Marilah kita renungkan kata-kata Hamka tentang kemerdekaan berfikir dalam karyanya Lembaga Hidup~ Perhiasan Insan Gemilang [Erk..bukan aku ni sepatutnye baca novel je ke?!]:

- Fikiran itu menimbulkan keyakinan. Dan keyakinan itu boleh dinyatakan kepada umum, asal sahaja tidak merosakkan kewajipan sendiri dan tidak menyinggung bagi kemerdekaan fikiran orang lain. Supaya fikiran itu sentiasa sihat dan penerimaan orang sihat pula, itulah perlunya penjagaan. Kalau tidak demikian tentu kacau.

-Tetapi hak itu terbatas pula, iaitu tiap-tiap orang merdeka menyatakan pendirian atau kepercayaannya, selama pendirian itu tidak mengganggu ketenteraman umum, yang akan membawa kepada huru- hara atau perselisihan, dan selama kepercayaan itu tidak melanggar pula kepada undang- undang kesopanan umum yang telah digunakan sejak dahulu, yang telah diakui bersama- sama menjadi budi pekerti tinggi.

Bagaimana? Apakah yang anda fikirkan sekarang?

Alihkan perhatian anda pada situasi dunia kini yang semakin kecil dek globalisasi. Semuanya dihujung jari. Sistem perhubungan moden yang memungkinkan interaksi secara lansung menyebabkan kadang-kala kita lalai yang nilai- nilai dunia realiti harus juga diterapkan dalam perhubungan virtual. Terkadang kita lupa yang walaupun kita di dunia maya, namun orang- orang yang berinteraksi didalam dunia ciptaan itu hakikatnya orang- orang yang sebenar. Bukan robot.

Dimana letaknya kemerdekaan berfikir kini?

Adakah sesiapa yang mengambil kira perkara ini? Bertimbang rasa dalam berkata- kata?

Contohnya dalam dunia blogging sekarang. Orang sana kata orang sini buat ini, orang sini pula kata orang sana buat itu. Politik sekarang tak perlu ceritalah, membosankan. Xperlu tengok benda- benda besar, blog- blog kecil biasa seperti ini pun boleh dilihat status praktis etika dalam memberi pendapat. Macam dah xde etika. Sekarang ini, kemerdekaan berkata- kata diertikan sebagai kebebasan melahirkan apa- apa sahaja yang terlintas difikiran, biarlah salah pun, asal penulis itu mempercayainya sebagai benar, itu sudah lebih dari cukup. Bila dibangkang, jawapannya senang: ”Blog aku, aku punya suka lah. Kalau xpuas hati, boleh blah.”

Jadi setakat mana kebebasan kita untuk berkata- kata? Memanglah, nanti ada yang akan kata yang nak puaskan hati semua orang xkan boleh terjadi. Kalau asyik memikirkan orang maka xde originaliti, xde idea baru. Kita nak revolusikan semuanya!

Macam tu ke?

Macam x betul je rasa...

Pernah dengar x, “the end justifies the means”?

Itu cara Machiavelli. Semua cara dibolehkan asalkan penghabisannya “elok”. Semua boleh asalkan niat baik.

Itu idea songsang.

Bolehkah kita memalukan seseorang hanya kerana kita tidak setuju dengan perilaku dia?

Bencilah perlakuannya, bukan pelakunya. Lebih- lebih lagi kalau dengan cara memalukan orang, xkan tercapai maksud niat baik nak menasihat tu. Bila dimalukan, maka mangsa akn menjadi defensif: mata dipejam rapat- rapat, telinga ditutup, tangan menggenggam penumbuk. Masa tu mimpilah kalau tiba- tiba nak suruh orang itu rasional. Entah- entah kena penumbuk (padan muka ko).

Bolehkah kita menghukum (being judgmental) seseorang kalau perkara itu belum berlaku lagi? Kalau perkara itu sudah berlalu, jadi sejarah, masih relevan ke? Tambah lagi kalau hukuman itu bukan berdasarkan pengalaman sendiri mengalami atau tahu sebagai benar, tapi berdasarkan tafsiran satu peristiwa yang sama sekali tidak boleh dijadikan representatif terhadap peribadi seseorang?

