when my name was announced as a candidate - to which a lot of people responded by saying "Oh bagus kalau ada orang J*A ni..." Yeah, right. Kak Zu should have explained further that I'm with the disciplinary unit - not in units responsible for scholarship or pension or emolument...
Anyway, I ended up garnering highest count of votes (luckily not as the main committee member though).

I asked Zaki during lunch, what made him mad enough to nominate me when obviously there were more able candidates in presence - he smiled and said that it's good to have a committee made up of various batches than one monopolized by a certain era. He had a valid point there - the main committee members were already mostly filled up by those from 1980's batches...

Oh well...

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Kit already told me about "that nice book store which sell books oh so cheaply" in Amcorp Mall. Ina, who was recently back in Malaysia, also mentioned in passing that she would like to visit one "kedai buku murah" in Amcorp Mall. So when I found myself free from hubby and the kids for a while after the alumni AGM was over, I asked Ira if she would mind going to Amcorp Mall. Hubby ok'ed it over the phone, so long as I return home by Asar because our friend Ridzuan and his family would be coming over after Asar...

So I discovered Bookxcess for the first time and it was hard not to fall in love with it. All brand new books being sold at unbelievable prices. Harry Potter 7 hardcover for an instance was on sale for less than RM35. Most paperback - fiction, crime, romances - at RM17.90 - RM19.90. Children books at RM3.00 - RM9.90. The books are all arranged nicely and appropriately in a well-lit spacious store with helpful staff who obviously love to read.

And to think that at first I was thinking of only going to Payless (which by the way, is no longer in existence there...)

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"Laa, beli buku lagi? Buku yang dah ada ni pun tak habis baca lagi," hubby complained upon finding out that I bought more books (2 Dean Koontz novel at RM9.90 each, Meg Cabot's "Size 14 is not fat either" at RM17.90 and I can't remember another one, also at RM9.90) at Amcorp Mall

Heh, I know, I still have plenty of books yet unread.
But at least I'm spending my own money on books.
Books.
Not shoes.
Or purses.
Or perfumes, cosmetics and what nots.
And they are really good, hard-to-resist bargains.

So okay, they are novels, not 'buku ilmiah'.
Hubby said that I should be reading more 'buku ilmiah'.
I know too that I should probably invest in books on leadership and management and stuff now that I'm back in the office.
But I need my dose of novels the way some people need their coffee...

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Congratulations to Kit on passing her PTK.
I'm so proud of you dear, alhamdulillah!
And can't wait to go cuti-cuti Malaysia in Cameron with you and Manja too...

Now, please make doa for me (and Zyrin) for us to pass ours.
Being the ever procrastinator that I am, my individual paper was among the last four received by the urus setia in The Mines at almost 5.00 p.m. on the day it was due.
I wanted to write it ages before, but it was not until the day before it was due when I really got into the mood to start writing and I finished writing at about 3.30 p.m.
Yan, my office room-mate, was amazed to find out that I was writing a paper that was due that very evening as she entered the office (by the way, that was the only day I missed checking on the latest in Gaza on Aljazeera online).

"Orang genius je boleh buat kerja last minute macam you, tau," Yan commented.
Oh, how I wish!

Simple pleasures in life

I owe Kit two tags and Anira one.
Let me begin my 2009 entry by answering "Kit's Simple Pleasures in Life" tag.
I'd written a similar entry sometime back in 2004, so this is more like my additional list...

Here goes - in no particular order:

- watching Huzaifah and Humaidi sleeping - the only time they look calm & oh so at peace
- a kiss on my bulging tummy by Huzaifah, Humaidi, their Ayah or a combination of all three
- waking up early and found out that I could still sleep for another hour
- unexpected hug/kiss from the kids
- being pampered by hubby
- 'seeing' baby for the first time through ultra sound scan
- mental-stimulating discussion over meals with Mak and Ayah
- finding long lost stuff I thought never to be found again
- smell of crisp pages of a book I would like to devour
- dog eared pages of favorite books that had been re-read countless times
- great service by a Sales Assistant
- short queue at service counter
- elevators working efficiently during the rush hour
- unexpected phone call from long lost friend
- unexpected compliment
- unexpected gift
- rhythm of falling rain, especially when one can afford to nap
- sound of waves hitting the beach, coupled with kids' squeals of glee and delight
- breathtaking sunrise/ sunset
- smell of yummy favorite food/drinks
- perfect dessert - especially ice cream or cheese cake - after a good meal

So there Kit, hope it has been of help in your attempt to dig deeper in my (sometimes "weng") head... hehehe

Anira - I'm passing this tag on to you... (Faizly & Ahkak Zurr, feel free to do this if you are up to it...)