Doa 3rd Ramadhan

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

اللهم صل على محمد وآل محمد
اَللَّهُمَّ ارْزُقْنِي فِيْهِ الذِّهْنَ وَالتَّنْبِيْهَ، وَبَاعِدْنِي فِيْهِ مِنَ السَّفَاهَةِ وَالتَّمْوِيْهِ، وَاجْعَلْ لِي نَصِيْبًا مِنْ كُلِّ خَيْرٍ تُنْزِلُ فِيْهِ، بِجُوْدِكَ يَا اَجْوَدَ اْلاَجْوَدِيْنَ
Allâhummarzuqnî fîhidz dzihna wattanbîh, wa bâ’idnî fîhi minas safâhati wattamwîh, waj’allî nashîban min kulli khyarin tunzilu fîhi, bijûdika yâ Ajwadal ajwadîn.

O Allah keep me alive, in this month, in a state of alertness and watchfulness; and keep me away from impudence and cynicism, let me share everything good there is in this months, which is in plenty, O the Liberal Most Beneficent.

Ya Allah, karuniakan padaku di dalamnya pengetahuan dan kesadaran, jauhkan daku di dalamnya dari kebodohan dan kepalsuan, dan berikan padaku bagian dari setiap kebaikan yang diturunkan di dalamnya dengan kedermawanan-Mu wahai Yang Maha Dermawan semua yang dermawan.
(Mafâtihul Jinân: bab 2, pasal 3)

Selamat Menyambut Ramadhan....

Tiada nama secantik *Allah*

Tiada umat sebaik *Muhammad*

Tiada agama seindah *Islam*

Tiada musik seirama *Beduk*

Tiada suara lagu semerdu *Azan*

Tiada novel sehebat *Al Qur'an*

Tiada diet yg mujarab selain *PUASA*

Tiada bulan yg mulia selain *Ramadan*

"SELAMAT MENJALANKAN IBADAH PUASA.

SEMOGA ALLAH S.W.T MEMBERI KESEHATAN DAN KEKUATAN UNTUK MENJALANI IBADAH PUASA SEPANJANG BULAN RAMADAN...

Apa Erti Kebenaranya....

                                   

Ketika lamunan indah datang,

Mencelah kicauan burung-burung;

Yang sebagai menyanyikan lagu merdu

Mengiringi suasana dingin malam.

Kalbu menjadi terhibur seketika,

Indah terasa bagai didalam syurga

Milik kita tanpa batas tanpa lara

Insan merantai naluri rindu.

 

Kekadang terasa mahu terus maju,

Melangkah tanpa mahu menoleh,

Namun tidak semudah itu

Tidak segagah itu...

Lamunan hanya terus kaku,

Jiwa terus hanyut membisu

Hati menjadi sekeras batu

Perasaan yg makin bundar

Hanya kaki yg terus melangkah

Tanpa arah tanda tuju

Jasad hilang pengangan

Tubuh menjadi longlai...

 

Namun nyawa masih ada,

Jiwa kosong tanpa rasa

kata hilang tanpa bicara

Bibir tertutup rapat

Nota tidak berdakwat

Sepi itu kekadang Indah

Bila mana kita tahu

Apa erti kebenaranya....

Hasil Karya:

MawarJinggaBerduri © 2010

2 August 2010

Seven Hours The Magic Number For Sleep

WASHINGTON: People who sleep more or fewer than seven hours a day, including naps, are increasing their risk for cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in the United States, a study published Sunday shows.
Sleeping fewer than five hours a day, including naps, more than doubles the risk of being diagnosed with angina, coronary heart disease, heart attack or stroke, the study conducted by researchers at West Virginia University's (WVU) faculty of medicine and published in the journal "Sleep" says.
And sleeping more than seven hours also increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, it says.
Study participants who said they slept nine hours or longer a day were one-and-a-half times more likely than seven-hour sleepers to develop cardiovascular disease, the study found.
The most at-risk group was adults under 60 years of age who slept five hours or fewer a night. They increased their risk of developing cardiovascular disease more than threefold compared to people who sleep seven hours.
Women who skimped on sleep, getting five hours or fewer a day, including naps, were more than two-and-a-half times as likely to develop cardiovascular disease.
Short sleep duration was associated with angina, while both sleeping too little and sleeping too much were associated with heart attack and stroke, the study says.
A separate study, also published in "Sleep", showed that an occasional long lie-in can be beneficial for those who can't avoid getting too little sleep.

