I Love Aeroplanes

My obsession with aeroplanes came about when I was given the opportunity to sit in the cockpit of a double decker plane from Bangkok and half an hour before landing in Kuala Lumpur. The experience was priceless, I can only forward my thanks to the station manager then, Mr. M Najib.

After so many years of working I was again given an opportunity to get to know more about aeroplanes up front and close. Yes, indeed it was a dream come true I was sent to attend a course on flight dispatch call, organizing a private jet and refurbishing a new plane into a private jet. At the same time I also got to experience what it feels to be in a simulator of a plane, it was all worth an experience for me.

Jet aviation was one of the big names in aviation and being with them in Zurich, Geneva and Basel was something that I will not be shy to talk about over and over again.

As much as I love aeroplanes and the curiosity that comes with being a passenger in the plane, I simply do not like long hours of travelling. I feel suffocated especially if it takes more than 10 hours of flying.

Someday I hope I could afford to travel in that private jet again. It redefines the meaning of flying………………………… he he he.

Turkish Coffee Please

There are various types of coffee in the market today, so much so that some have been given a branded name for marketing strategy, thus making the cost of a cup of coffee to be unaffordable to me at some fine restaurants.

Coffee was a must for me after food for so many years, till I was advised to stop too much consumption of it by the doctor. It was difficult especially when someone else is brewing the coffee, the aroma was enough for me to go gaga, and I must admit that the doctor’s advice never played too much of a strategic role then.

My all favorite time coffee is the Turkish coffee. I am not that talented in the art of making this coffee, but I just love it, and it does not stop me from ordering this coffee anytime it appears on a menu. I love the intricateness of a class above.

There were many stories that were related to how coffee was first discovered and why it then became a major part of some cultures. Legend has it that an Ethiopian shepherd who noticed how his sheep stayed awake all night after eating wild coffee berries decided to try some of the coffee berries for himself, and he found that the berries had the same effect upon him. Thus, the first use of coffee for an all-nighter started. In its more poetic form, coffee was considered a wine from the berry of the coffee tree. It was first used in ceremonies by the mystic Sufi religions in Yemen. The drink helped the Sufi mystics to stay up late to recite their night prayers.

While in Turkey, coffee has played an important part in the lifestyle of the Turkish people. It was believed that the women of Turkey began at a young age, to learn the art of properly preparing Turkish coffee. This is because potential husbands would judge whether a woman was a good match for marriage, based upon her ability to make coffee.

So, there you go, this is what I consider a character of intricateness. *smile*

I Need Your Help

I need some advice in this entry today, let’s say I am faced with a situation where I am offering help at a hospice, and caring for a non-Muslim person during his/her last moments before his/her demise. To ease the environment of pain and sufferings, we are encouraged to hold their hands, and talk to them.

Facing death is something that no one can tell a story about. I know what I should do if the person that I am caring for was a Muslim, however, if I did the same thing to a non-Muslim, meaning softly whispering the ‘kalimah’ in their ears till they draw their last breath, am I doing justice to them or am I being sinful here. After all, we all believe in one God, though we differ in religion name call.

Dr H., if you read this entry can you please help me out. I am confident that I am not doing anything wrong, as all religions tought us to do good, and by whispering the ‘kalimah’ during their last moments I sincerely believe that I am doing some good.

Please help me out…………………

Perchta - Some Folklore

You know the winter is here when you come across these figurines on display before the beginning of the Christmas market.

There were many names associated to these figurines among them is Perchta. The folklore of Bavaria and Austria believes that Perchta was said to roam the countryside at midwinter. She will then enter homes between the twelve days before Christmas.

For I Am Mother

When this world makes you feel so alone,
Take solace in knowing that I will always be here for you

And if one day I am gone and the flowers wilt, and the leaves fall
to eventual decay.

Just remember that the tears that I have spilt,
will be like the shower on a sunny day

For I am mother and I can never love you less

The Departed

In the darkness of the night I sit alone, wondering if I will ever be able to sleep. Thanks to Chef Diva for the mug of coffee, coffee never ever has any effect on me before, but, well now that I am past half a century of my life, everything has an effect one way or the other. What could be worse when the snoring of my man is made louder by the silence of the night.

Tonight alone I watch a movie called “The Departed” it is more than two hour long movie, weird as it may sound I was so engrossed in the movie that I managed to stay up till the end, and still up doing this entry now.

What makes the movie more interesting was the unpredictable storyline that kept me guessing, and the total message that was to be gained by me and all the viewers who may have seen this movie before me. It taught me that a rat no matter how polished may be will always smell like a rat.

Ironically too in “The Departed” we should learn not to be bounded by favors, especially if the giver will tail you to the deep end of a worm hole. To all my children be very careful when you are asking and taking a favor, you will never know when that favor will come back to haunt you.

I know it is kind of cliché that I would always compute every little reminder that I can to my children, well, I am not shy about this, and never will because for a long long time I have been both their father and their mother too. My words may not hold much of a weight now that all of them are young adults, but there is no harm in me wanting my children to be cautious at all time.

