15

It was time to meet up old friends, share a joke or two and eat lasagna during all that. It was the WKWSCI 15th Anniversary Dinner last Friday at the Oriental Hotel, which had maxed its capacity. Apparently the response was overwhelming (why?- apart from the fact that we feel a bonding to the School, and we want to contribute to its enduring growth, vitality and dynamism, dinner happened to be free). Selena Tan made a Dim Sum Dolly appearance, belting out 3 songs in between her stand-up act. Not her best, but funny lah.

It was good to see old friends who had "evolved" in their careers and fashion sense. Some were hell-bent on taking photographs - the high point of the night was that our table managed to get all our year alumni into one spot to take a huge photo.

Some were still reeling from shock that I was married, while others dismayed that I didn't tell them about it. I'm happy that they like to be in the loop of things that happen to me. But how lah - sometimes things happen so fast, and it's tough to update all friends.

And another thing: it's not advisable to take a taxi to go to the heart of Bras Basah or Raffles City or anywhere near there on Friday (and perhaps weekend) nights - they're constructing some damn thing near Suntec City right in the middle of the bloody road, creating a bottle neck and a jam that begins from Waterloo street. It took me 45 mins to get to a place in a taxi which would have taken 20 mins by walking!! Sheesh.

An Ode to Purmei

Of late, I’ve been getting all nostalgic with Bukit Purmei. It’s a wonderful place, where I spent most of my formative years (ugh, sounds like a baby formula ad). So I dedicate this song to Purmei. No tune to follow. But it has to have country-music nostalgic background music to it.

Purmei

Oh Bukit Purmei
You’re one of a kind
It’s tough, oh my,
When I recall our ties that bind

When I used to go downstairs to buy prata
In my sarong
You welcomed me
Never thought I was wrong
Until I grew too tall
And it wasn’t cool anymore

Oh Bukit Purmei
You’re one of a kind
It’s tough, oh my,
When I recall our ties that bind

The Econ Minimart, the Stationery Shop,
The pallaku shop and twin coffeeshops,
Are all nice
And good
And I miss them
Oh man.

Oh Bukit Purmei
You’re one of a kind
It’s tough, oh my,
When I recall our ties that bind

Now you’re 2 bus-stops,
And a 10 minute walk away
But it’s not the same anymore
Cos I’m somewhere else now
In a new life
And new sarongs

Oh Bukit Purmei
You’re one of a kind
It’s tough, oh my,
When I recall our ties that bind

Ties that Bind…
Ties that Bind…

Taxi

Ever since I got married, there have been more houses to visit - Parents, in-Laws. More errands to run – interior designer (then), grocery shopping. More packed schedules – meetings for work, meet wife at mosque, meet parents at home etc. With more of these people, places and schedules to keep, there was also the last-minute work that cropped out of the dark at office, delaying my leaving the office on time.

And then - I discovered a something that would change the face of... how I face my schedules – you either pay through your time or your money. I can either meet my wife at Tiong Bahru Plaza in 1 hour if you take bus (pay more time but less money) or in 20 minutes if you take a taxi (more money, but you see wife longer).

It is this great Philosophical Truth, the Paradoxical Perversion, the Zero-Sum Zen, that I’ve been observing in action for the last few months, whilst at the same time feeling my wallet getting lighter and lighter after paying all the taxi companies. Yes: to have more quality time with your loved ones, you apparently have to pay more moolah to get to a place faster.

So much so I’m getting guilty pangs at recklessly paying for taxis to go from my home to the nearby mosque (10 mins by bus, 3 by taxi), from in-laws to home, and from my parents’ place to my home. And from my home to Vivocity and back, and from Lau Pa Sat to home and from mom's home to my mom and all over again. It’s like an addiction.

I’ve been on more makes and types of taxis than ever before. There are those with smelly insides – these smells could be anything from cigarette smoke to wet cloth to dry fart (don’t ask). Then there are those drivers who talk the talk and don’t shut up. “Our Singapore Government is the best hor.” “Our Government hor, always take our money.” “You from India? IT company?” Then there are those who don’t say anything and drive like they have a deathwish. “Uncle. You are going at 90 km/h at a school zone.”

Then there is the Evil Law of the Taximan. There is the peak period when all the taxis in the Universe, dunya and akhira are all "On call". When you want to take the bus for a change, a whole motorcade of them (various colours, models and makes) will drive past you with their green "Taxi" sign on them.

I foresee that my fascination with taxis will continue, as long as last-minute work crops up and screws up my whole schedule and forces me to spend that additional money to spend that extra few minutes with loved ones.

The Blessed Month

Last weekend was an extremely satisfying one for me. On Saturday we managed to successfully hold the first big scale Mendaki Club sharing session for young Muslim professionals, with notable speakers like Mr Inderjit Singh (MP, and CEO of Infiniti Solutions Pte. Ltd.) and Ms Elim Chew (Founder & President of 77th Street). They were audience favourites, with their excellent sense of humour and passion for life. I thoroughly enjoyed speaking to them at such a close range, something I would never have dreamt of, same time last year. Cheesy as it sounds, I really look forward to organising more of such sessions so that young Muslim professionals have access to good, experienced speakers. We all could learn some new things we previously didn't know about.

Then on Sunday, I concluded my class on the movie screening of The Message. We had a discussion of the answers to the quiz I had posed the class last week. Then we had a prize presentation for the top three, all deserving winners. It's really satisfying to wrap up a complete session, something which I have never done. I prayed for it to happen - all the lessons in a systematic manner, followed by a quiz. (Normally, things would start all great... but lose steam in the middle.)

This weekend has been smooth - Ramadan started on Wednesday, and it’s been going steady so far, this being our first Ramadan since marriage. The main difference is that it’ll just be the two of us for sahur, eating whatever we wish to eat (instead of what Mum cooks). For breaking fast, we probably be going to our parents' place, as its always more 'complete' to break fast with a big group of folks. Yesterday some friends came over to our place to break fast. Being the first time I've ever called friends over for a breakfast session, it was very satisfying to know that our home has been a place of barakah for we shared food and drinks with fellow Muslims who fasted.
Today is a relaxing day, and I look forward to having my parents at home today for breaking fast later.

Shining Light

Of late, I'd been feeling that I had lost track of who I was, what I stood for, and why I was here in the first place. Like what DJ says in Rang de Basanti: in university, I felt like somebody - but in the working world, I felt as though I was lost among the sea of the clueless, the nameless, and the faceless.

Although I seemed to be doing very well at work, I felt that I was beginning to lose control of my life. Many conflicting thoughts entered and exited my head, and I was not that cool-headed chap I had known myself to be. Sometimes, I would feel nervous, and anxious, worried. About exactly what, I had no clue.

But surrounding me, there are wonderful people to keep me sane. My wife is an amazing pillar in my life, and totally indispensible, maasha Allah. My parents and inlaws, always there to invite us over for food, food and more food. My friend, the Hoopoe, who's always around for lunch at work and sometimes for Friday prayers, is there to recite a few verses of Khalil Gibran's The Prophet or some weird English song that he like to post on his blog to reassure me that Reality is something more beautiful and meaningful that our small minds sometimes like to think. Then there are all my other friends whom I'd love to meet on a regular basis but I just seem to let Other Things get the better of me. Insha Allah I hope to get some priorities right in the coming weeks.

Today, during zuhr prayers, I prayed for light to enter my heart, and for wisdom to penetrate my mind, and for my soul to come nearer to Him, such that He protects me, and envelopes me, and keeps the big picture in my head. For He is the Source, and to Him we will all return.