In that study, David Dinges, who heads the sleep and chronobiology unit at the University of Pennsylvania school of medicine, found that 142 adults whose sleep was severely restricted for five days -- as it is for many people during the work week -- had slower reaction times and more trouble focusing.

But after a night of recovery sleep, the sleep-deprived study participants' alertness improved significantly, and the greatest improvements were seen in those who were allowed to spend 10 hours in bed after a week with just four hours' sleep a night.

"An additional hour or two of sleep in the morning after a period of chronic partial sleep loss has genuine benefits for continued recovery of behavioral alertness," Dinges said.

In the study about sleep and cardiovascular disease, researchers led by Anoop Shankar, associate professor at WVU's department of community medicine, analyzed data gathered in a national US study in 2005 on more than 30,000 adults.

The results were adjusted for age, sex, race, whether the person smoked or drank, whether they were fat or slim, and whether they were active or a couch potato.

And even when study participants with diabetes, high blood pressure or depression were excluded from the analysis, the strong association between too much or too little sleep and cardiovascular disease remained.

The authors of the WVU study were unable to determine the causal relationship between how long a person sleeps and cardiovascular disease.

But they pointed out that sleep duration affects endocrine and metabolic functions, and sleep deprivation can lead to impaired glucose tolerance, reduced insulin sensitivity and elevated blood pressure, all of which increase the risk of hardening the arteries.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends that most adults get about seven to eight hours of sleep each night.

Shankar suggested that doctors screen for changes in sleep duration when assessing patients' risk for cardiovascluar disease, and that public health initiatives consider including a focus on improving sleep quality and quantity.

"Sleep" is a peer-reviewed scientific journal published by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society.

Total Eclipse Arcs Across Pacific

HANGA ROA, Chile: A total solar eclipse drew an 11,000-kilometer (6,800-mile) arc over the Pacific, plunging remote isles into darkness in a heavenly display climaxing on mysterious Easter Island.

The skies grew black in the middle of the day Sunday as the Moon slipped in front of the Sun and aligned with the Earth, blotting out the sunshine that just moments earlier had swathed the island's silent, ancient stone guardians.

Applause erupted from thousands of stargazers who began gathering days ago on this remote Chilean outpost for the rare four-minute, 41-second eclipse.

"It was like being in the stadium at night with artificial light. It was like being in a dark room with a 10-watt bulb," awe-struck local official Francisco Haoa told AFP.

"It started with a shadow. The skies were perfectly blue, with lots of wind that chased away the clouds. Everyone applauded.

"We saw a luminous object near here and people started saying they were sure it was a UFO."

In Tahiti, where the solar eclipse began its trek, the effect was so stunning that crowds of football-mad Polynesians turned away from the World Cup final on their television screens to look to the skies instead.

"It was like the Sun was smiling," said eight-year-old Hinanui. "The Sun seemed like a horizontal crescent, then the Moon covered up the bottom of the Sun, which reappeared again as a crescent."

Opticians and pharmacies sold more than 120,000 pairs of protective eyewear in Tahiti, which has 260,000 inhabitants, and warned of the dangers of vision loss if people looked directly at the eclipse.

Beginning at 1815 GMT, when the umbra or shadow fell about 700 kilometers (440 miles) southeast of Tonga, the eclipse zipped in an easterly arc, cloaking Easter Island at 2011 GMT.

It finished with a pass across southern Chile and Argentina, where it came to an end at 2052 GMT, just before nightfall in Patagonia.

An estimated 4,000 tourists, scientists, photographers, filmmakers and journalists flocked to this World Heritage site of only 160 square kilometers (60 square miles), doubling the barren island's population.

The Sun is 400 times wider than the Moon, but it is also 400 times farther away. Because of the symmetry, the lunar umbra that falls on the face of the Earth is exactly wide enough to cover the face of the Sun.

Throughout human history, superstition, awe and dread -- fears for the birth or death of kings, victories or defeats, bumper harvests or gnawing hunger -- have attended the moment when the Earth is plunged into daytime darkness.

Easter Island authorities increased security, especially around key heritage sites, including the 3,000-year-old large stone statues, or moai, that put the far-flung ethnic Polynesian islanders on the world culture map.

