Tinggalkan dia,Demi Dia

Saya bukanlah doktor cinta yang dapat merawat atau memberikan ubat kepada penghidapnya.Namun,sebagai rakan,saya tetap optimis dan memberikan yang terbaik apabila diajukan soalan dan diminta pendapat tentang cinta ini walaupun merasakan ianya hanya sekadar teori.Selebihnya,terpulang dan terserahlah kepada individu tersebut untuk meletakkan teori itu dalam bentuk praktikal dan amalannya.

"shah,aku ada satu masalah".
Secara tiba-tiba chatting box di fb saya diketuk seseorang di tengah malam.
"Ceritalah,apa masalahnya".

Seperti yang diduga,saya dapat menebak maksud masalahnya sebelum dia memberitahu.Masalah yang sememangnya sinonim dengan remaja yang masih belum berumahtangga,masalah cinta.

"Mula-mula kami bertegur di facebook,sekadar biasa,namun lama-lama dia memberitahu dia suka pada aku".

Rupanya zaman sekarang,masih ada perempuan yang menghulurkan bunga terlebih dahulu kepada kumbang sebelum kumbang memberi salam.Lama menanti penerangan dia dan akhirnya saya simpulkan jalan mudah bagaimana untuk menolong dia melupakan perempuan tersebut.

"Janganlah berhubung lagi dengan dia kalau merasakan tidak perlu".
"Sudah,sudah buat.Cuma kadang-kadang".
"Masih terbayangkan dia?".
"Erm.Susah,aku malu pada Allah".

Dalam nada menyesal,dia tahu 'melayan' perasaan itu akan membawa parah kalau tidak di cegah awal-awal.

"Buatlah solat sunat taubat setiap hari,ditambah dengan amalan-amalan sunat yang lain dan banyakkanlah berdoa".

Seolah-olah saya berlagak serupa seorang ustazah,tapi keadaan yang memaksa bertindak sedemikian.Dan akhirnya,saya sekadar cuba memberikan dia semangat kembali,supaya bangkit,dalam penyesalan dia atas ketelanjuran 'perasan suci itu'.Biar dia tahu,yang Allah masih sayangkan dia.

"Kamu hebat".
"Hebat,kenapa?".
"Sebab kamu tahu perkara itu salah,lalu kamu tinggalkan.Hebatlah itu".

Benar,hebatlah sesiapa yang dapat menangkis gelora yang sedang membara di jiwa.Lebih-lebih mereka yang sedang di uji dengan virus ini.Dan dia sepatutunya sedar,kalau Allah tidak mencintai dia,sudah lama Dia biarkan hatinya di isi dengan cinta makhluknya.

Sesungguhnya,cinta Rabbul Izzati tidak ada tolak bandingnya.Sifat Penyayang dan Pengasihnya mendahului sifat Yang Maha Menghukum kepunyaanNya.Dia menghulurkan keampunan tanpa dipohon hambanya hanya dengan amalan wudhu,bersedekah dan solat.Kasih sayangnya luas dan merata-rata.Cuma perlu menyerahkan jiwa yang ikhlas kepadaNya.

Diriwayatkan oleh Saiyidina Abu Hurairah, Rasulullah s.a.w. bersabda,"Tatkala Allah menciptakan makhluk, Allah telah menuliskan dalam kitab catatan-Nya yang berada di sisi-Nya di atas arsy bahawa sesungguhnya kasih sayang-Ku mengalahkan murka-Ku" [riwayat Imam Muslim].

Saya pernah tersentak melihat foto yang tidak sepatutnya di simpan dalam telefon milik seorang muslimah.Hanya mampu mengalirkan airmata,bukan mencemuh,tapi memirkan cara bagaimana mengatasi masalah ini.Hanya mampu memaki diri sendiri kerana melepaskan hati seorang sahabat jatuh ke tangan seorang lelaki yang bukan bernama suami.

"shah,thanks for that.I'll try to handle this out".

Dalam tergamam membaca mesejnya,saya hanya berdoa mudah-mudahan nawaitunya itu dimakbul Allah.Saya tidak menegur secara kasar,menghukum dia bercinta itu berdosa,haram,terus masuk neraka,saya cuma berkata saya sedih kerana hatinya sudah dimiliki oleh seorang insan bernama lelaki yang masih berstatus ajnabi.

Ya,walaupun sudah mendapat lampu hijau daripada ibu bapa,cinta itu masih samar-samar.Tidak ada jaminan untuk kekal.Tidak ada kepastian 'cinta pertama' akan jadi cinta yang kekal hingga ke syurga apatah lagi abadi selamanya.

Tidak disangka,saya mendapat maklum balas daripadanya.

"Pasal masalah itu,saya sudah settlekan".
Dalam hati masih tidak percaya,namun syukur tak terkata.

"Saya kata pada lelaki itu,kalau ada jodoh tak ke mana.Persiapkan diri terlebih dahulu".
"Berkawan boleh,tapi jangan lebih-lebih".

Saya memberikan peringatan,tidak mahu dia tampak agama menjadi berat hanya dengan soal cinta.

"Lebih-lebih?".
 "Belum tentu dia akan menjadi suami kita".
"Setuju-setuju".

Hanya Allah sahaja yang tahu,bagaimana gembiranya hati ini.Doa yang dipanjat,kini telah diangkat.

"Ya Allah,kau jagalah hati dia,kau tunjukkanlah hati dia,kau tetapkanlah hati dia".

Dan kata-kata nasihat 'berbunga' saya untuk sahabat tercinta,

"Janganlah kita mencari cinta,biarlah cinta yang mencari kita".

Cinta akan mencari pemiliknya.

Yang dinamakan rasa cinta itu umpama seorang makhluk yang bernyawa.Perlukan sebuah kediaman untuk dibelai,dimanja,dan dijaga rapi.Dan kediaman itulah di sebuah tempat yang bertakhta tinggi,di hati nurani.

Ramai manusia hari ini menerima cinta dalam keadaan yang belum bersedia.Masih hingusan,umpama betik muda,terlalu awal untuk matang.Cinta yang terjalin hanya bersandarkan emosi semata,penuh tangisan,ketawa dan bahagia yang palsu semata.Sudah terlanjur bercinta,maka jalan keluarnya ialah dengan hidup bersama,bernikah.

Dalam keadaan tidak bersedia inilah rumahtangga akan menjadi pincang,masalah remeh menjadi rumit,hinggakan pertengkaran kecil membawa kepada penceraian.Kahwin muda,berceraipun muda.Beginikah masjid yang ingin kita bina?
Tidak sesekali.Bertentangan sekali dengan ajaran nabi..

Murabbi cinta,Ustaz Hasrizal,walaupun beliau janggal sendiri dengan gelaran itu,banyak mengemukakan teori cinta berdasarkan pengalaman yang ada.Sangat ditekankan ialah persiapan dan persediaan.

Bila masanya tiba.

Bila persiapan sudah mantap,seruan datang tanpa di ajak.Bila sudah bersedia,emosi dan ekonominya,ilmu dunia dan akhiranya,ilmu rumahtangga dan kepimpinannya,tidak ada masalah untuk menuju ke destinasi idaman.Inilah masa yang sesuai untuk si cinta mencari pemiliknya.

