My Procrastinations…

For the past few months I have encountered situations that made me think back to this fable which I heard/read when I was small. I thought everybody would be somehow familiar with this tale. However after the umpteenth time seeing people doing things just to please everybody, I put this fable here as a reminder, to me first and to others who are so inclined to take heed.

The Miller, His Son, and Their Donkey

"I shall have to sell that donkey of ours," said a miller to his son. "I can not afford to keep him through the winter. I will take him to town this very morning to see if I can find a buyer. You may go with me." In a little while the miller, his son, and the donkey were on their way to town.

They had not gone far when they met some girls going to a party. They were talking and laughing as they went along. One of them said, "Look at that man and boy driving a donkey. One of them surely might ride."

The miller heard what they said, and quickly made his son mount the donkey, while he walked along at its side.

After a while they came to a group of old men who were talking very earnestly. "There," said one, "I was just saying that boys and girls have no respect for the aged. You see it is true in this case. See that boy riding while his old father has to walk."

"Get down, my son," said his father, "and I will ride." So they went on.

They next met some women coming from town. "Why!" they cried, "your poor little boy is nearly tired out. How can you ride and make him walk?" So the miller made his son ride on the donkey behind him.

They were now in town. A man coming down the street called to the miller, "Why do you make your donkey carry such a load? You can carry him better than he can carry you."

At this the miller and his son got off the donkey. They tied the donkey’s legs together, turned him over on his back; and began to carry him.

A crowd soon gathered to see the strange sight. As they were crossing a bridge the donkey became frightened at the hooting of the crowd. He broke loose, fell into the river, and was drowned.

The miller was angry and ashamed. He said, "There! I have tried to please everybody and have only made a fool of myself. After this I shall do as I think best and let people say what they will."

(from Fifty Famous Fables , by Lida Brown McMurry)

found on the net… and too good not to pass it along…

Pantang larang untuk kesihatan tenaga batin       

Segala apa yang dilakukan mempunyai kesan samada sertamerta atau
berjangka panjang. Pelbagai petua pantang larang telah diajarkan oleh
orang-orang tua Melayu bagi menjaga kesihatan tenaga batin. Ia bukan
bertujuan mengharamkan yang halal tetapi berupa nasihat hasil dari
pengalaman orang-orang terdahulu.

- Jangan amalkan minum air batu kerana ia mengakibatkan z***r menjadi
sejuk serta lembik dan mengakibatkan b****g z***r ngilu bila jima’.
B****g z***r harus sentiasa panas. - Jangan makan nasi berulamkan air.
Minum air setelah selesai makan nasi, melainkan jika tercekik. Kesannya
sama seperti minum air batu.

- Usah amalkan makan makanan bersifat sejuk atau telah sejuk atau
disejukkan. Ia boleh mengakibatkan air mani cair dan terpancut awal.

- Jauhi makan makanan yang kuahnya berlinang kerana ia melemahkan
z***r. Jangan terus minum air selepas makan nasi, minum hanya setelah 2
minit suapan terakhir.

- Jangan hembus nafas ketika minum, tahani nafas, ini membantu mengelakkan dari mudah lelah ketika jima’.

- Elakkan minum air ketika badan sedang panas, selepas berlari atau
bekerja berat. Berehatlah terlebih dahulu, sejukkan badan, kemudian
baharulah minum air.

- Jangan makan kepak ayam daging kerana ia melemahkan z***r.

-Jangan makan nasi sejuk, panaskan dahulu.

- Kurangkan dari memakan Pisang Embun.

- Elakkan minum air selepas jan 11.00 malam walaupun air panas kerana ia melemahkan otot pinggang dan membawa sengal badan.

- Elakkan dari buang air ditempat air bertakung, carilah tempat yang kering dahulu kemudian buang air besar.

- Ini melatih mengawal otot z***r dengan baik.

- Jangan amalkan melancap kerana ia memaksa mani keluar dan melemahkan z***r.

- Jangan bersetubuh dengan perempuan yang jauh lebih tua.

- Jangan biarkan isteri menindih z***r ketika tidur. Aliran darah yang
sempurna amat perlu pada z***r kerana waktu tidur darah menuju z***r,
tindihan dari paha dan lutut yang sejuk membantutkan aliran dan
melemahkan z***r.

- Jangan buang air kecil di atas tanah atau ketika berendam dalam air.

- Jika berumur lebih 30 tahun, elakkan dari jima’ lebih dari 3 kali
seminggu, kerana perlu cukup masa membina kembali tenaga batin.

- Jangan jima’ di dalam air.

- Jangan terus minum air selepas jima’, rehat dahulu 15 minit.

- Jangan biarkan pinggang terhentak dengan kuat kerana mengakibatkan mati pucuk.

- Jangan biarkan z***r terendam begitu lama selepas klimaks.

- Jangan jima’ isteri yang sedang haid kerana mendatangkan penyakit.

- Jangan cungkil gigi dengan kemuncut (tangkai bunga lalang) kerana ia mengakibatkan z***r jadi ngilu dan kurang bertenaga.

There was a commotion after lunch today. It seems there was a perfectly circular rainbow surrounding the sun. You should not however look directly at the sun as it may cause blindness so I used my camera. Here are the pictures.

Arrived in sunny Langkawi last Thursday. I was booked into one of Mutiara Burau Bay Resort chalets. The picture is the view that I get every morning when I open the door to go out. Even if it is the only time I get to enjoy the view as I usually come back after midnight from the substantive secretariat.

However this morning I decided to walk by the beach to the Langkawi Berjaya Beach and Spa Resort where the Eighth Langkawi International Dialogue (LID 2007) is being held from August 6 to 8, 2007. The walk was not so long, however lugging a laptop and another small bag while walking on the sand proved to be quite a challenge for poor unfit me. It was easier when I followed the outside route which was although further it was easier to carry my things. Sweating from my seaside exertions, it wasn’t such a surprise that the substantive secretariat tent didn’t have power. The nearby generator blew and had to wait for the backup. So work officially started around 11.

Today, we also started wearing our maintenance blue shirts. Mine is a little tight around the midriff although if I suck my stomach in it doesn’t look that bad.