In local ancient lore, such an eclipse "would have been seen as a very powerful signal of upcoming upheaval," as their world view was rooted in nature, in "the earth, the sea and especially the sky," said Patricia Vargas of the University of Chile.

A French and a Japanese tourist were arrested for mounting "platforms where they are not allowed to touch and climb the statues," said police chief Cristian Gonzalez.

Mayor Luz del Carmen Zasso said visitors were asked to treat the island with respect.

"Easter Island is an open-air museum, and the eclipse is part of this museum," she added.

The eclipse has brought a tourist boom to Easter Island and Tahiti, where American film director James Cameron was among the stargazers helping to bring a 10.8-million-dollar tourism bonanza to the archipelago.

Meanwhile, in the small Patagonian town of El Calafate, just across the border from southern Chile in the snow-capped Argentine Andes, hundreds of people gathered to witness the natural phenomenon.

"We are pleased and excited by the interest generated by the eclipse. The five daily flights arriving in El Calafate were full on Friday and Saturday, and the climate is excellent for watching," said tourism director Ana Ianni.

Forecasters said there were clear skies with below-freezing temperatures in the southern hemisphere winter, with all-terrain vehicles needed to brave the snowy mountains.

The more adventurous could choose to spend the day in heated tents, high up in mountain spots only accessible with the help of guides and the stunning Perito Moreno glacier as a backdrop.

More photos of the Annular 15th January 2010 Eclipse:
http://en.chinagate.cn/photos/2010-01/16/content_19249727.htm

Read on:
http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/OH/OH2010.html#SE2010Jul11T
http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/OH/OHfigures/OH2010-Fig03.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_eclipse_of_July_11,_2010

Kisah Teladan: Isteriku Nurjannah

Sebak! Hati ini terlalu sebak. Lutut ini terasa lumpuh untuk menanggung beban yang teramat berat. Tak mampu lagi dipikul oleh bahuku, apatah lagi di usia yang telah agak banyak ini. Kalaulah aku tahu beginilah hatinya, sumpah aku tidak lakukan semua ini.

Dia tetap berwajah tenang. Tidak kelihatan walau secalit resah di kelopak mata, di pipinya malah bibirnya. Segalanya masih sama seperti dulu. Aku leka. Leka dengan setiap kehendak hatiku. Semua tingkah laku ku tidak pernah dipersoalkan.

Cuma ketika dia menurunkan tanda tangan keizinan, aku lihat ada titisan air mata gugur di pipinya. Itulah kali terakhir aku lihat dia menangis. Dia tidak menuntut apa-apa dariku untuk dirinya selain dari mengingati aku tentang nafkah anak-anak kami yang seramai lima orang. Dia meninggalkan perkarangan mahkamah, setelah sedikit sesi kaunseling selesai.

Aku mempelawa untuk menghantar pulang. Dalam senyuman yang kukira dibuat-buat, dia menolak dengan alasan, mulai dari hari ini dia akan belajar untuk mengurus hidupnya sendiri.

Aku tidak ambil pusing dengan perkara itu. Aku meneruskan niatku mengahwini Normi. Dia tidak sedikit pun membentak bila aku memintanya menggosok sepasang baju Melayu, pakaian pengantinku. Cuma di kala itu
aku kehilangan senyuman manja daripadanya. Dia terus berwajah tenang dan syahdu. Sebelum aku melangkah pergi, dia masih seperti selalunya, bersalaman dan mencium tanganku sambil berpesan jaga diri baik-baik.

Aku mengahwini Normi setelah setahun menjalin persahabatan. Aku sendiri kurang pasti mengapa aku tertarik dengan Normi. Cuma yang aku sedar, aku kasihankan kepada anaknya yang sedari awal memanggil aku ayah. Mungkin juga kerana Normi cantik. Perwatakannya yang manja membuatkan ramai lelaki tergoda. Dan akulah yang paling kalah dengan kemanjaannya.

