The Gift - The Present.

Assalamualaikum...

"Yesterday is History, Tomorrow is a Mystery. But Today is a Gift. That's why it's called the Present."

That is from a movie i saw recently. And i couldn't agree more.
As i always told myself; learn from the past, plan for the future, but live your life fully in the present.
If people asked me, i would say, the first two are the recipes for SUCCESS, but the last one is the recipe for HAPPINESS!
Ask yourselves: Did you give yourself chances to enjoy this life, NOW, rather than LATER? Or you're so BUSY sacrificing your present for the unknown FUTURE?

Or maybe the real question is, DO YOU LET YOURSELF TO BE HAPPY?!

The Key:
Do things that would make you happy! Things that would make you appreciate this life better. And that would make you feel grateful to ALLAH THE ALMIGHTY, because you are still breathing in this beautiful world, still living your precious life, and still have the time to getting immerse in all the goodness in it.

Life is short...
You may never get a second shot for anything you missed NOW...
So, let's together.. take a breath.. and start living our life...!


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WELCOME BACK!

Assalamualaikum...

A little bit late here, but still i want to say Welcome back to Malaysia to Shu, Lan and my niece Tisyia...
I hope to see you all soon as i can't wait to see Tisyia...

Bye
Uncle Z


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Wimbledon 2008

Assalamualaikum...

Today(23/06) is a big day for me. Hehe, don't make face, but today is the start of the Tennis Wimbledon Championship 2008.

Until the champion emerged next Saturday (for ladies) and Sunday (for men's), i will get to see all the best players in the world compete against each other for the most prestigious tennis tournament in the world... for two weeks time!
Huh! That's a lot of tennis and i feel excited already...

For those who are interested, just tuned to 813, StarSport Channel.
Don't miss it...!!!

Until next time...


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Change your lifestyle...?

Assalamualaikum...

Recently there are news all around that says demands for motorcycles and small cars are increasing big time...
While at the same time, the price for 'big' cars were declining...

Also recent article by a local newspaper reported that the roads and highways are almost empty compared to the same time last year...

And another report that sales by big hypermarkets and even small groceries shops are also in declines...

Well, everything just goes back to the oil price, and just to quote our 'beloved' PM; maybe this is the time to change our lifestyle...
I talked to my friend, R, once that "you smokers are the luckiest one!"
Why? Because just imagine, once they quit their smoking habit, they are actually saving like... RM100 to RM 200 per month! (hehe, you might as well become a fitness first member by that amount! Right 'R'!). Non-smokers like me didn't have that privilege...

Hmm, but talking about changing, i also already did one important change. i just took my motorcycle back! After two years, the riding was a bit shaky, but at least, it didn't empty my pocket! As for my car, either it's raining or traveling back to my hometown, it will sit in the parking quietly and comfortably...

Hey, nobody said changing was easy...!!!

Okay, until next time...!

Gym-hunting... and finally... Fitness First.

Assalamualaikum...

Weeks after i started thinking seriously for a gym, i finally decided to join Fitness First.

It wasn't hard.. the decision i mean... as i took only half an hour between thinking and signing the paper. Together with my housemate, Iidil, we officially became a member of Fitness First last Thursday night...

In summary:

1. For this month, i only pay RM99 (registration fee) as it coincides with 1 month free membership promotion.

2. Then, every month RM 175, for one whole year (under lifetime package)

3. Members can opted to pay by credit card or debit card (deduction will be made from Maybank account on day 1 monthly)

4. You can go to any of 12 Fitness First branches in Malaysia, and any other 500 branches all over the world when you go overseas.

5. There are Yoga, combat dancing, pump-body and many others under group activities, are all included in the package.

6. There also Sauna, Steam-room... and Showers of course.

7. When you become members, you will get gifts like FF bag, towel, headphone, and a container. If you are quick to make friend with the trainer there -like me-, you can get a nice FF t-shirt too.

8. You can discuss your fitness goal with your trainer, either you want to lose weight, gain weight, build-up muscles or anything... they will help you.

Hmm. Okay, suddenly i felt like a merketing exec for Fitness First and i better stop now.

I really hope to share this with as many people as i could get. If you have time and motivation, make you health and fitness your priority. How good is your money if you don't take care of yourself from now, right?