Dan masanya bukan sekarang.Yang waktu bersms dengan si dia dengan duit pinjaman,keluar berdua dengan wang kiriman ibu bapa tersayang.Matangkah kita kalau belanja cinta begini?

Luahan rasa.

Ada yang kurang gemar bicara soal cinta,tampak remeh dan temeh.Saya juga.Soal cinta dan kahwin muda  akan menjadi ranking pertama di mana-mana.Seolah-olah remaja kita tidak sabar-sabar.Sedangkan apa yang dikejar-kejar belum tentu hala tuju dan matlamatnya.Namun jangan dipandang sebelah mata,ada manusia yang hidup berkiblatkan cinta.Pelajaran terabai,amalan tercicir,keluarga terpinggir hanya kerana sedang diladungi setitis cinta ini.Dalam tidur,makan,mandi,solatnya hanya untuk dengan cinta.Buah zikirnya juga adalah nama si dia sahaja.

Sudah-sudahlah bermain dengan api cinta.Nampak kecil,namun bila-bila masa boleh merebak dan marak.Mula-mula dianggap kawan,lama-lama cinta jadi lawan.Mula-mula cinta itu menjadi penyuluh,lama-lama cinta yang menjadi penyuruh.Kerana si dia,semua jawapan ya.Maka,kalau boleh di cegah,cegahlah dari awal.Kerana ia fitrah,maka jangan kerananya kita difitnah.Jangan sembunyikan cinta di sebalik tudung labuh,di sebalik kopiah dan jubah,di sebalik nama 'dakwah'.Jangan salut cinta palsu itu dengan agama kita yang mulia.

Biarlah cinta bertasbih,jangan kita bertasbihkan cinta.

Sedarlah,umat memerlukan kita.Kalau asyik dengan soalan cinta,sampai bila saudara di Palestin terpaksa menunggu sengsara?

Nilai sebutir airmata Di sisiNya

Menasihati orang lain itu mudah,namun memberi nasihat kepada diri sendiri amatlah payah.Bayangkan,bercakap pada hati tetapi seolah-olah ia tidak didengari.Amat pedih sekali!Itulah yang Allah ajarkan pada saya hari ini.

Takdir itu adalah suatu tulisan nasib yang telah dirancang olehNya.Ianya diluar pengetahuan kita.Hakikatnya,takdir itu urusan Tuhan,bukan kerja manusia.Kita semua  telah mafhum bahawa adakalanya Allah menghadirkan kesedihan pada kita tanpa sebarang isyarat.Adakala dugaan itu hadir dikala kita tidak bersedia.Dan semuanya berlaku diluar kemahuan kita.

Sebagaimana Dia telah menganugerahkan kita nikmatNya dari sudut yang tidak dijangka-jangka,begitulah berkuasaNya Dia menguji kita di waktu yang Dia rahsiakan.Tidak kira kita baru enak-enak gembira seketika tadi,sejenak ada rasa sedih yang mencengkam sanubari.Langsung menghentak pergi rasa gembira yang kita miliki.

Dan bahawa sesungguhnya, Dia lah yang menyebabkan (seseorang itu bergembira) tertawa, dan menyebabkan (seseorang itu berdukacita) menangis; (43)-Al-Najm

Bahawa sesungguhnya Dia hanya mahu mendidik kita bahawa segala apa yang kita miliki itu hanya sementara pinjamannya.Bahkan,kalau tidak diusik olehNya,mungkin selamanya kita akan rasa memiliki segalanya.

Berdiri di tikungan ujian umpama bersedia untuk rebah.Tidak tenang dengan jiwa yang sedang berkocah.Fikiran juga semakin rancu.Mulalah berargumentasi dengan diri sendiri,tetapi perlu berkali-kali.Selama ini saya berkata pada orang lain,sabarlah duhai hati,Allah sedang mengujimu.Dan hari ini saya perlu berkata pada hati sendiri.Tapi sedih itu,tidak jua pergi.

Bagaimana mahu mengenal diri kita?Jawapannya-tika diuji dengan kalam sendiri.Selama ini,lidah yang tidak bertulang itu hebat mengukir bicara dan butir nasihat buat insan lain,dan sekarang kita perlu menghadaminya kembali.Selama ini setiap airmata orang lain kita sapu dengan jari,kesedihan mereka kita larik dengan doa,simpati ke atas mereka kita siram dengan nasihat.

Nah,saat kita sendiri diuji,apa yang kita lakukan?

Manusia memang begitu.Selalu lupa pada dirinya.Alpa tika diberi nikmat,goyah bila ditelus duga.

Apabila ia ditimpa kesusahan, dia sangat resah gelisah; (20)-Al-Ma’arij

Saya cuba beralih kepada youtube,menonton video untuk cuba menghilangkan fokus pada kesedihan.Tetapi tidak mudah.Berkali-kali terbaring ke kanan dan kiri.Saya pujuk lagi,bila Allah mengambil sesuatu daripada kita,Dia akan menggantikan dengan sesuatu yang lebih baik.Dia itu Maha Adil.Dia itu Maha mengetahui.

Belum puas lagi dengan bujuk rayu itu,saya memohon pula,Tuhan gantikan ia dengan segera.Segera dan segera agar hati ini segera tenang.

Tapi kemudian rasa menyesal pula bertamu.Rasa malu sebenarnya pada Tuhan.Selama ini Dia memberi segalanya dengan melimpah ruah,bukan sedikit-sedikit,namun tidak pula bersegera  sujud dan bersyukur pada Dia.Namun sesekali Dia mahu menguji dengan menarik nikmat seketika,saya terus mohon digantikan segera.Aduh,Allah,kejam benar hambaMu ini.

Dan benarlah Al-Baqarah di ayat ke 45,

Dan mohonlah pertolongan (kepada Allah) dengan sabar dan solat.

Itu sahaja pengubat resah dan gundah.Allah yang memberikan hambanya dugaan,Allah jualah penyembuh kepada dugaan itu.Dan sabar itu perlu,sebagai tasdik iman.

Tatkala Dia menguji iman kita,hanya Dia sahaja yang tahu tahap kesabaran dan kekuatan kita.Dia itu tidak pernah menzalimi hambaNya.Allah itu telah berjanji pada kita bahawa tidak akan dibebani hambaNya dengan sesuatu yang diluar kemampuannya.Ya,Dia sebenar Yang Maha Penyayang dan Pengasih.

Bila kita di uji,segala isi hati kita hanya Dia yang tahu.Ya,hanya Tuhan sahaja tahu.Setiap sujud yang kita berikan,ketenanganlah yang Dia ganjari.Dan,sesekali diberi ruang untuk merasai nikmat sebutir tabah dan secebis sabar,ianya bukan perkara biasa.

Ingatlah,Dia berhak menghamparkan bahagia,Dia juga berhak membentangkan duka.

nota cinta saya untuk kamu

Persoalan cinta.