Walau apa pun alasan, antara aku dan Normi memang ditakdirkan ada jodoh, kerana itu kami berkahwin. Walau ibu dan ayahku malah s audara mara menentang hebat kemahuanku. Apa kurangnya Nurjannah, soal mereka. Memang aku akui, tiada cacat celanya Nurjannah. Dia memiliki semuanya. Cantik dan seorang perempuan yang lengkap memenuhi ciri-ciri seorang isteri, ibu dan pengasuh anak-anak yang baik. Dia juga pernah menjadi rebutan pemuda sekampung. Di antara mereka, aku orang yang paling bertuah menjadi pilihan Nurjannah. Tuah itu aku sambut dengan penuh rasa kesyukuran. Dia melahirkan zuriatku seramai lima orang. Dia tidak pernah mengeluh keletihan melayan kerenah anak-anak walau aku kurang membantu. Keperluanku juga dijaga sepenuhnya. Tiada apa yang dimusykilkan di hati ini terhadapnya. Segalanya cukup sempurna. Pendidikan agama untuk anak-anakku juga diberikan oleh Nurjannah.

Semua anak-anakku khatam Al Quran di usia sepuluh tahun. Semua itu Nurjannah yang ajarkan. Anak-anakku tahu akan tanggungjawab mengerjakan sembahyang seawal usia enam tahun. Itu juga Nurjannah, isteriku juga yang ajarkan. Bukan sekadar anak-anak malah aku sendiri pun diuruskan oleh Nurjannah.

Ketika aku sedang mandi, pakaian kerjaku dari baju hinggalah ke stokin Nurjannah sudah aturkan. Aku cuma capai sahaja. Ketika aku berwuduk, Nurjannah telah siap membentang sejadah sembahyang. Setiap kali aku pulang kerja, sekurang-kurangnya, segelas minuman telah tersedia di ruang rehat. Nurjannah tidak pernah menyusahkan aku walau menghantarnya ke pasar. Katanya, dia boleh pergi sendiri. Selama sebelas tahun hidup bersamanya, Nurjannah faham benar seleraku. Selama sebelas tahun itu juga seingatku tidak pernah sekalipun Nurjannah menyakiti hatiku.

Menjelang hari-hari perayaan, ketika rakan-rakan sepejabatku mengeluh kerana isteri di rumah minta menukar langsir baru, Nurjannah isteriku di rumah terbongkok-bongkok mencuci langsir lama. Bila kami diberi bonus tahunan oleh majikan, rakan-rakanku resah kerana isteri masing-masing turut meminta imbuhan untuk membeli seutas dua barang kemas. Tetapi isteriku Nurjannah tidak pernah meminta semua itu. Nurjannah menasihati aku agar menyimpan wang lebihan. Untuk kegunaan masa depan katanya. Akhirnya aku menggunakan wang simpanan tersebut untuk perkahwinanku dengan Normi, madu Nurjannah. Setelah berkahwin dengan Normi, barulah aku merasai segala masalah seperti yang dihadapi teman-teman sepejabatku. Apa nak buat, terlajak perahu boleh diundur, terlajak perbuatan sepahit mana sekalipun, terpaksalah ditelan jua. Apatah lagi aku dan Normi telah dikurniakan seorang cahaya mata.

Sepanjang perkahwinan dengan Normi, aku memang jarang-jarang sekali pulang ke rumah Nurjannah. Kadang-kadang seminggu sekali, kadang-kadang sebulan sekali. Itupun untuk memberi wang perbelanjaan anak-anak. Nurjannah tetap dengan sifat sabarnya. Walau aku memperlakukannya sedemikian, dia tidak pernah marah-marah apalagi mengamuk. Setiap kali kepulanganku, dia sambut tanpa secebis riak kemarahan. Bersalam dan mencium tanganku. Dia tetap menyediakan makanan kegemaranku. Cuma yang amat aku terasa, aku ke! hilangan senyuman mesranya. Dia pernah meminta izinku membantu abangnya yang berniaga di kedai runcit berhampiran dengan rumah kami. Aku sedar, mungkin perbelanjaan harian dariku tidak mencukupi, tetapi aku buat-buat tidak tahu. Lagipun Nurjannah tidak pernah menyebutnya. Aku lihat tubuhnya kurus sedikit. Aku bertanya padanya apakah dia sakit atau ada apa-apa masalah.

Namun dia hanya menggeleng kepala.

Aku tidak pasti reaksi anak-anak terhadapku setelah aku berkahwin lain. Kelima-lima anakku dengan Nurjannah tidak pernah menunjukkan tanda-tanda membantah atau marah. Cuma antara kami kurang mesra, mungkin kerana sudah jarang berjumpa. Alhamdulillah aku punyai anak-anak sebaik Nurjannah.

