in memoriam - michael crichton

In Memoriam
Michael Crichton | 1942 - 2008

Michael who?

Chances are, you may have enjoyed his writings - in another media.
Many of his novels are adapted for the silver screen (and TV: ER the hospital drama series). Most notable is Jurassic Park. And a lot more, before and after that.

Melissa Yong introduced me this amazing medical doctor through his book Sphere. It was during my A-Level years. I was hooked right from the first page, and read many of his novels after that. In fact, I have a precious collection of his writings sitting in my bookshelf at home.

What I respect the most is that he digs deep into the subject through his research, and present it with his own rendering and laced with his own ideas.

My favourite? It has to be his autobiography - Travels.

I watched a few of his novels-turned-movies - Jurassic Park (trilogy), Twister (script), Timeline - but I reckon reading gives much more pleasure that movies just can't deliver. Oh, and I'm still looking for 'The Great Train Robbery' movie.

http://www.michaelcrichton.net/aboutmichaelcrichton-biography.html

Happy Anniversary!

At about this time 9 years ago, Nazahiya and I were married.
Blessed with a pair of kids - Marsya (8) and Adam (6), and countless number of cats (currently 7 adults + 8 kittens).

I pray for more happy and blessed years ahead together.

Grow old with me. The best is yet to come...

4 coleby avenue

L to R: Akmal Hisham, Akmal Hizam, Azman, Zaiman, Zulhilmi.

Me and housemates in front of our rental house in Old Trafford.
4 Coleby Avenue, off Lindum Avenue, Old Trafford, Manchester.

It's a semi-D house with a separate garage (keys kept by the owner - Mr. Shabir Bangi) and a small backyard (never bothered about it, but once we had a barbecue session with friends over there). Located in a cul-de-sac in a quiet neighbourhood.


View Larger Map

I don't quite remember this photo existed, until my mate Akmal Hisham (aka Imam) scanned it and posted in his facebook page. What I remembered is that we snapped several photos to be sent to newspapers in Malaysia for Hari Raya greetings from overseas. Not sure whether this was the one being published.
Date stamp: 17 January 1997. More than 10 years. Seemed like it was only a short time ago.

Aah... and look at the colour tone of our Baju Melayu - by pure chance.

credits:
don't know who snapped this photo.
scanned by Akmal Hisham

Afraid To Write

I sent an email to my loved one, just the other day
It’s sad communication has evolved this way.
We use so many words but have so little to relay
as angels scribble down every letter that we say.
All the viral attachments sent and passionate insults we vent
It’s easy to be arrogant behind user passwords we invent.
But on the day the scrolls are laid, with every word and deed displayed,
when we read our accounts, I know, for one, I’ll be afraid.

That day I’ll be so afraid to read,
every harsh word that I’ve spoken - and every time I have lied.
I’ll be obliged to admit,
I’ll be obliged to submit
Will I have strength owning up to each deed I’ve tried to hide?
Oh Allah, I’m so afraid to read.

An excerpt from Dawud Wharnsby Ali's song Afraid To Read.

If ever I wrote in here or any other digital media, please forgive me if I offended you in any way.

Lyrics above copyright owner DWA.
Cut and paste from here.

virtual meeting place

A few years ago I tried to have my own website, to share things digitally - thoughts, photos (videos are a bit rare back then - slow connection).
Then I discovered blogspot. And so I signed up and started writing.

I used to write long emails to friends, conveying my thoughts in discussions.
I thought, rather than sharing it with a person (or a few people in a group), I'd share it with the world. Hence, 'typed thoughts'.

I have a few photos that I use as my wallpaper on the PC desktop. These too I housed in a dedicated wallpaper blog (Faizi, if you're reading this, my 'Faizi's photos' folder in my PC is still empty).

I kept my hajj journal in a blog. Events and photos.

My family on my mother's side have been updating our big family tree in Geni, and I posted a few news and photos. Regularly visiting the tree.

Yesterday, I discovered My Site in my company's e-portal. It's a personal space for employees, but for internal viewing only.