Hati dan fikiran saya sudah masuk ke jaringan yang rancu.Berfikir tentang cinta hanya menambah buncah di tasik hati saya.Mencari dan terus  mencari jawapannya,dari mana ia bermula,mengapa ia perlu,siapa yang memulakan dan bagaimana ia berakhir.Namun akhirnya,saya tiada menemui jawapannya.Benar ianya sangat rumit untuk dirungkai.

Saya cuma ingin menyelami cinta yang bagaimana remaja kita sedang maksudkan?Adakah mereka dambakan cinta sekadar sebuah keseronokan hingga terbawa ke ranjang,atau cinta yang sekadar peneman dan ubat kesunyian atau mungkin cinta yang mereka idam-idamkan akan membawa ke gerbang pernikahan?Lalu saya timbulkan persoalan di sini,sejauh mana orang sedang kita cintai dijamin akan menjadi suami kita?

Tiada jawapan.

Keindahan sebuah cinta.

Tanpa pengalaman keluar berdua-duan dengan kekasih,makan bersama sepinggan dengan si dia,bergambar bersama kemudian menatap gambarnya bila teringatkannya,panggil-memanggil melalui telefon,saya tidak bisa merasai keindahan sebuah cinta?Mengapa tidak?

Saya melihat keindahan cinta itu digambarkan melalui ceritera cinta,drama korea,Melayu,Indonesia dan paling berkesan cerita Hindustan.Ya,melihat cerita cinta dalam kaca mata untuk memahami ragam manusia.Kerana,saya sedang melalui kehidupan dengan manusia.Lihatlah cerita Hindi,lagunya sahaja mampu membuatkan manusia yang mendengar mampu mengalirkan airmata tanpa perlu memahami maknanya!Asyik benar cinta.

Lihat sahaja kehebatan cerita mohabbatein yang bertuhankan dan berkiblatkan cinta manusia semata-mata.Bagaimana digambarkan cinta mampu melebur ego,membahagiakan insan yang sedang berairmata dan sebagainya.

Bukan penafian

Perlu di sematkan dalam sengit ingatan yang paling dalam wahai remajaku,cinta itu bukan milik kamu,bukan milik kamu!Cinta itu milik Allah.Cinta adalah rahmat dan kasih sayangNya kepada para hambaNya.Cuba bayangkan,andai tiada perasaan cinta yang di cipta dalam jiwa manusia,bukankah dunia kita akan gersang dan menjadi huru-hara?


Manusia akan membunuh sesama  manusia kerana tiada cinta dan sayang sesama mereka,manusia membunuh binatang tanpa perasaan kerana hilang rasa belas kasihan,manusia merosakkan keindahan alam kerana semuanya tiada makna.

Di sini,makna cinta perlu di perhalusi.

Kalau kita soroti kembali sirah,cinta itu sebenarnya bermula di Syurga.Kerana cinta,tersentap jiwa Adam tatkala pertama kali disapa Hawa.Lihat,betapa tingginya martabat cinta yang Allah jadikan,namun dek kerana syaitan yang menggoda datuk kita Adam A.S,maka kita tersingkir sekarang di bumi.Maka,sekarang sudah menjadi kewajipan dan tanggungjawab kita menjaga kesucian cinta untuk mengembalikannya semula  ke syurga.Bukankah ini satu amanah?

Namun,agak hairan ya mengapa ramai sungguh remaja hari ini yang berkomplot dengan syaitan dan tergamak menghumban cinta ke jurang neraka.Wahai remaja,sekali lagi ku tanya,cinta yang bagaimana kau maksudkan sebenarnya?

Saya langsung tidak menafikan keindahan dan kesucian sebuah makam dan martabat cinta.Kerana menghargai sebuah cintalah saya tidak mahu remaja bermain-main dengan cinta.Kerana saya tidak sanggup lagi mendengar kerana cinta,berapa ramai maruah gadis yang akan ternoda,berapa ramai anak yang tak bernoda dihabisi nyawanya di tangan manusia yang hanyut diladung secebis nafsu kerana cinta.Saya sudah penat melihat ceritera cinta palsu ini.

Cinta yang bukan cinta.

Ingat ya,yang kamu kelek anak dara orang ke panggung wayang dan taman-taman,itu bukan cinta yang datang daripada Pencipta cinta yang Hak.

Yang kamu tiduri itu di ranjang tanpa sebarang ikatan,itu bukan cinta!

Yang kamu makan bersuap-suap,kamu pegang-pegang,bertukar-tukar hadiah dan bunga,itu pun bukan cinta!

Yang kamu saling bermesej-mesej,kamu telefon siang malam,kamu nasihat-nasihat dengan bersalut dan bertopengkan agama pun itu bukan cinta!

Aduh,susahnya mencari makna cinta!

Beberapa hari yang lepas,saya bersembang dengan seorang sahabat tentang masalah ini,ya masalah ini.Saya meminta pendapatnya tentang cinta yang sudah mendapat restu keluarga dan dia pun berkongsi sedang menghadapi masalah yang sama dengan kawannya.

“susahkan bila ibu bapa sudah bagi lampu hijau pada anak masing-masing.Macam mana mereka boleh jamin bahawa lelaki dan perempuan itu akan jadi menantu mereka?”.

Persoalan itu tak dapat saya jawab,

“Nak tegur salah,tak tegur salah.Aduh,lemahnya iman”.

Itulah persoalan yang membelenggu.Namun,suka saya ingatkan kepada remaja yang telah mendapat lesen tersebut,ia bukan jaminan kamu boleh bercinta sesuka hati kerana ia sesen pun tidak menghalalkan perhubungan itu.

Kenapa?

Dalam Islam,hanya dengan akad sahaja yang menghalalkannya.

Bukan lesen daripada ibu bapa,bukan cinta islamik yang kau salutkan dengan agama,bukan cinta yang berselindung di sebalik jubah dan tudung labuh yang cuba kau sorokkan.Bukan semua itu.

Dilema daei

Suka saya memetik kata-kata daripada blog Az-Zariyyat,Cinta telah membahagikan manusia kepada tiga golongan,

1. golongan yang menyokong cinta (couple). Mereka berpendapat cinta adalah fitrah dan suatu bukti kedewasaan yang mesti ditempuh oleh setiap manusia untuk memastikan mereka melalui proses kehidupan yang normal.” Tak jantan lah kalau tak bercouple!”

2. golongan yang menolak cinta remaja (couple). Selalunya mereka ini dilabel sebagai budak-budak dakwah, yang sentiasa bersiap siaga dengan hadis dan ayat Quran di kepala untuk ‘menembak’ golongan yang bercouple.

3. golongan yang menerima cinta (couple) dalam ruang lingkup tertentu. Bermakna perlu ada syarat dan adab dalam bercinta seperti dikemukakan dalam dialog di atas. Biasanya mereka dilihat sebagai golongan yang berfikiran terbuka dan berpandangan jauh.Namun golongan ini sebenarnya tiada pendirian,mereka kata boleh bercinta asal jaga syariat dan adat.Persoalannya,wujud atau tidak cinta yang bertunjangkan syariat Allah tanpa akad?