Kelima-lima anakku sudah berjaya. Semuanya sudah menjejaki menara gading. Terasakan begitu cepat masa berlalu. Anak-anakku sudah menjangkau dewasa. Fahmi anakku yang sulung menjawat jawatan doktor, Fariza menjadi pensyarah, Fakhrul pu la pegawai di jabatan kerajaan, Farihin seorang guru dan Farina telah tamat dan majlis konvokesyennya akan diadakan dua hari lagi. Aku pulang hari ini, di atas permintaan Farina agar aku dan ibunya hadir di majlis bersejarah baginya. Seingat aku telah dua bulan aku tidak menjengah Nurjannah. Namun kepulanganku tetap disambut baik oleh Nurjannah. Bersalam dan mencium tanganku seperti dulu-dulu. Dia tidak pernah menunjukkan riak kurang senang padaku. Walhal sudah banyak perkara yang telah aku lukai hatinya, namun sukar untuknya menunjukkan rasa memberontak. Kesabarannya banyak mengajarku apa erti kesetiaan seorang suami. Aku akui bukan seorang suami yang adil. Adil dalam mencurahkan kasih sayang. Mungkin juga pengaruh isteri mudaku, namun aku tidak menyalahinya. Keterlanjuranku mengahwini memberi satu perbandingan yang nyata antara keduanya.

Namun kesalahan masih berpihak padaku seolah-olah tidak mampu untuk berlaku adil! Hari ini Nurjannah memasak lauk kegemaranku, udang masak lemak cili padi. Selera sungguh aku makan. Suasana di meja makan sunyi sepi. Fariza yang juga makan bersama kami, aku lihat asyik menyuap nasi ke mulut. Nurjannah membisu seribu bahasa dan aku sendiri bagai kehilangan cerita. Sebenarnya jauh di sudut hati, aku terlalu lama rindukan gelak tawa Nurjannah. Entah kenapa hari ini aku kehilangan punca mencari kemesraannya. Sesudah makan malam aku duduk-duduk di ruang tamu disamping Fariza.

Nurjannah menghampiriku sambil menghulur satu sampul surat berwarna jingga. Aku masih ingat, itulah sampul surat kad undangan perkahwinanku dengan Normi.

Aku bagaikan tersentak. Borang permohonan cerai. Telah lengkap diisi hampir terlepas dari tanganku. Aku terpempan. Terkedu. Hilang sudah segala kekuatan yang ada. Aku cuba menolak rasa sangsi. Adakah aku berdepan dengan realiti atau sebaliknya. Aku lihat reaksi Nurjannah, tenang dan bersahaja. Ada sesuatu yang ingin diutarakannya. Aku menunggu dengan sabar, mahu penjelasan yang wajar darinya. "Bang, lapan belas tahun yang lalu, Jannah dengan rela hati menandatangani borang permohonan poligami, Jannah harap abang juga boleh melakukannya sekarang," pintanya dengan suara yang aku rasakan bagai belati menghiris hati. Rasanya ingin gugur air mata lelakiku.

Namun kutahan. Adakah ini balasan untuk pengorbanan yang telah kau lakukan. Kukira langkah mu tidak akan terlanjur sejauh itu. Nurjannah, barang kali beginilah deritanya hatimu dulu, ketika mahu melepas pergi orang yang dikasihi..

"Jannah tak mahu abang terus dihumban dosa kerana sememangnya abang tidak pernah berlaku adil. Selama ini pun Jannah hanya tak mahu kehidupan anak-anak kita terganggu lantaran sikap kita. Jannah rasa pengorbanan Jannah sudah sampai ke penghujungnya. Lagi pun kesabaran Jannah sudah tinggal sia-sia. Jannah tidak mahu jadi isteri derhaka apabila kesabaran sudah tiada lagi. Anak-anak kita pun sudah dewasa, mereka sudah boleh hidup sendiri," Nurjannah bersuara lagi tanpa sebarang riak api kebencian kepadaku.

