PROCRASTINATION

I flew in to Kuching on Sunday to facilitate a training program on Monday. After checking in to The Hilton, I took an evening river-side walk to the esplanade but finally landed in a book store. Bought myself a book, "60 QUICK TIPS FOR OVERCOMING PROCRASTINATION". Ain't we all guilty of being a procrastinator at one time or other?

The book worked! For a start, I didn't procrastinate from reading it! At the airport on Monday evening and on the flight, I finished the chapters.

Still "high" on the procrastination dose from the book, I scanned my study area and figured out I could improve its layout to further improve my productivity. I looked at the rows and rows of books on the shelves, the CD's on the racks, brochures, files and finally at some of my display items.

The red BMW RT1100 motorcycle gained my attention. Ha, a past hobby and a painful reminder of the crash in Feb 2001. That's one era of my life that has fleeted away. I have enjoyed those motor-biking days. My numerous trips into Thailand, to the Golden Triangle, the Burmese border, Phuket, Koh Samui, riding via Hadyai back to Kota Bharu through South Thailand - these were great memories of my mid-age hobby. No, it wasn't mid-life crisis as some wives of some of my envious friends said.

And I have no regrets. What's left is the replica given my office colleagues during one of my birthdays when I was in Saujana. The real BMW RT1100 went to scrap metal after the accident. Alhamdulillah, I didn't become scrap metal.

"Di sebalek musibah ada hikmah" held true. I am still on two wheels, minus a powerful engine, replaced by self-propelled pedal power. Life is therefore much slower now, but I get to experience and see more, much more. So besides the replica of this red monster, I have a much timid replica of my latest craze - a healthy pursuit too. And I continue to tour.

So what has "procrastination" got to do with my past and present hobbies? Nothing really. I was just reflecting, not procrastinating. The job of re-arranging the work area still got done.

By the way, today is my wife's birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MY ROOM-MATE! I bought you a bicycle for your birthday a few years ago but it's still brand new.

I'm not procrastinating and I know what you wanted for your birthday this year. But you were too busy yesterday and this gift requires you to choose yourself (errr...be mindful of my budget ya...).