TIME

It’s that TIME of the year when we again try to set things right for ourselves for the coming year - at least that’s what we think we should do when almost always nothing much is ever accomplished later on. However, we continue to do so in the hope that we change ! I am in the toilet just now, having a pleasant "Nature’s call" as usual after consuming Psyllium Husk last night, just as I always do these days without fail, to ensure that my stools remain smooth and effortless, unlike what I had been through before when I had hard stools as a result of drinking hard water - something that I will elaborate on in my future article. Anyway, coming back to the commonly known "New Year’s Resolution", this coming year I resolve to make greater effort to fill up all those forms that come my way in one form or other, more especially the inevitable Income Tax forms which come not one but numerous at times especially when I have at least two companies under my names. What really gets me with these forms is that they are so detailed to the point that I fail to comprehend the needs especially when everything is written in Malay and my Malay is warped in time - just as I cannot fully understand the full text of the Malay news whenever I happen to come across one accidentally. I say accidentally because I much prefer the English version if I have too. In any case I am not much of a news listener anyway.

Thus Ainul always make a fuss over my procrastination in filling up these forms. More often than not I only do so at the very last minute, just like I always do with most things in my life. Somehow I thrive on last minute do’s because that’s when my adrenaline is at its best - like doing last minute study and revisions for my school and university exams, memorizing play scripts for concerts , playing squash or rushing to the cinemas having made up my mind to see one at the very last minute. It has always been Ainul who acts as my guardian angel who never fails to "annoy" me with her "getting fed-up" remarks on my procrastination. Poor girl, I really do stretch her patience all these years ! That’s why this coming year I really must change for the better in as far as filling forms is concerned. Ok there, Ainul ? Right by my side right now is the personal Income Tax Form which came a week ago. I will fill that one up after I finish this article, which hopefully will be done today ? Hmm !

Just last week, we realize there remains very little time for Farah and Aisya to visit other places of interest. Previous week we all went to the elephants sanctuary and the wild deer park in Pahang. With us then were Maisarah, Aiki, Muhammad, Omar and Emir and we all had great fun at these two animal parks. The elephant rides for everyone except Ainul and I who decided not to for health reason, turned out to be great experience for Farah and the kids. The one which saw the best of them all was the big splash ride in the river. This involved getting on the elephant which then headed towards the river and dumped off everyone into the river. Fortunately it was at the shallow bank only and well attended by the parks attendants to ensure safety for the riders. On this particular ride Muhammad decided to refrain although later on he did decide to ride but rather too late when it was already over by then. Of note here is, all along I have built this belief in the kids that I am Superman. Because all of them like to play in my small dressing room-cum prayer room and upset my things there, I decide to invent the idea that it is a very special room at night for Superman who takes off nightly from there, and hence they should keep away from the room. Of course they are told that I am that Superman that I referred to. They believed of course especially when I could withstand all the hard punches to my stomach by Muhammad and Aiki. With this belief in their minds, when at first both Omar and Emir were reluctant to get on the elephant’s back for the river ride for fear of being drown in the river, Muhammad came up with the idea that they needed no fear since Superman was around - meaning me of course. Thus both Omar and Emir took the river ride. Almost immediately after the "dumping" thing and they were both wet but safely on the bank, Omar made a loud remark that he was drowning then but Superman never came to rescue him. Muhammad was quick to response with "Superman is old now and cannot fly anymore" !

It is always interesting to watch and see how children response to adults actions. In one instance recently when we were in Langkawi, Farah and I were brushing our teeth simultaneously with Aisya in between us. The idea was to make Aisya brush hers. Aisya seemed fascinated to see us brush ours , more especially with the white foams that emanated from the brushing movements. As for Farah and I , it came the time when we had to spit out the excess foams in our mouths to which we did at the same time. It shocked the little girl. We could see the consternation look in her eyes. When Farah said " are you done Aisya?" She promptly said "I am done , done mama" and just walked away in apparent disgust without ever brushing her teeth ! Both Farah and I had a good laugh over the incidence.