To all my children do take time to watch this movie, and look at the symbolic relations of a man and a rat, both are very prominent in each other’s world. Therefore, do not be one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No Inference

A good friend came visiting last Sunday, from the first hug and the first hello, there was no stopping her from filling me up with news. I consider this friendship of ours rather odd, as we hardly talk on the phone, just text messaging only with news on each other.

This is because she is a world famous person and I know how demanding her work can be, and I am a full time housewife but that does not stop us from our girlie talk each time she has the time to break away from her formal life.

This time around despite the laughing and the joking, I saw sadness in her eyes. I could not help but was so close to blurting out the questions when she voluntarily announced that she had just divorced. I was shocked, totally unbelievable so much so that I was not able to even offer a word of comfort. She understood.

With her position in the world standing, I could only wish her all the very best. I guess no matter how high we reach for the stars, but once our hearts are broken nothing really matters anymore. Like me she has also decided that home will be everywhere else for the moment till the broken pieces cease to exist for good.

I told her that let’s live our life as though we are walking under a heavy snow, where each step we take will not leave any footprint, where the glitter of the sun is more important than the beauty of the snow filled mountains, where the cold will hit us to our bone but could no longer hurt us.

Let’s just live without the interference of other factors that has no inference in our everyday life at all.

Only You Can Love Me This Way

Who matters?
Who never did?
Who won't anymore and never will?

And who always will.

I am not worried about people from my past
There are reasons why they didn't make it to my present and my future.

Only You matter……………………………………

Muslim Cemetery

We were staying in a hotel not too far from the Sultanahmet neighborhood. Anyone who has been to Istanbul will know that this is one of the most busy and interesting neighborhoods there.

In this heart of the Imperial Centre of the Ottoman Empire while walking downtown to the places of interest, we came across a very interesting looking Muslim cemetery. We were so engulfed in the structure of the cemetery that I totally forgot what the name of the place was.

Anyone who come across these pictures in my entry, it would be appreciated if you can email me and let me know the name of this cemetery.

By the way, the size of the graves gave me the impression that Turkish men are actually short men, and this was supported by the fact that every other Turkish man that I came across on the street was actually shorter than an average height man.

LOL

The "Weeping" Column

While in Hagia Sophia we also took the opportunity to stand in queue at the “weeping” or as others called the “miracle” column. Legend has it that if you have an ailment and stick your finger into the hole in the column and the finger's wet when it comes out, you'll be healed.

It was also believed that if you successfully complete a 360 degree circle with your thumb in the hole, your wishes will be granted. The name of the weeping column came about with the claim that the column was also said to "weep" water that has healing properties.

We were also told that a saint was buried underneath the column. These were just legends but of course we were curious and game for anything.

May all our wishes come true, who knows?

The After Concert

The after concert, seeing the team working and cleaning up the state stadium at this pace is just unbelievable. This is Professionalism to the ninth. By the way, the workers were color coded by their uniform; I could not capture the pictures as they were moving around so fast, more like ants from a distant.

The Monster Ball Concert

At the Monster Ball concert, it was spectacular, splendid, and rocking hot. I felt privileged and simply speechless.

Semi Precious Weapons

The opening act for the Monster Ball Tour here by Semi Precious Weapons - fantastic show.

Religious vs Fanatic - Guest Post

A friend was advertising his religion to me, after some sort of what I can only call a religious preach.

Me: is it true that you believe that all people of other religions don’t go to heaven?

Him: of course without doubt. This is the way things go.

Me: are you for real? You really believe this crap? Especially that you are a very highly educated post graduate degree seeker?

Him: ………………..bla bla bla……………. Trying to brain-wash me with his citations and examples etc...

Me: Those argument and examples you are using don’t work on me; maybe they would work on 3 year old children, shaking their heads back and forth memorizing scriptures they cannot even fathom. Brainwashed Like you.

Him: ……………….bla bla bla…………more brainwash material…….

Me: Please close the subject and let us keep our relationship professional as research assistants. You have your views and I have mine.

A good fellow research assistant friend was lost to me that day and it taught me one thing; not to go into an argument with a religious fanatic person. Better to stay away from those people as soon as they display the first signs of delusion. I have no regrets to this; In fact, thank God this conversation happened so as to open my eyes to the fact that ignorance and evil can lay dormant in the most unlikely places.

That guy judged me, I am me and what others think of me is immaterial especially where religious preaching is concerned. My advice to myself and those who are trying to step on my tracks: Look within you and see if self-righteousness persists to the extent that you judge others.

I am close to only one person in this world, the person I choose to share my opinions with, a person who no matter how far her views are from my own, agrees to disagree with me. A partnership based on sharing respect of one others’ brain, no matter how moronic it might look to the other. Her advises are more valuable to me than someone’s opinion/judgment.

Each of us has his own path through life, a path taking him either closer or farther from the path of the light. Try to keep your heading in that direction of the light, but at the same time don’t get blinded by it and fall into the darkness in front of you.

- hubby -