Give it a try, and you might start to see the world.. and yourself, differently...

The Inevitable Circle of Life

Assalamualaikum...

These last few days, there were string of event that made me wonder about one very important thing in this life...

First, when my good friend, Hasrul, came from Sarawak for a holiday, we joked around of who will get married first. He told me, back at Sarawak, he was being hammered with the one million dollar question of "when are you going to get married?", almost everyday! I know a little bit about that as I too, was so frequently being asked the same question. Syukur it wasn't in a daily basis..!

Second, last Sunday, i went to my ex-housemate, Apen's walimah. he was 2 years younger than me, and as would've been expected, it prompted the inevitable question to me, "when is my turn?". To Apen, I wish him all the happiness in this world, and 'thanks' because of his 'langkah bendul' made me the target once again...

Third was yesterday. One of my best friend (i decided not to mention his name here... not yet) called and after a brief chat, he said someting that really caught me off-guard, "Zahar, i'm going to be a father!" It was really a very pleasant news as he has waited for this for 2 years. Finally Allah granted him a child and I feel very very happy for him.
To Iceman, CONGRATULATIONS! And in a more personal note, thanks because you told me i'm the first to know about the news aside from your family. I'm honoured...

Fourth also happened yesterday. i had a tuition at Bandar Sri Damansara when i received the SMS. It said, "Zahar, aku dah jadi bapak. Baby boy, lahir 12.30 pm tadi..". It was from my good old friend, Hafiz from Triang, Pahang. We were always being very closed before, and i was there when his father passed away and when he was getting married last year (wow, seems like yesterday..). Later, i called him and we talk about a lot of things. lastly i said to him, jokingly, "Ha, dah ready ke nak jadi ayah orang ni?". As usual he laughed before he replied, "Entahlah Z. InsyaAllah. Walaupun rasa macam tak percaya je..."
CONGRATULATIONS to you too Hafiz. I'm very happy for you, my friend!

So, that was what happened these last few days. An almost complete circle of event, if you asked me. Everyone will face it, me included. It makes me wonder, just like my friends keep asking me, 'when is my turn?'

Roland Garros 2008

Assalamualaikum...

Bonjour... Bon week-end
Comment allez-vous?
Qu'est-ce que vous avez fait le week-end? (What are you doing this weekend?)

Aujourd'hui, la finale dames de French Open (Today is the women's final of French Open)
Demain, la finale monsieurs entre Rafael Nadal et Roger Federer. (Tomorrow, men's final between Nadal and Federer)

I don't know about you, but moi, j'adore le tennis beaucoup! (Me, I love tennis very much!)
In fact, these last two weeks, has been like heaven to me. And with the spirit of French Open, i certainly play better tennis than usual..
Ooh, and listening back to commentaries for the Grand Slam Championship kinda reminded me of my little French language i learned a couple months ago. So i tried my best to recall back what little i know and write it in here.
So, forgive me if the sentences above make little sense to you k.. hehe.

And by the way, don't forget to catch the men's final between world no 1, Federer vs no 2, Nadal at Astro Supersport (811), Sunday, for the title. I hope Nadal win!

I also want to take this opportunity to ask if there are others who play tennis out there, and lived here around KL. You know, i'd love to make new friends, especially new tennis buddies...

Paris... Je T'aime.

Pak Lah vs Barack Obama

Assalamualaikum...

As for now, every Malaysians knows about the increased oil price, hiking high from RM1.92 to RM2.70.
One word: RIDICULOUS!
Two words: UNREASONABLE & UNBELIEVABLE!!

And to think back about the whole thing, i still can't believe it could happened, especially after the BN-led government just lost the 2/3 majority in the parliament!

Didn't they get it?! the people were rejecting them. But they still manage to alienate and risk the wrath of the people, over and over again.

Hmm, things must be really, really bad up there, Huh, PakLah!

But today is Friday, and i don't want to ruin the beautiful day talking about our stinking leaders...

Because there's another leader, a great one, from the other side of the world, and has just captured the heart of his countrymen and women with his fresh and new look of politics. And he certainly captured everyone's attention, not just with his eloquence and powerful oratory skill, but also with his capacity and ability to strive against all odds to be the first black president of United States of America.

