Spent Thursday (Christmas) day & night in New Forest, South England. Not a very exciting video (link below); logged for future reference more than anything else.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOhLg9kirWU
The sky was clear. The sun shun through at times. It didn't rain. But cold it was. One-degree-celcius (according to "The Noor Mobile" thermometer) after Fajr on Friday, perhaps lower Friday pre-dawn. My new thermal base layer (£50!) (... and my mother's ever present Du'as) worked wonders, alhamdulillah.
Friday, 26 December 2008
Saturday, 20 December 2008
Lessons from the Squared Circle
Much is learnt inside the squared circle.
More so than anything,
one learns the make-up of his self...
and people in general.
one learns the make-up of his self...
and people in general.
Two observations stand out:
(1) Few can contain their excitement;
unable to set a pace that lasts.
Most, realising their initial burst won't cut it,
break in disgrace.
unable to set a pace that lasts.
Most, realising their initial burst won't cut it,
break in disgrace.
(2) Few understand & cope with taking a hit
as they do easier times of dishing out.
Most, realising their one-way plan won't cut it,
break in disarray.
as they do easier times of dishing out.
Most, realising their one-way plan won't cut it,
break in disarray.
A fight, like life, has its ups and downs.
Those who can counter and see the up in a down,
those are they who succeed.
Those who can counter and see the up in a down,
those are they who succeed.
Saturday, 13 December 2008
Interdependence
"Interdependence is a higher value than independence."
"... dependence is the paradigm of you - you take care of me; you come through for me; you didn't come through; I blame you for the results.
Independence is the paradigm of I - I can do it; I am responsible; I am self-reliant; I can choose.
Interdependence is the paradigm of we - we can do it; we can cooperate; we can combine our talents and abilities and create something greater together..."
(Source: 'The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People' by Stephen R Convoy)
Just finished (skim-) reading through the opening, introductory chapters of the above-mentioned book. It's been pretty disappointingly dull so far except for the above two passages which really grabbed me by the scruff of the neck. "If you want something done, do it yourself" is a philosophy I dislike but find myself trapped by. Let's hope this book can provide some useful tips to break free.
"... dependence is the paradigm of you - you take care of me; you come through for me; you didn't come through; I blame you for the results.
Independence is the paradigm of I - I can do it; I am responsible; I am self-reliant; I can choose.
Interdependence is the paradigm of we - we can do it; we can cooperate; we can combine our talents and abilities and create something greater together..."
(Source: 'The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People' by Stephen R Convoy)
Just finished (skim-) reading through the opening, introductory chapters of the above-mentioned book. It's been pretty disappointingly dull so far except for the above two passages which really grabbed me by the scruff of the neck. "If you want something done, do it yourself" is a philosophy I dislike but find myself trapped by. Let's hope this book can provide some useful tips to break free.
Monday, 1 December 2008
Communicating to be understood
"Every difficult work presents us with a choice of whether to judge the author inept for not being clear, or ourselves stupid for not grasping what is going on... Writing with simplicity requires courage, for there is a danger that one will be overlooked, dismissed as simple-minded by those with a tenacious belief that impassible prose is a hallmark of intelligence."
(Source: Alain de Botton, found in 'Authoring a PhD' by Patrick Dunleavy)
It always cracks me up when people attend a lecture by a big Shaykh/Professor/ etc and they come out of it saying, "Man, that was a good lecture". And then when you ask them, "What was it about?" They respond, "Don't know. But it sounded deep."
(Source: Alain de Botton, found in 'Authoring a PhD' by Patrick Dunleavy)
It always cracks me up when people attend a lecture by a big Shaykh/Professor/ etc and they come out of it saying, "Man, that was a good lecture". And then when you ask them, "What was it about?" They respond, "Don't know. But it sounded deep."
Sunday, 30 November 2008
Youth Club - Video
Short 2-minute video sequence showing the setup for a weekly youth club I help run.
A bit about the youth club: It is held every Sunday at Noor Ul Islam, a community centre in Leyton, East London. The youth club is run completely by volunteers for children aged 7-15 years. The sessions are split into two: 2-3:30pm for girls and 4-5:30pm for boys. We have been running it (in its current form) since April 2008. At the moment we get around 15 girls and 30 boys attending every week, alhamdulillah.
A bit about the youth club: It is held every Sunday at Noor Ul Islam, a community centre in Leyton, East London. The youth club is run completely by volunteers for children aged 7-15 years. The sessions are split into two: 2-3:30pm for girls and 4-5:30pm for boys. We have been running it (in its current form) since April 2008. At the moment we get around 15 girls and 30 boys attending every week, alhamdulillah.
Saturday, 29 November 2008
The All-Important Question
The all-important question: "Why?", as my soon-to-be-3-year-old niece inquires in persistence.
A question we could all do with asking a bit more often, but not too too often maa sha Allah.
A question we could all do with asking a bit more often, but not too too often maa sha Allah.
Tuesday, 11 November 2008
Dark Chocolate
I have an insatiable craving for dark chocolate. My body absorbs the stuff. When it comes to milk chocolate, I eat a small piece, and feel guilty. With dark chocolate, in the other hand, I devour a 100g bar (daily) and feel no change. I am told it has nutritional benefits, or did I just make that up?
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