Itu cara orang yang tidak sabar. Cara yang mudah. Buat tanggapan terhadap seseorang tanpa mengetahui situasi sebenar.

Sudah tentu orang itu tahu yang tidak akan ada yang lebih tahu tentang dirinya melainkn dirinya sendiri. Jadi, janganlah seperti tahu segalanya.
Saintifik sikit, bila dah dapat the whole picture, baru draw conclusion.

Andainya conclusion itu masih sama tidak berubah walaupun sudah dapat whole picture, itu pun tidak bermakna yang kata- kata boleh dilempar begitu sahaja.

Kemerdekaan untuk berfikir, ya, milikmu.

Kemerdekaan untuk berkata- kata, ya, milikmu.

Kemerdekaan untuk percaya sesuatu, ya, milikmu.

Bagaimana tentang kemerdekaan untuk mengetahui yang benar?

Bagaimana tentang kemerdekaan untuk membela diri sendiri?

Bagaimana tentang kemerdekaan untuk dilayan sebagai manusia?

Tanya dirimu. Dirimu jua yang akan bertanggungjawab atas penulisanmu nanti.

Aku meminta maaf anda ada perkataanku yang menyinggung sesiapa.

Maaf andai dengan tidak sengaja membuatmu kusut, letih, buntu.

Teringat pula kata- kata, ”Terlajak perahu boleh diundur, terlajak kata buruk padahnya.”

Hebatnya penangan kata- kata.

Alangkah baik kalaulah yang berbekas dihati, boleh dipadam begitu sahaja.

I got this article from an email...thought provoking

Make a difference??!
There was a little boy visiting his grandparents on their farm. He was given a slingshot to play with out in the woods. He practiced in the woods, but he could never hit the target. Getting a little discouraged, he headed back for dinner.

As he was walking back he saw Grandma ' s pet duck. Just out of impulse, he let the slingshot fly, hit the duck square in the head and killed it. He was shocked and grieved! In a panic, he hid the dead duck in the wood pile, only to see his sister watching!

Fatima had seen it all, but she said nothing. After lunch the next day Grandma said, ' Fatima , let's wash the dishes. ' But Fatima said, ' Grandma, Ahmed told me he wanted to help in the kitchen. ' Then she whispered to him, ' Remember the duck? ' So Ahmed did the dishes.

Later that day, Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing and Grandma said, ' I'm sorry but I need Fatima to help make supper. '

Fatima just smiled and said, ' Well, that ' s all right because Ahmed told me he wanted to help. ' She whispered again, ' Remember the duck? '. So Fatima went fishing and Ahmed stayed to help.

After several days of Ahmed doing both his chores and Fatima's, he finally couldn't stand it any longer.

He came to Grandma and confessed that he had killed the duck. Grandma knelt down, gave him a hug and said, ' Sweetheart, I know. You see, I was standing at the window and I saw the whole thing, but because I love you, I forgave you. I was just wondering how long you would let Fatima
make a slave of you. '

Thought for the day and every day thereafter?

Whatever is in your past, whatever you have done... and the devil keeps throwing it up in your face (lying, cheating, debt, fear, bad habits, hatred, anger, bitterness, etc.)...whatever it is...You need to know that Allah was standing at the window and He saw the whole thing. He has seen your whole life. He wants you to know that He loves you and that you are forgiven.

He' s just wondering how long you will let the devil make a slave of you.

The great thing about Allah is that when you ask for forgiveness, He not only forgives you, but He loves you. It is by Allah ' s grace and mercy that we are saved. Share this with a friend and always remember: Allah is at the window!

There are times when I hoped life was simpler.
But what exactly makes it so hard?
Dunno.
But maybe the world could be liken to a big factory.
Surely you know that all factories have a QC (Quality Control) department right?
All the products that don't pass certain tests or don't measure up to the required standards would not be released to the public.
Everything had to be checked: its stability, durability, reactivity, content, level of safety for its intended use and also aesthetics.
If it passed all these stringent tests, then it would be packed nicely and sold.
However, if it doesn't then into the dustbin you go!
So if we should take this analogy and apply it to life, then picture yourself as the product. Your fate is determined by your performance at QC. If you succeed, you'll go to heaven. Then if you don't then you'd be chucked into the dustbin..err.. hell.
You won't always know what you were tested for, what you need to know is that you need to pass the test.
I hope you pass with flying colours, and remember that it is not wrong to have some fun while you're at it.
As one of my friend once said, "Don't burden your heart too much."

