Friday, February 20, 2015

Job Hunting

Hey!

I wanted to start this post on a cheerful note, so that it would be evenly balanced with the woes of the week that I have to rant about to you today.

IT'S FRIDAY!! TGIF! JUM'AH MUBARAK!

Did you know that if you make a doa (supplication) in a certain hour of Friday, Allah SWT will definitely answer that doa??
It encourages you to always think of Allah SWT on this blessed day!

Have you already read surat al-kahf yet? I haven't yet.. and it's zuhr time now. Uh-oh. Will do that as soon as I finish praying insha Allah!

Wow. I've written so many positive stuff and thought a lot about religion that my woes don't bother me anymore! SubhanAllah.

Yep. My woes are concerned with the dunya. My main woe is job hunting and my issues with procrastinating and focus.

I've had about 2-3 job interviews in the past 3 months since I've finished honours. I've mostly been applying to get medical receptionist jobs. The outcome of two of those interviews have not been successful. The 3rd one, is just a maybe. Which gives me hope! That 3rd interview was just an interview with the manager. At the moment they already have receptionists, but she said she would talk to the doctors about taking on another and she would call me if she needs a receptionist. Ya Allah... I hope I do get the job!

I think if I got jobs at the first two I interviewed at, it would have been difficult. One was located in the middle of no where and was only reachable by bus. Another was located about an 11 min walk from the nearest train station. Which was kings cross! Um... Asian hijabi girl walking in Kings Cross? Yeah. Not a good idea.
And I'm probably overthinking this, but on my walk to my interview (the one near Kings Cross), I think someone spat out of their car in my direction. I'm probably overthinking it, but it was a pretty loud spit. And that's not normal behaviour, unless expressing intense dislike for something. That is, me.

So, now that I think about it... getting those two jobs were not best for me. Alhamdulillah. And I think I will get a job soon insha Allah. I'm currently busy at the moment working on a couple of things. Getting a job now will be difficult. But insha Allah. I will get the perfect job for me, at the best time for me. And when that best time will be? Allahu a'lam!

Trust in Allah SWT. Just make sure you do a lot of good deeds, stay away from haraam, pray on time, take care of your parents and family, and make plenty of doa.

*****************
p.s. update on the novel: Procrastinating... but once I'm done with all this stuff, will get back to it!

Sunday, February 8, 2015

Started my Novel planning

Hey hey!

So I've started planning for my novel. I've decided that the novel shall go on for a number of books. And each book will go through a certain period of the protagonist's life. I won't disclose many more details. heheh.

But I've realised that the books I've loved the most are the ones that take you on a journey. Where you grow up with the characters. Something like Harry Potter. But I grew up with Harry Potter and that would span around 10 years! Hopefully it won't be that long.

I didn't grow up with the Anne of Green Gables series though. I read all the books in the series in the span of one year. And it is a classic. I want my novels to have that type of impact, long after I finish writing the final book (whenever that may be).

By the way, I've decided to publish the series on wattpad. I've only recently learnt about this website. I won't link the story just yet as I haven't even started yet! I've mostly been planning my characters and stuff. But, what worries me is that wattpad is known to host a lot of fanfiction. And I kind of don't want that reputation to demean my work. But in saying that, I've seen SO MANY really interesting stories published on that website. And well, I think it's a good place for me to start publishing stuff there, as an amateur novelist.

I'm only an amateur novelist as a hobby. I have other, bigger and more ambitious teams.

What being a novelist means to me:
For me, it's a certain type of expression. It's an opportunity to cross into a realm where I am free and in control of what I write.
English at school was never my forte. Maths was!
I remember the times at school when I would struggle to write a creative writing peace. And in the end I would write a piece of trash due to it being written against a set task. And teachers would never give my essays or narratives full marks. Writing never came easily to me as it did to my classmates. But now, I think I will use this chance to better myself. To cross into uncomfortable territory. To express my thoughts into something inspiring and exciting. To make my written communication skills the best insha Allah!