Thank you 2016, Welcome 2017!

The Year 2016 is the last day today. It'll be another year tomorrow. I don't make resolutions. I just do when things come my way.

The Year 2016 is an accomplishment year for me. I did some good things for myself.
Just for documentation.

Year 2015
** My second novel in Bahasa Melayu PAGI SEMERAH DAUN MOMIJI received first prize in the Malay Literary Awards 2015 (Anugerah Persuratan Melayu Singapura, 2015).
** Received Second Prize for Golden Point Award, 2015 for a short story.

Year 2016
** Novel TERBELAH BINTANG SUBARU is shortlisted for Singapore Literature Prize, 2016.

For the Year 2017;
** I've translated my second novel PAGI SEMERAH DAUN MOMIJI into English. I've sent the manuscribe to a publishing house.

** Another translation project that started about 4 years ago is still underway. This is a joint project and we've not decided on the publication house yet.

** I've compiled a collection of haiku by various haiku writers in Japan. They are not famous people. These compilations of haiku are based on the summer season word (kigo) written by haiku writers all over Japan. My intention in translating this compilation is to show how haiku are normally written by contemporary Japanese haiku writers. The haiku are in Japanese and the translated version will be in Bahasa Melayu. I've still not decided on the publication house yet for this project.

** A novel. This time I'm venturing into English. I still have not decided on the publishing house for this first timer in English as well.

Doing three writing projects simultaneously takes quite a bit of clever time-juggling.

Anyway, thank you for stopping by. From the recorded statistics, I know I'm not talking alone. Thanks for supporting me.
May you be busy and make more accomplishment for the coming year.

Happy 2017.

ps: photo on top was taken in December 2016.

*****

1 Januari 2016

Setiap pembukaan tahun, saya buat gubahan ikebana untuk sudut tokonoma di rumah bapa mentua saya.
Ini gubahan untuk 2016.
Setiap dahan dan bunga yang membentukkan hiasan ikebana membawa maksud dalam kepercayaan susunan ikebana.
Dalam susunan ini dahan pine (matsu) itu sebagai kepala hiasan sebab pine pohon paling tahan lasak. Pohon pine tidak luruh waktu salji dan musim sejuk.
Dahan warna emas itu simbol kesenangan/kekayaan, paling tinggi dalam gubahan.
Dahan beri merah itu mencorakkan latar gubahan sebagai kesuburan kehidupan.
Bunga lain-lain sebagai menambah kecantikan gubahan.
Pada hari pembukaan 2016, saya ucapkan selamat berbahagia kepada para pembaca novel saya dan pembaca yang mengikuti catatkan ini.

*****

Penutup tahun 2015

(gambar bunga2 hiasan untuk perayaan Tahun Baharu di Okinawa)

Banyak perkara yang saya tidak terjangka menjadi pengalaman 2015. Alhamdulillah banyak kejadian yang telah berlaku pada 2015 membawa bahagia dan mampu meningkatkan tahap diri ini dalam kehidupan.
Hari ini penutup tahun, Ramai orang di pulau ini berpusu-pusu di kedai membeli barang-barang persiapan untuk menyambut tahun baharu esok.
Seperti biasa saya ditugaskan menyiapkan satu gubahan bunga untuk hiasan sambutan tahun baharu.

Saya membaca statistik pengunjung yang meng-ases blog ini dan rata-rata jumlah pembaca semakin meningkat. Ada juga saya menerima komen tapi saya biarkan komen-komen itu "unpublished" atas sebab-sebab tertentu.
Harap penulis-penulis komen yang saya tidak siarkan janganlah berkecil hati darihal ini.
Akhir kata terima kasih kepada pembaca-pembaca yang setia mengikut jalan hidup saya.
Tutup bab 2015.
Sekian.

*****

Ramadan 1437/2015

Sempena Ramadan yang akan menjelang dalam 2 hari lagi, saya mengambil kesempatan ini (masa cucu-cucu keluar dan sempat mengetuk papan kekunci ini) untuk mengucapakan selamat berpuasa kepada pembaca blog ini dan peminat novel-novel saya.
Semoga ibadah kita diterima Allah dan semoga kita kuat mengekalkan tenaga sepanjang bulan mulia ini.

