Writing competition / Peraduan menulis~!

Assalamualaikum wbt :-)

Dear blogger friends,

Here is a simple and fun way of earning some 'wang raya'. All you need to do is write a 'true' story about your most memorable Ramadhan, in not less than 2608 words. Just send your story to me at ariffin007@gmail.com before 1st September 2010.

The story boleh di tulis dalam Bahasa Malaysia or in English.

Semua stories yang di hantar menjadi milik tuan punya blog 'Diary Sebelum bersara' dan jika terpilih boleh di cetak kembali dalam apa jua bentuk, tetapi credit akan di beri kepada penulis yang menghantar story tersebut.

Cerita hendaklah original!

Pemenang akan menerima hadiah 'WANG RAYA' bernilai RM2608.00 dan akan di kreditkan ke akaun tuan / puan sebelum Hari Raya.

1. Most memorable Ramadhan / atau, Ramadhan yang di kenang!

2. Not less than 2608 words / Tidak kurang dari 2608 perkataan!

3. The story must be original. If any part of the stories which is found to be unoriginal, then the entry will be disqualified/ Cerita mestilah 'original'. Jika di dapati ada bahagian cerita yang tidak original, maka penyertaan tersebut akan di batalkan.

4. Closing date 1 st september 2010/ Tarih tutup ialah 1 hb September 2010.

5. Entries must be sent to ariffin007@gmail.com / Penyertaan harus di hantar kepada ariffin007@gmail.com

6. All entries will become the properties of the sponsor of this competition / Semua penyertaan menjadi hak milik penaja peraduan ini.

7. The sponsor reserve the right not to award any grand prize, in which case top five entries will receive RM200.00 consolation prize. Jika tiada pemenang grand prize, lima penyertaan terbaik akan menerima sagu hati bernilai RM200.00 setiap satu.

8. Juri pengadil akan di umumkan setelah tamat tarih peraduan

9. The judges decision will be final. Keputusan pengadil adalah muktamad.

10. To qualify, all entries must not publish nor have been published in any form or in any media.

11. The winner or winners will be announced in 'Diary Sebelum Bersara' dan the entries maybe be published in this blog.

12. We will respect your privacy, and if you do not wish for your real name to be mentioned then you may use a nickname. Kami akan menghormati 'privacy' anda, jika anda tidak mahu mengguna kan nama sebenar, penyertaan boleh menggunakan nama samaran.

Best wishes, Selamat menulis~!

Astaghfirulah...oh God forgive me!

Physically, I am beginning to feel my age. My knees often creak under my weight and have to be aided with creative ways to climb up slopes. My eyes can no longer read cooking instructions on ready-to-cook packets of offerings from Maggie or Knorr. Although I have not yet heard, my children often tell me, I make snoring sound when I sleep. Loud one too, they say. My wife has been avoiding a direct answer when I ask her for confirmation of those claims. So, I shall remain in doubt - maybe, I don't actually snore. Maybe, I only make similar sound!

Emotionally, I am also beginning to feel my age. The most trivia of things can make me choke with emotion. Acts of kindness, just as acts of indifference affect me. My radar has become super sensitive, so much so, I am beginning to detect un-caring and un-loving vibes even in the silence that echo around me.

Spiritually, I am finding more solace in the stillness of the night, doing nothing but just watching the darkness. Uttering nothing, but just remembering Him. Silence has a different meaning, and being alone is becoming less lonely. Death starts to become a destination which is more real. Death brings renewal. The old gives way to the new and young. Even within me, I find the thought of death brings renewal to my being; trying everyday to be a better man. Every morning lately, I begin to think of what I need to do, and more importantly what I shall not do. Solace and peace, begin to radiate from within. I like my new me!

"Astaghfirullah...astaghfirullah....astaghfirullah...." Oh Allah, forgive me....

I am very grateful to God that I will be turning fifty-three in a week's time, still relatively healthy and happy. I have a wife who loves me. She doesn't say it often, but I know she does. I have my children, who are doing well and turning out to be even better with every passing day. They are always in my doa, and they are always in my thought. I am also happy, knowing that with every tear drop I shed for reasons which shall remain as my own, I am blessed with love in my heart.

it has taken me this long to be wise
it is for death, that we live this life
our destination is paradise

and worldly things will never suffice!

it has taken me this long to understand

the magic of God's grand plan

water from the sea, rise to the sky and falls on land

when He so wishes, He turns green the desert sand!

it has taken many nights alone to make me see

love between humans, are all temporary

it is His love and loving Him which stay till eternity

it has taken me long, and now I know, love is within me!

On August 26th, I will turn fifty three

it has taken me this long, but now I am free

Oh Allah, please forgive me!

Budaya Sambung Meja - uniquely Malaysian!

Bersama keluarga Hj Z and his extended family~!

Budaya Kita...Budaya Sambung Meja!
Saturday, 14 August 2010 05:50

When I was in Kuala Lumpur, my sister from Kelantan and all four of her children and their respective families came visiting us in KL in conjunction with her youngest daughter's convocation. Together with my own family, there were nineteen adults and half a dozen kids. We went to Mid Valley, and decided to have lunch at the Kenny Rogers.

What did we do?

We went to the usher and said, "Nineteen adults and six children!"

The Kenny Rogers girl, straight faced, said, "Give us 5 minutes Encik, kami sambung meja!"

I took a glance into the outlet and wondered how on heaven's earth was she going to do it. The restaurant was already three quarter full.

We hanged around outside, window spying into the nearby Poh Kong. No, none of the girls in Poh Kong believed for a moment that they were about to get lucky with nineteen hungry looking man and woman! They simply ignored us, which was good for my pocket...hahahaha!

"Serious darling, I meant it when I offered you that diamond bracelet, but they did not layan us, so what to do!" I had to explain to my daughter! *Chuckles! teehehehe*

Five minutes plus a few seconds later, the same usher from Kenny Rogers gestured for us to enter. We paraded in to some curious stares from other patrons. Twenty five in all, and all seated around a few tables joined into one very long master dining table. Fantastic!

It was then that i reflected. This is why Malaysia is so unique and Malaysians so special. it is in the culture. We try out best not to let anyone within a group to feel left out. We do what we can to accommodate everybody. The culture of 'Sambung Meja' is uniquely Malaysians!

The same can be seen happening in plush restaurants or in roadside stalls. Part of the training given to waiters and waitresses, it seems, is to take the 'Sambung Meja' task in their stride. No group is too large, and no space is too small. They will always find a way to 'Sambung Meja! and they know the customers simply expect and love it!

No, please don't expect the same overseas. It is not common and not done. Often, all you would get is a shrug of the shoulder and a curl of the lips, "Sorry, you will have to sit separately!"

"Sorry, we are Malaysians, we want to 'Sambung Meja!'" I wonder what would their reaction be if I were to insist with this request.

Exactly the same thing happened when sixteen of STAR old boys met for dinner at the KLGCC as was reported HERE. Instead of sitting comfortably at two tables of eight, we changed the big comfortable chairs with narrower ones to fit 16 around ONE table.

Guess what? We were even more comfortable. Sitting elbow to elbow, we were able to share jokes, and connect eye to eye with everyone present. No one was left out!