And unless you're from another planet, i'm sure all of you know who the guy is: Barack Obama.

Born from a black father (a Kenyan) and a white mother, Obama certainly benefited from his unique background that enable him to see the world from its core. Coupled with his attentiveness and great mind, he emerged from his childhood, already armed with sharpness few young people have at young age.
Fast-forwarded years later, he graduated from Harvard Law School, practice law and occasionally taught Law at Chicago University.
Then, his political career began and after strings of up and down moments, he was elected a senator of Illiois.

He wrote two books that became best-seller; Dreams from my father and The Audacity of Hope.

And then, he decided to run for president in what would be a historic race against Hillary Clinton to be the first black president or the first female president in the history of America.

To tell about the grueling and arduous series of primaries and caucuses to elect the candidate for Democrat Party for the presidential election in November; won't be enough here. But, enough to say, the 5 month process was full of controversies, when every aspect of the candidate being closely watched and scrutinized by media. Not to mention, the vicious attack from his opponent, the ferocious Clinton, who would do anything to get victory to represent Democrat in the upcoming election.

But clearly the message of 'Hope' and 'Change' by Obama, proved too strong for Clinton to overcome especially when she is represented what Obama called as the 'same old politics'.

Last Tuesday, Obama crossed the threshold of 2118 delegates to officially become Democrat's candidate for November election. As of now, he is everything that previous presidents didn't. He's young (still 46), well-educated, black, and more importantly, he brought new messages of change to bureaucratic problems in Washington.

As for me, his firm rejection of the war in Iraq and the promise to withdraw American troops from there, if he was elected president, is good enough to admire him. Plus his willingness to talk with all the 'enemies' of US, instead of going to war like Bush, makes me really rooted for him.

But the most important thing, i think, that makes people drawn to him is because he is willing to challenge the old system of politics in US and established a new and fresh one. When the old system proved to be a burden to the people and no longer can served the people properly, it ought to be changed or knocked far aside.

Maybe Pak Lah and his cabinet members should learn something from Barack Obama. While it was being very clear that he has no intention to hold on to The Ruling System Of Islam (Sistem Pemerintahan Islam & Hukum Hudud), or to follow the lead of Rasulullah SAW, in ruling Malaysia; the least he can do is to make the best out of this current secular system this country has been adopted for so long.
Sadly, even that, he failed miserably...


Don't you think...?

True fitness

Assalamualaikum...

Wow, it has been a very long hiatus for me to write in this blog. Seems like forever. Hmm, that's what happened when you lived for two weeks without internet connection...
But now, everything went back to normal, i found myself giddy with so many things to tell in here;
HK, books, interesting lessons, my 'graduation' day for French and English Classes, and so many others.
At last, after a long debate with myself, i chose to tell one of my recent experience, a very valuable one, and of course, full of excitement too.

It all started with a phone call from my brother, Aizzuddin. He told me he just had a call from True Fitness Gym offering him a one week trial there. Since he lived afar from the gym (he, in Klang, while the gym, in Sri Hartamas), he gave the caller my name instead.
To make the long story short, i received the call 5 seconds after that, and before i hung the phone, i promised to accept the trial, starting the week after.

The day before the trial started, i got 3 calls from True Fitness, confirming my appointment with them. You can imagine, the whole thing made me nervous somehow. Lucky i invited my good friend, Din to join me. He already became a member of a gym near his house, and he was very eager to see the differences.
And a lot of differences we saw there!

Sri Hartamas branch of True Fitness probably one of the smallest from 4 branches of True Fitness in Malaysia. But it is still very huge for me. Consist of 4 floors, it is full of modern and advance machines, together with 3 or 4 studios and halls for yoga and 'senamrobik'. It looks like, for every part of our muscles, there's a machine design specifically for it!

The first visit was full of explanations and promotional talks courting us to become member. But as would have been expected, the fees are so expensive, i have to decline the offer. But nevertheless, we're being provided with a trainer each to show us how to use the machines. For one hour, i tried almost every machine with great interest... and great pain...!

At the end, I survived the day not only with pain, but also with more determination to make the most of the one week free trial. Tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, i will come every day, i said to myself confidently.