*****

2015

Culturally Japan celebrate their New Year on New Year's Day.
In the photo is my father-in-law framed certificate when he was 100 years old received from the City Mayor 2 years ago. Inside the red and white stand [besides the ikebana flower that I arranged] is glutinous rice to symbolize happiness.
My father-in-law send this greetings to all my readers and friends: "Akemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu" which means Have a Happy and Prosperous New Year.
[Location: My father-in-law's house]

Bak kat Dr.Maza yang saya petik dari Dr.Maza.com, "tahun baru hanyalah nama yang kita berikan atas bilangan angka besar..hakikatnya ia merupakan perubahan yang kita alami setiap saat dan ketika...bilah-bilah hari datang pergi..kita hanya bilangan detik dan waktu yang setiap kali denyut nadi berkurangan sehingga tiba saat yang dinamakan kematian..hari ini, semalam, tahun lalu, tahun baru dan tahun depan..sama saja..hakikatnya masa terus berjalan dan tempoh umur kita makin berkurangan.."

Hakikatnya sememangnya masa berjalan dan oleh sebab masa itu berjalan, umur kita juga semakin berkurangan, walau bagaimanapun dalam pada itu saya akan terus segarkan minda dan anggota badan, agar segala pergerakannya memberi manfaat kepada keluarga, teman-teman dan para pembaca, insya-Allah.

Semoga teman-teman dan para pembaca, jauh dan dekat, lebih bahagia dan productif pada tahun 2015 ini.

*****

Ramadan 2014

Entah kenapa apabila masuk bulan Ramadan, tekak saya inginkan lauk-lauk Melayu. Biasalah lauk-lauk Melayu seperti asam pedas, sambal tumis, gulai lemak. Setelah merasa setiap satu, saya rasa sudah cukup dan masak lauk bukan Melayu seperti yang biasa dalam rumah kami. Lauk bukan Melayu tidak semestinya lauk Jepun sahaja.
Sebenarnya Ramadan ialah bulan yang memberi saya banyak peluang menulis. Masakan atau lauk-lauk istimewa yang saya tidak buat hari-hari, tidak masuk dalam jadual. Kami makan amat sederhana.

Saya mengambil kesempatan hari Ramadan pertama ini untuk mengucapkan kepada pembaca blog ini, yang dalam feeder, yang dalam favourite, google friend dll selamat menjalani ibadah Ramadan, semoga ibadah kita mendapat ganjaran Allah.

*****

Heisei 26 (2014)

Hampir seminggu sudah bermula tahun Heisei 26 dan inilah baru dapat ruang masa untuk mencatatkannya di sini. Heisei 26 ialah tahun takwim Jepun. Kiraan ini bermula dari pemerintahan Maharaja sekarang. Ini bermakna maharaja sekarang sudah bertakhta selama 26 tahun.
Pada asalnya, kalender Jepun mengikut kiraan bulan macam orang Islam juga mengikut hijri atau takwim lunar. Bebetulan takwim China juga mengikut kiraan bulan. Untuk tidak disamakan dengan China, bermula pada tahun 1863, pemerintah Jepun mengambil kiraan matahari mengikut takwim antarabangsa yang digunakan sekarang. Walaupun begitu, Jepun masih mengekalkan takwim pengiraan tahun pada ketakhtaan pemerintahan maharaja yang sedang berkuasa buat waktu itu.
Tahun-tahun dalam takwim Jepun ialah Tahun Meiji, Tahun Taisho, Tahun Showa dan terkini Tahun Heisei.
Dalam surat pendaftaran Jepun, tahun bapa mentua saya lahir pada 14 Januari Meiji 35. Tahun lahir suami saya pula kalau mengikut takwim Jepun ialah 6 Januari Showa 26 *baru teringat esok, tapi mengikut kiraan takwim ini, agak susah untuk mengira umurnya*.