Tidak kira di manakah golongan kita berada,ingat, bersedialah kita dengan hujah kita kalau disoal Allah mengapa kita berpendirian dalam golongan itu.

Pendapat saya,golongan yang anti-kapel lebih cenderung untuk melihat fenomena cinta ana-enti.Dimana mereka lebih suka menyanjung karya-karya seperti cerpen cinta islamik yang sedang berlambak di internet mahupun pasaran.

Bukankah sebenarnya cara ini juga membuatkan mereka ada rasa juga untuk bercinta?

Motiwasi?Berapa peratus sebenarnya akan memberi kesan kepada kita?Kenapa tidak kita ambil sirah dan teladan sebagai motiwasi untuk menjadi hati kita.

Cinta manusia yang membawa kepada cinta ilahi.

Terkadang cinta kita sesama insan

bisa mengundang keredhaan Tuhan

Adakah cinta Tuhan yang dimaksudkan cinta yang lahir selepas kita puas menikmati cinta manusia,lalu kecewa dan membawa hati lara untuk mengadu kepada Allah?Adakah begitu yang kau maknakan dengan cinta ilahi?

Cinta Ilahi

Dengan apa sebenarkan kita maknanya cinta agung ini?Adakah dengan hanya dengan nukilan puisi-puisi yang puitis dan romantis?

Sesekali tidak,kerana cinta Allah adalah hasil daripada puncak keimanan dan akan diterjemahkan melalui perlakuan dan amalan.Hanya cinta ilahi sahaja yang akan mendiam kembali di dalam syurgaNya.Lalu,adakah dengan memilih cinta manusia yang belum tentu ada redhaNya untuk kita kemudikan hati ini ke syurga?

Atau kita memilih dengan bermunajat,mengenalNya,merasai keagunganNya,membuatkan kita tahu hakikat sebenar diri kita hanya seorang hamba.Umpama hamba yang menagih simpati tuannya,kita merayu dan memohon cinta Tuhan yang telah menciptakan kita.Kita yang menentukan jalannya.

Nampakkah (wahai Muhammad) keburukan keadaan orang yang menjadikan hawa nafsunya: tuhan yang dipuja lagi ditaati? Maka dapatkah engkau menjadi pengawas yang menjaganya jangan sesat? (43)-Al-Furqan

Pesan saya

Kalau kamu mahu sangat menyintai manusia,pastikan dia yang kau cintai itu adalah hamba yang disayangi dan layak dicintai Allah.Ada jaminankah dia akan membawamu ke syurgaNya dengan cintanya?Apakah engkau layak di cintai Allah sekiranya engkau meneguk nikmat cinta si dia?

Persoalan itu perlu kita tanya sejujurnya pada hati kita supaya kelak jangan kerana setitis cinta,hidup kita akan merana.Berfikirlah sedalam-dalamnya sebelum kau ungkapkan kalimah cintamu pada si dia kerana ia juga turut bakal di persoalkan.

Kerana ia fitrah,maka cinta itu jangan di tentang,jangan pula dilayan.

Seeloknya baik dilupakan.Sibuk-sibukkanlah diri dengan membaca,aktiviti persatuan dan membantu menyelesaikan masalah umat yang tak berkesudahan.Paling tidak,kalau tidak mampu juga,cukuplah kita bermuhjahadah dan mengislahkan diri kita sebelum menjadikan kita seorang yang layak di cintai oleh hambaNya.

Pada saya,daripada saya melayan ceritera cinta,cerpen-cerpen cinta agama yang hanya akan menggelodakkan lagi gelora cinta di jiwa,elok saya membaca kisah orang ‘sudah bercinta’ di alam rumah tangga.Kerana,cinta sesudah akad itu sebenar jauh berbeza dengan keindahan cinta yang kita bayang-bayangkan.

Ya,kita bakal hidup dengan seorang manusia yang berlainan dengan kita walaupun kita seringkali berkata bahawa kita sudah ada persefahaman dengannya.Asam garam mereka yang ‘sudah bercintalah’ yang sebenarnya membantu mematangkan kita untuk memahami hakikat setitis cinta manusia .

Bukankah untuk menuju sebuah pernikahan,memerlukan persiapan mental selain fizikal.Maka,berhentilah berbicara soal cinta sebelum nikah semata-mata,sebaiknya elok persiapkan diri dengan ilmu rumahtangga.(pada yang sudah layak sahaja)

Seorang lelaki di sampingku

Dia adalah seorang lelaki remaja yang biasa. Rambutnya hitam berkilat,wajahnya sangat kacak dan imejnya pula menggugat. Dia, sudah tidak dapat lagi melihat kedua orang tuanya. Pasti, dia malu sendiri pada Tuhan. Kerana, dalam perdu hatinya telah ada satu rahsia. Dan sayalah yang berjaya membuka pekung aibnya di dada. Bukan untuk dijaja, tetapi untuk ditatap bersama. Buat tadah yang baik sebagai pengajaran dan buruknya tinggalkan di sempadan.

Dia-sewaktu kecilnya sangat manja. Lahirnya dia amat dinanti. Sepuluh tahun lamanya. Bila dia mengangkat kelopak matanya kali pertama,wajah ayahnya tersenyum. Rambut ayahnya yang sudah memutih sebahagian dan kumis janggut yang masih menawan. Lihat, lamanya penantian. Di sebelah indera dengar yang kanan, dia dibisikkan azan dan iqamah di kirinya.Dia meronta-ronta  meratap tangis enggan meninggalkan alam rahimnya dalam dakapan seorang ibu.

Tuhan,saksikanlah bahawa jiwanya sudah ditanam akidah sejak kakinya sebesar tapak tangan. Dia,telah dimaklumkan bahawa dia perlu taat kepada keduanya seperti firmanNya. Dia meneguk nikmatnya dalam pelukan seorang ibu. Dikucup dengan cinta,di belai dengan kasih. 

Ah, dia jadi paling istimewa antara mereka berdua.

Hari meningkat, dia semakin membesar. Dia dihantar ke sekolah. Dia disunting harapan agar menjadi seorang insan. Setiap kali pulang kerumah, mereka berdua yang akan di cari. Segera dia menunujukkan kertas kerjanya mohon dipuji. Dia akan dicubit dipipi kerana aksinya yang menyenangkan hati.

Namun, dia semakin remaja sekarang. Dia sudah menjadi yang lain. Lebih gemar bersembang dan melepak dengan rakan. Segala yang diminta disediakan. Sangkaan mereka, itulah keperluan puteranya.

Namun, buat pertama kalinya bila bahunya mahu disentuh, dia menepis. Itu belum diminta dahinya untuk dikucup. Dan untuk yang pertamanya, dia menggugurkan airmata mereka.

Dia, menggunakan kemudahannya pada jalan yang salah. Wang pinjamannya digunakan untuk keluar bersama seorang perempuan. Hanya menjenguk mereka bila dalam kesesakan sahaja.

Dia-sudah berubah kata mereka.

Satu hari, saya mendekatinya. Bukan untuk menggoda, tetapi untuk menyampaikan pesan. Mereka kemalangan dan sudah berada di samping Tuhan.

