Memories of a Traveler

Salaam and Greetings, While the whole family went off for a wedding in Pekan, Pahang yesterday, I was stuck at home nursing a leg due to an infected boil. I decided to watch the movie “Legends of the Fall”. A 1994 movie played by Sir Anthony Hopkins and Brad Pitt. For those not familiar, it is about a father and his three sons during the turn of the 20 th Century in Montana, USA. Their trials and tribulations. I guess out of training by my former lecturer, Prof Kinoian, who taught me American Literature back in US, I made a mental note of how what I thought and felt whenever we read a book, and watching a movie is no different. I first watched the movie when it came out. I remembered watching the movie from the perspectives of the three sons. The idealist son searching for honor in the battlefield of WW1, the realist son who kept his feet firmly on the ground, and the “troubled” son who is always angry. All three reflected what I felt and thought at that time. Hey, I was young,...

Salaam and Greetings, Since I opened this Blog a few months ago, I haven't actually explored what the blog offers. I only just discovered that you can know who has been reading your blog. If course you don't know individually, but where they come from. It is nice to be known, but not that well known though. I am happy that the blog is read by "like minded people". Thanks for those who read. Readers that have been to my Blog

Salaam and Greetings, I love books. When I was about 10-11 years old, I found my father’s box of Reader’s Digest with about 20 years of back issues. It went back as early as 1960s. I read them all. Even after bedtime, I would take my father’s flashlight and read it under the covers of the blanket. Of course I get caught a couple of times. He is not upset about me reading, it is just that, next morning, I will be too groggy to wake up. My father may not be rich, or educated (he only finished Darjah 8 back in the 40s), and he retired as a Chief Clerk in a legal firm. But in his simple and modest ways, he gave me something he can only afford to give, the love of reading and knowledge. I owe him that. He passed away eight years ago, come this April. Thanks Abah. I am currently reading Richard Branson’s book, “Reach for the Skies”. It was given to me by a friend. I thank him for that. I was a bit prejudge mental about the book. I felt that he would probably full of himself and I want to ...

Salaam and Greetings, I smiled at myself as I read this article. Attending the Army Day Parade at the Dataran Merdeka this morning, truly reminded me of what this article meant to me. It reminded me of my days in the Army, yes a life time away. I was at the Parade by invitation by some former Army colleagues who insisted me attending. One of them reminded me, and in his words “You r one of them some years ago. Come c your army”. Can’t argue that. I was one of them. Proud of that too. Learned a lot too. Especially when it comes to leadership. One of the things the Army put us through was in what we would call “Hell on Earth”. They pushed us, stretched us, to the point where you think you just can’t take it anymore, and guess what, they stretched and pushed us even more. Our instructors were pushing us to see what we are made of. To see our natural self. At this worst breaking point, you really show your true self. Yes, I broke a couple of times. Then I realize I was not as cool a...