20 Years Ago

I was tagged some time back by Shinshin and I finally got down to writing it down today.

20 Years Ago:
I was an awkward kid, trying to settle down and fit in. Missing my friends and life in London. Became a full-fledged vegetarian and my parents gave up trying to convince me that meat was essential for good health. My favourite pastimes were drawing and painting. Even got some prizes.

Went through a period of hardship and grew up immediately. Learnt that life can be full of ups and downs - changing at the blink of an eye. Learnt many painful lessons in life. Started wearing glasses soon.


10 Years Ago:
Completed my Bachelor of Science in Forestry Degree from Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry in Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India. I became and adult there, among the pine trees on the foothills of the Himalayas.

Not sure whether I was a nerd – wore a glass (soon replaced with contacts) was part of the University Quiz team and even started a Environment society. However, we were into a lot of adventurous stuff – how many of you have ever gone trekking in the mountains, slept in flea ridden rest houses (not hotels), gone up on a glider. I learnt swimming not in any swimming pool but in one of the streams there. Drank like crazy. Heart broken too. Some of the best times of my life.

Carried on with my Master of Science in Forestry at the same University.

5 Years Ago:
Obtained my MBA from the University of Malaya. Met my future wife for the first time. The first time I saw her – baggy jeans and black T-shirt, always late to class. Became great friends and later …..

Don’t paint at all now though I do sketch sometimes. More into writing and web designing.

Entered the corporate world soon afterwards. A big change from life in the jungles of India. The guy who gave me the job, my boss, was my MBA colleague who happened to be the MD of a huge group of companies. God bless him.

Changed a couple of jobs after that, including a short stint in the Asia–Pacific office of Consumer’s International. Even went through an unemployed phase. However, as they say: Every cloud has a silver lining. Got a E-commerce professional certificate from Informatics in KL.

Started my own business, which never took off.

3 Years Ago:

Started working in Kedah. Hard to fit in but I did. Love my job even though the pay is ....ummm....just enough – I guess its better than no job at all. At least there are no stupid bosses to know-tow too.

I had converted to Islam a year before at Islamic Outreach ABIM in Ampang Hilir, Kuala Lumpur.

Got married to the most wonderful girl. Literally changed me – for the better (not that I was bad). The things we had to go through to make it happen and all the wonderful people who helped us- will remain in our heart and minds forever.

Soon after, gave me the most beautiful present – my daughter Rahil.

1 Year Ago:
Still traveling between Kedah and Kuala Lumpur.

Got the ‘Sijil Anugerah Perkhidmatan Cemerlang’ Award.

Life goes on as usual.


Ramadhan Mubarak everyone.