Skip to main content

ABOUT THIS BLOG












When I started this blog in November 2008, it was called something else: a lofty title which I disliked even as I imagined its contents.

That name stayed for a while. In the end, I just got fed up with it and so I changed it but the new title did not work either.

The death of two relatives late last year (2009) changed my whole outlook on life. Everything could be taken away from me in a relatively short space of time.

It hit me then. Life was too short to sit around moping. I decided to reorganise my thoughts and that included seriously thinking about my reasons for blogging.

Life's too short is used to say that it is not worth wasting time doing something that you dislike or that is not important (Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary: Seventh Edition).

That is true.

English author Shirley Conran told The Observer (February 1, 2004) that "when I wrote Superwoman, I became famous for saying life was too short to stuff a mushroom -- a phrase I came up with to amuse myself, because writing a book about domestic science was less than riveting".

Superwoman was published in 1975 and it was aimed at busy women.

We continue to lead very busy lives. For that reason we have to make time for meaningful pursuits.

Jonathan Yang's The Rough Guide to Blogging (2006) helped me to understand the blogging culture and why people do it.

I am a journalist and that means I tell stories. But mainstream newspapers are highly selective. Not all reports are considered newsworthy.

As a news item a story about a stray dog may not even merit a short paragraph. A blog would be perfect for that kind of narratives.

Life's too short became the obvious name for my revamped blog and, like life, it is work in progress.

I am very fortunate that talented journalist Jehan Mohd is willing to contribute posts to this blog as a guest blogger.

Jehan is one of those rare individuals whose attitude towards life is tempered by compassion and a wild sense of humour. I am grateful that our paths have crossed.

Life is a series of interlinking stories and we have a lot of things to accomplish in a short time.

Let us hope we live long enough to do just that.

Thank you for your interest.

Faezah Ismail

March 28, 2010

Contact: ezameru@gmail.com

See also HIJAU is GREEN



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular Posts

Happy Father's Day

June is a significant month for fathers and those who have acted as father figures: stepfathers, uncles, grandfathers, big brothers, teachers and mentors. It is the month when some countries including Malaysia celebrate Father's Day. As American poet Anne Sexton put it: "It doesn't matter who my father was; it matters who I remember he was." My own father, who was a major influence in my life when I was growing up in Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia, passed away a long time ago. Since then there has been one major father figure in my life: my mentor, who is also my uncle, and he has helped me through difficult times. Fathers teach by example. You learn important values from them and you acquire some of their tastes for things. It could be anything: a love for English literature, words and books, among others. Sometimes you did not agree with their viewpoints but realised later that they were right about many things. As a child, growing up in a hometown known for its laid-back wa
3 comments
Read more

Rediscovering the traditional Malaysian Indian kitchen

I love this artwork (acrylic on canvas) by Jayashree Ramasamy @Jay, who has captured the mood of the traditional Malaysian Indian kitchen. Jay recalls her grandmother preparing meals for the family in a room which was equipped with ancestral cooking utensils and that was the inspiration for this painting. For more of Jay's creations head for the National Art Gallery where 'The Story Telling' exhibition is now being held (April 14 to May 15, 2011).  'The Story Telling' is a group exhibition showcasing the creations of four emerging artists including Jay from the Symbols Art Club . The other three artists are Kathiravan Subramaniam, Rohini Indran and Mohana Kumara Velu @ Mona Kv. Each work of art is a story that the artist tells about his or her personal experiences and observations of daily life. The launch this afternoon was in conjunction with the Tamil New Year today. 'Food is Served' by Kathiravan Subramaniam. The rationale: 'We may have diff
2 comments
Read more

Dealing with death of a loved one

Today marks the end of Rabiaa's mourning period. She had completed four months and 10 days or 130 days of grieving, the stipulated period for expressing sorrow for Muslim widows.  The death of her husband on Dec 30, 2020 was expected  but it still came as a huge shock to her. It was too sudden, she felt. Yet  observers would not agree. Her husband became bedridden in mid-November after a collision between his big bike and a car which had come from the opposite direction after taking an illegal turn.  In addition to being bedridden, Anwar, lost his voice which was the direct result of the  brain injury he had suffered after the accident. He was diagnosed with traumatic brain injury. How does Rabiaa feel now? The pain is bearable but the memories remain as vivid as ever. She is still unwilling to clear up all of her husband's things and some items remain in their original positions as before he became bound to the bed. His belongings connect Rabiaa to Anwar and she basks in the w
1 comment
Read more