"Kami adik beradik telah lama kumpul wang untuk hantar ibu tunaikan fardhu haji tahun ini," sambung Fariza. Aku merenung mata Fariza dalam-dalam. Lama. Sehinggalah Fariza bersuara. "Kami bukan tak mahu hantar ayah ke Mekah, tapi kalau ayah pergi nanti, siapa nak jaga mak cik Normi, kan ayah tak pernah tinggal mak cik Normi sorang-sorang."

"Jannah, abang tak mahu kehilangan Jannah, biar abang tinggalkan Normi," pintasku cuba melerai! kekusutan yang membelit diri.

"Sejauh mana sekali pun abang tinggalkan Normi, hati Jannah tetap terluka. Tanda tangan borang tu bang," pinta Nurjannah sungguh-sungguh.

Aku rasakan itulah dentuman petir yang paling kuat pernah memanahi pendengaranku dan beban yang teramat sarat yang menghempap bahuku. Tiba-tiba aku terkenangkan sejadah yang sering dihampar oleh Nurjannah isteriku. Dengan langkah yang longlai aku mengambil wuduk, Nurjannah hanya memerhati dari jauh. Di dalam bilik sembahyang aku mencari-cari sejadah yang terbentang. Tiada. Aku jatuh terduduk.

Sesal dulu pendapatan.......sesal kemudian...ini lah jadinya...

Sun Rising from The West

12 Things We'd Tell Our Bosses if We Could

Of course, not all employees feel free to say what they're actually thinking. You know who you are! That's why in today's column, the employees of the world get to speak up. What would you say to your boss if you could say absolutely anything at all? This is your chance, people.

Here are a dozen to get you warmed up:

1. "Give me the tools I need to do a good job." If you're unsure, ask me. But, basically, time, materials, information, maybe even a little authority--these are what I need to succeed.

2. "Admit it when you make a mistake." It shows you're not afraid and is the best way to earn my respect. Whatever you do, don't act as if you never make mistakes. That's just ridiculous.

3. "Don't treat me like a cog on a wheel." I'm an individual. If I screw up, tell me. If someone else in my group screws up, tell him. Don't blame the whole team.

4. "Ask for my opinion from time to time." I might be able to offer some good ideas if you listened to me even half as much as you expect me to listen to you.

5. "I truly need frequent feedback." Please don't wait till the year-end performance review. I can do a better job for you if you let me know what I'm doing wrong, and what I'm doing right, on a regular basis.

6. "Don't leave me hanging out to dry." When things go south I need you to be a leader and back me up. If you are not loyal to me, it is impossible for me to be loyal to you.

7. "I can't hear you when you shout." Maybe someone once told you intimidation is a good management tool. But seriously, yelling at employees just makes you look weak and ineffectual.

8. "Don't make me work with idiots." I realize it's not easy but if there's a problem person in the group it's your job to resolve the situation. Don't let it drag on and on. It poisons the whole workplace.

9. "Have a clear agenda." If you don't know what you want, how do you expect me to? I need you to understand your own goals, and communicate them to me clearly.

10. "Don't lie about deadlines." There is no better way to lose the trust of your people than to set "fake" deadlines. Trust me enough to be honest with me and I'll do a good job for you.

11. "Be predictable." If you behave erratically I will spend more time and energy worrying about what you're going to do next than working.

12. "Mentor me." Ask me my goals. Give me projects that help me develop and grow. I will do a fabulous job for you if you take an interest in me and my career. And that's a win-win.

Karen Burns is the author of the illustrated career advice book The Amazing Adventures of Working Girl: Real-Life Career Advice You Can Actually Use, recently released by Running Press. She blogs at http://www.karenburnsworkinggirl.com/.

10 New Rules for Today's Job Hunt

Here are the 10 biggest differences between then and now:

1. You can no longer depend on a résumé to get an interview. Simply mailing out résumés and then sitting back and waiting for responses was never that effective, and today it just doesn’t cut it. It’s a waste of time, paper, postage, and psychic energy.

2. Your experience matters less than it used to. This is unfair, even counter-intuitive, but people don’t want to hear about everything you did way back when. They want to hear about everything you can do, specifically, to help them today. And tomorrow.

3. You shouldn't expect to hear back. Unfortunately, this little courtesy has gone the way of the vinyl record. Keep on networking, interviewing, and researching right up until the moment you have a firm job offer in your hot little hands. Maybe even a little after.