Sebenarnya saya ingin katakan di sini bahawa Jepun masih mengikut kiraan takwim kalender sendiri dalam hal-hal hariannya, sama ada dalam perkara rasmi atau tidak rasmi.
Saya memikirkan keseluruhan negara-negara Islam di dunia sudah kurang mengira tahun hijri lagi dalam perkara rasmi. Catatan takwim dan jadual harian menggunakan tarikh masihi, walhal orang Islam sudah ada takwim yang cukup lengkap. Ini bermakna orang Islam tidak kuat memegang kebudayaan Islam dan merelakan kehidupan mereka berputar dengan takwim masihi.

Gambar di atas itu saya gubah untuk hiasan ruang tamu di rumah bapa mentua. Kami suami isteri sebagai penjaga bapa mentua terpaksa melayan tamu-tamu, anak-anak, cucu dan cicit orang tua itu.
Keletihan berulang-alik ke rumah bapa mentua (walaupun jarak pintu kami hanya 5 langkah) melayan kerenah tamu-tamu yang menziarah bapa mentua, diakhiri dengan demam selesema.

Dalam gambar itu ialah bapa mentua saya yang tidak lama lagi (14 Januari 2014) umurnya akan mencecah 101 tahun.

Kiraan tahun takwim Jepun: http://www.meijigakuin.ac.jp/~watson/ref/mtsh.html

*****

Malam 2014

Minggu terakhir tahun 2013, cuaca di tempat ini mendung berselang seli gerimis musim sejuk. Orang dalam gambar itu sangat bosan, rasa terperangkap dalam rumah. Tugas orang itu banyak di luar rumah, berkebun dan berkemas kawasan di luar rumah.

Sebaik sahaja cuaca cerah semula, orang itu kata "Rera, kalau terjadi apa-apa, engkau telefon 119."
Lantas orang itu panjat tangga naik ke bumbung, membersihkan lorong-lorong air yang tersumbat dengan pasir dan lumut. Jiran saya keluar dan kami sama-sama menonton orang itu bekerja sambil berteriak-teriak amaran kepada orang itu, "abunai yo, abunai yo" (bahaya, bahaya).

Seperti tahun-tahun lepas, kami membersihkan rumah bapa suami sebab anak, cucu dan cicitnya akan datang menziarah. Salah satu tugas yang sangat seronok ialah menyusun bunga hiasan. Sebelum itu kami terpaksa ke pasar sayur mendapatkan bunga-bunga hiasan itu. Terasa bahang perayaan apabila berebut-rebut dalam pasar sayur.

Pada malam menyambut tahun baharu, adat orang Jepun makan mi. Tak kira jenis mi, udon atau soba.

Pada mereka, mi yang panjang itu bagai jambatan yang menyambung tahun lama ke tahun baharu. Pada saya asalkan tidak melanggar akidah dan kepercayaan bahawasanya agama itu Islam dan tuhan yang disembah itu Illahi yang Maha Segalanya, tidaklah salah mengikut berseronok sama.

Itu gambar mi udon bersama rumput laut dengan tenpura sotong dan kacang buncis. Selepas makan malam yang terakhir untuk tahun 2013, dengan meja kotatsu, kami tonton siaran Kouhaku atau Pesta Lagu Merah dan Putih. Siaran hiburan yang bermula dari 7.15 mlm hingga larut 12 mlm ini ialah pertandingan lagu antara perempuan dan lelaki.
Seluruh Jepun ikut menyertai pilihan menentukan kemenangan dengan menekan butang "remote control" pada akhir pertandingan ini.

*****

14日六月せんきゅごじゅろく。

 それはわしの誕生日。Liza was a student in Okinawa and left 14 years ago after she graduated. This time she visited Okinawa, her reason is she missed this island so much. Like going down memory lane for her. She came a day before my birthday and left a day after. I totally forgot that day (my birthday, I mean) as I was busy entertaining Liza.
Good thing Liza came, at least I have someone to share my cake. The other day, I sat beside one woman in the sauna room. I asked her age. She answered 86.
How does she feel at 86? I asked. She said she feels nothing. She doesn't feel any older, not one single day.
There! I hope to have that positive feeling as I climb the ladder to higher numbers in life.

To make this day special for me, I bought for myself this 6 volumes of The Mathnawi of Jalaluddin Rumi. This poet was born earlier that Basho like 700 years apart. They never meet but their works on nature and life has some similarities.

Would be studying his writing soon.