Today I received a Facebook 'friend request' from Alina.
I signed up Facebook because it's a place where all your friends and their pets are loitering. Furthermore, you can't view other's Facebook pages if you're not a member. Have not updated or posted anything or sending requests or anything. Except for this morning. And it's quite a hassle. Learning the rope is one thing, updating and maintaining it is another big one.

I put links to my blogs in Geni, MySite, Facebook and other virtual meeting places that I signed up so far. What I'm doing now is that I keep on writing in here and my other blogs as and when I have the time.
Friends, families, strangers and their pets can always view them and leave a comment or two.

Oh, and if you feel like sending me personal messages, email me at akmalhamid[at]gmail.com.
Or send me texts. I'll give you my mobile number through email.

strive to do it right

I noticed that the quote box on my blog frame changes every time the page reloads.
Here's one that caught my attention:

If you don't have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?

My previous company has this too:

Do it right, the first time

spelling contest - the day

We went to Danga City Mall to support Marsya for her spelling contest.
Apparently, finalists for the 3 categories (60 of them total) were selected from over 900 participants. Wow! Isn't that something?

For the finals, the contest format was changed. I guess to facilitate the venue and manner of judging the contestants. Finalists were given a spiral bound drawing board each, together with a black marker. They are seated on the stage, all of them, one category for a session. The word to be spelled will be announced in this manner: word, meaning, word, word. After that, 25 seconds given for the finalists to write (spell) the word on the drawing board. Then the bell will be rung. Finalists would raise their drawing board for the judges to give marks. Thus, it's not only testing their spelling ability, but other skills as well: listening and writing - neatly, legibly and big, while being quick at that. I personally do not agree wholly with the format, albeit it's the organiser's exclusive right to have it any way they deem fit.


worried mommy, among the audience

The first word was 'ambulance'. Poor Marsya managed only to write 'ambulan', and was a bit disturbed when the bell was rung as she was about to write 'c' on the paper. I'm sure she doesn't have any problem spelling the word. It was just that she didn't have enough time to write the word in big letters, neatly and fast. Not a norm for any kid her age in day-to-day schooling. Anyway, she marched on and kept giving her best.



Out of 15 words, she got 10 spelled out right (there were words not completed because not enough time). Not bad, although she didn't win anything. What I'm happy about is that she participated and didn't show any sign of stage fright, anxiety or nervousness. I guess none of the finalists were. It seems that they were at ease.

Kudos to Marsya. Also to the organiser for the event. They all did very well.

spelling contest finalist

Yesterday, as I was plotting the route for tonight's night ride (and daydreaming about this coming Sunday's bike hash in Plentong), I received a call from Ms. Chiu.

She informed me that Marsya is one of the ten finalists for the spelling contest.
Wow! Yay! Way to go, girl!
Seems that all her effort (and my nagging about her handwriting, plus sacrificing my Sunday ride) came into fruition. At least half way for now. I don't know how many students took part last Sunday, but I guess it was surely more than 50. An achievement so far.
I pray that she'll win the contest.

I, as a father, am really proud with my daughter.
But I, as a rider, was perturbed. There goes my bike hash this Sunday.

Never mind, there'll always be another one. Err... the bike hash, I mean.
I'm sending Marsya with the family to her spelling contest in Danga City Mall this Sunday, insyaAllah.
As a consolation, I'll be doing a night ride tonight.
All the best to Marsya.

Special thanks to Adam for helping her practice the 100 words list. You guys make a great team.

Tanjung Kupang Air Crash

Marsya entered a spelling contest last Sunday, so the four of us went to Foon Yew 1 School at Jalan Kebun Teh together.

Lots of pupils with their parents came for the 3 category contest. Marsya's was the third, starting at 12.00 noon. Arrived 5 minutes late than required (have to be there 15 minutes earlier), the parking lot in front of the school is already packed.
Marsya and I headed to the school while Naza parked the car some 100 meters away with Adam inside.