And guess what? I did it! Almost. Except for one day, when the pain was so unbearable, i went to the gym everyday. Feeling better each time and feel confidence to push myself even harder each passing day.
Of course, just like everything else, we need motivation to do unusual things like this. For me, i was very fortunate when my housemate Iidil, agreed to go with me every night. Other than that, the motivation came in the form of the best nescafe latte' i've ever taste in my entire life! Call it a sin, because obviously, the calories are very high! But the free nescafe certainly captivated and fascinated my taste buds!!
Hmm, even until now, when the free trial had just finished, i still thinking of going there just to take a cup of the delicious latte' and went home! Just like that... hehe, lucky i'm still sane enough not to do such thing...

One of the most interesting things while i was there is about one Malay lady i met there. She must be a member there, and i saw her about three times that week. What makes me so interested in her is her attire for the gym. I guess she must be about 40 years old, but i have no way of knowing whether i was correct or wrong, simply because she wears purdah! Together with her loose attire and tudung labuh, she was definitely way.. way.. different from the others in the gym! And i really really admire her for that!!!
Just picture this scenery in your head. In the crowd of almost everyone is a Chinese in there (you can imagine their attire in the gym), there stood a very confident lady, dressed in what she think is right for her and proper for a Muslimah, showing the world that there's nothing wrong to work out in the gym while at the same time, menutup aurat!
Even me, with my long track-bottom, already feel like out of place from the others, imagine the strong lady! I totally salute her, and May Allah bless her...

The whole experience was very invaluable for me. Part of it, because it gave me another chance to explore things outside my 'comfort and rigid zone'. Another reason, and the obvious one, is simply the realization of the needs to take care of my body and health. Unlike the western country, where the young people started joining gym since their teenage years, we Malaysians (especially Malayyyy) have never being concerned about it. And at this point, i think better late than never, right?!

So, what are you waiting? Let's go find a gym...!

The Black 14th Mei 1948...

Assalamualaikum...

Today, during khutbah Jumaat i learned something new. While every school in Malaysia celebrates 'Teacher's Day' today, which is also coincides with my eldest sister's birthday (Happy Birthday Along!), i just learned, there was another celebration, evil and sad celebration, recently for another anniversary, but from the other side of the world.

2 days ago, (14 Mei) Israel celebrated her 60th anniversary of Independence from British Mandate of Palestine!!

For us Muslims, Israel is a very sensitive issue. it was a never-ending stories of war, crimes, struggles, destructions, and most importantly, religions.
As Muslims, we believe, there shouldn't be an Israel Country!

At first, The Holy Land - including Jerusalem (Baitul Maqdis) - had been given to them.

But they insulted Allah The Almighty by saying:
"O Moses! We will never enter (The Holy Land) while they (ferocious people) are in it. So go thou (you) and thy (your) Lord and fight! We will sit here" (Al-Maidah : 24)

That, my friend, is only the beginning of a very long and dark history of Israel. After that, as Allah told them in Al-Quran, (Surah Al-Isra' : 4-7), they would enter The Holy Land twice, only to be exterminated twice by their enemies...

Our Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam), have told us that the help of Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) is at hand and that the Holy Land will be liberated, and that Islam will re-emerge as the Ruling State in the world.

In another word, the sign of the re-emergence of Islam is so closely related by the liberation of Palestine and Baitul Maqdis. The struggles and sufferings of our brothers and sisters there, are not simply because they denounce and despise Israel with all their being! But also because they believe by toppling the Zionist, it will mark the new era of Islam as the Ruling Religion in this world...

Let us pray with all our heart that the jihad will continue and eventually prevail in the Holy Land.

We always heard people said, we Malaysians are very fortunate because we live in peace and harmony where there are no wars, starvation and sufferings like our brothers and sisters in Palestine now who have to fight tooth and nails just to live and defend their honour.

But for one second, let's think. Put aside all the prosperities and happiness we have now; who are the more fortunate?
Our brothers and sisters in Palestine, at least will face Allah in the Akhirat and claimed that they fight with their life to defend Islam and the Muslims. They died because of their faith and they died while they are in Jihad, knowing that Allah the Supreme will reward them lavishly in Akhirat, the eternal world...

How about us...?! Any idea?!