The Court of Life

I think it is amazing how we - me included - are skewed to judge people. We all do it, but some acts of judging a person or something is more dangerous than others.

You may say "I'm not judgemental", and you're right to feel so. If it is true, good on you. If not, take heart that it's not always detrimental.

We see a guy who drives a shabby car, or wear shabby shoes, and we judge the person. "Probably a salaried staff of a small firm", we say, and that in reality is judging a person. Quite harmless I suppose, as it will be forgotten just as quickly as the fleeting moment of judging itself.

We see a house, and we judge the occupants. We see people and we judge their habits. Quite harmless, and also wasteful if you ask me.

But then there's the judging of a different kind; one where our judgement actually affects a person, or persons.

Take for example a situation when a new employee joins our firm or department. Naturally, we will be sizing the person up (as he or she would be sizing us up as well). Then we hear "stories" about the person, and fact or fiction, we form our opinions. Then we hear "true account first person stories" about the person, and fact or fiction, again we form further opinions.

If the newbie is unlucky, the formed opinion could very well make his or her life difficult. Other people will hear the stories, and it could spread. Like wildfire. And human nature is prone to giving life to gossipy and scandalous stories. His or her good values? Ah well, a story for another day...

Fact is, we are no one to judge anyone whom we do not know. But the other fact is, we do. Sometimes when we do it, we affect the person, or his or her plans, just because we feel it is our right.

Be like a judge: make judgements based on facts. If you can't get the facts, try. If you have the facts, then judge, correctly. Otherwise, you're more than likely to be wrong in your judgement. Nobody likes being wrong, least of all the person wrongly judged.

THE FORGOTTEN APPLE #3

So the world mourns the death of a true genius, Steve Jobs. To say he changed the world we live in would be an understatement. He changed the way the world communicated, and the outpouring of emotions witnessed the past 48 hours is a fitting tribute to a great, visionary man.

Some have coined the phrase about the three apples that impacted the world; the one Eve ate in heaven, the one that landed on Newton's head, and the bitten apple Steve Jobs offered to the world. I put it to you that there were four apples, the last one being the poisoned apple fed to Snow White by the evil queen.

We accept that everything changes something; from inventions, stories, recipes and everything that exists, values and opinions are formed. A book you read forms your opinion, a statement by someone forces your own agreement or otherwise, that exotic fruit you tasted changes your take on it, the song you hear creates something in your thought.

So when the fairytale "Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs" was written, and read, it formed millions of thoughts. I know of at least one friend, a Malaysian, that hated apples to this day as a net result of reading the story. And I'm sure if you ask, there would be many more that are in the same boat.

So, there can't be just three apples that changed the world. Sorry Eve, Steve, and Newton don't mean to steal the thunder from all of you. You all deserve the accolades for sure. But I'm giving equal credit (of changing the world) to the poisoned apple of that well-loved fairy tale.

Imagine if it wasn't written, apple growers could have had a larger market; apple juices too would be more popular; the humble apple pie would have been tasted by many more people; the adage "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" would have more believers; and perhaps, if the author used banana instead, the banana would be less popular eh?

And so ladies and gentlemen, please give a fourth apple (in fact it was the third apple) the credit it deserved in changing the world. I give to you, the poisoned apple of the fairytale "Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs".

Thank you.

AL FATIHAH

Syed Mohamed Nur, an Assistant producer at Awani's Non-bulletin unit passed away today, Saturday, 19th of July 2008.

Syed was with the NB team at the EDR at Bukit Jalil assisting in the recording of Perspektif Kita and Temujanji, when he collapsed. He was rushed to Hospital Serdang, but according to doctors he passed away due to heart failure in the ambulance.

Syed was 23.

My condolences to his family

Proud Malaysian

Today, the debate takes place.

An opposition leader takes on a political rival in a public, televised debate on a current issue.

No matter what your political leanings are, you just have to be proud of this historical debate.

Let there be more disciplined, intelligent, mind-opening and factual debates of this nature, for Maalaysia's sake.

There is a God.

THIS IS NOT ABOUT THE BRITNEY SPEAR'S MOVIE

crossroad
Main Entry: cross·road
Pronunciation: \ˈkrȯs-ˌrōd also -ˈrōd\
Function: noun
Date: 1686
1: a road that crosses a main road or runs cross-country between main roads
2 usually plural but singular or plural in construction a: the place of intersection of two or more roads b (1): a small community located at such a crossroads (2): a central meeting place c: a crucial point especially where a decision must be made
- from Meriam-Webster's Online Dictionary

What do you do when you're at a crossroad?

No, this is not like the "why-did-the-chicken-cross-the-road" question, although I can give you the answer to that too. :) The short answer is to decide where to go! Duh! But more often than not, such questions are asked when one needs to make a decision. Much like the political scene in Malaysia today. Some people have to start making major decisions because some people have not just reached a crossroad, but multiple crossroads! Eh... I digress... So if you, dear reader are at a crossroad, here's some advice.
(NOTE: I BELIEVE THAT ADVICE IS EXACTLY THAT: ADVICE. NO ONE IS PRESSURED TO TAKE ADVICE AND PRACTICE IT.)

You know what the best thing about reaching a crossroad is? Well, for one, you're there! Which is more than what others can claim. It means that you have traveled a fair distance and, if you're the type that has a focus on the journey and not just the destination, chances are you'd have enough resources to make a good and informed decision.

Most of us won't make a decision because we fear failure, or in some cases, fear that the decision we make will make us seem like a failure. Fair concern. Humans by nature is in the business of the pursuit of pleasure and the avoidance of pain. Failure according to some of us is painful.

We're so obsessed with the idea of success that failure looks like its the end of it all. Yet we forget that one only fails when one stops trying. I doubt the great inventors of our time ever stopped trying; otherwise they won't be great would they?