Hari ni ada accident kecil di lab.
Ada kebakaran kecil berlaku sebab tiub getah gas tercabut dan api membakar gas yang keluar.
Kataku kecil, tapi situasi menjadi lebih mendebarkan kerana dikeliling api itu botol methanol bersusun.
Masa kebakaran itu, semua seperti tergamam. Beku. Seolah terpesona dengan tarian api yang marak. Xde siapa pun yang membuat apa2 untuk menghentikan api itu, yang ada cuma jeritan2 tentang apa yang sepatutnya dilakukan.
Tapi xde siapa yang bergerak.
Aku pun sama, berdiri seperti bengong. Sampailah tersentak dengan jeritan Kak Siti, "Alih botol methanol tu! Alih botol methanol tu!"
Aku pun bersegera alihkan satu botol methanol yang paling dekat denganku. Masa tu Kak Mila dah ambil kertas utk cuba padamkan api, api makin marak mulanya then eventually api itu padam dan Kak Mila pun tutupkan gas. Nasib baik Kak Mila bergerak pantas. Aku mensyukuri fakta itu kerana paip gas itu sebenarnya sebahagian network paip yang ada diseluruh fakulti. Kalau api itu masuk dalam paip itu, kemungkinan seluruh fakulti boleh meletup.
Maka tiadalah lagi saya dimuka bumi ini. Masa yang diberi sudah habis.
*********
Tapi, kenapa semua hanya berdiri?
Kalau tangan terkena panas, tangan akan serta-merta alihkan dari kepanasan itu sebelum rasa sakit itu dapat register dalam otak kita.
Itu sebahagian defense mechanism badan.
Kalau situasi terlalu mengejutkan (cthnya menerima berita kematian org yg disayangi), sesetengah individu pengsan kerana dirinya tidak mampu deal dengan perkara itu. Padahal dia xplan pun nak pengsan, cuma badannya ada mechanism yang tertentu untuk menyelamatkn diri.
Kenapa kami hanya berdiri?
Kalau tengok filem, kalau dalam scene ada batu besar yang akan jatuh menimpa, mangsa akan melihat dulu batu itu yang sangat laju menuju ke arahnya dengan pandangan yang blur n terkejut. Padahal penonton2 kt rumah ni habis dah menjerit, "pergi, pergi! lari! nanti mati!!"
Tapi mangsa itu mesti akan merenung dulu perkara yang kemungkinan akan mengambil nyawanya, barulah bertindak.
Kenapa?
Bukankah secara logiknya kita akan pantas bertindak menyelamatkan diri, xde nak tenung2 dulu benda yang mungkin menyebabkan nyawa kita melayang?
Memanglah, mechanism fight or flight yang dijanakan oleh adrenalin ini perlu diaktifkan oleh minda. Otak perlu beri signal, "Bahaya!" barulah kaki akn respons dengan berlari sekuat hati. Bila otak sudah beri signal, "Selamatkannya!" barulah tangan dan kaki bergerak untuk usaha menyelamat.
Tapi macam lambat sangat responsnya.

Tadi, dialog yang kedengaran ialah, "Kite tergamam", "Lansung xdapat nak buat apa- apa tadi" dan "Terkejut".
Memang betul, seperti diri jadi bengong.
Yang dalam fikiran, tidak mampu diterjemahkan dengan perlakuan.
Bagi diri ini, itulah 30 saat paling lama yang pernah dilalui.

Mcm poyo ke post sblm ni?
Ye la, kite ni kn bukan sape- sape, so mcm poyo la...
Xpe la, nk buat mcm mn dah "ter"poyo..rase mcm nk buat lg pulak.
X salah mempunyai pengharapan.

Hope, although frail is hard to die.
When the future is uncertain or have no chance of becoming reality, it is comforting to have hope.
The assurance that someday, somehow it would become alright.
Is it wrong to wanting to return to the right way after knowing that the path you're currently on will take you nowhere?
Remember the lessons of life so you could pass the lessons of the heart.