Thank you to Facebook friends who wish me well on my birthday.

*****

Tengahnya dahan Pain (Pine).

Catatan pertama untuk tahun 2013 ini, saya keluarkan hiasan bunga perayaan tahun baharu yang saya gubah sendiri untuk rumah bapa mentua. Saya memang tak masuk campur dalam perayaan mereka, dan sebelumnya hiasan bunga ini saya tak ambil kisah pun. Entah kenapa sejak tahun lepas, kakak ipar yang selalu membuat gubahan ini kata dia tak buat lagi. Tahun lepas katanya dia pergi luar negara melancong jadinya dia serahkan kepada saya tanggung-jawap ini. Tapi tahun ini katanya dia tak buat lagi gubahan bunga hiasan.

Bunga hiasan tahun baharu dijual dalam set. Kalau dalam set, harganya lebih murah dari kalau beli berasing-asing. Saya yang tidak tahu bahan-bahan untuk hiasan perayaan, membeli yang dalam set sahaja.

Berasakan ilmu ikebana yang saya pelajari satu masa dahulu, dapatlah saya gubah mengikut aturan yang saya pelajari. Tapi pada hari perayaan, setiap bunga dalam set yang dijual ada maksud masing-masing. Contoh maksud pada bunga-bunga itu seperti daun pain perlu disusun di tengah pasu sebab ia paksi dalam kehidupan. Ada bunga yang membawa kebahagiaan, ada bunga yang membawa kekayaan, dan selanjutnya. Saya tidak perlu ambil tahu lambang pada bunga-bunga ini, ia menjatuhkan akidah orang Islam.

Jadi saya susun mengikut suara hati, mengambil kira aturan warna, aturan panjang pendek dahan, kehijauan daun dan hasilnya dalam gambar itu. Walaupun tidak memuaskan saya tapi saya rasa agak memadai memandangkan kesingkatan ilmu gubahan yang ada pada saya.

"Gubahan kamu ikut cara orang Malaysia!" kata ipar itu.

Kalau sudah tidak mahu lakukan, janganlah bersuara sebab bila sudah menolak, hak mengkritik tidak ada lagi. Sekurang-kurangnya kemukakan sahaja satu ucapan terima kasih.

*****

Dates

With this month of Ramadan 1433 starting today in Japan, Malaysia, and Singapore, this note on dates should be aspiring enough to be consumed by people with lesser feeling for this fruits as it is sunnah to break iftar with a piece or two of this wonder fruit.

May all Mukminin and Muslimin be awarded with His Barakah on this Holy Month, ameen.

The benefits of dates.

Treatment of constipation, as dates have high content of furit sugars (fructose).

It has anti-allergy properties due to its zinc contents.

It stimulates the reproductive system functions through its content of vitamins, minerals and phosphorous.

Treatment of heart diseases due to its iron contents.

It can be used as prophylatics treatment of renal failure due to its contents of vit B1, B2, B6 and sugar.

Treatment of anemia due to its contants of many meneral, the most important of which is iron.

Stops beding during pregnancy due to its content of vit. K and tanniene- an astringent agent.

Stop multiplication and reproduction of cancer cells due to its contents of magnesium, calcium and sulfur.

Relieves acidity and heart burn as it contains alkaline salts.

Prevents dizziness as it contains some agent such as carotene.

Dried dates flour and palm pith can treat Asthma and pertussis.

=====

Into 2012

Toshi-koshi soba

This is toshi-koshi soba or as I said in the last entry, joining-the-year-noodle. We ate this for dinner to celebrate the end of the day in Gregorian year 2011.

O-zoni

This is our first breakfast. It is chicken clear soup with lots of vegetable and slabs of mochi rice. It is very filling as one mochi rice is equivalent to a bowl of rice.

To start the new year, let me introduce myself again. I stay on the southern most island of Japan, Okinawa island. My family moved to this island in 1996. Now both of us (hubby and I) are taking care of my hubby's father, fragile but otherwise healthy. This year on record he is 99, but he claimed 101 according to the Chinese calender and some people said he is 100.
Whatever, we still take care of him.
I have three children, two of which are staying in Singapore with their husbands. One is still studying in the same campus as his older sisters.