Around 12.45pm the contest ended, and we headed to the car.
We passed by a silent memorial located just next to the school, set up by Malaysia Airlines to
commemorate the air crash of 4th December 1977 in Tanjung Kupang.



I did a (very) little research, and it was quite sad to learn about the fatal crash. The Boeing 737-200 from Penang to Kuala Lumpur was hijacked with 97 passengers and 7 crews on board. None survived the crash.

further reading:
http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19771204-0
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysia_Airlines_Flight_653
http://eprints.utm.my/343/1/SallehuddinMuhamad2006_SimulationoftheTanjungKupang.pdf
http://www.newspaperarchive.com/freepdfviewer.aspx?img=44073993

more images:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanjung_Kupang_Memorial

one minute writing

http://oneminutewriter.blogspot.com/

Stumbled upon this blog page this morning.

Especially if you're a Toastmaster, and looking for topics for Table Topics Session, this is a great site for resource. It helps to start the idea rolling.

Otherwise, still a good way of pushing you to write.
In the movie 'Finding Forrester' (Sean Connery, Rob Brown), there's a scene whereby William Forrester (Connery) asked Jamal Wallace (Brown) to type away with the typewriter - without thinking, or drafting. Just go on and write. Don't wait. Write about whatever on your mind.
Well, Beth included on her blog page a 1 minute timer, and a word (writing prompt) as the topic for you to write about.

One more thing:
While you're at her oneminutewriter page, scroll down to 'The One Minute Writer can help..' section on the left panel. I'm happy to report that Beth credited me for the idea above.
:)
Hehe...
Thanks, Beth!

Melaka: A' Famosa vs Proclamation of Independence Memorial

A' Famosa - the famous one.
Proclamation of Independence Memorial - huh? Which one eh?

We went to Melaka on the way back to JB during Deepavali weekend.

It was overwhelming how Bandar Hilir has transformed.
I parked the car a bit far from the famous A' Famosa, so we had to walk past Muzium Islam.
Right in front of it is this interesting big tree:


big ol' tree


this tree is not to be destroyed in any manner whatsoever.
but you can nail the notice on it, though.

The purpose of visiting Bandar Hilir is to serve as an introduction of the famous A' Famosa and surrounding buildings to the kids. Well, only Marsya went with Naza and I. Adam stayed in the car with Mak - not feeling well.


Naza and Marsya walking past A' Famosa

Alfonso de Albuquerque started the construction of A' Famosa in 1512 from which they fended of attacks by the armies of the Sultan of Melaka and Acheh for well over a century.
The Portuguese used slaver labour to construct this squarish fort surrounding Melaka Hill with walls 3 meters thick using parts from demolished palaces, royal mausoleums and mosques.

Apart from the appalling English grammar etched on the info stone, the more atrocious fact laid down plainly is "...using parts from demolished palaces, royal mausoleums and mosques".
Damn.


the info stone. see how many grammar or typo errors you can spot.

Marsya and I went up the hill to take a look around, and have a view from the top. Quite nice - you could observe the prosperity that showers Melaka, except the sea shore.



Also there's a 'wishing well' in the remnants of building (used to be a church by Dutch, then as a gunpowder storage by British). What struck me was that people throw in coins in the 'well'. I don't know why. I bet they also don't know why. The bigger question: who would eventually collect the coins? And what would they do with it?
Anyway, I told Marsya that we Muslims do not do such things. If we wish for something, we ask Allah by reciting du'a. No need to throw in coins and make wishes.



I love to look at the memorial tablets lining the walls inside the building - for it's artistical values. And it's ancient. I like 'em.
Nearing maghrib, we went down.

Opposite of the fort stands a solemn building, though not that attractive to local tourists. Perhaps because it is closed during the time I was there.


Proclamation of Independence Memorial

The Proclamation to Independence Memorial is important to our local history for this: it houses an exhibition that traces the history of the nation's journey to independence (as the sign says).



What I like about it is that it is erected right in front of A' Famosa, and across Dataran Pahlawan. Simply poetic.