Its Out - Finally!!

Salam. You know what????MY BOOK IS FINALLY OUT!!! Yes and I am so excited..my first baby...how can I even begin to describe my feelings of elation right now...what has always been in my computer now has a beautiful front and back cover, synopsis all in one.

So please...please...please... you guys out there, friends, family, students...support my effort okay. I come by the pen name Alma Zakiya (publisher's choice), and the title of my very first novel here is AFTER THE RAIN. Very affordable - only RM10.00..please get a copy for your children, your spouse, yourselves...:-)

For your support and encouragement. all this while. ..I THANK YOU ALL MOST SINCERELY...and HUMBLY.

To BLOOM, an imprint of ALAF21 - THANK YOU FOR ACCEPTING MY MANUSCRIPT...and start me off...

front cover

the back cover

the pen name

updates

Salaam. It has been nearly a month I think since I last wrote anything onto this blog. July - is always a terribly busy time of the year for me... this is the time when all the PEKA (Science Practical Assessment) assessors would be after us science teachers for the students PEKA marks for both SPM and S=PMR. And I am involved with both. This is the time that I would sudenly realise that one or two of my nincampoops students have not submitted their work at all. Also for the very slow and weak classes, I must make sure that they produce something to get minimal marks at least. I never minded teaching, but its the chasing after students to get their lab reports that tire me off.

No matter how I try to keep abreast with the work that needs doing in this month, year after year, I will be hard pressed for time. This is the month (or just prior to this), that class teachers meet up with parents for a report of their children's performance. And yes...I am a class teacher as well. From collecting the marks, preparing the mark sheet, right up to meeting the parents themselves, can be quite stressful. We have to make sure that the marks that are keyed in are correct, but what is worse is chasing after the subject teachers for marks, and the odd one or two students for their report cards, just to be sure we meet the deadline for passing up the report cards to be signed by the administrators and returned to us before the parent-teacher day! Stressful...as a result, i was so exhausted and even blacked out in school one afternoon...bummer!!

This is the time too that the third monthly test papers needs to be prepared. By right I should be reprieved this month, considering I had prepared the midyear exam papers. But upon looking at my colleague who is pregnant, and as her Science Panel Chief, I have not the heart to let her carry that burden on top of the obvious burden she is carrying in her now. So, yet again, I assume the responsibility, at least in the name of frienship. Same goes with Biology paper. And, truth be told, I have yet to submit those papers for printing. But they will be ready, God Willing. I adhere this time to the saying, "IF not for the last minute jobs, many things would not be done," hahaha...lame excuse I know..

Still there is lots to rejoice in this month. Big brother Apek's birthday celebration was a blast. I finally got the chance to show off (hmmm) and try out the camera on my new Samsung smartphone. Got the chance to meet up with all my sisters and brothers too...something I always look forward too, not forgetting the food.

Then, it was also report card day for both my boys. Reports that came back make m ever more grateful to God for having them. Ashraf as usual with his string of all As, with his deeniyah scoring an almost perfect 100% score, 97 ++%...really I was and still impressed. As for his academics, all A1s except you know what...Biology! and Add. Maths. Well done son. And as for my little baby, he scored 4As for his UPSR subject, getting a B for BM. But as the teacher told me, no one got an A because the particular teacher had set an "extra" difficult paper - for what purpose I fail to see. I would rather he set a paper in line with the national exam standards and format. Well, he has his own reasons I suppose. But the best part, my baby Zakiy got 1st position in class this time, for the second time, You know what, I think he is slowly maturing, and catching up with his brother.

Still more to come, Finally I got the agreement letter to my novel. And the last information is that, God Willing the book will be out in the market in 3 weeks time. Look out for it okay. And please please please, support my first novel. Get them for your children, for your friend's children, for yourselves if need be hahaha...Please pray for me....and my first born novel...more on this later. But for now, I am looking forward to unwind with my siblings at mom's birthday potluck party tonight...inshaallah.

p/s: Uncle, I strive to update this blog for you and auntie ok...smiles...

About Me

Salaam.

From my greetings, you can know I am a Muslim, and sharing the same birthday as Nehru and Prince Charles. I was born and bred in Klang, Selangor, and the 10th child of Cikgu Manaf, who was well known in my hometown as the football referee. My Mom, is a housewife, bringing up all 11 of us tirelessly - 4 boys and 7 girls.

My primary education was in MGS Klang, and then off to Sek. Men. Sains Selangor in Cheras, Then, I won a scholarship to do A levels in Grantham Lincs in England, and then I proceeded to Salford University in Manchester to pursue a course in Biology. It was in my final year that I met hubby, Zulbahri Long who was studying Engineering in Sheffield University.

Unfortunately too, it was at this time that I discovered that I had Glomerulonephritis, or simply put, both my kidneys were failing me. All praise be to Allah, I managed to complete my studies nonetheless.

Upon return to Malaysia, I had my one year tour of Teaching practical from Maktab Perguruan Temenggong Ibrahim in JB. I was the first batch to do KPLI (known as SPLI then).

I lost my first born in 1986, due to my renal failure, had to be on dialysis in 1987 for a year, before alhamdulillah, my older sis, ONI, God bless her, donated one of her kidneys to me in August 1988. Read my post on this...

With my renal transplant, began a new lease of life for me. I further my quest of knowledge in different fields. I have Dip in Islamic guidance and counseling, a certificate in Public Speaking, a Dip in Color Vibration Therapy. My most recent study brought me a Medical Degree in Alternative Medicine from the Indian Board of Alternative Medicine. I am happy to see the name endorsed on my scroll - Dr. Norhafizah Abd. Manaf.

But above all, my career is my passion. Careerwise, I am a Science/Biology teacher, currently teaching in my 4th school. I simply love being around youngsters. To better myself in this field, I have attended the Superteaching Prog, so I like to think of myself as a Quantum Teacher.

Speaking of youngsters, I have 2 fantastic boys of my own, having lost 2 previously due to my state of health. My 2 boys are the gems in my life, the apples of my eyes, Ahmad Ashraf Ilman, 15 and Ahmad Zakiy Mohsin, 11. Read about them in my blog, or better yet, visit their blogs, linked to mine.

I am the kind of person who can't really stay put, not doing anything. However, due to my condition, I cant afford to be too physically active. So my interest lie in the realm of the mind. I love reading and writing, and have got some of my writings published locally and outside Malaysia. Hope to publish a book one day, inshaallah. During the holidays, I try as best as I possibly can to travel, either domestically or overseas, my family's favorite destination being Mekah of course.

My prolonged steroid medication for my kidneys have unavoidably caused some complications to my health. So, really I created this blog just for my personal musings and reflections, hopefully as a legacy I can leave to my boys...and their future children inshaallah. However, should anyone stumble onto this blog, please feel free to leave your comments. It is always nice to have friends visiting.

Salam.