I love to read and love to write but my time is taken with household duties and chores that I find so unproductive. I do get stress over this at times. I also have a husband who talks to me everytime he passes by my table and this I have to bear with even during my writing time.

That's about it.

============

O-misoka (Eve of 2011)

Today is O-misoka or New Year's Eve. These couple of days are the busiest for Japanese because they celebrate the calender New Year as their national new year as well. I went to the greengrocer yestersday, and was caught up with the occasion. Cars were lining up to enter the parking zone, I told hubby, "this is just like Singapore but in Singapore it happens everyday, not just on New Year festivity."
Like every other new year's eve, my family will be taking noodle for dinner while watching NHK Red and White Song contest. I'm looking forward for some new faces this year. The Girl Generation from Korea is invited this year. I like their dance step and the lacy, white hot pants is so faminine, so decorous. Then there is a hard, metal rock girl but strange thing she will sing a slow song, the theme song for the running morning drama-Carnation.
I heard Lady Gaga is invited as well. She will not make a personal appearance. I hope she won't be too skimpy in this video preformance.
Most families in Japan will be preparing toshi-koshi soba. Soba, a kind of noodle from bukewheat, is a normal everyday soba but eating this soba at the end of the year is very symbolic. Like bridging the old year into the new year.
Evey year, one of my sisters-in-law would do the flower but this year, she went for a trip and I have to do the flower. I should say my arrangement is not so bad at all.

May 2012 be better than 2011. May there be no child abuse. May Peace prevail on earth. May all of us, especially you (who have been so patient reading my life on this small screen) be healthy and happy (not necessary rich) to see another fruitful year ahead.

========

Eid Mubarak 2011

Eid 2011-Aug.

Wishing all my Muslim friends and readers, "A victorious Eid Mubarak!" Celebrate it with joy and not to forget those who are suffering in another part of the world.

Every year, Eid sees different faces in my house. I figure it is the best thing to do. Just put up those faces and look over to trace the memory.
Eid this year sees many political turmoil, dying people, suffering people, hungry people but best of all justice is done when Gaddafi cruel regime has fallen.

Back to my personal business. I created a strict daily regime for the fasting month of Ramadan. I am going through my third draft and I want to be consistent in writing. One page a day is consistent enough for me. That may not be for writers who can sit down and write like their words flows from spring water gushing out of its hole. But I am not like those writers.
But I just find out that writing gives me inner peace. I was a "killer" reader during my younger days. Now I had the advantage of picking up all those that I read before to try on some design in writing style.
Anyway, much as I tried to take care of my health and time, there is an incident which caused a bit of a discomfort for me.
I have a habit of writing for long hours and becomes immovable. During one of these writing moments, I made a sudden move from my seat and bang. There is this tight squeeze on my bum. For the next couple of weeks. I was like waking double bend which reminds me of those 100 years old women walking to buy grocery on Japanese pavement.
Anyway, I went on a self-therapy. I dipped myself hours in the hot pool, go into boiling sauna rooms, paste the hot pad on the aching part and sleep with the stomach corset on. But, no pain-killer for me. No. No. For as long as I can take it and as long as I am able to take the pain, do not show me the paracetamol.
Anyway, on Eid Fitri what with the cooking and cleaning (which I think is the most minimal I had), my back beg of sympathy again.
After the crowd left, I was back on self-therapy, begging my hip to be good to me.
The consolation has some good impact.

Now, I am back to my strict routine again.

*******

Natsumeyashi (Kurma)

dates
I don't feel complete without dates during Ramadan. Ramadan started yesterday and I have friends sending these dates a month earlier. These are dates from Makkah, Madinah, Iraq. Those attached with branches are so fresh and so very sweet, that I have to control myself popping them in my month.
These are gifts from special people and they come from Singapore, Malaysia and Qatar.
Every piece of these dates goes with me saying doa for the givers, after all they took all the trouble to send it to me.

Ramadan is here, may we be in ibadah better that the years before and may we be rewarded. Amin.

Ramadan al-mubarak.