Dan kini setia dia di samping saya dengan airmata yang berjujuhan siang dan malam-sepasang tugu nisan.

Pengajaran

1-Wahai remaja,kenangilah semula masa kecilmu yang indah belaka.Ibu bapa orang pertama yang kamu jatuh cinta.Namun,berangkat dewasa,kau alihkan cinta pada si dia.Meraka kau sisihkan kerana secebis cinta.Adilkah begini?

2-Kalau mahu bercinta,janganlah melaburkan wang pinjaman mahupun biasiswa kepada si dia. Kelak, jika dia dan kamu hanya sekerat jalan bertahan,tiada pampasan yang dia berikan.Ingat!

3-Seorang anak yang soleh di dambakan doanya buat ibu dan bapa.Doa anak soleh sangat mustajab.Terus diangkat Allah tanpa hijab.Jangan biarkan ianya terlambat wahai teman!

Computers and Young Children

Whether we use technology with young children-and if so, how-are critical issues facing early childhood educators and parents. This Digest discusses questions about when children should start using computers; developmentally ap-propriate computer activities in preschool, kindergarten, and early primary classrooms; benefits of computer use; integration of computers into classrooms; and teacher training.
 
When to Introduce Children to Computers

Many researchers do not recommend that children under 3 years old use computers (e.g., Hohmann, 1998). Computers simply do not match their learning style. Children younger than 3 learn through their bodies: their eyes, ears, mouths, hands, and legs. Although they may return over and over again to an activity, they are full of movement, changing focus frequently. Computers are not a good choice for the developmental skills these children are learning to master: crawling, walking, talking, and making friends.

Developmentally Appropriate Computer Activities

Unfortunately, computers are used all too often in ways that are developmentally inappropriate. One study (U.S. Congress, 1995) found that while "schools are steadily increasing their access to new technologies . . . most teachers use these technologies in traditional ways, including drills in basic skills and instructional games" (p. 103). Clements (1994) makes a similar point, noting, "What we as early childhood educators are presently doing most often with computers is what research and NAEYC guidelines say we should be doing least often" (p. 33).

Papert (1998) stresses that computers have an impact on children when the computer provides concrete experiences, children have free access and control the learning experience, children and teachers learn together, teachers encourage peer tutoring, and teachers use computers to teach powerful ideas.

Developmentally appropriate ways to use computers with 3- and 4-year-olds are different from the ways we use computers in kindergarten and the primary grades.

Computers and Preschoolers. Children 3 and 4 years of age are developmentally ready to explore computers, and most early childhood educators see the computer center as a valuable activity center for learning. Timing is crucial. Chil-dren need plenty of time to experiment and explore. Young children are comfortable clicking various options to see what is going to happen next. Teachers may want to intervene when children appear frustrated or when nothing seems to be happening. Frequently, just a quick word or two, even from across the room, reminds children what they need to do next to reach their desired goal. Providing children with minimal help teaches them they can operate the computer successfully. In addition, by observing what children are do-ing, the teacher can ask probing questions or propose prob-lems to enhance and expand children's computer experiences.

Computers for Kindergartners and Early Primary Children. As children enter kindergarten and the primary grades, it is important that they continue to have access to a computer center with a library of developmentally appropriate software. Children need opportunities to make choices about some of their computer experiences. In addition, kindergarten or primary-grade teachers will want to use the computer for more directed activities that match their learning objectives. For example, to enhance language skills, children can compose a letter to a friend or relative using the template provided in ClarisWorks for Kids or similar software.

Children could also work in small groups. For example, one group might use software such as Scholastic's Magic School Bus Explores the Rainforest to compare two of the seven ecozones in the program. Using software such as Edmark's Kids' Desk: Internet Safe, other small groups can investigate these two ecozones on Internet Web sites selected by the teacher. The groups might then merge to share their discoveries and write a report on the ecozones, illustrating each with pictures drawn by members of the group or downloaded from the Internet sites. Through exploring computer experiences, these children build memory skills, learn how to seek out information from multiple sources until they have a clear understanding of ecosystems, and integrate their knowledge of how each ecosystem functions. In the process, they learn to delegate responsibility, interact with others, solve problems, and cooperate to reach a goal.

Benefits of Computer Use

Research has shown that 3- and 4-year-old children who use computers with supporting activities that reinforce the major objectives of the programs have significantly greater developmental gains when compared to children without computer experiences in similar classrooms-gains in intelligence, nonverbal skills, structural knowledge, long-term memory, manual dexterity, verbal skills, problem solving, abstraction, and conceptual skills (Haugland, 1992).

The benefits of providing computers to kindergarten and primary-grade children vary depending upon the kind of computer experiences offered and how frequently children have access to computers. The potential gains for kindergarten and primary children are tremendous, including improved motor skills, enhanced mathematical thinking, increased creativity, higher scores on tests of critical thinking and problem solving, higher levels of what Nastasi and Clements (1994) term effectance motivation (the belief that they can change or affect their environment), and increased scores on standardized language assessments.

In addition, computer use enhances children's self-concept, and children demonstrate increasing levels of spoken communication and cooperation. Children share leadership roles more frequently and develop positive attitudes toward learning (Clements, 1994; Cardelle-Elawar & Wetzel, 1995; Adams, 1996; Denning & Smith, 1997; Haugland & Wright, 1997; Matthew, 1997).

Integration of Computers into the Classroom

Early childhood programs serve diverse populations and have different schedules, curriculums, staffing patterns, re-sources, and so on. Goals for computer use and the steps that schools take to integrate computers into their class-rooms may be completely different but equally successful.

A viable beginning is for teachers, administrators, and parents to share magazine, journal, and newspaper articles they have seen regarding children using computers. A study group of all the individuals who have expressed interest in children using computers can then be organized. The next step is to summarize the benefits of using computers with young children and to discuss goals for the year, including the cost of computers and teacher training.

A first goal may be obtaining computers. The ratio of computers to young children is important-at most 1 to 7, preferably 1 to 5. If this ratio cannot be met with the resources available, it is far better to use a set of computers in a classroom for a month, quarter, or semester and then rotate them to another classroom. Equal access for children is essential; even the most talented teacher will have difficulty integrating computers into his or her classroom with only one computer.

To help in computer selection, the study group can seek out mentors who have expertise using computers. These mentors might be teachers currently using computers, a professor at a college, or leaders in business. The study group may also want to brainstorm possible fund-raising activities and explore the possibility of obtaining used computers from businesses-making sure the computers have the capacity to run software that is currently being marketed for young children.

Teacher Training

Teacher training is essential for computers to be an effective teaching tool. A recent report reveals that only a few teach-ers in a relatively small number of schools have been trained to maximize technology use in classrooms (Gatewood & Conrad, 1997). Training opportunities enable teachers to build skills and confidence and learn strategies to integrate computers into their curriculum. Epstein (1993) identified four critical components of training: practical experience, work-shops, models and mentors, and supervisory follow-up.