I wouldn't want to make it sound as if decision making is a simple process. Far from it. But what I'd like to impress upon readers is that if we take fear out of the equation, it'd be much simpler.

Think about it: you fear people will judge you on one call? If the person does then the person is not utilising resources well (in a corporate scenario), or just not worth it (in a relationship scenario).

Yes, decision making is a complex process. You need information, you need risk evaluation, you need scenario analysis. But one thing's for sure, if you don't make a decision, then you're stuck where you are.

Which may be a good or a bad thing, but you wouldn't be at the crossroad if you weren't meant to be.

So, chin up, assess the options, make the call, and stand by it. Because guess what? No sooner have you turned the corner will another one turn up? You can bet your life on that!

Cheers all.

Picture credit: http://cassandrapages.typepad.com/the_cassandra_pages/place/index.html

HIStoryCALFUTURE

Of late, I often catch myself thinking about the future.


What is in store for me? But ponder as I might, I'm always brought back to one point.



Me.

I have not just had this epiphany that I am the master of my life and my destiny. Far from it. I've always known that one's lot in life is in one's control. I've always believed with conviction that all the good and bad that happen in your life is due to you.

My perspective is not seminal; I look at negatives (failures, et cetera) as opportunities to start anew. They are wonderful vantage points from where you can initiate a responsible, truthful and realistic post mortem, from which you can pick up pointers.

Similarly I look at positives (successes, et cetera (I've recently come into the habit of spelling etc. in full... go figure!) as opportunities for more of the same. They also offer the same vantage point from where we can make greater strides and inroads towards whatever it is we were striving for.

But the truth is, often times, most of us - and that includes me - look at sucesses with such finality that we fall into the trap of resting on our laurels as the saying goes.

It's been a fantastic journey for me. The ups and the down of almost 39 years of life never fail to astound me.

I like history. Simply because it allows me to live a longer life than the one that Allah has graced upon me, how ever long that is. But I've often marvelled at how deep I get when I look back into my own history.

I can recall events as far back as when I was 5 I believe, when I was running around the little garden we had at No 30 Jalan 22/44, PJ. I was clad in a white pair of shorts with a pin-hole sleeveless vest, and mom and dad were tending to the garden, while my second sibling was doing the chasing.

Such memory recalls often lead me to push further what more I can remember of my past.

One thing I have noticed is that there was a phase in my life when I only recalled the bad memories. It was a brief phase thankfully, as I learnt quite quickly that it tended to make one become too self-absorbed and trap one into a feeling of helplessness.

History is a great teacher, it was once said. I know that for a fact. Yet, no amount of history recall can teach you anything unless you wanted to.

The two ideas - history and the future - contradict in terms of direction. Yet the two can provide tremendous drive for life. I know.

But I want a peek into the future. Has anyone got Dr Emmet Brown's contact? I need the keys to the Delorean...

A New Journey

You'll never know until you try.

For years I hung on. Nothing else mattered. Come what may, my choice would never change.

We've been through plenty together; from the time we were introduced, I liked what I had. Small yet plenty to offer. Plain looking but full of surprises.

At one time, I protested when I could no longer have the same. I went to the powers that be and I spoke my mind.

The return was sweet...

But the other day, I tried something new. And I fell in love.

Since then, we've had 4 meetings, all wonderful.

Slightly bigger, but it was for a reason, and I knew too that this was sweet!

So from now on, its the KFC Zinger Burger for me; The Colonel Burger? Well, we've had great times, and it will remain that. A great time!

Thanks to my darling for introducing me to the KFC Zinger burger!

Introducing Cheongchai Abdullah

Ladies and gentlemen,

This is Cheongchai Abdullah; a street tabbycat that I informally "adopted". His name is derived from the dental clinic in front of where I found him, Cheong & Chai Dental. I still have not decided whether of not he is an MD.

The story of my friendship with Cheongchai is simple; I go to the gym across the block from the 24 hour store you see in the picture. One day, as I sometimes do after gym, I drove to the store to get my isotonic drink after working out. There was this cat, just sitting pretty in front of the store.

As I normally do when I see cats, I called out to it, you know, the sound that the gecko makes. Kind of like tsk tsk tsk..

Cheongchai looked at me indifferently, almost as if he was saying, "Yes?".

Then he turned away. I walked into the store and did my shopping and left. As I walked out of the store the cat was still there. I spoke to him again, this time asking him if he was hungry. Again he looked at me non-chalantly.

This went on for three days. On the third day, I figured he was special because it was as if the spot was his own; that he ruled that spot in Section 14 PJ.

I went into the store, bought my usual, and looked out for cat food which was not there. So I settled for some canned tuna.

I took it out and opened the tub, fed the cat and he gobbled 3/4 of the can. He looked happy and not to averse to my being really close to him.


Then I decided I needed to give him a name. I thought of naming him Norman Vincent Peale II, in memory of my original tabby cat with similar ownership beginnings that I lost in 2002. But then I thought NVPII had to be given to a cat I was ready to take home.

(I would have taken this cat home but my condo has strict rules against pets, and my new house - a landed property - won't be ready until September/October.)

So I looked around and Cheong & Chai stood out, and tabby was named Cheongchai Abdullah.

Cheongchai came up to me after his supper, and did wat cats do best: he sniffed my legs and then sat on my shoes, gesturing his appreciation I guess.

I have missed Cheongchai these past 2 weeks though. We're all set for the big launch of my latest project this Tuesday (to the media), and the on-air transmission launch on September 6th, plus the planning for my talkshow debuting in the 3rd week of Septmber, PLUS the National Budget 2008 Show on September 7th. So I have missed the gym for a while.

I'm sure Cheongchai, the hardy and lovable cat that he is, is doing just fine.