In reality, when you know you're lost in a foreign country, it would be wise to ask for directions or do a U-turn to return to where you started.
Sometimes, egoists (like me) don't want to admit that we're lost, until someone asks, "where on earth do you think you're going? Go back, go back" while the whole time waving their arms to indicate that we should go back.
It would be stupid to just go on and ignore the person, and just continue being lost.
So, the egoist would then be embarrassed out of their wits and with a burning face enduring the shame would then put on a brave mask and say, "Yeah, I'm lost. So where should I go?" while all the time feeling stupid but thankful at the same time.
Then, after listening and following the directions given correctly, we should be on the right track.
From "Someday we'll get there!" to "Finally, we've arrived!"

Yeah, currently I'm still figuring out where I want to go.
The road I've taken before was wrong, so I'm attempting to do a major U-turn ahead.
Sadly, my cute little white car got stuck a bit while turning, but it's OK now.
Finally I'm going somewhere!
Dunno where, but definitely somewhere. Anywhere but here.

Rasanya aku perlu meneladani puisi ini...
Moga-maga "si dia" yang aku lansung xtau siapa itu juga meneladaninya. Semoga nnt dirahmati.. :)

Sekadar Pesanan

Tolong sampaikan pada si dia
Tolong beritahu si dia aku ada pesanan
buatnya..
Tolong beritahu si dia, cinta agung
adalah cintaNya..
Tolong beritahu si dia, cinta manusia
bakal membuatnya alpa..

Tolong nasihati sia dia, jangan
menyintaiku lebih dari dia menyintai
Yang Maha Esa..
Tolong nasihati si dia,jangan
mengingatiku lebih dari dia mengingati
Yang Maha Kuasa..
Tolong nasihati si dia, jangan
mendoakanku lebih dari dia mendoakan
ibu bapanya..

Tolong katakan pada si dia, dahulukan
Allah kerana di situ ada syurga..
Tolong katakan pada si dia, dahulukan
ibu bapanya kerana di telapak itu
syurganya..

Tolong ingatkan si dia. Aku terpikat
kerana imannya bukan rupa..
Tolong ingatkan si dia. Aku lebih
cintakan zuhudnya bukan harta..
Tolong ingatkan si dia aku kasihinya
kerana santunnya..

Tolong tegur si dia, bila dia mula
mengagungkan cinta manusia..
Tolong tegur si dia, bila dia
tenggelam dalam angan-angannya..
Tolong tegur si dia, andai nafsu
mengawal fikirannya..

Tolong sedarkan si dia. Aku milik Yang
Maha Esa..
Tolong sedarkan si dia. Aku masih
milik keluarga..
Tolong sedarkan si dia,
tanggungjawabnya besar kepada
keluarganya..

Tolong sabarkan si dia, usah ucap
cinta di kala cita-cita belum
terlaksana..
Tolong sabarkan si dia, andai diri ini
enggan dirapati kerana menjaga batasan
cinta..
Tolong sabarkan si dia, bila jarak
mejadi penyebab bertambah rindunya..

Tolong pesan padanya. Aku tidak mahu
menjadi fitnah besar kepadanya..
Tolong pesan padanya. Aku tak mahu
menjadi punca kegagalannya..
Tolong pesan padanya aku membiarkan
Yang Esa menjaga dirinya..

Tolong khabarkan pada si dia. Aku
tidak mahu melekakan dia..
Tolong khabarkan pada si dia. Aku mahu
dia berjaya dalam impian dan cita-
citanya..
Tolong khabarkan pada si dia, jadilah
penyokong dalam kejayaanku..

