ninotaziz's Blog, page 13

Happy New Year, everyone!

Ikesha's Illustrated Book Of Pi

Ikesha was very taken up by the movie Life Of Pi. Being six years old, she could not read the novel so I agreed to write a simpler Life Of Pi for her to read if she would draw the story.
So here it is, Ikesha's Illustrated Book Of PiOriginal Story by Yann MartelIllustrations by Ikesha



My Name
Pondicherry, India
Moving to Canada


The Storm
Pi escapes


Pi's crew
Richard Parker

 
 The Moon


                  Mexico

Goodbye Richard Parker

____________________________________


Between Mac, iPhone and JPG, I could not rotate those two illustrations so I left it until I can do something about it later. Blame it on blogger fatigue.


Tragedy and the healing power of the words of Sting

These days, when I hug my children at night I know I hold them tighter, longer and with a depth of feeling that is so profound, I almost cry. I thought I was a poet, a writer - one who could wield and arrange words to reflect what I feel adequately at least.  I could make people feel compassion and nostalgia. Love and hatred. Equally. But I could not. Not this week. Neither could Obama. For words failed us this week to comprehend the tragedy and horror that beheld a small town half a world away. How the lives of little angels were cruelly cut short this week. Children of America. Children of Gaza.
Children of Myanmar. Children of the world wherever you are who die of man created violence. Words failed me. So I turned to Sting. And nothing brought this closer to heart and reminded me  how fragile we really are as this simple short song did.   Fragile  If blood will flow when flesh and steel are one
Drying in the colour of the evening sun
Tomorrow's rain will wash the stains away
But something in our minds will always stay
Perhaps this final act was meant
To clinch a lifetime's argument
That nothing comes from violence and nothing ever could
For all those born beneath an angry star
Lest we forget how fragile we are

On and on the rain will fall
Like tears from a star like tears from a star
On and on the rain will say
How fragile we are how fragile we are

Lloras tu y lloro yo y el cielo también y el cielo también Lloras tú y lloro yo que fragilidad que fragilidad...
 Guns and wars really have no place in our civilian society, do they?  Russians  There is no historical precedent
To put the words in the mouth of the President
There's no such thing as a winnable war
It's a lie we don't believe anymore***

We share the same biology
Regardless of ideology
What might save us, me, and you
Is if 'we all' love 'our' children too We try to meke sense. But it will never make sense. Deep in our hearts, we do not stop crying.  Would I cry for you

Under the Arctic fire
Over the seas of silence
Hauling on frozen ropes
For all my days remaining
But would north be true?

All colours bleed to red
Asleep on the ocean's bed
Drifting on empty seas
For all my days remaining

But would north be true?
Why should I?
Why should I cry for you? To try and understand the evil in the world, I try to remember that everyone had a family, a childhood, a love lost and maybe never found. There is a story. A tragedy that begets tragedy.  Shape of my heart  He deals the cards as a meditation
And those he plays never suspect ***

He may play the jack of diamonds
He may lay the queen of spades
He may conceal a king in his hand
While the memory of it fades

I know that the spades are the swords of a soldier
I know that the clubs are weapons of war
I know that diamonds mean money for this art
But that's not the shape of my heart
That's not the shape, the shape of my heart  Fortress Around Your heart  The siege guns had been pounding all through the night

And if I built this fortress around your heart
Encircled you in trenches and barbed wire
Then let me build a bridge
For I cannot fill the chasm
And let me set the battlements on fire  Finally, when I can't take all this sadness and need to think of love again, I turn to Sting's    Mad About You Though all my kingdoms turn to sand
And fall into the sea
I'm mad about you I'm mad about you

And from the dark secluded valleys
I heard the ancient sighs of sadness
But every step I thought of you
Every footstep only you
And every star a grain of sand
The leavings of a dried up ocean
Tell me, how much longer? How much longer?  Until you love with that kind of ache and longing, perhaps you have not loved enough? And yet,  while half the world panics and the other half wonders about destruction on 21.12.12 - what is the new wave to hit Mankind? Sting sang of the seventh wave, bringing real hope in his words.  Love is the seventh wave  Every ripple on the ocean
Every leaf on every tree
Every sand dune in the desert
Every power we never see
There is a deeper wave than this
Swelling in the world
There is a deeper wave than this
Listen to me girl

Feel it rising in the cities
Feel it sweeping over land
Over borders, over frontiers
Nothing will its power withstand
There is no deeper wave than this
Rising in the world
There is no deeper wave than this
Listen to me girl

All the bloodshed, all the anger
All the weapons, all the greed
All the armies, all the missiles
All the symbols of our fear
There is a deeper wave than this
Rising in the world
There is a deeper wave than this
Listen to me girl

The man is a genius.
 

Projects for Little Fingers

The girls and I are always planning some activity of the other. It is a ruse to keep them busy and focused on a project. However, at the back of my mind I am always devising ways to keep my kids creative and innovative while having fun - and some sense of accomplishment.Last weekend, after a friend had asked what to do with old exercise books from school, I remembered I used make Iman and Inas notebooks. I tore out the used pages, stapled the books together cover to cover and wrapped them in wrapping paper. About five of them did nicely.Using a cardboard for the cover ensured that it lasted and gave a solid finish to the notebook.Here is Ikesha's notebook. 

We have a lot of old drawing blocks as well. So I taught Ikesha to wrap the drawing block covers with the matching wrapping paper. I made two corner pockets to hold her drawing paper. Ikesha now has a drawing board to match her notebook.

Here are the girls' supplies of colour pencils, scissors, staplers and cellophene tape. 