As a first step, teachers can explore software that is develop-mentally appropriate for their classrooms. Teachers can then discuss the potential learning objectives of the programs and activities they could use to integrate particular software into their classrooms. Teachers can also participate in workshops that integrate the developmental theory and research regarding computer use with hands-on experiences. Mentors can also provide teachers with affirmation, support, and suggestions for classroom use.

As teachers implement technology in the classroom, their vision of the role of technology in teaching and learning will undoubtedly change. Administrators need to continually support teachers in their quest to discover how technology can best enhance children's learning.

Another Look at What Young Children Should Be Learning

The question of what should be learned must be addressed by all teachers at every level. In terms of broad goals, most teachers and parents readily agree that children should learn whatever will ultimately enable them to become healthy, competent, productive, and contributing members of their communities. But when it comes to the specifics of what should be learned next month, next week, or on any particular day, agreement is not so easily achieved.

The answers will depend partly on the ages of the learners. In other words, the question of what should be learned to some extent depends upon when it is to be learned. Although the what question deals with the goals and objectives of education, the when question involves considerations of what we know about the nature of development and how it relates to learning.

What should be learned takes on new importance as states begin to establish standards for student performance, and as new concern is voiced about "social promotion." The interest in standards, competencies, and promotion policies is likely to have a renewed "push-down" effect on prekindergarten education. It is interesting to note that the recent legislation reappropriating funds for Head Start establishes performance standards and stipulates that all Head Start graduates must learn 10 letters of the alphabet (National Head Start Association, 1998, p. 5). What the letters are expected to mean to the children has not been addressed; these new requirements are apparently intended to address the issue of readiness for formal instruction in literacy and numeracy.

This Digest first defines the concept of development and then outlines some ways to approach both the "what" and "when" questions in terms of what we are learning from research about the effects of various curriculum approaches.

The Nature of Development

The concept of development includes two major dimensions: normative and dynamic. The normative dimension concerns the typical or normal capabilities as well as limitations of most children of a given age within a given cultural milieu. The dynamic dimension concerns the sequence and changes that occur in all aspects of the child's functioning with the passage of time and increasing experience, and how these changes interact dynamically (Saarni, Mumme, & Campos, 1998). Although the normative dimension indicates a probable range of what children typically can and cannot be expected to do and to learn at a given age, the dynamic dimension raises questions about what children should or should not do at a particular time in their development in light of possible long-term dynamic consequences of early experience. In many preschool programs and kindergartens, for example, young children are given instruction in phonics and are expected to complete worksheets and recite number facts in rote fashion. But just because young children can do those things, in a normative sense, is not sufficient justification for requiring them to do so. Most young children willingly do most things adults ask of them. But their willingness is not a reliable indicator of the value of an activity. The developmental question is not only, "What can children do?," rather it is also, "What should children do that best serves their development and learning in the long term?"

Four Categories of Learning Goals

The four categories of learning outlined below are relevant to all levels of education—especially to the education of young children:

Knowledge. In early childhood, knowledge consists of facts, concepts, ideas, vocabulary, stories, and many other aspects of children's culture. Children acquire such knowledge from someone's answers to their questions, explanations, descriptions, and accounts of events, as well as through active and constructive processes of making the best sense they can of their own direct observations.

Skills. Skills are small units of action that occur in a relatively short period of time and are easily observed or inferred. Physical, social, verbal, counting, and drawing skills are among a few of the almost endless number of skills learned in the early years. Skills can be learned from direct instruction or imitated based on observation, and they are improved with guidance, practice, repetition, drill, and actual application or use.

Dispositions. Dispositions can be thought of as habits of mind or tendencies to respond to certain situations in certain ways. Curiosity, friendliness or unfriendliness, bossiness, generosity, meanness, and creativity are examples of dispositions or sets of dispositions, rather than of skills or items of knowledge. Accordingly, it is useful to keep in mind the difference between having writing skills and having the disposition to be a writer, or having reading skills and having the disposition to be a reader (Katz, 1995).

Dispositions are not learned through formal instruction or exhortation. Many important dispositions, including the dispositions to learn and to make sense of experience, are in-born in all children—wherever they are born and are growing up. Many dispositions that most adults want children to acquire or to strengthen—for example, curiosity, creativity, cooperation, openness, friendliness—are learned primarily from being around people who exhibit them; they are strengthened by being used effectively and by being appreciated rather than rewarded (Kohn, 1993).

To acquire or strengthen a particular disposition, a child must have the opportunity to express the disposition in behavior. When manifestations of the dispositions occur, they can be strengthened as the child observes their effectiveness and the responses to them and experiences satisfaction from them. Teachers can strengthen certain dispositions by setting learning goals rather than performance goals. A teacher who says, "See how much you can find out about something," rather than, "I want to see how well you can do," encourages children to focus on what they are learning rather than on an external evaluation of their performance (Dweck, 1991).

Feelings. Feelings are subjective emotional states. Some feelings are innate (e.g., fear), while others are learned. Among feelings that are learned are those of competence, confidence, belonging, and security. Feelings about school, teachers, learning, and other children are also learned in the early years.

Learning through Interaction

Contemporary research confirms that young children learn most effectively when they are engaged in interaction rather than in merely receptive or passive activities (Bruner, 1999; Wood & Bennett, 1999). Young children therefore are most likely to be strengthening their natural dispositions to learn when they are interacting with adults, peers, materials, and their surroundings in ways that help them make better and deeper sense of their own experience and environment. They should be investigating and purposefully observing aspects of their environment worth learning about, and recording and representing their findings and observations through activities such as talk, paintings, drawings, construction, writing, and graphing. Interaction that arises in the course of such activities provides contexts for much social and cognitive learning.

Risks of Early Academic Instruction

Research on the long-term effects of various curriculum models suggests that the introduction of academic work into the early childhood curriculum yields fairly good results on standardized tests in the short term but may be counterproductive in the long term (Schweinhart & Weikart, 1997; Marcon, 1995). For example, the risk of early instruction in beginning reading skills is that the amount of drill and practice required for success at an early age seems to undermine children's disposition to be readers. It is clearly not useful for a child to learn skills if, in the process of acquiring them, the disposition to use them is lost. In the case of reading in particular, comprehension is most likely to be dependent on actual reading and not just on skill-based reading instruction (Snow, Burns, & Griffin, 1998). On the other hand, acquiring the disposition to be a reader without the requisite skills is also not desirable. Results from longitudinal studies suggest that curricula and teaching should be designed to optimize the simultaneous acquisition of knowledge, skills, desirable dispositions, and feelings (Marcon, 1995). Another risk of introducing young children to formal academic work prematurely is that those who cannot relate to the tasks required are likely to feel incompetent. Students who repeatedly experience difficulties leading to feelings of incompetence may come to consider themselves stupid and bring their behavior into line accordingly (Bandura et al., 1999).

Variety of Teaching Methods

Academically focused curricula for preschool, kindergarten, and primary programs typically adopt a single pedagogical method dominated by workbooks and drill and practice of discrete skills. It is reasonable to assume that when a single teaching method is used for a diverse group of children, many of these children are likely to fail. The younger the children are, the greater the variety of teaching methods there should be, because the younger the children, the less likely they are to have been socialized into a standard way of responding to their social environment.