Tolong sampaikan pada si dia. Aku
mendambakan cinta suci yang terjaga..
Tolong sampaikan pada si dia,cinta
kerana Allah tidak ternilai harganya..
Tolong sampaikan pada si dia, hubungan
ini terjaga selagi dia menjaga
hubungan dengan Yang Maha Kuasa..
Tolong sampaikan kepada si dia kerana
aku tidak mampu memberitahunya
sendiri…

Hanya engkau Ya Allah mengetahui siapa
si dia..
Moga pesananku sampai padanya walau
aku sendiri tidak mengetahui siapa dan
dimana si dia..
Moga dia seekor lebah yang sentiasa
memuji keagungan Yang Maha Kuasa
memasuki taman larangan dengan sopan
santunnya dan bertemu mawar berduri
yang terjaga oleh tuannya..
Simpanlah pesanan ku ini sehingga
engkau bertemu diriku suatu hari
nanti…

from http://nonaro.wordpress.com

Dilemma..

Banyak yang kini aku fikirkan...tapi sebenarnya sudah lama persoalan yang satu ini bermain difikiran. Ini dikuatkan lagi oleh kata-kata ini:

Bagaimana?
Apa sebenarnya yang patut dilakukan oleh seorang wanita dizaman yang kononnya moden ini?
Memang buntu...apakah jalan yang betul?
Aku menginsafi diri atas kelalaian sebelum ini.
Maafkan jika aku mengganggu, sebenarnya aku sendiri mencari jawapan. Maafkan jika engkau jua terlalai. Sungguh, perlu ditahan kekosongan ini.
Itulah dilemma...
Kalau senyap, dikatakan sombong
Kalau ramah, macam gatal la pulak...aduh...
So sikit-sikit sahaja.
Sungguh tak biasa dengan situasi sebegini..memang fail, dari dulu lagi.
Kan bagus kalau mcm kawan saya sorang tu..utk semuanya dia ada SOP (x boleh pinjam ke??)
Sekarang ni juz rely on our own instinct, on our own knowledge and level of consciousness pertaining right and wrong.

Ya Allah, lindungilah aku dari hati yang berbolak- balik. Limpahkanlah rahmatMu dan tunjukkanlah jalan yang benar disisiMu agar aku sentiasa dapat kembali walaupun sesekali tergelincir...
Amin

Odd news from Yahoo!

Name Change for Talula Does The Hula from Hawaii
Thu Jul 24, 5:58 AM ET

WELLINGTON (AFP) - A New Zealand judge has ordered a name change for an embarrassed nine-year-old girl called Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii, a local newspaper reported Thursday.

The girl was so embarrassed that she had not revealed the name given by her parents to friends, who simply knew her as K, the Taranaki Daily News said.

Family court judge Rob Murfitt said in a judgement made in February -- but not released until Thursday -- that oddball monikers created social hurdles as children grew up.

"She fears being mocked and teased and in that she has a greater level of insight than either of her parents," he said of the girl.

The judge discovered New Zealand parents had given their children some other unusual names including Number 16 Bus Shelter and Midnight Chardonnay, both of which may relate to the conception of the child.

One child was named Violence and two pairs of twins were called Benson and Hedges and Fish and Chips. The children from one family were all named after six-cylinder Ford cars.

Hahaha, what an odd world

What exactly were the parents thinking? Don't they feel any responsibility to their child?

I couldn't fathom the reason why they should play around with their children's names. It's like a label they would have to endure all their life.

Even if they couldn't be good fathers and mothers, the least they could do is give them a good name.

Odd names from Hollywood:

Pilot Inspektor: Jason Lee and Beth Riesgraf (My Name is Pilot Inspektor..muaHAHAHA)

Audio Science: Shannyn Sossamon (Is that a name or a made up major?)

Moon Unit: Frank Zappa (Don’t forget the other children: Dweezil and Diva Muffin)

Ireland: Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger

David Bowie – Zowie

But the disease of odd child names is not only for those in Hollywood, we also have it here. Some *interesting* examples include:

ZAMI ISMAIL - MOHD HITLER (maybe dah tukar nama kot *geleng kepala*)

Melly Goeslow - Anakku Lelaki

Anak Melly yg lain namanya - Pria Bernama Hoed

Lembu Wiworojati (vokalis Club 80's)

Gadjah Soepardi (ayahnya Lembu Wiworojati)

p/s: one thing I would love to say to the parents is, WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!

