The Bookworm Wannabe

“Please take a book and read, Son! The exam’s just around the corner!”

                                Figure: Reading Fever

This was typical in my life. Maybe some of you got the identical experience like mine. I used to be reminded this way. A little boy like me who’s so idle didn’t see anything inspiring on a book. Texts just made me dizzy!

Textbooks are normally distributed a month early to all students so it’s hoped they will spend the one-month school holidays at the end of year reading the textbooks – an early preparation for them. Cool! Credit to Skim Pinjaman Buku Teks Sekolah (SPBT).

During my school days, books never attracted me a lot to pick them and read. No interest at all. Upon writing an essay with the title, ‘The Advantages of Reading’ (atau seumpama dengannya), I’m pretty sure that most students do realize the significance of reading. In other words, everybody knows that. The question is, why do we have to dislike reading, then?

People prefer entertainment to reading...or what do you think? Let’s take me as an example. If I were to be given 2 choices either to read a novel entitled ‘Nur Kasih’ or to watch the movie ‘Nur Kasih’ in cinema, I’d definitely choose to watch the movie.

WHEN I've fallen in love with books, this is what’s happened...

                        Figure: Pretending like a professor... hehe

Things changed! I’ve realized that I’ve got a fantastic pastime which is highly recommended by the government of Malaysia…... R-E-A-D-I-N-G! Of course, everyone knows that reading helps them gain much knowledge (tak payah la nak nafikan)

I love reading! I read when I feel bored. So, now I'd love to classify it as a hobby. In the past, I didn’t have the guts to declare that reading’s my hobby. I was thinking that I was merely a bookworm wannabe after all. I read to show off – that’s what I was thinking. Truly negative!

Nevertheless,

Later on, I try to think positive. I ignore the feeling of showing off. I read short stories and synopses of a number of English novels. It doesn’t matter in what language they’re written, so long as the language is Bahasa or English. The most important thing is knowledge and comprehensive understanding. I do read for comprehension.

Believe it or not, I ever wept for reading a short story and yeah I mean it! It’s a good thing when a reader appreciates of what he’s reading.

Whatsoever, one must keep in mind that…

“Bangsa Membaca, Bangsa Berjaya”

Did you ever notice this slogan somewhere? Tell me where it is…. and I’ll give you 10 marks for free. Hehe.

Lambatnya! Let me tell you. It’s a popular slogan of a reading campaign currently organized by the National Library of Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur. There’s a commercial break too where this slogan is usually shown.

“THANK YOU SO MUCH to the National Library for your good job!”

It’s a very meaningful slogan, indeed. It’s up to us Malaysians how to interpret it. Good or bad. I leave it to you to do the evaluation.

I can still remember my lecturer at Uni told us a story in relation to one occasion where he heard his neighbours (an aged couple) arguing the content of a book she was reading. What captured my eyes concerning the occasion were the CULTURE and READING HABIT of the society. I’m quite certain that they’re aware of the necessity of reading.

One question comes into my mind,

“Does our culture have this kinda characteristic?”

It’s a bonus question which many people have already known the answer. Anyhow, I'm not saying to underestimate our culture but that is the truth. What we’re supposed to do is change our attitude toward reading.

“Let’s make reading a lifestyle, shall we?” 

“Why not?”

Have you ever heard that a book is the best companion of ours?

Yup, it surely is. Nobody dares to deny this fact! FACT?! Yeah, it sure is. Don’t tell me you don’t know that a book won’t ever let you down. A book constantly helps you be a more knowledgeable person. It makes you a very successful nation on this planet.


In the Islamic perspective, the emphasis of acquiring knowledge is clearly stated in Surah Al-alaq in the holy Qur'an.   

Do you remember the lyric of the song ‘Membaca Gaya Wawasan’? It was sung by well-known Malaysian artists like Siti Nurhaliza, Fazley, Sarimah Ibrahim, Afdlin Shauqi, Dayang Nurfaizah and many more. One of the lyric stanza sounds like this:

To gain knowledge, everyone has to read,

Let’s stretch out, open up your mind, 

Everybody gets a book and reads,

Let’s make reading, a lifestyle of wawasan.

  Lagu: Membaca Gaya Wawasan

It’s obvious that the government have done a good job in order to promote the reading culture in the country and they want Malaysians to become a hardcore reader if we really aspire to be a successful nation and go much farther.

“Membaca Jambatan Ilmu” 

a popular tagline in Malaysia

I ain't a BLOGGER

I’ve long had a blog ever since I took a subject called ‘Instructional Technology’. It’s a compulsory subject taken by all B.Ed UG students. I’m not lying I swear! That’s why you can find there’s an assignment on the evaluation checklist of a school textbook I was required to do. It’s the 1^st post I've ever blogged. It’s sorta practice-makes-perfect for me to utilize my little knowledge on blogging. Since I wasn’t that keen on blogging and I guess that totally answered why I left it with zero updates.