Time is always the factor in our life. In fact it matters always in our life. Everything is governed by time. From the moment we are born, it is the time that is recorded on our birth certificate , besides the date and day of course. When we die, it is again the time that is recorded. Investigations on crimes, whatever they are, time plays a significant role in determining the fact of the case. In our own daily life, we decide to do everything in our subconscious mind by telling ourselves, it is time to do this and that. We get worried when we cannot meet the date line time or we are late for that appointment which requires us to be at a certain spot or place at an appointed time. If our watch is out of order or it is not keeping good time, we become very concerned and almost immediately find a solution to solve, by getting a new watch or repair it if it is still good.

Of course watches come in different styles, forms and prices these days. When we see what watches are available out there, we cannot help wondering just who are buying these watches. I have always content myself to a watch unless the same is spoilt or is no longer keeping good time despite the repairs done. But of course I am saying that today I have only one watch. I have quite a few and all that I now have are given to me in one way or another. These are gifts from Farahat, who gave me a swatch, from Hussein Brunei a pair of Ebel for Ainul and I some thirty years ago and still in good order and we are using those daily since then, Birthday souvenir watches from Their Royal Highnesses Tuanku Ja’afar recently when he commemorates his fortieth Ruby Jubilee reign as the Yang Di Pertuan Besar Negeri Sembilan during his recent 86th Birthday and Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin when he was the eleventh Yang Di Pertuan Agong, from Dato’ Haniff, our late neighbor Encik Haroun’s son-in-law, from Felda Staff Association, and the odd ones bought by Ainul from a street seller of imitation watches. Of the latter, these imitation watches are quite interesting. If you are not familiar with the genuine staff, they really look genuine and they do keep good time too provided you do not drop them. A club member friend once told me he had a really good bargain when the "Rolex" that he bought from a street seller turns out to be a genuine Rolex ! Of course there is no denying in this particular instance that must be a stolen watch ! These days all these imitation watches are not openly sold anymore like those days when almost everything imitations could be obtained from any street corners of towns and cities in our country. The same goes with DVD movies which imitations are no longer widely displayed and sold everywhere. Recently when the government went all out to rid the streets and shops of these imitation DVD movies with the help of two specially imported and borrowed detector dogs, the illegal DVD operators who made these DVDs are clearly busted off their premises. However, it is not easy to completely get rid of these illegal operators. They have a way to survive the cat and mouse game with the authorities which make them still operative. Only time will tell when it will all end. At the tail end of course for as long as there are willing buyers of these DVD’s the business will continue to thrive on.

How many times in our life do we want to do this and that but fail to do them because we are lazy , or something crops up and we later forget what we want to do then, or we totally change our minds about wanting to do it and all these failures are due to our inability to keep proper time as the saying goes, "there is a place and time for everything". Hence if either one of these is not there, nothing will happen. Time however is the most important factor. We have to first determine the time when we are ready to do it whilst the place can be decided later. Of course there are occasions when we never plan anything but it happens but time again plays a part here.

Sometimes it can also happen when we plan and agreed on doing something, something happens to upset the plan due to circumstances beyond our control and more than often these involve TIME. Just a week ago Aida told me that for this week’s issue she will host it with a series of photos which reflect the families activities of 2007 - something interesting I thought. Thus both Ainul and I took a long end of year four days vacation to hibernate at the local hotels and give ourselves the much deserved rest after a year of busy time and schedules with families and friends, only to be told by Aida today the 1st of January 2008 that she cannot find the time to organize the photos and she says I have to come up with an article for the week. Hence you can see that this article that you are reading now is a rush job !

The time to reflect or look back at what we have accomplished in 2007 is today the First day of the new year 2008. How time flies these days. Before you realize it, it is already another year added to our life. How we fared last year should be put behind us as thinking over it is not going to put things right for us anymore. The thing is to move ahead and try to make this coming year a better one for ourselves in whatever fields of endeavor we are in. After all time almost always involve a change in something or other. All things get worn out or older by the day . A friend of mine sent me a New Year message : "Don’t be afraid to grow old. Old folks are worth a fortune. They have silver in their hair, gold in their teeth, stones in their kidneys, and gas in their stomach ! Kencing pun manis dan darah pun ada kelas - ‘Tinggi"

With that note let me wish you all the very best for 2008.