Breaking free of Apathy

This photo is the "Pulitzer prize" winning photo taken in 1994 during the Sudan famine. The picture depicts a famine stricken child crawling towards an United Nations food camp, located a kilometer away.
> The vulture is waiting for the child to die so that it can eat it. This picture shocked the whole world. No one knows what happened to the child, including the photographer Kevin Carter who left the place as soon as the photograph was taken.
> Three months later the photographer committed suicide due to depression

Doesn't this cause us to re-evaluate the reality of our existence?
Tomorrow seem bleak. Dark with uncertainty of what we have become.
The whole world now is plagued by apathy. No one is ever concerned with another unless it involves them somehow.
The photographer never helped the child. Why? I truly don't know. Speculation is all we have. I think what happened was that the thought of helping the boy never crossed his mind. Pure ignorance. And I suspect that since he realized what he's done, he has never stopped punishing himself. The demons of his guilt followed him everywhere, with every accusing glance of people that thought that he should have known better.
We say he is wrong, he is evil, he is unfeeling.
Rest assured, however hard we punish or blame him, he punished and blamed himself more until finally he took his own life.
So what exactly is the value of human life?
Each has a life of their own, but in this case, what is the responsibility of one life to another?
If you were in his shoes, what would you have done differently?
We look at the pictures, heard it in the news but the fleeting sympathy in our hearts don't last long. Not long thereafter there would be another thing that commands our attention, diverting our thoughts from ever considering the less fortunate.
The world is so much more than what you have now. What is happening at the other side of the world should be a concern to you because you are indeed a part of the world, right?
You're not a citizen of Mars or people of the Sun. You are a citizen of the world.
So you better do something, anything.
Yes, we are nobodies. We do not possess any power. We can't control anything.
Yes, I know that.
But, we do have the ability to control ourselves.
We can start by helping out. Do what you're able to. The help given could be in the form of financial assistance or sharing of ideas and expertise or even just carrying out your responsibility the best you can. No need for the big things, it's the little things that count.
Let me give you an example. Let's say that you're a postman. So what can you do to help the world? Nothing, if you are an ordinary postman. But no, for this purpose we need someone extraordinary. The extraordinary postman.
What do I mean by that?
The extraordinary postman would do his job the best he can honestly. He'll deliver everything on time and at the right place. If he is required to clock in at 8 a.m and clock out at 5.00 p.m, then that is exactly what he'll do. Never being dishonest by stealing mail or stealing time of work by doing things halfheartedly.
So how could this help the world?
If the postman does his job excellently the way he is supposed to, then the postal operation of the organizations actually handling the charities would be smooth. So the postman is actually contributing to the whole process to ensure that everything is going to turn out the way it is supposed to.
The same applies for everyone. Even if you're a gardener or a baker or someone selling life insurance. Everything is interconnected even when we can't see the connection. Basically what I am trying to say is that everyone has the ability to make the world better just by carrying our responsibilities with all our hearts. Give it all we have.
Then maybe, just maybe we'll make a brighter tomorrow...InsyaAllah.

Have you ever felt that you have said too much?
I am by nature, a quiet person. It is not that I don't have anything to say [quite the contrary..actually hehe] but somehow I just don't talk that much, except, perhaps to those close to me.
Lately, I feel like I said too much.
I feel like a big balloon full of air with the opening just closed between the fingers and not tied. Suddenly the fingers closing the outlet let go of the balloon and there I was, flying here and there, making so much noise but then eventually I slumped down, out of air. Nothing left in me. What's left is just a piece of colored rubber...
Hmm...why?
Maybe because these few weeks that have passed seem like a waste to me. I didn't get much work done as much as I like to.
Maybe these are the after effects of taking things too easily?
Gotta get my game on!
When Dr Teh asked me to change my method last week, she said

"Dah lama dah puasa, dah sampai masa makan besar"

[or something along those lines...I can't actually remember her exact words..]
Initially I was struck dumb, I didn't get it at first. Then Prof Zaki said,

"Wah, Dr Teh dah pandai berkias-kias sekarang"

Me===> Huh? Kias?

Then I got it, I think she was saying that I have not being productive lately, so I was fasting [puasa] in terms of my productivity and the time has come for me to finally have my makan besar [big fest].

Aiya....so slow la me sometimes...
I thought makan besar for me is like a reward or something..haha, so much for false hopes.
So I have to pull myself together and gotta have those RESULTS!