In this way, it is more likely that children's readiness to learn school tasks is influenced by background experiences that are idiosyncratic and unique. For practical reasons, there are limits to how varied teaching methods can be. It should be noted, however, that while approaches dominated by workbooks often claim to individualize instruction, individualization rarely consists of more than the day on which a child completes a particular page or other routine task. As suggested by several follow-up studies, such programs may undermine children's in-born disposition to learn—or at least to learn what the schools want them to learn (Schweinhart & Weikart, 1997; Marcon, 1995).

The Learning Environment

As for the learning environment, the younger the children are, the more informal it should be. Informal learning environments encourage spontaneous play in which children engage in the available activities that interest them, such as a variety of types of play and construction. However, spontaneous play is not the only alternative to early academic instruction. The data on children's learning suggest that preschool and kindergarten experiences require an intellectually oriented approach in which children interact in small groups as they work together on projects that help them make increasing sense of their own experience. Thus, the curriculum should include group projects that are investigations of worthwhile topics. These projects should strengthen children's dispositions to observe, experiment, inquire, and examine more closely the worthwhile aspects of their environment. They usually include constructions and dramatic play as well as a variety of early literacy and numeracy activities that emerge from the work of the investigation and the tasks of summarizing findings and sharing the experiences of the work accomplished.

Critical Thinking Skills and Teacher Education

Many educators have long advocated the teaching of critical thinking skills such as reasoning and problem solving. No action was generated, however, until 1980, when the Rockefeller Commission on the Humanities recommended that critical thinking be included in the U.S. Office of Education definition of basic skills. Three universities now offer a master of arts program in teaching critical thinking; the California State University system requires a course in critical thinking; and the College Board has made it one of the six basic skills needed for college (Educational Testing Service 1984, 8; Ennis 1985, 28).

There are many definitions of critical thinking. Richard Paul (1988, 49) calls it the ability to reach sound conclusions based on observation and information. Barry Beyer (1983) describes it as assessing the authenticity, accuracy and worth of knowledge claims, beliefs, or arguments. Stephen Norris (1985, 40-45) says it helps students to "apply everything they already know and feel, to evaluate their own thinking, and especially to change their behavior...."

Critical thinking is not the same as, and should not be confused with, intelligence; it is a skill that may be improved in everyone (Walsh and Paul 1988, 13). However, it is not something that necessarily develops with maturity and so should be taught to all ages. The New Jersey Test of Reasoning Skills, for example, found that the mean scores of college freshmen tested were less than one point above the mean scores of sixth graders (Lipman 1980).

HOW CAN CRITICAL THINKING BE TAUGHT?

There is some controversy as to whether or not critical thinking should be taught as an independent course (the process approach) or within established courses (the content approach).

Those favoring the process method maintain that like reading and writing, critical thinking is an enabling discipline and deserves separate instruction (Lipman 1988, 143). They argue that an independent course would prevent students from confining critical thinking to a specific subject matter, thereby inhibiting its development (Lipman 1980, 211); would avoid repetition of introductory principles in each subject; and would encourage the application of cognitive skills to other disciplines (Ennis 1985, 29). Matthew Lipman (1980, 209) recommends all grade levels learn reasoning through philosophy because of its unique, intellectually adventurous approach.

Learning cognitive skills separately, however, may not necessarily facilitate their application to content-area studies or real-life situations. Research suggests the effectiveness of such courses depends on parallel efforts across the curriculum (Resnick 1987, 34-35), including training all teachers in cognitive skills (Pauker 1987, 27).

Advocates of the content approach argue that certain cognitive skills are specific to particular disciplines and should be taught in context (Ashton 1988, 4). This method requires that teachers have extensive knowledge of their own discipline and of how it differs from others. They can then instruct students how to apply cognitive skills in their areas and when to make contextual links with other areas (Chambers 1988, 5-6). While this approach enhances content-domain learning (Resnick 1987, 36) and eliminates the problem of scheduling an extra course (Martin 1983), it has not been widely successful in transferring cognitive skills across the curriculum (Resnick 1987, 36) and imposes the burden of redesigning the way courses are taught (Pauker 1987, 27).

Consideration of the advantages and disadvantages of each leads one to conclude the solution is not exclusively in either method, but in combination. Such a unified approach to critical thinking would provide a framework for instruction in any field (Presseisen 1988).

HOW WILL THIS EMPHASIS AFFECT TEACHER EDUCATION?

To improve student performance on critical thinking tests, schools of education must improve teacher training. They must teach cognitive skills to preservice teachers before training them to teach these skills in the classroom (Ashton 1980, 2). They must integrate critical thinking skills into all aspects of teacher preparation and train future teachers to be models of effective thinking strategies (Walsh and Paul 1988, 49).

Schools of education have several obstacles to overcome before accomplishing these goals, including an inadequate knowledge base on teaching critical thinking; a lack of consensus on methods of evaluating critical thinking programs; conditions that require classroom management at the expense of academic instruction; and a lack of support for collaboration between liberal arts and teacher education faculty (Ashton 1988, 2-5).

Elementary and secondary schools considering a critical thinking skills emphasis must make a long-term commitment to programs fostering the critical thinking process; provide inservice training; assign mentors to new teachers; allot time for teachers to share effective strategies for instruction; involve experienced teachers in the selection of instructional materials and testing programs (Committee on Standards 1988); and appoint a committee to guide curriculum development (Walsh and Paul 1988, 49).

ARE THERE ANY PROGRAMS THAT PROMOTE CRITICAL THINKING?

Project THISTLE (Thinking Skills in Teaching and Learning) is a teacher training program designed to improve the precollege preparation of urban high school students by strengthening their critical thinking abilities (Oxman and Barell 1983).

Lipman's Philosophy for Children is a program for younger students that develops informal logic skills through the discussion of issues raised in narrative tests, including problems of meaning, truth, ethics, reality and imagination (Resnick 1987, 31).

The Instrumental Enrichment program (Feuerstein et al. 1986) is a content-free, paper-and-pencil program that improves problem-solving strategies in 14 cognitive areas and promotes broad application of these strategies from classroom subjects to real-life situations (Martin 1987). The program is currently being applied in the preservice education department at Gallaudet University (Martin 1984, 68-69).

Tactics for Thinking, a teacher-directed approach to critical thinking, is a flexible program for grades K-12 that can be tailored to each school's curriculum and student needs. It focuses on 22 skills and processes that can be applied selectively or to all grades and subjects.

How do bloggers make money from blogs?

I’ve been reflecting this week about the amazing diversity of opportunities that are opening up for bloggers to make money from blogging.

I’ve long advised that bloggers seeking to make money from blogging spread their interests across multiple revenue streams so as not to put all their eggs in one basket.

The wonderful thing is that this is becoming easier and easier to do 2005 has seen many options opening up. I thought I’d take a look at some of the methods that bloggers are currently using to make money through blogs.

