Tribute to my Boss

It took me a year to get used to my Boss’ type of management. It took another half a year for me to understand why. Now after almost three years, I am ready to acknowledge his brilliance of thinking.

My Boss, ladies and gents, is a visionary. His staff finds it difficult to understand him because he talks of the future. This is because he doesn’t tell us what to do. It is not spelled out in bold, capital letters what we need to do. Instead he expects us to think and act for ourselves. I tell you what could be, you make it real- that’s the way he leads!

However he is always misunderstood. Most people look upon his management style as lacking leadership. God knows I used to think so too! But when you think about it, what he’s doing is giving us a chance to think and also a chance to act based on our own initiatives and creativity. In essence, we will totally take credit for whatever we do successfully and be wholly responsible for our own mess.

After having understood this, I became even more motivated to do my job to the best of my abilities. I just wish that my colleagues would rise to the challenge but the problem is that they do not see the challenge or maybe it’s just that they prefer to comfortably stay where they are. I don’t know. I can’t speak on their behalf but it saddens me all the same.

Whatever people think, whatever happens- Boss, I still salute you!

Aura Horror

Maghrib tadi aku rasakan yang kemungkinan kekkai rumah aku bocor lagi. Scan aku mengiakan, ditambah pula oleh pengesahan daripada Cik Easy yang tengah on the way ke Setiu. Masa aku tarik nak clearkan rumah pun terasa kehadiran tetamu yang tidak diundang dengan jelas.Encik Usop seperti biasa menggalakkan aku untuk check sendiri jadi aku berdasarkan keyakinan aje ler.

Malangnya, imaginasi aku ni memang terlebih aktif agaknya. Ustaz menyatakan yang rumah aku sebenarnya clear. Time-time camni le yang aku terasa sangat kekurangan diri. Scan kadangkala tepat kadangkala menyimpang (at least sekarang dah lebih banyak tepat dari menyimpang :P). Tarik pun kadangkala keluar kadangkala sangkut.

Memang le hakikatnya seperti yang Ustaz nyatakan- “semua senjata dah ada”, tapi yang tensennya, cara nak guna tu le yang blom reti lagi! Lain le kalau ada manual khas atau buku-buku seangkatan tajuk ‘Aura for Dummies’ kan?

Apa-apa pun, perkara ni very subjective le. 100% bergantung kepada individu and there is no right way or wrong way about it. I just wish I had more clues to go on.

Bau apakah ini?

Pintu tandas lelaki di tempat kerja aku hampir setentang dengan pintu bilik rehat staf- dirintangi oleh koridor dan selisih dalam setengah kaki sahaja.

Walaupun agak pelik, hakikatnya seluruh pelusuk tandas lelaki tersebut berbau seperti makanan! Apa hidangan utama di bilik rehat pada hari itu, itulah juga bau tandas kami. Andai kata yang dihidangkan adalah laksa, laksa jugalah baunya dalam tandas itu.

Cuma dalam kes-kes tertentu sahaja bau yang ‘sepatutnya’ mengatasi aroma keenakan makanan yang ada dan hasilnya amatlah menjijikkan. Tapi sepatutnya begitukah? Adakah bau hancing, bau najis atau bau rokok itu yang sepatutnya dalam sesebuah tandas? Tidak juga!

Oleh itu, marilah kita menjaga kebersihan tandas awam kita bersama-sama walau di mana jua kita berada kerana peradaban dalam tandas itulah antara perkara yang boleh dijadikan cermin peribadi dan sikap kita sebagai seorang insan.

If wishes came true...

There were a lot of things that I used to do’a for. It is, after all, in the nature of humans to always crave for something they don’t have in the belief that it will make their lives better.

After a period of time, I gradually left out a lot of things from my do’a. I think I simply got tired of asking for things that never seem to come true, which is a very unMuslim-like attitude (tak redha langsung, teruk betul kalau difikirkan zaman muda-muda dulu kan?).

But it is also because, somewhere along the way, I’ve learned to accept the cards that life had dealt me. I’ve learned to put in more effort to get the things I wanted. Even when I fail to obtain them, I’ve learned to be satisfied with what I have.

I guess this attitude of berserah got me some pity from the Almighty because a number of my previous do’as are being answered one after another during this period of my life.

Apai and Imam were to me like the big brothers that I’ve never had. Separated by some circumstances or other, they’ve magically reentered my life and our relationship now is as if they have always been with me all this while. I’ve also met Ustaz who’s agreed to teach me knowledge that I’ve barely brushed against but want to be a part of ever since I was a kid. And that’s only a few among many examples.

My faith is strengthened but, at the same time, it is a frightening prospect. Who knows if there were any stupid wishes I’d made before that Allah now deems fit to grant just to teach me a lesson for being so petty?

Winds of Change...

My colleague, whom I shall call Miss Itchy-Backside, had managed to get the junior officers’ rotation in our department rolling once more at the last meeting.

It was a very interesting and revealing discussion, since it showed me how my colleagues truly feel about working at certain stations as well as their loathing to work with (or is it for?) one of the deputy bosses. All very civilly done of course but I’m sure that the lady got a slight hint or two on what all the juniors thought of her. Not that it would bring any change in her attitude, which is a sad waste.

As for me, I actually hated the thought of leaving my current station. It’s my usual adversity to change and I recognized it for what it is. Therefore, I gamely swallowed my protests and let the change take its course (that is as long as they didn’t put me with the Dragon Lady or at the supply centre from Hell, which they didn’t!).

Though I am terrified at the prospect of being second in charge of a different station, I feel that it is to my disadvantage to become too comfortable at any one station. I want to become more flexible. I want to be able to go with any flow. I want to embrace change and let go of my cowardly desire to remain comfortable in a single situation. Because the truth of the matter is that the only constant thing in this world is change! So I’d better get used to it whether like it or not.

Here’s to my unknown, unmeasurable future. Kampai!