We saw Life Of Pi over the weekend. Ikesha loves Richard Parker and pretends to read my book Life Of Pi. This morning, before I left for work, Ikesha asked for a smaller (simplified, I guess)  Life Of Pi book. So  I told her our next project would be to make a Life Of Pi book she can read to herself. I will do the words based on the story using words Ikesha can manage - and Ikesha will do the illustrations. We will keep you updated.

Through thick and thin

My Seri Puteri alumni closest to my heart.
In school, we lived together for five years, longer with Aimy (standing-l) and Famie (sitting 3rd from r). We know each other pretty well and love catching up as plainly seen here. This was the lunch I missed last Friday, having appointments a good part of the day.
We meet quite regularly - and each and every time have a wonderful get away stretching the lunch hour way past the norm.
A friendship of 35 years or so - a treasure indeed !

Gaza in my dreams

I dream afloata flower parade in the sun Gaza on the horizon
Ishmael, Layla and IqabPlay hand in handGaza on my mind
Olive trees everywhereMuslims, Jews and ChristiansWorship in peace
Gaza in my dreams
by ninotaziz. all rights reserved

Little Girls Grow Up Too Soon

Ilena ending Year 2 ahead of the class
Irani graduates from Year 6 Officially a teenager !
 Ikesha at her Linus testMy baby no longer?
 With Monster Ghouls
 Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!

Keep safe, friends far away

The rain fell on the pebbles, fallen leaves and umbrellas bobbing above a sea of people. Washed away sorrow, tears and the harshness of the city . Bickering stopped and all turned to lending a hand. The rain and wind picked up strength and we stayed hidden away, enveloped in warmth of the fire.
Autumn brings the stormI reach out to you, neighborKeep safe, my friends
Behind the window pane, two lovers stayed under the covers, to keep the hurricane away. Children huddled together read books while the wind displayed its mighty strength, trying to pry open any weak entry. The old and sick braced themselves - medication, heat, food. Stay indoors.
Frail and yet, humansWill prevail in the face ofAdversity -
Goodnight my friends. I wish you well. Hold a hand, hug a friend, have your cellphones fully charged. Keep your loved ones safe and sound, the door closed, the windows barred. Listen to a song, say a prayer. Stay indoors, stay safe.
Hallways give shelterToddlers in closet room tentsThe cat on the ledge
As we listen in to the news, Sandy arrived - crashing at 86 miles per hour. Eerily the carousel at Battery Park stayed lit, surrounded by rising waters. The New York I knew and loved is devastated, deluged in sea water. Newsmen, ambulances rushed. Fires engulfed homes. Snow fell in October. Announcements made - stay put til morning. Stay safe. Stay brave. 
The news strike fearToronto to Quebec CityMy old haunts, Canada
I am shocked. My favorite cities in Canada - Toronto, Peterborough, Quebec City - so many memories and fondest moments. Friends I remember well. I did not realize this would be closer to heart than I thought. I am keeping vigil and hope to hear from you soon - Verlia Stephens. Chris McInnis. Larry Coplen. Marc Beauvais. Darren Schmidt. Keep safe.

A teacher like no other

With Mrs Khaw Choon Ean

I remember the first moment I noticed Mrs Khaw Choon Ean. It was on our school field, we were all doing calisthenics. She must have noticed me too because she singled me out together with about 20 girls to form her first gymnastics team. A few days later, Mrs Khaw also became my English teacher throughout my secondary school days in Seri Puteri.
For five years, I went through school with two things being the most important part of my teen years. Gymnastics competitions and poetry writing.
Today, Mrs Khaw is an accomplished author and life coach, applying the theory of constraints in developing thinking skills. Ilena, always quick to grasp ideas, enjoyed her short session at Popular, Ikano. I can see how her talks continue to inspire kids to fulfill their fullest potentials.
Thank you Mrs Khaw.

A Malaysia Day Dinner Like No Other

Dr Bala (middle) the gracious host


Dr Bala of Planet Of The Monyets had a simple idea. And as usual, the simplest of ideas often contribute to the greatest of feats. In this era of mudslinging and politicking, he decided it was  time to #Say Something Nice and remove ourselves from politics. He did this by saying something nice about ALL Malaysians. Heroes from mountaineers to conservationists - not to be confused with conversationalists, sportsmen and women, NGO warriors, movie directors, cartoonist - no guesses for this one, writers, taxi drivers (I personally love taxi drivers esp my ever exceptional S W Taxi)

And of course Dato David Arumugam
of Alleycats

"We sing using OXFORD Bahasa Malaysia. I visualise a lone lady in the middle of the sawah padi, and my feelings come pouring out in the song so that you feel it too."


Manai (Ahmad Fakri in blue), is one of the two Malaysians who have conquered the SEVEN SUMMITS all over the world. This is incredible. Manai's journey so far (he is only 31) is an inspiring story of overcoming your personal limits. Now I know to get to the base camp of the Everest alone is a 10 day trek. To reach the summit takes another 45 days, after getting through Camp 1 to Camp 4. As you progress from camp to camp, you see the mountaineers who did not make it ie in body bags and the success of the day is measured in the rate of mortality.
  Shamir and Shamsul
Co-founders of Yakin Malaysia For the full series of 17 Cool and Commited Malaysians, please visit the Monyet King's Planet Of The Monyets Thank you Monyet King for a cosy and intimate dinner that defines the Malaysian hospitality at best. We got to know each other, chit chat, laugh and cheer 'TerimakaSAYYY' with David Arumugam. It was great company and a marvelous nostalgic Malaysia Day dinner.