                                           Figure: It looked like who I was.

Strictly speaking, I’m an active blog reader! (Boleh laa sebenarnya) Does it sound weird when I like reading other people’s blogs though I got none? Whilst doing my teaching practice at a secondary school in Gombak, I was amongst the most active blog followers. (Ceh wah!!!). I read people’s blogs, even strangers’… ngeh3x

When I evoke the past memories [Flash back begins…]

Once upon a time, I read my ex-buddy’s diary and he wrote down…

‘His lecturer recommended that he keep on writing ‘cause that’ll help improve his writing’

… then I felt like reactivating my ‘abandoned’ blog… I’m actually talking about this blog.

I turned to be even more enthusiastic as my ex-roommate said to me with sarcasm that I should’ve my own blog whether I wanna write longer. I know I can’t do that on my facebook wall. Since then, I said to myself, “Why not?”

Yet, I feel I’ve no idea what to write down whenever I’m sitting in front of my purplish lappy. Well, easier said than done! Now, I also feel as if what I’ve written down is more than absurd!

BUT, it’s OK. It’s just a beginning.

Be positive! Yeah, I will… I will…

I need much more time to keep my writing improved. I’m trying to benefit much by blogging. Writing is an acquired skill that entails much training.

Aha, there’s surely something more out there to be explored. From now on, I gotta set my mind that…

BUT, 

a blogger CAN'T be like this or the number of a married couple getting divorced will be INCREASING... Huhu...aku tak mau tanggung! 

The Job Seeker

Good day my WORLD!

I’d love to share what I underwent last week. With one condition, you first got to know what had happened previously and later on you may keep on reading this up. Your understanding will grow a lot better. Trust me!

After graduating from a well-known varsity in Klang Valley (cer teka cer teka), I decided to stay at home prior to work. Home Sweet Home, isn’t that true? No comment.

Oh my God, it’s been nearly one month I’ve been at home. How incredible! I realize it doesn’t sound pretty good for me as I think I need to do something worthwhile. With enthusiasm and deep interest, I searched a few job vacancies on the Net lately.

I didn’t use to that – yet I attempted to expose myself to those job-searching websites. Even though I know I’m not truly looking for a permanent job as you know, I was a sponsored student, but at least, I wish I could benefit the ‘leisure time’ I have by having a temporary job. Personally, it’s such a brilliant idea to have my own pocket money! I needn’t have to rely much on my parents, too.

Alright. Still remember what I said earlier? – “I’d love to share what I underwent last week”. The question is, “What is it?” Please read on.

FYI… I attended an interview session at a 3-star hotel in Kuala Terengganu last week. Hold on a sec., should I tell you the name of the hotel? Hmm, no need. That was actually my 1st interview after graduation. At least, I could practise it before attending for my future job interview. I applied for the post of receptionist or they officially call it ‘Front Office Assistant’. Do I care? Yeah, nope!

Frankly speaking, I didn’t know that they’re exactly looking for people to hold that post. As I’m dramatically interested in that hotel-based career, I chose to stop by at the hotel to inquire for any available job vacancy two weeks ago. I was just lucky that they told me it’s available at that time. So, they asked me to submit a resume ASAP. Since it’s on Thursday afternoon and they’re off-duty on Fridays and Saturdays (sebab Terengganu kan weekends), thus I’d better hand it as quickly as possible.

To make it happen, I went home whereupon and started typing my resume. Actually I had never written my own resume before. Kelass! Credit to the subject Bahasa Melayu Komunikasi untuk Kerjaya – a compulsory subject taken at my Uni. I did learn the format of a resume during my 2nd Year of study (kalau x silap laa…). Submitting the resume before 5 pm that evening already proved that I eagerly wanted that job. Hopefully that was what they thought. Ha! Ha!

That night, I re-checked the typed resume ‘cause I saved it into a folder in my purplish lappy and you know what? OMG, I screwed it up! I missed to translate some words into English. By the way, before I forgot, I handed 2 resumes, one was typed in Bahasa Melayu and the other was in English. However, alhamdullillah I didn’t get mentally ill for making such stupid errors though I'm still not stupid. :P

I’m still waiting for the hotel to contact me only to inform that:

 “Congrats! You’ve been chosen to work at our hotel. Please come tomorrow at blah3x. Thank you.” 

If I were to be selected, they’d have called me by this coming Wednesday. Hope I’ll have the chance to work there.

What's still on my mind is that 'Is it worth for me working at the hotel with a low-paying income?' Hmm, I feel discontented with the ‘news’ I heard that the income would be approx. MYR 530++ for the job I applied.

By the way, the picture below was a stolen photo of the hotel which I’m talking about. See, it’s not bad, is it?

Just wait whether or not I’ll be employed. I’ll tell you later. Aha. Full-stop!

                    Figure: The Felda Residence Hotel in Kuala Terengganu