Memoirs of 2009 Raya !

It has come and go. I mean, to me, Raya is mainly the first and second day !

This year, it was 'full attendance' because my son was with us on the eve of the Raya and also the first day ! It is always good if I have my three kids with me. Moreover the last two years my first daughter could not be with me on the eve and the first as she had to be be 'on-call' at the hospital . So in a way, this has been a good Raya.

And of course , my sister and brother-in-law are here. Over God-knows-how-many years , this is the 2nd time that we had the Raya together. It was good to visit them in the morning and have breakfast together.

 My sneezes.
However, and this is very negligible compared to what I have as stated above, I had an attack of my sinus. On the morning of the first day I was sneezing and sneezing and sneezing....( see one of my previous posts). I was red in the face , exhausted with the sneezes (they actually take up lots of energy when you forced the air out of your lungs in one short burst).So I spent a good part of the day in bed as my face was already flushed and my cheeks were turning red !

Photography
However---my photography continued inspite of my sneezes as there were too many good subject to let them pass. However, most of them were out of focus -- as at that very moment when I was about to squeeze the shutter---I SNEEZED !!!  Let me tell you ---it wasn't easy trying to suppress a sneeze when you wanted to squeeze the shutter and hold the camera steady !

Lake Titiwangsa
Took my sister , brother-in-law and their Singaporean guest who is also a photographer  (pickled herring) to the garden . Spent 2 hours there and will upload the photos later.

Minor pain in the butt
Had a conversation with somebody and went on to University studies, scholarship and PTPTN. You see, for a few times , this person had mentioned the fact that my first daughter should not have taken the JPA scholarship when she did her medical studies in UM as this would restrict her freedom to practice in the private sector. I have always ignored that remark. But this time I answered--and even then with the utmost tact and diplomacy that I could muster. I told him (1) I couldn't afford to support a five-year medical studies for my daughter, (2) Others would die to be given the chance of a scholarship and (3) whats wrong with  repaying by serving the Government even if it meant 10 years ! ! That is gratitude !

After all the specialist who did my angioplasty12 years ago is STILL in the government service ( He's the head of the Medical Faculty of UiTM now )  My family doctor (who has been practicing well over 20 years), has always mentioned about his respect for this specialist's loyalty to return the good deeds he received from the government .

Whatever it is , keep your part of the bargain and complete that 10 years of service with the government which you have so willingly signed for when you accepted the scholarship. Then after that you can go on to private practice or private hospitals, which no doubt would pay you better.

My son, a scholar of the National Petroleum Company could have left the company when he was involved in  the F1 team in Switzerland. He was 'head-hunted' by some of the big names in the motor industries and F1 teams that it would be a dream come true for anyone. But no, he told me , at that time, he will serve his 10-year commitment with the company that sponsored his studies.

Its the same with my youngest daughter who is a JPA law scholar . She will serve her part of the contract when she accepted the scholarship and will not breach that agreement .

If anything, my three kids have been trained to be loyal, to be grateful and not to bite the hand that feeds you. After all when the Government gives you the scholarship, you are already part of their man-power planning for the country and it is your promise, commitment, obligation and duty to fulfill your part of the contract.

If you felt otherwise, then one should NOT and NEVER accepted the scholarship offer/contract !

By the way the person who brought this up was a JPA medical scholar at the same university as my daughter was. He didn't complete the ' compulsory service stint of ten years' but that's his prerogative and I have never questioned it .

But---to each his own...I guess.

Malacca
Spent a day in  Malacca and its like stepping into another country. It so hot hot hot ! ...and i mean hot 'hot' !!
I don't think I can survive that place !

Anyway ---those are the highlights over the last three days !