This week, we (Foong and I) made arrangements to meet each other on Tuesday, when both of us had lectures at XMUM. I knew Dr. Foong See Kit from years back. I believe I first met him at the 5th APPC Physics Conference, Awana Genting Highlands in 1992. It was my first (international) conference in Malaysia and I was introduced to many theorists particularly those who are Malaysian in origin and Foong was one of them. I believe the other time we met was the Frontier in Quantum Physics conference in Concorde Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, in 1997. The next time, I think I met him in IAS, NTU. So, when he found out that I was also teaching at XMUM, he contacted me through e-mail. Finally, we made the arrangement for Tuesday when I finish my class at 3pm and he is waiting his next class at 4pm.
We almost missed each other; I was walking away from Block A4 and I think he just came out from Block A3. We stared at each momentarily, perhaps unsure of each other due to our changed appearance. I only saw him when his hair was still black and me, when he saw me was more skinny (we told this to each other). We went to have coffee at Zus Coffee, and chatted about the past and our present situation. By 3.40ish pm, we said goodbye to each other as he goes for his class.
Me, thereafter, rush to do Dzuhr prayers since my two-hour class starts at 1pm and ends at 3pm. At the surau (prayer place), I met Dr. Zaidan (my former boss/head of department at UPM). We chatted and prayed Asr prayers together.
It was rather a coincidence that I met all the part-time lecturers for Physics that day.
Last weekend, a war broke out in the Middle East and I believe it was a surprise to many. Like many wars, there will be (many) innocent victims and we pray for them. I carefully followed the development and it became a distraction from my teaching preparation. There is also concern how this war will escalate and how it will affect the world economy. May Allah protect us from any misfortunes and calamities.
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