How true!

These are some quotes I found while surfing, thought it would b lovely to share it with you ;)

Tell a man there are 300 billion stars in the universe and he'll believe you. Tell him a bench has wet paint on it and he'll have to touch it to be sure. ~Murphy's Law

The man who says he is willing to meet you halfway is usually a poor judge of distance. ~Author Unknown

The easiest way to find something lost around the house is to buy a replacement. ~Author Unknown

No one is listening until you fart. ~Author Unknown

All my life, I always wanted to be somebody. Now I see that I should have been more specific. ~Jane Wagner, The Search For Intelligent Life In The Universe, performed by Lily Tomlin

It's always darkest before the dawn. So if you're going to steal your neighbor's newspaper, that's the time to do it. ~Author Unknown

When I die, I want to go peacefully like my Grandfather did, in his sleep -- not screaming, like the passengers in his car.

Love your enemies. It makes them so damned mad. ~P.D. East

Time is a great teacher, but unfortunately it kills all its pupils ... - Louis Hector Berlioz

The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese. ~Author Unknown

Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile way and you have their shoes. ~Author Unknown

"If at first you don't succeed... So much for skydiving." - Henry Youngman.

Who says nothing is impossible. I've been doing nothing for years. ~Author Unknown

Protect me from knowing what I don't need to know. Protect me from even knowing that there are things to know that I don't know. Protect me from knowing that I decided not to know about the things that I decided not to know about. Amen. ~Douglas Adams, Mostly Harmless

Lord, lord, lord. Protect me from the consequences of the above prayer. ~Douglas Adams, Mostly Harmless

Current events have spurred me to re-post another article from my friendster blog... :(

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sorry...that is a word that symbolizes regret. regret follows us like a lurking shadow, ready to pounce on us when feelings of guilt overpowers our hearts.
I always wondered, why am i stupid enough to do the things i did. some of the things i did, i think took stupidity to a new level.
regret happens when the things that we thought we did right was in fact totally wrong and suddenly the cascade of events that ensues spun out of our hands, totally out of our control. then we could only look at the things that result from our stupidity with our mouths gaping open, our head disbelieving everything and our hearts hoping that it won't get worse than it already is. sadly, it always did.
so how could we prevent this from happening again?
with all that we did wrong, i think we should have some hindsight (meaning: Perception of the significance and nature of events AFTER they have occurred). In short, we should analyze ourselves every time. I think it's best to analyze both the good times and the bad times so that we know what makes it good and also what would mess everything up.
Then, after that we should try to use all the results from our self-analysis or self- assessment to have more foresight (meaning: Perception of the significance and nature of events BEFORE they have occurred).
this way, i think we could avoid from falling into the same pitfall of life over and over again.
i think we could learn not to be like the fly that tried to go out the car window. every time the fly tried to go out, it smashed its head on the invisible glass. i think the fly does not know that there is such thing as glass that act as an invisible barrier because it could see the world outside just on the other side...pity..how could something so close be so far...ok, back to the fly, i think that if the fly took some time to reflect on the whole situation, it would realize that something is terribly wrong. then, maybe it would try to think of another way to tackle the problem.
with a little bit more time n patience, the fly probably would b free if it tried hard enough. but if it stopped trying, then it would only die a useless death.
what a waste of life.

"Measure Of A Man"

If one day you discover him
Broken down he's lost everything
No cars, no fancy clothes to make him who he's not
The woman at his side is all that he has got
Why do you ask him move heaven and earth
To prove his love has worth?

Would he walk on water
Would he run through fire
Would he stand before you
When it's down to the wire
Would he give his life up
To be all he can
Is that, is that, is that how you measure a man?

If by chance all he had to give you
Was three words wrapped around your finger
Would that be deep enough at the end of every day
And how will you ever know
If a man is what he says?

Why do you ask him to move heaven and earth
To prove his love has worth
Would he walk on water
Would he run through fire
Would he stand before you
When it's down to the wire
Would he give his life up to be all he can
Is that, is that, is that how you measure a man?

He never gives up
Lets go of his dream
His world goes around for his one true belief
Is that how you know
Is that what it means?