4. A résumé is no longer a comprehensive summary of your work and education history. Don’t bother to list jobs more than 15 years old. Emphasize recent accomplishments, certifications, and training.

5. More about résumés: You need a digital-friendly one that is easily uploadable, downloadable, and scannable (i.e., no bullets, boxes, boldface, unusual fonts, indenting). It should be rich in the “keywords” that employers in your field are looking for.

6. In fact, overall computer literacy is a must. Get comfortable with applying for jobs online and learn how to research on the Internet. If all this is new to you, your public library is a good place to start. Oh, and have a professional-sounding E-mail address.

7. A good idea is to go one step further and establish a lively Internet presence. Explore LinkedIn (get some stellar endorsements), Twitter, and Facebook. Become active in your field’s social media sites. Consider building your own Web site (with a career-oriented blog, professional photo, and résumé).

8. One of the first things a potential employer will do is Google you. That means you need to find out if there’s anything negative about you online. If there is something bad, try to get it removed. Your best bet may be to “bury” it with more recent, more favorable, links (see No. 7).

9. More than ever it’s about who you know, and who knows you. This is important: Finding employment nowadays is less a matter of applying for existing open positions and more about identifying needs potential employers have and demonstrating to them that you can fill these needs. Fortunately, there are more networking venues (real life and virtual) than ever before.

10. Many interviewers/hiring managers/recruiters may be younger than you. Get used to it. Treat them with respect and learn how to speak their language. Do not say “You remind me of my son/daughter,” or “When I was your age... !"

You can do this. So go forth. And conquer!

S$1,200 RWS Fish Dish Shocker

A 35-year-old diner and four friends feasted on a steamed fish dish at a restaurant in Resorts World Sentosa (RWS). At the end of the meal, upon receiving the bill, his jaw hit the ground.
What seemed like a simple dish ended up costing a whopping S$1,224.
The diner, who only wanted to be known as Mr Liu, took his four friends to RWS’ Feng Shui Inn restaurant on June 12. He had initially asked for marble goby, better known locally as “soon hock”, but was told there was no stock for the fish.
A waiter then recommended the white sultan fish instead. The group agreed, without enquiring about the cost of the dish. But when the bill arrived, the five diners were shocked to find that the single sultan fish, weighing 1.8kg, set them back by a staggering S$1,224.

“(The waiter) didn’t mention the price (of the fish), and we also didn’t think too much about it and just said okay,” Mr Liu told Lianhe Wanbao.

He complained about the price of the fish during payment and the restaurant responded by giving him a 15% discount on the bill as a gesture of goodwill.

“The customer has the right to know and the restaurant should have made clear its price so we could decide whether it was worth it,” Mr Liu said.

In response to the incident, an RWS spokesman claims that the practice of not disclosing menu prices is common in upscale restaurants. “It is not always appropriate to state menu prices to high-end customers who have come to expect a certain discretion when they entertain high-level guests, ” he explains.

RWS conceded that the incident could have been a “lapse of judgement” but it was smoothed over quickly with an on-the-spot discount.

But is S$68 per 100g for a sultan fish a reasonable amount?

A quick comparison with Capital Restaurant, which has been selling sultan fish for 36 years, reveals that the dish can go for as low as S$6 per 100g. This is less than a tenth of Fengshui Inn’s price tag on the fish.

Chef Pung Lu Tin, 50, of Seafood International Market and Restaurant, explained the sultan fish is sought-after because it was not easy to catch. He added that its meat was “very smooth”.

“The flesh is tender and snow white. It’s a wild river fish, so it eats fruits that drops from trees and bears the fragrance of fruit,” Chef Huang Ching Biao, 58, kitchen operations director at Jin Shan restaurant at MBS told The New Paper.

But despite its draw, both chefs added that they have not come across any commanding such a high price. One seafood distributor known only as Mr Lee even described the price of the fish at Fengshui Inn as “outrageous”.

This seafood shocker is reminiscent of an incident that occurred in March last year, where six American tourists were charged S$239 for a mere eight tiger prawns at Newton hawker centre.

The stall involved had its licence suspended for three months by the National Environment Agency (NEA) for breaching licencing conditions.

Incidents like these throw the spotlight on questionable charging practices in Singapore. For a country positioning itself as a tourism hub, these bad dining experiences are sure to leave a bitter after-taste.