Sickness, a Book Project and Mika's Just-In-Case Fund - Books connect us

4. A little unwell

I am a little unwell,

And I am saddened I have nothing to write today,

No love letters, no damning reports,

Just another old soul, huffing and wheezing,

Shuffling from pantry to bed,

From bed to book,

Oh Love!

No passions to be reckoned today

But bitter pills and running noses.

DIET. Your humble chronicler of the Sinners Almanac has been unwell for the past couple of weeks. So he has been a good boy and staying home of late. He missed one birthday party and one funeral already. At 41 years old, time is always a scarce resource, so he hopes to make up for it soonest he is back to his fighting fit self. Being diabetic, it takes me about 3 times longer to get better, compared to a non-diabetic. So for those sugar addicts out there... I hope you will watch your diet.

BOOKS. My convalescence has however permitted me to finally finish 2 books. Bill Bryson's 'At Home. A short history of private life' and a 100 years history of the United Kingdom entitled 'This Sceptred Isle: Twentieth Century' written by Christopher Lee (A historian and not the actor playing Dracula in the 60s and 70s). As always Bryson's book is packed full of interesting and diverting trivia, and as this book is about the history of private life and homes, it DOES cover a lot about the development of the modern house concept. But being Bryson, he cannot resist amassing other bits and ends of trivia in such unlikely topics as the bat guano industry, Victorian ideal of childhood to the fad of women's corsets. The second book is a very readable summary of Britain's 100 years history in the past century. Engaging and thoughtfully written, if a little right wing.

THE PROPHET'S BOOK. I am also finally resolved to prepare my second collection of poetry. The first book, 'A Cup of Storm - Love letters from a sinner' is a runaway success with at least 10 books sold (so my Publisher, PoetsDemocracy, informs me). The second book shall also all be about love, but this time revolving on the love, life and ideal of Muhammad Habibullah, the Prophet of Islam and last Messenger of God. Indeed, to be perfectly honest here, it will be written for him. Yes, yes... I know he has passed away some 1,300 years ago. And of course I don't expect I will be able to give a copy of the book to the Prophet personally, but I am sure he will know about the book soon enough. That is the perk of being so pally-wally with the Almighty God.

The Just-in-case Fund. Mikhail was on the bed, counting his money. I asked him whether he wanted to put the money in the piggy bank. He replied, "No, Papa. This is my just-in-case money." Money of course cannot buy you happiness, but I guess it is only sensible to have a just-in-case fund for that just-in-case moments when you are faced with unexpected expenditure. And I think this is true even for a 7-year old. 

How has this Sunday been for you, sunshine? It has been raining cats, dogs, turtles and hippos here in Kuala Lumpur.

wa min Allah at-taufiq

Hate has no place in Islam

Love will show the Way

I am 40 but my Dad thinks I am still 14. Happy Father's Day!

Today is Father's Day. My dad treated me and my brother for breakfast. Having finished at the restaurant we were walking across to the car when we noticed a chinese man selling sandals by the roadside. I fancied a pair, and while contemplating the purchase, suddenly my dad said, "Do you want it? Let me get it for you..." I am 40, but he still thinks I am 14.

I am going to give him the final print copy of my book. It is still here with me, next to the laptop. Horribly wrapped (by me) in a gaudy colourful wrapping paper. I wrote a little something in the book. What he has given me, I can never equal - My flesh and bones, my heart and soul. The freedom to chart my own path in this world. To let my conscience be my guide and to try and be as good a man as he was and is. God bless his grumpy sweet heart. My father is often misunderstood. But me, his son. I understand him.

God bless all fathers, sunshine.

Pax Taufiqa.

A Cup of Storm - My First Book

Foreword
If there is truth in these pages
It is yours, ya Saidi.
If there is deceit
It is my own conceit.

There was once a Sufi boss. And he had a sinner as a neighbour. This neighbour used to constantly trouble the Sufi boss by sending him a collection of prose on irregular intervals. The above quoted Foreword was the beginning of it all. As years passed, the collection grew to over 2,000 prose and short stories. and coming into the 5th year, the sinner asked the Sufi, "I would like to publish the poems, what do you think, ya Saidi?" To which he gave a simple and short reply, "Go global, don't go local." Err. Okay.

The sinner left pondering the reply and thinking to himself, "Yea, man... but easier said than done." Forward 3 years and on 22nd April this year, an American named Russell Streur (Editor and Barkeep of the Poetry Website 'The Camel Saloon' - Click Here for Link) wrote to me and said that he was forming a publishing house for poets, and this was what he said... "In the past few years, I have seen my poetry published in numerous spaces, electronic and print. That experience directly led to my establishment of the Camel Saloon, because I wanted to give to others what others gave to me: a voice in the world, and a place to make a difference in the world. Approaching the first anniversay of the Saloon, I am now taking the next step in my commitment to poetic self-expression bye establishing a publishing company under the name of Poets Democracy. This enterprise will involve the creation of paper books to be available to the friends and familes of poets on a global basis." So together with Christi Kochifos Caceres, Poets Democracy was established - Click Here for Link.

In the same email, Mr. Streur said that he would like to publish a book of my poetry, and whether I would be interested. Would I?! In reply I said yes, of course I would love to work with him. So after a month and a half of frantic emails, first copy print, first revision print, changes to illustrations, grammatical and spelling corrections, second revision print and a third final revision, the book entitled "A Cup of Storm" is now available - Click Here. Whew!

'A Cup of Storm' is a collection of 111 poems with 32 sketches, extracted from my writings and drawings over the course of 8 years, some of which you may have read in this blog. It is uncommented prose, so the poems are naked and interpretation is left entirely to the reader.

When you consider that both Mr. Streur and myself are doing this on the side, you must admit that the quick work from idea to completion is some achievement. And it is one which I must wholly acknowledge Mr. Streur and Ms. Christi for their eye for detail and amazing dedication. Words cannot express my gratitude. I never planned this to happen, though I had my (typically) unreasonable and overly-optimistic hope that the Sufi's advice would manifest itself, somehow, someway and by someone. As it turned out that someone was Russell and Christi.

May your days be graced with the company of friends you never thought you had, who would help fulfill the dream which you thought would never happen. And I mean you too, sunshine... because had you not been reading this strange almanac, I would not have continued writing. Then Russell would not have come across the Sinners Almanac, and alas, 'A Cup of Storm' would still remain in the world of what-ifs and maybes. But it is here, real and now. And just like Love, it simply was meant to be.

Thank you from the bottom of my happy sinning heart.

Pax Taufiqa.