******

...thousandth steps behind

Every year on this very day, my daughters sent me something to remember it with. This pair of Swarovski blue earrings was from last year. When I opened the box, it hanged on my ears for about 10 minutes and then I kept in some dark place and only today I think of it again.
Swarovski
Then some years ago, I got this really masculine watch. I opened the box and tried it on. It hanged on my thin wrist pitifully. The face of the watch covers the whole length of my wrist. I put it back in the box and on this very day, my thoughts come back to it.
Kenneth Cole
Some days back, one of my daughters asked me what I want this year. I simply said, nothing!
I don't want them to send me anything. Thanks the Al-mighty God, I don't feel the need to have anything at this age. I've got what I wanted so far and that is enough. I don't need material things anymore.
"Ok, if you insist. Just buy me dinner when I go over there!"
That is all I want, some dinner and family time to share with you and your new family.
That goes with friends too. I insist not to take any gifts when I see them. It is not that I'm not willing to receive those gifts but just a little additional something would add to my luggage weight and miseries as well.
Just give me books and if you can't give me books, then saved your money and buy me dinner. Definition of dinner for me is good enough with Pulut tapai.
Hello Kitty
But I still need certain basics to maintain my living. The red wallet has been with me for like 5 or 6 years. It is torn ed, tattered, stained with my dirty fingers but it is still useful. But I think 5 or 6 years is enough, don't you agree?
So I pampered myself and got one of those childish Hello Kitty wallet. But who cares?
Childish or not, I like it even if my age has advanced some thousand steps.
On this special day, June 14, I have given a special birthday present for a special person whom I love so much!

*****

枇杷

Buah Biwa
Buah ini dalam b. Inggeris adalah loquat, tapi istilah b. Melayu saya belum jumpa lagi. Panggilan dengan nama loquat berasal dari b. Mandarin. Dari mengutip b. Mandarin, saya lebih lega sebut BIWA sebab b. Jepun sudah menjadi seakan jati diri. Harap kawan-kawan yang baca pun setuju.

Buah ini saya kunyah dan baki benih itu saya berikan kepada Otto, minta dia tanamkan beberapa puluh tahun dahulu. Dia tak setuju, katanya tak ada tempat sesuai untuk ditanamkan. Saya campak biji-biji itu dan ia membesar. Lalu dibiarkan meninggi. Sesudah lebih sedekad, dalam 4-5 tahun ini kami dapat rasakan buahnya yang juicy (tak ada istilah juicy dalam b. Melayu-mereka kata buah banyak air saja-macam tertutup imaginasi). Siat kulitnya saja, makan dan keluarkan biji hitam yang biasanya terkandung dalam 2-3 ulas.

Tahun ini alhamdulillah, lebat buah biwa ini. Saya tunggu Otto petik. Tak juga dia petik (memang sudah masa, cukup masaknya). Bila ditanya kenapa tak petik, dia kata saya tak minta dipetik.
La...takkanlah nak minta. Petiklah saja, bila dah ada, pandai-pandailah saya makan. Takkan nak suruh-suruh sangat, orang lelaki mana gemar kita perempuan suruh-suruh. Menyampah diorang. Tapi tak juga petik, sampai terliur saya mendongak. Pula burung mata putih bertenggek, rajin membuat lubang pada buah-buah ini.
Maka merajuklah saya. Saya pun menyampah sebab ingin sangat merasa (buat pertama kali) pada tahun ini ia bermusim.

Saya cakaplah hati ini terkecil (bukan tersinggung-itu dah over) dia tak petikkan. Kalau saya petik sendiri, takut pedang lidah berkilau-kilau mengomel pula (tanaman bukan tugas saya). Selepas tahu hati ini, barulah dipetiknya.
Wahai kaum adam, kita cakap susah, kita diam pun susah. Bukan baru kenal pun, dekat nak 3 dekad bersama.
Lelaki, kita sangat-sangat perlukan mereka tapi mereka seperti biawak KOMODO.

Oh makluman...ini bukan soal peribadi, saya sedang berbincang tentang komunikasi dalam rumah tangga yang tanam pohon biwa. Harap-harap kawan-kawan yang ada pohon biwa, rajin-rajinlah bercakap-cakap dengan pasangan.

Harap-harap juga Putera William akan melahirkan zuriat, bergugus-gugus seperti buah biwa dalam gambar ini.