Would he walk on water
Would he run through fire
Would he stand before you
Would he will be your anchor when the dark unfolds
Would he always love you the best that he knows?

Would he give his life up
To be all that he can
Is that, is that, is that how you measure a man?

Would he walk on water
Would he run through fire
Would he stand before you
When it's down to the wire
Would he give his life up
To be all he can

Is that, is that, is that, how you measure oh...

Is that, is that, is that, how you measure a man?

This song should make a girl think. How much do you need for him to prove his love?
How much someone would have to do to prove his worth? to prove that he really wants it?
I dunno.
I just think that everybody deserves second chances. We are not perfect.
If you love him enough, you'd give him a chance to prove himself.
I really don't like the way some people complaining about their significant other, saying that he is not rich, do not have high education, do not have a sports car..etcetera etcetera...
My question is: if you have so many complaints, why be with him anyway?
Break up, find someone else. That person sure deserves somebody who appreciates them.
Like my friend said:

if you can't handle me at my worst, you don't deserve me at my best

Hahaha, padan muka. Baru tau...
Like I always said, be honest.
if you don't love that person enough to be respectful, you should just call it quits. Why go on? No sense in that.
You expect this person to do everything for your sake, to always put you first. You ask so much but give nothing.
Is that love?
Please be realistic. You could only hope for the best.
If that person tried with all his might, given it all he can, but still failed...then what?
It is good enough that the person tried. Well, i think so anyway.

Life is like a wheel they say, sometimes up and sometimes down

...but for me it doesn't mean that we won't have a flat tyre sometimes ;) hehe
so the past week I've been quite down, but I can't quite place my emotions. Why am I feeling this way? Usually I was quite motivated. But suddenly today, this sunny Sunday, the day was so beautiful that I just couldn't help but smile for no apparent reason.
Hahaha, happy for no apparent reason. But why do we need to know the reason anyway? It's enough that we're happy :)
Hope it's a beautiful Sunday for you too!
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I've always thought that the world is so big to just be stuck at one place.
I want to go out and see the world!
There is so much that we've never seen, never done, never felt.
So much possibilities waiting to happen, so much opportunities will come knocking, so much tears to be shed and so much laughter to be shared.
Haven't you wondered how the ancient civilizations of Egypt able to build such wonders like the Great Pyramids?
How the great Nile flows through history and is still with us today? How was it in the past?
How the Japanese survive the atom bomb but still managed to emerge as a major power of the world today?
These are just some of the questions that can only be satisfactorily answered when it's experienced first hand.
Reading the histories of people that made history and shape our reality today, haven't you wondered how was it like?
I do, I do, I do.
I wonder how does it feel to be in the middle of a desert during a starry night. How would the soft sand dunes shift? How would the wind feel caressing your face?
I wonder how it feels to be in an ice cave at the Antarctic? How would the icicles reflect the rays of the sun and lighten up the dark cave?
I wonder how it feels when cruising on a gondola moving softly side to side on canals moving its way under old bridges in Venice?
I wonder... so much.
Anyone want to come?

Doa Nabi Muhammad s.a.w ketika gagal memasuki Kota Thaif

Ya Allah,

saya mengadukan kepada-Mu lemahnya kekuatan diriku,

sangat terbatasnya kecerdasanku dan kehinaan diriku atas manusia,

dengan rahmat Engkau, Ya Allah,

Tuhan pemelihara sekalian alam.

Engkaulah pemelihara sekalian orang-orang dhaif,

Engkaulah Tuhanku.

Kepada siapakah Engkau menyerahkan aku?

Kepada orang asing yang mengusir aku,

Atau kepada musuh yang menguasai urusanku?

Tetapi meskipun demikian saya redha,

Asal saja Engkau tidak memurkai aku.

Kemaafan-Mu lebih besar dari dosaku,

Saya meminta dengan Nur Zat-Mu yang menerangi semua kegelapan,

Dan dengan-Nya menjadi baik segala urusan dunia dan akhirat,

Semoga aku tidak tertimpa kemurkaan-Mu dan azab-Mu.

Bagimu sumber keredhaan,

Sehingga Engkau meredhai aku.

Tidak ada daya dan kekuatan hanya dengan Engkau