Income Streams for Bloggers – How to Make Money Blogging

Advertising Programs – Perhaps the most obvious changes in the past few months have been with the addition of a variety of viable advertising options for bloggers looking to make money from their blogs. The most common way bloggers seem to earn money online is via the contextual ad program from Google – Adsense. A more recent addition that many are using successfully are Chitika’s eMiniMalls and WidgetBucks, Text Link Ads.Azoogle Ads, Intelli Txt, DoubleClick, Tribal Fusion, Adbrite, Clicksor, AdHearUs, Kanoodle, Pheedo, TextAds, Bidvertiser, Fastclick and Value Click (to name just some of the options) and there is a smorgasbord of options. Of course there is more to come with MSN Adcenter and YPN both in beta testing and with a variety of other advertising system currently in development (YPN is only available to US publishers).Lastly there’s BlogAds – one of the first blog specific ad networks.

 

RSS Advertising – The past 12 months have seen some advances in RSS Advertising also. I’m yet to hear of any bloggers making big money blogging through it to this point – but as improvements are made to the ad programs exploring this I’m sure we’ll start to see examples of it being profitable.

 

Sponsorship – In addition to the array of advertising programs that are available to join there is a growing awareness in the business of the value and opportunity that exists for them to advertise directly on blogs. I’m hearing more and more examples of this and have been fortunately to have a couple of ad campaigns of my own in the past month – one with Adobe a couple of weeks ago and another just completed with Ricoh for a new digicam over at my Digital Camera Blog. These are not isolated cases – as I say I know of many blogs exploring sponsorship with advertisers at present and suspect we’ll see more of it in the year ahead. Sponsorship is also happening on a post by post basis with some bloggers being paid to write on certain topics by companies – either in one off or a regular fashion – and they are able to make big money from their blogs doing so.

 

Affiliate Programs – There are larger affiliate programs like Amazon, Linkshare, Clickbank and Commission Junction but also literally thousands of others from the large to the very small.

 

Digital Assets – Increasing numbers of bloggers have been developing other digital assets to support and add revenue streams to their blogs. By this I mean that I’m increasingly seeing e-books, courses and tele-seminars being run by bloggers. My recent foray into this with the first series of the six figure blogging course that Andy and I ran a few weeks ago and have just released the study version of. This type of activity will only increase in future – in fact this week I’ve seen numerous examples of bloggers running courses.

 

Blog Network Opportunities – with the rise in popularity of Blog Networks – bloggers are also being presented with more places to earn an income from their blogging – by writing for and with others. While it might be difficult to get a writing gig with one of the bigger networks – there are plenty who are always asking for new bloggers to join and who are willing to pay bloggers using a variety of payment models. While there are distinct advantages of blogging for yourself – blogging for an established network who will handle a lot of the set up/promotion/admin/SEO etc has it’s advantages also. More and more bloggers are combining writing for themselves on their own blogs with taking on blog network blogs as additional income streams.

Business Blog Writing Opportunities – as blogging has risen in it’s profile as a medium more and more businesses are starting blogs. Many of these companies have internal staff take on blogging duties – but an increasing number of them are hiring specialist bloggers to come on and run their blogs. I know of a number of bloggers who in the past month or two have been approached for such paid work. Check out Bloggers for Hire if you’re looking for this type of work.

 

Non Blogging Writing Opportunities – Also becoming more common are bloggers being hired to write in non blogging mediums. Manolo’s recent coup of a column in the Washington Post is just one example of this as bloggers are increasingly being approached to write for newspapers, magazines and other non blog websites. Along side this is the rise of bloggers as published book authors – this is to the extent that one blogger I spoke with this week complained to me that they were one of the few bloggers than they knew who didn’t have a book deal!

Donations – Tip Jars and donation buttons have been a part of blogging for years now but this last year saw a number of bloggers go full time after fund raising drives. Perhaps the most high profile of these was Jason Kottke of kottke.org who through the generosity of his readership was able to quit his job and become a full time blogger.

 

Flipping Blogs – Also more common in 2005 was the practice of ‘Blog Flipping’ – or selling of blogs. This has happened both on an individual blog level (I can think of about 20 blogs that sold this year) but also on a network level (the most obvious of these being the 8 figure sale of Weblogs Inc to AOL).

 

Merchandising – My recent attempt to sell ProBlogger.net T-shirts wasn’t a raging success, but it is an example of how an increasing number of bloggers are attempting to make a few extra dollars from their blogs by selling branded products through programs like Cafepress. While I didn’t have a lot of success with merchandising – quite a few larger blogs are seeing significant sales – especially blogs with a cult following. I’m not at liberty to discuss details – but I know of one largish blog which will see sales over $20,000 in merchandise for the calendar year of 2005.

 

Consulting and Speaking – While it has been popular for established consultants to add blogs to their businesses we’re also starting to see bloggers with no consulting background able to make money by charging readers for their time in consulting scenarios BECAUSE of the profile that their blogs have built them. Blogging has the ability to establish people as experts on niche topics and we all know the value of being perceived as an expert. I spoke to one blogger last month who charges himself out at over $200 an hour for speaking and consulting work – his area of expertise was something that he knew little about 18 months ago – but through his blog he’s become a leader in his field and a minor celebrity in his industry.

cara pasang google translate di blog

Rasanya tak perlu saya terangkan apa itu kegunaan Google Translate sipenterjemah ulung ini. Saya pasang widget ini agar memudahkan seandainya ada kata yang tak dimengerti atau kalau kita mau menterjemahkan apa aja biar langsung gak perlu buka2 url nya lagi. Kan menghemat waktu nih.

Caran pasangnya sangat mudah seperti ini :
Ini code scriptnya

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the wooden bowl

 A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and a four-year old grandson. The old man's hands trembled, his eyesight was blurred, and his step faltered. The family ate together nightly at the dinner table. But the elderly grandfather's shaky hands and failing sight made eating rather difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor. When he grasped the glass often milk spilled on the tablecloth. 


The son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess. "We must do something about grandfather," said the son. I've had enough of his spilled milk, noisy eating, and food on the floor. So the husband and wife set a small table in the corner. There, grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner at the dinner table. Since grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl. Sometimes when the family glanced in grandfather's direction, he had a tear in his eye as he ate alone. Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp admonitions when he dropped a fork or spilled food. The four-year-old watched it all in silence.

One evening before supper, the father noticed his son playing with wood scraps on the floor. He asked the child sweetly, "What are you making?" Just as sweetly, the boy responded, "Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and mama to eat your food from when I grow up." The four-year-old smiled and went back to work. The words so struck the parents that they were speechless. Then tears started to stream down their cheeks. Though no word was spoken, both knew what must be done. That evening the husband took grandfather's hand and gently led him back to the family table.

For the remainder of his days he ate every meal with the family. And for some reason, neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a fork was dropped, milk spilled, or the tablecloth soiled. Children are remarkably perceptive. Their eyes ever observe, their ears ever listen, and their minds ever process the messages they absorb. If they see us patiently provide a happy home atmosphere for family members, they will imitate that attitude for the rest of their lives. The wise parent realizes that every day that building blocks are being laid for the child's future.

Let us all be wise builders and role models. Take care of yourself, ... and those you love, ... today, and everyday!