Yeah. Tunggulah William! Nantikan nenek engkau mangkat dan bapa engkau pergi baru dapat pijak tahta.

Happy minggu golden untuk kanak-kanak golden dan marhaen yang tidak golden juga.

*****

Eid ul Adha 1431

Whenever I can't find a place on the ground level, I moved up and sat myself down in between the 3 humps@google

This morning I woke up to the smell of Japanese curry. My dear husband do this when his cooking mood comes in. I sat down with a bowl of kare-rais (curry rice) and a cup of milk tea.

Then the movie channel start "In the Land of Women". I said to myself why not let the mood gets in this time. I just sat with the bowl of kare-rais and finished the movie 2 hours later. Not doing anything but writing this after.
I do get irritated thinking that 2 hours I could have lots of things going but again, I comfort myself. I do need some injection of fresh ideas to write.
Before beginning a new manuscript, I mess around with ideas. Get pieces here, pick pieces there, join up cultures, mix up people, create plots, that sort of blurry things. All these float over a period like cumulus clouds hovering in the back of my head.

I kind of like "In the Land of Women". Homely boy trying to let go the pain of being dumped. Changing life, meeting neighbors, getting involved in their lives and at the end of it all, getting out of that same complicated love life again just to avoid another head-on pain that rotates around a young adult life.

Today Makkah is celebrating Eid-ul adha. Such a mixed up on this part of the world. Tokyo Masjid is doing the eid's solat this morning and most other masjids and praying halls are doing it tomorrow.
So what are people on far-flung islands like us to do?
I choose to just remain quite. Let the world do what they like. I just do my own thing.
Maybe I just let all this low-pent up emotion drip like melting collagen from my body into the hot water that bubbles in the ofurou pool(public bath).

Just to remind myself. Mine was in Dec/Jan 2006, that it has been 6 rounds of eid- ul adha, I was among the 2.5 million people at Mt. Arafat and Mina (latest count today 3 million).

Some of us may have a quiet celebration but wherever we are, I should think our hearts will always remain there on this day (for those who have the privileged of being there) and for those others with the intention to go, might feel the click in the hearts even for one second of that wonderful place on earth.

Labbaik Allahumma labbaik
Labbai kala sharee kala kalabbaik
Innal hamda wan ne'mata
Lakawal Mulk
La sharee kalak

"Here I am at Thy service O Lord, here I am. Here I am at Thy service and Thou hast no partners. Thine alone is All Praise and All Bounty, and Thine alone is The Sovereignty. Thou hast no partners."

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Wukuf berbusa
riak iman merebak
banjir Al-Ha-ram

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Eid cooking

Pada hari raya saban tahun, saya masak rendang, ayam masak merah, nasi impit bersama kuah sate tapi tahun ini mood Hari Raya masuk diakhir-akhir Ramadan. Makanya saya tidaklah terasa suasana hari raya sangat. Lagi pun sedang mempercantikkan manuskrip yang perlu dilepaskan, sesungguhnya saya tidak terasa hari raya langsung!
Jadi saya buat masakan yang saya kepingin. Kalau bersendirian, saya memang tak masak yang saya ingin makan sebab tak berselera makan sendiri. Jadi hari raya ini saya balas dendam segala yang saya ingin makan bersama tetamu yang datang beraya.

Saya masak nasi bukhari daging bersama ayam tandoori.
Bakar roti pizza untuk dicecah bersama daging masak merah.
Buat kerabu sayur bersama kacang panjang dan daun kesum.
Daun salad saya siat-siat untuk dicampur asam umeboshi dijadikan salad.
Akhir sekali saya tumbuk lada panjang dalam 20 ulas, campurkan belacan bakar dan perahkan asam limau.

Punyalah kick makan beramai. Percaya tak ada seorang pelajar bertambah sampai 5 kali!
Saya cuba gunakan sayur-sayur dan daun-daun yang ada di rumah. Semua bahan asli tanaman sendiri.

Inilah cara yang saya akan buat pada hari-hari perayaan. Saya happy dengan makanan sendiri dan orang lain juga merasakan nikmat masakan saya.

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Di Aidil Fitri
Pintu rumah tertutup
menunggu tamu.

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