A break

Dear friends,

It has been a lovely experience, renewing acquaintances and meeting new friends over the poetry blogosphere. The year 2013 was predicted to be a busy and hopefully fruitful year for those under the Snake sign of the Chinese Calendar.

Well, it looks like I have a bit more than I can chew at the moment. I am currently working on two books entitled SITI and RATU which I hope to finish by September this year. I will also be attending the International Congress of Asian Folklores in Indonesia in June this year and hope to deliver a paper on NAGA.

I will be working with my international publisher XLibris in the coming months to promote NAGA on a more aggressive nature. And with my local publisher Utusan Publishers to finish my latest anthology of Asian legends and folklores, 366 Legends of Asia.

And that covers my partime hobby - writing!

Professionally, I run TiE Malaysia, an NGO that promotes entrepreneurship in Malaysia. We work with the government on coaching young start-ups and hope to match them with Angel investors to take their businesses to the next level. Our programs are going into high gear next month.

Well, that covers my professional life.

I have also decided to go back to school! I will be doing my thesis  for my Masters in Malay Lit this year.

I thank God everyday for my beautiful family and my five daughters, not to mention husband and best friend, and three lovely Siamese cats all of whom requires my devoted attention.

So I am taking a break. I look forward to peep and have a look at how all of you are doing form time to time. But just in case you were wondering, at least you know why I suddenly disappeared - for a while.

Loves,

Ninot

Ikesha's Eyes

Moon

summer moon rising

in the most unlikely place

eyes see brilliance

Volcano

rumbling volcano

effervercence overspill

intuitive eyes

Images by Ikesha. Words by ninotaziz.

All rights reserved.

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I suspect that my daughter Ikesha, six years old, sees the world differently than many of us.

Here are two photos she took last week and named accordingly. By the way, both pictures were taken of the same object!

My poems just illustrate the pride I feel for her creativity. I will have to buy her a camera soon. My iPhone memory space runs out because she just snaps away!